Chapter 13

“Who did what with whom?”

Muttering curses, Isis shook his head, certain he had misheard.

“What nonsense. How is that even possible for someone who just broke off an engagement?”

“Well, apparently it is possible.”

Finding it all quite surreal herself, Letricia let out a hollow laugh.

“This is crazy. Hey, you’re always fainting here and there, has something happened to your head? Or what, did you get your death date? Is that why you’re living recklessly?”

Clearly quite bewildered by the situation,

Isis muttered words that could have been directed at either Letricia or himself.

“Without something like that, how could you do something this insane – not just breaking an engagement but marrying the Grand Duke Heberus? You couldn’t possibly do something this crazy! What are you thinking, huh? Say something!”

As Isis fired questions without taking a breath, Letricia wondered: Had Isis ever asked her this many questions before? Had he ever waited so eagerly for her response?

“…”

After silently listening to Isis’s reaction, which was completely different from his usual attitude of being disgusted even by the sound of her breathing, Letricia slowly nodded her head up and down.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“You were living just fine normally, then suddenly doing this kind of thing, what’s the reason… Huh? What’s right?”

“The death date, that I received it.”

“Huh? Oh~ is that so?”

“Yes. Piril said I have about a year left to live.”

“Wow, then in a year I won’t have to see your face anymore? If that’s true, it’s really great news. I was getting sick of you anyway.”

“Great… news?”

“Yeah. But hey, if that’s true, aren’t you being too much? Are you telling us to take care of your illness now too? Wow, you have no shame. This is going to be such a pain.”

At Isis’s thorny words, Letricia lowered her eyes.

Although she hadn’t expected a warm response, seeing his relieved reaction made her stomach turn.

When she gave a bitter smile, Isis’s face suddenly twisted unpleasantly.

“What, is this how you want me to react?”

Judging by his sarcastic tone, it seemed he didn’t believe Letricia’s confession about her illness.

“I’ve heard all sorts of things, but you having a terminal illness? Bull. If people died from just fainting occasionally, half the world would be terminally ill.”

Isis snorted as if it was ridiculous.

“Just say you wanted to get back at father and me for once. That would be more believable.”

“…Fine. Think whatever makes you comfortable, Brother.”

Not wanting to argue with Isis, Letricia just let him think whatever he wanted.

She was tired of everything now – Isis, who had no intention of taking her words seriously, all of it.

‘I want to… rest. I’m so tired.’

Letricia closed her eyes with an exhausted expression. Just then, along with neat footsteps, a deep voice settled in her ear.

“Lord Esta, I’d like you to remove that hand. I don’t like others touching what’s mine.”

The voice belonged to Killian.

Having just left the reception room, he was walking straight toward Isis.

‘Right, there’s still something to resolve.’

Following Killian’s measured footsteps, Letricia forced her eyelids open.

Her thumb traced the cold metal ring on her ring finger.

Marriage to the Grand Duke… Even though she had promised with her own mouth to accept whatever he asked, it seemed she needed to have a more serious conversation with the Grand Duke about this matter.

“Did you not hear me say to let go?”

By then, Killian had approached close enough that his tall frame blocked the light from the lamp.

“My, my. Though you’re still young, it seems your hearing has already deteriorated.”

“Deteriorated? What do you mean by that!”

Isis’s eyes rose sharply at Killian’s blunt word choice.

Though he seemed to feel the need to maintain some courtesy as he bowed slightly, Isis still stood his ground against Killian.

“Even if you are the Grand Duke, aren’t you being too rude at our first meeting?”

“First meeting? Now I see that not only your hearing but your observation skills are quite poor as well.”

“What? What do you mean by…”

With a confused expression, Isis looked Killian up and down.

Then he hesitated at Killian’s notably plain attire that seemed unsuitable for his position as Grand Duke.

“Huh? Those clothes…”

“Looking at those clothes, he must be from some minor provincial noble family.”

Recalling what he had thought when he first met Winston Hilton in the forest, Isis blinked rapidly.

Come to think of it, even that somewhat annoying way of speaking was strangely familiar.

“Ah…!”

Even while thinking it was impossible.

Isis’s Adam’s apple trembled as he remembered the man who had been imprisoned with him in the western tower suddenly changing his face and revealing himself as the vice commander of the Silvano Knights.

“Could you be… Winston Hilton from earlier?”

