Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Zagnac furrowed his eyebrows at her words. The cold atmosphere continued as if walking on thin ice.

Azela didn’t understand why she said this to him, and she didn’t even understand it herself. She couldn’t explain what made her feel so bad. However… right now, she only wanted to spoil his mood as much as he did to her.

She shrugged her shoulders when Zagnac looked as if he was about to chew on her though she didn’t waver. He couldn’t kill her. Even if he was the devil… He could never kill her because he had a contract with her.

“…Oh, by the way.”

Continuing her words with a trembling voice, she pretended to be calm.

Suddenly, she remembered what Crown Prince Chises had said to her. Azela tapped her cheek with her index finger, just as Chises had done to her.

“…It’s important to keep a straight face. I heard that it would be a big deal if you hardened like that, like acknowledging everything in one question. I want you to be careful, too.”

Zagnac’s expression turned even more bloody with those words.

It was truly like the devil. If he lifted up those lips, it looked like it would have sharp fangs and sharp horns on his head.

After staring at him for a long time without saying a word, Azela eventually turned around and left his mansion.

* * *

Returning to the mansion, Azela was still uncomfortable. In the end, she didn’t get any answer she was curious about, and she came back with only the dreadful result that the sweet scent was related to Zagnac. She didn’t feel good.

As she climbed the steps, she saw a familiar silhouette.

It was Sylvia.

It was her first encounter with Sylvia after Daniel offered her Lina as her maid. Since she was not in a good mood, if she ever got into an argument, she wouldn’t put up with it as much as today. Thinking that, she glanced at her, but something was strange.

Sylvia, who found Azalea, turned her body back first.

Seeing Sylvia avoiding her, Azela tilted her head to one side. Since she took Lina, who was Sylvia’s own handmaid, at will, it must be normal to have something to say… but she didn’t say anything?

‘What else is she up to?’

Azela frowned at the sight of Sylvia, who turned and hurried into her own bedroom. She couldn’t suddenly feel sorry for her, and even less of a kind heart towards her. Azela turned to look at Sylvia’s bedroom door that had closed.

“Madam, shall I prepare bath water?”

“…Before that, is everything okay?”

Upon entering the bedroom, the handmaid, who was cleaning the bedding, bowed her head. When Azela asked as she took off her gloves and hat, the maid tilted her head, not understanding what she meant.

“Is Sylvia bothering anyone these days?”

“Ah… I do not know. Come to think of it, Miss Sylvia is rarely seen these days.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, she hardly ever gets out of her bedroom… Even if she goes out, it seems that almost all she does is take a walk in the garden.”

Azela pulled the earring out of her ear and nudged in question, and the handmaid nodded her head twice to affirm. It meant that she hadn’t been bothering not just her but the maids. What wind was blowing now?

She furrowed her eyebrows at the thought as she gazed at her own reflection in the mirror.

Did she notice that Azela was trying to steal Daniel’s assets…? So, maybe she was doing something behind the scenes like her, too? She had a sudden thought. It was clear to her that even if she wasn’t, Sylvia certainly wouldn’t be quiet in a good sense. She needed to find out.

Azela turned to look at the handmaid, who was taking off her dress.

“Where is Lina?”

“Ah, she is in the kitchen to prepare dinner for Madam… Should I call her?”

“No.”

With a short answer, Azela opened the jewelry box on her dressing table. Among them, she found the biggest jewel and took out the expensive ring before showing it to the handmaid.

Greed filled the handmaid’s eyes.

“Do you want it?”

The maid swallowed a gulp without answering her question. The sound was so loud that Azela could clearly hear it in her ears. There was no emotion so frank and easy to deal with as greed. Turning her body and placing the ring on the handmaid’s palm, her palms were instantly wet with sweat.

“…Ma, Madam?”

“I will give it to you. If you sell it, you can get a few months’ pay.”

“Why, why me…?”

The handmaid involuntarily held the ring on her palm as if she would not let it go. Azela smiled at this and nodded her head. The handmaid’s eyes were deeply stained with greed and loyalty.

“Can you see what Sylvia is doing these days?”

“Me, me?”

“If you bring me useful information, I’ll give you another brooch.”

The maid swallowed a gulp. It was nothing but a luxury to her. Her eyes fluttered as Azela drew a smile, but it was only for a moment.

Soon, she nodded her head firmly.

“I want Lina to not know.”

“Yes, yes!”

“The same goes for the other maids. The more people who know…”

Azela reached out and tapped the handmaid’s fist, which was clutching the ring. Without realizing it, the handmaid pulled her hand back, lest it might be taken away. She smiled contentedly at the sight and continued her words.

“You’re going to have to share what you can have alone, so it’s good for you to keep this story a secret between you and me.”

“I-I will keep that in mind.”

“Yes, I look forward to your cooperation.”

Azela nodded her head, brightening a satisfied smile on her lips.

* * *

“Ugh…”

Sylvia hastily covered her mouth with a pale white face. Thanks to her hollow cheeks, the prominent cheekbones were a little different from her usual appearance.

For over a week, Sylvia has been staying in her bedroom almost motionless. She didn’t go on her favorite outings, nor did she go shopping. She didn’t even enjoy a delicious meal in the dining room with Daniel.

Daniel, who was worried about her, came to see her every day. Though she just smiled at him, saying, “It’s okay.” By this time, everyone in the mansion was watching her. What happened? What made her change…?

Among the employees, they even made petty bets on why Sylvia had changed.

“Miss Sylvia, I brought the lemon tea you ordered.”

“….”

She hadn’t had breakfast or lunch, so the pale and twisted like a sickly, Sylvia, with trembling hands, took the lemon tea from the handmaid. She took a sip of the tea slowly, sniffing the fresh, fragrant scent.

It even looked pitiful that her figure, leaning against the head of the bed, looked like it would soon disappear.

However, after consuming three sips for a while, Sylvia frowned as she returned it to the handmaid, having had enough.

“…Take it back. I don’t even want to smell it.”

“If you don’t like the lemon tea, can I get you something else? Even your favorite cake or cookie…”

“Don’t even talk about food in front of me because I don’t need it all.”

Sylvia, who frowned at the handmaid’s words, responded nervously, covering her nose and her mouth with her sleeve. She was calmer than usual, but in a way, she seemed more sensitive than usual as well.

In the end, the handmaid gave no answer, and she stood quietly next to Sylvia. As she closed her noisy lips, she could see Sylvia put her hand on her stomach with trembling hands. Her gaze turned to the window.

Sylvia bit her lower lip and opened her mouth quietly.

“…Call the doctor without anyone knowing.”

“Yes?”

The handmaid, who was cleaning the tea when given her sudden request, stared at her with eyes wide open in surprise. Though Sylvia’s gaze still turned her head out of the window so she couldn’t tell read her expressions.

However, when she heard the trembling voice, she realized that she wasn’t as arrogant as usual. The maid asked, looking at Sylvia’s skinny arms.

“Where are you feeling ill? Shall I tell the Master…?”

“No.”

Sylvia resolutely answered and shook her head. Her eyes fluttered as she turned her head. She said with firm lips.

“Call the doctor without anyone knowing. Neither Daniel nor anyone should know.”

“…Yes?”

“If this happens, your neck will not be there anymore, so be careful. Understand?”

Sylvia’s voice sounded like it was filled with resentment, and the handmaid hurriedly touched her neck with a trembling hand before she nodded her head vigorously and walked out of her bedroom.

As the handmaid left, Sylvia, who was all alone, gently patted her stomach with her hand.