Elaina Aswel tossed and turned all night. As she lay blinking, fatigue was clearly etched on her face. Yet, regardless of her tiredness, brilliant morning sunlight stread through the window, compelling her to sigh deeply and rise from her bed. Has lvin awoken yet? Typically, other mbers of the Aswel household, excluding Elaina, wouldn’t stir until noon. Under normal circumstances, they were likely still sleeping soundly.
If you need ti to think, I can give it to you. Surprisingly, I have that much generosity, Sinclair had said. But Elaina no longer needed ti to ponder; it was ti to inform Sinclair of her decision. The quickest way would be to visit Sinclair at the royal palace where he resided.
Going to the palace with this leg is impractical. The Aswel estate was quite a distance from the palace, too far to walk, especially with her impaired leg. But given the circumstances, I can’t arouse suspicion. Especially after yesterday's commotion, even stepping outside ant she had to sneak around. Blatantly calling for a carriage would be akin to a suicide attempt. I’ll leave the Aswel estate first, then call for a coachman.
If lucky, she could return before noon, before lvin woke up. No, she had to.
Having resolved her plan, Elaina checked her appearance in the mirror, tidied herself up, and slowly rose from her seat. She leaned on the banister, muffling any sound as she began descending the stairs. However, what she encountered upon reaching the bottom was wholly unexpected.
"Where are you off to this early in the morning?" The sight of lvin sitting on the living room sofa shook her briefly. Why is he awake at this hour? But the puzzlent was fleeting, as she soon realized the answer. He must have been worried that she would go to Sinclair with her answer, maintaining vigilance in a fit of uncharacteristic diligence.
Nevertheless, lvin, who seed not to have slept at all, his eyes red and swollen, sharply questioned his daughter. "I asked where you are going, Elaina!"
"I just wanted to get so fresh air," Elaina replied softly. "Won't you even allow
to take a walk now, Father?"
To be honest, lvin had no excuses; Elaina often went for walks on sunny, pleasant days, despite her limping gait. "Or do you plan to keep
locked up in the manor until you can sell
to Duke Hank?" Her pointed words caused lvin's gaze to fix sternly on her.
But she showed no reaction. She simply waited quietly for his next words. Given the circumstances, where lvin already suspected her, she knew too well that any careless remark might lead to irreversible consequences. "Let's have a talk," lvin finally broke the silence. "Bring so tea here." Not long after his words, a maid appeared, pushing a tray. Soon, cups emitting faint steam were placed before them. What was this about? lvin serving tea to ? As if it was nothing more than dishwater or sewer sludge. Elaina eyed the teacup with suspicion. "Why, do you think I might have poisoned it?" lvin asked mockingly, and Elaina made no response. "No matter how strained our relationship is, you are still my daughter." "..." "And I wouldn’t do such a thing." Yes. Despite everything that had happened, Elaina was still lvin's daughter. How cursed and grievous that fact was, you wouldn't understand. Beneath her worn sleeve, Elaina clenched her fist secretly. "I don't suspect you to that extent," Elaina slowly began. "Because, after all, you would need to sell
off, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t kill ." lvin's face grew colder. For so reason, he stared at Elaina with a contemptuous gaze before continuing in an icy voice. "I know too well. It must have been hard for you to grow attached to our family." 'Our family'? That was absurd. From that phrase alone, it was clear who never considered the other as family from the beginning. "But I have also tried hard. I’ve worked to make the Aswell house stronger, so that my wife and daughters could live comfortably, wherever they go. You cannot deny that, no matter what you think." Well. If you say you’ve worked hard only for ‘our family,’ naturally I cannot deny it. Elaina thought. "The sa goes for you. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about where to send you, where my mind would be at ease, especially after you ca of age." "..." "Even after our relationship soured, I’ve been attentive, though I haven't shown it. Of course, you might not believe my words." "So, are you referring to the matter with Prince Sinclair?" Unable to bear the absurdity any longer, Elaina directly ntioned the na Sinclair, and lvin's expression turned even colder than before. "Sinclair Butler is not suitable for you. Think beyond the impact on our family." "..." "I intend to send you sowhere you can be treated well and loved."
"You probably don't understand a father's heart. But I cannot send my daughter off to a clearly miserable fate," lvin said, sipping his tea. "You wouldn’t be able to handle that scoundrel properly, and the treatnt at the royal court will be no easy task. You will be blatantly ignored, and you will beco a topic of idle gossip. Do you really want such a life?" Well? Life here was no different for . "I’m not unaware that you have resented
continually. But I have accepted that quietly, calmly. No matter how you wander, you are still my daughter." lvin's delusional talk continued. "…So, think of it not as
selling you off, but as
considering the best place for you. I have actually done so. This is the only truth I can tell you." If I reconsider, I might as well sell you to a street gypsy. And this kind of persuasion? I would have been less astounded if he had continued to throw rubbish at
as before, or if he had kicked my stomach until I lost consciousness. Could any farce match the current situation? Elaina thought lvin’s words were genuinely laughable, and showed no reaction. "…"
As Elaina stared silently, lvin realized his persuasive efforts through the night had failed. He clenched and unclenched his fists, his knuckles whitening, then glared at Elaina as if he would kill her. And Elaina, through many experiences, knew well what would usually happen next. He would beat
like a dog. But, surprisingly, that did not happen. Instead, lvin started moving his lips again. "But, Elaina." It was at that mont that lvin's eyes glimred ominously. "…Aren’t you really going to drink it?" "No, I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling well." There might not be poison, but there could be sothing else. Elaina wasn't foolish enough to fall for such a shallow trick. But lvin's reply was a bit odd. "Then it can't be helped." "What do you an…?" Elaina couldn't finish her sentence. Suddenly, her mouth and nose were completely covered with a handkerchief soaked in sothing, and she soon slumped over like a corpse. "You never intend to listen to the end." lvin slowly stood up, looking down disdainfully at the unconscious Elaina and muttered, "Take her." He then tossed the command to a man standing behind Elaina, who nodded understandingly and tucked the handkerchief into his coat. "As I said, it's the best place for you." lvin walked steadily forward, now looming directly in front of Elaina. "Duke Hank will take good care of you," he continued. "The Duke actually has a bit of a peculiar taste. He was quite pleased to hear you wouldn't be able to move properly." "…" "So you won't be able to run away, right?" lvin laughed. "Try to behave. But it would be wise not to act above your station and try to climb higher like you did with . Duke Hank has much less patience than I do." That was the last thing he said to his daughter. Soon, lvin left the drawing room without any regrets or backward glance, and the poor Elaina, still unconscious, was dragged out like a dog by the masked man.
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