Meanwhile.
Edith investigated whether anyone might know about the letters she had exchanged with Aisha before.
But none of the Capanteni family knew anything about it.
Then she came to know the stable keeper who had worked here for a long time.
He was someone Verina had found and brought after personally stepping in when Edith began digging into her past.
“Yes. I remember. At that time, my lady always looked forward to meeting Lady Selturode.”
“Do you know the reason too?”
She came personally and asked various questions to the stable keeper who said he remembered.
“I do not know the reason, but you said something strange. Like, ‘would that person really like me because of this’, something like a small murmur.”
Again.
The mention of that person.
If Aisha or Edith had used honorific language, that person must have been of high or similar status.
‘I should look among the high-ranking nobles.’
It was said there were three Ducal Houses: House Capanteni, House Valencia, and House Illunet…
However, she had heard that House Illunet had failed in raising their children, and they were all degenerates and troublemakers.
The fact that she had said she liked that person was also a clue.
No matter how low her standards were, it didn’t seem likely that young Edith would like a degenerate or a troublemaker.
“But the last time you returned, you did not look well.”
“What?”
“And then you collapsed and never woke up… I should have kept a closer watch at the time…”
The stable keeper began to cry.
“Are you suspecting Aisha?”
“It was such an unexpected meeting. Originally, my Lady did not get along well with Lady Aisha, whose personality was not good.”
‘This man is quite helpful, isn’t he?’
They didn’t get along, but then suddenly began meeting, and on the last day they met, Edith collapsed.
‘Even thinking about it myself, Aisha does seem suspicious.’
She had looked into this because what Aisha said at the banquet bothered her, and both in the past and present, Aisha had words and actions worthy of suspicion.
“Anything else unusual?”
“…Um… well…”
The stable keeper frowned as he struggled to recall his memory.
“Uuumm.”
After groaning for a while, he suddenly exclaimed.
It seemed something had come to mind.
“But I am not sure if this is important or not…”
“It’s fine, go ahead and say it.”
“Y-Yes. That last day, Lord Lisellon also came along.”
“Huh? Lord Lisellon?”
“Yes. He is very famous now, but he was not back then, so I found it quite surprising when I learned at that time that the two of you were acquainted…”
At that time, Lisellon was only the son of a Viscount.
In contrast, Aisha was the daughter of a Marquis. Moreover, she was someone who judged people strictly by noble rank, so it was no wonder it seemed strange that she was with a Viscount’s son.
“…Lisellon.”
Was Lisellon that person?
It wasn’t that Edith liked Lisellon, was it?
No, that couldn’t be it. If that were the case, Aisha would never have willingly said she would help.
She might not have liked him at that time, but Edith’s instincts told her this wasn’t it.
Were the two of them not simply lovers?
Was there something behind it?
Edith’s thoughts continued, one after another.
No matter how much she thought about it, there was too little information to reach an answer, but it was still not a bad gain.
Because it made it even clearer that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding Aisha.
***
Luzbel seemed quite busy, processing documents piled up like a mountain.
Since he hadn’t properly worked during that time, he was too busy dealing with the accumulated tasks to even have a moment to breathe.
Originally, he had planned to return as soon as the 500th Founding Day celebration ended, but Monet kept bringing him work, leaving him stuck here.
Even when he said he would handle it after returning, Monet didn’t budge.
He understood that Monet was acting that way because he himself hadn’t given him trust until now, so he processed the work without complaint.
“If you are busy…”
When Luzbel only stared at Jeron for a long time without saying anything, Jeron’s voice, now noticeably deflated, was heard, as if he had taken it to mean he had no intention of talking.
“Sit.”
“…Yes?”
“What is it you want to say?”
Luzbel set down the document he had been looking at and sat on the sofa for receiving guests, and Jeron approached and sat as well.
Just as Jeron showed an awkward demeanor, Luzbel too felt awkward seeing his son after such a long time.
Perhaps because he was still a child, he had grown a lot in just two years.
Thinking about it, he had fallen into the water a few days ago.
