Resultantly speaking, Ayla and Seila have somewhat become closer.
Until now, their relationship had issues on both sides.
Seila had blindly feared Ayla and avoided getting close to her, and Ayla had never been gentle with Seila.
Of course, in this situation, the one more at fault is—
“That expression makes it seem like you think it’s me, Luna.”
Ayla, who had entered the mansion, sharply interrogated.
“Do you think I should have acted more mature, just because I’m an adult?”
“Ayla-nim.”
Having realized that her words seemed somewhat childish, Ayla, who was about to go upstairs, instead headed back toward the drawing room.
“Alright. Since the young lady is outside, we can have the rest of the conversation here.”
Ayla spoke directly, looking at me.
“Luna. Who do you think is behind the Count’s murder?”
“I…”
“The mere fact that you’re just a servant won’t work here. Think about the way you’ve acted until now. I could believe you’re an assassin who seeks out high-ranking nobles to collect heads, if I wanted to.”
“If an assassin loses in swordsmanship to a young lady, then their skill would be meaningless.”
“Assassination isn’t just about success through skill.”
I remembered Ayla had looked at me suspiciously when I was making food.
It’s probably a valid point.
I didn’t think that the people who exploded my carriage were necessarily better in swordsmanship than I was.
“Personal skill doesn’t always translate to the ability to assess a situation.”
“You knew the Count had died and immediately came here, trying to become one of my inner circle. I have my own theories, but everything I know about you is just speculation. However, the fact that you could move like that means you have an ability to ‘see the bigger picture.’ At the very least, you probably have more information than I do.”
Since I was connected to the shadows of the royal road, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
“So, speak. It’s an order.”
“Understood.”
Not wanting to save words and end up with my throat strangled, I spoke in a respectful tone.
“However, my speculation might be something that could offend Ayla-nim’s mood.”
“If you want, I’m willing to think of it as a maid’s rashness.”
Ayla waved her hand as if to tell me to continue.
I remained bowing politely, then spoke.
“I’m thinking that the Baron might be involved.”
I see. You too, huh.
Ayla must have already considered this.
Ayla’s biological father, the Baron. Known to be one of the strongest in the kingdom based solely on personal swordsmanship. The rumors I had heard in my childhood didn’t seem to be untrue.
The Marquis, too, wasn’t lacking in personal strength, but as a person aged, the body naturally grew weaker. Even though he could still cut down a dozen or so miscellaneous enemies in a flash, if he fought someone about ten years younger, like the Baron, the outcome was uncertain.
But power struggles don’t always come down to individual strength.
“The Count probably never thought the Baron would start something like this.”
“That’s true. And other nobles probably couldn’t easily think of such a story either, since it’s so obvious. To send his daughter to marry and then assassinate her husband. Based on what you’re telling me, it seems the Count was already found out to have been killed.”
Well.
Witches often withhold information. Since it hadn’t been publicly announced, the witch’s apprentice either extracted the information from a friend at the magic tower or invaded and found out herself.
If it was said that he died from poison that was hard to trace, the witch’s apprentice probably had a more reliable method of confirming this information than the magic tower’s methods.
It’s a place where eccentric scholars interested only in research gather, so it’s likely that only they know.
“There’s enough possibility for it to be announced as an accidental death or sudden death.”
“You knew that it wasn’t just an accident, didn’t you?”
Ayla chuckled dismissively, and I closed my mouth again.
“Well, fine. Since I can’t do anything here anyway, let’s assume for now that the information is ‘true.’”
Ayla smiled and said.
“Then, what do you plan to do with the Baron? Are you going to seek revenge?”
Revenge on the Baron for the Count?
No.
If I were to take revenge, it would be for Ayla.
The Baron wasn’t originally my target for revenge. Even if I completely changed Ayla’s appearance to someone else’s, making too many enemies would be troublesome.
But, speaking of emotions, it’s not exactly pleasant. No, it might be closer to a feeling of hatred.
