Chapter 105

“Haele!” Raylenne suddenly raised her voice, causing Haele to look at her with wide eyes.

“Y-Yes?” he stammered.

“What kind of improper thoughts are you having?” she demanded sternly.

“Improper thoughts? I just asked why you two were here together in the tower…”

“Do you not know that I am helping Aiden control his awakened powers?” she retorted.

At the party, it had been said that Caverion was personally training Aiden, but it wasn’t possible to keep this hidden from the castle’s staff. So Raylenne had preemptively told Janie and the stable master Kelvin that she was assisting Aiden with his training because Caverion was too busy. Most people were unaware of the concept of a “handler,” so they accepted this explanation without question. Janie and Kelvin had spread this information to others, which prevented any strange rumors about Raylenne and Aiden being together.

However, it seemed Haele was unaware of this arrangement.

“Oh… I see,” Haele responded awkwardly, scratching his head.

‘Sorry, Haele…’ Raylenne thought, feeling a pang of guilt. She continued, “Today, we’re training here. The powers can manifest differently at higher altitudes, right, Aiden?”

“…Yes,” Aiden responded, catching onto her lie.

“I see. I thought perhaps… the two of you had developed a different kind of relationship beyond prisoner and guard,” Haele admitted.

“…”

“You’re both so good-looking that you look perfect together just standing there,” he added, somewhat cheekily.

Raylenne, sensing where the conversation might lead, quickly changed the subject. “By the way, Haele, you don’t seem afraid of Aiden anymore?”

“Lady Raylenne, how can you bring that up in front of him!” Haele exclaimed.

“Aiden probably knows already,” Raylenne said nonchalantly.

Haele glanced at Aiden, looking uncertain. “Well, to be honest, I found him quite intimidating in the cell… but now, not so much.”

“Why is that?” Raylenne inquired.

“It’s a bit awkward to say this in front of Aiden, but… his demeanor has changed,” Haele explained.

Raylenne wasn’t sure what Haele meant. To her, Aiden seemed the same as ever, though he had been showing more expressions recently.

Haele stroked his chin as he elaborated, “Before, there was a bit of a cold, dangerous look in his eyes, but now, his gaze has softened.”

Raylenne looked at Aiden. “Is that so?”

Aiden merely shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, and since we ran into each other, I wanted to apologize to Lord Aiden,” Haele said.

“For what…?” Aiden asked, puzzled.

“For being disrespectful to you when I was a guard,” Haele clarified.

Raylenne blinked, then quickly understood Haele’s discomfort. ‘It must have been an awkward situation, but now looking back, it’s understandable he feels that way,’ she thought.

Haele seemed tense, waiting for Aiden’s response.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aiden replied indifferently, his expression neutral.

Indeed, Aiden didn’t seem like the type to hold grudges, especially for something like that. Haele hadn’t been particularly harsh to him.

“Thank you for saying that…! I’m not sure how long you’ll be staying at the castle, but I look forward to working with you,” Haele said, bowing gratefully.

Raylenne, watching the interaction, spoke up. “By the way, Haele.”

“Yes?” Haele responded.

“Why did you come here?” she asked.

Haele’s eyes widened as he shouted, “Oh, right! The commander’s sword!”

He quickly grabbed a sword that had been left in a corner, bowed hastily, and disappeared down the stairs.

Apparently, the commander had left his sword in the tower, and Haele had been sent to retrieve it. It seemed Haele was diligently performing all sorts of tasks for the knight order. It was a brief but pleasant encounter.

* * *

As new green leaves began to sprout on the dry branches, a welcomed guest arrived at the duke’s residence.

“Raylenne!”

It was Lavita. Lavita had sent a letter after a long time, expressing a desire to see Raylenne. Raylenne had gladly invited her to the residence.

“Lavita, welcome,” Raylenne greeted her warmly.

Lavita embraced Raylenne tightly, catching her by surprise for a moment, but Raylenne soon returned the hug. Lavita seemed much brighter than before.

“How have you been?” Raylenne asked.

“I’ve been well, though things have been a bit hectic due to some family changes,” Lavita replied.

“I thought so… I hesitated to contact you and only just sent the letter now.”

“Well, let’s go inside and catch up,” Raylenne suggested.

Lavita nodded with a smile, and Raylenne led her inside. Once they reached Raylenne’s room, they began their conversation in earnest.

