The Stepmother Has Left - Chapter 10

Nick was timid when he was young.

 

He had a habit of thinking a lot. He noticed a lot about his older brother, who hated their stepmother. Even after Ken left, Nick could not change his attitude toward his stepmother for a while.

 

He didn’t know how to reverse and build up a relationship that had already gone wrong.

 

All he could do was enjoy the cake his stepmother made for him.

 

However, now he was an adult.

 

Now that he had come of age, he wanted to quit the awkward relationship.

 

Now he wanted to accept her as a ‘mother,’ not a ‘stepmother.’

 

‘I wanted to call her mother.’

 

For the first time at the Coming-of-Age banquet, he took courage and greeted her with a smile. He was encouraged to see her brightly accepting his greeting.

 

‘I tried to open my heart.’

 

As soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, Nick wandered around the mansion to find Cassia.

 

‘Thank you for raising me.’

 

‘Now I want to call you mother, not stepmother.’

 

Nick had been practising his words over and over again.

 

But it was late.

 

When he approached her after belatedly finishing all his resolutions.

 

…It was after she had already left.

 

Nick’s expression was calm.

 

Covering his head in pain, he groaned.

 

Now he really wanted to be her son, and he really wanted to accept her as his mother. It wasn’t because he forgot Diana. He just thought that he should form a better relationship between people who are alive. In fact, it took a lot of time to realize that.

 

The moment he accepted his stepmother as his mother, wouldn’t he betray his biological mother?

 

Wouldn’t that be a crime against Diana, who was in the grave?

 

There were times when he wanted to find the answer, so he read several books every day. He wondered if the wise ancestors would give him advice. He wondered if the books would provide an answer to his stepmother’s existence.

 

After a long time of contemplating, he finally realized it.

 

It’s right to follow your heart.

 

It’s a much more productive thing to approach than to think about it a hundred times.

 

And he realized it now…

 

She had left.

 

It was unexpected.

 

He would have approached her a little earlier if he had known this would happen.

 

If he had known this would happen, he would have been a little more courageous in front of her.

 

The unexpected breakup left Nick buried in anguish.

 

“Don’t try to wrap up your cowardice. Don’t blame me for stepmother’s leaving, Nick Whidrian.”

 

Ken shook off his crumpled shirt and spoke to Nick coldly.

 

Nick did not answer, as he still had his hands wrapped around his head.

 

Soon, his body began to tremble a little.

 

Ken, tidying his clothes and looking at his younger brother with unshakable eyes, looked at the Duke.

 

“These days, the Knights are busy because it is a training period. I don’t want you to call me anymore for this. I came here to say that.”

 

“If there is nothing more to say, I will go. Take care of stepmother. …After all, my opinion never mattered in the first place.”

 

It was when Ken, who spoke in a low voice, bowed his head toward his father and was about to leave the office.

 

“Ken Whidrian.”

 

“…?”

 

Ken stopped. Looking back, the Duke was looking as if he had something to say.

 

At one moment, two pairs of sharp eyes met in the air. The Duke spoke a clear voice.

 

“To her, don’t be rude anymore.”

 

Ken did not avoid his gaze.

 

A sharp tension flowed into the office.

 

As time passed, Ken finally turned around and left the office without answering.

 

Bang.

 

The sound of the door closing resounded, and silence fell. Nick, who had let out a painful moan, slowly lifted his head.

 

“…No matter how much I think about it, I can’t let stepmother leave like this.”

 

Nick wiped off his face, which was wet with tears, and clenched his fist firmly as if determined.

 

He stood up from his seat, and spoke to the Duke who looked at him.

 

“I’m going to find stepmother by myself. She probably wouldn’t have gone far yet. We can still turn things around.”

 

Nick, who made up his mind as if he were determined, went outside.

 

Bang.

 

The sound of the office door closing rang again.

 

The Duke, who was left alone, looked at the door through which his two sons went out, quietly for a long time.

 

Soon, a heavy, deep sigh slowly flowed out of his mouth.

 

Axion heard a knock on the door.

 

It was the butler who slightly opened the door and showed his face.

 

Holding food in the tray, he spoke in an awkward voice.

 

“…I prepared tea, but somehow it seems to have been of no use.”

 

“Come in.”

 

It was a night that required even a small companion. At the Duke’s words, the butler entered the room. Even the Duke did not drink tea, so the hot tea prepared for the three of them was up to the butler. In the deep silence, only the sound of the butler drinking tea could be heard.

 

He had worked for the Duke for many years and was perfectly equipped with etiquette, and didn’t even say that much.

 

The Duke opened his mouth.

 

“You are one of the people who have lived with both Duchess.”

 

“I am the only one who can be said to be the closest person to both of them.”

 

The butler replied.

 

“Originally, it included the maid chief, but she was fired a long time ago.”

 

“…What kind of person was Cassia?”

 

The butler who brought the teacup to his mouth.

 

His hand stopped.

 

He looked back at the Duke.

 

“I think you’re talking about her.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The Duke nodded.

 

“Tell me honestly. I know there’s already a lot of talk about her in the house, and I want to hear your opinion.”

