TISND Chapter 107

Chapter 107

It was a shabby inn on the outskirts of the capital.

The noisy chatter of people who had gathered after finishing their daily work suddenly came to a halt. The reason was the man who had just entered the inn. He wasn’t dressed extravagantly like a noble, but his appearance was neat and composed. As he leisurely surveyed the inn, his presence drew everyone’s attention.

Moreover, the young man was strikingly handsome, making him even harder to ignore.

The people in the inn began speculating about his identity. Given the sword hanging at his waist, he was surely a knight or perhaps a mercenary. Maybe even the son of a noble or the heir to a major merchant guild. Opinions varied.

Not only was it difficult to determine his status, but even guessing his age was a challenge. His face was that of a man in his twenties, yet his gaze was cold and heavy, carrying a weight that seemed beyond his years. What kind of past did he have to possess such an unyielding and commanding presence?

“Hey, you there!”

The murmuring voices fell silent in an instant. A man, said to be the leader of a renowned mercenary group, had called out to the young man as if he knew him. This solidified the belief that the man was indeed a mercenary. No one in the inn would have guessed that the man who had just entered was none other than the infamous Duke Frantor.

“You refused to take a room when offered, yet you ended up staying in an inn on the outskirts like this?”

“Is now really the time to be saying that?”

Bahen immediately led Caligo into his room. As Caligo slowly took in the surroundings, he remained unbothered, despite Bahen seething with barely contained anger.

“Why did you drive her away?”

“I didn’t drive her away. She chose to leave.”

“Do you think I don’t know that nothing happens without your permission?!”

Bahen had always admired Caligo’s calm demeanor—his friend was so rational that he wouldn’t even flinch if he lost an arm. That was why, in times of trouble, Bahen often sought his advice.

But not this time.

In the past, Caligo’s unwavering nature might have been reassuring, but right now, it only made him seem unyielding and distant.

“I didn’t cast her out onto the streets. She merely returned to her own home.”

“That’s the same thing! Have you even considered how she must be feeling?!”

“Then tell me, Bahen, why are you so concerned about Eskel’s feelings?”

Caligo’s words were sharp.

“Do you think everything I’ve done so far was based on Eskel’s emotions?”

He let out a short chuckle.

“It seems you’ve mistaken me for a merciful and compassionate man.”

“But—!”

“She was a woman I brought in knowing she would have to leave eventually. The timing just moved up a little, that’s all.”

“But you know she’s different from the other Eskels!”

“The most important fact is that none of that matters.”

“…….”

“It doesn’t matter whether she’s a good person or not. What matters is that she carries the blood of those vile people. The ones who killed my brother. That’s a fact that won’t change, no matter how much the world turns upside down.”

Bahen understood. He knew why Caligo had to become this way. Just as Bahen had formed a mercenary group to find his wife, Caligo had chosen to change himself.

The only family he had left in the world. His land, his children—he had made a decision, no matter how much it tormented him, to protect them. Bahen couldn’t blame him for that.

Caligo was endlessly loyal and devoted. He wasn’t someone who would easily betray those he chose to protect. But that same loyalty came with a stark exclusivity—if someone fell outside his circle, they were nothing to him. And breaking through that boundary was near impossible.

“She was the one who chose to leave, so why are you defending her? You know this wasn’t a marriage for love.”

“But that woman—”

“I won’t deny that she has done much for Frantor. But I plan to compensate her properly. At the very least, ensuring her survival and a peaceful life should be more than enough.”

For Caligo, that was the best reward he could offer.

“But, but…”

Bahen couldn’t shake the feeling that Helena had been cast out like a criminal.

She had been quietly working behind the scenes, dismantling her own family from the shadows. Did Caligo know about this?

And if he didn’t—what would happen when he eventually found out?

“You still don’t look convinced,” Caligo remarked with a small sigh.

“Did exchanging letters make you grow attached to her?”

“You knew?”

