If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 127
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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Cain nodded briefly and gestured for the door to be closed behind him. All news related to Agatha’s disappearance had to remain confined within the estate. Not a single word should leak outside.
To achieve this, he needed to silence the servants. No matter how strict the orders from above, controlling people’s mouths perfectly was impossible, so limiting the number of servants who knew about Agatha’s departure was the best course of action for now.
This thought brought a glimmer of satisfaction to Cain regarding Havel’s decision to have the maid wait here.
“Lift your head.”
As the maid pressed her forehead to the floor upon Cain’s entrance, he commanded.
“You’re Liana, right?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The maid, too afraid to meet the Marquis’s eyes, kept her gaze fixed on Cain’s feet. Watching her silently, Cain opened his mouth to confirm the story he had heard from Havel on his way to the reception room.
“You said you wouldn’t say a word until you saw my face. Liana.”
“Yes, that’s correct, Your Grace.”
“Bold of you.”
Cain’s voice sank low.
The fact that his already deep voice had dropped even further signified that he was entering the first stage of his anger. Teschen swallowed hard without realizing it.
But unlike the frightened Teschen, Liana’s face remained composed.
No, it was more like a determined expression.
Look at that. Cain chuckled softly.
The servant had fled the estate, and yet she stood tall, prepared to explain the situation. It felt oddly reminiscent of Agatha’s dignified demeanor.
Liana’s gaze met Cain’s. When their eyes locked, her voice, pressed down with anger, flowed out.
“If I don’t do this, my words won’t reach you, Your Grace.”
Silence fell.
Some were taken aback, some were puzzled, and others held their silence in anger.
“Who do you think you are, holding your head up like that?”
The first to break the silence was Teschen.
The maid, who shouldn’t even meet the Marquis’s gaze, dared to voice criticism against him.
It was inconceivable. Even Teschen had never looked directly into Cain’s eyes.
Without hesitation, she moved to summon the other maids outside to punish Liana.
“No.”
But Cain stopped Teschen’s actions. Right now, what mattered most to him was uncovering Agatha’s whereabouts and the reasons behind her actions. There was no time to address insubordination among the servants; that could be dealt with later.
Cain tilted his chin slightly toward Liana, as if challenging her to continue.
“Gather the butler, the deputy butler, and all the attendants who serve the Marchioness.”
“What you need to report is Agatha’s whereabouts. You have no right to make demands.”
“If you don’t call them, I won’t say a word. In the meantime, the Marchioness could be somewhere I don’t know.”
This was clearly a threat and an act of insubordination.
How dare a mere maid make such demands and threats against the master of the estate?
Teschen’s face flushed with anger, but Cain remained expressionless, merely stroking his chin, not issuing any commands to punish Liana. It was a situation where Teschen was left to fume, alternating her gaze between Liana and Cain.
“…Bring them.”
Cain decided to listen to Liana. Teschen’s mouth dropped open as she looked up at him in disbelief.
“Your Grace, how can you listen to what that girl is saying?”
“Gather them all. I won’t say it twice.”
As he spoke, Cain pulled a chair over and sat down.
Leaning back and resting one foot on the opposite knee, his posture seemed to say, ‘Let’s see how far you take this,’ causing Liana to swallow hard.
Though she tried to appear calm, Liana was trembling inside.
How could she not be afraid? Her opponent was the Knight of Blood, Cain Vernat.
She had spent four years in this estate serving Agatha, but had rarely faced Cain directly.
This was partly due to the long absences of the Marquis and, more importantly, the fact that the Marchioness and the Marquis didn’t have a particularly good relationship. But the biggest reason was that Liana didn’t have a favorable view of Cain.
To Liana, Agatha was a beloved master, a benefactor, and family. If asked to name the most precious person in her life, Liana would instantly shout Agatha’s name without hesitation.
How could she like someone who disregarded and hurt such a treasured being?
Pushing her fear aside with an effort to muster anger, Liana took a deep breath.
What she was about to do was clearly an act of insubordination.
As a mere maid, she dared to confess and criticize the Marquis, intending to disgrace all the servants under his command.
