Chapter 23

Wiping away the tears from her wet cheeks, Lariana bravely asked, “…Cain, tell me about your madness.”

“After we descend from the tower, I will tell you,” Cain replied, gently stroking her blonde hair. Lariana disliked his tender gaze and tried to push him away, but instead found herself being embraced.

“I haven’t been able to wash since being trapped. I feel dirty,” she protested.

“You smell delightful,” he said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“Lies. Why are you always lying?”

“How can I make you believe? Would you trust me if I kissed every inch of your body?”

“I dislike that. I refuse,” Lariana replied firmly.

“Such a pity,” he said, and he stole a kiss from her lips. It had become a habit for Cain to brush aside her bangs or steal a kiss from her; his actions were truly enchanting.

While people had varying opinions about Cain’s personality, his exceptional looks and abilities earned him nothing but admiration and praise. Lariana wished that Cain had never accepted her. Then none of this would have happened.

“We will descend by climbing down the wall,” he said, as Lariana stared at him in astonishment.

“Are you suggesting that we die together? I’m not particularly attached to life, but dying alongside a duke is rather inconvenient.”

“Do you think I would let you die before me?” Cain took a step closer as Lariana stepped back. Undeterred, he took another step. Behind her was the cold wall. Nowhere else to retreat. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Cain. He was too close, almost close enough for their noses and lips to touch.

“Let me tell you in advance, Lariana. There is no chance that you will die before me. I would risk my life to protect you.”

His sincere words touched her heart. Her heart raced, beating fast. Her cheeks felt hot, so Lariana turned her head to avoid Cain’s gaze. In the next moment, Cain moved away from her in a hurry. He began to tie the rope he had brought to a large pillar outside the tower.

“With your skills, we could simply walk down the stairs. How am I supposed to climb down the wall?” Lariana couldn’t comprehend why she had to climb down the castle walls when she was with the greatest knight in Martessen.

“If we go down the stairs, Jenox Heliosen will immediately find out that I have taken you away. Wouldn’t Jenox be even more angry and upset tomorrow morning? We have to sneak away without being noticed,” Cain explained.

The idea of sneaking away made her feel like she was being treated as an object, which bothered her, but the thought of Jenox being furious and angry when he discovered the empty prison in the morning made her feel good. In the midst of this madness with a madman, she found herself laughing.

“Lariana, Heline Knights are also guarding the tower. If we want to escape without being noticed, the only option is to use the city walls.”

She looked down at her own arm, wondering if her thin arm would be able to climb down the wall.

“When I say we can do it, you don’t have to worry. I’ll tie our bodies together with the rope and lower us down,” Cain unexpectedly replied.

Confused by his words, Lariana stared at his face intently. He approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She hesitantly reached out her other hand and wrapped it around his neck. Soon, his large hand wrapped around her slender waist and pulled her close. The rope securely bound their bodies together.

Even though she disliked him, Lariana couldn’t help but feel embarrassed when her body, so thin in comparison, touched his muscular form. Her gaze naturally shifted downward, feeling self-conscious.

“It’s nerve-wracking, isn’t it?” She exhaled. She could clearly feel his strong and rapid heartbeat. Was it merely physical desire or love?

Lariana’s own heart was pounding just as much. She nonchalantly replied, trying to appear unfazed, “Let’s go down quickly.”

“But don’t make any noise, even if you’re scared. It would be better to hold me tighter.”

“If you keep saying that, I might just strangle you,” Lariana shook her hand as if she could strangle him at any moment. In response, he covered her face with his large hand and burst into a loud laugh.

“I will descend now.”

Cain climbed up onto the window ledge while still holding Lariana in his arms. As they felt their bodies rise in the air, contrary to her determination, Lariana couldn’t help but hold him tightly. Even without looking, she could sense his smile gradually forming.

As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they could see a group of small people gathered in the dense forest beyond the dim city walls.

Cain began to untie the rope and started descending the wall, occasionally stopping to rest. In no time, sweat dripped down their foreheads. Both of them were tense, their bodies ablaze with heat. Their hot breaths intertwined as they exhaled.

“Lari, we made it.”

