Chapter 33
‘What on earth did she give me?’
Judging only by the sensation in her palm, it felt like a piece of paper crumpled into a ball. If so, then there was probably something Giselle wanted to tell her written on it.
‘Get out of the Vellasi household, you filthy person of Grand Duke Barietsch… something like that? Or is she threatening to cut off my head and send it to Master if I don’t help her break off the engagement?’
As she mopped while counting the splendid marble patterns carved into the floor with her eyes, Venya sank into thought.
Even though she had finally confirmed that the short conversation they had shared that day had not been a dream, she was far more concerned about the contents of the note Giselle had handed her.
In the end, as soon as Venya finished cleaning, she returned to her room and locked the door. The sound of the lock catching gave her deep relief.
She immediately reached into her pocket and took out what Giselle had given her. Its identity was indeed a note, and because her palm had been so drenched with sweat, the paper was wet with it, so she had to wipe the moisture on her apron once.
On the crumpled paper, these words were written in elegant handwriting.
[Tonight at midnight, in front of the willow tree in the garden.]
Even without thinking deeply, it was easy enough to guess that the words, let’s meet there, had been omitted.
‘Why is she suddenly asking to see me at night now?’
What on earth is she going to say to me?
It was exceedingly strange, but she couldn’t not go.
In any case, she was the one who had requested a conversation first. If Venya did not respond and Giselle exposed the fact that she was a spy, that would be an even bigger problem.
Most of all, she did not want to miss a good opportunity to speak frankly with Giselle. She was tired now of watching Giselle day after day, chewing over what had happened that day, and trembling at the anxiety that suddenly came over her. She no longer wanted to agonize over whether she should report it to Raven either.
With the thought of clearly tying up every problem, reporting it to Raven, and becoming at ease, Venya eventually left her room at night, when everyone had fallen asleep.
The garden, where the darkness had settled thickly, was quiet as death. The beautiful scenery that had bloomed with vitality in the sunlight was entirely swallowed by the pitch-black shadows, making it difficult to even distinguish its shape.
The cold wind that blew from time to time shook the thin branches. Only the sound of the leaves hanging from the branches colliding with one another surged in the darkness like waves.
At the cool autumn wind that passed while coldly caressing the back of her neck, Venya pulled the thin coat she was wearing closed. Although it was not a thin garment, it was not very thick either, so the chill seeped into her bones. It likely felt even colder because it was night after the sun had set.
‘I should have come out wearing a slightly thicker coat.’
Though she regretted it inwardly, she quickly moved her steps toward the promised place. Even in the midst of that, she did not forget to carefully look around and thoroughly check whether there were any gazes watching her.
Suddenly, her gaze turned toward the dark night sky.
In the moonless sky, even the stars could hardly be seen. The noisy cries of crows that were sometimes heard around this area were quiet as well, as though they had all gone to sleep.
‘Is it because it’s night, or because there isn’t a single person here? Somehow, the atmosphere is eerie.’
At the atmosphere that seemed as though a ghost might appear, a slight fear arose. Venya suppressed the emotion rising within her and continued moving.
As she diligently moved her steps, the willow tree in the garden where she had agreed to meet Giselle soon came into view. Although the scenery of the garden in the deep night was buried in darkness, the sight of the large willow tree with its long leaves hanging low was clear.
‘There it is.’
Feeling relieved that she had arrived at the promised place on time, she let out a deep sigh inwardly.
‘I can wait there until the Miss comes.’
It was when she thought that and moved her steps without much thought. Suddenly, her feet stopped abruptly midway. It was because an utterly unbelievable sight entered her eyes.
“What on earth is this…?”
The question that burst out on its own could not continue.
Venya stared in disbelief at something hanging from the willow tree, then hurried toward it.
At first, her steps had only quickened a little, but later they became close to running. Even though she had only moved a short distance of a few steps, her heart thrashed violently, and her breath rose to her chin.
The scene growing clearer the closer she came reflected in Venya’s eyes, which shook helplessly. Before she knew it, she had stopped, and she looked up at the tree with her mouth hanging open.
“Ah…”
There, between the willow leaves, was Giselle, hanging by the neck and swaying with the wind, stretched long like a dead person.
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