NRAL | Chapter 126

Chapter 126

How Lovers Make Up

Eleanor sat on the bed, staring at the spot where Karsian had just left. Her hand hovered in the air, as though she wanted to reach out to him, but it quickly fell helplessly to her side.

Even if she reached out, she had no words to say. In fact, she couldn’t even understand why he was so angry.

She was sorry for causing him worry, but that was all she could do. After all, if she could bring down the man she had hated all her life, what was the harm in hurting herself?

Sighing deeply, Eleanor closed her eyes.

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

“Come in!” she said quickly, hoping it was Karsian.

But when the door opened, it wasn’t him. Instead, two very welcome people stepped inside.

A handsome man with neatly tied brown hair, and a small, cute woman. Eleanor was surprised and leaned forward as soon as she saw them.

“Hilda?”

“Lady Eleanor!” Hilda rushed towards her like a bear and jumped into her arms.

Startled, Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut, but nothing came into contact. When she opened them, she saw that Ernst was holding Hilda back.

“Hilda! If you do that, you’ll hurt Lady Eleanor’s wound!”

“Oh! Sorry! I got emotional seeing you, Lady Eleanor!”

Hilda, hanging on Ernst’s arm, quickly dropped to the ground and apologized. Eleanor waved her hand, signaling that it was okay.

She was more interested in why they were here.

“Why are you both here at the Duke’s mansion?” she asked.

As she spoke, she realized something.

Karsian had said that he had arranged for someone familiar to attend to her. It seemed like these two were the ones he had meant.

“Well, we officially transferred the day of the hunting festival!” Hilda said, grinning.

“Yeah. It was lucky that our resignation was processed so quickly before things got too chaotic,” Ernst added.

Eleanor was touched. It was amazing that they had come this far, trusting her alone. She had told them to stay in the house they had prepared, but to know they had come anyway made her feel truly grateful.

“I was going to wait quietly in the house you arranged for me, but when I heard that you had collapsed, I couldn’t just stay put. I ended up coming, and the Duke of Royster welcomed us. Lady Eleanor even said she’d prefer to have us nearby.”

“Karsian…” Eleanor whispered, feeling grateful for them and remembering how Karsian had been so thoughtful.

After that, they spent a quiet time catching up.

Hilda checked on Eleanor’s health and served her food, while Ernst quietly stood guard by her side, just like back at the Astria mansion.

Once the meal was over, the conversation finally shifted to what Eleanor had been waiting for.

“We handled everything you asked. Here, this is the item you wanted,” Hilda said, rummaging through a small bag and pulling out an old jewelry box. When she opened it, the sparkling jewels caught the light.

It was a necklace with a blue emerald, the one Duke Astoria had given to Meredith Alkesitis as a gift.

“Thank you, Hilda,” Eleanor said, thinking of her father. What would he think when he saw this necklace in her hands? The thought of his reaction made her heart race.

“Where’s Mary?” she asked.

“Oh, I told the head maid,” Hilda replied.

Mary hadn’t come with them, which was expected. Mary had always worried about her, but her concern had been more for Eleanor’s safety within Astoria, not for the revenge she was plotting.

Mary had loved the noble version of Eleanor, not the vengeful one. Though she probably pitied her, that was all.

“Thanks for everything,” Eleanor said.

“The thanks are all mine. I’m so glad you’re okay, Lady Eleanor. We were so worried… even Ernst was upset,” Hilda said, her voice full of concern.

“Hilda,” Ernst interjected, warning her.

“What? It’s true. I saw you wiping your tears in secret,” Hilda teased. Ernst clenched his fist but couldn’t do anything in front of Eleanor.

Eleanor smiled warmly, enjoying their playful banter. It was clear that the two had grown close while she had been unconscious. It reminded her of how she felt at Astoria’s mansion. She couldn’t believe she had left that place.

‘It would have been better if Karsian was here with them,’ Eleanor thought.

The thought made her face fall slightly.

Hilda and Ernst noticed her change in expression and exchanged glances.

“Lady Eleanor, did something happen between you and the Duke?” Hilda asked cautiously.

Eleanor, caught off guard by the question, hesitated before answering. She knew exactly what Hilda was talking about.

“Yes, actually…”

She shared everything that had happened earlier, except for Karshian’s past. When she finished explaining, both Hilda and Ernst’s expressions became more serious.

After a brief exchange of glances, Hilda spoke carefully.

“I think the Duke might be upset,” she said.

