Chapter 75

“Absolutely not.”

Julian sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, his voice firm and almost arrogant. It had been a while since I’d seen this cold side of him, given that he was usually so kind to me.

He raised his chin slightly, almost as if to show off the fierce tilt of his eyes. Thien stood at the end of his gaze, who looked as delicate as a rabbit.

Thien awkwardly smiled, his shoulders hunched.

“Haha… I figured as much.”

“If you knew, then why did you even suggest it?“

“Well…”

“Do you have the audacity to say you’ll take my wife to the Magic Tower? I paid you handsomely to treat her illness, and now you want to use her as an experiment for those wretched wizards? You certainly have a way with words when wishing for death.“

Thien’s gaze slowly turned to me like a turtle inching forward. I was seated on the sofa opposite Julian, comfortable in body but uneasy in mind.

It was clear that Julian was furious. Yes, this man, who seemed so gentle with me, was also the Grand Duke of Zan, the ruler of the coldest region in the empire.

‘You promised you’d protect me! Liar! Liar!‘

Thien’s desperate eyes seemed to scream those words.

‘Just wait!’

I responded with a slight nod, but his returning gaze wasn’t exactly filled with confidence. Honestly, I wasn’t feeling very confident either.

“Duchess.“

“Yes?“

“Why are you looking at him? Don’t.”

“Uh, should I not?”

I quickly averted my eyes from Thien to Julian, forcing the brightest smile I could muster.

“Thien….”

“His name.”

Ah, that’s right. He didn’t want me to call him by his name.

“Sir Yus….”

As I tried to continue, a sigh escaped me. I hadn’t expected persuading Julian to be easy, but I hadn’t thought he’d be this way.

The combination of Princess Abigail’s ambitious schemes, the emperor’s sinister plots, and the poisoning of the former Duchess must have heightened Julian’s vigilance. But I had to persuade him.

“Sir Yus confirmed through a magical artifact that my illness isn’t just a common sickness—it’s a curse and a very severe one at that. A wizard might be able to figure out how to break it.”

Julian gritted his teeth at my words.

“Can’t you find out who cast the curse?”

I shook my head.

“They’re probably already dead. Even if they’re alive, I doubt they’re still in a sane state. If I knew who it was, I’d want to get revenge, but right now, the important thing is breaking this curse.“

“What happens if the curse isn’t broken?”

Julian turned to Thien, his gaze sharp. Thien flinched for a moment but quickly regained his composure and spoke calmly.

“I don’t know much about curses. All I can confirm is that the curse on the lady is not light. You’d need to consult a wizard directly.”

But that’s not true. I already know where this curse leads. If it isn’t broken, I’ll definitely die.

However, if I mentioned this in front of Thien, he would find it strange. As I pondered how to convince Julian, he spoke first.

“Then there’s a solution. Bring a wizard to the Grand Duke’s residence. I’ll ensure they have everything they need—money, a place to stay, whatever it takes.“

“That would be difficult.”

This time, Thien’s response was firm.

“Why? Are the wizards too important to leave the Magic Tower, even for a Grand Duke?“

“Do you know why wizards live in the Magic Tower?“

“No.”

“When they build the Magic Tower, they choose a location with a high concentration of magical energy. High concentrations of magic are essential for researching spells and curses.“

Julian’s voice was resolute, as if he had found Thien’s reasoning absurd.

“The Zan territory also has high magical energy, just as much as any other place. It’s also rich in rare magic stones.“

“The Magic Tower isn’t just a place where wizards live. It’s a giant magical tool that can gather and concentrate magical energy. That’s why it’s much more efficient to research your wife’s curse at the Magic Tower.“

Thien’s argument was valid, but Julian’s expression remained steely.

At first, I had planned to suggest Julian accompany me to the Magic Tower. I wanted to help break his curse as well. But now, I didn’t even have the chance to bring it up. Julian placed his hands on his knees and spoke.

“I’ve been to the Magic Tower.”

I looked at Julian in surprise, though it made sense. After all, Julian had been abandoned by his father and called a monster because of the stone-like substance covering his body—a curse, or more accurately, magical stones.

Julian’s condition was obviously not a disease but a curse. He must have tried to break it at some point.

“But it seems wizards don’t have the skills to break curses. Instead, they wanted to experiment on me in every way possible. They called it curiosity, but being their subject felt…”

Julian clenched his teeth as he spoke.

