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Chapter 70…………….
“Mother… If it’s difficult for you to talk about it, you don’t have to say anything right now. Take your time.”
“……”
“Shall we have a little more tea?”
Etisha lifted the teapot and refilled Lady Cyrilleze’s cup. Steam curled up gently from the warm tea.
“Yes… Yes, you’re right, my dear. Perhaps it’s best if I tell you later.”
“Yes, anytime. Later.”
“…Thank you.”
Lady Cyrilleze closed her eyes. Her short hair swayed faintly against her cheek.
“After that tragedy happened, the Wintel family was thrown into chaos like never before. As a result, Reyen, who was supposed to be the heir, could not become Duke Wintel. It was Kailes who inherited the title… and even Kaien became not Reyen’s son, but mine and Kailes’s.”
“I see…”
“Although Kaien is not the child I bore with my own body, he is still my son. And he is also the true heir of House Wintel.”
“……”
“No matter what happens, that truth will never change. And Judithe… That child…”
Lady Cyrilleze’s words broke off again.
It was as if countless emotions swirled in her mouth, preventing her from speaking them aloud.
Etisha looked quietly at Lady Cyrilleze’s short hair and tightly closed lips, then only gave a gentle squeeze to the hand she was holding.
Though Lady Cyrilleze had said she had cut off her ties with Dithe just as she had cut off her hair, no one could know if she truly had, deep in her heart. A person’s feelings cannot be severed like a blade cuts.
People’s hearts—sometimes filled with hatred and resentment, yet still turning back to look again. Sometimes full of love, only to twist apart.
Even clumsy as she was in human relationships, Etisha could tell that Lady Cyrilleze’s heart was in turmoil.
The girl she had raised like her own daughter had broadcast her deepest wound to the world, and then vanished.
Etisha was furious at Dithe for bringing such pain to Lady Cyrilleze and Kaien. She wanted nothing more than revenge. But she could not tell whether Lady Cyrilleze felt the same way.
“Mother. Dithe has already committed an unforgivable crime.”
Etisha whispered calmly.
“Not only against you, but against Duke Kaien, against me, and against the honor of House Wintel. Dithe is, without a doubt, a criminal.”
“Of course, I know that, my dear. Dithe is no longer my daughter. That time is long past. I only… wanted to…”
“Yes… Mother.”
“…raise her well. Even if I wasn’t her real mother, regardless of blood or status, I simply wanted to raise her well. But it has come to this.”
“……”
“Perhaps I did something wrong.”
“No. Not at all, never. You cherished Dithe more than anyone. And even now… you still care for her.”
“Perhaps. In my mind I treat her harshly, but it seems my heart still…”
“Then maybe it just takes time. Take it slowly.”
“My dear, don’t you find me frustrating? That I can’t sever Dithe completely, that I drag it along? Cutting even my hair, yet still like this.”
“No, not at all. I’m the same.”
Etisha gave a self-mocking smile, her blue eyes softening toward Lady Cyrilleze.
“I should have driven Larienne out much earlier. When it comes to dragging things out, I’m far worse than you, Mother.”
“Hehe, indeed. With a heart this tender, how will you survive in this harsh world?”
“Yes, I’ll need you to help me a lot, Mother.”
“Of course. Let us grow hard together.”
“Oh, Mother… That’s reassuring.”
“No, I’m the one reassured.”
The two women smiled at each other.
The past was the past, and the future was the future. Etisha knew that truth better than anyone.
“So, Mother, there is something I’d like to tell you.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I… I’m thinking of entering society. I’d like to make my debut as Etisha Wintel.”
If she was to help Lady Cyrilleze, help Kaien, and restore the honor of House Wintel, Etisha had to step forward herself.
“I’ll conduct myself so that no one dares to speak ill. Please trust me with this.”
“My dear…”
Lady Cyrilleze looked into Etisha’s shining eyes.
She had already been thinking it was nearly time for her to retire. Once Etisha married Kaien, Etisha would become the new Duchess, and she could step back to enjoy a quiet later life.
But to retire by passing the burden in this way…
“Thank you… and I’m sorry.”
Etisha shook her head.
“No, Mother. Please don’t say that.”
In truth, it was Etisha who felt both grateful and sorry.
She always wondered—when Lady Cyrilleze eventually learned about her illness, how could she possibly face her?
* * *
To sum it up: Etisha could not hold her debutante ball.
Because, first, there was the hunting excursion already scheduled.
An outing for the purpose of hunting the Ashen Wolves. It had already been planned, and since it concerned the safety of the territory’s people, it could not be postponed.
Since preparing for a debutante ball would take time anyway, it seemed best to finish the outing first, then formally make her social debut.
