Chapter 42: When In Dark, Use Your Enemies Episode 7. Resonance

Bang!

It was already the seventh blow. While combing Azmaria’s hair, I glanced at the scenery beyond the window. There was no sight of a bird falling with its feathers fluttering, a servant carrying his next prey, or even Richton wearing a riding suit.

“The mansion will be a little noisy for a while, Susan. His Excellency ordered the hunting of wolves around the area.”

I see. Hunting….and it was a wolf, of all things. What happened yesterday early in the morning vaguely came to mind. The joke-like voice of trying to stop the wolf.

“What a sweet person he is.”

Judging by the dreamy expression on her face, she seemed to be referring to Richton.

“I had a nightmare last night. A dream of two large wolves hunting young children.”

I barely held back my laughter.

“I guess you’re not used to Ingord yet.”

“I guess so. Ingord is far away from Will. While chatting with His Excellency, I happened to talk about it. He reassured me, saying I don’t have to feel that threat as much as in Ingord.”

At the end of that, Azmaria smiled shyly with her white face. However, I could hear unconnected gossip in my ears. I guess that was why he started hunting wolves. It was funny for Azmaria, who couldn’t hide the tea (gossip) she wanted to tell. Richton who reassured her, and me, who was listening to those stories, were also funny.

“The employees are all amazed. This is the first time that His Excellency has paid so much attention to a lady.”

“No, I’m sure it’s just to save my face.”

Perhaps it was a satisfactory response as her shoulders soared up. Azmaria became infinitely honest in the face of love. I listened with my eyes closed to the harsh gunfire that was heard. As if it were a string quartet.

This was entirely intentional. As time went by, I was gradually recognizing it. For Richton, there was no ‘unintentional’ or ‘accidental’ event.

He was a man who calculated all the numbers. How far was the scope of the calculation then? Perhaps it included the step where I deny myself being an Agrane through the existence of Azmaria? Everything was in Richton’s palm. If that was true, I wanted to rip off the palm.

“Come to think of it… I’m always the only one who talks. I don’t know anything about Susan.”

I answered with a voice as casual as possible.

“I was a maid. In the past and even now.”

“Were you satisfied with that?”

“Of course. It fits my theme.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean…”

“There have been a lot of cases in which I jumped over and ended up falling. I have no desire to do that.”

“You are wise, Susan. That’s probably why you tried to stop me back then. None of those who tried to change the future have had a good outcome.”

We were thinking the same thing.

“Aren’t you scared of Mr. Richton, Susan?”

“I can’t say no. But I’m in a situation where I get paid by him. I’m more thankful.”

“I was quite surprised when we came back from Georgia. I didn’t expect His Excellency to take Susan to the bedroom..”

Did she keep this in her heart this whole time? An appropriate excuse was needed at this point.

No. There was no reason to lie.

“I’m his shadow. Like Mr. Bergne is his arm and Keane is his sword. I can’t tell you in detail, but you don’t have to pay me much attention. Because I’m a person who exists and doesn’t exist.”

As if Azmaria realized something, she uttered a short exclamation.

“Ah, that’s why he cherishes you….”

Did she hear from the maids that Richton cared about me? Azmaria looked relieved.

“Yes. His Excellency is watching the lady through me. You are a precious person, soon to be the duchess.”

“But Susan, it was me who chose you, not His Excellency, Richton.”

“Even if you didn’t choose me, I would have helped you.”

I used all the muscles in my face to make a friendly smile as much as possible.

“Because you are the only one protected by His Excellency in the Grenferg Empire.”

Azmaria bowed her head deeply. Even if I couldn’t see her face, her intense heartbeat reached my ears. How should I explain this feeling of looking at her? Continue to be relieved, Azmaria. So that I could use you comfortably.

***

Late in the afternoon. On the way back from delivering food to Azmaria, both my legs stopped. It was because the main gate, which had a different atmosphere than usual, came into view through the window. As when the autumn banquet was held, there was a long carriage standing at the front gate. The tightly closed door was crowded with visitors getting off the brilliant carriage. Mrs. Colento told me that the mansion would be noisy for a few days, but I didn’t know so many people would visit.

“That’s Ingord’s faction. And on the other side it’s Wilhelm’s faction.”

It was at the time when I looked out of the window and was guessing the number. The familiar voice of a knight approached and he leaned against the window. There was no need to check who it was because it was Kean.

“Even if they look like that, there are quite a few great writers. Count Henzer and Marquis Jonathan…. They’re hard to see in one place.”

