“It may be a bit difficult, but... since it is Your Majesty’s order, I will do my best to accomplish it.”
“As expected, you’re so dependable. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Anyone who heard it could tell it was a conversation between an Emperor and his subjects.
Isn't it truly absurd? Byron, who was already acting as if he had ascended the throne, and the man who called him "Your Majesty," a mere fugitive, were both absurd.
Aila quietly turned the doorknob and opened it, hoping to better hear their conversation.
“...I ended up in trouble because a child was born.”
The man sighed. Ironically, could it be that he was talking about Noah, her younger brother? Aila perked up her ears.
"That's what I'm saying. I'll be careful about bringing in new people. After all, the nanny she trusted so much disappeared with her daughter."
Byron chuckled and took a sip of his drink.
As she had expected, it seemed fitting to talk about the Duke of Weishaffen.
It seemed like they were talking about how they had to infiltrate Laura into the Duke's household, but Noah's birth made that difficult.
"By the way, what did you do then, Your Majesty? How on earth did you bribe the nanny...?"
In noble families, the position of nanny to raise their children was never used unless the person was truly trustworthy.
The same was true for Roderick and Ophelia.
But Byron was the one who made such a loyal man betray.
“...It wasn’t a bribe, it was a threat. By kidnapping the family of that nanny.”
And when the nanny brought Aila, he silenced her by killing both the family and the nanny.
"What a foolish woman," Byron burst out laughing.
And Aila, who was listening to this story while holding the doorknob, unconsciously tightened her hand.
How can someone be so evil?
She had already heard from Winfred that she had been brought out by a nanny, but she had no idea there was a reason behind it.
Her heart ached as she thought of the nanny and her family, whose faces she couldn't even remember. Even though she was the one who had taken Aila away from her parents.
She was a victim too.
That moment.
As she tightened her grip on the doorknob, a small creaking sound came from the door.
“...Can’t you hear anything?”
“Sound? I didn’t hear it. Did you mishear it?”
“No. I definitely heard a noise coming from the door...”
And of all people, the Marquis happened to hear that sound. It was a life-or-death moment.
Aila looked around in confusion, but there was nowhere to hide.
If she were caught eavesdropping like this, she might die. The thought of the curse upon her body suffocated her, making her feel like every ounce of strength was draining from her.
She shouldn't panic. She needs to get out of here quickly.
Even as she thought that, fear took over her body, and she couldn't move.
It was a time when she was just waiting to be discovered.
The door to the next room burst open, and a rough hand grabbed her from inside the room and dragged her out.
It was a cloud.
“Cloud...”
"Shhh."
Cloud put his index finger to his lips with a complex expression as if his emotions were mixed.
She didn't know what the situation was, but since Cloud had saved her from danger, she nodded and kept her mouth shut.
Outside the room, footsteps could be heard as the Marquis looked around.
Soon, a knock was heard on the door where she and Cloud were hiding.
Cloud, who had hidden Aila in the darkness, carefully opened the door and stuck his head out.
“...What is it, Your Grace?”
"Have you seen anyone? Well, my door is open. If someone overheard my conversation with His Majesty...!"
The Marquis opened his mouth, his voice low, but unable to hide his excitement.
"No, I didn't hear anything. I guess I didn't close the door properly on my way out."
“But I definitely heard a squeaking sound...”
“It must have been the sound of a door opening in the wind.”
Cloud lied in a calm voice. His blunt face showed no trace of deception.
"If a warrior with five senses as developed as yours didn't sense anything... well, maybe you're right. I guess I was just being sensitive. Then rest in peace."
The Marquis quickly calmed down and nodded. Cloud's excuse seemed to have caught on.
And Aila, listening to the conversation, was lost in thought. How did she get caught?
Perhaps she was so anxious that she let her guard down. Perhaps that's why Cloud caught her and made the mistake of knocking on the door. Whatever the reason, it was a huge, irreversible mistake.
The Marquis left, and he locked the door. He then slowly turned to look at Aila.
She glared at Cloud, still trying to calm her startled heart. She still couldn't quite grasp what had happened.
“...What are you going to do if you get caught, Miss, doing something so reckless?”
And Cloud opened his mouth, mumbling in a low voice.
Miss.
Miss. Aila let out a snicker without realizing it.
“Am I really your ‘Miss’? I’m the daughter of your enemy.”
“...”
Even though she said she knew a secret she shouldn't know, Cloud's blunt expression remained unchanged.
It seemed as if he already knew that she had noticed.
“Aren’t you surprised? Did you know that I knew?”
“...Yes, I had my doubts.”
Aila felt as if her heart was falling to the floor.
Everything was revealed to Cloud.
“Since when?”
“...When the young lady was sick, you said something strange.”
That was a long time ago, too.
Strangely, tears welled up in her eyes. She burst into laughter, oblivious to the trickling tears.
“But why did you keep your mouth shut? Why didn’t you run to my ‘father’ right away, or rather, your ‘Emperor’, and tell him everything?”
“...I don’t know.”
