AYR 09

The next day, Iren decided to head for the ‘Forest that Never Cries.’

“Madam, it’s time to wake up… Oh, you’re already awake? I must have been late. I apologize.”

“No, I woke up early. Good morning, Jane.”

“Did you sleep well? Today’s weather is warmer than yesterday. You’re looking good, madam.”

“Yeah, for once, I feel light.”

Iren put on the maid’s outfit that Jane brought for her. Jane wore Iren’s nightgown and wrapped a cloth around her head, concealing her hair.

She still walked somewhat unsteadily, but compared to yesterday, she appeared a bit more composed.

“Just one more day, okay.”

“Excuse me, madam. I still think it’s ridiculous. Me, daring to wear your clothes and sleeping in your bed….”

Iren gently held Jane’s hand. Jane blushed slightly, moved by her gesture.

“Still, I’m glad to see you happy, madam. It seems like the flower also helped you with your health. I’ll do my best too.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have obtained the flower. Even if it’s not this time, Jane, you have always been helpful to me. Thank you.”

“Hehe… Please come back safely. You did wake up early to collect a bunch more of flowers.”

“Yes. I’ll be back. Rest well.”

Jane nodded and covered her face with a blanket so that she couldn’t be seen. Iren patted her gently.

The butler and the head maid ignored Iren. Jane was the only one who sincerely took care of the duchess, who didn’t receive the love of the Duke and whose family had fallen. So, there was no need to worry about her being discovered.

Iren safely came out of the castle, avoiding people’s gazes.

‘I definitely feel lighter. The flowers must have an effect.’

As soon as she returned from the forest yesterday, she locked herself in her laboratory. There wasn’t much available, so she only used the minimum amount to make the medicine, but the effect was this significant.

Her heart raced with anticipation as she was getting closer to the answer.

She rode a carriage to the forest with Brown andvthe old man. At the entrance of the forest, the other knights were on guard.

She showed her identification and permit, just like yesterday. She thought she would be allowed to pass right away, but the knight who received her documents stared at Iren.

“You’re Jane?”

“Yes.”

“The Duchess is unwell, so why would her personal maid be here?”

The rumor of the Duchess being sick had spread. It was an unexpected situation, but Iren calmly retorted.

“The Madam needs ingredients to make medicine, so I came to get them.”

“Since you have a permit, I’ll let you in. But you must come out before noon, no exceptions.”

“That’s too tight. Just a little more…”

“We found suspicious footsteps during the night patrol. Follow my orders without arguing. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to go in.”

“…I understand.”

This wasn’t the time to fight a knight. She had to move quickly to get at least one more flower.

Iren’s footsteps hurried along the forest path as she passed by the knights. Brown and the old man who were walking closely behind had tense expressions on their lips.

“Grandpa.”

“Let’s observe for now. There doesn’t seem to be any nearby. Besides…”

The old man pointed his chin. Iren, who had managed to notice flowers blooming in a place that was not easily visible behind the trees, plucked the flower with her bare hand.

“I may not know the circumstances, but it wouldn’t be right to ask someone who looks so desperate to wait any longer.”

“I understand. Let’s not go too far. We don’t need to make unnecessary trouble.”

“Do you think I’m just like you?”

“I don’t know about other things, but my rudeness is similar to yours, isn’t it?”

The old man swung his fist. Brown easily dodged the punch. It was his way of easing the tension, but neither of them could easily let their guard down.

* * *

Jane lay on the bed with her eyes closed. She simply couldn’t fall asleep.

Iren told her to rest peacefully, although she knew better than anyone else that she wasn’t the type to do so, she can’t help but think that sleeping in her mistress’s bed felt like inviting punishment.

Even though it was narrow and uncomfortable, even if it creaked every time she tossed and turned, her own bed was still the best.
She lay down with her eyes closed, with nothing to do but listen. But even the sounds that reached her were almost nonexistent.

Iren’s room was located in the innermost part of the castle. The Duke and Duchess had separate bedrooms.

But upon reflection, something seemed a little strange.

The Duke shamelessly scolded Iren in front of the servants, but he always slept with her. In the evenings, Iren would apply ointment to the Duke.

Of course, even if that were the case, she still wouldn’t believe that the Duke loved Iren. If that was love, Jane was confident that she would love even the stones rolling along the roadside.

‘My poor madam… Wouldn’t she feel lonely if she stayed alone in this room? I wonder if she’s okay with sleeping in a bedroom like this.’

Iren’s room was so quiet that it even felt empty. Thinking of her kind mistress, Jane, who felt gloomy while rolling around in bed, finally heard unfamiliar sounds.

