I Ended Up Saving the Duke Who Was Meant to Die - Chapter 4.1
“Mmm.”
I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t know how long I’d slept, but I felt refreshed. Perhaps because I had used too much power healing his wounds, my strength hadn’t fully recovered. I pushed aside the blanket.
Looking around, Severus was nowhere to be seen.
“Severus?”
Worried that he might have left me behind, I immediately tried to open the carriage door. But strangely, it wouldn’t budge.
“Huh?”
Even when I pushed again with my hands, it remained heavy. It was as if something had been placed outside to prevent the door from opening. I struggled, trying to push the door open.
“Why, why won’t it open.”
Even pushing with all my strength yielded the same result. Just as I was tapping it with my foot to figure out the cause, the door creaked open.
“Irene, are you awake?”
“Severus! I thought you’d abandoned me.”
“How could I possibly abandon you?”
“I was really scared.”
If he had left me behind and gone alone, I was determined to follow him no matter what.
“Even if I told you to go back, you wouldn’t, would you? I gave up knowing you’d find your way to where I am somehow.”
“That’s right.”
I didn’t deny it. He nodded as if he had expected this.
“Did you sleep well? Did you toss and turn during the night?”
“Yes, I slept well. But Severus, why don’t you look well?”
I was puzzled by his somewhat exhausted appearance. I had surely healed him sufficiently, was it not enough? Unconsciously, I reached out to touch his face.
“Are you struggling? Tired? Couldn’t you sleep all night?”
As I was asking questions while trying to channel as much power as I could into him, my brow furrowed at the metallic smell of blood that hit my nose.
“Huh? This is…”
“Irene, please make just one promise to me.”
I lifted my head to meet his gaze at Severus’s words.
“The moment you leave this carriage, don’t look anywhere but at me.”
“But something…”
“Please promise me.”
It seemed I wouldn’t be able to leave the carriage unless I promised. In truth, he was what mattered to me. So as long as he wasn’t hurting, nothing else mattered.
“I will.”
As soon as I promised, my body lifted up. I stayed quietly in his arms, looking upward.
“We’ll travel by horse. Hold on tight as you might fall away from me.”
“Are we abandoning the carriage?”
“Yes, I only need Irene.”
I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. Since he told me not to look elsewhere, I had to keep my eyes on him.
Clip-clop.
Hoofbeats reached my ears. My body shook slightly with the motion. I occasionally bumped against Severus who was holding me from behind.
‘Riding a horse is uncomfortable.’
Every time his firm chest touched my back, my body would startle and tremble. Moreover, when my body tilted slightly forward in rhythm, his thighs would touch my hips.
“Severus, something keeps touching me.”
“Don’t mind it. It’s troublesome if you keep being conscious of it. Since it’s not something I can control with my will… But I’m trying.”
“Mmm.”
But the poking sensation made my body feel strange. I tried to act as normal as possible, but whenever he pressed close, I felt like moans might escape from between my lips.
“Irene, it’s dangerous if you lean forward like that.”
“Ah!”
When the hand around my waist suddenly pulled me back, something firm touched my hips.
“Irene, you’re being lewd from the morning.”
“No, that’s not it, Severus was the one who first-!”
“I told you. It’s natural. It’s beyond my control.”
“You’re lying!”
I could hear the playfulness in his voice. I narrowed my eyes, feeling like he was chuckling.
“Look ahead. The sun is rising.”
As he said, looking far at the horizon, the dawn light was shining. The sun was rising between fluffy clouds.
“Irene, please don’t get hurt. No matter what happens, you must not leave my side.”
“I won’t.”
“Severus, did something happen while I was sleeping?”
“Nothing special.”
“Severus, you’re a liar.”
I firmly gripped his hand that was holding the reins. As I slowly channeled holy power, he tightly embraced my waist and whispered in my ear.
“Irene, please save the healing for tonight.”
It wasn’t a bad suggestion. I quietly withdrew my holy power and looked up at the sky.
***
An Unwelcome Guest Arrived at the Blake Family Villa.
Due to the sudden visit from the Imperial Knights, Albert discreetly passed a note to Eliza.
“Remove any traces of the Duchess as much as possible.”
With the Duke absent now, there could only be one reason they came here. To see the Duchess who was only known through rumors. Perhaps they intended to use her to trouble the Duke.
Whatever the case, it wasn’t a good situation. Maids and knights moved busily. Their expressions revealed no emotional fluctuation.
“His Grace is currently on a military campaign under Imperial orders. If you have any message, please relay it to me.”
“I came here on behalf of His Highness the Crown Prince. Remember that blocking me is equivalent to opposing the Imperial family.”
“How dare I oppose the Imperial family? I merely expressed concern about your comfort in staying at such a humble place.”
Carben quickly surveyed the surroundings. He couldn’t sense the gaze that had been watching him before, nor any similar presence. It was eerily quiet, and the people were calm.
With the Duke absent, even the Imperial family had no justification to harm them. Unless he returned or was defeated in battle.
For now, the priority was to find that woman while waiting for news of him.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is curious about the Duchess. Shouldn’t this be properly reported to the Imperial family? A marriage without our permission… Surely you must know everyone is anxious about the Duke’s impulsive behavior.”
At Carben’s words, Albert bowed his head and replied.
“However, His Grace received a response that the Imperial family would not interfere with his affairs. We have that letter preserved and can submit it at any time.”
Albert glanced at a maid. As she passed by and gave a slight nod, he addressed Carben with even more composure.
“If you’re here out of concern for His Grace’s well-being, would you like to stay and wait here?”
“You’re offering accommodation to Imperial Knights?”
“Yes, that’s what we’ll do. How could we turn away Imperial Knights?”
“Then shouldn’t the Duchess come to receive us?”
“Lord Carben, I apologize, but Madam is currently away. She went to pray at the temple for His Grace’s safe return from his journey.”
“…She went to pray at the temple?”
Carben’s brow furrowed. It didn’t seem like a lie. Above all, the temple had deep ties with the Imperial family. They wouldn’t play along with the Duke’s lies. After all, wasn’t it the High Priest who certified their marriage?
‘If I go to the temple, I should be able to see her.’
The matter seemed to become easier than expected. In truth, staying here without proper cause didn’t look good. They needed to avoid bringing shame to the Imperial family.
“I will guide you to your accommodations. Please understand it may be less comfortable than the Duke’s mansion.”
“Come to think of it, it wouldn’t look right for us to stay here when His Grace isn’t present. Tell him to visit the Imperial palace upon his return.”
“Understood.”
Albert internally breathed a sigh of relief. Even if they went to the temple, they wouldn’t be able to meet the Duchess. Above all, the temple also needed to hide Irene, so they would handle it appropriately. The Imperial Knights who had rushed to the villa in the morning soon withdrew as if nothing had happened.
