Chapter 21
Do you wish to enjoy Mergen’s downfall up close?
“If you two intend to fight, could you do so after I’ve left?”
Solmon said, glancing between us.
To be precise, he was talking to me, the one with her metaphorical thorns raised.
“Next time, I’d prefer to see just the two of you.”
“If that’s how you feel, please come to an agreement between yourselves and let me know. I’m in a delicate position as well. I’ll take note of what you said.”
“Very well. Then let’s meet here again in two days.”
With that, I ended the conversation and opened the carriage door.
However, someone exited before me—despite the fact that I was the one who opened the door.
Lahan stepped out with swift, fluid movements.
Stunned by his blatant disregard for propriety, I stared blankly outside—only to see Duke Lahan offering his hand.
“Must I offer my knee as well before My Lady decides to take a step?”
“…Ha. That won’t be necessary.”
At his not-so-joking joke, I quickly stepped down from the carriage.
Lahan naturally took my hand to escort me.
His gloved hand held me firmly.
Tap.
As my feet touched the ground, a crisp, cool scent wafted over from close by.
“The road is dark.”
“Night roads tend to be that way.”
“I’m concerned, that’s all.”
“Why are you concerned about me?”
At my question, the Duke’s gaze drifted into the air.
It seemed he couldn’t find a proper reason himself.
“Must you always define every emotion?”
“That depends on the relationship. At the very least, we aren’t in a position where explanations are unnecessary.”
“For someone who says that, you seem to know quite a lot about me.”
“Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn’t know about His Grace, the Duke?”
“Well, even three-year-old children know about me, after all.”
His hand still held mine. The contact began to irritate me.
I tried to pull away, but to him, my strength must have felt like no more than a gentle breeze.
“And yet, I know very little about you.”
“I’m sure the documents have all the details. You seem to be quite efficient with paperwork.”
In response, the Duke raised the file he was holding.
A stack of papers thick enough to rival a book fluttered in his grasp.
“There are things one can never grasp through documents alone.”
“Documents should suffice.”
“Is the version of me you know merely the man written in reports?”
“I…”
I couldn’t tell him I had encountered him countless times as Deborah.
So, I said nothing.
“Your Grace, while this may be an amusing spectacle for you, for me, this is a matter of life and death. I’ll appreciate your pity, but please refrain from meddling.”
“You, with no real power in your family, do you truly believe you can win the succession struggle without outside help?”
“You didn’t seem interested in the documents, but it looks like you’ve already read them.”
Talk of succession—surely that was a recent development.
“What is it that you want?”
If it was a deal he was after, I was willing to entertain the idea.
“What I want…? If I had to name something, perhaps the time to stand here like this, facing you and talking?”
“…”
Is he insane, or is this just another calculated move?
“Are you saying you intend to help me?”
“If that’s what you need, then gladly.”
“Would you still say that if I asked you to withdraw from the mining venture?”
My question silenced the Duke.
So that was what he’d been aiming for from the start.
“You want me to prove myself, then?”
“This isn’t a test. It’s simply… something I’ve been hoping for lately.”
Honestly, I hadn’t expected much from that remark.
I just thought that maybe it would push him to show his true intentions.
And just when I was sure I had him figured out—
“Alright. I’ll do it.”
The Duke’s answer left me staring in disbelief.
Lahan gave a bold, carefree smile.
His sharply lifted lips, the curve of his eyes, the straight posture of his back and neck—topped with raven-black hair that shimmered under the moonlight.
Despite his sharp features, there was something almost refreshing about him in that moment.
He actually seems… thrilled?
Then, still holding my hand, the Duke suddenly gave it a light tug, and my arm yielded to his strength without resistance.
“If it’s something you want—whatever it may be.”
The kiss he laid on the back of my hand felt like some solemn vow of allegiance.
“You’re out of your mind.”
“Hahaha.”
At my words, the Duke burst out laughing.
Even after I hastily pulled my hand away, I could still feel the strange tingle where his lips had touched.
“You can never be my partner in this.”
“And why not?”
“Because you’re someone I need to compete against.”
“You’re looking too far into the future.”
