PRKE 77

CHAPTER 77……………………………

After the trial, Laurenz stepped forward.

The gossiping maids flinched when they saw me.

“Good day, Miss.”

I nodded in response. They exchanged glances among themselves and then hurried away. Shrugging my shoulders, I went into the room and sat at the desk.

After Aris’s trial verdict was announced, the household atmosphere was like this.

On the day the verdict arrived, the mansion seemed to tremble.

From the old Count of the previous generation:

[Well done! You humiliated the family in front of everyone, and you did it well. Seeing the evidence and witnesses lined up like that, it’s clear this wasn’t prepared overnight. I picked the wrong person. Did you really want to torment Aris that much? Hubert! Handle the rest yourself. I can’t even bear to see that face!]

Hubert pressed his temple, as if his head ached. I, tired of hearing the young count bellow at the top of his lungs, directly summoned a servant.

[Prepare the carriage. The young count will be departing.]

[Yes, ma’am.]

The servant, wary of the tense atmosphere, retreated quickly. When I looked up, both of them were staring at me.

[I’ll have the driver who knows the carriage best assigned.]

I responded calmly, and the young count’s face quickly stiffened.

He scrutinized my face, as if surprised I hadn’t reacted to his earlier outburst.

[You show no remorse at all.]

Had I ever faced this man like this before?

Seeing the way he looked at me, as if I were a rat scuttling along the roadside, that thought crossed my mind.

Laurenz and Hubert were similar yet different. Both judged people according to certain standards.

Hubert distinguished between people who could be advantageous to him and those who could not, whereas Laurenz distinguished between those worthy of respect and those who were not.

His criteria for respect were based not on character, but on bloodline and status.

Even his acceptance of Lady Emerun as a secondary wife—despite thinking her incapable of matching him in conversation—simply because of her proper lineage, proves this.

And from his perspective, I was utterly unworthy of even a shred of respect.

[I do reflect on causing discord within the household.]

Of course, I would rather be singing than reflecting.

[But?]

[As Lady Emerun said in her lifetime, isn’t the most important thing the family itself?]

[…]

[Pretending Aris’s faults didn’t exist out of fear of disrupting the household only brings more harm to the family.]

[You say Aris harmed the lady?]

[You saw the trial, didn’t you?]

I widened my eyes and asked, and the former young count wore a displeased expression.

He favored Aris, who possessed the powers of a priestess. In this kingdom that reveres water, a priestess is closely connected to divine bloodlines.

But wrong is wrong. Even he, capable of proper judgment, knew it was improper to side with Aris.

[I didn’t realize you cared about the family so much.]

[I’m grateful you realize it now.]

I smiled.

[I must repay the favor of being accepted.]

[Ha!]

The former count let out a hollow laugh into the air.

[Leaving immediately?]

[There’s no need for someone busy with family matters like you to worry about me.]

Despite his chilly, biting words, I still responded with a smile.

[It doesn’t matter to me.]

Even caring about your whereabouts counts as a family matter.

[Ah, the driver is ready. You may go.]

At Jenny’s whisper, I gestured toward the mansion’s entrance. The young count opened his lips as if to protest but ended up clenching them shut.

His steps, still holding unresolved anger, were extremely irritable.

The young count left for a friend’s house.

Breaking the silence, Hubert spoke coldly, as if he finally understood.

[So. Your actions until now, which I couldn’t understand, were you deliberately acting foolish?]

[I don’t know what you mean.]

[…You… ha… I can’t read your mind anymore. Why have you changed so much?]

[…]

[I’ll give you a chance. Return to your old self.]

Hubert remained quiet after saying that.

‘Nonsense, but at least he’s giving me time, that’s good.’

Actually, it didn’t matter if I left immediately. I had already secured a place to live and even arranged for the purchase of a title from a fallen noble.

‘There’s still something left to gain from this household.’

I had to take what I could.

‘But what about this?’

“What will happen to Miss Aris?”

I glared at the blank sheet of paper, as if it were an enemy, and replied.

“She’ll be dragged to the guillotine.”

“G-Guillotine?”

“Yes. The kingdom is strict in punishing traitors.”

“But Miss Aris is a priestess. Would the royal court really go that far?”

“Well… who knows.”

Jenny’s innocent question made me feel oddly unsettled.

In my previous life, I was nothing, so I was publicly executed in that manner, but could even a priestess, a valued asset of the kingdom, have her head struck off?

‘But Aris is no longer a priestess. When that fact will be revealed, I don’t know.’

