Chapter 40

There must have been many adults who comforted them, patting their shoulders, sympathizing with their tragic loss of parents. However, beneath those words of consolation, they must have keenly felt the greed for power and the distrust of their testimony.

That was why they had never expected anyone to understand them over the years. Because they would only get hurt again.

As time passed, their wounds quietly and steadily accumulated like layers of dust, left unattended. Now that they were finally facing those wounds, it was only natural for the sorrow to be overwhelming.

“Hic, sometimes, I get scared, wondering if Edmund resents me. Everything I have was achieved solely by Edmund. What if he feels unfairly burdened, thinking he suffered alone? What if he holds resentment?”

“Rather, I believe you were his last thread of hope.”

Clatter. Suddenly, the terrace door moved.

Just as I was about to pull Lilien away, fearing someone might be eavesdropping, a white-furred cat stretched its two front legs and lazily appeared.

Relieved, I patted Lilien’s back again.

“Do you really think so? I’ve always been an unreliable sister…”

“You know what? I actually respect you, Lilien.”

“Me?”

Lilien lifted her tear-streaked face in surprise.

Her respectful eyes clearly showed disbelief—how could someone like Etricia say such a thing about her?

“See? Lilien, you always manage to do the things I struggle with most with ease.”

Lilien sniffled, glancing at me as if she couldn’t believe it.

“A mature person expresses their emotions honestly. The fact that you can open up about your past today is proof of your inner strength.”

I had often admired how purely and sincerely she spoke her mind.

I, on the other hand, could easily say things like “cute” or “lovely,” but when it came to admitting my own pain, I stubbornly refused to acknowledge my wounds out of pride and boldness. I had grown into an adult who struggled to express emotions properly.

That was why, even when I had poured my feelings about Antra onto Edmund, I had felt flustered.

Had I intended to open his heart, only to end up opening my own first? I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I looked down at Lilien again.

By then, she had stopped crying and was rubbing her reddened eyes before looking up at me. Her silver-like hair swayed gently in the breeze.

“But, Lady Etricia, you keep speaking as if you truly believe me… Do you really believe Edmund’s testimony? It’s not a metaphor—it’s real. The monster actually turned into a human…!”

Lilien repeated the question several times as if seeking reassurance, even bringing up contradictory theories to test my belief.

I pinched her nose playfully and laughed.

“I believe it.”

At my response, Lilien’s face brightened instantly.

Why wouldn’t I believe it? After all, I had entered this world with my past life’s memories intact. This was my world now.

The banquet hall remained dazzling, filled with murmuring people. I had no desire to return. It seemed Lilien felt the same, as she sniffled and continued the conversation.

“But Lady Etricia, what were you doing here?”

“Earlier, I was enjoying the scent of the season. It’s early summer, after all.”

“Sniff, sniff… I don’t smell anything.”

“Some people just can’t detect it.”

“…That’s unfair. We have the same nose.”

Pfft. Perhaps due to the relaxed mood, even the simplest joke made me laugh. Facing each other, we giggled and continued chatting lightheartedly.

Edmund swiftly crossed the dimly lit hallway, illuminated only by the faint glow from the banquet hall.

Having reluctantly backed off due to Etricia’s firm decision to speak with Devon, he had dealt with the nobleman who had been harassing her. Yet, he found himself uneasy, thinking of her being left alone. That was why he had turned back.

Just then, he overheard the cold conversation among some noblemen.

Hearing rumors about himself from his childhood was nothing new to Edmund. He was unfazed—after all, they were just privileged elites unsettled by the shifting tides of power.

But then, his sister’s and Etricia’s voices rang out, clear and pure like fresh spring water. Their warmth washed away the aristocrats’ voices that had filled his ears. Like a bee drawn to a flower, he unconsciously followed their melodic voices.

Finally spotting them, Edmund instinctively hid behind the terrace door. Then, he heard something that shook him.

‘I’m sometimes scared that Edmund resents me.’

