Chapter 80
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Epilogue - Leo (2)
"...Yes, it's a pleasure."
In response to her greeting, I answered somewhat awkwardly. How did she know my name? The duke might have told her, but it didn't seem like he had the leisure for that. That meant she'd come here already knowing it beforehand, which wasn't a pleasant thought.
Of course, it wasn't impossible. I'd never gone out of my way to hide my identity, and if someone wanted to find out, they could. But it wasn't exactly welcome that a doctor dispatched by the emperor knew my name. I'd never intended to step out into the spotlight.
Whether she knew what I was thinking or not, she smiled softly and spoke to me.
"Yes, truly a pleasure. My goodness, even the servants in the duke's household are strikingly handsome. I could believe you were a theater actor or a bard rather than a head butler."
"You're too kind. More importantly, madam is currently..."
"Oh, no need to explain. I can hear the sound of water from over there, so she's in the bath, I suppose. It seems I've come at a bad time."
"No, not at all. She'll be out soon."
"That's fortunate, then. Thank you, Head Butler Leo."
She tacked my name onto the end again. As if showing off that she knew it, enunciating each syllable clearly.
"Uh... anyway, Leo. Shouldn't we step out? Since it's a medical examination, the men should probably leave..."
As I shot Rachel a cold glance, the duke stammered and spoke up. I nodded in agreement and moved to leave, but Rachel raised her hand to stop us.
"No, there's no need for that. I'd actually prefer if you stayed."
"Is that necessary? It involves her exposing her body..."
"Even so, I'd like to ask you to. I always have guardians present when meeting patients. It helps them feel at ease during the examination. And surely the duke is worried about his wife's condition too."
"In that case, I'll step out. There's no reason for a mere butler like me to stay..."
"No, Leo, you stay too."
Leo. At that form of address, I furrowed my brow and halted. Rachel looked at me and spoke.
"I don't bring my own assistants. The reason is that no assistant can match the devoted servants of the household when it comes to tending to their master's body. I heard that here, the head butler has been the one closest to the duchess. Would you mind assisting me? Leo?"
"..."
What the hell.
Who is this woman?
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind. Did she know me? But no matter how I searched my memories, that face wasn't there. It was hard to imagine someone targeting me now, and above all, I couldn't rule out the possibility that her words were entirely sincere.
In the end, I nodded readily and pulled over a few chairs to sit. Rachel deliberately positioned herself between me and the duke, who eyed us both with unease. And I silently stared straight ahead.
Soon, the door opened, and Catherine emerged in a poised manner. Her attire was somewhat light, but having heard our conversation from outside, she maintained at least a minimum of dignity.
"What are you all doing in my room? And one of you is a stranger."
"Well..."
At her cold voice, the duke hesitated to speak. But Rachel stood first and bowed politely.
"Greetings, madam. I am Doctor Rachel, sent by His Majesty the Emperor. I heard you were suffering from illness, so I took the liberty of visiting despite the impropriety."
"His Majesty sent you?"
"Yes. If it's not too rude, I'd like to examine your condition. Would that be alright?"
She didn't bother asking why we were still in the room. She'd heard it all from inside, after all. Instead, Catherine gracefully sat on the bed and nodded.
"For His Majesty to personally send a doctor—it's a great honor. I'm sorry to have caused unnecessary worry when my condition isn't that severe."
"Even minor discomforts can turn into serious illnesses if left alone. Then, may I take a look?"
"Yes, please do as you wish."
"Very well..."
Rachel bowed her head slightly, then laid out various tools on the table beside me. She asked a simple question.
"Have you had any recent discomforts?"
"Nothing major. Just mild cold symptoms."
"I see."
As Catherine answered hesitantly, Rachel suddenly turned her gaze to me.
"And you, Leo? Do you think the madam has been feeling any discomfort lately?"
Leo again. As I pondered that form of address once more, I decided to give a suitable answer.
"Her throat seems a bit off. She coughs frequently."
"I see. Let me take a look. Could you hand me that small mirror nearby? Yes, that one."
I handed her the tool with the mirror, and she held it to Catherine's mouth, observing for a long time. Then she nodded and said,
"Just as you said. Her throat is a little swollen. Not serious, but you know her condition very well, Leo."
Rachel said that, then turned to the duke.
"The duke must feel secure having such a reliable head butler."
"Ah... yes."
"You must get jealous sometimes. With such a handsome and capable man by your wife's side."
Unnecessary nonsense. I glanced at the duke, and as expected, his face was flushed as he bowed his head. But Rachel continued obliviously.
"Haha, just kidding, duke. Of course he's a great help. Given your important duties in the empire, you can't spend much time by your wife's side. In that sense, Leo probably spends more time with her than you do."
"...That's true."
"Work and family—it's hard to balance both. I know the feeling well. Tend to one, and the other crumbles. Like a scale."
"Doctor, perhaps focus more on the examination..."
