Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Sidrats
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After a quick glance around, she slipped behind a garden tree slightly taller than herself.
She focused again on the maids' conversation.
“That's right. Though he was dragged right back…”
“But why him?”
“A week ago, his younger brother died.”
“Oh my… How did it happen?”
“How he died isn't the important part.”
“Why not?”
“That younger brother…”
[His younger brother!]
‘His younger brother what! What happened to him?!’
Both Cookie and Lucillea were becoming deeply engrossed in the story.
The maid, after a brief pause, lowered her voice as if telling a ghost story.
“He… came back alive!”
The other maid, who had been listening, cried out in surprise.
“W-What?! You mean the brother who died?!”
[Gasp!]
Cookie gasped in shock, but surprisingly, Lucillea wasn't startled.
‘…Huh?’
She just tilted her head, looking puzzled.
After that, the two maids' voices gradually faded.
Watching their retreating figures, Lucillea sighed with a look of resignation.
‘Hah… They’re really throwing in all sorts of tropes, aren’t they.’
Of all things, now zombies?
‘Then again, in a world where I've been transmigrated, what's the big deal about a zombie?’
Just then, Cookie's voice echoed in her head.
[But what's a zombie?]
‘A dead body that moves around as if it's alive.’
[Eek! What is that?! Is it like a ghost?]
‘No. It's literally a once-dead corpse that moves. Completely different from a spirit.’
Lucillea shook her head, muttering under her breath.
I have the worst luck. Of all the places to be transmigrated into…
“...to end up in a place this rough.”
Just then, a voice suddenly came from behind Lucillea.
“What about a rough place?”
‘Gah!’
Startled, Lucillea clapped a hand over her mouth and quickly spun around.
Her eyes met those of a man she had never seen before.
“W-Who—!”
Shhh. The man placed a finger to his lips and grinned.
“They might find out you were eavesdropping.”
“…”
Lucillea quickly sized up the man.
‘Who is he?’
He seemed to be around Elbadin’s age, but he didn't look like an employee of the grand duke's residence.
From his expensive-looking clothes to the numerous accessories dangling from them.
[That's a sparkle that doesn't belong in this grand duke's residence!]
Lucillea vehemently agreed with Cookie's assessment.
‘His face is literally glowing…!’
Although he had appeared out of nowhere with a suspicious smile, his very presence exuded a dignity that almost felt like an aura.
His slightly wavy, silver hair, purple eyes, pale skin, and gentle smile were like a spring breeze blowing through the northern territory.
Lucillea’s eyes narrowed.
‘That makes him seem even more dangerous.’
[Why? He doesn't look like a bad person.]
‘A suspicious adult man who casually strikes up a conversation with me—at this hour, in this residence, while I was spying on the maids. Isn't that incredibly suspicious?’
[Oh! Now that you mention it, yes!]
Her instincts screamed.
‘Run!’
Without a word of farewell, Lucillea immediately brushed past the man and headed for the West Wing.
As if nothing had happened. As if she had never even encountered the suspicious man.
“…”
The man, who had been watching her retreat, let out a low laugh. With slow steps, the silver-haired man followed Lucillea.
Lucillea walked as fast as she could, but she was at a disadvantage from the start due to their difference in leg length, and the distance between them quickly closed.
“I haven't seen you around before.”
“…”
“When did you arrive at the residence?”
“…”
Lucillea didn't answer the voice coming from behind her.
But the man, as if filled with endless curiosity, kept throwing questions at the unresponsive Lucillea.
“You don't seem to be a maid. Were you chosen by the Elite Corps to come here?”
“…”
Unable to bear it any longer, Lucillea stopped abruptly in the middle of the garden path.
She whirled around and said.
“And who are you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Is there anyone else following me here besides you, mister?”
“Mi-…Mister?!”
Lucillea looked up at the man with a cold gaze.
The man seemed a bit shocked at being called 'mister,' but he soon knelt politely on one knee to meet her gaze.
“You're right. How rude of me to question a lady without even introducing myself.”
The man smiled, his eyes crinkling, and spoke in a gentle tone.
“I am Diego Sidrat, the head of the Marquisate of Sidrat.”
“!”
As soon as she thought the name sounded familiar, memories of the original novel surfaced.
‘The Marquisate of Sidrat?’
She had figured he was a noble, of course.
She had also guessed that anyone who could come and go from the grand duke's residence wouldn't be just any ordinary noble.
‘But this man is the head of the Sidrat family?’
She had never heard the name Diego, but she knew the Sidrat family well.
