Chapter 60
At the voice that answered as if it were only natural, as if there were no lingering attachment at all, Aillen had to force herself to suppress the deep disappointment that surged up inside her.
It was even worse because, just moments ago, she had been full of hope.
‘Ah, no…’
Aillen shook her head hard.
She must not harbor feelings like this. After all, Reinhardt was keeping divorce with her in mind.
But… it hurt too much.
In the end, Aillen turned around and, almost running, headed back to her bedroom.
Meanwhile, inside the office, Claude asked with a surprised expression,
“You’re going to get divorced?”
“No.”
“But just now you said you would end up getting divorced…”
As Claude trailed off with a frown, Reinhardt let out a small scoff of laughter.
“I said that’s what would have happened originally.”
“So not anymore?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I like Aillen, and I have no intention of letting her go.”
“…You’re not considering Madam’s wishes at all?”
“I was planning to talk with Aillen soon anyway. To ask her whether she’d like to continue this relationship.”
A faint smile formed at the corner of Reinhardt’s lips.
“It’s a proposal that isn’t bad for Aillen either, so she’ll surely accept.”
“I see.”
Claude nodded absentmindedly. He, too, thought Aillen would likely agree.
Reinhardt, who had been smiling as he thought of Aillen, suddenly asked with a serious face,
“So, the report?”
“Ah, I’ll begin now.”
Claude also assumed his role as adjutant and reported on his work to Reinhardt.
As usual, it should have been a peaceful day… or so they thought.
❧ ❧ ❧
“Wow! What is all this?”
Adrian exclaimed in admiration as he looked over the dining table.
Aillen smiled with satisfaction. Just as she had asked the head chef, the table was filled with an even more lavish feast than usual.
With an excited expression, Adrian took his seat. He even swallowed his saliva, eager to eat.
Aillen sat down beside him. Just then, the door opened and Reinhardt entered.
The moment she saw him, Aillen once again felt as though her chest were being tightly squeezed. The emotions she had tried so hard to suppress threatened to surface again, but she forced the corners of her lips upward.
Today is a good day.
Repeating those words to herself, Aillen listened as Reinhardt spoke.
“There’s more food than usual today. It seems something good happened to the chef.”
“No. I asked for this.”
“You did, Aillen?”
“Yes. Something good happened to me.”
Reinhardt and Adrian both looked at her with curiosity. After glancing between them, Aillen broke into a bright smile and announced,
“Actually, today I finished paying off all the debt.”
“The debt…?”
“Really? Is that true, Sister?”
Unlike the calm Reinhardt, Adrian stared at her with eyes wide as if it were unbelievable.
Suppressing the surge of emotion, Aillen nodded firmly.
“Yes. Really.”
“Then… they won’t come anymore? From now on we can eat what we want, buy what we want, and live like that?”
“Of course. Absolutely. Just tell me—I’ll buy you everything.”
Adrian opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
Instead, he hugged Aillen tightly. The left shoulder where Adrian buried his face became damp.
He sobbed for a long time. Aillen also felt tears welling up, but she held them back and gently patted his back.
But when Adrian finally spoke through difficulty, she could no longer hold back her tears.
“You really… you really worked so hard, Sister…”
The emotions surged up and spilled out as tears. Without saying a word, Aillen hugged Adrian tightly.
Reinhardt watched the siblings quietly, then clapped his hands twice.
“Aillen, congratulations. But on such a joyful day, shouldn’t we enjoy an even more delicious meal? The food will get cold.”
At his words, Aillen let out a small laugh. After wiping away her tears, a bright smile had already returned to her face.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t eat cold food on a happy day.”
Reinhardt gave a faint chuckle and called for the butler standing behind him. After hearing Reinhardt whisper something, the butler soon returned carrying a bottle of wine.
When Aillen looked at it in puzzlement, Reinhardt said,
“Since it’s a happy day, shouldn’t we have a celebratory drink?”
With that, the butler opened the cork. A sweet scent of grapes filled the air.
‘If Reinhardt prepared it, it must be top quality.’
Aillen quietly watched as wine was poured into her glass. When she lifted it, Reinhardt, who was also holding his glass, spoke to Adrian,
“Unfortunately, young count, we’ll substitute yours with a non-alcoholic drink.”
“I’m not a kid!”
“Even so, alcohol is out of the question.”
At Aillen’s firm words, Adrian finally picked up a glass of orange juice.
Reinhardt and Aillen exchanged small smiles as they looked at each other.
“To Aillen’s new path ahead.”
Saying that, Reinhardt lightly clinked his glass against hers.
