Chapter 46

The Kainz family's villa was located about an hour's carriage ride from the center of the capital, surrounded by lush greenery.

After passing through the first gate, the carriage proceeded along a small path through the woods, and suddenly the view opened up to reveal the elegant building.

In front of it, a spacious garden with a fountain spread out, and behind it stood a two-story mansion, primarily white with a beautiful contrast against the light blue roof tiles. Although somewhat smaller than other noble villas, it was adorned with intricate carvings on the stone pillars and arches, and parts of it were decorated with two-colored marble.

Surrounded by a deep forest, the area was quiet. The only sounds were the occasional chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind, making it hard to believe this was still part of the capital.

As Luitas stepped down from the carriage, he was greeted by the villa's butler, who had been waiting for his arrival, and was promptly led to the parlor where the lady was waiting.

When the heavy door opened, the first thing that caught his eye was a magnificent ceiling painting in vibrant colors. The room was tastefully furnished with a two-seater sofa and armchairs, and Lady Sedia sat quietly, bathed in the soft light filtering through the white lace curtains.

Upon meeting Lady Sedia for the first time, Luitas was struck by how delicate she appeared. Her long, luxurious blonde hair was loosely tied up with a jeweled hairpin, revealing the graceful curve of her cheeks and her slender neck. She wore a pink-beige dress with vertical pleats at the chest, and the simple design that changed at the waist suited her slender figure perfectly.

She was a year younger than the Empress, making her twenty-one. Her long lashes framed her amber eyes, similar to those of Emperor Alex, and her small, slightly blushed lips were charming. Her fair skin was youthful and healthy, and her features were undeniably beautiful, though she lacked the flamboyance that was common among princesses accustomed to luxury. She had a modest and reserved demeanor, quite different from any princess Luitas had met in social circles. Her gentle presence seemed to reflect her character.

"Nice to meet you. I am Luitas Radus."

Luitas approached Lady Sedia, bent his knee slightly, and gently kissed her white hand. She relaxed, her shoulders dropping, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

"I am Sedia Kainz."

Her voice was as soft as her appearance. Luitas noticed that when she smiled, her eyes had a slight resemblance to Emperor Alex.

"May I call you Lady Kainz?"

When Luitas asked, Sedia's eyes wavered hesitantly, and after a moment, she shook her head slightly.

"If possible, please call me Sedia."

"Then, Lady Sedia. Please call me Luitas as well."

Sedia nodded slightly.

"Luitas, I am truly grateful for your time today. I deeply appreciate your visit to this place."

Sedia had half-given up on the possibility of meeting, even though she had instructed a maid to deliver a message. She had been prepared to be ignored, but when Lord Radus received the message, he promptly sent a reply through the maid. The joy and relief she felt were indescribable.

"I must apologize to you, Lady Sedia."

Luitas changed his expression and bowed before her.

"I heard that your husband passed away five years ago. I deeply regret not offering my condolences sooner, and I apologize for that."

"That is already in the past..."

Sedia slowly shook her head.

"Your visit here is enough. I am very happy to meet someone from the outside. I haven't seen anyone other than the servants who serve here for a long time."

As she quietly explained her situation, Luitas looked at her in surprise.

"Do you not go out for a change of scenery, Lady Sedia?"

"…I am not allowed to leave this villa."

"Allowed?"

Luitas was momentarily puzzled.

"…Did Lord Kainz say that?"

Sedia nodded, lowering her eyes.

"I am only allowed within the grounds. The servants can come and go freely, but I am not allowed to leave the grounds."

"…You said earlier that you haven't met anyone other than the servants for a long time. When did this start?"

"Since I was eleven, when I moved here with Glen… my late husband. It has been ten years now."

Luitas furrowed his brow, trying to understand the incomprehensible situation. Why were Glen and Lady Sedia never allowed to leave the villa? And why did no family members or friends visit Glen, who was said to be convalescing? This was nothing short of imprisonment, and there was a clear presence of malice.

"Why did Glen come to Usuku? From what you've told me, it doesn't seem like he came here for convalescence. What exactly happened to Glen?"

Sedia looked up at Luitas, puzzled.

"Convalescence…? Pardon me, Luitas, but how much do you know about my husband?"

"Not much..."

Luitas answered honestly.

"I only know that he was ill and that he had been convalescing here for about five years before he passed away."

"Ill…?"

Sedia gasped, taken aback.

"Whoever said Glen was ill is spreading lies!"

Luitas furrowed his brow.

"Is that not true…? I heard this directly from Lord Kainz."

At that moment, Sedia felt a surge of anger, as if her eyes were turning red.

