When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 5

Turn Around and You’re a Stranger (4)(5/111)

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Reilly entered the room and locked the door.

“Madam! Please open the door and let’s talk.”

Leaning against the door, she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see him. She couldn’t believe anything he said anymore.

“I want to be alone, so please leave.”

“Do you think locking the door will keep me out?”

Reilly bit her lip at Theo’s low voice.

She wouldn’t be able to stop him if he forced his way in. But she didn’t want to be disturbed by anyone, at least not here.

Reilly’s room was the last space that was solely hers.

“Will you only be satisfied when you and I have revealed everything about each other?”

“……Reilly, it’s really a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding, you say? Then bring me an answer that I can believe.”

Whether he got a reply from Leta or brought her to the estate, the answer was already decided.

Reilly turned her head, imagining Theo standing a few steps away from the door.

How did things end up like this?

Did he know this would happen from the start? If he had known, would things have been different?

No, I would have inevitably gone to his side, blindfolded.

Theo seemed to give up and leave after pacing around for a while. She could faintly hear his footsteps.

Only then did Reilly drag her exhausted body to the table and bow her head.

“I told you to make a deal with me.”

“……I don’t even have the strength to fight, so can you just shut up?”

A man appeared beside the prostrate Reilly. At the same time, a pattern appeared on her neck, emitting light.

Long, flowing black hair, red eyes met Reilly’s gaze. It was Ren, the sword passed down in the family and the contractor of the pattern [the individual bound to the magical sword through a mystical contract].

“Now that the pattern has appeared, it won’t be long before he notices.”

“I know that without you telling me.”

Ren looked at Reilly, who was answering without raising her head and with a weary expression, then plopped down on a chair. He tapped the table with his fingers and stared at Reilly for a long time.

‘Both Duke Veriter and this guy are the same… but I like that guy even less. I can’t just kill that bastard.’

Ren was going crazy with frustration, seeing Reilly neither making a contract nor returning [to their agreement]. She refused to give him strength and tried to live in hiding.

But if his master refused, he couldn’t use his power either, so there was nothing he could do.

He had to be satisfied with temporarily materializing to check on her condition. For now, that was the only way.

* * *

Ren, who had only been in the estate, moved secretly. It was because of a guest who had secretly come in the middle of the night.

“……A rat snuck in.”

“Rat is a bit harsh.”

“Did you expect me to treat you well after seeing you like this?”

Ren whispered, aiming a sharp sword at his neck. The man frowned, lightly pushing the sword away with his finger.

“How is Reilly’s health? Is she okay?”

There was a reason why he had to hide his body and come to the estate.

Crown Prince Kavel Baritas of the Empire.

Because of Reilly, who hated the imperial family, he had no choice but to call himself a rat. Kavel was Reilly’s friend from long ago and was in love with Reilly.

“Well, she’s still okay. But something troublesome happened.”

Kavel sighed at Ren’s words. He already knew what kind of trouble he was talking about. How much he resented himself for trusting the Duke.

“I told you to keep a close eye on her.”

Kavel scowled and glanced at Ren up and down.

“You were just watching, so you have no right to say that, do you?”

“You know that Reilly doesn’t want my help, so there’s nothing I can do.”

The man, who was wearing a mask, clicked his tongue at Ren’s words.

Kavel didn’t like Ren from the start. But he had no choice but to stay still because he couldn’t protect her from the side.

He should have been bound to the imperial family, but since Reilly didn’t make a contract, he didn’t have the authority to order Ren around.

Ren knew that very well, so he could act so confidently.

“So, I’m curious what conclusion you’ve come to after sending people all this time. What happened to the bill?”

Ren smirked and provoked Kavel.

“The lawsuit has been set up so that the imperial family can handle it right away, but it would be faster if I stepped in directly.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll have no choice but to do it yourself.”

In preparation for any eventuality, Kavel passed a bill regarding divorce. Of course, it was only a contingency plan as long as Reilly didn’t want it.

“I’ll say it again, I’ll move when Reilly reaches out to me.”

“You seem to be forgetting…….”

Ren looked at the man with pity.

“Reilly will never ask you for help.”