I listened quietly, then turned my head and asked,

“What power does Prince Wilhelm have? The descendant would be no other than that prince.”

(P/R: 적통은 means the line of descent (the descendants) from the legal wife)

Keane had a strange face.

“Don’t you dare say such a silly thing. Tsk. I thought you were a little more human now.”

“Do you want me to bite you one more time?”

“Are you really a dog? What a ridiculous threat. Prince Wilhelm and Vivianne are the two most influential people in the royal family. Marquis Crohertz died, and now His Excellency’s momentum is so strong that he (Wilhelm) is bending down but we never know when he’s going to claw back again.”

My mind went blank. Vivianne, all of a sudden?

“Don’t tell me it means in Wilhelm’s faction…”

Did that mean that Richton was helping Vivianne? Waiting for the answer, I looked up at Keane. His light green eyes were transparent like early spring sprouts on his moderately tanned skin. I always felt that for a man, a fairly reliable one, he had unnecessarily clear eyes.

“Hmm.”

Far from answering, the response was lukewarm. I guess he didn’t know it well. My doubt didn’t last long. Something pinched my lip hard and moved away. As soon as I realized that the culprit was Kean, my hand went out on its own.

“You crazy bastard!”

But my hand was blocked by Kean. He stared at my face and belatedly let go of my hand.

“Oh. Do you want to punch me?”

What do you mean? I kicked his shin bone with all my might.

“Ugh!”

I worked hard to get rid of the sensation left on my lips with my sleeves. It was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to react anymore. Keane said with a whining voice.

“So, who told you to make that silly face? You make me want to tease you.”

“Keep talking.”

“Well, your silly face is cute.”

Keane became a little quiet only after I kicked his other shin as well. The way people annoyed other people evolved day by day. I went past Keane, who held on to his shin and shouted silently, and returned to my bedroom. As my head started to throb, I threw myself on the bed with all my strength. The steady second hand in the tranquil air stimulated my anxiety.

(*she is referring to the second hand of the clock and uses this as a metaphor which basically means that time is ticking away, she’s running out of time)

‘I’m the same…’

My surroundings continued to change. I felt like I was being sucked in helplessly around Richton. It was clear that at this rate, I would be crushed like powder after being swayed.

‘No. I can’t stay still like this.’

What caused me the most confusion now? The fact that Azmaria had the memories of Agrane. Yes, there were two big differences between the two of us.

One, Azmaria did not know『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』. Two, I believed Azmaria did not enter the book, but she died and entered the body of another. We also had something in common. That there was no perfect evidence to prove that we are Agrane. Richton’s hatred was believable, but Richton himself was not. The future was uncertain, so I didn’t know when I would die.

‘I need to use someone else.’

The information available in Ingord was too narrow and one-sided. In addition, I lacked the judgement to determine whether the information I got was actually true or not. I needed someone who knew more truth than me and could reach out to me. I turned on the lamp and took out the jewellery box that I had put deep in the drawer. The notepad was still there.

<My lovely Nui. I think you will need my help someday, and I hope to see you again soon.>

Wilhelm. Can I really use him? He was my master, the influential figure in the Imperial family, and against Richton. However, I couldn’t think of a suitable person other than Wilhelm. I also needed to pull out the dark veil that covered my eyes*. I took a fountain pen and wrote a letter to deliver to building No. 36 on Bridge Street.

<I need help.>

There won’t be any more dead ends here anyway.

***

The next afternoon, I took advantage of Azmaria who was reading and crossed over to the main building. Mary seemed to have gotten very close to Mrs. Fiora in a few days. The evidence was that she was chatting with her while everyone was busy with their morning work. Assuming that my expectations were not wrong, Mary would go out to the downtown area this afternoon.

Whether she truly fell in love or perceived it as a simple use, she had no choice but to decorate herself in order to look good to Sir Kasen, the son of Mrs. Fiora. A maid could not wear ornaments, so it was clear that she would struggle to choose oil or scented oil to apply to her hair. Fortunately, my judgement was right. I called Mary carefully just before she left the mansion.

“Mary. Please deliver this letter to the bookstore owner of Bridge Street.”

“A letter?”

I borrowed the most threatening name to quell Mary’s curiosity.

“It’s an order that His Excellency secretly asked me to do. But I couldn’t make time because I was helping the lady.”

“His order….”

Mary, who was eager to hold the letter, quickly became sharp.

“Can I dare to replace your work?”

“Of course, I’m asking you because it’s you, Mary. Don’t let anyone know.”

Mary looked very nervous and nodded her head.

“Yes. I’ll hide it well.”