I finally couldn't hold back and spoke up. But she cut me off and gestured toward the table again.
"Oh, Leo, sorry, could you hand me the tool next to that mirror from earlier? Thanks."
"...Understood."
I swallowed my words and handed her the tool. Damn it. Is she doing this on purpose? Her attitude was so natural and brazen that I couldn't tell if it was intentional. What was clear was that this woman was making the situation uncomfortable.
I glanced at the duke; he was biting his lip and stealing glances at me. He seemed to be mulling over Rachel's words. That sight filled me with great unease.
The duke wasn't an idiot; he must have roughly guessed my relationship with the duchess. Despite that, he'd denied it or turned a blind eye for various reasons. But hearing it from an outsider made it hit harder. This could even derail my plans unnecessarily.
I needed to shut this damn woman's mouth now. Change the subject or sew it shut. The latter was tempting, but the former was smarter, so I slowly opened my mouth.
"By the way, do you know when the examination will end?"
"Why? Got plans afterward? A rendezvous with a lovely lady?"
More drivel to the end. But suddenly, I thought I could use that. I deliberately smiled and brushed my hair to the side.
"No, I just wanted the honor of escorting you home personally after the examination. Since you've gone this far for the madam, it's the least I can do."
"Oh, no need for that."
"I insist, doctor."
"Hmm... are you hitting on me?"
She'd only taken the bait lightly, yet Rachel winked at me like a bitch in heat. I felt Catherine's uneasy gaze, but I ignored it and spoke in a gentle tone.
"If it came across that way, I apologize. Though I can't say I had no such intentions deep down. You're plenty attractive, doctor."
"Hehe, I'm flattered. First time hearing that."
"Hard to believe. You're so beautiful."
"Enough, Leo. It makes me too happy, but I have a family. This is a bit troubling."
"Haha..."
If I were an ordinary man, I might have apologized and backed off. But I know better. This isn't rejection—it's a subtle invitation to tempt her more. Women are like that: prim on the outside, but lifting their skirts underneath. The ones who play hard to get scream the loudest in bed.
Thinking about it, not a bad idea. Connecting with her could give me access to the emperor. And minor point, but she looked appetizing enough. Her figure was a bit slim, but imagining that face and voice moaning made me feel good already.
"What... it shouldn't matter much. I'm just offering to escort you home. Though if your husband is home, he might feel awkward."
"No, he's not home today. He stepped out for work."
"Ah, I see."
How clichéd.
All the better.
I pulled my chair closer to her. And out of the duke's sight, I raised my hand and lightly stroked her thigh.
"Then I can escort you. Would you grant me that honor, Doctor Rachel?"
"..."
She didn't refuse no matter how I moved my hand. Women are all the same. Different exteriors, but strip them down, and they're just bitches in heat. Give it to them, and they pant like beasts.
Rachel smiled and licked her lips lightly. Narrowing her eyes, she said,
"Is this how you seduce women?"
What pointless joke now. Her body was already heating up—she was practically done. I could already imagine it. What would that renowned doctor's skirt hide? Hopefully not too loose. Catherine's been getting looser lately, and I'd been dissatisfied...
"Isn't it, duke?"
"...!"
But then Rachel turned and prodded the duke's psyche again. He gaped slightly and fully turned his gaze to me. His trembling eyes showed his imagination running wild. Did you approach Catherine like that too, Leo? Is that how you stole my woman with your tricks?
As I felt a twinge of bewilderment, Rachel leaned toward me. Her fiery red hair fell over my forehead with a stinging touch. She turned her head as if to kiss me and whispered low.
"Thank you, Leo."
"...?"
"Still the irredeemable trash you are."
"Pardon?"
As I processed her words, Rachel turned back to Catherine.
"I think I know why your body feels off, Duchess."
And dropped a bombshell.
"Congratulations. You're pregnant."
...!!!
"What?"
"W-what did you say..."
Catherine, the duke, and I all stared at Rachel in shock. She shrugged innocently, as if baffled.
"You're pregnant. It's early, so it doesn't show yet, but yes. Definitely. Congratulations, duke. The fruit of love is always a blessing."
"T-that..."
"About two or three months, I'd say. Time to start taking care of yourself now. You'll need to watch out too, duke. Pregnancy is the woman's burden, but the journey is both of yours."
"I..."
"What's wrong? You don't look happy. Is this news..."
Rachel, who'd been talking nonstop, slowly turned to us. Smiling meaningfully, she said,
"Perhaps I should have told Leo instead of you, duke?"
...
I couldn't grasp how to interpret her final words. Was it simply advising the butler—who stands in for the busy duke—to watch her health?
Or was it implying that even a doctor new to the house knew the child wasn't the duke's, but the butler's?
Truthfully, my interpretation didn't matter much.
What mattered was how the duke took it.
"..."
