The maid who killed the count
6. The next count
6. The next count
_
Asher's ring sank weightlessly. Mary, who had been watching silently, felt something hot rise up her throat.
thud-
thud-
In a split second, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. From the warmth of the teacup at her fingertips to the presence of Asher before her eyes. So many things rushed in at once, her mind spinning.
why...
메리 앤
Why... are you doing this?
I asked, knowing it was a meaningless question. Naturally, Asher didn't answer. Only a quiet cynicism played on his lips.
아셀 브랜튼
I told you before that I don't hate Mary Yang.
메리 앤
...
Dalgrak-
아셀 브랜튼
Let's say you have a dog.
He set aside the teacups and snacks between them and placed a hand on the table. Mary, nervous as the distance between them narrowed, gripped her chair tightly.
아셀 브랜튼
If I have a dog that I bring in at an auction for a very high price, it basically means that I have high expectations.
아셀 브랜튼
Whether it's guarding the house or lying still and acting cute.
메리 앤
......You are insulting me.
The snickering, flowing laughter was sharp.
아셀 브랜튼
Is this contempt?
아셀 브랜튼
Miss Mary, you must not forget that I bought your life.
For the first time, Asher's expression hardened slightly. It was such a minor change, considering how much he had endured, that even Mary barely noticed.
메리 앤
...
아셀 브랜튼
It's fun to see that you still have hope, though...
아셀 브랜튼
As long as it's not annoying.
He leaned back in his chair and began tapping the handle with his index finger. His gaze turned to the ceiling, revealing a thick chin. Indeed, his lust for women was undiminished.
메리 앤
I have never volunteered to be your dog.
메리 앤
...If it was going to be like this, it would have been better to just die as I said.
Mary's hand on her lap trembled slightly. The hem of her skirt, where she had been caught, crumpled horribly. Yeah, better.
아셀 브랜튼
Hmm...
아셀 브랜튼
okay.
아셀 브랜튼
So what you're saying is that you're not afraid of death?
Swish-
It was at that moment that Asher rose from his seat. Without a moment's hesitation, he picked up one of the teacups from earlier and handed it to Mary.
아셀 브랜튼
It's a tea with a lethal dose of Nirelia, which Mary luckily escaped.
메리 앤
!!
Nirelia. It was undoubtedly one of the poisonous plants. Even a small amount consumed would instantly slow the heartbeat and soon cause complete suffocation.
아셀 브랜튼
Don't worry. When I really die, I'll send a letter of condolence to Miss Mary's family.
The faint, fleeting smile instantly made Mary feel worthless. It made her life a joke, and it made her family laugh too.
메리 앤
......
Still... why doesn't my mouth show any signs of closing?
Mary couldn't stand the shame she felt at that moment, because everything was just as Asher had said.
He talks a lot, but in the end, he was saved by someone else, not by his own strength.
An arrogant person who keeps telling himself that it would be better to die, but becomes infinitely small and fearful in the face of death.
아셀 브랜튼
Do you understand?
아셀 브랜튼
This is you, Mary Yang.
메리 앤
I... I...
Asher leaned towards Mary and grabbed her chin.
아셀 브랜튼
So be grateful when someone treats you nicely.
아셀 브랜튼
There are countless ways to bring you down right now.
His warm voice lingered in Mary's ears for a while.
_
_
How many days have passed since then?
The maid, who had been watching Mary from a close distance, was naturally the first to notice the change in her.
하녀장 벨
Young-ae... Are you okay? You don't look well.
Even though she had no one to trust in this mansion, it was difficult for her to build a wall against Belle, the only person who had taken care of her before the Count's incident.
메리 앤
Oh... no, Bell. It's okay, don't worry.
하녀장 벨
I think he's been like that even more since he was called by the second young master.
하녀장 벨
If anything happens...
Flinch-
메리 앤
...nothing happened.
Mary, who had unintentionally become serious, quickly turned away, embarrassed. She dropped the broom she had been using into the bucket, and the sound of water splashing echoed through the empty hallway.
하녀장 벨
Oh...! I'm sorry, Young-ae. I said something unnecessary...
메리 앤
It's not Bell's fault.
메리 앤
It's just that I feel like my body has become a lot more tired lately.
Belle, on the other hand, was at a loss as to what to do with her forced smile. A kind person. What makes dealing with Bell so painful is that her gaze lingers in his mind.
The maid's shaking pupils as she watched Mary being dragged away by soldiers on suspicion of murder.
하녀장 벨
I told you that it's still too early to do that...
하녀장 벨
Besides, this is something we should be doing, not Young-ae.
메리 앤
Now that I'm back here, I have to do something. You know, I have nothing else to do right now...
Belle was completely flustered, as if she had momentarily forgotten that the master Mary was supposed to serve, the Count, was dead.
하녀장 벨
...Oh my. I, I made a mistake again...!
메리 앤
Haha... No. I don't know about other people, but I'm always grateful to Belle.
Mary leaned against the second-floor window railing with a faint smile as the maid covered her mouth with both hands in surprise.
Wheeing-
It was a point where the wind blowing pleasantly across the eastern lawn.
메리 앤
If it weren't for Belle, who spoke to me like this, I wouldn't have been able to endure it.
하녀장 벨
Youngae...
