Her plan backfires

The howling of the north wind accompanied its fury as it blew over the helpless tufts, and all that the grass could do to survive the wind was to sway with it.

The view was especially relatable, an odd analogy that aggravated Adela tremendously as she saw herself in the weakness of that grass, dancing along with a wind that came from afar and acted above all, a reminder of her ordeal with a certain man who grew more obscure by the passing moment.

Wrapped in her winter coat, Adela gazed upon the three cottages with begrudged eyes, trespassing over lands that were no longer her own, and breaking her father's word at a sensitive time that could not bear any error on her part.

It was most certainly wrong for her to be here, still, it was a must. For things at de Lanark's estate were getting out of hand. Now more than ever, she had to ensure that the von Conradies were not in cahoots with the rebels. The sudden necessity had nothing to do with the lands that were auctioned, nor her doubts about Egon's very humanity.

"Oh, Larissa…"

Going back and forth between the two estates, her sister all but radiated happiness. Her prominent cheekbones were rosier than ever, and her innocent beauty seemed to gain a layer of maturity to it.

Alas, what came effortlessly went with identical ease.

With the Archduke putting his foot down, a fever got a tenacious grip on a healthy Larissa for the second night in a row after her parents' distressing argument. Adela had her doubts about the symptoms and how they could be related to her sister's poor psychology, but the maids were positive about it, constantly whispering of Lady de Lanark's lovesickness and a certain handsome von Conradie merchant.

Could it be love? Would the sensible Larissa who did not even know Andreas that well have fallen for him?

In the proud kingdom of Emoria — much like having a career — love was another form of social suicide to a noble lady. The lucky ones experienced it after marriage, but it did not change the norms, aristocratic weddings were just another form of business between two families, a unison that should be done for a set of identified reasons, never based on some ephemeral lust.

Adela held her head up high, determined to protect her sister by any means necessary. If Larissa's heart truly chose someone, then what others had to say about that choice was the last thing on Adela's mind. Her sole mission was to provide the two of them with a level of convenience that enables them to unite together cordially in wedlock once and if both of them decide on that.

That was one of the two possibilities for why she stood where she was right now.

Undoubtedly, Larissa was not immune to Andreas's charms, but wouldn't her feelings be contingent upon his integrity? Wouldn't conspiring against the monarchy change her mind about the man for good? Surely an act of treason would surpass her infatuation with him.

Is he truly a supporter of the rebellion?

The only way for Adela to reveal the truth was by planting eyes and ears around the von Conradies, and if the young man she saved a fortnight ago was indeed a spy, then she was determined to make a double agent out of him.

Adela who learned of the young man's whereabouts through his aunt knew that the latter could easily trick her. Nicolas. She repeated his name in her mind in order not to forget it then walked against the wind toward the cottage where he might or might not be. But the door was left open, and behind it was just the person she came all the way here to see.

"You!"

Nicolas turned around with a start, his eyes widening further upon seeing the saintess as his aunt called her.

"M-M-My Lady?"

As a commoner with deteriorating health and no job until very recently, Nicolas never dreamed of getting close enough to breathe the same air as Lady Adelaide de Lanark let alone get a chance to extend his overdue gratitude to her for saving his life. He bowed down and dared not look up again, frightened that what he had seen was a forest ghost in disguise, but more frightened about the prospect that it was really the Lady herself.

Much like the last time she came inside the shabby cottage, the wooden floor creaked with every step Adela took, and the noise slightly brought clarity to Nicolas's jumbled-up mind, but with that clarity came a crippling fear he shuddered with remembering how rebels kidnapped the Lady that day.

"W-W-What brings Your Ladyship here? A-Allow me to accompany you back to your manor right away, I-I am no knight, but the life you gave me is yours for the taking,"

Adela's persistent frown deepened. The words she heard Nicolas saying were not those of a spy and neither was his modest posture. Arkin's accusation seemed implausible to her, but she was unable to prove anything before she interrogates the young man.

She took a deep breath.

"I heard that the von Conradies hired you,"

He nodded at the floor, "Y-Yes. Y-yes, I will work in their stables and earn a living,"

She foot-tapped impatiently, rejecting the small sense of joy she felt that her patient was recovered enough to win his own bread. I must treat him like a spy. She reminded herself with a sinking heart.

"Why would well-known merchants with substantial wealth give you a job of all people?"

Nicolas froze for a second before he hunched down deeper. The image was so painful to Adela's eyes that she decided to push to the very extreme and get it over with already.

"Did you earn that job by leaking out private information? Did you repeat what you heard me and my knight talking about at the infirmary?"

"A-absolutely not!" Shame weighed on him so much that he fell to his knees in front of her, "His late mother… Master Egon's...She…His late mother knew my aunt…"

One step away from Nicolas, Adela's pity moved her hand, She was about to touch his trembling shoulder and ask him to straighten up and then carry on with the conversation in a civilized manner since he was cooperating.

They both jumped when a loud slamming sound was heard from behind them, the door she had left ajar moments ago was kicked to the ground next to a panting man, but the light coming from outside and a dark cloak hid his features.

Nicolas hurried to place his body between the beast-like stranger and the saintess.

"You shall justify yourself in that pathetic manner no more, you hear me?"

"M-Master Egon?"

"Leave us!" He howled.

Nicolas hesitated, unwilling to leave Lady de Lanark alone with his mad-looking Master. But Adela was also thinking of the young man's safety, and seeing how he trembled from head to toe, she had a sudden acute urge to protect him from the merciless merchant.

"It is all right, Nicolas, I understand the situation now so you may leave,"

The boy ran out with tearful eyes, but he could not go too far, he mustered the courage to turn around and check for the Lady's safety, but the darkness inside the place he once called home had consumed Egon von Conradie and Adelaide de Lanark.

It was as if they did not belong to the same world anymore.