If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 282

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

Even though Christian Calvino was the second son of a count and served as the Crown Prince’s aide, Ethan didn’t believe Christian could compare to Cain.

Perhaps sensing Ethan’s thoughts, Cain gave him a brief pat on the shoulder before following Christian into a smaller inner room. Left alone, Ethan simply sat with his hands neatly folded.

The two men would not return for quite some time. Left to his own thoughts, Ethan glanced idly around the room.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“So, your decision? Though, I suppose your answer is pretty much set.”

Even before they sat down, Christian got straight to the point, asking whether Cain would accept Mernich’s proposal.

In reality, no one had the authority to refuse the Crown Prince’s request, which was little more than an order in disguise. That was even more true for a knight who had served the Emperor. Still, the fact that Christian bothered to ask Cain about his decision likely meant he wanted to know if Cain was truly ready, in his heart, to serve the Crown Prince.

“Did I ever have a choice?”

Christian let out a short chuckle. Even he found it amusing to act as if Cain had a say in a matter where there really was none. After that brief laugh, Christian quickly composed his expression, while Cain just looked on.

“Then, let me tell you your first task.”

The mood shifted completely. Reading acceptance in Cain’s stoic expression, Christian produced something from inside his coat. A letter, or something that looked like one.

So, this was to be the first thing he had to do. In effect, it was the first mission Mernich was entrusting to him. The opening move for the coming change of imperial power.

Cain took the paper without hesitation and began reading its contents. He showed no sign of surprise, calmly examining the document. It was perhaps a habit forged through countless wartime orders carried out at the Emperor’s command.

No matter how perilous the situation, Cain rarely showed any sign of distress. The only times he truly lost his composure were when it involved his lost family or Agatha.

As he read, Cain forced himself to suppress the thoughts of Esther that threatened to fill his mind at the slightest lapse in concentration.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The Empress was hosting a tea party. It was the first such gathering since the Grand Duchess’s scandal. Only her closest confidantes were invited, and Agatha was, of course, among them.

Perhaps grateful that Agatha had played her role so perfectly, the Empress sent word several times, urging her to attend the tea party. While it was framed as an invitation, it was, in truth, a command. Though reluctant, Agatha had no choice but to go, accompanied by her maids.

The Empress’s garden was filled with intoxicating scents, not just from the flowers themselves. No matter how many were in bloom, flowers alone could not produce such rich fragrances. It was as if sachets of perfume had been placed throughout the grounds, enveloping everything in a sweet, heavy aroma.

The fragrance made Agatha uncomfortable; the moment she let her mind wander, she felt almost dizzy. Beautiful and fragrant things can make you happy at first, but quickly cloud your mind. That was why Agatha, unlike the other ladies, never cared for perfume.

“What a gentle child the young master is!”

After chatting and laughing, the ladies’ attention finally settled on Agatha and the baby asleep in the nanny’s arms. The Empress had specifically requested Agatha bring her child this time, so she had come with him in her arms. Even with all the attention, the baby didn’t so much as stir and slept soundly.

Countess Kirillovna fussed over how sweet-natured the young master was and how much he resembled Marquis Vernat. For once, her words didn’t sound like pure flattery. The baby really was gentle and he did look just like his father.

“How can a child be so calm? I’ve never seen a baby this quiet.”

“The young marquis of Bega wasn’t nearly so well-behaved, was he?”

“Far from it! He was a wild one and still is.”

Marchioness Bega joked about her own son, drawing laughter from the others.

The baby’s presence softened the mood of the tea party, and Agatha gave a polite smile as everyone laughed. But inwardly, she couldn’t understand why people wasted time and laughter on such trivial things.

Most ladies learned the manners and ways of society from a young age by following their mothers. Lacking that experience herself, Agatha found the idle, carefree lives of these women—who worried for nothing and spent their days gossiping—utterly pointless.

Did they realize they were enjoying themselves at the expense of countless servants?

Agatha tried not to think about it, but memories of the tragedy in Arta would sometimes surface and make her shudder. The reality that some could burn alive without making a sound, while others lived in luxury and excess, was unbearable.

She wondered where Esther was now, if she was even still alive. Perhaps her sense of disgust at the smiling ladies stemmed from her worry for Esther, whose fate remained unknown.