The duke was still silent. But his neck was visibly reddening. Gone was his usual kindly demeanor; veins bulged on his clenched fists.
If he'd heard this through some document, he wouldn't have raged like this. Even a doctor's calm announcement might not have boiled his emotions so fast. But the lethal jabs and hints she'd thrown throughout the exam crashed over him like waves with the pregnancy diagnosis.
"Darling..."
Catherine read his expression and spoke weakly. But her voice crumbled at the duke's next words moments later.
"How many months did you say?"
"Two. Or three. Why?"
"I haven't shared a bed with my wife in nearly four months."
"Darling...!"
At the duke's frank declaration, Catherine urgently called to him. Instinctively averse to airing such shame before others. But the duke didn't seem to care.
"Of course, it's partly my fault. I let it go on for months despite knowing. Maybe I wanted to deny it inside. Never saw it myself, after all. But it was foolish. Leaving it alone, this was bound to happen eventually."
"Darling, listen to me."
"Three months. Quite a while ago, then. No minimal effort to prevent pregnancy either. Isn't that right, Leo?"
His arrows finally turned to me. I racked my brain and looked up.
"Duke."
"Yes. What's next, Leo? Not content with taking my wife, you wanted me to raise your bastard too? Watch a child growing to look more like you every day—what emotion did you expect me to feel?"
"There seems to be a misunderstanding. Please calm down first..."
"Misunderstanding? Did you say misunderstanding?"
Damn it. Mistake.
"You said 'misunderstanding' now, you fuck?"
One wrong word, and the duke exploded, kicking back his chair and standing. Rachel smartly backed away, and he lunged at me, grabbing my collar.
"Did you say 'misunderstanding,' Leo? How much do you despise and look down on me to say that? Do you think I'm blind? That I'm that much of an idiot?!"
"That's not it, duke!"
"Darling! Calm down!"
"Shut up, Catherine! You too. How long did you think I'd play the fool for you two? How long would I fall for these cheap tricks?!"
"Duke, we have a guest. Let's send her out and talk alone..."
"Shut the fuck up! Hey! Isn't anyone there? Marie! Annie! Jacob! Call the guards right now!"
He finally lost control and bellowed for the servants outside. Then he tightened his grip on my collar, nearly choking me as he lifted me high.
"S-stop, duke! You're too excited!"
"Shut up! I can't take anymore. I'll throw you in the deepest imperial dungeon right now. No, no need. I'll hang you here on the spot!"
"Fuck...!"
I ground my teeth and spat curses. Even if the duke's strength was nothing, without resisting, he could strangle me like this. What to do? Break his arm? But then what? It wouldn't solve everything. Fuck!
"Darling! Please...!"
"Duke! Hold back!"
Then Rachel rushed over and grabbed our arms. I felt a flicker of hope, but her slender arms couldn't separate us. With someone intervening, the duke got even more agitated. Even my vision blurred and breath tightened; I couldn't control my emotions.
"Fuck, let go! You bastard. I picked a street rat like you off the gutter, fed you, and this is how you repay me—climbing all the way?!"
"You... fuck...!"
Rat? Who're you calling a rat, you fuck... you fucking moron!
"Duke! Hold back!"
"You fucker... you fucking fucker!"
"Ugh... stop... I said...!!!"
How long do I have to endure this? This shitstain climbing on me—should I just snap his neck? If I'd wanted, he'd have been pulp from the start, you worthless rat!
"I'll kill you, Leo!!!"
"Uaaaaahhh!!!"
Puk.
"Ah...?"
In that instant, with the duke's hollow death cry, blood spurted, and the choking grip suddenly released. Instinctively, I shoved his body against the wall and leaned there. Then I wiped the blood from my eyes.
"Wh-what..."
"...!"
As if in answer to my voice, the duke's hollow wheezing echoed. No, more like air escaping punctured lungs. Only then did I wipe all the blood and look up.
And I saw the sharp dagger plunged deep into the duke's abdomen.
"Uh..."
"Urk... gah..."
I stared blankly at the duke. He collapsed like a pig, blood pouring, looking at me in disbelief. Eyes saying he couldn't comprehend the situation. I couldn't either, so I slowly approached.
But then the door burst open, and people flooded in.
"I've brought the guards, duke. Now, what..."
"..."
Familiar servants. Unfamiliar maids. Mansion guards who'd come together and capital guards who'd rushed at their call. All those people witnessed the same scene as me. The duke stabbed and bleeding. And the head butler, Leo, covered in blood, approaching him.
It flowed so smoothly, like someone had orchestrated it perfectly.
"Duke...!"
A hollow murmur escaped the servants' lips. In that moment, I sensed it was all over and turned to the duke. Then I looked at Rachel behind him, worriedly staunching the blood.
As she seriously examined his wound, she looked up and met my eyes. For a split second, her expression softened, a small smile forming. Then she mouthed one word to me.
Fuck. We're screwed?