Salvation of the Fallen - Chapter 10
As Arsena hesitantly looked up at the sound of the countess’s voice, she saw the gentle lips of the countess, drawn into a soft smile. As the maid had said, the countess was a perfect aristocrat.
Her graceful steps made her golden hair and deep green dress ripple elegantly. Her touch, her breath, her speech – everything about her was noble. Just standing there exuded an elegance that was completely different from Arsena’s deceased mother.
But Arsena was afraid of those gentle eyes. For some reason, she reminded Arsena of her mother.
It all began with a gentle nod from the countess. Many people were busy arranging a table full of unfamiliar things. The most insignificant thing there was Arsena herself. She felt embarrassed just looking at her reflection in the sparkling dishes.
“Morpheus, are you done with your knight training? Your uncle doesn’t have any children, so you’re taking on all the hardship.”
“I’m fine.”
“Good. It doesn’t matter for the Count’s title, but if you want to receive the duke’s title, you’ll have to do it anyway.”
“Mom, the jeweler who came today had an interesting story…”
Even though she could smell the sweet and savory aroma filling the space, she wasn’t hungry. She put it in her mouth at Rosalyn’s urging, but she couldn’t taste anything. Everything was like grains of sand in her mouth.
“The Count has arrived.”
“You said he was late, but he’s here early?”
With the butler’s announcement, the Count entered the restaurant hurriedly, his face pale. It was evident at first glance. At the end of the brief eye contact, there was a sense of despair.
“Is… something wrong with your body?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Then please sit down. Oh, there’s a special guest today. Morpheus met her on the way home…”
The countess’s voice was muffled by the thumping sound of a heartbeat. The sound of people busily moving and bringing dishes was also inaudible. Arsena’s focus was solely on the Count, whom she couldn’t even dare to look at.
Did he ever read the letter that begged for help to escape from her mother’s grasp for the past ten years? No, even if he had read it, it wouldn’t have changed anything. The Count’s face, as he nodded in response to the Countess’s words, was filled only with fear towards Arsena.
“So how did you end up in the capital?”
When Arsena came to her senses, she realized that the conversation was now directed towards her. She reluctantly opened her mouth in response to the naturally focused attention.
“My mother passed away in a fire… I came to find my father…”
“Your father is in the capital, isn’t he? Don’t worry. We’ll find him for you.”
Between the kind hand extended by the countess, who knew nothing and the anxious gaze of the Count, Arsena bit her lips hard.
“He… passed away.”
That settled it. Arsena tried to calm the Count’s fear with a lie. That was all she could offer to the Count, whom she had met for the first time today.
“Oh, you’ve become an orphan. By the way, I haven’t heard your name.”
“I’m Arsena.”
“A new beginning… That’s a fitting name.”
The incomprehensible words of the countess echoed in her ears. Along with a sense of relief, Arsena felt like her throat was closing up and burning.
* * *
“Honey, it’s about Arsena. Something’s not right.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m worried about her.”
“If that’s the case, how about sponsoring her? So that she can find a place to settle down.”
That woman was dead. The woman who had been tormenting him for the past decade. The butler’s words about her sins coming back felt like a nightmare, but fortunately, unlike that woman, Arsena was a child who could understand reason. If he could give her a generous amount of money and send her away, he could finally break free from the shackles that had been tormenting him. The Count responded with hope.
“She’s still young.”
“She’s not like Morpheus. She’ll manage on her own.”
“Let’s adopt her.”
“Adopt? Is that even possible?”
Unexpectedly, the Count’s brow furrowed at the countess’s words. Adoption. Adoption may be a common occurrence, but it was more common among the nobility. Morpheus, for instance, was to be adopted into the Guinestro family to succeed the childless duke, but this was a very different situation. It was a matter of maintaining one’s position among those who shared noble blood. Adoption was just that. Adopting a commoner with no noble lineage. He had never witnessed such a thing in his lifetime.
“It will be possible.”
The countess replied with conviction. The youngest daughter of the former Duke of Guinestro, Viareche was born with everything. Noble blood, inexhaustible wealth, and untouchable power.
Her possessions were cemented when the last Duke broke with tradition and bequeathed Felita to Viareche, rather than his son, the last of the holy relics to be passed down through the generations.
The Felita was truly the source of unending fortune and power. Even wine with a drop of its juice was sold at a price higher than gold because of the rumors of its cleansing power. The nobles bowed their heads deeply to Viareche, the owner of the Felita, as much as the weight of their sins. Not even the emperor could override the power held by her as the owner of Felita.
“This is the will of the gods.”
Perhaps that was the reason. With everything she had, Viareche wanted something different.
Choosing the son of a mere Count as her husband was also because of that. When they announced their marriage, people were shocked. Viareche, who had everything, choosing such a husband? They said it was impossible unless it was divine love, but Viareche secretly chuckled, clapping her hands with intense joy.
Viareche desired such things. Not born with them, but the admiration, envy, and respect of those she created. To be at the center of the world. That was why she had even distributed a wine derived from Felita, which was previously only tasted by nobles, to the commoners.
Ah, the compassionate Viareche. A noble soul who was different from other nobles. A true devotee of the gods.
But now, there was nothing new in the people’s gossip. Viareche was not satisfied. Everything peaceful was just boring.
It was a good opportunity, almost like fate. To show special mercy to a common orphan. If packaged well, it could become a good topic of conversation. A point to mark her secret desires.
This unprecedented event would become a major sensation. People would surely gather to discuss it. Perhaps it could even leave a mark on history. Even after her death, people would praise and remember her mercy. Viareche from Guinestro!
It was Arsena.
A girl who seemed like she would crumble like fragile glass. She was dressed in clean clothes, but her poverty couldn’t be hidden. Her heavily hunched shoulders and low gaze made her seem timid. Her coarse black hair looked like it had been turned inside out. And that’s why she liked her even more. That lowly girl who had rolled into her house.
“Bless that poor child.”
The Count swallowed his saliva as he watched Viareche smiling dreamily, looking into the void. The day she had decided to supply Felita to the commoners was like today. No matter what he said now, it seemed impossible to sway Viareche’s decision.
“Let’s see.”
The Count closed his eyes firmly. He hoped that he could cover Viareche’s eyes and shut the girl’s mouth. He prayed secretly to the gods, hoping to avoid the tragic beginning that was about to come.
* * *
“Madam is calling for you, Miss.”
The attitude of the maid who had been washing her body a few days ago had changed. Without any surprise, she was taken by the hand and led to where everyone was gathered.
“From today, you will be called a Katarini, Miss Arsena.”
