But if he continues like this, he will be tortured by unbearable pain in the future.

Even if Casus’s future is a bad ending, the difference between dying in a healthy state and dying in pain is as vast as the sky and the earth.

Moreover, leaving his broken body as it is did not fit with Atia’s temperament.

‘I wonder if he’s an idiot……. Leaving himself like that, he’s going to suffer and die in pain.’

There was a best way to deal with this type of person.

Provocation.

“Duke, it seems you have a lot of problems with your lower body.”

“What?”

“Men are all about the lower body. But the Duke… You’re not a man, are you?”

Casus scowled.

It was the most shocking thing he had heard.

Casus had never doubted his masculinity in his life.

Not even once.

‘I’m not a man?’

As Casus, who has only received praises as the brave, unparalleled hero of the Feln Empire, all he could do was scoff.

The fact that this comment came from his wife, Duchess Atia of Wellington, annoyed him all the more.

“Can you say that even with your eyes open?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my vision. My eyes are also larger compared to others.”

Atia blinked as if to show off her dolllike large eyes.

Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly.

“What do you know about me.”

“The strength of a man comes from his thighs and waist. Does the Duke fall into either of these categories?”

“You talk as if you’ve seen my body in detail.”

Casus looked at her with his slender eyes.

She was a woman he could never get used to, no matter how much he looked.

She looked like a frightened rabbit, unable to say a word properly, but rather the opposite.

“I can tell just by looking that the Duke’s lower body is weak.”

“It’s best to stop if this is a trick to provoke me.”

“Provoke? I’m just stating the facts.”

Casus, who was defeated in a fight with the Crown Prince and met death.

His usual disregard for his physical condition would have contributed to his defeat.

‘I might die soon, but Casus has a lot to protect.’

The people of the Duke’s realm, the still young Leo, and even Hiedegger, who might go first, would not want his son to die early.

“Put your hand on your chest and think. Standing will get harder and harder.”

“What?”

“Did you suffer a major injury somewhere? Your back doesn’t look so good either.”

“…….”

“Isn’t it hard to keep it up?”

Atia knew he had been injured during battle.

She also knew that he was suffering in silence without showing it.

“You’ll be in big trouble if you leave it like that.”

“There’s nothing wrong.”

“Duke, can’t you even do the action of bending your back?”

If she spoke about Casus’s weakness in public, he wouldn’t be able to ignore it.

It was better to reveal it like this.

“You.”

Casus narrowed his brows in confusion.

It was the moment when the secret he wanted to hide was revealed.

“Duke, can’t you even lift heavy things while sitting?”

“It’s better not to keep your mouth moving.”

Eventually, Casus grabbed Atia’s arm and grumbled.

“What are you doing now?”
“What can you do. You’re revealing the duke’s guilt.”

Atia shrugged her shoulders and smiled brightly like a child.

Casus looked down at her, who barely reached his chest.

The pure white arm he held was exceptionally delicate.

Without realizing it, Casus lessened the force in his grip.

Aware of the surrounding gazes, Casus led Atia to a quieter place.

The spacious garden of the Duke’s mansion was filled with the sound of insects as the night deepened.

Atia quietly observed Casus’s hand.

“Your hands are large. They seem warm, so you don’t seem to have Raynaud’s disease.”

Atia knew all about Casus’s injury, the aftermath, and any other symptoms.

He could no longer deny it.

“How did you know I was injured?”

Casus once again held her hand firmly.

It was a small hand, like that of a child.

“Oh, good grip.”

Atia giggled and finished her sentence.

“I learned a technique before coming here. It allows me to identify the pain points by just looking.”

“A technique?”

“Yes, that’s why I asked to examine your body.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“I’m not a doctor, but I might be able to heal what a doctor can’t. I find fulfillment in such things.”

At those words, Casus laughed incredulously.

However, Atia continued as if nothing had happened.

“Our bodies are always sending us warnings. Ignoring them is disrespectful to our bodies!”

Her silver hair, reflecting the moonlight, glowed mysteriously.

Atia’s deep, obsidianlike black eyes met Casus’s blue ones.

The night wind swept their hair beautifully.

Only then did Casus release the hand he had been holding tightly.

Atia looked up at him and said,

“If you’re in pain, say it. Why do you suffer alone?”

Their gazes met in the silence.

Atia, dressed like a man, her hair tied up.

They say you can know a person by their eyes.

There was no malice in Atia’s shining, obsidianlike black eyes.

Only a heart that worried for him.

‘Damn it.’

Casus turned his gaze away, furrowing his brows.

Only the sound of insects echoed faintly.

The first to break the silence was Casus.

“I don’t understand what you mean by not suffering alone.”

Atia shook her head as she looked at him, trying to deceive himself to the end.

As if she knew everything.

“Don’t try to dodge me.”

“Dodge you.”

Casus swallowed.

His Adam’s apple moved slowly.

Thump.

Atia closed her eyes and placed her hand on his arm.

“It means don’t deceive yourself.”

Casus stared at the small white hand on his arm.

There seemed to be no place left to retreat.

The woman in front of him knew his condition.

What he was thinking, what he was worrying about.

He thought he had never revealed himself to anyone.

Casus was confused.

“Don’t deceive yourself.”

He leaned towards Atia.

“I am…….”