Her skinny shoulders and timid eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck when she saw the wanted poster.
Although she was trying to act as if nothing had happened, Stella Wilbur's face was pale.
“Would you like to sit down for a moment?”
A few days ago, Judith asked Layla to let her meet Stella secretly.
After hearing the circumstances, Layla readily invited Judith to the important banquet announcing her wedding.
“Where is Baroness Briggs’s daughter?”
“Please stay in the banquet hall. I asked her to reserve a seat for you so I can speak to you. I won’t take up too much of your time.”
Stella looked clearly displeased, but she didn't storm out. Of course, even if she had, Erne would have caught her.
Judith had a feeling that she was still not trying to leave.
To Stella, Judith was just a fallen nobleman who sold incense. She found it strange that Judith obediently sat down when she was told to do so.
Even for some reason, she seemed to be glancing at Judith’s expression. Judith did not miss the trembling of her fingers as she held the teacup.
“I have to attend the banquet, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
Judith held out Shadin's wanted poster in front of Stella.
“Have you seen this guy here?”
Stella shook her head, swallowing dryly as if she was anxious.
“His eyes may not be amber in color. Don’t you know?”
She shook her head again, but it wasn't like she really didn't know.
Stella Wilbur knew him well. The medium on the wanted poster had been frequenting the Wilbur mansion as if it were his own home lately.
When he entered the studio, his eyes were blue, but after about an hour, they changed to a bright yellow-amber color.
Viscount Wilbur was in an uproar, saying that such a powerful medium could save her brother.
“Tell us the truth. If you help us, we will protect the young lady in return.”
“...Us?”
“I am assisting Marquis Cain Mosley. If you help me, the Marquis will guarantee Young Lady’s safety.”
Treason is basically punishable by association, but Stella meant to avoid being punished by association.
Judith additionally offered to give her some of Viscount Wilbur's fortune so that she could live comfortably.
“If you need, I can write a memorandum for you.”
But... Stella automatically remembered her angry father’s face.
Stella was locked in a closet for two whole days for the simple reason that she had been secretly exchanging letters with a friend without her father's permission.
Not only that. If she displeased her father, she would receive an even worse punishment. Thinking about it made the back of her neck shiver.
'Did my father know about this in advance and tell me not to talk nonsense?'
Could it be that the medium foresaw this situation? If he could change the color of his eyes, he must be a capable medium.
As Stella bit her lip, Judith sipped her teacup in frustration.
“I don’t know what the priest might do to Young Master Wilbur. It could be dangerous.”
Could it be that her father would do something that would put her younger brother in danger? Stella hesitated for a moment and shook her head.
Stella saw no such thing. Viscount Wilbur was a man who would have given up his life to save his son. There was no way such a man would have sent his son to his death.
Above all... if only her younger brother could survive, Stella could go to her aunt’s house far away from the capital.
'You know, there's no such thing as a favor without a price. In return for helping me, you're going to ask me to do something.'
Stella didn't have the confidence to do anything without her father's knowledge.
“I, I don’t know, Miss Harrington.”
Stella shook her head and got up from her seat.
“I don’t know what Miss Harrington is talking about. And I don’t know anyone like that. They’re not in our mansion.”
Judith quickly grabbed Stella, but Stella just kept repeating that she didn't know and grabbed the doorknob of the living room.
“Yes, Lady. But promise me this.”
“What, what?”
“Don’t ever tell the priest or the Viscount that you met me here today. If you do, Young lady could be in danger.”
Stella looked at Judith for a moment, then opened the drawing-room door and went out.
Erne, who was leaning in the hallway outside the reception room, tried to grab Stella, but Judith shook her head.
“I don’t think she can be persuaded.”
“Why? Didn’t that woman say she wanted to leave Wilbur’s house?”
Erne muttered in confusion. He couldn't understand why she would refuse, even though she was promised that she would be freed from her father's business dealings, given her property, and protected from punishment.
“Was he not a priest but just a similar medium?”
“Well, I don’t think that’s the case.”
If you really don't know, why are you shaking so much? It's like a thief shaking his own feet.
“I thought you would naturally offer to help, but I’m embarrassed.”
To be honest, Judith also thought Stella would naturally fall for it. Maybe she just didn't feel like betraying her father?
In that case, Judith could have offered her a deal, saying that Viscount Wilbur was just being used by the priest and that he should spare his life.
“I asked Baron Briggs’s daughter just in case, but I’m not sure if she’ll be convinced.”
Judith folded her arms and clicked her tongue in disappointment. If only Stella would cooperate, things would be easy.
“There’s also the option of just barging into Wilbur’s mansion.”
“The priest might not be there. If the timing is not right, you might miss it again.”
Even if you were lucky enough to have a priest in the mansion, if you just barged in and broke the poisoned jar like last time and caused chaos, it would be a disaster.
