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20.
"Since we're already in this situation, ‌‌‌why don't we simply enjoy ‌‌‌the moonlight together? I've wanted to have a conversation with Crowley for quite some time."
"...Please call me Robert."
"Why? Do you dislike your family name?"
"It's not that..."
"Blood ties are truly cruel, aren't they? To loathe even being called by your family's name, yet become a dog for their sake."
Robert, who had kept his head lowered and unable ‌‌‌to meet Rebecca's gaze, lifted his face at her words.
What had I just heard?
Rebecca laughed softly as she watched Robert's pupils quiver.
Robert felt goosebumps rise on his arms and clenched his fists.
The coldly smiling Rebecca seemed like a different person entirely.
Robert suppressed his anxiety and asked slowly.
"What is it that you know?"
"I don't know much. Only that your family is a venerable ‌‌Kadir Faith household, and that your family ‌‌members are in Zeppelin's grasp."
No one knew about Robert's weakness held by Zeppelin. Publicly, he was known to have grown up as an orphan.
Rebecca enjoyed watching him flustered for a moment before finally opening her mouth.
"And one last thing... I'm going to save you."
"Save me? You, Rebecca?"
Robert found himself scrutinizing Rebecca without thinking.
Rebecca had bandages wrapped tightly around both her legs.
Kanna's ‌‌‌brow furrowed.
"What are you staring at? Remove that filthy gaze before I pluck ‌‌out your eyes."
"It's fine, Kanna. My appearance isn't exactly trustworthy right now, is it?"
At Rebecca's restraint, Kanna closed her mouth firmly.
Yet her blazing eyes remained fixed on Robert.
It was perfectly timed. Rebecca reached toward Kanna.
"Will you give me paper and a pen?"
Kanna produced a small pen and paper.
Rebecca wrote something ‌‌‌on the paper, folded it neatly in half, and waved it before ‌‌Robert's eyes.
"This contains a clue to your family's whereabouts that you've been searching for so desperately. I wish I had more precise information, but unfortunately this is all I know. However, you're capable, so you'll find them eventually, won't you?"
At Rebecca's words, Robert let out a scoff.
"You expect me to believe that? I've watched you for a long time, madam. I've searched for over twenty years without obtaining even a shred of information."
What should I do with ‌‌this naive lady?
Robert exhaled a long sigh and smiled with considerable gentleness.
"Madam, such threats would be sufficient coming from the Earl. Don't clumsily imitate him. I will help you to ‌‌‌the extent I'm able, so there's no need for such threats."
"No. I don't seek unconditional help. I'm tired of owing debts. Instead, let's make a deal. I'll give you this information first. Be my eyes and ears."
Rebecca handed the note to Robert.
Robert's eyes widened as he confirmed the contents with trembling hands.
"You're giving me the information first? What if I betray you?"
"Because I trust you, Robert. You're Kadir Faith, after all. I understand that Kadir Faith believers ‌‌don't lie or betray."
Robert let out a hearty laugh upon seeing Rebecca blink her pretty eyes.
Now he finally understood this absurd situation a little better.
It seemed Kanna had offered ‌‌various pieces of advice based on information she'd overheard in passing. ‌‌
The intelligence was quite valuable, but as the Countess, she could have obtained such information ‌‌‌‌far more easily than he could.
Countless conversations pass between husband and wife in the privacy of their bedchamber.
Yet this naive lady seemed uncertain how to properly handle such precious information.
She must believe everyone was as virtuous as herself.
Well, of course—Rebecca was Rebecca.
Robert steadied his voice and spoke with gravity.
"Lady Rebecca, you mustn't trust people so easily. Even among followers of the Kadir Faith, there are plenty of wicked souls. And do you see this scar? At fifteen, I tore away my own tattoo before my father and left my family as proof. I no longer believe in God."
Yet Rebecca merely ‌‌‌‌smiled softly.
"But you're not just any follower of the Kadir Faith—you're Robert Crowley. The heir to ‌‌‌a house that has held the position of high priest of the Kadir Faith for generations."
"That changes nothing."
"No, it does. Robert always wears only colorless clothing, doesn't he? ‌‌‌While others search for God, you rub your scar. And whenever someone is struck or dies, you stare into the void. Crowley, you never abandoned the Kadir Faith. Yet somehow you've managed to remain Zeppelin's hunting dog all this time."
Robert's face flushed crimson. Rebecca was reciting all those habits he'd considered shameful.
And separate from that fact, her perceptiveness was astounding.
A lowborn commoner like himself should be nothing more than furniture to the nobility.
Could she have been watching him all this time for this very moment?
Rebecca continued speaking.
"It's not just because of that. I know ‌‌‌‌you've helped me in ways both obvious and hidden all this time. Even if you were to betray ‌‌me, it wouldn't matter. I'd consider this information payment for all the kindness you've shown me."
In my previous life, I was the cause of his death.
So even if I couldn't bring him to my side, ‌‌‌I thought this would be enough.
"Is that truly sufficient for you?"
"Yes. I'm the type to settle accounts clearly. ‌‌But can you really do ‌‌‌this? Can you bear to watch the Earl of Devonshire—who committed such cruelty ‌‌‌against you—live happily?"
Rebecca's lips twisted into a crooked smile.
