Chapter 46
My Heart Feels Heavy
Every day, he regretted it.
If only he had stopped Cain from going to propose to Mushila. Whenever he thought about that, he fell into self-loathing. It was unbearably painful.
His parents, too, regretted opposing Cain and Mushila’s marriage, tormenting themselves over it. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his grieving parents that there had been a child between Cain and Mushila.
And now—according to Magus’s letter, the whereabouts of his nephew had been found.
“In the Ishtar Empire… Count Paul Heredian’s estate…”
Vaello tapped the desk with his fingers. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand why Cain and Mushila’s child had been found in the household of Count Paul Heredian.
Above all, was it true? He had doubts. But Magus wasn’t someone who would lie. He knew well that Magus had been searching for nearly twenty years for Cain and Mushila. If this letter were true, then surely finding the nephew meant they had also found Cain and Mushila.
Yet nowhere in the letter was there a single word about them.
“Why?”
As Vaello thought deeply, unease settled in his chest. The letter said they’d found his nephew—but not Cain or Mushila. Which meant, perhaps, that he couldn’t write about their situation.
“Kaelen.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Postpone everything left for today to tomorrow.”
“Pardon?”
“And immediately bring Lord Magus of House Spencer here.”
“But, Your Grace, today’s schedule includes a personal request from Her Majesty the Queen—”
“It seems we may have found Cain’s whereabouts.”
“Young Master Cain, who went missing twenty years ago?”
“Yes. So cancel everything for today. Inform my parents as well, and tell them to return to the estate at once.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Vaello reread the letter once more. His eyes burned. The image of his kind younger brother—who knew nothing but the sword—smiling brightly, came back to him. He had forced himself to let time pass, not wanting to feel pain. But now he realized something: the sorrow of losing family never truly fades, no matter how much time goes by. It wasn’t that time had healed him—he had only forgotten for a while.
“Brother, Lady Mushila is carrying my child.”
“What really happened that day, Cain…”
Vaello lowered his head. A single tear fell onto the letter.
Daniel gently reached out and straightened his daughter Pelena’s tousled hair. His cold palm lovingly caressed her head.
“Please kill him, Father.”
“I will, my honeybee. So stop frowning.”
“That scum, Roryrolls, dared to harm my son—humiliated him before everyone! Even if he were torn limb from limb and died screaming, it wouldn’t ease this rage.”
Pelena’s angry voice trembled, her breathing harsh between her slightly parted lips.
Today’s duel of honor involving Luance had been nothing but disgrace and fury.
Even defeating someone as ugly and untalented with a sword as Roryrolls wouldn’t have been worth boasting about—but losing? Unthinkable. No one in the arena believed Luance could lose. Yet, contrary to everyone’s expectations, he had been defeated—humiliatingly so.
“Don’t let him die easily. Make him feel every pain a human can.”
“As my honeybee wishes, so it shall be.”
“My son, the future emperor of this empire, shamed himself in such a ridiculous duel—and lost! It infuriates me. And it will go down in history—a royal duel, remembered for all time! The humiliation is unbearable.”
“Don’t worry. When Luance becomes emperor, we’ll simply rewrite history.”
Daniel soothed his daughter as best he could.
“Father, for Luance to become emperor, Adrian must die. But both you and I have failed every assassination attempt.”
“Adrian will die soon—without question.”
“He will?”
Pelena’s tense brow began to relax.
“Truly, Father?”
“Yes.”
At Daniel’s firm answer, Pelena smiled, her once-cold face blooming with vitality.
“The monster of Count Paul Heredian’s house has confirmed Adrian’s death.”
“Truly? Has the monster finally awakened its power?”
Pelena laughed aloud. For so long, she had sent countless assassins after Adrian, poisoned his meals, dug traps and waited—but that infuriating man always escaped death, again and again.
Even when Adrian ventured into areas infested with monsters, she had mocked him inwardly, only for him to return a hero, saving citizens from those very beasts and being hailed as the Empire’s savior.
“So that leech is finally dead.”
