Be My Heroine Chapter 40
For Count Gordon (4)
Kay then explained the forest path was too scary so he wouldn’t continue on. Beth nodded and said she knew the way. Kay wasn’t needed anymore. In fact, it was better since his grumbling was no longer heard.
The deeper they traveled into the spooky forest, the more the atmosphere screamed ‘Leave me alone’. Personally, Beth would have chosen a crowded place to hide. However, this former count was just too honest, Beth thought.
I need to hide far away!
I can’t believe such a man would hide in the forest.
Many of the country’s people were truly honest. So honest, in fact, it was easy for Beth to lead them around by the nose since they were all so gullible. Though she was not patriotic, Beth wondered if the country would be okay.
The count, a lord of a province…No, wait, it may not be him.
Beth pondered whether she was thinking too much.
She knocked on the old, shabby hut. It was a cabin in the woods. How cliché.
“… who is it?”
After a long silence, a man replied with exhaustion.
“…..”
Instead of responding, Beth and Kedrick continued to knock on the door. If it truly was the Count then he wouldn’t answer the door to just anyone.
I’ll make him open up even if he goes crazy.
Kedrick and Beth shared a meaningful look and continued to knock on the door. The pounding on the door went on non-stop for a period of time.
The door burst open.
“Are you crazy!?”
“In the village, you were rumored to be the crazy one.”
The man who came out had dark circles with reddish eyes. Most notable was the cleaver he clutched with anger.
Swiftly, Kedrick placed Beth behind him, hiding her. Beth poked her head out.
“Are you Count Gordon?”
“… I do not know such a man.”
That’s right.
She was surprised at how cliché this was. Such a typical line obviously indicated he had a close relationship with the Count. Beth pushed Kedrick to the side and stepped forward. She then politely introduced herself.
“Hello, my name is Beth. I’ve traveled here to protect Lady Claire Gordon.”
“…lady?”
As soon as Beth mentioned Claire’s name, the man’s eyes trembled.
Beth looked over his appearance. Though he had golden hair, it was not as beautiful as Claire’s. Though he had blond hair, he did not share the same unsightly appearance as the current Count Gordon. In fact, though he did not appear to have a peaceful live, he did not appear unkempt nor had any strange odors.
With wary eyes, the man studied Beth and Kedrick.
“… come in.”
Were they allowed in because they did not forcefully enter? Perhaps it was because they did not appear to be a threat? Or maybe there was another reason?
He allowed the two to enter his cabin.
‘Oh……’
The interior was messier than what she originally expected. Though it was organized it was still messy. Objects were shoved here and there to keep it tidy. Beth began to reorganize everything.
Whether he realized it or not, the Count had sat down on the bed. Once the small pile of firewood was neatly stacked, Beth explained,
“The young miss is in danger. The current count is abusive towards her.”
“My brother?”
He asked with skepticism. Then followed up with such a cliche response.
“My younger brother is not such a person. I don’t have time for Nero’s disputes.”
Beth replied while she moved on to organizing the bowls by size,
“I was the caretaker of the young lady. Until I had been hired, she was left unattended to.”
There was no time to go into detail over the neglection of Claire.
“And though the situation improved while I was there, I was fired without reason. Now, no one is there to protect her.”
“Impossible. Daniel is there!”
“Who is Daniel?”
Once she organized the cupboard, Beth considered whether she should continue. Then she went to his side and peered down at him with folded arms.
“You don’t even know the butler’s name, are you really a maid…?”
“There is no butler with that name.”
Kedrick nodded and replied that Beth was right.
“What…? “
“Perhaps your brother fired him after he became the Count?”
“It is very likely.”
In disbelief, the Count wiped his face with trembling hands.
“The only way I was able to discover you was due to the protection spell casted on her. You’ve also tried to protect her in your own way from any physical harm.”
Until now, Claire survived any physical abuse due to the magic the Count casted on her.
Could he have expected the current Count would abuse Claire?
“Then, then… all this time…it wasn’t assassination…”
An expression of disbelief formed, as the count stared at his scarred hands and forearms.
What do you mean assassination?
.
Who in the world would assassinate an eight-year-old?
She looked at him indifferently and called out.
“Former count.”
Beth looked down on him with folded arms. She wasn’t going to call him ‘Mister’.
“Write a decree to appoint the lady as the successor to the count. Also, designate a guardian for her until she completes her formal succession classes after her debutante.”
Though she had no intention of dying, the document would be helpful.
“… I will.”
Overwhelmed, he was unable to speak. He simply nodded. Then he took out an expensive sheet of paper and an ink pen from a dusty bag of luggage. He calmly wrote his decree. By the time he signed it, a question popped into Beth’s head.
“By the way…”
“What else would you like to know?”
“Who is the young lady’s mother?”
Though Claire’s father was the count, Beth did not know who the mother was. Before she thought it was a commoner, but now she wasn’t so sure. The Count did not give an answer no matter how long they waited. While Beth looked at the Count with wonder, Kedrick whispered,
“It’s magic.”
