If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 22
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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Many in the Empire, including the Imperial officials and even Cain himself, believed that if it weren’t for an unfortunate accident, there wouldn’t have been a resurgence of pirates. Everyone, that is, except for Emperor Blahova.
Emperor Blahova refused to acknowledge Duke Kristin’s contributions, which puzzled many. Some speculated that the Emperor felt inferior to Duke Kristin, while others believed that he was simply afraid of Duke Kristin’s abilities.
In any case, the Emperor concluded that the resurgence of pirate activity in the borderlands, which had almost been forgotten, was the reason behind the renewed interest in Duke Kristin’s name.
After much consideration, the Emperor decided on an alternative: assigning the protection of the northern borderlands to someone knowledgeable about the region’s geography. The person chosen for this responsibility was none other than Cain, also known as the Knight of Blood.
The Emperor bestowed upon him a title and lands in the north. With this new responsibility, Cain, who had started as a mere knight, rose to become Marquis Vernat and even led an order of knights named after himself, becoming the Empire’s greatest knight.
From that point on, as he took on the duty of protecting the north, and later, the entire Empire, his days became incredibly busy. However, as he knew little about anything other than his work, the ladies who used to visit the Marquis’ mansion occasionally started to gossip. They speculated that the Marquis was either a strange man with no interest in marriage or perhaps even inclined toward the same s*x.
Baseless rumors quickly leaned toward the former. This was because there were whispers circulating in the court that the Emperor had mentioned his intention to welcome Cain Vernat as his son-in-law.
Simultaneously, there were rumors that Cain had openly rejected the Emperor’s proposal, although this was kept as a public secret.
<“Many threats still loom over our borders. Unless we eradicate those forces entirely, the people in those regions will continue to suffer from constant threats.”>
In reality, it was an inappropriate move for a mere Marquis to speak like this. However, the Emperor understood well how overwhelming Cain’s responsibilities were, given his workload.
But perhaps, being too complacent and thinking that once the safety of the borderlands was secured, Cain would return to the capital for marriage was the problem.
Upon hearing the news of Cain’s return to the capital, the Emperor assumed that his prospective son-in-law had finally returned for marriage. However, only half of the Emperor’s prediction turned out to be true.
After leaving the capital empty for several months, Cain’s return was marked by his appearance at the venue where the Princess’s birthday party was being held. It was a remarkable sight to see the Ice Knight Bernat, who had never attended any social gatherings, suddenly appear at a party, and on top of that, to celebrate the birthday of the Princess herself!
People excitedly began to chatter about the rumors of an engagement between Princess Alexandra and Cain Bernat, and the party became livelier than ever. However, as his presence overshadowed the debut appearance of Lady Kristin, who had never attended a social gathering before, the enthusiasm soon waned.
Exactly two hours later, Cain Vernat, the subject of the rumors, declared his engagement to another woman in front of the Princess. The dastardly woman who had stolen the Princess’s man was none other than Lady Kristin, who had come of age just last year.
The party was turned upside down. Hours passed after the party had ended, and the sensational news spread throughout the capital. Naturally, it reached the ears of the Emperor.
The trusted advisor who had even considered welcoming as part of the family had betrayed him. Emperor Blahova felt a surge of anger coursing through him to the tips of his fingers when he saw his daughter running towards him in tears. Before the break of dawn, he sent a letter to Marquis Vernat, ordering him to come to the palace immediately.
The fact that the Emperor would come out like this was something Cain had predicted to some extent. When the letter arrived, Cain was already prepared for his outing and immediately rushed to the palace.
“Please come in, Sir Vernat.”
“It’s been a while, Palatine.”
The voice calling him out of the carriage was none other than Palatine Joseph.
Joseph, who had to maintain appearances and protocol in front of onlookers, greeted him with formal language but quickly switched to a more casual tone.
“Hey, Cain. That news, the rumors. Is it true?”
“Why grandiose rumors?”
“Do you think I’m joking? I’m asking if it’s real.”
Cain knew without needing to hear what Joseph was asking. He was questioning whether it was true that he had forsaken Princess Alexandra and flirted with another woman in front of her, and whether that woman was indeed Agatha Kristin.
“How are your legs?”
“Quit beating around the bush. Answer the question.”
Instead of answering, Cain just laughed and gave Joseph’s shoulder a playful tap.
“Oh? You’re laughing? Even after angering His Majesty?”