Did the accident that left Glen in such a state make his parents so ashamed? Not only did they abandon him, but they also spread such lies to cover it up. Sedia had never even considered this possibility.

…That's why, on that night, my in-laws locked me in my room.

Sedia finally understood and clenched her hands tightly to stop herself from shouting.

Sedia, who had been by Glen's side all along, knew exactly what condition he was in. To prevent her from revealing the truth, she had to be isolated on that day.

As she thought about this, another fact that had been hidden from her came to light.

To keep Glen's condition a secret, it was necessary to prevent him from meeting anyone. If visitors were allowed, they would have discovered that Glen was bedridden. That's why no one visited him during his long illness.

How cruel… Sedia thought. What did they think of the five years of despair, anger, and sadness that Glen endured? How lonely were the days he spent in the villa with no visitors? Sedia, who knew how much he suffered, could not forgive them.

"Glen was not ill! He was healthy!"

Tears overflowed from Sedia's eyes, unable to hold them back.

"Glen was confined to this villa because he was injured in a horse-riding accident! He was paralyzed from the neck down, unable to walk or move his hands, and spent a painful five years bedridden..."

"Horse-riding accident? Bedridden...?"

Luitas repeated the words in a daze, staring at Sedia as she sobbed.

"Glen was only fourteen at the time. Seven years younger than I am now, just a child.

Luitas, can you understand? A healthy child who had a bright future ahead of him suddenly lost the use of his limbs and became completely dependent. It's not just about not being able to play or walk. He couldn't eat, take care of his bodily functions, or even wipe his own tears when he cried in frustration..."

Sedia sobbed, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Glen often told me he wanted to die. He needed the comfort of his family more than anyone, but he only had a wife who was three years younger than him, still a child. The Kainz couple isolated their disabled son in this villa and never even visited him. He was a fourteen-year-old child who had lost everything. Even a child knows that they need their parents, yet...

To abandon him like that and then claim he was sent here for convalescence because he was ill... How could they trample on Glen's suffering like that!"

Once she started speaking, Sedia couldn't stop. The pain and despair of Glen's five-year battle with illness. How much he suffered, how lonely he was, how much he resented his parents and cursed his fate.

Crying like a child, Sedia continued to plead.

Luitas silently offered her a sofa and sat beside her, listening intently with his chin resting on his folded hands.

One day, she was no longer allowed to see Glen, and a month later, she was suddenly called to the villa and learned of his injury for the first time. The young Glen, who had no outlet for his pain, lashed out at Sedia and others around him, trying to find a balance in his mind. The cold nights when he cried alone, unable to seek help in his isolated world. And the sudden news of her mother's death from her homeland.

Because Luitas listened sincerely, Sedia continued to speak, sobbing, about the situation at the time.

The first day she brought flowers to Glen, when she finally felt a bond as a family. The days she spent by Glen's bedside, doing embroidery she had learned from her mother.

As she talked about how Glen helped her with the designs and chose the thread colors together, Luitas, who had been listening quietly, gently interrupted, "Can I see them?"

So Sedia asked a maid to bring the finished pieces. As she showed them, she shared her memories one by one.

The time when Glen couldn't get the bird's shape right and burst out laughing. The advice he gave when she was unhappy with the color of the petals.

There were many memories with Glen, and as she talked, Sedia realized that he had laughed more than she thought and enjoyed the time with her.

Glen, who looked at the flowers in the vase by his bedside with a smile. The afternoon they enjoyed the scent of the herbs he had grown for the first time. Glen, who loved music, often listened to Sedia play the clavichord.

Once she started talking, the stories never ended. The sadness in Sedia's eyes faded, and she began to smile as she recounted the daily events. By the time the sun had begun to set, Luitas, who had been listening attentively, glanced at the window, realizing he couldn't stay any longer.

Sedia noticed and her smile faded as if she were waking from a dream.

"I'm sorry... I..."

Luitas shook his head with a smile.

"It was a pleasant time. Your presence is comforting. Perhaps it's because your words are filled with sincerity."

Blushing at the unexpected compliment, Sedia, who had been isolated in the villa since she was eleven and had little experience with young men, felt embarrassed. Glen had been the only man of her age, but he was more like family to her. Realizing she had cried and exposed her vulnerability to a stranger, she averted her gaze.

Luitas, who had been looking at her with a gentle gaze, stood up from the sofa, feeling he couldn't stay any longer.

"Lady Sedia, I'm sorry. I have somewhere I must be today."

Sedia looked up at Luitas, unable to hide her sadness, but quickly lowered her eyes, ashamed of her feelings.

"I understand how busy you are."

"…So, may I visit you again tomorrow?"

