Madam and the Stable Keeper (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
“You realized the moment you saw my condition that I’d been dragged back here because of the binding magic.”
Edith became certain upon hearing Walter accurately identify the binding magic cast upon her. Clearly, he was deeply interested in binding magic.
Adding to that the information she’d extracted from Vivian, Ann, and Marie, she was able to draw a conclusion.
This man possessed a body capable of effortlessly pulling off a midnight escape—and had even charged at the viscount with a sword—yet he remained at the estate because…
“Has the viscount gained another leverage over you, on top of the binding magic?”
“……”
Walter tried not to show it, but his nerves grew noticeably more tense—a reaction to having his awkward and irritating situation laid completely bare.
“Protecting me wouldn’t be a loss for you. Since I can move freely inside the estate, I can help you escape.”
Edith’s expression held a certain urgency as she spoke, compelling Walter to focus entirely on her elegant voice.
At the same time, he wondered how a woman who’d been brought to the estate less than a week ago could remain so composed and dignified.
What was certain, however, was that her proposal was not only reasonable but genuinely useful.
“And I know myself better than anyone else. If the viscount promised you something concerning me, the wisest course would be to protect me first while gathering the information you need, piece by piece.”
“……”
“I’m going to escape from the viscount’s estate. And once I do, you’ll be able to leave this place soon after.”
Edith briefly shifted her gaze along the vast gardens of House Portrion.
“Help me regain my freedom, Walter. In return, I’ll help you regain yours.”
“……”
“Let’s leave this estate together.”
Walter looked at Edith’s golden hair swaying in the cool breeze and her determined blue eyes.
Though he was merely meeting her gaze, his mind raced beyond the estate, imagining endless horizons—his heartbeat quickening ever so slightly.
Moonlight shimmered across her red lips as she spoke in a clear, elegant voice, suggesting they escape together. At first glance, he’d thought sultry whispers would suit her best—but now, her words of conviction captivated his attention just as powerfully.
Just like when he’d first seen Edith days ago, a sharp, needle-like headache returned.
After escorting Edith back, Walter returned to his own quarters. The cabin the viscount had built solely for him was far from the stables and significantly more comfortable.
‘Why on earth would Nicholas go this far?’
Walter still didn’t understand why the viscount treated him so specially. Now that the viscount had fallen into a coma, he might never find out.
A man approached him, bottle in hand, noticing Walter’s grim expression.
“Walter. Have a drink. I swiped it from the kitchen.”
“……”
Cassius—the only man in the estate who interacted with Walter privately—poured him a drink and offered it.
He knew why Walter’s expression seemed darker than usual today.
‘If I were him, I’d feel awful too. He finally found a way to restore the viscount’s lost memories, went out, and came back comatose.’
To others, the viscount claimed he’d gone to fetch his fourth wife—but he’d told Walter something different before leaving.
Yet due to the ambush, the only one who returned unharmed in the carriage was the woman Edith.
“No matter how you look at it, you’re cursed with terrible luck. Even the most useless people know who they are and how they grew up—but not you.”
“Shut up, Cassius.”
Cassius recalled the first time he’d seen Walter—a boy who looked at least five years younger than himself, yet utterly unlike ordinary humans.
The boy carried in his eyes the unmistakable authority of someone born to high status.
Cassius had assumed the boy would either kill the viscount or secretly flee the estate—but Walter remained trapped here all this time.
It was because of the binding magic the viscount had bought from the black market and the memories he’d used as leverage.
“Walter, if you ever find a way to break the binding magic, leave whenever you want. But know this—if you do, you’ll lose your memories forever.”
The viscount clearly feared Walter. Even when Walter sabotaged crucial deals and dealt fatal blows to the merchant guild, the viscount merely scolded him verbally—never punishing him. He clearly knew who the boy truly was and what horrors he could unleash with his innate power.
Yet the viscount also flattered him, claiming only he could restore the boy’s lost memories. The viscount was a slippery, despicable man—but that claim didn’t seem like a lie.
He’d boasted that once his memories were returned, Walter would remember who raised and protected him—only for the viscount himself to lose consciousness first.
“What will you do now, Walter? With the viscount like this, retrieving your memories seems… a bit harder now, doesn’t it?”
Cassius felt deep sympathy for Walter—not simply because he was his swordsmanship disciple who grasped twice as much as taught.
Even without knowing his true identity, Walter had become a figure of note through sheer cunning and fists alone.
