Whether they knew or not about the emotions in Har’s gaze, Nivera took a deep breath and opened their mouth.
“Think carefully.”
As if what they had just shouted out passionately had been a lie, Nivera had returned to their calm state in one deep breath.
“She doesn’t want children. She said she wanted to get rid of it.”
“…”
“Maybe it would be helpful for her that we take the child.”
Har ruffled his hair roughly again.
A mistress’ child. He, too, knew how much trouble this could cause. Illegitimate. Leila must have known this as well, which is why she’d want to get rid of it.
“We could even let her see her child next to her if she wanted to. As a wet nurse or a nanny.”
“…”
“If she doesn’t like it, I’ll help her become independent. We both know that she is not suited to be a mistress.” Nivera, annoyed by Har’s silence, continued to pour out his words.
“Please. You should talk to her before she informs the Marquis.”
Har ruffled his hair again in confusion of the intricate thoughts.
As a result, the damaged and messy hair that had not been taken care of looked even more ridiculous.
He left the family and settled as a mercenary in a city on the outskirts.
The original name of ‘Harsian’ had long since been abandoned in the process.
He even didn’t think he’d see Leila again as a mercenary.
He didn’t dare to hope for it, as he had become somebody that shouldn’t be seen near her.
‘And now you want me to come back and tell her to give up the baby?’
‘Does she even remember me?’
It’s been a few years since then, and he thought she might have forgotten him because it was already in the past. But does forgetting make any difference?
It doesn’t make any difference if he were to make a terrible, rude offer to give up her child.
Even if Leila doesn’t really want the child, the thought that he shouldn’t do this has not changed. But still, he felt a little hesitant.
If it’s true that Leila was put in a difficult situation because of this unwanted illegitimate child, he would be willing to help.
‘Moreover…’
Har looked at Nivera, biting his lip.
Nivera had already discovered Leila.
Even if he refuses to do this, will Nivera give up on Leila?
Are they not the kind of person who will get their hands on anything they want if they want?
“Ha…”
His thoughts became complicated, and he eventually stopped thinking.
“Can’t I just find a woman who looks like your wife and let her give birth to a child?”
“… What?”
“I’ll take care of the follow-up. Either way, I think it’s appropriate. You and I look alike…”
“Brother!!”
[T/N: Umm… Yes… She called him ‘oppa’ here, I was surprised as well and had to change stuff in the previous chapter.]
Nivera took off her mask and threw it in Har’s face.
It was a fact that could be guessed by looking at the jawline exposed under the mask, but her face was very similar to that of Har.
If there was a difference, Har’s face was sharp and upright, but Nivera’s face was soft, delicate, and a little round.
Twins. The appearance of the two facing each other with identical faces could not be explained other than that.
“Ha…”
Har stroked her face, which looked exhausted from stress, and gave her the mask that had fallen to the floor.
She could’ve avoided it, but she greeted his touch.
“How could you…”
He held out the mask towards the bold Nivera. Tears welled up in Nivera’s eyes.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“…I’m sorry. It was a slip of tongue.”
“Don’t do that. I’m sorry for appearing in front of you right now, but please don’t do that. Please.”
Har hugged his one and only sister, and gently patted her like he did when he was a child. He knew it from the beginning. That he could not refuse his sister’s request.
***
That evening, Har and his fellow mercenaries had a drink.
It was the money he got from his younger sister after saying that he had no money to go to the capital. He was thinking of drinking, but that was also part of the real reason.
From the moment he left the family, he hadn’t raised any money. He had no intention of getting married, and had no will to live his life, so he was just living on his own. Eating and living day by day. That was Har’s life.
“You’re leaving?”
The next afternoon, one of his colleagues asked, still not sober.
“Yeah. I got a personal request.”
As he answered, Har’s face still looked a little drunk. They had been drinking all night, so it made sense.
He wasn’t a big drinker, but he felt like his head would explode if he didn’t drink at all.
“How long does it take?”
“I don’t know. It looks like it will be over soon, but it’s so complicated that I can’t give you a definitive answer.
The colleague stared at Har’s face.
“Why? Is there something on my face?”
“You’re not going to a real aristocratic family, are you?”
“What? What nonsense are you talking about?”
His colleague grimaced and put his hand inside his clothes, scratching his stomach.
“Yesterday, a nobleman came to visit.”
“So? What do you want to say?”
“Just that, I thought you’re an illegitimate son of a nobleman.”
Most of the mercenaries working with Har, including him, thought of Har’s identity that way.
It must be the case, didn’t he have silver hair that a commoner would never have?
Not only that, his behavior was so elegant that it’s obvious even to the ignorant villagers.
