The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 91

Claire, Kyle, and I moved to a secluded spot, leaning against the wall as we watched the hired workers unpack the luggage.

I had always suspected that Marabas was using Cordelia, but hearing Claire, who had seen her in person, agree only deepened my unease.

‘How should I bring this up to Steward Hild?’

According to the reports submitted by the alchemists of Traiha, Cordelia had been exploited by both Marabas and Itar for a long time—it was not a recent development.

When exactly had Marabas taken control of her mind? I couldn’t help but wonder when and where their association had begun.

“Claire, how long have you known Cordelia?”

“I’m not sure if I can say I ‘know’ her. Cordelia probably wouldn’t even recognize me. But back then, there were few among the Chaield household staff who didn’t know her name.”

“Because she was Steward Hild’s wife?”

“No. Cordelia was exceptionally skilled. Nowadays, female knights are common, so there’s no special distinction. But back then, when someone mentioned ‘the female knight,’ they meant Cordelia.”

It seemed Cordelia was far more remarkable and complex than I had initially assumed. Claire’s eyes moved slowly, as if recalling old memories.

“I remember she worked at the Chaield estate before Hild.”

“Since Sir Hild was the knight commander, I suppose they naturally knew each other? Were their duties similar?”

“Cordelia had a specific role in Chaield. She was responsible for guarding the Arete Crystals in the basement. Since the crystals were always kept in the same place, her patrol range wasn’t very wide.”

“Guarding the Arete Crystals…”

A thought struck me. When I had visited the basement of the ducal residence to see the barely breathing Count Gargoyle, Steward Hild’s expression had been far from pleasant.

‘He kept glancing at the room where the Arete Crystals had been stored. Was Cordelia guarding that door all this time?’

Now, I finally understood his reaction. The sorrowful gaze he had cast suggested that he still loved his wife.

I couldn’t begin to imagine how he would react upon learning that the woman who had vanished without a word had now become a tool in the hands of the enemy.

“How did the knight who once guarded the Arete Crystals end up being expelled from the Chaield estate?”

Claire slowly folded her arms at my question, as if she needed a moment to recall past events.

The light drizzle from the previous evening had transformed into a thick, ominous fog after sunset. The mist crept through the estate, sparing not even Claire’s secluded palace, which was already half-covered in moss and vines.

‘The weather is decent. Maybe I should go out for a change.’

Brushing what was left of a worn-out comb through her hair, Claire glanced out the window and entertained the thought.

After finishing with her long black hair, she studied herself in the tarnished bronze mirror.

Despite wearing a dull-colored dress no better than a servant’s and shoes so worn that the heels had flattened, her Chaield lineage still lent her an undeniable elegance.

Brushing off her skirt as if to mark the end of her preparations, she picked up a discarded telescope she had found and perched herself on the windowsill.

The entrance to her secluded palace was always guarded, and today was no exception. This was why she called this her version of ‘going out’—peering through the telescope at the world beyond.

On days when the sun wasn’t too bright, the lens wasn’t easily noticeable, reducing the risk of being caught. The chances of being summoned for interrogation over suspicious behavior were also lower.

‘Now, let’s see…’

Closing one eye, Claire swept the telescope across the main palace. By now, she could identify people by silhouette alone and even deduce why they were there.

After surveying the sons of Chaield as usual, she was about to lower the telescope when something caught her attention.

‘Why is the female knight acting like that?’

Cordelia Weill. Not someone she typically observed, but her behavior was strange. She was pacing the same area in circles, then suddenly stopped, eyes wide open, staring up at the sky—muttering something under her breath.

‘Has she gone mad from spending all her time in the basement?’

When Claire first saw Cordelia leave the ducal residence, she hadn’t thought much of it. But after her departure, the estate began to change.

The succession war suddenly accelerated. Everyone behaved as if consumed by greed, and the older brothers had already started scheming to eliminate the yet-unborn youngest heir.

It was as if the entire palace had fallen under a curse, with its residents baring their fangs at one another.

The only changes were Cordelia’s absence and the fact that, shaken by her departure, Hild had taken an extended leave.

‘Could it be that she was the one suppressing the Arete Crystals’ side effects all this time?’

Claire instinctively recognized that a shadow of bloodshed had begun to creep over the once-glorious Chaield palace.

If so, then just a little longer. If she waited just a bit more, Claire would no longer be confined to this remote palace.

She would finally become Claire Chaield.

‘…I could be free, too.’

It was from that moment that Claire, wearing a faint smile, began meticulously observing and recording the movements of those in the main palace.

