Episode 94

Ludwig grabbed my arm, his expression a mix of confusion and alarm.

“What did you just say? I didn’t catch it clearly.”

“Oh… It’s nothing. I just called your name again because you weren’t responding,” I replied, my voice slightly unsure.

The strange and unfamiliar sensation from earlier lingered in my mind.

Those cold, piercing eyes had sent chills down my spine, making my arm break out in goosebumps.

It had felt as if I had glimpsed a moment of berserk madness, much like the one described in the original story.

But now, Ludwig—the man gripping my arm as though afraid I might vanish—was the same Ludwig I knew.

Pressing his fingers to his temple, Ludwig muttered in a low voice, “I’m sorry. Lately, I’ve been struggling with severe insomnia. Sometimes it leaves me disoriented like this.”

“I’m fine, really. But Ludwig, I’m more worried about you. Insomnia?”

I already knew about his insomnia from the original story.

The cursed dragon sought to claim Ludwig’s body as its vessel, and to weaken his formidable mental defenses, it placed a curse of sleeplessness upon him.

Every night, the dragon’s voice would torment him like a haunting echo.

Although I was aware of this, Ludwig had never shown signs of it, so I hadn’t paid much attention until now.

‘It must be worse than I thought.’

Even if I wanted to help him, there was only one person capable of easing his insomnia.

‘Jenna.’

Her purification ability could temporarily suppress the dragon’s curse.

In the original story, Ludwig experienced true rest for the first time at Jenna’s side.

Yet, for reasons unknown, Ludwig was behaving differently from the original storyline—he had outright rejected Jenna’s purification on the Emperor’s orders.

‘The more he avoids Jenna, the harder it will be on him in the end.’

At that moment, Jenna, walking with Lucion in the distance, spotted me and widened her eyes in recognition.

“Lady Drenihan?”

She approached quickly, her expression warm and friendly.

“Fancy seeing you here! It’s so nice to meet you outside. And the gentleman next to you is…?”

Her gaze shifted to Ludwig, lingering as she trailed off.

This was the first time the two had formally met.

“It’s been a while, Ludwig,” Lucion said, greeting him first before introducing Jenna.

“This is Grand Duke Karsian.”

“Oh! It’s an honor to meet you, Grand Duke Karsian. I’m Jenna Selber,” she said, bowing slightly.

Though this was their first meeting, Jenna clearly knew Ludwig was the one who had refused her purification ability. Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her unease.

“Ludwig Karsian,” he replied, offering a brief bow in return.

The formal introductions created a momentary silence, which Lucion quickly filled by turning to me.

“Have you been well, Lady Drenihan?”

“Yes, thanks to the imperial family’s grace, I’ve been at peace.”

“I’ve heard about the recent events at Drenihan. I’m relieved to see everything has settled.”

His genial smile made it difficult to discern whether his words were sincere or not.

In the original story, Lucion resented Drenihan’s growing power and the reverence Thergon Drenihan received as a hero among the empire’s citizens.

He was the type who would welcome any instability in a family that posed a threat to imperial authority.

When Jenna had planned revenge against Drenihan in the original story, Lucion had been one of her staunchest supporters.

‘Well, I suppose his true feelings are anyone’s guess.’

Lucion checked his watch, clicking his tongue in irritation.

“Unfortunately, I must take my leave. I have a tiresome appointment waiting for me.”

The park’s clock showed that he was already ten minutes late for his next engagement.

“I’ve sent word to the Selber residence through a servant, so your carriage should be here soon,” Lucion said to Jenna.

“Thank you.”

“Return home safely. I’ll visit you tomorrow,” Lucion added, his voice unusually gentle.

“Don’t worry about me. You should hurry—looks like you’re already late,” Jenna replied with a soft smile.

Even in his tardiness, Lucion made sure to leave Jenna with a kind word before finally walking away.

‘Jamie must be absolutely livid right now,’ I thought.

I didn’t need to see her to know how furious she’d be. The marriage proposal would undoubtedly fall apart by the end of the day.

Seeing Lucion’s behavior with my own eyes only confirmed it.

He looked at Jenna with a warmth and affection that was unmistakable.

It was the epitome of the male lead’s “kind only to his woman” trope—a complete transformation from how he regarded anyone else.

‘It’s incredible how different a person can act.’

Perhaps it was because I had seen Lucion’s sly demeanor so often that he felt insincere.

After Lucion left, Jenna approached me and clasped my hands unexpectedly. I flinched at the sudden touch.

“Arzen oppa has been keeping an eye on the affairs of Drenihan. If you have a moment, could you write him a letter? He’s been waiting for one,” she said, her eyes pleading.

“Of course. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to think about Arzen,” I replied.

In truth, I hadn’t seen much of Arzen since Jenna’s return to Selber. He had taken a long leave from the Imperial Magic Division to help Jenna adjust to her new life.

I knew better than anyone how much he had waited for her, and I didn’t want to burden him with my concerns. Yet, it seemed he had been worrying about me in his own way.

“Thank you. I’m sure even a small letter will ease his mind,” Jenna said with a bright smile.

At that moment, Ludwig showed signs of distress again, pressing his fingers to his temple as he lowered his head.

I instinctively reached out to steady him, but my hand stopped mid-air.

Jenna had already grabbed his arm.

My eyes widened in surprise.

“Are you alright, Your Grace?” she asked, her voice filled with concern as she studied his pallor.

“…I’m fine,” Ludwig replied curtly, brushing her hand away with a sharp motion.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch you without permission,” Jenna said, pulling back her hand awkwardly.

She hesitated, then added in a careful tone, “To be honest, since the New Year’s banquet, I’ve been concerned about you. You seemed like someone who might need my help.”

“Help? In what way?” Ludwig asked, his voice flat.

“I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I can sense impure energies,” she said softly.

“Impure energies?”

“Yes, such as toxic accumulations from overused abilities or curses imbued with malice. Your body is overflowing with them,” Jenna explained, her expression clouded with worry.

She had discerned both the cursed dragon’s presence, which was eating away at Ludwig, and the toxic buildup of supernatural energy within him.

“So I have to ask… Why have you refused my purification? His Highness, the Crown Prince, has benefited greatly from it,” Jenna said earnestly, her curiosity genuine.

I couldn’t help but turn my attention to Ludwig as well. Why had he rejected Jenna’s purification?

Surely, on some level, he must have felt the need for her abilities.

After meeting my gaze briefly, Ludwig finally spoke.

“The Crown Prince and I are not the same. I have an imprinted one, so I have no need for the lady’s purification.”

“Then where is this imprinted one, and what are they doing while you’re deteriorating like this? You look like you could be consumed by the malice at any moment!”

Jenna’s voice rose as she spoke, her frustration spilling over. She quickly caught herself, her expression turning apologetic.

“I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. Please understand—it’s because I’m worried about you.”

Her outburst startled me as well. I had never seen Jenna lose her composure before.

The tense atmosphere lingered briefly, but it was broken by the sight of a carriage bearing the Selber crest pulling into the park.

“It seems my father sent a carriage,” Jenna said, turning to head toward it.

“You won’t last long in this condition. If you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to come find me.”

“….”

As the footman helped her into the carriage, Jenna gave me a brief wave goodbye before departing.

She seemed certain that Ludwig would eventually come to need her help.

Ludwig watched the carriage recede into the distance, his gaze heavy and unreadable.

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