HST 30

Chapter 30

Inside the rattling carriage, Cedric and his subordinates were on their way back after leaving Count Wens’s estate early in the morning. Cedric’s expression looked unusually heavy.

“This has become quite a mess.”

“Indeed. How on earth did a maid end up using something that was left in Lady Rosé’s room?”

“It’s ridiculous. A mere maid daring to touch the cosmetics of a lady she’s supposed to serve….”

What was more, the item had even been packaged. That she would open it and apply it to her own face was completely incomprehensible to Cedric.

“I can clearly see now what position that girl holds in the mansion.”

Cedric spoke as if mocking Rosé’s circumstances. Judging by Doana’s actions, he concluded that Rosé’s standing within the count’s household was nothing to speak of.

“What should we do? Shall we send Rosé another set of cosmetics?”

Cedric shook his head at his subordinate’s suggestion.

“No. The same trick won’t work twice. We might end up exposing ourselves. Better not use the same method again.”

Cedric recalled Eric, who had come to see him the previous night.

‘Father, what on earth have you done?’
‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’
‘You disguised yourself as me and sent a gift to Rosé. Poisoned cosmetics, I heard. There’s no one around me who would do such a thing except you.’

Eric had come to him as soon as the incident happened. Eric was not known for being particularly sharp, so Cedric had not expected him to come barging in like that.

‘I’ll deal with my own matters. If you’re going to cause trouble, do it after the divorce.’

Cedric found his son’s barely concealed displeasure irritating.

“That brat Eric… the way he talks. Who did he take after to turn out like that?”

Cedric clicked his tongue in annoyance. His subordinate only looked at him in silence.

He’s the spitting image of you, though….

Not just in appearance, but in speech and temperament as well. The only difference was that, unlike Cedric, Eric was not particularly intelligent.

“He’ll only understand my feelings once he becomes a parent himself. Wanting to do anything for your child.”

Cedric truly loved Eric. His way of expressing that love was rather violent, but he always believed it to be the right way. He thought that discipline and punishment had made his son into a proper person.

“But then… where did that red cream disappear to?”

In the midst of the chaos, people had been sent to destroy the evidence. Yet the cream Cedric had sent was nowhere to be found.

“This doesn’t sit right with me….”

He had never intended to leave any evidence behind. The plan had been to retrieve it quickly after it was used, but no matter how thoroughly the mansion was searched, the cream could not be found.

“Don’t worry too much, Master. Sir Sern and Gwen are still at the estate. They’ll take care of everything. We can just wait for the next opportunity.”

The mansion, which had been in turmoil because of Doana, soon returned to its usual liveliness. However, it seemed that no one yet knew that she was pregnant. Jane was busily wiping down the glass windows. Outside the glass doors stretched the garden, and Sern approached Jane cautiously.

“Jane….”

Sern called her softly. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept at all. After saying such cruel things the night before, what could he possibly still have to say?

You awful jerk.

Jane pretended not to hear him and simply continued with her work.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

His weak, quiet voice echoed. Jane flinched. After deceiving both her and Rosé, how could he sound so wistful? She nearly fell for it again—his acting. Just having him in front of her irritated her immensely.

Traitor. Liar.

Not only had he reported Rosé’s daily life, he had also toyed with her by pretending to be harmless. Facing him was painful for Jane. Because she had trusted him so completely, the sense of betrayal cut even deeper. Sern, watching Jane ignore him, drooped like an abandoned puppy. That pitiful look, which might have stirred maternal instincts, only annoyed Jane more.

Bang!

“Hmph!”

Jane slammed the window shut and turned her back on Sern with a snort.

I won’t be fooled by you anymore.

Never again. With that thought, Jane hurried away. Watching her leave, deep sorrow settled in Sern’s eyes. The fear that his relationship with Jane might be completely severed weighed heavily on his chest. As Sern trudged along, Gwen the butler appeared before him.

“Sir Sern.”

Gwen stopped him. As Sern approached, Gwen glanced around and handed him something.

“Please take care of this.”

It was a red empty bottle—the very cosmetic bottle that had been found in Rosé’s room.

Sern quietly nodded and accepted it. Gwen’s expression as he handed it over was heavy.

Why would Lord Cedric go this far?

Gwen had served him for thirty years, sometimes like an older brother, sometimes like a friend. When Cedric first took him in, he hadn’t been like this. He had been sharper than anyone else, devoting all his strength to restoring the family. Gwen had entered this household for that one man alone. But Cedric had gradually grown obsessed with power, walking a dangerous tightrope that terrified those around him. The cosmetics sent to Rosé were likely just another of his new weapons.

