Chapter 92
The trouble began just after Ian left the Mereloff estate. As the lady of the house wearily made her way back to her bedroom, the butler stepped in front of her. Mrs. Lien frowned and stared at him.
“Why?”
“The count requests your presence upstairs.”
“…Why?”
A sinking feeling settled in her gut. This wasn’t the first time she’d been summoned like this. Was it the butler’s stiff expression that made her uneasy? She stood frozen in place. As candle wax dripped down the lamp, the butler urged her again.
“Madam.”
“Wait. I’m thinking. Don’t you know why he’s calling me?”
After a brief silence, the butler sighed. His breath echoed through the unusually quiet hallway, colder than the chill wind outside.
“Butler, tell me.”
“The master has discovered the relationship between Lord Ian and you, madam.”
“…What?”
Her face drained of color. The answer was completely unexpected. Seeing that she didn’t deny it, the butler’s heart burned with dread.
She wished he’d just say it wasn’t true, with the usual confident tone. But judging by her demeanor, the servants’ suspicions were correct.
“Why did you do this, madam…?”
“No, this can’t be….”
“You know the master’s temper. You made a mistake.”
“Exactly because I know! Because I know!”
But Mrs. Lien misunderstood completely. It wasn’t a matter of jealousy—it was that an assassination attempt had been uncovered. Her body trembled uncontrollably, her mind went blank.
‘What if the count doesn’t die? What happens to me?’
If the count lived, she would die. Even if her breath wasn’t taken, she’d be trapped here forever.
It was an undeniable truth. And right now, the only one who could help her was Ian. She dashed down the hallway without hesitation.
Boom! Thud!
“Madam!”
“Damn it, Ian! Ian!”
“W-what is it?”
“Bring the carriage—no, the horses! Lord Ian!”
“Madam! You can’t!”
She practically tumbled down the stairs, shouting. The sudden commotion drew the servants who were tidying up. One tried to help her up, but she fiercely brushed them away.
“Bring the horses!”
“Madam, you mustn’t!”
“Shut up! Do you think I can just stand here and do nothing when I’m about to die? Everyone, get out of my way!”
Crash! Smash!
Decorations in the hallway toppled and shattered as she desperately tried to escape through the front door. Her bruised knees throbbed with pain.
But she knew.
If she stopped now, it would truly be the end.
“Madam, this disturbance must stop.”
A knight grabbed her arm. One of the three knights serving the estate. Her face was pale and breathless.
“Someone, please… help me…”
“What in the world is going on…?”
“Madam, are you alright?”
“Everyone, return to your rooms. No one is to leave until I give permission.”
“Disperse!”
The servants hesitated, worried for her, but the butler and knight’s stern commands made them back off. They bowed their heads and left the hallway.
“Let me go! How dare you touch me?”
“I’m sorry, madam. But if you go on like this, things will only get worse.”
“Aaah! No! No!”
At a signal from the butler, the knight lifted her up. Her injured legs were clearly visible beneath her skirt, but there was no choice. Mrs. Lien struggled and screamed, her cries echoing throughout the estate, reaching even Clark’s ears.
“…Madam?”
Ian had brought Clark along to return him, but Clark hadn’t been informed of the situation. He was just sitting in the old servant’s storage room, eating some grass, unnoticed. Ian had already left the estate, and no one paid attention to Clark amid the chaos.
Creak.
Clark walked down the hallway, looking up the stairs. He had lived here for years. He knew the layout of the estate blindfolded, and he knew the lady’s screams mostly came from the bedroom.
Creak.
With every step, the wooden floor groaned eerily. He finally reached the floor where the count and countess’s bedroom was and faced the butler and knight guarding the door.
“Clark?”
“Return to your quarters.”
“But madam—”
“Return, I said.”
Boom! Thud!
At that moment, a dull sound came from inside. Clark instinctively tried to rush in but was stopped by a subtle gesture from the knight.
“Lien!”
Bang!
Had the countess heard that? The noisy bedroom suddenly fell silent. The door opened, revealing the count with bloodshot eyes.
“…Clark?”
“Ah…”
He looked like a demon drenched in sweat. The count felt as if all the blood in his body had dried up hearing the countess call Clark’s name.
“You wretched woman, how many men have you been playing with? Ian, Clark—both of you…”
“I’m not! I’ve told you, I’m not…”
“Then why call Clark’s name?”
Crack!
The count mercilessly grabbed her by the hair. He looked back and forth between her and Clark, wearing a cruel smile. Then, as if inviting them in, he opened the door and turned away. Tears streamed down the countess’s face as she looked at Clark while being dragged inside.
‘Run.’
That was what she was saying. But still…
Creak.
Drawn in, Clark followed her into the bedroom. The butler’s worried expression and the knight’s calm demeanor greeted them. The count lit a cigarette and ordered:
“Anyone who leaves this room without my permission, kill them on the spot.”
“…Understood.”
“Do not interfere.”
Bang!
The bedroom door was firmly shut. Tonight, neither the woman nor the slave would leave alive. By dawn, one of them would have blood soaking the wooden floor.
The count whipped them mercilessly, sweat pouring down his face. The more Clark tried to protect the countess, the tighter the count’s grip became.
