Chapter 74

74

From the early hours of the morning, the servants of the Valentino Castle had to endure a tumultuous time.

This was because Duke Valentino had appeared, cradling the unconscious Duchess in his arms.

"Bring Dr. Sop! Right now!"

"Yes, yes...!"

Not only the servants but even the head steward was flustered and in a panic.

After all, the Duchess... her complexion was pale, and she was drenched in blood.

'What on earth happened?'

Everyone had the same question. What had happened to the Duchess who had fled in the middle of the night over the past few days?

The fact that the Duchess had fled in the middle of the night had been kept under wraps. The atmosphere around the Duke was so menacing that the retainers didn't dare to speak a word.

The relationship between the Duke and Duchess had recently worsened again, and it was speculated that this was the reason the Duchess had chosen to flee.

The Duke's menacing demeanor was also attributed to his fury at the Duchess. Everyone was convinced that this time, the Duke and Duchess would divorce.

Until the Duke appeared, cradling the unconscious Duchess in his arms.

"Lily, please, please..."

The Duke quickly moved the Duchess to the bedroom and laid her on the bed, refusing to leave her side for a moment.

Holding the hand of the Duchess, who lay asleep with a pale face, he repeated his plea in a desperate voice.

"Please, Lord..."

The maids who came to change the Duchess's clothes and clean her body were speechless at the sight.

The Duke seemed unaware of what he was saying. His eyes, filled with anxiety and fear, even seemed to have a hint of madness. He was clearly not in his right mind.

This was also the impression of Dr. Jane Sop, the Duchess's personal physician, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

'After regaining his memory, he treated my lady so coldly that even my heart ached...'

What had changed his heart this time, making him embrace and plead with the Duchess? It was truly a mystery.

'Has he regained his memories from the past...?'

Jane knew that there were many issues with the Duke's current memory. However, as the Duke's personal physician, she refrained from interfering.

This time, Jane silently did her job. She felt that the relationship between the Duke and Duchess was quite complicated, but she was not in a position to offer advice. She could only hope that everything would be resolved smoothly.

For the sake of the poor Duchess, who had to flee in the middle of the night.

'What a pitiful person.'

She shouldn't dare to feel sympathy for the Duchess, but how could she help it? After thoroughly examining Lily, Jane sighed and spoke.

"It seems she has a fever from overexertion. The blood she vomited is likely due to internal organ damage. ...But it's a bit strange."

"Strange? What do you mean?"

Theodore asked with a weary look, and Jane, avoiding his gaze, replied.

"My lady's constitution is much better than before. The last time I examined her, she was much weaker."

"..."

"How she suddenly improved is also a bit of a mystery... and it's puzzling why her organs are damaged despite her improved constitution."

After thinking for a moment, Theodore spoke again.

"So, you're saying that Lily's health has improved, but her organs are damaged, which is strange?"

"Yes, that's right. ...I apologize for saying this, but I suspect... someone may have tried to harm my lady. Perhaps with poison."

"..."

Theodore's demeanor instantly turned cold. Jane shivered under his icy gaze. ...Did I say something I shouldn't have? But the Duchess's condition was indeed strange.

"Then we need to conduct a toxicity test. Can you do it right away?"

"Yes, and I will carefully select the herbs to help heal the damaged organs and prepare a decoction. Please wait a moment."

"Alright, I understand."

"Yes, I will start the toxicity test immediately."

Theodore nodded in agreement. Jane took out a sterilized needle and test strip from her medical bag and approached the bed.

The Duchess, lying as still as if she were dead, had a pale complexion and colorless lips.

Feeling a mix of emotions, Jane gently lifted the Duchess's hand. She then pressed the tip of her second finger with the sharp needle.

As a drop of blood welled up from the pricked finger, Jane quickly placed the test strip underneath.

She then disinfected the Duchess's fingertip and applied medicine, followed by gauze and a bandage. She picked up the test strip, which she had set aside.

...She could feel Theodore's gaze. Jane, breaking out in a cold sweat, checked the test strip. The result was...

No toxicity reaction.

'...This can't be...'

Jane checked the test strip several times. But the result was negative no matter how many times she looked. She blinked in disbelief. No toxins were found in her body? Then, what happened to the Duchess's organs?

"Why is that?"

"That's... the toxicity reaction is... negative."

"..."

"It doesn't seem like she was poisoned."

"Alright, I understand."

Theodore, who answered a beat later, sighed and rubbed his face with both hands.

He also looked exhausted. His complexion was poor, as if he hadn't slept for days.

After a moment of hesitation, Jane gently suggested to Theodore.

"Your Excellency... I and Charlotte will take care of my lady. It would be best if you went to rest. You need to get some rest. You look like you might collapse at any moment..."

"..."

Jane was right. Theodore realized that he hadn't slept more than two hours a day over the past few days while searching for Lily.

The ancient Valentino family, descendants of heroes from the old mythological era, possessed recovery and physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary humans, but they still needed rest.

No matter how great they were, they needed to sleep and eat well. But none of that had been taken care of over the past few days. If this continued, he would also reach his limit.

"..."

Staring at Lily's sleeping face, Theodore fell into deep thought. After a while, the remaining bit of sanity he had left made a decision. Theodore stood up and said to Jane and Charlotte.

"If Lily's condition worsens, you must call me immediately. Understand?"

Jane, wide-eyed, bowed and replied that she would, of course. Charlotte did the same, but her gaze on Theodore was not kind.

Theodore paused and stared at Charlotte. ...The maid, who had accompanied him in the search for Lily from the port city, seemed to hold a grudge against him. She kept looking at him as if it were all his fault that Lily was in this state.

"..."

He wanted to say something but ultimately turned away without a word. ...It was right for the maid to blame him.

It was all his fault.

Theodore walked down the corridor, lost in thought. If only he hadn't been so forceful with Lily back then, if he had knelt down in front of her as soon as he found her in the port city, he wouldn't have lost her. The kidnappers wouldn't have taken her.

He wouldn't have to see Lily lying there, as still as if she were dead.

...It was all his fault. Theodore entered his room and roughly threw off his clothes. He went straight to the bathroom, turned on the cold water, and submerged himself in the bathtub. He didn't even want to use a magical device to warm the water. He just submerged his head in the now full, cold water, wallowing in self-pity.

He was in agony, so much so.

The moment she collapsed, vomiting blood, kept replaying in his mind. Then and now, he was so afraid that he couldn't bear it. He had lost his mind on the way back, fearing that he might lose her forever.

...Why did I do that?

He regretted the past days too late. Only after the fear of losing her did he realize how shallow his love and prejudice towards her had been.

None of that mattered.

It was all worthless. Now, he found himself so foolish that it was almost laughable. Why didn't he try to have a conversation with her, even for a moment? Why did he deny and ignore these feelings? Ah, yes, he was a coward. He had chosen to ignore the emotions that had shaken him rather than face them.

Because she was the daughter of the Everett family, someone he shouldn't love, a woman who might be a spy for her family, and someone who might divorce him at any time...

"..."

It was all an excuse. A plausible excuse made up of prejudices and misunderstandings. The truth was, he was afraid. Afraid of the overwhelming emotions that would surge once the floodgates opened.

Being consumed by those emotions and losing himself.

"..."

And only after facing a much more terrifying situation did he acknowledge all his arrogance and foolishness.

Prejudices and misunderstandings... they were nothing compared to the fear of losing her.

Only now, in this state, did he realize this.