《I Was the Unrequited Love of the Male Lead》 Chapter 0 - Prologue With a cold half moon floating in the sky, and the dark garden of Harpel Castle in the north, were beautiful. When his blade with coldness fell on the edge of her neck, she turned slowly and faced him. The pale moon floated above the head of Duke Kyron. He was shining so cold in a dark garden. A subtle aura filled with life. ¡°Did you think it was going to be so easy?¡± She said, desperately holding her trembling jaw. ¡°Duke Kyron, I¡¯m not a monster!¡± ¡°Neither Ariel Lockeman.¡± There was no hesitation in his voice. ¡°Be thankful to die in my hands.¡± Duke Kyron spoke coldly and struck the sword to her neck. She shouted in a hurry. ¡°There¡¯s no Ariel anymore! I¡¯m now Ariel!¡± Duke Kyron squinted at me for a moment. It was natural that he didn¡¯t understand. She couldn¡¯t understand it either. ¡°When Ariel fell off the ladder¡­ she left this world.¡± His expression sank heavily but he seemed to accept Ariel¡¯s death. He asked in a gloomy voice, ¡°Then, who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from another world, a different world.¡± ¡°Sounds crazy,¡± the Duke of Kyron was looking at her with a gaze colder than the frozen ground. ¡°Please remember how many times I saved you.¡± There was a long silence. He finally put the sword in. ¡°You¡¯re another woman in Ariel¡¯s body?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you know my future?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right too.¡± ¡°Are you going to help me?¡± She answered, staring straight at him, ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°That sounds convenient.¡± He strode up to her. Watching her jaw-dropping breath disperse in front of his face, and then she realized how close they were. He looked down at her and said bluntly. ¡°You belong to me from now on. You¡¯d better not forget that.¡± Chapter 1 - Duke, Have Some Tea. When she opened her eyes, she made eye contact with a middle-aged man who had a frown etched on his face. He had a huge build. He carefully placed his big palm on her forehead. ¡°Argh!¡± When she screamed at his sudden move, the man folded his arms in disapproval. He murmured, scratching his short beard; unknown if he had grown out the beard on purpose or not. ¡°How nice.¡± ¡°H-huh¡­?¡± He raised his thick forefinger and deftly flicked her forehead. It hurt so much that she stopped screaming. ¡°Does it feel nice to scream at your father¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Dad¡­?¡± She looked at him, confusion swirling in her eyes. He claimed that he was her father. His appearance wasn¡¯t short of stunning: dark brown hair that came down to the back of his neck, sharp features, which made his jaw and shoulders look square, and a body fit to be called muscular. The sound of her loud scream made his whole body alert and stand up. He definitely must have trained a lot. But¡­ She wasn¡¯t a toddler, nor had she ever heard of a pervert trying to kidnap a grown-up woman, and claiming to be her father. The scared woman pulled up the quilt up till her eyes and trembled in fear. The man glanced down at her and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you are looking at me now.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± She couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and cried out loud, ¡°Help me, old man!¡± Then, the door burst open, and a tall young man came in. And then her ¡®dad¡¯ shouted frustratedly, ¡°Geez, do you really not recognize your father now, Arielsa?¡± The young man, who just stepped in, said, ¡°It¡¯s just Arielsa¡¯s nature to hide, isn¡¯t it? Just like how all knights would hope that Sir George isn¡¯t Harpel¡¯s training chief.¡± He seemed to be joking, but his tone was so cold that it sounded as if he was mocking. ¡°Shut up, Chaers,¡± said the man, who claimed to be her father. ¡°Arielsa, you fell off the ladder while picking apples in the greenhouse. You just fainted for a second. How can you forget your dad? You fell from the tree you climbed everyday until you were seven!¡± In her head, strange names were swirling. [Arielsa, George, Chaers, Harpel¡­] ¡°Sorry, what?¡± ¡°Yes, you were picking apples for Duke Kyron!¡± [Duke Kyron..?] ¡­ The young man, Chaers, came over to my bed and said, ¡°Arielsa, the Duke is looking out for you. I know you want to cut all ties with your stupid dad at this opportunity, but I hope you will understand and go with him. The Duke is a little sensitive.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± George looked at her suspiciously, crossing his arms, which looked too muscular to be crossed. Chaer¡¯s attitude was cold and he seemed to have no idea other than wanting to get the girl out quickly. To escape, she had to first get out of the room. [What to do?] She tried to think of whether it was a good way, but her mind was blank. She couldn¡¯t think of anything. ¡°I, I¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. I have to call the doctor again.¡± She tried to think of a good answer, but her head was blank. ¡°I, I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore. I will have to call the doctor again!¡± It could be a big deal if the doctor gave her some weird medicine. As George waved his hand in the air, she quickly said, ¡°Ah, dad¡­ it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± It was terribly difficult to call a man she saw for the first time as ¡®dad¡¯. But as she stuttered and said that, George seemed to be relieved. His shoulders relaxed. ¡°What a surprise! Are you trying to scare people?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had to agree with the settings of these pervy kidnappers! ¡°Are you alright? The doctor said that there was no scratch.¡± ¡°Yes, I was simply surprised. I fell from a tree¡­ But I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°How surprised can you be that you don¡¯t recognise your own father?¡± He raised his big fist towards her as if he were about to flick her forehead again. Thinking that she might die if hit by that first, she shied away like a turtle sticking its neck in. But to her surprise, he put his huge palm on the top of her head and rubbed it. It was painful, and her hair got messy in the end. She was very embarrassed by his affectionate behavior. Because her own father had never behaved like this man. George looked at her and said with a slightly complex expression, ¡°If you can stand it, go and serve the Duke. Especially since he is not in a good mood. But if things get a little weird-¡± ¡°Come on, Arielsa.¡± She looked at George before she was finally forced out of the bed. Out of the door, standing and looking at the strange hallway, George and Chaers left me alone and went ahead. Walking down the hall of the castle, she felt like a prisoner being dragged along. She could feel her back wet with cold sweat. Yes, this was a castle. A medieval castle she has never been to in her life. These people were calling each other by strange names, including her, and she knew where all these names came from at once. The situation was seriously wrong. She shook her head violently. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Chaers, who stopped in front of a door, was nervous about going inside alone. Arielsa froze as she looked at the black door, which even looked more unusual. But when Chaers opened the door, he quickly pushed her into the room. Arielsa¡¯s heart plunged with the light sound of the door closing behind her back. Her breath halted. A sturdy man with pale skin and dark hair, sat at his desk, slightly frowning. Arielsa thought she must have entered some dream. The man in front of her was shining. It wasn¡¯t as bright as daylight, but as faint as moon light at night. Like a luminous jellyfish living in the deep sea. The air that surrounded his body felt special. It was fascinating and mysterious. The aura, which can naturally cause the viewer to lose his soul, was the evidence that he was the only special person in the world. She stood in a daze, as if she hadn¡¯t ever seen anything like this. He looked at her as if her stare was irritating. When he lifted his clear amber eyes that seemed to glow on its own and brushed his gaze past her, she made a small noise. The aura that surrounded him, only helped to accentuate his s*xy eyes, the bridge of his nose, tightly shut lips, his neat and manly jawline, and his forearms, which looked as firm as a stone holding a pen. She rubbed her eyes with both her hands, her heart screaming, ¡°THIS IS A DREAM!¡± But he lost interest in her and looked down at the papers again and said, ¡°Arielsa, do you have anything to say?¡± A slightly sensitive, low-pitched, cold voice, that seemed to stop her breath. She was so amazed by the circumstances that followed today, she realized that she was holding back a considerable amount of nervousness. Arielsa looked around the room in confusion, fixing her gaze on the old shield hanging on the wall. On the shield, was engraved the stag of the House of Harpel, which rules the North. [Everything looks familiar¡­] She was terrified and slowly stepped back in shock. [My name is Arielsa.] [Northern Castle] [Duke Kyron] [That means¡­ the other characters¡­] Her ¡®dad¡¯, George, a vassage of the Harpel Castle, who was called the ¡®Harpel¡¯s Shield¡¯, known for his powerful force and endurance. And Chaers, the ruthless knight, who pushed her into this room, was the Duke¡¯s right hand man and a book-keeper, called ¡®Harpel¡¯s Fox¡¯. She was in a romance fantasy novel, ¡®The Snowing Desert¡¯. ¡°¡­¡± She held her breath, with her mouth wide open. She managed to squeeze out a little voice and said, ¡°D-Duke¡­?¡± At her call, the Duke Kyron put the pen down and looked at her, his face slightly irritated. [Are you really the Duke Kyron Harpel, the ruler of the North?] Chapter 3 Translator: void Arielsa¡¯s original lines were ¡®Duke, please have some tea.¡¯ but because I did not know Arielsa¡¯s usual tone and behavior I was all over the place. And because of that, I had to use the excuse of still having side effects from my fall off of the ladder. I also needed to spend as little time as possible with George. ¡°Dad. I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°Alright. Sleep tight.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± George lightly flicked my forehead as he tucked the edges of my quilt to prevent the cold and chilly wind from coming inside. After he did all that, he turned to walk out of the room. I sighed in relief but my heart was still pounding wildly. From now on, I had to pretend to be someone else. In addition, I also had to maneuver in these relationships and emotions that had not been fully explained in the original work. It was truly unpleasant and distasteful to know that a good man who cared for me like this would die. That was right. I knew that George Lockeman died during the early stages of the novel. It was entirely because of the crisis that Duke Kyron would face. There were many events that were planned and would unfold in this very castle in the future. And I was the only one in this world who knew. It was only here but because of the knowledge that I knew, I could be a more important and more special existence than before. However, realizing that fact had brought me down as a palpable fear crept up in my heart. Still, that fear was mixed with a bit of thrill and excitement. I quickly fixed my quilt as I closed my eyes. I wanted to go to bed as early as I could so I could meet the male lead tomorrow with the best skin condition ever. ¡°The northern style. I don¡¯t like it.¡± I opened my closet widely early in the morning. However, the only thing I could do was sigh at the contents. There were several dresses hanging in the closet. They were all made with coarse wool that looked thick and warm but they were all dark and dull. In addition, the designs were all simple so this dress was not that different from that dress. Considering that George was a vassal that had a good standing in the castle, then, this meant that this was entirely due to Arielsa¡¯s own taste in style. It was a completely timid and taciturn fashion sense that was befitting of an extra¡­ ¡°Your fashion sense is completely similar to Silicon Valley¡¯s president. Huh?¡± I sat in front of Arielsa¡¯s wardrobe as I criticized her taste in fashion. It was nothing like the dress that I wore yesterday but this did not make any difference at all. I would still need to wear these plain and dull clothes to work. When I came to the office, Duke Kyron was reading a book by his desk with a straight posture. He did not look much different from yesterday. ¡°Good morning. Duke.¡± I greeted him as gently as I could because it seemed like the thing that Arielsa would do. It was surprisingly easy to greet him when his person was glowing softly. I even thought that I went to see a temple to see Budhha¡­ Duke Kyron spoke to me without lifting his eyes off of his book. I could sense a sharp and dagger-like tone to his voice. ¡°I heard that you fell off of a tree yesterday. Right? Go back. Chaers was too insensitive.¡± I got completely flustered when he suddenly spoke to me that I did not know what to do for a moment. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. Yes. It¡¯s just a little¡­¡± I heard that you fell off of a tree. His words sounded like he was saying that the neighborhood idiot fell off of the persimmon tree when he was young. But to be exact, I fell off of a ladder and not from a tree. But he was right about the part that Chaers was insensitive. It was too much to ask a person who just had an accident to go straight back to work, right? But I felt like I was really the neighborhood idiot who fell off of a tree after saying yes then saying no. I answered stupidly as I looked at the male lead who was glowing softly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His desk was stacked with thick leather-bound books and judging from his frowning expression, it seemed like something did not work out well. Even his slightly frowning brows added more to his subtle aura and excellent beauty. [The people have assessed Duke Kyron to be an indifferent man. The assessment was both true and not. He was completely and thoroughly indifferent to things that he had deemed worthless. This is because he has a habit of concentrating persistently and tenaciously on objects that he has deemed meaningful.] Duke Kyron was described as such in the original work. There was a great difference in the impression between the person that I had imagined through the words of the novel and the real person sitting in front of me that was vividly imprinted in my eyes right now. The shock was similar to when one was streaming a video on their low-definition mobile phone when someone took it away and thrusted an 80-inch ultra-high-definition monitor on their faces. I was not even displeased with his chilly and frigid attitude. On the contrary, my heart even skipped a beat. That person was the Lord of the North, Duke Kyron. The only matchless person in the world whether it was through his beauty or strength. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s right in front of me! I tried to put a lid and stopped my rising nerdiness but I felt like I was being engulfed and influenced by his aura. I was already enamored by him. Even though I had to go to morning class the next day, I still read all of < The Snowing Desert > until dawn. I wonder if I could have avoided the car that ran me over in the wrong lane if I had slept soundly that day and I was in good condition? I shook my head to clear my gloomy thoughts as I looked at Duke Kyron. He looked like he was not that mean to berate me after ran away so rudely yesterday. Based on the Duke¡¯s nature I believe it was because he did not care about me and not because he understood my condition. I was a bit disappointed when I thought about it that way but with my eyes looking comfortably at something beautiful, it was difficult for me to feel a tiny bit pessimistic. He spoke coldly to me as he turned the page of his book. ¡°Tea.¡± I suddenly realized something. Wasn¡¯t Arielsa the special tea and refreshment manager in The Snowing Desert! ¡°Yes Duke!¡± My heart thumped loudly. I did not expect that I would be so flustered just by hearing his cold and elegant voice saying ¡®Tea.¡¯ with his slightly frowning yet beautiful brows. D, do I also have some slightly weird and crooked tendencies that I was not aware of? I blushed fiercely as I carefully went to the console table where the tea and alcohol were placed. The bottles that were placed on the table were not the standardized bottles that I have seen so far. The bottles were in different shapes and sizes and were made of thick yet hazy glass. Still, the alcohol that was stored inside had a good color and was pretty good to look at. So this is really a different world. I silently reached out for the tea box as I reflected on that fact. I lightly caressed the luxurious box that was embossed with beautiful patterns. I closed my eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath. If this is really the world of < The Snowing Desert >¡­ I stomped outside. I could feel Duke Kyron¡¯s indescribable gaze stuck at the back of my head again. When I came back a bit later, Duke Kyron did not even look at me. I could tell that he was slightly upset with me. I knew that he would not talk to the other person first if he was angry. If I failed, then I could just brush it off as a small mistake during my first day of work but I was definitely gambling to win. I approached Duke Kyron with the teacup in my hands as I moved as best as I could. I focused as much as I could so that I would not lose my mind to his beautiful aura that was radiating irritation. Duke Kyron stared at me as I placed the steaming cup of tea on his desk. I couldn¡¯t help but gulp down my saliva. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yesterday, his maid ran away after looking at her master¡¯s face. Today, his maid ran away after he had asked her to bring him tea. It seemed like he couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to it after all. However, all I did was smile as wide as I could. ¡°Duke, please have some tea. It¡¯s cinnamon tea.¡± Duke Kyron straightened his back on his chair as he sighed. He looked like he was showing a considerable amount of restraint as he tried not to get angry with me. It did not have much of an effect though. ¡°Cinnamon?¡± I coughed weakly to clear my throat before explaining to him. ¡°I fell off a ¡®ladder¡¯ yesterday because I was trying to make you an apple pie¡­ Duke.¡± I did not expect to say the word Duke at all! My head was experiencing great excitement and thrill so I quickly shut up. I wanted to stress that I fell off of a ¡®ladder¡¯ and not a tree but I felt a bit of regret when I sounded like I resented him after I spoke of the matter. And just like I expected, Duke Kyron turned from his chair as he stared at me. ¡°And so?¡± The eyes of the Duke seemed to tell me¡­ ¡®Are you going to blame me for your own carelessness?¡¯ I smiled widely as I replied. ¡°But the Duke does not like apple pie.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like apple pie?¡± He spoke those words as if he was confirming it with me. I felt a bit excited even though I knew that Duke Kyron was angry with me. After all, the best man in this world was focusing his attention on me right now. My heart was thumping loudly as I felt a bit itchy inside my chest. How should I put it, it felt like I wouldn¡¯t get offended even if my favorite boy got mad at me. Something like that? But his voice was now leaking his uncontrolled sense of anger so I quickly gathered my senses together. ¡°The things that I like¡­ I don¡¯t know them but you know, Arielsa?¡± ¡°No. Duke. Rather than saying that the Duke liked the apple pie, it¡¯s more like you liked the scent of cinnamon in it. After all, you don¡¯t like any other sweets except apple pie. Please try it¡­¡± I tried to hold it in but my smile kept on growing. I was both excited and flattered at the turn of events. So this is how it feels to know other people¡¯s secrets! In the future, Duke Kyron would be caught up in a conspiracy that was made by the emperor. He would lose Harpel Castle and would entrust himself to a Southern noble. That was the father of the female lead. As he struggled to adapt to the new customs and new food, he realized that he liked cinnamon. He enjoyed apple pie because he liked the scent of the cinnamon powder that was sprinkled on it. I just made him realize it earlier. That was all. Although I have only lived in this body for one day, I realized that I could recall Arielsa¡¯s memory whenever I focused and concentrated. It wasn¡¯t always clear but it was always mostly related to the situation at hand. That was the reason why I picked up the cinnamon powder from the kitchen. Duke Kyron stared at me before eyeing the cup of tea in front of him. Then, he picked the cup up. He carefully savored the scent of the tea before taking a sip. Chapter 4 Translator: void He did not speak at all. But I was quite relieved to watch his brows stretch out in comfort since he always had his brows furrowed tensely. I felt glad. I watched him let out a shallow sigh as he placed his teacup down the table. Then, he focused on his documents again. It would be nice if you could say if it was sweet, bland or something! But I did not hate his personality and attitude. After all, that was the reason why I read the book to the end and ended up having less sleep. He was tough and stubborn by nature and he was also a self-righteous man but he ended up getting his character broken down by the author. I also loved the way that he put everything down even lowering himself for the sake of his love. And knowing his personality, his attitude and reaction right now was not that disappointing at all. He must have liked the cinnamon tea. But even though his face did not show much his aura felt vastly different. I couldn¡¯t explain it exactly but it felt more comfortable and healthier compared to before. But above everything else, my heart fluttered after confirming that the knowledge from the original novel was actually very useful. I gazed at the Duke¡¯s desk and spoke. ¡°May I help you? You look like you¡¯re busy.¡± Ah¡­ Duke Kyron¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more compared to before. I couldn¡¯t believe that I spat out words that she would never say just because I felt excited. Cold sweat poured down on my back. In the original, Ariel was a silent and timid maid who was like a shadow. She looked like she wouldn¡¯t even get picked up from the picture if no one looked closely at her. This meant that she would never dare to bring up words that would interfere with Duke Kyron¡¯s affairs on her own. But the water has already been spilled! There¡¯s no way for retreat so all I can do is move forward! I glanced at the books that had been opened and stretched out below as I opened my mouth quickly. ¡°I can help you if it¡¯s about calculation.¡± Oops. I tried to make my voice sound more timid and softer. ¡°I, if it isn¡¯t too hard.¡± Duke Kyron only hummed noncommittally saying ¡®Hmm? Is that so?¡¯. I wasn¡¯t the type to flounder over my words but I was too flustered that I spouted nonsense one after another like dominoes falling one by one. He removed his hand from one of the books as he glanced up at me. I could see the distinct displeasure that was radiating off of his face. ¡°What?