Chapter 29: The Collapsed Trunk and the Whiplash of Fate

With a dull thud, the leather trunk I had been holding dropped heavily to the ground. Its already flimsy clasp gave way, sending a cascade of vibrant clothes scattering across the floor like fanned-out cards. Glimpses of alluring lingerie were faintly visible among them.

The male guards nearby averted their gazes in alarm. They certainly dared not incur the young lady’s wrath.

“Ouch… ugh…”

I, too, had suffered a nasty fall. My backside felt as though it would split apart, and I gasped, sucking in cold air.

Yet, there was no time to cry out in pain. My mind raced, consumed by the singular thought of concealing this mishap before the young lady discovered it.

I already struggled to explain the collar. If this fresh blunder ignited her fury, I feared what might truly happen.

“Quick, tidy it up!”

Aisha swiftly reached my side, her nimble hands already gathering the scattered clothes from the floor.

Before I could even voice my thanks, a sharp voice pierced the air from behind me:

“Oh my goodness, all the young lady’s clothes have fallen on the ground! How can she possibly wear them now! It’s ruined! Ruined!”

Instantly, my heart was seized by an unseen force, leaping into my throat.

I glanced back in a panic, predictably met by Mia’s gloating face.

“Are you a f*cking idiot? If you’re not going to help, why are you causing trouble?”

Aisha growled, indignation lacing her low voice.

“Ha—watch your mouth!” Mia retorted, hands on her hips. “It wasn’t me who knocked the young lady’s clothes onto the ground! Look at them, they’re all stained and dirty from the street water. How can anyone wear them like that!”

“Just wash them!”

“Too late now, I can already hear the young lady coming downstairs!”

After delivering this with a triumphant tone, Mia quickly gathered her skirt and scurried upstairs, only to run into Bena, the head maid, who had just descended.

She leaned in and whispered something to Bena, whose face immediately darkened. The head maid glared fiercely in my direction, her posture reminiscent of a woman I had once seen on television, wielding a sharp needle.

Suddenly, my back felt incredibly heavy, as though burdened by a thousand catties, making it difficult to breathe.

Soon, the footsteps at the staircase grew clearer, drawing ever closer.

A radiant figure gradually emerged.

Cassina, the young lady of the Frigid Peaks, descended the stairs gracefully in a magnificent long gown.

It was a gift from her mother for her coming-of-age ceremony, crafted by a renowned tailor from the Western Continent. Not only was it made from the finest silk, but the floral patterns on the hem were intricately woven with gold and silver threads, shimmering under the sunlight.

Having rested through the night, the young lady was now positively glowing. Her face bore an elegant, light makeup, and her smooth, lustrous hair was swept back and styled into a sophisticated chignon, secured by several jewel-encrusted hairpins.

This meticulously chosen attire stripped away her youthful innocence, imbuing her with the refined grace of a noble consort.

“So beautiful…”

Even though I knew the young lady’s true nature, I had to admit at this moment that this girl, who had inherited Lady Kachel’s beauty, was truly stunning, radiating an open and captivating brilliance.

From her demeanor, it was clear she intended to win over her philandering fiancé today.

No, perhaps all the men in Clearbrook Port would willingly fall at her feet.

Lost in thought, I realized the young lady had already reached me.

Presumably to present herself impeccably before her fiancé, she had begun to meticulously adopt the guise of a classical lady, her folding fan subtly concealing half her face, communicating only through her eyes.

Despite her efforts, her inherent condescending arrogance remained unchanged.

“Who did this?”

Her voice, emanating from behind the fan, was frigid, yet it seethed with a smoldering wrath, like a fire hidden beneath a pile of wood.

“Uh—”

My hands trembled, my heart suspended high in my chest. Apologies caught in my throat, unable to escape.

How strange!

Even when I was a man, though I occasionally angered the young lady, I had never felt this terrified. Was it because my skin was tougher back then? Or was a woman’s body simply more prone to fear?

Damn it…

At least let me keep my original male mindset! I never intended for even my soul to transform into a woman!

“I’m sorry, young lady, I accidentally knocked it over just now.”

Before I could utter these words, I heard them spoken beside me.

“Eh?”

Turning my head in a daze, I saw Aisha bowing her head, admitting fault.

“Heh—”

The young lady’s pupils constricted, and she let out a sneer.

“Good, good, good…”

Though her voice was laced with laughter, the sense of anger within her steadily escalated.

“Aisha, Aisha, you truly are my good maid! Not only diligent and ‘capable,’ but also so protective! Even wanting to take the blame for my pet maid’s mistakes!”

The young lady reached out and pinched Aisha’s face, her sharp nails digging deep into the flesh.

Aisha merely endured it silently, her eyes as still as stagnant water.

“Fine, you’re amazing, you’re so noble!”

Seeing Aisha’s unmoving expression, the young lady’s facade of a classical lady finally crumbled. She coldly snapped her fan shut, then pointed at a male guard nearby.

“Bring me my whip!”

“Young lady, we are currently in Clearbrook Port…”

Bena, the head maid, seemed to sense the negative impact and tried her best to dissuade her.

As she rightly pointed out, though it was morning, the street outside the Blue Whale Inn already had a few guests observing the commotion. Passersby pointed and whispered about us, making our group quite conspicuous.

“Tsk—”

Realizing the situation, the young lady’s face contorted with extreme reluctance. She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and after a moment, seemed to barely suppress her fury.

“Forget it. Today, after all, is important. I’ll deal with my philandering fiancé first!”

Saved!

Just as I thought I had escaped, Mia’s voice rang out from behind me once more:

“Huh? Liliana, where’s your collar?”

“What—”

Upon hearing this, the young lady spun around to face me. After confirming that the collar on my neck was indeed gone, her expression turned terrifying.

“You, Liliana, you actually dared to take it off!?”

She strode forward a few steps, then with a sharp *smack*, delivered a harsh slap across my face.

My cheek immediately burned with a fiery pain, and my ears went deaf for a moment.

“Where is it?” the young lady demanded furiously.

“It’s… it’s gone…” I replied, on the verge of collapse, my voice tinged with a humble plea. “Because last night I…”

I fell silent abruptly, realizing I couldn’t reveal the man’s identity. If others knew I had harbored an assassin…

In a flash, I realized that no matter what I did, it seemed to be a dead end.

“Why aren’t you speaking!? Did you perhaps throw it away last night!?”

Seeing that I offered no further explanation, the young lady’s voice slowly rose, her angry expression becoming increasingly pronounced.

“Hmph—”

As if she no longer wished to hear my excuses, the young lady scoffed, then directly snatched a whip from a nearby male guard’s waist and lashed it fiercely towards my face!

“Wretch!”

That whip, tanned with leather and steel wire, could tear flesh with a single touch!

I didn’t even have time to close my eyes…

“Snap—”

The sound of the long whip cutting through the air exploded beside my ear!

In the next instant, a streak of crimson covered my vision—warm, fresh crimson.

“Ugh… eh…”

The whip stopped just inches from my eyes, grazing the tip of my nose. Its lingering force seemed to still press in.

Yet, that minute distance was somehow caught by an arm that appeared out of thin air.

It was clearly a man’s hand, muscles bulging, powerful blue veins throbbing beneath dark skin.

I instinctively wanted to turn and see what was happening, but just then, a pure voice emanated from behind me:

“Miss Cassina, since you show so little regard for this maid, why not give her to me instead?”