“What do you mean by relationship? W-we... we’re not involved at all!”
As expected, his response was too slow. After giving everything away with his face, who would believe his excuse now?
“I’m talking about that ring.”
“Gasp!”
“.....”
Now I’m the one feeling awkward for bringing it up.
Seeing the director panic out of his wits at the mere mention of “ring,” Ceres was dumbfounded.
You’re very easy to read.
Her gaze dropped to the ring on his left hand. Since it seemed familiar, she took a closer look.
It only took a second for the memory to surface.
Aunt Agne.
It was identical to the ring her aunt always wore on her left hand.
Of course, matching rings alone prove nothing. But wasn’t her aunt the one who introduced this place? And now the director is wearing the same ring?
I have a feeling.
Although she only tossed out a bit of bait, he rushed to swallow it without hesitation. It made her feel secondhand embarrassment.
“I think there must be some misunderstanding...”
“Her husband has already been suspecting her of having an affair.”
“...What?”
Of course, it was a lie. She didn’t even know what her husband looked like.
“There are rumors he’s in contact with a hitman, and that he will slit the man’s throat the moment he finds him.”
“A-a hitman?”
Once again, Arnold takes the bait without question.
Watching his face drain of color until he looked almost pitiful, Ceres let out a hollow laugh. How did someone this timid manage to pull something like this off?
BANG!
“Gah!”
She slammed her hand down on the table. Director Arnold recoiled in terror before collapsing to the floor as if hiding.
“Well then...”
Ceres turned to him again with a soft smile.
“Shall we have a proper conversation?”
She smiled, but her eyes held no warmth. Under that gaze, Director Arnold swallowed hard.
***
“Let’s go.”
“.....”
The child’s green eyes, still hazy from sleep, seemed unusually clear. She watched Ceres in silence for a while before slowly pushing herself up from the bed.
“Are we going home?”
“Yes.”
I heard she has lived here since she was four.
It had been nearly three years since they last saw each other, yet the girl didn’t ask who she was, as if she already recognized her older sister.
“Why?”
“Because you can’t stay here any longer.”
“Why not?”
“Because this place is bad.”
“Why is it bad?”
“They don’t treat you properly.”
“Why?”
“.....”
...For some reason, I feel like giving her a smack or two.
Watching the child continue to ask why with wide eyes, Ceres sighed.
“Let’s go.”
As Ceres held out her hand, the child’s already wide eyes grew rounder.
Ceres glanced down at the small hand that carefully slipped into hers, then took out a teleportation magic item.
“I-I wasn’t the one who told them to give it to her!”
“Then who?”
“Agne, Agne! She said if we just made the child sick and kept her here, we could make a fortune!”
“So after you poisoned a 7-year-old, now you’re just saying whatever comes to mind?”
“I-I was only told it was medicine to weaken the body! I didn’t know it was that deadly, I swear!”
“Make sure you tell the guards that too. Tell them you knew nothing.”
“The guards? No, please! Then what happens to this place? I-I’ll be ruined!”
“Whether you’re ruined or not is none of my concern. No, actually... I’ll make sure you’re ruined in the worst way possible.”
“Aaaargh! I’ll return all the treatment fees I’ve taken so far!”
“That’s only natural. But you still think you can bargain with me?”
So it was all Agne’s doing.
As the conversation replayed in her mind, a smirk curved across Ceres’s lips.
Just as she expected, the director and Agne were having an affair. Her aunt had planned everything, and Arnold had carried it out.
Despite living in Baron Drow’s estate under the excuse of pitying her orphaned nieces and nephew, Agne secretly slipped poison into Julia’s food.
How did she get her hands on that thing?
The poison Julia had taken was one Ceres knew very well. Long ago, it was favored by the Imperial Family for quietly eliminating enemies.
Unlike most poisons, it showed no immediate reaction. It slowly destroyed the body over time, making it impossible for a healer to identify the cause.
But while Grace was alive, the Emperor had completely banned its cultivation and distribution. After that, it gradually disappeared.
“Julia, do you remember that tasteless medicine?”
“Yes.”
“Since when have you been taking it?”
“Since the first day I came here.”
Is it circulating again?
Anyway, when the child collapsed just as Agne had planned, they locked Julia in this place and used every possible method to squeeze money out of her treatment. That money was split between Arnold and her aunt.
In the end, even the money borrowed from loan sharks went straight into Aunt’s pocket.
She didn’t care if her nieces and nephew were crushed under the weight of that debt.
No wonder. Was that why every lender charged such outrageous interest?
As long as she could get the money, the terms probably meant nothing to her.
It wasn’t like she ever intended to repay it herself. All she had to do was take the money.
When the full truth settled in, Ceres’s smile deepened.
“Ceres... are you angry?”
“...No.”
Whoosh!
The child’s eyes widened. In the next moment, the two vanished from the spot.
.
.
.
Chapter 4: Where Your Steps Come to Rest
“Ah! What do you think you’re doing!”
“I-I’m sorry, Madam!”
Agne, who had been in the middle of having her hair brushed, screamed sharply when a tangle of hair was ripped out along with the comb.
The maid quickly stepped back and lowered her head.
SLAP!
“Ah!”
“Give it to me!”
“Yes!”
As if the maid’s pained cry didn’t exist, Agne snatched the comb from her hand.
“My goodness! Look at what you’ve done!”
What Agne valued above all else was her hair. She never spared expensive oils and wore her thick locks like a badge of pride. Perhaps because of that, her deep brown hair gleamed with a glossy sheen.
Knock, knock.
Agne’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw who stepped inside a moment later.
“Oh my, Ceres?”
Her visit was completely unexpected. Did Ceres ever come on her own without being summoned?
“What brings you here?”
“Let’s have some tea together.”
“Tea?”
Now that she looked closer, Ceres was holding a tea set. It was strange enough that she had brought it herself without a maid.
“I was just feeling thirsty, so this is perfect.”
Agne readily offered her a seat and dismissed all the maids from the room. It was obvious Ceres had come with something to say.
After all, Ceres had asked for more time. Did she finally decide what to do with that damned stew shop?
That was quicker than I expected.
Agne had expected her to stall and avoid the issue as usual. If no decision was made by the end of the week, she planned to press her again. However, Ceres visited her in just three days.
“So, have you given it some thought? You should sell the shop right away, shouldn’t you? Shall I find a buyer? As it happens, someone recently showed interest.”
Once settling into her seat, Agne spoke like it was already decided. Instead of answering, Ceres simply handed her the tea.
“Please, have some.”
“Thank you.”
The tea held a faint red tint. Its fragrance was surprisingly pleasant. Tempted by the scent, Agne raised the cup to her lips.
“Oh my.”
Her eyes widened at once. The taste was just as exquisite as the aroma.
“What kind of tea is this? It’s absolutely delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
As if she had truly been thirsty, Agne emptied her cup in no time. Ceres calmly refilled it.
“It’s my first time making it, so I was a little worried. I wondered if it might not suit your taste, Aunt.”
“How thoughtful of you. Thank you, Ceres. You should have some as well.”
“It’s quite alright. I know exactly what that is, so I see no reason to drink it.”