TLSDNWL Episode 87

TLSDNWL | Episode 87

Posted by Bree, Released on December 24, 2024

Episode 87

When I stepped onto solid ground after disembarking, a wave of relief mixed with a strange sense of unease washed over me.

I had missed the stability of land desperately.

To be fair, the ship was excellent. Calling it a mere “ship” felt almost insulting—it was grand, luxurious, and equipped with top-notch facilities.

The problem, however, was me.

No matter how nice it was, I couldn’t enjoy it properly because of the relentless seasickness that plagued me.

Though we had just arrived, the thought of the return trip already loomed over me like a dark cloud.

“Are you okay?”

A gentle voice beside me broke my thoughts, and I nodded awkwardly in response.

“It’d be best for you to rest at the inn for a day or two before we continue.”

Though I thought I was fine now that we were on solid ground, Igon apparently didn’t agree.

He practically bundled me into a carriage and sent me off to the inn.

‘Overprotective…’

I mulled over the thought as I ate an orange he peeled and handed directly to my mouth.

A complicated mix of gratitude and helplessness welled up within me.

While I was eating dinner in my room, something unexpected happened—I started to develop a fever.

‘Good grief. What is happening to me?’

The last thing I remembered before collapsing with my hand pressed to my forehead was that Igon’s overprotectiveness was completely justified.

Thanks to his quick action, the fever subsided within a day, but the exhaustion lingered for two more.

It wasn’t until the third day that I could finally get out of bed.

During that time, Igon was a diligent caregiver, attending to me without complaint.

At this point, it was no longer surprising.

Who else in the world could say they’d been nursed back to health by a duke?

Amazingly, in public, our relationship was still defined by me being his maid.

Part of this was because we hadn’t had a chance to formally clarify things amidst the whirlwind of events, but there was another reason as well.

Igon himself seemed hesitant to put a label on our relationship.

I didn’t know the exact reason, but I recalled him muttering somberly once, “It’s not pleasant to face death when you’re at your happiest.”

There was probably a reason for this.

Perhaps, in one of the many lives Igon claimed to have lived, I had died at our wedding or something equally tragic.

The thought made me uneasy, and I couldn’t quite shake it off.

“…Hey.”

I heard Igon calling someone.

Turning my head, I saw him reclining on the long sofa by the window, his eyes closed.

Though his pronunciation was clear enough to seem awake, he was definitely still asleep.

I quietly approached him.

Bathed in the soft sunlight filtering through the lace curtains, he lay with his head tilted slightly to the side.

Kneeling beside him, I studied his face closely.

His long eyelashes cast delicate, intricate shadows, and his straight, well-formed nose was almost unreal in its perfection.

His closed eyes were relaxed, and the corners of his lips were subtly turned upward in an expression of serene contentment.

It was a stark contrast to the intense impression Igon usually left on me.

Though I’d faced him countless times, there were moments like this when the recent version of Igon felt unfamiliar.

This was one of those moments.

Holding my breath, I gently brushed back a stray lock of his hair.

Normally, he would wake up and open his eyes, but this time, he didn’t.

Gazing at the steady rise and fall of his chest, I gathered my courage and lightly pressed my lips to his forehead.

The soft sound of the kiss broke the stillness as I pulled away.

Without opening his eyes, Igon let out a low chuckle.

Unable to contain myself, I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tightly.

The warmth of his hands enveloped me as he returned the embrace.

Above my head, Igon’s laughter mingled with the golden sunlight, shattering into a million radiant pieces.

* * *

The next day, we requested permission to visit the royal family of Winium.

The approval came almost instantly, as though they had been waiting for the request.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Igon had subtly given them advance notice.

Standing before the gates of the foreign palace, I felt an inexplicable urge to flee.

It was a similar uneasiness to what I had felt aboard the ship—a strange, uncomfortable sensation.

Externally, everything seemed perfect. Winium’s hospitality toward the Duke of Rodore was generous, and I had never experienced such discomfort even when visiting the imperial palace. It was strange.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Igon must have sensed my unease, as he asked the question softly while walking beside me.

I smiled and shook my head.

As we continued past the colonnaded entrance, a garden rich with foreign charm came into view.

The intricately patterned marble flooring and ornate fountains immediately caught my eye.

“It’s beautiful,” Igon murmured, and I nodded in agreement.

“Should we install a fountain like that in the garden at the duchy?”

A laugh escaped me, unbidden.

The Duke’s estate garden was styled to match the aesthetics of the Empire. Imagining such an exotic fountain awkwardly placed there was too absurd not to laugh at.

Still, the laughter helped ease some of the tension in my chest.

Igon, watching me, gently brushed his fingers over the back of my hand.

‘Thank you,’ I mouthed silently.

Igon placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head lightly.

“You’re very welcome.”

Following a palace attendant, we arrived at the audience chamber.

The intricately carved reliefs on the grand doors were stunning, exuding a type of opulence distinct from that of the imperial palace.

“The King is expecting you,” the attendant said in fluent imperial speech.

The doors opened, revealing a wide table and, seated at it, the King and Queen of Winium.

Igon and I entered, bowing deeply in greeting.

As we straightened, I heard the sound of the doors closing behind us.

“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you,” the King said warmly, rising from his seat.

Igon lightly clasped the King’s extended hand and gave it a gentle shake.

“To meet the famed Duke of Rodore in person—it’s an honor,” the King said, smiling pleasantly. His imperial speech flowed smoothly, almost effortlessly.

It wasn’t surprising, given that the Queen was from the Empire and they corresponded with Tielli in imperial script. Still, his level of fluency was more impressive than I had anticipated.

“Please, speak freely. I’ve come as a guest today, not as a representative of the Empire,” Igon replied.

“Even so, I find this more comfortable,” the King said.

Though his smile remained friendly, his eyes were anything but. His tone carried a subtle edge, as if erecting a polite but firm wall of caution.

“I’ve heard you have something to discuss with Her Majesty. It seems it’ll be a lengthy conversation, so let’s take our seats.”

Igon sat first and gestured for me to sit as well.

Before I could take my seat, the King gestured toward me and asked, “Is she your companion?”

“Yes, she is my…”

Igon paused, as though carefully considering his words, and turned to glance at me.

I smiled, conveying, ‘Don’t worry about disappointing me, no matter what you say.’

Reassured, Igon turned back to the King and replied.

“She is the woman who will soon become my wife.”

What?

Did I hear that correctly?

Igon had just introduced me as such—to complete strangers, no less?

I was so shocked that I gripped Igon’s arm tightly.

Igon placed his hand gently over mine, his calm smile never wavering.

Other than Igon, who had spoken, everyone in the room—including myself, the subject of his declaration—was stunned into silence.

The King of Winium raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Tielli, who had kept her gaze lowered until now, lifted her head and stared at me.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at me, tilting her head with a puzzled expression as though trying to recall where she had seen me before.

“…Congratulations are in order. News travels slowly to this place, so I had no idea,” Tielli finally said.

“It’s understandable. This is the first time I’ve made this announcement,” Igon replied smoothly, his expression calm and composed.

The King of Winium let out a dry chuckle and quickly lifted his teacup to cover his mouth.

He then gestured for us to sit.

Igon and I moved to our seats, though my awkward movements made me feel like a wooden puppet.

The King shook his head as he set his cup down.

“The Duke is… far more entertaining than I expected,” he remarked, as though admitting defeat.

At his words, Tielli burst into laughter.

Her clear, bright laugh echoed in the quiet room before fading away. Covering her mouth, she apologized for her rudeness.

“I’m sorry, Duke.”

It seemed that the King’s comment about Igon being entertaining had pushed a button.

“It’s quite all right. I understand your surprise,” Igon replied easily, his tone free of offense.

“Well, life is full of surprises. Things rarely go as expected, don’t they?” Tielli remarked lightly, sipping her tea.

I, too, quietly lifted my teacup.

It was the best I could do, given that I had nothing to say—and no ability to say it even if I did.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we, future Duchess?”

Startled, I nearly spat out my tea.

Tielli remembered me.

I had a vague suspicion, but hearing her confirm it was still a shock.

“I’ve thought of you occasionally since then. For someone who merely passed by, it felt like a curious connection. And now, here we are, meeting again.”

Tielli smiled at me, her expression warm and sincere.

Her smile overlapped with a memory from years ago, of a young lady who had not yet shed the traces of her youth. That image seemed to meld with the Queen she had become.

Though we hadn’t been close enough to share our hearts, her words stirred an odd feeling within me.

It was like being on a ship again—an unsettling, swaying sensation.

Familiar memories made me feel unsteady even as I stood firmly on the ground.

“It’s nice to see you again. I’m glad we could meet,” Tielli said warmly, her words heartfelt.

The King of Winium glanced at Tielli with a slightly surprised expression.

Unfazed, Tielli continued, “I know who the Duke came to see. Honestly, I considered going in circles to prevent this meeting. But you’ve used a rather underhanded method.”

She shot Igon a pointed look before turning back to me.

“That child… she said she wanted to see you.”

By “that child,” she must mean Eunice.

But Eunice wanted to see me?

Everything about this trip seemed to be one surprise after another.

It would have made sense if she had been waiting for Evelyn, but the idea of Eunice waiting for me felt strange.

And it was odd that Tielli knew Eunice wanted to see me.

I had assumed Eunice wouldn’t know who I was, but that assumption was now shattered.

Could the message Eunice had left on the wall have been meant for me?

Perhaps it hadn’t been for Evelyn after all.

Tielli stood from her seat.

The King of Winium, who had been listening attentively to her the whole time, rose as well.