Chapter 21: Volume 2 - CH 12

The Countdom fell silent for a while after the funeral, as if it were a graveyard.

As if they were self-respecting, Shannon and Camilla remained in their room.

‘All right, now is the best time.’

Everyone who was interested in me had gone silent by this point, so now was my chance.

“Will you send this letter to the temple?”

Last time, it was a letter asking how the apprentice priest who worked with me was doing, but this time it was a letter to Franz.

I wanted to inquire about his visit to the Countdom and whether Valhail had settled in well with the Holy Knights.

“Yes.”

The servants responded subtly when they saw Charles following me.

When they met Emma, who had been abandoned overnight after being treated as their master’s mouth, hand, and foot, they must have had a lot on their minds.

Because they, too, are human.

“Can you, by the way, deliver this together with the letter?”

I gave over two pork sausages that the chef had given me.

“If you get caught, you’ll get in trouble, right? Is it going to be difficult?”

“It’s okay, my Lady. I’ll take it and enter. They don’t do body searches on kids.”

Charles gladly packed the sausage. The sausage was wrapped well so it didn’t smell.

In front of my eyes, the image of Franz accepting the letter and sausages was vividly drawn.

‘I am sure he’s doing well.’

Franz, a high priest who wishes to leave the temple but is treated warmly by the other priests.

I don’t know much about his circumstances, but I’m sure it’s a lot better than mine.

“Let’s get together and go out I’ll have the horseman take you for a ride.”

“Really? Thank you, my Lady.”

Charles thanked me profusely for my small favor.

It seemed like he had been treated poorly under Camilla and Shannon.

As we walked into the garden, we ran into Camilla and Shannon at the most inopportune moment.

When Charles saw them, he dashed away from the point where his face had turned white, as if he had met a ghost.

“Oh, m-m-mother.”

“I’m sure you’re out for a walk as well.”

“Yes… U-u-uncle told me t-t-to go for a walk……”

“I’m glad the weather is nice.”

Camilla smiled smoothly and passed past me as I gripped the hem of the dress and gently bent my knees.

As always with her brazen personality, Camilla pretended not to see Charles completely.

I pushed the child’s back, which came to a halt in the middle of the roadway like a rock.

“Let’s get going.”

Charles, who had been silently stomping, focussed his gaze on the distant horseman and opened his mouth.

“This is something my sister always said. You’d die without knowing which one is the mouse or the bird if you don’t know the devil’s weaknesses.”

“Huh?”

“The Countess is a devil.”

I got curious as I looked down at Charles.

“Didn’t Emma talk about me?”

“…… she did.

“I’m curious to hear what she has to say.

I quickly deduced the topic when I noticed Charles pausing with a remorseful expression.

“That’s……”

“It’s all right, so tell me.”

“She said that Lady Selina is…… is a fool.”

“……”

Charles’ pure expression must have been ‘fool.’

‘Who is she referring to as a fool?’

I didn’t want to curse someone who had already passed away.

I just thought it was a good thing to get Emma out of my sight quickly.

* * * * *

In Franz’s response, which he wrote in a haste as if he was scared of being discovered, there was no mention of Valhail.

I’d like a jalapeno ss next time.

(T/N: ss imply to sausages, since Franz was afraid the content would be leaked.)

Yes, jalapeno sausages are delicious.

Didn’t I know him too well?

‘So what happened to Valhail?’

I’m not interested in your sausage preferences!

Franz also did not respond to my inquiries about when he would be able to visit the Countdom.

In the end, he just received the sausage in the letter I sent.

‘Next time, I guess I’ll send the letter without the sausage.’

No, rather than sending Charles back to the temple without much progress……

‘I would rather go in person.’

There was just a solid reason.

* * * * *

“Shannon.”

Shannon, who was extremely depressed, was trapped in her room by herself, feeling guilty.

I came to Shannon’s bedroom because I felt bad for her and was also curious about Valhail’s well-being.

“Shannon, why don’t you join me at the temple? My uncle is late, and I’m starting to become nervous.”

Due to constant reports, Cedric has been out for several days.

It was to investigate the bandits who had overrun the territory.

The largest problem for Count Crawford’s territory was bandits, a barbarian force.

Furthermore, Cedric’s return was taking longer than he had predicted.

I’m supposed to be worried about him. That’s why I planned to stay up late, feigned not to be able to sleep, and pretended to skip meals.

Of course, I was behaving in this way because I was more concerned about my situation than Cedric, who was with the knights.

“Let’s go together and pray.”

Camilla, who was still living in the annex, started summoning the Vassals.

It was a red flag.

“I am acquainted with a priest. He will gladly pray for me if I want him to.”

I approached Shannon, who seemed dead and was leaning against the bed.

Shannon was literally barely breathing.

I might have assumed she was dead if it hadn’t been for her wiggling finger like an anxious addict.

Shannon hasn’t been as close to Camilla as she used to be since Emma’s death.

Other maids who used to hang out with her also left her.

“You must have relied on Emma a lot.”

Her cheeks were thin and her eyes were dull, possibly due to the fact that she had no one to look after her.

She was in bad shape because she hadn’t even had her hair done.

“If you’re interested in joining me, just put on a robe and come out in the afternoon.”

I exited the room by turning around.

“If you have someone else for whom you want to pray, you are free to do so.”

Her ring-spinning hand came to a halt at that point.

Because there was no reaction, I assumed she was ignoring me, yet she was actually listening to me.

I quietly closed the door to give Shannon a choice.