Chapter 14
The empty glass bottle that had left Maddy’s hand rolled across the table toward the Count.
Even as the small amount of green liquid inside spun toward him, the Count couldn’t move.
Eventually, the bottle fell under the table. The sound of it shattering rang out clearly.
The Count sat soaked in cold sweat, as if he’d just woken from a nightmare.
The Count of Montenezan, face pale, stuttered for a bit before standing up.
When Yulikian asked again about granting permission for the marriage, the Count stammered, “Ah, no, I-I need some time to think… I-I’ll come back later,” and rushed out of the parlor.
Yulikian and Maddy came all the way to the mansion entrance to see him off, waving side by side with bright smiles.
“Uncle, please visit again next time!”
“Count! I’ll be waiting too! Let’s have another strong drink together next time!”
“Haha! Maddy, you really shouldn’t say things like that!”
“Oh my, did I mess up again? Hohohoho!”
As if he had seen a ghost, the Count’s carriage fled the mansion at full speed.
The couple-to-be of the Grand Duke’s house (one aspiring con artist, one seasoned con artist) waved sweetly until the carriage vanished.
Finally, the two of them were left alone at the bottom of the mansion steps.
Without taking his gaze off the wide garden, Yulikian whispered quietly.
Mindful of the eyes of the many servants around, he didn’t let his smile falter.
It was the first time he had ever tried ventriloquism.
“How could you even think of drinking poison in front of me? Are you insane?”
Maddy, casually linking arms with Yulikian, responded in much more polished ventriloquism.
“Of course, I switched it out for alcohol. Were you worried I’d die, honey?”
The two looked at each other with affection as they slowly ascended the stairs back into the mansion.
The ventriloquism continued.
“Did you really think blackmail would work on your uncle?”
“That was just a warning. We’ll get his permission eventually.”
After climbing a bit more, Yulikian leaned in and whispered clearly in her ear.
“He ran away like he’d seen death. How do you plan to get his permission?”
“It’s not like he’s dead in a coffin. Why couldn’t we get it? You’re so negative. Try to see the world a bit more positively.”
“Is your brain a flower garden?”
“Hohoho! You’re so funny, Your Grace!”
Maddy laughed loudly and playfully tapped Yulikian’s shoulder, like someone enjoying a joke between lovers.
Then she added softly,
“Honey.”
And after a pause, she moved her lips.
“From now on, anyone who tries to kill you—I’ll kill them first, quietly and without a trace. I’ll crush their throats and stomp them out.”
It was meant to be reassuring, but it was chilling instead.
“So if you want to live, trust me.”
Yulikian, staring down at her with a blank expression, could only watch as Maddy entered her room and quickly returned with her coat.
Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
“Where are you going?”
“Maddy has errands to run.”
“…But you didn’t really drink poison, right? That was all acting?”
“Of course. Why would I do something that dangerous?”
“Then give me the poison you took from Miley. Don’t carry it around.”
Maddy shrugged and began patting her pockets, then gasped.
“Oh no, honey. I think I drank it after all. Oops! Maddy made a mistake!”
She looked absurdly fine as she gave herself a silly little bonk on the head.
But Yulikian’s hands started to tremble the moment he heard she might’ve drunk poison.
“…Damn it! I knew it! H-how much time has passed? Damn. The antidote—I need the antidote. How do I find it? I’ll call a doctor. Don’t go. Don’t move. Stay right here, in this spot.”
Yulikian rambled on and furrowed his brow without realizing it.
Once again, a sharp ringing filled his ears—followed by a hallucinated cough.
Cough, cough, cough.
His grip on Maddy’s wrist tightened.
He instinctively raised one hand to cover his ear and tilted his head.
At that moment, Maddy stepped close, reached out her free arm, and gently embraced him.
“Shhh… it’s okay. I won’t die. Even if I drink poison, I won’t die. That’s just the kind of body I have. I’m alive. I’ll keep on living.”
Her voice echoed like a chant through the coughing that filled his ears.
“I won’t die.”
For some reason, those words were comforting.
Deep in his heart, Yulikian developed a strange certainty that she would continue to live—always.
Whether she stayed by his side or left, she would still be alive.
And that thought, oddly, put his mind at ease.
Her calm voice gradually drowned out the memory of his mother’s cough that had consumed his mind.
Slowly, Yulikian lowered his hand from his ear.
“So don’t show weakness like that in front of others. It makes you look easy to take advantage of. People are watching.”
Once she confirmed he was stable, Maddy immediately pulled back.
Yulikian stared after her for a brief moment, then quickly averted his gaze.
“…Maddy. Since the news is out in the papers, there might be people who want to kill you. There are those who don’t want this marriage.”
“You didn’t propose to me without knowing that. Why bring it up now?”
Maddy’s green eyes locked onto his, expression unreadable.
After a beat, Yulikian asked hesitantly,
“…If you’re worried, want me to come with you? It’s dangerous.”