“…disgusting. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened to me if I hadn’t been the Grand Duke.“

Julian’s brows furrowed. I reached out and gently wrapped my hand around his. Julian lowered his head for a moment before looking at me.

“Laila, I don’t want you to go through what I did. If you wish, I’ll build a Magic Tower here in Zan and hire wizards under my name. They wouldn’t dare approach you with their disgusting curiosity.”

As I listened to Julian, I felt a pang in my heart. I could tell how much he wanted to protect me.

But I didn’t have much time left. I wasn’t about to waste the opportunity given to me.

“I know how you feel. But what if I don’t have much time left?“

“Don’t say such ominous things.“

“It’ll be too late if you regret it later. Besides, you can just come with me. If you don’t want to show your body to the wizard, you can refuse. I’d be happy to keep my handsome husband all to myself.”

I added playfully, trying to lighten the heavy mood. Julian gazed at me intently, then shook his head as if he couldn’t win against me. But his words were a positive response.

“Alright.”

Though I had expected him to agree, I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. Carefully, I stood up on my still-healing leg and wrapped my arms around Julian’s neck. Julian held me by the waist, looking up at me.

“I must come with you. I can’t let you go alone.“

“Of course. Honestly, I’m scared too. Please stay by my side.”

Julian smiled softly at my words. He reached out to stroke my hair, speaking kindly.

“Thank you for discussing this with me.”

Seeing his smile made me glad I had talked it over with him. We were sharing a tender moment when—

“Ahem.”

We turned to see Thien standing there with his hands clasped, smiling broadly.

“Shall I leave you two alone? Perhaps continue this discussion tomorrow?”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I pulled away from Julian, but he held me tighter, setting me on the sofa’s armrest. It felt a bit too intimate, almost embarrassing. Leaning closer, I whispered in Julian’s ear.

“I want to go back to my seat.”

But Julian didn’t budge.

“Why are you moving around with that injured leg?“

“I only moved once. And I can walk fine now.“

“This is the time to indulge in a little pampering.”

Though I pouted, I stayed put, resting my hand on Julian’s shoulder. He seemed satisfied with that.

“Well, I’ll just step out, then?”

Thien chimed in again, but Julian’s expression turned stern instantly. He really didn’t seem to like Thien. It was almost surprising that he had hired him in the first place. Trying to soothe Julian, I said,

“We both need to leave the Grand Duke’s residence, and the Magic Tower probably has its own schedule, so we’ll need to coordinate.”

Thien quickly chimed in to help.

“There’s no need to worry about the Magic Tower’s schedule. They said you can come whenever you’re ready.“

“See, Julian? We’re in control here.”

“What do you mean by that?“

“It’s clear they’re eagerly waiting for us. If they annoy us, we can just walk out and find another Magic Tower.”

I whispered, and Julian seemed fully convinced. I nodded to Thien, who sighed with relief before leaving the room.

Once Thien closed the door, Julian pulled me into his arms, causing me to collapse into his lap. I suddenly found myself sitting on his knees, feeling childish and embarrassed.

“I want to get up.“

“Stay still.“

Julian’s whisper was followed by a gentle kiss. He pressed me softly but firmly, holding my shoulders tight.

Even as he kissed me, I sensed he was holding something back. And I knew exactly what it was. When he pulled back, I swallowed nervously.

“Julian… I’m not ready yet….”

I wasn’t ready to share a bed with him before visiting the Magic Tower. Julian embraced me tightly, whispering in my ear.

“I know. So don’t provoke me, Duchess.”

I rested my chin on Julian’s shoulder, rolling my eyes in confusion. When had I provoked him? We’d been having a serious conversation, and all I did was persuade him. Not knowing what I had done, I asked cautiously,

“When did I?“

“If you don’t know, forget it.“

“When? Why won’t you tell me?“

“Ha…”

“Come on! I’m curious. When was it? When was I so irresistible?“

“I’m not telling you.“

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll just assume it’s 24/7, 365 days a year!”

As I tugged Julian’s sleeve, trying to coax an answer, he let out a dry laugh.

The strange tension between us dissipated instantly as I playfully squirmed on his lap. Julian, now wearing his mask again, picked me up.

“You’re probably right—24/7, 365 days a year.”

Amused by his playful response, I burst into laughter.

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.