IFLDMHF | Chapter 127

Episode 127

It was an unexpected remark.

Suddenly saying that he didn’t regret meeting me—what kind of situation would lead to such words?

Was it the Tower Master muttering something strange again?

Feeling uneasy, I looked up at Euclid.

— Truly, I don’t regret it.

As he repeated those words once more, I felt a peculiar emotion stir within me.

It sounded like a firm declaration, yet at the same time, it also felt like a vow that he would never come to regret it.

Either way… for me, it was a touching and joyful thing to hear.

I had only been taken aback for a moment. After that, I smiled along with Euclid, grateful for what he had said.

But from that moment on, Euclid’s smile seemed to fade.

He often fell into deep thought alone.

Whenever I spoke to him, he would return my words with a gentle smile—but only for a brief moment.

‘What on earth is troubling him?’

It was clear that Euclid had something weighing on his mind.

But I had no way of even guessing what it was.

I had subtly probed him several times, yet each time, he would give me a sorrowful look and then blatantly change the subject.

It was to the point where I felt too sorry for him to press further.

And even now, Euclid was lost in thought.

‘Is it really, as Delano said, aftereffects from the accident?’

As I gazed at his deeply troubled profile, I unconsciously called out to him.

“Your Grace.”

“Ah.”

With a small sound, Euclid snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at me.

Realizing that he had been distracted from our conversation, he gave me an embarrassed smile and said:

“When you go to the capital, you’ll be able to meet those you have missed.”

Someone I missed? Besides Euclid, was there anyone else I longed to see?

“The Duke of Basilian was quite regretful when you left the capital. He will surely be delighted to see you again after so long. As will your other family members.”

Ah, so that’s who he meant.

Unable to outright deny it, I gave a vague nod and rose from my seat.

“In any case, if I want to leave for the capital as planned, I need to hurry.”

“Is there much to prepare?”

“Well… there are things to take care of.”

Euclid looked at me curiously, but I only gave him an awkward smile and avoided giving a clear answer.

I had yet to get Euclid’s approval regarding road maintenance and urban development.

And I certainly couldn’t tell him that I was heading to the capital to lay the groundwork for independence and prepare for the emperor’s schemes.

‘Though, if Euclid truly wanted to know, I could tell him everything.’

Not just that I was the true owner of Gold and Black, but also the truth about Richard’s real identity.

Yet, Euclid neither confided in me about his troubles nor actively sought to know more about me.

It left a slight bitterness in my heart.

But at the very least, he no longer pushed me away or built an impenetrable wall between us.

Thinking that alone was a relief, I left Euclid’s office.

Tap.

The door closed, and the sound of Evgenia’s footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Delano jumped up and shouted.

“Oh no! This is a disaster, Your Grace!”

“…Why are you so worked up?”

As soon as Evgenia left, Euclid’s expression returned to its somber state, and he blankly stared at the invitation bearing the imperial seal on his desk.

Seeing his complete lack of awareness about the gravity of the situation, Delano clutched his chest in frustration.

“What do you mean, why? You just said it yourself! When she goes to the capital, Madam will meet someone she misses.”

“Yes, I did say that, but…”

“No! Didn’t I drop a hint earlier? Have you already forgotten what kind of banquet this invitation is for?”

“There’s no way I would forget. It’s to celebrate the victory in the war… Ah.”

Only then did Euclid recall the crucial fact—that the central figure of this banquet was none other than the crown prince.

The very man who, just a few months ago, had desperately pursued and obsessed over Evgenia, his former wife.

Euclid’s lips pressed into a thin line, his words cut off.

Seeing him freeze on the spot, Delano felt a small sense of relief.

He had been utterly tormented watching Euclid push Evgenia away all this time.

But as the saying goes, the ground hardens after rain.

The butler had mentioned that the two seemed to have grown closer due to the recent accident, and it appeared to be true.

Feeling emboldened, Delano insisted.

“We can’t allow Madam to go to the capital like this! I’ll come up with some excuse—so please, refuse to attend.”

“That’s not an option. If we make up a poor excuse, we have no way of knowing what kind of repercussions it might bring.”

Even now, the imperial family provided no support to the North.

But with their negligence now publicly exposed, giving them any excuse could lead to accusations or even false charges.

More importantly—

“My wife already said she would go. I can’t disregard her decision without just cause and force her to stay.”

“That’s true, but…”

Delano had never intended to forcibly stop Evgenia from leaving.

He had only planned to persuade her carefully.

But Euclid’s unwavering stance left him no choice—his buried concerns spilled out in frustration.

“What if Madam sees His Highness the Crown Prince and her feelings waver?”

And the moment he said it, he realized his mistake. Hastily, he added:

“Of course, I know it’s a pointless worry! His Highness wasn’t interested in Madam even before their marriage, so now that she’s a married woman, it’s even less likely. But… still, you never know with people.”

Delano’s voice was laced with unease.

It was clear just how irreplaceable Evgenia had become within the ducal household.

Euclid could understand Delano’s concerns to some extent.

After all, he had come to painfully realize that a person’s heart never follows plans or logic.

Especially when it came to feelings of love—it was something one could be swept away by, utterly powerless.

Fortunately, as things stood, Evgenia’s heart… was leaning somewhat toward him.

But at the same time, Euclid had never forgotten.

The reason Evgenia had decided to marry in the first place was because she had been hurt by the Crown Prince and wanted to put her feelings for him to rest.

For a brief moment, Euclid wondered what it would have been like if Evgenia had married someone else instead of him.

Since she was sincere in her marriage, she would have treated that person the same way she treated him.

And unlike him, that person would have accepted Evgenia without any struggles or hesitation.

Just as he had ultimately fallen for her.

The mere thought of it was unbearable, and Euclid shook his head urgently, trying to clear his mind.

If even an imaginary figure could make him jealous, then what about the Crown Prince—the man Evgenia had once truly loved?

As this thought crossed his mind, Euclid unconsciously let out a bitter smile.

Not long ago, before their marriage, he had wished that Evgenia’s feelings for the Crown Prince would never change.

And now, here he was, troubled by a past of hers he hadn’t even been part of, feeling jealous over a man who hadn’t even been her lover.

It was both amusing and childish.

At that moment, Delano, who had been closely watching Euclid’s changing expressions, looked at him with hopeful eyes.

It was clear that he was expecting Euclid to cancel their trip to the capital.

But Euclid…

“I trust my wife.”

He spoke firmly.

His jealousy and anxiety were his personal issues.

It wouldn’t be right to judge Evgenia based on them.

It would be a lie to say that he wasn’t at all concerned about her reunion with the Crown Prince…

But Evgenia had clearly said that she had completely given up on him.

And he would trust her words.

Having made up his mind, Euclid smiled lightly as he watched Delano sink into despair.

Then, he returned to the thoughts that had occupied his mind ever since the Tower Master had left.

To be honest, this trip to the capital was inevitable, but it had also given him the courage to seriously consider something he had never thought about before.

Perhaps after returning from the capital, he would be able to make his decision.

That was what he was thinking when—

“Ah, seriously! When the Madam decided to go to the capital, her expression was so grim!”

…Was that so?

She must have been thinking about the Crown Prince, no doubt. That had to be why she was in such a rush to prepare for the trip.

Listening to Delano, who was working himself into a frenzy, Euclid’s expression became slightly enigmatic.

Even aside from his feelings toward the imperial family, the fact that the Crown Prince had hurt Evgenia made him displeased.

But suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

The Crown Prince whom Evgenia had been so obsessed with—Kaiden Elios—what kind of man was he?

Just how exceptional was he, to have been able to turn away from Evgenia?