“I was worried when I heard about the Ergen family. I never imagined the previous Duke Ergen would be like that…”

“It was a shock for me too, finding out that my father had been doing such things behind our backs,” Raylenne said, referring not only to his actions but also to an attempt on her life that hadn’t been made public. If that had come out, it would have been even more exhausting for her. She had no desire to be the center of attention for such negative reasons.

“Still… it’s a relief that Caverion has taken the position of the next duke. Thanks to him, the empire is experiencing a period of peace,” Lavita remarked.

“Yes, it is a relief,” Raylenne agreed.

Caverion had accomplished a lot more quickly than expected. He stabilized the turbulent territories, met with people externally, and quickly built a support base.

“But… one concern I have is that Crown Prince Harbian has been chosen as the next emperor,” Lavita mentioned.

There had been frequent mentions of Harbian lately. It was unusual for Lavita to bring up Harbian, which made the topic even more surprising.

“If he becomes emperor, many things will change. I hope the Ergen family can solidify its influence because if he gains power, the empire might become even more rigid,” Lavita said, sounding genuinely worried.

Raylenne found it curious since Lavita was planning to leave the Hamnebu Empire with David, making the issue seemingly irrelevant to her. Still, the mention of Harbian stirred a vague unease that Raylenne had almost forgotten.

“Why do you think the empire will tense up if Harbian becomes emperor?” Raylenne asked.

“It’s just… a gut feeling from my experiences with him. Even beyond my personal issues with him, he’s someone whose thoughts you can’t really know,” Lavita explained.

“Well… he’s certainly inscrutable, but it seems unlikely he could wield absolute control over the empire. Harbian hasn’t shown much ambition for power, and it doesn’t seem like he has a large support base,” Raylenne said, trying to reassure both herself and Lavita.

“I think so too, but…” Lavita trailed off.

“But…?” Raylenne leaned in, listening closely.

“He has a special ability,” Lavita revealed.

“A special ability…?” This was news to Raylenne. If he had such a power, it would have been touted in the palace, with Harbian being positioned prominently as the heir apparent.

Lavita looked down and fidgeted with her fingers. “Yes… I haven’t told anyone, not even you, because it’s an embarrassing story to share now.”

Raylenne listened intently to Lavita’s quiet voice. Lavita slowly lifted her gaze to meet Raylenne’s eyes.

“The truth is… the night I spent with Prince Harbian wasn’t something I wanted,” Lavita confessed.

Raylenne’s mouth fell open in shock. “You mean he forced you…?”

“No, it wasn’t like that,” Lavita clarified, shaking her head.

Raylenne tilted her head in confusion at the ambiguous statement.

“While I did have feelings for Prince Harbian, that night… it felt like I was in a drunken stupor. At the time, I thought I was just deeply in love, but looking back, it was definitely strange,” Lavita explained, her voice trembling slightly.

Raylenne frowned, trying to understand. “Are you saying Harbian gave you something to consume…?”

“No, I didn’t eat or drink anything when I met him that day,” Lavita responded firmly.

It was indeed a strange situation. Raylenne knew that Lavita wasn’t just making excuses for her actions that night. If she were, she would have done so long ago.

“I don’t know what happened that night. All I remember is Harbian whispering that everything was alright… and his words felt like undeniable truth, leaving no room for other thoughts,” Lavita continued, her eyes showing a hint of fear.

“That’s suspicious,” Raylenne agreed, her voice quiet.

Lavita’s lashes fluttered nervously. “That’s why I’m worried. If Prince Harbian has such a hidden ability, who knows how he might use it…”

Raylenne forced a smile and nodded. “I understand. Thank you for telling me, Lavita.”

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Raylenne decided to change the subject to lighten the mood.

“Enough about Harbian. Let’s talk about something more pleasant, shall we?”

“Yes… I’m sorry! I’ve made our reunion quite gloomy,” Lavita apologized.

“It’s fine. Actually, I’m curious about where you’ll be taking David,” Raylenne said, trying to shift the conversation.

Lavita seemed to catch on to Raylenne’s intention, the shadow on her face lifting a bit as she responded, “We’re planning to go to the Kingdom of Grisil. It’s located east of the Hamnebu Empire, and it’s a much more open-minded country. It’s easier for a woman to raise a child alone there…”

Lavita continued to talk about her plans, revealing her mixed feelings of fear and excitement about not yet telling her family but looking forward to starting a new life with David. Raylenne, listening attentively, found herself smiling, forgetting about Harbian as they talked.

The day with Lavita passed peacefully until an invitation to a ball from the royal palace arrived.