¡± Cold sweat coated the entirety of my palm. I could understand the language and the numbers written on the books so I could figure out the problem just by looking at the notes that he had written out on the paper. The only problem was that I willingly jumped out of my element. I broke character with those words. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re having a hard time with the inventory of the warehouse and the tax books.¡± Duke Kyron narrowed his eyes at my unexpected answer. It would have been nice if he could show just a bit of admiration but the only thing that he showed me was doubt and displeasure. I believed that it was only natural. After all, someone who had undergone painstaking education and had been the top of his class ever since he was a child, was suddenly told by his maid that she would help him with the problems that he was struggling with. Even if it was me, I would also think that it was ridiculous. But instead of lashing out to me in anger, all he did was speak stiffly. ¡°Storing the grains would mean that there is a natural decrease in volume. But the loss in amount caused by the rats is considerable. So far, we have gone to the warehouse this spring to inspect and we have found that there was a hole. We have dealt with the amount that was lost but I want to get rid of that hole.¡± ¡°So we can¡¯t tell if the loss was caused by rats or if it was stolen?¡± He looked straight into my eyes as he nodded his head. I thought that I was right about his intentions. The moment I felt relieved, he spoke as if it was just something that was extremely simple. ¡°If you¡¯re not able to do it then I will definitely punish you.¡± Sigh. This character. But since I was the one who dug my own grave, I put aside my grievances and concentrated on the books in front of me. Slowly looking at the numbers, I was able to grasp the situation. Duke Kyron was auditing the books that were written by the administrators. The loss of grains was quite an important issue since the taxes that we received from the grains were already short of becoming a currency. But this was not calculus so I could work around it. When Duke Kyron saw me grinning, he stood up and vacated his chair. He was looking at me with his eyes narrowed sharply as if he was contemplating the punishment that he would give me. However, all I did was sit in the Duke¡¯s chair. At that moment, I felt like I was possessed. My heart thumped wildly when I felt the warmth that was left on the chair that he had sat on. But I shook my head and tried to concentrate on the books. The general mathematics of this world was not far beyond that of the basics of arithmetic. This was the reason why figuring out the missing grain in the books was quite a tricky problem for them. I first checked to see if there was any artificial loss of grain. The books were much more organized than what I had expected so I found the number that I needed. Meanwhile, Duke Kyron was sitting with his legs crossed comfortably on the sofa as he sipped the cinnamon tea that I had made. His gaze on me was a bit acrimonious but when I focused on the books, I realized that this was a simple matter of proportions. When I calculated everything, I found out that the rate of loss of the grains was almost the same in each warehouse. If someone touched the grain then there would definitely be a higher percentage of loss in one warehouse but that wasn¡¯t the case at all. One might think that they could steal a certain percentage from each warehouse but the warehouses were far apart and there were different administrators. And it was also a bit hard to assume that the thief could accurately know the percentage that Duke Kyron could not calculate to steal that much. Not long after, I was able to figure out everything and there weren¡¯t any more problems with the stocks of grains in each warehouse. ¡°I¡¯m done, Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Duke Kyron furrowed his brows as he placed his cup of cinnamon tea down. Despite his obvious displeasure, there was no sound of clattering when he placed his teacup down on the table. I quickly stood up from the chair as he returned to his desk. After sitting on his chair, he looked at my table. It was a table of the income from the tax books as well as the expected rates of losses and the actual inventory. I explained everything as best as I could with Arielsa¡¯s character. ¡°The average grain loss is about 30%. Right now, you¡¯re currently spending as much as you have lost. I think it will be convenient for you to manage your warehouses in the future if you keep a record of your estimated losses when you receive taxes in the future¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no thief in my home.¡± ¡°Who would dare deceive the Duke?¡± I tried to back off with an awkward flattery but the look that he threw at me made me stiffen in shock. ¡°How did you figure this out?¡± ¡°That.¡± I forgot to think and plan ahead on how I would explain myself after this chair bluff but it was more like I was being condescending and arrogant when I did that so I did not do any planning at all. I want to knock some sense into my head so badly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you counted well. I know that you weren¡¯t able to do the addition table until you were ten years old.¡± According to the memories that I had recalled when he said addition table, it was more like a multiplication table of some sort. Ah¡­ Oh¡­ While I was panicking, Arielsa¡¯s childhood memories with the shining male lead came back a bit. The memory felt quite positive. It was the life of the extra and a memory that was something that could not be found in the original work. But Arielsa¡¯s delightful and happy past was largely blank for me. It was completely blank. Heuk. My face turned red in shame but I had to get out of this crisis. ¡°Y, you shouldn¡¯t say such a shameful thing!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But the sheer amount of doubt that was swimming in Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes did not waver or decrease at all. ¡°Arielsa. You have never been ashamed of your ignorance before. Did you forget that you even brought your embroidery as you started embroidering while you stayed in class with me?¡± Heokeok! Arielsa had no interest in studying at all! I had nowhere to get out of. I spoke with tears in my eyes. ¡°I, I heard everything while I was embroidering! I can concentrate better if I use my hands, Duke!¡± ¡°Were you taking classes while embroidering?¡± It was a lame excuse no matter who heard it. Even Duke Kyron was speaking cynically at me without a hint of laughter in his voice. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re a genius.¡± I suddenly recalled the original story. The Little Duke started his classes at the age of four, all of the tutors were seriously worried about him. This was because he never showed interest in the class as he stared out of the window all the time. He even pretended to not know the children who came to become his playmates. The Little Duke seemed to have spoken to the tutors in a language that needed translation when they wouldn¡¯t leave him behind. It seemed like his words were ¡®Don¡¯t bother me.¡¯. The reason why he never paid attention to his playmates was because of the difference in their intellect and intelligence. Naturally, the tutors ran happily to the Duke to report that the Little Duke was a genius. It was also at that time when the boys had a scuffle with the Little Duke, so after much consideration, the late Duke decided to cancel the addition of playmates in his classes. Due to the concern of the Duchess, she chose a girl that could be together with him. That was Arielsa. Ever since then, the contents of the classes were personalized to the Little Duke Kyron¡¯s level. Arielsa joined the Little Duke during his classes but she did a separate lesson that discussed the basic level of common sense when doing housework. It was no wonder that a shy and timid girl got tired of taking classes with the Little Duke. She even got sick of it. Anyway, I sweated like crazy when I heard his sarcastic remarks. It seemed like he was telling me¡­ ¡®I¡¯m a genius but I did not recognize that you¡¯re a genius?¡¯. Since all my skills had failed to let me avoid it, I decided to just push through and become impudent. ¡°You said that you¡¯ll only punish me if I don¡¯t do it. But you¡¯re still reprimanding me even if I did it well¡­¡± Duke Kyron shut his mouth when he saw me speaking with tears in my eyes. The tips of his eyebrows looked like they were crooked and twitching. It seemed like he was kicking himself a bit. Then, he stood up to reveal his fine figure as he spoke to me. ¡°Arielsa. Romney, the administrator of the Forslan Warehouse, had been accused of cheating. You just proved his innocence.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± What he told me was something that was completely unexpected. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of simple inventory management? Chapter 5 Translator: void ¡°The only warehouse that Romney manages is the Forslan warehouse but according to you and your review of the books, grains were lost equally among all the warehouses and it wasn¡¯t only Forslan that had lost grains. It is proof that he is innocent.¡± I felt the hairs on my body stand up. I did not remember the name Romney, the only thing I knew was that the name of the administrator of Forslan warehouse was not Romney. Who was it¡­ He was the one who played a major role in Duke Kyron¡¯s defeat when he intentionally did not send provisions to the Ducal Army. He was a traitor. It seemed like I just prevented a traitor from being in charge of the Forslan warehouse by proving Romney¡¯s innocence. It was highly likely that the people who had accused Romney were a group of defectors or the traitor himself. I clenched my sweaty palms. It was a bit presumptuous for a maid to ask but I couldn¡¯t let this opportunity go. This had to be asked. ¡°Duke. If Romney was ousted from his administrator position, who would you have chosen in his place?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something that I will only think about if he was proven guilty.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s answer was short and blunt. Perhaps it was because he believed in Romney¡¯s innocence so he even thought about those things even with me in here. However, it was quite hard to know if I wasn¡¯t there. ¡°By any chance, may I know who accused¨D¡± ¡°¨DArielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°You may go. Call Chaers over.¡± It was the only natural answer. There was no way that the Duke would willingly speak of the affairs of the estate to a maid like me just because I helped him sort out his books a bit. ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± I stepped back meekly and obediently but I could feel my heart ache. Are all the incidents being sowed here, there and everywhere already? I felt like every event that I had read and enjoyed in the book was something that would become a reality that would come and find me in the future. Then, Duke Kyron called out to me. ¡°Arielsa.¡± Tasked with calling Chaers, I was quite surprised when he called me back. I turned around to look at him and wait for his next words. ¡°Give me another cup of cinnamon tea.¡± It was strange but the tension that surrounded and suffocated me seemed to scatter like a spring breeze entering through a window. ¡°Duke, please have some tea.¡± I quickly preparead a warm cinnamon tea before picking it up and handing it to him. This tea was the thing that linked the two of us. I layed down in my bed, staring at the ceiling of my room as I pondered and brooded over the conversation I had with Duke Kyron. In fact, the first thing that flashed in my mind was his appearance. The Duke had a subtle and delicate glow around his body that contrasted his stubborn expression. It was a bit shocking to me. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Objectively speaking, he was hard-hearted, stubborn and short-tempered. He even looked like he would continuously snub Arielsa. It was only probably because of his picturesque and superb appearance that it wasn¡¯t that upsetting to me. Yes, I was that stupid. I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to focus. Once I focused, Arielsa¡¯s childhood memories came back little by little. Arielsa was very timid and soft ever since she was young. She had always been a quiet girl. When her dad, George, scolded her, she was so scared that her body froze as she wailed. Although she was not clever or tactful, Duke Kyron never cared about her dullness. It might have been because he already had the smartness of around 2~3 people alone since he was young. Arielsa took very good care of Duke Kyron after she was appointed as his playmate. Half of it felt like she was playing with her younger brother while the other half felt like she was playing with dolls. Of course, the doll was the Little Duke back then. She had no intentions of flaunting herself and looking good in front of the future Duke. That was just how her nature was. Due to her nature, the Little Duke took to Arielsa and became more comfortable with her. He let her stay with him rather than those plastic boys who tried to beat him up. A vague memory passed through my head. I could see the sight of the Little Duke Kyron giving Arielsa a flower bracelet that he had made on his own. It was during their study break in a sunny garden. His expression clearly said ¡®I tried this because the other kids did these too but now I don¡¯t have anywhere to throw it away.¡¯ However, regardless of his expression, Arielsa was overjoyed with the gift. There was also a time when the boys who came to the castle picked on Arielsa on the streets when she went out. Little Duke Kyron went and saved her from their bullying. He threw a pebble at them but with every throw the mean little boys would get hit in the head. They were hit one after another until they screamed in pain. His athletic ability was innate and has naturally been awakened back then? How cute! When the kids ran away in fear, Arielsa wanted to say ¡®Thank you, Little Duke.¡¯ as her greeting but the shy and timid Arielsa took a long time to open her mouth. And during that time, the Little Duke had already turned away and drifted away from her sight. He was less than ten years old so I couldn¡¯t believe that he could be so chic and cool like that. The memory warmed Arielsa¡¯s heart. ¡°So that¡¯s why Arielsa stood by him silently. It was thanks to those good memories.¡± I liked the fact that the extras also had their own warm stories and good memories. But our male lead, the silent and emotionless Duke Kyron, even from an early age, he could already make my heart race. It was a pity that I was not able to read this part in the original book. But looking through these memories, I thought that I would be able to forgive him a hundred times for his short-tempered and blunt attitude now. My sudden entrance to this novel should have thrown me into a hopeless and devastating situation but the virtues and attitude of the male lead was making me forget all of that. ¡­¡­It must be a good thing, right? ¡ªArielsa, are you sleeping? I was shocked when I heard the voice from outside. I sat up in bed to answer them. It was George who called out to me. ¡°Yes. Please come inside.¡± But he wasn¡¯t alone. Chaers, as well as the old man that I saw for the first time when I came here, came in together. From the memory that floated in my head, I knew that the old man was a doctor. ¡°I¡¯m here to see how Arielsa is doing. Do you feel any pain? Like a headache or something? Or maybe you¡¯re feeling dizzy or you forgot some of your memories?¡± I pulled the quilt up to my nose as I watched the three strange men gather around my bed. Why are you all here all of a sudden? I bit my lip tightly. It seemed like Duke Kyron had sent the doctor to check on me since I did something that I wouldn¡¯t usually do. Perhaps, he believed that I did that because I got hurt and has then become strange. I shook my head wildly as I shouted my answer to them. ¡°I, I¡¯m fine!¡± But no one seemed to believe me when I told them that I was fine. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t believe me either if I heard that excuse. George stood by the head of my bed as the doctor sat on a little wooden chair. He looked me in the eye as he moved his fingers back and forth in front of my eyes. Then, the doctor asked again. ¡°Do you remember what you ate yesterday?¡± My eyes rolled around nervously as I replied. ¡°Boiled potatoes and soup¡­¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°During lunch and dinner.¡± The doctor looked at George for confirmation. He nodded his head in affirmation. He knew the meals that I ate because he was the one who brought them to me. ¡°And the day before yesterday?¡± ¡°Soup and¡­ oven-baked potatoes and boiled chicken.¡± My eyes shook in nervousness as I looked at the doctor. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about, Mr. Doctor! I answered while thinking that I would eat soup every day but then I was suddenly at a loss. I was so caught in surprise that I ended up saying what I ate today. When George heard my answer, his expression suddenly distorted. I could feel the strength that he had exerted on my shoulders. His face had turned green and he looked like he was about to turn into a giant green monster with a wide and square face. I was really scared. In fact, even Chaers was frowning. Who remembers their every meal? Do you also remember your every meal, doc? The doctor tried to speak in a very friendly manner but it turned out to be very awkward. ¡°Can you think about it again, Arielsa?¡± ¡°I eat something similar every day so I remember them¡­¡± George suddenly roared angrily. It seemed like he was unable to bear it any longer. ¡°We caught a cow the day before yesterday and had that for a meal! How can you not remember that!¡± ¡°Heuk¡­¡± The doctor stopped me when he saw me crawling under the quilt leaving only my frightened eyes behind. ¡°Hoho. Sir George, you shouldn¡¯t scare the patient like that. The ladder must have taken Arielsa¡¯s memories away.¡± ¡°The ladder¡­¡± George and Chaers both looked at the doctor in shock. However, the only thing that the doctor did was nod solemnly. ¡°Yes. The ladder. A huge impact or blow on one¡¯s head can cloud their memory. She must have hit her head hard before falling off of the ladder.¡± Doc, this diagnosis is a bit¡­ ¡°Hoo¡­¡± George groaned in agony while Chaers, with his ever so cold expression, asked a heartless question. ¡°Then, can she serve the Duke properly?¡± ¡°Why do you say that!¡± As I bursted out, the three men looked at me with widened eyes. What are you talking about when I¡¯m enduring my life in disguise to look at our male lead instead of just any Bob out there? I quickly crawled back under the covers as I spoke in an Arielsa-like voice. ¡°C, can¡¯t you think about it? I will forget some things sometimes but there will be no problem when serving and waiting for the Duke. I¡¯m telling you Dad, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Heuheuk. Arielsa!¡± George called out my name in anguish. Anyone who heard him would have thought that I had leukemia or some brain tumor with how sad his howl was. But emphasising on ¡®Dad¡¯ seemed to work quite well. He looked much more relieved when I did that. The doctor quietly patted George on the back as he guided him out of the room. ¡°Get some rest, Arielsa. If you have a headache, come find me.¡± ¡°Yes, doctor. Thank you.¡± But Chaers stayed behind as he stared at me. I could feel cold sweat popping out of my back as I saw him looking at me with his ruthless eyes that were filled with doubt. In the original book, he was described as a stubborn man. If he had the image of a perfectionist with glasses on his eyes then I would have definitely become a fan. But he was more on the side of perversity. He even distrusted humans to the point that he was heartless and cold towards them. Aside from having the same bad and stubborn characteristics, he was like the human version of Duke Kyron¡¯s core + penetrating insight and determination. If you¡¯re asking for Chaer¡¯s good points, if he has any, then it would be his good momentum. He was the type of vassal who would do anything for Duke Kyron regardless of his conscience. It was clear that he came with George to visit me not out of concern for my health but because he was afraid that there would be a problem with the Duke¡¯s tea time. However, Chaers said something unexpected. ¡°The Duke was worried about you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Chapter 6 Translator: void Chaers looked at me with a doubtful face as he asked me again. ¡°You did not eat anything weird by any chance. Right? Perhaps you have a disease that could be transmitted to the Duke¡­¡± ¡°Sir Chaers¡­¡± I called out to him with the most pitiful face that I could muster. When he saw the expression on my face, all he did was sigh ruefully before going outside with a wave of his hand. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s finally done.¡± I felt a sense of elation when Chaers suffered a defeat against me. However, I still felt nervous and anxious that Duke Kyron¡¯s doubt might grow and explode any time. I shouldn¡¯t be excited that easily! Chaers would only come to my room with George if he was ordered by the Duke. He would then think of countermeasures for all kinds of incidents and cases. Perhaps they would find me insane and they would lock me up until they confirmed that whatever I had was not contagious. If I looked fake or suspicious, they would definitely lock me up in the dungeon immediately and tortured me. At least, he would have already realized that his Northern Harpel Territory was not as peaceful as it seemed to be. However, I was still fortunate enough that he did not pick on my ¡®ladder sickness¡¯. Even the Duke¡¯s bookkeeper would not blindly accuse and abuse George¡¯s, the Duke¡¯s left arm, daughter. I pulled the blanket over and was relieved when the tension finally left my body. I was glad that I could meet the doctor. Meeting him had given me the thought of acting like I had a headache whenever I encountered a difficult situation in the future. However, I was still scared that I would not be able to continue to do a good job of acting like I was the shy and timid Arielsa. When Duke Kyron meets with the female lead called ¡®Rose of the South¡¯ and finally falls in love with each other, what will happen next? Will I be able to go back to my home? I was avoiding it the whole time but it was still wrong of me to think of this as my own home. I fell asleep while sobbing under my covers. I could feel something hot and warm touching my forehead. I was overcome with warmth while I whimpered in my sleep. When I woke up at dawn, I realized that the warm touch that lingered on my forehead came from my ¡®Dad¡¯. And I also realized that the words that he whispered to me were real and were not a figment of my dreams. It seemed like George guarded beside my bed and stayed up all night. It looked like he had just left when I woke up. I felt a bit sorry for the small chair that had been bearing his huge weight all night long. Even though I was alone when I opened my eyes, I still felt much better when I woke up. ¡°Arielsa. If anything happens to you, your dad¡­ please don¡¯t scare your dad. Get well soon, you brat.