Chapter 60
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Sienna ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
I asked gently.
“Why did you stop reading?”
“Yes, Vanier. Why did you suddenly stop?”
Count Drave, who still hadn’t grasped the seriousness of the situation, urged Vanier on. At that moment, Vanier trembled nervously.
“That, that…”
“If it’s difficult for you to read, I can read it instead.”
In the meantime, the Count reached out his hand, as if to snatch the letter.
“No, don’t!”
Startled, Vanier pushed away the Count’s hand.
And in the process, she ended up striking the Count’s hand.
“Vanier, w-what is the meaning of this?!”
The Count’s eyes widened in bewilderment. Vanier, belatedly realizing her mistake, stammered apologetically.
“I-I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry!”
Vanier quickly bowed her head, but the Count’s hand was already reddening and swelling from the impact.
“Oh, that must hurt.”
I lowered my brows, feigning sympathy, and gently stroked the Count’s wounded pride.
“It seems Vanier was very surprised. Some people react by hitting when they’re startled. Even my maids jump and clutch their chests whenever they get startled.”
I said with a faint smile.
It may sound like comforting words, but in reality… it’s not.
‘My maids never hit anyone, even when startled. And yet, Vanier, whom you brought in, has hit others?’
…or so I intended.
As expected, Count Drave’s face began to turn beet red.
It couldn’t be helped. He had been trying to elevate Vanier in order to obtain what he wanted, but now he had been struck by someone much younger.
“Vanier, what do you think you’re doing in front of the Duke?”
“This, um, well…”
“Forget it. Just give me the letter!”
Perhaps thinking that staying on the same ship would only lead to its sinking, the Count tried to snatch the letter. Vanier, her face pale, almost screamed in protest.
“This, this can’t be! No!”
“I’ve given you an order! How dare you refuse! Give it to me!”
With a roar, the Count snatched the letter from Vanier’s hands.
“No, please. That’s, that’s…”
Vanier pleaded, her face filled with fear, but the Count straightened his posture as if ignoring her.
“…Forgive me, I’ve failed to properly educate her. I’ll be sure to lecture her again.”
He cleared his throat. Then he began to read the letter.
But the Count didn’t get very far before he, like Vanier, stopped talking.
“What… is this…?”
The Count’s eyes began to tremble as he read the letter.
‘Of course.’
It detailed Vanier’s and the Count’s misdeeds meticulously.
‘I had already anticipated that you might try to cut off your own tail.’
That’s why I also included the story about the Count.
After all, isn’t it natural for a lowly villain’s downfall to be self-inflicted?
I smiled, the corners of my mouth tugging upward.
“You…!”
Flames ignited in the Count’s eyes.
“You knew all along! You did this on purpose to trap me, deliberately!”
He shouted in anger and was about to lunge at me.
Thud.
A heavy object pressed firmly against the floor.
It was the Duke’s silver cane lightly tapping the ground.
At that, Count Drave became stiff, as if under a spell.
“Y-Your Grace, this is, well…”
Regaining his composure, the Count forced a smile and spoke to the Duke.
“It seems there has been some misunderstanding. If you could just give me a moment…”
“A moment, you say.”
The Duke muttered in a low voice.
“I believe I made myself clear.”
“…”
“Whether my generosity continues remains to be seen.”
The Duke closed his eyes and spoke quietly. Yet, an unknown oppressive aura radiated from him, as if his gaze were upon them.
“Harlan.”
“Yes.”
The butler bowed briefly in response to the Duke’s weak call, then snatched the letter from Count Drave’s hand.
Then he began to slowly read the contents of the letter to the Duke.
As he read, Harlan’s eyes gleamed with contempt.
When he finally finished reading, Harlan closed his mouth tightly.
“…”
The Duke slowly raised his eyelids, revealing a profound intensity in his serene gaze.
He glanced at Vanier and Count Drave, who were both shaking and speechless.
As his gaze met theirs, they both gasped as if suffocating.
Then his gaze finally rested on… me.
His quiet, deep gaze stared at me, causing me to tremble involuntarily, even though I had anticipated this moment.
At last, the Duke spoke slowly.
“It seems there were rats hiding in my mansion.”
At his solemn tone, Count Drave shuddered.
“N-No, Your Grace. I truly know nothing!”
He desperately shook his head.
“This is a conspiracy! Someone is trying to harm me!”
As he vehemently protested, his gaze landed on Vanier, who blinked in surprise.
