CH 69

As the storm that brought thunder and lightning drastically receded, the weather became clear as if it had never been stormed. Herace sat by her son’s side in spite of the scorching morning sun.

“Erzen, aren’t you cold? Your hands are cold…….”

Her face, holding Erzen’s hand tightly, was full of smiles but looked somewhat unstable. As if she was a cracked glass, an ominous aura wandered around her.

“……You must have been very tired. Such a good sleeper.”

Herace, who was sweeping Erzen’s face with her remaining hands, stopped near her son’s nose. Then the hand awkwardly turned away and touched only his cheek. Maybe it’s because of the sunlight. Erzen’s cheeks were quite warm even though his body wasn’t moving. But it was just a warmth that was not found in the body itself.

“But don’t worry, Erzen. I’ll be with you until you wake up. When my son wakes up, I’ll ask him to kiss me.”

Herace smiled softly, rubbing her son’s dry lips with her fingers. The shy son was stingy with kisses first, but was always generous with her requests.

Herace slowly closed her eyes, drawing in the soft touch of her son’s lips. The soft wind tickled her hair and the warm sun warmed her body in a pleasant way. Herace smiled in a comfortable and happy mood.

“Madam…”

But the peace in Herace didn’t last long. Helen entered the room with a restless expression, and soon Ezekiel, and the old butler with a few maids came in.

Herace opened her eyes and stood in front of the bed as people filled the room. Her face, hiding her son with her body, was full of vigilance.

Ezekiel’s hands trembled as he watched Herace. He bit his lips to the point of bleeding and gestured at the old butler. The old butler looked at Herace with a sad face, lowered his head, and ordered the maids.

“Take Young Master.”

As the maids approached, Herace opened her arms wide. Her appearance was almost like a mother animal raising its fur to protect its young.

The maids flinched at the venom in her blue eyes. They couldn’t get closer to Erzen and took a long step forward after looking at each other. But as the maids approached, Herace screamed.

“Get back!”

“Madam…”

“I told you to back off! Don’t come near me!”

Herace knew. That they’re trying to take Erzen away from her. The maids looked back at the old butler due to Herace’s strong hostility. The old butler nodded with determination.

When the maids tried to move again with unwilling faces, Ezekiel, who was watching the scene, moved. He stretched out his arms and grabbed Herace’s waist as if to snatch her away. His face looking at Herace was distorted because the murderous intent she was emitting was no joke.

“Let go! Let me go!”

Herace scratched his hands with her nails so she wouldn’t be dragged away. But the man easily overpowered her, as always. Holding the small woman in his arms, he ordered the maids with his eyes.

“……take him to the prepared destination.”

“Erzen!”

The maids held Erzen wrapped with blankets. The helpless child’s hands clattered. Herace screamed frantically as she looked at Erzen in their arms.

“Where are you taking Erzen? Erzen! Erzen!”

The shrill scream was terrible, but no one frowned. In the room where only Herace cried, the maids except Helen got out of there with solemn faces. The old butler, who exchanged eyes with Ezekiel, followed them with trembling steps.

“Let go! Let go! Let go of me! Erzen!

“……stand outside.”

Ezekiel ordered Helen, who was left alone. Helen bowed her head and couldn’t hold back her tears so she left the room with quick steps.

“Erzen! My son! Give me back my son! Give him back!”

Herace screamed and screamed and screamed at the closed door. How can a small body have so much power? Ezekiel showed a miserable face seeing his wife’s small body struggling continuously.

“Haah, ah……”

When Erzen did not return even after a long disturbance, Herace’s whole body relaxed at some point. Ezekiel loosened his arm a little while holding his wife.

“Ez, Ezekiel!”

Herace, who was panting and breathing heavily, looked at the door with blank eyes and suddenly looked up. She turned toward Ezekiel, who was holding her, and squeezed the hem of his clothes.

“I’m, I’m sorry. It’s all right, I know I was wrong.”

The hand holding the clothes fell off, as Herace’s body fell down. Kneeling in front of Ezekiel, she began to beg with her hands held together.

“I’ll, I’ll act like the mistress you told me to. I’ll do well. I can do really well.”

“…….”

“I’ll smile prettily like you said. I’ll speak softly and obey whatever you say. I’ll tremble if you’re mad, and I’ll climb on the bed when you tell me to.”

With a desperate voice, Herace clung to him, lowering herself as much as she could, begging to Ezekiel like a god. Even though his body was shaking, he felt sorry for the eyes that looked up at him like a dog waiting for its owner.

