Chapter 25
Life, Pledged Away —
In a way, everything seemed ordinary.
Or perhaps, a little subdued.
Each quiet day passed like a morning covered in faint fog.
“Casey, is that fun?”
Casey, who had been busy embroidering, lifted her head.
She was stitching a pretty flower onto a handkerchief for Irina.
“Yes, it’s fun once you get the hang of it.”
“Really? Hoo.”
“Would you like to try it too, Madam?”
At some point, even the way she addressed Irina had changed.
Now that people outside called her the Duchess, Casey had followed suit.
“Can I?”
Casey carefully handed her the handkerchief and the needle threaded with colored silk.
“From here— to here. Yes, yes, just like that.”
“Hm. I used to learn this before, but I never got any better at it. Like this?”
Trying to shake off her sinking mood, Irina had taken over Casey’s work— but even that wasn’t easy.
“You’re doing well, Madam.”
But her exaggerated tone made it obvious she was only pretending.
Irina smiled faintly and handed the handkerchief back.
“I think I’ll just watch. If I do it, no one will know if it’s a flower or a pumpkin.”
“Still, I think the Lord will love it.”
“Howard? Not a chance.”
Irina spoke as if such a thing were completely impossible.
“Why not? The Lord loves you so dearly, Madam.”
Casey’s tone was quite firm.
“L–Love me?”
“Yes. Whenever he looks at you, his eyes—”
Casey clasped her hands together, already lost in her imagination.
“…No.”
Irina muttered that, but somehow, she couldn’t stop turning Casey’s words over in her mind.
The three men he had sent to Arendor didn’t return— but instead sent word.
They said they had gone missing for a while and would need more time.
Howard’s brow furrowed deeply.
Irina had told him to stop looking into it, but he knew she didn’t truly mean that, so he kept pursuing it in secret.
Still, something about this felt wrong.
“Nothing else?”
He asked Werner.
“No, sir. Shall I send another message?”
“No. They’ll come. We’ll wait a little longer.”
“Yes, understood.”
After Werner left, Howard leaned back in his chair, almost collapsing against it.
He hadn’t been sleeping well— his eyes felt sore and heavy.
He could count on one hand the number of times he had slept properly in the past few years.
Just enough to stay alive.
Only that much.
But lately, even that small amount of rest had been broken, and his body was starting to feel it.
There was still so much to be done.
Howard closed his eyes for a moment.
Even if it lasted less than half an hour, to him, it was a sleep sweeter than honey.
“How unusual. He’s late.”
Irina murmured as she stepped outside for some air.
Howard always came home on time so that she wouldn’t have to dine alone.
He had been late yesterday, and it seemed he’d be late again today.
“I thought we could have tea outside together tonight.”
Having grown used to Bormann’s climate, Irina no longer minded the heat.
Until recently, she had needed to wear light clothes even to step out.
She found her adaptability quite astonishing.
Following the lanterns she’d set up, she wandered through the garden for a while— until Casey came rushing toward her, clearly worried.
“You’ve been outside too long, Madam. You might get sick again.”
“Really? Then let’s go in.”
Unexpectedly, Irina answered obediently.
“Shall I bring you some warm tea once we’re inside?”
“That sounds nice.”
At the same time—
A chilling scream echoed through the dim underground prison.
The three men sent to Arendor had returned— not with Irina’s father, but with a certain nobleman.
The reason Irina’s father had been found so late was because of this man.
It was at this man’s hands that her father had died.
That was why the three men had such trouble tracking him down.
He was the son of a High Judge and had many people quietly protecting him from behind the scenes.
That was why even Arendor hadn’t dared to punish him.
Unable to find Irina’s father alive, the three brought him back instead.
Since the dead could not be returned.
“P–Please spare me! I was wrong!”
The blood-soaked man fell to his knees, trembling violently.
He looked as though he had seen the Grim Reaper himself.
The staff who had carried out Howard’s orders waited quietly outside.
Howard stared down at the man with eyes colder than ice.
After a long silence, he finally turned and walked toward the door.
