~Chapter 65~
The return to the Duke’s household was smoothly completed.
As soon as Eileen returned to her room, now becoming quite familiar to her, she asked her maid.
“Mary. Nothing unusual happened, right?”
“Yes, of course. There was a bit of tension when Baron Demicalon arrived, but it wasn’t anything serious.”
“Tension?”
Her words were a sudden wake-up call as Eileen was starting to relax. Could something have happened to Mary?
Worried, Eileen raised her voice slightly, and Mary smiled awkwardly.
“It wasn’t anything to worry about. The courtyard was filled with armed knights and soldiers, so it looked a bit intimidating.”
“…So they brought quite a lot of soldiers.”
“Yes, they looked pretty scary, with scars on their faces and no smiles, so it gave off an intimidating impression.”
Mary shrugged it off, moving on to talk about how much dust was on Eileen’s dress and how her hair was all tangled, implying she would need to brush it again.
Eileen sighed deeply, then smiled, as if to say, “It’s no big deal.”
“Please take a bath first. I’ll fill the tub for you.”
“Would you? Thanks.”
Nothing would be better than a warm bath to soothe her tired body.
Before she had time to think more about what she had just heard, she needed rest.
***
Eileen had soaked in the warm water for quite some time and stepped out. Her gaze was drawn to the snow falling outside the window.
It was different from the snow she had seen before. The sky was filled with it, and it fell relentlessly, quickly accumulating.
“Wow, it’s really snowing heavily.”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen snow fall like this.”
“…It looks like it won’t be easy to travel, not just outside, but even within the castle for a while.”
That statement was a subtle way of suggesting that for those who were supposed to leave, they now had a perfect excuse to stay.
‘Of all times…’
Chester Lowell, Cedric’s uncle, had returned with them. And he was still in the castle. That fact made her uneasy.
“Hmm…”
However, as she leaned back in her chair, resting her chin in her hand, a yawn escaped her naturally.
“Your hair is almost dry, so now you should rest,” Mary said.
“No, I kind of want to stay awake for a bit longer.”
“You’ve always liked the view of falling snow,” Mary said with a teasing tone.
Eileen responded lightly, “It makes everything feel quiet. I like that.”
The sound of the fire crackling in the hearth brought a peaceful silence.
But then, a memory from her childhood came to mind, and something from the past occurred to her.
“I met Marchioness Ribbonshire.”
“Really? Where? How did that happen?”
Eileen summarized the incident as briefly as possible, omitting the part about dealing with the remnants of the insurgents. She didn’t mention that Marchioness Ribbonshire had unexpectedly tried to abduct her. She didn’t want to speak badly about her, especially since the last time she saw her, it reminded her of her grandmother.
“She looked really sick. I wonder if she’s okay.”
“Still, I’m glad I was able to see her after such a long time. I wish I could’ve been there with you.”
Lady Ribbonshire had treated Mary kindly, just as she had treated Eileen.
“Let’s visit Ribbonshire when the snow melts.”
“That sounds like a good idea. It’s closer than the capital, so we can go and come back quickly.”
Eileen smiled as she grabbed Mary’s hand.
“Yes, let’s go and visit together then.”
She wasn’t lying to Mary, not because she didn’t trust her, but because she trusted and depended on her too much.
Mary had followed her all the way to the North, and surely, someday, Mary would want to prioritize her own happiness.
Eileen didn’t want to make things difficult for Mary, so she tried to create some distance emotionally. She hoped that if the time ever came when Mary wanted to leave, she would have the courage to go.
But until then, she needed to keep her distance, even though it pained her.
“…I’m glad that Cedric is here.”
“Yeah, sometimes I think, what would my life be like if Cedric hadn’t been around?”
Thinking about that made her feel indebted to him. Cedric would probably go crazy if she mentioned the word “debt,” but she couldn’t deny she owed him a lot.
“I think I’m lucky.”
