IGBD 61

chapter 61

“Huff… huff…”

Anita, clutching a wooden club, gasped for breath. Her face twisted in terror as she looked down at Serret.

What have I just done? Her eyes, filled with a mixture of fear and regret, trembled uncontrollably.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Anita hastily dropped the club, snatched the vial of medicine Serret had been holding, and fled.

She ran without looking back, escaping from the Verun household. Only when she reached a secluded riverside, far from people, did she finally stop running.

Panting heavily, Anita looked down at the vial in her hand. The final image of Sophia surfaced in her mind.

Anita’s hand shook faintly as she held the vial. Lydia had given her this vial, telling her it was time to “tidy things up.”

Anita had immediately understood what Lydia meant. No explanation had been needed; somehow those words alone were crystal clear in her mind.

If only she hadn’t understood. Tears welled in Anita’s eyes.

She was afraid. She wanted to run away. If she used this medicine, she would commit a sin that could never be washed away. She truly didn’t want to go this far.

But she couldn’t abandon everything Lydia had given her: money she could never earn as a maid, medicine for her mother’s heart disease, a comfortable life for her family.

She couldn’t let go of a single one of those things.

More than anything, if she wanted to live, she had to remain loyal to Lydia until the end. No one knew Lydia better than Anita did.

The moment she tried to escape from Lydia, this vial would end up in her hand. To survive, she had no choice but to be a faithful dog.

Blinking quickly to erase her tears, Anita left the palace. It was the day she was to meet Sophia at the Verun household.

As she walked through the streets darkening with night, Anita swallowed nervously over and over. Though she had covered her face with a cloak and cloth, she felt as if her bare skin were exposed for all to see.

When she arrived at a shabby tavern, Anita waited anxiously for Sophia. A part of her wished Sophia wouldn’t show up—but eventually, she did.

Poor thing, Anita thought bitterly. People like us are no different from insects. If someone decides to crush us, we’ll be crushed without fail. Don’t resent me too much.

With a conflicted expression, Anita slid the vial across the table to Sophia, who sat across from her.

“I’ve switched the medicine. Starting tomorrow, give her this.”

“Is this medicine safe?”

Sophia took the vial, watching Anita with suspicious eyes.

“If you don’t believe me, try it yourself.”

Anita gripped her skirt tightly. No, don’t. Please, don’t. She screamed silently in her heart, but Sophia uncorked the vial.

Without hesitation, Sophia swallowed a sip. Her nose wrinkled at the unpleasant taste.

The poison, Anita had been told, would take about ten minutes to work. Ten minutes from now, this pitiful girl’s breathing would stop.

Unaware of her fate, Sophia asked a meaningless question.

“By the way… who exactly is this important person you’re serving?”

“Why ask that all of a sudden?”

What use is it for you to know? The poison you just swallowed will soon rot you from the inside. Poor thing. Anita’s gaze softened with pity.

“I need to know if I want to survive. If they catch me secretly giving the duchess medicine, I won’t live either. I have to secure a way out.”

“Just do what you’re told.”

Anita’s voice was cold. She stood up and left the tavern. Looking out into the world cloaked in night, she let out a long sigh.

“Please, tell me. Who ordered this?”

Sophia had followed her outside, pleading desperately to know.

Anita could see Sophia’s yearning to survive, but her voice cut sharp and merciless.

“Don’t be curious.”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll quit.”

Sophia handed the vial back to Anita.

Anita smirked faintly. In a way, she was grateful—she would’ve had to recover the vial after Sophia collapsed from the poison, but now Sophia had returned it herself. Less trouble.

“Do as you like. There are plenty of others willing to do this kind of work.”

Startled, Sophia quickly snatched the vial back from Anita.

“No, I’ll do it.”

With a haughty look, Sophia turned away and disappeared down an alley.

As Anita prepared to follow her, she caught sight of Sophia’s foot poking out from around the corner.

So, you’re trying to tail me.

Realizing Sophia’s intent, Anita lured her deeper into a secluded alley by the Verun household, away from prying eyes.

“Ugh…”

Hearing the groan behind her, Anita turned.

