I’ve Been Exiled, But I’m Alive and Well - Chapter 106 (Patreon)

Regis’ Point of View
Giving up on chasing after Elle, I wandered off and started walking towards the inn.

“Lord!”

The one running towards me was Gislain, the chief of my bodyguards. He offered me an umbrella and asked, "Did you find Lady Elle?”

“Yeah, I found her…”

Gislain's eyes lit up with happiness at my answer.
I guess he was smiling because he was expecting Elle to come back.
As if to betray his expectation, I continued, “She ran away.”

“Wha, what do you mean by that… let’s find her and bring her back right away!”
“Don’t do anything unnecessary!”

When Elle saw me, she was terrified. She was seriously rejecting me.
She had a look of pain on her face that I hadn't seen before, even when I had been hard on her because of the charm magic.
Then Elle clung to a stranger to get away from me.
There was no way I could chase after a girl who was in so much pain.

“Let’s go back to the inn.”

I let out a sigh by myself as I entered the room of the inn I had reserved.
It was still raining outside. I was soaking wet, but Elle must have been, too.

“I hope she doesn’t catch a cold…”

If she did catch a cold, there would be no one to take care of her. Giselle, the maid who had always been by Elle's side, had disappeared after I had driven her out of the house. I've been looking for her, too, but I haven't found her yet.
I was the one who tore Elle and Giselle apart when they cared for each other so much.
Giselle was not charmed and continued to protect Elle until the day she was cast out. I'll never forget the look of hatred on her face when I decided to kick her out for protecting Elle.
I will also never forget her last words to me, "I will always be on Lady Elle’s side.”

"I wonder why Giselle wasn't charmed..."

I was suddenly reminded of the magic nullifying necklace that Elle had first given to Giselle.
It was because of that necklace that Giselle did not fall under the spell.
If I had taken it away from her, she would have been swallowed up by the charm and would have turned on Elle, her benefactor. Then, she would have taken her own life when the charm was broken.

“It’s fortunate that Giselle didn’t fall under the spell.”
Because of her presence, Elle’s heart was not broken.
I suppose I should be grateful. At the same time, I wished I had a magic nullifier of my own.
If I, the Duke, had been on her side, instead of a powerless maid, Elle wouldn't have been forced out of the country.

“Damn it!”

I was frustrated with myself since I was just one of her tormentors. I slapped the desk in anger and felt a stinging pain.
The pain Elle had experienced was nothing compared to this.
The pain she carries in her thin body is much heavier and more painful than mine.

“Please forgive me, Elle…”

If I come for her, she will listen to me.
She will come back.
She will forgive me.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was optimistic. It was something I could have figured out with a little thought.

“Lord, excuse me.”

It was Gislain who came into the room.
When I stared at him helplessly, he gave me a sad look.

“What do you want?”
“I have something to report about Lady Gabrielle.”
“Keep it short.”
“We have received a report that Lady Gabrielle has entered an inn together with a man with a large build and black hair.”

A man with large build and black hair…
Is it perhaps that man who took Elle away from me?
The man that Elle clung to when she was scared of me?
Why did they enter the same inn?

"It seems that the man has been acting with Lady Elle since she arrived in Arburn.”.

A bad feeling ran through me.
Could it be that Elle and the man were in a relationship?
I don't think so, not the restrained her. I'd like to think not.

“No way, I won’t allow it.”

I can't allow her to be in a relationship with a man I don't know, a man whose identity I don't even know.
In the first place, Elle is still His Highness Cyril's fiancée. I can't allow her to go out with another man.
As I lost sight of my own sins, I felt compelled to bring Elle back to me as soon as possible.

"As soon as the rain stops, I will go to the inn where Elle is staying.”

At my words, Gislain bowed his head, "Understood.”

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