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Chapter 72
Behind Scarlet, Jerome was standing, keeping an eye on Herwin. Scarlet crossed her arms and frowned as she scanned Herwin from head to toe.
“You’re in a terrible state, my son.”
“How did Mother find out about this place…?”
Ignoring his question, Scarlet stepped straight into the room.
The smell of alcohol filled the space, and Scarlet pinched her nose as she looked around the dimly lit interior. She went straight to the window and pulled back the curtains.
The bright light made Herwin frown.
“Good heavens! Did you drink all of this by yourself?”
Scarlet was horrified at the sight of the scattered bottles on the floor.
“And they’re all strong liquor, too. How long has it been like this?”
“Not long.”
“For a week, you haven’t left your room or eaten anything, just drinking. My lord,” Herwin tried to explain, but Jerome immediately corrected him. Herwin shot a sharp glance at Jerome, but Jerome deliberately ignored it and began pulling the curtains with Scarlet.
“I rushed down when I heard about Lucia’s engagement, and your state is even worse.”
“…So you received Henry’s message.”
“Exactly! Do you know how shocked I was when I heard about Lucia’s engagement? I was wondering when you would tell us about your relationship. What on earth happened?”
“I’ve never dated Lucia.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. It’s obvious you like her. How could that be a lie? Even Henry wrote something strange about it in his letter…”
Scarlet’s smirk faded as she noticed Herwin avoiding her gaze.
“…You’re saying no?”
“Yes.”
“Then what about Lucia? Didn’t she like you too?”
“Lucia…”
Herwin moved his lips but then clutched his head painfully, thinking of Lucia and Bern.
Scarlet was taken aback by the state her son was in—it was worse than she had imagined.
“Uh, my lady… could I have a moment to speak…?”
At that moment, Jerome, who had been hovering around Scarlet, explained what had happened to Herwin.
“It seems something happened with Miss Agnes at the party you attended. He’s been drinking continuously since the day he returned.”
“Hmmm…”
Scarlet now roughly understood the situation. She scanned her disheveled son from head to toe.
“Let’s talk about the details later. Jerome, go tell the chef to prepare a meal immediately. Herwin, you go to the bathroom, wash up, and come out.”
Herwin’s face was ruined with a week’s worth of stubble. He had poured alcohol into his empty stomach without eating, so his complexion was poor.
“Mother, I’m fine, so I’ll just go back—”
“Do you think I’ll let my grown son just go? Don’t argue—go in! And don’t come out until you’re properly clean!”
Herwin had no chance of defying Scarlet. In the end, he gave in and went to wash up.
After thoroughly cleaning himself and shaving off the grown stubble, Herwin looked at his reflection in the mirror.
His eyes were hollow, his face exhausted—it looked as if he had lost everything, like someone who had just been heartbroken.
“It’s no different,” he thought.
He was pained at realizing his feelings too late and regretted pushing Lucia away. The thought that she had drifted far from him made it feel like he was dying—and if this isn’t heartbreak, what is?
Herwin averted his gaze from his reflection, and as he stepped out of the bathroom, he felt refreshed.
The room that had been thick with the smell of alcohol was now filled with fresh air, and the messy space had been cleaned.
“You’re all clean. My lady is waiting downstairs.”
Just then, Jerome appeared with clothes for him to change into.
Herwin obediently changed and went downstairs. Jerome felt uneasy—this was unusual, as the young man who would normally argue had just followed instructions quietly.
“Oh my, it’s been so long. How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine, of course. It really has been a long time, Duchess.”
At that moment, they heard Scarlet’s laugh and a familiar voice.
Hearing a voice that shouldn’t be here, Herwin felt uneasy. He hurried toward the sound and saw Arista with her blonde hair loose.
“Arista?”
Hearing her name, Arista turned around. She was dressed casually in pants and a shirt as usual.
Seeing Herwin, she frowned.
“…What’s wrong with your face?”
Arista approached him, scrutinizing his appearance.
“…You disappeared at the party without a word. What happened?”
He had seemed uneasy at the party, but now he looked like an entirely different person. His hollowed cheeks suggested he hadn’t been eating properly.
Sniff—
Arista caught a faint scent.
“Did you drink?”
“…Do I smell?”
