“The impostor is dead.”
It was a monotonous voice. Gopher didn’t understand right away, but mechanically, his mind processed the words he heard. His mouth opened and spat out the results.
“Did you kill Blairia?”
Even though it was his question, it sounded so absurd.
His throat felt tight. He tried to loosen his cravat but realized he wasn’t wearing anything.
How could he have made such a mistake? A series of questions came to mind.
If there’s nothing constricting his throat, why is it difficult to breathe?
A feeling of suffocation filled his insides, as if smoke had filled his mouth.
The man across from him spoke.
“She’s not even ‘Blairia’ anymore. You must have heard the rumors. She killed herself before we could do anything. I’ve seen her body with my own eyes, so you don’t have to worry about her being alive.”
He handed over some documents.
Gopher tried to review the densely written letterhead, but the letters didn’t register in his eyes. His gaze kept slipping, and even after reading it several times, he couldn’t understand.
“Sir Gopher.”
“Yes, Milord.”
Gopher raised his head upon hearing the sound calling him. He habitually pulled the corners of his mouth into a smile. He believed his expression would be the same as usual.
However, for some reason today, something seemed off, as the other party’s reaction was strange.
“Why do you look like that? I thought you would be pleased.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You almost married an impostor. Fortunately, that woman is dead, so Sir Gopher won’t have to marry her. You won’t have any chance to talk to her or meet her again. If she has any shame, she won’t even appear in your dreams. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Gopher tried to say something, but the other person didn’t give him a chance.
“I recently heard that you decided to break off the engagement at his excellency’s urging. Didn’t you go to Eagle Mountain for a courtesy call?”
The man offered a formal apology before suddenly tilting his head. His voice trailed off, as if he were recalling something.
“Come to think of it, that impostor was quite dependent on you. Perhaps she jumped off after talking with Sir Gopher. Maybe it was you who pulled the trigger.”
Gopher was still smiling, but the lump in his throat was tightening. He could barely squeeze out a word.
“I’ll review the matter and get back to you.”
He wasn’t sure if that was the right response. Nonetheless, he stood up with the documents in hand and walked away casually.
As he approached the door, a slight, almost insignificant curiosity arose, one that would have no impact on his life.
Gopher asked, “The body, what did you do to it?”
“It was cremated.”
“…….”
“If you wish, I can gather the ashes─.”
Thunk. The sound of the door closing cut him off.
Rather than taking offense, the man who remained behind burst into laughter.
‘It’s probably best never to meet such a bastard in her lifetime.’
He knew all too well how Gopher Allnight had tamed Blairia.
It’s not that he was in any position to comment.
He leaned back on the backrest and let out a long sigh. Then, as he had been doing lately, he thought about the fake sibling who had run away without even saying goodbye.
She spent five and a half years in this mansion. How long would he have to endure before he could forget her?
Without resisting the fatigue pressing on his eyelids, he closed his eyes. Thoughts of the time passing plagued him greatly.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Suddenly, a man barged in and sat across from her. As he bent, his long legs folded.
“Name, family background, obvious but necessary information.”
He spat out fragmented words and pulled out a cigarette. He removed the tip with a cutter, lit it, and put it in his mouth.
The faint, smoky haze veiled the man’s face. He was perhaps about ten years older than her, with dark hair contrasting sharply with his pale face. As their eyes met, the man lowered his head.
The man tapped the table. The ring on his finger didn’t quite suit him. Somewhere, it seemed familiar… Oh, right. Mel hastily spoke up.
“I’m Mel Slopey. I have no family and I’m a commoner.”
“Who would know if you disappeared?”
The strange question surprised her, but she didn’t have time to gather her thoughts.
“Only the midwife, Norma?”
“Dew, Dewey would know too; he’s Norma’s lover, so he sees me often, as do Grid and Grandma Sally.”
“How many people would wander aimlessly in tears if you disappeared?”
“Only ……Norma.”
“Of course. Since they found a place to sell you, letting you go would be a waste.”
Mel crumpled her skirt’s hem without responding.
“Which side does your hair color come from?”
“I had a fever when I was young. It’s turned white since then.”
“Does anyone know about that?”