Sedia looked up, surprised by the unexpected words, but Luitas was also surprised by his own words. He had blurted them out the moment he saw her sad expression. Well, tomorrow afternoon, though there might be some inconvenience, it wasn't impossible to make time.

"Tomorrow...? You'll come again tomorrow?"

"If it's not a problem for you."

Luitas answered, chuckling at himself, and then added playfully,

"To be honest, I haven't heard the reason you called me here yet. It would be unrefined to rush through it, so if it's okay, can we have a leisurely conversation in the garden tomorrow? …If possible, I would like to taste the tea you recommend."

Sedia realized she hadn't even offered Luitas a cup of tea. The maid had prepared it, but it had grown cold on the table.

"I'm sorry, I..."

Seeing Sedia's red face, Luitas smiled.

"It's fine. It was a pleasant time."

Then, he took Sedia's hand and gently helped her stand from the chair.

He looked like a prince from a story...

Sedia felt a bit embarrassed by his refined and elegant demeanor. Compared to him, she felt so lacking in grace and poise.

Through the curtains, she saw the western sky turning a deeper shade of red. She had intended to urge him to leave, but the words that came out were different.

"What time tomorrow...?"

Luitas smiled lightly. His face seemed to show a hint of happiness, though Sedia might have been imagining it.

"I'll come around the same time as today."

I hope tomorrow comes soon... Sedia felt a bit embarrassed by her own thoughts. She hadn't looked forward to the next day in years, but now, just thinking about tomorrow made her heart feel ticklish.

"I'll be waiting."

Sedia managed to say, trying to suppress her fluttering heart, and Luitas nodded with a small smile.

After parting with Sedia in the entrance hall, Luitas turned to the elderly butler who had seen him off at the carriage stop. The man who had welcomed him into the mansion as if he had been waiting for him.

"What is your name?"

The butler's eyes lifted slightly at Luitas's question.

"I am the butler of this villa, my name is Mark."

"Then, Mark, I have a question. Will you report my visit here to Lord and Lady Kainz?"

Mark seemed to understand what Luitas was asking. He blinked in surprise and then quickly composed his expression.

"I have been instructed to politely decline any visits from nobles of Sies. Since you are a noble of Ansheze, this does not apply to you."

"Then, Lady Sedia's contact with me will not be reported to Lord Kainz?"

Luitas pressed, and Mark answered, "Yes," before hesitantly continuing.

"…May I speak to you for a moment?"

Luitas, who wanted to know the truth about the villa, nodded. Mark then began to speak quietly.

"When Lady Sedia was moved here, she was still a child of eleven. For the next five years, she devoted herself to caring for her husband, and after his passing, she was left here as if she had outlived her usefulness. If this continues, Lady Sedia will spend her entire life within these walls. We find this unbearable."

"I see."

Luitas nodded, and Mark continued.

"…We are grateful to Lady Sedia. Most of us who serve here have been with Glen since he was a child. After the accident that left him paralyzed, he was abandoned by his parents and siblings, and he endured a very difficult life.

Lady Sedia saved him. The young master, who had resented his family, cursed his fate, and lashed out at those around him, was moved by Lady Sedia's kindness and began to smile again.

Before he passed away, the young master said, 'Thank you,' to Lady Sedia. Those were his last words. Despite the hardships he endured, he was able to pass away with gratitude in his heart. This was the happiest moment for us."

In the slowly moving carriage, Luitas reflected on the butler's words.

The people in the mansion were genuinely concerned about Lady Sedia's future. The butler had clearly stated that it would be too cruel for her to spend her life confined to the villa. Given her five years of dedication, it was understandable. Even Luitas, who had only heard her story, felt a surge of uncontrollable anger at the Kainz couple's actions.

However, Luitas also understood the difficulty of changing the situation. Despite being a widow, Lady Sedia was still a member of the Kainz family. The word of Lord Kainz, the head of the family, was absolute, and it was not allowed to defy him.

…There's no need to rush.

Leaning back in the carriage, Luitas whispered to himself, trying to calm his thoughts. He still had three days left in Sies. During that time, he would gather as much information as possible and report the matter to Emperor Alex. If the Emperor knew of Lady Sedia's plight, he would surely take action.

Closing his eyes, Luitas saw Lady Sedia's face, smiling with small dimples.

At just eleven, she had been married to a bedridden teenager, yet she supported him with a calm and loving heart, never resenting her fate. Her sincere way of life was filled with a genuine warmth that made her seem down-to-earth.

As the carriage wheels rolled, Luitas reached out to that gentle warmth in his mind. It was a warmth he had long lost in the world of pretense and luxury, and it made him feel a bit embarrassed and warm.