Arabella was discovered by maids.
"Oh my God!"
The cleaning maid found the youngest girl lying on the marble floor and screamed.
“Lady Arabella!”
The shocked cleaning maid asked where Ariadne, who was in charge of managing the house, was, but Ariadne was going out, taking Sancha, the acting head maid, with her. The cleaning maid, who was at a loss as to who she should report to, reported the accident to the butler Nicolo as a last resort. Butler Nicolo shouted in shock.
“No, what are you staring at? Take Lady Arabella to her room right now!”
He quickly ran to the first-floor entrance and picked up the fallen Arabella. He too was frantically looking for his target, but Cardinal de Mare and Lady Ariadne were both out of town. In the end, Butler Nicolo hurriedly visited Madame Lucrezia.
"Lady! “There was a big problem.”
“What a big deal!”
Madame Lucrezia has been through a lot of big things recently. It is rumored that her golden eldest daughter is the mistress of the capital's scum, so she is placed under probation. Isn't the fox bitch clinging to her son, who is more precious than her life? Her husband kicked her out to the country farm. Lucrezia could no longer handle her big task.
Lucrezia was already in a bad mood when Butler Nicolo told her that it was a big deal.
“Why can’t I talk about this topic that has already been brought up?!”
“Madam, Lady Arabella has fallen down the stairs. She's losing her senses right now. Please come out quickly.”
“Arabella?”
Lucrezia's irritation rose higher and higher. She didn't like the butler who made a fuss over her unimportant child and upset her. As she walked out of the first-floor guest room, followed by butler Nicolo, and into the first-floor foyer, she saw her youngest daughter lying on the floor, pale and exhausted.
“How did this happen!”
Lucrezia started screaming. She hates troublesome things. If you blame someone else, it may not be your fault. It was a reaction that came from unconsciousness.
“No, I don’t know. The maids heard a thump and when they came closer, they saw that Lady Arabella was away..”
Arabella had her eyes closed and was motionless, but fortunately, there were no visible injuries.
“Is she breathing?”
"Yes. I confirmed that she was breathing.”
“Then give her an ice pack and lie down in her room. She just fell while playing. There’s no bleeding.”
Butler Nicolo, a little surprised by Lucrezia's indifferent treatment, cautiously advised her once again.
“Ma’am, shouldn’t we call a doctor?”
Now, Lucrezia has had all her housekeeping rights taken away, so she cannot call a doctor to cover household expenses. If a doctor was called, the medical treatment had to be paid for with Lucrezia's small money. Her pockets have been in really bad shape lately. Although she had no income, she had a lot of expenses going out to her son, so she was bleeding heavily. If things continue this way, she may have to sell Isabella's pink sapphire tiara this month. Isabella will go crazy if she finds out later.
“Why can’t I talk about this topic that has already been brought up?!”
“Madam, Lady Arabella has fallen down the stairs. She's losing her senses right now. Please come out quickly.”
“Arabella?”
Lucrezia's irritation rose higher and higher. She didn't like the butler who made a fuss over her unimportant child and upset her. As she walked out of the first-floor guest room, followed by butler Nicolo, and into the first-floor foyer, she saw her youngest daughter lying on the floor, pale and exhausted.
“How did this happen!”
Lucrezia started screaming. She hates troublesome things. If you blame someone else, it may not be your fault. It was a reaction that came from unconsciousness.
“No, I don’t know. The maids heard a thump and when they came closer, they saw that Lady Arabella was away..”
Arabella had her eyes closed and was motionless, but fortunately, there were no visible injuries.
“Is she breathing?”
"Yes. I confirmed that she was breathing.”
“Then give her an ice pack and lie down in her room. She just fell while playing. There’s no bleeding.”
Butler Nicolo, a little surprised by Lucrezia's indifferent treatment, cautiously advised her once again.
“Ma’am, shouldn’t we call a doctor?”
Now, Lucrezia has had all her housekeeping rights taken away, so she cannot call a doctor to cover household expenses. If a doctor was called, the medical treatment had to be paid for with Lucrezia's small money. Her pockets have been in really bad shape lately. Although she had no income, she had a lot of expenses going out to her son, so she was bleeding heavily. If things continue this way, she may have to sell Isabella's pink sapphire tiara this month. Isabella will go crazy if she finds out later.
