Misfortune 80

Chapter 80

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Recently, Margaret had taken a liking to a young man from Blois. Perhaps he ran a pastry shop in the Square.

Leticia noticed Margaret's feelings and caused quite a commotion for a while, but it seemed she arranged a meeting while Delnia was holed up in Roan's bedroom.

Delnia's gaze fell on the walnuts in the round dish.

Each one was large, yet there were no cracks to be found. The honey was evenly spread, giving them a glossy sheen.

The care taken to select only the best ones was evident, and it touched her deeply.

Delnia envied such a pure heart. She envied it all the more because she had lost hers forever.

“Goodness, what is all this?”

At that moment, Margaret, who had been rolling her eyes in embarrassment, let out a loud exclamation as something caught her eye.

Delnia followed Margaret's gaze and turned her head. Her eyes were fixed on the pile of lace on the desk.

“Did you make all of this in one day? All of this?”

“It’s nothing. I just did it as I went along…………………”

As Delnia trailed off awkwardly, Margaret couldn’t hide her astonishment.

“Nothing much? It would take me days to do all that. And what’s that? Leticia said she’d bring sandwiches, but you haven’t even touched them.”

Margaret’s tone was now closer to scolding Delnia.

It felt odd to be scolded by a younger girl, but since her criticism was valid, Delnia couldn’t argue.

“This won’t do. You need to rest, even if I have to force you.”

Then Margaret pushed the pile of lace aside and brought the tray with the sandwich forward. She also placed the walnuts she had brought beside it.

“Come on, eat quickly.”

Before she knew it, Margaret had pulled a chair next to her and sat down, insisting that she eat.

Reluctantly, Delnia took a bite of the cucumber sandwich. Whether it had dried out quickly or time had passed without her noticing, the bread was a bit dry.

“Even if you’re in a hurry for money, take it easy. You’ll end up getting sick if you keep this up.”

“Yes, I will.”

Margaret gave Delnia a disapproving look, as if she didn't trust her, but she didn't say anything else.

“What about Leticia? It would be nice to eat together.”

“Leticia went out for a bit. She was asked to help out at another residence.”

Delnia nodded and popped a shiny walnut into her mouth. The sweet and nutty flavor filled her tongue.

“It’s sweet and delicious.”

“Right?”

“Thanks to Margaret, we’re enjoying a delicious snack. Please tell him we enjoyed it.”

“Oh, what…... Huh?”

Margaret, who had been blushing shyly while waving her hands, casually turned her gaze toward the window and narrowed her eyes as if she had noticed something.

“Who is that person?”

A person?

The unpleasant tone in the unexpected remark was unusual. Delnia quickly followed Margaret’s gaze.

Through the reddened leaves near the back gate of the mansion, an unfamiliar figure was lingering.

“I saw them lingering around the mansion earlier too. I thought they were just someone who had taken a wrong turn.”

Suspecting something, Delnia moved toward the window to take a closer look. Margaret also stood up from her chair and moved closer to her side.

“Something’s off. We should probably tell the others....”

“Wait a moment.”

Delnia urgently called out to Margaret, who seemed ready to call for help at any moment. She then looked down at the figure again.

The silver-covered crown of the head, the faintly visible face, and the rather plain attire were all familiar to her.

“It looks like someone I know.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes, I’ll go out and check.”

As Delnia turned to leave the room in a hurry, she glanced back at Margaret out of curiosity.

“Could you please not tell anyone else?”

She didn’t know why the person had come all the way here, but she didn’t think it would be good to have more people know about it.

Margaret couldn’t hide her reluctance at Delnia’s hasty addition, but she nodded anyway.

Delnia quickly put on her outer garment and left the mansion. She could sense Margaret following behind, but she had no time to spare for her concerns.

The autumn breeze had grown chilly, and her skirt fluttered in the wind. Delnia approached the figure pacing along the wall, defying the wind.

As the man’s face, glimpsed through the bars, finally took on the familiar contours she knew, Delnia found herself unconsciously uttering his name.

 “Marcel.”

At that, Marcel turned to look at her. His face, which had been a mess of confusion and sorrow, cleared up the moment he saw her.

"Miss Delnia!"

Though his voice was soft, his joy was palpable. It seemed he had indeed come to see her.

Delnia couldn’t hide her confusion as she stepped through the back door and approached him.

“I was wondering how to call you out, but I’m so glad we could meet like this.”

“How did you end up here…”

“Well, you see…”

Marcel trailed off and gestured toward Delnia’s back.

Delnia turned her head to follow Marcel’s gaze. Margaret was standing a short distance away, watching them intently.

“Can we have a moment alone to talk?”

“Well…”

Delnia couldn’t give an immediate answer.

What kind of conversation could he possibly want to have that would bring him here out of the blue? No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't figure it out.

To find out the reason, she would have to follow his lead.

“Just a moment.”

Delnia turned around and approached Margaret.

Margaret continued to glare at Marcel with a suspicious look, then turned to Delnia and asked sharply,

“What? Are you really sure you know him?”

“Yes, I think he came to see me.”

“But why isn’t he visiting formally and instead hanging around here?”

Delnia was just as confused. But she tried to calm Margaret down by speaking as calmly as possible.

“Margaret. I’m sorry, but could you step aside for a moment? It seems like he has something to tell me, but it’s something that might be awkward if someone else hears it.”

Delnia spoke as honestly as she could. From Margaret’s perspective, this might sound suspicious, but she didn’t want to unnecessarily fuel her worries with vague language.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

Margaret asked back with a voice full of concern. Delnia smiled reassuringly, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.

“Of course. He’s a gentleman with a verified identity, so he won’t harm me.”

Seeing her speak with deliberate confidence, Margaret nodded. Though her reluctance was evident.

“Alright. If that’s what you want, then…”

Margaret glared at the man suspiciously until the last moment before turning away.

Delnia immediately turned back to Marcel. She asked him in a slightly stiffer tone than when she had been persuading Margaret.

“So, what do you want to tell me?”

However, despite Delnia's urging, Marcel did not respond. Instead, he cautiously scanned his surroundings with an unusually sharp gaze.

Just as Delnia was beginning to find his prolonged silence puzzling, his tightly closed lips finally parted.

“I’ve come to take you away, Miss Delnia.”

“Huh?”

Delnia asked again, not understanding what he meant.

Then Marcel spoke solemnly, like a prince come to rescue a princess from the clutches of a demon.

“Come with me.”

Still looking confused, Delnia pondered his words before finally realizing their meaning and opening her mouth.

“Are you serious…? Are you telling me to run away now?”

Marcel nodded vigorously.

Delnia couldn't help but be shocked. Suddenly showing up and demanding she flee?

Before she could finish her sentence, Marcel’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

As if he had heard an unfamiliar sound, he scanned the area behind her with a fierce gaze. Fortunately, it wasn't a person, but the sound of a cat meowing came from inside the courtyard.

Nevertheless, Marcel remained on guard and spoke quickly.

"I've found a ship that can take you from the port of Blois to Dalos. You can leave whenever you want. Of course, it doesn't matter if it's another country. I have a friend in Dalos I can rely on, but for the time being, we can live on what I have."

Judging by how smoothly he was laying out the details, it seemed Marcel had been planning to help her escape for quite some time.

The thought suddenly crossed her mind that perhaps he had chosen to appear here today precisely because Roan was absent.

“I’ve already taken care of my affairs. It’s too dangerous for you to leave alone. No matter where you settle, my eldest brother has agreed to help you.”

As he said that, Marcel suddenly held out his hand to her, as if he were a prince who would take her anywhere if she just took his hand

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