"Thank you."
Esther grinned as she belatedly raised her hand to wipe her chin.
"Goodnight then."
"I'll take you to your room."
"I can walk by myself."
However, unlike her statement, Esther's steps were all taken in peril. Her languor caused her body to repeatedly lean from its straight posture as it constantly tumbled. (E/n: Esther was swaying while walking since she's so tired.)
Darwin followed behind, anxious Esther would fall.
"Kak!”
"It’ll be much faster to go like this."
Eventually, Esther was carried by Darwin before she could even leave the conference room.
Darwin laid Esther atop the bed inside her room and handed her a last embrace. It was a goodnight greeting he had done with the twins.
"Goodnight."
"You too, Father."
Esther, now a bit immune to such sudden cuddles, raised her hands to return Darwin’s hug.
“...!!"
At that moment, Darwin slowly bit his lips. He realized how much he longed for this little one’s warmth.
Darwin tightened his grasp on Esther as he admitted his anxiousness while she was away.
After a while.
Darwin quietly left the room, leaving the now fast asleep Esther. All his worries dispersed as he gazed at her relaxed face.
"Your Grace now seems a bit more comfortable."
Ben, who had been waiting in the hallway, stood beside Darwin, his smile bright.
"Me? Well, it was always the same."
"No, your Grace had been different the day before, yet now you act like this."
Ben even raised the ends of his eyebrows up to his forehead as he mimicked Darwin himself, then pulled them back down.
"Never, I have never done that."
Darwin, overcome with embarrassment, turned his back as he began walking at a fast rate.
His legs, long as they were, caused his distance from Ben's to widen within a few strides.
"Your Grace! We must move together!”
Ben began to huff as he moved to chase after Darwin.
***
The next day,
Darwin called Victor in for a detailed report on what had happened.
"...My lady stopped by the boutique room before we headed back.”
He also conveyed all the insults the wives had directed at Esther.
"How did their families educate them? Is this a declaration of war against me?"
"Your Grace, that's not what it was.”
"An insult directed to Esther is the same as an insult directed towards me.”
Blood rushed to the back of Darwin’s fist. He couldn't forgive any human being for daring to affront his daughter.
"Find out their identities."
"Yes, your Grace."
Ben recorded the names 'Catherine' and 'Beth' on his work notes as he sighed helplessly.
"Victor, finish speaking."
"Then, she went shopping. My lady bought a total of six dresses."
"Wait. Esther bought clothes herself?"
Darwin rubbed his chin as he was lost in thought.
"You mean she used her diamonds from the mine?”
"Yes."
It was hard to believe Esther bought clothes herself, however, Darwin was delighted she was using the mine he had handed her.
"Look. It was the right choice to give her the mine.”
Ben, the person who had said it wouldn’t be a good idea to present her the mine as a gift, bowed his head without uttering a sound.
"She must have liked the dressing room, didn't she?"
For whatever reason, it was a special event that Esther began to utilize her money.
"Send someone over and ask if they're interested in opening a branch on Lille Street."
"Doesn’t your Grace recall? About four months ago, the dressing room contacted us first. They requested promoting a branch on Lille Street."
“And?”
"Your Grace refused."
Darwin frowned, his face presenting an ‘I never heard such news’ expression. There was no such memory in his mind.
"What was the reason?"
"Your Grace had stated there was no need to add to the already overflowing amount of dressing rooms."
"Hmm."
Darwin buried himself deep in the sofa and fell deep in thought.
Any decisions he made usually never changed.
Nonetheless, Darwin changed his decision for Esther.
"Then we’ll reverse it. Send an apology this instant and have them permitted tomorrow."
"...Yes."
Ben tightly clenched his lips as he witnessed Darwin running without running out of fuel whenever Esther was involved.
"I have one more thing to tell your Grace."
Victor, who had been quiet all this time, spoke in a serious tone.
"What is it?"
"I would like to continue escorting my lady."
Darwin’s eyebrows twitched.
"Why is that? Didn't you wish to establish your position within the Knights?"
"I did indeed, however, I think serving my lady is the greatest honor I could receive."
Darwin stared at Victor, searching for a clue to what was going on.
'Well, he's one of the best new recruits, so it isn’t that bad an idea for Esther...'
Nevertheless, his eyes held a different sense than when Esther was first entrusted to him.
“Nothing happened while you two were visiting the temple? Is that right?”
"Not at all."
“If you hold different intentions for my daughter...”
Darwin’s eyes shone horribly. Victor's throat dried up when facing the frightening momentum.
