67. What They Traded Was.

Around noon, I finally opened my eyes. After a late lunch, I walked
down the hallway.

The mansion felt strange today.

The kitchen maids, the butler, even the maid drawing the curtains avoided me. They took long detours or walked with their heads down to avoid meeting my eyes. If we accidentally made eye contact, they gave awkward smiles and quickly left.

Thanks to that, I could concentrate on the book I brought from the study, but the subtle awkwardness in the air made me nervous.

The artificial silence made the surroundings feel noisier. Footsteps sounded excessively loud.

I closed the book I was reading while lying down and got up. In the end, I decided to look for Suren in the garden.

Suren was with a maid hanging laundry.

Clean clothes fluttered on the clothesline, following the direction of the wind. Most of them were maid uniforms. Despite the different sizes, the sight of the identical clothes fluttering reminded me that this was a place where various people lived together.

On one side, there was a tub with lye, and on the other, a large basin soaking laundry.

There were bubbles foaming up, suggesting they were washing bedding.

“Suren.”

The conversation they were having abruptly stopped.

Suren, who was stomping on the laundry with her skirt pulled up, looked up at the sound. The smile disappeared from her face.

The maid, who was pinning clothes to the line, looked back at me and dropped a towel. The wind blew it far away.

The maid, flustered by my sudden appearance, quickly fled like everyone else in the mansion. She bowed her head deeply and hurriedly ran to pick up the towel.

She pretended to go for the towel, but it was clear she didn’t want to face me either.

Fortunately, Suren didn’t avoid me.

“Why are you out here?”

Bubbles clung to her face.

A bubble floated out from her, drifting in the air. The image of the mansion with its pointed spires reflected in the transparent orb before it popped. Watching the countless spires floating around was fascinating.

I popped a bubble floating towards me and spoke.

“I was bored. No one’s in the mansion. Viter, Edan, His Highness… even Lady Snowa.”

The mansion was unnaturally quiet for a weekend. It lacked life.

“Are you waiting for His Highness?”

Though I mentioned four names, Suren instantly knew who I was asking about.

Before I could respond, Suren shook her head.

“You don’t need to wait for the prince. Any other day might be fine, but don’t wait today.”

“I’m not waiting for His Highness.”

Despite my words, Suren kept looking at me.

Her eyes said she knew everything. I couldn’t deny it. I let out a small sigh.

“Fine, you’re right. But why?”

Suren’s expression was noticeably stiff. Usually sharp-tongued and quick to complain, she was unusually serious.

She hesitated to answer, unlike her usual self.

Her complexion was pale, as if she knew a secret she shouldn’t have.

“What’s wrong?”

I pressed her. After a long pause, her lips parted slowly.

“He’s getting engaged. Today.”

Suren hesitated several times before speaking.

“…What?”

“He went out to get the temple’s permission. They’re leaving to bless the engagement. That’s why everyone left. They won’t be back until late at night.”

Even the always resilient Suren had tears in her eyes.

Soap bubbles trickled down her cheeks. Seeing her speechless, I knew immediately.

It was true.

My expression reflected in her dark eyes, looking like my soul had left me.

I didn’t need to hear more to understand.

In the end, he got engaged to Isella.

And he didn’t tell me.

The reason everyone was avoiding me was all because of this.

“Stay strong, my lady. This will happen often. When the maids from the Snowa family arrive, the scrutiny will be intense.”

For now, it’s just things, but once they marry, she’ll bring some maids with her from her household. I knew that too.

“Suren, you know I’m not really his lover.”

“But they think you are. They still consider you the shameless mistress who hasn’t left the mansion.”

Suren held my hand tightly. She pulled her foot out of the laundry tub. Slippery soapy water pooled on the lawn.

“From your expression, you didn’t know either, did you?”

“No, not at all…”

“At the very least, they could have given you a heads-up. The maids only found out early this morning that they went to the temple and prepared in a rush. Both of them are of age, but why are they in such a hurry? Rumors are already spreading. There’s even talk that they’re rushing because… she might already be pregnant.”

