Chapter 31
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Divine ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
“Oh my!”
When I opened the door, a maid who had been secretly eating food inside flinched.
She was Sukia, Daphne’s dedicated maid, with orange hair.
“You! What are you doing here instead of working!”
“Well…”
Sukia awkwardly laughed as if embarrassed.
“Lady Daphne specifically asked me to eat this… Oh, would you like to join me? There’s plenty here!”
Sukia said, showing a bakery box. The maids snorted.
“It’s still working hours, what…”
“But this is the Second Annex.”
“….”
“And Lady Daphne is here.”
“….”
“A place where no one comes.”
At that, someone gulped audibly.
The smell of the dessert was fragrant, and Sukia’s temptation was sweet.
The maids exchanged glances.
What should we do? That was the question, but it was an unspoken demand: ‘I want to, so please agree with me.’
One maid nodded first, and a maid who had worked longer than the others shouted loudly.
“It’s a price for keeping a secret. It’s not allowed to happen again!”
“Wow, thank you. Please, have a seat quickly.”
Sukia cheerfully made room for them.
The maids hastily enjoyed the dessert. Perhaps because they were secretly eating after work, it tasted unusually sweet.
“Is it delicious? Our Lady is a gourmet, so I can guarantee the taste.”
Certainly, it was as she said. Normally, they wouldn’t have had a chance to taste such glamorous and luxurious desserts.
Sukia skillfully poured milk into cups, then pushed one toward each of them.
“By the way, are you from the main building? I’m usually only in the annex, so I don’t recognize you.”
“Well, those from the annex rarely interact with those from the main building.”
A higher-ranked maid said with a swagger.
After all, the main building was a place where only those who had worked for a long time and were trustworthy could stay.
Sukia naturally said, “Ah, of course. Then places like the main building are only accessible to people like Lady Flora, right?”
Flora was someone backed by the imperial family but not a noble. If she had to classify her, she could be considered an employer of sorts.
“Flora? Well, I guess.”
The maid’s mouth twisted as if it were amusing.
Flora treating them as if they were beneath her didn’t sit well with everyone.
“Actually, it doesn’t make sense for her to wander around the main building when she’s in charge of Lady Daphne’s education.”
“But there might be other things to do in the main building. Like taking care of the Lord.”
Sukia flippantly dismissed.
When someone acts so casually, it makes you want to refute them. A maid muttered.
“Well, maybe there is another reason.”
“What reason?”
“Well, listen to this. I heard that person has had a crush on the Lord since childhood.”
“Really?”
Sukia widened her eyes in surprise. Other maids chimed in, as if they had been waiting.
“I heard it too. Apparently, Flora was the one who gave the Count title to the young masters in the first place.”
“She meticulously checked everything, from the education of the young masters to their nutrient intake. Meanwhile, the other person she was in charge of, Lady Daphne, even attempted suicide.”
“Oh my… that’s really strange.”
Sukia covered her mouth, feigning surprise.
“I can’t believe she had a crush…”
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
“Amazing.”
I murmured quietly.
Sukia, who was counting the money I gave her, glanced at me and added slowly.
“But the rumors may not be entirely accurate.”
“No, but there’s still a possibility. Some among them may have even heard about Flora’s manipulations.”
I shook my head and continued.
“And information isn’t just words. Actions, voices, glances—everything about the other person can be information. Perhaps Flora revealed every piece of information without fail in front of Uncle Lyas.”
Sukia nodded as if realizing something.
“If it’s an unrequited crush, it might have been heartbreaking.”
“Yes, enough to want to hurt someone.”
I tapped the table.
My poisoning, Livnell receiving harmful medicine for pregnancy, and Flora, who had an unrequited love for her uncle.
‘Isn’t this a bit too coincidental?’
If it doesn’t match up, it was a strange series of coincidences. I stood up from my seat.
“M-Milady, you’re not planning to go confront them, are you?”
Sukia asked with a surprised expression.
Certainly, Daphne’s style was to rush in without much thought, so it was natural for Sukia to think that way.
