Episode 92

It was a rather shocking revelation.

I blinked, trying to determine if Eunice was joking, but she seemed serious. Slowly, I picked up my pen.

A knight of the Duke’s household? Where could he possibly have gone?

I couldn’t understand it.

‘Did he say where he was going?’

Eunice glanced down at my question, neatly written on the paper, and replied, “I don’t know.”

Does Igon know? My thoughts were a mess.

As if reading the question that popped into my mind, Eunice added, “But I think Duke Rodore probably knows.”

Now that I thought about it, Igon had never mentioned anything about Liam. Then again, I hadn’t asked him, either.

Upon arriving in Winnium, I’d been too preoccupied—first with seasickness, then with the shocking events in the royal palace. I’d completely forgotten about Liam until we boarded the ship to return.

“…He was incredibly helpful during the short time we spent together,” Eunice said softly.

That was true. Liam had always been thoughtful and attentive to others.

“So, I suggested that he stay and live with us, but he refused.”

Noticing my troubled expression, Eunice spoke again.
“He was blaming himself for what happened to Evelyn.”

I frowned deeply.

Why? Why would Liam blame himself for that?

I couldn’t figure out why Liam would feel such guilt over my death.

‘Because he helped Evelyn leave the Duke’s estate?’

The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook my head, trying to dismiss the idea. Yet, upon reflection, there didn’t seem to be any other plausible reason.

Knowing Liam’s upright nature, it wasn’t entirely out of the question—and that was the problem.

I hadn’t expected to feel such concern for Liam again, but now I suddenly found myself worried about him.

“He’s probably fine now,” Eunice said, as if trying to reassure me.

“When we said goodbye, he looked well—peaceful, even.”

Her words, paired with a gentle smile meant to comfort me, only made me more uneasy. That kind of farewell often felt like a death flag in stories. It wasn’t uncommon for such goodbyes to become the last parting.

‘This feels ominous.’

In the past, when my relationship with Liam wasn’t good, I wouldn’t have cared whether he lived or died. But things were different now.

I needed to ask Igon.

As I was lost in thought, Eunice rose from her seat, likely reading the anxious look on my face.

“Well, I’ll see you again at dinner,” she said before leaving the room.

Without hesitation, I went to find Igon. Luckily, I was told he was resting in the cabin we shared.

When I opened the door and stepped inside, I saw Igon reclining on a long chair, a book in his hand. His expression was serious as he read.

“You’re here?” he said, placing the book down on the armrest of the sofa.

I pulled out the note I had prepared earlier from my pocket and handed it to him.

‘Eunice said Liam left. Did you know about this?’

“Yes,” Igon replied without hesitation.

So he did know. I flipped the note to show my next question.

‘Did Sir Coward… die?’

It was a rather extreme question, but I wanted to confirm his safety before anything else.

“What on earth are you talking about?” Igon frowned, staring at my note before suddenly chuckling.

“Why would Liam die?” he said, amused.

‘Eunice said…’

“Oh, Durant.”

Igon completed the thought as if he already knew where I was going. Even though I had only mentioned Eunice’s name, he nodded as if he understood everything.

“But didn’t she say he left? That’s what she thinks,” Igon said calmly.

I explained to him the strange behavior Liam had shown before parting ways with Eunice. Igon shook his head and answered matter-of-factly, “No.”

Looking at his composed expression, I started to feel as if my concerns were completely unfounded.

“He’s alive. In fact, he’s probably already back at the Duke’s estate ahead of us,” Igon said, casually extending his arm to pull me into an embrace.

What?

I widened my eyes in disbelief, and Igon, clearly amused by my reaction, chuckled softly.

“Were you that surprised?”

Of course, I was.

‘How?’

Eunice had been certain that Liam had left. She had no reason to lie about his whereabouts, so it made sense that she genuinely believed he was gone. But now Igon was saying Liam was already at the Duke’s estate?

“He knows you’re alive. I told him,” Igon said nonchalantly. “He’s probably returned after finding a book to help you regain your voice.”

My voice?

Unconsciously, my hand moved to touch my throat. I was as stunned by the revelation that Liam knew I was alive as I was by the mention of my voice.

“It’s inconvenient,” Igon remarked, referring to my inability to speak.

I reflected on the time I’d spent living without a voice.

‘Hmm… It’s fine.’

It hadn’t been entirely comfortable, but it wasn’t unbearable either. Most of the time, whether in the palace or the Duke’s household, I only needed to handle the tasks assigned to me. Besides, I had never been much of a talker to begin with, and being able to write made it manageable.

As I thought this over, Igon tugged on my arm, pulling me closer.

“I want to hear it,” he said, his head resting against my shoulder.

