I grumbled deep inside.
‘I’m disappointed in you, Chaers. So disappointed.’
Perhaps it was because I was too agitated so the sound of me placing the glass down was louder than usual. I was fortunate that the guests were already drunk so they just burst into laughter when they saw my actions.
When I came back to my seat, I could feel that my heart was thumping loudly due to my drunkenness. It seemed like this was the perfect drinking place. After all, I was being surrounded by betrayal and conspiracy. But I couldn’t make any mistakes so I just kept my mouth shut as I waited for this to finish quickly.
The banquet remained noisy and happy regardless of what was going on in my mind.
❄❅❄
After the banquet ended, the servants began to guide the guests to their respective rooms. This marked the end of my role. I stood up confidently without knowing what would happen later.
I quietly bowed to Duke Kyron as he left the banquet hall. But Chaers, who was following behind him, just looked at me coldly.
I wonder when Chaers started to hate me this much. I felt sad as I walked down the empty hallway. He was quite the reliable person in the original novel but how did he end up like this?
I couldn’t fall asleep with my raging thoughts so I stood up to go to the garden. After all, there was no other place in this castle where I could freshen up my mind and sober up from the alcohol.
Meanwhile, the North’s temperature in spring had gone milder. In my standards, it was still equivalent to the middle of winter. I thought it would be better if I did gymnastics but considering that I almost died when I did that, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to do gymnastics in real life.
Instead of doing gymnastics, I just took a deep breath and wandered around the garden for a while.
“Huh…”
The doors of the dark greenhouse were wide open. It seemed like the servant had forgotten to close the doors. I quickly ran to the greenhouse in surprise. No matter how mild the temperature in the North was wild, the sensitive herbs would still be damaged by the cold and become unusable if they were left alone.
“Heup!”
As soon as I entered the greenhouse, someone grabbed my neck and covered my mouth.
“I heard that you fell from a tree a while ago? Then, it wouldn’t be a problem if you fall again. After all, everyone else had seen you become drunk. You bitch.”
I suddenly fainted from his powerful hold on my neck.
❄❅❄
When I came back to my senses, my hands were already tied behind a chair. I was in a wooden warehouse and a brazier was lit in front of me.
I remembered the voice of the man who covered my mouth in the greenhouse. It was definitely Gaurin. I was kidnapped by Gaurin.
Then, a man appeared behind me when I heard a rustling sound. I was shocked to see the man sit on the chair across the brazier in front of me.
“Sir Chaers? What in…”
“Arielsa.”
He leaned towards the brazier to warm his hands up. He looked like he was checking the temperature more than warming himself from the cold. He looked like he was going to use the fire somewhere else. I followed his gaze and looked at the floor below. I was so shocked to see the iron laid down on the ground.
I remembered that he did not drink that much at the banquet earlier.
Don’t tell me that he will take care of me…?
“Were you with Gaurin?”
Chaers looked up at me as he warmed his hands up.
“So?”
There was a saying for people who were often surprised… ‘I thought my liver would fall off’. But since my surprise coincided greatly with my disappointment, I felt like my heart was being torn apart.
Chaers betrayed Duke Kyron!
He was one of the few people who stayed by Duke Kyron’s side after George died and they were driven to the south… If the original work got messed up this way, then I would not be able to predict whatever would happen an inch ahead of me.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I lost all hope.
“How… How can you betray the Duke? How did you manage to…”
He stared at me for a moment before speaking.
“Is His Majesty the only enemy of the Harpels?”
I couldn’t help but mutter in shock.
“What?”
Many years ago, the Emperor’s younger brother, the Marquess, rebelled when he was suffering from measles. So he decided to defeat all of the powerful forces to secure the Crown Prince’s power.
His first target was Duke Kyron. He was the Lord of the North and the guardian of the Empire against the demonic beasts. He was arguably the most powerful man in the entire Empire.
But you’re telling me that there’s another evil behind the Emperor?
I shook my head in confusion. Then, I felt uncomfortable again when the ropes that bound me tightened with my movements.
“So who’s behind the sir and Gaurin?”
“Hmm…”
Chaers leaned back on his chair as he stared at me. He scratched his head and wiped his face with his hands. He looked like he was in a conflict. However, what I was sure of was no matter the conclusion to his conflict, it would still not end well for me.
“Arielsa. How did you know about us?”
“……”
Chaers focused his eyes on me as he spoke quietly.
“Don’t let me torture you.”
