CH 29

Indeed, the two maids could no longer say that they were unfair. So Blanche went back to the castle alone.

The two maids, failing to catch up to her, turned the arrows of their wrath on Roxanne.

“It’s all your fault! Take responsibility, Roxanne!”

“Right. You said it was fun! How can this be fun?! We’re going to get fired from the castle without a letter of recommendation!”

Blanche no longer cared about what was going on behind her.

Needless to say, it was a fact of what Roxanne became. Besides, Giacomo’s disposal was now a priority.

‘I tried to kill you quietly, but things got annoying.’

Of course, it was unlikely that Blanche would be blamed for the murder of Giacomo. But there was a conversation between the Count and Giacomo that just came.

If Giacomo dies at this rate, Blanche may become Countess Mariette’s maid.

Either way, it’ll be hard for her to escape the castle with Ricardo.

‘I’d rather break Giacomo’s leg. If his legs are broken, he won’t be able to go to the dungeon no matter what.’

But thinking back, Blanche, who became Giacomo’s exclusive maid, was annoyed.

‘I don’t want to carry Giacomo’s bottles all day. Is there an easy way to get rid of Giacomo’s legs?’

Blanche’s morality error was still alive today.

* * *

Returning to the castle, Blanche was immediately summoned by the maid.

The maid was a woman in her forties who looked strict. She gave direct precautions to Blanche, who came to work in her nature.

Most of the instructions were about how not to offend the high ranking aristocrats.

After finishing her guidance, the maid had a light chat with her.

“You’re lucky. Irene. No one will pick a fight with you for nothing now. Since Giacomo is the Count’s right-hand man. Besides, he’s not interested in women. It means that he is the best master for a maid like us.”

[T/N: This almost confirms what he did to Ricardo. I’m still hoping it’s not though.TT]

“…….”

“Moreover, he is well aware of the hardships of his subordinates who serve their superior, whom he was not fond of because of his seemingly long life. You don’t know, but if you serve a person like Master Giacomo, other superiors are bound to argue with their exclusive servants.”

“Yes.”

In response to Blanche’s blunt answer, the maid smiled warmly.

“I like it that you don’t talk much. That’s good. Stay silent like that in the future. Oh yeah. Who is your best friend among the temporary maids who came in this time? It would be better if you could tell me the names of the two.”

Blanche noticed that the maid was trying to fill the vacancies of maids 1 and 2. In an instant, Agat and Phoebe’s faces flickered in front of her eyes. But she quietly shook her head.

Because Blanche wasn’t going to settle in this castle. What’s more, if she succeeds in her escape with Ricardo, she might endanger the two girls if they’re considered to be Blanche’s friends.

Blanche was determined to keep a distance between the two girls in the future.

“None. I have no friends.”

“Really? Then I’ll decide that for you then. You can go.”

* * *

A solitary cell in a dungeon where neither the sunrise nor the moon could be seen.

Inside, Ricardo lay quietly on the old bed, staring at the old lamp on the floor.

[Edith’s Lamp] illuminated the surroundings without using special abilities.

Ricardo felt a sense of relief just by the fact that his surroundings had become brighter. So he could afford to keep an eye on the iron gates of the closed dungeon.

‘Will Blanche come again today?’

The door that Giacomo always opened and entered.

As soon as the door opened and thought that Blanche would come in, hope swelled in Ricardo’s heart.

‘I hope the Count’s wedding day comes sooner. I want to return with Blanche to Digitalis as soon as possible.’

Blanche’s figure flashed in his eyelids.

Red hair that shone brightly in the dark and fresh green eyes.

A neat voice that calms the heart just by hearing it.

Without realizing it, Ricardo’s face was painted red.

‘Blanche… She said it hasn’t been long since her birthday, is she seeing a man right now? No, I’m sure there must be.’

He was a boy who had always dreamed of becoming an adult as soon as possible, but now Ricardo has a reason to become an adult faster.

He pouted his lips involuntarily and was dissatisfied as he stared at his skinny wrists while imprisoned.

“You’ll see. When I grow up, I will become a wonderful man just like my father.”

That was then. Like a bomb igniting a fuse, Ricardo naturally recalled Giacomo’s disgusting moan.

With shoulder trembling, he dug into the soft blanket that Blanche had given him. But the shaking never stopped. Besides, he could even hear them in hallucinations now.

Giacomo’s voice echoed in Ricardo’s ear with a damp breath. He called Ricardo Illia all the time.

‘Illia! Look at me! Look straight at me with those pretty eyes! It feels good right? Huh?’

Ricardo’s blood turned cold at the terrible memory. Ricardo was finally able to regain his composure only after activating the magic enchanted by [Edith’s Lamp].

