Chapter 38
I responded calmly to a confident question with conviction.
“It must be that you, Marquess, are interested in the founding myth, isn’t it? Or perhaps there’s something you’re curious about because you come from a noble lineage?”
Laeches shook his head slightly and muttered, “Not even close.” Then he lightly replied to my question.
“To put it bluntly… it’s not interest, but rather disgust.”
“Pardon?”
It was an unexpected response.
The noble lineage of guardians was revered by the people of the empire, and everyone envied it.
“I despise both the lineage of guardians and the royal family, who are called upon by the gods.”
It was a lineage that everyone envied.
The guardians and those chosen by the gods were heroes who protected this land from evil.
Everyone looked up to them and considered it natural.
So it was the first time I had seen someone resentful. And it was the head of a guardian lineage who said it himself.
“Why? You’re also from a guardian lineage, Marquess.”
“That’s right.”
“But why…?”
Leaving the lineage was not because I hated the lineage itself, but because I needed to survive.
The fact that I could pass through each social season with various excuses without having to reveal my face each time was also because I was from a guardian lineage.
The reason why Dettor and Delia could betray me and still hold their heads high each time was also because they were from a guardian lineage.
Being a descendant of a guardian was a solid defense and always a good excuse.
“As a descendant of the guardians, viollentus protected the north. He never left the north, and this place was Biollentus’s responsibility.”
Laches casually opened his mouth. But the emotion in his voice was contempt itself.
“So my father fought against the monsters called Mawu, known as the guardians of evil, and was seriously injured and passed away, and my mother was afraid and ran away. That was when I was only eleven.”
“Ah…”
I didn’t know such a thing had happened in the Biollentus lineage. No, maybe nobody in the capital cared.
“What do you think my father’s funeral was like?”
“…Condolences?”
At that time, Laches said he was eleven years old… So what could you say to a child who had lost his father besides offering condolences?
“You’re wrong.”
But Laches coldly rebuked.
“What I heard for the first time at that time was that I had to fill the void left by my father’s death.”
I couldn’t even ask in surprise. Surely at that time, Laches said he was eleven years old?
“I was the heir to the blood of viollentus, and this north… No, this empire is protected by the blood of viollentus.”
It was a skeptical tone. Come to think of it, I had never thought about why only viollentus was protecting the north.
And I had never thought it was strange. From a young age, I had heard that the viollentus lineage had the role of protecting the north from monsters.
“So… Marquess, have you been protecting the north since you were eleven?”
“Something like that. That’s why it’s very tiresome.”
Laches lightly stuck out his tongue and chuckled weakly. Could it make sense for a mere eleven-year-old child to protect this north?
A mere eleven-year-old child.
What was I doing at that age?
“Are you thinking that only I am sacrificing now? Your expression seems to be exactly like that.”
I felt like I was revealing my inner thoughts, thinking about why only the viollentus lineage had to bear this burden. But I couldn’t affirm or deny it, I just clenched my lips shut.
“There’s no need to think like that. It’s quiet now because nothing is happening… But when a crisis erupts in the empire, the first to be condemned will be the guardian lineages. Just like me.”
“Condemnation? But the people of the empire worship and admire the guardian lineages…”
“Adoration and worship are just good packaging for criticism and ridicule. The hands that lift you up will become the hands that squeeze and shake your neck when the situation changes.”
I couldn’t say anything. Laches actually experienced such a situation. The peaceful daily life maintained by peace would disappear when peace disappeared.
And when people try to regain peace, the first thing they will throw away will be the worshipped guardians.
Worship for such occasions. Worship that comes with responsibility.
My head felt numb from thinking about things I had never thought about before. Did Laches realize this when he was only eleven years old?
“So, will the answer come if you read that book?”
“Answer?”
“Lachès said the Guardian Family and the Royal Family are hateful. I’m curious if there’s a solution in that book.”
Lachès stared at me intently in response to my question. It felt like his gaze could penetrate through me.
“Well…”
A vague answer came slowly. I hoped for a more definitive response, thinking we could look into it together.
“At least you should know why you’re guarding here. No one wants to sacrifice without knowing the reason.”
As I contemplated reading the book myself later, a hand rested on my right shoulder.
“Hmm?”
And then…
Tug.
The hand on my right shoulder pulled me to the left. My body followed, and my head naturally leaned on his shoulder.
“So… you…”
His voice, barely audible, whispered softly, almost as if I had to strain to hear it.
“Don’t run away without saying anything.”
His brief words hit me like arrows. The moment I heard them, I felt as if I were bound and unable to move, like I had been chained.
His many instances of questioning me, “Are you planning to run away?” flashed through my mind.
Even though I couldn’t read Lachès’ memories, they passed vividly before my eyes as if I had.
I felt fortunate leaning on Lachès’ shoulder.
I couldn’t bring myself to look up and meet his gaze.
Because if I were to see his expression directly, it felt like I would cross a point of no return, beyond which I couldn’t come back.
“…Yes.”
I simply answered, leaning on Lachès’ shoulder.
Nothing is certain yet.
This man might not be the one to kill me.
The reason I sought someone who might kill me was ultimately because I wanted to live.
As long as I could live, I…
Lachès remained still for a long while, perhaps pleased with my answer.
After that day, thanks to Lachès’ consideration, Celly’s role changed to assisting me with my work.
“Leah! I’ll help with brushing… hehe! I’ll do it!”
From then on, Celly, who trailed after me, took over my tasks, even refusing to let me brush my own hair in the morning.
“Celly, you’re overdoing it, you know?”
