Chapter 7 – I Can’t Keep Denying Reality
“That man? Hm…he’s a dumb idiot who’s good enough to keep by my side I guess?”
When Ludwig asked about the bodyguard knight one day, that was how Leticia answered, that manufactured smile still on her lips. However, he distinctly remembered her yellow snake-like eyes and the flash of emotion that crossed it for a split second. It was—warm, as completely opposed to the cold, reptilian-like gaze she had.
“Perhaps he is in fact a special person to her.”
As Ludwig recalled Zed’s unyielding gaze, he let out a small groan from his mouth. Since Ludwig never spoke to Zed directly before, he didn’t realize that the knight may actually be a well-trained pet. Leticia must have groomed Zed so that in case she was incapacitated one day, he could stand in and act on her behalf with ease.
“Then I suppose the household won’t crumble right away,” Ludwig observed.
It would have been preferable if she lost everything so he wouldn’t have to worry about her returning anymore. He licked his lips, regretful that it didn’t result in this way.
‘We are unable to figure out who incited the poisoning, but—’ Ludwig recalled, but the end of that sentence seemed to be missing.
If it were up to him, he would have used a faster-acting and deadlier poison, something that instantly melted the intestines as soon as one drank it.
He didn’t have any particular hatred for Leticia; in fact, he actually felt a little pity for her. If she had just willingly parted ways from him, he would have adequately compensated her for the broken engagement. It was true, after all, that it was Ludwig’s fault for breaking off a contract that had been in development for many years.
But that was all. As soon as Leticia began to harass Yevnika, the tiniest bit of consideration he had for Leticia evaporated into smoke. Although Leticia targeted both of them, it didn’t affect Ludwig very much. However, Yevnika was losing her strength and shriveling up day-by-day.
It was then that Ludwig’s feelings towards Leticia completely changed course. The person he once considered his fiancée was now his enemy. If someone hadn’t poisoned her like that first, perhaps he may have taken the initiative to kill her instead. If that happened, then the situation wouldn’t have ended so unfinished. Her death would be certain and complete.
“Leticia, perhaps it was good this happened to you,” he murmured absentmindedly to himself.
Ludwig leaned deep into the seat’s backrest. He wished that Leticia would stay forever as a seven-year-old girl, or at least until Yevnika married him and became his wife.
But if she regained her memory before that moment…
“Then I may need to make a move myself to solve this problem altogether.”
He was no longer willing to let anyone stand in his way. Inside Ludwig’s eyes, a murderous intent stirred faintly.
***
‘I must be crazy.’
Maybe Zed shouldn’t have gotten carried away by his emotions and insulted the Duke like that. A strong sense of regret flooded into him as he realized that he may have caused unnecessary problems.
The difference in rank and title between him and the Duke was as vast as the space between the sky and the land, yet why did Zed think to talk to him like that? Just what kind of cracked up, crazy, wild man do you have to be to stand up to Ludwig and basically say ‘please cut off my neck for my insolence’?
Zed remembered the horrifying silence that filled the room after he had made Ludwig release Yevnika. If looks could kill, Zed’s body probably would have been hacked up into a hundred pieces already.
Ludwig was equally as terrifying as Leticia. Like her, he cut down anyone in his path that he considered useless. Zed may have been safe throwing insults if he had Leticia’s full support behind him, but as a petty bodyguard with no title, he should never have tried to stand up against the Duke like that.
Perhaps Zed should thank his lucky stars. Ludwig glared wordlessly at Zed for a long time, then turned his heel and left the room without any threats. Although, Ludwig was probably thinking he would take his revenge later and left to prepare for it.
‘If I mentioned the emergency blade that I keep hidden on my person as my lady had ordered me to…then it probably would have been much worse.’
Zed gulped down some of his anxiety.
He was so angered at the moment that he nearly blurted ‘that’ out as well. Even though his body was overcome with wrath enough to make him see red, his rational side managed to stop it, but only just. If he really did go that far, then the situation would not have ended well.
Zed pressed his hand against his chest. He could feel the fast thrumming of his heartbeat beneath his palm. Was it beating fast because of the lingering rage of that moment, or fear that one day that the Duke may come back to exact his revenge?
