I Became the Substitute for the Runaway Heroine - Chapter 46

Surely, he didn’t see me swallow the divine power orb, did he?

Though it felt awkward, Odette thought it best to smile, so she curled her lips upward.

“You’re still pretending to be the Count’s mercenary, I see.”

“I plan to stop once the engagement ceremony between my lord and Lady Odette is over.”

Seeing Jacques smile gently, Odette felt relieved.

It didn’t seem like he suspected anything strange about her.

“Then, it won’t be long now, will it?”

“That’s right. But what brings you here? Are you looking for the annex?”

“Oh, yes. Once the engagement is over, I won’t have many reasons to visit the Count’s estate anymore. So I need to make the most of my time now.”

“That’s a splendid idea. As expected, you are truly the greatest benefactor.”

By now, even such praise merely made her ears tingle slightly.

Before, her face would flush red, and she wouldn’t know what to do.

“I haven’t even found the annex yet.”

“Please, speak comfortably. My lord will scold me severely otherwise.”

At Jacques’ earnest request, Odette cleared her throat a few times and then said,

“Mm, alright. You seem to come to this forest often. Have you noticed anything strange?”

“…The Countess’s lover frequents the western forest regularly.”

“Lover?”

“I’ve heard she’s been seeing him since before her marriage.”

Wait a minute!

Could it be…?

‘Is it possible that Eric isn’t actually the Count’s son?’

In the original story, the Countess favored Eric and treated Amelia coldly.

Given her personality, which was overly concerned with others’ opinions, it should have been the other way around.

Unlike Eric, who lived in seclusion and never participated in social gatherings, Amelia was actively involved in society.

She hosted tea parties, attended banquets, and fulfilled the role of the Count’s daughter admirably.

Yet the Countess never once praised her for it.

‘That kind of coldness was supposed to be the root of Amelia’s trauma, creating her tragic aura as the original heroine.’

In reality, Amelia became twisted, had an affair, and ran away from home.

Regardless, it seemed necessary to investigate Katarina’s lover.

Odette asked,

“If the Countess’s lover regularly appears in the western forest, does that mean he meets with Eric regularly?”

“That man is also Eric Anderson’s only personal attendant.”

“Ah, I see.”

She was now certain the lover was Eric’s real father.

Even Jovern and the maids found Eric’s very presence terrifying, yet this man served him directly.

If Eric needed beast blood, that man probably went hunting for him.

Was it paternal affection, or something far more disturbing? Odette couldn’t decide.

Seeing her brush her arm to shake off the chills, Jacques said,

“Though the lover’s visits are irregular, he always comes at least once. So let me search for the western annex. You should focus on preparing for the engagement ceremony.”

Since she couldn’t use divine power to break the barrier while Jacques was watching, Odette nodded.

“Alright, I understand.”

“I’ll escort you to the forest entrance. You might run into the Count’s mercenaries.”

“Thank you.”

As she walked down the forest path with Jacques, Odette suddenly turned her head, feeling a force tugging at the back of it.

It was a different energy from Eric’s dark magic.

‘There’s something inside.’

She felt eyes on her back and a mysterious force pulling her in, making her stop in her tracks.

‘Andrea… is that you?’

Surely, Andrea couldn’t hear her thoughts.

Realizing how foolish she was being, Odette tried to start walking again.

Ssshh—Suddenly, the branches all bent in one direction, and the leaves rustled.

Even though there was no wind.

‘Oh my—! It really is you, isn’t it?’

This time, the branches bent in the opposite direction.

Andrea was beyond the barrier.

She was reaching out for help—through Odette, the only one she could communicate with.

“Emma, did you say Eric is in the main building?”

Returning to her room, Odette asked Emma abruptly.

“Ah, yes. He was injured, so the madam is personally taking care of him.”

“Then… is there any chance you could get me something like the Countess’s handkerchief? I only need to borrow it for a moment.”

“The madam’s handkerchief?”

“It doesn’t have to be a handkerchief. A fan or a compact mirror with her name on it would work too.”

If she could enter Countess Katarina’s dreams, Odette could obtain information about Eric.

Also, the Countess was likely the one who knew best what Eric was doing in the annex.

‘And what might be hidden inside the annex as well.’

Of course, it would be better to enter Eric’s dream through one of his personal items, but everything about Eric was shrouded in mystery.

“Do you need it right now?”

Emma, as if eager to bring Odette whatever she wanted, set down the embroidery hoop she had been holding.

“It would be great if you could get it right away.”

“Then I’ll go ask the laundry maid. I should be able to get the madam’s handkerchief.”

“Thank you, Emma.”

A short while later, Emma returned with Countess Katarina’s handkerchief.

Telling Emma she wanted to take a nap, Odette gripped the handkerchief tightly and lay down on the bed.

‘Please, let this dream reveal something useful.’

“I won’t accept Andrea as my daughter-in-law!”

Katarina’s sharp voice rang out.

Pacing restlessly around the study, she twisted the hem of her skirt in frustration.

“I will not allow my son to be used as a pawn in some political game. A marriage pact between families? How revolting!”

“Who said anything about keeping the marriage pact? Andrea is scheduled to disappear. So please, calm yourself.”

The Count gripped Katarina’s shoulders tightly and glared at her.

“But if that happens, Amelia will have to marry Caesar to uphold the pact!”

“That’s exactly why I’ve arranged all of this — to get Caesar under my control. That bastard Caesar is definitely the master of ….”

‘The master of…?’

Odette perked up her ears, sensing that this was important, but Katarina abruptly changed the subject.

“How do you plan to make Andrea disappear? Why not frame her for some scandal and make it look like suicide?”

“Eric won’t believe that. It’s safer to disguise it as an accident. Now, I have work to do.”

After the Count left the room, Katarina walked over to a wall-mounted mirror and pulled on a concealed cord.

With a quiet rumble, the wall moved, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp features.

“Gallerwin, protect our son yourself. Don’t leave him in the hands of that useless man.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll stake my life to ensure that no harm comes to our son, Eric.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Suddenly, the bed dipped heavily, as if two people had jumped onto it at once.

Odette, who was lying flat under the bed in the empty space below, grimaced as the mattress creaked overhead.

“Ugh, this is a total mess.”

Waking from the dream, Odette rubbed her forehead.

To think that Eric was the product of the Countess’s affair…

‘If the Count finds out, he won’t sit quietly.’

Well, not that it was her concern.

It wasn’t enough that the Count had killed Caesar’s biological father — now he was plotting to kill Andrea too, just because Caesar might be the master of ….

She didn’t know what that was, but it was clear that it meant enough for the Count to risk his life and his family.

Greed… or obsession.

Whatever it was, the Count knew a secret Caesar didn’t.

What could it be?

Odette lay back down, focusing her thoughts to re-enter Katarina’s dream.

She planned to ask Katarina directly about the secret passage to the western annex, and what exactly Caesar was the master of.

But—what was this?

Suddenly, smoke began to seep into the room, and pillars of scarlet flames shot up.

“Ugh!”

Waving her hands to keep the fire from catching her clothes, Odette tried to run—when something grabbed her ankle.

“Please… help me.”

It was a young girl, dressed in a maid’s uniform from the Count’s estate.

Here and there, more girls lay collapsed.

“Everyone, wake up!”

Odette pulled the girl to her feet and rushed to wake the others.

“Don’t give up—we can survive this!”

The choking smoke filled her nose and mouth, making her eyes stream with tears.

The heat from the fire climbing to the ceiling made it feel like she would burn alive at any moment.

‘I don’t want to die like this!’

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