As I had closed my lips while I was deep in thought, Alicia was probably sensitive to my changes in demeanor.
Otherwise, there's no way she'd react like this to a mere silent yawn.
I shook my gaze, though relieved by the warm gaze on me that's reminiscent of the spring sun.
"It's nothing. I couldn't sleep well last night."
"I think you also said that last time… I hope you're not sick, Sister."
"I'm really fine. Don't worry, I just really didn't sleep well."
After giving her a small smile, I shrugged and looked away.
I could still feel Alicia's gaze on me because of the piercing feeling at the side of my face, but I walked forward as though I didn't notice.
Soon, I felt the gaze that was hot against my cheeks moving away.
Anyway, isn't she cute.
No matter how much I thought about it, those two were so similar.
Alicia and Cassion.
If Alicia was a small puppy, Cassion felt like a huge puppy.
In conclusion, both resembled dogs… No, puppies, more like.
'I knew it, I must be weak against pups.'
That's why I care about those two.
It was a reasonable guess in its own way.
"Sister."
When I fell into my own thoughts again and stopped talking, Alicia called out to me in a small voice.
"Hm?"
At the timid call, I lowered my gaze and looked at Alicia.
Alicia wasn't looking this way and just blinked. But even so, she looked like she was feeling anxious about something.
It was too much of an excessive reaction to just seeing how tired I looked.
She chewed on her lips for a moment before she slowly opened them to speak.
"Um… Our nanny… No, Katie. Have you heard about her?"
It wasn't until the name 'Katie' was uttered by her pink lips that I understood what she was anxious about.
It hadn't been long since the incident happened, and Katie would remain to be a trigger for Alicia.
The abuse had lasted for more than a decade, and the memories of it would not be so easily forgotten.
With a gentle touch, I patted Alicia's shoulder and spoke.
"Katie? What about her?"
Alicia had been looking into the distance blankly until then, but she turned to me and smiled awkwardly as she met my gaze.
She seemed to look better than before.
"The maid who's serving me right now said that, well… She said that Katie can't talk anymore."
This time, I was the one who blinked.
I didn't expect to hear about this straight from Alicia.
This situation is pretty interesting.
"Oh my, how in the world."
It was a problem that I knew about the matter more than anyone else, but I pretended to know nothing.
I stopped walking as Alicia said this, and she as well stopped in her tracks.
"She can't talk anymore? How did she end up that way?"
When I asked with my eyes wide open, Alicia met my gaze and gulped down. Her cheeks became tinted with pink.
Why on earth.
Alicia sometimes still blushed whenever she faced me.
I don't know how long this will last, but it wasn't all that bad. It's cute.
"I'm not sure. I don't think anyone knows the reason. Maybe it's the shock of being imprisoned… Or at least, that's everyone's guess."
She stuttered a little, shy as she spoke. I nodded and listened carefully to her words.
"A…ha."
When she was done talking, I let out a small exclamation.
After hearing the end of Alicia's explanation, I was relieved that no one seemed to be suspecting me.
In fact, there was nothing to be relieved about.
There was no connection between Katie's inability to speak and 'me', just how unlikely it was to think about a connection between me and Cassion.
I pretended to be lost in thought for a while, not saying anything, but I soon asked.
"Then she must be communicating through writing now. I heard that the interrogation isn't completely over yet."
'If you don't have a mouth, you're bound to speak with your hands.'
This was what I felt uncomfortable about the most this whole time.
It was good that Katie's lips had been sealed, but she still had enough education to the extent that she was a nanny of a duke's children.
And writing was the basics of the basics.
'Should I go back and twist both her wrists?'
I've been thinking about doing this already, but I decided not to pursue the thought.
If I do such a thing, wouldn't that just be tantamount to advertising that an intruder came into the dungeon?
Besides, people would start suspecting why Katie lost her voice all of a sudden.
Well, I did still come back there one more time before.
"Oh, it's… Strangely, when she's given a piece of paper and a pen, she thrashes and refuses to accept them. She looks entirely frightened."
This was both surprising and not surprising at all.
This was the result of me visiting the dungeon again to solve the worries that have been making me uncomfortable.
'A mouth that can't speak, hands that can't be used.'
I made this happen.
I met Katie in the dungeon for a second time exactly a day after I first visited her. I had to take into account that people communicate not only with their mouths, but also through other means.
As I whispered to her, I smiled and looked into her frightened eyes.
'You know how many fingers a person has, right? If you don't want us to count one by one while I break them one at a time, you'd better keep your hands to yourself, Katie.'
