Episode 117 – The Eve of the Storm

*

The girl, who was lying in bed basking in the morning sunlight streaming through the window, woke up feeling someone had arrived in front of her room.

The girl, as if already knowing who it was, turned her head towards the door with a relieved expression, and soon the man who opened the door and entered spoke to her.

“Good morning, Tess.”

“Yeah, good morning, Oppa.”

Edward forced a smile, even though he knew Tess couldn’t see it.

He carefully closed the door and approached the bed, saying.

“Did I wake you up?”

Tess shook her head and replied.

“No, I’ve been up for a while.”

“If you’re going to lie, at least fix your messy hair and wipe the sleep from your eyes first.”

“Okay, ‘a while’ is a lie, but anyway, I didn’t wake up because of you, Oppa.”

Tess smiled sheepishly.

Edward looked at Tess, who was smiling while looking towards his stomach, and silently picked up the comb on the bedside table.

“I’ll comb your hair. Tell me if it hurts.”

“Okay,”

Edward brought a small chair next to Tess’s bed, sat down, and skillfully began to comb Tess’s hair, gently pulling it.

Tess also closed her eyes, as if used to it, and let him do as he pleased.

“How’s your body?”

“I’m fine, are you going to ask that every day?”

“You couldn’t even open your eyes until recently, so it’s only natural to worry.”

“I told you I’m fine. Thanks to you, Oppa, I’ve started walking again slowly these days.”

“…That’s right.”

“But why did you suddenly cancel the walking practice yesterday? I was really looking forward to going to the garden.”

Edward flinched at Tess’s question.

Edward, who had been helping Tess, who had been bedridden for a long time, to practice walking, suddenly canceled the walking practice yesterday, which was originally planned to be a walk in the garden.

Tess, who was excited at the thought of going outside the mansion and breathing fresh air for the first time with her own feet, puffed out her cheeks and pressed him.

“Did something happen? Or are you just busy?”

“…Yeah, I was a bit busy yesterday. You know, the thing about me being investigated.”

“If that’s the case, then there’s nothing I can do…”

Edward made an excuse to Tess with a lie.

There was no need to tell his newly recovered sister the truth and make her worry.

The reason for canceling the plan to take a walk in the garden was because the garden was a complete mess.

Edward was about to comb Tess’s hair again, but he shuddered slightly as he recalled the scene in the garden he had seen yesterday morning.

Even thinking about it now, it was an extremely bizarre sight.

All the soil in the large garden was dug up in a mess, and the beautiful red salvia flowers were pulled out in a chaotic manner.

In the middle of the piles of dirt that could no longer be called a ‘garden’, the one-person coffee table in the middle of the shabby gazebo was knocked over and rolling around in a mess, and in the spot where the table had been, Mela, in a disheveled state, was sitting blankly looking up at the ceiling.

Mela’s hair was disheveled, and her thin pajamas were covered in dirt and sand, and the parts not covered in dirt were sparsely stained with red blood.

Her fingers, knees, and feet were twisted and broken in a mess, covered in blood and dirt, and the blood pooled beneath her feet, flowing down under the gazebo, was dripping, indicating how long she had been standing there.

The reason was unknown, but in the circumstances, it was clear that she had been making a mess of the garden and her own body all night.

Edward was startled and called for his mother, approaching Mela.

She didn’t even look at Edward, but left the words ‘Ed, I’m sorry’ and fainted.

Edward, who caught Mela’s falling body, was even more horrified by her condition up close, and carried her back to the mansion, laid her on the bed in Mela’s room, and hurriedly told the maids to call a doctor.

Thanks to the maid Miemu, who brought an elixir from Robin’s office, the urgent wounds such as the completely pulled-out nails and broken fingers were healed, and the doctor who arrived soon after examined Mela’s body in detail and returned, but Mela still hadn’t opened her eyes.

The doctor said that there seemed to be a mental factor involved, and that it could be pregnancy stress.

Edward was very surprised that Mela was newly pregnant at her age, and his mind began to become complicated.

Was the reason she had been acting so nervous since she came back from outside a few days ago because she knew about her pregnancy?

But, her relationship with Robin seemed good, so why did the fact of her pregnancy make Mela so sharp?

Was it because she was stressed about being an elderly mother who might harm her body, or was it because Robin had been held in the Imperial City for a week?

Edward suddenly recalled Mela’s resentful scream.

‘Your father, you! And… and me too, I’m disgusted with all of you… I’m disgusted with everything! This mansion is a den of disgusting bugs!’

What did Mela’s words mean?

Edward tried to figure out the cause of her hysteria by rolling the images of Mela, who had suddenly broken down after the social gathering, in his head, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t easily come up with an answer.

Rather, he could only sigh at the complicated thoughts.

That’s because he himself had gone through a difficult investigation because he had hidden the story about Daniel’s becoming an undead.

Fortunately, he was released quickly, unlike Robin, thanks to the Pope sending a letter defending him, but it was still a heart-stopping experience.

Moreover, it was obvious that his life as a priest would be greatly twisted in the future.

“Aya!”

Tess let out a short scream and pressed her head.

Edward snapped out of it and hurriedly took the comb out of Tess’s hair, saying.

“Ah! Sorry, Tess. Did it hurt a lot?”

“Uhh, I was just a little surprised.”

“I’m sorry, I think Oppa was lost in thought for a moment.”

Tess squinted her eyes with a sulky expression and glared at Edward.

Of course, her gaze didn’t exactly capture Edward, but since he was right behind her, combing her hair, she probably had a rough idea of his location.

Edward chuckled at Tess and poked her puffed-up cheek.

“I said I’m sorry.”

“Just words?”

“Hmph- What should I do to get my little sister to forgive me?”

