Chapter 55

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 55

Chapter Title: The Secret Maid of the Count's Family (8)

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Skreeeech!

I screamed and tumbled backward at the ear-splitting noise.

I blacked out for a moment. When I opened my eyes again, my heart was pounding like it was right in my ears. I gathered my wits and pushed myself up, only to find my whole body throbbing with pain.

A glowing orb still flashed before my eyes. I shielded it with my hand and peered closer, then voices reached me.

Someone soon pushed through the light toward me. When I made out who it was up close, my eyes went wide. Theirs did too.

"Why are you here...?"

Ethan stared down at me in shock.

I gaped back at him in surprise before quickly scanning our surroundings. The glowing orb was a car. The unfamiliar man behind Ethan looked flustered as he checked on me. Once I'd taken that in, I groped around for my bag handle, which I'd dropped when I fell, and used it to haul myself up.

I started to turn away, but Ethan grabbed my arm.

"Are you okay?"

"Let go!"

I shook off his hand immediately. As I took a step back, Ethan's face stiffened. Flustered, I spat out an excuse in a rush.

"...Sorry. I'm in a hurry right now. Just go on your way."

"Where are you headed?"

I clamped my mouth shut. He stepped closer as he studied my tense face. I retreated another quick step.

"Maid."

"Don't come any closer!"

"..."

I screamed at him not to come and backed away. Ethan froze in place. I gripped my bag handle tight. If he advanced any further, I planned to swing it at him and bolt.

"Please, please don't come any closer."

"...What the hell? No, what happened? Why are you even here?"

"What about you, Sir Christopher? Why are you out here in the middle of the night?"

"I was on my way to see Vincent. Urgent business."

"Then go on your way."

"Why do you look so terrified?"

I didn't have time to stand around here. This seemed to be the road leading to the estate. Even after running so hard, I still hadn't gotten far enough away.

Ethan kept pressing me on what was wrong. I stayed silent, searching for an escape route.

"Maid."

Sensing something off, he reached out. Just as he moved toward me again, a rustling sound suddenly came from nearby.

It grew closer. Our eyes snapped toward it.

My vision spun.

Oh no, what now? Have they already caught up?

Leaves shook in the distance. I watched anxiously, then turned to Ethan. He was staring at me.

As he narrowed his eyes at my trembling, anxious face, I voiced my most desperate plea under his questioning gaze.

"Save me."

Ethan's eyes widened, then sharpened. He whipped his head toward the noise, then back to me before striding forward and seizing my arm. He spoke calmly to my startled self.

"It's okay. Trust me."

"..."

His earnest gaze finally made me nod.

Ethan bundled me into the car, shut the door, and slid into the seat beside me. The man who'd been watching us hopped into the driver's seat as Ethan ordered him to go.

The car took off moments later.

I peered out the window. We were heading back the way we'd come. Once we'd put some distance between us, I spotted a group of people pushing through the underbrush from the spot we'd just left. A little later, and we would've run right into them.

Someone really was chasing me. It hadn't been my imagination. Cold sweat trickled down my spine even as a sigh of relief escaped me.

Ethan watched me and continued.

"What the hell happened? What was that just now, and where were you headed in the middle of the night?"

"..."

"And look at you. You seem like someone on the run."

"..."

"Is that it?"

Unable to answer, I watched as the quick-witted Ethan pieced together what I was hiding. I had no desire to argue, so I kept silent. Realizing he was right from my reaction, he pressed on in confusion.

"Why? Why all of a sudden?"

"I had my reasons."

"What kind of reasons make you sneak away in the dead of night? Did something happen with Vincent? Were you fired?"

"No."

I shook my head, and he narrowed his eyes, as if demanding I not lie. I insisted it was true and even waved my hands for emphasis.

"Then what is it? Tell me."

"Just don't ask anything and drop me off somewhere along the way. Please."

"Maid."

"I'm begging you."

"Is this about James?"

I shot him a look asking what he meant, and Ethan's face grew troubled.

"Vincent told me. That you were there at the scene."

"..."

I quickly glanced at the driver's seat. We weren't alone in the car; there was someone else. This wasn't the place to discuss it.

"It's fine."

Noticing my glance, Ethan reassured me.

"But..."

"He's trustworthy. Don't worry about him."

If Ethan said so, he must really be reliable. That was a relief, but it didn't give me the courage to dive into heavy conversation.

"I'm sorry."

His sudden apology made my eyes widen. Ethan gave a wry smile.

"I know it's ridiculous to say it now, but... I knew. About James—my brother—being involved in my father's death. And even knowing that, I didn't want to believe it."

"Why...?"

"Because he was family. I wanted to believe he couldn't have done it. That it must've been an accident, not him. I fooled myself with those thoughts even as he started changing, even as he grew wary of me. I admired and loved him. Even if we weren't blood-related."

The shocking words spilled out at the most unexpected moment. Unlike my stunned reaction, he seemed utterly calm.

"James was the child his second wife brought with her. The world thought he was Father's illegitimate son, but that's not true. He was from her previous fiancé. She brought him into our family when she married Father. Then Lucas was born from Father and his second wife."

"..."

"Father wasn't hung up on bloodlines, so he truly loved him. To ensure he wouldn't face discrimination, Father passed him off as his illegitimate child. He even allowed James to inherit the family."

"..."

"But James was insecure. He wasn't Father's real blood, so even if he became count later, it wouldn't be legitimate enough. Father didn't care, but those around him hounded him about it. Pure blood should lead the family, they said. So James grew wary of me, the legitimate heir. Even though I never wanted his position."

Sadness shadowed Ethan's face. He smiled, but it couldn't hide his grief. His gaze chased the past. I listened quietly.

"But I never imagined he'd do that to Father... Lucas too, Vincent too... I hoped it wasn't true. Truly."

After that sigh-like murmur, he rested his forehead on his clasped hands. His slumped form curled in. His shoulders trembled faintly. He exhaled heavily.

Sadness breeds regret. That was Ethan. I couldn't fail to understand him. But too many people had suffered for me to simply comfort him.

His dear father was dead, his proud little brother had been burned, his cherished friend had lost his sight and was left confined. And Ethan himself trembled in torment. I didn't want to blame him, but if he hadn't turned a blind eye, maybe none of it would've happened.

I gazed out the window. Tall underbrush slapped against the glass. I stared blankly at the meaningless sight before turning back to Ethan.

"Sir Christopher."

"Yes."

"Why tell me all this?"

A mere maid like me. Why bring it up now?

I wanted to know his intent.

He lifted his face at my question. The sadness faded from his features as a faint smile formed, and he looked out the window.

"You know there's a forest inside the palace? It's man-made, and only royalty and select nobles with permission can enter. They say people confess secrets there they can't share anywhere else. That's why everyone calls it the Forest of Secrets."

I'd heard about it from Lucas once. A forest like that in the palace. Just a rumor, he'd said.

"Maid, that's what you are to us."

He turned back to me. The faint smile vanished, leaving an emotionless expression that felt so unlike him, strangely alien.

"You're calm and kind, and you keep secrets tight. It makes it easy to open up. Even now, I've told you a secret I haven't shared with anyone. Do you know what that means?"

"No."

"Think about it. Why would we spill such grave secrets to a mere maid?"

"..."

"Because we can always get rid of you."

He tugged his lips into a smile. The sadness vanished from his face, replaced by a bitter smirk. His brown eyes glinted sharply, chillingly, as if ready to slit my throat at any moment.

I gripped my bag handle and met his gaze. Instinct told me not to flinch. I curled my trembling fingertips inward to hide them. Only then did I truly grasp that he, too, was a noble.