26.Azmaria Will

If it was not an illusion, the shadow in those blue-gray eyes seemed to have slowly gathered. He asked me in a familiar, sharp voice.

“Who are you?”

“Susan.”

“Who am I?”

“My master.”

Richton exhaled for a long time. Then he closed his eyelids very slowly and opened them. Everything seemed to stop except for the sound of rain blowing through the forest.

“Then close your eyes.”

When I didn’t obey him, his big hand closed my eyes.I wonder how long or short time has passed. He touched my lips with a light breath. Something cold and warm covered my lips. It was a weak and frightened movement, as if it were dealing with a sand castle that would collapse at any moment if it came close. I couldn’t move as if I was crushed by a mountain. Soon after, the big hand that was blocking my view moved away. The man’s whole body, which took a step back, melted back into the rain.

“I can’t believe I’m your master. That’s a hell of a dream.”

The self-deprecating smile on his pale face slowly faded away like smeared ink.

“Go back, Agrane. So that I can wake up from this dream.”

With that one word Richton pushed me away. I took a dazed step and ran to the mansion with an umbrella. He didn’t even call me Susan until the end.

“Ugh….”

Intense feelings that could not be expressed in words got trapped in my throat. It was unfair and miserable. Even in front of Richton, whom I gave my name as Susan, I couldn’t be Susan! I wasn’t Agrane but I should be Agrane. No one here recognizes the ‘real me’ and knows the ‘real me’.

I stared at the black ceiling in my bedroom for a long time. Because of my wet hair and clothes from the rain, the bed quickly became soaked as if water had spilled on it. My whole body was heavy and painful like I was tied up.

“Lonely.”

Would it be better to pretend as Agrane? Would that be much easier? As usual, no sleep came, and the rainy night was long.

***

The sun, which I thought would never rise in the end, rose brightly in the sky. Of course, just because the morning came doesn’t mean the rain had stopped. However, the pouring rain did not interfere with the banquet schedule. The banquet, which began before sunset, continued after midnight. The music didn’t stop and the loud and small laughter that shook the mansion still lingered. With this atmosphere, the banquet hall could be organized only when the sun rose again.

“So? How was it?”

“Somehow, it was hard to see His Grace’s face. He wasn’t even a flower where bees flock around but those young ladies stuck to him as if he was!””

One of the servants sighed deeply among the busy servants

“And?”

“And? What do you expect me to say?”

“Well, what about other nobles besides the young ladies?”

“I can’t even remember because it’s so hectic. I remember the old person touching my arm grossly.”

“Oh, my God, a noble madam? What is she doing when she’s already so old?”

“It was a man, I beg your pardon.”

It wasn’t as chaotic as the banquet hall, but the kitchen and the food storage were also busy dealing with chores. It was just around 1 a.m. when a disturbance occurred while the castle was bustling.

“You forgot to fill the lamp in the first floor study?”

“Ha, I’ve got so much work to do..”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a banquet. Wouldn’t it be fine?”

“I don’t care! What if a nobleman got tired of music goes into the study?”

There seemed to have been a mistake at the end of the morning routine. Mrs. Colento asked me not to make a mistake, but it should have been a lot of work.

Someone tapped my arm while finishing the dishwashing.

“Hey, Susan.”

I turned my head without thinking. However, people who have been discussing the lanterns of the study for a long time were looking at me.

“…What are all those faces? You don’t mean I should go, do you?”

When I asked with a wrinkled forehead, everyone spoke as if they had been waiting.

“Mrs. Colento is generous with you.”

“You can hide behind Mr. Berkne!”

I didn’t have the energy to talk to them for a long time now. If it was up to me anyway, it was better to finish quickly and come back. There was nothing I could do. I carefully headed to the study with a bottle of oil used for lanterns. A terrible string quartet was still ringing in the banquet hall.

Squeak.

I managed to hide in and close the door, but had to stop right away. Inside the study, there was a white light that seemed to belong to an outsider. I was going to catch the person, but as I feared, one of the nobles visited the study during a crowded banquet. The sound of footsteps was reduced and the outermost lamp was separated from the bookshelf. I felt like I had to leave after filling up the oil on this lantern.

“Who is it?”

But it was a problem that things didn’t always work out the way I wanted them to. I hurriedly filled the gas bottle and looked back at the owner of the voice. My eyes met with a woman who blinked quietly. Haa. Of all the nineteen nobles, it was Azmaria.

