MPBAGS Chapter 88

It had been five days of relentless torrential rain when the day of the Crown Prince's birthday banquet arrived. The sun had vanished during the day, and only the dark clouds covering the sky poured forth rain. When night came, the world became even more gloomy, shrouded in the shadows of the storm clouds. The fierce raindrops, as if intent on submerging the earth, beat mercilessly against the windows as though trying to enter the room.

Kinder Totten checked once more that the windows were securely locked and drew the curtains. The Totten Marquis estate, usually filled with the fragrance of sunlight, was permeated with damp, musty odors today.

Kinder's eyes were dark with exhaustion from staying awake for several nights straight. Her eyes were red from crying so much. Sitting in the chair beside the bed all day had made her back feel like it would break. However, Kinder forgot her pain when she heard the faint voice that soon reached her ears.

"Mother, I..."

"Ryder! Yes, mother is here."

Kinder rushed to the bedside in one stride, stroking her son's sweat-soaked hair while continuing to speak to him. The body temperature she felt through her hands was unusually hot.

Five days ago, when the rainy season began, Ryder's condition had worsened considerably. Yesterday, he couldn't even open his eyes all day, suffering from high fever, and only after a full night had passed did he barely regain consciousness.

Ryder had always been frequently ill since birth, but this time was the most severe. The servants working in the marquis household had secretly prepared black clothes in advance, unknown to their mistress. There was only one person in the mansion who could not accept the child's death.

"Mother. My beloved mother."

"Don't speak anymore. Does it hurt a lot? Oh, my poor child. Don't worry. Mother will definitely cure you."

Ryder fully savored the love and worry that flowed through his entire body. It felt as if the world was completely filled with just one person's existence. However, there wasn't much time now, so rather than acting spoiled, he first needed to convey his words to his mother.

"This might be my last moment, so please let me leave something like a final will."

"No, it's not! Ryder. Why would you die? Why would you?"

Unlike the unusually calm child, Kinder wailed in anguish. The sound of rain outside swallowed her cries and grew even more fierce. The way they accepted death seemed as if the adult and child had switched roles.

"Mother. Please listen to me."

A final will? Perhaps because of those words, despite burning with fever, he spoke clearly and distinctly without his usual coughing, like elderly people burning their last flame before death.

Kinder didn't want to believe it, but instinctively realized that this was the final moment. So she swallowed her tears and pressed close to the child. It was her consideration to let Ryder speak softly and comfortably. Hot breath escaped near her ear.

"Even without me, please protect the marquis household, Mother."

"Ryder?"

"Although I couldn't inherit the marquis title, you must protect it, Mother."

Ryder spoke of the time after his death. The child's will wasn't about what he wanted, but was for his mother, who would be left alone after Ryder's death and might lose everything.

After both his father and Ryder himself died, all that would remain for his mother was the marquis household. He couldn't let her lose even that.

"Don't trust the butler. Or the nanny either."

Kinder nodded as if listening carefully. Seeing this with satisfaction, Ryder coughed violently.

"Please forgive me for leaving you alone, Mother."

Ryder had fulfilled his duty as a dignified young marquis. After conveying what he needed to say, tears burst forth. Only then did the child begin to cry and act spoiled. Kinder wiped the child's tears with trembling hands. It felt as if someone had torn her heart apart.

"I really wanted to become like Father."

"Ryder."

The child wanted to grow up like his father, who didn't even remain in his faint memories. He wanted to become like the father whom everyone in the marquis household missed and loved.

"I wanted to become someone worthy of being a young marquis."

"No, Ryder. You did better than anyone else. There's no child in the world as admirable as you."

Ryder was a bright child who knew very well that there was only one person in the world who would think of him that way.

"I hate this curse-like thing too. It's not something I wanted either."

"It's not a curse. It's not like that. Who dared to say such things? Mother will scold them."

"Mother, do you love me?"

"Of course. I love you more than anything in the world."

I love you. My son. My beloved Ryder. At some point, Kinder kept talking until no answer came back. She couldn't even hear the sound of tears. Had the sound of rain stolen her cries?

"Ryder? My baby?"

