I Ended Up Saving the Duke Who Was Meant to Die - Chapter 4.3
“No need for long talks. Someone’s waiting, so I’ll have to end this quickly.”
“Haha! Such big talk! After we take your head, we’ll take good care of that woman outside, so don’t worry too much.”
Severus’s face hardened. Even if he died, these people must never be allowed outside. He gripped his sword tightly and began swinging at those charging at him.
“Damn, I’ll get scolded again.”
Even for him, facing so many opponents was challenging. He repeatedly slashed one person, retreated, then struck another.
Wounds began appearing one by one on his previously pristine body. The stinging pain was now a familiar sensation to him. His only thought was getting outside the gate quickly.
As long as he was alive, as long as he was breathing, Irene would save him – he endured with this thought. The smell of blood filled his nostrils and his entire body was dyed red. He continued swinging his sword without stopping. He fought with the determination not to die unless everyone here was dead.
His red eyes flashed as he put strength into his sword. Though his vision was blurry, he didn’t stop. He charged at them like someone possessed by blood. He bit off ears, and severed tendons, and butchered them one by one like a demon whenever he saw an opening.
He was more than what people called a demon.
***
The sun set and night came. I raised my bowed head to look at the gate. I couldn’t wait any longer. An inexplicable anxiety wrapped around my entire body.
As I approached the gate and reached out, I felt faint mana. Perhaps I could open the door with my power?
“Severus, when will you come out?”
If I waited quietly as he said, I felt I might end up embracing his cold corpse. Finally, I began channeling power to force open the gate’s door.
Perhaps it was set to only open if he died. To act so cruelly just to eliminate one person – it made no sense.
My heart pounded with anxiety. Please, let there be nothing wrong with him, let him be alive. If he was still breathing, I could save him no matter what, so please let it not be too late.
Whoosh─.
The vanished gate revealed itself. I immediately channeled power to force the door open. Another space appeared before my eyes. I momentarily lost words at the sight of many people who collapsed in front of the entrance, but without hesitation, I stepped inside.
“Severus!”
I had to find him quickly. No matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t see Severus. Was he buried among the many bodies piled up?
I anxiously tried to find traces of him. If only I had gone with him until the end, this situation wouldn’t have happened – I regretted it.
He must have been concerned about my ability being revealed to others, but if he died, none of that would matter. Above all, there were things I needed to confirm.
I continued searching the surroundings for him. I didn’t care if blood stained my dress. I just wanted to find him, even if it was his corpse.
My hands trembled. Though I was used to witnessing death, somehow I couldn’t accept Severus’s death.
“Severus, if you’re dead, I won’t forgive you.”
Even as I said this, my voice trembled.
What if he really died? Where would I go then? I said I would bring him back safely, how could I face Eliza?
Countless questions swirled in my mind. Please, if he was still breathing, I would risk my life to save him.
“Please, please.”
As if my desperation was heard, I spotted what looked like Severus’s uniform. Like a mad person, I ran to what appeared to be him, and collapsed on top of people piled like a grave. I reached out and barely caught the end of the uniform jacket. I struggled to pull him down, straining with effort.
As I pulled back hard with my tear-stained face, I suddenly fell backward.
“Ugh.”
Only a torn piece of cloth remained in my hand. Looking closely, it was slightly different from Severus’s uniform. Finally, I burst into the tears I had been holding back.
“Ugh… Why, why isn’t he here? Where is he? Seve-rus. Huung.”
This kind of death made no sense. He couldn’t have vanished so meaninglessly. I could still feel his warmth. I kept trying to hold back my tears, only to burst out crying repeatedly.
“No. I have to save him. Where, where are you?”
I should have felt pain in my waist, but I didn’t. Rather, the firm sensation gave me a sense of stability. Feeling something strange, I slowly turned my head to look behind me.
“My lady, didn’t I tell you not to come in until I came out?”
“Severus…”
I was speechless at his condition. He looked even more critical than before. I couldn’t see an end to when he would stop living such a life. Did he face all these people alone?
“Are you alright? Your body, it’s in such terrible condition.”
I examined him while tears kept falling. I wiped his handsome face stained with blood and channeled power to heal his wounds.
But perhaps due to the numerous wounds, light contact wasn’t enough. I held his cheeks and kissed him. I awkwardly explored his mouth with my tongue, pushing past his firmly closed lips.
“Hic, sob.”
The tears wouldn’t stop. What was making me so sad? Even I didn’t understand these tears. I desperately kissed him to channel power. But soon, he gently pulled away, holding my cheeks.
“Irene.”
“You’re too badly hurt. How are you even alive? Why did you go in alone?”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Still, still! You shouldn’t have gone in alone. You should have taken me with you. Stay still, you’re far from healed. We should at least move somewhere else, no…”
What did the location matter when he looked like he was about to die?
I tried to undo his belt buckle. Though Severus grabbed my hands in surprise, it was useless. I shook off his hands and undid the buckle in one motion.
“Irene, wait.”
“You’ll die at this rate. I don’t want to watch you die before my eyes.”
“That’s not it, now isn’t… Irene.”
At Severus’s words, I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. His red eyes were gentle. He softly cupped my cheek and gave me a light kiss. It was as if he was trying to calm my anxiety. Only then did my urgency begin to subside.
“Ha! What are you doing right now?”
Despite the sudden voice, I didn’t break away from the kiss. Though it was strange to hear another voice here, it wasn’t particularly important. Soon, footsteps approached.
It seemed to be the owner of that sharp voice. Soon, rough hands pulled me away from him.
“Ah.”
I turned my head to see who had grabbed me after that harsh push. Judging by the gold embroidery, they seemed to be from the Imperial court.
“Are you alright?”
Severus quickly pulled me toward himself and examined my shoulder where I had been grabbed. Still in his arms, I glared at the person who appeared to be an Imperial knight.
‘Why is an Imperial knight here?’
Though it wasn’t strange considering this was a place the Emperor had sent to endanger Severus, the woman in a dress standing behind definitely didn’t fit in. Moreover, the Imperial knight standing before me was pristine, without any wounds or blood stains.
‘Could they have come to eliminate Severus after confirming he was alive?’
I stood up and positioned myself in front of Severus.
“How dare you hold your head high and look straight at me. I see the woman the Duke brought hasn’t learned basic manners.”
Her tone of looking down on others felt familiar. Golden hair and clear blue eyes. Only then did I realize who this woman was. Recalling the etiquette Eliza had taught me, I lifted my skirts and greeted her formally.
“Greetings to Your Highness the Imperial Princess. I am Irene von Blake.”
My manner made the Imperial Princess’s expression turn even more displeased than before. She completely ignored me and extended her hand to Severus.
“I am honored to meet Your Highness. Thank you for your help.”
“I merely happened to see it. By the way, should I have to hear about your marriage through others?”
Severus only pretended to kiss her hand before standing up. I had wondered how he managed to face all these people alone, but it seemed he had the Imperial Princess’s help.
