In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 71

After the meal, Eric was looking down at the evidence Aria had handed him. He was searching for clues related to the Reynolds family.

There was a petition signed by protestors against the Reynolds family’s trade methods, and a ring bearing the family’s crest.

These were items belonging to someone who had incited the protestors and supported them from the shadows to bring down the Reynolds family.

The Earl Cecil and the protestors were strongly connected by the circumstances.

Jacob, who was pouring tea beside him, cautiously spoke up.

“Young Master, as you know, Earl Cecil rose to his position thanks to strong support from the late emperor. In contrast, our Earl stayed true to his beliefs regardless of political pressure. I believe the late emperor must have silently agreed to this incident.”

“The late emperor’s full support probably came from the large donations Earl Cecil made to the royal family. He had enough reason.”

“How should we go about solving this…?”

Jacob let out a short sigh as his shoulders slumped.

Eric’s gaze, which had briefly risen, returned to the documents.

Although it was all a long time ago and the details didn’t come easily to mind, Eric still wanted to help somehow.

Because for Aria, his help might be the only hope she had.

Without letting himself be distracted by anything else, Eric stared at the documents. With a blank expression, he kept reading, pushing the papers aside with his hand. Then, suddenly, one line caught his eye.

Something didn’t feel right, so he began unfolding the papers he had set aside.

A strange thought soon came to his mind.

His gaze stopped on someone’s seal stamped on the petition.

It was a familiar seal. His usually calm forehead started to wrinkle.

In the cold, tense atmosphere, Aria lowered her voice and looked at him with curious eyes.

“Did you find something suspicious?”

“Maybe.”

She had asked just in case, but his short answer quickly silenced her. He was a man who rarely gave direct answers, after all.

With no other choice, she stared down at her shoes.

“If she gave the order, then this connection might actually make sense.”

At Eric’s words, both Aria and Jacob quickly raised their heads.

“Did you figure something out?”

“For now, this is just speculation based on the evidence we have. But I can see who’s behind it. If we link it properly, we might turn this situation to our advantage.”

“Behind it? Are you saying there’s someone else besides the late emperor?”

Aria’s voice rose with curiosity. Eric’s mysterious expression only made her more eager to know.

“There are still too many suspicious parts to say anything for sure. But one thing is certain—it’s not much different from how the royal court operates now.”

“I don’t understand. Can’t you explain more clearly? I want to help you. This is about my family too.”

“I understand how you feel. But jumping to conclusions is dangerous.”

“But still…”

“I have to protect you. Please wait while I figure this out. Can you do that for me?”

As Eric’s gentle eyes tried to soothe her, Aria closed her mouth.

Eric, who had endured a lifetime alone, now had someone he needed to protect—Aria. Herself.

She wanted to keep asking, but it felt like she was interrupting his thoughts, so she held back.

Still, she wasn’t too worried. She felt like she would find out everything soon anyway.

After a moment of thought, Eric looked over at Jacob with a calm face.

“Besides this, did the Count ever say anything about the royal family’s policies?”

“I’m not sure… It’s been so long, my memory’s fuzzy…”

Jacob scratched his head, lost in thought, then suddenly raised his voice as if remembering something.

“There is one thing! I believe it was when the young lady had just turned five. It was a grand dinner, and all the household staff had gathered. The Count mentioned something then… I’m not sure if it’s useful…”

“Tell me anyway.”

“The Count said there had been a noble council meeting about a garden Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wanted to build inside the palace. The Count strongly opposed it.”

“A garden?”

“Yes. He said Her Majesty was displeased with him after that, and his business suffered for a while. I had never seen the Count look so troubled before—he was usually so kind.”

“You mean the Arke Garden…”

Eric lowered his eyes at Jacob’s words.

The Arke Garden was built deep inside the palace and was so extravagant in size and cost that it rivaled even the Empress’s own quarters.

It was the Empress Dowager’s personal space—an extravagant display of her power to the entire empire.

The corners of Eric’s stiff mouth slowly curved up.

“Now it all makes sense.”