Hilda had always supported Eleanor, but this time she couldn’t ignore Karshian’s feelings. Having witnessed his suffering for the past few days, she understood his pain.

“You’ve been struggling for so long to help the Duke, and after all that, when you woke up, you told him that you would use your body as a tool again. I’m sure he must have been hurt.”

Eleanor, feeling guilty, tried to explain. “But what else could I have done? That was the best way. If I could bring my father down, I wouldn’t mind the pain. And look, I’m fine now.”

Hilda nodded, understanding the necessity, but she still wished for Eleanor to value herself more.

“I know how important revenge is to you, Lady Eleanor. I understand. But the Duke must have kept quiet until the hunting festival, because he didn’t want to add more to your burden,” Hilda said.

Hilda had witnessed Eleanor’s inner struggle, having prayed for her safety, wishing for the blade not to cut into her skin. She had begged for her protection.

“But Lady Eleanor, now you don’t need to keep doing this. The revenge is almost over. I wish you would start to take care of yourself. It seems like you’re still holding onto the dagger, ready to stab yourself again,” Hilda added.

Eleanor’s violet eyes shook.

‘Revenge is almost over.’

Perhaps it was because she hadn’t witnessed her father’s fall or because the trial was still ahead, but the words didn’t quite hit home.

She felt like she couldn’t relax until the trial was over, or maybe until she left Cardiff.

‘Could I ever truly relax?’

Eleanor bit her lip, feeling the weight of her thoughts.

Living a life of freedom after revenge was something she had always longed for. She had endured so much for this moment, but now, after all that effort, it was difficult to find peace.

Even after leaving Cardiff, her heart seemed like it would remain at Astoria Mansion.

She realized something.

“Do you know what it feels like when the person you love walks into danger, and you can’t do anything about it? It feels like you’re nothing but dust in the world. You feel helpless and hopeless. That’s how I felt when you were unconscious for those three days. I’m sure the Duke felt the same way, even more so.”

“….”

“Sometimes, you need to understand the heart of those watching. Every time you hurt, we hurt too. For our sake, I wish you would take better care of yourself.”

“I…”

Eleanor lowered her head and fidgeted with her hands. It was the first time she looked so anxious, something she hadn’t done before, especially when she was so calm in dangerous moments.

“Honestly, I don’t know. When I was focused on revenge, countless methods kept coming to mind. But when it comes to moments like this, my mind goes blank. I’ve lived like this all my life. Can I change now? I’m already far from normal. I don’t even know what to do anymore.”

Eleanor muttered, lost in her thoughts.

It was an unexpected answer. Hilda pulled her into a gentle hug. Eleanor buried her face in Hilda’s warm embrace, breathing heavily.

The person who answered instead of Hilda was someone unexpected.

“You just need to love yourself, Lady Eleanor.”

Ernst, who had been silent up until now, spoke up.

“Treat yourself like someone you love. Respect yourself and take care of yourself. Avoid dangerous places, give yourself things you like, eat good food… It’s not difficult if you just recognize it. That’s probably what the Duke of Royster wants from you the most.”

At the same time, it was what Ernst wanted most as well. The first step toward happiness starts with loving yourself.

“That’s right, Lady Eleanor. It’s only surprising because you haven’t done it before, but once you start, it won’t be so hard. You’re smart, Lady Eleanor. You’ll quickly learn how to live your new life and understand love. So don’t worry.”

Hilda smiled sweetly, like she was talking to a child.

“That’s right, Lady Eleanor. You have us with you, don’t forget that! If you ever feel confused or don’t understand something, ask us anytime, just like now. It’s always better to share your emotions and situations with others.”

Her words were truly comforting. Eleanor looked at Hilda and Ernst quietly, then nodded firmly.

That’s right, this gloomy attitude didn’t suit her. If there was a problem, don’t whine, just find a solution.

She had applied that mindset to surviving in Astoria and getting revenge. Now, it seemed it could be applied to her life and love as well.

“Thank you, Hilda. Thank you, Ernst. So, about Karsian… How can I make up for the hurt I caused him?”

She immediately looked for a solution, determined to fix things.

When she asked seriously, Ernst hesitated, then reluctantly gave an answer.

“I think the best thing would be to confess your true feelings.”

“Oh, no!” Hilda suddenly interjected, raising her voice.

“After a fight, how else would lovers make up? It has to be that way, doesn’t it?” Hilda added, winking mischievously.