Chapter 53 – Part 1

Owen raised his bowed head and slowly straightened his body.

“She belongs to me anyway, so why does it matter whether she hates me or not?”

“…….”

“And once she’s completely broken, she’ll forget what hatred is.”

A tender smile appeared on Owen’s lips. The smile was so terrifying that Florentine trembled with horror.

Madman… He was a complete madman.

Florentine glared at Owen and asked.

“…Did you know?”

“…….”

“Lily Everett is out of her mind.”

A smile crept across Owen’s lips. He turned away without answering. He slipped out of the cell just as he did when he came in, locking the door as he was now outside.

Clenching her teeth, Florentine shouted at Owen’s back as he left the dungeon.

“You will surely die by Lily’s hands! You’re a bastard that’s no better than a beast! You filthy, demonic scoundrel!”

It would be such a cathartic thing if Owen truly were to die in the hands of an ‘object of his possession,’ which he believed was in his complete control.

Thus, Florentine cursed him with all her heart.

“Madam, this way.”

I followed Charlotte into a dark, narrow alley. The person waiting for us at the end of the path raised his head. It was a brown-haired young man with freckles on his face.

He greeted Charlotte.

“Charlotte Brandon! Hasn’t it been a long time? I was worried because I don’t see you often these days!”

…This young man, despite his young age, was a tycoon running an errand guild in a back alley. He typically received a wide variety of requests, and one of his main trades was providing people a means to escape into the night.

…I wonder how Charlotte got such a connection. By this point, Charlotte’s people skills seemed like a mystery.

Charlotte exchanged a few words with the young man, and she soon turned her attention to me.

The young man with a good-natured smile took off his hat and greeted me in a rather gentlemanly way.

“I heard a lot about you from Charlotte, Duchess.”

“…Nice to meet you.”

The young man had a very ordinary appearance, and he seemed to fit easily into the crowd… The same with me now, as I had the appearance of a kitchen maid.

“Actually, I always thought that this kind of time would come someday. Unhappy noblewomen go through this procedure every now and again.”

Unhappy woman. It was an apt description that fit me well. I nodded in agreement.

“…The payment is half of my total possessions. Isn’t that right?”

“Hmm… The payment…”

The young man glanced at Charlotte, and she responded cheerfully with a polite expression.

“I decided not to take it!”

“……?”

Flustered, I opened my eyes wide and stood firm. The young man looked at me and smiled like he was having fun.

Then, he hit Charlotte on the back and pretended to be serious.

“Because Charlotte is like a younger sister to me. Well, since Charlotte is like my younger sister, then the Duchess is sort of my older sister…? Something like that!”

“…….”

I couldn’t understand a single word he was saying. I decided to assume that he was a man with an unusual way of thinking, and I just skipped over it.

“Clothes and jewelry are cumbersome and useless. Can you sell them all and exchange them for money?”

“Oh, of course. Please leave it to me.”

Nodding silently at the young man’s confident answer, I answered.

“Then, I will come back in two days. At that time, I will bring the clothes and jewelry.”

“Yes, Madam. You can do as you please. Anything.”

Afterwards, Charlotte and I listened to the young man’s detailed plans for our escape route and our eventual destination. Perhaps the phrase ‘specialized in escaping into the night’ on the young man’s business card was not a lie. In my opinion, it was the perfect plan.

With this, neither Theodore nor Owen would find me.

“Then, let’s set the execution date to that day. I’ll see you again the day after tomorrow. Charlotte, it was nice to meet you. I’ll see you again!”

After parting ways with the young man and exiting the alley, Charlotte and I walked through the village market like we were ordinary maids.

With the silver coin I brought, I bought Charlotte a snack and watched her enjoy it. Charlotte suggested that I try it too, but I had no appetite, so I just shook my head and smiled.

I returned to the deserted riverside near the Valentino residence and removed my disguise. Then, I took off the long black cloak and handed it to Charlotte, who put it in the basket.

I went to the water’s edge and looked at my reflection on the surface of the water. Perhaps because I was wearing a dark blue dress, my otherwise pale face looked even paler.

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