I felt his warm breath near my neck, making me shiver and instinctively shrug my shoulders. It tickled.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

As Igon trailed kisses along my neck, I gently pushed him away and demanded to know the full story. He let out a deep sigh but answered without hesitation.

Liam hadn’t known I was alive from the beginning. Igon had kept the truth from him for a long time, only revealing part of it just before Liam left after escorting Eunice. Igon had been vague, worried that giving too much detail might disrupt the flow of causality.

Despite the lack of specifics, Liam seemed to understand. He had then set off abroad to retrieve a magical book Rosalind needed to help me regain my voice. That was the full extent of the situation.

I had spent years believing that no one but Rosalind knew my identity. But, as it turned out, I’d been wrong.

‘I feel duped.’

A strange sense of betrayal washed over me, as if I’d been struck from behind. At the same time, though, it became clear how much Igon trusted Liam. Not only had he revealed my identity as Evelyn to him, but he had also entrusted him with the critical task of finding the book.

Knowing Igon’s personality, he would’ve preferred to handle such matters himself, even if it was inconvenient.

‘He must trust Liam a lot.’

“Liam Coward isn’t just someone who wouldn’t betray me; he’s someone who couldn’t,” Igon said, almost as if he had read my thoughts.

It was uncanny how accurately he seemed to know what I was thinking. For a moment, I wondered if I’d moved my lips without realizing it. His words felt almost like mind reading.

Igon shrugged lightly. “Satisfied now? Let’s leave the topic of Liam here.”

He spoke in a subtle, coaxing tone, his voice dripping with insinuation. It was clear he was trying to change the subject.

I frowned deeply, furrowing my brows in protest, but it didn’t last long. Igon’s low, languid smile—his sharp eyes folding gently—was too disarming. It was a smile that felt as if he had a mischievous tail swishing behind him.

Even as I shook my head, my hand instinctively slid over Igon’s solid shoulder in response.

‘If I keep letting him distract me like this, it’s going to become a habit.’

Thinking that, I wrapped my arms around his neck.

As his soft lips brushed against mine, a bubbling warmth surged through me. My fingers tangled in his silky hair, the sensation slipping easily between them.

‘But so what?’

Both my mood and my thoughts shifted effortlessly under Igon’s touch.

A shiver ran through me as I realized just how thoroughly he seemed to understand me. It was unsettling how well he could read me, almost frightening in its precision.

* * *

Time on the ship passed quickly.

Thanks to the medicine, the seasickness was much more bearable this time. I didn’t end up bedridden after disembarking, a relief considering I had no desire to repeat my previous experience.

Once we set foot on imperial soil, everything moved swiftly. While Igon ensured we took the safest and fastest routes, I only wished to return to the Duke’s estate as quickly as possible.

As familiar roads came into view upon reaching the capital, I felt a sense of relief. Though the trip hadn’t been terrible, stepping back into the Duke’s estate brought a comforting sense of security.

By the time we unpacked, it was nearly evening. Eunice, exhausted and overwhelmed, skipped dinner and remained in the guest room Igon had prepared for her.

Liam and Rosalind were both at the imperial palace, seemingly unaware of our early return. I had so much to discuss with them that I stayed up waiting late into the night. But even after dinner, they didn’t return.

Unable to fight off the fatigue from travel, I dozed off where I sat. Igon, noticing my struggle to stay awake, carried me to bed, holding me close to lull me to sleep. I tried to wriggle free from his arms, but my weak resistance was futile. His warmth and the soothing strokes on my back pulled me into a deep slumber.

Thus, the first day back at the Duke’s estate ended uneventfully.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, it was already midday. After stretching my stiff body and finishing my morning preparations, the servants escorted me to Igon’s office.

Everyone who had been waiting for me to wake was gathered there. While Igon’s familiar figure was the first to catch my eye, it wasn’t he who held my attention.

It was Liam.

I watched his brown hair sway as he lowered his head in greeting.
“It’s been a while,” he said, his voice trembling as if on the verge of tears.

Noticing the redness in his eyes, I nodded in acknowledgment of his greeting and took a seat.

Eunice wasn’t there.
Sensing my curiosity, Igon explained that she wasn’t feeling well and had called for a physician.

“You’ve returned earlier than expected,” Rosalind remarked in her usual emotionless tone.

Dressed in a light green gown, she had a book with a red cover resting on her lap.
‘Is that it?’

It had to be the book Liam had retrieved.

“We have a problem,” Igon declared abruptly.

Rosalind let out a sigh before addressing the issue with Eunice.

“A physical manifestation of a book… I’ve neither seen nor heard of such a case before.”

After a pause, she continued,
“What I’m saying is, finding your voice isn’t the most pressing issue right now. Something else has come up.”

 

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