Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 45

Anais and Marie looked around a few more stores, had dinner outside as originally planned, and then returned home. She was holding Marie’s winter clothes with both hands full. This was the result of Anais feeling sorry for the store owners for not buying her own clothes until the end, so she spared no money in buying Marie’s clothes.

And when they returned, the house was empty.

“Uh? Mr. Leo is not there. Doctor.”

“I see… … I guess he went somewhere.”

Although she said it as if it was no big deal, Anais frowned slightly. Anxiety began to creep in little by little.

Of course, the reason they agreed not to go out at the same time was because someone had to stay behind to take care of Marie in the first place, and since Anais took Marie out today, there was actually no law preventing Leonard from going out. However, Leonard’s coat was still hanging on a hanger next to the entrance. That aggravated Anais’ anxiety. Common sense tells her that there is no way he would have gone outside in this weather without wearing a coat.

Unless it was a very chaotic situation…

Or unless someone forced him to go out.

As her thoughts reached the second assumption, Anais unconsciously took a breath and then noticed the presence of Marie standing next to her and hurriedly pretended that nothing had happened.

“… … Marie, you need to wash up, change clothes, and get ready for bed, right?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

After answering politely, Anais watched Marie heading to the bathroom for a while, and only after the bathroom door was closed did she let out a trembling sigh and collapse on a chair at the dining table. She carefully examined the inside of the house. It was immaculate, without any signs of disturbance.

She knew that she was overly sensitive when it came to Leonord. She knew that her thoughts, which extended to the point of assuming something might have happened to him even if he didn’t leave a note or if his overcoat was still on the rack, weren’t logical. She knew all of this, but she couldn’t bear the anxiety.

Even after Marie, who had washed and changed her clothes, said ‘Good night, Doctor’ and entered her room, Anais sat on the chair at the dining table for a while, pursing her lips, waiting for Leonard.

How many hours had passed in that state? It became even more painful for her to just wait, so she changed her clothes, quietly opened Marie’s door, went in, stroked Marie’s head, who was sleeping soundly, and came out. Only then did Anais hear the sound of the front door opening.

“… … I thought you’d be sleeping.”

Leonard, who carefully opened the door and came in, seemed embarrassed as soon as he saw her. 

Anais gritted her teeth at those words. She couldn’t tell him that she couldn’t sleep because she was worried about him. There was an inevitable connection between her concern for Leonard’s safety and Leonard’s concern for her mental state. If she revealed her abnormal anxiety toward him here, her story would naturally flow back to the part of her last conversation that she had tried to ignore.

Anais’ eyes moved to hide her anxiety and landed on the bottle of alcohol that Leonard was holding in one hand. she asked with a sigh.

“Did you go out to buy alcohol?”

“No, this… I had some left, so I thought I’d bring it as a souvenir.”

Leonard answered, putting down the half-filled bottle of alcohol on the table. At that movement, the strong smell of alcohol suddenly passed through her nose. Leonard was fine, without the slightest sign of being drunk, but the smell showed that he must have drank quite a lot.

“Where did you get the alcohol from?”

“Downstairs.”

Leonard answered calmly, and Anais couldn’t believe her ears for a moment. Downstairs? Stephanie, whom she had met earlier, said that she had an appointment today so she would not be able to come home, and Marang didn’t usually enjoy drinking. Then all that remains is Andrew Layton.

“Your Highness.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask him a lot of questions, but he graciously invited me first.”

He even responded to the invitation. Just the thought of what Andrew Layton might have planned, buying enough alcohol to drink until this time, and dragging Leonard into his room made Anais’s head spin. It was clear that she had planned to find out something, but the fact that Leonard had so willingly agreed to it was so shocking that she couldn’t bear it.

“Mr. Layton was at the scene, Your Highness. He may know that there weren’t eight people that day. Besides, he’s a journalist.”

“A rookie journalist. It seemed like he didn’t really know how to handle the scoop in his hand.”

“Did you not consider that he might be more dangerous because of that?”

“It’s possible, but…”

Leonard shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“Is there a law preventing me from committing suicide?”

Ah, the story eventually turns around again. Anais let out a dry laugh and let go of the string of reason she had managed to hold on to. She had known for a long time that he wanted to finish that part of their conversation.

She uncorked the bottle of alcohol that Leonard had put down and brought it straight to her mouth. Then, before he could stop it, she tipped the bottle. The bitter taste of the strong alcohol went down her throat. She could vaguely hear Leonard’s voice calling her name and touching her forehead, but she paid no attention and emptied the bottle.

