Chapter 51 Her Secret She knew it was immoral, but she…
That night, while searching for information in the Yale library, after flipping through a bunch of books, I suddenly realized that the background there was very similar to the Middle Ages: warring territories, bland food, and old-fashioned fireplaces—all very much like the Middle Ages.
So I started looking up information about the Middle Ages, but after looking for a long time I still couldn't figure it out. Then I looked up pictures of the Middle Ages, but even as the light of day blew through the curtains and the sky gradually brightened, I still couldn't make out anything.
Just as I was about to go out to buy a cup of coffee, I was suddenly drawn to an inconspicuous fireplace painting.
This painting is in the bottom right corner of the laptop screen; it's the last one.
The grey fireplace is utterly inconspicuous, serving as a mere backdrop. The main subject of the painting is a dimly lit yet magnificent hall, crammed with a group of elegantly dressed nobles. The fireplace stands quietly in the most secluded corner of the hall; were it not for a few faint flickering flames, it would likely go unnoticed.
It looked extremely familiar, just like the fireplace in my study.
I clicked on the painting and saw its source—"Daylyn Houston's Fantastic Romance".
I was stunned for a moment. Wasn't Dalyn Houston the artist of those little oil paintings that the little maid in the castle took me to to the basement to see?
I opened the book again, used Google Translate, and read it carefully. This book was written by Dalene Houston three years before her death. Everyone knows she was a depressed and unsuccessful painter, but few know she could also write books. However, her parents were not proud of this, because she was so talented that she looked down on the men around her, leading her to remain unmarried for life.
She lived with her parents and brothers her whole life. Her life was short; she suffered a stroke and her health remained poor. She died at only six years old.
This book was published posthumously and was self-funded.
In her will, she stipulated that she would leave all her personal savings to whoever could help her publish her book.
Her personal savings, neither a large nor a small amount, were two thousand dollars, which ultimately ended up in the hands of her uncle who worked at Yale. Her uncle also donated all of her paintings to the Yale Library.
After noting down the book's code, I called the castle maid and told her about my discovery.
She seemed half asleep, yawning as she replied, "Okay, I'll borrow the book later."
I took the day off and spent the entire day in the library.
When I first opened this gray-covered book, I held my breath.
But as I read on, my breathing became rapid—at first I thought I was reading a romance novel, but later I realized it was a story about a scumbag rising to power.
The author describes her experiences after suffering a stroke and falling into a coma with delicate and exquisite writing.
She arrived in a strange and exotic land, alone and destitute, forced to work at a small tavern. Months later, she inadvertently rescued a countess being chased by a group of bandits, and from then on became the countess's most trusted maid. Intelligent and talented, with exceptional calligraphy and painting skills, she was deeply loved by the duchess.
The countess was of noble birth, gentle and beautiful, with a touch of girlish innocence in her smile.
The count she married was not yet a count, but the eldest son of a very wealthy man in the country.
In imperial tradition, marriages between nobles, between merchants, and between nobles and merchants were considered shameful.
But the Countess insisted on marrying the eldest son of a wealthy family, even eloping with him and breaking with her parents.
Two years later, the Countess's twins were born, and her parents finally accepted them back and helped their son-in-law enter the imperial nobility.
Years later, her son-in-law's career took off, and he became a count. His handsome and gentle nature made the countess the envy of all women.
The Countess also felt very fortunate and told her maid, Deline, countless times how happy she was and how much she loved the Count.
What the Countess didn't know was how terrified and guilty the little maid, Dalene, was, because she was already secretly with the Count.
She admired the count's gentleness and thoughtfulness, as well as his elegant demeanor; she was madly in love with him.
For this man, she was willing to give everything, including her own life.
She knew it was immoral, but she couldn't control her feelings, let alone her infatuation with him.
Countless nights, she and the count had passionate sex. Afterwards, when the count was about to leave, she would stop him, clinging to him pitifully and begging him to stay with her. But he insisted on returning to the countess's bed.
Having read this far in the story, I thought that Daisy would be like all the heroines in romance novels I've read, displaying the talent and wisdom of a modern woman, overcoming numerous obstacles and difficulties, and ultimately winning the male lead's heart, making him willingly leave his wife to be with her.
But I was wrong.
The count ultimately did not end up with her, nor with the countess.
The count remarried the only daughter of the powerful prime minister, and rose to the pinnacle of power, becoming the ruler of the empire.
The Countess and her family all became stepping stones for him.
The Countess contracted a strange illness after being secretly poisoned with a slow-acting drug by the Prime Minister's only daughter, and died a few months before the Earl usurped the throne.
The heroine, Dahlin, died an even more tragic death—by the Earl's sword.
Her perfect lover pierced her throat with a sword—to pledge allegiance to his new wife, the prime minister's only daughter.
“After I died, I returned to my world and often felt that my past was a dream. I felt ashamed of everything I had done.”
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Author's Note: Thank you all for your encouragement. I see all your support and I'm very grateful!
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