AYR 13

The next morning, after waking up, Iren stared blankly out the window for a moment.

A bright light shone through the curtains hanging on the tall window. It was not the lazy afternoon sunlight. Nor the pale moonlight that brightens the night.

She searched her memory. It was just before noon when she was dragged by Lahart into the forest.

Could it be that she slept almost a whole day…?

“…Duke?”

Iren was truly surprised this time. Lahart was lying beside her. The tips of his straight eyebrows twitched.

Iren, who called out to him in surprise, covered her mouth with one hand and stifled her breath without even realizing it. There was a calm expression on Lahart’s face, as though nothing had happened.

Iren let out a sigh of relief and smiled with a bitter smile.

She was surprised to see her husband lying in the same bed with her, and afraid that her husband might wake up.

‘Anyway, I’m surprised. Why is Lahart still…’

Iren cautiously observed her husband. Despite her rather direct gaze, Lahart did not even flinch. His broad and strong chest, which was not covered by the blanket, rose and fell rhythmically. His meticulously sculpted and beautiful face looked peaceful, without any signs of suffering.

Ever since they got married, this was the first time Iren had seen Lahart sleep so peacefully and normally. When he sleeps, he usually clenches his teeth and furrows his brow due to the aftereffects of the poison.

Why? What has changed? I passed out and I couldn’t even apply the ointment.

A glimmer of hope sparkled in Iren’s confused eyes. She quickly turned her head.

There it was. Violet flower petals scattered on the floor.

It was the irelaide flowers, plucked from the ‘Forest that Never Cries.’

Once her surprised heart settled down, a faint fragrance filled the air. She thought Lahart had already disposed of them, so she was truly relieved.

Looking at the somewhat withered petals, Iren became certain. Those flowers were the last ingredient that would set Lahart free.

Not only Lahart, but even his body condition improved from the elixirs she made from the flowers. If he could be comfortably put to sleep with just the faint scent that filled the air…

‘Then completing the antidote wouldn’t be just a dream.’

She couldn’t just watch the important ingredient rolling on the floor. Iren was about to uncover the blanket and get out of bed when a hand suddenly appeared from behind and wrapped around her waist.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Ah… I guess I woke you up because of this. I’m sorry. I’ll get out quickly…”

His long fingers firmly held Iren’s chin, keeping her mouth slightly open. Lahart’s warm breath passed through her parted lips.

With her eyes wide open, Iren tried to push his shoulder away, but it was useless. Instead, Lahart was stimulated by her resistance and pressed his lips even deeper. His robust and refreshing scent rendered Iren unable to move.

“…Haah. Why did you suddenly…?”

“I asked you where you were going.”

“Because I thought I made you uncomfortable… hmm!”

Their lips met again. Instead of gripping his shoulder, Iren tightly held onto the blanket. His burning energy thoroughly explored her mouth and stirred it forcefully. The corners of her eyes quickly turned red.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she wondered what was going on.

Her head was in a state of confusion, while her body began to weaken and melt away.

Was it true that the body follows the heart? Aside from the fear and guilt she felt towards him, a love much stronger and deeper than that was making her respond to every move Lahart made.

“I’ll give you the answers you need. Just follow along as you always do.”

“Uh…”

“I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

“Duke, what you’re saying… no way.”

“You finally understand.”

Lahart grabbed both of Iren’s wrists. Her slender wrists were firmly held in his hand. As he nound her wrists over her head, Iren looked up at Lahart.

He appeared serious and frigid, as always. He was not a man known for making jokes. Even though she knew it, Iren wished he had at least made a bad joke.

She bit her wet lips once. She couldn’t stay trapped here. She needed to quickly refine the materials she obtained. She had to proceed with the antidote research before the flowers wilted.

“Please let me go, Duke.”

“You’re wrong. That’s not what you should say.”

“…Didn’t you forgive me? Yesterday, I did everything you asked. I thought that would be enough…”

“Yesterday? Are you talking about last night, when the duchess fainted before anything could happen?”

“That…that was…”

“I made sure you couldn’t move as you pleased. How did you come up with the idea that that it was enough?”

Iren’s ears turned red in response to Lahart’s grumbling.

Everything he said was true. She was the one who passed out first, and she was the one who couldn’t withstand his aggressive behavior and begged him to stop.

