Who Brought the Head Maid Back? - Chapter 37

The audience was as silent as the dead. Noah decided it was time to drive the final nail into the coffin. Resting his elbow on the armrest and propping his chin on his hand, he spoke in a voice so cold it felt as if shards of ice were falling from it.

“Overlooking a slight is fine once. But if you lack the confidence to succeed, do not attempt it at all.”

He then gave a casual nudge with his foot to the wretched corpse sprawled at his feet. The Baron’s body tumbled down from the dais.

“Clear it away.”

His callous voice dropped like a guillotine blade.

“Mark my words. There will not be a second chance.”

As the terrified crowd swallowed hard, a blade-like energy erupted explosively from Noah’s body. It was such sharp murderous intent that one could hardly believe he was the same person who had just been coughing up blood. Fainthearted women groaned and collapsed. Even Joseph, who seemed to endure for a moment, crumbled where he stood.

Vernon and Bradley gasped. They had never dreamed that the seemingly gentle Grand Duke was a hidden powerhouse. Well, Bradley had felt a flicker of suspicion once before, when the Grand Duke had effortlessly tossed Dwayne aside using Southern martial arts.

At the time, he had dismissed it as beginner’s luck and Dwayne’s carelessness. After all, Dwayne was a master among the top ten in the Empire, a man who even surpassed Vernon. Bradley bit his lip, struggling against the pressure crushing his shoulders.

‘At this level, I would not even be a match for him. He is an expert on par with Dwayne.’

Vernon also stared with trembling eyes at Noah, who sat slanting on the throne.

‘To think he has kept this level of skill perfectly hidden.’

Whether people suffered or not, Noah simply looked down with an indifferent face. He had not executed them or hung them as an example; he had merely released a faint amount of bloodlust. By his standards, this was a remarkably generous act.

Then, his gaze fell upon his half-brother, who was kneeling on the floor and retching. The Crown Prince was shivering, his chin trembling as tears and snot ran down his face.

‘That brat, what on earth is he?’

The moment their eyes met, eyes as sharp as a honed blade, the Crown Prince felt the hair on his body stand on end. It was instinctive terror. The Crown Prince reflexively looked away, thinking, ‘Is this why Amy chose this child?’

It was then.

“Ha.”

Amy, who was standing beside Noah, tilted to the side and collapsed.

“Amy!”

Leaping to his feet, Noah snatched the falling Amy and pulled her into his arms. Amy’s eyes were closed, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. It seemed she had finally reached her limit, fainting after being exposed to the suffocating bloodlust on top of the severe mental strain she had been under.

Noah stared at Amy with wavering eyes before squeezing them shut. The pressure that had been weighing down like a cliff instantly vanished.

“Ah.”

Exclamations of relief escaped Vernon and Bradley. Those who had been barely holding on by their knees in the hall full of fallen bodies let out a sigh of relief. Only then did the people regain their senses, looking up at Noah with an awe far greater than anything they had felt before.

But Noah did not react in the slightest. All his nerves were focused solely on the unconscious Amy.

‘It is my fault.’

Amy’s voice replayed in his mind as he bit his lip. ‘Appearing too oppressive is not good either. You have to show a generous side as well, right?’ Looking at her pale, bloodless face, he wanted to strike himself for forgetting her request.

“Mrs. Weaver!”

At his harsh call, Mrs. Weaver, who had been at the edge of the hall and thus felt less pressure, came staggering over. Rita, Marie, and the other maids, along with Joseph, followed suit. Noah issued instructions in a terrifyingly low voice.

“Take Amy to the inner chamber. She will wake soon, so make sure she rests well.”

Despite his words, he held Amy tightly as if he did not want to let her go, staring at her endlessly. The Head Maid did not dare urge him, only hovering anxiously. Finally, Vernon stepped forward.

“Your Highness, the Head Maid needs rest, but you must also look after yourself.”

The amount of blood Noah had spilled was significant. Furthermore, the faint color that had returned to his face had vanished, likely because he had unleashed his bloodlust. Seeing that the suppressed poison had undoubtedly flared up again, the physician added, “Your Highness, your poisoning is severe. We must detoxify it immediately.”

The two pillars supporting the Grand Duke’s castle were both on the verge of collapsing. Mrs. Weaver, Joseph, and Vernon exchanged urgent glances and pleaded with Noah.

“Grand Duke, please leave the rest to us and go inside.”

“Please do so. We will attend to the Head Maid with great care, Your Highness.”

Hearing their pleas, Noah squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. He stared gloomily at Amy and spoke in a low voice.

“The banquet is over. Send everyone back.”

The coronation and banquet of the new Grand Duke thus ended, stained with blood.

Flash. Amy opened her eyes. The ceiling, now familiar after several months, filled her vision. She was puzzled, unable to recall why she was lying in the inner chamber. After blinking for a moment, she suddenly bolted upright.

