Chapter 45


    I feel a bit guilty toward thete butler, you see.


    What?


    I borrowed something on my way out of the mansion.


    She beautifully phrased that she had stolen something. Ian let out a hollowugh, looking at her as if asking her to continue speaking. His reaction was less a sly reaction than one of sheer incredulity.


    It couldnt be helped. You were the one who told me to quit, werent you?


    Yes, yes, I did.


    I have to leave the mansion, and Ill need money until I find a new job. Ive been in the housekeepers room a few times at your request.


    She was saying that she took something shed had her eye on while resigning. <i>Seriously, how naive. Wouldnt the first person they suspect when something goes missing be the one who just quit?</i>


    At that time, about ten other people also quit, for different reasons. Thedy of the house became extremely sensitive. The atmosphere in the mansion was terrible due to increasing corporal punishments.


    Lady Mary? Why all of a sudden?


    Ive never been beaten, so I wouldnt know. But it seems she was under a lot of stress. There were many strange spots on her arms and legs. I thought I might die from corporal punishment if I continued to stay there.


    Figuring that since she was going to quit anyway, she might as well blend in with the crowd and make her exit, she had taken something that was the only item in the housekeepers room with a lock on it, guessing it was valuable.


    Ian then asked what she was thinking.


    Your expression doesnt look good. Was it disappointing?


    Yes. They were just letters and drawings that I had collected. It felt like stealing memories. I would have preferred it if it was money.


    Hannah confessed that she had even lost sleep over her guilt. Then, after putting her younger sibling down, she opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a stack of paper envelopes.


    If you are going to hold a funeral, would you take these and burn them with him? I feel like I would be cursed if I kept them.


    Ian nodded and naturally passed them to Beric, who habitually opened an envelope to peek inside. He didnt seem to find anything useful.


    Beric.


    Huh? What? Cant I look?


    Dont bother. Put it back.


    Just as Ian was about to express his impatience, a piece of paper fell out between Berics fingers. It was a map of the mansion that the newly hired housekeeper had used to efficiently understand his duties.


    Give it to me. Let me put it back.


    Just a moment.


    You told me not to look.


    Youre noisy. Be quiet and look here.


    It was ayout of the Bratz mansion that Ian was already familiar with. It was detailed, divided by floors, even down to the locations of windows and doors in each room. But why


    Why does it feel off?


    Off? What do you mean?


    It feels disharmonious.


    Let me see. Hmm.


    Upon Ians words, Beric and Hannah leaned in, squinting their eyes. Hannah thoroughlypared it based on her memories of working in the mansion, but couldnt find anything significantly different.


    Theres nothing strange. Its the same as it is now.


    If theres something different, its this. The garden was sparse back then?


    The garden was sparse?


    What Beric pointed out was a single tree drawn on the map. Though simply sketched, Ian recognized it as a birch tree, the closest to the annex.


    Usually, such maps omit thendscaping details. If you start drawing bushes and trees in detail, it will never end


    Ian trailed off. Yes, its typical for such maps not to includendscaping details.


    <i>But why was this tree drawn here?</i>


    It could be a meaningless drawing by the creator, but this was a document for the house manager. It would be more natural to ascribe some meaning to it.


    Beric. Lets hurry back to the mansion.


    Why! Tell me too.


    Hannah, Ill contact you again. Well need people to help once the mansion is sorted out. Ideally, Id like the servants who quit toe back.


    Ill spread the word. Im more than happy to help. I was wondering how Id make a living now.


    Ian gave a bright smile at Hannahs words and unbuttoned one of his cuffs. It was a shirt he wore for a formal ceremony. A single button could satiate immediate hunger, although where to pawn off the jewel in this situation was another question.


    Its a sort of advance payment.


    Th-thank you. Its amazing how you always appear to help when were starving.


    Maybe thats why I met you.


    Then Ill also find a reason for meeting you, Master Ian. I think the stableman seems to be okay. I think I saw him yesterday.


    Ah, yes. Ive seen him too.


    Please go in. I will contact you right away.


    Okay. Take care.


    Ian finished his greetings with Hannah and hurried back to the mansion. Without thinking of dismounting his horse, he went straight back to the annex to find the tree in the aerial view.


    That must be it.


    It was peculiar that the branches seemed to droop down. Beneath it, the Cheonrye tribe were gathered in small groups, eating by burning the gureut leaves.


    Sir Ian?


    What is it?


    Could you look at the for a moment?


    The? You, you go see.


    The charred annex and pits here and there. Surely, the bodies of the servants killed in the fire would be buried there.


    <i>Was it because of the ominous energy? The Central Army and the investigation team didnt even nce at the annex, but one never knows.</i>


    Make sure the Central Army and the investigation team dont see it.


    Hmm. Got it. Will you be working here?


    Yes. Just step aside for a moment.


    The Cheonrye moved aside without asking further questions. Then, they stood against the wall and entered a defensive position. Beric continued topare theyout and the drawing, holding it upside-down.


    Is this the ce?


    Yes. So dont just stand there, start digging.


