Chapter 13: Filthy and Forsaken III

"Oh, dear Ingrid, I hope that sobered you up. You shouldn't go drinking so much in the morning."

"Thank you, Helene. I didn't even notice that I was drunk if it wasn't for you. Surely I might have done a lot more embarrassing things with Sir Herbert if you didn't help me."

Helene felt the blood rushing up to her head. She wanted to raise her arm to slap her in the face once again, however, her words about Herbert had prevented her from taking action.

"You! Don't be shameless. Just because you happen to get caught in his eye doesn't mean that you could be overconfident. You were just lucky. Don't embarrass yourself anymore."

"You are right, Helene. I'm sorry for being overconfident. Why don't I make it up to you?"

Helene felt surprised, although Ingrid was usually submissive, she was usually meek and did not say anything once she is scolded, however, now that she is taking her own initiative to apologize, she didn't feel too bad.

"So? How are you going to make it up to me?"

"Why don't I tell you the type of girl that Sir Herbert likes?"

The words that Ingrid had said left Helene with a frown. She had indeed been interested to know but she also think that it was already too late. However, her curiosity had indeed gotten the best of her.

"Go on."

"Don't worry, what I'm going to say to you is all true. All you have to do is repeat everything exactly as I tell you. By the time you finish it, you will have Herbert by the ring of your finger."

As the two of them chatted, time passed and Helene soon left Ingrid's room after telling a servant to keep watch over her door to prevent her from exiting. Having been left alone, Ingrid finally breathed out a sigh of relief. She had finally gotten rid of the pesky woman. As she gently touched the cheek that had been slapped, her eyes turned vicious. With a grin, she coldly thought about what stupid things Helene is about to do right now. Just the thought of it had sent her shivers, it was too bad that she couldn't see it but she will have to settle things with that for now.

As she quickly gathered her stuff, she soon took out her diary from her hidden drawer and placed it in her bag. Once she was finished packing her stuff, she started grabbing her blankets, bedsheets, curtains, and even some of her dresses. She then tied them all together to form one long rope which she dropped by her window. As she got all of herself and her luggage down from her room, she smirked. She could imagine what Cloven's face would look like once he learned of her escape, especially since she had left a letter that would surely get his blood boiling in anger.

"Now then, I just have to hide inside Herbert's carriage and wait for him to leave.

After looking around, she finally saw the carriage that was parked near the stables. As she crept in closer, she could feel her breath quicken as she desperately tried not to get caught. Just as she was about to reach for the door, she was startled by an expressionless man who looked like a servant.

"Hello there! I'm Ingrid, you must be the coachman. Herbert told me to wait for him inside so I'll be heading in now."

The expressionless servant merely stared at her with one eyebrow raised. She didn't know if he had agreed or not, but she didn't give him any chance as she continued on without minding him. The moment that her back faced him, the expressionless man's eyes seem to show confusion and a slight hint of amusement. Without saying anything, the servant carried on with what he was doing, and when it was time, he fetched Herbert who will be arriving at the entrance of the manor.

As Herbert was leaving, he had been called out by Helene. She told him to meet her in the garden before he leaves the manor. He didn't know why she called him or what she wanted to say, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be a pleasant experience.

As he went to the garden, he followed the route that he took with Helene last night. Soon, he reached a bench and sat on it. At this point in time, Herbert had been feeling annoyed. He had already noticed that Helene was hiding in the bush behind him. He thought that he should just get things over with, he didn't know what she wanted to do, but if ever she had ill intentions, he knew that he could instantly subdue her. With that said, he continued waiting, eventually, a minute had passed and Helene still showed no signs of going out on her own. He felt that she was just wasting his time.

At the moment, Helene was feeling troubled, she didn't know if she should follow what Ingrid had said. She understood that whatever Ingrid said was very silly. But, if there was even a slight chance, she had to take it.

"It appears that lady Helene has forgotten that she had called me out. Since it's already time, I'll be leaving now."

After saying that, Herbert stood up and was just about to walk away when Helene proceeded to pounce on him from behind. Contrary to Helene's expectations, what faced her wasn't the warm embrace that Herbert had expected, instead, her face was grabbed with an iron grip. She didn't even get the chance to touch him when Herbert's arm reached her head. After a couple of seconds, just when Helene was about to let her tears come falling down, Herbert finally let go of his hold on her.

"My apologies, Lady Helene. I instinctively reached out because I thought that you were an assassin."

Helene wanted to speak, but she couldn't seem to find the words as she remembered the cold blue eyes that gazed at her like a predator. Although she had never once come close to death, she understood that this should be what courting death feels like.

"I don't think that we can have this conversation now, perhaps we can talk about it again on another day. Well then, I bid you farewell."

After saying so, Herbert left and returned to the entrance. Compared to the people welcoming him, the ones that had let him out were just a butler and a couple of servants. Nevertheless, he didn't take it to heart as he had already considered the Rozenblood duchy to be halfway his.

As the carriage stopped in front of him, he once again found the distinct scent. His eyes narrowed and saw a couple of unfamiliar luggage wrapped in a blanket tucked in a corner. He was once again displeased but he didn't let it affect him.

"Young master, there is a message from the Information Guild."