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Chapter 22
Unable to endure her persistent stare any longer, Wesley tried to rise from his seat.
“If you have nothing to say, then please leave.”
Helena suddenly grabbed Wesley’s arm.
She asked sharply,
“What are you hiding?”
At her words, Wesley turned out both of his trouser pockets for her to see. There was nothing inside except a few coins.
“As you can see, I’m not hiding anything. What is it you want to ask?”
Helena realized that Wesley wouldn’t give up anything willingly.
So, just as she had done when coaxing the former head servant, she decided to toss out some bait.
“Wesley, let’s get to the point. Come back to the count’s estate. The Ispern household needs you.”
At her words, Wesley’s expression stiffened.
“Has something happened to Count Ispern?”
There was unmistakable concern in his urgent voice.
‘Wow. Look at that.’
It seemed there really was something between this former steward and Benjamin.
Helena deliberately answered vaguely.
“Well, you could say something happened… or maybe not.”
With a rigid face, Wesley asked,
“Has he passed away?”
Helena’s mouth fell open.
“No! He’s not dead!”
At her reply, Wesley let out a visible sigh of relief.
“That’s good to hear.”
Then, looking at Helena with wary eyes, he said,
“You’re lying to me, miss.”
“…?”
“Your claim that you came from the Ispern estate, and that you intend to take me back there—it all sounds like lies. What is your real purpose in seeking me out?”
“No, it’s all true?”
Helena pointed at Aaron, who was standing behind her with his arms crossed.
“You don’t recognize him? That man is Count Ispern’s right hand—Sir Aaron Nix!”
Aaron nodded agreeably, then suddenly felt something was off.
‘Isn’t it usually called ‘right arm’ in situations like this…?’
Wesley frowned and asked,
“Fine, let’s say that knight serves the count. Then what are you?”
This time, Helena was flustered.
“Me…?”
She paused, thinking, then spoke.
“You could say we share the same bed.”
At her words, Wesley looked as though his eyes were about to pop out, while Aaron buried his face in both hands.
After a moment of stunned silence, Wesley sprang to his feet.
“That’s—enough! None of this matters anymore. Everything ended five years ago. No—long before that, it was already decided that things would turn out this way.”
Helena’s mouth fell open.
‘Wow. This guy knows something. The events from five years ago—and even before that… all of it!’
Seeing her expression, Wesley realized he’d said more than he should have in his panic.
He ran both hands roughly through his hair and groaned.
Then he spoke one last time.
“The Ispern count’s family is cursed. That’s enough. It’s all over. I will never return there.”
Helena looked at him and broke into a wide smile.
“No, Wesley. I guarantee it. You’re going back to the Ispern estate—with me.”
“…That’s ridiculous…!”
Wesley stared at Helena for a moment, then shuddered violently before turning and leaving.
Considering Helena’s physical condition, returning immediately was out of the question. So she and Aaron found a reasonably clean inn, stabled their horses, and unpacked their belongings.
Helena, now with her fake mustache removed, asked Aaron as he brought in a tray of food.
“Sir Aaron, the count’s right hand.”
“…Yes, Lady Heren.”
“You met Benjamin while working as a mercenary, didn’t you? How long have you known him?”
“About ten years. The count turned someone who was barely more than a greenhorn into a man.”
“Then tell me—what happened at the count’s castle five years ago?”
As Aaron carefully set the meal before her, he replied cautiously.
“I don’t know. If you’re curious, you should ask the count directly.”
Helena glared at him irritably before speaking.
“The lodging here is quite expensive. I might decide not to approve it as an expense.”
“…If I’m to explain what happened five years ago, I suppose I should start with my relationship with the count.”
“Go on.”
“When I was still with the mercenary corps, I knew nothing about Lord Benjamin’s origins. Back then, he never spoke about his background at all.”
As she listened, Helena tore off a piece of bread and dipped it into the steaming soup.
“The change began around that time. Six years ago, do you know about the appearance of the monsters of the White Sea in a region called Arlia, in the eastern part of the empire?”
