Chapter 20
Judith suddenly felt embarrassed, and her face flushed bright red.
The dress she had just brought back from the boutique was nothing like the clothes she normally wore.
It was made of soft, elegant fabric adorned with sparkling beads. The color perfectly complemented her complexion, and she even had a matching set of jewelry.
She had also let her hair fall gracefully, making her look like a completely different person.
Karl stared at her in a daze and murmured,
“So… my brother really likes beautiful women.”
“Oh my, thank you.”
“But he abandoned someone this pretty after treating her like trash…”
Judith laughed awkwardly.
Everyone had agreed not to tell Karl that the pregnancy was fake. They thought he was still too young to learn about such complicated circumstances.
As a result, Ekian had ended up becoming nothing more than a complete scumbag in his younger brother’s eyes.
“Don’t you think so, Hud? My sister-in-law is beautiful, isn’t she?”
When Karl asked, Hud nodded, his face slightly flushed.
“…S-She is.”
“Rest for a little while, then come down to the dining room. We’ll have dinner together.”
After hearing Hud’s answer, Isabella looked at Judith with satisfaction before speaking.
“We’ll assign you a maid soon.”
“Ah…”
It had been so long since she’d had a personal maid that she couldn’t even imagine whether it would be comfortable or awkward.
While Judith hesitated, Karl waved enthusiastically.
“Then I’ll see you at dinner!”
He cheerfully said goodbye before leaving the room together with Hud and Isabella.
Finally alone, Judith let out a long sigh and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, looking around.
The room was neat, spotless, and impeccably maintained.
It was the young duke’s room.
Ekian’s room.
Only then did it truly sink in that she was now living in someone else’s room.
At that moment—
Thump. Thump.
A familiar knocking sound echoed.
“Another secret passage? Don’t tell me there’s one in Ekian’s room too?”
She cautiously stood and approached the bookshelf where the sound had come from.
“…Master?”
A voice came from behind the shelves.
“Pull out the second book on the third shelf.”
“Ah… yes.”
“Then the third book on the fifth shelf.”
“Okay.”
“And finally, the second book on the first shelf.”
The moment she removed all three books—
Without making a sound, the bookshelf slowly slid open.
“My goodness…”
Judith stared in astonishment at the Master standing inside the hidden passage.
“At this point… can’t this man practically appear anywhere inside the ducal estate?”
“So this room is connected too?”
she whispered in surprise.
The Master merely stared at her without answering.
“…Master?”
“…”
“Snap out of it. What’s wrong?”
“…Ah.”
He muttered awkwardly.
“I was just… um… surprised.”
“Huh?”
Judith looked at him in disbelief.
Since he always wore that mask, she couldn’t read his expression at all, which made it incredibly frustrating.
“Just what is he thinking?”
Remembering Karl and Hud’s reactions earlier, she suddenly asked,
“Why? Did I become so pretty that you’ve fallen for me too?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Just hold yourself back until the divorce, okay? I’m a very responsible contract employee.”
After saying it matter-of-factly, she flashed him a grin.
She actually needed his help anyway.
“Master.”
“Yes.”
“Since you’re here, let me ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Do you know Bart Callon?”
“The ducal family’s personal physician?”
Having regained his composure, the Master replied calmly.
“He served as the chief physician’s assistant for about five years, then became the chief physician himself for around ten years. His medical skills are exceptional.”
“So assistants are normally required.”
She tilted her head.
“Then why didn’t that young man, Hud, have to go through an apprenticeship?”
“He’s such an extraordinary genius that they probably didn’t want another noble family to recruit him.”
The Master answered evenly.
“Though that’s only my assumption.”
“I see…”
She nodded thoughtfully.
“Then does Bart Callon have an assistant?”
“No.”
The Master shook his head.
“He never takes one. That’s one of the reasons the household employs two physicians.”
“Ahhh…”
Judith slowly nodded.
Truthfully, she could simply ignore everything.
Whether the Duke and Duchess died a year from now or not had nothing to do with her.