Lucrezia, who had been thinking about this until now and was in pain, got angry.
“Are you now throwing a tantrum over my handling of the matter?”
Lucrezia's anger exploded at Emmon Nicolo.
“Are you mine or Ariadne’s? Now you’re blatantly ignoring what I said?”
“Oh my, how can that be possible, Ma’am!”
Even with Nicolo's excuses, she did not relent. Lucrezia took out her anger on Nicolo, even pointing a finger at him.
“How long do you think I’ll be like this? If you come back, I won't leave you alone! Get out of here!”
With Lucrezia showing up like this, butler Nicolo had no choice but to obediently retreat. In fact, to put it bluntly, Arabella is Lucrezia's daughter and not his own child.
“I will do as you command, Ma’am.”
Lucrezia snorted and returned to her room. Leaving the mistress behind, the butler Nicolo instructed her maids to carefully carry Arabella to her room on the second floor. At the command of the butler Nicolo, two maids joined in and carefully picked up Arabella and carried her away. When the maids picked up Arabella, her head turned and the blood that had accumulated in her ear started to flow.
“Are you now throwing a tantrum over my handling of the matter?”
Lucrezia's anger exploded at Emmon Nicolo.
“Are you mine or Ariadne’s? Now you’re blatantly ignoring what I said?”
“Oh my, how can that be possible, Ma’am!”
Even with Nicolo's excuses, she did not relent. Lucrezia took out her anger on Nicolo, even pointing a finger at him.
“How long do you think I’ll be like this? If you come back, I won't leave you alone! Get out of here!”
With Lucrezia showing up like this, butler Nicolo had no choice but to obediently retreat. In fact, to put it bluntly, Arabella is Lucrezia's daughter and not his own child.
“I will do as you command, Ma’am.”
Lucrezia snorted and returned to her room. Leaving the mistress behind, the butler Nicolo instructed her maids to carefully carry Arabella to her room on the second floor. At the command of the butler Nicolo, two maids joined in and carefully picked up Arabella and carried her away. When the maids picked up Arabella, her head turned and the blood that had accumulated in her ear started to flow.
Drop, drop.
The blood that dripped from Arabella's ear left an indelible mark, dotting the white marble and maroon wood floors from the first-floor entrance to Arabella's bedroom.
***
Isabella, following the trail of her blood, came down from the second floor and quietly entered her mother's first-floor guest room.
"Mom… … .”
“What’s going on with you again?”
Lucrezia, who was very uncomfortable, even snapped at her eldest daughter.
“Mom...”
“Why on earth are you doing this? I'm already upset because Arabella fell down the stairs. This girl and that girl, why are you hurting my mother so much!”
“It’s all because of Arabella!”
Isabella ended up screaming at her mother because of her irritation.
“Arabella was confronting me, and when I said something, she got angry and ran away, but she got so excited that she ran away!”
"What?"
“She is getting angry at me and running away, so what should I do?”
Isabella was picking up and saying things that she shouldn't have said because she was being bothered.
“So you two were fighting and Arabella fell?!”
“I said no! She just did it to herself!”
“She did this to herself, right? You didn’t do anything, did you?”
“You don’t trust me?! Ugh, I came to my mom saying I would enjoy some kind of wealth and fame... It’s okay, I won’t tell my mom again!”
“Why does this girl come and make a fuss for no reason? I'm so upset right now! Don't touch me! Is it true that you didn’t do anything?”
“That’s right!”
“Then get out!”
'Ugh...'
The world was blurry. Arabella blinked her bleary eyes with difficulty. Things melted and flowed like soup.
“Lady Arabella? The Lady has woken up!”
Someone's crackling voice split the air. Arabella couldn't hear well so she couldn't tell whose voice it was. Arabella felt like her head was going to explode and she just wanted to cover her ears.
"Mom… … .”
“What’s going on with you again?”
Lucrezia, who was very uncomfortable, even snapped at her eldest daughter.
“Mom...”
“Why on earth are you doing this? I'm already upset because Arabella fell down the stairs. This girl and that girl, why are you hurting my mother so much!”
