AYR 16

“Gree-greetings, Your Grace. I am head maid Susan. I came because I heard you were looking for me…”

“I never asked for your name. I hear you have a very bad opinion against Iren.”

“What? Who would say such a ridiculous thing…!”

“Badmouthing Iren, not taking care of her meals properly, intercepting valuable items. There are more than one or two maids who have testified to your behavior.”

Lahart closed the distance between him and the head maid. The head maid shivered as she saw Lahart’s towering shadow cast at her feet.

The dark shadow that drew closer was not just any shadow. It was the shadow of death.

The trembling woman suddenly thought of someone.

Jane! The thorn in her side who never left the duchess’s side.

It must have been that wench who told everything to the duke. Otherwise, there was no reason for the duke, who had never even glanced at his wife regardless of how she was treated, to suddenly act this way.

The head maid prostrated herself flat at the duke’s feet.

“Jane is a woman who lies every time she opens her mouth. She has been cunningly taking advantage of being favored by the duchess, doing all sorts of deceitful things. The duchess’s belongings that I have are the ones Jane stole. I kept them to prevent the duchess from getting upset. There was even an incident where Jane was lying on the duchess’ bed instead of the duchess!”

“As expected, you know it well because you’re the head maid.”

“Yes, that’s correct. When it comes to the maids, there’s nothing I don’t know, and it’s also my job to train and control them. That girl Jane is talking nonsense to you, Your Grade, riding on the duchess’ coattails.”

“What do you think, butler? Isn’t the head maid’s influence great? Surely enough to meddle with Iren’s budget.”

“That is… what…?”

The head maid was so flustered that she inadvertently jerked her head up. Only then did she notice the butler standing behind Lahart.

The head maid’s face turned red and then pale.

“And more than enough to spread ridiculous rumors that Iren has another man.”

“Butler! What is this about? How could the Duke be talking about the budget… Aah!”

A flash of light cut through the head maid. With a tearing scream, she fell.

Lahart flicked his sword to shake off the blood on the blade. Looking disdainfully at the blood flowing on the floor, he turned his gaze to the butler.

The butler, who had been staring blankly at the fallen head maid, knelt down. Then he clutched at Lahart’s legs. Lahart’s eyes grew cold.

“Let go.”

“Your Grace! No, young master Lahart! You can’t do this to me! If I hadn’t helped you that day, you wouldn’t have escaped the castle safely, would you? Who else would have helped you, a bastard born with the former duchess’ disdain!”

Young master Lahart.

It had been a long time since he had heard that nauseating title.

Not a prince but a young master. He hadn’t understood it properly back then, but thinking about it now, it was a title with a transparent intention.

Lahart momentarily relaxed his grip on the sword.

“It sounds like you’re saying I owe you my life.”

“Yes, that’s right. I risked my life to save you when you had no power or foundation. So please spare me just this once. If you spare me, I will live as if I’m dead. I will never appear before you again. A duke and a knight cannot live in debt, can they?”

“You’re right. If I owe a debt, it is only right to repay it.”

Color returned to the butler’s face. A hope to live and a desire to survive flickered in his eyes.

Disgusting eyes. It makes me want to gouge them out.

Lahart gripped his sword again.

“If I owe you a debt, then I have repaid it by overlooking your arrogance all this time. And one more thing.”

“Khk, Huuuuh…!”

“A knight chooses an honorable death over a dishonorable life. You were a butler serving knights, so remember that.”

Although that’s of no use now.

Lahart’s sword swiftly pierced through the butler and withdrew his hand.

Lahart watched the blood drip from the tip of his sword and then callously dropped the sword on the floor.

“Filthy.”

Opening the door, he saw the waiting aide saluted with his hand. Lahart, without looking towards the aide, said,

“Make sure those who sympathized with them can never gossip again. Show the remaining servants their heads.”

“Yes. I will carry out your orders.”

The aide entered the room, thick with the smell of blood.

‘It was a mistake. I should have dealt with this matter myself instead of reporting it to the duke. I never thought he would take matters into his own hands….’

He realized his mistake only after facing the two corpses. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how emotionally Lahart could react to anything related to Iren.

No. It was that he had subconsciously believed the rumors. The rumor that the duke did not love his duchess. The rumor that he kept her by his side only to starve her to death. So without thinking of the consequences, he relayed the rumors to Lahart.

‘How stupid. He’s completely lost his mind.’

The aide cursed himself inwardly. It was fortunate that Lahart’s anger was poured out on these two people; otherwise, it would be him who’s in this state.

