Episode 4

“It’s as expected. He’s sent his subordinates out to look for Eveline.”

“Viscount Hethyus sent people out? Even though he clearly knows it could be a trap?”

“Yes. It seems he’s spread his forces everywhere. There are traces that they’ve been around.”

“That means…”

“He intends to find Eveline somehow, no matter what.”

I thought their marriage was merely for appearances, but it seems their relationship is deeper than expected.

Just as Hans said, I’m glad I brought Eveline here.

“Will you be okay? Viscount Hethyus is vicious. If he finds out you’re keeping her…”

“I know that better than anyone, so don’t worry.”

Though I couldn’t see his true appearance because he covered himself with a mask and robe, I had crossed swords with the viscount several times.

Unlike Cassian, who had learned swordsmanship properly, Viscount Hethyus’s swordsmanship was nothing but rough.

Cassian had the advantage in strength, but when it came to technique, the viscount was a step ahead.

He used varied changes and elegant techniques to exploit Cassian’s openings.

Although I knew it was a battle, it felt more like a sparring match where he was enjoying himself.

It would have been nice if he weren’t an enemy.

I wished I could recruit him, but he wasn’t easily swayed.

It was regrettable, but for the stability of the Empire, Viscount Hethyus had to be captured.

“How is Eveline’s condition?”

“She’s past the critical stage. Luckily, she’s recovering quickly. If she hadn’t, she would have died long ago.”

She was now well enough to move around, but when I first saw her, she had been on the verge of death.

She still needed continuous treatment, but at least she had made it past the danger of dying.

Recalling that heart-stopping moment, Matthew finished writing the remaining records and handed the parchment to Cassian.

Cassian’s gaze stopped at one place as he examined the medical records.

“Her blood vessels are blocked… Does Eveline have some kind of special ability?”

The reason for blocking one’s blood vessels was generally to seal away their power.

However, there wasn’t the slightest trace of aura or magical power coming from Eveline.

She was nothing more than a frail lady.

Whatever the reason, her health had to be restored.

If only so that this excellent bait could be used in the right place at the right time.

“Don’t worry about the cost. Make sure she recovers somehow.”

Around the same time.

“My lord, we received a reply from the information broker we commissioned.”

The knight’s voice echoed through the magnificent room.

The person inside let out a low groan before finally giving permission.

“Tell him to come in.”

As the dignified voice fell, the door opened.

Mode hesitated, unable to immediately enter through the open door.

By order of the head of the information network, Mode, a low-ranking informant, had come alone to the dark guild operated by Viscount Hethyus. Trembling as he clutched the parchment, Mode sent a pleading look toward the knight standing guard at the door.

“D-Do I really have to go inside?”

“Then who will?”

The contemptuous gaze that came his way was as though he were a bug crawling around on the street.

How dare someone like him defy the viscount’s orders?

With no choice, Mode forced his trembling legs to move and entered.

As befitted a place where Viscount Hethyus spent long periods of time, the guild master’s office was filled with grandeur.

A candlestick studded with finely crafted diamonds, a desk made of ebony, neatly arranged high-quality parchment and ink, and even fountain pens stocked by type.

One by one, everything in the room was so valuable that it was difficult to put a price on it.

“Bring it here.”

The man seated in the place of honor smiled kindly and beckoned with his fingers.

At first glance, it was a benevolent smile, but fear deepened in Mode’s eyes.

Carefully placing the parchment in his hand, Mode hurriedly stepped backward before flattening himself against the floor.

The man’s voice grew colder as he checked the results of the request.

“You failed again?”

Crack.

The man crumpled the parchment, rose from his seat, and approached Mode.

“Do you think I gave you fifty thousand kroes just so you could bring me something like this and call it a result?”

“We did our best! But the results—Urgh!”

“How hard you tried isn’t important. What matters is bringing my Belle back.”

Belle. It was the nickname of Eveline, his fiancée.

The man roughly seized Mode by the chin and summoned the knight outside.

“Take him to the basement.”

“Yes, boss.”

“W-Wait! Please! Send word to our chief and give us one more chance!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make him just like you.”

Although a desperate cry could be heard, the man firmly locked the door and turned away without hesitation.

Once alone, the man returned to his seat and opened a drawer.

Click.

Inside was a portrait of Eveline.

Taking out the portrait, he gently stroked the frame before murmuring quietly.

“Belle, where in the world are you?”

“Maaaster~ How are you feeling today?”

“Does your head hurt, or has anything come back to you?”

Rose and Mary, who had been assigned as Eveline’s personal maids, immediately bombarded her with questions as soon as they saw her.

The questions sounded like a morning greeting, and Eveline tilted her head slightly before answering casually.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

“Hmmm, I see.”

“Oh dear, another failure today.”

The lukewarm response made the two girls’ shoulders droop.

And for good reason. The two of them had received a secret mission separately.

A few days earlier.

“Mary, Rose. I have an important mission for you.”

Sophia, the head maid, summoned the two with a solemn expression.

Confused by the sudden summons, Mary and Rose swallowed nervously and waited for Sophia to speak.

“The task I’m about to give you is extremely important. If you solve this, not only will you be promoted to full-fledged maids, but your pay will increase fivefold.”

“F-Five times?”

“Five times means enough m-money to live and play for two whole years?”

“Yes. You may refuse. But if you refuse, you’ll have to take this drug and sign an oath promising never to reveal what you know.”

The meaning was clear.

Choose whether to keep the secret and earn a fortune, or take a drug that erases your memories and return as you are now.

After struggling with the decision, Mary and Rose accepted one after another.

“I’ll do it!”

“Me too!”

Whatever it was, if the task meant becoming official maids and receiving five times the pay, they had to accomplish it no matter how difficult it was.

They had definitely made up their minds to do so.

But then—

“Lady Seldian is currently staying on the third floor of the main building.”

“Yes?”

“Lady Seldian believes she is the Duchess of Hethis.”

“Eeeeh?”

Barely had they signed the contract when they received this shocking news.

“The Witch of the North is here?”

“T-The wicked woman who devastated the South is pretending to be the mistress of the house?”

They hoped it was a lie, but Sophia’s stern expression showed no sign of softening.

After hearing the whole story, it felt as though a typhoon had swept through.

“S-So His Grace and the lady are pretending to be husband and wife?”

“Oh my, how romantic!”

“Rose! Get a grip! This isn’t a novel. We have to thoroughly deceive the lady and capture Viscount Hethyus!”

“B-But you can’t do that to a woman who already belongs to someone else!”

“…Sometimes, you have to do such things for the greater good.”

“B-But…”

“The most important thing is House Hethis. Remember that, Mary! And you too, Rose!”

After giving them a stern warning, Sophia dismissed the two.

The two girls, who had reluctantly become Eveline’s personal maids, began watching her with sharp eyes from that day onward.

“Hmmm, I wonder what we’re having for dinner today?”

Eveline, on the other hand, was completely carefree.

“Maaaster, you really don’t remember anything?”

“Not even a little?”

They had to report to the head maid every day, and they couldn’t keep submitting the exact same answer.

So the two girls carefully took notes on even the smallest things, determined to uncover every detail about the lady.

At their earnest questioning, Eveline rested her chin on her hand for a moment, looking deep in thought.

Then she answered with a fresh smile.

“Nope. Nothing.”

The hopeful expressions on Mary and Rose’s faces turned to disappointment.

“I see…”

“I guess it’s another failure today.”

As Mary and Rose muttered dejectedly, Eveline nodded along in agreement.

“Yeah. It would be nice if I had my memories.”

Seeing how disappointed they were made Eveline feel disappointed too.

Unfortunately, perhaps there was no transmigrator’s bonus, because she couldn’t remember anything from the original story.

‘Should I just be grateful that I can read and write?’

As she awkwardly scratched her cheek with her finger, the drooping maids suddenly lit up.

They immediately pulled out their parchment as though they couldn’t afford to miss even a single moment of her daily life.

“Oh my, she scratched her cheek!”

“Write it down quickly!”

At the heartwarming sight, a smile appeared on Eveline’s lips.

‘It seems Cassian really likes me a lot.’

He had said he was sorry that he couldn’t come see her often because he had so much work to deal with.

Apparently, he was having the maids report on my daily life.

Come to think of it, what was Cassian doing?

“Where’s my hubby?”

“Hubby? You mean His Grace the Duke?”

“Mary, you’re so silly. Who else could my hubby be besides Cassian?”

“Haha, right.”

“But why did you suddenly drop your hand, Mary?”