Chapter 24

A chilling aura swept through the corridor.

‘Ah.’

It wasn’t simply that Heinox couldn’t believe in gods.

‘He hates them.’

He denied the very existence of the gods that had taken his wife away from him.

‘This is… dangerous.’

The Empire had been founded jointly by the first Emperor and the Goddess Artana, which made the goddess far more than just a spiritual symbol to the people of the Empire.

‘But if people discovered that the head of House Tanzeric—the commander of the imperial army—denied the gods, they definitely wouldn’t stay quiet about it.’

They could accuse him of having his mind clouded by dark magic or curses, or claim he doubted the legitimacy of the imperial family that founded the Empire.

And then people would inevitably begin calling it treason.

‘What if someone overheard that?’

I hurriedly looked around, but it didn’t seem like anyone had heard the conversation between Heinox and me.

‘He blocked the sound.’

Sword Masters who surpassed a certain level could distort space itself using sword aura.

He had probably twisted the space around us so the servants couldn’t hear.

‘That cold sensation appears whenever sword aura is used.’

Once I confirmed no one had overheard Heinox denying the gods, I let out a sigh of relief.

Hearing that sigh, Heinox lifted me back into his arms and asked,

“Are you tired?”

“N-No! I’m fine!”

‘So put me down already!’

But perhaps Heinox couldn’t hear my desperate plea, because he only held me more firmly.

“I-I’m really okay….”

“You’re still trembling.”

“Ah….”

The cold aura Heinox had released earlier must have affected this small body more than I realized, because the trembling still hadn’t stopped.

“Stay in my arms like this.”

At the firm way Heinox completely secured my legs and back in his hold, I gave up resisting.

‘Fine. Do whatever you want.’

“Okaay….”

“We’ve arrived, my lord.”

The coachman, who had been waiting beside the carriage at the Imperial Palace stables, hurried over after stopping the carriage.

As the coachman opened the door, Heinox lifted me up into the carriage.

“Duke.”

‘Who’s that?’

When I turned toward the voice behind us, Heinox met my eyes and said,

“Stay inside.”

Then he shut the carriage door and turned away.

‘Tch. How cold.’

I became curious about the owner of that voice. From inside the carriage, Heinox’s body blocked my view, so I stretched my neck toward the window to peek outside.

“Kedrick Bruant.”

“I was disappointed to hear you returned to your territory so quickly after coming to the capital recently, but I’m glad I could meet you like this.”

The man Heinox called Kedrick Bruant had brown hair, green eyes, and an exceptionally gentle appearance.

He seemed genuinely delighted to run into Heinox after missing him at the banquet.

“What do you want?”

But as always, Heinox regarded Kedrick with an icy expression.

‘Seriously.’

He was someone who never gave even the slightest opening. Clicking my tongue internally, I looked at Kedrick with sympathy.

“I didn’t come for any particular matter. I merely heard that Your Grace had visited the palace.”

Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of awkwardness on Kedrick’s face.

‘Rather than embarrassed… he’s smooth about it.’

It was obvious he already knew Heinox wouldn’t behave warmly.

“To be honest, when I heard you had come to the capital, I intended to visit you sooner, but… well, Your Grace already knows.”

“The succession issue?”

“Yes. There’s been quite a bit demanding my attention because of that.”

Kedrick briefly furrowed his eyes with a bitter expression before quickly returning to his relaxed demeanor.

Then he peeked around Heinox to look at me watching from the carriage.

“Is that the young lady?”

“Ah…!”

I hurriedly tried to straighten myself, but my heavy head tipped me forward instead.

“Tch.”

Heinox caught me before I could tumble out and clicked his tongue.

“I told you to stay inside.”

“Hehe….”

Embarrassed, I scratched my head awkwardly and could only laugh.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Lady.”

As Kedrick looked at me cradled in Heinox’s arms, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“Young Lady… you resemble the Duke greatly.”

Then, after looking into my eyes, he let out another impressed murmur.

“Even your eyes are exactly the same.”

‘Yeah. I know, I know.’

Unlike Chedman, who looked exactly like Priscilla, or Renzard, who resembled a perfect mix of both Priscilla and Heinox, there wasn’t a trace of Priscilla in me at all.

