Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Young Lady, it’s so… it hurts so much.”

Cassius murmured pitifully, clutching the blood-dripping dagger tightly. Seeing the scene in front of me, I was able to confirm one fact again.

Even if he does insane things like this, his eyes are still ecstatic.

His pale, tired face only made his beauty stand out more.

But, this man was a bastard who, as soon as he saw the lovely Ophelia, would go blind and slaughter our family. If I had not come up with the genius idea of ​​filling a pond, I would already be in a terrible situation.

“Sniff…”

The situation in which he stabbed himself in the chest and ended up dying was quite funny, but I should never laugh.

‘If I bring Cassius in, undoubtedly, he will be treated formally in the mansion.’

My parents would never miss the opportunity to heal the heir of Duke Brudenell.

‘It would be already too late by then. No matter how hard I try, Cassius will eventually meet Ophelia…’

That was the flow of the original novel.

Even if the irreversible river water is blocked and turned into a dam, it will collapse in an instant due to a small crack.

And, the two will be destined to be drawn to each other by fate.

Perhaps Ophelia is such a good heroine that she will try to save this person herself.

After that…

Well, it is obvious even if I do not say it.

To be honest, I wanted to kill Cassius in this state. He has already been fatally wounded by wielding a knife at himself.

So, even if I had never received proper training as a knight, it would still be easy to kill him with just a single blow.

However, if I murder the heir of the Duke of Brudenell, I have no clue what kind of wrath may come upon me.

“…”

I bit my lip tightly.

In the meantime, it seems like this angel-faced demon is forcing me to nurse him—Just like Ophelia in the original novel!

Still, there was only one place I could possibly hide him.

The basement.

When it comes to aristocratic mansions, it seems that there are many secret passages and many secret spaces, regardless, in the end, the reality is reality and the novel is just a novel.

The County has over a hundred employees, and it would be clean every day so the entire space was shining brightly. The many warehouses and attics were no exception.

Except for one place, the basement.

It was because of my mother’s strict orders. She said, ‘The employees in our family are busy. There is no need to manage the place where that lowly thing stays.’

So, no employees had access to the basement where Ophelia was living.

Strictly speaking, the visit itself was not prohibited, but no one dares to visit because Ophelia was being bullied openly in our family. Therefore, if Cassius Brudenell is safely transported to the basement, he will be able to heal the wound without anyone noticing.

This fact is certain, as it has already been verified in the original.

Ophelia had nursed Cassius in the basement for over a week, but she had never been caught.

The problem was that the basement was Ophelia’s room.

It is the room where Ophelia stays, who should never be confronted by this person at all costs.

‘But now, it should be around the time for her to hang around the maids…’

As Ophelia was not a maid, she did not have to take on the maids’ work. However, the child was so nice and lonely that she tried to hang out with the maids from time to time.

Naturally, the majority of the maids ignored Ophelia. Some even laughed out loud and even took advantage of her, such as making her do the housework for them instead.

‘Right now, I’m certain she must be doing the laundry.’

Although I tried to tell Ophelia not to do it so many times, I was frustrated because she would not listen to me, but I was grateful at this time. Because now, I am able to support Cassius Brudenell and move him to the basement without anyone noticing.

As soon as I entered the basement, a musty moisture rose.

The tent, more like a rag than a door, was lifted, revealing Ophelia’s room.

It was as if she picked up a bunch of useless junk that no one wants, so there were not many open areas.

Cassius frowned as soon as he saw a glimpse of the room.

“This is… Is this Young Lady’s room…?

Just as I was about to say no, I paused.

‘If I say no, he will definitely ask whose room it is.’

So, shouldn’t I say this is my half-sister, Ophelia’s room…? No… It would be a big deal if this crazy person fell for Ophelia because she is pretty.

“Yes. It is my secret place.”

I muttered softly as I shoved Cassius inside Ophelia’s room.

“It is an honor, sharing a secret with the Young Lady.”

“…”

I do not even want to answer his words.

I clenched my teeth and glanced around the room.

What Ophelia would care about…

‘This is the only thing.’

Seeing it, I picked up a fishbowl with the turtle and what looks to be its food. Ophelia decorated the fishbowl with so much care that the turtle looked happier than when it was in the pond.

“Lie down for a second. I will bring you some medicine.”

I heard Cassius mumble a little, but I ignored him and hurried out of the basement.

There are many things that I need to do right now.

Fortunately, finding Ophelia was not difficult.

“Sister, what is the matter?”

