Chapter 325
A path of light poured through the wide-open doorway.
After confirming the old woman lying on the bed at the end of it, Nina slowly turned around.
ââŚLittle one, do you perhaps have any family besides your grandmother?â
âI only live with Grandma.â
It was meaningless to guess the age of a child from the slums, but at most, the child was seven years old.
And yet their grandmother had been their only guardianâŚ
âBut are you someone who came to pray, maâam?â
âYes, I came to pray, and to help if thereâs anything I can help with.â
âUm, then could you please wake up my grandma? Itâs been three nights, but she keeps sleeping and wonât wake upâŚâ
Nina couldnât bring herself to say anything.
It was a request she couldnât grant.
The shadow of death had fallen blue over the old womanâs face.
âŚHow could she fail to recognize the shadow of death she had seen countless times in her previous life on the streets?
Wrapping the spare muffler she had brought just in case around the childâs neck, Nina said,
âMiss Catherine, please look after the child for a moment.â
Catherine, who had understood the situation, led the child outside.
âHey, how about you wait outside with me for a moment?â
Catherine wasnât the only one who had noticed the old womanâs death.
âMadam, weâll take care of this place.â
An attendant from House Bayern spoke with a dark expression, but Nina shook her head.
An attendantâs role was only to assist, after all.
Besides, since they couldnât leave the child here, there was no need to tidy up the house.
Nina handed over silver coins from her wallet and said,
âFor now, go to the nearest temple at once and request a funeral.â
Even a funeral required money.
If no one took care of the body, it was obvious she would be buried carelessly in some abandoned vacant lot.
* * *
Rebecca, who had arrived in the slums before the group led by Nina, devoted herself to volunteering according to her grandfatherâs instructions.
Of course, only on the surface.
When she distributed relief goods and thick oat porridge, the noblewoman accompanying her handled the dirty chores.
The noblewoman paired with Rebecca was none other than Countess Coventry.
After finishing one round of prayer visits, Rebecca walked along the street and glanced at the Countess.
âDuchess Nord, I will follow anything you say, so please accept me.â
âYou must know that the relationship between Duchess Bayern and me isnât particularly good, so what are you plotting?â
âIf you have paid attention to news of House Bayern, surely you know. What Duchess Bayern did to me and my daughter at the charity partyâŚâ
The lady of House Coventry, who had been humiliated at House Lambertâs charity party and completely lost her place in high society.
Rebecca knew that story as well.
But just as Nina had forgiven Count Bernardâs daughter, there was a chance Rebecca might show mercy to Countess Coventry too.
So Rebecca gave her first order and demanded proof of sincerity.
ââŚM-Madam, I swear I didnât say anything to Duchess Bayern.â
The culprit who had thrown the filthy, disgusting rat into the pot was Countess Coventry.
âIf you didnât leak my order, then how could that woman have responded like that?â
Rebeccaâs suspicion was reasonable.
âThank you for your concern, but we can resolve this sufficiently without your help, so letâs each be on our way.â
Far from falling into the trap, hadnât she smiled brazenly, as if she had known it would happen?
âYou are the only one who can stand against Duchess Bayern, arenât you, Madam? Iâve staked everything on you.â
Countess Coventry was truly sincere.
Although she had sent dozens of apology letters, Sophia had not forgiven her in the end.
In this situation, Countess Coventry had three choices.
Beg forgiveness from Duchess Bayern, who stood behind Sophia, accept reality, or align herself to Duchess Nord.
What she chose here was, naturally, Duchess Nord.
After the humiliation of being driven out in front of countless people, she had come to hold a bone-deep grudge against Duchess Bayern and Sophia.
