The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 55

Episode 55. The Reason for His Disappointment

Everyone rushed toward the lobby entrance in shock. A moment later, the Grand Duke entered, carrying Emilia in his arms.

“Call the physician. Quickly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

While the butler hurried off to fetch the physician, Louid carried Emilia upstairs to the third-floor bedroom in haste. The head maid and Helen followed close behind him.

“Your Highness, Your Highness. Please wake up. Your Highness.”

While waiting for the physician, the head maid and Helen changed Emilia’s clothes and wrapped her in warm blankets, calling out to her over and over.

Louid felt utterly powerless as he looked at her pale face and bluish lips. Once again, he had failed to prevent an assassination attempt on her.

From his experience, assassins never stopped coming. No matter how many he killed, more always appeared. Unless the head of the snake was cut off, those who sought to kill Emilia would keep coming.

Louid knew that the mastermind trying to kill him was Duke Berthe, his elder brother’s uncle, but he couldn’t eliminate him.

Besides, the Emperor relied heavily on Duke Berthe both politically and emotionally. That was why Louid had only defended himself each time assassins came, never able to kill the Duke.

But now Emilia too had become a target of these attempts. As long as she remained his wife, she would continue to live in danger. He had to find the source soon.

A short while later, the butler returned with the physician. After hearing of the Grand Duchess’s kidnapping, the physician had stayed awake all night in his quarters, awaiting any news. He hurried over and examined Emilia.

“Her body temperature is low, but fortunately, she was found early. Her life isn’t in danger. Her Highness should regain consciousness by tomorrow, Your Highness.”

After finishing his examination, the physician spoke. Louid let out a silent sigh of relief.

When he had found her lying on the mountain, he had feared it was already too late.

“Keep her warm.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“She must be deeply shocked. When she wakes, make sure she rests quietly.”

“Alright. Thank you for your hard work. I’ll stay here, so please go rest.”

“Yes, I’ll check on her often.”

The physician agreed to stay in a nearby room in case of any emergency.

“Everyone, leave us.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After sending everyone out of the room, Louid added more firewood to the fireplace. The temperature inside the bedroom soon rose to that of a midsummer day.

He sat down in a chair beside the bed and looked at Emilia. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and she lay completely still.

‘How did she escape?’

When they married, he had thought she was nothing more than a proud, naïve young lady.

But the woman he had come to know was nothing like that. She was straightforward, kindhearted, and full of empathy.

“Turns out you’re brave too.”

To think she had managed to escape from a cabin full of kidnappers, perhaps it wasn’t just courage but fearlessness.

Louid was confused. The woman before him was nothing like the Emilia he had imagined before their marriage.

Near dawn, Emilia stirred slightly.

“Emilia? Are you awake?”

Louid called her name, but she didn’t open her eyes.

As he reached out to pull the blanket back over her, his eyes caught sight of her leg.

“…?”

On her thigh—slightly fuller than it had been months ago—were distinct stripe-like marks. Looking around, he noticed a leather belt with a dagger attached lying by the head of the bed. It was the dagger he had given her. She must have fastened it to her thigh with the belt.

“Well done, Emilia.”

Louid whispered softly near her ear, the corners of his lips curving upward. She was not only brave and fearless but also meticulous.

“Mmm….”

After lying still as if dead all night, Emilia opened her eyes the next morning.

‘Where am I?’

She slowly moved her gaze from side to side. The place she was lying in was her own bedroom.

Beside the bed, Louid sat in a chair with his head leaning back and his eyes closed.

‘What happened? Why am I here?’

The memories of escaping the cabin, walking through the pitch-dark and terrifying forest, and shivering behind the large boulder came rushing back to her.

Sensing movement from her, Louid opened his eyes.

“Louid.”

Emilia called his name softly. For a moment, she thought perhaps she had died in the forest last night, and the man before her was only a vision born from her longing.

“Emilia, are you awake? Are you alright?”

The vision spoke. It seemed reality after all.

“Yes, I’m fine. What happened? Why am I here?”

Her voice came out hoarse.

“Levi told me.”

“Levi? Ugh.”

Startled, Emilia tried to sit up, but groaned and held her head. The sudden movement had made her dizzy.

