The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 77

As Ilya gestured, a knight standing behind him brought a chair. Once the knight placed the chair opposite the Countess of Glen, Ilya took his seat. The Countess of Glen and her daughter, Syna, watched Ilya intently, barely hiding their curiosity. When the countess of Glen’s eyes met his, a peculiar smile tugged at Ilya’s lips.

“Countess Edith,” he began, his voice smooth like silk.

The Countess of Glen, who had been expressionless as if wearing a mask, faltered for a moment. Quickly composing herself, she spoke, “I fail to see why you suddenly bring up my daughter, Your Grace.”

“I am in search of a suitable young lady to accompany my wife.”

The Countess of Glen narrowed her eyes, seemingly probing Ilya’s intentions.

“You seem to be feeling rather lonely lately. As my aunt is aware, my wife’s circumstances are not exactly favorable.”

“And so, you’ve decided that my daughter is the solution?”

Ilya nodded. “Countess Edith is my only relative. With my aunt also present here, I couldn’t think of a more suitable match than her.”

“The girl is not in good health,” Ilya replied casually.

“Last I checked with Countess Edith, there was no mention of such matters… If you wish to know, perhaps you should write to her.”

“Duke, I have already expressed my disapproval.”

The discomfort in the countess’s demeanor was evident. Ilya, who had been leaning back in his chair, straightened up. Locking eyes with his counterpart, he inquired, “Aunt, surely those rumors can’t be true?”

“Rumors?” The countess’ expression hardened at the sudden topic change. “That my aunt, known as the Lady of the Duke’s Castle, would resent her own child born out of love… It’s absurd.”

The Countess of Glen sat silently for a moment, her head shaking slightly. After a short pause, she muttered in a hoarse voice, “That’s absurd. How could any woman in this world hate a child she carried for ten months?”

Ilya let out a deflated chuckle. He knew of a woman who not only hated the child born of her suffering but had also attempted to end its life with her own hands. After composing himself from the melancholy that washed over him, he spoke up.

“In that case, I’ll take your silence as permission to send a letter to Countess Edith tomorrow.”

With his purpose in this place fulfilled, Ilya rose from his seat. The Countess of Glen simply stared at him, offering no further words. Ilya bid his farewells, eager to leave this place as soon as possible.

“It’s quite late now. I should take my leave.”

“Please wait, I’ll have my daughter, who is married, fetch you a token of appreciation as a gesture of gratitude to the Duke.”

Ilya remained standing, looking down at the Countess of Glen in the same posture. He replied with a faint smile, “I must decline any Eastern carpets. And if there’s a mischievous cat hidden within, even more so.”

Haha, the Countess of Glen’s hearty laughter filled the room.

“It’s nothing of the sort, rest assured,” she continued after meeting Iliya’s gaze, her expression softening.

“Neither you nor the Duke can claim to have had peaceful nights until this hour. Only those who have endured such dreadful suffering would understand.”

“I have grown accustomed to it now,” Ilya replied calmly.

The Countess of Glen smiled sadly at Ilya’s composed words. In that moment, she seemed genuinely sympathetic towards her nephew.

“I am not as resilient as the Duke, so I occasionally seek the aid of an illusionist. When I see my late mother… I find it easier to sleep, even if just a little.”

I see. Another mention of Pia. What other scheme is she plotting?

A corner of Ilya’s mouth twitched upward. Memories of that fateful night flashed through his mind—the night when a man, strikingly similar to his brother, tore his wife away right before his eyes.

He didn’t want Evelyn to resume her role as an illusionist. But if he refused this offer, the Countess of Glen would undoubtedly devise another plan. In that case, he might as well accept Pia. Making his decision swiftly, Ilya smiled.

“Thank you for your aunt’s gift. If only it could ensure a good night’s sleep, what mischief couldn’t one get up to.”

“I’m glad you approve, Your Grace.”

After exchanging a few more insincere pleasantries, they parted ways. As Ilya left the Duchess’s chamber and the Countess of Glen remained behind, both harbored their own reasons for their interaction.

****

The next afternoon, Evelyn sat facing René, who handed her a letter. René glanced at Evelyn curiously as she skimmed through the letter.

“Why is Selys seeking Pia again?”

[“If you handle this well, I’ll entrust you with the next task.”]

[“There’s something you need to do regarding Duke Ajauntice.”]

Evelyn recalled the words of the Countess of Glen from the day she was ordered to create an illusion of Naser’s portrait. She recounted the events to René, whose eyes grew increasingly fierce as he listened.

