Episode 24. Seething Desire
“It took longer than I thought.”
Late at night, Rose arrived at the Count's residence and sighed. Her movements, as she glanced around, seemed extremely cautious. She walked along the Count's wall to a secluded area. The massive wall was so high that even a grown man couldn't leap over it. Rose looked up and down the massive wall and took a deep breath. Could she possibly be planning to jump over it? Rose, inhaling as if ready to run at any moment, pursed her lips.
“Whew whew whew.”
A soft whistle rang out three times in the still darkness. Rose listened to the wall of the Count's mansion, as if waiting for someone's signal.
“Surely not, isn’t there?”
Rose's expression, which had been confident as she whistled, became distorted with anxiety.
“Oh, what should I do? There’s no other way to get in...”
She felt anxious. She thought she'd be able to get in without any trouble, even if she was a little late. Rose gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes anxiously. She listened to the wall and even tapped on it. But no matter how long she waited, there was no response to her signal.
“I’m screwed...”
She thought the negotiations with the Grand Duke of Artaeum had gone well, making this a truly perfect day. But who would have thought there would be such a variable? If Jane, who was lying in bed in her stead, didn't return to her quarters until dawn, there would surely be people who felt something was wrong.
"Jane."
Rose called out to Jane in a whisper. But there was only a heavy silence, no response. Jane's back slumped as she lay on her back. Seeing her weak figure, Rose felt worried.
“Jane, I’m sorry. I’m so late.”
She hadn't planned on being this late. The clock was already ticking past ten. As Rose approached Jane, she sensed something odd. She saw the maid, who she'd assumed was asleep, trembling.
"Jane?"
Rose ran straight towards Jane, then quickly checked her face, which was crying quietly.
“What’s wrong, huh? What happened?”
"Ma'am..."
Jane felt her fingers tremble as she held onto Rose. Rose turned on the lamp next to the bed and looked at Jane with concern.
"Jane, are you okay? Why are you crying? Surely... Eric didn't do something, did he?"
Rose grabbed Jane's shoulder and asked. Jane just shook her head, her eyes wide.
"No..."
“No, that’s not true. It seems like something really happened...!”
Jane felt a surge of emotion well up in her throat at the sight of Rose looking at her with concern. Our poor master. Our lady, who not only has a kind heart but also a beautiful face...
Jane couldn't hold back her sobs and soon burst into tears. She patted Rose's back as she hugged her and continued to cry. That night, Rose and Jane held each other in their arms and cried for a long time. Transparent tears for each other. It took 30 minutes for them to finally subside.
'You're finally telling me what I want to hear.'
Eric's words brought a bright smile to Doana's face. How much had she bowed since her possession? Now, as a Countess, there was no need for that. Everyone in this mansion would look up to her, and no one would dare treat her rudely.
“It took longer than I thought.”
Late at night, Rose arrived at the Count's residence and sighed. Her movements, as she glanced around, seemed extremely cautious. She walked along the Count's wall to a secluded area. The massive wall was so high that even a grown man couldn't leap over it. Rose looked up and down the massive wall and took a deep breath. Could she possibly be planning to jump over it? Rose, inhaling as if ready to run at any moment, pursed her lips.
“Whew whew whew.”
A soft whistle rang out three times in the still darkness. Rose listened to the wall of the Count's mansion, as if waiting for someone's signal.
“Surely not, isn’t there?”
Rose's expression, which had been confident as she whistled, became distorted with anxiety.
“Oh, what should I do? There’s no other way to get in...”
She felt anxious. She thought she'd be able to get in without any trouble, even if she was a little late. Rose gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes anxiously. She listened to the wall and even tapped on it. But no matter how long she waited, there was no response to her signal.
“I’m screwed...”
She thought the negotiations with the Grand Duke of Artaeum had gone well, making this a truly perfect day. But who would have thought there would be such a variable? If Jane, who was lying in bed in her stead, didn't return to her quarters until dawn, there would surely be people who felt something was wrong.
Rose jumped up from her spot, intent on jumping over the wall. Her jumping ability was meager. With this level, she couldn't even reach the wall, let alone jump over it. Rose, her face visibly sullen, sighed as she looked at the massive wall before her.
“Haa, let me blow just one more time.”
She whistled again, clutching at straws.
“Whew.”
Once,
“Whew.”
Twice and,
"Ma'am!"
Just as she was about to whistle a third time, someone called out to Rose. Rose lifted her head toward the voice. Looking up, she saw a nimble figure leaping over the wall. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and landed in front of Rose.
“Serun!”
It was Rose's escort knight, Serun. She couldn't hide her joy as she greeted Serun.
“Where have you been? I thought you weren’t there.”
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep for a moment.”
Serun rubbed his sleepy eyes and spoke to Rose in a listless manner.
“I’m sorry. I’m glad you showed up.”
