IBWCD 49

Chapter 49

“My, my, what a wicked thing to do, and did the Grand Duke say anything about it, what did the article say—”

Reah then began to talk excitedly about the newspaper article about their marriage.

It was all fiction, but Evelyn couldn’t help but feel her face heat up as if it were all true.

Perhaps it was because Reah was mimicking his voice so realistically.

“‘No words could describe my feelings for her, except that it was love at first sight.’ My God, that was the last line of the article?”

Reah finished, her mouth agape, her eyes shining like a girl reading a romance novel for the first time.

“And while you were lying there, he was holding your hand like this… What’s love if you don’t eat or sleep, and you only look at one person?”

“…what?”

“And that look in your eyes, if that isn’t love, I don’t know what is in this world.”

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of Evelyn’s mouth as she stared at the hand that held hers.

She thought she knew why he was holding her hand.

“He must have put a magic in me.”

Then it hit her.

Using too much healing power on a body that doesn’t work properly with magic is nothing more than chewing away at your life.

No matter what happens, he must not leave the room until reinforcements arrive.

The memory of his frighteningly angry face made her insides tingle for no reason.

So this time, it wouldn’t be pure worry. She’d used up all her magic, and whatever it was, it wouldn’t be pretty.

Evelyn asked, her shoulders slumping slightly in nonchalance.

“I guess you’re not so scared of the Grand Duke anymore, huh?”

“Yes or no?”

Reah dropped her hand as if she’d seen a ghost at the lighthearted comment.

“It’s still incredibly scary and difficult, you know? I feel like if I get on his nerves the slightest bit, he’s gonna grab me by the throat and snap my head off, and I don’t think I’m supposed to make a lot of noise, and there’s something about him, I don’t know what it is, lady.”

‘What the hell did you do to her?’

It wasn’t a feeling she didn’t understand.

It was far from a visceral fear, but she was afraid of this relationship, too.

The only difference between her and Reah was that she still wanted to see him so badly.

Evelyn stared out the window absentmindedly.

His face floated like a cloud over the beautiful, yet somehow unfamiliar landscape.

‘I hope he comes back soon. I’d like to know how he’s feeling.’

Knock, knock, knock.

As Evelyn stared at the unfamiliar reflection in the mirror and replayed her feelings for him, there was a light knock on the door.

* * *

Evelyn left the room, following Leon, who had come to escort her.

“Is there anything about the Duke that I should know or be wary of?”

“Nothing like that, so don’t worry, just make yourself comfortable.”

After some light conversation, they arrived at an outdoor greenhouse flower garden with a central garden and a three-tiered fountain as a backdrop.

“Wow…”

Inside the transparent conservatory, reminiscent of a small arboretum, a large table was set with a full meal.

And at the head of the marble table sat a stern, fierce-looking old man.

Isaac Gordon Parminion, Lord of the West.

The duke, with his white-brown beard, stared at her wordlessly.

His gaze alone kept her on edge.

With a flick, Leon, the man who had led her there, touched her fingertips.

When she turned her head, he arched an eyebrow and winked at her. It was his way of saying hello.

Evelyn, still nervous, straightened her skirt and bent her knees slightly.

“Good evening, Duke. I’ve never met you before.”

“Welcome, I was worried when you woke up after a week, but I’m glad to see you’re in better shape than I thought.”

The Duke smiled kindly, despite his frightened appearance, and offered her a seat.

Leon casually led her to a seat, then politely pulled out a chair for her.

When she thought they were going to dine together, he left the conservatory, saying he would wait outside.

As she nervously took her seat, the Duke, who had been making casual eye contact, spoke up.

“You must be the lifesaver that asked us to quarantine the residents. Is your name…”

“Oh, I’m…”

‘How should she introduce herself?’

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I’m Evelyn, if that’s more comfortable. Duke.”

The corner of the Duke’s mouth curved up in an arc at her response.

“If you’ll excuse me, then, Miss Evelyn. I’m going to the market, but first, a meal.”

The menu was mostly something to chew on.

