Chapter 11
For Licio, the duke’s residence was a place that choked him with a lonely air just by thinking about it.
Unable to bear the bleakness that colored his vision gray, he had wandered the battlefield instead.
He had cut down countless foes in innumerable battles. As a result, he had unintentionally become a hero of the battlefield.
Yet, the emperor seemed not to regard him as a hero.
A dog that is easy to command.
Today, the emperor had ordered him to fight even in a barren land where even nomads would not linger.
If that isn’t being treated like a dog, what is?
“Damn emperor.”
He had a wife to care for—Anais—but how could he even think of going to the battlefield?
Absolutely impossible.
Muttering the crude curse under his breath, Licio quickened his pace. He had been delayed returning home because the emperor would not release him, despite his firm refusal.
Once he opened this door, Anais would be there.
Would she scold him for being late? Hopefully, she hadn’t gotten drunk on wine again.
With an anticipatory smile at the corner of his lips, Licio opened the door.
But what greeted him was Anais, pinned under an assailant, struggling to breathe with soft, stifled sounds.
Without a moment’s thought, Licio sprang forward and threw the intruder off her as if tearing him apart.
“Anais!”
When he met her eyes, bright with pain, his heart seemed to stop.
His hands trembled uncontrollably as they traced the marks of suffering on her delicate neck.
Wait. I will tear him apart.
His red-tinged eyes followed the intruder being dragged away by the knights.
“Duke, are you alright? You don’t look well.”
The anguish in her voice was unmistakable.
Anais… who is worrying about whom right now?
He should have first scolded her for why she came so late. That would have eased the pain squeezing his heart.
“Call the personal physician. No, would divine power be faster? Rohan, get him here too!”
“I’m fine…”
Anais tried to smile, even as her face drained of color. That smile stabbed Licio’s heart deep.
“Don’t ever say you’re fine again.”
There was a simmering resonance in his resolute voice.
Because he was crushed under the weight of guilt for failing to protect her.
In that instant, a small, pale hand stretched out before his eyes.
“Ta-da! Cough, cough… I can move now.”
Anais struggled to breathe under the onslaught of coughing, yet she busily moved her small hand, opening and closing it.
Suddenly, old memories stormed through Licio’s mind.
He had seen this before, in Isabel, whose bruised face bore a forced smile.
“I didn’t get hit much. Look, I dodge really well, right?”
Isabel had swayed side to side as if avoiding something, making exaggerated motions—just like Anais now.
Why had he thought she was strong and cool back then? Now he saw it was a precarious gesture hiding her pain.
The memory struck like a blade to his chest.
Licio clenched his fists, trying to suppress the surge of emotion, but it burst out anyway.
“Does that even matter now?”
His roar echoed through the room.
Words he would soon regret. Anais flinched, trying to hide her hands behind her back.
Licio caught her wrist.
Then, like a penitent standing before God, he bowed his head and pressed his face against her palm.
Inhaling deeply, the scent of grass tinged with sunlight seeped in.
He felt ashamed of his selfish insistence on holding her delicate wrist, yet he could not let go.
Even this way, being able to remain near her scent brought him calm.
“I’m sorry…”
After agonizing over what to say, that was all he could utter.
Pathetic. What if Anais left him as well?
“Leave me…”
He swallowed repeatedly, but the fear he had been trying to contain leaked out.
“P-Please… what did you just say?”
Knock, knock, knock—
Ellen’s question was drowned out by the urgent knocking. The personal physician had arrived.
The doctor’s examination revealed nothing major beyond bruising. Soon after, Rohan entered.
“…Are you alright?”
At Rohan’s concerned inquiry, Ellen glanced at Licio.
‘I shouldn’t say I’m fine…’
She felt uncomfortable under his gaze and also had important things to discuss with Rohan about Marmond.
So Ellen politely asked Licio:
“Duke, could you step aside for a moment?”
“I have no intention of moving an inch from this spot.”
His uncooperative attitude made Ellen’s eyebrows twitch.
Calm down, she thought. It’s not the first time he’s been like this.
Resigned, Ellen blinked with a smile.
“Please. Okay?”
Once, twice, three times.
After three blinks, Licio finally gave permission.
“…Five minutes, that’s all.”
“Five minutes is too short. How about ten?”
Hoping for agreement, Ellen blinked slowly like before. But this time, Licio turned and left without a word, his face red.
‘What? Is he angry?’
She could have been satisfied with five minutes… Ellen watched the door he had left through, regret plain in her eyes.
“Good day, Duchess Debese.”
“Ah, Sir Rohan.”
“You don’t look well. I’ll call the personal physician again.”
Ellen scratched her cheek, feeling embarrassed.
“No! I was just distracted for a moment. Sorry.”
“I’ve called several times. Are you really alright?”
“Of course. This is nothing.”
Ellen offered a bright smile.
In the familiar questions, answers, and prepared actions, she felt relief—as if she were the master of a fortified castle.
“May I report the information about the House of Lahone next time? You should rest more today.”
“That would be best.”
Rohan, unable to lift his head, spoke with difficulty after a pause.
“The assailant… was a priest who escaped from the temple prison. Though a criminal, he is affiliated with the temple, so I will investigate together.”
“I hope he pays for what he did this time.”
At her words, Rohan’s head lifted sharply.
“Do you know Marmond? Did Ellen mention that too?”
“Yes…”
“You were really close. Ellen avoided speaking about that day.”
It had been a pain that felt like the world had crumbled.
She had tried to bury it as if it never happened. But memories that couldn’t be easily forgotten lingered, tormenting her.
“It happened because of me.”
Was it because it was Anais’ body? She could finally speak her hidden feelings, almost as if discussing someone else.
“That’s not true.”
His firm reply was both sweet and bitter.
“You were wrong.”
“No. Marmond’s actions were unpredictable. I only regret that it caused Ellen to withdraw.”
Withdraw? Rohan’s words seemed like gentle knocks at the door of her closed heart.
“I was scared… I couldn’t do anything, fearing it would happen again. Foolishly…”
Ellen sniffled, trying to hold back the tears at the corner of her eyes.
Despite her desperate efforts, Rohan naturally wiped them away, erasing her sorrow.
“If you had survived, you would have overcome it eventually. Ellen’s light is noble and cannot be extinguished by anyone.”
She let out a breathless smile.
“I… I’m overestimating myself, Ellen.”
Rohan stared at Ellen in silence, then gently caressed her reddened eyes, murmuring softly:
“I think you’ve already overcome it.”
Ellen tilted her head, puzzled by his words, but Rohan only offered a faint smile.
“I’ll take my leave now. Rest well.”
Not long after Rohan left, Licio returned.
Perhaps because of Rohan’s comfort. Or perhaps because Licio had drawn a chair to sit at her bedside as if it were his place.
For some reason, the warmth felt genuine, and Ellen’s lips naturally curved into a smile.
“Aren’t you busy? All because of me…”
“If you’re planning to run off again, you’d better give up.”
Licio took out an ointment that looked expensive. He carefully applied it to her neck and neatly wrapped it with bandages.
“The bruise will fade quickly even if you leave it.”
“This is all I can do for you, isn’t it?”
“You’ve already done so much. You saved me.”
“You were already hurt. And… I was angry.”
Seeing the sulking bear-like expression, Ellen let out a short laugh.
“I’ll forgive that. But I want to try something.”
“What is it?”
“May I touch your hair, Duke?”
Licio inclined his head as if granting permission.
Her fingers slowly threaded through his silver hair.
‘It feels good.’
The warmth and softness made Ellen smile naturally.
‘I pray this happiness I feel now reaches you too.’
Suddenly, a trace of divine blessing appeared at her fingertips.
Startled by the sudden surge of divine power, Ellen instinctively grasped his hair tightly.
