Chapter 4
The next day.
Benedict had been sneaking out to the garden more often lately, so he was feeling a fair amount of guilt.
So today, he resolved to behave and stay in his room, maybe even do a bit of studying.
But soon, a problem arose. A maid brought him some bread coated in a generous amount of cinnamon sugar as a snack.
Perhaps it was because of what he had heard the day before. Benedict couldn’t bear the thought of not giving this warm and sweet bread to Lucien.
“I’ll study tomorrow.”
It was a decision he made every day and never tired of. With that, he headed straight for the back garden.
“Ah, I should’ve brought something to drink, too.”
It would’ve been perfect with some warm tea.
He stopped walking and looked back at the massive mansion. Should he go back?
“But Lucien might be waiting for me.”
A gentleman never keeps a lady waiting. At least, that’s what one of the books from his mother’s shelf had said.
When he arrived by the stream, he spotted the red dogwood tree.
“Dogwood berries like Lucien’s eyes.”
The words popped into his mind without thinking, and they sounded almost poetic. He was momentarily impressed by his own genius.
He had to recite it to Lucien when he saw her.
Just imagining her blushing with embarrassment again made him feel overwhelmed with joy.
He lifted the drooping dogwood branches and leapt inside.
“Lucien!”
Plop, plop.
The barely-hanging red berries fell to the ground before his empty eyes.
“…?”
He didn’t realize that some berries had fallen onto his own head and shoulders as he looked around in confusion.
“What’s going on?”
Had Lucien not come out for her walk yet?
Without much hesitation, he skipped across the stepping stones that crossed the stream.
There was no one around the cabin. To be honest, it was so quiet that it felt like no one lived there at all.
“Did Lucien go somewhere else?”
Worried, he tried to peek inside through the window. But the window was higher than he thought, and he couldn’t see in.
He gathered a few stones nearby and stacked them up to climb on.
The unstable stack of stones collapsed quickly, but fortunately, he had managed to hang onto the windowsill and lift himself high enough.
Unfortunately, the curtain was drawn.
Beyond it, he could see the shadow of a person.
“Who is that? An adult…”
Benedict squinted, and soon noticed that the dark shadow was growing larger.
Which meant someone was approaching the window.
“…!”
He knew he had to run.
But his feet were dangling in midair, and if he moved even a little, he’d fall.
Before he could do anything, the curtain was yanked open.
And the face that appeared…
Benedict couldn’t even scream.
It was his father.
Benedict had thought adults were clueless fools, but apparently, that wasn’t true.
His father clearly knew everything. The usually kind eyes were so cold, it was frightening.
“Benedict Philip Winfield.”
Worse, he pronounced every part of Benedict’s name.
That was basically a death sentence. Whenever his father addressed him like this, it always ended in severe punishment.
“I’ve heard the nanny warned you multiple times not to go to the back garden. You promised to obey. Do you have anything to say about this?”
His father never raised his voice when scolding Benedict.
No matter how serious the mistake, he always gave Benedict a chance to explain himself.
Today was no different in tone.
But something felt off. His father seemed to be suppressing some intense emotion with great difficulty.
“He’s really angry this time…”
The unfamiliar depth of his father’s fury frightened Benedict so much that he couldn’t say a word.
“Not only did you break your promise, you were also holding lessons under the dogwood tree! What were you thinking—”
Benedict cautiously looked up.
It was true he had broken the rules and gone to the back garden and cabin. But he didn’t think it was wrong to teach Lucien how to read.
He mustered some courage. His hands trembled, but he spoke anyway.
Didn’t his father once say that a true gentleman should stand by what’s right, no matter the situation?
“L-Lucien didn’t know how to read.”
His father’s eyes widened in surprise.
“If she can’t read, then she can’t be my study partner. Even if not for that, learning is always a good thing.”
He hadn’t planned his words, but they came out sounding surprisingly reasonable. That gave him more courage, and his hands stopped shaking.
“I was wrong to go out on my own. But I don’t regret becoming friends with Lucien!”
Deep down, he hoped for praise from his father.
He had admitted his mistake and calmly explained his values—just like the gentleman his father always wanted him to be.
“…”
But his father’s face…
It looked strange.
Benedict had never seen that expression before. Was he angry? No, it felt a bit different.
More like… fear?
Of course, Benedict quickly dismissed that thought. His father wasn’t someone who felt weak emotions like fear.
But still, a strange dread crept into his heart. He gently grabbed his father’s arm.
“F-Father?”
Finally, his father seemed to make up his mind. His face hardened as he looked down at Benedict.
“…Return to your room. You’re not allowed to go outside until tomorrow.”
“What?”
His father signaled the butler at the door, who said, “I’ll escort you to your room, young master,” urging him along.
Feeling uneasy, Benedict tightened his grip on his father’s arm and pleaded.
“Father, you brought Lucien here so she could study with me, right? Isn’t that right?”
“Benedict.”
“I’m right, aren’t I? What other reason would there be for a girl my age to stay here?”
“That girl…”
His father’s voice sounded sorrowful.
“She’s going far away tomorrow morning. You won’t be allowed to see her without my permission.”
“What?! That’s not fair! She’s my—!”
“She is not your study partner.”
“Then why did you bring her here?”
“Benedict, please stop!”
His sudden shout startled Benedict, and he let go of his father.
“That girl is… my god…”
His father looked like he was about to say something but then pressed a hand to his forehead and turned away. But Benedict didn’t give up.
“Please tell me! Why are you so angry about me seeing Lucien? This isn’t like you, Father!”
“Go to your room.”
“Young master.”
The butler gently tried to lead him.
“Come along now, yes?”
Half-dragged by the butler, Benedict shouted toward his father.
“Why won’t you just explain it properly?!”
“…”
But only silence returned.
Benedict was certain now—his father was hiding something from him. Something bad about Lucien.
“You’re a coward, Father.”
It was the first time he had ever said something so harsh. Even he was surprised by his own words. His father looked equally shocked.
I’m sorry.
The words almost slipped out, but Benedict swallowed them.
He still resented his father too much.
So today, he refused to apologize.
The next day, Benedict heard that his father had left the estate with the butler and a few elite knights.
He stood by his window and silently watched the carriage procession disappear into the distance.
He couldn’t be sure whether Lucien was among them.
But from the very next day, the nanny stopped warning him about going to the back garden or the cabin. The restriction had clearly been lifted.
Still, Benedict didn’t go.
He felt like if he confirmed something out there, his hereditary illness would flare up and he’d be overcome with fever again.
It happened four days later.
Benedict woke up to the sound of hooves in the garden at dawn.
He normally wasn’t a light sleeper, but today was different. He felt a tightness in his chest. He tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but in the end, he got up.
Still in his pajamas, he stepped out into the hallway.
The floor was bitterly cold from the early morning air, and soon his whole body began to tremble.
But he walked down the corridor. Something about the sounds from the entrance gave him a terrible feeling.
He felt like he had to see what it was.
More than anything, with his father away, Benedict believed it was his duty as the heir to protect everyone in the house.
“Oh no, you can’t!”
As he got closer, he heard the nanny sobbing.
Had something terrible happened?
Benedict walked toward the entrance on shaking legs. A piercing scream followed.
“The master has passed away!”
