I’m Not A Saint Though?

chapter 18

“I’m involved in those crimes?”

Madam Magda was so dumbfounded she couldn’t speak.

She swore she didn’t even know about the charges against her.

When she first met Musikan Veloce, he was already the heir to the Dukedom.

What reason would she have to help him kill the real heir and impersonate him?

And the Duchess…

‘Well, I did tease her a bit.’

To be honest, consumed by her inferiority complex as a mistress and jealousy towards the legal wife, she had provoked her a few times.

Like sending a love letter meant for the Duke to his wife, pretending it was a mistake, or flaunting the clothes and jewelry the Duke had given her around the Duchess.

But murder?

She had never even considered such a thing.

“Why on earth would that man make such a ridiculous confession?” Magda muttered in confusion.

Kiesa, clicking her tongue, hinted, “I heard the Duke might get a reduced sentence because of that confession…”

“What?”

“Originally, he was supposed to receive the death penalty, but considering his cooperation with the investigation, they might reduce it to life imprisonment.”

“What… So you’re saying my Master sold Melina and me out to reduce his own sentence?”

“How would I know? I’m just pointing out that the Duke benefited from that confession. It’s up to you to decide.”

“Damn it!”

Staring blankly at Kiesa, who shrugged, Madam Magda suddenly sprang to her feet.

And then she ran off somewhere in a hurry.

“H-Hey, where are you going?! Magda! You’re leaving without even a thank you after I helped you?”

“Do you think I have time for thank yous now, you idiot?”

“You ungrateful bitch!  Don’t ever come looking for me again. Got it?”

Kiesa yelled, looking as if she wanted to strangle Magda.

Ignoring her, Magda ran without stopping and arrived at the house where she was currently staying with Melina.

It wasn’t comparable to the Dukedom, but this two-story house with a small garden was quite a luxurious refuge for them.

Hurriedly unlocking the gate and entering, Madam Magda saw Melina having tea in the garden and yelled in shock, “Are you out of your mind?! I told you to stay inside just in case. The walls are low, what if someone sees you?!”

She quickly grabbed Melina’s hand and dragged her inside.

“I’m suffocating! I’ve been cooped up inside for two days now! And who would peek over the wall? Why are you making such a fuss?”

“Ah, shut up! Just pack your things!”

“Pack all of a sudden… What? Are we going back to our house?”

Melina’s eyes lit up.

She had been feeling quite suffocated, being confined in this tiny house.

When she was young, this house had seemed so spacious and luxurious that she wanted to brag about it to others, but now it felt so small and shabby.

It seemed her standards had risen after living in the Dukedom.

‘Why should I be hiding here when I have such a nice house! It’s all because of Shaen, that bitch!’

That girl, who was only better than her by blood.

Because of her ridiculous accusations, their family had been torn apart.

‘Why did she come back alive when she should have been lion food!’

But since Magda was telling her to pack, it seemed like everything had worked out.

‘I knew it. How could that girl be the Saintess? That’s absurd.’

Melina scoffed.

But.

“House? What house? We have to get out of the capital right now.”

“Get out of the capital?  Are we… running away? Why?”

“Why do you think? Because your father reported us!”

“What? What are you talking about? Why would Father report us?  What crimes have we committed?”

“How would I know? I don’t know if he really sold us out to reduce his sentence…”

“What are you talking about?! Explain it clearly!”

“You!  I’m running out of time, why are you grilling me with so many questions?”

Madam Magda yelled in frustration.

But Melina seemed determined not to move until she explained everything.

Seeing her staring at Magda with stubborn eyes and hands on her hips,

Madam Magda had no choice but to reveal everything she knew.

“F-Father confessed?”

“Yes, so pack your things!”

Snapping at her, Madam Magda grabbed a large travel bag and started stuffing it haphazardly with jewels and clothes.

“It’s a good thing I brought the jewels with me. I almost got kicked out empty-handed after 18 years of being a mistress!”

She seemed to consider herself lucky to have salvaged at least some of her wealth.

But Melina didn’t.

‘What, then what happens to me?’

Whether it was true or not, her father was no longer the Duke since he had confessed.

That meant she was no longer the Duke’s daughter.

‘This is absurd…’

Although she was an illegitimate child, Melina had lived with the pride of having noble blood.

Moreover, thanks to her father’s exclusive affection, she had lived a life no less luxurious than a princess.

Even though she was only half-noble, no one dared to treat her disrespectfully because she was the Duke of Veloce’s daughter.

But…

‘Shaen, that damn bitch! What crimes have we committed to be falsely accused like this?’

As Melina gritted her teeth, Madam Magda raised her voice again.

“What are you doing?! Pack your things! Do you want to be dragged to prison and rot there for a crime you didn’t commit?”

“Alright, alright! I’ll pack, so stop yelling.  You’re going to burst my eardrums!”

Retorting irritably, Melina rushed to her room.

And then she opened two large bags and threw in everything that could be sold for money.

‘I should have brought everything!’

She regretted leaving the mountain of jewels in her room at the Dukedom.

‘I guess I can’t even dream of such things anymore.’

A life where she was served by maids, albeit low-ranking but still of noble lineage, ate food prepared by renowned chefs, and was the first to snatch up rare jewels and luxury goods entering the capital.

The thought of losing everything she had taken for granted brought tears to her eyes.

Shaking with sobs that kept escaping her lips, Melina shook her head.

‘No, the truth will be revealed someday. Then I can come back.’

Yes, it surely would.

Justice always prevails.

‘Let’s escape first.’

She could only clear her name if she was alive.

Melina steeled her crumbling heart and started packing again.

But.

“Wait, aren’t those people the Duke of Veloce’s mistress and illegitimate daughter?”

“Huh? Where?”

“Those women with their hats pulled low. Don’t they look a bit similar?”

As soon as Madam Magda and Melina stepped out the gate, they caught people’s attention.

“You’re right, the gaudy clothes, the vulgar way she sways her hips.  She’s the spitting image of that mistress.”

“Huh? Look at the necklace the girl next to her is wearing. Isn’t that the blue diamond necklace the Duke bid on at the VIP auction, saying he would give it to his illegitimate daughter?”

“Yeah, I think it is.”

The people, whispering and glancing at the two women hurrying down the street, started gathering around them.

“Hey, wait a minute.”

“Wh-What is it?”

“We need to confirm something, so take off your hats.”

“…Why our hats?”

“Are you deaf? I said we need to confirm something.”

“So what do you want to confirm?!”

Madam Magda yelled, deliberately raising her voice to hide her trembling.

But her hysterical behavior only strengthened their suspicion.

“We just want to see your faces, why are you so defensive? Is there a reason you can’t show your faces?”

“You’re right, it’s suspicious.  And they’re carrying such large bags in their hands.”

“Are you trying to escape?”

“You’re the Duke of Veloce’s mistress, aren’t you?”

People’s gazes sharpened.

“Wh-What are you talking about? We’re just about to leave on a trip!”

“Yes, we have urgent business in the countryside.  So stop with the nonsense and get out of the way!”

Melina joined in, trying to stop them, but it was no use.

“I said we’ll let you go if you just show us your faces!”

Exasperated by the prolonged standoff, someone snatched their hats off.

“…”

“…”

The noisy street suddenly fell silent.

As the two women stood there dumbfounded, the man who had snatched their hats off grinned.

“I apologize for the trouble. It seems you really were in a hurry to go somewhere.”

He put their hats back on and put his arms around their shoulders.

“Now, it’s dangerous for women to travel alone, so we’ll escort you.”

“Yes, yes. To where your husband and father are.”

Thus, the two women’s escape came to an abrupt end.