/
Chapter 110. Unexpected Intrusion
At last, the real duke didn’t give any explanation to Nelia.
It was said that the man wasn’t himself when he choked her, and that he was actually fighting against something.
Nelia just realized that the duke couldn’t even afford time to explain it to her.
Of course, she couldn’t even tell him about the door of the dimension. He was not in a state where they could have a conversation now.
When she faced the suffering duke, her anxious heart felt as if subduing.
However, anger rose within her. The duke has done nothing wrong, for he suffered just because of his previous life.
Therefore, Nelia wanted to do what she could this time.
And that was to persuade Carlos.
Only when Carlos and the duke take the test to get Sigrid’s heart together could Shilin’s anger be relieved.
Nelia clenched her little fist as if she was full of determination.
***
The next day, as soon as the dawn came by, Nelia left the mansion.
She didn’t know if he would be willing to meet her again today after having such an uncomfortable conversation yesterday, which was the one thing she was worried about.
She thought she could get in somehow if Zenuit came with her, but he had to stay in the mansion to prepare for the total lunar eclipse.
When they spoke about what happened with the duke yesterday, he said they’d have to wait and watch his condition.
Nelia suddenly looked at her reflection by the window. She brushed her hair roughly and the part that stuck out.
She hasn’t been able to sit down leisurely and comb her hair because she has been so busy lately.
When she thought back to the part where it all started, it was from when she went to the Ducal Castle in the duchy.
Starting with the book in the basement they had found out, the hidden truths poured out without giving any break.
Therefore, she couldn’t think of brushing her hair even once.
She thought she could finally get a rough idea about how the original plot ended.
The duke was encroached by Shilin and was suffering even more so that he decided to find Sigrid’s heart, and Carlos tried to find it as well because of his stiff right arm.
However, the duke eventually couldn’t access the heart. It was because he was not the main lead in the original plot.
Even so, he personally hoped that the duke would have a happy ending in the original plot. By that, she thought she could get more encouraged by what was going to happen in the future.
‘Well, there’s no way to know what happened to the original plot anyway.’
Before she realized it, the carriage had arrived at the imperial palace.
Nelia took a deep breath and got out of the carriage.
‘Let’s keep working hard.’
It felt strange to walk the way she came through yesterday again. When she came to see Carlos yesterday, she didn’t expect to walk through this way again.
However, Nelia knew that things wouldn’t flow easily when the guards stopped her just like yesterday.
“I sincerely apologize, but His Majesty really can’t receive any guests today.”
“It’s a very urgent matter.”
“No matter how urgent it is, it’s impossible. His Highness is in a bad condition.”
The guard continued while staring at Nelia up and down.
“And after the young Lady visited yesterday, his condition got worse.”
Nelia felt a bit guilty, but if she answered in an awkward manner here, it would seem that she acknowledged what the guard said.
“Do you mean that I’ve done something to him?”
“……No. I mean, meeting a guest at this moment is just as tiring for His Highness.”
Nelia answered with a displeased look.
“I see. Then I have no choice but to go back.”
“Yes, I apologize for this.”
Nelia turned and walked out after the guard offered an apology. And as soon as she reached a corner, she quickly leaned against the wall.
What should she do…… The guards didn’t even let her in before she got rejected by Carlos.
If she had brought Zenuit, he would have knocked those guards out for a moment, but she had no such power to knock an armed man out.
‘I have to find another way to get into Carlos’ room.’
Nelia stuck herself in the corner.
How should she get in?
The windows at certain distances away caught her eyes, but this place had a fairly high floor. It wouldn’t be possible to sneak in through the window.
She thought it would be better to get in with a disguise, but apparently even the maid wasn’t allowed inside.
Nelia opened her eyes wide when she was thinking there was nothing she could do to get in.
‘Yes…… Perhaps.’
Even if Carlos didn’t want to meet people, he would eat on time if he didn’t want to starve to death.
Perhaps, that was the only time when the maid came into the room to serve him the meal.
Nelia took out her watch and checked the time. She went as soon as the dawn came by, so it was still early in the morning.
Perhaps, they would come to serve his breakfast soon.
She thought it would be better to ask the maid who was managing this place directly about the time they served meals for His Highness.
Nelia went downstairs where the maid was located. Just in time, a young maid was passing by.
“Excuse me.”
Nelia held the passing maid.
She seemed to be surprised to see Nelia, who suddenly stopped her from walking by, and soon bowed politely, as if realizing she was a noble who visited the palace by judging from her clothes.
“Good morning.”
“I’m here to see His Highness Carlos. However, I was wandering around because I’ve been lost.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s impossible to see His Highness at the moment.”
“Really……? I heard he’s not in a good condition, but I can’t even see him……”
Nelia pretended to be sorry, and asked subtly.
“He should at least eat well…… Does he even eat well?”
The young maid was embarrassed. She answered almost immediately.
“I’m sorry, but I am not allowed to talk about His Highness.”
It meant that he wasn’t eating well.
Unfortunately, Nelia found nothing to gain from the maid.
‘I have to change my way.’
Nelia let the perplexed maid go.
Instead, she secretly followed the girl and found a place where the maids must be staying. There were some maid attires hanging inside.
‘That’s it.’
Nelia wished the maid was going to leave quickly.
The maid came out looking as if he remembered that has slipped out of her mind. Nelia leaned flat against the wall so that she wouldn’t get caught by the maid as the girl walked out.
