ITMLBDSML 33

 Chapter 33

From the very beginning, Lander knew that even waiting for the carriage had been part of the plan.

And yet, even Lander himself had almost been completely deceived by the sight of Caesar urgently carrying the collapsed child and calling for a doctor.

If even Lander had nearly fallen for it, then others must have been completely fooled by his performance.

“A child’s eyes are far too clear—they see right through to the essence of things.”

Rising from his seat, Caesar replied as he walked toward the window.

Leaning crookedly before the tall window, he took out a cigarette. Lander approached and, as if by habit, lit it for him.

After drawing the smoke deep into his lungs, Caesar let out a faint chuckle.

“To deceive someone like that, you have to become sincere enough that even you believe it yourself.”

Exhaling the smoke, Caesar recalled something from not long ago.

When he heard that Zikmund had headed to the Hermetic Empire, he had been so furious he thought he might go blind.

What kind of remarkable discovery had he made this time? How much praise would he receive for it?

Alchemy was a closed discipline, so much so that it even had its own coded language—the “Green Language.”

Ashilonia, having clung to magic for too long and only investing in alchemy belatedly, did not have many notable achievements.

Recently, Sophia had been a great help, but after she left the household, things had become difficult again.

However, according to the rumors, Zikmund was not the key researcher behind this latest breakthrough.

It was none other than Maybel—his daughter—who had solved a problem even Zikmund could not.

“So blood really does tell, huh…”

Just moments ago, Caesar had affectionately called Maybel “my daughter,” yet now he sneered coldly.

He still believed that Maybel was Zikmund’s child.

“But it doesn’t matter. The surname attached to that child is Ashilonia.”

As long as Maybel belonged to Ashilonia, she belonged to Caesar.

Not only her genius—but even her life.

“However… the coachman said that the young lady seems to have grown quite attached to the people at the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“No matter. That child’s home is here. From now on, we just need to coax her appropriately so she believes this place is her real home.”

So that she would willingly conduct alchemical research for Ashilonia.

“Now that we’ve retrieved the child, there’s no need to chase after Sophia anymore.”

“Yes. After all, Miss Maybel is far more valuable than the research materials Sophia stole from Grand Duke Esclide.”

In truth, Caesar had known for quite some time that Maybel had disappeared.

He also knew that it was Zikmund who had taken her.

Even so, he had deliberately turned a blind eye—hoping that Sophia might appear at Esclide.

“After all, both her daughter and her lover are there.”

From the start, to Caesar, Maybel had merely been a means to lure Sophia back.

If Sophia had returned, he wouldn’t have cared even if Zikmund took the child.

Until recently, that was all Maybel meant to him.

“And yet… it turns out she was a goose that lays golden eggs.”

With a twisted smile, Caesar exhaled the last of his smoke.

After staring out the window in thought, he crushed the cigarette out.

“I suppose I should quit smoking now.”

Seeing that the cigarette was still only half-finished, Lander asked curiously:

“Pardon? You intend to quit?”

“Well, shouldn’t I? If I want to win that child’s favor.”

Clicking his tongue as if annoyed by the inconvenience, Caesar spoke.

Watching him, Lander came up with an idea.

“Then why not make use of that as well?”

“Use smoking?”

“Yes. Smoke in front of the young lady on purpose, then act as if it’s causing you distress—and quit at that moment. Since she grew up in filth, she’ll probably start sneezing.”

“Hmm…”

“Then it will leave the impression that you’re making an effort for her sake.”

At Lander’s suggestion, Caesar’s interest was piqued.

“Yes. That’s a good idea.”

Readily accepting the proposal, Caesar returned to his desk.

If he was to show Maybel that he was “repenting and trying to become a good father,” there was much to prepare.

“I’ll rearrange my schedule. I need to maximize the time I spend with the child.”

Even though facing those red eyes—so much like Zikmund’s—made his skin crawl, he could endure it for the sake of the family.

