GLBB 08

Chapter – 08

Rona hurriedly straightened her clothes and glanced at Ireon. Sometimes he was so sensitive to presence that he seemed like someone who could actually see, which made her tense without realizing it.

He didn’t see it, right?

As if he hadn’t slept because she had clung to him so persistently, Ireon looked drowsy, as though he might fall asleep again at any moment.

“Sleep well.”

Rona quietly slipped back into her room.

“Seriously, what even was that book?”

History of the Palegara War? If that book had been published in Korea, it would probably have saved many insomniacs from counting sheep every night.

“I need to be more careful next time.”

Next time? Why did that word feel so strange?

“Ah… I see.”

Ireon would probably regain his sight within today or tomorrow. That meant there were only about two days left during which he would need to borrow someone else’s eyes to read books.

Yaaawn.

“How is Karina really going to handle this…”

Rona hugged her spare pillow and got comfortable. Perhaps because she had just been holding Ireon’s warm body, the usual coolness of the pillow she slept with every night felt unfamiliar.

“If Karina slept with Ireon just once, she’d understand too.”

Just how perfect he was as a body pillow. He hadn’t woken up even once or tossed around. For Rona, who normally couldn’t sleep well with someone beside her, it had been a strange experience. She let out a big yawn.

“Let’s sleep a little more.”

The second round of sleep felt even warmer and sweeter.

At that same moment, however, Ireon still hadn’t managed to fall asleep.

Perhaps because of his butler’s outrageous remark, he had dreamed a strange dream about kissing Rona. When he suddenly woke up, the real Rona beside him felt like an even bigger problem.

“What terrible sleeping habits…”

Rona’s bare shoulder was pressed against his chest. Her one-piece nightdress had ridden far up, and she was hugging him tightly with one leg thrown over him. Unable to move, Ireon had stiffened like a log and couldn’t sleep at all.

“Chocolate colored…”

Ireon murmured shyly.

Her cheeks had turned red—that must mean she was embarrassed. Did that mean she was at least somewhat conscious of him? If she felt nothing, there would be no reason for her to blush.

“…Haa.”

Ireon was suddenly seized with the urge to see Rona.

Ridiculously, the man once called the Empire’s God of War now wanted his lost sight back for such a trivial reason.

To see whether the woman he cared about blushed because of him.
To see what her nervous expression looked like.
Not to hear about it from others—but to see it himself.

Even in his dreams, which felt so vivid, he still couldn’t see her. Even there, he was nothing more than a blind man.

For some reason, that left him feeling empty.

The day he lost his sight—

Ireon had been riding at the very front of the vast battlefield, crushing the barbarian tribes. Their king had already fallen by his sword. As he chased the retreating remnants at full gallop—

Fwish!

At the faint sound cutting through the air, Ireon pulled his reins aside and swung his sword. He was a knight so skilled he could even shatter incoming arrows with his sword aura.

But then—

Crack.

The arrow that collided with his blade disintegrated into powder, scattering a red dust into the air. It was such a vivid crimson that it felt unnatural even in midair.

At that moment, Ireon held his breath.

“Poison! Everyone be careful!”

The soldiers scattered instantly.

Covering his nose and mouth, Ireon felt a slight sting in his eyes. Only then did he realize he should have covered his eyes too.

It was already too late.

The first to lose sight wasn’t him—but his warhorse that had carried him for seven years.

Neigh! Neigh!

The horse, which had endured arrows and blades while faithfully following its master’s will, suddenly screamed in agony and began thrashing wildly.

His adjutant Cedric—his right-hand man—rushed over to calm it, but the horse foamed at the mouth and collapsed onto its side.

“Your Highness! Grand Duke!”

Thunderclouds gathered overhead, and rain began to pour.

Rumble.

Under the flashing sky, the blood-soaked earth became drenched.

Cedric’s horrified face, staring at him, gradually lost its color—fading into grayscale—before disappearing into darkness.

“Your Highness!!”

That was the last thing Ireon ever saw.

After winning the seven-year war, he should have returned as a triumphant general.

Instead, he came back as a retired officer who had lost his sight.

He didn’t return to his territory but stayed in the capital to treat his eyes. But no one knew this poison.

The Emperor, worried about his nephew, ordered investigations even into the secret medicines of the barbarian tribes. But no clue was found.

At first, he believed he would recover.

All kinds of medicines and health remedies were brought to the Grand Duke’s residence. None restored his red eyes.

Then came all kinds of visitors.

Wandering tribes, minority elders—people he would normally have dismissed as ridiculous. But since even doctors couldn’t help, he grasped at any straw.

When all human efforts failed, he turned to the gods.

Religious figures—some barely better than cultists—came claiming they could restore his sight through prayer. But none of their gods answered.

They all gave the same excuse:
That his faith wasn’t sincere enough.

At that point, his chances of recovery were essentially zero.

His loyal adjutant Cedric left, unable to bear the guilt of failing to protect him. He set off to the distant East in search of medicine.

Ireon couldn’t stop him.

After all, wasn’t this his own fault?