The moment Gwen saw the cosmetics in Rosé’s room, he had been so shocked his breath caught in his throat. So he’s really gone that far. As sorry as he felt for Doana, he was relieved that Rosé hadn’t suffered that fate. Of course, it wasn’t that he felt no pity for Doana—at such a young age, blisters had broken out not only on her hands but even on her face. It was unfortunate. Still, that too was Doana’s own doing. She had dared to touch the countess’s belongings.

And on top of that… she even lied, saying I assaulted her.

Just thinking of Doana gave him a headache. If others hadn’t believed him, his hard-earned reputation might have been ruined in an instant. Gwen trudged toward Eric’s room.

“Count!”

Doana lightly sat down on Eric’s lap as he sat in his chair, wrapping her arms around his neck and speaking in a coquettish tone.

“I have good news.”

She looked flushed with excitement as she gazed at him.

“Good news? What I’ve heard doesn’t sound very good at all.”

Eric gently pushed Doana away and spoke coldly. Normally, he would have indulged her charms, but he was in no mood for that now.

“I heard you were assaulted. Is that true?”

Doana avoided Eric’s deep dark-brown eyes.

“Ah… yes….”

She had planned to tell him about the pregnancy first, but Eric’s expression as he brought up the morning’s incident was far from pleasant.

So even the Count doesn’t believe me?

There was no one in this mansion who truly believed her. Eric stared at Doana for a moment, then asked quietly,

“Did he hold you?”

Anger burned in Eric’s eyes. The veins on his neck stood out, as if he were barely restraining his rage. Watching him carefully, Doana thought he might believe her. She quickly nodded, lips pressed tightly together.

But Doana didn’t know just how despicable Eric was. Rather than worrying about Doana being assaulted, he was furious that something he considered his had allowed another man’s hands to touch it.

“Hah. Just how much do you have to flaunt yourself before you’re satisfied? I knew you’d cause this kind of trouble someday.”

Doana, who had been certain he would protect her, stared at him in disbelief.

“…Count?”

“You were the one who seduced me from the very first time we met, Doana.”

Eric looked her over with displeasure. It was true that he liked her. Doana was beautiful, and they were quite compatible. But he had no desire to keep a woman who had played around with other men by his side. Besides, that once-pretty face of hers had already become unsightly.

Eric looked at Doana’s face, wrapped in gauze where blisters had broken out.

“A woman who claims she was assaulted comes to see me smiling like this? You must have enjoyed yourself with someone else.”

Doana sensed that something was going terribly wrong. If she let Eric continue misunderstanding her, she might not only lose any chance of becoming the countess, but even be cast out of her current position as a concubine. Biting her lower lip, she clung to him more tightly.

“W-wait, Count!”

She hurriedly called out to him and began to babble excuses.

“It’s true that that decrepit old butler tried to have his way with me! But I escaped with all my strength!”

She had originally planned to say she’d been assaulted, but decided to change tactics. If she stuck to the original story, she might be cast aside. So she altered her words, insisting on her innocence as she grabbed Eric’s hand.

“The reason I came running here so happily… is because I found out that there is a child of yours growing inside me.”

“…What?”

Eric’s eyes widened in shock.

“I told you I had good news. I’m carrying your child, Count.”

Doana beamed at him. Eric stared at her, stunned. The rage that had flared up moments ago cooled rapidly. He looked at her blankly, as if unable to grasp it.

“A child? Is that really true?”

“Yes. I just came back from the physician, who confirmed it.”

Eric pulled Doana tightly into his arms.

“Hahaha. Pregnant, huh.”

A child—something he had long desired. Unable to hide his joy, he embraced her warmly.

“But… if the butler finds out about this, I don’t know if he’ll leave me alone. He seems eager to tear me apart whenever he sees me. Our baby will be okay, right?”

Doana subtly pressed her agenda, hinting that the butler should be driven out. Eric looked down at her in silence, his expression thoughtful. Doana waited anxiously, unsure what he would say.

“I’ll take care of the butler. You just focus on taking good care of yourself.”

At his words, Doana’s face lit up. She silently cheered and nestled into his arms. At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Gwen, Count.”

At the name, a crease formed between Eric’s brows.

“Come in.”

He spoke in a low voice. Before entering, Gwen took a deep breath and opened the door. What he saw upon entering was Eric—and his concubine, Doana.

“Isn’t this wonderful? Wouldn’t it be lovely if the child took after our Count?”

Doana sat on Eric’s lap, acting overly sweet. Just moments ago she had been complaining of pain, and now—

Was it all an act?

