𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟖: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞

For now, we walk and talk.

ㅤ

“As you pointed out, this is the lake where Irma-ojousama’s body was found.”

“You were about to talk about this, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

ㅤ

It’s taboo to talk about Irma. Rosa seems to slip and mention her name from time to time, but she seems to have been holding back since she became the head housemaid.

ㅤ

“There have been several incidents where people saw a creepy shadow in the backyard before the servants were dismissed after Irma-ojousama’s death. Everyone speculated that Irma-ojousama, who may have been lingering due to her regrets, was wandering around, which was unbearably scary.”

ㅤ

It must have been a great regret for her to have died young, with her marriage to Lord Montyver imminent.

It’s no surprise that stories of her spirit lingering in this world and sightings of her ghost spread.

ㅤ

“I was even scared to peek into the backyard from the window.”

“I see.”

ㅤ

While talking, we reached the garden bathed in bright sunlight.

When I looked at Rosa, expecting her to be relieved, she didn’t seem to cheer up.

I wondered if there was still something bothering her.

Thinking it might help her to change the mood, I invited Rosa to the cottage.

ㅤ

“Is it okay?”

“Yes. Right now, Ren is studying at the mansion, so nobody’s there.”

ㅤ

This was the first time I invited a guest to the cottage.

When I served donuts I baked in the morning, Rosa cheerfully enjoyed them.

ㅤ

“Ah, Mrs. Dosa’s sweets are incredibly delicious.”

“I’m glad you like them.”

ㅤ

But just when I thought she had cheered up, after finishing her tea, Rosa once again had a gloomy look on her face.

ㅤ

“Rosa-san, is something wrong?”

“N, Nothing at all?!”

ㅤ

Her denial was so forceful it was as if she was shouting, ‘Something is wrong!’ Even Rosa seemed surprised by her own reaction.

ㅤ

“Rosa-san, I’m very good at keeping secrets. If something is bothering you, please don’t keep it to yourself, talk to me.”

ㅤ

After that, I suggested she eat more donuts.

Rosa took a bite of a donut and began to speak quietly.

ㅤ

“I happened to witness a disturbing scene.”

ㅤ

She said it happened the day before Irma died, three years ago.

ㅤ

“Lord Montyver came that day, and Irma-ojousama was in a good mood.”

ㅤ

The design for her wedding dress was apparently complete, and she seemed happy to ask which one looked better.

A maid who brought her tea told Rosa that Irma looked very happy.

ㅤ

“I was going to pick up the laundry, and I happened to see Lord Montyver and Lady Irma talking in the garden.”

ㅤ

Not wanting to disturb their moment, Rosa tried to discreetly leave.

But as she was about to turn away, she heard Irma’s passionate voice.

ㅤ

“Irma-ojousama was confessing her love to Lord Montyver, saying ‘I love you’.”

ㅤ

Hearing a conversation straight out of a love story, Rosa couldn’t help but stop and listen.

ㅤ

“Of course, I believed that Lord Montyver, overcome with emotion, would embrace Irma-ojousama. However, my imagination was completely off.”

ㅤ

Lord Montyver turned his back on Irma and returned the cruel words, “I cannot reciprocate your feelings.”

ㅤ

“I couldn’t believe my ears. I thought Lord Montyver and Irma-ojousama were engaged because they loved each other.”

ㅤ

After that, it seems Lord Montyver quickly left.

Irma tried to follow him, but it seems there was no further conversation.

ㅤ

“That night, Irma-ojousama was very depressed. . . . . .”

ㅤ

All the servants noticed Irma’s deep dejection and were worried about what had happened.

Even the talkative Rosa said she couldn’t share the conversation she had overheard during the day with her fellow maids.

ㅤ

“On that evening, Irma-ojousama went missing and was found floating in the lake the following day.”

ㅤ

The investigation by the knights suggested that she had been burdened by something, sneaked out of the mansion in the middle of the night, and was brooding in front of the misty lake. During this, it’s thought that she slipped and fell, drowned, and died, which was reported as the cause of death.

ㅤ

It seems that a servant discovered Irma floating in the lake, and the details were vividly conveyed among the servants.

ㅤ

“After Irma-ojousama died, I often dreamed of her. In the dream, Irma-ojousama would say to me in a scary voice, ‘You’ve been spying on me, haven’t you?'”

ㅤ

Three years have passed and it seems she doesn’t appear in dreams anymore, but it’s still scary to go to the backyard.

ㅤ

“So, um, the knight’s investigation said it was an accident, but I can’t help but think, perhaps Irma-ojousama jumped into the lake herself.”

ㅤ

Even in daylight, it’s terrifying to set foot in the backyard.

Would she go to the lake alone in the middle of the night, no matter how severe her worries?

It seems Rosa had wondered about this for a long time.

ㅤ

“The lake in the backyard is hard to find, and um, if you’re going to commit suicide, it’s an ideal place, I couldn’t help but think.”

ㅤ

Whether it was an accident or she took her own life, the fact that Irma died doesn’t change.

I tell Rosa not to worry too much.

ㅤ

“Mrs. Dosa, I’m sorry to have spoken of such things.”

“No. Rosa, it must have been hard for you too.”

“Yes, I suppose. I may have felt it as a burden without realizing it.”

ㅤ

I think it was good that she talked to me and felt relieved.

However, I noticed a slight snag in regards to Irma’s death.

𝐓𝐋𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚: 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