CH 130

Approaching Black Shadow (4)

“I’ve heard about it. Count Harrington, how is the Countess doing?”

“She’s still in surgery. Her Majesty sent us an imperial doctor, but some of the skulls were sunk, and even if she survived, it couldn’t guarantee a normal life.”

“Oh, my God…”

Ezet covered her mouth with astonishment. It wasn’t much. Even if it’s from outside, it’s the Imperial Palace. The height of each floor was considerable, so if one fell from the third floor, it would not have been strange to lose one’s life. It would have been a good thing to have a chance to live.

“How did the Countess of Harrington fall off the railing? Wasn’t it a room used by a couple?”

“My wife asked me to go back to the west. That’s where we’re supposed to be…… but she didn’t say why, but she looked nervous.”

Now that she had chosen to side with the Duchess of Jaxen, she would not have been able to resort to the favor of Countess Devon.

A noble’s favor is by no means a pure favor. Perhaps the Countess of Harrington was keeping herself low until Ezet sent her tea party invitation. But the blade of power wouldn’t even give her a chance to bend over.

“There’s going to be a dinner party soon anyway, so I said let’s just stay here today and move tomorrow. I was going to let my wife rest and attend by myself because she didn’t look well. While I was away preparing for this…”

Count Harrington washed his face dry with a grimace.

Countess Harrington said the couple’s harmony was not good and that they had a bad marriage, but the relationship between them was not that bad. Instead, he was a little more affectionate than a business-like marital relationship, which only fulfills his duty to produce successors. An average couple would bicker or joke with each other.

“If you’re away, someone could have walked in and out of the Countess Harrington’s room.”

“Who? This is the eastern outskirts of the Imperial Palace!”

Cried Count Harrington, jumping up and down.

This place was the Imperial Palace. It was also an eastern suburb where high-ranking aristocrats stayed, where even servants had to move out of sight so as not to disturb the eyes of the precious.

Therefore, open spaces such as corridors and stairs are usually relatively quiet, but the structure was not lax enough for the mysterious to hide. The door of the vacant room had a mana lock, and the window could be opened from the inside, but it could not be opened from the outside. It was implausible that anyone had broken in and pushed Countess of Harrington.

So there are two possibilities to think about.

1. The Countess of Harrington accidentally fell off the window.

2. ‘Someone’ who can confidently enter the eastern castle pushed her, and she fell.

It was doubtfully the former. This is because the railing on the balcony is solid and high, so even if there is a strong wind, people will not fall.

“Count Harrington, you didn’t lock your door when you left, did you?”

“You’re asking a strange question. There is absolutely nothing suspicious!”

Count Harrington was not a fool. She’s sure he’d have thought of two possibilities that Ezet has come up with. But he was fed up and denied the latter. It was a look of fear.

Just because you’re a white writer doesn’t mean you’re all on a par. The Count of Harrington was originally a small enough family to be assigned a room to the west. If one offends a noble of great nobles who stay in this eastern outer castle, they can always be caught off guard.

If any of the nobles staying in this eastern outer castle tried to hurt Count Harrington, it would have been worse than falling by mistake.

“I appreciate your concern for my wife, but please refrain from making wild guesses about her. I can’t just worry about my wife.”

“Count Harrington…”

Count Harrington was also pale. That convinced ezet. The fact that Countess Harrington did not fall by mistake.

But what if she knew it? The Count of Harrington is finished if he is hated or out of sight by a high-ranking aristocrat. He’d rather lose his wife than have his family torn apart.

“At this time, my wife cannot see the Duchess, so please go back. I’ll be there to thank you later.”

“However…”

It was then.

The heavy door, which had been closed, opened, and a middle-aged woman with glasses in a white gown came out. Judging by her appearance, she was probably the imperial physician who the empress had sent.

“The surgery is over.”

“My wife, is Jasmine safe?”

Earl Harrington asked the doctor like a bolt out of the blue. Young women, who appeared to be doctors’ assistants, came out with things wrapped in black sacks. The smell of iron fish came off my face. Maybe it’s a towel that wiped the blood off.

“Keep your voice down, Count Harrington. Your wife needs to be absolutely stable.”

“Jasmine, can Jasmine wake up?”

“I saved her life, but… I’m not sure she can wake up.”

Count Harrington’s face turned white at the same sound as the bolt from the blue and died black and white. Leaving behind Count Harrington, who was hardened as a nail, Ezet approached the doctor and asked.

“How’s Countess Harrington doing?”

The doctor glanced at Count Harrington and answered in a voice so small that he could not hear.

“The left skull is sunk. There was also spinal damage from the fall, so she may experience discomfort in her movements even if she wakes up. In the worst-case scenario, she might not be able to move her neck at all.”

“I can’t believe…”

If one makes a wrong move, they may have to lie down for the rest of their life even if they wake up.

‘It’s because of me. I’ve got the Countess of Harrington on my side.’

The Countess of Devon was out of favor. Thinking so made her feel guilty.

‘I shouldn’t have thought lightly about the dispute between the nobles. What the hell have I done?’

Come to think of it, she recalled what Countess Harrington said fidgetly in front of her at the lake party.

‘Are you sure you want to send me an invitation to the tea party?’

Ezet couldn’t figure out how desperate it was. With the Countess of Harrington in tow, she thought of leaving the Duke’s house with Edmond to go abroad. If it had been done as it was, the Harrington family would have been swept away like an abandoned family who had no power to defend it.

“Edmond, I’m sorry…”

“What’s wrong, Milady?”

“What the hell am I supposed to do? I can’t believe I hurt a person.”

Tears fell from Ezet’s amber eyes. Edmond hastily tried to wipe away her tears, but Ezet turned her head.

‘I have to figure this out.’

Just showing a willingness to side with Ezet almost cost Countess Harrington’s life. Perhaps the ringleader was a group of Countess Devon.

Count Harrington will not help to get to the bottom of it for fear of retaliation. He seemed overwhelmed with worry about his wife now.

More than Countess Harrington thought he was thinking of his wife. Ezet’s heart became heavy as she brought a stir between a couple of good friends with her greed for nothing. She quickly wiped away her tears.

‘Can I handle this on my own without the Count of Harrington knowing?’

She looked up, and Edmond looked at her anxiously.

“Ezet, Count Harrington’s condition is like that, and there seems to be nothing more we can do. Let’s go back.”