The White Sea was the monster-infested sea to the east of the empire. Arlia was a coastal region bordering it.
“Oh, of course I know. How could I not? Wasn’t there some kind of squid monster involved?”
“A kraken. For years, Arlia had performed a ritual offering a hundred living sacrifices annually to appease it—but that year, they didn’t.”
Holding his soup bowl, Aaron continued in a pensive tone.
“They believed the ritual prevented disasters, but despite sacrificing so many lives, attacks by merfolk on fishing boats and small villages kept increasing.”
“Those monsters had no sense of business ethics.”
“So they decided it would be better not to offer sacrifices at all. And once they stopped, a deep-sea monster appeared.”
Aaron shook his head.
“The kraken is a monster that summons tidal waves. Half of Arlia was submerged, and the merfolk took over the city. Monsters that had risen from the depths and tasted blood after a long time went on a violent rampage.”
As if the story had killed his appetite, he set the soup bowl down.
“Countless knight orders and mercenary bands gathered in Arlia to subdue the monsters. The Arca Mercenary Corps, which the count and I belonged to, was among them. Lord Benjamin distinguished himself repeatedly in that war—and in the end, he slew the kraken.”
Helena couldn’t believe it.
“Benjamin… killed the squid monster?”
“Yes!”
Aaron nodded proudly.
Something felt off to Helena.
‘I heard about what happened in Arlia too. The monsters of the White Sea invading the continent was no small matter. Come to think of it, there were rumors that some mercenary group had defeated them.’
According to her memory, the capital had held countless victory celebrations at the time.
She remembered people throwing grain-filled sacks to burst squid-shaped paper balloons, and jesters wearing squid masks roaming banquet halls.
Even now, squid remained a symbol of fear and revulsion in the capital—proof of just how major the Arlia invasion had been.
‘Then why didn’t Benjamin come to the capital?’
With such achievements, he should have received proper rewards—titles, medals, something.
Helena asked,
“What did Benjamin receive for his service?”
Aaron answered proudly.
“The lord of Arlia granted him a monetary reward.”
‘That’s it?’
Something didn’t sit right, but since Aaron continued speaking, Helena let it slide for now.
“After earning great merit in Arlia, Lord Benjamin was granted leave. And then…”
Aaron’s expression darkened.
“After some time passed, strange rumors reached the mercenary corps. That everyone in the Ispern count’s household of Burwood had died—and that Lord Benjamin had become the new Count Ispern.”
Helena forgot to eat and stared at Aaron’s mouth.
“We thought it was just a rumor, but felt we needed to confirm it. So we came to the count’s castle, and…”
Aaron shrugged.
“As you know, all that remained was a burned-out ruin—and Lord Benjamin alone. The castle’s servants had all fled.”
Helena looked down at her soup bowl.
The bread she had torn into it had swollen and turned soggy, making it unappetizing.
She asked quietly,
“What do you think happened during those few days?”
Aaron shrugged again.
“I don’t know. There are all kinds of rumors, but I don’t believe them.”
“Then what do you believe, Sir Aaron?”
“I believe in Lord Benjamin.”
Helena looked at him with pity.
‘Even if there’s nothing else in the world to trust… still.’
Seeing her nearly untouched soup, Aaron scolded her.
“Lady Helena, eat more. You’ve barely eaten anything today. We’re returning to the castle tomorrow—you won’t make it on this.”
Lost in thought, Helena suddenly jumped to her feet and reattached her fake mustache.
“No. This isn’t the time to sit around eating soup.”
“Then what is?”
“I need to find out more. About that man—Wesley.”
Helena grabbed her outerwear and stormed out of the inn.
Aaron hurried after her.
“Lady Helena, what on earth are you doing…!”
“It’s Heren.”
“Yes, Lady Heren. Where exactly are you going to investigate…?”
At that moment, Helena waved at someone.
An explosive, enthusiastic reaction followed.
“Ooooooh, young master!”
