Chapter 116
Chapter 116
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: An Unsettling Calm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 117
The news of the East's fall echoed in my mind. Throughout his report, Mesis had been busy studying my expression.
Considering everything that had happened, it was impossible not to know that the Artban family had taken an interest in me.
Truthfully, the Artban family’s conquest of the East was practically a foregone conclusion.
But this was too soon. It had only been a few months since Diel Artban became the family head. The news was undeniably sudden.
After finishing his report, Mesis spoke cautiously.
“I believe it would be best to wait for the Gaju’s orders.”
“Is that your opinion, Mesis?”
“Yes, it is.”
But my growth was at stake. I couldn’t return to the South when I still looked like I was only fourteen.
My body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Even if I prepared a large quantity of pheromone stones, there was no telling how long I could last if I went back to the South.
If I chose to stay here, I could complete my growth safely, but I would have to constantly monitor the situation in the East.
Neither choice was an easy one.
While no one dared to speak, Set broke the silence, countering Mesis’s suggestion.
“No. Aileen is not going back to the South. That can’t happen.”
“But… the Artban family is expanding its influence. Now is the time to observe the situation.”
“And what about Aileen’s body?”
Set asked sharply. Mesis couldn't answer.
“Once a growth cycle is disrupted, it can’t be reversed. It will have a direct impact on Aileen’s body.”
“So you’re saying Aileen should stay here longer, hyung?”
“There’s nothing the Artban family can do right now. Even if they’ve conquered the East, it must be a mess. It will take them time to get things in order.”
“That’s true. They couldn’t have avoided casualties on their side.”
Arban replied, seemingly convinced. But his voice, laced with annoyance, followed.
“What kind of bastard is he? He’s out of his mind.”
“This incident has shown us he’s the type who will stop at nothing.”
Stop at nothing.
At those words, every nerve in my body stood on end.
The moment I became the focus of the Artban Gaju’s attention, I felt I wouldn’t be able to escape either.
“But why is that bastard so obsessed with Aileen? Now that he’s taken the East, won’t he lose interest?”
Arban grumbled, as if he didn't understand. My eyes widened at his words. That’s right. The two of them still didn’t know my secret.
All they knew was that my pheromones were a bit unique.
The only people who knew I was immune to Black Mamba poison were me, Kaide, and Dante.
Arban placed a hand on my head. Seeing my stiff expression, he seemed to be trying to reassure me.
“Don’t let this get to you. You think we can’t protect one of you?”
That wasn’t it. That wasn’t what I was worried about.
If, in the worst-case scenario, my pheromones were stolen, my family would be in danger.
And it wouldn't end there. The entire clan would be jeopardized.
So, now that the Artban Gaju had conquered the East, was he still interested in me?
I couldn’t be sure of anything.
“You just focus on your body. Father would want that too. The rest of us will handle everything else.”
“…Okay. I understand, Set-oppa.”
Kaide would surely have said the same thing. Not to worry about useless things.
But…
That man was the one who had inflicted indelible scars on Kaide, as well as on Set and Arban. Though they never showed it in front of me, I couldn’t even begin to fathom the immense rage buried deep in their hearts.
So how could I not be worried about this?
That was an incredibly difficult thing for me to do.
* * *
Aileen had been nowhere to be seen since the Astrofel heirs arrived. It was enough to leave Sage deeply frustrated.
The Astrofel’s ironclad defense was getting on his nerves.
On top of that, he was currently undergoing the procedures for his succession and had no time to rest. Sage was slowly reaching his limit.
“I want to breathe.”
He muttered. It would be one thing if she were out of sight, but knowing she was in the same castle and not being able to see her was torture.
“You want to breathe? My lord, are you feeling unwell?”
Eve, who was with him, reacted instantly to Sage’s words.
He was the deputy aide, assisting Sage with the succession process and destined to help lead the family in the future.
It was only natural that he paid close attention to Sage and never missed even the smallest detail.
With a serious expression, Eve checked the recent schedule. It was certainly excessive.
I must call a doctor at once. Just as Eve was about to stand, Sage leaned back and muttered a familiar name.
“Aileen.”
“……Don’t tell me you’re being dramatic because you miss Lady Aileen.”
“I’m not being dramatic. This is serious.”
At this rate, he might lose control, run to her, and cling to her without a handle on his emotions.
Then she would just get scared and run away again.
