Chapter 71 I Want To See You Again
“That’s a shame, because I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance.”
“…”
“I thought it would be nice to get close to the Duke now that I’m staying at his residence… I guess I’m a little late.”
Princess Espin said lightly, shrugging her shoulders. She tried to smile, but the corners of her lips didn’t quite pull together, and it came out looking weak.
“It’s a shame, but still… Ms Nia is, and Jediel is, and of course Lord Killion, but they’re all good people, and I want to support Lord Killion.”
“… Thank you. Your Highness.”
He didn’t expect to hear this kind of support from anyone. Especially not from Princess Espin.
He bowed his head politely in thanks.
‘But she doesn’t accept my heart, and that hurts me a lot.’
He sighed heavily, unable to convey his feelings in such a way that would make sense, and Princess Espin, who could not possibly know his true feelings, spoke next in a cheerful voice.
“I’ve really enjoyed today, even if it was punctuated by a terrible incident, but it was a perfect day until I met the pickpocket. Thank you, Lord Killion.”
“I had a great time, too.”
Killion shivered as he reflected on the long day. The breeze against his chest was chilly.
‘Maybe… I’ve found out.’
The way he’d wrapped his cloak around Veronia’s face when she’d dropped one of her piercings had always bothered him. He’d tried to play it cool, but it was still suspicious. Especially for the cautious Veronica.
‘She would have been surprised to find the piercing gone when she climbed into the carriage, and worried that I might have seen… a scarless face…’
Or maybe she’d be puzzled that he hadn’t noticed the scarless face, and her suspicions would grow.
‘This is a big problem. I need to do something about it.’
He clasped his hands together in nervousness.
By the time the carriage reached the ducal residence, the sky was already darkening. As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, the butler approached him with urgency.
“Your Excellency, are you here?”
“Yes. What is the matter?”
“I have a letter from the Empress.”
The butler said, handing Killion an envelope. Killion’s eyebrows knitted together as he took the envelope. He didn’t like what he saw.
‘I expected it, but you’re a bit quick.’
He opened the envelope to find a terse note demanding that he come to the palace immediately. But Killion had no intention of doing so.
“Tell her I’ll be there first thing tomorrow morning,” he said, “and that I’ll be drunk and tired.”
“Yes? Ah… Yes, Your Excellency.”
There was no smell of alcohol, and from the look on his face, his voice, and his gait, Killion was not the least bit drunk. But to lie and say he was?
The butler was somewhat taken aback, as Killion had never been one to dodge a summons to the palace by lying. But he quickly composed himself and bowed his head.
A faithful servant should never seek to know his master’s every intention, only to obey his orders.
***
“Mum, are you okay?”
Jediel blinked at Veronia’s bandaged ear.
“Yes, I’m fine. The doctor took great care of all my cuts and put the medicine on well. So it doesn’t hurt at all.”
“…”
Veronia forced a smile at the child. But Jediel still looked worried and serious, and that’s when Luisa set a bowl of cream of chicken soup down in front of her.
“Eat some, even if you don’t think about it. You need to eat and take your medicine.”
“I don’t think so. I was hungry anyway. Wow, this is delicious.”
Veronia picked up her spoon, her hand moving quickly between the bowl and her mouth as they all sat around the table, staring at her. “Luisa’s cooking is the best,” she said, ‘after all.’
“Oh, that’s right!” said Veronia, who had been mindlessly munching on her bread, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, she glanced quickly at Jediel.
“By the way, Jediel. When did you become so friendly with Mr Killion?”
“What?”
Jediel’s eyes widened at the sudden sharp question. Veronia didn’t wait for him to answer before asking again.
“I saw you earlier, and you were whispering to each other, and you were practicing throwing a ball and stuff…”
“…”
“Have you two ever practiced throwing a ball together?”
“Well…”
Jediel paused, unable to answer easily. His lips pursed, his eyes flushed red. Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.
Oh, no. I didn’t mean to scare him, but I did, Veronia thought, and she flushed. She called his name in the softest voice she could muster.
“Jediel.”
