~Chapter 77~
Ancia felt her vision spin and stumbled.
“Madam, are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine…”
No, this wasn’t fine at all.
She knew her frail body very well. If things continued like this, she would lose consciousness any moment.
She desperately tried to put her arm over the guard’s shoulder, but she had no strength.
“No… if Rishar sees me like this…”
“Wife.”
Of course. He had crossed the dangerous hallway anyway.
Ancia found herself in Rishar’s arms instead of the guard’s. She looked up at him with a mix of frustration and relief.
Why doesn’t he ever listen?
She was upset but also… strangely happy.
“What is with these conflicting feelings?”
Even though another explosion could happen at any moment, she felt safe in Rishar’s arms.
Her body went completely limp, and Rishar’s face showed clear panic.
“Wife!”
“I’m just… a little shaken…”
She hadn’t lost consciousness yet, but her body was weak.
Rishar picked her up lightly and jumped out the window.
Outside, people had already gathered in the streets after hearing the explosions.
“Guards, block access to the building! Knights, find the explosives inside and secure the area!”
“Yes, sir!”
To avoid further danger, Rishar ordered everyone to keep away and headed straight for the carriage. The maids, who had come down the stairs safely, ran after them, worrying for Ancia.
“Wife, you can close your eyes if it’s too much.”
Ancia’s body felt like it was collapsing, but her mind was still awake. She felt dizzy, but Rishar’s firm hold gave her comfort.
He only calmed down after confirming her breathing had become steady.
Unlike the maids, who were covered in dust, Ancia wasn’t very dirty thanks to the guard shielding her.
When they reached the carriage, Rishar carefully set her down, finally allowing himself to relax.
“Wife, return home first with the maids and guards.”
“There’s still so much we need to check…”
“Not today. You must rest.”
Rishar hugged her tightly, his face firm and resolute.
Even so, he gently wiped the dust off her cheek. When Ancia noticed the cuts on his hand and flinched, he caught her trembling hand softly.
His tenderness made Ancia want to cry.
She didn’t want to send Rishar back to the building, but he had to investigate.
Not ready to let go, she clung to his hand. Rishar, as if finding her adorable, kissed the back of her hand and slowly let her release him.
“Please know… how relieved I am that you are safe.
I want you to rest peacefully until I return.”
Ancia forced herself to smile.
“Come back soon. I’ll be waiting at home.”
That simple line—“I’ll be waiting”—hit Rishar’s heart like a wave.
He felt an intense desire to return to her no matter what.
“Of course.”
It was all he could say.
After lightly kissing her forehead, he turned away. Watching his back fade from view, Ancia clenched her trembling hands.
Only after he disappeared completely did she relax and collapse into the carriage seat.
Ellie and Julie, pale with worry, looked after her as the carriage departed.
Ancia fainted, praying that Rishar would return safely.
She opened her eyes in a soft, warm bed.
The herbal scent in her mouth made her realize someone had gone through the trouble of giving her medicine while she was unconscious.
“Madam, you’re awake? It’s an herbal tea to help after the shock.”
Bianca helped her sit up and drink it. It tasted like bitter medicine.
Bianca’s eyes were swollen from crying, and the two other maids had clearly stayed up all night by her side.
“Thank you, everyone.”
“Madam, we knew you were weak, but we never imagined you’d faint. You didn’t wake up for so long… we were so worried.”
Ancia comforted the teary Bianca and then asked carefully,
“Um… has the Duke not returned yet?”
“No, he just stopped by earlier. He told us to let him know the moment you woke up.”
“Ah, I see… he’s not hurt, right?”
“No, the master is perfectly fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
Her relieved smile made Ellie and Julie smile too.
Only Bianca puffed her cheeks in frustration.
“I don’t like the Duke.”
The other maids froze at the bold remark.
“He’s so powerful he can slice through monsters with one blow, but in a crisis, he didn’t even protect you, Madam!”
Of course, even Rishar couldn’t leap ten meters across a collapsing hallway.
Tears welled up in Bianca’s eyes again as she carefully examined Ancia’s cheeks and hands.
“Oh no, your fair skin has scratches. Does it hurt?”
Ancia felt a heavy sense of guilt.
She had worried about Bianca earlier, but she had also felt jealous.
Bianca, on the other hand, only worried about me…
“Thank you, Bianca. But I’m really fine. Sir Gail protected me, so I wasn’t hurt badly. Oh, wait—what about Sir Gail? He must have been hurt protecting me.”
“He only got a few bruises from falling debris. But he was sent to rest early, just in case.”
“That’s good. I wish I could at least give him a break as a reward.”
“I’ll pass the message to the steward.”
“Thank you.”
She wondered how bad the explosion damage was, but Rishar would surely be investigating. There was no need to ask the maids.
Silence filled the room. Ancia was embarrassed about realizing she’d been jealous earlier and didn’t know how to apologize to Bianca.
Seeing Ancia’s hesitant, flushed expression, Bianca suddenly knelt by the bed and raised both hands.
“I deserve punishment.”
“Huh?”
“Madam, you’re too beautiful, too cute, too lovely. Can I hug you just once?”
“No.”
The answer came from Ellie, who was standing a step away.
Ancia didn’t mind the idea of a hug, but Bianca’s sparkling eyes made her hesitate.
When she saw Bianca looking dejected, she decided to offer it as a sort of apology.
“Fine. I do owe Bianca an apology anyway.”
“Yay! Thank you!”
Bianca hugged her so tightly that Ancia could barely breathe.
Julie watched with concern, and Ellie looked at Bianca with jealousy.
“Madam, you’re so soft, so small, and you smell so nice.”
