Raul let out a short sigh and looked up at the Duke. In fact, he had no intention of continuing to contact Duke Bernhard.
Should I say I'm angry?
Shioana ended up like that because of those arrogant master and mistress.
'But I had no choice but to contact you for Shioana's sake.'
He had to try anything to get out of this current state of being like a living corpse. After a long pause, Raul spoke up.
"Sir, do you know that the Duchess left that huge mansion of her own accord?"
"..."
For the first time, the Duke was speechless.
"Very well. Then, first, may I know the Duchess's health condition in detail? As a member of the Bernhard family, wouldn't you have the right to know at least that much?"
Raul sneered at Cedric's calm question.
"Are you talking about that distinguished family?"
Whenever the family name came up, Marquis Calix came to mind, and it kept twisting his stomach. He didn't know why all those arrogant gentlemen were so self-centered.
It’s not like the world is full of only nobles.
However, Raul continued speaking for the sake of Shioana, who was in her sickbed.
"The Duchess suffered a fracture and bruises from a severe fall."
As Raul hesitated for a moment, the Duke, unable to bear it any longer, vigorously ran his hand across his face.
"Please, Raul, tell me."
"And she was poisoned with a severe toxin."
“...Poison?”
Etienne opened his eyes wide at the unexpected words.
"If I may be presumptuous, since I hear that the poisoning began roughly a couple of months ago, I think I should ask Your Excellency about this matter."
Although it appeared polite, Raul's question concealed a sharp rebuke. Shioana was poisoned immediately after the marriage.
Ultimately, it was what happened at the Bernhard mansion.
"...Ah."
'I've also left a big gift for the Duke.'
Only then did Etienne realize the hidden meaning of Katrina's triumphant smile.
"Is her life not in danger? I think I need to meet her."
"As I mentioned earlier, the Duchess requires absolute rest."
Although Raul strongly tried to dissuade him, Etienne could not follow his advice.
Because if he didn't see her right now, he felt like he would die just like this.
"Cedric, stop him."
After leaving Raul with Cedric, Etienne staggered up the stairs.
Upon his arrival, one of the servants pointed to a room, and Etienne caught his breath for a moment in front of it. Although he had been acting like a madman until now, he could not meet Shioana in this state.
'I can't do that anymore.'
He had done so many wrong things that he didn't know where to even begin asking for forgiveness.
Still, seeing Shioana's face was more urgent for now. As he pushed open the slightly ajar door, the interior came into view at a glance.
"...Ah."
Shioana was asleep in the bed of a cozy room filled with sunlight. Her arms and legs were bandaged, and her face had grown even more disfigured.
“Shioana.”
Etienne called her name, but Shioana did not answer. Sitting on the chair beside the bed, he covered his head with both hands.
He traced his last memory before leaving the Bernhard mansion.
'Even if I saw a child in you, would I acknowledge that child?'
He was harsh toward Shioana when she spoke of their child. Although he said it with Diana in mind, who was eavesdropping, Etienne was clearly acting excessively coldly.
'What on earth did I just say to you?'
The time that had passed could never be turned back. Just as Etienne could not forget the memories they shared in Regbell no matter how hard he tried, the wounds he inflicted on Shioana would be the same.
“...Shioana.”
Just as he was about to reach out to her trembling hand, Shioana opened her eyes.
Etienne awkwardly withdrew his hand and looked into her eyes. The faded blue eyes were very different from his memory.
“Shioana.”
"..."
He cautiously called out to her again, but Shioana's eyes remained unfocused and unfocused.
"Shioana. It's me."
"..."
At Etienne's continued calls, Shioana blinked her eyes to focus her blurry vision. As Etienne's red pupils gradually came into clear focus, Shioana instantly wore an anxious expression.
"It's okay, it's me."
A flustered Etienne tried to calm her down, but his voice only increased Shioana's anxiety. Unable to move properly, Shioana thrashed her body to avoid him.
"...Ugh."
She let out a strange groan while scratching her throat, which was unable to produce any sound.
Eventually, gasping for breath and throwing her head back, she had a seizure. At that, Raul, who had rushed in, took Shioana's hand.
"What are you doing to the patient right now!"
After pushing Etienne aside and sitting in the chair, Raul whispered to Shioana.
"It's okay. It's safe here."
