HDBMTD 75

~Chapter 75~

‘That is not Ariadna.’

Now he knew it was wrong, but at that time, that thought was the only thing controlling Nocturne’s mind.

Like an obsession, that one thought circled endlessly.

He felt nauseous.

Forgetting Minette was sitting on his lap, Nocturne stood up. He had to get away right now.

But the clone suddenly grabbed his arm.

“Say something. Anything.”

“……”

“It’s been half a year. After six months, why won’t you even look at your fiancée?”

At that moment, what Nocturne felt was…

Even though just before he had told Minette to come to her senses, now he almost wanted to believe this woman’s words.

If she really was Ariadna… how wonderful that would be.

Nocturne slowly looked at the clone standing in front of him.

His mind burned red-hot, alarms ringing in every corner of his head. This is not Ariadna. This part, that part—none of it is Ariadna.

Thinking that someone else was wearing Ariadna’s skin almost drove him insane. Every word she spoke felt like it was pushing him toward death.

So he opened his mouth.

“You’re saying you are my fiancée?”

He remembered the look Ariadna made then.

Her face froze as if she couldn’t breathe. Her wide eyes stared at him.

“…Why would you… say that…”

Her voice was soaked in pain. Nocturne told himself again: this is not Ariadna. Ariadna would never be shocked at such words.

She looked gentle, but she was stronger than anyone. If it were the real Ariadna and he had said something like this, she would not have let it pass.

“Is it because of the burn scars? Because my face became ugly from the fire? Or is it because I lost my powers?”

The real Ariadna would never believe he didn’t love her anymore, nor would she ask such absurd questions.

“Is it because I was stripped of the heir position? Because I can’t even be your Pair anymore? Am I useless now?”

Ariadna knew very well that he could even give his life for her.

For her to doubt him like that, to look weak, to look hurt—no, that could not be Ariadna.

His instincts screamed like mad alarms. Everything about this woman only made him furious.

“Yes. Everything you said—that’s the reason.”

The real Ariadna never showed her emotions like this. When she was angry, she laughed. When flustered, she joked. When hurt, she showed kindness.

Nocturne was angry at this fake disguise. Her wounded eyes, her rough hair, her trembling lips, the candlestick in her hand.

“Never appear before me again.”

At that moment, she staggered. Nocturne instinctively caught her. Ariadna often collapsed, and catching her had become like second nature to him.

But he quickly pulled his hand away and roughly snatched the candlestick from her, handing it to the maid.

“Escort Her Highness back to her room. Otherwise she might burn down the palace.”

He wasn’t even aware of what he was saying. He fled the room like he was running away.

Right after he stepped outside, a scream rang out behind him. With his sharp hearing, he couldn’t help but hear it. They were shouting that the princess had collapsed and to call the royal doctor.

For a moment, his steps turned back—then he forced himself to stop. Grinding his teeth, he walked faster.

Finally, Nocturne understood the feeling swallowing him.

It was disgust.

The hope rising in his chest was disgusting.

‘Nocturne, it’s okay if you don’t love me anymore.’

That was the absurd last thing my love said before killing herself in front of me.

She gave me such cruel pain, yet left me tied to this world, unable to die. That was Ariadna’s last choice.

Nocturne did not want to look away from reality.

He wanted to accept everything Ariadna left behind, even the pain.

He would throw away useless hope, complete his revenge, and then go to her side.

“Take revenge for me. Carry on my will.” That’s what you said.

That will—I will keep.

The only thing I cannot obey is your command not to love you.

“Haa…”

Nocturne looked at Ariadna’s sleeping face.

He realized all his past actions, which he once thought were rational, were nothing like reason at all.

The day after Padva’s scheme forced them to spend a night together.
The day Ariadna proposed a romance contract in exchange for breaking the engagement.
The days they went on dates, or when she brought fireworks.

All those times, Nocturne should have realized how overly aggressive he was acting. The fact that he was shaken was proof enough.

One only tries so hard to become stronger because they have become weak. And only those who have already drifted from reality try so desperately to face it.

In the end, his wrong willpower—to endure suffering instead of avoiding it—only made him deny reality.

‘Believe Ariadna’s last will completely.’

The last will was Ariadna’s words, but the brainwashing itself couldn’t have been done by her.

The most likely time was when Nocturne collapsed after losing control. Being unconscious was the perfect moment to plant brainwashing.

Padva…

Nocturne felt murderous rage boiling.

Why had Padva tried to disguise the real Ariadna as Cambiata?

Did the cloning experiment never succeed in the first place? Or did some unexpected variable happen during the process? It wasn’t clear.

But one thing was certain: if he had seen through Padva’s scheme sooner, Ariadna would not have had to endure everything alone.

As a result, those times made her believe she was Cambiata, and accept the name “Vis”—which meant “failure”—as her own.

“……”

Nocturne gently brushed Ariadna’s hair.

When she had drunk poison and was dying, he didn’t care what she was—he just wanted her alive, by his side.

When she miraculously woke up, he thought: if there is even a chance she is Ariadna, he would hold onto her no matter what.

So he changed his attitude, acted kinder, and proposed a Pair to tie her to life.

“Haa…”

Looking at her scars, Nocturne let out a heavy sigh.

Even when he believed she was not Ariadna, seeing her suffer had stirred pity in him.

But once he confirmed that the one who kept drinking poison and trying to hurt herself was truly Ariadna…

The pain crushed him beyond words.

Nocturne’s jaw tightened.

Spilled water cannot be gathered again—but he swore he would turn things back.

No matter the price.

I opened my eyes.

It was dark, probably night, but I felt a faint presence nearby.

When I turned my head curiously, I saw a familiar silhouette sitting in a chair.

Ah, it’s Nocturne.

Relief loosened my body, and I almost closed my eyes again—but then they shot open.

“Duke? Why are you here?”

Oh, right. Didn’t Nocturne visit the hospital room earlier in the day?

When Rina came for the check-up, Nocturne had come to my room and tried to talk with me, but I…

“Oh no, did I fall asleep in the middle of our conversation?”

Embarrassed, I sat up quickly—only to realize I was holding Nocturne’s hand. Startled, I pulled my hand away. Nocturne looked at me briefly, then slowly leaned closer.

In that moment, the moonlight outside shone on his face. His eyes glowed a deep navy-blue. It was because he hadn’t properly calmed himself after the battle.

While I was thinking that, his lips suddenly touched mine.

I blinked in shock. So close at night, seeing Nocturne’s face made breathing difficult. His sharp features looked sculpted by the gods, and the long black eyelashes cast delicate shadows in the moonlight.

When his soft tongue brushed against my lips, I jumped and pushed at his shoulder.

“Duke, I told you before. If you want to make a Pair, then first—”

I was about to remind him of the condition: to call my name and then kiss me.

“Vis.”

Nocturne’s low voice called my name.

It felt like my heart stopped.

I lifted my head to look at him, but clouds had hidden the moon, so I couldn’t see his expression.

As I hesitated, he added softly:

“…Like this, is it okay?”

Then the clouds drifted, and moonlight returned. Bathed in pale light, Nocturne looked at me with a faint smile.

His black eyes carried a deep tenderness, as if holding his most fragile part.

I met his gaze and, as if hypnotized, I nodded.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

At my words, Nocturne leaned in again.