TYWML 14

Chapter 14. Johannes Beliar’s Mask (1)
(Originally posted: 2024.05.14)

“Did the horse slip because of the rain and lose its balance, or did it suddenly go wild…”

Riena couldn’t finish her sentence and bit her lip tightly. Cassel watched her pale lips silently, saying nothing.

After a brief pause, he carefully broke the silence.

“I don’t believe your father fell off his horse.”

At his confident tone, Riena raised her bowed head. Cassel wore a firm expression that matched his resolute voice.

“Your father was not only skilled in swordsmanship but also in horsemanship. Even in a heavy downpour, he wouldn’t have fallen so helplessly like that.”

“So you’re saying…”

Are you saying my father’s death wasn’t just an accident?

She wanted to ask, but the words caught in her throat.

Riena didn’t respond. She had so much to say, yet couldn’t bring herself to voice it.

It wasn’t because she was shocked by his words—quite the opposite. Cassel was saying exactly what she had wanted to say.

“There’s no way Father fell off his horse. It needs to be investigated further.”

That’s what Riena had insisted while clutching the coffin that held her father’s body.

A few years ago, during a similar downpour, her father had returned safely from an inspection thanks to his expert riding skills. Moreover, the horse he loved was known to be gentle—it would never have gone wild enough to throw him off.

Even if he had fallen, she didn’t believe he would have died instantly. Her father was a trained knight who could handle such emergencies.

So she had demanded an investigation, thinking the knights who had followed her father would also step forward and seek the truth.

But—

“Riena, I understand you’re sad, but you can’t burden the knights with groundless delusions. You’re not the only one grieving.”

Her stepmother’s words were cold and final.

“The madam is right, my lady. We understand you’re grieving, but the count’s death was an accident. We’ve already investigated. Don’t shake us with baseless speculations. You’re not the only one mourning—we too lost a master we followed with our lives.”

Even the knight commander, who had been loyal to her father, dismissed her suspicions as the stubbornness of a naive young lady.

They all knew how well she rode—better than many knights—yet treated her like an ignorant girl who knew nothing about horses.

Riena kept demanding a reinvestigation, but no one took her seriously.

“Don’t act like you’re the only one who lost someone, Riena. Mother lost her beloved husband. Aaron lost the father he adored. And me, even if not by blood, the count was my father too.”

Even Bianca treated her sorrow as something insignificant, regarding her inability to move on as eccentric and excessive.

Only Joanna had comforted Riena, but now, looking back, even her words had felt off.

“The living must live, my lady. Even if something suspicious remains, I’m sure the late master would want you to let it go and live happily.”

At first, it sounded like concern, but when Riena thought about it, it sounded more like she was being told to forget.

Ever since that day, everything in the mansion had started to move without her—as if they were hiding something.

From their behavior, Riena became convinced that there truly was a hidden secret behind her father’s death.

But as a mere noble lady, how could she uncover the truth? All she could do was endure each day in agonizing silence.

She had never imagined she would hear such words from Cassel today. It felt like a blow to the back of her head—her mind went blank.

Riena hesitated, unsure what to say. Her thoughts were in turmoil, and she couldn’t form the words she wanted. Then, after a long pause, she spoke impulsively.

“Please investigate.”

“…”

“I don’t believe my father died in such a senseless way either. So please, uncover the truth behind his death.”

Cassel, wearing an unreadable expression, simply answered.

“Understood.”

He looked straight into Riena’s eyes and made a solemn promise.

“I will find out the truth.”

There was a strange power in his voice that drew people in. Riena felt, inexplicably, that Cassel would keep his promise no matter what.

Instead of saying thank you, she offered a faint smile. It looked more like she was on the verge of tears than smiling, and Cassel, almost unconsciously, reached out toward her face.

His large hand gently cupped her cheek. Then his thumb carefully wiped near her eye. Unlike the cold rain, his warm touch enveloped her.

He didn’t offer the usual comfort of “Don’t cry.” Yet Riena felt comforted by the small gesture and his warmth.

Riena and Cassel’s marriage was temporary.

Once the Dyke family stabilized, and the Countess no longer felt threatened by Riena, and once Riena was ready to stand on her own, they would part ways.

So no one knew how long their marriage would last.

It could end in a month, or it might go on for years.

When she had reluctantly accepted Cassel’s proposal, Riena was anxious.

Even if it was a fake marriage, she would have to stand beside him as his wife. Could she handle that?

She knew nothing about him—could they get along without conflict?

But now, her thoughts had changed.

With this man by her side, even if she didn’t know everything, she felt she wouldn’t be unhappy.

* * *

“What is the meaning of this, madam?!”

As soon as the carriage carrying Riena and Cassel departed, Viscount Rotman began demanding answers.

“Why did you hide the fact that Lady Dyke was engaged to the Duke of Winkler?! It’s a relief things went smoothly—if not, I could’ve seriously angered the Duke!”

Despite the Viscount shouting furiously with a reddened face, the Countess of Dyke wasn’t listening to him.

Her gaze remained fixed on Johannes, who watched the departing carriage with a lofty expression.

“Are you hearing me?! I won’t forget what happened today—!”

“So damn noisy.”

Johannes, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. His words were crude, but his voice remained calm.

Viscount Rotman was so startled he momentarily lost the ability to speak.

“W-what…?”

“Are you deaf now too? What are you staring at like an idiot?”

“I—I mean…”

The Viscount began doubting whether the man before him was truly Johannes Beliar.

Wasn’t this man supposed to be the epitome of elegance? How could he speak so harshly?

Johannes irritably brushed back his bangs.

“Get out of my sight. No—pack your things and leave this place. Consider it my last act of mercy.”

“So you mean…”

At Johannes’s signal, his escort reached for the hilt of his sword. Viscount Rotman flinched and quickly retreated into the mansion.

“I was going to leave anyway!” he muttered as he disappeared.

“What shall we do?”

The escort asked cautiously. Johannes smirked.

“Make sure he never dares show his face around me again.”

“Understood.”

Watching the escort vanish into the darkness, Johannes turned and walked gracefully back into the mansion. The Countess of Dyke hurried after him, calling out.

“Sir Beliar! Please, wait! I need a word with you—!”

Johannes stopped in his tracks.

“It would be better for you if we talked later.”

“Uh…”

The Countess didn’t dare follow him further and remained rooted in place.

Only after a long time did she finally enter the mansion. The moment she did, Bianca—dressed in her nightgown and hiding in a corner—rushed over.

“Mother, what’s going on?!”

“It doesn’t concern you.”

The Countess waved her off, signaling her to go back to her room, but Bianca clung to her arm.

“I overheard the maids gossiping—did Riena really run away in the night?”

“…”

“Then what about the Duke of Winkler? What’s that about?”

“Bianca, stop.”

The Countess rubbed her temples with a scowl.

“I want to be alone. Go back to your room. We’re not the only ones in this house—we have guests. Do you really want to be seen looking like that?”

“I’m wearing a robe.”

Bianca tugged her robe closed and clung closer to her mother.

“Is it true that Riena is engaged to the Duke of Winkler? How? Were they even close?”

“…”

“Then what about Viscount Rotman? What happens to his debt? Do we have to repay it now? How are we supposed to do that? Mother, say something!”

“My head is pounding. Be quiet.”

“But—!”

Glancing around nervously, Bianca lowered her voice.

“Then what about Lord Beliar? He seemed like he was proposing to Riena… If he’s trying to form a tie with House Dyke, doesn’t that mean I still have a chance…?”