“No. I’m the more dangerous one, so it’s fine.”
“…Okay.”
Her answer was too convincing—Yulikian had no choice but to let go of her wrist.
As Maddy turned toward the stairs, she waved back with a bright smile.
It was the same pure smile she wore the day he proposed.
Yulikian stood frozen as if he’d been shot again, then barely snapped out of it.
The servants were probably watching from behind.
That must be why Maddy smiled like that.
There’s no way she’d smile that sweetly otherwise.
Striding over to her, Yulikian leaned in close to her ear, brushing his lips just near her hairline, and made a kissing sound.
It looked like he kissed her cheek.
It was an awkward show of affection, but he felt a small sense of accomplishment.
“Come back safe, Maddy.”
“Ah… yes…”
Maddy looked slightly off-put, but Yulikian felt proud.
Like a five-year-old proud of completing their first errand, he nodded in satisfaction and strode toward his room without looking back.
Left alone on the steps, Maddy stared in the direction he’d gone, then tilted her head.
“Does he not have any friends? Why did he suddenly do a fake kiss when I was just waving goodbye?”
She slowly nodded to herself.
“Well, I guess if he had any friends, he wouldn’t have proposed to someone like me. That guy’s head is the real flower garden. Totally nuts.”
Spinning her finger next to her temple, Maddy hopped down the steps.
Wearing a thick coat over a fancy dress, Maddy left the mansion and took a carriage ride. She stopped at the entrance to an alley.
“Mister, I’ll get off here.”
The coachman, Kael, looked her up and down with dissatisfaction.
Chuck, the coachman who had taken her to the market earlier, had left work with a grin on his face.
Fiddling with the little ruby ring Maddy had given him, he’d said:
[That woman… doesn’t seem all that bad. She just talks rough. But she was kind to me. Seems like a good person.]
But Kael didn’t buy it.
Chuck had always been a softie.
Kael vowed he wouldn’t fall for Maddy’s act.
He didn’t even need to see how she had seduced the naive and kind Grand Duke.
How dare she go after our Grand Duke.
Kael glared at Maddy with a trace of resentment.
He had followed orders by giving her a ride, but he didn’t like escorting some woman from the slums.
And Maddy was sharp enough to notice.
With a friendly smile, she said,
“Hey, mister. No need to get all red in the face—we’ll be seeing each other again.”
“W-what?”
Her smile might’ve been warm, but her tone wasn’t exactly kind.
Kael cursed Chuck in his head.
‘Good person, my ass. She’s got a nasty attitude.’
Kael huffed loudly, clearly angry, but Maddy didn’t care.
She shrugged off her coat and handed it to him.
“Mister. You’ve got a daughter, right?”
“Hah! Did Chuck tell you that too?”
“Who’s Chuck? The dandelion bracelet on your wrist is obviously made by a kid. And what kind of 40-year-old man has flowers painted on his thumbnail? Your daughter must love you a lot.”
When did she notice that?
Flustered, Kael quickly hid his right hand.
Maddy chuckled and tossed her coat to him.
“Give this to your daughter.”
Kael’s eyes trembled.
“Why would you…?”
“I told you. We’ll be seeing each other again, so stop glaring like that. Let’s keep things friendly—just in case I ever get kicked out. Okay?”
She sounded like a thug but smiled while offering a gift.
Still, he couldn’t turn down a coat that nice.
Rather than giving it to his daughter, selling it to buy food would be smarter. They could eat well for a month.
He might even take his wife to the expo she always wanted. Maybe even take the kids.
Kael, unable to suppress his grin, carefully took the coat.
“You’re planning to sell it, right? I can see it in your face!”
“W-well…”
“Take off your shoes, mister.”
Maddy whipped off her heels and handed them to him. Even barefoot on the dirt road, she didn’t flinch.
“Give me your shoes. Sell my heels, but give the coat to your daughter.”
“H-how could I give you my shoes…”
His formal tone slipped out unintentionally.
“I bought a lot today. I’ve got more at home. The heels will fetch a decent price, so sell those. Give the coat to your kid.”
“Still…”
“We’re both struggling. Let’s help each other out, even just a little. When I was little, I wanted pretty clothes too.”
Overwhelmed by her bulldozing kindness, Kael finally took off his shoes.
Maddy slipped on his worn, loose shoes as if she’d done it before, then handed him a coin.
“This is your tip, mister. I’ll pay you properly when I have more. I never know when I’ll get kicked out, so take it now.”
“Aigoo… Miss…”
The word “Miss” came out instinctively.
In a much more polite tone, Kael asked,
“Miss Maddy, should I wait here until you come back?”
“Just call me Maddy. I’m no real lady. And no, go home. Your family’s waiting.”
He thought she’d be rude, but she wasn’t.
She was… just informal, but oddly approachable.
It was strange.
She used honorifics, yet had no manners. She was blunt, but kind.
‘Maybe Chuck was right.’
Kael smiled as he left the alley.
