Chapter 76
That day, Caverion personally brought Aiden into the castle. He was shackled with massive iron chains around his ankles. However, there was one problem: “Aiden is imprisoned next to Brother’s room.”
This meant Raylenne couldn’t acknowledge Aiden’s presence at all, as guards were stationed in front of his door. She quickly discarded any lingering attachment to the situation. Although she couldn’t check on Aiden herself, she had succeeded in getting him out of the flooded underground prison. She decided to be content with that.
“Miss, Lady Lavita has arrived,” a servant announced.
“Yes, I’ll go meet her,” Raylenne replied. Two days ago, Lavita had sent a letter expressing her desire to visit the castle. It had been a while since they last saw each other after the business with Harbian, so Raylenne was happy to accept the visit.
Outside, the rain continued to drizzle, creating a damp atmosphere. Amidst the dreary landscape, a bright figure appeared—it was Lavita.
“Raylenne!” Lavita called out, running towards her with an umbrella. She looked much healthier than the last time Raylenne had seen her.
“You must have had a tough journey,” Raylenne greeted her.
“Not at all. I was so eager to see you that my steps felt light,” Lavita responded, her cheerful tone bringing a smile to Raylenne’s face.
“Shall we go inside?” Raylenne suggested.
“Yes!” Lavita carefully lifted the hem of her dress to avoid the puddles and followed Raylenne into the castle.
Back in the room, Raylenne instructed a maid to bring tea, then took a seat at the table. As the rain poured down outside, Lavita remarked, “I was worried you might be going through a tough time, so I came to see you. I’m glad you seem okay.”
Raylenne, who had been gazing out the window, turned her head. “Why did you think I was having a hard time?”
“I heard that the anniversary of the late Duchess’s passing is approaching. My mother mentioned it,” Lavita explained.
“Oh…” Raylenne hadn’t expected Lavita to know about Nadia’s memorial day. She put on a suitably sad expression and replied, “I’m fine now. It’s been a long time.”
Just then, the maid arrived with the tea. Raylenne poured a cup for Lavita, changing the subject. “How is David doing?”
“He’s doing very well, thanks to you,” Lavita whispered, leaning in close. “Lately, we’ve been looking for a place to go together.”
Lavita seemed excited, her cheeks flushed a peachy pink. As Raylenne poured the tea, she asked, “Aren’t you afraid of leaving your family, Lavita?”
“Not at all. I actually can’t wait to leave and be with David. The only thing I’ll miss…” Lavita hesitated, then looked up at Raylenne with a bright expression. “The only thing I’ll miss is not being able to see you, Raylenne.”
Raylenne felt the same way; she was about to lose a friend she had worked hard to make. Still, seeing Lavita so much happier now than when they first met at the tea party was a comfort. Back then, Lavita had been like a withered flower, but now she was blooming.
“As long as you’re happy, Lavita, that’s all that matters,” Raylenne said, taking a sip of the tea. The rain seemed to make the tea’s fragrance even lighter.
‘Damn rain,’ Raylenne thought to herself. ‘It’s not helpful at all.’
As she silently grumbled, Lavita spoke softly, “I’m also relieved that your matter was resolved, Raylenne.”
Lavita was likely referring to the issue with Crown Prince Harbian. Even in a private setting, she was careful with her words. “Yes, I was surprised he accepted it so readily,” Raylenne admitted. She had worried he might react violently, like a typical villain in a novel. However, he was quick to understand the situation and realize what decision was best for him.
Raylenne glanced at Lavita, who seemed lost in thought, holding her tea cup. There was no rush, so Raylenne leisurely drank her tea.
“Um, Raylenne,” Lavita hesitated, finally breaking the silence.
“Yes?” Raylenne responded.
“This isn’t exactly about Crown Prince Harbian, but…” Lavita trailed off, looking thoughtful. Raylenne nodded, urging her to continue.
“What is it?”
“I know it’s a sensitive topic, but… about Aiden…” Lavita’s mention of Aiden caught Raylenne off guard.
“May I ask what will happen to him?”
Raylenne was surprised by Lavita’s question. It was an unexpected inquiry, leaving Raylenne momentarily speechless.
Seeing Raylenne’s hesitation, Lavita quickly lowered her head. “I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped…”
“No, it’s just… I didn’t expect you to ask about Aiden,” Raylenne replied. Lavita had always been overly considerate of others’ feelings and situations. Her asking such a potentially sensitive question was surprising.
“Well, it’s just that…” Lavita hesitated again, glancing at Raylenne for reassurance before sighing and continuing. “I’ve mentioned before that someone helped me secretly give birth to David, right? That person was Lady Merian.”
Lavita unconsciously touched her now-flattened stomach. “Lady Merian hid me under the guise of special education for noblewomen, allowing me to give birth to David safely without my family’s knowledge.”
