Duke, Please Fail! - Chapter 53

Episode 53

Even while moving busily, I felt Leonel’s gaze steadily following me. Thinking about it, he had a somewhat persistent side to him. If I didn’t answer, it seemed like he would stare at me until I did.

“I’ll help even if a cockroach is flipped over with a twig!”

“Do you hate cockroaches?”

“I hate anything with more than 6 legs. They’re creepy.”

“Do you hate me even though I only have 2 legs?”

Yeah! I hate it, I do! Are you feeling better now? I stood up from my seat and glared at him. But Leonel just calmly adjusted the bandage wrapped around his neck.

“Why do you hate me?”

If I had to give reasons, it could take three days and nights. But that was all in the past. Even after coming back, he didn’t treat me well…

“You seem to be treating me quite well.”

Leonel’s voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

Yeah. Honestly, I’m a little, just a tiny bit better than before. But the fundamental things haven’t changed. He still doubts me and tries to test me. He even put surveillance on me, the one who accused Roman!

Nothing has improved.

“Well, I don’t know.”

I replied vaguely, distancing myself as I usually did.

“The treatment is over.”

An awkward silence hung in the air. I thought he would stubbornly ask me why I hated him, but Leonel unexpectedly stood up quietly.

“Go.”

Leonel looked at me with a face that seemed to have a lot to say but let out a small sigh.

“Alright.”

And then, he turned around and left the room.

He didn’t even say thank you. Anyway, there’s nothing nice about him.

I turned my body with a disgruntled noise.

Bloody cloths were piled up on the table. An unpleasant metallic smell lingered in the room.

‘Would it be unsettling to sleep with that stuff around?’

I picked up the cloths one by one, and Leonel’s wounds came to mind. It made my heart feel uneasy for no reason.

If he’s going to get hurt, he should do it without getting caught. Revenge can be troublesome.

I let out a deep sigh when I heard a knock at the door.

I wondered if Leonel had come back to say thank you or something.

But when I opened the door, it was Mary who stood there.

“Of course. You’re still awake.”

“Yes. I thought I should clean up before I sleep.”

“I thought so.”

She took the bloody cloth that was in my arms and put it all in a basket. Then, she skillfully cleaned the bloodstains with a mop.

I stood by and hesitated, then asked.

“Mary, aren’t you scared?”

“Of what?”

“The Duke got seriously injured. Even the knights didn’t seem too surprised.”

“Oh, that. Well…”

Mary finished cleaning with the mop and stood up.

“It used to be worse.”

“Worse? What do you mean?” 

I looked at her with surprised eyes and then took her hand and sat down on the sofa.

Mary looked at the bloodstain on the sofa and then sat back a bit.

“Since two years ago, he’s been seriously injured because of the assassins. There were times when several of them broke in at once, and it was a matter of life and death.”

Two years ago, Leonel had just returned from the battlefield. Did anyone have a reason to attack such a person?

“Who on earth…”

Mary shook her head as if she didn’t know when her words trailed off.

“Anyway, there have been times when his life was in danger, so everyone tends to overlook this level of injury. The Duke doesn’t pay much attention either.”

It’s unbelievable. To think that he had been consistently under threat to his life. Moreover, if they regarded this level of injury as unimportant, how severe had his injuries been before?

“I didn’t know.”

I mumbled, and Mary nodded nonchalantly.

“Of course not. It stopped about a year and a half ago.”

“Completely?”

Mary nodded her head.

If it had stopped a year ago, it was before I came to the estate.

‘So maybe that’s why I didn’t know. So, is this incident also related to Roman?’

Considering that Roman is a spy, it seems that there were spies even before I died. It’s just that no one knew about it. But this time, I stumbled upon Roman’s true identity. 

Perhaps that’s why the overt assassination attempts have started again. I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but maybe that’s it.

As I sighed softly, Mary patted the back of my hand as if to comfort me.

“You must have been surprised as the manager for the first time.”

I nodded my head, and suddenly, I remembered Leonel’s attitude.

“Did the Duke receive proper treatment for the previous injuries?”

“Probably not.”

“Even though the injuries were more severe than this?”

“They were all people who had been on the battlefield, so they were tough. I don’t know for sure.”

…He probably received treatment. He’s alive.

I tried to calm my mind, but the image of the bright red blood flowing down his neck kept coming back.

Mary must have sensed my complicated feelings because she patted my hand a few more times and then got up from her seat.

