Chapter 23

??

Freya was seriously ill that night. Nicole nursed her all night.

“Nicole, Nicole……. How could Isabel have done such a thing? Am I wrong to lock her up?”

“That’s not true, Mother.”

For a moment, when Freya regained consciousness, Nicole told her.

“And Mother. If you feel better…… We have to run away as soon as possible.”

“Is it because of the woman named Grace?”

“She’s a problem too, but…… Well, I think I met Grand Duke Valentine. At Grace’s mansion. Fortunately, I didn’t get caught.”

Freya was appalled by Nicole’s explanation. She can’t believe the person who lives in such a place had a connection with the young Grand Duke Valentine.

“Never, they shouldn’t catch you. You don’t know what the imperial family will do to you. You don’t know how your mother’s people died. They are not human. Especially for children like Isabel and Jay who have healing powers…….”

“Don’t worry. I handled it well.”

Nicole said.

“Mother, do you have any way or means to contact Father?”

“I have. There is an emergency contact.”

“Then we’ll leave as soon as Mother gets better. I’ll leave messages to Father through the emergency contact ….”

After locking Isabel up, she told Jay about it, too.

?We may have to leave here soon. So can you pack something important for me??

They were poor. They don’t have a lot of valuable things to pack while running away.

‘But the books that contain all the knowledge of the YvesChapel family… And seeds of ancient plants. Eggs of poisonous insects asleep in a sealed state. That alone is of great value.’

In her previous life, all of these properties were confiscated and placed in the Grand Duke of Valentine’s House.

Only a few of them remained in Nicole’s hands and were able to be used to study medicine.

Raul was originally a wealthy man, so he was not interested in selling those and even more so in pharmacology.

However, the knowledge of the Yveschapel family was so great that they released and sold only a few things that would be helpful for the public interest. As far as restoration is possible.

“First of all, I’ll pack books or the most important things. Father rode his horse, so when we go down the mountain, we’ll spend all our money on an old donkey. Mother has to rest until then.”

Nicole decided to stabilize her mother’s condition as much as possible.

She made medicine for her and put her mother to sleep.

For now, she’ll hide their valuables here

Nicole and Jay hid their luggage in a secret place under a big tree in a nearby forest.

It was the place Jay and Nicole found when they were young, and it was the mana stone repository created by miners a long time ago.

Isabel was not with them at the time, so it was a place only the two knew.

When she asked Jay, he also said he had never told Isabel about it.

‘I didn’t know that place would be so helpful. I’m so glad there’s a secret place that only Jay and I know.’

As long as Isabel was inside the warehouse, this place was the safest place.

??

“Why, why are you locking me up in the reflection room? Open it for me. Mother, Mother!”

Isabel, who had fallen asleep after struggling, opened her eyes.

Her hands were still tied.

And she’s still in the boring reflection room that she doesn’t even want to see in her dreams.

She found herself stuck in it.

“Isabel. If you keep yelling, I’ll use medicine that paralyzes your tongue.”

She called Mother with an earnest voice, but Freya didn’t come.

Instead, Nicole’s voice was heard through the gap in the window.

“It’s no use doing anything. Jen and Karen can’t help you. Because I informed Grace of the plot you were plotting.”

Grace was originally a woman of great position with hunting skills.

There is no way she’ll let petty criminals in the abandoned mine go after her–- that was Nicole’s prediction.

“Ha, do you think Grace will believe you?”

Isabel’s mask collapsed. She screamed loudly.

“I told Grace that you are a nutcase. The next time she sees you, she’ll shoot you.”

“I may have a chance to meet her, but you won’t. Stupid Isabel. We’re leaving you here.”

“…… you’re leaving me here?”

Isabel’s eyes got bigger.

“Yeah. I’ll give you sleeping pills before we leave here. With medicine to sleep well for a week. And when you open your eyes, you will be left alone here.”

They’ll leave me alone in this dark mountain house?

If her whole family leaves her behind, then she might be attacked by wild animals?

Isabel originally intended to leave her family behind.

But she will be abandoned in the mountains with her bare body.

‘How can I be abandoned? I don’t want to!’

Isabel was terrified.

“Mother won’t abandon me. That can’t be true!”

