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60.
Zeppelin extinguished the incense flame as the fragrance grew increasingly cloying.
The dying ‌ember released one final wisp of smoke in silent surrender.
Zeppelin pressed his palm against his forehead.
His mind had grown clearer than before.
With trembling hands, I began to piece together the scattered fragments of forgotten days.
Rebecca dancing with Julian at ‌the victory banquet, Rebecca tumbling down the stairs ‌‌on the night she was meant to spend with me, Rebecca asking if I appeared happy, Rebecca with ‌‌‌‌that subtle scent of perspiration ‌‌‌‌clinging to her skin, and the cat.
"The black cat!"
Zeppelin shot to his ‌‌‌feet.
On the day he had gone to inform Rebecca of the divorce, she had been cradling a black cat and speaking to it tenderly.
Now that he thought about it, Rebecca had been ‌‌holding a cat in the Garden the day before as well.
It had looked identical to the black cat Julian always carried with him.
He recalled that whenever he was near Julian, his nose would itch or he would ‌‌sneeze.
The same symptoms had plagued him when he caught that subtle scent of perspiration on Rebecca's skin, in the Garden, and in Rebecca's Room.
"This is impossible."
An unthinkable hypothesis clawed through his mind.
Even as he insisted it was impossible, his legs moved of their own accord.
His intuition screamed danger.
Goosebumps erupted across ‌his forearms.
What if I hadn't abandoned her, but she had fled of her own volition? What if she had fled into ‌‌‌another man's arms?
The Study door burst open violently.
A passing Maid startled at the sudden emergence of Zeppelin.
Zeppelin seized the Maid by the shoulders and shook her.
"Where is Kanna? Where is she now?"
If Kanna, who had observed Rebecca's every movement, were questioned, ‌‌she might reveal something suspicious.
Rebecca had clearly relied ‌‌on her considerably.
The Maid stammered out her response, terror etched across her face.
"That is... she has not been seen since this morning. All her belongings have disappeared as well. The head Maid was furious about it."
"What? How did I not know about this?"
"What is the matter?"
Octavio approached Zeppelin slowly.
Zeppelin shouted at Octavio.
"Why wasn't I informed that Kanna disappeared?"
"I did inform you. You said it was of no consequence and to let ‌‌‌it pass. Your memory hasn't been what it once was, so it seems you've forgotten. After a good night's rest, ‌‌‌‌your memory should improve. As the ancients say, sleep is a panacea for all ailments."
Octavio smiled broadly and gently pulled Zeppelin toward the Bedroom.
Zeppelin roughly shook off his arm.
"The divorce... What happened to the divorce papers?"
"Did I not tell you? I sent them this afternoon. I expected them to reach the Imperial Palace by tomorrow, but somehow Colin brought the finalized divorce documents this evening. He said some kind gentleman ‌‌had given him a ride in his carriage. He said he'd never seen a carriage move so fast in his life."
"You're lying. You never told me!"
Zeppelin grabbed Octavio by the collar and shook him.
'Ah, I'm starting to get annoyed now.'
Octavio's displeasure was written across his ‌‌‌face. ‌‌‌‌
This was the second time he'd grabbed me by the collar.
I'd thought that once Rebecca disappeared, I could manipulate him as freely as before.
Yet here he was, needling ‌‌me again.
Thunder struck with such violence that it ‌shook the entire Mansion.
"Ahhh!"
Zeppelin jolted in panic, releasing his grip on Octavio's collar.
He trembled violently, wrapping his head in his hands as he collapsed to the floor.
On the day Jakim first imprisoned him, thunder and lightning had struck just ‌as fiercely.
Ever since, Zeppelin had developed a pathological fear of thunder.
Octavio ‌‌‌‌looked down at Zeppelin with contempt, then gently grasped his shoulders.
"Come now, you shouldn't ‌‌‌remain here like this. You must ‌‌‌return to your comfortable Bedroom. A warm bath and sweet refreshments will surely help you feel better."
Zeppelin trembled without answering.
Octavio felt his patience reaching its limit and ran a hand through ‌‌‌his hair.
He leaned close to Zeppelin's ear and whispered rapidly, ensuring no one else could hear. ‌‌
The man's usual half-lidded eyes suddenly widened.
"Are you going to keep acting like an idiot? Get back to your place before I destroy ‌‌‌everything else you have."
"Re..."
"What?"
"I need to see Rebecca. I have to get her back!"
"Ow!"
Zeppelin suddenly jerked his head ‌‌‌up, and it struck Octavio's nose with force.
Octavio clutched his nose.
He stared blankly at Zeppelin, who stood in the midst of thunder loud enough to split eardrums.
Zeppelin cried out Rebecca's name and bolted ‌‌forward.
"Zepp..."
Octavio hastily reached out to grab Zeppelin's nape as he descended the stairs.
But his ‌‌‌hand grasped nothing but air, missing by mere inches.
"Prepare the horses!"
Zeppelin shouted as he rushed toward the entrance.
The servants, just awakened by the commotion, froze at the ‌‌‌sight before them.
He was crying.
Zeppelin Devonshire, from whom not a drop of blood would flow even if pricked a hundred times with a needle, was weeping and calling out the name of the former Countess.
Zeppelin threw open the front doors. Heavy rain poured into the Mansion.
But he paid no heed to the downpour and headed straight ‌‌‌‌for the stables.
Mud splattered across his well-pressed trousers, but Zeppelin didn't care.
The stable keeper was nowhere to be found, likely sleeping in ‌‌his quarters.
Zeppelin mounted the fastest white horse among them.
