An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 65

“My fault?”

Cabelenus tilted his head slightly.

“Because of you, my son’s leg—”

“Oh, that one?”

“Yes! Peter! You’re the bastard who broke my son Peter’s legs!”

Louis’s voice cracked as he shouted, veins bulging in his neck. When Peter had crawled home in that state, and Maren had rushed to tell him it was all because of the outsider, it had felt like the sky was collapsing on him.

“You should be grateful that’s all I did.”

“…What?”

“I was debating whether to just kill him outright.”

“You son of a—!”

“And if you wanted revenge, you should have come after me.”

Cabelenus stepped forward. His towering frame was enough to completely obscure Mikael from view.

“You crippled my son—so I have every right to do the same to yours! Isn’t that fair?”

“…Who said he’s my—”

Cabelenus cut himself off. Mikael was gripping his coat tightly.

“…Fine. If that’s what you want to believe.”

The child had claimed to hate him, yet in moments like this, he always clung to him. Cabelenus wasn’t sure what annoyed him more—the hypocrisy or the unfamiliar feeling creeping up inside him.

***

“Go inside first.”

“What about you?”

“I still have things to do.”

Cabelenus turned away and started walking. Mikael watched his back anxiously, then suddenly rushed forward, blocking his path.

“What?”

“W-Well… Oh! You didn’t catch the boar after all, did you?”

“I did.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll have it cleaned and brought over. Your mother looks like she needs nourishment.”

In Schwarhan, Alicia would have eaten the finest food, but now? Even boar meat would have to do. Cabelenus nodded to himself and resumed walking, but once again, Mikael darted in front of him.

“…Do you have something else to say?”

“Well…”

Mikael averted his eyes, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“If you’re going to say something, say it properly. I hate mumbling.”

“T-Thank… th-tha—”

“What?”

Cabelenus raised an eyebrow. Mikael took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and—

“Thank you!”

“…What?”

“For saving me! That’s what I wanted to say!”

Mikael shouted the words in one breath before exhaling sharply. His heart pounded. He wanted to see Cabelenus’s reaction—but at the same time, he didn’t. He kept his eyes squeezed shut.

“…Unexpected.”

“…”

“I didn’t think you’d say something like that.”

“Mom says you should always say thank you properly. And also…”

Mikael cautiously opened his eyes. To his relief, Cabelenus’s face wasn’t much different from usual.

“…I don’t completely hate you.”

“…”

“…Maybe, just a little, you’re not so bad.”

Mikael tightened his grip on Cabelenus’s coat.

His mother always said Uncle might leave one day, just as suddenly as he had appeared. But Mikael didn’t want that.

“…So…”

Don’t leave without telling me.

Mikael tugged at his coat, looking up at him. Cabelenus frowned at the trembling little hand gripping his clothes.

He couldn’t understand it.

He had never been particularly kind to this child. Why was Mikael looking at him like that? Why couldn’t he ignore it?

“I—”

“Mikael!”

A voice suddenly cut in, making Cabelenus’s expression twist with irritation. Mikael blinked twice, then broke into a wide smile.

“Uncle!”

The small hand that had gripped him so tightly just moments ago instantly let go.

Cabelenus scowled at his creased clothing, then slowly turned his gaze toward the boy running toward another man.

“Have you been well?”

“Did you bring candy?”

“Of course I did.”

Just as I thought.

Cabelenus’s eyes narrowed as he observed the silver-haired man holding Mikael. He knew that face all too well.

“…It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

James greeted him with a smooth smile.

Cabelenus remained silent, his expression unreadable. The way James naturally held Mikael in his arms… he didn’t like it.

“Why are you here?”

“I don’t believe I need to explain that to you.”

“Is that so?”

“You lost the right to ask eight years ago.”

James pulled Mikael closer, shielding his face with his sleeve. Cabelenus’s beast-like gaze sent a chill down his spine, but he had no intention of backing down.

Eight years ago, Alicia had fled through the snow, battered and bleeding. That was when their connection had been severed. James was the one who had taken her in. James was the one who knew Mikael’s secret.

And Cabelenus had done nothing.

“You think you have the right?”

“At the very least—I have more of a right than you.”

“…”

“I was the one who stayed by her side. Not you—me.”

James’s gaze hardened. Eight years ago, he wouldn’t have dared to meet Cabelenus’s eyes. Back then, Alicia had blindly followed him, and James’s own feelings had been shallow. But time had changed many things. Alicia’s priorities shifted, and so did James’s heart.

Cabelenus, who had once held Alicia so effortlessly in his arms, could no longer do so.

“A mere painter dares to—”

Cabelenus cut himself off.

He was being watched.

A pair of ashen gray eyes trembled uneasily, locked onto him.

“…This is driving me insane.”

Frustration surged as Cabelenus ran a hand roughly through his hair. Why did he have to look so much like her?

It was unfair—a dirty trick.

***

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“So, what the hell were you thinking?”

“…”

“No one wants to answer?”

