A Trap to Catch a Mouse

Fortunately, Sylvia and I calling each other by our first names ended when we were sitting alone by that pond.

If we had to call each other by our first names after that, I would have become a mute.

On one hand, I felt relieved, but on the other hand, my lips, which had called her by her first name, kept tickling, making me wonder if I had done something unnecessary, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Anyway, after sitting by the pond for a while, we moved to tour the castle town.

“Speaking of which, did you finish your conversation with mother well? You seemed to have left the room quite early.”

When Sylvia casually said that as we reached the detached building, I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Of course, it wasn’t a question she asked knowing, but the conversation we had inside made me feel like a thief with a guilty conscience.

“Yes, we had some small talk.”

“Hehe, mother tends to be quite talkative, doesn’t she?”

“She seemed to be. It was somewhat unexpected.”

I answered nonchalantly because I had already noticed that she was talkative when the three of us were together.

Certainly, compared to her modest and calm attitude, Lady Eleanor was quite the chatterbox.

Like mother, like daughter, Sylvia was just like her in that regard.

Now that this story is coming up, memories of earlier are flashing through my mind like a slideshow.

I’m talking about the memories of Sylvia trying to screw me over in front of her mother, thinking she had someone on her side.

“By the way, earlier you were trying to screw me over properly because the Lady was there.”

“A-are you angry?”

“I’m not petty enough to get angry over something like that. It’s just that I didn’t know the Princess was such a venomous person.”

“That’s what ‘I’m angry’ means…!”

Is that how it comes across?

Anyway, thinking about it again, I felt a little resentful, and I ended up snapping back without realizing it.

Sylvia also seemed to feel a little guilty, as she fidgeted with her hands and started to glance at me.

“T-to be honest… I exaggerated on purpose to increase your intimacy with Duke Lyaird.”

“I didn’t know that pointing out someone’s faults was an act of increasing intimacy.”

“You don’t have to be sarcastic…!”

“Heh.”

This is somehow a little satisfying.

I’ve been screwed over by Sylvia so many times that I can’t even count them on my fingers, but conversely, I can hardly recall an experience where I screwed her over.

I couldn’t help but snort as I couldn’t hold back the laughter that was leaking out, and Sylvia pointed at me and raised her voice, ‘Ah!’

“You laughed just now!?”

“You must have seen wrong.”

“There’s no way! I saw it clearly!”

“You seem very tired, so go back to your room and rest. I’ll wander around here alone.”

We were bickering like that, spending time meaninglessly, but comfortably enough to make me wish this moment would last forever.

“Miss Sylvia!”

“Ah, Bell. What’s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?”

A woman who seemed to be a servant came running up to us, panting.

Surely she didn’t come this urgently just to tell us the dinner time.

I was wondering if something had happened, and Sylvia and I were expressing our doubts.

“T-the Head of the Family-nim has returned! And, he said he wants to see the two of you…”

“Huh? Father-nim…?”

“……”

The moment the other person’s lips parted, I finally sensed that what was coming had come.

I didn’t expect to face him so soon.

***

As soon as Creed, who had left for a while due to urgent business, returned to Kaintreche Castle, news was delivered by a servant.

“The Miss and Duke Lyaird-nim have come to see you.”

Creed frowned overtly as if he was annoyed when he heard that story.

It wasn’t just because the existence he had already erased from the category of daughter in his head, someone he didn’t particularly want to face, had returned.

‘I should have come back a little earlier. Seriously, that guy is useless.’

If he had just moved up the timing of his return a little, he could have moved up the contract he had promised with them, but he was disappointed that it didn’t work out.

As it was a long-term undertaking that had to be looked at for several years, he couldn’t help but feel impatient.

Still, what can be taken into account is that he has more to gain than he thought, thanks to the existence of that daughter.

He was promised a considerable position within the Dawn’s Eye on the condition that he hand her over to them when her eye fully bloomed someday.

Moreover, he was promised a hefty price from the person who was almost chosen as the next head of the Lyaird family, with his daughter as collateral.

That’s why he can get away with it so leniently.

Isn’t it a man’s generosity to be able to endure a little inconvenience for the sake of the greater good?

“Honey, you’re back.”

“It was you. You could have rested in your room.”

“How can I when my husband has returned?”

Creed was momentarily surprised by the appearance of his wife, who followed him into the reception room, and tried to avoid her gaze.