“Your Highness!”

Rita, who had been dozing in the chair next to the bed, jumped in surprise and rushed to Amy.

“Head Maid, you are awake! How is your body feeling?”

“Rita, where is His Highness? How is the Grand Duke’s condition?”

Amy asked, roughly brushing her hair back without giving Rita a chance to speak. Before receiving an answer, she hopped off the bed and strode toward the door. Rita scrambled to follow her.

“They said you just fainted for a moment due to the pressure. They said no special treatment was needed.”

“And His Highness?”

Noah’s condition was more important than her own body. Amy clenched her fists, unable to bear the anxiety. Her nails dug into her palms, but she did not even notice the pain.

“He is currently sleeping after taking medicine brewed by the physician. There was much worry because he spilled a lot of blood, but fortunately, they say his recovery is fast.”

Hearing that he was recovering steadily, she finally felt at ease. Upon reaching the entrance of the Grand Duke’s inner chamber, Amy stopped at the door and took a deep breath. Then she whispered softly.

“It is Amy, Your Highness. I am coming in for a moment.”

Creak. Amy and Rita slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The dark room was faintly lit only by the candlelight on the wall. Amy walked silently to the bed and carefully pulled back the canopy. On the large bed, the pale Noah lay with his eyes closed.

Amy stared blankly at his angelically beautiful face before slowly sinking into the chair beside him. She rested her arms on the bed, clasped her hands as if in prayer, and closed her eyes.

‘I was too complacent.’

She should not have changed the weather right away. She should not have been so reckless, trying to show something immediately. She should have attempted anything only after firmly establishing the North’s military and systems. She should have completely won over the people of the castle to Noah’s side first. Her regrets were endless.

‘Since such a massive change happened when we just arrived and had no foundation, the Empress’s mind must have been spinning.’

The Empress likely thought that if he would not join hands with the Crown Prince, she would simply eliminate him and re-incorporate the Duchy into the Empire. Now that the limitation of the extreme cold had vanished, she must have seen it as a perfect opportunity.

‘He came here because of me, and I could not protect him.’

Was this truly for his sake? Or had she just manipulated him for her own convenience under the guise of repaying a debt? Lord Noah himself had said he had never even thought about what kind of ruler he would become. A pathetic self-mockery escaped her.

“How is this repaying a debt? Even an enemy would not act like this.”

As she whispered weakly, Noah called her name.

“Amy.”

Amy jerked her head up.

“Your Highness! Are you conscious?”

Noah was looking at her with a remarkably clear face, having woken up at some point. His parched lips moved.

“You are thinking strange thoughts again.”

“Pardon?”

She was puzzled, not knowing what he meant. Noah blinked as he looked at her and then spoke calmly.

“Listen well, Amy. I do not regret coming here.”

Amy’s mouth clamped shut as she realized he had heard what she had just said. Seeing the guilt written all over her face, Noah felt a pang of sadness.

“Amy, you showed a wide and new world to me, who lived trapped in the palace. You told me that my possibilities are endless. You said I could become anything.”

“A rat that believed a dark warehouse was its entire world has come out for the first time. Do you think the rat would regret it? Do you think it would want to go back to the warehouse?”

Noah smiled slightly and, locking eyes with Amy, mouthed a whisper. ‘Absolutely not.’

A tingling sensation spread down Amy’s spine. Startled by this feeling, she watched as Noah whispered again. This time, his face was slightly flushed.

“And above all, I like that I am looking in the same direction as Amy.”

“Your Highness.”

Hearing his words, the once warm air in the chamber felt as if it had turned cold. A sense that something was slightly off, a creeping anxiety, caused Amy to stiffen ever so slightly. Noah noticed it keenly and gave a bitter smile internally. ‘My Amy is so clever.’

He added nonchalantly.

“So, living while having the same goal and pursuing the same result makes me happy.”

“Really?”

At the mention of being happy, Amy’s guard lowered. It was understandable; had she not been agonizing over that very thing just moments ago? But because it was hard to believe easily, she ended up asking in a small voice.

“Are you truly happy?”

Reading the hope, anxiety, and desperation in her face, Noah felt his heart ache. Was there anyone else who worried for him this much? He tilted his head and whispered.

“Yes. I am happy.”

Then he smiled beautifully again. Since he knew Amy liked his face, he smiled with all his might to get her to relax. His effort was not in vain; Amy’s expression improved significantly.

“So do not make that face. You are doing well enough, no, more than enough.”

Amy’s lips trembled instinctively as she felt a surge of emotion. Noah, feeling sorry for her, unconsciously took her hand. Initially too busy suppressing her tears to notice, Amy eventually felt the warmth squeezing her hand and stiffened slightly. Detecting this, Noah quickly took the initiative.

“Amy. We are partners, right?”

Support