Chapter 45

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 45

Chapter Title: Shadows of Seven Years Ago

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"I couldn't uncover any more details beyond what happened seven years ago."

The fingers clutching the paper turned white. Agatha lowered her gaze to read the next line, but the words refused to come into focus.

"She returned home before the war ended and, through an introduction from the Aratus family, married Viscount Portoni. She was widowed three years ago."

"Did you two keep in touch during that time?"

"No, my lady. There hasn't been a single letter or exchange of greetings up to now."

"So today was your first reunion in years?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe it's more truthful to say I still haven't figured it out after all."

Agatha murmured self-mockingly as she closed the report.

She didn't know why that woman had become Viscountess Portoni instead of Marchioness Aratus.

But now, everything clicked perfectly into place.

'It really was a political marriage.'

He had someone else in his heart.

'And I was such a fool, oblivious to it all...'

The investigation before their marriage had focused on the present, so there was no way she could have known about a lover from seven years prior.

What would have changed if she'd known back then?

"Thank you for your hard work, Esel. You may go now."

"Shall I dig deeper? Contacting the Aratus relatives might turn up more."

Agatha shook her head at Esel's hesitant suggestion. One of the conditions Enoch had demanded upon marriage was no dealings with his Aratus relatives.

Perhaps he'd foreseen a situation like this.

But recalling the state of Enoch's relations with his family back then, Agatha shook her head again.

Wasn't his deployment to the battlefield due to pressure from those relatives?

Having witnessed Isabel's forced re-debut into society and the schemes over the marchioness position, Agatha was convinced the Aratus kin were as ruthless as her own.

It might have been a convenient excuse, but she wanted to believe otherwise.

"I'll think about it later. Thank you for considering it, Esel."

Esel, who had been watching her with pity, bowed properly and left the study.

The moment her aide was gone, Agatha sank deep into the sofa. Her attendant maids approached with worried expressions.

"My lady."

"I want to be alone."

The maids exchanged glances before stepping out of the study.

Click. The door shut.

Meanwhile, as Enoch returned to his tent, he replayed the recent encounter in his mind.

- Lord Enoch.

The camp had suddenly grown noisy outside, so he'd gone to check—and there she was.

Her black hair, tinged with green, and blue eyes unchanged from back then.

- It's been a long time. Could you spare me a moment?

In that instant, Enoch recalled a past he'd long buried: seven years ago.

The heir, presumed doomed to die soon, had survived the brutal battlefield. One day, his relatives sent a woman.

She came with a pouch of gold from them, cloaked in the title of "reserve fiancée."

- Esther Rackyo, at your service.

- I have nowhere left to go.

- Please, just let me stay here.

Even when told to leave, she refused. Instead, she set up camp outside his tent, using hides for bedding.

Esther openly attended to him despite his ignoring her—cleaning the tent, fetching water, running errands.

She wouldn't leave no matter how many times he chased her away, insisting on menial tasks as his "reserve fiancée." By the time he'd grown accustomed to her presence, he saw her eating gruel not even fit for dogs.

- Is that your meal?

In the end, Enoch brought her into his tent. He shared his food, gave her a blanket, and permitted her to serve at his side.

- I hope you'll come to like me, Lord Enoch.

He never responded to her constant murmurs. But he didn't ignore her either.

He didn't like her, but she'd become someone under his protection.

He felt responsible, that was all.

- Come back safely.

That day, when the new commander—heedless and reckless—suffered a crushing defeat, endangering the entire army's camp...

Enoch rode out, unaware she'd poisoned him.

Looking back, had he been more unstable than usual?

His body wouldn't obey, leaving him with a severe facial scar, but he succeeded in routing the kingdom's forces.

When he returned to the tent after battle, Esther Rackyo had fled.

And now, here she was again.

He knew it the moment he heard.

A scheme by his relatives.

Why else would she approach him now?

- Are you still angry with me?

Seeing her moist eyes unchanged, he dismissed the agitated retainers in a fit.

Most nobles were hunting in the forest, but unseen eyes and ears lingered everywhere.

- Follow me.

In the quiet woods, the woman facing him was dressed cleanly and finely now, the picture of a noble lady—unlike before.

Enoch silently listened to Esther's confession.

- I had no choice back then. The ones who sent me threatened to kill me if I didn't do it to you...!

It was all as he'd expected. His relatives had sent her, so they'd ordered the poison too.

- You can't imagine how much I regretted fleeing. Even if I was scared, I should have told you what happened...

Enoch leaned silently against a tree behind him. He drew a quiet breath before finally speaking.

- And now?

- Pardon?

- Is coming here today your own will?

Esther hesitated briefly before resolving herself.

- Actually, I came because there's something I must tell you.

- What is it?

- Do you know Baron Dacher?

Enoch recalled one of the relative families that had toyed with the marchioness seat last spring.

He'd made an example of them, replacing their head and heir.

- He came as their representative. He said if I didn't cooperate with what they were doing, they wouldn't let me live...

Apparently, the warning hadn't been enough.

Preparing another scheme like this.

- They're plotting harm against you again. I couldn't stay silent this time—I had to warn you!

No, perhaps he was to blame for this mess.

Was she always like this?

Enoch stared anew at the woman before him.

Thirteen years old.

Now he could see what he hadn't then.

Enoch knew how to discern lies from truth.

Seven years ago, the desperately pitiful girl had worn false tears, secretly gauging him.

Would he accept her? Or not?

- Hah.

- Lord Enoch?

He couldn't believe he'd ever, even briefly, compared her to Agatha.

Agatha's "I like you" and this woman's were worlds apart.

His feelings differed entirely. Esther had been his responsibility; Agatha was...

- ......

Enoch covered his eyes silently. Regret flooded him at last.

He'd been so utterly lost in her that nothing else registered.

Realizing it only now was utterly pathetic.

- You don't believe me? This time it's real. That incident was truly your relatives who...

- Enough.

He straightened, wiping his dry eyes.

He'd sensed presences moments ago that had now vanished.

His past being exposed no longer mattered much.

But he wouldn't risk straining things further with his wife.

'Please leave.'

Recalling Agatha's damp, upturned gaze when she'd said that—even unconsciously—made his breath catch.

Now, his throat felt choked.

Could he turn it back?

- L-Lord Enoch.

To do so, he first had to settle this ghost completely.

- I'll handle the relatives. Go. Don't come near me again.

- ......Are you abandoning me once more? You did the same seven years ago. If only you'd clearly said you would make me your wife, I wouldn't have...

- You fed me poison with your own hands, and now you blame me?

Enoch let out a low laugh, then hardened his expression chillingly. Overwhelmed by the faint aura he exuded, Esther's face drained of color.

- L-Lord Enoch, that's not what I meant...!

- Haven't you been compensated enough already? Instead of seeking assurance from me, you took the clear rewards from my relatives.

His sharp gaze flicked to her lustrous dress and small jeweled brooch.

Tears welled in Esther's eyes.

- How can you say such things...?

- I suppose I must strip all lesser titles. Combining seven years ago with today, even His Majesty won't intervene. Isn't that right?

Enoch's eyes passed over Esther to a massive tree trunk deeper in the woods.

Esther flinched violently in shock.

- Th-There's nothing there, Lord Enoch!

- If you don't want to come out, listen from there.

Over his leather hunting garb, the arm of a well-trained fighter rested loosely on his sword belt. As his long, straight hand gripped the hilt, a bloody aura surged forth, thickly shrouding the underbrush.

- Bring me the mastermind of seven years ago and the one behind today's scheme. Fail, and I'll not only revoke your titles but punish you all for disrupting the house—hanging the lot of you from the walls myself.