Acidity of Regret Ch 101
- Feb 22
- 6 min read
If he had discovered even a single clue, he would have shared it. His expression of regret rang entirely sincere.
[Vanessa] "Actually, another one arrived just now."
[Former Count] "What? Today as well?"
She lowered the letter onto the table. The Former Count sighed, his face a map of confusion and growing concern. She kept her voice light, attempting to ease the heavy atmosphere.
[Vanessa] "That is why I believe it is time for me to return to the capital."
[Former Count] "To the capital?"
[Vanessa] "Yes. I miss my father terribly, and I feel quite guilty for causing you such trouble."
[Former Count] "Nonsense. Do not speak so coldly. If anything, I feel responsible for failing to protect you. This is certainly not your fault."
He did not hide his disappointment. His genuine affection, as if he viewed her as his own daughter, brought a warm smile to her face.
[Former Count] "I must send word to Count Rohawk. He has waited for your return with such singular focus; he will be ecstatic."
[Vanessa] "Please do."
[Former Count] "Very well. For safety's sake, you must travel with an escort until the moment you depart."
Given the circumstances, she nodded in silent agreement. He studied her for a long moment before asking a sudden question.
[Former Count] "Has the turmoil that once burdened you finally settled?"
Her hand froze mid-air, the teacup hovering near her lips.
Three years ago, upon her arrival, she had explained her need for sanctuary. She had sought to escape the public eye to sort through her thoughts, promising to return to the capital once the chaos subsided. At the time, the Count had welcomed her, offering the peace of his estate for as long as she required.
Life away from the constant scrutiny of the Ton had been comfortable. Her world had finally returned to a steady orbit. She had wanted to bury her exhaustion and pain in this reality—and that pain included her feelings for Declan.
She no longer wished to spend her life hating him. Yet, forgiveness proved a far more difficult mountain to climb. Her resentment was not the kind that simply dissolved with the passage of time. That was why she had insisted they remain strangers.
[Vanessa] "It is better than before, but......"
[Former Count] "But not entirely resolved."
If she could only purge this lingering hatred, she could finally view Declan as a true stranger. She knew she still reacted too sharply to his presence. It was the sediment of old grudges, and it irritated her. These fragments of emotion gave him significance he did not deserve.
The Former Count saw the shadow on her face and gracefully changed the subject.
[Former Count] "I received a letter from my son in the capital......"
[Vanessa] "Oh! Has the grandson finally arrived?"
The news brightened her expression. He nodded happily, though a darkness soon clouded his features.
[Former Count] "Under normal circumstances, they would have traveled to the estate by now. Unfortunately, those brutal bandits have taken up residence on Mount Siltria. It is far too dangerous for them to travel."
[Vanessa] "Ah, the bandits......"
[Former Count] "Now that I think on it, Vanessa, your own journey back to the capital might be quite difficult."
She recalled the thugs she had encountered in the plaza. The memory of their arrogance and crude harassment left a foul taste in her mouth.
[Former Count] "They are raiding merchant caravans along the mountain passes, which has already disrupted the supply of goods to nearby estates. I will deal with them as quickly as possible. We shall set your departure date once the path is clear."
[Vanessa] "I hope the matter is resolved without incident."
[Former Count] "As do I."
He sighed, praying for a swift end to the violence. Vanessa offered her well-wishes and slipped out of his office.
Once the door clicked shut, she scanned the letter in her hand one more time. If the culprit wasn't someone inside the mansion, who could it be? The investigation had reached a dead end, leaving her with no leads.
An obstacle......
She pressed a hand to her forehead. Obsessing over a mystery she couldn't solve only invited unnecessary stress. She tucked the note away and walked down the hall, her unease trailing after her like a persistent shadow.
A few days later.
Vanessa spent a quiet afternoon in the wake of a late morning. The silence felt unusually heavy due to Dina’s absence. The maid, who usually remained glued to her side, had departed at noon with her mistress's blessing. She was currently on a date with Tommy, the gardener’s assistant.
