Chapter 72
Behind Scarlet, Jerome was standing, keeping an eye on Herwin. Scarlet crossed her arms and frowned, scanning Herwin from head to toe.
“My, you look dreadful, my son.”
“Mother… how did you get here…?”
Ignoring his question, Scarlet walked straight into the room.
The smell of alcohol filling the space made Scarlet pinch her nose as she looked around the dark room. She went directly to the window and drew the curtains open.
The bright light made Herwin squint.
“My goodness! Did you really drink all of this by yourself?”
Scarlet recoiled at the sight of the scattered bottles of liquor across the floor.
“And they’re all high-proof spirits! Since when has it been like this?”
“Not long,”
Herwin said, trying to explain.
“I’ve been drinking constantly for a week without leaving the room or even eating, my lady.”
Jerome quickly corrected Herwin’s excuse. Herwin’s sharp gaze turned toward Jerome, but Jerome pretended not to notice and began drawing the curtains for Scarlet.
“I hurried down when I heard the news about Lucia’s engagement, but your condition is far worse than I expected.”
“…You received Henry’s message, then.”
“Yes! Can you imagine how shocked I was to hear Lucia is getting engaged? I was wondering when you would finally tell us about your relationship. What on earth is going on?”
“I’ve never been in a relationship with Lucia.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s obvious you like her. Where’s this lie coming from? Henry even wrote something strange like that in his letter…”
Scarlet chuckled at first, but then her smile slowly faded as she noticed Herwin avoiding her gaze.
“…You’re saying no?”
“Yes.”
“Then… what about Lucia? Didn’t she like you?”
“Lucia…”
Herwin opened his mouth, but recalling Lucia and Bern, he painfully held his head in his hands.
Scarlet was taken aback by her son’s appearance, which was worse than she had imagined.
“Um… my lady… could I have a word…?”
At that moment, Jerome, who had been hovering nearby, explained what had happened to Herwin.
“It seems something happened with Lady Agnes at the party you attended. You’ve been drinking continuously since the day you returned from that party.”
“Hmmm…”
Scarlet roughly understood the situation and slowly surveyed her son, who looked completely ruined.
“Let’s hear the full story later. Jerome, tell the cook to prepare a meal immediately. Herwin, go to the bathroom and clean up.”
A week’s worth of stubble had left his face in a mess. Drinking on an empty stomach without eating had made him look worse than usual.
“Mother, I’m fine, I’ll just…”
“Do you think I’ll let my grown son skip washing? Don’t argue and go! You’re not coming out until you’re completely clean!”
Herwin had no chance of resisting Scarlet’s stern order. Ultimately, he yielded and went to clean himself.
Following his mother’s instructions, he washed thoroughly, shaved off his stubble, and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
His eyes looked hollow, and his worn-out face gave him the appearance of someone heartbroken, as if he had lost everything.
“Nothing has changed,”
He suffered from realizing his feelings too late and regretted pushing Lucia away. It felt like he might die knowing she had drifted forever, and if this wasn’t heartbreak, what was?
Herwin turned away from his reflection, attempting to ignore it.
When he stepped out of the bathroom, shaking his hair roughly, he felt refreshed.
The air in the previously alcohol-filled room was now clean, and the once messy space had been tidied up.
“You’re clean now. My lady is waiting for you downstairs.”
Just then, Jerome appeared with clothes for him to change into.
Herwin obediently changed into fresh clothes and went downstairs. Jerome was uneasy seeing him follow without a single complaint.
“Oh, it’s been so long. How have you been?”
“I’m fine, of course. It really has been a long time, Duchess.”
At that moment, Scarlet’s laughter and a familiar voice came from somewhere.
Hearing a voice that shouldn’t be there made Herwin uneasy. He quickened his pace to where the voice was coming from and saw Arista standing there with her long blonde hair down.
“Arista?”
Hearing herself called, Arista turned around. She was dressed simply in pants and a shirt as usual.
Seeing Herwin, Arista frowned.
“…What’s wrong with your face?”
Arista approached him briskly, scrutinizing him.
“…You disappeared at the party without a word. What happened?”
Even when he was last seen at the party, he seemed uneasy, but now he looked completely different, and nothing of his usual self remained.
His sunken cheeks suggested he hadn’t been eating properly either.
Sniff—
Arista caught a faint scent at her nose.
“Did you drink?”
“…Can you smell it?”
“Not much, but my sense of smell is sharp.”