“It’s all because of Arabella!”
Isabella ended up screaming at her mother because of her irritation.
“Arabella was confronting me, and when I said something, she got angry and ran away, but she got so excited that she ran away!”
"What?"
“She is getting angry at me and running away, so what should I do?”
Isabella was picking up and saying things that she shouldn't have said because she was being bothered.
“So you two were fighting and Arabella fell?!”
“I said no! She just did it to herself!”
“She did this to herself, right? You didn’t do anything, did you?”
“You don’t trust me?! Ugh, I came to my mom saying I would enjoy some kind of wealth and fame... It’s okay, I won’t tell my mom again!”
“Why does this girl come and make a fuss for no reason? I'm so upset right now! Don't touch me! Is it true that you didn’t do anything?”
“That’s right!”
“Then get out!”
***
'Ugh...'
The world was blurry. Arabella blinked her bleary eyes with difficulty. Things melted and flowed like soup.
“Lady Arabella? The Lady has woken up!”
Someone's crackling voice split the air. Arabella couldn't hear well so she couldn't tell whose voice it was. Arabella felt like her head was going to explode and she just wanted to cover her ears.
Arabella had been unable to come to her senses for several hours, and when she blinked her eyelids, the owner of the screaming voice was Arabella's personal maid who was guarding next to her. She ran like the wind and told the good news to Madame Lucrezia, the mother of Arabella.
"Lady! Lady! Lady Arabella has awakened.”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
However, Lucrezia, who should have been happy that her daughter was safe, became irritated. Isabella, who was curled up like a cat on the sofa in Lucrezia's room, lifted her head in surprise. Lucrezia was feeling guilty and wondering if she should have called a doctor already.
"Lady! Lady! Lady Arabella has awakened.”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
However, Lucrezia, who should have been happy that her daughter was safe, became irritated. Isabella, who was curled up like a cat on the sofa in Lucrezia's room, lifted her head in surprise. Lucrezia was feeling guilty and wondering if she should have called a doctor already.
However, he had already missed the right time to call a doctor, and the more she worried, the more she became a bad person. Lucrezia felt increasingly worse. It was fortunate that Arabella woke up during this time, but Lucrezia did not even want to see the consequences of her mistake.
But here even stupid Lucrezia could have guessed what she would hear if she didn't even go to see Arabella.
“Stop making so much noise!”
After taking out her anger on the female maid, she lifted her heavy hips and walked towards Arabella's room on the second floor. Isabella, fearful of the consequences of what she had done, followed her mother up to the second floor, walking often.
“Stop making so much noise!”
After taking out her anger on the female maid, she lifted her heavy hips and walked towards Arabella's room on the second floor. Isabella, fearful of the consequences of what she had done, followed her mother up to the second floor, walking often.
Bang!
The loud noise did not help her daughter with her head injury at all. But for Lucrezia, her own feelings came first. She felt even worse when she saw her youngest daughter lying on her bed with her pale complexion.
"You! I knew it would be like this after you acted so rudely.”
Arabella was now having trouble seeing, her ears were ringing, and even her thoughts were blurred. For Arabella, Lucrezia's words did not enter her mind in a clear sense. She blinked her eyes with difficulty, trying to make out what her mother was saying.
“Who wants to talk to you? It’s good to be self-employed, it’s good to be self-employed!”
Sister, you are self-employed...
“I knew this day would come ever since you confronted your sister!”
Behind Lucrezia, she caught a glimpse of her older sister, who had the same hair and eye color as her mother. It was her older sister who followed her mother around like a duckling following her mother duck. She is loved no matter what she does.
“On a day when I’m not good at anything, all you do is cause accidents! Really, why did I give birth to you? I’m really upset!”
Tears flowed from Arabella's clouded green eyes.
“My life would be better than this if it weren’t for you! Better than this!”
Arabella's vision was getting darker. Her angry mother and her older sister clinging to her behind were the last sight Arabella saw in her life.
"You! I knew it would be like this after you acted so rudely.”
Arabella was now having trouble seeing, her ears were ringing, and even her thoughts were blurred. For Arabella, Lucrezia's words did not enter her mind in a clear sense. She blinked her eyes with difficulty, trying to make out what her mother was saying.
