SWMD 14

Chapter 14

“…Where did she go?!”

Catherine’s eyes darted around wildly. She stormed into the small room and rummaged through Aisel’s meager belongings.

But the hidden room inside the bookshelf was exactly as it had been before Aisel was locked inside—empty.

“Catherine!”

Alicia hurried in after her. When she saw the vacant space inside the bookshelf, she let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha…”

Until now, they had always kept the bookshelf locked, making it impossible for Aisel to escape.

But today had been different. To successfully manifest mana, they had ordered Aisel to stand by Alicia’s window instead of staying in the bookshelf. They hadn’t expected her to run away, so they hadn’t locked the door.

Had she been planning this all along? After being broken down so thoroughly, who would’ve thought that insolent brat would dare to escape?

They had to find her. Diana was blind, so even if she encountered Aisel fleeing, she wouldn’t recognize her as her own daughter.

But this ominous feeling weighing on Alicia’s chest—what was it?

“…Damn it.”

A curse slipped from Alicia’s lips without her realizing it.

Now, the only maid in this grand ducal residence still loyal to her was Yulia. But Yulia had never even seen Aisel’s face.

Though she knew the circumstances, Alicia had kept silent about Aisel—just in case.

She never imagined that very silence would come back to bite her.

Leaving a trembling Catherine behind, Alicia rushed to find Yulia. Yulia was instructing the new maids on their duties.

“Yulia.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Come with me for a moment.”

Yulia tilted her head in confusion but followed Alicia. After checking that the hallway was empty, Alicia pulled her into an unused room.

“Yulia.”

“Yes?”

“I need you to do something urgent.”

As she said, Alicia looked extremely flustered, her face pale.

Yulia had been Alicia’s loyal maid since her days in the viscount’s household. Worried, she studied Alicia’s expression and asked,

“Is something wrong?”

With all the recent changes in the maids, Yulia had been too busy to talk much with Alicia lately.

Alicia sighed, her lips twitching. Then, as calmly as she could, she explained.

“A child I was keeping ran away.”

“A child?”

The only child in this mansion was Her Ladyship, Catherine. Yulia was puzzled.

“…Listen carefully, Yulia.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“It’s Diana’s child.”

“…What?”

Yulia’s face twisted slightly without her realizing it. When Alicia had swapped Diana’s baby with her own, hadn’t that child been discarded far away?

As if reading Yulia’s mind, Alicia continued.

“I kept her as a maid in Catherine’s room.”

“A… maid?”

Our young lady is truly ruthless. Raising her bastard as a princess while hiding the real princess as a maid in that very bastard’s room.

Yulia forced a bitter smile.

“Yes. But now she’s escaped. She couldn’t have gone far—she’s too frail.”

“I’ll find her. What does she look like?”

“Pale platinum blonde hair, eyes exactly like Diana’s.”

“Understood. I’ll make inquiries.”

Alicia placed a hand on Yulia’s shoulder as if entrusting her with a great task.

“I’m counting on you, Yulia.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Yulia nodded with firm resolve, her eyes reassuring.

But the unease churning in Alicia’s heart refused to fade.

I have to find her. No matter what.

Alicia’s red eyes gleamed like a beast’s.

“Your Grace.”

“Milan.”

Milan entered Diana’s room with a grim expression, carefully closing the door behind her.

“Is something the matter?”

“As you instructed, I searched everywhere, but…”

Though she didn’t specify, Diana immediately understood who she was referring to.

“There are no fifteen-year-old children regularly entering or leaving the mansion.”

“…I see.”

“May I ask… who exactly you’re looking for?”

Milan studied Diana’s expression cautiously as she spoke. Shane and Belinda, also in the room, glanced at her curiously.

Diana had only told them to search for a child, not who that child was.

She remained silent for a long moment. A heavy quiet settled over the room. Finally, Diana’s golden lashes fluttered as she slowly spoke.

“…My child.”

“Huh?”

“My… biological daughter. The one Alicia swapped.”

When Milan and Shane had first returned to the mansion, Diana had explained that Catherine was Alicia’s child, so they hadn’t pressed further about her own daughter.

They hadn’t wanted to upset their mistress further by asking if something had happened to her real child.

But the words that left Diana’s lips now were shocking.

Her daughter was alive. Somewhere.

How desperate must she be? Their hearts ached at the thought. They bowed their heads solemnly.

Silence filled the room again. No one dared to speak. Then, Belinda broke the quiet with determined vigor.

“Your Grace. I’ll help search too.”

“Belinda…”

“When I was a knight, I traveled all over. I’ll comb through every village nearby!”

“…Thank you. Ah, and one more thing—let it slip to the new maids that my blindness was caused by Catherine.”

“Understood.”

