Chapter 4 – Part 2

“Your name is Elizabeth Klein, right? Can I call you Elizabeth?”

“Please feel free to call me Lizzy, Marchioness.”

With a pounding heart, Lizzy gazed at the woman seated across from her. She had thought it would be fine if the Marchioness returned even less splendid, but she had come back more impressive!

“Alright, Lizzy. Were you very surprised that I came in person?”

“Oh, no. It’s fine, Marchioness.”

“Mmm, thank you. I didn’t trust those dark-haired beasts. I wouldn’t want to put a sweet little kitty like you in trouble.”

Hmm, she did seem a bit different. Nonetheless, Lizzy tried her best not to get too excited.

“Ask me anything, Marchioness. I’ll answer everything I know.”

“You’re smart. You might be more useful than those big-headed folks.”

Lizzy pressed down the corners of her lips that wanted to curl up. Although it was her first time seeing her properly, Olivia’s attitude was consistently kind and gentle.

“The knight says you saw Kellic stealing the bomb?”

“Yes, it was quite late at night.”

Lizzy calmly recounted what she had witnessed. Her father had advised her before: if high-ranking people ask something, don’t speak incoherently; organize your thoughts first. High-ranking people dislike wasting time with those of lower status.

It wasn’t easy. Even though Lizzy occasionally stammered, Olivia listened to her without interruption until the end.

“Strange. Even if you saw it secretly, you were behind him, and he didn’t notice?”

“Yes, he was stealing with the door slightly open. I’m sorry, I should have reported it immediately, but I was afraid of retaliation…”

Lizzy clutched her hem tightly. A mix of helplessness and guilt swelled within her, fearing she might be punished. She decided to plead for mercy as much as she could. Lizzy’s body trembled slightly.

“Alright.”

“Yes…”

“That was wise.”

“Sorry?”

Lizzy looked up abruptly. Olivia reached out and wiped the soot from Lizzy’s forehead.

“You did nothing wrong. It’s my job to create a system that allows you to report that bastard… I mean, that knight. This time, it’s my fault for not having done so.”

Lizzy felt a sudden release of tension. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was glad the Marchioness was the one who understood her hardship.

“By the way, Lizzy, have you eaten?”

Olivia stood up, taking Lizzy’s hand. Despite the dirt and grime on her hand, Olivia didn’t mind.

“No, Marchioness.”

“Then shall we have a nice meal first?”

In a light tone, as if comforting her, a smile tugged at Lizzy’s lips.

As she thought, the Marchioness had returned more impressively.

***

“You haven’t fed the child?”

“W-well, because of the bomb incident, we all couldn’t eat…”

“But you should at least feed the child. While bastards like Kellic are getting fat, the child is withering away? Do you want to get fired, Chef?”

“N-no, Marchioness. I’m sorry.”

The chef of Flatd Castle was flustered before Olivia. Though Olivia was angry, she decided to hold back for now. Well, ultimately, it was her fault for not replacing the staff in time.

“Glenn, did you say Kellic was planted by Harry Palmer?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Discuss with Illehan to reselect all the knights, soldiers, and servants to guard Flatd. Anyone even slightly related to Harry Palmer will be dismissed or jailed.”

“I’ll implement it as soon as we return to the estate.”

Glenn’s eyes sparkled. Olivia found Glenn’s enthusiasm slightly burdensome but endured it.

“And are children supposed to clean chimneys?”

“Generally, children are used because chimneys are narrow.”

“Then use smaller ‘adult’ humans.”

As Olivia gritted her teeth, the chef trembled, almost bouncing in place. He briefly pondered if he was considered small.

“Serve this child the same food Kellic was having. She has done a great deed.”

“O-of course, Marchioness! Lizzy, come here!”

The chef called out to Lizzy, who had just taken her first proper bath and felt elated.

“Thank you, Marchioness.”

“I’ve arranged for you to do safer work, so if any grimy adults bother you, report directly to me, got it?”

“Yes.”

Lizzy blushed. Olivia, recalling her young nephew, patted Lizzy on the head.

“By the way, Marchioness.”

“Yes?”

“Are you just going to leave the Duke like that?”

After Lizzy disappeared into the dining room, Glenn whispered quietly to Olivia. Olivia smirked and glanced back.

“…….”

He looked like a mannequin from a horror movie. Olivia scoffed.

