RTGD 14

Chapter  14

‘Nothing. I can’t see anything.’

It was as if she were trapped in a dark, windowless room. The whole world had gone black.

Letrisha struggled to breathe, her body suddenly weakened. She clamped her hand over her mouth—nausea surged up without warning.

“Your vision may suddenly blur, and nausea might occur as well.”

“…H-ha. What is this?”

This wasn’t just blurred vision, Piril.

Recalling what Piril had told her about the symptoms, Letrisha gave a hollow laugh.

“Your Grace, are you all right? Hey, are you okay?”

Just then, she sensed Isis belatedly rushing down the stairs.

“Hey, I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to do that—”

“Don’t touch me!”

Was he trying to help her now? As Isis reached out to support her, Letrisha shoved him away forcefully.

“Did you just push me? Seriously? I try to be concerned and you flip out. You’re yelling, so you must be fine!”

“Concerned?”

“What, do we have to nurse you now too? How annoying.”

Letrisha clenched her fist as Isis’s casual words resurfaced in her memory.

If he finds out the condition she’s in now… what cruel thing would he say this time?

Imagining a few of his likely comments, Letrisha tightly closed her eyes.

Whatever it was, she didn’t want to hear it right now.

She didn’t need Isis’s cruel remarks to add to her burden—just accepting the sudden loss of her sight was overwhelming enough.

“Brother, when did Patrick start cheating on me?”

Steadying her voice, Letrisha fumbled for the railing and stood up.

“Probably from the beginning. He only got engaged to me because he needed the Esta family’s shipping business to claim his dukedom. You and Father both knew that.”

“Well, yes, but it’s common for nobles to marry for strategic gain—”

“Do you know what Tetrad is?”

“Why are you bringing that up?”

That newly imported spice—it could trigger a reflexive state in someone even in tiny amounts. Hearing its name, Isis’s voice rose in alarm.

“Patrick planned to use it on me. Said I’d be useless once he secured the shipping rights.”

“What? That insane bastard…!”

“Why are you so worked up? It’s not a loss for you anyway, is it?”

“What?”

“You’re sick of seeing my face, aren’t you? I thought you’d be glad Patrick would get rid of me for you.”

“You little…!”

Isis growled, at a loss for words. With what he’d said before, he had no ground for a proper rebuttal.

Meanwhile, Letrisha, suffering from sharp, stabbing headaches, scratched at the railing with her fingernails.

“I think this sibling talk has gone on long enough. How much longer do I have to wait, my lady?”

Killian, who had quietly watched the situation, stepped up and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“I’d appreciate it if you paid me some attention too.”

He gently lifted Letrisha’s hand from the railing and placed it on his arm.

“Hmm?”

Every motion was so natural that to an outsider, it would seem the lie—about Killian falling for Letrisha at first sight—was nothing but the truth.

“It’s all… over now.”

“Is it? Then we can leave. I don’t particularly like the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes… But, Your Grace, are you okay? You rolled down the stairs holding me…”

“Hmm…”

“Your Grace?”

As the silence stretched, Letrisha tried to focus on where his face might be.

Just before her vision blurred, she thought he didn’t look seriously injured.

Maybe she’d missed something in her dazed state.

Now that she thought about it… she did hear the sound of a bone breaking. Could it be…?

“Your… ugh!”

Just as she reached toward Killian, Letrisha clutched her head and curled into herself.

It felt as if someone had smashed a hammer into her skull. The throbbing pain tore through her mind relentlessly.

“I’m fine. You should worry about yourself first.”

“I’m fine too… ngh…”

Trying to stand, she collapsed again as her legs gave out.

The unfamiliar pain made her entire body tremble.

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted into firm arms, her head resting against a broad chest—Killian had picked her up.

She needed to tell him to put her down. Isis was watching. But the pain kept her from speaking. All she could do was weakly squirm.

Even that stopped as her consciousness began to fade.

“Put me… ngh. Please… I can walk…”

“Just stay in my arms. You can’t walk.”

“But my brother—”

“Doesn’t matter.”

In the dimming haze, Killian’s voice reached her, stiffening her body.

“You can’t see anything right now, can you?”

“…!”

*

“My lord!”