“Take care of it.”
He tore off his bloodstained leather gloves and threw them aside.
The staff bowed deeply as he passed, and he strode out of the underground chamber.
After he left, two men dressed in black pulled on the chains restraining the prisoner.
A metallic scraping echoed through the dungeon.
The bloody man was dragged forward helplessly.
“P–Please… spare…”
His voice broke, unable to form words.
As the others surrounded him, he began to scream again.
“I was wrong! I was wrong! I was wrong! I was wrong! I was wrong!”
Overwhelmed by terror, he slammed his forehead into the cold floor, repeating himself endlessly.
“I’m sorry! I–I was wrong! Please, if you just spare me once, I’ll never—”
One of the men stomped on his head, grinding it down mercilessly.
A grotesque gurgle escaped as his tongue was crushed between his teeth.
Their eyes were as indifferent as Howard’s.
“…Aaaagh!!”
Howard climbed the stairs and emerged outside.
Now that he was no longer in the dark, he could see what he hadn’t before—
the splatters of blood here and there.
He clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Tch. I’ll have to change.”
As he went to change clothes, he fell deep into thought.
It was earlier than expected.
The man’s death had been inevitable— but not yet.
It seemed her time was moving faster now.
Howard grew anxious.
And he had no idea how to tell her this news.
Unlike the busy Howard, Irina had fallen asleep early.
“Mmh…”
Once again, she was dreaming.
Her body twisted slightly, as if in discomfort.
Ever since the marriage papers had been finalized, the dreams had worsened.
Now, whenever she closed her eyes, she seemed to fall straight into nightmares.
Whether it was because of her father’s death or her weakened health, she didn’t know.
But it had grown so dreadful that, on some nights, she feared even falling asleep.
And tonight, once again, she dreamed.
“Mm?”
In the dream, Irina was walking through the garden of the Lingester estate.
It began peacefully— calm and safe— and her breathing softened.
The moonlight glowed over night-blooming flowers, making them look as if they were shining from within.
Irina smiled faintly and reached out to touch one.
Then, suddenly— there was a sound from the bushes.
Startled, she looked up. No one was there.
And in the blink of an eye, her surroundings changed.
She was no longer in the garden— she was deep within the forest.
It was a place she’d never been before, and she quickly looked around.
The scenery shifted again— now she stood before an old building.
It wasn’t large, but its long arched roof made it seem tall.
She was standing right at the entrance.
As if being told to open the door.
Irina pushed with all her strength against the heavy door.
Creaaaak— The sound tore at her ears as the door opened just enough for one person to pass.
The instant a foul stench hit her, Irina’s mind cleared in shock.
“…What?”
This had to be a nightmare.
Her dreams were always vivid, but tonight’s was too real.
Yet she had never suffered from sleepwalking.
Her dreams always ended in the dream— but now, when she opened her eyes, she was standing in an unfamiliar building, one she had never seen before.
Suddenly, fear flooded her chest.
And yet— for some reason— her feet wouldn’t turn back.
She could only move forward, as if something were blocking her retreat.
If this weren’t a dream, such a thing would be impossible.
“Maybe… I’m still dreaming.”
Unlike the stench at the entrance, a strangely sweet scent drifted from deeper within.
It wasn’t fruit, nor flowers.
But it was undeniably alluring— seductive.
“Yes. This must be a dream.”
That thought calmed her a little.
Unable to resist the captivating scent, Irina slowly followed it.
Maybe, she thought, she could finally reach the end of these nightmares.
It was almost an instinctive movement.
Irina was swallowed by the darkness.
In the silence, only her footsteps echoed softly.
The farther she went, the stronger the scent became.
From the outside, the building had looked small— yet the corridor stretched endlessly ahead.
After walking long enough for her legs to ache, another door appeared.
Irina stepped closer.
“…A door?”
It was much smaller than the entrance, but made of solid iron.
The intoxicating scent was strongest here— it seemed to be coming from inside.
Irina placed her hand against the door.
“…!”
Just then, someone suddenly yanked her back from behind.