“Haa, let me blow just one more time.”
She whistled again, clutching at straws.
“Whew.”
Once,
“Whew.”
Twice and,
"Ma'am!"
Just as she was about to whistle a third time, someone called out to Rose. Rose lifted her head toward the voice. Looking up, she saw a nimble figure leaping over the wall. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and landed in front of Rose.
“Serun!”
It was Rose's escort knight, Serun. She couldn't hide her joy as she greeted Serun.
“Where have you been? I thought you weren’t there.”
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep for a moment.”
Serun rubbed his sleepy eyes and spoke to Rose in a listless manner.
“I’m sorry. I’m glad you showed up.”
"You're really late. Have you finished your business? I was so worried. You insisted on going out alone!"
Serun grumbled at Rose with a look of disgust on his face. Rose let out a wry laugh at the sight of him still yawning.
“Are you worried? It looks to me like you’ve completely passed out.”
"Well, well. It's much later than Madam promised! I was exhausted from searching the entire village, so I just took a nap."
Serun reacted with a sense of injustice to Rose's teasing remark. Seeing Serun pout, Rose apologized and tried to lighten his mood, telling him it was just a joke.
“Come here. You should go inside now.”
Serun grumbled, but reached out to Rose. Though still a child, he gently lifted Rose into his arms. Rose wrapped her arms around Serun's neck.
“Hold on tight. It’ll fall over.”
Serun, holding Rose in his arms, strode back. He took a deep breath and ran at breakneck speed. Rose hugged Serun's neck even tighter. Serun leaped with remarkable ease, even while still holding Rose. Holding Rose in one hand, he braced himself against the wall with the other and climbed over it.
“Yes. Go in. Jane will be waiting.”
After landing safely, Serun put Rose down on the ground and whispered.
“Thank you, Serun.”
“I will never grant you a request like this again.”
"Yes!"
Rose quickly replied to Serun's concerned words and hurried into the mansion. Everyone was asleep. Several guards were guarding the house, but no one paid Rose any attention, as she was dressed in a maid's uniform. Rose crept into her bedroom like a kitten. Upon entering, she saw Jane lying in her bedroom. Jane, as Rose had requested, was wearing a pink wig and covered in white bedsheets.
Serun grumbled at Rose with a look of disgust on his face. Rose let out a wry laugh at the sight of him still yawning.
“Are you worried? It looks to me like you’ve completely passed out.”
"Well, well. It's much later than Madam promised! I was exhausted from searching the entire village, so I just took a nap."
Serun reacted with a sense of injustice to Rose's teasing remark. Seeing Serun pout, Rose apologized and tried to lighten his mood, telling him it was just a joke.
“Come here. You should go inside now.”
Serun grumbled, but reached out to Rose. Though still a child, he gently lifted Rose into his arms. Rose wrapped her arms around Serun's neck.
“Hold on tight. It’ll fall over.”
Serun, holding Rose in his arms, strode back. He took a deep breath and ran at breakneck speed. Rose hugged Serun's neck even tighter. Serun leaped with remarkable ease, even while still holding Rose. Holding Rose in one hand, he braced himself against the wall with the other and climbed over it.
“Yes. Go in. Jane will be waiting.”
After landing safely, Serun put Rose down on the ground and whispered.
“Thank you, Serun.”
“I will never grant you a request like this again.”
"Yes!"
Rose quickly replied to Serun's concerned words and hurried into the mansion. Everyone was asleep. Several guards were guarding the house, but no one paid Rose any attention, as she was dressed in a maid's uniform. Rose crept into her bedroom like a kitten. Upon entering, she saw Jane lying in her bedroom. Jane, as Rose had requested, was wearing a pink wig and covered in white bedsheets.
"Jane."
Rose called out to Jane in a whisper. But there was only a heavy silence, no response. Jane's back slumped as she lay on her back. Seeing her weak figure, Rose felt worried.
“Jane, I’m sorry. I’m so late.”
She hadn't planned on being this late. The clock was already ticking past ten. As Rose approached Jane, she sensed something odd. She saw the maid, who she'd assumed was asleep, trembling.
"Jane?"
Rose ran straight towards Jane, then quickly checked her face, which was crying quietly.
“What’s wrong, huh? What happened?”
"Ma'am..."
Jane felt her fingers tremble as she held onto Rose. Rose turned on the lamp next to the bed and looked at Jane with concern.
"Jane, are you okay? Why are you crying? Surely... Eric didn't do something, did he?"
Rose grabbed Jane's shoulder and asked. Jane just shook her head, her eyes wide.
"No..."
“No, that’s not true. It seems like something really happened...!”
Jane felt a surge of emotion well up in her throat at the sight of Rose looking at her with concern. Our poor master. Our lady, who not only has a kind heart but also a beautiful face...