“He’s a grown man with dried blood; he’ll find his way home. Right now, what’s important isn’t the uninvited guest, but Kellic.”

At the mention of “uninvited guest,” Marsden’s eyes lowered slightly.

‘Annoying, so annoying’

“Isn’t it strange? Of course, the strangest thing is that such a guy could steal a bomb in a place with such lax security and a rotten structure that’s been stagnant for so long. If the Charbert family is like this, it’s no wonder the empire is in decline. What were they doing while I was dead for half a year?”

“Marchioness, please calm down.”

“Setting that aside, it’s also strange that they used a guy like Kellic, regardless of who instigated it. He got caught so quickly.”

That was true. Glenn mentally reviewed Kellic’s background. Kellic came from a typical vain gentry family with deep connections to Harry Palmer.

Not only the mansion but also Flatd Castle were filled with Harry Palmer’s people. If Harry Palmer was involved, it wasn’t surprising that his people had deeply infiltrated, causing this incident.

‘In that sense, I can’t blame the Marchioness either.’

Glenn looked at his master, who was thinking hard. If they overhauled Flatd Castle too, the resistance would be even stronger. He planned to guard her closely.

Meanwhile, a man watched the warm bond between master and vassal with a gloomy face.

“…….”

‘Ah, really annoying!’

Olivia glared at Marsden. Tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome—she couldn’t just ignore him… No, better not to speak. Olivia tried to pass by him.

“Marchioness.”

A deep, quiet voice like hearing a whale swimming underwater… ‘Ah, seriously!’ Olivia clutched her head. Can’t she just tear out her feelings for him?

“If you’re not going to tell me, then don’t say anything.”

“Then I won’t be able to talk to you for a while.”

“What?”

This peacock, seriously?

Olivia was dumbfounded.

“Are you brazenly going to act like this now?”

“Yes, I can’t lie and I can’t tell you everything. So there’s only one way. I have to keep showing up.”

‘Why is this man so complicated?’ Olivia gestured for Glenn to step back a bit. Glenn obediently followed her order.

“If you can’t talk about the most important thing related to my death, how can I trust and stay close to you?”

“So, are you saying you think I….”

A slight sweat broke out on Marsden’s forehead. Seeing that, Olivia steeled her weakening heart.

“Yeah, I understand. It’s natural for you to doubt and not trust me. In a situation where you need to catch the culprit within a month, I’m causing more confusion. But, buddy.”

He looked as if he was about to cry. Olivia couldn’t bring herself to look away from Marsden.

“Please… ask me about something else. Anything but that day. I’ll answer anything else. Just not that day….”

‘Not yet; don’t ask me about that day.’

His voice echoed desperately.

Olivia quietly watched the man standing before her. Usually, he was as solid as an unbreakable fortress, but now he looked as fragile as a flower about to wither.

The appropriate response to a man who cannot speak of that day was clear. Anger, indifference, contempt or even fear. She could slap his face and shower him with curses, accusing him of trying to kill her.

Even if she did that, he wouldn’t say anything. He would rather be beaten than reveal the truth.

“What if I report to the imperial palace that I suspect you as the culprit?”

“It doesn’t matter. That’s better.”

As expected, Marsden answered as she had anticipated.

‘What a ridiculous man!’ Olivia walked toward Marsden step by step.

“I know you must hate seeing me. Holding back words that could be spoken in a few sentences must make you so angry. If you want to report me to the palace as a suspect or even as the culprit, go ahead. But I really….”

Marsden’s voice trailed off as he spoke with a dangerous look in his eyes. Olivia had pressed a water bottle, which she had on her waist, against Marsden’s cheek.

“Cool down a bit. This isn’t a conversation that will end quickly anyway.”

Marsden blinked in confusion at Olivia’s sudden action. Olivia let out a deep sigh.

‘An adult, my foot. He feels like a precious child with a complex.’

“I have to catch the culprit within a month and present them to His Majesty, but I’m not going to hastily cut off heads without evidence. People might see me as a raging bulldozer, but I’m acting more cautiously than ever.”

Olivia pressed the water bottle firmly against Marsden’s cheek to cool him down.

“But as you know, I’m pretty pissed off. Right? If I just knew what happened that day, it would almost be solved, but you refuse to talk about it. From my perspective, it looks like you’re covering for the culprit.”

“Absolutely not.”