Her loyal servants needed to know that Diana had sacrificed herself for Catherine. It was all part of the dramatic performance she was setting up.

“More importantly…”

Diana lowered her head slightly, stroking her chin.

Where could she be hiding her? The child couldn’t be in the village. Since she had brought Diana bread before, she had to still be in the mansion.

“I suppose I’ll have to crack the vault.”

“The vault?”

“Belinda, could you gather all the books on alchemy from the library?”

“Yes, of course.”

Diana instructed Belinda to bring every book on alchemy from the library.

“Here they are, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, Belinda.”

Soon, Belinda returned with an armful of books and spread them across the table. Imperial alchemy included potion-making, and Diana intended to brew an alchemically enhanced potion.

“What are you planning to make?”

Belinda watched as Diana flipped through the pages. Diana kept her eyes on the book as she answered gently.

“A potion to crack a useful secret vault.”

“A useful potion?”

“Yes. One that turns enemies into allies.”

There was a reason she had dismissed all the maids except Yulia, Alicia’s most loyal servant. She planned to feed her this potion.

A key—albeit temporary—to unlock the secrets Alicia had locked away.

Diana skimmed through the pages before finally finding what she needed and jotting something down on parchment. She handed the note to Milan.

“Milan, could you fetch these ingredients for me?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Milan scanned the list quickly before returning with a trolley laden with the requested materials, including a cauldron.

Diana flipped the book open. The potion was called Gladiolus—a colorless, odorless concoction that, with just one drop, would force the drinker to spill the truth under the brewer’s control.

“This is…”

“Yes. A forbidden potion.”

She answered nonchalantly as she tossed peonies, blue roses, lavender conch shells, comet shards, and black rose thorns into the cauldron, placing it over a small enchanted furnace. Only a magic-infused furnace could maximize the potion’s potency.

Diana stirred the steaming cauldron with a glass rod. The old her would never have brewed such a thing—no, she wouldn’t have even looked at it.

The word “forbidden”—the idea of controlling someone’s mind—would have terrified her.

But Diana feared nothing now. Finding her daughter came first. If wielding dark magic or brewing forbidden potions would bring her child back, what wouldn’t she do?

As the fire ignited, the ingredients darkened. She poured in purified water, and soon the mixture bubbled violently.

Skilled at crafting things, Diana finished the potion quickly.

“Is that it?”

“No. I need to infuse it with mana.”

The reason potion-making was so difficult in the empire was simple—all potent potions required mana infusion, regardless of the attribute.

Diana extinguished the flame and dropped an ice crystal imbued with her mana into the steaming brew.

Instantly, the potion cooled and turned transparent.

“Wow.”

“Fascinating, isn’t it?”

Diana smiled at Belinda, who was staring wide-eyed at the potion, then accepted a crystal vial from Milan.

Thanks to the ice crystal, the cauldron had cooled completely. She carefully tilted it.

The potion was odorless and colorless—just like clear water.

“So this is…”

“Yes. Gladiolus. The potion of truth.”

Diana held the transparent liquid up to the sunlight. The crystal glass refracted the light, scattering rainbow fragments everywhere.

The ethereal sight brought a smile to Diana’s lips.

With her radiant face, no one would believe she was about to manipulate someone’s mind.

A shiver ran down the spines of those watching. Everything would unfold exactly as she wished.

Satisfied, Diana set the vial down and clapped her hands together, shifting the mood.

“Now then. Let’s summon Yulia. Milan.”

“Yes.”

“Milan, prepare refreshments and tea. Shane, fetch Yulia.”

“Understood.”

They scattered swiftly at Diana’s command.

Soon, a knock sounded at the door. It had to be Yulia. Diana quickly donned her blindfold and sat on the sofa.

“Come in.”

“You summoned me, Your Grace?”

“Have a seat.”

Diana smiled sweetly and gestured for Yulia to sit across from her. Though Yulia stiffly lifted her chin and sat without the usual bow, her shoulders were tense with nervousness.

Why would the Grand Duchess suddenly call for me?

“Milan, serve the tea.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Milan steeped fragrant chamomile and poured two cups—one of which was laced with Gladiolus for Yulia.

“Here you are.”

The steaming cups were placed before them. Diana’s tea had been cooled to prevent her from burning herself, a thoughtful detail that eased Yulia’s tension.

“The reason you called me—”

“Ah, I have something to discuss. But first, let’s enjoy the tea.”

Diana fumbled slightly before lifting her cup and sipping leisurely. Yulia followed suit, her throat bobbing as she swallowed.

Diana watched her calmly. Soon, the light in Yulia’s eyes dimmed.

Confirming the potion’s effect, Diana stood abruptly. Her voice was ice.

“Where is my daughter?”

Behind the blindfold, Diana’s gaze burned with murderous intent—as if she’d strangle Yulia in the next second.