We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 205

“Dia.”

“Mom, why did you not come?”

“I’m sorry, Dia. Mom has been really busy.”

“Missed you, Mom.”

I stood up with the child in my arms. The former Duke was staring at me with wide eyes. I wasn’t sure whether I should greet him or quickly step aside, but before I could decide, he stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“…You’re alive?”

“Yes…”

Before I could wonder what he meant, he let out a deep sigh. His breath was shaky, and I could feel his emotions.

“What a relief… Such a relief…”

I stiffened at the unexpected words. Seeing the former Duke relieved that I was alive, something I had never experienced before even when living at the Duchy, felt so out of place.

“I’m sorry. I should have taken care of you sooner.”

“…No, it’s okay.”

“Even though Nicola left a will mentioning you, I was so focused on my own grief that I couldn’t take care of you. It’s all my fault. In the end, I ruined everything, including Ian.”

The former Duke spoke through tears, as if apologizing to me.

“I regret it so much. Every day, I repent for my arrogance and selfishness. I should never have let Nicola be neglected, telling myself I was doing it for the family and for Ian. When Ian brought you home, as a father, I should have noticed his unusual behavior. But, foolishly, I didn’t realize my son’s emotions, and I told him to abandon you first. In the end, I ruined everything. I…”

Just like Ian’s tears from before, the former Duke’s tears were burning. The hardships of the past had been so overwhelming that I had tried to forget everything and focus only on myself. I thought I was the one suffering the most in the world, but I realized I was wrong thanks to the wizards of the magic tower.

But thinking about the people around me who were also struggling with their own pains, made me feel strange. Were the memories I had even real? Could there be any distorted truths? Or maybe the world I had seen was too narrow.

I couldn’t find the words to say, so I stood quietly, hugging Diers tightly. But then the child, who had been in my arms, wiped the former Duke’s tears from his face.

“Grandpa, don’t cry! Hush!”

“Dia…”

Diers, rummaging in his pocket, took out a candy and handed it to the former Duke.

“Dia give this. Eat it, feel better.”

The child’s simple gesture made the former Duke weep even more. Seeing him, who had been through so much worse than Ian, bent over and crying, somehow unsettled me even more.

I no longer had to be tied to Ian through imprinting and pheromones, but I couldn’t stop worrying about him, and I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Where is the Duke now?”

“…Give me Dia. I’ll have the maid guide you.”

“Yes.”

“Mom, see Dad and Dia too!”

“Alright, I’ll be back after you take a nap with Grandpa.”

“Okay!”

I handed the child to the former Duke and left the room. As I walked down the corridor, it was eerily quiet. The silence made it almost feel like I wasn’t in a place where I had lived, as though no one ever resided there.

The maid led me to a room at the corner of the first floor. It looked like a guest room. When I entered, the doctor stood up quickly, startled. He greeted me with an awkward expression, but I couldn’t return the greeting.

Behind him, Ian lay motionless on the bed, resembling a corpse.

His face was pale, and his body was wrapped in bandages, giving me a grim understanding of his condition.

“…What happened?”

“There was a severe carriage accident.”

“How could a carriage accident result in this much injury?”

“I’m not sure of the details, but I’ve been told it was the Duke’s request.”

His words brought back the memory of the question Ian had asked me earlier, which now haunted my thoughts. I stood over him, unsure if he was even breathing, and asked the doctor,

“Did he suffer burns?”

“…Yes.”

“Then why…?”

“I heard the carriage caught fire. He suffered significant internal injuries, and that may be why he hasn’t regained consciousness.”

“Ha…”

I could only guess what Ian had done. To stand beside me, he must have wanted to endure the pain I had suffered. I imagined that he had set himself on fire, determined to endure the pain from within, and it made me angry.

Of course, I understood why he did it, but to me, it almost felt like mockery. Could an accident like this ever make him truly experience what I went through?

The frustration tightened my chest, and I found it hard to breathe. As I stared at him, unable to do anything, he flinched and slowly lifted his eyelids.

* * *

It felt like passing through an endless cave. The dark, sticky ground made each step a struggle. The foul odor, so sharp it numbed his nose, made the place feel like his own heart—a place he just wanted to sink into and remain.

Without hesitation, he acted on his thoughts. Dropping down anywhere, the ground turned into a swamp, pulling him in. The sensation of being covered in filth wasn’t pleasant, but he had no strength to get up.

As he was being drawn deeper into the swamp, a familiar, fresh scent wafted into his nose. The moment he smelled it, he couldn’t hold back the tears. He had rarely cried in his life, but whenever he stood before her, it felt like the dam broke, and tears poured out uncontrollably.

Regret had plagued him since the first time he saw her. He should have treated her kindly since they were young. If he had known she was mistreated at the County, he should have brought her to the Duchy immediately.

No, even when she first arrived at the Duchy, he should have given her everything in this world and held her close with all the love he could offer.