BTWAM 12

Chapter – 12

Rachel froze in shock.

She was about to ask what was going on when Cian raised the index finger of his other hand to his lips.

“Shh.”

She held her breath in silence, and voices could be heard outside.

“……There’s no excuse!”

“A-ah! Aaaah! Mother…!”

It was Berengella and Theodore. Judging by the way their voices grew louder, they were passing down the corridor.

“Stop whining and follow me! I’m going to see this through today!”

“I was wrong, truly wrong!”

“Just because you embraced some lowly common woman—because of something so trivial, look at the mess you’ve made!”

“Mother, she’s not just some common woman. I truly love Jane—ah!”

“Don’t talk nonsense about love. How many political marriages are filled with love? Do you think all those people commit filthy affairs like you? At the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, no less?”

It was oddly satisfying to hear.

Berengella was usually rigid and harsh toward Rachel, but at this moment, she felt like a reliable ally.

“What are you planning to do? The rumors have already spread—surely you can’t return to the estate tonight!”

“What is there to be ashamed of? As long as I stand tall—ah, ah!”

“……Shut your mouth before I cut off the Count’s most important part.”

“M-Mother. Please, anything but that…”

“Lead the way. I heard you secured separate lodgings near the Imperial Palace. You’ll stay there for the time being.”

“Y-Yes! I’ll escort you at once! It’s a townhouse not far from here—one I’m sure you’ll like—ugh!”

The voices gradually faded away.

Rachel relaxed and tried to brush away the hand near her lips, but Cian didn’t move.

“…Not yet.”

She strained her ears, but heard nothing.

Was his hearing sharper because he was a guild informant?

Rachel could only blink in the silence.

Cian stared into the distance with focus, then glanced at Rachel, then down at the ground. The finger that had touched her lips slowly moved away.

“…It’s clear now. We should take a side path so we don’t run into them.”

“You’ve been considerate in so many ways. I don’t even know how to repay this kindness.”

“I’m only doing this because I caused you trouble. Please don’t think much of it.”

When their eyes met, Cian smiled faintly. He bent smoothly at the waist and held out the cufflink to Rachel.

“It would have been a waste to give this to someone like him.”

From the very beginning.

Rachel gazed silently at the cufflink, then shook her head.

“You said it was something you wanted. Please give it to His Grace the Grand Duke. I have no need for it anymore.”

“Are you sure? By guild rules, I can’t return payment once it’s been accepted.”

“That’s fine.”

Cian looked quietly at the cufflink in his palm, then closed his hand around it.

* * *

Just as Berengella had predicted, the area in front of the Elrosa estate became restless after the banquet ended that night. It wasn’t that crowds had gathered, but countless gazes and rumors poured in from alleyways, windows, and passing carriages.

“They say the Count had an affair.”

“At the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, no less!”

“No wonder he rarely came home—so that’s what he was doing.”

“They say the wife loved her husband dearly. How pitiful.”

Regardless, Rachel ignored it all and enjoyed a peaceful morning without Theodore or Berengella. Even Karl, who usually pestered her about her schedule, was nowhere to be seen.

“Ta-da! What do you think, Graham? Mommy prepared a present!”

When Rachel handed him the elegantly wrapped package, Graham’s eyes widened.

“Huh? What is it? Is today my birthday?”

“It’s not your birthday, but I wanted to give it to you!”

It was a gift prepared following Cian’s advice. Even if it had been done with intention, it made no sense to give presents only to someone she disliked and not to someone she loved.

Graham accepted the long, slender package—almost as tall as his torso.

“What could it be? What is it? Mommy, can I open it now?”

“Of course!”

Carefully peeling away the wrapping, Graham saw what was inside and let out a cheer.

“Wow! A wooden sword? Wow! I really wanted one of these!”

He neatly folded the wrapping paper and placed it on the floor before awkwardly swinging the sword. His movements were clumsy, but each swing cut through the air with a whoosh.

“This is awesome! I’ll protect Mommy with this!”

“You like it?”

“Yes! I love it! So much!”

“Oh—wait, Graham, be careful!”

“Huh?!”

He’d swung too enthusiastically and lost his grip. The sword flew through the air and, by unfortunate coincidence, struck the head of a passing maid.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

At the maid’s groan, Graham’s face turned pale. He quickly hid behind Rachel’s skirt and mumbled,

“S-sorry…”

“…It’s fine. I’m all right.”

