Chapter 72
As Raylenne cut Aiden’s hair, lulled by the cozy and peaceful atmosphere, she found herself asking without thinking:
“Aiden.”
“Yes?”
“What would you like to do when you get out of here?”
Aiden’s eyelids opened. His eyes slowly moved upward to gaze at the one who had asked the question.
Raylenne knew that for Aiden, the assumption of “when you get out of here” would feel both incredibly hopeful and cruel at the same time. That’s why she had never asked such a question before.
But now that she had voiced it, she wanted to hear Aiden’s answer. What would he want to do first when he escaped this stifling prison?
“Tell me,” she urged.
Aiden didn’t respond immediately. Raylenne could read the contemplation in his eyes as he stared ahead silently.
Finally, Raylenne spoke first.
“Is there nothing you want to do?”
“I’ve never thought about it before,” Aiden replied.
Raylenne was quite surprised by Aiden’s words. She had assumed that being confined in this narrow cell, he would naturally imagine what he’d do first or what he’d eat first upon getting out.
Aiden’s gaze dropped.
“I’ve always lived thinking only of the present. Hopeful futures only bring disappointment.”
His words were darker than she had expected.
“Do you know how I survived for three months hiding in the barren mountains without food after our army was destroyed in the territorial war?”
Raylenne had heard about this from Caverion. He had said that after losing the final battle, Aiden had hidden in the mountains with the remaining soldiers, surviving by eating grass. She hadn’t heard the details of what happened after, but Caverion had mentioned that Aiden was the only one who survived.
“I endured each day with the resolve to just live for that day. The moment you expect tomorrow, today crumbles.”
While Aiden spoke calmly, Raylenne felt a lump in her throat as the depth of his trials hit her. The scissors she held had been suspended in the air for quite some time.
“It’s the same now. Not expecting tomorrow is how I endure today in this dark cell.”
“Aiden…”
“But lately, I find myself imagining unexpectedly.”
Aiden smiled lightly, incongruous with the situation.
“I imagine seeing you under a brightly sunlit sky.”
Aiden murmured quietly.
“Not in a dark place like this.”
Raylenne felt the strength leaving her hand holding the scissors.
Aiden always surprised her, catching her off guard at unexpected moments.
She had to tighten her grip to avoid dropping the scissors.
Aiden wore a rare smile, as if just imagining such a scene made him happy.
Seeing this, Raylenne spoke without thinking.
“Someday, you’ll be able to leave this place.”
Aiden’s gaze turned to Raylenne once again.
She wanted to add, “I’ll make it happen,” but she couldn’t say that, and even if she did, it would sound like empty words.
Instead, Raylenne opted for a more realistic approach.
“My father won’t keep you locked up here forever.”
However, Aiden remained skeptical.
“Unless the Bedeusian ducal family offers another compensation and demands my release, Duke Ergen won’t willingly let me go.”
“We don’t know yet if the Bedeusians will propose a deal.”
“They won’t. Duke Ergen would demand something enormous in exchange for releasing me, and I’m not worth that much to them.”
Aiden spoke as if discussing someone else’s situation, seemingly numb. Like someone who had been worn down to the point where disappointment no longer registered.
In contrast, seeing Aiden like this ignited a fire in Raylenne’s heart. Despite knowing how the Bedeusian family had treated Aiden in the original story, it hit her deeply now.
‘How much will they regret this later.’
When they belatedly realize that the Awakened One is Aiden, not his brother Damian, it will be too late, even if they beg on their knees.
Raylenne tried to calm the burning feeling inside her and spoke, feigning composure.
“I’m not telling you to harbor false hope. But there’s no need to imagine a gloomy future either. Just as misfortune can come unexpectedly, good luck can also arrive when you least expect it.”
Unexpected good fortune—she would make it happen.
“Meeting you was my unexpected good fortune. I won’t ask for more than that.”
He just had to have the last word.
“Quiet. If I say so, that’s how it is.”
Raylenne spoke gruffly, feeling strangely resentful of Aiden’s situation.
Aiden merely drew a faint smile on his lips.