“Congratulations, young lord. Fortunately, it seems your observation skills aren’t completely hopeless.”

After giving sarcastic applause at Isis’s belated realization, Killian twisted one of Isis’s muscular arms.

“Urgh!”

Isis’s face contorted at the pain shooting up his arm.

“What are you doing, Your Highness!”

“I told you. I don’t like others touching what’s mine.”

“What do you mean others? This child is a member of House Esta! And she already has a fiancé!”

“Fiancé? Ah. I suppose these days even unfaithful trash who think about divorce before marriage gets treated as a fiancé.”

“What? Unfaithful trash? Are you talking about Petrick Godwin? Hey, Letricia, what is he talking about?”

Isis’s grip momentarily loosened as he became distracted dealing with Killian.

Letricia took that opportunity to shake off Isis’s hand that had been gripping her shoulder.

“It’s exactly as you heard. Petrick has another lover, and I just ended early what was going to end anyway.”

“An affair? Since when? You never said anything about this until now!”

I tried to, many times. But each time, you were the one who covered your ears saying you didn’t want to talk to me.

Letricia swallowed the words that were rising in her throat.

“Don’t worry. My broken engagement won’t affect the family business, Brother.”

“Is that the issue right now? I’m asking since when, huh?”

Despite having been in an uproar just moments ago about potential harm to the family.

Ignoring Isis who was now getting worked up about another issue, Letricia looked at Killian.

“And Your Highness, I am not an object. So please refrain from expressions that suggest ownership.”

“Ah. My apologies. Having spent so much time on battlefields, I’m rather lacking in manners.”

Killian, who had been looking with interest at Letricia as she spoke firmly, extended his hand.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful from now on, wife.”

“What…?”

Letricia’s shoulder jerked as she was about to take his outstretched hand.

“Why, did I breach etiquette again? Isn’t it normal for a husband to call his wife ‘wife’?”

Unlike the startled Letricia, Killian used the unfamiliar term without changing his expression.

“Won’t you take it? You seem to have a lot to say to me.”

Though his chilly expression was clearly unchanged.

Killian didn’t actually seem upset as he waved his hand urging her.

‘…This person is making my head hurt more.’

Letricia pressed her temple as Killian kept doing unpredictable things. Maybe it was her imagination, but her vision had started spinning since earlier. Standing in one position in that state made her body feel wobbly, so Letricia tried to take Killian’s outstretched hand. They did need to talk to each other anyway.

But just before Letricia’s delicate hand could touch Killian’s palm.

“Hey! You haven’t answered my question yet. I told you to explain what all this is about!”

The excited Isis pushed Letricia’s shoulder strongly, and her fragile body, unable to withstand the force, tipped backward.

“Huh…?”

And before she could comprehend what was happening, her feet left the ground and her vision suddenly turned upside down.

“Damn it, Letricia!”

* * *

“Letricia!”

Her body rose with a strange sensation that defied gravity.

As Killian, who had called out to Letricia urgently, embraced her, her vision became chaotically tangled.

Judging by how the chandelier lights were swaying dizzily, it seemed they were falling down the stairs.

Despite Killian’s large body firmly embracing Letricia, there were sounds of things hitting with thuds.

Finally, after a cracking sound like bones breaking, their tumbling bodies came to a stop.

“Ugh…”

A belated groan escaped Letricia’s lips.

Sharp pain coursed through her skull, probably from hitting her head on the stair railing during the fall.

“Haa… are you alright?”

Letricia barely managed to nod at Killian who was asking about her condition.

Was it because of the impact? Her vision was dizzy from the ringing in her ears.

‘I can’t see well. What’s happening?’

Due to her vision alternately narrowing and widening, Letricia rubbed her eyes as she got up.

“Are you alright, Your Highness? Are you hurt…”

“Letricia?”

Though Killian called out to Letricia who had suddenly stopped speaking, she only moved her lips once.

“Letricia, what’s wrong? Are you badly hurt?”

“…Your Highness.”

“Yes. Tell me.”

Moving her lips silently again, Letricia spoke with a trembling voice.

“Has the corridor light gone out?”

“…No. The lights are still on.”

“Is… that so? Then why…”

Now shaking her head vigorously at the ringing that had spread from her ears to her head.

Letricia raised her trembling hand to feel her eyes.

‘Why can’t I see anything?’