Chapter 26
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If the world had been flipped on its head between sunset and dawn, would he have felt this much shock?
Actually, a cosmic upheaval would likely be more jarring, but the current news was staggering enough in its own right.
“A killer? Aiming for His Grace?”
“Last night, yes.”
An attempt on a life here in Pallesa? The festive season hadn’t even arrived, and the current atmosphere was quiet, aside from the usual late-night revelry among the aristocracy. The thought crossed his mind—could Adi Grimaldi be behind it?
“Actually, Adi was the one who took the assassin down.”
That ruled out the possibility of him being the perpetrator.
“He sustained injuries, though. It sounds like he’ll be sidelined for a while.”
“Is the damage severe?”
“He was struck by a blade laced with toxin.”
“Toxin… Is he going to make it?”
“It isn’t fatal,” Bert clarified. “Besides, he has to survive.”
“True,” Roy agreed. “He’s the sole heir to Count Grimaldi.”
Spencer Grimaldi was incapable of siring more children. While some whispered of a supernatural hex, the truth was more mundane: he had suffered a debilitating groin injury during a jousting accident while standing in for the king—who was merely a prince back then. At the time of the fall, Adi Grimaldi was already in utero, though no one realized the Countess was carrying twins.
Born under a cloud of perceived misfortune, the children were publicly branded by Spencer Grimaldi, who openly declared the curse he believed had been passed to his offspring. Strangely, he never sought an heir through adoption. To those familiar with the Count’s nature, his behavior was a complete enigma.
Even Roy, who only knew the man by reputation, found the situation peculiar.
Adrina Grimaldi was gone, but the lineage was safe as long as Adrian remained. However, if Adrian perished, the Grimaldi line would vanish entirely. They might eventually dig up a distant relative or a nephew from some obscure branch, but molding such a person into a proper noble from scratch would be an exhausting ordeal.
“The Count won’t be silent once he hears about the poisoning.”
Bert’s remark made Roy wonder where that inevitable explosion of fury would be directed—at the Duke, or at Adi himself?
“…And the report?”
“We can’t tell him anything until he regains consciousness.”
“I hope he wakes up in one piece.”
“Joel is looking after him. He’s in good hands.”
“Joel… wasn’t he the personal aide who handled the Duke’s education and daily needs?”
“That’s him. An attendant who doubles as a medic.”
In reality, Joel was a practitioner of healing magic, though that detail was best kept quiet for now. Once they reached the southern territory, they would likely find themselves relying on his skills quite often.
“We’ll just have to wait. Perhaps we should find a temporary replacement until Adi recovers.”
“…You mean here in the capital?”
“Is there anyone who fits the bill?”
At Bert’s inquiry, Roy considered his fellow knights. The Duke of Woodpecker didn’t exactly have a glowing reputation within the 2nd Knights Order. Had they been more popular, volunteers would be tripping over themselves to help, but finding a new recruit now was a tall order.
Who would actually want the job?
“If we can’t find anyone, do you think the two of us can manage for a few days?”
“Easily.”
Doing the work themselves seemed preferable to dealing with the grumbling of a newcomer.
“Let’s go with that. I’d rather not bring a stranger into the fold anyway. The Duke has moved to a different suite, so we’ll be shifting our things as well.”
“Understood. What about Adrian’s belongings?”
“The staff will handle his move. He’s in no condition to haul luggage.”
Was the situation truly that dire? Usually, a minor toxin wouldn’t keep a man down for long, but being targeted by a professional killer was a different story.
“Where is Adi staying?”
“In the chamber connected to His Grace’s.”
“I’m sorry?”
“The room right next to the master bedroom.”
The implication hit him immediately. The location was far too significant to be a coincidence. Seeing the suspicion and confusion written across Roy’s face, Bert offered a quick justification.
“He’s being kept there so we can ensure he stays alive. Anyway, what about your things? Do you want the servants to move them, or will you do it yourself?”
“I’ll take care of my own gear.”
“I’ll let them know, then.”
*
The new quarters felt more vibrant and fresh than the previous residence. It didn’t quite match the Duke’s usual aesthetic, which explained why he had preferred the older rooms. However, since they were still on the same level, the change wasn’t drastic.
The Duke was reclined on a sofa in the sitting room, focused on a newspaper. When Roy entered and offered a formal salute, Yuls set the paper aside. “You took your time.”
“My apologies, Your Grace.”
“Never mind. I assume Bert filled you in on the details.”
“Regarding Adrian Grimaldi…”
Yuls shifted his gaze toward Roy, a silent question in his eyes about the depth of their friendship. It was hard to define; they weren’t exactly close, but they weren’t strangers either. Given that Adrian had been wounded while shielding the Duke, the dynamic had shifted.
“He isn’t going to die.”
“I was told you’re keeping him in the adjacent room.”
“It’s a necessity. He has to survive.”
“……”
“He’s right through there. You can visit him if you wish.”
