Chapter 42: The Witch's Grace
Chapter 42
42.1
When Lady Agnes left the study, there was not much expression on her face, but everyone knew that the Duchess was not in a happy mood.
The waiters and waitresses even breathed softly. Duke Hugh Carragher looked in the direction where Lady Agnes had left and sighed deeply.
"Come out." He said slowly.
Eustace Carragaran slowly emerged from the secret compartment of the bookshelf.
He lowered his head: "Father."
Duke Caragaran rubbed his brow wearily. "You heard it. Agnes didn't doubt the matter. She believed that the baronial titles obtained by the three illegitimate children were a conspiracy by Euridice Aquitus against her and Cecilia."
Eustace's head hung even lower. "Thank you for your kindness, father."
Prince Caragaran looked at him and suddenly laughed.
"For all these years," the Duke said, "you haven't asked me to do anything for you, yet here you are asking me to ask the Queen for a title for you."
Eustace slowly knelt on one knee before the suspicious Duke.
He whispered, "Father, I saw that Hesong became a baron and had his own territory. So I thought, if I could also own a small territory, I could move out of Ravenmount Castle with my mother and live there."
Hugh Karagaran looked at his illegitimate son, and his expression became slightly complicated.
He knew that Eustace was an overly cautious boy who never overstepped his bounds.
Young Eustace once said frankly and earnestly, "Father, I have no ambition or greed. All I want is for Mother to have a better life: fresh bread to eat, comfortable clothes to wear, a warm hearth to warm her in the cold of winter, a roof over her head in stormy weather, and a doctor to see her when she's sick."
As he spoke, young Eustace knelt before his father, his expression darkening. "I can't do this on my own. Simon slept in a stable without a single decent piece of clothing. His mother died of illness, and no medical officer even visited her before she died... I don't want my mother to end up like this, Father. Staying at Ravenmount Castle is my only option."
Hugh Carragher was silent for a long time, and then he said meaningfully: "You know, I have already married Agnes Felix. It is difficult for me to allow you to live in Ravenmount Castle."
Little Eustace listened and said calmly, "If I kneel before Lady Agnes, become her dog, lick her boots clean, and let her whip me with her whip, it means my mother can live a better life in Ravenmount Castle, then I am willing to do it. I am willing to be the most loyal dog of Lady Agnes and my father."
Duke Karagaran was speechless.
Eustace's mother was actually a little crazy - she went crazy after Hugh Carragher betrayed her without hesitation and married the noble lady of the Felix family.
She was confined in the castle's guest room, not fully conscious, with only young Eustace by her side.
The Duke no longer had any feelings for a mad lunatic, but Hugh Carragher still felt a little guilty and compassion for the poor little child Eustace.
Then the Duke replied, "I will consent to your continued residence at Ravenmount, provided Agnes has no objection—provided you will satisfy her."
Even Duke Carraghern had not known how Eustace had dealt with Agnes Felix over the years.
He only knew that Eustace had bought a living space for his mother, and Agnes Felix had agreed.
Eustace was like a silent, invisible shadow man, and never asked the Duke for anything until Hersong Caragaran became the Baron of South Hill. Eustace said to his father for the first time:
"Please ask father to get me a baron title as well."
He knelt on one knee and whispered, "I saw that Hesong became a baron and had his own territory. If I could also own a small territory, I could move out of Ravenmount Castle with my mother and live in the territory."
Duke Karagaran sighed.
"Eustace," he said, "the Queen has granted her permission, and has also granted Cecilia and Simon the same lesser title. This way, Agnes will not know that you made the request. She will simply attribute it to the conspiracy of Euridice Aquitus."
Eustace shuddered, lowered his head, and repeated, "Thank you... for your grace, Father."
"In short, don't get too involved in this matter." Duke Caragaran said calmly, "Next, we'll just watch how Agnes kills Euridice Aquitus at the banquet."
When Oulidsi and Hesong received the invitation from the Duchess, Oulidsi showed a half-smile.
"Ah, parties," she said. "That's my favorite thing, parties."
Hesong watched the messenger from Ravenmont Castle leave from the window, feeling a little uneasy. "Oulidsi... I have a feeling that this invitation has ill intentions."
Euridice smiled. "Of course they have bad intentions. You, Eustace, and Simon have all become barons and obtained territories, which directly harms Lady Agnes's interests. Of course they want to retaliate against me."
He Song looked at her: "You mean..."
"She wanted to kill me at the party," said Oledsi.
42.2
When Oulidsi said the word "kill me", Hesong did not show any surprise.
The uneasiness in his eyes turned heavy.
A depressing atmosphere filled the living room of the South Hill Cottage, and Hesong suddenly said, "Oulidsi."
