Chapter 270
“Why should I help Miss Horton?”
“It’s for Eren Wood, not Duke Krygen.”
Unbeknownst to Eren, Dia knew that Arzena Krygen pitied and cared for him quite a bit.
She had even bonded by projecting Arzena’s son or perhaps Arzena herself to some extent.
The plan was to give Eren time to reflect on his feelings, then arrange for the two to meet again at the right moment and reconcile.
“If I hide Miss Horton, it will be for Eren. You still serve Birente Krygen, yes?”
“I serve the head of the Krygen family, my lord, and all.”
“A loyal retainer indeed. My father-in-law would be impressed even after death.”
Arzena, whose resentment toward the Krygen family deepened after her illness, sneered, but Dia’s expression was utterly calm.
She simply did what was required, like a machine fulfilling her duty.
Thus Rubens met Macy, and their strange atmosphere persisted.
They hated, despised, and loved each other— such a bond wouldn’t change in just one year.
During the preparation for Macy’s trial, their relationship would fully restore, and Rubens would return to the perfect head of the Ducal family.
But things didn’t turn out as expected…
“Master, was my choice wrong?”
She asked aloud but received no reply.
Dia felt like a stray cat who had lost its owner.
She was confused— unsure if her master’s will was truly right, if she had misinterpreted it, and who she should now serve and obey.
Both her original master and the new master she was to protect lay quietly asleep.
Dia felt she could no longer remain in the Krygen family. She stood and returned to her room.
She packed her belongings into her suitcase. Then—
A parchment came into her view.
‘This is…’
On the parchment was a portrait— a portrait of Dia that Macy had drawn while practicing painting portraits at the cabin.
“I’m not a suitable model.”
“There’s no such thing as a suitable model. I just paint what’s in front of me! People themselves are beautiful subjects.”
Macy praised Dia like a savior, smiling brightly.
Though not detailed, the portrait exuded warmth and kindness. It wasn’t a bright expression, but the feeling was subtly conveyed.
Since it was a practice sketch before the final painting, it lacked detail, but Macy’s skill was such that even a few lines captured the subject’s charm.
‘The painter must have looked at the model that way for it to appear so.’
Dia hadn’t been an enemy to Macy. She hadn’t been kind for Macy’s sake.
Macy believed Dia had helped her purely out of goodwill. A faint guilt coiled in Dia’s chest.
Something in her heart stung sharply. Then a question arose:
‘Did I really help the Krygen family all this time?’
Her role wasn’t over yet. She felt something unfinished remained.
She put down her bag and headed toward the main gate of the Krygen estate.
“Ah, head maid…”
A soldier guarding the gate looked awkwardly at Dia.
“She won’t leave no matter what we say…”
Macy stood before the gate in the falling snow, her cheeks reddened by the cold.
“Let her in.”
“But Madam ordered us never to open the gate.”
Now that the head of the Krygen family lay unconscious in bed, the true ruler was Ottilie Krygen.
“I will take responsibility. Open the gate. When Duke Krygen wakes, it will be troublesome for you if you only follow orders.”
The two soldiers exchanged glances, then slowly opened the gate.
“You will be held responsible.”
“Yes.”
Dia answered briefly and went to greet Macy.
“Dia, that person is…”
“He’s unconscious, but he must be waiting for Macy. I’ll guide you.”
“Thank you. Really, thank you…”
Dia gently rubbed Macy’s shoulder, warming her frozen body.
* * *
Macy followed Dia’s guidance toward Eren’s bedroom. Along the way, the gazes of the Krygen family servants burned into her.
But Macy had no energy to care about such trivial things. Her mind was consumed with only one thought: she had to see Eren.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Dia opened the door for Macy and stepped back. Eren’s room was pitch dark.
The luxurious and shimmering silver symbolic of the Krygen family was nowhere to be found; the entire room was decorated in monochrome.
In the center, on the bed, lay Eren.
“Eren…”
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