𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟗: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡

Did you receive instructions from Prince Ghodrove? When I stepped out of the room, a female knight came forward and said, “I will guide you to Lord Montyver.”

We arrived at the medical room of the knight team in about five minutes, walking down the long corridor.

It seemed to be a private room used by superior officers, designed to be undisturbed by the eyes of others.

I thought there would be someone inside, but there seemed to be no one else except Lord Montyver lying on the bed.

He didn’t seem to have regained consciousness yet, but they said there was no need to worry.

Let’s take a quick look at his face and go back. That’s what I thought when I looked in, I was shocked to see Lord Montyver tearing at his throat.

Frowning and growling, I wonder if he’s having a nightmare.

I have to stop him for now. I grip his hand tightly to control his actions.

Then, his expression gradually becomes gentle.

I was relieved for a moment.

Lord Montyver grabbed my hand back, so I became unable to move.

I might be able to shake it off if I try hard, but it would be serious if he started tearing at his throat again.

Let’s just do this for a while.

I sit on the chair placed next to the bed, observing Lord Montyver’s sleeping face.

Was the makeup removed? His complexion is much worse than usual.

He vomited a lot of blood, so it’s not surprising. . . . . .

ㅤ

Today, I’ve learned a lot about him.

I didn’t think I would get so involved in just one outing.

ㅤ

Who on earth is threatening his existence?

ㅤ

“Uh!”

ㅤ

Lord Montyver moved a little and opened his closed eyelids.

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“. . . . . .Lara?”

“Yes, that’s right! Shall I call the doctor?”

“I’m fine. My body is already well.”

ㅤ

He said he understands well because it’s about his own body.

“Ah, my hand. . . . . .why are you holding it?”

“You were scratching your throat, so I grabbed it.”

“Oh, I see.”

ㅤ

Apparently, he had a dream of falling into a deep lake and drowning.

Hearing about drowning in a lake, I remembered the incident with Irma.

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“Lara, did you go on a date with me because you wanted to investigate the Irma incident by any chance?”

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I didn’t expect to be seen through in this situation.

My previous statement must have shown something on my face.

Silence in response to a question might be seen as an affirmation.

ㅤ

“Of course, you’ve heard that I might have killed Irma?”

“. . . . . .Yes.”

ㅤ

Here I admitted honestly.

Probably even if I tried to dodge it, Lord Montyver would see through my lie.

ㅤ

“I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I didn’t kill Irma. I only thought of her as a cute existence, like a sister. I didn’t have any other feelings.”

“I see, that’s how it was.”

“Yes. But Irma wasn’t like that.”

ㅤ

Irma loved Lord Montyver as a man, with all her heart. It wasn’t that she thought of him as a brother and admired him.

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“I thought it wasn’t good as it was, and I was cold to her. But Irma never hated me.”

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Irma said she wanted to be with him, even if it was just a decoration, just a wife.

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“Irma was a woman who had been educated from an early age to marry the royalty――Prince Engelbert. The Marquis family would never have accepted her marriage to me.”

“But I heard that Lord Montyver was her fiance.”

“It was unofficial. I was pretending to be her fiance, believing that Irma would give up someday.”

ㅤ

In other words, Lord Montyver and the Marquis family were not serious about Irma’s marriage.

At the truth that had not been revealed so far, I lost my words.

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“As Irma grew older, she became more and more sickly, and it seems they judged that it would be difficult to have her marry Prince Engelbert.”

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The chronic illness she had carried since childhood worsened, and the doctor’s diagnosis suggested she wouldn’t live long.

So, it seems that Marquis pleaded with Lord Montyver to continue their engagement charade if possible. He seemed to believe his existence could become a reason for her to live.

ㅤ

“However, I couldn’t agree to that.”

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He couldn’t continue to steal the time of a woman in her prime without any real intent.

He began to think that it would be happier to find a man who truly loves Irma and let them get married.

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“When should I break off the engagement? Irma seemed to have a keen sense of my thoughts.”

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Irma confessed her love to the departing Lord Montyver.

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“I thought that unless I brutally rejected her here, Irma would continue to be obsessed with me. So I ended up hitting her with words that pushed her away.”

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Lord Montyver would regret this for a long time.

Because on the night of that day, Irma slipped at the lake, and was found the next day, never to return.

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“Irma was so shocked that she took her own life. It seems to have been treated as an “accident” for her honor though. . . . . .”

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“I killed Irma,” Lord Montyver mutters, looking down.

Lord Montyver did not murder Irma.

I was able to listen to the story and be sure.

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“Even after hearing all this, you probably can’t believe it.”

“No, I believe it.”

“Why?”

“Because the Lord Montyver I saw didn’t seem like someone who could kill someone.”

ㅤ

When I declared that I did have an eye for people, Lord Montyver blinked in surprise.

ㅤ

“Don’t you think I’m scary?”

“I don’t feel that way, that’s why we’re having this conversation now, right?”

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Indeed, a stranger can be frightening. But as you exchange words and understand who the other person is, there is no reason to feel fear.

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“Lara, stay with me from now on. I want you to confirm with your own eyes that I am not a villain.”

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It was like a desperate plea, the only hope he had found after walking in the darkness for so long.

Until now, I had been deceived by the persona Lord Montyver had been playing, not seeing the real him.

Now that I knew the true feelings of Lord Montyver, I couldn’t pretend not to see.

ㅤ

“If I am acceptable to you.”

Upon hearing these words, Lord Montyver seemed to smile with relief.

“Lord Montyver, you might want to rest a bit more.”

“Call me Leon, Lara.”

“But. . . . . .”

“Please. If you call me, I’ll be a good boy and sleep!”

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Where in the world is there a 26-year-old adult man who calls himself a good boy?

I was astounded, but I figured I could be kind to him just for today.

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“Please have a good rest today, Leon-sama.”

“You don’t need the ‘sama’. You can just call me Leon.”

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I couldn’t possibly call the man who Ghodrove prince dotes on like a son by his first name.

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“I can’t listen to any more of your whims.”

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I said and stood up, but Lord Montyver didn’t let go of my hand.

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“Then Lara, stay with me until I fall asleep. I feel like I’m going to be swallowed by the darkness.”

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I thought I should grant at least this wish and sat back down.

When I patted his stomach like when I put Florenci to sleep, Lord Montyver quickly fell asleep.

He must have been sleepy but was trying to stay awake because I was there.

I found myself praying for him to sleep soundly until morning.

ㅤ

Today was indeed a very tough day.

I just hope Lord Montyver doesn’t have to suffer anymore. . . . . .