“I wouldn’t want to overstep…”
“Come with me.”
Yuls rose and headed toward the private chambers. Roy followed, surprised that the Duke was personally leading the way. They moved through a series of connecting rooms and corridors until they reached the main bedroom, a space draped entirely in stark white. The clinical atmosphere was almost unsettling; an intruder would find the sight eerily cold.
The servant stationed in the room scrambled to his feet when Yuls entered.
“Open it,” Yuls commanded. The servant obeyed, pulling back the door to the side chamber.
This room was also a sea of white. Adrian lay there, his skin so pale he almost blended into the linens. Being from the North, he already possessed a fair complexion and light hair, but now he looked hauntingly delicate, with only his face visible above the covers.
Watching him, Roy felt a strange disconnect. It was impossible to reconcile this fragile figure with the man known as the “mad dog” of the capital.
“Adi,” Roy whispered. He noticed the hair clinging to the man’s forehead, soaked with a cold sweat. Beside him, Yuls made a soft sound of disapproval.
“Adrian.”
At the second call, Adi’s eyelids fluttered open. His brown eyes were glazed and unfocused.
“Adi, can you hear me? Are you alright?”
Adrian didn’t look at Roy. Instead, his eyes drifted toward the figure standing behind the knight. He was looking at the Duke.
Then, Adrian spoke, and the air in the room seemed to freeze.
Reaching out a trembling hand toward the Duke, Adi whimpered a single name: “Adi.” His voice was thick with tears and raspy from exhaustion. Yuls stepped closer to the bed.
“Adi…”
Tears gathered in the corners of those narrow eyes before spilling over. He grabbed Yuls’s hand with a desperate strength, repeating the nickname over and over like a prayer. Roy, completely bewildered by the display, looked at his master. “Your Grace?” Yuls didn’t pull away.
“He’s calling for his sister,” Yuls explained quietly. “I heard Adrina Grimaldi went by the same nickname.”
That seemed unlikely. Usually, siblings wouldn’t share an identical diminutive, and Adrina probably hadn’t had a nickname at all. Perhaps it was just a private name Adrian had given her, or a bond shared only between the two of them.
People often said twins shared a single soul. Had he simply projected his own name onto her? Or had she called him something else entirely?
“It hurts,” Adi sobbed. “It hurts so much. I can’t bear it.”
The tears were relentless. Roy had never seen such raw vulnerability from a grown man; the sight of him weeping and complaining of pain was jarring. Yet, a peculiar sensation settled in Roy’s chest—a heavy, suffocating feeling, like a sudden knot of tension that refused to loosen.
“I’ll get the healer,” Yuls said, preparing to move. Adrian’s fingers clamped down on the Duke’s wrist. The grip was weak, something Yuls could have broken without effort, yet he remained still.
“Stay.”
“Don’t leave me, Adi.”
The plea wasn’t meant for the Duke.
“I’ll protect you,” Adrian whispered to the ghost of his sister. “I’m going to get you out of this place.”
Perhaps it was the Duke’s shorter stature that confused him, making him mistake Yuls for Adrina in his delirium.
“Please don’t die.”
Even as his own life hung in the balance, his only concern was her.
“Don’t go.”
Adrian pulled Yuls’s hand toward his face and pressed his lips to the back of it. He kissed the hand repeatedly, then rubbed his cheek against it. Despite the Duke’s hand being far too large to belong to a woman, the feverish man didn’t notice the difference.
“Don’t leave me all alone, Adi.”
The sheer desperation in his voice was palpable.
“You’re the only one…”
The depth of his devotion to his sister was staggering.
For a fleeting second, Yuls felt a prickle of jealousy toward the late Adrina. To be loved with such intensity was a rare thing. She had been haunted by a curse and met a tragic end, but Yuls suspected she might have been happy simply because she had been cherished like this.
It was an experience he had never known.
An irrational spark of anger flickered within him. It wasn’t the dead girl’s fault, but he felt a surge of resentment that she had abandoned someone who cared for her so deeply.
He wondered what it would be like to be the object of such affection. If he had felt even a fraction of that warmth as a child, perhaps things would be different.
But it was a pointless thought.
“Roy.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Go find Joel.”
“Right away.”
Roy hurried out and intercepted a servant. “Do you know where the aide named Joel is?” The servant nodded and offered to lead the way, casting a lingering glance back at the sickroom.
Inside, only Adrian and Yuls Woodpecker remained.
With guards posted outside, the Duke was safe. Roy decided it was acceptable to leave his side for the few minutes it would take to fetch the healer. The sound of his boots faded down the hall.
Yuls looked down at the man on the bed. Now that they were truly alone, he allowed his hidden thoughts to surface.
“You really have no shame, do you?” Yuls murmured, watching Adi’s face. “How pathetic.”
He wasn’t entirely sure which of them he was insulting, but the words fell from his lips before he could stop them.
