The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 63

Today was Evelyn’s twenty-third birthday, and a sense of excitement filled the air as guests began arriving at a special annex for the occasion. Stas, a lieutenant in the Blackwood Knights, kneeled and extended a courteous bow to Evelyn.

“Madam, I am Stas, the second-in-command of the Blackwood Knights. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Yes, Stas, nice to have you here. Please, get up,” Evelyn replied.

Evelyn recognized the knight with an eyepatch from somewhere. She had seen him a few times during her early days at Suzdal Castle, both when she first married Ilya and even during their journey to Blackwood. However, at that time, he had been Pia, so Stas wouldn’t know her.

Back in Suzdal Castle, he didn’t wear an eyepatch.

Perhaps he also lost it at the Tartar Gorge, she thought as a familiar sense of guilt tried to surface.

She vigorously shook her head, dismissing self-blame that would neither bring back Stas’s eye nor serve any purpose.

“Madam, I have something important to discuss,” Stas said, glancing around before lowering his voice.

“Is it something the escort knights should hear?” Evelyn asked.

“Certainly, Madam,” Stas said, casting a sidelong glance at Bellina and Arthas. Arthas seemed to have a friendly rapport with Stas, and Bellina furrowed her brow.

After ensuring their surroundings were secure, Stas nodded towards a nearby painter who stood awkwardly with his easel.

“Madam, this is the painter. He will begin a portrait soon.”

“Is there something I can help with?” Evelyn asked, looking puzzled. Stas nodded in response.

“Only you can assist, Madam.”

“Me?” Evelyn’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Stas added, “Anastasia, the missing maid, is said to remember the face of someone.”

Evelyn’s aquamarine eyes grew moist, and she forced a smile in response.

“Of course. I remember every detail of her face,” Evelyn replied with determination.

“In that case, the work should be easier. Can we begin now?” Stas inquired.

Evelyn vigorously nodded in agreement, and Stas instructed the painter, “Let’s get started.”

The painter, armed with his art supplies, stepped forward. Evelyn and the painter took their seats, ready to begin the work. As they started, Evelyn delved into her memories.

“Anastasia has long, fiery red hair, almost like it’s aflame, and it’s as curly as mine,” Evelyn explained, pointing to her own hair. The painter made charcoal marks on a blank canvas, and the lines began to form the outline of a person.

“Her eyes are large and wide-set, with an upward slant at the corners, like a cat’s. Her irises are a deep shade of blue, resembling the sea. Her nose is elongated and slopes downward, and her lips are plump.”

Stas observed Evelyn, who was providing such a detailed description of the maid’s appearance, with a peculiar expression. If she could describe her looks so precisely, there must have been a significant number of memories associated with that maid. It was a regrettable situation.

The painter filled in the facial features—eyes, nose, and lips—on the blank canvas. Before long, the vivid face of a young woman began to emerge on the white canvas.

Evelyn stared at the woman’s face for quite some time, and her gaze seemed to carry a sense of longing. She turned to Stas and asked, “Is this how Anastasia looks? She really… looks like this.”

“Have you found a clue?” Evelyn inquired.

“With this portrait, we’ll begin our search,” Stas confirmed.

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before speaking, “May I accompany you?”

“Why not? There’s nothing stopping you. Besides, you’ll need to verify it. Come with me to the tower,” Stas suggested.

Evelyn quickly rose from her seat, her footsteps lighter than ever as she headed toward her room.

“I’ll get ready as soon as possible,” she assured Stas.

“Very well, Madam. I’ll wait here,” Stas replied as he remained in the room.

Evelyn’s footsteps toward her room were filled with eagerness.

Upon arriving at the tower’s reception room with Stas, two individuals warmly welcomed Evelyn. It was René, the physician who had treated her and her fish, and Debbie.

“Madam, have you come?” René asked.

“Yes, and I apologize for not properly thanking you last time. The fish is doing well,” Evelyn replied.

Soon, the four of them sat around a table, and Stas placed the portrait on it.

“Is this the Duchess’s maid who came for medicine?” The physician’s eyes widened as he examined the portrait.

“Yes, this is her—a lively girl with red hair. Is she still working at the Duke’s residence?” Rene inquired.

“No, Anastasia has disappeared,” Evelyn replied.

“Is this girl named Anastasia? Oh, so that’s why she introduced herself as Aisha!” Rene’s perplexed expression prompted Stas to interject. He had shared the conversation he had with the physician the previous night with Evelyn.

Evelyn’s eyes widened. “So, Prince Nasser used Anastasia to obtain his medicine?”

“Yes, Madam,” Stas confirmed.

