The Duchesses

Chapter 75 : He is the Wrong Valimos

"Do you feel better now?" the blonde asks as soon as Lord Apollo wakes up from his rest.

The grey eyes glance up directly into the ruby eyes, filled with sorrow and longing. At the same time, Apollo's mind flashes back to the same expression. The golden hair of the Duchess of Light isn't as lustrous as usual. There was no longer a glint of joy in her eyes, and her face no longer beamed enthusiastically. This time around, the woman appears to have dropped some weight.

It suddenly dawned on Lord Apollo: Duchess Smith never gave anyone-male or female-the time of day because she was besotted with someone else. That person is the Duchess Valimos. Natalie wept that night as she kissed Medea on the forehead, comforting her through her breakdown over Hera and putting an end to the engagement.

It is not something you would do for an ally. It's what people do for the people they care about.

"I am sorry," the grey eyes look down, full of shame for himself and cannot bear the burden of looking into Natalie's eyes anymore.

"What are you sorry for?" the monotone voice, slightly going up, probably swaying for the sudden exclamation.

"I can't protect her as you want. I am sorry for my incompetence," Apollo grips the blanket, soaking the blanket with his tears.

In response to his assertion, the Duchess of Light laughs sourly. Apollo's apologies for what happened to Medea seem somewhat inexplicable. It's entirely her fault that she realised it so late. She shouldn't claim that her love for Medea is limitless since it isn't. Not quite enough to make her recall the book's climactic moment. There's no way she could have forgotten about that! She's obviously an idiot, haha.

Moreover, she is just a mere weak woman without her magical power.

"It's not your fault," Natalie gives reaffirmation to Apollo.

Even so, she can't give up on anything right now since her murderer is still alive and well, triumphing at the moment of Medea's death. So she can't even if she desperately wants to.

"Your Grace?" a small voice emerged from the door, snapping both figures to refrain from talking about anything.

The blonde woman turns around, finding her loyal servant fidgeting her fingers as if afraid of saying or doing something that may offend her.

"Something wrong, Daphne?" Daphne can't get used to Natalie's monotone voice since Duchess Valimos' funeral.

She sometimes flinches at the tone as it sends a shiver to her spine.

"Someone wants to meet you, Your Grace," she tries her best to maintain eye contact with the fierce ruby eyes.

"Who?"

"Lord Eli from the House of Valimos. He is waiting for Your Grace at the tea room now," Daphne can't stop her shaky voice, causing Natalie to soften her ruby eyes.

"What is he doing here?"

Duchess Smith nods, wishes Apollo a speedy recovery, and then departs to see Lord Eli. She was nervous about meeting him for fear that their striking similarities in appearance would make it difficult for them to communicate. By all outward appearances, Eli is just a male counterpart to Medea; nonetheless, he possesses masculine traits while Medea leans more toward femininity.

"Lord Eli," the Duchess of Light immediately acknowledges the man's presence in the room as soon as she sees him.

When Natalie recognises Eli as Medea, she casts a startled glance at him, and the man looks up, making her gasp for air. From the deep purple colour of their hair to the same amethyst colour of their eyes, even down to their graceful and unassuming posture. She stops short of the entrance, bewildered and overwhelmed by his stare.