Chapter 26
“In a Dream”
The furniture was placed perfectly, each piece of the finest quality.
The room had not a speck of dust, and the neatly made bed showed how tirelessly the servants worked day and night.
Decorative items were arranged throughout, and vases filled with fresh flowers stood by the window and near the bed.
Warm sunlight streamed through the large windows, and the slightly open terrace door let in a gentle spring breeze, filled with the scent of flowers.
But despite the peaceful atmosphere, an anxious voice came from inside the room.
“I—I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not like I was the one who first suggested switching clothes.”
Even after returning to the count’s estate, Heidi kept biting her nails nervously.
She couldn’t sit still and paced back and forth, clearly showing how stressed she was.
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so why do I have to feel this way?”
Even though she kept telling herself it wasn’t her fault that Levelia was kidnapped by Grand Duke Esperos, guilt lingered.
The image of Levelia’s gentle smile stayed in her mind—and so did that man’s red eyes, watching the party hall.
Karlier Esperos.
When she realized he was scanning the hall to kidnap her, Heidi shivered.
‘…He thinks Delphian killed his brother ten years ago. But even if that’s true, why would he still hold a grudge after all these years—and go after me, who had nothing to do with it?’
His unrelenting desire for revenge terrified her.
Then suddenly, another thought struck her.
“W-What if… when he finds out he took the wrong person… he’ll want to kill me?”
She felt like she could suffocate just thinking about it.
Heidi stopped pacing, her mind racing.
…Why hadn’t Levelia told him she wasn’t Heidi when she got kidnapped?
From what Crocan Piace said, it seemed Levelia still hadn’t told the Grand Duke the truth. That must be why she was still alive.
“Th-That’s right. That must mean there’s a chance she won’t be killed.”
Crocan had said, if the truth came out, Levelia would die.
That if the Grand Duke learned she wasn’t Heidi, he’d never let her live.
But Heidi didn’t completely believe that.
“Maybe… maybe he’ll spare her. No—he will. Levelia Piace has nothing to do with Delphian. She’s innocent.”
She knew it was a weak excuse to comfort herself.
But it was too late to turn back now.
Delphian Zeros was a just man.
If he learned Levelia had been kidnapped in Heidi’s place and was in danger, he would try to save her.
“That’s…”
That thought… she hated it.
Heidi didn’t want Delphian risking his life for someone else—especially not for Levelia, the daughter of the woman her father never stopped loving.
Just like in her dream, she imagined Levelia in Delphian’s arms, and it made her blood run cold.
Seeing her mother gaze out the window waiting for a father who never came… she couldn’t bear the thought that would be her fate too.
Unable to say her feelings aloud, Heidi only bit her lip.
“…Ah!”
Restless, she paced the room again until her eyes landed on the mirror.
Like a memory triggered, she suddenly recalled something from the night of the party.
“There’s something I want to ask you too, Lady Heidi.”
“If you found out someone got hurt because of you… what would you do?”
Levelia had asked her that while Heidi admired her changed hair in the mirror.
…What had she said again?
Heidi had been too focused on her reflection to notice Levelia’s serious face.
“Th-Think hard, Heidi. Please.”
After remembering that moment clearly, she saw Levelia’s nervous expression.
But in the memory, Heidi only smiled and answered lightly:
“I’d save them. Especially if it was because of me.”
At the time, it seemed like an obvious answer.
She didn’t say it because she truly meant it—but who in the world would say otherwise to such a question?
Then, another line returned to her mind:
“You can’t ignore someone who’s in danger because of you, right?”
Levelia had looked so relieved at her answer.
Even smiled a smile Heidi had never seen before. It looked… almost foolish.
“I thought Lady Heidi would say something like that.”
Heidi flinched and bit her lip.
Now she understood what that strange question had meant.
“…So annoying.”
So Levelia… did she switch clothes with Heidi knowing she’d be kidnapped?
But why?
Heidi’s face twisted with confusion she couldn’t understand. Then she shook her head quickly.
“No, no. Maybe she was just asking. And if I had known, I wouldn’t have changed clothes.”
She firmly believed it wasn’t her fault Levelia got kidnapped.
Even if Levelia had tricked her—Heidi hoped she wouldn’t die.
Wishing for someone’s death…
That was something Heidi believed had nothing to do with her.
Knock knock—
“Ack!”
The sudden knock made Heidi scream without thinking.
As her heart pounded wildly, the door burst open.
“Heidi!”
“D-Delphian?!”
She stared in shock as Delphian came to see her this early in the morning.
He rushed to her side and examined her face with concern.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Seeing the worry on his face, her heart pounded loudly.
She was suddenly afraid that he might sense the terrible thoughts she’d just been having.
Meanwhile…
Her body burned with fever, but she kept shivering like she was freezing.
Even in her hazy state, she knew this was more than just a cold.
She thought… she was being punished.
For ignoring people she hurt.
For using Heidi’s situation for her own gain.
‘…den.’
In her dizzy mind, a small voice called out.
It was broken and faint, like it was trying to pull her back.
‘…sen?’
‘…still… believe there’s hope…’
The worried voice reminded her of a long-lost memory.
Of warm hands rubbing her stomach when she was sick.
Of someone staying up all night changing wet towels when she had a fever.
“I hope you get better soon, my baby…”
She knew it couldn’t be—but her sick body longed for it.
She wondered if, when she opened her eyes, it might be her mother by her side.
She slowly lifted her heavy eyelids.
The room that came into view felt unfamiliar.
A large bowl of water. A white towel. Medicine on the nightstand.
And then—a face that didn’t belong in that setting.
A dark-haired man, with eyes like blood.
In the moonlit room, Karlier Esperos stared at her with no emotion.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“Sorry for troubling you…”
Her apology made his expression twist strangely.
That was the last thing she saw before losing consciousness again.
