101CF 76

Chapter 76

Herwin looked seriously into Lucas’s eyes.

“…I came to confess to Lucia.”

“Ha! Confess? You say that now, after you once rejected her? Are you joking?”

The moment Lucas heard the word “confess,” he couldn’t contain his anger.

“…I understand perfectly why you’re angry at me. I would feel the same way. But, brother, I’m serious. I want to meet Lucia and tell her how I feel.”

Herwin was speaking earnestly, without a hint of hesitation. If it had been a lie, it might have been easier—but that sincerity made Lucas even angrier.

“Get out of our house immediately. There’s no way I’ll ever accept someone like you.”

“Brother…”

“Can’t you hear me? Lucia will never meet you, so leave! Hey! Someone, get this guy out of here—!”

When the servants tried to drag Herwin out at Lucas’s loud command, Herwin stepped back reluctantly.

“I’ll leave on my own. Lucia is out, right?”

“I have nothing to tell you.”

“…If Lucia is in the mansion, please give her this message: I’ll wait in front of the mansion until I can meet her.”

“Who would even deliver your message…!”

“Please, brother.”

Lucas could only gape at Herwin, who lowered his head; he couldn’t bring himself to shout anymore.

Watching Herwin slowly walk away, Lucas felt conflicted.

Part of him resented that Herwin had troubled his younger sister, yet seeing Herwin’s haggard appearance also stirred concern.

As these conflicting emotions swirled in his mind, Lucas ran his hands through his hair.

“He’ll get tired eventually.”

Waiting for Lucia, whose return time was unknown, Herwin would surely grow exhausted on his own.

Yet could it be that he actually waited all this time for her to come?

“What is he trying to do…?”

Lucas couldn’t understand Herwin’s heart at all. Did he really like Lucia now?

It was already too late. Could he even win back Lucia’s heart?

Whatever happened between them, one thing was clear:

‘Lucia. I hope you’re happy.’

He wished his sister could live happily, without further suffering.

“Just woke up.”

Jerome straightened his back at the presence behind him.

Scarlett was standing at the doorway. Her brows furrowed as she looked at Herwin lying on the bed and slowly approached.

“To think I’d have to worry about my grown son…”

Though her words sounded grumbling, the way she gently touched Herwin’s face was full of concern.

Ten hours earlier, while talking with Arista, Herwin had suddenly disappeared somewhere in a hurry.

Arista had vaguely mentioned that something urgent had come up for Herwin, but no one knew what he went out to do.

Though it was unlikely an adult son would get into trouble outside, his state of being like a wreck all week naturally caused worry.

Scarlett, who waited for Herwin to return, finally nagged him when he came home late at night.

“Herwin! Where on earth have you been?! If you were going somewhere, you should have told me…!”

Her words faltered. Just by looking, she could tell something was wrong with her son.

Of course, he was in poor condition after living like a wreck for a week, but his face was unusually flushed, and his eyes were half-lidded.

Herwin reacted a half beat late to Scarlett’s words, swaying as if about to collapse.

Scarlett quickly supported him. She could feel the heat radiating through his clothes.

‘Oh my! You have a fever? And you’ve been out like this?’

“I’m fine…”

“Fine? How are you fine! You’re burning up! Let’s get you to your room immediately.”

Repeating “I’m fine” like a parrot, Herwin ultimately collapsed before reaching the stairs. With the servants’ help, Scarlett barely got him to his room.

The doctor diagnosed Herwin with a summer cold.

Herwin had always been robust, having only ever caught mild colds in his life.

Seeing him, now an adult, fall ill with a summer cold that even dogs rarely catch made Scarlett anxious.

She gently brushed his sleeping face with her fingers.

From the carriage driver, she had heard that Herwin went to the Agnes Count’s estate.

The driver said that Herwin had been turned away from the estate and had stood outside for hours, waiting to see Lucia.

The driver eventually had to coax him into the carriage because he waited so endlessly for an uncertain arrival—but by then, his condition had already deteriorated.

‘Of course… it couldn’t have been helped.’

After a week of barely eating and drinking constantly, it was no wonder he caught a cold.

“Sigh… he’s never been sick before, so I’m even more worried.”

“Please don’t worry too much, ma’am. The young master will recover quickly.”

“Yes, make sure you take good care of our Herwin.”

“Leave him to me!”

Hearing Jerome’s determined reply gave her some peace of mind.

After replacing the damp cloth on Herwin’s forehead, Scarlett stepped out.

Her steps grew heavier as she moved slowly.

