Fated Hearts: Reborn to be His Duchess

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Conquered by Sympathy

"You like it that much?"

Cassiel’s voice came from behind her.

Elysia startled and turned around.

"My lord."

Her eyes immediately searched the room.

"Where’s Bran?"

"Seeing the physician out."

Cassiel’s gaze drifted to the ivory scepter.

"You’ve been staring at it for quite a while."

Elysia smiled as she looked back at the gift.

"I do like it. Afterall, it was given to me by His Majesty."

Her fingers brushed the intricate carvings.

"And it really is beautiful."

Cassiel raised an eyebrow.

"There are plenty of things just as valuable in Draevenor Manor."

"There are?"

"You have the household keys."

His expression carried a trace of disbelief.

"Haven’t you visited the treasury yet?"

Elysia looked slightly embarrassed.

"I haven’t had the time."

Between managing the household, reviewing account books, and caring for him, her days had been full from dawn until dusk.

Besides, everything in the treasury belonged to Cassiel.

One day, when he divorced her and married the woman he truly wanted, none of those treasures would be hers.

The ivory scepter was different.

It had been gifted to her personally by King Zephyrus.

She could keep it.

Unaware of her thoughts, Cassiel merely nodded.

"You should take a look sometime."

"I will."

Elysia smiled.

"Once I’ve finished sorting the ledgers."

Then something occurred to her.

"My lord, why did you come here yourself?"

Cassiel looked at her calmly.

"Before you left this morning, you said you’d bring me something good from the birthday banquet."

Elysia froze.

She had completely forgotten.

A flicker of guilt crossed her face.

"The food wasn’t very good."

Cassiel’s eyebrow rose.

"Really?"

"Really."

She nodded with conviction.

"Nothing special."

His gaze lingered on her face.

For some reason, Elysia felt as though he could see straight through her lie.

Fortunately, he didn’t press further.

Instead, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

Cassiel gave a small nod.

The kitchen soon sent dinner upstairs.

Having already eaten at the banquet, Elysia barely touched her food.

Cassiel noticed immediately.

"Not hungry?"

She hesitated.

"I’m watching my figure."

Cassiel glanced at her untouched meal.

Then he looked at her again.

"...I see."

For some reason, that response felt far more embarrassing than laughter would have.

After dinner, Elysia rose from her seat.

"I’ll go review the ledgers."

"Tomorrow."

She paused.

Cassiel placed his napkin aside.

"You’re injured. The ledgers can wait."

"It’s only a bruise."

"Even bruises should be treated properly in order to heal well."

His gaze shifted toward the bedchamber.

"Go lie down."

Elysia blinked.

"Lie down?"

"On your stomach."

Understanding finally dawned and her face warmed.

"The physician left instructions for applying the salve."

"I can do it myself."

Cassiel looked at her.

"Can you?"

Elysia opened her mouth, then closed it again.

The injury was on her back.

She couldn’t see it.

She probably couldn’t even reach most of it.

After a moment, she said, "Miriam can help me."

Miriam brightened immediately.

"Of course I can!"

She stepped forward eagerly.

"When Her Grace was younger, I was always the one applying ointment."

Elysia felt a headache coming on.

"Miriam."

"What?"

"You don’t need to explain."

"But it’s true!"

Miriam looked innocent.

"You used to climb walls, sneak into training grounds, and whenever General Calen punished you—"

"Miriam."

"...But I was always the one who—"

"Miriam!"

Miriam finally stopped talking.

Elysia rubbed her forehead.

"That was years ago."

"Of course."

Miriam nodded enthusiastically.

"Her Grace is very sensible now."

Elysia wasn’t sure that helped.

Cassiel had remained silent throughout the exchange.

Now he lowered his eyes.

"Naturally."

The room grew quiet.

His voice softened.

"Miriam should do it."

Elysia frowned.

"My lord?"

Cassiel looked down at his hands.

"I am of little use now."

The words caught her completely off guard.

"My lord..."

A faint smile touched his lips.

It wasn’t a happy one.

"Isn’t it true?"

His hand rested lightly on the arm of his wheelchair.

"I can’t walk. I can’t stand. I can’t even help my own wife apply medicine."

His gaze dropped.

"A simple task like that is beyond me."

The room fell silent.

Even Miriam stopped talking.

Elysia stared at him.

For a moment, she didn’t see the feared Duke of Draevenor.

She saw the man he had once been.

The commander who had led armies.

The warrior who had crossed battlefields on horseback.

The duke who had awakened after months of darkness only to find himself confined to a chair.

A painful ache settled in her chest.

"My lord."

Cassiel looked up.

"There is nothing useless about you."

He said nothing.

Elysia stepped closer.

"Do you know what people say when they speak of Duke Cassiel Drakemont?"

His gaze remained fixed on her.

"They speak of your victories, your loyalty and your courage."

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Not once have I heard anyone say your worth depends on whether you can apply ointment."

For a brief moment, Cassiel simply looked at her.

The corner of his mouth twitched.

Miriam nodded vigorously.

"Exactly!"

Elysia shot her a warning look.

Miriam immediately fell silent again.

Cassiel lowered his gaze again.

"Even so, your injury happened because of me."

Elysia blinked.

"Because of you?"

"If not for our marriage, none of this would have happened."

She looked at him for a long moment.

Then she shook her head.

"No."

Cassiel frowned slightly.

"No?"

"The people at fault are the ones who caused it."

Her voice was firm.

"Not the people who care about me afterward."

Something shifted in Cassiel’s eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then he said quietly,

"If I were still the man I was before, I wouldn’t need anyone else to help you."

The words struck Elysia harder than she expected.

She thought of his years on the battlefield.

His pride.

His strength.

Everything he had lost.

Suddenly, refusing him over something so small felt unnecessarily cruel.

"My lord..."

Cassiel gave a faint smile.

"Forget it. Miriam can do it."

For some reason, that only made Elysia feel worse.

After a brief hesitation, she turned toward Miriam.

"You may leave."

Miriam blinked.

"What?"

"I said you may leave."

"But the salve—"

"I’ll manage."

Miriam looked from Elysia to Cassiel and back again.

Though confused, she obediently curtsied.

"As you wish, Your Grace."

The moment the door closed behind her, silence filled the room.

Cassiel slowly raised an eyebrow.

Elysia felt her ears grow warm.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"...If you still wish to help, my lord, then I suppose I can trouble you with it."

For the first time that evening, genuine satisfaction flickered in Cassiel’s eyes.

"Of course."

His answer came far too quickly.

Only after the words left his mouth did he seem to realize it.

Elysia, however, was already turning toward the bedchamber and failed to notice it entirely.

Behind her, the Duke of Draevenor sat a little straighter in his wheelchair.

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