Because Sophia woke up like a miracle, the Count mumbled a quiet prayer of thanks to God. Only after seeing that his daughter was stable did he ask her about what had happened that night. Until then, since she had been asleep, he had no choice but to judge the situation based only on the Duke’s words.
But Sophia shook her head and said she didn’t remember anything. Holding a glass of water in her hand, she stayed silent. The Count gently stroked her small, confused shoulders with pity. Perhaps everything the Duke said was true.
“I’m sorry, Sophia.”
The Count apologized because he and his wife had arranged her engagement to the Duke while she was still unconscious.
It was, of course, rare for an engagement to happen without even giving a hint in advance. But the Count and Countess had a reason for it.
That night, when Sophia suddenly disappeared from the ballroom, the Countess had rushed to the Count in a panic.
“Sophia is missing, dear!”
She shouted. She looked pale as she said no servant or close friend had seen Sophia anywhere.
Because Sophia was an unmarried young lady, they couldn’t make a big scene looking for her. Still, the Count did everything he could to find her. But in the end, Sophia didn’t return home because of his efforts.
Late that night, when the Count and Countess still couldn’t sleep, it was the Duke of Silvetao who knocked on their door.
His face looked stiff and troubled, and he came looking for the Countess. In his arms was Sophia, pale and unconscious.
The Count was shocked to see his usually healthy daughter passed out. They immediately agreed to lay her down first. When the Duke lifted her into bed, the Count noticed his wrinkled coat and the messy edge of his shirt.
“Have you been with my daughter all this time?”
The Duke, seeing where the Count’s eyes had gone, gave a strange, emotionless smile. He never looked cheerful to begin with, but now he looked even more distant and tired. The Count, without meaning to, felt a small bit of sympathy just from that slight change in expression.
He hoped he didn’t sound like he was accusing the Duke too much. The Duke sat on a small sofa nearby.
“May I have some water?”
His voice was soft and tired. The Count told a maid to bring tea. The Duke watched the maid leave, then only opened his mouth once the door had closed.
“It’s true that Lady Hilden and I were together. But nothing improper happened, not like what you might think. Though… something similar did happen—she confessed her feelings to me.”
The Duke paused and looked pained. Even though they heard that their daughter had confessed first, the Count and Countess strangely found themselves more focused on the Duke’s troubled face. The Duke rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.
“But I didn’t expect that to happen. I didn’t know her feelings were so strong. Of course, it’s all my fault for not being careful. But her noble heart…”
“What exactly happened?”
The Countess shouted, worried that something terrible had happened to her daughter. The Duke looked her in the eyes and answered.
“Lady Hilden drank poison in my place. It was meant for me. She collapsed immediately. Though I gave her an antidote right away, it wasn’t strong enough to wake her up. But she will wake up eventually. When spring comes.”
The Count and Countess sank into their seats in disbelief.
From that day on, the Duke came to the Count’s home every single day for Sophia. Only the Count and Countess’s awkward faces and the peacefully sleeping Sophia greeted him, but still, he took care of her sincerely, without missing a day.
He brewed medicine from who-knows-where and fed it to her, held her hand, and stared at her face for a long time.
The maids whispered to each other, saying that the Duke must be truly in love, seeing him holding the sleeping lady’s hand and resting his cheek against it for hours.
And after one month had passed, the Duke declared that he would accept Sophia’s confession.
“It’s not out of guilt or pity. I already had good feelings for her. I couldn’t answer her confession before because of what happened, but now, I want to protect Lady Hilden.”
The Count and Countess were shocked. The Duke had never shown interest in marrying anyone before.
But his handsome face was serious as he spoke with one hand over his chest, showing how noble he was to stay by the side of a woman who might never wake up.
The Count and Countess couldn’t find a reason to refuse such a devoted engagement. On top of that, rumors had already quietly spread that Sophia and the Duke had spent the night together.
So the engagement moved forward smoothly, without anyone to stop it—except for Sophia herself.
At the time, the Count had even felt guilty, thinking the Duke’s life would be ruined because he took responsibility for a daughter who couldn’t wake up after drinking poison. But now that his daughter had finally woken up, he felt uneasy about an engagement she didn’t even know about. He pushed down his guilt and spoke firmly.
“I know that you confessed your feelings to the Duke that day, Sophia.”
“What?”
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I heard you drank poison in his place.”
“What are you talking about…?”
Sophia looked at her father in confusion. The Count spoke as if stamping a seal.
“I don’t know why you did something so reckless, but the Duke accepted your feelings. Not only that, he visited you every day and brought many doctors to treat you. We couldn’t ignore his request. We believed it would be good for you.”
Sophia looked confused. The Count worried that this was too much to say to someone who had just woken up, but he gently patted her hand and spoke.
“You’re engaged to the Duke. Four months ago. One month after you fell asleep.”
“Father…”
“Oh! Sophia!”
Before Sophia could respond, the Countess rushed in. She kissed her daughter’s cheek and cried out.
“As soon as the Duke heard the news, he left to come here! He’ll be here soon! He said he would come running to see his fiancée awake! Oh my…”
The Countess went on excitedly, but Sophia wasn’t listening. She sat blankly and looked out the window. Two birds were eating seeds on the windowsill. They looked peaceful, like a pair of lovers.
Since she had just woken up from a long sleep, Sophia didn’t fully understand the situation. But as time passed, her mind cleared, and she began to think more about the things she had heard.
“He said you were with him that day.”
“I know you confessed your feelings to the Duke, Sophia.”
“I heard you drank poison in his place.”
“You’re engaged to the Duke. Four months ago. One month after you fell asleep.”
All those unbelievable things.
Sophia suddenly stood up and started walking around the room. Even though the weather was warm, she wrapped a shawl around herself out of habit and wore slippers. She even spoke out loud.
“This doesn’t make any sense.”
This must all be a lie.
She confessed her feelings to the Duke? She drank poison for him?
Even if she did like the Duke enough to confess, it didn’t make sense that she suddenly drank poison. Who would try to poison the Duke on the night of a ball? And even if Sophia drank it instead, how could the Duke know it was meant for him and that Sophia had taken it in his place?
What kind of situation made the Duke believe that?
Did she confess, then suddenly drink the poisoned glass in front of him? If so, that would be more ridiculous than tragic.
Sophia had not been pacing long when suddenly five or six maids entered. They said the Countess had ordered them to bring out dresses and jewelry. Sophia stepped back and refused their help.
“I won’t meet him.”
She spoke firmly.
“I don’t want to see the Duke. I’ve only just woken up, and I’m not well enough to meet anyone. It’s too soon to see him.”
“But, my lady. The Duke is not just anyone—he’s your fiancé!”
Sophia’s voice sharpened at those unwanted words.
“Do you really think an engagement without the person’s knowledge makes any sense?”