Louid quickly supported her, helping her lean against the bed’s headboard and placing a cushion behind her back.

“Where’s Levi?”

Every morning, she would hear Levi crying for food from his pen nearby, but today there was only silence.

“He flew away. Into the forest.”

“…Levi left?” she murmured blankly in shock.

“Yes. After telling me where you were, he flew far away. Probably back to where he was born.”

“I see. Thank you for saving me, Louid.”

“No need to thank me.”

“Did you stay up all night because of me? You didn’t have to.”

“….”

Louid’s face stiffened. For some reason, both Emilia’s words of gratitude and her insistence that he didn’t need to stay up for her sounded oddly disappointing to him. Maybe that was why his next words came out rougher than he intended.

“It was a real bother. So be careful from now on. The position of Grand Duchess is dangerous by nature.”

“Yes….”

“Did you see the kidnapper’s face?”

“I didn’t see their faces, but I heard their voices. They were the vendors who sold skewers and roasted corn at the festival. I think they were disguised as merchants.”

“I see.”

Finishing his words, Louid suddenly stood from the chair.

“Where are you going?”

“To catch the kidnappers. You must be dizzy, so don’t move and stay in bed.”

With a curt expression, Louid strode out of the room.

‘He must be angry because I bothered him.’

Emilia watched his retreating figure with a dark expression.

“Her Highness has woken up. Take good care of her.”

As he exited Emilia’s room, Louid gave instructions to Helen, who had been waiting by the door.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Helen, who had been so anxious that something terrible might happen to the Grand Duchess, finally looked relieved.

“Call for Knight Jamie.”

Louid ordered the soldier standing guard in the hallway.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Moments later, Jamie entered the office.

“You called for me, Your Highness?”

“Do you remember the merchants who sold skewers and roasted corn at the festival?”

“Yes, I do.”

Jamie, though he appeared indifferent, had a sharp eye for people’s faces and behavior and an excellent memory. That was why Louid had assigned him as Emilia’s escort.

“The kidnappers were those two. Tell the knights their descriptions and start the search immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

After saluting, Jamie left the office.

“Your Highness, are you feeling better?”

Helen came in carrying a bowl of warm potato soup.

“Yes, I’m fine now. You must’ve been worried.”

“Yes, not just me, but everyone in the castle was in chaos. His Highness ran to the forest himself to find you, and the knights are still out searching for the kidnappers. It was His Highness who released Levi to look for you.”

“I see.”

Emilia felt deeply sorry toward Louid, the knights, and the soldiers who must’ve struggled all night because of her. She couldn’t understand why things that made her feel guilty kept happening.

“They said you should eat something warm, so I brought you soup.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“Ugh.”

Her whole body ached as if she had been beaten. After Helen left, Emilia forced her heavy body upright. Step by step, she walked slowly to the window and looked toward where Levi’s pen was.

“Thank you, Levi.”

Levi was her savior.

She felt a pang of regret that she hadn’t been able to say goodbye, but she was truly glad that Levi—who hadn’t even been able to fly as high as a person’s height—had soared into the sky and returned to nature.

‘Was it because he’d been tied up that he couldn’t fly before…?’

Maybe so. If he hadn’t been bound and had been free to move as he pleased, he would’ve flown away much sooner.

‘I should’ve freed you sooner. I’m sorry, Levi.’

If she had truly wanted to, she could’ve persuaded Louid to release him earlier. Now she realized that keeping the creature by her side had been out of selfishness. Levi would be happiest living in the place where he was born.

‘I hope you’ll adapt well there….’

Emilia prayed that Levi, now returned to nature, would adjust well to life among his own kind. Though he was a monster, to her, he was already no different from family.

“Ugh.”

Her face twisted in pain. Even though she had only been standing for a short while, her head spun and her legs trembled. It felt like her strength had completely drained away. She returned to the bed and lay down again.

***

“Failed? We tried to make it look like an accident, just as Father wanted, but we keep failing. I’ll handle it myself. Erase every trace of them. Make sure no trail is left behind.”

Enraged to the point of bursting at Jack’s report, Lina gave her order coldly.

“Yes, understood.”