A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 73

Side story

The Butterfly Lives

I once spent an entire night wide awake, wondering—what kind of expression would that person make if I kissed them?

***

“Come to think of it, Ilex will be attending the academy starting next year.”

Edmund Davenport, the Duke, brought up the topic during breakfast on a Sunday morning.

As always, Ilex idly twirled his fork with a bored expression before lifting his head indifferently. His gray-blue eyes met his father’s face, which bore a calm look, as if he had spoken without much thought.

“So it’s already that time? I wonder what kind of exceptional scores my little brother will achieve to gain admission to the academy.”

Beside their father, Gilbert Davenport, who had already cleaned his plate, smiled amiably as he added, “Well, since he’s my brother, getting accepted is a given. I’m sure he’ll enter with a single-digit rank. What a shame—if only there were a physical fitness test included. Ilex, you have the physique to pass the knight academy’s physical standards with ease.”

At those words, a faint smirk curled on the Duke of Davenport’s lips. Gilbert, who resembled their father, also maintained a gentle smile.

Responding in kind, Ilex’s lips twisted into a crooked grin.

He already knew. That it was those two who had blocked his entry into the knight academy.

Last month, Ilex Davenport had received a rejection letter from the Royal Knight Academy.

He had excelled in all areas—physical fitness, body composition, and basic skill evaluations—but had been deemed ineligible due to his attitude score.

With the same satisfied expression he had worn on the day of the rejection letter’s arrival, Edmund Davenport had reprimanded him.

“Well, once you’re accepted into the Arkansis Royal Academy, be diligent in your studies. Don’t entertain useless dreams of becoming a knight.”

“Listen to Father, Ilex. Honestly, I was relieved when you finally received the knight academy’s rejection notice.”

Even without seeing it, he knew. If he were to open the admission officer’s desk drawer, he would surely find a thick envelope from the Davenport family inside.

“As your older brother, how could I bear to see you take such a dangerous path when you should be helping with the family business?”

Helping with the family business. An older brother’s duty.

Muttering those words internally, Ilex’s lips twisted once more.

Gilbert spoke as if he were genuinely concerned for his younger brother, but Ilex knew better.

The real reason Gilbert had obstructed his entry into the knight academy wasn’t out of concern. It was because he couldn’t stand to see Ilex find his own path and live a fulfilling life.

A proper heir to a ducal house embroiled in succession conflicts should have welcomed his younger brother’s choice to pursue knighthood.

If it had been the past, when territorial disputes were frequent, perhaps things would have been different. But with the rise of industrial technology, there was no clearer way to indicate that one had no interest in inheriting the title than by choosing the path of a knight.

And yet, Gilbert—who wasn’t even the heir to a knightly family—had gone so far as to convince their father to block Ilex’s admission.

There was no way he could have been unaware of the petty malice behind it.

Ilex stared at Gilbert’s ever-smiling face with a look of disgust.

The truth was simple. His older brother simply couldn’t stand the idea of him living a satisfactory life in any way. He feared that if Ilex followed his true calling and excelled as a knight, he might gain recognition and be highly regarded.

Even though it had absolutely nothing to do with the Duke’s succession, which had already been decided in Gilbert’s favor.

A second son who was supposed to remain beneath him—who was supposed to be insignificant—must never shine brighter than the family’s proud heir.

“I’m glad you won’t have to take such a difficult and dangerous path, little brother. I’m also happy that we’ll be attending the same school.”

As always, Gilbert smiled warmly, his expression a mirror image of their father’s.

“Besides, as I mentioned earlier, I’m looking forward to seeing your entrance exam results.”

“Right. The exam must be coming up soon.”

Edmund Davenport, his voice filled with amusement, popped a piece of bloody meat into his mouth.

“Do your best. Since your brother entered the Royal Academy with quite a high rank, you should at least ensure that your scores are not an embarrassment.”

In the background, Ilex could faintly hear the sound of his mother, Seraphine, idly poking at her salad with her fork. A bored sigh accompanied the noise, as if she was waiting for this charade to finally end.

“…You’re right.”

Between his mother’s indifference and his father’s malice, Ilex remained silent for a moment before slowly directing a smile at his older brother.

If they wanted amusement, he ought to give them something in kind.

“I should work hard so that I won’t be an embarrassment to my brother.”

