Not Knowing The Betrayal Of That Day

Before going to the Lindehal estate, which a woman named Joannie told him about, Lange stopped by a specific district where information was mainly traded. Now that Borwen’s information network was unavailable, this was his best option. Above all, there was one thing I wanted to check.

After some time, Lange, who was able to gather information about Baron Settebien after paying a considerable price, confirmed his suspicions and put the documents down on the table. He tapped the table with his index finger.

‘It’s done so subtly, and I thought I’d get used to it, but…’

Lange reflexively clasped his hands together. Here, he now learned the reason he couldn’t get any information about his superior’s past—and it was because the Marquis had pulled the strings behind his back. Due to this, the information was well hidden.

After taking a deep breath, he also took a sip of the water. He should have gone to the Marquis directly and asked for the truth from the beginning rather than going around in circles to gather information.

Of course, his superior wouldn’t like it, and it’s unlikely that Marquis Borwen would tell him everything.

‘Still, I didn’t know she was going to pull the strings this far… What’s wrong with being an orphan? …Damn it, His Excellency. I can’t even go back like this.’

Lange nervously ruffled his hair in a complicated mind. Being caught on both sides, he pitied his situation. But what to do? It has been the fate of those below to roll when the superior says roll and to crawl when the superior says crawl.

He gathered the papers, put them in his bag, and walked out of the building. In addition to the information about Baron Settebien, it was time to prepare the other information that had been entrusted to him.

As he entered the dark alleyway where the buildings were clustered, he saw a green door at the far end. Lange walked up to it and knocked on the door slowly twice and then three times quickly. Then a small crack in the door opened, and a voice came out.

“What did you come here for?”

“I came here to get paid. Number 1034.”

“Wait.”

Suddenly, a small paper envelope protruded through the crack in the door. Lange, who was handed it, frowned at the very light weight. It should be worth one gold coin, right? Did the price go up without his knowledge? He asked, shaking the envelope.

“Is this all?”

“If you’ve received it already, just run along. I don’t know anything. I’m just passing it on.”

“Wait.”

Before he could finish speaking, the door slammed shut with a loud bang. That’s how external private information guilds are… Lange came out of the road without being able to complain.

Returning to the general building where he had tied up his horse, he opened the envelope and began to look at the contents. It contained information about the arena and the Lindehal estate that he commissioned. However, unlike the arena case, where information was meticulously organized in several pages, information about the Lindehal estate was only speculative.

“What’s this…?”

Just one sheet. Also only a picture. Looking at the illustration of a red beard, Lange sighed. Are you kidding me?

But it’s not really meant to be a joke. The informant he chose was famous in this area for selling accurate information.

‘If it’s a joke, I can go back and make him regret it thoroughly.’

It didn’t make any sense to just keep standing here while staring at it, so once Lange grabbed the paper and put it in his coat pocket, he rode on his horse. He didn’t know what kind of connection there was between Lindehal’s estate and the red beard, but he’ll find out as he goes.

In fact, he just wanted to finish this work as soon as possible and return.

‘Haa… If he went through a lot of hardship and the Madam really did betray him…’

“I’m sure he’d be really disappointed.”

As Lange swung his reins, his horse neighed and began to move slowly.

And the one who had been watching Lange all the time, hiding in the alley, stayed there for a long time until he disappeared.

* * *

Back in the room, Tessa tilted her head to the side when she couldn’t see Mani. Mani usually said that while Tessa went to study with the Marchioness, she would stay in the room. Therefore, when Tessa returned to her room, Mani would be the first to greet Tessa. Besides, Mani wasn’t the kind of person who would leave without a word.

“Mani?”

Tessa entered the bedroom and just in case, saw Mani coming out after opening the door connected to Hert’s room, the Lord’s bedroom. Mani closed the door quietly, and noticed Tessa, and her face widened in surprise. As if she was caught on something.

“Ma, madam, when did you come?”

“Just now…”

“Oh no. I should have gone out to meet you. I’m sorry, I have a few things to clean up in His Lordship’s bedroom. Did you go for a walk?”

“…Mani, sweat is dripping down your forehead.”

Tessa said, looking at Mani’s sweaty forehead. Mani’s hair, which had always been neatly organized, was also loosely messed up today. When Tessa pointed out, Mani hurriedly wiped her forehead with her sleeve and shook her head.

