Chapter 26…………………………………………………
“This is why people should live kindly. You can’t go around trying to take someone else’s money for free.”
At my words, Terence’s eyes curved gently.
“I agree.”
“May I ask what that smile means?”
Had I seemed too common for a noble? Feeling oddly self-conscious, I asked, but he shook his head.
“It’s nothing. I was simply thinking again that I really like your personality, Lady Idel.”
“That’s good to hear.”
There was no harm in staying on good terms with someone powerful.
Our wait didn’t last long. Right on time, Laura appeared.
“Milady!”
“Laura!”
In the past two years, we’d never been apart this long, so we greeted each other warmly. I briefly introduced Terence to her.
I only mentioned that he was helping me, and Laura didn’t seem particularly curious. More accurately, she seemed distracted by something else.
“Did you think about my offer?”
I explained calmly.
“You might end up on Cassius’s bad side. But don’t worry. I’ll protect you no matter what. If you want, I’ll continue employing you as my maid, and I’ll make sure your wages stay as close as possible to what you used to receive.”
I was about to add that once the mine situation was settled, I’d raise her pay even more—
“You don’t even need to ask. Of course I’ll follow you, Milady!”
“Laura…”
I expected her to come with me, but I hadn’t realized her resolve would be this firm. Still, it seemed the last two years hadn’t been for nothing.
“Laura, is that bag your luggage?”
She was holding a travel bag.
“Yes! I packed ahead of time so I could leave immediately once I met you!”
She was extremely prepared.
“I already resigned from the Duke Cassius household too!”
Huh?
I was happy she was coming so willingly, but at the same time, something felt strange.
‘…She’s unexpectedly proactive.’
Laura was kind and gentle by nature, but also timid and indecisive. That was why I’d come all the way here to persuade her face-to-face.
Well, I could learn the details along the way. There was time.
“Let’s go to the station first.”
Eager to return to the capital as soon as possible, I grabbed Laura’s gloved hand—
But a faint groan slipped from her lips.
“Ugh…”
“Are you hurt?”
“N-no, I’m fine!”
She shook her head quickly, but my eyes fixed on her plain cotton gloves.
I’d never seen them before, despite how close we’d been.
“You look injured. Take off your gloves.”
“I’m really okay!”
“Laura.”
When our eyes met, she lowered her head deeply. I gently brushed her shoulder and spoke softly.
“It’s alright. Really. Tell me what happened.”
“……”
“If you truly don’t want to, you don’t have to. But I’d rather you tell me. If there’s anything I can help with, I will.”
Laura bit her lip, and before long, she burst into tears.
“…Hic. I’m sorry, Milady. The truth is… I didn’t leave the Duke’s household on my own. I was thrown out.”
“What?”
Shock rushed over me.
Laura was my personal maid, brought from my family home. Who would dare dismiss her without my consent, especially while I was gone?
‘Could it have been Leandro?’
But that seemed unlikely. Leandro had remained in the capital and wouldn’t have had the attention to spare. More importantly, he didn’t want a divorce.
Why would he provoke me by firing Laura?
Tears poured down her freckled cheeks. I calmed her gently and asked carefully.
“Who dismissed you?”
“The head maid…”
“Why?”
“She said… I ruined Miss Riena’s portrait.”
I sat with Laura on a bench in the plaza, comforting her. Terence brought fresh fruit juice from a nearby shop.
After she finally stopped crying, Laura began explaining haltingly.
The day before my letter arrived, Cassius’s maids came looking for Laura, who had been guarding my room alone.
“They said a newly famous painter had painted Miss Riena…”
That part wasn’t unusual.
The Cassius family took pleasure in having painters paint Riena, poets write verses about her, and musicians compose songs inspired by her.
Whenever a portrait was completed, they insisted on showing it to me as well, even though I always said it wasn’t necessary.
But what came next was different.
“They suddenly tried to hang the painting inside your room, Milady.”
“…Why?”
“I asked too. They said that appreciating beautiful art every day would bring you vitality in life…”
“What nonsense.”
My disbelief made my raw thoughts slip out.
“Go on.”
“Ah… yes. Anyway, I thought you wouldn’t welcome it, so I tried to stop them.”
