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Chapter 13
“Who’s doing what with whom?”
Muttering a curse, Isis shook his head, convinced he had misheard.
“What nonsense is this? How could someone who just broke off an engagement do something like that?”
“Right? And yet, here we are.”
Even to her, it didn’t feel real. Litricia gave a deflated laugh.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Hey, you’ve been collapsing all the time lately—did you really lose your mind? Or did you get a death sentence or something? Is that why you decided to live recklessly now?”
He seemed genuinely flustered.
It was unclear if Isis was talking to Litricia or to himself as he muttered.
“Unless you’re saying breaking off an engagement wasn’t enough and now you’re going to marry the Duke of Heverus? That’s completely insane! What are you thinking? Huh? Say something!”
As Isis fired off question after question without even pausing to breathe, Litricia quietly observed him.
Had he ever asked her this many questions before?
Had there ever been a time when he actually waited for her to answer?
“….”
So unlike how he usually recoiled in disgust at even the sound of her breathing, Isis now listened intently to her silence.
Litricia slowly nodded her head from top to bottom.
“Yeah. That’s right.”
“You lived just fine until now—so why are you suddenly doing something like this… Huh? Wait, what do you mean, ‘that’s right’?”
“The death sentence. I did get one.”
“Ha? Oh, I see—sure you did.”
“Yeah. Piril said I probably have about a year left to live.”
“Well, great! That means I won’t have to see your face after a year, huh? If that’s true, it’s actually a relief. I was getting sick of you anyway.”
“A… relief?”
“Yeah. But isn’t that a bit selfish of you? Expecting us to take care of your illness now? Seriously, how shameless. What a pain in the ass.”
Litricia lowered her eyes at Isis’s sharp, thorny words.
She hadn’t expected kindness, but hearing such cold honesty still stung.
So she smiled bitterly—and in response, Isis’s face twisted with anger.
“What? Is that how I’m supposed to react?”
From the sarcasm in his voice, it was clear he didn’t believe a word she’d said.
“I’ve heard some crazy things in my life, but this? You’re dying? Bullshit. If collapsing a few times means you’re terminal, then half the world’s population must be on death row.”
Isis let out a scoffing laugh.
“Just admit it—you wanted to mess with me and Father. That would sound more believable.”
“…Fine. Think whatever you want, brother.”
Litricia didn’t feel like arguing with him. She left him to his assumptions.
Isis had never truly listened to her anyway—not seriously. None of this mattered anymore.
Everything just felt exhausting now.
‘I just… want to rest. I’m so tired.’
Closing her eyes with a weary expression, she was suddenly pulled back to reality by the sound of calm footsteps and a deep voice beside her.
“Young Lord Esta, would you mind letting go of her? I don’t like people putting their hands on what’s mine.”
The voice belonged to Killian.
He had just stepped out of the parlor and was now walking straight toward Isis.
‘Right. There’s still something I need to deal with.’
Hearing Killian’s footsteps approach, Litricia forced her eyes open.
Her thumb unconsciously brushed the cold metal ring around her ring finger.
Marrying the duke, huh… No matter what promises I made, I need to have a more serious talk with him about this.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said, let go.”
Killian stopped just a step away, tall enough to cast a shadow under the chandelier light.
“Tsk. So young, yet your hearing’s already failing?”
“Failing? What are you talking about!”
Isis’s eyes flared at Killian’s blunt words.
Still trying to keep his composure, he bowed slightly but didn’t back down.
“Even if you are the duke, isn’t this a bit rude for a first meeting?”
“First meeting? Hm. So it turns out your eyesight isn’t any better than your ears, young lord.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
Isis looked Killian up and down in confusion.
Then he paused, noticing the man’s unusually simple clothes—ones unbefitting a duke.
“Wait a minute… those clothes…”
“Looks like a young noble from some lowly provincial family,” he’d thought the first time he met Winston Hilton in the woods.
Blinking rapidly, Isis remembered that unpleasantly smug voice.
“W-wait!”
