“You’re back early.”

“It just happened.”

While Kallian went to fetch warm water, towels and medicinal herbs, Elliope followed Dylan to her room.

The maids were nowhere to be seen. Out of habit, Elliope looked around for them, prompting Dylan to speak.

“I’ve given Emma and Sien permission to go out for a while.”

“I see.”

“There was a little celebration in honour of Princess Leanne’s visit.”

“Hmm.”

Dylan hesitated slightly, glancing at Elliope.

She had wondered why he had come outside to greet her in person, and it seemed that detail had weighed on his mind.

“If this matter has caused you any displeasure, my lady…”

“No, you have done well, Dylan.”

Elliope held no grudge against the maids for taking some time off.

After all, they spent most of their days diligently looking after her, and they were still young. When she had been a maid in the remote palace, it had been the same – having moments to rest and enjoy oneself made the work all the more bearable.

This time it just so happened that Leanne had provided the opportunity.

*Actually, this isn’t a bad chance to ask Dylan a few things.

With Kallian temporarily gone and no one else around, it would be easier to ask any questions she had in mind.

Seeing Dylan, the curiosity she had felt earlier returned.

“Dylan.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Did you know too?”

“Know what…?”

“The usurpation.”

Elliope spoke almost certainly.

‘Dylan may have witnessed the usurpation first hand.’

Otherwise, the occasional flashes of hostility he showed towards Theodor and the House of Ilmos would be difficult to explain.

It wasn’t an overwhelming curiosity, just a passing interest.

She simply wanted to hear what, if anything, Dylan knew. After all, if Theodor’s grandfather really had been a monster, that information might come in handy one day. She could use it to insult or attack Theodor when the time was right.

Not that a man like him would bat an eyelid at insults to his parents or grandfather. But it was worth a try.

“The usurpation…”

But the moment Dylan murmured the word, his expression hardened – so much so that it was almost frightening.

Elliope had never seen a look like that on his face before.

Startled by the ominous change in his demeanour, she parted her lips.

“…Dylan?”

“…….”

Dylan quickly scanned his surroundings, his eyes sharp and alert.

Even though they were the only ones in the room, Dylan’s actions were driven by an underlying fear that someone else might be listening.

His caution was so palpable that even Elliope tensed instinctively.

Then, without hesitation, Dylan strode to the far corner of the room.

Elliope, feeling the weight of what he was about to say, unconsciously followed.

When they reached the corner, Dylan finally spoke.

“So… the viscount told you after all.”

“…….”

“Yes. It was only a matter of time before you found out.”

The sudden remark caught Elliope off guard.

“Found out what?

Before she could ask, Dylan gripped her hand tightly and whispered.

“It’s true. Viscount Kallian… is the last surviving bloodline of Elsen.”

“What?”

Her mind went blank for a moment.

At first, she couldn’t even process what she had just heard.

The shock hit her a beat later and her lips parted in astonishment.

“I don’t know how much the viscount told you…”

Dylan’s hands trembled slightly. He couldn’t even bring himself to look her in the eye as he spoke in a hushed tone.

“I will explain everything. At the time, we did everything we could to save the Grand Duchess, who was carrying the last surviving heir of the Grand Duke of Elsen.”

“…….”

“To mislead those searching for her, we used the body of another pregnant woman who had been caught in the massacre orchestrated by Viscount Ilmos… We made it appear that she was the Grand Duchess and set her body adrift in the lake.”

It was a terrible story to hear.

For a moment Elliope thought she could smell the metallic stench of blood and her fingers trembled instinctively.

Dylan, too, seemed to struggle as he spoke – his fingertips trembled slightly.

“It pained us deeply to desecrate that woman’s body… but at that moment, survival was all that mattered. For a merciless killing was unfolding before our eyes.”

“What happened to the Grand Duchess then…?”

“She hid her identity and lived among the poorest, no different from the poor. “

“The young master born at that time did not live to reach maturity… and that young master was none other than Viscount Kallian’s father.”

“…….”

“However, even the young master who survived… was born with an illness. The struggles the Grand Duchess faced also affected him.”

Dylan’s voice grew unbearably heavy.

“He did not live long. His wife… that is Viscount Kallian’s mother, and also his younger sibling…”

The last words came out almost as a sob.

Elliope felt a tightness in her chest, constricting her breathing as she asked,

“Was there no way?”

“The late Grand Duke and Duchess feared that Viscount Ilmos’ crimes would come back to haunt them, so they relentlessly hunted down every trace of the Elsen bloodline.”

Dylan’s head remained bowed.

“They even sniffed out the slums… and just in case, they slaughtered children there without a sound, leaving no trace.”

“…….”

