Episode 112. Daniel Bohan (3)

‘Jealousy? From me?’

Daniel rubbed his face with his hands, trying to steady the turmoil in his chest. Part of him wanted to shut that man up immediately, while another part craved to keep hearing about Sienna—even if it was through him. These conflicting emotions churned within him.

It was the first time Daniel had recognized the emotion of jealousy, and it was far more consuming than he’d ever imagined. But what gnawed at him the most was a single thought:

‘Did I ever even have the right to feel jealous in the first place?’

Daniel was flawed, but he wasn’t shameless. He couldn’t lie to himself. Sienna, who had once been his fiancée, holding another man’s hand was mostly his fault. Instead of treasuring her, he had gone so far as to publicly ask for their engagement to be annulled.

Now, it would be absurd and pathetic to criticize her for finding happiness with another man.

‘To think such a wretched feeling was lurking inside me.’

This emotion was disgusting to him, so similar to the obsessive possessiveness Beth had once shown him. The thought made him feel even more nauseated.

After biting his lip in hesitation, Daniel finally opened his mouth.

“…Are you happy?”

What he really wanted to ask was if Sienna was happy. But even that felt too petty, so he barely managed to redirect the question to Percy.

Percy, however, responded in a chilly tone, as if seeing right through him.

“Why are you asking me that?”

The question stung. Daniel lowered his head, fumbling for words.

“It’s just… everything was so unexpected. That Your Grace got married, and that your partner is Princess Sienna. I’m merely asking if you’re happy.”

Percy stared at Daniel for a moment before replying in a firm voice.
“She is not your fiancée.”

“I know that,” Daniel replied.

“No, you don’t.”

Percy shook his head at Daniel’s indignant response. His meaning was clear: the Sienna who had once asked for Daniel’s hand in marriage was not the same Sienna now. Unless Daniel realized this, he had no right to stand by her side.

Percy drew a cold line.

“That’s the difference between you and me. So let go of your regrets.”

With that, Percy turned his back, as if he had nothing more to say.

Daniel clenched his fists tightly. Despite trying to suppress it, a bitter voice escaped his lips.

“Did you wait here just to tell me that?”

At his accusatory tone, Percy raised an eyebrow. In a calm voice, he replied,

“Daniel Bohan. I have some degree of goodwill toward you. The fact that you haven’t been dismissed from the Imperial Knights is part of that.”

“My name is still on the roster?”

Daniel asked, surprised.

“It’s listed as an extended leave of absence, so yes, technically, you’re still active.”

Daniel froze at this unexpected revelation. Percy met his gaze and spoke slowly.

“So pull yourself together and live your own life.”

To an outsider, Percy might have seemed like a superior who deeply cared for his subordinate. For a moment, Daniel felt a pang of warmth.

But it didn’t take long for him to realize what Percy truly meant.

“…You’ve changed, haven’t you? In the past, you wouldn’t have offered such a conciliatory solution to someone you disliked.”

It was clear Percy’s leniency was only to ensure Daniel quietly faded into his own corner, sparing Sienna any further stress.

Percy shrugged, confirming Daniel’s suspicion.

“Caught on, have you? Unlike Sienna, I’m not one to let things slide naturally.”

The way Percy casually said Sienna’s name made Daniel’s stomach churn. Names and titles revealed the distance—or lack thereof—between two people.

“People change,” Percy said.

“Not you, Your Grace,” Daniel replied.

“I wonder what image of me you’ve been holding onto.”

Percy exhaled a soft sigh through his nose, then turned sharply on his heel, leaving Daniel with a final remark.

“When I tell you to pull yourself together and return, I mean it. As a person, you might be lacking, but as a knight, you’re exceptional.”

To be criticized on his humanity by Percy Stewart of all people—Daniel found that ironic.

Without another word, Percy strode away, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared inside.

Left standing there in a daze, Daniel impulsively decided to follow him.

Percy’s destination turned out to be none other than the guest quarters. The dim corridor, meant to be silent with everyone asleep, was faintly lit by a flickering light.

There, Sienna sat, draped in a shawl, crouched on the floor.

