#Episode 52
As Melina looked at Albert, who was smiling at her, there was an odd atmosphere surrounding him. Instinctively, she tried to pull her hand away, but Albert’s grip was firm, and he didn’t budge.
Instead, Albert pulled Melina into an embrace while avoiding the coachman’s gaze and whispered,
“Now that I think about it, there’s something I left in the room. I hid it so well that the servants must not have found it while packing. Could you open the back door for me tonight? I’ll sneak in and get it without anyone noticing.”
Even though Albert’s appearance was disheveled, his blue eyes shone like lapis lazuli. His face, slightly flushed—perhaps from the butler’s beating—had a strange, poignant beauty.
Melina momentarily lost herself in Albert’s handsome face, which was suddenly so close to hers. But quickly regaining her senses, she shook her head in a hurry.
“No, it’s not possible. That room belongs to the child now. It’s too dangerous.”
“Really?”
Albert’s eyes narrowed as if things had worked out in his favor, and he laughed.
Melina felt a chill at Albert’s inexplicable reaction, and, trying to smile awkwardly, she subtly pushed him away.
“What if I go in to clean and find it for you instead?”
She suggested, attempting to break free from the situation. But just as she was about to escape, Albert grabbed both her shoulders.
“…No. The item was just an excuse. I really just wanted to apologize to my great-uncle one more time. Earlier, the child and the butler stuck to his side and whispered things to him, so I couldn’t explain everything properly.”
Albert’s eyes sparkled as he continued making excuses, and Melina, feeling uncomfortable, instinctively tried to back away. But with Albert holding her so firmly, she couldn’t move.
“Melina, what’s wrong? Are you going to stay there forever? Or do you want to come with me?”
The coachman teased, growing impatient as he watched the two of them not making any move to part ways.
Despite the coachman’s words, Albert continued to stare intently at Melina, clearly waiting for her to agree before he would release her.
With a sigh of resignation, Melina spoke softly,
“I’ll open the back door for you after midnight. You can come in through there.”
“Thank you, Melina!”
Albert beamed with joy and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
Despite her fear of Albert, Melina’s face flushed as he drew closer to her.
Having gotten what he wanted, Albert finally released her and, without any hesitation, climbed into the carriage.
As soon as he was on board, the coachman drove away quickly, eager to get rid of him.
Inside the carriage, Albert was in agony. The ride was rougher than usual, and his body was tossed about, causing him pain. Gritting his teeth, he gripped the seat tightly in an attempt to steady himself.
‘Damn it, once I kill that brat and become the heir again, the first thing I’ll do is fire this coachman.’
At first, when he was expelled from the estate, Albert couldn’t bear the humiliation and shame. But now, just thinking about how he would get his revenge brought a smile to his face and made the physical pain easier to endure.
Was this how a penitent monk must feel?
Thanks to the hope that had bloomed in the depths of his despair, Albert’s face twisted with the thought of how he would exact his revenge.
***
At midnight, Albert returned secretly to the estate, heading for the back door of the annex. He was worried that Melina might not have opened the door, but fortunately, it was ajar.
A bright full moon lit the sky. Thanks to its light, Albert could see his way without a lamp, but it also made him more visible, which made him uneasy.
Trying to keep himself hidden as much as possible, Albert cautiously entered the estate.
The place was eerily quiet. At first, he was anxious about running into someone, but the longer he walked, the more confident his steps became.
Albert walked quickly down the corridor, his mind racing with thoughts.
How should I kill him? Strangling with a curtain cord? Or maybe just suffocate him with my hands?
He couldn’t even imagine using a knife, but strangling seemed feasible for Albert.
Of course, if Todd, the current heir, died immediately, suspicion would fall on Albert.
‘I’ll kill Todd and then leave Noctiluca for a while. When I return, with no heir left, my great-uncle will have no choice but to welcome me back.’
Besides, the only person who knew Albert had returned to the estate was Melina.
Melina, having opened the door for him, was now an accomplice and would be unlikely to reveal the truth so easily.
‘If worst comes to worst, I’ll just tell her I’ll make her my mistress. I’ll lure her in with sweet words, telling her that she’s the only one for me, and she’ll keep her mouth shut.’
Considering how she had helped him today and the way she often gazed at him dreamily, Albert thought it was entirely possible.
Once she’s silenced, I’ll deal with her later…
Albert thought that after killing Todd, his crime would be reduced to mere suspicion.
The plan was flawless.
If it were up to him, Albert would have killed Count Renfield today as well and completely taken over the Renfield family. But at this moment, it was impossible, as his loyal butler would be guarding him.
‘Such a useless man!’
Albert cursed under his breath as he dashed up the stairs. He reached the floor where his room used to be. Just one more hallway to go.
As he stepped into the hallway, he suddenly felt as though the ground was shaking beneath his feet.
Startled, Albert stumbled backward. Rubbing his eyes, he looked again, but the hallway appeared normal.
‘Damn it, I must be more exhausted than I thought…’
Perhaps it was an aftereffect of being beaten by the butler.
Shaking his head to clear his mind, Albert cautiously took one step after another into the hallway.
Thud, thud, thud…
As Albert walked down the hallway, he felt as though someone was watching him through the window. When he turned his head, all he saw was the full moon hanging in the sky.
The moon, round and glowing, seemed to stare at Albert as if it knew what he was about to do.
‘Damn it, now I’m even imagining that the moon is watching me! That’s not an eye spying on me—it’s a symbol of the gold coins that will rain down upon me!’
As he recalled the things he was supposed to receive and what had been taken from him, the brief pang of guilt he had felt vanished instantly.
Before long, Albert reached the door to what had once been his room.
Now that he was there, he found it hard to summon the courage to open the door. His heart pounded in his chest.
Trying to calm his racing heart, Albert reached for the doorknob. His hand was drenched in sweat as he gripped it.
Creeeak…
As soon as he turned the doorknob, a stabbing headache struck him again. Albert winced and clutched his head.
“Damn it…”
He had come this far, and there was no way he was going to let a mere headache stop him. Albert opened the door and quietly slipped inside.
Once inside, he shut the door and locked it. Leaning against the securely closed door, Albert finally exhaled the breath he had been holding.
“Haa…”
As he let out a deep sigh, the fog clouding his mind cleared, and his thoughts became sharp once more. Albert steeled himself and crept silently toward the bed.
He decided it would be best to suffocate Todd with a pillow. Now that he had chosen his method, there was no reason to hesitate. Taking a deep breath, Albert stood by the bed.
“………!”
But what he saw made Albert gasp in shock. It wasn’t Todd sleeping in the bed as he had expected—it was someone else.
Albert quickly recognized who it was.
“Vasha…?”
Under the moonlight, Vasha’s violet hair shimmered as it spilled over the wide bed. Her pale skin, made even more fragile by her weak constitution, glowed like marble in the darkness.
