CHAPTER 5
“Well…”
There was only one thing Isolette knew about that. She recalled a particular night when she had a conversation with the Duchess.
There had always been countless rumors about her and the Duchess. Some said it was the usual whims of nobles. Others claimed the Duchess simply couldn’t bear to deal with a growing girl and had cast her aside.
“She probably did what she thought was best in her position.”
But Isolette knew. If she had stayed, the Duchess would not have been able to fulfill her duties and responsibilities properly. Isolette had been an eternal reminder.
The child of a maid brought along by an exiled princess from a neighboring kingdom.
“I understand.”
That was who she was.
A past too burdensome to keep, yet too cruel to cast away. In Isolette’s mind, it had been the most reasonable choice. Leila didn’t seem to agree, though.
“No matter how merciful a decision it was, if I had stayed, it would have made things difficult for everyone.”
The exiled princess’s remarriage—especially to someone in the Empire’s upper ranks—had already been the subject of gossip. And in this household, there was already a young lord and lady growing up.
“I don’t know.”
Leila said she didn’t know, but Isolette could tell she understood now. Knowing and accepting were two very different things.
Isolette blinked slowly.
“To be honest, I don’t really know either. Only one person would have had the answer.”
And now, that answer would be forever unknown.
“…My mother used to grant me almost every request, but there was one thing she never granted.”
Leila broke the silence. The memory must have faded by now, but she seemed to remember the past vividly. Some things leave a lasting impression.
“If I may ask… What was that request?”
“Actually, it’s something I should be apologizing to you for. That it’s only now that I’m saying this.”
Her eyes shimmered with faded emotion, as though they could spill tears at any moment. Isolette tried to measure the weight of those feelings—ones she was only hearing now, seven years later.
“I didn’t want you to leave.”
Was she allowed to accept this kind of emotion?
Isolette quietly gazed at Leila. Emotions that arrived so late felt overwhelming. She didn’t even know how to accept them properly.
The priest from the temple looked visibly tense. Though he claimed to be there in the cardinal’s place due to a tight schedule, his intentions were obvious. The cardinal had simply not wanted to have this kind of contentious discussion himself and had sent someone else to do it.
“So. The donation is insufficient?”
“I didn’t say that, Your Grace. It’s just that… the process is a bit complicated and may require more preparation…”
“So after my father’s funeral, did the temple’s rules change?”
The priest swallowed hard. He remembered what the cardinal had said—though too blatant to say out loud, it was clear: the temple expected more donations. The reason was simple.
“Don’t tell me this is because of my stepmother’s origin.”
Because she wasn’t from the Empire. Because she was from a kingdom now destabilized by civil war, and thus unworthy of receiving prayers?
The soon-to-be duke had seen right through it. It was that transparent.
“Are… are you insulting the temple?”
“Insult? I never said that.”
Julian thought of his stepmother. Even moments before her death, she hadn’t been able to close her eyes peacefully, as if something still weighed on her heart.
Living a life constantly worrying about others and watching every move must have been exhausting.
Regardless of personal feelings, Julian believed she had been a remarkable person just for surviving all this. Not everyone could do what she had done.
So he wanted to give her the respect she deserved. She had died a duchess, and should be treated as one.
“The one still in the capital was Cardinal Humphrey, wasn’t it?”
The priest nodded.
Ironically, the most troublesome cardinal had been the one left in the capital. Among the few cardinals in the Empire, Humphrey was the most greedy.
Julian rose from his seat. Startled, the priest flinched.
“Take this letter back with my aide.”
Julian moved to his desk and swiftly wrote the contents of the letter.
He handed it to his aide—not the priest—because he didn’t want the contents to be leaked to anyone else.
How old was that cardinal now? Julian muttered to himself as he watched the priest and his aide leave. His voice was dry.
“It’s a sad thing—how age doesn’t guarantee wisdom.”
He’d expected this ever since his father died. Just because he was young, people would always pick fights with him. Those who coveted what he owned would appear.