    Oh boy, really digging, digging. Lucky me to meet such a master!


    Though they had just pinpointed the tree, that was it. There seemed to be something hidden, but there were no traces whatsoever. Beric took out his dagger and meticulously scraped the ground.


    Are you going to kill Mary and Chel yourself when you find them?


    I cant do that. I cant actually kill them.


    Ian responded as he touched the grass with his fingertips. The grass felt somehow different.


    Rather, it would be better to keep them alive for now.


    What do you mean?


    So that they can run far, far away.


    <i>Its fake grass.</i>


    Ian took the dagger from Beric and jammed it into a crevice. The ground lifted like a lever. Even the Cheonrye tribesmen, who were just chewing gureut leaves from afar, looked puzzled.


    *Squeak*.


    A staircase leading to a secret space appeared. A basement made of a spiral stone staircase. When he brushed the floor with his hand, it was damp. Meaning that the seam between the door and the ground hadnt been created too long ago.


    In other words, someone had used this ce recently.


    We found it. Beric. Get ready.


    Got it. Why the rush?


    Pathetic. Were not the only ones after Bratz, are we?


    Who else? Erica?


    Yeah. Bring thentern without anyone noticing.


    * * *


    Mary stared intently at the flickering wick.


    Echoes resonating along the ceilings and walls. It was likely the outsiders who had recently taken over the mansion. Otherwise, her husband Dergha would havee to pick her and their son up.


    In a dugout where not a single streak of light or breath of wind entered, Lady Mary felt the worst despair of her life.


    Mom, Im hungry.


    Eat some jerky.


    Is this all we have?


    Chel pouted while sitting on the makeshift bed. At his age, how could he only say such things! For the first time, Mary felt that her son was pathetic.


    Shall we try moving to the back door?


    Theyve sealed it with molten metal. Dont risk hurting yourself; just sit. We need to conserve energy.


    The space resembled an underground dungeon. The secret door leading outside had been sealed by Derghas father to prevent intruders. Though it was understandable at a time when rtions with the Cheonrye n were poor, it was a self-inflicted wound like no other.


    How long do we have to stay like this?


    Just wait a little longer. An opportunity wille in a few days. Once we get back to Fontrol, we can rest well, so endure.


    Mary nned to pass through Mereloff territory and return to her maternal home. Even if she had to live in hiding due to being a traitor, she believed she could receive some help from her family.


    Mary scraped off the jewels embedded in her nails one by one and rubbed them against her dress. The gems she once deemed cheap would now serve as precious money.


    Thud-thud.


    It was then. Suddenly, she heard footsteps as if she were hallucinating. Mary instinctively turned off thentern, and Chel hid behind the bed. In the pitch-dark space, a dim light flickered in the distance.


    Gasp!


    Someone hade! They had discovered the mansions secret space and were tracking their movements! Mary, with trembling hands, tightly gripped the dagger and even stopped breathing.


    Dergha, is that you? Hurry, hurry


    If its you, please send a signal.


    However, despite Marys fervent wishes, the voice that came was both unfamiliar and familiar. A shadow stretched up over the stone wall.


    Are you there? Mother, Chel-<i>hyungnim</i>.


    How, how did you find this ce!


    Though she had not heard it in a couple of months, she recognized it instantly. It was Ian.


    Ian looked around the secret space and raised his eyebrows as if astonished. The men who followed him in had their faces painted with red dye They were from the Cheonrye n!


    How, how on earth.


    Wow, they dug out a tunnel. Dergha is really something.


    Dont the noble families of the Empire usually dig out at least one hole like this? Theyre the sort to run away if theyre going to die in battle.


    But it doesnt look like theres a way out in the back?


    Hmm. Yeah, thats true.


    Mary felt as if her thoughts hade to a halt. She had assumed that the ones stationed at the mansion were the investigation team and the central army. How had Ian and the Cheonrye tribe appeared?


    But that was only for a moment.


    Iiaaann!


    <i>Shiiiik!</i>


    Mary instinctively let out a shrill scream and charged at Ian. She believed it was Ian who had made contact with Molrin and exposed Dergha, and it was also Ian who had tricked the Cheonrye tribe into breaking their alliance.


    In response to her sudden attack, a Cheonrye warrior hastily grabbed her wrist.


    Ah! It hurts!


    She iled, trying to break free, but she couldnt escape the vice-like grip of the fearsome warrior. The warrior easily snatched away her dagger and threw it aside, pinning Mary against the wall.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    What is this insolence! You lowly people! People without any roots!


    Mother. I heard you had be more aggressive, but this is beyond what I expected.


    Shut up! Shut up! Its all your fault! Its because of you!


    Ian lifted antern to get a closer look at Marys face. Dark circles under her eyes, mottled skin, yellowish pupils filled with blood vessels. Even her lips were a mess, covered in dead skin. Not a single part of her was intact.


    On the other hand, aside from losing some weight and wearing ragged clothes, Chel didnt appear to have changed much.


    Why is this happening?


    Ian noticed that there was something unusually wrong with Lady Mary and frowned.