Chapter 88
Courtney struggled and wanted to scream, but the thick cloth covering her mouth muffled all sound.
Paula had left the room to see off the Countess, and Mrs. Becker trembled with excitement as the Countess took over the Countess’s office while managing the maids.
If I hadn’t honestly reported the Countess’s mistake earlier, maybe I too…
She knew that to the cold-hearted Count, she was as fragile as a fly. Yet she had believed the Countess valued her senior staff.
She gave generous tips and treated maids like Paula well. Being of commoner origin, the Countess seemed to understand their hardships, or so Courtney thought.
To willingly sacrifice Courtney for Paula…
The head maid realized how close she had been to dying, just like Courtney.
Soon after, Rolf brought up that, as punishment for siding with the Countess, the head maid’s weekly wage would be cut.
But she was trembling so badly that she couldn’t even feel resentment. She couldn’t even imagine Odette watching her like that.
The enraged Count ordered Fernand to kill Courtney without letting anyone see.
“If you can, make it as painful as possible. That wretched creature dared touch my keys without permission.”
Fernand agreed. His father seemed angry for Carl’s sake, but Fernand was angry that Odette had been wronged.
Of course, it was Paula who had hurt Odette, but Fernand didn’t get angry with the lower-class for showing discernment.
“How dare Paula and Courtney—two insignificant ones—team up and touch what belongs to their superiors?”
So Fernand chose his ability as the method to kill Courtney: the power to control insects.
Without anesthesia, he summoned the most excruciating insects to inject their venom into Courtney’s body.
After tormenting her for a long while, Fernand, satisfied that her death was certain, left her body at the cemetery near the execution platform.
Courtney died at the execution ground’s cemetery, unable to even scream as her throat swelled from the insects’ venom.
Soon… it’ll be dawn.
She had suffered through the night, but the pain was finally starting to ease. Courtney knew this was because her consciousness was fading as death approached.
Not even thirty minutes left…
No doctor could save her now; the poison had fully spread through her body.
At that moment, with all the insects taken away by Fernand, a soft voice like the melody of a flute filled the silent space.
“Hello, Courtney.”
It was Odette.
“…Ugh.”
“How delightful to meet under completely reversed circumstances from our past lives. Back then, I was in your position, and you were smiling.”
Odette wore a black cloak over a black dress.
Even alone in the cemetery on such a dark night, she showed no sign of fear.
“Does it feel unfair to die for something you had nothing to do with? I hope it does. Revenge with revenge. Grievance with grievance. I wanted to return to you everything you gave me.”
Courtney opened her mouth but couldn’t respond. After all, she had lost her tongue and couldn’t speak.
Odette looked down at her with gentle eyes.
“Still, this is a comfortable death compared to what the others at the Count’s house will face.”
“Ugh.”
“Among those I sought revenge on, you had the least karma. You only lost the use of your tongue under your father’s orders, right? So I’m giving you a comfortable death as a gift.”
What was this woman talking about? When did I ever do such a thing?
At that moment, Odette injected something into Courtney’s body.
“This is an injection to restore sensation. I don’t want you to die comfortably.”
As the insect-like pain returned, Courtney struggled and glared at Odette through tear-soaked eyes.
“You secretly put pins in my dress and tacks in my shoes, didn’t you? You also put thorns in Paula’s whip.”
Odette smiled faintly.
“When we were children, you’d put Clonia berries in my teacup to make my throat swell. I always felt pricked and swollen because of you, so now it’s your turn.”
Odette laughed softly—a sound elegant and gentle, like a flute.
Hoo, hoo.
The pain intensified, blurring Courtney’s vision even further.
Through it, she could see Odette’s smiling face.
“Your brother is impressive, too. Controlling all those insects, he could have given the head maid—who served me her whole life—an easier death.”
Courtney gazed at Odette as she gently rose. Her elegance and composure seemed supremely noble.
“But your cruelty allowed me to witness your final moments, Courtney.”
Odette smiled faintly.
Dressed in black, with a cold smile, she looked like a true villainess.
A villainess…? That can’t be… I know better… Ugh!
To Courtney, Odette was too insignificant to even be a villainess.
Amid the vividly revived pain, Courtney remembered the young girl she once was.
Even when pins were put in her or she was made to choke on Clonia berries, she never tattled.
She even secretly put pins in Paula’s whip.
I… didn’t think she knew.
It had been fun tormenting that fairy-like girl.
Courtney had a grim pleasure in watching others humiliated—she felt a thrill at seeing humans crumble under cruelty.
Yes, all humans’ basest instincts are the same. That was her consolation.
But now, Odette was witnessing her basest self, smiling like a true villainess.
“Farewell, Courtney. Feel death more vividly than anyone, and may you go to hell.”
The woman in black said this, then turned and left.
On her way back to the mansion, Odette no longer used secret passages.
“Miss, you’re back? Shall I open the door?”
The doormen immediately bowed and opened the door upon seeing her face.
Because Mrs. Becker had privately instructed them not to interfere with Odette’s outings and to report only to her, not to the Count, Rolf, or the head maid.
Once at the mansion, dawn began to break as the night receded.
Odette smiled faintly and ascended the large stairs toward her room.
I want to change my room too. Fernand’s next door is disgusting.
With plans still ahead, there was no rush. She opened the door, and warm sunlight streamed through the wide-open windows.
“You’re back, Miss?”
“Rize.”
“I just checked Gisela’s telegram and returned immediately. Carl arrived safely at Gisela’s house.”
“Thank you.”
This had been her plan before knowing Carl’s past.
By seeing how well the Fenrir children were treated and spending time with them, she thought it would reduce their hatred toward her.
But now I know. There’s no need to worry about hatred.
Carl’s tragic past aside, his obedience was not a bad thing for her.
Blindness is an absolute weakness. To someone who wants to use him, it’s the perfect leash.
Carl, I know how to use you.
Odette pondered the best way to use Carl while drinking the tea Rize served.
It was the perfect tea time—no longer worrying about her throat swelling.
