A Guide to Raising a Villainess-Chapter 125: Mine

Although I was initially convinced that all this would take much more time, nerves, and effort, we reached an agreement surprisingly quickly. Too quickly, to be honest. This in itself caused me to be wary, but it was too late to back out.

Deep down, I was preparing myself for protracted arguments, mutual accusations, and perhaps even veiled threats. I mentally reviewed my arguments, built a line of defense, and resigned myself to the fact that the conversation could drag on for hours. However, to my surprise, the count clearly preferred action to empty talk and had no intention of wasting time on endless arguments.

Count Trevern insisted that only a personal inspection of the mine could dispel all doubts and put an end to rumors of curses, misfortunes, and someone’s malicious interference. In his opinion, only by seeing everything with his own eyes could he speak objectively, rather than relying on hearsay and speculation.

I, for my part, saw no compelling reason to refuse. If he wanted to see for himself, so be it. After all, the mine belonged to me, and I knew it better than anyone else. I was confident in every section, every report, and every decision made earlier. And to be honest, I had no choice: there was nowhere to retreat.

So we left at dawn.

The sun timidly broke through the thick gray clouds, momentarily painting the sky in pale pink hues that quickly faded and dissolved, giving way to a gloomy, cold morning. The carriage, drawn by strong horses, creaked heavily on the uneven road, and I felt every jolt in my body, reminding me of the sleepless night and accumulated fatigue. I sat silently, looking out the window, and involuntarily caught myself thinking that this journey would hardly be without consequences.

The road to the mine stretched between hills shrouded in a low, sticky fog that lay almost on the ground and obscured the contours of the landscape. At times, it seemed as if the hills were slowly floating past us, losing their shape and dissolving into the gray haze. The wheels of the carriage thudded dully on the stones, and this monotonous, oppressive sound only emphasized the silence around us. With every yard we traveled, the air became colder and denser, as if we were entering a place where sunlight was reluctant to reach.

Even Ruby, usually lively, curious, and prone to asking endless questions, sat silently this time. She clasped her hands on her knees and stared straight ahead, not daring to speak or look out the window. I watched her surreptitiously and realized that she was feeling the same thing I was — an anxiety that was impossible to explain in words.

When the dark, gaping mouths of the mine entrances appeared ahead, I was overcome by a strange, heavy feeling. It came on suddenly, as if an invisible wave had passed through my body. It seemed as if the earth itself was breathing differently here — cautiously, tensely, as if listening to our every step and not welcoming uninvited guests.

By the time we arrived, the air near the mine was thick with dust and a sharp metallic smell that settled on the tongue. The workers, noticing the carriage approaching, hurriedly stepped aside and bowed their heads, avoiding eye contact with us. Their movements were frantic, and their downcast eyes revealed fatigue and something else, like hidden anxiety.

The sun was already high in the sky, but even its light seemed foreign here. It reflected off piles of damp stones and worn metal tools carelessly stacked at the tunnel entrance, then faded away, unable to penetrate deeper inside. The shadows cast by the objects were sharp and unwelcoming.

I got out of the carriage first, mechanically adjusting the glove on my hand, and stopped, looking at the dark opening of the mine, going deep underground. From inside, there was a coolness and something muffled and oppressive, as if the earth itself was holding its breath and waiting for us to take the first step.

The count followed. His steps were confident and firm, but I caught a glimpse of impatience mixed with irritation in his eyes.

"I’ll go inside," he said without hesitation. "If we’re going to check, let’s do it properly."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "It’s still an active mine."

"All the more reason," he snapped, already pulling on his gloves. "I’m not the type to hide behind other people’s backs."

He turned to his assistant. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Torch!"

The servant hurriedly handed him a torch, and I frowned, feeling my eyebrows knit together and my heart sink with a sense of foreboding.

"My lord, it may not be safe inside. One of the workers recently reported that some of the passages have weakened since the last mining operation. It would be better to wait until they are reinforced."

"Are you afraid I’ll get my hands dirty?" he said with a smirk. "Don’t worry, I’m not going to go too deep."

I silently clenched my fingers in my gloves but said nothing. It was useless to argue with him.

The count took a torch from one of the workers and, with a brief nod, disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel with two guards. With each step they took, the darkness seemed to swallow their figures, leaving only flickering glimmers of light behind.

Ruby and I remained outside. The wind carried the smell of dampness and dust.

I turned to the mine manager, a stocky man with a tired face, furrowed with wrinkles, and perpetually frowning eyebrows that made him look like a storm cloud.

His clothes were soaked with sweat and coal dust, and there was something like respect mixed with anxiety in his eyes when he recognized me. Now, seeing me, he seemed clearly agitated.

"Oh, ma’am, you should have warned us about your visit in advance!We would have made sure to prepare and welcome you properly!" he blurted out, bowing hastily, his face reddening, and I could see sweat dripping down his temple despite the cool breeze.

"Actually, I didn’t expect to come here so suddenly either," I replied with a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of fatigue settle on my shoulders. "It all happened too quickly."

"Madam, did you come here on some special business?" he asked, glancing meaningfully toward the entrance where Count Trevern had just disappeared.

"No, nothing like that," I said. "We just came to check on the mine. Everything is fine."

"Oh, I see..." he muttered, his brow furrowing even deeper as he shifted from foot to foot, clearly nervous.

I noticed several workers nearby slow their pace, listening, their faces hidden under a layer of dust, but their eyes shining with curiosity.

"How’s the work going?" I asked. "Have there been any problems with reinforcement lately?"

He hesitated.

"We try to keep everything in order, milady," he replied cautiously. "But the old tunnels... some of them are very ancient. The rock there is capricious."

"Have you reported this before?"

"I’ve written reports," he nodded hastily. "I’ve requested additional beams and men."

I was about to ask my next question when a strange, hollow sound came from deep within the mine.

Not a bang. Not a scream.

More like a long crack, as if something was breaking slowly and inevitably.

We froze.

Then came a second sound — sharp, accompanied by a muffled rumble that made the ground beneath our feet tremble slightly.

"What was that?" Ruby whispered, clutching my sleeve.

The manager turned pale, his face as gray as ash, and he clutched his head, muttering something incoherent as his eyes darted between us and the mouth of the mine.

"A collapse..." he finally exhaled, his voice breaking, full of despair. "It was a collapse!"

The workers instantly rushed to the mine entrance. Someone screamed, someone dropped a tool. Dust rose in the air.

"The count is inside," I said, already feeling my heart begin to beat faster. "Who was with him?"

"Two guards and three miners," replied the manager in a trembling voice. "They went into the side tunnel... the old one."

The words "old tunnel" sounded like a death sentence.

"Organize a rescue operation immediately," I ordered, trying to speak evenly, although my voice trembled with tension, like a taut string ready to snap. "All available people to the entrance. And bring extra lanterns and beams."

"Milady, it’s dangerous..."

"That’s an order," I interrupted harshly.

Ruby turned even paler.

"Auntie..." she whispered. "He’ll be all right, won’t he?"

I didn’t answer right away. My gaze was fixed on the dark, yawning mouth of the mine, from which dust and cold still wafted.

"He should be fine," I said finally, putting my arms around her shoulders, feeling the warmth of her body through her clothes, and trying to put confidence into my words that I myself did not feel. "Because if not... the consequences of this accident will be much more serious than I had anticipated."

At that moment, I was tense as a bowstring, hoping that my worst expectations would not come true.