TAQ 3

Chapter 3

“What did you just say?!”

In an instant, Rhea’s scream-like roar echoed through the room from where she sat by the fireplace, warming herself. Nartas, who had been eating pastries on the sofa, was so startled that he dropped the treat held in his hand onto the floor.

“What did you just call me?!”

Rhea’s voice thundered through the room once more.

“I… I said she called me Nartas Werther…”

“And you just stood there doing nothing after hearing that?!”

Tucking her neatly styled, curly red hair behind her ear with a nervous flick, Rhea glared sharply and fiercely at Nartas.

“Hic— Ugh!”

Barely eleven years old, Nartas began to hiccup in utter terror.

“I-it was so sudden… and I wasn’t sure… hic!”

The pompous and domineering demeanor he had displayed in front of Jonas and Roselyne was nowhere to be seen. Nartas was now curled up, clutching a cushion to his chest like a shield.

“Tsk!”

Rhea set down the teacup in her hand onto the table carefully, without making a single sound. Etiquette had to be observed under all circumstances. That was the sole secret that had allowed Rhea, a woman from a low-ranking house, to seduce Jonas Nurnbern, a lord of the West.

The only thing she could not control was her shouting. Though, of course, even that had its exception—she never did so in front of Jonas.

“Those little wretches…!”

Her hands, resting neatly folded on her lap, trembled uncontrollably. Rhea bit down hard on her red-painted lips.

At the breakfast table the next morning, Rhea launched an open attack on Ludiana.

“Ludiana is still far too careless.”

“……”

“I see no pride or awareness in her as a member of the Nurnbern family.”

“…I see.”

She tried her best to demean Ludiana, but Jonas’s reaction was lukewarm at best.

Ultimately, Rhea pulled out her final card.

“Ludiana called the heir of Nurnbern a ‘Werther’.”

The blade of Jonas’s knife, which had been mechanically cutting his food, came to a halt.

“Nartas… is that true?”

His sharp gaze pierced through his son.

“Y-yes!”

Nartas answered in a tense, stiffened voice, standing as rigid as a log.

“Rupert.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Summon Ludiana to my study.”

Jonas resumed his meal as if nothing had happened.

“Heh.”

Rhea brought her water glass to her lips, suppressing a smirk that curled upward.

Haah…

She hadn’t expected them to stay quiet, but to think Jonas himself would step in.

Summoned by Jonas, Ludiana made her way toward the main house, gazing at the mansion with a bitter expression.

The neatly maintained outer walls and the blue roof. Though not extravagantly decorated, every material spoke of wealth and power.

Compared to that…

The annex they lived in looked like a place unfit for human habitation.

I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

In her past life, Allen Pianus—whom she met on the day of her mother’s funeral—had mentioned that he had sent a letter on the day of the Emperor’s coronation.

Yet, she had no memory whatsoever of her mother ever receiving such a letter.

Because it was such a rare occurrence, there was no way her mother would have forgotten if she had received it. Which meant only one thing: someone had intercepted the letter along the way.

And the person in charge of managing correspondence was none other than Rupert, the butler of the study.

Arriving at Jonas’s study, she knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“Enter.”

The voice from within was flat and devoid of emotion. Ludiana opened the door.

Yet Jonas was buried in documents, not even sparing her a glance.

“You called for me?”

“Ludiana.”

“Yes.”

Her teeth bit down hard on her lower lip.

She bit so hard she could taste blood, but she didn’t care.

“Did you tarnish the name of Nurnbern?”

Only then did Jonas look up at her, veins bulging on his forehead as he scowled.

“No, I did not.”

“See to it that no such thing happens again. Unlike you, Nartas is the heir to Nurnbern.”

“Yes.”

“Dismissed.”

Jonas let out a low click of his tongue and turned his eyes back to his documents.

Ludiana bowed her head and stepped outside. Waiting in the hallway was Rupert, looking at her with worried eyes.

“My Lady, are you alright?”

He was one of the few servants in the main house who still cared for the three women.

Even though even he found it difficult under Rhea’s constant surveillance.

“I’m fine.”

Ludiana offered a faint, pitiful smile.

“…Allow me to escort you back to the annex.”

Rupert offered a gentle smile and extended his arm. Ludiana walked beside him.

As they drew closer to the annex, Ludiana called out to him softly.

“Rupert.”

“Yes, My Lady?”

“Don’t you think Father is far too cruel?”

She hated even calling Jonas ‘Father,’ but she had no choice.

She needed to play on Rupert’s sympathy.

“My Lady…”

“Nartas was the one who hit Irene first.”

Lowering her head, her voice trembled.

Without a word, Rupert handed her a handkerchief.

As the butler of Nurnbern, he could not speak ill of his master. But what did it matter?

As long as she appeared to him as a pitiful, unloved daughter, that was more than enough.

“Thank you, Rupert… By any chance, may I ask a favor of you?”

“Please, ask anything, My Lady.”

