Moonlight Ball - Chapter 185

“I’m okay now,” Iris reassured the morning after. As she regained consciousness, the house fairies, as if nothing had happened, sprang up from their slumber and eagerly offered their assistance to Iris.

“Iris, Iris. Shall we polish the chandeliers here?”

“I’ll handle the window sills, sills, sills!”

House fairies were delightful creatures, generally thrilled to be of assistance to their creator. They adored cleanliness, with standards higher than any other being in existence. The current state of the palace’s cleanliness deeply disturbed these house fairies, and the story unfolded that they were on the brink of offering a clean environment to their creator before falling seriously ill.

“I may not understand what they’re saying, but one thing is clear—the house fairies were not pleased,” murmured the Earl of Portwall, politely expressing his disdain.

Naturally, the maids couldn’t possibly appreciate the repairs made by the house fairies, so they stood by, wide-eyed, observing the chaos. What could these little finger-sized creatures possibly cause?

“What about the workshop?” Iris inquired, and Laiden, fluttering with his wings, replied.

“It’s properly asleep.”

“Really?”

“Yes, just like you taught me before.”

In her mind, Iris recalled the contents of her workshop. Despite its unassuming exterior, Iris’s workshop was no different from a treasure trove. Countless items were stored there, making it a constant target for thieves. In her first year, Iris fell victim to thieves multiple times, but with each incident, she became more vigilant. Through the continuous development and installation of defense spells, her workshop had transformed into a fortress.

“Sid.”

Why did I sleep? How did I fall asleep? There wasn’t even awareness of falling asleep. It seemed that…

Sidrain looked at Iris. Perhaps she had used some kind of trick, but whatever magic she had cast,Sidrain was unfazed.

“Yeah?”Sidrain replied. She could do whatever she pleased; it was her destiny.Sidrain responded with a gentle smile, but he soon decided to retract the statement about letting her do anything. It was because of what she said.

“Where’s Margaret?” Iris’s blue eyes were ablaze. There was no separate sea on fire, but Sidrain had no intention of standing Iris in front of Margaret again. However, Iris was different. She intended to face Margaret, who had tried to kill her.

“In the dungeon.”

“Can I see her?”

“No.”

“Just meeting is enough. I have something to say.”

Margaret swung a knife at herself, piercing her pregnant belly. Iris now plans to drive a knife into Margaret’s heart.

Sidrain opposed Iris’s words multiple times, but he couldn’t break her stubbornness. She insisted she had something important to say—something that had to be said. Sidrain informed Iris that Margaret had undergone torture and was quite injured, but Iris, as long as her ears were intact, insisted she wouldn’t yield. Eventually,Sidrain sighed and moved his fingers.

While waiting for Margaret to arrive, Iris had a meal with Sidrain.Sidrain had no choice but to eat since Iris stared at him, taking a bite only when he did. Strangely, after sleeping and waking up, having a meal, he felt a bit more forgiving of himself. He could somewhat ease the torment of not being able to protect her. Maybe it was because Iris was right in front of him, looking at her as if she were a forgiving goddess. Regardless of whether he deserved forgiveness, it didn’t matter—what mattered was that the goddess, Iris, was forgiving him.

After finishing the meal and having tea, Margaret was dragged in.Sidrain sat next to Iris, and the surrounding guards were on high alert. Margaret, already a person who couldn’t be contained, had no idea when a mad person might suddenly unleash some power.

“Margaret.”

Pulled by that voice, Margaret barely regained consciousness. She lay on the ground, her head just managing to lift to look up.

A woman with long, flowing golden hair sat, gazing down at her. Both the blue eyes and the hair were too much for Margaret. They didn’t belong to her. That place, the affection of that beautiful queen—everything didn’t belong to her. A bug-like woman. You, you…!

Margaret’s hand trembled, but that was all. She couldn’t do anything more. Despite her neat appearance, her skin inside was a mess, and she had reached a point where she couldn’t take a single step on her own.

“You must have always wondered why your father dislikes you. You used to cry when you were little, wondering why your father only hated you. He even threw a flower vase at you, calling you a wench. Remember?” Iris asked.

Margaret blinked, not understanding what she was talking about. What about her father? Noble household men were all the same. There was nothing special about her father. All fathers were…

“Why did a noble young lady like you marry a merchant and even end up divorced? Do you know why?” Iris’s voice was very calm, neither cold nor hot. Margaret, for the first time, felt puzzled. Why? Surely that woman harbored hatred for her. Why was she so calm, as if she knew what would happen next?

“What are you trying to say?”

“You and your brothers are not your father’s children.”

Margaret’s eyes widened.Sidrain turned his head to look at Iris. Iris, with a cold face, stared down at Margaret, as if she were certain of how painful this revelation would be for her.

“You’re the children of your mother and your grandfather. That’s why your father hates you. He knew everything except for you.”

Iris was ruthless. Who cares about cautioning a slave? A slave isn’t a person. It’s like expecting caution from someone in front of a dog. Even a young slave thought and spoke recklessly. So, Iris knew from the beginning the hidden secret of the Surah family’s birth.

Tears welled up in Margaret’s eyes.

It should be a lie. I should scream that it’s all a lie. I should scream that I’m the legitimate daughter of Earl Riman of the Surah family.

Ah, so that’s why Father hated me. 

All the pieces of life’s puzzle were falling into place.

All the events of her life, including her father’s coldness, seemed to make sense now.

So, I’ve never been loved since I was born…

Not even once…

Margaret closed her eyes. She was truly exhausted.

“She’s dead,” the guard said cautiously.

Iris looked down at Margaret’s lifeless body with cold eyes. She felt neither remorse nor shame. She had kept this secret for a very long time. She thought it was a secret that must be protected—a fatal secret. The secret was that the Earl, who had four children, had no legitimate heirs. In reality, Iris was his only legitimate child, and the Earl, ironically, denied even her. 

The Countess, who had a long-standing relationship with the Earl, had not borne any of his children (probably having a secret relationship with her father-in-law). The maid who was violated by force quickly bore the Earl’s child, and he must have been shocked. His derogatory remarks about the maid, calling her ‘Anna, the foolish servant with a swollen belly,’ had this reason behind it. He didn’t even think Iris was his child. Although there was no evidence, the maid must have behaved arrogantly, thinking Iris was someone else’s child. That’s why he treated Iris, his only child, as a servant. It was a way for him to vent the frustration of having to accept other illegitimate children as his own.

“Iris, are you okay? Sidrain asked.

Iris remained silent for a moment, then nodded. She wasn’t okay. However, she whispered to Sidrain as she nestled into his embrace.

“I’ll be okay soon.”

Sidrain carefully embraced her.