Chapter 36
Raylenne, deep in thought, returned to her room.
“It seems like the power of an Awakened One…” she mused. Although the abilities of Awakened Ones varied slightly from person to person, most experienced significant physical enhancements when using their powers. They could become stronger or more agile, for example.
Aiden had moved almost as if he had teleported earlier. His speed was far beyond that of an ordinary person, leading her to believe he had momentarily manifested the power of an Awakened One. If that were the case, it was truly astounding—an unawakened Awakened One using their power.
The novel did mention that unawakened Awakened Ones could instinctively use some of their power in life-threatening situations to protect themselves, but such instances were extremely rare. Aiden had already survived life-and-death battles in war and numerous family conflicts that threatened his life. If his latent abilities were triggered by danger, he should have realized long ago that he possessed extraordinary powers. Judging by his surprised expression earlier, it seemed like it was his first time using such power.
Moreover, the one in danger was Raylenne, not Aiden. How could his latent abilities have activated in such a scenario?
Raylenne pondered these questions as she walked to her room, when suddenly someone emerged from the darkness and spun her around by the shoulders. Startled, she was about to scream when a large, firm hand covered her mouth.
“Mm…!”
She slowly shifted her gaze to follow the hand that covered her mouth and saw a familiar, handsome face.
“Sorry to scare you, but I have something to discuss secretly,” said Caverion.
Raylenne widened her eyes and nodded. Though she didn’t know why he was lurking near her room at such a late hour and grabbed her like he was abducting her, she trusted there must be a reason as he said.
Caverion gently removed his hand from her mouth with a faint smile. “Quietly follow me,” he instructed.
Caverion led her past her room to a door in a corner.
‘Where is this place?’ Raylenne wondered. The mansion was so vast that most of its rooms were unfamiliar to her. She only knew that there were no other family members’ rooms near hers.
When Caverion opened the door, a musty smell hit her nose. Seeing Raylenne wrinkle her nose, Caverion handed her a handkerchief.
“I know you dislike dirty places, but this is the safest spot to talk. Use this to cover your nose.”
In truth, the dust was not too overwhelming, but it seemed Caverion knew of her extreme aversion to uncleanliness and was concerned. Raylenne accepted the handkerchief and covered her nose.
The room appeared to be a storage for weapons, filled with swords and armor.
“No one can enter here without my permission, so we won’t be overheard,” Caverion assured.
It was a curious statement. Raylenne asked the question that had been on her mind.
“Who would dare to make you, Brother, watch your step?”
Caverion was the heir to the Ergen Duchy. Even Duke Ergen treated him with great respect.
Caverion sighed softly. “I’m currently in a cold war with Father.”
“With Father…?” Raylenne asked.
Caverion guided her to sit on a flat wooden plank. “This will take a while, so it’s best to sit.”
Even in the dim light, Caverion’s expression appeared deeply troubled.
“What is it, Brother?” Raylenne asked.
Caverion ran a hand through his hair, the veins on his forehead becoming visible.
“It’s about your marriage.”
Raylenne was stunned by the unexpected topic.
“…My marriage to Crown Prince Harbian?” she asked.
Caverion’s eyes sharpened. “I see Father has already informed you. I told him not to.”
The usual warmth in his expression was gone, replaced by a cold, shadowed face.
“Why would he hide it from me? Of course, I should know about my own marriage…”
“I planned to stop the marriage,” Caverion interrupted, looking directly at her. “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you. It was supposed to be a non-issue.”
Raylenne blinked, trying to process the revelation. She couldn’t understand why Caverion and Duke Ergen were so fiercely opposed to her marriage behind her back. Although she was also bewildered and dissatisfied with the sudden arrangement with Crown Prince Harbian, she intended to investigate the matter thoroughly once Aiden’s situation was resolved.
‘But Caverion already had objections to my marriage…’
What a tangled situation this was.
Raylenne pressed her temples, trying to clear her muddled thoughts.
“Why do you oppose the marriage, Brother?”
Caverion’s blue eyes, identical to hers, flashed in the moonlight. “Because Crown Prince Harbian is not suitable for you.”