“Thank you. I don’t feel guilty anymore.”
Ancia never expected Bianca to be this affectionate, but it actually made her feel closer to her.
“Don’t burden the Madam. She’s still weak,” Ellie warned.
“Okay. Thank you, Madam.”
Reluctantly, Bianca let go and stepped back.
Ancia’s heart felt lighter now. But there was still one thing she needed.
“I need to see the Duke.”
“We have everything prepared. Would you like to bathe first?”
“We bathed this morning. Why again? And why are we going to another room instead of this bedroom?”
Bianca’s endless questions showed just how devoted she was to Ancia, though it was unusual.
Julie quickly apologized.
“Madam, we’ll train Bianca properly as soon as possible… But for now, how about washing up? We can have you completely clean and beautiful in 30 minutes.”
Ancia hesitated. Normally, she wouldn’t bother dressing up just to see Rishar, but now…
She realized she wanted to.
She couldn’t shake the suspicion that the explosion wasn’t a coincidence.
Someone had targeted the building. Maybe even her.
The most suspicious person was Rosa, who had conveniently shown up that morning to recommend the building.
But was it too obvious?
If Rosa set up the building, she knew everyone would suspect her… Would she really make such a simple move?
Ancia shivered at the thought of what might have happened if she had gone to the building alone, without Rishar.
Yet strangely, she felt calm.
“I must be braver than I thought.”
“Yes, Madam. You’re incredible,” Bianca praised.
“You were so brave when you shouted for the Duke not to come. It was amazing.”
Ancia hadn’t meant it that way.
She even realized that if it had just been her, the maids, and the guard, she might have been less frightened.
Maybe… it was easier when Rishar wasn’t there.
She tightened the warm rabbit-fur shawl around her shoulders and headed to Rishar’s office.
Unlike usual, there was a knight standing guard at the door. He opened it for her immediately, and she was relieved.
Inside were only Rishar and the steward.
The moment she stepped in, Rishar approached her quickly.
She glanced back at the steward, who smiled warmly.
Ancia remembered she had her own share of duties to handle and mentally noted to later ask about sending word to her family.
She stepped closer to Rishar.
“Duke, I want to be alone with you.”
Accusing Rosa outright felt premature.
The steward left the room, closing the door behind him.
Rishar pulled Ancia close.
“Wife, you couldn’t even wait in the bedroom because you missed me so much?”
“No, Duke. That’s not it—”
“Not it? Then I was the only one who missed you?”
His cold blue eyes somehow looked soft, melting Ancia’s heart.
He noticed her guard lowering and didn’t miss the chance to kiss her lightly.
“Does he really like kissing this much…? How did he hold back before?”
She couldn’t resist because it felt so good.
Before the kiss could deepen, Ancia barely managed to speak,
“D-Duke, the explosion earlier—wait, please—”
“There were bombs hidden among the fireworks,” he said calmly.
“Really? Then the culprit must be—mmph—”
Every time their lips parted, Ancia tried to continue, but Rishar kept finding her lips again.
His tender yet persistent kisses left her breathless and clinging to him.
When she was finally too weak to stand, he lifted her and gently wiped her lips.
“The head maid is imprisoned for now.”
“You already found out?”
Rishar nodded.
Ancia felt embarrassed for wasting time dressing up.
Seeing her bow her head, Rishar lifted her chin gently.
“Why the face?”
“I came to tell you I suspected her… but I wasted time getting ready.”
“Wife, you’re beautiful even without dressing up. But I’m glad you dressed for me.”
Ancia’s guilt only faded slightly.
Rishar soothed her with a gentle hand on her back and began explaining.
“The innkeeper said he got word this morning that the Duchess was visiting. Someone told him to offer fireworks to you, claiming you’d pay handsomely.
When he refused, they gave him free samples and even demonstrated them. Among those samples was the bomb.”
“Fireworks are that dangerous?”
“No. Bombs were hidden inside the fireworks.”
“And the timing was too perfect.
The merchant was a distant relative of the head maid.”
Rishar’s eyes darkened.
“There was a risk she might flee, so when we went to arrest her, she was calmly doing her duties.”
Rishar’s subtle expression made Ancia focus.
He looked hurt.
Of course he would. Rosa had been loyal to him for years, managing the household.
The betrayal must have been crushing.
Ancia was wondering how to comfort him when he carefully took her hand.
“She tried to hurt you. I can’t contain my anger.
She even sent letters to slander you before… My handling of her was too lenient. I’m sorry.”
“No, Duke. You gave that matter to me as the mistress of the house. I knew Rosa didn’t like me, but I never imagined she’d do something so extreme.”
Ancia couldn’t help but wonder if Rosa’s actions were only because she hated her.
“Did you hear why she did it?”
“I haven’t seen her since we locked her up. She keeps begging to see me. But… I can’t forgive her. If I see her, I might draw my sword.”
Rishar’s voice was heavy with rage and sorrow.
Ancia hugged him gently.
Feeling her arms around him, the tension in his shoulders eased, and his hands softened as they pulled her closer.
When he seemed calmer, she whispered,
“Let me go see Rosa.”
“That’s not allowed.”
He tightened his arms around her. She could feel his worry, and it made her smile faintly.
“Duke, does Rosa know how to use hidden weapons?”
“No. If she had that skill, I’d have assigned her other tasks. And we thoroughly checked her before putting her in the cell.”
“Then… could she cast a curse just by looking at someone?”
“If she had that ability, I’d have hired her as an assassin.”
Rishar even let out a dry chuckle at his own grim joke.
The heavy mood lightened just a bit, and Ancia didn’t miss the chance.
