MVH 114

-114-

She often seemed absent-minded, disappeared on her own, and did things she normally wouldn’t do? That meant the state of Baron Tiben’s daughter was far from good.

‘She even went to the hill behind the estate where the accident happened… so it’s probably…’

After being driven out of the capital’s social circle and coming down in a rush, rumors about Baron Tiben’s daughter spread quickly. For her, the bright future she once had was suddenly blocked, leaving her feeling lost. Having caused a scandal in the capital’s social circle and been expelled, it wouldn’t have been easy for her to enter other provincial social circles either.

The Tiben family was a lower-ranking noble house, but it had a respectable lineage for a baronial family. Their finances were not bad, and since Miss Huizette had once been seen accompanying them, Baron Tiben’s daughter was considered superior to daughters of other minor noble families.

Yet for a young lady rejected by high society, finding a suitable match was no easy task. More nobles were likely to turn away from her.

Having aligned with the wrong people and made poor judgments, she lost her chance to climb higher. She probably thought she was finished. Being so young, it must have been hard to endure.

‘There have been similar situations in modern times too.’

People trying to climb the corporate ladder by aligning with higher-ups, only to gain nothing and end up as scapegoats. In the case of Baron Tiben’s daughter, even her guiding figure, Miss Huizette, fell along with her.

In truth, this world wasn’t any different from the modern one. Only the setting and circumstances differed—everywhere, schemes and plots thrived. In such a world, the person who quickly senses danger and finds a way to survive is the one who wins. Just as I had survived that way in modern times.

Baron Tiben’s daughter should have thought more carefully. Could the Huizette family and Miss Huizette truly guide her until the end?

‘If she intended to cling to them from the start, she should have revealed herself less and taken her time to observe and analyze things thoroughly.’

No matter which path you take, caution is key. Whether the path is righteous or wicked, it must be one that allows you to endure; otherwise, survival is impossible. Baron Tiben’s daughter chose poorly. Yet it’s hard to put the blame entirely on her—circumstances were complicated. This, too, is the limitation of being an extra in this world.

“Haah…”

A deep sigh escaped me. Why do extras always end up like this? Accidents, sudden deaths, screams. Or simply being crushed by the harsh realities of this world. One could say it’s the author—essentially the god of this world—who decides their fate.

If I were an extra, I might have died early on. The wife of a villain opposing the main characters typically meets an early or grim end in the original story. That was always the case.

“Tiana?”

Lucius called me in a slightly raised voice. Perhaps worried by my deep sigh, he held my hand tighter.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Nothing. Hearing about Baron Tiben’s daughter’s condition before she died… I somehow think she may have harbored some very dark thoughts.”

“…You think she committed suicide?”

“Most likely. According to the servants, she acted uncharacteristically. If she had such thoughts, that could certainly have manifested in her behavior. Like what happened with Lena before…”

“…I see.”

Lucius nodded as if in agreement, his expression heavy and somber. He had been deeply affected by what happened with Lena, so it was understandable. Even thinking about it made my heart feel heavy.

Relaxing his frown slightly, he spoke again in a lowered voice.

“Count Gracel considered everything and concluded that Baron Tiben’s daughter likely took her own life. Considering her condition before death, it seems more plausible than an accident.”

“I think so too. But there’s something that bothers me,” I said.

“What is it?”

“Why the hill, of all places?”

“Huh?”

Lucius blinked in surprise at my question. Baron Tiben’s daughter, having despaired of her situation, chose a place to end her life. But why the hill behind the mansion?

“She hated the hills. She didn’t enjoy walks or movement. Why would she choose a place she disliked?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Usually, people seek a place where they feel comfortable, or somewhere they feel attached to. It was the same with Lena. She had an attachment to her garden, so she died there after destroying all the flowers she grew in frustration against the nobles who wronged her.”

“Then why would Baron Tiben’s daughter choose a place she hated…? I can’t quite understand. Unless her mental state was far worse than I thought, she would usually follow her unconscious desires when making such a decision.”

“…Choosing the hill likely reflected her true feelings, as Tiana suggests,” Lucius said.

“What do you mean?”

Choosing the hill reflected her true feelings? Did that mean she actually liked it?

‘No, that’s not it.’

I pondered his words. If she revealed her true feelings, the reason she chose the hill must have been because it was truly a place she disliked. In her disturbed state, the hill she often saw became the place she visited before death.

‘Could it be… like with Lena?’

