CHAPTER 84………………………
“To die with Lord Ricardo! You haven’t said that to anyone else, have you?”
“Of course not. If I told someone else, it would get back to my parents.”
Unlike the restless nursemaid, Alicia was calm.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you say Lord Ricardo’s birth mother is strongly in favor of this marriage?”
“Y-yes.”
“My parents, honestly. Just how much did she manage to coax them over the years?”
The Earl and Countess of Fletcher—husband and wife who respected each other and raised their children without lacking in either affection or material wealth.
They even maintained good relations with everyone, to the point that nobody disliked them.
Alicia had always thought she wanted to become that kind of adult.
But the goal she had striven toward since childhood was now on the verge of crumbling.
“Send word to her—that there’s one way for Lord Ricardo and me to be joined immediately.”
“My lady…”
“Don’t worry. It’s not dangerous.”
She had just said she would die, and now claimed it wasn’t dangerous. The nursemaid could not understand Alicia.
“Under no circumstances can you tell my parents! If they find out, they’ll only get in the way of my plan.”
“……”
“You’re the only one I can trust with this, nurse. Please?”
Alicia clung to her.
To the nursemaid, Alicia was still a child.
She thought she could do everything on her own, full of confidence—but in truth, she was still a child who needed constant care.
So the nursemaid could do nothing but nod.
Linaria searched everywhere for the divine beast, Obel.
But she couldn’t find even the faintest trace.
It was not something visible to ordinary people, which made the search even harder.
She asked Kaas, the only other person besides herself who could see divine beasts.
“Have you seen Obel?”
But he only shook his head.
If she could meet Obel and speak with him, it would be a chance to learn more about Ricardo.
But in the end, no progress was made, and time slipped by.
Just as Linaria was about to give up on finding Obel—
“My lady! Lady Fletcher has come to visit!”
Alicia, who had been in seclusion since the gathering, had arrived at Obel Castle.
It was an unannounced visit.
The servants were bewildered, whispering among themselves. Hearing the news, Anna came rushing to Linaria.
“She says she’s come to apologize for what happened that day, but she’s only asking for Lord Ricardo! She insists on being with him alone!”
“Really?”
“My lady, aren’t you upset? If she truly came to apologize, shouldn’t she have come to you first?”
Since Linaria remained calm, Anna fumed on her behalf.
Because Alicia had ruined the gathering she had worked so hard to prepare, Anna clearly bore a grudge.
Judging by how much more agitated she was than usual, Alicia had completely earned Anna’s dislike.
Not to mention that because of the Fletcher family, Ricardo lost his elder sister.
Even knowing that, Alicia had forced marriage on Ricardo instead of feeling sorry.
“She’s awful! My lady, what if we reveal what the Count of Fletcher did?”
“No. It’s not the right time yet.”
Neither Ricardo nor the butler knew the true cause of his sister’s death.
Linaria had no idea how they would react if she brought it up—and besides, she had no solid proof yet.
“If I bring it up recklessly now, it will only seem like I’m trying to slander Lady Alicia.”
Although Linaria had cleared up her misunderstandings with Ricardo, that didn’t mean she completely trusted him.
So she had no choice but to be cautious.
“Did Lady Alicia come alone? What about the Earl and Countess?”
“I heard she came by herself.”
Just a few days ago, Alicia had said she would take her own life to hold a spirit wedding with Ricardo.
Whether she had meant it or was just throwing a tantrum, the mere thought itself was chilling.
Now, for her to suddenly show up and demand to see Ricardo alone—it was suspicious.
“My lady! Pretend you don’t know she’s here and go find Lord Ricardo!”
Standing behind Anna, Kaas gave a small nod.
He didn’t show it outwardly, but he, too, seemed displeased with Alicia’s actions.
“Even she can’t be shameless enough to avoid apologizing when faced with you directly!”
“No. If I go barging in without reason, it’ll only seem strange. Lord Ricardo and I aren’t that close.”
“How can you say there’s no reason?”
Meow—
Anna picked up the dozing cats from the corner and placed them into Linaria’s arms.
“You must make her apologize!”
Meanwhile, in the drawing room—
Alicia didn’t have to wait long before she was face-to-face with Ricardo.
