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Chapter : 19
“Well, isn’t it fine? If it’s an enemy we have to get rid of anyway, smashing a bunch of them at once can feel pretty good.”
Louis thought Raiden would scold him, but instead, Raiden nervously licked his lower lip and replied bluntly,
“It’s not just important to me, that’s why.”
Louis went quiet in surprise.
‘What? Since when is he so soft…?’
Suddenly, he thought of someone: a beautiful woman with honey-blonde hair and blue eyes like the sea. Was it because of her?
He swallowed and was about to speak, but Raiden interrupted first.
“Enough useless talk. Continue your report.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Just like that, Raiden turned cold again, as if he’d never softened at all. Louis glanced at him, then focused on the papers in his hand.
A few days before the debt contract’s due date, Anna received a letter.
“Baroness Vestin invited me to visit.”
Lucy, who was sorting Anna’s old bonnets, chimed in.
“Isn’t Baroness Vestin the lady who taught your mother embroidery?”
“That’s right. She was like a real mother to my mom, and to me too.”
“Her son is the baron now, but he still isn’t married. Not surprising, considering his personality.”
Lucy frowned, clearly remembering her bad impression of the baron.
“That’s why, even though she’s old, she’s still called Baroness.”
Anna smiled sadly and folded the letter. It had been a long time since she visited—almost half a year, ever since the trouble with her father’s debt and the missing estate manager.
“I should go this time. Lucy, bring the silk I set aside.”
“Yes, miss.”
Anna took her prepared gift and set out. The letter had said she was welcome any time, so she went that very day. The Vestin house was in a quiet village near the capital, and the baroness greeted Anna with a happy face at the entrance.
“Alianna!”
“Teacher!”
Anna quickly hugged her. The baroness’s white, fluffy hair tickled her nose. Anna soaked in her warm scent and felt comforted. When she was a child, she used to sit between her mother and this lady as they did embroidery, moving from lap to lap and getting lots of affection.
“Come inside, dear.”
“Yes.”
They sat together in a small but tidy drawing room. A young maid served them tea, but her hands shook nervously.
“You didn’t need to bring this.”
“It’s silk from the desert tribes. It’s beautiful, so I thought you’d like it.”
“My, it’s so fine and lovely.”
The baroness’s wrinkled face glowed. Anna smiled, took a sip of tea, and made a face.
‘The tea tastes odd…’
Suddenly, the door slammed open and Baron Vestin entered. He glanced around the room and exchanged looks with the maid, then smirked.
“I didn’t expect we’d really get a guest.”
Baroness Vestin stood up, putting down the cloth.
“James! How rude!”
He ignored his mother and looked Anna up and down.
“So, the Countess of Evercline is here.”
“…It’s been a while, Baron Vestin.”
Anna forced a smile and greeted him. He scoffed.
“You must be too busy to visit just for fun…”
“Huh?”
Anna looked confused but then realized:
‘He must have heard the rumors about Evercline being in trouble.’
The baron glared at her like she was a beggar coming for money. Anna just felt sad for her beloved teacher’s foolish son.
‘When he wanted my favor, he acted so friendly…’
She didn’t care about impressing him. If he had good connections, he’d know that the Marcus family was helping and things were getting better for Evercline.
‘No need to tell him anything.’
She had no interest in such a shallow man, and wouldn’t even talk to him if he wasn’t the baroness’s son. Anna just felt sorry the reunion had to end so quickly.
The baron said arrogantly,
“The sun is about to set. Maybe you should leave soon.”
“James!”
His mother scolded, but he didn’t care. Anna quickly calmed the baroness.
“It’s fine, teacher. I wasn’t feeling well anyway, so I was about to leave. I’ll come again another time.”
“But you just got here… I wish you’d stay for dinner.”
The baroness looked disappointed. Her son just coughed loudly, not caring.
“At least finish your tea before you go.”
“…Alright.”
Because the baroness looked so sad, Anna sat down again. She sipped her tea quickly, wanting to leave. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the baron smirk.
“What’s…?”
The baroness seemed to notice the strange taste too and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. The baron’s face turned red. He glared at the young maid, who turned pale and shook with fear.
“Mother! Why do you insist on keeping guests? Ugh!”
The baron glanced at Anna and rushed out of the room. The two women stared in shock.
“Oh…”
Anna realized the baron had messed with her tea—and even his mother’s tea, too. She got angry, not because of herself, but because—
‘How embarrassed the baroness must feel if she finds out.’
Anna glanced at her, and the baroness looked down, ashamed. Anna gently patted her trembling hand.
“Don’t worry. I’m happy just to see you.”
“I’m so sorry, dear. I know things have been hard for you lately…”
The baroness nearly cried. Anna quickly hugged her.
“It’s alright, teacher. I’m okay now. That’s all in the past.”
“Really…?”
The baroness stared, and Anna smiled, wondering if she should mention Raiden.
‘She does know about him, but… if people talk behind my back, she might not like it.’
So Anna just spoke in general terms.
“A good person helped me. The family’s debts are nearly paid, and everything’s back to normal. So please don’t worry.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
The baroness looked so happy. Anna sighed inside, thinking how someone so kind could have such a greedy child.
The baroness took something from her pocket and spoke.
“I heard things were hard for you… so I thought you might need this. That’s why I invited you, even though I knew you’d be busy.”
“What is it?”
Anna looked at her hands with curiosity. The baroness handed her a folded piece of paper.
“It’s the contact information for a friend of your mother’s.”
“…My mother’s friend?”
Anna was shocked. She stared at the paper. She had never met a friend of her mother’s, not even once before.
“Before you were born, she would visit sometimes. I happened to be at the Evercline house when she came, so I met her once.”
“She was a very smart woman. As you know, your mother’s family was noble from the Hoven Kingdom. That’s why you visited there often as a child.”
Anna nodded; she knew her mother loved her homeland, but after the family was killed in the civil war, she stopped going back.
“In that kingdom, women can inherit titles. I remember her friend was being trained as an heir, so maybe that’s why you didn’t see her much.”
“I see…”
Anna played with the paper in her hand.
“After your mother died, I remembered that friend and sent a letter to the address I had. About a month later, she replied—thanking me for telling her about your mother’s passing.”
