Translator : Ariana
Chapter 6: Midnight Escape (1)
***
"There was such an uproar."
Joanna explained the situation outside to Riena as she brought her dinner to her, who had been in her room all day.
"Viscount Rotman was in a frenzy, demanding you be brought to him immediately. In the midst of that, Lord Belliard came down to the dining hall for dinner, and the two of them crossed paths."
"Did they?"
"Yes. The atmosphere was completely tense. Viscount Rotman looked like he wanted to grab Lord Belliard by the collar, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. What could he do? After all, the opponent was Lord Belliard."
Joanna shrugged her shoulders.
"So, my lady, you're going to accept Lord Belliard's proposal, right?"
"I’m not sure."
Riena lifted a spoon with an indifferent expression and took a sip of her soup.
"Not sure? Are you actually considering it?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"What do you mean, why?"
"It's Lord Belliard! When someone like him proposes, of course, you should accept!"
Riena didn't eat her soup but just stirred it while muttering.
"But I know almost nothing about Lord Belliard."
"That’s something you can learn over time! It's Lord Belliard we're talking about. Isn't it absurd to say you can't marry him just because you don't know him well enough? Noble marriages aren't about love anyway."
"That's true. But still..."
"But still, what?"
Despite Joanna's urging, Riena bit her lip, unable to say anything.
"My lady?"
"No, it’s nothing."
Riena avoided answering by putting a piece of bread in her mouth. As she chewed mechanically, she fell deep into thought.
Something feels off.
She recalled the conversation she had with Johannes.
"I mustered the courage to propose a marriage to the Dyke family, but I received no response. Disheartened by the rejection, I left the capital and traveled. As a result, I only learned of the Count's passing later."
"…A marriage proposal? When did that…?"
"I made it early this year, so it's been about half a year."
"Half a year…."
She hadn't heard a word about it from Count Dyke.
Not only that, but he didn't even respond. That's unlike Father.
Did he remain silent without even asking for Riena's opinion? That didn't match the character of the father she knew.
Count Dyke would have asked for Riena's opinion first. If she had agreed to the proposal, he would have seriously considered it. If she had refused, he would have sent a polite refusal to the Belliard family.
But he did nothing?
Something's strange.
Something was subtly out of place. So Riena couldn't just accept Johannes' goodwill at face value.
It wasn't that she was suspicious of him. It was just that, for some reason, she felt uneasy about hastily accepting the proposal.
Is there really no other way?
Riena, who had been hesitating, swallowed her bread and headed to the dressing room. She then retrieved a luggage bag that she had hidden deep in the wardrobe.
As Joanna watched Riena pack only the bare necessities, she nervously bit her lip.
"My lady, you're not planning to run away, are you…?"
"Shh."
Riena quickly placed a finger to her lips at Joanna's increasingly loud voice. Joanna widened her eyes and covered her mouth with both hands, then glanced around the empty room.
"I can’t just sit still and marry Viscount Rotman."
Joanna hesitated before whispering.
"Then can't you just accept Lord Belliard's proposal?"
She continued while observing Riena's expression.
"Even a maid living at the far southern end of the Empire like me knows how famous Lord Belliard is. He’s said to be handsome, kind-hearted, and adored by many noble ladies. Moreover, the Belliard Marquisate is prestigious and quite wealthy."
"So?"
"Such a person came all this way to propose to you, and you're really going to run away? I don’t understand why you’re acting like this, my lady."
"Joanna."
Riena interrupted Joanna as she placed her luggage bag on the bed.
"Marriage is a serious matter. Even putting aside the fact that I don't know Lord Belliard well, I can't just choose him to avoid Viscount Rotman."
"But he proposed to you, knowing everything."
"I know. That’s why I can't do it. I can't use such a good man. And…"
Riena hesitated for a moment before quickly closing her mouth. Joanna, puzzled, asked again.
"And what?"
"No, it's nothing."
She couldn't bring herself to say that she found Johannes Belliard suspicious. He was a man beloved by everyone, and if she doubted his character, Riena would likely be criticized instead.
But…
"Anyway, that's how it is. Don’t involve Lord Belliard in this."
Joanna sighed deeply.
"Then where will you go? You don’t have a place to stay."
"Raul is currently at Verna Estate. I’ll go to Verna Estate and seek his help to find Aunt Letitia in the capital."
"But you didn’t send a letter."
Riena resolutely replied as she locked her luggage bag.
"That's why I'm going directly to Verna Estate. I'll meet Raul and ask for his help. Raul will listen to me, so there's no need to worry."
Riena never once considered that Raul might refuse her request. Ever since childhood, the two of them had always been like siblings, helping each other out.
However, Joanna still wore a face full of doubt.
"But Verna Estate is a day's journey by carriage from here. How will you get there alone…?"
Riena whispered as if sharing a secret.
"Mr. Ben will help me."
Ben was the long-time stableman and coachman for the Dyke family.
He had always been kind to Riena, saying she resembled his late niece. Even after Count Dyke's death, he remained concerned for her. Seeing that he hadn't changed his attitude, Riena was convinced she could trust him.
She planned to ride Ben's carriage to the village first, then switch to another carriage there. The estate's residents were friendly towards Riena, so they would all be willing to help hide her.
If she could reach Verna Estate and meet Raul, everything would go smoothly from there.
But can I really do it? Despite her confident words, an inexplicable anxiety gripped Riena. She wasn't sure if Ben would truly help her, and even if he did, there was a chance she might be caught by the people sent by her stepmother.
Feeling a sudden chill, Riena rubbed her arms and looked out the window. The sky, which had been dark since morning, was now covered with thick, ominous clouds, as if it would rain at any moment.
There had been clouds like these on the day her father passed away. To calm the uneasiness creeping up from deep within her, Riena tried to focus on positive thoughts.
The vast fields she used to ride across in spring, the peaceful meals with her father, the portrait of her mother she secretly looked at whenever she felt sad.
Thinking only of the things she liked made her feel a little better. Riena forced a smile, trying to lift the corners of her mouth that kept drooping.
"It will be fine."
She kept repeating those words to herself.
"It will be fine. When the morning sun rises, all worries will disappear, Ria."
Those were the words her father used to say to her like a spell whenever she was scared on rainy days.
***
Fortunately, Coachman Ben sided with Riena. At dawn, he quietly prepared the double carriage and helped Riena sneak out of the mansion.
"My lady, I’ll take you directly to Baron Verna's estate."
Riena handed him her luggage and shook her head.
"That will give us away. It would take two days to go to Baron Verna's estate and return, and you can't leave the mansion for that long."
Ben looked troubled as he loaded the luggage.
"But I can't send you off alone."
"Joanna will be with me. And the estate's residents will help, so don't worry too much."
"But…"
"We should leave now instead of standing around here. Understand?"
Ben still looked unconvinced, but he obediently took Riena's hand and helped her into the carriage. Joanna, her hood pulled over her head, anxiously glanced around before following Riena into the carriage.
Soon, the carriage started moving. Riena looked back at the slowly disappearing Count Dyke's mansion with a wistful expression.
I wonder when I'll be able to return.
She had always known that she would leave someday. It had already been quite a while since she reached adulthood, and marriage meant leaving the estate as a matter of course.
But she hadn't expected to leave so suddenly, fleeing from the mansion. Given her completely broken relationship with her stepmother, she might never be able to return to her hometown.
She had left so much behind. The memories she had made with her family from birth until now were all left there. If she had known, she would have reminisced a bit more.
But Riena quickly shook off her regrets and closed the window. What she needed now wasn't to dwell on the past but to prepare for the future that awaited her.
***
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