22.The Karold Episode 4. Fog

Karold.

The owner of the dense birch grove in the northern part of the empire. The noble lineage of the founding meritorious family who helped the founding of the Grenferg Empire along with Ingord. The Karold had few offspring for generations and were mostly an only daughter. The head was more often a woman than a man, and many times they’ve failed to produce successors due to their weak constitution that was passed on from generation to generation.

Therefore, the Karold family’s greatest desire was health and longevity. They tried to bring in some of the most prominent members of the continent for the prosperity of the estate and the survival of the family. But no reputable member has fulfilled Karold’s long-cherished desire. The family gradually declined because of the patriarch’s deteriorating health. The ledgers, which were once as excellent as that of Ingord, also began to show flaws one by one, leaving only a couple of huge mansions and a dying estate in the family. For the last hundred years before the disappearance of the family, terrible madness dominated the Karold’s. In the meantime, all the household vassals left the cursed Karold’s mansion.

(T/N: ledger means a book or other collection of financial accounts.)

Imperial year 483. For some unknown reason, the Karold family was annihilated. The Imperial family came forward and looked for a successor, but the results were disastrous. There was no blood other than Karold who didn’t have a single member of the family within the empire even though they searched the entire land like rats. The Karolds disappeared into the shadows of history, and the remaining property and lands were vested in the Imperial family. For a family that contributed to the founding of the empire, it was a very shabby ending.

‘But Agrane, the owner of my body, was a descendant of Karold.’

I thought to myself that I really don’t know anything at all. It can’t be helped. For me, Agrane was just a supporting character that didn’t even appear at the corner of the book.

“Susan.”

The founding contributor. Madness. The line that connected Karold and Ingord was too strong to be considered a mere coincidence. Maybe the “madness” that Berkne mentioned is the underlying cause that has something to do with the unknown.

I don’t know….

“Susan!”

Tuk. The wooden statue I was holding in my hand fell to the ground. After taking a very short breath, I shook my head, slightly dazed, and picked up the fallen statue. The crushed part was not visible. It was a good thing it wasn’t glass or porcelain, which was easy to break. Until the wooden statue was picked up from the floor and put back on top of the cabinet, Lina didn’t take her eyes off me. And because of that, I had no choice but to ask, wiping the dust off the cabinet.

“Is something the matter?”

It was then when Lina finally moved her body, which had been standing still, and began to wipe the adornment next to her again.

“Susan, are you really okay? I thought you were going to faint again….”

“Don’t make a fuss, Lina. I’m fine. I didn’t even faint that often.”

“Sigh, how come you know so much about yourself? You seem like you’ve been feeling worse lately, and I’m very worried.”

Lina, who had been sneaking a peek at me for a while, spoke back with a very cautious voice.

“If it’s because of your father’s death… How about taking a break even for just one day? Everyone is worried about you.”

Ah, the death of the father is a lie. There’s no need to worry about it because it’s something I made up to act as Beatrice. Because I don’t even know who my father was. The truth that stayed inside the mouth couldn’t come out and was swallowed up. All I could do was nod my head with a rather awkward look.

“It’s okay, taking a break doesn’t mean it will get better. I think you’ve already taken enough care of me. Thank you for your concern.”

After returning to Ingord, I regained the sense of stability that I was back where I needed to be. There was no need to maintain the rugged blonde hair, or to always look around with a veil covering my face. My hair was dyed red, so it was half-mopable, but it wasn’t that bad. Was it because of the relief that everything was perfectly back to its original place? It felt much better than the cheap gold color. Yeah, I definitely thought so at first.

“Lina”

“Yes?”

“You’re from here… Have you heard of Ingord’s madness?”

“Madness?”

Lina, who was tying the curtains of the drawing room window, trailed at the end of her speech with a mysterious face. I could fully understand what the reaction meant. Depending on the answer, it could turn into gossip about the employer, so it was natural for her to speak carefully .

“If you’re in trouble, you don’t have to tell me. I happened to hear that but I don’t know anything about it.”

Soon, Lina spoke in a smaller voice than before.

“It is also called a rumor or a curse engraved on the bloodline……Of course, ever since I came here, at least I knew it wasn’t a rumor… You know what it means without having to explain it to you, right?”

Of course. Even from the eyes of a single maid, it meant that Duke Richton Ingord’s mental brain seemed to have a lot of problems.

“But is it really a curse passed down from generation to generation? Where in the world is that?”

Well. There’s even a person who entered the book, so why won’t there be a curse? Afterward, Lina finished cleaning the drawing-room with a calm face, as if nothing had happened. The information she gave me was nothing special because it had already been told many times by other people. The information shared by the maids were all similar, and rather, as time went on, it made me feel completely trapped within the wall.

“Thanks for your help, Susan. It’s not even a job assigned to you.

“I received more help from you. You had to take over my job while I was away.”

