Chapter 114

Lavita left the Hamnebu Empire, leaving behind an invitation for Raylenne to visit her in the Kingdom of Grisil. Raylenne felt lonely. It wasn’t just because her only friend, Lavita, had departed or that her only family, Caverion, was busy. The main reason was that Aiden’s letters had abruptly stopped arriving several days ago. 

He used to write weekly, but now a month had passed with no word. The last letter she received mentioned that Aiden’s stepmother, the Duchess of Bedeusian, had been expelled from the duchy. Aiden’s father, the Duke, had chosen Aiden, a successor and an Awakened, over the Duchess, who had tormented him in the past. Damian, of course, had also left the estate with his mother.

Raylenne wasn’t particularly interested in their stories. ‘I’m just worried about how Aiden is doing.’ However, all the letters coming to the estate were merely tax invoices and transaction records. She couldn’t understand why Aiden, who used to write every week, had suddenly stopped.

‘Is he busy…?’ Or maybe he met the female protagonist? Raylenne’s face clouded with concern, but she quickly shook her head. She had decided to trust Aiden, and she had to keep that faith. He had promised to return within a year with a title.

Still, as she watched the landscape being painted in the colors of autumn leaves, Raylenne couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholic. Even Janie, her only confidante, was too busy with party preparations to have a moment to spare.

‘Whose birthday party is this even for…?’ Raylenne sighed, leaning against the window frame. Her birthday party was now just three weeks away. Janie had shown her the list of attendees, but it was so long that she hadn’t even read it. According to Janie, many young noblemen would be attending.

Raylenne thought it was going according to Caverion’s plan. He wanted to find a suitable husband for her at the birthday party. Caverion would probably scrutinize the unmarried noblemen with a keen eye. This too was a source of stress for Raylenne. Caverion seemed to be pushing for a match with someone other than Aiden.

She had thought he was beginning to acknowledge Aiden, but he was skeptical about their future together. 

[Aiden inheriting the title won’t be easy as long as the current Duke of Bedeusian is alive.]

[…]

[Without the title, marrying you will be difficult. The Duke would never allow a marriage with someone from our family.]

Raylenne had to admit there was truth to his words. The Duke, alive and well, would likely never approve of any formal recognition of her relationship with Aiden. This wasn’t just about a peace agreement; the animosity between their families had deep roots that couldn’t simply be erased.

Aiden knew this too, which is why he planned to remove the Duke and secure the title himself. Caverion was aware of this plan. However, Caverion didn’t trust Aiden. He knew from experience how long and arduous the process of seizing a title could be.

‘Though Aiden might accomplish it more quickly,’ Raylenne thought, pouting as she prepared to go out. Feeling listless and melancholic, she decided a brief outing beyond the estate might do her good. She headed to the stables to prepare a carriage, momentarily considering who to bring along but ultimately deciding to go alone. Everyone at the estate seemed busy, and Caverion’s order to always have a guard with her didn’t seem necessary for a simple walk.

Before the carriage departed, the coachman opened the window and asked, “Miss, if you’re going to see the autumn leaves, I know a good place just outside the duchy. Shall I take you there?”

Raylenne hesitated. She rarely ventured outside the duchy. Although their relations with the Bedeusian family were no longer as cold as before, there was still some hesitation. “How long will it take to get there?”

“It’s near the northern border of the duchy, about three hours. If it seems too far, I can take you somewhere closer.”

Three hours… She could be back by sunset. “Take me to the place you mentioned.”

“Understood,” the coachman replied, nodding respectfully before setting off.

Raylenne leaned her head against the carriage window, trying to shake off her gloomy mood. ‘I should enjoy this rare outing.’

The carriage traveled down a steep cliff path, offering breathtaking views outside the estate. The colorful autumn leaves layered the ground in a beautiful tapestry. As they left the cliff and entered a village, the scenery became even more delightful: groups of people chatting and laughing, shepherds herding sheep across fields, children crossing stepping stones over streams.

They paused by a clear stream, allowing Raylenne to dip her feet in the water and enjoy the leisurely journey to their destination. By the time they reached the spot the coachman had mentioned, the sky was filled with the colors of sunset. The place was indeed as beautiful as described, with large maple trees around a lake, their yellow and red leaves floating on the water—a breathtaking sight.

As Raylenne admired the scenery, a rider passed by the carriage. The sound of hooves broke the tranquility, drawing Raylenne’s gaze. It seemed like the rider was also there to enjoy the view, but he didn’t seem to be looking around much. Suddenly, Raylenne realized the man’s face looked strangely familiar.

