MHCBC 24

Evendor had sent word, asking to meet in secret.

Late at night, when moonlight blanketed the gardens and everyone had fallen asleep, Celia quietly slipped from her room. She walked for quite some time before finally stopping near the outer wall.

The walls of Windmere were taller than she had remembered.

The moss-covered bricks were damp, glistening faintly beneath the pale moonlight. Pulling her cloak tighter around herself with one hand, she traced the seams between the stones with the other.

“I haven’t done this in ages. I wonder if I can still manage.”

The meeting Evendor had arranged was unusually secretive.

Ordinarily, she would have refused without hesitation.

But this time was different.

Father said he would be there too.

She drew in a deep breath, swallowing the excitement rising inside her. The cold night air filled her lungs.

“I should’ve worn something lighter…”

Grumbling under her breath, she gathered up the hem of her dress and tucked it securely into her waist before feeling around for footholds beneath the wall with the toe of her low-heeled shoe.

Her palm slipped across the slick moss.

The rough bricks scraped against her skin, but Celia paid it no mind. Pressing harder with her toes, her light body naturally found the next crevice.

She wedged her fingers into a crack she’d spotted beforehand and hoisted herself upward.

Repeating the motion several times, she soon found the top of the wall level with her shoulders.

“Huff… huff…”

Moonlight stretched across the bricks.

Finally pulling herself onto the top, she steadied herself on one knee.

From up here, countless scents mingled together.

The scent of night.

The scent of earth.

The scent of freedom.

The sleeping rear garden lay beneath deep tree shadows woven together with threads of silver moonlight. Beyond it stretched a world that was silent… yet endlessly open.

A gentle breeze blew.

Her silver hair shimmered beneath the moonlight. Resting one hand on the rough stone, Celia gazed toward the distant horizon.

“Ah…”

It was the view she loved most.

“Sister.”

A familiar voice suddenly sliced through the darkness.

Celia’s body froze.

The moonlight revealed its owner.

Snow-white hair.

A neatly buttoned shirt, unusual for him.

And piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the night.

Standing deep within the shadows beyond the wall, Evendor looked up at her.

“Y-You! How did you get here?!”

Her startled cry drew nothing more than a shrug from him.

“How else? There wasn’t a single guard watching the walls near your residence, so I just walked in. Unlike the main estate—they’ve got knights posted everywhere. Cowards, the lot of them.”

The mockery in his voice was colder than the moonlight itself.

Amusement and hostility blended together in the gaze he fixed upon her.

“But really, Sister… climbing over walls like that should’ve stayed a childhood hobby.”

By the time he finished speaking, Evendor had already stepped closer to the wall.

He reached toward the ankle that protruded over the edge.

“If you’d done something this disgraceful back in Brickwell… I’d almost think you were trying to embarrass me on purpose. It’s vulgar.”

“Ah…!”

His fingers tightened around her slender ankle.

Beneath the mask of politeness lurked nothing but arrogance.

Celia grimaced and violently shook her leg.

“Let go!”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then why don’t you just break my leg while you’re at it?”

“Would that finally make you behave?”

Her face instantly turned cold.

“…You’ve lost your mind, Evendor.”

He studied her reaction with obvious interest.

Then, at the sharpness in her voice, his fingers twitched before he abruptly changed his attitude.

“I’m joking. Don’t be so angry.”

Tilting his head, he smiled with exaggerated warmth.

“As if I’d ever lay a hand on you.”

His smile only deepened.

“I was trying to help. Surely you weren’t planning on letting me watch you crawl awkwardly down the wall.”

Evendor remained perfectly composed as he accepted the fury burning in Celia’s eyes.

At last, she let out a frustrated sigh and swung her leg hard.

Her shoe struck his wrist squarely.

It should have hurt.

Yet his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

“I’m coming down. Catch me properly.”

Bastard.

The curse escaped silently in her mind as she pushed herself off the wall.

Her body fell cleanly into Evendor’s waiting arms.

Before she even had time to catch her breath, Celia planted a foot against his shoulder and pushed herself upright.

Her feet landed firmly on solid ground.

“There’s a limit to recklessness.”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“What do you gain by speaking to me so sharply? It only puts me in a bad mood.”

The siblings stood facing each other.

The corner of Evendor’s mouth twisted with dissatisfaction, while Celia’s eyes darkened like those of a beast.

Their identical blue eyes met.

The silence between them was chilling.

“…Enough. Where is Father?”

It was Celia who finally broke the silence.

“Follow me.”

She quietly fell in behind him.

After walking for some time, they rounded the final wall.

Then Celia saw him.

A man calmly brushing down the mane of his horse.

Spotless military boots, untouched by even a speck of dust.

A sharply tailored coat.

“Celia.”

The Duke of Brickwell.

Edmund—her father, and Evendor’s as well.

“Father!”

Her face lit up instantly.