¡± I was a bit afraid and a bit guilty when I recalled George¡¯s caring and loving whispers. My state was even enough to keep him up all night and I wasn¡¯t even his real daughter. Arielsa had probably died when she slipped off of the ladder and fell on the ground. I felt guilty at the thought that he was losing his time to grieve for his real daughter because I took over her body. But I couldn¡¯t tell him that. Without George, my flimsy life would be thrown out and battered like a person without a shield. And I also did not have the courage to tell him that when he looked like he would risk his life with just a single ¡®Dad¡¯ from me. I decided to become Arielsa for him in return for his protection. Let¡¯s protect the male lead, George and the hateful but loyal Chaers all on my own! Let¡¯s protect George and let him live so that our male lead will not need to lose his northern territory. After I made up my mind, I felt relieved. I was also strangely encouraged and believed that it was something that only I could do. ¡°Duke, good morning.¡± After entering Duke Kyron¡¯s office, I greeted him as gently as I could before heading straight towards the console table. He did not answer me. He did not even give me a glance. He looked like he was teasing the pen with how fast he was writing his reply letter. I quietly placed the winter strawberry tea in front of him. Despite having strawberry in its name it has nothing to do with strawberries. Regardless, this herbal tea exuded a unique sweet scent around the table. Duke Kyron took the teacup as he let the scent waft through his nose. Then, he took a sip before placing it back down. After doing that, he sat back on his chair with a straight back. Kyaa. He looked at me. The Duke is handsome today too! No, no. Calm down. He spoke softly to me. ¡°It¡¯s different from the usual.¡± ¡°I steeped it lightly today. How does it taste?¡± Duke Kyron stared at me as he lifted the teacup again. Oh my. Is it fine for him to hold a sword with those long, slender and white fingers of his? Where has my determination to calm down gone? I quietly gulped down as I left my wandering thoughts aside. He took another sip of the tea and said¡­ ¡°I like it. This is the best winter strawberry tea that I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Arielsa would definitely not dance around when her boss praised her. The most appropriate response would be ¡®Sigh. Thank goodness.¡¯. I pinched my thighs with my fingernails and smiled slightly. It was time for me to step away from the desk. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you steep it like this before?¡± ¡°Why?¡± [Most people have said that Duke Kyron was both picky and priggish. However, the truth was that he had never complained when the tea that his maid had made was unpalatable. He would only be picky and priggish when he had good reason to be.] was what I had read in the book. Duke. However, I spoke as timidly as I could to try and win sympathy. ¡°Because of the ladder¡­¡­¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s face turned ugly so I quickly continued my words. ¡°It made me realize that I was in a bad condition so I wanted to focus on my job. About serving the Duke¡­ I would like to make you more delicious tea¡­¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s reply was brief and it was hard to gauge his reactions. All he did was drink his tea silently. The steam from the warm tea scattered under his aura. Ah, my eyes are very happy. ¡°Even knights fall off their horses and hurt their heads. But that is no reason to have such a drastic change in personality or behavior. Arielsa.¡± He was the one who was drinking warm tea but it seemed like I was the one whose temperature was increasing. Wasn¡¯t it resolved with the ladder sickness as an excuse? Did it not work? My mouth was suddenly parched. It seemed like I needed to convince him further. I was so nervous that even my voice cracked. ¡°When I fell off the ladder¡­¡­!¡± The Duke raised one of his eyebrows as if he was asking me ¡®This excuse again?¡¯. ¡°I, I think I¡¯ve seen the world on the other side.¡± I already spilled the water. Ah. I couldn¡¯t undo whatever water I spilled already. I could see Duke Kyron¡¯s glaring eyes suddenly shaking. However, all he did was place his teacup down. ¡°The world on the other side?¡± I almost spilled the words about the car that drove towards me on my way to the academy. There were too many cars in the world that ignored the traffic laws. Those freaking cars destroyed people¡¯s lives and made them lose their dreams in vain. Thankfully, I was able to keep my mouth shut. I just shook my head in a fluster as I tried to hide the sadness in my eyes. To be honest, I truly felt sad so I did not have to act that part. ¡°I want to live a better life. I don¡¯t want to make the same mistakes that I did before, I want to see a lot of good things, I want to eat well and many more things.¡± Duke Kyron did not speak. He just stared at me as if he was urging me to continue. ¡°I want to be a good daughter to my Dad and I want to be the best maid that serves under the Duke.¡± I smiled happily at him. That was my true resolution in this world. I felt more energized after letting that out of the bag. A subtle smile hung loosely around Duke Kyron¡¯s mouth. Please don¡¯t smile, it¡¯s too bright and dazzling. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°Just tell Chaers that you have a headache.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Duke.¡± Duke Kyron picked the tea up once more. So I quietly stepped back and sat on my chair in the corner of the office. I could feel my heart thumping wildly. A small desk right in front of the window placed at the corner of the office. This was Arielsa¡¯s seat. Although I could not see Duke Kyron from this position, I would be able to run immediately when he called for me. I was finally able to concentrate on breathing since I couldn¡¯t see his face. I was wondering about what he was doing today but it was too dangerous for me to show more interest in his work. It made me smile when he told me that I should just tell Chaers that I had a headache. To be honest, Chaers would definitely find words like ¡®world on the other side¡¯ more suspicious. It seemed like the Duke was on my side. Just like when we were kids¡­ ¡°Arielsa.¡± I quickly stopped my wandering thoughts when I heard Duke Kyron call for me. ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± I jumped up and hurried towards his desk. ¡°Go to the drill hall.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± I looked at him with my wide and limpid eyes. Eyes that were so wide and innocent that they did not know what to do next. He just looked at me as he gave a brief sigh. ¡°Goddamn apple pie.¡± He was just talking to himself but I heard it clearly that I couldn¡¯t help but redden in embarrassment. ¡°Prepare my coat.¡± Following the Duke¡¯s gaze, I found a coat hanging on the wall. I quickly ran towards it and brought it to him. I even helped him put the clothes on even though I was on my tip toes. However, I couldn¡¯t remember how to do the unusual latch. It was neither a button nor a zipper and I had a hard time figuring out how it worked. In addition, grazing his body with my touch was making me even more nervous and flustered. Then, he clasped the back of my hand. I looked up in amazement when he guided my hands slowly as if he was showing me the ropes of how to do it. The back of my hand that was in contact with his hands felt like they were burning. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± When he heard me groaning lightly with my lips shut tight, he couldn¡¯t help but frown before asking¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± What¡¯s wrong with me? It¡¯s because you¡¯re so cool! I had no choice but to bite my lips tightly to stop myself from screaming or groaning in excitement. Duke Kyron, who was wearing a coat with a fur collar, was extremely gorgeous. I was not aware that a single coat could emphasize his strong masculine aura. Duke Kyron grinned casually when he saw me fumbling in embarrassment. When I saw him grin, my face turned even redder. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He clicked his tongue as he pointed to the corner. I followed his finger and saw my coat hanging in the corner on my chair. It was just a simple and ordinary coat. The collar of my coat was also covered in fur to prevent the wind from hitting my neck. However, it was far from being stylish and cool because it was just for practical use. As soon as I put on my coat, Duke Kyron quickly went out of the door. Chapter 7 Translator: void I often followed behind the Duke on errands. However, I felt a bit embarrassed to be out on a date alone with him. To be honest, I was a bit excited when I heard that I would be going out for the first time with him. We were headed towards the military drill hall. When we arrived at our destination, I couldn¡¯t help but open my mouth in shock when I saw dozens of men running around a huge playground. ¡°Arielsa!¡± George, who was playing some kind of soccer with his top off, waved cheerfully at me. He seemed to be very pleased to see me tagging along behind the Duke. ¡°Ack!¡± Then, a black ball flew straight towards me. ¡°Dad!¡± I didn¡¯t panic as I stopped the ball with my foot and kicked it back towards the knights. The ball that I kicked flew in a pretty parabola before landing in the middle of the drill hall. The dozens of muscular men all stopped their game as they looked at me with their mouths hanging open. Something¡¯s strange. What¡¯s wrong with them? ¡°Cough¡­¡± When I heard Duke Kyron coughing discreetly, I froze. George approached me as gently as if he was dealing with a bomb. He thought deeply before wrapping me in his arms as if to hide me from the knights. ¡°Duke.¡± Duke Kyron nodded his head and George took me to the castle as if to protect me. I did not know what was going on again but George just grabbed me by the shoulders before speaking to me. ¡°You, you, why did you kick the ball?¡± I flinched back, afraid that he would give me another flick on my forehead. ¡°Yes? Did I do something wrong¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± I stared up at him with my most pitiful kitten-like eyes. When George saw my eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but suppress his frown before continuing to speak. ¡°What would the Duke think of you when you kicked the ball in front of all those knights?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid of the ball! Besides, if you kick the ball like that then how will you get married?¡± ¡°Heok¡­¡± George looked relieved when he saw me freaking out as if I had just realized the severity of the matter. However, I was freaking out because of something else. Did I really enter a backward world like this? I thought the knights were more surprised because my actions were not appropriate and matching with the shy, timid and calm Arielsa. However, it seemed like it was in their culture that women should not ¡®kick the ball¡¯. I was supposed to be careful but¡­ I was already panicking from the inside out. I was very confused but I have already made such a mistake. In addition, there was one thing that was hard for me to overlook so I wanted to check it carefully. ¡°Do you happen to have a knight in mind that you want me to marry?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± George¡¯s face reddened up in an instant as his pupils shook wildly. What the hell? Am I not allowed to ask something like this in this worldview? However, I was lucky enough that it wasn¡¯t the case. His teeth were rattling and I could see them clacking together as he answered me. ¡°You, you, you, you want to get married? How about this dad?¡± The very next moment, he looked like he would turn into a green monster once more. ¡°Which among those punks in the knighthood dared to ask you to marry them?¡± My hands shook as I looked at his huge fists. ¡°What do you mean by getting married? I don¡¯t want to leave Dad! And I can¡¯t get married anymore because I kicked the ball, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s different if you were asked to go or if you wanted to go. For now, let¡¯s just say that your words can be trusted. I can be relieved then.¡± His face suddenly became relaxed with an easy smile as he led me back to the drill hall. I also tagged behind him too. This was something that I also often did. Back in the drill hall, Duke Kyron was watching the knights play. George went back in the drill hall as he shouted loudly. The knights quickly went into a formation as they heeded his call. The relaxed atmosphere that floated around when they were playing around with the ball was now nowhere to be found. I quietly approached Duke Kyron as he continued to watch the knights train. They were quickly changing formations under George¡¯s calls. There were dozens of muscular men running around while shouting loudly but Duke Kyron, who was shining softly, still overwhelmed the place. Looking at this scene, I realized that my position was truly the best. Compared with his right arm, Chaers, I felt like I stayed with him a lot longer. However, at the same time, I realized why people said that you needed to maintain a proper distance. Even though I was just standing behind him, Duke Kyron criticized the people around him. This was because his reputation was at stake so he needed to check them critically. He did not forgive any small mistakes that the knights have made. He even harshly rebuked them as soon as he saw them making mistakes or having any shortcomings. The line, to me, looked like it was cut by a knife with how straight it was. However, it was a crooked line in front of the Duke. The knights that, to me, looked like they were teleporting with how fast they were running were reprimanded by the Duke. His exact words were ¡®It seems like you have only been fed with boiled snails. Perhaps we should put the chef in prison.¡¯. I shook my head as I watched them by the sidelines. After giving them one hell of a time, Duke Kyron nodded his head and stood up as George shouted for the last time. That was the end of their training. As I approached, he stared down at me before saying¡­ ¡°You¡¯re quite athletic. Arielsa.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± I followed behind him as I bit my lips tightly. It felt like there was a bone stuck in my throat. I had to be more careful lest I become the chef¡¯s next cell neighbor. We were finally back in the office. And this time I managed to take off his coat without any groan or whimper. It was a bit breathtaking to touch his body that was swept by the aura. To put it in other words, it was like touching the glass sphere that was filled with static electricity. Of course it did not raise any hairs on my body but my heart ached keenly. ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± ¡°Cinnamon.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± I quickly made him a cinnamon tea before sitting down on my chair in the corner. I sat still, closed my eyes, and concentrated deeply as I tried to recall my memories. The Arielsa, who came to my mind, my goodness, was a very athletic figure who tripped over her own foot on an otherwise flat and smooth street. ¡°Arielsa. You better walk slowly. That way, you will fall less.¡± The Little Duke¡¯s words that day lingered deep in Arielsa¡¯s memories. Little Duke Kyron was, at the very least, a very sweet boy to her. How did he grow up so stubborn and short tempered at her? Cold sweat poured down my body as I recalled his stare before we went out of the drill hall earlier. I quietly spent time trying to recall and reach out to Arielsa¡¯s memories. It seemed like there was still a long way to go for me before I could stop making small mistakes like this. The next day. I walked down the hallway reminding myself to be careful. I thought about it a lot last night. It seemed to me that the only way for me to avoid making mistakes and thinking ¡®Will Arielsa do something like this?¡¯ or something along those lines was to not do anything. Anyway, it was just not doing anything. It would be wise of me to not do anything until I learnt enough about the culture and customs of this world. That way, I would be able to spare myself from mistakes and embarrassments. My survival was a priority that precedes being a fan. I quietly reflected and recalled the original story from the very beginning. It was because I was afraid that I would forget the smallest of things. And that was when Chaers came in. ¡°Sir George said that he will be conducting outdoor training starting now since the weather is starting to warm.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Sir George come by himself?¡± I felt like Chaers glanced back at me even though I was hidden behind the corner. ¡°Because he was cheering up the knights.¡± Chaers¡¯ voice sounded like it was filled with protest. But Duke Kyron just remained silent as he waited for his next words. ¡°The young knights joked around that they would not want to marry Arielsa so he said that he should put them into order now. So he wanted me to report it to you while he was at it¡­¡± My face stiffened as I gasped. However, Duke Kyron replied without even snorting at the absurdity of the situation. ¡°I will come along too.¡± Then, Chaers continued as if everything was normal. ¡°Speaking of which, you should take a break since the weather is already starting to warm up. Weren¡¯t you a bit tense because of the accusation a few days ago? It¡¯s good to relax your nerves. I¡¯ll have the servants clean up the area around the lake.¡± My ears immediately pricked up at his words. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes! Duke.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to the lake.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± I quickly brought Duke Kyron¡¯s coat and helped him put it on all the while pretending not to notice Chaers. I could feel Chaers eyes on me but I purposely did not look at him. I was trying to not be aware of his existence. Somehow, I was able to fasten the latches on the Duke¡¯s coat well today. Then, I went to my corner and finished putting on my coat. As soon as I finished putting on my coat, I seemed to have seen a furtive smile at the corner of Duke Kyron¡¯s mouth. Meanwhile, Chaers spoke to me as soon as he saw me wearing my coat. ¡°You¡¯re going to come along too?¡± My thoughts whirred quickly. Does Arielsa hate water? However, I could not recall that fact at all. Therefore, I had to follow him. ¡°But the Duke is leaving? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to serve him?¡± Chaers couldn¡¯t answer me any longer since Duke Kyron already left the office. We went to the lake just outside of the outer castle. [The lake by the castle was small, however it was shining brightly like the brightest sapphire in the world.] The lake, which was described like that in the boom, was truly like a bejeweled blue gem. The stunning blue of the lake seemed to be emphasized more with the boat tied on the black deck and the dead trees surrounding the lake. But I couldn¡¯t really appreciate its beauty. My teeth were clenched tightly as Chaers glanced back at me mockingly. Goddamn northern men! Why are you playing in the water in this cold weather?! Perhaps they could call it spring if the ice on the surface of the lake had already melted but even their breaths were white and smokey! And to me, who felt particularly cold, felt like I was in the middle of the playground in the middle of a windy winter day. I wanted to run back home and burrow into my quilt but my hands were strangely sweating. Chapter 8 After Duke Kyron and Chaers got off of their horses, the servants in charge of the lake immediately led the horses away. Some were setting a fire by the lake while some were preparing the food. It was a relief since Duke Kyron could immediately warm his body if there was a chance where he needed to be pulled out of the lake. In fact, today was the day when Duke Kyron would almost drown in the lake. Since the flooring of the boat that was anchored and left unattended all throughout winter had grown old and fragile it would immediately break and sink once weight was placed on it. In the original, his men would find that the place in the water where the boat was supposed to float on was clean and spotless. When everyone was devastated at the fact that the boat was gone and the Duke was nowhere to be found, the Duke would swim out of the lake and proceed to faint under the eyes of everyone. Eventually, the Duke would get pneumonia. And in this time and age where penicillin was something that wasn¡¯t invented yet, pneumonia was like a death sentence. Of course, the Duke would miraculously recover thanks to his absurd physical strength but his suffering would continue to the point that he would almost be poisoned while he was getting treated. After going about for days, it seemed like I was already approaching the beginning of the original work. From now on, there was no time that I could waste. ¡°Duke, shall we go together?¡± When Chaers spoke, Duke Kyron, who was sitting on the boat, glared at him fiercely. ¡°Me and you? Together?¡± Chaers just shrugged as he pushed the Duke¡¯s boat to test if everything was alright. Well, that was true. It would be inappropriate for two men to ride on a single boat. Chaers gazed at the lake as he spoke to me. ¡°Arielsa. Prepare something for the Duke when he returns.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t hear what Chaers told me. My gaze was trained on Duke Kyron¡¯s boat that was gliding towards the center of the lake. ¡°Arielsa?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll prepare it right away.¡± I went on the deck after answering him perfunctorily before climbing at the other boats. I was somehow able to start rowing but if I was honest with myself then I would tell them that I was scared to death. The Duke¡¯s boat would be like that because it was written in the original but I did not know whether the other boat was fine. Will I be able to survive in this freezing northern lake with the swimming skills that I learned in elementary school? I was afraid that I would be the one who would die of pneumonia first but¡­ I still rowed with determination as I screamed in my heart. I¡¯m going to get the Duke out of here! ¡°Arielsa!¡± Chaers ran to the deck with shock plastered on his face. If I left it there alone, then the deck would collapse and I would not be able to get on this boat. I rowed towards my death as I shouted back at Chaers. ¡°I have to ask the Duke about what he wants to eat!¡± Chaers gave up as he tiredly stopped at the end of the deck. Meanwhile, his appearance slowly faded away from my sight. Somehow, I felt a bit better when I got so far away that I could not even hear him swearing. At first, the boat shook and was unstable due to the waves from the water but I quickly got used to it. The dark blue sky was hanging above my head as I rowed in this freezing lake. From time to time, I could hear the birds singing. It was so peaceful that it almost lulled me to sleep. Somehow, I could understand why Duke Kyron liked this peculiar stillness. If the person that managed such a huge estate needed the time to think alone, I thought that there really was no other place more perfect than this place. I was left in a daze for a moment before I came back to my senses. ¡°Ugh!¡± I was a bit curious about the temperature so I dipped my finger in the water. But it was so cold that my head almost shriveled and ached. I can¡¯t let our male lead fall into such a cold lake! This is a matter of a possessed spirit¡¯s pride! So I double checked that Duke Kyron¡¯s boat was safe. ¡°Heok! Du, Duke¡­!