“Ugh, these days, if I move a little, I sweat like this. As I get older, I can’t help it. How would you like your lunch? His Lordship…”

“Ah… Today, he said we couldn’t eat together. I can’t because I’m not feeling very well today either… I don’t want to eat.”

Hert would nag if he found out she skipped lunch, but Tessa really didn’t have an appetite today. She couldn’t even imagine putting something in her mouth. It was only then that Mani approached her with a worried face listening to Tessa’s powerless voice.

“Are you unwell? Shall I call the doctor?”

“It’s okay. When I wake up from a nap… I think I’ll be fine.”

“Yes, if you feel better with it. Then I’ll help you get dressed. Shall I take the accessories off first?”

Mani led Tessa to the front of the vanity and removed her earrings and necklace. She then pulled a pin from her hair and tied her hair loosely. She didn’t forget to finish it off with a little bit of rose oil on the tips of her hair.

Tessa looked at Mani through the mirror. The look that she had shown Tessa before caught her eye. What’s going on? Looking back, Mani seems to have been more and more absent from Tessa’s side these days. She sometimes looked distracted. Tessa cautiously called Mani.

“Um, Mani…”

“Yes, Madam.”

“That, maybe…”

“…Why?”

“No, nothing. Just… I was wondering what you think Mrs. Vellodem would need now…”

Eventually, Tessa, who refused to ask Mani directly what was going on or not, turned the subject to something else. Fortunately, Mani didn’t seem to have any doubts about Tessa’s words.

“Ah, did you say that the day Mrs. Vellodem is leaving is just around the corner?”

“Yes… So I want to give her a gift, but I don’t know what kind of gift… would be good. I want to hear from you, Mani.”

“…Well, money? It costs a lot of money to go out and live.”

Mani answered with a passing tone, tying Tessa’s fine hair back. Then she belatedly blinked her eyes with a flustered look.

“Ahh, I’m sorry. Money to be a gift… I was thinking about something else for a while… Forget about that.”

“Oh, no… As you said, money… I think it will be fine.”

Even Tessa thought Janet would need a lot of money. First of all, she’s not alone, and now she’s in a position where she has to live outside. She would need a considerable amount of money to settle in a suitable and good place and live with the child who would come into the world in the future.

So, as Mani said, money may be the most helpful gift for Janet. But the problem was that Tessa had no money.

What she was wearing, what she had, and what she was eating were all prepared by Hert. In fact, Tessa was living in an environment where she didn’t need to have money.

“But I don’t have money…”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“…Is there any way to save the money?”

“What?”

“In a short time…”

She knew it’s an absurd question, but Tessa still asked Mani out of curiosity. She wanted to help Janet even a little. She had given no return, when she had only received, so she was eager to help when Janet was about to leave.

“Uh… How about speaking to His Lordship about this?”

“That…”

Tessa closed her lips for a moment. Ask Hert for money? Of course, Hert was definitely the only one who could get money among the people around Tessa. Because he was the new lord of this place. He may be willing to give her a few pennies. But Tessa couldn’t bring herself to ask him for money.

She’s already been getting a lot from him, so if she were to ask for money now? Even if she had an iron plate on her face, it’s still shameless. Everyone would blame Tessa. In such a good place, she was fed, put to sleep, dressed up, doing everything, and now she was even robbing Hert of his money.

So it was really impossible. Besides, it was clear that Hert would think of her as strange.

Seeing that Tessa’s face hardened, Mani hurriedly opened her mouth and spoke again.

“I mean, not just asking for money… that to help Mrs. Vellodem a little…”

“Ah…”

“No, no, don’t think too much about it. Even Mrs. Vellodem wouldn’t want money. I said that without thinking.”

“…….”

At that moment, Tessa’s eyes saw the jewelry that Mani removed from her. Both were expensive. It’s a shame they’re being worn only by her neck and ears. Tessa had a fleeting thought, but she wondered if she could sell the jewelry or give it to Janet as a gift. Then she quickly shook her head.

‘What are you thinking now…?’

To act out of place, to act as if she was the owner of them. Tessa was horrified at the thought and turned her head away from the accessories.

She was being foolish. She was so glad that Hert wasn’t here right now. If he had, she would not have been able to raise her head because she was feeling so ashamed and guilty.

Tessa crawled into the bed after changing her clothes. She wanted to empty this mind full of embarrassed thoughts, even for a moment. She covered the blanket over her head, closed her eyes, and hurriedly went to sleep. She couldn’t understand why she was being like this these days.