“A maid?”

“I’m sorry, I’ll just fill up the gas and get out of the way in a minute.”

“Oh, take your time. I have my share of the light.”

There was some tension in the cheerful voice. She was hiding something. Pretending not to know, I bent down and filled up the remaining oil quickly. There was nothing good about being close with Wilhelm’s lover. It was then when I was about to leave the study after doing my work.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

Damn, I bit my lip and let it go.

“It’s Susan.”

“How long have you worked in Ingord?”

It was such an unwelcome question. As I turned slowly, I saw Azmaria beckoning to me a few steps in front.

“I’d like to ask you one question, if you don’t mind.”

Azmaria was the lady of the noble Count Will, and I was a wretched maid whose body was poisoned. I had no right to reject her. As I leaned over carefully, Azmaria handed me a small object in my arms. It was a crafted diamond that could be embedded in an expensive ring or necklace.

“Susan, do you know about Ingord’s madness?”

Oh, my God. You must have gone crazy wanting to die. Maybe this was the last mercy she gives to a humble maid before she dies. I looked quietly into the face of Azmaria, who handed over a so-called face-to-face bribe. A firm will was seen in the clear eyes that sparkled without stain.

Resolve? Why was she burning with strong resolve? You’re gonna steal some information from a clumsy Ingord maid to help your beloved Wilhelm? It just occurred to me. It had nothing to do with me that Azmaria was set on her ways without any fear. But I think it’s a chance to get some information for the role.

“Ingord’s madness is….”

As I opened my mouth slowly, Azmaria’s good face hardened with concentration.

‘I can’t believe I’m your master. That’s a hell of a dream.’

Don’t think about it. I tried to stop Richton’s voice trying to climb up from the deep ground. The answer could be made up in moderation by lying. I didn’t have to tell Azmaria the truth anyway, do I?

“Well, young lady, you’re going to keep it a secret that I told you, right?”

“Of course, I promise the honor of the Will family.”

It wasn’t a very trustworthy promise at the time Crohertz was played on by Richton.

“I don’t know the details, but he always seems to be chased by something. I think Ingord’s madness is related to this.”

Azmaria, who focused solely on my voice, was barely breathing.

“He has an unidentified, incredible insight. He knows when, where, and what’s going to happen. Nevertheless, he always feels anxious. You can tell by his eyes. For example, loneliness that people like me can’t understand….”

Azmaria nodded as if she had heard the secrets of the century. The figure felt strange to me. When the name of a political opponent was mentioned, the hostility and displeasure that appeared instinctively were not visible in Azmaria’s eyes.

“I think madness is the price of his insight. Maybe that’s why he looks so lonely. The lady knows how the madness makes him suffer in pain..”

“No, I….”

“It breaks my heart to think of him. I wish he had someone to understand that loneliness.”

It’s minute, but Azmaria nodded. As if she really sympathized with Richton. I squeezed my lips and struggled to hold back the laugh that was trying to crawl out It was ridiculous to listen to the nonsense of Ingord’s maid. She was a truly good and righteous woman. The problem was, she met Richton’s dog, not Ingord’s stupid maid.

“As expected, “the power” that came down to Ingord was a double-edged sword.”

The power?

“Is he in a lot of pain?”

“Yes.”

“Sure, maybe it won’t go well in the future. Now, even though he’s crouching, later… Oh, pretend you didn’t hear me just now.”

Azmaria, who hurriedly waved her hands, stared at the floor with a troubled face. And I was shocked.

‘This woman knows the future.’

How? In what way? Why? Like me? My lips moved first even before my head was cleared.

“You too, in the book….”

Were you also brought into the book? If I ask her that, what’s next? Azmaria was waiting for my words. But I couldn’t bring myself to follow up on that. What if she knew she fell into 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』like me? What can I do next? A conspiracy to devour the empire?

“Continue what you were trying to say, Susan.”

But haven’t they all met a miserable end. She shook her head and took a step back. On second thought, there was no advantage to get close to this woman. I’ll get this over with and get back to my seat….

“Lady Azmaria.”

At that time, a familiar voice rang low right behind my back. Surprised, Azmaria’s eyes turned into space, two heads higher than the top of my head.

“You…”

“I’m sorry to interrupt in the middle of the conversation. I’m Kean, a member of the Knights of the Black Hawks.”