Her face was full of vitality. Noticing Gwen, Doana shot him a sharp glare.

That unlucky old man.

She disliked Gwen. Instead of bowing to her, the future countess, he had humiliated her. Stroking her lower belly, Doana glared at him.

I’m carrying Eric’s child now. If I butter Eric up properly, I can easily drive off an old man like that.

Though no one else in the mansion believed Doana, Eric had been deeply shaken by her words.

“Doana, leave us for a moment.”

Eric ordered her. Though she wanted to stay, she obeyed. Rising slowly, she deliberately cradled her belly and brushed past Gwen, glaring at him with venomous eyes.

“Goodbye, old man.”

She snickered as she left. Something felt off. Just that morning she had collapsed pale-faced and been taken to the infirmary, yet now she stood so confidently.

“Gwen, there’s something I want to ask you.”

Eric’s cold voice pierced Gwen’s ears.

“You would know, wouldn’t you? Who’s responsible for what happened to Doana’s face.”

“…I don’t know what you mean, Count.”

Gwen feigned ignorance. He knew it was Cedric’s doing, but there was no reason to admit it. At his reply, Eric smirked.

“Good. I like how tight-lipped you are.”

Leaning back arrogantly in his chair, he continued,

“Pretend not to know even when you do, and pretend to know even when you don’t—that’s how you survive in this line of work. In that sense, this job really suits you.”

What was Eric getting at? Gwen simply watched him in silence.

“But I am curious. Who cleaned up that red cosmetic Father personally sent?”

“….”

Was he trying to pin the blame on him? Gwen looked at Eric uneasily.

“You touched Doana, didn’t you?”

“…What are you talking about? Absolutely not!”

“I could pin everything that happened yesterday and today on you.”

Gwen felt his blood run cold.

“You helped my father injure my woman… and on top of that, you tried to take her for yourself?”

“It’s a misunderstanding! I truly had nothing to do with it!”

It was the truth. Gwen had never imagined Cedric would orchestrate something so horrific. Removing the red bottle had been nothing more than loyalty to his master.

“Gwen, the truth isn’t important. Everything about your actions displeases me.”

“….”

“It’s been over three years since I became Count. I am the master of this house now. Yet you still serve my father, not me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t need someone who’s loyal to my father instead of me.”

“…!”

“So leave.”

Gwen’s breath caught, his mind reeling. Being cast out like this from the family he had served his entire life made him nauseous and dizzy.

“You’re fired.”

Eric ruthlessly dismissed the butler who had served faithfully for over thirty years. A man capable of restoring even a fallen household was driven out by the master to whom he had devoted his life—treated worse than a dog, without even severance pay.

“It’s raining heavily.”

A sudden downpour lashed against the windows. Rosé murmured as she gazed at the blurred scenery outside.

“It was so clear just this morning….”

Is it a shower?

She stared at the darkened sky.

On a day like this, I shouldn’t step outside at all.

Rosé hated getting caught in the rain. She liked swimming, but being soaked while fully clothed felt unpleasant. As she leisurely looked outside, there was a bang as the door behind her flew open. Startled, Rosé turned around.

“Madam!”

It was Jane. She was gasping for breath, as if she had run all the way here. Tears brimmed in her eyes.

“The butler… the butler is leaving the mansion!”

“What? Why all of a sudden?”

Rosé asked, eyes wide. Unable to hold back her emotions, Jane burst into tears.

“The Count… the Count threw him out! Waaah!”

Jane cried like a child, unable even to wipe away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Could it be because of Doana?
The incident no one had believed flashed through Rosé’s mind.

“…When is he leaving?”

Rosé asked quietly. She hadn’t known Gwen for long, but his kindness had been warm. When she, knowing nothing, had asked for tutoring as if throwing an egg at a rock, he had gladly supported her. With the warmest smile, he had always encouraged her from behind. Thanks to him, she had adapted quickly to this novel-like world.

And now, someone who felt like family was leaving.

“He… he just left.”

“What?!”

She hadn’t even been able to say goodbye. Rosé bolted out of the room.

“Madam!”

Jane called after her, but Rosé ignored it and ran. She stopped at the threshold leading to the garden. The rain poured down as if the sky itself had split open. The heavy sheets of rain blurred her vision. Squinting through it, Rosé hurriedly searched for the butler.

I can’t see him… Has he already left by carriage?

Biting her lower lip in anxiety, she turned her head—and caught sight of a hunched figure walking weakly away.

There he is!

Without an umbrella, head lowered, the butler trudged along alone in the rain. Somehow, he looked utterly forlorn. Rosé grabbed an umbrella lying nearby and ran toward him with all her strength.