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Chapter 20
The Countess ground her teeth.
“Are you playing games with me? Tell me right now how you found out. And you—if you so much as wag your tongue about this anywhere, I swear I won’t let you off. Never. Ever!”
“And what if you don’t let me off? Are you going to stab me now or something?”
She must have noticed that it was just the two of us—me and the Countess—in the room. In a situation like this, if I even got a scratch, there would only be one suspect.
“And you know what, madam,” I said, resting my chin on my hand and leaning forward, “even if I told you how I found out, what could you possibly do? How would you know where I heard it from?”
I smirked as I looked at her.
“You’re the kind of person who’d poison your own stepsister just because you hate to see her act up.”
My words made the Countess flinch.
“You didn’t… you didn’t really use poison, did you?”
“You believed that?”
Pfft. I burst out laughing.
“How naive of you!”
With amusement glinting in my eyes, I glanced once at the Countess, then at the teacup rolling on the floor.
“Come to think of it, how did the tea taste? I made sure to tell the maid to bring something special for you.”
Her eyes widened. She was starting to get suspicious.
‘Because I deliberately distracted the maid with useless chatter.’
She probably hadn’t heard me whisper, “Please make it extra tasty.”
She must’ve just seen me talking, not hearing the words.
And imagination, as it tends to do, filled in the blanks with whatever it wanted.
“P-Poison!”
The Countess of Preston clutched her throat.
“You gave me poison, didn’t you?!”
“Well, maybe I did,” I said, tilting my head to one side.
“Or maybe I didn’t.”
Then, still smiling, I looked straight at the horrified woman.
“If you can move, then it’s probably nothing serious, right?”
Her face turned completely pale. She finally realized that she couldn’t win against me.
“Ugh… ugh…”
As she started to inch backward, I gave her a casual nod.
“Farewell, madam. I’ll tell the Count you weren’t feeling well and went home early.”
“…!”
The Countess had a lot to say but ended up swallowing her words and fleeing the room.
I peeked outside the door and saw—
“Madam, you’re leaving already? But the Count is still—”
“I don’t have time to deal with that man right now! I must return to the estate—immediately!”
Clutching her skirt, she practically flew down the stairs with her maid trailing behind.
“Well, well.”
Did she really think there was poison in that tea?
‘Serves her right.’
I snickered as I watched the Countess flee.
‘Come to think of it, the villainess image is turning out pretty useful.’
If the Countess had known my true personality, would my words have worked?
Of course not!
She wouldn’t have bought a single word.
‘It only worked because I have the reputation of being a socially radioactive outcast.’
She’s insane.
She’s totally the type to do something like that.
That perception firmly stuck in her head is what made this possible.
‘Might as well make good use of this image from now on.’
Since it’s come to this—
I should make the most of it.
“Well then. Let’s go see uncle now, Veloa.”
Returning to the room, I walked toward the bed.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
“Mmm.”
“Did the noise wake you?”
When I picked up Veloa, she shook her head. But oddly, her eyes were fixed on one spot.
“Uhhnn.”
I hurried my steps, thinking the Archduke was probably waiting by now.
But then Veloa yanked my hair.
“Uhhn! Th-That!”
She was now pointing earnestly at something.
“Huh? What? What is it?”
Following the direction of her tiny finger, I found a small pouch lying on the floor.
It was the same pouch the Countess of Preston had shown me earlier, saying she wanted to give me a gift.
‘What’s inside?’
As I slowly walked out of the room, I opened it sneakily.
Inside was a bracelet—even to someone clueless about jewelry like me, it looked cheap.
‘She was going to give me this?’
I chuckled as I examined the bracelet with its translucent yellow gem.
I bet she was planning to make a big show about giving it to me.
‘Now, what should I do with this?’
Should I just throw it away? Or, out of some final mercy, return it to the Count of Preston?
Either way, I wouldn’t be getting anything back from it.
“What are you doing right now?”
Startled by the sudden voice, I instinctively shoved the bracelet into my dress pocket and answered reflexively.
“Yes?”
The person climbing the stairs was Deon.
“Lord Deon?”
Why was he here?
Unless it was something serious, Deon should’ve been by Grand Duke Leandro’s side.
“What’s going on?”
“I came to escort you since you weren’t coming.”
He turned his head, probably having seen the Countess of Preston fleeing in a rush.
“You were busy chasing out a guest, I see.”
His gaze turned sharp.
“There are still many servants in this household who view the Preston couple favorably. Some have worked here since the previous generation.”
I know, I know.
I’ve read the original, remember?
This estate was where the former Grand Duke and Preston grew up together.
So, naturally, there are longtime servants who still hold a positive view of Preston.
‘He was supposedly pretty decent as a kid.’
And the brothers were said to be fairly close.
More precisely, the previous Grand Duke genuinely cherished his younger brother, and Preston returned that affection.
At least on the surface.
‘And yet he started embezzling the moment his brother died.’
Tch.
Even if you’re jealous deep down, how could an adult scam his young nephew like that?
“That’s not all.”
Deon strode up to me, eyes blazing.
“Maybe not the Count, but the Countess generously provided supplies. She was a very kind—”
“If she’s such a great person, why don’t you go and stop her then?”
“Pardon?”
Oops.
I didn’t mean to say that out loud, but it slipped.
‘Still, he’s being way too harsh on me.’
Why was he suddenly praising the Countess right now?
Clearly, he just wanted an excuse to scold me.
Ugh, whatever.
I might as well say what I want.
“I’m saying, if she’s that important of a guest, you should’ve stopped her.”
I took a breath and continued calmly.
“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”
“…”
“But you’re standing here instead.”
He was speechless now.
No comeback?
Deon had been downstairs earlier and came up just now.
Meaning, he must’ve passed by the fleeing Countess.
‘And yet he didn’t stop her.’
He let her go and came here just to scold me?
“Lord Deon.”
I had planned to walk past him with dignity, but forget that.
I pouted and threw in one last jab.
“Weren’t we gathered here to catch a thief? And I’m on your side, remember?”
“I know.”
“Glad to hear it.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“For a moment, I wasn’t so sure you did.”