Sophia had collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood. Her body flailed helplessly, like a butterfly Lydia had crushed.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, Anita scanned the surroundings. No one was there. She strode over to Sophia.

“P-please… save…”

Sophia clutched Anita’s skirt weakly but collapsed before finishing her words, crumpling onto the filthy ground.

Looking down at her with eyes filled with fear and guilt, Anita whispered:

“Next time, be born into a noble life. Someone no one can trample underfoot.”

With a bitter expression, Anita murmured a prayer for Sophia’s soul, then searched her body for the vial. Lydia had warned her: if it was revealed that the poison came from Nunuki, things would become troublesome, so she had to dispose of the vial.

But no matter how thoroughly she searched, the vial was gone. Where is it? Panicked, Anita glanced around—then froze at the sound of voices approaching.

With no choice, she abandoned the search and fled.

The next day, Anita returned to the Verun household to recover the vial. But to her horror, she found the Duchess herself holding it.

In shock, Anita instinctively grabbed a wooden club lying nearby and struck the Duchess on the head.

Later, as she recalled what happened with Sophia, Anita bit her lip while staring at the vial. She uncorked it, poured its contents onto the ground, and hurled the empty vial into the river.

Watching it drift away, Anita let out a deep sigh.

“What do I do…”

The vial was gone, but she had harmed the Duchess. If the Duchess didn’t survive… Anita’s whole body trembled.

This was far graver than Sophia’s death. Pale with dread, Anita hurried toward the palace.

The only person who could save her now was Lydia.

Yuan stepped down from his carriage and began climbing the steps to the mansion. Just then, another carriage sped quickly into the estate.

Startled by the commotion, Yuan turned. The carriage stopped abruptly, and the coachman leapt down, his face stricken with panic.

Yuan frowned and strode toward him. Was it Serret’s carriage? His expression grew grave.

“What’s going on?”

“Your Grace!”

Seeing the coachman’s ashen face, a terrible premonition stirred in Yuan. Just as he reached for the carriage door, it flung open—and Hannah screamed with a face full of terror.

“Sir Piet!”

Yuan’s gaze fell on Serret, unconscious in Hannah’s arms.

He froze. His blood ran cold.

Serret’s pale face made Yuan’s heart lurch. He rushed closer, his eyes trembling violently, unable to focus.

“Serret…”

“Your Grace, the young lady is hurt! Please, save her!”

At the sight of Yuan, Hannah broke down in tears.

Without even asking what had happened, Yuan scooped Serret into his arms and carried her swiftly inside.

He bounded up the stone steps and into the lobby, where the startled butler rushed toward him.

“Fetch Doctor Kane!” Yuan barked.

“Yes, Your Grace!” The butler, pale with worry, hurried away.

Moving quickly, Yuan carried Serret to her room. His face had turned ghostly white.

Laying her gently on the bed, he scanned her face and body frantically. Unable to master his fear, he grasped her hand.

Her hand was warm—unlike in his nightmares, her body still had heat—but that warmth did little to calm him.

Was this a dream? Another nightmare? His heart pounded wildly as he stared at her deathly pale face.

It felt like he was trapped in a horrific dream. Why Serret? Why her? He wanted desperately to wake up.

“Miss… Miss…”

Hannah sobbed, calling out desperately to Serret.

Finally noticing her, Yuan turned. Struggling to steady his emotions, he asked:

“What happened?”

“It’s… it’s just… We were asking the old woman if she’d seen Sophia last night, but when the lady didn’t come back, I returned to find her collapsed. This was lying nearby… it’s blood, my lady’s blood!”

Hannah showed him the bloodstained club she held, then broke into sobs again.

She had been so shocked by the sight of Serret’s collapsed form that even now her heart still raced wildly.

Yuan took the club from her. The wooden stick was stained red with Serret’s blood.

How dare someone do this to my wife.

Yuan’s face twisted with rage. His gray eyes gleamed with such cold fury that the air around him seemed to freeze.

Rage consumed him. Whoever had done this to Serret would never be forgiven. His grip on the club tightened.