“How dare you lay a hand on a member of the Imperial Family! Have you lost your mind and decided to die?”

At the sound of the woman’s sharp voice, both men turned to face her. She wasted no time in issuing an order.

“Berk!”

The tent door swung open and a knight with dark brown hair and a sword at his hip stepped inside.

“Cut off this man’s hand at once!”

He shouted. 

The knight drew his sword without hesitation, his expression cold and impassive as he prepared to carry out the order. 

“Stand down.” 

Kylance’s commanding voice cut through the tense atmosphere, instantly silencing the room.

With a deep sigh, he calmly reached up and removed Jedran’s hand from his collar. Meeting Jedran’s startled gaze directly, Kylance spoke firmly. 

“Ariel’s disappearance is entirely my fault. I won’t deny it, nor will I make empty excuses.”

“……”

“I will do whatever it takes to find her. So for now – no, until Ariel is found – please give me time. I am essential to the search.”

“I beg you.”

Kylance added this weighted plea, bowing his head deeply.

“Kylance! Why do you bow your head?!” 

The noblewoman’s voice was sharp as she approached him, but Kylance didn’t move, his head remained lowered.

Jedran, who had been watching him in silence, let out a shaky, heavy sigh.

Wiping away his tears with trembling hands, Jedran cast a quick glance at the fierce-eyed Duchess Viasteus. Without another word, he turned and left the tent.

Without so much as a reply or acknowledgement, Jedran left.

He had ignored not only Kylance, but the Duchess Viasteus herself.

For a mere viscount to show such blatant disregard for a member of the Imperial family was an act bordering on treason in a society ruled by strict hierarchies.

Duchess Viasteus’ anger flared instantly. Her eyes flashed as she turned to her knight, Berk, and issued a command.

“Berk, seize this insolent man immediately…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Kylance raised his head and brushed her hand from his shoulder.

“Berk. The moment you raise your sword against him, I will kill you myself.”

His voice was cold and biting.

Kylance’s words were not a threat, but a promise, and the deadly intent in his tone was undeniable. Feeling the weight of that killing intent, Berk’s shoulders stiffened and his eyes instinctively dropped to the ground.

Duchess Viasteus’ face twisted in frustration and anger. 

Kylance had ignored her orders not once, but twice – orders she had given solely for his sake. 

A mere viscount had dared to grab Kylance by the collar, even injuring him in the process. 

And yet, instead of punishing such insolence, Kylance had bowed his head and now stood shielding the offender in her place. 

Duchess Viasteus, overcome with anger, momentarily forgot her purpose for being there. Or perhaps she was about to lash out completely. 

“Kylance! What is the meaning of this…”

But she never finished her sentence, for Kylance cut her off with icy finality. 

“Please return quietly, Aunt.” 

“What?” 

Duchess Viasteus froze, momentarily stunned, wondering if she had misheard him. 

Return? Just like that? 

As her expression hardened, Kylance spoke again, his voice even colder this time. 

“I said please leave.”

Kylance’s words were clear and deliberate, making it clear that Duchess Viasteus hadn’t misunderstood.

It was then that reality came rushing back to her. Along with it, she remembered the words Kylance had spoken before leaving the Duchy the day before.

“Thank you for raising me. But this will be the last time I see you, Aunt. Please take care of yourself.”

He had said he would never see her again.

It had been shocking – and terrifying. The thought of truly losing Kylance had shaken her to the core.

She had finally believed that he was truly hers, her child in every way. And now that belief had been shattered.

Her grief had kept her awake all night, unable to close her eyes.

She had thought about it again and again during those long hours.

She couldn’t afford to lose Kylance – not like this. 

Though she hadn’t given birth to him, she had poured everything she had into raising him as her own.

If her child hadn’t died so tragically… they would have been the same age as Kylance.

The moment the late Grand Duke and Duchess had died and Kylance had taken her hand, it had been as if she had been given a second chance at life. 

A chance to be a mother again, to hold a child in her arms again.

Losing a child once had been more than enough.

So Melish had decided to apologise to Kylance when the morning came. 

She planned to soothe his anger first, then slowly mend their relationship. Surely, with all the time and care she’d invested in raising him, he wouldn’t abandon her for a girl he’d only known for a few years.

