Chapter 69
“Marquis?”
I looked up at Layton, stunned, thanks to his tall, commanding presence.
Seeing him for the first time since I woke from the hospital bed, he looked sharper, as if he had lost weight, his features more angular than before.
‘Has it been… just a week?’
I stared blankly at him, trying to recall the last time I had seen him.
I had been unconscious for roughly a week, and even after I woke, I hadn’t seen him for about another week.
Perhaps it was because the full moon was approaching, or maybe because tracking down the source of the monsters was more exhausting than expected, he looked unusually tired.
“I heard you weren’t at the mansion. I didn’t expect to find you here.”
Instead of asking how I was doing, his first words were about why I was here. He seemed… angry.
I couldn’t understand his emotions, but I answered cheerfully out of relief at seeing him again.
“I had business with Deon. And what brings you here, Marquis?”
Layton’s piercing blue gaze shifted toward Deon. Deon flinched under his haughty, scrutinizing stare.
Layton stared at Deon for a long moment, then raised his eyebrows in clear disapproval.
“I had business at the Reinhardt estate as well. If I had known Lady Selena was here, I would have come with you. Especially since you’re not feeling well.”
“No, I heard you’ve been busy lately, Marquis. I can manage on my own. Besides, I’m here to see Deon.”
“…Then it would have been better if you had come with me.”
His stiff, pursed lips made it hard to hear his words. I wanted to ask again, but Deon stepped forward first.
“Greetings, Marquis Zains. I am Deon Reinhardt.”
“I am aware.”
Layton, who usually displayed perfect noble etiquette, responded curtly, uncharacteristically blunt.
The atmosphere felt tense. I just stood there, eyes rolling helplessly, unsure of what to do.
“You didn’t come to see me, then. You came to see my brother?”
Yet Deon didn’t back down. His innocent, clear eyes reflected a quiet competitiveness.
He asked Layton directly, unbothered by his indifferent tone.
Layton nodded expressionlessly and said nothing further.
It was a blatant act of ignoring anyone who looked on.
He stepped back, extending a hand toward me, as if observing the situation.
I stared at his large, scarred hand.
He inched it forward, and when I hesitated after glancing at Deon, Layton muttered quietly.
“It’s been just a week, and you won’t even shake my hand?”
The slump in his shoulders and the droop of his lips were completely different from his interaction with Deon.
Caught off guard by the sudden change in mood, Deon let out a short, exasperated sigh.
Before Layton could speak again, I quickly grabbed his hand.
His hand was unusually cold and icy.
The moment he felt my grip, he turned immediately, leaving me unable to say goodbye to Deon. I gave a frantic nod and a silent wave.
Unbothered, Layton strode forward with no hesitation.
Sensing my flustered pace, he slowed to match my steps.
On our way to the carriage, I worriedly asked,
“Didn’t you just arrive? You said you had business here.”
“I did, but it no longer exists. There’s nothing else to do here.”
“Weren’t you coming to see Prince Carion Reinhardt?”
He stopped abruptly while helping me into the carriage. His eyes narrowed, silently questioning how I knew about Carion.
“I met Prince Carion Reinhardt earlier at the training grounds. It’s my first time seeing him today.”
“You’re still not fully recovered, yet you’re going everywhere.”
His unusually blunt remark made me blink.
It was clear that Layton was in a bad mood.
“Are you in a bad mood today? Or just tired?”
Considering the stress of tracking monsters, it was understandable.
I gently patted his other hand, the one not holding mine, as if to show understanding.
“I heard you’ve been dealing with some troublesome matters recently. The Emperor asked you to handle them… Why did you?”
“It’s work that only I could do. And that monster’s… actions…”
He noticed I caught him cursing under his breath and immediately shut his mouth.
I shrugged slightly to show it was fine, and he continued.
“There’s a mastermind behind it. Finding them is my current priority.”
“So… I don’t know if it was okay to leave like this. You didn’t come to fetch me, after all.”
“…Let’s leave it at that.”
Stubborn as always, I eventually got into the carriage without protest.
The carriage, adorned with the emblem of the Bennett Duchy, started off smoothly.
“Marquis!”
Many welcomed the Marquis back to the mansion after such a long absence.
“You’re back.”
“…Good day.”
Gold-haired Ailili ran about, scattering in her excitement, while Hyle and Aron greeted him.
“You came with my sister? I’ve missed you so much!”
With her straightforward and adorable way of speaking, Layton smiled faintly.
“You missed me?”
“Of course! You’ve been so busy, I almost forgot your face!”
Watching them quietly converse, Hyle came up to me and asked softly,
“How did you come back together?”
“I met at the Reinhardt estate. I think they had business there.”
“Have you eaten?”
“I have, but I’m not sure about the Marquis. Could you prepare something? I’ll eat a little too.”
Hyle hurried to the kitchen, eager to prepare a meal for Layton.
As I watched him, Ailili, dangling from Layton’s arm, spoke.
“Oh! Sister, Aron wants to tell you something.”
“Huh? To me?”
Both Layton and I turned to Aron.
He hesitated, his glasses perched on his nose, then adjusted them nervously.
Ailili waved him over persistently.
Reluctantly, he responded with a quick shake of his head.
“You want to tell me something?”
Finally, unable to refuse, Aron mumbled, barely audible,
“Yes. It’s a bit difficult to discuss here.”
He glanced at Layton as he spoke, clearly wary of him.
‘If not for that, maybe it’s something Layton shouldn’t hear.’
“Alright. Then we’ll meet in my room after dinner.”
“Thank you.”
He bowed deeply and turned away.
Layton, who had been quietly observing, approached me and asked,
“May I listen as well?”
“Marquis?”
Aron didn’t seem pleased with Layton’s presence.
And the fact that Aron was an agent of the Empress was something only Ailili and I knew.
I frowned awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. I think this is something Aron wants to tell me alone.”
“That’s fine. I just worry for Lady Selena’s safety. You’ve been involved in so many dangerous situations lately…”
I thumped my chest in frustration.
I had a lot to say, but I couldn’t argue.
Indeed, my recent days had been perilously close to disaster.
Hyle informed us that dinner would take some time, but Ailili immediately begged me for a walk.
Apparently, she hadn’t been able to spend time with Aron recently.
I tried to tell her that the Marquis might be tired, but she ignored me completely.
Layton enthusiastically agreed with the idea of a walk.
In the end, the three of us walked slowly, hand in hand, under a sky tinged with the soft light of the setting sun.
The evening breeze, cool but sweet, tousled Layton’s light brown hair.
Ailili’s giggles filled the air as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Holding hands and smiling together, I watched the scene from a step behind, feeling a peaceful happiness.
It felt as if only the three of us existed in the world, a perfect moment I wanted to treasure forever, capturing it in my memory like a painting.
