Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 8

Revenge Has Interest 9

9. Strange Imagination (8/200)

2023.08.09.

Leah recovered her strength two days after taking the herbal medicine. Initially, she kept vomiting because the medicine didn’t agree with her.

“Oh, miss, this is such precious medicine!”

Pauline wrung her hands and sobbed.

It wasn’t just that it was the only medicine that could cure Leah’s illness; Terrence had obtained it with such difficulty.

“I’ll spoon-feed you, so please swallow it down.”

Thanks to the effectiveness of the herbal medicine and Pauline’s sincere care, Leah seemed to have overcome a major crisis.

Leah was now well enough to sit up in bed.

“That herbal medicine, is it perhaps from the Eastern Continent?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Leah had heard about medicine from the Eastern Continent.

Even though the Hamilton Trading Company didn’t typically deal in medicine from the East, she had seen rare items from all over the world whenever a trading ship entered the port.

“Do you know how the Duke obtained this medicine?”

Pauline recounted the fight between Terrence and Rapa that she had heard from Luke.

Before Terrence stormed into Rapa’s organization, he had Luke plant bombs around the organization’s base, intending to blow up the entire building.

“Is that true?”

Leah’s eyes widened. She never expected Terrence to be so…violent.

‘I only thought he knew how to glare sharply with an icy face.’

Terrence seemed bored and uninterested in everything. But she was surprised to learn that he was capable of desperation and passion when something mattered to him.

‘Well, if Grace dies, the Duke will be in trouble.’

Because Terrence feels guilty towards Grace’s brother, Aiden. So, he must have wanted to prevent Grace from dying at all costs.

He revealed the aftereffects of the war in the cabin. It seemed he also felt responsible for protecting Grace in place of Aiden.

On the other hand, Leah felt sorry for Terrence. He couldn’t even properly manage his own internal wounds, his heart festering, and he didn’t seem to have the *yoyu* [emotional余裕; capacity] to care for others.

Still, he would do his best to take responsibility for his people.

She herself would be in trouble if she easily fell ill and died in Grace’s body. It was selfish, but she decided to endure somehow, accepting Terrence’s concern and protection for now.

“Pauline, thank you. For taking care of me with such devotion.”

Leah thanked her, holding Pauline’s hand. Then, Pauline’s face turned bright red, and she reacted with flustered energy.

‘Does she become a different person whenever I’m sick?’

Before, Grace had never thanked her. Rather, she would blame and vent on her when things didn’t go well with Terrence.

‘Humans only mature after they get sick, I guess.’

Grace’s kindness was still a little unsettling, but it didn’t feel bad. She worried about whether she would suddenly revert to her old self.

Just then, there was a knock. Pauline knew exactly who it was, so she quickly opened the door.

“Grace, you’re awake.”

Terrence was relieved to see Grace sitting on the bed. Pauline quickly excused herself.

“Duke Courtois, I’m sorry for causing you concern.”

As soon as Leah saw Terrence, her mind raced, trying to figure out what to say to him.

She had already heard from Pauline about the great lengths Terrence had gone to in order to obtain the herbal medicine, so it was difficult to pretend she didn’t know.

“I heard from Pauline that you went to great lengths to obtain this precious medicine.”

“It wasn’t difficult.”

“Pardon?”

“Do you know what’s most important in a fight?”

Terrence asked a sudden question.

Leah found it difficult to answer. She had never fought anyone in her life. Of course, there was the war with Allen.

“Technique?”

“No, it’s a preemptive strike.”

“A preemptive strike?”

“It’s about hitting the opponent hard with one blow so they can’t even resist.”

‘That was the bomb.’

It was an idea only Terrence could come up with.

Leah wanted to continue the conversation with appropriate words. But the words only circled in her mouth, difficult to voice.

Because Terrence was looking at her as if he would devour her. If she wasn’t careful, her face would burn from the intensity of his gaze.

“Don’t be sick.”

“!?”

Leah was startled and looked up at him.

It was a simple enough thing to say, but it felt different.

The one phrase, ‘Don’t be sick,’ contained a sincerity that genuinely worried about her, rather than just a protector’s sense of responsibility.

“Duke Courtois, may I ask you a question?”

Leah felt inexplicably sorry that his concern was genuine.

Because another person’s soul illegally occupied Grace’s body. If Terrence knew the truth, he would feel a great sense of betrayal.

“Ask away.”

“Um, do you believe in God?”

“What?”

He understands why Terrence is taken aback, but it was an important question for Leah. From now on, she will show more of Leah’s side than Grace’s.

Then his confusion will grow, and the situation will become very complicated.

“You know, like magic, I’m possessed by a character in a book, or I regress to before I died. Um… do you believe in such mysterious phenomena, like people’s souls switching with each other?”

Leah blinked, waiting for Terrence’s answer.