After all, he was the one who had hammered the rumors into Lahart’s ears.

‘I don’t know. I really don’t know what the duke thinks of her.’

Lahart was abnormally obsessed with Iren. When he decided to save her from being executed, many nobles opposed his decision.

Even the emperor, who fully supported Lahart, expressed his difficulty with the decision.

Yet Lahart ultimately saved Iren, and as though that was not enough, he made her his duchess.

At that time, he was in the midst of marriage talks with the princess. A princess was essential to solidify the dukedom he had won with bloodshed. Even without that reason, there was not a single reason for Lahart to reject the princess and choose Iren.

But still, Lahart chose Iren. Without a moment’s hesitation.

The aide shook his head. Whether Lahart loved Iren, or whether he was obsessed with her for some other reason, that emotion was not important. What mattered was that he would never let go of Iren. That was all there was to it.

Meanwhile, Lahart mulled over the conversation he had had with the butler as he climbed the stairs.

To think that swine of a man believed all this time that I owed him my life. The woman who truly saved my life never once showed such an attitude. What right does he think he has?

A clear memory flashed through his mind. A small hand opening the iron gate. A clear and pretty voice waking up his crumbling sanity.

“Run away!”

“I… I am Irelaide Phaeson.”

The almost only pure memory left in him, untainted.

Lahart looked at his gloved hand for a moment and then clenched it tightly. Of course, he had repaid that debt by saving her from the gallows.

Now it was Iren’s turn to repay her debt. The debt for the life she had taken away from him with poison.

The audacity to turn to another man when her punishment is not yet over. That’s not possible.

With each step he took up the stairs, his footsteps were stained with red blood.

With bloody steps, Lahart walked towards the place where Iren was confined.

* * *

After spending a night like any other, Iren woke up the next morning to a persistent gaze.

Lahart was sitting in a chair, looking at her. Sunlight poured through the opened curtain windows. He looked so beautiful under the bright sunlight that it dazzled her.

Iren gazed at him, as if she was enchanted by his straight legs and shimmering silver hair.

“If you’re awake, you shouldn’t stare at someone but greet them instead.”

“……Ah. Sorry. Did you sleep well?”

Her voice came out hoarse, perhaps because it was sudden. As expected, Lahart furrowed his brow.

He probably doesn’t like to hear it. I don’t like hearing it either.

She tried to clear her throat silently, but Lahart spoke first.

“You don’t seem to be in good condition.”

Iren flinched. Even after sleeping for several hours, her body felt heavy as if it was soaked in water, and her mind wasn’t clear as if it was fogged.

Since he was a swordsman with highly developed senses, he seemed to have noticed her condition just by looking at her.

It wasn’t surprising. It had been over a week since she spent every night with Lahart. But she couldn’t honestly admit it, so Iren just nodded quietly.

Lahart’s head tilted quizzically. He seemed displeased.

“Are you eating your meals properly?”

“Yes. There’s no need for you to worry. I think I’ll feel better after a nap.”

“When you lie, you should look the other person in the eye.”

His tone was gentle, like he was teaching a child.

Did he know? That the head maid had been cunning and viciously avoiding his eyes.

Since when? Had he known and pretended not to until now?

Each word he uttered brought a flood of thoughts. Just before her thoughts turned into sorrow, Iren bit her lip slightly and looked up.

Lahart smirked.

“That’s better. Still clumsy, though.”

Iren didn’t know how to respond. In truth, there were many things she wanted to ask and say to him.

Why are you still here even after I woke up? Have you calmed down a bit? If not, could you tell me what I should do to make it right? I don’t care about anything else, but may I bring a few things from the laboratory? How long have you known about what the head maid did?

Do you… still despise me?

Iren fiddled with the blanket. The words that came to mind just swirled in her head and wouldn’t roll off her tongue. Lahart was too difficult a person for her.

Even though he is her husband, the one she should be the closest to. Still, she couldn’t act rashly because she didn’t know what he liked or disliked. The best she could do was, like a dead mouse, to quietly move only as Lahart directed.

At least then she wouldn’t anger Lahart.

“A new butler and head maid will come to greet you soon.”

“What?”

“You will see and decide for yourself. If you’re not satisfied, you can send them back. There are plenty of people for the job.”

“A new person… What about the butler and head maid who were working before?”

“Do you really need to know?”

It meant not to ask further. She felt she might get an answer if she asked once more, but somehow she had a bad feeling.