Episode 46
“That’s right. That woman also said her mother died when she was young!”
Amy suddenly exclaimed, her eyes gleaming.
“Is this what they call ‘sympathy for a fellow sufferer’? Did she feel some sort of pity for you? So that’s why she gave you something like this as a gift, huh? Well, she’s just a woman whose only asset is money.”
Amy’s face lit up as if she had finally solved an unsolvable mystery. Along with her satisfaction at inflicting wounds on the children.
As Amy predicted, the children’s expressions had indeed changed. However, Marianne’s complexion altered for a different reason than Dior’s.
Marianne’s pupils trembled violently.
Though she had heard the phrase “orphan without parents” more times than she could count, the way she was reacting now was oddly unusual.
“Does Auntie… have that much money?”
What? Is she really that shocked by the notion that the woman has nothing but money?
Amy, irritated that Marianne didn’t seem particularly hurt and annoyed by how naturally Marianne called the woman “Auntie,” despite having just met her for the first time today, retorted sharply.
“Are you seriously asking because you don’t know? She’s not just any ‘Duchess.’ Unlike Rudion, who barely scrapes by in the backwoods of the North, that woman is the one and only daughter of the Basilian Dukedom, the empire’s true financial powerhouse!”
Oh, right. It was mentioned recently that the Duke’s niece was officially registered under Basilian, becoming another Duchess. Whatever.
“So what? Do you really think she’ll spend even a penny on you just because she’s rich?”
The room was already overflowing with gifts, but still.
Feeling that being too honest might trigger another wave of Amy’s tantrums, the children hesitated. Amy let out a derisive snort, as if she couldn’t believe their hesitation.
“Idiots! Don’t you have any shame? That woman practically bought the Duchess position for her family with money. Don’t you even feel sorry for the Duke?”
Hearing that, the faces of the two children—who liked their uncle—darkened immediately.
Amy, noticing their change, lit up like a predator who had spotted an opening.
“Don’t you want to protect the Duke?”
Then listen to me.
Like a snake whispering temptation, Amy softly murmured into Marianne and Dior’s ears.
***
“Ma’am… Where would you like to have dinner? If you’re tired, I can have it brought up to your room.”
The head maid, struggling with how awkward the title “Ma’am” sounded, stammered a few times before speaking.
I wasn’t particularly tired, having even rested at a nice hotel for a night.
However, Euclid, the butler, and the head maid all assumed I must be exhausted from traveling to the North for two days. They postponed the estate tour to the next day and led me straight to my room.
It feels like they want me to quietly stay in my room.
But there’s no way I’d eat dinner alone here, especially after coming all this way to see my favorite person!
Pretending not to notice anything, I asked indifferently.
“Where does the Duke usually dine?”
“Unless something special comes up, the Duke usually eats in the dining hall. He only gets to see the young lord and lady during mealtime… Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ramble about unnecessary things.”
Unnecessary? That’s incredibly useful information.
Barely managing to hold back my urge to tell the maid to keep sharing such stories, I replied.
“Then I’ll eat in the dining hall as well.”
Though part of me wanted to see Euclid, I also regretted not properly greeting the children earlier.
There’s something I want to confirm this time, too.
“Ah… Understood. I’ll escort you once the meal is prepared.”
The head maid hesitated briefly, looking tense, as if my response was unexpected, before withdrawing.
Not long after, Anne spoke up.
“Ma’am, would you like to wash up now? Everything’s ready. You can step straight into the bath.”
Wow. She moved around with me the entire time—when did she have time to check the bathroom and prepare the bath?
Not only had she sensed my desire for a refreshing wash despite not being particularly tired, but her efficiency was remarkable.
What impressed me even more was how seamlessly she’d switched from addressing me as “Miss” to “Ma’am” the moment I got married, without hesitation or slip-ups.
Maybe that’s the level of competence required to serve a wicked woman with a sharp personality.
Impressed, I stood up.
There’s a saying that humans are creatures of habit.
Whether it was because I didn’t refuse Anne’s assistance in the estate to avoid suspicion, or because her impeccable care was simply too convenient, I no longer found her presence in the bathroom strange.
In fact, between the perfectly warmed water that eased my tense muscles and the soothing essential oils that calmed my nerves, I felt I couldn’t bathe properly without Anne’s touch.
“Hm…”
It felt as if any lingering fatigue was melting away.
Once Anne left the room, insisting on carrying my personal belongings herself, I indulged in the bath and stared blankly at the ceiling.
My relaxation didn’t last long, though.
“What was that earlier?”
My gaze sharpened.
Tapping my fingers rhythmically, I recalled the moment I faced the children in front of the manor.
Although everything had happened in a whirlwind, and I’d been busy trying to ease the atmosphere, my memory—something I’d always been confident in—assured me of one thing.
‘It was definitely a sound of surprise… and pain.’
As soon as he heard it, Dior shouted, “Witch.”
With his eyes tightly shut, he spoke as though he was forcing himself to say something he didn’t want to.
For a moment, I wondered if Marianne had signaled him, but something about it felt off.
Marianne, who had been glaring at me with a sharp, guarded expression, looked utterly flustered as she stared at Dior for calling me a witch. Then, she quickly turned her head and glanced at me, gauging my reaction.
The fear that filled Marianne’s intelligent eyes was not fake.
And Dior, who seemed aware that he had said something cruel, looked equally uneasy.
So, I couldn’t help but agree with Euclid’s words—they were genuinely gentle and mild children.
But naturally, I was also suspicious. There must be someone manipulating them from behind the scenes.
‘I have a rough guess…’
It was too obvious to believe it could be true.
Honestly, if it turned out to be real, I might feel a little disappointed that Euclid hadn’t figured it out earlier.
“…Madam!”
At that moment, a sudden voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
“When did you come in, Anne? Have you already finished moving the luggage?”
Had I been so deeply engrossed that I didn’t even notice someone entering the bathroom?
Startled, I asked, and Anne lowered her eyes apologetically.
“The luggage was moved a while ago. I knew this was the time you usually sort out your thoughts, so I tried not to disturb you. But when I came up, it seemed like the meal preparations were almost done.”
“I see. Well done.”
Right now, it seemed more practical to see the children in person and assess them than to dwell on my worries.
Thinking it was a good opportunity, I stood up from the bathtub. Anne, as if she had been waiting, wrapped a robe around me and covered my hair with a towel.
While leaving myself in her capable hands, I tried to continue my thoughts but paused momentarily to look at Anne with a curious expression.
Sensing my gaze, Anne lifted her head as if asking if I had something for her to do.
“It’s nothing.”
In a world with countless people, there must be many who think or reflect while bathing.
There was no need to think too deeply about how this trait was similar to Evgenia’s.
‘Let’s just let it go, as I always have.’
I shook my head, feeling no desire to dig deeper.
Instead, I allowed Anne’s almost magical hands to style my hair and dressed in a comfortable indoor gown, continuing my earlier thoughts.
For the sake of Euclid and the children, I hoped my suspicions were nothing more than baseless conjecture.
And I resolved—though I had decided to overlook it because I believed they didn’t truly mean it—if, by any chance, the children really saw me as a “witch,” I would do whatever it took to change their perception.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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