The Terminally-Ill Duke Clings to Me Every Night (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
Leah, walking toward the square visible in the distance, was exhausted. Ever since receiving the gold coin from Rikel, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep easily.
Someone noble enough to hand over such a large sum of gold so readily—Leah was still fretting, unable to uncover who was behind it.
‘Since it’s a Parthia Guild gold coin, there must be some connection.’
A few days ago, the gold coin Rikel had given her bore the official seal of the Parthia Guild.
The Parthia Guild was operated by the current emperor’s maternal family and boasted immense wealth, ranking among the top five in the Croatea Empire.
Under the emperor’s protection, its reputation grew daily—there was no one in the empire who didn’t know of the Parthia Guild.
‘Surely the imperial family isn’t involved… That would be a headache.’
It was a fairly reasonable deduction.
Outwardly, the emperor and the duke appeared on good terms, but before power, no one could be certain of anything.
After all, the emperor would naturally see the duke as the greatest threat right now. Leah shook her head as if it ached.
“I’ll just go to the herbalist’s shop first.”
Sighing deeply, Leah looked toward the distant sign of the herbalist’s shop and walked closer.
Today was the day each month when rare herbs, imported from renowned apothecaries across every continent, arrived at Haideorn’s territory.
Leah needed certain herbs for various experiments, so she quickened her pace.
‘It would take too long if I had to bring them from the capital.’
The duke’s antidote was urgent as well—if she delayed any further, her own head might roll first.
As Leah approached the apothecary and searched for something, she called out to a clerk.
“Where can I find evening primrose?”
She had previously confirmed in the library that evening primrose had some detoxifying effect against the side effects of Porarium, which was linked to vascular diseases.
“It’s over there, on the display shelf near the entrance.”
When she turned her gaze to where he pointed, a flower emitting a bright yellow hue came into view. Leah started walking toward it but suddenly stopped.
Baekseonpi. Leah had stumbled upon something unexpected.
“Oh—it’s Baekseonpi? Do you handle poisonous herbs too?”
“Yes, yes. Ah, it is indeed toxic.”
Baekseonpi was poisonous. The clerk nodded understandingly and smiled.
“In some regions, it’s used to soothe skin rashes. After all, depending on how it’s used, any herb can be either poison or medicine, right?”
“So it’s used for skin conditions.”
Leah nodded as if she finally understood. It was new information to her. Then again, wasn’t poison often made by combining herbs that were otherwise beneficial to the body?
“Yes, yes. Next time, Master Apothecary, you should try it yourself.”
Leah had just bought the evening primrose and was about to leave the shop.
Just as she thought of returning to the mansion and preparing some evening primrose tea for the duke, she abruptly halted.
“Huh?”
Her face brightened upon spotting Rikel emerging from around the corner. He must have come into town on an errand as well.
Perfect. She’d been wondering just how involved the Parthia Guild might be.
It would be better to ask him here than to meet secretly at the mansion, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“Ri—!”
Just as Leah waved and was about to call out to Rikel, he disappeared into a building without noticing her.
Leah’s expression hardened as she approached the building where Rikel had vanished. Above the entrance of the grand mansion hung a sign.
“Magnolia Guild?”
‘Why would Rikel come here?’
Everything supplied to Duke Haideorn’s estate came through the Parthia Guild.
Since the duke was the empire’s sole imperial prince, it was only natural that Parthia managed the duke’s household affairs.
That was probably why she’d heard relations between the Magnolia Guild in the territory and Duke Haideorn’s household weren’t good.
“How strange.”
Could he have come to place an urgent kitchen order? With a suspicious look, Leah turned back toward the mansion.
Back at the mansion, Leah headed straight to the kitchen after putting away her herbs. Rikel’s destination in town had seemed suspicious, and she intended to subtly question the kitchen staff.
Perhaps because mealtime was approaching, the dining area bustled with maids moving about.
Walking to the farthest corner of the sweltering kitchen, Leah spotted Head Chef Hans.
“Chef.”
“Oh? Isn’t this our new apothecary? What brings you all the way to the kitchen?”
Sweat beaded on Hans’s forehead from working near the hot fire as he approached Leah.
“I went into town and brought back some snacks. I’m always indebted to the kitchen staff, so I wanted to show my thanks.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have gone to such trouble. Heh heh.”
Naturally easygoing, Hans chuckled heartily as he accepted the snack basket Leah offered. Leah leaned against the counter and glanced around.
Noticing her searching gaze, Hans asked, “Looking for someone?”
“Rikel isn’t around. Did he go on an errand?”
“Oh dear—he’s off duty today.”
Hans’s expression shifted oddly at Leah’s question about Rikel. A sly smile crept onto his lips.
“So even you, Miss Apothecary, have a soft spot for Rikel?”
Given how many maids in the mansion fancied Rikel, the chef must have misunderstood. Leah waved her hands dismissively.
“It’s not like that. Wait—you said he’s off today?”
“Yes, yes. When Rikel shows up, I’ll make sure to give it to him—tell him it’s from Miss Leah! Don’t you worry.”
Leah blinked at Hans’s teasing tone. She’d assumed he’d been on an errand since she’d seen him in town.
