Chapter 10
Everett frowned slightly at the thought.
Come to think of it, I don’t even know her name.
He had told her to address him properly as the Marquis of Winsrop, yet he himself didn’t even know the maid’s name.
He knew there was no reason for him to know it—but for some reason, it bothered him.
Seeing Everett remain silent, the Duke of Stafol assumed he was hesitating and pressed further.
“Is that still not enough? Then how about this—if we find the young duke of Greymont who escaped, we won’t kill him. We’ll allow him to go into exile.”
“……”
“If that still doesn’t satisfy you, you may suggest your own terms.”
The more the duke pushed, the calmer Everett became.
If the duke was this impatient, it meant he desperately needed something from him.
Relaxing slightly, Everett spoke evenly:
“Thank you for your consideration. These are terms I have no reason to refuse.”
“Oh? Then—”
“However, as the acting representative of the Greymont family, it would not look good if I pledged loyalty to Stafol so soon after our defeat.”
The duke’s expression stiffened.
“I see…”
“What you want is to absorb the remaining forces of Greymont completely. But if the process is rushed, you may lose the support of the people.”
The duke stroked his chin awkwardly.
After a moment, he nodded reluctantly.
“If that is your view, I will respect it. We will be working together for a long time—it wouldn’t be right to force only my opinion.”
Everett smiled faintly, though inwardly he mocked him.
The moment I find Rowena’s body, I’ll leave this world without regret.
***
After leaving the duke, Everett looked up at the clear sky and let out a deep breath.
Whenever he thought of Rowena, even the bright sky turned gray.
Since the war ended, he had been living in a colorless world.
But as he stared at the sky, a brilliant golden light suddenly came to mind.
He knew that color.
It was the color of Rowena’s eyes.
Not just color—
It held her unwavering will and courage.
That strength came from the responsibility she carried as the eldest daughter of the Greymont family.
The duty to end the long war in their generation.
But then—
Why did that same gaze remind him of that maid?
It made no sense.
A mere maid couldn’t possibly have such a strong presence.
Or perhaps—
Did people of lower status live lives just as fierce, in ways he could never understand?
The thought left him unsettled.
Even though he knew she had nothing to do with Rowena—and despite her warning—he still found himself wanting to see her again.
He wanted to confirm why her eyes reminded him of Rowena.
This isn’t very honorable of me.
Even if it wasn’t flirting, it was improper to approach someone who felt uncomfortable.
Breaking from his thoughts, he called his aide.
“How is the recovery of the bodies at Greymont Castle progressing?”
“It is nearly complete.”
“Then after one or two more visits to the Count’s estate, it should be finished.”
“If you’re busy, there’s no need for you to go personally.”
Everett paused.
That meant—
He wouldn’t see that maid again.
“Actually… there are rumors that you and Lady Otille are involved.”
“Us?”
“Yes. You and Lady Otille.”
Everett frowned.
“That rumor isn’t even worth responding to.”
Otille had been Rowena’s close friend.
There was no way she would feel that way about him.
Even if her recent actions were disappointing, it was unpleasant to have their long-standing relationship twisted like that.
“Still, the rumors may spread. It might be best to avoid visiting the estate for a while.”
Everett considered this—
But quickly dismissed it.
He had done nothing wrong.
Why should he hesitate?
More importantly—
He wanted to understand why he kept associating the maid with Rowena.
Could she be an illegitimate child of the duke?
Perhaps Rowena had a half-sister she didn’t know about.
That would explain the resemblance.
Though the Duke of Greymont had been an honorable man, it wasn’t impossible.
Trying to calm his confusion with such reasoning, Everett spoke:
“I don’t care about such rumors. I’ll visit the Count’s estate next week as planned and finish the recovery work.”
***
Meanwhile
“Today, I’ll be cleaning Lady Otille’s bedroom.”
Rowena summoned George and gave the order.
He broke into a cold sweat.
“I’m sorry, but there are already maids assigned there.”
“That’s not my concern. If anyone questions it, you’ll come up with an excuse.”
George couldn’t argue.
She held his weakness firmly.
“…Understood. I’ll handle it. But you must leave before 3 p.m. Lady Otille doesn’t like crossing paths with maids.”
“How troublesome.”
“There’s also a small room connected to her bedroom. Never enter it. She gets furious if anyone goes in.”
To Rowena, that warning sounded like an invitation.
That’s probably where she keeps her letters.
She picked up her rag and prepared to go.
At this point, the rag was like a weapon to her.
As long as she held it, she could go anywhere without suspicion.
George watched her for a moment.
Even dressed as a maid, she had an overwhelming presence.
“…Before you go, tell me honestly. Are you secretly a noble pretending to be a maid?”
Rowena scoffed.
“If that were the case, I would have killed you the moment you touched me.”
“…That was my mistake. But now that we’re on the same side, can’t you at least tell me who you are?”
“You’ll find out someday. Until then, reflect on how you drove someone to the brink of death.”
“…What?”
George looked confused.
He didn’t even know Clarissa had tried to take her own life.
Rowena, however, remembered it clearly.
She planned to use him for now—and deal with him later.
If he truly repented, she might spare his life.
Leaving him behind, she headed to the west wing.
As expected, Otille wasn’t in her room.
Rowena entered and immediately began searching.
Drawers, wardrobe, under the bed—
Nothing.
As expected, Otille wouldn’t leave something important in obvious places.
Her eyes moved to the small door in the corner.
The room George had warned her about.
Without hesitation, she opened it.
It was locked.
Rowena frowned slightly—
Then used her technique.
Without touching it, she manipulated the lock.
Click.
The door opened.
Inside was a storage room.
Large boxes were stacked inside.
She began opening them one by one.
Old toys. Clothes that no longer fit.
Then—
She found something unexpected.
“…This is…”
A ring.
The engagement ring she had exchanged with Everett.
It was inside Otille’s hidden storage.
