🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter : 09
Theodore eventually left the breakfast room, grumbling, unable to even get angry as he sat there in confusion at his unfamiliar son’s behavior.
Graham slumped onto the dining table. Only then did he start trembling, dropping his knife—he finally looked like a four-year-old child.
“Phew… Mom, it’s okay now…”
“Graham. Are you alright?”
Rachel quickly pulled him into her arms.
The small hands trembled as they barely managed to grip the hem of Rachel’s dress.
“I’m fine. What about you, Mom? You’re not hurt, are you? Ah…”
There was a faint scratch on Rachel’s cheek. It had been caused when the silver goblet was struck away and a decorative piece broke off and flew out.
Graham’s face crumpled.
“What do we do? Mom’s hurt. It’s bleeding.”
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt at all. If I just put some saliva on it, it’ll heal quickly.”
“Mom, if you put saliva on a wound, you’ll get a bad illness. You said you have to put medicine on injuries!”
At his adorably serious scolding, Rachel smiled and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll treat it properly. Thanks for protecting me. You were like a knight just now, Graham.”
“Next time, if Dad tries to hurt you again, tell me. I’ll protect you again.”
“I appreciate it, but don’t do that next time. I’d be scared you might get hurt.”
It seemed like an unexpected refusal. Graham’s face crumpled again. But the gentle child did not throw a tantrum—instead, he quietly nodded.
“I’m sorry… Next time… I won’t. I’ll try, so please don’t get hurt, Mom.”
“Okay. Mom will try too. Promise.”
Two little fingers of different sizes hooked tightly together.
Tears welled at the corners of Graham’s eyes.
“Dad is a bad person. He made Mom sad before, and now he’s hurting Mom.”
“Yeah. Dad really is a bad person. Making both you and Mom so upset. I’ll scold him.”
“I wish I didn’t have a dad. I wish Mom wouldn’t get hurt…”
As the child whispered while burrowing into her arms, Rachel’s heart ached.
I wasn’t planning to delay it anyway, but I need to hurry more. Before Graham gets even sadder.
Before the child turns into a murderer.
That afternoon, Cyan came to the estate. He still wore a black cloak with an eye-covering blindfold.
Just then, Berengela, passing through the hall, jumped at the sight of him.
“Countess, have you lost your mind? Bringing such a lowly thing into the estate! No matter how much times have changed, how can you behave so disgracefully!”
If she ever learned that the “lowly thing” she referred to was the only Grand Duke in the Empire, she might faint on the spot.
Whether calm or used to it, Cyan did not react to the insult. Instead, he simply bowed politely toward Berengela.
“I am Alias, chief intelligence agent of the Guild. I am carrying out an assignment requested by the Countess.”
“Madam, what on earth have you assigned to this thing!”
Rachel sighed and leaned in to whisper to Berengela.
“Tomorrow is His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet. I ordered a valuable item for Theo as a gift.”
“A valuable item?”
“It’s said to be a very famous token of love in high society. Even marquises have struggled to obtain it.”
At the exaggerated description, Berengela’s eyebrow twitched.
Rachel pressed further.
“Tomorrow at the banquet, Theodore will bring that token. People will say the Count of Elrosa couple has an excellent marriage. We’ll become the center of attention.”
“Hm. Not bad.”
Berengela nodded reluctantly. She glanced at Cyan’s shabby appearance once more before walking deeper into the estate.
Rachel led Cyan to the reception room and greeted him respectfully.
“I greet Your Grace, the Grand Duke.”
“Today I am here as Alias of the Guild. No need for formalities.”
“As you wish.”
Rachel offered him a seat, but Cyan raised a hand to refuse.
“A guild errand runner does not dare sit in a noble’s estate.”
It was an unexpected remark. The Grand Duke was known as a power second only to the Emperor, yet he called sitting in a mere count’s reception room “daring.”
Though surprised, she did not show it. Instead, she simply thought that her future in-laws were very professionally devoted to their work.
“What brings you here today?”
“I have come to deliver the result of the request.”
“Thank you. I’ve been waiting.”
Cyan pulled a flat box from beneath his cloak and handed it over. Inside were cufflinks set with pink diamonds.