Resent her? Never. He had never once resented his sister. Just as he was about to step forward to correct her misunderstanding, his foot struck the door.

Clatter.

Fortunately, a sleepy cat had been curled up behind the door. It brushed against his leg before walking off, sparing him the embarrassment of being caught eavesdropping.

Just as he composed himself and was about to step onto the terrace, he heard:

‘Rather, I believe you were his last thread of hope.’

Edmund froze.

Etricia—did she have the ability to read minds? How could she so accurately express his true feelings?

She didn’t even give him a chance to step in.

Thanks to her words, his sister’s misunderstanding seemed to have been cleared.

He should have felt uncomfortable at having his emotions exposed, but instead, it felt like a warm early summer breeze had passed over him.

‘But Lady Etricia, do you truly believe Edmund’s testimony?’

Then Lilien’s voice followed. She was asking if someone really believed in the words of the foolishly honest young boy he once was.

Edmund scoffed. Of course, no one would believe it. No one except his sister had ever believed him. If he hadn’t seen it himself, even he might not have believed it.

As he turned away with a bitter smile, he heard:

‘I believe it.’

Edmund’s eyes widened.

A clear, unwavering voice.

Her words stopped him in his tracks, rendering him motionless.

A gentle breeze blew onto the terrace, making his hair flutter. At that moment, he felt as if he had become that young boy again, finally receiving comfort.

There was someone who believed. Even if it was just words, they meant everything to him.

He stood there for a long time before finally walking away.

That night, for the first time in a long while, he didn’t have a nightmare.

Hmm, what was going on?

I smiled awkwardly at the unexpected situation.

The morning after the banquet, Lilien visited me, excitedly inviting me to an opera featuring a handsome actor beloved by noblewomen.

Of course, Edmund was with her. Lilien had forcibly dragged him along, despite his plans to visit the duchy after breakfast.

As soon as we sat in our seats, Lilien dramatically smacked her forehead.

‘Oh no! I forgot I promised to go to the cheese market with my friend! Well, no choice now. You two enjoy the opera!’

Before I could stop her, she vanished in an instant.

‘This is… way too obvious.’

I should have suspected something when the carriage conveniently circled the square three times, barely arriving on time.

Yet, I couldn’t help but chuckle at her antics.

Just as I was debating whether to play along, my eyes met Edmund’s. He looked just as dumbfounded.

He probably wanted to leave.

“Should we leave?”

Edmund lowered his gaze, deep in thought, before resting his chin on his hand.

“Let’s watch.”

“Really?”

“My sister is probably watching from another seat.”

I burst into laughter. Maybe today was a good day after all.

“When I was around eight, she suddenly asked to play hide-and-seek. After I finished counting and looked up… there she was, peeking through my window, watching me count.”

“Pfft, and then what?”

“When our eyes met, she quickly ducked out of sight, but I went straight up and found her.

She was so embarrassed, she started praising me, saying no one was better at hide-and-seek

than I was.”

“Sounds exactly like Lilien.”

“It was so absurd that I still remember it.”

Edmund said this with a trace of laughter in his voice. When our eyes met as I giggled, he

seemed flustered and rubbed the corner of his mouth with the hand resting under his chin. I

couldn’t see clearly in the dark, but it felt like he was smiling too.

Still, he looked as if he didn’t know why he was rambling so much, awkwardly clearing his

throat.

A silence fell between us—heavy and a little embarrassing.

I fidgeted with the opera glasses I had brought, then decided to use them to sneak a look at

him.

Edmund furrowed his brows.

“What are you doing?”

“They said there’s a handsome actor, so I’m checking.”

“Don’t say nonsense. Someone might hear.”

“Even if they do, once they see that face, they can’t argue with me.”

“That mouth of yours really is incurable.”

“Well, the cause is right in front of me. Can I send you the bill for my treatment?”

At my silly joke, thrown to break the awkwardness, the corners of Edmund’s lips twitched.

Huh. That’s odd. He’s not the type to smile at things like this.

I lowered the opera glasses and asked,

“Did something good happen to you today?”