Night of Eden 91

 Chapter 91

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***

Tilly double-checked the time on the ticket. He had to leave by noon at the latest, and his mind was racing. Fortunately, his master had everything ready.

"The carriage is ready."

Theodore's butler trotted along behind him, a white dog in his arms. Tilly remembered clearly the day, a year ago, when Master Edwin, or rather, the Count of Hastings, had come unexpectedly with the dog.

"I'm here to see Theodore," he said, "the Duchess asked me specifically."

After that incident, the two men never met face to face. Theodore didn't even attend the late Count of Hastings's funeral, and the normally lively interaction between the servants had completely ceased.

Tilly was apprehensive at first.

His Master's condition was at its worst. They had searched every inch of the continent and found no trace of them. In such a situation, it was not good for a past rival to appear. Furthermore, if he had received a request from the Duchess, he must have come to persuade Master Theodore to forget everything.

"Aren't you even going to say hello?"

Fortunately, the young master did not turn away from the hand Master Edwin had offered.

They talked for a while in the study.

And when the door opened again, Tilly realized they looked like defeated soldiers and prisoners with the same wounds of defeat. It must have been a fruitless conversation, especially for Master Edwin.

"I don't know what to say, Teddy."

Edwin couldn't even look his friend in the face, which seemed so cold and impassive.

"Well, I'm here at your mother's request, but I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to convince you either. You and I are different. I barely have any memories of her."

As Edwin spoke, Tilly realized that the feverishness of his first love was over, that the wound was completely healed.

In truth, his situation was very different from his master's. With the death of his father, the burden of being the head of the family, and the mountains of work he had to do, he had no time to develop feelings. And with his sister Liana happily married to a Duke, it would have been much easier to forget.

They say that the wounds of love can only be overcome by new love.

According to Nordstrom, he (Edwin) had recently been seeing a woman.

Just before he left, Edwin put the dog down in front of Theodore.

"This dog's name is Willow."

Theodore looked down at the dog, whose tail wagged at his feet.

"I think you should keep her."

"Why?"

"Because she was Dana's favorite."

In an instant, Theodore’s ice-cold face crumbled. The mere mention of the name made him shudder, "Dana's favorite dog.”

Theodore stood still, unable to bring himself to pick up the dog.

"Take care of her, and if you ever meet her again, tell her about it."

From then on, Theodore kept Willow close to him, but never petted her or held her. The way he looked down at the dog was so complicated and distraught that it made Tilly's heart ache.

While Tilly was lost in his reminiscences, the carriage arrived, followed by a servant's carriage and two more pack horses.

Tilly climbed into the servants' carriage with Nina and Willow while the master climbed into his.

Their destination was the Port of Balderport.

They were to catch a direct ship to the Confederation.

***

The first-class lounge on the 'Turbison' was modeled after the drawing room at Macmillan's home.

Thanks to Isabella's love of indoor gardening, it was filled with vaporizing herbs from around the world. Although it was a bit on the crude side compared to the original Heredon, some of the pots were enough to catch Tilly's eye.

Snow Moon Flower

As he gazed at the beautiful orchid, which was said to come only from a mysterious country in the Far East, he suddenly realized to himself that it had been presented by the Duchess at the open ceremony of the ship.

Through the dainty, graceful, light-green flowers, he saw Master Theodore's face. At his feet, Willow was curled up on her stomach, yawning languidly.

Master Theodore's head swiveled halfway around to face Tilly. As he stared, it dawned on him that he was waiting for his report.

He quickly handed him the papers. Tilly had picked them up from the post office just before boarding.

"The purchase of the Astra Hotel is complete. The real investor is you, sir, but on paper he is a fictitious character named Philip Wisburne. You have been invited to stay at the hotel during your tour."

Theodore flipped to a page, and as he turned it, Tilly spoke nervously.

"I have confirmation from the Cotter's, they've probably set off for the farm by now. I've also made arrangements for Tony Scott, the president of the Merchants' Association. His local informant says he's a snob, so he's easiest to deal with...that's all."

Tilly flipped open his notebook and waited patiently for questions or new instructions.

As expected, the Master said nothing and turned his gaze back to the black sea. Standing in the distance, Tilly's eyes suddenly caught a strange sight.

Willow had suddenly grabbed him by the hem of his pants and yanked it backwards.

"No, you...!"

He was about to run towards her, afraid that the young master might kick her because he found her annoying, but he stopped before he could take a single step.

The master, looking down at her, suddenly bent down and picked her up. Willow stuck her tongue out and wagged her tail in approval.

Theodore put the dog back down. Not on the floor, but on his lap.

After a moment of bewilderment at the unexpected behavior, Tilly could see beyond his master's expressionless face to a range of emotions.

Master was human after all.

He must be upset. Unsettled, and yet so excited.

He must be so distraught that he would take Willow, whom he hadn't even touched, into his arms in an instant. Tilly knew he had to let him be alone again.

