Chapter 21

An urgent telegram arrived from Revelhorn, the capital of the Duchy of Grüsewald, demanding the return of both Blair and Odelliana to their home.

“Is it true?” Blair gasped. “Father actually sent for Odelliana too?”

“Indeed,” Adella confirmed. “He instructed that she pack only the essentials and prepare for immediate departure. If you go ahead, I can handle tidying up the mansion here. It would be best to leave as soon as possible.”

“When you say ‘tiding up,'” Blair clarified, “does that mean Odelliana won’t be coming back here?”

Adella nodded. “From now on, Miss Odelliana will reside at the main house.”

While Blair beamed with excitement, the sudden summons left Odelliana deeply confused. Why the urgency? she thought. Why call me now?

It all felt peculiar. Odelliana had never been formally acknowledged, let alone welcomed, due to her disability. Why would they suddenly risk exposing a blemish on the family by bringing her to the main house?

“Aren’t you happy, Odelliana?” Blair pressed. “We can finally be together again!”

Odelliana could only manage a disbelieving murmur. “…It’s just so unexpected.”

Skepticism overshadowed any flicker of joy. Naivete wasn’t her strong suit. She opted for a quick assessment of the situation. Could it be because Blair replaced all the servants? she pondered. Or perhaps news of Anatolia has already reached the main house?

Blair’s dismissal of the household staff could be construed as an overreach of his authority. Traditionally, household management, including personnel decisions, fell under the purview of the mistress, in this case, the Duchess.

Furthermore, noble families often recruited servants from families with established ties to their own, rather than hiring outsiders. Blair’s independent actions in this regard might have caused considerable friction within the family.

“Why are they suddenly calling me back?” Odelliana questioned.

“I informed Mother and Father about the mistreatment you endured from the servants,” Blair explained optimistically. “Perhaps they finally reached a breaking point and couldn’t stand by idly any longer.”

Odelliana, however, harbored a more pessimistic view. No, that’s highly unlikely. The Duke summoning me back for my protection after learning about the servants’ abuse seems improbable.

Having never personally interacted with the Duke of Grüsewald in her past life, Odelliana’s knowledge of him came solely from snippets of marketplace gossip. Realistically, she doubted he held any deep affection for a child he’d essentially abandoned.

Even a sliver of affection, she mused, would have meant he wouldn’t have exiled me so far away. He might have visited at least once or twice a year, or at least maintained some form of contact. Regular communication would have deterred the servants from their blatant mistreatment.

Odelliana stole a glance at Matthias. The young boy, caked in grime and still unrefined, didn’t seem to possess any qualities that would particularly attract Jocelyn’s attention. Yet, a knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach.

‘It’s too soon,’ she thought. ‘I’m not ready for any of this.’

Even if she were to return to her family, it would have to be after Matthias was officially knighted. ‘Leaving now would mean endless restrictions,’ she fretted.

More importantly, would the Duke of Grüsewald even accept Matthias? Blair himself had been hesitant about taking him on as a squire. How much worse would the rest of the family be?

“You’re taking Matthias with us, right?” Odelliana blurted out, her voice laced with apprehension.

A flicker of discomfort crossed Blair’s face at her question. “Well,” he hedged, “perhaps we should secure permission from Father and Mother regarding Matthias’s place first.”

“If Matthias can’t come,” Odelliana declared firmly, “then neither can I.”

Blair’s brows furrowed. “…Are you seriously suggesting you’d stay here for that boy?”

“Absolutely,” she replied without hesitation. “If I can’t bring him with me, then I won’t go.”

Exasperation tinged Blair’s voice. “Why go to such lengths for him?”

“I’ve explained this countless times already,” Odelliana countered, her frustration mirroring his.

Blair sighed. “…You’ve always dreamt of living with the family. Now that the opportunity to reside at the main house is finally within reach, you’re willing to throw away your happiness for this boy?”

“They’re strangers,” Odelliana retorted, her voice rising. “People who haven’t even bothered to acknowledge my existence. Giving birth doesn’t automatically make someone a parent. Am I supposed to be ecstatic about this sudden opportunity to live with them? Honestly, Blair, I’m not happy. I’m terrified. What kind of trials await me there?”

