Micheela Cor (4)
The fact that Walter had come looking for him in such a wretched state, even using his family’s power, must mean he had a purpose, and whatever it was, it was urgent enough to communicate only through the number written on his shoulder.
What kind of request written in blood on Stuart’s shoulder could be a plea for help?
As realization dawned, Stuart pressed his palm to his forehead and cursed softly.
“If you knew how precious one minute is to me, you wouldn’t be able to make this request.”
“What… do you mean by that?”
“Since you came here and delayed things, that’s five minutes. Yes, let’s say a generous five minutes to turn back time. But even if I turn back time, that incident will repeat anyway. I’m the only one who remembers it.”
Walter had never felt like such a fool in all his life from birth until now.
“So this is indeed a pointless act, and I don’t know why I’m doing this while reducing my lifespan by more than two minutes.”
“……”
“Just remember this one thing.”
Stuart told him to remember, then lost his words for a moment. Then he laughed loudly and patted his arm. Because of how soaked he was from the rain, the chill transferred to Stuart as well.
“To remember, you’d have to have memories, so the premise itself is flawed. Anyway. I want you to know that for some reason I can’t understand, and without receiving any thanks from you, I’ve been robbed of several precious minutes I could have spent with Mariette.”
****
Walter was on a ship. Kneeling on one knee.
‘What is this?’
Before he could even determine what sensation it was, the ship lurched greatly to the opposite side, and Lienne’s fragile body moved away from him. Walter reflexively pulled her sharply into his arms.
“Be careful.”
“Ah……”
While he felt a strange sense of déjà vu at his own words, the woman in his arms leaped forward.
The unbelievable happened in an instant. Walter stared blankly as an arrow flew and lodged sharply in the back of the woman he had so desired and wished for. Without even time to act, to the point where he wondered if he was truly this powerless.
“Lienne!”
She immediately collapsed toward Duke Rochester. The Duke also shouted at Lienne with eyes that couldn’t believe this situation.
“What on earth is happening?”
At that moment, unbelievably, the corners of Lienne’s lips turned up slightly. Seeing that smile, goosebumps ran long down Walter’s arms.
That woman knew this situation in advance. Such an absurd conviction came to him. Otherwise, there was no way a woman struck by an arrow could wear such a victor’s smile.
“Father.”
“Yes, Lienne. Say anything, anything at all.”
“I absolutely, absolutely cannot stand to see Ricardo lose to the fate of the oracle.”
Having heard those words, Walter delayed no longer. Right now, his only thought was that he had to save this woman. As he grasped her already cold hands like those of the dead, Walter’s world turned white again.
……
Walter looked around at the unfamiliar scenery. Then he realized he was in the residence where the Chaplin family’s chief physician stayed.
He could immediately tell that he had used his power. But of course, he had no memory whatsoever of what had happened. All Walter remembered was the moment he had fallen asleep last night.
First he felt a chill that made his whole body tremble, and next came the sensation of a woman’s body pressing heavily against him.
Walter looked down at the woman held in his arms with a somehow fearful heart.
“Li…enne?”
His face crumpled at the unbelievable situation. The hand and body of the woman he was holding were no longer those of a living person.
‘Could it be……?’
As he reached out to touch Lienne’s cheek, he realized his hands were completely covered in blood. Of course, he also realized it wasn’t his blood.
‘Is she dead? Is that it? You who wouldn’t give me even a moment’s company, have you died like this in my arms?’
What on earth had happened? For the first time, Walter resented God for his power that made him lose his memories when he used it.
Then the door opened and a familiar man appeared. The man was the chief physician who owned this room. Seeing Walter completely soaked and holding a bleeding woman, he hesitated and stepped back.
“Young Duke?”
At that moment, the woman who seemed to have crossed Veritica, the river of death, coughed up blood.
“Robert!”
When Walter shouted urgently, Robert ran to them with surprised eyes.
“Save this woman.”
“Wh-who is sh-she……?”
“She’s someone you must save no matter what.”
“First, lay her down over here.”
Robert carefully examined Lienne’s back where the arrow was embedded. From what he could see, the woman had already lost consciousness and bled far too much.
