There were instances when Ayla pondered perhaps she was dreaming.
Not only did Cloud save her from almost getting caught while eavesdropping on Byron’s conversation but also he had suspected her for a long time although didn’t say anything.
From that day on, Cloud pretended that nothing had happened between them, so even though she knew that vivid memory was not a dream, she sometimes wondered if it had been a dream.
The next day, Laura left for the capital along with a group of people called the Marquis whose names are unknown. The purpose was to infiltrate the Duke’s house first.
And Ayla and the others were still sleeping at that time. It seemed like they were moving a long way towards some destination.
Her heart was pounding as she recalled the moment when she was almost caught eavesdropping by someone she thought was the Marquis but she still felt regretful that she couldn’t find out his name.
Fortunately, Cloud called her ‘Your Excellency the Marquis’ so she was able to know his identity.
There were only a few Marquis in the Peles Empire, so if she looked into them secretly after returning to her parents, she would be able to find out his name.
“Miss, the master is looking for you.”
Capella, who was waiting for Ayla in place of her daughter who had left for the capital, quietly called out to her.
Ayla, who was about to get into her sleeping bag and fall asleep, got up and went out of the tent. For Byron to come looking for her at this time of night, it must not have been an ordinary day.
When she came out, Cloud was waiting for her. It seemed like he was trying to take her to Byron’s tent.
Ayla walked after him and glanced at his side face. It was still impossible to read his thoughts from his blunt face.
“ Do you know what’s going on?”
She asked in a quiet voice. She didn’t expect an answer. She just asked with the hope of getting a hint.
But unexpectedly, an answer came back from Cloud.
“It won’t be bad news for you, miss.”
Although the answer was somewhat of a mystery.
It’s not bad news. At this point, there was only one good news for her.
It means returning home.
A slight emotion of eagerness developed in Ayla’s heart, but she attempted to let it go.
One of the reasons was that she didn’t want to show Cloud how glad she was, but more importantly, she hoped that she wouldn’t be upset if anything didn’t go as planned.
The higher the expectations, the greater the frustration.
“Even now, I don’t completely trust you.”
“Yes, Lady. … Sorry.”
The conversation she had with Cloud while moving to Byron’s tent showed that what happened that night was not a dream but a fact.
Although they didn’t openly talk about what happened that night, it was the first time that a change in their relationship was revealed, even if vaguely.
And, when she arrived in front of Byron, she was able to hear the good news she had been waiting for.
“Come closer, my daughter.”
When she knelt in front of him at Byron’s gesture, he stroked her hair and opened his mouth.
“Has this father ever told you why he’s wandering around like a criminal?”
To that question, Ayla had to remember for a moment.
She had heard Byron’s story countless times. It was the story of an old friend, or rather a traitor, who took his place and gave it to someone else and made him a sinner by accusing him of a crime that did not exist.
Although the tale was significantly manipulated.
“You didn’t tell me exactly, but the traitor… … you said there is someone who must take revenge.”
“Yes, I did. My daughter, I think it is time. It is time for you to avenge your father.”
At Byron’s words, Ayla asked, trying hard to suppress the joy that was fluttering in her heart.
“What can I do, father?”
“He has lost his daughter. I think you should disguise yourself as his daughter and go into that house. And… … Condemn him on behalf of your father.”
At last… …!
How long had she been waiting for these words? After returning to her young twelve-year-old body, she had endured countless disgusting moments while waiting for this moment.
In her last life, she was only sent to the duchy when she turned sixteen, but this time, she achieved this when she was not even fourteen. Although she will soon turn fourteen in the fall. She had shortened a whopping two years.
And that’s because it had been less than a year since she had returned to the past.
“Yes, father. If you want me to do it, I will do it right now.”
No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the joy she couldn’t hide was evident in her voice.
However, Byron did not seem to find it strange. He appeared to interpret her excitement as happiness at the prospect of receiving the approval of her father, who adored her very much.
“Yes, you have a good posture. But not right now. There are things to prepare.”
And then he started explaining the ‘things she needs to prepare’.
Ayla Heiling Weishafen, whom the nanny had taken out, could not be found when she had been looking for it for so long, but then it finally appeared. It was a work to make that justification.
‘It’s the same as my last life.’
‘The Life of Ayla Weishafen’ that Byron made up was no different from her past life.
That meant that the note received from Winfred would soon be used.
To save the lives of those who were a great comfort to her.
“So, you can stay there from tomorrow. You should remember what life is like there. That way, you won’t be suspected.”
“Yes, father.”
It seemed like she had heard all the explanations, and Ayla slowly got ready to get up because she wanted to escape Byron’s grasp as quickly as possible.
But Byron didn’t seem to have any intention of letting her go just yet.
“Oh, And by the way, there is something you must do first before you kill your father’s enemy.”
“What is that, father?”
It’s something that needs to be done first. She thought about what it could be, but nothing came to mind, so Ayla waited for Byron’s answer.
“There will be a baby boy in that house. First, kill him. He is a weak being who cannot control his own body, so it will be as easy for you as breathing.”
And in response to the reply, Ayla forgot to control her expression for a moment and looked at Byron.
“Are you sure?”
Why was he trying to kill a newborn baby who was only a few months old? For doing something wrong?
And that too with none other than her own hands.
To kill with one’s own hands… A younger brother whom she had only heard was born from Winfred, but whom she had never even seen in person.
She thought she had already seen the cruelty of the man named Byron to the bottom. She thought he could not be more cruel and wicked than this. But…
Even if he was an evil god, he would show at least an ounce of mercy to a young and weak being. The man named Byron seemed to be the worst human being, lacking even the slightest sense of ethics.
“Why aren’t you answering, daughter?”
And he asked her in a sharp voice if she could not tolerate even that moment of hesitation.
‘The child is innocent.’
Ayla barely swallowed the words that kept coming out of her mouth.
Even if Roderick was, as Byron claimed, a villain who would never exist again in the world, what sin was Noah guilty of that he deserved to die?
“If my father wants, I will follow.” In the end, she had no choice but to say this.
Even if it was just something she didn’t like and didn’t have any intention of actually killing Noah, she felt miserable just by answering that she would do so.
It’s an unpleasant feeling, like committing a terrible sin that a human being should never commit.
“Yes, that is my daughter.”
Byron stroked her cheek one last time with the back of his hand. The sticky texture felt unpleasant.
“Then I guess you’ll just go back and rest. you’ll be busy starting tomorrow.”
“Yes, father.”
It was liberation. Ayla bit her lips hard to hide them trembling with anger. She bit down so hard that she felt a tingling sensation.
Nonetheless, it was lucky because she was able to come to her senses and respond, even if it was too late. If she hadn’t heard from Winfred that Noah had been born and just discovered his existence then, she would still be in a dizziness.
“Cloud, you stay.”
Cloud tried to follow her out of the tent to take her, but Byron stopped him.
She was so angry that she felt like crying. She wished she could just sit down and cry out loud.
However, there were too many eyes watching her nearby. It was obvious that Capella, who was sharing the same tent, would think it was strange if she found even a trace of a tear on her face.
Ayla held back the tears until she lay down in her sleeping bag and tried to sleep.
Over the past year, how many emotions had she swallowed and suppressed? Patience was not that difficult for her.
No, it was very difficult. She wanted to cry alone in a place where no one was around, a place where she didn’t have to worry about anyone.
Maybe she wanted to cry in her mother’s arms.
When she was very young, she must have buried her face in her mother’s chest and cried, but sadly, there was no such scene in her memory.
Still, Ayla missed that embrace so much.
She fell asleep, hoping that time would pass swiftly. As each day passed, she calmed herself with the realization that the moment to return to her parents was nearing.
