She embraced Adam and shouted fiercely.

“What have we done wrong for you to do this to us!”

Despite committing such a terrible act, the Duke remained calm.

Marienne strained her distorted eyes.

“Is this who you really are? If I had known you were this cruel, I wouldn’t have saved you that day!”

Nigel’s blood-stained sword turned towards Marienne. The cold, smooth metal slid across her cheek. Then, laying the blade flat, he lifted her chin.

“I’ll say it again. Who asked for your help?”

“Is that what you say to someone who saved your life?”

“Should I be grateful to a shameless person like you who extorts money by playing the savior? If you wanted to show off, you should have come earlier. I would have thrown you so much money you’d choke on it. Was your courage too small for that?”

“You’re going too far!”

“I’ll count to three. If you don’t save him by then, his body will be here, and you’ll be going back with his severed head in your hands.”

Marienne glared at Nigel, tears streaming down her face.

Hot tears fell on the cold, cruel sword.

“One. Two.”

Coughing up bloody foam, Adam writhed. There was no more time to waste.

“I’ll do it. I’ll do it, so please put away the sword.”

As the sword was withdrawn, Marienne embraced Adam.

“Brother, I’m sorry.”

“Marienne…”

Marienne smiled faintly, trying to reassure Adam. Then she raised one hand to cover his eyes.

“Don’t look.”

Marienne moved close to Adam’s lips and poured warm energy into him with all her heart.

A rich fragrance emanated from her.

Unlike the marble floor, green sprouts emerged from the wooden table and chairs next to Marienne, quickly blooming into flowers. The flower buds in the vase on top also blossomed in an instant.

Nigel watched every moment of the healing process, once again confirming the scent.

There was no doubt. The healer from that night was Marienne Rose, this very woman.

As the bleeding stopped, Marienne lowered her hand from Adam’s eyes. He had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Holding the limp Adam, Marienne tried to calm herself.

This wasn’t a trivial matter caused by carelessly speaking about a beloved dog.

There must be a desperate reason for him to do such a thing.

She should have realized the reason for the dark energy surrounding the young lord that night, the red eyes and the suspicious mark on the back of his hand, and the dagger in his chest.

A suspicion she had been trying to deny came to mind.

Did you try to take your own life that day? Why, for what reason, would someone as radiant as you do that?

Marienne wiped away the tears hanging from her chin with the back of her hand.

“It seems my purification that day wasn’t perfect. And it appears you haven’t found another healer to solve the problem.”

Nigel looked down at Marienne, who spoke calmly, with contempt.

She added, not avoiding his gaze.

“From now on, if Your Grace calls, I will do whatever you want, be it purification or healing. So please send my brother and me home safely.”

Nigel let out a cold laugh.

“I’ll send the shoemaker back. For the crime of lying to his lord, cutting out his tongue would be justified, but since his skills are useful, I’ll overlook it this once.”

“Then… what about me?”

“What do you think I’ll do with you?”

Marienne shuddered at his cruel eyes and hugged Adam tighter.

Overwhelmed by sorrow, she burst into tears again. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t hold it back.

Because the person she had dreamed of for so long, the memories she had cherished, had been mercilessly trampled.

“Are you really Duke Nigel Bernac? You’re not a twin, are you?”

As Marienne sobbed, Nigel looked at her with disgust, like he was looking at a worm.

Is she crying just because I put a sword mark on her brother?

Because of you, I’ve been walking through that living hell!

Nigel grabbed Marienne’s hair and yanked it back roughly. Then he glared fiercely into her brown eyes, which were now turned upward.

Tears flowed from the corners of Marienne’s wet eyes.

“What do you want from me?”

The corners of Nigel’s mouth turned up. As dazzlingly kind as on that day when he tied her scarf.

“Take responsibility for me.”

* * *

Aaron, who had been pacing outside the reception room, quickly opened the door when called.

