The Maid and The Usurper - Chapter 16
Even if he was nothing more than a puppet placed by the queen, Leopold was still a Count—and of Bard’s blood, no less. The guards bowed respectfully. It was an abomination, but he had no choice but to act within his limited power.
“Find the two men who ran from the alley,” Leopold ordered, his voice sharp with command. “They’re the culprits.”
“Understood. But… what should we do about this?”
Only then did Leopold notice the ice statue that the officer was pointing to. It wasn’t just any statue; it was a person frozen alive. Leopold stepped back in horror. The officer, seemingly at a loss for words, stared up at the frozen man. Another officer let out a startled scream.
“…Say nothing of this,” Leopold finally commanded. “Not a word about the frozen man or anything else you’ve seen here.”
He shifted his coat slightly to hide Layla’s face.
* * *
‘Layla, never let anyone see your true self.’
That’s what my mother, who was more often than not drunk, used to mutter when she was sober. In La Ellosa, uniqueness was also a sign of weakness. She would dye my silver hair black every time.
‘You mustn’t let Günther know you have silver hair. You don’t know how that pervert will sell you.’
Back then, it was an annoying and tiring task, and she resented her mother for it. Now, those words had faded into a hazy memory. She understood her mother’s life, which was so difficult that she couldn’t survive without alcohol. However, resentment and understanding coexisted. She had vowed to herself to live differently, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, she ran out, never looking back. She could still remember the last time she saw her mother’s eyes.
“Layla? Layla! Are you coming to your senses?”
A faint voice in the distance tugged at Layla’s mind. Slowly, her vision cleared. Black curls framed a pale face that had never been properly exposed to the sun. Eyes as blue as an autumn sky and as cold as ice, they were filled with worry.
“Count?”
“My lady. You’re badly hurt, don’t move,” a gruff voice of an elderly man suddenly came from beside her. Before she could respond, pain shot through her entire body. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Don’t work for a while. I’ve already spoken to the Count.”
“Do you think I’d force an injured person to work, Sir Kruger?” Leopold retorted sharply.
“And yet you still haven’t stopped putting this old man to work, have you?” the elderly man quipped.
Layla opened her eyes then rolled them at the incomprehensible conversation.
“I’m leaving some medicine for the silver-haired young lady,” Lord Kruger added nonchalantly.
“Silver-haired?”
Layla abruptly sat up, pain flooding through her body that made her regret moving so quickly. She curled into a ball.
“Careful, my lady. Moving like this will hurt, so lie down carefully.”
Lord Kruger carefully supported Layla. Through her wavering vision, she caught sight of silver hair glimmering like moonlight. Anticipating the countless questions and doubts that would come rushing in, Layla squeezed her eyes shut.
“I’ll come by again tomorrow for a house call. For tonight, just rest comfortably.”
Lord Kruger, his bowler hat draped over a chair, bowed his head to Leopold.
“My lord, I will be taking my leave now.”
“Make sure to return safely, Lord Kruger.”
“Of course, and you should take care of yourself too, Count.”
Leopold ran a hand through his hair, suppressing the urge to raise his voice in front of the injured Layla. The two men who had been caught had spilled everything with ease—not out of remorse, but in a desperate attempt to lessen their punishment.
‘We tried to stop him, Count. That bastard only beat her because she wouldn’t hand over the money. We didn’t lay a finger on her!’
The fact that she had managed to hide the money, despite being beaten by street thugs, only fueled Leopold’s anger.
“Why didn’t you just give it to them? What were you thinking, holding onto it until they beat you to a pulp!”
“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt that much. I deserved this beating…” Layla muttered.
“What? You think you deserved this beating? Are you out of your mind?”
Leopold’s furious shout echoed through the room. Layla retreated under the blankets, hiding her face. Honestly, it was her who should be angry. She had risked her life to protect the money, and yet here he was, yelling at her instead of showing gratitude. Feeling wronged, Layla raised her voice.
“If I had lost the money, you would’ve continued to suspect me of being the Queen’s spy!”