“Hmm-“

Tess tilted her head with an exaggerated pose, pretending to think.

She must have already decided what she wanted and was just playing around.

Tess playfully raised the corners of her lips and smiled, then slowly opened her mouth.

“Take me out,”

Edward’s eyes widened at Tess’s unexpected request, and he said.

“Take you out? Where to?”

“Anywhere, the market is fine, the cathedral is fine…”

Tess frowned between her eyebrows, trying to think of a place, but eventually gave up and opened her mouth with a hollow expression.

“Hehe, I don’t know anything else, I’ve never been outside.”

“…”

Edward was speechless.

He could fully understand why she had been acting sulky towards him for canceling the garden walk, even if she was just joking.

There was a good reason, but it was definitely a measure that didn’t consider Tess’s feelings at all.

“Okay, let’s go out today if nothing happens. Remember that cake I bought last time? How about that store? The cakes are great, but the scones and other desserts are amazing too.”

“Oh, I want to go! I want to go!”

Tess couldn’t hide her excitement, bouncing her butt on the bed like a child with an excited face.

Edward was flustered by the sight of her shoulders shaking so much that her hair was suddenly floating up, but he soon laughed out loud.

Well, that’s right.

No matter how mature and grown-up she was, she was just a 13-year-old girl.

Edward patted Tess’s shoulder and said.

“Okay, if we’re going out, we need to comb your hair first.”

“Okay, I got it!”

Tess obediently leaned her back against Edward.

She had moved so violently that her already weak body seemed to feel even a slight muscle pain.

But even so, she couldn’t stop her legs from swaying with excitement.

*

A blonde man slowly approached a white-haired old man sitting on the balcony of the Imperial Palace, gulping down tea, knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

The man’s face, which the old man looked at with only his eyes, looked noticeably haggard.

It was only natural, as he had been tormented by investigations for the past week without even being able to return home.

The man twitched his lips and slowly parted them.

“Did you call for me, Your Majesty?”

“Count Boldiras.”

The Emperor leisurely raised his hand and ordered the man to rise.

Count Robin Boldiras, who raised his head, was trying hard to hide his dissatisfied expression, but he wasn’t very successful.

However, the Emperor did not blame such disrespectful behavior and said.

“You’ve suffered a lot from the investigation, I’ve heard that the Inquisitors are quite harsh, but looking at your face, it seems they were indeed as nasty as I’ve heard.”

“…I’m fine.”

“Yes, I’ve also heard the results of the investigation. Although you hid the fact that your son became an undead, it was only because you didn’t want to reveal your son’s miserable appearance, and it was revealed that it was completely unrelated to Jennifer’s heretical acts.”

“…”

Robin bowed his head and clenched his fists, grinding his teeth.

That damn old man.

Robin was already fed up with the meaningless torture of being cut off from outside news for the past week, not being allowed to sleep properly, and being asked the same questions over and over again.

Probably, during the past week, all the aristocratic families had hurriedly withdrawn or were wagging their tails, belatedly swearing allegiance to the Emperor, at the news of Billard’s death and Robin’s arrest.

It was obvious that the Emperor himself was the one who had secretly ordered the strict investigation for a week to deprive Robin, who had lost all his political base in an instant, of the opportunity to summon and appease the chaotic aristocratic faction as a last resort, but he was pretending not to know, so Robin felt like his insides were turning upside down.

The Emperor nodded as he looked at Robin.

“Even if Jennifer’s actions are bad, you are still a hero of this empire, aren’t you? I’m really glad that the absurd misunderstanding has been resolved. The Pope, who understood the heart of a father who saw his child’s misfortune, said that he would not hold you accountable for the Daniel case, so don’t worry about anything now.”

Among the many scandalous stories that Baron Salvia had mentioned at the social gathering that day, there were still many unresolved issues.

Robin’s sexual privacy, the illegitimate child born from Jennifer and Billard’s affair, and so on.

There was nothing among them that could imprison Robin, but they were definitely incidents that tarnished Robin’s name, which had been as high as a mountain.

Even if Robin desperately tried to stop it, it was obvious that everyone in this capital would know about it in less than a month.

Siorens was a town where rumors spread quickly.

Robin replied in a trembling voice.

“…Since she was my wife, it was my fault.”

“An impressive humble attitude, Count.”

“…Thank… you…”

“Well, then it’s time to return to everyday life. Before that, Count.”

“Why, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor stroked his beard, cleared his throat once, and looked at Robin’s face, saying.

Robin couldn’t shake the feeling that the Emperor’s lips were mocking him, even though they were hidden by his beard and not clearly visible.

“Apologize to Baron Salvia.”

“…!”

“As you know, Baron Salvia’s remarks have already become rumors and are circulating here and there. To prevent unnecessary rumors, we need at least a superficial indication that the conflict with the Baron has been resolved.”

“…That, that’s”

“Besides, this empire, which represents humanity on this continent, should not give a bad impression to the foreign Baron. He is even a grateful guest who helps those in need.”

“…”

“Please do it for my sake.”

If the Emperor of the Empire said this much, it was not a request but an order.

Robin clenched his teeth so hard that they were about to wear out, but soon bowed his head deeply and replied.

“I will follow your orders.”

“Thank you.”

The Emperor replied to Robin in a strangely grating tone.

Robin clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, trembling.

When the Emperor waved his hand, gesturing for him to leave, Robin immediately turned around and walked out at a fast pace.

It was then.

“Ah, Count. Just one more thing.”

Robin stopped abruptly and slowly turned around to look at the Emperor.

The Emperor was smiling.

“Be careful with your behavior, if I hear a few more bad rumors, it may be irreversible now.”

“…”

“And be a little more faithful to your family.”

All Robin could do to the Emperor, who was콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콗콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕콕