TISND Chapter 122

Chapter 122

“Why won’t Helena even look at us? Maybe… maybe she doesn’t care about us anymore.”

From a corner of the room, Joshua’s muttering reached Jeremy’s ears. His usually mature twin looked completely dejected.

Jeremy lowered his gaze to his hands—the very hands that had pushed Helena in a fit of anger. Joshua had told him that she had bled. Had she even received proper treatment?

As the weight of his emotions began to settle in, Jeremy chose to ignore the problem.

I don’t care. I only did what was appropriate for an Eskel. That woman deceived us. She was the one who did something wrong. Not me. I have nothing to apologize for.

“Hey, Jeremy.”

Joshua, who had been pacing around anxiously, suddenly called out to him.

“Apologize to Helena.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? Because of you, she won’t even acknowledge us anymore!”

“How is that my fault?”

“It is your fault! You hurt her!”

“I won’t.”

Jeremy muttered under his breath.

“She might have been deceiving us.”

Apologize? Never. Why should I? She was the one who lied. She was the one who left the estate behind. I did nothing wrong. I won’t say sorry.

Even though he didn’t say it aloud, his stubbornness was clear.

“Ha… you’re unbelievable.”

Joshua ran a hand through his hair in frustration—a habit he had picked up from Caligo whenever things weren’t going well.

“You don’t know that.”

“And how would you know?”

“Listen to me, Jeremy.”

Joshua pleaded.

“Just listen to me now, so you don’t regret it later!”

“What’s there for me to regret?!”

Jeremy shouted.

“You’re the weird one here! You were the first one who warned us to be careful of her! And now you’re saying the opposite?”

“I’ve told you a hundred times—things are different now!”

“That’s exactly why it doesn’t make sense!”

“Ugh! You’re so stubborn!”

Joshua groaned in exasperation.

“You and Father are exactly the same! Stubborn as hell but completely clueless!”

“I am not clueless!”

“Yes, you are! Just like Father!” Joshua yelled back.

“And on top of that, you’re hot-tempered and violent! Can’t you just listen to people for once?! It’s so frustrating! Sometimes I just wanna punch you!”

“Oh, so you do wanna fight?!”

“Yeah, let’s fight!”

Jeremy and Joshua were seconds away from throwing punches, glaring fiercely at each other.

And then—

“You two fighting?”

“AAAH!”

Jeremy nearly jumped out of his skin at the indifferent voice from behind him. He spun around frantically—

It was Helena.

“I told you not to fight. And definitely not to hurt people.”

“Helena!”

Joshua’s face instantly brightened, and he rushed toward her.

“I thought you weren’t going to come see us anymore.”

“Why would I do that?”

Helena asked, looking genuinely confused.

“…You left. You left the estate. And Father.”

Joshua hesitated, his voice faltering. He had assumed she had left them, too.

Helena’s face softened with sadness.

“I left His Grace’s side.”

“…”

“I didn’t leave yours.”

Even before she left, she had said the same thing. To eat well. To stay healthy. Even after being hurt, she had only said foolish things before walking away.

Jeremy couldn’t meet Helena’s eyes and lowered his head.

“Say something, Jeremy.”

Joshua nudged his twin, but Jeremy didn’t move an inch. Helena, watching him, only smiled.

“Um… you know…”

Joshua, glancing between the two, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Have you been well?”

“…It’s hot.”

“Huh?”

“I’m wearing a velvet dress in this weather. I’m dying of heat.”

Pfft. Joshua finally burst into laughter.

“It does look good on you, but yeah… it looks pretty hot.”

As he smiled, Helena bent slightly, as if trying to comfort him.

But suddenly, she lost her balance and staggered. However, she quickly steadied herself, masking any sign of weakness. Leaning lightly against a nearby tree, she maintained a composed expression as if nothing had happened.

Joshua’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t hate you because of what happened at the estate, Joshua.”

“….”

“So don’t misunderstand.”

“…Got it.”

“That’s just your guilt talking.”

“Haha, I told you I’m fine! You never give me a chance to be serious.”

“So, why were you two fighting?” Helena asked.

“It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing to me.”

“It’s really nothing.”

“Okay, if you say so. But… try to think before you speak next time. Make sure your words don’t end up hurting someone.”

“….”

“Once spoken, words can never be taken back.”

Jeremy still remained silent.

‘It seems it’s still too early to make up with him.’

