Chapter 7
The girl had already changed out of her wet clothes, and with the physician’s help, her wounds had been treated as well.
Haren felt slightly relieved when he heard her breathing, which sounded much steadier than before.
“How is her condition?”
“She has wounds here and there, but fortunately, there are no serious injuries. However, her left eye…”
As the physician had said, her left eye was covered with a bandage. Even when they had first found her, blood had already been flowing from it.
“It was a wound caused by something sharp cutting her. There will likely be a scar, but with proper care, it should fade over time. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that she will regain her eyesight.”
“Then you’re saying this wasn’t an injury caused by falling off the cliff?”
“Yes. That much is certain.”
After the physician left, Haren sat down on the chair beside the bed and looked at the unidentified girl sleeping peacefully as he fell into deep thought.
“That was my first meeting with Beirin. Thankfully, she wasn’t seriously injured, but just as the physician said, she eventually lost sight in her left eye.”
‘So that was why…’
Only then did Aivan understand why Beirin had not noticed him approaching earlier that day.
At that time, he had been standing on her left side. From Beirin’s perspective, he must have been outside her field of vision.
Thinking back, she had always covered her left eye with her long hair.
‘Then how did she get the injury on that eye? If it wasn’t from falling off the cliff…’
There was another reason why Haren still could not forget that day even after several years had passed.
“I didn’t know back then. I didn’t know how fragile that child’s eyes looked.”
Aivan became fixated on the word fragile. It seemed that Beirin had circumstances she could not speak of.
“She came here with me afterward. I told her she could live comfortably, but she insisted she couldn’t just sit around doing nothing and began working. I was worried about whether she would be able to adapt, but it seemed Beirin had grown fond of this place as well, so I was somewhat relieved.”
And it was after that incident that the relationship between Haren and Beirin began to change.
“Not long after I returned here, a problem occurred.”
“Are you talking about when you dismissed a large number of servants? I heard they had done something quite serious.”
“You already knew?”
“I found out then. I learned what Beirin was truly hiding… and the reason why that child had no choice but to be hurt like that.”
The unexpected story was brought up by Beirin not long after the two of them had arrived at the duke’s castle.
That day was another peaceful day for Haren. Because he had been away from the territory for such a long time, he was working late into the night to catch up on his duties.
And at that late hour, someone came to visit him.
Haren naturally assumed it was the butler, but the voice that came from outside belonged to someone completely unexpected.
“It’s Beirin, Your Grace. May I come in for a moment?”
“Beirin? Yes, come in.”
The door opened, and Beirin carefully entered the study. Haren was briefly puzzled but soon welcomed her warmly.
“I apologize for coming so late.”
“No, it’s fine. I was actually wondering if you were doing all right living here. I haven’t had much time to look after you because of my work.”
“I’m still adjusting, but thanks to Your Grace’s kindness, I’ve been able to stay here comfortably.”
Unlike her words, Haren could still see that she kept a certain distance from the people around her. However, he did not mention it.
Beirin still seemed to need more time.
“But what brings you here at this hour?”
“Ah, well… there is something I must tell you.”
Seeing the serious expression on Beirin’s face, Haren placed the documents he had been holding down. He waited patiently so she could speak comfortably.
Beirin glanced at the piles of documents on his desk before carefully beginning.
“I heard that Your Grace was away from this place for quite a long time.”
“That’s right. I spent most of my time at the mansion in the capital.”
“So I heard that during that time, the butler and the servants managed the duke’s castle.”
Haren nodded to confirm it was true. Thanks to their help, he had been able to focus on matters in the capital.
Since they regularly exchanged reports, he believed there had been no problems until now.
At least, until Beirin spoke her next words.
“I believe they have been deceiving Your Grace and secretly taking the castle’s funds and belongings.”
“What do you mean? Taking them?”
“I don’t know exactly who is involved yet. It will require a proper investigation, but there are definitely signs of such actions.”
At first, Haren could not believe it.
No, he could not believe it.
