Chapter 42

Gopher, reminiscing about the past, suddenly looked up as if to confirm something. Bleria’s flame-like eyes flickered.

Is she scared? Or is she feeling pity?

Even when he caressed her cheek with his burned right hand, Bleria did not pull away. His lips curved slightly.

“There is no ruler in history who has been lenient toward traitors. The punishment was just, but it seems Mixel thinks differently. He believes my grandmother marked me as the successor back then and eliminated obstacles.”

He had never heard it directly from Mixel. But what other reason could there be for the rumors claiming “everyone died because of Gopher Allnight”?

“He thought my very birth was a sin. If I hadn’t existed, my uncle would have been reinstated, and the next Duke title would have gone to Mixel.”

“That’s absurd.”

Bleria babbled. Then, as if carefully selecting her words from myriad thoughts, she hesitantly moved her lips.

“If that really happened, the one he should resent is not you but Her Grace.”

Gopher hesitated for a moment. Despite being a party to the events, the thought of resenting Stella had never crossed his mind.

“…Because there’s nothing to resent.”

The death of his parents had not been a loss to him. He clenched and unclenched his cold fingers, returning his expression to normal.

“Mixel Luke had a good relationship with his family, so it must have shocked him greatly. His paranoia worsened to the point of delusion, and he started believing his unhappiness was my fault. I put up with it to an extent when we were younger, but now…“

Gopher reached for his stark hair, fiddling with the ends before letting his fingers move upward. When he finally touched the soft roots of his scalp, he seemed to hear Mixel’s voice, like an auditory hallucination.

“That’s how it started. But after feeding him rumors about you one after another, it seems he started hearing my words.”

He pressed his lips together tightly before slowly parting them.

“I can trust you, right, Bleria?”

Bleria nodded while keeping her gaze on him. That was enough.

***

Perhaps from exhaustion, Gopher fell asleep during the pause in their conversation.

Bleria gently stroked his hair. Beneath the slightly wavy, ash-brown strands lay a face even paler than usual. His closed eyelids looked serene, and his lips, softly shut, appeared peaceful.

As her gaze wandered to his face, Bleria quickly lowered her head.

Why…

Even now, she couldn’t understand.

Why had Gopher tried to kiss her, ultimately succeeding? At first, she thought it was a manifestation of his controlling nature, a desire to dominate her.

But reflecting on today, recalling his vulnerable expression when he declared his intent to kiss her, she felt uncertain.

Did Gopher really need to go to such lengths? That wasn’t the only thing troubling her.

He told me… about his past.

The dark secrets of the Allnight family, which she had only heard in fragments from others, were now fully revealed by Gopher himself. He, who had always glossed over details, shared everything. No one would tell their life story to a pet dog or cat. So, just a little, she allowed herself to hope.

Perhaps Gopher’s uncharacteristic actions stemmed from feelings similar to her own.

Despite feeling foolish for clinging to false hope, she couldn’t help but find him endearing. His vulnerable side showed her wonder if he genuinely cherished her.

“Haah.”

To deflate her growing fantasies, Bleria pressed her cheeks firmly with her hands. She found it troublesome that the corners of her mouth kept trying to lift. Gopher would likely dislike seeing her smile.

She glanced at him cautiously, wondering if he had woken up, but he was still asleep. Her gaze slid down to the tightly wrapped bandages.

It must have hurt a lot.

Seeing his injured state only confirmed her distrust of Mixel Luke. According to Gopher, he had been stabbed in a similar spot years ago.

If all Gopher achieved through such danger was Mixel Luke’s banishment, it was an inefficient approach, contrary to Gopher’s usual way of thinking. Even without banishing Mixel Luke, Gopher would have quickly become the successor.

Perhaps feeling sorry for him, Bleria looked at the sleeping Gopher with even more pity.

After hesitating for a moment, she lightly kissed his smooth forehead. Her face grew hot immediately after. To compose herself and let Gopher rest, Bleria decided to leave.

As she rose from the bed, a hand caught hers.

“Gopher…?”

His eyelids were half-open, his eyes unfocused. He didn’t look fully awake to anyone.

Bleria turned her captured hand to clasp his in return. Feeling the scars from the burn on his palm, she felt a twinge of sadness. Leaning in close, she whispered carefully, so as not to wake him fully.

