Chapter 61
61. Reunion2022.03.31.
“Thank you for rushing here out of worry for my inadequate son. But Dillon is no longer a knight.”
“…….”
Brandon Osborn spoke in a stiff tone.
“I apologize for causing concern to you honorable knights with my worthless son. From now on, I will pay more attention and take better care of him myself.”
Lukan, who had been pressing his lips into a thin line, finally clenched his teeth and took a step back.
“……Please let us see Dillon before we go. We might be able to help.”
Dillon had only recently returned to Julius Territory. Naturally, Lukan and Tristan understood his condition far better than Brandon Osborn did. But Brandon Osborn was adamant.
“As I said earlier, Dillon has not woken up.”
Lukan held back once more and asked,
“At least tell us what poison he ingested.”
Brandon Osborn’s response was cold.
“I don’t believe you are a doctor, sir.”
At that moment, urgent footsteps thudded in—thud!
“Master!”
The maid flung open the door and rushed in, delivering the doctor’s message.
“Young Master has woken up!”
“!”
Brandon Osborn silently furrowed his brow. Lukan, who had been certain that Dillon had woken up but was being kept from seeing him and had been despising Brandon Osborn for it, rose from his seat with a dazed expression. Had he really not been awake?
“…….”
But as expected, Brandon Osborn had no intention of readily allowing them to see Dillon now that he had woken; his face remained hard. Tristan quietly stood as well and said to Brandon Osborn,
“……Sir Dillon has woken up.”
“…….”
Lukan looked at him and added,
“Then will you let us see him now?”
“…….”
Brandon Osborn gripped the handle of his cane tightly and said nothing. He seemed unprepared for the maid to burst in and announce that Dillon had woken. Arthur broke the silence.
“Sir Brandon.”
Brandon Osborn gripped his cane and looked at Arthur. Arthur met his gaze steadily and said,
“He is my soldier.”
“!”
Arthur smiled softly.
“As a former soldier yourself, I believe you understand that I don’t need your permission to see him.”
“…….”
Lukan and Tristan quietly watched Arthur and Brandon Osborn. As Lionel had already informed the marquis once, the war was over, but the triumphal procession had not yet taken place, so their army had not been officially disbanded. They had been granted permission to return home and recuperate, but as Arthur said, the Supreme Commander needed no one’s permission to see a soldier under his command.
“…….”
Brandon Osborn, with his strong sense of honor as a soldier and knight, could not defy Arthur’s words and answered with silence instead. Arthur turned to leave and said,
“Thank you for your permission.”
“…….”
Brandon Osborn did not follow. The knights were led to Dillon’s room by the maid. * * * Dillon greeted them with a faint smile but felt ashamed on the other hand. In his raspy voice, he made excuses, saying he had mistaken the poison for a sleeping draught. But everyone knew that wasn’t true. He had made the same excuse years ago, the first time he had attempted poisoning himself. They stayed with Dillon for a long time before leaving the room. Only the doctor remained. * * * Lukan said,
“Don’t leave him shut away alone. Locking him up in the house under the pretense of rest will just lead to another suicide attempt. At least send him back to people he can reflect on the end of the war with, or better yet, let him return to Your Excellency’s side and resume his duties. Make him feel the victory somehow. Even in a wheelchair, he needs to see what he protected, doesn’t he?”
Brandon Osborn said with a hard face,
“That victory is yours. I offer my respects. But it’s a victory my son has no right to share. I’m grateful for your pity. But please don’t shame us any further.”
“Shame?”
Lukan questioned in disbelief, doubting his own ears. Tristan stepped forward.
“Sir Brandon. Not a single knight on the front lines considers Sir Dillon dishonorable. On the contrary, Sir Dillon is respected by all. What right do you have, who weren’t even in that battle, to disparage Sir Dillon as shameful?”
Brandon Osborn said with a hard face,
“I have eyes too. I know my son never properly secured a victory in any battle he fought in. You must know that if you have eyes. Why can’t he walk when his legs are fine? If his legs had been severed instead, it wouldn’t be this shameful.”
Tristan retorted,
“Sir Dillon is not exaggerating!”
Brandon Osborn’s voice was calm.
“I know that. And I know even in great victories, there are casualties.”
His voice continued.
