CH 64

"Is that true?"

Suspicious, Wells questioned Elliot, who shrugged it off nonchalantly in return. 

"Why do I feel that it seems like you want it to be true?"

"It's not like that..."

Wells' slightly dark red eyes were trained on Ilya.

Duke Proud followed that gaze and moved onto the baron's daughter.

Her face, which had turned pale and bluish at Elliot's denial, turned ferocious as she met Elliot's eyes.

"Duke Proud, why are you ignoring me? You must have lied on purpose! The Duke said that I must look in the Honeywell family for---!"

A single brow of Elliot's rose, unimpressed.

He took a step forward, letting out a strip of aura that lashed against Ilya's senses in case she tried to divulge his secrets.

Growing up in a peaceful environment where there was no need to witness death like any other daughter of a noble family, Ilya immediately kept her mouth shut under the pressure exerted by Elliot's aura.

I want to continue with the retelling of the story that I promised Elliot I wouldn't say, but the words won't come out.

While Ilya was forced into silence, unable to speak, Elliot approached with a wide stride.

Standing in front of Ilya's nose, Elliot raised his hand and placed it lightly on her shoulder.

"Young Lady Titonsser seems to have a kind heart, so it seems she couldn't just pass by the worries I spoke about. It looks like I've caused some trouble with Duke Honeywell. I apologize."

Elliot stopped his hand on Ilya's shoulder and turned to Wells.

"It looks like this happened because of a small misunderstanding, so please don't criticize Lady Titonsser too much."

Wells' face shifted into a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

Elliot had made his move before Wells could, leading the direction of the situation into a favorable position for himself. It was as if he were three steps ahead of him.

"Were you the same person as the one I spoke to the last time?"

Elliot's footsteps were stopped by Ilya's quietly spoken question from behind, causing him to sigh deeply.

...It seems Ilya Titonsser tends to dream up quite big dreams, favoring herself.

Ilya's voice was so low that even Wells, who stood not far from them, probably couldn't hear.

Elliot pretended not to hear and took another step away.

Catching on to the fact that he might have missed something, Wells' features hardened.

Elliot quickly turned around after witnessing Wells' stiff expression as a strange feeling pierced his skin.

The men's eyes were focused on Ilya, who remained standing tall and bowing her head.

The baron's daughter stood motionless, tightly holding onto the hem of her skirt. Even though she was just standing still, something strangely unpleasant emitted from her.

What is that spirit like---?!

Elliot shook his head, not daring to finish his thought.

"Lady Titonsser?"

Elliot heard Wells' voice calling out to Ilya from behind.

Elliot stared at the woman without blinking.

The temperature in the office, where the warm heat of the fireplace lingered, plummeted drastically.

No, the firewood in the fireplace is still burning. It might be an illusion that the temperature has dropped.

Ilya, who had been lowering her head, slowly looked up.

Her eyes, originally an emerald green, reminiscent of a midsummer forest, had now become pigmented with darkness, like a deep abyss and not a forest.

Elliot felt his stomach twist as his eyes met those dark eyes.

He knew very well what the cause of that feeling was.

Stupid. You couldn't even do the simple command I gave you?

Elliot's mouth twitched as he sneered.

"Lady Titonsser, what are you doing?"

Perhaps Wells also sensed that Ilya behaved out of the ordinary, so he approached with caution.

Elliot reached out and stopped Wells from reaching Ilya.

"It's better not to get close."

"Duke Proud, the priority now is to take a look at her condition, yes?"

"Do as I say. The energy emanating from her---"

In that brief moment when Elliot, slightly annoyed, looked away from Ilya to Wells, it struck.

Elliot violently shoved Wells, who was close to killing him with frustration, as he ran and threw himself out of the way.

The floor where he had just been standing was mutilated, as if a large claw had gouged at it.

Elliot, who confirmed it with his own eyes, clicked his tongue slightly.

I hoped it wasn't as I assumed, but it was just as I had guessed.

"Lady Titonsser!!!"

An urgent shout came from Wells, who had been pushed by Elliot.

Ilya ran to the window of the office and opened the window with a rough tug. The window opened slightly, revealing a narrow slit.

The gap was wide enough for a petite person of Ilya's stature to pass through, rather than a large person such as Wells or Elliot.

"Lady Titonsser, what are you trying to do now?!"

Wells yelled out in fright. However, there was no answer from Ilya.

Elliot did not stop the lady. Instead, he just watched with his arms crossed.

Standing on the window sill, Ilya raised her foot without hesitation.

Wells' breath caught in surprise at the deliberate action, as if she would leap through the narrow gap at any moment.

A jump from his office wouldn't be safe, as it sat on the third floor.

Ilya, who until a moment ago remained silent as she stood on the window sill ledge, abruptly turned her head as her darkened eyes locked onto the watching form of Elliot Proud.

Their eyes met for a very short time before, without another word, Ilya threw herself out the window without hesitation.

"Lady Titonsser!"

Calling out the name of the deranged woman, Wells raced to the window.

Wells' gaze hardened as he leaned against the window sill and looked down.

Seeing Wells' unusual reaction, Elliot followed suit.

Standing beside Wells, Elliot glanced down the window ledge.

What should have been a mangled body after facing death by jumping out of the window was nowhere to be seen.

Elliot's fingers lightly tapped the window frame.

"How is this...? Where did she go?"

Wells was uncharacteristically flustered, as he was unable to give an explanation.

If he was genuinely clueless like Wells, Elliott would have been surprised as well.

But he was not, so Elliot raised his chin and glanced sideways at Wells, who stood next to him.

