#6. Returning What Was Given
2023.12.07.
During tea time with the Grand Madam, Kalian’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
There was a faint pink crack visible on the palm of her hand as she held her teacup.
“Did you… hurt your hand, Mother?” Kalian asked.
The Grand Madam smiled softly.
“It’s nothing serious. Just…”
The rose garden where they were having tea was filled with the scent of roses.
“There was a child who became unruly after being treated too kindly, so I had to discipline her a bit.”
At those words, Kalian’s eyes wavered.
Leona Klaus, the Grand Madam of House Klaus—a woman of mature beauty and elegance.
“You are the one who will become Duke Klaus, Kalian.”
Whenever he slacked off, she would strike him with a cane.
Thanks to her strict discipline, Kalian had grown into a fine man and worthy heir to the dukedom.
That was why he always deeply trusted and followed her.
“I see. But still… hurting your hand like this—pushing yourself too far—makes me feel uneasy.”
He believed there must always be a reason for her actions.
Even if those actions were cruel or impossible to share publicly.
“For this mother, the only thing that matters is the duke. If anything threatens the duke’s future… I’ll stop it no matter what.”
Her gentle voice rang out.
“I know. You’re the only one who has ever truly cared for me, Mother.”
“But…”
Leona’s brow furrowed slightly with concern as she looked at Kalian.
“You don’t look well today. Is something bothering you?”
At her question, Kalian’s hand holding the teacup twitched.
Leona, who was always the first to notice the slightest sign of worry on her son’s face, had done so again today.
“…No,” Kalian replied, putting down the teacup.
Today, the tea tasted unusually bitter.
He thought of Eshika’s gaze.
Her icy blue eyes seemed to pierce through him and still stared at him from his subconscious.
Just recalling those eyes made his stomach churn.
Kalian stood from his seat and said, “I must go prepare to receive the Crown Prince, so I’ll excuse myself.”
“Ah, yes. He said he would visit today,” the Grand Madam replied with a graceful smile.
“Go on then, Duke.”
“Please enjoy a peaceful time, Mother.”
Kalian turned and walked briskly toward the mansion.
The Grand Madam watched his strong back for a long while.
Though a warm smile remained on her lips, it gradually stiffened.
Soon, a waiting maid approached from behind, knelt beside her, and opened a medicine case.
“You’ll get a scar if you leave it untreated. It’s not good to apply it this late.”
The maid began gently applying ointment to her hand.
She carefully covered the fine cracks on her palm with medicine.
“My son ought to know just how hard I work for this family,” the Grand Madam murmured coldly.
Then after a brief pause, she asked, “And the head maid… how is she?”
“You mean Yuri Anesis?”
The three maids who had drenched Eshika with water had promptly reported everything they’d heard from her to Leona.
And her reaction was predictable.
“She won’t be able to move much for about a week.”
In the strict House Klaus, it was not uncommon for masters to discipline their subordinates.
Yuri had been whipped until her legs were covered in blood and only escaped the punishment after passing out.
“Good. A week should be enough for her to reflect.”
Leona’s lips curled into a smirk.
A mere daughter of House Anesis, even lower than Brigitte’s line, dared to utter such outrageous words?
Those who don’t know their place must be properly educated.
Yuri had been useful only because she regularly delivered Brigitte’s jewels as gifts. If not for that, she would’ve been disposed of long ago.
“How dare she covet my son…”
Leona took a sip of her remaining tea and muttered,
“…That little wretch.”
“Ahh… ahhh…”
In a dim room, Yuri sat crying as she pressed white cloths to her blood-soaked calves.
The Grand Madam’s caning had been truly brutal.
Even when blood sprayed, she didn’t blink an eye and continued to beat her.
No amount of pleading or screaming had stopped her hand.
Only by losing consciousness had Yuri escaped that horrifying moment.
“No… sob… sob…”
When she awoke, her calves were in a horrifying state.
They were blackened with bruises and covered in countless shallow cuts.
It was the first time she’d been injured this badly from a beating.
Surely they would leave scars.
And if that happened, she would no longer look pretty in Kalian Klaus’s eyes.
