(60) Don't fall
Just before her delicate body touched the floor, Cyrus wrapped his arms around Ariana's waist. Before anyone could see, Cyrus quickly carried Ariana into the carriage.
At his sudden appearance, the former Duke Carradine's eyes widened, and she froze.
"What's going on? What happened to the Princess?"
Harold's voice came.
Russell, who was still as big as a bear, blocked his path, so he didn't see Ariana fall or Cyrus catch her. Russell and the former Duke Theodore, who were standing with their backs turned, did the same.
Cyrus gave Carradine a small wink, and Carradine came to her senses and boarded the carriage. Cyrus had already laid Ariana down on the sofa and was checking her condition.
"Duchess. We should go first."
"Ariana..."
"She's badly injured. I think she's holding it in because she doesn't want us to see it, so I suggest you head to the mansion."
Carradine nodded and ordered her coachman to hurry to the mansion. Russell and Theodore, who were outside dealing with the Third Prince, were confused when the carriage left them behind, but that didn't matter.
"Ariana's injured?"
"Yes, late Duchess. Take a look."
Cyrus's hand went to Ariana's abdomen. He saw a silvery sheen on her wine-colored dress. A blade dotted with red liquid.
Carradine didn't immediately recognize it. It seemed utterly out of place in the stomach of her young granddaughter, who had been through trials all this time.
Her head hummed, unable to process the situation. She didn't have the presence of mind to consider the sudden appearance of the Northern Duke in this place, or the familiarity with how he cared for Ariana.
Now in the confined space, she could smell a pungent, ominous smell. Carradine's gaze changed as she realized it was the scent of blood.
Her eyes, previously wavering, unable to fully grasp the situation, now shone with the cool, calm composure of a warrior facing an enemy.
"A knife for cutting bread."
"Yes."
"Why is this stuck in this child's stomach? Since when...?"
Cyrus took a deep breath.
"The scent of blood is strong. It must have been there for quite some time."
"But how come no one knows about this!"
"I think Ariana hid it because she didn't want anyone to know. She was probably afraid that if the truth about her injury was revealed, the retrial would be postponed."
Cyrus seemed angry as he answered.
But Carradine had no time to worry about Cyrus's feelings.
"Will she live?"
"Normally, she would. But Ariana..."
Cyrus trailed off, uncharacteristically looking down at Ariana.
Ariana was so pale and small that she seemed poised to vanish, like a dream, like a butterfly that had landed, like sand in a hand.
He was furious.
More than anyone else, he was angry at himself.
Even though he knew Ariana had done it herself, he couldn't understand why he was angry at himself. He simply resented himself, without knowing why.
If only the retrial had been held a little earlier, if only he had gone to the Emperor instead of trying to create a dramatic scene, this wouldn't have happened.
Watching Ariana in the secluded hall, Cyrus understood her methods better than anyone else. Ariana wasn't afraid to harm herself to achieve her goals. She didn't hesitate to suffer.
He should have first considered how desperate Ariana must have been, having lost the trial and fallen into the hands of the Western Duke and Rachel. He should have predicted what Ariana would do in such a desperate state.
"I came with Isaac."
"Isaac... of the Peren family?"
"Yes. If you're at the mansion, I'll take him there."
"Please, Northern Duke."
Russell and Theodore returned to the mansion only after Isaac had examined Ariana's wounds. The two, who heard the news of Ariana's injury late, were shocked.
"Are you saying that Ariana hid that throughout the trial, Mother?"
"That seems to be the case."
"She didn't look well... I thought it was because she was with the Western Duke."
Russell looked down at Ariana with an expression that seemed ready to break at any moment. Theodore muttered,
"How could that little girl endure such pain? Why on earth did something like that get stuck in Ariana's stomach? The Western Duke, did he do it?"
"That can't be it."
Only then did Russell and Theodore realize they weren't alone in the room. The Whites' eyes widened at the sight of Cyrus, who was standing quietly in the corner.
As Cyrus bowed his head slightly, Russell muttered,
“Cyrus...”
“It’s been a while, Your Excellency.”
“Ah, yes... Northern Duke, you... You really did a great job in this trial...”
“Your Excellency, thanking me is fine. I just did what I had to do.”
Russell couldn’t figure out why Cyrus would be helping Ariana, but he knew now wasn’t the time to question that, so he kept his mouth shut.
“I think Ariana stabbed herself with that knife.”
Russell was still puzzled by Cyrus’s familiarity with his daughter’s name, but he held it in and asked another question.
“Why would Ariana do that to herself?”
“That... I think Your Excellency should ask her yourself.”
“Oh, not that bad. I’ve finished disinfecting her, so I’ll sew her up.”