At her sharp question, Cloud's face crumpled as if in pain.
I don't know.
Even Cloud himself couldn't figure out why he was doing this.
He needs to let the owner know that the cards he's using and discarding are no longer useful. He needs to do that...
"You don't understand? Are you planning to betray Byron? How will you resolve your family's grievances?"
Aila wasn't even aware of what she was saying.
The fact that Cloud knew her secret and kept his mouth shut was so shocking that it felt like the words she had been holding back were coming out.
“...You know more than I thought.”
"What does it matter? I'm going to die anyway. The curse on my body... is..."
Aila was suddenly overcome with fear and was unable to speak.
Cloud held her lifeline. If he ran to Byron and told him her secret, then... she wouldn't survive.
“I’m sorry, Miss.”
Cloud squeezed his eyes shut. The pain was so overwhelming that he couldn't bear to look at Aila.
This little child knew such a cruel truth. Guilt seemed to choke him.
“...Don’t pity me!”
And Cloud's strange feelings angered Ayla. He seemed to pity her.
Aila didn't want to receive sympathy from someone who had been deceiving her her whole life.
“How could I dare to pity you, young lady?”
Cloud cautiously knelt before her. He was so much taller than she, but now he was at a height where she had to look down.
"Young Lady, you won't die. Nothing happened tonight, and I have nothing to tell my lord."
When Cloud opened his eyes, a hot tear was flowing down his face.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t forgive me for deceiving you.”
They were tears of sincere repentance.
And his apology left Aila speechless.
Because she never once thought she would receive an apology from one of the people who had ruined her life.
Aila laughed out loud. Was it really that easy to get an apology?
“As expected, you’re so dependable. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Anyone who heard it could tell it was a conversation between an Emperor and his subjects.
Isn't it truly absurd? Byron, who was already acting as if he had ascended the throne, and the man who called him "Your Majesty," a mere fugitive, were both absurd.
Aila quietly turned the doorknob and opened it, hoping to better hear their conversation.
“...I ended up in trouble because a child was born.”
The man sighed. Ironically, could it be that he was talking about Noah, her younger brother? Aila perked up her ears.
"That's what I'm saying. I'll be careful about bringing in new people. After all, the nanny she trusted so much disappeared with her daughter."
Byron chuckled and took a sip of his drink.
As she had expected, it seemed fitting to talk about the Duke of Weishaffen.
It seemed like they were talking about how they had to infiltrate Laura into the Duke's household, but Noah's birth made that difficult.
"By the way, what did you do then, Your Majesty? How on earth did you bribe the nanny...?"
In noble families, the position of nanny to raise their children was never used unless the person was truly trustworthy.
The same was true for Roderick and Ophelia.
But Byron was the one who made such a loyal man betray.
“...It wasn’t a bribe, it was a threat. By kidnapping the family of that nanny.”
And when the nanny brought Aila, he silenced her by killing both the family and the nanny.
"What a foolish woman," Byron burst out laughing.
And Aila, who was listening to this story while holding the doorknob, unconsciously tightened her hand.
How can someone be so evil?
She had already heard from Winfred that she had been brought out by a nanny, but she had no idea there was a reason behind it.
Her heart ached as she thought of the nanny and her family, whose faces she couldn't even remember. Even though she was the one who had taken Aila away from her parents.
She was a victim too.
That moment.
As she tightened her grip on the doorknob, a small creaking sound came from the door.
“...Can’t you hear anything?”
“Sound? I didn’t hear it. Did you mishear it?”
“No. I definitely heard a noise coming from the door...”
And of all people, the Marquis happened to hear that sound. It was a life-or-death moment.
Aila looked around in confusion, but there was nowhere to hide.
If she were caught eavesdropping like this, she might die. The thought of the curse upon her body suffocated her, making her feel like every ounce of strength was draining from her.
She shouldn't panic. She needs to get out of here quickly.
Even as she thought that, fear took over her body, and she couldn't move.
It was a time when she was just waiting to be discovered.
The door to the next room burst open, and a rough hand grabbed her from inside the room and dragged her out.
It was a cloud.
“Cloud...”
"Shhh."
Cloud put his index finger to his lips with a complex expression as if his emotions were mixed.
She didn't know what the situation was, but since Cloud had saved her from danger, she nodded and kept her mouth shut.
Outside the room, footsteps could be heard as the Marquis looked around.
Soon, a knock was heard on the door where she and Cloud were hiding.
Cloud, who had hidden Aila in the darkness, carefully opened the door and stuck his head out.
“...What is it, Your Grace?”
"Have you seen anyone? Well, my door is open. If someone overheard my conversation with His Majesty...!"
The Marquis opened his mouth, his voice low, but unable to hide his excitement.
"No, I didn't hear anything. I guess I didn't close the door properly on my way out."
“But I definitely heard a squeaking sound...”
“It must have been the sound of a door opening in the wind.”
Cloud lied in a calm voice. His blunt face showed no trace of deception.
"If a warrior with five senses as developed as yours didn't sense anything... well, maybe you're right. I guess I was just being sensitive. Then rest in peace."
