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Chapter 27
A few days later, Jo brought Helena some good news.
“Milady, the cleaning of the second floor is finally complete. Starting today, we’ll begin cleaning the first floor. Once that’s done, you should be able to stay in the main residence without any hesitation.”
Helena’s face lit up.
“That’s wonderful news! First, let’s get rid of that spider-infested chandelier and the cobwebs in the hallway. At this rate, I might start getting attached to the spiders themselves.”
“Very well, Milady.”
Following Helena’s instructions, the workers decided to start by lowering the chandelier in the central banquet hall. They gathered some worn-out carpets and stacked them thickly where the chandelier would land. Then they began slowly moving the pulley connected to the chain that held the chandelier in place.
The rusty chain creaked loudly, sounding as if the ceiling itself might collapse. But it wasn’t just the noise—once the chandelier began to move, years of accumulated dust fell like snow from above.
“Eek!”
Helena recoiled in fright. Dust fell on her shoulders, and Jo rushed over with wide eyes, shouting,
“Milady! Milady…!”
“Jo, what is it?”
“There’s a strange room on the first floor. I think you need to see it…!”
At the words “strange room,” Helena’s eyes widened. She swept her dress aside and followed Jo.
“Milady, you might be surprised.”
Standing in front of a small door, Jo warned her and then slowly opened it.
When Helena saw the scene inside, she couldn’t help but scream.
“Ahhh! Mo-monsters!”
The dark room was filled with what appeared to be monsters. Jo quickly calmed her.
“Milady, I’ve checked. They’re all fake.”
“What? Fake…?”
Helena pressed her pounding heart and slowly stepped into the room. At first glance, it looked like a study. But instead of books, the shelves along both walls were filled with grotesque monster figures.
“My goodness… what is all this?”
Helena stared around, bewildered. Upon closer inspection, what she had thought were monsters were actually intricately carved monster sculptures. Some were small full-body figures, others were only heads or hands. Most were carved from wood and painted with dyes, but some seemed to be made from bone, horn, or something resembling leather.
Helena felt a wave of confusion.
What on earth is this? Could it be related to the strange things the butler said about this house being cursed? Or is it some heretical cult worshipping monsters, like the Empress mentioned?
Pulling herself together, Helena looked away from the sculptures and examined the rest of the room. Though it was dirty, it didn’t feel as abandoned or eerie as other unused rooms in the castle. It seemed like someone had used it as recently as yesterday. A cup left unfinished on the desk and scraps of wood and sawdust suggested recent activity, probably sculpting.
Helena approached a worn leather armchair, which looked stretched from long use.
“My goodness. What’s happened to this chair, and what’s this?”
She picked up an old coat draped over the chair. It was, without a doubt, the strangest piece of clothing she had ever seen. The faded green fabric had turned a peculiar grayish-green, and thickly quilted cotton inside made it look like a bizarre shell.
I almost thought it was a monster’s skin.
She dropped the coat and looked around. Every reachable spot on the chair had something stuffed in it—larger items like shirts, smaller ones like socks. Helena realized:
Ah, this must be Benjamin’s workshop.
So the sculptures must be Benjamin’s work. She picked up one of the unfinished wooden pieces for a closer look. While she wouldn’t touch the finished sculptures, the unfinished pieces were easier to inspect. Thankfully, this particular piece depicted a mansion instead of a monster. And that mansion looked very familiar.
This… this is Count Hodelin’s Winston Manor.
Helena felt a strange discomfort. It wasn’t her concern who carved or drew the mansion, but seeing it among these grotesque monster sculptures felt unsettling.
I’ll have to remove it or hide it later.
She set the piece down and turned to Jo.
“This seems to be the Count’s workshop. Whatever he does here is his business; we should leave it be.”
Jo, equally shocked, quickly nodded. There was nothing a steward like him could do to interfere with the Count’s affairs. He bowed slightly, hiding his surprise.
“You’re right, Milady. We’ll leave it as is.”
Helena and Jo left Benjamin’s workshop. Once out of the room filled with monster sculptures, the air felt inexplicably fresher.
“Jo, we should prevent the workers from entering that workshop… strange rumors might start…”
Just then, Wesley approached, unusually flustered.
“Milady, have you… invited guests?”
Helena shook her head immediately.
“No. Why would I? What is it?”
“There are guests here.”
“What?” Helena’s eyes widened.
“What guests?”
“Well…” Wesley cleared his throat and began listing them.
“Countess Bryce, Viscountess Batch, Lady Rodrick, and…” He squinted, then continued,
“…Duchess Meriel Russel and her maids.”
Helena remembered Benjamin mentioning guests a few days ago. Her mouth slowly opened in surprise.
Meriel Russel realized immediately:
A trap.
Though styled with golden hair elegantly up and wearing a demure velvet gown, she looked far too young to convincingly appear as a Duchess. She was only a year past coming of age.
“My goodness, the garden is magnificent!”
Through the window of the stationary carriage, Countess Bryce laughed while admiring the gardens of the Issufern estate. She was a strikingly beautiful woman with silver hair, ruling the southern social scene with both beauty and status. Her family was the most powerful in the southeast, and the Bryce household was the lordly family of the southern territory of Lilo.
For Meriel, newly married and stepping into southern society, cultivating connections with the Bryce family was essential. She had been staying in Lilo to build that friendship.
However, she had never imagined that visiting Lilo would lead her to the Issufern estate in Burwood. And it all started with a single letter.
“Oh, look at this!”
Viscountess Batch, staying with the Bryce family for the Duchess’s reception, waved a letter excitedly. The note was brief:
[I sincerely hope…]
Meriel didn’t understand the meaning of the letter. Countess Bryce explained. Since becoming the new Count of Issufern, Benjamin had never appeared in southern society nor announced his presence. Countess Bryce, responsible as a member of that social circle, had sent letters persistently, and finally, the Count had responded.
She insisted they couldn’t miss this opportunity and proposed heading straight to Burwood. Other ladies, eager for news from Burwood, joined. Meriel had no choice but to follow.
During the short trip, Meriel learned much: the dark incident at Issufern five years ago, the new Count being a former mercenary, and that he had recently married Helena Winston from the north.
Meriel realized:
So that’s why the entire southern social scene has mobilized—because the new mistress of Burwood is from the north.
