Chapter 176
Freesia’s voice, filled with contempt, cut through the air, leaving a suffocating silence in the tent.
Izar, barely able to process what he was hearing, watched in a daze as a small drop of blood from Freesia’s ear hit the ground, leaving a faint stain.
Even in his dazed state, Izar’s lips moved slowly as he took in the sight.
“…Let the doctor take another look.”
With a brief response, Izar turned away. Every step felt as heavy as if he were dragging a pillar covered in ice.
Had reality ever felt this bleak before? Sunlight still warmed the ground through the cracks in the tent’s entrance, but it felt as cold as the inside of a coffin.
Yet, he tried to suppress the chill closing in on him.
‘I have to be patient a little longer.’
From Freesia’s perspective, it was only natural she’d feel resentment toward him.
He had deceived her, failed to rescue her immediately when she was kidnapped, and didn’t even treat her as a true wife at the beginning…
Maybe, he thought, she was simply confused.
‘Perhaps her talk of dying like that was just a lie.’
The lips that once professed love for him couldn’t possibly reject everything so completely.
His detestable half-brother must have done something to her. Otherwise, this reunion he had longed for through endless nightmares would never have ended up so broken.
‘In time, perhaps she’ll calm down and see things differently.’
Watching the doctor rush into the tent, Izar clung to that hope with the desperation of a blind man clinging to his cane.
The tent that housed the reunited couple, however, sank into a heavy silence, so different from before. Meanwhile, a white dove fluttered down from a tree on a nearby hill, tilting its head as it observed them with eyes as red as a blood moon.
* * *
The search party combed the area around where Freesia was found, but beyond the monsters that had ravaged the village, they uncovered no more clues.
Some stayed behind to continue investigating the captors, while Izar and Freesia, along with the rest, began their slow return to the capital.
Since Freesia had to travel in a carriage, their pace was slow, but Izar couldn’t afford to rush things, not after what the doctor had warned him.
〈The Madam has been deeply traumatized, so she may respond severely. She needs sufficient rest on the way to the capital… but…〉
The doctor had hesitated, dread creeping over him as he faced Izar, whose expression had turned stormy at the sight of his aide’s hand split in two. Summoning courage, the doctor added.
〈During her captivity… she may have been violated. I think you should verify this yourself, Milord.〉
Izar, who had cut down a dragon and mercilessly punished his own men, found this the one thing he couldn’t do. Others might laugh at him for it, but—
‘What if she harms herself again?’
The word ‘suicide’ was one he couldn’t bring himself to even think about, so he considered self-harm as the lesser evil.
Right now, he couldn’t possibly bring himself to ask Freesia to confirm whether or not she had been defiled. But he was certain he had to keep trying to communicate with her.
‘I can’t give up like this.’
He would stay by her side until her anger subsided, enduring as long as it took. If she struck him, he would take it. If she asked for anything, he would gladly give it to her.
With resolve firm in his expression, he opened the carriage door where they had stopped for a brief rest.
Freesia was staring impassively out the opposite window but turned away entirely at his approach.
“Freesia.”
“…….”
Though she was so much smaller than him, a frigid aura emanated from her, making Izar’s brow furrow deeply. Were it not for their current situation, he might have wanted to grab her and shout at her.
Don’t turn your back on me.
Please, just look at me.
But seeing the small linen bandage on her ear kept him from doing anything rash. If he touched her and she drew blood again, what if next time it was somewhere worse?
“…As you said before, I acted to protect the imperial family. Now the matter of the past rebellion has been pardoned.”
“…….”
“The priests who mistreated you have all been dealt with. When we return, the temple will offer you a formal apology.”
“…Congratulations.”
Freesia replied indifferently, still with her back to him. All she could think was how much she had done for him without any thanks in return.
“At last, nothing will stand in the way of your family’s future.”
“And it’s all thanks to you—”
“Now you’ll be free to remarry.”
The tentative conversation was abruptly cut off.
Realizing the ambiguity in her words, Freesia corrected herself.
“No, that’s not right. I suppose it would be your first marriage. You can make a fresh, clean start.”
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