If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 159
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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For some reason, all of Cain’s energy seemed to drain away. The great expectations he had built up as he rushed here had deflated in an instant, leaving no trace behind.
“If you had given the message to another knight, it would have been sent directly to me.”
With disappointment, a headache consumed Cain’s mind. Ignoring the throbbing pain, he forced himself to sit across from Ethan.
How long had it been since he’d properly eaten or rested? His body seemed to be nearing its limit.
Sighing, Cain leaned back in his chair, feeling a wave of dizziness, and took a deep breath to steady himself.
“I read the message ahead of time, fearing something might have happened. I apologize for the rudeness, Sir. Instead of the inefficient task of rushing to the capital to report to you, I thought if something had happened to Esther, I could have acted immediately and sent the message through another knight.”
Ethan, briefly explaining his actions after intercepting the letter, nervously fidgeted with his lips.
He had rushed to Cain without hesitation when he saw Agatha’s name in the letter, but now, seeing his superior’s worn-out face after just two days, Ethan hesitated to speak.
But it had to be reported. If he allowed Cain to remain so distant from his wife, things would end badly.
“I didn’t expect it to be the case, but still, I felt you needed to read this letter immediately.”
“That means no harm has come to Esther, then. Since you didn’t rush directly to Arta but came to me instead.”
Cain muttered as he opened the envelope. His eyes showed no spark as he began reading, but after just two lines, something sparked in his dull gaze.
“What?”
Struggling to sit up straight due to exhaustion, Cain suddenly sprang to his feet, and the chair he had been sitting in toppled clumsily onto the carpet.
“Agatha is with Esther? In Arta?”
It was a shock even more jarring than being struck with a blunt object. Trying to focus his fading mind, Cain quickly closed and opened his eyes, doubting whether he had read the letter correctly.
With a trembling hand, he continued reading and his eyes locked onto two words: health issues.
Agatha’s health isn’t good? What’s wrong? Where was she sick?
How she managed to move secretly to Arta wasn’t Cain’s primary concern at the moment. His thoughts were entirely consumed by the question of what was wrong with her health and how serious it might be.
“Something is wrong with Agatha’s health?”
“Yes. As soon as I noticed that part, I rushed to you, sir. Given that she hasn’t been in the best of health, I thought the journey to Arta might have taken a toll on her.”
She wouldn’t have written this letter just because of fatigue from a long journey. Cain immediately sensed that Esther was trying to convey something more important and urgent through the letter.
With trembling hands, Cain examined the letter closely, and at the bottom, he spotted a faint mark. He hurriedly held it up to the lamp’s light, revealing that the words seemed to be written in special ink.
Special ink, used when secret messages must be exchanged to avoid detection by unwanted eyes, was something Cain had instructed Esther about when he handed over the seal.
“Fire.”
Still focused on the letter, Cain extended his left hand. As Ethan looked around, a low-ranking knight quickly brought a candle.
Cain’s face was focused, carefully bringing the letter close to the flame. The moment it was about to touch the fire, Ethan’s face stiffened with concern.
“The writing has appeared, sir!”
Where the letter had been scorched, previously invisible writing began to emerge. Ethan, shocked, looked over Cain’s shoulder, realizing that he couldn’t read the text and cautiously glanced at Cain.
Only Cain could read the hidden message here.
“…This is ancient language.”
The ancient language used by the Sun Empire, long gone from history, was spoken by a few in Amasril.
“Ancient language?”
Ethan asked, but Cain did not respond. Instead, he began to read the revealed ancient words aloud.
“Perhaps, suspect, and…”
It wasn’t a full sentence but a list of short words. As Cain read what seemed like a coded message, the word ‘pregnant’ suddenly left his lips, and the room was filled with silence.
“Pregnant?”
Cain hastily rearranged the words in his head.
‘Perhaps… she suspected Agatha might be pregnant.’
The message Esther had written in ancient language, meant solely for Cain, came into focus.
The headache that had been tormenting him suddenly ceased.
“Sir?”
Cain’s face, which had become strangely vacant, didn’t go unnoticed by Ethan.
“Sir, what’s wrong?”
But Cain didn’t answer.
Cain couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything.
Darkness. His mind felt like it was submerged in utter blackness.
Wasn’t this something that happened when one faces something almost impossible to accept? This was the third time Cain had experienced such darkness in his life. The day his country fell, the first time he took someone’s life as a knight, and now…
Cain shuddered, his eyelids twitching.
