Chapter 74
Mehen’s face, always so well-groomed and even, crumpled.
His mind was a tangled mess from knowing the truth he didn’t want to know.
“What the hell is that drug… No, no, no, that’s another secret.”
“I know.”
His easy smile was bewitching.
Irritation flared unnecessarily. What could he possibly be smiling about?
“You should have told me a long time ago.”
“I didn’t have the time, the energy, or the inclination.”
“Maybe later.”
“It’s not the kind of thing you should be talking about over the wire, where someone might be listening.”
Every word was true, which made it all the more irritating.
Arellin’s illness was a mystery to the temple, the pagoda, the medical association, and everywhere in between. Some said it might be a curse, not an illness, and he tried that, but it was a lost cause.
It was the only medicine that worked for such a mysterious illness. It couldn’t be that rare.
He had a vague suspicion. He had a vague suspicion…
The idea of trading to save his only daughter, and being thrown into a northern castle in the middle of nowhere, didn’t sound like him at all.
Not to mention he’s never been to the ecliptic before.
“Ha.”
What a bloody contradiction.
“So you’ve been traveling back and forth to…”
Archduke Halbern smirked, as if to confirm Mehen suspicions.
“Fuck.”
He’d disappeared as soon as Mehen returned, and Mehen cursed at him for not showing his nose, but it was because of the deal.
It was condescending and annoying, but it also made sense, and he was at a loss for words.
“Why are you swearing at me?”
He sighed, but he was actually laughing.
“You don’t have your body, soul, or life mortgaged, do you?”
“Don’t worry. You won’t have the misfortune of losing your job unexpectedly.”
“You’re treating me like a child. You think I signed a fraudulent contract?”
“I don’t believe you, you’re still doing this.”
Ouch.
His trust in his lord, which was never there to begin with, had long since converged on negative.
“The medicine will be on time, that’s the important thing. Feed her well.”
Who was nagging whom now? Mehen was dumbfounded.
“Still.”
Done. The Archduke of Halbern did not reply. He merely laughed.
Mehen balled his fists and declared.
“Your lordship is the father of all dog crap. Do you know that?”
“You want to be fired?”
“Yes. Please fire me.”
“I won’t fire you, get to work.”
“Fire me, I’m retiring.”
“The kid’s mum leaves her.”
“Fuck you.”
“Why do you have such a foul mouth. The child will be frightened to hear it.”
“It’s because I’m a commoner, I grew up on the streets, and I didn’t learn anything. Is that enough?”
“You’re better than the learned, even if you didn’t learn anything, so that’s fine.”
“Ha, really.”
He wanted to beat the shit out of him, but this kind of behavior makes Mehen feel weak. They’ve been together too long to turn their backs on each other so easily.
You bastard.
“My lord, no, Valar.”
It’s a question he’s been asking himself ever since he first received Arellin.
Why, when there are so many others.
He wondered if he left it to himself.
“Why me?”
“Because you were the only one.”
“…”
“Someone I trusted.”
The impassive purple eyes glowed darkly. Mehen’s expression crumbled.
“I only trust you. You know that, right?”
When did the little boy who used to smile so easily become such an inscrutable eyes and smile?
It made him sick to his stomach.
“Mehen.”
The violet eyes met Mehen’s with warmth.
“The worst mistake I ever made in my life was following you that day.”
The Archduke of Halbern was unperturbed by the outburst, and simply smirked mockingly.
“Well, that’s too bad. No second chances.”
***
The mansion of Halbern is in an uproar.
The mansion, which had always been so tranquil and quiet that it seemed uninhabited, was suddenly in an uproar.
There was only one reason.
The master of the mansion had returned.
“Has the Archduke come back at all?”
“I don’t think so, seeing as he’s not going back. From what I heard earlier, it sounds like the Knights of Saren are also returning!”
“No matter what, it’s a waste of manpower to have someone as high quality as the Archduke guarding the Northern Castle!”
“Someone else will go to the Northern Castle, it’s a famous place for demotion and exile.”
“But he was really handsome.”
“Did you see that? I thought I would stop breathing.”
If you listen closely, it’s not hard to hear the Archduke of Halbern being talked about here and there.
Envy, fear, curiosity, and inordinate interest.
‘I suppose that’s how most people treat the Archduke of Halbern.’
The Archduke of Halbern’s position and influence were beyond the reach of anyone, not even her own father.
“If I hadn’t read the novel, I would have been like that.”
In the novel, he was the icon of all the secrets and mysteries, so meeting him in real life was just a surprise.
She was surprised to see how handsome he was.
‘Dad…’
It’s good to have one.
Compared to her feelings for her mum, which were always affectionate, nostalgic, and wishing for her like a sunflower, her feelings and attitude towards her dad were dry.
Her father in her previous life was not warm to her either.
To her, he was always following her mum around.
“I thought I had good memories of him.”
It’s not that he didn’t love her, it’s just that he was madly in love with her mum.
He was a crazy fanatic about her.
The Archduke of Halbern’s not-so-paternal demeanor didn’t seem to make any difference.
Mehen seems a little upset.
It was the attitude of the nursery staff that was curious.
“The Archduke? Haha, well. He’s here.”
“But what difference does it make if you’re a father now?”
“A father is not someone who ends just because he was born.”
“Oh, I think I have a long way to go before I can be loved by you, young lady.”
“We’re on your side!”
It was strange to feel such hostility and then such subtle rivalry.
“We may have lost to Mehen, but we will not lose to the Archduke.”
“Right, right!”
Who and what are we competing against?
“Ugh, yeah. Do your best.”
She didn’t know what it was, but she didn’t want to get involved. The momentum of the parenting group skyrocketed when she responded.
They rallied around the idea of not taking her away, but she still didn’t understand.
‘Who was it stolen from in the first place?’
As if that wasn’t bad enough.
“Haah…”
She can’t help but sigh.
She has been sighing so much lately that her childcare team had to have her checked out for a sickness.
‘I’m not sure if I’m…’
“Okay, okay…”
Damn, that’s ridiculous.
This is not the novel she knows! She wanted to discuss common reincarnation anxiety or something, but it’s all overshadowed by this.
“No, ha, this is…”
She felt like she was going to go crazy with all these tickling, jumbled feelings that were so foreign and strange.
She has strongly denied reality. She tried running away, calling it an illusion.
Why can’t this be self-brainwashing, she asked herself in frustration.”
Is this the famous Mouthful of Virtue?
No, I’m seriously and seriously saying that it’s not true, so why did the term “non-entry period” come about? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense.
“Ack!”
Eventually, as she fumed and sobbed to herself, she was joined by a group of childcare workers.
“Young Lady, are you all right?”
“Is it because of His Highness the Archduke?!”
She appreciated the misunderstanding, but her mind was elsewhere.
“Ha….”
For the first time, she wondered.
What is Pession doing now?