“But you tried to kill Mother. Do you think we’ll let you near her? Even if she tries to forgive you and take you with us, she won’t be able to because she’s powerless.”

Nicole told the reality in a cold voice.

“I’m going to make it that way.”

“You said you didn’t want to rot and die in the countryside, either. Trust Isabel. I did it to find my brother and sister’s way of life! You thought the same thing as me deep inside!”

“?You’re not yet? good at lying. You.”

“…… what?”

“A way to live. Yes. Maybe you’re right. I always thought, ‘Isn’t Mother actually a person of great status?’ Then naturally, my thoughts continued like this. ‘Isn’t Mother the reason why we’re hiding here?’”

Nicole approached the door as if she were going to put her lips on it, and said softly to the gap.

“In addition, she controls us and never lets us get out of here. I think it’s Mother’s fault. Father is a gentle person, so he always follows Mother well. That’s why I was thinking. ?If my mother dies, I can get out of here.?”

“…….”

“But I need money to leave. Is there any way to make a fortune and abandon my family at the same time? It’s better if Mother dies before then. I don’t think it’s gonna be hard.”

Nicole spoke as if it was her own mind. But it was all hitting Isabel’s heart.

“And I think I can do anything if I go out to the outside world. Everyone will like me. I think I can easily take Karen and Jen as my subordinates with my talent.”

“…….”

“Is this what you’re thinking? Did I really think the same as you? Did I plot as cheap as you?”

Isabel, who was on the defensive, could not answer a word. Eventually, Isabel, who was in a cold sweat, began to beg.

“Sister, Isabel will join you in your plan to rob Grace’s house. Huh? Let’s all leave together with a lot of money.”

“Do you want to join me?”

Nicole’s voice gave a faint laugh.

“It was better when you were just a child leaning on me, Isabel. What a ridiculous thing to say.”

Nicole pulled herself out of the window without hesitation.

“There is no dinner. I’ve been in charge of meals in this house for a long time.”

She said. It was not her words that were uttered affectionately as usual.

“I’ll say goodbye. We won’t meet anymore.”

“…….”

“Once we meet again, you will have to pay all your debts, including for the time you’re not aware of. Before that, I’ll pay you back just as much as I owe you this time.”

Nicole reached through the window.

And sprinkled something over Isabel’s body.

“Oh, it stings. What’s this!”

cried Isabel in surprise

“It’s the poisonous powder you gave me as a gift. Of course, I improved it a little bit more specifically. Whatever you do—”

You are no better than me.

Nicole whispered.

“Ah, ah, ah!”

Isabel rolled around and started screaming. Her whole body was itching like crazy.

‘She can make a medicine that causes skin diseases with poisonous powder?’

At that moment Isabel thought. When did Nicole’s pharmaceutical skills improve so much?

“By the way, I asked Jay to fix the window. So I can lock the door tight outside. Good night, Isabel. Your tongue will be paralyzed soon. I don’t want to hear your loud screams or your lies anymore.”

Nicole left the last word, locking the window tightly from the outside.

Soon Isabel’s tongue hardened, and Isabel began to crawl on the floor like a bug and sob.

But no one came to find Isabel.

??

Click. Ring

Grace loaded the shotgun.

“One of the sisters is lying.”

Nicole asked her several times to look carefully.

‘This grass, it’s suspicious.…. My servants only give the cows grain or hay.’

Grace found a strange-looking dried grass in the cow’s barn this morning.

It was only found on the floor of the manger.

She smelled something bitter.

?Madam, around here, when a cow tries to graze on such grass, the cow is slapped on the back to prevent it. Who did such mischief??

When she asked the maid who came to work in the morning, she replied that it seemed to be a poisonous plant.

Grace used to feel infinitely weak when she saw a beautiful girl who was similar in age to her dead daughter.

But that weakness didn’t mean she was stupid.

She responded faster than anyone else to threats to herself and those who challenged her authority.

Grace came from a place where she could only survive. She was once a top authority on both secret intelligence services.

“Maybe they’re both having a disagreement. Silly children are playing with me.”

First, she should look at the people that live near the abandoned mine that was aiming for me. And…

“Whoever deceived me should be punished. Either one or two.”

Thump thump.

She stepped forward.

Only the stuffed animals saw her off in the bleak mansion.