Even while Edith was agonizing over her childhood connection with Aisha, no message came from House Valencia.
Verina said they might need to wait a little longer, but there was still no reply the next day.
By then, Edith had fully recovered from her illness, and she decided she would go in person.
Not sending a reply?
‘Then I’ll go myself.’
If she told the Duke, he would obviously forbid her from going out, so she told only Verina in secret.
At first, Verina opposed it, saying there was no need to go that far, but seeing how much Edith wanted to go, her resolve seemed to weaken.
“Let’s go. Okay? It’s not like I’m going alone.”
“But still…”
“If you keep this up, I’ll go without you.”
It was the same threat that had worked last time.
The moment she said she would go without her, Verina jumped in shock and insisted that was absolutely not allowed, and in the end, she gave permission.
“You are just going to see his face and come back?”
“Of course.”
And so, Edith secretly went to the mansion where Duke Valencia was staying, even getting the escort knight on her side.
But she was stopped right at the entrance.
“Who did you say you were?”
“I said Lady Edith Capanteni. Are you deaf or something, how many times do I have to repeat myself?”
“I ought to see your face.”
“And would you recognize me if you did?”
“I wouldn’t, but… ah, why would a young lady come here? I didn’t hear anything from His Grace.”
“Seriously, damn it…”
Since she had come out secretly, she had nothing to prove her identity, so the guard only kept tilting his head in confusion and refused to open the gate.
Edith also stood her ground, refusing to leave like this, so the guard, who told her to wait a moment, personally called Monet.
“…You really are Lady Capanteni…?”
Monet, who had come out himself with an irritated face, muttered blankly.
***
And so, Edith was able to meet Luzbel in person.
Her purpose was to check whether Jeron was alright, but since she had come all this way, she thought it would be nice to see Luzbel too.
“I did not expect you to come here yourself.”
Luzbel looked at Edith with cold eyes as he spoke.
Anyone could see he wasn’t welcoming her and was openly asking why she had come, which made Verina bristle with anger, but Edith stopped her.
After all, she was the one who had forced her way here.
“You should have replied when I sent the letter.”
Of course, she didn’t quietly apologize.
“…Yes. I suppose I should have.”
She had offered a small rebuttal, but Luzbel, seeming too tired even to respond, answered halfheartedly and gestured as if to say she had confirmed what she came for and should leave now.
At that, Verina seemed deeply offended.
How dare he treat their precious lady like that?
Even after leaving the Duke, she muttered for a while that his personality must be exactly why he got divorced.
But Edith cut her off, knowing how devoted Luzbel had been to Aisha.
“You shouldn’t say things behind someone’s back that you couldn’t say to their face, Verina.”
“But still…!”
Of course, Verina still looked very wronged.
“Anyway, I was the one who forced my way in, so let’s not talk about it anymore.”
“…Yes.”
Her cheeks puffed out and her lips stuck out in a pout, but Edith pretended not to notice.
Anyway, seeing Luzbel again did feel different.
He had always been kind every day, but now it seemed that had only been toward Aisha.
She had thought that all she felt was that his handsome face was pleasing to look at, and that there had been no emotional attachment, but the way her heart kept pounding every time she saw him lately made her feel even more confused.
“What is wrong?”
Verina asked, finding it strange that Edith was standing there holding her chest.
“It’s nothing.”
Edith only tilted her head repeatedly, unable to give a proper answer.
Meanwhile, they walked down the corridor and arrived to see Jeron.
The heart that was pounding even more than when she had come to see Luzbel was, no matter how she looked at it, excited.
She wanted to deny it, but with her heartbeat this vividly apparent, she couldn’t.
It seemed Edith had liked the Valencia family members quite a lot.
Knock, knock.
They stood in front of Jeron’s door and knocked, but no answer came.
“I am coming in, Young Master.”
As if accustomed to this, when no answer came, Monet spoke almost as a notice and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, what appeared was darkness that had sunk completely.
Even though it was daytime, the blackout curtains were drawn tightly, making it as dark as night.
“…Lord Jeron, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
Something on the bed in the darkness stirred, and only then did a voice emerge.
“Yes, the person who saved you from the Palace pond that day.”
“…Ah.”
But as if it wasn’t the person he had been hoping for, the movement stopped along with a disappointed sigh.
“They came personally because they wished to see you. At least show your face.”
“…”
No reply came.
