Ch.104Promise Keeper (2)

“…..Praester, explain quickly.”

Judy, who had dropped her usual formal speech, pressured Asena who was lying face down on the floor. Looking at the already broken Asena, Judy felt everything she had been worried about becoming real, but still she continued to ask questions, not letting go of her last shred of hope.

A few days ago, a letter had arrived for her. It was from the Vensrak Family. They contacted her thinking she and Caden must be close since she had taken his first kiss at the Academy.

And in the letter was news of Caden’s death.

Judy felt as if the ground was collapsing beneath her. He had clearly promised they would meet again. He had asked her to believe that he would come back.

Even now, she believed those words with absolute certainty. If even the person who loved him didn’t believe his words, then no one else would.

But…she couldn’t deny feeling anxious. This information came from none other than the Vensrak Family. While they weren’t always completely right, their accuracy was quite high.

When she closed her eyes, the memory of receiving that letter was vivid.

Judy couldn’t possibly sit still, so she made plans to visit the Praester Family’s Territory. To do so, she visited her father with the postcard she had received.

It was rare for her to seek him out. Since returning to the territory, Judy had been keeping to herself, staying curled up. There was nothing good about catching the eye of her older sister, Nera Ice.

But this time, she couldn’t just do nothing. Caden, whom she considered her only person who understood her. Caden, her first and closest friend. The man she loved—she couldn’t just sit still after hearing false rumors of his death.

When she went to see her father to hand over the postcard, he was with his children. Judy felt as if she had interrupted their happy family time.

Once again, she felt like an outsider. She felt like a different species from them despite sharing half their blood. There was a distance between them.

They seemed like a different tribe from her. They had their own pack. Like a wolf pack, they lived bound together.

Judy felt like she had found her own kind for the first time at the Academy. Caden was so similar to her. Being by his side made her feel comfortable and not lonely.

Anyway, Judy had invaded her father’s pack. She interrupted their family time. Yet she pretended to be confident. She had to do at least that much to get permission to leave.

Then she delivered the news about Caden to her father. He opened his eyes wide in surprise for a moment and said:

“To have such an accident so soon after being expelled from the family.”

Judy knew he had been banished. Perhaps that’s why this news felt even more unsettling. It seemed to add credibility to these false rumors.

As the Duke of Ice was about to nod and grant permission for her to leave, a woman spoke up, stopping him.

“Good riddance. He was just a parasite to the family anyway.”

It was Nera Ice. Her insult was directed at Judy as well. Using Caden, who had been adopted, she was also insulting Judy, an illegitimate daughter.

Normally, Judy would have endured insults directed at herself.

She would have gone to her room and spent time there until the words eventually dulled and were forgotten.

But when Nera attacked Caden, it became hard to endure.

She finally understood why Caden had gotten angry on her behalf in the past.

He too had ignored and endured insults directed at himself.

When the twins gossiped about him, he would only come to her and confide that things were a little difficult, but never took any action.

The first time Caden seriously clashed with his siblings was when Asena directed her arrows at Judy.

It was the day Caden saved Daisy from wasps. The argument between the twins and Caden escalated until Asena told Judy to kneel before her.

And that’s when Caden exploded. He continued fighting with his siblings for quite some time, essentially fighting for Judy.

He might have thought it was a small gesture, but Judy was deeply moved at that time.

He had stood up against his sister, who was both the head of the family and a duchess, for her sake—a bastard daughter from an enemy family. She thought she would never have been able to do the same.

Judy wondered where he had drawn such courage from.

But now, she understood. What he had drawn upon that day wasn’t courage. It was sudden anger.

Strength gathered in Judy’s arm.

Without time to reconsider her plan, she swung at Nera with all her might.

-Slap!

Nera, who had grown like a flower in a greenhouse, couldn’t withstand Judy’s blow.

Caught by the unexpected attack, Nera fell from her chair onto the floor, and red blood immediately burst from her lips.

Nera held her cheek in shock and looked up at Judy. But perhaps overwhelmed by the momentum, she couldn’t easily open her mouth.

Judy felt an incredible sense of relief. It was surprising even to herself. Contrary to her expectation that she would be anxious after hitting Nera, she felt as if a great burden had been lifted.

She felt as if she had escaped from Nera’s influence. Even if she were to be expelled from the Ice Family like Caden had been… that seemed fine too.

If that happened, surely… surely he must be alive. No, if he was alive, she could be by his side as a commoner just like him.

With everyone in shock, Judy had only one thing left to say: that she was leaving.

She no longer needed her father’s permission. She would leave now and check what punishment had been decided for her later. If they let it slide, that would be good, and if she was expelled… she could live as a wanderer.

Afterward, Judy rode Goldie.

She quickly shook off thoughts of Nera.

She could feel that she was riding a fine horse. Goldie was twice as fast as other horses and didn’t tire easily. She could gallop to the Praester Family’s Territory in one go.

Countless thoughts assailed her as she traveled. Perhaps it was because she was alone during the journey.