At that time, it was a forest with few people, so only the soldiers who surrounded the castle were injured, but there were many servants in the castle. If they had been careful, innocent people could have been sacrificed.
Judith sighed. As she had expected, Stella did not give in to Layla's persuasion. She stubbornly insisted that she did not know such a person.
Eventually, Judith went to the Marquis of Mosley with Erne and planned another operation.
“Anyway, we need to eat something. Isn’t the grocer going to deliver to Viscount Wilbur’s residence? Why not bribe him?”
“I thought about that too, but at Wilbur’s house, the servants come out and buy groceries themselves.”
“Then you can just bribe the servant.”
As the night of heated debate deepened at the Marquis of Mosley's residence, Stella, who had just returned from a banquet at the Viscount Wilbur's residence, was called by her father into her younger brother's room.
“You wouldn’t go out and talk nonsense, would you?”
“Oh, of course, Father.”
Stella glanced at the medium standing next to her father, and when their eyes met, she quickly lowered her head.
Stella bit the tender flesh inside her mouth, feeling the eerie sensation of snake-like eyes scouring her mind.
She was going to tell the story of how she met Judith, but she stopped. She was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the two people staring at her, and somehow she couldn't open her mouth.
And that was the smartest decision Stella ever made.
“Please sit down, Young Lady.”
The medium opened his mouth.
“I intend to revive Viscount Wilbur tonight. I will tell you the method and procedure.”
“You’re going to tell me that too?”
“If you don’t listen, who will? There are also areas where the family needs help.”
The medium said that he was going to perform a spell called 'equivalent exchange', which was a spell that swapped similar things.
“In the case of the Young master, the problem is the muddy vitality. You need to exchange with someone who has clear vitality.”
It is said that to establish an exchange, a price, a sacrifice, is required. It was explained that it was a very difficult spell.
“The sacrifice has been prepared, so don’t worry.”
“Then what about clear life?”
“That’s the part where Young Lady needs to help.”
The medium smiled, the corners of his lips raised. His gaze was looking beyond Stella and behind her.
Stella turned her head. While she was absorbed in the medium's explanation, a man was right behind her.
“Could you please share some of the Young lady’s vitality with your younger brother?”
“Wh, what, uh, uh!”
The man covered Stella's mouth and nose with a handkerchief. Stella struggled to get the man off her, but it was no use.
The medium snickered and muttered as she watched Stella struggling.
“We have to continue the legacy of the Wilbur family.”
Although she was trying to act as if nothing had happened, Stella Wilbur's face was pale.
“Would you like to sit down for a moment?”
A few days ago, Judith asked Layla to let her meet Stella secretly.
After hearing the circumstances, Layla readily invited Judith to the important banquet announcing her wedding.
“Where is Baroness Briggs’s daughter?”
“Please stay in the banquet hall. I asked her to reserve a seat for you so I can speak to you. I won’t take up too much of your time.”
Stella looked clearly displeased, but she didn't storm out. Of course, even if she had, Erne would have caught her.
Judith had a feeling that she was still not trying to leave.
To Stella, Judith was just a fallen nobleman who sold incense. She found it strange that Judith obediently sat down when she was told to do so.
Even for some reason, she seemed to be glancing at Judith’s expression. Judith did not miss the trembling of her fingers as she held the teacup.
“I have to attend the banquet, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
Judith held out Shadin's wanted poster in front of Stella.
“Have you seen this guy here?”
Stella shook her head, swallowing dryly as if she was anxious.
“His eyes may not be amber in color. Don’t you know?”
She shook her head again, but it wasn't like she really didn't know.
Stella Wilbur knew him well. The medium on the wanted poster had been frequenting the Wilbur mansion as if it were his own home lately.
When he entered the studio, his eyes were blue, but after about an hour, they changed to a bright yellow-amber color.
Viscount Wilbur was in an uproar, saying that such a powerful medium could save her brother.
“Tell us the truth. If you help us, we will protect the young lady in return.”
“...Us?”
“I am assisting Marquis Cain Mosley. If you help me, the Marquis will guarantee Young Lady’s safety.”
Treason is basically punishable by association, but Stella meant to avoid being punished by association.
Judith additionally offered to give her some of Viscount Wilbur's fortune so that she could live comfortably.
“If you need, I can write a memorandum for you.”
But... Stella automatically remembered her angry father’s face.
Stella was locked in a closet for two whole days for the simple reason that she had been secretly exchanging letters with a friend without her father's permission.
Not only that. If she displeased her father, she would receive an even worse punishment. Thinking about it made the back of her neck shiver.
'Did my father know about this in advance and tell me not to talk nonsense?'
Could it be that the medium foresaw this situation? If he could change the color of his eyes, he must be a capable medium.
As Stella bit her lip, Judith sipped her teacup in frustration.
