The Serpent of Paradise - Chapter 69

“What do you mean, something lowly?”

“Ten years ago, Count Lauderdale adopted a girl no one knows where he found. According to someone who worked under the Count for many years, she was the daughter of a woman he took by force at a summer villa when he was young. Apparently, the resemblance was frightening. That seems to be why he brought her home.”

“Was Count Lauderdale that sort of man?”

The Empress Dowager tried to recall the man who died long ago. She wasn’t personally acquainted with him, but he possessed a certain degree of prestige in society. His agreeable appearance, courteous and well-mannered conduct, and status as a nobleman from Ils earned him considerable favor in society, making him quite popular. She always found it strange that despite showing no particular affection for his wife, he never kept a mistress.

“He possessed more depraved tastes than I expected.”

“Some people might consider it romantic.”

Clicking her tongue, the Empress Dowager held out her hand. Like a loyal attendant, Pavel moved quickly and picked up the snuffbox beside the bed. Looking at the box adorned with elaborate goldwork, exquisite paintings, and jewels, Pavel clicked his tongue inwardly. It came from Flanre through Sokolov. That meant even in the deepest reaches of the summer palace, there were goods that passed through Mikhail Sokolov’s hands.

‘I need to strike that bastard soon.’

He thought Mikhail was lying low because the men Pavel sent once put a knife in his belly, but apparently he was amusing himself with a woman in the countryside.

When Pavel opened the snuffbox and offered it to her, the Empress Dowager brought it to her nose and closed her eyes. The powdered tobacco inside was of such exceptional quality that even Pavel, sitting beside her, felt his mind rapidly sharpen from the scent. Pavel picked up the letter and resumed reading.

He didn’t know who this young man named Ilya was, but the man clearly harbored hostility toward Mikhail Sokolov. It seemed he hoped his patron would help the Lauderdales and was therefore attempting to expose Mikhail’s outrageous conduct.

“I was told he was diligent.”

Just as the department head said, the letter resembled an extremely detailed report. Thanks to that, Pavel could understand how the situation was unfolding.

It appeared Mikhail Sokolov went there intending to secure a countship by marrying a Lauderdale daughter, only for something else to catch his eye. Of all people, it was the family’s adopted daughter.

“What will you do?” the Empress Dowager asked Pavel as she inhaled the snuff.

Pavel folded the letter and answered, “If it pleases Your Majesty, would you entrust the matter to this servant? I’ll provide you with an entertaining spectacle.”

“I have faith in your abilities. Haven’t you always brought me pleasure?”

If Pavel merely gave her physical pleasure, she would have replaced him with someone else long ago. But Pavel was her lover and representative, as well as her secret executioner. How many people had Pavel personally killed at her command?

“Then I’ll look forward to it. I’d very much like to see Mikhail Sokolov prostrate himself and beg, just once.”

“One day, I’ll make certain you do. Then….”

Pavel climbed down from the bed and, despite his disheveled appearance, bowed to the Empress Dowager with disciplined formality before leaving the room.

Because he hadn’t tied the front of his bathrobe, his body was completely exposed, but he walked down the corridor without the slightest concern. This was the summer palace, after all. Apart from a small number of imperial family members, only those who knew how to keep their mouths shut were present. The occasional attendants he encountered merely lowered their heads without showing the slightest surprise. This place was built for the comfortable repose of noble personages, and their only duty was to serve.

But while descending the stairs, Pavel noticed someone below and hurriedly tied his robe. Standing beneath him was someone even a man who feared nothing in the world had to treat with respect.

“Your Majesty.”

The person ascending the stairs was Yajinsky II, Emperor of Novgod. He inherited the name of the founding emperor, but unlike the great man who founded Novgod, he was a frail emperor whose recurring seizures made it difficult even to govern the nation.

‘Though that’s partly because the Empress Dowager is controlling him.’

The Empress Dowager devoted all her efforts to managing the Emperor’s health. She ensured he never recovered completely, but also never deteriorated to the point that nothing could be done for him. Her greatest task was to control the Emperor’s health so he could remain on the throne while she retained the true power. Pavel also bowed his head to the person supporting the Emperor.

“This servant, Pavel Rublov, pays his respects to His Supreme Majesty, the Emperor of Novgod, and Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Raise your head.”

At the Emperor’s words, Pavel raised his head without protest. The Emperor’s face was serene, but the Empress turned away in flustered embarrassment at the sight of Pavel’s attire.

The Empress was a naive, beautiful woman from an insignificant family. Hadn’t they said she was selected because she came from a family with many children? Yet the imperial couple still remained childless.

As Pavel watched the Empress, who continued stealing glances at him despite her embarrassment, he wondered whether he should leave his blood in the imperial family.

But he quickly abandoned the thought. He and the Emperor didn’t resemble each other in the slightest. Besides, if he truly wanted a child, wasn’t the Empress Dowager’s body still capable of bearing one?

