In the annex of Count Potsun, Adeus was always alone. The place was always as silent as if darkness had settled, and it was always filled with a chill as if it had never welcomed spring. Knock, knock. The knock that broke the silence made Adeus's nerves tingle. He woke up from his sleep, grabbed the sword placed beside his bed, and struggled to sit up.
"Who is it?"
A rough voice, as if scratching his throat, filled the room. An immediate response came from the frightened servant on the other side of the door.
"S-S-Someone is looking for you..."
There was no one who would come looking for him here. There was no reason for a visitor. Adeus tightened his grip on the sword. The wounds from the building explosion had not yet healed, making it difficult for him to stand on his own. The pain was indescribable, as if his entire body was burning, just from trying to stand. But there was no one to help him. As Adeus, drenched in cold sweat, managed to sit up, the door opened without permission.
"Excuse me."
A man with a shameless expression, as if he had no intention of intruding, pushed his way in. Adeus's eyes glinted sharply upon recognizing him.
"I don't have much time."
"So, what brings you here, Your Highness, the Duke?"
"I have something to confirm."
Terdeo glanced around the small room nonchalantly. The servant, who had been standing awkwardly outside the door, fled hastily without even a greeting. Terdeo chuckled and looked back.
"Ha, is someone trying to kill you? It's amusing to see someone run away in fear like that."
"What did you come to confirm? Just confirm it and leave."
Terdeo casually scanned Adeus, who was barely leaning against the bed. His twisted ankle and dislocated arm were awkwardly bandaged. His upper body, which had been undressed, was also wrapped in bandages, with visible burn marks and scratches. Seeing Adeus, who could not stand on his own, Terdeo curled his lips in a sneer.
"You're fine."
"Fine... Are you here to challenge me to a fight?"
"Can you fight?"
Adeus tightened his grip on the sword, responding without backing down.
"Why don't you check for yourself?"
Terdeo's piercing gaze fell on Adeus, who was holding the sword. The arm supporting the sword was trembling pitifully.
"Can you even fight with a body that's trembling like that?"
"Try me."
"Seems like you've forgotten that there's no Duchess here."
"What do you mean by that?"
Terdeo bared his predator's teeth, exuding a murderous aura.
"I could kill you right here and now."
Terdeo moved quickly, striking Adeus's wrist holding the sword. As Adeus lost his grip and dropped the sword, Terdeo kicked it to a distant corner.
"Don't get the wrong idea."
After sending Adeus's sword flying, Terdeo slowly drew his own sword from his waist.
"It's not that I couldn't kill you before."
The sharp edge of the sword touched Adeus's neck, and a thin line of blood trickled down.
"I kept you alive because the Duchess was always by my side."
"..."
"To me, killing a person is nothing."
His eyes were completely devoid of emotion. But Adeus did not flinch at all, as if he had known Terdeo was this kind of person all along. Terdeo, with his sword still pointed, examined Adeus. Under his clothes, his sturdy upper body was well-muscled, and several old scars were visible.
"Do you know how to use a sword?"
No nobleman would grab a sword first when an uninvited guest arrives. It was an unusual greeting.
"I only learned enough to protect myself."
"It doesn't seem that way."
His appearance was different from the rumors of a playboy who only indulged in wine and women. The muscles and scars suggested he had trained for a long time.
"I remember you were quite agile during the parade."
"I've always been good with my body. That's why the rumors of me being a playboy spread."
"I thought you were only good with your body, but you're also good with your tongue."
"Can you really get by with just a good body? A noble's tongue must be smooth. You don't know much, Your Highness."
Even with the sword at his throat, Adeus did not fear death. He did not even seem afraid. Adeus's eyes softened, and Terdeo snorted.
"I could kill you here and claim you died from your injuries in the explosion. It would be treated as an accident."
Terdeo sheathed his sword.
