Chapter – 13
Rafine let out a small laugh without realizing it as she read Bayern’s kind letter.
Bayern had always been gentle toward her, but recently it felt like he had become even closer to her than before.
For a moment she found herself thinking about him, but she quickly shook her head.
Now was not the time to be thinking about that.
“Ugh… How long have I been lying down? And when did he come by…?”
Rafine slowly read Bayern’s letter again.
Thinking about it, Bayern had always been someone who gave her strength since they were young. She knew he always cared about her, but she never expected to receive help like this.
Feelings of gratitude and guilt mixed together inside her.
When she met him again, she decided she would definitely thank him.
After thinking that, she hid the parchment under the bed covers so no one could see it. Then she turned her head toward the window.
She had no idea how much time had passed since she collapsed.
Still, it felt strange that she was completely fine and alive like this.
“So the wind can be used like this too… That’s nice…”
Apart from witnessing Elizabeth and Cedric’s affair, she felt happy because she had discovered a new advantage of her ability.
Even though she had used her power, she had fallen from such a high place. Yet she was not seriously injured.
Rafine was once again surprised by her condition as she slowly got out of bed and moved her body around.
The feeling she had when using her power came back to her mind.
The wind had flowed through her entire body, leaving a refreshing sensation that remained deeply in her memory.
She stretched out her hand to try using her power again.
But suddenly she remembered what Bayern wrote in the letter.
For now, she decided to follow what he suggested.
“I think I can move right now. He said noon, right? What could he be giving me? I hope it’s the breakup papers.”
Right now, Rafine only cared about one thing.
Breaking off the engagement.
And after she safely broke the engagement—
“I’ll leave the marquis’s house.”
That decision had not changed even now.
She quickly prepared to go out to Roisha Street.
After tidying her face while looking in the mirror, she called Ellen. Ignoring Ellen’s worried eyes, Rafine finished preparing to go out with her help.
Just as she was done—
“Oh, you’re awake.”
The person who entered without even knocking was none other than Cedric.
Standing there with a shameless face as if nothing had happened, he spoke indifferently after seeing Rafine awake.
Rafine felt that his visit was strangely awkward.
Thinking about it, the fact that he came to see her while she was sick was unfamiliar in itself.
Could it be that after she mentioned breaking the engagement, he had suddenly changed his mind?
Rafine quietly scoffed. That could not be possible.
“Rafine?”
Cedric, who had been watching her from behind, quickly walked closer.
“You’re alright, right? …I’ve been worried.”
Annoyed by Rafine ignoring him, he suddenly grabbed her hand and turned her body to face him.
“What are you doing?”
Rafine spoke in a cold voice.
Cedric relaxed his expression again and asked in a worried tone.
“I came to see if you woke up and if your body is alright.”
Pretending to care now was useless.
Rafine quickly shook off his hand.
“I’m fine, so please leave.”
Cedric seemed surprised because Rafine’s tone was not like before.
“What?”
“Because you’re disgusting.”
“Rafine, I know you’re angry. But listen to me first.”
“All you do is lie. Why should I listen anymore? I don’t even want to talk to a man who plays around with his fiancée’s younger sister.”
Rafine’s attitude was so different that Cedric looked unusually flustered.
However, he believed she was simply sulking. He was confident that with a few words, she would return to his side again.
“Fine, I’m sorry about that. But I have no intention of breaking the engagement with you.”
“Really? Because I’ve already decided to break it. If His Majesty allows it, our engagement will end immediately.”
“What?”
Ripples finally appeared on Cedric’s calm face.
But he soon controlled his expression and looked at Rafine.
She deliberately avoided his gaze.
“I’m going to meet His Majesty and ask for permission to break the engagement.”
“Don’t be stubborn. The engagement cannot be broken.”
Rafine could not understand his changed attitude.
Why was he suddenly so obsessed with her now?
“If we break the engagement, wouldn’t that actually be better for you? You must have been tired dealing with someone annoying like me all this time.”
“Elizabeth is just like a sister. Don’t think strangely. My fiancée is only you. Why don’t you understand that?”
Cedric even raised his voice.
Rafine no longer wanted to argue with him here.
“Move. I need to keep my appointment with His Majesty.”
“What? His Majesty?”
His face twisted with irritation.
If she met the Emperor, all his lies would be exposed.
And if the Emperor found out that Cedric had pushed Rafine and caused her to fall…
Cedric did not want the Emperor to have any weakness to use against him.
He hesitated for a moment, swallowed dryly, and then stood in front of Rafine, blocking her path.
He could not let her leave so easily when she knew the truth.
When Rafine glared at him in annoyance, he shrugged and said,
“You can’t leave.”
“What?”
Rafine asked irritably.
Cedric added a ridiculous excuse, saying it was for her health.
“You might not even be fully recovered yet.”
“……”
“The Marquis also told me not to let you go out.”
At least the last sentence was true.
But when Rafine did not seem convinced, Cedric hurriedly grabbed her again.
“Fine. If you hate it, I won’t meet Elizabeth again.”
Rafine burst out laughing.
It sounded as if he was reluctantly granting her a favor.
It was not the attitude of someone who truly regretted his actions.
Even while apologizing, he was arrogant.
The fact that such a man had been her fiancé until now made Rafine feel sick.
“If there’s something you don’t like, tell me. I’ll consider it.”
“And you think that’s the attitude of someone trying to hold onto me?”
Rafine asked in disbelief.
Cedric shrugged and spread his hands toward her as if he were wronged.
“I’m saying I’ll do everything you want. What’s the problem?”
He truly looked like he did not understand.
“So you’re the kind of person who can’t even give a proper apology.”
Rafine clicked her tongue.
“Even if you apologize now, it’s too late.”
Regret always—
always comes too late.
Once the heart has already turned away, no words can bring it back.
“I said I’m sorry!”
Cedric raised his voice, as if he truly did not understand why she was acting like this.
He thought she was simply sulking longer than usual.
But Rafine was different.
Everything had already happened.
There was nothing left to fix.
She no longer wanted to talk to him.
“You can’t leave.”
As Rafine tried to go out, Cedric blocked her again with his body.
But Rafine had no intention of stopping just because he blocked her.
“Move.”
“Then what should I do?!”
Cedric shouted again, unable to understand her actions.
His voice even cracked in panic.
“There’s nothing you can do.”
Rafine stopped struggling with him, suddenly turned away, and walked toward the window.
“W-What are you doing?!”
Cedric hurriedly followed her.
Then—
The large window suddenly burst open.
As Rafine controlled the wind further, the glass of the inward-opening window expanded and shattered into powder.
In an instant, wind rushed into the room like waves crashing inside.
The broken pieces of glass floated in the air.
The sharp fragments looked like they could fall at any moment, and Cedric could no longer approach her.
“I hope we never see each other again.”
Before anyone noticed, Rafine had already climbed onto the window frame.
“Rafi—!”
Before Cedric could even finish calling her name—
She jumped out of the window.
Lightly.
As if she were flying.
It all happened in a single instant.