In the past, he would have hugged his beloved wife tightly and soothed his tired mind and body from the journey, but recently, even such expressions of affection were very uncomfortable.

It was because he knew how much his wife cherished her daughter, and he felt a little sorry for betraying his wife’s wishes.

However, even though he felt sorry, it wasn’t enough to feel a pang of conscience, look back on his actions, and reflect on them.

In the first place, such feelings could not remain in a parricidal man who had been promised two rewards by using his daughter as a pretext.

“By the way, I heard the first one is back?”

“Yes, I just met her. Duke Lyaird is with her too.”

“You’ve already met. Well, what do you think?”

“He seemed like a reliable man. He would be perfect to entrust Sylvia to.”

Creed barely managed to suppress the mockery that almost came out at his wife’s answer.

It wasn’t mockery towards his wife, but towards the man named Kyle Lyaird he had met before.

He must be just another common thug, consumed by the desire for power, just like him.

How much did he have to show off his social skills in front of his wife for her, who is so good at seeing people, to give such high praise?

‘It’s probably a good thing.’

Still, Creed thought it was fortunate.

If Kyle had left a bad impression on Marian, and she had complained and refused to keep him by Sylvia’s side, it would have been quite difficult for Creed.

If things went wrong and Kyle unilaterally treated this contract as if it never happened, it would be like a bolt from the blue for Creed, who was supposed to receive the reward after he became the head of the family.

‘He was quite a useful guy.’

Knock knock.

While Creed was nodding in satisfaction, he heard someone knocking on the door.

“Who is it?”

– Mother, it’s me, Sylvia. May I come in?

“Yes, come in, Sylvia.”

Marian asked, and she allowed her entry in response to the answer that soon followed.

Soon, the door to the reception room opened, and Creed approached the man and woman who appeared side by side and greeted them in an exaggerated manner.

“Oh, who is this! If it isn’t Duke Lyaird! It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Yes, I’ve been well. I hope Eleanor-kyoung is doing well.”

“Well, thanks to you, I’ve been doing well. If I had known you were coming, I would have come back a little earlier, I made a mistake.”

He didn’t even look at his daughter standing next to him, and only greeted Kyle, who had made a very sweet offer to him, in a very blatant manner.

However, Sylvia seemed used to this situation, and only gave a bitter smile and moved to her mother’s side to avoid the situation.

Creed didn’t notice that Kyle’s eyes narrowed for a moment when he saw this.

“More than that, what brings you here with my daughter? I heard you were busy with your schedule because you had to go to the Duchy.”

“I came to say something to Eleanor-kyoung for a moment. I brought some good alcohol, so how about a drink?”

“Oh, alcohol! Good. I wanted to get drunk and fall asleep today because I went so far, but you know my heart well!”

Kyle smiled coldly as he looked at him laughing heartily.

He was certain that Creed Eleanor completely trusted him.

No, the expression trust might not be appropriate.

To be exact, he’s looking down on me, presuming that I’m his sucker, so he’s showing such a casual attitude.

‘But I wonder if he can maintain that attitude even after seeing this.’

Kyle glanced at Marian, vowing to change that smiling face soon.

She made eye contact and nodded, then gently wrapped her arms around Sylvia’s back and whispered softly.

“Sylvia, it seems your father is going to talk to Duke Lyaird, so let’s go out for a while.”

“Yes, mother.”

Sylvia naturally felt it was her mother’s suggestion, so she followed her without any resistance.

Because she gave the servants a look and left the room together, only Kyle and Creed were left in the reception room.

‘There are no ears listening. Now is the time.’

At that moment, he spread out his senses and tried to detect if there were any remnants of the Dawn’s Eye or any watchers who had been instructed by them.

Fortunately, he didn’t feel the presence of such a person.

Then, sensing that it was time to make a move, he sat down opposite Creed in the seat he was offering.

“But you, why are you wearing gloves? Did you hurt your hand?”

“No. I just hid it because, as I said just now, there is something I need to tell you.”

“Hmm? What does that mean?”

What does telling a story have to do with hiding your hand?

Creed’s eyes widened as if he didn’t understand Kyle’s words.

Kyle deliberately slowly began to peel off his white gloves from the end.

As Kyle’s right hand gradually revealed itself, Creed’s eyes, which had been watching with a nonchalant look, gradually widened.

“Do you understand what this means?”

“Y-you… that’s?”

There, a thin black piercing was clearly embedded between the metacarpals extending from the index and middle fingers.