If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 146
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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The horrible scar on her wrist, which Esther had made herself in an attempt to sever ties with the world, was a result of the trauma she had endured when she lost a child she never even knew the father of.
When Cain heard this, he embraced Esther tightly.
“There’s no need to say anything more. You don’t have to say a word.”
At those words, Esther cried uncontrollably throughout the night. She had long since dried her tears and couldn’t even remember the last time she had cried.
That night, when Cain swallowed his own blood tears, trying to hold them back, he couldn’t bring himself to see Agatha off as she returned to the capital after chasing him all the way to Arta.
If only he had known sooner—if only he had realized a little earlier, he wouldn’t have held Agatha.
Cain endlessly reproached himself. He had no idea how to treat her after she had traveled so far, unaware that her empty marriage to him had become something more than a facade.
“Please, don’t get hurt. Please return safely.”
After a month, Agatha returned to the capital
. Yes. It was better not to see her face. He couldn’t bring himself to face her, knowing that every time he saw her, he would be reminded of the Duke’s face, and he knew exactly what would happen if they did meet.
As the months passed, while investigating the connection between Duke Kristin and Grand Duke Norfolk, Ethan discovered something and reported it to Cain.
Grand Duke Norfolk had enslaved many refugees from small kingdoms that had fallen victim to the Nikephos invasion over the years. Among them, he had taken royal family members and sold them as slaves to the nobility.
Ethan’s report also included information about Count Schuck, a notorious man for his chaotic private life and sadistic hobbies. Grand Duke Norfolk had given him a slave as a gift to extend his influence in the southern region.
The slave was none other than the Queen of Amasril.
At that moment, Cain’s mind broke. Yes, it felt like he had never truly been sane since that day.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The fierce wind howled continuously as Cain reflected on the past while riding. He laughed bitterly.
He had been so angry, so resentful. Why was he acting this way, losing his mind, when he heard that Agatha was heading south? Cain couldn’t understand himself.
Moreover, even if he were to meet her, he had no idea what he should say, what actions he should take.
How could he tell her that her father killed his people, destroyed his country, and that he had sold his mother to a mad old man as a slave, and left his sister to live as a prostitute on the streets? How could he say that? How could he possibly express it?
Even if he somehow spoke those words, Cain questioned whether such expressions of resentment would really help bring her back.
Still, the instinct to find her as quickly as possible pushed him to keep moving forward. The tears that he couldn’t shed, that he had to swallow down, accumulated day by day.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
As she came this far, Agatha had spent much time contemplating what kind of person Cain’s woman was.
Was she the typical cheap woman who lured men to their ruin with her body? Or would she, in front of her, assert her ownership of Cain, boldly making accusations? These were shallow thoughts, followed by heavier ones.
What if there was some grand conspiracy behind the fact that he gave the name of Kristin’s estate to the woman’s residence? Agatha’s head felt like it would explode as she pondered these thoughts.
But in the end, none of her assumptions about the woman fit.
Her appearance was neat and practical, far from any attempts at adornment. Her face was bare, her hair unkempt and wild, but her posture was upright and composed. It was clear that she had never acted in a way that would make Agatha feel uncomfortable in her presence.
“I didn’t realize the Marquis was talking about me.”
“He’s not one to talk much, usually. He didn’t say anything excessive. But…”
The woman, seemingly deep in thought, momentarily smiled. Agatha was curious about the meaning behind her smile, but she didn’t feel the need to ask.
After the brief exchange, a moment of silence settled over the sitting room.
Agatha took in the woman’s figure and the surroundings. Just then, a knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
The person who entered the sitting room was a large man. While Cain was a man of great stature, this one was different—he had a different build altogether.
The woman, who had been gazing thoughtfully, slowly rose from her seat and led the man towards Agatha. Just like she had done before, she made him kneel in front of her.
“I humbly greet Duchess Kristin. My name is Mobishi.”
The man introduced himself in a rough voice. Agatha, who had assumed he was part of the gypsy group, nearly knocked over the cup on the table when she heard the woman’s introduction.
“He… he is my husband.”
Husband? Agatha looked back and forth between the man and the woman.
The words she expected to hear upon arriving here never included ‘husband.’ When she first heard the rumors about Cain’s infidelity, she had considered the possibility that Teschen might have made up such stories to deceive her.
