Chapter 166 - 2: Life and Death

Chapter 166: Chapter 2: Life and Death

Marian was coaxed away by the nurses who had chased after her.

Even after she was far away, Alina could still hear her heart-wrenching cries. The lady had always given her the impression of being gentle and quiet. This was the first time Alina had ever seen her lose control of her emotions like this.

The child had been awakened by his mother’s screams, and it took Alina a long time to coax him back to sleep. The head nurse accompanied her as they placed the baby in the nursery. It was only when they were leaving that Alina suddenly realized something.

Neither the father nor the mother had given him a name.

SLAM.

The door to the room closed in front of her. Beside her, the plump head nurse sighed. "They’re all such pitiful people."

Alina’s curiosity was piqued. "Do you know something?"

Hearing this, the head nurse looked around, then pulled her into an empty room. Then, she told her a story.

The protagonist of the story was a famous Noble of Taronia, Count Beaumont.

He was of noble birth and lived a life of privilege. He had married his current wife when he was around twenty, and the couple had remained deeply in love to this day. However, Lady Beaumont was in poor health and remained childless even after several years of marriage.

How could a powerful Noble be without an heir? Thus, Count Beaumont began secretly searching for a mistress.

Madam Marian was one of them.

Whether it was a stroke of Luck or misfortune, less than three months after catching the Earl’s eye, Marian became pregnant. But just prior to that, the Countess had also gotten pregnant.

This child, who had originally been burdened with high hopes and might have been acknowledged and brought back as the heir, suddenly became an illegitimate child doomed to forever remain in the shadows. Furthermore, the true heir was born only a few minutes before him!

"That’s exactly why the Earl is so indifferent," the head nurse sighed. "Lord of Star Spirits above, this is an absolute tragedy..."

As Alina listened, she couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss. "The Earl... seems to care a lot about that child."

Although he only cared about his health.

Now that she thought about it, why did both the Earl and Madam Marian only care about whether the baby was healthy? They asked about nothing else, nor did they show any affection for the child. They hadn’t even given him a formal name, even though he was a month old.

But if they cared so much about the baby’s health, why did they cut him out when he was only seven months along?

It was as if what had been born wasn’t a living, breathing child, but... a tool.

The head nurse dismissively replied, "He is his own flesh and blood, after all. It’s perfectly normal to show a little concern."

"There’s another thing," Alina pressed on. "If the Countess’s child was born at full term, then the Countess must have already been pregnant when the Earl sought out Madam Marian. Why..."

"Shh!"

The head nurse glanced around vigilantly and lowered her voice. "You really dare to ask anything! Do you honestly think a good relationship stops a man from straying? Let me tell you, men are all the same! Things like lacking an heir or having a sickly wife were probably just excuses..."

Alina nodded, half-understanding. She didn’t grasp all the hidden complexities, but she understood one thing clearly.

Ever since Earl Sir expressed his approval of her, her status at the hospital had suddenly skyrocketed. Normally, interns had to work for a full year before their performance was evaluated to determine if they could become full-time employees. Yet, less than a week after that incident, the hospital director approved her application for full-time status. Alina hadn’t even written the application herself.

A few days later, the hospital received a massive donation. It was from Count Beaumont.

Alina suddenly understood why the director and the others had changed their attitudes. She also suddenly saw things clearly... Power was truly something terrifying, yet entirely enviable.

Not long after that, Madam Marian and the child were discharged from the hospital. Egged on by the head nurse, Alina visited her residence a few times.

She lived in a small townhouse. The conditions weren’t top-tier, but that was only in comparison to genuine Nobles. To Alina, at least, it was incredibly enviable.

Marian had very few friends. Because of her status, the neighbors rarely came to visit her either. Thus, Alina became one of the few people she could talk to.

Alina heard from Marian that Count Beaumont had made a special trip to see her after she was discharged and had given her child a name.

Selas.

Selassie Abaddon.

The woman’s tone was full of pride, not because of her own son, but because the man she loved cared about her son.

Selas was exceptionally bright from a very young age. Alina had only visited a few times, yet he could already recognize her and accurately state her name, and even her preferences.

Once, as Alina passed by his room, she peered through the unlatched door and saw him hunched over the desk, writing. The three-year-old child wasn’t even as tall as the chair, yet he sat there gripping a fountain pen, looking every bit the proper student.

Marian said that Count Beaumont would only come to see her if Selas was excellent enough. Even when she said this, there was not a shred of guilt in Marian’s eyes—only deep adoration for that man.

From then on, Alina’s gaze toward the child held a trace of pity. Just as she thought. He was merely a tool.

Another two years passed.

When Alina visited again, she found the townhouse completely vacated. She stood at the door, staring in disbelief for a long time.

Over the past few years, she had gained quite a few benefits from befriending Marian. Marian only cared about Count Beaumont’s love and paid no mind to material goods. Although Count Beaumont was indifferent to Marian, she had, after all, borne him a child, so he never mistreated her when it came to food, clothing, and living expenses. Many of the food items, clothes, and daily necessities that Marian disliked were practically all taken home by Alina.

Seeing the firmly shut door of the townhouse, a wave of panic instantly surged in Alina’s heart. If Marian was gone... If Marian was gone, what would she do from now on? What would happen to her comfortable life?

Unwilling to give up, Alina lingered around the area for a long time.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up.

A tiny figure climbed out from the townhouse’s window. It was a very young boy, looking no more than five or six years old, dressed in black cotton and linen garments. His face, still carrying a bit of baby fat, was smudged with dust, yet it did nothing to diminish his innate handsomeness.

"Selas!"

Hearing the shout, Selas raised his head. He tied the bundle in his arms securely and walked up to Alina step by step.

Alina felt that he seemed to have changed a lot. The old Selas had been just as silent, but he had never been this cold, detached, and unapproachable. He was like a hedgehog with all its spikes raised.

But Alina couldn’t care less about that right now. She asked anxiously, "Where is your mother? Where did she go?"

Hearing that she was looking for his mother, the boy’s hardened brow softened slightly. He lowered his gaze, his long, curled eyelashes hiding the sorrow in his eyes.

"She’s dead," he said softly. "She died of illness."

Alina took a step back in disbelief. Her gaze unconsciously fell on the boy, looking at the bundle in his arms. It was probably filled with Marian’s belongings. Had he snuck back to retrieve his mother’s belongings?

At this moment, Alina couldn’t think too deeply about it. She asked frantically, "Then where are you going now? Are you staying somewhere else, or..."

"Mother would have been very happy if she knew you came," the boy interrupted her.

He bowed deeply, took a white rose from his breast pocket, and lifted it with both hands, placing it into Alina’s palm. "Thank you for visiting her."

Alina nodded in a daze.

She didn’t know when Selas left, and she didn’t even remember how she walked away from the townhouse. When she finally snapped back to reality, she was standing on a spacious street, facing a very kind-looking middle-aged man.

"Hello, Ms. Alina." The man pressed a hand to his chest. "I am Alfr, the butler of the Beaumont Earl Mansion."

Alina’s eyes widened sharply. The butler of the Earl Mansion!

But... back at the hospital, she had seen the butler of the Earl Mansion. It didn’t seem to be this man calling himself Mr. Alfr...

However, Alina soon learned the reason why.

The butler smiled and said, "My Lady asked me to come over and ask you about the people living in that townhouse... Do you know anything?

"My Lady has always been generous.

"I trust you know how to choose."