At the time, everything had been so chaotic that he had moved away without even seeing the child wake up, but it seemed he had fully recovered.
He wanted to ask if his body was alright, but the words seemed stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.
As his lips moved wordlessly for a while, Jeron finally spoke first.
“I… want to stay here.”
“What?”
At the unexpected words, Luzbel frowned.
Stay here?
Could it be because of Aisha?
“What is the reason?”
The Aisha he met on the first day of the celebration was still beautiful, and still cold only toward him. The gentle Aisha had completely disappeared, replaced by a frigid version.
Moreover, although he had heard that she met Lisellon again, it seemed her reputation among the nobles wasn’t good, and he had even seen her being treated coldly. Everything pained Luzbel’s heart.
“I want to stay.”
“I asked for the reason.”
But that was one matter, and Jeron staying in the Capital was another issue entirely.
If it was because of Aisha, he absolutely couldn’t allow it. Staying near her would only result in him getting hurt.
“…If I tell you the reason, will you let me stay?”
“I will listen and then decide.”
Jeron, who had been unable to speak easily, let out a small scoff and spoke slowly.
“You do not care about me anyway, Your Grace.”
“…”
“So do not pretend to care now.”
He couldn’t say anything.
Because it was true that he had been out of his mind and unable to care for Jeron all this time. Looking at that face filled with hurt, Luzbel couldn’t even make an excuse.
“Please let me stay.”
“No.”
But he couldn’t leave things as Jeron wanted. Because he was worried.
“Why?”
Not knowing Luzbel’s feelings, Jeron glared at him with an aggressive expression and asked.
“Tell me the exact reason.”
Since he had never shown it, it was absurd to expect him to understand his feelings. Moreover, contrary to his heart, his voice came out cold.
“…If I stay here, I might be able to see Mom.”
“Jeron.”
As expected.
Jeron was thinking of meeting Aisha. Feeling devastated, Luzbel called his name quietly, and Jeron’s expression darkened.
“I do not plan to meet her. It is enough if I can just see her from afar.”
Seeing his somewhat gloomy expression, Luzbel had a troubling thought.
“Don’t tell me you’ve already seen her?”
“…”
There was no reply.
It seemed he had seen her, and it seemed she hadn’t changed from before she left. Judging by how he said he would be satisfied just seeing her from afar.
“I’m sorry.”
It was not that he had deliberately ignored Jeron after Aisha left. He too needed time to endure it.
No matter how much Jeron resembled him in appearance, the child was still undoubtedly born from his relationship with Aisha.
He thought that if he faced Jeron, he might lose himself and go to meet Aisha.
He also thought that wasn’t what Aisha wanted.
So he avoided meeting Jeron as much as possible.
At that time, that had been the best he could do.
But now that he was facing Jeron like this, he realized he hadn’t made the best choice.
He had simply chosen the lesser evil.
Since he had turned away from Jeron for Aisha’s sake, it was only natural that Jeron’s gaze toward him had become so cold. Facing him directly now, he felt it even more painfully.
“…You? You are… sorry?”
His wide eyes clearly showed that he had never expected an apology.
At the time, Jeron had only been five years old. It must have been a cruel thing for such a young child.
“What are you suddenly sorry for? I only said I want to stay here.”
At Jeron’s voice, filled with disbelief, Luzbel lowered his head. He didn’t make the excuse that he himself had suffered too.
“I won’t make excuses. I failed to care for you.”
“Your Grace, even if you act like this now, my thoughts will not change.”
“Still, you can’t stay. The Aisha you knew no longer exists.”
“…I understand.”
Perhaps thinking that continuing the conversation would only lead to more conflict, Jeron stood up with a hardened expression.
Luzbel didn’t stop him.
He thought it would be better to organize his thoughts and talk again later.
“However…”
At that moment, Jeron, who had been about to leave, added one more thing.
“Do you know what I have been doing recently?”
“…Recently?”
“…Never mind.”
As if he had never expected anything, Jeron left the office completely.
Luzbel, with a stiff expression, called Monet in.
