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~Chapter 7~
“……”
It was faint, but—
Rachel remembered exactly when the butler would try to talk to her first.
She stopped walking and turned around. After a moment of hesitation, the butler added,
“…It’s been three days since you’ve come down to the dining hall. The young master is worried about you, Miss.”
“……”
Ilya Ingrave.
Her only younger brother was thirteen years old.
He’d grown blunt since entering knight school, but he always liked and followed his sister.
That relationship hadn’t changed, even after she got married.
‘…But the end was different.’
Rachel asked calmly,
“Did you hear anything from Mother?”
“…She said you were busy with wedding preparations and tired, so you’d be dining in your room—”
“I see. I have no intention of coming down to the dining hall. Butler, I know you’re loyal to my brother, but—”
Her spotless, sky-blue eyes regarded him icily.
“I’d prefer if you held back on any more excessive advice. What do you think?”
“!”
Startled by the cold gaze so different from before, the butler quickly bowed his head.
“I was out of line. Please forgive me, Miss.”
“Good. I hope this doesn’t happen again.”
Unlike before, Rachel was no longer willing to listen to the butler’s advice about her brother.
And it was the same for her parents.
‘Either way, I’ll be leaving soon.’
She walked past the butler and started up the stairs toward her room.
On the stairs to the second floor—
She spotted a small figure staring at her with wide eyes.
Thirteen-year-old Ilya. His cheeks were still round, his blue eyes clear.
The blond hair she’d once found so lovable.
“……”
“……”
Tap, tap—
Rachel walked right past her brother and went up to her room. No words were exchanged.
She went straight for a bath, then enjoyed the lavish dinner the butler had sent up with extra care. Though she felt something uncomfortable in her heart, she dismissed it as her imagination. Suddenly, Rachel remembered something she’d forgotten.
“Becky, is the Mercenary King away from the capital right now?”
Becky, who was attending her meal, nodded.
“Yes. Three months ago, he accepted a commission from His Majesty the Emperor to escort the national trade caravan. He should be returning to the capital around now.”
After this, the Valencia family’s reputation would take a blow.
They would probably cut off the fake son and reveal the real son dramatically to minimize the fallout.
So the duke would make his move after the Mercenary King’s return. Until then, he’d be gathering evidence and tracking down the Mercenary King to confirm his identity.
As Rachel sliced a tender piece of steak and put it in her mouth, she ordered Becky,
“Find out the exact date the Mercenary King returns.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After dinner, when Rachel was about to go to bed, Becky reported back.
The Mercenary King would return in exactly three days. That was enough time for the Duke of Valencia to collect all the evidence Rachel had given him and to investigate the Mercenary King’s background.
Three days later.
As expected, Rachel received a summons from the Duke of Valencia. If there was a surprise, it was that a knight came in person, not just a letter.
“Today?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The knight of the Valencia family who brought the news bowed politely.
“The duke said things will be busy from now on, so it may be a long time before you see each other again.”
“……”
He wasn’t wrong. There would be a lot to deal with after the engagement was broken—the marriage annulment, dealing with the Sabannio family…
And today was the Mercenary King’s return.
Rachel was a little flustered, but—
There couldn’t be a better day for what was about to happen.
“I’ll get ready right away.”
“Thank you for your understanding, my lady.”
Once the knight had withdrawn, Rachel quickly prepared to leave. She put on a calm green dress, diamond and emerald earrings and necklace.
Her makeup was light.
She wore slightly high white shoes, and her hair was curled and left down.
She finished getting ready quickly and went downstairs with the Valencia knight waiting for her. The Valencia family carriage was waiting outside the entrance.
“The duke sent it for you, Miss.”
“……”
She hesitated for a moment.
But Rachel decided not to refuse the duke’s courtesy.
‘It’s the last time.’
Thinking that, even the familiar carriage was bearable. Becky, noticing Rachel’s pale complexion, asked worriedly,
“Are you alright, Miss?”
“I’m fine.”
It was only temporary. She would feel better after getting out of the carriage.
“……”
No—when she got out, she’d be at the Valencia mansion. Who knew what might happen then.
Just as Rachel opened the window, the carriage gradually slowed, and the Valencia knight approached with an apologetic look.
“The national trade caravan has returned, so the main road is closed. We’ll be delayed about ten minutes—will that be all right, my lady?”
“That’s fine.”
The slow pace suited her mood. Waiting with the window open didn’t seem so bad.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
As the knight stepped back, Sir Hoffman, the captain of the guards who’d stayed nearby just in case, glanced through the carriage window.
“……”
“……”
Rachel met his eyes without flinching. Soon his gaze dropped. Sir Hoffman didn’t say anything, but he seemed to notice her pale complexion.
‘He really is quick to notice.’
For now, that was more of a disadvantage than a help.
As Rachel weighed things in her mind, the sounds of cheering gradually grew louder. The national trade caravan was making its entrance.
Under the imperial flag flying high,
Knights in shining armor led the procession, followed by huge carriages and nobles.
The endless line of wagons drew cheers from the crowd.
Beside one of the grand carriages, where the eyes of nobles and knights gathered, stood a man.
Unruly black hair left free. Eyes the color of blood.
“Ah.”
It was the Mercenary King, Nathan.
She never imagined she’d meet him like this.
Rachel stared blankly at him through the window. He didn’t look as polished as he had the last time she saw him, at the imperial audience hall.
His face was wild, his hair unkempt. He dressed freely.
“……”
It made things a little less uncomfortable.
But it didn’t make all the discomfort go away. Whether he intended it or not, this was the man who had helped ruin her life before her regression.
The man whose very existence restored the Valencia family’s honor.
The man who played a huge role in Rachel’s rapid confinement.
Logically, she knew none of this was really his fault.
“……”
But she still didn’t want to see him.
Just as she turned away, the man, frowning, suddenly looked in her direction.
“……!”
His gaze pierced straight through her.
That fierce, untamed look instantly brought back memories of that imperial audience.
Standing next to the emperor with an uninterested expression—
But with eyes cold and sharp as ice.
–Duke. Do you have any last words? You won’t be seeing each other again.
What had he answered to the emperor’s question back then?
–No.
–……
–As Your Majesty said, there’s no need for us to meet again. It would be a waste of time.
When Paris was executed and she met Nathan for a brief moment, Rachel had said the same thing.
–Don’t waste your time. I hope we never see each other again.
His eyes, in that moment, seemed to tell her to look closely at the result of her own choices.
And while she was locked away, Rachel learned that sometimes, living was harder than dying.
