ICM Chapter 48

When Drushia woke up the next day, two of the three intruders who had been imprisoned underground were found as corpses. This happened before the internal infiltrator could even be identified.

“They were poisoned.”

Aegonite reported, unable to raise his head.

“How?”

“Poison was discovered in the meal provided in the evening.”

“Ha.”

As if they had been waiting, they cut off the loose ends without giving time to assess the situation. The one still alive had survived only because he was unconscious from his injuries.

“And three servants are missing. A laundry maid and one laborer have disappeared. The maid who delivered the meals is also missing, but was found dead near the rear entrance of the mansion.”

“Any other notable damages?”

“None so far, but considering they sneaked in as far as the bedroom, it’s highly likely they were targeting Your Grace.”

Aegonite’s expression showed doubt even as he spoke.

Drushia leaned his tired body against the office chair. He massaged his throbbing temples while contemplating the report.

‘This is too weak for an attempt on my life.’

Even with Drushia unconscious, this was the Duke Talion’s residence. The number of attackers was absurdly small. Rather than an assassination attempt, it seemed more reasonable that they deliberately caused a commotion to find something, or to accomplish something specific.

‘What could it be?’

Something they wanted to obtain while he was unconscious. Something they could acquire quickly without causing a major conflict. From any angle, it was difficult to reach a conclusion.

“Assign a physician to the remaining one. He must be kept alive.”

Given how cleanly the others were eliminated, it seemed unlikely the captured man would be of much use. Nevertheless, he was currently the only remaining clue.

“For the time being, maintain the mansion with minimal staff and contact my grandfather to send people from the territory.”

He decided to replace most of the servants working at the duke’s residence, except for the knights and those who had served the Talion family for a long time. Among them, servants with clear family connections who were deemed harmless would be excluded from main house duties to resolve the situation.

“Kalf, have you received a reply?”

“Yes. Here is the reply with Marquis Maiheller’s seal.”

This was the first task Drushia had instructed Kalf to handle as soon as he woke up: notifying the Maiheller family of the broken engagement.

Drushia quickly checked the contents after taking the document.

“No other mentions?”

“It seems they were already expecting it. The Marquis left conventional greetings, inquiring about Your Grace’s well-being and wishing for your recovery.”

For something they had dragged out by involving even the Empress Dowager, they gave up rather quickly. Perhaps they stepped back to avoid worsening relations between both families over something irreversible.

“And on my way back, I gave orders to look into the Maiheller family’s physician.”

“What about information on Igraine’s background?”

“That’s still pending.”

With so many priority tasks, he had forgotten about Igraine. Drushia’s gaze lowered at the unsatisfactory answer.

“Handle that urgently as well.”

“At present, it’s difficult to find any connection between Lady Igraine and the assassins.”

Though reluctant to admit it, it was a fact that Ashika had saved Drushia’s life.

“Is that fellow Nile still refusing to talk?”

At that question, it was Aegonite whose complexion changed. The problem wasn’t that he wouldn’t talk, but quite the opposite—it was giving them a headache.

“Well, Your Grace.”

“What? Can’t handle him?”

“I apologize for saying this, but that man is truly extraordinary. He’s just…”

Just thinking about it seemed to make Aegonite’s face flush red with anger.

After they had placed him in a guest room in the annex, he had complained: the sheets smelled and needed changing, he wanted a bath prepared, he couldn’t bathe alone and needed someone to attend to him, why was the hospitality so poor, and so on. He heard the servants were disgusted by how demanding he was.

When Aegonite went to discipline him, Nile irritated him so much by saying he could easily defeat someone like Aegonite in three moves that Aegonite almost drew his sword in rage.

“It’s your fault for getting involved. Or would you prefer Kalf to handle it?”

At Drushia’s suggestion, both Aegonite and Kalf kept silent and subtly averted their gazes. Kalf had already met Nile. However, Nile had ended the situation with one sentence:

[Ah, Duke Talion’s tin puppet. I only converse with actual people.]

And then he had refused to speak further.

“Ha, ha.”

He was truly an irritating man. Wherever he came from, he was far beyond common sense.

“One thing is certain about that man—his swordsmanship skills are extraordinary.”

“I heard he stepped in to help when our knights were being overwhelmed? And that not a single drop of blood stained his sword.”

“Yes. They say he saved them when they were about to lose their lives.”

In a life-or-death battle with real swords, sparing lives is more difficult than taking them.

‘A nobleman who handles a sword better than knights…’

Yet he doubted that the man was not a knight.

“Tomorrow, release him. Have someone swift and nimble follow him.”

“Are we also releasing Lady Igraine?”

“No.”

A brief but firm answer. It clearly expressed his intention that no further questions should be asked. Aegonite looked like he was dying of curiosity but held himself back.

Ashika’s existence was treated as strictly confidential while access to the entire third floor was blocked to servants. The only people who knew Ashika was here were the knights who had entered the room when Drushia woke up, Mia, and Kalf.

