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75.
Rebecca smiled faintly as she spoke.
"Take it for yourself. I'm offering you that mansion—the one where Zeppelin and Octavio have disappeared. You've always wanted to mold it to your liking, haven't you?"
"How is that ‌even possible!" ‌‌‌‌‌
"Does ‌‌‌‌‌‌it seem impossible?"
Rebecca straightened from her bow toward Grace.
The sun had already set, and flickering candlelight struggled to illuminate the darkening ‌‌‌space.
Shadows fell across Rebecca's face.
Rebecca lifted her head and looked down at Grace.
A sardonic smile played at ‌‌‌her lips.
"Did I say I had no power? Then how do you think I escaped from Zeppelin's grasp? My illness, my divorce from him—does all of that seem like mere coincidence?"
"Then... that means..."
"The truth is, I've acquired excellent backing."
"What?"
"If I told you that fortune has now agreed to always walk beside me, would you understand?"
"You've been speaking in riddles since earlier, and I simply don't understand what you mean..."
Rebecca tapped near her temple as she spoke.
"You don't ‌‌‌need to understand with that small mind of yours. As I said before, you'll never comprehend me, even ‌‌‌‌in death. Just as you've never understood Laila."
"My daughter died of illness."
"Yes. Believe whatever comforts you. It's better for your sanity. But Grace, imagine this for a moment."
Rebecca moved behind Grace and whispered sweetly into her ear.
"Picture yourself ruling that beautiful mansion. You could fill that space with children like Laila. The Devonshire Earl's Mansion under Grace Duncan's command. How does that sound? Don't you want ‌‌it?"
Rebecca's words dripped like honey, sticky and intoxicating.
Pressed by Rebecca's relentless words, Grace found herself imagining it without ‌‌‌realizing.
Somehow, a vivid fantasy unfolded before her eyes as if she were seeing a vision.
In that imagined world, she sat contentedly in the Count's Mansion garden, taking tea.
Maids with faces resembling Laila's smiled beautifully at her.
"I... want it..."
At Grace's ‌unconscious murmur, Rebecca rose to her feet.
She slipped a small note into Grace's pocket.
"Your instructions are written here. If you want to possess what you see before your eyes now, you'd do well to follow my words."
Grace ‌‌‌‌nodded, her pupils ‌‌‌dilated and vacant.
Intense desire had now taken root in her mind.
Rebecca turned away with a slight nod of her head.
Kanna silently approached Grace and placed a sack over her head.
Still lost in her fantasy, Grace offered no resistance.
Kanna swiftly struck Grace's neck with the edge of her hand, rendering her unconscious.
She hoisted Grace onto her shoulder and ‌‌quickly kicked through the door.
Once Kanna disappeared, Rebecca hurried outside.
The fresh air hit her, and nausea washed over ‌‌her.
"Ugh..."
I wiped the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief, gazing at the crimson candle visible through the crack in the door.
Earlier, I had instructed Kanna to secretly pilfer one of the candles from Octavio's chamber.
I had believed it merely possessed a calming effect on mind and body.
That was why I had lit it—to settle the imperious Grace and conduct a proper conversation.
But now it seemed the candle possessed ‍‌a peculiar efficacy that conjured illusions.
My plan had been to shake Grace's heart by appearing as Laila.
Yet Grace had called me by that name ‌far more easily than I had anticipated, and in that moment, I discerned the candle's true power.
As I continued to breathe deeply, the haze gradually lifted from my mind.
I plugged my nose with the handkerchief and hastily retrieved the candle.
Then I hurled it to the ground and trampled it to dust beneath my feet.
'A dangerous thing.'
Of course, it was true that the candle had made matters easier. Grace had willingly surrendered to her own desires.
But I ‌‌‌‌had no wish to ‌‌‌use such an object again.
It was something that could harm not only myself but those around me.
Living lost in fantasy was a temptation anyone would succumb to—enough to abandon reality itself.
I lifted my eyes to survey the landscape.
The moon had risen.
This place, some distance from the Obelia Mansion, was an abandoned farm.
With few people about, it ‌‌was ideal for conducting ‌clandestine affairs.
I went behind the barn, gathered dry branches, and set them ablaze.
Crackle—crackle—
The bonfire began to burn with a peaceful sound.
I removed my chestnut-colored dress and cast it into ‌‌‌the flames.
The ‌fire crept along the waistline of the dress, gradually consuming it ‌‌‌entirely.
I gazed at the burning flames in a daze, murmuring ‌softly.
"Forgive me, Laila. I shall never wear that dress again."
As if answering my words, the fire surged fiercely toward the sky twice over.
* * *
At the Obelia Mansion, Julian was conducting a final review of his plans while awaiting my return.
Soon a satisfied smile graced his face.
The autumn ball to be held this evening would be a more enjoyable affair than any before it.
I had devised no fewer than five contingency plans in case something went awry.
At my meticulous nature, Julian could only shake his head in admiration.
"You look particularly splendid this evening!"
Livia approached Julian's side with a shy blush coloring her cheeks.
