episode_0096

The mansion of the Beauregard Viscount in the suburbs of the capital, Luttes.

Ever since the townhouse of the Beauregard Viscount was built, the annex of the grand mansion had always been a place where only those bearing the name of Beauregard could stay.

More luxurious and elegant than any other mansion in the capital, this space was meticulously decorated and maintained, left empty if no member of the Beauregard family was present. Those with different names were never allowed access to this space.

That was until recently.

Second floor of the annex.

Opposite Eleanor’s bedroom at the center of the long corridor.

The room of Eleanor’s maid, Euginie Loelsar, who served as the maid of the youngest daughter of the Beauregard Viscount, was located so close to her mistress’s room.

Even though she was a maid who served her mistress closely, it had been the tradition of the townhouse for maids to stay in the east wing, not the annex.

Since the townhouse was built, this tradition had been upheld without interruption.

However, due to Eleanor, who had barely survived at the brink of death, all the traditions and etiquette of the nobility had been forgotten. Concerned for her daughter, Etienne, the mother, disregarded the rules of the mansion that had been passed down for generations and placed Euginie’s room in the annex, right next to her daughter’s room.

And her husband, the head of the Beauregard family, Gilbert Beauregard, did not object to this.

To them, Eleanor was a precious daughter who could not be replaced by any tradition that had been passed down. Moreover, it was because they trusted the Loelsar Marquis, who had served the Beauregard Viscount for a long time.

In Euginie’s room, which had found its place in the Beauregard’s exclusive space, Aelie sat on a chair, looking at the owner of the room lying neatly on the soft bed.

Beyond the window, a colorful array of lights far away beautifully illuminated the dark summer night sky. The muffled sound of fireworks mixed with the warm night breeze blowing through the slightly open window, faintly ringing in her ears.

It was a sight that could not be seen in Aelie’s rural hometown. Normally, Aelie would have immediately rushed to the window, or even outside the entrance, to gaze at the spectacular display of lights.

But Aelie was different now.

Beside Euginie, who had lost consciousness after a few glasses of champagne, Aelie calmly organized her thoughts while looking at the distant fireworks.

“It must have been him. The man who brought the antidote from Shilov.”

Afraid that her thoughts might slip out as a soliloquy, Aelie tightly pressed her lips together, even in front of Euginie, who was peacefully closing her eyelids.

Even though Aelie was young, and not yet accustomed to the dirty politics and conspiracies of the capital, she could deduce enough.

There was something unknown and sticky lingering around Eleanor at this moment.

Shilov’s poison was different from ordinary poisons. It contained the aura of a demon, and its application was different from that of regular poisons. Therefore, it was difficult to treat the poisoning with a general antidote.

The antidote for Shilov’s poison was hard to come by, as it required the expertise of the Shilov Poison Guild to create.

Furthermore, since it was not a common poison, and not a demon that was usually seen, the antidote for Shilov’s poison was only available in emergency supplies in well-known pharmacies in the capital.

Ordinary people would not easily obtain such a difficult antidote and would not entrust it to a shabby rural doctor.

As if it were predestined, on the evening that the man handed over the antidote, Eleanor, who had been poisoned by Shilov’s poison, was carried into the arms of the Grand Duke.

Aelie had brushed it off as a mere coincidence until now.

But now, seeing the robust man in yellow who delivered the antidote being part of the Duke’s entourage, Aelie’s head was spinning.

How far was this connected?

Was it just another coincidence?

Thinking back, it was.

From the fact that it was difficult to obtain, from the fact that it was entrusted to a rural village where it was useless, Aelie should have been suspicious from the start.

Should this be revealed?

If so, to whom should it be told?

Should I inform the current head of the Bearen family, or should I inform the original owner, Duke Verbriz?

How much does Grandfather Hulio really know….

“In front of nobles, one must be careful with their words. Do not casually speak out the thoughts in your mind. Especially since you and I are not ordinary workers, but rather those who care for their health.”

Eilie let out a small sigh. Her crimson hair swayed gently in the warm night breeze.

The ivory woman lying on the bed in front of her was peacefully closing her eyes, unaware of the soft sigh that had approached.

#14. Back Home

For someone, it was incredibly warm and enchanting.

For someone, the passage of time was incredibly regretful.

For someone, their mind was filled with complicated new information.

And for someone else, the morning after the last night of the inauguration with a few glasses of champagne held no special memories.

The Bearen family’s townhouse was filled with a strange warmth in the summer air, unlike usual.

“Good morning, did you sleep well, brother?”

Eleanor, who had come down to the dining room, looked at her brother Albrice, who was skillfully moving a knife over a moist fish, with a dignified posture. Her voice resonated in the dining room, trembling softly like a child caught sneaking a snack.

“Yes. Good morning, Ellie.”

Unlike Eleanor, Albrice remained his usual relaxed self.

Albrice, who had placed the knife carefully on the white rectangular tray for cutlery, wiped his lips with a napkin and smiled at his younger sister approaching the table.

Today was a rare morning meal for the siblings of the Bearen family.

Dmitri had returned to the townhouse of Duke Verbriz after escorting Eleanor to the mansion last night.

And the foreigner who had passed out after just a few glasses of champagne was still lying in bed, groaning.

“Is the foreigner okay?”

Albrice asked Eleanor, who was sitting on a chair, with a slightly worried tone.

“She says she’s fine…. But she doesn’t look well, so I told her to rest. I might have to send her home after a light recovery.”

“How much did that girl drink in front of the lady?”

“She didn’t drink that much. Just as much as I did.”

Dmitri chuckled softly at Eleanor’s words.

Even though it was champagne prepared with low alcohol content for the party. If she got so drunk…. Maybe I should hire another maid.

“It seems like that girl can’t handle alcohol very well.”

“It seems so.”

Finally, a warm breakfast with steam rising was prepared in front of Eleanor. Next to the warm cream soup were salads full of greens, and well-cooked white fish with a slightly browned surface, just like Albrice.

Eleanor, who used to enjoy meat during the time of the Countess, seemed to prefer this kind of diet now, unlike the lady who seemed to enjoy this side more than meat.

Eleanor reached for the glass in front of her to moisten her dry throat. The clear sound of platinum, or more precisely blue diamond, hitting the glass echoed on the table.

At that sound, Albrice stared at Eleanor, and the blue diamond ring on her finger.

An awkward atmosphere at the table.

In fact, the people at the mansion already knew what had happened last night.

Eleanor, who had returned to the mansion holding Dmitri’s hand in the middle of the night. The sky-blue diamond ring shining on her slender finger.

It was so obvious what it meant.

Startled by the clear sound, Eleanor glanced at Albrice sitting at the dining table. Albrice, who brought the glass to his lips, did not show any reaction to the sound.

However, Eleanor, who had spent the seasons together with him, could tell. Despite not expressing it now, her brother was emitting a strong sense of discomfort.

“Oh, brother….”

Therefore, the title that flowed beyond the lips was not a stiff one like “Your Highness,” but a round and friendly word, “Oppa.”

However, Albriss was facing Eleonore with the same expression, without even batting an eyelash at the word “Oppa.”

“Let’s eat first and talk later. It might take a while to bring up that topic during the meal,” Albriss said with a gentle smile, gesturing towards Eleonore’s dining table with his chin.

Looking at that hesitant smile, Eleonore recalled the lyrics of a song she used to enjoy.

It’s not a real smile, those lyrics said.