2. Will Branton - The maid who killed the count

_

When Mary came to, she found herself in a reception room on the ground floor of the prison.

And, a man sitting in front of him.

윌 브랜튼

What kind of tea would you like?

메리 앤

...

I thought that no matter how ignorant one was of worldly affairs, there was no way one could not know him.

If you've ever worked as a maid in the Branton household, no, at least if you were of noble birth, you've probably heard the name at least once.

메리 앤

master...

Mary suppressed her trembling heart and slowly began to cry.

메리 앤

I... am now no better than a death row inmate.

메리 앤

So, as you wish, I will soon become a dead life.

Was this why Will Branton came all the way here himself?

Unable to raise his face to face with him, he lowered his head so that his unkempt side hair touched the table.

Even being in one space like this seemed like a great sin.

윌 브랜튼

I didn't come here to hear that...

메리 앤

yes...?

Squeak-

Then he got up from his seat and came over to Mary, who opened her eyes in surprise.

윌 브랜튼

I am like that,

윌 브랜튼

I didn't come here to hear the obvious.

The smile he'd previously shown had long since vanished. An indescribable contempt flickered in Will's eyes as he looked down.

메리 앤

ah...

It was as if she was looking at an insect that wouldn't die even if stepped on. Mary knew that kind of gaze very well.

윌 브랜튼

What kind of leniency could a mere slacker expect after killing the head of a family that was as good as an imperial count?

메리 앤

Oh, no! I never meant that...

윌 브랜튼

then?

윌 브랜튼

Did you think that pretending to be pitiful and pitying and crying would lighten the weight of your sins even a little?

메리 앤

...

Mary was rendered mute once again. There was no other option but to remain silent.

Because he knew that whatever he said in front of the son of the man he killed would be an excuse and a provocation.

윌 브랜튼

Phew... This is making me angry.

Will would push her so hard that she couldn't breathe, but then he would return to his seat and sigh as if trying to calm his emotions.

윌 브랜튼

...merry,

윌 브랜튼

Mary Ann.

메리 앤

Yes... Your Majesty.

윌 브랜튼

She must be from the Anne family.

메리 앤

...

The Anne family, as you might guess, is Mary's family.

She is the one who made herself walk into this little hell.

윌 브랜튼

As the eldest daughter, you came to our family to rebuild the family, right?

메리 앤

...Yes.

After that answer, Will crossed his legs in an arrogant manner.

윌 브랜튼

Where, were you planning to take the empty hostess's seat to rise in status?

메리 앤

...!!

As if he knew everything, he shot back so ruthlessly.

It was just one of the countless prejudiced stares Mary had received so far.

메리 앤

...No. That's not... that's not it.

윌 브랜튼

However, when things didn't go as planned, he impulsively murdered the count.

윌 브랜튼

Isn't it?

메리 앤

master!

윌 브랜튼

Don't yell, Youngae.

Her face was incredibly red with shame.

On the other hand, Will Branton, who had a calm expression as if he were the supervisor of the case, asked with a consistent, unwavering attitude.

윌 브랜튼

If you have any objection to this, I will gladly listen to your lame excuses.

메리 앤

what...

윌 브랜튼

Instead, it should make sense.

Mary couldn't hide her confusion. Facing death, she was ready to give up everything.

This guy came and started shaking me like crazy.

메리 앤

...

But...

Why?

As silence fell around her, Mary suddenly had a question.

With the heart of a child who has lost his parents, if Mary had confronted him with such simple and deep resentment, he should not have maintained such composure.

He is so indifferently asking her about her intentions to kill, when he should have just torn her apart and killed her.

Why on earth?

At the same time, Mary realized.

메리 앤

Is there an answer you would like to hear?

윌 브랜튼

...

The reason why he came to see her on his own feet when she was about to be executed.

This, the meaning of a conversation that has a somewhat uneasy corner.

메리 앤

Strangely enough, it seems that what the young master is concerned about is not the death of his master itself.

윌 브랜튼

Look, I clearly said earlier-

메리 앤

What do you want to find out from me?

메리 앤

Always like that... like someone being chased.

윌 브랜튼

...!

Thump. Thump.

A rapid heartbeat seemed to echo through the floor. Only now it wasn't Mary's.

윌 브랜튼

Stop talking nonsense.

메리 앤

You'll soon be the head of a household, so what are you so afraid of?

bang-

Will's fist narrowly missed Mary's shoulder and landed loudly on the table in front of her.

윌 브랜튼

Can't you stop?!

His pupils began to dilate noticeably.

윌 브랜튼

How dare you...

As if the tranquil sleep were uncontrollably rippling over a few pebbles.

메리 앤

...I'm sorry for going off topic.

Mary thought that was enough.

메리 앤

Please take a look, my lord.

Bow-

After bowing firmly and giving a greeting, she walked towards the entrance to the reception room where guards were stationed.

_

_

메리 앤

On the topic of sinners... why are you jumping in like you're so great...

Mary was crouching on a chair against the wall inside the iron bars, her mind constantly replaying what she had just done.

메리 앤

I wish I had the courage to do this sooner...

As death approached, he began to regret all the sacrifices he had made for his family.

메리 앤

Things like family...

The mother had taken over the position of head of the household in place of her father, who had passed away long ago, and since there were no male children among them, the Anne family had all the necessary conditions for continuing the family line.

_

In the meantime, the count's request for a maid came, and Mary had no choice but to accept, as she could not send her younger sister away.

The maid position I entered like this overlapped with my family's affairs, so it seemed suspicious to others.

Just like Will said earlier.

메리 앤

There is no news from his only family anymore.

Mary recalls the letters that stopped coming in half a year ago.

메리 앤

Everyone... if they knew I was going to die soon...

She shook her head in a hurry, feeling sorry for herself.

It was already burdensome enough to deal with the things I had now, but the thought of the misfortune my family would have to endure made it even more painful.

메리 앤

Fortunately, the trial... seems to have been postponed until tomorrow.

He said, gazing outside where the soldiers' footsteps had become deserted.

Bow-

Is it because the tension suddenly eased?

As if she had completely forgotten all the twists and turns that had happened that day, she slowly closed her sleepy eyes.

Without even imagining what would happen tomorrow.

_

_

Usually the size of the trial is proportional to the severity of the crime.

So Mary wondered why she was in this small banquet hall instead of a formal courtroom.

Bang bang-

신관

Everyone here, please take your seats.

Moreover, for some reason, the number of nobles participating in the trial was significantly smaller than usual.

Only two witnesses from the Brantons and the victims' families were invited.

윌 브랜튼

...I didn't know it would drag on until the trial.

The first son of the Brenton family,

아셀 브랜튼

...

Second son, Asher Branton.

_

Mary, feeling awkward about facing either of them, stared blankly at the courtroom floor.

신관

This is the murder of the Earl of Windsor, the head of the Branton family.

The priest standing in the center, his sleeves fluttering, pointed to Mary, who was sitting handcuffed in the seat on his right.

신관

This is a woman from the Anne family who worked as a maid to the count, and is now being discussed as a strong suspect.

He looked around, took a deep breath, and then continued speaking sternly.

신관

Now, we will hear the witness's testimony.

메리 앤

...?!

Groan groan-

At that moment, Mary couldn't hide her surprise. The day she accidentally killed the count. She didn't remember meeting anyone while fleeing the castle that day.