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Chapter 81………………………..
‘So… His Grace is heartsick because of Rayen Wintel.’
That’s why he’s lost his composure, struggling, and looking for someone to lean on.
‘Without realizing it, he longed for human warmth, and that’s why he sought out physical closeness more often…’
Etisha let out a deep sigh, her eyes full of sorrow.
Although Cayenne’s heartache wasn’t actually over Rayen Wintel—Rayen had long since been pushed aside because of Etisha herself—Etisha remained completely unaware of that truth.
‘All the more reason I have to do my best.’
Etisha silently made a firm resolve.
As much as Cayenne was shaken, she would stand beside him as his support.
‘As if it weren’t enough that His Grace is plagued by rumors of being illegitimate, now he has to endure heartbreak over Rayen Wintel too. How hard that must be for him… I have to help him, so he can lean on me.’
And the best way to do that was, of course, her debut in society.
By carrying off her debutante ball successfully, she could raise the prestige of House Wintel and become Cayenne’s reliable pillar as his duchess.
‘Now that it’s come to this, I must have a debut more perfect than anyone else’s.’
Etisha rose from her seat with determined eyes.
Instead of sitting blankly and just thinking, she needed to go to the library and study books on northern etiquette, and also seek out Madam Cyrilese for advice on navigating society.
Etisha placed her hand on the doorknob to open the bedroom door.
But then—
A sharp pain shot through her.
As though a knife had been born inside her heart, pain pierced through Etisha’s body.
“Khht…!”
She collapsed without even being able to groan.
The symptoms of her Gwama disease were getting worse and worse.
This way, going to the library or meeting Madam Cyrilese would be impossible. If she encountered anyone, they would immediately discover her condition.
“Ahhk… ah…”
Etisha clawed at her chest desperately as she gasped.
Her nails tore through the decorations of her dress, leaving scratches across her breast.
If she could, she wanted to rip her heart out of her body and throw it away—so unbearable was the pain. She nearly screamed.
‘N-no. If I make noise, the maids will rush in.’
Biting her lip, Etisha endured the horrific agony by sheer will.
Blood flowed from her lips, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her throat was raw and scratchy, her tongue heavy after retching so violently.
‘It hurts… It hurts so much…’
With that final thought, Etisha fainted.
Her frail body collapsed limply onto the floor.
Thud.
Darkness.
Wintel Castle, underground prison.
A robed man descended the stairs, a candlestick in one hand, his movements silent and concealed.
Through the folds of the robe, strands of black hair could be seen.
“Halt. By order of His Grace, no one is allowed beyond this point.”
The knights guarding the prison blocked his path.
Security was strict, and there were quite a few guards.
The man in the robe pushed back his hood, revealing his face.
“Stand aside.”
It was Kailes Wintel.
The moment they recognized the former Duke of Wintel, the knights’ expressions hardened.
The atmosphere grew heavier, their hands tightening around their swords.
“We’re sorry, Lord Kailes. His Grace has given strict orders not to let you through—even if it is you.”
“I see. If it’s Cayenne, then he’s made the arrangements thoroughly.”
“Yes, sir… He also gave us permission to use force against you if necessary.”
“……”
“We don’t wish to point our swords at you, Lord Kailes. Please, it would be best if you turned back for today.”
Kailes glanced deeper into the prison.
So the carrier pigeons he’d been sending to Rayen since the wedding day had been coming back undelivered because Rayen was captured by Cayenne.
“I see… The longer the tail, the more likely it is to be stepped on.”
Officially, Rayen Wintel had already been declared dead.
There was a reason for that.
In the entire empire, only two people knew he was still alive: Kailes, who had hidden him and aided his escape, and Rayen himself.
But now it seemed Cayenne also knew the secret.
Kailes didn’t know when Cayenne had realized Rayen was alive, but what mattered now was this: Rayen was imprisoned in Cayenne’s underground dungeon.
“I have no choice, then. I don’t want to fight you, but I can’t turn back quietly either.”
If he left now, the guards would report to Cayenne that Kailes had come to the dungeon.
‘The heavy guard means Rayen is still alive. But if word of my visit reaches Cayenne, Rayen’s survival can no longer be guaranteed.’
So this was his last chance to rescue Rayen.
“Let’s not waste time.”
Kailes threw off his robe and drew the longsword at his waist. The knights also drew their blades in response.
Their faces were grim.
