NRAL | Chapter 61

~Chapter 61~

Bound by Fate

Smith didn’t recognize the meaning behind the crest and just stared blankly, while Jane gasped in shock.

“Oh—so you’re from the Duke of Astria’s family! I can’t believe I didn’t realize…! I’ll go out right now and get you something, please wait just a moment!”

“That’s not necessary. I was about to leave anyway. I appreciate the thought.”

Eleanor stood up and gave the Chestnut couple a final glance. Time had passed, so they looked older than in the portrait she’d seen—but the spiteful expression etched into their faces hadn’t changed at all.

“Are you sure there’s nothing else you left out? Anything useful?”

“N-no, nothing else.”

“Then I’ll be going. Thank you for your time.”

“Oh no, it’s us who should apologize for being rude to such a noble lady. Please travel safely!”

Smith, worried she might take back the jewel she’d given them, hurried to escort her to the door. Eleanor saw right through his transparent behavior and let out a dry chuckle as she walked away.

“Excuse me, wait!”

Just then, Jane, who had followed behind, suddenly spoke up.

“I wasn’t sure if I should say this earlier. I thought someone like you wouldn’t make a mistake in your investigation. But the more I think about it, I really believe you’ve misunderstood something…”

“Jane! Quiet! What nonsense are you about to blurt out now?!”

“No, please go on. What do you think I misunderstood?”

Smith tried to stop his wife again, but Eleanor quickly held him back.

Jane Chestnut hesitated, clearly nervous she might get in trouble for speaking out, but slowly began to explain.

“It’s about Nora…”

To Eleanor’s surprise, what Jane revealed pointed out a mistake she had never even considered.

The thing she had never questioned turned out to be false—and Eleanor was visibly shaken.

It had been a day full of unexpected revelations.

***

Before leaving the outskirts, Eleanor leaned her head against the carriage window and spoke quietly:

“We’ll need to relocate the Chestnut couple. Somewhere Nora won’t come across them.”

But for some reason, there was no immediate reply. She glanced outside and saw Ernst staring blankly—quite unlike his usual self.

“Sir Ernst, what are you thinking so deeply about?”

“It’s nothing. Just… thinking that maybe that woman grew up in harder circumstances than I thought…”

Ernst trailed off and fell silent. A flicker of confusion passed through his green eyes, like he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“Forgive me. I misspoke. I didn’t mean to sound like I was sympathizing with her—”

“It’s okay to sympathize.”

Eleanor cut in before he could dig himself deeper into guilt. If she hadn’t, he surely would’ve started apologizing like he’d committed a crime.

“I also think Nora had a sad childhood. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Smith and Jane Chestnut—neither of them are what you’d call decent adults.”

Too obvious, in fact. So much so that even things she didn’t want to see were right there in front of her.

Why did twelve-year-old Nora run from the Chestnut house to live in the slums?

Surely life in the slums wasn’t easy, yet she never returned home. Why?

Because it wasn’t a real home. In that house, she got scolded even just for drinking water. She was forced to do all the chores, and even though her sister stopped sending money, she was still made to feel like a burden. In a place like that, it made sense that she chose the slums instead.

“It didn’t seem like a healthy environment for a child to grow up in. Still, a tough childhood can’t excuse Nora’s crimes.”

“I agree.”

Ernst seemed more at ease after that.

Finally, the carriage began to move. The bumpy, unpaved road made the whole vehicle shake and rattle.

Eleanor stared out at the dull, neglected scenery, lost in thought.

And suddenly, she remembered a voice she once thought of as simply bright and cheerful.

“…Doesn’t it feel like fate?”

Nora had asked if it didn’t feel like fate—how they looked alike, shared a same name, even memories. But back then, she had already planned everything to bring Eleanor down. To be precise, she was just waiting for the right moment to put her plan into action.

Back then, Eleanor had nodded without much thought, believing at the very least that their meeting truly felt fateful.

But now, her thoughts have changed a little.

“…You’re right. You and I really are bound by fate.”

Two women with similar names and appearances, and now even similar lives—it was hard to explain such a connection without calling it fate.

Tied together by destiny, yet looking in opposite directions, their bond only grew more twisted. That was the kind of relationship Eleanor now believed she had with Nora.

A soft murmur, somewhere between a sigh and a laugh, scattered slowly on the dusty wind.

And then, the motion sickness came back again.

***

Later that same day…

While Eleanor had traveled out to a remote area on the outskirts of Cardiff, Nora had gone to a lavish party hosted by a prominent noble family.

Wearing a soft pink dress that highlighted her charming face, and the large emerald necklace Arlo once gave her when they were dating, Nora had left for the party with a cheerful air. But by the time she returned, night had fallen completely.

“You’re home, my lady. Let me take your—Kyaa!”