A faint crease appeared on Gilbert’s forehead, as if sensing something, but Ilex paid him no mind.

There was no need to. He was no longer a child desperate for his parents’ attention, nor was he an age to fear being locked in the barn anymore.

***

The entrance exam for the Arkansis Royal Academy, known as the most prestigious institution on the continent, was surprisingly underwhelming.

Most of the problems could be solved simply by reviewing past entrance exam questions, working backward to derive theories, and analyzing the test trends. Of course, there were some questions that even this method couldn’t resolve, but he didn’t worry too much—if he couldn’t solve them, then the other applicants likely couldn’t either.

After all, the entrance exam for the Royal Academy was graded on a relative scale. It wasn’t about solving problems that others couldn’t; it was about ensuring that he didn’t miss the ones that everyone else got right.

Having studied strategically, he ultimately achieved the rank he had aimed for.

First place.

Though the exam itself had been dull, watching his father and brother’s faces as they read the score report was quite amusing. He even wondered why he hadn’t done something like this before.

But that amusement only lasted for about a week—no more than that. While it had been satisfying to see Duke Davenport and his favored heir twist their faces in frustration, the joy was fleeting.

After all, he knew this was nothing more than a brief act of rebellion.

‘Rebellion, huh.’

Lying on a bench with his hands clasped behind his head, Ilex muttered the word to himself while idly kicking his long legs.

Regardless of his abilities or qualifications, the dukedom would belong to Gilbert, the eldest son.

It had been a predetermined succession for a long time.

Ever since the current Duke of Davenport, Edmund Davenport, began harboring a deep inferiority complex toward his own younger brother—who had been superior to him in every way.

Ever since he started seeing his second son, who bore a striking resemblance to that very brother, as an echo of the sibling he had lost to a carriage accident at a young age.

The succession had already been decided, planned, and merely awaited execution.

No matter how outstanding Ilex proved himself to be, this truth would never change. No one’s words could alter his position.

So what was the point of exerting himself to prove anything? Even if he demonstrated his worth, all he would receive in return were his father’s disapproving glares and his brother’s jealous interference.

More than anything, Ilex didn’t particularly dislike his current position—one that allowed him to enjoy the privileges of a wealthy family while remaining somewhat distanced from its responsibilities.

An ample inheritance, the indisputable status of being a Davenport, and the moderate freedom afforded to a non-heir.

It was all quite satisfying. It would be foolish to throw it all away in a fit of childish defiance.

Eventually, he would have to be used as a bargaining chip in the marriage market, but that was just the nature of noble life in Arkansis. His father had done it, his brother would do the same, and he himself would be no exception.

It was simply the price to pay for enjoying the wealth and power of a noble son. If anything, it was a cheap price to pay.

So, it wasn’t a bad life.

It was a well-calculated arrangement where he lost nothing.

Except for the occasional boredom. And the inexplicable emptiness that sometimes crept in.

‘…Should I drop out?’

Although he had no particular complaints, there were times when he was overwhelmed by unbearable irritation.

Among the many reckless things he had done to vent that frustration, enrolling in the Royal Academy had been one.

He had done it purely to spite his father and brother, and while it had been an entertaining rebellion, school life had quickly become yet another shackle.

Skipping classes had escalated to ignoring exams altogether, and now he was lounging on a bench, idly swinging his foot.

Even the sight of cotton-like clouds drifting across the sky seemed dull.

‘Maybe I really should quit…’

His goal had already been accomplished. He had seen enough of Edmund and Gilbert Davenport’s enraged faces.

The excuse of living in the dormitories was useful—it meant he didn’t have to participate in the dreadful tradition of Sunday morning breakfasts—but beyond that, everything else had grown tedious.

The bizarre rumors that were undoubtedly spread by Cecilia Clayton. The guys who clung to him, pretending to be friendly.

Though he hadn’t paid much attention before, suddenly, everything seemed so disgustingly trivial and meaningless.

‘Yeah, I should quit.’

After a brief moment of contemplation, Ilex made his decision.

Just not immediately. If he dropped out on a whim, he would undoubtedly be pressured into a marriage arrangement, so he needed to enjoy his freedom a little longer before that happened.

***

Bored. That word had become a constant refrain in Ilex’s life.

And then, on a winter day when thick snowfall blanketed the world, he saw that woman.