Chapter 41
The maids, whispering in groups, quickly left with displeased faces as soon as Elia appeared. Watching their departure quietly, Elia felt a heavy weight in her heart.
After hearing the sad news, uneasy thoughts immediately flooded her mind.
Why did such a thing happen right after her father returned? Was it merely a coincidence…? Elia’s anxious face reflected her racing thoughts.
“Elia.”
It was her father, Duke Reiffers, who called her. As always, he looked down at her with a stern expression.
“Why haven’t you returned to the mansion yet? Why are you still here?”
Reiffers’s voice was sharp. Elia had no excuse and remained silent.
Though a whole season had passed since Reiffers returned to the capital, Elia still felt unfamiliar sharing the same space with her father. Especially since he mostly stayed confined to the underground reception room, it had been a long time since she last saw him face to face.
“Don’t get soft because of needless pity.”
Reiffers spoke briefly, as if already knowing what was on her mind. Elia quickly understood his meaning He probably thought she was lingering out of sympathy or pity for Cyrone.
“Because of the national mourning, the wedding will be delayed quite a bit. Always causing trouble till the very end.”
Reiffers muttered as he stared sharply at the deposed Empress’s grave. Outside, rain had started to drizzle again.
“Well, it was inevitable anyway.”
He paused thoughtfully before letting out a low chuckle. Elia watched him with a curious look.
“You’ve surely given up on him completely by now, haven’t you?”
Reiffers’ piercing eyes locked onto Elia. To him, a person’s feelings were something trivial enough to fold and unfold at will, to hold or discard just as easily.
Having lived like that himself, he believed Elia would do the same. Or rather, she must do so. That’s what it meant to be a member of the Reiffers family.
“Don’t forget, you belong to the Reiffers family.”
Reiffers said this without any emotion showing on his stiff face. Curious about Elia’s true face hidden beneath her mask, he narrowed his eyes before looking away.
“The weather is good. It feels like a day when everything can be forgiven.”
Reiffers chuckled quietly, gazing up at the heavily clouded sky.
* * *
The rain still drizzled softly. Everything seemed soaked and dampened by moisture. Feeling the chill in the air, Elia hugged her arms and looked out the window. Her gaze lingered for a long time on the green grass of the graveyard below.
“Elia.”
“…Ah, Rias.”
The person who quietly approached Elia was Rias. Only now did Elia notice his presence and speak.
“Why haven’t you left yet?”
“Just… because.”
Rias averted his gaze and said calmly, looking out over the vast graveyard.
Since all the mourners had already left, the rest area made for their convenience was empty except for Elia. The Damon family was thought to have finished paying respects and left, but apparently, he had stayed behind.
“I was watching you for quite a while from behind… Didn’t you notice?”
Rias asked in a gentle voice, appearing no different than usual. Elia shook her head, unaware. Rias was silent for a moment.
“Then why haven’t you left yet, Elia?”
“Just… because.”
Hearing the same answer, Rias chuckled quietly. He thought to himself about the hundreds of reasons hidden behind that simple word. Then, turning his shoulder, he looked at Elia and held out his right hand.
“Take this with you.”
It was a black umbrella.
“I was watching you for a long time. You wouldn’t have noticed even if I came closer.”
Rias smiled faintly at Elia’s embarrassed, tense face.
“No need to rush if you don’t feel ready. I wouldn’t want that either.”
At that, Elia looked at Rias with eyes full of mixed emotions. It was as if she had been caught by someone who could see how her heart kept slipping away.
Rias felt like those eyes pierced his own heart. He thought it would be better if she looked at him with her usual emotionless gaze.
“Give me just a little more time.”
Finally accepting the umbrella, Elia muttered. When Rias nodded, she slowly started to walk.
“Sorry, Rias.”
It was the only thing she could say, and with that, she turned her back. Rias, standing still in that spot, watched her receding figure for a long time. His usually calm black pupils darkened deeply.
“How much more time do I have to give?”
Rias muttered looking outside the window at the two figures who were now closer together. The veins on his flawless hand stood out sharply.
“This makes me want you even more.”
His voice, swallowed by the heavy rain, was deeply melancholic.
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