The people who had served him faithfully for so many years were being accused of embezzlement?
Moreover, he could not understand how Beirin, who had only recently arrived here, could make such a claim.
Haren was someone who trusted and protected his own people above all else. No matter who said it, even Beirin, he could not easily agree with suspicions against them.
“They are people who have served by my side for a long time. I would like to know what evidence you have for saying this.”
When Haren asked exactly what she had expected him to ask, Beirin took a careful breath.
At least with him, she had believed he would ask why she had come to such a conclusion.
That was why she had been able to gather the courage.
Even though she knew she would have to reveal something she had desperately hidden for a long time.
Trying not to let her voice tremble, Beirin calmly began explaining how she had discovered the truth.
“Two days ago, when I came here to bring you tea, you asked me to organize the scattered documents on your desk, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
Haren remembered both the tea she had brought and the help he had requested.
But there had been nothing particularly memorable about that moment.
“While organizing the documents, I happened to see their contents. They were documents related to the castle’s finances. However, the amount of supplies that entered the warehouse the next day did not match the quantities written in the documents.”
Haren did not understand and asked again.
“How did you realize that the quantities were different from what was written? Did you come into my study while I was away and check the documents?”
If that was true, it would become a serious issue. She would have entered his study without permission.
“No, that’s not what happened. I only saw them that one time.”
“Then how?”
After hesitating for a moment, Beirin finally spoke.
“I memorized them.”
“What exactly?”
“The contents written on those documents…”
She looked at him calmly.
“All of it.”
The first thought that came to Haren’s mind was that it was impossible.
Because Beirin had only been there for a short time when she brought the tea, organized the documents, and left.
Only a few minutes.
Yet during that brief time, she claimed she had memorized everything—from the types of supplies entering the castle to the enormous numbers written in the records.
It was something no one could easily believe.
Beirin knew exactly what kind of look Haren was giving her.
She had seen that expression many times before.
Even so, she did not back down.
“Because I felt something was strange, I analyzed the contents of the documents I had seen back then. I found traces that someone had deliberately interfered with the castle’s finances.”
As she said that, Beirin handed him a document she had written herself.
Haren quickly checked it, and inside were detailed comparisons of the quantities of supplies, along with a thorough analysis of the castle’s finances filled with countless notes and figures.
“Please believe me just this once and investigate. I’m asking you.”
Haren did not want to suspect his own people.
But the Beirin he had seen until now was not someone who would falsely accuse another person.
More importantly, she knew that if she was wrong, she would be the one put in a difficult position.
Yet she still found the courage to speak.
Seeing her desperate expression, Haren finally made his decision.
“Understood. I will investigate as you asked. We will discuss the details after that.”
“Thank you.”
That was enough for Beirin.
Because she was certain.
After Beirin left, Haren’s mind became even more complicated. Suddenly, he remembered what she had said.
That she had memorized the entire contents of the documents.
He compared the documents Beirin had seen before with the one she had handed him.
The pages turned quickly.
And soon, he could not help but feel a chill run through his entire body.
The numbers written on the two documents were exactly the same.
Without even a single error.
It was as if she had copied everything directly from what she had seen.
“Was what she said really true…?”
That confusing night passed, and Haren immediately began an internal investigation of the duke’s castle.
And the results were far more shocking than he had expected.
Not only had some servants, including the butler, been stealing the duke’s money and belongings, but they had even taken items that belonged to his family.
In the end, everything had been exactly as Beirin said.
“That is what happened next, as Your Highness already knows.”
Even after hearing Haren’s entire story, Aivan still found it difficult to believe.
“Was that really possible?”
“Beirin memorized that enormous amount of information in a very short time and noticed the problems within the documents. With the ability she possesses, realizing that the jewel was fake would have been simple for her.”
“You mean you believe that?”
“I witnessed it with my own eyes. How could I not believe it?”
Aivan still remained uncertain.
Could he truly believe such a thing?
Yet it was also the only explanation that could account for what Beirin had shown earlier.
