Episode 137

“Mother, it’s me.”

“Come in.”

As I opened the door to the study and entered, I saw my mother standing by the window.

“What are you doing?”

“I was just admiring the garden.”

“Shall we go for a walk outside together?”

“No, sometimes it’s nice to just look at it from afar.”

“Oh, then I’ll join you and watch.”

“Alright. Come here.”

I walked over to where my mother was standing and positioned myself nearby.

Following her gaze out the window, I could see the entire garden.

I quietly took in the view alongside my mother.

The clear, blue sky without a single cloud, and the red and yellow leaves barely clinging to the tall trees in the garden, were swaying gently in the breeze.

Seeing the fallen leaves scatter on the ground filled me with the essence of autumn.

“Indeed, viewing it from a distance offers a different perspective.”

“Doesn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s already autumn. Time flies so quickly.”

“It’s been almost a year since you left for the Blighton estate.”

“A year… It doesn’t feel like that much time has passed.”

“Really?”

Mother smiled softly, as if she could see right through me.

Seeing her serene smile made me think for a moment.

How wonderful it would be if every day could be this peaceful.

If I could spend each day eating and conversing with the people I love, laughing together, how perfect life would be.

But the days I once believed would be like that were now in great danger.

I…

I wanted to protect this happiness.

I didn’t want to let it slip away.

I wanted to preserve my mother’s smile, my family’s harmonious daily life, and the future ahead.

No, I had to protect it.

I was prepared to do whatever it took.

“I have something to tell you, Mother.”

Breaking free from my deep thoughts, I spoke to my mother.

“To me?”

“Yes. It’s news you’ve been waiting for.”

“News I’ve been waiting for? Could it be…”

Sensing what I was about to say, hope began to fill my mother’s eyes.

“I’m completely cured now…”

“Oh…”

Mother let out a small gasp and stared at me in shock, her mouth slightly open, unable to speak.

“Mother?”

“Is it… really true? You’re completely cured?”

When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with emotion.

“Yes… Actually, it’s been a while, but I only just now told you. I’m sorry.”

“When… how did you find out? Are you sure you’re really cured?”

“It’s been a few weeks, but I wasn’t certain at first, so I didn’t say anything. But now, I’m sure I’m completely cured, which is why I’m telling you.”

I mixed in a small lie with my answer to my mother since I couldn’t mention anything about treason or prophetic dreams.

Father and I were the only ones who needed to worry about those matters.

Of course, I had no choice but to involve Jade this time because I needed his help, but I hoped that would be the extent of it.

I wanted the situation to resolve smoothly, so that it would be as if nothing ever happened, and I wanted to keep Mother and Luke unaware.

“I had a dream, and the paths I used to see in my dreams were no longer there. I woke up immediately, and since then, I haven’t had those dreams.”

“How…”

Tears that had been welling up in my mother’s eyes finally spilled down her cheeks.

“How could such a miracle happen…”

Mother’s voice trembled as she spoke, her expression filled with overwhelming emotion.

“It’s all thanks to the Duke.”

“I’m so grateful. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kindness…”

“Mother…”

Seeing my mother in tears, I felt a surge of emotion and hugged her tightly.

“Ayla…”

“Mother…”

For a while, we couldn’t say anything, just holding each other and shedding tears.

It was only after a long time had passed that Mother, having calmed down, began to ask me various questions.

I explained to her in detail how I had recovered from my illness, answering all her questions.

“Really, it’s such a relief. I still can’t believe that my daughter is healthy now…”

“Neither can I. It still feels unreal that I’m no longer sick.”

As I smiled softly at her, Mother gently caressed my cheek.

“Let’s do all the things we couldn’t do before. Whatever you want, just say the word.”

“Mother…”

“Alright?”

“Yes. Let’s do it together. There were so many things I wanted to do with you.”

“Indeed. I still can’t believe it. Oh, does your father know?”

“Yes, I told Father. And Jade too.”

“What about Luke?”

“I’m about to tell him now.”

“He’ll be so happy. Don’t just stand here, go tell him quickly.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Will you stay for dinner? I’d like to celebrate today.”

“Hmm, yes. I’ll stay for dinner.”

Mother smiled contentedly at my words and gestured for me to hurry along.

I immediately left the study and headed toward Luke’s room.

However, he wasn’t there as I had expected.

‘Where did he go?’

I tilted my head in confusion, trying to think of where he might be, and then grabbed a passing servant.

“Do you know where Luke is?”

“I saw Master Luke go upstairs a little while ago.”

“Upstairs?”

“Yes.”

“Got it, thank you.”

I let the servant go and made my way to the third floor.

The second floor was where our family’s bedrooms and studies were located, while the third floor contained rooms that were rarely used.

However, there was one familiar space among those rooms—the attic.

I immediately guessed that Luke must have gone there.

It was a place full of memories, where my brothers and I often spent time together when we were younger.

After climbing the stairs to the third floor, I walked to the end of the corridor and reached a small wooden door.

When I opened it, the door creaked loudly, as if it hadn’t been opened in a long time.

“Brother?”

I called out to Luke as I stepped inside.

There he was, lying comfortably, bathed in the warm sunlight, fast asleep.

‘He’s sleeping deeply.’

I looked at my brother, debating whether or not to wake him.

Should I wake him or let him sleep?

I couldn’t decide if it was right to wake someone who was sleeping so peacefully or if I should just leave him be.

‘I’ll just wait.’

There was still some time before dinner, after all.

So, there was no need to rush and wake him.

With that in mind, I quietly sat beside him and watched him sleep, when suddenly, a memory from the past flashed through my mind.

When we were younger, there was a time when Luke had been scolded harshly by Father and, feeling deeply discouraged, disappeared without a word.

I searched all over the house for him and eventually found him here.

I was the first to find him, and he had fallen asleep alone in the attic, exhausted from crying.

At that moment, I could have run to tell our parents that I had found him, but I didn’t.

Even as a child, I had felt so sorry for him, seeing the dried tear stains on his cheeks from crying so much.

Instead, I stayed by his side and waited for him to wake up.

Just like now.

‘I want to protect my family no matter what.’

The same feelings that had enveloped me earlier while watching the garden with Mother returned.

I wished that this peace and happiness would last for a very long time—forever, if possible.

I prayed that the terrible future I had seen in my prophetic dream would never come to pass.

As I sat there lost in thought, Luke suddenly opened his eyes.

“You’re awake?”

“…Ayla?”

Still groggy from sleep, he called my name in a daze.

“Wait… Ayla?”

Then, suddenly fully alert, he bolted upright and stared at me.

I responded with a smile instead of words.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was just… watching you sleep.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“It’s obvious where you’d go.”

“It is?”

I teased him, holding out my hand playfully, and he replied while scratching his head, still looking a bit dazed.

“Are you still half-asleep?”

“No, I’m awake.”

Saying that, he shook his head slightly as if to clear it.

“Do you still come here sometimes to nap?”

“I haven’t been here in a while.”

“Really? This place brings back memories. We used to have so much fun playing here when we were kids, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, we did. By the way, did you wait for me to wake up?”

“Well, there was time, and it reminded me of old times, so I just stayed.”

“Do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“When I got scolded by Father and was crying alone here, but you stayed by my side.”

“I remember.”

Hearing my brother recall the same incident that I had been thinking of made my heart swell with emotion.