The Marquis quickly calmed down and nodded. Cloud's excuse seemed to have caught on.
And Aila, listening to the conversation, was lost in thought. How did she get caught?
Perhaps she was so anxious that she let her guard down. Perhaps that's why Cloud caught her and made the mistake of knocking on the door. Whatever the reason, it was a huge, irreversible mistake.
The Marquis left, and he locked the door. He then slowly turned to look at Aila.
She glared at Cloud, still trying to calm her startled heart. She still couldn't quite grasp what had happened.
“...What are you going to do if you get caught, Miss, doing something so reckless?”
And Cloud opened his mouth, mumbling in a low voice.
Miss.
Miss. Aila let out a snicker without realizing it.
“Am I really your ‘Miss’? I’m the daughter of your enemy.”
“...”
Even though she said she knew a secret she shouldn't know, Cloud's blunt expression remained unchanged.
It seemed as if he already knew that she had noticed.
“Aren’t you surprised? Did you know that I knew?”
“...Yes, I had my doubts.”
Aila felt as if her heart was falling to the floor.
Everything was revealed to Cloud.
“Since when?”
“...When the young lady was sick, you said something strange.”
That was a long time ago, too.
Strangely, tears welled up in her eyes. She burst into laughter, oblivious to the trickling tears.
“But why did you keep your mouth shut? Why didn’t you run to my ‘father’ right away, or rather, your ‘Emperor’, and tell him everything?”
“...I don’t know.”
At her sharp question, Cloud's face crumpled as if in pain.
I don't know.
Even Cloud himself couldn't figure out why he was doing this.
He needs to let the owner know that the cards he's using and discarding are no longer useful. He needs to do that...
"You don't understand? Are you planning to betray Byron? How will you resolve your family's grievances?"
Aila wasn't even aware of what she was saying.
The fact that Cloud knew her secret and kept his mouth shut was so shocking that it felt like the words she had been holding back were coming out.
“...You know more than I thought.”
"What does it matter? I'm going to die anyway. The curse on my body... is..."
Aila was suddenly overcome with fear and was unable to speak.
Cloud held her lifeline. If he ran to Byron and told him her secret, then... she wouldn't survive.
“I’m sorry, Miss.”
Cloud squeezed his eyes shut. The pain was so overwhelming that he couldn't bear to look at Aila.
This little child knew such a cruel truth. Guilt seemed to choke him.
“...Don’t pity me!”
And Cloud's strange feelings angered Ayla. He seemed to pity her.
Aila didn't want to receive sympathy from someone who had been deceiving her her whole life.
“How could I dare to pity you, young lady?”
Cloud cautiously knelt before her. He was so much taller than she, but now he was at a height where she had to look down.
"Young Lady, you won't die. Nothing happened tonight, and I have nothing to tell my lord."
When Cloud opened his eyes, a hot tear was flowing down his face.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t forgive me for deceiving you.”
They were tears of sincere repentance.
And his apology left Aila speechless.
Because she never once thought she would receive an apology from one of the people who had ruined her life.
Aila laughed out loud. Was it really that easy to get an apology?
She grew up lonely, separated from her parents, and ended up killing her biological father and then being murdered herself. The memory of that remains so vivid...
Of course, one apology did not make all that resentment go away.
But...
For Aila to safely return to her parents, Cloud's cooperation was absolutely necessary. And if he helped her... Could she still hold a grudge against him?
“Are you going to keep your mouth shut?”
"...Yes."
"When I get back, I'll destroy everything you've built, along with your biological parents. What about your family? Laura, Capella? What about your brother's enemy?"
Aila continued to question him as if she couldn't believe it.
She wasn't sure if Cloud understood what it meant to keep his mouth shut like that.
“Please, just spare Laura. Just spare that child...”
Cloud begged her to spare his nephew's life, saying he didn't care what happened to him, and something inside Aila felt like it was stirring.
The sight was both pitiful and disgusting. It was a sight that made her want to vomit.
“...I have to go back to my room. If I don’t hurry, Capella might notice.”
Aila swallowed back the nausea that was rising in her throat and spoke as calmly as she could.
Of course, one apology did not make all that resentment go away.
But...
For Aila to safely return to her parents, Cloud's cooperation was absolutely necessary. And if he helped her... Could she still hold a grudge against him?
“Are you going to keep your mouth shut?”
"...Yes."
"When I get back, I'll destroy everything you've built, along with your biological parents. What about your family? Laura, Capella? What about your brother's enemy?"
Aila continued to question him as if she couldn't believe it.
She wasn't sure if Cloud understood what it meant to keep his mouth shut like that.
“Please, just spare Laura. Just spare that child...”
Cloud begged her to spare his nephew's life, saying he didn't care what happened to him, and something inside Aila felt like it was stirring.
The sight was both pitiful and disgusting. It was a sight that made her want to vomit.
“...I have to go back to my room. If I don’t hurry, Capella might notice.”
Aila swallowed back the nausea that was rising in her throat and spoke as calmly as she could.
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