IMTVD| Chapter 20

Episode 20

Maybe I should’ve at least said goodbye before leaving.

Right up until he stepped onto the train, Leo was still debating with himself.

After living in Cardinal Village for a year, he could admit he’d grown somewhat close to Emilia.

Yes, he’d helped her adjust, but without her own effort, she never would’ve settled in.

Watching her work so hard had changed the way he saw her.

At first, he’d thought she was just a foolish woman—someone blamed for things she hadn’t done, someone who didn’t

lean on her family name and only got used by others.

And in the end, he’d thought she was pathetic for waiting on a love she could never have.

From what he’d seen back in the capital, there was no chance of it working out.

“Who knows what’ll happen while I’m gone…”

He had no desire to get too close to her. The reason he’d helped was pure curiosity, he wanted to see if she could

truly forget the man she loved and start over.

So far, she’d been living up to his expectations—gradually erasing Edwin from her heart and building a new life for herself.

He’d have liked to keep watching, but it was about time he showed his face back at the palace.

‘Looks like the emperor’s patience has finally worn thin.’

From Diana’s letters, Leo had gotten a sense of what was happening in the palace. He was honestly surprised.

He’d assumed that if a son the emperor hated disappeared, he’d never lift a finger to find him. No matter how capable

Leo was, to the emperor he was still an illegitimate child that tarnished his honor.

If it weren’t for his looks, the emperor might never have acknowledged Diana as a child at all—and Leo’s situation was

even worse.

The emperor had always treated him like a rival to the legitimate princes, someone whose disappearance would be a

relief. So this sudden summons was strange.

But Leo hadn’t wanted his father’s love or anyone else’s for a long time now. The emperor’s motives didn’t matter.

“When I get to the capital, maybe I’ll drop by the Casper estate…”

He planned to check in on Diana and Edwin though he figured they’d be doing just fine together.

He was sure Edwin had thrown Emilia away for the sake of the family name and chosen Diana instead.

“I wonder what kind of face she’ll make when I tell her.”

He smirked at the thought, hoping Emilia would meet the news with the same detached calm she’d shown since

coming to Cardinal.

Emilia was terrified that Edwin had actually found where she was.

Ever since settling in Cardinal, she’d been trying to erase him from her mind her name, her life in the capital, the

painful memories of their time together.

Of all the memories she could forget, the ones tied to Edwin had been the hardest.

At night, she’d sometimes find herself thinking of a man with dark hair and black eyes… and whispering his name

without meaning to.

Now, just as she was finally settling into her new life as Amy, he appeared.

I thought I’d finally forgotten you.

His sudden return brought every buried memory and feeling rushing back.

When she first heard the duke of the Casper family had shown up in the village, she thought she should leave

immediately.

But when she got home and started packing, her hands froze.

What then?

This house, her furniture, her life here—she couldn’t just throw it all away.

And with the little money she had, starting over somewhere else was nearly impossible.

So she hoped, desperately, that he wouldn’t come to her house.

Then she saw him outside her window, and her fear turned to anger.

Do you really want me dead that badly?

Was she the kind of “villainess” whose very existence wasn’t allowed?

She’d believed that if she left quietly, Edwin and Diana would stop looking for her. Surely they wouldn’t bother

dirtying their hands chasing down someone who’d already gone.

But here he was, proving her wrong.

I hate you.

She hated that he’d come all this way for her.

Back then, she couldn’t hate him—not when he’d been her only hope, even if he never looked her way.

Now, she hated him enough to burn.

When their eyes met, his face was unreadable.

“What are you planning to do with me?”

Drag her back to the capital and kill her in front of everyone, like in the original story?

Or lock her away in some lightless dungeon forever?

The thought of anything worse made her let out a shaky breath.

“Emilia.”

Edwin had never imagined he’d see her like this—living in such a harsh place, dressed like a common villager.

How much did you have to hate me…

He was shocked by the cold look she gave him at the door.

When she asked why he’d come, when she told him to go back and be happy without her—it felt like someone had

slammed a hammer into his skull.

Now he understood why she’d say such things, and it made his chest ache.

“It’s all my fault.”

He should’ve set things right from the beginning.

Instead of assuming she’d just wait for him, he should’ve found a way to express his feelings out of sight of prying

eyes.

But he hadn’t. Or rather… he’d chosen not to.

Too busy, too tired—that had been his excuse, while expecting her to somehow understand his heart.

And without knowing, she’d endured life in the Casper family alone, sustained only by her trust in him.

“I was wrong, Emilia.”

The moment he saw her, he’d wanted to drop to his knees and beg.

He didn’t care who saw. Even if the ground was filthy, he wanted to apologize and win her back.

He knew it was too late, but he still wanted to be with her.

From the day of that party, she’d caught his attention; by their wedding day, he’d admitted to himself what he felt.

But now, facing her, his legs wouldn’t bend, and the words he’d promised himself he’d say wouldn’t come.

So he left her house without saying them—apologizing only in the silence after.

“Duke, it seems Prince Leocus has already left for another location.”

“We met with the village chief and searched everywhere, but he’s not here.”

The knights reported back, suggesting they move on to the next place. But Edwin didn’t budge.

“I’ve found her.”

“Found her? Where? If you tell us, we’ll bring her straight back to the capital—”

“I found Emilia.”

The knights couldn’t hide their shock.

After nearly a year of searching, they’d begun to think this journey was about finding her body, not her alive.

And now, in this little village, he’d actually found her.

“Then we’ll escort the duchess immediately.”

“…No. We can’t.”

The knights blinked, stunned. This was supposed to be the end of the long search, but Edwin’s expression was far

from relieved.

“You can return without me if you wish,” he said quietly.

He hadn’t even managed to apologize properly. He wanted to stay here and change her mind.

From the look in her eyes, she wouldn’t accept him easily. Taking her by force would be the only way to bring her

back now, and he refused to do that.

If he was going to take her home, it would be after healing the wounds he’d caused.

Shameless as it was, he still wanted to go back with her—to the place they’d once shared.

The knights exchanged glances before shaking their heads.

“We’re your knights, my lord. We would never leave you behind.”

“That’s right. Wherever you are, that’s where we’ll stand guard.”

Realizing they wouldn’t back down, Edwin lifted his gaze to the sky.

He knew this search wasn’t for the family’s sake—it was for his own stubbornness. And in doing so, he’d dragged his

knights through endless hardship.

These were men who could command respect anywhere in the empire, yet they’d endured it all to stay at his side.

“Thank you.”

His quiet gratitude made their eyes glisten.