Chapter 62: Already, Too Late (34 Extra 1)

Compared to the Silver Wing Grand Duke's stiff and cold manner, Felia's letter seemed especially warm and human, its wording gentle and considerate.

But Herbert couldn't shake the feeling that something was off — a strangeness lodged in his throat that he just couldn't pin down.

He just felt something was weird somewhere.

But exactly where, he couldn't quite figure out.

In the end, trying to guess a person's true heart from a single letter alone was still a bit too difficult.

Sigh—

In a daze, Herbert seemed to feel a light breeze pass through the room, and the candle flame on the table flickered.

Then, after a long silence, Miss Xie Shen finally spoke slowly: 【"My ally, I can sense it — you are a little lost."】

【"Are you struggling with something right now?"】

"A little, perhaps?"

Herbert's brows knit briefly, then smoothed out again, and he said calmly, "It's fine, just a tiny bit."

"... Are you very curious?"

【"Of course! After all, you are my mooost important ally!"】 Miss Xie Shen giggled, not caring one bit about Herbert's faint melancholy.

【"So! Who is this letter-writer, and what is your relationship with her?"】

She was purely after gossip.

Herbert's mouth twitched, and he said helplessly, "How should I put it? Relative, acquaintance, friend, close friend... they're all about the same, aren't they?"

【"That's it? There's more, isn't there? Don't hold out on me!"】

Miss Xie Shen, looking as though she'd caught a whiff of gossip, pressed on relentlessly: 【"An old flame?"】

She really didn't hold back.

Herbert raised a brow, thought for a moment, and said uncertainly, "Let me think — I suppose I did once like her... right?"

He wasn't very sure.

【"Why is that a question?"】

"The sincere heart of a naive youth — how could he himself understand it?"

Herbert had originally thought he had no real feelings for Felia.

Especially after what happened, he should have given up on her long ago.

But upon seeing that letter, the stirring deep within him far exceeded his imagination.

Only then did he suddenly realize that perhaps he really had once loved this woman.

【"See? The great Miss Xie Shen told you long ago — love is a curse!"】

Miss Xie Shen said gleefully and ominously: 【"Right! You've been cursed by love, that's why you feel so miserable!"】

"Hah, twisted logic and heresy — shut your crooked mouth!"

Herbert snorted in annoyance, rolled his eyes, and said, "Besides, why do you care so much? Are you going to listen or not?"

"If you interrupt again, I'm not saying another word."

【"Alright, alright~ I'll shut up~ Go on, tell me!"】

"In the past, I did indeed like Felia. After all, whether in looks or in temperament, she was the best of the best."

Beautiful, gentle, considerate, well-behaved... the Felia in his memory had always presented the most perfect image of a noble lady.

One could say that such an almost-perfect Princess — no one would feel无故 aversion toward her.

If she truly was the same inside and out.

"But that feeling wasn't pure love; it was more like affection and trust toward a friend."

Herbert kept dissecting his own heart, analyzing the emotional journey of the first half of this life.

Those tender feelings hidden in the deepest corner of his heart, ones even he himself had never noticed.

"Back then I had simply grown used to her presence, and took it as a given that we would end up together in the future."

The naive noble youth never considered anything else, simply treating it as a predetermined future.

"So, when that thing happened back then, do you know what the biggest emotion in my heart was?"

【"Sadness?"】

"Anger."

Herbert's expression was calm, but in his eyes seemed to flicker a blazing flame — a fury long suppressed.

"Why wouldn't you trust me? Why betray me like this? Why frame me?"

As the one who had suffered through all of it, how could Herbert back then not feel anger?

【"So, what do you plan to do?"】

Miss Xie Shen's voice was soft, carrying a bewitching magic that stirred the anger in the youth's heart, pushing it ever further toward madness...

Yet, just as the fury was about to reach its peak, Herbert's attitude suddenly shifted.

"Do what? Do nothing."

【"Hm!?"】

Herbert's abrupt change in attitude puzzled Nie Nasha, who asked in confusion: 【"You're forgiving her just like that? I didn't know you were such a magnanimous person?"】

"Forgive? Forgive with what?"

"Of course I won't forgive her that easily."

Herbert let out a cold laugh, held the letter in his hand up to the candle flame, and roasted it slowly.

"Whether she really is as innocent as she claims, whether she truly knew nothing, whether she took part in it — my stance is the same regardless."

"At this point, does she really think a letter and a few flimsy explanations can smooth everything over?"

"Things have come to this — it's not that easy!"

Hiss—

Accompanied by a crisp sound, flames climbed up the letter paper and began to slowly burn it.

The rising firelight reddened Herbert's face, and also illuminated the depth in his eyes.

"A broken wound may eventually heal, but the scars and pain left behind in that process will exist forever."

The flames burned stronger and stronger, eventually scorching Herbert's fingers.

But he made no attempt to dodge, slowly gathering the flames into his palm, and finally clenching them tight.

Pinched out.

Opened his hand.

A few crushed ashes scattered down from his palm.

"After the flames have burned, what remains is, in the end, just a few wisps of ash."

The youth's eyes lowered, gazing at those ashes, and spoke softly:

"It's already... too late..."

Even if you truly want to make amends, it's already too late.

I am no longer the me I once was...

What were you doing earlier?

It's already... impossible to go back.

Nie Nasha was silent for a moment, then asked: 【"So, you plan to just leave her hanging like this?"】

"That's not necessary either. I'll write her back."

Herbert pulled out a sheet of letter paper, picked up his pen, and began writing rapidly—his handwriting was fluid and neat, the content flowing without any hesitation.

Nie Nasha:?

【"Huh? But didn't you say you wouldn't forgive her?"】

Why are you still writing her back?

And it's a perfectly normal reply, not a trace of anger to be seen.

To this, Herbert responded thus: "That's what I said, one thing at a time, but Philia still has her uses."

【"Eh?"】

"She's very rich."

【"Huh?"】

"As the kingdom's most beloved little princess, combined with her mother's wealth from owning a mage tower in the North, her disposable personal fortune even exceeds my lord the King's small treasury."

"In short, she's a little rich girl."

Under Nie Nasha's speechless gaze, Herbert said matter-of-factly:

"We've been friends for many years after all. Since she's already taken the initiative to speak up, how could I possibly refuse such kindness?"

"Refusing her好意—wouldn't that be too disrespectful to her?"

"Then let her pay some interest first, send me something nice—not some useless collar..."

When you can get something for free, what is there to hesitate about!!?

(End of Chapter)