Chapter – 18
Ignoring those words, Bayern continued speaking.
“Daring to lie to His Majesty the Emperor… that is something that cannot be forgiven.”
His face was firm, as if he would not overlook Cedric’s wrongdoing.
Then he moved to stand beside Rapine, wanting her to feel a little more at ease.
“And since His Majesty has officially approved the annulment between Rapine and Cedric, I would prefer that this matter is no longer mentioned.”
Bayern firmly sealed the matter of their broken engagement. The Marquis could not bring himself to continue speaking and only opened his mouth in shock.
“Most importantly… if Rapine wishes, I will help her leave the Marquis’ household as well.”
At that, the Marquis quickly objected.
“That cannot happen. As I said before, she is my daughter. For her sake as well, that is not something to be said.”
The way the Marquis called Rapine his daughter felt forced. Though he spoke as if it were for her, it sounded extremely unnatural.
At that moment, Rapine lightly tapped Bayern and shook her head.
It meant: stop now.
Seeing her pale face, Bayern looked at her with concern. Silently, he asked with his lips:
“Are you okay?”
And at the same time—
“Ahhh!”
Elizabeth suddenly screamed and collapsed on the spot.
“Haa—ah! I—I can’t breathe—ahhh!”
She began hitting her chest and clawing at her neck.
It seemed she had held on well until now. Just like before, the timing was strangely perfect.
Startled, the Marquis quickly ran to her.
“Elizabeth!”
Perhaps because she was his daughter, he called her anxiously.
He immediately pulled the bell rope and called the servants.
“Take Elizabeth away at once and call the physician!”
The servants quickly carried Elizabeth away.
Then the Marquis followed them—leaving Rapine alone behind.
“Ha…”
Watching the man who was supposed to be her father disappear like that, Rapine felt all the strength drain from her body.
As if he had been waiting, Bayern quickly held her and supported her.
“Are you okay…?”
He asked with worry.
Leaning against him like a limp doll, Rapine breathed unevenly.
Her face looked pale.
Sweat gathered on her forehead. Seeing her like that, Bayern felt heartbroken.
He gently brushed aside the strands of hair stuck to her forehead and comforted her.
“It’s okay. It will be alright.”
“……”
Rapine stared blankly into the air, her eyes unfocused.
“Rapine…”
When Bayern softly, very carefully called her name, her eyes finally moved a little.
Soon, their gazes met.
“…Bayern…”
After her father hurriedly left her, she felt so empty that tears almost fell—but she forced herself to hold them back.
The Marquis called her his daughter, but his actions said otherwise.
What kind of father would leave his daughter alone in a situation like this?
She stared at the door where he had disappeared for a long time.
Only after quite a while did she realize Bayern was calling her.
“Yeah… I’m here…”
For some reason, their faces were very close today.
Tears gathered in her eyes, making his face look blurred and flickering.
Rapine tightly closed her eyes, then opened them again.
Seeing this, Bayern whispered:
“Are you okay? Don’t mind what the Marquis said… I’ll always be on your side. Do what you want.”
“I’ll always be on your side. Do what you want.”
For some reason, those words comforted her deeply today. Rapine felt all her tension melt away.
And just like that, she lost consciousness in his arms.
Rapine dreamed of the past.
A faint memory—so faint that she had almost forgotten such days ever existed.
“Our baby…”
The Marchioness, who passed away from illness when Rapine was nine, had been an elegant and gentle mother.
She was the person Rapine trusted and loved the most.
The only one in this mansion who had shown her true affection.
The mother she met again in her dream looked exactly as she did back then.
Soft pink hair like Rapine’s, and gentle facial features that felt warm and kind.
Her star-like eyes always smiled at her.
“Mom!”
Like a child, she ran into her mother’s arms.
There was a fresh, sweet scent.
As always, her mother gently stroked her hair.
“Our baby… you have a special power.”
“A special power?”
The little girl tilted her head while resting in her mother’s arms.
“Yes. You were born with a special power since you were young.”
“What kind of power?”
“It’s so great that others might become jealous, so for now, Mommy hid it a little. But later, when our Rapi grows up and that power returns…”
Her round eyes blinked as she looked up.
Her mother kissed her nose lovingly and continued:
“No one will be able to hurt my precious baby. Mommy has prepared everything…”
“No one will be able to hurt my precious baby.”
For some reason, her face looked sad.
“Not your father, not that crazy man… no one will be able to hurt you…”
Her gentle face briefly looked determined.
Young Rapine blinked, then buried herself deeper into her mother’s arms.
“Our… poor baby…”
Her last voice sounded as if she were crying.
Rapine wanted to touch her more, so she reached out her arms.
“Mom?”
“Mom! Mom!”
But the more she tried, the more her figure faded.
The moment she realized that warmth was nothing but an illusion—
“Gasp!”
She woke up in shock.
The dream felt as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
It was the first time a forgotten memory had returned so clearly.
She thought it was already gone, but after seeing this dream, she felt strange.
‘A special power…’
It must mean her wind ability.
But the later part of the memory felt odd.
‘No one can hurt me… and Father… and that crazy man?’
Those words felt very strange.
‘That crazy man… who is that?’
Her questions kept growing.
‘Did Mom know something…?’
Lying down, Rapine traced the fading image of her mother in her mind.
Aileen Robru.
That name, now so faint, made her feel sad.
Even if she wanted to see her, she couldn’t anymore. The longing tightened her chest, making it hard to breathe.
“Ha…”
She let out a deep breath and slowly tried to get up.
“Hmm…?”
Then she noticed something pressing lightly on her arm.
Struggling a little, she sat up—and then covered her mouth in surprise at the sight before her.
“Oh my…”
It seemed he had stayed by her side the whole time—Bayern was sleeping next to her.
His usually neat light-blond hair was messy.
Looking outside, it seemed very late at night.
Without thinking, Rapine reached out her hand toward his hair—then stopped.
When had they become this close?
‘Come to think of it… every time I struggled, Bayern was always there. What a strange coincidence…’
She smiled faintly.
The person who was once just a friend had become someone precious she could rely on.
Relationships were truly hard to understand.
She quietly withdrew her hand.
“……”
She looked down at Bayern, who was sleeping in front of her.
‘He used to be small and cute…’
Memories of the past passed through her mind.
At that moment, perhaps sensing her gaze, Bayern stirred and woke up.
“Mm…”
As he sat up, roughly fixing his messy hair, Rapine held her breath for a moment.
He had taken off his usual glasses, so his face was clearly visible.
‘W-Was Bayern always this handsome?’
