Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: If I'm Found as a Corpse
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"Pretending to be a dead person... there are other things to do...!"
The butler growled lowly, glaring at Lena. Faced with his eyes full of resentment, Lena hurriedly explained.
"Butler, it's me."
"Hey! Who the hell are you? Is it for money?"
"You really, really don't recognize me?"
Under the barrage of scolding, Lena's eyes wavered. No way. Six years was certainly a long time. But not long enough to forget someone you'd lived with. Besides, Lena's face still held the features of her childhood. It would be stranger not to recognize her.
"You really don't know me?"
"Enough...!"
"Then, do you remember this? The carpet on the stairs next to my room."
The butler sighed, and Lena recited slowly.
"When I was seven, I kept falling on those stairs. So you laid two extra layers of carpet just on the side by my room. So I wouldn't get hurt too badly if I fell. But the step got higher, so I fell even more, and other people started tripping too."
As Lena recalled the memory, a sad smile tugged at her lips.
"But you kept the carpet like that. For me, so I wouldn't get hurt. Don't you remember?"
"Where did you hear that story?"
"Butler..."
"Please stop. I don't know where you heard what, but our Young Lady passed away. If you knew how heartbroken the master was back then, you wouldn't dare do this!"
As Lena tried to prove herself with warm memories, the butler cried out in a resentful voice. Her affection gradually faded under his sharp gaze. That was when it happened. With a knock, a palace servant opened the door to the reception room. Whether he'd been tipped off beforehand, the servant held a tray with tea and snacks.
"Thank you. You can go now."
The butler stood himself and took the tray. Then he hurriedly sent the servant away. Up to here, it was ordinary behavior for a dutiful butler. But what came next was different.
'Poor Young Lady...'
The butler sighed with his back to Lena. Then he took a pocket watch from his breast pocket. The kind of pocket watch commonly used by elderly gentlemen of his age. Pretending to check the time, he tilted the watch. Water trickled out from the watch's winding hole and fell into the tea. It was a gentle poison. One that would bring a sleep-like end.
'Why come back like this...'
The butler swallowed dryly, his throat tight. In truth, he had recognized Lena at first glance. There was no way he wouldn't. He had watched her from birth, the Young Lady he had once adored so much. That was why he acted so harshly. Even so, when she brought up the carpet story, his heart felt like it was shattering. She still didn't know. It wasn't that the servants tripped because of the carpet, but that they had pretended to fall on purpose for the Young Lady who kept falling and feeling embarrassed. They had all acted for the sake of that clumsy, cute girl. Those days came to mind, tormenting him, but the butler steeled himself.
'Forgive me, Young Lady. If not, everyone dies.'
Apologizing inwardly, the butler turned. Lena sat waiting dejectedly. That sight hurt again, but he hid his emotions and offered the poisoned teacup. Lena gladly took it. Then, peering into the dark red tea, she said,
"Right now, no matter what I say, it won't matter."
Her poignant whisper stabbed the butler's heart.
"I won't ask you to believe me. Just... pass on my regards to Father. Tell him I hope he's been well."
The butler couldn't reply. Meanwhile, Lena lifted the teacup. The butler's breathing slowed. Lena blew on it to cool the tea, then brought her lips to the cup. It was over. The moment the butler thought that, the cup stopped tilting.
"But, butler."
Lena, about to drink, suddenly paused. Holding the cup to her chin, she said,
"What if... tomorrow, I'm found dead as a corpse? What do you think?"
The butler's heart plummeted. At the same time, a chilling cold swept over his entire body. As he paled, Lena burst into laughter.
"I was just kidding."
Lena said playfully and downed the tea in one gulp. The cup she set down again was empty. Having swallowed all the poison, Lena smiled faintly with her wet lips.
"Nice seeing you. Well, bye."
With that farewell, Lena left the reception room. Left alone, the butler froze for a long while before exhaling.
'Did she notice? No, no way...'
He wiped his forehead with trembling hands. It was drenched in cold sweat. Shaking with an inexplicable chill, the old butler smashed the teacup Lena had used.
***
Hearing the door open, Yuni poked her head out from organizing the closet.
"You're back? Earlier than I thought..."
Returning to the room, Lena brushed past Yuni without a word. Then she flung open the bathroom door and clung to the sink.
"Urp!"
Hearing the retching, Yuni rushed over in alarm.
"Young Lady, are you okay?"
Lena was vomiting something up. Yuni, clueless, patted her back. After a while, Lena finally spat out a small amount of liquid.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Yuni asked with wide rabbit-like eyes, and Lena replied with a weary face.
"Help me up? It's some kind of nerve poison. My toes are numb."
"Huh?"
Yuni looked at Lena in shock. Lena's faintly smiling face was paler than usual. Aghast at the sight, Yuni supported her.
"No way, you were only gone a little while and you drank poison!?"
"When someone I'm glad to see offers it, how could I refuse?"