¡± But when I looked afar, there was no boat floating in the middle of the lake. Even the surface of the lake was calm and glistening brightly under the sun. I rowed desperately hoping that George¡¯s physical and muscle potential was also dormant in Arielsa¡¯s body. ¡°Duke!¡± I came to the area where I last saw the Duke¡¯s boat was floating on but my voice only echoed in the cold and icy lake. The lake where my voice faded away into silence was so quiet that I felt scared. ¡°Heuk¡­¡­¡± I quickly took off my coat. My heart skipped a beat at the thought that I might get a heart attack if I jumped into this cold and icy water in this state. But my hesitation quickly disappeared. A person was dying now! ¡°Pwa!¡± Suddenly, the Duke¡¯s wet head popped out of the water as he grabbed the boat that I was on. ¡°Duke!¡± ¡°Arielsa.¡± The boat shook along with the wind as I moved briskly to look at him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Do I look okay? Go the other way, Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± I leaned heavily on the other side of the boat so Duke Kyron could climb on the boat. He looked like a wet towel as he climbed on the boat. That was all that I could think of as I looked at his wet appearance in those thick clothes of his. Of course, if he was a towel then he was the brightest towel in the world. ¡°Duke¡­?¡± He turned his face to look at me. As puffs of cold air rose from his body. Before I could say anything, the Duke asked me. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Snacks¡­¡± I paused for a moment. Perhaps this was the stupidest excuse that I could come up with¡­ ¡°What?¡± ¡°I forgot to ask you what you wanted to have for snacks.¡± ¡°Oh. Arielsa.¡± Duke Kyron just laid back in exhaustion as I rowed silently back to the deck. There was a great commotion when Duke Kyron appeared soaked to the bone on the deck. A blanket was immediately taken from the lake-side boat shed and the bonfire was made larger. I quickly removed the roasting meat as I heated the water. Then, Chaers yelled at me. ¡°How did something like this happen?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know well¡­ the Duke just suddenly came out of nowhere¡­¡± Duke Kyron, who was sitting by the fire while drinking warm water, spoke to him as if he was a bother. ¡°Chaers, we¡¯re going back. Burn the rest of the boats.¡± The servant in charge of the boat¡¯s maintenance stood still with a pale and blue face. Chaers glared at him as if he could kill him with just his looks as he followed Duke Kyron. I quickly followed suit. When we came back to the castle, I immediately ordered a warm bath. While Duke Kyron was bathing, I prepared clean clothes and placed them on top of his table. The thick leather pants were softer than they looked and the tunic smelled of sunlight. It seemed like the servants of the castle could do a better job than a maid like me. My heart was still pounding at the thought of Duke Kyron falling in the water as he was even though he immediately popped out of the water. He did not seem to have caught a cold when he was throwing a tantrum earlier. But now, the Emperor would not be able to attempt to poison Duke Kyron under the guise of offering medicine for pneumonia. It seemed like it was possible to influence the plot. The excitement that I felt when I confirmed this matter was extremely great. For a moment, I was even under the impression that Duke Kyron Harpel¡¯s fate was in my hands. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was at that moment when Duke Kyron entered the bedroom. His hair was drooping wet and he had only one towel wrapped around his waist. Heok. I quickly went out of his way as I avoided looking at his eyes. I did not have the guts to openly appreciate his perfectly muscular body. The scent of the ginger tea that I made earlier gently wrapped around the room. And since I was the one in charge of it, he asked me about it first. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ginger tea.¡± ¡°Ginger?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good medicine for your body. I asked Mr. Doctor for some earlier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really serious about tea.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa?¡± Duke Kyron approached me. He looked like he wanted to ask for an answer. I closed my eyes tightly as I shouted inside my head. Clothes! Please wear some clothes! But he did not move. Duke Kyron only sighed a bit irritably at me. ¡°Did you forget that you have to wait on me and dress me with my clothes?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± He was waiting for me to help dress him up. Uwaaaa. I did say that I¡¯d rather be the female lead than just a simple maid but now I¡¯m sure that this is a much better place for me but¡­ I just mumbled to myself as I bowed my head down. Unable to wait any longer, the Duke took his tunic and dressed himself up. I followed him with the ginger tea to cover up the awkwardness. He roughly bundled himself up before sitting down on the chair and speaking to me irritably. ¡°Dry my hair.¡± I held my breath as I placed the towel on his head. Then, I felt him relaxing under my hands as I quietly massaged his hair. He seemed quite pleased with the ginger tea too. I sensed a faint scent of enjoyment coming from him as I rubbed his wet hair with the towel. It seemed like he was comfortable with my touch. He even left his body completely unguarded to me without any doubts. It was like I was someone that he believed in completely. I felt a bit strange when those facts flashed in my head. He was a person who was a hazard to my heart¡­ ¡°Arielsa. How did you know?¡± ¡°The grandma at the market told me that ginger is the best way to warm your body. Ah¡­¡± Duke Kyron, who was warmed up and bathed, grabbed my wrist that was wiping his wet hair. ¡°What I meant to ask was how you knew that the boat would sink. Arielsa Lockeman.¡± His hold was firm. It did not hurt but if I lied or tried to run away, he could still easily break my hands. But I did not have the leisure to feel fear. His palms were burning through my wrist and my pitiful yet throbbing heartbeat was completely exposed to him. That alone would make him realize that I was lying to him. I had to tell a lie but¡­ ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that it was because of the snack. George¡¯s daughter couldn¡¯t be this much of an idiot.¡± But he added more words as if he did not want to intimidate me. ¡°But it also took you a lot of time to memorize the addition table.¡± I gasped when I realized that I answered him unconsciously. ¡°It¡¯s just, just¡­ I thought that I¡¯d be in trouble if I did not follow the Duke.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s grip on my wrist tightened and my body was helplessly dragged in front of him. Chapter 9 I shut my mouth tightly. The towel that I used to wipe his wet hair fell to the floor but I couldn¡¯t pick it up. The skin on my wrist started to feel itchy. He was looking at me with his cold and clear eyes as if he was going to dig up all of my secrets. He was staring at me intently. His cold, emotionless and suspicious gaze froze my thumping heart. My head was blank. I couldn¡¯t think of anything at all. My breathing stopped to the point that I even needed to open my mouth to breathe again. However, he spoke coldly to me without any trace of sympathy at all. ¡°I don¡¯t have any problem with your exceptional teas.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°But I have a hunch that you will make my life a bit more complicated if things continue like this. Don¡¯t you think so, Arielsa?¡± I shook my head wildly. ¡°No. Duke. I just, just¡­¡± ¡®I just wanted to help you! That way, I can also be helpful in this world!¡¯ But the words that I shouted in my heart couldn¡¯t reach him. No, it wasn¡¯t supposed to reach him. ¡°Is this the influence of your visit to the world over there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was Duke Kyron who gave me a hole where I could escape to. It was common for people to say that someone¡¯s personality would change or they would have some unpredicted intelligence after they had experienced the afterlife. I was supposed to answer ¡®Yes!¡¯ but for some reason, I was left speechless. I just stared blankly at the dripping water from his hair near the back of his neck. He freed my hands not long after. ¡°Clean up.¡± I quickly picked up the towel and wiped his hair dry. It was only then that I felt the warmth of the fireplace. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me today. But you¡¯ll have to say it one day, Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He added those words in a deep voice. ¡°You saved my life. Thanks.¡± If this was a scene in the novel and I was reading this in text then I would have enjoyed this part with a small shriek. But the only thing that I could do was to stand behind him and bite my lips. For fear that he could feel my heated and shaking fingertips, I purposely grabbed the towel loosely as I rubbed against his scalp. It seemed like the sound of my pounding heart was louder than the crackling of the bonfire in my ears. I was already back in my room but the excitement from what happened earlier was still not subsiding. I felt like the wrist that was caught in the palm of his hand was still burning. No, everything starting from the skin on my wrist to my thumping heart seemed to tremble and sting. ¡®You must be crazy. You must really be crazy! Stop beating, my heart!¡¯ I opened the window on purpose to let some cold air into the room. Only when the cool breeze fanned my face was I able to calm down. However, I still unconsciously held the wrist that Duke Kyron had grabbed earlier. I was like someone who wanted to preserve and prevent the residual heat from flying away from my wrists. The last time I saw Duke Kyron, we were out on the field and he was a picky, ruthless, perfectionist. If one would say that Chaers was a ruthless and picky person, then it was as if Duke Kyron just lent him the word. He was the epitome of ruthless, picky and perfectionist. But such a Duke was soft and kind to me. Although he was not going out of his way to treat me nicely, he treated me like he did not hate me and it looked like he did not intend to be picky and fussy with me. He pretended not to know that I already knew that the boat had problems. But if it was Chaers who acted like me, Duke Kyron would definitely ask him how he knew that the boat would sink. At all costs. In the end, he left me without any further questioning. This fact got my head all in a mess. Because I¡¯m a girl? Because you believed in me since we¡¯ve been together since childhood? Or, perhaps it was because I¡¯m just a nobody who will never be a threat to him? But with the way he reacted, I couldn¡¯t really ignore his attitude towards me. Although his attitude couldn¡¯t really be called like that, his attitude to me still contained exceptional tolerance and an extremely passive tenderness. As long as I could feel this, I had no choice but to work harder for him. But the harder I worked for him, the more his suspicions and doubt of me would grow. What a vicious cycle. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I sat on my bed with a sigh. Duke Kyron¡¯s suspicions were a problem but I still had a bigger problem right now. After I saw his figure coming out of the bath earlier, I used it for my lustful fantasies. No matter how hard I tried to think of him as the perfect male lead, my breath still couldn¡¯t stop from becoming turbid. ¡°Heuu¡­?¡± Then, I suddenly realized that he had no scar on his side when I saw his body earlier. In the middle of the original work, there was a scene where the female lead peeked at him when he was taking a bath. She was his scar and wondered where it came from. But from what I saw earlier, there was no scar at all. He had an endlessly perfect body. So he still did not have a scar yet. ¡°Hunting.¡± Later, when the female lead blatantly asked him about his scar, Duke Kyron bluntly and candidly answered that he got the scar when he fell off of a horse while he was hunting. Raised by her strong and wealthy noble father, the female lead had lived her life only seeing men bragging in front of her. That was why the female lead was disappointed. She thought that the rumored Duke Kyron was a man of little to no substance. That was why she even resorted to insulting him in public. When I read that scene, I felt so heartbroken¡­ Sob. Perhaps, the comment box had exploded during that episode. Raised like a house plant in a greenhouse by her father, the Marquis, she failed to see that Duke Kyron had the power to break and steam all of the bones of her entire family, including her father. However, even though she learnt about his worth much later, rather than appreciating it¡­ It was safe to say that subtle feelings of love and hatred piled up due to complicated situations. What my dad¡ªmy real dad, not George¡ªsaid was right. A person should have a goal in life. So I determinedly set some goals. During the next hunt, I would do my best to prevent him from being seriously injured to the point that it would leave a scar. With my goal set, the fear and confusion that I felt earlier slowly disappeared. I wriggled my way under the covers as I shouted my determination in my heart. ¡®I will raise our male lead without any wrinkles!¡¯ Early in the day, I looked up some information about medicinal plants in Duke Kyron¡¯s library. I was missing the search window from my previous life but I had no choice but to take advantage of the things that I had. It was a bit uncomfortable but I still had all the books that I needed. I was also able to learn a great deal about berries and herbs in this place. After doing those, I also often stopped by the greenhouse. In addition to apple trees, there were also plenty of plants that grew on one side of the Duke¡¯s garden. I also grew various herbs and fruits that could be made in a drink there. I went to the greenhouse as I leaned on a ladder and stared up at the apple tree that was filled with scratches. I can¡¯t believe you fell from there. Extra, what a miserable life you lead. ¡°No. Let¡¯s stay positive, positive!¡± I slapped my cheeks lightly as I looked at the herbs. Arielsa¡¯s herbs were mainly for warmth and to soothe the mind. Seeing as how she painstakingly grew these herbs, Duke Kyron must have really loved tea. I quietly trimmed the leaves as I picked out some fresh herbs with distinctive scents. Contrary to the ¡®spring¡¯ that was described by the people of the north, the air in the greenhouse was as warm as a real afternoon during spring. Because of that, I always felt a bit reluctant whenever I came inside. It seemed like the afternoon sun had already passed since I already felt a bit cold. The greenhouse would be a bit hotter during sunrise and when the sun was up in the sky but once the sun had set, the temperature inside would drop sharply. I lost track of time as I took care of the herbs. I quickly turned around when I heard someone opening the door. ¡°Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°You were here?¡± Just like what I did before, he also gazed at the apple tree where I fell earlier before staring at me again. His gaze felt strangely unpleasant. ¡°You always come here whenever you have the time.¡± It was just a coincidence but it seemed like Arielsa¡¯s usual behavior overlapped with mine. What a relief. However, it was still not a good thing for me to meet with him alone. ¡°So you grow the tea that the Duke drinks.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He looked at the leaves of the herbs in my basket as he spoke to me. However, the contents were not like that at all. ¡°We¡¯re making a new boat. The one you rode in was crushed and used as firewood.¡± Chaers shrugged his shoulders when he saw me look at him in surprise. ¡°The Duke was angry and the servant who took care of the boat¡¯s maintenance was also punished.¡± ¡°Dismissed?¡± ¡°In jail.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, it was an accident where the Duke almost died so it was not something to be taken lightly. ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking that we will give you a reward. Right?¡± I shook my head. The ¡®reward¡¯ that Chaers was coldly talking about did not sound like it was a good thing. All I wanted to do was to get out of this rapidly cooling greenhouse. In a rush, our words overlapped over each other. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°But only if you tell me how you knew and why you went to save the Duke.¡± The greenhouse suddenly darkened since the servants started to put a blanket to cover the roof. The temperature would drop sharply at night so the servants protected the plants by covering the greenhouse with a blanket. My heart started pounding wildly. This northern man was harmful for my heart, my healt and my freedom. I wish I could do one thing though. When I opened my mouth to speak, Chaers spoke quickly as if he wanted to steal my words. ¡°Of course, you would say that it¡¯s just a coincidence. I asked you to prepare the Duke¡¯s snack but you wanted to check what he wanted first because he¡¯s very picky and fussy.¡± I was in a crisis. Right now, I felt that I shouldn¡¯t be as passive as Arielsa so I asked him a bit more forcefully. ¡°Did I do something wrong? It sounds like you¡¯re doubting me.¡± As soon as those words came out of my mouth, the blanket finally completely covered the greenhouse and we were plunged in darkness. Chapter 10 Translator: void However, Chaers just stared at me. I heard a servant coming down from the roof and removing the ladder. ¡°Doubt? What should I be doubtful of?¡± I spoke as slowly and as carefully as I could. I could even feel my head overheating as I tried to find the right words to say to the clever and cunning Chaers without breaking Arielsa¡¯s innocent and timid persona. ¡°Doubting¡­ about the fact that perhaps I was the one who blew a hole in the boat. Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Of course I knew that he meant to say that to me. But Chaers stared at me as if it was unexpected that I was the first one to say those words. But his following words were so lifeless that it seemed like he was just stating the facts ¡°You can¡¯t do something like that. Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t leave you alone if you did that. You know that, right?¡± He spoke flatly as if the words that he said were not that big of a deal. I could feel myself turning white in fright as he left me behind in the darkened greenhouse. I could hear a servant apologizing that he did not realize that we were inside after he went outside and opened the door. Chaers held the door open as he beckoned to me. To be honest, with a smile like that on his face, he would definitely look like a gentleman. ¡°Arielsa. Come on out.¡± I quickly suppressed my thumping heartbeat as I hurried out of the door. After seeing that I went out of the greenhouse, Chaers went back without saying another word to me. I returned to my room as I started drying the reilis herbs that I picked up earlier. Chaers did not seem to think that I tried to drown Duke Kyron. But it looked like he was suspecting that I knew that the accident was going to happen. I would be suspicious of me too! But it was better to say that my head was aching just like what Duke Kyron had advised me before. Just like what happened with the Duke, I could not judge whether it would be easier to just tell them that I gained a special ability after I had a glimpse of the afterlife. Either way, with Chaers¡¯ personality, it would still be hard to make him believe any word I said. ¡°Shall I drop him off of a ladder too?¡± But that was just a mindless thought. After all, he was an excellent bookkeeper and knight and I was just a person who couldn¡¯t do anything. I was sitting there in tears, lost about what I should do, when George came to find me. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± He placed his heavy hand on top of my head without saying anything. ¡°¡­Daddy?¡± ¡°What did that punk Chaers say to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I wondered how George knew that Chaers went to see me to secretly threaten me but I couldn¡¯t dare ask. ¡°The punk came to me and told me that he went and talked to you about the boat incident. He knew that I would not stand still if he was rude to you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just let that punk go just because it¡¯s his personality but I also understand him since there¡¯s something bothering me.¡± ¡°Dad. I¡¯m alright. I can understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡± He pulled up a chair and sat down eye to eye with me. He was checking to see if I cried. ¡°You¡­ Did you really know that the boat was going to sink?¡± ¡°No.¡± I told him a lie. He stared at me with a mysterious gaze as if trying to assess whether the words I said were true or not. Then, he spoke in a calm voice. ¡°I vowed to sacrifice my life for Duke Kyron. Arielsa.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Because my dad is a vassal of the Harpel family.¡± I was afraid of where this talk was going. ¡°That¡¯s right. My life belongs to the master of the Harpels. Even if there was no oath, I still like the Duke. In other words, the only people that I would give my life for is the Duke and you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So whether you knew it or not, I was grateful that you saved him. You¡¯ve done my job.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± George flicked my forehead as he stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t make your dad worry. Tell me right away if Chaers was hard on you. One of these days, that punk¡­¡± George went out of my room. I couldn¡¯t hear the end of his words but I had the feeling that I would feel infinitely better if I listened to his words until the end. The flick of his finger on my forehead hurt so much that I almost cried but it made me quickly forget the complicated thoughts that swirled around my head. Does George already know the Emperor¡¯s plot? Even if my real dad were here, I would not feel more secure than when I was beside George. Because if it weren¡¯t for him, Chaers would definitely treat me worse than what he did. But when he said that there was ¡®something that bothered him¡¯, it kept me on my toes. This meant that Duke Kyron and his close aides were already aware of the Emperor¡¯s hostility towards them even before the original events took place. ? I took my newly picked herbs, as soon as they were moderately dried, to Duke Kyron¡¯s office. I wanted to replenish the tea bottle and I also wanted to check up on him since I was worried that he had contracted a cold. ¡°Duke, it¡¯s Arielsa. I¡¯ll be coming in for a moment.¡± But there was no answer so I just opened the door and went inside. I was the one responsible for managing his office so it did not matter whether I entered or not. I quickly went to the console table to refill the bottle of dried reilis leaves. I also made sure to check one by one if the other teas were still fresh and good to serve. ¡°Arielsa.¡± Duke Kyron stood up from the sofa. His hair was unkempt and his tunic was so disheveled to the point that I was already in full view of his clavicle. He glanced at me with clear disapprovement in his eyes before plopping back down on the sofa. I sighed ruefully at the deafening silence. This aura that¡¯s mixed with his decadent beauty early in the morning? Thank you very much! ¡°Please forgive me, Duke. I thought that you were not here since there was no answer when I called¡­¡± I approached the sofa where Duke Kyron was lying down and found Chaers sprawled on the floor. It seemed like the two of them were drinking all night. ¡°Fill the liquor bottle too.