Chapter 31
Fiorentia pulled her hand back slowly.
“What now?”
She was certain the head maid didn’t know anything. If Esther had remembered even a little, she wouldn’t have questioned her in such a careless way.
“She might have asked more specific questions…”
But since she didn’t, it was clear she was just acting on instinct. As Fiorentia had expected, Esther soon gave up asking more and tried to end the conversation.
“I’m glad it wasn’t serious. I was worried I might have troubled you when I stumbled.”
“That’s nothing. Luckily, you didn’t fall. If the head maid had been hurt here and had to go back, my sister would have been so disappointed.”
At the same time, Fiorentia naturally let go of Esther’s hand. She gave a subtle hint to justify why she had held it in the first place, and the head maid’s reluctant expression softened.
“Ah… she held my hand to prevent me from getting scolded by the lady of the house. I was overreacting.”
Once the tension eased, Esther finally let go of her suspicion.
“Please rest. I’ll leave now.”
“Alright. See you tomorrow.”
Esther left the room, unaware that she had fainted from the poison smoke. Only then did Fiorentia turn to Theodore with a look that said, “See?”
Theodore was stretching, loosening his stiff body by turning his neck.
“Doesn’t that build a tolerance?”
“Not really. You only see it for a few minutes while exposed to the smoke. Besides, it’s only temporary until you escape. If Desdemona calls the head maid again, it might decrease even more.”
“Then it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Even if something happened to Esther, it wouldn’t affect them—as long as they could avoid Desdemona’s notice. Both of them quietly celebrated their success.
The effects of the poisonous mushroom were amazing. Fiorentia grew more skilled at handling it.
“I feel weak, but I can still keep going if I push myself a little.”
At first, she could only make someone lose consciousness for a few minutes—1, 3, or 5 minutes—but now she could last up to ten minutes. She even experimented with combining temporary paralysis and unconsciousness.
“But I shouldn’t keep anyone here too long.”
If she stayed too long, the other staff might ask questions like, “What were you doing there?” and that could create complications.
After carefully observing for a few days, Fiorentia confirmed that the head maid never realized she had fainted. She thought she had only blinked.
As days passed without anything unusual in the annex, and since Fiorentia didn’t act strangely, the staff began to relax. Desdemona had to check in occasionally, but she tried to leave quickly, so Fiorentia hardly had to use her powers.
This allowed Fiorentia and Theodore to enjoy a comfortable day.
However, Theodore had grown a little too comfortable and made some bold requests.
“Can’t we go for a walk?”
He stretched his stiff body, clearly frustrated from staying in the room. The chains clinked, and Fiorentia had to resist shivers each time.
“Fiorentia, did you hear me?”
“Are you serious?”
Theodore’s blue eyes were insistently focused on her.
“Don’t be silly.”
Fiorentia dismissed his request with a short remark and returned to her book. Theodore, who usually insisted, surprisingly gave up quietly.
Time passed.
“Fiorentia.”
Theodore suddenly called her in a low, chilling voice.
“What now?”
Fiorentia barely glanced at him, assuming it was another trivial request.
“Fiorentia.”
This time, she couldn’t ignore him. The voice was deep and eerie, enough to make the hairs on her body stand on end. Fiorentia finally looked at him. Theodore’s face was grim.
“What’s wrong?”
“Come here immediately.”
“Why…?”
“Hurry.”
He called her in a cautious voice, and when that didn’t seem enough, he came and pulled her along.
“Theo, what’s going on?”
Without saying a word, he sat rigidly on the sofa, and Fiorentia had no choice but to sit beside him.
Then—bang! The door suddenly swung open.
It all happened in less than a second. Fiorentia’s heart dropped to her stomach from the shock. Without her mask, her panic would have shown on her face.
Only one person from the Marcella household could open her door without knocking—Desdemona.
“Hello. What were you doing?”
Fiorentia quickly regained her composure and stood politely to greet her unannounced visitor.
“Welcome, sister.”
She bowed gracefully, hiding her surprise. Today, Desdemona wore a flashy dress like she had come from a party, and even had a honey-colored wig.
“What brings you here?”
“Hmm, you sound like I’m intruding. Did I bother you?”
Her tone was casual but sharp, and Fiorentia had to be careful.
“No, not at all… I thought you’d be tired after going out, so I should move instead.”
“That’s true. But I’m curious.”
Desdemona’s sharp red eyes scanned Fiorentia, then fixed on Theodore.
“You’ve been avoiding coming out too much.”
“…Excuse me?”
Fiorentia was confused. Wasn’t Desdemona the one who hated me the most? And now she’s coming to check on me in the annex?
Her confusion grew as Desdemona continued.
“I thought it was strange that you came to the main house even when I didn’t call you. But now you stay in the annex all the time. As your sister, I worry. I wanted to check how obsessed you are with your doll games.”
Fiorentia realized she had been too focused on winning Theodore’s favor and lowering her guard.
Right now, Desdemona is the bigger concern.
Theodore didn’t care about Desdemona, but Desdemona couldn’t stand seeing Fiorentia happy. She could give and take at will—that was Desdemona.
Is she going to take me away again?
Fiorentia bit her lips nervously under her mask.
Her heart sank further as Desdemona added,
“And Esther’s behavior seems a little odd too…”
