YWPWYLFDM 13

Chapter 13

When night fell, Aila used the branch she had picked up earlier that day to open the secret compartment.

Her fingers could squeeze into the gap in the wall, but they often got scratched in the process. It was far more convenient to use a tool.

When she had picked up the branch, Laura had scolded her, asking what on earth she needed it for. But since Aila sometimes brought back branches under the pretense of practicing swordplay, Laura hadn’t thought it particularly strange.

After changing into the comfortable clothes she had hidden in the secret compartment, Aila opened the wall on the opposite side and slipped out of her room.

Getting outside wasn’t the problem—it was what came next.

I don’t know where that letter is.

It had been Cloud who caught the bird that morning. Birds couldn’t speak, so of course there must have been a slip of paper tied to its leg with a message written on it.

But Aila didn’t know whether Cloud still had it, or if he had already passed it on to Byron.

Logically speaking, the chances were higher that he had reported the contents to Byron and handed it over together. But it was also possible he had simply relayed the message verbally.

And if the letter contained sensitive information, they might have just read it and burned it.

Back in the days when she had infiltrated the Duke’s household, Byron often handled Laura’s letters in that exact way. It was entirely possible.

But I can’t just give up without checking.

To fight an enemy, you first had to know them well. And right now, there was too much she didn’t know.

Besides, this incident was something that hadn’t happened in her previous life—an unexpected change. If she didn’t figure out the cause, she would have to live on edge forever.

I should start with Byron’s room.

If any documents still remained, the likeliest place was Byron’s chamber. So, just like the night before, she climbed up the tree beside his window.

But strangely, despite it being a little early for him to be asleep, his room was completely dark.

Already in bed?

Aila hid among the branches and peered into the dim room. She doubted he could be asleep so soon, but if he was, this was her best chance.

The chamber was silent. She squinted, straining her eyes in the darkness—

—and then caught the faint outline of a person near the bed. Byron was sitting there.

…Good grief.

So he wasn’t asleep after all. In the dark, with no lamp lit, his golden eyes gleamed faintly like those of a predator.

If I had gone inside, I’d have been caught for sure.

Had she assumed he was sleeping and walked right in, she would have been face-to-face with him. Aila exhaled in relief, glad she had checked more carefully.

But what was he doing in the pitch dark, just sitting there? The eerie stillness made her shiver.

Now what? Aila bit her lip nervously. She was desperate to confirm the letter’s contents, but with Byron sitting there staring into nothingness, she had no chance.

And she couldn’t afford to waste hours waiting for him to fall asleep—not when she wasn’t even certain the letter was in his possession.

Then maybe I should try Cloud’s quarters first.

She abandoned the idea of sneaking into Byron’s room and decided to look for Cloud instead. But then a problem dawned on her—she didn’t know where Cloud lived.

It shouldn’t be far from Byron.

Cloud was Byron’s missing right hand—his loyal hound. He wouldn’t be stationed far away.

After a moment’s hesitation, Aila resolved to simply check all the nearby rooms one by one. A crude and primitive method, but no better plan came to mind.

If all she did was peek from the windows, it wouldn’t take too long. Better that than squatting here uselessly.

Unfortunately, even after scouring every room on the second floor, she found no sign of him.

Why isn’t he here? Does he use a different floor?

No—that didn’t make sense. Byron summoned Cloud constantly. There was no way he would keep quarters on another floor.

It must mean Cloud was temporarily away.

Could he have gone to visit his sister-in-law and nephew?

It wasn’t certain, but she had to check.

With that thought, Aila hurried off toward the chamber where Laura and Lady Capella stayed together.

But once again—no luck.

She let out a sigh. Even there, Cloud was nowhere to be seen.

Where on earth is he at this hour?

Just as she was about to give up for the night and retreat to the attic, Cloud finally appeared—coming straight to visit Laura and Capella. He looked unusually tense.

“Sister-in-law, where’s Laura?”

Hidden in the shadows, Aila watched as a disheveled Capella, looking as though she’d just woken, came to meet her brother-in-law.

“She’s asleep,” Capella answered, her tone faintly annoyed. Aila had wasted so much time looking for Cloud that it was quite late—naturally, Laura would be asleep.

“That’s troublesome. The master is urgently looking for her…”

Cloud’s expression was strained. His words left Capella wide-eyed in surprise.

“For Laura?”

Aila felt exactly the same. Why would Byron be looking for Laura in the middle of the night?

But Cloud shook his head.

“No. I mean that child.”

Damn it.

At those words, a chill ran down Aila’s spine.

Every night, once they locked her in her attic room, she had been free until morning. That freedom was the only reason she could sneak around. But now—why would he suddenly be looking for her?

“Just a moment. I can wake the girl and bring her myself,” Capella replied.

…This is bad. Very bad.

She didn’t have a second to waste.

Before Capella reached the attic, Aila had to slip back inside unnoticed, change into her nightgown, and pretend to be asleep.

Can I make it?

Her mind went blank with panic, but she forced her body into motion.

She darted back to the hidden passage. Luckily, she didn’t encounter anyone on the way, and she scrambled up the ladder two steps at a time.

She couldn’t afford stealth—moving quietly would only slow her down, and then she would lose to Capella in the race back.

Her palms grew slick with sweat, her breath ragged, but she didn’t stop.

By the time she finally reached the attic, her chest was burning. But she had no time to rest—the sound of footsteps was already approaching.

Thank heavens she hadn’t stored her nightgown in the secret compartment. If she had, she would’ve had to waste precious seconds retrieving it.

She tore off her training clothes and hastily slipped into the fluttery nightdress.

At that moment, she heard the creak of someone stepping on the ladder beneath the attic hatch.

No time to stash the training clothes properly. She shoved them under the bed, threw herself onto the mattress, and shut her eyes tight as if asleep.

Her heart pounded as she waited for Capella to open the hatch—

But instead, a startled Capella’s voice drifted up from below.

“M-Master? What brings you here in person? If you had waited in your chamber, I would’ve fetched her right away…”

“It’s fine. I’ll go myself.”

The answer came in a deep, unmistakable voice. Byron’s.

Aila’s blood ran cold.

Not only was Byron seeking her in the middle of the night for the first time—he was personally coming to her room.

Until now, he had always locked her away in the most remote place possible, summoning her only when he needed her. Back then, as a daughter desperate for her father’s love, she had always run to him gladly.

But now—how should she react?

Should she keep pretending to be asleep? But wouldn’t any child wake up if someone entered their room in the middle of the night?

If she were truly asleep, how would she respond upon seeing Byron suddenly appear? Surprise? Joy?

Or perhaps… if it were her former self… she would have thought it was all just a dream.

Yes—a dream. A happy dream.

As Byron’s footsteps climbed the ladder, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

But even by the time he opened the hatch and stepped into the attic, she still hadn’t decided how to act.

So she kept her eyes shut tight.

And then, Byron strode straight to her bedside and reached out to brush her hair.

Even with her eyes closed, Aila felt it clearly, as if she were watching: his hand moving closer, closer.

“…Ophelia.”