55. His obsession isn’t love.
Drinking made waiting feel shorter.
Once again, as I reached for the glass on the table, a long shadow fell over.
I lifted my head. Deon was standing in front of me.
Perhaps because of being embraced by Isella, there was a strange scent of flowers emanating from his collar.
He gently took hold of my nape. Then, slowly, he leaned his face towards mine.
Deon pressed his face against my neck and took a deep breath. I could hear his rough breathing in my ear.
TL/N: 👀
Trying to drink blood even in such a public place? Had he been starving for blood?
Unconsciously, I looked around. I was worried about his safety.
But before my worries could fade, he raised his head immediately.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“Yes.”
Before I could even think about nodding as if I were drunk, my head shook first.
“You were supposed to not drink.”
“Not even on a day like today? You’re a big drinker yourself, don’t worry, it won’t cloud your blood.”
I was dazed. It had been a long time since I had drunk, and I was getting drunk fast.
The hall spun dizzyingly. Everyone standing in the hall seemed to be swaying, whether they were actually dancing or just standing still due to the effects of alcohol, it was hard to tell.
As I stumbled, he supported my arm.
“Getting drunk easily exposes you to danger.”
“Whether it’s Viter, Edan, or the Duke, they’ll all protect me. Is there even a need for me to worry about?”
“You were the one complaining about the contract. You can’t even keep the basics.”
“But today is a good day, isn’t it? It’s the day the Duke was promoted to prince. It’s okay to drink on a day like this. Both I and the Duke do it.”
The words did not come out organized. I spoke in a slow, gibberish-like manner, but he understood me easily.
He took the empty glass from my hand. Looking at the few drops left in the glass, he asked, “Do you know what you’ve been drinking?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“It’s called Sweet Tempo. It’s named that because drinking it makes your heart beat faster. Despite its low alcohol content, it’s a very strong drink. Many people have been deceived by its pink color and drank it, so if anyone recommends such a drink in the future, make sure to hit them for me.”
Was it all because of the alcohol that her heart raced when she saw Isella?
A nervous laugh escaped me. Then, I remembered Deon dancing with Isella earlier and my mood sank again. My stomach churned.
He chuckled as he watched my rapidly changing expressions.
“Isn’t it over yet? I want to go to my room. Can’t we leave now?”
Swept up in the intoxication, I leaned into his embrace and acted childish.
I rested my head on his broad chest. He didn’t push me away but instead wrapped his arms around me.
“You’re not behaving like yourself.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“No.”
He held me tightly.
His obsession isn’t love.
Even this protective stance towards me isn’t for my sake.
The fact becomes clearer the more affectionate he is.
His tenderness, while comforting, also reminded me of my blood, making me feel even more miserable.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
“Elizabeth, you didn’t even come to the charity party. Could it be that you were too ill to attend?”
It had been a long time since I received an invitation from the count.
Elizabeth didn’t even come to Deon’s reception. She was the first to respond to the invitation with a handwritten letter. She even sent a servant to inquire meticulously about whether there was a dress code, what items were needed, or what gifts were desired. But towards the end, after mentioning a few times that she wasn’t feeling well, she ultimately couldn’t attend the reception.
According to rumors I overheard from the royal medical team, Elizabeth was gradually weakening for unknown reasons.
“I wasn’t lying down because I was sick. I’m sorry to have caused unnecessary worry. Sony, will you only serve the guests’ things?”
She gestured to the maid beside her.
“You’re not feeling unwell? Then why…”
“The doctor advised not to leave the bed unnecessarily and to refrain from taking walks.”
As the wind blew, Elizabeth coughed softly. For some reason, she looked paler and seemed to have a worse cold in the warmer climate here than in the ducal estate.
“I thought you were getting better. When you had the examination at the ducal estate, it was said to be stable.”
“I thought so too. But recently, when I had another examination, according to the doctor…”
Elizabeth hesitated, unable to continue her sentence.
“They said there are signs of miscarriage.”
Isella, who had approached unnoticed, spoke in her place.
“Hello, Lady Leonie.”
She greeted cheerfully. While she greeted me, her gaze remained fixed on Elizabeth. It seemed like she was being careful, as if she would fly away if she looked away.
“…miscarriage?”
I murmured in response to her greeting.
A miscarriage?
“It’s just a concern. Doctors always tend to mention the worst-case scenarios. Don’t worry too much. According to the doctor, if I take enough rest, I can safely give birth. They also said the baby’s heart is strong.”
“Sister, are you still worrying more about the baby than yourself? Don’t worry. You’ll give birth safely.”