He lifted his eyes from the brazier as he looked at me with his heavy breathing. Then, he picked up the iron from the ground and placed it inside the brazier. I tried to back off but the chair was stuck in place. I could suddenly feel the heat of the brazier hitting me in the face.
“I, I’ll call the Duke! Sir Chaers!”
I yelled loudly but Chaers just smirked at me. His laughter made me feel like cold water had been poured on me. He turned to look around the warehouse before speaking to me.
“Sir George will be sad if he did not find your body. My head is already spinning at the thought of consoling him. So Arielsa, you better tell me what you know.”
“……”
I tilted my head to my shoulder. Tears were dripping on my face so I wanted to wipe it on my shoulders but I couldn’t reach it since I was tied down. In the end, I burst into tears.
It’s not like I’m doing this because I know you well! I’m just doing this to make the male lead live a good life!
“Sob… You’re too much!”
Chaers paced in the wide warehouse as he frowned at my babbling. I couldn’t tell if it was because he was caught or it was because he did not want to hear me cry this loudly. But one thing was for sure, this was a very quiet place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t let myself cry this loudly. However, that realization just frightened me even more.
“Arielsa!”
Chaers yelled at me. In shock, I couldn’t help but stop my wails.
“I don’t have time to fool around with you! Answer the question! How did you know about Gaurin?!”
I stuttered in answer.
“I, In Movale.”
“In Movale?”
“When the Duke went on a two-day trip I went around the village and looked around. I heard some people talking in the forest. But I didn’t see their faces…”
“What did you hear?”
“Gaurin should take over the East since we failed to kick Romney out. Convey this to His Majesty…”
“Convey?”
“I didn’t hear anymore! When the workers showed up, they suddenly disappeared!”
“Why didn’t you tell the Duke right away?”
“How can I even say that?! How will he believe my words?! How would I know that I heard something big or maybe I just heard something ridiculous because I fell off of a ladder?!”
“Hmm…”
“I realized that it was something serious when I heard him mention a new administrator but… I was scared. Sob, sob, sob!”
It sounded plausible to me when I told a lie that was mixed with my frightened tears. Chaers seemed to be a bit persuaded especially after he heard me mention the ladder.
Even if I told him the truth, with Chaers’ personality, he would not believe that I possessed this body. I did not want to betray the male lead by dying after I possessed this body.
Fortunately, Chaers was immersed in something else since he was scratching his chin in thought.
“Sir Chaers, why did you betray the Duke? Since when?”
I asked him earnestly but all he did was frown at me.
“Arielsa, I will ask you this one last thing. Your end will depend from your answer.”
“Sir Chaers…”
“Is that all you’ve heard? What did Gaurin say to you?”
“Since I fell off of a tree, then it wouldn’t matter if I fell again…”
I stopped talking in the middle. If Chaers and Gaurin were on the same side, then why would he bother asking what Gaurin said when he dragged me here?
“Sir Chaers…?”
When I called out to Chaers, who was thinking deeply, he glared at me as if I was getting in his way.
“What about Gaurin?”
He spoke harshly as if he couldn’t be bothered anymore with my words.
“Of course he’s in the dungeon. In the most terrible room.”
“……”
I stared at him in a daze for a moment. It seemed like Chaers had questioned me while pretending to be in the same boat with Gaurin.
Does he want to kill me…?
Chaers looked at me with a frown before speaking again.
“He deserves to die because he tried to kill the Duke’s poison taster and personal maid. The trial will be held for the sake of the elders from the East but he will never see the light of the sun again. How dare he kill inside Harpel Castle!”
The crimes that were committed in the Duke’s home were commonly accepted as attacks on the Duke himself. Furthermore, it was only natural that he would receive severe punishments since I was the Duke’s personal maid that served as his poison taster.
I couldn’t help but look at Chaers with confusion.
“Did… you deceive me?”
“Don’t tell me… where you fooled? Pfft.”
It was the most obnoxious laughter that I have seen in my entire life.
“Wuuuuuu!”
I wanted to rock the chair towards where Chaers’ was but the chair was stuck. What was worse was the fact that Chaers was looking at me with absurdity.
‘The next time I get a chance to possess someone, I will definitely possess George. Then I’ll knock you down with his pillar-like arm!’
I gritted my teeth and asked.
“Then did you do that on purpose? Saying that to Gaurin in the corridor?”
“Hoo. Arielsa, did you peek at us? I’ve always thought that you were a bit sloppy but looking at you today it seems like you’re quite quick-witted. How admirable.”
“Uggh! I won’t forgive you!”
“Won’t forgive me?”
