It was a glass bottle the size of Erica’s palm.
Since the contents were flowing, it was also liquid. Erica knew very well what this was.
My mouth suddenly became dry and my breathing became shallow.
‘One bottle, two bottles, three bottles… … .’
Erica carefully took out the opaque, dark brown glass bottles.
It was obtained directly from the Marquis de Blanche, and was so effective that even if you dissolved just one drop in water and used it, you could enjoy the dyeing effect for a long time.
Marquis Jonathan Blanche boasted that with this amount, he would have enough to spend until just before his coming-of-age ceremony.
Erica curled her lower lip and asked.
The girl, who was trying hard to control her breathing that was starting to become rough, repeatedly tried to control herself.
There are no more helpers.
‘Now, I have to take care of it on my own.’
You must never be found out that you are a ‘fake’ until the period mentioned by Marquis Jonathan Blanche is reached.
“Cough.”
Once again, Erica felt an uncomfortable foreign body in her throat, and let out a small cough.
The girl touched her neck and carefully put down the bottle of dye she was holding.
My palms were already soaked with sweat, and I was worried that I might slip and drop it.
At that moment, Milod’s call was heard from outside the carriage.
“Little madam. excuse me. The hole has been dug. “Do you need more time?”
“ah! no! “I’ll be out soon.”
Erica quickly came to her senses and put the dye bottle back in her bag.
Then, among BongPiju’s belongings, he took out a clean outerwear and a necklace that he seemed to wear often.
She opened the door and pointed at the bag to Milod.
“I’ll take the maid’s bag to the Grand Duke’s residence first. “I can’t leave her here, so I’ll send her to the capital later when I deliver the news.”
“You will do that. “I will carry your bags to the carriage.”
“thank you.”
Erica then picked some flowers blooming on the side of the road.
There was only one pit. This is because the coachman’s body was completely eaten by the monster and no trace of it could be found.
Soon, Bonpiju’s body, wrapped in a blanket, was buried.
Erica carefully placed the outerwear, necklace, and unknown wildflowers she had brought out on top.
He was someone who had never treated me well, but I still prayed for his peace.
It was because I didn’t want to be cruel to him until the last moment just because he was cruel to me.
* * *
Meanwhile, Sebastian was patrolling the area where the perimeter had disappeared.
In the place where the boundary disappeared and the monsters disappeared, small amber crystals fell one by one, and he took them as if it was natural.
“Tsk.”
A disapproving sound flowed from between Sebastian’s lips.
Rattling rattling.
Sebastian, who was rolling two amber crystals in his hands, suddenly held them high.
When we looked at the sun high in the sky, the light passed through transparently as if there were no impurities inside the crystal.
Sebastian’s brow furrowed nicely.
“This is the key.”
He muttered softly and clicked his tongue at the end.
Cursing words about the Marquis Blanche filled my throat, but with Erica nearby, I consciously swallowed them.
For some reason, my stomach felt stuffy and heavy.
Sebastian let out a deep sigh, as if trying to relieve some of the weight, and withdrew his arms that had been stretched high into the sky.
When I put the amber crystals neatly in my pocket and turned around, I saw that BongPiju’s burial was also finished.
* * *
After that, the border never appeared again.
Nevertheless, the knights of the Archduchy Acliffe guarded the carriage Erica was riding in more strictly.
Erica’s talkativeness decreased significantly.
The knights did not hide their worried eyes when Erica refused the snacks they offered, and Milod also quietly came to Sebastian’s side and encouraged him.
“You don’t seem to be in a good mood today either.”
“Leave it alone. “He must be distraught too.”
Sebastian responded indifferently, as if he was not interested.
My lord seemed to be in a very bad mood, so Milod took a quick look and said nothing more.
Today Sebastian was following behind the group.
His red eyes fell on the carriage Erica was riding in.
‘Erica Blanche.’
There were many things I wanted to ask the girl.
Especially about the ‘boundary’ that day.
But for now, I was holding back.
Even if you didn’t see it in person, someone died close by.
Considering the shock that Erica must have suffered when she was still young, I thought it would be better to give her some time.
‘We will soon arrive at the Grand Duke’s residence. ‘Then you have plenty of time.’
I thought it would be enough to just go there and ask questions and get answers.
