Chapter 28

Taking advantage of Ruivril’s moment of trouble, the girls behind the crowd quickly whispered to each other.

‘How dare they gossip about me?’

“We didn’t camp outside. If the road seemed long, we booked an inn early, Lady Sesha… is that right?”

“Hm, hm! Yes, I am Ruivril Sesha, Lady of the Sesha Duchy.”

When Elcia explained, Ruivril, instead of running away, arrogantly tossed her curly pink hair behind her ear. Ian still looked displeased, but Elcia greeted her with a faint smile at the corners of her lips.

“My name is Elcia Bennett. I look forward to your guidance.”

“Hm… hmpf. As you wish.”

“Ruivril.”

“Father!”

Ruivril’s absolute savior, Duke Sesha, appeared. He had not watched Elcia’s title ceremony and had waited outside the banquet hall until now. As Ruivril clung to the Duke’s waist, Ian naturally stepped in front of Elcia.

The Duke, ever the seasoned politician, wore a gentle smile that did not reach his heart.

“Hoho. Time passes, and here I am seeing you, Count Kypris.”

“…It’s been a long time.”

“And Sir Seiran, too.”

Seiran, who felt awkward around the Duke, replied reluctantly.

“Greetings.”

“I heard people talking, yes, that divinity appeared at the Vanir Temple? That is good news.”

“…….”

Ian, aware of the deep connection between Duke Sesha and Nersian of the Tyr Church, kept silent. With Ian, the thorn in his side, staying quiet, the Duke twisted his mouth and continued.

“As always, the two churches originated from the World Tree, so aren’t they essentially one and the same? Naturally, the Tyr Church should send envoys to serve the divinity that appeared at Vanir as well. Just like before… when the Saint was alive, we must not let things go wrong. Besides, the Tyr Temple is much closer to the capital, isn’t it? Hohoho.”

With a very composed face, the Duke pointed out Ian’s failures. Hearing words that tore at one’s heart while the speaker smiled, Elcia was left speechless.

‘Ian!’

It was too much.

Truly, it was far too much.

How could he dig into Ian’s wounds, knowing what Saint Kayla’s death meant to him? Even if he didn’t know they were lovers. How could people who had witnessed the sacrifice of the Saint and the despair of the Holy Knight who served her be so cruel? Even after seeing Ian’s face, who had returned after struggling through injury!

Ian, the subject of it all, replied calmly.

“That’s not something a mere knight like myself can answer. I’m sure the High Priests will handle it.”

“Hm…….”

“Father, will it take long to see the divinity that appeared at Vanir Temple? Everyone is already lining up to go on a pilgrimage. I hate standing in line behind others.”

At that moment, Ruivril interjected, and the Duke gave a meaningful smile.

“Oh, of course not. Don’t worry. The noble divinity belongs in its proper place, so you’ll be able to see it comfortably soon.”

“Can I look forward to it?”

“Of course.”

Ian knew exactly what Duke Sesha meant. Just like Nersian, who treated Elcia as an object, the Duke planned to do the same. However, thinking of the gentle High Priest of Vanir, he held back his anger and did not argue. 

No matter what the Tyr Church and its powerful believers said, the High Priest of Vanir would protect the divinity—Haden.

Ian, Seiran, and…

‘…I can’t rely on Elcia anymore. If trouble arises, I should advise her to flee to our mansion, not Ceylon House.’

Just then.

“Baron Bennett, let’s move. There are noblewomen who wish to be introduced to you in a quieter place.”

“Yes? Ah… yes.”

When Seiran winked, Elcia realized she should get up and quickly followed him. Ian also naturally ended his conversation with the Duke and followed the two out of the banquet hall. The smile that had hung on Duke Sesha’s lips vanished as soon as he had no one left to show it to.

After escaping the hellish banquet hall and arriving at the empty waiting room, Elcia wore a bitter expression. Ian, misunderstanding her feelings, was busy comforting her.

“…Are you all right, Elcia? I understand. When they’re angry, instead of raising their voices, they try to exploit gaps in conversation like that.”

“I’m fine, really. I’m not worried about myself, Ian—I’m worried about you!”

“Elcia?”

Elcia’s gaze glowed with deep love for Ian. It was not just concern, but real love. Seiran, who saw this scene over Ian’s shoulder, was thoroughly shocked.

He had seen that look before.

Where? During the expedition, in Ian’s eyes as he gazed quietly at Kayla, sleeping under the blanket.

Elcia stepped close enough for the peridot necklace around her neck to jingle and pleaded.

“I had a feeling. I already knew that it’s hard to be accepted as a member of any new group, anywhere in the world. I was prepared for that. But Ian! When it’s about you, I just can’t stand it. How can people be so cruel?”

“I’m fine.”

Ian echoed Elcia’s words, unconsciously twitching his hand.

His soul wanted to embrace and comfort Elcia.

