꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦THERE IS NO WAY YOU LOVE ME꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦
The sudden arrival of unexpected guests threw the entire castle into chaos.
Alyssa hurriedly ordered the preparation of a guest room while having the visitors wait in the drawing room.
After finishing her instructions to the servants, she descended the stairs alongside Kieran, sneaking a glance at his expression.
Kieran’s face was the stiffest she had ever seen. Occasionally, his usual blank mask wavered, revealing fleeting traces of anxiety and unease.
‘The House of Count Albrecht… that’s his family.’
He was about to meet people from the home he had been away from for so long.
Yet, there wasn’t a hint of longing or joy in Kieran’s demeanor.
‘Does he have a bad relationship with his family?’
Of course, it was unlikely that the Count’s people had come all this way just to see Kieran.
After news of the artifact had spread, the Imperial Court must have been growing restless.
They probably wanted nothing more than to search every inch of the North for hidden relics and take away the remains of the slain monsters.
But they couldn’t.
Even the Emperor needed justification. How could he claim that he suddenly distrusted his loyal subject and send inspectors? How could he shamelessly demand the return of the very monsters he had long neglected?
So, while the Imperial Court itself had no grounds to set foot in the North, the House of Albert was different.
They had the perfect excuse—a long-overdue visit to see a relative who had married and been away for years.
Officially, they were here to reunite with Kieran.
But both of them knew that wasn’t the real reason.
Even so, Kieran’s reaction was strange.
It wasn’t the usual reluctance of someone who merely disliked facing certain people.
It was deeper. Something much more familiar.
Alyssa stopped in front of the drawing room and quietly observed Kieran.
He took a deep breath, his eyes unsettled, and clenched his hands tightly.
Despite his composed facade, his pale fingers trembled.
Kieran was afraid.
Without thinking, Alyssa reached out.
She gently touched his cold hands, as if sharing her warmth.
“…Your grace?”
As their eyes met, Alyssa realized what she had just done.
“Your hand was… c-cold. I’m sorry. No, I mean….”
Startled, she quickly pulled her hand away, flustered by her own unconscious action. She was embarrassed, yet she couldn’t ignore how cold his hand had been.
“A-are you alright?”
More than guilt or shame, worry for Kieran took precedence. Alyssa stammered, her face burning red.
Kieran, who had been staring at her in a daze, let out another breath. For some reason, a bit of color seemed to return to his face.
With a small nod, he gestured to the attendant.
The drawing room doors slowly swung open, revealing a man seated on the sofa.
The first thing that caught Alyssa’s eye was his neatly cropped blond hair and impeccably tailored formal attire. He was the very image of a noble—refined and composed, yet entirely unfamiliar to her.
The man turned his head toward them.
The cold indifference that had been resting on his face instantly melted into a bright smile.
“Kieran!”
Rising to his feet, he strode toward them, his expression overflowing with genuine delight.
“It’s been so long! How have you been? I was so disappointed I didn’t get to see you before you left for the North….”
Alyssa watched the scene unfold in stunned silence. The situation was bewildering in every way.
The man’s cheerful demeanor, filled with nothing but the joy of reuniting with a long-lost relative…
And in stark contrast—
“…Claudius?”
Kieran had turned deathly pale, like a corpse laid to rest in a coffin.
“Why are you here…?”
“Come on, I know I showed up unannounced, but do you have to look so shocked? Weren’t you happy to see me, brother?”
As Kieran murmured in confusion, the man named Claudius chuckled playfully. He was about to say something else when his gaze suddenly landed on Alyssa.
“Oh, my.”
The warmth in his eyes shifted into something more unreadable. Alyssa instinctively braced herself for the familiar discomfort that usually followed such looks—but to her surprise, it never came.
“My apologies, Your Grace. I should have greeted you first, but my excitement got the better of me. That was quite rude of me.”
Claudius lowered his head in a sincere apology. It was a level of courtesy no noble in the capital had ever shown her before.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Claudius, the third son of Count Albert’s family and Kieran’s brother.”
He offered a bright smile before turning to Kieran, his gaze filled with nothing but pure joy.
Kieran exhaled softly, trying to compose himself, but his carefully maintained expression kept threatening to crumble.
“I was on my way to inspect the lands when I thought of my brother and decided to stop by. Would it be alright if I stayed for a while?”
Instead of answering, Alyssa turned to Kieran.
“As he is your guest, I will follow your wishes, my lord.”
She knew Claudius had undoubtedly come on behalf of the imperial family. He couldn’t simply be sent away. However, if Kieran truly wanted it, she would support his decision.
Kieran hesitated, his lips parting as if to speak, but in the end, he suppressed whatever turmoil was within him and forced a smile.
“Of course, we must host him properly. I can’t turn away a guest, can I?”
His usual calm expression carried a faint smile, yet at that moment, it felt strangely hollow. His gaze remained fixed on Claudius.
Something about that left Alyssa unsettled. But since Kieran had given his consent, there was only one thing left for her to say.
“Stay as long as you wish.”
At that, Claudius grinned widely, completely at ease.
“Your Grace is truly generous!”
When Alyssa anticipated that the imperial family would send someone, she had expected either an overbearingly authoritative figure or a sly and cunning noble.
The nobles of the capital had always looked down on her, treating her with contempt until the moment they needed something from her—then, they would shower her with flattery and empty words.
But to her surprise, Claudius was neither.
Though she had often turned a blind eye, Alyssa had an innate ability to discern sincerity from falsehood. And Claudius, in both his words and gaze directed at his half-brother, had not uttered a single lie.
After he was shown to his room, Alyssa carefully observed Kieran. He looked much more composed than when he had faced Claudius, yet traces of unease still lingered beneath the surface.
“I was just caught off guard,” Kieran said. “I thought… it would be my half-brother, not Claudius, who would come.”
His gaze met Alyssa’s, who was looking at him with concern. He forced a small smile.
It was true.
In his past life, after the artifact’s existence had been revealed, it had not been Claudius who came to the Duchy of Benoit—it had been his half-brother, Jerome.
Jerome was violent and crude, and he loathed Kieran, whom he considered a disgrace to their family.
Even within the Albrecht household, Jerome had never missed an opportunity to hurl insults at him. And when he had come to the duchy, he had done the same.
Jerome had deliberately sought him out, mocking him relentlessly, as if he were nothing more than a prisoner in exile. Kieran had endured the humiliation in silence.
At the time, Jerome’s visit had been unpleasant, but it had been something Kieran could withstand.
But Claudius—Claudius was different.
“Did you not get along?” Alyssa asked, worry laced in her voice.
Kieran shook his head.
“No. Quite the opposite,” he said. “He was the only one in the family who ever cared for me.”
Born to the Count and his legitimate wife, Claudius had been a boy who naturally received love and affection.
The Countess had fiercely protected her youngest son, Claudius, fearing that he might one day be overshadowed by Kieran. The servants, too, pitied Claudius, who had been forced to recognize his father’s illegitimate son as his elder brother from birth.
If anyone in the Albrecht household had the most reason to resent Kieran, it was undoubtedly Claudius.
Yet, instead of harboring resentment, Claudius had treated Kieran with kindness. He pitied the bastard child who had been shunned and, with a benevolence that seemed almost natural, looked after him.
Whenever the servants tormented Kieran, Claudius’s firm reprimands forced them to stop—though not without muttered remarks of discontent.
“You should be grateful for our merciful young master.”
And they were right. Claudius had shown him kindness, and Kieran should have been grateful.
As he struggled to steady his emotions, Kieran turned his gaze towards his wife.
Her dawn-colored eyes, filled with concern, were entirely focused on him. Seeing that, he smiled. This time, it wasn’t so difficult.
The tension in his face finally eased, and as soon as Alyssa beamed in relief, a rapid knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Alyssa answered, assuming it was a servant.
However, the person who stepped inside was unexpected.
“Kieran! Oh, Your Grace, you’re still here as well.”
Claudius, looking rather distressed, swung the door open. His eyes widened when he noticed Alyssa.
“I came to speak with Kieran. Would it be alright if I borrowed him for a moment?”
When Alyssa gave her consent, Claudius grinned brightly and strode confidently toward Kieran.
“I just came from the room the butler prepared for me. Considering how quickly it must have been arranged, I have to say—it’s truly impressive. Thank you.”
Before Kieran could even respond, Claudius continued.
“Still, I couldn’t help but notice that the furniture and bedding are a bit… simple. Of course, I know better than to expect the luxuries of a noble estate, but as you know, I can be a bit sensitive about these things.”
With a gentle smile, Claudius made his request in an almost affectionate tone.
“Would you mind switching rooms with me while I’m here?”
Excuse you?
The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this BIT-
Thanks for the tl! ✨
I beg your pardon