Chapter 49

Chapter 49

“Don’t worry about anything, Sei. Just trust me.”

His drunken words flashed through my mind. I believed he meant them wholeheartedly. However, I also knew that reality wasn’t kind enough to rely on such pure goodwill.

“I’m sorry, Lord Camille.”

Camille ran a hand through his hair with a resigned laugh. His expressions shifted from twisted frustration to forced calmness, then to a near-tearful look, and finally settled into a serene but long-pained expression.

“You’re really a cold-hearted guy, you know?”

“I can’t deny that.”

“…How did I end up with a brother like you?”

He sighed deeply, looking resigned. It seemed he had finally accepted that no amount of persuasion would work on me.

“When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I finish organizing…”

“And when is that supposed to be?”

“…I should be able to wrap things up within a few days.”

I spoke cautiously, dreading the possibility that he might propose a farewell party. If that happened, I would have to find a way to refuse. But, as always, Camille was one step ahead of my expectations.

“Alright, if you’re set on going, then go. But I’m coming with you.”

“…What?”

I looked at him in disbelief, but Camille’s expression remained unchanged.

“How can I let you leave for a completely unfamiliar place and be at ease? I need to see for myself if it’s a livable environment and if the people there can be trusted. I’m coming with you to ensure I can witness it all with my own eyes.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Why? Do I seem too reckless? Are you stunned by my decision?”

“Of course I am! Do you even know where you’re headed? What in the world are you thinking…!”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page. That’s exactly how I feel looking at you right now.”

“…”

Camille flashed a mischievous smile at my astonished silence.

“Sorry, but I’m not the child I was three years ago anymore. This is already a huge concession, so you should give up on any hope of me backing down. I’m definitely coming with you.”

This wasn’t an impulsive bluff; he genuinely intended to follow me. Before I could protest, Camille had already turned his back, leaving me to hold my throbbing head. All I could think was that this was a disaster.

* * *

I didn’t have much to pack in the first place. A few changes of clothes, some travel money, and an identification token that might or might not be useful. Just in case, I also took my security department badge. The rest I gathered into a box to be managed and disposed of by the staff looking after the residence.

After leaving my resignation letter and a note on the desk, I checked the time. It was about time as planned.

I glanced around the impersonal room one last time and, feeling no attachment, picked up my backpack and headed out. Reaching the back door, the person I had bribed handed me the reins of a prepared horse.

“And the door?”

“It’s already open. You’ll have no trouble getting out.”

“Thank you.”

I handed over the promised extra payment and mounted the saddle. Calming the restless horse, it finally hit me that I was truly leaving.

It was still pre-dawn, and the palace buildings were cloaked in darkness. I took a moment to look back at the dimly lit palace, letting out a light sigh.

‘Running away in the night wasn’t part of the plan, but there’s no other choice.’

Neither the Crown Prince nor Camille were people who could be persuaded by words. The longer I delayed, the more disadvantaged I’d become. So, avoiding them was the only option. At least until morning, I wasn’t likely to be discovered. That’s why I had met with Duke Rouster.

“You said you’re leaving?”

I recalled the heavy, low voice that had asked the question, along with those unreadable eyes that rarely betrayed any emotion.

Human emotions are truly amusing. Whenever I stood before him, it felt like my chest would tighten, but this time, it didn’t matter at all. The sharp gaze that seemed to scrutinize me, the expression of disdain that concealed no displeasure—all of it had lost its significance. Perhaps sensing the same thing, Duke Rouster was wearing a strange expression as he observed me.

“You’ve changed. You used to whimper like a pitiful puppy. Was this expedition that impressive? Well, you did bring back the medicine that saved His Majesty, so you might think you’ve become a remarkable person.”

“…”

“Then, what do you intend to do out there? Will you join your father and brothers and turn your sword against us?”

Duke Rouster still didn’t know that I was a Clonne. Until I revealed it myself, those who knew the truth had promised to keep silent. Yet, I never imagined he would assume I was going back to Lavant.

“What did they offer you to tempt you? The successor’s position? Do you think you can truly belong to them if they give you that?”

