Chapter 96
Raylenne regained her composure and took a step back, straightening her posture.
‘How embarrassing.’
Yet, Aiden continued to gaze intently at Raylenne’s face.
Despite this, he didn’t utter another word.
“Is something wrong? Do you have something to say?”
“It’s… nothing.”
The look in his eyes suggested it was anything but nothing.
Raylenne moved closer, pressing him further.
“You were staring at me with such intense eyes.”
“…”
“Why? Is it because I look dazzlingly beautiful today?”
Raylenne asked playfully, but Aiden remained silent. He turned his head and reddened slightly.
“W-How could I possibly… dare to evaluate Miss Raylenne?”
Seeing his reaction, Raylenne felt that she was indeed asking the right question. However, there was something that bothered her.
“Aiden, you’re no longer a prisoner. You don’t have to lower yourself like that.”
Raylenne had been contemplating this issue recently. Although it wasn’t official yet, Aiden had moved past his status as a prisoner. Additionally, he had mentioned that he would return to the Bedeusian Duchy and inherit the title of Duke. If that were the case, he would become a Duke himself… Should she speak more formally to him now?
*Hmm…*
Raylenne pondered and then spoke.
“Sir Aiden.”
She tried saying it once, but it felt awkward. Aiden looked equally uncomfortable.
“What is this sudden…?”
“Well, I was just wondering if I should start using formal speech. If you return to the Bedeusian family, you’ll be a Duke, after all.”
Aiden furrowed his brows.
“I would prefer if Miss Raylenne continued to address me casually.”
“But in front of others…”
“Just be mindful of it in front of others. I will be as well.”
Raylenne wondered if it was truly acceptable for a Duke to be addressed in such a manner. However, she shook her head, deciding it was probably fine if Aiden said so. Nevertheless, she would need to be careful about it in public, as Aiden’s position in the Empire would significantly change in the future.
* * *
Upon entering the party hall, the curious gazes of the guests were immediately drawn to Raylenne.
It was her first time making an appearance in such a grand gathering, and people seemed intrigued by her.
The princess of the Ergen family, who had long remained out of the public eye, was certainly a point of interest.
Caverion, as the host of the party, had arrived early to welcome the guests. From a distance, Raylenne could see him engaged in conversation with people.
Noticing Caverion, Raylenne glanced over at Aiden, who was standing beside her.
Aiden was staring at her without blinking, his face reflecting concern. Aiden knew that Raylenne had suffered from social anxiety in the past. However, she had given him a heads-up that they should not acknowledge each other in the party hall, so Aiden had nothing to do but watch her.
Raylenne gave him a reassuring smile.
At that moment.
“Aiden…!”
Someone walked towards Aiden, drawing the attention of the crowd. The woman, with her beautiful golden hair elegantly styled, was incongruously shedding tears.
The woman ran up and embraced Aiden. The scene was shocking, but the onlookers could only watch in sympathy. Raylenne felt a pang of sorrow, thinking she knew who this tragic heroine might be.
Aiden awkwardly placed his hands around the woman, embracing her.
“Mother…”
Indeed, the woman was Merian, Aiden’s biological mother. It had been a long time since their last reunion, and considering the hardships Aiden had endured, it was understandable that this moment was deeply emotional.
After crying in Aiden’s arms for a while, Merian looked up.
“Our son. It’s so good to see you again.”
Merian’s small hand touched Aiden’s cheek.
“You must have gone through so much.”
“It’s alright now.”
Although tears still lingered on her face, Merian managed to force a smile.
“I heard that Caverion, the eldest son of the Duke of Ergen, succeeded the title. Seeing you here in such a manner, it seems he is following a different path from his father.”
“He will convey his intentions here today. That’s why we arranged this party.”
“I see…”
Raylenne, unexpectedly moved to the point of tearing up, found herself locking eyes with Merian.
Merian, releasing Aiden and noticing Raylenne, greeted her first.
“And you are…”
Raylenne felt a surge of nervousness. It was surprising that Merian would show interest in her in this situation. She was unsure how Merian would perceive her as a member of the Ergen family but reminded herself that she was the host of the party.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Merian. I am Raylenne Ergen.”
Fortunately, her voice came out calmly.
Merian scrutinized Raylenne with a hint of suspicion in her gaze. This was understandable. Although Aiden was now freed from his status as a prisoner, the past as a captive could not be erased.
Before Merian could say anything else, Aiden spoke up.
“Mother, Lady Raylenne was of great help to me during my time as a prisoner.”
Raylenne felt momentarily flustered, wondering if it was appropriate to share this with others. However, with the previous head of the family now gone, it seemed acceptable.
‘As long as Caverion doesn’t hear…’
Merian looked at Aiden in surprise.
“Is that really true?”
“Yes, if it weren’t for Lady Raylenne, I don’t think I could have endured until now.”
Aiden’s words seemed to ease the wariness in Merian’s eyes, though it quickly turned into a look of shining, emotional gratitude.
“So, that’s how you managed to endure those harsh conditions… It was thanks to the princess!”
Merian grabbed Raylenne’s hand with a firm grip.
“I’m truly grateful. I will never forget this kindness.”
“Ah…”
“I’m not just saying that. From what I’ve seen, the new head of the Ergen family seems to be trying to change the atmosphere of the Empire… If the situation improves, please come visit Aiden and the palace.”
It was impossible to refuse such a heartfelt request.
“…Understood.”
Merian gave a pleasant smile, and for a moment, Raylenne thought she saw Aiden’s smile reflected on her face.
“I need to retouch my makeup. See you later, Aiden. And you too, Lady Raylenne.”
Merian, aware of her tear-streaked makeup, offered a final smile before departing.
Raylenne sighed inwardly with relief. While Merian was a kind person, as described by Lavita, the fact that she was Aiden’s mother made Raylenne feel unusually tense. Her palms were already sweaty.
As Raylenne debated whether she should briefly remove her damp silk gloves, a buzz of activity swept through the party hall. New guests were arriving at the entrance.
Among them, a man with a harsh expression caught everyone’s attention. Though Raylenne didn’t recall his face, she could tell from the atmosphere who he was.
‘That must be the Duke of Bedeusian.’
Despite his age, the Duke of Bedeusian had a strikingly handsome face that stood out abruptly. Beside him were his new wife and a man who was likely Damian. Damian’s eyes darted nervously, and his pale complexion made him look extremely anxious.
It was understandable.
Damian had never awakened by the age of twenty. The shift from hopeful expectations to disappointment would have been swift.
It must have been a struggle for him to appear in such a crowded event.
It wasn’t Damian’s fault, but if it was the unfortunate fate of this brother, then so be it. Still, the Duke’s wife stood beside Damian with a fierce expression, making Aiden’s past situation seem somewhat better by comparison.
As everyone tensed at the Duke’s arrival, Caverion made his way through the crowd and approached the Duke of Bedeusian.
“Greetings, Duke of Bedeusian.”
“Greetings, Caverion. Or rather, now that you are the new head of the Ergen family, I should address you as Duke of Ergen.”
“Thank you for making the long journey.”
“It was difficult to come. As you know, the road between Bedeusian and Ergen territories is far from well-maintained. If you summoned me all the way here, it must be for something significant.”
The Duke’s blunt demeanor bordered on rudeness. Damian, having failed to awaken, was no longer in a position to act haughty.
Nevertheless, Caverion nodded briefly without showing any sign of displeasure. He signaled to a nearby attendant, who then instructed the orchestra to stop playing.
Caverion moved to the front of the party hall, naturally drawing everyone’s attention.
This was the first step in breaking the long-standing chain of evil.