But I shook my head.
“No, we need to pick the right timing. Otherwise, the mouse that boldly runs around without fear will escape easily.”
“Timing?”
Sukia asked, seeming to have trouble understanding. I smiled, finding her adorable, and added an explanation.
“Well, what do you think happens when a mouse quietly sneaking food gets caught?”
Sukia tilted her head.
“When it loses what it wanted so badly right in front of its eyes.”
When it raises a fuss and raises its death cries, we’ll seize that opportunity to catch the mouse.
‘For that, I need to set up a mouse trap first.’
I smiled with a beautiful yet wicked smile befitting a villainess.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
Livnell gazed silently outside.
Strangely, her body felt sluggish. She felt both drowsy and weak.
The weather was really nice. It was the same kind of sky when she had tea with Daphne. She was thinking that when—
“Darling.”
A gentle voice reached her ears. When she turned her head, her husband, Cyan, was looking at her.
“How’s your condition today?”
“Except for feeling a bit sleepy, I’m fine.”
Because Livnell didn’t want to cause concern, she smiled and said so. However, Cyan’s worried face didn’t ease.
For the past month, her complexion had rapidly deteriorated.
Despite going for recuperation in a place with fresh air, there was no sign of improvement.
There was a way to administer the temple’s medicine, but if the child had magic, there could be a risk to the fetus due to the incompatible powers.
However, if Livnell could survive, he was determined to find and give her the temple’s medicine.
It might be selfish, but for Cyan, Livnell was more important than the child.
“I’m fine, really. I’m crying again.”
“But…”
Smiling, Livnell wiped Cyan’s cheek. Tears clung to the tip of her thumb.
“Our baby will get through it. We’re consistently receiving treatment. More than anything, it hurts me the most to see you sad.”
You have to stay strong, especially during times like these.
Livnell was comforting him.
Unable to worry her any further, Cyan forced himself to swallow his tears and managed to smile faintly.
Knock, knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock was heard. The maid who brought tea every morning must’ve arrived.
“It’s time for tea.”
Cyan, who had been holding her hand, rose from his seat.
As he opened the door and reached for the tea cart, Cyan paused.
“…Daphne?”
“Hello, Uncle.”
Daphne was standing there smiling at him.
Cyan was taken aback and asked, “What brings you here? No, more importantly, it’s been a while. No, that’s not it….”
Caught off guard by his niece’s sudden appearance, Cyan was at a loss for words.
Understanding his confusion, Daphne laughed and said, “I came to propose something, so I thought I’d visit early in the morning.”
“A proposal?”
“Yes.”
Daphne nodded and spoke.
“How about having dinner at the main residence tonight? Just family, without anyone else.”
She put emphasis on the word ‘family.’
“…Dinner, just family?”
Cyan seemed quite surprised.
Since the death of his youngest sister Amila, the Peregrine family had never gathered together for a meal.
“Well, we did have a meal together not too long ago, but if you’re okay with it, I’d like Uncle and Aunt to join us too.”
“…By everyone together, you mean…”
“Yes, Uncle Lyas will join. Of course, the twins as well.”
Cyan stammered a few times before shutting his mouth completely.
He couldn’t believe his stiff elder brother accepted Daphne’s suggestion.
“A-Are we really all going to be together?”
“Yes, of course.”
Daphne smiled sweetly.
“If your schedule allows, please come for dinner tonight. I’ll prepare lots of delicious food.”
Daphne handed the cup she was holding over to him.
“This is… Aunt’s favorite tea. I brought it instead.”
“Oh, uh, right. Thank you.”
Cyan accepted it in a daze.
“By the way, I told the servants I’d invite other guests as well. I said they were important guests, so they should prepare even more diligently. So, Uncle, I hope you won’t reveal anything.”
“Okay, got it.”
“Thank you. I’ll be on my way then. Please take care.”
Daphne smiled faintly and turned away.
Still staring at her back with a bewildered expression, Cyan closed the door and approached Livnell’s bed.
He mumbled as if he had seen an illusion, “What on earth is going on…”