“Damn that Eshika…”
Her hatred wasn’t aimed at Leona, the one who beat her, but at Eshika.
Clutching her aching legs, Yuri glared, her eyes full of tears and fury.
She had said those things, knowing full well what would happen.
“I’ll kill her. I swear…”
Creak—
Just then, the door opened.
Yuri assumed it was the maid returning with ointment to prevent scarring.
Lifting her head halfway, she looked down at the hem of the maid’s uniform.
She had brought a bucket—probably filled with the medicine.
“Hurry, give me the—”
“Pfft.”
A condescending laugh interrupted her.
Yuri flinched.
Then, as she looked up, her expression froze.
“…Eshi…ka?”
Eshika stood before her, wearing a maid’s uniform and smiling.
Her silver hair was tied up high.
With a bright expression, she spoke.
“Poor Yuri.”
Yuri’s face trembled.
Why was Eshika wearing a maid’s uniform and standing here?
Just seeing her face sparked uncontrollable rage.
“Looks like your future mother-in-law is treating you quite nicely.”
“Y-you…!”
Yuri shouted, glaring at her.
“Do you know what I’ve been through because of you? It’s your fault I suffered like this!”
“Oh, you mean the duchess-to-be? That role you desperately want… my role?”
Eshika’s calm gaze from above only fueled Yuri’s anger.
“No matter what, I’ll never be as pathetic or stupid as you! If I were by his side, I’d never lose his favor like you did. Even if the Grand Madam doesn’t accept me now—”
“That’s what you want, huh? So you played the friend while sharpening your blade…”
Eshika continued.
“You stabbed me in the back. Impressive effort.”
Her composed gaze stung at Yuri’s pride.
Everything she had clawed for in desperation, Eshika always got without effort.
Even Kalian Klaus—that perfect man—was hers.
“I’ll take everything from you someday.”
Yuri gritted her teeth.
“…But, Yuri.”
Eshika leaned down to meet her eyes.
Then, with a smirk, she whispered:
“To me, Duke Klaus is just a golden carriage full of horse dung.”
“…What?”
Yuri’s eyes twitched violently.
That filthy dung cart—I’ll push it right off a cliff one day.
She wanted to say it straight to Yuri’s twisted face, but she held back.
Better to watch calmly as the enemy walks into the fire on their own.
Seeing Yuri weeping beside a broken dung cart would be a satisfying sight.
“You—what are you talking about…”
Anyway, Eshika wasn’t one to let things slide without returning the favor.
“Oh, I brought you some water for disinfection.”
Eshika raised the bucket she had brought and poured it over Yuri’s head.
The water drenched Yuri, soaking her whole body.
Just like the maids had done to Eshika before.
“AAAHHH!”
Yuri screamed.
She clutched the wet cloths around her wounds.
The pain was searing—like her flesh was on fire.
“It hurts! AAHH!”
“It’s saltwater. Great for disinfection,” Eshika said with a smirk.
Yuri’s wide, tearful eyes wavered.
Pouring dirty saltwater on wounds like these would surely leave horrific scars.
“No! No! Aaack!”
Yuri cried and tried to pull off the wet cloths, but it was too late.
The saltwater had already soaked into the wounds, amplifying the pain.
Her skin felt like it was burning.
“Please! No! AAHHH!”
Eshika watched Yuri writhing in pain with amusement, then turned away.
Even after closing the door behind her, Yuri’s cries echoed far down the corridor.
“Ah, maid uniforms are surprisingly comfortable.”
Eshika stretched with a refreshed expression.
The old her would’ve hated it, but it was quite handy for sneaking around unnoticed.
‘Guess I’ll head to the kitchen next…’
After leaving Yuri’s room, she rounded the third corner with a light step—
Thump—
Suddenly, she bumped into something solid and stiff.
Startled, Eshika stopped instinctively.
As her body tipped forward, something grabbed her waist and pulled her in tightly.
“…”
She found herself face-to-face with a large man holding her waist.
Their eyes locked.
Her pupils wavered—and so did his.
Jet-black hair. Eyes of dazzling gold.
The Crown Prince of the Empire, Resban Deon Rusane—
—was holding Eshika by the waist.
