The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 75

Ilya’s mood sank to the floor as he sat across from Nicholas since morning. If before he simply disliked the resemblance between him and his brother, now Nicholas’s mere presence irked him.

Nicholas glanced at Ilya’s expression and teased, “Your Highness, I can’t speak if you glare at me like that.”

Usually, he would playfully retort, but words failed him this time. At that moment, Ilya realized something. Despite their rough banter, his past feelings towards Nicholas leaned towards fondness. Nicholas Lauren, his stepbrother of the same age, had always stood out. From his perspective, Ilya was undoubtedly an uncomfortable presence. He was the son of the woman who displaced Nicholas’s older brother and took the position of the Duke.

Yet Nicholas treated Ilya like any other peer. Memories of the three of them sneaking out of the main house to explore tombs still lingered vividly. Well, technically, it was Ilya and Nicholas running around while Nasser sat under a tree, but still.

Did he treat Evelyn the same? Did he smile at the lonely woman surrounded by enemies, extending a hand without prejudice, breaking down her defenses one by one?

Ilya shook off these thoughts to focus. “Your Grace?”

He gathered her thoughts, reminding himself he was the Prince of Ajauntice. Nicholas was a representative of House Lauren. It was time to focus on the matter at hand.

“I heard about the drugs coming from the Lauren estate’s gambling dens. If you have any leads, I’d appreciate your sharing.”

Nicholas straightened up, then continued, “It’s not from the Lauren estate. My mother investigated before I intervened so that much is certain.”

The Lauren estate wouldn’t overlook an incident in their backyard. Ilya nodded, fully trusting in the capabilities of House Lauren.

Nicholas paused before continuing cautiously, “Creating new drugs, whether they save or kill, is a challenging task. It requires substantial funds, experimentation, and secrecy.”

Excluding a few places in the Lauren estate, where else could the Northwestern empire possess such capabilities? Ilya pondered, and then it hit him.

Lady Edith, the daughter-in-law of the Glen Countess, manages the estate. It was renowned throughout the empire for its medicinal herbs. Ever since the explosion at the Grand Temple, it had been known as a place that helped the needy and destitute.

Nicholas hesitated before cautiously speaking, “Your Highness, what I’m about to say might be unpleasant. But I hope you’ll hear me out.”

“Are you referring to Edith’s estate?”

Nicholas smirked at Ilya’s calm response. “Is House Lauren thinking along the same lines?”

“Yeah, Mother has been suspicious of Lady Edith from the start. There’s no solid evidence yet, but…”

Ilya chuckled, picturing her mother’s dignified yet relentless nature. “Knowing House Lauren, they’ve probably sent spies a hundred times already, but haven’t found anything.”

“Well, that’s true,” Nicholas agreed.

Ilya fell into thought again. “How can we subtly draw Lady Edith out without revealing our suspicions? We must lure her out first so that the Countess of Glen will follow suit.”

Nicholas casually interjected, “Your Highness, about your cousin.”

“You mean the daughter of Lady Glen?” Ilya barely remembered her cousin’s face or name. All she recalled was a ridiculous dress and an overly cheerful demeanor, greeting everyone with flowers in hand, including her mother, Lady Glen. That was the only memory Ilya had of her cousin.

Ilya vaguely sensed Nicholas had a reason for bringing up her cousin out of the blue. “So, you suggest we invite Lady Edith to the palace?”

“Quick as ever,” Nicholas remarked, ignoring any emotions regarding him. It was indeed a clever plan, but there was one issue.

“What justification do we have to invite a married woman, let alone my cousin, who’s already wed?” Ilya pondered. Nicholas threw out another suggestion lightly.

“Well, someone other than Your Highness could send the invitation.”

A flash of annoyance crossed Ilya’s face. Suppressing his rising emotions, he spoke carefully. “Evelyn… is suggesting we invite Lady Edith?”

“Quite a convenient excuse. Feeling lonely in the palace and needing companionship from someone of similar age. And who better than Lady Edith, your only cousin…” Ilya listened to Nicholas’s words with one ear, lost in her thoughts with the other.

