Chapter 86
For this girl to smile and be happy in such a situation.
‘Is she really that foolish? I didnāt think she was this much of aā¦’
Doubt crossed Carolineās thoughts, but there was no time to hesitate. Cecilia might change her mind at any moment and seek treatment from the doctor.
“Yes. Iāll take care of everything. Donāt move an inch from here.”
Caroline sternly told her younger sister not to leave the room and then hurried out, not forgetting to close the door tightly so no one could see.
Cecilia watched Caroline’s retreating figure vanish like the wind, slowly losing her smile. With a serious expression, she thought,
‘Really, how foolish. To think I got backstabbed by her while blinded by mere affectionā¦’
Ceciliaās pride felt slightly wounded.
She clicked her tongue disapprovingly and took off her shoes. Then, she pulled out the blood pack she had hidden inside.
The bag containing animal blood was miserably burst under the pressure of Caroline’s foot.
She carefully wrapped the blood-stained item and put it in the thick pouch thatās been tucked on top of her petticoat. Then, she stood up.
After looking around, she strode toward Carolineās desk.
The drawer beside the desk was piled high with letters from friends that Caroline had received over the years.
Servants clean and tidy their masters’ rooms daily but never touch spaces containing the employer’s personal belongings.
And Caroline as wellā¦
āBut she wouldnāt read a letter given by others twice.ā
It’s just for show. To demonstrate how much she values friendship.
Among them, the very last compartment would contain letters received a long time ago. A space Caroline hadnāt opened for at least a few years.
āLouise would know about that too.ā
Louise and Caroline were as close as mother and daughter. It’s unlikely she didnāt know what Cecilia knew.
Where else could the governess, who only taught Caroline, freely come and go to hide something?
A place where other servants or the members of the Lasphilla family would never catch her.
And even if the room’s owner stumbled upon her, a place where they would willingly turn a blind eye.
That place was Caroline’s room.
‘After all, it’s darkest under the lamp.’
Among them, this drawer had the least risk of being discovered.
Cecilia promptly opened the drawer. She inserted her hand into the pile of letters and rummaged around.
Soon, she felt something catch her hand.
The texture of squared glass.
‘This is it.’
Cecilia quickly pulled out the bottle.
To the naked eye, it appeared to be a colorless liquid, like water. However, Cecilia soon realized what it actually was.
A liquid that appears colorless at first glance. But when held up to the light, it subtly shimmers with a reddish hue.
“ā¦Ha.”
A sigh, like a lament, escaped Ceciliaās lips.
Poenaās Tears.
An item of the gypsies, waiting for its target to be cursed, holding someoneās blood in its grasp.
* * *
After convincing Caroline that the bleeding had stopped and promising several times not to call a doctor, Cecilia managed to leave the room.
Safely back in her own room, she examined the bottle in her hand. It contained a portion of the liquid from the perfume bottle she had brought with her.
āWhy would Louise ClĆ©on have a bottle of Poenaās Tearsā¦ā
It wasnāt meant to be used as a simple sleeping potion since it was mixed with blood. It was intended for a curse.
āCaroline sprinkled it herself and nothing happened. Even when I smelled it, I didnāt feel any particular pain. Then, the target of the curse must beā¦ Ulysses Rosencrantz?ā
But Ulysses has been gone to the Arrienta estate a long time ago. If she aimed for Ulysses, this bottle should have been disposed of long ago.
Yet, the bottle remained.
The case was still a mystery. However, there was one fact that could be immediately deduced.
āLouise ClĆ©on is a gypsy.ā
Only a gypsy could wield a gypsy’s curse. Itās not simply about knowing the methodāthe magic inherent in their blood must be infused.
āAnd if this liquid is indeed Poenaās Tearsā¦ā
The premise changes.
T/N: from Wikipediaā Poena is the Greek spirit of punishment and the attendant of punishment to Nemesis, the goddess of divine retribution. The Greek word poinįø (ĻĪæĪ¹Ī½Ī®) means recompense or punishment. From this word the Latin poena meaning “pain, punishment, penalty” is derived, which in turn gave rise to English words such as “subpoena” and “pain”.
