Cain missed breakfast with Joseph for the first time since Jane left. Norbert and Mary had fed Joseph first, not knowing when he would wake up.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise, Joseph.”

Cain, who had a quick breakfast with fruit juice, hurriedly prepared to go out. He met Joseph’s eyes as he came to see him off and apologized.

“It’s, it’s okay. But, but aren’t you going to rest, Father?”

Joseph’s eyes trembled with anxiety and worry. Cain felt truly pathetic for making his son anxious.

Suddenly, Joseph took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“Can’t, can’t you stay with me?”

Then he shouted. It was so loud that it sounded even solemn.

“I, I want to be with Father. Help, help me study, and, and play together.”

Cain raised his eyebrows, surprised by the child’s request. He wasn’t the only one surprised. The servants around also opened their mouths in surprise.

To think that Joseph, who had always been intimidated by Cain, would throw a tantrum.

Mary, who was moved beyond amazement, turned her head to wipe away tears. Norbert stared at the ceiling to keep from crying.

But Cain couldn’t comply with the child’s request. It was because Helena had made an absurd request.

‘She wants to keep Joseph by her side until her birthday? What a crazy raccoon.’

It was common for lonely royalty to keep noble children by their side like dolls. There were also nobles who liked their children being chosen by royalty.

But not the Hastings. They had never been offered such a thing in history.

Helena’s specific invitation to Joseph was a provocation aimed at Cain.

‘Why so suddenly?’

He thought he had been playing the role of an obedient dog quite well, but had Helena noticed something suspicious?

Although he had made thorough preparations, he needed to check if there was a gap.

“Joseph, I’m sorry, but it’s not possible today. I’ll try to make time later.”

Joseph’s eyebrows drooped down. It was clear he was trying to hold back tears with his nose all scrunched up.

Usually, Nathan would have stepped in to say he’d try to adjust the schedule, but today he couldn’t say such things.

Because it was impossible.

‘Not today, but for the time being. I’m sorry, young master.’

Nathan’s regretful gaze touched Joseph and then fell away.

Cain stepped out the front door. Nathan followed right behind him.

Despite his courageous request being rejected, Joseph bowed politely to Cain without throwing a tantrum.

Cain, holding the carriage door, looked back at that sight, bit his lip hard, and came back. Then Cain picked up the small Joseph and hugged him tightly.

“Fa, Father.”

“Stay at home quietly. I’ll come back as soon as possible. Let’s study or do whatever together. Okay?”

“Re, really?”

Joseph, clinging to Cain’s neck, asked as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. Really.”

At that answer, the child’s tears burst forth. Cain looked up at the sky while listening to Joseph’s sobs that kept ringing in his ears.

The child cried for a long time in Cain’s arms, whether from sadness or joy.

It was good that he came back to hug him.

The sky was exceptionally clear.

* * *

“It seems quite noisy outside.”

The islanders who finished their work early in the morning gathered under a large tree in the afternoon.

The topics they discussed varied, and contrary to the common perception of them being ignorant, their conversations ranged from politics, society, to economy.

“That whatchamacallit, they’re talking about equality or something. Is that supposed to reduce our taxes?”

Although the level of vocabulary wasn’t very high, their interest in the changes in the world was commendable.

“But is that possible? The nobles won’t sit still. Aren’t we just poking a quiet beehive?”

“It seems the young ones are getting carried away and following them around, but there’s no one like that in our village, right?”

“Looking for young people in a place full of people with death dates? Are your eyes crazy or has your head gone mad? It’d be faster to find the Grim Reaper than those guys.”

Jane, who was passing by and overheard the old people’s conversation, was shocked by their boundary-crossing jokes.

“That young lady over there was surprised, wasn’t she?”

An old man with white hair tapped the leg of the person next to him with his cane.

The eyes of the gathered people turned towards Jane.

When Jane bowed with a bright smile, the old people’s faces bloomed like flowers.

“She’s really well-mannered and pretty. If I were just ten years younger…”

“You’d still be lying in your own shit.”

Nonsense was the old men’s specialty, and disciplining that nonsense was the old women’s job.

“What are you standing there for? Come here and sit down!”

At the old woman’s call, Jane approached the bench to greet them. Then one of the old women put the fruits and vegetables that were spread out on the floor into Jane’s basket.

“You don’t have to give me these. I still have some left from what you gave me last time.”

Jane refused adamantly, but no one could stop the old woman who was determined to give.

In the end, the empty basket became full. Feeling sorry to just leave like that, Jane sat down next to the old woman.