Trapped within House Portrion, he still moved people outside to weave grand schemes. Had he regained his memories, it would’ve been fascinating to see how far he could rise.
“Walter, since recovering your memories seems unlikely now, why don’t we storm into the viscount’s estate, kill him and his wives, and accelerate our plan? That way, the magic binding you here would break.”
Cassius offered what he considered comfort.
Walter, who had been silently drinking, finally replied.
“That won’t work. The fourth lady’s proposed deal is quite tempting.”
“The fourth lady?”
“Edith.”
For a moment, Cassius felt a strange dissonance—it was the first time Walter had shown interest in a woman by even mentioning her name.
The next day, as promised, Sophia summoned the dressmakers for Edith. Edith already knew why Sophia was keeping her promise.
“Edith, you’ll be having lunch tomorrow with the other ladies. The second and third wives have extremely difficult temperaments, so it’s best to prepare perfectly.”
‘She needs me to look like a noblewoman on the outside—that benefits Sophia.’
Yet knowing her motives didn’t make Edith dismiss the designers.
“What do you think of this design? We can adjust the waistline to suit your figure.”
The designers quickly presented their wares to Edith—knowing they could sell off-the-rack items to nobles with a slight markup.
“These are fine. I’d like to purchase everything I just saw. I’ll need to try various styles to know what suits me best.”
Since Sophia would pay anyway, Edith stated her intent to buy without hesitation. The more lavish the dresses, the better—the jewels adorning them would later serve as her secret funds. And the more covert the operation, the more money it required.
Besides, buying luxuries with her enemy’s money felt wonderfully satisfying.
Seeing Sophia’s usually refined smile twitch with irritation gave Edith a breath of relief. Imagining Sophia’s face crumpling in frustration, she selected a few more pieces of jewelry.
The dressmakers, grinning ear to ear, became even more attentive.
Their eager chatter—trying to flatter her—allowed Edith to pick up bits of outside news as well. With Sophia’s money, she was securing both emergency funds and intelligence; her lips curled into an involuntary smile.
Much later, after finishing her duties, Sophia returned and casually glanced at Edith’s purchases—then froze.
Piled like a mountain, the items clearly amounted to at least several dozen gold coins.
“Sophia, thank you. I tried my best to choose things that make me look like a proper fourth lady—what do you think?”
Edith whispered softly, causing Sophia’s frown to deepen further. To be mocked so innocently!
“I’m glad you liked what the dressmakers brought, Edith.”
Sophia offered a gracious smile meant for everyone else, then added in a voice only Edith could hear,
“After pulling a stunt like this, I’ll have to move our plan forward quickly.”
“I’m well aware. Thank you again for summoning the dressmakers, Sophia.”
After dismissing the dressmakers, Sophia urged Edith to take a walk in her new outfits, claiming it would cheer her up.
‘The estate tour is just an excuse—you’re trying to pair me with a man.’
The lingering contraceptive effect of the Irbicus flower wasn’t even relevant anymore. Every hour, Edith felt more urgently that she needed to escape this place before something terrible happened.
“I’m Hans, the stablehand, here to escort you, my lady.”
“…….”
In that sense, having a man other than Walter come for her was practically a crisis—especially since Hans was the very man who’d tried to follow Sophia’s orders and lay hands on her, only to be stopped by Walter.
“No need to worry with that look on your face. Walter sent me. My hand hasn’t even healed yet—I’m not foolish enough to defy that man.”
Though Hans spoke with embarrassment, Edith had no desire to exchange further words with him.
“I’ll walk on my own instead of riding.”
“As you wish, my lady.”
How many reluctant steps had she taken following Hans when—
“You’d struggle to mount a horse in that outfit.”
Edith found Walter’s smug voice oddly comforting. Walter signaled Hans to head inside, then took the reins from him.
“I was worried about what I’d do if a man other than you showed up leading the horse.”
Walter stared at her silently for a moment—as if time had frozen—before replying,
“You look even more beautiful than last time.”
“Sophia summoned the dressmakers, saying we need to prepare for the Harvest Thanksgiving.”
Was he staring so intently because her sudden elegance seemed suspicious? Edith felt slightly embarrassed, dressed up extravagantly with Sophia’s money.
“Anyway, since you came because I promised you freedom, please let me know if you’ve changed your mind in the meantime.”
“About that…”
“I’ll do it—the deal.”
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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