‘He visited the Magnolia Guild on his day off?’
Not Parthia—but Magnolia? Why?
The Magnolia Guild was a rising merchant house that had grown rapidly over the past few years.
Having originated in Haideorn’s territory, Magnolia wasn’t warmly welcomed by the established capital-based guilds.
If it wasn’t just a simple errand…
‘There’s definitely something going on.’
In that moment, her earlier suspicion solidified into certainty.
‘I should report this to the duke.’
Her instincts were screaming that something was amiss. Leah gave a faint smile.
[This is the timeline separator]Inside the study, filled with the scratching sound of a pen, a servant standing before Butler Bayern spoke up.
“Sir, we just received word that the woman scheduled to come tonight suddenly fell ill and won’t be able to make it. What should we do?”
“I see?”
The butler pondered the servant’s words. Today was the day, once a month, when a woman was sent into the duke’s chamber.
Of course, the duke had never laid a hand on any of the women sent to him each month.
Yet there was a specific reason they kept sending women—to verify that the frail duke was indeed a useless figure, incapable even of reproduction.
‘The rumors are spreading well enough as it is.’
Satisfied that things were proceeding exactly as “His Grace” desired, the butler stroked his chin proudly.
‘Now I just need to be summoned back to the capital.’
How many years had it been since he’d arrived in this rural backwater? When he’d first received “His Grace’s” orders, he’d assumed the sickly duke would die quickly.
But contrary to his expectations, the duke had stubbornly survived—more than ten years had passed, and he was still alive.
And because of that, he remained stuck in this godforsaken place.
“Tch.”
He certainly wasn’t talent meant to rot away here. Just as he sank into self-indulgent thoughts, the servant before him asked pointedly,
“Shall I inform the duke, then?”
Snapped out of his reverie, the butler scoffed.
“What for? He’d just send her away anyway. Leave it be.”
The butler picked up his pen again to finish his work—all because he couldn’t be bothered to report it.
Unaware of what consequences might arise from it.
[This is the timeline separator]“This time should be fine.”
Leah murmured, gazing at the moon hanging in the sky. The duke’s examination had already concluded that morning.
If she visited him again so soon, people would surely grow suspicious—so she chose a time when activity was scarce.
‘I’ve also safely brought the Parthia Guild gold coin to show the duke.’
To explain the possible link between the Parthia Guild and the Magnolia Guild, Leah had brought along the coin Rikel gave her.
Anticipating unforeseen circumstances, she’d even hidden the coin somewhere on her person rather than in her pocket—such was her caution.
Soon, Leah stood before the duke’s door and gently knocked.
– Tap tap.
But for some reason, there was no response from inside.
‘Is he already asleep?’
It was a bit earlier than the duke’s usual bedtime, yet no matter how many times she knocked, there was still no answer.
‘I guess he really is sleeping.’
Just as Leah turned to leave, planning to return another time—
– Where are you going?
– I left my broom on the third floor earlier today.
‘What?’
At that moment, footsteps ascending the stairs reached her ears. Leah stood on the third floor, reserved exclusively for the duke’s household.
If she were seen by someone at this hour, it would surely lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
Hearing the footsteps draw closer, Leah bit her lip. Just before the maids came into view, she swiftly slipped into the duke’s room.
Pressing her ear to the door, she waited for them to pass. After a long while—
“Have they gone…?”
When the maids’ presence faded, Leah exhaled in relief—along with a firm resolve never to visit the duke’s room at this hour again.
Just as she calmed herself and reached for the doorknob to leave, a presence suddenly stirred behind her.
And then—
“Your Grace?”
‘He wasn’t sleeping after all?’
In the dimly lit room, illuminated only by a single candle, the duke was staring right at her.
He hadn’t responded at all when she’d knocked moments ago!
Realizing the woman who entered was Leah, the duke frowned.
“What are you doing here?”
His expression shifted first to surprise, then to clear displeasure.
‘Well, maybe this works out.’
Remembering why she’d come to the third floor, Leah stepped toward him.
“I have something to tell you, Your Grace.”
“At this hour?”
“Well… isn’t this the best time?”
To avoid prying eyes.
Watching Leah speak as if it were perfectly reasonable, he let out a hollow laugh.
“You have something to say at this hour? Go ahead, then.”
He gave her a look as if challenging her to prove it.
Leah felt an odd sense of unease but ignored it and reached to show him the Parthia gold coin.
Turning away from the duke, she began unbuttoning the top buttons of her dress, one by one.
But then—
“…What are you doing right now?”
“Huh? Oh, this is—”
Before Leah could finish her sentence, Akia let out a weary laugh and sank heavily onto the bed.
‘Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?’
Could his health have taken a sudden turn for the worse? Worried, she stepped closer.
“Your Grace, why all of a sudden—”
“Are you prepared?”
Leah stared at him with a blank expression.
‘Prepared? Prepared for what?’
While she was still trying to decipher his words, Akia suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.
And just as she let out a small cry, the duke’s arm wrapped around her waist.
“What on earth…!”
Trapped helplessly in a man’s embrace, Leah looked up at Akia with bewildered eyes.
“Go on, then—show me what you’ve prepared.”
This man was clearly, thoroughly mistaken about something.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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