“Well then, Mother, I’ll visit you again soon.”
Etisha bowed politely to Lady Cyrilleze, who had come out to see her off, then left the snowy castle.
As soon as she stepped outside, the servants parted to either side like the miracle of Moses, opening a wide path for her.
The servants of Wintel Castle had always treated Etisha with respect, but after the wedding, their deference had deepened to the point of almost bowing their heads to the ground.
‘I’ll have to get used to this too. No more acting so awkward.’
Etisha tried to hold a composed expression as she slowly walked down the wide-open path.
She had confirmed Lady Cyrilleze’s condition, and since her debutante ball was delayed, she had no urgent tasks for now.
‘I wonder what the Duke is doing.’
Kaien naturally came to mind.
‘I miss him.’
At that moment, as though the heavens had read her thoughts, Kaien suddenly appeared.
“My lady.”
The familiar voice came from behind, and Etisha turned in disbelief.
“My lord?”
There stood Kaien, dressed in a black uniform with a black cloak.
At this hour, he should have been busy in his office or inspecting the territory. Why was he out here alone in the manor grounds?
‘Where was he heading?’
Etisha’s eyes fell on him unconsciously. Kaien, noticing, shifted his cloak to cover his left thigh.
The movement was smooth, but Etisha realized he was concealing the sword at his waist.
‘A sword…?’
She blinked.
Come to think of it, the direction he had been walking toward was where the underground prison lay.
‘Was he going there, armed, all alone…?’
Larienne had said the man imprisoned below looked exactly like Kailes. That must mean he was Kaien’s real father, Reyen Wintel.
‘Could it be… that sword was meant for him…?’
Etisha shook her head quickly.
No, she shouldn’t be prying so deeply into Kaien’s private affairs.
“Were you on your way somewhere, my lord?”
Kaien asked her instead.
She could not meet his gaze and answered vaguely.
“Ah… no, nothing in particular. I was just thinking of taking a walk.”
“A walk? A fine idea.”
“…Yes.”
“……”
The conversation stopped abruptly.
Etisha lowered her head silently. Kaien seemed to be staring at her intently.
Then, suddenly, he spoke.
“…Actually, I too was about to take a walk.”
“…Pardon?”
She looked at him in surprise.
Wasn’t he going to the dungeon?
“Since we’ve met like this by chance, shall we walk together? Which way were you headed?”
He stepped closer and stood beside her.
Something felt strange.
Even if she was mistaken about his destination, was he really planning to take a stroll with a sword strapped to his side? Wouldn’t that be cumbersome?
“Well… I wasn’t going anywhere in particular. But my lord, don’t you usually have important work at this hour?”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t mean to pry into your private matters, but normally you’re always busy now.”
He gave her an ambiguous reply.
“Not today.”
“…?”
“Strange. Wasn’t it you who urged me to rest? A walk counts as rest, doesn’t it? Why, is there a problem?”
“What? No, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“And besides, you are here.”
He offered her his hand. Etisha, flustered, automatically took it.
She had accepted his escort so many times that now she did so almost without thinking.
“Yesterday, you said so yourself. That you would be here.”
“……”
“Now you must take responsibility for those words.”
Kaien began walking leisurely. Etisha followed, puzzled.
‘Take responsibility for saying I would be here…?’
What did he mean?
She wasn’t sure.
But for now, she decided to walk with him.
It wasn’t anything troublesome or unpleasant—in fact, she wanted to spend this walk with Kaien.
‘Forget the little things. Think about myself first.’
The decision wasn’t difficult.
“Since we’re walking, perhaps we should go somewhere. How about the watchtower of Wintel Castle? From atop the walls, the view is quite nice.”
Kaien led her toward the watchtower.
She expected endless stairs, but there was a lift leading up.
It seemed to be a pulley system, used to hoist people or goods.
“Please, go first.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Etisha stepped in. Kaien followed and operated the mechanism.
As they slowly rose, it felt like flying into the sky.
It was her first time on such a lift, and she found it both new and delightful. That it was so narrow they had to stand close together was something, too.
“My lady, it’s swaying. Be careful…”
Kaien placed a hand at her waist. She said nothing at first, then gathered courage.
“Um, my lord… forgive me, but since yesterday, the way you address me is a little…”
She still couldn’t quite feel like the lady of House Wintel, and being called “my lady” by him felt even more awkward.
“Ah.”
He looked down at her, a flicker in his dark eyes as if something had just occurred to him.
“My apologies. I forgot your request to call you by name—Etisha.”
She shook her head quickly.
If it was between being called “Etisha” or “my lady,” she would much rather take the latter.
But he seemed to take her reaction differently, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Not even your name? Then perhaps… a nickname…”
“…What?”
