The Reincarnated Villainess Seeks Revenge

Chapter 13

A Burdensome Proposal

After Adelaide had fallen asleep, Callion quietly left the room and made his way to the knight’s hall.

The entire castle was on high alert as the Duchess nearly faced assassination within the castle walls.

As Callion entered the knights’ hall, the knights, who had been completing their debriefings and writing reports, suddenly stood up.

“Are you finished with the interrogation?”

“We were in the midst of finalizing the reports.”

“Enough with the reports; just tell me verbally.”

Callion’s voice was icy as he gestured sternly. Julian immediately began speaking.

“We found a dozen people who admitted to embezzling goods or money, six who had regular contact with the enemy, and a note in two people’s luggage with information about Tiflis.”

“And.”

“And… three servants confessed to being paid by an unnamed noble to spy on the Duchess for any derogatory behavior.”

“Ha.”

When Callion heard that Adelaide had collapsed and Elaine had fled, he had a feeling there might be more spies within the castle, but he never expected this many.

He was infuriated anew by Elkius’s thoroughness.

He couldn’t even trust Adelaide, so he put her under surveillance.

“Have you found the maid?”

“We are still searching…….”

“I didn’t realize my knights were so incompetent.”

“……I apologize.”

Lucid’s voice crept in. Having been tasked with guarding the Duchess, he couldn’t entirely absolve himself of responsibility.

Callion spoke irritably: “I no longer know if I can trust any of you.”

The knights bowed their heads in unison at his piercing gaze.

Even those who had been with him since his days as the crown prince felt apprehensive in a reality where even trusted individuals could be suspicious..

“We’ll be on high alert for the time being. Julian, expedite the recruitment process for soldiers and thoroughly check their identities.”

“Yes, Your Grace. The applicants’ documents are available at…….”

“Review them by the day after tomorrow and pass them on.”

“Understood.”

“I hope there won’t be any more disappointments from you all.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Adelaide awoke in the middle of the night. The room was dark, with the candles extinguished. Feeling thirsty, she slowly sat up.

“…….”

Why… Is he still here?

Callion was sitting on the edge of the bed, dozing. Papers were strewn across the floor, as if he’d fallen asleep while going through them.

Not sleeping comfortably in his room.

Adelaide stared at Callion quietly.

He wasn’t as strikingly handsome as Elkius.

Elkius, with his striking looks and eloquence, drew attention wherever he went.

Callion, on the other hand, was more modest and manly.

Stoic and reserved, he preferred to observe from the sidelines rather than seeking attention.

If Elkius was fire, then Callion was rock.

A strong, solid man who wouldn’t sway in the wind and who wouldn’t struggle when submerged in water.

…… That’s what he was.

Adelaide swallowed hard.

A faint beam of light illuminated his strong and tidy face. Even in the darkness, his slightly haggard cheeks and pursed lips stood out.

‘Was he here all this time while I was unconscious? ’

As much as she doubted it, she couldn’t help but wonder as she looked at his haggard face.

Just as she was wondering if she should wake him up and send him back to his room, his eyes fluttered open.

“I must have dozed off.”

“Go back to your room and get some sleep.”

“I’m fine; do you need anything?”

“I can call the maid.”

“At this hour, maids are also asleep. Tell me if you need anything.”

He was so insistent, Adelaide couldn’t help but ask for water.

Callion poured water into a cup and held it out. The lukewarm water seemed to come alive as he filled it.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“No.”

Callion took the cup from her hand. The papers that had been sprawled across his lap fell to the floor.

“I think you should go back and get some rest.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not fine. I can’t rest comfortably if you’re here.”

His hands stopped shuffling the scattered papers, and his gaze was wistful as he looked at her.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?”

“What?”

‘Stupid question; of course it’s uncomfortable.’

Realizing the absurdity of asking such an uncomfortable question, he still couldn’t easily get up.

“If having me next to you is uncomfortable, I’ll sit on the sofa.”

“That’s not it; I’m just saying this because you look tired, and I don’t want you to get sick from this.”

After hearing Adelaide’s answer, he caught sight of his reflection in the window.

Disheveled hair, scruffy beard, rumpled shirt.

“I’m a …… mess.”

Callion muttered to himself.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d shaved.

“You’re right, I should probably get cleaned up and rested.”

“Don’t worry about me, go ahead.”

“If you need me, you can always call me.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll come back in the morning.”

With that, the man turned his back.