His voice echoed softly in her ears, and Lariana slowly opened her eyes, which she had tightly shut throughout the descent. Finally, they were outside the castle. As Lariana’s feet touched the ground, her only goal was clear: to meet Jena and escape from Cain Delacroix.

? ? ?

In conclusion, Lariana couldn’t escape. As soon as she set foot on the ground, Cain quickly moved, pretending that he needed to move quickly, and embraced her. In the awkward embrace, she had no choice but to grab his neck to regain her balance. Running through the dark forest where nothing could be seen, they saw waiting carriages.

“Lady!” Jena, who was standing there, spotted Lari and waved her hand. Hayden and the Delacroix Knights were also with Jena.

Feeling embarrassed as people watched, Lariana turned her body to indicate that she wanted to get down. But the more she tried to get down, the tighter Cain’s arms wrapped around her.

“Let me down.”

“We’ll go to the carriage like this. From the tower, it seems you can’t stand properly.”

“No, please let me down. I can’t go with you, Duke.”

As Cain walked, he looked directly at Lariana. His gaze was intense, making it hard for her to meet his eyes.

“What do you mean?”
“I want to go to my aunt in Davask.”

“The wedding is tomorrow.”

“…We can’t get married.”

The time had come to tell everything. Lariana took a deep breath. It took courage to talk about his madness to the person herself.

“…Because you suffer from madness.”

“Did Lejandro tell you?” Cain responded calmly. Lariana nodded silently.

“First, let’s get on the carriage. We’ll talk in detail on the way. Please… listen to my story first.”

Lariana whispered very softly, considering his feelings. But Cain, without any hesitation, pleaded with a desperate voice. The people around them were puzzled by the unfamiliar sight of their lord and briefly glanced at the two of them.

He seemed hateful, yet she felt a hint of pity. Madness was something he couldn’t control.

She had always been like that. She saw weak and fragile things as pitiful. Lariana, who had become weak, had no choice but to get on the carriage as he wished. The slowly moving carriage began to pick up speed. As the carriage ran faster and faster to the point where she couldn’t jump off, Cain knelt down and looked up at Lariana.

“Lari. Yes, you’re right. I suffer from madness. That’s why I foolishly tried to give up on you. I thought Lejandro truly loved you and wanted to marry you. But now that I know that’s not the case, I can’t let you go. If I couldn’t have you from the beginning, maybe it would’ve been different, but not now.”

He buried his head in her lap. The dirty dress, worn during her tower days, was soaked with Cain’s tears. His words started with explanation but gradually turned into blind threats.

“If you don’t marry me, you won’t find your family’s bodies and graves.”

To use her family as leverage, Lariana couldn’t help but explode. She resisted him with all her might, kicking and hitting him. To the strongest knight who leave a mark in the empire’s history, the small fist and feeble kicking meant nothing.

He held Lariana with his arms tightly. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t escape from him. It felt like being trapped in an inescapable snare. Cain kissed her tear-stained delicate nose and cheeks repeatedly while explaining his situation in a choked voice.

According to the doctors’ diagnosis, it seemed to be a type of madness, but with current medical knowledge, it was difficult to make an accurate diagnosis or find a treatment.

However, the madness had a unique form with a certain cycle. Approximately for about 20 days, extreme hatred or disgust would be felt, followed by 2-3 days of intense affection or lust. As long as he didn’t see her face during that time, the symptoms wouldn’t manifest. He endlessly begged her to be careful only during those periods.

Could she live with a husband who despised her and treated her with disgust? No, she couldn’t bear it easily. But in Cain Delacroix’s clutches, there were her family members. Lariana had no choice but one.

? ? ?

The bride reflected in the mirror sat as if she were being dragged to the entrance of hell, not to a wedding. The delayed wedding, which had been postponed for a few days, took place the day after she returned to the Delacroix mansion.

On the day they returned to the mansion, Cain never left her side. He stood by her side without a moment’s rest, even during bathroom breaks, showers, and in front of the dressing room where she changed clothes. During meals, he only looked at Lariana.

“Lariana, tomorrow is finally our wedding.”

“Duke, it’s impossible.” Read ahead here.