Chapter 31

Adella, discovered by the guards who had rushed in upon hearing the commotion, was carried away on a stretcher. The knife incident, which had erupted in broad daylight, spread rapidly without any possibility of concealment. It was inevitable that all the servants in the Duke’s household would learn of the horrific event that had unfolded in the annex, and this news eventually reached the Duke, Duchess, Blair, and Hermann.

Odeliana wondered if the Duke and Duchess, stunned by the news, would hasten to her side, but they neither sought her out nor held her responsible. Their coldness extended far beyond indifference; it was undeniably cruel. It led her to question the veracity of their biological parentage.

If only things had been this way from the outset, she mused.

The servants’ demeanor within the annex had undergone a marked transformation, becoming excessively polite. While their fearful behavior, as though they considered her a source of terror, was irritating, she was quite pleased with the impeccable execution of their duties. There was no longer any need to remind them to avoid becoming the second victims of the lunatic lady’s shocking incident.

It appears my parents ultimately have no desire to see me. If they intend to disown me, I fail to comprehend why they persist in keeping me in this house. Even if I were to proclaim myself the lady of the Grüsewald family, no one would believe me, so what do they fear? she pondered. The peace she had diligently cultivated was undeniably sweet.

It occurred to her that being labeled a lunatic might have its advantages. She had been pushed to the brink without anyone facing repercussions. She, too, could evade responsibility for the incident. The family would manage the aftermath on their own.

A week passed uneventfully, until an unexpected visitor arrived just before midnight.

“Miss, the young master is here to see you,” announced a servant.

“Admit him. And prepare refreshments. It seems we have much to discuss.”

Having anticipated his arrival after his confinement ended, Odeliana greeted Blair calmly. However, the young man who rushed in was far from composed.

“Are you here to scold me? Your expression is terrifying,” she remarked.

“What on earth happened? How could you do something so dreadful…?” Blair stammered.

“I must have been mad. Lunatics are prone to fits of insanity,” she replied nonchalantly.

“You’re not a lunatic! There must be a reason. You couldn’t have done such a thing without cause!” Blair exclaimed, his composure shattered. It seemed he found it impossible to believe his frail sister had viciously injured a subordinate. Or perhaps, he simply didn’t want to believe it.

“The trouble began when Adella was appointed head maid. Can you guess what she did to me?” Odeliana asked.

Blair remained silent.

“As the saying goes, old habits die hard. She seized control of everything here and subjected Mathias and me to childish torment, unbecoming of even a seven-year-old.”

“You could have at least told me. If you had sent a letter through Mathias, I would have intervened.”

“And how could you have helped? With Adella, the main culprit, ending up here, isn’t the answer obvious?”

“I was merely defending myself,” Odelliana continued. “I didn’t want to burden you with such a trivial matter, especially since you were already confined because of me. Imagine if you’d been imprisoned for a year this time?”

She took a sip of tea, maintaining her composure. “She could have poisoned my food or strangled me in my sleep. Every servant here followed her orders, not mine. Under those circumstances, merely tearing her mouth was a merciful act, wouldn’t you agree?”

Blair remained silent.

“What else could I have done? With no one to aid me, and even our parents siding with Adella, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.”

Not killing her was the extent of my mercy.

Blair’s face contorted in distress at her unwavering words, but that was all. He dared not utter a single retort to Odeliana.

“So, have you come to reprimand me?” she inquired.

“That wasn’t my intention.” Blair shook his head. “I believed there must be a valid reason for your actions, and I simply wanted to hear your explanation.”

“I see. Now that you’ve heard my account, do you understand?”

Instead of replying, Blair quietly surveyed the room.

The room was shabby and gloomy, a place where people lived but carried an eerie chill. In stark contrast to the golden and jewel-adorned room of the second daughter, Blair nodded with a helpless smile.

“Adella’s whereabouts are unknown. I thought you should know.”

“She probably couldn’t bear the shame of walking around with a disfigured face. Perhaps she threw herself into a lake.”

“You’ve changed a lot,” he observed.

“Everyone changes,” she replied.

“I feel sorry,” he confessed. “I wonder what I was doing while you were changing like this. I regret choosing to run away and study abroad.”

“You don’t need to feel guilty. Everyone changes. Sometimes, a significant event isn’t necessary for change to occur.”

Her demeanor suggested someone who had gained a profound understanding of life. Blair believed this extreme attitude contributed to his sense of estrangement from her. The child who once craved family affection and wept uncontrollably had matured, her spirit now devoid of vitality, her colors dry and desolate, which saddened him.

“Tomorrow, a new maid will arrive. I’ve also entrusted her with the manual you requested,” he informed her.

“Is she trustworthy?” she inquired.

“Her reputation is excellent. She’s highly skilled and will be invaluable in protecting you.”

“Is it a man?” she asked.

“A woman. I’m already struggling to manage the one by your side. Do you think I’d be foolish enough to bring another man here?”

“If she’s a woman with exceptional martial skills, she must be a mercenary. Female mercenaries are rare; it must have been difficult to persuade her.”

“She’ll serve as our communication link. If you have any messages for me, send them through her.”

“Odeliana, if you intend to make Mathias your knight…” he paused, his expression unreadable.

“Then you shouldn’t have to dirty your hands with blood anymore,” Blair continued. “That’s his role.”

“He’s not my knight yet. He’s merely a servant attending to me,” Odeliana replied. “There’s no need for him to stain his hands with blood already.”

“No, if you plan to make him your knight, he must acclimate himself to shedding blood on your behalf,” Blair insisted.

Odeliana remained silent.

“So, Odeliana, please refrain from staining your hands with blood again,” Blair concluded.

He was, after all, a nobleman, accustomed to the notion of subordinates bearing the brunt of violence.

Odeliana glanced over Blair’s shoulder at Mathias, who stood resolutely in his position. Blair’s suggestion that Mathias should endure the bloodshed seemed to elicit no objection from the young man; instead, he nodded in agreement.

What was so noble about staining one’s hands with blood to warrant such exalted treatment? Odeliana wondered.

“I’ll try,” Odeliana replied.

Satisfied, Blair rose from his chair. He explained that due to the stringent surveillance at home, they would be unable to meet frequently, suggesting they communicate through the new maid before departing.

The following day, the new maid arrived.

“Greetings, miss. My name is Malena. I will serve you with utmost sincerity,” she announced.

Her golden, wavy hair appeared roughly cut, with uneven ends that contrasted sharply with the meticulously styled hair of the other maids. Her bronze skin and amber eyes complemented each other beautifully. Her facial features were delicate and pretty, but her muscular physique, in stark contrast, conveyed a sense of robust health. Despite the maid’s uniform obscuring her body, her substantial frame and well-defined muscles were undeniable.

Odeliana’s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of the maid’s exceptionally large and imposing figure.

“Impressive,” she murmured.

It was the embodiment of an extraordinary maid, possessing the ideal physique she had yearned for in her previous life.