Ezekiel’s hands were clenched tight by Herace’s appearance. It was disastrous. No, he couldn’t even describe it with the word disastrous. The happiness he ruined stabbed him every minute and every second. Ezekiel bent down and looked at Herace, barely holding back the urge to stab himself in the neck right away.

“……Herace.”

“Oh! If you tell me not to leave the room, I won’t leave. I won’t move a step. I’ll, I’ll be as good as you want.….”

“Herace.”

“… No, no. If you tell me, tell me to wait three years.”

“Herace, please…….”

“I can’t do that. Erzen can’t stand a day without me. He’s still young, so if I’m not around, he’ll cry and fall asleep. I can’t do that. He’s such a soft child.”

“Herace!”

Their eyes were leveled, but the gazes did not collide. Herace’s eyes, trembling without focus, did not capture Ezekiel right in front of her. There was only one thing clearly embedded in her eyes. It was her son, Erzen.

Ezekiel grabbed her shoulder and shook her fiercely. However, Herace firmly begged him, thinking only of her son.

“Oh, you told me you want to have children. You said you’d return Erzen if I gave birth to your child. You promised me you’d let me see my son.”

“Please……Herace…….”

“I’ll do it. I’ll have a baby right now. I promise, so bring Erzen. Ezekiel, I, I’m gonna have a baby…… Give me back my son. Put Erzen in my arms. Huh? Please….”

For her son, she was a woman who said firmly that she could not have children. But now she is crying, begging because she wanted to see her son,…….

Ezekiel looked at the hand that held him, saying she would have a child. Although she was speaking sweetly, everything that she was saying was not from her heart.

He could no longer see his wife struggling to avoid despair. At this rate, he knew Herace would be ruined beyond his control. She would be desperate again and again while holding onto a child who had left this world. And in the end, she might also follow the child.

‘……that’s the last thing I want to happen.’

Ezekiel’s blood cooled just thinking that his wife would do that. He felt like his heart was being squeezed as if it would stop at any moment. Ezekiel firmly held on to Herace.

“Herace, if we leave him here, the child will…… He won’t be what you remember. I mean……”

The words that finally came out of his throat was swallowed. Unable to tell his wife that the child was dead, he choked up and tried to convey the word in a roundabout way, barely pressing the rising sadness. But suddenly, Herace raised her hand even before his words were finished.

Slap!

The face was filled with hate and tears. The focus was back in Herace’s eyes. She stared straight at Ezekiel and muttered in a murderous voice.

“……Are you going to take Erzen away from me with such words?”

“…….”

“Give me back Erzen. Unlike the illegitimate child you carry around, my son is everything I have.”

“…….”

“He always cries without me! I’m the only one he has… he said I’m the only one he needs!”

The loud voice ended in a scream. Herace’s chest went up and down roughly. She threw away her servile begging position and grabbed Ezekiel by the collar with both hands. The fingers on the collar showed a pale light as if they would disappear at any moment.

“Me too! All I need is my son! So bring Erzen back! Now!”

“…….”

“Erzen! Give me back my son! Give me back…… Hah!”

As the scream was about to repeat again, Herace’s face turned pale. Ezekiel held Herace in his arms as she couldn’t breathe properly.

“Herace?”

“Hah… Ehh, uh…… Ugh.”

“Herace! Wake up! Herace!”

The door opened roughly and Helen came in. Ezekiel shouted while Herace was struggling to breathe.

“Doctor! Bring him in! Now!”

Chaotic footsteps were heard everywhere. Herace only looked at the ceiling, not caring about the hand that shook her. Somewhere in the room, she could hear the laughter of Erzen. The eyes for the child shook aimlessly.

‘Erzen, my son. Where are you?’

In the eyes of Herace, despair filled. Her son is nowhere to be found. Just before letting go of her broken mind, tears fell from Herace’s eyes.

***

On one side of the sanctuary was a special space. Where it’s cool all year round and snow and ice don’t melt.

There were several large rectangular blocks of ice there. A place where the body is kept clean without decay until the funeral when a direct member of the Duke of Serpence dies. The servants commonly called the cold room a ‘morgue’.

“Your Excellency.”

“…….”

“You’ve been here for a long time.”

“…….”

“If you stay longer, you may get sick.”

Ezekiel was standing in front of the third row of the ten blocks of ice in the room. Erzen was on the ice that was so cold that a cool chill could be felt in the air.

“Get out.”

Ezekiel said without looking at Edgar. His eyes were fixed on Erzen and did not move. Edgar tried to say something, but closed his mouth at Ezekiel’s expression and turned around.