Misfortune 90

Chapter 90

***

Sponsored by Virginie. Thank you ❤️ (3/10)

****

In the end, he gave her the entire bed and spent sleepless nights curled up uncomfortably on the sofa.

And for the rest of the time, he aimlessly lingered by the unconscious woman's side. Like a dog that couldn't leave its owner, even though it wasn't on a leash.

‘But compared to now, it was still better.’

Seeing how empty he felt without her, it didn't seem like a wrong thought.

Still, he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly when he roughly ran his fingertips over his lips, which had once curved into a faint smile.

"Are you inside?"

The sound of someone shaking the iron gate outside the mansion and shouting loudly cut through the silent night air.

Startled by the sudden noise, Roan immediately turned around and left the room.

Milan, who had returned to his room, and the servants who had already gone to bed, rubbed their eyes and peeked out into the hallway one by one.

"Hmm, what a commotion on such a late night."

"Wasn't there any mention of a visitor coming?"

"I'll go check it out first."

Milan led the way down the stairs. The servants watched him go with a mix of irritation at being woken up and curiosity about the late-night visitor.

Meanwhile, Roan was staring intently at the window on the first floor.

It was a deep night, so dark that the surroundings were indistinguishable. It was a time when no one would visit for a trivial matter.

A foreboding sense of unease suddenly crept up his spine.

He followed Milan down the stairs like someone under a spell, a beat behind. His usual steady stride was slightly off-beat, but neither he nor anyone else noticed.

The garden, which had already been darkened, was lit only sparingly, just enough to distinguish the path.

As he caught sight of a figure lingering near the main gate in the dim light, Roan’s stride grew faster.

“Who’s there?”

Milan, who had been walking ahead, asked in a cautious voice. Since the fact that someone had secretly visited Delnia had become known, the people at the mansion had become sensitive to the presence of strangers.

Fortunately, the person readily revealed their identity.

“I’m here to deliver a telegram. Does anyone named Delnia live here?”

“Yes, but…”

Startled by the unexpected name, Milan trailed off in confusion.

Meanwhile, Roan, who had overtaken Milan, approached the iron door and asked threateningly.

“What business do you have with her?”

As he noticed that the messenger’s attire, flickering in the dim light, resembled that of monks, the other person bowed politely.

“I regret to inform you of the unfortunate news. Two days ago, Lady Marian passed away.”

***

Cold autumn rain fell on the graveyard shrouded in gray mist.

The rain-soaked mud stuck to her shoes, making her already heavy steps even slower.

Margaret glanced around with her eyes. Even though it was the season when the sky seemed to take away all the vitality from the earth, the late autumn cemetery was so desolate and silent that even an unrelated third party would feel melancholy.

How much more so for those who had lost their loved ones.

“….”

Margaret fixed her gaze straight ahead. Delnia’s back, following the nun silently like a ghos, filled her field of vision.

Perhaps because of the black veil hat on her head, Delnia’s platinum blonde hair seemed even paler than usual today. However, compared to her face, which was so pale it lacked any trace of color, her hair at least had some vitality.

“I’ll go with you, Delnia.”

That was why Margaret insisted on joining the woman she didn't even recognize in offering a moment of silence.

Delnia’s hands, which seemed too weak to hold even a single wilted chrysanthemum, certainly couldn't manage an umbrella.

When Margaret finally snatched the umbrella, Delnia seemed too exhausted to stop her and simply led the way.

Throughout the journey across the graveyard, Delnia managed to maintain a straight and upright posture.

If the Margaret of the past had seen that, she would have undoubtedly marveled at how different the noble lady was.

But now it was different. Instead, that stiffness felt unsettling.

Perhaps it would have been reassuring if Delnia had burst into tears.

Yet, unbelievably, Delnia had not shed a single tear.

‘Perhaps she simply hadn't had the chance yet.’

Margaret guessed that might be the case, considering the series of events that had unfolded shortly after Delnia arrived at the convent.

"Lady Marian passed away four days ago."

"What…?"

"Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and before anyone could do anything, she passed away... I regret having to deliver such sad news."

What was waiting for Delnia, who had rushed there without stopping, was not her mother but the news of her death.

As Delnia's expression vanished in an instant, Margaret hurriedly covered her mouth to suppress a scream.

‘Four days ago………………..’

Wasn't that when Delnia was still imprisoned?

That meant that if she had left safely as planned, she could at least have been present for her mother's final moments.

"How could that be…?"

"Delnia!"

Shocked, Delnia stumbled and couldn’t steady herself.

Margaret, who had reflexively grabbed her, didn't know what to do and just paced back and forth. She couldn't bring herself to offer words of comfort, as she felt guilty for having helped restrain Delnia's ankle.

However, the shocking events did not end there. In fact, one might say they had only just begun.

“Miss Delnia!”

Suddenly, a middle-aged woman came running from somewhere, calling out to Delnia. Her hair was disheveled, and her face was so swollen that it was impossible to imagine its original contours.

Her labored breathing and piercing gaze were somehow unsettling, but suddenly, the woman grabbed Delnia roughly and began screaming at the top of her lungs.

"How could you come so late! How... How long has Marian been waiting for you!”

She couldn't contain her anger and even pushed Delnia's shoulder.

Margaret was so stunned that she couldn't even think of supporting the swaying Delnia. The horror unfolding before her eyes was too much for her mind to process.

The fact that she referred to Delnia as "the young lady" suggested she had served her since her days as a noblewoman. Yet she treated her with such disdain, as if she were her boss.

"If she could just see the young lady once, she would have no regrets. How could you not even show your face to the one person who so desperately wanted to see you? How could you?"

The woman, who had been venting her frustration one-sidedly, eventually collapsed to the ground and began crying like a child. Her swollen face was soon covered in tears again.

The sight of her was so heartbreaking, as if her own half had left her, that Margaret couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Later, it turned out that the woman had been Delnia’s nanny. Despite the hatred in her eyes, there was no trace of affection for the child she had raised.

"Sophie was originally the wet nurse for her mother. They had been together all their lives, so their bond was very special……………….."

Yet Delnia calmly embraced her nanny. Margaret had no idea what expression to wear at that moment.

Even if the nanny regarded Delnia's mother as family, Delnia was the real family and Marian’s flesh and blood.

Yet the one who had lost her family was comforting others. It was a heartbreaking sight, one that made tears well up.

Moreover, she didn't even seem curious about the reason Delnia couldn't come.

If her eyes were functioning normally, she wouldn't fail to notice how emaciated Delnia was now. Her wrist was still wrapped in bandages.

‘Wasn't she the eldest daughter of the Count's family?’

She had always thought she was a lady who had been raised in luxury before becoming a slave.

But seeing the nanny who raised her treat her so carelessly left Margaret feeling confused.

Or perhaps this was how nobles behaved? Maybe it only seemed strange to her ignorant eyes, and this was actually normal…

Such absurd thoughts were beginning to tempt her.

“This way.”

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice cut through the confusion in her mind with clarity.

Margaret shook her head vigorously to clear her head and looked around at the spot the nun had led her to. And without realizing it, she let out a sigh.

There was no tombstone at the spot where Delnia’s mother was buried. Among the uneven gravestones of various sizes and shapes, there was only a small mound.

Margaret could not bring herself to say anything, as this was a fate worse than that of a commoner like herself.

As the heavy silence continued, Delnia suddenly bent down.

Margaret quickly snapped out of her daze and hurriedly tilted her umbrella to shield her. However, she could not cover Delnia's outstretched hand.

Her pale, white hand, placing flowers on the mound, were drenched in the transparent rainwater.

After straightening her back, Delnia remained motionless for a while even after the nun who had guided them had left.

Her face remained calm and composed, revealing no emotion. But that didn't mean she was truly okay.

Margaret knew that Delnia was not one to easily show her emotions. In truth, she was a very sensitive and kind-hearted person.

Therefore, she simply remained by Delnia's side in silence.

***