But between them, there was always a deep, wide river flowing. Elcia’s delicate shoulders, flushed cheeks, and slender, pitiful waist… He couldn’t touch any of it, so his hand awkwardly hung in the air. They cared deeply for each other, but strictly maintained boundaries they could not cross.

Standing behind the two, Seiran quietly stepped out of the waiting room. He closed the door and leaned against the wall, letting out a deep sigh.

‘Is it going to end up like this after all?’

The woman who devotedly cared for the wounded, reclusive man falls into an irresistible love. Seiran knew that story well. And what came after. The man, healed in body or spirit, shakes off the past and leaves, while the woman, left alone, is unable to escape her grief…

‘This is maddening.’

As Seiran nursed his private worries, the hot season struggled by and late summer arrived.

* * *

In September, rain fell incessantly around Ceylon House. The wall construction was delayed, so the drainage ditches were dug deeper, but the servants still worried about the heavy rain. Even if water didn’t overflow into the house, such weather made it easy for mold to form.

“Ay, it’s raining again. When’s the last time we could hang laundry outside?”

The maid frowned, seeing the morning rain.

“This whole area is surrounded by mountains and streams, so there are always lots of clouds and frequent rain at the change of seasons. Even if it used to be royal land, the climate is so gloomy, and the atmosphere feels eerie… Hm, hm. Have you risen, Madam?”

Elcia looked at the window fogged up by humidity and spoke.

“When the rain stops, everyone should go to the city center for a breather and bring back plenty of necessities.”

“Yes?”

“…I’m giving you a holiday. Would three or four days be enough? I’ll also give you half a month’s pay.”

Elcia smiled softly as she turned around. Her suggestion made the servants both delighted and anxious.

“Ay, how could all of us leave? We should take turns.”

“It’s fine. There’s Udis, Bunny, and Lea, right?”

After her title ceremony, Elcia made her third puppet, Lea. Should one call it a miracle born from worries about her new fief? Lea could single-handedly cultivate the land and clear weeds, showing unrivaled farming skills. On top of that, Lea was as strong and decisive as any knight, enough to impress even Ian.

The servants glanced at the drizzling window, then peeked at Lea tending the flowerpots in the corner. With the madam offering a holiday, nobody wanted to decline and miss a good opportunity. As she said, with three puppets, there was no need to worry about protection or chores.

“Then we should watch until sunset, and if the rain lets up, we’ll go out!”

“Right, go and refresh yourselves. You can take the carriage.”

The servants, who had planned to watch the weather until afternoon, ended up racing to take the carriage to the city center before noon.

Left completely alone, Elcia’s eyes darkened.

For the first time in ages, truly for the first time, she found herself alone in a quiet space, able to look deep within herself.

She wanted to be alone.

“…Lonely. Or was I waiting to feel lonely?”

Nothing special had happened—

Tormented for so long by an unattainable love, Elcia sank into hopeless exhaustion.

Without even realizing it.

Perhaps because of the gloomy weather, her negative feelings grew so strong that even gentle Elcia could barely bear them.

No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, her love for Ian, whom she could never get closer to, was changing from its original pure form. The round, bright full moon was warping into a pointed, empty shape.

She had been happy at first.

Even with the false mask of friendship, she thought she could be happy just being behind Ian.

Her faith was crumbling like a rock falling off a cliff.

Elcia muttered to herself a few more times in the silent room before heading to the bedroom. Feeling too lazy to do anything, she changed into a light slip and even opened a bottle of wine someone had sent as a gift. That made her feel better.

‘Hehe, I’m doing exactly what Ian hoped I wouldn’t.’

She barely had time to enjoy the sense of freedom from her little rebellion before she laughed at herself. Soon, Elcia’s bedroom door was firmly shut and a couple of hours passed.

Ian, who had dropped by Ceylon House unexpectedly for the first time in a while, was surprised to find the interior dim without even the lights on.

Moreover, from the moment he entered through the front door, he hadn’t sensed a single person’s presence.

This was unthinkable in a proper noble’s house.

“…Is anyone here?”

「Hello!」

With Lea outside shoveling earth and White Bunny having gone up to the playroom on the second floor, Udis cheerfully greeted him instead. Ian approached Udis and quickly asked about the strange situation.

“Where is everyone? Where’s Elcia?”

「The servants all went to the city center when the rain let up, and the madam is in her bedroom. Everyone plans to return in three or four days.」

“I see.”

Ian was dumbfounded. Not even a single maid or knight left behind? Were they out of their minds? Moreover, all the servants at Ceylon House had been assigned or recommended by his family, which made it even more outrageous. How could they do this just because no one was watching!

He could scold the servants for their lack of discipline later. Ian patted Udis’s wooden head and carefully approached the bedroom, knocking gently. He waited a long time after knocking, but no answer came.

The steady rain and the damp air filling the mansion were overwhelmingly silent. The feeling was ominous.

Ian steeled his blue eyes, didn’t ask twice, grabbed the doorknob, and turned it forcefully. Then he strode inside.