If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 109
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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In reality, Teschen was more flustered by the fact that her secret had been exposed, leaving her unable to think of anything else. Teschen had never imagined that the ever-smiling Madam, who never uttered a word of dissatisfaction, could suddenly become so frightening.
Teschen was nervously anxious about the possibility of Cain discovering her grave mistake of deceiving Duchess Kristin.
“Er, Your Grace…”
At Cain’s gesture to dismiss her, Teschen hurriedly tried to address him. However, once both men’s gazes turned towards her, she found herself unable to speak.
“Is there something you need to say?”
“Ah… It’s nothing.”
Well, as long as the Marquis, the head of the household, doesn’t find out, that should be enough. Teschen resolved to make a quick exit and began to bow.
“Wait a moment.”
Havel’s voice stopped Teschen. In that brief moment as she turned her head, she was filled with a flurry of thoughts. Did her actions seem suspicious? Had she made a verbal slip?
“Take this with you.”
“This is…?”
Havel handed her something. The round, flat wooden box was small enough to fit in her palm, and it seemed unfamiliar.
“This is made from crushed baefri leaves.”
“Baefri leaves?”
Baefri leaves were known for their excellent antiseptic properties, quickly healing wounds when applied to the skin. However, due to their rarity, only the imperial guard knights carried a small supply, and they were not available for purchase without imperial authorization.
Why was this suddenly being given to her? Has someone been injured? Teschen tilted her head in confusion.
“Take it and apply it to the Madam.”
“To the Madam? Oh.”
She suddenly recalled the small wound on Agatha’s lower lip. She remembered that after a night of having a scabbed lip from an accidental bite, Liana had been anxiously pacing.
Could it be that the stern Marquis was concerned about such a minor injury on his wife’s lip, to the point of preparing such a precious herb? Teschen frowned.
It seemed that both the Marquis and his wife were behaving unusually today.
A deep shadow fell over Cain’s face as he turned his attention away from the gift and back to the papers. Perhaps it was just her imagination.
Teschen, thinking that Cain’s displeasure was just a figment of her imagination, left the room.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The Marquis’s residence was bustling with activity for the first time in a long while. Everyone was busy preparing for Agatha’s upcoming birthday party, with none more excited than Liana.
Despite Agatha’s oddly disconcerting behavior today, Liana made a conscious effort to maintain her usual bright smile. This helped Agatha to smile, even if just briefly.
Liana probably saw Agatha’s returning of the gift as a silent protest against her indifferent husband. Agatha thought, if only it were that simple, just a matter of love and quarrels.
“How do you manage to have such beautiful hair?”
Liana murmured as she combed her hair. Agatha’s long, golden locks were one of her prides.
The moment Liana praised her hair as resembling the sun of the Empire, Agatha quickly shook her head, remembering her father’s praise.
“Madam, Teschen has returned.”
Teschen walked in with careful steps, her eyes meeting Agatha’s.
Teschen, unable to meet Agatha’s gaze directly and hastily looking down, appeared almost comical. It was hard to believe how someone so timid had managed to be a spy for years.
Though Teschen could have handed the gift over to another servant, Agatha had specifically asked her to return it. She had given Teschen the choice to either apologize sincerely or face the consequences of her foolishness, though Agatha had no intention of forgiving her.
She didn’t think Teschen would keep the secret in front of Cain either. She merely wanted to give her a warning.
“I’ve returned after delivering the jewel to His Grace.”
“What did His Grace say about it?”
Liana, unable to suppress her curiosity, asked a question. She was eager to know what Cain had said about the priceless gem that Agatha had returned without even looking at it. Teschen shrugged.
“Nothing at all.”
It was so like Cain. Agatha had never seen him lose his composure, whether from anger, sadness, or even amusement. He seemed devoid of any emotional expression.
That must be why he could treat their marriage as a mere means to an end, deceiving and betraying a wife he slept beside with such indifference.
“Oh, and he gave this to Madam. It’s an ointment made from Baefri leaves.”
Agatha recognized the Baefri leaves as a valuable herb and knew well how rare they were. The fact that he had given her such a precious item puzzled her.
Agatha furrowed her brow in confusion.
