CATBP~63

Chapter 63

“How could I possibly forget the one who dared to disparage the late Duke as an evil man and spoke such words to the young master?”

The backs of her hands, neatly folded on her lap, turned deathly pale.

“The young master’s voice, choking up as he asked me if it was true, still often comes to my mind.”

Anger had taken deep root in Bell’s hazel eyes.

“You said you were curious about who uttered such nonsense to the young master?”

I silently stared at Bell.

As if she hadn’t expected an answer, she soon opened her mouth.

“It was Dion.”

“……!”

“Since you’ve learned various things from him as well, Madam, you must know him well. He’s the Duke’s long-time aide, so it was so frustrating that I couldn’t lay a hand on him easily.”

Bell clicked her tongue as if angered by the memory, then grabbed my hand.

“But you can do it, Madam! You are the Duchess, and you are loved by the Duke.”

Understanding why she was smiling so cheerfully, I pulled my hand free.

‘…Dion.’

It felt like a dull hammer had struck my head. Feeling dizzy, I tightly closed my eyes before looking straight at Bell.

“Why did you move?”

“Move? I have never moved even once.”

Her reaction, indicating she didn’t know what I was talking about, made my lips feel parched.

“…Do you know about Level Village?”

“Level Village? No. Which region is that village in?”

So she doesn’t know. I pressed hard on my eyes and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, everything that had happened so far flashed before my eyes like a panorama.

That Dion had been at the forefront of selecting Cana as Faye’s nanny, the look in Dion’s eyes as he watched Faye on that rainy day, why Bell’s reply hadn’t come until now, and that it was Dion who had given me Bell’s address.

I had trusted Dion too much.

‘Could it be that he was also behind the attempt to kill Faye this time?’

Gritting my teeth, I stood up.

‘Dion was left back at the mansion.’

The thought of Faye and Dion being in the same space sent shivers down my spine.

“I should be going now.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Bell stopped me.

“I apologize for what I did to you in the past.”

I was so taken aback, having never even imagined receiving an apology from her, that my mouth hung open.

“Blinded by jealousy, trying to frame you as a thief who stole the jewels, and all that foolish talk I claimed was sincere advice—all of it.”

“Why suddenly?”

“Even from afar, I heard that you obtained a holy relic for the young master and declared you would not have a child. I realized that you are not someone who would betray the young master, at the very least.”

I hadn’t expected that news would reach Bell’s ears. Someone who once showed me hostility was now acknowledging me. It felt unreal, and I was just beginning to feel a bit strange when—

“Madam, I earnestly request you to take good care of the young master. Please protect him. I entrust him to you, to keep him safe from the Duke and his aides until he becomes strong enough.”

Instantly, the inside of my mouth felt as gritty as if I had chewed sand.

‘Bell.’

You haven’ changed, neither then nor now.

“I am Faye’s aunt. It’s only natural that I protect Faye. And Lucas is Faye’s uncle.”

He was not someone who would endanger Faye, but someone who would protect him.

“Madam.”

Bell called me, sounding frustrated.

“Bell. I am not your Madam.”

“…….”

“And Faye is no longer your young master. I want you to address us correctly.”

I turned my back on Bell.

From this moment on, I would never come here again of my own accord.

***

His room, which he had used for over 20 years, was as neat as a new one, reflecting Dion’s personality. He meticulously inspected his quarters as if they belonged to someone who would never return.

After wandering around every corner of the room for a long time, he turned his attention to his own bed.

When he was still in his mid-to-late teens, he had been pushed into becoming Lucas’s servant.

Originally, he was being trained as the successor to the head butler at the time, but he ended up doing something that incurred Miss Cordelia’s displeasure.

As if to mock his lament over his unfortunate fate, he had genuinely come to respect Lucas and serve him as his master.

Dion ran his hand over the bedsheet.

It was still vivid, like a burn—the memory of Lucas, having turned completely cold, collapsing unconscious inside a box.

Dion had nursed him in this room all day long when he collapsed from a high fever. Nursing was all he could do.

His master had a strong sense of responsibility.

To the point where he could not rebel against unreasonable situations, all to protect those who chose to follow him.

That day, Dion had wanted to save him from the box countless times but had to resign himself. Doing so would have endangered not only himself but Lucas as well.

There was such a time. There was.