Adrian had only grown stronger, gathering influence—and even stealing Charlotte, whom they had once promised to Luance as his future empress. Hearing rumors that they had shared a bed before marriage filled Pelena with disgust. She had thought of Charlotte as a future daughter-in-law, and to see her become Adrian’s woman sickened her.
“Once Crown Prince Adrian is dead, we must deal with Princess Charlotte as well, Father.”
“Indeed. And are you certain the High Saintess has agreed to become Luance’s consort?”
“Yes. The High Saintess herself confirmed she will become Luance’s empress.”
Daniel’s red eyes gleamed, his black tongue sliding across his lips.
“Once Luance ascends and relocates the Temple of Goddess Ella to the Ishtar Empire, the people will rejoice—and praise him for taking the Saintess as his empress.”
“But can the Temple really be moved here?”
“Of course.”
Daniel’s crimson gaze never blinked as it fixed on Pelena.
“Do not dwell on today’s humiliation, Pelena. Luance is suffering more than we are. As his mother, comfort him—make sure his mind doesn’t break.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Until this scandal dies down, stay with Luance in the Greycan Territory.”
“I will.”
“Just remember this, Pelena—after His Majesty’s birthday celebration, the Crown Prince will no longer be Adrian, but our Luance.”
“Understood, Father.”
“You won’t disappoint me, my honeybee.”
Teishar gently seated Laurencia in a soft chair. He topped her favorite cocoa with whipped cream and poured chocolate syrup generously over it before setting it before her.
“Here you are, Lady Laurencia. Please drink it all—but don’t feel forced to. It’s fine if you leave some.”
“I can drink it all.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“I never force myself. Thank you, as always, for the delicious cocoa, Marquis Spencer.”
“I’ll keep making it for you.”
Whenever Laurencia looked at cocoa, her eyes sparkled—and Teishar found that sight delightful. When she finished drinking, he would gently wipe the traces of cocoa and cream from her lips with a handkerchief. Each time, he felt a strange sense of accomplishment and warmth.
Lately, though, instead of satisfaction, his heart pounded so hard his hands trembled while wiping her lips. Maybe it was nerves—or maybe he was developing a tremor. His shaking hands were making it harder to serve her properly. He resolved to consult a physician soon.
“Um, Marquis Spencer?”
“Yes, Lady Laurencia?”
“Your father has arrived—shouldn’t you go greet him?”
“You’re more important to me than my father right now, Lady Laurencia.”
“Is my cocoa really that important?”
Laurencia always doubted his kindness. Ever since the moment her trust in Luance shattered, she had decided never to trust anyone again. Unwarranted kindness, she had learned, always came with a hidden price.
“Of course. Ensuring you eat and drink well is of utmost importance to me.”
Laurencia smiled faintly. Images from the violet crystal orb flashed in her mind—the present Teishar, and the tragic future version of him.
[I’ve come to save you.]
[I want to protect you, Lady Laurencia.]
Perhaps the crystal orb had been showing her that she could trust Teishar.
“Why, Lady Laurencia?”
“I’m just… grateful. For everything you’ve done for me—and for saving me from the Count’s estate.”
Laurencia knew, at least, that Teishar’s kindness wasn’t like Luance’s—he wasn’t using her for his own ends.
“You’re so kind to me…”
She planned to leave soon, once her goals were achieved—she and Leo would go far away. So whether Teishar treated her kindly or not shouldn’t have mattered. Yet an inexplicable unease filled her chest. When she imagined staying by his side even after everything was over, that anxiety faded.
Why did it feel this way?
“My heart feels heavy.”
Teishar looked at Laurencia quietly. As her small, soft lips trembled, his brows furrowed.
He reached out and brushed her crimson hair. Her violet eyes filled with tears. What thoughts could be tormenting her so deeply inside that small head of hers? If only she knew how desperate he was to make her feel better.
Teishar cupped her soft cheek.
“It’s all right.”
He gently pulled Laurencia into his arms, stroking her hair and patting her back like a parent comforting a child.
Laurencia thought she should push him away from that warm, gentle embrace—but she couldn’t lift her head, nor could she bring herself to let go.