* * *
About fifteen days after departing from the capital.
After a short and long journey, we arrived at Archduke Acliffe’s residence.
As soon as Erica saw the size of the Grand Duke’s residence, she couldn’t help but gape.
‘Big, big!’
This is the Grand Duke’s residence?
Not the imperial palace?
An endless waterway, an elegant three-tiered fountain, and beautifully trimmed ornamental trees and flower beds boasting brilliant colors.
The Marquis de Blanche’s residence was at the peak of splendor, but it was nothing compared to the Archduke Acliffe’s residence.
It was a dark night, close to midnight, when everyone arrived.
Nevertheless, the entrance to the Grand Duke’s residence was as bright as midday, and several employees dressed neatly in their work uniforms were lined up on both sides, bending at the waist.
“Welcome, Grand Duke.”
Wow, there are really a lot of people.
Erica, who was standing behind Sebastian, quietly opened her mouth without realizing it.
At the end of the workers stood the chief butler.
“Grand Duke. “Thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”
“Vincent. “Inconveniently”
“Not all of them are gathered together, are they? And since the little master of the family is returning, how can I use the word inconvenient?”
“Anyway.”
Sebastian shook his head slightly as if he had lost.
The butler looked away with a faint smile.
“And this one…” … .”
Erica, who was standing slightly behind Sebastian, raised the corners of her mouth slightly when she made eye contact with him.
With a blush on her face, Erica opened her lips and introduced herself.
“Eh, it’s Erica.”
Erica looked up at the butler with a clear expression of tension, with her hands clasped tightly over her belly button.
At most, he is in his late 30s.
He was a person with a very upright posture.
Even though it was late, the clothes that were not even disheveled and the hair in a bun gave off a strict impression, and the light wrinkles gave a slightly stubborn look.
Erica raised the corners of her lips with difficulty.
I want to make a smiling face, but I’m not sure if I’m smiling properly.
I was even worried that my muscles would be so strained that I would look ridiculous.
At that time, when I was swallowing dry saliva with a nervous heart, the butler’s head moved in a very restrained motion.
“nice to see you. “My name is Vincent Deo.”
Only then did Erica’s expression relax a little.
Headmaster Vincent’s voice was polite, although not kind.
That was all, but Erica looked distressed.
Since she came as the daughter of the Marquis de Blanche, I thought she might show from the beginning that she hated me and disliked me.
Of course, Sebastian didn’t show any signs of that during the trip.
‘But in such cases, subordinates tend to be more sympathetic and take action like leaders… … .’
So, from the moment I saw the Archduke’s residence building, cold sweat started to seep all over my body and I even started to feel sick to my stomach, as if my intestines were twisted.
I don’t know how much dry saliva I swallowed before the front door opened.
Erica, who practiced smiling with her head down so as not to make a bad first impression, thought this was not a bad start.
“Please give me a rough guide.” “I think I need to see my father first.”
After leaving a short command, Sebastian went up without even looking back.
“Yes, Archduke.”
Vincent bowed his head condescendingly towards Sebastian and immediately turned towards Erica.
As if I was worried about what would happen if his attitude changed again in the meantime, the butler was polite.
“We have prepared a room for you to stay in in advance.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Our servants will carry the luggage you brought with you.”
“The bag… … . “It’s in the carriage.”
Erica nodded without thinking and glanced back.
Vincent nodded politely to the attendants.
Then, several male attendants wearing gloves rushed out of the entrance as if they had been waiting.
‘Like that?’
Erica looked back with surprised rabbit eyes.
“The maid will show you to your room.”
“ah… … yes.”
Vincent was a person without gaps.
He was a member of a family of deacons who had served the Archduke Acliffe for generations, and was awarded a baronetcy in recognition of his services.
So he had a lot of pride in him, and he was rarely embarrassed under any circumstances.
Such character was passed on to the firm trust of Archduke Acliffe and his wife.
“I will take you this way.”
Erica absentmindedly climbed the stairs, following a maid who bowed her head politely in front of her.
I glanced back along the way, but no one was looking at Erica. The Archduke’s servants were bowing their heads politely, their eyes fixed on the floor, just as they had been at first.
Meanwhile, the male servants who had gone out returned, and for the first time since working in this grand ducal house, Vincent Deo’s eyes wavered.
