“How come your skin is so fair?”
“There isn’t even a tiny blemish on your body.”
“It’s a great honor to serve the Duchess.”
The maids were rather talkative.
Agnes considered telling them to be quiet but decided instead to ask a question.
“Does a man with blond hair and navy blue eyes visit this castle often?”
“Navy blue eyes? Oh, are you referring to Lord Robert?”
“Hmm. The man with a scar on his chin.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s Lord Robert. He doesn’t come often, but sometimes he comes hunting with the Count.”
“Is that so? Does he only come to hunt and then leave?”
“Well, he also rides horses and plays card games… Oh, these days he mainly plays chess in the pavilion in the central garden.”
“Right, right.”
The other maid nodded.
“Duchess, please extend this arm.”
“Here you go.”
Agnes offered her arm with a generous smile.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The next morning, after finishing her meal, Agnes headed to the pavilion the maids had mentioned.
Several knights were stationed at the garden entrance.
As Agnes tried to enter, they blocked her path with troubled expressions.
“I’m sorry, Duchess. You cannot enter this area.”
“Why are you blocking entry?”
“This garden is not open to outsiders.”
“I wasn’t aware that the Count had placed any restrictions on me within the castle.”
“I haven’t received any other instructions from my Master. I’m sorry.”
The knight did not back down.
Despite Agnes’s repeated firm insistence, it was no use.
In the end, she had to retreat, biting the inside of her lip.
While other evidence was solid, there was a lack of proof that Count Cellon was colluding with the Pirate King.
So, before meeting him the next day, she planned to sneak to where the Pirate King was rumored to be and see if she could engage in a conversation.
Just as she was about to return to her room, a person suddenly appeared from the garden wall.
“Oh, I overslept!”
A young servant, not even having buttoned up properly, dashed off toward the castle.
After the servant disappeared, Agnes examined the spot where the person had emerged.
It was obscured by foliage, but there was definitely a gap leading into the garden.
It seemed too narrow for an adult male to pass through, but it looked just wide enough for Agnes.
‘Perfect.’
She checked to make sure no one was around and squeezed herself through the gap.
It was fortunate she had left Ney behind; it might have been troublesome if she were with her.
Agnes wriggled through the gap. The interior of the garden did not seem particularly special.
‘It was said to be a pavilion.’
Usually, pavilions are large and tall, so it should be easy to spot.
As expected, after walking a short distance, she could see a grand pavilion from afar.
Inside were the Pirate King and an unexpected person.
“Lady Vasa?”
She had expected Emmerich to be there, but this was an unexpected combination.
The voices were too far away to be heard clearly.
Agnes hesitated for a moment and then moved to the bushes at the back of the pavilion.
“… It’s too costly to do it this way.”
“But consider this. If not now…”
“… I still…”
The voices of the two people were not loud enough to understand most of the conversation.
‘Should I move a little closer?’
The man and woman were engrossed in their conversation and not paying any attention to their surroundings.
Agnes moved more boldly than before.
“Do you think I’ll hand over the Ranunculus just like that?”
“I’m not asking for it right now. But if you think about the future, it would be wiser to hand it over to me.”
“Is this a threat?”
“It’s a suggestion.”
“… It’s still too early to release the Ranunculus.”
“I know. But the right moment isn’t something that is predetermined.”
‘Ranunculus?’
The familiar name made her tilt her head in confusion. While it wasn’t likely to be a star name, she couldn’t figure out what it might be.
Moreover, it seemed that even Vasa, who she thought was entirely unrelated, was somewhat connected to the Pirate King.
‘What on earth is this family…’
When she saw her yesterday, she thought she was an innocent person who didn’t know anything.
Indeed, judging people by their appearance is foolish.
“We can’t wait any longer. It’s better to start the production as soon as possible.”
“I don’t understand why you’re pushing so urgently.”
“It is……”
The sound of talking decreased sharply.
Agnes lowered her body further into the bushes.
However, she soon had to get up forcibly due to a hand tapping her shoulder.
A chill ran down her spine. It took a while before she had the courage to look back.
“I was looking for you to invite you to lunch, but you weren’t in your room, so I found you here, Duchess.”
Emnerich said with a bright smile.
“Oh, that’s… I mean… Well, I got… um, lost.”
Agnes stammered, offering an excuse that even she found ridiculous.
