WHM | Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Aileen looked up at the sky that was still dark with heavy clouds, even though dawn was slowly approaching.

The steady sound of the rain usually helped her calm down, but not today. The news she had just heard left her mind churning.

“Are you sure? They’re really moving troops to the border of the Zenis Kingdom?”

“Yes. A large military force is gathering quietly in the Lontir Canyon. They’re preparing for a full-scale war.”

Even though she stared in disbelief, the small bird on her shoulder only shrugged its wings.

“Why would he want to start a war?”

It wasn’t just that Cedric didn’t know—Chester’s actions made no sense at all.

“He wants to expand the northern territories.”

“You mean expand the Empire’s territory.”

When Aileen corrected him, Theorn corrected her again, in a strangely pointed tone.

“No. I mean Lowell’s territory.”

Aileen froze.

Why make that distinction?

“You don’t mean…”

“Even if it has been part of the Empire for a long time now, Lowell was originally a kingdom.”

“You’re saying they want independence from the Empire? That’s impossible.”

“What do you think is the biggest reason Chester Lowell dislikes you?”

Aileen had never thought deeply about that. She simply believed he disliked her because Cedric now had someone trustworthy beside him—someone who wasn’t Chester—and that made her a threat to his power.

“You’re royalty.”

“Even if I’m only from a side branch?”

“It’s enough. The imperial family clearly wants Lowell kept under their control. Taking your seal from you was proof of that.”

He was right.

She shouldn’t think of Chester simply as someone who wanted Cedric’s position.

“To the Empire, Lowell’s loyalty must look questionable. Or maybe they want to force absolute obedience—one or the other.”

Aileen glanced toward the adjoining room where Cedric was sleeping.

“If Chester already felt that way from the beginning, maybe he really does want to separate Lowell from the Empire.”

“I told you—Baron Demicalon is extreme.”

If Cedric didn’t act decisively, Chester Lowell would push things himself.

That was the real danger.

“Does he even have a justification?”

“They can always make one.”

That was true. Chester Lowell could easily create a fake reason for war.

He could even burn down a village himself and claim Zenis launched an attack.

“But they still don’t have enough forces for a full-scale war, right?”

“Demicalon’s troops alone aren’t enough to seize more than one city.”

“He’ll try to persuade Cedric, then—form a northern alliance and attack Zenis together.”

“Then the restoration of the Lowell Kingdom is basically right around the corner. That’s his true goal. Remove Zenis first, so they can’t stab him in the back, then prepare to fight the Empire.”

Theorn sounded completely detached, as if he were discussing the weather.

Aileen stared at him.

“What about Arwyn? Will your country join them?”

“If Lowell chooses that path, Arwyn will follow Lowell—not the Empire. We can’t refuse to send troops.”

“You support the war?”

“No. Too many will die. Take Zenis, then fight the Empire? That becomes a brutal, drawn-out war. Five years, maybe ten.”

And the North would be utterly devastated in the meantime.

Even if Lowell won, everyday northern lives would be destroyed.

“…Can’t you block the path? Like the avalanche before?”

“That was only good for buying time. And I exhausted too much power then. I can’t use that method for a while.”

Aileen had known it was a desperate suggestion.

This wasn’t something a temporary trick could solve.

If Chester really wanted war, no weather disturbance could stop him.

She let out a faint sigh.

“Thank you… for the rain. It put out the fire.”

“I’ll collect my payment someday, so don’t thank me too much.”

“If I even have something worth taking.”

She didn’t own anything Theorn would truly want.

Theorn stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly changed the subject.

“You managed to see the future, but you didn’t use it very well.”

“Cedric doesn’t listen to me easily, you know.”

“A shame. Look at me—I’m having this conversation in a miserable setting.”

He spread his wings dramatically, clearly annoyed.

His serious voice mixed with the cute gesture made Aileen snort.

“…Send a message to Cedric for me. Pretend you don’t know me. Tell him about Baron Demicalon and the troop movements at the border.”

“Now she’s giving me orders.”

“I can’t tell him myself.”

This was the only safe way.

Aileen could no longer act directly.

“So you’re saying you won’t contact me anymore.”

His tone wasn’t angry—it sounded disappointed.

Aileen wondered if she imagined it.

“I should stop…”

“Aileen.”

The voice she did not want to hear sounded behind her.

The smile on her face vanished instantly.

Her whole body tensed.

Her vision flickered in panic.

She didn’t want to turn around.

Her fingers tightened around her dress.

“Aileen.”

“Cedric…”

But she had to turn.

Cedric stood there—upper body wrapped in thick bandages, leaning against the doorframe that was now fully open.

His expression was one she had never seen before.

Cold.

Frozen.

Scary.

“…Ha.”

A humorless laugh escaped Cedric.

“I’m the only fool here, right?”

“Cedric, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong.”

She couldn’t guess how much he heard—or when he woke.

It hadn’t even been a few hours since treatment.

His eyes were bloodshot.

“What part is wrong? You secretly contacted Prince Theorn behind my back. You hid it the entire time. You two whispered to each other, scheming, while I wandered around clueless—isn’t that it?”

“What… no. Cedric, it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I was trying to save you—trying to help you.”

“By stabbing me in the back?”

His teeth ground audibly.

At this point, reasoning with him was nearly impossible.

“You never listen to me. Not yesterday, not before.”

“But the prince listens to you? So you told him everything? Complained about how frustrating I am? That must’ve felt great.”

“Cedric.”

His sarcastic tone was unbearable.

She took a deep breath to continue—

—but something darted past both of them.

“You really are an idiot.”

Aileen flinched in shock.

She thought Theorn had already left the room—but he was still there in bird form.

“If you eavesdropped, you should’ve listened properly—or at least understood the main point.”

Cedric’s bloodshot eyes followed Theorn as he hopped onto the window sill.

The prince continued, voice sharp with mockery:

“If you think she owes you gratitude because the rain I summoned saved your life, that’s too bad. She would’ve survived without it.”

Cedric was shaking with rage.

It wasn’t just jealousy.

It was betrayal.

Theorn clearly knew Aileen well.

Aileen spoke to him naturally.

They openly discussed her powers.

The one secret Cedric believed Aileen shared only with him—

He wasn’t special after all.

He wasn’t the first.

He wasn’t the only one.

Why had he been so stupid?

She only told him because he begged and begged.

But clearly, she had told someone else long before.

“You still don’t get it,” Theorn said. “You don’t even know the real reason Aileen contacts me.”

“I don’t care.”

Cedric couldn’t stand another second.

He refused to hear Theorn brag about how Aileen trusted him more—how useless Cedric was in comparison.

“Cedric, listen. Even if you’re angry, you have to hear about your uncle—”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

He turned away, grabbed his sword—actually strapped it on—put on his shirt and outer coat—and walked right out the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here. I can’t be near you right now. I don’t want to see you. So stop following me.”

Aileen instinctively stepped after him—but her feet stopped.

Theorn landed on her shoulder, saying in a dry voice:

“I don’t understand why you try so hard to help such a hopeless man.”

“I owe Cedric a debt.”

“You owe me one too.”

Aileen didn’t answer.

She simply stared down the empty hallway Cedric had disappeared into.

“It’s not that simple,” she finally whispered.

Her heart ached in a way that was almost infuriating.

Cedric worried for her so fiercely—yet Theorn worrying about her made no sense to her at all.