Chapter 3
Calix looked at the woman in front of him with desperate eyes.
To say those words, he had squeezed out the last bit of courage he had.
But the woman’s face remained expressionless.
Silver hair that shone like moonlight, vivid purple eyes, and slightly upturned eyes that were beautiful yet sharp. She was undeniably pretty, but she looked cold.
Even after Calix’s plea, she only widened her eyes and glared at him fiercely. Her tightly pressed lips showed no sign of giving a kind answer.
The desperation in Calix’s eyes slowly turned into despair.
Maybe it had been pointless after all.
He slowly lowered his head.
“So.”
The one who finally spoke was not the woman, but the man.
The same man who had kindly asked Calix to come with him while he stood on the cliff, looking down at the dark night sea.
But Jonathan, who was not as kind as his voice had sounded, crouched down and met Calix’s gaze.
“So you’re saying you’ll behave like a good child?”
Calix quickly nodded.
He would see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.
He would be quiet and obedient, as if he didn’t exist.
That was what people wanted from him.
“How admirable.”
Calix’s eyes widened at Jonathan’s praise.
“But we don’t need you.”
At those words, it felt like his heart dropped straight to the ground.
“I brought you here to make my sister happy.”
Jonathan grabbed Calix by the shoulder.
“But you’re completely useless.”
“Ah…”
“I’ll send you to someone better instead. His work is rough, but he’s fairly kind to children.”
Jonathan was speaking softly when—
“Brother.”
Reina, who had been silent the whole time, called out to him.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
Jonathan’s eyebrows rose.
“I thought you didn’t like him?”
“I was touched by how thoughtful you were, trying to care for me.”
When Reina acknowledged his intentions, Jonathan’s face brightened.
“Then I’ll find you a different child. This one is pretty enough, but the way he talks is gloomy…”
Jonathan trailed off while glancing at Calix.
Then he narrowed his eyes and suddenly reached out.
“What’s this?”
Without warning, he grabbed the string peeking out from Calix’s collar and pulled it.
It was a leather necklace with a small wooden carving hanging from it.
“Ah!”
Startled, Calix reached for it, but Jonathan lightly pushed him aside and examined the carving closely.
“What is this creepy thing?”
Jonathan’s voice turned cold in an instant.
The worn carving, smudged with use, looked like the kind of figure shamans used to curse people.
If the child carried something so ominous, he should be thrown out of the estate immediately.
“Answer me.”
Faced with Jonathan’s sharp tone, Calix spoke fearfully.
“It’s a toy. It’s carved after a hero from a fairy tale…”
“Ah.”
Only then did Jonathan relax.
“Where would an orphan get something like this? You stole it, didn’t you?”
“No!”
Calix shook his head vigorously.
“P-please give it back.”
Afraid it would be taken away, he grabbed the string and pulled.
With a short laugh, Jonathan let go of the necklace and turned to Reina.
“See? He jumps at me just because I touched a dirty little toy. Looks like he has sticky fingers. I really think another child would be better.”
“No. I like him. Like you said, he looks like that stray cat.”
Of course, Reina had no idea what the stray cat he mentioned even looked like.
“I was bored anyway, so this works out. I’ll take the child out for some fresh air.”
“You’re taking him out? What are you planning to do?”
There was no concern on Jonathan’s face. Only curiosity and interest sparkled in his eyes.
“Should I come too? You’ve never had a toy like this before. I’ll teach you how to play with it properly.”
Reina truly had no desire to know.
‘There’s no other choice.’
If she left him alone, Jonathan would cling to her stubbornly.
“Brother.”
Reina let out a small sigh.
She raised her hand and stared at it.
“Why are you…”
She lightly scratched her index fingernail with her thumb as she continued,
“…being so annoying?”
At her cold muttering, Jonathan’s eyes widened.
Then he burst into laughter.
“Alright, alright. I’ll stop bothering you.”
As expected.
‘It works on Jonathan too.’
Whenever Reina didn’t want to deal with the Count and Countess, she acted like this.
