Chapter 188
When Lynette lightly grabbed the edge of his collar and called again, the man gave a small smile.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned the handle. It had clearly been locked earlier, but the door opened naturally.
“Please go in.”
At those words, she stepped inside without further thought. It must have been empty longer than she expected, because dust rose into the air. Sillian looked around one last time before closing the door.
“It seems those two haven’t come yet.”
“Will we have to wait long?”
“I’m not sure.”
He answered calmly and looked around the dark shop. Even the faint light slipping in through the cracks between the boards seemed to be enough for him, and the man moved about without concern.
Relying on the dim light, Lynette spotted a chair covered in dust. After seating Julia first, she walked over to Sillian.
“What are you looking for?”
“Something we can use to light a fire.”
He opened a box in the corner and unhesitatingly reached his hand into the darkness. Soon he pulled out a small candlestick.
“Now that we’ve found a candlestick, we only need a candle.”
Was that a joke?
Not knowing whether she should laugh or not, Lynette made an ambiguous expression.
Sillian brushed his hand across a high shelf. Something rolled with a clattering sound, and he picked up a candle that looked almost new. As she watched, wondering how he would light it, he casually used his ability to ignite it.
“…If you can light a fire with your ability, isn’t it unnecessary to use a candle?”
“With Lynette here, using my power isn’t a problem, but maintaining it for a long time is rather bothersome.”
Sillian placed the candle on a dusty table. Then he set down a box so Lynette could sit and leaned lightly against the wall.
Silence lingered for quite some time.
‘Are Euphen and Eshar alright?’
She wondered if anything had happened. Nosh probably wouldn’t immediately chase after those two, but he must have realized they were together. It was hard not to worry that something might have gone wrong. What if they were unable to come here right away? They couldn’t simply wait in this shop indefinitely.
Lynette glanced at Sillian. Perhaps sensing her gaze, the man lifted his head and met her eyes. Looking at him gave her a faint sense of reassurance, as if things might somehow work out. If it’s Sillian, he would surely protect them somehow, and he would stay by their side.
Just as Lynette began to relax a little, Julia, as if she could not endure it any longer, spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“Are we just going to keep waiting here?”
Even after hearing Lynette talk about Espers and the Emperor, it seemed her anxiety had not completely faded.
Lynette could understand that feeling well.
Outside, Nosh’s subordinates were probably roaming around, and by now they must have realized she had left the mansion. Sitting here doing nothing would naturally make anyone uneasy.
“There’s someone we arranged to meet here.”
“When will they arrive?”
“They’ll come as soon as they finish what they’re doing.”
At that, the woman lightly bit her lip and hesitated before speaking.
“When… will I be able to see Edwin?”
“You’ll see him soon.”
“He’s fine, right?”
It would probably be better not to mention that he had been a little sick. He had seen a proper doctor, taken medicine, and when she last saw him his fever had gone down, so it seemed safe to say that he’s okay.
“He’s alright.”
Julia let out a small sigh and lowered her head with a somewhat gloomy expression.
After a moment of silence, she began speaking in a quiet voice.
“It’s because of me.”
“…”
“I… I shouldn’t have trusted that man.”
Instead of answering, Lynette simply listened. Even offering comfort felt delicate. After all, it was clear that this woman had made mistakes. Whether she had been blinded by money or simply deceived by Nosh’s sweet words, Julia’s choices had dragged not only herself but also Edwin into hell.
Even so, Lynette did not want to reproach her. She didn’t know every detail of what had happened, but Julia seemed to have suffered and regretted it enough already. There’s no need to add anymore words.
‘And forgiveness or understanding is also Edwin’s decision.’
Was it not strange for a complete outsider like herself to say anything about it?
Julia began recounting her story in a voice that sounded as though she might cry. In truth, it was closer to a confession. It seemed she simply needed someone to listen to everything.
‘She probably had no one to talk to.’
After everything had been taken from her, she had been confined in the Count’s residence, forced to work there as someone treated worse than a maid.
When Lynette responded only by quietly nodding, Julia continued haltingly before eventually breaking down into silent sobs. At that point Lynette could not remain still, so she gently patted her back.
The woman covered her face with her thin, dry hands and bowed her head deeply.
“Hic… sob…”
The quiet shop filled with the sound of her crying.
How much more time passed like that? The sunlight filtering through the boards gradually turned red, then began to fade.
Just as Julia finally stopped crying, still sniffling, the door rattled.
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