<Chapter 9> Preparing to Leave (Part 1)

Accidents happen at unexpected times. A week before the engagement ceremony, the Duke had an accident. It was an overturn accident caused by the carriage wheel hitting a stone. Unfortunately, it happened while traveling on a rainy road, leaving the Duke in a critical condition.

It was an unforeseen event, and not anyone’s scheme. Thus, the atmosphere at Agaphel Castle became very gloomy. The head of the family being in danger affected the entire family.

According to the doctor, it was uncertain if he would wake up. Even if he did, he might not be able to walk, making Agaphel Castle no different from a mourning house.

If the Duke couldn’t open his eyes, Kiern would succeed him as the Duke. Even if he woke up, he would need time to recover, so Kiern would be the one to carry on the family business immediately.

Elizabeth thought Kiern’s life was very sad. It had only been two years since the Duchess passed away, and now he was in a dire situation where he might lose his father too. 

Of course, she wasn’t in a position to pity him, but she couldn’t help feeling sad. Elizabeth remembered Kiern, who had crumbled after the Duchess’s death.

She couldn’t readily leave when she remembered Kiern sitting absentmindedly at the grave where everyone had left on the Duchess’s memorial day. 

No matter how much he hated his father, he would still be sad. Elizabeth hoped he wouldn’t suffer too much.

In fact, the Duke’s absence was advantageous for the Lua mother and daughter. It was the perfect opportunity to escape to the Kingdom of Brittany without his watchful eyes. 

Yet, Elizabeth stayed by Kiern’s side, holding onto the brazen reason that a month hadn’t passed yet, as promised to Stella. She wanted to be by his side, even if only temporarily, if the Duke were to pass away.

In the past, she couldn’t do that because of the Duchess’s death. Foolishly, she only waited endlessly at the villa. When she returned, she couldn’t be any comfort to the broken Kiern.

She, too, had lost her father and was struggling, so she knew that nothing could be comforting at such times. She just prayed for him to recover while leaving him alone.

She thought giving him time to sort out his feelings was the right thing, not realizing it made him feel even more isolated.

In the end, Kiern crumbled and broke. Having witnessed it all from the sidelines, Elizabeth couldn’t leave coldly. 

She kept seeing him in her mind. If the Duke never woke up, Kiern would be left alone, and that haunted her.

She even wished the Duke would wake up. She couldn’t deny that this, too, stemmed from her selfish heart.

Elizabeth, though conflicted, didn’t neglect preparing to leave. She steadily got ready so she could leave at any time.

After the promised month was over, or when the Duke woke up. She resolved to leave without regret then.

* * *

“Haven’t you been going out too often lately?”

Elizabeth said to Stella, who had just returned from going out. It was something she said every day for the past few days, as Stella went out daily.

Stella, taking off her earrings, groaned.

“I’m not going out to play. There’s a lot to handle before we leave. My whole life is here; it’s not something that can be sorted out overnight.”

“If you’re that busy, should I help? I’ve mostly sorted my things, so I have time.”

“No, thanks. How can I trust your handiwork?”

Stella frowned, disgusted at the offer to help.

“I have my own plans. Could you stop treating me like a child?”

“I’m just saying because you look tired. Thank you for letting me do things my way.”

Elizabeth smiled faintly, holding Stella’s hand.

“Geez. You’re really making me feel bad.”

Stella pouted, complaining. Yet, she didn’t shake off Elizabeth’s hand, showing her affection.

Elizabeth felt as much pain as she was angry with her mother. She was glad she could still turn things around.

If she apologized to Kiern and left to live quietly as if she didn’t exist, there would come a time when she would forget those blue eyes.

With that thought, Elizabeth lightly stroked Stella’s shoulder with a faint smile.

Stella, who had been spoiled by her brothers, was prone to whining. Sometimes it felt like she was taking care of a younger sister rather than her mother, all because of that. Stella relaxed her expression and said,

“When you leave, you should at least see the Duke pass away. Leaving just like that would be heartless.”

“The Duke might wake up, you know.”

“The doctor said it’s unlikely. He might die soon.”

Stella nonchalantly uttered such cold words and unconsciously hummed a tune. It was unclear what she found so delightful. Despite the Duke being in a coma and dying, she seemed carefree.

Elizabeth felt a sense of dissonance with that attitude. It was too contrasting with the Stella who had cried her eyes out on the day of the Duchess’s death.

Perhaps, on that day too, her mother had shed false tears. The thought that she might have been pleased with the Duchess’s death made Elizabeth shiver.

Elizabeth was a little scared that Stella was her mother. As Kiern said, it was clear that the Duchess had died from the shock of learning about the Duke’s affair.

An affair with her most cherished maid and friend, so it was natural that the fragile Duchess couldn’t endure.

“Mom, are you really laughing right now?”

Elizabeth hardened her face and rebuked Stella, hoping her mother wasn’t that bad of a person.

“Everyone is worried about the Duke, and you’re saying such things as if it’s nothing?”

“There’s no order in which people go. The Duke might want to die quickly too.”

“Mom!”

“Whoa, you startled me! Why are you yelling?”

Stella stood up, seemingly tired of Elizabeth’s nagging.

“Where are you going?”

“To avoid you!”

Looking at the door Stella slammed shut, Elizabeth sighed. She couldn’t understand her mother at all.

Not knowing where to start unbuttoning the wrongly fastened buttons, Elizabeth tried to suppress her inexplicable anxiety.

Everything was going as planned. That was the only thing that calmed her anxiety.

A little later, Elizabeth boarded a carriage, exhausted. She was on her way to say her last goodbye to the orphanage where she regularly volunteered. If she moved to another kingdom, she might continue supporting them, but she wouldn’t be able to volunteer.

After the war, many children lost their parents, becoming a significant social issue. Elizabeth, who liked children, was a major supporter of organizations for them.

She had started volunteering by chance, and the touching and rewarding memories from then stayed with her, leading her to regularly visit the orphanage.

“Welcome, Julia.”

Sister Beatrix from the orphanage greeted Elizabeth with a bright smile.

Julia was Elizabeth’s baptismal name. Since this orphanage was managed by the Quarto Monastery, most of the managers were nuns and priests.

They all called each other by their baptismal names, so real names weren’t well known. It was said that some of them were wealthy or noble, but Elizabeth didn’t care. She hadn’t started this because of connections.

“Hello, Beatrix. I came today to have some music playtime with the children.”

“The children really love your piano melodies, Julia. They often asked when you would come.”

“I should have come more often.”

Elizabeth shyly smiled at Beatrix’s praise and was about to head to where the children were. Beatrix opened the playroom door and said,

“Oh, by the way, Isaac is here too.”