Angelus Carduus

Chapter 31: How Fast Does A Carriage Go?

Valeria woke up with a throbbing migraine. She felt her whole world spinning but couldn't say anything about it as she was immediately bombarded with questions and looks of concern.

It was the repeated words of; "How are you feeling?", "Your Grace has finally woken up!", "Does anything hurt?", and more.

She could only weakly nod or mutter short answers but thankfully it ceased the questions and it soon became calm.

"Your Grace, please have some food." Myra spoke as she placed a plate of food in front of her.

Valeria stared at it before picking up the fork, beginning to take small amounts of food into her system.

She knew she was starving yet she didn't have the energy to chew and digest it so, after eating a quarter of the food, she placed her fork down and looked over at Myra.

"I'm not hungry."

Myra looked at her, worried but said nothing and took the food away. Valeria ate her medicines including the ones she now had to eat because she had consumed poison.

Valeria felt exhausted. Her limbs felt weak and even after sleeping for more than a week, she still felt tired, wanting nothing but an eternal sleep.

"Your Grace," she heard Myra speaking to her just as she was about to fall asleep.

Valeria tried to focus on Myra but she could feel the drowsiness hitting her.

"..What..?" she muttered, her words almost all just slurs and incoherent words.

"The duke is arriving soon."

"Duke...?"

"Yes Your Grace, His Grace just won against the Earl and Countess in the court judgement held by the Emperor."

Valeria was now awake, the drowsiness instantly vanishing once she heard what Myra had said. She sat upright before glancing over at her.

"Court judgement?"

"Yes, the Earl and Countess were the ones who had poisoned you."

Valeria kept quiet for a mere second before she couldn't help but laugh. This caught Myra off guard. Valeria kept laughing until she began coughing.

"Y-your Grace!"

"My own family poisoned me? Hilarious!" Valeria commented, her tone sarcastic and full of mockery in them.

What did she expect from them? Agree with her deal of giving them money and cutting off ties with one another? They rather kill her off and get compensation from the duke as 'their' daughter.

Disgusting.

Valeria never felt this emotion before until now. She was disgusted by them and their train of thoughts.

She was glad Aelius won. Now, Valeria Rubis- she was free from them.

When she stopped coughing, Myra hurriedly handed her a glass of water which she accepted and drank it. She then dismissed Myra, letting her be alone in her room. Her eyes, devoid of any emotions.

Valeria stared at her thin pale hands. It would probably take a bit of strength to just break her wrists. She looked away from them and gazed over at the small bed where Coyedian would usually be sitting at.

Her brows furrowed when she saw it was empty. Where did her dumb cat go this time?

'Coyedian where are you?' she spoke in her head, hoping Coyedian was still connected to her by her internal thoughts.