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VOLUME 2: MEETING KLAUS
CHAPTER 8 - To Meet Klaus
On that evening, I dreamt of drowning in a lake, its metallic scent heavy in the air. My father, brother, Lycobe and Jillke, and even Ubel were nearby, yet as I screamed for help, none came to my aid. Instead, they found my struggle amusing, laughing heartily.
In despair, as I felt it was all over, a hand reached out. It was Klaus, his entire body stained crimson with back flowing blood. In his right hand, he tightly gripped Laevateinn, offering his open left hand to me.
Even if I was saved by him, could I truly call it salvation? Doubts lingered, but I grasped Klaus's hand with a desperate hope.
He pulled me close, saying, "It's alright now," in a blunt yet unexpectedly gentle voice. Unusually tender, it brought tears to my eyes—tears I hadn't shed since my mother's passing.
And then, I woke up.
Returning to my room, the strength to crawl under the covers seemed to elude me. It seemed I had slept, unconscious, on the cold and rigid floor.
"Ugh..."
The shivering wouldn't cease. Beyond that, my body, which had laid on the floor, screamed in agony. There was dried blood around my mouth, and a significant amount of blood was scattered around, resembling a crime scene. The situation was so dire that one might think it was a murder scene.
Considering all this, surviving in such a state was a marvel. It made me reflect deeply. I felt like I had a nightmare, but when I tried to remember, a throbbing pain shot through my head.
Perhaps it was just another unfortunate premonition dream. Like avoiding marrying Ubel, dodging the misery would come at a significant cost to my well-being.
Knowing things might not always be a blessing.
Today, I wasn't in a condition to get up and work. I thought I could take a day off since I had worked hard yesterday. At least, that's what I believed for a moment.
But as soon as the time came, Hera arrived, pushing a massive workload onto me. It was just another usual morning.
◇◇◇
Information about Klaus arrived promptly. He attended a boarding school and seemed to avoid social events, making it quite challenging to gather intel. I paid a higher reward than usual and parted ways with the old man.
Returning to my room, I immediately opened the report.
The reputation surrounding him wasn't much different from what Ubel had mentioned. Proficient in everything, usually quiet. He didn't engage in troublesome behavior, being a role model for the students.
However, his position in high society seemed different. He was referred to as the "Demon Prince of the Schwert Grand Ducal Family." The reason was that, among those born into the Schwert Grand Ducal Family, who usually had silver hair, he was the only one born with black hair.
Furthermore, he was rumored to have Scarlet Eyes, the symbol of heinous acts, associated with terrible crimes like adultery. The image of him, feared as the "Demon Grand Duke," with his pitch-black hair and fiery red eyes, which I recalled from my precognitive dream, exuded an otherworldly intensity when he heartlessly killed both Ubel and I.
Recalling that moment, I couldn't help but shudder.
But that was because I had begged him to kill me, and thus, the result unfolded as it did.
If I had pleaded for my life, how would the dream have concluded? I had no way of knowing.
Anyway, I wouldn't marry Ubel, and Lycobe and Jillke hadn't delved into villainous deeds yet. If I could marry Klaus before being accused of a crime, I might avoid the situation of being killed.
The report concluded with information about the one place Klaus regularly visited—the orphanage. It was where I had been donating money.
It seemed he obtained a permit to visit the orphanage every weekend for charitable activities. It was a good chance to meet him, pretending to be coincidental. The information provided was more than sufficient.
To visit the orphanage, I sought permission from my father.
"Charitable activities at the orphanage are the most crucial for becoming a proper lady."
"I see. Then, I'll arrange a maid for Lycobe—"
"No, I'll be fine on my own!"
Even though I had been granted permission to go out, Hera still arrived at the allotted time, pushing a considerable amount of work onto me.
As usual, it was a typical morning.
◇◇◇
On the morning of the day I would visit the orphanage, I woke up early and stood in the kitchen. It was warmer to stand in front of the kitchen's fire than in my own room. Appreciating that warmth, I baked biscuits—an offering for the children at the orphanage. Surely, they would appreciate it.
I hid the freshly baked biscuits behind a shelf to keep them from being discovered by the other servants.
Afterwards, I prepared breakfast, enduring Hera's scolding.
Completing the day's work quickly, I changed in my room. I wore a second-hand dress I had purchased as a precaution against Jillke. Despite owning several cutting-edge dresses from Philbach, when walking in the lower town, it was better to dress modestly to avoid becoming a target for ill-intentioned people. It was also a lesson from my mother.
I groomed myself, wearing a hat adorned with a worn-out ribbon.
As my father wasn't going to arrange a carriage, I made my way to the lower town on foot. It would take around three hours for a round trip, but it was much more enjoyable than being exploited at home.
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