* * *
The life of luxury they had enjoyed as extravagant nobles suddenly came to an end.
“You said you’d give us a new room, but you’re locking us up in a dungeon like this?”
Count Vicente, dragged into the prison-like basement, asked with a dumbfounded expression.
The soldier who had brought them replied, “It is Princess’s order.”
“What is this, all of a sudden? The treatment we’ve received so far wasn’t even enough.”
“Even that was done because of the Dowager Duchess’s request. But since your words and actions have gone too far, there’s no reason to treat you any better. We will be billing you for everything you’ve eaten, drunk, and broken so far.”
The soldier maintained a firm tone.
What on earth was going on? Lady Eleanor and Count Vicente wore bewildered expressions.
“You’re telling me I have to pay to live in my son’s house?”
Count Vicente’s face flushed red with anger.
“What kind of daughter-in-law does this? To kick her in-laws into a back room…”
Lady Eleanor, lamenting, grabbed the back of her neck and pretended to collapse, but no one paid attention, only making her feel more awkward.
“Call the Princess here immediately!”
“She is not someone you can see just because you want to.”
“I’d rather leave than be treated like this. I’ll go to the Dowager Duchess and tell her everything. And of course, I’ll meet with reporters to expose it all!”
Oliver threatened, shouting confidently.
But the soldier still wore a stern expression.
“The three of you are not allowed to leave the official residence without permission.”
“This is imprisonment! Do you think I’ll stand for this? Aren’t you afraid of public opinion?!”
The soldier took out a document from his pocket and said firmly, “Please be aware that everything that happens in a military facility is classified, and leaking classified information is punishable by military law, up to and including execution by firing squad.”
“Where does that exist?”
“Lady Eleanor has already signed a document stating that she has no objections to anything that happens here and will not disclose it to the outside.”
Count Vicente and Oliver simultaneously looked at Lady Eleanor.
Her face turned white, almost pale.
The scene of Cynthia putting sugar cubes in her black tea flashed before her eyes. Recalling the sugar cubes melting away, she squeezed her eyes shut in terror.
“How much power do you think the title of ‘war hero’ holds?”
She belatedly realized that it meant whatever happened here could be kept secret.
Lady Eleanor stammered, “That’s, everyone has to sign that to stay at the official residence…”
At this, Count Vicente questioned her with a very angry face.
“How foolish! You signed it, so I have nothing to do with it!”
“As the mistress of the family, you are qualified to represent the family.”
The soldier put away the document and announced in a solemn tone, “From this moment on, the three of you cannot leave this place without permission. Furthermore, communication with the outside world is also restricted.”
The three people’s faces turned ashen. They had tried to settle in as respected in-laws, but instead, they were imprisoned, unable to do anything.
Then, Count Vicente clapped his hand over his mouth with a look of realization.
“As long as the contact is good. You understand? If we can’t reach you even once, we’ll assume you’ve run away. Then you’ll have to pay the price, even if you bring the money.”
He was reminded of the organization’s terrible warning.
Feeling anxious and fearful, Count Vicente growled, “Doesn’t that girl have parents?”
“She does now.”
Behind the soldiers, Count Queensguard appeared.
“She’s acting like this because she has parents backing her. Just stay quietly locked up and eat the feed, like livestock.”
He tapped the shoulder of the soldier standing upright and said, “Starve them for three days. Judging by the food they’ve been eating, they can do without it.”
* * *
Count Queensguard sat on the sofa in the VIP room with his legs crossed, rubbing his temples.
“I thought she was a smart daughter, so I cherished her, but she might stab me in the back someday.”
He had already realized that Helene was behind this.
Who did she take after?
He had no idea that Helene, who had to win and be superior in everything, was just like him.
“But to even deal with the Commedia dell’arte?”
As a family that had been doing the royal family’s dirty work, he also had secret connections with the underworld.
He had received information that the head of that place had recently changed, and the existing forces had been purged.
Apparently, the new leader was the son of Blake, who had been killed at his request.
“…My knight. Please protect another first lady now.”
Recalling Princess Margarita’s last words, he slowly closed his eyes and then opened them.
Then, he noticed a red necklace dangling in front of him.
“If you’re sleepy, lie down and sleep.”
Standing before him was none other than Cynthia.
‘How much time and money did I spend to retrieve that keepsake?’
The Count’s dry eyes landed on Cynthia’s necklace, then moved back to her face.
“You like this, right? Rosemary tea.”
Cynthia placed a warm cup of tea on the table.
The Count picked up the teacup and said, “Why make it so difficult? They’re just debtors anyway, so even if I kill them, they’ll think it’s the organization’s doing.”
Cynthia shook her head as she drank her milk tea.
“The disposal should be left to Brigadier General’s decision.”
“Yes, don’t worry about the aftermath. I’ll take care of it.”
Cynthia put down her cup, faced him, and smiled brightly.
“Wow, you’re really like a dad. I wish I had a caring dad too.”
‘……?’
Count Queensguard almost spat out his tea at the unexpected remark. Quickly regaining his composure, he frowned.
“Don’t say useless things.”
He sometimes thought, ‘If she were my real daughter, she would have been a great partner,’ but Cynthia was just someone he would have to kill soon anyway.
‘They’re trash, but to think of locking them up in the basement. She has a surprisingly ruthless side.’
He thought as he looked at the kind-looking Cynthia.
Everyone hides a devil inside and lives with a kind mask, but she probably wasn’t as vicious as he was.
* * *
Confined in a basement where they couldn’t tell day from night, they were angry on the first day, arrogant on the second day, saying that they would have to pay off their gambling debts anyway, and began to feel fear on the fourth day.
It was even more maddening because they were isolated in separate rooms.
In front of the rows of prison-like rooms, Cynthia dragged a chair and sat down.
Those who were locked up felt the presence of someone and clung to the window.
“Princess, please don’t do this. Masera wouldn’t want this either.”
Lady Eleanor pleaded with Cynthia, trying to persuade her.
But Cynthia remained silent with a smiling face.
“I’ll leave the official residence, so let me out! There’s not much time left until the debt repayment deadline! At least let me contact the outside world!”
They tried coaxing, getting angry, crying, and begging, but she sat still like a doll with a consistent smile.
That was scarier than threats.
After a long time, Cynthia’s bright voice broke the long silence.
“There are no windows here, so you can’t escape.”
Lady Eleanor looked around the shabby basement with frost on the stone walls, and gasped in surprise when she found a riding crop hanging on the wall.
‘She knows everything about what we did in the past.’
Seeing Cynthia smile, she staggered backward.
It is said that the judge has the face of an angel and the determination of a devil.
‘She’s paying us back in the same way now.’
The fear that they might die here without anyone knowing crept in.
The weak-hearted Lady Eleanor lost her strength and collapsed.
“I was wrong! Princess, I’ll do whatever you tell me to!”
Unable to withstand the pressure, she finally burst into tears and began to beg.
Cynthia still wore the same smile.
Wait, who is the new lady he was supposed to protect?
the kiddo she brought with her 😊