Natalie approached politely to greet her, but what came flying at her were Nora’s coat and handbag, tossed violently.

Even after being hit in the head with the bag, Natalie didn’t dare to complain—something was clearly wrong.

Just as Natalie suspected, Nora was in a terrible mood. Her rage was sky-high, and her eyes looked nearly rolled back.

She had been humiliated at the party.

‘How dare they… How dare they mock me?!’

What had gone wrong? The event had started on a good note, but somehow turned into a scene of subtle ridicule aimed at her.

Was it because Arlo, who had said he’d arrive late, never showed up at all? Or was it because Kiara’s friend kept bringing up the debutante ball?

Whatever the reason, the nobles at the party began mocking Nora subtly as the evening went on. And those she had thought were friends stood by and did nothing.

“Lady Nora, would you like more wine? Oh—my mistake. I forgot I shouldn’t mention wine in your presence. My apologies.”

“Lady Nora, could you teach me how to melt a man’s heart like you do? I’d love to earn a nice necklace too.”

“That necklace you’re wearing—who gave it to you? I’ve heard it’s tradition in certain families to give emerald necklaces to their beloved.”

“Oh dear, Lady Nora wouldn’t know that, would she? Instead of questions like that, wouldn’t it be better to ask her how to clean soot off a floor without leaving dust behind?”

She’d expected that some might look down on her for what happened at the debutante ball. But she hadn’t realized everyone knew she used to be a maid. And she certainly didn’t expect Arlo, the one person she thought would protect her from such gossip, to not show up at all.

In the end, Nora had become the center of attention—humiliated and laughed at, just like how she had once made Eleanor the object of mockery at Kiara’s dinner party.

“Ugh! I’m so sick of this! This is so frustrating!”

Nora began throwing whatever she could get her hands on. Expensive decorations shattered against the wall, and the servants silently backed away, not daring to stop her.

‘What went wrong?’

Everything had gone too far off course.

She had finally gotten what she always wanted—the title of the Astria duchess’s daughter. She thought that meant happiness was next. But instead, not a single day brought her peace.

The nobles who once praised her now mocked her. Her fiancé, who had once seemed ready to do anything for her if only he could sleep with her, barely contacted her and was busy chasing other women.

Even her so-called family was useless. Her father treated her like a tool and insisted his way was always right. Her brother, locked up in his room, couldn’t do anything and kept trying to arrange secret meetings with her like a perverted fool.

‘Where did it all start to go wrong?’

She thought about where it had all gone wrong. For a brief second, she wondered if it had been a mistake to reach for a place she was never meant to take.

The thought flickered through her mind but she quickly erased it. That kind of self-reflection was a luxury. And not the kind that made you feel good. The kind that made you feel worse. A useless luxury.

So instead, she looked for someone to blame.

‘It’s all Eleanor’s fault.’

Yes, this was all Eleanor’s fault.

If only Eleanor hadn’t flirted with Arlo. If she hadn’t ruined the debutante ball. If she had just quietly accepted what those attackers did to her and acted more meekly—then Nora wouldn’t be suffering like this.

Her growing rage clouded her judgment. And before long, she stormed out of her room.

Several servants tried to stop her when they realized where she was heading, but they failed.

Thud, thud, thud—her angry footsteps echoed through the halls until she stopped in front of Eleanor’s room.

Eleanor, returning from the study, met her outside the door.

“What brings you here, Nora?”

“Where were you today?”

Nora, her hair messy and her eyes wild, demanded.

It felt like a wife accusing her cheating husband—and Eleanor couldn’t help but let out a light smile. Whatever had upset her, Eleanor didn’t care. In fact, she welcomed it.

She also had something she wanted to say to Nora.

“It may be summer now, but it’s still a bit chilly for a long conversation in the hallway at night. Come in.”

With a gentle, almost kind demeanor, Eleanor invited her in.

She stepped into her room first and dismissed the nearby servants.

“I’d like to speak with my sister in private. Please leave us.”

“Yes, my lady,” Hilda replied, leading the others out. The staff, though reluctant to miss the drama, obediently followed.

Click. The door closed. Now, only Eleanor and Nora were left in the room.

Before tea could even be offered, Nora snapped sharply.

“Answer me. Where did you go?”

“Oh my, Nora. Since when are you so curious about my schedule?”

“I said answer me!”

Eleanor let out a small laugh and calmly met her eyes.

That furious glare had become familiar by now—but tonight, something was different. There was a fierceness in Nora’s violet eyes, like someone cornered at the edge of a cliff.

Eleanor was sure Nora didn’t know exactly where she’d gone today. What she feared was something else entirely.

She was terrified Eleanor might have spent more time with her fiancé again, behind her back.

“I went somewhere much nicer than what you’re imagining.”

Eleanor smiled as she spoke.