It was the first and last time she spoke with sincerity. She rested her head on her folded arms, then slowly lifted them.
메리 앤
But now you don't have to do that anymore-
At that moment, before Mary could even finish speaking, someone's deep voice came through the gap.
집사 게트
Miss Belle, what are you doing here instead of hurrying to the kitchen?
Whoa-
Belle suddenly noticed the butler, who had arrived right behind her without a trace, and jumped into the air. If she had been a little more startled, she might have gone through the ceiling.
하녀장 벨
Hey, butler?
집사 게트
Ahem... It's been a while since we've had an honored guest at our mansion. Please go quickly.
집사 게트
Don't you know that the young maids would be in chaos without Miss Belle's guidance?
Guests... Considering the fact that visits to the count's residence had been rare since ancient times, a visit at this time was clearly a significant event.
하녀장 벨
Ah... Yes, let's go quickly!
Mary pretended to wipe the window with a rag while listening to their conversation. When Belle appeared to be about to run away at the butler's gentle urging, she naturally followed suit.
집사 게트
Miss Mary, please stay here.
메리 앤
...yes?
집사 게트
I have something important to tell you.
Even before, Mary had never had much occasion to speak to the butler. He was Will Branton's only confidant, and the Earl of Windsor had initially been reluctant to allow Mary to be so close to his sons.
메리 앤
What... are you talking about?
She stopped walking and, in a somewhat awkward manner, touched my wrist. Her gaze, unconsciously lingering at the butler's feet, was an inevitable defense mechanism.
집사 게트
You won't have to do such dirty work in the future. Miss Mary is a noble lady after all.
메리 앤
But if not for this, why would I stay here...
집사 게트
That's only true when the master's position is vacant.
The butler recited exactly that to Mary, who could not hide her puzzled expression.
집사 게트
From now on, Miss Mary must serve Will, who will become the next Earl.
메리 앤
What...what did you say?
집사 게트
Oh, I guess you can put your worries aside. He agreed to this.
...That's nonsense. If he wasn't planning to kill me without anyone knowing, what on earth would he want, and why would he want to keep me by his side? Mary, listening, bit her lower lip.
메리 앤
No, I...
The butler's monocle flashed just in time. The sharp, middle-aged eyes reflected within seemed to penetrate Mary's thoughts.
집사 게트
I'm sorry, but this isn't a suggestion. It's an imperative order, as long as Miss Mary remains with the Brantons.
메리 앤
...
집사 게트
I also want to be polite to Young-ae, so please avoid any further conflict.
The tone of his speech, tinged with experience, was stern and restrained. A strange pressure seemed to have rendered her mute.
집사 게트
Well then, let's go.
Still in a daze, Mary followed the butler's instructions, but then suddenly jerked awake.
메리 앤
Oh, where are you going?
집사 게트
Where is it? Of course,
This is Will's office.
메리 앤
...
This is ridiculous. This is... this is just ridiculous.
Mary stared at the tightly shut door, as if recalling the last moments of the butler, who had walked away, leaving her behind. Even though it didn't open on its own, she looked at it.
메리 앤
If it's an office... it's a place where no one is allowed in even if the master dies.
The expression 'even if I die' might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but the fact that no one other than the owner of the room had entered this room in the past three years was enough to convince him.
Clean up here. Come to think of it, it seems like it's not just the maids my age who are anxious to inflict hardships on me. Perhaps even the butler, Gett, is secretly dissatisfied with Mary's capture and subsequent return.
메리 앤
...That makes sense.
Will's office, which he looked around carefully from his seat, boasted an atmosphere that would have been frighteningly dark if not for the window attached to the right wall.
Perhaps because of the owner, it felt weighty rather than gloomy, with the antique furniture having a glossy finish.
Urur-
메리 앤
Mom!
As she was scanning the bookshelf with her hand, she stumbled upon a pile of books. It seemed as if those books had been piled up in that spot for so long that she hadn't even bothered to take them out, leaving a fine dust trail around her.
메리 앤
Etch, tch...!
메리 앤
Oh no... I need to clean up, but I made a bigger mess.
She frowned and waved her hand, then suddenly leaped to her feet and began the task of restoring the book. As she was somehow shoving books of varying thicknesses into the empty spaces,
Thump-
메리 앤
uh...?
A small piece of paper, folded to the size of a knuckle, landed on Mary's bent knee. I don't know why, but I instinctively turned around.
메리 앤
...
I carefully unfold it, making sure that no one is passing by, even further than the door.
square-
메리 앤
...?
메리 앤
What does this mean...?
Mary squinted at the combination of words she couldn't understand, even though it was in the native language. She could barely make out a single word.
[To my beloved ㅡ.]
Although she wasn't sure she could have found out anything more if she had more time, Mary had to quickly hide the note as she heard footsteps slowly creeping down the hallway.
As expected, just a few seconds later someone came in.
윌 브랜튼
What the... you.
메리 앤
...
The owner of the one and only room, whom I wished I never met.
_
_
Author's Note_
Hello. I'm really late. This episode is like a piece of junk that has been rewritten six times.
I thought about starting another project instead of holding on to something that won't work out.
As expected, I feel uneasy about a story that's not finished. There are scenes I want to see here and there.
I hope you enjoy it. Bye!