Julian was generally a generous ruler, but he didn’t tolerate those who didn’t know their place. He knew better than anyone what it took to protect what was his.
“Shall I bring more tea?”
“Please do.”
The poor priest hadn’t even finished his cup.
Cardinal Humphrey would likely read the letter and attend the funeral in silence. With the Mage Tower already encroaching on the temple’s influence, he wouldn’t want to stir up any unnecessary scandal.
“And Leila?”
“She was in the garden earlier, then returned to her room. Her fiancé will be arriving on the day of the funeral.”
“The Mage Tower’s always busy.”
Julian stood. The butler gave a slight bow and began clearing the table slowly.
Julian walked out of the office with unwavering steps. His destination, of course, was where Leila was.
Perhaps because the siblings knew each other so well—
Leila had even left her door slightly ajar, as if she’d known he would come. A maid, startled to see Julian, quietly closed the door.
Anyone could tell at a glance that they were siblings—they looked that much alike.
Leila gave a gentle smile. A smile that would have made anyone else’s expression falter—but not Julian. His face remained still.
“You knew I’d come today, didn’t you?”
“I wasn’t sure, but I thought the odds were high.”
“I was originally planning to come tomorrow with Linton. But then I thought—I wanted to see things for myself.”
Leila studied Julian’s face with a half-lidded, probing gaze.
As always, he wore a calm, unreadable expression. Isolette was here now, so she had expected him to act a bit differently, but he was as guarded as ever.
“Did you like it? You always wanted to keep her here, didn’t you?”
Mother had been wise. If she hadn’t sent Isolette away from the estate, Isolette would have ended up living here forever. Of that, Leila was certain.
“You wanted to see her too—you know that, right?”
Did she remember how many people had tried to cheer up the sulking young girl? Leila’s expression twisted ever so slightly as Julian continued.
“I didn’t come to answer your questions.”
His voice was cold. Not the tone one would expect from a man known as a gentle noble in high society. But this was Julian’s true self. Leila slowly curled up one side of her lips.
“You came to warn me not to act foolish.”
“Are you saying this because you’re afraid of what I might do?”
She could’ve said something even more direct. But doing so would mean risking everything she’d worked for.
In the end, Leila knew she couldn’t win against Julian—not in anything. As she looked at his cold face, she nodded.
“I promise. I won’t scare Isolette.”
Leila recalled that pale face—delicate and bright, like a white deer. Like she might vanish into the forest at any moment.
Many people in the Empire had been enchanted by that mysterious presence. And yet, one thing was clear.
Longing. Love. Countless people had feelings for Isolette, but in the end, only one person would win.
“Still, Isolette wouldn’t be shaken even if I said something strange.”
“She’s smart.”
Isolette was painfully aware of boundaries. She wouldn’t be easily frightened, but she also wouldn’t take bold leaps. It was a form of self-protection—one born of her ambiguous childhood position.
“She’ll stay cautious until she can make her own judgment.”
Despite being someone so easily targeted, no one ever treated her carelessly. Even outside this place, she’d carved out a space she could call her own, using what she had.
Leila looked at Julian. She’d watched him for so long that she knew—
“That’s why you’re doing this. To eliminate even the slightest opening.”
He had never failed to get what he wanted—because he knew exactly how to go about it. Human or not, it made no difference.
“So what are you trying to say?”
“I won’t interfere, but I won’t go out of my way to support it either.”
It wasn’t that the siblings were on bad terms. She simply leaned a little more toward Isolette. Julian already knew how Leila felt, so his face showed no disappointment.
“That’s enough.”
Julian, satisfied with her answer, left the room.
Watching his back as he departed, Leila let out a small, incredulous chuckle. She half wished Isolette could see that side of him—but then again, maybe knowing would only make things harder.
Leila suddenly thought of her late stepmother. Of Isolette, who had been sent away from the estate.
Perhaps… the Duchess had known all along.
Back then, when there was nothing they could be certain of…