As he left the room, Callion grabbed the doorknob and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and saw Adelaide sitting alone on the large bed, staring at her reflection.

The sight was peculiarly pitiful and lonely.

He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to endure alone without anyone to rely on.

“……Do you remember what you said to me the day I came into this room?”

“What…… words?”

“The one where you said that if I didn’t move, my people would get hurt.”

“Oh, I remember.”

Adelaide nodded. He asked cautiously.

“Are you among them?”

“…If Your Highness includes me in it.”

Callion’s eyes arced.

“Very well. Get some rest and recover quickly.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Contrary to Calion’s wishes, the effects of the poisoning lasted longer than expected.

She filled her hunger with watery soup three times a day, drank the strange-smelling medicine, and drifted in and out of sleep, only to find it morning again each time she opened her eyes.

She wasn’t a strong person to begin with, but she wondered if it was the after-effects of regression.

Adelaide looked down at her wrists, which were thinner than they had been in days, and sighed.

“Eat, my lady.”

Margaret, who came to her room shortly after noon, held out a bowl of soup. It was boiled so thin that it couldn’t even be considered a proper soup.

“Leave it there, I’ll eat it later.”

“It won’t taste good if it’s cold. Please have it while it’s warm.”

“Just a little longer. My stomach doesn’t feel too good right now.”

“No, I was just going to watch you eat and then leave.”

Margaret begged, saying she had to eat now.

She’s not the kind of kid who fusses like this.

Adelaide shook her head at his uncharacteristic demeanor.

“Do you have a lot of work to do?”

“Yes, I’m busy as hell.”

Margaret pouted her lips.

The dark circles under her sunken eyes had deepened over the past few days, and her hands were swollen from being wet with water.

“We’re short on workers, so I’m helping with laundry and kitchen work, so I have to go quickly.”

Margaret complained, saying that with more than 20 employees being fired, the workload of the remaining employees had doubled.

If even Margaret, the personal maid of the Duchess, was being mobilized for menial tasks, everyone must be incredibly busy.

“You must be tired, why don’t you rest here and then go out, and you can just say you’re late because you were tending to me.”

“That makes it harder on everyone else.”

Margaret held out her hand, not wanting to be left out when there were so few people to do the work.

“If you want to help me, go ahead and eat your soup.”

At Margaret’s urging, Adelaide reluctantly took the spoon.

“Ughh”

As soon as she took a sip of soup, she coughed.

“My lady!”

Margaret patted her on the back in alarm. Her stomach pulled with each cough.

“It’s okay… cough.”

“I’ll get you some water, just a moment…….”

Margaret stumbled out of the room with the empty pot. Callion, who had been standing in the doorway, burst into the room.

“I’ll do it; you get out of here.”

“Okay, Your Grace.”

Walking across the bed, Callion pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth.

“Margaret was worried about your inability to eat a full meal. Is it so hard to eat?”

“I lost my appetite from lying down for so long.”

“Even if you don’t have an appetite, you have to eat. You need to recover quickly so you can do whatever you want.”

“…Okay.”

With so much work to do, she couldn’t afford to keep lying down.

Even if it was forced, she had to eat. As she reached out for the tray, Callion intercepted it.

“Open your mouth so I can feed you.”

“I can eat…….”

“Do as I say.”

“…….”

He carefully blew on the hot soup and brought it closer. Adelaide obediently opened her mouth. As she took each bite, the abundant soup quickly diminished.

“Wait while I get your medicine.”

“You don’t have to…….”

“I’ll be right back.”

Without a second thought, Callion left the room and returned with the medicine bowl.

If it were Margaret, she would have argued with her about not wanting to eat it, but since it was Callion, she couldn’t.

Adelaide gulped down the bitter potion in one gulp, the taste of the medicine on the tip of her tongue making her ginger, and he popped a honeyed fig into her mouth.

“Seeing as how you’re eating so well, I guess I’ll have to keep feeding you.”

“……Don’t tease me.”

Callion chuckled at her complaint. Setting the empty bowl to one side, he opened the door to the doorway and said.

“Come in.”

“Druk.” There was the sound of a floor dragging, and servants entered, carrying a large desk and a quilt.

“Put the desk by the window and the quilt on the sofa.”

“Yes.”

Adelaide watched the servants move the desk with a puzzled expression on her face and finally spoke.

“Wait, what are you doing here?”

“I’m going to stay in this room for the time being.”

“What?”

‘What did I hear? ’