Chapter 37
The mansion, where most of its residents had already fallen asleep, lay in tranquil silence.
“First, we should visit the Count. He’s waiting,” he said.
Leaning on the faint light as he walked through the shadows, a thought suddenly struck me.
“Where is Meisha?”
I asked as I followed him with quick steps, but no answer came. An ominous premonition swept over me.
“Meisha, where are you?”
“…Isn’t it obvious what happens to a maid who deceives her mistress?”
Only one word echoed in my mind at that moment.
Prison.
I turned my steps around, which had been following him so obediently, and with tattered clothes fluttering in the deep journey, I raced down the underground stairs.
Normally, in a situation like this, they would have used the first-floor rooms. But if it was him who sent her to the dungeon…
I descended even deeper from the first floor.
“Miss?”
The knights guarding the prison widened their eyes at the sight of me. Considering that I had never even glanced at the prison before, it was understandable that I had run all the way here.
“How…?”
A faint sigh slipped from my lips. That sigh only strengthened my dreadful imagination.
“…Step aside.”
“Miss—”
“I said, step aside immediately.”
Finally, they moved away from me. As I entered the cold, oppressive dungeon, a familiar figure came into view.
“Miss?”
She sprang up from leaning casually against the wall, as if nothing had happened.
“…Why are you here like this?”
Even as the words left my mouth, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything more. It was my fault that she had ended up like this. She had sacrificed herself for me, once again.
Even words of apology would have felt hollow.
“Sir Kaen,”
One of the knights who had been secretly watching me from behind the wall looked awkward at my words.
“You know better than anyone what I’d say,” I continued.
He had no strength to argue, but fortunately, he said nothing in response.
Click. The iron door, which had seemed so oppressive, opened, and Meisha stepped out. On the way back to my room, we exchanged no words. I knew her thoughts; she knew mine. We maintained a silent understanding for each other.
As soon as we entered the room, I filled the bathtub with water. Steam rose warmly, and I looked at Meisha.
“Rest,” I said.
“Huh?”
She seemed startled by my words.
“No, you must have been the one exhausted, Miss…”
“Meisha.”
At the weakened tone of my voice, she fell silent.
“This is nothing. You being there is my fault. My responsibility. So don’t say a word.”
I left her there and stepped out of the bathroom.
“I’ll have the maids bring your clothes. Rest comfortably.”
“Miss—”
“I’ll be back.”
With those words, I left the room.
“Coming back early, I see.”
In the study I visited immediately, my father and Fade were waiting for news of my return.
“My father,” I greeted.
Seeing him after such a long time, his face looked slightly gaunt under the dim light.
“You went straight to find that maid first, didn’t you?”
“She was locked in a ridiculous place,” I replied.
“It is only right to punish a maid who deceives her mistress.”
“Meisha is employed to serve me. I am her mistress, and she merely followed my orders.”
“…You’ve always been poor at reading people,” he muttered.
A bitter laugh escaped me. How could I not laugh in that situation, knowing who was by my side?
“Exactly what I wanted to say,” I replied.
We exchanged a silent gaze. He soon sighed and turned his head.
“Regardless, the Count’s daughter jumping from a window… This incident is partly your fault too.”
“So, are you planning to lock me in the dungeon as well?”
He cleared his throat loudly, as if my words had struck a nerve.
“I’ll change your room temporarily. For the next few months, you’ll live there. And for this month, you are forbidden to go outside. Not even to step out of the room if possible.”
“What did you say?”
“You’re always doing dangerous things.”
“If my father hadn’t tried to lock me up in the first place, none of this would have happened. I’ll ask now—why did you do this?”
“….”
He did not answer. Instead, Jeric, wearing that disgusting smile, guided me out of the room.
“Wait, Father!”
Click. The door closed behind us, and he suddenly grabbed me, unlike the weak pushes he had given me before. The grip on my wrist was so strong it felt like it would shatter my bones.
“I’ll escort you,” he said.
Other servants, seeing the Count’s assistant pull the Count’s daughter along, exchanged puzzled glances.
The place where he released my wrist was as spacious as my room, but with no windows, essentially a slightly more comfortable dungeon.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked as we walked.
“It’s the Count’s order.”
“You expect me to believe my father, who’s never laid a hand on me in my life, commanded this?”
For the first time, Jeric’s face hardened. This was his real expression.
“So why do you keep wandering around…”
“What?”
“I don’t enjoy this either. I hate troublesome matters. If you had just stayed quiet from the start, this mansion would have been fine.”
“What is your purpose?”
“You knew, didn’t you? That you were searching for that document all along. Well, even if you didn’t, it wouldn’t matter now.”
As he said this and opened the door, two knights who had been waiting entered briskly.
“?”
Jeric pulled a document from the inner pocket of his coat.
‘Raisen Ownership Transfer Registration.’
“!”
He stepped forward, grabbed my right hand, and the knights restrained my movements from behind.
“C-Crazy…!”
Thump. My knees hit the floor as his grip pressed down. A sharp pain shot through me.
Red ink stained my fingers, then pressed onto the white paper.
“No…”
I struggled in vain. My consent, in the form of the red seal, was forced onto the document. Jeric rose, satisfied.
“This is done. It’s a profitable enterprise, but handing it over is a bit disappointing.”
“…You know that enforcing a contract by force is illegal, right?”
“All of these knights are under my command. Even if reported, only commoners would come—and a few coins would settle it. Anyway, you won’t be able to do anything in this room for months.”
For the first time, I saw the true hostility on Jeric’s face. The sight made my breath catch.
Kneeling on the floor, the enormous door soon blocked my view entirely.
Bang!
The door slammed shut, leaving only silence.
Sighing, I rose and brushed off the dust that had gathered in the long-unused room.
The bed in the center of the room called to me, and I sat, staring at the empty air, letting out a bitter laugh.
“Months of doing nothing, huh?”
I tugged at the cord around my neck, lifting a small gem along with it.
“If it’s useless, might as well give it to me.”
“Pfft, shall I take one?”
The voice communication stone I had received from Az, paired with the small Kicel that amplified it. Az, who had been listening clearly, likely heard everything about this incident.
“I will not do such things. I despise troublesome matters…”
He had undoubtedly recorded Jeric’s voice clearly.
“Just wait.”
I would make sure he ended up in the royal underground prison.
Click. I ended the communication and stared at the sky. The sun had already set beyond the impossible ceiling, leaving not even a speck of light.
“Hmm.”
Jeric’s footsteps echoed lightly down the corridor, brighter than ever.
“Finally, I can stop this.”
He hated bowing to anyone, but the profit from this task was too significant to refuse.
If handled correctly, one side would secure a powerful noble’s backing, while the other would gain a fortune that would make anyone’s eyes widen. Who would refuse that?
“Brother, this isn’t right!”
“…Well, some people might think differently.”
I remembered once again the foolish figure blocking me before.
I couldn’t help but smile at myself, performing tasks so far removed from my true nature, simply to survive and secure wealth and allies.
I tucked the received document into my pocket and walked to the study where the Count awaited.
“Count,” I called.
“Enter,” came the response.
