Chapter 81

Chapter 81

‘…Please don’t make that face, Len.’

To hide his trembling fingertips, Zachary raised his hand and grabbed the other hand as tightly as he could.

“Why should I get sympathy from you?”

Zachary, who was sarcastic, closed his eyes tightly. On the inside, his heart ached and he couldn’t stand it. All of the sharp words he poured out on her were blades attacking him instead, as it felt like his heart was being sliced ​​thinly.

“All issues were handled perfectly. You have nothing to worry about and nothing to sympathize with.”

No…

‘Without you, everything is just incomplete. I just need you I…’

“I don’t need your sympathy.”

‘I’d rather have all my emotions castrated.. then, I wouldn’t have to feel this pain.’

“Len, I.”

“….”

“I never wanted to see you again.”

Emotions flowed like the blood from his heart, which had been cut. Zachary struggled to pull himself together.

“…So, go back.”

“Please listen to me, I didn’t come back with sympathy for you…!”

“No. No matter what you say, it’s useless.”

After he said that, Zachary turned around. He could no longer be confident looking at her face. If he listened to her a little longer, it would seem that he would really hold her and beg her to stay. He bit his lip firmly.

‘Because I can’t.’

On the other hand, Iellie was in a hurry. If she let Zachary go like this, what would happen to their relationship?

“Zachary, I think you misunderstood something. I—!”

Iellie, unable to bear it, hurriedly grabbed his wrist though he shook her hand.

“Let go of this!”

“Ack!”

Iellie staggered briefly. His eyes widened wide. He calls out to Iellie.

“Len!”

Zachary, who reflexively reached out and supported her, stopped for a moment. The blue eyes trembled. Iellie looked at him as he was holding her arm with a puzzled look. Her lips twitched slightly.

“Zacha…ry?”

“….”

The light green eyes that were wet with water were gazing intently at him.

Zachary forced himself.

‘…I can’t be shaken anymore. Because I can’t make her happy…’

In the end, he let go of his arm and left the place. It was like a child running away.

He immediately summoned the butler. As soon as the butler entered the office, Zachary asked a cold question.

“I said that you would be reprimanded for the issues related to Iellie.”

“It is, Your Excellency.”

“So, why did you let her into the Duke’s castle without my permission?”

“Forgive me.”

The butler politely bowed his head. However, contrary to saying sorry, his expression was just calm as he continued.

“Still, she is the one whom the previous Lord loved.”

The words were true, so he bit his lips.

Perhaps, his father wanted Iellie to see him off on his final journey. After his mother died, she was the only one the Duke loved.

“Even though she is not part of Duchy Hessenweitz now, but still…”

Inside the wrinkled eyes, the light gaze faced Zachary and the butler continued in a calm tone, “…I thought she had the right to attend the funeral of the previous Lord and say her final goodbyes.”

“Why is it that the butler judges it as he pleases!”

“It is because I thought that the judgment I made now would be the same as the judgment of the current Lord.”

At those words, Zachary stiffened. The butler still had a calm face.

Rather, he asked Zachary back.

“Then, did the Lord really not intend to bring her into the Duke’s castle?”

“….”

He was speechless. As his whole body trembled, Zachary took a deep breath and pointed to the door with a nervous gesture.

“…Get out.”

Again, the butler bowed his head and eventually walked out of the room. Zachary glanced at his back and felt his body lose strength. Slumping down to his sea, he raised his hands and placed them on his forehead.

“…How did I send her away?”

A terribly low, torn voice came out. His voice was unfamiliar, and he smiled.

“How could you come back to me so easily…”

It reminded him of their meeting before. The moment he saw Iellie standing in front of him, he thought he was dreaming and he was only able to glance at her in a momentary slumber. It was a sin to even think of her.

“…Len.”

To be honest, he was glad that she had come to visit him.

Zachary’s shoulders lightly shook in low joy.

“I…”

In indescribable emotions, Zachary pulled his lips. He knew. Even though it was sad to lose his father, he expected a little that he might be able to see Iellie for a while. It was embarrassing

“…Beyond salvation, scumbag.”

Zachary was swearing at himself. He shook his head, holding back tears.

“Miss!”

Iellie, who was standing blankly in the parlor, suddenly heard a voice calling her. When she turned around, Mary stood there with tears in her eyes.

“Mary?”

“Oh my God, Miss!”

Mary ran to Iellie.

“What are you doing here, don’t tell me…”

“…I thought this was something I should have visited.”

Iellie smiled faintly.

The Duke was dead. Anyway, she has lived in this castle for a long time with the name Hessenweitz. No matter what her relationship with Zachary was, she was going to say her final goodbye to the Duke.

‘Of course, I’m going to try to convince Zachary as well.’

Iellie made up her heart. Even though he continued to push her away, that was probably not what he really meant. It may be an arrogant thought, but by pushing her away, the rather painful one was probably Zachary.

“How is Zachary doing these day?”

“He’s stuck at work all day.”

