The Place We Long to Leave, Part III
Although the siblings were absolutely thrilled, they tried to hide it as they walked toward the carriage. We had already seen each other at our absolute worst during our time together, but it seemed they still wanted to maintain their dignity in front of others. Hena and I followed behind, pretending not to notice their transparent efforts.
Just moments ago, a bright smile had graced Sirien's face. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen her look so genuinely happy. Throughout those long seventeen days, a persistent shadow had hung over the siblings' expressions.
I hope those shadows never darken their faces again.
The carriage, having ventured deep into the snowy fields, came to a halt. As expected, the man who stepped out was Count Roxen. The number of knights accompanying him hadn't changed much either. It meant he had brought only a select few in secret.
What bothered me, however, was that I didn't recognize a single face among them. It was strange. I thought I was familiar with almost all the knights of the Grand Duchy. Were there really people I didn't know?
They wore shabby robes over their armor, concealing it from view. Yet, the way they kept watch over their surroundings made it clear they were highly trained. If there were knights from the Grand Duchy I didn't know, could they be those stationed at the border? It was possible. Given the urgency of the situation, they likely pulled forces from everywhere.
What was Count Roxen like in the original novel? I searched my memories, but he was never mentioned at all. Everything I knew about him was solely from what I had seen and heard within the Grand Duchy. If so, there was a high probability he was already dead ten years from now.
In the original story, other figures had already taken over his and the branch families' positions. While most of the Ilencia branch members were purged by Sirien once her villainess switch was flipped, Count Roxen's descendants were never listed on her death toll.
Did the Sirien of ten years later not hate Count Roxen?
In any case, seeing Count Roxen again, it was obvious he hadn't been having a pleasant time. For starters, his face was ravaged by exhaustion. Dark circles hung heavily under his hollow eyes, and his skin looked far rougher than before. He looked exactly like an office worker crushed under a mountain of overtime. A faint stir of sympathy rose deep within me.
"Uncle!"
"I am sorry. I am terribly late."
Sirien ran forward and threw her arms around Count Roxen. He held her tight, gently patting her back. Yet, the Count's expression remained strained.
"The two of you must have suffered so much. Children like you should never have to stay in a place like this... It is all due to my own shortcomings. I am truly sorry."
"Please don't say that, Uncle."
"More than anything, I am glad to see you looking healthy. Rajen, Hena. This must be thanks to your hard work. I must express my gratitude to you both as well."
"I-I only did what was expected of me!"
"I merely fulfilled my duty."
Count Roxen offered his praise. However, when it came to speech, what followed the pleasantries was always far more important.
"Then, Uncle, are we going back now?"
"How are things progressing on the outside?"
"Yes. I am sure you are both anxious to know what has been happening out there. Do not be too shocked by what I am about to tell you," Count Roxen said in a heavy tone. "A rebellion has broken out within the family."
The Ilencia family was a founding pillar that had stood alongside the empire since its inception. The empire had not been an empire from the very beginning, meaning it possessed a long, storied history. Consequently, Ilencia was no ordinary noble house that had sprung up overnight.
They had defended the borders sometimes from humans, and other times from Demon Kings. Because of this, they possessed rights and power almost too immense for a single noble house to hold. Thus, the word 'rebellion' was not entirely out of place.
Ilencia was the empire's greatest shield. Naturally, they were also the most troublesome wall for its enemies. If only Ilencia could be brought down, the empire's foes were prepared to offer any reward imaginable.
"We have narrowed down the suspects... but the exact mastermind is still under investigation. What is certain is that several of our branch families have joined forces with Eligos."
"How could they!"
"What about Mother and Father? Are they safe?"
"The Grand Duchess has been evacuated to a secure location, and His Grace the Grand Duke is personally leading the family's forces to confront Eligos."
They were both safe. The siblings let out sighs of relief. It was then that Count Roxen shifted his gaze toward me.
"But not everyone was so fortunate."
"Pardon?"
"Rajen. I am deeply sorry, but Count Bertus has fallen in battle. He remained behind alone to hold off the enemy rear guard. He was the very epitome of a true knight."