Arista was shocked. He had never drunk a drop, yet here he was.
“And you, what are you doing here without any notice?”
“Notice? How many times did the kids and I try to contact you? Didn’t you get them?”
When Herwin looked at Jerome, Jerome had a guilty expression.
“Master told me not to let anyone in! I told them several times that your friends tried to reach you!”
“…Did that happen?”
Maybe, maybe not. He hadn’t been in his right mind for the past few days, so he couldn’t recall clearly.
“So, why are you here?”
“To see your face and check your condition. By the way, your sword is finished.”
Previously, Arista had commissioned a sword from the Lidia family’s blacksmith at Herwin’s request.
Arista showed him the new sword, but Herwin merely examined it with an indifferent expression.
“You don’t like it? Even if you don’t, there’s nothing you can do! The payment must be made!”
“No, it’s fine. I like it. Tell Jerome later, I’ll send the payment.”
Herwin quietly put the sword down, expressing his thanks.
Arista was puzzled. Even someone as obsessed with swords as Herwin reacted like this? She expected him to be excited like a child with a new toy, but it felt strange.
Observing the conversation between Arista and Herwin, Scarlet stood up.
“I’ll step aside so you two can talk. It’ll be more comfortable for you, Herwin.”
“Mother…”
“Arista, take care of our hopeless son. I think he’ll open up more to you than to me.”
“Uh? Alright.”
Arista, unaware of what had happened to Herwin, nodded in confusion.
Once Jerome and Scarlet disappeared, Herwin sat down, looking exhausted.
“Don’t pay attention to what my mother says. It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Look at your appearance first. I’ve never seen you so ruined. Does Lucia know about this?”
Herwin’s expression darkened. Noticing the change, Arista narrowed her eyes.
“Lucia must be busy with my fiancé right now.”
Herwin’s self-deprecating comment made Arista cross her arms.
“You had something happen with Lucia at the party, didn’t you?”
Herwin flinched. Arista slammed the table.
“Tell me what happened with Lucia.”
Herwin kept his mouth tightly shut, turning away. Arista, in turn, sat across from him, crossing her legs firmly.
“I’ll stay here until you tell me, so don’t be stubborn. Just speak.”
“….”
“Or should I go ask Lucia directly?”
Hearing her mention Lucia’s name made Herwin sigh deeply.
“You two still haven’t reconciled since I gave you space to talk at that dinner?”
Herwin’s lips moved slightly, realizing she meant the day everyone, including Bern and Lucia, had dinner together.
“That’s… not it…”
“Then why are you like this?”
“Lucia…”
“Lucia?”
“She… kissed Marquis Casper.”
Arista was momentarily surprised by the mention of intimacy with her friend but quickly composed herself.
“Hmph. They’re engaged, so it’s not really anything special.”
Herwin’s face contorted, clearly distressed by the thought alone.
A brief silence lingered. Seeing herself reflected in Herwin’s struggle, Arista spoke.
“If you regret it so much, why didn’t you act sooner?”
“…What?”
“You’re upset she kissed another man. You clearly like her, so why didn’t you stop it sooner? I think Lucia likes you too.”
“…You think I like Lucia?”
“Is that even a question? Haven’t you and the others discussed when you two might start dating—or if you’re hiding your relationship—more than once?”
Herwin was flustered by Arista’s words.
“Since when?”
“Hmm… since the academy. Remember in first year when you saved Lucia? That’s when I thought you liked her.”
Arista added that others had thought the same.
They became certain after that day, though suspicions arose earlier. Arista and the others had vaguely noticed mutual feelings.
They were shocked when they learned the two had a major fight one day. At the time, Lucia was avoiding Arista, and Arista even pleaded with Herwin to apologize to Lucia.
“It’s so frustrating. Why won’t you reconcile?”
“They won’t tell me what happened,” Brian said, exasperated, watching the cold tension. Christine was upset that Lucia hadn’t said anything to her either.
“Look! Herwin is staring at Lucia again,” Ethan muttered.
Despite the cold war with everyone around them, Herwin’s gaze was always on Lucia.
‘But when she looks at him, he immediately looks away.’
Not exactly a childish game—he would stare intently and then quickly turn away when she noticed him. Arista had watched this delicate balance from beginning to end.
Soon, because of his own mistake, Lucia got into serious trouble, and when Herwin first manifested his aura, Arista finally realized:
“Herwin really likes Lucia.”
It was the moment she understood why his gaze was always fixed on her.
