Chapter 45
“How was class today?”
After the swordsmanship class, Evelia asked. Ruth flinched for a moment, but then answered brightly.
“It was fun!”
There was nothing strange about the child’s behavior.
Evelia smiled and stroked Ruth’s head.
“I’m glad you had fun. What did you learn today?”
“Oh, that’s…”
Ruth put his index finger to his lips.
“Shh, it’s a secret.”
The sleeves went down, exposing the child’s arms.
Evelia, who was putting down her teacup, was shocked for a moment. Rattle. The teacup and saucer made a loud noise when they touched each other.
Ruth tilted his head.
“Eve?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. My hand slipped.”
Although she smiled calmly, Evelia’s mind was complicated.
‘What was that just now?’
It was clearly a bruise on the child’s white arm. Although it wasn’t obvious, Evelia could clearly tell that he had been abused.
She bit her lip and then whispered to Annie.
After hearing her instructions, Annie approached Ruth. Then she poured the milk she was holding on Ruth’s clothes.
“Ah, young master! I’m sorry!”
Annie hurriedly wiped the milk off, but it left a stain on the child’s clothes.
Ruth smiled with no sign of anger at all.
“It’s okay, Annie!”
“It’s not okay! I’ll change your clothes!”
“It’s okay….”
Annie disappeared into the room with Ruth, who kept muttering that he was okay.
Evelia waited anxiously for Annie to return.
“Eve!”
After a while, Ruth changed his clothes and came running inside. Annie, who was following behind, didn’t have a good expression.
“Young master, please just eat your cookies for a moment.”
Evelia headed to the next room with Annie.
Even though no one was listening, Annie looked around and muttered to Evelia.
“Young master has a bruise on his inner thigh.”
“What?”
Evelia, who had raised her voice without realizing it, lowered her voice and asked again.
“Does it look like he bumped into something?”
“No. I think he was hit by someone.”
Evelia gritted her teeth.
‘Who on earth hit Ruth?’
Even among employees, illegitimate children were treated poorly.
Wasn’t Evelia the one who was openly ridiculed by the employees at Venion Mansion?
However, even though she’s an illegitimate daughter, she’s still an aristocrat. Employees were not allowed to touch her.
The situation of Ruth, the official successor, was much better than Evelia.
They might be whispering behind his back, but at least they weren’t disrespectful in front of him.
Therefore, none of the employees dared to hit Ruth.
If so, the suspects were narrowed down to a number.
Ruth’s father, Cassis, and the nanny who closely monitor Ruth.
‘Not Cassis.’
Evelia was sure of one thing.
Cassis just didn’t know how to give Ruth affection, but it wasn’t that he hated the child. No, rather, he loved him.
Is he abusing the child? This can’t happen.
‘But I don’t think it was the nanny either…’
But I wasn’t sure about this. On the outside, the nanny cared for Ruth with the utmost sincerity, but her true feelings were unknown.
‘Besides, it doesn’t make sense that she didn’t know about Ruth’s bruises.’
When Evelia wanted to point that out, Annie whispered again.
“They say that it’s not Miss Margaret who changes the young master’s clothes, but his exclusive maid.”
“Exclusive maid?”
It was my first time hearing this story. Evelia gestured as if to say more.
“Yes. His name is Joe Marc, and he’s a child from a long-time vassal of the Adelhard family….”
Marc. It was a name I had heard of before.
“Was he related to Alex Marc?”
“Yes. He’s Sir Marc’s nephew.”
Evelia thought of the last remaining family.
‘If he’s a swordmaster, you can beat a child.’
He was a man who would not be suspected even if he openly swung his sword in front of Ruth.
If someone points it out, he’ll say they’re sparring.
‘Plus, it’s a mystery that the exclusive maid is his nephew.’
What if Joe Marc deliberately did not report the bruises?
After thinking that far, Evelia immediately wanted to run over and grab Alex Marc by the collar.
‘But there is no evidence.’
Alex was Cassis’ teacher before he was Ruth’s teacher. He was a man who was trusted by the Adelhard family.
On the other hand, Evelia still had no foundation in the Adelhard family.
Following the news of Cassis and Evelia’s sudden engagement, there were rumors that the two were having a secret relationship, but rumors are just rumors.
How many people would stand up for her if she lost to Alex?
It was clear that even Cassis would take Alex’s side.
She needed proof. Direct proof that Alex was abusing Ruth.
“Annie, when is Ruth’s next swordsmanship class?”
“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
“Good.”
Evelia decided to secretly observe the next class and returned to Ruth.
“Eve!”
Ruth, who had not even touched the snack, greeted her.
“Young master, why aren’t you eating?”
“I was going to eat it when Eve comes!”
Ruth laughed. Seeing the bright child brought tears to my eyes.
Evelia quickly wiped her eyes and sat down across from him.
‘I will protect you.’
With that promise.
*****
It’s almost time for Ruth’s swordsmanship class. Ruth was late today.
“I want to play more with Eve.”
He was a child who rarely acted out.
‘He doesn’t want to go to class.’
Evelia thought for a moment and then spoke.
“If you don’t want to go, do you want me to cancel class today?”
“No. You have to go to class! That’s how I became a good child!”
Despite his words, Ruth stumbled out of the mansion as if he had heavy sandbags on his feet.
Evelia looked out the window to see that the child was going to the training ground and put on a wide-brimmed hat.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Annie’s expression was solemn as she followed. Evelia’s face was even more tense than her.
Evelia headed to the training ground with a quick but graceful stride.
I hid behind a tree out of Alex and Ruth’s sight. Far enough that they won’t be noticed just in case.
She observed the two people, even holding her breath. The two were currently sparring.
Clang, Clang, Clang. The sound of wooden swords clashing echoed throughout the empty training ground.
Evelia frowned.
‘Something is strange.’
Even to her, who had no knowledge of swordsmanship, there was something suspicious about the sparring between the two people, to be more precise, an adult and a child.
Alex was swinging the wooden sword with all his might.
Ruth trembled violently every time the swords clashed. Then, after a few moves, he stumbled and fell.
Rather than helping the child up, Alex tapped the child’s calf with the tip of the wooden sword.
‘What…!’
Evelia watched him, barely holding back the urge to run out.
“Get up. Did I teach you that?”
“Master…”
“I am worried about what will happen to the Adelhard family in the future. This is why the previous Duke told me that illegitimate children were not allowed.”
I found it. A person who eats Ruth’s pride.
Even while Evelia was letting off her anger, Alex’s harsh words continued.
“Do you think Lady Venion truly cares for you, young master?”
Ruth, who had been listening quietly, stood up, clutching his wooden sword tightly.
“Don’t talk about Eve.”
Then he screamed and rushed at Alex. But of course, Alex easily struck down the sword.
Ruth fell again. The wooden sword also flew far away. The child was defenseless.
But Alex raised his wooden sword. It looked like he was going to swing the wooden sword at Ruth at any moment.
‘Nonsense!’
Evelia quickly jumped out from behind the tree. It was the result of the body reacting before the head.
Alex’s eyes widened as he suddenly spotted her.
“Lady Venion?”
“What are you doing now?”
Alex soon regained his composure. Instead, he became angry with Evelia.
“I don’t know what this is about. Have you been sneaking around my class?”
“That…”
He fired back without giving Evelia a chance to speak.
“Even though you’re engaged to the Duke and will become a Duchess in the future, lessons are the domain of a knight. It is none of your business, Lady.”
Aha, so this is how it’s going to come out?
‘Why don’t you try continuing?’
Evelia was unfazed and slowly folded her arms.