She didn’t look fine at all. The short, plump maid glared at Graham as if she wanted to devour him. If Rachel hadn’t been there, she would have shouted at him.

“Keria. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m really fine.”

Only after Rachel spoke did the maid hurry away.

Rachel let out a long sigh.

It was Marsha’s influence. Because the nanny had neglected and ignored the young master, the entire staff treated Graham with contempt.

Karl had said he’d warn them—but had it really been useless?

From behind her skirt, Graham sniffled.

“M-Mommy… I’m sorry. I did wrong…”

“No. You didn’t mean to. Mommy will apologize to Keria, so next time, make sure to check if there are people around you and only swing when you really need to. Okay?”

“Okay! I’ll be careful from now on! I’ll hold the sword with both hands!”

“Good boy, Graham.”

“Hehehe. Then Mommy, I’ll take the wrapping paper back to my room!”

“Huh? The wrapping paper?”

“Because Mommy gave it to me!”

He picked up the paper and toddled away.

While Graham was gone, Rachel followed the maid Keria into the garden.

Keria and several other maids were gathered near the entrance, gossiping about Rachel and Graham.

“Ah, it hurts so bad I could die! What an annoying little master!”

“Ugh, there’s going to be a bump.”

“I hope there is. Then I can charge medical fees.”

“I know a doctor. He’ll inflate the bill for me!”

How delightful.

She’d planned to fire them all eventually—but it seemed she’d need to move up the schedule.

Rachel crossed her arms and leaned casually against a stone railing nearby.

The maids chatted on, unaware she was listening.

“They say birds of a feather flock together. The whole family’s the same.”

“Exactly. There’s not a decent human being in the Elrosa family. A cheating husband, a wife who drove him to cheat, and a bratty son.”

A wife who drove him to cheat?

Was she hearing this right?

The one who cheated was Theodore—what had Rachel done wrong? She’d been innocent, married the match her parents arranged, and lived diligently!

And Graham was only four! Six by Korean age! Calling a child like that “bratty”?

Any lingering thought of apologizing or paying medical expenses vanished.

The maids giggled among themselves.

“Lady Rachel’s pretty but stupid. Of course he’d get sick of her.”

“Right. She was so clingy. I’d cheat too.”

“Jake from the stables said even he’d find it unbearable to live married to Lady Rachel! A mistress of the house who doesn’t even know her estate’s money is leaking away! Hahaha!”

Rachel was about to snap back when a mounted courier rode across the garden and stopped at the entrance. The emblem of the postal service was painted on the saddle.

Following his gaze, the maids spotted Rachel standing with her arms crossed and gasped, bowing deeply.

They exchanged anxious looks—wondering how much she’d heard.

If they were that worried, why gossip so loudly?

The courier dismounted and bowed.

“Greetings. Are you Lady Rachel, Countess Elrosa?”

“Yes.”

She showed her noble identification, and he nodded.

“I’ve come to deliver a letter and some goods.”

“From whom?”

“From a woman named Marsha.”

Right—this was around the time Marsha was supposed to send the compensation. Perfect timing.

The courier handed over a bundle tied to his horse, along with a letter bearing Marsha’s name.

I am sending the compensation you requested. Without your mercy, I would have starved to death along with my family in the countryside. I will live quietly and never cross your path again.

—Marsha

Rachel weighed the bundle and nodded.

“Thank you. I’ll send a reply later.”

“Thank you for your continued patronage.”

The courier tipped his hat and rode away.

Rachel turned and placed the package on a nearby table. She untied it, opened the box, and examined the documents inside. A smile spread across her face.

When she smiled, the maids relaxed, shoulders dropping in relief.

What were they relieved about?

“Keria.”

The maid stiffened.

“Y-yes, ma’am.”

“You were hurt when Graham hit you earlier, right? Here. This is for treatment.”

Rachel tossed Marsha’s money pouch to her.

Keria’s face lit up in disbelief. Treatment cost three coppers—but the pouch held thirty thousand coppers. Three gold coins.

“Th-thank you, my lady!”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

“…Pardon?”

“You’ll probably need to spend all of it soon.”