Chapter 40
Marienne stared blankly up at the night sky.
“…The rain stopped.”
Her voice came out hoarse, metallic. It sounded awful — like the croak of a sick frog. A warning that she’d be bedridden for at least three days.
What time was it now? Since entering the pond, it felt like at least three or four hours had passed.
She reached for her pocket watch — and froze. It was in her jacket pocket. And the jacket… she’d left it hanging on the bridge railing.
Not that I’d be able to see it anyway. It’s too dark.
Marienne shivered. Even though it was summer, staying in the water after sunset had chilled her to the bone.
If only I had a pump… I’ve seen the pond keeper use one to drain water before. If I’d known it’d take this long, I should’ve borrowed it from the start.
She didn’t even need to drain it completely. If she could just lower the water halfway, it’d reach her knees — and the silver locket necklace would be easy to find.
Of course, by then my shoulders would probably be dislocated.
She couldn’t understand it. She’d searched every inch, yet the necklace was nowhere to be found.
“Achoo!”
She sneezed. Another step closer down the path of bad omens. If it got worse, she’d definitely run a fever.
“Achoo!”
Or maybe she already had one. She started to lift her hand to check her forehead, then stopped. Her hands were caked with mud from hours of digging through the pond bed.
Cold…
She needed to warm up. First, a hot shower in the aides’ dormitory. Then maybe a short nap until dawn — after that, she’d borrow the pump from the pond keeper.
She’d think of an excuse for draining a perfectly good pond later. Right now her mind was blank.
Slowly, she waded toward the edge. The soaked fabric of her clothes clung to her, making every step heavier.
Feels like a water ghost is grabbing my ankles.
Once she climbed out, she wanted nothing more than to collapse right there on the ground.
But she couldn’t. If she lay down now, she’d never get back up. Crawling, if she had to, she’d make it to the showers.
Marienne gathered her jacket and socks with trembling hands.
She was so cold, so hungry, so sleepy, so utterly exhausted.
It was her own choice to jump into that pond, and yet — why did the sorrow suddenly surge up in her chest? Even circling around the building to avoid tracking mud through the halls felt unbearably miserable.
Think of something good.
At least Sir Beers didn’t have the worst birthday ever.
Good job, Marienne Didi. That’s what really mattered, right? Making sure Sir Beers didn’t have to pick up a discarded necklace himself.
No need to mope about a “half-success.” She’d done her best. Once the sun rose and she found the necklace, it’d be a complete success.
She kept telling herself that.
“Achoo!”
By now, Baileon must’ve gone home alone for once. She’d left him a note on her desk so he wouldn’t worry — said she had to visit her aunt and might stay the night there.
Originally, that note had been written while she waited for a servant from the Beers estate to appear outside her window.
Knowing Baileon’s nature, he’d never leave work early without her. Once he received word from his mother, he would’ve come to the Third Aide’s office looking for her.
By that time, I’d already be gone. He’d have no choice but to go home.
She had planned to send him off first, then hide near the pond to stake it out.
Things hadn’t gone exactly as planned, but the excuse on the note still held up.
Right now, Baileon was probably enjoying a cozy evening with his family at the count’s manor — wearing a soft linen shirt, satin slippers, lying on sun-dried sheets that smelled clean, sipping fragrant lemon tea he had to blow on before drinking.
How nice that must be.
Would he spare a thought for the Third Aide who said she’d sleep at her aunt’s?
Does he even have the time to think at all?
“Achoo!”
Each sneeze made her head throb. Her condition was deteriorating fast. Maybe that’s why her thoughts kept turning strange.
She wanted to see Baileon. To tattle to that kind man about the Northerner’s behavior. Or maybe she just missed how he’d scoop her up like a princess whenever she twisted her ankle — that excessive protectiveness.
Ridiculous daydreams.
Did he ever hold Odette like that, too?
Suddenly, her chest began to sting.
She frowned. Was chest pain even a symptom of a cold? She’d never heard of that before.
Why does it hurt so much? Like rubbing coarse salt into an open wound…
No — don’t think too deeply. She wasn’t in her right mind right now. This was all Cain’s fault anyway.
Who does he think he is, judging my feelings? I just… really want Sir Beers to be happy.
Thankfully, she’d reached the aides’ dorm building by then. She went straight to the communal showers, stripped off her ruined clothes, and stepped under the water.
“Ah…”
The hot water pouring down felt like holy water. Even the rough communal soap bars felt precious tonight.
She stood there for a long time after washing, letting the warmth soak in.
After that, everything was a blur. She couldn’t even remember how she made it back to her room.
The room was as small as ever, but more than enough for her little body.
