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99. "The weather is disgustingly ‌‌‌beautiful." For the past few days, a light drizzle had fallen during the late autumn monsoon season. But today alone, as if blessed by the heavens, the sky had cleared as if by miracle. In the warm sunlight, Zeppelin shielded his eyes with his hand and furrowed his brow deeply. "I wanted to go too...." Supported by two ‌‌‌‌maids, Alicia emerged outside with a pouting expression. She saw Zeppelin off as he was about to board the carriage. Zeppelin gazed intently at Alicia's ‌‌‌‌rounded belly before briefly pressing his lips to her forehead. "There's not much time left until the birth month, so you mustn't overexert yourself. Your health as my wife comes first—rest comfortably here. I'll bring back a generous gift when I return." "If you insist so strongly...." At Zeppelin's public display of affection, Alicia's face flushed with embarrassment. By now she should have grown accustomed to such ‌‌‌things, yet whenever Zeppelin treated her like a countess, her heart couldn't help but race. Whenever his handsome face turned toward her, Alicia inevitably became like a girl experiencing her first love. But Alicia did not regard her feelings toward Zeppelin as love. It was merely human nature for one's heart to quicken at the sight of beauty. She desired far more than Zeppelin alone. Alicia caressed her belly. According to the physician, judging by the shape of her belly, it would be a perfect daughter. She imagined what she would gain when a daughter resembling Zeppelin was ‌‌born. The mere thought brought an involuntary smile to her lips. "Please ‌‌‌travel safely!" Alicia waved her handkerchief toward the departing carriage. Zeppelin poked his face through the carriage window and smiled warmly. But as the window closed, the smile ‌‌‌‌that had lingered at his lips vanished as well. 'How could I travel with Alicia when I've finally obtained this rare ‌‌‌solitude?' Alicia was talkative. ‌‌‌‌Being with her meant his ears never had a moment's rest, and his head throbbed. As he indulged in this long-awaited silence, exhaustion washed over him. Zeppelin exhaled ‌‌‌a heavy sigh and leaned his head against the plush backrest. Performing the role of a kind-hearted Zeppelin with no memory was extraordinarily taxing. Feigning kindness that didn't suit his nature left his mouth perpetually parched. Yet thanks to this act, he had gleaned considerable information. Those who had only ever faced their master's cynical expression were entranced by Zeppelin's gentle smile and soft tone of voice. If someone ‌‌‌kind nine times over behaves badly once, they are condemned. But if someone who has done wrong nine times behaves kindly once, that person is treated as virtuous. As the beautiful master played the angel, the servants readily opened their hearts to Zeppelin. From these trivial conversations, ‌‌Zeppelin uncovered one crucial fact. ‌‌Octavio wielded far more authority than ‌he had anticipated. In every matter concerning the Count's House, his hand was involved without exception. Even affairs unknown to the Count himself were all conducted under Octavio's orders. The Devonshire ‌‌‌Family practically lay in the palm of his hand. Now ‌‌‌that I thought about it, the Hounds that Zeppelin had created were also Octavio's domain. What the Hounds reported to Zeppelin was already information filtered by Octavio. Zeppelin's gaze turned outward. The peaceful landscape of Irencia poured abundantly into his eyes. The words of the medicinal herb merchant he had met secretly came to mind. "These are compounded from toxic herbs that ‌‌‌deteriorate memory. Where on earth did you obtain such things? They're prohibited from ‌circulation in the market..." "What would happen if one continued using this?" "Likely they ‌‌would ‌‌‌‌become an idiot. ‌A fool ‌‌‌who wouldn't even ‌know who ‌‌they were." Anxious that even a ‌‌‌‌fragment of the incense might remain in the boutique, the merchant hastily wrapped the paper. The terrified expression on the merchant's face was still vivid. Octavio had certainly said that incense had the efficacy of restoring memories. Yet it actually deteriorated memory instead. And prolonged use could render one an idiot? Zeppelin let out a hollow laugh. Now that I thought about it, I was already no different from an idiot. A rational suspicion rose—perhaps it was Octavio who had driven Rebecca ‌away. "The Priest came to visit..." The Priest who confirmed ‌‌‌that Rebecca had fallen ill was someone Octavio had brought. ‌‌‌"And as if it had been prepared, Rebecca's infertility was revealed." Even if Rebecca fell ill, I had no intention ‌‌‌of divorcing her. After all, ‌‌if I obtained a child as beautiful as her, that would suffice. But at precisely the moment I made such a resolve, Rebecca's infertility became known. The tea leaves that Alicia had received from Rebecca ‌‌were the decisive evidence. And that had been a gift from Fabiola to Rebecca. "For a coincidence, it's far too strange..." Zeppelin's posture straightened, and his gaze sharpened keenly. No matter how thoughtless Fabiola was, she would never ‌independently ‌‌orchestrate something so certain to result in her expulsion if discovered. Alicia came to mind as the mastermind, but Zeppelin immediately shook his head. "That foolish woman couldn't possibly employ such tactics." What remained was Octavio and Grace, the Head Maid. Grace had nearly fainted when I ‌‌said I would divorce