Chapter 4.13

“Oh my, has Miss Brienne returned?”

Brienne looked up in surprise and checked who the voice belonged to. Countess Harrington, who had approached her, looked Brienne up and down as if she could hardly believe her eyes.

“My, what a state for a young lady… Goodness, look at your hair. Anyone would believe you’re a commoner. I suppose you really did have a rough time. There’s a reason they say running away from home brings nothing but trouble.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Oh right, since Miss Brienne is back, Young Master Bannon must have returned as well. Kids these days, what a commotion overnight…”

‘…Young Master Bannon?’

“Madame, what are you talking about…?”

“My, after turning your parents’ hearts inside out, you shouldn’t pretend not to know! Even if it’s adolescence, this is too much. The Marquis and Madam have been beside themselves, sending out all the soldiers to find their daughter, unable to sleep all night…”

What was she even talking about? Brienne simply couldn’t understand Countess Harrington’s words. But the Ford couple was just as flustered by the Countess’s sudden appearance. They had completely forgotten they were entertaining Countess Harrington while waiting for their daughter’s return.

“…Father? Mother? What is going on right now?”

Brienne, bewildered, looked between her parents. An awkward look crossed their faces.

* * *

“Is that true? You were even going to ask for help from the Harrington family…”

While the Marquis Ford instructed for Countess Harrington to be shown home, Brienne sat down with Olivia and exchanged stories.

“So that’s why there were no knights at the mansion. I didn’t know even Shylo had gone down to the estate.”

“Shylo insisted on going first. He thought you might be at your favorite place.”

“You all really…”

They’d gone through so much just to find her. Brienne took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. Olivia moved closer to Brienne and held her hand.

“Brienne, about what you said earlier… Did Derrick Harrington really do such a thing? Why?”

“I don’t know that either. All I know for sure is that the prison I was kept in was in the Harrington Earldom, and there was a toad statue on top of the building.”

“Oh my, we had no idea… We even thought you might have left with Kaiden. I’m so sorry. I don’t know how I can face you.”

Olivia sighed and bowed her head. Brienne patted her mother’s hand and smiled, saying it was all right.

“Don’t feel too bad. I know you did everything you could to find me.”

“Thank you for understanding, Brienne. But I really…”

Olivia squeezed Brienne’s hand and glanced at the closed door, her eyes sharp.

“This time, I don’t think I can forgive the Harrington family or the Countess. To speak to you so carelessly without knowing what their own child has done…”

Forgive, she said.

Brienne agreed with her mother’s feelings about not being able to forgive Countess Harrington. Still, Brienne smiled for Olivia’s sake.

“It’s all right, Mother. I’ll talk to the Countess myself.”

“What? To Countess Harrington?”

“Yes, there’s something I must ask her.”

Brienne’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Last night’s kidnapping incident had ended safely thanks to Garzen and Lusell’s help. But the news of Kaiden’s disappearance still weighed on her mind, making it impossible to feel that everything was truly over.

‘Could it be that Kaiden was kidnapped like me…?’

No matter how much she resented Kaiden, they had grown up together. That meant Brienne couldn’t remain indifferent to the news of his disappearance.

‘I need to meet Derrick Harrington and ask him. Why did he do this to me, and is it connected to Kaiden?’

Brienne sighed with tension and stood up with a determined face. Olivia quickly followed her to the parlor where the Countess was waiting.

“If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you… but I really don’t like this. Nothing good will come of it. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Of course, Mother. This is something I have to do.”

Brienne took a short, deep breath and knocked on the parlor door.

“Miss, we’ve arrived! Please be careful getting out.”

“Thank you, Marie.”

Brienne stepped out of the carriage and looked up at the pure white mansion. Since she was visiting another family suddenly, she had dressed up anew, but this was her first time visiting the Bailey Earldom for personal matters.

Of all things, Derrick Harrington and Melosi Bailey together.

‘Why did Derrick Harrington visit the Bailey Earldom? There’s no way he just came to offer comfort. Were they always that close?’

Just thinking about the faces of those two, who could never be on good terms, made Brienne’s heart pound. Brienne took a moment to steady her breath, recalling her conversation with Countess Harrington.

<Derrick, you say? What business could you possibly have with my son, Miss Brienne? After eloping with Young Master Bannon, were you tired of him overnight?>

<Madame…! How could you say such a thing!>

Countess Harrington’s attitude toward Brienne was, as always, unpleasant, and even Marquis Ford, unable to stand it any longer, lost his temper with her. Still, Brienne maintained her composure and did her utmost to remain polite until the end.