Isaac began stitching Ariana’s wound with a sharp surgical needle. Every time the needle dug into the pale skin, the people there flinched as if they were being pricked by a needle.
Isaac, who had skillfully stitched up the wound, took out an ointment and applied it to the affected area. After finishing the treatment, Isaac took several vials from his bag and laid them out on the table, and said.
“This red thing is a medicine that increases blood flow, this one restores stamina, and this one helps heal wounds quickly. You need to give her these three medicines twice a day. Your Excellency... Since the Princess hasn’t yet regained consciousness, please raise her body and carefully pour the medicine into her with a spoon.”
“When... will she wake up?”
Russell asked, his throat choked up. Isaac stared at Russell curiously. After seeing the Bronte family, who had been terribly tormenting Ariana, Russell seemed to care for his daughter more than he had imagined.
Isaac smiled and said,
“She’ll wake up in two or three days.”
Russell quickly sat down beside the bed. An arrogant expression crossed his face as he looked down at Ariana, then vanished.
Cyrus, who had been watching, left the room with Isaac, and Theodore followed him.
Theodore smiled.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Isaac stared at Cyrus, his eyes wide, but Cyrus ignored him. Theodore said,
“Are you staying in the Empire, Cyrus?”
“Yes. For now.”
“When Ariana wakes up...”
“I’ll stop by. You must be very worried, so please go now.”
“Yes, Cyrus. Isaac. You too, be careful. Don’t fall.”
Theodore’s final words made Cyrus’ face contort. He remembered those warm, peaceful times when Theodore had always greeted him at the end of his visits to the East whenever he left.
His vision had darkened with the grief and hatred of his parents’ deaths, and he had forgotten what kind of people the White family was. Only when he saw Russell’s desperate letter to Rachel did the forgotten memories begin to return, little by little.
Don’t fall.
A worry unbecoming of a mature twenty-year-old brought back memories of the time when his parents were alive. Those peaceful days that he thought would last forever.
“Yes, Grandfather. I’ll see you later.”
As they rode in the carriage, Isaac pursed his lips, opening and closing them repeatedly. Cyrus was quietly staring out the window.
Isaac raised his hand.
“Cyrus, I have something to tell you.”
“Don’t.”
“You said it yourself. Now that you're sitting in the feudal lord's seat, you'd treat them like lowly servants, whether Western or Eastern Dukes. You said you were really curious to see the look on those old men's faces when a youngster talks down to them. You said it with that devilish grin, didn't you?”
“...”
“Yeah, well. I guess so. It’s a bit much to speak rudely to the lord’s father, grandfather, and grandmother. He’s going to be your father-in-law someday, right?”
Cyrus glared quietly at Isaac. But Isaac didn’t stop talking.
“Ah, of course you’re just trying to use her. I know, I know. This time, you used the custody trial of the Eastern Princess to slightly drive a wedge between the Western Duke and the Emperor. Yes, I admit that the Eastern Princess is very useful. Your judgment was right. The Eastern Princess is worth using.”
“Yes.”
“But does that mean you need to be so polite to the Eastern Duke? As if you plan to become their son-in-law or grandson-in-law someday?”
“Isaac.”
Ah, of course, this must all be for some deeper purpose on your part. After all, you need to maintain good relations to be able to use the cards the East holds. Right?
“Yes.”
"But then, isn't that the same for the Western Duke? Shouldn't we act like a tongue in his mouth toward a villain like the Western Duke, so we might get a chance to gain something?"
Cyrus’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
“You want me to call that bastard ‘Grandfather’? Even chewing his bones wouldn't satisfy me!”
“You, did you forget that just a few months ago, you treated the White family members exactly the same as the Western Duke?”
Just before her delicate body touched the floor, Cyrus wrapped his arms around Ariana's waist. Before anyone could see, Cyrus quickly carried Ariana into the carriage.
At his sudden appearance, the former Duke Carradine's eyes widened, and she froze.
"What's going on? What happened to the Princess?"
Harold's voice came.
Russell, who was still as big as a bear, blocked his path, so he didn't see Ariana fall or Cyrus catch her. Russell and the former Duke Theodore, who were standing with their backs turned, did the same.
Cyrus gave Carradine a small wink, and Carradine came to her senses and boarded the carriage. Cyrus had already laid Ariana down on the sofa and was checking her condition.
"Duchess. We should go first."
"Ariana..."
"She's badly injured. I think she's holding it in because she doesn't want us to see it, so I suggest you head to the mansion."
Carradine nodded and ordered her coachman to hurry to the mansion. Russell and Theodore, who were outside dealing with the Third Prince, were confused when the carriage left them behind, but that didn't matter.
