~Chapter 24~
Johann returned to the duke’s mansion after a frustratingly slow noble meeting.
The yelling from a few nobles had annoyed him the entire time.
‘My head’s still pounding.’
He rubbed his temple as he stepped into the main building.
“…I never liked her! Johann, you shouldn’t have taken in someone with no background like them!”
As soon as he entered the main hall, Karolina’s shrill voice rang in his ears.
His eyebrows pulled together sharply.
With long, fast strides, he walked straight into the chaos.
“Aunt, what did you just say?”
His voice was cold as ice, cutting through the noise in the hall.
Everyone in the room froze on the spot.
“Hicc!”
One young servant was so startled he hiccupped.
The servant next to him quickly covered his mouth.
Carolina, who had been loudly ranting without filter just moments ago, was no different.
Her eyes were shaking badly.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Th-that is…”
Even though she was older, Johann’s icy tone made Carolina flinch.
He might be her nephew, but he was scary.
“…What is this situation?”
Johann looked around and saw Leah being held by some maids.
His sharp gaze made them immediately release her.
The servants all took a few quiet steps back, afraid to be in his line of sight.
Carolina, on the other hand, quickly waved her hands and rushed over.
“Johann, it’s not what it looks like.
I know it seems bad, but there’s a reason!”
Johann crossed his arms and looked down at her with authority.
‘Why’s he looking at me like that?
I’m not the one at fault—she is!’
Carolina felt wronged.
“Your cousin—your sweet, lovable cousin Marco—can you believe this?!”
She whined like a victim.
“Aunt, I’m tired.
Just get to the point.”
He clearly had no interest in her dramatics.
“Well, what I’m saying is… Raphaella attacked my Marco like a little brute and now he’s bedridden—can you imagine how shocked I was?!”
She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, though no real tears were there.
“You’re saying Marco got beaten up by a 7-year-old?”
His voice was full of disbelief.
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
She hadn’t expected that reaction.
“Hah.”
He let out a mocking laugh.
“Johann! Look at this shoe! That brat—I mean, Raphaella—hit my son and ran off, leaving her shoes behind!”
Karolina snatched Raphaella’s shoe from the head maid and held it out to him.
“…”
Johann stared at the messy, dirty shoe.
“See how outrageous this is?!”
“…It’s too small.”
He muttered quietly.
“Johann, that’s not the point—”
He raised his hand, cutting her off.
“Where’s the child?”
“What? If you mean Marco—”
“Does it sound like I was asking about Marco?”
“R-Raphaella…”
His voice was even colder now, and everyone around him felt the tension spike.
“I-I told the servants to search the whole mansion, but no one could find her.”
Carolina stuttered in front of her nephew for the first time ever.
“So instead, you decided to gang up on her?”
He motioned at Leah with his chin.
She was still trembling.
“Johann, it’s not like we ganged up on her!”
“Robert, you’re the head butler of this mansion.
What were you doing while all this happened?”
He ignored Carolina and directed his icy tone at the butler.
“…”
“Well?”
“Your Grace, I judged that…”
“Who said I wanted your judgment?”
“…I apologize.”
Robert bowed deeply.
“Hah.
You’re apologizing for not answering the question?”
Johann’s red eyes now glowed with anger.
Everyone lowered their heads even more.
“Johann, that’s not what matters! Marco’s face—”Carolina still didn’t get it and kept talking, but the head maid tried to quietly stop her.
“You there.”
Johann pointed to the nearest servant.
“…Y-yes?”
The servant was startled, not expecting to be called on.
“Go bring Marco.
Now.”
“Y-yes!”
The servant rushed off to the second floor.
“Johann, why are you calling for Marco? He’s trying to rest.”
Carolina pushed past the head maid and questioned him.
He didn’t reply and simply turned away.
“Johann! Are you ignoring your aunt?!”
She was shocked that he wouldn’t even look at her, let alone comfort her.
‘If only my brother were still alive… He would never let his son treat me like this!’
She started missing the late duke—not because she loved him, but because he had always taken her side.
Samuel walked up to Johann.
“The servants searched twice, but Lady Raphaella really isn’t anywhere.”
“Nowhere?”
“Yes, sir.
They even searched the annex.”
Where could a small child have gone?
Johann frowned, and his eyes landed on Leah, who was still trembling and biting her lip hard.
Something about the sight made his chest ache.
“Search again—”
He had just given Samuel the order and was walking toward Leah when—
“I told you I’m sick! Why are you dragging me around?! Just wait till my mom hears about this—you’re all in so much trouble!”
A servant came down from the second floor holding Marco, who was throwing a fit.
“Put me down!”
The servant skillfully handled the squirming boy and brought him over to Johann.
“Put me do—”
Marco froze when he saw Johann.
His eyes darted around nervously.
“…He looks perfectly fine.”
Up close, Marco’s nose was only slightly swollen.
“Aunt.”
Johann called Carolina after a short silence.
That finally snapped her out of it.
‘If I’d known Johann would show up, I would’ve toned it down.
Or at least brushed it off and gone to my room…’
But things had already gone too far for her to fix.
“Johann, don’t misunderstand.
Marco just started getting better…”
She tried to insist, even now.
“You’d better not say another word.”
His tone was polite, but it was a command.
Carolina was so intimidated by his presence that she shut her mouth.
“Samuel, tell the servants to search for Raphaella again.
Thoroughly.”
Johann turned his back to Carolina and gave the order.
“…There’s no need for that.”
Before Samuel could respond, the duchess appeared on the first floor.
“Isabella!”
Carolina, as if seeing her savior, rushed over with Marco.
But the duchess slapped her hand away like brushing off something dirty.
Carolina froze in place, shocked.
“Johann, take Leah and come with me to the fourth floor.”
She acted like Carolina wasn’t even there and turned to climb the stairs.
Johann, confused but obedient, followed his mother with Leah.
—
“Raphaella’s in Penelope’s room on the fourth floor.”
Leah’s eyes widened in shock.
“She’s in there? Why would she…”
“It seems like she’s been visiting that room often to see Penelope.”
“Raphaella… and Miss Penelope?”
“I’m not too sure about the details, but it seems Raphaella ran to Penelope after Marco bullied her.”
The duchess had just visited her daughter’s room and found out.
Apparently, Penelope knew more—she seemed surprisingly close to Raphaella.
“Is Raphaella okay?”
Leah asked, trying to steady her trembling voice.
She was barely holding it together.
She wanted to sprint up the stairs right now.
“She’s a little hurt, but Penelope put some medicine on her.”
There was no way she got out of it unharmed.
‘She fought a boy bigger than her…
There’s no way she didn’t get hurt.’
Leah swayed from shock, and Johann quickly caught her.
“She’s not badly hurt.
Don’t worry too much.”
The duchess reassured her gently.
“…Okay.”
“She’s sleeping now, so we’ll need to be quiet when we go in.”
The three of them reached Penelope’s room.
Knock, knock, knock.
The duchess knocked but didn’t open the door right away—she hesitated, probably worried about Penelope catching something from others.
After a short moment, she made up her mind and opened the door.