The servants were momentarily confused by the urgent order to obtain women’s dresses and items. They knew someone was on the third floor but were forbidden from approaching, which only fueled their curiosity.

****

Nile, who had left with the letter, returned to the duke’s residence after two days. He insisted he wouldn’t leave without Ashika and settled back in the annex.

Aegonite desperately tried to drive him out, but following Drushia’s orders to treat him as a guest, he had no choice but to assign servants to the annex.

While Drushia was organizing the situation inside and outside the Talion residence, Ashika remained confined in the duchess’s bedroom. When Kinvil, who had been poisoned along with Drushia, regained consciousness, there seemed to be no more justification to keep Ashika detained.

After the first day of confining Ashika, Drushia tried to speak with her again but was rejected. She wouldn’t even allow him to enter the room, and when he forced his way in, she refused to eat next.

She made it clear she wouldn’t tolerate his arbitrary behavior and avoided even making eye contact. Faced with her cold attitude, Drushia had to quietly withdraw without saying a word.

‘I haven’t even brought up the important matters yet.’

He hadn’t been able to ask about what happened that day because of the urgent matters at hand.

Why she had seduced him, why she had so passionately accepted him and then fled. What ulterior motives she might have.

‘I should have been gentler.’

No matter how much he regretted it, Ashika’s coldly detached attitude showed no signs of thawing. It felt like she was deliberately putting up a wall.

‘Yes, this is normal. It was strange before.’

Despite knowing this, a deep sense of regret rose from the depths of his heart.

Her appearance, unable to hide her soft inner feelings, fretting and worrying about him. Her overflowing sincerity was so evident that whatever ulterior motives she might have had in approaching him didn’t matter.

Even the way she suppressed her anger without raising her voice wasn’t unpleasant. No, it was the opposite. Ashika was lovable. A woman who wore an aristocratic mask, but underneath was unpretentious with a vulnerable and delicate nature.

Glaring at the firmly closed door, Drushia couldn’t fall asleep easily. Despite the physician’s advice that he needed rest, he hadn’t slept properly for three days.

The cause was none other than the woman beyond that door. Perhaps she was staging a silent protest, asking to be released, but she was deliberately ignoring him.

‘Damn it, why is this so difficult?’

All it would take is one word saying she could go home now. But he didn’t want to say those words. No, he didn’t want to let her go.

If they parted like this, would their relationship return to how it was before? Back to constantly being wary and hostile toward each other. Though it was natural, why was it so hard to accept?

Sitting on the bed and staring at Ashika’s door, Drushia found himself standing in front of it before he knew it. It was already late at night, and the sounds of movement beyond the door had ceased long ago.

‘She must be asleep.’

A temptation quietly rose along with brief hesitation. He had no ulterior motives. He just wanted to check her face once and leave, he thought as he grabbed the doorknob.

The well-maintained door opened smoothly without a sound. A fragrance that wasn’t there before flowed from the darkened room. It was Ashika’s scent.

With heightened senses, he felt her fragrance and buried memories resurfaced. Thump, thump. His heart beat rapidly.

As the distance to the bed narrowed, the sleeping woman’s face became clearly visible. Even with just the moonlight streaming through the window, Ashika’s presence was distinct.

‘No. This isn’t right.’

Just as Drushia was about to return to his room, he heard a low moan.

“Ugh….”

Though he thought she was sleeping soundly, her restless movements looked uncomfortable.

‘Is she having a nightmare?’

“Ngh….”

Ashika’s breathing sounded strange. She was gasping as if being strangled and breaking out in a cold sweat. He could see her eyeballs moving violently under her closed eyelids.

“Lady Igraine?”

Ashika’s thrashing grew more intense. Alarmed, Drushia grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

“Wake up, Ashika.”

“Gasp!”

Ashika’s eyes flew open and her mouth gaped wide.

“Aaaaah!”

Gasping for breath, a terror-filled scream erupted from Ashika’s mouth.

“What’s wrong! Calm down, I said calm down!”

It was a violent struggle that was hard to believe came from a delicate woman. Afraid she might hurt herself, Drushia grabbed her arms and pressed her down with his body.

Forcibly restrained, Ashika stopped screaming and began to sob. Her limbs trembled as if in convulsions, and tears poured out suddenly.

“Hic…, r…shia….”

“Shh… it’s alright. Don’t be afraid.”

“…rushia… rush….”

His heart broke at the voice calling him. Why did he feel such poignancy? Unable to just leave her, Drushia whispered in a gentle voice.

“I’m here. Ashika. So don’t cry.”

Only then did Ashika seem to become aware of Drushia’s presence, as she relaxed the tension in her body. When she stopped struggling, Drushia released her hands.

Her blurry dark eyes confirmed Drushia’s face but still wavered anxiously. Ashika reached out and caressed his face. Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably as they traced his features.

“Rushia?”

Drushia allowed her anxious, searching touch. The eyes that had been filled with terror now showed relief and gladness.