âThere must be a good reason for establishing rules. Blindly and forcefully establishing ridiculous rules is nothing but bullying others.â
Saying so, Madam Elbas clicked her tongue as she began to force herself to cross the line under the guise of advice and went on.
âOh, maybe it was on purpose? I didnât notice. Did you rush it to establish authority over me by deliberately making me uncomfortable?â
âYouâre the one whoâs being pushy, Madam. If you ask the employees, theyâll quickly tell you that I have a severe allergy to pollen and have banned flowers.â
Actually, it was because of the cat, but it was right that the employees knew it like that.
âEmployees tend to side with their employers.
Rebuking me, Madam Elbas held out her arm as if to look around the mansion.
âLook at this place. Blois was always beautiful, with fresh flowers and decorations. I was taught to take care of this place like that. But what about now? How desolate and empty is this place? Itâs like a prison.â
âŠPrison. How could a prison be so magnificent and splendid?
Even without flowers, the main hall of Blois was resplendent with beautifully embossed carvings and gold ornaments.
âBesides, you look pretty well, Rowaine, considering that you have a severe allergy to pollen.â
After glancing me up and down, she touched her head before continuing her words.
âI canât believe my daughter-in-law is looking down on me like this. I canât even lift my head because Iâm embarrassed to see the employees because of the condescending treatment.â
Then, with her miserable face, she let out a deep sigh, and the maids next to her rushed over to comfort her.
âMadam, donât say that.â
âThe Madam didnât do anything wrong, so what do you mean by that?â
Werenât they also just glancing at me with resentful eyes?
I clenched my fists tightly and let out a quick, hot breath.
âThis is how it turns out.â
ïŸÂ· : * â§ * :· ïŸ
Dimitri had been watching from the beginning as Rowaine stormed out of the drawing room and clashed with Cayetana. He was watching the scene without saying anything, but he couldnât stay still because it seemed that Rowaine was being pushed around.
âThis is ridiculous.â
His teeth trembled at Cayetanaâs disgusting insistence. Eventually, he got impatient and walked out of the corner.
âDonât interfere.â
Rosanneâs stern voice tied his ankles.
âGrandmother.â
As he gazed at Rosanne without hiding his displeasure, she clicked her tongue.
âYouâre still not wise. If you intervene, itâll only make matters worse.â
Then, she glanced at Rowaine and Cayetana and narrowed her eyes. It looked as if she was judging something.
As he glanced at her, Dimitri thought that the look in Rosanneâs eyes, which he occasionally saw, was as if she was looking at a test subject. Looking into her eyes, he somehow was seized with the feeling that he was being evaluated piece by piece.
The gaze that made people nervous wasnât very pleasant. Judging by her demeanor, Dimitri was convinced that he was always being evaluated below her level.
âArenât you here to create conflict and build up your grounds anyway?â
Uttering the cold words, he turned his back on Rosanne before moving towards Rowaine. He wanted to go and rescue her from that wicked Cayetana.
Meanwhile, Rosanne let out a sigh of disapproval at his actions and scolded Rowaine and Cayetana faster than Dimitri could reach them.
âWhatâs the fuss, all of you!â
Everyoneâs eyes were on Rosanne, not Dimitri.
Stamping on the floor with her cane, she pushed Dimitri away and yelled at Rowaine and Cayetana.
âWhat are you doing in front of the people below you! Culture seems to have been thrown into a pig pen. Even if it ruins the family, itâs an oil fountain.â
As Rosanne stared at the two women in front of her alternately with eyes like a ferocious beast and pressed them, Both of them lowered their eyes in front of her gaze, but no one was able to open their mouths. Still glancing at Cayetana, she scolded Rowaine.
âItâs definitely wrong for Madam Elbas to break the rules. However, Iâm very disappointed with you, Rowaine, who made such a fuss when you couldâve communicated to understand each other, even though she didnât do it on purpose because she knew the situation.â
Rosanne clicked her tongue and muttered like a sigh.
âYouâre young. Too young.â
Strange emotions that no one noticed passed through her eyes as she shook her head and gazed at the young girl. To Rosanne, she looked as soft as Dimitri. On Rowaineâs face, who was speechless, her anger, resentment, and regret that she couldnât hide could all be read clearly.
âThereâs such a lingering feeling in her eyes. Dimitri certainly got a wife like me.â
Rowaine Larscel.
Rosanne had heard rumors that she was a wicked woman with no mercy or compassion. However, she was not much different from the puppy she raised at home, not even having her teeth fully grown, let alone a ruthless evil woman.
