Chapter 8
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8
No wonder the girl was so kind! And resilient! The moment I thought of it that way, the situation made perfect sense. Drawing from my extensive experience with RoFan novels, it was obvious how the original story was meant to unfold.
First, you have the villainess, Evangeline. Then there’s her loyal servant, Donau, and the female lead, Canna, who happens to be the younger sister of the villainess’s maid.
The original Evangeline must have habitually tormented all the servants of the count’s estate, but she likely singled out Hena for special abuse. Eventually, the bullying would have crossed a line, leading her to instigate Donau to kidnap Hena’s only sister, Canna. And that’s when it was supposed to happen—the male lead would save Canna from danger, triggering their fateful first meeting!
Even though I’d possessed Evangeline’s body, had the narrative force of the original story compelled Donau to kidnap Canna anyway?
That would explain why Donau was spouting such nonsense, muttering that he’d only done what I told him to do. Wow… the narrative force of an original work is truly terrifying.
Does this mean I just snatched the male lead’s grand entrance? Should I have just left them to it? No, even if they’re just characters in a book, how could I stand by and watch something like that happen?
“You don’t have anything else to ask, do you? The Young Lady is tired, so we’ll be going now.”
Having finished her explanation, Canna cut the conversation short. Her attitude was far too cold for someone addressing the male lead.
Is this also because I saved Canna instead of him? The original female lead is clinging to the villainess—this is a total ‘Villainess Possession’ trope! As expected of a RoFan world!
“If any problems arise, please come find us at the Rohanson estate.”
Marveling inwardly, I bid the male lead farewell and turned away. Since the kidnapper, the victim, and the savior were all from the Rohanson household, I figured I should tell him to seek me out if he hit a snag while writing his report. Good, that’s one ‘kindness point’ earned.
Hena took the lead, offering to guide us to the carriage. As I moved to follow, I felt a stinging gaze on the back of my head. I glanced back to find the male lead glaring at me fiercely.
I didn’t do anything particularly villainous, so why is he looking at me like that? Is he jealous because Canna took my side? Oh no. It feels like I’ve stumbled onto a ‘Rival Route’ instead of a ‘Villainess Route’…
*
“Commander, the fire has been suppressed.”
“Good work, Raphaella.”
Gabriel, who had been staring fixedly at the alleyway where the snow-white doll had vanished, finally snapped back to his senses at his subordinate’s call. He had been so distracted that the fire had already been extinguished. The building, now ravaged by flames, was so mangled it was barely recognizable as a house.
In stark contrast to the woman, who was pure white without a speck of soot despite supposedly escaping the inferno, his men’s uniforms were covered in black ash from their hard work clearing debris.
“My apologies. I was investigating the Young Lady and couldn’t assist.”
“It’s fine. That fire… it went out on its own.”
“What?”
At Gabriel’s question, Raphaella scratched his head and explained.
“It’s true. It was burning fiercely one moment and then just died down. The whole thing was strange from the start—only this house burned, and the fire never spread to its surroundings…”
Gabriel looked at the ruins with a profound sense of unease.
The moment he first saw it, he thought he had been bewitched by a demon. If a fire broke out in a slum this cramped and dense, it should have spread to the entire neighborhood. That was why he had rushed here with his knights, intending to evacuate the people.
He had hurried over, anticipating a catastrophe, but upon arrival, he found that the people weren't evacuating. They were simply staring at the single house as it burned alone, as if contained by an invisible wall.
However, what had truly captured Gabriel’s attention wasn’t the strange phenomenon, but the woman standing before the fire.
At first, Gabriel thought a statue had been placed in the crowd, even though he knew there was no way such a delicately carved piece of marble could exist in a slum like this.
He had failed to recognize her as a person because there was nothing within her that could be called ‘life.’ A snapped tree branch would have seemed more human by comparison.
That was why he had been struck speechless with horror when he witnessed the bizarre sight of that thing—which by all rights should have been dead—turning its blood-red eyes toward him and uttering human speech with its crimson lips.
Gabriel had conversed with the woman while feigning composure. As he’d suspected, she was far removed from humanity.
Whether she was speaking of her servant’s death or looking at Gabriel himself, not a single shred of compassion could be felt. It was as if he were merely an ant to her, and a human wouldn’t pay mind to an ant scurrying by.
The woman seemed to have some interest in the maid beside her, Canna. Perhaps because she was receiving the attention of something non-human, the maid’s state didn’t seem normal either. Her blind, fervent demeanor was like that of a fanatic.
“Commander! We found the body!” a subordinate shouted.
Gabriel went to confirm the corpse. Donau, was it? Even in death, the charred body, its limbs having fallen away, looked exactly like a sculpture.
“This is…”
“It’s strange. It must be a coincidence, right?”
Behind the corpse’s back, where its limbs had been severed, the soot on the floor was spread out like wings. And behind its head, a circle was drawn, like the glowing halo from a sacred painting. It was the kind of radiance that belonged only to angels or gods in a masterpiece.