<…Respected Countess Harrington, I regret to inform you, but your son orchestrated my kidnapping. This is a grave crime.>

<What did you say? I honestly can’t believe what I’m hearing! How could you pin such an accusation on my son! No matter how sheltered you are from the world, Miss Brienne, do you not realize that the Ford family is receiving help from my family? How could you be so rude!>

Like a thief feeling guilty, Countess Harrington trembled as she glared at each member of the Ford family.

<Don’t you remember what happened before? Even after fighting with you, my son borrowed his father’s seal at dawn and sent private soldiers into the territory to look for a young lady he didn’t even like…! In other words, he would never do something so senseless!>

<Madame, but there is a contradiction in your words. According to you, your son sent out soldiers at dawn to search for me, with whom he had no real connection. Isn’t that even stranger? Especially since I disappeared not in the Harrington territory, but elsewhere?>

<…That’s—!>

<I politely request this: if I am truly mistaken about your son, I wish to speak with him directly. Please, would you tell me where he is?>

Brienne bowed her head before the Countess, whose face was filled with anger. Marquis and Marchioness Ford, watching Brienne, also bowed their heads in turn. At last, Countess Harrington let out a sigh and, after a long pause, spoke.

<…Do as you wish. But you will pay dearly for daring to suspect my son.>

It was obvious what she meant by “pay dearly.” If Derrick’s innocence were proven, the Ford family, who received help from the Harringtons, could be formally cast out.

‘That’s unlikely to happen, but…’

If, by any chance, things went wrong, the consequences would not only affect her but also her family. Brienne, unable to move forward easily, let out a deep sigh.

“Are you all right, Miss?”

Marie, watching her with worried eyes, asked gently. Brienne pressed her lips together and nodded, gesturing toward the mansion’s main gate.

“I’m fine. Let’s go in.”

“Yes…”

Marie walked a few steps ahead and rang the doorbell loudly. Not long after, a servant of the Bailey family opened the door.

“Miss Ford is here to see Miss Bailey.”

The servant accepted the calling card from Marie and bowed his head, then led Brienne inside.

“Please wait here. Miss Bailey is currently meeting with another guest.”

‘Another guest?’

Brienne sat on the sofa the servant indicated and asked quietly,

“By any chance, is that guest the second son of the Harrington family?”

“…Pardon?”

The servant looked at Brienne with a troubled expression. It was impolite to pry into another’s guests, so Brienne nodded and continued.

“I know it’s not proper. But this is important to me.”

“Important, you say…”

“You must have heard about my disappearance last night. But what people are saying isn’t the truth.”

Brienne answered calmly, offering a faint smile to the servant.

“Someone ordered me to be kidnapped.”

“Excuse me? Kidnapped? What do you mean…?”

“I’ll ask again. Is the guest here now the second son of the Harrington family?”

The servant shook his head urgently, as if it was unthinkable. Even if Miss Bailey’s temperament wasn’t the best, she couldn’t possibly be involved in such a dangerous crime.

“That’s a misunderstanding. It’s true that Sir Derrick Harrington visited, but it’s absolutely not as you imagine, Miss Ford…”

“Why is it so noisy?”

But before the servant could finish, the parlor door opened. Brienne’s face froze instantly as she turned toward the cheerful voice.

“…Herace?”

For a moment, time seemed to stop. Brienne couldn’t think at all. Why was Herace here with Melosi Bailey? She had naturally assumed the person inside would be Derrick Harrington.

But Herace, too, looked surprised to see Brienne.

After a moment of being frozen, Herace came to his senses and hurried over to Brienne. Brienne, almost instinctively, stood up and stepped back.

“W-wait a moment.”

“Brienne, are you all right? What on earth happened…”

Brienne raised her hand to stop Herace from checking her face.

She hadn’t doubted him based on fragments alone. After her conversation with Garzen, she’d already been suspicious—and now, seeing him with Melosi Bailey, it was impossible not to feel uneasy.

“Herace… Why are you here? Did you have something to discuss with Miss Bailey?”

Herace’s eyes wavered slightly. Sensing the tension, he hurriedly spoke up.

“No. Whatever you may think, it’s not like that at all, Brienne.”

In those clear, gray eyes was an emotion Brienne couldn’t quite name. At a glance, it looked like yearning, maybe even desperation, but Brienne was in no state to notice such things.

And then, there was Melosi Bailey again.

A wound she thought had already healed began to ache once more. Brienne consciously avoided Herace’s gaze, looking down.