If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 168
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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The fact that Cain stopped the search and returned to the capital meant he was resorting to his last remaining option. He planned to meet with the Duke’s servants and directly ask them questions.
If Agatha had hidden herself with the help of the family, the butler of the Duke’s estate, who knew all the secrets of the house, would undoubtedly have the answers.
Of course, the Duke’s people would not be friendly toward him, especially after Agatha had thrown the divorce papers at him and disappeared. Cain knew how deep the loyalty of Kristin’s old servants ran, and he understood they wouldn’t give him the answers he sought, even if he asked directly.
Still, there was no other option now. If necessary, he would hold them until they gave up the answers, even if he had to beg.
“Tell them that Marquis Vernat has arrived.”
Ethan called the Duke’s servant on Cain’s behalf.
“Yes, understood.”
A servant who had been sent to inform the mansion of Cain’s arrival quickly opened the door and ushered in the procession.
Cain regretted not having been faster. If only he had been a little quicker, perhaps he wouldn’t have lost track of Agatha. The thought weighed heavily on his heart to this day.
He had pushed himself to the brink, thinking that once he reached Arta, he would finally meet Agatha.
After he collapsed, he had managed to rest briefly and eat just enough. He still had no appetite, and the headache that kept him awake didn’t help, but he knew he had to regain his strength somehow to find Agatha.
Though he had lost weight, his sharper eyes added a somber dignity to his appearance.
In addition, whenever distracting thoughts would come to mind, he would practice with his sword, making his body appear more agile and fit. Anyone who saw him would have no reason to suspect something was wrong.
However, the knights who served Cain noticed early on that he was losing his vitality.
They could tell from how loose his armor had become that he had lost weight. He also spent more time lost in thought and often responded to reports with short nods or shakes of his head, indicating to them that something was troubling him deeply.
Even worse, they saw that he was continuously taking some unknown medication, meaning that his health had deteriorated.
“Marquis Vernat.”
The butler of the Duke’s estate, Vaclav, greeted Cain and his knights with great courtesy. However, his politeness felt cold, and there was something rigid in his kindness that made Cain uncomfortable.
Vaclav was certainly showing respect to the Marquis. But he was showing the bare minimum of civility while holding disdain for someone who had caused harm to his master.
As Vaclav led him inside, Cain couldn’t help but reflect bitterly.
“I’ll have the tea brought out immediately.”
“No, I don’t need tea.”
“Then…”
“I’m not here to leisurely enjoy tea time.”
“Yes.”
“You wouldn’t claim that you don’t know why I’m here, would you?”
“How could I possibly understand the intentions of someone like you?”
The way he acted as if he didn’t know was good. The polite smile that seemed unreadable made Cain feel uneasy.
“Well, who do we have here?”
Just as the awkward silence was about to settle, a voice caught everyone’s attention. When Cain turned toward the sound, he saw a casually dressed large man filling the doorway of the reception room.
“Ah, we are honored to meet Marquis Vernat.”
Cain furrowed his brow. He quickly scanned the man’s disheveled hair, his long scar running from his cheek down to his jaw, his unkempt beard and immediately recognized him.
It was Rubens, who had once been a respected senior knight in the Kristin Order when Cain was running around as a square.
“I never expected to meet you like this. I’m so happy to see you, I hardly know what to do.”
Ethan recognized Rubens as well. The bulging muscles under his sleeveless shirt were unmistakable, and Rubens didn’t appear to be particularly pleased to see Cain either.
“…It’s been such a long time. I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“Same here. How many years has it been? 10? 15?”
Rubens leaned in casually, and Vaclav hurriedly stepped aside to give him space. Rubens plopped down heavily across from Cain, and for just a moment, a flicker of discomfort crossed his face before disappearing.
“First, could you explain why you’re here? I’ve heard that you left the order a while ago and settled down.”
It was too much of a formality to a retired knight without a title. This was likely because, despite the reversal of their positions, Cain still viewed Rubens as an esteemed knight.
Rubens didn’t seem to mind the respectful address. For a brief moment, his eyes softened, but then, as if remembering something, they sharpened again.
“Yes. That’s true.”
“So, why are you here?”
“I left the order because I lost my master. But the reason I’ve returned is…”
“You’ve found a new master to serve?”
“Yes. As always, you’re quick to catch on.”
Rubens let out a hearty laugh.
