A Poisoned Plot
That made everything crystal clear. The duchy possessed the power to manipulate a situation that quickly, after all.
That sneaky little brat. I hated her from the moment I first laid eyes on her.
Her eyes, lifted without a shred of refinement. That arrogant attitude. Even her insolent way of speaking.
She looked greedy and foul-tempered at a glance, so of course she ran straight home and spilled every last detail.
And the duke must have listened to her whining and quietly taken action. After all, something so trivial wasn’t worth the Clementine Duchy stepping forward openly.
But it wasn’t trivial to me.
Because of one petty complaint from that scrawny red-haired girl, his entire life had crumbled into ruin.
Not only had his perfect plan been ruined, costing him the seat beside Vivian, but he’d been cast out by his family and locked away in that pathetic monastery.
They must have laughed, thinking they’d won after making me this miserable. Never imagining I would come for revenge…
Farel slipped a hand into his pocket and lightly gripped the small vial.
It was the poison the Underwood family head had handed him.
Whether she’s the Clementine duke’s daughter or whatever else, she’s as good as dead once the poison touches her. Hah. She should have watched her mouth, shouldn’t she?
Farel had conveniently forgotten every wrong he himself had committed and pinned all the blame on Idel.
By any rational standard, the people he should resent most were Vivian and Ivan, yet Farel had chosen to take revenge on Idel instead.
It was simply far easier to vent his anger on the younger girl.
After walking an entire day from Karimba Monastery to the Clementine ducal estate, he loitered around the grounds, observing the situation.
Tsk. As expected, knights are stationed at the main gate?
No matter how convincingly he wore priestly robes, the knights would seize him the moment he approached the front entrance.
That was, after all, their duty in guarding the duchy.
Besides, even if I managed to slip inside, finding that detestable little brat wouldn’t be easy.
As Farel considered the practical difficulties, his eyes swept across the estate. A place of this size was bound to have a side gate used exclusively by the servants.
I’ll just have to hide near there and grab a servant who looks easy to handle.
While those who served the ducal family directly might be different, not every servant in a noble household burned with unwavering loyalty.
If I threaten to kill them, they’ll have no choice but to obey.
Having made up his mind, Farel swiftly melted into the crowd and circled the perimeter of the estate.
Just as he finally spotted the side gate he’d been searching for and began moving toward it, he came face to face with his perfect target.
“Excuse me, who are you? This isn’t a place for visitors or passersby…”
Farel gave the woman who had spoken in a questioning tone a quick once-over.
Well-groomed golden hair, rather luxurious fabric, and an educated demeanor.
A maid?
He had been planning to target the expendable servants, but…
Can’t be helped now.
He would have to grab her and threaten her into cooperating.
Before the maid could even scream to draw attention, Farel, his resolve hardened beneath the deeply pulled hood of his robe, lunged at her.
“Wha—! Mmph! Mmmph!”
“Shut up! Stay quiet and I won’t hurt you! I’m only here for revenge, that’s all.”
“Mmmph! Mmph!”
“Stop struggling, I said! Do you want to end up like that sneaky red-haired wench? If you thrash around one more time, you’ll pay for it with your body, understand?!”
The maid, who had been desperately fighting to break free, suddenly stopped resisting.
Farel assumed his threat had worked, but that wasn’t the truth.
…Sneaky red-haired wench?
The maid caught by Farel—Veronica—had frozen because one particular phrase had made her ears perk up.
For the past several days, Veronica’s patience had been wearing dangerously thin.
Idel, whom she had expected to cower in fear at any moment, was stubbornly holding her ground.
She doesn’t even scream at the little things anymore.
She simply glares at the servants with eyes that seem to say “just wait and see” before ordering them out.
…I need to break that gaze soon.
The empty spot on her finger and the anonymous letters that arrived with irritating regularity continued to gnaw away at Veronica’s heart.
That was why she had come through the side gate instead of the main entrance, despite not being a mere servant.
She was smuggling in a stomach-upset potion she had purchased on the street.
The side gate has fewer guards and looser inspections than the main gate.
As the chief maid’s closest aide, she should have been able to pass through even more easily.
That had been the plan, at least…
“Listen carefully. I’m going to take my hand off your mouth now. If you scream or call for help, I’ll kill you. Got it? Answer my questions properly and I’ll let you live.”
“……”
“Tell me where the duke’s second daughter stays.”
What is this? This sudden stroke of luck.
A thick smile bloomed on her lips as she listened to Farel’s demand.
Farel glared at her fiercely, unsettled by the abrupt shift in atmosphere, but Veronica was no longer afraid.
That was only natural. After all, no one fears a precious “ally” who might join hands with them.
Veronica took one step closer to Farel and spoke to him in a secretive voice.
“Are you planning to harm the duke’s second daughter? The one with red hair and blue eyes, that little child?”
“…And if I am?”
“Then you’re very fortunate. Because I happen to dislike that girl as well.”
“W-what did you say?”
“You may not believe me, but among those who directly serve the duke’s second daughter, there are quite a few people like me.”
Meeting the man’s suspicious gaze head-on, Veronica extended her hand toward him.
“If your target is the duke’s second daughter, shall I help you? It seems I could make that revenge you desire come true.”
Veronica thought the situation before her was impossibly sweet.
To be blessed with such luck—it truly felt as if the heavens themselves were cheering for her love with Demaric.
“…You’ll make my revenge come true? Why?”
“We simply happen to share the same goal, that’s all. Idel took something very important from me.”
“Took something important…”
“You as well?”
“Yes. I’m here to repay that debt. I am Farel Underwood.”
Veronica grasped his stiff hand and shook it firmly, her smile deepening.
It was the first genuine smile she had worn since the day Idel had taken her ring.
“Lady Idel! Lady Idel!”
“Ugh… it’s so loud…”
“Oh come on, Lady Idel! Wake up! This is no time to be sleeping!”
…So loud.
Idel squirmed, forcing her heavy body upright, then slowly blinked as she looked around.
Diane was stomping her feet with far more urgency than usual.
Her cheeks were flushed bright red, as if she had run all the way to the room. Idel opened her mouth slowly.
“…What on earth is going on this early in the morning?”
“What else! The servants have finally all gone completely insane!”
Insane… what?
“They’re truly out of their minds. No matter how much someone dislikes a person, how could they come up with such a horrible plan…!”
“……”
When Diane began literally hopping in place, Idel rubbed her eyes.
No matter how comfortable she had grown lately, overcoming a long-held habit was no easy task.
Yet right now Diane is managing that very difficult feat.
It was hard to believe this was the same Diane she knew. Something serious must have happened. Idel let out a light sigh and grabbed Diane.
“Diane, what is it? What did they say that made you call them insane?”
“It’s just that…”
When actually given the floor to speak, Diane hesitated, her face crumpling.
Then, in a voice thick with worry, she burst out with the words.
“The servants are planning to lay hands on you, Lady Idel.”
“What?”
“They’re going to slip a stomach-upset potion into your food at the upcoming banquet! They want to see you make a disgraceful scene in front of the duke and duchess!”