Finding a family like the Reynolds was close to impossible.

And going against the royal family wasn’t just dangerous—it was reckless.

But it had to be done. Because in uncovering the truth, Aria’s place in the world could be restored.

Eric spoke in a cold tone.

“Find out if anyone from the Reynolds family survived. Relatives, servants, anyone. The more people we have, the stronger we become.”

“Y-Yes, Young Master!”

Jacob quickly nodded at Eric’s order. Eric’s sharp gaze shifted from Jacob to Aria.

His blue eyes softened as they gently looked down at her.

“I’ve sent a letter to someone who can uncover the truth. They’ll bring back whatever information they find. No matter what it takes.”

“Someone who can uncover the truth…?”

“The best informant in the empire.”

Eric smiled faintly as he saw Aria’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Take care of yourself in the meantime. Your safety—that’s what I want and hope for the most.”

“But…”

“Don’t think you’re useless just because you can’t do anything right now. You, just being here, are someone’s comfort and strength. Isn’t that right?”

As Eric tilted his head and glanced toward Jacob, the servant’s face briefly showed surprise before he quickly nodded.

“Yes, my lady. You must endure this. For the sake of those who survived.”

“You’re right… I must.”

Aria let out a short sigh, then her eyes became steady again.

“I’ll stay strong—for those who had to live in hiding under false accusations. I must at least try to make amends for them in my father’s place.”

“It’s also the only way for you to be free from this painful guilt.”

Eric gently brushed her cheek with a soft smile. Then, lowering his voice, he leaned in closer.

“And it’s the only way for you to focus on me completely. Like you did last night.”

Aria was left speechless.

He was impossible to figure out. Even in serious moments, he would say something so bold and shameless. What was he thinking?

But that, too, was a part of the Eric she loved.

Eric smiled faintly without saying another word, as if he could already see right through her embarrassment.

In the late afternoon, the clear weather from the morning turned dark as heavy clouds gathered.

Soon, raindrops began to fall, soaking the Bailey estate.

In the quiet, pitch-black stillness, only the sharp sound of galloping hooves could be heard.

Eric dismounted quickly and entered the annex, but the maids inside didn’t notice his presence at all.

That was because they were all huddled together, deeply focused on a shocking topic.

“My goodness, I still can’t believe he passed so suddenly.”

“I know. I heard from the main house maid that he was perfectly fine just last night.”

“Hmm. Just between us, there’s something strange about the funeral arrangements.”

One maid lowered her voice, and the others quickly followed suit.

“You mean how the madam said she’d hold a quiet funeral without any visitors or mourning period?”

“And that no one’s allowed to see the Count’s coffin? And they’re rushing to bury it in Edel Hill… It’s all very odd.”

“What on earth happened overnight? I’m still in shock.”

“Exactly. The Count was always so healthy. I can’t believe he’s really gone. What will happen to the Bailey family now…”

Hearing their words, Eric stopped dead in his tracks on the stairs.

Gone? Who?

His feet automatically carried him toward them.

Startled by the sound of approaching footsteps, the maids turned and saw a very familiar face.

Eric’s hardened expression sent chills through the air as he asked in a cold voice:

“What are you talking about?”

“O-Oh my!”

“Young Master! W-When did you arrive!?”

The startled maids quickly closed their mouths and lowered their heads.

“I asked what you were talking about.”

“Th-That is…”

After exchanging glances, one maid finally spoke up.

“Young Master, the Count passed away last night. We… we don’t know what to do…”

Eric’s pupils slightly shook at the sudden news. Just days ago, his father had seemed unshakable.

One of the maids glanced at Eric’s stiff face and cautiously added:

“We only found out recently ourselves. The madam ordered a quiet funeral. Before the coffin is taken away, perhaps you should visit the main house.”

Despite her suggestion, Eric didn’t seem to hear. His thoughts were elsewhere, his pupils trembling without end. His grip on the sword hilt in his hand tightened so much it looked like he might break it.

“That can’t be…”

He muttered the words through clenched teeth, his expression deeply troubled.

Support In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You