Chapter 11: Black Rose Part 1

It seemed he had dozed off. The dim surroundings had brightened completely. The blinding morning sunlight poured in, stinging his eyes. This wasn’t a day he could afford to waste like this. Harten chastised himself as he sat up from the sofa where he had slumped.

His last memory was sitting on the sofa with the intention of resting briefly while watching the waning moon. The pile of paperwork he had stayed up all night working on still covered the desk, untouched. Having failed to finish everything before dawn, he realized today would be another day of work without sleep. His head was already throbbing.

The desk remained as he had left it at dawn. The fountain pen, hastily set aside, had dried ink staining the papers it rested on, and the tea he’d been drinking to stay awake was now cold. He sat back at his desk, turning his back to the bright morning sunlight. Before Gray could arrive with the day’s workload after breakfast, he needed to complete as much as possible.

There were imperial budget proposals, lists of maintenance expenses for the royal family, and tax collection records from the nobles. As expected of documents sent by House Gray, most were related to finance. Carefully reading through the papers one by one, Harten came across a quarterly sales report from the Knight trading company buried among the other documents.

He set aside the papers he had been reading and picked up the report. The elegant handwriting detailing various figures unmistakably belonged to her. It was clear that Lady Rose herself had prepared this document. Harten’s fingers gently traced the edge of the paper as he thought of Rose, an affectionate expression softening his face.

“I don’t gamble.”

Her eyes were firm, resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. She wasn’t going to take risks, not even a small one. Instead, she was determined to find the safest method and execute it precisely.

Standing there, she seemed like an impenetrable wall, exuding an air of unreachability. Yet, at the same time, there was a faint bitterness about her, like someone who had already experienced failure.

His lady prioritized stability above all else. She had no interest in taking chances or hoping for miraculous outcomes. Instead, she focused on what she could achieve with certainty. She was the type of person who embodied effort rather than shortcuts or tricks.

And yet, her first act of rebellion was him—bringing him into the Knight household. She claimed it was driven by a desire for revenge against Daisy Queenie, but to him, it seemed more like she was searching for someone to stand by her side.

After all, she had openly declared her intent to use him, yet not once had she ever treated him as a tool. To her, Harten wasn’t Clover, nor a means of revenge—he was simply Harten.

The certainty that his existence was unique to her had been the driving force supporting him all this time. He had been chosen by her, and because of that, he could remain by her side. In the past, in the present, and likely in the future, no one else would hold that place. And that truth was what allowed him to return to her side, even when he had been hurt. It had always been the solace for his wounded heart.

And he fervently hoped that he would remain the only one in that role. That was why he had willingly accepted the decision to step away from her—for her to gain the power to bind him wholly to her side and ensure no one else dared covet the place next to her.

With a cynical smile, he picked up the next document. The sunlight streamed in, casting its warm glow against his back.

***

“Is today the Blessing Day? It is, right, Garnet?”

“Yes, my lady. The priest mentioned he would arrive at the estate at 3 p.m.”

I glanced at the clock. My stomach had been growling, and it was already a little past noon. After looking over the remaining documents and the empty plate of snacks, I decided to have lunch earlier than planned.

“Garnet, have you informed Taryn that today is the day?”

“Ah, no, not yet. I haven’t told her.”

“Then go tell her and arrange a carriage for her. Since her mother is ill, let’s make things as convenient as possible for her.”

Garnet’s face lit up with her usual warm, pleased smile. Every time I saw that expression, it made me feel oddly self-conscious, so I quickly sent her out of the office.

As I expected, it didn’t take long for Garnet to return. However, this time, she wasn’t alone. Standing beside her was Taryn, her shoulders trembling slightly, an air of unease evident in her demeanor.”

“What’s going on?”

“My lady, it seems Taryn didn’t hear anything about the priest. She also said she has something urgent to tell you, so I brought her along.”

