Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 79

Terran decided to break his engagement with Grace. However, because he needed to meet Aiden first and organize his thoughts, he had not told anyone yet.

It is already drifting toward a breakup anyway.

For some reason, it felt as if the whole world was fervently wishing for him and Grace to part ways. Flowers were delivered to the ducal mansion every day. Even foreign nobles were sending courtship letters to Grace.

A man who truly treasures Grace would be better for her than a man like me, who has no feelings.

The problem was that even though he made the resolve to let her go every day, his mood did not improve in the slightest. On the contrary, he was seized by depression and grew irritable at everything. Occasionally, a headache would strike as if his memories were trying to return, but it was always brief.

“Ugh…!”

Terran suddenly felt dizzy, and the world spun before his eyes. In that moment, a woman appeared in a vision, leading a horse across a meadow.

Who is she?

The woman walking toward him with flushed cheeks and labored breath bore a striking resemblance to Grace.

No, it cannot be.

Now he was even seeing hallucinations. He still could not remember Grace, so he had no idea where this memory had sprung from. That wasn’t all. She even waved her hand at him and shouted something.

[Duke Courtois! I found a horse.]

Her voice was incredibly clear. Immediately, a loud ringing sound filled his ears, as if he had been struck by an electric shock.

“Heh!”

Terran could no longer hold on.

“Duke!”

A startled James rushed over in a single breath to support him.

“My goodness!”

Terran’s condition was serious. He was pale, breaking out in a cold sweat, and clearly in agony.

“I will call Doctor Wilson.”

James took Terran to the bedroom. Doctor Wilson, arriving in haste, administered a sedative injection to Terran.

“He is asleep.”

“Why is he not improving? His memory is still not intact.”

“It seems the mental shock from this battlefield was very significant.”

Furthermore, it would take time for the traces of the poison accumulated in his body to fully dissipate. After all, Terran had been going to war since he was seventeen. Since he had lived a life of constant fighting, his mental fatigue was likely higher than anyone else’s.

“If only Lady Grace were here at a time like this.”

James felt a deep sense of pity. Because he knew better than anyone how much the two had cared for each other, he found this situation difficult to accept. He felt that if only Grace were by Terran’s side, he would be able to shake off the pain and stand up at any moment.

“For the time being, please ensure he gets plenty of sleep rather than engaging in activity.”

Doctor Wilson gave the prescription medicine and left the mansion. James nursed Terran for half a day. Looking at him lying alone in bed, he felt strongly that Grace had to be there for Terran.

I must prevent the breakup at all costs.

One day his memory would return, and Terran would not be able to handle what he had done. At that point, he would likely become a total wreck. After entrusting Terran’s care to an attendant, James left the room.

“Are more flowers here?” James asked as an attendant entered the lobby carrying a flower basket.

“Yes, they are for Lady Grace.”

“From now on, return any flowers that come. Do not accept love letters addressed to the Duke either.”

“What should I say when I return them?”

“Say that the Young Lady and the Duke are not breaking their engagement.”

“Understood.”

James felt he had to manage the situation; he could no longer just stand by and watch. Even if he were to be cursed for it later, it was obvious that Terran would be ruined if things continued like this. It was only a matter of time.

This must be a process to make their love stronger.

A love that has weathered trials does not break easily.

Leah spent time with Vitello every day. He became more active in his courtship with each passing day, and Leah began to find Vitello burdensome. Even while talking to him, her entire focus was on Terran.

Why is there no news from the ducal mansion?

Last night, she dreamed that Terran was in a lot of pain. Because of that, she felt anxious and found it hard to endure all day.

“Lady Vizak, please marry me.”

Vitello, seemingly unwilling to drag things out any longer, proposed to Leah point-blank. Only then did Leah snap back to her senses.

What am I doing? Terran is at the mansion. I have to go to his side right now.

Previously, she had been hurt by Terran and resolved to do as he wished, but now she didn’t want to do that.

“I am sorry. I still think of Terran as my fiancé.”

Leah rejected Vitello’s proposal.

“But the Duke does not remember you, Lady Vizak.”

“That is true.”

Leah fell into deep thought at Vitello’s words. Terran still did not remember her, even though a lot of time had passed. That was probably why her heart was so heavy. And yet, she waited every day for news from the mansion—the good news that Terran’s memory had returned. But why did she have to just wait?

Because I remember.

Did they both necessarily need to remember together? Just because Terran couldn’t remember didn’t mean the emotions built up over time vanished all at once. Even if he wasn’t the same Terran as before, ruined memories and feelings could be built anew.

