IMMCFC 33

 Chapter 33

Yawning, I opened my drowsy eyes and slowly lifted my body.

In the darkness, I noticed a small pink bundle. Melody was curled up and sleeping next to me.

I felt refreshed, as if I had slept deeply.

‘…She’s completely passed out.’

Carefully, I rose from the bed.

Peeking out the window, I saw the moon hanging in the sky.

It was roughly near midnight.

I had taken the antidote, collapsed, and now several hours seemed to have passed.

I moved my arms and legs, checking my body’s condition.

‘Hmm, as expected.’

Sure enough, there was nothing wrong with me. The antidote had worked properly.

What a relief.

I exhaled deeply, though it also felt natural.

If there had been any real risk, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.

I had confidence in myself. Confidence that nothing would happen.

I even knew how the antidote worked from the original story, so I had already checked its effects in advance.

‘Not ready to die yet.’

Jayden’s treatment was just beginning, and Melody still had a long way to go before growing up. I couldn’t die until I had finished what I needed to do.

‘Even if that’s true for me… I think I’ve worried Cain a lot.’

Because I was dazed, I didn’t remember clearly, but Cain’s face, as I had vaguely seen it, came to mind.

He seemed very angry at my reckless actions.

‘I’ll have to apologize later…’

After all, I did scare him.

Stretching my stiff back, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

‘Come to think of it…’

I recalled that I had promised Cain a walk tonight.

Ah no. We were supposed to meet at eleven. That was far past.

Panicking briefly, I quickly calmed myself.

‘First, stay calm.’

Logically, the appointment had probably been canceled. I had caused such a scene right in front of him.

It would be better to just lie down and wait for my body to fully recover.

But…

Against my better judgment, my feet moved toward the wardrobe, and my hands immediately went for my coat.

‘I’ve already napped enough during the day, and I can’t sleep… Maybe I’ll step outside for a bit.’

Although my mind knew it was unlikely, I still felt a nervous curiosity about whether Cain might be outside.

As I grabbed the coat, I felt something unusual at my chest.

‘Ah, the necklace is crooked.’

Did I struggle in my sleep? The necklace inside my clothes had shifted slightly from its usual position.

I had worn it since my childhood, so long that it felt like part of my body now.

The necklace I had before becoming the adopted daughter of the Devoir Marquis family.

A letter left by the late former marquis said it was a relic from my biological mother and told me to treasure it.

I carefully adjusted the necklace and put on my coat.

‘Of course, there’s no one in the garden.’

Even as I thought that, my steps toward the outside were slightly hurried.

A few hours earlier, in the duke’s study.

Cain seemed unusually distracted, gazing outside instead of focusing on his work.

The only sound from the garden was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

‘…So quiet.’

The garden, peaceful as if the daytime chaos had never happened, was soon disturbed.

A hesitant knock sounded at the door, and an unexpected visitor had arrived.

“…Duke.”

It was none other than Jayden.

Three years had passed since he became under my protection.

The boy, who had always avoided eye contact, now came of his own accord to the study.

His face was pale, his fists tightly clenched, but he lifted his gaze to meet Cain’s eyes.

“…Celia Dorn. That woman dared to try and kill Viola.”

Cain watched Jayden silently.

‘Impressive.’

The boy had always been too scared to look at me and ran away at the slightest sign of fear, yet now he could show such expression.

Deep in Jayden’s eyes, there was still fear, but also a strong resolve to protect someone.

‘You want Celia Dorn severely punished, huh.’

Cain answered quietly:

“It will be done as you wish.”

“…Thank you.”

Only then did the boy’s tense expression ease slightly.

After that conversation, Jayden left immediately, though he didn’t really need to come in person.

Cain had already decided her punishment before Jayden even knocked.

By now, Celia Dorn was probably being loaded into a carriage, bound for her family home at the Dorn Marquis house.

Cain put down his pen and recalled what happened after leaving Viola’s room.

The knights had dragged Celia Dorn into the study, her hair disheveled, lying on the floor, babbling in terror.

“I… I’m innocent! I only tried to protect the duke… to catch the fraudster! Master Jayden is…”

She had caused a ruckus in Jayden’s bedroom. Now she seemed stupefied under the cold Dragonblood energy.

Cain stared down at her with his cold, icy gaze.

Recovering some composure, she spoke urgently:

“S-she only ate the poisonous herb on her own! Even if I forced it, I didn’t make her open her mouth by force…!”

Her constant blame-shifting made Cain frown.

“That’s enough.”

“Your Grace…! I really didn’t do anything wrong—”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that you used the Dorn Marquis’ influence to investigate my guest?”

“…!”

Celia’s words stuck in her throat.

“Conrad surely warned you. Be careful of your actions.”

Officially, she was Jayden’s maid, but in reality, she was more like a household assistant.

The late duke’s relationship with the Dorn Marquis had given her the title of maid.

Attempts to assign Jayden a proper maid had been made, but each time Conrad reported:

“Master Jayden seems not to want that. Your Grace, may I suggest trusting and waiting for him?”

Cain respected Jayden’s wishes and maintained Celia’s position, secretly assigning helpers to assist her.

Thus, Celia Dorn remained a titular maid in Aschern.

Even if a parasite attached itself, the family wouldn’t collapse.

She should have known better than to cross the line.

There was no more discussion needed.

Cain’s eyes, colder than ice, commanded:

“Take her away.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The matter was settled, and all dealings with the Dorn Marquis, which had lasted generations, were severed.

The family would suffer a heavy blow, perhaps ruin, but Cain didn’t need to worry about that.

This was exactly the severe punishment Jayden had wanted.

After Jayden left, the study fell silent again.

Cain noticed the clock on the wall.

It was late at night, the time he had promised to meet Viola approaching.

Although the meeting had been canceled, he picked up his coat.

Under the moonlight, Cain stopped walking and finally shook off his thoughts.

‘So many distractions today.’

Cain usually walked at night to clear his complicated mind.

The quiet garden helped calm his tense nerves.

He generally didn’t care for much, but he liked the calm of the night.

Yet today, the familiar silence felt unusually dull.

Perhaps because the chatter from last night was gone.

A faint sense of regret tugged at him.

We had only walked together for one day, yet he already felt the emptiness.

‘Shall I head back?’

Even though they had promised to walk together tonight, Cain knew it had been effectively canceled.

Viola wasn’t coming tonight; she was probably sleeping quietly in bed.

Yet, somehow, Cain still found himself in the garden.