CH 83

Chapter 83. The Fire Inside

Nelia’s eyes widened after reading the note.

There was no mention of any person, but figured it out right away. That it was Carlos who left it.

When Nelia was still looking at the note, Zenuit, who was sitting on the desk, got up and walked over.

[What note is that?]

“…….It’s nothing.”

Nelia folded the note again and put it in her pocket. Zenuit was puzzled when Nelia answered with a flat face, but something gained his attention in no time.

There was a pile of documents on the desk that needed to be skimmed briefly, but the letter on the document didn’t come through Nelia’s eyes.

Carlos, who had been forgotten for a while, contacted her, which seemed to make her heart pounding.

‘If I talk to him well the other day……. He might change his mind.’

When she talked with Carlos the other day, he looked as if he was about to ask for something.

She was concerned about what he was about to ask, Nelia recalled the letter she had received from Griff.

Right. Griff said there could be no side effects, so she should be composed to tell him about it.

She had to work it out on her own somehow. Or, it might put the duke in danger.

Nelia looked at the duke while biting her lips unconsciously. He seemed to be struggling even more than the last time it rained.

‘As expected, it would have been better for him to rest at the duke’s house……..’

It might be because of his burdening position as the prime minister, he had to keep going to work even when under the weather.

Even so, she didn’t have any other plans after the meeting in the afternoon, so it would be better for him to return.

She thought she had to take the duke back home so that she could go see Carlos in the evening without worries.

Nelia spent the morning thinking about that.

***

After lunch, the duke went to attend a meeting.

Nelia sighed loudly as if she were exhaling her worries when there were just her and Zenuit in the room.

[It will be over soon.]

“…….”

Zenuit seemed to be concerned about her throughout the morning. Even if she didn’t talk to him properly, she could feel him glancing at her from time to time.

However, she didn’t want to tell him about Carlos. Even if she actually told Zenuit, nothing could be solved either.

[More than that, I wonder why the duke is in such a bad condition whenever it rains?]

Zenuit said, as if intending to change the subject while looking at the door where the duke had left.

“Right……. I don’t know.”

[I think I know the reason.]

Zenuit, who was looking at the door, turned to Nelia.

“What is it?”

[It’s because there was fire inside him.]

Nelia was interested at the unexpectedly unscientific reason from Zenuit.

“Fire…….”

[Right. The duke is someone who has fire inside him. That’s why he’s weak against rain.]

“His skin is cold for someone who has fire inside……. And his personality is not that fiery.”

[The fire inside has nothing to do with that.]

Zenuit replied seriously.

“What happens if he has fire inside him?”

[There will be times when he can’t control himself because of the burning fire. If he’s lost in the flames, he will have evil thoughts.]

What the h*ll…….?

Nelia thought Zenuit’s words regarding the duke were pretty accurate.

In fact, the duke was originally a villain in this world.

She wasn’t sure if it’s because of the burning fire within himself, but she knew he’s capable of expressing revenge like that.

“Then, does the duke have to live with the fire within him forever?”

[Not necessarily.]

“So, how?”

[If he meets someone whom he loves so much, and if such love is accomplished, the fire inside him will be weakened.]

What…….?

“Isn’t that such a romantic thing?”

Zenuit……. It didn’t look like it, but it’s quite sentimental.

[I’m serious!]

“How does Zenuit know that?”

[I’ve experienced it before.]

Nellia blinked.

“What about the fire force inside you, Zenuit?”

[Fire energy.]

“Yes, that’s what I mean.”

[Yes, I also had fire energy a long time ago. But not anymore.]

That meant Zenuit had someone whom he loved so much.

‘He’s unexpectedly a romanticist……’

So does Sigrit, Zenuit, and dragons who actually are romantic races.

[If there’s another cause of fire, naturally it must be eliminated.]

“The cause…….?”

[Right. From my perspective, it seems that there’s another ancient cause that affects the duke.]

There’s a reason why he lives with fire within him…….?

While she was wondering about the reason, the door opened.

Duke Hart, who finished the meeting, still looked pale. He even stumbled a bit at the door.

“Your Grace!”

Nelia quickly approached the duke and supported him. He leaned on Nelie as if embracing her.

“Thank you, Nelia.”

Duke Hart gave out a smile, but cold sweat seemed to adorn his forehead.

“Let’s go back to the mansion. It must be fine since the important schedule has passed.”

“Yes, I would like to.”

Nelia helped the duke walk to the carriage.

The duke said he would have to keep his eyes open for a while. When Nelia approved, he closed his eyes while leaning his head on Nelia’s shoulder.

Nelia glanced at the duke, who was leaning his head on her quietly.

‘True love…….’

He said that it has to be love that assuages the fire energy within the duke.

As Zenuit said, if the duke is to be met with the love of his life, will the burning fire inside him be alleviated even just a little? If she wasn’t the one whom the duke loved eternally…….

