So the Duchess Disappeared

21. Doubt

Looking back, it was indeed strange.

‘I should have realized it sooner.’

Psyche scolded herself once again for her haste. But how could she repay an enemy with kindness, even if they had saved her life? A bitter laugh involuntarily escaped her lips.

Nevertheless, there were more than a couple of strange things to consider. No matter how many lives she had saved, assisting her in escaping from the Duke’s mansion out of the blue was unusual. Acting friendly as if they were lovers while her husband was right there was another suspicious point. Coming to the Duke’s mansion by using the pretext of studying herbs raised further suspicions.

Psyche thought that she should have been more suspicious. However, it was always too late to regret once the situation had unfolded like this.

Of course, Psyche had never fully trusted him from the beginning. But the sudden intervention of fate in the situation made it seem like a natural encounter. She was saved from the poison. She randomly left the Duke’s mansion, only to coincidentally meet the prince in an unfamiliar place. Such events made her hesitant to have accurate thoughts.

She believed it was just a miraculous coincidence.

Moreover, Psyche was desperate. Her judgment was clouded by the thought that her life was in danger. She couldn’t trust the Duke, with whom she had lived for so long.

While pondering these thoughts, Psyche couldn’t help but laugh. The two of them had a contract. With that madwoman, Rachel?

Well, maybe carrying around the mandrake root was no coincidence. It wasn’t something easily obtained here. Psyche thought about the mandrake root that she had tucked away somewhere, and her expression grew bitter.

She swallowed a bitter laugh and stopped for a moment. Although she knew that she didn’t have time to waste, Rachel’s words had stopped Psyche in her tracks.

She had to be angry, but she was too angry to even think about what to say.

“Hah.”

Without realizing it, Psyche let out a sigh mixed with a bitter cry.

Did she trust someone she shouldn’t have again? She chuckled with self-pity.

It’s not like she trusted him all that much to begin with. Was there really no one else around? Psyche realized that she was in a truly desolate situation.

She concluded that the real problem was that she had been living only in the Duke’s shadow all along.

She resolved to be more active in social activities, make acquaintances, and develop the ability to read people. She needed to create her own strength and couldn’t rely solely on the Duke’s promises. She wasn’t about to trust him like iron.

Moreover, she had no information about the prince. It seemed like she was asking for too much, having made such a big request after just a few meetings. But without the prince’s help, Psyche would never have been able to escape from the Duke’s mansion. 

Thinking this way and that, she realized there was no perfect choice in the worst circumstances and opportunities. She couldn’t stay with the Duke. 

‘I can’t waste time here like this,’ Psyche thought. She pushed away her despair and sadness with great effort. She decided to postpone her thoughts for later. For now, the priority was to leave this place.

She no longer liked the Duke or the prince. Her feelings had withered to almost nothing, the emotional connection she had left could hardly be called disappointment.

She slowly resumed her halted steps and pushed all her thoughts aside.

“Psyche!”

As she moved, the prince called out to her urgently from behind. But she didn’t want to talk to him anymore. She had no intention of hearing anything from him now, and no amount of excuses about the past would bring her child back to life.

Psyche just wanted to go back to her hometown as soon as possible.

“Psyche!”

The prince realized that something was wrong when Psyche moved, and he stood up to explain the situation. But Rachel clung to him and shouted.

“Your Highness!”

“Let go!”

He tried to push Rachel away, but she was cornered, and she began to act wickedly.

“What is this, Rachel!”

When the prince kicked her hard, Rachel stumbled.

“Psyche!”

She started walking without paying any attention to his words, and his voice was no longer reaching her. She had only one thought in her mind – to get out of here. There was no need to complicate things by running into the Duke.

It was better to disappear quickly. Psyche continued walking towards the opposite door at the back of the palace in anticipation of the Duke’s arrival.

“Psyche!”

She ignored the person calling her from behind. There was no value in listening.

“Your Highness!”

Rachel, who had fainted, clung to the prince again. She was persistent as well.

“Your Highness! You can’t treat me like this!”

Although Rachel clung to him, the prince was firm.

“Shut up. I clearly said there was no contract.”

“But I’ve already done things for Your Highness, it can’t be nothing now!”

“Shut up.”

Despite Rachel clinging to him, the prince tried to get rid of her and approached Psyche.

She continued to walk quietly and was gradually getting further away. She seemed about to open the door and leave.

And so…

Though it was not the right thing to do, in his haste, the prince called the guards.

“Guards! Don’t let Psyche leave her room! Quick!”

In response, two knights guarding the door quickly approached Psyche and aimed their spears to stop her from going outside.

As the spears were pointed at her, Psyche’s face grew even colder.

“What is this…?”

She was bewildered.

The Duke would arrive soon, and they were doing this.

“Psyche!”

After finally detaching Rachel, the prince quickly approached Psyche, who was blocked by the guards, at the door.

“Psyche!”

He grabbed her wrist but then quickly let go when he realized his action. “I’m sorry. That’s not it. Please listen to me.”

“It doesn’t seem like there’s anything worth listening to.”

Psyche replied coldly, gently touching the wrist he had held.

“Please let me go.”

“First, listen to me.”

“I don’t want to listen, Your Highness.”

“Psyche…”

Even though he had a desperate expression, Psyche, who felt all of this was like a performance, turned away from him coldly.

“Step aside.”

Psyche used her hand to remove one of the spears blocking her way.

“No, you can’t leave.”

An irritated Psyche sighed briefly at the words and the prince turned towards a different direction.

Seeing him, Psyche got the impression that he thought she had changed her mind.

“So, you’re saying you’ll keep the promise you made to me?”

Right, that’s why. It seemed strange.

“…”

Then, this time Rachel interjected with a laugh.

“I originally had no intention of leaving at all! You should have died right there! Do you know how much effort I put into that plan?”

She seemed completely hysterical.

“Ha.”

Psyche was so angry that she couldn’t contain it.

So, that was the plan. Did my child die? She was so angry that her body trembled.

She took a step forward and slapped Rachel without hesitation.

Smack.

The sound of the impact was clear. In response, Rachel rushed at Psyche like a madwoman. It happened in the blink of an eye.

“Get Rachel off! Right now!”

Surprised, the prince commanded, and the knights quickly rushed to subdue Rachel, who had rushed at Psyche.

Psyche looked bewildered.

She steadied herself, swaying a little.

“Are you… alright?”

The prince, who approached in surprise, felt her body.

Psyche gave a bitter laugh and opened her mouth with a cold expression.

“Your Highness, please don’t try to explain anything to me, no matter what contract you may have made. My child is already dead and gone. Lost life cannot be compensated for with anything.”

“Psyche… Please.”

“Now, please let me go.”

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, the prince knelt in front of Psyche.

The sight shocked both Rachel, who had been subdued, and the knights who had restrained her. 

“…”

Psyche was so taken aback that she burst out laughing.

What did it mean for a noble to kneel? It was an impossible event.

Of course, the mistake he made with Psyche would not be forgiven or excused by kneeling, but there were many onlookers here.

His actions were not wise.

“Please don’t make things difficult for me, Your Highness.”

She turned away from him blankly.

“Psyche…”

Then, it happened.

“Your Highness! Duke Valentine has arrived!”

With that announcement, the door opened.