Between Your Letter and My Reply

Chapter 101

At Lilliana’s words, Damian finally realized what his face must look like. He hadn’t even noticed that his face was flushed red because he was so focused on Lilliana.

He covered his face with his arm and mumbled an excuse.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing. It’s just a bit hot…”

As he said that, he did feel a bit feverish.

“I think splashing some cold water on my face will make me feel better. Anyway, Lilliana, please get some rest. It’s late.”

“Ah, yes. Okay. You too, Damian…”

“I’ll go in after I see you enter your room.”

Even though Lilliana’s room was right in front of him, the stubborn bodyguard wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw her enter first.

Knowing this, Lilliana grabbed the doorknob and smiled at Damian.

“Then I’ll go to bed first. Thank you for your hard work today, Damian.”

“Good night.”

Only after Lilliana closed the door and entered her room did Damian enter his own. As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against it and slid down to the floor.

Damian lightly patted his feverish cheeks with both hands, but the feeling of someone clutching and shaking his heart didn’t easily disappear.

‘Lady Lintray’ was right next door.

He didn’t think he could fall asleep without saying he missed her. But even if he did say it, he didn’t think he would be able to sleep properly tonight.

“Oh my god…”

How was he supposed to fall asleep in this state? Damian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

But something welled up from the pit of his stomach, and a tear escaped Damian’s eye.

The knight Stern had finally found his princess.

***

Casey, having finished his late breakfast, was basking in the sun in the living room, half-lying on the sofa to aid his digestion. Annette was out, and Asher had gone to his workshop.

Lilliana came out of her room and sat across from Casey, hugging a cushion defensively. Timo was curled up at her feet.

Casey glanced at Lilliana, who seemed to have a lot to say. She got straight to the point.

“I have something to ask you.”

Lilliana had been waiting for Casey to wake up, as the day before had ended awkwardly due to the trio’s drunken antics before she could ask her questions.

“Brother, what happened between us during the two years I lost my memory?”

Lilliana also noticed. Compared to when he was 18, Casey’s way of treating and feeling towards Lilliana had clearly changed.

Lilliana was curious about what had happened between her and Casey.

She wasn’t as afraid of facing Casey as she was the day before. However, she was still awkward and unsure how to treat him, so she kept Damian behind her as she questioned Casey.

Damian, seeing Casey’s innocent face, decided there was no need for him to intervene.

“You’re really persistent with your questions.”

“I’m asking because you seem to know something. Tell me about those two years you said you spent peacefully with me.”

“Hmm…”

Casey seemed to ponder for a moment and then answered simply,

“Yes, well… as you might know from Pascal, we were hiding together from Marquis Sutton.”

“Together, you and I?”

“Yes.”

Damian got off the sofa where Lilliana was sitting and sat on the floor.

Damian, who was kneading a recycled rubber ball with his right prosthetic hand, wondered if Casey was being too forthcoming and if he should stop him.

But listening to the conversation that followed, it didn’t seem necessary.

“Where?”

“A faraway place.”

“Where is this faraway place?”

“There is one. A faraway place.”

“Ugh!”

Lilliana bit her lip, annoyed by Casey’s answer, which he delivered with a smile.

Damian went to the kitchen for a moment and came back with a cup and a water bottle.

He poured water for Lilliana, and she drank it, calming herself down for a bit. Damian also offered water to Casey.

He returned to his original spot and sat down, and Lilliana quietly extended her right hand over the armrest of the sofa and beckoned him with her fingers.

Damian didn’t immediately understand what she meant and glanced at Lilliana. She was also looking at him sideways. Lilliana mouthed the word “hand” silently.

Puzzled, Damian held out his hand, and Lilliana grabbed it. She let out a small breath. It seemed she had gained courage with Damian by her side.

On the other hand, Damian was a little flustered. He was unsure how to hold the small, soft hand in his.

Lilliana focused on Casey again and asked,

“What about Father? Weren’t you with him?”

“That’s right.”

Damian left his left hand, held by Lilliana, as it was, neither holding it back nor pulling it away.

“So, if you were hiding from the ‘Lion’s Heart,’ does that mean the three of us were together?”

“That’s right.”

“So how did he die? Did those ‘Lion’s Heart’ people do it? Did they kill Father…?”

Lilliana’s voice trailed off in fear as she said the word “kill.” Casey gulped down the water Damian had given him and shook his head.

“No.”

“Then why did he die?”

“There was an accident.”

“What kind of accident?”

“There was an accident.”

“So what kind of accident was it?”

“It was an unfortunate accident.”

“Casey Carnell! Are you serious?!”

Lilliana slammed her fist on the coffee table. While Damian was inwardly relieved that both Annette and Asher were out, Lilliana didn’t stop pressing Casey.

“So you were there when my power went out of control?”

“I was.”

“Then why did you leave me and disappear? When I woke up, I was lying in Nichio, and even Aunt Pascal wasn’t by my side! I understand that Aunt Pascal, who can’t stay away from her land for long because of the earth’s power, wasn’t by my side! But what were you doing?!”

“I was just avoiding Pascal because I was scared of her.”

“Why were you scared of Aunt Pascal?”

“I did something Pascal told me not to do, and I was afraid of getting scolded if she found out.”

“What was it?”

“…”

Casey exercised his right to remain silent again. Even Damian understood this. It wasn’t a good idea to tell his cute little sister that he had been killing people.

Lilliana, seeing that she wasn’t going to get any meaningful answers from Casey, asked Damian, who was sitting next to her on the sofa,

“What were you talking about with my brother yesterday?”

“We were just talking about your current situation.”

“My current situation?”

Lilliana frowned and asked back, and Casey answered for Damian,

“Didn’t Pascal tell you? You already know a lot if you know that much.”

“Tell me more details. Damian is trying to overprotect me…”

“That’s not overprotection, Lily. Marquis Sigmund Sutton hasn’t given up on us and is still looking for us, so we don’t know when or where we might run into him.”

Lilliana’s face hardened at those words. She thought for a moment and then asked Damian,

“So what Aunt Pascal said is true? The reason they’re after me is to have the heir to the Shelbyr royal family absorb my power…”

Casey rolled his eyes and looked at Damian and Lilliana.

“Pascal told you that?”

“Yes.”

“Why would she say that? It just makes people needlessly anxious.”

Casey grumbled, momentarily blaming Pascal. He didn’t seem to like the information Pascal had given them.

Damian shrugged and said indifferently,

“Whatever the reason, the fact remains that we need to hide from them.”