These thoughts made her want to understand Cedric better, to accept his world, and to stop holding onto her own way of doing things. She hoped Cedric would do the same.
Unlike her, Cedric likely had many things to worry about, but she still wanted to be a little greedy and keep him close.
***
“What? You’re not leaving?”
But before the snow could even melt, Eileen had to hear some unsettling news.
“Yeah. The snow is so heavy, we won’t be able to leave for at least a week, and he might not even return.”
“Still… you’re here.”
“Lowell is better off with two people than one. And Uncle often stayed here for long periods during winter anyway.”
“The Duke is calling for you, sir. He wants to know if you’re ready for the duel.”
“Okay, tell him I’ll be there soon.”
Just then, a familiar, bright-faced boy appeared and interrupted their conversation. It was Ruth, an apprentice knight under the Baron’s command.
“I’ve been slacking off on my training, but thanks to Uncle, I’ve been able to sharpen my skills again. It’s a good thing.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I’ll go now.”
With a casual goodbye, Cedric quickly disappeared.
Eileen had hoped that when the snow melted, Cedric would leave. At least then, she might have been able to feel more at ease and stop her suspicions.
“Ruth, hey.”
“Yes, Lady? Is there anything you need? Just tell me.”
Ruth, looking around aimlessly after Cedric left, greeted her with a bright smile.
“I’m not giving you any work, but… I’m curious if you’re not training.”
Last time, Ruth had been extremely chatty.
If he had been on her side, he might’ve been too much to handle, but since he was part of the Baron’s people, he was a useful source of information.
“Oh, I’m not doing anything that intense. I train my stamina in the mornings, and Sir Dane helps me with my swordsmanship. I’m still lacking in that area.”
As expected, Ruth always answered more than what was asked.
Eileen thought carefully before continuing the conversation slowly.
“…I see. Must be a little boring.”
“It’s not that boring. Sir Dane keeps giving me tasks.”
“Must mean he trusts you a lot.”
“Yes, of course. Now, some of the important investigations have been entrusted to me.”
“Like what?”
Ruth seemed so pleased with himself that it seemed like he was about to burst with pride. Eileen thought she could get some useful information from him now.
But he took an unexpected turn and brought up a topic she wasn’t expecting.
“That assassination attempt that almost happened to Lady Cashier… Sir Dane has been investigating the mastermind behind it.”
“…So?”
The event was no secret, so there was nothing confidential about it. Ruth seemed to be eager to share his role in the investigation.
He leaned in and whispered quickly.
“I searched the inn where the two assassins stayed, questioned the innkeeper, and got a crucial clue.”
“What clue?”
“The innkeeper noticed that the two men had a faint accent from the coastal city of Tarhill. He realized something was off when he heard them talk. So I passed that info to Sir Dane. He praised me for it. It was a huge breakthrough.”
“Then you should be able to find out who’s behind it, right? I haven’t heard anything.”
Cedric surely would’ve shared such important information with her. But she hadn’t heard anything about it.
“Well… I guess Sir Dane didn’t give a report yet.”
“So that means…”
A new sense of unease began to creep in.
With such progress in the investigation, Cedric should’ve definitely told her about it. He was used to sharing everything with her.
It seemed likely that Dane had deliberately not shared the findings.
Ruth sighed proudly, then added as an afterthought.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Thanks for worrying.”
“Those assassins were known for their stealth. Lord Cedric is no ordinary person, though. He wouldn’t have missed their presence. It’s strange, though. Their skills shouldn’t have been enough to threaten him.”
Listening to Ruth’s ongoing speculation, Eileen’s mind suddenly flashed back to the assassins’ voices.
‘Are you Eileen Cashier?’
The chilling voice echoed in her mind.
At the time, she’d dismissed it, thinking she was overreacting. But now, the combination of their stealth skills and poor swordsmanship made sense.
‘A perfect target for someone who lives in a well-guarded place but has no real defenses.’
A cold, eerie sensation spread through her body, as if a sharp blade was pressing against her neck again.
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