Chapter 21

Ignatz's case has been put on hold.

There's a good reason for this. It's not that I don't want to practice swordsmanship with Ignatz or anything like that; there's a more fundamental issue.

More than anything, it's about meeting my mother after four years.

We had been exchanging letters frequently, so I knew she was doing well, but still, after being apart for four years, our ways of thinking must have changed.

I want to laugh at myself for thinking that way until the day before I met my mother.

Three days after my mother arrived at the townhouse in the capital and completed the divorce proceedings with His Majesty the King at the temple, and after all the matters between my mother and the royal family were settled, I finally visited the Marquess Marcossius's townhouse with the old gentleman who came to pick me up.

The scale of the mansion is overwhelming. After all, it's a marquess's residence, so even the townhouse is almost like a castle.

"Albert!"

The one who called out to me as I got off the carriage was my mother, who had rushed out of the mansion...

"Albert! My dear Albert! I've missed you so much!"

My mother, who ran over with great enthusiasm, hugged me tightly.

"Let me see your face? Oh, you've grown so much since I last saw you."

My mother, with tears in her green eyes, cupped my face with both hands and looked at me closely.

"Mother, you're still a crybaby, aren't you?"

"Well, I finally get to see you again. I thought you would come back with me then."

Yeah, if the Chancellor hadn't thrown a tantrum, maybe I could have come back. But no, it was impossible. A royal family member who isn't sick can't just leave the royal castle.

"Lise, instead of talking here, let's go inside..."

The lady who had followed my mother stopped mid-sentence and looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Wilgarden"

Who? Me?

I thought the lady was surprised because I look like His Majesty the King, but the name she said wasn't His Majesty's. It was a name I had never heard before.

"Sorry, Mother. It's been four years, and I couldn't hold back. Albert, this is your grandmother."

I had a hunch before she introduced me, but so, this is my grandmother, my mother's mother.

The grandmother, who had looked at me with surprise, now smiled gently.

"Nice to meet you, Albert. I've missed you. Let me see your face well, dear."

My grandmother came over, hugged me, and then looked at my face closely.

"The silver eyes of the Marcossius family."

My grandmother, with tears in her eyes like my mother, touched cheeks with me.

The old gentleman who got off the carriage called out to my mother and grandmother in a playful tone.

"What's this, my beautiful wife and beloved daughter, do you want tea outside? It's a nice day, but isn't the sun too strong? I'm worried about your fair skin."

"Oh, how eloquent. Welcome back, Gil."

The old gentleman took my grandmother's hand and kissed her fingertips.

"Welcome back, Henrietta. Come, everyone, let's go inside and take a break."

With the old gentleman's words, we entered the mansion.

In the family parlor, tea that had already been prepared was served.

In the relaxed atmosphere, I asked my grandmother.

"Grandmother, if it's not too much trouble, who is Wilgarden?"

My question made my mother, who was sitting next to me, look puzzled.

"Wilgarden, sir? Oh, but I think I've heard the name somewhere."

So, Mother doesn't know him either. She thought for a moment, and both my grandmother and the old gentleman smiled wryly.

"Wilgarden is my brother. He passed away before he reached adulthood. So, Henrietta, you thought of Wilgarden too?"

"Yes, even though we don't look alike at all. Why? I thought little Wilgarden had appeared."

Face, face... At my grandmother's words, I couldn't help but look at my mother. Noticing my gaze, she tilted her head and smiled.

"What is it?"

"Nothing... I guess it's fine now."

My mother seemed to understand what I meant and put down the cup and saucer she was holding.

"I'm sorry, Albert. When I was in the palace, I wasn't a good mother to you."

"You were a good mother. Your love came through to me."

"Really?"

"Rather, now, when you look at me—"

My mother picked up a cookie from the plate on the table and put it in my mouth. Hmm? It has a faint ginger flavor. Delicious.

"Would you listen to my story? It might seem boring and trivial to you, but I want you to hear it."

I nodded and chewed the cookie, and my mother wiped the crumbs from my mouth with a handkerchief.

"Yesterday, I met His Majesty at the temple for the divorce proceedings. I was happy to see him, but it felt more like meeting a friend I hadn't seen in a while. My heart didn't leap the way it used to. And I couldn't really feel hatred or dislike for him. Do you think I'm too kind? But hating or disliking people just isn't my style. I even lashed out at the Empress out of misplaced jealousy."

Ah, so the feelings my mother had for His Majesty were love.

I see, I remember hearing in my past life that men save with a name, while women overwrite. His Majesty saved with a name, so even though it was over, he dragged out the divorce. My mother, on the other hand, overwrote and moved on.

I really want to point at His Majesty and say, "Pgyaa!" Or maybe tap him and ask, "How do you feel now? How do you feel now?"

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