I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 172
Mirabel was swept up in a strange feeling upon hearing Ricardo’s request.
Why is it so important to be called by his name? Why is he saying it so desperately?
At that moment, Ricardo looked utterly exhausted, as if he had just sprinted at full speed. Mirabel frowned and examined him closely.
‘Has his internal injury worsened again?’
He had seemed much better recently, but it appeared that his condition had taken a turn for the worse.
Mirabel furrowed her brow and stared at him, then spoke.
“Alright, Ricardo. I’ll call for Ugo. You should rest your eyes for now.”
As she spoke, Mirabel reached for the rope.
When she attempted to pull the cord, Ricardo groaned and slowly lifted himself up from the couch.
“There’s no need to call anyone.”
“But all we have here is Charles’s medicine. You need to take it too.”
“I’ll be fine soon.”
Ricardo gripped the armrest of the sofa tightly. He then spoke in a slow, deliberate tone, as if forcing the words out.
“I’ll get used to it, eventually.”
“Get used to what? What do you mean?”
Ricardo’s violet eyes flashed with intensity. The reflection catches the sunlight coming through the window, captivating Mirabel’s gaze.
“It’s my first time.”
“What’s your first time?”
Mirabel held the medicine bottle tightly and spoke. She hadn’t been able to understand anything Ricardo had said so far.
She glanced down at the purple liquid in the bottle, which seemed to have melted from Ricardo’s eyes, and muttered.
“What is this medicine…?”
“Give Charles one drop every day. Morning is best. As soon as he wakes up, make sure to give him one drop. Never forget.”
“I understand.”
Mirabel replied absentmindedly.
Ricardo cared deeply for Charles. He had been deeply shaken when the child had fallen ill.
But the way he was so fervent about giving the child this medicine felt odd. Why was he so insistent on it? What was so special about this medicine?
“Did Ugo prescribe this?”
“…Yes.”
Ricardo looked at Mirabel for a moment, then slowly took a deep breath and exhaled just as slowly.
Mirabel watched Ricardo regaining his breath slowly. He looked as though he could collapse at any moment, as if the sunlight would scatter him to pieces. He appeared fragile.
‘What’s going on?’
As she continued to watch Ricardo, she placed a hand over her chest, still holding the medicine bottle.
The faint warmth from the bottle pressed against her pounding heart. A wave of anxiety began to rise up within her.
Something felt wrong.
But she couldn’t figure out what it was. She couldn’t even begin to guess the source of her unease.
“Actually, Charles coughed up blood earlier.”
“What?”
Mirabel’s heart skipped a beat at Ricardo’s words. She froze and quickly turned her attention to Charles.
“Why didn’t you call me immediately? What did Ugo say? Has he started treatment yet?”
“I called Ugo, and gave him medicine. He’ll be fine if you take that medicine steadily from now on. He’ll be much healthier than before.”
“……Thank you.”
Mirabel thanked Ricardo, even though she felt uncomfortable. He smiled faintly at her greeting.
Mirabel’s eyes blazed when he saw Ricardo’s smile. Then, someone knocked on the door.
* * *
“How did you know I was here?”
Mirabel asked the sudden visitor. Valerio, who had just appeared, smiled gently in response.
“I need to know where important guests are, of course.”
“Then, you must also know that I called Count Adalberto.”
“Yes, that’s actually why I came.”
Valerio, who was standing by the door, took a step closer to Mirabel to get to the point.
The space between them narrowed until they were almost close enough to touch. When Valerio reached out his hand toward her, Ricardo sharply spoke.
“That’s far enough.”
Valerio lowered his hand and squinted his eyes.
“Are you worried that I might cause harm to the princess?”
“You won’t harm her. But you did make a dangerous proposal.”
“True.”
Valerio smiled wryly and shrugged his shoulders.
He then explained to Ricardo about Durante’s plot and how he had asked for Mirabel’s help.
Ricardo, who had been listening quietly until now, suddenly exploded in anger.
“If you needed help, you should have come to me, not dragged the princess into this!”
Despite having been promised to get help without involving the princess, Ricardo was clearly upset.
Seeing that Ricardo had made his feelings clear, Valerio decided not to push further.
However, today, he had learned that the princess had visited Durante’s country house unannounced and had even invited him to the imperial palace.
At this point, Valerio could no longer sit idly by.
The funeral was imminent.
This was no time to sit back and relax, pretending everything was fine.
“Crown Prince, you’ve come to hear my answer, haven’t you?”
Mirabel’s gaze swept between the two men as she quietly spoke.
She pulled the blanket higher over the sleeping child’s shoulders and fell deep into thought.
It seemed that the Crown Prince and Ricardo were on familiar terms.
After all, the fact that Ricardo had come to Mirabel’s room to hear her answer meant that there were no secrets between them.
‘Then, there’s no need to be evasive.’
She swallowed dryly and began to speak the words she had been holding in since meeting Durante.
“I was planning to come see you as well. I was going to tell the Grand Duke of my decision, and it seems like this is the right time.”
As she spoke calmly, Ricardo furrowed his brow.
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