Evelyn then turned to the physician and asked, “On the day Anastasia didn’t show up, was there anything unusual?”

The physician searched his memory. “She used to come regularly once a month, and she always informed me in advance if she couldn’t make it due to some reason. But that day… she didn’t appear without any prior notice.”

Evelyn felt a twinge of suspicion. “Can you tell me the date of that day?”

The physician counted the days with his fingers. “It was exactly 14 months ago, on today’s date.”

Evelyn also counted the days. Fourteen months ago would place it in the early spring of the previous year.

Each spring, Selice held a tea party in the Duchess’s garden, gathering her ladies and handmaids. At that time, Anastasia, who had been temporarily reassigned to the main residence due to a shortage of staff, never returned.

Stas and René looked at Evelyn, and Stas asked, “Madam, are you thinking what we’re thinking?”

Evelyn nodded without the need for words. René stated the conclusion in a hushed tone, “The day the maid left to fetch the Duke’s medicine, she disappeared. Her disappearance is somehow related to the Duke’s ailment.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Oddly enough, the timing of her disappearance coincides with Selice’s spring tea party,” Stas interjected, sensing something was missing.

“Madam, did you try to find her when she disappeared?” Evelyn shook her head. At the time, she was isolated within the Duke’s residence. She was too preoccupied with Libe and Sophie to be concerned about Anastasia.

“She had apparently run off with a lover,” the physician replied.

Evelyn wore a sad expression, and Stas asked, “Was there a man involved with the maid?”

“No, you know how it was. At that time, all the eligible young men were away fighting in the war,” Evelyn explained.

“I see, it’s an unreasonable story,” Stas agreed.

René drew a conclusion, “The maid’s disappearance and perhaps the Duke’s death all lead back to Selice.”

While there was still much to uncover, some pieces of the puzzle were fitting together. Now, the question was…

René looked at Evelyn and asked, “What will you do next?”

“Madam, I understand that you were close to the Duke,” René said. When Evelyn’s expression hardened noticeably, René gave her a reassuring smile. “Do you have any keepsakes from him? It might make things easier if you do.”

Evelyn shook her head. “No, unfortunately, I don’t have any keepsakes.”

“Well, we can’t help it,” René sighed.

Suddenly, René clapped his hands, and three pairs of eyes turned towards him.

“Today is Madam’s birthday!”

Evelyn shyly smiled. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“But everyone was busy preparing for your birthday party. I hope they’re not mad at us for keeping you here.”

René stood up from his seat, urging Evelyn, “Come on, Madam. Let’s head back to the annex. You have delicious food to eat and a play to watch. It’s going to be a busy day.”

With a tinge of regret, Evelyn turned away, and René waved his hands enthusiastically. “In the evening, we’ll go to the annex with the Duke. Madam, happy twenty-third birthday!”

Evelyn left the room with a bright smile.

Outside the tower, as she stepped out, a few small fireballs emitted white smoke from their tails and painted the sky. In the wake of the smoke, words appeared.

“Happy Birthday, Madam!”

Seeing the white letters against the blue sky, Evelyn’s heart fluttered.

“It’s so nice that someone is celebrating my birthday like this.”

Evelyn rushed toward the others who were waiting for her with anticipation.

“Why are you so late, Miss? We’ve been waiting for you!”

“Happy birthday, Madam!”

“Mom, congrats!”

As soon as she entered the annex, flowers of various colors and paper confetti rained down from the sky. Several sparrows showered Evelyn with the paper confetti, and she scanned the area for the leader of the sparrows.

“Eagle, where are you?”

“Right here.”

The eagle swooped down and, just before crashing into the ground, swiftly turned itself over, locking eyes with Evelyn.

“What’s with the paper stuck to your beak? You look like a squished ball.”

The eagle was indignant. “This is not a squished ball; it’s a fish. Humans like to eat fish, especially when it’s marinated.”

Evelyn gently stroked the eagle’s head. “Did you catch it from the ravine for me?”

The eagle turned its head swiftly. “I heard that humans consider their birthdays very important, so I thought…”

“Hehe, thank you so much. Let’s roast this when it’s still fresh.”

In the distance, there was a screeching sound. It was the screams of the fish Arthur had caught. Libe seemed terrified and hid behind Evelyn’s skirt.

Evelyn was excited, and her mouth hung open. They all gathered to feast on marshlo fish, put candles on a cake, sang, and exchanged the gifts they had prepared.

Oh, and there was one more thing. As the darkness settled in, one by one, the lanterns hanging in the garden trees were lit. Soon, it would be time for the performance to celebrate Evelyn’s twenty-third birthday.