“I’ll come back again.”

His eyes closed without a sound, and his hand dropped limply onto the bed. Left with an empty hand, Bleria clenched and unclenched her fist several times, feeling an odd sense of loss.

Outside Gopher’s chamber, a maid was waiting for her. Following the maid’s guidance, Bleria headed outside. Much to her displeasure, she encountered someone she did not wish to see.

Her gaze trailed from the person’s head to their feet. Aside from the previously injured left arm, there were no new bandages. Seeing him perfectly fine made her tone grow cold.

“I see the Count is safe and sound.”

Mixel Luke, for once, did not respond with his usual quips and merely stared at her. Out of pity for the nervous maid, Bleria said nothing more and walked past him. Unaware of time and place, the persistent man finally opened his mouth.

“The dog you took for a walk before—it’s a mutt.”

Was this really the time for such a comment? Though irritation surged within her, Bleria kept walking in silence. Mixel Luke’s voice grew fainter as the distance between them increased.

“The mother dog was of good lineage but accidentally mated with a stray. No one wanted the resulting pup, so Gopher took it in. He named it Rex, after me.”

Her steps faltered for a moment.

When the last three letters of MIXEL are reversed, they become LEX. But why does that even matter?

“My grandmother was the one who gave me the name Mixel Luke. It was when my father wasn’t in her good graces, so I doubt it was because she found me particularly adorable.“

“…No way.”

“Though she disguised herself as a fallen noble, my mother was a maid.”

The maid gasped. She tried to hide her reaction, but Bleria felt the same. Resisting the urge to turn her head and confirm Mixel Luke’s expression, Bleria asked,

“Why are you telling me this?“

“I thought… we’d grown a little closer. I hoped that might make it possible to convince you.“

“You must realize now that’s not the case.“

“Yes.”

Hearing that, Bleria resumed walking after a brief pause.

“So, I won’t be taking the gentle approach anymore. I hope you won’t be too upset. I still…”

His voice quickly faded and then vanished entirely.

Now, only Gopher’s voice echoed in Bleria’s mind.

“I can trust you, right, Bleria?”

And Gopher was the only one Bleria could trust in return.

***

“A celebration?”

When Bleria repeated the word, Harriet smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah. Amelia must’ve said something unnecessary to His Excellency. Since things are said to have stabilized, he’s throwing a party. Ha, it’s kind of embarrassing.“

“It’s absolutely necessary.”

For once, Bleria spoke in a resolute tone.

The Heaven family had always been known for having few children, but even by their standards, news of Harriet and her husband’s child came late.

Although both were healthy, rumors had quietly swirled beneath the surface. The family doctor’s diagnosis of stress as a cause for infertility had even become fodder for baseless speculation. It was time to set things straight.

“Don’t feel too pressured. Parties are often held for no reason at all.“

“That’s true, but…”

Harriet lowered her gaze, gently caressing her stomach. Judging by her expression, she didn’t seem entirely opposed to the idea, and Bleria felt a sense of relief.

“Ugh, I give up. If our lady says it must happen, then it must.“

“What am I to you…“

“Come on, Bleria. It’s all thanks to you.”

Harriet gave Bleria a light hug before releasing her.

“We might not have even realized the child was here if it weren’t for you.“

“…Blue grapefruit may be dangerous, but it’s not a deadly poison. Harriet is healthy, so it might’ve been fine even if it hadn’t been addressed.“

“Then, should I try eating a few more?”

“….”

“Don’t glare at me like that; take the credit, will you? If you hadn’t acted quickly, I’d have been worried sick even after finding out later.”

I wasn’t glaring, though…

Her expression naturally carried this impression, which occasionally led to misunderstandings. Harriet laughed cheerfully and patted Bleria on the head.

“To be honest, I was pretty anxious. I’ve been waiting for a child, but Damian is the heir. He tells me not to worry, but how can I not? The atmosphere in the house has been awful ever since you disappeared.”

“…”

“Do you remember how I wasn’t there when you first returned?“

“Yes, Harriet. You said you weren’t feeling well and went to rest.“

“This is something only Amelia and my husband know, but back then… I thought I might’ve been pregnant.”