CH 3

Chapter 3

Slap-!

That was the sound of the cheek of the servant that grabbed Leslie’s hand.

The servant who had been slapped looked at Leslie, who usually didn’t even make eye contact, and it felt unrealistic.

Shocked by the fact that Leslie hit his face and it hurt.

“How dare you grab my hand? And from whom did you learn this kind of behavior?”

This was ridiculous, as Leslie said. Which servant would carelessly lay hands on a Marquis’ daughter?

But since Leslie is useless, I used this kind of attitude…

Is it true that the person who is in front of us now is the useless girl we knew?

I heard that a couple of days ago she went on a family trip, was hit by accident and fell off a cliff.

Leslie’s lilac-eyed pupil gazed at the servant silently, and the servant automatically bowed his head.

The pupils of the person who was always crying or in a daze seemed to have the power to make a person lower their head.

“Since when do the servants of the mansion ignore their owner?”

“Ah, I… But Miss Leslie, this is the carriage for Miss Eli…”

“It seems I didn’t give it much thought. Fine. I will drive it myself.”

“What?”

Suddenly, the horseman standing beside was startled. What did you hear just now?

If Leslie drove herself, it would’ve been a problem if Eli’s treasured carriage broke down.

Looking at Leslie, who had no intention of backing away, the horseman finally surrendered.

“I- It’s fine Miss. You said you wanted to go to the temple?”

“Yes, don’t make me say it twice.”

The carriage started moving and Leslie leaned on the cozy carriage chair.

‘…I slapped someone.’

Leslie looked at her hand for a moment and then laughed.

It was ridiculous that she was worried cared about the guy who had always tormented and ignored her. And in the future, he might do something more.

Leslie drew the window curtain and looked outside for a while.

It was the first time that I used such a good carriage and was in a buoyant spirit, but it soon subsided.

Now Leslie was on her way to meet Duchess Salvatore, also called Monster Duchess.

And her destiny was in her hands.

***

Duchess Salvatore.

Since the empire was founded, a house with a longer history than the Imperial family, everyone called Duchess Salvatore Monster Duchess.

This is because they are the strongest force that no one can surpass.

Even Leslie, who had never escaped from the mansion attic, knew about Duchess Salvatore, who was so strong that she always fought at the frontline in every war.

‘It’s rumored that the first Salvatore entered the battlefield alone and ripped the king’s head off with his bare hands.’

In addition, the power of the Salvatores was getting stronger, unlike the other senior clans like the Sperados.

And Duchess Salvatore withdrew from public view, only one or two stories about her persist today. It is rumored that her two sons also inherited their mother’s immense strength.

‘Up to which degree?’

Leslie trembled a little. I don’t even know how strong their power is.

‘Such a Duchess… Will I be able to persuade her?’

Leslie’s hands were sweating so she wiped them in her skirt. Her mouth was dry.

‘No.’

There’s nothing to fear.

Leslie thought of the Marquis, the Marchioness and Eli’s face. A small chuckle broke put and her fear gradually faded.

Until now, I have lived under the same roof with the real monsters.

At least Duchess Salvatore wouldn’t take her owns life. Even if she’s capable of a head off a body with her bare hands, she’s not a monster who would drag a twelve-year-old child and throw her in a fire pit.

(T/n; “her owns” as in her family members)

“Miss, we have arrived at the temple.”

I am notified that the carriage has finally arrived at the temple and calmed my heart.

The carriage door opened and Leslie jumped out of it by her own.

‘Ah.’

He extended his hand for me when I got out.

Leslie’s attic was in a location where the front door couldn’t be seen, so there was no way for her to know how the Marchioness or Eli got off the carriage.

Moreover, no manners were taught to Leslie aside from the work of a footman or maid. Leslie blinked, her face feeling hotter.

“…Wait here until I come back.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Leslie, who turned her head to avoid looking at the horseman, entered the temple with big strides.

‘I need to learn some manners.’

Leslie covered her red face with both hands and muttered.

It wasn’t that Leslie didn’t learn at all. However, she mostly learned how to become a noble family daughter’s maid.

The Marquis couple didn’t know at all that Eli had been taught exhaustively a maid’s training in preparation for her arrival in the Imperial Court.

In addition, the Marquis couple took advantage of Leslie, using their position and power to make her not to rebel. They lowered her self-esteem in front of the mirror and made her bow her head.

Living for Eli, immediately after Eli awakened her power, they changed her purpose and threw her into the fire pit.

Leslie stepped into the temple, and a conversation between two people reached Leslie’s ear.

“I guess she didn’t come to Daegi Island today.”

