Chapter 13
Night fell, and Ayla used the stick she had picked up during the day to open the secret compartment.
The previous time, she had managed to slip her finger into the crack in the wall, but she had injured her hand doing it. She thought using a tool would be much easier.
When Laura saw her picking up the stick, she scolded her, asking what she planned to use it for. But since Ayla often collected sticks, saying she wanted to practice swordsmanship, Laura didn’t find it particularly suspicious.
After changing into the comfortable clothes she had hidden inside the secret compartment, Ayla opened the hidden door on the opposite wall and slipped out of the attic.
Getting outside wasn’t difficult.
The real problem began now.
I don’t know where that letter is.
Cloud had been the one who caught the bird that morning. The bird obviously couldn’t speak, so it must have carried a message tied to its leg.
But Ayla didn’t know whether Cloud still had the letter or had already handed it over to Byron.
Logically, he had probably reported its contents to Byron and given him the letter as well. But it was also possible that he had only reported the contents verbally.
If the message contained highly confidential information, they might have read it and burned it immediately.
When she had infiltrated the ducal mansion in her previous life, Byron’s letters delivered through Laura had often been handled that way.
Still, I can’t just give up without checking.
To defeat an enemy, you first had to know your enemy.
Right now, there were simply too many things she didn’t know.
Besides, this incident had never happened in her previous life. It was a new change in history, and unless she discovered the reason, she would never be able to stop worrying.
I’ll check Byron’s room first.
If the letter still existed, Byron’s room was the most likely place.
Just as she had done the previous night, Ayla climbed the tree beside Byron’s window.
But even though it was still rather early for Byron to sleep, his room was completely dark.
Has he already gone to bed?
Hiding among the branches, Ayla carefully watched the dark room.
She couldn’t believe Byron would already be asleep. Still, if he really was sleeping, this would be the perfect opportunity.
The room was completely silent.
It was so dark she could barely see anything, but she narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the interior.
Then she noticed the faint outline of someone sitting beside the bed.
Apparently, it was Byron.
…That scared me.
She had thought he was asleep.
Why was he sitting there in complete darkness without even lighting a lamp?
Even from outside, she could see his golden eyes faintly shining.
That was close.
If she had assumed he was sleeping and climbed inside, she would have run straight into him.
She sighed in relief, glad she had taken the time to observe first.
Still…
What was he doing, just sitting alone in a pitch-black room?
The sight was unsettling.
What should I do now?
Ayla bit her lip anxiously.
She desperately wanted to read that letter, but as long as Byron sat there staring into empty space, she couldn’t risk it.
She couldn’t wait here until he fell asleep either.
She wasn’t even certain the letter was in his room.
Then… maybe I’ll search Cloud’s room first.
She decided to abandon Byron’s room and look for Cloud instead.
But then she realized something.
I don’t even know which room is his.
Surely it couldn’t be far from Byron’s.
Cloud was Byron’s lost right handāhis most loyal hunting dog.
Someone that important wouldn’t stay far away.
After thinking for a while, Ayla considered searching every nearby room.
It was a crude, simple plan.
But she couldn’t think of anything better.
If she only looked through the windows, it wouldn’t take too long.
It had to be better than waiting here doing nothing.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t find Cloud anywhere.
Carefully hiding herself, she searched every room on the second floor.
There wasn’t even a trace of him.
Why isn’t he here?
Could he be staying on another floor?
No.
That couldn’t be right.
Byron called for Cloud constantly.
There was no way Cloud would live on a different floor.
He had obviously gone somewhere else.
Maybe he went to visit his sister-in-law and niece?
She couldn’t be certain.
But there was no reason not to check.
Without hesitation, Ayla headed toward the room where Laura lived with her mother.
Wrong again…
Ayla let out a quiet sigh.
She had hurried to Laura and Capella’s room, but Cloud wasn’t there either.
Where in the world had he gone at this hour?
Just as she was about to give up and return to the attic…
The very person she had been searching for finally appeared.
Cloud hurried toward Laura and Capella’s room.
He looked anxious.
“Sister-in-law, where’s Laura?”
Hidden in the darkness, Ayla watched as Capella, looking as though she had just woken up, came to greet her brother-in-law.
“She’s asleep.”
Capella answered with slight irritation.
It was already very late.
Normally everyone would be asleep by now.
“That’s a problem. My lord needs her immediately…”
Cloud frowned awkwardly.
Capella’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Laura?”
Ayla was just as confused.
Why would Byron suddenly need Laura in the middle of the night?
Cloud shook his head.
“No. The girl.”
Damn…
The moment she heard those words, a chill ran down Ayla’s spine.
Once Byron locked her in the attic each night, no one ever came looking for her until morning.
That freedom had allowed her to move around unnoticed.
So why was he suddenly asking for her tonight?
“Please wait a moment. I can wake that girl and bring her myself.”
…I’m doomed.
This wasn’t just bad.
It was a disaster.
There wasn’t even a moment to hesitate.
Before Capella reached the attic…
Ayla had to get back without being seen, change her clothes, climb into bed, and pretend she had been asleep the entire time.
Can I make it?
Her mind went blank with panic.
But she couldn’t waste even a second.
Using every ounce of awareness she possessed, Ayla dashed through the darkness.
Fortunately, she met no one before reaching the entrance to the secret passage.
She immediately climbed the ladder.
She knew she should move quietly.
But if she climbed too carefully, Capella would reach the attic before she did.
Her palms were slippery with sweat.
Still, she couldn’t stop.
By the time she finally reached the attic, she was completely out of breath.
But there was no time to recover.
She could already hear footsteps approaching.
Thank goodness she hadn’t hidden her nightgown inside the secret compartment.
Otherwise she would have needed to open it first before changing.
She quickly stripped off her training clothes and pulled on her light nightdress.
At that very moment…
She heard someone step onto the ladder beneath the attic door.
There wasn’t enough time to hide her training clothes inside the secret compartment again.
She hurriedly stuffed them under the bed before climbing into it and pretending to be asleep.
She had just begun slowing her breathing while waiting for Capella to open the attic door when she heard her voice from below.
“M-My lord… Why have you come all the way here? If you had waited in your room, I would have brought her to you immediately…”
“That’s unnecessary. I’ll go in myself.”
The one who answered wasn’t Capella.
It was Byron.
Ayla couldn’t help being shocked.
This was the first time Byron had ever come looking for her in the middle of the night.
It was also the first time he had personally come to her room.
He always kept her locked away in the most isolated part of the hideout.
Whenever he needed her, he simply summoned her.
The Ayla of the past, who loved him with all her heart, would have run to him without hesitation.
How should I react?
Should she continue pretending to sleep?
No…
Even a child would probably wake up if someone entered their room.
If she were truly asleep, what would she think after suddenly seeing Byron standing there?
Should she look surprised?
Should she be overjoyed?
Or perhaps…
The Ayla of the past…
Would have believed it was only a dream.
Yes.
She would have thought it was a dream.
A wonderful, happy dream.
During the short time it took Byron to climb the ladder, countless thoughts raced through Ayla’s mind.
Yet even as Byron opened the attic door and stepped inside, she still hadn’t decided how she should act.
As a result, she missed the chance to pretend she had just woken up.
All she could do was keep her eyes tightly shut.
Byron walked straight to the bedside and slowly reached out toward her hair.
Although her eyes were closed, Ayla’s sharpened senses allowed her to feel his hand approaching as clearly as if she were watching it.
“Ophelia.”
