Karina knew better than anyone else in the world how painful it was to have one-sided feelings and expect reciprocation from the other person. In the past, she had foolishly not been able to admit that fact. She had not been able to give him up for a long time and had to endure hellishly painful days. However, Jeremiah quickly realized that fact and chose to give up right away. That was all.
Was it greed to hope that he would hurt half as much as she had? No, even half of that? Now, it was a meaningless assumption. It was a useless thought.
"Yes. Thank you for doing what I want."
Karina pretended not to care and finished his words. However, Karina, who was in shock, did not realize that Jeremiah had not looked her in the eye even once while he was speaking harshly to her.
A chilling wind blew through the two, leaving only a cold silence.
***
Meanwhile, David sat among the priests and elders who had gathered with a serious expression. As soon as the news of Karina's kidnapping spread, the temple was turned upside down. The scheduled prayer service was postponed Indefinitely.
It was no wonder because the Grand Duchess who had been staying at the temple had been kidnapped. As long as anyone stayed at the temple, the temple was responsible for the protection and safety of those staying there, no matter who they were. They could never avoid responsibility and accountability. The high priests and elders were busy calling an emergency meeting and discussing who had kidnapped the Grand Duchess and how to resolve the situation.
"His Highness the Grand Duke did leave, but was it really okay to send him away alone..."
High Priest Emil, who was muttering bitterly and not hiding his worries, asked David.
"What does Your Highness the Crown Prince think?"
"Well."
At the lukewarm response, an older elder nearby added:
"But wasn't Your Highness the Crown Prince the first to know that the Grand Duchess had been kidnapped?"
That was true. David recalled the situation at the time.
David, who had left the room when he heard that the bishops were looking for him, went back to see Karina as soon as his business was over. However, Karina, who had said she would wait in the room, was not there.
'Where did you go?"
After a while, Karina's servant returned.
"Where is the Grand Duchess?"
"I'm sorry. I just got back from running an errand."
Jen looked troubled, unable to answer his question.
"Her Highness was in the room until I left..."
"Hmm."
Thinking that he would wait a bit, David slowly looked around Karina's room. Then.
"Hmm?"
A small note on the window sill caught his eye. It was written in red on poor-quality paper. David's expression hardened as he read the contents. The note stated that if he wanted to get his Grand Duchess back, the Grand Duke of Colesburg had to come alone, along with a time and place. David went straight to Jeremiah.
"This is a big deal!"
As soon as Jeremiah opened the door, he shouted.
"The Grand Duchess has been kidnapped!"
"...!"
Jeremiah's brow furrowed as he checked the note he had handed him. Lucia, who was in Jeremiah's room with him, also looked serious after reading the note.
However, she stopped Jeremiah from picking up the sword along with his coat.
"It's a trap."
The Saintess stopped Jeremiah from going straight to Karina.
"It's dangerous to go alone!"
But he did not even listen to the Saintess's words.
"If I don't go save her, who will?"
Lucia grabbed his sleeve as he tried to leave.
"But without you, I...!"
Lucia looked embarrassed, but Jeremiah warned her coldly.
"Get out of the way. I'm still her husband."
He glared at Lucia. Lucia had no choice but to let go of the sleeve she was holding as he looked at her with determined eyes
as if he would not look at her any longer.
"..."
David also felt certain when he looked into Jeremiah's eyes. He would do anything to save Karina.
***
David's eyes sank silently after finishing his recollection. Leaving him behind without any particular reaction, the priests focused on guessing who was behind the kidnapping of the Grand Duchess.
"Who on earth could commit such a kidnapping against a temple!"
"This is an act of insulting and despising the temple, as well as an insult to the gods!"
To avoid mentioning responsibility, the priests and elders were busy cursing the masterminds they didn't even know. They tended to do so even more in front of Crown Prince David. Of course, David didn't care what they did. He already knew who had instigated Karina's kidnapping. The reason he had delayed his departure from the palace in the first place was that it took some time to find out what Marquis Millainer was up to behind the scenes. In the meantime, David had spent a long time behind the scenes, bringing the moderate nobles into his power. And when that was almost finished, he made up his mind. He would cut off the Emperor's arms and legs, eyes and ears one by one. The person who had the most trouble with that plan was Marquis Millainer. But that was until today.
'Since this plan has also failed, the fall of the Marquis of Milliner is now a done deal.'
No matter how long the Marquis had been by the Emperor's side, he had not proven his usefulness, and every plan he put into action had failed. Marquis Millainer must have fallen out of favor with the Emperoг. David was completely satisfied with the thought that the Emperor, who did not know the value of people, would cut off his own right arm. However, he could not say for sure whether Karina would be able to return safely during this process.
'Now that the Grand Duke has left, there is a high chance that Karina will return safely.'