But it felt unfair. That meant Lahart pushed her to the point of losing consciousness. She wondered how much longer she had to endure to satisfy Lahart.

Just the thought of it made Iren dizzy, so she closed her eyes.

“My gaze. Don’t avoid it.”

Lahart didn’t even allow that. Iren quietly looked up at him. It seemed like his displeased expression briefly softened when their eyes met.

Gathering up her courage, Iren spoke.

“I won’t take a single step out of the castle until you say it, Duke.”

She didn’t know why he wanted to keep her confined in this room.

She, Irelaide Phaeson, was never a suitable match for Lahart Cardius. A woman from a fallen noble family who committed the crime of treason, and all she had was the knowledge of poison that harms others.

Moreover, Lahart consumed that poison and collapsed in the Phaeson mansion when he was young. She belonged to the Phaeson family, and she herself was his enemy.

Compared to her, how was Lahart?

A perfect appearance–with silver hair that looks like it was pulled out from a mixture of moonlight and snow, and mysterious blue-grey eyes. He was the sword of the empire who rescued the current emperor nd helped him rise to the throne, who had disappeared due to a battle for succession to the throne.

There was only one reason why this man, who had literally everything at his feet, married Iren. To take revenge on his enemy.

It must have been infuriating for him to see the woman who could barely survive, bringing shame to the position of duchess. It was understandable that he couldn’t comprehend the desire to confine her to this room.

He especially disliked being in situations he couldn’t control. Perhaps he despised the sight of someone like me.

Iren’s complexion darkened as her thoughts grew deeper. It was painful to be rejected by someone she loved, even if she already knew that fact. But Iren pretended to be unaffected and suppressed her emotions.

As Lahart had said, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t go back to that time.

If that was the case, there was only one thing she had to do, whether it was in the past or now. She had to create a proper antidote to save Lahart from the poison.

“I’m fine with covering my face with a cloth. I’m fine with living as if I don’t exist. But please don’t confine me to this room only… Let me go.”

She desperately said those words, afraid that Lahart would be angry if she said she wanted to go to her laboratory.

But Lahart’s reaction was strange. Even before she finished speaking, he glared at her as if he would kill her. A creepy atmosphere seeped into her skin.

Iren tightly bit her trembling lips.

“You’re very brave.”

After a long time, Lahart’s voice finally echoed through the suffocating atmosphere. He wiped away the tear on Iren’s cheek with a trembling hand.

“You’re truly a sinner.”

Thunk. Her heart stopped and dropped down.

His hurtful words pierced her more deeply than the unfiltered poison. Iren froze, she couldn’t even think of avoiding his gaze.

She wanted to ask if this was what it meant to be brave. Then what on earth should she do?

Because I was a sinner, and because I made you like this, I didn’t ask for anything. I remained by your side, even giving up on the love I longed for desperately.

Since you wanted it that way. Because you wanted to hurt me while keeping me by your side.

After enduring and holding on like this… even that didn’t satisfy you. What on earth should I do then?

What on earth is it that you want from me?

“I have no intention of letting you go. Whatever you want to say.”

Lahart tightly gripped her wrist as though he would break it. Iren held back a groan. Her mental exhaustion was much greater than the physical pain, leaving her mind foggy.

“Iren.”

Lahart pressed his lips against her wrist, leaving imprints over her faded bruises. Iren simply closed her eyes, overwhelmed by his infinitely affectionate, yet infinitely empty act.

In the darkness, Lahart’s low voice flowed in.

“There’s nowhere else where you should be.”

“…I know.”

“If you know, then don’t make me angry by pretending that you don’t know.”

Lahart lightly retorted and finally got off her. She could hear the faint sound of rustling cloth. Then, with a thud, the door opened.

“Wait quietly until I come back.”

Thump. The door closed. The presence that weighed her down gradually drifted away and disappeared completely.

Left alone, Iren held her throbbing wrist and got off the bed. She began picking up scattered flower petals from the floor.

She would take good care of the flowers and, once Lahart’s anger subsided, she would hurry to the laboratory to complete the antidote.

“If I can only complete the antidote… then this kind of life will end. I will be able to escape.”

Even if I cannot be forgiven, at least I will be able to tell him the truth.

That alone is enough.

A few transparent tears fell on the dry flower petals and stopped.