Snap! Snap!
When the long whip finally struck the countess’s neck and slashed across her cheek, Clark felt his sanity snap. His body moved on its own, beyond his control. He grabbed a letter opener from the table and stabbed the count in the nape of the neck.
“Aaah!”
The butler and knight outside heard the unfamiliar scream and turned their heads. Was it Clark? They were puzzled but did not intervene, obeying the count’s order to guard the door.
Sniffle…
The countess’s sobs came through intermittently.
And finally, as darkness faded and dawn broke, the door that seemed sealed forever opened. The first to emerge was Mrs. Lien, drenched in blood—whether hers or the count’s, no one could tell.
She walked slowly, trailing her fingertips along the wall.
Her traces lingered faintly behind her.
Creak.
As soon as Ian stepped down from the carriage, he surveyed the estate. The shock from the count’s attempted murder hung heavily in the air. Perhaps it was just his own perception, but the atmosphere was thick with tension.
News hadn’t yet spread to the village…
“Ian? Welcome back.”
A servant who had been waiting nervously led the way. Ian ignored the shattered decorations in the hallway and headed upstairs.
In front of the infamous bedroom, three knights with swords, the butler, and several servants gathered, looking troubled as they discussed something.
“Lord Ian has arrived.”
“Ah.”
The butler looked dazed, barely able to greet him. Ian didn’t bother with formalities and simply nodded as he entered.
“You’re here?”
“My goodness… madam.”
The scene was maddening. The soft ivory rug was soaked with blood, and the room was in disarray. But the most striking sight was Mrs. Lien, sitting on the sofa.
“Please, sit down. Despite how I look.”
“What happened? What on earth…”
Her dress was the same as at dinner the night before. She had only roughly wiped the blood with a damp cloth, leaving blotches on her pale skin.
“As you can see, it’s a mess.”
“And the count? Is he dead?”
“The doctor is inside examining the body. Clark stabbed him in the neck with a letter opener while being whipped.”
She exhaled cigarette smoke and muttered. Just one night, under the moonlight, and the world had changed. Ian rubbed his forehead and glanced inside.
‘Unbelievable.’
What was the point of smuggling drugs through Hwan? To avoid legal punishment. Whether it was the lady or those who conspired and participated.
“Lord Ian, I am Paulus, one of the three knights of Mereloff.”
Ian turned to the unfamiliar man. He had curly brown hair, but the lady’s gaze toward him was anything but friendly.
“Are you the one who sent the letter?”
“Yes. There’s something I need to confirm.”
“Confirm? With me?”
Ian frowned, confused. The lady just rubbed out her cigarette on the table, looking exhausted.
“We are sworn to Count Mereloff’s service. It is our duty and honor to uncover the truth behind our lord’s death. Anyone responsible will be dealt with—this is the final mission of the Three Knights.”
Look at these guys.
Ian crossed his arms and lifted his chin.
“And?”
“What’s your relationship with Lady Lien Mereloff?”
“…What?”
Normally, he might have understood the question, but Ian felt his mind freeze. They said Clark was the killer—were they doubting his orders?
But why ask something like that?
“They suspect Lady Lien and me of some kind of impropriety.”
“Ha!”
Beric burst out laughing at the lady’s words. But the so-called Three Knights, summoned by the lady, didn’t even blink. Ian gave a bitter smile and rubbed his forehead.
“Unbelievable…”
“And Clark?”
“He’s being held in the underground prison.”
“Bring him here.”
“That’s impossible.”
The knight flatly refused Ian’s order. Ian frowned deeply. The lady, who had been listening nearby, repeated her command in a languid voice.
“Bring Clark here.”
“We cannot obey the lady’s orders until the full truth of the incident is clear.”
“This is the situation, Sir Ian.”
With the count dead, Lady Lien was technically in charge of the estate until the next heir was decided, but the knights’ resistance was making things complicated.
Ian scanned the knights up and down, muttering under his breath.
“What truth is there to uncover? This is just the mess your master’s temper got him into. You useless fools couldn’t do a thing while your lord was dying, but now you’re all talk.”
He could guess why they were acting like this.
Even the Bratz faction had countless forces vying for Derga’s position. Molin, Erika, and behind them Gale, Ian, Cheonryeo, and the rivalries of Marib and Romand…
“And to treat neighbors who came out of concern like this—there’s no sense of decency at all. Luckily, we have a royal court advisor on our side; I’ll ask them to officially certify this matter.”
Ian gave the lady a subtle nod.
“Lady, when you settle the estate, be sure to fire those idiots. They’re not worth the trouble.”
“Sir Ian!”
A knight shouted in protest.
“Quiet. Why do you keep yapping?”
Beric stepped in, swinging his sword instead of speaking.
Ian looked around at the dead count’s body, the lady, and the knights, weighing his options. If things got out of hand and they pushed Lady Lien and the count’s brother aside to seize the estate, it could become a serious problem.
“Beric.”
“Yeah?”
As if Ian’s presence was a nuisance in the royal court.
“It looks like we’ll have to clean house.”
“Here?”
Beric pointed his blade at the knights.
As if to say, “You want me to clean up these three heads?”