Chapter 14
* * *
“What? What kind of nonsense is that out of nowhere?”
The count furrowed his brow as if he’d heard something utterly bizarre. Helena continued calmly.
“That villa was originally mine, and I already knew that when I came here. You arbitrarily gave the villa Mother left to me to my sister.”
“How did you…?”
“How did I know? It was clearly written in the will that you never showed me. Oh, and I’ve already had the duke investigate and confirm it, so don’t even think about lying and saying there’s no such will.”
The count’s face turned ashen as he gripped the chair tightly. Helena stared at him with dry eyes and continued.
“You gave it to my second sister so brazenly that I thought you’d forged the will, but that wasn’t the case either.”
“……”
“It was clearly stated in the will that the villa goes to me… Maybe I should have just sued? But even without going to court, you know better than anyone who’s at a disadvantage here.”
“You…”
The count clenched his teeth to swallow the vulgar words rising to his throat. Until recently, she couldn’t even meet his eyes properly. She was just a child who always hid behind her mother, trembling—that’s all she was.
Her eyes, now haughty with the duke backing her, were unbearably loathsome.
‘She even asked the duke to check the will.’
The will was secretly stored in a place only known to the head of the Florence family. Stealing and verifying it meant treating the Florence family not just with disregard, but as less than a dog on the street.
Rage boiled up at her audacity in spitting on the family name while looking so smug, but the count forcibly suppressed his anger. He still needed ‘that one’ for now.
Punishing her for daring to glare at her father and talk back so boldly could wait until after the duke saw an heir from ‘that one.’
Taking a deep breath to quell his fury, the count slowly opened his mouth.
“What’s the reason for bringing this up now? Since you asked the duke to investigate, it seems you’ve known about the will and that the villa was yours for a while. Why so late…?”
“I lacked courage back then. I was afraid even to mention Mother’s will to you. But…”
Helena reflexively paused at the count’s enraged eyes glaring at her with terrifying intensity. It was a habit ingrained in her body, regardless of her intentions. Stopping her words and bowing her head when facing the count.
But she was no longer afraid of her father.
Now she had a place to return to. Not one given by someone else, but one she’d built herself.
The year at the duke’s estate without her husband had changed her slowly but surely.
The precious memories and people from the duke’s estate, and the painting that had become her very life, had become firm roots that kept her from being shaken by mere dust storms.
Above all, dealing with her husband, infamous enough to be called a demon, had unintentionally strengthened her courage.
Helena deliberately straightened her back even more rigidly, met the count’s eyes straight on, and continued.
“Not anymore. It’s late, but from now on, I plan to reclaim what’s mine, one by one. The villa is just one of them.”
“Hah!”
The count burst out a scoff at her emotionless eyes staring at him without blinking. He thought she was acting so arrogantly because she had the duke’s favor behind her.
Pressing his furrowed brow hard, the count nodded after a silence.
“…Fine. I’ll do as you say.”
Helena’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at the count’s response. She’d expected him to flip the table and roar, but his acceptance was quicker than anticipated.
But the count’s next words made Helena’s eyes fill with hurt.
“Then we’ll consider this matter settled here. Since I’m taking it from your second sister and giving it to you, that should satisfy you enough. I’ll tell the other nobles that you slipped on the annex stairs and fainted.”
“…Pardon?”
“There were more than a few nobles who saw you and the duke leave like that that day. They’re surely whispering about what they saw behind our backs—what an embarrassment… If you hadn’t gone to the annex in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened, tsk.”
“……”
Helena’s heart sank to an endless bottom at the count’s irritated face as he clicked his tongue. After hesitating for a moment, Helena asked in a soft tone.
“Aren’t you… the least bit curious about who locked the attic door that day, Count?”
“……”
“If someone sneaked into the count’s estate, wouldn’t that truly ruin your reputation? Everyone would doubt the lax security and the knights’ competence.”
The count let out a long sigh and replied. His expression was clearly annoyed, as if she was asking something utterly pointless.
