Episode 12
“My lord…for a maid to…”
The butler tried to cut in, but the duke raised his hand and stopped him.
“…….”
Ashlyn agonized for a moment. But it didn’t take long for her to come to a decision.
“Then, I will follow the lord’s words.”
Gracefully, she rose herself from her right knee, maintaining her balance without the support of her hand. Her upright posture exuded elegance, resembling a noble gracing a ballroom.
Ashlyn picked up something near her.
Her movement was as fluid as water, so no one could really see what she was planning on doing.
“Ugh. Ugh. Ugh!”
Only Jason knew.
She approached Jason and unsheathed the heavy sword in her hands.
A sudden slash sent a shiver crawling up her fingers, evoking an eerie sensation. The onlookers, unfortunately, were a step behind in comprehending what was unfolding before them.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
The Laperion Heirloom had dug into Jason’s right thigh. Blood quickly soaked his clothes and dripped on the floor.
“Why, what the……!”
The servants who had been restraining Jason were surprised and loosened their hold. But Jason didn’t even think to attack Ashlyn. No, his bloodshot eyes were distorted from pain. Tears streamed down his face.
Ashlyn didn’t look at Jason’s face for long.
“Hah…”
A long sigh escaped her. Her fingertips were trembling, and she didn’t hide it. Ashlyn retrieved the sword and wiped the blood from the blade with the hem of her clothes, before sheathing it and giving it back to the Duke.
“…I’ve done what I wanted.”
Ashlyn was gasping a little as she spoke. It was no time before the tremors that began from her hands spread all throughout her body.
Her expression remained as calm as a frozen lake.
The duke looked at Ashlyn standing like that.
“That’s clear.”
The corners of his mouth rose languidly.
* * *
Puck! Puck!
A wooden mug crashed against Hugo and Hazelton’s chests.
“You stupid things! You couldn’t even grab a sleeping girl from a medical room?”
Jason was on a rampage after he’d seen Hugo and Hazelton return without Ashlyn.
“Take it easy, brother. Instead, we brought something better.”
Hugo held out his hand.
“What is this garbage? How are you going to fix this…”
“Brother, don’t you recognize it? This is the Southern Diamond!”
“What?”
“Oh goodness. Do you not know this? No way, right? Everyone can recognize it.”
Jason, who was about to be embarrassed, paused.
“No, I know, of course I know…”
His face twitched. It was obvious he didn’t know what they were talking about, but Hugo smiled and pretended he didn’t notice.
“Right! Of course you know it. That the Southern Diamond refers to these leaves of the platinum plant!”
Platinum… what?
Jason’s lips sealed shut, his eyes darting around. Without exchanging a word, the two witnessed every shift in his expression.
“Well, well, so! What do you want me to do?”
A nervous tone sprang up. Then suddenly, Jason’s face crumpled up.
“Wait… so that’s how it was. Damn it, that’s why Ashlyn made fun of me! Ugh!”
He began kicking things in the warehouse in anger.
“If I knew she was talking about some tea leaves, I wouldn’t have had to pay for that fake diamond in the market. I could have just brought her any leaves from the garden.”
He huffed.
“But…”
Jason stopped. An ominous thought struck him.
“You- you, where did you get this? Don’t tell me……?”
“That’s right. We stole it. For you, brother.”
“You crazy bastards! How dare you touch the lord’s things?”
“Shh. Shh. Brother, listen to us.”
Hazleton calmed Jason, who was practically jumping over to strangle them.
“Have you forgotten? You were humiliated by sister Ashlyn the other day.”
“That’s right. What’s the use of stringing her up in the garden? It won’t do anything but vent your anger a little.”
“Ha, but…….”
“Why don’t you make her out to be a thief, brother Jason? Then you’ll burst in as a hero and reveal the ‘truth’ in front of everyone. You’ll be able to raise your reputation again!”
“But if we get caught…”
“Why would you get caught? In case of an emergency, just blame it on Sophia! She’s in charge of the master’s bedroom.”
Jason remained silent for a moment.
“·········Hmm.”
It wasn’t long before a mean smile painted itself on his face.
“All right. Hide this secretly in Ashlyn’s luggage. Ashlyn will still be in the treatment room, and Sophia is on the morning shift, so it’s perfect.”
Hugo and Hazleton exchanged glances at the words.
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes, brother!”
They answered at the same time.
The two then went back to Ashlyn.
“Sister.”
Standing alone by the window in her room, Ashlyn pivoted at their arrival. As the sun spilled through the pane, its rays traced the contour of her figure, casting a gentle glow.