While he had been away, it seemed the group had coordinated their silence—no one was willing to speak first.

Cabelenus exhaled shortly, then unsheathed his sword. With a single, casual swing, an ancient tree collapsed with a thunderous crash.

“If you won’t talk, the next one to fall might be one of you.”

“…”

“If you don’t care about your lives, fine by me.”

“I-It was personal revenge!”

John, pale as death, blurted out frantically.

“Revenge?”

“The chief—no, that old man—he lost his mind when his son was hurt!”

“You bastard—”

“It’s true! Even if he’s a noble, we thought if we attacked him together, we could kill him! And in return—uh… uh… the loot! He said we could take his wealth!”

“He’s rich, isn’t he? Fancy clothes, throwing money around—he must have a stash hidden somewhere!”

Once the first confession spilled out, the rest followed in rapid succession.

Cabelenus rested his chin on his hand, idly running his fingers over the hilt of his sword.

He had suspected as much.

These fools weren’t working under Jerpeneus or Hermann. They were too disorganized, too desperate.

Still, it’s only a matter of time before they make a move.

He had never expected this peace to last.

Without Schwarhan’s protection, Alicia was a tempting prize for his enemies.

They wouldn’t waste this opportunity.

Cabelenus let out a sharp breath, sheathing his sword.

“If you want to live, keep your heads down. If you try this again—I will kill you.”

“D-Does that mean… you’re letting us go?”

“…”

Cabelenus didn’t answer. He simply stared.

John’s face drained of color. He immediately clasped his hands together and dropped to his knees.

“We swear! We’ll never do anything like this again!”

“O-Of course! We would never—”

“Shut up and get lost.”

“Yes, sir! Right away!”

The moment they were given permission, the men scrambled to their feet.

“…Wait.”

“Y-Yes?!”

The group froze in fear, turning back with ashen faces.

“There’s a boar carcass deeper in the woods. Prepare it and deliver it to Alicia’s cabin.”

“…A boar?”

“Skin it. Drain the blood. Remove the organs. Make sure it’s clean.”

“…”

“Well? Are you still here?”

The order came so naturally that for a moment, they hesitated. But defying those beast-like eyes wasn’t an option.

Better to deal with a boar than face that monster.

“Y-Yes! Right away!”

The villagers bolted, rushing into the woods.

Cabelenus watched them run away, then sank onto a nearby rock.

“…Hah.”

Even though he had already known another man had been with Alicia, seeing it with his own eyes made him feel physically ill.

Knowing and witnessing were two very different things.

At first, he was furious.

Then, empty.

And finally, miserable.

But the worst part was—he could do nothing about it.

Even as James carried Mikael into Alicia’s cabin, Cabelenus couldn’t do anything.

His emotions raged, ripping him apart inside. But all he could do was watch.

Powerless.

“…This is seriously driving me insane.”

The veins on the back of his hand bulged as he clenched his fist.

He had thought that if he just found Alicia again, everything would be fine.

But eight years was a long time.

Too long.

His own time had been frozen—hers had moved forward.

But now isn’t the time for this.

Gritting his teeth, Cabelenus forced himself to swallow the jealousy choking him.

Without Schwarhan’s protection, Alicia was a vulnerable target.

Her safety had to come first.

How can I convince her…

His eyes narrowed.

Something glinted between the fallen leaves.

“…The brat’s.”

It must have been ripped off while he was struggling.

Cabelenus picked up the pendant.

It was badly dented, either from the fall or someone stepping on it.

Mikael values this thing… he’ll probably be upset if he sees it like this.

Clicking his tongue, Cabelenus twisted it open.

The distorted shape made it difficult, but he managed to pry it apart.

Inside, a crumpled drawing peeked out.

“…Troublesome.”

The pendant was too damaged—he’d have to get it repaired.

But as he looked through the cracked opening, his brows furrowed.

Something was off.

Inside was a portrait of Alicia’s mother.

If the pendant belonged to Alicia, that wouldn’t be strange.

But Mikael had claimed it was his father’s.

If it was made for that bastard, shouldn’t there be a different picture inside?

Cabelenus carefully pulled out the drawing.

His heart pounded violently.

It was just a piece of paper, but every instinct screamed at him.

Like a beast sensing prey.

Something was there.

Thud.

The pendant slipped from his hand, falling to the ground.

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But Cabelenus didn’t move.

He didn’t pick it up.

He couldn’t.

His mind had gone blank.

Like someone had poured white paint over everything inside his head.

Behind the portrait—hidden deep inside the pendant—was an old, faded piece of paper.

And on it—

A young man.

Black hair. Golden eyes.

Him.

Cabelenus.

Eight years ago.

“….”

His fingers trembled as he clutched the drawing.

His hands felt weak, but he refused to let go.

He couldn’t.

Letting go now would be like losing it all over again.

Taking a ragged breath, Cabelenus turned his head.

The child had survived.

Not as a monster.

But as a perfectly normal boy.