Episode 14. You're dead now
The visit to the estate was just three days away. In the evening study, Martha opened the estate-related documents again. She placed the materials Edward had brought from the Imperial Palace alongside the estate income records compiled by Maxim.
The more she looked, the clearer the pattern became. The leakage had begun the month Felix Holm took office. At first, it was small; later, it became bold. This wasn't a method used alone. There was someone behind it. Who could it be?
Martha flipped through the documents, thinking this. Lucy brought tea.
"My Lady, aren't you staying up too late?"
"Just a little longer."
"The estate visit is in three days."
"That's why I need to look into it more."
Lucy said as she set the tea down.
"Please rest today. You can look at it again tomorrow."
Martha took a sip of tea while looking at the documents. It was warm. After Lucy left, Martha looked at the documents again. The estate site supervisor, Ern Muller. The person who had entered with Felix Holm. It was almost certain that these two were conspiring. The problem lay in what followed. An organized embezzlement of this scale couldn't possibly be targeting only the Valois family. There must be something bigger going on.
Martha rose from her seat, thinking this. She needed to walk around the study a bit to clear her thoughts. She walked toward the window. As she approached, Martha looked at the windowsill there. There was dust at the top of the frame. As soon as she saw it, Martha's brow furrowed. She was sure she had inspected the sill. Did they leave that side out? They left the corner out again.
Martha instinctively looked to the side. There were cleaning tools. A mop was hanging there. Martha picked up the mop. She placed it against the sill. Swish, swish. As expected, there was a lot of dust. Do they never clean this height? Martha muttered as she moved the mop.
"If you're going to clean, you have to do it properly. You can't just wipe what's visible. Every nook and cranny. Do these kids wash their bodies like this?"
At that moment. The window opened. Martha froze. A man dressed in black climbed through the window and entered. Their eyes met. The man raised his hand. He was holding a dagger. As the man was about to swing the dagger, Martha reflexively swung a mop. The mop struck the dagger. Thump. The dagger bounced off the floor. The man froze. Martha froze, too. Both did nothing for a moment. Martha looked at the mop in her hand. She had hit the dagger with the mop. Accepting the fact, Martha thought to herself. Was it because her old mop-handling skills were ingrained in her? Martha chuckled to herself. So this is when sixty years of mopping comes in handy. The man regained his composure and was about to lunge at her again. Holding the mop, Martha spoke.
"What the hell? Why are you here at this hour! What do you think you have to barge in to covet an old woman?"
The man stopped.
"...An old woman?"
He looked at Martha. She was clearly a young princess. It was the moment the man let his guard down. Martha picked up a vase standing nearby. It was a heavy porcelain vase. Then she struck the back of the man's head with it. Bang! The man collapsed. Martha looked down at the fallen man and set the vase down. Who knew this vase would be this useful? Being young, I can lift a vase like that with ease; youth really is wonderful.
At that moment, the study door burst open. Captain Karl of the guard rushed in. Two more guards stood behind him. Karl looked at the fallen man, then at Martha. She was standing there holding a mop. Karl froze.
"Did you do this, Princess?"
"Why are the guards so late?"
Karl could not speak. Martha hung the mop back in its place and said.
"Tie that man up."
"Yes, yes."
Karl signaled to the guards. A commotion erupted inside the mansion. The Duke's estate, which had been dark, became as bright as day. Lucy ran over. Edward ran over as well. Maxim came out. Isabella and Claude also came out. Edward looked at Martha.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm not hurt."
"The dagger?"
"I knocked it away with a mop."
Edward froze.
"With a mop?"
"Yes."
"You knocked the dagger away with a mop?"
"And then I struck it on the head with a vase."
Edward could not say a word. Isabella held Martha and examined her closely.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Your hands? Your arms?"
"I'm fine, Mother."
"Your face? Your neck?"
"I really am fine."
Isabella held Martha tightly. Claude looked at the fallen assassin and said to Karl.
"Interrogate him."
"Yes."
The interrogation of the assassin was carried out quickly. Karl handled it. It took less than thirty minutes. Then, Karl said something to Maxim. Maxim's expression hardened. Martha saw it. Something had come out. Maxim approached Martha.
"My Lady, I have something to tell you."
The entire family gathered in the hall. Claude, Isabella, Edward, and Martha. And all the servants. The servants, having been called awake, were stunned. After hearing the full story, they gathered around Martha and checked every nook and cranny to see if anyone was injured. Maxim spoke up.
"We have confirmed how the assassin managed to enter the mansion today. The guard shift schedule was leaked outside."
The hall buzzed with commotion. Maxim continued.
"The person who knew that information..."
Maxim looked to one side. It was Johan. The coachman Johan was standing on one side of the hall, his head bowed low. The servants looked at Johan. Helena said.
"Mr. Johan?"
Karl spoke with a grim face.
"It means he helped the man trying to kill the Princess. We cannot let this slide."
One of the laundry maids spoke up.
"How could someone I worked with..."
The atmosphere turned hostile. Claude looked at Johan.
"Explain yourself."
Johan could not lift his head. Edward spoke.
"Johan, why did you do that?"
Johan clamped his lips together tightly. His shoulders trembled. Martha looked at Johan. At him, trembling with his head bowed low. If Johan were a spy and truly harbored a grudge to kill her, he would have charged at her with a knife in this defenseless state, leaving her helpless; yet, seeing Johan not do so, Martha thought. That was not Johan's true intention.
