The Sacred Relic
For a long while the sound of clothes falling filled the air. Throughout that time Mikhail was tormented by a single desire: to tear that screen away.
Is that how they do it in other noble houses?
Mikhail recalled what he had told Anastasia. His words had not been a lie. In the capital’s mansions it was common for women’s rooms to have screens behind which they changed. But Mikhail had omitted an important fact.
That it was only possible between married couples, or between lovers.
When he first learned of the etiquette he had thought it absurd—what great privilege was that, when you could not even see anything?
Even seeing a naked body never stirred me.
As he traveled between Sokolov and the capital for work, many women approached him. An opera prima donna had even come in her stage costume and begun stripping piece by piece before him. When everything she wore had fallen to the floor, Mikhail was calculating how many tons of steel the railway construction in the central plains would require.
Her naked body interested him less than that. He had felt not a shred of lust then. And yet now he was reacting to the sound of a woman undressing when not even a single strand of her hair was visible.
Had she stripped completely? The sound of fabric falling ceased. Just as he tried to catch his breath, the soft rustle of linen reached his ears.
Mikhail pressed harder on the hand covering his mouth. The storm was not yet over. He who had been trembling in the silence now had to face a fiercer gale.
The sound of rustling cloth brushing against skin was agonizingly clear, as if she were changing right beside him. Feeling the heavy weight below, Mikhail rose from his seat. He wanted to yank that screen aside. And the woman who would be wearing only what he had given her…
“Lord Mikhail.”
Suddenly a voice calling him came from beyond the screen. Only after swallowing dryly several times could Mikhail open his mouth.
“Is there some problem?”
“Um… I don’t think I properly thanked you.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t do it to receive thanks.”
It took considerable effort for Mikhail to speak in a calm tone. If he let out ragged breaths now and the little beast behind the screen fled, it would be troublesome. Then irritation suddenly surged. When had he ever restrained himself from something he wanted?
He was a man who obtained what he desired no matter what. Though those desires were almost always limited to business matters.
In fact Anastasia was already in his hands, Mikhail thought. With just a few gestures of interest and action, the woman who had feared everyone now changed clothes in the same room as him.
Truly, it had been far too easy. So now all that remained was for him to take her himself. Her wrist had been thinner than when he last saw her, but if he held her carefully it would be fine.
In truth Mikhail was feeling irritated. He could not understand why he had to exercise such patience for this woman. Moreover, because she had moved unnecessarily the wound had only reopened further, hadn’t it?
“Still, thank you so much. For saving me today, and for the… gift you gave me last time.”
Gift? Mikhail wondered what he had given her, then recalled the Ilenka shoes. Why thank him so specifically for that? If he had sent as much as he did to the other Lauderdale women she would have fainted. Then Mikhail suddenly remembered. On Anastasia’s feet as she had wept for so long in the forest, the gift he had given her was nowhere to be seen.
“If you’re thanking me, why didn’t you wear them?”
He had meant to keep the same tone, but a sharp edge slipped into his voice unbidden. Had Anastasia noticed? The voice behind the screen cut off. In the end Mikhail rose from his seat. Was she startled? Sudden anxiety washed over him.
Mikhail did not like this situation. This situation where he alone was aroused by the sounds, struggling to maintain composure. So he decided to abandon waiting and embrace Anastasia now. He had resolved to do so since the central plains.
He was a man who grew bored easily with things once they were in his possession. So if he held her just once now. Then, after calming this heated desire for a moment, he might forget her existence before evening even came.
Mikhail took another step closer to the screen.
He had no intention of forcing an embrace like some merchant thug. Wasn’t she a woman who had almost completely fallen for him already? Mikhail knew well how to treat those who held favor for him. He planned to make Anastasia want him first. She was already showing unusual affection toward him. So just a little more…
Then Anastasia’s voice came from beyond the screen.
“I can’t wear those. They’re like a sacred relic you gave me.”
Sacred relic? Since when had he become a god that his gift was a sacred relic?
As Mikhail reeled from the completely unexpected words, Anastasia continued.
“I’m truly grateful to you, Lord Mikhail, and to God who sent you to me. I knew that if you prayed earnestly it would be granted, but… when I wished with all my heart, God truly sent you to me.”
Suddenly Mikhail felt as if he had been struck on the head. God? There was no such thing. It was not God who had helped her, but himself. And yet Anastasia believed that both the object he gave and the help he provided had been sent to her by God.
He recalled what Igor had discovered on his previous visit to Edenhurst. That she was a devoutly religious believer. An ignorant woman with no education who took the Bible stories she heard as a child as the entirety of the world and followed them faithfully.
Suddenly Mikhail’s face burned. With a feeling different from the lust of moments before. He had thought Anastasia had lowered her guard toward him, but she had only approached because she considered him God’s agent.
Crunch. A rough sound came from his tightly clenched fist. Mikhail immediately turned around. Leaving behind the sound of footsteps that could not contain his embarrassment and resentment, he went outside.
“Lord Mikhail?”
At the sudden noise, Anastasia peeked her head slightly out from beside the screen. Nothing remained in the room but the lingering presence of the Mikhail who had left.
On the day he returned, Mikhail ultimately did not meet the Countess. Though she sent maids several more times saying she wished to speak with him, no reply came. The Countess grew even more anxious.
He said he would take over Edenhurst, but…
Instead of meeting Mikhail, Yury came and told the Countess that Mikhail wanted to acquire Edenhurst. In exchange for taking over the Edenhurst mansion and estate, he would help the Lauderdale family not only clear all their debts but also maintain their lifestyle as before.
