Chapter 16
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Bree ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
“…What? The two young masters are having a meal at the annex?”
Flora furrowed her brow as if she couldn’t believe it.
The annex was where Daphne resided. The family who turned their backs on her because their disliked her went so far as to leave her to her own devices in the annex.
‘And it’s the dining room.’
There had never been a meal set up in the dining room of this mansion after Amila, Duke Peregrine’s youngest daughter, passed away. That reflected the somber atmosphere of this family.
Moreover, the three of them had a surprisingly bad relationship considering they were cousins.
‘What on earth is Daphne trying to do?’
Flora, who was chewing on her lips, raised her head again.
It was just Daphne, after all. No matter how much that foolish child acted up, it would likely be in vain.
“First, I need to see the young masters.”
As Flora was about to head towards the annex, someone’s figure appeared through the hazy fog. They weren’t even using an umbrella in this weather.
And the person who suddenly appeared was…
“…Count Mentis?”
At Flora’s call, the figure rushing towards her shivered.
Raising his rain-soaked glasses, he sighed with relief upon seeing Flora.
“What are you doing here? Your clothes are soaked…”
“That, um…”
Mentis couldn’t say anything. He realized how he looked, soaked like a drowned rat.
“Is that person really the Count?”
“Really?”
The servants whispered in disbelief.
Considering how Mentis always carried himself with an air of arrogance, there was no way he would be wandering around the mansion in such a state.
His sparse hair clung wetly to his scalp, and water dripped from his beard. Furthermore, since he had been caught in the pouring rain, his body was trembling.
He looked even worse than the servants. Mentis belatedly realized his own appearance.
‘I… I got scared by Lady Peregrine, of all people.’
The moment he met Daphne’s gaze, his body instinctively froze. It was an oppressive feeling, as if she were gripping him with her gaze.
Moreover, he overlapped Duke Peregrine and that troublemaker in his mind.
To Mentis, who had admired Duke Peregrine more than anyone else, this situation felt like a disgrace.
It was as if he had acknowledged Daphne as a Peregrine.
Mentis gritted his teeth.
“Do you know what just happened to me?”
He belatedly erupted in anger.
“Lady Peregrine poured tea on me. As if that wasn’t enough, she even threatened to harm me!”
Upon hearing this, Flora widened her eyes in disbelief.
“What? T-That’s absurd…!”
“Am I lying then?”
Mentis yelled, losing his temper.
Seemingly determined to shift the blame to Daphne, he shouted with an exaggerated voice.
“Enough. I tried to endure it on account of Her Majesty and the temple, but I can’t take it anymore! I’ll report this incident to the temple and file a formal complaint!”
“W-Wait, Count! Just a moment, Count!”
Flora tried to grab Mentis, but he escaped from the mansion as if fleeing.
If Mentis carried through with his threat, he would indeed report this incident to the temple.
Left behind, Flora ground her teeth.
‘How dare he, how dare he ruin all my plans like this…!’
“I hope you won’t disappoint me any further.”
The words of the Empress, heard just before coming here, echoed in Flora’s ears.
Flora squeezed the umbrella handle so tightly that it felt like it might break. The servants instinctively sensed that she was about to take some action.
It was at the moment when everyone trembled in fear.
“F-Flora, there’s something I need to tell you about that!”
Suddenly, a servant shouted. He was the man who had assisted Daphne in her outing today.
“What is it?”
“It’s… Well, today, Lady Daphne went out. She told the others not to mention it, but I was worried, so…”
The servant spoke while glancing at Flora. It was a preemptive attempt to minimize the punishment, expecting sparks to fly.
“She went out? Do you know where she went?”
“I’m not sure. Wayne Square, the central plaza, is the only thing I know…”
The servant bowed his head as if admitting his incompetence.
Not even knowing the destination. Flora’s anger grew even more.
‘…Wait a moment.’
Wayne Square, the central plaza, was a place she knew well.
While most people might think of a typical shopping street, anyone with some age would know there was a dark guild on the outskirts.
‘Of course, clueless Daphne wouldn’t head there. She probably went out to buy some other luxury items. She’s the type to hang herself with glittering luxurious goods.’
Thinking deeply, she narrowed her eyes.
Mentis, who had always emphasized his dignity, had run into the rain, abandoning his umbrella.
At the very least, Daphne had indeed committed something unbearable.
Daphne’s secret outing. The misdeeds she committed against Mentis, followed by the sudden refusal of the children to attend classes.