Hearing Lavita’s story firsthand made Raylenne realize just how extraordinary Lady Merian was, going to such lengths for someone not even family.
“Lady Merian is like a benefactor to me, so if there’s any good news about Aiden, I’d like to tell her,” Lavita said, finally meeting Raylenne’s eyes.
“So that’s why you asked about Aiden. If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize…”
Given the well-known animosity between the Ergen and Bedeusian families, Lavita surely understood the sensitivity of her question.
In the same vein, revealing to someone from the Ergen household that Aiden’s biological mother, Merian, had helped her wouldn’t be a wise decision. However, Lavita’s willingness to share the truth openly indicated a growing trust in Raylenne. Lavita must have anticipated that such a story wouldn’t change Raylenne’s attitude towards her. Understanding this, Raylenne responded calmly, “Lavita, I’m not entirely sure what will happen with Aiden.”
Raylenne’s somewhat neutral response made Lavita blink her large eyes in surprise. Soon after, Lavita lowered her gaze to the calm surface of the tea. “I see,” she murmured.
“Lady Merian must be very worried about Aiden,” Raylenne observed.
“Yes… Since they were separated when Aiden was young, she still holds a deep, affectionate concern for him,” Lavita replied, nodding.
Raylenne recalled that Merian had divorced the Duke of Bedeusian, leaving young Aiden behind. Although they may have met sporadically outside the duchy as Aiden grew older, there would have been long periods without contact.
“How did you come to know Lady Merian?” Raylenne asked.
“We met by chance at a dance party hosted by the Imperial Court. I was alone, and like you, she approached me first,” Lavita reminisced with a soft smile. Watching her, Raylenne thought, ‘Merian must be a kind person.’
Yet now, she must be deeply troubled. Her son, who she cherished like a precious jewel, was a prisoner, unable even to send or receive messages.
“Knowing this, I understand why you asked about Aiden’s well-being. But Lavita, I really can’t make any promises about what will happen to Aiden, so I refrain from saying much,” Raylenne said, hiding her true intentions with a concerned expression.
In reality, Raylenne was planning a significant scheme to free Aiden, but she couldn’t reveal this to Lavita. She was carefully gauging the timing, knowing that Aiden’s physical strength and stamina had recovered enough for him to be ready. All that remained was for Raylenne to create the right circumstances.
Recently, she had been studying the layout of the castle and the positioning of the guards, mentally planning their escape. However, she realized she had overlooked one crucial aspect—what to do after getting Aiden out of the castle. If Caverion discovered Aiden’s escape, he would surely send trackers, making it difficult for Aiden to evade capture.
‘There’s no need to rush just yet…’ Raylenne thought, knowing that a meticulous and well-prepared plan was necessary. She believed she had ample time—until Duke Ergen concocted his sinister plan.
* * *
The sky was obscured by dark clouds, making the scene appear even more ominous. Duke Ergen’s face was cast in shadow, reflecting the grim landscape outside.
“Damn it!” Duke Ergen crumpled the letter he was holding. The once crisp paper lost its shape and was tossed into the wastebasket. Still fuming, the Duke shot up from his chair, which screeched against the floor as it slid back.
“You foolish old man…!” he cursed, glaring at the crumpled letter on his desk. The red imperial seal was visible on the paper, a letter from the Emperor. The message was simple: the requested audience was denied.
Recently, Duke Ergen had been frequenting the Imperial Court. The broken engagement with Crown Prince Harbian forced him to consider alternative plans. This had shifted a significant portion of the Imperial faction’s support to the Bedeusian family. There had been many who remained neutral, hoping the Crown Prince might still marry into the Ergen family.
Duke Ergen clenched his jaw.
‘If only it weren’t for Crown Prince Harbian!’
The young man, ignorant of politics, had dismissed the engagement as if rejecting a meal he was tired of, without providing a clear reason. This incensed the Duke even more.
His anger gradually turned towards Raylenne.
‘I thought she would at least be useful!’
Was she incapable of winning over a man’s heart, leading to this disaster? Her face, her personality—everything reminded him unpleasantly of her mother. Although he wanted to call her in for a scolding, he had to restrain himself as Caverion had been protective of Raylenne lately.
Duke Ergen slammed his fist onto the desk in frustration.
‘To think I have to be so cautious…’
He was seething with anger but knew he couldn’t afford to be consumed by it. He needed to quickly find a way to win back the support of the nobles.
As he tried to calm his fury, he considered who might support the Ergen family in this situation. Someone powerful in the Imperial Court, yet not aligned with the Bedeusian family. Suddenly, a name came to his mind.
“Yes, her…” he thought, a sly smile forming. It was Merian.
