In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 48

Count Dennis’s drowsy eyes were fixed on Aria.

“Eric is about to marry the daughter of a noble family. She seems to like him. For everything to go smoothly, he must avoid any kind of scandal. You know well what is best for him.”

The Count’s cold voice pushed Aria to the edge. A heavy silence filled the space between them.

Cold eyes and indifference toward her this was the fate of a maid who dared desire her master.

Aria had no time to protect her pride. She had to accept everything.

Quietly, she pulled out a notepad she had tucked into her dress.

I have to let him go. I can’t be a burden to him. She had made that decision hundreds of times in her mind, but her hand trembled faintly as she wrote.

[I’ll do as you say.]

Without a word, Aria handed the note to him. The Count sighed in relief and pushed an envelope across the table.

“Thank you for your decision. Here, take this. It’s a reward for your service.”

Aria’s eyes fell on the white envelope. To her, it looked just like the one she had once received from the Countess.

A cold warning, reminding her of her place and role.

She awkwardly took the envelope. A moment of silence passed.

“I’ll arrange a place for you. There’s a small village down south. The lord there once spent time with me on the frontier. He’s looking for a new maid. If you say I recommended you, he won’t treat you harshly.”

The Count’s words broke the silence, and Aria bit the inside of her lip to hold back tears.

The South by the sea. The Count meant to send her far away from here.

“On Edward’s wedding day, quietly follow the butler.”

Aria stared blankly at the Count. His eyes were firm and determined. At that moment, she understood. Only two days remained between her and Eric.

Lowering her head, Aria barely made it out of the room before stopping in place. A suppressed sigh escaped her lips. Her heart sank, and cold tears streamed down her cheeks.

Could she truly live on, forgetting the one person she could never forget? The thought overwhelmed her, making it hard to even breathe.

Her blurred gaze drifted toward the annex beyond the window.

Aria sat at the edge of her bed, relying on the dim candlelight until evening. She couldn’t even remember how she’d made it back here.

“When I return to the palace, the first thing I’ll do is ask His Majesty to approve our marriage. It’ll be a bit of a threat, I admit. You’re already mine, but I want you officially, without anyone interfering.”

She had been filled with joy, thinking she could be with him. Now, trying to erase that illusion only made her chest tighten.

‘How foolish… I still haven’t given up…’

She shook her head to chase the thoughts away. Outside, the wind blew strongly. Leaves rustled against each other, and one leaf fluttered through the small window with the breeze.

Aria walked over and picked it up. Her eyes stared blankly at it, as if emptying her mind of the thousands of thoughts swirling inside.

Neigh!

At that moment, a white horse stopped with a loud sound in front of the annex. Eric quickly got off the horse and went inside. Seeing him again, the weight of her resolve and lingering feelings crushed her.

Even as she tried to forget, the memories only grew clearer. Aria let out a sigh and hurried her steps. She smiled to hide any trace of emotion.

The day passed in a blur. The next morning, Aria headed to the village market early.

She had spent the whole night sitting on her bed, organizing her thoughts.

‘What’s the last thing I can do for him…?’

At the end of her thoughts was the faint scar on Eric’s body.

The only thing she could do for him now was to continue his treatment. He had suffered from intense pain, but thanks to continued care, he could now sleep more soundly.

Wearing her bonnet low over her face, she quickened her steps. She didn’t want to waste the last day she had with him. Cutting through narrow alleys packed with people, she arrived in front of the apothecary.

Aria looked up at the store with longing.

‘I probably won’t be able to come here again…’

Hiding her bitter feelings, she stepped inside. The strong scent of herbs welcomed her, and she smiled faintly.

She took in every detail the herbs spread across the wooden table, the piles of plants on the floor, the old tools.

Jacob, sweeping the dirt off the floor, was so focused he didn’t even notice she had entered.

Only when Aria stepped on a leaf with a soft crunch did his eyes finally turn to her.

“Young lady!”

He limped over to her. When she tilted her head slightly, he quickly explained.

“That clerk’s been sick lately and keeps taking time off. I told him to stay home for now.”

Aria, relieved that she wouldn’t have to see the clerk again, nodded slightly.

To stand properly in front of her, Jacob straightened his back, hiding his limp.

“You came for the medicine, didn’t you?”

When Aria smiled gently, he led her inside.

“It’ll take a bit. Have some tea while you wait. I brewed jasmine tea today it smells wonderful.”

He led her into the workshop.

As Aria sat at the table sipping the tea, her eyes settled on Jacob.

His neat black suit was just like when he worked for the Reynolds family.

But the once-young and sharp man now had wrinkles and gray hair.

“Judging by how often you get this medicine, it must be working. I hope he’s not making a sweet girl like you do anything too harsh.”

Aria pulled out her notepad and wrote a reply.

[Thanks to the butler’s medicine, he’s almost fully recovered. He’s very special to me. I’m glad I could at least repay him like this.]

Jacob, wearing his glasses, read the note carefully. Something flickered in his eyes.

“Young lady, could it be that…”

Seeing Jacob stunned, Aria gave a quiet smile. He couldn’t take his eyes off the new side of her.

Aria started writing again.

But her hand hesitated, unsure of what to say.

What would the butler say when she left? He had stayed here for her sake. The thought weighed heavily on her heart.

Pushing away the many words in her mind, she wrote something simple.

[The Count recommended me for a new position in another region. I heard it’s easier work and the master is kind. It’s a great opportunity, so I said I’d go. I know it’s sudden, but I hope you’ll be happy for me.]

Jacob’s brow furrowed as he read. After reading carefully, he looked up and stared at Aria in silence. His gaze seemed to see right through her.

His expression darkened. Of course it did. In the ten years since she came to the Bailey household, Aria had never once left.

His searching eyes lingered on her, as if trying to read her mind.

After a long silence, Jacob spoke heavily.

“Is this truly your will? Can I believe that this ‘recommendation’ wasn’t forced by the Count?”

He asked again, holding the note.

To convince him, Aria wrote even more firmly.

[Yes. It really is an amazing opportunity. So I hope you’ll stop worrying about me and live freely now.]

Her heart ached from having to lie. But with a calm face, she lifted her head and met his gaze.

Only then did she notice the sadness in Jacob’s eyes.

She had learned how to suppress sadness a hundred times, but it still wasn’t easy. Her chest ached again.

“To think I must send you off like this… I won’t be able to face the Count, even in death.”

He closed his eyes tightly and let out a deep sigh. His drooping shoulders made it hard for Aria to look at him. She turned away.

To hold back her tears, she tightly clenched her skirt.

This would be the last image he saw of her. She didn’t want to look weak in front of the man who had once been her personal butler.

“Goodness… Why am I acting like this in front of you…”

A tear fell from the corner of Jacob’s eye, wetting his cheek. He quickly wiped it away with his sleeve.

Though he composed himself, his voice was already soaked in tears.

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