¡± When I looked around, I could see the liquor bottles that were usually filled and lined up on the console table now rolling on the floor empty. ¡°Yes, Duke. And your meal¡­¡± Duke Kyron pointed his chin towards Chaers before speaking to me. ¡°I¡¯ll call for you when that punk wakes up.¡± I stepped aside silently to make a medicinal tea that was good for curing hangovers. The smell of the tea was very nasty but Duke Kyron just drank it wordlessly. I tried to ask carefully about what happened. ¡°Did something good happen¡­¡± ¡°Something good? Was there anything else other than nearly drowning in the water?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Our male lead is making me hate him with words like this. I turned to walk outside as I grumbled in my head when Duke Kyron suddenly spoke to me. ¡°Arielsa. There¡¯s only a fixed range of things that people can understand.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°For example, George will accept anything as long as they¡¯re related to you. But Chaers can only accept things that he can understand.¡± Ah. So it was because of me. There must have been a disagreement between Duke Kyron and Chaers over me. That was why they drank. In the original book, the two of them used to drink after they fought to make up with each other. I caught a glimpse of Chaers who was still snoring in his sleep. I could imagine the sight of him unwavering as he argued about questioning me about how I predicted the boat accident. As long as the Emperor is Harpel¡¯s enemy then they have to be careful about everything. I gazed at him. He was unable to hide his hardened expression. It did not matter what Chaers thought. However, I wondered what Duke Kyron thought. That was what¡¯s important. He swept up his disheveled hair. The wind blew very strongly that it swept his tunic to one side, showing off the area near his clavicle once more. You are so bad for my health. Sweeping away my scattered thoughts, I spoke gently careful not to wake up the sleeping Chaers. ¡°How about the Duke¡­? How much can the Duke accept?¡± He placed his head on the back of the sofa and stared at the ceiling. He looked like he was slowly brooding over something. ¡°What am I supposed to accept, Arielsa?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I just look at things as they are.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fool me. If you did that, then I won¡¯t forgive you for anything at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I choked for a second. However, just as I was about to answer ¡®Yes, Duke.¡¯, Cheers suddenly opened his eyes. I coughed to clear my throat before speaking. ¡°Sir Chaers. I will give you some tea that¡¯s good for hangovers.¡± I quickly handed him the tea before turning towards Duke Kyron. ¡°Will the two of you have your breakfast here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Chaers stood up in all his disheveled glory as he answered my question. Then, he looked alternately between me and Duke Kyron before going out. White steam rose up from the teacup that was now left ownerless. The gaze that he used to look at me was so cold and fierce that all I could do was stare at the door in a daze for a moment. Then, Duke Kyron said¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Breakfast.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± I quickly came out and told the kitchen maid to deliver the Duke¡¯s breakfast to his office. I went back inside to clean the bottles on the floor while Duke Kyron drank his tea with his eyes closed. He was leaning back on the sofa in a relaxed manner. Chaers disturbing gaze couldn¡¯t get out of my head but at the same time, it occurred to me that Duke Kyron had also worked hard to defend me just like this bottle of liquor lying on the floor. Chaers¡¯ suspicion towards me was unsympathetic but was somewhat reasonable. Duke Kyron was also a ruthless and reasonable man so he should have definitely taken into account Chaers¡¯ point of view. This time, he might have spent the entire night just to try to convince him to give up on questioning me. I felt a complicated string of emotions. I felt a bit grateful, a bit touched but the rest was something that I was not aware of. ¡°Chaers don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stood up in surprise but Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes were still closed. I felt a bit offended since he seemed like he had read my thoughts in my head but at the same time I also felt a strange sense of relief. This was because it was the first time that there was someone who knew everything in me. It was also the first time that someone protected me without trying to use me or wield me in some way. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about his personality.¡± ¡°Worry¡­ we can do it together.¡± I came outside with a bottle of liquor as I grumbled to myself slightly. I could somehow sense Duke Kyron¡¯s slightly surprised gaze on my back. Chapter 11 Duke Kyron once again went back to his busy schedule. Since the Duke was busy, I also could not leave his office all day. I had to pick up and send out the documents and papers that he ordered me to bring or bring him another fresh cup of tea. The only reason why I was out of the office right now was because Chaers and the other vassals were having a meeting. Although I wanted to be in the office when there were important pieces of information floating here and there, I couldn¡¯t reveal myself. Otherwise, once I showed interest in the Duke¡¯s political affairs, Chaers¡¯ suspicion of me might not be solved with just a few bottles of liquor. After a few busy days, Duke Kyron told me that he was going somewhere in the evening. ¡°I¡¯m going to inspect the east. Will you be able to pack my things for me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I answered so quickly that I felt a bit embarrassed. Then I asked him tentatively. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check out the outdoor training with Sir George?¡± ¡°Since the weather got warmer, the mountains near the east of Movale collapsed. The village had suffered tremendously.¡± After hearing his answer, I did not ask him any further questions and just answered him that I understood. ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± I went to Duke Kyron¡¯s bedroom and took out a large bag. According to the original book, nothing happened to Duke Kyron when he went on a land inspection. The book only mentioned in passing that the Duke spent the spring visiting his territory and hunting leisurely. That was why I could send him away on this inspection with confidence. I quietly sat on the floor as I placed the clothes I took out of the drawer into the bag one by one. However, it seemed like water had gone into my head. It feels strange to open the male lead¡¯s drawer to search through every item of his clothing but now I¡¯m here again and I am even packing it in a bag¡­ I wonder if this is how a huge fan who sneaked into their idols¡¯ lodging feels. I grinned and giggled as I rubbed the soft tunic on my face. ¡°Are the clothes funny?¡± ¡°Keok¡­¡± Duke Kyron stopped behind me as he looked down at the bag over my body. I wanted to yell at him that it would be nice if he knocked but I couldn¡¯t since this was his room. And I was the one who was doing something perverted so I couldn¡¯t just snap at him. Sob¡­ ¡°N, nothing. Duke.¡± When he saw the contents of the bag, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh over my head. ¡°Do you even want me to change my coat twice a day with what you¡¯ve packed? Or do I have to endure a few weeks with the pants that I have on right now?¡± ¡°I, I haven¡¯t taken the pants out yet!¡± I took some of his shirts and coats back into the drawer albeit with a small protest. As I put the shirts back inside, I took out some of his pants. Actually, I truly forgot about the pants! And the idea that the Duke would go and borrow Chaers¡¯ pants was quite terrible. I was glad that I was reminded in advance but I did not want to hear it from the Duke himself. I knew that my face was burning since I could feel the heat emanating from my cheeks. In addition, if Duke Kyron believed that I couldn¡¯t pack his bags properly then he wouldn¡¯t listen to me during important moments. Ah, I am truly ashamed. ¡°You also need some strong and sturdy leather boots. There¡¯s a lot of mud under the snow.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± I tried to answer vigorously to cover up my mistake but all he did was sigh at me. ¡°I meant yours.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes¡­ Yes?¡± You want me to follow you on your inspection? Disregarding my surprise, Duke Kyron just threw his tunic off and went to bed. I could hear him muttering a bit irritably under the covers of his quilt. ¡°These days, I feel like I¡¯m back to when I was five-years-old and playing with you. Of course everything is the opposite now. It was a lot better when you took care of me.¡± ??? I came back to my room as I started to pack my luggage. The more I packed my luggage, the more I felt excited. If nothing dangerous happened on this tour then it would be like a trip with him. A trip. A trip with Duke Kyron! My heart was pounding loudly again. Even if he was just standing still and was pretending not to be pretty, our male lead was still doing pretty things. He kept on doing things that annoyed him but he still kept on doing it. You¡¯re going to be nice to me anyway¡­ Grin. It was George who interrupted me from my delusions by knocking on my door. ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°I heard that the Duke will be taking you to Movale?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His face was filled with displeasure as he spoke to me. ¡°Dad has to take the kids to outdoor training. I can¡¯t keep up with you.¡± The kids that I was talking about were the bunch of dumb and rowdy northern knights. Those kids. I had to stifle a sigh at the thought of them alone. I looked at George¡¯s face. I felt like he would ask Duke Kyron to not take me along. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°What?¡± When George asked me, I immediately replied with irritation. ¡°You¡¯re going to take me away from the Duke. Who¡¯s going to take care of the Duke if I¡¯m not with him?¡± ¡°The Duke doesn¡¯t need anyone to look after him.¡± George continued to speak under his breath, he seemed nervous about me hearing his words. ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to think that way ever since you were a child.¡± I actually knew that George was right. Duke Kyron was a man who gained fame after participating in the battle against the demonic monsters shortly after he became an adult. It was a place where someone like a lady-in-waiting could stay in. ¡°Why does he even want to take you with him at a time like this? Even if the doctor followed you, he won¡¯t be able to take care of your ladder disease since he needs to treat the wounded there.¡± What did you mean by ¡®ladder disease¡¯? This terribly named disease was purely the doctor¡¯s fault. I was a bit afraid that George would stop me from accompanying the Duke on this trip so I hurriedly spoke and tried to placate him. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m fine.¡± He stared at me with a look of pure disbelief. I stood up and rubbed his arms as I spoke gently and tenderly. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m really okay. And even if I make a little mistake, the Duke will look after me because of my condition.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± George finally looked at me with a slightly relieved face as he raised his fist. Ah, you can¡¯t beat me again! I quickly stepped back before he could give me another flick. This time, it was my turn to annoy him. ¡°This brat¡­¡± George¡¯s face became ugly in just a single flick. I looked at him with a frown. ¡°How can you give your grown daughter a finger flick!¡± ¡°Here! This is why!¡± ¡°This is why I¡¯m leaving the castle with the Duke!¡± ¡°Heok¡­¡± When I looked at George who seemed to be paralyzed from shock, I realized that I had said something that I shouldn¡¯t have said. ¡°No. Dad. I¡¯m just going out to get some fresh air. I¡¯ll go and come back soon. Why is my daddy so worried?!¡± His eyes softened a little when I rubbed my cheeks and clung to his thick forearm. ¡°You brat¡­¡± I giggled when he sighed ruefully. ¡°Ah!¡± He took that moment to flick my head with his finger. Then, he spoke to me as he moved to leave the room. ¡°Take good care of the Duke and make sure that you tell the doctor if you¡¯re in a bad condition.¡± I looked at him with teary eyes as I answered his words. ¡°Of course, Dad! I don¡¯t think that I still have to tell you to go to training and come back safely?¡± ¡°Of course. Who do you think your dad is? Euhaha!¡± My stepfather George would stay very fit and healthy until the Duke joins the war at the Emperor¡¯s behest. That was why I decided not to worry about him for now. For the time being, my goal was to enjoy my first trip with Duke Kyron! ??????????????????????????????????????????????? 2 Clumsy, Lies. The trip that I imagined looked like this¡­ I would ride a horse and trot a bit behind him. And if I turned my eyes a bit then I would be able to peek at his dashing profile to my heart¡¯s content. Meanwhile, the sunlight scattered through the leaves in the northern forests would make him look fantastic, just like a hologram¡­ But my imagination had been shattered from the very beginning. Duke Kyron, together with Chaers and the other knights, took the lead and I was stuck inside a shaking carriage where the only opening was the back. As soon as our trip started, I finally realized what the maids meant when they told me ¡®We have placed enough cushions¡¯. ¡°If we were dairy products then I¡¯m a cheese.¡± I quickly took out the cushion and placed it behind my back but the carriage was rattling too hard that I couldn¡¯t even get a wink of sleep. In addition, I was trapped in this carriage so I could not see Duke Kyron unless we were resting. ¡®This wasn¡¯t what I had in mind.¡¯ was the last thought that came to my mind before I fell asleep. ¡°You. What on earth are you thinking with that tiny head of yours?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The first person I saw when I woke up was none other than Chaers. He was staring at me as I lifted myself up and wiped the saliva that dripped down my mouth. The sky outside the carriage was already dark as the sun had already set. I could also see the servants making a fire behind Chaers. It seemed like we were already starting to prepare for outdoor camping. Everyone was moving busily while I slept alone in the carriage. My face turned red as I blushed in shame. When Chaers saw my reaction, his expression became a bit more irritated. ¡°Go and make sure that the Duke is comfortable!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I quickly jumped off of the carriage. However, I ended up looking around all by myself. This was actually my first time ever setting foot in the northern forests ever since I opened my eyes in the castle. The dark and dreary coniferous forest had a somber presence that weighed down on everyone. The slightly damp and cold air gave my body chills. However, the presence of the small bonfire gave a charming twist to this dreary atmosphere. It somehow felt a bit cozy with just that small warmth. I found Duke Kyron sitting by the fire. Even when he was outdoors, his aura was still as formidable as ever. Ah, my heart is full. When I approached him, he quietly addressed me without even turning his head to look at me. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°W, wait. I just dozed off.¡± ¡°While snoring?¡± I could see a crooked smile forming around his mouth. And yet, I still felt like I was a bit cheeky when I saw this smile even though he was not looking at me. ¡°Duke, do you need anything?¡± I quickly turned away as I blurted the words I needed to say. However, I needed to find somewhere else to look at since I made eye contact with Chaers from over there. ¡°Sit over there and eat your meal. You¡¯re of little use until we get to the village. Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was impossible for me to dislike Duke Kyron but the way he spoke those words bluntly to me was frankly, very hurtful. ????? TL¡¯s note! I did not separate the 2 from the rest of the chapters since it¡¯s too short. Chapter 12 I looked around for a corner and sat down. I was literally crushed. Except for me, everyone seemed well aware of how to move and act in the forest. I just sat out of their way because I thought that it would be better if I did not disturb them. Just as Duke Kyron ordered, I sat down by the fire after I received my meal. Not long after that, the sky darkened immediately. It felt a bit mysterious as I watched the forest be engulfed in darkness while the campfire seemed like it was glowing brighter. Just like the man who was watching it silently. One of the servants pulled a lute out of the wagon that I was in as everyone watched his performance silently. The air seemed to become warm as the friendly melody spread in the dark forest. The servant hummed for a moment before he started singing. The song made sense even though I believed that he only sang the words that he thought were suited for the melody. ¡°We¡¯ve gone a long way with a great man. Today, the knights had their swords ready and the servants had their harnesses polished.¡± The servant bowed his head towards the Duke when he sang the words ¡®Great Man¡¯ and the Duke gave him a small nod in return. Once when Duke Kyron was younger, he had defeated a group of men who had broken through the barrier. That was when he was given the title ¡®Great¡¯ at such a young age. Fearing him as the devil, the people dare not call his name so it was enough for them to call him ¡®man¡¯. Ah¡­ So cool. The people laughed together and the atmosphere around the campfire was relaxing and enjoyable. Then, the servant¡¯s voice went up in a cheerful tone. ¡°But the cute maid has a lot of cushions ready. So that she could have a good night¡¯s sleep with her drool flowing. Because she had to sleep soundly so she could serve the Duke well.¡± Everyone in the party laughed, including Chaers, I was the only one who did not laugh at that. My face turned red as I gripped the hem of my skirt tightly when I was suddenly hit by such a bomb. I couldn¡¯t think of anything as the shame and anger rolled off and mixed in my head. When I turned my head and saw that even Duke Kyron was smiling, I sprang to my feet and ran to the woods. The knights made fun of me when I turned around and ran. ¡ªMiss Maid! Don¡¯t go too far, the wolf will come out! ¡ªThere are no cushions in the wolves¡¯ den, Arielsa! I walked away and left the laughter behind me. I followed the sound of the distant running water as I wiped the tears that came out of anger with my fist. I raised my head to look at the moonlight glittering on the stream in front of me. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I really wanted to see you before I died¡­ There were some things that were too vague to be considered as my life goals but even though they were meaningless, I still could not forget them. One of them was the aurora. I did not expect that my wish to see the aurora someday would come true here. The cold dark blue sky was dotted with white stars. And a huge curtain of light in a strange blend of green and blue laid above those stars. I could see it fluctuating slowly as if it were hit by a gentle breeze. At some point, it changed colors. A breathtaking sight actually existed in this place. If Duke Kyron has an aura since he is the protagonist of this world, does this world also exist on its own as it unleashes its own aura? I breathed deeply as I continued to stare up dazzled by the beautiful curtain of light hanging over the sky. ¡°I¡¯m the one who prepared the cushions. You thought wrongly.¡± Duke Kyron suddenly popped out from behind me. ¡°Duke!¡± It was just after I forgot about what happened earlier. ¡°It was nothing, Duke. You were not the one who prepared the cushions for me so I could stay comfortable. I deserved to be teased.¡± Duke Kyron approached the place where I was standing as he looked up at the sky that I was watching earlier. He just stood silently beside me as he gazed at the aurora. I looked at his side profile a bit grumpily. If you want to see something beautiful then you only just have to look in the mirror. However, at the same time, my heart thumped wildly. I couldn¡¯t believe that he would care about me, who would have a hard time travelling in that wagon¡­ ¡°Hurry up and come back. Go and put on your cape.¡± And he was even worried that I would feel cold. My face turned red again as my heart continued to thump wildly. You really followed him well. Was the thought that flashed in my head. I thought that I should quickly go back to the fire before my stupidity power flared up again. However, my heart just continued to hammer in my chest even though it was for a different matter. It was because I saw the eyes of a wolf. In just a moment, Duke Kyron was already blocking my way. I couldn¡¯t help but mutter as my tears almost started to fall once more. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry, Duke! It¡¯s because I came out too far¡­!¡± The wolves were already closing in on the path with their heads close to the ground as they growled lowly at us. Their bared teeth were gleaming eerily even though the forest was surrounded by darkness. But Duke Kyron just looked at the wolves indifferently as if he was looking at the grasses on the roadside. ¡®This wasn¡¯t in the original!¡¯ ¡°Arielsa.¡± I instinctively answered ¡®Yes!¡¯ even though I was already tearing up at his call. Then, he spoke softly to me. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Northerner like you who likes the aurora.¡± ¡°Growl¡­¡± Does that matter in our situation right now? I bit my lips tightly as I stared at Duke Kyron. The wolf in front of me was also scary but I did not think that I would forgive myself if something happened to him because of me. He was the center of this world and I decided to protect him and take care of him. But it was all my fault that it ended up in vain. And just to aggravate my despair, the wolves that surrounded us all rushed out at the same time. I screamed as I felt Duke Kyron wrap his arms around me. I knew that he was wielding his sword but his hold on my body was so strong that the only thing that I felt was some shaking. Then, the surroundings turned quiet. The stillness was eerily scary but surprisingly enough, I was calm. It seemed like it was because of the pressure that Duke Kyron¡¯s arms were exerting on my body and his body temperature that strangely felt a bit too hot to me. I couldn¡¯t help but look up when he finally released me from his arms. There were three wolves that were cut in half in front of us. I felt terrible when I saw the blood spreading and turning the ground darker in this bluish darkness. The rest of the wolves quickly disappeared deep into the forest. Duke Kyron let me go as he swung his sword once to get rid of the blood. Then, he walked towards the edge of the stream. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from stuttering in confusion as I watched Chaers approach us from the direction of the camp. ¡°D, Duke?¡± ¡°When will you go to work and serve me?¡± ¡°Heok. Ah. Yes¡­¡± I curled up due to the cold as I walked towards the party¡¯s campfire. It was because I felt the harsh coldness in the forest more vividly after the heat of Duke Kyron¡¯s body temperature disappeared. Chaers, who approached me, looked at me with his most disapproving gaze. It was a face that was filled with irritation but no tension at all. ¡°Sir Chaers, please go see the Duke!¡± ¡°Why did you scream?¡± ¡°The wolves, wolves¡­!¡± ¡°The Duke?¡± ¡°Told me to work¡­¡± I told him the truth but I somehow felt that my answers did not add up. But what I said was the truth! A man who just met a wolf in the forest in the middle of the night just couldn¡¯t go back to work without a hitch! But Chaers just turned away with a ¡®Hmm.¡¯. When he realized that I was not following him, he looked back at me and told me irritably. ¡°The wolves will not come anymore.¡± ¡°But the Duke is alone now¡­!¡± ¡°Arielsa. The wolves attacked because they wanted to feed on us. They have been following us since we entered the mountains.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Duke has shown them that we aren¡¯t their prey so we don¡¯t have to worry about the wolves on our way anymore.¡± Chaers went back from where he came from. ¡°Hurry up and get back. Don¡¯t let the Duke worry about you because you caught a cold.¡± As I returned by the fire to bask in the warmth, the knights snickered as they imitated a wolf howl. It was clear that they already knew what had happened. What the hell! The master of Harpel Castle was all alone facing a pack of wolves and no one followed to check on him! I felt angry at that moment. However, I was also shocked. Perhaps this was the reason why the servant who played the lute had called him the ¡®Great Man¡¯. He was not afraid to face a pack of northern wolves in the middle of the forest at the dead of the night. He was strong enough to protect his people all on his own. This was the reason why they respect him and follow him. The emotions rushed into my heart just like the aurora that enveloped the skies. Aww. Our male lead is so cool¡­ I knew that they would not stop teasing me even in the future but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be angry anymore after the intense emotions that rushed to me in waves. The servant who played the lute earlier placed my cape on my shoulders before leaving. I seemed to be attached to the tune that he played earlier as I hummed it silently. ¡°Aaaaaah. I don¡¯t have a cushion so I should use this.¡± I bowed my head to hide my grin as the great actors waved their hands at me. They looked like they were greeting me. The party couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at me in unison. I quietly crouched down and fell asleep. However, I only fell asleep deeply when I felt Duke Kyron¡¯s returning footsteps. ??? I woke up at the sound of the birds chirping away. Their cheerful chirps seemed to break the cold air at dawn. As soon as I opened my eyes, I jumped up and straightened my thoughts. Then, I headed straight to the woods. I flinched away at the sight of the wolves¡¯ body and went past them to go to the stream and wash my face. It seemed like I was finally coming to my senses. About where I am and the reality that I was now facing. When I went back, I saw Duke Kyron, who still looked as good as yesterday, ripping his bread into pieces in his seat. Chapter 13 Translator: void ????? I quickly chewed and gulped down my bread so I could help them pack. We all had a quick bite just so we could leave early. I took a quick glimpse at Duke Kyron and saw that he did not even sway from his seat. He even seemed like he was slightly bored. That was when I realized that he was used to this kind of thing. I was a little depressed when I finally realized what George meant by ¡®The Duke does not need anyone to look after him.¡¯. To be honest, I was still under the impression of Arielsa who was looking after the five-year-old Ducal Prince Kyron. I thought that I was some sort of hero since I knew all about his fate as the main character. Keeping a secret was so sweet that it even flattered and made people arrogant. However, I was as good as a five-year-old when I entered the middle of the forest at night without knowing that wolves were wandering around. ¡°Ah¡­ I think I¡¯ve grown up a bit.¡± As I murmured in melancholy while glancing at the sky, Chaers, who was passing by, glared at me. ¡°You did not even grow a bit bigger. Are you really awake? We¡¯ll be on our way soon.¡± Hmph¡­ I pouted as I turned to answer him. ¡°Of course! I even got all of my cushions.¡± His eyes widened a bit when he heard me answer him defiantly. Then, he snorted lightly as he climbed up on his horse. The servants who passed by as they climbed up in the wagon giggled at us. Chaers shouted when saw that Duke Kyron was already sitting on his horse. ¡°Depart!¡± I quickly got on the wagon that followed behind them like a tail. As I sat there, I was able to watch the colors of the northern forest change from the colors of the early morning to the colors of the brightest hour of the day without dozing off. Because I learned after what happened yesterday, I stuck near the vicinity of the knights and the servants and acted with caution even during breaks. Over time, I could see that their unseemly attitude towards me was due to their friendship with George. They were the ones who had watched Arielsa grow up from a child to an adult. In other words, it seemed like I was slowly fusing into Arielsa¡¯s life a bit more than before. ??? Movale village in the east was much bigger than what I thought. When Chaers entered the village, the first thing that he did was to send me and the wagon to the village inn. Then, the Duke and the knights went to look around at the site where the landslide happened. I quietly went to the inn to prepare for Duke Kyron¡¯s return. I unpacked his luggage and went down to the kitchen and ordered their dinner menu. After doing that, I made sure to watch their cooking process. Because the inn was emptied out for the entirety of Duke Kyron¡¯s stay, everyone was preoccupied in preparing for Duke Kyron¡¯s comfortable stay. The servants and staff in the inn were all strangers to me but no one said otherwise about what I ordered for the Duke. It was fortunate that no one treated me like a fool unless it was time to move on the road. Duke Kyron returned after sunset. Together with his vassals, the East Administrator Hallisa and the Chief of Movale and all of the elders rushed in all at once. Now was the time to prove my usefulness. I had been preparing the food all day and no one had found any fault with me. The Duke and his party had a meal and talked about the restoration of the village. I ate separately at a table near the wall as I listened carefully to their stories. I focused a lot on their words so I could revive some memories but Arielsa did not seem to know much about the things outside of Harpel Castle. She did not have a curious personality and she also did not seem to have any complaints about staying in the castle for the rest of her life. But everything I saw and heard were things that were very interesting to me. Duke Kyron ordered the administrator to buy wood and other building materials. But they lacked wood so they decided to do some logging. Since the weather would get warmer, the trees would start to suck in the water and sap from the ground which would definitely increase the time for them to dry it and turn it into timber. So they decided to mobilize the men of the village to help as loggers before it was too late. Mr. Doctor disappeared to who knows where and did not return to the inn. But it seemed like he was staying at the tent where the wounded were all kept together. There was also a temporary barracks set up as they rationed free food to those who have lost their homes. Just around the corner of the barracks was a tent for the injured and the wounded. The disaster countermeasures and prevention were being carried out together by the people from Harpel Estate. He was a handsome man that was good at fighting and talented at politics and management. I watched their discussion with pride as I pretended to not look at them. I felt sorry for those who suffered from the disaster but Duke Kyron¡¯s current appearance was something that I was extremely proud of. Their meeting went late into the night before they all went back. I quietly took the winter strawberry tea that I brought from the castle to the Duke¡¯s room. I placed the tea down as I quickly took out his change of clothes. He turned around as if he was going to change his clothes whether I was there or not but when I stood still, he asked me¡­ ¡°Do you have something to say, Arielsa?¡± To be honest, I was just distracted for a moment when I saw the fine muscles on his back. Fortunately, he had his back to me so he did not see my face so I tried to clear my throat. But before I could even speak, my face seemed to heat up. ¡°Back then, at the forest, thank you for saving me from the wolves.¡± ¡°I just cleaned up what was in the way of my trip.¡± In fact, I was prepared to hear something along the lines of ¡®Thank me until the day you die.¡¯ so when I heard an answer that seemed like everything that he did had nothing to do with me, my heart strangely felt cold. My bottom lip popped out in a pout and somehow I felt that my defenses against his roughness and bluntness had diminished somehow. Well, when I thought about it, there were some days when I was a bit oblivious about the light that was sweeping around his body. To the point that I needed to think about it deeply and purposely or I would hardly be aware of it. But it did not mean that he became less beautiful or any less cliche. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± I bid him goodbye with a very, very sulky voice as I left the room. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard today. Good night, Duke.¡± ¡°Arielsa?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner was great.¡± I closed the door quietly before coming back to my room. I layed down on the strange quilt in my room as I buried my nose on the pillows. ¡°Uuuuuugh!¡± I shook my legs wildly as I lamented the fact that the only way I could show my happiness was through such a primitive and bizarre sound. I did not know what would happen tomorrow as I screamed through my pillow but all I could think of was that my fatigue had been overcome by my happiness. ??? The next day, I woke up at dawn in a good mood. I have already become accustomed to the rhythm of the northerners¡¯ lives so I could easily wake up without anyone waking me up. I quickly fixed myself as I went down to prepare breakfast for Duke Kyron and his knights who would be in a meeting early in the morning. Movale¡¯s restoration would take a long time so the Duke would also have a lot of spare time while the chief of the village took the men to log. And it seemed like Duke Kyron had the habit of spending all of his time without having a bit of a break. Of course, I hated the plan. The journey here was ruined by the wolves and we have been too busy. If he had some free time, shouldn¡¯t he just take a rest and look around. Of course, he should take me with him. But the schedule for the inspection was decided in a flash so I had to prepare food that the Duke and the knights could take on the road like dried meat and fruits. Before Duke Kyron set out in front of the inn, I was able to speak briefly with Sir Tyra, one of his escort knights. ¡°Do you think I could follow you if it¡¯s just a light inspection?¡± Sir Tyra, a man with his fine old age, glanced down at me from atop his horse as he clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡­ Then, your father will give you a slap instead of a flick.¡± In a fit of rage, I replied to him. ¡°No. How old do you think I am¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªSir George has already told the knights. He told them to not let you do anything stupid. I heard that you kicked the ball after falling off of the ladder these days? Tch, tch.¡± ¡°Heok¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry your father too much. You won¡¯t even get married!¡± During that time, Duke Kyron departed and Sir Tyra drifted away with a grin on his mouth. Meanwhile, I felt upset. I hated the fact that Duke Kyron just gone ahead without even saying goodbye. In fact, the maid had missed giving her farewell greeting to her master because she was chatting away but my situation was subjective anyway. ¡°My goodness!¡± I went inside as I grumbled a bit late when I recalled that old knight treating me, a grown woman, like an eight-year-old child. I felt a bit sorry for George who must have been restless and worried by now but on the other hand I was also scared. No matter how stupid his daughter was, I thought that I could never get married. He would definitely treat me like a child and keep me away if he could until I turned 40. When I become an old maid, I would be like ¡®Huh, is this how long it has been? I don¡¯t have any choice, should I just live with my dad?¡¯. I felt like I was a person who would just pretend that I did not know anything. Of course, that was only the case if he was still alive¡­ I liked George. And the people around me were nice too. They all seemed brusque and rough but they were meticulous and vigilant. I was still uncomfortable with Chaers but I was not really complaining since he did that to protect Duke Kyron and ensure his safety. But I wanted to live with them and George for a long time without ever going through terrible things. Perhaps it was a bit strange. In the past, I had never experienced a variety of emotions for the people that were surrounding me. I did not feel anything whether it was being very fond of them or disliking them. My life was just drifting into a monotonous and pastel tone and I was just being dragged into a repetitive life where others told me what was important in life. But right now, I was pushed into this world and for the first time in my life, I was living a lively and cheerful life. I would be a bad person if I did not value this time. I thought that I should cook something delicious for Duke Kyron¡¯s return. And maybe I could share some with Chaers too. Chapter 14 Since I had the time, I decided to go look around the village. I had to muffle my scream when I saw the tremendously terrible sight of the end of the village being buried under the rubble of the collapsed mountain. I could see that the houses that were buried underneath were unlikely to be dug up again. I also went to the area where they cleared the forest so they could start to expand their village. The trees that were cut down were being trimmed so they could use it to construct their new houses while the timber that they had purchased from outside was piled up neatly in the yard. It seemed like these were the wood that the administrator had ordered from the merchant yesterday since the merchant¡¯s workers were still carrying the timber from the wagon before stacking them down in the yard. While I was walking around the logging site, I found something that looked like a black balloon hanging in between the branches. When I looked closely, I realized that it was a beehive. ¡°Ack!¡± I shrieked in surprise and finally realized that it was strangely quiet in my surroundings. Then, one of the workers who passed by shouted at me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already killed all of the bees!¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± I shouted back at him before examining the beehive more closely. Just like he had said, it was really an empty beehive so I plucked up my courage to poke it. I drilled through the blackened exterior to expose the honey-colored inside that looked strangely similar to the color of my hair. When I poked a hole through, glossy honey flowed out of it. ¡°What a waste!¡± I couldn¡¯t just throw away something like this. I quickly went to the workers to ask for an empty bottle as I scooped up the honey from the clean and char-free inside of the hive. This would be perfect to put in Duke Kyron¡¯s tea. I felt better when I filled an entire bottle with honey so I went to the doctor and brought him some snacks. The doctor looked like he was wrestling with the patients in the barracks but despite having a small number of patients, the doctor¡¯s expression remained as grave as usual. ??? In the afternoon of the next day, I stood in front of the inn and greeted Duke Kyron when he returned. After not seeing him for quite a while, it seemed like his aura had become extremely dignified and more brilliant. When I saw his expressionless face, I felt relieved that nothing serious had happened to him. But it seemed like it was not necessarily the case. It was because he was a man who still had a face that looked like he was fed up with everything even after he killed the wolves in the forest. He glanced at me before turning to his vassals that already got down from their horses. That was when my pleasant mood of welcoming him disappeared. How have you been? I wanted to ask him that face to face. It would have been good if he would greet me and tell me that he had a good trip. I even waited for him too. When Duke Kyron caught my eye, I greeted him loudly. ¡°How was your trip, Duke?¡± Then, Sir Tyra, who was getting off of his horse from beside him, chuckled. ¡°Do you only see the Duke, Arielsa?¡± ¡°How was your trip too, Sir?¡± I actually wanted to ask him ¡®Sir, did you have a good trip without breaking your leg?¡¯. However, even if Arielsa died again, she wouldn¡¯t dare to say something like that so I tightened my neck before asking about his well-being. But it seemed like that was also a wrong idea. Sir Tyra burst out in laughter as they began to chat among themselves. ¡°Does falling from the ladder make your voice louder?¡± ¡°For a moment, I thought that she was my daughter since she did not resemble Sir George¡¯s voice at all but she¡¯s really his biological daughter!¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s probably because she was energized since she had a good rest on her comfortable cushion.¡± Duke Kyron went inside the inn while I was busy glaring at them. I glanced at the knights one last time before chasing after Duke Kyron. When I got to his room, I hurriedly helped him remove his armor. Since I had a light confrontation against the knights, I felt a bit awkward being left alone with Duke Kyron. It was not because I did not like it but because I was embarrassed. I smiled awkwardly as I spoke to him first. ¡°How was the East? Since it¡¯s under the Duke¡¯s rule, it must have been peaceful.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Aaaah. Our short-spoken male lead. I tried so hard to resent him for that a little bit but just a glance at his side profile that looked like it was perfectly trimmed by a sculpting knife broke my resolve. That¡¯s right. You¡¯re innocent if you¡¯re handsome. When he finished changing, I asked him something that I haven¡¯t said in a while. ¡°Shall I get you some tea?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I ran to the kitchen as I quickly prepared some yendel tea with some honey that I gathered before. The yendel herb had a unique scent and a bitter aftertaste. This herb was said to have the effect of boosting vitality and vigor. Adding some sweet honey would be a wonderful way of mellowing the bitterness. When I re-entered the room, Duke Kyron was resting as he sat on a chair. He was looking out of the window with his legs crossed and a quiet expression on his face. Even his long legs looked so cool. ¡°Duke, here¡¯s some yendel tea.¡± He took the teacup before savoring the scent. Then, he said quietly. ¡°The scent is different?¡± ¡°I added a bit of honey. I found a hive near the new village so I brought the cleanest honey back.¡± I wanted to brag that I did not spend my time playing around while the Duke was away but Arielsa would definitely not chatter away so I shut my mouth with regret. ¡°So you looked around the village?¡± I nodded happily at his question. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Before they cut down the forest, they made sure to drive away the animals, snakes and insects there. If they had built a new nest then they would relocate the nest somewhere else but if it¡¯s a hive then they have no choice but to smoke it and kill the bees.¡± Oh my. Our male lead knows a lot of things. In fact, for cases like these, I did not know a lot of things. But I was happy that he looked like he was savoring the tea as he listened to my story. So I opened my mouth and blabbered on. ¡°Shall I prepare your tea like this next time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Duke Kyron nodded briefly before looking back out the window again. I decided to stop being silly and stop pestering him since he looked like he was extremely tired. ¡°I will prepare you a bath.¡± By the time he finished his tea, the bath was already prepared. ¡°Duke, everything has been prepared.¡± When I saw that Duke Kyron had already got out of his chair, I turned to get out of the room. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I stared at him with rounded eyes as I gulped nervously. Most of the people knew that he couldn¡¯t stand the touch of others for one reason or another but as far as Arielsa was concerned, he was just shy and apprehensive. He couldn¡¯t leave his body for others to touch. The only people that he allowed to touch his body were the doctor and Arielsa. He usually bathed alone but when he was very tired or when he wanted to relax, he would call for Arielsa to wait on him. In this world, it was not unusual for a maid to take care of her master. Of course, he would be covering his lower half with a towel. During those times, she would usually think ¡®Ah, my arms hurt.¡¯ and ¡®I want to go and sleep soon.¡¯ but I couldn¡¯t understand the slightest bit why she would think that way. Her eyesight was normal too. Of course, she grew up watching him from such an early age and repeatedly did those things since it was her job. But it was a bit impossible for me to go through such a thing without a long period of harsh training. It¡¯s impossible for me! Actually, I already realized how much I had been worried about him since I met him. And I wasn¡¯t confident that I could keep my calm if I did something like this. There was nothing more than that in the original! As I stood there with my unfocused eyes looking like I went to another world all by myself, Duke Kyron spoke to me irritably. ¡°Why is there a problem?¡± ¡°N, nothing, Duke!¡± I couldn¡¯t say anything else. I timidly followed Duke Kyron over the partition with a firm determination to burn my eyes. Even my tactless and uncooperative heart continued to thump wildly without knowing about my situation. While I was turning around, he flung his clothes lightly in just a few moves before he went into the water. My heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat when I heard the splash of water when his foot entered the bath. ¡°C, can I turn around now?¡± ¡°Scrub my back. I¡¯d like to get some rest today. I couldn¡¯t be anymore tired because of this long journey.