Perhaps not exactly like Lena’s case. Lena’s garden was a place of attachment, but the hill for Baron Tiben’s daughter was likely a place of mixed feelings—something she hated yet was ever-present around her.

As I pondered, Lucius spoke again.

“For reference, the reason Baron Tiben’s daughter came to the capital was her desire to leave the tedious estate behind.”

“I heard the Tiben lands are mountainous. What kind of area is it exactly?”

“The Tiben estate and its villagers are surrounded by dense mountains. No matter where you stand, all you see are mountains.”

“No wonder a young lady would feel stifled. Unless one is very active, if all you see outside is forest, grass, and insects, it must have been boring. She didn’t like to move much, so she likely stayed mostly inside the mansion, and given the area, she probably couldn’t experience the developed culture of the capital either.”

“Exactly. That’s why she dreamed of the capital. When she first came along with Baron Tiben and witnessed the city’s luxurious culture, she was captivated. She then persuaded the Baron to allow her to live in the capital alone.”

“I see. That explains why she chose the hill—and why it reflected her true feelings.”

Even the land she was born and raised on wasn’t a good place for her. While the high mountains were important to the Baron and the villagers, to a young lady, they were just rough, unremarkable scenery. She had long been cut off from the wider, more vibrant world beyond the mountains.

‘For her, the mountains of the Tiben estate must have felt like a suffocating prison. When she first arrived in the capital, she must have been intoxicated by the freedom and cultural splendor she had never experienced. But after being expelled and returning home, it was as if she was back in an inescapable prison.’

“Yes. That’s likely why she intended such an act.”

“Such an act?”

“Well…”

Lucius frowned and moved his lips as if he’d just realized a mistake. What could it be? I pressed him.

“Lucius, stop hiding it. What exactly did Baron Tiben’s daughter intend to do?”

“…She intended to set fire to the hill.”

“W-what?”

Set fire to the hill? Did she want to get rid of the mountains?

‘It’s… possible. Actually, very possible.’

Returning to her estate, all she would have seen were the obstructing mountains. Mountains everywhere she looked, imprisoning her. It’s understandable that she would want to remove the first obstacle in front of her.

“But setting fire won’t make the mountains disappear, right?”

“If she could at least get rid of the dense forests and grass, her view would open up. She probably thought she could deal with the rest later. At least it would give her some relief.”

“…By burning the forest and grass, many functions of the mountains would be lost. More than that, I think she hated the trees blocking her view. Standing on top of a stripped mountain, she might have wanted to finally see the world outside…”

She probably assumed she wouldn’t leave that place alive. If it was her end, she might have wanted at least a final glimpse of the open world—her ideal place.

‘Where is this…’

I sighed naturally, relaxing my stiff body in the chair and slowly turning to look outside.

Tall, ornate buildings, clean streets filled with carriages, people in bright and splendid clothing, all wearing cheerful smiles. This was the capital, full of dreams, culture, and illusions.

“Full of dreams, full of opportunity… but equally easy to crumble in an instant.”

“Tiana…?”

“Baron Tiben’s daughter must have thought of this as a land of opportunity—a place to pursue her dreams and feel free. But in reality… it’s a harsh, competitive place.”

The nobles who settled in the capital experienced advanced culture and stayed ahead of regional nobles. For those from provinces, the capital seemed enviable, but nobles living there constantly worried, trying not to fall behind.

Fail to keep up with trends, and you are eliminated. It’s a place where one walks a tightrope to survive. Even after experiencing all this, Baron Tiben’s daughter apparently still thought this was where she belonged.

“Tiana… is life in the capital difficult?”

“Huh?”

Startled by Lucius’s question, I looked at him. He must have misunderstood what I said. Smiling gently at his worried eyes, I replied:

“Not at all. It’s not hard. Lucius is with me, and I have Alexandra, Angelica, and my family. The Emperor is here too. In fact, it’s quite fun.”

Of course. Being close to the original protagonists, despite the chaos, is enjoyable. Seeing me smile, Lucius’s worried expression softened.

“But I heard Baron Tiben’s daughter tried to set fire to the hill. How do you know that?”

“There were dry branches gathered there, and some items were found on her body after she died.”

“What items?”

“That is…”

He paused. Just as I was about to ask, a stranger’s voice interrupted us.

“Isn’t this His Highness the Archduke and Her Highness the Archduchess?”

A man approached briskly, confident in his step. Deep crimson hair, green eyes, a neatly groomed beard—it was clear he was no ordinary man.