CH-109

109 See Who's Hiding Inside

The manor's prayer room.

Upon suddenly receiving the news of the Dowager Viscountess Sakelaine's death, Viscountess Beverly found it impossible to fall into peaceful slumber. She could only pray through the night that the Dowager's soul might be purified and have the chance to return to the Lord's side.

She knew more than most.

But she dared not speak.

It might be due to fragility, fearing that if she spoke, her current happy life would crumble into ruin—

Yes, she had witnessed the truth of the Dowager's death.

If not for the knights of the successor group suddenly requesting lodging, Beverly wouldn't have returned to the manor unexpectedly. She had only intended to deliver dinner to the Dowager's room before the kitchen became too busy.

But before she could push open the door, she saw it was already unlocked.

She hadn't been particularly wary at that moment, but was it intuition, or a dreadful premonition?

Beverly did not actively push open the door.

She merely drew closer, peering through the slightly ajar crack.

The room was pitch black, save for a single dim oil lamp.

She saw her husband tightening a rope around his mother's neck.

The Dowager struggled desperately, her feet kicking wildly, fingers contorted. Her mouth was open, trying to scream, but only a strangled, wordless gasp escaped her compressed throat.

Due to the violent struggle, her body slipped from the chair. But in that instant, Edmond raised his foot, his boot pressing cruelly down on her shoulder, his hands still not loosening their grip, the rope tightening ever more.

Edmond showed no hesitation, no pain, not even a flicker of emotion. He was terrifyingly detached.

Beverly froze on the spot, her heart pounding like a drum, a nauseating shudder rising in her throat.

She dared not make a sound.

She was certain this was absolutely no illusion.

It was her husband, with his own hands, killing his mother.

Despite witnessing all this, Beverly's heart still firmly trusted her husband.

He must have had no choice but to do this.

Because Beverly believed Viscount Edmond was a good husband.

Thinking back... when Viscountess Beverly married the Viscount due to a family alliance, she had struggled internally.

It wasn't because she feared marriage, resented her family's arrangements, or disliked her intended spouse.

Quite the opposite. Compared to her close friends, Beverly had, since her coming-of-age ceremony, desired the life of a married woman. She knew her marriage would be arranged by her family and that she would wed someone of suitable age.

She hadn't even dared to dream she would marry Viscount Edmond.

Although of noble birth, she was from the lowest rank of Baron.

Viscount Edmond had been famous since his school days: handsome in appearance, outstanding in his studies, and a devout believer who graduated with honors from the seminary.

At the same time, he was the first noble in the region to invest heavily in maritime ventures. Within just a few years, he had risen from a barely solvent noble struggling to maintain appearances to a new commercial magnate, warmly courted even by Counts and Marquises.

Edmond was still so young.

A match of such quality, even if he were over ten years older than Beverly and had a child, she would still have gladly accepted.

Let alone the fact that he was in his prime; marrying him meant marrying into happiness.

Viscountess Beverly thought so too.

That was, until she heard that Viscount Edmond actually had someone he loved.

It was said to be a maid in the manor, and she was pregnant with Viscount Edmond's child.

Such romantic scandals, while somewhat unsavory, were common. Several emperors even took pride in having illegitimate children, and the ethics within the imperial court were far more chaotic than imagined. Therefore, Beverly could still accept it; after all, illegitimate children had no right of inheritance.

But it was rumored that to ensure the smooth arrangement of their marriage, the Dowager Viscountess Sakelaine had the maid killed.

Hearing this, Beverly was terrified.

So, to be honest, she didn't have much objection to her intended spouse, but she genuinely feared the iron-fisted Dowager Sakelaine, who had raised Edmond single-handedly.

Yet the marriage was not something she could refuse.

For a noble girl like her, if she truly wished to avoid marriage, her only option was to become a cloistered nun for life. The treatment of a nun was inferior even to that of a male deacon. Of course, if she were a common girl, becoming a nun might secure her basic needs, though she would have to work even more diligently.

She had faith, but she yearned even more for a family.

Thus, her struggle was merely a form of apprehension.

However, life after marriage turned out far better than she had imagined.

Dowager Sakelaine took extraordinary care of her, attending to almost everything personally.

She doted on her newborn grandson to an extreme degree, pouring all her affection into him as if making up for something.

The moment the child was born, Sakelaine immediately re-engaged the old tutor who had once guided Edmond, her voice filled with expectation and obsession. She told Beverly she would cultivate another Edmond, even more outstanding and perfect than the current one.

And Edmond, too, constantly put her heart at ease.

He respected her, never forceful, meticulously reporting his whereabouts whenever he went out. His letters were always gentle and thoughtful, even inquiring about small matters like whether she was sleeping well or had a good appetite.

He would also bring back exotic gifts from every sea voyage: hand-embroidered silk scarves, small jars of spices, dried flowers carrying the scent of southern sunshine. Each item reflected his attentiveness.

Back then, she truly believed she had married the right person and would be happy for life.

How could she have imagined a day like this would come?

...

Beverly immediately left the scene.

She knew she had to bury this secret deep within her.

She had to cooperate, absolutely no hint of anything could show. Yet, when someone came to inform her, she still felt the world go black before her eyes, unable to even stand.

"No..." she murmured, all color draining from her face, still unwilling to accept the truth.

She wanted to rise, to explain something, anything, but her body refused to obey. Her throat was parched, unable to produce a sound.

Tears fell uncontrollably, one after another.

Her reason kept telling her: It's over, it's over. Someone will surely suspect me... I must not show any cracks, must not give myself away.

But she couldn't accept the reality.

By the time the servants returned from delivering the news, Viscount Edmond came to see her personally. Seeing her dazed and tear-streaked face, Edmond merely assumed she was overwhelmed with grief, unable to speak clearly.

Edmond sighed softly, comforting Beverly: "Mother's choice of suicide also came as a deep shock to me."

"She didn't want the demon within her heart to truly take over her body, which is why she couldn't find a way out of this despair."

"..."

Beverly finally understood at that moment: what truly weighed on her heart wasn't sorrow, but fear.

Late at night.

Outside the window, only the rustle of wind through the heather bushes could be heard.

She could only turn to the Lord for help.

Beverly sat in the dim candlelight, hands clasped on her knees, knuckles white.

She murmured to herself over and over, praying while simultaneously refuting the hesitation in her heart: "She's no longer human... The Dowager Sakelaine is no longer human."

"She is a vampire. Edmond made the best decision."

She fought to suppress the trembling feeling surging in her chest, forcing herself to believe that Edmond had chosen to conceal the truth to preserve his mother's dignity.

"He only wanted to protect Mother's last shred of decency... for the family's reputation."

"I must protect the family too."

Even as she said this, she wasn't sure whom she was trying to justify.

Edmond, or herself?

She wept, "Lord, I cannot lose my husband, cannot lose my child's father."

Yet, just then, she heard the voices of a youth and the steward speaking in the corridor.

"Sir Shurik, the Dowager's remains are laid in her original bedchamber."

Beverly immediately covered her mouth, shrinking her presence to nothing.