Chapter 97 – ​97

“Are ​you ​having ​nightmares?”

At ​Rayley’s ​question, ​Melione shook his ​head ​slightly.

“It ​is ​a ​dream so absurd it’s ​breathtaking, ​but it isn’t ​a nightmare.”

“…….”

“However, it ​is ​a ​dream ​so ​wretched ​that I feel ​it ​would ​be better to ​have a nightmare instead.”

The ​dream that ​left a ​deeper afterimage ​than any ​nightmare, ​tormenting ​him incessantly, always ​featured Euro. ​It was a strange ​and sweet dream where ​Euro reached out as ​if wanting ​him, ​and upon taking his hand, would ​burst into tears in ​his ​arms.

In ​a ​space ​filled with nothing ​but [Read on Read BL Novels]visit our siteimpossible ​hopes, ​Melione held onto ​Euro—who ​felt as if he were ​truly [stolen content]alive—tightly, ​refusing ​to let go.

That ​dream ​was ​the ​problem. ​Had he ​not ​had such ​dreams, things would not have come to ​this. That damn, ​wretched dream had ​made him this way.

It ​felt as ​if someone had ​forcibly ​sliced open his ​skin, pushed their ​way inside, ​and ​squeezed his ​heart ​tight. That ​touch ​was not ​merely ​painful ​and agonizing.

The moment ​a ​chillingly sharp ​pain ​flared, ​Melione ​realized that his heart had fallen into Euro’s grasp.

It was unpleasant. The unfamiliar fluttering drove him toward anxiety moment by moment. Fear was a word that did not suit a life that had already fallen to the very bottom of existence.

No pain, no death could make him anxious. At least, that was true as long as it was all directed only at him.

Melione could not tolerate himself trembling. He wanted to eliminate the sudden tension that had invaded his life by any means necessary. This was because he did not know that the name of that emotion was excitement.

“I don’t want to dream. I just want to sleep.”

“…….”

“I’ve lived taking sleeping pills to the point of satiety, so I can’t sleep with ordinary medication. And if I stay awake like this, I simply cannot endure the anxiety.”

Rayley silently watched Melione, who was roughly brushing back his hair. He wanted to escape from something other than the curse.

And Rayley—or rather, Larry—could tell that the ‘something’ was Euro. With that, he organized and closed the bag he had brought and spoke.

“I believe I will have to specially formulate a sleeping pill that suits Your Excellency.”

“How long will it take?”

“I will stop by again before night falls.”

“How about staying at this mansion until I remain in Paltrinie? I will provide whatever you need.”

“…….”

“There is one more person who cannot sleep.”

Melione rose from his seat and headed toward the window. He gazed blankly at the garden in front of the mansion through the half-open window.

Euro, who had headed to the Imperial Palace immediately upon arrival after being summoned by Gail, showed no sign of returning. He didn’t know what Euro was discussing with the Crown Prince there.

I wonder if he met Clope. It would be difficult for her to stay at the Imperial Palace, but Gail must have brought her to the capital.

What would Euro talk about with Clope? If he told her he no longer wished to stay in Silon and wanted to return to Norden with her, what expression should he make?

Larry gazed blankly at Melione, who remained silent with his back turned as if lost in thought, and asked.

“Is that person the Duchess?”

“Yes.”

“Does the Duchess suffer from insomnia as well?”

“So I’m told. Though that isn’t the main problem right now.”

Unable to properly settle his tangled emotions, Melione closed the window and drew the thick curtains.

The once bright drawing room grew somewhat dark, and as Melione turned around, he narrowed his eyes slightly upon meeting the gaze of Larry, who was sitting still and watching him.

Looking at Larry’s face, which seemed to have a slight shadow over it, he felt as if he had met him somewhere before.

“Have you ever stayed in Silon?”

At Melione’s question, Larry shook his head with a nonchalant expression.

“No, I was born and raised in Paltrinie.”

“……I see.”

If he had stayed in Silon, it would make sense for him to look familiar. There had been more than a few physicians who frequented the Dukedom.

However, the emotion that surged up at the thought that he was simply one of those physicians was quite unpleasant. Was it simply because his nerves were frayed?

Melione frowned and averted his gaze from Larry. He thought that perhaps the influence of the curse, which seemed to have paused for a moment, was making him this way.

Once gripped by madness, he developed an unnecessary hostility toward all others. He would be seized by a bizarre impulse to kill or harm someone.

“When you return tonight, examine the Duchess. She is currently away.”

“Yes.”

“You may go.”

At those words, Larry immediately packed his bag, rose from his seat, and bowed. Regardless, Melione flopped back onto the sofa and swallowed another pill.

ꕥ ꕥ ꕥ

On the way back to the mansion in the capital, he rode in Clope’s carriage with her. This was because he had already sent back the carriage Gail had provided.