âIt seems sheâs just a foolish woman who was taken advantage of by peopleâs wickedness.â
Most of the women who were notorious for being villains were actually just ordinary women⊠Women who had been unfairly framed, foolishly used, and become the subject of gossip.
Since the beginning of history, the world has been chewing, ripping off, and ruining weak women as victims of gossip, transcending time and borders. The existence of the words âwitchâ and âwitch huntâ was proof of that.
Rosanne was well aware of how cleverly the ârealâ bad people wore good masks.
Perfect evil requires thoroughness and tenacity. Humans who had it were smart enough to protect themselves.
âŠLike Cayetana, who was standing over there.
Rosanne looked expressionlessly at Cayetana, who lowered her eyes. She looked like she wouldnât bleed even if she stabbed her.
She then swallowed her sigh and scolded Rowaine even louder.
âMadam Elbas is older than you, Rowiane. If you embarrass her like that, how would she feel about her position? Just because you inherited the title, you shouldnât treat others in such ways. Apologize to Madam Elbas right away.â
She urged Rowaine, who bit her lip, with her glance.
âDonât make a cause for Cayetana, Rowaine.â
She hoped that the young girl in front of her would not be sacrificed to Cayetana.
âEven without you, Dimitri has already lost a lot to Cayetana.â
A look of pity passed in Rosanneâs eyes as she looked back at Rowaine and Dimitri. However, she didnât know that Rowaine, no Eunsoo, who was inside her body, was raising a fierce beast in her heart, sharpened by wickedness rooted in deep wounds.
ïŸÂ· : * â§ * :· ïŸ
Returning to her room, Cayetana smiled contentedly as she remembered Rowaine bowing her head in front of her.
âRather than abusing the shapeshifters, she seems to really care about them. Itâs humorous.â
Even though Rowaine made an excuse for being allergic, Cayetana didnât believe it.
It was because she had heard from her maid that she and Dimitri were getting serious about the shapeshifter, the cat who had fallen on the porch. She knew that the cat shapeshifters couldnât stand lily flowers⊠because she had already experimented on Dimitriâs biological mother.
Cayetana smiled slyly as she recalled the past before picking up a lily from a vase on the table in her room.
A few hours ago, the maid, who had come to announce the arrival of the lilies she had ordered in advance, had brought some of the most coveted lilies and had put them in a vase in her room.
As the lily was mercilessly crushed in her hands, yellow pollen scattered in the air.
âIt wouldâve been more fun if that filthy kitten had died, like that mistress at that time.â
Clicking her tongue, Cayetana casually tossed the mangled flowers away and sat down on the sofa. She then opened a book, humming as if to celebrate the dayâs victory, but had to take her eyes off her book before she could even turn over a few pages.
It was because the maid had rushed into her room.
âMadam! Thereâs trouble!â
âWhatâs going on?â
âNo, the DuchessâŠ!â
ïŸÂ· : * â§ * :· ïŸ
Because of grandmother Rosanneâs intervention, the fight between Madam Elbas and I ended and I went straight back to the drawing room.
The doctor was still checking Sashaâs condition.
Knowing better than anyone that Sasha was fine, I told Agwen to take Sasha to the annex.
âThen, Iâll take my leave.â
I called the doctor, who was about to leave.
âCould we talk for a moment?â
âWhatâs the matter?â
âSit down first.â
Since grandmother Rosanne stepped up, I hadnât been able to say a single word to Madam Elbas. If things went on like this, I wouldnât know when this could happen again.
Anger, worry, and anxiety were seething in my heart.
ââŠI have to protect my cats.â
Determined, I asked the doctor.
âDo you know of a way to artificially cause an allergic reaction?â
âAn artificial allergic reaction?â
Since Doctor Tyra was the one who proved my pregnancy to grandmother Rosanne, I knew that she was definitely on Dimitriâs side.
âI hope the reaction looks real, and I hope it shows symptoms that look pretty severe.â
She lowered her voice.
âI have a few, but what is the Duchess going to use them for? I need to know that so I can recommend the right one for you.â
Judging by the look on her face, she seemed to think that I was secretly drugging Madam Elbasâ food.
âIf we get caught then, itâs the end.â
I couldnât do such a dangerous thing. So, I explained to her calmly.
âIâm going to take it.â
âThe Madam?â
Her eyes widened as she asked back.
âIt has to look painful no matter who sees it. It doesnât matter if it actually hurts.â
âButâŠâ
To the hesitant Tyra, I emphasized firmly.
âIt needs to be effective and as quickly as possible.â