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Chapter 31
“The Mastermind and the Villainess”
‘And since that day, Count Eliana has been frequently seen seeking out informants. He likely believes he can’t rely on the Crown Prince and is investigating on his own.’
‘I’ll gather as much related information as I can and report back again.’
Just as quickly as he had appeared, Van disappeared after delivering his report.
Carriaire, who had said nothing while Van was present, turned his gaze toward the distant library building.
“He’ll come. The moment he learns Heidi Eliana is here, he’ll definitely come.”
He remembered the face of the woman who had declared that with eyes as blue as ice.
And over that memory, another woman’s face—one he had met at the Piace estate—came to mind.
“My father said no one in this household will ever torment me again.”
Her eyes were also piercingly blue.
Those eyes, frozen with venom and determination, still lingered in his mind.
Carriaire realized they weren’t unfamiliar.
They reminded him of his own eyes—back when he’d lost his brother and lived only for revenge.
“You’re relying solely on your father’s words, but what if he already made a deal with Zeros?”
“So from the very beginning, it meant she and her father had already planned to seduce Delphiann Zeros?”
He muttered to himself.
Rebellia Piace—he wouldn’t have even known her name if it weren’t for Van’s report.
He hadn’t even known she existed before that day.
Carriaire didn’t resent her for clinging to vengeance after being neglected and abused in her own household.
But what troubled him was that Heidi, the woman in his hands now, might be the one to suffer for Rebellia’s revenge—not Zeros.
“Welcome to captivity, Zeros’s flower—Heidi Eliana.”
As Carriaire recalled her face, a faint, bitter laugh escaped his lips.
“What nonsense.”
I used her in my revenge just as much as they did.
* * *
That morning, after a brief and tense encounter with Carriaire Esperos, I realized two things:
-
Rumors spread much faster than you’d expect.
-
The more a story spreads, the further it strays from the truth.
What I said in the library—‘Wouldn’t sneaking out past the servants be more reasonable than stabbing His Highness?’—had turned into:
‘Heidi Eliana planned to assassinate Carriaire Esperos but failed.’
I watched that rumor mutate in real time.
Naturally, the castle staff, who already didn’t like me much, started shooting me increasingly hostile glares.
“…Well, it’s fine.”
I was used to being hated, used to being ignored.
And to be honest, it was easier this way.
Unlike the servants at the Piace household who only feared my father, the people of Esperos seemed to both fear and respect Carriaire deeply.
If I might be a threat to someone they love that much, then being hated makes more sense than being liked.
“Your Highness! Duke!”
Startled by the voice from the window, I peeked outside.
A young child, not even ten, was blushing as he handed Carriaire a clumsily gathered bouquet.
“I wanted to give it to you myself. Thank you for everything!”
Carriaire stared at the child for a moment, then accepted the bouquet and playfully ruffled his hair.
I quickly ducked out of sight and sat back down.
The sound of the child’s innocent laughter floated up through the open window.
That pure laughter stabbed at my already guilty conscience.
“…I really am the villainess.”
I dropped onto my desk with a thud, resting my head over the books I’d brought from the library.
I thought of Carriaire’s face, full of complex emotions as he looked at me.
“I wanted to give it to you myself. Thank you for everything!”
He hadn’t mocked or ignored the muddy bouquet.
He’d simply accepted it—and even ruffled the child’s hair like it was the most natural thing.
At that moment, I truly wondered: Is this man really the villain of the story?
“…No, forget it. Why am I even curious about a character who barely shows up before being written off?”
I decided to stay quiet and lay low in my room for now.
As I tapped the desk with my fingers, I counted the days.
It’s already been eight days since I was brought here.
If I remembered correctly, Delphiann Zeros came to rescue Heidi Eliana exactly ten days after the ball.
“…If I survive tomorrow, this will all be over.”
But somehow, that thought didn’t bring any relief.
My resolve started to crumble again.
By the morning after tomorrow, Carriaire will likely be executed for kidnapping Heidi Eliana.
And everyone else—Mei, the loyal staff, even that innocent child laughing outside—would be punished too, accused of helping with the crime.
“…It’s not like I can suddenly say, ‘I’m not actually Heidi Eliana,’ is it?”
The real Heidi was probably living a peaceful life back in Zeros by now.
“The real problem is me… Delphiann needs to arrive before he finds out the real Heidi is fine. Otherwise—ugh!”
Frustrated, I ruffled my neatly brushed hair and sat up straight.
My messy gaze fell on a book from the library:
[Esperos and the Forest of Illusions]
“Forest of Illusions?”
The name rang a bell.
A memory flashed in my mind—something Carriaire had said when I first arrived.
‘Even if you manage to escape this fortress—by one in a million chance—the Forest of Illusions will finish you off before you even get far.’
Clatter—
My chair tipped over as I jumped to my feet.
What if I met Delphiann at the forest’s entrance instead?
That way, I could prevent a clash between the Esperos people and Delphiann. No one would have to get hurt.
Possessed by the thought, I dove under the bed and fumbled around.
“I know I left it here somewhere…”
My fingers brushed against something familiar.
I pulled it out without hesitation and gripped it tightly:
Laperre’s whistle!
I wasn’t sure if he’d help me—but it was worth trying.
I shut the open window and put the whistle to my lips.
It wouldn’t make a sound anyway. And if it was Laperre, he’d hear it—even through a closed door.
I even drew the curtains tightly and blew into the whistle.
“PHEEEEEE!”
“W-What!?”
The sound was deafening.
Startled, I instinctively threw the whistle at the door.
“W-Why is it making noise!?”
My heart was pounding like a drum.
Bang! Bang!
“Lady Heidi?!”
It was Mei’s panicked voice outside the door.
“Are you okay?! What’s going on in there?”
I shut my eyes tightly.
Laperre, that useless magician…!
“Miss! Please open the door!”
I glanced around at the chaotic room and ran toward the door.
First, hide the whistle under the bed. The rest… Ugh, whatever!
“W-Wait! Just a minute, Mei!”
Bang!
My feet froze at the sound.
The door handle had broken clean off and rolled to the floor.
“…”
I stared at it blankly—until a horrible creak reached my ears.
Swallowing hard, I looked up.
A large hand was picking up the whistle from the floor.
Following that hand upward, my gaze locked with deep red eyes.
“This is a familiar whistle.”
Carriaire’s hand crushed the whistle like paper.
“Heidi Eliana.”
“…”
“Every time I think I understand you, you exceed all expectations.”
I’m dead.
I’ve ruined everything.
This life is over.
