Episode 38
Bled always finished his work at exactly eleven o’clock. After that, it was his routine to pick out a wine and a glass according to his mood, leave his office, and disappear somewhere.
No one, not even his attendant Dane, knew where he went. But Dane did know that Bled hated being disturbed during that time, which made him hesitate.
As the clock neared eleven, Joshua and Benjamin requested a meeting. Dane was torn about whether to deliver the message.
After a long pause, he finally knocked on the office door. Once he received permission to enter, he stepped in and delivered the news.
“The young masters would like to speak with you.”
“It’s quite late. Postpone it for tomorrow.”
As expected. It was only seconds away from the eleven o’clock Bled longed for.
Dane decided to say one last thing before retreating.
“Miss Sophia is with them as well…”
“Let them in.”
“Pardon?”
Bled gestured impatiently, signaling him to hurry. And then, it struck eleven.
The only thing Bled set down was his pen. His work was completely done, but he didn’t leave the office.
Dane hadn’t expected such a sudden change of mind and left, a bit flustered but glad he could bring good news to the young masters and the lady.
“You may go in now.”
Though Dane gently opened the office door and invited them in, Sophia found herself unable to move.
It was Bled’s office. A place she hadn’t visited even in her past life—or rather, couldn’t visit.
While it was possible to sneak into Fort Forn with a little help or secrecy, getting to the main castle where Bled stayed had always been near impossible.
Because of that, she had never truly met Bled. All she knew was that he had left her neglected, and in the end, looked at her with eyes full of hatred.
She had never imagined she’d come here—especially not to request permission for an outing that Bled had always strictly forbidden.
What kind of expression would he wear now?
Sophia, despite her hesitation, stepped into the office.
She had expected the atmosphere to be oppressive, thanks to the unfamiliar surroundings and Bled’s imposing presence—but that turned out to be unnecessary worry.
“An outing? With Sophia?”
Upon hearing the word “outing,” Bled neither acted irritably nor showed any displeasure. His gaze remained calm, as if he had heard about tomorrow’s weather.
“How many of you are going?”
Joshua and Benjamin, too, seemed taken aback by his unexpected reaction. They paused before answering.
“Probably the three of us—me, Joshua, and Sophia.”
When they had first brought up the idea, Lorei had said she wouldn’t join, wanting the brothers to have a fun time together and also to keep an eye on Peyton. So, only the three of them would be going.
Bled stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“It might be… quite cold outside…”
“It’s June.”
“You might get lost. Better take a map…”
“Benjamin and I are the map.”
As Joshua responded one by one to Bled’s absurd concerns, Sophia realized the flow of conversation was strange.
“When are you planning to go?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Be back before seven. Understood?”
“We’re not children—wait, hold on.”
Joshua, sensing something was off, abruptly cut himself off.
Though he had stopped talking, he seemed too stunned to process the situation. Benjamin, stepping in for the dazed Joshua, opened his mouth.
“Are you… actually giving us permission to go?”
“Yes.”
“Why…?”
“Didn’t you come here for permission?”
They couldn’t understand it. That’s what made it so baffling!
Even Sophia could feel the silent shout of disbelief behind Benjamin’s composed voice.
The Bled who had so desperately tried to hide Sophia—where had he gone? His behavior now was something Benjamin and Joshua couldn’t adjust to.
Sophia felt the same.
This wasn’t the Bled she knew. The one who had always insisted she remain quietly in Rosent Castle—no matter what.
Why?
Questions flooded her mind, and Bled only added to the confusion.
“If you want to go out again, just let me know when, where, how many people, and when you’ll return.”
His golden eyes drifted to Sophia. Compared to how his eyes had looked before, these were the kindest she’d ever seen—completely free of malice.
“…You’re always welcome at the main castle. No matter who’s visiting, or what festival or banquet is happening.”
It was a declaration—he would no longer hide Sophia’s existence.
Why the sudden change? Had Peyton predicted this?
If he was no longer hiding her, that must mean the reason for secrecy was gone.
Had someone discovered her existence?
Then she thought of Holton.
Holton knew Sophia Bennie was alive. If Bled had learned this through Demis or Lucy’s involvement and decided there was no longer a need to hide her…
‘It’s almost like he hid me to protect me from him.’
A far-fetched idea? Maybe. But the warmth in his eyes made her think it might be true.
As their eyes met in the air, Bled muttered softly.
“…You’ve grown a lot.”
Sophia gave a silent bow. She couldn’t think of anything to say. She didn’t know how to act around him.
Sensing the awkwardness, Bled simply pointed to the door.
“Don’t stay up too late.”
A truly fatherly thing to say.
The next morning, Lorei handed Joshua and Benjamin a memo listing good places to visit.
As Joshua skimmed the list, one name caught his eye.
“You know this lantern shop too? What a coincidence. We were planning to go there.”
“I thought the lady would like it.”
Lorei, more excited than the ones going out, said this as she adjusted Sophia’s outfit.
A white dress with purple ribbons, hair tied in two low ponytails, and a wide-brimmed white hat with a purple ribbon to match.
“Be careful not to get lost.”
“Okay.”
“And watch out for strangers too.”
“I will.”
While Lorei showered her with reminders, Peyton chimed in beside Sophia, pestering playfully with a raised hand.
“You’re not taking me? I’ll behave! As your attending doctor, I’ll—”
“No. You and I have so much to talk about.”
Placing her hand on Peyton’s shoulder, Lorei gave a smile so cold it sent a chill down his spine.
“I’m most scared when Lorei uses formal speech… Sophia! Say you want to go with me too—”
“Take good care of Grandpa.”
Sophia cut him off sharply and waved only to Lorei.
“Yes, have a safe trip.”
Lorei’s cheerful voice and Peyton’s whining followed her as she left.
As the carriage departed and the scenery outside began to shift, Sophia leaned close to the window.
Even outside the castle, all she had seen before was the forest near the spire—and that was still within the outer wall.
But now, past the inner and outer gates, a completely new world unfolded before her. The world was vast, the sky was endless, and people were everywhere.
Finally, she looked like a child.
Sophia kept her eyes fixed on the view, as if her pupils were embedded with amethysts.
“Sophia.”
“….”
“Sophia.”
Though Benjamin was right beside her, she didn’t respond. It wasn’t that she couldn’t hear him—she just didn’t want her view interrupted.
“Sophie.”
The friendly nickname made her glance toward Benjamin.
He was holding out a basket of cookies.
“I thought you might want a snack.”
They were rye cookies dotted with nuts.
“Lorei said not to feed you too many sweets, so these might taste a little bland but…”
“What… did you just call me?”
Whether the cookies were sweet with jam or savory rye, Sophia wasn’t thinking about that at all.
“Sophie… Ah, was that too familiar?”
“You’ve never called me that before.”
She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it slipped out. Even if you included the time that had been lost, Benjamin and Joshua had never once called her Sophie.
Only Chase, Bennie, and Lune had.
People who were close… and kind.
“R-right… I’ll be careful not to do it again. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, why are you acting so familiar? Even I haven’t done that.”
“Shut it, Josh.”
“Ah! Don’t pinch me!”
Joshua flinched and slapped Benjamin’s hand after being pinched on the knee.
There had been a time when she longed for this—an ordinary day where she could see her brothers bickering like normal siblings, without having to work for it.
This was exactly that.
But how long would this peace last? Until they started dreaming again? Then what?
Would they die again?
Would they once again grasp hope, only to lose it?
Sophia turned back to the window, swallowing the words she had nearly said—that it was okay for him to call her Sophie.
