Evading the Evil Duke’s Love

Born in a family characterized by silver hair, Laila stood out because she was the only one with turbid gray hair. Her eyelashes were gray and even her eyes were gray.

“Even though you didn’t roll in dust, you look like you’re covered in ash.”

He used to say those types of things to Laila when they were young. Although he was in a better mood when he saw Laila getting sad, he didn’t intend to tease her or necessarily consider it fun.

“Darn it.” 

The strange thing was that he didn’t feel good whenever he heard that the beggar had fallen ill. No, to be exact, the day he heard the news, he felt bad all day. He couldn’t even use his sword properly.

‘That’s why I tried not to hear anything about her.’ 

He kept a distance between them intentionally. He was annoyed, but now, seeing Laila’s current condition, he didn’t feel good.

‘What a cold sweat… If I leave her here alone, will I wake up to a corpse tomorrow?’

He shivered as he imagined a lean, curled up corpse lying in her bed.

“What do I do now?”

Not knowing what to do, he started pacing back and forth angrily, spitting out profanities. Eventually, he reluctantly made his way to the duke’s exclusive family doctor.

* * * 

When Laila opened her eyes, she flinched at the unfamiliar sight before her. She looked around and made eye contact with an old man.

“Did you wake up?” 

She knew who he was, but it was her first time talking to him. He was the duke’s family doctor. Laila raised herself, took the water he held out to her, and awkwardly took a sip.

“Hello.”

“Hmm… I’m not quite well.” 

The old doctor raised his eyebrows, responding to her awkward greeting. When Laila didn’t reply and only stared at the doctor, he studied her face quietly with unknown eyes.

“Ms. Laila.” 

“Yes, Parden?” 

“You don’t have to be so polite, but that’s not important right now. How long has your condition been like this?”

Before Laila understood what he meant, her hands started shaking because she heard something she shouldn’t have. He just referred to her as Ms. Laila.

“Oh my.” 

When he told her to calm down, she felt scared. He was speaking softly, not knowing why Laila was reacting that way. She was simply just scared. When it seemed like she wasn’t going to calm down any time soon, the doctor murmured to himself and rose from his seat. Laila involuntarily flinched at his movements.

“Then, please rest.”

The doctor said simply as he gazed at her with complicated eyes, then left the hospital room. Laila shivered as she felt that she had entered a very scary place. The air seemed a little bit strange.

With a trembling body, she climbed out of bed. As she stood next to it, she felt somewhat strange. Her pain was significantly reduced.

The pain that had choked her until her final moments, the pain that she had grown accustomed to because she was destined to die, was remarkably reduced.

Suddenly, Laila caught sight of a note that laid on top of the drawer.

<You used poison as an analgesic and it affected your body. If you are suffering, it is recommended that you take this medicine and regularly stop by, if possible. The drug has been prepared for a dose, so if you fall ill again, you will have to come back.

PS If you don’t want anyone to know about your health condition, I won’t tell anyone. So, you don’t have to worry about that.>

Next to the memo was a paper bag with the medicine in it.

“…” 

Laila felt her breath hitch for some reason. It didn’t even hurt, she just had to get out. As she went to leave the hospital room, she ran into a man who was entering. The person she ran into was none other than Laos Estevan, the eldest brother.

* * * 

Laos was the first born of the Estevan Duchy. From the original work, he wasn’t as skilled as his twin brother in swordsmanship, but other than that, he was talented at pretty much everything else.

He was the one who mourned the death of Laila Estevan the longest. He was the one Laila had loved the most out of all of her family.

But…

“Oh…” 

“You.”