Rebecca. In Grace's demeanor at that moment, I could find no trace of deception. Then the only suspect remaining from beginning to end was Octavio, who had maintained an unshakeable composure. "Now everything makes sense." I had thought something was amiss. No matter how clever Rebecca was, she could not deceive me to such a degree. From the start, she was a woman whose existence was fulfilled through her beauty. There was no need for her to be intelligent. Therefore, I had kept Rebecca away from books while she was the Countess. ‌‌Such meticulous planning could never have ‌emerged from Rebecca's mind. Even if Julian ‌‌‌had been involved, ‌‌he was merely a ‌boy. Zeppelin concluded that Octavio was the source of the tragedy that had befallen him. It was clear that Octavio had conspired with Julian and manipulated him into abandoning Rebecca. Hadn't Octavio been the one who facilitated Rebecca's effortless entry into the Study during that autumn ball? Zeppelin clicked his tongue as he recalled how Octavio had shown such lukewarm indifference when searching for the intruder in the Study. "Tch!" Octavio would furrow his brow whenever ‌‌‌Zeppelin mentioned Rebecca, as if it pained him. And as Zeppelin wrestled with the thought of divorcing Rebecca, Octavio had whispered ceaselessly for him to cast her aside. Why had he only now recognized it as a signal? Rebecca must have been an obstacle to Octavio. A troublesome thorn ‌‌‌that stood in the way of his sinister scheme to devour the Earl of Devonshire in one fell swoop. "Octavio, how dare you!" Zeppelin, consumed by rage, struck the carriage wall with tremendous force. The dull, thunderous crash of the impact echoed through the carriage, and the coachman glanced back. "My lord, is something amiss?" "Nothing at all. Pay it no mind and focus on your work." Even if Octavio had attempted to seize control of Devonshire two or three times over, ‌‌‌Zeppelin could have forgiven it. After all, he himself ‌‌‌had granted Octavio such ‌authority in the first place. He could have simply acknowledged his own mistake and corrected it. But Octavio had touched ‌‌‌Rebecca. He had placed ‌‌‌his beautiful Rebecca into another man's arms. And ‌‌the Rebecca now cradled by another man had changed so much that she struck her own cheek. The sting of her blow still ‌‌‌‌seemed ‌‌‌to linger on his face. Octavio had marred Rebecca. He had planted fury toward himself in that beautiful countenance. Therefore, Octavio was now a subject of condemnation. ‌‌‌A being that coveted what was his—something that must be eliminated. "What I trusted has become poison." Zeppelin's bloodshot eyes grew hot with unshed tears. A strange liquid born of sorrow and rage pooled in his wide-open gaze. 'Zeppelin. Trust no one but ‌‌‌‌yourself. Not even your father.' Suddenly, the words Joachim Devonshire had once spoken flashed through his mind. "The cursed old man was right after all." He had known that humans cherished only their own greed, yet he had foolishly trusted Octavio all this time. There had even been moments when he thought of Octavio as a father figure. Zeppelin trembled beneath ‌the crushing weight of shame. "Damn it!" Zeppelin seized the cushion that lay docilely beside him and hurled it forward, causing the invitation resting upon it to flutter to the floor. 【You are cordially ‌‌‌invited to the wedding of Duke Julian of Johannes】 It was a peculiar invitation—one that bore no name for the bride. Zeppelin had conducted an extensive investigation into Julian's betrothed but had ultimately failed to ‌‌uncover her identity. His only clue was his suspicion that Julian's betrothed was Rebecca. Perhaps Zeppelin had failed to uncover Rebecca's true identity precisely because Octavio had interfered. Zeppelin's hands trembled as he clenched his fists, the crisp invitation card crumpling helplessly within his grip. The invitation served as ‌‌‌proof of identity and had ‌‌to ‌be submitted upon entering the ceremony hall. To damage such an invitation was a discourtesy to the groom and bride who had personally extended the invitation. But such considerations meant nothing to Zeppelin. His mind was consumed entirely by the determination to reclaim Rebecca and a burning thirst for vengeance against ‌Octavio, leaving no room for any other thought. Just as he was contemplating whether he should seize Rebecca's ‌‌‌wrist and ‌flee the ceremony hall, the carriage came to a halt. The coachman shouted loudly. "We have arrived! The Lavonne Salon!" * * * "It is not permitted. It brings misfortune to see the bride before the wedding." Kanna firmly blocked Julian's path as he attempted to enter the room where Rebecca ‌‌was preparing. "It's fine. I am the Duke of Johannes, overflowing with fortune. Such a trivial curse would be buried beneath my boundless sea of luck...." "It is not permitted." Kanna dismissed his words with unwavering resolve, crossing her arms firmly as she positioned herself before the door handle. Faced with her steadfast stance, immovable as a mountain, Julian could only turn away with a disappointed sigh. "You're quite strict about these things...." The Runaway Countess Returns E-book Publication January 12, 2022 Author Long Night Sky Publisher Desert Fox Publishing House Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. Submission Reception naver.me/54VzzLSn Blog blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox Twitter @wjt_fennecfox

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