The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 45

Episode 45. The Grand Duchess Is Healthy?

“You’ve pushed Her Highness too hard. I knew this would happen. How could you make someone with such a frail body do swordsmanship and horseback riding all at once?”

Alex, who came to the office the next morning to give his report, scolded in a booming voice. Since Louid’s teenage years, he had lived alongside him as an imperial knight, and whenever Louid made mistakes, he scolded him like an older brother.

“…She should’ve just said if it was too much,” Louid muttered with a sulky expression as he looked out the window, ignoring Alex’s nagging.

“Would Your Highness have gone easy on her if she had said it? Women and knights are different. Her Highness has held on well until now, but she could’ve collapsed much earlier.”

Aaron chimed in beside him, backing up Alex’s scolding. Both men were seven years older than Louid and had fled with him to the Grand Duke’s castle ten years ago, making them like brothers.

‘Ha… I thought she’d gotten healthy again.’

Louid kept his mouth shut, unable to respond.

***

“What about the poison I told you to get?”

Duke Berthe, his face cold, asked Simon.

“I’ve secured it, Your Grace.”

“Good. Then carry out my orders while I’m in the capital. Do it quietly so no one notices.”

“Yes, understood.”

Finally, the day had come. Simon bowed his head obediently, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill Damian, whom he had raised, nor did he want to be used by Duke Berthe any longer.

After helping the young master escape, he would report that he had carried out the duke’s orders. The duke had never once looked at the boy since the day he came to the mansion, and he never would.

Moreover, Duke Berthe stayed in the capital during the week for imperial business and only came down to the ducal estate on weekends.

‘As long as I keep my mouth shut, it’ll be fine.’

Simon resolved to put his escape plan into action.

The next day, he gave Damian a backpack containing a map of the empire, dried provisions, and clothes. Though Damian knew little of the world after being confined in the tower, he had read many books and wasn’t ignorant.

“Young master, take this and leave the estate tomorrow night at eight.”

Simon handed Damian a heavy pouch of gold coins.

“Don’t trust strangers easily. This is an identification card. From now on, you’re not Damian Berthe but a commoner named Lucian. Take this money and go to Keros Island at the southern end of the continent.”

The gold coins had originally been set aside for the construction of a reservoir in the duke’s territory. It was enough to buy a house and land and, if used frugally, could cover living expenses for years.

Simon also told Damian that Duke Berthe wanted him dead. But he didn’t mention Emilia. Like most people in the empire, he believed in the curse of twins, and he thought it unnecessary for the poor young lady and the young master to know of each other’s existence.

“Never reveal your identity to anyone. His Grace believes his son died because of your mother, so he hates you. Stay hidden and never appear before him.”

Simon spoke with a conflicted expression as he gave his warning to Damian.

“All right. Thank you.”

Damian answered firmly. Though the outside world scared him, if the duke truly wanted him dead, he had no choice but to leave.

“Follow the map carefully and leave through the back gate tomorrow night at eight. A wagon will be waiting. The driver doesn’t know your identity. If he asks, say you’re a servant of the ducal estate. Once you’re outside the territory and in a safe place, he’ll let you off. From there, head south. Please take care of yourself.”

“Thank you. You take care too.”

Damian’s voice trembled as he spoke. Tears glistened in his blue eyes.

“Yes, young master.”

Simon clasped Damian’s hand, said farewell, and left the tower door unlocked as he went down.

The next evening, he gathered all the servants and soldiers of the estate in the main lobby, claiming that the reservoir construction funds had been stolen.

“From now on, we’ll search the rooms. I warn you, whoever stole the pouch of gold coins would do well to confess before being caught.”

Simon threatened the servants and soldiers assembled in the lobby with a stern expression. Dragged out in the middle of the night, the servants looked around at each other with bewildered faces.

Leaving only the guards at the front gate, all the knights and soldiers were ordered by Simon to search every room in the ducal castle.

Damian left the tower at eight, just as Simon had told him, and went to the back gate. The outside was pitch-dark, and there wasn’t a single guard at the gate, so he was able to escape the castle easily.

Beyond the back gate, just as Simon had said, a freight wagon was waiting. The wagon was loaded with empty crates.