Of course.
Even walking through the Cassius halls, I saw Riena’s face every ten seconds. I didn’t want it inside my room too.
“They tried to force it onto the wall in front of your desk. I grabbed the portrait to stop them…”
The shifting frame knocked over an ink bottle on the desk.
“Ink splattered everywhere. It was a disaster.”
“The painting must have been ruined too.”
“Yes… Miss Riena’s face was covered in black ink!”
I didn’t care about the portrait.
But anger began boiling inside me.
“So the head maid fired you?”
Laura nodded weakly.
“And your gloves?”
Hesitating, she removed them.
Her palms were bruised purple, marked with welts from a switch.
“That was when your letter arrived. The head maid told me I should be grateful she didn’t demand repayment for the portrait. She refused to write me a recommendation letter…”
Without a recommendation, a servant couldn’t find work.
And if rumors spread that she’d been expelled from Cassius, no household would hire her.
‘For Laura, who only knows maid work… it must have felt hopeless.’
I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her tears and runny nose.
“You didn’t need to hide that.”
“I was afraid you’d be upset because of me…”
“I am upset. But if I hadn’t known and learned later, I would’ve been even more upset.”
“…I’m so useless. I disgraced you too. I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. And I’m not angry because the head maid dismissed you without respecting my authority.”
I placed several bills into Laura’s hand.
“I’m angry because you were hurt.”
“I’m sorry I called you here, but could you take this and wait somewhere for two or three hours? Eat something good.”
I looked at Terence apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Tae, but we need to change our plans. I wanted to return to the capital quickly, but…”
“It’s fine. Trains run anytime.”
His smile showed he already understood what I was about to do.
I stared at Cassius Castle, towering over Ashton City like it watched everything below.
I had just remembered something I needed to do while I was still Idel Cassius.
* * *
One of the Empire’s five ducal houses, the great Cassius had long protected the northern lands.
At the castle gates, a guard kicked a pebble irritably.
“Damn it. What rotten luck.”
Of all days, he was stuck on gate duty during a festival.
His coworkers were enjoying the city, even the servants inside were holding their own feast.
But security could not be neglected. Only the minimum personnel remained.
And unfortunately, he was one of them.
Just then, hoofbeats approached. A hired carriage appeared in the distance.
No one was scheduled to visit Cassius Castle at this hour.
“Oh? Well, look what wandered in.”
The guard’s lips twisted into a grin.
It happened sometimes—people trying to cling to Cassius’s growing power.
Flatterers. Merchants. Swindlers.
Even arriving without notice was an enormous insult.
And it was only a rented carriage. Nobles—and even wealthy commoners—had private ones.
So clearly, this wasn’t someone worth showing courtesy to.
Raising his spear threateningly, he shouted:
“Halt!”
The horses stopped in alarm, and the driver bowed fearfully.
Being part of Cassius had its perks. Their name alone made others tremble.
“State your identity and purpose immediately!”
The driver shook.
“I-I was only hired to come here, so I don’t know the details…”
Then—
The carriage door opened.
A tall man stepped out, dressed in a black robe, his face hidden behind a mask.
His build was strong, his presence oppressive enough that the guard instinctively shrank back.
“The carriage needs to enter. Open the gates.”
Open them?
Not “please open,” but “open them.”
Such arrogance was unheard of.
Even servants of lesser noble houses bowed before Cassius.
The guard’s anger flared.
“Remove your mask at once! Do you know where you are?!”
“Where else? The Cassius ducal house… guarded by an idiot gatekeeper who can’t even recognize an honored guest’s carriage.”
Not only insolent, but insulting Cassius itself.
The guard’s blood boiled.
“You—what the hell are you?!”
“You may not know me, but you’d better watch your tongue in front of my master.”
In the blink of an eye, the man stepped close, voice low and chilling.
Fear crawled up the guard’s spine.
He wanted to apologize—
But he couldn’t.
Even a mere gatekeeper represented Cassius. If he yielded, it would be Cassius bowing.
Gathering all his courage, he barked:
“Th-then who the hell is your master?!”
“I am.”
The answer came from behind.
The guard’s eyes widened like lanterns as he saw the woman stepping out of the carriage.