Garnet, equally confused, looked at Taryn. Under both of our gazes, Taryn appeared even more unsettled, her eyes darting around nervously. I gestured for her to take a seat.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ah, my lady…”

To my surprise, Taryn, who had been shrinking in on herself with tension, suddenly burst into tears. Garnet quickly pulled out a handkerchief to offer her some comfort as she wept bitterly.

“I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t know… I didn’t…”

“Calm down, Taryn. Are you alright? What on earth happened?”

She was still trembling, but her sobbing gradually subsided. It didn’t seem like she had been crying out of sorrow; rather, it felt as though an eruption of fear and suffocating dread had overwhelmed her. Garnet and I waited patiently for her to calm down.

With her tear-streaked face, Taryn hesitantly began to speak. Her voice faltered at times, as though something was lodged in her throat, and her story came in fragments, but over the course of ten minutes, she managed to say everything she needed to.

“…So, someone’s been digging into your background?”

“Y-yes… And they seemed most interested in you, my lady. They even gave me a reward, calling it payment…”

She handed over a small package wrapped in cloth. When I unwrapped it, a pair of emerald earrings came into view. As I examined them, a sense of familiarity struck me—they looked oddly recognizable.

“…Garnet, go to my room and bring the box with my emerald accessories.”

“Understood, my lady.”

As Garnet left the room, Taryn’s face turned ghostly pale. Her gaze darted around, unable to settle on any one spot. I studied her closely.

She had betrayed me. That thought caused a wave of emotions to rise uncontrollably within me, but I suppressed it. On closer consideration, she was a victim too, ensnared in a spy’s trap and driven to make such choices. And it wasn’t for personal greed—it was to care for her ailing mother. While her circumstances didn’t absolve her completely, they warranted some measure of leniency.

“Taryn, what is your current role in the estate?”

“I—I clean the guest rooms”

Taryn had worked at the estate for quite some time. Cleaning guest rooms was an easy task befitting her years of service.

“Taryn, you’ll be sent to the territory to start over as a maid.”

I couldn’t simply dismiss her outright. Given her circumstances, doing so would only force her into desperation, making it easier for Daisy Queenie to exploit her again. However, keeping her in a trusted position within the estate wasn’t an option either.

Hearing my decision, Taryn lowered her head, tears falling silently down her face.

“Your wages will be reduced by half. However, if you need additional money for medicine, I’ll approve any requests for an advance. I’ll also ensure you receive support for treatment from the priest.”

But she wouldn’t be restored to her previous position. To return to her current standing, she would have to spend as much time—if not more—working diligently in the territory. This was the punishment I had decided for her.

“Until I forgive you, you’re not allowed to leave the territory. Resignation isn’t an option either. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes, I understand. Thank you, my lady. Truly, thank you…”

I had given her all the sympathy and compassion I could muster. But from this moment on, I wouldn’t trust her again, nor would I feel pity for her circumstances. Not until she had fully atoned for her mistakes.

Despite the restrictive nature of her punishment, Taryn bowed deeply, her forehead almost touching the ground, repeatedly thanking me. Her tear-streaked face was a tangle of guilt, remorse, and gratitude.”

Not long after sending Taryn away, Garnet returned, carrying the box that held only emerald and aquamarine accessories. Her expression was unusually stiff as she approached me.

“Take out only the emerald earrings.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Since the box contained only emerald and aquamarine pieces, there weren’t many items inside. Garnet quickly sorted out the emerald accessories, then picked out the earrings from among them. In front of me lay just three pairs of emerald earrings.

“…It’s this one.”

The second pair she selected was identical to the earrings I had just been holding. They were the emerald earrings sent to the trading company’s VIP customers.

“She used the gift I sent out in this way?”

Whether intentional or not, it was undeniably malicious. Giving a servant who betrayed her master an item belonging to that master as a reward—it was vile. Even I, who had remained calm throughout, felt a surge of anger.