Sage closed his eyes. The image of Aileen backing away the moment she saw him flickered in his mind, refusing to fade.
“Then you should go see her.”
“I wish I could.”
“Did she, perhaps, turn you down?”
“……”
“She really turned you down?!”
Good heavens. Eve’s voice jumped. A pair of sharp, blue eyes landed on him. Eve quickly shut his mouth.
“Well, you have to tell me if that’s not it.”
“I haven’t gotten an answer yet.”
“……Gasp. Still? You have to ask her for an answer.”
“Aileen is difficult.”
That’s why he couldn’t even begin to guess what she was thinking.
Sage had been enduring all this time, afraid that if he pressed her for an answer, she would get scared and bolt. He was waiting for Aileen to come to him and give him her answer.
Eve shook his head.
“You might never get an answer in your lifetime, then.”
“That’s why I’m searching.”
“For what?”
Sage didn’t answer. But it wasn’t hard to interpret his meaning.
Eve shot up from his seat with a horrified expression.
“I will inform Lady Muhella at once.”
“Sit down.”
“My lord, you’ll be in big trouble!”
“Do you even know what I’m planning to do?”
“……I’m afraid to even say it. Emotions can be twisted, but don’t even try something like that. If you do, you’ll truly be hated.”
“That’s why I said I’m looking for a way.”
A way to make Aileen keep him by her side of her own accord, without making her hate him. If he couldn’t keep her by his side, he just had to find a way to stay by hers.
If his intuition was correct, the pheromone stone necklace Aileen wore would be the key.
Eve glanced around cautiously before speaking.
“About Lady Aileen, though. Isn’t there something questionable about her?”
“Questionable?”
“Yes. No matter how much she’s being raised by the Astrofel family, isn’t she of the Bird Clan?”
“What about it?”
“Her growth is too fast.”
Eve lowered his voice, as if conscious of it carrying outside.
Sage frowned at Eve’s out-of-the-blue comment.
He continued in a whisper.
“It’s only been a few days since she came here, but she’s already grown so much, hasn’t she? I heard from a servant who cleans her room that there are several sets of different-sized clothes in her wardrobe.”
Sage’s hand, which had been turning over documents, paused. He set down his fountain pen and gestured with his chin for him to continue.
Seeing Sage’s interest, Eve’s face lit up as he went on.
“Lady Aileen isn’t a predator like us, is she? I heard that the Bird Clan can’t grow that quickly.”
“Are you saying Aileen’s growth rate is abnormal?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m told.”
Eve replied immediately.
Sage fell silent. That was one of the things he, too, had found strange.
Aileen’s growth was too fast. For him, it was a welcome development, but…
That possibility was nonexistent.
“If that were the case, the Astrofel Gaju would never have sent Aileen to the North.”
For a Su-in, growth was the most important issue. It was unthinkable that he would send her to the North if there was such a problem.
But Eve shook his head.
“No. If you think about it the other way, there might have been a reason he had no choice but to send her to the North. Shall I look into it?”
You’re curious, aren’t you? Dying of curiosity? I’m this curious, so there’s no way you aren’t.
Eve’s eyes sparkled.
“That’s too much of a leap.”
Sage scoffed at him.
* * *
In the pre-dawn darkness, I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and left my room.
As I was walking in my soft, fuzzy slippers, Karma, who had been concealed, revealed himself.
“Are you unable to sleep?”
“Yeah. I have too much on my mind.”
“I will follow you.”
“Thank you.”
Karma enveloped my body in a protective barrier. It seemed he’d noticed I intended to go outside the castle.
After all, nothing was as effective at clearing a complicated mind as a breath of cold air.
Down below, the castle was silent. I passed some Kiraas people guarding the castle, but they merely gave a simple nod and didn’t ask my purpose.
“Karma.”
“Yes.”
“I want to be alone.”
“Call for me if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
Karma vanished. I headed toward an arched gazebo in the garden. The glass roof mirrored the night sky.
I took a deep breath of the dawn air and leaned back on the sofa. It felt like I could smell the snow.
“This is nice.”
The stars, twinkling as the only lights in the quiet, snow-covered darkness, looked mystical.
A small smile touched my lips as my thoughts began to clear, but then a familiar voice drifted over.
“I’m glad you like it.”
I jumped in surprise, pulling the blanket tighter around me.
I didn’t need to see the owner of the voice to know who it was.