Though no tears fell, Ludiana lightly wiped the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief.

“Before the coronation, I want to visit my old room where I used to stay. Just once.”

Rupert’s eyes flickered, and his body stiffened.

“My Lady…”

“I know it is a difficult request. But please, just this once.”

With her hands clasped together and a sorrowful expression, he hesitated.

I’m sorry, Rupert. But I have no choice either.

“…Understood, My Lady.”

His tightly closed lips finally curved into his usual gentle smile.

“Thank you.”

She returned a bright smile as well.

“I shall have the room cleaned and prepared for you.”

Ludiana gave a light nod and stepped forward.

Time flew like an arrow, and before long, the eve of the Emperor’s coronation arrived—the night of the Imperial Banquet.

As a central power of the West, Nurnbern was naturally expected to attend, so the main house was bustling with activity from early morning.

Although she had not officially obtained the name Nurnbern, Rhea was also set to attend as the mother of the heir.

Since the family’s power rested entirely with the head of the house, Rhea was already addressed as the Lady of Nurnbern, despite not being his formal wife.

She must be fully occupied with dressing herself up since dawn.

“Sister, is there some kind of festival today?”

Even without servants, the annex was quiet as usual. However, the commotion drifting from the main house clearly signaled that something was underway.

Irene was sitting on a chair with her forehead pressed against the window, looking outside.

“Yes. Today is the day the new Emperor ascends to the throne.”

Ludiana smiled warmly and gently helped Irene down.

“Really?! Wow!!”

“Ludia…”

Roselyne watched the affectionate sight between the sisters with a soft smile, but a shadow of sadness soon clouded her eyes.

After exchanging a few more words with Irene, Ludiana stepped back and turned to her mother.

“Mother, I’m going to step out for a moment.”

“Where are you going, Ludia?”

Rhea hated even catching a glimpse of the three of them in the main house, and ever since she became pregnant, her hostility had grown even more overt.

In the end, under the pretext of Rhea’s ‘peace and quiet,’ Jonas had banished them to the annex.

At first, a few servants were assigned to them, but after giving birth to Nartas, Rhea had quietly dismissed them all.

And with an heir already born, Jonas raised no objections whatsoever.

“I’ll be fine!”

Roselyne’s anxious gaze followed Ludiana as she left the room with a cheerful voice.

Sneaking past the front garden of the main house, Ludiana watched as Jonas and his party departed in their carriage.

Once the carriage disappeared beyond the gate, she carefully made her way toward the meeting spot she had agreed upon with Rupert.

“Rupert!”

Standing beneath a tree with his hands neatly folded, the old butler’s face broke into a full smile the moment he saw her.

“My Lady.”

Seeing Ludiana running toward him with a bright smile made his heart ache.

Though he knew all too well the harsh reality of Kalatos where an heir meant everything, to him, Ludiana was still a precious child.

However, ever since the second wife arrived, even he could not openly protect her.

The guilt of having neglected the young girl weighed heavily upon him to this day.

“Shall we go?”

He respectfully offered his arm as usual, and Ludiana could only give a faint smile.

Right… Rupert was always this kind of person.

“I have instructed the maids in advance to tidy up the room. Shall I have tea brought up inside for you?”

In front of the smooth oak door, Rupert lightly lifted the basket in his hand.

“That sounds lovely.”

Talking freely with Rupert after so long almost made her forget her true purpose.

He was one of her few allies in Nurnbern.

But… will he really fulfill this favor as well?

Suppressing her anxiety, she resolutely pushed the door open.

“Cough! Cough, cough!”

The moment her eyes caught sight of the beddings draped in blue linen and silk, a cloud of dust billowed up into the air.

As the dust scattered into the air from the force of the opening door, Ludiana coughed repeatedly.

“Oh dear! This shouldn’t be!”

Rupert hurriedly opened the terrace door.

“My Lady, I am terribly sorry. There seems to have been some mistake.”

He frantically pulled off his gloves and tried to wipe the dust off a chair.

Ha… I knew it. What was I even expecting?

A look of disappointment spread across Ludiana’s face.

She had merely needed an excuse to enter the main house, but perhaps deep down, she had nurtured some slight expectation.

“It’s fine. If Rhea Werther finds out you cleaned this room, the maids will be in trouble. I understand.”

Ludiana gently tapped Rupert’s flustered hands to stop him.

“Rupert, it’s alright.”

“My Lady…!”

His fingertips trembled faintly.

How long must this pitiful girl endure such treatment…!

Though Rupert had served Nurnbern since he was young, he felt a surge of rage at their heartless treatment toward the young lady.

“More importantly, there is actually something I truly wish to ask of you.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Rupert straightened his posture and folded his hands respectfully.

“Please speak, My Lady.”

Resolving that this time, no matter what she asked for, he would grant it.

“Please… bring me the letter sent by Allen Pianus.”

Rupert’s smile instantly froze.