After the question, Cardien silently looked over at her and nodded.
“That’s right.” He then added, “Because it’s not safe for the tutor and the child to go inside.”
Cardien’s purple eyes briefly glanced at Vincent. Vincent parted his lips as if he had something to say but then remained silent.
It seemed like even he thought it was futile to pursue it any further.
Looking at Vincent like that, Livia couldn’t help but smile bitterly as she looked down at the pendant again.
For a moment, she wondered if it was too expensive an item to receive, even if it was a protective charm.
‘But it’s not a waste if I think of it as protecting Vincent, not me.’
Vincent was still inexperienced in using magic, so Livia couldn’t entrust it to him yet.
“Yes, I understand.”
She firmly grasped the pendant and spoke with determination.
“I will definitely protect Vincent.”
Livia hoped Cardien would be relieved by her words. However, the look in his eyes as he looked at her didn’t seem as satisfied as she’d hoped.
Instead, his gaze seemed to show a hint of dissatisfaction.
‘Is it just the mood?’
Before she knew it, Cardien had turned and disappeared into the gray building.
Feeling uneasy for some reason, Livia stood there helplessly and watched his retreating figure, then turned to Vincent with a bright smile.
“Shall we wait here then?”
Vincent looked up at her intently and nodded vigorously.
* * *
Not long after that, Cardien walked out of the building.
Livia started to run towards him, but paused at the sight of him covered in blood.
It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, but Vincent was on her mind.
As if he could read her thoughts, Cardien stopped momentarily during his approach and then took off his gloves, wiping the blood off his face and throwing them behind him.
Soon, he came closer.
The first place Livia’s gaze fell was upon his ungloved hand.
‘That ring…….’
She couldn’t notice it because he always wore gloves, but he had been wearing the ring she gave him all along.
It was kind of expected.
She had a rough idea when she first saw him wearing the ring and when she noticed that he no longer smoked sedative herbs, but seeing it first hand made Livia feel a little strange.
It was satisfying, and maybe even made her a little proud to have helped him, even minutely.
Livia suppressed those feelings and asked Cardien, “What happened?”
Instead of answering, he took something out of his pocket and handed it to her.
A small, dark red pouch. Vaguely written on it was the name “Vincent.”
“Oh, my wallet!”
Vincent, who quickly approached, took the pouch and looked inside while Livia continued speaking to Cardien.
“So, this is where you found it.”
Cardien nodded.
“They’re organized – a bunch of scum who use the excuse of payment to extort money from the poor who can’t make ends meet.”
A bitter smile appeared on Cardien’s lips.
Perhaps it was because Livia had seen his bloodied face earlier.
The sight of him felt somewhat eerie. For a moment, it even overlapped with the villainous Cardien from the original work.
But…
‘Snap out of it, Livia Pellington.’
She opened her eyes and looked at Cardien again.
The villainous Cardien from the original work wielded his sword with obsession and madness to possess Celestina, but now things were different.
‘Now, it’s to retrieve Vincent’s brooch…….’
Ah, that’s right!
Livia cautiously approached Cardien, minding Vincent, who was paying attention, and whispered, “What about Vincent’s brooch?”
The wallet was here, so she figured the brooch would be here too. But the answer that came back was not what she expected.
“The brooch isn’t here,” Cardien replied.
“What did you say?”
Livia was momentarily startled, so her voice became louder.
Sensing something unusual, Vincent turned towards them.
She quickly turned her head back and repeated in a low voice.
“What do you mean, it’s missing? His wallet is here, and they must have stolen both things together, but only the brooch is missing…….”
Does that make sense?
Knowing how much Vincent had been looking forward to getting his gift back, it made her heart feel even more suffocated.
Livia continued on, with a knot in her chest.
“Maybe they lied about it, hid it separately, or sold it.”
“Lied?” He responded coldly, with a sneer.
Livia’s gaze momentarily became fixated on the bloodied, discarded glove.
Yeah, they probably couldn’t have lied…….
‘But then, where could it……’
That was as far as she got.
“…..the brooch – you don’t have it?”
Vincent, who had approached unnoticed, looked up at the adults with a dismayed expression.
Livia felt perplexed about how to deliver this news.
Vincent had worked so hard.
He had come this far with the sole determination of retrieving the brooch, and now they couldn’t find it.
