The son-in-law fell silent in an instant. The gazes of the two sisters were also directed towards me. I looked into their eyes, lost in thought.
‘What they did by kidnapping me wasn’t the right thing to do, but they don’t seem like bad people. Besides, with this incident, they will be the talk of the social circles for a while. And there won’t be a greater punishment for the nobles who value their honor.’
Above all, they were important clients to me. With just one scar, I had earned three gold bars, which meant a lifetime source of income for them in the future.
‘Moreover, they said they would take care of Viscount Leven.’
I smiled kindly at them.
I didn’t know what Viscount Leven had done, but he had already caused trouble for our family with the payment, so he was already out.
So, it was much more advantageous for me to make use of them.
I bent down and smiled kindly at them.
“You’re asking me for forgiveness for what happened yesterday?”
“Yes, yes!”
“And you will also investigate Viscount Leven’s affairs?”
“Of course! We were already planning to do that!”
That’s settled then. I took their hands and pulled them to their feet.
“How can I not forgive you ladies, when you have done me no wrong?”
“……Siara.”
Riott’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“Do you have to say that in front of the high priest?”
“…It was Adandito who made the princesses kneel.”
Both of them nodded. I tilted my head with a strange expression.
‘Why Adandito?’
Hierian took sleeping pills and fell asleep, and I was the one who was kidnapped. Unexpectedly, Adandito was involved. It was perplexing, but for now, calming them down was a priority.
I waved my hand toward the onlookers. The subordinates of the Duke’s family appeared and handed them something, starting to silence them.
I reassured the noble ladies not to worry and sent them away, repeatedly admonishing them dozens of times. They finally stopped crying and returned to their rooms.
Finally, I was able to return to my room.
I let out a deep sigh and held my head. Then, unintentionally, I saw a golden note placed under the door connecting to the terrace. The note was written like this:
『Does the gift please you?』
The handwriting was as honest and straightforward as always. It was written by Adandito. I murmured absentmindedly.
“……Adandito, what have you done?”
Since I could ask the noble ladies about their kidnapping and even tail Viscount Leven, it could be considered a success. Or should I get angry and scold him for causing unnecessary trouble? I let out a sigh with a troubled mind.
* * *
Adandito stood by the window and watched Siara. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how different she was from the two sisters. But when he saw the troubled expression on Siara’s face as she found the note, he felt uneasy. Adandito silently observed her.
The moment he realized that Siarae had been kidnapped, it felt like the world was collapsing around him. His vision blurred, and he couldn’t do anything. Hierian spoke to him.
‘I’ll search the city, you go towards Mount Astita.’
Embarrassingly, Adandito could only regain his composure at that moment. If it weren’t for Hierian, he wouldn’t even know what to do, standing there like a fool. Could there be anything more embarrassing than this? He couldn’t bear it unless he did something.
So he went to find the noble ladies. With composure, he made them understand the severity of their actions and how grave their crimes were. He barely restrained himself from breaking their limbs right in front of them. He deferred the punishment to Siara.
Adandito decided to follow Siara’s decision. And from the look of things, the noble ladies seemed to have been forgiven. Adandito silently prayed, placing his hand on his chest.
‘If this is what you have chosen, I will follow it no matter what.’
Then he took a step. As if nothing had happened, it was time to leave the terrace.
Suddenly, his vision became blurred. He closed and opened his eyes several times in an attempt to regain his composure, but it only made him feel further detached from reality. Finally, he completely fell into a dream and a whimpering voice escaped Adandito’s lips.
“What…?”
Momentarily questioning the strange phenomenon, he quickly realized that this place was a dream. It was the secret garden he had seen before. The enclosure resembling a birdcage and the emaciated woman living inside was exactly as he remembered.
‘She’s even thinner than before.’
With a fearful thought, Adandito walked towards Piasse. In his hands, he held four white stones.
“These were made from pieces of his arms and legs.”
Piasse didn’t respond. Her face, even more, gaunt than when he last saw her, looked as though she could die at any moment.
Adandito barely swallowed his dry saliva at the sight of her emaciated appearance. His lustful desires had long been consumed by the anxiety of not knowing what would become of her.
Adandito once again extended the stones to Piasse. However, Piasse didn’t even glance at the stones and stared into space. Her vacant eyes seemed hollow, as if devoid of life.
“…Will it change anything if I do this?”
“…Piasse.”
“Could it be that I truly am your savior?”
“Piasse, please don’t say that. Without you, I am worse than dead. Please pity me.”
Adandito knelt before Piasse without hesitation. He held her hand and gently stroked her cheek. He needed to confirm her existence even if it meant doing so in such a way. He pleaded for her to look at him, to save him.
But Piasse’s head remained turned away, unaware that the stones were being placed in her hand. Adandito forcefully placed the stone in her frail grasp and begged.
“Please! Please, Piasse…”
He sobbed. Tears streamed down his hot cheeks. He cried without realizing how much time had passed, his breath becoming short. Finally, a faint question escaped Piasse’s lips.
“What difference will this make? As Dianel said, it may all be temporary measures.”
“That’s not true!”
“…”
“Please, trust me one more time.”
With that, Adandito forcefully closed Piasse’s hand around the stone. This time, she managed to hold onto it, although her grip felt delicate as if it would slip away at any moment.
Adandito tightly held her hand. After a long silence, Piasse spoke.
“…Adandito, this is the last time.”
“Yes.”
Adandito nodded resolutely. And he swore,
“Even if I receive divine punishment and my body and blood decay, I will follow your will.”
Finally, Piasse whispered in a faint voice,
“…Alright. Let’s go to heal Hierian.”
With those words, Adandito woke up from the dream. At that moment, the window swung open, and a resolute voice echoed.
“Adandito, what are you doing?”
“…”
“What are you so grateful for that you’re stuck to the wall like that?”
Then she pointed downwards. Below, the guests and knights of Astita were pressed against the wall all day, watching him mutter to himself, looking strange.
But Adandito felt no shame. Somehow, the faces of Piasse and Siara, whom he had seen in his dream, overlapped. Despite their completely different appearances, personalities, and way of speaking, they seemed so alike.
With a strange feeling, Adandito closed his mouth. Siara, who was staring intently at him, chuckled.
“Forget about it and come in. Let’s have a meal together.”
“…Are you talking to me?”
“Yeah, Hierian has fallen asleep. I wanted to thank you anyway.”
“…What did I do?”
The emotions he felt a little while ago still hadn’t completely disappeared, and his heart trembled. However, Siara just shrugged her shoulders as if she didn’t know why.
“It’s the matter of the Izbe princesses. You took care of it.”
“…”
“Thank you for helping, Adandito. It seems like it will be beneficial for the Astita family.”
“…”
“Well, although it’s a bit bewildering how you acted on your own. In the future, please let me know in advance when something like this happens.”
After saying that, she leaned closer and whispered in his ear.
“But if you come straight to my room, it might create some strange rumors. So, for now, go to your room and come secretly after some time has passed.”
She whispered with a voice that was as pure as sunlight breaking through the clouds. It was a laughter that could be built on not knowing anything. Adandito looked at her blankly and nodded with a pained expression.
“I will do as you say.”
Somehow, just facing Siara made Adandito feel guilty.
