Chapter 79
“Wasn’t it you who recognized my genius and made me your apprentice?!”
“You don’t just throw around words like ‘genius.’ If you keep calling yourself that, the God will punish you.”
“But you don’t even believe in God!”
“Of course not but I’d sooner trust you, who wet the bed at fourteen…”
“Master!!”
Wilkins finally cried out in agony, as his mentor brought up one of his most embarrassing moments.
Medea snorted and crossed her arms, her short legs dangling off the chair, not reaching the floor.
“I was already planning to meet him, even if you hadn’t said anything. I can guess what he wants.”
“…So Bozbourne still hasn’t given up on that research?” Wilkins asked cautiously, glancing at her. Medea responded curtly.
“People like him who don’t know when to let go usually end up dead. They don’t understand the risks.”
Frowning at the complex formulas scribbled on the papers in front of her, Medea’s chubby cheeks still had a youthful roundness despite her serious expression. She didn’t look older than ten.
“If that idiot hadn’t disappeared…”
The idiot she always referred to was none other than the great sage Ezekiel Ross. Medea had hoped he’d be the one to continue her legacy, but a few years ago, Ezekiel vanished without a trace, and Medea had been searching for him ever since.
With a long sigh, Medea got up and moved to the window. From the high vantage point of her mansion, she could see all of Bozbourne spread out below. She swept her red hair over her shoulder, tying it into a loose ponytail, and turned back to Wilkins.
“This is all your fault. If you were even half as competent as that idiot…”
“There’s no one in this world who could even come close to Ezekiel Ross, Master!”
“You’re proud of being an idiot, huh?”
“When did I ever say that was a good thing?!”
Once again blamed for something completely out of his control, Wilkins could only cry out in frustration as the conversation came full circle.
* * *
Aden stood in the training yard at dawn, his body drenched in sweat. Unlike his usual light workouts, today his wrists and ankles were weighed down with two iron weights each, as heavy as a small child.
Yet despite the load, Aden swung his sword as if it were nothing. The only sounds in the vast training yard were his heavy breaths, the sharp slice of his sword cutting through the air, and the hum of energy vibrating off his blade.
The door to the yard opened slowly, but the sound of the sword drowned it out, so no one noticed.
A woman with ash-gray hair quietly entered, watching Aden practice in silence. He remained focused on his training, not seeming to care or notice someone was there.
After another ten minutes, Aden finally lowered his sword.
“Haa…”
He let out a long breath, steam rising slowly from his bare, muscular chest and shoulders. Sweat dripped down from his hair and sharp jawline. Staring down at the ground, Aden’s eyes slowly lifted.
“How long have you been here, Mother?”
The former Duchess of Rippleton, Benicia, stood with her arms crossed, accepting her son’s greeting at a leisurely pace.
“You seem distracted. What’s been bothering you?”
“…”
Aden didn’t respond as he walked over, calmly removing the weights from his wrists and ankles and tossing them onto a table with a loud *thud* that made the table creak in protest.
He accepted a water bottle from Benicia, taking a sip before letting out another breath.
Benicia narrowed her eyes, studying his face.
“Is it because of the engagement?”
“No.”
“If not that, then it must be about the only daughter of Brilloxen, right?”
“No, it’s not…”
“You’re going to deny that too?” Benicia interrupted, holding up a letter sent from Sierra.
Aden flinched slightly at the familiar seal on it.
You might as well try lying to a ghost, my son.
Benicia handed the letter to Aden casually.
Aden hid the letter and turned away, drying his wet hair with a towel.
“Getting news about my son after so long was both delightful and surprising. First, I hear about your engagement, and now there’s talk of another woman?”
“It’s not like that…” Aden frowned, pulling on his shirt.
Benicia quietly stared at the long scar running from his shoulder blade down to his opposite hip. The scars of the past, still marked on his body.
“So, why are you here? I’d like to think you didn’t just come to tease me.”
Aden’s eyes met Benicia’s as he covered the scar with his clothes.
“Would that be a problem?”
“Mother.”
“I’m joking.”
Benicia smirked slightly and gestured for him to follow her. She walked ahead toward the dining room, and after staring at her back for a moment, Aden sighed softly and followed.