“Don’t say that. It’s only natural for other maids to take over while you’re away. Aren’t we colleagues? We should help each other.”

Lina, who held my hand tightly and expressed her gratitude, went down to the hall with her arms full of curtain cloth to wash. The interior of the building, where the energy of summer was spread, was also changing to calm colors in preparation for the coming autumn. She turned around and went down to the first floor while tying the crisp, new velvet curtains with red embroidery.

A fortnight has passed since I returned from the Marquis of Crohertz. My life was the same as before. Except that the way I perceive myself has changed a bit. Realization was simple yet natural. Agrane is a person here, but I am not a person here. The pendant I received from Wilhelm was solid proof. Unlike Wilhelm, I didn’t know any of the Agrane of the past. That clear boundary isolates and cuts me off from this place. A feeling of extreme loneliness, different from the relief of returning to Ingord, gnawed me.

I seemed to have unconsciously thought that I was living the life that was given to me. But wasn’t it Agrane, not me, who made up who I was now? All of me, myr past, reality, or even the future of my body was tied to her, whom I did not know. Therefore, Richton’s hatred was not mine either. Rather, that hatred belongs solely to Agrane. Owned by a woman who didn’t exist now, who died long ago. Is there really anything in this world that can be called mine?

“Oh, Susan. Good work. How is your body now?”

As soon as I returned to the kitchen, the first thing I heard was Mrs. Colento’s worried question. I sat right next to her and picked up a half-cooked loaf of bread.

“Very good. When everyone sees me, they ask me about my physical condition, right?”

“You’re saying that because you can’t see your face. Just standing seems overwhelming to you.”

It had to be Mrs. Colento’s party, not me who had to hear it. Mrs. Colento, the head maid, has not looked particularly well since a few days ago. No matter how much anxiety and worries were, both cheeks became thin in just four days. I glanced at the paper she was holding.

“Do I have to order all the flowers on the paper? There are too many. We could have a banquet at the main building.”

The amount of flowers on the order sheet was six times more than the usual amount. Where will all these flowers be used? The question was solved when Mrs. Colento, who lit a cigarette, let out her first breath.

“Oh, you and Mary are new this year. Around this time of year, people hold autumn banquets to invite nobles near the estate. For social purposes.”

“Do you mean socializing? But here….”

“Yes, the hostess’ seat is empty. That’s why me and Mrs. Fiora suffer twice more.”

Looking back, Fiora, the head maid, seems to have had shadows under her eyes recently. The pressure must have been enormous as she had to prepare for a social gathering on behalf of the Duchess’ vacancy. It is not surprising that a banquet will be held. But the fact that the host was Richton was new.

“I didn’t expect him to lead such a social gathering.”

“No, Susan. You’re right. His Excellency is not interested in banquets or dinners for social purposes. I just hope it will happen in the Imperial Palace.”

“Does the banquet mean to be led by the Imperial family?”

“There is a saying that His Majesty is looking forward to his marriage. I think it’s a fair enough opinion. It’s already the fifth time I’ve prepared for this crazy banquet.”

Does that mean that the emperor himself encourages Richton’s marriage? The most prestigious family in the Grenferg Empire had no heirs, so that made sense. I wondered how Duke Richton would act in front of his own lover. Will he wrap his arms around her waist and whisper her love as he did to me? With eyes full of infinite affection? For some reason, just imagining it made my chest feel nauseous.

“People say that this place and the imperial family became enemies, but Ingord has received great trust from the imperial family. What do people like us know right? But we can still make a guess. He probably wants him to bring in the Duchess as soon as possible and have a successor.”

“You must be very busy for the time being.”

It would have been much better than to indulge in complicated thoughts and use up one’s mind. Just because I have a free schedule doesn’t mean I and Richton’s past will be dug up sooner. Mrs. Colento, who was looking through the paper with tired eyes, smiled shortly at my face.

“It’s going to be quite a sight, Susan. It is a scene where the women of the wealthy families show their teeth and fight against each other. There are times when they become the target of unintentional sparks but I think a smart kid like you will get away with it easily.”

Mrs Colento seemed to overestimate me. If I was smart, I wouldn’t be doing this here. I’m sure I would have been enjoying my freedom somewhere quiet by now.

“Oh, come to think of it, the young man at the bookstore you mentioned. He has a crush on you.”

“A young man?”

“Yes, that skinny young man with freckles. Last time I went, he asked if you weren’t here.”

My chest became as stuffy as cotton in the water. I laughed as quietly as I could, pretending to be fine.

“I don’t know if I’ll have to go again.”

“Well, for a maid, reading is a luxury. I’m sorry for the young man.”

Downtown located at the base of the Duchy. The 36th mansion located in the innermost part of Britgil, a small bookstore on the first floor of the mansion. The bookstore was at the address written on the back of the note Wilhilm left for me. In other words, it was a rat hole where Ingord’s information comes and goes to Wilhelm.