Chapter 28
28. Dependence2021.12.05.
Lord Rembrandt grinned broadly.
“Finally, I get to meet you! It’s an honor, Lady. I’ve been waiting so long!”
His face made it clear he found the situation utterly amusing. Reina paled and held her breath. That man was Rembrandt. Not his attendant—Rembrandt himself. I’m dead. I’m done for……. 「Lord Rembrandt is absolutely no good.」 「He’s already seen me.」 「Does he recognize me?」 「It’s Christina.」 「Should I give him money?」 「A lot might be difficult……」 「Please don’t betray me?」 Confused phrases echoed through her mind. Reina trembled violently, unable to muster her usual “I’m Christina.”
“?”
Sensing something off about Reina, Arthur grabbed her arm.
“Madam?”
“Y-Yes?”
Ah……
“Ah.”
Reina couldn’t utter a word. Seeing her shake so pitifully, Arthur’s expression grew strange. He glanced at Rembrandt as if searching for the cause. Then he looked back at her and drew her closer, supporting her more firmly.
“Madam.”
Rembrandt hadn’t anticipated Reina being this terrified. Flustered, he stiffened. As the pale Reina staggered backward, Rembrandt hurried over, grasped her other arm, and bent down.
“Lady.”
“……”
Their eyes met at close range. Rembrandt lowered his voice and spoke rapidly.
“Don’t be startled. It’s okay.”
Reina gazed up at him, trembling. Rembrandt repeated softly, as if soothing her.
“It’s okay.”
Arthur’s hand tightened in his surprise.
“……”
A strangely tense silence descended.
“Um…… Sir Arthur.”
Rembrandt looked at Arthur.
“May I have a brief word with Madam?”
“……”
He seemed fully aware his request could be presumptuous—profoundly polite, apologetic, and courteous.
“We’ll speak over there, in plain sight. It seems Madam is startled by a misunderstanding.”
“……”
He truly looked cautious. Knowing that if her husband refused, he’d have no choice but to withdraw, ready to apologize politely.
“I won’t do anything to tarnish Sir Arthur’s or Madam’s honor.”
“……”
Arthur gazed at Rembrandt and Reina, then down at his own hand gripping her arm like a vise. Unlike him, Rembrandt hadn’t laid a hand on her beyond steadying her.
“……”
He was simply polite and earnest.
“……”
After a long moment, Arthur finally released her arm, his face rigid.
“Thank you, Sir Arthur.”
“……”
Rembrandt, having erased all traces of his earlier amusement, escorted Reina with utmost consideration. Still trembling, she clung to his hand as they moved toward a small fountain at the edge of their view. Mindful of her shock, Rembrandt watched her steps and walked at a very slow pace.
“……”
The Crown Prince spoke cautiously from beside him.
“……Arthur? What’s wrong?”
“Ah. Yes.”
Arthur answered curtly, his face frighteningly stiff. He barely seemed aware of who was asking or why. Arthur sat there like ice, unmoving. A moment later, he calmly drew out a cigar and placed it between his lips.
“……”
The Crown Prince quietly gauged Arthur’s mood. Then he silently lit the cigar for him. Arthur inhaled as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“……”
I thought only Taylor was the real one……. I figured that side wasn’t……
“……Hoo.”
He exhaled the smoke away from the Crown Prince. Then, with the cigar back in his mouth, he slipped one hand into his pocket.
“……”
He recalled his earlier probing. Reina’s reaction. Her heart had pounded unmistakably at Taylor’s name. At Rembrandt’s, there had been only faint agitation. So he’d dismissed it, thinking it wasn’t that side.
“……”
Tristan’s report surfaced. The man investigating Reina. Lord Rembrandt’s attendant, an imperial guest who’d been here barely two weeks. Possibility of dangerous romantic entanglements with men. You should stay vigilant. She has a knack for enchanting men she’s only just met.
“……”
Various possibilities swirled in his mind. Was it “Rembrandt” investigating “Reina,” or “Rembrandt’s attendant”? Or perhaps both.
“……”
Arthur glared at the gold rim of his teacup with a grim expression.
“Arthur.”
The Crown Prince called out cautiously, peering at him. Arthur sneered coldly.
“To my chaste wife.”
He finished irritably, puffing harshly on the cigar.
“Why do outsiders keep swarming around her like this?”
Arthur unleashed his Aura. · · · [I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to startle you like this.] [Are you okay?] [……] [Do you need… any help?] * * *
“Do you need… any help?”
At those words, tears welled up in Reina’s dazed eyes. Plop. Plop. The flustered Rembrandt stepped half a pace closer, utterly at a loss.
“Lady.”
“I’m sorry……”
Reina bowed her head in apology, not even sure what for. The steady stream of tears revealed just how much mental strain she’d endured. Oh dear……. Rembrandt felt a profound remorse for having found this merely amusing. This wasn’t what he’d intended……
“Don’t cry. Do you need help?”
“……I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
In his panic, Rembrandt offered her his handkerchief first.
“……”
Reina declined Lord Rembrandt’s handkerchief and instead unwrapped the lace one wound around her wrist beneath her sleeve to dab at her tears.
“Sorry……”
“Don’t apologize. Talk to me. Do you need anything? I’ll help you. How can I assist?”