"But then the Duchess would feel guilty. She said she would come to check on you, so I won't kill you today. However—"
Terdeo held his sword upside down and struck Adeus's uninjured ankle bone with the hilt.
"Ugh!"
The sudden, strong force twisted his ankle grotesquely. Adeus clenched his teeth and bowed his head, a sound of pain escaping his tightly shut lips.
"If you keep talking recklessly, I'll cut off your head."
Terdeo, looking down at the suffering Adeus indifferently, sheathed his sword and turned around. He picked up Adeus's sword, which he had kicked away, and walked to the window.
"You won't need your sword with those legs that can't walk for a while."
Terdeo forced open the creaking window and threw Adeus's sword far away.
"Pick it up when you can walk. It might still be there by then."
Fury and humiliation flashed across Adeus's face. He glared fiercely at Terdeo, who was about to leave.
"Ugh... You care a lot about Her Highness the Duchess, don't you? Very affectionately."
At Perechati's mention, Terdeo stopped in his tracks. His red eyes, which he turned back, were filled with a murderous intent he had never shown before.
"Aren't you worried that the Duchess will feel guilty if I die? Or are you afraid that she will dislike you when she learns the truth about you?"
"I'm not the least bit curious about your schemes. Do you think you're the only one who has tried to use me or kill me?"
Terdeo, who had turned to the bed, grabbed Adeus's neck with one hand.
"There have been countless people who tried to use me, kill me, or were curious about me. I just let you run around like a fly because it's too much trouble to catch every one of them."
Adeus's face turned pale as the veins on his forehead bulged.
"But I'll end it with you. I can't stand a dirty fly buzzing around my wife. Don't even think of calling her. You're not someone who can call her so casually."
"Ugh."
"She's someone who is already more than enough just by being by my side."
Adeus glared at Terdeo with bloodshot eyes. Just as his eyes were about to lose their strength, Terdeo roughly released his neck.
"Cough! Cough!"
Adeus coughed painfully.
"Know your place. Remember that I can kill you at any time. There won't be a second chance."
"Cough, cough!"
"Behind my wife, I'm there. I protect my wife. It's best not to try anything."
Terdeo turned and left the bedroom. The bedroom with its shabby furniture, the dusty corridor, the servant who had fled without a greeting, the creaking window that had never been opened, the annex devoid of human warmth, and the treatment that was clearly done by a person rather than a doctor—all of it was very strange. Terdeo's eyes flashed with a terrifying light. ***
"Are you really okay now?"
"Yes, you've asked me this ten times already, Selphie."
"But—"
"Really. Theo called four doctors to check on me."
On the night of the accident, I suffered from severe body aches all night. Terdeo had the lights in the mansion turned on despite it being early morning, and Selphius, who had woken up in the middle of the night, urged the doctors to treat me. They said it was temporary muscle pain that would naturally improve over time, but Terdeo did not listen. In the end, four more doctors were called in the early morning. The intense muscle pain and body aches finally disappeared after three more days.
"Now I don't need medicine and can sleep well."
Despite my reassurances, Selphius's face was full of worry. I needed someone to back up my claim that I was not sick.
"Theo, you tell her. I don't need medicine anymore, and I'm not in pain and can sleep well."
I signaled to Terdeo to agree, and he looked at me with a displeased expression before speaking.
"You're too weak. Even if you're fine now, your muscles might start aching again."
"What?"
"See! Even His Highness the Duke agrees!"
You can't say that! This is so out of sync!
'The Laphireon family is way too overprotective!'
I frowned, and Selphius, thinking of a good idea, smiled brightly.
"Why don't you ask His Highness for a massage today?"
"What?"
"You complained that the massages from the maids weren't satisfying! His Highness has strong hands, so it will definitely be more refreshing!"
Who is asking whom to do what? Did I hear that wrong? I pointed at myself with my finger, and Selphius nodded proudly.
'Are you crazy? Who in this empire would dare ask Terdeo for a massage!'