“That’s not true.”

Or is it? They weren’t originally close. The story deviated, so there could be reasons to rush the engagement. Reasons I didn’t know… I wasn’t sure even as I spoke.

I hadn’t noticed how quickly they had grown close; I didn’t understand their relationship well.

“I’m most worried about you. I can stay in my room all day, but you have to serve them and run into them often. What if they shoulder past you or secretly mix sand into your food?”

Suren let out a small laugh.

“I won’t fall for such petty tricks. You just worry about yourself, my lady.”

* * *

I paced around the room. Just as Suren had said, they returned late in the evening.

Judging by their bright smiles, they had received the temple’s blessing.

Several times, I reached for the doorknob, only to pull back.

Should I storm into his office at night? Or should I interrupt his late meal and demand answers now?

My mind was a whirlpool of conflicting thoughts.

In the end, I turned the doorknob. Perhaps he would give me some answers, however feeble.

If he had any conscience, he’d at least offer a clumsy excuse.

As anger bubbled up inside me, I stomped down the hallway. But as I neared the dining room where they were, I instinctively held my breath like a thief.

My footsteps grew quieter. Along with the softening sound, my courage waned.

There was no guard outside the dining room. Instead, Viter, Daon, and Isella were seated, engaged in a hushed conversation.

I peered through the slightly open door.

They had food in front of them, but no one was eating; they were focused on their conversation.

As I strained to listen, their voices became clearer.

I closed my eyes. With no clattering of dishes, their words were even more distinct.

“It’s frustrating to always be on guard. It’s a headache,” Daon said.

“That’s why you need it. Honestly, I feel like I’m getting the short end of the stick. Listening to the priest’s boring speech today made me want to run away,” Isella grumbled lightly.

“At least it’s over. I’m glad we returned to the mansion quickly. It’s a relief,” Daon said.

“You must keep your promise. You must elevate me to that position,” Isella insisted.

“I will keep it,” he replied with a low chuckle, a laugh I wasn’t used to hearing from him.

Viter, who had been silent, added his voice to their laughter.

“I’m glad to be part of the same household as the young lady. Honestly, I still don’t like the idea of this arrangement, but…”

“Viter,” he interrupted in a low voice, making Viter fall silent.

“I’m just saying. There’s no backing out now. I’m also glad it’s resolved. This matter….”

“Don’t tell Leonie. She’s leaving soon anyway,” Daon stated confidently. Soon, but not immediately.

“Did she agree to that?” Viter was the only one to express doubt.

“I believe it’s best for her to move to another mansion for her own sake. Do you really want to keep her here, Viter?” Isella asked.

“I agree. The sooner she leaves, the better,” Viter said quietly.

I held my breath.

Their conversation shifted to terms like “substitute” and “shield,” reminiscent of the letter I had read.

I couldn’t grasp everything, but one thing was clear: they were preparing to send me away. That much was certain.

She added, “I will be the prince’s loyal sword.”

“And a shield, too, I hope.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll be a sturdy shield as well.”

I released my grip on the doorknob. Just as silently as I had come, I stepped back, careful not to make a sound.

Though I moved away from the door, their laughter pierced through the hall, echoing all the way down the corridor.

I didn’t get far before my legs gave out, and I sank to the floor. I had no strength left.

I had always prepared myself for the possibility of leaving him, but I had never imagined I would be discarded like this.

Several hours had passed since they returned from the temple, but Daon hadn’t called for me. He hadn’t asked me to join them for dinner, nor had he mentioned anything about the engagement.

They intended to hide it from me completely.

Laying me down, rescuing me, pulling me out of the prison.

All his kindness was part of an act.

He was a master of deception, not just with his swordsmanship, but with manipulating people’s hearts.

And he was equally skilled at discarding those he no longer needed.