Chapter 112
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112
“A break?”
Raphaella asked, as if he’d misheard, but Gabriel didn’t elaborate. He struck a match and lit the letter. Only after watching it burn to ash did he run a hand over his face, a look of relief washing over him.
Raphaella wondered what could possibly be in the letter to make Gabriel declare a sudden break, but he didn't press the issue. The fact that Gabriel burned it meant the contents were not meant to be known.
Gabriel's mind was, in fact, a complicated mess.
He had assumed the leak of Evangeline Rohanson's handwriting came from the Marquis Toten estate. However, the prime suspect—the butler of the estate—testified that he had never received such a letter in the first place.
Furthermore, Marchioness Toten suggested a servant might have stolen one of her letters to forge the handwriting.
Gabriel didn't fully trust the butler, and the theory that the Temple had intercepted the letter en route to the estate was far more plausible. Still, he couldn't shake an inexplicable sense of unease.
Evangeline was scheduled to be pardoned soon. But with an unexpected traitor emerging from a place he thought was completely secure, he felt uneasy leaving her at the Rohanson mansion.
“I must go see Duke Hosaquin.”
Fortunately, Duke Hosaquin had promised his aid, so Gabriel could ask him to protect Evangeline.
Ironically, the only ones in the Rohanson mansion he could absolutely trust not to betray Evangeline were the sinister entities.
* * *
I’m out of prison!
Salute! As of today, suspect Evangeline Rohanson is hereby ordered to be released!
The sweet scent of freedom, inhaled for the first time in a month… well, three weeks, to be exact. It had been a full two weeks since Jeremia's rescue operation, and I’d been fasting in prison ever since.
Of course, that was a lie. I often snuck out for walks, and Jelly, my personal delivery beastkin, brought me meals and snacks from the Rohanson mansion. I'd been eating three square meals a day just fine.
Being locked up wasn't much different from my usual life as a shut-in who never leaves her room. No, wait, there's a huge difference. The key is whether it's voluntary or not, isn't it?
Most of all, I was thrilled to be free from the constant pressure of knowing one wrong move could land me on the gallows.
While locked up, Sir Ante kept me updated on the outside world. The situation was worsening daily, and I was honestly convinced I'd end up framed and burned at the stake.
Apparently, summoning circles had spread everywhere, causing a surge in shamans and prompting a massive crackdown on heretics. Every time I heard the news, I'd feel a pang of guilt—was this my fault?—before promptly shifting the blame to Bishop Marik.
My only mistake was leaving the summoning circle on my desk, completely unaware that Donau would steal it. Bishop Marik was the one spreading them to solidify her power and reputation. As expected, a mere villainess is no match for the true mastermind.
Of course, since Bishop Marik is a master of public relations, I'm the one who'll be branded the villain! Anyway, I was even prepared to break out if it came to that… but to think I'd actually be released! Gabriel, I knew I could count on you!
He swore he'd get me out no matter what, and he pulled it off like a true male lead. It took him three whole weeks, though… Until recently, I was starting to wonder if his promise to "get me out" meant waiting until I served my full sentence.
Well, as long as I'm out, it's all good. Yep.
It felt like the Grim Reaper had a scythe to my neck, only to apologize and vanish, saying he had the wrong person. Ah, the classic transmigration cliché? Whatever. It's not like I got any special abilities when I possessed this body.
I'd been wondering endlessly if I would regress if I died. It's an extreme thought, but some stories have transmigrators with zero information who die, regress, and build up knowledge that way. It's not a completely baseless guess.
These days, webnovels don't just use one keyword from the 'Regression-Possession-Reincarnation' trio. There's always a chance of getting hit with a double whammy of possession and regression!
Of course, I had no intention of risking my life on such sketchy odds, so I was determined to avoid the execution ending at all costs. Besides, if this were the real world, I could at least buy a lottery ticket after regressing. There are no lotteries in a RoFan world, so what's the point? I don't even have anyone to take revenge on. Honestly, possession is overwhelming enough; adding regression on top of that would be overkill. I want to clear this game in one go.
My resolve had solidified ever since Azazel nearly stabbed me. Even a paper cut hurts; I can't imagine how painful dying would be.
Just because I was a suspect in the Crown Prince Assassination Incident that shook the empire didn't mean my release was some grand event. I just walked out of the dungeon holding Sir Ante's hand. No audience with the Emperor? No "Sorry for the misunderstanding"? No national apology? Of course not.
Instead, a massive crowd of knights had gathered, gossiping and keeping an eye on things.
“How did she get out in a situation like this?”
“Did the Duke pull some strings?”
“Hey, didn't you see them at the banquet? She and the Duke are practically mortal enemies.”
“Then how on earth did she get out?”
Are they not even considering the possibility that I was innocent?
Listening to them, it was clear they weren't here to guard me but to watch the show. They were all whispering and speculating about my release. If you're going to gossip, at least lower your voices. Are they talking this loud because they want me to confirm their theories?
You're all dead wrong. Duke Hosaquin? Please. This release was bought with Gabriel's blood, sweat, and tears.
“Lady Rohanson. A carriage is waiting for you.”
Mindful of the watching eyes, the carriage waiting for me wasn't from the Rohanson mansion but appeared to be a rented one. I pulled Sir Ante closer and whispered, making sure no one else could hear. It was my final farewell before I left.
“Sir Ante. Thank you for all your hard work.”
“It was nothing, my lady.”
