EPISODE 12
“I don’t know the reason.”
Chloe sighed and clicked her tongue, just like Sebastian.
But now it seemed she didn’t actually “not know the reason” — she just lacked awareness.
No matter how you looked at it, Chloe was someone who acted based on money. Cassian must have thought that if Edel offered her more money, she would easily move over to Edel’s side.
Of course, other possibilities existed, but they were so unlikely that they could be ignored.
It made no sense to think that Cassian, who wanted Edel gone, would care about her and avoid sending such a gloomy-looking maid like Chloe.
As the mood sank, Kia tried to lighten the atmosphere. She unclipped the brooch from her chest and set it down.
At that moment, Chloe’s eyes gleamed slyly.
“What’s that? Could it be…?”
“This isn’t something for Lady-in-waiting Chloe.”
Chloe’s face darkened instantly as her false hope was crushed. She didn’t show it outright, but being a calculating person, her attitude changed subtly.
Kia couldn’t hold back her laugh and quickly covered it with a fake cough, pushing the brooch toward Chloe.
“Please take a look. Do you like it?”
“Of course I do.”
“That’s good. I can’t give this exact brooch to you, Lady-in-waiting Chloe, but I can give you a new one.”
“…What?”
“Princess Edel wishes to gift you the same design of brooch as well.”
“…Really!”
Chloe doubted her own ears. Then she slammed the table and jumped to her feet. Sebastian flinched and warned her, but Chloe’s eyes were already gleaming with desire.
“Soon, I’ll receive the brooch from Madame Jane and pass it to you.”
“Thank you…!”
“Since it is personally given by Princess Edel, please treat it preciously.”
“Of course.”
Chloe answered firmly, clenching her fist. Sebastian clicked his tongue at her and gave her a disapproving look.
“You’re too obvious.”
But Chloe didn’t care at all. She was completely drunk on the satisfaction of gaining something valuable.
“In any case, His Grace the Duke will surely be jealous when he sees this.”
“Haha, I hope so.”
“Oh, do you know how much His Grace misses Princess Edel?”
“Really?”
Sensing a chance to gain more information, Kia pretended to be surprised and gave a signal for him to continue.
Sebastian happily kept talking.
“His Grace is always thinking about Princess Edel. He often tells us, ‘What could I do that would please Her Highness?’ So I told him the best thing is to see her face directly!”
“…”
Kia’s eyebrow slowly twisted in doubt.
She couldn’t understand what was going on. Cassian couldn’t possibly care about Edel sincerely.
Besides, Edel once told her that gray hair had been found on Cassian’s bed. It seemed like it was Rowen’s hair. Maybe Cassian had been caught cheating, and now he was trying to cover it up with tricks like this?
Kia rubbed her temple, trying to clear her confused thoughts.
“Let me ask just one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Among the visitors to the Duke’s mansion, is there anyone with gray hair? I mean before His Grace fell ill.”
Sebastian leaned on his hand, thinking deeply.
“No.”
But before he could answer, Chloe replied firmly.
“Even though many people visit the Duke’s mansion, gray hair is extremely rare. The same goes for Princess Rowen, who is quite unusual with her gray hair.”
So was the hair really Rowen’s?
Still… Kia felt uneasy, like there was someone else.
The people who came to mind with gray hair were very few, and none of them would ever visit the Duke’s household.
But still…
…No, wait.
Suddenly, a spark flashed in Kia’s mind.
She abruptly stood up, startling the other two.
Panting as if short of breath, Kia asked,
“Does Duke Dwelsen have any connection with someone named Hen Warvel?”
“Hen Warvel? Who’s that?”
“He’s a prince of the old Warvel Kingdom.”
Not understanding, Sebastian frowned. Chloe, however, scolded him and explained.
She then looked at Kia suspiciously.
“But why are you asking about him?”
“Wasn’t that prince also gray-haired, Lady-in-waiting Chloe?”
“That’s true, but how could such a man ever visit Duke Dwelsen? Besides, it’s already certain he disappeared and died.”
“…Yes, you’re right.”
Realizing she was too carried away, Kia bit her lip and slowly sat back down.
“Anyway, we should return now.”
Sebastian checked the time and stood up with some regret.
Kia put her polite smile back on and saw them off as they returned to the Duke’s household.
Left alone, Kia fell into thought. She knew it was absurd, but why did chills run all over her body?
“There’s no way Duke Dwelsen and Hen Warvel know each other. He couldn’t have entered the Duke’s house.”
It was just her imagination.
Kia shook her head quickly and finally left.
Edel, who had been reading calmly, raised her head when she heard Kia’s footsteps.
“Did the talk go well?”
“Yes.”
“Then why does your face look troubled?”
Kia was usually good at hiding her feelings, but Edel, who had spent countless years with her, easily noticed the change.
Kia flinched at Edel’s words and gave an awkward smile.
“I didn’t realize I was a patient with wild delusions.”
“What kind of thought made you say that?”
“It’s not something Your Highness should know.”
“So it’s hard to tell me, then.”
“…”
Normally, Kia would open up with just this much prodding, but this time she held back. That itself was proof that Edel truly shouldn’t hear it.
Though disappointed, Edel didn’t press further.
Still, Kia massaged her temples as if her head hurt, before finally reporting all that had happened.
Although questions remained, Edel was satisfied. Seeing how Kia had obeyed her order faithfully and drawn out so much information, Edel was reassured of her loyal maid’s ability.
—
