Chapter 173
Lynette told them everything. From meeting Edwin yesterday up to this very moment.
Eshar, who had been listening quietly, let out a small sigh.
Euphen simply ran his hand through his hair without saying anything.
A brief silence followed.
Lynette kept her head slightly lowered as she waited for their reaction. After all, things had turned out this way because of her.
Sillian seemed as though he was about to say something, but he pressed his lips shut. He only brushed Edwin’s forehead once.
“There’s only one thing we can do now.”
At Eshar’s words, no one in the room asked what she meant.
There is only one way to resolve all of this.
Lynette glanced at the woman.
She could have asked why she had done such a thing, or what she had been thinking… but she didn’t react in any particular way.
Noticing Lynette’s puzzled gaze, Eshar lightly shrugged her shoulders and continued.
“I’d vaguely heard that the late Count and the former Countess didn’t get along very well. Right, Euphen?”
“Yes. After that man became the Count, the two of them disappeared.”
“It’s rather fortunate they didn’t die.”
She answered calmly, then turned to Lynette.
“This must be that child’s fate too. The fate of surviving.”
“…Thank you.”
That was all she could say.
Sillian quietly patted her back, as if he was doing it on behalf of everyone in the room.
“Borrowing the Imperial Family’s power would be the easiest way to handle this, but… we can’t do that. So we’ll need to think of another way.”
Eshar frowned slightly and fell into thought.
Euphen, who had been lightly tapping the table, finally spoke.
“First, we should find a close relative. Even if we return the Countship to the child, there’s no guarantee the former Countess won’t pull the same stunt again.”
He let out a sigh, then added more.
“Whoever it is, it needs to be someone trustworthy.”
“They do have a relative living nearby, but I’m not sure if they can be trusted.”
As though she already understood all the surrounding relationships, Eshar answered calmly.
“Still, it’s better than the current Count, isn’t it?”
“We can only hope that they’re not greedy.”
At Lynette’s words, Euphen shrugged.
“It would also be good to find the retainers. Assuming they’re not dead.”
Sillian, who had been silent, added a word.
“Finding people should be our top priority.”
“Finding them isn’t difficult. I just don’t know if they’ll listen to what we say.”
Eshar’s tone was calm as she pointed out the reality.
Sillian, who had been sitting by the bed caring for Edwin, stared quietly out the window, then steadied the child and lifted him into his arms.
“It seems they’ll be barging in here soon.”
“Where do we go now?”
At Lynette’s anxious question, the four looked at one another briefly.
Euphen turned his head toward Eshar.
“Eshar, you said the relative lives nearby, right? Do you know where?”
“I do.”
“Then let’s go there. We can’t keep carrying Edwin around with us.”
“If possible, I’d like to leave the child in their care.”
Sillian added calmly.
No matter what they planned to do, they couldn’t just keep taking Edwin with them. They needed a place to leave him.
They certainly couldn’t send him back home like this.
‘Now that I think about it, what about his mother?’
She hadn’t met the woman, but with her son in this condition, it’s hard to imagine the former Countess living comfortably.
The loan shark already got what he wanted, hadn’t he?
Lynette frowned a little, then shook her head.
She’s already overwhelmed enough dealing with Edwin right now.
She could just think about the mother later.
‘It’s not like we’re about to storm into the mansion at this very moment anyway.’
The four quietly left the house.
There had been only three of them when they entered, but with five of them leaving at once, the owner looked slightly confused.
Sillian and Euphen pulled their hoods up, hiding their hair and faces.
“Come here, Lynette.”
Eshar suddenly linked her arm with Lynette’s, then began walking briskly.
“E-Eshar?”
“If the four of us walk together, it’s even more suspicious.”
That’s true.
Understanding her intention, the two men followed behind at a considerable distance.
Lynette awkwardly held onto Eshar’s arm.
To a stranger’s eyes, it would only look like two female friends going out for a walk. Which is probably the point.
“…”
The four quickened their pace in silence.
When Lynette glanced behind them, she saw the men from before entering the inn.
They had escaped by a hair’s breadth.
“Lynette.”
“…Yes?”
Startled by Eshar’s call, Lynette answered in a slightly high-pitched voice.
When she turned her head, she met the calm blue eyes looking at her.
“It wasn’t intentional, but… you should be more careful from now on.”
“I’m… sorry.”
She apologized softly.
Rather than scolding her in front of everyone, Eshar must have thought that it’s better to speak to her like this, alone.
“There’s no need for you to throw yourself into danger, Lynette.”
Lynette blinked.
What did she mean by that?
It sounded like concern, yet it also feels like she was drawing a line.
“This is something Euphen and I have to handle. We may be traveling together, but I have no intention of dragging you and that man into it.”
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