 

The butler knew roughly that Cassia and the Duke had a formal marriage, although others did not know. So he wanted to hear from the butler more than anyone else about this situation. As if it were an interesting question, the butler put down the tea he was drinking and fell into thought.

 

“I don’t know. She’s…”

 

It didn’t take that long for him to answer.

 

“She was a good duchess. To the point where I didn’t dare to evaluate.”

 

The butler’s eyes looked through past memories. He continued as he recalled.

 

“When was it…? There was a rumour that the plague spread from a well at the time when Your Excellency often went on business trips. There was a false rumour spread by a small group of people to expel a race that had just entered our territory. Do you know what the Duchess did when people feared that the plague spread from that well and protested the race should be driven out?”

 

“She went out and drank water from the well. That was the first thing you did.”

 

A gentle smile appeared on the butler’s face.

 

“She is a very wise woman, She is a compassionate person.”

 

“…I see,” replied the Duke.

 

The butler nodded and continued to talk.

 

“The previous Duchess and the current Duchess were very different people. Of course, the previous Duchess was also kind enough, benevolent, and a wonderful Duchess, but somehow, Duchess Cassia was a little more realistic person. Sometimes… she looked dark.”

 

“…”

 

“It seemed to me that she needed comfort. So I’m very sad that she’s gone.”

 

The Duke looked at the butler.

 

The sad look on the butler’s face seemed to be revealed just then.

 

The butler smiled.

 

“Your Excellency sometimes overlooks the expressions of those around him.”

 

“…She always told me that she was fine. I’ve done my best to have a relationship with her.”

 

“What do you think? Are you sure you’re all right?”

 

After finishing a sip of tea, the butler packed the tray he brought as if he had to go out.

 

After getting up from his seat, he bowed to the Duke and left the room, adding a word.

 

“I think she was pretty lonely. Just by being in this mansion.”

 

And the door closed.

 

The Duke sat still in silence for a long time.

 

Axion Whidrian.

 

When he first saw the letter and divorce documents, the first thing he felt was embarrassment.

 

He couldn’t understand.

 

About her leaving as if she waited to run away as soon as the seven years came to an end.

 

Of course, he was always a lacking husband. It was a matter of course. Their marriage was never like a married couple.

 

Throughout his marriage, he always felt that there was an invisible wall between her and him.

 

A friend of his dead wife.

 

The name created a huge barrier between them.

 

It was strong, thick, and unbreakable.

 

The name, which touches the boundaries of prohibition, even aroused moral awareness in mind. He would have been able to stay a little more comfortable, but he used the wall as a protective barrier for good. He didn’t think she was lonely across the tall wall.

 

He just…

 

He just wanted to take good care of her.

 

And he thought he did it pretty well.

 

He found out that she had given up a lot of things and became the Duchess. He always remembered.

 

She was a person to be grateful for, a person to be willing to take care of, and yes, he certainly did his best to take care of her.

 

It was his duty.

 

He really thought she was doing well.

 

Maybe that’s why…

 

Maybe that’s why he felt so embarrassed.

 

His gaze turned to the letter and divorce papers on the table. He never expected that she would one day leave the mansion with just one letter from her.

 

It was as if he was running well, but he stopped and realized that he had taken the wrong path that led to a dead end.

 

He thought she was okay.

 

Even though he was a husband to her for namesake and a family that was a little indifferent to each other, he thought they all lived a good life, staying within each other’s lines.

 

There were times when they both hurt each other, like when Ken had run away, but he thought it was a hurdle that everyone had to go through to stay together.

 

They knew the line they had to keep to each other, and now they don’t invade each other. It wasn’t a home full of love, but it wasn’t a home full of hatred either. It was a simple, but peaceful relationship that kept each other’s boundaries. He thought that this was a pretty good relationship compared to the start.

 

But it doesn’t seem to have been for her.

 

‘When was it?’

 

When did they all start running in different directions?

 

The Duke’s eyes sank low.

 

[If… just in case.]

 

Her voice, which was carefully asking him, passed by the Duke’s ear. It was probably right after Ken’s runaway incident.

 

After looking for Ken, he once talked to her to apologize for what Ken had done while he was away from the mansion.

 

Then she said,

 

[In the future, if I ask Your Excellency for a divorce according to the contract, you will grant it, right?]

 

‘…Was it from then?’

 

‘What made her decide to leave the mansion?’

 

‘What did I say to her?’

 

‘It was written in the contract, of course, I would have said yes…’

 

‘Then, has she endured every hardship without showing any difficulties for a long time from then till now?’

 

‘She must have waited for 7 years, holding on to her already closed heart and being patient.’

 

And as if she had waited, she left the mansion as soon as the time was over.

 

Leaving only a letter and divorce documents behind.

 

The Duke’s expression turned bitter.

 

‘Her bright smile at Nick’s birthday banquet was probably because she was glad that the day had come, after a long wait.’

 

He felt dejected, as if everything was twisted.

 

The Duke, sitting still for a long time, immediately called someone. The door opened and the person who entered was the commander of the knights of the Duke.

 

The Duke ordered.

 

“…Find the Duchess’ whereabouts.”

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

The knight commander bowed his head, and the Duke nodded.

 

“Even if you find her, don’t go near her. Just find out where she is and report it to me.”

 

Even before she left, he wanted to have a conversation with her.