Thud. The empty liquor bottle was placed on the table, and Anais stood up, frowning at the bitter aftertaste of the strong liquor. She then turned to Leonard and asked:

“Would you like to come to my room?”

“Anais… … .”

“It won’t be a fruitless conversation. I promise.”

? ? ?

“Look here, Lieutenant Châtelier! Who gave you the right to interfere in our military affairs?”

Philippe Ardinand, who was throwing open the door of the barracks and entering the barracks in a fit of temper, stopped talking without realizing it when he saw Céline Châtelier standing in front of a desk in a corner of the barracks, holding something that looked like a small picture frame. It was because the faint expression on Celine’s face as she gazed down at the frame made him feel inexplicably uneasy, and he was annoyed at himself for his sudden loss of words.

At Philippe’s loud appearance, Celine slowly put down the picture frame she was holding on her desk and turned her head. She then smiled and offered a gentle greeting, as if she had never had a faint expression on her face.

“Good evening, Mr. Ardinan. You seem to have a face as gloomy as yesterday.”

“Who do you think is responsible for that?”

“If it’s thanks to me, I’d be honored…”

“But?”

“When I think about what Mr. Ardinan has shown recently, it’s hard to say that it’s all thanks to me.”

“… … Today is definitely thanks to the major, so don’t dwell on unnecessary things.”

Philippe, feeling a bit rattled by Celine’s piercing insight, replied curtly. He had tried to appear composed, but had he been so obvious?

Dressed immaculately in a pristine white suit, Philippe squinted his eyes in an uncomfortable manner, staring at Céline Châtelier’s enigmatic smile. No, it’s because that woman is unnecessarily perceptive.

Philippe Ardinan has certainly been in a bad mood these days.

Half of it was because Anais had gone to Saint-Corde to live with the Second Prince. Of course, it is a special joy to see people coming to Lemez more often than before, thanks to the closer distance and the refugee camp being established here, and despite the fact that there was a child, it was still living with the Second Prince!

‘Did I spend money to hide his identity just so that I could see this happen, Anais!’

Philip barely restrained himself from shouting -. Although he was not the type of person to live at a loss, he did not want to be a petty man in front of Anais. So, he only thought about how harmful and dangerous it was to live under the same roof with an outsider, and was busy disguising his dissatisfaction as worry and concern for Anais.

It was a series of very depressing days. Watching the woman he was courting live with another man in the same house, and not being able to stop it, and even having to consider that man as a potential threat. He couldn’t even complain about it, and the situation where he couldn’t confide in anyone was difficult to bear. How did this tragedy happen to him, who had always lived smoothly and without any major problems?

And amidst all this, the men he had employed as subordinates seemed to have fallen head over heels for a certain plain journalist. And Philippe’s worried and troubled boss cast aside his concerns and watched as his every construction project failed!

Even today, a bodyguard came by saying, ‘I’ve made a dinner date, and I need your permission.’ in a tone that seemed as if he had been entrusted with the task of granting permission. Philippe had to think about whether he had been too lenient and gullible as an employer. In any case, he reluctantly granted permission without any military manners, making him wonder if he was indeed a fool!

In fact, Philippe Ardinan had been having such a gloomy day that he half-forced himself to find a distraction and came to see Céline Châtelier in the hope that he would feel better if he had a breath of fresh air. Anyway, he can talk to Celine without hesitation, and there are times when he feels a little relieved after doing so.

However, the first scene he saw when he came here was the sight of her looking into one of her picture frames with a sad expression that was completely uncharacteristic of her.

“I am sorry about the reorganization issue. I’ve been so busy these days that it’s a bit difficult for me to keep track of who belongs where and take command.”

Perhaps that’s even why Céline Châtelier today seemed unwilling to engage in an argument with him. Philippe thought as he quietly shoved all the complaints he had been planning to pour down his throat.

Does that woman also get sentimental sometimes?

But did I end up interfering with that, just to feel better?

If that’s the case, it might actually be worse than dying. No, it’s already uncomfortable and awkward. And on the other hand, there was a sudden curiosity and overstepping of bounds.This is something that can make Céline Chatelier, of all people, feel her emotions.

“I’m stuck in the barracks.”

“It must be important enough to bring this and leave it behind, right?”

“What do you mean?”

In response to Celine’s question, Philip gestured with his chin to the picture frame on the desk. In doing so, he took a closer look, even though he knew it was impolite.

Inside the frame was an old photograph.