Chapter 85: The Aftermath of a Confession

Eaglin, who was following Xavier and Lucas, got swept away by the massive wave of people.

“H-hey! Don’t go together, you two!”

Whether she shouted or not, the two men used their large frames to weave through the crowd smoothly.

Xavier and Lucas quickly drew people’s attention. Be it looks, height, or aura. Their heads stood out above the crowd.

The black-haired man, sculpted like a finely carved statue, wore restrained sexiness from head to toe, while the platinum-blond man wore a deadly smile that even his mask couldn’t hide. When these two approached, people naturally made way.

“Raccoon, stop following us.”

“I’m not following. I’m just going my way.”

A spark-flying staring contest ensued.

“Tch.”

“Hmph.”

The two men turned their heads in opposite directions and quickly walked toward a beverage stand.

“Aren’t you ashamed of coveting another man’s wife?”

Xavier asked while adjusting his cat mask. But Lucas just smirked.

“No, not at all ashamed.”

“You truly lack common sense.”

To Xavier’s scornful remark, Lucas casually replied.

“Aren’t you ashamed, Duke?”

“No, not at all.”

Looking at Xavier’s elegant profile as he answered without even glancing his way, Lucas spoke.

“From what I can see, you haven’t even properly confessed your love.”

“What?”

Xavier stopped in his tracks. Lucas looked at him with an upturned corner of his mouth.

“I did though.”

Unable to hide his shock, Xavier asked loudly.

“What did you do?”

“I confessed to Yuria. Why, haven’t you done it even though you’re her husband?”

Lucas stepped closer to face Xavier’s crumpled expression.

“Hmm. Seems I’m right. I was just fishing.”

“What do you know to run your mouth? I also…”

Lucas’s raised black eyes sent a meaningful look.

“You’d better get your act together. If you hesitate, I’ll steal her. Hmm, I wonder what the Duchess is feeling right now?”

“……”

“How surprising. I took a guess and you fell for it completely. Even the great Xavier Auguste isn’t much. Hehehe.”

Lucas burst into spiteful laughter and quickly approached the stand, leaving behind a dumbfounded Xavier.

“Water and a grapefruit juice.”

“Thank you!”

Xavier, wearing a serious expression, followed closely behind and ordered from the merchant.

“Do you have lemon sparkling water?”

“Yes, but it’s quite expensive.”

“That’s fine. Two of those.”

He then received two glasses of lemon sparkling water with a triumphant face. He raised his eyebrows twice at Lucas.

“Confession? I’ve done it hundreds of times. Yuria and I have something more intimate. Something you don’t know about.”

“What?”

Lucas watched Xavier’s tall retreating figure while holding drinks in both hands.

Tch, he’s not an easy opponent after all. Is this the goddess’s type?

“Should I change my style… Ah, this isn’t the time!”

He hurried after Xavier.

Meanwhile, Xavier’s expression wasn’t very good as he walked ahead of Lucas.

‘He confessed his love?’

Confession, confession, right.

Those kisses, each breath was nothing less than a confession to him.

What else could they be if not confessions?

Though it was a contract marriage, his feelings for Yuria were always genuine.

Wanting to see her, hold her, possess her… My wife, Yuria.

His heart raced every time he rolled those three syllables of her name in his mouth, and his soul burned whenever he thought of her. It wasn’t just about physical contact.

He could say that with certainty.

When Yuria disappeared from the duke’s residence, it felt like the ground had collapsed and the sky had shattered. During that brief time she was gone, he found himself desperately craving her, driven mad with anxiety.

Without Yuria, there was no him.

With that feeling alone, he had whipped his horse forward.

The nights of suffering from the curse of transforming into a beast were now less frightening. It wasn’t lonely, with Yuria there.

When he was with her, his heart trembled, his soul trembled, his body trembled.

But whenever she brought up their contract, Xavier’s heart crumbled.

Wondering if she only saw him as a contract partner.

While he desperately yearned for Yuria, she only seemed to think about leaving him!

‘After all the curses are broken and we divorce in a year, what do you think Xavier will be like?’

Her words suddenly crossed his mind.

Do you plan to leave me once the curse is broken?

Even though their relationship started as a contract marriage, he believed that if he kept actively expressing himself, Yuria would eventually understand his sincerity.

