If You Wish to Have Me - Chapter 154

The obsessive gaze followed the woman walking along the waterfront for quite a long time.

It was a persistence as if not wanting to miss a single movement.

Next, it briefly passed over the unfamiliar child holding her hand, then moved to the man beside them.

The clue that had allowed him to trace his way here, and currently the most irritating figure in this world. His eyes narrowed.

How long had he been staring like that?

When the sun had completely set, the three people in the distance could be seen preparing to return.

Soon after the people disappeared, only the sound of insects chirping and the occasional splashing of fish surfacing in the water remained by the quiet lakeside.

Though his target had vanished, he continued to stand there as if nailed to the spot for a while.

“What do you intend to do now?”

There was someone watching him—his subordinate who had been waiting like a shadow behind him.

Dressed like an ordinary traveler just as he was, this man spoke with an excessively polite attitude that didn’t quite match his attire.

“If you wish to spend the night here, I will do my best to prepare. However, given the location, for someone of your distinguished status to stay here…”

Instead of answering his subordinate’s question, he looked toward the opposite side of the forest, in the direction where the village lay.

Among the several houses that stood in that place, he thought of one house where someone he desperately wanted to see lived, even at this very moment.

Because of the high risk of being discovered if he entered the village, he couldn’t observe closely, but since he had climbed what the locals called the back mountain to survey the village, he knew its general layout.

At a glance, it was a small, old house that looked shabby. But for her, it would be a place she’d want to return to more than a palace-like mansion.

After a moment, the man who had been standing with his arms crossed in silence finally made his decision.

“I’m going back.”

It was a brief statement that didn’t reveal his inner thoughts.

****

When he arrived in Matera, the streets were already half-submerged in the late evening darkness.

“Oh, you’ve returned.”

The elderly aide, who had seen the lodging door open, quickly rose from his seat to greet his master.

He hung his coat neatly on the coat rack and asked if there had been any incidents while he was away.

“There were none.”

“What about from Sorbi? Wasn’t today the day for regular contact?”

“Nothing particular from there either. There are several people, including Count Vansfelt, who have expressed their intention to visit, but we have politely declined all of them.”

“The Count must be quite anxious. Well, with no progress in the search and me laid up as well, he must be worried sick that the marriage might fall through.”

The man, having even removed his wristwatch and placed it on the table, sat in his armchair and let out a faint sigh.

“Speaking of which, having disappeared for such an extended period, everyone must be talking about my health. When I return, should I perhaps call upon the King and hold a polo match?”

Gilliam, reading a subtle excitement in that tone, quietly observed his master’s mood.

It seemed that Hillan’s agents who had followed Gale’s trail to the quiet suburban village had properly found the person they were looking for.

In fact, when Gilliam had just confirmed the contents of the message they sent, he had judged it was likely a remarkable coincidence.

What a curious coincidence it was. When his increasingly sensitive master had investigated the activities of a person he had picked without much basis, some small village had come up, and among the people that person had encountered there, there happened to be a woman whose appearance matched that of Kisa Vansfelt.

That’s why he couldn’t strongly dissuade his master who had declared he would immediately head to the neighboring country of Octava.

Even if he spread false rumors about being injured during a hunt and abandoned all his duties to leave his post, Gilliam’s duty was to stay by his master’s side.

Though he hadn’t accompanied him on this outing due to the rather rough forest paths being unsuitable for his old age, he had waited at the lodging for his disappointed master to return.

Though he didn’t know how effective it would be, someone had to comfort that sense of loss.

‘But that was unnecessary worry.’

No matter how his master had shown some strange behavior recently, he wasn’t someone who wouldn’t recognize his own desperately sought fiancée.

He had definitely found his missing fiancée there.

The fact that this assumption was correct was soon revealed.

After finishing his mention of the contact from Sorbi, his master directly brought up the results of this journey.

“She looked healthy. Though I only saw her from a distance.”

It was a sudden change of topic, but there was no need to ask who he was talking about.

“I see. Congratulations, Your Grace.”

Gilliam answered politely, feeling somewhat chilled by the fact that his master’s suspicions about Gale, which he had hoped were wrong, had been correct.

“Her complexion wasn’t bad either. She seemed to have gained a little weight—perhaps the local food suited her taste? When we return to Sorbi, it might be good to hire a chef skilled in the cuisine of that region.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. However…”

After hesitating for a moment, Gilliam voiced the problem that had been bothering him.

“Is Lady Vansfelt still staying in that village?”

His master had entered this room alone, and there was no sign of him having arranged other accommodations.

In other words, the absence of any trace of Kisa Vansfelt was the biggest question.

‘Why?’

If by any chance the woman the agents had found was really Kisa, Gilliam had expected to see her today without fail.

He couldn’t imagine that Seyard would discover her and simply leave her alone.

Considering his master’s personality as Gilliam knew it, and the eccentric behavior he had shown since his fiancée’s disappearance, it seemed natural that he would bring her back on the spot by any means necessary.

Even if it went against her own will.

However, his master had returned alone, and he didn’t know how to interpret this.

“Yes.”

Seyard, resting his elbow on the armrest of the chair and supporting his chin, said.

“Kisa is in that village.”

“Did… the young lady refuse to come here?”

“No? I didn’t even meet with her in the first place.”

At those words, Gilliam involuntarily made a sound of realization.

Distracted by the fact that his master had found the person he was looking for, he belatedly realized something.

He had clearly said from the beginning that he had only seen her from afar, and the other information also seemed to be obtained merely through observation.

“I apologize. I missed what you were saying. But why didn’t you meet with her…”

“Meeting Kisa right now wouldn’t be a good or desirable approach.”

“Pardon?”

“Think about it. Regardless of what I don’t want to admit, she was dissatisfied with the fact that she was to marry me and ran away. Simply put, it’s no different from saying she left because she disliked me.”

Not knowing what to respond, Gilliam remained silent for the moment.

“It’s my fault. I revealed too much to Kisa. Without even being certain that she would accept all of those things.”

The Duke’s handsome face contorted with faint anguish.

“I was quite foolish. At that time, my desire for her to completely accept me as I am took precedence over realistic perception. I ruined everything myself just one step away from marriage.”

“Your Grace…”

“Given this situation, even if I forcibly brought Kisa here and tied her to my side, it would only cultivate bad feelings toward me. She would resent me for life.”

His reddish-brown eyes looked at Gilliam.

“I want Kisa to choose me of her own will, not to lock her in a cage.”

Gilliam blinked his eyelids with a surprised expression.

The story coming from his master’s mouth was so extremely ordinary and normal compared to his expectations that he was somewhat dumbfounded and even felt awkward.

This didn’t seem like the attitude of someone who wouldn’t hesitate to commit murder to achieve his goals.

“Then, what do you intend to do going forward?”

To his cautious question, the other replied with a tone as if it were obvious.

“I have to make her choose me.”

Then he smiled quietly.

“If she does, I will be extremely happy.”