Like hell it was nothing. If Sir Ante hadn't cooperated, I never would have rescued Jeremia, let alone snuck out for those walks. My prison life would have been a hundred times harder.
Sir Ante would soon be resigning from the Imperial Palace Knights to be scouted by Gabriel. Since the paladins were currently running amok with their so-called "pagan massacre," we decided it would be best for him to lay low for a while. The Rohanson mansion would employ him until things settled down.
“I'll see you soon.”
After saying my goodbyes to Sir Ante, I climbed into the carriage. Who had come to pick me up? Gabriel was surely too busy, so maybe my dear Canna? I wondered if she brought tofu. Wait, does tofu even exist in a RoFan world? I've never eaten it here, so probably not. Still, if it was Canna, she would have definitely packed all sorts of things to help me recover.
Eagerly, I scanned the carriage's interior, but instead of my sweet Canna, my eyes met those of a grim, elderly man.
“D-Duke Hosa…?”
Sir Ante, who must have caught a glimpse inside, blurted out the name in utter confusion before quickly clamping a hand over his mouth. At his dumbfounded reaction, Duke Hosaquin glared and clicked his tongue.
“A pathetic fool who can't even keep his mouth shut.”
Before Sir Ante could retort, the carriage lurched forward. No, wait a minute. Where are my people, and why is Duke Hosaquin sitting here all alone?
“Sit.”
A strange pressure laced Duke Hosaquin's voice. I sat down like a well-behaved student listening to her teacher. It wasn't because I was intimidated, of course. Standing in a moving carriage is just dangerous, okay?
“Seeing as you aren't even surprised, you must have already known I was coming,” Duke Hosaquin said, glaring at me.
I had absolutely no idea…
“Well, who knows?”
But, determined not to show any fear, I replied as calmly as I could. Not surprised? Yeah, right. How could I have possibly expected the grandfather who throws wine glasses at his own granddaughter to show up on the day of her release?
It was only because Evangeline's face was such a perfect poker face that it didn't show, but I was so shocked my heart had literally escaped the carriage. That thing fluttering outside the window like a kite right now is my heart.
As I stared blankly out the window, a familiar carriage passed us, heading in the opposite direction before coming to a stop. That was the Rohanson mansion's carriage! No wonder the coachman's face was unfamiliar. I'd gotten into the wrong one. I had just assumed they'd hired a new coachman to replace Melek and had removed the family crest to avoid attracting attention.
Guys, I'm over here! I kept my mouth shut, terrified that if I actually screamed, Duke Hosaquin would throw something at me again. Taking a moment to assess the situation, I realized I had been kidnapped by my own maternal grandfather.
“I didn't expect you to come find me first, Grandfather.”
The last time we met, he'd said, “You are no granddaughter of mine. I will never acknowledge you, even in death.” He'd thrown lines at his own granddaughter that sounded more suited for a despised son-in-law, acting as if he was cutting ties for good. I really hadn't expected him to be the one to show up first.
“It is because you have become useful. I owe Sir Gabriel a debt, so consider this a way of settling the score.”
Gabriel? Why is his name suddenly coming up?
Then, the knights' whispers from before I boarded the carriage flashed through my mind. They'd said Duke Hosaquin had pulled some strings.
The rumors hadn't come from nowhere. Judging by his words, Duke Hosaquin really had helped get me out of prison. And it seemed Gabriel was the one who'd asked him.
Did Gabriel seriously go to his crush's grandfather—the very man who had cracked his head open? He really went all out for me. A wave of emotion washed over me.
But even with all of Gabriel's hard work, it seemed the Duke didn't consider it a fair trade and was planning to extract his price from me.
“Are we going to Duke Hosaquin's estate?”
“Yes. And I would appreciate it if you kept quiet on the way.”
Excuse me, but who's been doing all the talking? He started the conversation! He truly lived up to his title as the villainess's grandfather; his personality was really something else. Still, knowing why he'd kidnapped me and where we were going made me feel much more at ease.
I'd been too flustered to think about it earlier, but I still had my reliable bodyguards with me.
“Pudding,” I called softly.
Pudding immediately responded, popping out from the folds of my dress where he'd been hiding. I scooped him up as he scratched at my clothes, acting cute to get onto my lap.
“A cat?” Duke Hosaquin frowned.
Since it would be strange for someone just released from prison to have a cat, I tweaked Pudding's origin story.
“He's a little one I met in prison and brought with me.”
“Picking up and raising any stray thing… you certainly take after Amaranth in that regard.” The Duke clicked his tongue in disapproval.
He had detested me, denying I was his granddaughter, yet seeing me in person seemed to remind him of his own daughter. Come to think of it, we did look alike. It would be stranger if he didn't see his daughter in me.
No matter how I looked at it, this was the first sign of regret.
Best of all, if he was taking me to his estate because I'd become "useful," it meant I'd be staying there for a while, right? Alright, I've made up my mind. During my stay at the Duke's estate, I'm going to star in my very own masterpiece of a family regret story.
I will make Duke Hosaquin himself regret his past actions and swear to treat Evangeline well from now on.
But a sudden thought crossed my mind…
Could the Duke's words about "picking up and raising" hint at a secret about Evangeline's birth? We weren't close enough for him to be joking around, so it wasn't like he was saying, "I found you under a bridge."
'Then is Evangeline an illegitimate child too?'
The male lead already has the "illegitimate child" backstory, so the character traits would overlap. But if they shared a similar plight, it would make sense why the villainess saw herself in him and fell for Gabriel… The author was probably aiming for a mutual salvation narrative.