After bearing those meaningless thoughts for a moment, Zed realized that it didn’t quite matter anyway. What happened, happened, and the problem had left his hands for now. He wouldn’t do something as foolish as worrying about things that he has no power over anyway. He had something else more important to worry about.
First…he needed to check the status of his mistress. He made to turn around so he could examine her.
“My…Lady?”
Before he realized what was happening, he found that Leticia was hugging him from behind. When his gaze met hers, she looked slightly embarrassed and she let go of the corners of his clothes she was clutching. She took several tentative steps backwards as well.
Maybe…as soon as the Duke let go of her face, she quickly moved her body behind his right after.
…Zed did notice that Ludwig’s eyes were looking strangely behind him. Perhaps that was the reason why. It must be like seeing a mighty king of the jungle suddenly look like a baby animal peeking its head from behind a rock. Although Leticia’s body had not changed, her mind had returned to that of a small child…and her outward behavior would make anyone feel uneasy and confused.
Zed shook the thoughts from his mind before speaking. “Um, are you all right?”
Leticia mumbled something before slowly nodding her head. However, as opposed to her relatively calm demeanor, her lips were completely pale as if she were in shock. She had already been hiding herself from even the tiniest threat, so Ludwig’s presence must have overwhelmed her even more.
She hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking. “Is he…my fiancé?” she mewled like a tiny kitten.
Zed closed both his eyes. The moment that he wanted to avoid the most had arrived. He wished that he could delay telling her this truth as much as he could. If Ludwig himself didn’t come and cause all this commotion, it may have actually worked out like Zed planned.
“I will explain it to you in detail later, for now—”
“Explain it all to me right now.”
Zed thought he might have the chance to delay the truth, but he could not back down at the determination shining in Leticia’s yellow eyes. No excuse would work here. Although her body was still trembling minutely, she was standing her ground as if she wasn’t willing to give into her fears.
“Even though I spend most of my time inside the room, it’s not like I don’t hear things here and there,” she said.
The maids were taught to keep their mouths shut regarding the incident in front of Leticia, and therefore they never talked about it. Even if Leticia asked them directly about it, they would brush off the question with an awkward smile or a complete change of topic.
However, that was the extent of the order. Leticia heard sounds of whispering from beyond the window, and discovered numerous letters stashed in the drawers that helped her piece together her current situation.
“It’s the first time I realized the truth today. But it’s not like it was completely unexpected. So tell me. The engagement and breaking off of it, and…Yevnika or…the poisoning. I have to make sure I completely know what’s going on around me.”
She had trouble speaking the words “Yevnika” and “poisoning”, but she was able to finish her sentence regardless. She hesitated once more before continuing.
“I can’t keep denying my reality forever anyway.”
Zed studied Leticia with a quiet stare. If he was being honest…he may have been taking her too lightly. He underestimated a seven-year-old’s mind’s ability to grasp the surrounding situation. The feeble appearance that she displayed after she had woken up must have changed his judgment about her.
However, Leticia was still Leticia. Even if she didn’t hold any malice in her eyes because she had the mind of a seven-year-old…she was still not a tender flower.
This may actually be a good thing for her. However, Zed couldn’t help but put on a bitter smile.
‘Children at this age usually turn their eyes away from danger and hide from it, but…’
Was it her inherent nature to always try to stand boldly alone like that? Or was it because she grew up alone and was left to her own devices since she was young?
Zed let out a long sigh. It was unclear if or when she would regain her memory, so he shouldn’t expect to hide the truth from her forever. Instead of letting her get blindsided by a shocking experience like earlier, it was better to explain the truth when she was ready to listen to him.
“It may be a bit long, so please sit down first,” Zed said, then stepped backwards and pointed at a desk. He then ordered a maid to make some tea.
As Leticia fumbled a bit to take her seat, Zed sat at the opposite side of the desk and adopted a proper posture.
“Because I became your bodyguard while talks of the engagement were still in progress, my information may not be completely accurate.”
After spending all his luck on delaying this moment, Zed decided to reveal everything he had been hiding from Leticia. About how official engagement documents were exchanged between her and Ludwig, about how she had her coming-of-age ceremony at eighteen and then her engagement ceremony right after. And then what happened in the short one-year period before Yevnika appeared and everything started to change.
Upon reflection, it was a funny chain of events. A two-decade-long promise between two families had been completely destroyed in the span of a single year.