"Um?"
He Song stared at her and said, "Mrs. Agnes Felix, this time, I really regard you as a thorn in my side. I must get rid of you, right?"
Oulidsi looked back at him, and when he heard the heaviness in Hesong's voice, he showed a rare look of surprise.
Hesong said softly, "I'm not a complete fool, Oulidsi."
He lowered his head slightly as he spoke. "Before you came to Ravenmont, you were the daughter of a common merchant. Even if you had a conflict with the Ebrard family, it wouldn't be a big deal to Hugh Caragaran and Agnes Felix. They don't take you seriously, nor do they take the Ebrard family seriously."
A smile appeared in Olidisi's eyes.
"It is obvious," she said, "that Beatrice Carajaran is a shallow person, and that the Duke of Carajaran cares nothing for his sister."
"So," Hesong whispered, "when you came to Ravenmont, they didn't take you seriously. They didn't care when you and I got engaged. I think they started to notice you at the wedding ceremony of Princess Matilda and Alex."
Oledsi tilted her head and looked at him curiously: "Go on."
Hesong gave a wry laugh and whispered, "Alex Karagaran did something wrong at the marriage ceremony. At the time, Duke and Duchess Karagaran probably believed that Princess Matilda and Lorenz Ebrard were the main planners of this incident—but they weren't completely foolish. Although you were hidden among the guests the entire time, a complete spectator, they still noticed your presence in this matter."
Olidesi hummed. "You're right about that. They're not stupid. Otherwise, Cecilia Karajalang wouldn't have secretly instigated Osborne Karajalang to come and test me."
"But at that time," Hesong said softly, "they didn't think you were that dangerous. After all, there were still Princess Matilda and Lorenz Ebrard. In their minds, Princess Matilda, who wanted to join the competition for the crown prince, and the new Duke Lorenz Ebrard were the opponents they needed to pay the most attention to."
Olidesi shrugged, and Hesong curled his lips. "But, Osborne Karagalan was instigated by Cecillia to set fire to the carpentry shop. This incident made the Duke and Duchess of Karagalan completely wary of you."
"Ah," laughed Euridice, "I was shining brightly in the alley, wasn't I?"
Hesong sighed deeply. "You're more than just radiant and brilliant! Not only did you convict Osborne Karagaran and force the Karagaran family to pay compensation, you also created a spice oil favored by the Queen, pleased Prince Rokolan, and even secured for me the title of 'Baron of South Hill'—"
Oledsi smiled and covered her face with her folding fan: "Thank you for the compliment, I'm flattered."
Hesong didn't laugh, but shook his head gravely. "Now, my title of 'Baron' has triggered a series of consequences, attracting the 'Witch's Grace' and making Eustace and Simon barons. Now, they are truly beginning to fear and hate you, and they want to take your life."
"Yes," Oulidesi smiled lightly, shaking the folding fan in her hand. "After you received the title, the Duke and Duchess of Karagaran finally began to value my existence. Cecillia came to the South Hills, trying to persuade me to become her advisor. They first try to negotiate and subdue the enemy, and then kill them if they fail. This is the wisdom of the Karagaran family."
Hesong looked up in surprise. "Are you saying that it was the Duke and Duchess of Karagaran who wanted Cecilia to come to the South Hill?"
Euridsi curled the corners of his mouth slightly. "Hugh, Agnes, and Cecilia, the interests of the three of them are the same. Cecilia wants to become emperor, so it is very likely that Hugh Karagaran also wants to be emperor. In short, Cecilia did not hear the answer she wanted to hear from my mouth. On the contrary, they completely understood what I wanted to do, and that was contrary to their goal. So, they finally began to brandish their knight's swords at me - this is the origin of this banquet."
Euridsi said it very lightly, but the worry in Hesong's eyes deepened.
"Oulidsi..."
"Um?"
"In Ravenmont," he whispered, "the Duke and Duchess of Karagaran are extremely powerful. Killing someone is as easy as crushing an ant."
“…”
"They didn't attack you before because they didn't care about you; now that they finally see you, you..."
Hesong choked a little.
Oledsi patted his shoulder gently: "Don't worry."
As she spoke, she smiled, and there was a hint of charming murderous intent in her smile.
"Of course someone will die at this party," she said, "but..."
With the sound of horse hooves, the carriage ran from the South Hill to the banquet hall of Ravenmont Castle; Euridsi took Hesong's arm and walked down the carriage briskly.
"It's just that," she said with a smile as she stood in front of the banquet hall at Ravenmount Castle, looked up at the layout of the banquet hall, and said, "We still don't know... who will die at the banquet."
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