I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 48

There was a flash of light in Evelyn’s otherwise dark vision.

 

“Where am I? I must be…!’

 

For a moment, she couldn’t remember who she was or what time it was.

 

Her instinct was to run, but her legs felt weak.

 

Her whole body felt heavy, like a huge rock, and she couldn’t move.

 

“Oh, it’s hot!”

 

Evelyn’s eyes widened uncontrollably as she looked down, startled by an incomprehensible sensation.

 

A raging fire was burning fiercely at her feet, chained to a large wooden post.

 

At the same time, a stern voice was heard.

 

“Witches who have given their souls to the devil, listen up! You have caused an imperial tragedy, a sin that cannot be repaid with your life, and you will be burned at the stake!”

 

Evelyn looked around quickly, horrified.

 

‘Witch? Burned at the stake? I’ve caused an imperial tragedy?’

 

She wondered, but couldn’t continue her thoughts.

 

The acrid smoke filled her lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

 

“Filthy bitch!”

 

“Look how she doesn’t even scream in the flames, she must be a special kind of witch!”

 

“Don’t even look at her, kill her now!”

 

People glared at her with bloodshot eyes.

 

Stones, large and small, flew wildly at her.

 

‘It hurts, I want to run away.’

 

Evelyn struggled with fear.

 

“No! I’m not a witch…!”

 

She strained, but her voice wouldn’t come out of her mouth, as if someone had choked her.

 

Only the fury of the raging crowd and the crackling and burning of wood pierced her eardrums.

 

Her chest tightened, and she couldn’t breathe.

 

‘It hurts, it hurts so much, please help me!’

 

“Gahhhhh!”

 

Gasping for breath, she finally let out a scream.

 

In an instant, the flames grew in size, melting her toes and wrapping around her silver hair and the hem of her flowing dress.

 

“Hmph, hmph…!”

 

Evelyn’s eyes flew open.

 

Her body was drenched in a cold sweat, her heart was pounding, and her ears were still ringing.

 

Evelyn felt her fragmented senses click into place and realized.

 

‘It was a nightmare…’

 

She fixed her gaze on the antique ceiling and was deeply relieved that what had just happened was a dream.

 

But the trembling didn’t stop.

 

She stared at her trembling fingertips, remembering the sensations that had been so vivid that she hadn’t even realized she was dreaming.

 

Then she snapped back to reality.

 

“…Where’s Kalian, and where am I, and is everyone safe?”

 

The last of his memories began to come flooding back with questions.

 

The sudden appearance of the Blighted Mors, the groans of knights and the sound of bodies falling to the ground, the smell of blood and the red, dizzying landscape of the battlefield, and…

 

Countless scenes flashed through her mind like a panorama.

 

‘No way, I’m not dead and back in the past again, am I?’

 

She jerked upright, feeling her heart pounding uneasily.

 

“Oh, you’re awake, my lady, you’re awake!”

 

A tumultuous shout cut through the suddenly open doorway, and a crowd of people rushed around the red-haired young man and surrounded her.

 

“Ms. Evelyn, are you okay? We need to run some tests!”

 

They took Evelyn’s wrists, checked her pupil response, and otherwise gauged her physical condition, then ebbed and flowed away.

 

Unsure of what to make of it all, Evelyn stuck around and asked the man scrutinizing her.

 

“Excuse me, but where is…?”

 

“Ah, this is the castle of the Duke of Parminion. Do you remember when you fell down?”

 

“Yes, I remember, my name, my identity, everything.”

 

“I’m glad you didn’t lose your memory. Your vital signs are good, and you’ll recover quickly, but you’ll need to be careful for a while.”

 

The man looked serious, but there was something oddly playful about him.

 

His blue eyes were mysterious, and the dark scruff of Montaigne royalty from the continent of Nora, across the sea, glinted clearly in the sunlight that filtered through the window.

 

If her guess was right, this man must be…

 

“Are you, by any chance, Count Bernard?”

 

“I am honored that you recognize me. Allow me to formally introduce myself, Count Leonhard Bernard.”

 

Leon smiled brightly and bowed, gesturing to kiss the back of her hand.

 

“I’ve always wanted to meet you. You have saved countless lives, not just my sister’s… I, and all of the people of the estate, are deeply grateful for your wisdom.”

Stepping to one side, Leon gestured to the silver tray on the table. Colorful cards and gifts were laid out.

 

As she stared at the thoughtful gifts, she was overwhelmed with a rush of emotion.

 

‘Why is everyone thanking me? I was just doing what I had to do.’

 

A wave of relief that everything was okay washed over her and tickled her chest. Swallowing back a lump in her throat, Evelyn carefully opened her mouth.

 

“You’re welcome. Oh, by the way.”