The horse, disturbed from its slumber, neighed loudly and reared up on its ‌‌hind legs.
Zeppelin hesitated ‌for a moment atop the rearing horse, then swiftly seized the reins with practiced ease and spurred the beast forward.
The coarse clatter of hooves mingled with the sound of falling rain.
Lightning flashed and struck the earth behind him as he passed through the gates.
"Earl! Earl of Devonshire!"
Grace rushed out moments later, calling after Zeppelin with desperate urgency, but he did not turn back.
The servants scrambled to restore order to the chaos. ‌‌‌
Alicia stood motionless outside, her expression hardened like stone.
The newly ‌‌tailored dress soaked through mercilessly in the downpour.
It was the gown Zeppelin had complimented as beautiful.
Droplets—whether rain or tears—streamed endlessly down her cheeks.
It had all been an illusion.
The hope that she could stand in Rebecca's place was nothing but a hollow fantasy.
She had only wished for the happiness of an ordinary life.
She had only desired what any noblewoman might have: a devoted ‌‌husband and beloved children.
Yet even such modest wishes seemed to be a luxury for someone like her.
The savage rain made it nearly impossible to ‌‌‌keep her eyes open, yet Alicia stared long into the direction where Zeppelin had vanished.
Octavio clicked his tongue and held an umbrella over her.
"Never has he done such a thing. This toy of his seems to hold considerable attachment. Surely he doesn't intend to reconcile with Rebecca."
At his words, Alicia's ‌‌‌hands clenched into fists.
"Octavio."
Octavio looked down at her with a questioning expression.
"I heard you're searching for a ‌‌‌new Rebecca."
He flinched in surprise, but Alicia spoke quietly without the slightest change in ‌‌‌her expression.
"Please arrange for me to meet with that black market merchant you introduced before."
"That's not difficult, but why?"
"I will... I will ‌‌become ‌‌‌Rebecca. When he returns after confirming his doll is lost, I will become the new doll to comfort ‌‌him."
Alicia twisted her lips into an exaggerated ‌‌‌‌smile. The effect was grotesque, for tears continued to pour from her eyes.
She was weeping, yet she was smiling.
Octavio regarded Alicia for a moment.
But only for a moment—his gaze, too, lifted toward the direction where Zeppelin had disappeared.
"We shall see." ‌
* * *
Zeppelin rode directly toward the Obelia Mansion within his own domain.
Only one thought consumed his mind.
He had to see Rebecca.
Whether through persuasion or force, he had to have her ‌seated beside him.
Now it mattered not how her face had changed.
She was his. Even if she broke, she would break only in his grasp.
The gates of the Obelia Mansion stood wide open.
Zeppelin passed through the gates and crossed the ruined Garden before the Mansion.
The mansion was dark, its lights extinguished.
It was natural enough given ‌the late hour, yet an inexplicable chill crept down my spine. I sensed no ‌‌presence of life within.
Zeppelin dismounted ‌‌‌‌‌and knocked upon the entrance door.
His shirt, drenched and pathetic, clung to his bare skin.
His trousers were caked with mud, utterly ruined—a sight unfit for any company.
Yet he ‌‌‌was half-mad with desperation.
That Zeppelin Devonshire, who would not tolerate a single hair out of place, had vanished entirely.
"Rebecca! Theo Obelia! Danae Obelia!"
When no answer came, Zeppelin wrenched the door handle violently.
The locked door shook as though it would shatter at any moment.
"Who goes there!"
How long had he been at it?
An elderly man emerged from within, muttering complaints as he opened the door.
Zeppelin seized his arm at once and cried out.
"Rebecca! Where is Rebecca?"
"What in blazes are you doing!"
"Is Rebecca Obelia here?"
"Obelia? Ah, those people moved out long ago. The ownership of this place changed hands just this morning."
"What? Then tell me where they went!"
"How should I know! I'm merely the caretaker. You've had quite a lot to drink, it seems—if you're going to be drunk, at least be graceful about it!"
"Ha...."
Zeppelin's hand fell limply to his side.
His vacant gaze swept across the floor with hollow emptiness.
How could this have happened?
The caretaker regarded him with pity.
"I don't know your circumstances, but if you have nowhere to stay tonight, I can let you rest here ‌‌‌‌‌for one evening. The Duke instructed ‌me to manage this place at my discretion for the time being."
"The ‌‌‌Duke?"
A sudden spark ignited in his hollow eyes.
"Yes. The Duke of Johannes. He purchased this property."
"Johannes...."
Zeppelin blinked at him endlessly.
"Ha... So, it was... like this."
Zeppelin let out a bitter laugh.
His eyes gleamed with madness.
His gaze met the caretaker's trembling eyes.
"That's it... that's how it happened! Julian of Johannes stole my Rebecca from me!"
"What... what are you saying?"
"Yes. Rebecca would never leave me of her own accord. This is all Julian's scheming—now everything makes sense. A man ‌‌who controls the Church ‌‌could easily disguise Rebecca as a saint without breaking a sweat."
Zeppelin stared at his own hands and laughed loudly.
The ‌‌‌‌runaway countess had returned.
E-book publication.

January 12, 2022
Author.

Ginbamhaneul
Publisher.

Desert Fox
Published by.

Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submissions.

naver.me/54VzzLSn
Blog.

blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox
Twitter.

@wjt_fennecfox

‌‌‌‌‌
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Brought to ‌you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest ‌releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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