Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 159

Revenge Bears Interest 159
159. An Uncomfortable Wait

2024.01.06.

Leah and Sarah were devastated.

“What on earth is going on?”

Sarah’s voice even trembled.

“Is it really Elisabeth Hunt? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Even after double-checking, the female doctor’s name was correct.

Thanks to her, she and Sarah had disembarked from the Grayman and saved their lives.

They received a lot of help from her on the ship for two days, and they even promised to meet in Lübeck in the future.

“Didn’t she say her parents lived in Lübeck, Sarah?”

“Yes, she said her father was a professor at the Lebon Music University.”

Their house must be in mourning now.

Leah recalled the days she had spent with Elisabeth.

She had moved to Lomerica [a fictionalized version of America] to become a doctor without getting married, and she had introduced Leah to a college friend’s hospital in Grayman.

“Ugh! This is upsetting; I can’t even go to pay my respects right now.”

She felt uncomfortable because there was nothing she could do for her, even though she had received so much help.

“I should write a letter of condolence to Elisabeth’s father. What do you think about enclosing a check for the medical expenses?”

“That would be good. It doesn’t feel right to just wipe the slate clean and pretend we don’t know anything.”

“That’s right, we shouldn’t. She’s the one who gave me good news.”

Leah and Sarah bought groceries and headed to the post office.

Even if they wrote a letter now, it would take about ten days to reach Lübeck, but it was only right to mourn her death now that they knew about it.

The two of them took a carriage and arrived at the post office.

After Leah carefully wrote the letter, she enclosed a check in the envelope. But Sarah was acting distracted, as if she had something to say.

“While you’re writing a letter, why don’t you write to the Duke too……”

“If I did that, the trip would be over.”

“Well… I guess so.”

Even if she didn’t write the address, they would know where it was sent from just by looking at the postmark on the stamp.

If that happened, it would only be a matter of time before Terrence found out. But Sarah had something on her mind.

“But, by now, the Duke probably knows where you’ve gone, Miss. Because there’s a record of you taking the cruise ship.”

“He probably knows. If he knows I went to Lomerica, he’ll be worried too.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Terrence needs to suffer a lot. That’s the punishment I’m giving him.”

“What if something happens to the Duke…!”

“Sarah, Terrence will never give up until he sees my body. He’ll writhe in agony, but…”

He didn’t ask for my consent before feeding me birth control pills, either.

He should experience the betrayal I felt when I found out I was infertile….

Let Terrence also experience the betrayal when the person you love deceives you.

Honestly, Leah was more concerned with giving birth to the baby in her womb than with Terrence’s worries.

“What do you think would happen if Terrence found out I was pregnant?”

“I don’t know.”

Sarah also found it difficult to give a definite answer.

He would probably urge her to have an abortion because he believed that was the only way Leah could survive.

“I want to show Terrence and the Empress that I can have a healthy baby too.”

“Yes.”

Sarah was worried about Leah.

At first, she just wanted a child, but now that she was pregnant, she was obsessed with it, as if she had resigned herself to death.

The problem was that she didn’t realize it herself.

‘Miss’s determination is like a soldier about to go to war.’

* * *

Terrence subscribed to every newspaper published on the continent.

It was to check the list of victims of the Titamiho [a fictional cruise ship] that was updated daily. He had no choice because the articles and lists differed from newspaper to newspaper.

He also considered the possibility that Leah might have disembarked at another port of call in between. But that was unlikely.

‘Arthur said Richard Hamilton is in Lomerica. Grace went to see him.’

He would be relieved if she had disembarked at an intermediate port of call.

“Phew! She’s safe today.”

He took a sip of alcohol only after checking all the newspapers piled on the table.

That wasn’t all. He was using all the connections and power he could muster.

He investigated whether there were any companies or people involved with the Titamiho, even things that had not been officially announced.

He was truly realizing what it felt like to have his heart shrivel up.

His limbs trembled and his vision went dark every time he checked the morning and evening editions.

He couldn’t breathe properly for fear that the name Grace Bizac would be on that piece of paper.

‘My world has stopped, but other people’s time is going just fine.’

Everything had stopped for Terrence on that day, in that place, at that time, when he last laughed with Leah.

But people are living their lives as usual.

‘Should I just assume you’ve gone on a trip and wait?’

If I do that, will she suddenly come back to me one day? He asked the question that didn’t come back with an answer over hundreds of times.

I don’t know why I can’t wait calmly.

‘Grace, I’m scared. I don’t know when your name will be on that list of victims.’

If she hadn’t taken the cruise ship to Lomerica, I might be a little relieved.

But now that I know, I can’t just let it go. Just then, James came to the office in a hurry.

“Your Grace, Empress Theresa has arrived.”

“What? Show her in for now.”

“Before that, Your Grace, your uniform…”

At James’s remark, Terrence looked at himself in the glass window.

The Duke Courtois, who pursued perfection, was nowhere to be found, with his unkempt hair, shaggy beard, gaunt face, bloodshot eyes, and roughly dressed clothes.

