Chapter 61
I opened my hand to check what the object my father gave me was.
“A key… right?”
It was a key.
It must be a key to lock and unlock one of the many rooms in the duke’s manor.
My father spoke to me as I looked at it curiously.
“It’s the key to the solitary confinement room where Luke is locked up.”
“…?”
“I’m entrusting it to you. When all the grievances inside you are gone, go and release Luke yourself. With your own hands. Until then, I will order that he not be given even a drop of water.”
“So you mean…”
My father nodded, reading my unfinished words.
“Yes. It means he will starve until you forgive and free him.”
“…”
That small key suddenly felt heavy in my hand.
Probably because the weight of responsibility had been added.
I neither wanted to spite Luke nor reconcile with him while bearing such a burden.
I just wanted to live without getting involved with him, as if he were a stranger.
“I’m sorry, but…”
I put the key down on the desk and pushed it back toward my father.
“I don’t want to be entrusted with this key.”
“If you don’t take the key, I might starve him for almost a week. Do you still refuse?”
“…Yes. I won’t care.”
“Alright. If you refuse, then there’s nothing I can do.”
My father took the key.
I thought it was over.
Until he forcefully threw it out the window.
“W-What…?”
“The key I just threw out the window was the only key that can open the room where Luke is locked.”
“What about my brother then?”
“I don’t know either. He’ll probably be locked up and starve until the servants find the key.”
I couldn’t understand my father’s intentions.
Why was he suddenly acting so irrationally?
Was he taking out his anger because I didn’t follow his orders?
Was he still such an authoritarian, patriarchal man?
I thought he had changed…
Anyway, I felt very uncomfortable.
“Why do you have that expression?”
“…”
“Didn’t you just say that you wouldn’t care if your brother starved for almost a week?”
I couldn’t answer his words.
I just bit my lips hard.
Watching me like that, my father suddenly opened a desk drawer.
And he took something out—which surprisingly was the same key he just threw out the window.
“Actually, what I threw out was a spare key I had copied beforehand. This is the real key. Will you refuse this one too?”
“No! I’ll take it!”
I answered quickly, afraid he might throw the key away again.
He smiled faintly and handed it back to me.
“Good. Keep it well. It’s the only key to free Luke.”
“…”
“Hold onto it, and when you’re ready to forgive him, go open the door.”
“Yes…”
I had completely fallen for my father’s trick.
As a result, I ended up taking that heavy key.
After that, I carefully kept it in my drawer.
I didn’t go to see Luke right away.
Although I had grudgingly taken the key, talking to Luke again felt burdensome.
One day passed by idly, and the next morning I went to see him.
‘Is he still sleeping?’
The solitary confinement room my father made had a small observation hole in its door.
It was so small that not even a hand could fit, literally only for watching.
I peeked inside to see if he was asleep.
He was sitting blankly on the bed.
“I’ll open the door. Come out.”
There was no response.
I opened the door without caring.
Even after opening it, he didn’t react.
Thinking he might not have heard, I cleared my throat and knocked on the door.
Bang, bang.
Only then did he look my way but still didn’t get up.
“You still have the strength to walk, right?”
Seeing him not move made a pang hit my heart.
He had missed two meals because I hadn’t come as soon as I received the key.
Maybe that’s why he had no strength to walk.
“Do you want me to call someone to help you if you can’t move?”
“No.”
“Then why won’t you come out?”
He didn’t answer my question but said something unrelated, wearing a gloomy expression.
“I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“The bruises on Nayla’s arm from a long time ago, and the burns on her back… they weren’t your doing, right?”
“Ha… Are you really trying to drive me crazy?”
I almost locked the door again and left.
I took a deep breath to calm my raging anger.
“I’ve told you dozens of times. I have no reason to be jealous of her or to bully her. It’s her who’s been tormenting me!”
“So Nayla really… deceived and used me?”
“You’re quick to figure it out. Smart, as always. That was sarcasm, by the way.”
Nayla’s acting was pretty good.
Still, I was surprised that it took me years to finally realize it after being deceived for so long.
Almost impressive how not naive I was.
“If you understand, then don’t mention her name anymore. It’s disgusting. After all, I’m the biggest victim here, aren’t I? That’s why I asked Father to send Nayla to the academy…”
“Wait, you were the one who asked Father to send Nayla to the academy!?”
Apparently, Luke hadn’t heard that before.
He looked surprised as if hearing it for the first time.
“Yes. I asked Father.”
“Why!!”
“Because I hated her… I couldn’t keep such a scheming person at home.”
I was a little startled by Luke’s sudden loud question.
He seemed unhappy about Nayla being sent to the academy.
He washed his face and murmured despairingly.
“If I just told Father everything that happened until now, he would have thrown her out by himself… why go that far…”
Considering the duke’s family fortune, the academy tuition was trivial.
Yet his reaction was like that.
‘Has he lost all affection for Nayla? Completely given up on her?’
It was a little enviable how quickly he could throw away even a beloved younger sibling if he wanted.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t like that.
“Right. If I told Father everything, she would have been kicked out with nothing.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I didn’t want to bear such a heavy karma. Regardless of right or wrong. As long as she stays away from me, that’s enough.”
After hearing my words, Luke seemed even more dazed.
The Nayla he thought was kind had self-harmed and used others,
And the Claudia he thought was wicked pushed for Nayla’s academy admission.
His deeply rooted prejudices were shaken.
I understood why he was confused.
‘It’ll get better soon.’
Because of what happened on Charco Island, he must have secretly realized he was wrong.
If he had prepared his mind since then, he would be able to pull himself together soon.
“Phew…”
With a sigh, Luke rubbed his face with both hands as if covering it.
“I can’t go out.”
“Why? I opened the door and even gave you the key.”
“I don’t deserve to go out. Even if you forgive me… I can’t forgive myself.”
“…”
He didn’t stop punishing himself.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. Foolishly, I never doubted what I saw and believed it. Damn…”
“Whatever you want. I’m leaving the door open and leaving the key here. Reflect as much as you want before coming out.”
Feeling I had done enough, I left the key and walked out.
I thought listening to his monologue was wasting my time.
I didn’t want to make such a sacrifice for him.
“…”
Still, as I left the solitary room where he was, I glanced back.
‘Is he really not coming out?’
Though the door was wide open, he didn’t come out.
He was just sitting there, hiding his face, sunk in despair.
I forced myself to look away from that and hurried down the stairs.
I thought he would come out once he had done some token repentance and felt satisfied.
But he stayed shut up for a whole day.
‘How long is he going to be like that? Regis should be heading to the battlefield soon.’
I was needlessly worried about Luke.
So during meals, I glanced toward the solitary room, while drinking tea, while getting dressed,
while putting on shoes,
even while walking…
My eyes kept drifting toward the room where he was locked up.
At that point, I had to admit it.
I was worried about him starving in there.
“Why do I have to care this much!!”
I shouted as I was walking, bumping into a tree.
‘I should just focus on my own plans…’
I felt pathetic.
Still, I couldn’t ignore the heavy feelings occupying a corner of my heart.
“Sigh…”
I finally went to visit Luke again in the solitary room.
He looked at me with a haggard gaze.
I took a deep breath and spoke.
“I think you know well how terrible the things you did to me were.”
He bowed his head even more than before.
But I wasn’t finished yet.
“But if you had a chance to make it up, what would you do?”
“A chance to make it up?”
I nodded quietly.
Then I gave him one last chance,
so that he could forgive himself,
and so that I could forgive him.
“Take me with you when you go on the expedition. And help me come back safely.”
