Chapter 34

Episode 34

Ilian managed to stop Katrina just before she boarded the carriage.

Perhaps she heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching, because Katrina turned around right before stepping up and looked surprised.

“Ilian.”

“Sister. Leaving without even saying goodbye?”

More than anything else, those words came out perhaps because, in the end, he had been “Katrina’s younger brother Ilian” far longer than he had been “the Marquis of Esteban” who led the family.

The hem of the dress she had held onto to board the carriage slipped from Katrina’s hand.

She gave a smile that seemed to say it couldn’t be helped and spoke.

“I must go. Leon will be waiting.”

“After coming all the way here.”

“My duty now lies with Rodrigo, not Esteban. That is my home.”

Her tone was calm, but it carried affection.

Ilian’s gaze shifted to the luggage cart behind the carriage Katrina was about to board.

He already knew what those excessively numerous loads, far beyond what would be necessary, contained.

‘Even though I found out they were medicinal herbs…’

It was difficult to understand why the injured Count Rodrigo needed herbs used to treat illnesses.

Moreover, the types were so mixed and varied that even guessing the disease was impossible.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong in the Lescal Archipelago? Leon, and Count Rodrigo?”

So in the end, as Lydia had advised, Ilian decided to be direct.

Faced with a question that didn’t bother to hide what he knew and struck right at the heart, a rare smile appeared on Katrina’s face.

“You’re not easy to fool, Ilian.”

Even after saying that, Katrina hesitated for quite some time.

Eventually, she let out a deep sigh and made a motion as if to smooth out a dress that was barely wrinkled, her face now filled with a concern he had never seen before.

“You probably found out about the rumor too. That Count Rodrigo—my husband—suffered a major injury.”

“I also know that what’s loaded behind you isn’t just for surface wounds but rather medicine to treat severe illnesses.”

Katrina remained calm even as Ilian, rather impatiently, cut in with his words.

As if to say that no matter how specifically he pressed, there was a limit to what she could tell him.

“Yes. It’s not a simple injury. But I can’t tell you more than that. It’s clear you wouldn’t be able to do anything anyway, and I’m handling it myself for now.”

“Sister.”

Katrina raised her hand, cutting him off.

“Since I’ve left Esteban, I am now Rodrigo. Rodrigo must solve Rodrigo’s problems on its own.”

“When else am I supposed to use the title of Marquis of Esteban, if not for times like this?”

Still, Katrina was even more stubborn than he was.

If she thought it was something she could handle on her own, she wouldn’t even let the problem show on the surface.

‘In that way, I’m the same.’

Having managed to hide his curse so perfectly and even bury it under a marriage, Ilian Esteban had no words to say in front of Katrina.

If the truth were revealed later, Katrina would surely explode in anger. And she would definitely be heartbroken.

“You now have someone to prioritize and protect above all else. You’ll have your own family. That’s why I can’t just drag you into this matter.”

Because of this very reason, Katrina hoped for Ilian’s happiness more than anyone else.

After Ethan died, how long had Ilian shut himself away?

Even after he began going out again, how often had he become like a different person, consumed by a heavy gloom?

Katrina was the one who had seen him begin to keep everyone at a distance.

From Katrina’s perspective, even the relationship with Alec, once full of easy banter, had begun to fade.

Even before she got married, her younger brother had stopped opening up at all, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

“Lydia doesn’t count. She’s an exception to this discussion.”

“No way. From your attitude alone, I can tell you don’t mean that.”

She had no choice but to believe it.

Katrina had directly seen how Ilian’s gaze followed Lydia constantly, especially when he thought Lydia wasn’t looking.

That was how someone who deeply cared for another’s well-being acted.

“She’s clearly someone precious to you, so treat her preciously. Don’t regret it later.”

Ilian had no response to Katrina, who spoke with such certainty about emotions even he himself was unsure of.

He could only stand frozen in place.

But since he himself was already hiding the truth, there was no way he could win an argument with Katrina in such a state.

“We’re better off staying separate for now. Right now, it’s fine because you have Alec’s trust, but close cooperation between Esteban and Rodrigo will stir suspicion. They’ll start thinking we’re scheming something down in the south.”

“Alec wouldn’t react to such baseless gossip.”

“Maybe at first. But Ilian, you know it too. In the end, status comes first.”

Ilian knew this all too well, despite his defiant words.

That’s why both Rodrigo and Esteban had strictly limited their official interactions as noble houses until now.

Ilian could probably count the times he had seen Count Rodrigo in person on one hand.

At a glance, having power said to rival the royal family might seem like a compliment, but in reality, it was a sword hanging over their heads.

That’s why, even while being called arrogant, Ilian and Katrina had never given others any clear excuse to criticize them.

“Are you sure this is a problem you can solve?”

“I have to try.”

Even though he asked again and received a firm answer, it was difficult for Ilian to let go of the thought of sending someone to the Lescal Archipelago to investigate the situation.

Noticing his thoughts, Katrina spoke more firmly than before.

“It’s better not to know at all, Ilian. I promise you. If you find out, you’ll surely try to resolve it yourself, and even if I don’t, you stand out too much. Besides, like I said, even if you get involved, there’s a high chance you won’t be of any help. You’ll just get caught up in it.”

“That kind of recklessness only applied to me before I became Marquis.”

“I know. You’re not the same as the one who once held a sword.”

A smile appeared on Katrina’s lips as she recalled the past.

Ilian, feeling the distant memory being brought up, suppressed the urge to touch the now-empty spot at his waist and replied.

“My swordsmanship hasn’t declined. Don’t underestimate me.”

“Who’s underestimating? Back then, everyone said you were the most skilled among your peers. That talent hasn’t gone anywhere.”

It was a story that no longer held meaning.

He, who once only wanted to wield a sword and had no interest in the marquisate, was now bound to that very title.

What tormented Ilian more than the fact that he had to give it up was the reason he had to—his inescapable reality as the heir to the marquisate.

“…I’ll be down at the estate, so if anything happens, come to the main house. Don’t try to bear it all alone—I’ll handle the aftermath. That’s the most I can offer in this matter.”

Ilian had no choice but to make a decision in the end.

The capital and the Lescal Archipelago were far too distant.

The Esteban estate, left under only basic supervision since his long absence, was of no use. Only with his presence and authority could they swiftly support Rodrigo if necessary.

Katrina looked at him as if she had just heard something completely unexpected.

“You’re going to the family estate?”

“You told me to go down there first.”

“I was just saying it. You hate the main house.”

“I never hated it.”

Saying he hated it wasn’t quite accurate.

It was closer to avoidance.

Maybe it would be more accurate to say he had buried it deep within his memory and neglected it.

He didn’t even remember how many years had passed since he’d last stayed there for more than a few days, even when he absolutely had to go.

“…It’s time I paid a visit.”

But now, it felt like he might be able to handle it—just a little.

The emotions he had spilled out in front of Lydia somehow felt bearable now.

He couldn’t tell whether it was because time had passed unnoticed, or because of the person who had sat beside him and silently held his hand.