Chapter 104
Claudio gazed silently at Marsha.
How long had it been since they arrived at the Viscount Evan estate?
Two or three hours? A couple of days? He couldn’t tell anymore. It felt more like two or three years had passed. His insides felt scorched dry — surely, it had been that long.
“…Are you taking revenge on me?”
His voice came out as a soft murmur, almost like a breath.
“I made you suffer quite a bit, didn’t I?”
From the very first meeting, he had tormented her. He’d made her care for him for days without rest. Was that why she was lying there now — so he could taste what it felt like?
“I was wrong. All of it.”
He wasn’t just saying it. Thinking back, if he’d never met her, she would have stayed peacefully in that forest. She wouldn’t have crossed paths with her former fiancé, nor would that bastard Lucas have found her.
But could all of this really have been Lucas’s doing alone?
Through Tom, Claudio had learned that Lucas had ties to Patric. But of all people, Patrick was also connected to Beatrice. Remembering how Beatrice reacted at the Marquis of West’s villa… there was no doubt she had a hand in this mess.
Ah. So it really did all happen because of me.
I once told you that I carried misfortune wherever I went.
That was wrong.
It wasn’t me — you became unhappy because you met me.
You should never have met me. Your life might not have been perfectly peaceful, but it would never have been this painful. Maybe you’d still be smiling every day, surrounded by kind friends and their families.
“…Wake up and tell me off,” he whispered. Blame me for all of it.
Tell me I swore to protect you, to fix everything — and this is how I repaid you.
“If you tell me to kneel, I’ll kneel. If you want me to beg, I’ll beg. I’ll do worse than that if I have to.”
“Please… open your eyes.”
Claudio took her burning hand in his and murmured desperately. Her body felt like fire. Just a few days ago, she’d been cold as ice, freezing the air around her — now she was so hot she was scorching him alive.
“Don’t go.”
You must be in terrible pain. Even I, of all people, nearly lost my mind when I was shot and fevered — how much worse must it be for you?
Your parents loved you. Maybe if you go now, you’ll finally be happy.
But I’m too selfish to let you go. I can’t.
“Don’t leave me.”
My world only exists because of you. If you’re gone, my world ends too.
You’re kind, too kind. Even when you pout and glare at me, the moment I seem unwell, your eyes soften, filled with worry.
So please — pity the wretch who can’t live without you.
But if you really can’t…
That pitch-dark thought slithered through his mind when a noise broke out in the corridor — hurried footsteps, then the loud crash of a door bursting open.
“Forgive the intrusion, Your Grace.”
It was Doctor Sheldon.
He was drenched in sweat, clearly having run all the way here. Dropping his medical bag onto the table with a thud, he immediately bent to examine Marsha’s condition.
“She’s just as you described in the report you sent me,” he said heavily.
Claudio rose, his voice edged with panic.
“She’s been taking the medicine nonstop, but her fever hasn’t dropped once. Can you cure her?”
“My treatment doesn’t differ much from the doctor who treated the young lady before me…”
Claudio’s vision darkened. Sheldon was the most renowned physician in Stravine — perhaps in the entire continent. Where could he possibly find someone better? And could Marsha even last until then?
He clenched his jaw hard enough to draw blood. Then Sheldon spoke again, pulling out bottles and herbs.
“Then I’ll use the medicine prescribed by the lady herself — the one she made for Your Grace.”
Claudio’s eyes widened.
She used to say freshly made batches worked best… but right now, there’s no time.
Sheldon carefully poured the liquid between Marsha’s lips, then ordered a servant to bring a brazier immediately.
“The alchemy room shouldn’t be far. Set it up in the next room! And this one— it’s too hot in here! Open the windows!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The room, dead silent moments ago, exploded into chaos like a storm.
“Your Grace.”
The Marchioness of Severia had arrived at some point. She called to Claudio, who stood frozen amid the bustle.
“Let’s talk. Outside.”
“I’m staying here.”
His voice was rough and cold. The Marchioness gave a short, derisive laugh.
“Your Grace, is there anything you can do by standing there? You’ll only get in the way.”
She didn’t truly believe Sheldon would lose focus because Claudio was there — she said it because…
“You still have plenty to do, don’t you?”
Claudio turned on her, his bloodshot eyes burning.
“What could I possibly have to do that’s more important than staying by her side?”
He had regretted leaving for the West ever since. He knew he would regret it until the day he died.
“You sound like someone who thinks she won’t wake up.”
“What… Did you just say?”
A vein stood out sharply on Claudio’s jaw.
The Marchioness’s voice grew low, stern.
“If not, then do you really want her to wake in this chaos? You’d make her worry about everything else before she’s even recovered?”
His eyes twitched — red with fury a moment ago, now frozen in shock.
She sighed deeply.
“While you’ve been hiding in this room, do you even know what people are saying out there?”
What she told him sounded almost absurd — until he realized every word was true.
“Why are the Duke of Gloria’s knights investigating the explosion in the marketplace? Isn’t that the royal family’s job?”
“Apparently, the explosion involved Lady Railford.”
“That was a tavern, wasn’t it? What was a proper young lady doing in a place like that?”
“And not just a tavern — I heard it was a criminal hideout!”
The whispers spread like wildfire.
“Some say she hired those criminals. That she staged the explosion to get close to the duke after he was injured.”
Others claimed Marsha was the lover of the man who ran Miles’ Wine, that she was drowning in gambling debt and doing unspeakable things to pay it off.
In just a few days, the rumors had reached journalists — one even tried to visit the Viscount of Railford himself.
“The reporter wanted to write that the viscount looked nothing like the young lady — to question her lineage. Count Seltos stopped him, but it won’t stay hidden for long.”
The Marchioness shook her head, then looked up again to meet Claudio’s eyes — and what she saw made her heart tighten.
This wasn’t the same anger as before. This was a cold, deadly rage.
It’s her doing.
He knew instantly who had spread the rumors. The Duke’s household hadn’t released any investigation details — only that woman could have known about Miles’ Wine being a criminal den.
How dare she.
Blood rushed to his head. His vision burned red.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice trembling with fury. “There’s plenty I need to take care of.”
“Your Grace—”
The Marchioness called to him in worry. She had only wanted to shake some sense into him — but the man before her looked ready to explode.
How should I kill her?
One finger at a time? Tear her tongue out first? No matter how he imagined it, none of it would be enough to cool his rage.
“Your—”
She started again, but just then—
“…Ugh…”
A faint groan escaped Marsha’s lips. Until now, even her breathing had been silent.
Claudio was at her side in an instant.
“Marsha.”
He grasped her hand — still burning hot — and froze when he felt her weak fingers tightening around his.
She was trying to speak.
Her expression twisted in pain, but it felt like she was saying something to him.
He said nothing. He only bowed his head and pressed his lips softly against the back of her hand.
