IMMCFC 21

Chapter – 21

Annoying brat. Tch. Celia clicked her tongue.

She didn’t understand.

What on earth did there even see in that woman?

For three years, she had been his devoted maid—bringing him meals, doing his laundry, handling countless chores. And yet, Jaden’s heart had been completely stolen by a pharmacist who had just arrived a few days ago.

Just moments ago, in fact.

Knock, knock.

The moment she knocked, Jaden’s voice came from inside.

“Viola?”

The voice was so bright and cheerful that she almost couldn’t believe her ears. Could this be the same arrogant little boy?

But as soon as he saw it was her, Jaden’s expression immediately turned icy.

“…Ah.”

“Master, I’ve brought your meal.”

“Leave it there and go.”

Thinking about it made her blood boil again. Could her future husband really be so rude? Celia fanned herself roughly to cool her temper.

‘That pharmacist… she must be some kind of master manipulator.’

After all, she had managed to seduce even prickly Jaden, which meant she definitely had some hidden motive.

Her goal was obvious: win over the child to gain leverage over the Duke. Celia herself had intended to do the same, so she knew the strategy well.

‘Being a mother must help her cater to children so well.’

But it was laughable. Did the position of the Duchess really hinge on something like that?

She, Celia, had been raised as the daughter of a noble family, while that woman was just a commoner and a single mother.

‘How dare she covet my place?’

Surely she must have been warned by her future role as Duchess of Aschern, yet the foolish commoner clearly hadn’t understood. Moreover, she was so audacious it was infuriating.

“Just know, the future Duchess of Aschern is watching closely, so mind your actions.”

“That doesn’t make sense…”

Suddenly, Viola’s words came back to her. Indeed, she was no ordinary person, with her innocent eyes scratching Celia’s nerves raw.

“Arrogant commoner…”

Celia gritted her teeth.

At first, she had tried to ignore Viola. Being Jaden’s healer and all, she would eventually leave the mansion.

‘Even renowned doctors failed before her.’

There was no way a mere commoner pharmacist could succeed. Surely, within days, she would be exposed as a fraud and thrown out.

But the more Celia thought about it, the more a strange unease gnawed at her—because Jaden’s behavior toward Viola was completely different from how he treated her.

“Ugh! That disgusting brat is the problem, I swear.”

Unable to control herself any longer, Celia had spent the past two days trying to investigate Viola.

It wouldn’t be hard to uncover the weaknesses of a single mother abandoned by her husband.

Yet the maids and staff all claimed they didn’t know anything.

Celia had gained nothing—but strangely, it made her feel triumphant.

They’re hiding something desperately.

Clearly, Viola had some tremendous secret.

“Let’s see you hold your head high. Who knows what kind of man her father was, or where she lived before… Probably rolling around with street thugs somewhere.”

And yet she dared to try and take our Duke?

Celia had already accepted her speculation as fact.

The maids and even Jaden treated that woman like some kind of saint. Celia had to find out her true, dirty secret.

After leaving Jaden’s room, Celia walked the corridor irritably, when something caught her eye at the far end. Familiar faces.

Mari and Becky—the maids who had so brazenly defied her at the laundry room a while back.

Between them, a girl with pink hair was laughing merrily.

‘Looks exactly alike.’

Clearly, the girl was Viola’s daughter.

Good. This child might know about her father.

Celia approached them immediately.

“You there.”

“…Lady Celia?”

Becky, noticing her, panicked and tried to shield the child.

But Celia was faster, roughly shoving Becky’s shoulder.

“Move. You’re in the way.”

Becky fell with a thud.

“Ugh?”

Melody frowned and looked up at Celia.

Just like Jaden, this one also had an annoyingly bold gaze.

Why are children nowadays so cheeky? Celia’s pride pricked, and she scowled down at the girl.

“You there—where’s your father?”

“Ugh!”

“I asked where your father is.”

“P-please stop, Lady Celia!”

Mari stepped forward as if to protect Melody, but Celia ignored her.

Ha. Both mother and daughter were equally irritating.

“What? Why can’t you answer? Lost your tongue?”

“…Melody, don’t listen!”

Becky hurriedly covered the girl’s ears, but Celia said her piece.

“Tch. A mother who’s a single commoner, and a daughter who’s an airhead. Blood doesn’t lie—just like attracts just like…”

Then—

“Miss Dorn.”

A cold voice behind her made Celia start and turn.

Conrad stood there, face icy. His eyes behind the glasses were unusually sharp.

“Miss Melody is a precious guest under the Duke’s patronage. You are not to speak to her in such a manner, Miss Dorn.”

His words clearly drew a line, but Celia feigned ignorance.

“…Speak to her in such a manner? What do you mean? I was only worried because the girl couldn’t answer.”

Her shameless words earned only a cold smile from Conrad.

“You’d do well to watch your tongue. And…”

He stepped closer, adding quietly:

“There are reports that you’ve been snooping around after Miss Viola.”

“Of course I am! She’s so cunning—”

But Conrad cut her off.

“Seems you have trouble understanding words.”

“W-what did you say?”

“You may be aware that your father, Count Dorn, has done quite a bit to secure your position as a lady-in-waiting.”

Though Conrad’s face held a faint smile, his eyes were deadly serious.

“It would be unwise to make all his efforts futile.”

“…!”

Was he threatening her over a single meddling stone? After all the trouble she had gone through caring for that annoying little brat!

As Celia trembled with indignation and anger, Conrad turned and scooped up Melody in his arms.

“Miss Melody, you were startled, weren’t you? Shall we go together?”

“Ugh!”

Melody swung her fists at Celia and huffed, but Conrad cooed at her adorably and left.

Mari and Becky, pretending otherwise, seemed secretly relieved and followed quietly.

Left alone, Celia let out a hollow laugh, speechless with frustration.

High above, a crescent moon hung in the sky.

Under the soft moonlight, Cain walked alone through the garden.

The cool night air contrasted sharply with the turmoil in his mind.

An hour ago, he had received a report from Conrad:

“Analysis of the mechanism and principles of pharmacological reactions specific to the bodies of the blood-borne.”

An old book that Viola had found in the Dvorre Marquis’ study.

According to Conrad, it was astonishingly a book originally stored in the Duke’s mansion but lost 300 years ago.

Strange.

Though old, it was not something to dismiss lightly. Information about the blood-borne was highly sensitive—it could easily become a weakness for the Aschern family.

Records related to the blood-borne were kept entirely in the mansion’s secret library, accessible only if blood of the Aschern lineage flowed.

Yet, somehow, the book ended up in the Dvorre Marquis’ study. How and why, no one knew.

It couldn’t have been stolen.

‘No one but an Aschern descendant could even remove this book.’

Lost in thought, Cain continued walking.

Then he saw a figure scurrying across the garden.

A pink-haired girl was frolicking around.

Cain couldn’t help but smirk.

Since when did squirrels become nocturnal?