Chapter 20
***
“Miss!”
I had just slipped out of the banquet hall quietly and was hurrying up the stairs when—bam! I ran into Lena, who looked absolutely furious.
She must’ve had a really hard time searching all day for that bracelet that didn’t even exist.
I glanced at her face nervously and said,
“Sorry…”
“What about sound?” she snapped.
“Ah—‘sorry’ means I apologize.”
Lena gritted her teeth and took a step back, clearly trying to calm herself.
“I don’t get what you’re saying. Just go back to your room.”
I obediently quickened my steps and returned to the room.
Lena followed me closely behind, locked the door, and stood in front of it so I couldn’t leave again.
Then, in a voice shaking with held-back anger, she said,
“Miss, I don’t hate you, really. But I have to say this.”
The veins on her forehead were bulging. She was definitely very angry.
“Every time you sneak out of this room and do something, I could get in trouble for it. Even getting my pay cut would cause me serious problems.”
“…”
“I’ll make sure to bring your meals on time and help with your bath. I’ll even keep you company. So while I’m taking care of you, please just stay in this room.”
I made a little circle with my thumb and finger and nodded seriously.
“Okay—I mean, yes. Got it.”
Lena stared at the hand gesture like she didn’t understand it, then let out a long sigh.
“Lottie Hesward will be back soon tonight. So please behave. I don’t mess around like she does.”
“She won’t be here until morning.”
“She hurt her face. Who would want to hang out with her now? She’ll be back soon.”
“What if she stops by to see her family?”
“Lottie is an orphan.”
…Huh?
“She told me she had parents.”
“Well, she does… but they’re buried underground now.”
Lena shrugged like it was no big deal.
I gave her a look—like, how could she reveal Lottie’s sad story so casually?
We didn’t say much after that. Honestly, I didn’t have the energy to worry about Lena right now.
“I need to find a secret passage to the underground storage. Joseph can just walk there openly, but if I’m caught, I’m doomed.”
Big mansions like Rohia Castle were full of hidden passages—so many that they were more complicated than an ant nest.
So I was sure there had to be a secret way into the underground storage.
“There must be a map showing the secret passage.”
In the original story, Joseph, after becoming a duke, had mentioned such a map. He even said it was too complicated to memorize.
“To find the map, I’ll need to go to the duke’s office.”
Unfortunately, the duke’s office was on the 5th floor—three floors up from the 2nd floor where I was staying.
Luckily, I already knew two secret ways to reach it.
One entrance was outside the mansion, and the other was through the kitchen.
“Both are far, but the kitchen has too many people. The back entrance is quieter. I’ll use that.”
Now that I thought of it, Lottie once said the duke had shown her a secret path to the office. I should’ve asked where it was.
But I didn’t have time.
Duke Bern Rohia was out of his office right now—I had to act.
“But Lena…”
Just as I was thinking of the problem, the door burst open with a loud bang.
Only one person would enter without knocking—Lottie walked in with her usual cheerful voice.
“Lottie is here~!”
“Why are you back so soon?” I asked bluntly.
Lottie pouted.
“I brought medicine and all kinds of things for you! Isn’t that a bit cold?”
I made a grumpy face too—but inside, I was cheering.
Lottie was easier to deal with than Lena.
Even though her face was still swollen, she was way cuter than Lena too.
“But why are you alone—ah!”
Lottie suddenly saw Lena sitting like a grim reaper in the corner and gasped.
She even hid behind me—even though I was much smaller than her.
I nervously gulped as Lena’s eyes sparkled with pure rage.
“What did you do to Lena?” I whispered.
“I didn’t do anything to her!” Lottie whispered back.
“…Then what did you do to Lena’s boyfriend?”
“Lena’s never had a boyfriend!”
Whoa, she’s never dated?
I looked at Lena with sudden sympathy. She was already storming toward Lottie like she was about to grab her by the collar.
With narrowed eyes, she growled,
“Lottie Hesward. Don’t forget what I told you.”
Lottie quickly nodded.
“…Then I’ll be leaving now, miss,” Lena said, bowing politely before disappearing—leaving a chill behind.
Lottie collapsed into a chair and wiped her sweaty forehead.
I was curious about what had happened between her and Lena, but I pushed that thought aside for now.
“Hey, Lottie. Remember a while ago, when you borrowed a pen from the duke’s office? You said you used a secret passage, right?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah… I did.”
“Where is that secret passage?”
Lottie blinked, then nervously asked,
“Um… why do you want to know?”
I smiled sweetly.
“I’m bored. If I wander around, the lady-in-waiting will get mad. But if you show me the passage, I’ll stay quiet.”
“B-but… what if I say I can’t…?”
I raised my finger and pointed downward.
“Then I’ll jump down to the first floor. You know His Majesty the Emperor is here today, right?”
Lottie looked at me, smiling while making threats, and her hands started shaking.
She remembered the mission she had been given a few days ago:
***
“Lottie Hesward, this is your last chance. That child who was so quiet is suddenly acting strange. Find out what Izana is doing—and what she wants.”
***
What do I do now?
Lottie had been trying to convince the lady-in-waiting that Izana was just a playful, clueless kid.
But now, everything Izana did was bold and hard to understand.
Lottie felt like all the karma she had built up was coming back to hit her at once.
***
The secret passage to the office was dark and damp.
If it weren’t for the small lanterns on the walls, it would’ve been too scary to take even one step forward.
“Miss, what business do you have in the duke’s office?” Lottie asked, nervously fidgeting.
I climbed the steep path using foot grips and railings instead of stairs and said,
“Lottie, you know that saying: ‘What you don’t know won’t hurt you’?”
“Miss, you can’t just say that and avoid answering! This is—”
“Just tell the lady-in-waiting this: ‘The young lady keeps disappearing and snooping around the mansion. But she won’t tell me why.’ That’s it.”
Behind me, I heard Lottie flinch.
“You… you knew?”
“Of course I did. She’s definitely been keeping an eye on me.”
After walking for a while along the narrow path, I finally found a small door.
It was about waist height. I had to crouch to get through it.
I reached for the doorknob, then stopped and looked back at Lottie.
She was biting her nails, clearly terrified.
“I’m going to open this door now and go in. You stay here.”
“No way! That’s the duke’s office! If you get caught—”
“I’ll just say I got lost. If I’m alone, it looks like an accident. But if you’re with me, people will think you’re up to something shady with me.”
I raised a hand and gently covered Lottie’s wide, frightened eyes.
“Don’t look, Lottie. I’m serious—what you don’t know won’t hurt you. I’m pretty sure the lady-in-waiting plans to get rid of both of us. You feel it too, don’t you?”
“Miss… I’m really scared.”
I could feel her trembling through my hand. I sighed softly.
“My poor Lottie. Just curl up here. Close your eyes, cover your ears. I’ll be back soon.”
I turned the doorknob.
Lottie dropped to the floor like a pile of jelly and buried her face in her knees, covering her ears tightly.
Yes, that’s right.
That way I can save you—and survive, too.
With determination, I opened the door.