“Yes, as you say, I’m not curious at all about who the culprit is. The annex is an old building to begin with. The attic door could have locked on its own. The nobles will be chattering day and night about what they saw that day rather than saying the count’s estate has lax security.”
As if the mere thought disgusted him, the count clenched his fist tightly and continued.
“Anyway, having them gossip about it isn’t good for you either. For both our sakes, let’s end it here. Make sure to explain it well to the duke.”
“…Understood, Count. I’ll organize our conversation today and tell the duke properly.”
“Yes. Good thinking. Then…”
The count, sighing in relief as he started to rise from his seat, widened his eyes at Helena’s following words.
“I already know who the culprit is, so the duke and I will handle it ourselves. You can just watch, Count.”
“What, what? What nonsense is that all of a sudden!”
“If you don’t like that, you can bring the culprit—my second sister—to me yourself.”
“What do you mean… Are you saying Bianca is the culprit?”
“Yes. She’s the one.”
The count, eyes bulging in absurdity, soon snorted loudly.
“Hah! What utter nonsense… Why would she do that to you? What could she possibly lack!”
“You should ask my second sister that question, not me. Think carefully about how to handle the culprit so that the duke and I won’t have to come ourselves.”
“……”
“I’ll be going first.”
Helena gave the count, with his dumbfounded face, a bright smile and turned to leave the reception room.
Only when she stepped out of the count’s estate entrance did she finally feel like she could breathe. She placed a hand on her chest, took a deep breath, and slightly raised the corners of her mouth.
For the first time, in front of her father who had always made her want to erase her own existence, she neither hid nor ran away. Recalling the count’s bewildered face, a sense of relief filled her heart.
Then, suddenly sensing a presence behind her, Helena turned her head.
The old butler of the count’s household, Howard, approached with uncharacteristically quick steps and bowed.
“Miss.”
“…Howard.”
“That day… I’m truly sorry. If I hadn’t left my post, that wouldn’t have happened. It’s all my fault.”
“……”
Helena gazed down at the bowed Howard for a moment before speaking.
“I’ll accept the apology later. And any potential punishment too.”
“…Pardon?”
“My second sister has always followed you closely since childhood.”
“……”
“If it’s proven that you leaving your post was truly a coincidence, I’ll accept the apology then. Leaving without telling me is something you should apologize for.”
“…I’ll follow your words, miss.”
“Oh, and please pack up the items from the attic as quickly as possible and send them to the duke’s estate. I won’t be going back to the attic anymore.”
“Understood, miss.”
Helena gazed emotionlessly down at the bowing Howard, then turned and left the estate. Her steps were incomparably lighter than when she had arrived at the count’s estate.
* * *
As soon as Helena returned to the duke’s estate, she kept her promise and had a pleasant tea time with the maids.
By the time she finished bathing in warm water and emerged, the sky was already growing dim.
Sitting at her vanity, blinking drowsily, Helena’s gaze suddenly fell on the calendar on the vanity.
[Imperial Art Exhibition Submission Deadline]
Counting the days left until the circled date, Helena realized the submission was approaching soon and wore a dazed expression.
She belatedly regretted putting off work on the painting for the art exhibition while painting a birthday gift for her eldest sister, Eleonor.
If she worked diligently starting tomorrow, she could just make the deadline, Helena thought, inwardly fueling her determination.
Marian, who was gently drying her wet hair, asked.
“Madam, will you have dinner in your room again tonight?”
Helena was about to nod, of course, at Marian’s words, but she hesitated for a moment.
“Unlike the precious youngest miss, I grew up without ever eating a meal with family.”
Along with Kavil’s words,
“Is that what you say to someone who nursed you all night?”
“You don’t have to force yourself to say thank you.”
It was because his haggard face from nursing her came to mind.
‘Did I brush off the thank you too casually?’
She’d been so surprised to see Kavil’s face right when she opened her eyes that she hadn’t thought much about him nursing her all night. Even though, thinking about it now, it was truly astonishing.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Helena looked at Marian and spoke.
“Could you check what His Grace’s dinner schedule is like?”