The first tragic news Count Roxen delivered was the death of my father. My mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to me, and I had no other relatives or siblings. In this world, I no longer had a single blood relative left.
Even so, I didn't feel particularly devastated. My father, Count Bertus, was a man so detached that he would speak of his own death as if it were nothing. He wasn't exactly a devoted family man either. He was blunt, stoic, and terrible at expressing his emotions. Still, remembering how he had guided me onto my path, it wasn't as if he lacked paternal love entirely.
He used to say that being a knight meant never knowing when or where you would die. Thus, if he were to perish one day, he asked that I remember how he died rather than the mere fact of his death.
"Was it honorable?"
"More than anyone I have ever seen."
"Then that is enough. It suits him. Thank you for bringing me the news."
"Yes. Once we return, you shall inherit the title of Count Bertus. Once again, you have my deepest condolences."
I bowed my head to express my gratitude to Count Roxen. Then, I calmly prepared myself for whatever bad news might follow.
"And as I mentioned earlier, the mastermind has not yet been clearly identified. We do not know who else might be complicit in this rebellion. His Grace the Grand Duke is treading as if on thin ice."
He had said I would become Count Bertus 'once we return.' If we were able to go back immediately, such a qualifier wouldn't have been necessary. I looked back at Count Roxen's carriage. It looked heavy. I could tell by the deep ruts the wheels had carved into the snow. As expected, there was never any room for us in that carriage from the very beginning.
"I am truly sorry... but under these circumstances, I cannot bring you back. Just laying the groundwork to secretly come here took a great deal of time. That is why I was unable to keep my promise of ten days."
"So... we have to stay here longer?"
"Yes. I know it must be incredibly difficult to bear, but please endure just a little longer. I am doing everything in my power to get you out of here the moment this crisis is resolved."
"Ugh... I—I understand."
As soon as he finished speaking, Count Roxen signaled his knights. They began unloading various crates from the carriage and carrying them into the Cabin. Since our stay here was being extended, they were stocking us up with food and other necessary supplies.
Sirien watched the knights with resentment but kept her mouth shut. At the edge of her tear-rimmed eyes, her gaze found me. She probably knew the knights were blameless, yet she couldn't help but feel a surge of spite. To her, they must have looked like the very culprits forcing her to remain trapped in this cabin.
Yet, just as she always had, Sirien did not throw a tantrum. She refused to act in a way that would only trouble everyone else. She swallowed the shadow she had to bear all on her own. Her pale hands trembled slightly. Unable to bear watching her like this, I reached out and took her hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine... What about you? Are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be? Ah, wait, are you talking about my father?"
"Yes."
"I just feel like what was bound to happen has happened. That old man never spared his own body. I always knew he'd kick the bucket like that someday."
I wondered who was comforting whom. Even though she absolutely loathed her current situation, Sirien still worried about me first. Her small hands wrapped around mine. The winter wind outside must have been freezing, because today, her hands felt exceptionally warm. A soft, gentle warmth enveloped my hand. It felt as if all the warmth in the world had gathered in her palms. I couldn't feel anything else but the temperature radiating from her. It was so hot it felt almost burning, yet it didn't hurt at all.
Therion spoke up. "I understand the situation. It would have been nice if you could have at least sent word since it was going to be this late, but I suppose it can't be helped for now."
"Ah, updates... Yes, I shall look into a way to do that."
"Do you have an estimated timeframe? Surely you aren't asking us to stay here indefinitely without any promise of when we can leave."
Therion's question was sharp and logical. It was highly aristocratic of him. He naturally rebuked what had already passed while simultaneously using it as leverage for his next demand. When trying to extract a desired answer, he created an atmosphere where his point seemed so obvious that the other party found it difficult to suggest any other option. It was a speaking style unique to those who had been trained to manage people from birth. Had the kid grown up during his time here as well?
Count Roxen fell silent for a moment. He seemed to be calculating exactly how much longer we would need to stay.
"Three months. I swear it on my name. No matter how delayed things get, I will get you out of here within three months. I also promise to send you updates every week."
It was a longer period than expected. However, since he had sworn it on his name, we didn't press any further. And just like that, our life in the cabin was extended.