Ferdin sensed her fear was something instinctual, built up since she was very young. At the same time, he realized Erin was struggling to overcome this terror.

He tightened his arm around her shoulders. Just then, Karon spotted Erin. After saying something to the Marchioness, he quickly approached them.

When Karon came close, Ferdin released his hold on Erin. Looking at Ferdin with puzzled eyes, Karon soon bowed his head in greeting.

“Sister, Mother wants to see you now. And…”

Karon paused and glanced at Ferdin. With a briefly troubled expression, he whispered to Erin, “Please don’t make Mother sad this time.”

Ferdin’s expression hardened at those words.

“What do you mean by that?”

Erin’s voice trembled. What was Karon saying to her?

‘Don’t make Mother sad?’

Karon was a good child. But he had been raised by the Marchioness from a young age.

The reason Erin couldn’t honestly tell Karon about the abuse she suffered wasn’t just because of Corelia’s brainwashing.

She had no certainty that Karon would take her side even if she told him everything.

“Come on, let’s go. Mother is waiting.”

At Karon’s words, Erin turned her head to look at the Marchioness again.

True to his words, Corelia was quietly waiting for her in the distance. With loving eyes that seemed to understand everything, she didn’t rush them to come quickly.

She was perfectly playing the role of a mother waiting for her villainous daughter’s anger to subside.

Corelia was always like this. She was someone who knew how to manipulate situations to her advantage. She also preferred using those around her rather than taking action herself.

“Sister! Are you going to be like this again? We haven’t seen each other in so long—is it that difficult to have one conversation?”

“That’s enough, Lord Karon.”

When Karon urged Erin, Ferdin stepped in to stop him.

“Lord Ferdin, this isn’t your place to interfere. This is House Liserth’s business.”

“No, I’m speaking to you as Erin’s fiancé.”

Karon’s expression turned strange at those words. He couldn’t understand why Ferdin was intervening to this extent.

Wasn’t it well known that there were no feelings involved in their engagement?

“Fiancé?”

“Yes, fiancé.”

“But you don’t even love my sister.”

At Karon’s words, Ferdin hid Erin behind his back. The statement wasn’t even worth denying.

“Before judging others’ feelings, what about you… do you actually care about Erin?”

“I…”

Karon’s expression grew complicated.

He raised his head and met Erin’s eyes. But Erin quickly avoided Karon’s gaze and looked at Corelia with a hardened face.

Her demeanor clearly showed she had no desire to speak with Corelia right now.

“Lady Erin and I will be heading to the dormitory. Please tell the Marchioness I’ll visit her later.”

With those words, Ferdin firmly took Erin’s hand and walked past Karon.

* * *

Karon came to his senses when Corelia approached and grabbed his shoulder.

She was looking at where Erin had been standing with a sad face.

“Karon… I’ve made Erin angry again.”

A tear rolled down from Corelia’s eye. Karon didn’t know how to react to her distress.

This was a situation that had repeated since childhood, but he thought this time would be different. Erin had shown changes at the academy.

He believed that if it were now, the relationship between his mother and sister might improve. But apparently not.

“When will Erin open her heart to me? I…”

“Mother…”

“I’m just so worried about Erin…”

“Sister is adapting well in the Swordsmanship Department. And someday she’ll open her heart to you too, Mother.”

“But Karon… Raymon, who was protecting Erin, has disappeared.”

“What?”

Karon was genuinely surprised by Corelia’s words.

He had thought Raymon had returned to the Marquis’s mansion.

“Without him, there’s no one to guide Erin if she strays down the wrong path. That’s what worries me so much.”

“Sister… Sister seems to have changed, Mother. She hasn’t caused any trouble at the academy, nor has she bullied anyone.”

At his words, Corelia briefly looked at Karon with irritation. But it happened so quickly that he didn’t notice the dissonance at all.

“Karon… I…”

Corelia suddenly began crying loudly. Clutching Karon’s shoulders, she wept sorrowfully, nearly fainting.

Her sobs drew the attention of passersby, who glanced over and whispered among themselves.

“Did Erin Liserth upset the Marchioness again?”

“How pitiful… I heard the reason she came to the academy early this time was because of Erin Liserth.”

“She might have verbally abused the Marchioness again.”

Karon grew angry at the onlookers’ comments. He was furious at those who spoke carelessly about Erin without knowing anything. But with Corelia clinging to him, he couldn’t do anything else.

“Didn’t she almost get hurt during the monster subjugation along with the Princess? Without Raymon, there’s no one to restrain her… I thought I should come myself. I hurried here only to be ignored again, which breaks this mother’s heart…”

“But Mother, if that’s the reason, there’s nothing to worry about. Sister… has really improved. Everyone likes her now.”

Corelia’s face hardened at Karon’s words.

‘What? Did Karon Liserth just contradict me?’

Corelia narrowed her eyes and stared at him.

The obedient little boy who always followed her words had disappeared, replaced by a young man with an uncomfortable expression who avoided meeting her eyes.

‘Has he grown up, is that it?’

It seems he’s learned to think for himself.

However, Corelia wasn’t too concerned about his change in attitude. People like Karon were very easy to manipulate.

Corelia lowered her head with a sad face. Karon’s discomfort was palpable. Corelia confirmed this with a sidelong glance and smirked.

‘Of course, Karon couldn’t have changed.’

She took his hand with a pitiful touch.

“Karon… but parents have a duty to guide their children properly…”

“…”

“Just like between you and me, I need to guide Erin.”

“Mother…”

Corelia gripped Karon’s hand tightly. A strange heat swirled in her eyes. Karon felt an inexplicable fear at that gaze.

Corelia whispered to him, “So will you help me meet with Erin alone?”

* * *

Was this the right thing to do? Karon hesitated. In the past, he would have acted without a moment’s hesitation at Corelia’s request.

But not anymore.

Karon bit his lower lip. He wasn’t sure if what he was about to do was right.

‘It’s clear that Sister doesn’t want to see Mother.’

But his mother’s tears kept flashing in his mind. Karon felt somewhat indebted to Corelia.

Despite being able to have children of her own, Corelia had given up having her own child for Erin and Karon.

“It’s enough for me to raise those children well.”

She had poured all her love and devotion into them, even though they weren’t her biological children.

He could certainly grant Corelia’s request. Besides, wasn’t it ridiculous that she needed to ask for help just to meet with her daughter alone?

Despite thinking this, Karon couldn’t shake the uneasiness lurking in a corner of his mind.

“So, Lord Karon, you want me to relay your message to Lady Erin?”

Karon nodded to the dormitory supervisor in front of him.

“Yes, please tell her to meet me at the café called ‘Night Garden’ in front of the academy… in an hour.”

The dormitory supervisor, Eloua, looked at Karon suspiciously for not delivering such a simple message himself.

Ignoring her gaze, he turned away. Fatigue washed over him.

‘It should be… fine.’

Karon staggered as he headed toward the academy’s central hall. He needed somewhere to clear his mind.

His footsteps felt strangely heavy. By now, the dormitory supervisor would have delivered his message to Erin.

“Karon… don’t worry. I’ll speak well with Erin. She’ll understand you.”

“Erin won’t come out if I call her. Nothing will happen… You’re such a good son, Karon.”

Why did he keep remembering Corelia’s sad whispers? He might be a good son, but he would never be a good brother.