Chapter 64 ??

“Mother. My dear mother.”

“Don’t say any more. Are you in a lot of pain? How are you, my child. Don’t worry. Mother will definitely cure you.”

Ryder fully enjoyed the love and concern flooding over him. It felt like the whole world was complete with just that one person. But now there wasn’t much time, so instead of whining, he had to convey his message to his mother first.

“This may be my last time. Please allow me to leave my final words.”

“No, no! Ryder, what, what do you mean you’re going to die?”

Unlike the calm child, Kinder cried, scratching at her insides. The sound of the rain outside swallowed her cries, making them louder. The way she was reacting to his death made it seem like the roles of adult and child had been reversed.

“Mother. Please listen.”

Final words? Maybe it was because of that phrase, but despite his fever, he wasn’t coughing and spoke clearly, unlike usual. He seemed like an old man burning his last flame before death.

Though Kinder didn’t want to believe it, she instinctively realized this was the end. She swallowed her sobs and drew close to the boy, so he could speak comfortably. Hot breath tickled her ear.

“Please protect the marquisate, even after I’m gone.”

“Ryder?”

“Though I didn’t inherit the title, you must protect it.”

Ryder spoke of the time after his death. His final words weren’t about what he wanted but were for his mother, who might be left alone, potentially losing everything.

Once his father and Ryder himself were gone, all his mother would have left was the marquisate. He couldn’t let her lose that too.

“Don’t trust the butler. Or the nanny.”

Kinder nodded, showing she was listening carefully. Satisfied, Ryder began coughing violently.

“Please forgive me for leaving you all alone.”

Ryder fulfilled his duty as a responsible young marquis. Having said all he needed, he began to cry. The child finally let out a flood of tears and began to whine. Kinder wiped his tears with trembling hands. It felt like someone had torn her heart apart.

“I, I really wanted to be like father.”

“Ryder.”

The child wanted to grow up like his father, who didn’t even remain in his faint memories. He wanted to be like the father everyone in the Marquis family missed and loved.

“I wanted to be someone who suits the young marquis.”

“No, Ryder. You’ve done better than anyone. There’s no child as commendable as you in this world.”

Ryder, being a bright child, knew very well that there was only one person in the world who would think of him that way.

“I hate curses too. It’s not something I wanted either.”

“It’s not a curse. It’s not. Who dared say such a thing? I’ll scold them.”

“Mom, you love me, right?”

“Of course. I love you more than anything in this world.”

I love you. My son. My beloved Ryder. Kinder kept talking until there was no longer a response. She couldn’t even hear the sound of tears. Did the sound of rain steal away the sound of crying?

“Ryder? My baby?”

Even the sound of his ragged breath had stopped. Kinder blankly stared at Ryder. Her vision flashed black. The child fell into a deep, still sleep. Her pupils dilated. Kinder gently brushed his closed eyelids. His body was unusually cold. It seemed his fever had finally gone. Kinder wiped away the traces of his tears and carefully tucked him in with a thick blanket to keep him warm.

“He’s just fallen asleep, right…?”

Her fingertips trembled. Seeing the unmoving child, her head spun. Kinder wanted to scream and wail right away, but she was strangely detached from reality, unable to even shed tears.

No. Reality? This is nothing but a very unpleasant nightmare.

Slap!

Kinder slapped her own cheek. She hit herself so hard that she tasted blood in her mouth.

“Why does it hurt?”

It’s really strange. It’s clearly a dream. Ryder’s just sleeping now, and he’ll wake up soon. Behind the dumbfounded Kinder, the storm raged on.

At last, the end had arrived. Ryder, in the midst of the endless rain where the sun had vanished, took his last breath.

“God, did you not pity my child?”

Is that why you hid behind the dark clouds until the day he died? In the end, Ryder was forsaken by the sun god until his last day.

Unable to accept reality, Kinder stroked her child, then burst into tears at the sight of his lifeless body, then laughed hollowly. Yes. Instead of blaming a god who wouldn’t listen, let’s find someone else. Abandoned by god, there’s no choice but to seek out another being. It was clear who she had to find.

“I need to go to young lady Rohanson.”

Evangeline Rohanson. Yes, that pure white demon said that if I wished, she could bring the child back to life. But I’d have to trade a living life in return… Could that life be mine?

‘I can offer my life as much as she wants, but what if she needs someone else’s life instead?’