‘I know I don’t look like Priscilla.’

Cute appearance aside, I looked nothing like the beloved Priscilla.

Hair black as the night sky, vivid blue eyes, and sharply upturned eyes.

There wasn’t a single trace of Priscilla’s soft and gentle features anywhere.

‘At least I could’ve inherited blonde hair.’

Unfortunately, even my facial features strongly resembled the Duke.

‘If I looked more like Priscilla, maybe the people who loved her would suffer a little less.’

Thinking of the servants who still missed Priscilla, I suddenly lowered my head under a strange sense of guilt.

“I know… I don’t look anything like Mom….”

‘Gasp!’

The words I had only meant to think slipped out before I realized it, and I quickly clapped both hands over my mouth.

‘Am I insane?!’

I must have momentarily lost my mind after bringing up Priscilla in front of Heinox.

As my eyes darted nervously, Kedrick noticed and hurriedly waved both hands.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that! I only meant that you resemble the Duke very much—”

“Isn’t that natural for a daughter?”

Heinox, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke slowly.

“I suppose the marquis’s son doesn’t resemble his father, then.”

At Heinox’s sharp response, Kedrick stumbled over himself trying to explain.

“Your Grace, I merely meant the two of you looked close—”

Seeing Kedrick flustered and apologizing because of my mistake made me feel guilty.

‘This is all because I unnecessarily brought up Priscilla….’

If this was my fault, then I should fix it myself.

Steadying my trembling voice, I spoke.

“D-Duke.”

At my small voice, Heinox lowered his head to look at me.

After taking another deep breath, I said,

“Kedrick didn’t do anything wrong. I-I was the one who made a mistake first, so… please scold me instead.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for Heinox to yell at me, but what came instead was something entirely unexpected.

“What did you do wrong?”

‘Huh?’

Wondering if I had misheard, I blinked blankly, but Heinox repeated himself.

“I asked what you did wrong.”

“Uh….”

If I had done something wrong, then…

“I-I brought up Mother…?”

At my cautious answer, Heinox’s expression darkened even further.

‘W-Was that not it?’

I hurriedly reviewed everything I’d done wrong.

‘I mentioned Priscilla, and called her Mother… that must be the problem!’

Heinox clearly hated hearing me call Priscilla “Mother.”

‘Calling my mother “Mother” shouldn’t be wrong, but….’

From Heinox’s perspective, the person responsible for his wife’s death using that title might seem shameless.

‘Unable to call my mother my mother….’

Priscilla was undeniably my mother, but her being my biological mother and me actually calling her “Mother” were two separate issues.

‘Fine. It feels unfair, but I should apologize.’

Suppressing my frustration, I spoke.

“Was it because I called her Mom…?”

At that, Heinox tightened the arm supporting me.

“I-I’m sorry. I spoke carelessly—”

“That’s enough.”

At Heinox’s firm voice, I instantly shut my mouth.

“Young Master Bruant. I believe it’s time for us to leave.”

Kedrick, who had been staring at the two of us in confusion, startled back to his senses.

“Ah, yes! I should return to my duties as well.”

Then he turned to me and smiled faintly.

“It was an honor to meet you, Young Lady.”

After offering flawless formal etiquette, Kedrick departed.

“……”

After Kedrick left, neither Heinox nor I spoke a word.

‘Seriously, my mouth is a disaster!’

I was internally scolding my careless tongue when Heinox finally broke the silence.

“Roxina.”

“Yes….”

‘What’s he going to say?’

Having committed an even greater mistake than calling Priscilla “Mother,” I nervously glanced up at Heinox.

Talking carelessly about family matters in front of strangers.

‘Without even knowing what kind of person Kedrick is!’

We had spent all this time acting close to suppress the rumors surrounding House Tanzeric, only for me to let my guard down at the very end.

‘Whatever punishment comes, I’ll accept it.’

As I waited for Heinox’s judgment with a repentant heart, he said something completely unexpected.

“You did nothing wrong.”

“…What?”

As I blinked at him blankly, Heinox, who had been looking out the window, turned his gaze toward me.

“You did nothing wrong today. If anyone did, then…”

“……”

“It was probably because I was incompetent.”