The script in her mind began to take shape.
‘In that case…’
With a chilly smile, Flora headed confidently to the main building.
She arrived at the main office in the mansion.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Who is it?”
After knocking, a somewhat hoarse voice came from inside.
“Lord, it’s Flora Salertale.”
“…Come in.”
Flora quickly adjusted her hair and opened the door.
Lyas, with a somewhat tired face from working, greeted her.
“You returned quite early.”
“Yes. Of course.”
Although it was a question of why she returned so quickly, Flora, unaware of the implication, replied shyly.
“You must be tired from the long journey, so it’s better to rest now.”
“Thank you for your concern. But, um… there’s something I want to tell you.”
Flora, uncharacteristically, hesitated. She neither blushed nor fidgeted strangely.
Lyas raised an eyebrow. It was a gesture asking what she wanted to say.
“I hesitate to say this, but…”
Looking down with a calm face, Flora glanced back at Lyas.
“I have something to say about the two young masters.”
Immediately, Lyas’s face hardened.
“…What is it?”
“I heard recently that the two young masters have been getting close to Lady Daphne. Of course, it’s not strange for the three to be close.”
With an apologetic expression, Flora glanced at Lyas.
“Since then, the young masters have also skipped several classes.”
“…”
Lyas fell silent.
After a miracle-like birth that resulted in their mother passing away, Lyas cherished the twins terribly.
Therefore, he took special care in managing the twins’ education.
When he found evidence that the previous teacher, Benito, was indulging in gambling and entertainment, Lyas immediately fired him.
Fortunately, at that time, Mentis appeared, wanting to teach the children.
Lyas considered Mentis, who was a teacher and a knight in Peregrine, suitable.
Certainly, the number of times the twins caused trouble had significantly decreased, and Lyas was gradually trusting him.
‘But to skip classes…’
Was there another reason?
Lost in thought, Lyas tapped the table with his index finger.
His face still showed no suspicion towards Daphne.
“Moreover… I don’t know if I should tell you this, but…”
Noticing this, Flora quickly added.
“Lady, during the children’s class, suddenly appeared and poured tea on Count Mentis.”
“…”
“Moreover, as if that wasn’t enough, she even threatened the Count.”
Lyas’s gaze instantly became fierce.
“…Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Flora bowed her head as if losing composure.
“I’m sorry. This is all due to my negligence.”
Then, looking at him again, she said.
“When the Lady started showing strange behavior, I should have told the Lord…”
“What strange behavior are you talking about?”
He took the bait. Swallowing down her smile, Flora replied.
“A few days ago, when she woke up after taking medicine, Lady called me ‘Grandma.’ She seemed to mistake me for someone else.”
“…”
“Moreover, she went out secretly today…”
“Daphne went out?”
“Yes. She went to Wayne Square, they say.”
A deep shadow fell on Lyas’s face.
After a moment of silence, he rang the bell and called a servant outside the door.
“Is all this true?”
“Yes, it is…”
Since it was not a lie, the servant readily affirmed.
Lyas finally sighed aloud.
He felt guilty that Daphne, who grew up unloved, was his niece.
Due to missing his youngest sister, he couldn’t pay much attention to the niece left alone.
So when he saw that she wanted to marry Roderick to the point of death, he reluctantly proceeded with the engagement.
Still, it was okay until then. If it could alleviate the child’s loss and anger, he could do anything.
However, the child born to Amila, who sacrificed her life to have her, lightly regarded her own life just because she was rejected by her fiancé.
And now, she openly tried to harm others.
With a sunken face, he asked the servant.
“Where is Daphne now?”
“They are in the annex with the young masters. They asked for a meal to be prepared.”
“A meal?”
Lyas got up from his seat.
The relationship between Daphne and the twins was not very good.
In such a state, the child, who had just taken poison and barely woke up, secretly went out. Moreover, she went to Wayne Square where the Dark Guild was located.
There was no way to know what she did, but there was also no evidence that she did nothing.
Moreover, there was such a report.
Suspicion turned into certainty in an instant.
“…I’ll excuse myself now.”
With these brief words, Lyas passed by Flora.
She pretended to bow her head and subtly glanced back at Lyas.
His face was full of anxiety.
Flora’s lips slightly curled up.
The seed of suspicion had already been planted, and now she just had to water it generously.
All that remained was to help it blossom safely.
Flora swallowed her ominous smile.