However, the time for hesitation was short. Kinder was already deeply regretting one wrong choice. She should have grasped the demon’s hand without hesitation when she first made the offer.

Kinder wiped away her twisted expression and put on a mask of calmness.

Yes. As it happens, today is the day of the banquet at the imperial palace. She was supposed to accompany young lady Rohanson as her chaperone, wasn’t she? So, going to see young lady Rohanson now isn’t strange. There’s still plenty of time before the crown prince’s banquet begins. So let’s go meet young lady Evangeline early and ask for help. Since she’s her chaperone, she might give me a little, just a little time.

“Is anyone outside?”

“Yes, madam.”

A cracked voice replied. The door quietly opened, and a maid came in. She was holding a basin of water and a towel, seemingly having just wrung out a wet cloth. Judging by the dampness on her clothes, she must have been out in the rain.

“Ryder’s fever has finally gone.”

Lying was easy. Ryder would be brought back to life, so it wouldn’t do for rumours of his death to spread. Her already bad reputation would only plummet further. She’ll end up being treated like a monster, just like young lady Rohanson.

“Really? Thank goodness.”

The maid saw the young master, who, just as she said, had a peaceful deeply sleeping face as if his fever had gone down. Despite the bad weather, all the effort of repeatedly changing the wet cloth seemed to have paid off.

“Where’s the nanny? Why are you here? I don’t recall seeing you before.”

“Oh, my name is Weather. I’ve been here for four years now, but I’ve been stuck in the laundry room, so it’s understandable for the madam to not know me.”

“Sorry about that. I thought you were new.”

At Kinder’s apology, Weather waved her hands in denial. What kind of noble apologizes to a mere laundry maid?

“No, not at all! The nanny stepped out for a moment to organize a room for the young master that’s arriving soon.”

“The young master? The young master…? Did the nanny call him that? Not Dies, but the young master?”

“Yes? Yes.”

Kinder, who had been exhausted, suddenly grew sharply angry, and Weather trembled, wondering if she had said something wrong.

The young master just mentioned was Dies, not Ryder, the Marquis’s younger brother. But hadn’t the nanny served the Marquis brothers when they were young too? So wouldn’t it be natural for her to call him the young master, even now that he’s grown?

“So, while my child was sick and dying, she went to attend to Dies?”

Weather finally realized what had gone wrong.

‘Oh no. I’ve just exposed the nanny’s actions.’

“Weather.”

“Y-yes!”

“I need to go see young lady Rohanson for a moment. I’m her chaperone, you see. So, I have to leave for a while.”

Kinder gripped the maid’s shoulder tightly. It hurt so much that Weather nearly screamed, but she barely managed to keep quiet.

“While I’m gone, you’ll stay here and watch over him. The child is in a deep sleep, so don’t wake him or get too close. If anyone comes in or causes a disturbance, tell them I’ll deal with them when I return. Even if it’s the nanny or Dies, do not let them in.”

“Me?”

“If you do this well, I’ll grant you whatever you wish. Please. I have no one else to rely on.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

Weather gripped the wet cloth tightly, firmly resolved. She squeezed it so hard that water droplets formed on it.

Kinder entrusted her beloved child to the maid she had met for the first time today and left the room. There were only two hours until the banquet started. Although she wanted to run to Rohanson’s mansion immediately, she called the maids to prepare her appearance, trying to keep up appearances.

“Just pin my hair up. Put on enough powder so it won’t wash off in the rain. As for accessories… bring my jewels.”

The maids hurriedly follow Kinder’s instructions. Compared to how she normally took half a day to prepare for outings, today’s directions were so simple that her appearance seemed rather plain.

One maid, recalling the usually impeccable marchioness, hesitantly asked.

“Madam, isn’t it too simple for a banquet at the imperial palace?”

“I’ve been exhausted from caring for Ryder, so it’s better to keep it modest. Or do you think I should adorn myself lavishly when my son is sick?”

The usually kind marchioness was sharp today. It was surely because of Ryder’s illness. The maid ended up blaming the young master. The other maids, who had nothing to say, simply kept their mouths shut, sensing the tense atmosphere. They also glared at the maid who had spoken up.

Kinder took a deep breath and, as if making a firm decision, continued with a resolute voice.

“It’s fine. After all, I’m not the main character today.”