Monet looked at Edith as if asking what she would do now.
Seeing Jeron looking worse than she had expected, Edith’s heart felt heavy.
Well, he had heard such cruel words from Aisha in the garden that day.
“Is the child alright?”
Since Jeron didn’t seem to want to face her, she asked Monet instead.
“Yes, he is healthy.”
“Then why is it so dark in here? May I open the curtains?”
Jeron, who had been hiding under the blanket, suddenly shouted.
“No!”
“No?”
Though it came down like a thunderclap, Edith didn’t look surprised and instead smiled faintly as she asked back.
“Why?”
“It’s my room.”
It was an answer that meant, who are you to touch my room?
“I came because I was worried about you, Jeron. Just show me your face for a moment. Then I will quietly leave after seeing you.”
“…”
Before, whenever something happened, he would scream and throw tantrums, exhausting everyone, but now his spirit had weakened considerably compared to then.
But Edith didn’t think of that positively at all.
He had said before that he acted that way because he was afraid, afraid of when he might be abandoned, but now this lack of reaction felt as if he had closed his heart even more.
“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself.”
“…”
“I’m Edith Capanteni. Do you know House Capanteni?”
“…”
“It’s a Ducal House like Valencia, but I was sick for a long time. I woke up not long ago. Maybe because of that, at first everything felt awkward and difficult. Are you like that too? Is that why you’re keeping it dark like this?”
She tried somehow to draw out Jeron’s reaction.
As she asked why it was dark and talked about herself, Jeron, still hiding under the blanket, scoffed and said,
“…What would you know…?”
“I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking!”
In truth, she knew, but she answered with a bright smile, pretending to know nothing, and perhaps finding it absurd, a small laugh came from inside.
“Pfft.”
Though Monet seemed to be openly mocking them.
“You’re not going to show me your face?”
“J-just…”
“Then I’ll come again tomorrow.”
“What?”
“I’ll keep coming until you show me your face.”
As Edith insisted, Verina sent her a look, since this wasn’t something they had agreed on, but Edith ignored it.
No, it was unfair.
Aisha had done nothing, and she was the one who had done everything, yet Jeron didn’t even know of her existence and was waiting only for Aisha like this.
She had vowed never to get involved, but seeing him like this, she absolutely couldn’t leave things as they were.
She wanted, no matter what, to struggle and get even a little closer to Jeron.
Even if not to the extent of Aisha, if they became somewhat close, he wouldn’t shut her out like he was doing now.
She wanted to believe that.
Strange.
She had clearly vowed not to get involved, yet the moment she saw his face, she desperately wanted to be involved.
She hated seeing Jeron live like this.
She wanted to bring him out into the world.
Edith was consumed by that longing.
“It’s true.”
She emphasized it once more, and only then did Jeron slowly poke his head out from under the blanket.
“…Wow.”
Monet let out a sound of admiration as he watched.
It must have been something not easy to accomplish.
“Hello. I finally see your face.”
Edith simply smiled softly and waved her hand.
“See?”
But as expected of whose son he was, Jeron truly had no openings. After showing only his face for a brief moment, he hid it again like a turtle.
Seeing that, she naturally smiled.
Because even though he tried to hide it, it was obvious how easily frightened he was.
“I’m not going to eat you.”
“…Go now.”
“No. I didn’t properly see your face.”
“What…?”
Jeron’s bewildered breath could be felt clearly.
Whether he liked it or not, Edith dragged over a nearby chair and sat down right beside the bed.
“Why are you like this…?”
Jeron asked, unable to hide his flustered state.
“Jeron, you’re so cute.”
“…”
“I don’t have any friends.”
“…So what?”
“I want to be friends. Let’s be friends.”
Two years had passed, so Jeron was now seven years old. Compared to that, she was about twenty-four, one year younger than Aisha.
It must have sounded absurd for someone old enough to be his mother to ask to be friends.
“Get lost.”
“Let’s play together.”
Now seeming too tired to even respond, Jeron said nothing.
Edith paid no mind to his attitude and said everything she wanted to say. Even if he was hiding under the blanket, as long as his ears were open, he would hear her words.
“My Lady…”
Since Edith had never acted so stubbornly before, Verina looked flustered, but if she wanted to become close to Jeron, this was the best way.
At first, he would put up walls, but once those walls collapsed, growing close would happen in an instant.
