Episode 16
A gentle warmth wrapped around the back of Yuriel’s hand.
It brought her slowly back to her senses.
But as soon as she came to, a terrifying memory returned—
The blood.
It had flowed across the floor before she passed out.
Panicking, Yuriel grabbed his hands.
“You were hurt… I remember. There was so much blood.”
She looked up at him with a worried expression. But his face shifted strangely, as if he were hiding something.
“You don’t remember?”
His question was careful, cautious.
Yuriel didn’t respond right away. Everything she recalled felt vivid and real…
But what if—what if there was something she missed?
“…Um…”
Before she could finish, he gently reassured her.
“No, you remember correctly. Sorry, I shouldn’t have confused you.”
He spoke in a calm tone. But something still felt… off.
She opened her mouth to ask again, but he spoke first.
“My body heals faster than most. You don’t need to worry.”
Yuriel slowly reached out and touched his palms.
They were rough, calloused from years of training. But… There were no cuts.
Not even a scar remained.
It was hard to believe—even for someone with dragon blood. Could a deep wound truly vanish without a trace?
“…You woke up after two full days,” he said, gently changing the subject.
Yuriel blinked in surprise.
“It was the herb that paralyzed your body. It didn’t harm the baby, but… it was too strong for you.”
His voice was low and angry at himself.
That herb was extremely rare. It could treat illness, yes… but in the wrong hands, it became a dangerous poison.
Fortunately, it hadn’t been fatal. But it had caused her to fall into a deep, drugged sleep.
“I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
Regret filled his voice.
Yuriel stared at him, startled by how pained he looked.
She almost forgot about the missing wound on his hand.
“…It’s not your fault.”
Now she understood why he looked so tormented.
He had only left because the Emperor had summoned him.
And the meeting with Fiona—Yuriel had agreed to it herself.
She had no way of knowing it would turn into a nightmare.
“…Really. Please don’t blame yourself,” she whispered.
Still, her heart ached.
He had come for her. He had saved both her and the baby.
And yet…
Fiona’s cruel voice still echoed in her ears.
If everything Fiona had said was true… then Yuriel was the one at fault.
At the very least, she owed the child an apology for putting them in danger.
“…I’m just glad the baby is safe.”
Her voice trembled.
She was terrified. What if he found out?
More than losing her place in life, what frightened her the most was his eyes, eyes filled with judgment.
A woman not born of noble blood, now carrying the Grand Duke’s child?
It was unforgivable.
“Are you feeling unwell?” he asked, misreading her anxiety.
“I’ll call Rovent immediately.”
He began to rise from the bed, but—
A delicate hand tugged at his sleeve.
“…Ah.”
Yuriel hadn’t even realized she had grabbed him. She panicked and tried to let go.
But instead, the bed shifted again as he sat back down beside her… and gently pulled her into his arms.
She found herself leaning against his chest, wrapped securely in his embrace.
Her trembling slowly calmed.
“Don’t be afraid.”
His deep voice landed softly in her ear.
He had sensed her fear.
Yuriel’s breathing, which had just begun to settle, grew shallow again.
If he asked her now—if he demanded a reason—she knew she wouldn’t be able to lie.
But… the question never came.
He didn’t ask.
“No matter the reason,” he said instead, “you are my wife. That will never change.”
Yuriel’s eyes widened.
Why was he saying this now?
She hadn’t expected it. Her heart stirred in confusion.
But there was no doubt in his eyes.
No hesitation, no lie.
And then she understood.
‘He knows.’
Two days had already passed since she collapsed.
In that time, of course, he would’ve investigated.
He likely knew everything now.
And yet… the room was still filled with warmth, not blame.
He didn’t accuse her.
Not her bloodline. Not her silence. Not even her mistrust.
‘No… I can’t…’
She couldn’t possibly leave a man like this.
She simply couldn’t.
‘You don’t know…’
He didn’t realize what his words meant to her.
His kindness felt like a soft, spring breeze—gentle, warm, and deeply sad.
Without thinking, Yuriel melted into his arms.
＊ ＊ ＊
“From this moment, the title of Count Rayten is abolished.”
The public trial had begun, and the Grand Duke gave his command in a cold voice.
In the center of the courtroom, Count Rayten, his wife, and Fiona knelt.
Their limbs were bound. Their noble garments were torn. Their faces, twisted in despair, were almost unrecognizable.
The Emperor was furious.
The one who tried to kill the Grand Duchess was none other than Fiona Rayten, once her sister.
Worse yet, the crime had taken place in the heart of the Imperial Palace, while the Grand Duke had stepped away at the Emperor’s command.
The Emperor, who had always cherished the Grand Duke, was ashamed.
So he passed judgment over to Akron.
“Urrggh…”
The Count tried to speak, but only animal-like groans came out.
His tongue was gone.
Not cut out by torture—but rotted away.
His fingertips and toes had also blackened and died.
His wife and Fiona suffered the same fate.
At first, it was believed to be an infectious disease. But only the Count’s family had been affected.
‘The curse… it was real.’
Only the Count and his wife knew the truth.
Long ago, when Yuriel was just a baby, a man had brought her to them and warned:
“If you ever reveal that she is not your blood, a curse will fall upon you.”
That man had paid them a fortune and vanished.
Years passed.
But during an argument, when Fiona overheard the truth—
They didn’t believe in the curse.
‘A curse? Nonsense.’
They dismissed it.
That was their mistake.
“But the Grand Duchess pleaded on their behalf,” someone said.
The Count’s eyes widened with hope.
If he could just survive, maybe the disease could be cured.
Yuriel had always been soft-hearted. Surely, she had asked for mercy.
He waited eagerly for the final ruling.
“Considering her request…”
Akron’s voice was cold as ice.
“…The child born from Fiona Rayten shall be spared punishment.”
“…Urgh?! Urrgh!!”
The Count’s face froze.
That was not what he wanted to hear.
But Akron’s expression didn’t change.
While in prison, Fiona had given birth prematurely.
Only the baby had been allowed to leave the cell.
No one cared about the child’s bloodline. And now, only that baby would be spared?
“As for the rest of the Rayten family—death by monsters in the West would be fitting.”
“However, considering their former noble ties, they will instead be imprisoned in the underground labyrinth of the Temple.”
“No! Urgh!!”
The former nobles screamed in terror.
The Count glared at Akron with bloodshot eyes.
But it was pointless.
Fiona, half-mad, didn’t even resist.
She was dragged away like livestock.
The underground maze of the Temple was a cursed prison.
Ancient, haunted by spirits, it drove living souls into madness.
Once inside, there was no escape. Not even death was possible.
Even after death, their souls would become trapped as wandering spirits.
It was the worst punishment imaginable.
‘Simply killing them would be too kind.’
Akron’s face was cold as stone.
They didn’t deserve mercy.
They deserved to taste hell alive.
“Take them.”
Holy knights from the temple arrived to carry out the sentence.
Akron watched until they disappeared… then finally turned away.
“Yuriel…”
He thought of her—of the blood that ran through her.
In that terrifying moment when he thought he might lose her…
He had learned what true despair felt like.
But in the end, a miracle happened.
Yuriel had lived.
And somehow, she had even healed his wounds with a power he had never seen before.
“That kind of power… I’ve never heard of it.”