His face was full of grace, and the sword he wielded to slay wild boars was also elegant.
“I wondered if the noble wanted to see you and was taking you away… Aakh!” Har slapped his comrade in the back of the head.
“You’re thinking about weird things.”
“… Will you be coming back?”
His colleague patted the back of his head and asked in hesitation.
“Of course. I’ll return with a lot of money, so get ready for a drink.”
“Alright. I get it. I’m saying this just in case you don’t know, but be careful while working.”
“Who cares about who, now?”
The colleague made a serious expression on his face.
“I think there’s a hole in the legal net because the Emperor is sick. They say that human trafficking is rampant nowadays.”
“Ah, really? What a mess. This country is a mess.”
“Be careful. You’re in danger because you have a good-looking face.”
“Life is hard for handsome people. I wish I could live without such worries.”
The already ugly colleague wrinkled his face and cursed him.
Har smiled peacefully, waved his hand, and walked out of the inn.
Har, who was going straight to the capital, changed his destination and headed to the street.
‘Should I disguise myself?’
He went to the nearest herbalist and bought a bag of herbs to darken his hair color.
Then he stopped at the general store to buy suitable disguise tools. Then he looked at his face in the opaque mirror hung on the wall of the general store.
“You’re handsome.”
Even through the opaque mirror, his face was clearly handsome.
He was born exceptionally good-looking, and as he grew, he only looked even better. Even his behavior was full of dignity and grace.
He had been living as a mercenary for several years, living a rough life, and even though he had not taken care of himself, he still looked like this.
‘Should I cover it up?’
Living like this since birth, he sometimes forgot about his handsome appearance.
If his colleague hadn’t told him, he would have caught the attention of all sorts of people.
Besides, he looked like his sister.
Had he wandered around the capital with this appearance, he would have troubled his younger sister.
Har took his eyes off the mirror and glanced at the shelves lined with all sorts of strange objects.
‘An eyepatch should be enough. I’ve also dyed my hair.’
He picked up a shabby eye patch, which looked like it had been used by someone before.
He gave up trying to grow his beard. It took a lot of effort to grow a neat and good looking beard. So he just bought an eye patch and left for the capital.
***
He had been wandering around in the same place for hours.
The place was an alleyway between houses, full of garbage.
‘How do I get in?’
He got off to an exciting start and everything was good until he arrived in the capital.
Things were still good when he found Leila’s house by asking around and arriving in front of it.
‘But now, what should I do?’
‘It’s not like I can just knock on the door and say, ‘I’m here to pick up your child!’’
This was the result of coming to the capital too peacefully, without thinking about anything. But even if he thought about it, he didn’t think he’d find a really good way.
‘Once I get in, how can I explain it?’
Hence, Har roamed around the alley, stepping on trash along the way.
Before entering this alley, he stood in front of Leila’s house for about 5 minutes and then fled to a place where her house could still be seen. It was because he was afraid that Leila would be suspicious of him if she saw him.
‘If I mention my sister’s family, she’ll probably accept it, even if not willingly.’
But he couldn’t. It must be kept strictly secret that his sister’s family is involved in this matter.
Isn’t that why Har came all the way here?
‘Why did you make me do this, seriously.’
It was when Har was tearing up his brown hair, resenting his younger sister.
Leila came out of her house. She put on her bonnet with a light dress and sprinted towards somewhere.
Her bonnet was wrapped with an embroidered pink ribbon, the tip fluttered in the air with each step she took.
‘Where are you going? Don’t go! Stay home!’
Har, who wanted to finish this work as quickly as possible, screamed inwardly.
Because if she went out, he would have to wait here patiently.
Fortunately, looking at her outfit, she didn’t seem to plan on going out for very long.
‘Wait, why are you alone? Isn’t there any escort?’
Har looked around and at the entrance to the mansion where she was staying.
Leila’s back is getting farther away, and there is no sign of anyone coming out of the mansion.
Who is Leila? Wasn’t she the most beautiful woman in the capital, or even in the Empire? Such a woman is going out alone without an escort.
Even if she wasn’t Leila. What kind of lady went out alone without an escort? He heard from Nivera that Leila had become a commoner.
Still, isn’t she the mistress of a nobleman? And a marquis on top of that? Even a mistress should have received that level of protection. Besides, this street is the commoners’ residential area, and even more so if the mistress is Leila!
‘… Oh dear.’
Har let out a soft swear word and followed Leila.
He had thrown away his noble status, but he still could not see a lady going out alone. As one can see, blood would not disappear.
‘But isn’t this… Isn’t this something a shameless fellow would do?’
Har, who was quietly following Leila, cried inwardly.
Following a lady’s footsteps was not acceptable to him.