“At last… we may surpass Esclide.”

As he said this, Caesar already seemed intoxicated with a sense of victory.

And because of that, he failed to notice—

Outside the very window where he had just been standing, a black snake with white eyes had been listening to everything.

* * *

Maybel remained bedridden for two full days, unable to get up.

At times, she regained consciousness, but after being fed medicine by the maid, she would fall asleep again.

The maid rarely made eye contact with her.

It wasn’t like the servants of the past, who ignored her.

Rather…

“It feels like… she’s afraid of me.”

Maybel didn’t know why.

The maid only entered the room when it was time for her medicine, and left as soon as she finished taking it.

“If it were Sister Ella, she would’ve stayed right by my side…”

Still, Maybel didn’t dislike falling asleep alone.

Because she dreamed of the people she missed.

In her dreams, she went on picnics with Ella and the Grand Duke’s household, and ate delicious food with her two older brothers.

It felt so vivid that she could almost taste the rich soup Aselt fed her.

And then, Zikmund appeared in another dream.

That was the one she truly didn’t want to wake from—

But just then, she sensed a presence.

“…So useless…”

Muttering that, Maybel slowly opened her hazy eyes.

Someone was standing beside her bed.

With the light behind them, she couldn’t see their face clearly, and she murmured unconsciously:

“…Dad?”

“Yes, it’s Father. Your father, Maybel.”

It wasn’t Zikmund’s voice.

Realizing that it was Caesar, Maybel felt disappointed.

“…For a moment… I thought it was His Grace…”

She had called for “Dad” herself, yet had expected someone else instead of Caesar.

“This is all because of that strange dream…”

The dream where she held Aselt’s hand, went to Kelic, and called Zikmund “Dad.”

Because of that ridiculous dream, she had made such a mistake.

“…How foolish…”

As Maybel closed her eyes again, Caesar took her limp hand.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Maybel. I didn’t even realize how weak you had become… This father is sorry…”

Through her feverish haze, Caesar’s voice occasionally reached her.

“You must have resented me for leaving you alone for so long. I’m truly, truly sorry.”

She couldn’t understand most of what he said, but the words “resent” and “sorry” were clear.

Each time she heard them, her chest tightened.

She wanted to speak.

To say that yes, she had resented him—so much.

That she resented him without even realizing it was resentment.

But no voice came out, and those words piled up inside her.

Through her blurred vision, Maybel looked at Caesar.

Her gaze barely conveyed what she wanted to say:

Do you know?

That resentment is always accompanied by self-blame?

That’s why you can’t even fully resent someone.

Because in the end, it feels like everything is your fault.

You’re too busy blaming yourself to even resent properly.

She wanted to ask him that. To confront him.

But she didn’t have the strength.

All she could do was blink slowly.

In the end, her body—heavy like water-soaked cotton—sank into deep sleep.

* * *

After leaving the room where Maybel slept, Caesar was approached by Lander.

“Still haven’t found it?”

“My apologies. However, while searching the area, we found this.”

What Lander presented was a long vine, tangled a few times.

“It was wrapped around the tree right next to the young lady’s room.”

“A vine…? Then was it a vine that I saw…?”

Earlier, while in his office, Caesar had noticed something moving outside the window.

More precisely, near the terrace of Maybel’s room.

The Ashilonia estate was shaped like a ‘ㄷ’, and Caesar had deliberately assigned her a room directly visible from his office.

So he could monitor everything she did.

While watching her, he had seen something—what looked like a moving vine—and rushed over.

Thanks to that, he ended up dealing with a child’s whining, something completely beneath him.

“Tch. Making such a fuss over a mere fever.”

Irritation surged at the thought of wasted time.

Still, not all his doubts were resolved.

“Was it really just a vine?”

Because what Caesar saw… had moved.

“It definitely looked like a snake…”

It had slithered, peering into Maybel’s room through the window—

As if it were worried about the one inside.