“I heard the rumors. You’re having some issues with Bozbourne. And now, there’s talk of an engagement on top of that.”
Benicia glanced at him before smirking again.
“I know you wouldn’t jump into an engagement without thinking, especially with all that’s going on.”
Entering the dining room, Benicia greeted those who hadn’t seen her in a while and took a seat. She casually grabbed a piece of bread, tearing it apart and waving the piece in her hand.
“Gilard was never the sanest person, but lately his condition seems to have gotten worse. I almost thought he’d gone senile.”
“The situation isn’t great, to be honest,” Aden replied with a sigh.
Benicia didn’t seem to care as she popped the bread into her mouth. Aden let out another soft sigh.
What’s going through her head?
“What do you plan to do, Aden?”
He looked up as she leaned forward slightly, narrowing her eyes with a smile.
“Bozbourne isn’t going to let you go. No matter how strained things get between them and Rippleton, the two families are entangled in ways that can’t be easily unraveled. Bozbourne won’t give up on Rippleton for that reason.”
“I know.”
“Then, you’re thinking of breaking off the engagement with them, aren’t you?”
Isn’t that right?
Benicia nodded toward the letter from Sierra tucked into Aden’s clothes. Aden reached up and touched the fabric lightly, raising his gaze to meet hers.
“She’s not a bad girl. In fact, she’ll likely bring you more than that greedy duchess ever could. She’s honest, and she doesn’t have ulterior motives.”
“You seem to know a lot for someone who’s only seen her from afar.”
“When you get to my age, you see things more clearly.”
“Then, tell me this.”
What?
Benicia looked at him curiously, and Aden asked quietly, “Can the engagement be called off?”
“That’s a pretty insignificant question.”
Benicia shrugged, taking a sip of soup before looking seriously at Aden.
“It’s up to you.”
“…”
“I’m sure that girl said something similar to you, didn’t she?”
“Yes, she did.”
“I thought so.”
She’s even wise beyond her years. Benicia chuckled softly before continuing.
“It’s just an engagement, not a marriage. In this day and age, people break off engagements all the time, even ones they made just yesterday.”
“But you know what the consequences of my decision will be.”
The secret contract and dealings between Rippleton and Bozbourne were Rippleton’s biggest headache. Bozbourne held so much power, even more than the imperial family, that their actions were rarely questioned. But Rippleton wasn’t in the same position.
Rippleton was the only region in the empire that could conscript and maintain an army at the scale of a military force. Because of this, there were many nobles and even members of the council pushing to strip Rippleton of its conscription powers.
Ironically, it was Bozbourne that kept those opinions at bay, supporting Rippleton’s autonomy. No matter how tense things got between the two families or how secretive their agreements were, Bozbourne remained a crucial shield for Rippleton.
“Bozbourne is like the sun, constantly rising and shining. They’ll be fine. But Rippleton? It’s sinking fast, and it’ll take a hard hit. Still, why does that matter? How long do you plan to keep hiding behind Bozbourne’s shield?”
“…”
“Honestly, it’s a good thing. This might be your chance to get rid of Bozbourne, and I wouldn’t mind that one bit.”
Benicia observed Aden’s troubled face closely. Seeing him like this reminded her of herself when she had faced similar dilemmas years ago.
Like Aden, Benicia had taken over the role of Duke at a young age after the sudden death of her parents and siblings. With no family left to guide her, she had desperately needed a voice to steady her in her shaky position.
“Aden, it’s a good thing you’re thinking so hard about this. As the leader of a duchy, you should be thinking about its safety and future. I won’t criticize you for that. But.”
Benicia paused, frowning slightly.
“Considering that girl trusts you and believes in your choices, I can’t exactly cheer for your current indecisiveness.”
At that, Aden thought of Sierra, who had smiled faintly, trusting him. Her voice, telling him she believed in him, was still fresh in his mind.
“She’s a smart and wise girl. Even if Rippleton loses Bozbourne and things get difficult, gaining Sierra in return wouldn’t be such a bad deal.”
“…Are you serious?”
Aden was surprised by how highly Benicia regarded Sierra, knowing that Benicia rarely trusted or liked people.
“Have I ever been wrong about someone? Everyone said your father wasn’t fit for me, but I chose him anyway. He was a good man.”
Even if he died young.