“…I couldn’t help it when I didn’t know, but now I keep worrying.”
“The more you do this, the sooner my identity will be revealed. I’ll have to leave here eventually. Then we’ll have to part ways, won’t we? Do you want me to leave? Celly.”
“!!”
Celly’s eyes widened at the thought. But even so, she didn’t stop brushing my hair.
“But… but…! I want to help you!”
“Helping me doesn’t necessarily mean doing my tasks for me. For example, there are ways to help me stay here until the end by hiding my identity.”
“Okay, Leah. I won’t make you endangered anymore from now on!”
With a determined expression, Celly nodded vigorously and continued to brush my hair.
Despite her good intentions to help me, I may have been too harsh on her.
“…How’s your brother doing these days?”
Persor had been checking on Celly’s brother’s health recently. He conveyed hopeful news that with regular treatment, despite his congenital illness, he could recover.
Celly, who heard the story from Persor, knelt down in front of me and thanked me repeatedly.
“I’ve really improved a lot! It was so difficult for me to even get out of bed and walk around the room, but I heard yesterday that I walked around the room alone without any support!”
Fortunately, it seemed like the symptoms of the illness were improving.
“That’s really fortunate.”
“So, I wanted to help you with things like this. But if my actions endanger you, I won’t do it! Instead, I’ll make sure to hide you properly!”
Should I say I felt reassured by this?
It was a moment to smile at Celly’s passionate demeanor.
Smart.
Someone knocked on my door early in the morning. Since it was before work hours, there shouldn’t be anyone looking for me.
Celly and I exchanged glances with each other, amused. I got up from my seat and slowly approached the door.
Normally, I would have just opened the door without asking who it was. But strangely, something felt ominous.
“Who is it?”
Anyway, it would probably be someone from within the castle. It was a ridiculous question.
“Um… I heard this is the chambermaid Leah’s room.”
But as soon as I heard the voice from beyond the door, I couldn’t help but panic.
“…Dettor!”
The one who came to my room was Dettor. If I had opened the door without asking who it was, I would have come face to face with Dettor.
“I have something to discuss. Can I see your face and talk?”
Dettor behind the door asked politely and gently.
‘Why is Dettor here?’
Countless thoughts filled my mind.
Could it be that he recognized me? After the incident with Delia, she became very quiet, and does he now know that I’m the one who punished her and is here to reprimand me?
“I’m not quite ready yet to open the door… It’s a bit… Can you tell me what it’s about like this if it’s okay with you?”
Despite my racing heart, my voice was surprisingly calm. I was secretly surprised that I could speak so calmly.
“…I have something to confirm, so I want to see your face and talk.”
But Dettor didn’t show any signs of backing off. If Dettor were to open the door and come in like this, then…
‘Can Dettor deceive me like I deceived Delia and get away with it?’
No. Dettor couldn’t deceive me with such a clumsy method. He would probably notice something strange the moment he saw me, and soon realize that I’m Leperentia who is still alive.
“Leah.”
Just as I was thinking about what to do,
Celly whispered softly as she pulled me back from behind.
“….Celly?”
Pushing me into the corner behind the door, Selly grinned widely. Then, placing a finger to her lips, she whispered “Shh” softly before flinging the door open without any agreement from me.
“….!”
All I could do was press myself against the corner and hold my breath, startled.
“Are you… Leah?”
Though I couldn’t see Dettor’s face beyond the door, there was a faint sense of disappointment in his voice as he recognized Selly.
“Yes. I am Leah. Why did you call for me, Lord Deberti?”
Selly stepped forward, introducing herself.
“Is your name really Leia? When I glimpsed you before… weren’t you a silver-haired maiden?”
“I am Leah. So, naturally, I would be in the chamber of the maid Leia whom Lord Deberti sought. As for my hair… Well. Could it be a case of mistaken identity with someone else? This has always been my hair color.”
Celly chuckled softly. Was she that good at acting? Selly seemed flawless to the point where there was no fault to find.
“….Hah. Well, then.”
Finally, Dettor breathed a sigh of relief.
“I must have mistaken someone. …Yes, it’s impossible for a deceased person to be alive.”
His voice carried a subtle mix of disappointment and faint relief. That brat was disappointed that I wasn’t ‘the maid Leia’ and relieved that I wasn’t.
“I apologize for the early disturbance.”
Dettor pretended to speak kindly.
“By the way, I heard that Viscount Violethus pays quite some attention to you. Now that I’ve met you, I understand why. You’re very beautiful, Leah”
That beastly guy. Look at him acting without a hint of guilt once he confirmed I’m not who he thought I was.
It’s obvious even without looking. If Laeches is paying attention to a maid, there’s undoubtedly a heap of inferiority complex stirring up.
“If you weren’t a maid of Violethus Castle, I would have taken you to Deberti Mansion when I leave this time.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I belong to Violenthus Castle.”
“In that case, it’s quite regrettable. If you were to come with me to Deberti Mansion, I could give you everything I have.”
It was a sweet temptation that would make any ignorant maid swoon. However, Selly’s expression remained unchanged.
“I am content with what I have now. Coveting beyond one’s station leads to choking to death on excessive desires.”
Dettor seemed quite taken aback by Celly’s firm stance.
Well, she probably hasn’t experienced such a reaction before.
“You… remind me of my former fiancée.”
For the first time, Celly’s expression changed. The business-like smile she maintained throughout vanished, replaced by a furrowed brow and widened eyes.
“What nonsense you’re spouting.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the blatantly obvious manipulation.
With such an obvious manipulation visible to the eye, I burst into laughter.