Rachel’s eyes widened.
“Oh my…! They’re beautiful!”
“These are items even top nobles struggle to obtain. They symbolize: ‘I will love you forever.’”
“It’s exactly what I had in mind! Thank you so much.”
“Is this acceptable?”
“Pardon?”
The box snapped shut with a dull sound.
As the beautiful jewel disappeared, Rachel looked up at Cyan.
“You said it yourself. It means ‘I will love you forever.’ You do not love that man. Is it really appropriate to give such a token to someone you don’t love?”
“So what? The meaning others assign to it means nothing to me. I just need Theodore to believe in my love.”
“Do you not have someone you love, Countess?”
“I do.”
The immediate answer made Cyan freeze for a moment. It was such a subtle change that Rachel did not notice, but Cyan himself was sharply aware of it.
Someone she loves?
He thought he had gathered enough information about Rachel, but this was something he didn’t know.
A son? A friend? Hidden family? Someone else?
Strangely, he did not think she was having an affair like Theodore. If she were, he would not have condemned Theodore’s affair either.
Could her pretending to be foolish be a way to protect that person?
After a brief pause, Cyan tested her.
“Is it your son?”
“Yes.”
So it was as expected.
Because of Theodore always being absent, she must have become even more attached to her son. That was why she needed to become more perfect and capable.
Just like Cyan himself disguised himself as a guild informant for his beloved stepdaughter.
He felt a strange sense of kinship with the seemingly capable Rachel.
“Won’t your son feel left out?”
Rachel thought for a moment, touching her chin.
If she only gave Theodore a gift and bought nothing for Graham…
“He would definitely feel left out.”
Graham’s tearful face appeared in her mind—‘Why didn’t you get me anything?’ After what he did this morning, she should get him something too.
She nodded quickly.
“You’re right. To avoid suspicion, I shouldn’t only give gifts to someone disliked and exclude someone important. Thank you for the advice.”
“That is not necessary. I can take on the request again if needed.”
“No. A gift for someone precious should be chosen personally.”
That made sense.
Cyan nodded, and Rachel happily accepted the box.
“Please calculate the cost and send the bill. I’ll pay immediately.”
“Understood.”
“Now then—”
At last, it was time to receive the “definitive” evidence of adultery she had been waiting for. Compared to that, Theodore’s gift no longer mattered.
But Cyan said something unexpected.
“I did not bring the evidence of infidelity.”
“…Pardon?”
“I did not bring it.”
“…Ah.”
This was not what she had expected.
It felt like she had been struck in the head with a hammer.
“Why? Were you unable to find it? Then does that mean Theodore is still under suspicion of rebellion?”
“No. It has been confirmed that Count Elrosa is not preparing a rebellion. Thank you for the valuable information. You will be compensated in the name of Grand Duke Dikarsinyaka and the Council of Nobles.”
At the word “compensation,” Rachel tensed.
“When… when will I receive that compensation?”
She hoped it wouldn’t come before the divorce was finalized. Ideally after—but if not, better not at all.
She did not want to increase the Elrosa family’s assets even a little.
Fortunately, Cyan was intelligent and sensible.
“I will adjust the timing at my discretion. Since you are preparing for divorce, after it would be best. Otherwise, asset division and alimony adjustments would become complicated.”
Wonderful!
Relieved, Rachel smiled brightly.
“Thank you very much.”
“Then back to the main topic. I did not bring the evidence of infidelity because I did not fail to find it.”
“Then why?”
“Because I wanted to deliver it somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else?”
It meant they would meet again.
Not a bad suggestion.
For Graham and Dolorasa to meet, Rachel needed to meet Cyan more often anyway. If parents met frequently, the children would naturally follow.
“Do you know that the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet is being held at the Imperial Palace tomorrow?”
“Of course. My husband is the one leading the preparations.”
“Please attend the banquet. I will deliver the definitive evidence of Count Theodore Elrosa’s infidelity there.”
She was already planning to go. She nodded.
“Understood.”
“It will be undeniable—decisive evidence of infidelity.”
There was an irresistible weight in his voice. Though his eyes were hidden behind the blindfold, Rachel could feel that they were shining sharply beneath it.