“How long has she been unconscious?”
“I don’t know. But it can’t have been long. I must have come here faster than anything in the world.”
“First I need to remove the arrow. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Where?”
“I need to have them bring some hot water, no, some cold water too, and I need to call my assistant……”
“I’ll bring the water and call the assistant.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Walter ran outside. Watching him, Robert swallowed dry saliva nervously. This was Young Duke Chaplin he had known since childhood.
Robert had never once seen him so panic-stricken and flustered. So whoever this woman was, he absolutely had to save her.
Soon the sun began to set, and the quiet Chaplin family estate became noisy with urgent footsteps.
****
While Robert treated Lienne, Walter wrote a lengthy letter on stationery bearing the family seal. No, he wanted to write at length, but in truth there wasn’t much to write.
Walter crumpled up the letter he was writing and took out fresh stationery.
<To Young Duke Rochester.>
He wrote that far and fell into thought again. How on earth should he begin?
All Walter knew was everything that had happened after he returned to the estate using his power. But that didn’t mean he could avoid informing Ricardo of the current situation.
If by any chance something went wrong with her, the relationship between Chaplin and Rochester would become irreparable.
Walter had already sent word to Duke Rochester’s estate that Lienne was here. But the story he heard from the Rochester family’s loyal butler only increased Walter’s frustration.
According to him, Duchess Rochester was currently being held at the imperial palace, and Lienne had come to the Chaplin estate this afternoon saying she would save Duke Rochester. That meant he and Lienne had gone somewhere to save Duke Rochester.
Walter steeled himself again and gripped his pen firmly.
<Your wife was struck by an arrow in her back and is being treated at my house. I too have no idea for what reason she was hit by the arrow……>
Feeling stuck again as he wrote, Walter put down his pen and rubbed his face with dry hands.
Wherever Ricardo was now, Walter could go to him immediately. But if he used his power, he would lose his memories again.
“Ha……”
As Walter let out a large sigh and picked up his pen again, agonizing over the letter, a physician under Robert’s command came looking for him.
“Is the treatment finished?”
“Not yet. Robert sent me to give you an interim report.”
“How is her condition?”
“According to the physician, the arrow seems to have missed vital areas.”
It was fortunate news, but not enough for Walter. It was already past night and heading toward dawn.
“Does that mean her life isn’t in danger?”
“Th-that’s still……”
“Speak clearly! What do you mean it ‘seems to have missed’……!”
Walter stood up abruptly and was about to shout loudly when he barely stopped his anger and exhaled in short breaths. In his urgency, he hadn’t even properly changed out of his wet clothes.
The physician couldn’t answer anything at the first sight of the angry Young Duke Chaplin and just bit his innocent lips.
“Go on. Report the situation frequently.”
“Yes, understood.”
Walter glared at the hastily closed door, then stopped writing the letter and slumped into his chair. Walter had to admit that what he was feeling now was fear.
He didn’t know if they had saved Duke Rochester, and Lienne’s life or death was unclear.
That wasn’t all. If something happened to Lienne while Walter went to find Ricardo, Walter felt he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.
Pacing around the room in agony, he took a long breath and removed his wet clothes. As he carefully changed into the clothes the maid had prepared, his movements were as neat and calm as usual, but his hands kept missing the buttons.
After finishing changing and writing the letter, he called the physician again. But this time too, the answer came back that her life couldn’t be guaranteed.
Even so, he could delay no longer.
Walter tightly grasped the letter and closed his eyes. But when he opened them again, he realized he was still in the same place as before.
“What is this……?”
His power hadn’t activated. If Walter hadn’t lost his power, it meant he had already used his power three times today.
“Ha.”
He felt absurd, but there was nothing more he could do. Since midnight had passed, if he fell asleep even briefly and woke up, he would recover his power.
Walter walked toward the room where Lienne was being treated. Unable to enter inside, he leaned back on the long sofa in the drawing room attached to her room and covered his eyes with his arm.
Pitch darkness came, but sleep wouldn’t come easily. A frustration sad enough to have never felt in his entire life pressed heavily on his heart. It was the start of a long dawn where it seemed he would never be able to fall asleep.