Dirty Heart - Chapter 41

Courtney Balkan had a history of spreading rumors that she was promiscuous. Of course, he knew well that it was nothing more than nonsense a lowly girl had spread just to survive, but even so, a trace of discomfort remained.

If, by any chance, she had even once had a sexual relationship with another man, there was a possibility that that filthy blood might enter Lionel’s body.

‘That absolutely must not happen.’

So there was only one way to completely block any potential side effects. During the remaining time, they had to increase the frequency of sexual relations with Lionel to minimize rejection.

“What about sexual intercourse? Is she in a condition where it’s possible to have intercourse right away?”

The Duke asked coldly and hurriedly gave an order.

“If it’s possible, then prepare to have relations with the maid as soon as possible.”

“Father.”

Lionel’s voice calling the Duke sank low.

“She isn’t even conscious right now. What are you telling me to do with a woman like that?”

His gaze toward his father was thick with indescribable disgust, but the Duke, unable to read his son’s expression at all, instead clapped his hands in delight.

“If she’s unconscious, then there won’t be any resistance, so isn’t that even better!”

Greatly excited, the Duke rambled crudely without even remembering that the knights were watching.

“You have to have as many relations with the maid as possible. I’ve emphasized countless times that that’s the only way to increase the success rate of the transplant…,”

“Stop. I won’t receive Courtney’s heart.”

“W-What…?”

At the unexpected words that burst from Lionel’s mouth, the Duke’s face turned pale. Refusing the heart transplant was no different from choosing death.

“D-Do you even know what you’re saying right now? Even knowing this father’s efforts, how can you say something so heartless? Huh?”

A voice close to a wail burst from the Duke’s mouth, but Lionel’s gaze remained merely indifferent.

“I’ll say this one more time. If even a single ant gets inside this place, none of you will keep your heads.”

After coldly rebuking the knights, he turned his back, ignoring his father.

Thud.

The Duke stared blankly at the firmly shut infirmary door, his face instantly flushing red and blue. A sense of betrayal toward his son surged uncontrollably.

“You… how dare you…!”

It was the moment when the years he had devoted his entire life to saving Lionel were completely denied.

***

The moment his work ended, Liam plucked a wildflower and headed toward the infirmary building where Courtney was.

“Sister Courtney. I brought a yellow flower today! It’s your favorite color.”

He wanted nothing more than to see her face in person, but there were only a handful of places in the ducal estate where servants were allowed to enter. Naturally, a place like the infirmary was out of the question.

In the end, Liam came to the infirmary building every day, looking up at the tall window and wishing for her recovery.

Seeing that several medical staff went in and out day after day, he worried that her treatment wasn’t going well, but he forced himself to push away such thoughts.

Sister Courtney was a strong person. So surely, as if nothing had happened, she would get up with a healthy face again. Liam believed that without a doubt.

“Sister, when you wake up, I’ll buy you delicious bread and as many sweet desserts as you want!”

Liam shouted brightly toward the window. Even knowing no answer would come back, he shouted like that every day, hoping it would reach his sister’s ears as she lay without regaining consciousness.

Clutching something in his arms, he took out a worn, faded envelope. It was the first weekly wage he received after being hired as a servant of the ducal house.

After that terrible incident happened to Courtney, Liam followed the Young Duke of Erhardt up to the ducal estate. Contrary to his expectation that he would be thrown out right away, the Young Duke showed him mercy. He gave Liam a job as a servant in the ducal house.

Thanks to that, he could at least stay nearby and look after Courtney, so from Liam’s perspective, it was nothing short of an immense favor.

‘Turns out he’s an incredibly cool brother.’

Moreover, it was said that it was the Young Duke of Erhardt who had rescued the orphanage children from the flames, so he realized he had been completely mistaken all this time.

In fact, when Liam went down to the village, he even spent part of his small wages to buy a small gift for the Young Duke. He wanted to express his gratitude.

But even after waiting outside the infirmary building for several days, the Young Duke showed no sign of coming out, and in the end, the gift he had prepared for him remained asleep in Liam’s pocket.

‘When will I be able to give it to him….’

Liam once again resolved that when Courtney woke up, he would definitely tell her to marry the Young Duke, to never let go of such a wonderful man.

“Sister. I’ll come again tomorrow!”

He whispered softly and was about to turn around.

“Whoa, that scared me!”

Liam’s eyes widened in surprise when he spotted a man crouching at the corner of the wall.

“Brother Alex…? No, wait. Sir Lanchester, right?”

Liam hurriedly corrected how he addressed him. When they came up to the capital together, he had casually called him brother without much thought, but now that he had been hired as a servant of the ducal house, he had to be careful about every form of address.

Moreover, Sir Alex was the Young Duke’s escort knight, a person of far higher status than Liam, so he always had to watch his words and actions.

Of course, by that logic, the fact that he had spoken rudely the first time he met the Young Duke and even slept in his bedroom together made no sense either.

Thinking about it now, it was completely insane. He should be grateful that his head hadn’t been cut off on the spot.

Reminded once again of his gratitude toward Lionel, Liam asked carefully, “What are you doing here?”

“Kid. Don’t mind me and just go on your way.”

Alex lifted his head and looked at Liam. His eyes were bloodshot, and his shoulders were slumped, making him look completely drained.

He kept letting out heavy sighs, as if he desperately wanted someone to ask what was wrong.

“Did something… happen?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Yeah, I thought so. Then I’ll be going,”

“Sigh… But since you’re that curious, I guess I have no choice but to answer.”

“I’m not that curious though….”

To be honest, he was a bit bothered, so at the answer that it was nothing, he tried to turn away right away, but Alex ended up grabbing him.

Alex brushed the dirt beside him half-heartedly and gestured for Liam to sit.

“What are you doing? Come sit here. It’s a long story, so you’d better brace yourself.”

“…Do I really have to brace myself?”

In the end, Liam, caught with no way out, had no choice but to listen to Alex’s lament.

“I think I might have to give up my knighthood.”

“What? Why?”

“Why? You know why. I… don’t have the qualifications.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Liam nod as if he finally understood why Alex was saying this. It was clear he felt immense guilt over what had happened to Courtney.

“Everyone makes mistakes. You don’t need to be so discouraged, Sir Lanchester. In any case, my sister is safe.”

“Safe…. She’s hovering between life and death.”

Alex’s voice was filled with deep remorse. As the knight who should protect Lionel more than anyone, the thought that he failed to foresee Marco’s actions and ended up getting an innocent person hurt weighed heavily on him.

“She’ll definitely wake up. So don’t worry too much!”

“Do you really think Miss Courtney will wake up safely?”

“Of course!”

The boy soothed Alex’s heart with fairly practiced ease. Thanks to that, Alex’s expression eased as well.

“Still, it’s a relief that the Young Duke cares a lot about Sister Courtney.”

“Cares, my ass. That’s all because of the heart…! No, wait. What am I saying in front of a kid? Ha.”

Without realizing it, Alex let the word ‘heart’ slip out and hurriedly swallowed it. But only for a moment. Soon, his thoughts became tangled again.