"You’ll die."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Then, I'll entrust you as Esther's escort for a year. After that, I will finalize my decision after observing your actions.”
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"Keep in mind that if Esther received injury the moment her clothes were torn, you wouldn't have been in safe condition right now."
"...I apologize. From now on, I'll protect My Lady with everything I have to make sure even her clothes won’t tear."
"I know."
Victor's hands were shaking as he barely left the office with his permission granted.
'It felt like I was being pierced by a sword.'
As soon as Victor exited, he grasped his hands over his neck to check whether it was still properly attached.
Attracting Darwin’s gaze was difficult to handle.
After experiencing it in person, Victor realized why Darwin was called a murderer. It was a thrill, far greater than what he heard from the rumors.
***
Rabienne visited the sanctuary to announce the delightful news of her being selected as the next saint candidate.
‘I’m almost there.’
She was one step closer to her dedicated spot. Now, if only Cespia died, she would become the Saint.
It would’ve been nice to have a friend of hers to say or to however, it was rather unfortunate the person she would announce the good news to was her ex-fiance, a person on the verge of death.
It was an engagement set by her family, yet Noah never even glanced towards her.
Noah was the only one who ignored Rabienne, while everyone else praised her brilliance.
"Won’t he be surprised? He’ll also be sorry. He missed his chance with me."
Rabienne murmured, a coy expression on her face.
Things have changed now. Noah was waiting for the day he died, and she would soon become the saint.
"Let's see how long that noble ego lasts."
Rabienne set foot in the sanctuary without hesitation, her eyes glistening fiercely.
As she opened the door of the cabin like usual, she suddenly felt strange. The room was empty.
All the traces of human life were erased. Guessing from the cool air, it seemed to have happened a while ago.
"...What happened?"
Rabienne bit her lips as she began to search the room. Nothing could be found.
Noah disappeared.
There was no trace left.
Rabienne, shocked by this fact, slumped in her place.
“Don’t tell me, he’s not dead is he?”
Rabienne’s complexion turned pale as she shook her head. No matter how much he had been expelled from the palace, the Emperor was the Emperor. If so, the news couldn’t have been delivered till now.
"Someone kidnapped him secretly..."
Rabienne bit her nails as she shook her head.
She worried someone might have kidnapped Noah while he was unconscious.
She ran back to the room just in case anything was there.
This time, the side table in the corner caught her eye. It was a piece of furniture Rabienne didn't pay much attention to when she had entered.
Swish-
Rabienne swallowed her saliva as she carefully opened the drawer of the narrow side table.
There was a piece of white paper folded in half.
“...!!”
Rabienne opened her eyes wide as she hurriedly pulled out the paper. When she opened the paper, she could see familiar handwriting.
「I’m going to where I belong. Don't come to me again.」
Sender, recipient.
No name was mentioned, however, Rabienne could make out it was Noah who wrote the letter within a glance.
Rabienne crumpled the letter that contained less than a line.
"How dare you not tell me..."
She smashed the basket of fruit she had brought to celebrate her accomplishments.
After the fruit scattered everywhere, Rabienne yanked the basket and slammed it against the wall.
‘What did I hope for?’
She just wished to hear a warm compliment, telling her she had a hard time, that she was great, that he believed in her.
Noah has been watching hers since she was young. She wanted to brag that she achieved her goals without him.
Yet, was that such too much to ask for? Where are you going, disappearing without leaving a word?
"You'll see. I’ll find you."
Rabienne's eyes glistened. Her anger towards Noah left her feeling wretched.
Nonetheless, through all the pain and annoyance, she couldn’t help but feel worried about him.
The High Priest gave up treating him and stated there wasn’t much time left, so it was bewildering where he would head after leaving the sanctuary.
"I really don't understand you."
Rabienne held back her anger as she quenched her emotions.
After she returned to the carriage, the resting horseman jumped up in surprise.
"Are you coming out already? It’s been less than ten minutes."
Rabienne bit her lips as she recited in a low tone.
"Noah is gone."
"Pardon? What does My Lady mean 'he is gone?' Where did he go…”
"I don't know, so I will have to find him."
Rabienne climbed into the carriage and slammed the door shut. Taking that as a signal, the carriage rattled off.
"Call home and tell them to find Noah. By all means."
"Oh, I see."
Rabienne kept gazing out the window continuously until the sanctuary turned smaller and smaller, and she could not see it anymore.
It was not until it became invisible that she struck her curtain roughly. Her hands were still trembling in anger.
