MEBD 28

Chapter 28

The Mousetrap (1)

Kaiden had followed Berenice all the way to the Marquis’s residence.

After parting with him beneath the estate’s outer wall rather than at the front gate, Berenice slept deeply until noon.

Fortunately, no one disturbed her rest; her excuse about being tired from the day before had worked.

Marienne had peeked into her bedroom several times since early morning to check if she was awake, but it wasn’t for anything urgent.

“Still, I didn’t think you’d sleep until lunchtime…”
“Shall I prepare your meal right away?”
“No, take your time.”

As the sun climbed to its zenith, Berenice—feeling refreshed after her long rest—answered Nadia’s question while recalling what Kaiden had said as he escorted her back to the estate before dawn.

[I’ll be coming by soon.]
[Here? Why?]
[We need to share information and make plans going forward.]
[You could just send a letter…]
[A letter? That only works when there aren’t any rats lurking around you.]

Berenice had been struck speechless at that, and Kaiden had chuckled softly as he lifted her up onto the wall.

[If you really want to receive my letters, get rid of that rat first. Let’s say… before the banquet, shall we?]

Who said he could set the deadline?

She hadn’t managed to retort—because Kaiden had already disappeared right after saying it.

“Well… he wasn’t wrong.”

Murmuring to herself as she opened the window, Berenice glanced at Marienne, who kept stealing looks her way.

Not because of Kaiden’s words—but because now, it really was time to clean things up.

Marienne’s usefulness had ended last night.

“Um, milady…”

After securing the window so it wouldn’t swing shut, Marienne approached her nervously, eyes flickering as if trying to gauge her mood.

“What is it?”
“Well, it’s just…”

A quick glance.

Marienne’s orange eyes darted toward Nadia.
It was a signal: Please send her out—I want to talk privately.

Her brazenness likely came from assuming Berenice wouldn’t want others to know what she’d done the night before.

Understandable.

Marienne probably thought she had leverage over Berenice now.

But that didn’t mean she could act so boldly.

“Nadia, I’d like some tea.”
“It’s not good to drink on an empty stomach, milady. I’ll bring a light sandwich to go with it.”
“Please do.”

As Nadia bowed and left, Berenice turned her gaze back to Marienne, curious to hear what she wanted to say.

“Did your errand go well, milady?”
“Am I obliged to answer that?”
“N-no! I just—was worried, that’s all…”
“Worried?”
“You came home so late. I wondered if something had happened…”

Marienne was the only one who knew that Berenice had gone out secretly last night to fetch something at Bledin’s request.

But while Berenice—disguised—was carrying out that errand, she was attacked by someone who seemed to know exactly what she was after.

That could only mean one thing: someone had leaked information.
And there was only one possible source.

Even a fool could have connected those dots.
So Marienne must have been trying to preempt suspicion before Berenice confronted her.

“You sound like you wanted something to have happened. Am I wrong?”
“O-of course not! I’d never wish such a thing!”
“Then why ask?”
“It’s just—you came back late, and you looked exhausted…”
“Nothing happened.”
“R-really?”
“Why?”
“No, it’s just… um, the item the young master asked for—”
“Marienne Wood.”
“Yes?”
“That’s not something you need to concern yourself with.”
“…I’m sorry.”

Berenice’s idea of Marienne’s “usefulness” had only extended as far as leaking her secret outings to outsiders.

The maid had been selling information from the Marquis’s household for money—and Berenice couldn’t allow her to stay any longer.

For now, the information she leaked was minor, limited to what happened around Berenice.
But who knew what it might become later?

Besides, Berenice had too much to do to be constantly worrying about that woman’s watchful eyes.

I could just fire her on the spot.

An excuse would be easy enough to invent.

And if she couldn’t think of one—she could simply play the role of the tearful daughter begging her parents for something.
They’d listen.

But—

I can’t let her go that easily.

Memories of the pain she’d suffered because of Marienne in her previous life—and the grief and rage of losing Nadia—flashed through Berenice’s mind.

A cold smile curved her lips.

“M-milady?”

Perhaps sensing the danger, Marienne’s eyes quivered.

Berenice quickly smoothed her expression, replacing it with her usual gentle smile.

“Did you have anything else to say?”
“…No.”
“Then you may leave.”

Knock knock.

Right on cue, Nadia returned.

She hesitated briefly, looking between Marienne—stiff and pale—and Berenice, smiling serenely, before pushing the tea cart carefully into the room.

“Would you like to eat in bed, milady?”
“No, set it on the table.”
“Yes, milady.”
“Hot sandwiches?”
“The chef made them with some fine cheese that just came in.”
“I’ll have to thank him later.”

While the two exchanged pleasantries, Marienne quietly slipped out of the room.
Neither Berenice nor Nadia paid her the slightest attention.

Berenice rose from the bed, slipped on the robe Nadia handed her, and sat down at the table.

The savory scent of melted cheese and fragrant tea teased her senses.

“Um, milady?”
“Hm?”
“Someone asked me to give you this.”
“Hmm?”
“They said you’d understand if I told you it’s from the Nest…”

Berenice froze mid-motion, hand hovering over her sandwich.
Her eyes fell on the letter Nadia placed beside the teacup.

For a moment she simply stared at the wax-sealed envelope, then picked it up instead of the food and asked:

“When did this arrive?”
“Just now. Someone was waiting for me at the back gate—a boy I’ve never seen before. He asked me to deliver it to you.”

He must have known there was a rat in the mansion, and chose this method to avoid interception.

What intrigued Berenice more was how he’d managed to recognize that Nadia was trustworthy.

Then again—it was Bronwen.
He likely had his own secret methods for that sort of thing.

“Youngest of Wiltierra, daring to haggle over the terms of something that was mine from the start… Are you trying to become a swindler instead of a merchant?”

Not the usual way to open a letter—but not the worst either.

At least he wasn’t outright cursing her.

…No, wait. He was cursing me.

Berenice squinted at the elegantly phrased insults that filled the first page, then began reading faster.

Fortunately, the tirade ended there.

The rest of the letter detailed how the White Crows were investigating the parts they’d previously overlooked, based on the contents of Bledin’s journal, and that Bronwen would inform her as soon as they deciphered the codes he’d left behind.

Berenice had already expected that much—until she turned the page and her eyes widened.

“…Well, that I didn’t expect.”

She reread the paragraph twice, three times, to make sure she hadn’t misunderstood—then burst out laughing.

When they’d last parted, she’d asked Bronwen to help her break off her engagement.
She hadn’t expected him to offer such generous help before she’d even properly asked.

“Nadia, would you like to hear something amusing?”

Nadia blinked, startled by the sudden laughter.
Though Berenice’s smile was bright, her amber eyes gleamed with a chill that made Nadia instinctively hold her tongue.

As the maid hesitated, unsure how to respond, Berenice turned toward her, waving the letter lightly in the air.

“It seems my fiancé has a lover.”