Kavel narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ren’s resolute face. It was frustrating, but he wasn’t wrong.

That’s what he was thinking too.

“……I know.”

“It’s good that you know.”

Kavel shrugged with a bitter smile. He had been watching her since he was young, and if he hadn’t been a member of the imperial family, Reilly might have spent her whole life with him.

But that was it.

Reilly, who had grown up together, eventually left him. Feeling hatred for the imperial family and everything around her, she couldn’t help but feel similar emotions towards Kavel.

The past came to his mind, and his mouth felt bitter.

“There’s no way she’d meet me even if I tried to see her separately, so all I can do is help from behind.”

Ren stared at Kavel for a moment, then looked at the heavy boxes piled on the floor.

“Who are you bringing all this for?”

“Feed her well so she doesn’t get sick, it’s a very difficult time for her right now.”

Kavel, who knew Reilly’s situation well, was worried about her. She was already in a bad condition, and he was worried that her mana would be unstable because she didn’t have a contract with the sword.

“How does Reilly’s body seem to be? What about the child?”

“She’s holding up better than I thought. I don’t know how long she’ll last, but honestly, it’s amazing that a child is growing in that kind of condition.”

Fortunately, the child in her womb was growing well.

“The child is growing well.”

Kavel was silent. Hearing Ren’s words, he felt Reilly’s pain as it was.

“Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if she had a miscarriage at any time.”

Ren finally told Kavel honestly about Reilly’s condition. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Reilly, but her body was already a mess inside.

“First, do what Reilly wants.”

“I will……. Oh, and stop bringing things like this.”

“Doesn’t it suit her taste?”

Ren shook his head as he looked at Kavel. Because Reilly began to question why Kavel kept sending her food and rare medicines that were good for her body.

“Don’t you think it’s strange even if you think about it from Reilly’s point of view? There’s a limit to me getting these things.”

Kavel pondered for a moment and nodded as if he was disappointed.

‘She’ll be angry if she knows I sent it.’

He didn’t want to be hated by Reilly anymore. How much she once despised even his status as a member of the imperial family.

His blond hair and golden eyes were telling of his existence, but that was it.

‘……I can’t even do this anymore.’

Sadness was evident in Kavel’s eyes. He was going to cut off the curse with his own hands and tell her that she didn’t have to make a contract…….

Ren took a few steps away from Kavel, who was in despair.

‘How can that kind of guy…….’

Ren felt that the future of the empire was bleak.

“You’re no good after all. It’s better for me to step in.”

“……I don’t think you have to worry because I won’t let Reilly know.”

“That’s enough. If you’re going to cry and whine again like last time, then stop it.”

Ren handed Kavel a letter and left the spot. Kavel, who was left flustered, looked at the estate. His eyes looked a little red.

* * *

The Trailla family had a sword that had been passed down for generations. It was known that the power could only be obtained if a pattern, a symbol of being chosen by the sword, appeared on the body.

And Duke Veriter thought that Reilly, the eldest daughter of the Trailla family, would be the same. She was more beautiful than anyone else, and it was clear that she inherited his blood.

Her flawless, dazzling silver hair would turn blue when she received the power of the sword. Reilly was born with silver hair that had no other color mixed in.

When the Trailla family’s pattern appeared and a contract was made with the sword, it was offered to the imperial family as a sword. A sword for the crown prince who would become the next emperor. It was something that no one dared to covet.

Perhaps because of that, Duke Veriter had been taking Reilly to the imperial palace. As if to show her in advance where she should be, he took her to the imperial palace and always told her that this was where you would be in the future.

『Where else can you do something for our family, look, Reilly. This is where you will live soon.』

Reilly, who was young and didn’t know anything, didn’t understand her father’s words. She didn’t understand why he kept telling her to live here when she had her own house.

Reilly always asked her father.

Because she couldn’t understand it as a child.

『Father, this is not my house?』

『Don’t be mistaken, that house is not your house. If you can’t live here, the house you’re living in now won’t be your house either.』

At that time, she didn’t know what those words meant either. She just nodded in fear.

She didn’t know what those words meant until she was close to becoming an adult.