“Looking like this, he almost seems like an angel.”
Gabriel wasn’t the only one who thought so. He groaned inwardly. An angel… Wings made of ash would crumble before they could even flap, falling into the Abyss. The same went for that halo. To him, the circular ring of light looked as if it might flicker out at any moment.
*
“Shall I give you a room at the mansion?” Lady Evangeline spoke as the carriage headed back.
Hena doubted her own ears but didn’t dare ask for clarification.
“It must be scary to go back to your house. I’ll look after you.”
She hadn’t misheard. Hena was about to decline, but she fell silent when she realized the Young Lady’s gaze was fixed not on her, but on her sister.
She was asking for Canna’s opinion, not Hena’s. Hena squeezed Canna’s hand tightly. Her heart screamed for her sister to refuse. But what if she signaled Canna and offended the Young Lady?
The memory of how Donau had died after displeasing her was still vivid. What was even more incomprehensible was that Canna seemed satisfied by that gruesome, nauseating death.
The Young Lady did not press for an answer.
Hena felt a chill run down her spine at this completely uncharacteristic consideration. It was only natural to be afraid when something was donning a human mask and mimicking a merciful person.
Lady Evangeline was reasonably generous toward Hena, but she seemed particularly soft toward Canna. Even if it looked no different from someone rescuing and taking in a trapped animal.
“Can my sister stay with us too?”
“Of course.”
“I want to choose the room myself, too.”
“You may do as you wish.”
And Canna was just as strange. Hena’s breath hitched as she watched her sister chatter excitedly with the Young Lady.
Canna had been exceptionally fearless since she was a child, but Hena never imagined she would act so carefree in front of the Young Lady. In Canna’s satisfied smile, Hena caught a glimpse of their past. Back when their father was still alive, the lovely Canna would sometimes flip over her rice bowl or throw tantrums just to confirm his affection. She hadn’t done that since their father passed away and she’d grown more mature.
Did she open her heart because the Young Lady saved her?
Since Hena had lied and said the holy water she stole was a gift from Lady Evangeline, Canna might think she had been saved twice. In truth, it wasn’t entirely a lie. If not for the Young Lady’s cat, Canna would still be bedridden. And if the Young Lady hadn’t gone there today, Canna’s injuries wouldn't have been limited to her neck.
“Then, would the room directly below yours be alright, My Lady?”
The Young Lady had told her to pick any room except for the fourth floor where she resided, and Canna had chosen the one on the third floor, directly beneath the Young Lady’s chambers.
Canna had never worked at the mansion, so she must have just picked it randomly. But the third floor was where the late Countess Rohanson used to live. Furthermore, wasn't that the very room the Countess had used? Of course, Lady Evangeline wouldn't care about the dead blood relatives of the shell she was inhabiting.
“My Lady. That room was used by the Countess.”
“She has passed away and it’s currently vacant, so it doesn’t matter. It’s already furnished, so it’ll be comfortable to move into immediately,” Hena explained cautiously.
But the Young Lady simply stood her ground, saying it didn't matter since the floor was empty and masterless. She even said she would inform Count Rohanson and the butler.
Hena couldn't even protest the idea of giving the Countess’s room to a maid’s sister; she nodded subconsciously before freezing.
The butler knew that Hena’s sister was gravely ill. If he found out that a child who had been on death’s door was suddenly cured and walking around overnight, he would be suspicious. He might even think of the holy water and realize she had stolen it.
That can’t happen…
“My Lady. I will speak to the butler myself.”
“Go ahead. Then I’ll only mention it to the Count.”
I have to make sure the butler doesn't find out for as long as possible. Hena mentally reviewed the butler’s routine. He stayed on the second floor and rarely came upstairs. And since he actively avoided Lady Evangeline, he wouldn't find out if Canna stayed near her.
She just had to endure for a little while. There was no way Count Rohanson would allow a mere maid’s sister to use the Countess’s room. She would be kicked out soon enough. She just had to stay quiet until then.
Once the arrangements were made, the carriage turned and stopped at Hena’s house. She and Canna went inside and packed enough belongings to last a few days. In truth, neither of them had much, so even after packing almost all their clothes, it didn't take long.
They loaded their luggage into the carriage and traveled for a long while before arriving back at the Rohanson mansion.
Usually, a maid would step out first to escort her, but Evangeline stepped down first without hesitation.
“Pudding! You came to meet me.”
Upon spotting the cat sprawled atop the gate bars, a smile spread across her previously indifferent face.
Lady Evangeline was extremely fond of that bizarre creature. The sight of that monster being reduced to a mere pet in the Young Lady’s arms was always jarring to behold.
The cat stared at Hena and Canna with its three glowing eyes before slowly closing them. Canna muttered in a small voice.
“The eye disappeared?”