Chapter 87

“No, I too had it when I was young,” a nostalgic glint shone in Bertha’s eyes as she turned the mobile around in her hand.

“Pardon?” Ilyin could help her widened eyes.

If this was something that her grandmother had received when she was young, then it was safe to assume that it was a couple of decades old. This was quite hard to believe seeing as how the mobile didn’t show any signs of being weathered down by time.

The box-shaped accessory made of cloth in which the mobile came was in perfect condition. While the mobile wasn’t necessarily an item that was meant to be handled repeatedly, the fact that it was preserved so well through so many decades was shocking to Ilyin.

“You can hand it down to your daughter as well,” said Bertha, a fond smile playing on her lips.

“It’s a family heirloom?” Ilyin asked, still in awe at the object in front of her that had managed to elude the effects of time.

“When my mother was given this, she was instructed to hand down the mobile if I too saw the mobile in my dreams,” Bertha spoke reminiscently.

“Then you see this mobile in your dreams too, grandmother?” asked Ilyin.

“Of course,” Bertha said matter-of-factly, “As did my mother and your mother too.”

As Ilyin’s mom never allowed her to speak about anything even remotely related to foresights, there was no way Ilyin would’ve heard about this. Ilyin looked at the mobile again.

“I don’t like dreams but-”

Bertha sighed and she spoke after looking at the mobile, “I was hoping you wouldn’t see the mobile.”

‘Cursing blood that dreams.’ Ilyin remembered how her grandmother had referred to their ability when she was little. That voice was deeply embedded in her memory for some reason. She thought it was pointed at her.

The mobile that looked brand new shook heavily at the smallest of movement. It was a wonder how despite being so thin that it was see-through, the cloth covering it managed to protect the mobile from any hint of damage.

As Ilyin was a noble, she was knowledgeable on the different types of clothes, but this was the first time Ilyin had ever come across a fabric of this nature.

“I know it’s a mobile but…” she trailed off as she put down the mobile and lifted one of the accessories to observe, the material was softer than she expected. She tilted her head a little as she observed the blue accessory by turning it side to side. The purple reflection it emitted when light streamed through was a familiar sight.

“Huh?” Ilyin creased her eyebrows.

Realization quickly dawned on her as stretched out her hand to the side. She grabbed the blue cloth which she now recognized was the same as the one that the warm region had stopped using as it was no longer cold.

The cloth that was a divine item that belonged to the Blue North. She put the cloth beside the mobile’s blue accessory and as she did, both began to reflect the purple light in a similar manner.

“This is—”

Before she could complete her sentence, Ilyin was interrupted by the sound of someone’s arrival at her door.

“Ilyin.”

Etra and the other Delrose knights disguised as maids were posted in front of Ilyin’s door. There was only one person who could call out her name without having to worry about the guards.

“Den?” Ilyin looked up at the door in surprise. She was told that Aden would be late as he had other businesses to take care of.

“Can I excuse myself for a moment?” Ilyin looked at Bertha for permission as she got up.

“Of course,” Bertha nodded.

The relatively small room she was currently at was one that she used to live in when she stayed at the Arlen Mansion. The Delrose maids upon seeing the room had hurriedly tried to fix it up as best as they could. They insisted that they couldn’t have Ilyin stay in such a room.

Ilyin walked towards the door to open it but Aden beat her to it as he entered the room. The squeaky sound that usually accompanied the opening of the door was heard no longer as the maids had oiled up the door during their quest to make the room more worthy of Ilyin.

Aden upon entering politely greeted Bertha. Bertha responded with a playful smile. Behind him stood Idith and Milo. Though Milo was dressed in a servant’s garb, there was no way that Ilyin wouldn’t recognize him.

Why was someone who should have been at Acid Merchant here? Was it something urgent? Ilyin couldn’t help wondering.

Aden briefly scanned the room, the distaste evident in his face. He wasn’t too pleased that Ilyin was staying in such room, and it was a reasonable feeling. It was too small and old of a room for Ilyin to use but due to the traditions of the nobles, Ilyin, who hosted the funeral, couldn’t stay outside of the mansion.

“This was actually my room before,” Ilyin said quietly.

Aden briefly found himself unable to hide his emotions at that statement. Ilyin lowered her head in embarrassment. For Aden who lived in the Biflten Mansion as the Duke of Winter, she knew how this room would look to him. Little did she know that the emotion Aden felt was completely different to what Ilyin thought.

“You lived in a place like this for twenty years.” Aden’s voice came out forced as his jaw was clenched.

The biggest emotion he felt was anger towards Viscount Arlen. He knew well how Ilyin lived in the Arlen Mansion and would receive the reports from Milo and sometimes from Ilyin herself but he just now realized how little he knew as he had never imagined that things would be this bad.

He had to try his best to conceal his anger in front of Ilyin. As Aden looked around the room again, he could feel his anger bubbling up and threatening to show.

Aden took a deep breath and collected his emotions before he spoke, “I received a message a moment ago.”

He paused for a bit as he remembered the words that he carefully chose on his way to Ilyin. He knew Ilyin would be surprised regardless but he wanted to make the conversation as easy on her as possible.

“I think we’ll have to return earlier,” Aden said, looking rather guilty.

Ilyin’s mouth opened a little. Something must have happened in the winter region. Ilyin thought immediately. It felt like her heart dropped.

“Perhaps, did something happen at the mansion?” Ilyin asked, her voice filled with concern.

Aden had anticipated that Ilyin would catch on soon. He stretched his arm and gently stroked her tense shoulders.

“Nothing with the mansion, but something did happen to Elo.”

They have to return to winter quickly. Is the future that I foresaw coming? The thought of it formed knots in Ilyin’s stomach and quickened the beating of her heart.