Everything felt like a ss.
I had my face buried in the pillow, then slowly lifted my head.
Before I knew it, the sky outside the window had darkened.
I had fallen asleep as soon as I got ho, but I kept waking up.
‘Ugh, my head…’
As I held my forehead, the events from early dawn consud my mind.
…It was the worst. Really, the worst.
There was no word that could describe this situation other than that.
As if it wasn’t enough to take my anger out on Ricardo, I couldn’t even speak properly like an idiot.
Did that an I felt relieved?
No, not at all.
If I had, at least I wouldn’t regret it.
Knock, knock.
“Young Lady, Lord Blua is awake.”
I nodded at Emily’s words.
“I’ll go now.”
I stood up while roughly brushing my hair. Following behind closely, she continued speaking.
“Earlier, while you were sleeping, Lord Blua went out.”
“...Grandfather? Where to?”
Emily shook her head.
“I don’t know that much. But he’s seed quite down since then.”
“...”
“But I’m sure he’ll brighten up once he sees you.”
Emily gave a thumbs-up.
Does she think I’m so kind of human vitamin?
Still, I figured I should lift the mood a bit before eting Grandfather.
In front of Grandfather’s door, I lightly slapped my cheeks with my hands and cheerfully shouted.
“Grandfather, it’s ! Bianca!”
As soon as I opened the door, the first thing that greeted was the scent that filled the room. It was a sedative ant to temporarily dull pain. Then, Grandfather, who had been reading a book, welcod .
“Co in, my dear.”
“I thought Brother would be here too, but I guess he already ca and left.”
I familiarly brought a chair near the bed and sat down. Grandfather opened the window slightly and said with an awkward expression,
“…The sll is pretty strong, isn’t it?”
“It’s not as bad as my perfu, though.”
“Isn’t that usually called a fragrance?”
“You’ve really never slled strong perfu before, have you?”
At my words, Grandfather let out a slow chuckle as if he had no choice.
“Cedric ca by earlier.”
“Did Brother give you this book?”
On the pink book cover, the grotesque title ‘The Count Who’s Only an to ’ was written in bold letters.
…That’s a romance novel, right?
At my sour expression, Grandfather let out a deep sigh.
“He said I overthink things and gave it to .”
“That’ll definitely help empty your mind.”
Cedric, really.
I quietly got up from my seat and closed the window. Grandfather narrowed his eyes in displeasure at the sight.
“I’m cold! What if I catch a cold like this?”
“It’s still sumr, isn’t it?”
“What’s with you? Sumr colds are the worst, you know.”
I shivered dramatically as I approached Grandfather. Instead of replying, he gently patted the chair I had been sitting on.
“My dear, would you sit for a mont?”
Was he about to tell sothing important?
Feeling oddly nervous, I hesitated, and Grandfather gave a small smile.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know if the butler already told you, but today I went to the House of Hessen.”
So the destination Emily ntioned was the Duke’s house.
“…There’s sothing I haven’t been able to tell you.”
Grandfather carefully took my hand. Perhaps finding it difficult to speak, his voice ca slower than usual.
“I know that you, Bianca, have been trying to cure this old man’s illness.”
“...!”
“Cedric as well.”
A sense of dread ca over .
“But don’t do that anymore. I think it would be better if you two treasured your ti a little more. What do you think?”
“What if there is a way?”
I gripped Grandfather’s hand tightly.
“What if I’ve already found that way…”
His eyes widened at my words.
I hurriedly continued.
“I can take away your pain. You won’t have to suffer anymore.”
“…You always surprise .”
Grandfather closed his eyes tightly, then opened them.
“So? My dear, do you believe that thod is the right one?”
…My guess was right.
Grandfather already knew.
About Eileens, and everything about Drimokan.
Now that it’s co to this, there’s no need for to hold back either.
“I, actually t Eileens.”
“…!”
“She said she cast the curse because she hated the grandfather who took away her freedom.”
I moved my lips.
“But I don’t understand what was so wrong about Grandfather ending the war.”
It’s not that I can’t understand Eileens’ perspective. But I believe Grandfather, who was once the captain of Carpea’s knights, made the best choice he could.
Because the loser of a war is bound to face a tragic end.
“...Grandfather, why did you accept Drimokan?”
Even though he knew Eileens would surely take her anger out on him.
Grandfather gave a bitter smile.
“They say people live while hoping for the future. But my dear, so people live trapped in the past.”
“...”
“I still feel like I’m on the battlefield.”
Grandfather’s hand, which warmly clasped mine, had only four fingers. He gently caressed my hand.
“I wished for sothing like that to never happen again. And to make that happen, soone had to protect Drimokan.”
“But it didn’t have to be you, Grandfather.”
My voice ca out like a childish whine.
“...If I had known her fury would be directed at those around , I would’ve chosen differently.”
The mont Eileens awoke was the day of the full moon. Taking advantage of the weakened seal, she cursed the Roygin family.
Everyone died, and only Grandfather was left to suffer alone.
“Still, please don’t apologize to .”
I cut in before he could finish.
“I’ve never once blad you, not for a single mont.”
“...”
“Brother probably feels the sa.”
Cedric, being so perceptive, surely knew. But he never changed his attitude.
Grandfather gently comforted .
“Cedric will be a good family for you. Ever since he brought you to while you were still a child.”
“I’m a greedy person, so just Brother isn’t enough. You have to stay with too, Grandfather.”
When I heard what Eileens had said, I hesitated. I was afraid of how far her rage, now free, would reach.
But when I sensed the end drawing near with Grandfather, I held onto him without hesitation.
“Bianca, you’re a lot like .”
“...!”
“I too once pitied her situation. I scoffed at humanity’s endless greed, but before I knew it, when I looked back, her presence had beco a massive fear.”
Grandfather continued with difficulty.
“What did she say again? Didn’t she promise a peaceful rest and speak of her circumstances?”
Struck to the core, I couldn’t say a word.
“My dear, for us, war has no more aning.”
“B-But what about you, Grandfather? What exactly did you do wrong?”
It was practically a complaint. If only he had said he was the one wronged…
It made a little angry to see him calmly accepting his situation.
“Did you know, Bianca?”
I only bit my lips tightly and shook my head.
“A person who kills one in the Empire becos a criminal sentenced to death.”
“...”
“But I, who killed hundreds, was hailed as a hero.”
Grandfather’s lips trembled as he continued.
“Bianca, I am a butcher. Even if I claim I did no wrong, I committed an unforgivable sin.”
“That’s...!”
“I hope that you and Cedric live a different life from mine. I want your greatest worry to be about this mont right now.”
I rembered sothing Grandfather once told .
That he hoped I’d live as Ricardo’s wife without anything serious to worry about in life.
“...You may see yourself as a butcher, Grandfather, but I don’t.”
“...”
“I was able to grow up as soone who can look forward to the future thanks to you ending the war.”
I forced a smile.
“To , Grandfather, you’re a hero.”
His eyes widened as he looked at .
Perhaps even those words felt like a burden to him now.
But this was the one thing I had to say.
* * *
“Young Lady.”
As soon as I stepped out and closed the door, Atticus, who had been waiting outside, called to .
“Bring Grandfather more romance novels. He seems to have too many thoughts.”
“You say the sa thing as the Marquis.”
Atticus chuckled briefly before handing a letter.
“More than that, I’ve got good news.”
I opened the envelope with a puzzled expression.
“Congratulations, Young Lady.”
What erged was a breakup letter.
With Ricardo’s signature on it.
And attached to the next page was the ownership of the Hurrigon Mine.
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