“Aren’t you bored on the island?”

“Of course not. Chatting with you grandmothers is so much fun.”

Jane fiddled with the old woman’s wrinkled hand. Then her heart began to soften a bit. Her heart that had hardened without her realizing when.

Human warmth was truly amazing. Without even trying, it could soothe another person’s heart with its inherent warmth.

It was around the time she was thinking this.

“Don’t just talk about taking care of the young lady, huh? Like me, look here, like me. You should get things like this!”

The old man who had gone to the mainland two days ago pulled out a book from his chest. Jane’s eyes widened at the sight of the old man who couldn’t read a single letter bringing a book.

“Read this when you’re bored.”

“What, you bought a book? You? A book? My goodness, do you even know that’s a book?”

People teased the old man from all around. The old man just laughed, his face red from the joking compliments mixed with praise for doing well.

“Tha, thank you. It must have been quite expensive…”

Jane hugged the book to her chest. More than the excitement of an unexpected gift, it was the old man’s heart that was precious – buying something he didn’t even know and bringing it so carefully.

“Well, they were giving them out for free. I was walking down the street and they were handing them out, so I just took one.”

“I knew it! And you’re trying to take credit for it!”

The old women clicked their tongues, pointing fingers at the old man. The old man looked embarrassed, but Jane just bowed her head, saying she was grateful anyway.

It was the thought that counted, not the money.

“I’ll head back up now.”

Jane gathered the basket of fruits and vegetables given by the old women, and the book, and returned home.

After organizing her things, Jane jumped onto the bed with the book in her arms. Her heart was pounding pleasantly. She must have missed the printed word deep down.

After checking the unfamiliar title and author, Jane opened the book. And she closed it right away after reading just a few pages.

The book the old man had brought was one expounding the ideology of the Rose Faction.

“How did this… The security forces are obsessed with catching the Rose Faction.”

The old man had almost gotten into big trouble. No matter if he had unknowingly received a book given out for free, the security forces weren’t the type to consider such circumstances.

Jane made a mental note to firmly tell the grandmothers and grandfathers not to accept books or flyers handed out on the mainland.

She stood up to burn the book. At that moment, a letter that had been tucked between the pages fell out.

A letter with a clear recipient. Jane’s face darkened instantly.

Of course, it would be right to burn it, but what if important content was written in the letter? What if it was something that needed a reply?

Jane hesitated before opening the letter.

The letter was an order from above.

The moment she realized this, she tried not to read it, but the content of the letter was too short for that.

By the time Jane realized the nature of the letter, she had already read its entire contents.

Jane’s hand holding the letter fell limply. Jane closed her eyes and sighed repeatedly.

The old man had received the wrong book. Somehow, this book should have gone to the owner of the letter.

The owner of the letter was the head of the local Rose Faction organization, and his mission was to safely move Rose Faction members to the capital for an upcoming operation.

The letter detailed the means of transportation and where to stay after moving.

If this letter wasn’t received in time, it was clear that many people would be harmed.

‘What does that have to do with me?’

Honestly, Jane didn’t care whether the Rose Faction’s operation succeeded or failed. And she hadn’t received this letter by choice.

So even if things went wrong, Jane had no reason to feel guilty, but she felt uneasy.

Jane put the letter and book far apart and turned away from them.

A feeling of resentment suddenly welled up.

What connection did the Rose Faction and herself have, that they kept getting entangled even when she ran away.

Jane moved her body to avoid thinking. She went out to the garden to pull weeds, peeked into the grandmothers’ houses looking for things to help with and got chased out, and walked along the beach until sunset before coming back in.

However, throughout that long time, the contents of the letter wouldn’t leave Jane’s mind. It seemed to have firmly taken root.

Her thoughts, which started from ‘What if they don’t receive the letter in time?’, flowed to the content of the letter that said ‘Use the train.’

‘They’re using the train? What if they get caught? What about Cain?’

It was just ridiculous that she was worrying about Cain even after coming all the way out here.

‘Please, let’s forget about it.’

Jane pleaded with herself. Don’t pay attention, ignore Cain, the Rose Faction, everything.

But in the end, Jane couldn’t do that. Knowing that her inability to be ruthless would hold her back, the next day Jane packed the book and letter and left the island.

“You’re coming back, right?”

“What coming back! Young people should go live in big places. Don’t even think about here. Just come visit later with your children.”

Everyone had something to say as they watched Jane board the ship.

“I’ll definitely come back!”

Jane said energetically as she stepped onto the ship. As if to prove her words about coming back, her luggage was minimal.