His remarkably peaceful expression gradually extinguished the hot flames that had risen in her heart.
Raylenne resumed moving the scissors.
Snip, snip. The scissors opened and closed several times. Aiden’s hair gradually shortened.
“Done!”
Finally, Raylenne put down the scissors. Aiden’s hair, which had been covering his neck, was now shorter.
It wasn’t as neat and pretty as if cut by a professional, but it wasn’t bad either, in her opinion.
With the hair at the back shortened, Aiden’s neckline was cleanly exposed, and the hair falling neatly made his face look smaller.
Raylenne was quite satisfied.
“Next time I come, I’ll bring a hand mirror. Once you see how well I’ve cut it, you’ll apologize for doubting me.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
Aiden didn’t seem particularly interested in how his hair looked.
He was just touching his nape, seemingly unfamiliar with the shortened hair.
“No. I want to show you a mirror and hear you thank me for cutting it well.”
As Raylenne insisted boastfully, Aiden nodded as if conceding.
Raylenne left the cell with light steps, confident that Aiden would be surprised by his refreshed appearance when he saw himself in the mirror.
However, contrary to Raylenne’s mood, outside, dark clouds filled the sky.
As if about to shed sorrowful tears at any moment.
* * *
A few minutes after Raylenne returned to her room, Janie followed her in.
“My lady, did you have a good visit to the underground prison?”
“Yes, was there anyone looking for me?”
“No one. Everyone in the castle, including the Duke and young master Caverion, has been busy lately.”
As Raylenne handed her outer garment to Janie, she asked, “Why are they busy?”
Janie blinked in surprise at Raylenne’s question.
“Don’t you know?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking, would I?”
“Well… next week is the anniversary.”
“Anniversary?” Raylenne frowned, and Janie carefully added, “The death anniversary of… the late Madam.”
Raylenne’s eyes widened for a moment.
‘By Madam… does she mean Raylenne’s birth mother?’
Raylenne had few memories of the Duchess in her mind. Moreover, others rarely mentioned the late Duchess, so she hadn’t been very aware of her existence.
“…I’ve been so preoccupied lately that I momentarily forgot.”
Janie nodded as if understanding.
“Yes, I understand. I heard it’s been quite some time since she passed away, so it’s possible to forget once in a while.”
Janie consoled Raylenne with a sympathetic tone. The kind Janie probably thought she would feel guilty. However, Raylenne was thinking something else internally.
‘When did the Duchess pass away…?’
Given how little she remembered, it must have been a very long time ago.
Raylenne decided to search her memories again once Janie left.
“I haven’t been here long, so I don’t know much, but I heard from the maids that they’ll hold a memorial service with priests from the monastery, just like every year.”
“I see. It seems that’s what we’ll do this year too.”
Raylenne responded casually, pretending to know.
Once Janie took the outer garment and left, Raylenne carefully sifted through her memories of the Duchess.
A panorama of memories quickly passed by.
She saw a scene from her childhood where the Duchess looked at Raylenne with warm eyes.
[My daughter, I love you the most.]
[More than brother and Helis?]
[Yes. But it’s a secret. Caverion and Helis might feel hurt if they knew.]
Raylenne pouted at the playful voice.
[Hmph, you probably tell brother and Helis they’re the most loved too, right?]
[Ohoho, you caught me. But it’s true that Raylenne is one of the people I love most in this world.]
Raylenne burst into a bright laugh, like a fresh green sprout.
[Me too! I love you the most in the world, Mom!]
But the spring day ended there.
The next memory was in low-saturation gray, like a black-and-white film.
As time passed, everyone gathered wearing black clothes, resembling a funeral.
Only the Duchess in the portrait was smiling brightly. Her gentle expression in the portrait, just like when she was alive, contrasted sharply with the gloomy atmosphere around.
[Sob…]
Helis could be seen crying. Next to her was Caverion, lips tightly pressed, trying to swallow his sorrow.
And beside them stood Raylenne.
[…]
The eyes of the young girl, who looked about twelve years old, were empty.
As if she had lost the world.
As if she were left alone in a crumbled world.