“They are not my father and brothers, as you know better than anyone.”

He raised an eyebrow at my calm response, seemingly surprised, but quickly reverted to his suspicious demeanor.

“Then do you have somewhere else to go?”

“I’m not confined. I have the free will to decide my own fate and two intact legs to take me anywhere. If I set my mind to it, is there any place I couldn’t go?”

“You are brazen. Don’t hedge your words and answer me straight. You need to convince me that you have no ulterior motives.”

“I plan to follow the trail of my biological father.”

His forehead furrowed at my sighing response.

“You said your biological father?”

“Yes.”

“Huh, that’s an answer I didn’t expect. What, are you daydreaming that your real father might turn out to be someone amazing after all?”

“…”

“You act all smart but still harbor naïve dreams. That’s why bloodline is important. Let me remind you, that man was a worthless scoundrel—a third-rate mercenary with no manners or class.”

It was the response I had anticipated. I had heard this evaluation countless times. Initially, I sought it out out of curiosity; later, I was forced to listen, whether I wanted to or not.

“No one has come looking for him all this time, which means he was either an orphan or abandoned by his parents. Even if he had relatives, can’t you guess what kind of people they’d be, given his bloodline?”

Even if it were true, such words should never come from the one who wronged him.

“No matter how much you struggle, this is your reality. You’ve forgotten your place after living far too comfortably. Realize this clearly: the only reason you’re even remotely functional is that you grew up under my care. You should be deeply grateful for the kindness shown to you by me and the Rouster family.”

(T/N) : Manipulative bastard ٩(๑ `н´๑)۶

“I am grateful for the care you’ve given me.”

“And yet?”

“As you said, I’ve lived too comfortably. Perhaps the idea of another life has become more appealing.”

A silence followed that statement.

“Do you resent me?”

I stared at him, trying to decipher his intentions. He, too, gazed intensely at me, as if searching for something. I was familiar with that look and the inevitable disappointment it conveyed.

“Salvia was the child I loved the most. I cherished her so much that I didn’t want to let her go, even if the Emperor demanded it.”

“…”

“Yet, she was taken from me in an instant by some lowly man. The high honor and nobility I worked a lifetime to preserve for her were dragged through the filth overnight. Do you know how that feels for a father? You can’t possibly know—the feeling that the world has collapsed around you, along with a rage burning like a thousand fires inside.”

It was another story I had grown tired of hearing, repeated so often it seemed imprinted on my ears. Even if one didn’t know, it was impossible not to learn it.

And it wasn’t just that. I also knew how you butchered her only love in a fit of rage. How you forced your pregnant daughter to marry another man and ignored her until her death. How you never once responded to the many letters she sent.

Yet, in his world, he was always the innocent victim. I had listened passively all this time, but knowing this would be the last time, I found it hard to suppress my revulsion. I couldn’t help but finally voice the thoughts I had always kept inside.

“Was that really love?”

“…What did you say?”

“Wasn’t she the daughter you cherished? If you truly loved her, couldn’t you have granted her that wish? Did you really have to force them apart?”

“Hah, that’s exactly the kind of thing a bastard left by that lowly piece of scum would say.”

His eyes filled with contempt, and his harsh words cut deeply, making my clenched fists tighten even more.

“What parent would watch their precious child willingly walk a thorny path? I only stopped her from suffering. That was a natural action for a father.”

“…Even if it meant her living a life of misery?”

“That’s nonsense! She had a solid, wealthy family and a husband of high reputation. How could that be miserable? Being a Countess is far more noble and valuable than being the wife of a lowly mercenary!”

“It seems money and reputation are all that matter to you.”

“What did you just say?”

“Do you remember what my mother looked like at the end?”

Surprised by the unexpected question, his eyes widened. His expression clearly warned me to stop, but I pressed on.

“If you saw her body, you would know. She looked like a parched, twisted old tree—nothing like the beautiful woman in her portraits. Could you even recognize her at first glance?”

“…What are you implying?”

“You might think she looked that way because she had been ill for so long. But that’s not the case. The mother I remember always looked like that.”