I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 104

Earlier, from the conversation between the High Priest and the Empress, Evelyn realized that they were looking for a holy relic that might be in the Grand Duchy.

 

But they didn’t seem to be sure where it was either, and her ring glowed as he recited the spell to locate it.

 

“You saw it too, so maybe that’s why you touched the other compartments to get their attention?”

 

If it weren’t for him, the light would have leaked out of the compartment Evelyn had hidden herself in.

 

“Actually, it’s not the first time I’ve thought that’s odd, because I’ve gotten stronger ever since I got this ring, and…”

 

Evelyn trailed off, seeing his face turn somewhat serious.

 

“When I was closing the gate at Litchev, I heard a strange voice asking me if I would sacrifice myself for you.”

 

“And what did you say?”

 

His face, once so serious, was now contorted in a way that made her heart sink.

 

Her shoulders slumped, overwhelmed by his overwhelming power.

 

“I didn’t have time to answer,” she says, “I just felt like my whole body was burning, and I don’t know what happened next.”

 

It was strange, now that she thought about it. She thought holy objects only responded to strong divine power.

 

“It’s just a guess, so don’t take it too hard, but if this is a real holy relic, it means my mother found Helene’s coffin…”

 

“Wait.”

 

Kalian was confused, she hadn’t talked about Helene’s Relic in any depth, so how could Evelyn know so much about it?

 

“How much do you know about the relics?”

 

The reason he hadn’t talked about it in depth was simple.

 

He had once wondered if she had holy powers, but now it didn’t matter.

 

It was just that if the portal opened and the world went to shit, she might be the only one who could save the continent from evil.

 

Even if she had to sacrifice her life by sealing Babel into her body using the holy artifact, he feared that this woman would just nod in agreement.

 

“As you may have heard, the holy relic has a magic circle on it, and it is not to be tampered with,” he said.

 

“Is that really… all?”

 

Kalian opened his mouth, looking like he had a lot to say, but then paused and bit his lip.

 

Evelyn held out her ringed hand in front of him with a meaningful look on her face.

 

“I believe that in the past, the followers of Babel summoned a demon here to destroy the artifacts stored in the Grand Duchy.”

 

Her green eyes glinted like a predator that had captured its prey as she stared at the faintly glowing ring.

 

“And… I don’t know why, but for some reason, I feel like I should have it.”

 

Evelyn can’t quite put her finger on it, whether it’s to return it to the saint who regained her powers later, or whether she’s been given another mission, but she just felt it.

 

She swallowed hard and smiled at Kalian.

 

“I don’t want you to get sick, so please, give me a chance to help you.”

 

As she spoke, a heavy silence settled over the bedroom.

 

“I know you’re hesitant, it’s hard to give away a family treasure like this…”

 

But she wasn’t about to let him get away with it. Evelyn stared into his golden eyes, determined to change his mind somehow.

 

 

* * *

 

 

That night.

 

A groan of pain made Evelyn’s eyes snap open reflexively.

 

“What is that?”

 

Evelyn stirred the fire with her fingertips, lighting the candlestick. She scrambled to her feet and looked to her side to see Kalian scratching at the nape of his neck.

 

“Kal…! Jesus, look at all this sweat. Pull yourself together, okay?”

 

Evelyn cradled his crouching form and hurriedly poured healing into him. But for some reason, he couldn’t seem to pull himself together.

 

“That’s weird, I don’t feel like he’s going into a rage.”

 

Had the conversation about the holy object been too stressful for him?

 

He looked as distressed as he had the first time he’d seen him at the Count’s manor, and a pain sliced through his heart.

 

“Kal, can you hear me? Open your eyes, please.”

 

Tears welled in her eyes, and her mind went white with the fear of losing him.

 

‘I can’t.’

 

Without a moment to think, she threw off her nightgown and layered her body over his naked one.

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, chest to chest. Hoping her body would take away all the darkness that had engulfed him.

 

“Please, wake up.”

 

Clinging to his neck, Evelyn closed her eyes tightly and prayed.

 

Soon, a healing glow enveloped them, thicker than it had been a moment ago. A new, relaxed breath escaped his lips.

 

“Don’t go…”

 

‘Please.’

 

“I have something to tell you…”

 

‘Don’t leave me, please.’

 

Evelyn’s eyes fluttered wildly at the repeated plea to someone.

