~Chapter 34~
Camilla hadn’t worked so hard here just to do a favor for the Baron.
“…Actually, my family doesn’t know anything about the young duke’s treatment.”
That was only natural—Dane’s illness was a closely guarded secret.
“Oh? Then you’re saying you treated Dane yourself, personally?”
Camilla thought, He knows it’s a secret, so why is he saying that out loud? The Grand Duchess was no pushover, but if you could trust anyone, she was a reliable teacher. The Duke, though, was sly as a snake.
“I didn’t do this because I wanted something in return. Dane is my friend, and I don’t want any reward for helping my friend.”
‘At least, not from the Duke.’
If she were to ask for anything, it should be from Dane himself.
‘It’s still too early for me to leave.’
Next to the Duke, Grand Duchess Rynellia also tried to stop him.
“I don’t think it’s right to talk politics in front of a child.”
But the Duke wouldn’t let it go.
“Still, Lady Mowin helped Dane before, and now she’s even saved his life. The ducal house owes you a great debt.”
He looked at her with a powerful gaze.
“Isn’t there anything you want from the ducal family?”
“No, nothing from the ducal family.”
Camilla smiled brightly and answered boldly.
“But if there’s ever something I want, can I ask my friend Dane directly for it?”
“Ha! You’re a bold one.”
This sounded like she was asking for a blank check from Dane, not from the ducal house right now, but for the future. The Duke liked her spirit.
“Good! I like your attitude. If you’re the ducal family’s benefactor, you should have that much.”
‘Is it done…?’
Camilla swallowed nervously. But the Duke wasn’t finished yet.
“But judging by your personality, you probably don’t even like being thanked for saving Dane with the tea water before. So let me just say one thing.”
With respectful gravity, the Duke declared:
“You are now a distinguished guest of House Escalus. You will always be welcomed here with respect.”
Camilla’s careful smile broke into something softer.
“It’s an honor beyond words.”
To have a place you could always go, even if you never used it…
The Duke added playfully,
“Still, is there really nothing you want, even something small?”
“…Your Grace.”
Grand Duchess Rynellia glared at him as if he was being too pushy. The Duke cleared his throat and straightened up.
Then, Grand Duchess Rynellia spoke to Camilla.
“I don’t want to embarrass you either, but I have a proposal.”
For some reason, her normally strict teacher looked a bit shy.
“For Dane’s birthday party, would you let me be your chaperone?”
Camilla’s eyes widened at this shocking offer.
“But, Your Grace, you’re currently pregnant…”
“I have enough strength to introduce my student. I won’t stay long, and if I get tired, Dane can escort you instead.”
Camilla felt her heart pounding wildly.
The reason she hadn’t acted against the Baroness until now was because she needed a proper chaperone to enter society. And the Baroness would never do that for her.
But now, the Grand Duchess herself is offering?
Just being called “her student” made Camilla’s heart flutter. And having Dane as her escort was something she never even imagined.
Camilla smiled brightly.
“I’d be honored.”
After the meeting, Camilla found Dane leaning against the wall in the hallway.
“What’s this? You met my parents without me—did something happen?”
“Who knows?”
Camilla grinned and teased, “It’s a secret.” Dane sighed, looking a bit annoyed, but seeing her bright face, he guessed it wasn’t anything bad.
“By the way, did you know Madame Sollik will be here soon with dress samples?”
“…You never told me when.”
“I figured you wouldn’t know, so I came to get you.”
“Your surprises are a bit much.”
“Get used to it.”
Camilla felt a ticklish feeling in her stomach, but she just smiled.
However, it wasn’t Madame Sollik who greeted them.
“E-Excuse me, young duke, miss…”
“Carrie? What’s wrong?”
“Someone from Mowin House is here to see you, miss. It’s your mother!”
‘What?’
When she heard her mother had come, Camilla first pictured the woman she had lived with in the mountains. But then she realized—that woman could never have made it all the way here.
So it must be…
‘The Baroness.’
According to Eugenia, the Baroness had been under house arrest, but it seemed that was over now.
‘But to come all the way here herself to fetch me?’
“She came without any warning?”
“Y-yes. I know it’s against etiquette, but she was so insistent… I put her in the drawing room.”
‘The Baroness, being pushy? That’s not like her…’
Camilla looked at Dane, who nodded, and they headed to the drawing room together.
The door opened with a click. The Baroness looked a complete mess.
Her makeup was smeared with tears, her once-careful hair wild and tangled.
The Baroness, who ruled over high society, like this?
Camilla felt a wave of dread.
The Baroness glared at Camilla with strangely shining eyes. In an instant, she rushed forward and slapped Camilla hard across the face.
Smack!
“It’s all your fault! All because of you!”
Camilla, stunned, fell to the floor. Her ears rang.
“Ahhh! Miss! What are you doing?!”
“Let go! How dare you!”
The pain was so sharp, Camilla couldn’t think for a moment.
Suddenly, she felt like she was back in the cold, oppressive Mowin mansion—surrounded by the Baroness who neglected her, a father who used her, and older brothers who loved to torment her.
Everything she’d experienced at the ducal house, all the help, Dane’s treatment that morning—it all seemed like a lie.
Right. This is where I belong.
But then Dane stepped between her and the Baroness and shouted,
“What do you think you’re doing to Camilla?! Arrest that woman!”
Even the Baroness seemed to come to her senses when servants held her arms. She bowed her head, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Your Grace, sob… sob…! Because of that girl, Nina ran away and still hasn’t come home! She’s just fine, but Nina…!”
Camilla struggled to focus on the words.
“Wait—what did you say? Nina hasn’t come back?”
The Baroness, trembling, began to wail even louder.
“Yes! Nina was kidnapped! It must have been those damned Everitts! I found a knife with their crest near where she disappeared!”
Nina was gone.
The day after her runaway, the Mowin family got a letter from the ducal house saying they’d send Nina home, and a carriage was sent.
But the carriage was ambushed on its way back. In the chaos, Nina vanished, and the Baron went half-mad, sending out private soldiers everywhere.
The Baroness was freed from house arrest and searched for Nina, and found evidence near where Nina was taken.
“It was a knife with the Everitt family crest! It has to be them!”
Even with her arms tied, the Baroness stood tall and wept.
Camilla felt like her heart was dropping into a deep hole.
I know this story.
This is how the original novel began.
Suddenly kidnapped, Nina disappears.
But the truth was, Nina tried to escape with Drake and got caught. She witnessed the darkness of her family.
Drake is killed, and Nina is locked away, while the Mowins pretend Everitt was behind the attack.
In the original story, this all happened later. The Baroness wasn’t even thrown out yet, and now she’s here begging Dane for help.
“Please, young duke! Use your soldiers to hunt down the Everitts and save Nina! Oh, Nina! Where are you?”
This shouldn’t be happening yet. The original story wasn’t supposed to start now.
But Camilla clamped her hand over her mouth in shock.
Can I be sure the story didn’t speed up?
There’s a thing called the butterfly effect. Camilla felt a chill run through her chest.
I’ve already changed the original story.