Blair fell silent, absorbing her outburst.

“I don’t believe they’re calling me because they miss me,” Odelliana continued, her voice softening. “There has to be another reason.”

A shadow of despair crossed her features. Of course, I wouldn’t know. The inner workings of the Duke’s family are a complete mystery to me. I have no memories, not a single one, that could offer any clues. The original owner of this body might have harbored warm feelings for them, but I don’t. 

“And until we get permission for Matthias to accompany us, I refuse to leave.”

Odelliana attempted to rise, but Matthias reached out to steady her before Blair could react. In a steady voice, Matthias addressed the bewildered Blair, “I will escort her to her room.”

Blair, rendered speechless, watched their retreating figures with a look of stunned disbelief. ‘It’s as if she’s a different person altogether,’ he thought. The docile, quiet child who never displayed defiance was gone.

‘The change began even before this incident,’ he mused. ‘Could memory loss also affect personality? Adella mentioned no seizures or aggression, but if the memory impairment is a symptom of some madness, then a personality shift wouldn’t be out of the question.’

Blair sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. He couldn’t reconcile himself to his sister’s transformation. It felt like she was a complete stranger now, and the unsettling feeling of alienation wouldn’t fade easily.

“What course of action do you propose, sir?” Adella inquired, her voice laced with concern as she met Blair’s somber gaze. The image of Odelliana’s battered form flickered behind Adella’s face – a child neglected and abused. A bitter laugh escaped Blair’s lips.

Well, anyone would change after enduring such treatment.

“Given Odelliana’s determination,” he replied coldly, “what choice do we have? We must comply. I’ll send a separate telegram.”

With that curt response, Blair turned and abruptly left the room. Adella, alone now, bit her lip nervously. A surge of panic washed over her. Between Blair’s cold demeanor, Odelliana’s metamorphosis, and the unexpected summons to the main house, her once simple and peaceful life had been shattered. Uncontrollable anger simmered within her.

***

In the quietude of a modest two-story house, too small to be a mansion yet too warm to be just a dwelling, the day began with a strained silence. Since Matthias’ arrival as a squire, Blair had assigned him chores alongside Adella to learn the ropes. Though the thought of parting with Matthias gnawed at Odelliana, the skeleton staff left behind after Blair’s dismissal gave her no choice.

As a consequence, Odelliana found herself face-to-face with Adella far more often than she’d like.

“Miss, wake up,” Adella’s voice grated. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Seeing you first thing in the morning isn’t exactly how I like to greet the day. Where’s Matthias, and why are you the one waking me?” Odelliana countered, her voice laced with annoyance.

Adella’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Have you forgotten already? Since you got all the staff dismissed in a fit of pique, I have the delightful duty of attending to you personally.”

Odelliana bristled. “You probably saddled Matthias with a mountain of pointless chores.”

“What can I say?” Adella shrugged. “There’s simply no one left to handle the heavier tasks.”

“Apparently, not entirely true, is it?” Odelliana retorted.

“Oh, I’m here,” Adella drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Here to take care of you with the utmost…devotion. Surely you weren’t planning to have that boy help you dress, were you? How utterly uncouth.”

With a flourish of mock courtesy, Adella approached Odelliana, her grip rough as she began to undress her. She deliberately dragged her long nails across Odelliana’s skin, leaving faint scratches in their wake. The act spoke volumes of Adella’s simmering temper, no wonder she’d mistreated Odelliana so readily.

“Your arrogance is truly astounding,” Odelliana spat. “Do you really believe your insufferable behavior will be tolerated indefinitely simply because you hold favor with Mother?”

Adella’s response was a cruel laugh as she hoisted Odelliana with surprising strength and practically threw her onto the wheelchair. “And you, Miss, seem blissfully unaware of your true standing. How much help do you think that young master can offer once we reach the main house? You won’t even have his meager protection there.”

Odelliana’s eyes widened in shock as the weight of Adella’s words settled in.