Chapter 03
Like a cute puppy, Lucas had soft brown hair, and his eyes were as gentle and golden as a field in the sun.
But the most beautiful thing about him was always his smile.
Now, however, Lucas didn’t smile at all.
He appeared to be holding back tears, and his eyes were red and swollen.
“Sorry. I’m too late, right? I didn’t want to leave you alone through such a hard time.”
Marsha stared at his face and slowly lowered her head.
“No, no. How could you have come any earlier…”
Marsha wanted to say, “Thank you for coming,” but tears stopped her voice.
She couldn’t say anything.
She bit her lip and quietly cried.
Just as Lucas gently supported her shoulder and tried to pull her close, a woman’s voice came from the church door, with sunlight behind her.
They couldn’t see her face, but the voice was familiar.
“Rosna.”
“Marsha. The pastor and helpers will be here soon.”
Rosna walked over with her black dress flowing and pulled Marsha into a hug.
“It’s time to say goodbye now.”
She comforted Marsha, who was crying in her arms, and looked at Lucas.
But Lucas only looked sadly at Marsha and didn’t look at Rosna.
Holding Marsha tighter, Rosna swallowed her own rising emotions.
After the body was buried in the grave, people gathered in the sitting room.
Normally, families would share memories and comfort each other at funerals, but this funeral was different because the person was killed by a robber.
“So, the miner who went with the count was also killed?” Lucas asked the police officer, frowning.
“Yes. His face was badly hurt, so it was hard to recognize, but his family saw his features and were sure it was him.”
“He wore an old green vest and an orange handkerchief around his neck. His wife made them herself.”
“Is there any way to catch the robber?”
“It’s not easy. The forest path is rarely used, so there are no witnesses and not a single clue.”
Lucas sighed and brushed his hair back.
Marsha, already pale, bit her lip nervously.
They might not catch the person who killed her father.
“…The ring.”
Suddenly, Marsha remembered her father’s finger was missing a ring and whispered.
The police looked at her with curiosity.
“Yes?”
“My father’s wedding ring was gone. Even if the robber sold other things, that ring would be hard to hide.”
The wedding ring was special because it was custom-made, and the stone on it was a unique tourmaline that changed colour from light green to red.
“If the gold were melted down and sold, no one would know. But the stone would be recognisable.”
“Do you know exactly what the stone looks like?”
“Wait a moment.”
Her mother’s wedding ring was probably buried with the body.
Marsha had no choice but to draw a picture to explain it, but it wasn’t very hard.
Unlike fancy-cut jewels, the ring was a simple square shape.
“That is unusual.”
“Please catch the criminal. I beg you.”
Marsha pleaded, and the police officer nodded reluctantly, feeling the pressure.
“We will try. But…”
The officer stopped himself from saying more, thinking, ‘A smart thief wouldn’t sell such a unique jewel as it is.’ Then he turned away, saying, “No, it’s nothing.”
At that moment, Richard, the lawyer for Count Emelide, appeared.
He nodded slightly to the officer leaving and looked around at the people in the sitting room: Marsha, the butler, Emma, Lucas, and…
“Who is this lady?”
“Rosna. She is my friend and the daughter of Mr. Poudel.”
Richard studied the mother and daughter sitting on the sofa.
Even though they were acting dejected, their lips were moist and their eyes were dry.
“She is not family, but she belongs here. While I was lost and overwhelmed, she handled all the funeral arrangements.”
“It was only right to help someone so kind to the Count.”
Mr. Poudel answered in a serious voice.
At that moment, Anna’s face tightened with displeasure.
Anna and all the servants found it annoying that a common businessman like Mr. Poudel was acting so boldly at the funeral just because he had some business with the Count.
“By the way, Wilford hasn’t come, has he?”
“He is in Straviin. Maybe he’s on his way.”
Richard nodded and took off his hat, placing it on his chest.
“For those who don’t know me, I am Richard Poulmen, the lawyer who witnessed Count Emelide’s will.”
At that moment, Mr. Poudel’s eyes flashed strangely.
‘I endured this boring and annoying funeral just for this moment!’
There was a reason why this stranger was so interested in Count Emelide’s will.
“I will now read the Count’s will.”
Marsha nodded and sat next to Rosna, who gently put an arm around her shoulder.
“I, Count Emelide, entrust the management of this family to my precious daughter Marsha’s husband. To my daughter, I leave all my wealth I have collected so far. If I have a grandson, the title shall be passed to him. If there is no grandson, the title goes to my daughter’s husband…”
Marsha was not surprised.
In the Duchy of Domique, women cannot be heirs; only the heir can inherit the family, property, and business. So, this was a very typical will from a noble who had only one daughter.
“……”
But suddenly, Richard lowered his will and frowned, shaking his head.
“I wish the will could be carried out as is. But the Count passed away too soon.”
Marsha, her voice rough from crying, asked,
“What do you mean by that?”
“A will takes effect immediately after death. But since you, miss, are not married yet, according to Duchy law, the first in line to inherit is the closest young male relative of the Count’s bloodline. That means…”
Richard looked at Lucas.
“Lucas, you are the next Count Emelide.”
Lucas’s eyes grew wide.
Marsha, watching him, was just as shocked.
‘Lucas is the next Count Emelide…?’
What was going on? Marsha’s mind went blank, unable to think clearly.
‘Ugh….’
Rosana suddenly squeezed Marsha’s shoulder hard enough to hurt.
Startled, Marsha looked up and saw Rosna lowering her eyebrows in shock, covering her mouth with the other hand.
But then…
‘Huh…?’
Because of where Marsha was sitting, she could see clearly.
Rosna’s beautiful lips were quietly forming a circle.
“What a shame,”
Rosna whispered, looking down at Marsha.
Though her face still looked confused, her eyes were full of happiness and excitement.
“……”
Rosna moved her lips silently.
From far away, people might have thought she was quietly comforting her shocked and lost friend, but Marsha clearly understood what Rosanna’s lips were saying.
“You’re finished now.”
