So the Duchess Disappeared

53. The Unspeakable

Psyche, who had been feeling a little unwell, became very clear-headed by the time she woke up.

“….”

Psyche blinked, waiting for her vision to clear.

‘How long have I been lying here?’

It felt like quite a long time had passed.

Unlike when she lost consciousness, her body felt very light.

It seemed that the contraceptive made from the virginia leaves she took for the first time had side effects.

Feeling a bit groggy, Psyche thought she should get up, and as she half-raised her upper body, suddenly felt her body being pulled forward.

And then, she immediately realized that something touched her lips.

“….!”

Psyche was so surprised that she opened her eyes wide, realizing that the person kissing her was Clint.

The sensation of warmth passed through her lips as if piercing them.

Though it seemed urgent, Psyche felt somewhat perplexed by the motion that lacked emotion.

It was because she had never experienced such a thing before…

“….Uh.”

As soon as Psyche realized what was happening, she quickly pushed Clint away, using her hands to push his chest.

He was pushed back more easily than she had expected.

“….What the…”

Wiping her lips, Psyche looked at Clint.

There was an inexplicable gap of emotions between them.

Having spent countless days as a married couple, the act of kissing was nothing special.

But something was clearly different from the numerous things in the past.

The gentlemanly and gentle Clint she was used to was nowhere to be found.

With strange eyes, Clint slowly opened his mouth without a hint of hesitation.

“Did you do that on purpose?”

“….?”

“I asked if you did it on purpose.”

Clint’s voice lowered more than usual.

But Psyche, who didn’t understand the context, could only look at him.

“Did you intentionally try to die in front of me?”

Clint suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Were you trying to die as if to show me?”

Psyche was a little surprised by his sudden outburst.

Usual neat attire, hair neatly combed.

Certainly, he looked just like usual, but to Psyche, the atmosphere felt distinctly different.

Externally, it seemed like nothing, but he was undoubtedly deeply shaken.

Psyche quickly picked up on the very subtle difference and was taken aback.

She had never seen him so enraged.

“To die… What is that?”

“As if intentionally staging a protest from the railing, isn’t falling off the same thing!”

Clint shouted angrily once again.

Psyche, having lived with him in marriage for quite a long time, had never seen him raise his voice like this, leaving her speechless.

It was a misunderstanding.

“That, that’s not what I…”

Trying to clear up his misunderstanding, Psyche started to open her mouth but then closed it again.

Even if she explained that she didn’t intentionally try to die, how could she justify the fall?

Did she secretly take a contraceptive pill?

Did she say she might not be able to have a child with him?

If she talked about that, the problem would go back to square one.

Did you try to kill me?

So, she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

Seeing Psyche trying to speak but stopping herself, Clint was completely losing it.

“Why! Why are you doing this, not liking something about me?”

After marrying Psyche, he always thought he provided her with good things, but he couldn’t figure out where and what went wrong.

He couldn’t understand why their relationship, which was bound by a mere contract, had to come to such a disastrous end.

Psyche remained silent in the face of his questions.

“Exactly, what should I do! With you!”

“….”

“Wife!”

“I’m tired….”

In the first place, this was a problem that couldn’t be solved.

Even if Clint’s feelings had changed now, Psyche firmly concluded that the fact he had tried to kill her in the past couldn’t be changed.

She didn’t want to talk to him about it.

Despite his questions, Psyche remained silent.

“Now, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“….?”

“Until you fully conceive my successor and give birth, don’t think about roaming freely.”

“What, does that mean?”

“You shouldn’t try to die in front of me again, right? My lady?”

“…”

“It’s just a word from your only husband. So please understand even if it’s uncomfortable.”

As Clint finished speaking, he pulled the bell rope hanging above the bed.

At the same time, the knights of the duke’s household who were waiting outside rushed in.

“What are you doing!”

“To make sure my lady doesn’t get hurt in the future, you all need to stay by her side without missing a beat.”

