Chapter 45: Love Rival

It was a friendly voice, but they were words that dug strongly inside the heart. What was even more dog-like was the fact that there was nothing wrong with what he said. Richton was a man like a fortress.

As if to prove that he was always watching, he suddenly appeared and trapped me in the mansion then disappeared. He acted as if he knew everything, and in fact, Wilhelm’s henchmen were collapsing one by one in his hands.

If all of this was part of Richton’s plan…. As Wilhelm said, Richton’s feelings for me might have declined a long time ago, leaving only the shell.

“The duke has lived only for revenge.”

Azmaria, Ariel, Susan and Agrane could all be just means for Richton. A perfectly designed means to achieve his purpose.

“So he’s going to kill Miss Susan. The most pitiable and tormented in the world—”

His long finger, which came up before I knew it, pulled my chin up. Wilhelm’s red eyes, fluttering in the lamp, gave off a hot, lava-like echo.

“—Especially when you’ve let go of all your anxiety and you’re completely open. The most wretched and cruellest of all.”

“Is that an ending that includes you too?”

“Did the duke talk about me?”

“He always mentioned you as if you were a lifelong enemy.”

What was Richton’s most precious thing? What was the reason for Agrane to be hated the same as Wilhelm, who had him locked up like a beast?

“What should I do now?”

His hand gently swept down my cheek. He opened his mouth with a gaze of tranquillity as if he were appeasing a child.

“Come back with me, Nui. I’m going to prove my Nui’s bloodline to rebuild the family and re-establish the lost history of Karold’s.”

“Where am I going back?”

“The Imperial palace.”

I laughed in vain. Just like the Agrane in my dream, wasn’t that the same as telling me to be locked up again after being proven to be of the bloodline that had been raised in iron bars? There’s no such absurd words.

‘Wilhelm hasn’t given up on me yet.’

What was the reason? Because of that dirty feeling from the past? Or because there was another plan?

“But I can’t live without him.”

I shook my head and carefully shook off his hand that touched my cheek. I copied the pitiful expression that Azmaria often made. The expression that showed lingering feelings and weak expectations that couldn’t be shaken off.

“I love his excellency Richton.”

His suffocating gaze looked at me with the intention of eating me up. The atmosphere which gave the feeling of kindness and dignity until the previous day had disappeared without a trace. I turned my head away from Wilhelm. Facing his nature, the fear that remained only as an afterimage in my memory was likely to rise to the surface again.

“…I can’t delay it any longer. I’ll pick you up.”

He left the bookstore holding my hand. I felt like I was sweating in my palms. Standing at the door, he hugged me lightly and left a short kiss on my forehead.

“Wait for me to save you from there, Nui.”

Wilhelm saw me off. He had a serene face, as if he had decided that I would return to him. I left as if I was running away. I checked my back dozens of times until I turned away from the street, and whenever I turned my head, Wilhelm stood there.

“Crazy bastard.”

How could you say that you’re going to save me? I walked out of the downtown area as if I was running. There was the illusion that his shadow was following behind my back. It was about ten minutes after arriving at the back gate of the Ingord mansion through the darkness. I felt a strange sensation and stopped walking. There was a yellow fire in the place where the large elm tree stood.

“Keane.”

I felt my heart beat faster due to the tension. There was only one man who was so tall and lean in such a sloppy posture.

“Did you wait for me?”

As I got closer, a face shaded by a faint light was revealed. Keane’s expression staring at me was very cold.

“You, you’d better pay close attention to Mr. Berkne’s advice.”

“Advice?”

“Tsk. Don’t pretend you don’t know with a stupid face. Don’t you remember the advice not to go around alone?”

Keane took the lead and turned to the mansion.

“If he gives such advice without giving the reason… It can’t be kept well.”

“I’m telling you in advance just in case, but I don’t know (the reason).”

“I don’t want it. Don’t worry.”

I was relieved and anxious that he didn’t ask where I had been.

“There must be a reason why Mr. Berkne can’t tell either.”

I answered Keane as we crossed the meadow.

“I guess so. It’s related to a person you can’t just talk about carelessly. Even if you say it, you can’t be sure of it.”

No matter how much I thought about it, the only thing that came to my mind was Richton’s face. It was all the more so because Wilhelm had warned me in a confident manner.