Martha walked over to Johan. Johan remained motionless, his head bowed low.
"Mr. Johan, look at me."
Johan slowly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot. Martha looked into those eyes. It was fear. A primal fear, nothing else. But it was not the feeling of fear regarding her current treatment. Watching Johan, who seemed to be deep in thought before closing and opening his eyes in resignation, Martha vaguely sensed that he was not merely worried about his own fate.
"Your family is on the estate, isn't it?"
Johan's eyes wavered.
"Felix Holm is there."
Johan clamped his lips together tightly. Martha continued.
"Is your family being held hostage?"
Tears streamed from Johan's eyes. The hall fell silent. Martha looked around. Karl, Helena, the laundry ladies, Bruno. They were all looking at Johan. Then she looked at Claude. Claude was looking at Johan. His expression was stern. But there was something in his eyes. Martha spoke to Claude.
"Father. Can you turn a blind eye just this once?"
"Are you suggesting we pretend not to know? Even though we let the one who tried to kill you into our house?!"
"Do you think you wouldn't act that way if your own child were being held hostage? If I, whom you cherish so much, were being held hostage and ordered to assassinate His Imperial Majesty, would you just give up on me?"
"You. you! This is an insult to the Imperial Family."
"I meant it as a metaphor. It's the same for Johan. Because he's worried about his family, whom he cherishes so much."
The hall fell completely silent. Claude looked at Martha. He looked at her for a long time. Something passed through his eyes. Claude remained silent for a moment, then looked at Johan.
"How many family members do you have?"
Johan managed to speak.
"I have a wife and two children."
Claude nodded. He said to Maxim.
"Advance the schedule for the visit to the estate."
Maxim bowed his head.
"Yes."
Claude turned around and said.
"Johan, do not leave this mansion."
Johan bowed his head and said.
" Yes."
His voice was hoarse. The hall was tidied up. The servants went inside one by one. Isabella took Martha's hand.
"Are you really alright?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Weren't you scared?"
Martha thought for a moment before speaking.
"I was scared, but it couldn't be helped."
Isabella held Martha's hand tightly.
"You must have been scared."
"A little."
Isabella looked at Martha. Her eyes were moist.
"You did well, my daughter."
Martha lowered her eyes as she heard those words. Miss Isabella. She called that name inwardly. Isabella let go of Martha's hand and said.
"Go inside and sleep. Just sleep tonight. Or do you want to sleep with Mom?"
"Oh my, I'm not a three-year-old; how embarrassing."
Oh wait, I am a daughter, right? Martha placed the worried Isabella in Claude's hand, pushed her back, and sent her back to her room. Isabella went upstairs with Claude. Edward remained by Martha's side.
"Serena."
"What is it?"
"You hit the dagger with a mop today."
"Yes."
"How?"
"My body moved first."
Edward looked at Martha.
"Where did a body come from that strikes a dagger with a mop?"
"It happens in life."
Edward said after looking at Martha for a while.
"...Never mind. Go inside and sleep."
Edward glanced back once as he climbed the stairs. He looked at Martha, then went back up. He entered the chambers alone. Lucy was about to follow her in when Martha spoke.
"It's fine. Go inside and sleep."
"Are you okay being alone?"
"Am I a child?"
Lucy stood at the door and looked at Martha.
"My Princess."
"What is it?"
"You were scared today, weren't you?"
"I was a little scared, though."
"But you picked up a mop."
Martha looked at Lucy.
"Tell them to clean properly. It happened while I was wiping dust."
Lucy said, stifling a laugh.
"My Princess, you really."
"What?"
"Nothing. Please go to sleep, My Princess."
The door closed. Martha was left alone in the room. She sat by the window. She could see the night garden. The flowerbeds planted with lavender. The manicured lawn. The fading lamplight. Martha closed her eyes as she gazed at the scene. An assassin had come today. She struck his dagger with a rag. She struck him on the back of the head with a vase. Life is full of strange things. Martha thought to herself.
Then she thought of the visit to the estate. Felix Holm. At the mention of that name, her teeth clenched involuntarily. Holding Johan's family hostage. Diluting the income of the Valois estate. Sending assassins, too. Martha muttered to herself.
"Felix or Pelican?"
The room was silent.
"You're dead now."
I felt a bit relieved.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 14]
An assassin entered tonight.
Shock No. 1. They say the Princess was in the study wiping dust off the windowsill with a rag after finding some. That is when she encountered the assassin. She deflected the flying dagger with that mop. With a mop. The flying. Dagger.
Shock No. 2: She said to the assassin, "How dare you barge in and covet an old woman!" The moment the assassin let his guard down, she struck him on the back of the head with a vase. With a vase.
Shock No. 3: It was revealed that Mr. Johan was the one who leaked the information about the assassin. Everyone went into a frenzy.
Shock No. 4: The Princess asked the Duke, "Do you think Father wouldn't act that way if your child were being held hostage?" The hall fell completely silent. The Duke looked at the Princess for a while, then asked Mr Johan, "How many family members do you have?" It was the first time I had seen the Duke ask a question like that.
Shock No. 5: Lady Isabella took the Princess's hand and said, "Well done, my daughter." I watched the Princess lower her eyes. Her expression was strangely touching. I heard someone muttering to themselves from the Princess's room, "Felix or Pelican, you're dead now." This time, I heard it clearly. I stood in the hallway for a long time trying to hold back my laughter.
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