Chapter 53
The basement of the Ereiton mansion was filled with terrible screams and the stench of blood.
Herald stopped midway down the stairs, staring blankly ahead.
“Duke? Why aren’t you going down? What are you doing here?”
Silvestan, who had just come up from the basement looking for Herald, spotted him and stepped closer.
“Duke?”
“……”
But Herald seemed not to hear Silvestan at all, his gaze fixed emptily on the air.
At that moment, a thick hand waved a couple of times in front of Herald’s face.
“Duke!”
“Huh, uh?”
“Why are you standing there dazed? Did something happen?”
“Oh, no. Ahem… how’s the interrogation going?”
“Well… they still haven’t spoken.”
Herald’s sharp gaze pierced Silvestan at this disappointing answer.
“Why not?”
“They’re… heavier-mouthed than I expected. No matter what we do, they won’t spill anything.”
Silvestan added hurriedly, and Herald let out a faint laugh.
“Then I suppose that means you haven’t done your job properly.”
“……”
A shiver ran down Silvestan’s spine.
He had witnessed Herald interrogating criminals before.
Even knowing how vile the criminals were, he had always frowned at the cruel interrogation methods.
‘Please don’t tell me we have to clean up bodies again today…’
Silvestan let out a frustrated sigh and ruffled his hair. Then, as if an idea struck him, he lifted his head.
“By the way, why are you so late? I thought you’d come straight away…”
“Hmm? Ah…”
Herald’s expression changed at that moment.
He fidgeted, unable to focus anywhere. It was a side of him Silvestan had never seen before.
What particularly caught Silvestan’s attention was…
‘Why are his ears so red?’
Both of Herald’s earlobes were burning red, as if on fire.
“I… just had a little… situation.”
“Huh? Did something happen with the young lady…?”
“No, nothing like that… ahem, I should be going now.”
Silvestan watched as Herald hurried down the stairs, narrowing his eyes.
Something was definitely going on… but he didn’t feel like asking recklessly.
Meanwhile, Herald covered his jaw with his large hand, trying to control his expression.
But thinking back to what had just happened with Adeline, it was impossible not to let a small smile creep onto his face.
Earlier, the Ereiton couple had reconciled.
Thirty minutes ago.
Adeline had quietly led the bewildered Herald into an adjacent room.
Once she closed the door, silence filled the room. Herald looked down at Adeline, who kept her mouth shut, puzzled.
“Adeline…?”
“……”
“What exactly did you want to say…? Ah, if it’s about Chloe, we can interrogate them right now—”
“It’s not about that.”
“Huh? Then what is it…?”
“Well…”
Adeline lowered her head further, hesitating, and her neck gradually flushed red.
‘Could she… be crying?’
Herald’s heart skipped a beat when he saw her like that.
“Adeline, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
He hurriedly leaned forward, trying to check her face. But her reaction wasn’t what he expected, leaving him frozen in surprise.
Adeline wasn’t crying. She was just blushing deeply, unsure what to do.
“Adeline…?”
“I just… wanted to say thank you for saving Chloe.”
“……”
“Actually… I was a little surprised. I didn’t expect you would bring her back yourself.”
Her cautious words made Herald’s expression turn serious instantly.
“She’s my daughter too. If my child goes missing, how could I just stand by?”
“Oh… that’s what you were thinking.”
Adeline’s eyes and mouth widened in surprise.
Seeing her innocent reaction, Herald gritted his teeth.
In that moment, he felt he could clearly see how his presence had been etched into her heart.
“Me…”
“Huh?”
In a barely audible voice, Adeline stepped slightly closer.
“Even I’m not the kind of person who lacks that much humanity.”
“No… that’s not what I meant…”
Seeing Adeline flustered, Herald sighed deeply and rubbed the back of his neck.
Now seemed like a good opportunity to honestly tell Adeline his true feelings.
The question was… how to put it into words.
Herald was notoriously bad with words.
This often led to misunderstandings, which had caused trouble in their married life before.
He pondered his words with a deeply complicated expression. Then, as he unconsciously turned his gaze, he met her sky-blue eyes staring directly at him.
He inhaled sharply, startled.
The first time he saw Adeline, he had been captivated by these blue eyes.
And when he had announced their marriage, seeing tears fill these eyes had weighed heavily on his heart.
His racing heart gradually calmed.
Finally, in a relatively composed state, Herald spoke.
“Adeline, if anything I say now bothers you or doesn’t sit right with you, don’t just let it pass—tell me immediately.”
“Huh?”
“Can you do that?”
Adeline slightly curled her lips, quietly answering.
“I will.”
Relieved, Herald let out a small sigh and began.
“The truth is… I didn’t feel very strong affection for Chloe at first. I’ve never really liked children much, and as you know, I’m not very gentle in my words or actions.”
Adeline instinctively nodded, then suddenly froze in surprise.
Herald looked at her bitterly and continued.
“However, it’s true that I do have special feelings for her. Whether you call it fatherly love or not, I feel proud when she is acknowledged by others. And whenever I notice parts of her appearance that resemble me, it gives me a strange sense of happiness.”
“……”
Adeline’s eyes widened. She didn’t speak hastily.
“And when… I rescued Chloe this time, she had been thrown far by her own ability.”
Adeline gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.
It was the first time she heard exactly what had happened when Chloe was kidnapped.
“And when I saw some bastard grab that hurt child by the collar, I felt blood boiling inside me. I wanted to twist his neck right then and there.”
“Haa… haa…”
Adeline fought back the tears that threatened to spill, letting out a shaky breath.
Just hearing Herald recount what had happened made her heart race as if it might burst, her hands trembling.
“Adeline… are you okay?”
Seeing her reaction, Herald gently held her shoulder and asked.
“I’m fine, I was just a little shocked… keep going.”
Herald quietly observed her still-shaking eyes and nodded slowly.
“And when Chloe fell… I felt suffocated. It must have been as desperate as when I was looking for you.”
Adeline carefully considered his words before speaking her own thought.
“Herald, I think you do have enough affection for Chloe.”
But hearing that, Herald only gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