＊＊＊

Claire had been silent for quite some time. Sensing her thoughts, I caught a glimpse of her hesitation.

“There’s no need to recount such grim details.”

But I pressed her again for more details about Cordelia Weill. Had she really been expelled from the estate?

“It’s the opposite. If anything, Cordelia was the one who drove other servants away—though not intentionally.”

“What do you mean?”

“Cordelia never once took sick leave. She avoided alcohol and exercised regularly. Even the palace physicians used to joke that she could live to a hundred without issue. Yet, one day, that perfectly healthy woman suddenly began trembling as if possessed.”

I found it remarkable how Claire, despite being confined to the secluded palace, was so well-informed about the main estate’s affairs.

“Trembling like a madwoman?”

“Yes. She would whisper to herself as if speaking to someone unseen, move as though following an invisible figure, and even jump in place, claiming something was clinging to her shoulders.”

“When did this start?”

“I can’t pinpoint the exact moment. But for someone who had never once complained of pain or injury to suddenly lose her mind—it terrified those who saw her.”

I understood the implication. This was likely the reason behind the mass turnover of Chaield’s highly paid servants.

‘Something about this sounds familiar… It’s almost like what Koreans call “spiritual possession.”’

The alchemists speculated that Cordelia’s body had become highly receptive to magic and Arete due to prolonged exposure to the crystals’ power.

It wouldn’t be surprising if her years of guarding the Arete Crystals had left lasting effects on her.

“When rumors spread that Cordelia’s madness was caused by the Arete Crystals, no one wanted to remain in the estate. Most of the current servants were hired after the incident.”

“It must have been quite a terrifying sight.”

“…It was. She wandered with her hair disheveled, dragging one leg as she walked. Who wouldn’t be afraid?”

Claire’s description sent shivers down my spine. Even I would have fled.

“In any case, Cordelia Weill disappeared from the estate within a matter of hours. They filed a missing persons report and took every possible measure, but she was never found.”

“…Ah.”

“Even the late Duke of Chaield, who was usually unshakable, must have been disturbed by the incident. From then on, he stopped selling Arete Crystals exclusively.”

Cordelia’s strange behavior had a profound impact. If word got out that she had allied with Marabas, another uproar would surely follow.

Kyle furrowed his brow, seeming to share my thoughts. Then, without a word, he turned his gaze toward me. I had no idea why he had been looking at me like that since earlier.

“Thank you for your time, Lady Claire. Sir Diane wishes to meet with you soon. Please set a time and let me know.”

Claire glanced at me briefly, her expression tinged with something akin to pity. I wasn’t sure why, but I decided to thank her anyway.

“Thank you for sharing your story, Claire. You must be exhausted from your trip. Please get some rest.”

“Amel… It’s really not that tiring, so don’t worry. But if you insist, how about having tea with me tomorrow?”

I wasn’t sure what counted as exhausting by Chaield’s standards. She had just returned from an extended mission, yet she claimed not to be tired.

In the distance, the servants bustled like ants, struggling to move the crates Claire had brought back.

Who would believe that all those spoils were from a single week’s trip? Even looting a pirate ship wouldn’t yield such a lavish haul.

“What are all these?”

“Items from Traiha. Surprisingly, the imperial palace readily agreed to share their alchemical research.”

“Though I did spend quite a bit of money.”

“But Amel doesn’t need to worry about that.”

“…I wonder if there’s anything here that she’ll like.”

Though Claire must have been tired, she didn’t even mention resting. Instead, she led me toward the crates. At her glance, the servants quickly pried open the wooden lids.

“Wow…”

“Amel, do you like them? I heard you mention wanting these before, so I made sure to bring them back.”

“They look even more dazzling in a set.”

Mesmerized, I stared at the vials inside the crate. The liquid shimmered like bottled starlight—they were all elixirs designed to neutralize Arete’s power temporarily.

Vanessa had once mentioned that these were so expensive they were rarely purchased, yet Claire had casually brought back multiple boxes. That was Chaield for you.

“Amel, would you like to see this too? It’s called the Lily of Eternity brooch.”

“It’s beautiful… It looks like a gem trapped in ice that never melts. What kind of enchantment does it have to be considered research material?”

“…Huh?”

Claire looked genuinely confused.

“Research material?”

“Yes. Didn’t you purchase it from the Royal Alchemists of Traiha for study?”

I had heard that Kyle allocated a massive budget to the alchemists, but I doubted even that would cover the cost of all these items.

As I scanned the crates, estimating their worth, Claire suddenly reached out and smoothed my hair, letting out a soft chuckle.

“Amel, everything here is a gift for you—a souvenir from my trip.”

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