Chapter 28

Still, she didn’t dare to speak the whole truth. Feeling a faint sense of guilt, Bleria only said as much as she could.

“I never thought you were cheating. The stress is a separate issue.”

“Thanks for trusting me. It’ll be the same from now on.“

“...”

“Oh, by the way, I heard they couldn’t see the prophecy. If the person involved loses consciousness, it’s not visible. They said they were too busy to look again, so we’ll never know.”

So, the prophecy issue is over.

Bleria was stunned. It was hard to say whether it was good or bad news, but she felt relieved. She had avoided learning something she didn’t want to know. Even if it might have been the last way to prevent a terrible future, she felt a sense of freedom for now.

The tightly bound knots in her chest suddenly loosened. A refreshing breeze seemed to flow in, leaving her chewing on her lip out of habit.

Gopher’s fingers gently pried her lips apart to stop her, then withdrew before she could say anything.

“Gopher.”

She called his name, intending to protest, but her voice was weak, mixed with a shaky breath.

“Yes, Bleria.”

His playful whisper brushed her ears, but it felt different from her own. His voice tickled, leaving her flustered.

He cupped her face with his other hand, drawing her closer. The distance between them shrank in an instant. Usually, she would have turned her head away by now, but this time, she found she didn’t want to.

The carriage wheels scratched against the floor, and her fingers twitched, tapping the seat.

Then, Gopher’s warmth touched her forehead.

“I won’t bother a sick person, so don’t worry.”

He smiled brightly and pulled away. Bleria, unconsciously staring at his lips, quickly turned her head. Her throat felt a little tight.

***

Even after they arrived at the Heaven estate, Gopher remained considerate. He instructed the butler to call the physician and ensure Bleria was well cared for, which was so unlike him that she wondered if someone else was standing in his place.

Maintaining a neutral expression, Bleria entered the estate. Surprised by Gopher’s uncharacteristically fussy behavior, the butler dutifully followed his instructions despite not coming from his master.

Amelia examined Bleria, made her eat bland soup, and gave her unnecessary medication before bathing her and pushing her into bed.

Lying in the dark room, her exhausted body sank into the mattress, and sleep quickly overtook her. When she opened her eyes again, it was evening, and the setting sun’s rays played tricks on her.

No nightmares.

As she blinked, feeling refreshed, Lucy entered.

“Did you sleep well? You woke up just in time—dinner is ready.“

“It’s not more bland food, right?“

“Of course not. You look much better now.”

Lucy chirped like a bird, guiding Bleria to the dining room.

Seeing the food laid out, Bleria’s expression stiffened. The table was filled with light, healthy dishes.

Only Damian was already seated among all the people, making her ears burn.

She knew the duke was away on business and hoped Harriet would arrive soon. Greeting Damian, she asked,

“Where’s Harriet?“

“Taking a nap.“

“Oh, right. She does sleep a lot.”

Noticing Damian’s gaze, Bleria regretted her words. She shouldn’t have spoken so casually. She had another regret, too.

I would’ve eaten in my room if I had known it was just Damian.

Her mood soured, and her appetite waned. She couldn’t understand why Damian chose to eat in the dining room, knowing no one else would be there. Complaining to him wasn’t an option.

Resigned, Bleria sat down and began eating, keeping her head down and focusing only on her hands and mouth, slowly forgetting Damian’s presence.

Her thoughts drifted back to Gopher. He had been unusually considerate since the temple—scolding Mixel, showing unnecessary kindness, and caring for her health.

Was he worried because I collapsed?

If that was the case, the stress that had plagued her for days didn’t seem so bad anymore. Lost in thought, Bleria was startled by the faint sound of Damian setting down his fork.

“At the last tea party.”

Of course, he wouldn’t let it go.

Bleria lifted her gaze, her throat tightening before slowly easing as her focus sharpened.

It was a shame to ruin a decent day, but she was prepared to face criticism. Damian didn’t seem too angry, so she decided to speak first.

“I’m sorry, brother.“

“What?”

Suppressing any excuse, she apologized.

“I overreacted when I saw the green grapefruit. I was careless and acted without certainty. It won’t happen again. If you can’t trust me, I’ll stay out of trouble until the wedding—“

“Wait.“

“Yes, brother?“

“What exactly are you talking about?”

Damian rarely raised his voice, but now it was unmistakably louder, with a crease forming between his brows. Was he angry? No, more than that—he looked bewildered. Why?

If not that, what was he trying to say?

Bleria slowed her breathing and asked,

“Are you upset because I acted like someone raised by a midwife? I made a fuss about the toxic green grapefruit, even though it’s not common knowledge…“

“I…”

When Damian looked like he was about to speak, Bleria quickly closed her mouth. The problem was that he, too, stopped mid-sentence. A sigh broke the awkward silence.

Confused, Bleria lowered her gaze again. Then, in a voice that made it unclear whether he was talking to her or muttering to himself, Damian spoke,

“I know exactly how you’ve seen me up until now. But I didn’t bring this up to scold you, Bleria.”

Then what?

She looked up, genuinely puzzled. Their eyes met, and Damian was the one to look away this time. It was so unexpected that Bleria’s mouth fell open.

Am I still dreaming?

Damian even ran his hands over his face before speaking again in a low voice.

“I just wanted to thank you for helping Harriet.”

Thank me? Is he thanking me?

Bleria blinked rapidly. When their eyes met again, she forced out a response.

“No, no. I just…”

Even she thought she sounded ridiculous, stammering like that. Swallowing hard, she composed herself.

“Harriet treats me very well, like a real sister. I know we’re not actually family, of course. It’s just how I feel. And about the tea party… I knew it was a mistake, but I couldn’t help it. I knew how much Harriet wanted a child. I wasn’t certain she was pregnant, but…”

Why can’t I say anything right?

Feeling her face contort, Bleria covered it with both hands. Once she peeled away the surface-level excuses, her genuine feelings came through, her voice trembling.

“I… I thought you were going to scold me.“

“I know you’re particular about drawing lines between nobles and commoners, but at the core, we’re all just human,“ Damian said.

“…”

“Even among commoners, I doubt you’d find anyone foolish enough to get angry at someone who prevented a miscarriage. Am I wrong?”

An awkward silence followed.

Despite the stillness, Bleria mentally listed all the scoundrels she knew but acknowledged they weren’t representative of all commoners.

Slowly, she lowered her hands. Damian was watching her.

“No.”

Her gaze was steadier now, more confident than before.

“You’re right, brother.“

“…Good.”

The conversation ended abruptly. Bleria wasn’t one to talk much, and Damian didn’t enjoy small talk. The silence was awkward but not as uncomfortable as before.

After some time, Damian summoned a servant Bleria hadn’t even noticed and requested champagne. Pouring the platinum-hued liquid into a glass, he handed it to her and, incredibly, said,

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

Bleria truly felt like she was dreaming.

But the strange day didn’t end there. While flipping through theology books in the study, the duke, having returned late at night, summoned her.

“You’re back…”

Before she could finish her greeting, he grabbed her shoulders, inspecting her closely. Seeing his hardened expression, Bleria understood what had happened.

He heard I collapsed.

“You’re too pale. Your cheeks are gaunt, and your skin is cold.“

“Amelia checked me and said I’m healthy.“

“Healthy people don’t faint!”

The duke hugged her, his hands trembling as they stroked her back.

“You can’t be sick, Bleria. You mustn’t be.”

Bleria lowered her chin, resting her face against his shoulder. A mix of warmth and coldness welled up inside her. The overwhelming love was touching yet pained her because it wasn’t hers. But…

If Eos Liche is fake and what Gopher said is true, then I can have it, can’t I?