ERTHMB Chapter 158

A Life on the Scales

A man who clearly had an aristocratic bearing despite claims of being impoverished, and Helena who continued living a luxurious lifestyle even after fleeing Evergale.

Now all the puzzle pieces fit together. It was obvious what money she had used. She must have been steadily planning and preparing even before leaving Evergale.

While acting as though she had fled with nothing but the clothes on her back, she had skillfully embezzled Evergale’s money behind the scenes, and while seeming to have decided on divorce due to abuse, she had already been conspiring with another man.

Having lived her whole life wearing a mask, it was perhaps inevitable that she would meet a con artist just like herself.

‘My dear, if you betray me first in this manner, I have no choice but to repay you in kind.’

Christine’s nails scraped against the armrest of her chair with a grating sound.

Fortunately, another fact discovered during the investigation solved this problem.

“So you worked at Evergale until half a year ago.”

“Y-yes, Madam.”

Christine lifted her chin and surveyed the woman who was bowing deeply to her.

The woman who introduced herself as Aida was a hotel employee responsible for attending to Helena during her stay.

She had the unique credential of having worked at Evergale for quite some time before being dismissed for some reason. That was likely why she had been assigned to Helena.

Christine’s gaze moved from the top of Aida’s head to the documents on the table. They contained her personal information—she was the sole provider for her sick elderly mother and young sibling. Christine’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.

Those few lines were enough. Not much effort was needed to grasp and shake another person’s life. She could always solve things with what she possessed, and a few crumbs from her table would be more than sufficient for someone like Aida.

Christine tossed the fan she was holding toward Aida. Thinking she had accidentally dropped it, Aida hastily picked up the fan and offered it back to Christine.

Instead of taking it, Christine merely tilted her haughtily raised chin.

“Keep it.”

“…Pardon?”

Another object was held out before the startled Aida. It was a small box about the size of a palm.

Unable to fathom the intention, Aida only trembled slightly, clutching the fan. The texture of the amethysts studded densely on the silver handle felt particularly sharp due to her sweaty palms.

Meanwhile, Christine unlocked the clasp and opened the box to reveal its contents. Befitting the tightly locked case, several suspicious-looking elongated medicine bottles were inside.

“Mix it into Helena’s tea or meals every day. Half a bottle should be enough, but you can use more if you’re able.”

“I-I don’t quite understand what you mean…”

“When Helena has gone sufficiently mad that she can no longer cause any trouble, then not only that fan but this box filled with gold coins will be yours.”

“…!”

Only then realizing why she had been summoned, Aida’s face turned deathly pale.

Christine was now ordering her to drive Helena Evergale half to death.

No, perhaps actual death would be better. Being locked in a coffin would be a far happier ending than living as a deranged woman and becoming a laughingstock for life.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of horrifying futures flashed through Aida’s mind. Her hands, unconsciously filled with strength, gripped the fan as if to break it.

The sharp edges of the amethysts pressing under her nails brought Aida back to reality. A reality so miserable that it forced her to weigh someone’s life against her own finances.

‘Just selling this fan alone…’

Judging by the number of decorative jewels, she wouldn’t need to worry about her mother’s medicine costs for half a year. And that wasn’t all. If she received that box full of gold coins, she could let her sibling study as much as they wanted.

Aida ground her teeth as she agonized. To her, Christine whispered in a voice with forced warmth layered over it.

“What are you hesitating for, my dear? Does this look like poison to you?”

“…”

“No, look again carefully. This is an opportunity. There are plenty to replace you, but I’ve especially chosen you out of pity. If you let this pass, it’s an opportunity that will never come again in your miserable life.”

So hurry and accept it gratefully—Christine gestured with that meaning.

Aida slowly slid her gaze from her hand holding the fan, to the box, to Christine’s face. The last deep breath she took felt terribly heavy.

She eventually closed the open box and held it to her chest.

Christine’s lips curled up with pleasure. As if it were an obvious outcome, she casually tossed a prepared pouch of gold coins.

“Take it. When the job is properly finished, I’ll give you twice this amount.”

Having concluded her business, Christine issued her dismissal. Aida bowed her head in greeting and left with her spoils.

As soon as she departed, Christine’s soldier entered.

The spear to stab Helena was ready, so now it was time to prepare the shield.

Christine rummaged through the table to find the second document and tossed it before the soldier. It was a file containing the personal information of the apothecary who had previously prepared the infertility drugs for her.

“I’ll give you three days. Find him within that time and kill him without fail.”

The soldier also collected the documents, bowed, and left the room, just as Aida had done moments before.

