Chapter : 9. The Cursed Young Duke (5)
Elia realized what Axion meant when he said he was “okay.”
His body was unharmed, but the pain, as if raw flesh were being cut away, ultimately stole his mind.
Axion was merely waiting to lose consciousness.
“Did he just call that ‘okay’?”
Elia was dumbfounded and lost for words.
Even when Axion was a child, the pain had been the same.
When the baby emitted black energy and writhed in agony, everyone, including the Duchess, would flee in terror.
“…I know it’s not okay at all.”
What was “okay” about a reality where all one could do was wait to pass out?
The clash of sacred energy and darkness within Axion could erupt at any time, anywhere.
This torment must have constantly plagued him.
For a full year from now, until he met the heroine, it would continue.
‘After enduring this kind of pain… why…’
Axion was freed from the suffering by the heroine’s hand, yet he ultimately did not receive salvation.
How was this different from physical pain transferring to the mind?
“Axion.”
He seemed to have lost his mind entirely, breathing shallowly.
Elia wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He and she shared many uncanny similarities. Perhaps that was why she felt this way.
“Let’s try to make us both happy.”
Despite having come this far, there was still hesitation lingering in her heart.
Elia resolved to fulfill that determination.
Turning her back on her own wounds, she held the wounded man in her arms for a long time.
Late at night.
Axion quietly gazed at Elia, who held him.
“She truly is a kind princess.”
No—perhaps it was more accurate to call it courage.
His red eyes shone brightly, like someone completely different from before.
A faint smile curved his lips.
‘She didn’t flee even after seeing my black power.’
All his effort to appear strong had been pointless—she hadn’t even supported him.
But the most shocking thing was yet to come.
The princess had stabilized Axion’s power.
‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’
He looked down at his own hands.
Slowly, the black energy rose, intertwined with blue shimmering heat.
Since birth, two powers had coexisted within him:
One, the sacred energy of his family.
The other, the black magic.
The black magic clashed with the sacred energy, producing immense pain.
Yet if it could be controlled, it was stronger than anything else.
‘What I’ve sought my whole life… this princess has achieved.’
Since childhood, Axion had gathered forces loyal only to him and gained recognition.
He wanted to devour the duke’s house—or, rather, a power far greater than that.
His goal was to subdue the black magic.
The pain didn’t matter, as long as he could stabilize the uncontrollable force.
The princess was astonishing to him.
‘The first princess, huh.’
With her unique abilities, she wasn’t at all as the rumors from the capital described.
‘They said she was a foolish fake.’
All lies.
Axion recalled Elia on the snowy field.
Her relieved gaze, her tone, every detail when she met him.
‘…Have I met her before?’
She was certainly someone outside his memory.
Yet he couldn’t explain the tender feeling he experienced at that moment.
He pondered deeply. Then, a sound came from the window.
“Master.”
With Axion’s permission, a shadowy figure entered.
The figure’s hands and feet froze briefly upon seeing Elia asleep beside her master—but revealed nothing.
Axion smoothed Elia’s hair and said,
“Investigate the first princess of Amaranta.”
“Yes, sir.”
The shadowy figure vanished through the window.
Axion rose, looking down at Elia.
When warmth left him, a strange sense of loss lingered.
‘She seems to favor the innocent ones.’
Deception would be easy, especially when the target could gain something from it.
Normally, he would have restrained her and taken only what he wanted.
‘I’ll at least hear her reasons.’
He was curious why she had come all this way.
“I look forward to it, Princess.”
It was a sweet whisper.
Night passed, and then dawn.
The red eyes watched Elia’s sleeping face the entire time.
The next day.
After breakfast, Elia wandered through the castle until well past the afternoon.
“Where on earth is he?”
She grumbled in frustration.
She had been searching for Axion all morning, traversing the massive castle.
‘He’s not in his room, and I can’t just wander endlessly.’
She had gone straight to Axion’s room, but he wasn’t there.
“The weather’s awful too.”
Elia murmured, glancing out the window.
Snow fell relentlessly outside, making it hard to see the sun.
Her legs began to ache. Leaning against the wall, she sighed.
“Elia Princess?”
“Risha.”
The maid who had cared for her when she first woke up in the castle.
‘Hmm.’
Elia gazed silently at the gentle-faced Risha.
“Did you happen to get lost?”
Risha tilted her head, confused, but Elia’s thoughts were elsewhere.
‘Maybe Risha knows something?’
Other servants usually panicked and fled whenever Axion was mentioned.
‘Everyone treats Axion with such fear.’
Risha was also afraid, but unlike others, she didn’t hate him.
“Do you know where the young master is? I met him yesterday, but I don’t think I properly thanked him.”
“Ah…”
Risha hesitated, flustered.
Elia’s guess proved correct—after some hesitation, Risha finally revealed what she knew.
“I’m not entirely sure, but the young master often spends time in the forest. He might have gone out just now.”
Even as she spoke, Risha’s expression suggested uncertainty.
Yet that single sentence gave Elia confidence.
‘Right. That was mentioned.’
The book had stated that Axion wandered in the forest whenever he felt pain.
‘How could I have forgotten?’
She chastised her own memory.
“Thank you, Risha!”
“Wait! Princess! If you go like this…!”
Elia ignored Risha and ran outside.
Risha called after her in alarm, but she paid no attention.
As soon as she was outside, regret struck.
‘Ugh, it’s cold. Now I understand why Risha called me.’
Gripping the front of her coat, Elia faced the blizzard.
She was thankfully layered for the cold castle corridors, or she might have frozen to death in just a light outfit.
“Still cold… maybe I should put something else on.”
Standing before the forest, she shook her head. More clothing wouldn’t fix the cold. And, more importantly—
‘He’s probably huddled alone again.’
Elia remembered Axion, shivering in her arms.
Yesterday, she could do nothing for him.
Though she stayed nearby all night, it hadn’t been enough.
“…I’ll just go to his room.”
Then I’ll find him.
Muttering to herself, she headed toward the forest.
She had promised not to leave Axion alone that night.
‘Just like yesterday, everything’s white.’
The snow was dazzling, but it only hindered her progress.
She pressed onward, leaving footprints in the snow. For some reason, the blizzard seemed to ease slightly.
‘I’m not chasing a rabbit, after all.’
She felt like Alice hunting the White Rabbit.
‘Let’s do this.’
Elia plunged deeper into the forest.
Then, in the distance, she heard movement.
‘I think I hear voices that way.’
As she stepped toward the sound—
“Ugh!”
Her foot caught on something. The thick snow had hidden a tree root.
Her body fell rapidly toward the ground. She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact.
“This place is dangerous.”
A hand shot out from behind, pulling her back.
Warmth immediately touched her back.
Axion held her in his arms.
“I know. The young master saved me before.”
Found him.
Elia turned her head to meet Axion’s gaze.
“…Then shouldn’t you have stopped me from coming?”
“Wow. You can scold too?”
Elia spoke in awe, and Axion quietly shut his mouth.