‘Sienna!’

Unprepared to face her, Daniel instinctively ducked behind the corner.

He could hear their warm voices drifting through the hallway.

“Sienna?” Percy called softly.

“Percy.”

As Sienna stood, the soft rustle of her dress filled the air. Percy’s tone, so gentle with her, was entirely different from when he spoke to Daniel.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“No,” Sienna replied.

“Do you think I was too harsh in throwing him out?” Percy asked.

“Honestly, I did for a moment. But now I realize I was just being soft-hearted,” she admitted.

“What a cruel thing to say.”

It seemed Percy had only stepped outside to say something to Daniel on his way to Sienna. The couple’s light banter grew softer as they entered the room together.

Pressed against the wall, Daniel held his breath, his chest rising and falling shallowly. As soon as the door shut, he slumped to the ground.

‘I didn’t think it was real love. I thought he was incapable of love.’

Not with anyone else—but Percy Stewart? A man who seemed more like a reptile than a person? While Daniel respected him as a commander, he’d never been interested in him personally.

And yet, the affectionate tone of their voices, the way they bickered lightly, and how Sienna had waited for him in the hall—these things all screamed of genuine love.

After sitting there in stunned silence, Daniel finally got up and began walking toward his own room. On the way, he encountered the butler leaving his quarters.

“All the guests have been settled for the night, my lord,” the butler informed him with a bow.

“It’s been a challenging situation. You’ve done well, butler,” Daniel said, his tone calm yet appreciative.

The sheer number of people Percy had brought along must have made the task of arranging accommodations arduous. At Daniel’s compliment, the butler simply bowed his head without responding. Daniel tilted his head, noticing something amiss.

“Butler?”

“…It’s nothing, my lord. I momentarily let my emotions get the better of me,” the butler replied, his voice thick with emotion. Even in the dim light, the tears welling up in the older man’s wrinkled eyes sparkled.

Daniel’s expression grew serious.

“Joy? Are you saying you’re happy because we have guests?”

“No, my lord. It’s because you seem so dignified and strong.”

“Me…?”

Wiping his tears with a handkerchief, the butler explained, “You’ve been so unsettled lately, my lord. But seeing you regain your strength and gracefully host the Duke and Duchess Stewart tonight has finally put my mind at ease.”

The butler was referring to the time when Daniel had been practically imprisoned in his own room, ensnared by Beth’s manipulation. The vivid memory made Daniel bite his lip hard.

Though the butler had never shown it openly, Daniel now understood how much anxiety must have weighed on him during that period. The sudden change in leadership of the household, coupled with Daniel’s growing frailty and his rejection of human contact, must have been deeply unsettling.

‘In the end, I was the problem. I should have opposed that relationship with Beth from the start.’

If he had driven her out earlier, the household would have avoided so much turmoil. It was Daniel’s fault for failing to see Beth for the suspicious person she truly was.

Reaching out, Daniel grasped the butler’s hands. He felt a profound sense of gratitude toward the man, who had silently endured and continued to manage the household in his stead.

“I caused you a great deal of worry,” Daniel said softly.

“What are you saying, my lord? It’s all the fault of that witch! You’ve done nothing wrong!”

“…”

The butler’s attempt to cheer him up only deepened Daniel’s sinking feelings. He clenched his fists tightly.

‘As much as I hate to admit it, the Duke was right.’

Even now, asking the household to trust him fully was unreasonable. They had seen how utterly he had collapsed.

The only way to rebuild that trust was to return to his normal life as soon as possible.

‘My name is still on the Imperial Knights’ roster.’

He needed to go back to the capital. No matter how daunting or uncomfortable it felt, he had to face his memories head-on.

‘And once I’ve steadied myself, I’ll offer Princess Sienna a formal apology.’

He would thank her for once choosing to ask for his hand in marriage, and he would express his regret for the cruel words he’d spoken to her.

‘And I’ll wish her happiness.’

Daniel lifted his gaze toward the room where Sienna was staying. For a moment, he simply stood there, his heart heavy. Then, quietly, he bowed his head and turned away.

 

 

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