Chapter 84: He Had Grown
Cyril rode straight to Sutton. He and his companion – a horse – trekked the rugged lands blazing fast, only taking small breaks.
At the news of Cyril’s arrival, Ailea excitedly went out to the front of the castle and waited feverishly. She had not seen him for almost seven years.
“I wonder if he’ll be okay…” Ailea murmured.
“Aren’t you nervous?” Clint asked, noticing her nervousness. They both looked into the horizon. “I hear that Lord Cyril is twenty-one this year. He’s the same age as Kaiton.”
“Is that so?” Ailea’s eyes bulged at the sudden realization. In her head, Cyril was a naughty jokester. He was fourteen then. He was no match for someone like Kaiton. She replied with a smile. “Cyril’s playful.”
“Really?” he asked in doubt.
Clint saw the figure of a young man out in the meadow.
Ailea stared out in daze. The person inching closer was not the mischievous boy she once remembered. Instead, he looked more like her father.
Clint was even more surprised. Cyril looked like the younger version of Captain Ron: strict and gentle. Clint suddenly became nervous.
“You… you lied to me,” Clint said.
“…I’m not lying.”
“You said he was cute… a kid… and playful!” he pouted.
“I did…” she coughed. “But that was seven years ago…”
Clint hardly ever felt intimidated, but right now, it was as if a piece of heavy metal was weighing him down. He would have to deal with his wife’s brother. It felt strange how nervous he was, afraid that Cyril would loathe him.
He thought he would be able to get along with her brother; she said he was cute and playful, after all, not… manly? Clint was suddenly reminded of the rumor: Euliana Castle was strict. The words Ailea spoke about Cyril painted a different picture.
My dearest wife, you are so wrong… so utterly wrong.
Cyril stopped in front of them and jumped off the horse. He stood in front of Ailea, gaze cold and firm. His icy features softened a little when looked at his beloved sister. She did not look like her, but her aura said otherwise. Compared to him, she had not grown much; she looked like a kid, similar to the time she left for the Imperial Castle.
“Why do you look like this? What happened?” Cyril asked, concerned.
“Won’t you greet me first?” Ailea smiled.
“Ah, sorry.” Cyril bowed. “How long has it been, Lady Ailea Risher de Excalibur?”
“Thank you for coming, Lord Cyril Elgar Euliana.” Ailea bowed, knees bent.
Before she could raise her head, Cyril grabbed her shoulder. “Since when?”
Her gaze was solemn. “In the Imperial Castle… I was met with a disease.”
“How did you get it?” Cyril asked.
And why is it so severe? Cyril thought. And why did the empire not do anything about it? He was glad that it was him who came rather than his short-tempered sister Sophie. If she had seen Ailea’s condition, she would immediately start a skirmish against the imperial family.
Ailea did not change much since Cyril last saw her. She was small, fragile, and thin. His gaze then turned to Clint.
Clint extended his hand, requesting for a handshake. Cyril stood still, silent.
“Welcome, Lord Cyril. I had meant to send you an invitation soon.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you,” Cyril answered politely.
Ailea looked at her brother, smiling softly. The image she had of him was different from what he looked like now. He was taller and hinted at defined muscles; his features were more refined.
Noticing a nervous Clint, Ailea changed the subject of the conversation. “Cyril, did you entrust Euliana Castle to Sophie? Isn’t she still a child?”
Chapter 84: He Had Grown
Cyril rode straight to Sutton. He and his companion – a horse – trekked the rugged lands blazing fast, only taking small breaks.
At the news of Cyril’s arrival, Ailea excitedly went out to the front of the castle and waited feverishly. She had not seen him for almost seven years.
“I wonder if he’ll be okay…” Ailea murmured.
“Aren’t you nervous?” Clint asked, noticing her nervousness. They both looked into the horizon. “I hear that Lord Cyril is twenty-one this year. He’s the same age as Kaiton.”
“Is that so?” Ailea’s eyes bulged at the sudden realization. In her head, Cyril was a naughty jokester. He was fourteen then. He was no match for someone like Kaiton. She replied with a smile. “Cyril’s playful.”
“Really?” he asked in doubt.
Clint saw the figure of a young man out in the meadow.
Ailea stared out in daze. The person inching closer was not the mischievous boy she once remembered. Instead, he looked more like her father.
Clint was even more surprised. Cyril looked like the younger version of Captain Ron: strict and gentle. Clint suddenly became nervous.
“You… you lied to me,” Clint said.
“…I’m not lying.”
“You said he was cute… a kid… and playful!” he pouted.
“I did…” she coughed. “But that was seven years ago…”
Clint hardly ever felt intimidated, but right now, it was as if a piece of heavy metal was weighing him down. He would have to deal with his wife’s brother. It felt strange how nervous he was, afraid that Cyril would loathe him.
He thought he would be able to get along with her brother; she said he was cute and playful, after all, not… manly? Clint was suddenly reminded of the rumor: Euliana Castle was strict. The words Ailea spoke about Cyril painted a different picture.
My dearest wife, you are so wrong… so utterly wrong.
Cyril stopped in front of them and jumped off the horse. He stood in front of Ailea, gaze cold and firm. His icy features softened a little when looked at his beloved sister. She did not look like her, but her aura said otherwise. Compared to him, she had not grown much; she looked like a kid, similar to the time she left for the Imperial Castle.
“Why do you look like this? What happened?” Cyril asked, concerned.
“Won’t you greet me first?” Ailea smiled.
“Ah, sorry.” Cyril bowed. “How long has it been, Lady Ailea Risher de Excalibur?”
“Thank you for coming, Lord Cyril Elgar Euliana.” Ailea bowed, knees bent.
Before she could raise her head, Cyril grabbed her shoulder. “Since when?”
Her gaze was solemn. “In the Imperial Castle… I was met with a disease.”
“How did you get it?” Cyril asked.
And why is it so severe? Cyril thought. And why did the empire not do anything about it? He was glad that it was him who came rather than his short-tempered sister Sophie. If she had seen Ailea’s condition, she would immediately start a skirmish against the imperial family.
Ailea did not change much since Cyril last saw her. She was small, fragile, and thin. His gaze then turned to Clint.
Clint extended his hand, requesting for a handshake. Cyril stood still, silent.
“Welcome, Lord Cyril. I had meant to send you an invitation soon.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you,” Cyril answered politely.
Ailea looked at her brother, smiling softly. The image she had of him was different from what he looked like now. He was taller and hinted at defined muscles; his features were more refined.
Noticing a nervous Clint, Ailea changed the subject of the conversation. “Cyril, did you entrust Euliana Castle to Sophie? Isn’t she still a child?”
