The Effect of Sabotage
“They say the duchess knelt before the duke and begged for mercy, huh.”
Sella covered her mouth with a hand, as if amused.
Esika’s lips curved into a faint smile.
Yesterday, Yuri had knelt at the duchess’s feet, weeping and swearing an oath of loyalty.
She said she wouldn’t marry, and as a lady-in-waiting, she would serve the duchess faithfully for the rest of her life.
Thanks to that, the paper listing the groom candidates had been discarded.
It was not a good thing that Leona had received Yuri’s loyalty oath.
But what was there to fear? The two of them didn’t trust each other.
Once the suspicion towards Yuri began, it would tighten around her neck like a noose.
Yuri must have realized that Leona had no intention of elevating her to even a candidate for Kalian’s partner.
It was like stirring up a dog and a monkey; there was no need to worry.
“The duchess will demand a price for her loyalty.”
“But for a lady-in-waiting... there is nothing left.”
“So she has no choice but to panic.”
She could no longer steal the duchess’s jewels.
Panic calls forth impulse, and impulse leads to ruin.
Esika, who had used such psychology to eliminate countless enemies, looked forward to what was to come.
“I am uneducated, so I don’t understand the duchess’s plans...”
Sella said to Esika, eyes sparkling.
“I know the duchess is amazing. And I believe her plans will succeed.”
At Sella’s words, Esika let out a soft laugh.
Then, after a moment, she spoke.
“I’ll have Hemes send a gift to Yuri.”
“A gift?”
“Well, more like bait than a gift.”
Esika was not one to easily take the hand of an enemy retreating backwards from a cliff.
Even if it meant pushing them one step closer to ruin.
*** 'If the duke finds out I approached without permission, I won't survive next time.'
Yuri followed Leona with a cold gaze.
Leona sat in the garden as usual, beginning to listen to the musician’s performance.
The sweet melody was artistic, but Yuri’s ears didn’t catch it.
It was because her mind was complicated.
'I've barely stayed by the duchess's side... and now there's no way to approach the duke.'
Since that incident, the maids had started reporting to Leona about Yuri.
They would give her a hint if Yuri got too close to Kalian.
Unexpected counterattacks made her boil with anger every day.
If Esika hadn’t told those horrible stories, it would have been smooth sailing.
“The refreshments will be brought from the kitchen.”
Yuri reported to the duchess and went to the kitchen.
A note had arrived from Hemes earlier.
It said to bring good fruits for scars.
Waiting to receive the pre-ordered snacks, a voice came from inside.
“That green bottle must not be taken. It’s the chicken medicine the steward left behind. If a person drinks it, it’s bad.”
“Will it kill me?”
“No, it causes stomach upset. You’ll be sick for a week.”
Yuri overheard the conversation between Hemes and the maid.
Her gaze turned to the shelf, and she saw several small green bottles.
Was that what Hemes had just mentioned?
“......”
And at that moment, something occurred to Yuri.
If the duchess was guarding her, she needed to make her lose her vigilance.
She had often feigned illness to gain her son’s attention.
So, even if she was sick for a week, it wouldn’t be a special event.
Yuri reached for the bottles with a greedy expression.
She quickly hid one in her apron.
A short while later, Hemes came out carrying a beautifully arranged plate of snacks.
And he handed over a small pouch.
“Here are the refreshments. And this is the fruit called Paqua. It’s a bit bitter, but good for recovering from scars.”
“Thank you, Hemes.”
Yuri held the pouch and looked at the plate.
The plate of delicious desserts instantly made her mouth water.
'If I marry a commoner, I could never dream of such things.
And then she thought.
'But if I become the future Duchess Klaus... I can enjoy luxury every day eating these. I’m not the foolish Esika who can’t even take care of herself.'
Yuri accepted it with a smile to Hemes.
“I’ll be going. Thank you for your hard work.”
Hemes watched Yuri’s back until she disappeared far away.
And then, with a late peek from the kitchen, he met Sella’s eyes and smiled faintly.
***
It didn’t take long for the signal to reach the duchess.
On the way back, Yuri had to support the pale-faced duchess, but it wasn’t too difficult.
The medicine was so effective.
