Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 77

Revenge Comes with Interest, Episode 77: A Fool Needs to Stumble (77/200)

Episode 77: A Fool Needs to Stumble

October 16, 2023

Leia had been excited all morning, hearing that Terrence was coming to the Imperial Palace today. ‘Has his memory returned yet?’ she wondered.

Filled with anticipation, she dressed meticulously. Her heart fluttered as if she were meeting him for the first time.

“Chanel, Terrence is coming to the palace today.”

“The old man is?”

“Yes.”

Leia felt a pang seeing Chanel’s disappointed expression.

“Luke must still be having trouble moving around because his leg is broken.”

“Yeah, I know.”

They were supposed to have lunch together in the Imperial Palace’s greenhouse, and afterward, she would return to the Duke’s residence with Terrence.

Leia waited impatiently for lunchtime. She kept checking herself in the mirror to make sure her carefully styled hair and makeup weren’t messed up.

‘Why am I so nervous?’

After acknowledging her love and confessing, her feelings for him had grown so immense that they were hard to handle.

Finally, it was time for the meal. The long-awaited servant came to fetch Leia and Chanel.

The two headed to the greenhouse. Leia trembled the whole way, as if she were going on a blind date.

As they entered the greenhouse, a white table adorned with extravagant floral decorations came into view.

The crystal glasses and silverware placed at each seat sparkled in the light.

Most noticeable were Terrence and James, who had arrived first.

“Old man!”

Chanel ran towards Terrence, who smiled and stroked her hair.

“Chanel.”

“Do you remember now?”

“Did I ever forget?”

His gaze soon turned to Leia, and she hurried to meet him.

“Terrence, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Seeing him looking well made Leia’s nose tingle. She felt relieved by the fact that she could face him normally again, just like before.

However, it didn’t take long for the warm emotion swirling in Leia’s heart to turn into a cold chill.

“Who is this?”

“Pardon?”

‘Hasn’t all of Terrence’s memory returned?’

James, unable to watch any longer, gave Terrence a hint with a bewildered expression.

“This is Miss Grace Vizark, the younger sister of Baron Aiden Vizark. You are engaged to her, Duke.”

“I am? When?”

He asked James with a face that said he had never heard such nonsense in his life. Leia was so shocked that she staggered, and Chanel supported her.

“Old man, you’re still a silly fool.”

“What?”

“You forgot your sister! That’s why you’re a fool. Fools need to stumble.”

At Chanel’s words, Terrence glared menacingly at James and said,

“How did you educate this child?”

James didn’t hear a word of Terrence’s scolding. His mind was in a daze…

‘No, how can he remember Chanel but not recognize the young lady?’

It was simply astonishing. He was just amazed at how Terrence’s memory was working, remembering Chanel but forgetting the most important person.

Just then, Vivian and her maids appeared in the greenhouse.

“Duke, are you feeling well?”

“Thanks to Her Majesty’s concern, I am perfectly fine.”

He looked fine on the outside, but seeing Grace’s pale face, it was clear that his memory hadn’t returned yet.

‘Terrence Courtois, you’re going to get a scolding this time. You need to take care of yourself. You don’t know how precious your body is,’ Vivian thought.

As Vivian smiled kindly at Terrence, Chanel raised her hand and shouted.

“Your Majesty said so, too! Silly fools have to roll around!”

“Oh my! Chanel, that’s not ladylike.”

“Ah! I’m sorry.”

Chanel quickly realized her mistake and bowed her head. At that moment, Vivian’s maid, Mary, sat next to Terrence.

“Duke, thank you so much for the riding practice.”

Terrence didn’t remember Mary, but he treated her kindly as she was the Empress’s maid. Anyone would believe they were close.

He nodded and responded to her as she chattered away.

“Your Majesty, the old man forgot that he’s engaged to my sister. What should we do?”

Even in Chanel’s eyes, it seemed unpleasant that Terrence was being affectionate with another woman while ignoring Leia.

Chanel was unusually outspoken today. But it was even stranger that Vivian and Chanel were so in sync.

“Duke, do you really not remember?”

“Yes?”

Terrence’s gaze turned to Leia, who had a gloomy expression.

‘This is strange. I don’t remember her at all, but why does my heart feel so heavy?’

He was told she was his fiancée, but he didn’t remember her at all. Yet, when he looked at her, his heart beat faster, despite his memory loss.

‘Is my heart broken?’

“What kind of marriage can you have with a man who can’t even remember his fiancée? Perhaps this is fate.”

Vivian wrapped up the situation as if she had been waiting for this. Then James stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, the Duke’s memory is gradually returning. Even if he doesn’t recognize the young lady now, he will surely in a few days…!”

“James, can you be sure?”

Vivian asked back in a very firm tone.