“Yes. Did something happen? Many people went to the Daegi Island to greet the Duchess, what a shame that she didn’t appear.

Listening to the conversation of two passing women, Leslie stopped walking. Duchess Salvatore was famous for not accepting guests.

The door was always closed when anyone came to see her. Even if it’s a senior nobleman. Not even the Imperial family can meet the Salvatores easily.

‘But even so, I heard that she attends the yearly Deagi Island meeting.’

When does the Deagi Island open again? One month, two months?

‘It’s okay.’

Leslie forced to calm her uneasy heart.

They said half a year. The next time I would be offered as a sacrifice, the Marquis said it was going to be half a year later.

That means that for at least six months, Lesley was safe from the Marquis.

‘And I have the ability.’

믿을 구석이 있다는 거. 모두가 내편이 아닐 때 나를 지켜 주는 힘이있다는 게 레슬리를 안정시켰다.

I believe there is a corner. Leslie was stabilized by the power to protect me when everyone was not on my side.

(T/n: I don’t really understand this sentence sorry)

And it was not a bad thing at all. In addition to meeting the Duchess, there was another purpose.

Leslie carefully looked at the priest and said something.

“I would like to check the Sperado family records book.”

Every family book is archived in the temple. It holds a record of every death that has occurred within the family. As a member of the nobility, funerals are mainly done through the temple, so there was a record of it.

If there was a burial for the family, it will surely remain in the book, but the Marquis couldn’t allow it to be seen by Leslie.

“Do you mean the family book? Hmm… I’m sorry Miss, but do you have something to prove that you are a member of that family?”

The priest who listened to her intentions looked at Leslie with an embarrassed look. Leslie looked at the priest at her horse. You can prove that you are a member of the family.

“If you can’t prove that you’re a member of that family, you can’t look in the book. So…”

The priest looks looked at Leslie from head to toe with his eyes awkwardly again.

It would have been okay if she had some sort of rich-looking attire, but Leslie’s attire was a summer outfit made of thin cloth that did not fit the seasons.

It was a very long time ago, so the sleeves were full of wrists, and the skirts were on the verge of falling.

“Do you perhaps have proof of your identity? Even a small thing is fine. If you can show me proof of your identity with a stamped identification of your family sigil, I will help you open the book right away.”

The priest, realizing that his thoughts were shameful, looked at Leslie with a smile more kindly.

But she bit her mouth.

A stamped identification of the family? Eli would surely have received it, but I was never allowed to go sightseeing.

“I was in a hurry and forgot it, but is it possible for me to prove my identity with my carriage? It has the family crest on it.”

“The carriage…”

The priest followed Leslie and stopped in front of the carriages. Among the many carriages at the temple’s front yard, Eli’s white carriage was immediately visible.

The face of the priest was brightened by the white carriage and its shiny luster.

In addition, the horseman who was on the wagon also had a familiar face. The priest, who was greeted by the horseman, smiled and looked at Leslie.

“It’s the carriage of Miss Eli, the daughter of the Sperado family! That is absolutely enough to prove your identity.”

The priest nodded agreeably, looked at Leslie and spoke again.

“You must be the daughter of the family. I heard that you didn’t feel well and can’t go out but it’s good that you are healthy.”

So they told that story. Leslie shed a bitter smile. Anyway, thanks to Eli’s carriage, Leslie was able to see the family book. The priest comfortably went and laid down a few thick books from the room.

“The latest records are written in this empire’s language, these two books are written in Gore. If you need help translating, please call for me.”

“It’s alright, I can translate Gore.”

Leslie’s answer made the priest’s eyes round in surprise.

“Oh wow. You are so young but can translate Gore. That’s amazing. Normally you learn it after you enter the academy!”

It was just a compliment. But Leslie felt her cheeks redden more than when she didn’t take the horseman’s hand.

“Th- Thank you.”

A compliment. Meanwhile, my heart was getting ticklish.

The Marquis couple let Leslie learn all the difficult things such as Gore, theology history and politics, so that Eli could care only about socialites and the royal family.

She was a child going to be given as a maid, and they believed that her knowledge would soon become Eli’s.

Leslie’s knowledge was no less than an upper class in the Academy, but the Marquis never even praised her.

Leslie, who was praised for the first time today, blushed and blinked her eyes. The priest, who watched satisfied, walked out of the room.

The priest left the room and Leslie breathed out, grabbed a book nearby and unfolded it.

‘Let’s see who died at an early age.’

Stories about the sacrifices. If they are true, the Sperados secret, then there would be many people who died at an early age.

And Leslie’s predictions were right.