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± When I turned around, a gasp unknowingly got out of my mouth. He was wearing a thick towel on his lower half so his appearance was not much different from a man that you could normally see in a swimming pool. However, I was glad that I was able to avoid, albeit barely, looking at his wide chest, sculpted abs and strong and firm thighs. The refraction in the water looked like they were mocking me for looking at them. My face quickly heated up. It felt like I was the one who entered the water instead of him. ¡®Please pardon me Duke Kyron Harpel¡­!¡¯ I went behind his back with my eyes closed. Then, I stretched my hands out to grab the sponge and dip it in the water before rubbing his back gently. I felt like his hard, sturdy and bulging muscles were about to pop out from over the sponge in my hands. It feels good but¡­ it feels good but! But I feel like I¡¯m committing a crime! Some would say that the only dividing factor between a job and a hobby was the pleasure and happiness that it brought to you. It would be called work if you were only happy after getting paid and it would be called a hobby if you were only happy while you were doing it. So right now, this job was obviously my hobby. As peculiar as it was that my heart kept on thumping wildly, I still felt a prickling in my consciousness as I did my job. What should I do? This¡­ Meanwhile, the sponge that I was holding on kept on going in the wrong direction. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry!¡¯ I accidentally dropped the sponge when he called me with his irritable voice. ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± ¡°Are you being distracted right now?¡± ¡°Yes. No?¡± I shut my eyes tightly as I quickly grabbed the sponge again. Then I rubbed his back sideways. I heard the Duke let out a deep sigh. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Duke!¡± I shouted with a voice that sounded like I was almost crying. Duke Kyron glanced behind him when he heard my dumb and muted voice. ¡°Go out and wait. Wash my hair before you go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He looked at my face as he spoke in a helpless voice. I was ready to face any punishment the Duke gave me but nevertheless, I still couldn¡¯t help but stand up with my teeth clenched while I shouted unknowingly with his unexpected words. Then, I went outside and sat on a chair from behind the partition. Chapter 15 Translator: void ????? My heart was beating wildly. I might die out of shame if he caught me like this. Even if it¡¯s a little weird, can I use the ladder disease as an excuse? When my reasoning came back, I felt so stupid that I wanted to cry. Too much. Duke Kyron, you¡¯re too much for me¡­ Just when I was about to cry, I heard him come out of the bath. Duke Kyron ignored me as he trudged along. And it seemed like he was naked¡­? Perhaps it was due to God¡¯s blessings that he passed by me when I closed my eyes for a moment to rub the tears out of my eyes. No, am I this perverted¡­? Anyway, while I was in a momentary panic as I kept my eyes staring straight at the wall he quickly dressed himself up before sitting down on the chair. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­Yes! Yes, Duke!¡± I ran quickly as I covered his head with a towel. I remembered that he was very tired so I pressed his scalp with my fingertips more carefully. I massaged his head while I dried his hair. It was like hitting two birds with one stone. However, it did not help me to calm down when I looked down and saw Duke Kyron¡¯s face with his eyes closed. When I felt that his hair was relatively dry, I gulped down my overflowing saliva before speaking to the Duke. ¡°I think it¡¯s done, Duke.¡± His eyes opened silently as he went straight to the bed. He was so tired that he plopped down on the bed unceremoniously. I quietly went out of his room while closing the door gently. It was time for me to go back to my room and scold my uncooperative heart under the covers. ??? Once I came back to my unfamiliar room, I strangely felt more relaxed. In the end, a grin and a chuckle couldn¡¯t help but escape from my mouth. I could see a lustful spirit flying out of my window. I did not like this inn because of the storm that it caused in my heart but it seemed like I really like my life right now. I was glad that Duke Kyron returned unharmed and it was already good enough for me if he received the things that I gave him. To be honest, I think he has no hesitation when he entrusts himself to me¡­ He was a very difficult and scary person and I used to have this guilty pleasure since I felt like I was someone exceptional and special to him. At some point, I felt like I somehow entered the male lead¡¯s heart so I was enjoying every day that I spent with him. I will spend another day with Duke Kyron tomorrow too. It definitely occurred to me that it was much better that I possessed his maid instead of the heroine of this story. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He had to meet the daughter of a marquis that was well-known as the Southern Rose one day. That was how it was in the original work, but¡­ But, can¡¯t it be me? I jumped out of bed in shock when such a thought crossed my mind. ¡°I, I must be crazy!¡± I placed my hand on my chest that was caging my wildly beating heart. I definitely only had this crazy idea because of today¡¯s excessive visual stimuli. No, it was because there was a tactile stimulus today! Yes, that was why! I was horrified at the thought that I would be destroying < The Snowing Desert >. The reason why I liked Duke Kyron was because he fell in love with her and loved her passionately¡­ Perhaps I should avoid helping him bathe in the future even if I had to make an excuse. In other words, I should definitely not let go of my senses so I would not come up with ridiculous ideas. ¡°Die, you lustful spirit!¡± I waved my fist angrily in the air before putting my quilt back on. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because my heart was too much or Duke Kyron¡¯s fatigue had been passed on to me, but I quickly fell asleep. ??? Duke Kyron appeared the next morning with a clean and refreshed face. And I also served him his breakfast perfectly. If you were wondering how I knew that I served the meal perfectly¡­ It was because no one complained to me. It was quite an extraordinary experience since the knights that were living in Harpel Castle with me were all ready to make fun of me. The East Administrator, Hallisa, spoke to Duke Kyron. ¡°You¡¯ve travelled a long way yesterday. Why don¡¯t you take a rest today, Duke?¡± That was what I thought so too. He said that he was tired yesterday so I think that he should go and get some rest today. So I nodded my head along in agreement as I looked at the East Administrator. However, Duke Kyron shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to look at the village¡¯s construction site today. It won¡¯t take long so I think it¡¯ll be an appropriate schedule for today.¡± ¡°Then I will arrange it for you.¡± The administrator nodded his head slightly as he continued to eat. Whatever could I do with this responsible and cold northern man who did not know how to take a rest? He even had the sense to adjust his schedule appropriately just so he could save the face of the administrator who was worried about him. ¡°Arielsa, are you alright? A bug will come in your mouth if you¡¯re like that.¡± When I heard the words of a passing servant, I quickly went back to eating, turning a blind eye to their actions. Since the construction site for the new village was not that far, I sneaked and followed behind their group without asking for Chaers permission. Administrator Hallisa was explaining this and that to Duke Kyron. Duke Kyron listened carefully and he even asked questions from time to time. Then, the administrator spoke with concern. ¡°We¡¯re doing things as you ordered, but it¡¯s costing us a lot of money.¡± Chaers roughly cut in and interfered with their conversation. ¡°The Duke has given us more money.¡± I wondered if this was the reason why Duke Kyron was extremely busy before we departed here. Perhaps he was reviewing the sudden increase in budget for the disaster recovery. When I read the original, I thought that the Duke only needed to be good at swordsmanship but it seemed like the real Duke was a very talented multiplayer. ¡®I have no choice but to feed him well.¡¯ I clenched my fist tightly as I confirmed my determination in my heart. Then, the administrator replied loudly with a troubled voice. ¡°It¡¯s spring so the price of the wood has gone up a lot but because the roads that lead here were also lost to the landslide, it has blocked the way for merchants to come here. So when they came back from afar¡­¡± ¡°Chaers.¡± I felt nervous for a moment when Duke Kyron called Chaers with his deep and sullen voice. ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°Are the demonic beasts in the barrier silent?¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± Chaers made a sound that was uncharacteristic to him. I let out a tiny gasp but no one heard me since it was just a small sound. However, the administrator was left with his mouth wide open. I was able to guess the situation quickly. Duke Kyron meant that since the restoration of the village would cost more than he thought then he would have to go and kill demonic beasts so he could sell their mana stones to replenish the money that would be spent. Chaers couldn¡¯t help but reply with a face that looked like he was fed up and done with everything. ¡°It¡¯s quiet but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be quite the problem.¡± Heok. That was the moment when I confirmed that Duke Kyron was a bit of a madman himself. This was the reason why rumors of his bad personality would not disappear even with his perfect visuals. Deep inside I was screaming Aigoo but somehow, my lips were curled up in a grin. Duke Kyron left his dismayed retainers alone as he went inside a house that was still under construction. Only the walls of the house were built. There were no scenes in Arielsa¡¯s memory where she saw the demonic beasts so I was wondering how Chaers could look so fed up at the mention of them. After looking inside, Duke Kyron came out of the house. He took off his hand from his hold on the wall. Seeing him frown a bit, it looked like his finger was pricked by a thorn or something. ¡°Are you alright, Duke?¡± He nodded slightly when the administrator asked him. Then, Duke Kyron looked at the timbers piled as high as a house on one side of the construction site. My face couldn¡¯t help but turn stiff. ¡°Administrator, are these the wood that you have bought this time?¡± When Duke Kyron asked him sharply, the administrator answered him with a bit of trepidation. ¡°That¡¯s right, Duke. That¡¯s how much we have left.¡± ¡°The price went up a lot?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The administrators answered in a fright. From what I can hear, Duke Kyron¡¯s voice was clearly sounding a bit ferocious. Feeling the signs of a mad Duke, Chaers reflexively rested his hands on the hilt of his sword that was hanging on his waist. The administrator called out to him with a bit of fear. ¡°Du¡­ ke?¡± However, Duke Kyron did not reply to him as he went closer to the pile of wood. He looked closely at the sides and the back. Chaers followed him and returned with a gruesome expression on his face. ¡°The wood in front is obviously new but the lumber inside are covered with moss. This means that it has been stacked here for at least a year. Administrator Hallisa.¡± I was shocked. If the moss was enough to cover the wood, then, it must have been logged years ago and left unattended. It would clearly be embezzlement if he deceived them by telling them that the price of wood had risen and that they were paying a high price using the Duke¡¯s budget. Furthermore, they had no excuse. Their intention was clear to the Duke when they covered it with new wood just so he would ignore it and pass by it. ¡°Duke! It¡¯s not that¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to explain? Administrator Hallisa.¡± Both Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes and voice were colder than the frozen rocks nearby when he came back. The administrator stuttered and repeatedly spoke ¡®Duke¡¯ as he was caught by the knights in both arms. Chaers then looked at the village chief with his eyes filled with vigor. ¡°Did the chief know about this?¡± ¡°That, that¡­!¡± It was impossible to stack those piles of wood without mobilizing the people from the village. The chief must have been an accomplice. Chaers followed suit as the knights dragged the administrator and the chief along. ¡°Pardon me, but you¡¯ll have to confess everything. Administrator.¡± Embezzlement during a disaster¡­ It seemed like he had a bad feeling earlier so he asked the Duke to take a break today. I looked angrily at Chaer¡¯s group that was moving away. Sir Tyra, who was standing by the Duke¡¯s side, also looked in the same direction that I was looking at with a frown on his face. When he turned, his eyes met with mine. When I quickly stepped out of their sight, Duke Kyron spoke coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Their party headed back to the inn. I returned faster while half walking and half running. I have to make tea! Winter strawberry tea that has soothing effects! ??? The original book described Chaers as someone with an inhuman cool-headedness. However, I thought that it was just a character set-up. But when Chaers appeared shortly after Duke Kyron returned to the inn, I thought that I should never rebel against this man ever again. ????? Chapter 16 *** Translator: void ????? I was currently pouring the yendell tea with honey for the fuming Duke Kyron. Duke Kyron was completely furious. It was clear that a simple winter strawberry wouldn¡¯t do any good to soothe his anger. So I had no choice but to use some emergency prescriptions. Wasn¡¯t it true that sweets were the perfect way to relieve stress? Chaers then opened his mouth and the voice that came out was a voice that was still boiling in anger. He hasn¡¯t cooled down at all. ¡°He thought that no one would notice.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± That was the only answer that Duke Kyron gave him. I turned to look at Chaers. Even though I couldn¡¯t go around without any coat, he had a few buttons off of the collar of his shirt. It seemed like he was trying to air out his body. What in the world did you do to make your body feel that hot? But Duke Kyron just stared at Chaers with a slight frown on his face as the scent of the yendell tea wafted all over the room. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was frowning at the sweet scent of the tea since I put in a lot of honey or if he was frowning because of the dishonest administrator. Nevertheless, I still couldn¡¯t help but gulp down my saliva. Chaers continued to talk. ¡°It¡¯s true that there¡¯s an additional fee for the timber from the merchant that we have contracted with since we need to import and it needs to be shipped and go through a detour before coming here but the price did not go up.¡± Duke Kyron sipped a bit of the tea as he continued to frown. This time, I was sure that he was frowning because I put too much honey on his tea. ¡°Perhaps we can leave the demonic beasts alone in the meantime.¡± At his words, Chaers finally let out a sigh of relief as the frown on his brows loosened. ¡°What about the administrator and the village chief?¡± ¡°Follow the rules and regulations.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ I knew you would say that.¡± Chaers sighed as if he had a bit of a sympathy for the criminals before turning around to leave. The administrator seemed to be a man of great experience for him to dare and cheat Kyron Harpel. Considering his old age, it seemed like he had already been in that position for a long time. But it seemed like he did not expect that Duke Kyron was someone that was meticulous, right? Duke Kyron looked like he was brooding on the same things that I was thinking about. ¡°If you¡¯re blinded by greed then you won¡¯t be able to see an inch ahead of you.¡± He muttered under his breath as he stared at me after I received the teacup that he had used. I did not want to get nitpicked when he was in a bad mood so I avoided looking at him but I was surprised at what I saw. ¡°Duke!¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s fingertips were swollen red. It looked like the injury that he received after pricking his fingertips earlier at the construction site was infected. I was already running downstairs even before Duke Kyron finished speaking ¡®Nevermind¡¯. I quickly ran to the doctor and asked him for an ointment. When I came back, I applied the ointment and wrapped his finger in a bandage. When I finally stepped away after finishing everything, I saw Duke Kyron raising his hand with a deep frown on his face. He looked at his hand for a moment before mumbling to himself. ¡°Take it easy on the excuses.¡± But this was not an excuse. I remembered how his strength and power was beyond that of a human. It was described vividly in the original book, after all. However, I could feel a subtle difference from his exhausted appearance. It seemed like there was a vague sense of uneasiness hidden behind his calm facade. But nevertheless, he was still Duke Kyron. I spoke as gently as I could. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Please take a rest. I will tell Sir Chaers not to disturb you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I quickly drew the curtains so he could sleep peacefully before withdrawing from the room. ??? Duke Kyron, who I was expecting to wake up after a short nap, did not show up even after dinner was done. So I went to his room and knocked genty. ¡°Duke? Are you up?¡± There was no answer. ¡°Duke? I¡¯m coming in.¡± I opened the door carefully. I could see that the curtains remained shut and that he was still in bed. I quietly stepped inside as I pulled the curtains a bit to let a bit of a light inside. ¡°Duke¡­?¡± Somehow, through my intuition, I felt that something was wrong. I quickly approached the bed as I placed my palms on Duke Kyron¡¯s forehead. His forehead was as hot as a ball of fire. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I quickly pulled his bandaged hands in shock. Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes opened. He stared at me but said nothing. It seemed like even opening his mouth could exhaust his strength. ¡°D, Duke. Please let me take a look.¡± I gingerly removed the bandage that I wrapped around his finger earlier. The area surrounding the small scar on his finger was swollen and was a glaringly gruesome red. Not only did the doctor¡¯s medicine not work, it was even far worse than its condition from earlier. What a punk, giving a great name like ¡®ladder disease¡¯ but his medicines were not working! ¡°Duke, I will fetch the doctor. Please wait for a bit.¡± I ran out at once. He was exhausted since he did not have the time to take a proper rest ever since we left Harpel Castle. If he received an injury in that condition then he would definitely be easily infected. I felt angry as I ran towards the doctor. I thought that I was going crazy for a moment. What was the point of knowing the future of this world if I couldn¡¯t even stop him from getting sick like this?! I couldn¡¯t even remember how I was able to drag the doctor by his wrist. When we returned to the inn, I was hotter than Duke Kyron who was burning with his fever and the doctor was panting and covered in cold sweat. However, I still turned to him as I spoke coldly. ¡°Doctor, the Duke¡¯s body feels like a ball of fire!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Doctor!¡± The Doctor stretched his back after looking at Duke Kyron¡¯s condition. Then, he slowly spoke to me. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t help me if you get too carried away. Go and get some boiled water. We need a lot of clean water.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The doctor was right. I pouted slightly as I turned around to leave Duke Kyron and the doctor to go to the kitchen. After I boiled a lot of water, I took it up to Duke Kyron¡¯s room. Then, the doctor washed a thin bladed knife in the basin of water as he stabbed the infected area on the Duke¡¯s finger. There was a lot of blood that was shed on the spot. I knew that since the infection had spread to the body, then this blood letting would not do much. However, in this world, he was the doctor and not me. And I had no real medical knowledge. The only thing I have was the common sense that I had acquired in the modern world. I couldn¡¯t do anything except clench my fists tightly. I knew everything. I knew what hardships Duke Kyron would go through. I also knew who the woman he would fall in love with was. I knew his entire life. But why don¡¯t I know how to treat his infection? ¡®What the hell is this?!¡¯ Just as I was about to shed tears, Chaers came inside the room. He looked at the doctor¡¯s back with an expression that was saying ¡®I don¡¯t like everything that¡¯s happening but it would be better if someone just finished everything quickly.¡¯. When I approached him, Chaers spoke quietly to me. ¡°Is it because of the injury from the construction site?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it seems to be.¡± Chaers looked helplessly at Duke Kyron. Although his voice was low and small, his words were nevertheless frightening. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. I have never seen the Duke fall sick in bed.¡± Chaers gaze and tone seemed to be showing his resentment towards me. My heart ached as I stood there in a daze. I knew that Chaers was only saying this out of anger and sadness but my heart felt uncomfortable at the thought that he resented me and blamed me for my incompetence even though it was not something that I did. But what he was feeling was the same as what I was feeling. We were both relying on each other as we worried about Duke Kyron. The doctor rebandaged Duke Kyron¡¯s finger before getting up. ¡°Arielsa. Take care of the Duke. Remember to not let his temperature rise too high. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Yes. I can do that.¡± ¡°If the Duke¡¯s breathing becomes unstable, call for me right away.¡± ¡°Then, I will do that.¡± After the doctor left, the only thing I could do was stand there. I felt like I needed to stand tall like I was an abandoned man in the middle of a secluded area. ¡°Pft.¡± Duke Kyron let out a soft laugh. He was squinting at me from the bed. ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re the one who¡¯s more likely to die than the patient in bed? Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®It¡¯s because of you!¡¯ The only thing I could do was to shout in my heart. I kept my mouth shut as I sat down on the chair that the doctor vacated earlier. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Do I look okay now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that you have the energy to tell me off.¡± I spat out the words of discontent as I shook my head at him. To be honest, I was scared. Even for a moment I felt that deep sense of fear. In the original book, after the incident where Duke Kyron almost died from pneumonia, events like this land inspection were just written like some passing words. Based on the words ¡®The Duke had been there.