Rose, seeing Jane shedding tears as thick as chicken droppings, couldn’t help but weep. The sight of Jane crying so sadly was so unfamiliar. She knew too well that it was all her fault that she was crying.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Jane.”
Rose hugged Jane's sobbing shoulders. Tears welled up in Rose's eyes as she held Jane close. Jane could feel Rose's tears soaking her shoulders.
“No... nothing happened. It’s not what you think, madam.”
It seemed Rose had misunderstood. She'd assumed Jane had been harmed by Eric. That wasn't wrong, but the truth was, Jane's tears were purely for Rose. She felt sorry for Rose, who hadn't been treated well by Eric for three years. And she felt sorry for Rose, who was madly in love with such a man.
“Oh my, my lady... What should I do with my lady! Hah, huff.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Jane.”
Rose hugged Jane's sobbing shoulders. Tears welled up in Rose's eyes as she held Jane close. Jane could feel Rose's tears soaking her shoulders.
“No... nothing happened. It’s not what you think, madam.”
It seemed Rose had misunderstood. She'd assumed Jane had been harmed by Eric. That wasn't wrong, but the truth was, Jane's tears were purely for Rose. She felt sorry for Rose, who hadn't been treated well by Eric for three years. And she felt sorry for Rose, who was madly in love with such a man.
“Oh my, my lady... What should I do with my lady! Hah, huff.”
Jane couldn't hold back her sobs and soon burst into tears. She patted Rose's back as she hugged her and continued to cry. That night, Rose and Jane held each other in their arms and cried for a long time. Transparent tears for each other. It took 30 minutes for them to finally subside.
***
At that moment, Doana and Eric were entangled on the bed, embracing each other deeply.
“Count.”
Doana, unable to muster much strength, called out to Eric, who was lying on the ground. She snuggled into Eric's arms and flirted.
"Sleep?"
A hoarse voice. But despite that voice, Eric remained motionless, his eyes closed. Undeterred, Doana called Eric once more.
“Count?”
Eric was growing increasingly annoyed by Doana's poking and jabbing at his cheeks, trying to wake him up. He'd finally exerted himself and was just about to rest, so why was she tormenting him like this?
“Why don’t you get some sleep? Even after all that, isn’t it enough?”
Eric's irritated voice rang out. Doana frowned involuntarily at the sound of his voice.
'What are you talking about? This is killing me.'
Everything passed so quickly. She had no idea what she had done. Eric might be tired, but she felt completely, utterly dissatisfied. In her real world, she wouldn't have even looked at a man like this. Unlike in Korea, in the novel, she had nothing. No money, no status. Nothing could satisfy her. All she could hope for was to raise Eric's child and rise in social standing.
‘...I put up with it because he’s handsome.’
Doana suppressed her anger as she looked at Eric's face. If it weren't for Eric's chiseled appearance, she would have left this place long ago. It was okay, because what he lacked could be filled by someone else, not necessarily him. Doana snuggled into Eric's embrace.
"Your Excellency, what exactly happened at the banquet three days ago? I've been waiting for you to tell me."
Doana asked, recalling Eric's expression as he returned to the mansion, grumbling. Something must have happened between him and Rose that day.
'For three days, you two didn't speak and even ate separately, right?'
If only he hadn't visited Rose's room that evening, the day would have ended quite refreshingly... She tried to slyly prod Rose, but she didn't open her mouth easily. As soon as Rose's story came up, Eric, who seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment, slowly opened his eyes.
“I think it’s time to make a decision now.”
“Decision?”
Doana found Eric's reaction to "Rose" quite annoying. But she didn't show it, clinging to his arm, staring at him with wide eyes. Would what Eric was saying benefit her, or would it hurt her? Without blinking, Doana quietly gazed down at Eric's lips. She was incredibly nervous about what he would say. Given the circumstances, their relationship had deteriorated, so it wouldn't have been a negative for her, but you never know what happens in life. That's why Doana couldn't easily let her guard down.
“These days, I feel like Rose has really changed.”
Eric began to speak softly, starting with Rose's story.
“She's getting so cocky. It’s funny how she tries to climb on me without even knowing what she's doing.”
Doana clutched her chest, tense. She secretly cheered at Eric's discontented remarks toward Rose. Doana fanned his flames, trying to fan the flames.
“Rose said that anyway.”
Doana gave a slight nod and looked at Eric. Eric seemed quite curious about what would come out of Doana's mouth.
"She said her feelings for you, Count, aren't what they used to be. She said she's tired of following you around all the time, and things like that. Sometimes she even says she hates seeing your face."
Doana made up stories that didn't even exist, and it scratched Eric's stomach.
'This woman is real.'
In reality, "divorce" was nothing short of shameful in a conservative, aristocratic society. They created the useless concept of "government" partly because they were too concerned with saving face to divorce.