She couldn’t determine exactly what the noise was. It sounded like the noise coming from outside the window.

She quietly got up and pressed her ear against the door. The door was so thick that she couldn’t hear anything. Finally, Jane approached near the window and pondered.

The voice resounding from outside belonged to the Duke.

“W-why, why is the Duke…! The Madam clearly said he would be back tomorrow…!”

It was a disaster.

What if it became known that the Duchess disguised herself as a maid and left the Duke’s residence while he was away?

Iren would be slandered and would face immense humiliation. From the beginning, she was, and still is, an unwelcome, illusory duchess.

The fact that her relationship with the Duke wasn’t good will also make things worse.

Perhaps those who wanted to drag Iren out of her position as the duchess would appear as an excuse.

Rather than worrying about herself escaping, Jane worried about Iren first. It was because Iren had treated Jane like her own sister from the beginning until now.

‘I-I have to do something…! I have to tell the madam that the Duke has returned!’

But how? Jane wasn’t a mage. Even if she jumped out of the window, her leg would break, and even if she’s miraculously unharmed, she couldn’t reach the ‘Forest that Never Cries’ where Iren was.

“…Snap out of it!”

Jane slapped her own cheek.

What should she do? She had to buy time. So that the mistress could gather even a single bunch of flowers.

Jane lay on the bed, covering herself with the blanket, wearing a determined expression.

After a time that she didn’t know how long had passed, the door opened without a knock. It was the noise of creaking armor.

“Iren.”

It was the Duke. She was so scared that she thought screams would burst out. Jane covered her mouth with both hands from inside the blanket.

“You’re suffering like this. Something must be wrong.”

Jane was on the verge of losing consciousness when his voice had come much closer. Only now did the sense of reality rush in, realizing how absurd her actions had been.

“Iren?”

The body covered in the blanket trembled.

Could she be having a seizure? She must be in so much pain. Did she not take her medicine?

Lahart, sensing something unusual, silently removed the blanket.

“Your, Your Grace…”

The trembling woman in the blanket was a maid who always accompanied Iren. An impudent maid who sent him resentful and reproachful eyes.

“Your Grace! I was wrong. I was wrong! I have committed a sin worthy of death!”

As soon as Lahart saw Jane in Iren’s nightgown, he drew his sword.

Jane fell off the bed and collapsed on the floor. Lahart aimed his sword at her.

“How dare you.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry… I was just… I was too tempted by Madam’s clothes and bed… I deserve to die. I deserve to die!”

“Lusting after Iren’s clothes? You?”

Sparks flew from Lahart’s eyes. He knew very well how much Iren and Jane cared for each other.

This audacious maid was trying to deceive her master and twist the truth.

“How loyal. How touching. Should I shed a tear for you?”

“Your Grace, please… please kill me. Please kill me for desiring what belongs to Madam!”

“Don’t worry. Even if you don’t beg for death, I will kill you.”

Lahart plunged the sword into the floor. The sword pierced deep, narrowly missing Jane’s face.

“Where did my wife, Irelaide, escape to?”

* * *

Iren stretched her waist. After a while of squatting and picking flowers, her legs and waist became stiff. But seeing the sack full of numerous flowers, her fatigue vanished.

‘It’s similar to yesterday, but it’s not enough, I need more…’

“No, Madam. You can’t.”

Brown forbid Iren from going deeper into the forest to find flowers. She was about to ask why, that it was still far from lunchtime, but Iren closed her mouth.

Brown and the old man had serious expressions.

“Should we leave?”

“Yes. We need to leave quickly.”

“Understood. Let’s go.”

“I’ll carry the box. You take care of Madam.”

“Old man! No matter how it is, I can’t touch the madam’s body…”

“This is not the time to say such things. Don’t you understand?”

Brown rubbed his forehead. Iren knew nothing about hunting, but she sensed that the atmosphere in the forest was different from when they entered.

“On your back.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“I can’t run fast. I don’t want you to be in danger trying to save me. Mr. Brown, I know you’re not someone who harbors ill intentions.”

“Well then, excuse me. I’ll carry you.”

Iren was lifted by Brown. Both of them were dressed in thick clothes, so the situation wasn’t embarrassing.

Brown and the old man dashed down the forest path. Iren felt the exertion and determination transmitted from them through her body.

Should we have left earlier? No, we shouldn’t have entered in the first place. It was a moment of regret as she bit her lip. She felt a sinister sensation coming from her side.

“Run, Brown! It’s beside you!”

“Roar!”