 

Then she asked the question she was most curious about first.

 

“Where is … the grand duke now?”

 

“He’s in Mardenne. He said he had an urgent matter to attend to, and the knights are helping to rebuild the town.”

 

That must mean they’re alive and well.

 

Relieved, Evelyn breathed a small sigh.

 

But then she had a question.

 

Knights use purifying agents, but Kalian would go berserk without a healer’s touch.

 

Remembering the torn flesh on his side, Evelyn asked urgently.

 

“Is the grand duke okay? He must be pretty badly hurt…”

 

Leon paused for a moment at her concern for others over himself, then smiled, his blue eyes round.

 

“Why don’t you take care of yourself first? You’ve been asleep for exactly a week. I’ll give you the rest of the answers slowly after you’ve eaten.”

 

* * *

 

It was Reah who came in to replace Leon, who had left the bedroom.

 

As soon as she saw Evelyn, she burst into tears like a child who had found her lost mom.

 

“Do you know how worried I was, I was afraid you wouldn’t wake up like this, I’ve been fretting for days!”

 

“Don’t cry, you’re fine like this now, and what about you, are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“Yes, I was very careful, just like you said. Good job, by the way, thank God.”

 

The tip of her nose flushed red as she remembered the day the gate opened, but then she remembered why she was in the room in the first place and quickly picked up her spoon.

 

“Oh, right! You’re hungry, aren’t you? Come on, eat.”

 

“I’m fine, I have the strength to hold a spoon.”

 

“I’m not fine, my arm hurts, come on.”

 

Evelyn reluctantly opened her mouth, and a trickle of liquid food, the kind that patients and the elderly eat, flowed into her mouth.

 

After a quick meal with nothing to chew, she soaked her exhausted body in the tub.

 

She took a moment to bite down on her surroundings before slowly closing her eyes.

 

“Whoa…”

 

Evelyn breathed in and out, pulling her scattered senses together into a single, unified focus.

 

She could feel the mauve aura swirling and gathering in her body’s space, white as an untrodden snowfield.

 

Focusing on the cool, cozy sensation, Evelyn lowered her gaze to the cluster of lights at her fingertips.

 

“Uh…?”

 

Somehow, the white light felt stronger than before, but it didn’t matter.

 

“Well, I’m not completely powerless.”

 

Actually, she felt like the sky was falling when she was told she was out of power.

 

She was just glad to feel energized, as she was too exhausted to summon up the strength.

 

As Evelyn gazed at the lulling surface of the water, she was relieved to hear a faint voice in her head.

 

“Would you sacrifice your life for him?”

 

“Pray, foolish one.”

 

‘What was that light then? And what was the voice in my ear?’

 

It was too vivid to be a vision. But now was not the time to be distracted.

 

“Miss, may I help you finish up?”

 

Reah came in just in time, for she needed to change into her dress as soon as she finished bathing.

 

The Duke of Parminion had heard she was awake and invited her to luncheon.

 

‘The Duke of Parminion? He’s a money-grubbing old man who would sell me for a fortune.’

 

Suddenly, she remembered the conversations she’d had with noblemen in the countess’s salon in the past.

 

They would do anything for money.

 

The image she remembered of the Duke of Parminion was no different.

 

She still shudders to think of the venomous words the Duke had spoken after the Imperial army had burned Parminion to the ground, pointing a sword at his grandson who had rushed to his defense.

 

‘You’re taking everything from me, you damned bastard, and I’ll make sure you’re miserable!’

 

It made her nervous to face such a man alone, but she composed herself.

 

If it weren’t for the grand duke’s Knights, the western part of the continent, where Parminion is located, would have been devastated.

 

So, even if he had felt sorry for House Orpheus, wouldn’t he have changed his mind now?

 

“A terrible end for our enemies, a rich reward for our benefactors.”

 

That’s what Parminion is all about.

 

“Let’s get our act together, we can’t let this opportunity slip away!”

 

As she stares at her hair in the mirror, braiding it into a tight braid, she steels her resolve, and the preparations are complete.

 

A mauve-colored dress with layers of flowing lace.

 

Tiny pearl earrings and a necklace.

 

Add to that a tangle of flowers in her hair, and the look of a lovely aristocratic young lady was complete.

 

“Oh, my!”

 

Reah exclaimed, placing her hands on Evelyn’s shoulders and admiring her reflection in the mirror.

 

“I’m sure you’re the most beautiful of all the young ladies on the continent, and it’s a shame the Grand Duke can’t see this.”

 

Evelyn’s eyes widened, surprised that Reah seemed to have noticed her relationship with the grand duke.

 

“…How did you know?”

 

Surely she had told Reah he was her guardian.

 

“How could I not know, your backside was all over the paper.”

 

“I did?”