Helena sighed softly.

‘But… if we never do, that would be a little sad.’

She gave a small, bittersweet smile.

“Oh, right. Joshua.”

“Yes?”

“For now, it’s best if you don’t attend any imperial events.”

Joshua immediately caught on.

“Is it because of… that woman?”

“….”

“And was that why she ignored us earlier?”

“It’s not just because of that.”

Helena’s face remained unreadable.

‘Did I misunderstand something?’

Joshua tilted his head in confusion.

“Well, okay. I understand.”

“Good.”

“Helena.”

Joshua called her name carefully.

“Can’t you come back to the estate?”

His voice was almost desperate.

“Just bring yourself. I’ll make sure you never go hungry, I swear. Just come back. You don’t need anyone else—just stay with me.”

Not even him.

Joshua shot a glare at his twin, muttering under his breath.

But Helena only shook her head weakly.

“No, Joshua.”

“Why? Why won’t you come back? Then… then let’s go to Seantillen together. Join the mercenaries with me.”

“I have to stay in the capital. No matter what.”

“But… but…”

Joshua lowered his voice so that Jeremy couldn’t hear.

“You… you still care about Father, don’t you?”

“….”

‘Do I?’

She no longer loved Caligo as she once had.

Then why did she still feel the need to protect them?

Helena pondered for a moment—

And soon, she found her answer.

Then, Helena whispered in a voice quiet enough that Jeremy, standing at a distance, wouldn’t hear.

“There’s something I absolutely have to do here.”

“…Something you have to do? Is that why you can’t come back?”

“Yeah.”

Joshua tilted his head, unable to understand, and Helena gave him a faint smile.

It would be a lie to say her time at the estate wasn’t painful. It would also be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed in Caligo.

But one thing was true—she had wanted to protect these children with all her heart.

She cared for them.

And that was why she wanted to keep them safe.

She wanted to ensure that nothing in the future would ever threaten Caligo and these children—nothing like Melissa York. She wanted the threats that had tormented her to disappear by the time these children grew up.

“This is something I must do.”

“…I guess there’s no helping it, then.”

“But you’ll come back someday, won’t you?”

At Joshua’s question, Helena simply smiled.

“I have to go now. I can’t stay away for too long.”

These children weren’t beyond saving.

No matter how painful their pasts were, they had people beside them who could thaw the frozen ground, even out the soil.

And on that soil, they could sprout, bloom, and bear fruit.

They could do it.

They wouldn’t see each other as often anymore. Maybe this was their last meeting.

Helena etched their faces into her memory.

“Your leg!”

Just as she was about to turn away, Joshua, who had been watching her quietly, suddenly shouted.

“Are you hurt? Why are you limping? Did you get injured? You look uncomfortable.”

“Oh, I just twisted it a little. It hurts like hell, but I’ll be fine soon.”

Helena waved her hand dismissively.

“Goodbye, Jeremy.”

She whispered.

But Jeremy turned his head away sharply, acting as if he hadn’t heard her.

‘I don’t know. I don’t want to say anything right now.’

‘What if I was right all along? What if Joshua just blindly trusts her without knowing the truth?’

His hands trembled as he clenched them into fists, forcing himself to ignore her completely.

Even as he shut her out, Helena looked at him with warmth.

Then, limping slightly, she returned to the banquet hall alone.

—

“Still… something feels off.”

“What feels off, Joshua?”

“You know… Helena.”

“Are you seriously bringing her;up again?”

Jeremy scowled, clearly unwilling to discuss the topic.

But Joshua’s face remained serious.

He was a child who had trained with mercenaries and knew exactly how someone limped after twisting an ankle.

But Helena… she didn’t just seem to have a twisted ankle.

It looked as though moving at all was difficult for her.

It didn’t seem like only one leg was bothering her.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Just then, Caligo appeared.

“Father.”

Lately, Caligo had looked more exhausted than ever.

“What do you mean, Helena seems off?”

“Oh… it’s nothing…”

Should he say it? Or should he stay silent?

Joshua hesitated.

After Helena left, his frustration had driven him to run out of the estate.

Would his father welcome a conversation about Helena?

Or would he reject it outright?

But there were too many strange things to ignore.

Helena had too many secrets.

Too many things didn’t add up.

“…She looked sick.”

“…”

“I don’t think she just twisted her ankle.”

In the end, Joshua cautiously voiced his concern.

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