“Who wants to talk to you? It’s good to be self-employed, it’s good to be self-employed!”
Sister, you are self-employed...
“I knew this day would come ever since you confronted your sister!”
Behind Lucrezia, she caught a glimpse of her older sister, who had the same hair and eye color as her mother. It was her older sister who followed her mother around like a duckling following her mother duck. She is loved no matter what she does.
“On a day when I’m not good at anything, all you do is cause accidents! Really, why did I give birth to you? I’m really upset!”
Tears flowed from Arabella's clouded green eyes.
“My life would be better than this if it weren’t for you! Better than this!”
Arabella's vision was getting darker. Her angry mother and her older sister clinging to her behind were the last sight Arabella saw in her life.
***
Ariadne arrived at the Basilica of San Ercole and first handed over the salary bags of the servants sent to Cardinal de Mare. After that, it was personal business.
She requested an interview with the nun in charge of music education. The conversation with the supervising nun took about an hour, including small greetings and well-wishes. The nun smiled broadly at Ariadne when she asked about her entrance exam results, and she said, 'She passed!'
She said that in the list of applicants the nun had received in advance from Padua to assist her in administration, 'Arabella de Mare' was listed in second place.
The nun informed her that the dispatcher was now handing out individual notifications and that an official notice of acceptance would arrive at her home within a day or two.
After her interview, Ariadne couldn't wait to go home and tell Arabella her good news.
Arabella! They said you were the runner-up! He is also the youngest to enroll!
However, Ariadne, on her way home, felt something different from usual and a chaotic atmosphere from the moment the carriage passed through the main gate of the mansion. First of all, she didn't like the gatekeeper who was supposed to be guarding the main gate.
'What?'
With an ominous premonition, Ariadne asked Il Domestico, who was handed a cloak for going out as soon as she entered the front door.
“Is something going on at home?”
“Lady Arabella... Hurry and go to the great gallery, Young Lady.”
The ominous premonition gradually came closer and closer. Cardinal de Mare returned home before Ariadne. As expected, it wasn't something that usually happened.
'What?'
With an ominous premonition, Ariadne asked Il Domestico, who was handed a cloak for going out as soon as she entered the front door.
“Is something going on at home?”
“Lady Arabella... Hurry and go to the great gallery, Young Lady.”
The ominous premonition gradually came closer and closer. Cardinal de Mare returned home before Ariadne. As expected, it wasn't something that usually happened.
As Ariadne approached the great aisle, she saw Cardinal de Mare in the distance, wearing the red uniform of a cardinal. Beside him, servants were coming and going quickly, filling the main gallery with white flowers.
‘White flowers? Out of nowhere?'
The door connecting the main corridor and the hallway, which should have been closed, was wide open. The whole house was anxious and distraught. Something was seriously strange.
"Father."
Ariadne bowed to Cardinal de Mare as she entered the great gallery. Next to him were Lucrezia, who was restless, and Isabella, whose face was as depressed as that of a dead person. Arabella was nowhere to be seen.
“Arabella...?”
Cardinal de Mare answered briefly in a dry voice.
"Dead."
Ariadne asked a question without realizing it.
"Yes?"
The Cardinal relayed the facts in a dry manner.
“She stopped breathing this afternoon. They say she fell head first while playing on the stairs.”
Cardinal de Mare pointed to the center of the great aisle with his chin. In the center of the main gallery, which had a platform about 1 pied (approximately 45 cm) high, was a coffin that was excessively large compared to Arabella's body. It was an imposing ebony coffin.
“This doesn’t make sense...!”
Ariadne frantically jumped up onto the platform and looked into the black coffin. Her youngest sister lay in the coffin, as if asleep, her clean skin unblemished, her long flaxen eyelashes down, her eyes closed.
“Arabella? Arabella?”
Ariadne reached out and touched Arabella's plump cheek. The face that should have been warm was now losing its life and was cooling down. The elastic and soft cheek felt strangely like rubber when touched by the fingers.
“Ah... Ah...”
The sense of reality that she could not feel even after hearing it with her ears and seeing it with her eyes only hit her when she felt the cold body temperature on her skin. Nevertheless, Ariadne did not give up and persistently tried to talk to Arabella.