Since she was supposed to be sick for a week, it would be Yuri’s world for that time.
“Duchess, I called the doctor. Please endure a little longer.”
Yuri made a worried expression, and the duchess lay on the bed as if dead, eyes closed.
She had to empty her stomach several times.
The maids had gone to Hemes to interrogate him, but Hemes denied it, saying he had simply brought out the cookies sent by the empress on a plate.
Since there was no way to question the empress, the matter would be settled quietly.
“Mother!”
A short while later, Kalian burst into the room.
Yuri lowered her head with a sad expression and greeted Kalian.
Kalian rushed past Yuri to Leona and took her hand.
“Oh, have you collapsed again, Mother...”
Normally, Leona would have played the role of a nagging, kind, and weak mother with watery eyes, saying it’s fine.
But today, she didn’t have the strength, and she could only blink.
Soon after, the doctor came and concluded it was stomach upset.
“Kalian, today it’s really... ugh...”
Leona suddenly frowned.
Kalian looked at Leona with concern, but Leona found that gaze annoying.
It felt like the pain was real, but her son’s reaction didn’t seem sincere.
Because she had faked illness too often, Kalian had developed some immunity.
Of course, he still came running to his mother, putting aside everything else.
Leona didn’t want to think about anything and just closed her eyes in irritation.
Recently, nothing was going well.
A short while later, Yuri followed Kalian out of the room.
'How is it that his shoulders are so broad and sturdy?'
“Duke.”
When Yuri spoke, Kalian stopped and turned to look at her.
Today, he had put in extra effort with his appearance.
Yuri deliberately showed a faint melancholy and stood in front of him with a worried expression.
And she teared up.
“Punish me.”
“......”
Kalian’s eyebrows twitched.
“I brought cookies to the duchess, and this severe stomach upset happened...”
It was a scene to stimulate a man’s protective instinct.
Kalian let out a small sigh.
“It is not your fault.”
“But...”
Kalian raised his hand and wiped the tears flowing down Yuri’s cheek.
Suddenly, Esika came to mind, and a sharp discomfort filled one side of her chest.
But she didn’t want to ignore Yuri, who was so anxious.
***
The next day, the carriage carrying Esika stopped in front of a certain estate.
It was for an unexpectedly decided outing.
It had been almost two years since she left the Klaus estate.
The place where Esika stopped was in front of the estate of Count Alhemits, a distant relative of the duke.
'With the geography from the duke’s estate to the city center understood.'
While the carriage was moving, Esika scanned the outside scenery.
The terrain, geography, and direction of the bustling areas.
Things that would be useful when going out in the future.
'Today's first goal has been achieved.
I also got information about a high-quality weapons shop, so soon she would go out.
This place was not governed by the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak, and she had no intention of suppressing enemies with swords or seeking revenge.
However, the sword was necessary.
When living as a sword master, the sword had always protected her side.
When things were hard and difficult, she always looked at the sword to straighten her mind and learned swordsmanship to gain enlightenment.
The sword was a symbolic pillar of her heart and her only friend for the lonely her.
So, it was not unreasonable to order a sword similar to the one she had used her whole life.
It was not like she was using excessive light footwork or something that would draw someone’s attention.
So, she set out to observe the surroundings by carriage.
A rehearsal once is necessary for anything.
'Second goal!
Today there was a tea party for Countess Alhemits’s wife.
It was a gathering to commemorate the special medal she received from the emperor.
Originally, the duchess was supposed to attend, but she had severe stomach upset.
It was thanks to Hemes playing his role perfectly.
The duchess’s maids handed over a dress with an unpleasant face.
Since it was an old, shabby dress from long ago, she couldn’t participate in the external tea party.
And the duchess had given a hint to Esika through the maid.
To sit quietly and then come out.
“Esika Klaus, Duchess of Klaus.”
The greenhouse garden of the Alhemits Count’s estate.
When the maid announced Esika’s entrance, about ten noble ladies turned their heads to look at Esika.
Esika, who had approached them, stopped, gave them a smile that gave a somewhat cool impression, and greeted them.
“It’s been a while.”
'Second goal is to create future allies.
I had no interest in Kalian, who was burning with eyes wanting something.'