Hopefully, at Your Mercy - Chapter 22
Chapter 12.1
<Arc 3. What Only He Knows>
Clip-clop, clip-clop. The sound of hooves echoed from all directions.
Inside the rattling carriage, Delinda drifted into thought.
Having lived a modern life as Han Ji-an, Delinda had learned a few things through that experience
If you’re up against a seasoned opponent, you’ve got to play your cards close to the chest and act like you’ve been around the block for at least a decade. But if you’re up against someone crazy, you have to flip your own switch and act crazier to outmatch them.
That was a survival skill she had picked up living in the real world as an orphan without support. Just a young girl with a pretty face.
Because of this, Delinda actually found Rose to be rather straightforward.
‘I actually appreciate it when people wear their emotions on their sleeves.’
But the ones she really worried about were those who smiled sweetly to your face, only to stab you in the back when you weren’t looking. The manipulators who worked quietly and smoothly.
“Why are you staring at me like that, my lady?”
Rose frowned, clearly irritated by Delinda’s gaze.
“I just like you, Rose.”
“What?”
Rose recoiled, her face twisting into a grimace. Delinda chuckled softly, amused by her reaction.
She didn’t mind Rose’s behavior anymore. Sure, the constant snide remarks and petty jabs were a bit annoying, but that was the extent of it.
What really bothered her was Grand Duke Iskan Anagrok. The prince of this country.
‘Why does he keep showing up like this?’
It wasn’t entirely unreasonable, of course. Since he’d agreed to lend funds with the duke’s mansion as collateral, it made sense that he would check on the assets.
‘But following us all the way to the mine… doesn’t that seem excessive? And even hiding his identity from Lord Cavila, the owner of the mine?’
Delinda opened the carriage window and looked outside. Clatter, clatter. Behind the duke’s carriage, a pitch-black carriage followed them closely along the mountain path.
It had no seal, but its sleek appearance and size made it obvious that someone important was inside.
‘Of course, that’s because the grand duke-slash-prince himself is riding in it.’
The carriage belonged to Prince Iskan Anagrok. When Duke Schultz and his daughter, Delinda, had mentioned they would be visiting the mine, he suddenly insisted on coming along.
Said he just wanted to “take a look.”
But was that really enough of a reason to hide his identity and follow them around?
As Delinda mulled over this mystery, Rose’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“My lady, a woman of marriageable age should behave with proper decorum.”
“Huh?”
“It wouldn’t be appropriate for a noble lady, such as yourself, to be caught in any unsavory scandals, would it?”
Rose’s tone made it sound like she was accusing Delinda of something.
Delinda tilted her head, trying to make sense of Rose’s words. What exactly was she talking about?
All of a sudden? What behavior?
I mean, sure, I might be a little clueless, but she’s making it awfully hard to understand.
“I haven’t done anything that would cause a scandal.”
“A few days ago, you were wandering around the mansion alone with the grand duke, weren’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“When you reached a secluded spot, you held hands and whispered secrets to each other.”
“That never happened.”
Delinda replied, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Rose must have been spying on them when she gave Iskan a tour of the mansion the other day, especially when they were examining the spirit stone between them.
To be clear, I didn’t hold his hand. I touched his palm while inspecting the spirit stone.
Delinda felt unfairly accused. In fact, hadn’t their first meeting involved him lifting her chin with his foot?
Recalling that day brought back the essence of her courteous Eastern heritage.
To act like that to someone he’d just met… Rude…
“And now the grand duke is joining you on this trip.”
“It’s not a trip, it’s business. He’s lending us money, so naturally, he has a reason to come along.”
Delinda’s exasperated response seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Rose’s eyes grew red, and she clenched her fists tightly.
“How can you act this way when you have a fiancé, my lady?!”
…What?
A fiancé?
I have a fiancé?!
The handkerchief in Delinda’s hand fell to her lap.
Rose’s glare intensified, filled with venom.
Delinda was at a loss. What does my supposed fiancé have to do with Rose’s anger? But setting Rose’s emotions aside, she needed to focus on the facts.
‘I have a fiancé? Who could it possibly be?’
The first thing she needed to do was figure out who this man was.
‘Please don’t let him be some balding sixty-year-old. And not too hairy, either.’
“You’re right. I should behave properly since causing him trouble wouldn’t do any good. It’s been a while since he last visited, now that I think about it.”
Delinda remarked, carefully watching Rose’s expression.
Asking about the spirit stone had been foolish enough, so asking directly about her fiancé’s identity would probably just make her seem suspicious.
So, she decided to test the waters and try to learn more about her fiancé from Rose’s reactions.
Rose didn’t deny the comment about his absence, which was useful.
“Why hasn’t he been around? Is he too busy? Do you know what he’s been up to, Rose?”
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