Nelia was lost in her thoughts about the duke for a moment before imagining such things.

In the past, the duke was defined as a special person to her.

It just didn’t feel enough as of lately. When she looked at the duke, she felt bad, sad, and happy.

Her feelings for him have become much more complicated and abound than before.

However, it wasn’t easy to answer when asked if she loved the duke as much as he loved her.

“…….”

Nelia looked at the duke, who closed his eyes, quietly.

What does this beautifully-sculptured faced man mean to her? She stared at the duke while thinking that she knew one thing for sure.

She didn’t want anyone other than herself to calm the fire within the duke.

Nelia remembered the scene in the past when she thought the duke was having a crush on Charlotte. It was a shameful past, but due to that, she was able to recognize a little bit of her feelings beside the dull one.

When the familiar view of the mansion slowly appeared from the window, Nelia gave up thinking about the duke.

Anyway, the important thing today isn’t about thinking of the duke, but protecting him from Carlos.

Nellia was firmly determined.

***

Nelia, who had safely brought the duke to the room and laid him on the bed, raised her body, which was lying down, and spoke.

“Uhm……. Your Grace.”

“Yes, Nelia.”

“I think I’ll have to go home for a while in the evening.”

It was always that excuse when she had to go somewhere else without the duke knowing, but there was no other reason to be separated from him. There’s no way he wouldn’t allow her to go visit her family.

Of course, she felt uncomfortable to deceive the duke like this. Even now.

“Why…….?”

The duke didn’t seem to want to be separated from her on a day like today.

He originally didn’t want to be separated, but when she talked about going home, he usually agreed without asking the reason.

“I’ve said that my parents are staying at the estate lately. But they came to the capital yesterday. I think I would like to see them.”

“……Yes, that should be done.”

Nelia was very anxious to lie to the duke, but there was nothing she could do.

If she says she’s going to see Carlos, she’ll have to tell him the reason, and then there might be another big fight between them.

‘It’s going to be hard to fight in this state.’

So it would be best if she talked to Carlos properly today.

“I’ll be right back. We’ll meet nearby, so the duke won’t turn into a snake.”

The reason she lied like this was because she asked Zenuit not to let the duke turn into a snake today.

The duke would think it’s weird if he didn’t take any medicine and didn’t turn into a snake, so she had to pretend that she wasn’t far.

“Please rest assured, Nelia.”

Nelia parted the duke’s quilt and left the room.

Nelia, who was back in her room, read the book and waited for dinner time to come by, and when it was about six o’clock, she proceeded to prepare by taking out her outer.

Zenuit, who was in his child form, grabbed the hem of Nelia’s clothes.

“Nelia, where are you going at this late hour?”

“Wait for me……. I’m going to go outside to see my parents.”

“Really? Then I can go with you. I’ll go after you quietly in the form of dragon.”

Nellia frowned.

“Absolutely not.”

“I’m bored here by myself.”

“Go play with Ton.”

“No, I’m tired of him now. As I thought, I think you’re the funniest.”

Nelia was envious of Zenuit for a moment. She didn’t know if there has ever been a time when she was completely having fun like this.

In her previous life, she was born in a desperately poor household and only had to work part-time for the rest of her life, so she thought she would live comfortably here, but every time she opened her eyes, a lot of things kept happening.

When she thought so, she felt frustrated as if something heavy was pressing against her chest.

How she wished to not have any worries like this dragon.

When these thoughts came to mind, Nelia wanted to impulsively vent her current situation to this seemingly thoughtless dragon, whose eyes were twinkling.

In the end, she heaved out a sigh and told the hidden truth.

“I’m not actually going to visit my parents.”

“So?”

“Do you remember when I told you that there was someone who made a mistake while I washed you?”

“I remember that. Your face looked gloomy back then.”

Nelia nodded slowly.

“I’m going to meet him. I think I should talk to him about it.”

“Then you can just go, why are you so prepared as if you’re about to die?”

“I don’t think it’s going to be easy to talk to him about it.”

Nelia said, holding back the sigh that was about to come out.

“Therefore, Zenuit, stay quiet in the mansion……..”

“I’ll go too!”

This dragon, for real.

A light sinew appeared slightly on Nelia’s forehead.

“It would be more courageous to go with someone else than to go on your own.”

“You’re not even a human being……..”

But before she knew it, Zenuit has turned into a dragon and was getting ready to go after her.

He flew toward the door and waved as if signalling her to be quick.

[It’ll be hard for the wagon to move if it rains even heavier. Let’s go before it happens.]

Right…… It doesn’t matter if he comes along. After all, he can’t even see Zenuit, who is in his dragon form. However, it might bother her when she has a talk with Carlos.

Nelia sighed, but eventually leave the mansion with Zenuit as she had no choice.