"Ariana's injured?"
"Yes, late Duchess. Take a look."
Cyrus's hand went to Ariana's abdomen. He saw a silvery sheen on her wine-colored dress. A blade dotted with red liquid.
Carradine didn't immediately recognize it. It seemed utterly out of place in the stomach of her young granddaughter, who had been through trials all this time.
Her head hummed, unable to process the situation. She didn't have the presence of mind to consider the sudden appearance of the Northern Duke in this place, or the familiarity with how he cared for Ariana.
Now in the confined space, she could smell a pungent, ominous smell. Carradine's gaze changed as she realized it was the scent of blood.
Her eyes, previously wavering, unable to fully grasp the situation, now shone with the cool, calm composure of a warrior facing an enemy.
"A knife for cutting bread."
"Yes."
"Why is this stuck in this child's stomach? Since when...?"
Cyrus took a deep breath.
"The scent of blood is strong. It must have been there for quite some time."
"But how come no one knows about this!"
"I think Ariana hid it because she didn't want anyone to know. She was probably afraid that if the truth about her injury was revealed, the retrial would be postponed."
Cyrus seemed angry as he answered.
But Carradine had no time to worry about Cyrus's feelings.
"Will she live?"
"Normally, she would. But Ariana..."
Cyrus trailed off, uncharacteristically looking down at Ariana.
Ariana was so pale and small that she seemed poised to vanish, like a dream, like a butterfly that had landed, like sand in a hand.
He was furious.
More than anyone else, he was angry at himself.
Even though he knew Ariana had done it herself, he couldn't understand why he was angry at himself. He simply resented himself, without knowing why.
If only the retrial had been held a little earlier, if only he had gone to the Emperor instead of trying to create a dramatic scene, this wouldn't have happened.
Watching Ariana in the secluded hall, Cyrus understood her methods better than anyone else. Ariana wasn't afraid to harm herself to achieve her goals. She didn't hesitate to suffer.
He should have first considered how desperate Ariana must have been, having lost the trial and fallen into the hands of the Western Duke and Rachel. He should have predicted what Ariana would do in such a desperate state.
"I came with Isaac."
"Isaac... of the Peren family?"
"Yes. If you're at the mansion, I'll take him there."
"Please, Northern Duke."
***
Russell and Theodore returned to the mansion only after Isaac had examined Ariana's wounds. The two, who heard the news of Ariana's injury late, were shocked.
"Are you saying that Ariana hid that throughout the trial, Mother?"
"That seems to be the case."
"She didn't look well... I thought it was because she was with the Western Duke."
Russell looked down at Ariana with an expression that seemed ready to break at any moment. Theodore muttered,
"How could that little girl endure such pain? Why on earth did something like that get stuck in Ariana's stomach? The Western Duke, did he do it?"
"That can't be it."
Only then did Russell and Theodore realize they weren't alone in the room. The Whites' eyes widened at the sight of Cyrus, who was standing quietly in the corner.
As Cyrus bowed his head slightly, Russell muttered,
“Cyrus...”
“It’s been a while, Your Excellency.”
“Ah, yes... Northern Duke, you... You really did a great job in this trial...”
“Your Excellency, thanking me is fine. I just did what I had to do.”
Russell couldn’t figure out why Cyrus would be helping Ariana, but he knew now wasn’t the time to question that, so he kept his mouth shut.
“I think Ariana stabbed herself with that knife.”
Russell was still puzzled by Cyrus’s familiarity with his daughter’s name, but he held it in and asked another question.
“Why would Ariana do that to herself?”
“That... I think Your Excellency should ask her yourself.”
“How is she? Will she wake up soon? She was only stabbed, so she’ll wake up soon, right?”
Russell, who had been stabbed multiple times on the battlefield and remained unfazed, might have thought so, but Ariana was different.
Isaac, who was treating the wound, said,
“It must have been quite painful to pierce the skin with a dull knife. She moved around with this thing stuck in her, damaging the inside of her skin. Fortunately, the knife was short, so no internal organs were damaged, but she bled a lot.”
“No way she’s going to die...!”
Russell, who had been stabbed multiple times on the battlefield and remained unfazed, might have thought so, but Ariana was different.
Isaac, who was treating the wound, said,
“It must have been quite painful to pierce the skin with a dull knife. She moved around with this thing stuck in her, damaging the inside of her skin. Fortunately, the knife was short, so no internal organs were damaged, but she bled a lot.”
“No way she’s going to die...!”
“Oh, not that bad. I’ve finished disinfecting her, so I’ll sew her up.”