The scene took both their breaths away.
“As expected, Jason told us to hide this in your luggage.”
“Yes, good work.”
Her voice was calm, as if this was only natural.
Hazleton shuddered as he handed Ashlyn the southern diamond.
“Well, will it all really be alright? Sophia’s hands were trembling when she handed this over… we’re scared, too.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you guys suffer any damages.”
Ashlyn said, turning the southern diamond in her hand.
It was also called mugwort.
She put the leaves in her suitcase.
“Sister, can you really kick Jason out with this?”
Hugo inquired, and she turned her gaze towards him. His eyes, reminiscent of a dark night sky, blinked languidly, akin to the slow transition of dawn.
“Yes.”
It was a firm affirmation without any hesitation.
“If Jason leaves, you’ll be the official gardeners.”
“The official gardeners…”
Hazleton fidgeted his hands. Hugo looked somewhere on the floor. The hardships they’d been through played clearly in their minds. The apprenticeship was awful. Jason’s bullying was intensifying day by day. And now he was involving them in a crime…
Hugo remembered the night when he’d stormed into Ashlyn’s treatment room.
“This is nice. It saves me the trouble of having to visit you myself.”
She spoke as if she was hoping to see them.
“How long are you guys going to be Jason’s puppets?”
That was the beginning.
Only then did Hugo realize that his anger toward Jason had reached its limit. It didn’t take long to make up his mind.
Suddenly, a remark escaped from Ashlyn’s mouth. The two perennial apprentices stared at her in confusion.
“Hugo, you have an excellent sense of aesthetics and are skilled in landscaping, while Hazelton is knowledgeable about all kinds of plants.”
“Sister.”
“You just need to find your rightful place. Don’t worry.”
Saying so, Ashlyn smiled slightly.
Hugo clenched his lips.
No one had ever said that to him.
“Jason doesn’t even treat me like a human being, let alone like a gardener.”
He stopped biting his lips. His hands ceased trembling as well. With determined eyes, Hugo asked Ashlyn,
“What should we do now?”
It felt like he could do anything.
* * *
The people in the lobby ebbed out.
Amidst his blood and tears, Jason was escorted away by several servants. It seemed likely that he would be thrown out on the road, without even being able to gather his belongings.
The elderly steward, who heard about the situation belatedly, listened to his nephew’s doings in silence, his head hanging low.
“Get back to work. Get back.”
Under the chief-butler and head maid’s directions, the servants quickly went back to their work.
The same was true of Ashlyn.
Before that, however, she’d changed out of her bloody apron and taken her luggage back to her rooms. Ann, Lena and Sophia had followed her.
“Ashlyn, are you alright? You don’t look well.”
As she walked down the corridor to head to work, Sophia inquired.
“It’s okay. I’m just a little tired.”
Ashlyne replied with a pale face.
She felt like all the energy in her body had disappeared. Ashlyn briefly considered stopping by the medical room.
“Jason, I didn’t know he was so vicious!”
Ann, who had been in a bad mood for a while, stamped her feet and shouted.
“I know. He really was crazy. Trying to kill you..”
Lena also did not hide her anger.
“But I didn’t expect the Lord to come in person. I got goosebumps earlier..”
“That’s what I’m saying. Honestly, I was scared to death when he briefly looked at me.”
The two of them talked nonstop.
‘I guess this will be a hot topic for quite some time.’
Ashlyn moved on with a long sigh.
“Anyway, I’m glad, Ashlyn. Jason Barron was finally kicked out. I feel refreshed.”
“That’s true.”
Ashlyn answered lightly and smiled slightly.
Jason was handled as planned.
Now, there were no more distractions bothering her. So, she could just focus on her work and wait for time to pass, and everything would come to an end. With determination, Ashlyn clenched her fist, as if strengthening her resolve.
“Ah.”
She suddenly felt a faint sensation of pain and stopped in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?”
Sophia looked at her with questioning eyes.
“My bandages have come off. I’ll stop by the medical room and then join you.”
“Do you want me to help?”
“It’s all right. It’s not like I can’t walk.”
Saying so, Ashlyn turned in the opposite direction. After bidding the maids goodbye, she went on her way.
Ashlyn walked slowly towards the treatment room.
Bony winter trees lined the road.
There was no one around. With each step, the dry grass and branches rustled.
And then, it happened.
“I knew it would come to this.”
“…!”
An unexpected voice echoed. Ashlyn, who had been lost in thought, widened her eyes in surprise.
