Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 24
At someone’s words, Lani softly answered,
“I thought we were going to be reprimanded.”
“Me too.”
They all agreed with Lani’s words, indicating the severity of their past actions.
Yet, Irene’s reaction did not seem like she was dealing with those who had wronged her.
“Doesn’t the atmosphere seem… somewhat similar to Lord Ramiel?”
“Right. Could it be that becoming a saint changes one’s personality?”
Someone cautiously suggested. It seemed a plausible explanation.
If not, why would Irene show them any kindness? Even for someone of a quiet nature, given what they had done to her.
‘If it were me, I would have given them a harsh punishment.’
Mary thought to herself.
The saint is both the most well-known and the most secretive person.
Thus, they couldn’t help but think it wasn’t impossible for her character to undergo changes.
“It must be true!”
“That’s a relief!”
Lani clapped her hands in agreement. However, Mary couldn’t shake off her tension.
‘Has she really changed after becoming a saint?’
While she was pondering, the priest who usually took care of them approached.
“Indeed, you are the ones attending to the saint. The saint has commanded that you be taken even better care of.”
The maids offered awkward smiles in response to the priest’s beaming words.
Would he say the same if he knew how they had brought her from the duke’s house? The thought crossed their minds.
“She also said to move you to a larger room.”
“A larger one?”
The room they were currently provided was already luxuriously more than what a handmaiden might expect. Now, a larger one?
The maids blinked in surprise, their faces reflecting the unexpected news.
Soft footsteps echoed through the quiet temple corridor.
“I can walk by myself.”
The owner of the footsteps, Irene, said so as she walked away from Burt. However, she soon staggered and leaned back on Burt.
“Please wait to walk on your own until you’ve recovered more.”
This time, Irene made no reply, simply accepting the support quietly.
Had they gone halfway down the corridor when Irene spoke again?
“The story I’m about to tell is just me talking to myself.”
Burt gave no response.
“There was a girl. When she first entered the duke’s house, she was full of hope. She was happy, thinking she finally had a loving family. But it was a vain hope. Except for slightly better living conditions, nothing changed.”
Irene briefly closed her eyes before continuing.
“At first, she had no maid of her own, not until she met other nobles. It was the first time she got a maid in response to a noble whose name she can’t even recall. She still remembers, though. Mary and Lani. They were the first. The foolish girl was happy again, thinking she might make new friends.”
“You’re not foolish.”
“A fool who responds to someone talking to themselves, too.”
Having inadvertently become a fool, Burt closed his mouth.
“The daughter abandoned by a person of power has no one to treat her well, she didn’t know that. Such a foolish girl. The teasing that seemed like a joke at first became more and more atrocious over time. The meals were like garbage, and the clothes were neglected and a mess. Then one day? Unusually, a pie that looked incredibly delicious was served on the table.”
At first, she doubted her eyes. Wondering if it was really for her, Irene was cautious until Mary smiled and said,
‘Today is a special meal!’
While pushing the appetizing pie towards her. It happened to be Irene’s birthday.
Still young, she was moved, thinking Mary had finally understood her true feelings.
Then, she took a small knife, cut the pie, and put a piece in her mouth. And the result?
Crunch.
Tiny stones crunched between her teeth. Attempting to spit it out in surprise, Mary scolded her with a serious look.
‘Are you going to spit out your food like that? That’s very rude.’
And then she sighed.
Irene, flustered, swallowed what she had been about to spit out. Her mouth felt grimy and her teeth hurt, but she tried to bear it.
However, she couldn’t possibly eat the pie filled with stones and sand. In the end, she had to spit it out while crying.
After crying bitterly for a while, she ran to her father, Duke Rostelle, still soaked in the hope that he might care for her.
‘Duke!’
Irene couldn’t call her father ‘father.’ Because doing so would make the duke fly into a rage as if he were mad.
After a few attempts, she no longer dared to use the term ‘father.’
‘My teeth hurt.’
Then she stutteringly explained what had happened.
She hoped Duke Rostelle, her father, would ask if she was okay. She wanted him to say that the maids were in the wrong.
But her hope was not realized. Upon hearing Irene’s words, Duke Rostelle frowned and said,
‘The handmaidens wouldn’t do such a thing. They were all carefully selected.’
‘But it’s true.’
Duke Rostel sighed and said,
‘Don’t bother me when I’m busy.’
The look he gave her was cold. It was then she should have realized, but the foolish child couldn’t give up there.