With Yuni's help, Lena came out to the living room. Sitting on the sofa and checking her condition, she felt numbness starting from her toes. There was no pain. Just a slight tingling. A quiet, potent poison. If left alone, the paralysis would rise, and she would pass quietly.
"Pfft."
Observing her state, Lena suddenly chuckled. Then she clutched her stomach and laughed outright.
"Is she losing her mind...?"
Yuni muttered at Lena's bizarre behavior. Lena waved it off while laughing.
"Ah, it's just so funny. Really, too funny."
What's funny about almost being poisoned? Yuni asked with a dubious face.
"Did you meet Father?"
"No, the butler came instead."
Lena handed over a slip of paper as she spoke.
"He doesn't come out himself but just sends a note, right?"
"And?"
"I was touched."
Yuni took the paper with a puzzled look and unfolded it.
—Don't use my husband's wounds. This is just a warning, but next time it won't be.
Reading the contents, Yuni blinked and asked,
"Touched?"
"There, it says don't use his wounds."
"To me, this is something to get mad about, Young Lady."
"Think again. Having wounds means he was hurt. It means it pained him, and that he regrets it."
Lena whispered in a pure voice.
"So I thought maybe he feels a little sorry toward me."
"You don't actually believe all that, do you?"
"Not entirely, but there's that one-in-a-million chance. So I was confused, but then the butler puts poison in the tea? It was so funny..."
In truth, she was a bit surprised when the servant brought the tea. Treating her like a fraud but serving tea? Curious, she watched closely. Then she heard a faint trickle of water, followed by the predictable placement of the teacup. Even then, she couldn't believe it. So she picked up the cup to test, and all color drained from the butler's face. With that confirmation, Lena drank it boldly. For her steadfast father. Hearing the whole story, Yuni frowned and muttered.
"But still, drinking poison?"
"He seemed to be trying hard, so I drank it for him. It's not enough to kill me."
"Even if it doesn't kill you..."
It still hurts. Yuni almost said it but swallowed her words. Then she changed her expression and sighed.
"Anyway, you're weird for finding that funny, Young Lady, but your father's side is impressive too. How does he just bring out poison right away?"
"He's always been decisive."
Lena answered with a bright face. She seemed happy to glimpse her father's true feelings. Yuni stared at her self-deprecating look, then sat close beside her. Like a cat sidling up to comfort a person. The young maid then grumbled sullenly.
"They'll probably come check if you're alive tomorrow."
"That's why I went first to say hello."
"Good thinking. Then next time, an assassin will come, right?"
"Very possible."
"I should write on the bed before that. Lena Rubel's bed, Yuni's bed."
"You're saying you'll survive alone?"
"I'm still young."
Yuni betrayed her Young Lady without remorse. Then she stared at her with cat-like eyes. Lena laughed purely, intoxicated by the sweetness and poison.
***
That night, Lena couldn't sleep easily.
'Hot.'
It felt like embers were rolling in her stomach. Whether from the drug's effect, a burning sensation bloomed inside, constantly shifting shape to lick at her body. Tossing in the heat, Lena finally got out of bed. In the darkness, she heard Yuni's soft breathing. Careful not to wake her, Lena tiptoed to the balcony. Then she took a deep breath.
"Hoo..."
The early spring night air was cold. It cooled the heat inside her somewhat. As she breathed in the breeze, the unfamiliar palace scenery came into view. Past midnight, yet quite a few windows were still lit. Young nobles seemed to be enjoying socializing and revelry until dawn.
'They look happy.'
Lena leaned on the railing, watching the twinkling lights and passing shadows. Music drifted on the wind.
'If things were normal, I'd be there too.'
If things were normal, if Father hadn't sold me off. As the daughter of a viscount, Lena had counted the days until her social debut. She wanted to greet His Majesty the Emperor in her prettiest form, receive people's congratulations, and dance with a fine gentleman. Was that such a big greed? No, it was something that should have come naturally. If things were normal.
"If things were normal..."
Chewing on the words, Lena smiled self-mockingly and shifted her gaze. Beneath the glittering lights, a lake slept quietly. Feeling like walking, Lena looked around and lightly jumped down from the second-floor balcony.
'It's dark.'
Once down, the garden was darker than she thought.
'Midnight gardens are for secret trysts, huh?'
A line from a novel she'd secretly read as a child came to mind. She didn't remember details now, but it was about a man and woman who couldn't love openly due to some tragic reason, sharing love secretly in a midnight garden. Lena strolled the dark garden, mulling over the old memory. That was when it happened. A stealthy presence felt right behind her. At the same time, Yuni's voice about an assassin coming flashed by.
'Already?'
Reflexively, Lena spun and struck sharply with her elbow. Thud! But with a light friction sound, her elbow stopped in midair. With her arm grabbed, Lena gritted her teeth and pulled back. Then the intruder spoke.
"Calm down."
It was an ordinarily kind voice. Unexpected, yet familiar to her ears, Lena's eyes widened.
"Lin?"
Right on the mark. At Lena's call, the young man often called a thug nodded.
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