“I don’t know what the priest might do to Young Master Wilbur. It could be dangerous.”
Could it be that her father would do something that would put her younger brother in danger? Stella hesitated for a moment and shook her head.
Stella saw no such thing. Viscount Wilbur was a man who would have given up his life to save his son. There was no way such a man would have sent his son to his death.
Above all... if only her younger brother could survive, Stella could go to her aunt’s house far away from the capital.
'You know, there's no such thing as a favor without a price. In return for helping me, you're going to ask me to do something.'
Stella didn't have the confidence to do anything without her father's knowledge.
“I, I don’t know, Miss Harrington.”
Stella shook her head and got up from her seat.
“I don’t know what Miss Harrington is talking about. And I don’t know anyone like that. They’re not in our mansion.”
Judith quickly grabbed Stella, but Stella just kept repeating that she didn't know and grabbed the doorknob of the living room.
“Yes, Lady. But promise me this.”
“What, what?”
“Don’t ever tell the priest or the Viscount that you met me here today. If you do, Young lady could be in danger.”
Stella looked at Judith for a moment, then opened the drawing-room door and went out.
Erne, who was leaning in the hallway outside the reception room, tried to grab Stella, but Judith shook her head.
“I don’t think she can be persuaded.”
“Why? Didn’t that woman say she wanted to leave Wilbur’s house?”
Erne muttered in confusion. He couldn't understand why she would refuse, even though she was promised that she would be freed from her father's business dealings, given her property, and protected from punishment.
“Was he not a priest but just a similar medium?”
“Well, I don’t think that’s the case.”
If you really don't know, why are you shaking so much? It's like a thief shaking his own feet.
“I thought you would naturally offer to help, but I’m embarrassed.”
To be honest, Judith also thought Stella would naturally fall for it. Maybe she just didn't feel like betraying her father?
In that case, Judith could have offered her a deal, saying that Viscount Wilbur was just being used by the priest and that he should spare his life.
“I asked Baron Briggs’s daughter just in case, but I’m not sure if she’ll be convinced.”
Judith folded her arms and clicked her tongue in disappointment. If only Stella would cooperate, things would be easy.
“There’s also the option of just barging into Wilbur’s mansion.”
“The priest might not be there. If the timing is not right, you might miss it again.”
Even if you were lucky enough to have a priest in the mansion, if you just barged in and broke the poisoned jar like last time and caused chaos, it would be a disaster.
At that time, it was a forest with few people, so only the soldiers who surrounded the castle were injured, but there were many servants in the castle. If they had been careful, innocent people could have been sacrificed.
Judith sighed. As she had expected, Stella did not give in to Layla's persuasion. She stubbornly insisted that she did not know such a person.
Eventually, Judith went to the Marquis of Mosley with Erne and planned another operation.
“Anyway, we need to eat something. Isn’t the grocer going to deliver to Viscount Wilbur’s residence? Why not bribe him?”
“I thought about that too, but at Wilbur’s house, the servants come out and buy groceries themselves.”
“Then you can just bribe the servant.”
As the night of heated debate deepened at the Marquis of Mosley's residence, Stella, who had just returned from a banquet at the Viscount Wilbur's residence, was called by her father into her younger brother's room.
“You wouldn’t go out and talk nonsense, would you?”
“Oh, of course, Father.”
Stella glanced at the medium standing next to her father, and when their eyes met, she quickly lowered her head.
Stella bit the tender flesh inside her mouth, feeling the eerie sensation of snake-like eyes scouring her mind.
She was going to tell the story of how she met Judith, but she stopped. She was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the two people staring at her, and somehow she couldn't open her mouth.
And that was the smartest decision Stella ever made.
“Please sit down, Young Lady.”
The medium opened his mouth.
“I intend to revive Viscount Wilbur tonight. I will tell you the method and procedure.”
“You’re going to tell me that too?”
“If you don’t listen, who will? There are also areas where the family needs help.”
The medium said that he was going to perform a spell called 'equivalent exchange', which was a spell that swapped similar things.
“In the case of the Young master, the problem is the muddy vitality. You need to exchange with someone who has clear vitality.”
It is said that to establish an exchange, a price, a sacrifice, is required. It was explained that it was a very difficult spell.
“The sacrifice has been prepared, so don’t worry.”
“Then what about clear life?”
“That’s the part where Young Lady needs to help.”
The medium smiled, the corners of his lips raised. His gaze was looking beyond Stella and behind her.
Stella turned her head. While she was absorbed in the medium's explanation, a man was right behind her.
“Could you please share some of the Young lady’s vitality with your younger brother?”
“Wh, what, uh, uh!”
The man covered Stella's mouth and nose with a handkerchief. Stella struggled to get the man off her, but it was no use.
The medium snickered and muttered as she watched Stella struggling.
“We have to continue the legacy of the Wilbur family.”
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