WPVMVA Chapter 59

However, Ashid was only five years old when this happened. And it has continued until today.

At this moment, Daniella could deeply understand Ashid’s hatred. Reading about a situation vaguely described in a novel was on a completely different level from hearing it directly from the person involved.

She probably would have felt so wronged that she’d want to destroy everything. She could empathize with how much he must have detested his half-brother, who grew up innocently under the protection of his wicked mother. She could now understand why his knights trusted and followed his decisions.

‘The circumstances and the people around him forced him to become the villainous Grand Duke.’

Daniella felt genuine heartache. The villainous Grand Duke Ashid Carlyle Alberich, who had seemed as if he wouldn’t shed a single drop of blood if you pricked him, now looked like a person who was suffering the same pain as herself. She wanted to comfort him, who had endured so many countless, painful moments that it was hard to believe one person could have gone through all of it.

So, Daniella carefully reached out and held his hand.

At that moment, Ashid’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. He spoke to her as if joking, or perhaps with a hint of sarcasm.

“Are you pitying me right now?”

Daniella answered without hesitation.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“You’re unnecessarily honest. Don’t people usually say no in these situations?”

“Because I don’t want to lie.”

“Ha.”

Ashid let out a hollow laugh. He was so dumbfounded and bewildered that he had no retort. Daniella continued as if to soothe him.

“Don’t be so offended. My pity isn’t superficial or cheap like other people’s.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that I won’t just say ‘I’m sorry for you’ and empathize. It means I’ll actively help you achieve your revenge. Now and in the future.”

“…!”

“How does that sound? Pity like this isn’t so bad, is it?”

Daniella then asked playfully with a smile.

Ashid’s expression vanished as he looked at her. He stared at her blankly, as if he were possessed or entranced. The face of the woman smiling in front of him was as dazzling as the midday sun. No, she was as beautiful as a rose in early summer.

His heart, which had been calm even in the face of a battlefield, began to beat faster and louder. At the same time, an unknown warmth, as if something was clinging to his body, spread from his toes throughout his entire being. His throat went dry, and his mind grew hazy. Along with these strange sensations, he felt an overwhelming dizziness.

What on earth was this feeling?

He felt fear and resistance toward this overwhelming and distant emotion he had for her, and he asked in a trembling voice, “How can I believe those words?”

His words were foolishly the opposite of what he was feeling. Or perhaps he was truly asking for confirmation, asking if he could completely trust her and if she wouldn’t betray him.

‘Oh my. Has he been fooled his whole life?’

Daniella let out a hollow laugh to herself. What benefit would she gain from lying like this? She asked herself that and said to him, “Unless Your Highness tries to kill me or breaks our contract, I will never be the one to betray you first.”

“…!”

“So trust me. I’ll trust you too. Well, if you still can’t trust me or if you plan to get rid of me later and break the contract, tell me now. I’ll quietly disappear.”

Daniella added playfully.

‘Quietly disappear?’

At her words, Ashid felt his heart beat even faster. At the same time, he felt a sense of urgency again, just like when he thought he was about to lose her.

No. He couldn’t lose Daniella. He couldn’t let her go. He wanted her by his side. Even if she were to break his trust. Even if she wanted to take his life.

‘Ah.’

At that moment, he realized the true nature of his feelings, as if it were a lie.

The feeling of wanting to see someone, wanting to be close to them, the selflessness of not wanting them to get hurt, and the selfishness of wanting to hold onto them regardless of their will.

That was love. A word that seemed light and common because anyone could utter it so carelessly. But it was a feeling that could not be expressed in any other way.

Ashid let out a hollow laugh to himself, feeling both relieved and hollow at the same time for finally identifying the feeling.

‘It’s horrible.’

The first person he had ever felt love for was someone who liked Adrian, the very person he was most jealous of and hated. The moment he became aware of his love, Ashid felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he realized that this love would become a terrible one-sided love. Adrian had always been someone he couldn’t defeat, no matter what he did.

But he couldn’t give up. He looked at her and said, “I believe you. I won’t get rid of you or threaten you. I’ll give you the promised money too.”

“Really? You promised?”

“Yes. So don’t say you’ll disappear… because it scares me.”

Ashid said that and placed his other hand on top of their clasped hands, as if to trap Daniella’s hands within his own.

At his words, Daniella laughed out loud and said teasingly, “You’re lying. Is there anything that scares Your Highness?”

“There is.”

‘It just came into being a moment ago.’

Although it felt like it had been there for a long, long time.

Ashid stared intently at her smiling face and gave a short retort.

Some time later.

There were a few knocks on the door, and Martin entered the bedroom. He paused when he saw Daniella and Ashid holding hands, then said cautiously, “I’m truly sorry to interrupt your private time. But it’s time for the Grand Duchess to take her medicine.”

Despite his words, his calm tone didn’t sound apologetic at all.

Ashid clicked his tongue in displeasure and stood up from the chair. Martin quickly took his place and fed Daniella a restorative potion that emitted an ethereal light, followed by a small, clear vial of liquid.

A moment later, Daniella struggled to open her flickering eyes and mumbled, “That’s strange… Why am I so sleepy?”

“Your body is relaxing, and the accumulated fatigue is setting in. Don’t fight it and just sleep.”

“Okay… I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m going to sleep now.”

“Don’t mind me. Sleep well.”

Ashid said that and helped Daniella lie down properly. As soon as she rested her head on the pillow, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Ashid carefully pulled the blanket over the sleeping Daniella and asked Martin, “How long do you think it will take for her to recover to her previous state?”

“I’m not sure. It’s difficult to give a specific time, but it will probably take at least a week.”

“Use every method you have to heal this person.”

“Understood.”

Martin replied curtly. Ashid looked down at the sleeping Daniella with a tender gaze and spoke again.

“How are the head lady-in-waiting and Baroness Gray?”

“Baroness Schultz only has mild concussion symptoms and no other injuries, so she should recover quickly. The problem is Baroness Gray. Her left shoulder was penetrated by a sword, and she also has three broken ribs, a broken left leg, and bruises all over her body. She almost died if we were a little late.”

“She was injured trying to save my wife. Treat her thoroughly so she won’t have any physical discomfort afterward.”

“As you command.”

With those final words, Ashid slowly left the Grand Duchess’s bedroom. He headed straight to his office. When he opened the door, the butler and Lowell greeted him.

Ashid took the cloak from the butler and said to Lowell, “I’m going to Chambres Fortress right now. Lead the way.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As he left the office, he gave one last instruction to the butler.

“While I’m away, make sure no one does anything foolish to the Grand Duchess. Understood?”

After he finished speaking, his eyes shone with a chilling light of revenge.

Asilard Empire’s Northern Fortress, Cadilla Village. Count Cyril Olven’s mansion.

Count Cyril Olven, the owner of the mansion, restlessly paced in front of his office window, constantly biting the soft flesh on his fingertips.

‘Why is there no news? By now, I should have received a letter or a messenger.’

He anxiously looked up at the sky and then down at the ground again and again. He had been standing in front of the window for hours, but there was no sign of a messenger or a raven. He had told his servant to keep a close eye out, but he too had been quiet. Cyril’s jaw trembled with increasing anxiety as he thought.