At Raul's voice, Shioana's seizure subsided, and she soon slowly closed her eyes.
"Let's go outside and talk."
Led outside by Raul, Etienne was seized with confusion. He did not think that Shioana would welcome him when he met her again.
'But this is...'
She was rejecting him now.
"As I mentioned earlier, the Duchess needs absolute rest. You see, that poison renders a person dazed before causing a slow death. It is so virulent that I heard even the detoxification process puts a heavy strain on the body. She became unable to speak like that after treatment began."
"...Ha."
Etienne had no right to feel hurt by her right now. After all, it was Katrina who had poisoned Shioana.
'Shioana was in my territory, but she was not protected.'
It was Katrina who gave the poison that caused a slow death, but it was his selfishness that harmed Shioana.
Deeply remorseful, Etienne got angry at Raul for no reason.
"How is she here?"
"On the day I stopped by Zone 1, I happened to save her from being hit by a carriage."
"But why didn't you take her to the Bernhard mansion? That's where her house is."
Raul frowned at Etienne's questioning.
"The Duchess, dressed in a maid's uniform, was extremely frightened."
"..."
Etienne, who had been angry, had no choice but to shut his mouth.
Etienne knew very well that he had no right to question such things.
With his shoulders slumped, he offered his thanks with a reluctant, sour expression.
"Thank you for saving her."
Anyway, if it hadn't been for Raul at that moment, Shioana might have been hurt much more.
Etienne stared blankly at the door of the bedroom where Shioana was, then continued speaking.
"I will send the Bernhard family's employees and everything she needs. Please take good care of her while she recovers."
The thought that he could return with Shioana if he just found her was nothing more than a vain wish.
***
On the tenth day of treatment at Raul's mansion, Martha came to find her.
"My young lady. What on earth is going on?"
Martha rushed to Shioana, who was lying in bed, and burst into tears. Then, Harriet, who was holding Martha's hand, choked up and burst into tears.
Ugh~!
"Now, now! This isn't very good for the patient's recovery."
Raul, acting as the mediator, seated Martha in a chair and then lifted Harriet up in his arms.
"Harriet, shall we go out and swing with Uncle?"
Martha, who had just stopped crying, opened her mouth while holding Shioana's hand tightly.
"Don't worry. Now that Martha is here, our young lady will wake up soon."
Shioana nodded with tears welling up in her eyes.
It seemed as though her anxiety vanished at the mere appearance of Martha. After all, it was Martha who had protected her since childhood.
Martha, who was wiping the cold sweat from Shioana's forehead with a towel, opened her mouth.
"Once you fully recover, we will soon be able to go out with Young Master Harriet. He has started taking his first steps since last week."
For the first time in a long while, a look of joy appeared on Shioana's face.
He was quite late compared to other children who start walking around their first birthday, but that didn't matter at all.
Because just the fact that Harriet is alive like this was admirable.
"So, cheer up."
"..."
As Shioana nodded again, Martha hesitated slightly before continuing.
"His Excellency brought Young Master Harriet and me here. He also brought a doctor, a servant, and many other gifts."
At the word 'His Excellency,' Shioana squeezed her eyes shut. At her reaction, Martha held Shioana's hand tightly.
"Okay. Don't think about anything right now. Recovering is the priority."
"Ma-"
Harriet called out to Martha in a somewhat slurred voice, wondering when he had arrived. Then Martha took Harriet's hand and led him close to where Shioana was lying.
"Young master, you recognize our Miss Shioana, don't you?"
Shioana forcibly reached out to stroke her nephew's cheek. However, as if he had forgotten her in an instant, Harriet snapped his head away.
"Good heavens, young master Harriet, how could you forget your aunt?"
Harriet, held in Martha's arms, put his finger in his mouth and sucked on it, seemingly nervous.
Shioana forced out what little strength she had to try to see Harriet more.
Even at a glance, her complexion was definitely better than before. Both her chubby cheeks and sparkling blonde hair were lovely.
"..."
As Shioana blinked instead of speaking, Martha stroked Harriet's head.
"The young lady says that the young master is very handsome."
A short while later, Shioana, left alone in the bedroom, closed her eyes.
'Every night, I'm afraid to fall asleep.'
Because when she closed her eyes, Etienne's cold voice hurt her.
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