Chapter 3
Some died suddenly from chronic illnesses, others were poisoned, and some were engulfed in deadly love affairs. They all met their end under unnatural circumstances.
Rumors were circulating secretly, suggesting the involvement of venomous snakes behind the demise of these blood relatives. From what I remember...
"What are you two talking about?"
"She was concerned about being left alone."
"I thought you'd actually like that, but apparently not."
...At this point, I seriously question what Lethias thinks of me regularly.
Anyway, do these guys really turn into sociopathic demons in the future?
Really?
I can't believe it.
"I hear a strange noise."
Estelle, who had been gazing at the floor with a disapproving expression, suddenly gripped my wrist and whispered. Her usual childish behavior was absent this time.
Soon, the sound pierced through all of our ears. Or rather, to be more precise, we didn't hear it—we saw it. The mirror on the wall suddenly shifted with a loud thud.
As if there was some sort of mechanism outside, the entire stone wall slowly rotated like a revolving door, revealing...
"Uncle Jerome?"
It was Viscount Hippolyte, the youngest uncle of the siblings, who appeared in a manner best described as bizarrely peculiar and unpredictably random.
He used to play with us often during our childhood and was the favorite relative of the three siblings.
"Oh, Uncle, I was so worried!"
"I had imagined the strangest things. But where exactly are we?"
"Uncle Jerome, I'm hungry. I want to leave this place."
I stood silently, listening to the anxious ramblings of those around me.
Despite the care the late Duke and his wife had shown towards me and my mother, we were viewed as mere humble maids by others, and I was well aware of that.
This perception existed even before my memories of my previous life resurfaced. But now...
I observed the young Viscount intently, while the others were caught up in their nervous chatter. It wasn't that I didn't share their feelings, but something about his demeanor seemed slightly off.
The usually gentle and friendly smile on his face appeared hazy, and his eyes seemed clouded, like fish scales.
He stood there rigidly, not uttering a word, while his nephews and niece continued to speak. He resembled someone who had been summoned to an awkward and uncomfortable place.
We were all trying not to show it, but everyone, including myself, was filled with anxiety, creating a somewhat intimidating atmosphere.
But why was he looking at his nieces and nephews with such a peculiar expression? Perhaps he was reminded of those who had passed away. It could be something like that.
"Uncle?"
In a similar vein, Lethias cleared his throat, seemingly sensing an uneasy feeling. The brief relaxation in the atmosphere quickly stiffened once again.
After a moment of silence that felt both short and long, Jerome finally spoke. It wasn't his usual soft and playful voice; instead, it was stiff and rigid, like sand being poured.
"Hey, kids... First of all, let's all sit down."
Lethias took a seat on a nearby chair, while Benya and Estelle perched on the edge of the bed.
As for me, I stood by Estelle's side. Despite everyone obediently taking their seats for some reason, Jerome continued to gaze at our puzzled faces, his mouth remaining closed.
Perhaps he saw his deceased brother and sister-in-law reflected in the faces of his nieces and nephews.
"Are you unwell?"
"...Ah, no. I'm fine, Lethy. Did I surprise you? When you woke up, your rooms had been changed."
"I was indeed a little surprised. But this is still our house, right?"
"A secret room is a basic requirement for every noble family."
Everyone laughed at the Viscount's jest, as he momentarily returned to his usual tone. Everyone except me. Among other reasons, it was because the room's interior design had been intrusively altered.
The fact that the room had changed implied that we would continue to use it in the future...
"Kids, I'm afraid we'll have to alter our plans for the time being..."
"What?"
"...The decision to go to Fzeia, well, you know the current situation in the Imperial capital. We have concluded that even traveling to the port of Valencia would be risky."
Countless nobles, including the Empress and the Duke and Duchess of Serpente, who rarely ventured outside, had contracted the disease and perished.
Not to mention the suffering of the commoners. As reported in the newspapers, it was a terrifying plague, akin to a divine punishment itself. Its onset and spread were unpredictable.
...It wasn't truly a divine punishment, but rather a setting crafted by the writer.
Nonetheless, this unknown plague, bearing resemblance to the Black Death, would subside just as abruptly as it had appeared, approximately two months from now.
Of course, the aftermath of the shock and fear would linger for a long time. In other words, it was a plausible conclusion...
"Even within this mansion... it was deemed unsafe due to the presence of infected individuals. Especially young children like yourselves are more vulnerable, so we quickly moved you to the safest place. It's a location that has been untouched for a long time."
