Chapter 72
Katrina sat beside Damian, reading the newspaper handed over by the attendant.
“It is reported that, right before their deaths, all of them writhed in agony and tried to harm themselves. The authorities are taking this incident seriously and are investigating the possibility of a serial killing carried out with a ‘curse.’”
Damian finished reading and looked at the attendant.
“What problem is this supposed to be?”
This had nothing to do with the Abiche family.
“Young master, you have to read to the end.”
The attendant, almost in tears, urged him to read further.
“At the crime scene, they discovered something… and it said…”
[The next target is Damian Abiche.]
Those words were written there.
Katrina checked the newspaper herself.
Indeed, the capital was in an uproar over the case.
But why Damian, of all people?
She couldn’t understand it.
Did someone bear a grudge against him?
…Not impossible. Damian had made plenty of enemies.
Even just within this household, there were a few.
It has nothing to do with me.
Katrina decided not to concern herself with him.
He was smart enough to take care of it on his own.
What Katrina had to focus on now was…
Because of the spy incident, the Abiche family had regained their right of first negotiation.
Becoming the family’s negotiation representative.
That was her plan.
But the family naturally considered Damian to be the one who would take that role.
Isn’t there a way…?
The Abiche duke himself decided who would serve as representative.
If Hildegard had still been active in the household, it might have been a different story…
Should I ask her?
After all, she had promised a reward for solving the Asius affair.
Katrina could demand the representative’s seat as that reward.
Not a bad idea.
But…
Hildegard had largely stepped back from family affairs. She no longer involved herself, only watched from behind the scenes.
Would she really intervene in something so trivial?
The truth was, her dealings with Katrina had been a very unusual case.
Even Hildegard personally intervening in the Asius case had been exceptional.
And to be honest…
From her perspective, there was no reason to push Damian aside and seat Katrina as the representative.
Damian had already proven himself competent in the family, while Katrina…
…Put side by side like this, she clearly didn’t stand a chance.
And with so little time left, there was no way Katrina could prove herself more capable than Damian.
Truthfully, even with time, it would be difficult.
Which meant she needed a different approach…
But none came to mind.
Well, there’s still a bit of time. I’ll think of something.
Katrina went down to the dining room for the meal.
“Welcome, Katrina.”
Damian looked perfectly composed.
Even after hearing such terrifying words about being cursed, he seemed completely unbothered.
It was the rest of the household who appeared frightened on his behalf.
“Katrina, I’m glad you returned safely.”
The duchess—who would have cared the least whether Katrina vanished or not—spoke the words merely out of formality.
“Thank you.”
“We worried quite a lot.”
As if.
Selena cast Katrina a glare, as if openly wishing she had never come back.
What a heartless family indeed.
A moment later, the Abiche duke descended.
“Ahem.”
He coughed when his eyes landed on Katrina.
Their relationship had soured long ago.
But because of Hildegard’s pressure, he could neither cast her out nor treat her poorly.
“Welcome back, Katrina.”
That much was all he said, as though settling the matter with those words.
“Let us eat.”
And with that, he began his meal.
Usually, he and Damian discussed family affairs over dinner, or Selena and Bertha made small talk with him.
But today, another topic arose.
“I heard you’ve been cursed, Damian?”
Selena was the first to speak, clearly delighted.
“Yes, Damian, it sounds frightening. Perhaps you should rest from your duties for a while?”
The duchess Bertha feigned concern, while subtly urging him to step away from his position.
“Please don’t treat me like someone already cursed. That would be troublesome.”
Damian countered calmly.
“Besides, nothing has been proven yet. As far as I know, there’s no evidence it’s truly a curse.”
He leisurely sliced his steak and put a piece in his mouth.
“Still, the circumstances suggest something, don’t they?”
This time, Katrina pressed him.
Damian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Yes, Damian. Katrina has a point.”
What an absurd family—enemies one moment, allies the next, and then enemies again.
“In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.”
If you hold back, I’ll have the chance to seize the negotiation rights.
“Yes, you should be more careful, Damian.”
Selena sided with Katrina.
The conversation was warming up nicely—with everyone except Damian—when the duke brought up something new.
“By the way, Belek will be returning soon.”
…Belek Abiche.
That troublemaker is coming back?
He was the son of the current duchess.
She had two children.
The first was Belek Abiche.
The second, Selena Abiche.
Belek, too, had always clashed with Damian and Katrina.
When Katrina first returned, she had been puzzled not to see him around the manor.
But she hadn’t asked about it or cared to.
She simply assumed the duke had once again thrown him out after some misdeed.
So he was punished after all.
After all, he had been in and out of monasteries countless times.
He caused so many drunken incidents that the duke had personally expelled him on several occasions.
“Yes, he’s expected back within four days.”
“You’ve worked hard handling him, Damian.”
Indeed, it was usually Damian who cleaned up his messes.
…Poor guy.
She often thought so—Damian truly led a life of being pushed around from all sides.
“If only that boy were half as reliable as you.”
“Darling, Belek says he’s changed now. Let’s give him a chance.”
The duchess Bertha rushed to shield her son when the duke spoke ill of him.
“Ha. That boy?”
But the duke, long since exhausted with Belek, was unmoved.
Out of love for his wife, though, he refrained from scolding further and let the matter drop.
Still, Katrina was left uneasy.
With that troublemaker back in the manor, surely…
Between Damian and herself, which of them would suffer more?
Katrina wondered.