 

Each of his words felt like they were dragging her down to hell.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything…”

 

The words were unintelligible, but she knew who he was in her dream. Evelyn hesitated for a moment.

 

Should she wake him up

 

Or should she let him see the face he missed, even if only in his dreams?

 

“Ha…”

 

But he looked too much in pain to be a mere dream. The muscles in his jaw clenched and a tremor rippled across his jaw, and it was hard to leave him alone any longer.

 

“Kal, wake up, Kal!”

 

Evelyn, unable to see, grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously. She hated to see him looking at anyone else, even if it was just a fantasy that had faded with the years.

 

When Evelyn punched him hard in the chest, her jealousy showed.

 

“Aww!”

 

Her gaze swiveled halfway to the ceiling in disbelief.

 

“Evelyn…?”

 

Eyes widening, Kalian exhaled harshly, looking down at Evelyn on the ground beneath him.

 

“Ha.”

 

His grip on her arms slackened, and he leaned his forehead against Evelyn’s shoulder, breathing hard.

 

Gently, Evelyn moved her hand and held his body still.

 

“Now… you okay?”

 

Sweat dripped from his jet-black hair. Evelyn patted his drenched body, deeply relieved that he had called her name.

 

“I’m so mean.”

 

He whispered, his chest heaving as he leaned his weight against her, feeling self-conscious at his childish nature.

 

“Thank God, I thought I was losing you. Thank God it was a dream, thank God, thank God, thank God.”

 

Still reeling from the afterglow of the dream, he repeated the unintelligible words, pulling her harder against him.

 

“Yeah, whatever you want…”

 

Maybe the ‘you’ he was referring to wasn’t her. But Evelyn played it off like she didn’t care.

 

Even as she did, a strange throbbing in her chest.

 

She didn’t know how to react to his words, because they seemed so sincere, like he was begging her not to leave.

 

“It’s okay, don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere without you.”

 

All Evelyn could do was stroke his jet-black hair gently and reassure him that she wasn’t going anywhere, not even for the night.

 

 

* * *

 

 

[Honey… Kyle…]

 

Kalian’s face contorted.

 

He was having nightmares. A dream he hadn’t had since the miracle of Litchev.

 

[Kyle, it’s me… your lovely wife.]

 

His throat, damp with cold sweat, rose uneasily.

 

Kalian spoke to her, breaking from his usual silent stare.

 

“Don’t go… I have something I must tell you.”

 

She turned her head away and began to sob under her breath.

 

Her slender shoulders trembled faintly, as if she already knew what he was going to say.

 

His eyes burned with the desire to hug her.

 

But now he knew he shouldn’t, so he spoke from a distance.

 

“I’m sorry… I have someone to protect now.”

 

[…Do you love her?]

 

He nodded wordlessly.

 

[Lie, then why don’t you know me. Why, you don’t know me…]

 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

 

‘So now please don’t appear in my dreams again.’

 

As he approached to ask, he was stopped by a familiar scent.

 

This scent was unmistakable.

 

A light chill ran down his spine. He reached out to check the other’s face and grabbed his shoulder.

 

Fasus─!

 

Like ashes blown by the wind, she slowly oxidized and began to disappear.

 

He struggled to catch the scattering ashes in his hands,

 

“Kal, wake up, Kal!”

 

Evelyn’s face came into view, looking up at him, sobbing, as if she might collapse at any moment.

 

.

.

.

 

“What a strange dream…”

 

Kalian stood at the window of his office, replaying the dream he had last night over and over again.

 

‘Was it the dizziness of the relic?’

 

Daphne, who hadn’t appeared in his dreams for a while, had reappeared before the wedding.

 

It was the first time she’d appeared in his dreams since she’d disappeared, her burn marks cleaned up, smiling as if to say thank you for all your hard work.

 

It was just as well, he thought.

 

I have to move on to the present and the future. He needed to tell Daphne, at least once, that he had someone to love.

 

But aside from his heart breaking at the sight of her sobbing under her breath, he thought it was strange,

 

[Lie, but why don’t you recognize me. Why, you don’t recognize me…]

 

Her accusing voice, asking why he didn’t recognize her, and her all-too-familiar scent.

 

Evelyn and Daphne.

 

The two women smelled similar. But just as different people have different body odors, there were subtle differences in the same scent.

 

And the closer he got to Daphne, the more familiar her scent became, sending a chill down the back of his neck.