IWBTVCF 39

Chapter 39

Watching Kyle struggle to eat the peach was painful for me too.

When I was in elementary school in my previous life, there was a teacher who never allowed us to leave food behind. I once held my nose and forced myself to swallow a bite of wild greens.

Thinking about that, I felt like I understood how Kyle must be feeling now.

But the Duchess seemed to think differently after confirming that Kyle had finished the entire plate of peaches.

“See? You should have done that from the start.”

“…Yes.”

She raised her eyebrows, urging him to continue.

“…Thank you. Thank you, Count. It was very delicious.”

Kyle bowed once to me and once to Father, thanking them in a suppressed voice.

“Ah, no. Thank you for enjoying it,” Father replied awkwardly.

Only then did the Duchess seem satisfied.

It was strict parenting, and it felt awkward for an outsider to interfere.

I should have left him alone. I shouldn’t have insisted on the peach.

Now I understood why the rumor about Kyle being an illegitimate child was treated like an obvious truth.

Even if he was the child of a mistress and the cause of her suffering, how could she treat him so openly cold?

Her attitude toward Kyle was clearly different from how she treated Darius. It made even me feel sad.

Just when the heavy air became hard to breathe—

“I understand now why Simon and Miss Riez were so proud of these peaches. I suppose I must take the rest for myself.”

Darius calmly pulled the remaining plate of peaches toward him, as if he were used to this kind of situation.

“It’s a pity we didn’t get to see the Brante orchard.”

“We can stop by on the way back to the mansion today. I’ll prepare plenty for you to take when you return to the capital tomorrow,” Father said.

“That’s a gift too good to refuse. Thank you. I must prepare a proper return gift,” the Duchess replied with a smile.

Just as the atmosphere began to recover, raindrops started falling.

“It was cloudy after all. It seems rain is coming,” Father sighed.

The rain quickly grew heavier.

When it became difficult to stay outside, we all moved into the lodge.

As we hurried over, covering our heads with clothes, I turned back because I was worried about Kyle.

He was walking slowly at the very back of the group.

His face didn’t look good.

The image of him forcing the peach into his mouth flashed in my mind.

“Come inside quickly, Riez,” Father said, covering my head with his clothes and guiding me forward.

Inside the lodge, fires were already lit warmly.

We waited there for the rain to stop.

“This weather looks serious. We may not be able to return soon,” Darius muttered while looking at the window shaking in the wind.

After drying my hair and warming up with milk tea, I suddenly looked around.

Where is Kyle?

I went to the next room. Father and Simon were resting there. In another room, the servants were gathered.

I searched the lodge once more.

“Kyle isn’t here?”

“Isn’t he in another room?”

“No. I can’t find him.”

Darius helped me search again.

The lodge only had four rooms. The conclusion was quick.

Kyle was gone.

Darius immediately informed Father and Simon.

Father gathered a few knights waiting nearby to search.

“Do not move. Stay here quietly with the Duchess,” Simon warned me before leaving.

Through the window, I saw the knights scatter into the forest.

The rain grew heavier.

Father seemed to assume kidnapping or an accident.

But I thought differently.

Kyle left on purpose.

Remembering his face earlier, I was certain.

This was running away.

I lied to the Duchess that I was going to the next room and rushed out wearing a cloak.

I couldn’t just sit still.

Beyond the lodge fence, I looked into the fir forest.

Following the muddy path, I noticed something.

Small plants and branches were broken in a line where there was no proper path. There were also marks like footprints.

Should I call the knights?

But what if the traces disappeared while I went back?

I tore a piece of my skirt and tied it to a branch as a mark.

Then I stepped off the path and followed the faint trail deeper into the forest.

The wind blew sharply, carrying heavy rain.

I tied more pieces of cloth to tree trunks along the way, but I wasn’t sure if they would survive the storm.

I slipped and fell. My hood came off, and rain hit my face like arrows.

My wet clothes felt heavy, but I stood up again.

The wind and rain were erasing Kyle’s traces.

“Kyle! Where are you?!”

Lightning flashed across the dark sky. Thunder shook the mountains.

The beautiful forest turned into a frightening one.

If night fell, it would be even more dangerous.

“Kyle! Please answer me!”

My desperate voice was swallowed by the storm.

I heard roaring water. The stream had swollen violently.

The sight of a broken tree floating in the water made my heart drop.

He didn’t jump off a cliff… did he?

My body trembled.

If I hadn’t said useless things earlier.

If I hadn’t brought him here at all.

I had boasted about giving Darius and Kyle the best vacation.

Was this trip just false hope for Kyle, who may have looked forward to bonding with his mother?

I said I would save him, but what if I only pushed him further into darkness?

What kind of butterfly effect would this cause?

Suddenly, I tripped over a tree root and fell forward. My palm scraped and started bleeding.

The guilt hurt more than the cold rain.

I couldn’t tell if the water on my face was tears or rain.

Was everything I did for Kyle just interference?

Good intentions don’t always lead to good results.

My thoughts grew darker.

I crouched there for a moment.

No. This isn’t the time for despair.

What matters now is that Kyle is alone in this storm.

First, find Kyle.

I slapped my cheeks and stood up.

Assuming he didn’t do anything extreme.

When he feels hopeless, he hides in small places where no one can see him.

In this huge forest, where could he hide from the rain?

I looked up and saw a tall rock cliff.

After leaving another mark, I headed toward it.

The storm slowly weakened.

When I finally reached the cliff, I searched between the rocks.

“ Kyle!”

I spotted a small figure and ran.

Thank goodness.

Kyle was crouching inside a small cave formed by the cliff.

Seeing him safe, my legs lost strength. I fell to my knees in front of him.

“Kyle! Kyle!”

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

His back curled tighter.

“Idiot! Do you know how worried I was? Are you hurt?”

“…Go away.”

When he pushed my hand aside, I saw his face.

“Hey, you…!”

His lips and cheeks were red and swollen. Hives had appeared on his skin.

My bad feeling was right.

“You’re allergic to peaches… aren’t you?”