His tone was light and cheerful, so much so that it almost felt unreal. It was so reminiscent of his usual demeanor that the content seemed almost weightless.
Benya and I exchanged a knowing glance. It appeared we had the same thought.
"So... what happens now? Are we going to stay here from now on?"
Lethias, perplexed by Benya's question, raised his head, startled. Estelle, too, wore a frightened expression. Jerome hurriedly smiled and nodded, or rather, he shook his head and nodded.
"For the time being... it's just temporary. We can't expose you to such danger... This place is very safe, so you can relax. It's not a place I particularly enjoy either, but if you endure it for a while, we'll go to Fzeia as soon as the situation allows."
Now we all exchanged glances. Exploring new and unfamiliar places can be exciting, but staying there is a different story.
If this space was as small as it seemed, it would be nothing short of a nightmare for the aristocratic siblings, even from an objective standpoint.
"I don't like it here..."
As expected, Estelle immediately teared up, turning to me with a whimper. It was understandable. What kind of loud noise was that? Lethias and Benya also wore expressions of astonishment.
"How long do we have to stay?"
The answer to Lethias's bewildered question came swiftly.
"I think it will be about a week, but not more than that. It's best to leave the country as soon as possible."
"Ah, so... do we have to eat everything here?"
"Of course. Don't worry, the butler will bring the meals to you. Your clothes have already been moved, so take a look. Estelle can stay with Sasha for now, but for the time being, you two will have to learn to take care of yourselves."
The two boys burst into laughter, while Jerome's playful response elicited a low, throaty chuckle.
Typically, I would have found this endearing, but it seemed that now I couldn't afford such thoughts.
"Ugh, it's so dark and stuffy in here. Can't we go outside for a little while?"
"No, that's not possible. If it were, I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place. This plague can only be transmitted through the air."
A week was manageable. I didn't know how the kids felt, but by my standards, it was a short duration. If we stayed here for a week, we would board a ship together, heading to a foreign country.
...But why did I feel so uneasy?
It wasn't an unreasonable arrangement. I could understand that. It was fortunate that it was only temporary for a week...
...But why did I feel such fear?
The Viscount, who laughed somewhat awkwardly, suddenly turned his gaze towards me.
Perhaps sensing my doubts, his jade-colored eyes briefly shimmered with an unusual light as they locked with mine.
It was a fleeting moment.
"Sasha, as you may have heard, you will also be accompanying us to Fzeia. Estelle needs you. Cough, I hope you will continue to take good care of our niece in the future, as you always have."
Let's delve into the plot of the book, shall we?
In the Cherkesha Empire, known for its illustrious 1,700-year civilization, only two ducal families reigned supreme. The Parke family, the founding contributors to the empire, and the Serpente family were deeply entrenched in the financial industry.
Despite Serpente's relatively shorter history compared to the historic Parke family, their Python Bank stood as the epitome of prestige and could be considered the strongest bank in the world.
Now, let's focus on the heroine, Adriana di Amor de Parke, the Ducal Princess Parke. She was the sole daughter of the Duke of Parke, a pitiful princess who lost her mother at an early age.
Raised with pampering, her life took a turn when her stepmother and stepbrother suddenly appeared. To compound her troubles, she tragically lost her father during the Great Plague.
Rumors whispered in secrecy that the Duke's demise wasn't due to infection, but rather poison administered by his second wife.
Following the Great Plague, public sentiment turned sour, with thieves and gangs infesting the streets.
However, Adriana made significant contributions to stabilize the people's morale by generously donating to alleviate the suffering of the poor.
As a result, she grew close to the crown prince of that time.
The male lead in the story was the crown prince himself. Naturally, the two of them eventually formed a connection and lived a long and happy life together.
However, the journey toward their eventual happiness was chaotic.
For instance, the notorious playboy second prince attempted to pursue Adriana, which happens to be his older brother's lover.
Meanwhile, Adriana's stepbrother, the incurable siscon Prince Parke, constantly meddled in his sister's love affairs.
Additionally, Duke Serpente, who had been involved in the empire's underworld for seven years following his return from Fzeia, fell in love with Adriana.
That's Lethias for you.
It seems that Sasha's downfall, as she dominated the Serpente brothers and engaged in all sorts of wicked activities, started there. In the end, all three of them faced a catastrophic event.
No matter how close we were since childhood, people wondered how a nanny's daughter, a mere commoner, could wield such influence over two aristocrats.
First and foremost, my beauty played a role...
There were even descriptions that even the princes,
despite their initial animosity towards my personality, acknowledged my beauty.
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