They could face Rayen Wintel with the resolve to kill him if necessary—but they could never bring themselves to kill Kailes.
Kailes sensed their hesitation. That’s why he moved first, launching himself at them with a strike.
His robe flared, and the gust snuffed out the flame of the candlestick he carried.
The prison, already dark, sank into even deeper shadow.
The clash of steel rang out, sparks leaping from the blades.
After a brief but fierce exchange, Kailes felled all the knights.
He alone remained standing in the pitch-black prison.
Without even pausing for breath, he sheathed his sword and pressed forward.
Ignoring the cells lined on either side, he walked straight to the end of the corridor, where a solid brick wall stood.
Pressing certain protruding bricks in a set order, he opened a hidden passageway.
“Rayen.”
Kailes hurried into the secret cell.
It was too dark to see, but that didn’t matter.
He could sense the aura of living humans in the dark if he focused.
“Rayen. Brother. Are you alive?”
He called again and again—but nothing.
No answer, no presence.
“……”
Could it be? Dead?
Kailes carefully entered, running his hands along the narrow cell.
There was no one inside.
Only the dangling chains remained—traces of someone once bound there. But Rayen Wintel was gone.
“…Ha. Outsmarted.”
Cayenne had anticipated Kailes’ move.
He had already moved Rayen to another secret place—one only he knew.
Kailes unfastened his robe with a bitter sigh. A strong premonition came over him: he would never be able to save Rayen now.
Cayenne had already surpassed Kailes—and perhaps even Rayen, his own father, in talent.
No method of rescue came to mind for someone held by Cayenne.
‘Like father, like son…’
It was the thought Kailes always carried.
Watching Cayenne grow up, he could never help but see Rayen’s image overlap with him.
Rayen Wintel, his extraordinary yet pitiful younger brother…
He should have become the Grand Duke of House Wintel. But tragedy dragged him into hell, and he was declared dead, forgotten by the world.
And Cayenne resembled him so much—his handsome looks, his shining talent, his captivating spirit.
That was why Kailes always felt despair whenever he looked at him.
Just as Rayen had fallen into tragedy, Cayenne too seemed destined to be crushed by a cruel fate.
Kailes would lose Cayenne, just as he had lost Rayen.
So he had deliberately kept Cayenne at arm’s length.
He provided all the support a foster father could, but unlike Madam Cyrilese, he could never embrace Cayenne with his heart. That was the best Kailes could do.
‘Rayen…’
With a sigh, Kailes walked slowly out of the prison.
‘Isn’t it time to reveal the truth, my foolish brother?’
The truth Rayen had buried by abandoning the dukedom and even feigning death…
The tragedy that had befallen House Wintel decades ago.
‘Please…’
Kailes clenched his fist.
If the truth were to come out, it had to be before Cayenne killed Rayen.
If such a disaster occurred, then it would already be far too late.
“Uhh…”
Etisha groaned as she opened her eyes.
She didn’t know how long she’d been unconscious, but since the sun was still up, it couldn’t have been too long.
‘This is bad.’
Her Gwama disease symptoms were worsening.
When she coughed, blood spilled from her mouth. Her bitten lips were bleeding too.
At least no one had seen her in this state.
With her last ounce of strength before fainting, she had locked the bedroom door. Thanks to that, no one had discovered her illness yet—but she couldn’t rely on luck forever.
Next time, the fit could strike anywhere, and the pain would be even worse.
‘What should I do…’
Her pale face hardened.
She needed to debut soon, but in this condition, even preparing for it was difficult.
‘Going to the library or meeting Mother—it’s all too dangerous.’
Should she cancel the debutante ball, then?
‘…No. I can’t.’
Canceling would make it the second time.
After postponing once following the picnic, she couldn’t possibly do it again.
Most of all, she wanted to succeed at the ball to help Cayenne.
‘Calm down… Think… What’s the best way…’
She carefully wiped the blood from her lips with a handkerchief.
First, she needed a safe place.
Somewhere no one would find her, where it wouldn’t matter if she collapsed again.
Second, she needed an ally.
‘But not His Grace.’
Cayenne was already burdened enough with Rayen’s troubles. She couldn’t add to his load.
And if Cayenne discovered her condition, he would surely cancel the debut again.
‘Then, there’s only one person left…’
Etisha burned the bloodstained handkerchief in a candle flame, erasing the evidence, and stood up.
There was exactly one person who perfectly fit the conditions she had in mind.