When Iellie, Mary sighed and shook her head.

“He often skips meals, so the butler is very worried.”

“Skips meals?”

“Yes. I think he has become more sensitive because of the situation.”

“….”

At those words, Iellie went silent. Feeling like she couldn’t leave Zachary like this, she spoke as she bit her lip.

“Thank you, Mary. Then, I will go see.”

“What? See, where…”

“To see Zachary.”

“…Yes?”

Didn’t she just meet him? However, without even expressing such a question, Iellie had already left the parlor. Mary, who was left behind, looked puzzled for a moment before she murmured in a small voice.

“…Anyway, since the Miss is here, I hope things work out well.”

In the current situation, Iellie was the only person who had the potential to improve the current situation.

Since Zachary had already extremely reduced the amount of food and sleep he ate, the people of the Duke’s castle were worried that he might be hurt. Mary glanced back at Iellie’s disappearing back and sighed again.

Iellie’s expression, as she strode forward, was calm.

‘…He was so stressed that he even skipped meals.’

This wouldn’t do, she would have to see him again and she couldn’t leave Zachary like that. At the thought, Iellie clenched her fists tightly. If she wanted to give up because he rejected her, she would not even have come to the Duke’s castle in the first place.

Soon, she saw the butler.

“Oh, butler?”

The butler also stopped.

“Lady.”

The butler, who was walking from the office, bowed his head politely. Hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth and asked.

“I’m sorry, but where is Zachary?”

“The Lord is in the office.”

“Ah, in the office…”

Iellie nodded her head. Looking back, she realized that Zachary had finally succeeded to the title of Duke, so his office was used by the Dukes of Hessenweitz from generation to generation.

“Lady. I’m sorry to say this, but…”

“Yes?”

“…Please, take good care of the Lord.”

The butler, who had a complicated face, uttered to her. After a moment’s pause, she nodded her head.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to convince Zachary somehow.”

“Thank you.”

The butler smiled faintly. Since even the previous Duke passed away, the only person in the world who could persuade Zachary was Iellie.

He looked at Iellie, who was moving away.

Iellie, who received the butler’s request, fell into thoughts. She remembered Zachary’s face.

‘I should see his face anyway and talk to him again.’

He pushed her away and deliberately chose cold words. Still, she didn’t think they were sincere… Rather, the way he ran away like a wounded beast was closer to the truth.

‘I have to see Zachary’s face again somehow.’

Iellie bit her lip and headed to the office. A large mahogany door can be seen in the distance. Looking at the door, she was filled with strange emotions. Come to think of it, before, when that door was opened, there was the previous Duke.

‘Then… The Duke is really dead.’

…Theron Hessenweitz.

She clenched her fists. A father and son who loved and hated each other.

‘Duke, please help me convince Zachary.’

Iellie muttered inside. After taking a big deep breath, she raised her hand resolutely before approaching the door.

Knock, knock.

The knock sounded. Standing in front of the silent door that didn’t even answer, she called Zachary.

“Zachary.”

“….”

“I know you are there.”

Talking with him was the top priority right now. Iellie said in a firm voice. Zachary, who had slumped inside the door, bit his lip and crouched his shoulders. He did not think that she would come to the office.

“We have a lot to talk about.”

“….”

“So, please open the door… okay?”

Zachary drew his whole body at Iellie’s words. He swallowed his breath wanting to disappear from this world.

…He must not listen to her anymore.

‘No. Be patient, Zachary.’

He closed his eyes tightly, desperately. To be honest, he wanted to open the door right away.

‘Don’t be shaken.’

He wanted to hold her tightly in his arms. He really wanted to confess with all his heart that she was so precious.

‘You know it’s your selfishness that keeps holding her.’

Zachary felt a dreadful feeling. Like the Asha flower waving in the sunlight, he tried to find her over and over again… wetting her feet with tears and trying to beg her to come back.

‘Still, I didn’t go to look for you…’

Knowing that she couldn’t be happy if she stayed by his side. Zachary gazed up blankly. In the end, no matter how much he loved and cared for her. If he could endanger her because of him, everything was all over.

“You know, Zachary…”

Suddenly, a small voice was heard. Iellie sat down in front of the door and leaned her head gently at the door as she went on.

“Do you really think I don’t know?”

“….”

Zachary was silent. He sat with his back to the door in between them and listened to Iellie’s quiet voice. He couldn’t cover his ears, even when he knew that he would shake if he listened to her.

“How much time have I spent with you?”

“….”

“When you lie, you lose all your expression.”

Saying that, she smiled faintly.

Zachary has always been like that. When he tried to deceive others, he did not know what face to make and he rather shrouded it with an expressionless face like a mask. However, looking closely, she could see it… the sadness in those eyes.

“…Besides, are you still trying to argue that you didn’t like me when you ran away earlier?”

“….”

“You couldn’t even look me in the eyes.”

He could feel his breathing become disturbed listening to her resolute voice.

Iellie continued softly.

__

Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot.