Chapter 12

The Effect of Driving a Wedge Between Them

“They say she knelt before the Head Lady and begged for forgiveness. How pathetic.”

Sella covered her mouth as though she found it amusing.

A faint smile appeared on Essika’s lips as well.

Yesterday, Yuri had reportedly knelt at the Head Lady’s feet, crying and swearing her loyalty.

She had declared that she would never marry and would remain by the Head Lady’s side as her Head Maid for the rest of her life.

Thanks to that, the list of potential husbands had apparently been discarded.

The fact that Leona had received Yuri’s oath of loyalty wasn’t particularly good news for Essika.

But why should she be afraid just because two useless people had joined hands?

Above all, they didn’t trust each other.

The suspicion that had begun toward Yuri would continue tightening around her neck.

Yuri must have realized by now that Leona had absolutely no intention of considering her as even a candidate to become Kallian’s partner.

It was like driving a wedge between a dog and a monkey.

There was nothing to worry about.

“The Head Lady will demand something in exchange for her loyalty.”

“But the Head Maid doesn’t have… anything left to give her.”

“That’s why she’ll inevitably become desperate.”

Yuri could no longer steal Essika’s jewelry.

Desperation led to impulsiveness, and impulsiveness led to ruin.

Essika, who had memories of using precisely such psychology to deal with countless enemies, was actually looking forward to what would happen next.

“I don’t understand your plan because I’m ignorant, but…”

Sella’s eyes shone as she looked at Essika.

“I know that you’re amazing, Madam. And I believe that whatever you’re doing will succeed.”

Essika chuckled at Sella’s words.

Then, after a moment, she spoke.

“I should have Hemos send Yuri a gift.”

“…A gift?”

“Well, perhaps ‘bait’ would be more accurate.”

Essika wasn’t foolish enough to reach out and save an enemy who was backing toward the edge of a cliff.

At most, she would push them one step closer to their downfall.

* * *

If I’m caught approaching the Duke recklessly, I won’t survive next time.

Yuri followed behind Leona with a cold expression.

As usual, Leona sat in the garden and began listening to the musician’s performance.

The sweet melody was artistic and beautiful, but Yuri couldn’t hear any of it.

Her thoughts were too complicated.

I’ve barely managed to remain by the Head Lady’s side… But at this rate, I have no way of approaching the Duke.

Ever since the previous incident, the maids had begun reporting everything about Yuri to Leona.

They even gave Yuri warning looks whenever she merely approached Kallian.

The unexpected obstacle made Yuri furious every day.

Everything would have gone smoothly if Essika hadn’t spread that cursed story.

“I’ll bring refreshments from the kitchen.”

Yuri informed the Head Lady before heading to the kitchen.

A note had arrived from Hemos earlier.

He had said he would prepare some fruit that was good for scars.

While waiting to receive the snacks she had ordered in advance, Yuri heard voices coming from inside.

“Don’t take that green bottle. The butler left it here temporarily. It’s medicine for treating chickens, and it’ll cause serious problems if a person drinks it.”

“Could it kill someone?”

“No, it’ll cause severe stomach trouble. They’ll be sick for a week.”

Yuri heard Hemos talking with one of the maids.

Her gaze shifted toward the shelf, where she spotted four or five small green bottles.

Is that what Hemos was talking about just now?

“……”

And at that moment, an idea flashed through Yuri’s mind.

If the Head Lady is watching me, then I simply need to give her something else to worry about.

She had occasionally pretended to be sick in order to receive attention from Kallian.

So even if Leona were sick for about a week, it wouldn’t be considered anything particularly unusual.

Yuri reached toward the bottle with a greedy expression.

Then she quickly slipped one of them beneath her apron.

A moment later, Hemos came out carrying an ornate plate filled with snacks.

He also held out a small bag.

“Here are the refreshments. And this is a fruit called pagua. It’s somewhat bitter, but it’s good for helping scars heal.”

“Thank you, Hemos.”

Yuri took the bag and looked at the plate.

The delicious desserts arranged upon it immediately made her mouth water.

If I married a commoner, I could never dream of eating things like this.

Then another thought followed.

But if I become the Duchess of Klaus one day… I could enjoy luxuries like this every day. I’m not the foolish Essika who can’t even take care of her own possessions.

Yuri accepted the food and smiled at Hemos.

“I’ll be going now. Thank you for your work.”

Hemos watched Yuri’s back until she disappeared into the distance.

Only then did Sella cautiously peek her head out from the kitchen.

Hemos met her eyes and gave a quiet chuckle.

* * *

It didn’t take long for the signal to reach the Head Lady.

On the way back, Yuri had to support the pale-faced Leona, but she didn’t find it particularly difficult.

That medicine really works.

Apparently, Leona would be sick for a week.