Meanwhile, Terrence was momentarily speechless at the sight of Leah’s blue-violet eyes sparkling like jewels every time she blinked.

‘Your eyes were pretty….’

Even though he had been seeing her for years, he felt it for the first time.

Terrence lowered his head for a moment to control the embarrassment that had struck him. He was surprised that his heart was racing because of Grace’s eyes, rather than her question.

“I know it’s a strange question, but I was curious.”

“I only believe in verified facts. I believe in science, not God.”

As Terrence raised his head and answered firmly, Leah’s face, which had been tense, brightened.

“Me too. I believe in new knowledge that scientists have discovered through long research.”

‘I used to believe that, but not anymore.’

“Grace, it seems like you haven’t fully recovered yet.”

Terrence laid Grace down on the bed, covered her with a blanket up to her neck, and then left the room.

‘Ha! Magic, possession by another person, regression… Is it a side effect of the herbal medicine?’

He shook his head and walked down the hallway. Then, he suddenly stopped and turned to stare at Grace’s door.

‘A soul has changed?’

Wasn’t that what he had been thinking while looking at Grace, who had changed just a while ago? He quickly dismissed it as a ridiculous and absurd imagination.

Because Grace had become a completely different person from before.

However, he was a young man of the new education.

In this era when electricity, telegraphs, steam locomotives, and cruise ships had been invented, and mass production in factories was possible, it was not a reliable logic.

‘That can’t be.’

Terrence shook his head, shaking off the thoughts in his head.

* * *

The weather in the Rubek Empire in June was perfect for outdoor activities. Leah’s pneumonia had completely healed, and Terrence’s gunshot wound had also healed, so both were able to resume their normal lives.

Today, to celebrate the weekend, everyone was enjoying refreshments in the garden.

Every time Terrence looked at Grace drinking tea across from him, the memory of that moment suddenly came to mind.

The moment when Grace’s hand wiped away the tears in his eyes and caressed the old, festering, and foul-smelling wounds in his heart.

She just touched them, but….

The sensation at that time was vivid. And ordinary words that anyone could say sounded like the absolute truth.

[Duke Courtois fought with all his might and brought back peace. So, don’t blame yourself.]

Her small body trying to warm his cold body.

[I know it’s rude, but I have no choice if I want to survive tonight. Please bear with the discomfort.]

The feeling when her small head touched his chest, it was as if a white dove had flown into his blackened heart and rubbed its face against it.

“!?”

Terrence was startled by the violent pounding of his heart.

‘How pathetic.’

To be imagining strange things and making my heart flutter.

He turned his gaze elsewhere. Just then, he made eye contact with James, who was walking urgently towards him.

“Duke, a letter has arrived from abroad.”

“A letter?”

“It seems to be from the Turkei royal family.”

Terrence examined the envelope of the letter. Only the recipient’s address was written in the common language, and there was no information about the sender.

However, it was possible to guess where it came from because it had a stamp with the face of the Turkei Sultan on it.

Terrence’s face hardened as he tore open the envelope and read the contents of the letter.

“I don’t understand a word of it.”

“What do we do if you don’t know, Duke?”

James asked with a troubled face. He knew that Terrence was on familiar terms with the Sultan of Turkei.

“I can speak a little Turkei, but I can’t write or read it. That language is not that easy.”

“Then, we’ll have to find a translator or interpreter.”

“We’ll have to.”

Leah, who had been quietly watching the situation, hesitated.

‘I can write and read Turkei.’

The Hamilton Trading Company did a lot of business with the Muslims, so there were many related books.

Also, she had naturally met their merchants since she was young, so she could speak their language quite well.

‘Would it be an un-Grace-like action if I said I would do it?’

Everyone would definitely think it was strange. But to get the necklace, she needed Terrence’s trust in her.

‘No, the Duke said it himself. He only believes in science.’

So he couldn’t even imagine that she wasn’t Grace.

“I’m also curious, what does Turkei look like?”

Leah showed curiosity. First, it was important to gauge Terrence’s reaction.

Then Terrence handed the letter to Leah without any hesitation. Finally, Leah was able to read the contents of the letter.

‘He’s going to send five camels as a gift?’

Most of the words in the letter were familiar, but there were a few words she didn’t know.

“You wouldn’t know even if you looked at it.”

Terrence’s voice was without any expectation. He said casually while drinking tea.

“James, is there a Turkei dictionary in the study?”

“Unfortunately, there is no Turkei dictionary.”

Only then did Terrence put his teacup down on the saucer and examine Grace’s reaction.

He wondered if Grace knew Turkei as well as Landes [Likely referring to another language or skill].

Still, he was curious. How would she surprise him this time?

“What does it say?”

“Although it’s not entirely accurate, it seems that the Sultan of Turkei is sending five camels as a gift to Duke Courtois.”

Terrence, James, and even Pauline, who was serving tea, all stopped moving at once.