“Vanier was the one who contacted me first!”
“C-Count!”
“Using the promise of completely capturing Your Grace’s heart, she lured me in!”
“…!”
The Count had completely thrown Vanier under the bus. Vanier’s face was now tinged with deep betrayal.
From the Count’s perspective, it was true that Vanier had called him, so his defensive reaction was understandable.
But didn’t the Count himself say just a moment ago, “I’ve given you an order! How dare you refuse! Give it to me!”
When he thought the letter was from Amelia, he had spoken as if he had commanded Vanier. But now, to play the victim? It’s not going to work.
When the Duke said nothing, the Count sank to his knees, ready to fall flat on his face.
“Please, just forgive me once. Please, just once…!”
The sight of the count’s sobbing was almost pathetic.
“Harlan.”
But the Duke, as if dismissing him, spoke in a tone devoid of emotion.
“Get rid of the rats.”
“Yes.”
Nodding, Harlan approached the Count.
“Your Grace, please spare me! I’ve made a mistake, please…!”
Count Drave’s pleas rang out, but the Duke never once looked at him.
‘All that remains now is…’
When the Duke’s gaze fell on Vanier, she trembled.
“Y-Your Grace.”
Struggling to speak, she continued.
“I-I just wanted to put the Duke’s mind at ease… that’s all, really; I had nothing else in mind.”
“…”
“Th-think about it. Why would I have strange thoughts…? I… I only cared about your well-being! You know that!”
Perhaps believing in her own justification, her voice grew stronger.
But she was seized by Haren, who had returned after banishing the Count, with the Duke’s bodyguards.
Struggling, Vanier cried out,
“P-Please forgive me! Y-You see, I knew about the Duke’s secrets that even his own granddaughter didn’t…! Th-that’s why you liked me more!”
“The reason you could know my secrets…”
The Duke’s low voice cut through Vanier’s words.
“You were someone to whom it didn’t matter if my secrets were revealed.”
“…!”
“When the master wavers, the followers also waver. But to the outsiders, it does not matter.”
At those final words, Vanier stiffened.
As the caregiver who knew of his health condition, it meant that he had never considered her family.
Slowly, strength drained from Vanier’s hands.
Like Count Drave before her, she was weakly escorted out by the guards.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The villa was turned upside down by the events involving Vanier and Count Drave.
Following the Duke’s orders, the servants searched Vanier’s room and found letters from Daphne and Lyas that she had deliberately not delivered.
Among them were several articles related to Peregrine.
There was nothing else to say other than that she had deliberately hidden them.
“…”
Trembling, the Duke reached out and picked up the newspaper.
The front page reported that the reinvestigation had continued and that Daphne had been found innocent.
The fact that only he didn’t know this important information, even though it was right in front of his eyes, was evidence of how weakened he had become.
The Duke’s pupils deepened, showing a mixture of deep anger, rage, and self-loathing.
“Harlan.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After a brief silence, the Duke exhaled slowly and said,
“It seems the time has come to make a new seal.”
“Your Grace, what do you mean…?”
Harlan’s eyes widened.
Creating a new seal was akin to the Duke relinquishing his position as the patriarch.
The Duke was certainly at an age where he could easily relinquish his title. However, he wanted to continue holding onto it as much as possible.
“My father is strong, stronger than anyone in this world.”
It was because of the words left by his daughter, Amila, who died before him.
And so, he had been concealing even his own health to cling to his position. But…
His once keen senses had long since dulled with age. He could no longer keenly perceive what was right before his eyes or quickly grasp what was being said.
How foolish it was!
“The time has come.”
“Your Grace…”
“I may not have the face to see Amila, but I must accept this as my own weakness.”
The Duke muttered to himself.
Knock, knock. At that moment, a knock was heard.
Anyone familiar with the current atmosphere of the mansion wouldn’t casually visit the Duke.
The Duke nodded, and Harlan slowly opened the door.
The person who entered was none other than Daphne.
“…What are you doing here?”
The Duke asked in a blunt voice.
Although his current state had already been fully exposed, his habitual attitude was not easily undone.
“There is something I wish to show you.”
At that moment, Daphne took something out of her clothes.
“That is…!”
The Duke’s eyes slowly widened.
TN Divine: Ty to Bree for coming in clutch with the next 10 chapters! I only did a quick scroll-over of the chapter so if there are any errors (with names, etc.), just let me know in the comments.