…But it wasn’t.

On a battlefield where countless blades and arrows flew toward him, even if he went back a hundred or a thousand times, there was no way he could have closed his eyes.

Watching the enemy’s attacks until the very end was the basic rule of defense.

His body, trained for years, often moved on instinct. That sharp instinct had saved his life countless times—

But it couldn’t save his eyes.

When all hope disappeared, Ireon thought it would be better to die.

But he couldn’t.

The first reason was Bernard, his butler, who had him tied to the bed.
The second was Cedric, who was still searching for medicine.

When he finally stopped trying to harm himself, Bernard untied him.

But he couldn’t live like before.

With the foundation of his life gone, Ireon sank below even the dignity of a human being.

Rumors spread in the capital:
That the Grand Duke cried like a beast every night after losing his sight.
That he had gone mad from killing too many people in war.

His fall had no end.

Those who envied him eagerly tried to tear him down now that peace had come.

But even those dark times now felt distant—like a dream.

Because life with Rona had healed all those wounds.

If Rona stays beside me… I think I can keep living.

There were many loveless marriages in the world.

Even if he remained blind, he could still respect and love her.

And as Grand Duchess, she would never have to worry about money.

“…Not yet.”

He didn’t want to propose under those conditions.

Couldn’t she just give him even a little of her heart like this?

That was Ireon’s petty pride—his desire to stand before her as a man, not as a Grand Duke.

So he couldn’t offer a proposal like:
Stay by my side and enjoy the wealth of the Grand Duke’s house.

“Don’t rush.”

He scolded himself for his impatience.

There would still be many days ahead when he couldn’t see.

Around lunchtime, Bernard the butler called Rona.

“His Highness still hasn’t woken up.”

“Really?”

“I went to check this morning. Apparently he didn’t sleep at all.”

“Yes… I was reading to him until dawn.”

And then she had slept like a baby herself.

“He skipped breakfast and lunch. Judging by how deeply he’s sleeping, he might not wake until afternoon. If you have errands outside, you may go.”

“Really?”

Rona’s eyes sparkled.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t properly taken care of your clothing.”

The attentive butler must have remembered her mentioning she would get clothes tailored yesterday. This was her first time leaving briefly since starting work here.

“Then I’ll go and come back quickly.”

“Be sure to return before dinner.”

“Yes.”

Rona quickly prepared and headed to the Harrington Count’s estate.

Today, she was determined to meet Karina no matter what.

Rona stepped down from the carriage.

Having come once before, it felt slightly familiar.

“Hello. I came to see Miss Karina.”

The guard who recognized her quickly called a butler.

“Greetings.”

The elderly butler greeted her kindly.

“Is Miss Karina home today?”

“Yes. She’s currently busy preparing to go out.”

Rona spoke quickly.

“Then could I see her just for a moment?”

“I will ask.”

As he left, Rona sighed briefly.

“Going out?”

Karina had grown up in the countryside and had no friends in the capital. That was why she had become connected with Ireon.

But now she was entering the Imperial Palace daily after catching the Crown Prince’s attention.

Unbelievable.

And if this Crown Prince was like in the original story…

“Wasn’t the Crown Prince the hidden villain?”

Rona had only carefully read the early parts of The Flower of the Blind Beast. Karina curing Ireon’s eyes happened fairly early.

Later, there were hints that the Crown Prince might be the mastermind.

But since she had read the story randomly and stopped midway, she couldn’t even remember what made her think that.

“Of all people… the Crown Prince.”

Just thinking of him made her frown.

She was sure he and Ireon became romantic rivals later. The cover had shown both Ireon and the second male lead, Sabiel.

If Sabiel got eliminated too quickly after being featured like that, it would break all the genre rules.

So there must be something.

But in the original, Sabiel only liked Karina one-sidedly. She hadn’t reciprocated.

“This is bad… I don’t know what happens later.”

If the Countess Harrington was actively supporting Karina, things could change.

The Harrington family was a powerful noble house in the capital. They were wealthy enough that adopting a distant relative wouldn’t raise eyebrows.

They owned multiple iron mines.

During the war, they had amassed enormous wealth as weapons suppliers. Some even said they might have more liquid cash than the Imperial family.

Wealth makes people generous.

It was obvious how kindly the Countess would treat Karina.

At that moment, the butler returned.

“Please follow me.”

Rona followed him into the main building.

Unlike yesterday’s brief meeting in the annex, her mention of wanting to repay Karina’s kindness must have sparked curiosity.

Knock knock.

When they knocked on the lavish reception room door, Karina herself opened it.

“Come in.”

“Miss, you mustn’t do that.”

The butler looked alarmed, but Karina smiled brightly.

“Why not? I have hands and feet too.”

“And please speak more casually to the staff.”

Karina looked embarrassed.

“In the countryside we lived like this. We spoke politely to elders and looked after those younger. This is just what I’m used to.”

The butler sighed helplessly.

Karina then looked at Rona with curious green eyes.

“What brings you here?”

Facing the female lead for the first time, Rona took a short, steadying breath.