‘Sidrat was the name of the family that sponsored Cynthia…’
Though in the original novel, they were a grand ducal family, not a marquisate.
Cynthia, who had an unhappy childhood, suddenly developed divine power one day.
But knowing nothing about it, Cynthia had to live without being able to use her power properly.
The Sidrat family was the one who recognized Cynthia's divine power and sponsored her.
‘That family was also the reason Cynthia entered the temple.’
More importantly, Sidrat was the family name of the second male lead.
Hmm. Lucillea squinted, studying Diego's face again.
‘No matter how I look at him, this man can't be the second male lead.’
Lucillea asked.
“Do you happen to have a son?”
Diego’s eyes widened.
“How did you know…?”
“…”
Judging by his reaction, he must have one.
‘His son's name is probably… Reiden. Reiden Sidrat.’
The original novel described him as a man like sunshine.
He was always smiling, but his smile never felt fake—a complete opposite of the somewhat heavy and dark Serdian.
Reiden was said to be someone who knew how to offer the perfect kind words at just the right moment.
He made people feel as if they were loved.
It was so profound that the female lead, Cynthia, once said, ‘A single word from Reiden held me together when I was on the brink of collapse.’
And yet.
Lucillea's eyes narrowed even more.
‘Why is a member of the Sidrat family at the grand duke's residence?’
It was then.
“Father.”
A slightly youthful voice came from behind Diego.
Father…? No way.
Lucillea peeked around Diego, who was blocking her view, to look at the boy approaching from behind.
[Wow!]
As Cookie, who had inadvertently caught a glimpse of Reiden's face, gasped in awe, Lucillea marveled internally as well.
‘Whoa!’
The boy walking down the dark garden path resembled his father, with radiant silver hair and clear, deep violet eyes.
Bathed in the faint, quiet moonlight, Reiden looked astonishingly mystical.
Having already reached them, Reiden glanced briefly at Lucillea and Cookie on her shoulder before speaking to Diego.
“What are you doing here? His Highness the Grand Duke is looking for you.”
“You know me. I can't just sit still and wait. So I came out for a short walk. But…”
Diego's gaze turned to Lucillea.
“I found a lost child on this dark path.”
Lucillea let out a disbelieving scoff.
‘Who's lost? I was going my own way when you popped out of nowhere!’
But Lucillea decided not to argue.
If she did, she would have to admit she had been hiding behind a tree, eavesdropping on the maids.
The role of a lost, fragile girl was better than that.
Ahem. After a short cough, Lucillea straightened her back and smiled brightly.
“Well then, I'll be on my way. I think I've found the path I lost.”
She immediately turned and headed for the West Wing.
Just then.
“Allow me to escort you.”
“…Pardon?”
This time, it was Reiden who stood beside Lucillea.
“Even in a familiar place, the paths can be dangerous at night.”
“…”
Lucillea looked up at Reiden.
Their eyes met, and he offered a pure, innocent smile, as if he truly had no ulterior motives.
[Wow… Luci, I feel like I'm being purified. They should make him the Saintess. Oh, wait, the Saint.]
‘…’
Once again, Lucillea couldn't help but agree with Cookie.
If she'd let her guard down for a moment, she might have made a fool of herself, shielding her eyes and gushing about how dazzling his smile was.
‘I can't.’
I need to get a grip. Besides, his looks aren't even my type, right?
‘If I had to pick a type… it would definitely be Serdian.’
That was right. Lucillea's type wasn't the innocent and affectionate puppy-dog like Reiden, but the sharp, 'cold to everyone but my woman' bad boy like Serdian.
Lucillea was certain that this preference was ultimately why Cynthia had chosen Serdian over the two men.
Lucillea decided to politely decline Reiden's insistent offer to escort her.
“I'm fine.”
“…”
Whirling around, Lucillea coldly turned her back and walked quickly toward the West Wing.
Cookie looked back at the stunned Reiden and asked.
[Was that polite?]
Lucillea shrugged.
‘What does it matter? It's not like we'll ever see them again. There's no need to make a good impression on them, right?’
Dealing with the Grand Duke and the Young Lord in this residence is already overwhelming enough.
Nod, nod. That's true.
Cookie muttered, nodding in agreement.
***
Lucillea woke up early the next morning and headed to the East Annex.
She was slightly excited at the thought of having a meal with Serdian.
However.
“We meet again. I look forward to getting to know you. I'll be staying at the grand duke's residence for a while. I'm Reiden Sidrat. Would you call me Reiden?”
At the dining table was Reiden, the very person she had believed she would never cross paths with again.