Even though I have noble blood, I’ve lived as a commoner who’s been tossed around by the nobles.
“I think taking revenge would be safer.”
“Safer, you say?”
“Yes. At least, it would avoid suspicion that Ayla-nim was involved in the Count’s death.”
At least on paper, it would.
But in a world where betrayal runs rampant, I wouldn’t take things lightly. At first, it might look like the Baron was going to take over the Count’s estate, only to be betrayed and taken over again by the daughter.
People who act all noble, but in reality, are no different from the street urchins rolling in the stagnant rainwater.
“If Ayla-nim feels a sense of affection toward her father, the Baron…”
“That’s not the case.”
Ayla shook her head.
During my time with Ayla, I had never heard about her mother.
It’s certain that she was a commoner. I only wondered if she was as lowborn as my mother.
Since I never saw Ayla’s mother after meeting Ayla, she had either died long ago or had been taken away when Ayla was young.
It wasn’t uncommon for nobles not to feel affection for their parents.
“However…”
Ayla stared at me silently and said,
“Once you take revenge, that’s when I’ll truly step into the noble society.”
“Do you really think someone like the Countess wouldn’t understand that?”
“Ayla-nim.”
“I’ve also thought about wanting to leave here in my own way. You’ve probably sensed that, haven’t you?”
“More than anything, once I’ve entered noble society like that… you, who dragged me in, might just be satisfied with the revenge and run away. If that happens, I’ll end up being the one who’s left out.”
“Ayla-nim…”
I raised my hand and gently grasped the choke around my neck.
With the choke pressed tightly against my neck, there wasn’t even enough space to fit a single finger.
“As long as this is here, if I make such a choice, I’ll die.”
“Ha.”
Still, seemingly not fully believing me, Ayla let out a laugh.
Well.
Even if it sounds like a lie, it doesn’t matter.
Who would ask for a curse on themselves, saying they’ll die if they don’t follow orders, while professing loyalty to someone?
If there’s such a person, they would surely be someone out of their mind.
I had known about this side of me for a long time.
“Luna!”
As we left the drawing room, Seila, who had been in the lobby, ran toward me.
She was still wearing her flower crown.
Did she wait outside because she didn’t want to enter the same place as Ayla?
I wonder if she’s still holding onto Ayla’s words about being ‘somewhat’ close.
She’s the Count’s daughter after all. While she may have been neglected, the other servants wouldn’t have been saying anything bad about her appearance.
She has probably only heard compliments about being pretty and well-suited her whole life, so she could get upset at any vague praise.
She’s still just an ordinary noble’s daughter.
I evaluated her as such, looking at Seila.
“How is it? Does it suit me? Does it suit me?”
The witch, Daisy, who had followed me, was smiling bitterly. Despite her young face, there was something oddly grandmotherly about her expression. Was that just my imagination?
She must have asked the surrounding servants a few times.
“Of course, Seila.”
“I’m cute, right?”
“Yes, very cute.”
“Right? Right?”
Seila said that and then grabbed the hem of my skirt.
Then she tilted her head slightly, sticking out her tongue at Ayla.
Since Seila was tightly holding onto my skirt, if I suddenly spun around, the frail young lady might fall.
Turning my head as much as I could, I glanced back. Ayla was looking at me with a complicated expression.
‘Did they really make up?’
That was the question her face seemed to ask.
Of course not.
Children can forgive easily, but they can also stubbornly continue to dislike someone they’ve once hated.
It would take time, slowly, to become friends.
Ayla herself still found Seila awkward.
This wasn’t just about mutual comfort or convenience. For Ayla to truly become the legitimate Countess who avenged the Count’s death, she had to be Seila’s mother.
Only then would Ayla finally be safe.
I looked down at Seila.
She was still poking her head out from beside me and glaring at Ayla.
But somehow, her expression seemed a little less tense.
At least, that seemed to mean there was some hope.
It seemed like neither of them had realized this yet.