I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 11

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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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Chapter 11

“If master does bad things, I’ll tell on you. They said they’ll scold you later.”

Clemente wagged her index finger, delighted that she already had something to tattle about.

“Are you mocking me right now—”

“Oh, and also. The Dowager Duchess’s illness name is similar to one I know, so I told them. If we just have the medicine, she’ll get better quickly. Probably.”

Zephyrus stopped mid-anger. The thick layers of ice forming around him thinned.

“…What? Is that true?”

“In the desert, it’s like a common cold.”

When young, healthy people catch it, they just cough a few times and it’s over, but for those with weak bodies, it’s a fatal endemic disease of the desert.

She had said simply that medicine existed, but obtaining that medicine wasn’t easy.

To get the medicine, one had to go to the lava region at the edge of the desert.

That’s why the elderly in the desert simply accept death when they catch Cactus Flower disease.

But with Clemente’s power, it would be possible to create an environment suitable for cultivating the medicine.

Even so, that spiteful grandmother ended up returning to sand in the end.

“The doctor will know the details and tell you.”

“I see… is that so.”

She could be cured?

At the words that the Dowager Duchess’s health, which he had half given up on, could return, his agitated emotions subsided in an instant. A small hope filled that space.

Actually, Clemente visiting his mother wasn’t such a grave mistake either.

Suddenly drained of all strength, Zephyrus hung his head. Even so, his straight posture was impressive.

“But, master.”

Clemente took a step closer. The closer she got, the more Zephyrus’s body retreated backward.

“Speak from there.”

Their gazes met through the small eye holes.

Moist eyes that seemed to hold tears. There was fear of people approaching.

‘This is different from me.’

There was a time when people only pushed her away, so she stubbornly tried to get closer. The more she did, the more people avoided her. In the end, she was even stoned and chased away.

Being with this person keeps bringing back old memories.

A person who would remain trapped forever without someone to push their back.

And the type who would blame themselves.

‘Should I cross the line or not?’

She moistened her lips with her tongue as she pondered.

That pondering didn’t last long.

“Will you still be like this even after the Dowager Duchess recovers?”

“What?”

“You’ll have to see each other face to face and talk.”

“Impossible.”

“I say impossible too.”

Though it was a firm refusal, Clemente refused his refusal.

“I want to go on picnics with my meal friend and eat out too.”

“You can make other friends then.”

“No way. Master is my only meal friend.”

“So—”

Zephyrus stopped mid-sentence and turned his head.

Clemente had approached close enough that their noses almost touched, raising her eyebrows and staring at him as if she would devour him.

“Don’t you want to become like me?”

“…Like you?”

Clemente might also bear the same curse as himself.

However, Clemente was strong enough to come from the distant desert to the Northern Region. Unlike himself, who couldn’t take a single step outside his room.

Clemente carefully placed her hand on Zephyrus’s shoulder.

“Do you think I was fine from the beginning?”

“…”

After a long silence, staring at that hand, Zephyrus spoke.

“Could it be possible?”

“To be honest, I don’t know either.”

“As expected…”

“But have you tried?”

She grinned at Zephyrus, who shook his head.

“Anyway, I can melt all of master’s ice, right? That… ugh. You don’t have that thing!”

She had set the mood perfectly, but couldn’t think of the word.

“…Loss?”

“Yes, that!”

“Nothing to lose. Well. A precious person before your eyes, before my eyes, because of me…”

Died. She read the context of the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

Even while speaking, Zephyrus couldn’t breathe properly as if remembering that time, which made her feel sorry for him.

‘Hmm. I’ll never be able to understand the feeling of a precious person dying because of me.’

However, she could only imagine that it would hurt much more than a precious person simply dying.

Perhaps that’s why.

She decided to offer the comfort she had wanted to give to a friend.

Swoosh!

Zephyrus’s breathing stopped completely.

**

The fact that Clemente had seen Zephyrus’s mother.