As she ate, admiring the attention to detail, the Duke of Parminion praised her for her work.

From his conversation, Evelyn learned that the light she had created with her power had healed people, and that it was called the miracle of the Sun God.

‘It must have been the light that healed Kalian’s wounds…’

As he thought this, the Duke shook his head in relief and spoke.

“The saint’s prayers have brought the sun god’s blessing to the duke, for which I am grateful.”

‘What, a saint’s prayer?’

For a moment she was taken aback, but she quickly regained her composure. Now seemed like a good time to watch what was going on rather than ask questions.

“We’ll ask Kalian when he returns. If he has something up his sleeve, he’s hiding it, but that doesn’t mean the ball is gone.”

The Duke had been very favorable to her, as she had minimized the number of blood loss deaths by separating the infected from the uninfected.

“The plague almost completely inundated the granaries of the southwest, and I still shudder to think of the villagers begging for their children to be spared.”

Raising his goblet of wine, the Duke narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

“It’s all thanks to your grace that you didn’t listen to the villagers in vain. I’m so glad things turned out so well for you.”

Evelyn replied with a humble two, and after taking a long swallow of wine, the Duke finally spoke the words he had been waiting for.

“No, it hasn’t. My conscience won’t allow me to go on as I am, even though I’m a good businessman. If there’s anything else you want, tell me.”

The Duke smiled gently, as if he would grant anything.

Anticipating his question, Evelyn didn’t hesitate to answer.

“That’s all right, Parminion is also the birth family of Orpheus the Great.”

For a moment, the Duke’s laughter stopped.

She couldn’t tell if it was displeasure or longing.

For a long moment, the Duke cocked his head in disbelief.

“Are you sure you’re okay with that? I don’t think you two are meant to be together for long.”

‘How could the Duke know that?’

There was no way Kalian would have blabbed about the contract between them.

Reading her confusion, the Duke set down his glass and chuckled.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m only saying this out of old age, because Miss Evelyn is too good to be tied to that damned family.”

A cold sweat trickled down her spine.

He saved their estates from peril, and they’re still the “damned family”.

Evelyn fiddled with her glass on the table, feeling even more perplexed by the Duke’s apparent hostility.

“I think you have a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Yes. At least… It’s not out of curiosity or mischief. Maybe there will be an end to it someday, but until then, I’m going to make the best of it.”

She meant it.

It was a marriage with a set end, but she was willing to risk it all for him. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“Hmm.”

The Duke nodded ruefully, his voice dripping with sincerity.

“You sound exactly like my daughter…”

Evelyn was silent for a moment.

It would seem awkward for her to add anything more here, so Evelyn kept her mouth shut, waiting for his next words.

The long silence ended with the Duke clearing his throat.

“But it is my custom to reward favors with favors, so you may say what you wish without further ado.”

His tone was much friendlier now.

Taking a deep breath, Evelyn calmed her nerves and spoke to him.

“So, would you be so kind as to show me the ledger of transactions concerning the Horn of Iblis?”

There was silence again.

‘Had I asked too much?’

Worry creeps into her mind.

The Duke, who had been so friendly just a moment ago, suddenly hardened his expression.

“Who told you that Iblis’s horn is being traded above us?”

Panic gripped the stem of her slender wine glass as if for support, and her knuckles burned.

‘Why would he do that? Was this some kind of top-secret secret that no one else was supposed to know?’

But the Duke’s demeanor was more puzzled than angry.

Evelyn ran the tip of her tongue across her dry lips before answering.

“Actually, I only found out about it by accident.”

There was no need to reveal that she had been cursed, so Evelyn dressed it down.

“A friend of mine in the capital is addicted to a drug laced with Iblis’s Horn and black magic.”

“Hmm, that’s a shame.”

“I was wondering if knowing who traded for the horn might lead us to the culprit, and I apologize if I offended you.”

“No, it is not that.”

The Duke’s face grew grave and he tugged at his beard.

“As you know, prolonged exposure to that drug causes a very painful death. There is no way the Imperial Household would have authorized such a substance, with no antidote, to be on the market.”