Chapter 11
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 11: Who Is the Slave
The back of the busy district of the city Alderin. A deep part of the forest where people seldom tread.
A lake as calm as a mirror is hidden there, surrounded by dense trees like a curtain.
Where fish swim.
A lake where birds come to drink water.
Right next to such a lake sits a building, which is none other than the villa of the Edelheid Ducal family.
In the past, it is known that the Duke of Edelheid built it for a certain woman he loved.
A scale large enough to make the title of 'villa' feel humble. The brilliance like a jewel box seems to show off the Duke's heart toward the woman he loved.
However, that overwhelming splendor conversely evoked a strange sense of desolation.
Those who filled that vast space, where nobles could hold a banquet without shortage, were only a very small number.
At a glance, it looked not like a mansion but a prison.
So that one cannot run away anywhere.
So that no one can approach.
The current owner of such a beautiful prison.
The second daughter of the Edelheid Ducal family and the second prisoner trapped in this huge jewel box, Renoa Edelheid.
Renoa leaned against the window and stared blankly at the glittering ripples of the lake.
The scenery of the lake visible at a glance from the room. The location and structure of the room seemingly designed solely for this.
Even though it is a view anyone would call beautiful, Renoa’s gaze was dull.
Since she has been looking only at this all day for several years, it was a natural reaction in a way.
“I heard you went to the arena with Sir Zain.”
The one who spoke to such Renoa was her exclusive maid, Bibi.
She has served Renoa since she was 5 years old, and follows only her even now, 8 years later.
To Renoa, she was someone she spent more time with than her parents.
“Yeah.”
“When I was away for work, that is. When I wasn't there. Leaving only me behind. Just the two of you excluding me.”
“Yeah.”
Bibi grumbling without even thinking of hiding her thorns.
Renoa didn't budge an inch. She answered while staring at the window.
“Even sponsoring a slave.”
“Yeah.”
Even the always composed Bibi was quite surprised when she heard that story.
Bibi, who served Renoa even before she reached the age of reason. It was the first time she saw Renoa giving interest to another person.
“Were his skills outstanding?”
“Not really.”
“Did you see talent?”
“Well.”
The person involved who actually surprised everyone only repeated indifferent answers.
Bibi, thinking for a moment, asked again.
“Or did you like his appearance?”
“.......”
Then silence.
Renoa turns her head.
Glares with a sharp gaze.
“That. What do you mean?”
“I asked because it was fascinating that the Lady would sponsor another person, and a mere slave at that. Is this not it either?”
“Absolutely not.”
“I see. Pardon me. Then for what reason are you sponsoring him?”
“Do I have to report every single thing to you too?”
“How could that be.”
“Then why do you keep trying to dig?”
“Because, I am curious?”
Bibi tilting her head with an innocent expression, as if there is no other reason than that.
At that confident attitude, Renoa’s brows only narrowed. Then soon she sighed.
Since it’s not just a day or two that Bibi acts like she has a screw loose.
“Just. Because he was an eyesore.”
“Which part?”
“I don't know.”
At Renoa’s attitude trying to gloss over it, Bibi seemed to ponder for a moment, then.
“Love?”
Plop, she threw out such an answer.
Then Renoa’s expression crumpled rapidly.
“It seems our connection ends here. I will contact the family. That Bibi wants to return.”
“It is a joke.”
“Ha.”
A hollow laugh slipped out of Renoa’s mouth at the boldness crossing dimensions. It was so absurd she didn't even get angry.
‘Love?’
It’s absurd even thinking about it again.
Although abandoned by the family, she is still nominally a daughter of a Ducal family. But love with a mere slave?
It’s not even funny.
Can’t even use it as a joke.
Even by a one in a million chance, that won’t happen. For what reason is she trapped in a place like this.
If such a thing happens by any chance, she will bite her tongue and die.
“Just how does the head maid educate the maids.”
For a mere maid to play word games against a noble.
Normally, it would be immediate execution.
Setting aside the crime of lèse-majesté, Renoa’s nature isn't exactly kind either.
But Renoa didn't take any action.
Bibi is a dud as a maid, but as a conversation partner, there is no talent like her.
In this mansion where all she does is watch the lake, if even Bibi disappears, she will die of boredom.
It was an unavoidable generosity.
While exchanging such trivial jokes, a knock sounded.
“My Lady. The Duchess will arrive soon.”
“Quite a leisurely person. Coming all the way to this far place.”
“Going out to greet her would be....”
“She’ll come on her own if I wait, why should I.”
“However.......”
The maid’s voice was full of restless anxiety, but Renoa didn't care.
She sat still and waited. Soon, a two-horse carriage entered the garden.
