Chapter 2 (Part 3)

Tenus’s icy gaze now turned to Amy. Amy, who was standing near the door, flinched and trembled greatly. She reluctantly took a step forward as if someone had forcibly pushed her.

As she approached slowly, Amy lifted her head slightly, which had been bowed. Her dark brown eyes met Sellakia’s gaze.

“……”

Startled, Amy quickly bowed her head again. However, Sellakia remained motionless, still locked in eye contact with Amy.

A sound like rough waves crashing echoed in her ears. Even though the Ducal House was situated on a coastal cliff, it was a sound rarely heard in a room with all the windows firmly closed.

Despite sitting comfortably on the sofa, her body shook uncontrollably as if she were on a ship caught in a storm. Her heartbeat intensified to the point where she could feel her pulse throbbing in her temples.

The sea where waves surged. The body she couldn’t control. And the dark brown eyes she had encountered…

Fragments of shattered memories sharply clawed through Sellakia’s mind. She felt nauseous as if her insides were being turned upside down and her head was splitting with pain.

“Ugh!”

Sellakia’s upper body, which had been sitting upright, toppled forward.

“Sellakia!”

Tenus, who was beside her, hurriedly supported her body.

Sellakia leaned against his shoulder, gasping for breath. The more she tried to hold onto the memories that were scattering like sea fog, the more intense the headache became.

In her blurred vision, she saw Amy standing rigidly.

Ah. A flash of realization like lightning struck her muddled mind. While she still couldn’t piece together the disjointed memories, she felt like she was grasping something.

“Sellakia Seidon. Are you conscious?”

An uncharacteristically anxious voice pierced her ears.

“Where does it hurt? Tell me.”

Sellakia steadied her breathing and let go of the memories she had been struggling to hold onto. As she did, the pain subsided, and her body felt considerably more at ease.

“I just… felt dizzy for a moment. I’m fine now.”

“Is that even a proper answer…!”

Sellakia firmly grasped Tenus’s arm with her trembling hand. Then, leaning against Tenus, she discreetly shook her head so Amy couldn’t see.

Though Tenus looked displeased, he didn’t press further, respecting her wishes.

Relieved, Sellakia raised her voice as if for Amy to hear.

“Can I apply the ointment later? I think it’s because I didn’t sleep well last night. Right now, I need rest more than ointment on my hand.”

She had actually slept soundly, unaware that Tenus had been by her side. Tenus, knowing this, said nothing.

Instead, he spoke to Amy.

“Bring Rupert here as soon as he arrives.”

“…Pardon? Ah, yes, yes.”

“Leave the ointment here. You may go now.”

His tone was casual enough not to arouse Amy’s suspicion.

“Yes… Your Grace.”

Without coming any closer, Amy placed the ointment bottle on the sofa’s armrest and quickly left the reception room.

Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Tenus spoke.

“It seems Amy conspired with Aldrich.”

Tenus’s quick perception was not entirely welcome. Sellakia, having somewhat recovered, withdrew from his embrace. She felt a chill, perhaps from losing body heat due to cold sweat, but she hid it and replied indifferently.

“How would I know? I don’t remember anything.”

“Amy wouldn’t have lost her memory. If we interrogate her, we might uncover the truth.”

“Don’t bother. I told you to let it go.”

Interrogating the maid would draw too much attention to Sellakia. If Aldrich were expelled from the family because of her, her status would undoubtedly change.

She was already attracting considerable attention due to her dramatic return. When Tenus achieved his goal and lost interest in her, she needed to leave unnoticed, so she couldn’t draw any more attention.

It pained her to let those who had intended to harm her go unpunished. But she was used to enduring such grievances. Sellakia knew how to bide her time, curl up, and remain silent. In fact, it was what she had done best for years.

“I’ll say it again. Just cover this up. You don’t want the castle to be noisy with your succession ahead, do you?”

“What does it matter? Even if you brought down the castle, it wouldn’t affect my ascension in the slightest.”

“Oh, sure it wouldn’t.”

Tenus gave her a sharp look, as if chastising her sarcastic attitude. Sellakia met his gaze with composure.

“Don’t like me like this? Then you can cast me out.”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Tenus leaned closer to her.

“That will never happen, even if you die. You will never leave this place again, Sellakia Seidon.”

His handsome face whispered tenderly, incongruous with the dark intentions behind it, leaving her mouth dry.