Looking at the colorful lanterns that filled the cell, he repeated Blanche’s name like he was casting a spell.

“Blanche, Blanche, Blanche…”

The presence of Blanche who will soon open that door and come to rescue him from the darkness again.

Relying on that one, Ricardo survived the living hell today.

* * *

The Count’s wedding was five days away and was scheduled in the morning. Blanche, who had gone to attend to Giacomo, met Mariette out of nowhere.

It was because Mariette’s hysteria ahead of her unwanted marriage could not be tolerated and her five maids resigned overnight. Mariette appealed to the Count this morning in tears, because her wedding was approaching without a maid.

Count Juan immediately sent someone to the surrounding estates to find someone to use as her maid. Because he always wanted his trophy to shine brightly. But it was obvious that he would have a hard time finding one for Mariette.

No one except the Fallen Nobility would serve the Countess of Juan, who had nothing but money.

For this reason, the Count entrusted Blanche to relieve Mariette’s mood.

It was because Blanche had a hideous burn scar that contrasted with Mariette’s beauty. So, many times Blanche stood before Mariette with her chief maid.

As soon as Mariette met Blanche, she was terrified and fed up.

“It’s terrible! Maid? What is this? Is this a person? Isn’t that a legendary monster?”

The maid bowed her head.

“Lady Mariette. This child’s name is Irene, and the Count has sent her to ease the mood of the lady.”

“The Count? But when I look at the girl’s face and then in the mirror, I am reminded of how beautiful I am. Hey, you.”

“It’s Irene. Lady Mariette.”

Mariette clicked her tongue. She did not recognize her twin sister.

“Who wants to know your name? All I want is your face! Come on, stand here by my vanity. So that I can see you and my face in the mirror alternately. And don’t say a word. Because I don’t want to hear your strange voice. Now, chief maid. Comb my hair with this pearl-studded ivory comb. If my ivory comb and my hair gets damaged I won’t let it go.”

The maid and Blanche quietly followed Mariette’s orders. However, that alone could not stop Mariette from accusing her.

Of course she got mad because her hair was not done as she wanted.

Even though it was impossible to decorate braided hair with fresh flowers in the middle of winter.

Mariette grumbled at the maid, asking her to bring her a pearl pin from the cabinet immediately.

The maid smirked and shook her head.

“Sorry. Lady. The Count’s treasure is not something I dare touch.”

Mariette clenched her fists that were on her lap, contorting her pretty face.

“Anyway, I don’t like everything about this castle! The cold, gloomy and rustic things make me annoyed to death, but now I’m the star of this place!”

She twisted her body as she yelled at her chief maid.

“Go and tell the Count that I want to see him. Right now!”

“Yes. Lady.”

The maid left Mariette’s bedroom, leaving Blanche with eyes that seemed to say to ‘take care of yourself’.

Mariette’s gaze, who was alone with her, slid on Blanche. But her sharp eyes soon softened.

Because she remembered Mariette’s lovely face compared to the Blanche in disguise inside the mirror on the vanity.

Mariette groaned.

“Now the feeling of messed up things is starting to subside. Bad things. I’ve been so nice to you, will you leave me and go back to the capital on your own?”

“…….”

In an instant, the eyes of Mariette and Blanche in the mirror met. Mariette laughed softly.

“By the way, you also have red hair and green eyes.”

With her pink gums lit up, Mariette was horrified like a monster from a fairy tale.

“Yes. What do you think? Aren’t I really beautiful?”

“Yes.”

“Is that it? Don’t you have anything else to say?”

Blanche quietly lowered his eyes.

“Sorry. Lady. As you can see, I’m ugly and I don’t talk to people, so I’m not very good at speaking.”

“Yes, it does seem like that. Hmph.”

Suddenly, Mariette stood up.

“Wait here. No, follow me. I want to show that no one is in the room when Count Juan arrives. Then they will know that I am more valuable now.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Afterwards, Mariette leapt across the hallway and opened the door of one of the guest rooms without hesitation.

“Alphonse!”

Alphonse, who was using the table in the guest room as a desk, raised his head, startled by the sudden visit of his sister.

While studying with thick books scattered here and there, he was surprised once by Mariette’s visit and twice by Blanche’s makeup.

“Oh my God! Sister! Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me while I was studying? What, who’s behind you?”

At Alphonse’s wide-eyed eyes, Mariette’s nose rose.

“What do you think? Between us two, don’t I look prettier? Look carefully. Alphonse. This one also has the same red hair as us and green eyes.”

If Blanche hadn’t run away, Alphonse might have responded to Mariette’s words as well.

The ten-year-old boy could not agree with Mariette, even when he thought of Blanche. Alphonse was fine.

“Sister Mariette. You know what’s weird these days? I don’t think your personality was this bad when sister Blanche was here.”