Isaac began stitching Ariana’s wound with a sharp surgical needle. Every time the needle dug into the pale skin, the people there flinched as if they were being pricked by a needle.
Isaac, who had skillfully stitched up the wound, took out an ointment and applied it to the affected area. After finishing the treatment, Isaac took several vials from his bag and laid them out on the table, and said.
“This red thing is a medicine that increases blood flow, this one restores stamina, and this one helps heal wounds quickly. You need to give her these three medicines twice a day. Your Excellency... Since the Princess hasn’t yet regained consciousness, please raise her body and carefully pour the medicine into her with a spoon.”
“When... will she wake up?”
Russell asked, his throat choked up. Isaac stared at Russell curiously. After seeing the Bronte family, who had been terribly tormenting Ariana, Russell seemed to care for his daughter more than he had imagined.
Isaac smiled and said,
“She’ll wake up in two or three days.”
Russell quickly sat down beside the bed. An arrogant expression crossed his face as he looked down at Ariana, then vanished.
Cyrus, who had been watching, left the room with Isaac, and Theodore followed him.
“Northern Duke. I'm truly grateful.”
“You may call me as you did before.”
“So will you call me as you did before?”
Isaac stared at Cyrus, his eyes wide, but Cyrus ignored him. Theodore said,
“Are you staying in the Empire, Cyrus?”
“Yes. For now.”
“When Ariana wakes up...”
“I’ll stop by. You must be very worried, so please go now.”
“Yes, Cyrus. Isaac. You too, be careful. Don’t fall.”
Theodore’s final words made Cyrus’ face contort. He remembered those warm, peaceful times when Theodore had always greeted him at the end of his visits to the East whenever he left.
His vision had darkened with the grief and hatred of his parents’ deaths, and he had forgotten what kind of people the White family was. Only when he saw Russell’s desperate letter to Rachel did the forgotten memories begin to return, little by little.
Don’t fall.
A worry unbecoming of a mature twenty-year-old brought back memories of the time when his parents were alive. Those peaceful days that he thought would last forever.
“Yes, Grandfather. I’ll see you later.”
***
As they rode in the carriage, Isaac pursed his lips, opening and closing them repeatedly. Cyrus was quietly staring out the window.
Isaac raised his hand.
“Cyrus, I have something to tell you.”
“Don’t.”
“You said it yourself. Now that you're sitting in the feudal lord's seat, you'd treat them like lowly servants, whether Western or Eastern Dukes. You said you were really curious to see the look on those old men's faces when a youngster talks down to them. You said it with that devilish grin, didn't you?”
“...”
“Yeah, well. I guess so. It’s a bit much to speak rudely to the lord’s father, grandfather, and grandmother. He’s going to be your father-in-law someday, right?”
Cyrus glared quietly at Isaac. But Isaac didn’t stop talking.
“Ah, of course you’re just trying to use her. I know, I know. This time, you used the custody trial of the Eastern Princess to slightly drive a wedge between the Western Duke and the Emperor. Yes, I admit that the Eastern Princess is very useful. Your judgment was right. The Eastern Princess is worth using.”
“Yes.”
“But does that mean you need to be so polite to the Eastern Duke? As if you plan to become their son-in-law or grandson-in-law someday?”
“Isaac.”
Ah, of course, this must all be for some deeper purpose on your part. After all, you need to maintain good relations to be able to use the cards the East holds. Right?
“Yes.”
"But then, isn't that the same for the Western Duke? Shouldn't we act like a tongue in his mouth toward a villain like the Western Duke, so we might get a chance to gain something?"
Cyrus’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
“You want me to call that bastard ‘Grandfather’? Even chewing his bones wouldn't satisfy me!”
“You, did you forget that just a few months ago, you treated the White family members exactly the same as the Western Duke?”
“Well, I don’t tend to hold the past in my heart.”
“Oh, I guess so. But, well, they’re still good people. Until now, you suspected the Eastern Duke was involved in that incident, so you didn’t tell them, but they’ve been really good to my father. When I visit them sometimes, they buy me all sorts of gifts.”
“Yeah, you’re the kind of guy who would sell your soul for just one thing.”
Isaac asked, his lips swearing.
“How’s the Emperor? Do you think he’s disappointed in the Western Duke?”
“Oh, I guess so. But, well, they’re still good people. Until now, you suspected the Eastern Duke was involved in that incident, so you didn’t tell them, but they’ve been really good to my father. When I visit them sometimes, they buy me all sorts of gifts.”
“Yeah, you’re the kind of guy who would sell your soul for just one thing.”
Isaac asked, his lips swearing.
“How’s the Emperor? Do you think he’s disappointed in the Western Duke?”
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