"Lady Titonsser disappeared instantly. Did she even know how to use magic to begin with?"

"Of course not. I've never heard of such a thing, let alone from Baron Titonsser."

"But if it's not magic, how can I accept the situation where she just disappeared into thin air?"

"What the hell is going on?"

Wells rubbed his forehead and murmured softly.

Elliot cast his gaze through the window, towards the pathway, just in time to see a carriage rattling through the large iron gates of Honeywell Manor.

The splendid patterns engraved on the carriage belonged to the Imperial Family.

"Are there any guests coming from the Imperial Family?"

Elliot's questioning tone belatedly drew Wells' attention to the oncoming carriage.

"Is it time for Rose to come back already? She came back sooner than I expected."

The eyes of the two did not leave the carriage as it rode to the manor.

The carriage stopped in front of the front door of the manor, and before the coachman could open the door, it was opened violently as an unexpected person rushed out.

"Your Majesty?"

From Wells' surprised voice, Elliot knew that Russell's visit was unscheduled.

And from the appearance of Rose trailing in the emperor's steps, it was clear that the emperor had not come for something as simple as a relaxing neighborhood walk.

Not long after, Rose and Russell paced into the office.

Seeing Russell and Rose enter the office side by side, Elliot couldn't erase the unpleasant emotions that welled up inside him.

"Brother!"

Rose, with tears welling up in her ruby-red eyes, ran to Wells and fell into his arms.

Wells was bewildered but gently patted Rose's shoulder.

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

Rose's shaky hands gripped Wells's arms pitifully.

"Brother. Isn't it me who should ask what happened, brother?"

"Something happened to me? I was working in the office just a moment ago."

"What about Ilya? Didn't Ilya Titonsser do something?"

Wells' shoulders trembled. It was only for a moment, but Rose, noticing Wells' reaction, shook his arm lightly as if urging him to confess every sin that was done to him by Lady Titonsser.

"What is it? Where is Ilya now? Is she still in the manor?"

"My Rose, calm down for now."

Rose looked like she was about to go out of her mind.

As if she were being chased by someone... or more like she is still being chased.

She seemed to have lost her composure.

Wells calmed Rose down, but it was too much stimulation for her to bear.

It was only after hearing Russell's voice warmly and affectionately calling out to her that Rose finally calmed down.

Suddenly, Russell stepped up behind Rose and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Lady Honeywell, Wells is safely in front of you. You don't have to be agitated and on guard."

"Yes... I don't know how to stop..."

Slowly but surely, Rose calmed down.

Wells looked back and forth between Rose and Russell.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what happened to Rose in the Imperial Palace?"

Russell's gaze briefly touched Elliot, then fell away.

The gaze did not mean for him to leave the seat and exit the room. Rather, it was for him to stay there and listen.

Recognizing this, Elliot stood firm in his place and waited for Russell to speak.

However, Russell's words were directed at Wells, not Elliot.

"The accident that happened to Lady Honeywell at the hunting festival."

"Wasn't that a mistake by Rose and Lady Titonsser when they went out for a walk?"

"No. It was done on purpose to endanger Lady Honeywell's life."

"What?! What do you...? It's intentional? How...? No, why did someone take Rose---"

Wells' strong frame staggered as the reality of what could have happened to his beloved sister caused fear to rush through his veins and weaken his knees. Rose panicked and grabbed Wells' arm.

"Brother, are you okay?"

"That is what I should ask you, Rose. Was it intentional? It was meant to put you in danger on purpose?! Who the hell would dare---!!!"

Wells' face went white, as if he had come back alive from the brink of death.

What will my older brother think if I mention Ilya Titonsser's name?

Whatever the reason, it was Brother himself who brought Ilya, this hidden danger, to Honeywell Manor.

Rose stared at Wells' face, judging his expression, before she slowly opened her mouth.

"Ilya Titonsser."

"..."

"The day the hunting event began, Ilya put me in danger by spilling pheromones that attracted wild beasts."

Seeing Wells in shock, Rose struggled to continue, but whether she was hesitant or not, Wells had to know the truth.

He has to know how terrifying Ilya was when she came to Honeywell Manor, with that innocent and tender face hiding the cruelty that lurked underneath. 

"And she's the one who got Stanley Gardner to kidnap me."

Eventually, the toll of the unexpected truth caused Wells' body to collapse. Along with Wells, who collapsed due to weakness in his legs, Rose also collapsed.

Thump.

Wells, sitting on the floor, didn't say anything. His face expressed how utterly lost and stunned he truly felt.

Rose called him after a brief interval.

"Brother...?"

Only then did Wells slowly look at Rose. His large hand cupped her delicate, fair cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you ask me for help? Why were you carrying everything alone?"

"I didn't know either. I learned about the details of the hunting festival while talking with His Majesty today."

"I... I brought Lady Titonsser to our home and put you in danger, Rose."

"Brother..."

"I keep wronging you like this."

Rose shook her head vigorously.

"No! How dare you say that my brother did something wrong!"

"Rose, if I had paid attention to the letter you sent me, if I had followed your will and not taken her in..."

Wells recounted the moment he read the letter Rose had sent to him at Touga Mines shortly before his return.

In the letter, Rose stated that she wanted to cancel her engagement to Elliot, and when he returned to the capital, she told him not to stop by Baron Titonsser's estate, no matter what.

Rose held Wells' hand tightly.

"Brother. It was unavoidable. There was a carriage accident, and it was dangerous to travel in that devastating storm. It's not brother's fault that Ilya Titonsser came to Honeywell Manor. I do not resent my brother. I've never had a single bit of resentment for you in my heart!"