I Ended Up Saving the Duke Who Was Meant to Die - Chapter 5.8
“Irene.”
“High Priest Michaelo. It’s been a while. I said I’d help after receiving the letter, but as you can see, the situation got complicated. It’s not too late, right?”
“They’re waiting for you at the temple. Help is needed.”
“I’ll go. If there are injured people, I should go help.”
I smiled at him as usual. Severus took my hand and shook his head. His eyes were saying it would be better not to go, but I had to.
All the truths he was trying to hide would be there. I wanted to confirm the truth with my own eyes.
“Wait quietly. I’ll finish quickly and come back, alright?”
At my words, Severus nodded with a sullen expression. Though his eyes blazed fiercely as he stared at Michaelo, he didn’t do anything else.
***
“Severus!”
When he heard a voice calling his name, he turned his head as he was about to get into the carriage.
He saw the Princess approaching quickly, accompanied by her maids. Severus’s face naturally hardened. It was clearly the Princess’s idea to invite him and his wife by encouraging the Emperor.
She stood before him catching her breath while smiling brightly. Her golden hair swaying in the wind sparkled even more as it caught the sunlight. She blinked her large eyes slowly while staring at him intently.
“Do you have something to say?”
“You don’t really love that woman who looks ominous just by sight, do you? Everyone will curse House Blake. Do you… love her enough to throw away even your family’s honor?”
The Princess waited for his answer. It was a question with a predetermined desired response. Severus closed the carriage door and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
“Your Highness. I don’t consider my wife ominous. She is like good fortune to me. Her red hair is incredibly lovely like a fully bloomed rose that makes my heart race just by looking at it.”
“Even if the Duke walks a harder path than now? Everyone will point fingers and trample on and ignore all the achievements you’ve built up until now. That woman will ruin all of Duke Blake’s accomplishments. I guarantee it.”
The one ruining everything wasn’t Irene but the Princess. Severus let out a brief sigh at the Princess who showed no sign of leaving.
“That doesn’t matter either. While speaking of red being ominous, why does Your Highness…”
Severus strode forward and stood before the Princess. As he looked down at her from his tall height, the Princess raised her head with an unpleasant expression. At this, Severus slightly bent down to meet her eyes.
“Not consider it ominous? Can’t you see? These red eyes that wouldn’t be strange to say were nourished by drinking others’ blood.”
“That’s…!”
“It seems Your Highness is selective about which red colors you consider ominous. The Empire’s standards for ominous red are truly shallow.”
“Duke!”
“Please stop slandering my wife. Even if she and I were to separate, I would never go to Your Highness’s side. So I hope you won’t waste any more time.”
“…Why, why not me?”
The hands gripping her skirt trembled. Her blue eyes were moist as if tears would fall at any moment. Though her reddened eyes tugged at his heart, he looked at the Princess with an expressionless face.
“Because Your Highness is not Irene. That’s all.”
At his words, the tears that had been precariously hanging fell down her cheeks. As the Princess’s shoulders shook, her maid hurriedly began to comfort her.
“Then, I shall take my leave first. No woman would want others to see her tears.”
“You could wipe my tears! Shouldn’t you do at least that much since you made me cry?”
The Princess shouted loudly. Severus didn’t even take out a handkerchief to offer. The Princess, who had been sniffling, soon broke into sobs.
“You, hic, made me cry. How dare, you! The Duke! Sob…”
“It’s better not to do actions one cannot take responsibility for – that is my principle. I don’t want to take responsibility for anything regarding Your Highness.”
At his firm words expressing that he didn’t want to be involved with her, the Princess soon turned around. Struggling to hold back her bursting tears, she shouted at him as he got into the carriage.
“I’ll make you regret what happened today. Just wait and see.”
The Princess, wearing a vicious expression, left before his carriage started moving. Her hand gripping the fan had turned pale white.
***
The temple I visited after a long time remained unchanged. I headed to where the injured priests were with Michaelo.
“What caused their injuries?”
“There are many dangerous things outside the temple, and unwanted incidents often occur while carrying out missions.”
“I don’t understand why these things happen when we’re only doing good deeds.”
I pretended not to know as I spoke. I had to act like the Irene who believed they were sacrificing themselves to protect people. To break down Michaelo’s guard and confirm what was happening in the temple, I had to think and speak like the innocent Irene he cherished.
“I’ve always told you. The people outside are selfish and ugly, sometimes showing cruel aspects. Someone’s good intentions might not look favorable to them.”
“The High Priest was right. The outside is full of dangers. The imperial people who accused me of being a witch just because of red hair, and the contemptuous gazes looking at me…”
I deliberately furrowed my brow and made a hurt expression. Then I shook my head and walked ahead with an unbothered face.
“Perhaps that’s why being back at the temple after so long feels comfortable.”
“If you miss it so much, you can come back. You’re always welcome.”
“If only the High Priest hadn’t tried to confine me, I would have always stayed here. Severus cherishes me unlike others. So I want to stay by his side. That’s what being married means, I was told.”
I spoke with a bright smile. Upon arriving at the treatment room, I furrowed my brow.
‘There are many injured people.’
While some had injuries that looked serious at a glance, others had only simple wounds on their bodies.
The problem was that regardless of what they had done, people who appeared to have simple injuries were barely hanging onto life.
‘Moreover, their power feels weak.’
I started healing by holding the hands of those with severe injuries first. To heal serious wounds, I had to hold their hands and infuse power for a long time. Though sweat beaded up, I didn’t stop. Soon I began healing those with minor injuries. Though their visible wounds soon cleared up cleanly, consciousness didn’t return.
“It seems impossible with just this level of healing.”
“Just heal within your capabilities. I won’t stop you if you’re thinking of doing more to save dying people. But you can’t save everyone.”
“….”
“Would it be alright to stay for a few days to heal? I’ll send a letter to Severus. He’ll understand since we agreed to help when the temple needs it.”
Michaelo nodded. He sat in a chair quietly watching me, then eventually got up and approached me.
“Irene, you seem to be pushing yourself too hard. I’d like you to rest a bit.”
It felt strange seeing him with worried eyes as he wiped my sweat with a handkerchief. Was it because I had heard about him from Severus?
Everything seemed like false behavior. I nodded and took the handkerchief to finish wiping.
“That would be good. Where is my room?”
“Your room remains exactly as it was.”
I looked at my completely unchanged room. It really felt like I had returned to the temple. Is this how it feels to come home? I sat quietly in the chair and thought about the priests I had seen earlier.
‘Why does their holy power seem weakened? It wouldn’t be strange to say it’s almost gone.’
Children become priests and stay here. Since most possess holy power, they usually have enough to be sensed. But those lying in the treatment room were so weak they could almost be considered ordinary people.
“Having you in this room feels strange.”
“I feel the same. It feels new since it’s been so long.”
Michaelo approached me. After closing the door, he naturally came to the bed where I was sitting. Sitting at an awkward distance, he soon turned his head to look at me. Something about his gaze was strange.