Despite the impossibility of it, his mind flashed to the man imprisoned with him in the West Tower—who’d suddenly changed his tone and claimed to be vice-captain of the Silvano Order.
His throat trembled.
“Don’t tell me… You’re Winston Hilton?”
“Congratulations, young lord. Turns out your instincts aren’t totally hopeless.”
With a mocking clap, Killian twisted Isis’s arm without warning.
“Argh!”
Isis winced at the pain shooting up his arm.
“What the hell are you doing, Your Grace!”
“I told you—I don’t like people touching what’s mine.”
“What do you mean, ‘yours’? She’s a member of House Esta! And she’s already engaged!”
“Engaged? Oh, you mean that cheating bastard, Patrick Godwin? Is he still considered a fiancé these days?”
“W-what? Cheating? Are you talking about Patrick Godwin? Hey, Litricia—what is he talking about?”
Isis, distracted by Killian, loosened his grip for a moment.
Litricia used the opportunity to shake free from his hand.
“You heard him right. Patrick has someone else. I just ended a relationship that was already doomed.”
“Cheating? Since when? You never mentioned anything like this before!”
I tried. So many times. But every time, you shut your ears, saying you didn’t even want to hear me speak…
Litricia swallowed the words threatening to spill from her throat.
“Don’t worry, brother. My broken engagement won’t affect the family business.”
“That’s not the point! Since when did this start, huh?”
A moment ago, he was yelling about family honor.
Now he was obsessed with another issue. Litricia ignored him and looked at Killian.
“And Your Grace—I’m not a possession. So please refrain from calling me something that implies ownership.”
“Ah. My apologies. I’ve spent too long on the battlefield—manners aren’t exactly my strong suit.”
Killian, who had been watching her with interest, reached out his hand.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. My wife.”
“…Huh?”
Litricia flinched as she reached out to take his hand.
“What? Was that rude again? Isn’t it normal for a husband to call his wife ‘darling’?”
Unlike the startled Litricia, Killian spoke the affectionate word without flinching.
“Aren’t you going to take my hand? You seem to have a lot you want to say to me.”
His cold, composed expression hadn’t changed—but he didn’t seem angry.
‘…He’s giving me a headache.’
Litricia rubbed her temple, feeling dizzy.
Was it her imagination, or had her vision been spinning for a while?
Trying to steady herself, she reached for Killian’s hand—after all, they needed to talk.
But just before her small hand touched his palm—
“Hey! You haven’t answered my question yet! Explain what the hell’s going on!”
An enraged Isis suddenly shoved her shoulder, and her frail body couldn’t withstand the force.
“Huh…?”
Before she could even process what was happening, both her feet left the ground and her vision flipped upside down.
“Damn it, Litricia!”
***
“Litricia!”
She felt herself floating—weightless, like gravity had vanished.
As Killian shouted her name and caught her in his arms, her surroundings blurred.
The chandelier light spun wildly.
She must’ve fallen down the stairs.
Despite his large frame shielding her, she could hear the thud thud of them hitting things.
Finally, there was a crack, like a bone snapping, and they came to a halt.
“Ugh…”
A groan escaped Litricia’s lips.
She must’ve hit her head on the stair railing—sharp pain radiated from her skull.
“Haah… Are you okay?”
She barely managed a nod in response to Killian’s question.
Maybe from the shock, a piercing ringing filled her ears, blurring her vision.
‘Why can’t I see properly?’
Blinking rapidly, Litricia tried to stand.
“Are you okay, Your Grace? Are you hurt—”
“Litricia?”
Killian cut her off, noticing something was wrong.
She only moved her lips silently.
“Litricia, what’s wrong? Are you badly hurt?”
“…Your Grace.”
“Yes? Tell me.”
She opened her mouth again, voice trembling.
“Did… did the lights in the hallway go out?”
“…No. The lights are still on.”
“R-really? Then why…?”
The ringing grew louder, crawling up into her brain.
Litricia brought a trembling hand to her eyes.
‘Why… why can’t I see anything?’