“Of course. Did you think I wouldn’t? It looked like you two had some kind of pathetic deal.”

Caligo cast a brief glance at his friend’s troubled expression before adding,

“Don’t get too attached. If you already have, cut it off now.”

“Caligo, is that something you can just ‘cut off’?”

“…You’re right,” he admitted after a brief pause.

“But from the start, she was never someone who mattered to me. So it’s the same now that she’s gone.”

Bahen held his tongue. He still couldn’t tell his friend everything.

Yes, a part of it was because he was still searching for his wife, but more than that—it was because of Helena’s desperate plea for secrecy. He couldn’t bring himself to betray that.

So, for now, he decided to believe Caligo’s words—that she truly didn’t matter to him. Because if she had never meant anything, then even learning the truth wouldn’t change a thing.

“…Alright. If that’s what you say, then I suppose there’s nothing more to discuss.”

All he could do was hope that Helena wouldn’t be hurt in all of this.

—

“Why won’t people stop talking?”

The butler. Emma.

In the past few months, far too many people had begun worrying about Helena.

Had they all forgotten she was an Eskel?

I’ll handle it. Once enough time passes, this will all be nothing but a distant memory.

She left of her own will, after all.

Even the person who married her remained silent—so why was everyone else opposing it?

Caligo was starting to grow tired of it all.

“Uh, Master…”

Just then, a servant approached him hesitantly.

Where had he seen this one before? After a moment of thought, he recalled—this was one of the maids in charge of the duchess’s chambers.

“What is it?”

“Uh… we’re nearly finished clearing out the mistress’s room. But she left behind quite a few things. What should we do with them?”

“Frantor.”

“This mansion.”

**And the woman who chose to leave because she hated it all.**

The woman who had disturbed his peace was gone. Now, it was time for everything to return to how it should be.

“Throw it all out.”

“…Pardon?”

The servant blinked, as if she had misheard.

“Erase all traces that she ever lived here. Get rid of every single thing she used—from her belongings down to the books she read.”

“But… what if she returns someday? Shouldn’t we keep them just in case?”

The servant’s voice wavered as she sought permission. She feared the duchess might one day return and take issue with what had been done.

“She won’t be coming back.”

“…”

“Even if she does, I won’t allow it. So remove every last trace of her.”

“Y-yes, Master. Understood.”

Reading the displeasure in her master’s tone, the servant bowed quickly and hurried away.

Seated back at his office desk, Caligo rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a letter.

It was one of the many anonymous letters he had received over time.

There was no way to determine who had sent it. The only clue was the single *forget-me-not* flower attached to the envelope.

Even after sending people to investigate, he had failed to uncover the sender’s identity.

Judging by the delicate touch of attaching flowers to letters, it seemed likely the sender was a woman—but he couldn’t be certain.

Even the handwriting was awkward and uneven, as if written with the non-dominant hand, making identification difficult.

Yet one thing was undeniable—whoever ‘Forget-Me-Not’ was, they were on his side.

At first, he had debated whether to trust the letters at all. He had worried they might be a trap.

But after careful verification, he had concluded that wasn’t the case.

The sender, ‘Forget-Me-Not’, was someone who desperately wanted to see the downfall of the Eskels. A valuable ally.

Who could they be? Why were they hiding their identity?

If he ever met them, he would certainly reward them. If they wished, he could even make them one of his closest aides.

Perhaps they remained hidden because revealing themselves would be too dangerous.

Then, one day, the letters simply stopped.

Had something happened? Had they died?

For a time, Caligo had worried that the sender had been exposed and placed in danger.

But then—

“Your Grace, a letter has arrived from ‘Forget-Me-Not’.”

The silence had been broken. The letters had resumed.

Caligo found himself relieved to know that the sender was safe.

He wanted to meet them. To see the person behind these letters.

Gently, he ran his fingers over the envelope, which still carried a faint trace of fragrance.

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