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Chapter 18
“How would I do it, you ask?”
Robert clasped the small hand Espin held out to him.
It was a soft, small hand that clearly had never known hardship.
The sensation reminded him of his mother’s hand from his childhood, and strangely enough, it made Robert feel at ease.
“You say that unless you’re a lady, there’s no way for me to get my revenge. I suppose I have no choice, then. Isn’t that right?”
Just where had she obtained her information? Not only about his existence—which no one knew—but even about the whereabouts of the swindler, something even he himself had been unable to discover.
He couldn’t even begin to guess how she knew.
In Espin’s eyes as she stood before him now, there was confidence.
Her information was real. Robert’s intuition—honed through years as an information broker and his pride in judging people—told him so.
“You made a good decision. I’ll make sure you get your revenge.”
Revenge.
Ever since his father died, that was all Robert had thought about.
If he could just catch the swindler who had ruined everything—his life and his parents’ lives—he felt he might finally be able to live an ordinary life like everyone else.
“Alright. I’ll be counting on you.”
If the information that young lady possessed turned out to be false, it wouldn’t be too late to deal with her then. As an information broker, the easiest people to handle were fragile young ladies who were vulnerable to rumors.
Driving her out of the Leon count’s household and locking her away in some monastery would be easier than eating cold soup.
For now, staking his hopes on an uncertain possibility didn’t seem so bad.
“Do you have something in mind already?”
He was also curious. What was going on in that small head of hers? Why did she harbor such hatred toward swindlers when she herself had never been scammed?
There were so many things about her he wanted to know.
For Robert, who had always dealt in certainties about people, she was the first person to raise so many questions.
“Yes. I have something in mind.”
Espin released the hand she had been holding.
Unlike Espin, who moved naturally, Robert found himself unsure what to do with his hand after hers slipped away, and awkwardly rested it on his arm.
“I have to go for now. I’ll contact you later. Thank you so much for going along with this.”
After bowing politely, Espin glanced around and then scampered up the stairs.
Robert, who for some reason couldn’t take his eyes off her retreating figure, remained standing there for quite a while.
“Master!”
Seeing Count Leon suddenly return to the capital estate, the head butler hurried out to the front gate.
Because the count always acted according to plan and almost never returned without notice, the butler was flustered.
“Where is Espin?”
“The young lady is attending a temple prayer gathering as a representative of the Leon count’s family.”
“……”
Without another word, the count headed toward his study.
The butler followed him inside.
“Espin dismissed all the servants?”
“Yes.”
The butler felt that the inevitable moment had arrived. It was time to face his sin.
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
He knelt down and bowed his head to the floor.
This was clearly his fault. He had failed to notice that the servants were disrespecting the young lady. That alone made him unfit to be a butler.
Though he had shamelessly remained with the family at the young lady’s request, he had always been prepared to be dismissed at any moment. So he immediately begged for forgiveness.
“The servants were disrespecting the young lady. Saying I didn’t know because it happened where I couldn’t see would only be an excuse. It is entirely my fault for failing to manage the staff properly.”
“How… did they disrespect her?”
The end of Count Leon’s voice trembled slightly.
Knowing that this was a sign he was suppressing his anger, the butler couldn’t bring himself to lift his head and spoke with his forehead still pressed to the floor.
“They told her that if she acted like this, she wouldn’t be loved. They belittled her, took her belongings, neglected her care, and humiliated her.”
The more he spoke, the more his voice filled with tears.
These weren’t tears of injustice or fear. They were tears of regret—thinking about what his young lady must have felt being treated that way, and why she couldn’t bring herself to tell him.
“……”
The count said nothing. He was quietly swallowing his rage.
After a long while, the count, who seemed to have barely regained his composure, slowly spoke.
“Where are they now?”
“They’ve been dismissed. Some have gone to other families, and some haven’t yet found new work.”
“I won’t let them go unpunished. How dare they.”
“I’m sorry.”
“How could something like this happen in my household?”
Count Leon slammed his desk with a loud bang.
“Why did Espin endure such disrespect without saying a word?”
“Well… the young lady…”
The butler had to say something difficult.
He knew full well that what he was about to say was presumptuous for a household servant, which was why he had kept silent all these years.
But since this might be his last chance in this house, he felt he had to say everything. It was the only way for the young lady who would remain—and for his master.
“The young lady is afraid of not being loved. Since she was young… she didn’t receive enough love, so she’s always yearned to be loved.”
“……”
The count looked as though he’d been struck dumb.
“So whenever the servants said, ‘If you do this, no one will like you,’ she would panic and try to please them.”
“That can’t be.”
The count shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it.
“I raised her without lacking anything.”
Materially, Espin lacked nothing. The count never scolded her, no matter what she did. He didn’t object if she bought expensive jewelry or indulged in luxury.
The count believed that was his way of caring for her. Espin, however, took it as indifference.
“It wasn’t enough. What the young lady wanted wasn’t money, but warm attention.”
“That’s why I remarried, wasn’t it? So that Espin could receive a mother’s love.”
“……”
Seeing that the butler offered no reply, the count stared into empty space, as though reflecting on the years gone by.
“I’m sorry. This is all my fault. If you’re going to dismiss me—”
“No. Dismiss you? If anyone should leave, it’s me. For now, leave the room. I have a lot to think about alone.”
“I’m sorry.”
Leaving behind one last apology, the butler exited the room.
The count would likely spend the night reflecting on the past and drowning in regret—just as the butler himself had.
“Father has returned?”
As soon as I came back from the prayer gathering and asked about Count Leon, the butler—his eyes red—looked startled and asked back,
“How did you know?”
“I heard. Sigh… I should go greet him, right?”
The butler nodded.
With a trembling heart, I entered the house. Just as if he had been waiting, I encountered Count Leon standing in the first-floor lobby.
“Ah, Father. It’s been a long time.”
When I greeted him awkwardly, Count Leon nodded.
“Yes.”
After that brief reply, he simply looked at me without saying anything.
For a moment, I wondered, Does he know I’m not really Espin? But a man who had never shown interest in Espin wouldn’t possibly know.
Contrary to my expectation of being scolded, the count said nothing.
“Then I’ll go up to my room now. Have a comfortable night.”
Thinking this was my chance, I turned to leave.
“Uh…”
The count trailed off, as though he had something more to say.
“Is there something you wanted to say?”
“No, no. Have a comfortable night.”
“Yes.”
I heard the count sigh behind me, but I hurried off toward my room.