“Well, rest for now. By the way, the tower will be closed tomorrow, so while you’re working, the servants will move all your belongings.”

“Thank you, Mary.”

She nodded lightly in response and left the room.

I raised my head and noticed the bloodstain on the sofa.

‘Should I postpone my revenge? At least until Leonel fully recovers.’

Yeah, that’s right. I should. What if he ends up dying from my quest for revenge? 

It’s not worth it to feel guilty as if I caused his death. I want to settle the grudge that nearly killed me out of exhaustion, not become a murderer. 

‘I should give that ointment to Leonel.’ 

This is not for Leonel’s sake. It’s because the sooner he recovers, the sooner I can exact my revenge! It’s not because I’m concerned about Leonel. 

No matter what anyone says, anyway, no.

* * *

Leonel returned to his office. The ointment had been applied in such a way that it felt sticky down to his neck and collarbone. Moreover, the bandages were wrapped so thickly that it was difficult to move.

“What on earth is this mess?” 

Levance’s reaction indicated that he had said everything that needed to be said.

Leonel sat down and picked up a pen. Levance hesitated for a moment before asking with concern.

“Was your throat nearly cut in half?”

“Levance, that’s enough.”

Leonel warned lightly.

Though Levance had been genuinely worried, he felt a bit unjustified and decided to stay quiet. Then Leonel realized that the bandages were excessively white. Even though his shirt had turned red, it didn’t seem like he had been seriously injured.

“More importantly, Your Grace.”

“What?”

“It might be a good idea for you to change your clothes. Your paperwork has blood on it.”

Leonel sighed and got up from his seat. He took a quick shower and returned wearing a fresh shirt. Somehow, the bandages still looked pristine.

“Do you feel uncomfortable? Should I rewrap them for you?”

“It’s fine.”

He picked up the pen again but sighed and put it down.

At the sound, Levance looked up.

“What’s bothering you?”

“Why does she even bother staying here, even though she hates me?”

Interrupting the conversation with an unexpected question, Leonel fell silent for a moment.

“She doesn’t hate you, Your Grace.”

“Just drop it.”

Levance quietly held the pen, but Leonel’s words were far from over.

“So, why is she here?”

“Perhaps for revenge? Isn’t that so?”

“Revenge. Revenge with Nelly Pepper…”

“Oh, if it’s Nelly, the story changes.”

It was a moment when perfect deduction missed the mark.

“Nelly doesn’t have any connection with Your Grace, right?”

Leonel glanced at Levance as if to suggest that he should dig deeper.

“Perhaps it’s due to a sense of responsibility or duty?”

“You’re being generous with your assessment.”

Levance responded with a grumble, but Leonel also thought that it was the most likely possibility.

“No matter how strong a sense of responsibility is, I don’t think anyone would want to work under someone they dislike for a long time.”

“Did Nelly tell the Duke that she dislikes him?”

“Indirectly.”

Leonel looked down at the back of his hand.

The sensation of their briefly touching fingertips seemed to linger.

‘She took her hand away as if she had touched it without knowing it was dirty.’

It wasn’t a pleasant experience, and she didn’t voice her dislike of such a subject.

“How can I make her not dislike me? Should I do better?”

“Then you might end up feeling burdened.”

“Hmm…”

“First, why don’t you find out what she likes and dislikes?”

“And then?”

“You should avoid doing things she dislikes.”

It’s quite straightforward. Leonel rested his folded hands on his knees and lost himself in thought.

Levance, who had watched him while organizing documents, added a few more words.

“If you see each other frequently and live together in the same building, won’t you naturally become fond of each other?”

“I’ll consider it.”

However, he still seemed hesitant.

Levance recalled how Nelly had treated Leonel.

‘She didn’t seem to dislike you much.’

He considered whether to say something but shook his head. He worked on his backlog of tasks, and it was close to midnight when he finally left the office.

Leonel had stayed alone in his office, working, and then got up from his desk. Returning to his room, he changed his clothes and suddenly looked in the mirror. When he saw the thick bandage wrapped around his neck, he couldn’t help but laugh.

‘It’s a complete mess.’

At that moment, he recalled the clear emerald green eyes that had been closely examining his wounds from nearby. Even the fluttering of brown eyelashes was vivid in his memory.

For no reason, he felt an itch where Nelly’s touch had brushed against his neck.

‘Did the wound reopen?’

He touched the bandage. He needed to check, but he didn’t feel like removing it.

Knowing it wasn’t life-threatening, he went to sleep as it was.