I Unintentionally Cured the Grand Duke’s Insomnia - Chapter 146

73. — It Doesn’t Matter (2)

As Cain solidified his resolve, Irene, who was standing nearby, nervously swallowed while watching him. Ever since Adelia had stepped into the room, the swirling confusion in his crimson eyes had been replaced with distinct determination. She didn’t know what he had been contemplating, but it seemed he had finally made up his mind.

Irene, who had been staring blankly at Cain’s faintly smiling face, quickly shook her head.

‘This wasn’t the time to get lost in sentiment.’

She stepped in front of him just as he moved toward the door Adelia had entered.

“P-Please wait a moment, Your Highness. There’s something I’d like to tell you.”

When Cain’s emotionless red eyes turned toward her, Irene took a deep breath to steady herself.

There was no reason to be nervous.

All she had to do was speak honestly.

“I don’t know if Your Highness has ever heard of it, but there’s a rumor about me that has spread through Lian like a myth.”

“….”

“The rumor that Saintess Irene Rochere can save even those on the brink of death with her divine power.”

“….”

“Have you ever heard that before?”

Cain tilted his head slightly at her cautious question before letting out a soft, dismissive laugh.

“Do I need to know all the rumors about the saintess?”

Irene’s face flushed with embarrassment at his question. Realizing she had skipped too many details in her explanation, she hurried to correct herself.

“N-No! That’s not what I meant. I was trying to say that the rumor is true!”

“….?”

“As long as my divine power remains as strong as it is now, I can heal any physical injury, like the ones the lord sustained today, without a problem.”

Cain’s previously uninterested gaze suddenly sharpened. Feeling like she finally had his full attention, Irene pressed on.

“Yet, despite that, I couldn’t heal him with my divine power. Do you know what that means?”

As his expression hardened, she was certain he understood the implications. The next moment, she glanced around briefly and leaned closer, whispering in a much quieter voice.

“I think the lord may have used black magic.”

The fierce expression that overtook Cain’s face confirmed he hadn’t anticipated this situation.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Faint groans escaped from the darkened room.

A low gagging sound echoed, followed by the loud clattering of a ceiling chain near the man’s bedside. In the meanwhile, hurried footsteps reverberated through the empty corridor in the quiet hallway of early dawn.

After a sharp knock, Phem entered the room and rushed toward Andre, who was drenched in cold sweat.

“Are you alright?”

Phem, who had been asking about his condition, recoiled in surprise at the sight of his master’s fiercely gleaming eyes. Sweeping his damp bangs back, Andre gritted his teeth and spat through clenched jaws.

“Bring me the Kaltix leaves. Unless you want to watch me die.”

“B-But those leaves have intense narcotic effects that might even cause hallucinations…!”

“I said bring it.”

His hand shot out, grabbing his aide by the collar with a sudden grip.

Phem quickly nodded in response. And when Andre released him with an irritated shove, he hastily scrambled out of the room.

The door clicked shut, and Andre’s hands began to tremble with an uneasy tremor.

The pain in his arm, pierced by the arrow, was so unbearable now that the painkillers had worn off that cutting it off almost seemed like a better option. His arm trembled uncontrollably, too weak to gather any strength, making it impossible to even form a fist.

A string of curses spilled from his lips.

‘One of my arms in exchange for the Blaise family.’

When he first agreed to the proposal, he thought he had nothing to lose. But the woman, who had supposedly grown up like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, turned out to be far tougher than he had expected.

〈 She won’t be too hard to manipulate. She’s always got her head in the clouds. 〉

〈 Oh, I’m not sure, but Adelia Blaise doesn’t seem to have any memories from her childhood. Pretending to be her childhood friend could be a good way to lower her guard. 〉

〈 A childhood friend who’s always been devoted to her, even remembers a silly marriage promise from when they were kids? That’s exactly the kind of romantic fantasy young ladies her age fall head over heels for, isn’t it? 〉

〈 Or maybe saving that girl’s life once wouldn’t be a bad idea. If you save her, there’s no way she’d suspect you’d ever try to take it. 〉

Andre gritted his teeth, the image of the man who had whispered those words to him flashing through his mind. As he bit down on his lip to suppress the pain, blood trickled from where his teeth had broken the skin.

〈 If you’re going to do it, do it right. You’ve always wanted revenge on the Blaise family, haven’t you? 〉

He snatched the Kaltix leaves from Phem’s trembling hands as the man hurriedly entered the room, almost yanking them away. The bitter taste coated his tongue, making him want to spit it out immediately, but the effects were undeniable. The searing pain that had been consuming him faded, replaced by a strange sense of calm.

As the tension in his face eased and his eyelids grew heavy, his gaze flicked toward the window.

At that moment, a lark perched on a nearby tree branch spread its wings and soared into the sky.

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