Ignoring Psyche’s words, Clint ordered the knights and then abruptly left the room.

Psyche, who was watching his absurd behavior, suddenly stood up.

At that moment, Alex, who had mixed in among the knights, quickly supported her.

“My lady!”

“Wait, what is going on!”

“No, my lady. You should still lie down a little longer!”

Alex pleaded with her as he managed to lay her back on the bed again, trying to follow Clint.

“Let me explain. For now, please focus on your own well-being.”

Alex spoke sincerely, genuinely worried about her.

But Psyche felt very threatened by the knights surrounding her.

Suddenly, the past she had thought she had completely forgotten came back to haunt her.

It was right after her parents had died in a murder-suicide.

Psyche, who wanted to know the whole story of the incident, had wanted to see her parents’ bodies.

But her uncle Johnny wouldn’t allow even that.

“Please let me see Mom and Dad, please…”

Because it was Psyche who had first discovered their deaths, her desperation was even greater.

The fact that her parents, who had been perfectly fine until yesterday, were suddenly discovered as cold corpses was simply unbelievable.

“No. You shouldn’t take even a step out of here, don’t you understand?”

Johnny even put young Psyche in the category of suspects and locked her in a room.

“Uncle, please let me see Mom.”

“No. There’s nothing good for you to see even if you look.”

“But…!”

“Let Uncle handle everything. I’m sadder than anyone else for losing my brother. Just endure being here a little longer.”

“But still…!”

With her father, who had been her protector, gone, and since she had always trusted Uncle Johnny the most, nobody at the time suspected he was the real culprit.

Johnny was very strict.

“Make sure Psyche doesn’t wander around. You all stay by her side and watch her.”

He hired mercenaries and brought them into Alistair Castle to monitor Psyche.

Why did the memory of that distant day, which she had thought she had completely forgotten, suddenly come back now?

Psyche shook her head vigorously to shake off those thoughts.

“Are you okay?”

“…”

Alex approached her with concern.

“First, can you send them away?”

Psyche sat up on the bed, running her fingers through her hair.

As Alex approached to support her, he gestured to the knights standing around to leave.

Although the duke had instructed them to watch over Psyche, there was no need for them to monitor her inside the room.

With Alex by her side and the knights guarding outside, it was sufficient.

They politely greeted Alex’s gesture and quickly left the room.

“…”

As the knights who had surrounded her disappeared, Psyche felt a slight relief.

With Alex’s help, she lay back down on the bed and let out a faint sigh.

“You don’t have to look at me with such disdain.”

Psyche noticed Alex’s gaze and spoke with a dry expression.

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need for you to be sorry.”

Psyche seemed to accept the situation more calmly than expected.

She was satisfied with avoiding any misunderstandings and not getting caught for taking contraceptive pills.

So she didn’t feel the need to confront Clint.

Ironically, it was Alex who tasted death in this situation.

She both liked Psyche as a person and thought that now that he had returned after so long, things would get better.

But now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that things between them were worse than before, even though Psyche’s body was back with the duke.

Alex had waited for their reunion more than anyone.

During the years when Psyche was gone, the duke was not himself.

If the Duke, the highest authority figure here, wasn’t himself, the suffering naturally fell on those below.

Clint was much sharper and more irritable during Psyche’s absence.

Not wanting to go back to that past, Alex trembled involuntarily.

If the duke and duchess returned to their former good relationship, Alex felt like she could do anything.

“May I sit next to you…?”

“…”

When Alex politely indicated the chair next to the bed, Psyche nodded without saying anything.

She quietly sat next to the bed and looked at Psyche for a while.

“Instead of staring at me like that, if you have something to say, go ahead.”

Psyche quickly caught Alex’s mood.

She cleared her throat and cautiously spoke.

“My lady, would it be okay if I asked what makes you so uncomfortable?”

“…”

As Psyche was about to answer, Alex quickly changed the subject.

“May I ask why you don’t believe my lady?”