The tension lingering around her mouth melted away, replaced by a radiant smile.

Passing right by Evendor, she hurried toward him.

Edmund withdrew the hand that had been stroking the horse’s muzzle and slowly lowered his gaze to his daughter.

“It seems you’ve been doing well.”

His voice was deep, lower than the night air itself.

Yet somehow…

It sounded incredibly gentle.

Holding back tears of joy, she nodded.

“Yes, Father. Thanks to you… I’ve been very well.”

She couldn’t hide the happiness written all over her face.

He was always overwhelmed with work, making it nearly impossible to see him.

The fact that he had come to see her personally was enough to fill her with joy.

Edmund’s gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Within those subtle eyes, Celia desperately searched for warmth—warmth she almost convinced herself was genuine affection.

“I see.”

Even when he spoke, she was still basking in relief and happiness.

“So you’ve truly done nothing but live comfortably.”

Without realizing it, Celia straightened her back.

A smile rested on Edmund’s lips.

But it had gone cold before any warmth could ever reach it.

“Evendor told me something.”

His heavy gaze settled upon her.

The horse snorted restlessly.

Its rough breathing matched the uneven pounding of Celia’s heart.

“He said… you’ve forgotten Brickwell.”

A gust of wind slipped through the brief silence.

Moonlight traced the deep lines of Edmund’s face in silver.

“Forgotten Brickwell…? What do you mean, Father?”

“I’m not here to scold you. You’re married now. Even if your husband belongs to the family that ruined ours, it’s only natural for your feelings to dull.”

“I would never—”

“If that’s not the case…”

Edmund rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Then why, knowing that Lucius possesses that, have you made no move whatsoever?”

The gentler his voice became…

The tighter her chest constricted.

Her vision blurred.

Her mouth went dry.

She opened her lips to explain herself.

No sound came out.

How… does he know?

His order had been clear.

Take advantage of Lucius’s memory loss.

Steal the evidence of treason.

She had never forgotten that command.

But if asked whether she had faithfully carried it out…

She had no answer.

“That is…”

At that moment, Edmund smiled softly.

It was a smile meant to erase the sharp tension from moments before.

“I understand.”

His expression softened ever so slightly.

Warmth returned to his eyes.

Without thinking, Celia found herself chasing that warmth.

Edmund removed one of his gloves and gently smoothed a few loose strands of her hair.

“With your personality… seducing that boy couldn’t have been easy.”

The quiet affection in his voice filled her with the faintest relief.

A foolish hope.

One that lasted only a heartbeat.

“Even if doing so could save our family. You chose your own comfort over Brickwell.”

Celia’s face drained of all color.

His words sliced into her like a blade.

The pain came slowly.

Deeper with every passing second.

“That’s not true! I would never abandon Brickwell! How… how could you think that of me?!”

She desperately forced the words out between ragged breaths.

“No matter where I am, I’m still one of Brickwell’s people. You were the one who taught me that, Father—”

“Enough.”

His firm voice cut her off.

Like a well-trained dog, Celia immediately fell silent.

Her trembling shoulders stilled.

She held her breath.

Edmund lowered his eyes thoughtfully before taking one slow step closer.

“Celia.”

“If it’s too difficult…”

“You can always tell your father.”

“Father…”

“If you can’t do it…”

“…then I’ll simply send your younger sister instead.”

“…What?”

Celia slowly lifted her head.

Moonlight poured over Edmund’s face, illuminating every feature with startling clarity.

“Who would be best? Diana, perhaps.”

“She’s adorable. Charming.”

“A young, stubborn man like Lucius would be easy for her to handle.”

Celia’s frozen mind struggled to comprehend his words.

Was this mercy…

Or was he discarding her?

Her bitten lip trembled.

“Just say the word, Celia.”

“If you admit you can’t do it, I’ll send Diana tomorrow.”

Diana.

Edmund’s illegitimate daughter.

Celia’s fourth half-sister.

Despite his many illegitimate children, Edmund had never once allowed them to overshadow the children born to his lawful wife.

The only Lady of Brickwell.

The only woman entrusted with Edmund’s confidence.

The only daughter permitted to carry out his orders and devote herself to the family.

There had always been only one.

There had to be only one.

Celia of Brickwell.

“…I don’t need time to think.”

Edmund, who had begun to turn away, stopped in his tracks.

The movement was slow.

His boot scraped softly against the dirt.

“I’ve always obeyed you, Father.”

“I’ll handle Lucius.”

“I’ll place into your hands… exactly what you’ve always wanted.”

This had always been inevitable.

Nothing mattered more than her family.

For its sake…

Celia would gladly sell even herself.

Even if surrendering herself to Lucius was humiliating—

If, in the end, it fulfilled her father’s wishes…

Then it was enough.

At her resolute answer, the smile on Edmund’s lips deepened within the darkness.

At the same moment…

Something inside Celia shattered beyond repair.