I grumbled deep inside.
‘I’m disappointed in you, Chaers. So disappointed.’
Perhaps it was because I was too agitated so the sound of me placing the glass down was louder than usual. I was fortunate that the guests were already drunk so they just burst into laughter when they saw my actions.
When I came back to my seat, I could feel that my heart was thumping loudly due to my drunkenness. It seemed like this was the perfect drinking place. After all, I was being surrounded by betrayal and conspiracy. But I couldn’t make any mistakes so I just kept my mouth shut as I waited for this to finish quickly.
The banquet remained noisy and happy regardless of what was going on in my mind.
❄❅❄
After the banquet ended, the servants began to guide the guests to their respective rooms. This marked the end of my role. I stood up confidently without knowing what would happen later.
I quietly bowed to Duke Kyron as he left the banquet hall. But Chaers, who was following behind him, just looked at me coldly.
I wonder when Chaers started to hate me this much. I felt sad as I walked down the empty hallway. He was quite the reliable person in the original novel but how did he end up like this?
I couldn’t fall asleep with my raging thoughts so I stood up to go to the garden. After all, there was no other place in this castle where I could freshen up my mind and sober up from the alcohol.
Meanwhile, the North’s temperature in spring had gone milder. In my standards, it was still equivalent to the middle of winter. I thought it would be better if I did gymnastics but considering that I almost died when I did that, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to do gymnastics in real life.
Instead of doing gymnastics, I just took a deep breath and wandered around the garden for a while.
“Huh…”
The doors of the dark greenhouse were wide open. It seemed like the servant had forgotten to close the doors. I quickly ran to the greenhouse in surprise. No matter how mild the temperature in the North was wild, the sensitive herbs would still be damaged by the cold and become unusable if they were left alone.
“Heup!”
As soon as I entered the greenhouse, someone grabbed my neck and covered my mouth.
“I heard that you fell from a tree a while ago? Then, it wouldn’t be a problem if you fall again. After all, everyone else had seen you become drunk. You bitch.”
I suddenly fainted from his powerful hold on my neck.
❄❅❄
When I came back to my senses, my hands were already tied behind a chair. I was in a wooden warehouse and a brazier was lit in front of me.
I remembered the voice of the man who covered my mouth in the greenhouse. It was definitely Gaurin. I was kidnapped by Gaurin.
Then, a man appeared behind me when I heard a rustling sound. I was shocked to see the man sit on the chair across the brazier in front of me.
“Sir Chaers? What in…”
“Arielsa.”
He leaned towards the brazier to warm his hands up. He looked like he was checking the temperature more than warming himself from the cold. He looked like he was going to use the fire somewhere else. I followed his gaze and looked at the floor below. I was so shocked to see the iron laid down on the ground.
I remembered that he did not drink that much at the banquet earlier.
Don’t tell me that he will take care of me…?
“Were you with Gaurin?”
Chaers looked up at me as he warmed his hands up.
“So?”
There was a saying for people who were often surprised… ‘I thought my liver would fall off’. But since my surprise coincided greatly with my disappointment, I felt like my heart was being torn apart.
Chaers betrayed Duke Kyron!
He was one of the few people who stayed by Duke Kyron’s side after George died and they were driven to the south… If the original work got messed up this way, then I would not be able to predict whatever would happen an inch ahead of me.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I lost all hope.
“How… How can you betray the Duke? How did you manage to…”
He stared at me for a moment before speaking.
“Is His Majesty the only enemy of the Harpels?”
I couldn’t help but mutter in shock.
“What?”
Many years ago, the Emperor’s younger brother, the Marquess, rebelled when he was suffering from measles. So he decided to defeat all of the powerful forces to secure the Crown Prince’s power.
His first target was Duke Kyron. He was the Lord of the North and the guardian of the Empire against the demonic beasts. He was arguably the most powerful man in the entire Empire.
But you’re telling me that there’s another evil behind the Emperor?
I shook my head in confusion. Then, I felt uncomfortable again when the ropes that bound me tightened with my movements.
“So who’s behind the sir and Gaurin?”
“Hmm…”
Chaers leaned back on his chair as he stared at me. He scratched his head and wiped his face with his hands. He looked like he was in a conflict. However, what I was sure of was no matter the conclusion to his conflict, it would still not end well for me.
“Arielsa. How did you know about us?”
“……”
Chaers focused his eyes on me as he spoke quietly.
“Don’t let me torture you.”
