59. Burn Wound

Felicia opened her eyes late in the morning the day after she collapsed. Her neck was stiff from lying face down, and the first thing she saw was Marie’s tear-stained face and the Marquis couple rushing to her side at Marie’s call. The carpet on one side of the room had been burned and thrown out, and their worried voices mixed with light scolding, but there were no heavy questions blaming her or asking for reasons.

“What if it leaves a scar, our girl?”

“It’s my fault.”

“Marie found you quickly, put out the fire quickly, and cooled you down quickly.”

At Elena’s words, the Marquis patted Marie’s shoulder gratefully, then gently comforted Elena’s watery voice by patting her shoulder as well. Felicia still had a lot weighing on her mind, but she forced a smile and played the role of the youngest, saying she’d just made a silly mistake out of exhaustion from the long journey. It didn’t seem they completely believed her, but the Marquis couple decided to trust her as she wished, worrying only about her pain and wounds and nothing more.

“Almost everything burned.”

“Yeah.”

“Aren’t you sad about it?”

“I’m still hurting, Marie.”

Only after the Marquis couple left could Felicia have a proper conversation with Marie. The pile of sheet music Marie had gathered almost caused a big fire, but it was thanks to Marie that the blaze was stopped before it completely engulfed Felicia. Felicia expressed her gratitude for Marie’s great help, but Marie seemed to feel guilty for having obediently stacked those scores next to her.

“I asked you to do it.”

“I’ll get someone else for you.”

“…….”

“I’m not fit for this, My Lady.”

“I’m trying to leave everyone, but can’t you stay, Marie?”

“So the Count is leaving, then?”

Felicia did not answer Marie’s question. Marie didn’t ask further, but she understood. The flowers that seemed to line the path of her Lady’s future after ending her hopeless love were now trying to leave her. For the first time, Marie understood her Lady’s negative comparisons of love to hell.

“…Please go, I beg you.”

“How can I just… after seeing your face…”

Just then, an argument could be heard beyond the closed door. Felicia signaled to Marie, who hurried to look outside and bowed deeply. Through the open gap, Felicia met Rosia’s eyes and tilted her head, seeing Rosia sigh heavily.

“Just look at yourself.”

“Look at you, too. You’re about to get married, and your face is a mess.”

“And you think you’ll ever get married like this?”

Rosia spoke curtly, patting Felicia’s hair, which was neatly tied to avoid touching her wound, but her swollen eyes and face showed how hard her night had been. Felicia tried to reassure her with a smile, but it didn’t work on Rosia. The burn, red and blistered, spread from Felicia’s left shoulder all the way to her wing bone.

“What did you do to get burned that far down?”

Felicia couldn’t admit she’d torn her dress out of frustration. Rosia was too difficult an opponent for Felicia, who was usually good at hiding the truth or deceiving others. Rosia could always sense or guess everything with just a word. So Felicia just pursed her lips and shook her head, refusing to say anything.

“Fine, do as you please.”

“Who’s outside?”

“…….”

“Edgar?”

“You won’t tell me, so why should I tell you?”

Rosia’s tone was less aggressive than usual. Sometimes, Felicia learned that even causing obvious trouble could be okay. She lay back down obediently at Marie’s gentle touch. Cloths soaked in cold ice water were carefully placed on her wound, and the pain she hadn’t noticed faded enough for her to smile again.

“Are you excited?”

“Not excited.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Who’s outside?”

“Sir Yuan.”

“You care more about the Count than me.”

“Because the person who should’ve come running first isn’t here.”

“Did you ever think it might take time for him to come from his territory?”

“You’re being too quiet for that.”

Rosia really was uncanny. Felicia clamped her mouth shut, annoyed at how Rosia knew everything about her but answered none of Felicia’s questions. Pouting and acting like it was nothing serious, Felicia watched as Rosia sighed and gently tapped her forehead, neither painfully nor unpleasantly.

“When we were young, you were busy running away, and after that, busy surviving.”

“…….”

“Trying too hard to survive made you lose attachment to the world.”

“So you do care about him more than me.”

“Don’t try to understand everything.”

“…….”

“If you think something might hurt you, leave him without regret.”

“How can you say that so easily?”

“It’s not easy, that’s why I say it easily.”

“…….”

“And Sir should know, too.”

Felicia felt tears welling up at Rosia’s words and buried her face in the pillow. Rosia watched Felicia’s slender shoulders and back move slowly up and down, then playfully pressed Felicia’s head before standing up.

“A heart without regret is crueler than you think.”

