Chapter 14
Sophia sat up, gasping for breath. That awful feeling of falling through the air still filled her completely. She hugged her knees and waited for her trembling body to calm down.
Thankfully, the fear faded little by little as time passed. It was probably because the sun was shining brightly through the window. If it had been the same early dawn as in her dream, she would’ve been lost for a long while.
“Am I going crazy or what?”
Sophia mumbled as she let go of her knees. As the fear faded, a quiet anger began to rise. She couldn’t understand why she had such a dream in the first place.
Choosing to die because of a man? Me?
She couldn’t believe she made that choice over a man who wasn’t even that handsome. The Duke was clearly the better option in every way, wasn’t he? But in the dream, she had pushed him away and chosen the other man—who had asked her to live while offering to die with her.
“Being some kind of saintly woman doesn’t suit me at all.”
Annoyed, Sophia ruffled her hair and stood up. Then she suddenly stopped in the middle of the room. The sun was already high, yet no one had come to call her. That was strange.
Soon, she found out why. When she looked toward the door, she saw someone had placed a chair in front of it to keep the doorknob from turning.
“What the…? Who… When did they…?”
While she was frozen in confusion—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Someone pounded violently on the door. Sophia, caught off guard, fell backward in surprise.
“Young lady! Are you awake? You really need to get up now! If you don’t, I’ll call security to break down the door!”
Luckily, it wasn’t a ghost or intruder—it was the familiar voice of a maid. Sophia finally let out a breath of relief, got up, moved the chair, and opened the door.
“Why are you yelling and banging on the door like that? Have you forgotten your manners? You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“You already gave me a heart attack, young lady! What on earth was that this morning? You didn’t lock the door, but you shouted at me not to come in! Were you that tired?”
“I shouted?”
Sophia asked blankly. She’d been asleep the whole time, not even moving. The thought gave her goosebumps. She paused, then asked urgently,
“Are you sure it was my voice? Didn’t you feel like someone else was there…?”
“Oh please, young lady. What kind of prank are you trying to pull this time? You think I wouldn’t recognize your voice after ten years? Hurry and get ready. I’ve told you several times already—His Majesty the Emperor sent a letter! The Duke is also on his way here right now!”
Seeing the goosebumps on Sophia’s arm, the maid said, “Are you cold? I’ll start a fire. Why don’t you stand by it?”
She clearly believed it had been Sophia’s voice without a doubt. Standing in front of the fire as the maid led her there, Sophia thought blankly,
Was it really me?
It wasn’t like the Count’s house had weak security where anyone could sneak into the room. It was more likely that Sophia had unconsciously gotten up, blocked the door with a chair, and yelled at the maid in her sleep.
Besides, hadn’t she nearly fallen off the balcony the last time she had a dream? Compared to that, this wasn’t so bad.
Even so, the idea that she could rise in her sleep, speak, and move things was terrifying.
What did she look like at the door? Were her eyes closed like she was still sleeping? Or were they open, staring straight at the maid?
Either way, it was terrifying.
“This fire is so hot, but my arm still won’t stop shaking. Would you like a blanket?”
The maid moved busily, helping her get ready. Wrapped in the blanket the maid gave her, Sophia sat still and thought.
Who can I tell about this?
Once, standing at the edge of the balcony could be explained—it hadn’t happened, after all. But now, yelling in her sleep and blocking the door? That clearly meant her condition had gotten worse.
Should I tell Mother?
But Countess Hilden had been overly sensitive about Sophia’s health ever since she woke from her five-month sleep. She even came in late at night sometimes just to check on her. If Sophia told her about what could seem like sleepwalking madness, her mother wouldn’t be able to take it.
Worried, Sophia asked, “Erica, you didn’t tell Mother about this morning’s mess, did you?”
“I was going to if you still didn’t open the door.”
So, she hadn’t. Sophia sighed in relief and took a sip of rosewater before spitting it out.
Should I tell Felix?
But she quickly shook her head. Felix took everything seriously—he would insist they tell her parents.
If she couldn’t tell her parents or Felix, then…
As she stretched her arms and changed from her pajamas into a light slip, Sophia said,
“Then the only one left is the Duke.”
It would be cruel to burden Solid, who was pregnant, with this. The only person left really was the Duke. Besides, hadn’t he called doctors and tried everything to help her while she was unconscious?
Maybe he knew more than anyone here about the poison she took—and its side effects.
But…
Sophia hesitated.
There were just too many uncomfortable feelings, especially when she remembered how she had run away from him.
Sophia, did you have a dream?
That’s what the Duke had said as soon as he saw her strange behavior. He hadn’t liked it, but he spoke as if he’d expected it. Then he asked obsessively about the dream.
Could she really tell him that after dreaming she betrayed him with another man, she showed sleepwalking symptoms?
“Ugh. My head hurts.”
Sophia groaned and grabbed her head, overwhelmed by all the thoughts.
Erica screamed and rushed over, trying to stop Sophia’s hands from messing up the carefully brushed hair.
“What are you doing, young lady?! What’s gotten into you today?!”
Only the maid’s loud and desperate voice echoed through the air.
The letter from the Emperor might have sounded ordinary at first, but it was actually very powerful.
Congratulating Sophia on her engagement to the Duke and sending a gift for her recovery seemed normal enough.
But the real issue was the gift.
The Duke had casually read the letter sealed with the imperial crest, then slightly frowned and said, “Oh dear. Looks like we’ll have to go see an opera.”
Sophia had no idea what kind of gift this was.
“An opera?”
“Seems His Majesty sent a music troupe and dancers here.”
“Dancers and musicians?”
The Duke sounded so casual that Sophia didn’t understand right away. Dancers and musicians? Did he mean the Emperor sent some traveling performers?
“Wait, does that mean… the Vienna Atheunita Orchestra?”
“Yes.”
The Duke stretched like a cat, folded his newspaper, and lowered his sleeves.
He looked completely unfazed. Even though the Vienna Atheunita Orchestra was coming.
Sophia was still in shock.
The Vienna Atheunita Orchestra only performed in the capital. People from all over the world traveled by ship and carriage just to see their shows.
She said in disbelief, “Even the biggest theater here isn’t half the size of those in the capital! Are they really coming here just because of you?”
The Duke smiled.
“Not because of me, Sophia. His Majesty said he was so happy you woke up that he arranged it.”
But if she weren’t engaged to the Duke, the Emperor wouldn’t have cared if she ever woke up.
Sophia didn’t know how to explain that to the Duke. At the same time, she wondered if she was acting too naïve.
If this was natural for the Duke, then it should start feeling natural to her too—as someone who might become his Duchess.
Once she quieted down with that thought, her family finally snapped out of their daze and began speaking excitedly to fill the awkward silence.
“Oh my, the Emperor must really adore the Duke!”
“Even his real sons didn’t get treatment like this!”
“Sophia, thanks to you, we’re living like royalty!”
Everyone exclaimed in amazement at how great the Emperor and the Duke were.
Only then did Sophia relax her shoulders.
Right. I’m not the only one who finds this overwhelming.
