Chapter 12

 "Oh my… No, but, what happened to Karina?"

"They lost her. They reported she boarded a carriage bound for the capital, so she must have gone there."

Count Leopold rubbed his furrowed brow with his thumb.

After thinking about it for a week, he supposed she might have felt upset. That’s why he had planned to throw her a birthday party when she returned, but only after scolding her thoroughly.

"Even children don’t act this thoughtlessly! She’s not some commoner. Who knows what kind of trouble she could run into outside the southern territory?!"

It was utterly infuriating.

The fact that she was deliberately making him worry made it even worse.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, that even his breath came in short huffs.

"How could she take her parents so lightly?!"

"Calm down. First, we need to find her. You can scold her all you want once she’s back."

"Bring her back? Forget it. If she hates this house so much, she can do as she pleases. She left of her own will. Until she returns on her knees with a proper apology, she is not setting foot in this estate."

"Dear!"

The count declared firmly, his expression hard.

The countess called out to him in concern.

"Cassis…"

"If we don’t correct her behavior now, when shall we do it?"

Count Leopold crossed his arms.

"Pay the trackers more and have them continue the pursuit. If they provide consistent reports, I don’t mind offering twice their asking price."

"Understood."

The butler bowed and hurriedly exited the office.

Having risen from his seat, Count Leopold sank back into the leather chair, pressing his fingers to his forehead.

"I understand that Karina acted recklessly this time, but she must have been hurt in her own way to do this."

"If she was upset, she should have spoken up. Running away from home, is that something reasonable? And you should stop defending her. She is clearly in the wrong. Of all things, she chose to run away."

Count Leopold trailed off, scoffing in disbelief.

He turned his gaze, now calmer, toward his wife.

"You know how humiliating it would be if rumors started spreading."

"She’s a smart girl. She’ll think of the family's reputation and return before this turns into a bigger issue."

"How long could she possibly hold out, anyway?"

Count Leopold spoke coldly.

Yet, his eyes trembled slightly.

"How is Lia? She wasn’t particularly fond of her sister, was she? But she was always by Karina’s side. Is she feeling lonely?"

"She seems to visit Karina’s room from time to time, but she hasn’t said much, as if she’s keeping her feelings to herself."

At Count Leopold’s concerned question, the countess quietly answered.

"She’s more mature than her foolish sister."

"Abelia may act childish, but she’s thoughtful. And Karina must have been struggling a lot to do something like this."

"Struggling with what, exactly?"

Count Leopold frowned, asking bluntly.

At his direct question, the countess fell silent. Even she couldn’t pinpoint what had troubled Karina so much.

Seeing her hesitation, Count Leopold let out a sigh.

"I understand a mother’s instinct to protect her child, but as parents, it’s also our duty to tell them when they’re wrong."

"That’s true, but… she’s never done anything like this before. Why now, all of a sudden?"

The countess murmured with a sigh.

Karina had never really caused any trouble before.

The countess couldn’t fathom why she had suddenly thrown such a bombshell and left.

"What could she possibly be lacking? Has she ever been short on allowance? Have we ever refused to buy her something she wanted?"

His voice was cold.

"She’s just spoiled because she’s never had to struggle before."

At Count Leopold’s words, the countess fell silent.

She, too, felt the same. Karina had never lacked anything. Hadn’t they always granted her every wish?

"Anyway, let’s drop the subject. Let’s just wait until she tires herself out and comes back."

Count Leopold tried to reassure his worried wife.

"It won’t take more than a month, at most."

With the money she had taken, she wouldn’t be able to maintain the lifestyle she was used to.

Letting out a sigh, Count Leopold estimated the rough time Karina would take to return.

"I just don’t understand the reason."

As he absentmindedly ran his fingers over the letter that had brought Karina’s news, he eventually picked up his pen.

The office was once again filled with the rustling sound of paper.

***

When Karina opened her eyes again after suffering through a feverish night, her entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

She felt both clammy and chilled.

Shivering, she wrapped herself tightly in the thick blankets, trying to retain as much warmth as possible.

Where is this?

Above her, she could see an elegant yet aged chandelier.

She let out a shaky breath before slowly burying her face into the blanket.

Despite being bundled up, the cold seemed to seep deep into her bones.

Ah…

Karina recalled what had happened before she fell asleep.

Before her fever worsened, Fang had guided her into the annex, and she had drifted off immediately.

She turned her gaze toward the window, trying to gauge the time. It seemed to be just past dawn.

'The lights over there are still on.'

It appeared to be the mansion's study.

That meant the person inside was undoubtedly that cold-hearted man.

What a restless night.

She was thirsty. Yet, the cold made her unwilling to move.

After a brief hesitation, she slowly closed her eyes again.

Darkness returned.

Karina suddenly opened her eyes again less than two hours later.

The unfamiliar bed and her feverish body made it difficult to rest, but more than anything, unsettling dreams kept waking her up.

Still, having gotten some sleep, she felt slightly more capable of moving than before.

I should fetch a towel for my forehead and a jug of water while I still can.

She had medicine with her, but the physician had prescribed it to be taken only once every two days.

Since today wasn’t the scheduled day, taking it early wouldn’t be effective.

Letting out a short sigh, Karina slowly crawled out from under the blankets.

"So cold…"

Her lowered voice trembled as she shivered. Her teeth chattered.

Hurriedly, she rummaged through the bag she had placed in the corner of the room and pulled out a spare robe, wrapping it around herself.

If the maids find out, they’ll just call for the physician again.

She didn’t want unnecessary attention on her situation.

Karina swallowed a short sigh.

Blinking slowly, she grasped the banister and carefully descended to the first floor.

She had heard that since no one could manage such a large building alone, a maid or servant came by once a day to check on the place.

That was beyond her control, so she had simply accepted it without complaint.

Was the kitchen this way?

She strained her eyes, trying to focus through the dizziness clouding her vision.

Holding the lantern tightly in her hand, she stepped forward cautiously.

Rustle.

A faint noise came from somewhere. A chill ran down the back of her neck.

Unlike the well-lit Leopold estate, the lanterns here were spaced far apart, making the atmosphere eerily dim.

A bead of sweat rolled down her spine. Gulping, Karina turned her head from side to side.

The dark, unfamiliar space felt especially terrifying in the dead of night.

Suddenly, her body flinched. This time, she clearly heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

"My lady?"

"Ahh…!"

She dangerously swung the lantern.

The man who had spoken recoiled in surprise.

A beat later, realizing that the voice was somewhat familiar, she slowly opened her tightly shut eyes.

"Y-Your Grace?"

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