“….?”
It was the type of magic that locked lips.
A spell that prevented him to speak about anything related to Claire’s birth. This meant Claire’s mother had a secret that shouldn’t be exposed.
If not…..
Or perhaps it was secret not only for the mother but also for the father.
Beth warily peered down at the Count while he handed over the papers.
“Go back.”
*******
As Beth and Kedrick prepared to leave the village, they noticed Kay’s look of relief. A little farther away, stood an old man who appeared to be the village chief. Beth gazed at the two strangers. She approached the restless village chief and tilted her head.
“Sir, do you happen to have a daughter living with you?”
His eyes widened at the random question.
“…! Yes, yes! How did you know?”
“Hoho, is that really important? Hasn’t your daughter been acting strange lately? Without warning, she had spent all her money and yet she still looks tired and depressed?
“… Yes, yes! One day, she looked so depressed.”
While Beth revealed the information, the village chief gawked at her as if he had met a fortune teller.
“This is all due to the man who guided me earlier.”
Beth explained as she looked past his shoulder.
“……?”
The village chief glanced back with a stiff face. The village casanova, the one Beth named Kay, unaware of his impending doom, gazed at the sky.
“Because he taught romance to the town’s women.”
Beth said with a smile. Kedrick escorted her before she entered the carriage. As the carriage rode off, she heard a yell of fury.
“Alfredo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
The man’s real name, whom Beth and Kedrick called Kay, was Alfredo.
“I thought you said you weren’t going to tell on him?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t if he helped me.”
Kedrick just smiled and decided to move on.
It would be nice if nothing happened during their three-day journey back home.
***
There was a marked change without Beth at the mansion.
No matter how much power the commoner maid had, Claire and Ryan’s position slowly declined. Julia, Anne, and Catherine…. Though the chef still took good care of the two, they were aware of the staff’s gaze had gradually changed. Some looked away with guilt while others did not. Instead, they acted as if they saw a disgusting parasite.
In the mansion’s back garden, Ryan dug with a sad face. In the past, Claire was able to visit the flower garden, however recently, the Count disliked it whenever Claire was visible.
Today, the children decided to secretly play in the back garden and eat snacks given by the chef. Shrewdly, they used a path unknown to the Count.
“When is Beth coming…”
Beth, who promised to return, had not come back after a few days.
Though Claire appeared to be weak, she did not reveal her worries. Instead, she kept to her room. She remained silent without shedding a tear despite seeing her things fall one by one.
Ryan turned his head back and forth. Tired of digging, he eventually decided to look for Claire.
“Dummy, did you get lost in the mansion!”
Ryan figured Claire had gotten lost so he went to the kitchen’s backdoor where he would always find her. As he drew close, he could hear people buzzing.
“What?”
Although the staff were all spaced apart, they all secretly glanced at a specific location.
“….!”
Chocolate chip cookies were scattered on the floor. Claire looked up at the man and trembled in fear.
Count Gordon.
He stared down at Claire with a solid cane held against the floor.
“What!!”
Ryan rushed to help Claire get up from the floor. Claire, surprised, staggered to her feet. Her gaze remained on the ground.
“One bug is already annoying, but two…Beth, that bitch is a lot of trouble.”
“….”
With that, Claire finally realized Beth wasn’t taking a leave of absence but was fired. Tears threatened to spill.
“One bug shares my blood, so I am willing to continue caring for it.”
The count’s eyes gleamed with desire while he glared at Ryan. When he felt his gaze, goosebumps spread all over Ryan. But instead of shrinking back, he stepped forward with his eyes on the Count.
“I’m not a leftover.”
“No, no!”
When he raised his cane up high, Claire hid Ryan behind her and stepped forward. Claire, though terrified, with her big wet eyes stared at the Count with her head upright. She was fed up. She shivered with her arms out.
“No, no father.”
“This is your last chance, get out of the way.”
“No, no.”
He frowned at Claire, showing he disliked her blocking him.
I guess you’re not scared.”
“I, I’m scared.”
Her voice quivered as she spoke.
“Bu…But, I do. So no.”
Something so scary and painful as this, was something she couldn’t allow Ryan to experience.
This was what Beth showed Claire. Though Beth never directly told her this was morally correct, her kindness and strength taught Claire this was the right thing to do.
Ryan took in Claire with a confused and complex expression.
“Then, I’ll get rid of both.”
The moment the Count lifted the cane high.
“Master!”
A butler ran to the count.
“What is it !!!”
The butler’s face turned pale at the angry Count. He knew if he interrupted without a good reason, he would be punished.
“Be, Beth and… her knight returned.”
“Then get rid of them!!!”
“That is…”
The count’s angry face went white.
“Have you been well, Sir?”
Beth appeared with the former Count’s edict.
Join our Discord for fun and spoilers! || Support Phoenix Walk for the price of a coffee! || Read ahead on Patreon!