Reina looked up at him hesitantly with her red, wet eyes.
“You…… won’t report me?”
Oh dear……. Rembrandt sighed inwardly, swallowing a groan. Only now did the thoughts she must have harbored—standing here in Christina’s place—crystalize in his mind.
“I won’t report you.”
Reina finally seemed relieved, offering a grateful smile through her red, wet eyes as she snuffled.
“……To the Marquis and…… Madam too……”
“Yes. I won’t tell them. You want them not to know I’ve found out, right?”
Reina nodded cautiously. Oh dear……. Rembrandt kept swallowing his inward exclamations of pity as he gazed at her sorrowfully.
“……To His Highness the Crown Prince too……”
“Yes. I won’t tell Crown Prince Kyle either. I won’t tell a soul. So please, stop crying.”
Reina’s lips curved into a faint smile. It was heartbreaking on her tear-streaked face. If she weren’t another man’s wife, he’d have wanted to embrace her. Rembrandt offered a soothing smile.
“Come now, enough. They might start thinking something’s odd over there soon.”
“……”
Reina sneaked a glance toward the Crown Prince before looking up at Rembrandt. He quirked a brow and smiled to reassure her.
“Crown Prince Kyle is watching too—it’d look like I made Sir Arthur’s wife cry. Nothing will come of it, so don’t cry.”
“……Thank you.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I had no idea I’d frighten you like this. It must have been deadly serious for you…… Truth be told, I didn’t take it seriously. Honestly, I found it amusing. I’m sorry. Truly.”
Rembrandt apologized with utter sincerity.
“My offer to help is genuine too. Are you in any trouble? With the Marquis and his wife, or… Sir Arthur……”
Rembrandt watched her eyes carefully as he asked.
“Is someone making things hard for you?”
“……”
Reina simply shook her head without a word. Her face, offering only a feeble smile, was heartbreaking.
“……Did you know all along? How did you figure it out?”
But she hesitated before asking that much. Rembrandt chuckled softly.
“Is that what’s important right now?”
Reina snuffled.
“So it won’t happen next time……”
…Unlike you, others might not overlook it if they catch me… trailed off in a whisper. Pitying her deeply, Rembrandt let out a sigh that sounded like a lament.
“……No one else but me will know. I’m a painter, after all. I have an eye for details others miss. And I’ve seen you before.”
Then he added his sincere intent to help.
“Who do you know? I’m asking so I can be prepared to assist you if needed.”
“……”
Reina said nothing. She still lacked trust, and no doubt feared dragging others into complicity. Understanding her, Rembrandt nodded briefly.
“Understood. You don’t have to tell me. For now, we can’t linger too long. Hm……. Instead, may I come by later to help or hear your story? If you don’t want the Marquis couple knowing, a portrait excuse won’t fly. Something else.”
“……”
Reina nodded faintly without speaking. Rembrandt finally exhaled in relief and smiled at her.
“Good. Then we’ll talk later. Feeling better now?”
“Yes. ……Thank you.”
Rembrandt looked at her and quirked a brow in sympathy.
“……What now? We should head back, but your eyes are red. It’s obvious you’ve been crying. What excuse should we use?”
“Arthur.”
The Crown Prince gripped Arthur’s arm firmly.
“Stop.”
“……”
The Crown Prince pressed harder.
“You’re using Aura. Cut it out. It’ll only make things worse.”
“……”
His gaze held firm command laced with genuine concern.
“You can’t keep it up for long. You know that.”
“……”
Arthur withdrew his Aura. Sensing the shift in the air, the Crown Prince frowned and sighed. Propping his chin as if utterly baffled, he stared at Arthur.
“……I’ll ask Rembrandt what he discussed with your wife. He’s not the type for mischief. Why are you so on edge? You don’t seriously suspect my cousin of cuckolding you?”
“……”
Arthur’s face was impassive, but rigidly so. The Crown Prince let out a short, mocking scoff.
“Devoted husband or jealous spouse? It’s an arranged marriage, and here you are, head over heels in epic romance.”
“……”
Arthur ground out his cigar in the ashtray and spoke.
“No need to ask.”
“……”
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
His tone was curt and final.
“……”
Crown Prince Kyle, who had watched Arthur in silence, finally called to him.
“Arthur.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Don’t rely so heavily on Aura.”
“Yes. If it’s about vigilance, I’ll handle it.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
The Crown Prince paused before continuing.
“I’m saying don’t ‘rely on Aura.’ You don’t trust people and keep testing them because you have it.”
“……”
Arthur’s expression remained perfectly composed. Rigidly so. Kyle went on.
“If you didn’t want to let her go, you could’ve refused. ‘She’s my wife—talk here, right in front of me.’ You could’ve said it. Why send her off?”
“……”
“You did it on purpose, didn’t you? To observe how you’d react, to eavesdrop on their conversation?”
Arthur, silent until then, quietly closed his eyes and opened them again.
“Kyle.”
“Yeah.”
Arthur lifted his ever-cool gray eyes to meet the Crown Prince’s.
“Do you think you know everything about me just because you know about Aura?”
“……”
The Crown Prince regarded him silently before sighing, raising a hand as if to say do whatever, and looking away. Arthur stared coldly at the tip of a fresh cigar he’d drawn out.