“I will divorce Rose within a month.”
Eric decided he had to crush Rose's pride, which had risen to the top. A fallen noble with no money. If he divorced her, she'd just suck her thumb and beg like a beggar. He wouldn't pay her a single penny in alimony. Rose was the guilty spouse, not him. She had rejected her marital duties and even tarnished the family's honor.
“Count.”
Doana, unable to muster much strength, called out to Eric, who was lying on the ground. She snuggled into Eric's arms and flirted.
"Sleep?"
A hoarse voice. But despite that voice, Eric remained motionless, his eyes closed. Undeterred, Doana called Eric once more.
“Count?”
Eric was growing increasingly annoyed by Doana's poking and jabbing at his cheeks, trying to wake him up. He'd finally exerted himself and was just about to rest, so why was she tormenting him like this?
“Why don’t you get some sleep? Even after all that, isn’t it enough?”
Eric's irritated voice rang out. Doana frowned involuntarily at the sound of his voice.
'What are you talking about? This is killing me.'
Everything passed so quickly. She had no idea what she had done. Eric might be tired, but she felt completely, utterly dissatisfied. In her real world, she wouldn't have even looked at a man like this. Unlike in Korea, in the novel, she had nothing. No money, no status. Nothing could satisfy her. All she could hope for was to raise Eric's child and rise in social standing.
‘...I put up with it because he’s handsome.’
Doana suppressed her anger as she looked at Eric's face. If it weren't for Eric's chiseled appearance, she would have left this place long ago. It was okay, because what he lacked could be filled by someone else, not necessarily him. Doana snuggled into Eric's embrace.
"Your Excellency, what exactly happened at the banquet three days ago? I've been waiting for you to tell me."
Doana asked, recalling Eric's expression as he returned to the mansion, grumbling. Something must have happened between him and Rose that day.
'For three days, you two didn't speak and even ate separately, right?'
If only he hadn't visited Rose's room that evening, the day would have ended quite refreshingly... She tried to slyly prod Rose, but she didn't open her mouth easily. As soon as Rose's story came up, Eric, who seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment, slowly opened his eyes.
“I think it’s time to make a decision now.”
“Decision?”
Doana found Eric's reaction to "Rose" quite annoying. But she didn't show it, clinging to his arm, staring at him with wide eyes. Would what Eric was saying benefit her, or would it hurt her? Without blinking, Doana quietly gazed down at Eric's lips. She was incredibly nervous about what he would say. Given the circumstances, their relationship had deteriorated, so it wouldn't have been a negative for her, but you never know what happens in life. That's why Doana couldn't easily let her guard down.
“These days, I feel like Rose has really changed.”
Eric began to speak softly, starting with Rose's story.
“She's getting so cocky. It’s funny how she tries to climb on me without even knowing what she's doing.”
Doana clutched her chest, tense. She secretly cheered at Eric's discontented remarks toward Rose. Doana fanned his flames, trying to fan the flames.
“Rose said that anyway.”
Doana gave a slight nod and looked at Eric. Eric seemed quite curious about what would come out of Doana's mouth.
"She said her feelings for you, Count, aren't what they used to be. She said she's tired of following you around all the time, and things like that. Sometimes she even says she hates seeing your face."
Doana made up stories that didn't even exist, and it scratched Eric's stomach.
'This woman is real.'
Eric was stunned by Doana's words. But deep down, he still thought this: Rose was a woman who could never live without him. Even if she cried and clung to him, he wasn't sure he'd take her back. And now she was badmouthing him behind Doana's back? Rose was clearly deluding herself. She was deluding herself into thinking the word ‘divorce’ didn't exist in the dictionary of the venerable House of Wence.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
'That's why you treat me like this. You think I can't bring up divorce.'In reality, "divorce" was nothing short of shameful in a conservative, aristocratic society. They created the useless concept of "government" partly because they were too concerned with saving face to divorce.
“I will divorce Rose within a month.”
Eric decided he had to crush Rose's pride, which had risen to the top. A fallen noble with no money. If he divorced her, she'd just suck her thumb and beg like a beggar. He wouldn't pay her a single penny in alimony. Rose was the guilty spouse, not him. She had rejected her marital duties and even tarnished the family's honor.
Eric's harsh tone made Doana's face flush. Divorce... Finally getting a divorce...! If he divorced Rose, the position of Countess would be vacant. Doana had no doubt that she would take that position.
'You're finally telling me what I want to hear.'
Eric's words brought a bright smile to Doana's face. How much had she bowed since her possession? Now, as a Countess, there was no need for that. Everyone in this mansion would look up to her, and no one would dare treat her rudely.
A satisfied smile spread across Doana's face, immersed in sweet dreams. She was caught up in her own vain dreams, oblivious to the fact that her own feet were sinking into a rotten, decaying swamp.
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