Yelena paused for a moment before taking off his gown.

Im trying to lower your fever. Youre aware of that, right? I dont have any other intentions. Youre just a patient to me today.

It was something Yelena was saying to both her husband and herself.

Soon, Yelena took off her husbands gown.

His sweaty upper body was revealed under the light in the bedroom.

It was that moment.

Her eyes first noticed the sweat soaking her husbands fine body, which was tightly woven with muscles.

Yelena hurriedly soaked the towel, twisted it, and took it to her husbands body.

a scar?

Yelenas hand, which was about to wipe his shoulders, faltered slightly.

She couldnt identify the type of scar when she just removed his gown, but now she could see that her husband had a burn scar on his shoulder.

It seems quite old

10 years?

Or maybe it was more than that.

How did he get such a scar?

Yelena silently wiped her husbands shoulders, hiding the doubts that arose in her mind.

It was said that it was shameful to have no scars if you held the sword.

However, 10 years ago, her husband would only be 14 years old.

It was not even a scar from the sword it was a burn.

The scar is only on the shoulder.

Yelena thoroughly cleaned her husbands chest, abdomen, and sides as well.

She couldnt find any other scars besides the one on his shoulder.

By the way, isnt the fever too high?

The towel, fed with cold water, quickly turned lukewarm at her husbands body temperature.

Yelenas worries increased.

It reminded her of the time her older brother, Edward suffered from a high fever and was in a state of limbo.

I think I had a similar fever at the time.

Turn around, Yelena said as she dipped the towel in the basin.

It was time to wipe his back.

What are you doing? Come on.

Her husbands movements were sluggish. Yelena started to feel frustrated.

Shortly, her husband turned around.

Yelena tried to put a towel directly on her husbands exposed, broad back but stopped.

A thick scar.

A scar similar to the one she saw on his shoulder covered her husbands entire back.

Yelena couldnt do anything for a while.

She couldnt think properly because her head was completely blank.

She was completely stiff. At that moment, she heard her husbands voice.

When I was a child.

My mother once tried to burn the stain on my face with fire.

Yelena almost dropped the towel in her hand.

While she doubted her ears, her husband continued in a calm voice.

The burn on my shoulder was the first and occurred when I tried to prevent it. The embers fell on my shoulders.

The back.

Yelena spoke with difficulty.

The back somehow

that day, I rolled on the floor in agony because I couldnt overcome the pain. I dont know what had been on my mothers mind, but after coming back from a gathering, she tied me up and set my back on fire.

The words contradicted his dry voice devoid of any emotions.

The towel fell from Yelenas hand.

Her hands trembled. Yelena managed to move her mouth.

The Duke, the previous Grand Duke

He knew, but he ignored it.

I think he warned her not to touch any place that would be visible to others.

Yelena closed her eyes tightly and then opened them.

The story was like a lie.

No, she was hoping it would be a lie.

Even though it didnt seem true, she couldnt deny it because there was visible evidence.

She had expected that her husbands childhood was unfortunate. It would never have been smooth.

But this.

Not like this

How long

For how long did you have to go through something like this?

I only remember that the first one was when I was just a child. The last one was

It was the day before they died.

Yelena was silent.

It was difficult to tell whether the words wouldnt come out or if there were no words to say.

The sheets of the bed touched the palm of her hand. Yelena gripped it as hard as she could. Those who made these ridiculous marks on her husbands body were already dead.

She couldnt go to the dead and complain, yell, get angry, and curse at them.

The anger that she could not direct at any opponent filled Yelenas heart.

She instantly felt like she heart was burning, but there was nowhere to vent it out.

Duke Mayhard turned to look at Yelena after her prolonged silence and became surprised.

Wife.