If it went unnoticed, perhaps the method of punishment could change?

“But Miss, what have you been pondering so seriously? Who are you writing a letter to?”

Startled, I fumbled my words.

“To someone… who helped me.”

“Oh, the Empire’s prince?”

I looked up in surprise. Jenny met my gaze blankly.

“How did you know?”

“Eh? Well, you two are close, right? And if the letter is from someone you’ve carefully considered sending it to, the prince is the only one I can think of.”

“Ah.”

I relaxed slightly at her trivial deduction.

“Of course, you wouldn’t put as much effort into a letter for a gentleman you don’t fancy.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Jenny, who had looked innocent moments ago, was grinning mischievously.

“Don’t tease me, Jenny.”

“Tease? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“What, notice what?”

Under her assertive gaze, I stammered.

“You’re having a love spat with the prince, aren’t you?”

“W-What?”

“Don’t deny it. I’ve read a few trivial novels, you know.”

Jenny proudly thrust out her chest, hands on her hips. I resisted the urge to question why she was boasting.

“That’s not true.”

“Yes, well, that’s what you’d say.”

“Impossible to reason with.”

I shook my head in disbelief.

‘All this is because Princess Laratou said something unnecessary.’

Something had happened, yes, but it didn’t mean Giovanni and I had anything special.

After all, he was the empire’s prince, and I, the adopted daughter of a minor noble born of common birth. A position I would soon lose anyway.

‘But what if Princess Laratou’s misunderstanding isn’t entirely baseless?’

Even though I was born of common blood, if by some chance he felt something beyond cooperation toward me…

I remembered him silently leaving after taking me home, and I was momentarily dazed.

“Miss.”

“Uh… yes?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Oh, nothing, why?”

“Have you finished writing the letter?”

“Yes, more or less.”

‘Let’s just get it done.’

I cleared my mind and filled the blank sheet in one go.

It was a clean letter, with no personal feelings—simply gratitude and business.

Sealing the letter felt strangely intimate.

After handing it to a young messenger, I tapped my palms together, as if trying to shake off the uneasy feeling.

Then I almost jumped. Jenny peeked her head over my shoulder and grinned.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Surprised?”

“Of course.”

“You smell nice, Miss.”

Jenny sniffed at my nape, nodding.

“Really? I didn’t put on perfume.”

I sniffed my wrist. It smelled like nothing but natural scent.

“Is that so?”

Jenny tilted her head, puzzled, staring intently.

“Also, did you change your cosmetics?”

“Cosmetics? No, you’re in charge of that, aren’t you?”

“Exactly. Strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“Miss, your beauty is sparkling more than usual.”

“…Beauty?”

Hearing a phrase like that for the first time, I paused, then laughed.

My appearance was generally calm and modest—not ugly, but not strikingly beautiful either.

Jenny jumped.

“No, really! I always thought you were pretty, but since Miss Aris is so dazzling, I kept quiet. But now, you could boast to Georgiana! Really! You’re even more sparkling than Aris!”

Jenny peered at my face, narrowing her eyes. Even though I had done nothing wrong, my chest tightened.

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been under a lot of stress because of Miss Aris, right?”

“Huh?”

Jenny blinked, looking sympathetic.

“They say stress and insomnia are the greatest enemies of beauty.”

“Who says that?”

“In a book.”

“Ah, that trivial novel…”

I sighed.

I had sent a letter to Giovanni, Hubert was quiet, nothing to do.

Yawning, I lay back as Jenny, still observing me, brightened her eyes again.

“No wonder you’ve been sleeping a lot lately. It really does have an effect!”

Ignoring Jenny, who believed that sleep and Aris’s issues affected my beauty, I said:

“I should sleep.”

“Go to bed quickly! I’ll sleep early too from today.”

Believing firmly that sleep and Aris’s affairs impacted my appearance, Jenny left the room.

Lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, I rested a hand on my cheek.

I laughed at myself recalling Jenny’s silly remarks.

“You say such things just to make me feel good.”

「Are you talking about your maid’s words?」

Suddenly.

A snake’s head appeared in front of me.

It was Tyrin.

“You startled me. Don’t just appear like that.”

「Hmph, I’ve been here the whole time. Your fault for not noticing!」

“Wanna get hit?”

「How insincere. Hilda accepted everything I said so politely.」

“Really?”

When gossiping about his foul personality, he had lied, using my ignorance as an excuse.

Avoiding my suspicious gaze, Tyrin cleared his throat.

「Anyway, your maid is quite perceptive.」