I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 148

Episode 148

He already knew that Nelsie had returned to life. 

As soon as she appeared in court, newspapers were flying off the presses with headlines about her.

Even the nobles who emerged from the courtroom were spreading stories about Nelsie, and the news of her return to life spread throughout the world.

Many voices were insisting that punishment must be meted out to Marquess Trimidri, who dared to harm the empress.

In that regard, Permette found it strange.

‘Could the empress have had the opportunity to send me a note while she was imprisoned and in danger? That’s unbelievable.’

To confirm this strangeness, Permette checked the report left by Maybin.

It was a report on Marquess Trimidri.

There were many writings in that report, detailing everything from where Marquess Trimidri was born and raised to her childhood reputation and even her favorite restaurants.

The most suspicious thing among them was the assertion that Marquess Trimidri could not harm people.

She had never hired guilds of mercenaries or messengers.

‘But the newspapers clearly stated that Marquess Trimidri murdered nobles.’

Yet if nobles were dying one after another, there should have been evidence left behind, but there was none.

So naturally, the thought flowed in a certain direction.

“Marquess Trimidri and Her Majesty the Empress were together. Her Majesty the Empress betrayed us.”

This needed to be reported to Vehen immediately. But Permette couldn’t move or speak.

‘Another target.’

Right now, it might be able to make that happen.

* * *

The mansion was chaotic, yet silent.

The newspapers were filled with details about Nelsie’s survival and everything that happened in court.

Gloved hands crumpled the newspaper and tossed it into the fireplace. The newspaper caught fire and began to burn.

“This is ridiculous…”

Tedric muttered softly with a vacant expression.

He had seen her collapse before his eyes. Night after night, Nelsie’s death haunted Tedric.

He hadn’t slept peacefully since witnessing Nelsie’s death.

Guilt would suddenly overwhelm him.

Even though there was no need.

“…Does Terisha know?”

The maid beside him shook her head under her breath.

Tedric was furious with Nelsie. He couldn’t bear it.

He had lashed out at Terisha, who cried out that Nelsie wasn’t dead, saying she was dead, but he couldn’t face his sister.

How could she still be alive? He saw her die right before his eyes.

He’s been tormented by guilt all this time. How in the world…

“…Are you all right, Marquis?”

The maid cautiously took Tedric’s arm, but Tedric gently pushed her away.

It was an unconscious act of refusal.

The maid awkwardly laughed and hid her hand behind her back. Tedric also forced a gentle smile.

“You don’t have to worry, everything’s fine.”

“Oh, uh, sorry. Marquis Tedric.”

As the maid stepped back, Tedric looked out the window.

“Make sure Terisha doesn’t find out. It’s about Her Majesty the Empress.”

Everyone who works here knows it all.

No matter what happens, they must keep silent about what happened in this mansion, and the fact that Princess Terisha is insane and harbors great malice towards Nelsie.

After much persuasion, he barely convinced himself that she was dead, but imagine the chaos if it’s known she was alive.

“Yes, I understand.”

The maid nodded and stepped back.

Tedric continued to look out the window, trying to organize his thoughts.

A fit of endless anger seemed to boil up without anywhere to go.

Her life continued to torment the siblings endlessly. If only he could have lived with just the guilt without having to deal with them.

Will she come after them again?

‘It’s time to decide. Now, it’s time to send Terisha away.’

If Nelsie is alive, Terisha wouldn’t be safe in Paital.

Sending her to Vernige, the fiefdom they control with many guards, might be safer for Terisha.

But who can be trusted? Is there anyone among the guards he can trust?

No, with Nelsie just returning now and everything in chaos, now is the time to send Terisha away safely.

‘I have to send her away. Somehow, safely.’

Tedric ground his lips together and tapped the floor with his toes.

Anxious, and if he could, he wanted to bury Nelsie again.

“Employer, you seem worried.”

Zera, who quietly opened the door and entered the study, said in a low voice.

As Tedric turned around in surprise, Zera approached, wiping her scarred face with her hand.

“It’s not something to worry about.”

“It is worrying. The employer seems unstable, not just the patient.”

Zera’s carefully chosen words in the imperial language sounded quite serious.

“The Empress has returned. Everyone is in turmoil because of that news.”

“…Is there a reason for your visit?”

At Tedric’s sharp question, Zera nodded.

“I ask the guardian every day, I do. Shouldn’t the patient be elsewhere? Can she be treated elsewhere?”

Even though there are plenty of reasons to send Terisha away, he’s not sure.

He might not want to send her away. They’ve always been together.

Even though they fought, they felt like they should be together.

Knowing that she should be sent away, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Tedric looked at the fire burning on the dry firewood and spoke.

“…There are no reliable guards. Terisha’s life is in danger. I want to protect my sister, but there’s no one I can trust.”

Zera tilted her head, trying to understand Tedric’s difficult words before finally nodding.