Future? What future?
If seventy percent of my troubles came from Mergen, the remaining thirty were always tangled with the Bahel family.
Anyone else could help me—I didn’t care. But not Lahan Bahel. That, I could never allow.
You never knew how steep the price might be for even the smallest favor with someone like him.
“So don’t get involved. If I can’t even manage this on my own, I might as well be dead.”
“You really do take life too lightly. All this, just because you might not become the successor?”
“If you go straight down that path beyond the wall, you’ll find the grave of my sister—who did become the successor and ended up dead anyway. Care to pay your respects?”
“…I see. I must’ve hit a nerve.”
The Duke took a step back, offering a mild, conciliatory smile.
“Do your job, Your Grace. I’ll take care of mine.”
“What a strange feeling this is.”
He crossed his arms and tilted his head with a relaxed air.
His gaze lowered until we were nearly eye-level.
“This feeling of being scolded—I’ve had it before, you know.”
“I didn’t scold you—”
“Not many people dare to yell at me and tell me to mind my own business.”
I flinched, just slightly.
Why…?
This feeling… it was almost— “You sound just like Deborah.”
So it is just one of my verbal habits, isn’t it?
I smoothed out my expression, careful not to show any sign of embarrassment.
“It’s simply the way our family is. Might as well have it engraved on a plaque as our family motto.”
I looked at Lahan.
His jet-black hair swayed lightly, framing sharp eyes and crimson irises.
Perhaps it was because of his tall stature or the intensity of those red eyes—but every so often, I’d feel a flicker of fear when facing him.
That unease wasn’t just from his overwhelming presence. His bold, uninhibited nature had always made him difficult for someone like me to deal with.
Because of that, I’d always tried to keep my distance, making sure not to show my discomfort. That’s why standing this close to Lahan now felt especially strange.
“If you’re done here, I’ll be heading back inside.”
Still, at least we now exchanged parting words—better than when I was Deborah, I suppose.
I walked past the Duke with steady steps, brushing right by him.
“Irene, I hope you have sweet dreams.”
Someone who even worries about the content of your dreams—what a nuisance.
Was it just nosiness, or had he no sense of shame?
“My own dreams will do.”
He’s insane. That’s all there is to it.
His soft voice echoed faintly behind me, along with his unbearably sweet words, but I kept walking silently toward the manor.
The Duke must be out of his mind.
Still, I didn’t have the luxury of being consumed by thoughts of him.
“Where did I leave my mind just now…”
To my disbelief, I found myself not at Irene’s bedroom, but Deborah’s.
Lost in thought, my body had simply led me here out of habit.
Cleaning supplies were scattered in the hallway.
“What a mess.”
As my gaze followed the trail of clutter, I spotted an open window.
The dead end of the corridor—leading nowhere—was a place that had always held special meaning for me.
When I was younger, whenever my mind felt tangled or I just wanted to disappear, I’d slip out that very window.
“Maybe… this is where I meant to go all along.”
A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over me.
I gripped the window frame and squeezed myself through.
My skirt rustled softly as it brushed the frame.
Even though no one was around, the act of climbing through the window still filled me with the same old thrill.
Ha…
Just getting through that window greeted me with a familiar sense of liberation.
As if I’d left behind all the heavy emotions that came from inside the house… and everything else.
I leapt over a patch of bushes and made my way down a now-forgotten trail.
Rustle, rustle.
I let my fingertips skim the tall grass as I walked—farther and farther forward.
After some time, a green lake finally appeared in my view.
A place no one visited—my only true escape.
At least, that’s what it used to be.
What is that boy doing here?
There, at the lake—right in my usual spot—sat Abel.
He hadn’t noticed my arrival, staring blankly out at the water.
Still, I made my way toward him.
I knew I’d be interrupting his thoughts. But I didn’t turn back.
Because the place he was sitting… was exactly where I’d been heading.
As I drew closer, Abel slowly turned his head.
“A lake that glows only under moonlight… it looks like the sky has fallen to the earth.”
His eyes followed me until I sat down on the dirt beside him.
“Why are you…?”
He, too, seemed surprised to see me.
