The Countess was in her nightclothes, engrossed in a book on her bed. With a polite bow, I greeted her and waited for her to acknowledge my presence.

"Madam," I asked carefully, "May I know why I was summoned?"

Finally, the Countess shut the book and turned her gaze towards me. Her eyes seemed to penetrate deep into my soul, as if she knew every thought that crossed my mind.

"You're being uncharacteristically polite," she remarked with a faint smile.

"As the Countess, the respectable wife of Earl Ashbourne, and the mistress of this manor and all of Ashbourne territory, it is only natural that I should be polite," I replied calmly.

"You called me by three titles, yet you left out the most important one," she said, tilting her head thoughtfully.

"And what would that be, Madam?" I asked, though I already knew what she was hinting at.

"Your mother."

"....."

"As your mother, I have always had your best interests at heart. Truth be told, all these years, I felt like I was dealing with an empty shell. Yes, you were a human being, and your personality and mannerisms were the same as in the past... but, you felt strangely soulless. Because of this, I felt irritated by you. I even had a feeling that whoever I was dealing with was not a human being but something else..."

Either this woman possessed an unnatural level of perception or the Grand Librarian had done a poor job manipulating their memories.

"Do I seem different now?" I inquired.

"Very much so. It's as if all of a sudden you have developed a will of your own. I sense a purpose, a goal to achieve that goes beyond being an imperial tutor. Somehow, you also seemed to know how to wrap men around your finger. Naturally, I was pleased, and that's why I turned a blind eye to everything you've been doing for the past few months," her smile became even more pronounced as she continued, "including stealing my precious amethyst brooch."

As I suspected, she knew it all along. There was no use trying to defend myself. I even suspected she knew the current whereabouts of the brooch.

"So you aren't denying it. I wonder why you went to such lengths just to single out a maid."

I remained silent, my thoughts guarded.

"It seems to me," the Countess continued, "that you are eager to keep us from interfering with your affairs. In that case, I shall assist you."

"Assist me?" I asked, taken aback by the Countess's sudden change in demeanor.

The Countess got out of her bed and headed towards her study. From the drawer, she took out a piece of paper and a feather pen, scribbling something on it before handing it to me. A series of numbers was written on the paper: 20-23-26-17.

"I'll let you guess what it is. And..." she said, reaching into her cupboard and producing a huge and heavy-looking leather pouch.

"75 gold coins. You'll need these very soon," she said with a knowing smile.

"But why are you giving me these?" I asked, feeling perplexed by her sudden generosity.

"My daughter is finally interested in doing something after 19 years. As a mother, I ought to help you, right? But you see, there is no such thing as a free lunch."

"What should I do?" I asked, feeling pleased. This way, I wouldn't feel indebted to this cunning woman.

"Monitor the head butler James for me," she continued.

"Will do."

I walked out of the Countess' room in a daze. I still wasn't sure why she was showing a sudden interest in me. She couldn't have grown fond of me overnight, could she? The Countess in my host's memories was more like a bystander in her life than a mother. She took care of her education and necessities, but nothing else. Not even the emotional support one would expect from a mother. She treated her second child, Matthew, the same way she treated her first.

However, 75 gold coins seemed too much for such a simple task. Did the Countess know that I simply wouldn't accept that much money from her? Or was there more to this task? My head was filled with all sorts of thoughts, and I didn't realize I had reached my room.

"Miss." An unfamiliar voice called me.

I looked up to see a young maid standing in front of me. She had red hair, brown eyes, and a splash of freckles over her face.

"And you are?"

"My name is Gemma. I'll be accompanying you on your journey."

"Right. Have you packed everything?"

"Yes."

Gemma took a look at what I was carrying and asked, "Miss, should I...?"

"Leave it. Go to your room and have a good night's sleep. It will be a long journey tomorrow."

"Yes!"

With that, she left the room with a slight spring in her step. She seemed more cheerful when she left than when she first greeted me. Was she that happy to go on a journey with me, or was it something else? I went to sleep with a smile, pleased at having selected a good maid.

****

I couldn't sleep that night, tossing and turning in bed, trying to decipher the Countess' true intentions. As a result, I looked visibly tired when I joined the breakfast table the next morning.

To my surprise, an unexpected guest was present at the table – none other than Lucas Hartwood. I greeted him politely and took my place at the dining table.

"Maxine, are you really sure about this?" the Earl asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes," I replied without looking up. "I can't stand anyone here. You people won't let me do anything I want."

"You were going too far. Who knows what would have happened if we didn't stop you? You would have died from exhaustion."

"I'll decide what's good for me," I retorted, trying my best to maintain my façade.

Admittedly, it wasn't easy to spout such childish lies, but my mission to meet Theodora in Rutherford was crucial. 'Maxine' had never left the capital before, so my sudden desire to travel far away could raise suspicion.

The Earl addressed Lucas, "See, Lucas, this is the kind of girl you'll be guarding. She can be quite a handful."

"Yes, sir," the knight replied stoically.

"Please protect her throughout the journey. I'll also leave you in charge of selecting the inns for the nights," the Earl instructed.

"Yes, sir."

"And keep in mind the things I asked you to do before."

"Yes, sir."

I couldn't help but think that Lucas was the most boring person I had ever encountered. He seemed aloof and disinterested in everything around him. I wondered how the Earl convinced him to run an errand for us.

After breakfast, Brett and Brenda brought down my luggage, followed by Gemma with hers. Brett whispered to me as I headed to the courtyard where the carriage was waiting, "Always keep an eye on your belongings, especially your accessories."

I nodded.

As the male servants loaded our luggage onto the carriage, I noticed the Countess beckoning to me. With reluctance, I approached her.

"Don't forget the task I've given you," she whispered. "Send me a letter if you discover something. I'll do my best to keep the Earl from meddling in your affairs while you're in Rutherford."

"I will," I assured her.

It seemed like she wanted to say something more, but refrained upon seeing the Earl approaching. With a nod, I left her side and made my way straight to the carriage without looking back. Sir Hartwood assisted me and Gemma in boarding.

The wheels of the carriage creaked into motion and I closed my eyes wearily. The next phase of my plan would be the most challenging.