Chapter 1

𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝟙𝟚:

𝕊𝕟𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕙

“Woof woof woof!”

The snow-blanketed landscape of Serpente Estate, which I hadn’t laid eyes on in nine years, resembled a white fairy kingdom. Wendy, her golden fur dusted with powdery snow, darted in every direction, inviting me to join her playful romp. But my head still spun from the late awakening.

It had been ages since I slept in this late. Perhaps I should have ordered a brunch instead of the usual breakfast. Even Jose had taken a vacation, leaving me to forgo dinner at home.

“Miss Sasha? Feeling better?” Mr. Pavel’s grumbling voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Good morning, Mr. Pavel. After a long rest, I’m fine. Didn’t you take a break while Oppa was away?”

He sighed.

“Holidays and breaks don’t feature prominently in my memories from working here. I have nowhere else to go, you see…”

Mr. Pavel’s gaze shifted, focusing on my face—specifically the right side. My hair hadn’t concealed it as well as I’d thought. I chuckled, covering one ear with a bandage.

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Did that puppy nip at you while you slept?”

I laughed.

“Plausible, I suppose.”

But Mr. Pavel’s eyes remained inscrutable—doubt and concern warring on his weathered face.

“I assumed it was a cold. But…”

“Yes, it was the cold,” I assured him.

“But…”

Before the conversation could unravel further, Mr. Chaplin appeared.

“Feeling better, Sasha?”

“Good morning, Mr. Chaplin. I’m back on my feet. Is that today’s newspaper?”

He hesitated.

“Yes, though… Where are you injured?”

“It’s truly nothing. I’d rather read this than dwell on it.”

I snatched the newspaper and retreated indoors, trailed by the two men, their suspicious glances like unwelcome companions. How had this situation escalated?

“What does she mean, ‘nothing’? And what’s your take on it, Sir Aide?”

“Why are you upset with me? I’m as bewildered as you are. But the Young Master instructed me not to admit anyone…”

Ignoring their bickering, I focused on the newspaper. The headline screamed about a Christmas Eve clash among the Night Butterflies, complete with an aristocrat’s body discovered in Wendy’s Hotel’s artificial canal.

Members of the presumed Fibonacci organization had fought and shot each other within the sacred church. Quite interesting, isn’t it? That it unfolded this way? 

“Feeling better?”

“Ah, Aunt Merlin. I’m fine now.”

The head maid’s eyes widened as she scrutinized my ear—a rare display of astonishment on her otherwise solemn face. She turned her gaze toward the two figures trailing behind me, and they flinched in unison. Clearly, my little injury had set off a ripple of concern and intrigue.

“If you need anything just tell me… God, how did you get hurt?”

“I slipped in the bathroom. It’s nothing.”

I maintained a casual smile, but Aunt Merlin’s gaze lingered as if she could see through my flimsy excuse. Perhaps she suspected that bathroom tiles weren’t the true culprits. Meanwhile, the two eavesdroppers exchanged glances, their murmurs forming a hushed symphony of speculation.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

Leaving them to their whispered deliberations, I made my escape. My destination: the hotel. There were secrets to uncover, and the artificial canal at Wendy’s Hotel held its own mysteries.

Despite the lingering dizziness from the painkillers, I pressed forward. Fortunately, my condition wasn’t dire. The tangled threads of intrigue would have to wait—they always did in this enigmatic estate.


***


Apart from the Christmas Eve murder, the hotel buzzed with its usual activity.

Contrary to my worries, the atmosphere remained lively and exciting. Foreign guests flocked in for the holidays, and curious onlookers arrived to glimpse the infamous canal—the very one where the murder had occurred. It was almost as if my ill-fated attempt at poisoning during the opening ceremony had inadvertently turned the hotel into a macabre tourist attraction. Ahem.

“Oh my God, Sasha…?”

Valentina’s eyes widened as she took in my bandaged ears, mirroring Mr. Pavel’s earlier reaction. Yann, on the other hand, appeared equally surprised but wore an expression that screamed.

“Is this why you were sick? What happened? Perhaps on Christmas Eve…”

“It’s not quite that straightforward, but explaining would take a while. Is it really that obvious?”

“Obvious or not, it doesn’t matter. That doesn’t look like a mere scratch. Did you get burned?"

“No, nothing so dramatic. Anyway, I’m relieved you’re all okay. I did worry about Valen, though. But it’s too late for me to ask now—about your Christmas present…”

“The gift is fine, so spill the details.”

“It’s honestly not a big deal. Anything else eventful while I was bedridden?”

“There should have been. For instance, my friend—the one who’s sworn off alcohol like it’s his mortal enemy—was clinging to this busybody and drank until dawn. Apparently, that incident has some connection to your current state, doesn’t it?”

Yann’s words pierced me like an unexpected dagger. Benya…

“Are you interrogating me now?”

“No, I'm not doing an interrogation. I'm just genuinely concerned.”

“Your concern doesn’t exactly sound quite worried, though.”

“What are you talking about? I’m deeply worried! Noona, why do you keep pitting us against each other?”

Indeed, Valentina shot Yann a disapproving look, and he countered with an unfairly bewildered expression. I chuckled and cleared my throat awkwardly.