‘But she’d get rid of it immediately.’

If the Empress Dowager thought something might undermine her power and rule, she would cut it away without hesitation. So even if she conceived, she would certainly kill it.

“You may go.”

The Emperor indifferently ordered him to leave. They had no reason to remain in each other’s company for long anyway, so Pavel quickly bowed, passed the two of them, and headed toward his room. His mind swiftly erased the inconsequential Emperor and focused on Mikhail.

‘That damned merchant bastard.’

Pavel always thought he would one day force those stiff, unyielding knees to bend. He never expected such a perfect opportunity to present itself.

“Anastasia Lauderdale, was it?”

Pavel smiled as he recalled the unfamiliar woman’s name. He knew she would make an excellent weapon for bringing Mikhail Sokolov down.

After Pavel left, the imperial couple silently watched his retreating figure for a moment. The Emperor glanced at the Empress, who watched Pavel’s back with flushed cheeks and a lingering look of regret, then spoke.

“Does Viscount Rublov concern you?”

Startled by the Emperor’s question, the Empress turned her head. Hastily concealing where her gaze had been directed, she shook her head.

“I was merely surprised by his attire.”

The Empress took the Emperor’s arm again and supported him as he climbed the stairs. In truth, Pavel’s attire wasn’t the only thing that surprised her. The Emperor spent more than half of each day drugged into a stupor, sitting silently. He rarely walked outside as he did today, nor did he ever speak to her first like this. What could have prompted him…?

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Flustered when the Emperor questioned her again, the Empress offered a suitable answer.

“Nothing in particular. Viscount Pavel seemed to be in such a hurry, so I wondered whether Her Majesty the Empress Dowager gave him some urgent task….”

“I see.”

The Emperor nodded.

“Yes, the Empress Dowager would find many things difficult without Viscount Pavel.”

The Emperor watched Pavel’s retreating figure for a long while, then turned back. His gaze was far too sharp to belong to a man steeped in drugs.

***

After the disastrous dinner, Edenhurst became quiet once again. Aside from the Countess and Catherine occasionally shuddering in outrage, everyone behaved as though nothing happened that day.

The person who pretended most determinedly not to know was Anastasia. That night, after some hesitation, Mikhail eventually slept in another room in the main building. The following day, he went to the annex and stood before the bedroom door, hesitating briefly over whether to enter. Then the door opened from within, and Anastasia greeted him with a bright smile, seized his arm, and pulled him inside.

“You were so late that I thought you weren’t coming.”

“….”

Anastasia welcomed him without resentment or reproach over what happened the previous day. A short breath escaped Mikhail at that moment. Only then did he realize he had been holding it.

As Anastasia behaved as though nothing happened, Mikhail’s mind raced through everything she liked. Whatever she wanted now, he would give it to her. If it could compensate for the dinner he forced her to attend, he didn’t care what it was.

After they finished breakfast, Mikhail asked, “Anastasia, is there anything you want?”

“…Not particularly.”

There truly was nothing material Anastasia wanted anymore.

“Even so.”

But Mikhail didn’t give up and urged her once more to name anything at all. Anastasia smiled awkwardly, carefully studied his expression, then asked, “Then… when are you going to Sokolov?”

“Why are you suddenly asking about Sokolov…?”

“Well, if possible… I’d like to go to Sokolov a little sooner.”

Anastasia’s gaze drifted toward the forest beyond the garden. Edenhurst’s scenery remained unchanged, yet Anastasia now felt more fear than beauty in this land. The past seemed to wind around her ankles like a swamp, making her want to flee as far away as possible.

Away from Edenhurst. Away from the Lauderdales. If she did, it felt as though the past would no longer follow her.

“…Is there anything else?”

“What?”

“Is there nothing else besides that?”

“…No.”

There truly was nothing else.

Just then, someone knocked urgently on the door.

“What is it?”

The underbutler’s voice came from outside.

“Master, there’s something I need to tell you.”

No one aside from Natasha came here unless it was absolutely necessary. If the underbutler urgently sought him out despite knowing it was mealtime, something serious must have happened.

“I’ll be back. See you later.”

Mikhail kissed Anastasia’s cheek, his marks still lingering on the back of her neck. Along with the softness of her cheek, he caught the warm scent unique to her. Feeling an inexplicable sense of fullness, Mikhail left the room.

“….”

Alone in the room, Anastasia touched the cheek Mikhail kissed and realized something.

He never answered when she said she wanted to go to Sokolov sooner.

***

“What happened?”

As they walked down the corridor, Mikhail looked at the underbutler with faint irritation.

“Four servants collapsed.”

“What do you mean, collapsed?”

“They suddenly complained of stomach pain after breakfast, and one of them even lost consciousness. It seems they ate something spoiled.”

“Where’s Igor?”

“He already went there.”

“There? Where?”

Walking ahead, the underbutler raised his hand and pointed toward a place some distance from the estate.

“The stables.”