But…
Even the dress she had received today must have cost an enormous fortune.
She wanted to repay at least that much kindness.
“Besides… it’s just despicable.”
“Lurking for fifteen years just to murder someone.”
“And infiltrating the family as their doctor…”
Murder was already unforgivable.
Standing by and watching it happen would weigh too heavily on her conscience.
Not to mention Karl would be left an orphan.
She had already made up her mind the moment she realized Bart Callon’s true identity.
“I’ll expose him.”
She couldn’t simply watch innocent people die because of a conspiracy.
The problem was…
She wasn’t a doctor.
Nor did she know every prescription Bart had written.
The Duke’s health was undoubtedly among the family’s highest secrets.
“Still… there’s one thing that doesn’t make sense.”
She fell into thought.
“If I were Bart… wouldn’t I have killed Karl too?”
“Why only the Duke and Duchess?”
It couldn’t simply be because those were his patients.
The Duchess also received treatment from Hud together with Karl.
Nor could it be because he lacked the opportunity.
Bart was responsible for examining every member of the household.
Then a memory surfaced.
“Bart mainly oversees my health. Besides that, he’s responsible for the nutritional balance of everyone in the family. As for your fake pregnancy, Hud will be handling that for now.”
Another memory followed.
“Karl has severe stomach problems, so Hud prepares medicine for him every single day.”
“Could it be…”
“What if the medicine Hud prepares contains an antidote?”
“And Bart doesn’t know about it?”
After organizing her theory, Judith turned back toward the Master.
“Master.”
“Yes.”
“Would you be willing to help me?”
She smiled slightly.
“As repayment… for saving your life.”
“What do you need?”
He answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Just tell me.”
She looked at him seriously.
“Right now, all three members of the ducal family are in danger of being poisoned.”
The Master said nothing.
His masked face revealed absolutely nothing.
So Judith continued.
“I want to save them.”
“…Poisoned…?”
His response came a beat later.
“…By whom…?”
“Fortunately,” she replied calmly, “I don’t think we’re too late.”
“So I want to catch the culprit before anyone is poisoned.”
She met his eyes.
“I need your help.”
“Please help me.”
* * *
When Judith entered Ekian’s room…
Ekian, who had been hiding inside the secret passage, felt strangely conflicted.
He had believed he would never return here again.
It was a place he loved dearly.
A place he had sworn never to set foot in again.
If Judith hadn’t warned him that Karl was in danger…
He never would have come back.
Karl was simply that precious to him.
Yet once he had taken that first step…
Coming back again had become frighteningly easy.
“Only the heirs are supposed to know these passages…”
When Ekian had turned fifteen, the Duke of Mayus personally showed him every secret passage within the estate.
It was the Duke’s way of acknowledging him as the true heir.
Hidden routes leading anywhere inside the mansion…
And secret exits leading outside.
In a sense…
The Duke had entrusted him with everyone’s lives and every secret the estate possessed.
The Duke’s warm voice patiently explained every path so he wouldn’t confuse them.
Ekian had always respected him.
But that day…
He had felt genuinely proud to have such a perfect father.
Following behind the Duke through the dark corridors…
Fifteen-year-old Ekian had silently vowed that no matter what happened…
He would protect the House of Mayus.
“Just today.”
“I’ll see how things unfold…”
“Then I’ll never come back again.”
That had been his resolve.
Returning repeatedly would only make things worse.
It would deepen the longing he was trying so desperately to bury.
His disappearance…
He believed…
Was what was best for everyone.
The Duke and Duchess seemed willing to go to extraordinary lengths to bring him home.
Even so…
His determination never wavered.
But then…
They gave Judith his room.
Objectively speaking, it was only natural.
Still…
“It feels… strange.”
Seeing Judith inside the room where he had spent so many years felt oddly unfamiliar.
From now on…
She would live there.
She would sit at the desk where he had studied.
Sleep in the bed where he had slept.
Use the bath he had used…