Do this and they do it. Do that and they do that. Christine indifferently watched the tops of heads she had grown sick of seeing.

Appearing as a god in others’ lives, or ruling as a demon. It was always easy. A few gestures and a bit of money, and it was done.

The only one it didn’t work on was Helena. She was a disgusting insect that kept crawling up no matter how many times she was stepped on.

As the room fell silent, Christine lit and took a cigar in her mouth. The smoke she inhaled after a long while wrapped pleasantly around her mouth. She tilted her head back, imagining placing the burning end on Helena’s shameless face over and over again.

‘There’s a reason moths die pointless deaths, my dear. You shouldn’t have rushed in knowing it was a fight you couldn’t win.’

The day of judgment was near. Christine trembled with ecstasy.

She was already so looking forward to Helena’s face as she despaired to the very bottom that she felt she might not even be able to sleep.

****

Helena had left for the Grand Duke’s estate immediately after the trial ended. It was to personally verify the medical records from when she had received treatment there.

Ian hadn’t accompanied her, concerned that his presence might work against her in the next trial. But Ian regretted not insisting on going along, even if it meant being stubborn about it.

Helena returned on the third day with a completely drained face. And even after another three days passed, she couldn’t escape from that expression.

If he didn’t deliberately speak to her, she spent an overwhelming amount of time just sitting still.

As if her thoughts had scattered into pieces, she only stared fixedly into empty space. It was strange to dismiss it as simply aftereffects from losing the trial.

When Ian asked what had happened at Evergale, there was no answer worth extracting. In the process, Helena’s awkward movements caught his eye. Finding this suspicious, Ian, prepared to be slapped, lifted her top to look.

Helena revealed her bare skin more obediently than expected. Next to her navel was a wound scraped by something. Her wrists, which had been tightly wrapped the whole time, were covered in dark bruises.

Fortunately, neither were deep injuries, but they were clearly closely related to why she had become so lethargic.

“Don’t tell me that damn bastard did this to you?”

Ian ground his teeth, demanding to know if Eugene had hurt her. If so, regardless of the law’s boundaries, he was ready to run there immediately and break everything from that arrogant nose bone to each toe, one by one.

However, Helena quietly shook her head and answered.

“I did it. Eugene… tried to stop me.”

Helena’s expression became vacant again. Reading something in her blank features, Ian agreed instead of questioning further. First priority was for her to regain her original energy.

That was the reason Ian was currently struggling among baking soda, almond flour, lemon juice, and chunks of chocolate.

“Is this really the right way to do it, Sakin?”

“Yes, you’re doing well… Oh, I’m sorry, Miss!”

In an attempt to lighten the gloomy atmosphere and get Helena moving, Sakin’s baking session had begun with great ambition.

Due to overeagerness, a clump of cream being vigorously stirred flew straight onto Helena’s face.

Sakin and Ian frantically rummaged around, making the large table shake. Amidst the two men busily moving about, the only one who remained calm despite being suddenly hit by a whipped cream bomb was Helena.

“I don’t know, just wait a moment, Miss! I’ll wipe it off right away!”

“Don’t touch it in case it gets in your eyes, just stay still. I’ll, I’ll quickly…!”

Ian promptly grabbed the tablecloth to prepare something to wipe with first. However, he froze all movement before Helena, who was covered in whipped cream.

He awakened from his statue-like state when Helena fluttered her eyelashes, trying to open her eyes.

Ian supported the back of Helena’s neck and wiped away the cream. He rubbed so vigorously that Helena’s face turned red, uncharacteristically. Sakin watched from the side and timidly asked.

“Aren’t you wiping too hard…?”

“Would you not have improper thoughts seeing this? I need to wipe it off quickly before anyone sees.”

Then came the sound of water being poured nearby. Elai, who had been reading a newspaper at a distance, had somehow approached. With his gaze fixed on the stream of water being drawn into a cup, he remarked indifferently.

“It seems the only ‘anyone’ here is you, master.”

“…!”

That one short sentence brought Ian back to his senses. Ian released the tablecloth he had been frantically rubbing with and looked at Helena.

She still had her eyes closed, silently accepting everything as his hands touched her.

It was proof that Helena trusted him completely. Evidence that he was a safe zone for her. This gave Ian a heavy, simmering sensation in his lower abdomen.

Just as Ian was about to call Helena, this time Odyssey suddenly appeared.

“Miss, someone is here to see you.”

As his words suggested, he wasn’t alone. A figure walked out from behind Odyssey. Helena slowly opened her eyes.

Upon confirming the visitor’s identity, light momentarily entered her vacant eyes.