Then, I gripped Katie's shoulders and exuded a light killing intent.
I judged that this threat should be enough, but the more you stomp on a stone bridge, the more you can be sure that it's safe.
After some time, simultaneously as I released the killing intent, I turned my back on her. But soon after, I heard a rattling sound behind me.
During that loud noise, not a single word was uttered.
I left the basement, leaving behind small echoes of my pleasant humming.
It was a good night in its own way. Except for the fact that a pale memory Yurian had followed in that nightmare.
Recalling what happened last night, I looked at Alicia with a serious expression.
It seemed as if she was worried about how shocked I'd be from hearing that 'if Katie's given a pen and paper, she'd thrash.'
And I did act as though I was surprised. I covered my mouth.
I can't let down Alicia when it comes to her expectations.
Then, I carefully rubbed my own lips.
"Oh my. That…"
That's good.
"Pardon?"
As I spoke in a very small voice, Alicia widened her eyes and asked back.
"No, it's nothing."
Smiling, I shook my head and lifted the corners of my lips.
She looked at me with a bit of a doubtful expression, but I looked forward again.
As I began to walk forward slowly, the halted steps behind me diligently followed by my side once more.
The sound of grass being brushed against was refreshing.
* * *
'Father's coming back soon.'
On our way back to our rooms from the garden, Alicia uttered these words lightly, and it's been on my mind since.
Father—Duke Valentine was coming back soon.
I crossed the deserted hallway and recalled lightly what today's date was.
'You're coming back earlier than I thought.'
No, perhaps he's actually coming later than he should?
With all these subtle emotions, I felt complicated.
It's a relief, but at the same time, it's such a shame.
Of course, it would be good for the duke to return.
The day he'd come back would probably be Katie's execution day.
A woman with poison on her tongue would be better off taken care of as soon as possible.
I barely managed to hold down that worm who thinks she's a snake, but it would be much more difficult if I hadn't settled it before he truly acted like a snake.
In particular, if she tried to write down that secret she's so proud of when I had yet to twist her wrists…
I halted my steps.
This was because my legs felt wooden for a moment.
After having walked this far without thinking about where I was going, I stopped moving.
'Yeah. It's better if the duke comes quickly. It's good, but…'
Even so, I couldn't help but feel that it's such a shame and think that it would be better if he'd return a little later.
The reason was simple.
I hoped that the request I had entrusted to Madam Blanca would be faster than the duke's return.
This investigation request was for the madam to investigate someone.
The purpose of this request was to first investigate them, then attract that person to me, but this didn't mean just 'winning their favor' and getting them to be on my side.
It was literally to be by my side.
It meant that I needed that person to be inside this ducal estate.
And the best way was to let that person come in while there was mass employment for the annex.
Unlike Alicia, who had already chosen an exclusive maid amongst the ones hired in the central mansion, I still had that position vacant until now.
So that I can fill that vacancy with that person.
I needed a reliable person who could aid me and Cassion while being in close proximity.
A person, whose lips could be sealed, was loyal and could guarantee their trust.
Someone I could be comfortable with even if secrets would be shared.
And, in order for that person to be found right away, it was best to use the information from the novel.
The original work was there to be a guide for the characters' personalities.
Thus, the person I chose was a woman named 'Diana'.
So I left the investigation in the madam's hands.
Diana was originally meant to be Leo's hands and feet.
If I bring her in, it's hitting two birds with one stone—getting a reliable person and stealing an ally who was meant to have been a great help to Leo.
However, if the duke comes back before Blanca could fulfill my request, things would get complicated.
As soon as the housekeeping would be back on track, the punishment of Katie, Marie and the others would begin.
After that, they would try to recruit new employees as soon as possible.
That's why if the duke comes back, the work would be finished at a faster rate, and the deadline would be pushed up.
If the timing wasn't right, I'll have to bring her in with a ridiculous act just as I did with Cassion…
But honestly, I wouldn't be able to pull that off for a second time.
"Huu."
I sighed and walked faster back to my room, planning to write a letter to Blanca telling her to rush the request.
However, I ended up not needing to write that letter.
"Lady Rosetta."
Someone called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.
I looked back and saw a maid bowing politely.
"A guest has arrived. The Larrington Bookstore has come with an item that they say is something the Lady has ordered, so they've requested for you to check it. What should we do?"
As soon as the maid's calm explanation ended, I smiled in disbelief.
Really, how does she always appear with such incredible timing?
It's getting a bit scary now.
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