Pel and Fay had been loitering outside, unable to enter the ballroom without an invitation. Mark, who had been waiting at the west tower, rushed over with them when they saw Killian emerge.

“What happened in there? Your clothes are a mess!”

Disheveled from tumbling down the stairs, Killian held Letrisha close as she panted in his arms.

Then they noticed it—Killian’s arm bent at an unnatural angle.

They stared in horror. With an injury like that, he should’ve been fainting from pain. But the monstrous captain of the Silvano Knights showed no signs of slowing down, still holding Letrisha firmly in his arms.

Mark’s face twisted in disbelief. He’d known his master for years, yet at moments like this, he wasn’t even sure Killian was human.

“My lord! Are you hurt? You can’t use your arm like that—”

“Stop making a scene.”

With a calm face betraying no pain, Killian continued walking.

“We’re returning to the townhouse immediately.”

“With that young lady as well?”

“Yes. Prepare a horse—wait.”

Killian suddenly stopped.

He realized his body was too injured to ride a horse while holding a patient. He could leave Letrisha with his black-clad subordinates, but…

One look at his expression—a face that seemed ready to cut someone down at any moment—made it obvious. Killian had no intention of letting anyone else hold her.

“Mark.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Can a carriage reach the townhouse?”

“Yes. The road doesn’t pass through the forest, so it’s possible.”

Killian glanced down at Letrisha’s pale face.

Sweat dotted her forehead, and she looked barely conscious.

‘This should be okay then.’

“Ready a carriage immediately. And Pel.”

“Yes?”

As Mark hurried off to rent a carriage to replace the one left in the forest, Killian called to Pel.

“Go to the Count of Esta’s estate and bring their personal physician.”

“Huh? You want me to bring their doctor?”

Pel, who had been looking forward to seeing the Empress Dowager humiliated, was dumbfounded as he followed behind.

What in the world had happened in such a short time?

And now, to bring the Esta family’s physician?

It was all too much.

“Will the doctor even come with me? I doubt I’ll be allowed inside—oh.”

Muttering anxiously, Pel reflexively caught what had been thrown at him.

It was a medical bookmark with an unusual title.

“My lord, what’s this?”

“Show it to the doctor. Tell him the person who sent the book is calling him. And…”

“W-Wait, Your Grace! Why are you taking Letrisha with you?”

Killian glanced toward the palace entrance. Isis had just emerged, shouting behind them.

“Follow that idiot over there. He’ll get you into the estate.”

“Ah—‘idiot,’ got it. But you have to explain everything when I get back, okay?”

Shrugging, Pel turned toward Isis and intercepted him, blocking his path.

As Isis flailed his arms in frustration, Killian climbed into the carriage that Mark had fetched.

“Let’s go.”

The door closed.

As the carriage started moving, a groan escaped Letrisha’s lips.

“Ugh…”

Killian wiped the sweat from her forehead and quietly observed her face.

Her pained expression brought back the image of how pale she’d looked inside the ballroom.

“You can’t see… How did you…?”

He remembered her lips faltering in shock when she realized he knew.

Her large, unfocused eyes darting wildly in panic.

Then—burying her face in his chest, unable to endure the pain.

As the memories played in his mind, Killian clenched his jaw tightly.

He reached into her sleeve and pulled out a pill case.

“No painkillers?”

Staring at the tranquilizer container resting in his hand, he tucked it into his own pocket.

“Well, I suppose she wouldn’t carry it with her yet.”

In its place, Killian retrieved a small pouch.

Inside were pills—identical to the ones Piril had given her.

“Letrisha. Open your mouth.”

“Ngh… Who…”

Her eyelids trembled under his gentle taps, but her eyes remained unfocused.

She still couldn’t see. That fact made Killian grit his teeth until veins bulged along his jawline.

“Who do you think?”

“…Ah… Your Grace…?”

“Ha. That wretched title—you cling to it, even now.”

Letting out a bitter laugh, Killian’s face twisted.

“Yes, Letrisha. It’s me.”

He stared at the ring, now perfectly fitted on her finger—like it had finally found its rightful place.

“The one who just became your husband.”

And…

“The man you once abandoned in your previous life—your old husband.”