TTMLPTWW – Chapter 129

* * *

“I’ll be off, then.”

It was the day Eugene departed for the Kingdom of Medea.

Dressed smartly in a formal suit for children, with a neatly tied tie, Eugene wore a composed expression.

The servants who had grown fond of Eugene wiped away tears in secret as they loaded his luggage. Butler Milchenko hugged Eugene tightly, endlessly stroking his hair.

Dahlia moved the luggage more diligently than anyone, and Diego rubbed at the corners of his eyes, pretending to yawn.

Even the soldiers came to say goodbye, slipping parting gifts into Eugene’s hands.

“To our future Prime Minister, travel safe.”

Major Rodriguez, who had grown particularly close to Eugene, bit his lip and fidgeted with the child’s small fingers.

Once he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Medea, Eugene would remain there until he became an adult before returning. Though he’d likely come back to Rutemia once or twice a year, the long separation left everyone with somber and regretful faces.

After bidding farewell to the cats he’d cared for, Eugene looked up with a blank expression at Masera, who stood silently.

“Uncle. I’m off to become an adult. I’m gonna grow taller than you.”

“Come back stronger.”

His reply was curt, but the hand ruffling Eugene’s hair was filled with affection.

Cynthia gave Eugene a bright smile.

“You’ll have to send us picture postcards, okay? We’ll come visit you often.”

“If you cry ‘cause I’m not here, big sis, I won’t send you anything.”

“You better not cry either. Stick close to Mabel at school. Got it? And if you’re sick or having a hard time, don’t bottle it up—speak up.”

Eugene bit his lip and looked down at his toes.

“…I heard it’s spring over there. Aren’t you jealous? I’ll stick spring flowers to a postcard and send it to you later. You’re supposed to add flowers when it’s for someone special.”

Then Eugene held something out to Cynthia.

It was the notebook she had given him as a gift when he had stopped speaking, to write down what he wanted to say.

“I wrote some stuff I wanted to tell you. Read it when you miss me.”

Lifting his chin like a sulky cat, he then ran boldly toward the car.

Cynthia smiled warmly as she watched his back.

‘He’s grown up so much.’

Grand Ducal Princess Charlotte and Madam Pritvatche boarded the car after promising several times to take good care of Eugene.

After Eugene departed, everyone who had seen him off returned to their own duties.

However, Cynthia stood motionless in the lightly snowing garden, eyes fixed on the spot Eugene had been for quite some time.

Even the cat perched on the roof watched until the car carrying Eugene disappeared into a tiny dot.

Masera stood silently by her side.

Unlike her usual chatty self, Cynthia mulled over a long silence, then spoke in a voice that sounded slightly drained.

“It’s my fault that Eugene had to leave the people he loves. He said otherwise, but…”

Eugene had once said he had no intention of looking for relatives or leaving, because there was so much here that he loved.

“…It feels like I stole his happiness away.”

Whether from the trembling cold or something else, her voice wavered and tangled.

Yet as Cynthis smiled as if nothing was wrong, Masera looked down at her and slowly shook his head.

“If he wants to go into politics one day, he needs to study abroad early, walk the elite path, and build connections. Medea’s Royal Academy has produced many historical figures…”

Cynthia laughed exaggeratedly and patted Masera on the back.

“You sound like one of those overzealous parents. Kids change their dreams twelve times a day, you know.”

“Even if the dream changes a dozen times, or if he gets fickle, what matters is having someone waiting for him. That’s what adults do.”

Eugene left because he had faith there were people and a home he could always return to.

Masera moved to brush the snow off her silvery hair, but she shook her head first, brushing it off and turning around.

“The official residence is going to feel so empty. Guess I’ll peel some onions to pass the time.”

She even managed to crack a joke as she left a trail of squeaky footprints in the snow and stepped back into the residence.

“……”

Masera quietly watched Cynthia’s retreating back, then followed her footprints.

He didn’t want to leave her alone to swallow her emotions anymore.

“This isn’t your fault.”

At Masera’s calm voice, Cynthia suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her breath puffed out white in the air and scattered, but no words followed.

“Thanks.”

After a moment, she let out the quietest of replies, before quickly running away.

Just like Eugene had run to the car that would take him away.

* * *

“The Duchess—no, Princess Helene threatened me and demanded information! She forced me to lure Anita out too. I really had no choice!”

They interrogated Charles, a servant of the Queensguard County, but all he had done was relay a message to Captain Declan. He claimed to know nothing about where Anita had gone.

Though Charles had leaked information about the official residence and would be punished under military law, they locked him in the underground prison for now, since his testimony might be needed later.

While Anita’s whereabouts remained unknown, Duke Rukanosa sold all of Diem’s gold mining territory to Masera.

For House Rukanosa, the losses caused by Helene’s actions were astronomical, and this was the only way to make up for it.

Dahlia delivered the news of the Duke’s divorce to Cynthia, who was lost in thought.

“It seems the divorce between Duke Rukanosa and Princess Helene has been finalized. The media’s exploding with coverage.”

So they finally got divorced. But where did Helene disappear to? Don’t tell me she went full villain mode and joined that syndicate?

Cynthia shivered as she imagined Helene going from a princess of a country to the queen of the underworld.

“Princess, a letter has arrived from the Prime Minister’s household. It’s a classified matter, and marked as urgent.”

She opened the letter Diego handed her, only for her eyes to go wide in shock.

‘…Carlos suddenly disappeared?’

Cynthia tried to recall the last conversation she had with him.

When she told him to act if he wanted to be forgiven, Carlos had said:

“Cynthia. If… if I become a person who takes responsibility for what I’ve done.”

“Then maybe I’ll finally know how I’m supposed to live moving forward.”

And that bitter look on his face, like he was letting go of all the desires he’d clung to.

No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t feel like he’d just run away irresponsibly.

Could Helene really have joined that criminal organization and is responsible?

Carlos, with his genuine royal blood, was still a strong candidate for succession.

If Carlos truly meant to take responsibility for what he’d done… there would have been no greater obstacle.

Just like Count Queensguard, the one she’d tried to eliminate first.

“……”

Cynthia closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

He was an infuriating man—but dying the moment he chose to atone…

That was too unfair, enough to make her resent god for it.

* * *

In a dim alley.

Beneath a flickering gas lamp, Masera stood facing a woman in a long black coat.

The woman with her head deeply bowed was none other than Anita.

Captain Declan had discovered she’d abandoned Cynthia and joined Helene’s side, and had just tracked her down.

“You chose to leave my wife, to reject our protection. Is that really your decision?”

Masera asked Anita. His voice and expression were calm and dry, showing no visible emotion.

“If you wish, I could arrange protection for you somewhere other than the official residence.”

But Anita shook her head in response to his offer.

“It’s all right. The truth will win out anyway.”

Seeing the white snow piling on her hair, Masera handed her a black umbrella.

“I hope, sincerely, that you won’t regret this decision.”

That was the last thing he said. Anita opened the umbrella, bowed, and walked off in the opposite direction.

As her silhouette grew distant, Diego, who had been watching from afar, came over.

“What will you do? She’s completely absorbed into the organization now and staying with Princess Helene. Shouldn’t we bring her back?”

“No. This is where the kindness ends.”

Forcibly dragging her back would only cause problems. And disposing of her wasn’t something Cynthia would want.

“But what if Princess Helene uses Anita to do something…?”

Diego voiced his concern, but Masera simply shook his head as pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever they try, it won’t work.”

He sounded indifferent, but he clearly craved a cigar.

‘He always prepares for everything, so I’m not too worried about anything going wrong… but still, why does he seem so heartbroken?’

Diego looked at him with concern.

Masera’s brow furrowed deeply, and he bit down hard, cracking the lollipop.

When he imagined the pain Cynthia would feel after learning someone she trusted and helped had betrayed her, his chest tightened.

She would probably smile as if it was nothing—but he knew very well that not all her smiles were the same.

Masera had long since learned how to read the emotions hidden in her expressions.

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