“In such circumstances, it was impossible to reveal his identity. Hiding was the only option.”

The terrible truth unfolded before her.

Hearing of the atrocities committed by the previous Grand Duke and Duchess – Theodor’s own parents, once so beloved – left Elliope’s mouth dry.

“Viscount Kallian also had to remain in hiding, which meant he could never secure a proper job…”

“…….”

“Viscount Kallian’s newborn sibling… starved to death.”

Elliope sat in stunned silence, feeling the faint trembling of the old man’s hands still on her fingertips.

“The coffin was too small.”

At those words, even her own fingers began to tremble.

“The coffin young Kallian carried in his arms was so, so… small.”

“…….”

“He didn’t even cry then. He just… stroked the coffin for a long time.”

The image formed vividly in her mind.

A child, too small and frail for his age from prolonged starvation, clutching a coffin even smaller than himself.

She could almost see his small hands running over the rough wooden box, as if trying to comfort what lay inside.

As if her own hands were caressing the coffin, an unbearable weight settled in her chest, burning and heavy.

Dylan let out a sigh – more like a breath choked with grief – as he spoke, his voice shaking.

“He kept asking… saying it was too light, asking if his sibling was really in there…”

Suddenly, Elliope remembered something Dylan had said earlier.

“Viscount Kallian has no relatives he can rely on…”

“…He’s always been alone.”

“That’s why I foolishly spoke of an heir, hoping that one day he might start a family of his own.”

Now that she understood the emotion behind those words, her mind felt restless.

‘And Kallian…’

Despite everything he had endured, he had sworn allegiance to the former Grand Duke and Duchess.

Against all odds, he had sworn to protect Theodor of Ilmos.

Against all odds, he had become Ilmos’ most loyal vassal – the strongest sword and shield in their service.

It was hard to imagine how he must have felt.

She had been unhappy as Grand Duchess, but even Kallian – who had always seemed calm and unshaken – had such a painful past.

“And so I made a vow.”

Dylan murmured quietly.

“No matter what, I will help Viscount Kallian get his revenge.”

“…….”

“Those filthy usurpers… I will see them brought down.”

Elliope gritted her teeth without realising it.

She had despised Theodor before – wished for his death more than once.

But never had that hatred burned so intensely within her as it did now.

The weight of silence lay heavily between them.

Then the door opened.

Carrying a basin of warm water, towels and medicinal herbs, Kallian stepped inside.

He looked at her, tilting his head slightly at the tense atmosphere.

“What is it, my lady?”

“Kallian.”

“Viscount.”

Dylan had already regained his calm demeanour, slipping back into the role of seasoned butler. Though his eyes were still red and his fists still clenched, his posture was once again measured and controlled.

His voice, now free of emotion, was calm.

“I will leave you both to rest.”

“Dylan.”

“I don’t want my grief to interfere with your time together.”

With that, Dylan quickly calmed his expression and left the room.

Kallian, sensing the subtle change in the air, moved closer to Elliope.

“What did Dylan tell you?”

His voice was calm, but Elliope could only stare at him blankly.

Before she realised it, her hand had reached out and gently cupped Kallian’s face.

“If he told you any nonsense…”

“… Honey.”

Elliope called to him softly.

Kallian flinched slightly, his eyes snapping back to hers.

She held his eyes for a moment before whispering again.

“Honey.”

Then she gently pulled him into an embrace.

Kallian allowed himself to be drawn in, his body relaxing as he yielded to her touch.

Elliope held his head close, cradling him against her as she stroked his hair again and again with gentle care.

‘This man…’

If only she had known sooner.

If only she had known of his past sooner – so she could have comforted him before now.

Even as she thought about it, her throat tightened with emotion.

Kallian remained still, accepting her touch in silence before murmuring softly.

“Somehow it feels like you’re learning how to handle a dog, Hone…”

Before Kallian could finish his sentence, Elliope cupped his face and pulled him in, capturing his lips in a deep kiss.

She had no idea what to say – no words seemed appropriate.

If she could give him all the warmth she had, she would.

For a moment Kallian hesitated. Then, as if instinctively drawn to her, he parted his lips and drew her in with his tongue.

“Mmh…”

The textured ridges of his palate brushed firmly against hers as their kiss deepened.

Before she knew it, Elliope’s back was against the bed.

“I wanted to… massage your wrist.”

Kallian’s voice had dropped to a dangerously low whisper.

Before he could say anything more, Elliope instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

With a long, shuddering breath, Kallian groaned.

In one swift motion, he pulled her dress up and effortlessly slid her underwear down, not bothering to remove them completely.

The fabric hung loosely around her calves, forgotten.

“It seems… I’ll have to do that next time.”