To him, that felt like a death notice for his mother.

‘They brought an outsider who just started working to see mother?’

The person who brought Clemente to his mother was obvious.

Rossia, his cousin.

He could guess the reason for bringing Clemente too.

It must have been to somewhat ease the worry about the Duke and son who couldn’t fulfill his role.

It meant his mother’s health was poor enough to warrant such urgency.

He was angry.

Because it seemed like they were saying his mother’s final moments weren’t far off.

Because it seemed like he would become an unfilial son who couldn’t even accompany her final journey again.

Because he was sick and tired of being trapped in a small room, unable to do anything and having to lose precious people.

‘…No, that’s not it.’

That wasn’t it.

He simply missed her.

His mother.

He missed his mother’s smile, his mother’s warmth. Since he couldn’t have that, he hoped she would live long and they could converse through letters at least.

But why was even such a small wish being taken away?

“How dare you.”

Why make him think his mother was facing her final moments?

And why.

“The Dowager Duchess’s illness name is similar to one I know, so I told them.”

Why make him harbor hope?

A single path appeared before his eyes as he had been crawling along the bottom of despair.

A very small path. Even that alone made him feel like he could breathe.

It was ridiculous. To feel such emotions from just those words.

Toward him, who had slumped down, Clemente said.

“Will you still be like this even after the Dowager Duchess recovers?”

Her words about needing to at least try made his heart sink with a thud.

‘Asking if I want to become like her?’

I do want to. I want to go outside. I want to tear off all this stuffy cloth and meet the people he loves.

I don’t even hope for holding hands or being embraced.

Faces.

If I could just see the faces of family members I can only meet in imagination, that would be enough.

But how could I forget.

The sight of the maid crying out to be saved as she froze starting from our clasped hands.

My breathing became rapid. I felt short of breath. My mind grew distant.

I can’t let this happen. Everything will freeze again.

“Master!”

That’s when it happened. When a body temperature that was warm, no, hot touched my entire body.

My mind snapped back to clarity.

“Wh-what—”

“I heard that good friends help when their friends are struggling.”

Adding the strange comment that since “meal friends” also has the word “friend” in it, she’d treat me half like a friend, she pressed her body closer.

Arms wrapped around my neck and a hand patting my back. Hot warmth penetrating through the thick cloth.

She was hugging me.

Zephyrus was suddenly held tightly in Clemente’s embrace.

“So this is… comfort. When I was struggling, I wished someone would hug me.”

A low voice echoed in my ear. My lost arms wandered behind Clemente’s back.

Even though I wanted to push her away, I was afraid of accidentally touching her wrong and freezing her. This was despite knowing that my curse didn’t work well on Clemente.

One second passed, then one minute. Clemente was perfectly fine.

Still hot, still alive.

The tension released. Then this situation of being held by someone became embarrassing.

I threw out a needlessly spiteful comment.

“So when you were struggling, did anyone hug you?”

“Mm. No one.”

Hearing that calm answer, I squeezed my eyes shut. Along with the thought that I’d made another mistake, I suddenly felt sorry for her.

I’m not exactly sure why. But one thing was certain.

Rather than wanting to be held and cry, I felt like I wanted to hold her.

“Ah, but I’m fine. I hug myself when—? What?”

How much must she have cried to be able to speak so calmly about not receiving comfort when struggling.

That pain came across so vividly that I hugged her back.

I had no choice.

“I’m just comforting you from back then.”

“I’m f-fine though…”

Zephyrus gently stroked her back. Clemente’s body flinched, then soon a low laugh could be heard.

“I see, comfort… It’s much better than I thought. Ah, it’s even better because it’s cool.”

Clemente pulled him into a stronger embrace. The area where their bodies touched increased.

“I am… warm.”

“That’s a relief.”

Zephyrus closed his eyes as he pressed his cheek against her giggling shoulder.

‘This feels good. Honestly, I want to touch more.’

But I can’t do that.

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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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