“No. My parents left me when I got sick, and Norma, to whom my parents owed money, took me in. Norma never saw the original color of my hair.”
The words flowed out of her mouth, like she was talking about someone else. She wasn’t embarrassed. If the other person had shown sympathy, it might have been different, but he seemed uninterested in her own peculiar circumstances.
There is only smoke coming from the cigar. While struggling to suppress a cough due to the irritation in her nose, the man tossed something onto the table.
A stack of papers.
Mel’s pupils rolled rapidly. All she could see was the top page, but it was enough.
「Mel Slopey, 18. Third house on Greenboard, Razbin Street……..」
Written on it was her own story.
‘He knew my story.’
He just wanted to make sure she would be honest. Or maybe he wanted to know if she was more perceptive than an idiot. This time, being submissive was the right answer.
“It’s fortunate that you’re not a clumsy liar. I’m not tender-hearted enough to put up with a clueless kid.”
The man smiled for the first time since he entered the room.
“Let’s consider this story a thing of the past.”
He picked up the first page and lit it with a match. The paper began to burn.
“Don’t answer, even if your name is called. If anyone asks about your past, tell them you’ve forgotten. Don’t tell them what color your hair used to be. And this.”
Black letters crumpled and stuck together, becoming pitch black. When there was nothing left but ashes, he slammed the table.
BANG!
“Your new name.”
Mel looked up, startled by the sound. The newly revealed paper bore the name ‘Blairia Charlotte Heaven.’
To have a middle name, he must be a noble.
‘Is that my name?’
Mel blinked. She wanted to hear an explanation, but she didn’t dare ask. As she had been taught by Norma, she simply listened to the words that came out of the noble’s mouth.
“My sister, Blairia, passed away nine years ago, but no one ever found her body. She was seven at the time, so if she were alive, she would be sixteen now. Two years younger than you.”
“Yes…”
“She had silver hair, too. Her eyes were bright brown, not much different from orange. A child’s face changes at least twenty times more as they grow.”
“…….”
“Do you remember what the old man said while weeping?”
Mel searched her memory to answer the question.
She had come to the capital on an errand for Norma. While looking at the map, someone hugged her—an old man who looked like a noble.
He cried out, brought her to this enormous mansion and said,
“You’re alive, my dear….”
In that careless moment, Mel could guess what misconception the old man had.
“He is senile. He was so confident, even in a place with many eyes.”
The man leaned back on the backrest and looked down at Mel penetratingly.
“But listen. If rumors spread that the Master of Heaven has gone mad, it’ll be troublesome for me, you know? So, you’ll have to help me.”
The tip of the cigarette touched the name on the paper. Blairia Charlotte Heaven.
Ah, ah! Mel’s mouth dropped open, recognizing the implication.
“You… you want me to pretend to be your deceased sister.”
“The noble lady of Haven, presumed dead, returns. That would make a stunning headline.”
Ordering a commoner to impersonate a noble! Is he aware of the potential consequences if someone discovers her impersonation?
“But I’ll die.”
“That’s only if you get caught.”
It’s impossible not to get caught. They say nobles and commoners don’t even have the same blood!
Her jaw trembled, and her teeth clicked together.
It’s ridiculous, but she couldn’t just defy the noble’s command. Feeling helpless in this situation, her cheeks felt cold.
While Mel was in such a state, the man leisurely sucked in the cigarette. Even with it in his mouth, his voice was clear and free of distortion.
“Why did you come to the capital?”
“Norma sent me on an errand. She told me to bring a letter to a friend.”
“Who was waiting for you there?”
“That’s…….”
“Norma Rings? Her friend? Or Baron Totten?”
At the last moment, the ground gave way beneath her feet.
Norma had been searching for a match for Mel ever since she came of age.
She relentlessly measured the rich old men, perverts, and lunatics who would pay the highest price for her. Among them, the only noble was Baron Totten.
After the night of Mel’s tearful refusal, Norma hadn’t said a word. So, Mel thought that Norma must have some affection for her after ten years.
‘But she lied to me.’
Was Norma worried she would run away like her biological parents?
She felt dizzy just thinking about what might have happened if they hadn’t brought her here. She felt sick to her stomach.
“Being the daughter of an old fool is better than marrying one, right?”