She had overheard the maids gossiping and learned that Reina supposedly had trouble controlling her anger.
Normally indifferent, but once angry, she would lose control to the point of a violent episode.
There had been several incidents that caused chaos in the estate, so everyone tried not to upset her.
‘Touching her nails like this is supposed to be the warning sign.’
After learning that, Reina used it whenever necessary—and it worked every time.
“Then I’ll lend you one of my servants. Take him with you.”
Jonathan, who had seemed to back down, made another suggestion.
“He’s tight-lipped and trustworthy.”
Apparently, he assumed Reina was going out to bury someone.
“It’s fine. I’ll take my own maid.”
Reina stopped fiddling with her nails and called out,
“Maya.”
Maya was her personal maid.
Jonathan narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw the maid who appeared.
“I don’t recognize her.”
That was natural. Maya had been hired after Jonathan left.
“What happened to the previous maid?”
“She talked too much.”
Reina answered briefly and turned to Maya.
“I’m going out with the child. Prepare.”
She spoke calmly, but her hands were damp with sweat from tension.
***
At that same time, the Ingersoll estate became busy.
The Grand Duke of Ingersoll had returned from the conflict zone where he had been dispatched by imperial order.
“Your Grace, you’ve worked hard.”
The butler welcomed Lucius respectfully.
“Where is my uncle?”
“He has stepped out for a while.”
As he took Lucius’s coat, the butler added,
“The bath has been prepared. Would you like to dine after you’ve rested?”
Lucius nodded and headed to the bath.
He dismissed the servants who followed to assist and washed alone.
Afterward, he changed into comfortable clothes.
His jet-black hair, usually neatly slicked back, now fell loosely over his forehead.
Unlike when he entered the estate wearing armor that gleamed like a sharpened blade, he now looked like an ordinary nobleman.
Lucius sat on the sofa and leaned back.
He slowly blinked his gritty eyes, as if filled with sand, then closed them.
His steady breathing filled the silent room.
Knock, knock.
At the sound, Lucius slowly opened his eyes.
Though he had rested only briefly, his eyes were sharper than ever.
“Dinner is ready.”
Guided by the butler, Lucius entered the dining room and took his seat. Plates of appetizing food were placed before him one by one.
He looked at them with indifference, then shifted his gaze to the seat across from him.
The chair was empty. There wasn’t even cutlery set there.
“Where is Calix?”
Lucius asked, his brows narrowing.
The butler looked flustered.
“Have you… not heard?”
“Heard what?”
“Young Master Calix is currently at a sanatorium in the South.”
Lucius’s gaze slowly turned to the butler.
The calmness in his eyes instantly sharpened.
“A sanatorium? What do you mean?”
“Ah, perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Sir Martin surely informed you…”
“Did my uncle send Calix to a sanatorium?”
Sir Martin was Lucius’s uncle.
He was also the guardian who had raised the Ingersoll brothers after their parents died young.
He had managed the estate as acting head until Lucius inherited the title.
Even now, whenever Lucius was away for long periods, he took over the role naturally.
“Young Master Calix’s health suddenly worsened, so he was sent to a sanatorium in a southern resort for recuperation.”
A sanatorium in a resort.
Lucius let out a hollow laugh.
It seemed his uncle had grown quite fond of the role of “acting” head and was starting to think he was the real one.
“Your Grace.”
The butler cautiously spoke.
“Shall we begin dinner now?”
“No.”
Lucius cut him off firmly.
“I’ll be going out. It’s not needed.”
“Pardon? You just returned after a year away.”
At the butler’s protest, Lucius’s lips curved crookedly.
He stood and walked past him.
“W-where are you going?”
“To the South.”
“To the sanatorium where Young Master Calix is?”
“Yes. And make sure you tell my uncle this as well.”
Lucius’s eyes turned cold.
“Tell him I’ve gone to ‘bring Calix back.’”
Leaving the uneasy butler behind, Lucius quickened his steps.