She finished the book she had started the previous day and rose slowly from her bed. Her gaze drifted to the window, where a vase of withered flowers sat. The petals had curled inward, succumbing to the recent chill.
Tommy said he would take care of them.
Normally, he would have delivered fresh blooms to her chamber, but he was currently occupied with Dina.
Should I go get them myself?
Between the letters and the bandits, she had avoided leaving the mansion for days. However, the walls were starting to close in. Surely a quick walk to the garden was harmless.
[Vanessa] "I’m going to see the gardener."
[Siden] "I shall accompany you."
Siden, the knight assigned by the Former Count, stood ready at her door. Vanessa didn't object; his presence offered a layer of security she couldn't ignore.
[Gardener] "Oh! My Lady! What brings you all the way out here?"
The head gardener dropped his shears and hurried toward her.
[Vanessa] "I came to retrieve the flowers I left with Tommy a few days ago."
[Gardener] "The flowers? One moment, please."
The man hurried into the staff quarters but didn't return.
She waited with Siden for a significant amount of time before finally following in the gardener’s direction.
She entered a small, cluttered room packed with miscellaneous items. The gardener looked sheepish as he searched the messy interior, but he eventually shook his head.
[Gardener] "I don't see anything here. Are you sure you gave them to me?"
[Vanessa] "No, I gave them to Tommy."
[Gardener] "Ah, in that case, they might be in Tommy’s private workshop."
[Vanessa] "Tommy has a private workshop?"
The gardener led her outside, explaining as they walked.
[Gardener] "It is more of an old storage shed he cleaned up. It was full of junk until he asked the Master for permission to use it."
The workshop sat a short distance from the quarters. It was a cramped, dilapidated structure draped in cobwebs. Calling it a workshop was a generous stretch; "shed" was far more accurate.
[Gardener] "I’ll find them quickly. Since you requested them, I’m sure he finished before he left for his date......"
Vanessa looked around while the gardener bustled about. Brushes, paint, and shears lay scattered among floral debris. She scanned the remnants of branches until her hand accidentally brushed a book on a nearby table.
[Vanessa] "Oh."
The book hit the floor, splaying open. A collection of items tumbled out from between the pages. She knelt to retrieve them, but her movements stopped.
[Vanessa] "......"
Her trembling fingers reached for one specific item among the debris.
It was a slip of light green paper, entirely blank.
[Gardener] "My Lady? Are these the flowers?"
[Vanessa] "...Tommy."
[Gardener] "Pardon?"
[Vanessa] "Does Tommy use this place alone?"
[Gardener] "Yes, he does. He is quite skilled with his hands, so people often ask him for small favors. Most of the work he does for you happens right here."
She stuffed the familiar paper back into the book and began searching the table with frantic energy. The gardener watched her, confused by her sudden lack of interest in the flowers.
She finally found a gardening log. Her eyes darted across the entries, but the excitement quickly turned to disappointment.
No. This isn't it. The handwriting doesn't match.
The script in the log was identical to the note Tommy had given Dina, but it looked nothing like the elegant, disturbing script in the letters delivered to her room.
She pulled out the "obstacle" note for comparison. No matter how many times she checked, the verdict remained the same. The handwriting was different.
[Gardener] "My Lady? What is the matter?"
[Vanessa] "Wait a moment."
This was the only clue she had found in weeks; she couldn't dismiss it as a coincidence.
Ignoring the gardener’s confusion, she tore through the room. Her hands finally landed on a small set of drawers in the corner. She yanked them open one by one.
Click.
The first two drawers slid out easily, but the third and final drawer remained locked. She shook it impatiently before turning to the knight.
[Vanessa] "Siden, can you open this?"
[Siden] "My sword won't be much use for this. Is there a hammer or a tool?"
The gardener hurried out and returned a moment later with a long-handled hammer.
[Siden] "Please step back."
Once Vanessa was clear, Siden brought the hammer down on the drawer's frame.
Bang! Bang!
The violent impact echoed through the small shed. After several strikes, the wood groaned, and the joints finally splintered apart.
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