Chapter 8
I turned to Xenon, who was happily munching on a mouthful of cake, and struck up a conversation. “I don’t think I saw you in the office yesterday. You must be awfully busy.”
“Oh, yes! His Grace had me—er, I mean—ow!” Xenon yelped, his eyes glistening with unshed tears as he shot a wronged look at Shuan. Shuan’s expression seemed to scream, You idiot! Something unspoken was clearly happening right in front of me.
From the way Shuan had eyed me yesterday, it was obvious he was deeply wary of me. What am I going to do about this…?
My original plan had been to win over Axel’s inner circle first, which was why I’d approached Xenon and Shuan. But Shuan’s guarded nature was making it difficult to get a foot in the door. Even now, he was glaring at me with the intensity of a bristling chihuahua, as if demanding to know what I was up to.
I pressed my lips together briefly before flashing a warm, innocent smile to ease their defenses. “The reason I asked you both out here isn’t anything grand. I just wanted to get to know you better.”
“Get to know us?” Shuan asked, his tone skeptical.
“Yes! We’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, after all!” I said brightly, infusing the word “often” with deliberate emphasis, hinting that I intended to claim a permanent place by Axel’s side. Shuan’s brow furrowed, clearly displeased.
“That’s not a certainty, is it? And frankly, dragging us out here without so much as asking feels rather… inconsiderate,” he said, his voice sharp. True to his role as Axel’s aide, he was nothing if not meticulous.
His blunt words stung, but I quickly let my eyes glisten with tears, lowering my gaze as if I were a delicate, wounded noblewoman. “Oh… I see. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize. I was so eager to get to know you both that I didn’t consider your feelings…”
Shuan’s eyes widened in surprise at my apology, and he fidgeted, clearly thrown off balance. Bet you didn’t see that coming. After all, I was the notorious Judith Melberine—who would expect an apology from her?
Just then, Xenon, who had been blissfully devouring his cake, picked up a macaron and finally spoke. “No, no! I think it’s great, Lady Melberine!”
Of course, it was probably the cake he found “great,” not me. Thankfully, I’d done my homework and knew Xenon’s weakness for sweets. Dabbing at my eyes with a prepared handkerchief, I played up my fragile act. “I know… I’ve acted so recklessly in the past. I completely understand why you’d look at me with disapproval. But… I can’t give up on His Grace! You may not believe me, but the moment I fell for him, I felt an overwhelming sense of destiny. From now on, I’m determined to become a better person, someone worthy of standing by his side. Will you please watch over me and support me in this…?”
I clasped their hands tightly. Xenon, still holding a half-eaten dessert, looked at me with wide, teary eyes, visibly moved. “That’s… so touching! To love His Grace so sincerely! Lady Melberine, I’ll help you!”
“Xenon, what are you saying?” Shuan snapped, his eyes wide as he tried to rein in his colleague. But I was faster, cutting in smoothly.
“To think you’d care so much for me… Thank you, both of you. I’ll never forget this kindness,” I said, swallowing a wicked grin inwardly.
My claim of having business with Axel’s aides had been genuine. After wrapping up the conversation, Judith returned to the office, gave Axel a cheerful “See you tomorrow!” and left without lingering.
The moment Judith was gone, Xenon and Shuan stood before Axel to report. “So… what did she say?” Axel asked.
“Well…” Xenon hesitated. “She said she wanted to get to know us better…”
“What?” Axel asked, his face twisting into a scowl.
But Shuan wasn’t finished. He pressed on, delivering even more shocking news. “And… Lady Melberine said she’s been reflecting on her past behavior. She even apologized to us and said she wants to become a better person to stand proudly by Your Grace’s side.”
Shuan’s expression betrayed his disbelief at his own words. Axel, listening with a stern face, pressed him further. “And you didn’t notice anything suspicious while she was saying all this?”
Before Shuan could respond, Xenon, who had been quietly listening, suddenly jumped into the conversation. “No, Your Grace! I don’t think Lady Melberine is suspicious at all! I’d stake my word on it!”
“Why do you say that, Xenon?” Axel asked, his tone sharp.
“Just a gut feeling!” Xenon replied earnestly.
Shuan’s eyebrow shot up in exasperation, and he stomped on Xenon’s foot. A sharp “Ouch!” escaped Xenon’s lips.
“Wipe the cream off your face before you talk, you fool,” Shuan snapped.
“Oh, is there something on my face?” Xenon mumbled, oblivious to the whipped cream smeared around his mouth. His earnest declaration lacked credibility, and it was clear he’d already been won over by Judith—likely by the desserts.
As the two aides bickered, Axel sank into thought. The Judith Melberine he knew would never apologize or humble herself before those of lower status. If anything, she was the type to double down on her recklessness, not show restraint.
And yet, not only was she claiming to love him, but she was acting like an entirely different person? Something’s definitely off.
Xenon, despite his carefree demeanor, had a surprisingly keen intuition. Axel, who valued efficiency, usually took Xenon’s whimsical opinions with a grain of salt, but this time, he couldn’t dismiss them outright. He wouldn’t say something like that for no reason…
Just then, Xenon tilted his head, deep in thought, before speaking again. “Also, Lady Melberine… well, it’s like she’s become a completely different person!”
Axel’s eyes sharpened. That was exactly what he’d been feeling. “What makes you say that?” he pressed.
“All her old habits are gone! Like how she used to bite her lip when nervous or rub the back of her hand when lying—those are all missing now. It’s almost as if… well, it’s impossible, but it’s like she’s a different person entirely!”
Shuan, standing nearby, looked startled, as if this was news to him.
“A different person…” Axel murmured, leaning back in his chair, his mind drifting to recent memories of Judith. Her once venomous gaze had softened, her usual scorn replaced by the dreamy look of a lovesick girl. Her expressions, her actions—everything about her had changed.
It was as if she truly were someone else.
Even the way her hair fluttered in the breeze had caught his eye.
Then, out of nowhere, Xenon—who was supposed to be loyal to Axel—boldly declared his allegiance to Judith. “And, Your Grace, I’m going to help Lady Melberine! I’m moved by her pure love!”
Shuan, ignoring Xenon’s outburst, turned to Axel with his own thoughts. “Regardless of what Xenon thinks, I… I’m not sure what Lady Melberine’s intentions are. I’ll admit she’s changed, but I still find it hard to believe she truly loves Your Grace. We need to keep a closer eye on her.”
Snapped out of his reverie, Axel nodded in agreement.
Once the aides left and Axel was alone in the office, his eyes gleamed with resolve. No matter what, he vowed to uncover every last one of Judith Melberine’s schemes.