“But a man who couldn’t even stand on the battlefield because his legs were trembling—do you want him to brazenly roll around in a wheelchair among knights who faced all that fear and earned the glory of victory, praising his own merits?”
Brandon Osborn shook his head briefly.
“My son isn’t that brazen.”
* * * After Dillon fell asleep. The doctor who came out of the room cautiously spoke about the aftereffects of Dillon’s poisoning.
“It might be temporary, but we’ll have to monitor his progress…….”
Brandon Osborn sighed in utter disbelief.
“The cripple has gone blind now too.”
Everyone fell silent. Brandon Osborn rubbed his tired, closed eyes and said,
“As you heard, it’s impossible to let him ‘see’ those glorious sights anyway. I apologize for raising my son like this.”
“……Please leave now.”
* * * With Arthur’s permission, Tristan immediately returned to the unit and began inquiring after famous doctors, priests, and scholars experienced in treating blind patients. He sought out people who had temporarily gone blind in the war and recovered, and looked into soldiers currently seeking treatments for vision problems. And while carrying out all this, Tristan suddenly realized something. He now had a fairly good excuse on the surface to look into Arthur’s vision problems as well. On the surface, for one person. In reality, for two. Tristan began to move.
* * * Chirp, chirp……. Reina opened her eyes alone in bed. And she realized Arthur had not returned last night after all.
“…….”
Reina got up and opened the window. A soft breeze and the autumn morning sunlight streamed in, tousling her hair. Reina closed her eyes and felt the wind. It’s okay if Sir Arthur doesn’t come. I’m okay. As long as I can return to Grandmother, that’s enough for me. With her eyes closed, Reina recalled the day she had received a cup from Arthur. The day she had debated whether to speak to him, thinking it would become a lifelong memory. It seems it turned out that way. It was such a good time. I need to end it on a high note. Reina stretched vigorously.
「Sir Arthur is just angry for the moment.」
「Your role is simply to calm this current mess. Nothing more, nothing less.」
How much time had passed? It felt like ages since she had heard those words. It was as if the marchioness and the young lady were from distant ages ago, and she had been by Sir Arthur’s side for a very long time. Even after over ten years of rising at dawn in the maid’s attic, just three days in this snow-white, cozy bed felt familiar, like the midday sun. * * * But when Brody came in and dressed her in a brand-new dress she had never worn before, adorning her beautifully. Reina ended up bursting into tears upon seeing herself in the mirror.
“Reina, why, why?!”
“…….”
I don’t know. Why am I crying? Reina couldn’t understand her own heart either.
Sir Arthur won’t come to me anymore. He won’t come to this room. Brody floundered in confusion, then shouted,
“Do whatever you want, our Reina!”
And she dressed her up extravagantly. She even added precious accessories she wouldn’t normally use. Reina sniffled and let Brody adorn her as she wished. By the time she came to her senses, Reina found herself standing before Taylor, adorned with the world’s most expensive pearl earrings she had only worn once on the day of the triumphal procession, her hair done up like flowers. * * * Reina greeted Taylor awkwardly with reddened eyes.
“……Taylor.”
She had agonized over how to greet Taylor. But she had forgotten it all. There was something she meant to ask Taylor, but now she didn’t even know what she was doing. The ill-fitting dress looked ridiculous. Brody’s compliments that she looked so pretty seemed like absurd jokes. And when she realized she had come before her one and only friend unprepared. Reina was suddenly overcome with fear. Because the moment their eyes met, she knew Taylor hadn’t come knowing everything.
“…….”
Taylor hid his shock without showing it.
“…….”
Reina awkwardly gripped the hem of her skirt and bit her lip. Please don’t just ask what she was doing. Please don’t forget your words in bewilderment or ask a bunch of questions. She had no confidence to answer anything. It would have been better if he had come knowing everything……. After a brief silence, Taylor looked at her and smiled.
“……Yes, my lady.”
Reina flinched and looked at him. Her longtime friend bowed his head and greeted her calmly.
“……It’s been a long time.”
Reina burst into tears again. As Reina began to cry, Kay and Lionel, who had been guarding the door, strode over and positioned themselves between her and Taylor, pulling him away from her. They eyed him to confirm he had no suspicious intentions. The two knights drew an invisible line between her and Taylor, as if guarding her. * * * I’ve imagined you in a dress before. But not in a situation like this.
