SEM 09

#009

“Huff, huff!”

Grady let out a faint chuckle at the sight of Eliana, bent over and gasping for breath with her wrist still caught in his grip.

Just moments ago, she had seemed lifeless in the hands of those men, like a corpse being dragged along—but now she was breathing visibly in front of him, her breath white in the cold rain.

“Heh… haha… HAHAHA!”

Grady burst out laughing at Eliana’s ragged breathing. Surprised, Eliana slowly lifted her head.

Grady was throwing his head back in laughter under the rain as though he had just seen something absolutely hilarious. But the way he laughed struck her as somehow grotesque.

“…I didn’t need your help.”

Her sharp voice brought Grady’s laughter to an abrupt stop. Though she was trembling all over, her words held unexpected strength for someone so slight.

“I know.”

“…What did you say?”

Eliana, still trying to catch her breath, looked up. Her soaked dress weighed her down, her legs were unsteady from the unaccustomed exertion—but this was all she could manage.

“I just wanted to ruin your little plan.”

Eliana’s face twisted at his words, and Grady found her expression extremely satisfying.

“You’re speaking as if you know what my plan is.”

“It hardly qualifies as a plan. You were already trying to die.”

“……”

“If it were that easy to die, I would’ve done it first.”

Grady felt a deep satisfaction looking into her defiant, furious face. More than anything, he was filled with exhilaration at the simple fact that this woman was alive and breathing right in front of him. It was a far cry from the numbness he’d tried to drown with strong liquor.

He stared at Eliana, conscious of the wild pounding of his heart. If he could, he wanted to ruin every last one of her plans.

“Crazy.”

He was thinking about destroying a woman he had just met.

Grady rubbed his chin, startled by the truth that had slipped out. Everyone called him the empire’s madman, but he hadn’t realized such savage thoughts lurked inside him.

“Am I really becoming a monster?”

He sighed deeply, watching the rain pour relentlessly down.

No, not yet.

He shook his head and tried to collect himself before walking toward Eliana, who was still leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, her breathing uneven.

A hazy streetlamp lit her up.

Soaked through, she looked smaller and more fragile than expected. Judging by her clothes, she seemed to be of noble birth, but her thin wrists and pale cheeks made her look more like a woman from the slums.

“A noble?”

“……”

Eliana didn’t answer his question. Grady shrugged at her silence. He had saved her from those thugs just to wreck her plans—but he hadn’t thought any further ahead.

He glanced around the dark alley.

No one seemed to be looking for her. They had run a long way from the original scene, so it made sense no one had caught up yet.

Only now did Grady begin to feel the weight of responsibility for his impulsive actions. If Dante found out about this, he’d never hear the end of it.

Grady sighed again and called to Eliana. Maybe it was the alcohol, but he wanted to look at her just a little longer.

But the rain wasn’t letting up. If they stayed out here any longer, both of them would definitely catch a cold.

He wouldn’t care, but the woman in front of him looked like she’d fall seriously ill.

“Hey!”

“Just leave me alone.”

Eliana’s cry froze Grady’s outstretched hand in midair. Her tear-streaked face glared at him.

“If you leave wounds like that untreated, it’ll get bad.”

Under the yellow streetlamp, her condition was clearly visible—and horrific. The smell of blood mixed with the rainwater made Grady frown.

“Don’t concern yourself.”

The throbbing pain in her back reminded her that she was still alive.

Grady dropped to the ground with a sigh at her self-mocking smile.

“What’s your name?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Because I saved you. Feels like I should take responsibility.”

The words came out before he could stop them. He couldn’t even control his own life, dragged around by Rosella like a puppet.

Maybe that was why—his sympathy for this woman had turned into something like obligation.

“…Eliana. My name is Eliana. But people prefer to call me a witch rather than use my name.”

She sat down beside Grady with resignation, quietly reciting her name, as if to remind herself she still had one.

Eliana?

Any “what if” scenarios Grady had imagined disappeared from his mind.

Now that he was face-to-face with the real Eliana from all the rumors, he let out a hollow laugh. From the very first moment, she had matched the gossip to a T—his heart grew cold.

He didn’t know why she had tried to die, but it clearly wasn’t for the reasons he’d imagined.

Grady chuckled dryly and reached a hand toward her.

“Could this be… fate?”

But Eliana didn’t hear his words. Her body felt like it was burning from the inside out—she must have developed an infection.

“…I didn’t think we’d meet like this. Since this is fate, want to marry me?”

It was a drunken, emotional outburst, but he had no better options. As long as he lived, there was no way to escape Rosella’s chains.

Eliana didn’t respond to the proposal in the rain. She simply buried her face in her knees, her body trembling.

Then she suddenly collapsed to the ground.

“Damn it! You’re burning up!”

Raindrops splattered around them as red blood began to scatter through the downpour.

Knock knock knock.

Grady’s thoughts were interrupted by the light knock of the innkeeper.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

The innkeeper appeared and began laying out dishes on the table. Neither of them said a word while the meal was being served.

“Well then, enjoy your meal.”

As the innkeeper left with a bow, Eliana looked down at the thin soup in front of her. In contrast, a thick steak sat before Grady.

After glancing between the two plates, Eliana picked up a silver spoon. She took a sip of the warm soup, and after swallowing, she looked up.

“Better than expected, right?”

She could only nod in response.

Though it seemed watery, the soup had clearly been simmered for a long time with many ingredients. It was gentle on her stomach, which had gone too long without food, and full of nutrients. It felt like it had been prepared just for her.

“It’s delicious.”

The sharp tension between them eased with the arrival of food.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Grady picked up his knife, satisfied to see Eliana eating comfortably.

He didn’t speak during the entire meal.

Thanks to that, Eliana could eat in peace. It had been a long time since she’d had a meal without judgment or interruption.

Outside the window, curious glances and whispers drifted from the street, but the space at the table belonged solely to the two of them.

After finishing dessert, Grady wiped his mouth and looked at Eliana.

“Smile. People are watching.”

The warmth of the soup, the aroma of tea, and the sweetness of dessert—all vanished in an instant.

Eliana’s smile faded as well, replaced by a mask-like expression.

Grady stirred sugar into his coffee while watching her.

“Do you remember how much of the day we first met?”

Eliana tilted her head. His voice at the time she lost consciousness was hazy and unclear.

“Do you mean that absurd proposal?”

To be honest, she hadn’t recognized him when she saw him again at the funeral. It was only while locked away by Viscount Hoffman that fragments of the memory returned.

“Not bad memory.”

Grady lifted his teacup.

His fingers, wrapped around the white porcelain, were long and elegant. Eliana glanced down at her own cup of chamomile tea. The yellow petals drifted in the narrow space, just like her unsettled heart.

“I thought I misheard you.”

“And yet you played dumb in front of me, talking about deals and negotiations.”

Grady tapped the table.

Eliana’s eyes followed his fingers.

If he wanted to, that hand could choke her in an instant. She had dared to manipulate a Grand Duke of the Empire—if he killed her, she wouldn’t be in a position to protest.

“I want to live.”

Maybe it was the warm soup stirring in her stomach.

She hadn’t feared death if it meant escaping the nightmare of her life—but now, she wanted to live. For once, she wanted to live on her own terms, not anyone else’s.

The sweet taste of hope only intensified that desire.

“Back then, I didn’t know what kind of person Your Grace was.”

Eliana cautiously lifted her teacup again. The yellow petals swayed with the motion of her hand.