But things had gone horribly wrong.

Ariel Blante had thrown herself off the cliff.

It had been, quite frankly, shocking. She had never expected Lady Blante to take her own life.

She could have just left the Empire – why throw herself into the sea?

And to make matters worse, she had done it in front of Kylance.

Her father’s actions aside, Melish had to admit that Ariel Blante was a decent person. 

At first glance, she appeared to be just another gentle noblewoman, but she had the same unwavering integrity and strength as her father, the Marquis of Blante. 

Because of this, Melish had believed that Ariel would never choose death, no matter how difficult the situation. 

But to actually commit suicide… it was an outrageous turn of events, even on reflection. 

Still, what had happened couldn’t be undone. So, in honour of Lady Blante, Melish had dressed in a sombre gown, eschewing even a single piece of jewellery. 

Though she could have arrived more comfortably, she had chosen to obey the restrictions placed on the area. Accompanied only by a single knight, she had made the long journey to the site. 

She had dressed like this to show her sympathy for Kylance’s grief.

She had done all she could – so why wouldn’t he even look at her?

No matter how angry she had been, her anger had been justified.

But even as Kylance coldly dismissed her, he refused to give her a single glance. It was as if he was determined to honour the words he had spoken before, that he would never see her again.

Could it be true? Had he really chosen this Blante girl over her?

The thought burned at the back of her throat, the words ready to burst out, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. Kylance’s presence silenced her.

His bearing was heavier than yesterday, his mood even darker.

And the weight of his aura – it was disturbingly similar to what she had seen at the height of his former power, a time she wished she could erase from her memory.

As unwanted memories stirred within her, chilling her heart, Kylance finally broke the silence.

“If you do not leave now… I will call someone to escort you out.”

Melish’s lips trembled as she struggled to hold back her words, but they slipped out anyway.

“…Are you saying you would have me forcibly removed?”

Melish’s voice no longer carried the heat of anger, but she still couldn’t bring herself to leave. 

If she left now, she feared it might truly be the last time she ever saw Kylance. 

Swallowing the pain in her chest, she looked at him with a bitter, sad expression. 

“All right, I admit it. I went too far. I shouldn’t have revealed the truth to Lady Blante like that… But when I saw you wavering, I panicked. The thought of you embracing an enemy’s daughter made me uncomfortable and I acted impulsively.” 

“…….” 

“I was wrong. I know that. But, Kylance…” 

“…….” 

Melish took a step closer, her voice trembling with emotion as she continued, though Kylance still wouldn’t look at her.  

“I never thought it would end like this… All I wanted was to keep Lady Blante away from you. I even offered her everything she needed to live in luxury in another country. But for her to take such an extreme step…” 

Melish’s voice trembled, heavy with emotion, and her words stopped as if caught in her throat. A single tear fell from her reddened eyes, and it was then that Kylance finally turned to look at her. 

As his gaze met hers, Melish’s eyes grew even redder, shimmering with hope. 

There was no need to hide her feelings – she truly believed that Kylance was beginning to forgive her. 

Yes, the bond they shared couldn’t possibly be one-sided. He must feel it too. 

“This isn’t your fault, Aunt. It’s all mine.” 

Melish choked back the relieved smile that threatened to form and turned it into a sigh as she reached out to him. 

“Oh, Kylance. How could this be your fault? No, it was just… an accident.” 

Her voice softened, as if soothing a child, and she moved to gently touch his cheek. But before her hand could reach him, Kylance turned away, avoiding her touch. 

Melish’s hand floated in the air, frozen. Her eyes moved from her hand, which had failed to reach Kylance, to his face, her expression clouded with disbelief.

It was then that she realised what her tear-stained vision had missed.

For the first time, she saw Kylance’s cold, unyielding gaze and expression.

“I remember it well,” he said, his voice calm but cutting. “The day I lost my parents. The day you reached out to me, just as you’re doing now.”

“Kylance…” 

Melish’s eyes trembled, uncertainty crept in, but Kylance continued without pause.

“I should have rejected you then. If I had rejected your hand then, none of this tragedy would have happened.”

“…What?” 

Her voice trembled, unable to process the full weight of his words.