Seeing no understanding in the other’s eyes, Tedric eventually resorted to using Hitan and repeated his words.

“…Do you know Hitan?”

Zera murmured in Hitan with a surprised look. Tedric tilted his head slightly and smiled lazily.

“A little. I learned it when I was young.”

Language was essential to becoming an emperor. There were times when Terisha cried and complained about cramming all kinds of knowledge into her head.

Maybe that was when. Terisha began to see Tedric as a deceiver.

If she had known that Tedric wanted to become emperor for her safety and the well-being of their siblings, she would have readily yielded.

But Terisha didn’t speak up for Tedric.

It would have seemed like Tedric wanted to become emperor, and Terisha didn’t want to interfere with his aspirations.

Even though they were there for each other, they ended up hurting each other.

“If you need guards, I will do it. In Hitan, women had to fight and struggle alone to become apothecary. Protecting the patient won’t be too difficult.”

Zera, speaking her mother tongue, was more serious, considerate, and mature than anyone else.

Her deeply purple eyes, which could not be read, could remain calm because they had been through many hardships and adversities.

Her scarred and muscular body inspired trust. Besides, if she had intended to harm Terisha, she could have done it while making medicine.

Wasn’t she introduced by Min-joo? Didn’t she meticulously research and verify herself?

Tedric decided to trust Zera, who seemed to focus solely on the patient, despite not knowing anything else.

“Then, please. Once I finish what I have to do here, I’ll follow.”

Zera nodded and went to prepare to leave, asking Terisha to persuade her.

Tedric stared at the burning firewood for a long time before heading to Terisha’s room.

Despite it still being daytime, the room was dark. Curtains were tightly closed and creepy boards blocked every gap.

Terisha stood by the bed in the middle.

Since starting to take medicine, Terisha had occasionally gotten up from bed and walked around, conversing with the maid.

It still seemed unbelievable that such unimaginable things were happening.

“Terisha, how are you feeling today?”

“Alright. I talked to Zera earlier, and she said Nelsie is dead. So if I feel like someone’s trying to harm me, it’s just my imagination.”

Although he should agree, the words didn’t come easily.

How could one be certain as long as Nelsie was alive?

So Tedric hugged Terisha tightly, hiding his distorted face from her view.

“…Of course. No one in the world would harm you now.”

“…Tedric, are you nervous?”

Sensitive and sharp-witted as always, Terisha noticed.

Tedric hugged Terisha’s back even tighter. Terisha quietly closed her eyes and leaned on Tedric’s shoulder.

“What other problem has come to trouble me? What else can I solve?”

As she often did during his princehood, Terishe would present solutions to Tedric.

Even when her body and mind were in pain, Terisha was always sharp.

Tedric leaned his chin on top of Terisha’s head and smiled. He could smile with his mouth, but couldn’t bring himself to smile with his eyes.

“Go to Vernige, Terisha.”

Tedric spoke without showing his face.

Terisha squirmed in his embrace and pushed away, but Tedric held onto her stubbornly.

“You’re crazy, you! Are you trying to send me away? Am I useless to you now? Am I a burden to you?!”

“That’s not it, Terisha. Terisha, calm down and listen to me.”

“I have nothing to listen to. You betrayed me, you traitor! You’re trying to get rid of me now that you don’t need me anymore!”

Whenever evil was used, Tedric declared defeat. Tedric had never defeated Terisha.

At least not until now.

Terisha pushed Tedric away and stepped back, her eyes wide open.

Instead of the crumbling face as before, she had a firm and unshaken countenance.

She seemed like she was going to be sent away. Because Tedric wasn’t backing down.

“I’m sorry! I was wrong. I was jealous of you, I took it out on you, is that it? I won’t do it again, Tedric. I’ll live quietly if that’s what you want.”

Terisha knelt on the floor and clasped her hands together. Her frantic actions felt unpleasant.

Tedric closed his eyes tightly and turned his head away. He didn’t want to see his sister like this.

“Tedric, how can I live without you? Who can I trust and live with? I’m scared, Tedric. Brother. I’m so scared. How can I live in a place where I don’t know anyone, and how can I live at ease?”

Without looking at herself, Terisha grabbed Tedric’s pants and hung on.

Guilt twisted at his ankles.

Terisha poured tears with a terrified face. She looked truly scared and unbearable.

“Brother, Tedric… Please answer me. Can you live well without me? If I suddenly die, can you live without any guilt? I’m sorry, I won’t lash out anymore. I’ll live quietly!”

His heart softened. Tedric couldn’t defeat his sister, but this time, he had to.

If she found out that Nelsie was alive, all the treatment they had done so far would be in vain.

Terisha would have to live in fear again.

She would have to silently fear her death, not knowing when her brother would come.

Tedric knew he had to be firm for Terisha.

“Terisha, that’s why we can’t be together.”

Tedric calmly removed Terisha’s hand holding onto his pants.