Chapter 42
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 42
"So there's no need for you to worry about such things or act on them from now on."
"Father...."
Was it my imagination that his voice had grown softer?
I grew anxious, sensing that words telling me not to leave were about to spill forth.
"However, if you truly wish to go, I will not stop you any longer."
"Father!"
Yet to my surprise, words of permission fell from his lips.
"You've grown stronger, and it pleases me to see it. Yes, that is how my daughter should be."
"Father.... Thank you, Father!"
I nestled into my father's broad embrace.
It was hardly the behavior befitting a twenty-two-year-old woman, yet the simple fact that I had a father who understood me and encouraged me filled me with such profound happiness in that moment.
"You rascal, doing something you rarely do."
Even as he said this, my father seemed genuinely pleased, chuckling warmly as he gently stroked my hair.
"I will become someone worthy of the Heitz Family name. I will become your proud daughter."
I truly wanted to become that person.
And before my father, I pledged once more that I would indeed become exactly that.
* * *
Typically, nobles spend most of their time in their own territories, but the three Duke Families were quite different.
While they claimed it was because there was much work to be done on behalf of the puppet Emperor, that wasn't the real reason.
It was to eliminate the risk of their influence within the Capital diminishing while they were away, due to other families.
So they spent about ten months of the year in the Capital to keep watch over one another.
Byon Duke's Residence was located approximately thirty minutes away from our family's Manor.
House Heitz Mansion didn't have any particularly distinctive features.
It appeared as a typical Manor, no different from any other.
However, when night fell, they arranged eternal flames throughout the Mansion that burned all night long, making it clear to anyone who saw it in the darkness that it was the House of Fire.
But Byon Duke's Residence was quite distinctive.
Perhaps because they were the House of Iron, iron structures were conspicuous throughout the Mansion.
'To think they can produce such vast quantities of iron—truly impressive.'
If they could build houses using iron, producing weapons and armor would be nothing.
I could newly appreciate why House Byon held the greatest power in the Empire.
Since I had sent word in advance that I would be coming to House Byon, the guards at the gate opened the massive iron doors upon seeing the insignia on my carriage.
Adela's words to me were no mere pleasantry—the moment I sent a letter expressing my desire to visit her, her reply came back brimming with joy.
After passing through the iron gates and crossing the Garden, the carriage came to a halt before the enormous Mansion.
As the carriage door opened, I extended my hand, assuming it was one of our family's knights.
But standing there with the carriage door open and offering me his hand was Aiden Byon.
"Welcome, Lady Heitz."
"Oh?"
Aiden Byon greeted me with a gentle smile.
Today, as always, he was so strikingly handsome that I found myself momentarily captivated by his beauty.
But while I stood there dazed, his hand suddenly grasped mine.
I felt a gentle pull and descended from the carriage.
"Thank you for allowing my visit."
I managed to gather my wits and responded to him.
"My sister wanted to greet you personally, but as you know, her health is not good, so I've come in her stead. Please forgive me."
"Not at all. Please don't worry about it."
"Let us go inside. My sister has been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
I immediately followed him into the Mansion.
"I was somewhat surprised when I heard you were coming to visit my sister."
He spoke while walking beside me, glancing down slightly.
"Given what you said to me before, and how you always tried to avoid me whenever we crossed paths."
This man possessed considerably more perceptiveness than his sister.
'Or perhaps I was just too obvious in my behavior?'
"After the Banquet, I gave it considerable thought and realized that, as you said, there was no reason for me to avoid you."
"That's right. There's no reason for you to do so."
I looked up at him in surprise at his words, which seemed to embrace me.
He continued to gaze at me with tender eyes, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Because the one at fault is someone else entirely."
What?
As unexpected words that seemed unlikely to come from his mouth tumbled out in rapid succession, I found myself staring at Aiden Byon with a somewhat bewildered expression.
I was trying to discern what hidden meaning lay beneath his words.
Yet his expression as he spoke was rather plain, as if he weren't concealing anything at all.
'It seems he's heard something about the three of us.'
"If I may ask..."
But suddenly his expression and voice grew quite serious.
I tensed, uncertain what would come from his lips next.
"Yes?"
"Do you still hold Duke Cain Maxius in your heart?"
Was he testing me?
Did he worry that because I harbored feelings for Cain, Adela might be hurt because of me?
Regardless, I could answer his question with absolute certainty.
"No. I do not hold Duke Cain Maxius in my heart."
So he shouldn't even think of killing me for that.
I barely managed to suppress the urge to say even this much to him.
"I see."
The expression that had been rigid moments before dissolved instantly, and Aiden Byon answered with a pleased smile.
'Is he relieved because he's determined I won't be a threat to Adela?'
If he thought that way, I could only be grateful.
'Still, I must be careful.'
Moreover, if I continued to keep my distance from Cain while growing closer to Adela, it seemed I wouldn't need to worry about this matter causing headaches in the future, and my heart felt lighter.
Then I remembered a duty I had momentarily forgotten.
Though I honestly had no desire to meet him, I turned to Aiden Byon walking beside me and spoke to maintain noble propriety.
"I would like to pay my respects to Duke Byon first."
"The Duke is not at the Manor at the moment."
"Ah, is that so?"
I was relieved not to have to see a face I didn't wish to see.
"Yes, my sister's room is on the Second Floor. Please come this way."
But wait...
Aiden Byon had just referred to his father as "the Duke," hadn't he?
Was he deliberately being formal in front of others?
Thinking it could well be that, I didn't dwell on it and continued climbing the stairs.
"Here we are."
We reached the Second Floor and stood before one of several doors, this one adorned with beautifully blooming flowers and leaves of various kinds.
The subtle fragrance of flowers drifting through suggested they were fresh blooms.
"Fresh flowers. Do you decorate the door like this every day?"
I asked Aiden Byon out of genuine curiosity.
"Yes, my sister loves flowers. She particularly enjoys things that are vibrant and vivid, yet alive."
"Ah, is that so? I should have prepared a flower gift then."
As a get-well gift, I had prepared a lily-shaped hair ornament that seemed to suit Adela perfectly.
When I saw her at the Banquet Hall, Adela was wearing an excessive number of hair ornaments.
So I had assumed she enjoyed hair ornaments and prepared one as a gift.
Even though it wasn't a fresh flower, I felt relieved that I had chosen a flower-shaped hair ornament.
"Whatever gift you've prepared, my lady will surely love it."
"Then I'm relieved."
"Shall we go in?"
I nodded slightly.
"It's Aiden Byon. We're entering."
The servant standing guard at the door opened it.
A fragrance far more intense than the floral scent I had caught outside wafted into my nostrils.
Following Aiden Byon into the room, I found vases of flowers scattered throughout.
'She truly loves flowers.'
"Lady Heitz!"
Adela, who had been lying in bed, saw me and tried to get up.
Her voice calling out to me was filled with warmth.
"My lady, please rest. We shall come to you."
Aiden Byon and I approached the bed where Adela lay with quick steps.
With the help of a Maidservant beside her, Adela sat up against the headboard.
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