Chapter 5
The servants hesitated for a moment, reading the situation—but only for a moment. There was no one in this mansion who could ignore the words of Marquis Crain, a man who was practically its absolute ruler.
In the end, the servants forcibly separated Eleanor and the Marchioness of Crain, dragging the Marchioness away first.
“Let go! Mother!”
As Eleanor struggled wildly with both arms restrained, the Marquis laughed loudly, as if he were watching something amusing.
Eleanor felt genuine horror at the fact that she had to call such a man her father. The Marquis approached her, grabbed her chin, and looked down at her with a mocking expression.
“You seem to be under a serious misunderstanding. Do you really think you mean that much to me? Even if you threaten me with your life—”
But he never finished his sentence.
Because Eleanor glared at him silently… and spat right in his face.
“Ugh!”
A thick hand immediately struck her cheek again. Having been hit repeatedly, the skin on Eleanor’s left cheek split open, and blood began to flow.
The Marquis shot a glare at the servants, as if asking why they hadn’t taken her away yet. Soon, Eleanor was dragged off like an animal.
The basement room was lit by nothing more than a single candle. In that dark, damp, and freezing space, Eleanor felt despair take hold.
This won’t do… In a place like this… Mother, already so weak, will never survive.
Eleanor quickly changed her strategy.
“Call Father. I was wrong about everything, so tell him to release Mother. Please?”
Was her pride really that important? To her, saving her mother was all that mattered.
But no matter how much she begged, there was no response from the Marquis.
As if determined to thoroughly break her spirit, the servants returned only with troubled expressions, shaking their heads.
As night deepened and the room grew even colder, Eleanor’s anxiety worsened.
By dawn, she was sobbing pitifully as she pleaded with the servants again.
“I’m begging you, please… If you can’t take her out, at least bring her a blanket. At this rate, she might really die. You know that.”
“I’m sorry, my lady. But the master has given strict orders not to bring anything into the room…”
Eleanor despaired.
Even though the Crain estate originally belonged to her mother’s family, the servants had long since become nothing more than her father’s puppets.
She begged again—for them to call her father, to bring something warm to her mother—but none of her requests were granted.
She considered harming herself to force a reaction, but there wasn’t even anything she could use.
In the pitch-dark basement, there were no proper windows, making it impossible to tell the passage of time.
She could only estimate the days by the meager meals brought three times a day—barely enough to keep her alive.
At first, she had persistently asked for her father, but after being trapped in that cold, cramped room for a day, consumed by worry for her mother, her spirit gradually broke.
Only after about three days did the Marquis finally appear before her.
Seeing his once-defiant daughter now gaunt and hollow-eyed after three days, his expression filled with satisfaction.
It was obvious he had ignored her all this time just to see her like this, and the humiliation made Eleanor feel sick.
“…I was wrong, Father.”
Grinding her teeth, Eleanor knelt before him and pleaded—determined to save her mother first.
“I’ll do anything you say, so please let Mother out of here. Please forgive me… please?”
“You’ll really do anything I say?”
Eleanor nodded quickly, and the Marquis smiled as though this was how things should have been from the beginning.
Biting her lip, Eleanor looked at him. He nodded, as if granting a favor.
“Very well. I’ll let you out.”
“What about Mother—?!”
“Don’t worry. Your mother is still alive. If you obediently attend your bridal lessons, I’ll release her in a few days.”
“…Really?”
“Of course. I’m not a fool—I know your mother wouldn’t last long in a place like that.”
The Marquis grinned.
“Wouldn’t it be unfortunate to hold a funeral before the wedding?”
Hearing that, Eleanor quickly lowered her head, afraid she might provoke him again.
The maids supported her and took her back to her room, first preparing a warm bath.
Only then did her exhausted body begin to relax after three days of suffering—but her mind was still filled with worry for her mother.
It even felt wrong to be warm and comfortable alone like this.
Even after confirming from the maids that her mother was still alive, she couldn’t find peace of mind.
“Forget everything you heard and know. Even when you meet Her Majesty the Empress, you must not show it.”
That was the Marquis’s warning the next morning when he called Eleanor to the dining room.
Eleanor, who had been picking at her food, bit her lip and looked at him.
He returned her gaze as if asking if she had something to say. Swallowing nervously, she thought of her mother.
“I understand. But Mother—”
“How many times must I tell you? Do you think I’d just let such a valuable pawn die?”
The Marquis cut her off impatiently, frowning.
“I told you. If you behave more obediently, she’ll be released.”
“You must keep your word… that Mother is well.”
Eleanor spoke quietly.
“If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t fear anything.”
“What a disrespectful brat.”
After his muttered insult, a silent breakfast began.
Naturally, no words were exchanged between father and daughter.
In the suffocating silence, Eleanor decided to finish quickly and leave.
“Master! Master!”
Just as she set down her fork, the usually composed butler rushed over and whispered something urgently to her father.
The Marquis’s face instantly turned pale.
At that moment, Eleanor knew—something was wrong.
“Is it about Mother, Butler?”
“Mi-my lady, that is—”
She didn’t wait to hear more. Eleanor bolted from her seat.
No one stopped her. She rushed down the stairs and searched for her mother.
It wasn’t difficult.
A group of servants had gathered in one area.
They stepped back hesitantly upon seeing Eleanor, whispering among themselves with their mouths covered.
Their strange compliance made her anxiety spike.
Breathing heavily, she hurried into the room.
The first thing she saw was a large pool of red liquid soaking the floor…
She wanted to believe it was wine—but anyone could tell it was blood.
Following the trail of blood spreading across the stone floor, she reached its end—
“Aaaah!”
Eleanor screamed, clutching her head.
Her face twisted, her breath ragged, she staggered forward, gripping her throat with both hands as if she couldn’t breathe.
The closer she got to the pool of blood, the more she was forced to accept what she had already begun to fear.
Even as her vision blurred, the red of the blood remained horrifyingly vivid.
“M-Mother…”
Unable to even fully approach, Eleanor collapsed and crawled toward her.
Seeing her mother’s lips and eyes stained red, Eleanor’s own eyes filled with tears.
Finally reaching her, she embraced her with trembling hands.
“Mother… please wake up… Mother…”
Please—let this all be a dream.
…She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.
Nothing had changed.
Her lips trembled as disbelief consumed her, until finally she let out a strange, animal-like scream.
“Mother! Mother!”
As if that was the only word she knew, she cried out again and again.
But no matter how much she called, her mother did not open her eyes.
Eleanor broke down, sobbing violently.
No one dared approach her.
After a long time, her sobs gradually faded… until they stopped completely.
The basement fell into an eerie silence.
The servants watched nervously, hardly daring to breathe.
Then—
Eleanor bent down, pressed her lips to her mother’s, and stood up, her mouth stained red.
Her appearance was so unsettling and chilling that the servants quickly parted to make way for her.
One maid who accidentally met Eleanor’s eyes hurriedly covered her mouth to suppress a scream.
“D-Do you think something terrible is going to happen? Her eyes…”
The maid trembled in fear.
The others who had seen Eleanor’s eyes silently agreed—but none dared to say it aloud.