Her lips tightened, and she stroked her cheek.

Even if it was a superficial relationship with the Agnes Count’s estate, she was angry seeing her son collapse like this.

From Henry’s letter:

“From what Lucia said, your brother is clearly at fault. Otherwise, there’s no way she would suddenly become engaged to another man.”

The letter had mentioned that Herwin seemed to have feelings, but he didn’t act to stop Lucia’s engagement.

‘If we don’t let Herwin act now, he’ll regret it forever. So let him have this moment.’

Arista had said this before leaving, trying to guide people scrambling to find Herwin.

Whatever conversation they had had, it clearly involved Lucia.

‘It must have been something serious for him to go after my son.’

Scarlett had intended to meet Julian in the capital to ask why Lucia was getting engaged—but she realized she needed to have a more serious conversation.

She lifted her dark brown eyes, now shining faintly, and moved slowly again.

Growl! Bark!

The fierce barking of a dog echoed. Herwin and Lucia, alone in the dark space, turned toward the sound.

The only place illuminated showed young Herwin and young Lucia.

“That….”

“When she encountered the wild dog…”

Young Lucia had been threatened by a wild dog, and miraculously, Herwin appeared to save her.

‘Lucia, are you okay?’

“U-uh… Herwin.”

Tears streamed down her chubby cheeks. Young Lucia hugged him tightly.

“I-I was scared…!”

“I told you not to go too deep. There are beasts more dangerous than wild dogs here.”

Sniffle, sniff, sniff “I-I’m sorry…”

Watching the scene reenacted like a play, Herwin and Lucia each thought differently.

“This was the moment I first fell for Herwin.”

“I was terrified thinking Lucia might be in danger.”

Pop.

The scene of the two children hugging vanished, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

Pop.

A new light appeared, showing a different scene: what happened after confronting the wild dog at the palace.

“My goodness! Herwin! What happened?”

“Why are their clothes like that?”

Seeing the two children in disarray, the adults were clearly shocked.

Young Herwin proudly told everyone that he had successfully chased the wild dog away.

News of the children’s messy appearance quickly spread, and more people gathered in the hall.

Herwin realized that people he had disliked in his childhood were among the crowd.

“Yes, at that time, Lucia…”

“…I confessed to Herwin.”

Watching the same scene, young Lucia clenched her trembling hands.

Young Lucia stared at Herwin with the eyes of a girl in love.

She would soon, like her older self, confess in front of everyone.

From that day, an unfulfilled, impossible crush began.

Did the little girl know that over 13 years, she would make 99 confessions?

Herwin’s pure gaze, containing only him, made her catch her breath.

Knowing she would endure the same path, the same pain, made it impossible to simply watch.

Before the girl could speak, Lucia reached out her hand.

Her figure gradually shrank, merging with the young Lucia among the people.

The young Lucia, about to speak, froze. Then, she pressed her lips tightly, determined not to say a word.

‘Luckily, she wasn’t seriously hurt. Let’s get her upstairs to wash up.’

Julian guided the young Lucia toward the stairs. She obediently held her hand, turning her gaze away from Herwin.

Meanwhile, watching the childhood scene, Herwin was surprised at how differently things were unfolding.

Lucia should have confessed at that exact moment—but she left silently.

He had often thought as a child, “I wish Lucia hadn’t confessed to me.” Yet now, it felt strange.

No, he began to feel uneasy. At this rate, she might never like him again.

He didn’t want to see Lucia drift any further from him.

As Herwin reached out, his figure merged with his younger self.

‘First, let’s have a doctor examine any injuries.’

Scarlett appeared before him, concerned for his younger self. Behind her, he saw Lucia moving away.

“Lucia!”

Herwin’s booming voice reached her as she climbed the stairs.

Lucia’s round eyes widened even further.

Something welled up inside, making her jaw tremble. Struggling to suppress his emotions, Herwin raised his voice.

“I like you!”

It was the complete opposite of what had happened in the past.

Perhaps because of that, the surrounding scene froze, leaving only Herwin and Lucia vividly moving as if the world existed just for them.

“Herwin…?”

Her voice, like a warbler, was full of confusion.

It seemed like something that should never happen had occurred, and she was extremely flustered.

“I can’t be without you! I’ll do everything to win your heart back! Wait for me!”

With Herwin’s heartfelt words, the surroundings gradually darkened.

The two childhood figures slowly aged, transforming into their 21-year-old adult selves.

Watching each other silently was the final act before consciousness returned to the surface.

Lucia and Herwin awoke in their respective homes, in their respective rooms.