He lifted his eyes from the brazier as he looked at me with his heavy breathing. Then, he picked up the iron from the ground and placed it inside the brazier. I tried to back off but the chair was stuck in place. I could suddenly feel the heat of the brazier hitting me in the face.
“I, I’ll call the Duke! Sir Chaers!”
I yelled loudly but Chaers just smirked at me. His laughter made me feel like cold water had been poured on me. He turned to look around the warehouse before speaking to me.
“Sir George will be sad if he did not find your body. My head is already spinning at the thought of consoling him. So Arielsa, you better tell me what you know.”
“……”
I tilted my head to my shoulder. Tears were dripping on my face so I wanted to wipe it on my shoulders but I couldn’t reach it since I was tied down. In the end, I burst into tears.
It’s not like I’m doing this because I know you well! I’m just doing this to make the male lead live a good life!
“Sob… You’re too much!”
Chaers paced in the wide warehouse as he frowned at my babbling. I couldn’t tell if it was because he was caught or it was because he did not want to hear me cry this loudly. But one thing was for sure, this was a very quiet place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t let myself cry this loudly. However, that realization just frightened me even more.
“Arielsa!”
Chaers yelled at me. In shock, I couldn’t help but stop my wails.
“I don’t have time to fool around with you! Answer the question! How did you know about Gaurin?!”
I stuttered in answer.
“I, In Movale.”
“In Movale?”
“When the Duke went on a two-day trip I went around the village and looked around. I heard some people talking in the forest. But I didn’t see their faces…”
“What did you hear?”
“Gaurin should take over the East since we failed to kick Romney out. Convey this to His Majesty…”
“Convey?”
“I didn’t hear anymore! When the workers showed up, they suddenly disappeared!”
“Why didn’t you tell the Duke right away?”
“How can I even say that?! How will he believe my words?! How would I know that I heard something big or maybe I just heard something ridiculous because I fell off of a ladder?!”
“Hmm…”
“I realized that it was something serious when I heard him mention a new administrator but… I was scared. Sob, sob, sob!”
It sounded plausible to me when I told a lie that was mixed with my frightened tears. Chaers seemed to be a bit persuaded especially after he heard me mention the ladder.
Even if I told him the truth, with Chaers’ personality, he would not believe that I possessed this body. I did not want to betray the male lead by dying after I possessed this body.
Fortunately, Chaers was immersed in something else since he was scratching his chin in thought.
“Sir Chaers, why did you betray the Duke? Since when?”
I asked him earnestly but all he did was frown at me.
“Arielsa, I will ask you this one last thing. Your end will depend from your answer.”
“Sir Chaers…”
“Is that all you’ve heard? What did Gaurin say to you?”
“Since I fell off of a tree, then it wouldn’t matter if I fell again…”
I stopped talking in the middle. If Chaers and Gaurin were on the same side, then why would he bother asking what Gaurin said when he dragged me here?
“Sir Chaers…?”
When I called out to Chaers, who was thinking deeply, he glared at me as if I was getting in his way.
“What about Gaurin?”
He spoke harshly as if he couldn’t be bothered anymore with my words.
“Of course he’s in the dungeon. In the most terrible room.”
“……”
I stared at him in a daze for a moment. It seemed like Chaers had questioned me while pretending to be in the same boat with Gaurin.
Does he want to kill me…?
Chaers looked at me with a frown before speaking again.
“He deserves to die because he tried to kill the Duke’s poison taster and personal maid. The trial will be held for the sake of the elders from the East but he will never see the light of the sun again. How dare he kill inside Harpel Castle!”
The crimes that were committed in the Duke’s home were commonly accepted as attacks on the Duke himself. Furthermore, it was only natural that he would receive severe punishments since I was the Duke’s personal maid that served as his poison taster.
I couldn’t help but look at Chaers with confusion.
“Did… you deceive me?”
“Don’t tell me… where you fooled? Pfft.”
It was the most obnoxious laughter that I have seen in my entire life.
“Wuuuuuu!”
I wanted to rock the chair towards where Chaers’ was but the chair was stuck. What was worse was the fact that Chaers was looking at me with absurdity.
‘The next time I get a chance to possess someone, I will definitely possess George. Then I’ll knock you down with his pillar-like arm!’
I gritted my teeth and asked.
“Then did you do that on purpose? Saying that to Gaurin in the corridor?”
“Hoo. Arielsa, did you peek at us? I’ve always thought that you were a bit sloppy but looking at you today it seems like you’re quite quick-witted. How admirable.”
“Uggh! I won’t forgive you!”
“Won’t forgive me?”
