The Loyalist is the Abandoned Princess - Chapter 4

“Is anyone… there?”

“……”

I blinked innocently, pretending not to have heard anything, and turned toward the door.

Soon, the door opened, revealing a chilling scene.

Kayneth wasn’t his usual gentle self.

The shadows under his eyes were darker, and his eyes burned with fury.

In contrast, Caspian looked composed.

His platinum blonde hair was perfectly in place, his long, thick lashes fluttering gently. With a calm expression, he only raised one corner of his lips in a mocking smile.

It was like a lion and a massive snake facing off, baring their teeth.

Without even glancing at me, the prince nodded. “Well then, I’ll take my leave. Young Count, you should stop worrying about your sister and return to the estate.”

With that, he left, his cloak trailing behind him. His steps were decisive, as if he couldn’t stand being here a moment longer.

Even though the icy Caspian had gone, the room’s atmosphere remained tense and frozen.

Every word Caspian directed at me still radiated a cold, hostile presence.

Only then did I truly realize how much he hated “Agnes.”

Agnes’s memories alone hadn’t been enough to reveal that.

Of course, she had only ever thought about Parsifal.

‘It’s a miracle that this ends with just a divorce.’

Seeing my pale face, Kayneth looked worried.

He tried to reassure me in a comforting voice. “Agnes, you don’t need to worry. His Highness is concerned about your health and wants you to rest here at the palace for a while.”

“…Brother.”

“You will be able to leave soon, so don’t worry—”

“Brother, I’m fine.”

And at that moment, Kayneth said something strange.

“Call me ‘Kay.'”

“……?”

“Don’t call me ‘brother.’ Just call me Kay.”

Kayneth’s expression was as gentle as ever.

“……”

Using a nickname between siblings was common, after all.

But for some reason, his sudden request made me uneasy, and I found it hard to respond.

Seeing my silence, he smiled warmly, as if nothing had happened.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

“Brother, I—”

“I’ll do my best to help you get through this.”

“I’m really fine, though.”

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with his excessive concern. Suddenly, he strode toward me.

Standing right next to my bed, Kayneth knelt down on one knee.

He took my limp hand in both of his, cradling it.

His hands were cold to the touch.

Holding my hand with his chilly hands, he whispered warmly, “If the prince bothers you while you’re here, let me know in a letter.”

“…Sure, I will.”

But I doubted the prince would bother me. He would probably just ignore me instead.

So Kayneth’s worries seemed a bit excessive.

“If you write ‘It’s snowing’ at the end of the letter, I’ll take it as a signal and come running right away.”

“……”

“Agnes, I’m on your side. Even if everyone else speaks ill of you.”

To an outsider, it might seem like we were a deeply affectionate pair of siblings.

Without Agnes’s memories, I might have thought so too.

But right now, Kayneth’s attitude just made me uneasy.

I looked at the man holding my hand.

Kayneth Stone. Brown hair, hazel eyes.

He wasn’t as striking as Caspian or Parsifal, but he was handsome enough—a trustworthy, kind-looking man.

I looked past his gentle gaze into the deep, dark irises.

There, I saw something sinister lurking.

‘I see… You desire me.’

More precisely, the wealth of the Barbouquet family.

‘…Ha.’

I almost let out a bitter laugh.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul.

The one person I thought was on Agnes’s side was actually the most dangerous.

***

Kayneth Stone held the title of “Young Count” but was not the official heir of the Barbouquet family.

Twenty years ago, Viscount Stone, who had borrowed a large sum of money from the Barbouquet family, was unable to repay his debt and took his own life.

People blamed the Count for driving an innocent man to his death, calling him a miser. To quell public outrage, the Count needed a “show.”

He adopted Viscount Stone’s only son, Kayneth, and pretended to raise him as the heir of the Barbouquet family to appease the people.

But I knew the truth.

The Count had no intention of passing the family on to Kayneth.

It was true that Kayneth handled all the family finances and managed the bank.

But his surname was still “Stone,” not “Barbouquet.”

The Count had promised to grant him the family name when he became an adult but quickly went back on his word when Kayneth turned twenty.

And Kayneth never complained.

“Agnes” thought he was a fool for accepting such treatment without protest.

But I soon understood the real reason behind his compliance.

‘There’s more than one way to join the Barbouquet family.’

He could marry the Count’s daughter.

Maybe Kayneth had been aiming to marry me all along.

‘If that’s the case, then it makes sense why he’s always been so submissive.’

Despite all the humiliation and being treated like a servant, Kayneth only ever smiled.

‘Was he planning to snatch me up as soon as I got divorced?’

With that realization, the man in front of me appeared different.

The face Agnes had thought was endlessly kind and foolish was actually a perfectly constructed mask.

A mask crafted to devour the Barbouquet family.

A flimsy facade that would shatter the moment Agnes’s divorce was finalized.

‘You’ve really played the fool well until now.’

But I didn’t think “Agnes” was stupid for not seeing through him.

The closer someone is, the harder it is to see their true intentions.

Seeing me lost in thought, Kayneth tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“Agnes, are you still unwell? You’re not responding.”

His concerned expression reminded me of a large dog.

Suddenly, a memory from twelve years ago flashed through Agnes’s mind.

At the time, Kayneth had been thirteen, and Agnes was ten.

For some reason, Agnes had been furious and took it out on Kayneth.

She had been cruel, beyond just teasing—she had been relentless in her mockery.

Sitting on the garden porch reading a book, Kayneth was poked repeatedly with a stick as Agnes gave him orders.

“Bark for me!”

“…Agnes.”

Kayneth, who had been quietly reading, suddenly turned pale.

Agnes shouted louder, “I said bark! Your father owed money and sold you off, so why aren’t you listening to me? Bark!”

Kayneth put his book down on the table. He lowered his gaze for a moment, as if considering something, then smiled.

“Woof.”

“Louder!”

“Woof! Woof!”

“Wow, you really have no pride.”

Agnes laughed until her stomach hurt, and Kayneth, watching her laugh, continued to bark.