CHAPTER 46……………………………………..
Isaac’s cheek twitched before he forced a fake smile.
“It seems I’m in the way. I’ll step out. Please, take your time talking.”
“Thank you, Marquis.”
Chester spoke casually, pretending not to hear the grinding of Isaac’s teeth.
Soon, Isaac left the reception room, and the investigation team spread out to inspect the mansion.
Before long, Chester and the young girl were left alone.
He sat comfortably on the sofa.
The girl fidgeted nervously now that her father had left her behind. Chester quietly observed her.
Not long ago, he had found it difficult to deal with children her age.
But thanks to growing closer to Kylus, he could now speak to them more easily.
“Hello, Ellie.”
At his gentle greeting, Ellie quickly raised her head. Her silver eyes widened as she looked at him.
“You know Ellie?”
“We met at the imperial palace last time. In the rose garden.”
“The rose garden…”
The girl moved her small lips, but it didn’t seem like she recognized him right away.
Given how chaotic things had been then, it wasn’t surprising.
Chester decided to try a different approach.
“You met Kylus there, right? Kyle. I’m his uncle.”
“Kyle?”
At the mention of Kyle, life returned to the girl’s wary face. She lifted her head eagerly and began to chatter.
“Is Kyle doing well? What did he say? Does he remember Ellie?”
“He’s doing well. He’s very worried about you—that’s why I came.”
Chester tried to look as harmless and gentle as possible, continuing carefully.
“Ellie, does your father treat you well? Has he ever frightened you?”
“Ah…”
At the question, Ellie hesitated. She clasped her hands tightly and bit her lip.
“Ellie?”
“I’m fine.”
“You can be honest. I came here to help you.”
“I’m really fine. Please tell my father that Ellie said she’s fine. Please.”
The child, looking frightened, kept repeating the same words.
Chester looked at the small girl with a troubled expression.
He was a third party in this matter.
Even if he wanted to help, if the child insisted she was fine, he couldn’t intervene. There would be no way to remove her from her father.
‘Did the Marquis already get to her?’
Chester frowned.
He had moved as discreetly as possible, yet it seemed Isaac had acted in advance.
‘Did he plant a spy?’
As he pondered where the information had leaked from, the child hurriedly added,
“Ellie is fine. I’m fine, mister.”
“I understand, Ellie. Don’t worry.”
Chester first soothed the anxious child. Then he took out a business card from inside his jacket and placed it in her hand.
“This is my card. If anything scary happens, contact me anytime. I’ll come get you with Kyle. Alright?”
“But Ellie is really fine…”
“Yes, I know. Ellie is fine. Still, keep this.”
Chester gently patted her head and let out a quiet sigh.
When Yurenia had worried about this child, he had wondered why she cared about someone else’s problem.
But now that he had come and seen the girl himself, he felt like slapping his past self for being so cold.
Ellie was too small.
Of course she was—she was only four.
And yet, he had to turn away from a child this young, trembling in fear.
It weighed heavily on him.
After reminding Ellie again to contact him if she ever needed help, Chester stood up.
Kylus clenched his fists, his face tense.
He stood staring intently at Lillian’s door.
“Kyle, shall we go in now?”
Yurenia gently asked the boy, who was rooted in front of the door.
Today, at last, Kylus and Lillian would meet.
Both the physician and Rex had said Lillian had improved greatly and could now meet Kylus.
The siblings of House Valerio no longer had to stay apart.
Yurenia had shared the news with Maeve and Kylus.
Kylus had been so excited after hearing it last night that he couldn’t sleep. And as soon as morning came, he rushed straight to Lillian’s room.
But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to open the door.
He took deep breaths over and over, steadying himself.
After a long moment, he looked at Yurenia with sparkling eyes.
“Teacher, I’m really nervous.”
“Shall I open the door for you?”
“…Yeah.”
After a brief hesitation, Kylus nodded.
It seemed like his heart would burst if he tried to open it himself.
Yurenia smiled softly and knocked first.
From inside, Maeve responded as if she had been waiting.
“Come in.”
Yurenia gently placed a hand on Kylus’s shoulder, giving him a small push to encourage him.
When she opened the door, the room quietly revealed itself.
What had once been a bare room with only a bed and a nightstand now had a sofa and small decorations.
While caring for Lillian, Yurenia had frequently given her soft dolls and toys.
Because of that, the once bleak room had become cozy and fitting for a young girl.
Lillian was sitting up in bed, leaning back, with Maeve beside her. The small girl was partly hidden behind Maeve.
At that moment, Yurenia and Maeve made eye contact. Maeve, who had been feeding Lillian, gestured to them.
“Come in, both of you.”
“…Okay.”
Kylus barely managed to answer and remained standing.
Even at his mother’s call, he couldn’t step past the threshold.
Perhaps it was because this place had long been forbidden to him—or because he remembered being rejected by his mother before.
The boy fidgeted, clenching and unclenching his small hands.
“Mom… can I come in?”
“Of course, Kyle.”
Maeve stood up and walked toward him, taking his hand and gently leading him inside.
“There.”
With his mother’s help, Kylus finally stepped into Lillian’s room. He walked awkwardly toward the bed.
Lillian looked at him and smiled softly.
Having spent so long bedridden, she still looked pale—but she was clearly much better than before.
“Big brother.”
“….”
“Big brother?”
Lillian called out to him, but he didn’t respond. He simply stared at her.
Even when she called again, he kept his gaze fixed on her as if he hadn’t heard.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
Watching from behind, Yurenia tilted her head.
Just last night, he had been so excited to see Lillian again. Why was he frozen now?
“Kyle, big brother…”
“Sniff…”
At that moment—
Kylus’s small shoulders trembled, and a sob escaped him.
Maeve and Yurenia exchanged startled glances.
“Li—hic—Lili…”
Crying, Kylus pulled his sister into a hug and burst into tears. His loud sobbing filled the room.
“Waaah…!”
“O-Oppa… why are you crying… sniff…”
As Kylus cried, Lillian—still not understanding—began to tear up as well in his arms.
And soon, she started crying with him.
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