Damian climbed in and sat among the boxes. The wagon ran all night.

The driver didn’t look at him or ask anything.

By the next morning, the wagon stopped in a place far from the ducal castle. As soon as Damian got down, the wagon departed again.

Shouldering the backpack Simon had given him, Damian began walking south. It was in the direction of Count Dalton’s territory.

***

In a lavishly decorated banquet hall, the sound of gentle music drifted. Guests gathered in groups to talk, and some danced in the center of the hall.

Lina looked around the banquet hall with a haughty expression.

A handsome man with dark blond hair stood behind a pillar, holding a champagne glass and conversing with another noble gentleman. Passing noblewomen all greeted him brightly.

Lina wasn’t interested in Asher himself. Rumor had it he had dated dozens of women, and besides, she had no intention of being satisfied with a countess’s title.

‘At the very least, I must become a Grand Duchess.’

Recalling Emilia, whom she had seen at the Grand Duke’s wedding, Lina frowned. She kept her eyes fixed on Asher, waiting for an opportunity to strike up a conversation.

“Count Asher, I heard you’ve returned from the north.”

After a moment, Lina approached and spoke to him in a soft voice.

“Ah, Lady Carrion. Yes, that’s right.”

Asher turned toward her and answered politely.

“How is His Highness the Grand Duke?”

“Yes, Their Highnesses the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are doing well.”

To Lina’s question about only the Grand Duke’s well-being, Asher deliberately added the Grand Duchess as well.

“Oh… you mean even Her Highness, who is so frail, is also doing well?”

Though she tried to disguise it, Lina’s face twisted with disappointment. Asher watched her expression closely. To speak so openly of the Grand Duchess’s frailty was extremely rude.

“Have you ever met Her Highness the Grand Duchess?”

“I attended Their Highnesses’ wedding. Seeing how frail she was that day, I spent the whole ceremony anxious that she might collapse.”

“Is that so? At present, Her Highness is very healthy, receiving much love from His Highness.”

“R-really?”

Lina’s eyes sharpened, her voice turning sharp.

“Well then, excuse me.”

Asher gave her a subtle smile and strode off toward the group of nobles.

Lina’s face turned venomous as she watched his retreating figure.

‘The Grand Duchess is healthy? I thought she would die soon, but if she’s healthy, then things change.’

***

Damian, having escaped the duke’s estate, entered the forest and kept walking south. By day, he walked, and at night, he slept in bushes or caves, moving forward with difficulty.

The farther south he went, the more plains there were. He had to keep walking endlessly across the open fields alone, but the sense of freedom from escaping the stifling tower kept him from despair.

He admired the view of vineyards stretching far into the distance and sat under trees to rest when he grew tired. When thirsty, he drank water from the valley stream stored in his flask.

About fifteen days after leaving the duke’s estate, the weather turned cloudy with heavy clouds overhead. Damian was walking through a fresh green field and sat down to rest against the root of a cypress tree.

A gentle breeze blew across the plain, brushing through his sweat-dampened hair.

He took jerky and dried fruit from his backpack and ate as he gazed absentmindedly at the scenery. Then a stranger approached him.

“Greetings. Where are you headed?”

“I’m going to Selgona.”

“I’m also headed to Selgona. Shall we go together?”

The man smiled kindly and suggested they travel together.

“….”

Damian hesitated at the thought of traveling with a stranger, but since he didn’t know the exact way to Selgona, he decided to follow the man.

“My name is Rick.”

“I’m… Lucian.”

“Where are you from?”

“The north….”

“The north, meaning the Grand Duke’s lands?”

“…Yes.”

Walking across the wide plain while making conversation, the two reached a village by sunset.

“It’s beautiful.”

The words slipped from Damian’s mouth in awe. The colorful houses looked like something from a fairytale.

Behind the village stretched wide vineyards, and in the sky the red sunset glowed.

“It’ll soon be dark. Let’s stay at an inn,” Rick suggested kindly.

“Yes.”

Damian had never stayed at an inn before, but it would be strange to sleep outside when there was one available. So he agreed. The two entered a small inn at the entrance of the village.