“You got lost? Oh dear. I’ll escort you back to your room.”
Emmerich reached out his arm with an indifferent look.
Agnes, despite being puzzled, placed her hand on his arm reflexively.
‘Did he really believe what I said?’
“Why is the duchess here…….”
Vasa and Robert stepped out of the pavilion and stood in front of Agnes.
“Oh, Lady Vasa. I was just taking a walk in the garden and got lost.”
“This is a prohibited area.”
“Oh my, Is it? I didn’t know. Please forgive me.”
Agnes made an effort to appear nonchalant. But her heart has been beating hard since earlier.
“Emmerich.”
Vasa’s face turned cold in an instant. Emmerich said to his sister with a light smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
“Stop wasting time on useless things and just deal with it.”
“Got it. Robert, take Vasa and go ahead.”
“Yes, Count.”
Vasa’s tone was so cold that even in the hot summer, a chill was felt.
Agnes then realized that the situation was not normal.
She tried to pull her hand from Emmerich’s arm, but it felt as if it were trapped in a snare.
“Shall we go now, Duchess?”
Emmerich pulled a small vial from his pocket.
Agnes tensed up and glared at him.
“Where are you taking me?”
However, as soon as Emmerich opened the vial’s lid, she lost consciousness.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
When she opened her eyes again, a severe headache assaulted her.
“Ugh.”
It felt like someone had struck her head hard.
It was so painful that even lifting her eyelids was difficult.
“Are you in pain?”
Someone asked affectionately. Agnes shed physiological tears because of the terrible pain.
“Oh my”
A stranger’s fingers touched her damp cheek.
“I didn’t realize the side effects would be so severe.”
“It hurts.”
Agnes sobbed. The pain was so intense that she wished she could feel nothing at all.
“Well then, please rest a little longer.”
With those words, she fell asleep as if by magic.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
When Agnes regained consciousness for the second time, her headache had considerably eased.
She held her head and got up from the bed.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
Squinting her eyes open, she saw one of the maids who had attended her bath earlier.
“I’ll fetch the Count. Please wait a moment.”
It was only after she left that Agnes could afford to look around.
The room was extremely lavish and spacious.
With sculptures and paintings scattered throughout, it felt more like an art gallery than a bedroom.
Not long after the maid left, Emmerich entered.
“How are you feeling, Duchess?”
“Where am I?”
“This is my bedroom.”
“Why am I in your bedroom?”
“Don’t you remember?”
She remembered clearly.
She had hidden in the garden to eavesdrop on the Pirate King’s conversation and had been caught by Emmerich near the pavilion.
“I remember”
“Then you understand why you’re here.”
“I shouldn’t have sneaked into the restricted garden.”
Agnes swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth and attempted to remain calm.
“No, it’s alright. You could enter.”
“…I wasn’t intentionally hiding behind the pavilion. I, uh, a bee suddenly came flying, you see.”
“Did you get stung by a bee?”
“No, it wasn’t like that.”
Agnes felt even more awkward and frightened because Emmerich’s attitude was no different from before.
“That’s a relief.”
“Hmm. Then can I leave now?”
“Leave where?”
“To the room where I was staying.”
“Oh. That room has already been cleared. The Duchess can rest here from now on.”
“Cleared? What do you mean?”
Emmerich’s voice was so calm that Agnes momentarily didn’t understand what he meant.
“It means exactly what it sounds like. The belongings from your room have all been moved here, so you will stay here now.”
“Why should I rest in your bedroom?”
Agnes jumped up.
“Move my things back right now.”
“This room is more comfortable than the other one. It’s the coolest place in the castle.”
“Count, I’m warning you. If you don’t move my things back immediately…”
“What are you going to do if I don’t?”
He asked sweetly, as if spreading honey on his lips.
“Are you going to threaten me with this ridiculous scrap of paper?”
A bundle of documents fluttered down and landed on Agnes’s lap.
It was the evidence that Roland had collected about the Count’s family’s double bookkeeping, smuggling, and trafficking.
“This—this! Do you think this is the only evidence? I already have proof that you are colluding with the Pirate King.”
Agnes deliberately laid her voice dignified and erected his back firmly, but it was of little use.
Emmerich immediately burst into laughter.
“Who is colluding with whom?”
“You, of course. I already have proof that you’re in cahoots with the Pirate King, Robert.”