Even the labored breathing stopped. Kinder stared blankly at Ryder. Her vision flickered black. The child had fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep. His pupils were dilated. Kinder brushed his eyelids to close the child's eyes. The child's body temperature was unusually cold. It seemed his fever had broken. Kinder wiped away the child's tear stains and carefully covered him with a thick blanket so his temperature wouldn't drop.

"He's just sleeping...?"

Her fingertips trembled. Seeing the child without any movement made her head spin. Kinder wanted to scream and wail right then, but strangely, she felt so disconnected from reality that she couldn't even shed tears.

No. Reality? This is just a very unpleasant nightmare.

Slap!

Kinder struck her own cheek. She hit herself so hard that she could taste blood in her mouth.

"Why does it hurt?"

How strange. It's definitely a dream. Ryder is just sleeping now and will wake up soon. Behind Kinder, who stood dazed, thunder and lightning raged.

Finally, the end had arrived. Ryder had ultimately drawn his last breath in the rainy season where the sun had vanished.

"God, did you not feel pity for my child?"

Is that why you hid behind the dark clouds until the day my child died? In the end, Ryder was abandoned by the Sun God until the day he died.

Unable to accept reality, Kinder alternately stroked the child, burst into tears at his lifeless appearance, and laughed emptily. Yes. Instead of expressing resentment to a god who couldn't even hear, let's find someone else. Since I've been abandoned by God, I have no choice but to seek out another being. It was clear who I should seek out.

"I must go to Lady Rohansen."

Evangeline Rohansen. Yes, that snow-white devil said that if I made a wish to her, she could bring my child back to life. In exchange, I would have to trade it for a living person's life... but would that life be acceptable if it were Kinder's own life?

'I could give my life readily, but what if it required someone else's life, not mine?'

However, the time for contemplation was short. Wasn't Kinder already regretting deeply because she had made one wrong choice? When the snow-white devil made her proposal, she should have taken her hand without hesitation.

Kinder erased her distorted expression and put on a calm mask.

Yes. Fortunately, today was the day of the banquet at the imperial palace. Didn't I agree to become Lady Rohansen's chaperone? So it's not strange for me to seek out Lady Rohansen now. There was plenty of time before the Crown Prince's banquet began. So let's meet Lady Evangeline early and ask for help. Since Kinder was Evangeline's chaperone, wouldn't she spare even a little, just a tiny bit of time?

"Is anyone outside?"

"Yes, my lady."

Her voice came out cracked. The door opened very quietly and a maid entered. She was carrying a water basin and towel, seemingly having come to wash a wet cloth. Perhaps she had been out in the rain, as her clothes still bore damp traces.

"Ryder's fever has finally broken."

Lying was easy. Ryder would come back to life, so false rumors of his death mustn't spread. Her already bad reputation would fall even further into ruin. She would be treated as a monster like Lady Rohansen.

"Really? Thank goodness."

The maid saw that the young master was indeed sleeping deeply with a face that looked like his fever had broken, just as she said. Despite the terrible weather, it was truly fortunate that her efforts to change the wet cloth several times had meaning.

"Where is the nanny, and why are you here? You're a face I haven't seen before."

"Ah, I'm called Weder. I've been here for 4 years, but I'm still in the laundry, so it's natural that you wouldn't know me, my lady."

"I'm sorry. I thought you were newly hired."

At Kinder's apology, Weder waved her hands dismissively. What noble in the world would apologize to a mere laundry maid?

"Not at all! The nanny stepped away briefly to tidy up the young master's room, saying he would be coming soon."

"Young master? The young master who's coming soon...? Does the nanny call him that? Young master Diess instead of…?"

"Yes? Yes."

When Kinder suddenly became fiercely angry despite her exhaustion and lack of energy, Weder trembled, wondering if she had said something wrong.

The young master she had just mentioned wasn't Ryder, but Diess, the marquis's brother. But I heard that the nanny was also the nanny for the marquis's brothers when they were children? Since she raised them as children, wouldn't it be natural to call them young master even when they're grown up?

"I see. So while my child is dying of illness, she went to attend to Diess's convenience."

Only then did Weder realize what was wrong.

'Oh no. I've reported on the nanny's whereabouts.'

"Weder."

"Yes, yes!"

"I need to go meet Lady Rohansen briefly. I'm the lady's chaperone, you see. So I have no choice but to leave."

