Episode 65
“……”
“Hmm, you don’t have to carry it around all the time.”
“What are you talking about! I’m taking it with me to the grave.”
“Yes. I’ll never let it leave my side.”
The Duke spoke as if making a solemn vow. His voice was low but firm enough to change Louisa’s expression, who had been speaking casually to Damian just moments before.
‘To the grave? Seriously, how dramatic…’
Feeling a little embarrassed, Louisa averted her eyes—just in time to see the Duke carefully open the box and slip the protective stone into the inner pocket of his coat, as if to prove his words.
He touched the spot over the stone several times, confirming its presence, before slowly lifting his eyes that had been cast downward.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, Louisa. I’ll truly keep it for life.”
“I mean, it’s not that big of a deal…”
It really wasn’t.
Still, seeing how much he liked it… maybe it wasn’t so bad.
“I must repay you.”
“Sorry?”
“Is there something you want?”
“It’s really not a big deal. I don’t need anything in return.”
“To me, it is. So I will repay you.”
Though his tone was still curt, there was something soft and almost warm in the atmosphere that made her chest flutter.
Louisa glanced between Damian—grinning like an idiot—and the Duke, who was staring at her intently, waiting for an answer.
“…Just buy me something delicious later. That’s enough.”
Now that the offer was made, she couldn’t think of anything she actually wanted. Besides, how could she demand something in return for just a protective stone?
Without waiting for a reply, Louisa turned around.
“Anyway, we should get going. We’re going to be late.”
“Haha, got it. Let’s go. Thanks, Louisa! I’ll buy you good food for the rest of my life!”
The rest of your life? She shot a glare at Damian, trailing after her like a lost puppy, and left the room.
The servants, already finished with preparations, were lined up in the hallway.
Realizing they’d spent more time in the parlor than expected, Louisa checked to make sure the Duke was following behind and stepped outside the mansion.
‘Why do their faces look… intense?’
On the way to the carriage, the servants wore expressions of awe and reverence. It seemed they had directly witnessed the Duke’s monstrous recovery.
Since no one had fully understood the nature of his condition, most had assumed it was healed through Priest Yoran’s treatment. But now, with him departing on a journey so soon after, they were newly struck by just how remarkable it all was.
Of course, the attending physician still looked skeptical.
He knew the true issue had been not a physical injury, but magic poisoning—and that the only one in the Empire capable of purifying such a thing was the Saintess. So he must have found it baffling.
But, as someone who had served the Ducal house for a long time, he tactfully kept his thoughts to himself and chose instead to celebrate the Duke’s sudden recovery.
“My lady, if you experience even the slightest discomfort during your journey, please don’t hesitate to summon me!”
As always, his full attention was on Louisa.
‘Maybe I should just tell the doctor too…’
Louisa glanced at the physician, who would be traveling with them to the capital. Even though she’d eased her family’s worries, the doctor still believed she was terminally ill and insisted she continue taking mysterious medication.
Of course, she wasn’t actually drinking it—only pretending to. Which made her feel a little guilty, as if she were rejecting his good intentions.
“Um… Don’t you think it’d be better to tell the doctor I’m not sick?”
As soon as the carriage set off, Louisa asked the Duke, who was seated across from her. She could feel Damian watching from the side.
“If you’re fine with it, then do so.”
“I am, but… I just don’t want the news spreading outside.”
“He’s discreet. You needn’t worry about that.”
“That’s a relief. I’ll just think about when to tell him, then.”
The Duke gave a curt nod. He silently gazed at Louisa for a moment.
Watching Damian pat her shoulder from beside her, the Duke slowly turned to look out the window—his profile showing a firm determination.
“As for your power, I’ll respect whatever you choose. No matter what happens, we’re on your side.”
His voice was quiet but resolute. Louisa glanced at him with a strange expression.
He was still sharp and intimidating, but she was beginning to understand that wasn’t all there was to him.
‘My side…’
She’d never had that before. Louisa rolled the unfamiliar words on her tongue, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Meanwhile…
The portal connecting the North to the Capital was located at a midpoint.
It also connected to the Eastern region, handling travel to three districts. Unlike the trains open to everyone, portals could only be used by high-ranking nobles and above, so it was rare to see many people in the portal waiting area.
But today, the seats were unusually crowded. Louisa, who had used the portal several times recently, found it strange enough to feel a flicker of curiosity.
As she scanned the area, she noticed Brown explaining something to the Duke and Damian. She leaned in closer to eavesdrop.
“They’ve opened the Eastern portal first for the priests. To prevent overloading, the Capital portal will operate in about an hour. Will that be alright?”
“For the priests? Did something happen in the East?”
She hadn’t intended to butt in, but couldn’t help asking. Louisa widened her eyes and turned to Brown.
“Seems like the same kind of incident happened there as well.”
This time, Damian answered.
“Same kind… You mean magic poisoning? Were people hurt?”
“Yeah. Sounds serious—they’ve requested aid from the Capital.”
“…Isn’t the Saintess over there too?”
Louisa tilted her head slightly, thinking of Raphael.
“Hmm? How’d you know?”
“Ah… Just a guess. The East’s been unstable, so I figured she might be sent there…”
“My sister’s so smart. I didn’t even know that.”
“Sure you didn’t. But why do they need more priests? None of them have purification powers, right?”
Surely the head of House Blake would know the Saintess’s whereabouts.
Louisa gave Damian a playfully skeptical look, which he brushed off with a grin. Just then, Brown approached and whispered discreetly.
“They say they’re hoping one of the priests might awaken hidden powers. From what I’ve heard, the Saintess is currently unable to use her full strength, so they’re gathering priests in desperation.”
Louisa frowned.
‘Unable to use her strength? Bella?’
She wanted to give the original story the benefit of the doubt, but this felt wrong. Bella and Raphael were the most heavily “buffed” characters in this world.
The male lead had overwhelming divine power and martial prowess, while the female lead could purify any form of dark energy without fail.
Bella was basically the key to the world’s balance. If her powers were weakening, the spread of magic poisoning could lead to catastrophic collapse.
‘Did they find an underground tunnel like in the North? But even then, for Bella to be struggling against it…’
Louisa, who had purified the Duke’s magic herself, couldn’t make sense of it. Even if her own powers had strengthened, she shouldn’t surpass Bella.
The magical corruption was proving to be an unpredictable and dangerous variable.
The original plot’s biggest crisis was supposed to be the Empress unleashing monsters in the Capital to sabotage Raphael’s imperial wedding with Bella. But now, with mysterious tunnels and magic attacks surfacing, it felt like the world was making sure she couldn’t stay on the sidelines.
Louisa stared into space, then slowly opened her mouth.
“Then among the injured…”
“Yes.”
“…No, never mind.”
She stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the waiting area.
“I’ll try to find out who’s been hurt. But things are moving fast, so gathering names might take some time.”
Brown seemed to have read her thoughts and added the answer before she could ask aloud.
Louisa froze in place.
She hadn’t asked about Raphael because she was afraid that if he were hurt, she wouldn’t be able to leave. But even without confirmation, her mind was already racing.
‘What if Raphael is hurt…?’
She instinctively reached for the holy water she always carried with her.
As if the sudden outbreak of magic corruption wasn’t enough, thinking Raphael might be involved made her recall the help he once gave her. And now, doing nothing felt like turning her back on him.
What if she wasted too much time waiting for confirmation and delayed treatment?
The image of the Duke suffering flashed through her mind from just a few days ago.
‘But he’s strong… He’ll be fine, right?’
She kept repeating it in her head.
But those words only floated on the surface—they didn’t reach the tight anxiety in her chest. All she could feel was growing conflict and unease.
