Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 80

Allen read the daily newspaper published in Lubeck every day. News of Terran’s death should have appeared by now, but unfortunately, there was no such article.

“Duke Courtois wipes out the bandits of Brassel? He’s become a hero again.”

Beyond disappointment, Allen ground his teeth. Terran should have disappeared this time, but he was stubbornly persistent.

“Allen, your tea is getting cold.”

Emily had arrived with tea before he realized it. Only then did Allen fold the newspaper and bring the teacup to his lips.

“The tea has a lovely scent.”

“It’s so nice for the two of us to have tea together like this.”

“Is it?” Allen replied with a smirk.

Actually, Emily was a fairly satisfying companion. She didn’t exhaust him with overt obsession like Sarah did. Her words and actions were always gentle, making him feel well-attended.

This is why one’s background matters.

Even for a mistress, the difference between an aristocrat and a maid was as wide as heaven and earth.

“I heard from a friend in Lubeck that there are rumors Duke Courtois and Lady Vizak have broken up.”

Startled, Allen set his teacup down abruptly.

“Is that true?”

“I don’t know; it’s not like I confirmed it myself. But they say for certain the two are living apart.”

“And you don’t know where Lady Vizak went?”

As his eyes sparkled with interest, Emily felt a pang of suspicion. She wondered if this man also held Grace in his heart.

“Allen, do you have feelings for Lady Vizak?” Emily asked in a calm tone. Given Grace’s beauty, it wasn’t strange for men to show interest.

“I’m asking because I commissioned a dress for my sister. I’m worried there might be a setback.”

“Ah! I see.” Emily smiled contentedly.

Even if Allen had feelings for Grace, he would never be able to take her from Terran. The breakup rumors were likely just gossip.

He was a man who only had eyes for his woman even at the banquet.

At the Belice banquet, Terran’s gaze hadn’t left Grace for a moment. There must be a reason for their temporary separation. The media simply loved writing sensational articles. Just then, the office door burst open, and both turned their heads.

“Sarah?”

He thought she had vanished completely since there had been no word, yet here she was, appearing so suddenly.

“Who is that woman?” Sarah asked sharply, pointing at Emily. Emily asked Allen the same question at the same time.

“She was a maid, but she’s only just appeared after going on an errand.”

“Ah! So she’s a maid. But her training is a mess, isn’t it? Entering the office without knocking…”

Sarah was appalled by their conversation. Indeed, her own mistake was expecting sincerity from Allen. Still, this was a blatant breach of promise.

“Emily, leave us for a moment. I need to discipline the maid.”

“Yes.”

Emily brushed past Sarah’s shoulder and walked out pointedly. Once they were alone, Allen got straight to the point.

“Did you find it?”

“No. It’s impossible without the key. I searched everywhere, even the old villa, but it wasn’t there.”

“Is that so? Then there is no longer any business between us, Sarah.”

She had still hoped. She thought that even if she returned empty-handed, he would say, “At least you are on my side; let’s go until the end together.”

Had she asked for too much? Or had she been deluded into thinking Allen still possessed a shred of human emotion? Regardless, it was merely her own fantasy. Now that she had confirmed it, there was no need to hold on any longer.

It’s okay. That one phrase would have been enough; if you had said that, I would have given you what I have.

She had known vaguely, but his true colors were truly hideous. She knew Allen was the world’s worst trash and a bastard, but her feelings for him were more important than letting go. Sarah tightly gripped the key necklace in her hand.

You wouldn’t know that I found another key necklace.

Terran had fully recovered and no longer received antidote injections. It was too early to handle official duties, so he focused on regaining his strength. Yet, he couldn’t understand why one side of his chest felt so empty.

“James, will I ever remember the things between Grace and me?”

Feeling much better, Terran mentioned Grace, appearing to want to find his lost memories. To James, this was the sign he had been hoping for.

“Yes. If you try, you will remember the Young Lady soon.”

James encouraged him, but Terran shook his head with a complex expression.

“It will improve gradually. My head hurts.”

He felt frustrated, but the more he tried to remember, the more his nerves frayed and a headache surged.

“I haven’t seen Luke at all lately. Why is that?”

“He went down to the estate. Since you were ill, he couldn’t ask for your permission beforehand.”

“Was it urgent?”

“Yes, he left after receiving a telegram saying his parents were looking for him.”

“I see.”

What is this? This feeling like I’m the only one left out.

Though his mind had been a complete jumble at first, things were slowly being organized as he regained his past memories one by one.

Why does it feel like I’m just on the verge of remembering?

It felt as if a very important memory was about to surface, but when he focused, it scattered like smoke.

“Duke, why don’t you go to the hot springs and soak for a while?”