A glimmer of something like madness flickered in her eyes.
"Robert. I cannot. Let us have our revenge. Let us destroy him utterly and completely. Until he begs for death in agony. If we all ‌‌‌‌unite our strength, it's not impossible."
Robert gazed intently at her smile, which bordered on malevolence.
Had she been deliberately hiding her true nature all this time, remaining quiet?
The saint he'd tried to save was instead extending a hand of salvation to him.
'Or ‌‌‌perhaps she's not a saint at all, but a villainess.'
Long years spent ‌‌‌trapped in a lightless abyss.
At last, someone extended their hand.
Robert wanted to grasp it, whoever its owner might ‌‌‌be. If only he could escape from here.
On the night when lilac poured forth its fragrance rivaling the bright moonlight, Robert knelt before Rebecca.
And he accepted the white hand she offered, carefully bringing ‌‌it to his lips.
"Robert Crowley. I pledge my loyalty to you." ‌‌
* * *
Early in the morning, Danae's eyes opened of their own accord.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes from days of sleeplessness caused by the task Rebecca had proposed to her.
Danae hurriedly finished her grooming.
Then, casting a glance at Theo still sleeping soundly, unaware of the world, I opened the bedroom door.
"Madam, you're up early?"
Catherine, the only ‌‌‌maid, greeted me warmly.
Danae studied Catherine's face carefully for a moment.
'Mother, Catherine is Zeppelin's lackey.'
Rebecca had explained in detail how Zeppelin had dismantled House of Obelia.
And she had also revealed Zeppelin's hounds ‌‌‌‌who surrounded her.
Danae felt a pang of resentment toward Catherine.
She was a girl I had cherished almost like family, enduring on ‌‌‌a pittance of a salary.
I wanted to slap her across the face immediately for ‌‌‌this betrayal, but I restrained myself, ‌‌‌‌thinking of Rebecca's ‌‌‌face.
"I'm going to the Market for a bit."
"Is that so? Then shall I accompany you...?"
"No, that won't be necessary. When my husband and children wake up, make sure to prepare a proper breakfast. And I might be late chatting with the Market vendors, so prepare lunch as well."
Danae brushed past Catherine and stepped outside.
After checking once more that no one was following, I made my way to the location Rebecca had specified.
In the Dark Alley, a carriage was waiting as promised. ‌‌
Danae smiled faintly upon seeing a basket filled with vegetables and fruits inside the carriage.
They were all things her family enjoyed eating.
'That's my daughter. So thorough.'
"Then we shall depart!"
The sound of the coachman cracking his whip echoed.
Danae pressed down her swelling heart and turned her gaze to ‌‌the scenery ‌‌‌beyond the window.
The journey to Duke of Johannes Castle was peaceful throughout.
* * *
"Hmm, she should ‌‌have arrived by now."
Rebecca lay in bed, reading ‌‌through a bundle of documents Robert had brought.
Kanna refilled the cold teacup with hot tea as she spoke. ‌‌‌‌
"Yes, I believe so. I've assigned trustworthy people as escorts, so please don't worry."
"Thank you. By the way, Robert is impressive. To know such ‌‌‌‌detailed information about the hounds."
"Well, he's been a hound for quite some time now."
The first task Rebecca had asked Robert to undertake was to investigate Zeppelin's hounds.
If I could only discover the identity of the leash Zeppelin held, I could turn the hounds to my side.
It didn't even have to be that they became my people. It would be a great help if they simply left Zeppelin's side.
Rebecca carefully examined the personal information and weaknesses of each hound.
But the information Rebecca most desired was not there.
Head maid Grace Duncan.
She, who had been here since the time of the previous Earl of Devonshire, was not Zeppelin's person but belonged to the Devonshire Family.
She knew more ‌‌‌of the Count's House secrets than Zeppelin did. And she was also the person who held the keys to every room in the Count's House.
Therefore, she was the ‌‌person who needed to be won over first.
Yet her loyalty to the Count's House remained pure and unwavering.
Grace seemed to be a woman driven solely by devotion to the Devonshire Family.
There was no way she would willingly comply with Rebecca's plan to bring down ‌‌the Count's House.
Rebecca exhaled deeply.
Grace possessed no ‌‌‌‌weakness that Zeppelin could exploit.
Her only daughter had passed away, leaving her utterly alone in this world with no remaining family.
I could not discern any price or purpose that would sway her.
'But why, then?'
What reason could she possibly have for pledging loyalty to such a vile household?
Given her background and credentials, she could easily have secured a position with any number of far more respectable families.
No matter how I reasoned it, there seemed to be no justification for her remaining in a place where the abuse of servants was a daily occurrence.
I pondered the matter at length, but it only left my head aching. ‌‌‌‌
Rebecca pressed her fingers to her temple and handed the documents she'd received from Robert to Kanna.
"Dispose of them. I've seen all ‌‌‌‌‌I need to."
The Runaway Countess Returns
E-book Publication

January 12, 2022
Author ‌‌‌‌

Long Night Sky
Publisher

Desert Fox
Publishing House

Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submission Portal
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Blog

blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox
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