Lost in thought, ruminating on a past steeped in pain, hatred, and anger, he opened a drawer. A single dagger lay inside.

The Duke is active with Gregau, keeping me at a distance. He even assigned a knight to Faye.

Although he was given tasks to do at the mansion, having served Lucas for a long time and worked with Gregau, he couldn’t have been unaware.

‘He must have noticed.’

But it was a suspicion, not a conviction, and today, he must have gone to confirm it.

‘The only chance is now.’

He would not hesitate and vent his resentment as he did in the past.

Dion did not hesitate as he gripped the dagger. The Duke must now find happiness.

After his lessons with Peridot Vaalze, Faye went for a walk in the garden. Hiding the dagger in his clothes, Dion headed for the garden.

Faye, walking and chatting animatedly with Annie, came into his view.

Dion attempted to approach him, but two knights blocked his path.

“By the Duke’s order. Please step back.”

“I’ve just come out for a walk…”

Dion smiled faintly, feigning difficulty, but the knights did not budge from their positions.

Then, Faye let go of Annie’s hand and walked towards them.

“Dion? Why everyone stopping Dion? What Uncle’s order?”

Having heard them with his keen hearing, Faye tilted his head, scratching his chin with his index finger.

If Helen had seen it, she would have exclaimed, ‘My baby’s cuteness can crush a nation, the world, a dimension!’ but the look in Dion’s eyes as he watched Faye was cold.

The detestable illusion of the late Duke superimposed itself over Faye and soon swallowed the child whole.

‘Cordelia.’

That woman had caused the Duke pain time and again, had tried to kill him, and just when Lucas had finally escaped from Igaluk, she suddenly died, shattering his hopes.

Even in death, she tormented him through her proxy.

*Grind.* His molars grated.

To Dion, Faye had never been ‘Faye’ from the start. The child was that woman’s proxy, nothing but the woman herself.

‘Even if my twisted loyalty sends me to hell.’

I will definitely take that woman’s proxy with me.

‘Fortunately, he knows nothing.’

The knights were looking at Faye awkwardly, unsure how to respond, and Annie was running up from behind.

Faye was just two steps away.

Dion quickly embraced Faye.

“Wha? Dion, why doing that?”

Making a strange noise and sounding surprised, Faye was nonetheless defenseless.

Unaware that a blade was aimed at the back of his neck.

The color drained from Annie’s face. The two knights also took tense stances, ready to pounce at any moment.

“I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

“Hah! You can lean on me till you feel better!”

“Thank you.”

For being so defenseless.

Just as he was about to put strength into the blade, whispering softly.

“Dion, wanna see this? Ta-da!”

In his small, delicate hands, he held a four-leaf clover and a three-leaf clover.

The symbols of luck and happiness swayed in the breeze, and Faye smiled brightly enough to show his molars.

“Gonna give this to Uncle! Trying to find one for Auntie too, but can’t find it. Been looking hard with Nanny Annie.”

For a moment, the hand holding the dagger loosened its grip, then tightened again forcefully.

“Let’s look together, Dion!”

“Yes. If my dizziness gets better, that is.”

…There’s no way I’d look for such things with that detestable woman’s proxy.

Dion gripped the dagger so tightly that the back of his hand turned white, lest he drop it by any chance.

“Faye!”

“Hah! Auntie! Dion has a headache, so I’ll come to Auntie a little later!”

Helen steadied her breath, which had risen to her throat, and assessed the situation.

<‘I sometimes feel sorry for the Duke.’>

Recalling her conversation with Dion, she forced her trembling lips into a smile and acted normally.

“Faye, your uncle’s birthday is coming up, right? What kind of present are you preparing?”

“Still thinking!”

“What presents have you given him before? Lucas said he keeps all the gifts you gave him. Can I see them?”

“Em, embarrassing… But if it’s Auntie….”

Faye nodded slightly.

“Can I see the letters from Faye that Lucas has kept too?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Your uncle will be happy. Because he has a nephew like you. Right?”

“Au, Auntie, it’s not that much, is it?”

“Why? It’s the truth.”

Dion stood rigidly, looking down at the dagger that sharply reflected the sunlight.

The Duke… still keeps those things?

‘It can’t be.’

At that moment, Dion’s eyes widened as he remembered the existence of a box he had been strictly warned never to move while cleaning.

…Why on earth?