When no one was seen in the rest area during that moment, Nelia went inside and quickly brought the maid’s attire. And she went into an empty room, took off her clothes, and put on the maid’s attire.
‘What’s all of this?’
Nelia sighed, but she buttoned her maid’s attire tightly.
No matter what, she had to get in on time for his meal.
When she was done changing into a maid’s attire and left the room, another maid called Nelia to stop her from walking.
“You there.”
Nelia stopped in her place out of surprise. When she turned around, she spotted a maid who seemed quite old.
“I’ve never seen your face before. Only His Highness’ maids are allowed here.”
Nelia’s head raced restlessly at her sharp remark.
“I’m the maid of the main palace, and the head maid told me to go here because I think there seems to be a shortage of people on this side lately.”
“Really……? That’s weird…… There’s not much work around here lately.”
Tilting her head, she didn’t seem to be so suspicious about it. Nelia asked quickly.
“What can I do?”
The maid looked at the clock on the wall for a moment and spoke again to Nelia.
“It’s time to serve breakfast to His Highness, so you can go downstairs and bring His Highness’ meals.”
Stealing the maid’s clothes was worth it. The maid has given the instructions that she wished for at once.
Nelia nodded whilst trying to press her bubbling excitement.
“All right.”
When she went down even further, she discovered a place with a delicious smell. It seemed to be a kitchen.
When Nelia entered the kitchen, the chef immediately spoke to her.
“You must have come to get His Highness’ meals, right? Take this.”
The chef put the soup, salad and fluffy-looking bread on the tray and handed it to Nelia.
“He must eat it today, I hope you can help with that. I’m afraid something serious will really happen to him.”
It seemed that Carlos has been skipping meals for a while.
‘When he’s not feeling well, isn’t he supposed to at least eat properly……?’
She had a bad hunch not for nothing.
Nelia comforted the anxious-looking loyal chef that he would eat today, took his meal and climbed up to the floor where Carlos’ room was located.
The critical moment has come again.
To get to Carlos’ room, she had to pass through guards stationed like Cerberus, the one who guards the gate of the underworld.
She brushed her hair on the front to her best so that they wouldn’t recognize her face, but sure enough……
Nelia stood before the guard and trained her eyes downward, pretending to fix her gaze on the tray so that her face couldn’t be seen by them.
“Is this His Highness’ breakfast?”
“……Yes.”
Nelia deliberately answered in a low voice.
Fortunately, there was no way the guards would say that she was the young Lady, who had just come over to visit, pretending to be a maid to come through.
He opened the door without much thought.
‘Well…… Even I didn’t expect I would be like this.’
Nelia drew out a sigh as she walked through the door.
When Nelia finally stood in front of Carlos’ door, Nelia knocked on the door as carefully as she did yesterday.
Knock, knock.
“I brought a meal for you, Your Highness.”
A weak voice came from inside.
“Leave it in front of the room.”
It seemed that his condition was not as good as yesterday. His voice was smaller and less demanding than yesterday.
Nelia slammed the door open, ignoring Carlos’ words to leave the food in front of the room.
Carlos seemingly frowned at the sudden lighting coming into the room along with her.
“Who told you to come in as you pleased……”
Carlos, who was talking, stopped right after taking a good look at Nelia’s face. He opened his wide eyes.
“Hello, Your Highness.”
Carlos grunted, which was unlike his character at all.
“Why are you……”
He must have wanted to ask her why she came in dressed in maid attire.
However, Nelia was as shocked as Carlos. It was because of his haggard face.
He didn’t look well yesterday either, but today he looked like someone who would collapse at any moment.
Nelia closed the door before saying anything, walked to the bed with a tray in her hand and put it on top of the blanket.
“Are you wondering why I came here dressing like this?”
“……”
“Then you must eat first. I will tell you after you finish.”
Nelia used the same technique that Zenuit used on her. He also used the duke’s secret as a bait for her to come see Carlos yesterday.
‘I felt like I changed into a bad person.’
However, Carlos was not as naive as she was.
“Don’t be ridiculous and tell me. I ask, why are you here again?”
His gaze was quite fierce as he pointed out the topic with a lifeless expression.
“I’m not kidding. I’m here to inform you of something important.”
Nelia spoke in a serious voice.
“However, it’s because I think you need energy to listen to me. Therefore, you can eat first.”
Carlos stared at Nelia motionlessly.
‘If he says he will not eat it again, I’m just going to say what I wanted to say right away.’
She came here to persuade Carlos, not to feed him with bread.
“Sit here.”
Carlos pointed to the chair beside the bed.
His commanding tone didn’t go anywhere even when he was sick. Nelia took a seat beside him, grumbling inwardly.
Carlos really started eating when she took a seat by his side.
He slowly scooped the soup into his mouth. He didn’t show any sign of eating in a haste despite the fact that he must have been starving because he didn’t eat anything yesterday.
Rather, he only put the soup in his mouth expressionlessly as if he was ingesting the food mandatorily.
When the whole plate of soup was emptied, Carlos put the tray aside.
There was still salad and bread remained untouched on the tray, but she was satisfied that he had finished the soup.
Carlos looked up at Nelia.
“Tell me now. What are you going to say?”
The time has come.
However, she had something to say to him before she started with the first word of the story she had organized in her head on the way earlier.