“I don’t have much time right now. But there’s something I need to share with both of you.”

“What is it?”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the sensational murder case.”

And with that cryptic statement, I stepped out of the hotel lobby, hurrying toward where the carriage waited. The siblings followed their expressions a mix of concern and reluctance.

“Where are you off to?”

“Tomorrow’s New Year’s. I’ve got a date, preparations for the Eve, and a bit of running around to do…”

“A date? And where are you headed now?”

“The Imperial Palace.”

The year-end festivities there must be winding down by now. I climbed into the carriage adorned with the Serpente crest. But Valentina and Yann, exchanging meaningful glances, joined me without bothering to ask if I minded. And so, my perplexity deepened.

“I can go alone…”

“I’m still worried, so I’ll go with you.”

“Tsk, it’s dangerous to walk around alone in this city.”

“I’m not gonna wander; I’m simply heading to the imperial palace…”

“Don’t fret; we’re just Sasha’s colleagues, after all.”

“And we’ll be in the carriage anyway.”

It seemed futile to argue further, so I acquiesced. Thus, my half-impulsive journey to the imperial palace unfolded alongside a rather suspicious entourage.

Given that most of the recent influx into the Python Knights belonged to our club, there was nothing particularly clandestine about our presence.

We passed through the renowned gardens of Vecchio Palace and crossed the Avalon Bridge. There, the majestic dome of Parliament House came into view, brilliantly illuminated by the winter sun.

I halted the carriage amidst the other waiting carriages near the frozen crystal fountain and stepped out—alone, of course.

In the square before Parliament House, expressionless guards patrolled, their eyes scanning the surroundings. I admired their splendid uniforms as I glanced up at the clock tower gracefully rising above the synagogue building—it was precisely one minute until noon.

The guards sipped from steaming tin cups, and their colleagues followed suit, casting curious glances my way. But they weren’t the only ones staring. Gentlemen chatted while strolling, coachmen rested in small groups near their carriages, and even the workers sweeping the square turned their eyes in my direction.

I walked briskly, arriving at the white marble steps leading up to Parliament House just as the noon bell tolled:

Dang, dang, dang.

After a while, the massive mosaic-adorned doors swung open, and people spilled out—one familiar face after another. These were individuals I’d glimpsed at previous banquets.

“Sasha?”

Of course, Princess Parke was among them. It made sense; she’d been attending court meetings in her stepmother’s stead. Her pink eyes bore into me, incredulous.

“Why are you here?”

Did she mean it wasn’t a place for someone like me? If it were merely to see a superior, the story might differ. But instead of answering, I averted my gaze. Not deliberate avoidance—just anticipation.

Because at that very moment, the man I’d been waiting for appeared. Golden hair and silver-grey hair harmonized as Assad, one hand on Benya’s shoulder, suddenly looked back and halted.

Benya followed his gaze, finding me.

“Sasha…?”

Under countless eyes, I didn’t bid farewell. Instead, I smiled—a surprise planned, now slightly embarrassing in its execution.

For a moment, Benya’s face hardened, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Then he descended the stairs, his gaze like a shadowy sky.

His hands hesitated, then carefully touched my bandaged ears. The pain and remorse etched in those eyes—enough to pierce my heart—made me feel like the worst of us.

“You promised a date today. I came to fetch you, lest you catch a chill while suddenly busy again.”

I delivered those words with cheer, my smile wide. But perhaps it was just my perception—his sky-colored eyes, initially blank, appeared almost watery.

In the next heartbeat, he moved, arms enveloping my shoulders. Hesitant at first, then with urgency, he held me. His trembling body pressed against mine.

I buried my head in the curve of Benya’s shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut. A faint sob seemed to escape—a poignant ache that pierced through us both.

"It’s all right… I’m okay, Benya. The pain is gone now. But more importantly, today is a joyous day—it’s the day I can fully claim you.”

As I whispered, playfulness tugging at my voice, his body that was pressed against mine flinched. His warm lips seemed to press tightly against my cheek, and then, gradually, our embrace loosened.

Silence enveloped us. The onlookers, it appeared, were momentarily stunned. But after that brief hush, someone disrupted the stillness with a powerful act.

And there stood our Crown Prince, frozen before the grand gates of the Parliament House, gazing down upon this scene. His voice, calm yet laden with poignant lament, uttered just seven words:

“You two, step outside and settle it.”

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ᴛ/ɴ: ʜᴇʟʟᴏ! ɪ'ᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɴᴏᴡ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀɴ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴀʏ. ʟɪᴋᴇ, ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴀʏ. ᴍʏ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏʀᴍᴇʀ ꜱᴏ ɪ'ʟʟ ᴘʀᴏʙᴀʙʟʏ ᴇᴅɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏʀᴍᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ ɪꜰ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ɪ ꜰɪɴɪꜱʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ, ɢᴜʏꜱ.

Comments

  1. I love this novel! Thanks so much! I'm looking forward to more. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this story! I'm glad you're back, so could you please fix some chapters that have disappeared from the blog? I can't read them :(
    They are chapters 24, 26, 27, 31, 32, 36, 37, 40 and 41. Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete

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Table of Contents

Chapter 4

Chapter 1