“It does not matter if Terran does not remember me. I remember everything. How much I loved that man, and how much I want him.”

Leah confessed her feelings honestly to Vitello. To reject him vaguely would be nothing more than deceiving him.

“I see.”

In Leah’s answer, Vitello felt her sincerity toward Terran. Any other woman would not have forgiven a man who forgot her. Instead, she would have demanded a breakup first, claiming her honor had been tarnished. But she seemed to be waiting for Terran to come to her. Even knowing this, he had wanted her so much that he couldn’t give up and courted her fervently. However…

“I understand your heart well, Lady Vizak.”

Vitello shook off his lingering attachment with a bright smile. Leah finally realized that love is never given easily.

I will not give up. I won’t just stand by and let Terran forget me.

She hadn’t yet put forth her best effort for Terran. She had merely waited for him to get better. Vitello left Leah’s side without regret. Afterward, Leah had to meet with Vivian.

“I heard the news from Vitello.”

“I am sorry, Empress.”

“No, there is no need for that. I knew from the start that it wouldn’t work out between the two of you.”

It would be a lie to say she hadn’t wanted a lady like Grace for her brother. Part of her had hoped they would dramatically end up together, but that was a very small personal desire. More than that, she wanted to give Terran a “drastic remedy.” It was a form of encouragement for Terran, who had lost so many precious things since childhood, to claim what was his and be ambitious for once.

That was why she had secretly informed her maid, Mary, of her plan, and Mary had willingly agreed to act as a catalyst between Terran and Grace. When Terran found out later, there would be an uproar.

“What will you do now?”

“I don’t think anything has changed. Terran has lost his memory, but I remember everything. We can just start over.”

Vivian smiled warmly at Leah’s words. Perhaps even this grit was just like her own—the persistence not to give up on the man she loved. She liked it very much.

“Word came from the mansion; it seems Terran’s physical condition is not good.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s not so bad that he’ll die. Think of it as a cold he’s suffering for the sake of a great realization.”

Vivian spoke casually, but Leah’s heart was breaking. Terran was sick? Where, how, and how much? Had he taken medicine? Was he looking for her? A thousand worries filled her head.

“I say this out of caution, but please wait until Terran comes to find you.”

“Is there a special reason?”

Leah was curious about Vivian’s intent. Vivian said she hoped Terran would realize what he had lost and find the answer himself, so he would know how precious love is.

But Leah’s thoughts were a bit different. No one had been in Terran’s position, so shouldn’t they avoid judging him so easily? Even she did not perfectly understand how hard the things he went through were.

Love is something two people do together.

It wasn’t something that worked just because one person realized it. When two people were walking hand in hand and one person’s foot fell into a mire, it was only natural for the other to pull them out.

Terran’s foot is in the mire right now.

In such a case, she just had to help him. Couldn’t they realize it together? Suddenly, a longing for Terran surged like a storm.

I am worried, and I miss you. My Terran.

Just thinking of Terran made her eyes sting and her heart swell.

While visiting the estate, Luke told his parents about Chenera—that he intended to get engaged to her. However, his elderly parents could not accept Chenera and pushed another fiancée onto him.

“Luke, how much longer do you think we will live? And that isn’t love; it’s pity and sympathy.”

He could not give his parents a definitive “no.” This was because he wasn’t entirely sure himself. He simply liked Chenera, who had come to save him. Her face flickered before his eyes constantly.

Do I really love Chenera?

Honestly, he didn’t know. He liked her very much, but it was hard to say with confidence if he could live his life handling her.

There’s no way she came because she truly loves me. It’s because Chenera is kind and innocent.

Even if it hadn’t been him, Chenera wasn’t a woman who would pass by someone in trouble. He wondered if he was the one misinterpreting Chenera’s unripe feelings. Consequently, he had no choice but to agree to the engagement his parents urged.

“I will get engaged.”

It was true that it was difficult to break his parents’ firm will. However, once he actually met the fiancée, he missed Chenera desperately. He didn’t understand what this psychology was.

I have no conscience.

Even though she was a pretty and pure-looking woman, he kept seeing Chenera’s face superimposed on hers. The face of Chenera, who had saved him while he was hanging from a tree and sobbed loudly, would not leave his mind.

No, it’s just a passing emotion. There’s no way that child knows what true love is.

It was an emotion that would vanish over time as if it never existed. As an adult, he shouldn’t be swayed. It would only end up hurting Chenera for no reason. He could repay the debt he owed her in a different way.

I am sorry, Chenera.

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