It was a path he could have returned alone without any problem, but for some reason, Clope climbed into the carriage to accompany Euro. It didn’t seem as though she had anything specific to say.

The road to the mansion was not particularly long, and during that short time, the two remained silent, looking in different directions.

After some time had passed, while it was unclear what thoughts each was preoccupied with, Euro remembered the original reason he had wanted to meet Clope.

Since he was now facing death, it wasn’t particularly necessary, but since he didn’t know how the situation might suddenly change, Euro decided he should make the request to her now.

“You know, Sister.”

“Yes?”

At Euro’s call, Clope turned her gaze from the window to meet his eyes.

“I want you to find someone in Norden for me. As quietly as possible.”

“Someone? Who?”

“Helen Rose.”

At Euro’s answer, Clope’s expression stiffened slightly. It was because she had heard a name that felt both unfamiliar and familiar, having not heard it in so long.

It was a name that was impossible to forget even if one tried. Helen Rose—how could she forget her? There was a time when Clope had even hated her.

“There is something I visit our sitewant [stolen content]to ask. [visit our site]But I think it will be difficult to track her down in Silon.”

“…….”

“If I had plenty of time, I would have tried somehow, but I don’t think that will be possible.”

Clope nodded at Euro’s words. Indeed, he would probably want to meet her at least once more. Even if not, he would be curious about whether she was alive or dead.

One day, Helen had suddenly come to the Royal Palace with Euro and claimed that he was the son of the King. He had heard that this was a fact even Euro himself had been entirely unaware of.

Yet, for some reason, Euro had never once looked for Helen. No one would blame a young child for occasionally longing for their mother, but Euro did not utter the word ‘mother’ even when he fell and burst into tears.

It was as if he knew perfectly well that she was someone he could never meet again, no matter how much he called.

“Can you tell me what it is you want to ask?”

At Clope’s question, Euro shook his head slightly.

“I can’t tell you yet.”

“……I see.”

“…….”

“I’ll look into it, don’t worry.”

She did not press him further for a reason. She simply thought that there must be a reason for it. It wasn’t that she had asked because she suspected something.

The younger brother, who had always been anxious because he lacked something, had suddenly died and come back to life, only to become detached from life and volunteer for the path toward death.

In Clope’s memories, Euro Leches was always aggrieved and filled with resentment. Having no place to properly open up his inner feelings, he didn’t even know how to hold eye contact while conversing.

Because she hated Helen Rose, there were times when the very existence of stolen contentthe half-brother she brought along was an eyesore. She [Read on Read BL Novels]felt this even though [Read on Read BL Novels]she knew Euro was not at fault. The same went for Helen Rose.

This was because she had realized at some point that Helen had not become her father’s mistress by choice.

Euro Leches had always struggled to survive in a Royal Palace where there was not a single place to feel attached to. Norden was cold, but to Clope, it was a warm hometown. But it wasn’t for him.

Euro Leches always lived trembling every single day, like a child stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard. It was because there was no one to embrace him through the bitter cold and hunger.

When such a person volunteered to go to Silon in her stead, Clope felt as if she were losing her mind. She wanted to tie Euro to Norden, even if it meant locking him in a room.

But she couldn’t. It wasn’t simply because her own life was at stake. If it was a life that could only be obtained by stepping on someone else’s misfortune, it was better not to have it.

However, Euro had whispered to Clope as if pleading. That he wanted to leave Norden, that he no longer wanted to stay here. Clope realized then. That for him, Norden had not been a hometown for a single moment.

Eventually, the carriage arrived in front of the mansion. As the coachman opened the carriage door, Euro bid farewell to Clope.

“See you later, Sister.”

“……Euro, wait a moment.”

Stopping Euro as he was about to step out of the carriage, Clope spoke in a trembling voice.

“Is the Duke treating you well?”

At Clope’s question, Euro took her hand as if to reassure her.

“Of course.”

“…….”

“He treats me well.”

“If anything ever happens, come back anytime.”

Gripping Euro’s hand tightly, Clope spoke as if urging him.

“If you hate Norden, even to that mansion from earlier.”

“…….”

“Don’t think that you have nowhere to return to, and don’t try to endure everything alone thinking you have nowhere to run. You have me.”

“Go on now.”

Euro let go of Clope’s hand and stepped out of the carriage. She closed her eyes tightly, staring at Euro’s back as he walked away. However, the carriage carried away even the lingering attachments she had shed, racing back the way it had come.

Entering through the open main gate of the mansion, Euro took a deep breath in and let it out. It would have been better if Clope’s comfort had reached the real Euro Leches, not him.

Euro clenched and unclenched his fists for no reason, looking down at his empty hands. For some reason, unauthorized copyit felt [Read on Read BL Novels]as if too many things had crumbled and slipped through the gaps of those fingers.

It was then. Euro noticed someone’s feet standing still right in front of his lowered line of sight and looked up. What he saw was a very familiar face that should not be here.

“Larry?”