Chapter 83
“Who are you?”
Tession narrowed his eyes and looked up at Cynthia. It really seemed like he couldn’t see properly—he was straining to recognize her face.
Seeing that made Cynthia’s heart ache. Instead of answering, she turned to Enoch. You explain it for me!
“Ah—uh, she’s a part-timer at my pharmacy. Here… would you come around to the other side and help support the Duke?”
Nod, nod!
With a determined look, Cynthia dragged her heavy boots across the floor and came around to Tession’s other side. As she stood beside him and held his arm, that familiar scent—his scent—wrapped around her.
Ah… she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it. The moment she grabbed his arm, her heart—long kept calm—began to tremble without reason.
“Thank you, both of you.”
Supported by Enoch and Cynthia on each side, Tession finally sat down in a chair and spoke quietly. Enoch scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“You really came alone? What about your carriage?”
“The carriage… when you leave the pharmacy, turn into the first alley on the right, then take the second left. Walk for about two minutes, then go toward one o’clock, and after seeing the statue, go three steps left.”
“…Why would you park somewhere so complicated?”
“There were no open spots.”
“Sigh… Since I can’t take you myself, I should at least fetch your coachman. Then, maybe you…”
Enoch trailed off as his eyes fell on Cynthia sitting next to Tession. He suddenly remembered—Cynthia couldn’t freely leave the pharmacy right now.
But he couldn’t exactly leave the two of them alone together either.
It’s fine! Just hurry and bring the coachman!
Cynthia, reading his thoughts, waved her hands quickly.
Tession couldn’t see clearly anyway, and he looked exhausted—this was the best time for Enoch to leave. Go quickly!
“Ugh… alright, I’ll be right back then!”
With a conflicted look, Enoch turned and hurried out of the pharmacy. The sooner he went and returned, the less time the two would spend alone together.
“…”
Once Enoch was gone, Cynthia held her breath.
Being alone with Tession felt awkward… and yet, strangely exciting.
She cautiously turned her head to sneak a look at him—leaning back against the shelf, staring blankly into space.
She had known he’d struggle after she left him, but not this much.
His stress must have reached the breaking point—his eyesight failing, his legs giving out… all because of her. The guilt in her heart grew heavier and heavier.
Tession…
At that moment, his unfocused eyes shifted toward her.
Cynthia froze and quickly turned her head away. Not only was she embarrassed to be caught staring, but she also feared he might somehow recognize her despite the thick glasses she wore.
“Part-timer.”
Tession’s quiet voice broke the silence.
Don’t answer him! she told herself. Earlier she had accidentally spoken out loud, but if he heard her voice this close, he might recognize her.
Maybe she could just… slip away into the dispensary and pretend she hadn’t heard?
Just as she began to rise naturally from her seat, Tession suddenly lifted a hand.
Huh…?
Before she could process what happened, her glasses were whisked off her face.
“…!!”
Eek—!
Cynthia was too shocked even to scream.
Why would he just snatch someone’s glasses off like that?!
“…”
Frozen stiff, she couldn’t move or even blink. Tession tilted his head slightly as he gazed at her face.
W-what is it…?
“…Strange. You look a lot like someone I know.”
No…!
Cynthia swallowed hard. Calm down, calm down!
Right now her hair was brown instead of blonde, her eyes their natural red instead of green. She wasn’t wearing Elizabeth’s usual bold makeup—her face was nearly bare. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t recognize her.
“Uh… uh-huh?”
Still, she couldn’t risk speaking normally. She raised her shoulders and made an awkward nasal sound, pretending to be a foreigner poor at the language.
Tession narrowed his eyes further and leaned his face closer toward hers.
Too close—!
Cynthia instinctively leaned back as he drew nearer.
Then he suddenly stopped, covered his eyes with one hand, and bowed his head deeply.
“My apologies. I’ve behaved rudely toward a lady. My vision is blurry, and I must have mistaken you for someone else.”
Oh…
Her heart softened instantly. Cynthia looked at him with pity, then hesitated before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. She wanted to comfort him—without revealing who she was.
“I’m afraid,” he murmured quietly.
“…What?” Cynthia tilted her head closer to hear him better. He took a breath, as if steadying himself, and spoke again.
“My fiancée… I think she’s abandoned me.”
What?
Cynthia froze where she stood. Who abandoned whom?
“I can’t believe she would have left me so suddenly otherwise. I must have disappointed her too deeply—unable to even take care of myself after waking up.”
What do you mean, you can’t take care of yourself? Disappointed—?
Cynthia was so flustered she couldn’t speak. She had left him for his sake, but he had taken it this way?
“I showed her nothing but disappointment. Even in the end, I was so pitiful—afraid to sleep for fear of dreaming of her final image.”
No… that’s not true…!
Cynthia shook her head desperately.
All she had ever wanted was for him to be happy—to meet someone better than her, a fake noblewoman, and live a fuller, happier life than in the original story. That’s why she’d made the painful choice to leave.
“I’ve caused you enough trouble already. I should go.”
As she stood there speechless, Tession suddenly rose to his feet. Again, he swayed dangerously, nearly collapsing as he tried to make his way toward the door.
Where are you even going?!
“W-where are you going?”
Cynthia hurried after him, lowering her voice as she supported his arm.
“I’m returning to the ducal mansion,” he said, breathing heavily as he gripped a shelf for balance. “I shouldn’t have come. Without her here, things like blurry vision or eye strain mean nothing to me.”
“What?”
“I knew this would happen. I thought… once she left me, I might lose my sight again.”
He murmured the words faintly, and Cynthia’s heart plummeted. She turned him toward her and gripped his shoulders tightly.
“Your Grace—please, look at me! Stay focused!”
“…”
“Your blurred vision—it could be psychological. You can overcome this if you steel yourself!”
“It’s all meaningless.”
“What do you mean meaningless? There are only happy days ahead of you—why say that?!”
“But there’s… no one left beside me.”
His expression looked so unbearably lonely that Cynthia’s heart throbbed in pain.
Looking at him, she couldn’t help but think—Wasn’t she the one who’d hurt him most?
He truly had no one left.
A mother who had taken her own life when he was young, a father lost in an accident… and now, because of her, even his fiancée had disappeared.
What have I done…
She couldn’t make sense of anything—only that she had made Tession the most miserable man in the world.
And that realization made Cynthia feel like she might cry right then and there.
