The personal physician, who had been riding in the servants' carriage, quickly laid Julia inside.
"Julia—she's okay, right?" Marin peered desperately into the doctor's grave face. "She'll be okay?"
"I'll perform initial treatment here, but she needs to be transported as quickly as possible to a location where proper care can be administered."
"That's what we'll do."
The Duke's voice came from directly behind her—she hadn't heard him approach.
At the sound, Marin's legs buckled. He caught her instantly, one arm steadying her waist.
"She... she saved me..."
"*Julia!!!*"
Yubis had been helping the knights clear away the bodies. The moment he heard, he came limping across the road as fast as his wounded leg would allow.
Marin couldn't meet his eyes. She stared at the ground and whispered:
"Yubis, I'm sorry. Julia—for *me*—she—"
Yubis flinched, then shook his head firmly.
"Don't say that. Julia did what she had to do." His voice cracked, then steadied. "She'll be fine, my lady."
His words buzzed in her ears like a swarm of bees—hollow, distant. Shame choked her. She looked down at her hands.
Blood.
*Still blood.*
A ringing filled her ears. Somewhere far away, a horse let out a long, mournful neigh.
Everything before her eyes darkened—then turned scarlet.
Through the murky haze, she saw a hand. Warm. Once-loved.
*Father's hand.*
Marin's gaze went empty, drifting across the void.
"Sorry..." The words emerged barely audible. "Dad... brother..."
Her body went slack.
The Duke, still holding her tightly, lifted her carefully into his arms.
"Move. As quickly as possible."
"Yes, Your Grace."
---
## — Later —
"Dad... brother..."
Marin woke with tears streaming down her face.
She blinked—disoriented—and pushed herself upright.
Not a carriage. A bed.
"*Julia!*"
"You're awake."
Marin turned sharply.
The Duke sat beside her, his face as impassive as ever.
"Where is Julia?"
Her throat was so tight the words came out barely audible.
"She's fine."
"Truly? You're not lying?"
"She's in the next room. You can see for yourself."
"Then let's go. *Now.*"
Marin threw off the blanket and leapt up—then the world spun violently and she sank back onto the mattress, dizzy and weak.
"Marin."
"Yes?"
"Are carriages... all right for you now?"
She blinked.
As she processed his words, memory flooded back: the moment she'd lost consciousness. The blood. The scarlet haze. Her father's hand.
*The trauma isn't gone after all.*
She'd thought she was better. But the instant Julia had been hurt because of her, the old wound had torn wide open.
"I'm better now."
"What should I do?"
His low voice was rough—tinged with something that sounded almost like self-reproach.
But this wasn't something he could fix for her. She had to overcome it herself.
"I won't make you worry anymore."
The Duke stood.
"Eat more. You're still not eating enough."
*Where did that come from?*
"Yes, yes. Can I go to the next room first?"
"Don't cry."
"Yes, yes. I'm going."
She was already halfway through the door, answering hastily—too impatient to wait any longer.
"Go."
With his permission, Marin slipped into the corridor.
---
She stopped before the next door and knocked cautiously.
"Yes." Yubis's voice.
But standing there, Marin suddenly lost her nerve.
*Is everything truly all right?*
The Duke appeared silently behind her and opened the door himself.
Yubis, who had been sitting on a wooden chair, jumped to his feet.
"Your Grace. Lady Marin."
"...Is Julia okay?"
The words scraped past the lump in her throat.
"Yes." Yubis smiled—deliberately reassuring. "She's fine."
Only then did the iron band around Marin's chest finally loosen.
"Thank God." Her voice cracked. "Thank God..."
From the bed came a rustle of movement.
Marin hurried to Julia's side.
"Lady..."
Julia lay on her stomach, heavily bandaged. At the sound of Marin's voice, she turned her head with obvious effort.
Marin's heart clenched. She rushed closer.
"Julia—don't move."
"Lady, are you hurt anywhere?"
"I've been telling her since the beginning that *you're* fine," Yubis grumbled from behind, "but she keeps asking anyway."
"Julia was hurt *instead* of me." Marin's voice trembled. "But I'm safe."
"Ha-ah..." Julia's smile was radiant—sincere and bright despite everything. "What happiness."
"*Happiness?*" Marin stared at the thick wrappings covering Julia's shoulder. "Look at your bandages—"
"If you weren't hurt, then I'm fine." Julia's voice was calm. Certain. "Even if they cut off my arm, I'd survive."
"*Julia!*"
Marin shouted her name as though she'd heard blasphemy.
Julia's eyes went wide with alarm.
"Don't you *dare* say things like that! Knock on wood—*right now*. Take it back!"
"Really—why would you say something like that?" Yubis chimed in irritably. "Spit it out. Go on."
"Phew-pah."
Julia, unable to withstand their twin glares, obediently made the sound—though it was more imitation than actual spitting.
Marin finally exhaled.
"I'm sorry I caused you to suffer." Her voice softened. "And thank you for saving me."
"What are you saying, my lady? I left the carriage because I wanted to—" Julia's eyes grew distant. "If you had been the one wounded, I..."
"Stop." Marin held up a hand. "Those are words you'd have to knock wood for again."
She paused, then spoke gently:
"So I'll just say: *thank you*. But please—don't do that again. All right?"
Scarlet eyes gazed up at her—steady, unblinking.
"I'm sorry, my lady." Julia's voice was quiet but firm. "I can't promise that."
Marin opened her mouth to object, but Yubis spoke first:
"Lady, I agree with Julia. If I were in her place, I'd save you first too."
"What are you both *doing*..."
Marin's voice came out helpless.
They were barely sixteen—the New Year had only just passed. Two not-yet-grown children, ready to throw themselves into fire for her sake.
The thought made her heart clench until it ached.
"Marin."
The Duke's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Lord Gerald."
"Accept that they care this much about you." His tone was matter-of-fact. "And do everything in your power to ensure situations like this don't arise again."
He put everything in its place with a single sentence.
Marin swallowed a sigh and nodded.
"So—no further than five steps from me."
"Last time it was *ten!*"
"Because danger constantly finds you."
"Yes, yes..."
The moment Marin waved dismissively, Julia spoke up:
"It will be better this way, my lady."
"It's safest to stay with His Lordship!" Yubis added.
"*Fine*, fine!"
Marin surrendered and settled onto the edge of Julia's bed.
"Do you need anything?"
"I'm all right, my lady." Julia smiled—eyes curving into crescents.
"Have you eaten? Did you sleep at all?" Marin studied her face. "Do you want me to read to you?"
"*You*, my lady?"
"You know I'm a good reader." Marin's voice warmed. "I'm sure you were in too much pain to sleep properly. I'll read something soothing. Just a moment."
"My lady, you don't have to—"
But Marin was already on her feet, already opening the door.
She stepped into the corridor—and found the Duke directly behind her.
"Why are you out here?"
"Five steps."
She glanced around. The hallway was empty.
"I have El."
"She said she was repenting—and would stay even closer to guard you from now on."
"How is that supposed to—"
"Good morning, Your Grace. Lady Marin."
A maid with jet-black hair approached and bowed. She was quite tall, her thin, elongated eyelids lending her gaze a cool detachment.
"Oh... hello."
Despite the greeting, the maid didn't leave. She simply stood there, waiting.
Marin looked up at the Duke with a silent question.
He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, expression unchanged.
"This is... El, isn't it?"