‘Wait…?’ Not just his face, but the way he let his left arm hang unnaturally—she had seen that before. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that his left hand was an artificial one.

Recognizing the man, Raylenne hurriedly approached him. “Excuse me!”

The man frowned as she blocked his path. “What is it?”

Raylenne swallowed once and then spoke calmly. “You’re Cashwood, aren’t you? The one who ran a mercenary office in the back alleys of Gaenue Street?”

Yes, the man was indeed Cashwood, Aiden’s former subordinate who had worked in the shadows, finding people for a living.

Thanks to Cashwood, Raylenne had learned early on about Helen’s death. “Not only did I find out about Helen’s fate, but I also learned about Belle’s whereabouts and heard about Helis’s past.” However, Cashwood hadn’t known her true identity at the time. He had once been a knight for the Bedeusian family, while she was from the Ergen ducal house, so she had concealed her identity when hiring him. She had even hidden her face, as the Bedeusian family members had always reacted with hostility toward the Ergen family.

Now that the cold war between the families had ended, Raylenne could confidently approach Cashwood. “I’m Raylenne Ergen. I asked you to find someone named Helen on Aiden’s recommendation.” Raylenne felt she owed him a debt of gratitude and wanted to thank him again. It was rare to meet someone by chance like this.

Cashwood was silent for a moment. It seemed to take him a while to recall who she was, given how much time had passed since the day she hired him. But then, his eyes widened in recognition. “It was you…!”

The realization was brief, and his expression quickly turned sharp. “But… did you say you’re from the Ergen family?”

“Yes, that’s right. I couldn’t reveal my identity back then because I knew you wouldn’t take the job if you knew I was a lady from the Ergen house.”

“How did you get introduced to me through Aiden?”

It seemed Cashwood was suspicious of her relationship with Aiden, perhaps thinking that as Aiden was a prisoner of the Ergen family at the time, he might have been coerced or tortured into providing the introduction. Raylenne quickly clarified, “I was assigned to watch over Aiden, but I thought the treatment of him as a prisoner was excessive, so I helped him. Aiden was grateful and introduced you to me to help with my problem.”

“…” Cashwood still seemed skeptical. Raylenne added, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Aiden yourself when you meet him.”

Cashwood nodded. “I was actually on my way back to the Bedeusian estate, so I’ll ask him when I see him.”

Raylenne blinked in surprise. “You’re on your way back to the Bedeusian estate…?”

“Yes, the young master has called me back.”

It made sense, as continuing down this road would indeed lead to the Bedeusian estate. However, there was something Raylenne didn’t quite understand. Her gaze shifted to Cashwood’s artificial left hand. “But I heard from Aiden that you retired due to an injury…”

“Though I retired because of my injury, the young master asked me to return to teach the knights.”

Raylenne’s eyes lit up at the mention of Aiden. She hadn’t expected to meet Cashwood here and hear news about Aiden through him. “Is Aiden leading the knight order again?”

“I’m not sure,” Cashwood replied firmly. He might have known but chose not to disclose the information, still not fully trusting her. However, Raylenne could infer that Aiden’s influence within the family had grown, given that he had the authority to appoint someone to such an important position as the knight order’s swordsmanship instructor.

From observing Caverion, Raylenne knew that having control over the knights was a significant power. Knights swore loyalty to the head of the house, but without their support, a family could quickly find itself in danger. Therefore, the relationship between the family and the knights was mutually essential.

Raylenne considered that if Aiden had gained the authority to make such appointments, his standing within the Bedeusian family must have risen considerably. This was a hopeful sign. As Aiden’s position in the Bedeusian family improved, the day he could come to see her would also approach more quickly. “Is Aiden doing well…?” Raylenne wanted to hear more about him, but Cashwood’s expression remained stiff.

“I’ve only exchanged brief letters with him, so I don’t know much about how he’s doing.”

I see… Raylenne tried to hide her disappointment. “It was nice meeting you, Cashwood. I hope you have a safe journey to the Bedeusian estate.”

With that, she stepped aside. Cashwood looked at her briefly, gave a short bow, and then disappeared. Raylenne returned to her carriage. The sun was setting, and it seemed like it was time to head back. The carriage began its journey back to the Ergen estate.

As they traveled, Raylenne leaned her head against the carriage window, lost in thought. The unexpected encounter with Cashwood had filled her mind with thoughts of Aiden once more. “Aiden… what are you doing now?” I hope he’s doing well…