Then Yury presented a contract no less than one hundred twenty-two pages long. And kindly said that if she had any questions, she could come to him anytime to inquire.
“I would like to meet Mr. Mikhail and speak with him directly.”
“I’m afraid that seems difficult at present.”
“Why is that?”
“He’s quite exhausted from working without rest these past few weeks. Once he recovers, Lord Mikhail will contact you. Please take your time reviewing this in the meantime.”
Yury bowed politely and left the room. The Countess flipped through the contract he had left. Even if she had neglected the mansion’s affairs for years, as a countess she possessed sufficient basic accomplishments. But even for her, the contract was filled with rather difficult language.
The Countess put on her glasses and quickly scanned from beginning to end. Amid the headache-inducing contractual terms there was a word she needed to find. Marriage. The reason the Countess wanted to meet Mikhail was to firmly settle the marriage talks between him and Elizabeth.
I can no longer send Elizabeth to another house.
The problem was that after Mikhail’s previous visit, thinking everything was settled, she had talked too much. If only the people of Edenhurst had known of the relationship with Mikhail it would not have been a big issue, but because she called the capital’s dressmakers, the talk of marriage between Mikhail and Elizabeth had spread through high society.
And that was not all. Catherine had proudly shown off to the friends who had ignored her all this time exactly what gifts Mikhail had given to Elizabeth and herself.
Though she knew of Catherine’s actions, the Countess had not particularly stopped her. She herself had wanted to inform those who had scorned and mocked Lauderdale of this news.
Mikhail had been quite affectionate when he came to Edenhurst. Everything except his status had been satisfactory. Especially the wealth she could sense during his stay was truly charming. So she had deliberately spread the rumors further so others would not dare interfere, but who knew Mikhail’s side would not proceed with the marriage talks.
He won’t easily give up on Lauderdale.
That was why he had stepped forward to acquire Edenhurst as well. Otherwise there would be no reason to come all this way and do this. The Countess set her glasses on the table with irritation. Their position had changed in an instant. Now they were in the position of having to beg him to take them in.
As troubled as the Countess was, Elizabeth was equally troubled. She recalled Mikhail’s appearance when he returned. The way he held the unconscious Anastasia in his arms. Perhaps it was not Mikhail but Anastasia who bothered her more.
Anastasia… had taken off her hat and revealed her face.
And that was not all. Even unconscious, Anastasia had tightly gripped Mikhail’s clothing. As if he were the sole savior of her world. Desperately. Clutching a man…
“That snake.”
A voice full of contempt flowed from Elizabeth’s lips.
The wicked red snake that tempts humans, the first among all creatures to commit sin.
Elizabeth sometimes watched from her room window as Anastasia fled toward the forest. Anastasia who always wrapped herself tightly as if hiding from people.
Elizabeth knew why Anastasia went about looking like that. It was the price for Anastasia having seduced her father and her brother.
On the night of her father’s funeral, Elizabeth learned how the snake had won the pity of Edenhurst’s masters.
If anyone learned of that fact… it would become a family scandal. No, not just a scandal—they might no longer be able to live in this country under the Lauderdale name. So Elizabeth spoke to no one of what she had seen and heard. Not even to her mother.
Staring into space for a long while, Elizabeth muttered.
“That thing seduces the masters of Edenhurst.”
After Father and Edward, now Mikhail as well.
She did not care how that wench behaved with Father or Edward. After all, they were not Elizabeth’s men. But Mikhail was different. Now he was the only attractive man she could choose. Her entire future depended on Mikhail.
Elizabeth opened the desk drawer. Among her belongings the servants had not taken was a Bible remaining inside.
Elizabeth opened the Bible and searched for the record of paradise. To find out what happened to the snake that committed sin.
That Mikhail did not meet the Countess was partly intentional to make her anxious, but also because the reopened wound was truly dangerous.
“Didn’t I tell you so!”
At Igor’s noisy voice from beside the bed, Mikhail frowned and covered his eyes with his hand. It had been a mistake to act leisurely even though the stab wound had reopened. Because the inflammation had spread, the pain intensified and he had a fever.
Seeing Mikhail, who usually did not show much on his face even for considerable things, sitting with a twisted expression, Igor thought it was serious. In the end Igor had to re-stitch his wound and forced Mikhail to take the strongest of the medicines he had brought.
Mikhail tasted the medicine and frowned even more.
“What’s wrong?”
“Seems like something useless got mixed into the medicine.”
“Useless? It’s a painkiller. It’s a bit strong so you might see slight hallucinations, but don’t mind it.”
“Hallucinations?”
“I’ve used it once before…”
Igor’s face suddenly flushed red. Mikhail looked at him with a suspicious gaze.
“Well, I saw something nice. Thanks to that there are a lot of people addicted to this these days, so it’ll probably be banned soon.”
“Something nice?”
“You’ll know when you see it. Seems people usually see what they want.”
“What did you see?”
“What do you need to know that for!”
“I need to know so I can tell whether what I see is a hallucination or not.”
“Asking about everything… Fine, all right. After retiring I saw a life of leisure in Ils! Satisfied?”
Igor snapped more than necessary, saying if he did not want to see it he should just go to sleep early, then tidied the table, closed the door, and quickly left.
In the quiet room, Mikhail placed a hand over his face. As the medicine’s effects gradually spread, the heavy pain rising along his right side grew fainter. Mikhail slowly blinked his eyes.
What would he see?
Mikhail had often seen those addicted to drugs at Sokolov port. They all wore happy expressions. He had wondered what on earth they were seeing, never thinking he would experience it himself today.
Mikhail turned his gaze, anticipating what would appear before his eyes. At that moment.
“Damn.”
He saw a presence that had no business being in his room.