A Cruel Beast’s Leash - Chapter 34.1

After Emma seated herself, Karina pleasantly asked, “Miss Herman, aren’t you hungry? I heard that you were busy going around all day.”

“Yes, I am hungry. Thank you for inviting me, My Lady,” Emma acknowledged.  ‘I guess word has spread that I went around the castle,’ she thought. Well, there could be no secrets with the many eyes watching her.

“You’re honest. I personally prefer unpretentious people. Today is a custom dinner party, so the food is plentiful. I hope they suit your taste. Oh, are there any foods that you prefer not to eat?”

“No, Countess Karina. There aren’t any.”

“That was easy. What a relief,” Karina sighed, relieved. “Then eat to your heart’s content.”

As soon as Emma picked up a fork and knife at Karina’s recommendation, a servant approached and put a hot roast and all kinds of dishes from the center of the table onto her plate.

“By the way, Irvan will be a bit late today. Somehow I didn’t think he’d be joining us,” said Karina, tilting her wine glass.

“Excuse me?” Emma, who had heard this for the first time, quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin and raised her eyes. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Lady Karina, but can I ask if something has happened?”

“It’s nothing, Miss Herman. I guess a few days ago there was a monster attack near the Edner estate, which faces the border between us and the land. From what I heard, he suffered some injuries. Though our side didn’t suffer much damage, it happened to be in the adjacent area of the Perrigan Mountains, so we cannot afford to be careless. In the end, the Black Knight Order must step up to annihilate all monsters. At the worst, we have to prepare for an emergency.”

According to Countess Karina, the area where the attack had taken place was the area called Lojak. It was half a day drive from here.

As Irvan led the Knight Order, he would have to figure out the depth of the situation, and meet with Count Edner to discuss countermeasures. He would probably arrive there tomorrow at the earliest, or the day after tomorrow.

Left in the dark, Emma was curious why Irvan hadn’t appeared this whole afternoon. Now, she was hit with the reality of the situation. She felt dejected that she wasn’t about to see Irvan, but she didn’t let it show and gripped her fork in silence.

“He hasn’t had a guest in a long time, and I’m worried that you’ll be left alone and lonely,” Karina continued. “I don’t feel good about this, so could you please attend tea time tomorrow? If it’s possible, you can bring some food and we can eat together.”

“… Thank you for your consideration, My Lady.”

Upon hearing Karina’s suggestion, Emma tried to hide the sudden stiffness in her face by bowing her head in modesty. She had replied in good graces, but she was reluctant. With Irvan’s absence, it was inevitable that she would come in contact with Karina frequently; a situation she had tried to avoid.

‘It would be disadvantageous to me.’

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On the surface, Karina was seemingly gentle and kind, but Emma knew her heart would hide secrets.  She would never forget the fact that Karina would always be Irvan’s stepmother; and the two didn’t have an amicable relationship.

‘What now?’

Emma couldn’t come up with a reason to leave. If this was a trap, she was caught perfectly in it. Irvan isn’t able to attend today’s dinner. If Emma had been aware of his absence in advance she could have refused the invitation. But now… she couldn’t extricate herself from the situation. She was pretty much deceived by the butler’s urgency and ended up walking into the Countess’ party.

She was literally stuck in a trap.

It would become a serious social problem if a commoner rejected a noblewoman’s proposal. Aside from the crime of possibly insulting a nobility, there was no other reason to turn down Karina. All the people of Van Wert Castle were watching and listening close by.

Emma, engulfed in frustration, bit her bottom lip. The countess, who was leisurely watching her, licked her dry lips.

“Your dress suits you very well today. Did you choose it yourself?” she asked.

Emma tried to smile. “Yes. It’s one of the items Irvan sent to me.”

“I see. I didn’t know it before,  but now that I think about it, that boy has a delicate heart. But I guess he’s grown into a man already. He knows how to soothe a woman’s heart.”

With a faint glow in her eyes, Karina downed a glass of wine in one gulp as she spoke. She seemed to be unsatisfied and bitter. As if agreeing with Karina, the other acquaintances sitting at the table looked at Emma with gazes sharp as thorns. Emma felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

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‘Did I say something wrong?’

No matter how she thought about it, her reply wasn’t that strange, but it had caused a spark within the countess. Emma felt uncomfortable due to the sharp atmosphere. She was confused about what to do next. However, she didn’t show her frustration and instead gripped her fork firmly, mechanically putting food in her mouth.

Karina, who had been talking to her acquaintances for a while and ignoring Emma, suddenly looked across at her and said, “It’s good to see you eating, Miss Herman. You look so gentle. I wish Irvan were here to see you like this. I think he will fall in love with you again. By the way, what do you like so much about him?”

There was a clear derision in the words ‘It’s good to see you eating.’

Emma was chewing her food hard as if it were wet newspaper. She was alone, isolated in an environment she couldn’t assimilate in.