Sellakia couldn’t tear her gaze away from his deep, dark eyes. His eyes, devoid of warmth, were roiling with all sorts of negative emotions.

Tenus’s intention to keep her by his side despite those eyes was utterly incomprehensible. It was even more perplexing because it was unlike anything she had experienced with others.

“So give up and accept the rights and duties of Seidon.”

“I don’t know anything about the rights or duties of a Duchess.”

“You don’t need to know anything else. Just remember one duty.”

Tenus spoke with eyes that had quelled the storm and settled into calm.

“Not to die.”

“What…?”

What does that mean?

When Sellakia was frowning and locking eyes with Tenus nearby, the door to the reception room swung open without a knock.

“Young Master. I’m here!”

“……”

“……”

“Oh dear. An old man has rudely interrupted an important moment. Please, continue with what you were doing…”

“Shut up and get in here immediately.”

Tenus turned sharply away from her. Sellakia’s gaze followed his broad back to the middle-aged man grinning at the door.

“Why are you here just now? Didn’t you receive the message to come to the castle early this morning?”

At Tenus’s questioning, Rupert made a muffled sound, as if gagged. When Tenus raised his eyebrows fiercely, Rupert finally spoke in a voice that sounded as if he was wronged.

“Well, you told me to keep my mouth shut.”

“Don’t play games.”

Ignoring the harsh command, Rupert approached with a silly grin. His steps were slightly unsteady. As he got closer, the smell of alcohol wafted strongly.

Tenus rubbed his temples as if dealing with a headache.

“I told you to stop drinking.”

“At my age, alcohol is the elixir of life, Young Master. If I don’t drink, I’ll die.”

“Then prepare your funeral arrangements.”

“I don’t like funeral arrangements. I won’t go to the land of the dead beyond the sea, even if I die. When I die, please bury me deep in the mountains where no water reaches. Don’t forget, Young Master.”

Judging by his rambling, he seemed quite drunk.

“If I had known it was about the Young Madam, I would have come sooner. I thought it was Sir Aldrich calling.”

Sellakia, who had met Rupert’s eyes, gave an awkward smile. The physician of the Seidon Ducal family, whom she had only heard of by name, seemed to have a rather frivolous nature.

“So, where are you feeling unwell?”

Despite his demeanor, Rupert sat next to Sellakia and opened his medical bag. Inside were only a few bottles filled with a yellowish-brown liquid.

“……”

It’s medicine, right?

Rupert, as if to confirm her doubts, popped open the bottle’s cap. The strong smell of alcohol left no doubt it was liquor.

Gulp, gulp.

Rupert brought the bottle to his lips and drained it in one go, his wrinkled throat bobbing. Sellakia was at a loss for words.

Tenus, standing beside her like a guardian, spoke up in her stead.

“They say she lost her memory.”

“Hmm. I see. Then I’ll examine her head for a moment.”

“Check her body as well. She seems thin, perhaps from not eating well, and her energy appears depleted.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll do that. First, let me examine her head…”

“What about the seizures? She just had a mild seizure. She was sweating and trembling. Check for that symptom too.”

“Seizures… I might be able to tell by examining her head…”

“Don’t forget her hand. Although she received ointment, a blister just burst, so it’s best to examine it closely.”

“……”

Rupert nodded absentmindedly and responded politely, but then turned his gaze away. Sellakia did the same.

Together, they looked up at Tenus, who stood alone, continuously speaking.

Tenus, unaware of the issue, tilted his chin.

“What?”

Rupert’s face turned serious for a moment. He cautiously asked Tenus.

“Is one of the Young Madam’s symptoms the inability to speak?”

“Why do you ask?”

“People who’ve injured their heads sometimes suffer from aphasia. In such cases, the prognosis is…”

“No!”

Sellakia, who had been sitting quietly, shouted abruptly. She couldn’t stand the deepening misunderstanding.

Startled by her loud voice, Rupert’s eyes widened, and he soon realized and smiled.

“Fortunately, you can speak! Hearing your strong voice, it seems you’re not lacking energy. That’s good. It’s a very good voice.”

“……Yes. I’m perfectly fine. I didn’t have a seizure earlier. Just examine my head.”

Tenus seemed about to object, but Sellakia preemptively glared at him to stop him.

Rupert, watching them alternately for a while, began his examination with a strange hum.

He pressed various spots and lifted Sellakia’s eyelids to check her pupils’ reaction before reaching a clear conclusion.