An owl-shaped crest drawn on the carriage. Sitting on an ancient book, with seven stars lined up in a semicircle behind it.
A prestigious family of wizards.
The crest of the Edelheid Ducal family.
A blonde woman dressed in a dress and a girl resembling her got off from there.
The woman looked around the surroundings and turned her head to the room where Renoa was. Their gazes met.
She frowned and strode toward the mansion.
“Haa....”
Renoa sighing and shaking her head. Fatigue rushes in already.
—Thud thud thud thud.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway.
A beat that seems impatient. Angry emotions are heavily smeared in the stepping sounds.
It got closer and closer, and the room door opened as if breaking.
—Bang!
“You! What are you doing not coming out to greet me when I came?!”
A sharp shout raged inside the quiet room.
The one who barged in was a woman with blonde hair tied up high, the Duchess of Edelheid, Florencia.
Behind her stood her half-sister, Sylvia, wearing a fishy smile while fluttering her identical blonde hair.
The strong smell of perfume wafting from the flashy dress pricked the tip of Renoa’s nose.
But Renoa, without even taking her chin off the window sill, moved her gaze slowly.
“You came again.”
“Don’t change the subject and answer. Why didn't you come out to greet me?”
“Because my legs hurt. Regrettably.”
“So you are sitting so arrogantly even though I came?”
“Ah.”
A single word as if she just remembered what she forgot. Renoa rose from her seat.
“It’s fine now.”
—Grind.
The sound of molars grinding was heard.
Florencia strode over.
Florencia looking down at Renoa who is much younger. Renoa also raised her head and looked at her.
Each other’s gazes collided sharply in the air.
The arrogant anger of the one looking down and the transparent indifference of the one looking up.
In that terrible dissonance, Florencia’s pupils trembled violently.
—Slap——!
A sharp friction sound tore the silence. Renoa’s head snapped powerlessly to the side.
Along with the burning heat on her white cheek, a red handprint appeared clearly like a brand.
“That eye! I must have earnestly requested you not to look at me like that!”
A scream-like shout burst out from Florencia. Her shoulders heaved breathlessly with anger.
“.......”
Renoa said nothing.
Even though her cheek was hot with stinging heat, there wasn't even a twitch in her expression.
She only looked at Florencia with her head held upright.
Green pupils revealed through the disheveled black hair. Green that is dark like the deep part of a forest, and strangely quiet.
A colorless gaze containing neither tears, nor unfairness, nor anger headed towards Florencia again.
“Ugh...!”
The one who was rather choked up was Florencia.
What is she thinking.
What emotions are contained.
Things that should naturally be reflected in eyes if one is human were not in Renoa’s eyes.
Emptiness as if the one looking in would be swallowed first. Florencia instinctively took a step back.
“It was always like that. That gloomy and cursed eye. Your lowly mother had exactly that kind of eye too. Bringing only disaster to our peaceful family without knowing shame......!”
Florencia pouring out curses as if squeezing them out. Renoa spoke calmly with an indifferent expression as always.
“What brings a precious person to a place where such a disaster exists.”
“Because I heard the report that you go out as you please these days. As if that wasn't enough, sponsoring some slave?”
“You have good ears. Did you come all the way to this far place just to talk about that?”
“You seem not to know well what your situation is, live as if dead. If a report that offends my ears comes in one more time, I will make sure you can’t take a single step out of this room.”
Florencia turned her steps, roughly fluttering her dress hem.
Looking back at Renoa before leaving the room.
“......Disgusting.”
Saying so with eyes looking at something loathsome, she left. Sylvia grinned and waved her hand.
“Sister, see you next time~”
Two sounds of shoes echoing in the hallway rang and soon disappeared.
Silence settled in the room again.
“......My Lady.”
Bibi opened her mouth with a cautious voice.
“My Lady, are you oka.......”
“Get out.”
A short single phrase.
A voice cool like frost.
“But the wound....”
“I said get out.”
At the firm order to leave, Bibi eventually shut her mouth.
“Excuse me.”
Bowing politely, she left the room.
Renoa, left alone, let out a shallow sigh and returned to the window seat to sit.
She looked at the lake as usual.
The scenery she saw every day, familiar to the point of sickness. Ripples breaking and reflecting sunlight, green leaves stretching long over the water.
That scenery which was always clearly visible was strangely blurry. The boundary between color and color collapsed as if paint had been released.
As if rain poured down. As if mist had set in, the outline smeared and she couldn't focus properly.
Renoa didn't blink. Because she felt like the scenery would all flow down if she blinked.
She was just quietly staring at the lake that wasn't seen well.