“You’re very obedient to Mr. Berkne, aren’t you?”

Keane glanced back at me. His red hair fluttered violently in the night breeze.

“Somehow I don’t feel good.”

“Did you follow your instinct?”

“A knight like me has reliable instincts. So you’d better be careful, Susan.”

I was always careful. The sound of the wind passing by my ears was chilly. Somehow, I felt like I was hearing thunder from afar.

“There’s going to be a typhoon tomorrow.”

Following Keane’s accelerating steps, I entered the mansion. Azmaria’s room from outside the annex was so dark that it was indistinguishable from the night sky. I quietly opened the door, passed the kitchen, and headed for the bedroom. No, I was going to pass by.

“Susan.”

I didn’t know since when she had been waiting. Azmaria, who was sitting at the table, slowly pushed the chair and stood up. I became stiff at the unexpected presence, but soon I asked her as if nothing had happened.

“Do you need anything?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then…”

Azmaria closed her mouth and glanced at my face. The faint sound of the rain in the silence gradually became clearer.

“It’s not a big deal. While lying in bed and daydreaming, I suddenly thought of it. I don’t think I’ve shown my appreciation properly even after receiving a lot of help from Susan.”

“I don’t care about it. Thank you for just saying that.”

It was a confession that felt somewhat sudden.

“Are you fully recovered now?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, that’s amazing. It should have been a deadly poison.”

What was her intention? Why was she thanking me at this time and asking me about my physical condition? I couldn’t figure out the reason, so I had no choice but to respond with as much care as possible.

“Most poisons don’t work on me. I have immunity.”

“Is that also because you’re his shadow?”

“Yes.”

A bitter emotion came to Azmaria’s face.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s okay.”

Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting for me to talk about trivial things. Azmaria picked up something that was on the table. It was light, so I couldn’t see it clearly, but it was definitely a high-end paper[1] box. After a short deliberation, the box opened in her hand.

“I heard that maids are not allowed to wear ornaments, but Susan will become the nanny of my child, so I think this will be okay.”

If my memory was not wrong, Azmaria had affirmed that she would not make a child with her own mouth.

“It’s the most expensive black pearl I have. I purposely chose something that doesn’t stand out much.”

The object she put out was a black pearl earring that was black and soft as if it was soaked in ink.

“Lady, I can’t accept this.”

“Is it because I said it’s expensive? But I don’t enjoy using these earrings anymore.”

“I…”

“You are my lifesaver, Susan. Please help me save face.”

Could a semi-forced gift be called a gift? I couldn’t refuse anymore, so I received the earrings from her.

“Thank you.”

“Can I help you?”

Even before I answered, Azmaria picked up one earring.

‘Why does it look like you’re in a hurry?’

If you insist now. When I put my hair behind my ears, Azmaria put on the earrings one by one.

“It suits you much better than I imagined.”

A maid’s uniform and pearl earrings. I wondered if it really suited me.

“Will you wear it all the time?”

“Yes, I will.”

Azmaria smiled satisfactorily. I went back to the bedroom long after she left the kitchen. Of all the many things, why were they earrings? Why earrings, which were the most noticeable? Azmaria once gave a gift to Prince Beatrice too.

<Target>

More than letters, earrings can be seen at a glance and they make it easier to distinguish people, right?

‘Is that the reason Mr. Berkne told me to be careful not because of Richton, but Azmaria?’

But trying to deal with me in this way was too sudden.

‘No. It might not be a sudden thing.’

Either it was a plan to kill Richton’s closest aides one by one, or a plan that she made under the judgement that it would be enough only for her to know the future.

‘It’s not the former. If that was the case, Mr. Berkne wouldn’t have bothered to hide it.’

If so, it could be seen that Azmaria’s target was limited to me. I wondered what the intention was. Did Azmaria want to be the only one to monopolise the information about the future?

Or.

“She regards me as a love rival.”

Do you want to monopolize Richton, not the future? I carefully swept the pearls on my ears. In fact, it was like a sign to inform the assassin to kill me. Could I handle it by myself? I fell asleep while thinking about Wilhelm and Azmaria all night.

***

[1] they call it paper box but it’s made of wood