Lady Edith, the illegitimate daughter of Lady Glen, had been a disgrace since birth. Lady Glen was ashamed of her daughter, and if that daughter openly roamed the palace, it would surely provoke Lady Glen. Furthermore, being illegitimate, she might inadvertently reveal things about her husband or mother. If the recipient of her kindness was Evelyn, who was kind to everyone, the chances were even higher. If she couldn’t behave poorly to Evelyn as she might to other noblewomen, she was even more weak-hearted than Evelyn, not less.

Having made her decision internally, Ilya glanced briefly at Nicholas. “Let’s consider that proposal positively. But first, we should talk to Evelyn. If she’s not willing, there’s nothing we can do.”

Nicholas squinted his eyes and studied Ilya’s face. He murmured to himself as if speaking to no one in particular, “Since when did you become so considerate of Evelyn?”

All expression vanished from Ilya’s face. “Just decided to start being considerate now. I realized my woman isn’t just beautiful in my eyes, but in others too, thanks to someone.”

Gray and intense green eyes locked in the air, breaking a suffocating silence. It was Nicholas who broke the silence first.

“Ilya.”

He called his name in a weary tone, reminiscent of when they first met in the palace as children.

“People say crazy things. Like a great war hero being infatuated with an enemy’s daughter. But Ilya, I know you’re not that kind of person.”

“…”

“There must be a reason you can’t let go of Evelyn. I don’t know what it is, but there must be one.”

Ilya shivered under the penetrating gaze that seemed to see through him. Truly, he had been a remarkably astute fellow since childhood.

From the moment Nicholas entered the room, he had said what he wanted to say to Ilya.

“The reasons that bind these two must have an end,” Nicholas muttered as he rose to leave. Without a word of farewell, he walked out. Ilya stared at his back until he closed the door behind him. It was only then that Ilya finally understood the source of the discomfort she felt every time she thought of him.

Though her deceased brother couldn’t steal what was hers anymore, the living Nicholas Lauren was undoubtedly a clear threat.

*****

Evelyn agonized over naming the eagle.

“Arthur’s Army, what kind of name do domestic animals usually have in the north?”

“I am not a pet, human!”

Before Evelyn could finish her sentence, the eagle screeched in annoyance. Fluttering in front of Evelyn, it spoke with a firm tone.

“Name me something great, holy, and unique.”

“Where in the world would I find such a name?”

I must be crazy, why did I bring up the topic of names? Evelyn briefly regretted her past decision.

“If you search diligently, you’ll find one. It’s only natural to put in that much effort to name a great being, human.”

Watching the eagle preach about greatness once again, Arthur and Bellina shook their heads in exasperation. Evelyn finally sat down on the ground and looked at Libe, who was playing alone.

“Libe, do you have any ideas?”

Looking up at the sky for a moment, Libe grinned.

“Mom, airplane.”

“What’s that?”

Libe, craning her neck to look at the sky, suddenly fell backward.

“Libe, be careful!”

Before Evelyn could reach out to the child, the eagle was quicker. Instantly, it flew backward and firmly caught Libe’s head, prompting Evelyn to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Mom, Zion.”

Lying down with the eagle as a pillow, Libe raised his short, chubby arms, pointing towards the sky. Understanding Libe’s words at last, Evelyn smiled.

“Son, do you like the sky?”

“Yeah! Zion.”

Twisting his body, Libe hugged the eagle’s neck tightly and giggled.

“Young human, I told you not to get drool on my wings.”

While the eagle scolded, it pressed its body closer to Libe. Watching the two of them getting along so well, Evelyn suddenly looked up at the sky.

As a child, whenever Evelyn grew tired of the same daily routine, she would open the window wide and gaze at the sky. The vast sky was the only freedom given to young Evelyn. The affectionate friend who soared through that vast sky had a name…

“Zion.” It meant ‘high sky’ in the Central language.

It was a phrase young Evelyn repeated to herself several times a day.

Evelyn called her affectionate friend by that name.

“Zion.”

At first, the eagle didn’t realize Evelyn was calling it. Evelyn softly repeated the name until the eagle noticed.

“Zion.”

Its amber eyes met Evelyn’s. After a moment, its sharp gaze softened. The eagle gently released Libe and approached Evelyn.

“Zion, it’s a good name.”

Evelyn suddenly thought that if she ever left this place, she would miss Zion as much as Ilya.