“I can’t be sure, but according to Dr. Wilson…”

“There are often things in the world that cannot be explained medically. He must not remember Grace because she is less precious to him. You should deeply realize this. You shouldn’t lose something precious so easily.”

Just then, the head maid led another guest into the greenhouse.

“Your Majesty, Count Vitello Isaac has arrived.”

“Oh, really?”

As the Empress stood up abruptly, everyone followed suit.

Soon, a young nobleman with red hair and a cheerful demeanor appeared. He was tall, well-built, and above all, very young.

“Oh! An older brother who looks like the Empress.”

The greenhouse erupted in laughter at Chanel’s words.

“Sister, how have you been?”

Vitello greeted Vivian politely and then made eye contact with everyone gathered there. Then, he quickly approached and embraced Terrence.

“Terrence, it’s been a while.”

“Vitello.”

Terrence didn’t recognize Vitello right away. The last time he had seen him, Vitello was covered in pimples.

To think he had grown into a robust young man.

“Vitello, the food will be coming soon. Please sit wherever you like.”

At Vivian’s words, Vitello scanned the seats and then his eyes sparkled when he saw Leia.

He approached Leia without hesitation and introduced himself.

“I am Vitello Isaac. May I ask for the lady’s name, if it’s not too much trouble?”

“Grace Vizark.”

“Ah! You are Baron Aiden’s younger sister?”

“Yes.”

Vitello kissed the back of Leia’s hand and naturally took the seat next to her.

In that moment, Leia and Terrence’s eyes met. An awkward and unfamiliar gaze—something the old Terrence would never have tolerated.

On the other hand, Terrence felt inexplicably displeased and asked James in a low voice.

“Is that woman really my fiancée?”

“Yes, Duke. You are making a big mistake right now.”

“I am?”

James sighed deeply as he looked at Terrence, who was asking back.

* * *

Leia and the maids were playing croquet [a lawn game where players hit balls through hoops with mallets] on the lawn.

It was a game where they hit a ball through gates with a mallet, playing in teams of two.

Leia was on a team with Chanel, and their opponents were Mary and another maid. Vitello stayed close to Leia, busy coaching her.

“Fortunately, it’s not too cold today, Duke.”

Vivian said, handing Terrence tea under the shade.

“Duke, do you really not remember Grace?”

“I will remember soon.”

“Hmm, if you never remember, wouldn’t the engagement be void? Grace and our Vitello look good together, don’t you think?”

Terrence knew Vivian’s intentions. That’s why he felt even more unpleasant.

“Does Your Majesty want me to break off the engagement?”

“There’s no need to maintain a relationship with a fiancée you can’t even remember, is there? It doesn’t seem like the Duke’s memory will return easily in my opinion.”

“Even if it doesn’t return, it doesn’t matter.”

“You easily forget and easily give up on someone precious.”

‘Easily forget and easily give up?’

Terrence was confused. Aiden’s sister was a precious person to him. If she was such an important person as Vivian said, why couldn’t he remember her right away? There’s no way that could be…

‘I remember everything else, so not remembering my fiancée must mean she wasn’t that important.’

Terrence stood up and approached Mary.

Seeing that Mary’s team was losing, he thought he should go and coach her. He stood behind Mary, correcting her hand position and adjusting her posture.

Seeing that scene, Leia felt like her breath was taken away.

‘He must have completely forgotten me.’

Otherwise, he couldn’t be so affectionate with another woman while ignoring her. At that moment, Leia felt a pain in her side.

“Ah!”

As she bent over in pain, all eyes turned to her.

“Young lady, are you alright?”

The first person to approach Leia, who was struggling, was Vitello.

“It would be better to rest for a while.”

Vitello supported Leia and took her under the shade.

“No, I want to walk a bit.”

Leia wanted to go somewhere where Terrence wasn’t, even for a moment.

She couldn’t bear to see him ignoring her and enjoying himself with another woman. She understood his situation well enough in her head, but her emotions surged like angry waves.

“Vitello, take Miss Vizark for a walk.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Vivian smiled contentedly as she watched her brother and Grace walk towards the promenade.

On the other hand, Terrence was swept up in a strange emotion. He felt like he was wandering around in the wrong place alone.

“Duke, what do I do next?”

As Mary urged Terrence in a nasal voice, he corrected her hand position so she could hold the mallet properly.

Then, Chanel put her hands on her hips and approached Terrence, huffing.

“Old man, you’re a fool! You stabbed your sister with a knife, that’s why she’s hurting.”

“What are you talking about? Who stabbed her with a knife?”

Seeing Terrence stiffen in surprise at her words, Chanel this time shouted at Mary.

“You’re no match for our Grace! Just flirting!”

“Miss Vizark, aren’t you being too rude?”