Though she pretended to be confident, she was anxious inside. The reason she didn’t believe that Caden was dead was because she felt that was the only way he could still be alive. Without realizing it, a tear streamed down her cheek.

Judy was startled by the tear and roughly wiped it away before continuing to ride.

She went over the promise she had made with Caden hundreds of times.

Finally, she murmured.

“…You promised, Caden.”

In the distance, the Praester castle appeared like a dot.

“…..You promised we would meet again.”

Once more, tears flowed down her cheeks.

****

Looking at Asena, Judy was gradually becoming shocked as well. She had never seen Asena so broken before. The woman who had always been proud and dignified when escorting her was now lying face down on the floor with a devastated expression.

The first shock was that someone like her could break down like this. No, she was surprised that a person could be so devastated.

Of course, her own chest ached unbearably too… but perhaps because she clung to the belief that he was alive like a lifeline? She wasn’t as unable to function as Asena was.

She could confirm Asena’s love for Caden in a way she hadn’t wanted to know. She could also see that the twins’ claim to love him wasn’t a lie.

The woman lying before her was so broken and continuing to break that it made her pitiful. Well, even she who had only known Caden for half a year felt this way. How much worse must it be for those who had seen him for over 10 years?

Judy didn’t understand why she felt sorry for her.

But such emotions weren’t important right now. She had heard everything she wanted to know from Asena, who was lying face down and mumbling answers to all her questions.

And the more she heard, the more Judy tried to maintain her conviction. He hadn’t died from slipping somewhere, nor had he suddenly died from illness.

The news was that he had died fighting with swords.

Judy forcibly thought that there was no way he could die from that. This was Caden, who had survived a bloody battle with numerous thugs in a dark room.

This was Caden, with whom she had sweated and honed her sword skills. Having been by his side, seeing his efforts and feeling his skill, she could believe that he wouldn’t have been defeated by mere bandits.

“….Where did it happen?”

Judy asked coldly.

“….Naita Forest.”

And as expected, Asena answered like a doll. Revealing everything seemed like the desperate struggle of someone seeking salvation and help.

When Judy nodded, Asena asked.

“….Are you going?”

To those words, Judy nodded firmly.

Asena slowly called for Helen.

“…Helen.”

“…Yes, my lady?”

“Give Judy the Praester emblem. Lawrence is… in the forest.”

“Understood.”

Helen, who had briefly disappeared, returned with a coin bearing the Praester snake.

She explained that if shown to the soldiers in the forest, they wouldn’t harm her.

Asena looked as if all her venom had drained away. Perhaps she couldn’t even lift her head because she felt too ashamed.

Judy didn’t understand why she kept feeling this way… but Asena’s dejected appearance was unfamiliar and kept making her feel sorry for her. She thought it would be better if she were more malicious.

In any case, perhaps she was empathizing with her feelings as they shared the same pain of losing Caden.

In her eyes, the broken Asena didn’t appear as a sister who had lost her brother, but as a woman who had lost her loved one.

“…I’ll just borrow one horse. Please take care of my horse… It’s tired from coming all the way here.”

Feeling her heart becoming strange, Judy began to prepare to leave.

Asena staggered to her feet, sat on the bed, and nodded.

Judy turned and began to leave.

Then, she stopped her steps and slightly turned her head.

“…..Caden is definitely alive.”

She said.

At those words, Asena’s head lifted. A faint light of hope flickered in her eyes.

“….I’m not saying this for your sake. Caden is alive… and I’ll bring him back.”

Then she turned around.

Judy faced Asena directly.

Whether because of the news about Caden, or because she had slapped Nera Ice, there was no hesitation in her actions. Knowingly or unknowingly, it was a change brought about by the news of Caden’s death.

“If I bring him back… grant me one favor.”

Judy said. There was only one thing she wanted. But she felt that if she spoke like this, Asena wouldn’t be able to refuse her proposal.

Asena imagined Caden returning alive. She had believed that it would be a complete farewell with him. To the point where she had thought about throwing herself out the window. She thought she couldn’t meet him whether dead or alive.

It had been three days since Lawrence began searching the Naita Forest. She hadn’t received any news from him.

If Caden were alive… it wouldn’t have taken this long.

So.

If Judy really brought him back.

A gleam appeared in Asena’s eyes.

“……Anything.”

She conveyed clearly.

“….I’ll do anything you want. If you bring my brother back.”

“…..What I want is marriage with Caden.”

Judy felt guilty for making such a proposal using his life as leverage, but there was no better opportunity than this.

“……..”

Asena’s lips trembled. Having been so obsessed with him all this time, even at this moment, the words wouldn’t easily leave her mouth.

But then she thought again. Truly, if he returned, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

“……It’s not something I can decide-“

Asena murmured in a last desperate attempt.

“….If Caden agrees, will you let us marry?”

Asena finally paused… and slowly nodded.

“…….Just bring my brother back.”

Judy didn’t respond to those words. As if she had heard everything she wanted to hear, she turned away.