"Rest well, master."

He left the lounge quietly.

Left alone, Theodore stared at the small creature that lay heavy on top of him.

"I think it's time for you to move on.”

Edwin's words from long ago echoed in his ears through the crashing waves.

"You should think of your parents and your family, and you should protect that.”

He sensed the passage of time in his words. Edwin had indeed forgotten.

It was natural. Everyone forgets. People were born to do it.

“I definitely liked her. I was excited and wanted to see her, it was all real. It was definitely Dana who made me feel so different from myself.”

Theodore felt a twinge of envy at the wistful look in the man’s eyes. It was proof that his brain's oblivion was working well.

“If my father hadn't died, maybe I'd have lost my mind and done some crazy things. But my situation wasn't good, and I had a lot of work to do, and they're right about time healing all wounds.”

Time was a medicine.

Theodore stared out at the endless horizon.

“If time is indeed a medicine, then perhaps it's an opiate for me. It doesn't dull, but it insists, making me crazier and crazier.”

"Take a step back and think about it. Just one step away from what you're feeling. If you step back and think about it, you'll be able to free yourself from your false obsession. I did. I was falling head over heels for Dana, but underneath it all, there was wariness, inferiority complexes, and jealousy of you. Human emotions aren't that simple. Your feelings for Dana are probably quite complex if you really look at them.”

Complicated?

Theodore was the opposite. The more he looked back, the simpler his feelings became. It became clearer and clearer.

‘What the hell am I trying to do?’

It was a question he had once asked himself every moment of his life, but now it had faded away. It was necessary, inevitable, purposeful, like the sun rising in the morning and setting at night.

“Haha, that's really scary, the idea of regret.”

Regret?

Whoever invented such a flimsy, light-hearted word deserved to be cursed. What had been eating at him for the past three years was not so light and frivolous.

“She must be married and well off, perhaps with children.”

A sharp spear pierced his heart.

Even when he hadn't known the truth, even now, when he was about to turn it upside down, it pained him to recall it: breathless, white-knuckled, all pain.

“As far as I can tell, Noah Miller is a good man, and not just because he's promised to marry her. Dana left with him because she liked him, and she's happy, and you shouldn't let your obsession get in the way of that. If you do this, if you really do find her, it's a recipe for tragedy.”

His curse came true.

She was living a fairy-tale, picture-perfect life.

Giving love and warmth to the world and getting it back in kind.

How could she….

Had she changed at all since they first met?

She was just fine without him, happily and proudly.

What did he, a minor character, do to sneak his way into her life?

The old him only knew how to do it in a twisted way, because he didn't really know what the bird burning in his chest was or how to deal with it.

But, Dana.

Shouldn’t you at least give me a chance once?

Theodore stroked the dog's head in his hands. It wagged its tail several times as fast as it had for quite some time, and turned its head to lick his palm gently. A hot tingle ran up his arm to his chest, and then the shackles that had been so tight that he couldn't breathe loosened, and fresh air rushed deep into his lungs.

For the past half year, Theodore had been impregnated by the truth every day, every moment. It made him sick, really sick. His mind reeled. His heart was ripped out and his flesh melted.

And yet, the next day, he was back at it again. He came back stronger than ever, burning with determination.

He erased the truth to forget the pain.

That I blackmailed you.

That you left me.

That you were really married.

That you are happy.

That you've moved on and are living well.

At the same time, I distorted it.

You didn't leave me, Noah Miller stole you from me. He stole it with words as sweet and cunning as snakes.

If he'd been proud, he wouldn't have fled so far, covering his tracks. He changed ships from job to job, pretending to find other employment across the continent.

He's not confident, either.

He's afraid you'll shake when you see me.

That I'll take you away from him again.

"I don't understand. You can't do this. You're the heir of your family, and we've grown up, and you must lead it.”

Funnily enough, Theodore eagerly agreed.

He wanted to get his life back to normal, only no one understood that to do so, he had to get her back.

"Theodore, you need to move on. It's time.”

Edwin's voice was faintly scattered. In the distance, dark clouds were gathering in the sky. It was slowly engulfing the world, bordering the sea as if it were about to vomit thunder.

It must be forgotten, and it was time.

Theodore stared at Willow.

Forget.

A twisted laugh scraped against his vocal cords, hollow.

That's not going to work.

I can't forget you, Dana.

You are not forgotten.

The ever-so-gentle grip slowly tightened. Willow stopped licking, her dark eyes narrowing. The dog, held by the nape of the neck instead of the head, gasped in fear as she realized that the grip was getting tighter.

Theodore didn't notice, just stared at the crashing waves. The white roar of the water threatened to swallow the hull, and then it scattered into nothingness.

Oblivion, they say, is the greatest gift the gods have bestowed upon man.

But he didn't give it to me.

Damn it, Dana.

I'm the only one who didn't get it.

***

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