Chapter 8

Olivia clutched the blanket tightly, her grip so strong that her hands had turned pale.  

Her lips were pressed together so firmly that they had lost their color.  

Her body trembled uncontrollably.  

Freddy clicked his tongue in disapproval. He placed his hand on Olivia’s forehead. Feeling the appropriate warmth of her skin, he quickly pulled his hand back.  

Olivia, lying with her eyes closed, looked much better than when she had been pale and sobbing earlier. Of course, the deep frown on her face was still displeasing to him.  

Freddy debated whether to use his fingers to smooth out the wrinkles on her forehead. However, his hand never returned to her face.  

Having confirmed that she was unharmed, he decided it was time to leave. He glanced down at Olivia briefly before turning to walk away.  

“…Freddy.”  

A sorrowful voice escaped Olivia’s fragile throat.  

Freddy frowned instinctively.  

He couldn’t understand why she would call him like that.  

Since arriving in Silvest and even on their wedding day, Olivia had avoided him with a startled expression. He had tried to keep his distance, yet she kept behaving in ways that unsettled him.  

What irritated him the most, however, was how his entire body froze whenever she called his name.  

Freddy pressed his hand against his eyes.  

“…Cold…”  

Olivia’s body was clearly warm. She had the proper warmth of a living person, and she was covered with a thick blanket, so there was no way she could be cold.  

Yet, seeing her curled up like that twisted something inside him.  

Freddy, watching Olivia, walked to the other side of the bed and sat down. His light attire would have allowed him to fall asleep immediately, yet he felt as though his clothes were strangling him.  

When he turned his head, Olivia was still there, curled up in her sleep.  

Her small, delicate frame caught his eye. Then his gaze fell on her golden hair, shimmering as if embroidered with sunlight.  

Freddy cautiously lay down on the bed. For a few minutes, he simply watched her from a slight distance. Before he realized it, he had pulled Olivia into his arms.  

He pried open her tightly clenched hand and placed it in his own, holding it firmly. Then, he embraced her without leaving any space between them.  

It just felt like the right thing to do.  

That was all.  

***

Olivia slowly blinked her eyes open.  

The bedroom she had seen yesterday came into view. 

Was I still seeing illusions?  

She wondered for a moment if death was supposed to feel this long.  

If she had more time, she thought, she would like to see Freddy again, as she had yesterday.  

Several minutes passed as she sat in a daze. It was only then that Olivia realized she was holding onto something.  

A hand.  

She had gripped it so tightly that there were nail marks on its back.  

When she turned her head, she saw Freddy sitting beside her, just as she had seen yesterday.  

“Ah.”  

A sigh, almost like a gasp, escaped her lips.  

The sunlight filling the room illuminated Freddy. His dark black hair blended with the golden rays of light.  

His closed eyelids slowly lifted.  

They revealed deep, dark brown eyes, their depths unfathomable.  

As their gazes met, Olivia tightened her grip on his hand even more. Even if it was an illusion, she didn’t want him to leave her.  

Her body trembled.  

“Madame?”  

His low, hoarse voice struck her ears.  

The fact that he, who was supposed to be dead, was speaking overwhelmed her. Tears welled up as she reached out with her free hand to touch his cheek.  

Warmth.  

She could feel warmth.  

From the spot where her hand touched him, a comforting heat began to spread. Her entire body felt as though it were warming up to the point of overheating.  

Olivia slowly traced Freddy’s eyes, nose, and lips with her fingers.  

Without responding to his call, she softly and delicately ran her hand along the contours of his face.  

When her hand brushed against his lips, Freddy let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.  

“Ah.”  

It was then that he came to his senses.  

He had only intended to close his eyes for a moment, but Olivia had woken up before him. He had hurriedly tried to move away, worried she might cry again, but she held onto his hand tightly, refusing to let go.  

“Fr… Freddy.”  

And those eyes again.  

Eyes that couldn’t hide their sorrow.  

Yet, at the same time, eyes that couldn’t contain their joy.  

Freddy didn’t like seeing Olivia cry while looking at him, so he tried to pull away forcefully. As he slowly sat up, he glanced down at her hand gripping his.  

「So, the main point of my message is, you two need to talk.」  

Why had that letter come to mind now?  

As Freddy hesitated, Olivia murmured softly.  

“I missed you.”  

Her actions and words made Freddy’s brow twitch.  

Was it because he realized that Olivia wasn’t seeing him but someone else through him?  

“Freddy, you are enough.”  

Of course, it didn’t matter what Olivia called him.  

This was a marriage for the sake of an alliance. Whether she took a lover or lived however she pleased, it had nothing to do with him.  

“I understand that you are disheartened by this unwanted marriage alliance, Madame, but you’re not a child. Wouldn’t it be better to stop worrying others with your actions?”  

This, too, wasn’t particularly important.  

As long as Olivia didn’t die, the alliance wouldn’t collapse. This was nothing more than a petty irritation he couldn’t even understand himself.  

“What did you just say?”  

“I said that, as the Grand Duchess, you should at least maintain your dignity in front of the servants…”  

The more Freddy spoke, the more Olivia’s expression grew peculiar.  

Unable to hold back, she interrupted him.  

“Why do you keep calling me Madame?”  

Freddy frowned as if he had heard something nonsensical.  

“Even if you deny it, it won’t change the fact. Frenchia and Silvest have formed a marriage alliance.”  

The more she talked to him, the deeper she felt like she was sinking into a swamp.  

Could an illusion really be this detailed?  

“Are you shocked to hear something you already know?”  

“I… and you… we’re dead.”  

Freddy frowned as though he had heard something utterly ridiculous.  

“Did you have a nightmare?”  

Olivia’s pupils wavered in confusion.  

“Why… are you alive?”  

At her absurd question, Freddy couldn’t help but make a dumbfounded expression.  

After blinking a few times, a faint, incredulous laugh escaped his lips. The muscles near his lips moved under the hand Olivia had placed there.  

“You’re really alive?”  

Olivia’s gentle hand moved from his cheek to his neck and stopped there.  

She could clearly feel his Adam’s apple move.  

Freddy grabbed her hand and lowered it. One of his hands held hers firmly, while her other hand remained gripping his.  

The sensation of their hands intertwining tightly made Olivia blink a few times.  

When she looked up again, Freddy was right in front of her.  

“No matter how vivid a nightmare is, saying such things aloud isn’t wise. Not unless you wish to spark a war between our two nations.”  

At his firm words, Olivia nodded unconsciously.  

Seeing her agreement, Freddy carefully released her hand. However, Olivia didn’t let go of him.  

“Are you not going to let go?”  

At his question, she trembled slightly before releasing her grip.  

Her eyes were still filled with confusion.  

“You didn’t eat anything all day yesterday. If you’re still uncomfortable leaving the room, I’ll have your meal prepared here in the bedroom.”  

With that, Freddy got off the bed.  

As he moved away, Olivia hastily tried to sit up, but her strength gave out, and she fell forward.  

Expecting to hit the floor, she shut her eyes tightly.  

“Careful.”  

A heavy floral scent surrounded her as Freddy caught her waist. A short sigh escaped him.  

“You shouldn’t move so hastily. If the bride gets hurt shortly after the wedding, strange rumors will spread.”  

Freddy helped Olivia sit back properly.  

“Then, please rest.”  

Leaving her sitting there in a daze, he exited the room.  

As Olivia slowly blinked, a sigh finally escaped her lips.  

It seemed she had truly gone mad.