That meant the next week would belong to Yuri.

“Head Lady, I’ve called for the physician, so please bear with it for a little while longer.”

Yuri put on an extremely worried expression.

Leona lay on the bed with her eyes closed, looking as though she were dead.

She had already emptied her stomach several times.

The maids went to Hemos and angrily demanded an explanation, but Hemos insisted that he had merely served the cookies that the Empress had sent the previous day.

Since they couldn’t exactly confront the Empress about it, the matter would eventually be swept under the rug.

“Mother!”

A short while later, Kallian rushed into the room.

Yuri lowered her head with a sorrowful expression and greeted him.

Kallian hurried past Yuri and went straight to Leona, taking her hand.

“Oh, no. You’ve collapsed again. Mother…”

Under normal circumstances, Leona would have acted out the role of a gentle and fragile mother, her eyes brimming with tears as she assured him that she was fine.

But today, she didn’t even have the strength to do that.

She could only blink her eyes.

Not long afterward, the physician arrived and diagnosed her with severe stomach trouble.

“Kallian, today I really… Ugh…”

Leona suddenly frowned.

Kallian was looking at her with concern, but Leona felt disappointed by that gaze.

She genuinely felt as though she were dying from the pain, yet compared to how much she was suffering, Kallian’s reaction didn’t seem particularly sincere.

She had pretended to be ill too many times, so Kallian had developed a certain immunity to it.

Of course, he was still a dutiful son who would put everything aside and rush to his mother’s side.

Leona didn’t want to think about anything anymore, so she simply closed her eyes in irritation.

Nothing has been going right lately.

A short while later, Yuri followed Kallian as he left the room.

How can his shoulders be so broad and reassuring?

“Your Grace.”

At Yuri’s voice, Kallian stopped and turned around.

She was especially well dressed today.

Yuri deliberately put on a slightly depressed expression and stood before him with a worried look.

Then tears welled up in her eyes.

“Please punish me.”

“……”

Kallian’s eyebrow twitched.

“I brought the cookies to the Head Lady, and that’s why she ended up with such terrible stomach trouble…”

It was a sight designed to awaken a man’s protective instincts.

Kallian let out a small sigh.

“It isn’t your fault.”

“But…”

Kallian raised his hand and wiped the tears flowing down Yuri’s cheek.

For a moment, Essika came to mind, and an uncomfortable ache appeared in one corner of his chest.

Even so, he didn’t want to turn away from Yuri, who was so anxious.

* * *

The following day, Essika’s carriage stopped in front of a mansion.

She had gone out because of an appointment that had been arranged rather suddenly.

It had been almost two years since Essika had last left the Klaus residence.

The place she had arrived at was the mansion of Count Alchemiz, a distant relative of House Klaus.

I’ve already mapped out the route from the ducal residence to the city center.

As the carriage traveled, Essika carefully surveyed the scenery outside.

The terrain, geography, and the direction of the busy districts.

She memorized anything that might prove useful when she went out in the future.

I’ve accomplished the first objective for today.

She had also obtained information about a high-quality weapons shop, so she intended to go out again soon.

This wasn’t the martial world, where the law of the jungle ruled, and she had no intention of suppressing her enemies with a sword or seeking revenge through violence.

But she still needed a sword.

Even when she had lived as Yeongryeong, a sword had always remained by her side.

Whenever times became difficult, she would look at her sword and steady her mind. Through practicing swordsmanship, she had gained enlightenment.

For the lonely Yeongryeong, the sword had been a symbolic pillar of her heart and her one and only friend.

Therefore, she intended to order a sword that closely resembled the one she had used throughout her life…

But recklessly using lightness kung fu to leave the residence could draw unnecessary attention.

That was why she had chosen to ride in a carriage and use the journey to familiarize herself with the surrounding geography.

Everything required at least one rehearsal.

The second objective…

Today was Countess Alchemiz’s tea party.

It was being held to celebrate Count Alchemiz receiving a special medal from the Emperor.

Normally, the Head Lady would have attended, but apparently she had come down with severe stomach trouble.

Thanks to Hemos doing his job perfectly.

The Head Lady’s maids handed Essika a dress with displeased expressions.

There was no way she could attend an outside tea party wearing the old, shabby dress she normally wore.

Leona had also sent Essika instructions through a maid.

Sit quietly and leave when it’s over.

“Her Grace, Essika Klaus, Duchess of Klaus.”

In the greenhouse garden of the Count Alchemiz residence, the maid announced Essika’s arrival.

Around ten noblewomen turned their heads to look at her.

Essika approached them and stopped, greeting them with a faintly cold smile.

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen you all.”

The second objective is… to make future allies.

She had absolutely no interest in Kallian, the man Yuri was desperately burning with desire to possess.