“It’s okay. Just show her in.”

Terrence said brusquely, washing his face roughly.

He didn’t have the luxury to be polite, even if the Emperor or God came down from the sky.

Who told her to come? It was even more rude of her to come as she pleased and criticize my appearance.

Terrence headed to the drawing room to meet Theresa.

When he arrived at the door, he could hear Theresa and Chenelle laughing outside.

What was so funny? Terrence wanted to send her back quickly, so he hurried into the drawing room.

“What brings you to this remote place, Your Majesty?”

When Terrence entered, Theresa was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, and Chenelle was busy unwrapping gift boxes in front of her.

But the servant standing like a shadow next to Theresa caught his eye.

“Your Majesty, do you make your servants wear makeup in the Galdenia Imperial Palace?”

He hated the way he was wearing makeup like a girl.

Even in the midst of all this, he was amazed at his makeup skills, which were better than those of most women.

“He is my favorite servant.”

He wasn’t very interested, but one thing was certain.

Theresa had regained her peace, but he was trapped in a whirlwind sweeping through the desert.

“I came because I was curious about how the Duke was doing. I also have something to tell you.”

“I’m touched that you’re worried about me.”

“I don’t know if it will be comforting, but I have brought some small information.”

Theresa looked at Terrence, who had become a complete wreck, with pity.

The only advice she had given Terrence before was this.

If you respect Grace, even if it’s late, wait for her to return from her trip.

That doesn’t mean Terrence agrees with her.

He’s just staying still because it’s a place he can’t chase after. All he can do right now is check the newspaper articles every day.

“It seems Grace was going to get off at an intermediate port of call instead of going to Lomerica. Someone saw her filling out a disembarkation form.”

“What? Is that true? Please tell me where she got off.”

“I don’t know that much. There are several ports of call in between, so they have to submit their documents all at once a few days before reaching the first port of call.”

Terrence took his back off the sofa and his eyes sparkled.

Unlike Terrence, who wanted more information, Theresa stopped right there. She should tell him where she got off.

“It’s reliable information, so don’t worry too much. She’ll be back. So……”

“She might not be able to come back.”

Chenelle, who was unwrapping the package, suddenly chimed in.

“Chenelle, why?”

Theresa asked Chenelle.

“Sister is trying to come back to Uncle, but she might fail. Because… um, that’s…”

“That’s what?”

“I don’t know.”

It was a moment when his expectations soared and then fell helplessly.

Soon, Chenelle jumped up.

“Not Grace, Graymon, anyway, I have to go to work because I’m getting a lot of Chenelle Lace orders from there. Goodbye, Your Majesty.”

“Are you getting orders from Graymon?”

Theresa tilted her head. Chenelle’s lace is so popular even in that island country.

No, she’s already swept through many countries on the continent, so it’s time for Graymon to start looking for lace.

After Chenelle left, Terrence asked in a serious tone.

“Where did Grace get off?”

“I don’t know that. Um, if I were the Duke, I would check the records of banks and post offices in every country that docks.”

“Is that the waiting attitude Your Majesty is talking about?”

“Either way, the Duke won’t be able to wait.”

“Hmm, thank you. Thank you for the good news.”

For now, Grace’s name was no longer on the list of victims.

Theresa wouldn’t have come all the way to Lübeck with unreliable information.

He vowed to start the investigation as soon as she left the Duke’s residence.

Once he found out which port Grace had disembarked at, it would only be a matter of time before he found her.

* * *

Terrence had Luke bring him all the bank and post office records of the countries where the Titamiho had docked.

He looked and looked again to see if she had ever sent a letter or withdrawn money from a bank.

But there was still no harvest to speak of.

Still, this was all he had to believe in. Just then, James came in with a pile of documents and letters to be processed urgently.

“Your Grace, you have a lot of documents to process.”

“Luke is here.”

Terrence ignored James’s words. It wasn’t the time to be looking at those damn documents.

“Luke is very busy too.”

“Then James can handle it.”

“Yes? Your Grace, really…! By the way, a lot of letters have arrived.”

“Take care of that too.”

“Oh, my! Oh, my!”

James shook his head roughly, put on his magnifying glass on one eye, and checked the pile of letters one by one.

Then he looked closely at one letter.

“Your Grace, a letter has arrived from Lebon Music University.”

“It must be asking for a donation or asking me to attend an event.”

“No. It says they need to meet with Your Grace privately, so they are asking for a date to visit.”

Terrence was busy looking at the records, even at James’s words. Then he said in a nonchalant tone.

“Who at Lebon Music University wants to meet me?”

“Professor Heidel Hunt, I believe.”

“I don’t know him. Take care of it.”

Is he the only one who has public or private business with him?

There are countless people looking for the Duke Courtois in Lebon.

The reason why he is only staying at the Duke’s residence is because he doesn’t have the peace of mind to meet them.

Besides, he had a clue that could lead him to Leah, so he had no time to worry about trivial matters.