TMHLBQ_ARCHIVE_CH67_Chapter 67 – The Wounded Heart Sinks

C84(WN)

Chapter 67 – The Wounded Heart Sinks

“I’ve had a premonition. Your beloved… Marianne… will die today, if nothing changes.”

—When did this hell begin?

The day after that heated exchange with Albert… she finally lost even the strength to speak.

Her breathing was ragged. Her mouth opened and closed, struggling desperately for air—but no relief came.

It was obvious, even to the eye: her time was running out.

If I could save her… I wouldn’t care what I had to lose.

I entrusted the maids with everything and descended into the capital.

 

I went to the man who’d been selling me information on special ability users—he had connections in the underground.

 

I told him to summon every last person he could. I didn’t care if they were involved in human trafficking, abduction, or black-market trade.

If there was even a chance they could save her—it didn’t matter.

 

If money wasn’t enough, then as Chancellor, I’d do whatever was necessary.

Forget monetary rewards. I’d promise assassinations, smuggling, classified secrets—anything they asked. I would pay any price.

But instead—

“Bwahahaha!”

“Gyaahahaha!”

They laughed.

Mocked me.

Called it a fairy tale. Asked if I was chasing some healing fairy. Said I’d mistaken myth for reality.

They hadn’t even tried to look.

And when I turned to leave, they had the gall to say, “Leave the money anyway.”

Pathetic.

Shallow. Foolish. Absolutely revolting.

This wasn’t some job for coin—this was for Marianne.

I didn’t have time to waste on lowlifes like them.

I took them down—easily. Stripped them of value, one by one, as if lashing out at my own desperation.

I was so consumed by fury and urgency that I didn’t even notice when two others came from behind.

The Crimson Knight and the Ebony Knight.

Both small in stature. And unmistakable in form:

The First Princess and First Prince of our nation.

At first, I thought they were illusions.

But no. They truly overpowered the men, swiftly disabling them.

“I came to find you,” said Stayle. “Though from what I just heard… I needn’t ask what you were doing.”

His tone made it clear.

They had heard everything.

It’s over.

“The Princess has something to say to you. I brought her here to deliver it.”

His words made it sound like a sentence.

My mind filled with the crimes I’d committed—treason, insubordination, conspiracy.

No—not yet. Not now. Please, just let me save her first.

“I beg you!” I shouted. “If the issue is that I left the castle and contacted criminals—then punish me! I’ll accept whatever sentence you choose. Just… just give me more time. I don’t have much left!”

Even if I tried to escape, I couldn’t outrun Stayle’s teleportation.

I could disable him with a surprise attack—but laying hands on royalty would mean immediate execution.

Even if I did find someone who could save Marianne, I’d never reach her in time.

And then—he said something far worse than any death sentence.

Marianne… would die.

Everything went blank.

Even if a blade had been at my throat, I wouldn’t have noticed.

I grabbed Stayle’s robes, desperate.

If anyone could bring me to her now—it was him.

“You tried to change the law for your own selfish reasons.You abandoned your duties without leave. You made contact with criminals. You even attempted to involve yourself in human trafficking—an act explicitly forbidden in this kingdom.”

His words struck like iron.

And they were all true.

The more he spoke, the clearer it became:

I had fallen farther than I ever realized.

And before Pryde could stop him, he added:

“Either way, your lover will now know the truth. That all this—was your doing.”

Marianne.

Because of me… her name.

Her noble, virtuous name.

I hadn’t just doomed her—I had stained her legacy.

I was going to lose her.

I’d failed to make her happy.

Her name filled my thoughts. Over and over. A chant. A cry. A prayer.

Before I knew it, I was clinging to Pryde.

The very girl I had spent years undermining.

I didn’t understand what I was doing. I wasn’t even thinking clearly anymore.

I was flailing.

What had I done?

How much pain had I caused her?

“Listen carefully, Gilbert Butler.”

Even if the world forgave me—she never would.

I’d committed enough crimes to deserve execution right then and there.

And yet… I still begged.

For her. For Marianne.

“You… and your lover… are both forgiven.”

I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard.

What was she saying?

The only condition, she said, was that I take them to Marianne.

I didn’t have the capacity to think anymore.

If her name, her existence, was allowed to be spared…

If I could just see her again—

That was all I could focus on.

The man who had spent years plotting, scheming, outwitting nobles and manipulating factions—

Now couldn’t form a single coherent thought.

I was no better than those fools who had begged for gold—

Crawling on the floor, pathetic and desperate.

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