Just in case, he had secretly taken action in advance. Although he thought it would be okay, he could not relax. He did not know how far the Marquis of Milliner would go to act without any care towards his own child.
'I don't think he'll kill her though.'
The Marquis was already cornered. He couldn't guarantee that Karina would be safe. As time passed, he became more and more anxious. At the moment when he was finally contemplating whether to use 'that', the news he had been waiting for arrived.
"His Highness the Grand Duke has returned with the Grand Duchess!"
At the knight's report, everyone in the conference room jumped up and rushed out. David was the same.
***
The temple was turned upside down once again. The Grand Duke of Colesburg, who had gone to rescue Karina, had returned seriously injured. Jeremiah was half-conscious due to the poison that had spread throughout his body. His face was pale and bloodless, and his eyes were half-unfocused. His breathing was also irregular. He was panting. It took tremendous mental strength to hold out until he returned to the temple.
"Your Highness!"
Lucia ran out in a hurry when she heard the news that the two people had returned.
"OMG!"
Lucia was very surprised when she saw Jeremiah's condition..
"Your Highness! Are you alright? Can you hear me?"
Although he stubbornly refused to be helped by Karina and walked alone, he took care of her first thing as soon as he arrived.
"I'm fine, so check on the Grand Duchess first."
Jeremiah insisted that since Karina was being held hostage, they should examine her carefully to make sure she was not injured.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke's condition is more critical now!"
Lucia's face hardened and she became angry. But she couldn't break Jeremiah's stubbornness. He stood firm, saying that he wouldn't receive treatment unless Karina was examined first. In the end, Lucia examined Karina first.
"Your Highness, there are no serious injuries. You seem to be shocked, so just rest for a while and recover your strength."
"I see."
Jeremiah, who had been holding on with great difficulty, lost consciousness and collapsed immediately after hearing that Karina was fine without any injuries.
"...!"
"Your Highness!"
The people around them gathered around Jeremiah. Karina, who was standing one step behind, was confused.
'While in so much pain.'
Why would someone who wants a divorce care so much about her condition?
'Words speak louder than words.'
Karina felt complicated. His condition was so serious that Lucia didn't even move and started treating Jeremiah's wounds by infusing her powers into them. At that moment, David came out of the conference room and ran over to see Karina.
"Grand Duchess! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Karina nodded. His face brightened when he saw that she was back safe and sound.
"I'm glad you came back safely. I was worried."
But Karina couldn't laugh. Several priests brought the holy water that was kept in the temple and poured it on Jeremiah's wound.
Sizzle!
With a bloody sound, the poison reacted with the holy water and was neutralized.
"Ugh."
Even though he was unconscious, Jeremiah's groaning sound leaked out from his teeth as if he felt pain. Just looking at it was so painful. The other people who were watching the same scene felt no different, and the heavy and gloomy atmosphere continued. Lucia, who had been pouring her divine power into the wound with such concentration that she was sweating profusely, withdrew her strength at one point.
"Phew."
The Saintess sighed and wiped the sweat from her cheek with her sleeve.
"Please move inside quickly."
At the Saintess's request, the priests quickly carried Jeremiah, who had lost consciousness, onto a stretcher.
Concerned about his condition, Karina approached Lucia and asked her.
"How is his condition? Is he over the dangerous crossroads now?"
Her voice was slightly trembling as she asked that question.
"It's not something to feel relieved about. More treatment is still needed."
Karina tried to follow Lucia, who turned in the direction Jeremiah had been carried away, but Lucia raised her hand and stopped her.
"Your Highness the Grand Duchess, His Highness needs absolute rest right now. I will take care of the treatment, so please return to your room."
It was clearly a veto.
"But he got hurt like that while saving me. I need to do something too..."
When Karina objected, Lucia asked in a tone that was almost cold and businesslike.
"Then let me ask you. What can the Grand Duchess do when you go there?"
"...!"
At those words, Karina's mouth snapped shut.
"You don't know anything about treatment. The best thing you can do is just stay still. Go back."
Because it was true. She couldn't refute it even a single word. Karina couldn't say anything and just bit her lips.
"I have already instructed the knights to thoroughly protect the Grand Duchess so that no unpleasant incident occurs this time, so don't worry too much."
With those words, Lucia left. Karina just stood there, unable to move as if she was nailed to the spot. David took care of her and comforted her.
"Don't worry too much. The Grand Duke is originally a prosecutor, so he will easily get better with treatment."
David tried to console Karina so that she would not feel guilty about Jeremiah's injury.
"Leave his treatment to the priests and Saintess, and the Grand Duchess, get some rest. You too need rest and stability."
"... Yes."
Karina reluctantly took a step that was not easy to take. However, she returned to her room and could not sleep due to her anxiety. It was difficult to wait quietly, worried and anxious that Jeremiah's condition might be worse.
The long night deepened like that.
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