Killing Your Sweet Breath - Chapter 32

Chapter 16.2

She looked down at Lillian, who still sat there arrogantly, taking a slow sip of tea before raising her head again.

But then, something changed in that brief moment.

Lillian’s gaze shifted past Winter, toward the door. Her expression went from arrogance to confusion, to confusion to fear.

“Why interrupt her, Winter? Lady Lillian was just in the middle of a very entertaining story.”

A cold, dry, and familiar voice.

Only then did Winter turn and look behind her.

Van Helgram approached slowly, dressed in his jet-black uniform.

He wore a smile, but the fierce intensity in his eyes radiated a terrifying aura—like a predator confronting an unwelcome intruder in its territory.

“D-Duke Helgram.”

Lillian bit her lower lip and clasped her hands together to hide her trembling, but it was pointless.

“It was so entertaining that I’m tempted to lock you in the dungeon, just so I can hear it whenever I please. And if there were the occasional scream, that would make it all the more enjoyable.”

With each step he took, the sword at his waist rattled, as if he might draw it at any moment.

Step, step, step.

The sound of his footsteps made Lillian’s face grow even paler.

When he finally drew his sword, it grazed her neck, leaving a small nick. A single drop of blood slid along the path of her necklace, pooling beneath the pendant.

“You’ve insulted the imperial family. The court will undoubtedly side with me. And since you’ve dishonored my parents, not even your father would dare to plead your case.”

“I apologize… p-please, I beg you…”

Van’s lips curled into a cruel smile.

“No, no. You should apologize to my mother, directly. She’s the one you insulted, after all. How about I send you to her now so you can offer your apology in person?”

Tears began streaming down Lillian’s cheeks.

“What do you think, Winter?”

Before Van even finished speaking, Lillian turned to Winter, pleading with eyes so different from the arrogant ones she’d worn earlier. She was clearly hoping Winter would intervene.

Yet, the fact that she had to ask Winter for help filled her expression with shame and resentment.

“Your Grace, I think…”

Winter began, and a flicker of hope lit Lillian’s fearful eyes.

“…It’s only proper that she apologizes directly to the person involved.”

“Oh…”

At Winter’s words, Lillian collapsed onto the table, knocking over her teacup.

With a sharp snick, Van slid his sword back into its sheath.

“Sheeran! Escort Lillian back to Antherden. Accompany her and inform Duke Antherden of the situation. Tell him she insulted both the imperial family and my mother, but I was merciful enough to spare her life.”

After Lillian collapsed, Van dispelled the murderous tension that had filled the drawing room.

But the expression Winter saw on his face…

It was filled with sorrow—so much so that she almost wished he had kept the threatening look instead. She wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d seen tears glistening in his eyes.

* * *

Later that night, Winter continued her secret patrol around the Helgram estate, which she did whenever there wasn’t anything in particular going on.

Recently, it had become more like a casual nighttime stroll. Since attending those three banquets, there have been fewer attempts on Van’s life.

However, the emperor’s spies still lurked. After all, Lockheed wasn’t the type to be swayed by a mere marriage.

Those annoying pests were like a swarm of flies. They had probably noticed Lillian’s visit today and reported it to the emperor.

How he would interpret it was uncertain, but since Lillian had left unconscious after Van’s “conversation,” he likely wouldn’t have any suspicions.

Maybe that was Van Helgram’s plan all along.

After completing her rounds without encountering any infiltrators, Winter concealed herself in the shadows before slipping back inside the estate.

The night was pitch-black, stars scattered across the sky, and she could hear the faint sound of insects chirping.

But one thing stood out.

‘Is he still awake?’

Van Helgram’s office. A light still shone inside.

She tried to ignore the bright light and headed toward her room.

But even after lying down, sleep did not come easily. Van’s earlier expression, and the sight of his back as he walked away, kept flashing through her mind.

She squeezed her eyes shut, buried her face in the pillow, and even tried splashing cold water on her face, but nothing worked.

Winter sat on her sofa, dazed, unsure how much time had passed, until she finally stood up.

‘If the light’s off, I’ll come right back.’

With every step toward his office, she hoped he had already gone to bed, and that there wouldn’t be any light spilling through the crack under his door.

Because if there was, she wouldn’t be able to resist reaching for the handle. The cold, lonely feel of it would remind her of Van Helgram, and she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from opening the door.

And once she stepped inside, she’d be willingly entering his domain.

Yet, despite knowing this, she couldn’t understand why she was walking down the corridor, as if drawn by an invisible force.

Contrary to her wishes, a thin sliver of light seeped through the crack of Van Helgram’s office door.

Creaaak.

As she opened the door, Van Helgram’s eyes lifted in Winter’s direction.

For once, his posture seemed vulnerable, as though he were a beast seeking shelter from a storm in the safety of a cave.

Winter went straight for him, undeterred by his steady gaze.

There wasn’t a sound between them—not even their breathing. The soft patter of Winter’s footsteps was the only thing that broke the silence as she stopped in front of his desk.