Aillen chuckled softly, then turned to Adrian.
“Then I’ll say—to Adrian’s new path ahead.”
She gently clinked her wine glass against his orange juice, and Adrian grinned. Just as they were about to drink, he suddenly exclaimed,
“To Olden, who helped me and Sister!”
Aillen and Reinhardt stared at Adrian in surprise. They hadn’t expected him to say something like that.
With all eyes on him, Adrian said with a reddened but resolute face,
“Anyway, it’s true that we received help.”
“Yeah. That’s true.”
Smiling, Aillen ruffled Adrian’s hair.
At that moment, another laugh reached their ears.
“Haha….”
Startled, Aillen turned her head. Reinhardt was laughing with an expression of ease.
Hearing such a relaxed laugh for the first time, Aillen unconsciously smiled along with him. Only Adrian looked confused.
After his laughter subsided, Reinhardt said,
“It seems it’s been a long time since I’ve had such an enjoyable meal.”
“Indeed.”
Adrian still wore a puzzled expression. Without explaining further, Aillen and Reinhardt began eating.
Just as he said, it truly was a joyful meal.
❧ ❧ ❧
Since it was a night when she was supposed to sleep with Adrian, Aillen spent the evening in his room.
Adrian kept asking questions until he fell asleep.
“Then, Sister, does that mean I can buy pens whenever I want? When I do homework with Sets, he always carries such cool pens.”
“Of course. You can buy them.”
“Then, then! Can I also buy lots of cake and eat it?”
“Not too much at once. Snacks are one per day. But you can eat what you want.”
“That’s fine too!”
Adrian, who had been exclaiming energetically, giggled and burrowed under the blanket.
“It really feels like a dream.”
“Yeah. I feel the same.”
Just as she told him, Aillen also felt as though she were dreaming.
The fact that the debt that had tormented them so terribly for so long was finally gone didn’t feel quite real yet.
But the pendant that belonged to her mother, which she now had, told her that it wasn’t a dream.
While fidgeting with the pendant, Aillen turned her head at the sound of steady breathing. Adrian had already fallen asleep.
After confirming he was asleep, Aillen carefully got out of bed and stepped out onto the terrace for some fresh air.
Worried she might wake Adrian, she closed the terrace door and looked up at the sky—when a familiar voice reached her.
“Can’t you sleep?”
Startled, Aillen looked up toward the voice.
From the window of the floor above, Reinhardt was leaning on his chin, looking down at her. It was exactly the position of their bedrooms.
Without thinking, Aillen asked,
“You’re still awake?”
“I can’t fall asleep. And you, Aillen—why are you out here?”
“I can’t sleep either.”
After a brief hesitation, Aillen made a suggestion.
“If you’re okay with it, would you like to take a walk?”
“Very well. I’ll meet you at the door.”
Reinhardt answered promptly and went inside. Aillen watched the window close, then headed outside as well.
When she slipped down to the first floor without Adrian noticing, Reinhardt was already there, waiting. He smiled and began to walk.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
The two walked side by side through the garden, illuminated by moonlight.
As they walked, Aillen kept glancing at Reinhardt. Sensing she had something to say, he spoke first.
“Is there something you wish to say?”
Caught off guard, Aillen rolled her eyes slightly. After hesitating for a while, she finally opened her mouth.
“…Reinhardt, there’s something I want to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“What do you think about parting ways with a friend?”
Reinhardt tilted his head. It was an unexpected question.
But seeing the seriousness on Aillen’s face, he couldn’t ask why she was asking. He could only assume she might be facing such a situation.
After a moment of thought, he asked in return,
“By parting ways, do you mean severing the relationship entirely?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask the reason?”
Aillen paused briefly, then shook her head.
“There are complicated circumstances. But one thing is certain—we haven’t had a bad relationship until now.”
“Hm…”
Reinhardt folded his arms and fell into thought. Aillen watched him with a tense expression.
After a moment, Reinhardt spoke.
“If the relationship has only gone that far, then you will part ways.”
“…If it were you, Reinhardt, wouldn’t you try to hold onto that relationship?”
“There are countless connections in this world. Where there is parting, there is also new meeting. It doesn’t seem necessary to cling to that one connection.”
“I see…”
Reinhardt looked back at her with a puzzled gaze. Somehow, Aillen’s expression looked dark.
‘It must have been someone she was very close to.’
He felt a slight jealousy, but at the same time, he also felt sympathy for Aillen, who might be losing such a person.
He never once imagined that the “friend” she was talking about… was himself.
