Give Me Back My Glass Shoe - Chapter 9

Hello everyone! there are changes in the chapter numbering, I had edited it to the correct arrangement as there was confusion in the chapter count. Apologies and enjoy the translation!

“Character! Haha! Sterling character! That’s truly hilarious.”
“Hahaha……!”
Not knowing how to react, Aniella awkwardly followed along with a dry laugh. After laughing uproariously, Paiki, whose complexion had improved remarkably, asked her in a soft voice.
“Mullier, do you know what the people who used to talk about my ‘character’ have in common?”
“Um, I’m not sure.”
“They’re all dead.”

A cold sweat trickled down Aniella’s back. She thought she understood why he knew so much about the third daughter of a count’s family that had nothing special except its poverty. And why he had brought her to this secret place where even servants weren’t allowed to know.

He was a man known for kidnapping, confinement, extortion, and threats. Did he also commit murder? Even if not for the Emperor, perhaps murder for his own pleasure?

‘He’s going to kill me!’
She couldn’t think of any other possibility.

Aniella often thought of her life as a boat on a calm sea. She would pessimistically wish that a great storm would blow and capsize the boat that was going nowhere.

It was a foolish, arrogant wish. The moment the boat was about to capsize, she felt profound regret.
“Now, take a guess. Why do you think I brought you here?”
“I, I d-don’t, don’t know. Your Grace, please, please s-spare my life. I’ll, I’ll do anything if you spare me.”
“You’ll do anything? People who say that usually say they can’t do it when you actually ask them.”
“I’m, I’m different! I really can do it. If you tell me to steal Marius’s research, I’ll steal it! Just, just tell me what materials you need……!”

Aniella realized that people can become utterly cowardly right before their boat capsizes. As she pleaded with tear-filled eyes, begging him to spare her life, Paiki raised the end of one eyebrow.
“Do you think I would covet Marius’s childish, trivial research?”
“Ah, no. Of course not.”
“Then why would you say such a thing?”

Aniella felt her mouth go parched, the dryness extending down her throat. Cold sweat poured from her entire body.
“I’m, I’m sorry. Your Grace, I made a mistake…….”
“It was a bit unpleasant, but I’ll forgive you with a generous heart.”
“Really?”
As she sighed in relief, Paiki smiled brightly.
“That’s a lie. I can’t forgive you.”

Aniella gasped and began to tremble violently. She could no longer hold back her tears. Large, chicken-dropping-like tears fell drip by drip from her big eyes.

She clasped her hands together and begged fervently.
“Please spare me, Your Grace. Please spare me. I never intended to displease you. I was just trying to say that I could do anything!”
“Do you think I’m going to kill you or something? How strange. I’m not holding anything in my hands to harm you with.”

Paiki smiled and waved his hands. Aniella stopped crying and looked back and forth between his hands and his face.

A few months ago, an old man had visited the workshop. He came to buy a potion from Marius and didn’t speak a single word from start to finish. After the customer left, Aniella subtly asked about him, remarking that he must have a very quiet friend. Then Marius said:

‘It’s because his tongue was cut out. Since a magician can cast magic with a single word, it’s common practice to gag them or cut out their tongues when capturing them.’

When Aniella expressed horror at such a cruel story, Marius shook his head.

‘He’s tame now, but do you know what that old man used to be called? The Nutcracker. They called him the Nutcracker because he used to crack people’s heads open like walnuts for fun.’

Marius continued in a spooky voice, trying to scare her: ‘If his tongue were still intact, and he found the way you were staring at him with curiosity unpleasant, he probably would have crushed your head too.’