“That’s …”
“I’m not trying to scold you, I’m just curious, Jediel is my son, whom I love dearly, and Mr Killion is like my boss at work.”
“…”
The child looked up at Veronia, squinting through tear-filled eyes.
“That’s why I asked, because I thought Mum should know more about how you two got to know each other.”
“…”
“You don’t have to answer now, you can answer later when you’re ready. Okay?”
Jediel hesitated for a moment at Veronia’s question, then nodded.
“I’ll just tell you now.”
“Okay.”
Veronia put down the bread she was about to lift to her mouth and locked eyes with the child. This time, she didn’t ask again impatiently, but sat quietly, waiting for the child to speak first.
“There was a Mr Killion at our kindergarten.”
“At the kindergarten?”
Veronia was surprised to hear this; what on earth would a man of his stature be doing in a kindergarten? It was strange.
‘What other national projects are you planning?’
Killion recalled Windler’s comment that he likes to get his feet wet in the early stages of any project.
“Mr Killion and the headmaster came to see our class and had lunch with us.”
“I see.”
“I was playing ball and I fell down and I was crying, and Mr Killion picked me up and ran over to me.”
“Oh… the day you said you got a glory wound?”
“Yes.”
Jediel nodded, not quite making eye contact with Veronia. It seemed to haunt him that he hadn’t come clean that day.
“So I practiced throwing and catching the ball with Mr Killion that day.”
Jediel said, watching Veronia’s eyes closely. When Veronia remained silent, he thought she was angry, but then he suddenly broke into a sobbing fit.
“Huhu, I’m sorry, Mum. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to see Mr Killion again… so I didn’t tell you, huhuhu!”
The child’s heartfelt confession made Veronia stare at her for a moment, unable to find the right words.
“Mum said I shouldn’t talk to anyone I don’t know well… huhu… I was afraid you told me not to meet Mr Killion too… So I didn’t tell you, huhuhu!”
Veronia understood now. She’d said it because she was bothered by Jediel’s interest in Killion. Something she’d said about keeping her distance from people she didn’t know had stuck in her mind.
“I’m sorry, Mum, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Eventually, Jediel broke down and started sobbing. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Veronia hugged the sobbing child gently.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that Jediel wanted to be close to Mr Killion, and I’m sorry.”
“Mum… huhuhu!”
Veronia soothed her child, patting him lightly on the back. Jediel sobbed non-stop, wrapped in his mother’s arms, as if he had a lot to be sorry for.
‘Maybe it was the blood that drew him to me, but I told him no…’
Her heart ached at the thought of hurting her because of the secret she’d kept, and two tears slid silently down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Jediel. I’m so sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you…”
“Sorry, Mum, huhu… hu hu!”
As Luisa and Hugo watched the two mothers hugging and crying, tears formed in the corners of their eyes.
***
Veronia glanced over at Jediel, who slept soundly beside her. The child was tired, and as soon as he lay down, he fell asleep.
Veronia, on the other hand, could not sleep; she was tired, but not the least bit sleepy. All sorts of thoughts were creeping into her head and bothering her.
She was particularly troubled by the look on Luisa’s face when she came to fetch her herbal water.
“This water is made with herbs that are good for pain relief. Drink it if you feel sick at night.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“Jediel seems to like the man who came before you earlier.”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Nia, what about you?”
“What? Me?”
…”
“He’s just like my boss at work, and he’s a big aristocrat, that’s all.”
“…All right, then, good night.”
“Yes. Good night to you too, grandma.”
She didn’t ask specifically, but her eyes were clear, as if she could see through everything.
‘How did she know?’
She’d only seen Killion’s face briefly today, but she didn’t think Killion and Jediel looked enough alike to realize the truth at once. You’d have to look long and hard to see the overlap, Veronia thought.
‘Oh, no, she just had a hunch, but she wasn’t sure. How would she know that?’
Veronia shook her head, trying to deny the premonition that was creeping up on her. Pushing thoughts of Luisa into the corner of her mind, she closed her eyes. Sleep still eluded her, no matter how long she lay there.