“Arabella, wake up, look at your sister, okay?”
The cold sister had no answer.
“Arabella, your acceptance letter has arrived... They said you were the runner-up, huh?”
Ariadne's eyes finally filled with tears.
“You should go to Padua, you wanted to go. Arabella, you should go to the big city and learn the music you wanted to do, right?”
Ariadne reached out and fumbled for Arabella's hand. She was a small hand that needed to be held. Arabella's hands were resting gently crossed on her stomach, but her left hand was not straightened and clenched unnaturally. Ariadne noticed fingernail marks on Arabella's left hand.
'What is this...?'
As she was about to raise her right hand and turn Arabella's left hand over in detail, images suddenly began to enter her mind. It was the same ability she had seen before when she went to the Rambouillet Salvation Center.
“Ugh…!”
The scenes in front of Ariadne flew by in a flash. Rather than an image, it was closer to the feeling of the fact itself being forced into her brain.
‘White flowers? Out of nowhere?'
The door connecting the main corridor and the hallway, which should have been closed, was wide open. The whole house was anxious and distraught. Something was seriously strange.
"Father."
Ariadne bowed to Cardinal de Mare as she entered the great gallery. Next to him were Lucrezia, who was restless, and Isabella, whose face was as depressed as that of a dead person. Arabella was nowhere to be seen.
“Arabella...?”
Cardinal de Mare answered briefly in a dry voice.
"Dead."
Ariadne asked a question without realizing it.
"Yes?"
The Cardinal relayed the facts in a dry manner.
“She stopped breathing this afternoon. They say she fell head first while playing on the stairs.”
Cardinal de Mare pointed to the center of the great aisle with his chin. In the center of the main gallery, which had a platform about 1 pied (approximately 45 cm) high, was a coffin that was excessively large compared to Arabella's body. It was an imposing ebony coffin.
“This doesn’t make sense...!”
Ariadne frantically jumped up onto the platform and looked into the black coffin. Her youngest sister lay in the coffin, as if asleep, her clean skin unblemished, her long flaxen eyelashes down, her eyes closed.
“Arabella? Arabella?”
Ariadne reached out and touched Arabella's plump cheek. The face that should have been warm was now losing its life and was cooling down. The elastic and soft cheek felt strangely like rubber when touched by the fingers.
“Ah... Ah...”
The sense of reality that she could not feel even after hearing it with her ears and seeing it with her eyes only hit her when she felt the cold body temperature on her skin. Nevertheless, Ariadne did not give up and persistently tried to talk to Arabella.
“Arabella, wake up, look at your sister, okay?”
The cold sister had no answer.
“Arabella, your acceptance letter has arrived... They said you were the runner-up, huh?”
Ariadne's eyes finally filled with tears.
“You should go to Padua, you wanted to go. Arabella, you should go to the big city and learn the music you wanted to do, right?”
Ariadne reached out and fumbled for Arabella's hand. She was a small hand that needed to be held. Arabella's hands were resting gently crossed on her stomach, but her left hand was not straightened and clenched unnaturally. Ariadne noticed fingernail marks on Arabella's left hand.
'What is this...?'
As she was about to raise her right hand and turn Arabella's left hand over in detail, images suddenly began to enter her mind. It was the same ability she had seen before when she went to the Rambouillet Salvation Center.
“Ugh…!”
The scenes in front of Ariadne flew by in a flash. Rather than an image, it was closer to the feeling of the fact itself being forced into her brain.
Lucrezia's yelling and scolding that she heard while lying in her room, Isabella grabbing Arabella while standing behind the stairs, and Arabella thinking that her older sister would catch her, but instead snatching the human hair wig right in front of her nose.
'She'd love it if I brought him Ari!'
Arabella remembers the iron clamp.
'When the notice of admission to the College of Music arrives... Let's call her sister.'
Arabella makes a promise.
'She'd love it if I brought him Ari!'
Arabella remembers the iron clamp.
'When the notice of admission to the College of Music arrives... Let's call her sister.'
Arabella makes a promise.
Grumble.
Uncontrollable tears flowed helplessly from the corners of Ariadne's eyes. She clenched her fists.
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