As soon as he entered, a scent mixed with the smell of blood hit him.

Frowning, he saw the blood-covered shoemaker and his dumbfounded sister.

“Your Grace…”

“Send him back.”

“What should we do with Miss Rose?”

“Confine her somewhere suitable.”

The head maid who had entered next helped Marienne to her feet. The sleeping Adam was carried out on the back of a large servant.

Aaron felt conflicted as he remembered Marienne looking around Louer Castle with excited eyes.

He understood his lord’s feelings, but to even draw his sword…

But what’s that?

Aaron’s eyes narrowed.

The dense growth swaying on the table, could it be… grass and flowers?

The head maid, seeing the table covered in tiny flowers, asked while hiding her surprise.

“Where should we send Miss Rose?”

Adam rubbed his throbbing forehead.

What crime could this woman have committed?

He couldn’t imprison her like a criminal in the underground cellar or at the top of a tower.

Although his lord’s thoughts might differ, his conscience wouldn’t allow it.

“The room at the west end of the second floor.”

“Understood.”

Fortunately, his lord didn’t object.

Aaron believed that he too must know. That he was taking out his misfortune on an innocent person.

It might be difficult to admit now that his pent-up emotions had burst out, but he would realize it soon.

Even though he bore vicious nicknames like the Iron-hearted War Maniac and the Bloodthirsty Invincible, he used to be kinder than anyone else before.

Aaron fervently hoped that Miss Rose would be the healer they had been looking for, and that she would become the light to save his lord who had been consumed by darkness.

After the head maid left with Marienne, only Nigel and Aaron remained in the reception room.

“It was her.”

“Ah… Oh God! Thank you! Your Grace, I’m so relieved. But she wouldn’t have revealed it willingly, how did you confirm it?”

“By observing how she performed the healing and the traces it left. Above all, that scent was unmistakable.”

Overjoyed, Aaron clenched his plump fist.

“To think we had been searching so close by. We never imagined it would be a commoner, let alone a woman. What will you do now?”

“Well…”

Aaron was puzzled by his lord’s indifferent attitude.

* * *

Adam, who had been carried home, was bedridden for several days.

Mrs. Rose was so busy taking care of her sick son that she put aside her worries about Marienne.

Wiping the cold sweat from Adam’s forehead, she sighed.

The shoe shop had finally established itself after much hardship, and she was at a loss for what to do if they fell out of favor with the lord.

“Mother.”

“Yes, are you feeling a bit better? Do you want some water?”

“What happened to Marienne?”

“I don’t know, dear.”

Mrs. Rose handed a glass of water to her son.

After wetting his throat, Adam got out of bed and put on his outdoor clothes.

“Where are you going in that state at this hour of the night?”

“To Louer Castle.”

“Adam!”

Mrs. Rose blocked Adam’s path as he was putting on his cloak.

“You can’t go.”

“Marienne is being held captive by the Duke.”

“And?”

Adam’s expression turned grim.

“Move aside. I have to go.”

“If you go, will you be able to bring Marienne back?”

“Mother!”

“She’s a pretty girl, like a flower. With her precious ability, it’s no wonder a powerful man would covet her.”

“What are you saying?”

“What can you, a shoemaker, do against the House of Bernac?”

“So you’re saying we should just let Marienne be taken away like this? She’s my sister and your daughter!”

Mrs. Rose desperately hugged Adam as he tried to leave.

“If something happens to you too, I might as well hang myself! Do you want your mother to die?”

“Please don’t do this, Mother.”

“You are my only blood and child. How can I compare you to Marienne, who doesn’t share a drop of blood with us? This is her fate. We must accept it.”

“How can you say that! She must be waiting. Waiting for us to save her!”

“If she had stayed with the tanner, she would have been dead by now. She might be taken by an old and sick nobleman because of her healing ability. The Duke is better than that.”

“She could have a normal life with an ordinary man, you know.”

“That can’t be you.”