“Not much, but my nose is sharp.”
Arista was surprised—he had never touched a drop of alcohol before.
“And what about you? Why are you here without notice?”
“You didn’t get our messages? We and the others tried contacting you.”
Herwin looked at Jerome, who gave a helpless expression.
“The young lord said no one was to enter! I told your friends several times that they had contacted you!”
“…I see…”
He wasn’t sure—these past few days had been a blur.
“So why are you here?”
“To see your face and check your condition. And the sword is finally finished.”
Earlier, Arista had commissioned the family’s blacksmith to craft a sword at Herwin’s request.
She showed him the sword, but Herwin merely examined it with a blank expression.
“You don’t like it? Even if you don’t, you have to pay for it!”
“No, I do like it. Tell Jerome later. I’ll send the payment.”
Herwin placed the sword back casually, thanking her.
Arista was puzzled—Herwin, who usually went crazy over swords, reacted so indifferently. She had expected him to be like a child with a new toy, but he was strangely calm.
Scarlet, watching their brief interaction, stood up.
“I’ll leave you two alone to talk. It’ll be easier for you, Herwin.”
“Mother…”
“Arista, take care of our useless son. He’ll probably open up to you more than me.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Arista, unaware of what had happened to Herwin, responded in confusion.
After Scarlet and Jerome left, Herwin sat down, looking exhausted.
“Don’t mind what my mother says. It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Look at you. I’ve never seen you so ruined. Does Lucia know about this?”
Herwin’s face darkened. Arista narrowed her eyes, noticing the change.
“She’s probably busy with her fiancé right now.”
Herwin muttered bitterly, and Arista crossed her arms.
“Something happened between you and Lucia at the party, didn’t it?”
Herwin flinched. Arista slammed the table.
“Tell me what happened with Lucia.”
Herwin kept his lips tightly shut and avoided her gaze. In response, Arista sat across from him and firmly crossed her legs.
“I’ll stay here until you tell me, so don’t be stubborn.”
“….”
“Or should I go ask Lucia directly?”
Herwin reacted to the name, and Arista sighed deeply.
“Last time, we cleared the room so you two could talk. Have you still not reconciled?”
Thinking of the day when everyone, including Bern and Lucia, had shared a meal, Herwin moved his lips.
“That’s… not it…”
“Then why?”
“Lucia…”
“Lucia?”
“She kissed Marquis Casper.”
Arista was briefly taken aback by her friend’s admission, but quickly regained her composure.
“Hmm. Well, they’re engaged, so it’s not really unusual.”
Herwin grimaced just imagining it.
A moment of silence passed, and Arista, seeing a reflection of herself in Herwin’s demeanor, spoke.
“If you regret it so much, why didn’t you hold onto her sooner?”
“…What?”
“You’re upset that Lucia kissed another man, right? But if you clearly like her, why didn’t you act sooner? I thought she liked you too.”
“…Did it seem like I liked Lucia?”
“Of course… Haven’t we talked countless times about whether you two were dating or hiding it?”
Herwin was shocked by Arista’s words.
“Since when?”
“Since the Academy. Remember first year when you saved Lucia? That’s when we thought you liked her.”
Other friends had also noticed the same. The incident confirmed it, but suspicion had arisen long before that.
Arista and the others had vaguely realized mutual feelings between the two.
One day, when they learned the two had a big fight, they were shocked.
At the same time, when Lucia was avoiding Arista, she had begged Herwin to apologize to her.
“Honestly, this is ridiculous. Why won’t you reconcile?”
“Because he won’t tell me what happened.”
Brian would sigh at their icy standoff, and Christine was frustrated that Lucia didn’t speak to her either.
“Look, he’s staring at Lucia again.”
Even among others, their silent cold war was evident. Ethan was frustrated that Herwin only looked at Lucia yet wouldn’t reconcile.
“But whenever Lucia looks at him, he immediately looks away.”
It wasn’t childish play. He’d stare intently, and then as soon as she turned toward him, he would look elsewhere.
Arista had watched their delicate balancing act from beginning to end.
Soon, because of his mistake, Lucia would face serious trouble, and when Herwin first manifested his aura, Arista finally realized:
“Herwin likes Lucia.”
That explained why his gaze was always fixed solely on her.
