Grand Duke, Please Stop Obsessing Over Your Wife! - Chapter 81

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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81.

The Count was still awake.

She moved the sword that was beside her to behind her back.

It seemed she had been polishing the sword.

Though it was an old sword, the blade was smooth and looked new, as if maintained daily.

He had no intention of wasting time with unnecessary courtesies.

The Duke went straight to the point.

“May I examine your legs?”

The Count’s expression hardened. She tensed her shoulders in a defensive posture.

“I appreciate your concern, but I can manage my legs myself, Your Grace.”

The Duke pondered for a moment.

He could have snuck in while she was sleeping to check, but he didn’t want to do that to Annelize’s birth mother.

Not knowing how to persuade her, the Duke honestly revealed the reason he had come to see the Count.

“The scars on your legs aren’t simple burns. I can heal them.”

“….”

The Count’s gaze lingered beyond the mask, as if gauging the Duke’s intentions.

“How very thoughtful of you. Why do you want to treat my injury?”

The Duke furrowed his brow. He grumbled.

“I wish you’d stop being difficult and just accept my goodwill. Annelize is sad because of you. You’re becoming a huge obstacle to my goal of seeing her smile.”

He was sincere. He might have no choice but to use force.

The Count, who had been quietly listening to the Duke’s grumbling, burst into laughter.

“My goodness. To think the iron-blooded Duke of the North would be such an affectionate person. Anna Rose was telling the truth.”

“Now that you’ve had your laugh, I’d like you to let me in.”

The Count welcomed him into the room.

She guided the Duke to the sofa and offered him tea.

“May I ask one more thing? You could have come during broad daylight, so why did you come secretly at night?”

“Because it’s a secret.”

The Duke extended his pinky finger to Count Solariccen, just as Anna Rose had taught him.

“You must also keep quiet about this matter until Annelize’s birthday. Promise me.”

The Count stared at the Duke’s firm attitude and cute gesture.

With a reluctant expression, she raised her hand and hooked her finger around the Duke’s pinky.

The Duke lifted and examined the Count’s legs on the bed.

Due to not being used for several years, the Count’s legs were pale and gaunt.

Anyone who knew her from her days as knight commander would have worn a gloomy expression at the sight.

“As expected. It’s a fire curse that burns until the soul is extinguished.”

The scars on the Count’s legs started from her toes, burned black and gradually spreading upward.

Initially it reached only to her ankles, but as days passed it spread, now covering half her thighs.

“If it’s a curse, can it be broken?”

The Duke’s reaction was ambiguous.

“This kind of curse can only be broken by the caster. It’s not impossible, but there’s not enough time to find the caster before her birthday. So for now, I’ve decided to transfer your curse to myself.”

“You would take my curse upon yourself, Your Grace?”

“Yes. It won’t hurt. It’ll be over quickly.”

The Count hesitated.

She had endured the curse for several years. She knew how difficult and painful it was.

“Then Your Grace would suffer the exact same pain I experienced. I must refuse. I cannot make another suffer just so I alone can be healed.”

“You and I are different. You’re an ordinary human and I am… This much is nothing to me.”

The Duke seemed to be pondering how to describe himself.

The Count spoke first.

“I know you possess divine power. But-“

“I heard you were a renowned knight. Don’t you want to walk again?”

“….”

“This isn’t for you. It’s for your daughter. I hear humans cherish their children so much they celebrate the day they were born. Isn’t that true for you?”

Her daughters. The children she carried for ten months and gave birth to.

“Of course they’re precious to me.”

“Annelize is sad because of you. It’s because you got injured and shut yourself away in your room. So you need to walk on your own two feet tomorrow and celebrate Annelize’s birthday.”

The Count bit her lip. When he put it that way, she had no choice but to accept.

“If I truly can walk again. No matter what happens, I will repay this debt to Your Grace.”

“Good attitude. Then let’s begin.”

The Duke drew a dagger and cut his palm. Golden blood began to seep out.

Count Solariccen watched with wonder-filled eyes as her curse transferred to the Duke’s arm.

A moment later. The golden aura gradually faded, and the same darkness as before filled the room.

“My God, dear Lord.”

The Count couldn’t control her body’s trembling. She was feeling sensations she had resigned herself to never getting back.

“I’m right here, so why are you looking for God?”

The Duke expressed his confusion as if he couldn’t understand, then rose from his seat.

He gestured to the Count.

“Now get up and try walking.”

The Count put strength into the armrests and lifted her waist.

Though it was a sensation lost for several years, once regained it was surprisingly familiar.

She moved her knees and placed her feet on the ground. She walked step by step on trembling legs.

“You walk well.”

A calm voice reached her.

At that moment.

The Count couldn’t help but look up at the indifferent man standing before her as if he were a god.

“You said you’d repay me no matter what, right?”

When the Count nodded blankly, the Duke made a satisfied sound.

“Then let’s start with preparing for Annelize’s birthday party. Next, the things you need to protect are-“

The Count listened to the Duke’s words while suppressing the laughter that threatened to burst out.

All the things he said in a threatening tone were utterly ridiculous.

* * *

The day that was once her birthday and the day Father passed away. Now just another meaningless afternoon.

Annelize rose late from bed.

Despite waking up late, her body felt tired and stiff as if she had dreamed endlessly.

“Are you awake?”

When she went to the study, their meeting place, Isaiah had already arrived and was waiting for her.

“Yaaawn. Sir Isaiah.”

When she greeted him with a yawn, Isaiah giggled and laughed.

“You look tired.”

“I’m always particularly tired during this time.”

“I see.”

Isaiah didn’t ask further. Annelize somehow felt he already knew what day today was.

“Today is a special day though.”

“Why is it special?”

Annelize replied in a defensive tone.

“Did you know that today is the day the first Saint died?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I just remembered.”

On any given day, someone dies and someone is born.

Annelize dismissed this fact as unimportant. Her reason for meeting Isaiah today was for something else.

“By the way, how did it go? Did you leave the clothes as I told you?”

Isaiah smiled and reported what had happened at the Temple.

“His expression was absolutely terrible. He trembled like an aspen tree and then fainted right on the spot.”

“Ha! Serves him right.”

It was almost disappointing that I couldn’t witness that scene directly.

“I knew he had something shady going on, but to think he had an illegitimate child. It’s impressive he wasn’t caught.”

“Because his younger brother is the Duke. They say the Duke helped him pass the blood oath proving his purity before marriage to the Emperor.”

I could have immediately reported this to the Emperor, but I didn’t. Kukseo still had other uses.

“Kukseo is smarter than the Crown Prince, but when he gets excited, he acts like a fool. I’m planning to drive a wedge between him and the Duke so he’ll ruin his own plans.”

“Oh. You’re looking quite far ahead.”

“We’ll eventually have to deal with the Temple too. Kukseo’s backing is his younger brother, the Duke.”

Isaiah nodded and asked several more questions about the Duke and Kukseo.

Just as I finished answering his questions.

Isaiah looked at the position of the sun beyond the window to gauge the time.

He muttered.

“Hmm. I suppose keeping you here is enough for now.”

“What did you say?”

“I received orders to keep you from leaving your room until the time comes.”

“Me? Why?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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