“I’m sorry about that day. I was too hasty, and before I knew it…”
“Wouldn’t it have been more proper to apologize to Linaria first?”
“……”
“I don’t mean that apologizing to me is wrong. I only brought it up because you seemed to have forgotten her.”
Ricardo’s tone was even.
“There’s an order to things, after all.”
“You’re right. I’ll apologize to Lady Obel in person later.”
Alicia smiled faintly.
Then she quickly changed the subject.
“More importantly, Lord Ricardo! As an apology, I brought some rare tea leaves. I asked a maid to brew them, so please have some.”
“……”
“Oh, don’t worry—I brought plenty.”
“Thank you, Lady Alicia.”
Ricardo took a sip. Alicia followed, then steered the conversation.
“Lord Ricardo, do you remember the day of my brother’s funeral?”
“……”
“For you, it was your sister’s funeral. That was the first time we met, wasn’t it?”
Ricardo lowered his eyes, deep in thought.
“That day, I fell in love with you at first sight. I thought—ah, this is the one. The one I’ll spend my life with.”
“I’m sorry, Lady Alicia. I don’t remember seeing you that day.”
It had been the funeral of his sister—the second funeral he had ever attended in his life.
It was the moment his family began to fall apart completely. A day he could never forget, even if he wanted to.
But—
“To be honest, I didn’t even realize you were there.”
Ricardo had been drowning in grief, unable to notice anyone’s face.
“My apologies, milady.”
“There’s no need to be sorry. Even if our beginnings are different, as long as our ending is the same, that’s enough for me.”
“Lady Alicia. I also feel sorry for not giving you a definite answer regarding marriage until now. I should take this chance to—”
“Lord Ricardo, you’re a special case! You only awakened to your power later in life!”
Sensing danger, Alicia hastily cut him off.
“I understand if you doubt my sincerity, since our betrothal talks began after you were adopted into Obel.”
“Milady.”
“There were rumors that my family proposed for the sake of your new title. But it’s not true!”
Alicia desperately wanted Ricardo to believe her.
“Even if my parents thought differently, I’ve truly wished to marry you since I was a child.”
She couldn’t bear to look at his expression as she cried out.
“So, please—!”
At that moment—
Knock knock.
The door opened.
Whipping her head around, Alicia almost grimaced when she saw Linaria enter.
“I heard my brother was here, but I didn’t realize he had a guest.”
Linaria walked in casually, feigning surprise when her eyes met Alicia’s.
“Lady Alicia. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has.”
Alicia almost spoke in a mocking tone, but she restrained herself in Ricardo’s presence.
“What is it?”
“Oh, I just had something to say about the cats. But since you have company, I’ll be going.”
“No, you don’t have to leave. Lady Alicia seems to have something to say to you.”
Ricardo clearly wanted Alicia to apologize to Linaria.
He even rose from his seat to pull out a chair for Linaria.
With him taking the lead, there was no reason for her to refuse.
As Linaria was about to sit, the cats in her arms suddenly leapt free.
Crash!
They scrambled onto the table, knocking over teacups.
One cat spilled tea all over itself, another clawed at the tablecloth, another stretched lazily—
And even the mother cat lapped up the spilled tea.
The cats did whatever they pleased.
They were dozing just a moment ago.
Apparently, they had regained their energy.
“I was going to leave the cats with you, brother, but I guess not now. I’ll take them back—”
Linaria couldn’t finish her sentence.
The mother cat that had licked the tea collapsed.
Startled, Linaria frantically examined it.
“Why…?”
The cat that had been perfectly healthy moments ago was now barely breathing—so weak that it could die at any moment.
One thought flashed across Linaria’s mind.
“The tea is poisoned.”
“Lady Alicia?”
Ricardo immediately turned to her. Alicia, pale as a sheet, shook her head quickly.
“No, it’s not like that. I…”
“Brother. Did you drink the tea?”
Judging by the situation, Alicia must have prepared it.
If she was the culprit, there was no point asking her.
Wanting to sort things out first, Ricardo redirected.
“Linaria. Don’t worry about me—just call for the veterinarian.”
Just as she was about to ask if he was truly all right—
Thud!
Ricardo swayed and collapsed to the floor.
Almost at the same moment, there was another thud beside him.
Turning her head, Linaria saw Alicia sprawled across the table.