“Why not?” Raylenne asked.
Caverion sat down on the floor opposite her. “I know his true nature.”
“What do you mean…?”
Caverion explained, “The children of the royal family and the eldest sons of dukes are educated together from a young age. I’ve known Crown Prince Harbian for a long time.”
Caverion rubbed his forehead wearily. “In short, Crown Prince Harbian is a debauchee. He chases women and roams the dark streets at night.”
His raised eyebrow reflected his displeasure.
“He spends nights with noble ladies attracted to his good looks and pays them off to keep quiet. This has happened several times already.”
Raylenne was shocked by Caverion’s blunt description.
The word “scoundrel” didn’t fit the image of Crown Prince Harbian at all. He appeared to be the epitome of a gentleman, using refined manners and a soft-spoken tone.
“Very few people know his true nature,” Caverion continued. “The royal family has carefully hidden it, and during the day, Crown Prince Harbian behaves impeccably.”
Raylenne now understood what it meant to be flabbergasted. Despite her initial favorable impression of the Crown Prince, there had always been something that felt off.
Caverion reached out and gently touched Raylenne’s cheek.
“Raylenne, my sister. I can’t let you marry someone like him.”
“Brother…”
“It’s a marriage doomed to bring you unhappiness.”
A bitter smile formed on Caverion’s lips.
“I’ve resolved to do my best for you, no matter what. I’ll stop this marriage, so don’t worry.”
Caverion’s sincerity was evident in his warm touch.
“Does Father know about this?” Raylenne asked.
Caverion withdrew his hand, a cold sneer crossing his face.
“I hate to tell you this, but Father has long known what kind of person the Crown Prince is.”
Raylenne couldn’t help but feel a sinking sensation. It wasn’t disappointment; it was more a sense of pity for her own life. How did she end up with such a father?
“I made it clear to Father that I absolutely couldn’t approve of this marriage. It was the first time I’d ever openly defied him, and he was furious.”
Caverion averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. He must have thought it would hurt her to hear this.
“He said that if I kept talking like this, he would lock you in your room. That’s why I had no choice but to bring you here like I was kidnapping you.”
Caverion smiled awkwardly.
Seeing him like this, Raylenne felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. She had tried to live her life as best as she could, even planning to help Aiden escape from the mansion and searching for clues about the real culprit. But when it came to this marriage, she felt powerless.
Even though Caverion was doing his best, she feared the outcome might still go the way Duke Ergen wanted. To prevent that, she would have to confront the Duke directly, but hearing that he had tried to kill Belle had made him seem even more intimidating.
While Raylenne was lost in these thoughts, she heard Caverion’s quiet voice.
“Leave this matter to me, Raylenne.”
She looked up to see Caverion smiling kindly. His smile helped to calm her racing heart.
Instead of saying anything, Raylenne responded with a weak smile.
“And there’s something else I need to tell you…”
Caverion hesitated, which was unlike him. Raylenne tilted her head in curiosity.
“I found out what happened to your maid who ran away.”
Raylenne made a small sound of realization.
“But she was already dead.”
As expected, Caverion confirmed her suspicion.
Raylenne hesitated, unsure how to respond.
‘I’ll just pretend not to know.’
“That’s unfortunate. To find her only to discover she’s dead…”
“I heard it was an accident, but I suspect it was the real culprit who wanted to harm you.”
Caverion’s belated suspicion matched her own thoughts.
Raylenne was curious. If she told him about the past incident involving Helis, would Caverion also suspect Helis as the real culprit?
‘Or does Caverion already know about it?’
Even though Caverion tended to be indifferent to family matters, the incident had been significant enough to result in all of Raylenne’s maids being dismissed.
Raylenne decided to drop the thought. Even if Caverion knew about the incident, he might be reluctant to suspect Helis. After all, they were family.
‘He might even see me as inhumane if I accuse Helis.’
“Have there been any strange occurrences around you recently?” Caverion asked, folding his arms.
Raylenne shook her head.
“No. It’s been quiet since Helen ran away.”
There had been no further actions from the culprit. But this period of calm made her feel uneasy, as if it were the calm before a storm.
