IDVM 24

Chapter 24

“Then let’s meet the day after tomorrow, Rahel.”

The day before Isela’s death anniversary.

As usual, Vivian had been hanging out in Rahel’s room, solving word puzzles together. But when the grandfather clock struck the hour, she stood up.

Rahel frowned slightly and asked,

“Why the day after tomorrow? What about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow is your mother’s memorial day, isn’t it? Don’t you do anything to commemorate her?”

Of course, Isela’s grave wasn’t in this town, but Vivian had heard that nobles often created spaces for remembrance in each of their estates, so that they could honor the deceased anywhere.

‘Considering how the duke mentioned Rahel’s mother recently, I doubt he’d just let tomorrow pass without doing something.’

But Rahel’s unexpected reply shattered her assumption.

“…I don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“…”

Rahel didn’t answer.

Vivian studied her carefully and asked cautiously,

“Were you not close with your mother?”

From what she had heard from Kaltz, Rahel’s mother seemed to have been a good person…

‘Just because she was a good daughter to the duke doesn’t necessarily mean she was a good mother to Rahel.’

If Rahel felt uncomfortable, Vivian had no intention of pressing further.

“If that’s the case, then I won’t bring her up again. I don’t want to say things that would hurt my friend.”

“…That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

Rahel hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Grandfather wouldn’t like it. Me commemorating Mother.”

“Why do you think that? You’re her daughter. Missing her and honoring her is only natural.”

Vivian’s question made Rahel’s lips move soundlessly, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to answer.

Because suddenly, a memory surfaced.

[If it hadn’t been for that child… you wouldn’t have suffered like this, or fallen ill like this.]

[…Father.]

[Because you insisted on saving it, Isela, you…!]

The day she came to the ducal estate with her mother, she had accidentally overheard her grandfather weeping.

Back then, she had been too young to even understand the concept of “death,” so she hadn’t realized what his tears meant.

It wasn’t until her mother’s funeral that she understood both death and her grandfather’s grief.

‘I’m the one who killed Mother.’

That’s why she had never gone to commemorate Isela on her death day.

Because she feared she would once again be forced to face her grandfather’s sorrow—without the option of running away this time.

She resented him for blaming her, yet at the same time, she felt unbearably guilty.

But then…

“Rahel, just answer me this honestly. Do you miss your mother?”

Just because the guilt was heavy didn’t mean she didn’t long for her mother.

She was simply afraid of facing her grandfather’s grief—and her own guilt.

Rahel confessed a truth she had never told anyone before.

“…Actually, I do miss her.”

How could she not?

She was the first person who had loved her when she came into the world.

Even when they lived in a shabby house with cold winter drafts, her mother’s kindness had filled her with warmth and taught her what “love” felt like.

For a time, her mother had been her entire little world…

Now that Rahel had voiced the feelings she had unknowingly kept hidden, they began to take shape.

She missed her.

She longed for her. So deeply.

Vivian then made a suggestion.

“Then let’s go see her.”

Rahel’s eyes widened.

“How?”

“There’s a portrait of your mother in the villa, isn’t there?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know where it is?”

“Probably on the fourth floor.”

“Then let’s sneak there today. The duke will do his commemoration tomorrow, so if we go secretly today, no one will notice.”

The remembrance space was in the rear garden of the villa.

Which meant her grandfather, and the servants preparing for the anniversary, wouldn’t be paying any attention to the portrait gallery.

It was a tempting plan.

“What do you think, Rahel? Want to go to the gallery together?”

Rahel stared blankly at Vivian’s ambitious grin, then let out a small laugh.

This girl always seemed to find a way. Somehow, miraculously.

Vivian took the laugh as agreement and then moved on to the next dilemma.

“Hmm, but when you visit the deceased, you’re supposed to bring flowers.”

That made Rahel suddenly recall something.

“Actually, there was a flower Mother really liked.”

“Oh! Which one?”

“A marqa flower. It only grows in the north… it doesn’t bloom here.”

Every year around this time, marqa flowers blossomed in the north.

But in this mild southern climate, there was no chance of finding one.

Just as Rahel was about to give up, Vivian exclaimed,

“Then let’s make one.”

“…Make a flower?”

Rahel thought she’d misheard.

A flower, of all things?

But Vivian looked confident, as if she had a clear idea.

“Yep. Can you tell me what it looks like?”

Once again, Rahel decided to trust her.

This girl who always found an answer.

“See you later then!”

Vivian and Rahel parted ways at the bedroom door.

Rahel headed to the library to find a book with an illustration of the marqa flower.

Vivian went to the gallery first to scout it out for their plan.

Once the two of them had disappeared down the hall, Sally emerged from where she had been hiding.

‘I don’t know what they’re up to… but either way, now’s my chance.’

This is the end for you, Vivian.

After their footsteps faded completely, Sally stepped into the room with a meaningful smile.

The door closed quietly behind her.

“All done!”

I picked up the paper flower I had made.

I’d worried it might look clumsy, but it actually turned out better than expected.

“Shall we go then?”

Rahel nodded.

I slipped the flower into my bag, and together we left the room.

We were just about to sneak up the stairs, avoiding the servants’ eyes, when—

“Vivian, can we have a word?”

The nanny appeared, blocking our way. Standing next to her, Sally wore a triumphant expression that instantly put me on edge.

“What is it, Nanny?”

And as expected, my unease was never wrong.

Sally spoke up.

“You stole something from the young lady, didn’t you?”

“…What?”

Before I could even protest, Rahel scowled and defended me.

“Vivian was with me. She didn’t do anything suspicious.”

“No, that’s not true. You two left the room together earlier, remember? Then she snuck back into the room by herself.”

I blinked in disbelief. Of course I hadn’t gone back alone.

Which meant Sally was making things up.

I calmly refuted her.

“I never went back. When I returned, the young lady was already there.”

“Do you have anyone who can prove you were somewhere else at that time?”

Her question left me speechless.

‘There’s no one who can confirm I was on the fourth floor at that time.’

That floor was rarely used, hardly any maids went there, and I had been sneaking around precisely to avoid being caught.

I collected myself and pointed out Sally’s flaw.

“It’s not up to me to prove I’m innocent. You need to prove I’m guilty. Do you have any evidence?”

“That bag.”

Sally pointed at the bag slung over my shoulder, looking almost pleased with herself.

“Open it.”

I flinched.

‘I didn’t check what else was inside after putting the flower in earlier…’

More importantly, inside the bag was the paper flower Rahel and I had made.

‘If someone sees that, I’ll have to explain… and then our secret plan to visit the gallery will be exposed.’

While I hesitated, Sally suddenly lunged forward and snatched the bag from me.

“If you’re so confident, you won’t mind showing us, right?”

Then she turned it upside down, spilling everything inside.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

I tried to stop her, but it was too late. The paper flowers had already scattered across the floor.

And among them…

Something rolled out—what looked very much like Rahel’s hairpin.