If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 166

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

“How difficult and lonely it must be for her…”

Karon’s words were followed by a heavy sigh, as he couldn’t bear to watch Agatha suffer in silence.

And that frustration soon turned into anger toward the source of all this trouble.

“Cain… if I see that bastard again, I won’t let him go.”

Rubens’s words usually prompted a rebuttal from Karon, but on this occasion, he agreed wholeheartedly.

“Of course. We can’t just let him go.”

It was as if they had made a silent vow. The two men clenched their fists tightly, so forcefully that their muscular forearms swelled up to the size of a child’s head.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Ten days and a few more. Thanks to continuous travel with minimal rest, Cain and his knights arrived quickly at their destination.

As they reached the walls of Arta, the knights of Vernat, as a matter of routine, blocked Cain’s path, checking all the horses and carts. They clearly hadn’t expected to face their lord so suddenly, without any prior notice. Upon recognizing him, they quickly stepped aside in surprise.

Cain greeted them with a respectful nod and continued into Arta.

It had been a month and a half since he had found the divorce papers left in his study. Now, with the thought that he would soon meet Agatha, his heartbeat began to quicken.

In his parched mouth, he could taste the metallic tang of blood with each breath. After more than a month of not eating or sleeping properly, his body seemed to be screaming that it was at its limit. He had been ignoring the pains, relying on medicine to push through.

Just a little more, just a bit longer…

The pounding of his heart echoed in his ears like a drum. With every step his horse took, Cain felt a strange dizziness, as though his vision was fading.

The medicine he had swallowed on an empty stomach seemed to be losing its effect.

As they reached the orphanage, Cain stopped the horse. He handed the reins to the knights following him and quickly entered the building.

“Agatha!”

The shout came before he even realized it. His chest surged with anticipation, imagining Agatha somewhere inside the house.

His breath was shallow. Was it excitement at seeing her again, guilt over how to face her, or was it self-loathing? He couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but the nausea lingered.

“Agatha! Agatha!”

At his call, a few people peered out from the building. They were all children under Esther’s care.

At first, the children looked surprised and peered out the window, but quickly recognized him as the benefactor who had founded the orphanage.

“Agatha!”

After calling her name several times, the door opened, and someone appeared.

“Agatha?”

Cain rushed toward the door. His hope soared—he was about to see her soft eyes again.

“Agatha…”

“Brother.”

But it wasn’t her. The person who appeared after opening the door was Esther, her red hair tied up.

“My goodness, your condition…”

Esther was taken aback by Cain’s sorry state. His hair, usually neatly combed, was now tangled and covered in dust, and the once-deep blue eyes lacked any spark. The shadow beneath his eyes and the sunken cheeks—had he lost weight?

Esther compared the Cain she was seeing now with the last time she had seen him. Who would call the person standing before her the Ice Knight, Cain Vernat? The man who had never shown even a hint of disarray in front of his younger sister in over 20 years now stood before her, looking so fragile that it wouldn’t be surprising if he collapsed at any moment.

What was he doing here, looking like this? Then, remembering the letter she had sent to Cain, Esther quickly opened the door wide.

“Come in quickly.”

Could it be that Cain came here looking like this because of her letter?

She remembered how, when he had spoken to her about Agatha, Cain had smiled softly. At the time, Esther had secretly laughed, finding it amusing how her brother had fallen so deeply for someone without even realizing it.

“Where is Agatha?”

He was so desperate, he forgot to even greet his sister. His heart was full of one thing—Agatha. Please, please, please. Cain suppressed the rising hope, wondering if Agatha might be behind the door, but his eyes kept scanning Esther’s back.

“Lady Agatha is…”

Esther had no answer for Cain, who was asking about Agatha in such a rush. Because…

“She is not here.”

She had left.

Just five days ago.

“What?”

The faint light in Cain’s eyes faded completely. His once-sharp gaze now filled with deep disappointment and sorrow.

“She left. She left some knights behind…”

“What do you mean? Where did she go? Why, how?”

“I don’t know exactly where she went. From what I overheard, she said she was going to find someone.”

“No… Why…?!”

Hope turned into utter emptiness, weighing heavily on Cain. His legs gave way, and he staggered for a moment before Esther quickly stepped in to support him.

This couldn’t be. This couldn’t be happening. Still in shock, Cain muttered continuously.

This couldn’t be happening. Agatha, where did you go?

His vision turned white. Cain let go of the last thread of control he had been holding on to.