She was overjoyed, perhaps happy just to see me as she painted her face with a smile, brightly like the sun.

“You, move your room.”

“Yes…?

Ophelia’s amethyst eyes widened.

“I am going to have to use it for a bit. From now on, that is my space, so do not even go close.”

Ophelia did not even utter a single question with my excuse. To be honest, even if there was no reason, Ophelia would still obey my words unconditionally.

“Well, I will just go and get my things. Where should I move to?”

“Are you going to cuddle with such garbage, and dirty the room next to me?”

Fortunately, the room next to me had been empty for a long time. It also happens to be a convenient location to monitor Ophelia.

Since the unsettling variable, Cassius Brudenell, has emerged, I will be a little relieved if Ophelia moves her room to a place where I can always check.

“I will take care of the garbage. Your turtle is here, so you can just move now.”

“Sister…”

Hugging her fishbowl tightly, Ophelia gazed at me with her tearful eyes.

‘….’

I swallowed dry saliva.

Even if I said it was for Ophelia’s safety, every time I behaved like this, I would always feel uncomfortable.

No matter how dirty it may seem to other people’s eyes, I know the effort that Ophelia put into decorating that space. It must be heartbreaking for her to think that I would throw away all the things she had already attached to me.

“Really… I am so grateful…”

Uh, yeah…?

At her words, I stared at Ophelia with my mouth wide open in surprise.

She was not grieving. Rather, Ophelia’s face is filled with emotion, showing that she is so moved that she does not know what to do.

“It is like a dream to be next door to my sister!”

***

I went back to the basement with an armful of medicine and bandages.

Ophelia was so ecstatic to be using the room next to me, her eyes glistened and were rejoicing purely.

‘I should have moved her room sooner.’

The guilt crawled into my chest.

The reason I have not moved Ophelia’s room until now…

Simply put, it was because I was busy—finding a way not to ruin all our lives!

Nonetheless, moving Ophelia’s room was rather easy. Every word I say, every word I told her, completely changed the child’s world.

‘Stop thinking about useless things. I am Evelyn Garneid.’

I gave myself a big scolding inwardly.

If Ophelia was the unfortunate female lead, I was an extra destined to be horribly murdered by the male protagonist.

‘Who is worried about who, now?’

Finally, as I reached the basement, I pushed aside the tattered tent.

The bloody smell wafted through the poorly hemostatic wound pierced my nose horribly, as if the blood had not yet stopped.

“…Ugh.”

I did not hide my earthenware.

“You are here, Young Lady.”

Cassius, lying on the pile of cloth, called me in a languid voice.

No, let me correct it.

Cassius called me in a dying voice.

However, there seemed to be a correction in the main character’s voice, because even a single word spoken from him sounded like a seductive pheromone scattering line.

Sitting next to him, I poured out all the medicine.

Cassius murmured in a low voice.

“I have never been in so much pain in my life.”

I pressed down on a scoffing.

He stabbed himself in the chest with his own hands. What is he talking about?

“At that time, thankfully, the Young Lady was there. I don’t know much about what was going on.”

The question, ‘What are you talking about?’ came all the way up my throat Cassius confirmed my presence before stabbing himself in the chest. So, it only means that even the current situation has been calculated.

But, I could not get the question out of my mouth.

The opponent is Cassius Brudenell, who has mercilessly killed countless people. It would be suicidal to offend him by saying something nonsensical.

So, instead of answering, I picked up the medicine and approached him cautiously.

His shirt, which must have been gray at first, was completely soaked in blood. Nevertheless, I had no intention of taking care of him with the utmost sincerity like Ophelia.

Making up my mind, I mercilessly put the medicine on the bloody wound.

Pak!

His feet lifted up, startled.

I know because I have actually used it before. This medicine, even when gently applied, is already quite painful.

So, if you apply it roughly, the pain would be as painful as being stabbed several times with a knife.

“Ah…”

A moan escaped Cassius’ mouth.

“Oh, it hurts…”

“Please hold on. It will be over soon.”

“Could you apply it with a light hand?”

I snorted.

“The Duke stabbed himself in the chest, so I thought you would be able to endure this much pain.”

“A woman’s gentle touch is always welcome.”

Cassius replied in a soft voice.

His voice was so bewitching that it seemed to melt in my ear.

“You are misunderstanding something. A woman’s touch is like this—”

Huh. Am I the woman, or are you the woman here?

Pak! Pak!

I drugged Cassius’ wounds almost as if I were mopping.