Despite her light tone, Rosia’s expression turned grim, and Marie bowed quietly to her. Rosia accepted the gesture with a nod and left Felicia’s room herself. The moment she saw Verdick standing motionless outside Felicia’s room, all her desire to confront Yuan cooled. The person meant to be her lifelong companion was the very one draining all her drive; Rosia thought no one in the world had a fate as twisted as hers, and turned her back on him.

“The palace must be in chaos.”

“…….”

“You really should go back now, Your Highness.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Is there anywhere for me to go back to, besides this mansion?”

Rosia’s roundabout words usually amused Verdick, but not this time. While waiting for Rosia, Verdick had grown sensitive after reading the note Edgar handed him. Rosia couldn’t bring herself to say she felt relieved or that Verdick’s honest face suited him better, now that his gentle mask was gone.

“We should hurry the wedding.”

“…Did Edgar give you that?”

“…….”

“Let me see it, too.”

Verdick handed over the paper to Rosia, who quickly read it and showed a similar reaction. It was a trivial matter, but the disappearances had gone on too long, and no one had expected the Midonia Empire to be involved. All the missing people had lived far from the borders.

“We shouldn’t rush.”

“There will be a war soon.”

“…….”

“Akuris won’t be able to avoid responsibility.”

“So that’s why we shouldn’t hurry.”

Akuris had always been the Empire’s frontline defense. All its military strength was Akuris’s pillar, its center, and the reason for its reputation. But if Midonia Empire’s power had penetrated Veone through Akuris, Akuris could not escape blame. In fact, being held responsible for the coming war might be a blessing. With a little cunning, rumors could even be spread that Midonia and Akuris had conspired together.

“It’s enough for us to be the Empress’s prey.”

“…….”

“If I can’t protect you from the Empress, Your Highness, then not marrying you would be better for you.”

Rosia’s hand trembled slightly as she folded the paper and handed it back to Verdick. There were no mistakes in her words, so there was no reason for Verdick’s face to twist so harshly. Always gentle despite any rudeness, Rosia now feared he might want to break off the engagement. If she was right, her heart, tied up in vain hope, might burst. She was anxious, but felt a shameful bit of joy deep inside.

“And now even Count Viamel is involved…”

“Let’s stop.”

“This is a losing deal for you, Your Highness.”

“I thought you were just dishonest, but you’re simply foolish, Rosia.”

“…….”

“This isn’t the place for this conversation. Let’s go together.”

“The palace only needs you, Your Highness.”

“Did it look like I was asking?”

Verdick’s words, spoken right in front of her, landed on Rosia with his breath. She closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and tried to breathe slowly. She felt both resentful that he didn’t appreciate her best efforts and anxious that she might end up asking why he kept holding onto her.

“I’m giving you an order now.”

“…….”

“Come to the palace with me.”

“…….”

“That way you won’t have any foolish thoughts.”

Rosia, who had always pitied Felicia for loving Marhel hopelessly, now felt this was her own karma. Felicia loved a man who rejected her, and Rosia loved a man who loved someone else. If the people of the former Marquis’s family knew, they’d blame the Marquis couple for raising their children so poorly.

“Rosia.”

Noticing her distracted thoughts, Verdick gently held Rosia’s face. He almost looked desperate. Rosia met his gaze, frustrated with herself for accepting his expression so easily, but also didn’t mind the warmth and roughness of his touch.

“If it’s an order, I can’t refuse.”

“…….”

“I’ll tell them to prepare the carriage.”

Even as she agreed, his hand lingered on her face. If only he’d let go, she’d feel less regret. Rosia stepped away and gestured to Roberto, who was carrying a bucket of water from Felicia’s room, asking him to prepare for her entry to the palace. Roberto promised to call her when ready and hurried down the stairs.

“We have some time, so let’s change shoes before we go.”

Verdick’s slow, relaxed voice echoed down the empty corridor as usual. Instead of looking at him, Rosia glanced down at the shoes she was wearing. The high, uncomfortable shoes she’d worn to the palace the day before still gripped her feet.

“I sent enough for you to wear a different pair every season.”

“…….”

“Why haven’t you ever worn them in front of me, even though you keep them so well organized?”

“Ah.”

She didn’t feel embarrassed to be caught. Whatever she did, things would go Verdick’s way anyway. Rosia, returning with her usual unreadable expression, replied indifferently and linked her arm with his. It was the Crown Prince who was at a disadvantage, not Akuris. Rosia was not foolish enough to refuse when he used his status to drag her into the pit.

“Pick them out for me yourself.”

At her words, Verdick’s lips curved in a proud smile. Even with war looming, the Crown Prince seemed unafraid of losing his head and smiled leisurely. Rosia looked up at him quietly, thinking that the Empire’s “little sun” was as foolish as she was.