Livia struggled to find words to comfort Vincent.
“Ah, Vincent…”
“It’s okay, …….”
But before she could really say anything, Vincent spoke first.
Stepping forward a few more steps, Vincent stood in front of Cardien.
And then…
“……!”
Livia’s eyes widened at Vincent’s next move.
Vincent clasped his hands together and bowed his head in front of Cardien. Cardien stared at him with an unreadable expression.
With all eyes on him, Vincent spoke, his voice trembling.
“Thank you, Duke…….”
“…….”
“For coming all the way here because of me… I won’t be stubborn anymore.”
Vincent’s head gradually lowered.
Livia looked at his trembling shoulders with a pitying gaze.
In her heart, she wanted to rush over and hold him tight, but that action would not be for Vincent’s sake.
Livia wondered what Cardien thought of all this.
For a Mercedes, his violet eyes seemed to suit him perfectly. They were so mysterious, like the night, and one could never know what he was thinking behind that purple veil.
Anyway, she couldn’t leave Vincent like that forever. It was about time for her step forward.
“I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Cardien tilted his head as if he genuinely didn’t know. His silver hair scattered softly, and a smile suddenly formed on his lips.
“I said the brooch wasn’t there, not that I couldn’t find it.”
“……Huh?”
No, what is this nonsense!
Vincent stared at Cardien in bewilderment, as if he’d never known when to stop.
Under the stares dripping with disbelief, Cardien let out a low chuckle.
So that guy, now…….
‘Are you kidding us?’
While Vincent and Livia were still reeling, Cardien suddenly placed his hand on top of Vincent’s head. Vincent’s head tilted downward as a sudden weight was placed on it.
“I admire your courage, but you give up quickly.”
Vincent’s ruby eyes shook wildly.
Gradually, Cardien moved past Vincent and approached Livia.
She stared blankly at Cardien, then parted her lips.
“Why didn’t you say it earlier?”
Her voice unintentionally came out rough.
But Cardien shrugged his shoulders, seemingly unconcerned, and said, “It was the Tutor and Vincent who didn’t give me a chance to speak.”
It’s more frustrating when one can’t refute something because it’s true.
Anyway…
“I’m relieved,” she finally responded.
“…….”
“So that Vincent won’t be disappointed.”
It was sincere.
If the festival had ended like this, it would have felt regrettable and disappointing.
They hadn’t retrieved the brooch yet, but the fact that there was still hope could give Vincent a great source of strength.
And…….
“Your Grace, you’ve worked hard…”
As she raised her head, Livia paused.
Cardien’s violet eyes, looking at her, felt so deep. It was as if she was looking into an abyss.
When she hesitated to finish her sentence after making eye contact with him, Cardien turned his footsteps and spoke.
“Come on, we might miss it.”
“Ah, yes…….”
Slowly coming to her senses, Livia grabbed Vincent’s hand and followed Cardien as he walked ahead.
‘What is this?’
But deep within her heart, Cardien’s gaze, as if unraveling her, remained distinctly present.
Perhaps Cardien still harbors…
‘Doubt about me.’
***
Cardien said it was the home of the child who had pickpocketed. However, the place we arrived at was hard to call a house.
“It’s more like a small den than a house.”
Several planks were stacked together to barely create a small entrance to the den.
It was so poorly constructed that it looked as if it would collapse with the slightest gust of wind.
But it wasn’t just this shabby house that was here.
Throughout the streets leading to this place, I saw several of these laboriously assembled shacks.
Suddenly, the new imperial policy came to mind.
The ‘Clean Streets Policy’.
It was a policy that had been secretly circulating recently. It was said to be devised by the emperor himself.
It was introduced as a policy to expand the childcare business, secure the labor force, and improve the working environment.
Well, the truth, as briefly revealed in the original story, was different.
‘Anyway, is there no one there?’
Livia was debating whether she should peek inside.
Thump.
Suddenly, Cardien reached out his hand in front of her head, and flower petals scattered in the air.
Shortly after, the flower basket tumbled to the ground.
“Tutor Via!”
Vincent, who was taken aback, worriedly observed her condition and at the same time, Cardien ‘s arm, which had been blocking my view, lowered.
Then, Livia saw the figure staring at us, a girl with a limp leg.
‘That girl…….’