But now that crazy Lucas had even confessed. His palms grew sweaty.

Then another unexpected thought occurred to him.

Had Yuria accepted Lucas’s confession?

“No.”

It felt like fire was burning inside him.

Xavier’s steps quickened until he reached the outdoor table where he had been sitting with Yuria.

But she wasn’t there.

Only Maya, pale and crying, and Sir Eli trying to comfort her.

Maya barely opened her swollen eyes and called to him pitifully.

“…Your Grace.”

Sensing something was wrong, Xavier rushed to them.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-I’m sorry. I should have gone with her, but she said it was close… sob.”

While Maya cried into her handkerchief, Eli calmly answered.

“She said she was going to the fountain, but hasn’t returned. We’ve looked around but can’t find her. Something must have happened.”

“What?”

Xavier’s face turned white.

*

“Huff, huff.”

My breath felt like it was slicing through my lungs. But I couldn’t stop my running legs.

“Get her!”

“Stop right there!”

The angry thugs’ voices could be heard from afar.

I had dramatically escaped from the thugs’ hands, but except for the man I had struck, the other two were chasing me like they wanted to kill me. They pursued me relentlessly without tiring.

‘How do they keep finding me?’

I tried to get out of the maze-like back alleys to the main street where there were more people, but not knowing the imperial capital’s geography made it difficult.

My legs were already giving out and cramping from running frantically. If I delayed even a little, I’d be caught.

With my hand on my heaving chest, I looked around for a place to hide.

Just then, I spotted a narrow space between building walls. It was dark without sunlight, but just big enough for my small body to fit.

I quickly squeezed myself in. There was barely enough space to sit.

Afraid even my breathing would give me away, I covered my mouth with both hands and tried to catch my rough breath.

‘Haa, haa.’

Soon after, urgent footsteps approached.

“Where did she go?”

“That little witch, when we catch her, we’ll sell her to slave traders!”

Their voices were so close it made my hair stand on end. I curled up smaller, hugging my knees. My ten fingers trembled as they gripped my knees.

The chaotic footsteps searching for me came closer to my hiding spot. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified of being found.

“Hey! What are you doing? Let’s check over there first!”

“Huh? Okay.”

The thugs’ footsteps gradually faded away.

“Haah…”

I finally let out the breath I’d been holding. My eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness to check my condition. My feet were a mess from running in heels. My heels were scraped and bleeding, and my toes were throbbing.

“Ugh.”

When I removed my shoes with a grimace, I saw my toenails were broken and bleeding. I tore off the cleanest part of my dress and wrapped it tightly around my fingers to press against my toes.

“It… hurts. I’m scared.”

Though being chased by thugs was terrifying, something else had been weighing on my chest since earlier. Even while running, I couldn’t forget what Eli had told me.

Xavier is going to die!

His beautiful face appeared in my mind.

Yuria.

Xavier calling my name tenderly, smiling at me.

But that image quickly changed to him lying in bed with his eyes closed. It overlapped with the image of Xavier near death after eating the poisonous herb.

Then I remembered Rosetta and the Crown Prince. The two of them smiling brightly at each other.

What was Crown Prince Arthur thinking, and why hadn’t Rosetta told me anything?

Why…?

Tears suddenly poured from my already exhausted mind and body. The teardrops fell onto my curled toes. Then a flash of light burst from my back, and my toes began healing where the tears had fallen.

“Ha…”

It was as expected. A bitter laugh escaped my lips at the absurdity of the situation. But then I started trembling again at the thought that the thugs might return after seeing the golden light.

Sure enough, someone’s footsteps approached.

I quickly wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. I pressed my back and head against the wall as much as possible and held my breath.

‘Please don’t let them have seen!’

But those footsteps came closer to where I was hiding.

‘Ah, no!’

Contrary to my hopes, it seemed the thugs had found me.

I prepared to run, raising my crumpled body. But the space behind me was too narrow even for my small frame to escape through.

Step, step.

‘W-what should I do?’

I turned pale, feeling like I might faint any moment. An arm suddenly reached into the dark space, grabbed my wrist, and tried to pull me out.

“Aaack!”

I shut my eyes tight and struggled desperately to survive. Then a man’s voice rang out before me.

“Yuria, it’s me.”

“……!”

It was the voice of someone I knew, someone I loved.