Dressed in an elegant tailcoat, he was striking enough to make ‌‌passersby turn their heads.
"I had wanted to ‌‌‌‌see the ball myself..."
Helena, who followed shortly after, voiced her complaint and collapsed onto the sofa ‌‌‌beside Julian.
Soon ‌‌‌‌the cheerful chatter of Livia and Helena, vying with each other to speak, filled the air.
Julian listened with pleasure to the sisters' conversation before opening his mouth.
"I ‌‌‌promise to give you the most splendid debutante ball next year."
"Is that truly so? You've promised!"
Helena cried out with joy, her mind already spinning with visions of which dress she would wear.
"It's wonderful to have such ‌a capable brother-in-law!"
Livia spoke with a radiant smile.
Julian's eyes widened in an instant.
"Brother-in-law... you say?"
"What, did you think we wouldn't notice? The Duke's gaze toward Rebecca has been anything but ordinary."
"That's right. Rebecca doesn't seem to dislike it either."
"She doesn't seem to dislike it?"
Julian's lips began to curl upward in a smile he could no longer conceal.
Livia nodded before speaking with a sly expression.
"When will you propose?"
"Ah, well...."
"As I've mentioned repeatedly, don't you ‌‌‌‌dare think of glossing over this! If you're ‌‌planning to marry without even a proposal, I cannot acknowledge you as my brother-in-law!"
Helena chimed in as well.
"Of course. Our sister is someone special—we cannot let her marry without a proper proposal."
Julian smiled broadly before ‌‌‌‌asking.
"Then what sort of proposal would my dear sisters require to acknowledge me?"
"Hmm... truthfully, as long as sincerity is there, it doesn't really matter."
Helena rebuked Livia's words.
"What are you saying? ‌It absolutely must be a ring with a large stone. You must ‌‌show some effort, at the very least."
Livia nodded in agreement with Helena's words.
Julian muttered with a serious expression.
"How large does the stone need to be exactly...."
"Would this size suffice?"
Helena picked up a round chocolate from the plate on the table and held it before him.
Julian gauged the size of the chocolate and spoke with relief.
"That would certainly be sufficient."
Livia's eyes suddenly widened.
"And there's something even more important than the size of the jewel."
Curiosity piqued, Julian found himself leaning in without ‌‌‌‌realizing it.
Helena ‌‌and Livia cried out simultaneously.
"A public proposal is absolutely forbidden!"
The eyes of the two girls, somewhat fierce in expression, burned with intensity.
Julian flinched momentarily before speaking.
"Why is that not allowed...."
At that moment, the Maid opened the door and entered. Whatever she had seen, she was flushed with excitement.
"Miss Rebecca says she is ready!"
The Maid finished speaking, offered a respectful bow, and hurried away.
Julian and the twins exchanged glances before departing the Reception Room.
"Ah, Julian. Have you been waiting long?"
Upon seeing Rebecca standing at the top of the staircase, ‌‌Julian froze in place as if turned to ‌‌stone.
His widened eyes shimmered with molten gold in an instant.
"Good heavens..."
The members of House ‌‌of Obelia gathered at the foot of the stairs gasped in unison, their gazes lifted toward the resplendent Rebecca.
Her gown was crafted from ivory silk adorned with delicate lace woven from golden thread.
Beads dangling from the lace's edges cast forth a ‌‌‌‌‌luminous, prismatic glow.
Though the design epitomized extravagance, it was far from excessive on Rebecca.
Rather, it was a gown made ‌‌‌precisely for her.
Rebecca held a mask—white with golden embellishments—delicately in one hand.
With each movement she made, her long, golden-hued hair cascaded and swayed near her exposed collarbone.
As Rebecca descended the final steps, she extended her gloved hand toward Julian.
Though it was not his first time ‌‌‌‌‌‌seeing her adorned so magnificently, his heart raced wildly as if malfunctioning.
"Ahem... ahem!"
Livia and Helena cleared their throats.
They then gestured urgently ‌‌‌‌for Julian to take her hand.
Julian, who had forgotten even to breathe, suddenly snapped back to awareness and offered Rebecca his arm.
Rebecca whispered ‌‌‌‌‌to him, her voice tinged with amusement.
"Why do you ‌‌‌look so dazed, Julian?"
"Because I've witnessed something extraordinary."
"What sort ‌‌‌‌of thing?"
Though ‌‌‌‌she surely understood his meaning, ‌‌‌Rebecca asked with innocent, bright eyes.
Julian's cheeks flushed deeply. He shot her a playful glare before breaking into laughter.
The epithet "the Empire's most beautiful woman" seemed inadequate for ‌her.
No—not merely the Empire, but across all the world, Julian was suddenly certain that no one could be found more lovely and beautiful than Rebecca.
That such a woman stands beside me.
It felt like a dream.
Julian's tense hand confirmed the object within his ‌‌jacket pocket.
Feeling its substantial weight, he finally relaxed and helped Rebecca into the ‌‌‌‌carriage.
The Runaway Countess Returns
E-book Publication

January 12, 2022
Author

Long Night Sky
Publisher

Desert Fox
Published by

Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submissions accepted

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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