“Something related to His Grace… What could it be?”

“You’ll understand when you see this.”

Evelyn opened the envelope and read the letter. There wasn’t much to read; just a single sentence.

“Come to the Duke’s chambers tonight.”

René burst into laughter. “Surely Selys isn’t plotting to tuck Pia into His Grace’s bed. No, even Selys wouldn’t stoop that low.”

Chuckling to himself, René found the situation incredibly amusing. After a moment, he cleared his expression and asked Evelyn, “Why would Pia, who’s not even a sorceress of darkness, pose any threat to His Grace?”

Evelyn pondered the question herself.

The Countess of Glen knew that Pia wasn’t a sorceress of darkness. On the first commission she received, she asked Pia to create an illusion of the Duke’s sacred creature, the double-headed eagle. Pia, however, created the illusion of a common snake instead of the blue water serpent associated with Lord Lauren. This proved that she wasn’t a sorceress of darkness.

“Once you meet with the Countess of Glen, you’ll understand,” Evelyn remarked. She decided to confront Ilya herself when they met tonight to find out what was going on. There was only one thing she worried about.

Glancing briefly at Arthas standing at the entrance to the reception room, René shrugged. “Arthas will be sent back by me, so don’t worry.”

René approached Arthas, exchanging some words with him. After a while, Arthas turned away with a tearful expression. Evelyn couldn’t help but feel guilty, as Arthas kept looking back several times, resembling a lost child searching for its mother.

That night, Evelyn transformed into Pia once again and headed towards the Duke’s chambers. As she slipped out of the shadows wearing her shabby robe, a knight with brown tousled hair followed behind her. It was Louis, Evelyn’s guard. He remembered the command the Duke had given him separately this morning.

“Louie, you have a task tonight. A sorceress will come to my chamber tonight.”

Remembering the Duke’s command, Louis trembled as he recalled the Duke’s intimidating gaze when he mentioned the word ‘chamber.’

“The sorceress who leaves my chamber will probably go to the Duchess’s chamber. Hide and observe what happens there. If she’s in danger, rescue her.”

Though he couldn’t quite grasp the Duke’s orders, Louis faithfully followed the sorceress. Confirming her entry into the main hall, Louis silently climbed up the large tree opposite the Duke’s chamber. Like a master of stealth, he soon melded into the darkness.

*****

As Evelyn entered the main hall, Syna awaited her.

“The Duke awaits, hasten your steps.”

“Yes.”

Evelyn firmly adjusted her robe and hastened after Syna. Finally, they arrived at the Duke’s chambers. As the knight signaled their arrival, Syna whispered in Evelyn’s ear.

“After we’re done here, come straight to the Duchess’s chamber.”

“Understood.”

As the knight opened the massive door, Syna entered the room first. Evelyn quietly followed behind her.

The room, dimly lit with only a few candles, was exceedingly dark. Evelyn cautiously walked to avoid tripping over anything as she searched for the owner of the room.

“A gift. A woman.”

The voice from the darkness was unusually low and rough, as if scraped from deep within the throat. Evelyn flinched at the sound.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw a large man sitting on the sofa, tilting a glass of alcohol. Evelyn was startled as Ilya’s gaze fell upon her.

Approaching Ilya, the two of them kneeled on the floor and bowed. Syna positioned Evelyn in front of her and spoke.

“This person is not a woman, but an illusionist, Your Grace.”

Ilya chuckled as he raised the glass to his lips.

“My aunt claimed you could put me to sleep.”

“I’ll do my best, Your Grace.”

Ilya glanced at Evelyn again as she spoke with her magically altered voice. He raised his hand and said, “You can leave, Syna.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Syna courteously bid farewell once more before leaving the room. Alone together, Evelyn lowered her hood and inquired, “Your Grace, about meeting the Countess of Glen yesterday, what happened…?”

“Enough with the whales, try something else. I’m tired of that.”

Before Evelyn could finish her sentence, Ilya interjected. Seeing Evelyn’s bewildered expression, he added, “Anything, just try something.”

It seemed he had no intention of engaging in conversation. Ilya looked at Evelyn with eyes filled with anticipation.

“I wonder what else he might like, besides whales.”

She wondered if he might like anything in the ducal residence, but nothing came to mind. ‘Besides the ducal residence, where else…?  ‘ Then, a place popped into Evelyn’s mind.

Suzdal Castle, where they had spent a brief time together after their marriage.

Evelyn conjured up the dazzling world as seen through the eyes of Evelyn Maduse, twenty years old.

A moment later, a different world unfolded before them.