Chapter 17: The Dream Story — Part Three
“Good morning, my lady.”
Lloyd approached holding the inventory list and greeted me.
“We are currently confirming the items.
It is only a count of the pieces, however one item is missing, and we are quite perplexed.”
“What?
What’s missing?”
“The box containing your personal effects.
According to the man we sent, the marquis household is searching for it now.
It was confirmed to have been placed in your room there, but when they gathered your belongings for return, it was gone.”
For a moment, I simply stared blankly.
The box with all my personal effects.
Inside were my hand mirror, comb, brush, and nightcap.
And my accessories were also stored in the tray within that box.
Since I had taken only a few items this time, I had not used a jewelry case but instead placed everything in a small compartmentalized box.
This morning’s dream flashed vividly through my mind.
And then I remembered that the maid Merry had been reported missing.
My knees trembled and all strength drained from me.
I felt the blood leave my face, my body growing cold.
Darkness swallowed my vision.
“My lady, have you regained consciousness?
Thank goodness.
I’ll inform everyone at once.
They were terribly worried.”
Bell, who had been at my bedside, hurried out of the room.
What was it?
After a while of drifting in a haze, I remembered.
Merry might have been killed.
But truly?
Everything was a mystery.
I couldn’t understand any of it.
Another wave of dizziness came over me, and I leaned back against the cushions, closing my eyes.
As I drifted, I slipped into a dream once more.
I was standing in the alley where Merry had met that man.
Beyond the alley, a dilapidated shack came into view.
I walked toward it.
I didn’t want to open the door.
Yet my feet moved on their own, and I passed through the wall into the interior.
There, just as expected, Merry lay collapsed.
It was obvious at a glance that she was no longer breathing.
Her alluring lips hung slightly open, a thin line of blood trailing from one corner.
Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle, so it did not appear to be strangulation like before.
Perhaps because it was a dream, I found myself observing calmly.
I was startled at my own composure.
Was I truly such a cold person?
That thought made me feel sorrowful—
And then Bell shook me awake.
“My lady, would you like to smell some restorative salts?
How do you feel?”
Behind Bell’s worried face stood Mother and Noel.
“Maria, are you all right?
Perhaps the strain has caught up with you.
You should rest for a while.”
“Thank you, Mother.
It seems I am quite fatigued.”
“You know, seeing those belongings made me finally understand your feelings and resolve.
Noel and I spoke about everything.
I’m sorry for always brushing aside your protests.
I’ve finally realized how terrible it must have been for you.”
Mother… apologizing.
She had always dismissed me with a look that said, “Honestly, this child.”
For the first time in a long while, she was truly hearing me.
“You’re behaving very differently now.
Have you finally realized the situation I was placed in?”
I spoke coldly.
Mother, who was usually so smooth and outspoken, faltered.
Seeing that, I felt an odd sense of satisfaction rise within me, even in this situation.
I deliberately turned my gaze away.
Noel, too, had lost her recent arrogance and stood quietly beside Mother.
After watching my face for a moment, she approached my pillow.
“Big Sister… I behaved terribly.
It felt like everything was always going well for you.
I’m sorry.”
She spoke hesitantly.
I sighed and replied,
“Study properly.
You have issues with your conduct as a lady.
Whether I forgive you depends on that.”
As I looked at Noel’s dejected face, the dream from earlier returned to me.
The vivid, living expression even in her gloom contrasted so sharply with Merry’s lifeless face that my chest tightened.
I have not forgiven Merry.
I never could.
Yet my chest burned, and for some reason tears overflowed.
“My lady, perhaps you should rest a little longer,” Bell suggested gently.
“No.
If my brother is home, please ask him to come here.
And Lloyd as well.”
Eric came into the room shortly after being summoned.
In just a few days, his cheeks had hollowed slightly.
He seemed thinner.
By then I had wiped away my tears and steadied myself.
Mother and Noel had been asked to leave; I told them I had an important matter to discuss with my brother.
“Are you all right, Maria?
They said you fainted.”
He looked at me with concern.
“Jason’s mistress, Merry, may have been killed.
I want you to find her.”
Eric’s lips moved as if to say something, but no sound came out.
“Your composure is impressive.
As expected of a Royal Guard—even if you may or may not be rotten.”
The sharpness of my words surprised even me.
“I saw it in a dream.
She was lying in a shack in an inconspicuous place.
She fled with my small box, and it appears her accomplice stole it and killed her.”
“What are you saying?”
“Sir Eric, may I?” Lloyd interjected.
At Eric’s nod, Lloyd addressed me.
“The small box you mentioned—is it the same one missing from the marquis household?”
When I nodded, Lloyd explained everything to my brother.
That we had requested the return of my belongings from the marquis household, but only the small box was missing.
That it contained my personal items and accessories.
And that upon hearing this, I had collapsed.
“Are you suggesting that this mistress named Merry stole the accessories and ran?”
“Yes.
Most likely.
You may consider this story absurd.
You promised to apologize to me, did you not?
Let this be in exchange.
I cannot ask this of anyone else.”
My brother remained silent for a long time.
Then he bowed his head toward me.
“I apologize for neglecting you.
And for failing to notice Jason’s intentions.
I was wrong.”
I was stunned.
Never in my life had I imagined my brother apologizing to me.
“…I will consider whether to accept your apology.
But why were you always so cold to me?”
He frowned and answered after a pause.
“You bit me when I patted your head.
I thought you were a savage little thing…”
He trailed off.
“Ah.
How pathetic.
Such a ridiculous reason.
Unbelievable.”
It was indeed absurd.
Even Lloyd stared at him, mouth slightly open.
“When was that?” Lloyd asked.
“You were about three…
No matter how I think about it, I was the problem.
Somehow it just became normal, and I forgot the original reason.
I’m sorry.”
The tension drained from me.
I had expected something far more serious.
“You mean when you called me a dog and messed up my hair?
I bit you?”
Imagining it nearly made me laugh.
My brother playfully ruffling my hair, and me clamping my teeth onto his hand.
“That’s too ridiculous.
You’d better truly reflect on yourself.
Understood?”
“You’re right.
Now, about searching—do you have any idea where to begin?”
“Eh?
You’ll actually go?”
“Yes.
You said you can’t ask anyone else.
That’s understandable.
If it’s just a dream.”
I stared at my brother, utterly astonished.
This was far beyond anything I had expected.