At James’s suggestion, Terran headed to the hot springs. As he soaked his body in the large bath, his fatigue began to melt away. Soon, he submerged himself deep into the water.

[Terran, I challenge you to a duel.] [You challenge me to what?]

He didn’t know if the sound was coming from underwater or if it was a hallucination, but he heard a woman’s voice and his own voice responding.

[A duel? With guns or swords?] [It’s not like that.] [I’m good at everything. Besides, I’m superior to others in every way.] [Yes, you are quite full of yourself, Duke.]

The bold yet bright voice wasn’t bad. Furthermore, it was very familiar.

It’s the same voice as the woman who brought the horse.

Had there been an acquaintance? The only women he remembered were his childhood friend Vivian and Aiden’s snot-nosed younger sister.

Was there another woman in my life?

Terran swam freely underwater. Then he stopped abruptly at a sound that reached his ears again.

[Tell me what you want to duel me with.] [Swimming.]

He remembered standing side-by-side with a woman in a bath and jumping into the water. The problem was what happened after that. He grew frustrated that the pieces of his broken memories were so stubborn and wouldn’t fit together.

He emerged from the water and sat on the ledge, closing his eyes and feeling the touch of the warm water on his feet. A different scene appeared before his closed eyes.

A room shrouded in pitch-black darkness, where candles on the wall were the only light. Even the small window that let in a bit of light was barred with black iron.

It’s a prison.

When he opened the door and entered, a woman looked at him in terror. Her resentful eyes were filled with clear tears.

Is it that woman again?

[I didn’t… run away. I came back like this.] [How dare you think of leaving me alone?]

He felt unfamiliar with himself, rebuking a woman for leaving his side. Who on earth was she that he was this angry? Terran’s mind became muddled again. He dove back into the water.

His head was on the verge of splitting from intrusive thoughts. To get rid of these fragmented remnants of memory, he had no choice but to move his body mindlessly. Soon, a small, white woman’s hand appeared. He handed her a paper with a bunch of grapes drawn on it and even placed a pen in her hand.

[You have to sign it.]

As the woman’s hand hesitated as if about to sign, he had been openly impatient. He didn’t know what kind of childish game grown adults were playing.

Terran swam fiercely toward the end of the pool. He wanted to wash away the childish memories confusing him with the current. He left the bath and headed to his bedroom. It was still early spring and the wind was cold, but he didn’t feel the chill at all. He tied the belt of his bathrobe tightly and walked down the long corridor.

Cough, cough.

Thick white smoke filled his vision, and he began to cough violently. Suddenly, the surrounding scenery changed. It wasn’t his house, but a hut in a forest where deep darkness and bloodlust had settled.

“Heh, heh.”

Terran panted heavily. All he could see were soldiers who had collapsed from the smoke and the corpses of bandits. Then, like a ray of light, her voice pierced his ears.

[Terran, pull yourself together! Do you not remember me?]

A woman shouting in a desperate voice. And the image of himself piercing that woman’s neck with a sword. He had watched without emotion as a red drop of blood rolled down her white neck.

[I am your fiancée, and we agreed to get married in May.] [Who sent you? Who ordered you to kill me?] [You like me very much. And I feel the same about you.] [Oho! You brought the others with you again!]

The two people having different conversations looked agonizing.

Why did I do that?

Then, her words came back to him clearly.

[Terran, you promised you would return to me after wiping out the bandits. You said you would only be gone for a week…]

Her sad face and desperate cry. Terran clutched his head with both hands. Suddenly, his head throbbed as if an earthquake were occurring. The space shook, broke, and the orientation shifted up and down wildly. The pieces of broken memory caught the wind and began to fit together one by one. He just needed one decisive piece.

What was it?

While Terran muttered repeatedly, the woman leaped into his arms and kissed him. But he had aimed his sword at her abdomen.

Blood!

Dark red blood dripped from the hand of the woman clutching her side.

[I… love you. Enough to die.]

As the words she said at the moment she collapsed returned to him accurately, the memories Terran had lost to the smoke returned all at once.

“Grace.”

Only now did the scattered puzzle fit together perfectly, and he realized the reason why one side of his chest had felt so hollow.

“What have I done to Grace?”

The memories that had slowly vanished one by one surged back like a tidal wave, battering him.

“Aaargh…!”

Terran let out a scream, unable to bear the pain. Hearing his scream, James came running in a hurry and supported the staggering Terran.

“Duke, are you alright?”

“James, where is Grace?”

“Pardon? She is at the Imperial Palace, isn’t she?”

“That’s right. Grace is at the Imperial Palace. With Chenera.”

James saw the clarity finally return to Terran’s eyes.

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