Her fingers brushed the blanket; she pulled it over herself — and blacked out instantly.
◇ ◆ ◇
“…What time is it?”
The first thing Marienne did upon waking was grab her pocket watch.
5:30 a.m.
She’d woken up on time, better than expected. The sky outside was beginning to lighten — time to move.
“At least I didn’t come up here naked last night.”
Several large towels lay scattered across the floor.
She found a slightly worn blouse and skirt in the wardrobe. She’d been unsure whether to throw them away, but apparently her bodyguard Hugo hadn’t considered them worth taking.
“Good thing he didn’t. Thanks to that, today’s Didi can still maintain some dignity…”
If she could joke, she was probably better than last night. Or so she told herself.
Dragging her heavy body, Marienne went to find the pond keeper.
She claimed that something important belonging to the Chancellor had fallen into the pond. The keeper was bewildered when she insisted she’d handle it herself if he just lent her the pump.
“You mean the western pond by the Cloud Bridge, right? You know how big that is? It’d take ten laborers working in shifts to drain it!”
“Yes.”
“And you’re saying you’ll do it alone?”
“I have no choice. It needs to be done before His Excellency comes in. I can’t exactly ask people for help at dawn.”
“Good grief.”
The keeper clicked his tongue but couldn’t refuse. He lent her the pump and a cart — even helped her haul it to the pond himself.
There was still kindness in the world after all.
Marienne was moved. Not everyone was a brute like Cain Blackwood — though he’d probably laugh at the thought.
“You’re really going to do it alone?”
“Yes, for now.”
“Good grief.”
“Thank you so much for helping me this far. Please, go back now!”
She smiled brightly and nudged him away. Reluctant, the man finally left.
“Just a little more. Really, just a little more.”
An hour later—
Marienne collapsed onto the ground. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday’s lunch — not even a sip of water. No wonder she was dizzy.
“So dizzy…”
Her vision swam like she was seasick. She even started hearing things — Baileon’s voice.
“…Aide Didi!”
“How strange. Hallucinations sound exactly like the real thing.”
She laughed weakly, staring at the damned pond.
That cursed pond.
She’d pumped for an hour straight, shoulders screaming, yet the water level hadn’t dropped by even a finger’s width.
No wonder the keeper looked at me with pity. I really thought I could do a ten-man job by myself.
She had to admit defeat.
She couldn’t go on.
No strength left.
“Marienne, how long have you been here?”
“…Baileon.”
Now she was seeing things too. The vision of Baileon standing before her looked so real — disheveled hair, face full of worry, chest rising and falling as if he’d run all the way here.
“I’m sorry.”
She murmured to the lifelike hallucination.
“I couldn’t find it. Guess this is as far as my abilities go.”
“What are you talking about? Wait—what on earth…?”
He looked utterly lost, rubbing at his eyes, his hands trembling slightly.
“I’ve been searching for you all night.”
His low, cracked voice slipped between his pale lips — hoarse like hers, but somehow beautifully so.
It was the kind of voice that carried a man’s weariness and warmth — nothing like her own sick frog croak.
“When you still weren’t home by nightfall, I sent a servant to your aunt’s. The note said you might stay over, but… something didn’t feel right.”
His voice faltered.
“The house felt empty without you. My family noticed it too — though they teased me for being overprotective again.”
“Hehe.”
Marienne gave a soft, Cloris-like laugh.
“Sir Beers’ overprotectiveness is nice.”
“…”
“I’m not a princess. Just a passing extra. But when you treat me like one, I can’t help wanting to act spoiled.”
“Where were you?” he asked quietly.
“You never went to your aunt’s. Haven’t even contacted her for months. When I heard that, my heart sank.”
He bit his lip nervously — every flicker of expression so delicate, so real. Then he reached out a trembling hand.
“…Maybe it’s not a hallucination after all.”
She muttered as his cool palm touched her cheek. It felt unmistakably real.
“You’re… really Sir Beers?”
“Why do you have such a fever?”
“You’re really…?”
“Marienne, don’t tell me you’ve been here all night?”
Baileon glanced at the pump equipment, disbelief on his face.
“Were you trying to drain the pond?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
A simple question — and Marienne’s face twisted. The prelude to tears.
Why are you crying? What’s there to cry about? But now that he’s asking so gently… all the tears I’ve been holding back are about to burst out.
She pressed her lips tight to stop herself, then finally whispered—
“To find the Fourth Princess’s locket necklace.”
“How did you know about that…? No, more importantly, how did it end up in the pond?”
“T-that’s…”
No good — the second wave hit. Marienne’s voice trembled with tears.
“That bastard Duke Blackwood threw it in! I-I’m sorry…”
