Chapter 31
At my answer, Adolf nodded slightly and continued.
“So, he ran away. But as the seven years passed, A slowly came to realize something.”
“……”
“That giving up doesn’t mean his father would give up on him too.”
At those words, I suddenly thought of the Duke and Nick, and swallowed hard.
He went on.
“Everything remained the same. He thought that if he just hid and waited, time would pass and everything would settle down without him—but it wasn’t like that.”
Adolf’s face looked weary.
“Everyone was waiting for A. And they were all getting tired. Nothing had been resolved, no one’s heart had calmed. A felt guilt, frustration that things weren’t improving, and helplessness.”
“……”
“And finally, he reached a moment of choice. To go back and face it all again, or to keep waiting and postponing everything as he had before.”
He gave a faint, wry smile.
“And this time, he knows—if he delays again, he may never go back for the rest of his life.”
At that moment, I realized something. What Adolf truly wanted from me wasn’t an answer to a question—he was seeking courage.
His little “outing” was coming to an end. And now he would have to return and endure life once more as the Third Prince.
What he feared was the weight of that position, the conflicts he would face among his family, and the pain of living through it all again.
He wanted to borrow from me the courage to face it.
The image of my own overlapping situation shattered. I reached out and took his hand.
“My goodness, Adolf—you can do this.”
“……”
“Don’t be afraid. You have the strength to overcome any conflict. You’re the most genuine and honest person I’ve ever met. Do you realize how powerful that is?”
Adolf looked at me, his eyes trembling. Then he asked softly,
“…Do you really think I’m someone with that kind of strength?”
“Of course I do. I swear it on my name, Adolf—you have that strength.”
I continued,
“My name is Cassia.”
“…Cassia?”
“Yes. Cassia Bennet. That’s my name.”
I nodded as I spoke. He stared at me, dazed.
Since he had revealed his true identity to me, it was only fair that I do the same.
“Seven years ago, my friend died, and I married Duke Hydrian. I became the Duchess of Hydrian. The children are all grown now, and I’ve left that house.”
“…I see.”
At hearing my identity, surprise and composure mingled in his gaze. Then he let out a small laugh.
“I had begun to suspect it for some time, but to think you really are that duchess—it feels strange.”
“It’s not much of a name, but I felt I should say it. It’s all I have to offer you.”
“……”
“You can do it. Trust my intuition. I’m certain you’re someone with that kind of power.”
I smiled at him. He looked at me with an expression full of emotion.
“Cassia.”
He murmured my name several times, as if tasting it on his tongue.
“To think you’d stake your name on my existence… it’s such an honor.”
After that, I stayed up talking with Adolf until dawn approached.
Just as he’d said, there was no awkwardness between us after revealing our identities.
Perhaps because we had already sensed who each other truly was—or simply because we already saw each other as friends.
Our conversation didn’t feel any different from before, still filled with laughter.
Adolf enjoyed the food I had brought.
Though it must have cooled and lost some of its flavor, he ate every bite with such sincerity that I couldn’t help feeling proud.
When I looked at him with a pleased smile, he laughed, saying even his mother never looked at him that way. He didn’t forget to thank me, either.
By the time he finished eating, dawn was coming.
“The sun will rise soon,” Adolf said, looking toward the window, at the brightening streets outside.
“It’s time for you to go back now, Cassia.”
“……”
“If people find out you’ve been hiding and helping me all this time while everyone is searching for me, it won’t reflect well on you. I don’t want to make things harder for you—so you should go.”
“I understand.”
I agreed. If I got into trouble, so would he. I had been thinking it was time to leave anyway.
I picked up my empty basket and stood. He rose too, as if to see me off, and led me to the tent’s entrance.
“I had a great time today. I’ll be going, then. …Ah, but Adolf.”
As I opened the door and felt the cool morning air, I turned back.
There was one last thing weighing on my mind.
“What will you do now?”
It didn’t feel right to just leave him there.
The borders of Laurencia were tightly guarded—no one could easily escape.
So before we parted, I wanted to know his plan.
“I have something in mind.”
He smiled faintly at my question, meeting my eyes with a calm expression.
“Thank you for today. Because of you, I’ve made up my mind.”
He gestured for me to go quickly.
The tent, and the figure within it, gradually faded from view as I walked away.
I turned back several times to look.
And just as I was walking away, he called out to me:
“See you later, Cassia.”
“……!”
I turned back—but the tent had already vanished completely.
“See you later, Cassia.”
All the way back, I kept thinking about those final words.
See you later.
What did he mean by that?
The last look on his face had been one of relief—
The kind of lightness that only comes when someone has finally made a hard decision.
I had a bad feeling.
…Could it be that he really intended to reveal his identity?
But after a while, I found myself laughing softly.
If it were Arwin—no, Adolf—he would surely make the right choice.
Despite his mischievous smile, I knew he was wise and intelligent.
My anxiety eased a little, though my heart still pounded on the way back.
After all, I had just shared my true identity with him, and the thrill of sneaking out like this had my adrenaline racing.
It was still dim outside when I finally reached my house safely, avoiding the knights’ eyes.
I fully opened the window I’d left slightly ajar and slipped inside.
Just as I was about to close it behind me—
I froze. Reflected in the glass was someone else’s face.
I turned sharply.
“……!”
Duke Hydrian was watching me.
He was sitting in a chair. My heart dropped to my stomach as I stared at him, my mind racing.
When had he entered my room? How long had he been here? What did he want?
I forced my face to stay calm, though confusion swirled inside me.
After confirming with his own eyes that I’d returned, he glanced at the clock, then spoke.
“Out for a walk at dawn, were you?”
“……”
His eyes narrowed at me, filled with suspicion.
I was still rattled, but I refused to show any nervousness. Straightening my back, I replied,
“Yes. It’s suffocating, always being accompanied by knights whenever I step outside. You might as well lock me up.”
“In the past, your every step was followed by knights and maids just the same.”
“That was in the past. I’m no longer your duchess, am I? Though, of course, that won’t be official until Your Grace signs the divorce papers.”
I set the basket down naturally in a corner. He watched me in silence.
A tense quiet filled the room—then suddenly, he asked an unexpected question.
“Are you seeing Count Allison?”
“……”
That wasn’t the question I’d expected. I thought he’d ask where I’d been—but this?
Still, it was a good sign. It meant the knights had reported my story accurately. I smiled faintly.
“No one’s confessed first, but let’s say there’s mutual affection.”
“I heard you threatened him, saying you wouldn’t tolerate any invasion of privacy.”
“Was that wrong? Watching me sneak out of windows at dawn should tell you how stifled I’ve been.”
Whatever happens, happens.
For some reason, that’s how I always felt when facing the Duke lately.
No matter what words I used, what actions I took, or who I met—this was my life.
The moment anyone tried to control it, I couldn’t bear it.
My life and my freedom—I couldn’t allow anyone to take them away.
My defiance was the bare minimum defense I had left to protect them.