Isella hugged Elizabeth warmly. Unable to hug her tightly due to her protruding belly, she extended her arms and gently patted her shoulder. Elizabeth also turned towards her. Even that movement seemed burdensome for her, and she breathed heavily.
It was bitter. Unfortunately, the one who was disheartened by the news was not them, but me.
“That’s…”
A grim sentence of death.
The sudden news made my head spin.
Elizabeth cradled her belly. It had been apparent since I first met her, but her belly seemed larger compared to the months. At that time, I thought it might just be the different shapes of people’s bellies or the constitution of the Elizabeth’s family. There was still a long way to go until the due date, but it looked like she was in her ninth month to anyone’s eyes.
I searched for suitable words of comfort to offer her.
“Take care, Elizabeth.”
After much searching, that was the only thing I could say.
Truly, I prayed for the lady’s health and the baby’s fortune.
Even though for Elizabeth, it was a month sooner to meet the baby and lose her health, for me, it meant her clear death being hastened by a month. Please don’t take away what little time is left of her life.
Perhaps it was I who wished for her health more than the Count, her attending physician, or even her own sister.
I walked across the Count’s garden without taking a carriage.
It was Elizabeth’s garden, unchanged. Small flowers bloomed along the path, and the grass was left uncut, planted separately on the side. A few wild cats enjoyed their nap. It was a mixture of tidiness and wilderness.
I walked for a while. In the distance, I saw a gate adorned with roses.
A man stood in front of the gate, just arrived at the Count’s estate.
Neatly parted bangs caught my eye. His sleek black hair and unruffled tie showed that he was born a nobleman.
He was petite overall, but his tall stature made the black suit look quite fitting.
There was only one man who would arrive at this hour.
Elizabeth’s husband, Count François Arin.
“Count Arinelle?”
I approached him slowly and greeted him. He turned his head and met my gaze.
“Hello, I’m Leonie Sien.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about you. You’ve been a companion to my wife in the north, I heard. Nice to meet you. I’m François Arin.”
He was a neatly groomed young man. He must be the same age as Elizabeth.
“Are you here to meet my wife and heading back now?”
“Yes.”
As I nodded, he said, “I’ll have the carriage prepared. Please wait here for a moment.”
He turned toward the carriage house where the coachman waited.
Polite. But well-learned politeness was equal to everyone. If only that politeness had turned into tenderness for Elizabeth.
If that man had loved Elizabeth a little more.
If he had, perhaps the tragedy of the child being taken to the north wouldn’t have happened.
I couldn’t help but feel regretful.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Philip stood in the greenhouse dressed in a black suit.
“Hello, Young Lady.”
He greeted with formal language, perhaps conscious of Ethan standing at the door.
“Please, have a seat here.”
I gestured towards the sofa in the middle of the greenhouse and closed the door.
The solid door closed with a heavy sound. Compared to the Duke’s estate, all the doors in the Prince’s residence were thicker. Moreover, the greenhouse door was thicker due to magical enchantments. It made voices from outside barely audible.
The reason for summoning Philip here instead of to the mansion was because of that.
“Oh, Philip. Come in.”
Seeing him again, it was clear why they had been friends since childhood.
“Leonie, good to see you’re safe.”
He checked the closed door and spoke.
“Yeah, as you can see, still alive and kicking today.”
He chuckled lightly at the joke.
“Sorry. I keep thinking about the past. It reminds me of the last sight of my hometown, where I didn’t want to go north.”
“It’s okay. But more importantly, would you like to take a look at this? I contacted you because of this.”
I took out the pocket I had been hiding and extended the bullets hidden inside.
“Have you… seen anything like this before?”
Aaaai took the bullet and placed it on my palm.
“Well, it’s not something we handle at our level.”
“Anywhere else?”
“I don’t know. It’s entirely new to me. What kind of component is needed?”
Philip turned the bullet around and examined it.
Was this something that didn’t exist here? Well, if there were magical items, there wouldn’t be much need for guns.
But why on earth was it there?
“Could you possibly manufacture something like this?”
“Well, if we take it apart and see…”
“No.”
There might not be a bullet left if handled carelessly.
“Can’t you just look at it? It’s necessary.”
“Well, I’ll have to borrow it, but I’m empty-handed right now.”
“I’ll come next time.”
As I casually replied, his expression darkened.
“Next time? Will there be a next time? Here…”
He trailed off.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but the surveillance is too strict. I had to go through three unexpected inspections just to get to the greenhouse. What kind of treatment are you getting? Are you really his lover? Even meeting the Empress shouldn’t be this difficult.”