Kinder gripped the maid's shoulders very tightly. Weder was in such pain that she almost cried out, but she couldn't bring herself to speak and just struggled.

"While I'm away, please guard this place. The child is sleeping deeply, so absolutely don't wake him or go near him. Tell anyone who tries to enter the room or make noise that I'll punish them when I return. Even if the nanny or Diess comes, absolutely don't let them in."

"Me?"

"If you do well, I'll grant you everything you wish for. Please. You're the only one I can entrust this to."

"Yes! I'll do my best!"

Weder gripped the wet cloth tightly as she made her firm resolution. She squeezed it so hard that water droplets formed on the cloth.

Kinder entrusted her beloved son to a maid she had met for the first time today and left the room. It was barely two hours before the banquet began. She wanted to rush to the Rohansen estate immediately, but to appear normal, she hurriedly called the maids to dress her up.

"Just put my hair up simply. Apply makeup thick enough that it won't wash off in the rain. For jewelry... bring my wedding gifts."

The maids moved their hands busily according to Kinder's instructions. Compared to usually spending half a day preparing for outings, the instructions were too simple now, so Kinder's appearance looked more modest than usual.

One maid, remembering the usually perfect marquis's wife, asked:

"My lady. Isn't it too plain for a banquet held at the imperial palace?"

"I'm exhausted from nursing Ryder, so it's better to dress simply. Or do you want me to dress up glamorously when my son is sick?"

The usually gentle marquis's wife was sharp today. It must all be because of sick Ryder. The maid instead blamed the young master. The other maids, except for the one who had spoken, had nothing to say and kept their mouths shut, reading the atmosphere. They even glared at the maid who had made the unnecessary comment.

After taking a deep breath, Kinder continued with a resolute voice as if she had made a great decision.

"It's fine. I'm not the main character anyway."

As long as she could stand beside Evangeline Rohansen, it didn't matter whether she dressed up splendidly or looked like a beggar.

Having finished her preparations quickly, Kinder hurried down the stairs. At the entrance, the butler was having a carriage prepared.

"My lady."

Kinder gazed thoughtfully at the butler who had worked faithfully at the Totten Marquis household his entire life. The butler had always treated Kinder with courtesy even after her husband's death. So she was grateful and trusted him deeply.

It was regrettable that she had learned too late that the butler's loyalty didn't extend to Kinder's child. If she hadn't been pointed out by Lady Rohansen and warned by her son, Kinder might never have noticed in her entire life.

Evangeline's words kept circling in Kinder's mind. Those words about the devil bringing someone back to life. They seemed like a ray of hope. The hope that even if Ryder really died, he could come back to life.

"When did you say Diess would arrive?"

"I heard he'll come tonight. He might come earlier though."

The butler saying this seemed somewhat pleased.

Yes. How delightful it must be. Kinder gritted her teeth. Wasn't the timing of someone who never used to visit quite exquisite? The butler must have secretly given him a hint. Did he think Ryder would die since he was seriously ill this time? He was much quicker to grasp the situation than Kinder. Or perhaps he had good instincts.

If Ryder's death became known, the next marquis title would be inherited by Diess, her husband's blood relative. Kinder, who bore the Totten name but didn't share the bloodline, had no justification to inherit the marquis position. If that happened, she couldn't even keep Ryder's last wish. Absolutely, absolutely couldn't let that happen.

"You'll go straight to the imperial palace, won't you, my lady? I'll inform the coachman."

Kinder, who had been staring at the carriage, told him to bring a horse instead.

"I'll go to the Rohansen estate, so just prepare one horse."

"My lady, with rain falling like this, you won't take a carriage?"

"Butler. Since when have you interfered with me like this? I'll stop by the Rohansen estate and borrow a carriage to ride, so it's fine."

Perhaps because she now knew the full truth, her words didn't come out gently. Kinder, who had unconsciously become sharp, mounted the horse that a servant had hurriedly brought instead of apologizing.

She needed an opportunity to have a conversation with Evangeline. Since there were many listening ears at the imperial palace, the Rohansen Count's carriage would be most suitable. Of course, they might have already departed for the imperial palace, or they might refuse to let Kinder ride in their carriage.

"Oh my."

The butler sighed. There wasn't even time to stop her. Kinder pulled up her robe's hood, mounted the horse, and spurred it forward.