If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 36

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

The total number of servants exclusively serving the future Marchioness was twelve. Half of them had connections to the Duchy, while the other half had been recruited from the Marquis’ estate.

A splendid four-wheeled carriage awaited them, as grand as one befitting the future Marchioness. Ethan bent one knee to create a step for Agatha, helping her onto the carriage. Liana worked diligently at the back, ensuring that the hem of Agatha’s dress wouldn’t drag on the floor.

Normally, Ethan should have followed behind in a separate carriage, but given Cain’s specific instructions, he boarded the carriage with Agatha. Disobeying the Lord’s command to never take his eyes off his wife even for a moment was not an option.

As a result, he found himself seated across from Agatha. Ethan shifted his gaze out of the carriage window. In his memory, Agatha had been a nine-year-old girl, the beloved flower of Kristin, Lady Agatha Kristin, adored by all.

He hadn’t known that, during the nine years he hadn’t seen her, Agatha might have suffered mistreatment at the hands of Countess Calvino. Although he had obtained some information through the agents Cain had placed, confirming that the Countess had a dual personality and was not kind to her only niece, he hadn’t been able to gather more detailed information.

The Countess’ abuse might have been an unforeseen catastrophe. Agatha probably had no idea that Stella and Duke Kristin were, in fact, not-blood related siblings.

Stella’s birth mother was the youngest daughter of Viscount Stefan. She had earlier married Count Premysl’s son. Shortly before completing her first year of marriage, she became pregnant with Stella.

However, shortly after becoming pregnant, her husband tragically passed away, leaving her a widow. She then entered the household as the second wife of the previous former Duke, the current reigning head of the Kristin family, using her extraordinary beauty as her weapon, she brought her daughter with her.

In this way, Stella’s mother became the Duchess. However, this did not mean that Stella became the Duke’s daughter. The fact that she did not inherit Kristin’s name was evidence of this.

While living in the Kristin estate, Stella grew up as Stella Premysl, as the Duke did not formally adopt her and bestow upon her the Kristin name. She felt like an insignificant speck of dust, even among the nobility.

She never had a conversation with her half-brother, as he had no reason to show her any affection. Furthermore, this discrimination extended to the servants. Stella felt unjustly treated, as she was disregarded even among the lower ranks due to her different parentage.

Before his passing, the Duke did grant her the name Kristin, but Stella still did not qualify for any inheritance from the Kristin estate. In essence, she was merely an adopted daughter in name.

Disheartened by her situation, Stella married Count Calvino immediately after coming of age and, upon becoming the Countess, severed all ties with her parental family, Kristin.

For Stella, bringing Agatha into her life was a form of retribution: I will accept your successor into my family, even though not a single drop of my blood flows through her veins, just as you accepted me despite the absence of any shared heritage.

However, Ethan never thought that she would harm Agatha in any way. He simply believed that Agatha would receive uncomfortable treatment.

Ethan, having begun his life as a knight in the Kristin Order, also held a certain level of compassion and loyalty toward Agatha. So when he heard that Agatha was suffering and being whipped, he felt anger akin to Cain’s. Of course, the nature of his anger was different from Cain’s.

Lost in thought, Ethan didn’t realize the carriage had started moving. He furrowed his brow as he gazed at the passing landscape.

Judging from Countess Calvino’s temperament, she was not the type to back down easily. She would most likely resort to some kind of scheme or trickery to get back at Agatha or try to wrest control of the Kristin estate. Ethan agreed with Cain’s assessment, and that’s why he accepted Cain’s order to protect Agatha without hesitation.

He didn’t know when or where Countess Calvino would appear, so Ethan remained on high alert.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The Marquis’ residence was relatively central in Leden. This was because the previous marquis handled security duties in the outskirts of the capital. Thanks to this, it didn’t take much time to reach the dressing room.

Throughout the journey on the well-paved road, the carriage gently rocked. It was a pleasant sensation.

Agatha didn’t even think about hiding her excitement for this newfound freedom. The swiftly passing scenery beyond the window, along with the warm breeze slipping through the cracks, were all delightful. Occasionally, she felt a hint of anxiety about enjoying a happiness that wasn’t truly hers, but she tried her best to push it aside.

Liana, who had been constantly observing Agatha’s face, now wore a bright smile. It had been a while since she had seen the young lady in such a good mood. She quietly chuckled to herself, thinking that even if she didn’t eat today, her stomach would feel full.

As Ethan watched the two girls’ cheerful expressions, his own lips couldn’t help but curl into a small smile.

“Welcome, Madam,” Madame de Borre greeted as she came out to meet them even before the carriage had arrived.