Acidity of Regret Ch 102
- Feb 22
- 6 min read
Vanessa waited for Siden to lower the hammer before rushing forward to inspect the drawer.
Inside the locked compartment, parchment lay in a thick, unruly stack. Siden pulled the entire pile out and placed it on the floor.
The top layers depicted ordinary nature scenes—colorful flowers and trees rendered in the same paints she had seen on the table earlier.
However, as she flipped through the pages, the botanical sketches gave way to portraits of a single person. The moment she crossed that threshold, a dizzying sensation washed over her.
[Vanessa] "No. This... what on earth is this......"
Vanessa here, Vanessa there.
Every single page captured her likeness. These portraits radiated a level of toxic adoration that made her wonder exactly how she appeared in the artist's eyes.
She lifted the parchment at the very bottom. The lines were coarser and more primitive than the others, suggesting it was his first attempt.
Below the drawing, a single phrase stood in ink: [My Goddess].
The handwriting matched perfectly. It was the same script from the letters left in her bedchamber.
[Vanessa] "......"
Sunlight filtered through the small, high window, illuminating the parchment. She squinted against the glare and realized something was written on the reverse side. Her heart ached with a rhythmic, pulsing anxiety.
She turned the page over with trembling fingers.
"I love you."
The same words filled every inch of the page from top to bottom. A cold shiver raced up her spine, making the hair on her neck stand on end.
[Vanessa] "What is this......"
Once her panic receded enough for logic to return, she recognized that this suffocating confession shared the same penmanship as the stalker's letters.
[Vanessa] "Are you certain no one else used this room besides Tommy?"
[Gardener] "Yes, yes, My Lady."
[Vanessa] "But Tommy’s handwriting is nothing like this......"
The gardening log on the table and the note he gave Dina were entirely different from the letters she had received. It seemed impossible for one person to mimic another's style so perfectly.
Could one man really maintain two distinct, flawless identities on paper?
[Gardener] "Well... Tommy is ambidextrous."
The gardener’s sudden interjection provided the missing piece. He had been watching Vanessa struggle with the two scripts and spoke up in hopes of being useful.
She froze, her eyes still locked on the terrifying wall of "love."
[Vanessa] "Ambidextrous......"
[Gardener] "Perhaps his handwriting differs with each hand?"
The gardener glanced around nervously as he added the suggestion.
She fell into a deep silence. If Tommy used one hand for official documents to secure employment and the other for his personal letters, he could easily evade any investigation.
And this shed.
Even if the Former Count had granted permission to use it a year ago, he had likely forgotten its existence entirely. It was the perfect blind spot.
Is Tommy really the culprit?
Her gaze slid back to the parchment. Recalling the familiar script brought the contents of his letters back to her—the initial confessions of love at first sight that had slowly morphed into something much darker.
Her face turned deathly pale. A realization hit her with the force of a physical blow.
[Vanessa] "The 'obstacle' wasn't Declan......"
The image of Dina, beaming with joy after receiving Tommy’s invitation, flashed before her eyes.
"Don’t worry, My Lady. Everything will be resolved soon. I’ll stay right by your side."
Dina’s voice, once so reassuring, echoed in her ears.
[Vanessa] "Dina."
She shoved the parchment aside and bolted to her feet. She had to find her.
[Vanessa] "Siden, we have to leave right now."
Siden, who had been silently observing the escalating tension, followed her toward the door without question.
She hesitated. She had no idea where they had gone. Tommy’s note had proposed a date, but it lacked a specific location. She needed a full-scale search party. She needed more men.
She paused, debating whether to ask the Former Count for help.
Dina was a mere maid, not a noble. It was unheard of to mobilize a garrison for a servant, especially when imperial law limited the number of knights a Count could retain.
She bit her lip.
However, there was no time for hesitation. To her, Dina was not just a maid; she was an irreplaceable part of her life. She trusted the Former Count meant what he said about helping her with anything.
Her face hardened with resolve as she turned to the gardener.
[Vanessa] "Go to the Master immediately and......"
After issuing a brief set of instructions, she hurried after Siden.
Fortunately, the Former Count provided his knights without a second thought.
Despite the extra help, the search felt hopeless. Although the county was small compared to the capital, it still housed hundreds of people and numerous hiding spots.
With time running out, the knights split up to cover different districts. Vanessa stayed with Siden.
Any other noble would have mocked her for this "undignified" behavior—a master hunting for a servant. If it had been anyone else, Vanessa might have stayed in her room and left the work to the guards. But the fact that Tommy had targeted Dina because of her, combined with their years of genuine friendship, made it impossible to stay still.
She had always viewed Dina as a younger sister, but that affection had deepened since her regression. Remembering how coldly the people of the Grand Duchy had treated her, she cherished Dina’s unwavering loyalty even more.
In an era where class boundaries dictated every interaction, their bond was the rare exception—a relationship built on genuine truth.
Gallop, gallop.
She spent hours riding behind Siden, scouring every corner of the estate. They checked every frequent haunt, but not a single strand of Dina’s hair appeared.
Evening arrived. The sun, which had painted the world in shades of orange, vanished, allowing dark shadows to creep across the land.
Only one place is left......
She looked up as the horse slowed. Ahead lay the entrance to Mount Siltria, the mandatory pass for anyone heading to the capital or other territories.
[Siden] "The bandits haven't been cleared yet, My Lady. It is too dangerous to proceed."
She clenched her fists. Siden had voiced her exact fear. She had searched everywhere else; she couldn't afford to be stubborn now, yet she knew the risks.
Pushing further in her state of panic could cost both her life and Siden’s. Having encountered those bandits once before, she knew they were the kind of filth she never wanted to see again, even in a nightmare.
If he were here......
For a fleeting second, she thought of Declan.
If she asked him, he wouldn't care about bandits. He would find Dina in an instant.
But she refused. She would not become indebted to him. Through every lie and betrayal, she had learned exactly how calculated Declan Vinkart could be. He was the type of man who would use a single debt as leverage to control her life all over again.
[Vanessa] "We will return to the mansion for now."
She nodded weakly. Siden adjusted the reins, preparing to turn the horse around.
Just as they began to move, the horse let out a panicked neigh!
The horse's front legs buckled without warning. Vanessa and the knight plummeted toward the hard ground.
[Vanessa] "Ugh, what......"
She pushed herself up, clutching her shoulder where it had slammed against the earth. Fortunately, the horse hadn't been moving fast, so she escaped serious injury.
However, she soon realized she was the only lucky one. Siden, who had instinctively shielded her during the fall, lay unconscious. His head had struck a jagged rock.
[Vanessa] "Siden. Siden......"
She reached out to wake him, but her hand pulled back from a sickening wetness. Blood seeped from his brown hair.
[Unknown] "My Lady."
A voice sliced through the silence, making her flinch. She looked up and saw a figure standing a short distance away.
She swallowed hard. Her eyes sharpened the moment their gazes met.
[Vanessa] "......Tommy."
The man she had been hunting had appeared on his own. The situation was dire; she was alone with an unconscious, bleeding knight.
Sensing the danger, she reached out and fumbled at Siden’s waist. Her fingers closed around a backup dagger instead of his heavy, long sword. She gripped the hilt and tried to steady her breathing.
Tommy began to walk toward her, his footsteps deliberate.
[Tommy] "What are you doing out here?"
His casual question sounded utterly chilling. The smile she once thought was innocent now looked revolting.
Her heart constricted in her chest. She remembered all too well the horrific things her past stalkers had done under the guise of "adoration." Terror flooded her entire being.
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