¡¯, the trip must have ended without a hitch since it was only described in a single line like that. Just like when he cut the wolf and acted like nothing had happened. But for an accident like this to happen that wasn¡¯t even written in the original book¡­ In this world that was devoid of antibiotics, infections like this were fatal. For some reason, the moss that was stuck in the wood that was piled up near the forest stayed in my head. My breath hitched when I remembered about a documentary that said something about a rare mold that grew deep in the forest that would bring some sort of disease to hikers. If this world went without Duke Kyron, what would happen to the people in the novel that has lost their main character? But there was one thing that I was sure of. I knew that he would hang in there. He would continue to be like that until he had reached the summit of the frozen land in the far desert. I turned my head away, afraid that my tears would fall down before I started to speak to him. ¡°Shall I get Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°Leave it. There¡¯s no administrator or village chief right now so he will be busy.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The administrator and the village chief were both taken away for embezzlement. Right now, he would be the one in charge of the restoration work. ¡°Just sit there.¡± He was a man with an iron-clad destiny. However, the thought that he asked me to just sit there and do nothing couldn¡¯t stop my mouth from rising up. I sat still just like he told me to do. However, it was quite embarrassing to be looked up since he was just staring at me with his squinted eyes. When I avoided his gaze by looking at the snow outside, he turned his head to look at the ceiling. The long silence was quite awkward so I mumbled some words quietly. ¡°Why do you get a thorn pierced on your hand? You¡¯re not a child anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I quickly glanced back to see Duke Kyron¡¯s reaction after I said something insolent which was completely out of line of Arielsa¡¯s character. However, he looked like he was grinning. When I started to feel like the silence had been going on for too long¡­ ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re very different these days. Arielsa.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± This time, it was me who was left speechless. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I dropped my head down. When he realized that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak, Duke Kyron whispered in a low voice. ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± When I heard such a voice, I felt that it was a bit harder to speak. I felt more sorry. ¡°Because you¡¯re different¡­?¡± I did not know what to say. This would not have happened if I did not yell at myself after possessing that I had decided to protect him like his guardian angel. I stopped a traitor from accusing his administrator and even prevented him from falling for a long time in the lake and almost dying of pneumonia. But it would not be enough for me to call myself a guardian angel if all I could do was to watch him fall into such a deep crisis with just a small scratch. But the next thing that came to my mind almost got my hairs standing up. ¡®Is he ill now because he avoided having pneumonia¡­?¡¯ Although a bit frightened by the thought, I still tried to reply nonchalantly. ¡°Do you not like it when I¡¯m different?¡± He was silent for a moment before replying to me in that low whisper. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± At some point, the corners of his mouth curled up in a weak smile. Not long after, his breathing started to sound more comfortable before evening out. It seemed like he had already fallen asleep again. I felt fortunate that he said those words. However, at the same time, I felt anxious as I pondered over his words. With nothing else to do, I spent the whole night brooding over the original plot in my head as I checked Duke Kyron¡¯s condition with my eyes and my ears from time to time. ??? The night felt extremely long. Duke Kyron¡¯s fever gradually increased in temperature. He would moan and groan occasionally as his body started to soak in cold sweat. I kept on changing the damp towel on his head as I wiped the sweat off of his body so I could at least give his body a bit of a reprieve. When dawn came, his body was suddenly overcome with chills. Watching him endure the chills with his teeth clenched hard was so heartbreaking that it was hard for me to watch. Looking at him in this weakened state had completely shook my mind. I checked his breathing obsessively just like the doctor asked me to. That was when I realized something. I thought that it was a bit suffocating since it was dark and there were no lights but that wasn¡¯t it. I could see that his aura was slowly losing its light. I jumped up in shock and the chair that I was sitting on fell down with a bang. At the same time, Chaers bursted through the door. ¡°Arielsa, what¡¯s happening?!¡± I did not know whether he just accidentally came by to check on the Duke¡¯s condition or he was doing a vigil waiting by the door nervously. ¡°Th, that¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out. Arielsa.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but close my mouth in pain when Chaers grabbed my shoulders strongly. But I knew that I couldn¡¯t say something like ¡®The light surrounding the Duke¡¯s body is slowly fading away.¡¯. ¡°That¡­ I dozed off for a second.¡± I made that excuse since it was perfectly possible for me to doze off and fall off of the chair. But the result was even worse than what I expected. ¡°What the hell. What a useless brat!¡± Chaers pushed past me as he pulled up the chair and sat down. I called out to him with resentment. ¡°Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what the Duke¡¯s condition is. Take a rest in your room so you can take care of him during the day. I will take care of the Duke until morning. I won¡¯t look away from him. Go and get some sleep now.¡± I chewed my lips hard since I was upset. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Yes. Sir Chaers.¡± Just as I was going out of the room, Chaers spoke to me coldly. ¡°You¡­ Do you know what kind of man this man is?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± I shut my mouth tightly as if I was guilty. Anyway, right now, I was a pathetic maid who fell asleep while taking care of a critically ill Duke. ¡°The Duke is the only one who could stop the demonic beasts in the north. Even if everyone from the Imperial Family came, they would not be able to do so. The Duke is the only one who can protect this world.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You are in charge of taking care of such a man. If you can¡¯t take such a responsibility, then tell me right now. I will send you back first thing in the morning. At least, Sir George would like that.¡± How dare you bring up George¡¯s name! I clenched my teeth as I answered him. ¡°No. I can do it.¡± Then, I turned around and closed the door without waiting for his response. Right now, it seemed like the scariest person in the Harpel¡¯s northern territory was not Duke Kyron but Chaers. I leaned back on the door as I sighed deeply. This is the worst night ever. Through the door, I could hear Duke Kyron¡¯s weak voice. It seemed like he had woken up after the small fuss between me and Chaers. ¨D Why are you so hard on Arielsa? Are you enamored with her? Heok¡­ What does he mean by this? Without realizing it, my ears were already pressed tightly on the door. However, Cheers¡¯ answer only left me irritated. ¨D With the one who kicks the ball at the knights training area? What the hell are you talking about, Duke? I can¡¯t leave the Duke alone to someone who looks like a goat. Especially now. Back then, I was already suspicious about why Chaers suddenly appeared. I thought that perhaps he was not sure if I was taking good care of Duke Kyron that was why he was waiting by the door. But did he have to insult me like that? I officially hate Chaers. ??? A servant came to wake me up at dawn. When I ran back to Duke Kyron¡¯s room, I saw the doctor placing some medicine in the Duke¡¯s mouth while Chaers stood back and watched. I couldn¡¯t believe myself. I left him all alone and slept all by myself until the break of dawn. When the doctor saw me, he stood up before speaking. ¡°His fever has gone down. Feed him that medicine every hour.¡± ¡°Yes. Doctor.¡± Feeling a bit relaxed, I slumped on the chair that the doctor had vacated. Meanwhile, Duke Kyron had his eyes closed. His aura was very weak but it still remained glowing. Holding back my tears, I spoke to Chaers. ¡°I¡¯ll bring him something to eat so please look after the Duke for a bit longer.¡± Then, I went to the kitchen to make a rice gruel for the Duke. I felt relieved that his fever had dropped. My resentment for this main character who could not be ill boiled away with this gruel. I also felt sorry that I couldn¡¯t stay and protect him all night. When I went back to Duke Kyron¡¯s room, Chaers walked out without saying a word. However, I did not have the time to care about his resentment and hatred. I quickly sat down on the chair as I blew on the gruel to cool it down. While I was doing this, Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes opened as he turned towards me. Then, he spoke to me. ¡°I won¡¯t eat it if your spit gets on it.¡± When I heard his half-hearted joke, I couldn¡¯t help but look him in the eye. Chapter 17 But just like usual, I couldn¡¯t figure out what he really wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± I spoke timidly as I stirred the gruel. He tried to get up but he was still too weak so he just gave up and continued to lie down. When he laid back down, he turned towards me and stared. Sometimes, he would just stare at me like that. It was a bit embarrassing. I could even feel my face burning up a bit. On the other hand, I felt a bit relieved that he had recovered to the point that he could make me feel embarrassed. In fact, I was really glad but he did not need to make me flustered and embarrassed. I managed to pluck enough courage to turn my head slightly towards him. When I looked at him, the first thing that I noticed was his stare. However, somehow I felt like his cheeks were a bit emaciated. He looked unexpectedly like what the original had described him to look like when he contracted pneumonia after falling in the lake. The scene that was described in the book where he laid weakly on the bed as he was fed with gruel by his personal maid was strangely similar to the situation that we were in right now. Oh my god¡­ I stood up slowly with the bowl of gruel in my hands. Duke Kyron just stared at me. ¡°Please have some. It¡¯s warm enough for you to eat.¡± Duke Kyron inched up from his bed as he raised his body slightly. ¡°Feed me.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± His words and expressions were mixed with some slight mischief. It made me feel a bit relieved. I took it upon myself to bring spoonful after spoonful of gruel to his mouth. I could still feel the slight fever from his skin as I fed him like that. My hand that was holding the spoon trembled slightly so I tried to focus more. ¡°Arielsa. That¡¯s enough.¡± It seemed like Duke Kyron did not want to see anymore of my embarrassment as he forced me to step back. Then, he took the bowl from the embarrassed me before drinking it all at once. After he finished doing all of that, he laid back down. ¡°Duke, you can¡¯t eat it like that¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feel better if you changed the sheets and my clothes since I sweated a lot and spilled my food here and there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was left speechless as I went to get some damp towel. I thought that I should at least let him wash his face. But when I tried to approach him, I felt myself turning stiff. Touching someone¡¯s face whether there was a towel in between felt something too personal. It was something that felt vastly different from wiping the sweat off of his forehead to cool him down. However, I was already standing next to Duke Kyron with a damp towel on my hands so I couldn¡¯t back down anymore. ¡°¡­..!¡± He closed his eyes as I helped him rub his face and neck gently with the towel. However, Duke Kyron suddenly twisted his head and groaned. ¡°Ugh. Arielsa.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± I quickly stood up as I looked at the haggard man that was soaked in his own sweat. He spoke quietly with his eyes closed tightly. ¡°Call Chaers.¡± Duke Kyron would most likely call for Chaers to help him wipe his body. I did not like the thought that I was not doing a good job in Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes. I also did not want Chaers to continue to ignore my existence like that. ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it!¡± I said softly as I reached out to wipe Duke Kyron¡¯s cheeks with the towel. I made sure to look carefully at every corner of his face. He looked at my grim and solemn face for a moment before closing his eyes. For some reason, he looked like he was smiling a bit. After wiping his cheeks, I went on to wipe his forehead. Then, to his eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at his neat and thick lashes as I wiped his brow bone. Chapter 18 I wiped his eyes as gently as possible as well as his lips. When I finished wiping his face, he was already fast asleep. I looked at him softly before standing up to wash the towel. Then, I sat on the chair and continued to look at him. Once he recovered, I would make sure to feed him all kinds of teas that would help build his resistance. Resistance¡­ I quickly jumped up as I ran towards the village. ??? ¡°Oh! As expected of the Duke¡¯s stamina! The medicine that I prescribed worked perfectly!¡± Two days later, the doctor proudly praised himself after he saw the Duke recovering completely like his sickness was just a lie. Meanwhile, Chaers kept on glancing at me with his arms crossed on top of his chest. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Then, you should go ahead and rest. I will leave the new medicine with Arielsa.¡± When the doctor left, Duke Kyron spoke to Chaers as he changed his clothes. ¡°How¡¯s the construction coming along?¡± ¡°All of the additional materials that we have ordered will arrive today. The village had decided to recommend a village chief. They have been restless and wary about the Duke¡¯s wrath.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Administrator Hallisa has written and signed a confession. We have escorted him to the castle.¡± ¡°The elders in the East must be creating a ruckus now.¡± Chaers glanced at me when he said those words. It seemed like he wanted me to leave the room since he was going to talk about something important. ¡°Arielsa. Wai¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªIt doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Duke Kyron answered him nonchalantly as he picked up the clothes in my hands. I saw Chaers face hardening at his words but I turned a blind eye to it. He clearly looked displeased with Duke Kyron letting me hear their conversation about the political affairs of the duchy. But instead of complaining, he took on a dismissive stance and just ignored my existence in the room. ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of Kargo¡¯s son, Gaurin.¡± ¡°The elders won¡¯t complain if it¡¯s the son of a senior administrator. But no matter how hard it is, for a young man to be an administrator¡­¡± ¡°However, it bothers me that he ratted on Romney.¡± ¡°The circumstances that he reported were reasonable but it was hard to say if he was really innocent.¡± I held my breath as I stayed still. Kargo¡¯s son, Gaurin¡­ He was a traitor. Gaurin was the next Eastern Administrator after he had pushed Romney out for allegedly siphoning off the grain reserve from Forslan Warehouse. The contents of the original story flashed in my head the moment I heard his name. In the original, the name of the person who was appointed as the administrator for the Forslan Warehouse of the Northern Territory was Gaurin. He played a crucial role in Duke Kyron¡¯s defeat with his fight against the barbarians by deliberately not sending the food supplies. But the person who should have pushed Romney away to become an administrator of the Northern Territory was now going to become the administrator of the east. I believe that it was necessary to prevent a traitor from becoming an administrator. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± I flipped the tray containing the medicine that the doctor had given me when I unconsciously took a step back. The bottles broke noisily as shards of glass and medicines splashed on the floor. Chaers clicked his tongue as I sat down in a panic. ¡°Stay still, I¡¯ll send for a servant. I¡¯ll be in trouble if you get hurt.¡± I stared blankly at Duke Kyron after being left alone in the room. He stared back at me softly before asking me. ¡°Do you have anything to say, Arielsa?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it¡­ The Duke has not yet fully recovered so I thought that you should go back to the castle first before making such an important decision¡­ I¡¯m just worried.¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say after I flipped the tray to cut off their conversation. My head was in a complete mess. Without realizing it, I had already blurted out words hurriedly. ¡°I was so scared when the Duke fell ill. That¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment before he turned away from me. ¡°Why? Right now, do you think my judgment is blurred, Arielsa?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it¡­!¡± I felt suffocated at his narrowed stare but this was an opportunity so I made up my mind to answer. ¡°I know that the Duke will make a wise decision, just like always but it just seems strange for someone who was not entirely innocent to sit in such a position¡­ I just don¡¯t want the Duke¡¯s health to be implicated¡­¡± I blurted my words as timidly as I could as I dropped my eyes and looked at the floor. I was in a complete mess. Duke Kyron glanced at me coldly as he let it go. ¡°I¡¯ll take my time thinking about it. We still need to consider his relationship with Romney.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Duke.¡± I tried to leave the room with my heart filled with relief but when his eyes strayed towards the wound on my fingertips, my heart couldn¡¯t help but stop. ¡°Are you copying me?¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± ¡°This?¡± ¡°I will go and prepare rice gruel for you Duke¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa.¡± I was about to say something but I stopped with just a short and blunt call of my name. It was more foolish if I kept on lying when he obviously knew everything. ¡°The ointment that you put in my hand, it wasn¡¯t from the doctor. I saw him frowning as if what was on my wound was something else.¡± My heart was pounding. How did this person find out! I tried very hard to put a brave front. ¡°The scent of the medicine that you gave me was strangely unique, do you think the doctor wouldn¡¯t find out? I know that it¡¯s not his medicine that saved my life.¡± ¡°I¡­ I went to the library to research about tea and¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªIs this the second time that you have saved my life?¡± I quickly came up with an excuse that the medicine that I gave him was something that I learned while researching about tea. But even before I could speak, Duke Kyron had cleanly cut me off as he continued to speak. Is that so? I saved him twice? My eyes widened as I looked at him. ¡°Speak, Arielsa.¡± There was nothing I could do. He wouldn¡¯t let me go if I did not give him the answer that he wanted. ¡°In the hive, there is a special antibiotic substance that is made to protect the queen bee and her eggs. It¡¯s good for inflammation.¡± It was widely spread in the world that there were natural antibiotics that one could extract from beehives. I was grasping at straws back then when I remembered the hive back in the construction site. I quickly ran towards the place where I found the hive and ripped it off of the tree as I clumsily tried to copy the extraction method that I saw in the documentary back then. I never imagined that it would be extremely helpful. He stood up and approached me before grabbing my shaking hands. His hand was hot, it felt like his lingering fever was being passed onto me. ¡°Did you get this injury when you tore up the hive?¡± ¡°I was a bit¡­ clumsy.¡± I laughed awkwardly but Duke Kyron did not laugh with me. All he did was squeeze my hands. He gently let go of my hands as he turned around. ¡°Clumsy. What a lie.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I did not know why but I unconsciously walked away from him. However, the Duke just spoke calmly and peacefully as he wore his overcoat. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I have been out.¡± ??? I was riding behind Duke Kyron. However, instead of feeling happiness, the only thing I felt was terror. I felt terrified during the entire duration of the ride. The temperature during the day had eased up quite a bit so it was warm. The colorful spindle trees also added up to the spectacular view. However, I couldn¡¯t enjoy them at all. The delusional thoughts that Duke Kyron would take me somewhere dark and threaten me with ¡®Reveal all of the knowledge that you have of this world!¡¯ was still not shaken off of my body. It was even strengthened since Sir Tyra and two other knights were following behind us. Regardless of my dark thoughts, Duke Kyron stopped at a vast meadow that started at the end of the forest. The meadow was dyed with a tint of blue due to the cold northern spring. I could also hear a faint crashing noise as if there was something crashing along the mountains. The sound came closer and closer to where we were. ¡°Oh my¡­!¡± I was overwhelmed when I saw a herd of deer that was as big as foals trampling along the forest. This was the first time that I had seen a scene like this. About two-thirds of the herd were females that had no antlers on them but the rest were stags. The stags had large antlers. The antlers even looked like they were huge branches broken off of trees and inserted on their heads. The stags looked like they were running after the does. Then, the distance between them widened. There were two stags that came out as they stomped the ground with their hooves. It seemed like they were facing each other. I could tell that this was a fight to be the leader of the herd. ¡°You can only see this at this time of the year.¡± Duke Kyron spoke in a low voice tinged with delight. The knights exclaimed loudly from behind. As if waiting for that cue, the two stags charged at each other. The clattering of their huge antlers rang loudly in the forest. The two repeatedly bumped their antlers and heads together as they tried to get past the other¡¯s defenses. Sometimes, there were close moments where the branches of their antlers got stuck against each other and they couldn¡¯t move. This process repeated several times until one of the stags¡¯ neck got torn by the other¡¯s antler. The winner of the duel snorted as it cried strangely. However, it did not end there. Another stag ran out as if it wanted to challenge the winning stag. I knew that there would be another fight soon after. This process would be repeated until their leader was determined. Then, the mating would begin. It was a very moving sight. This just proved that spring had really arrived in the north. It made my heart race when I thought that Duke Kyron had shown me a spectacular sight that could only be seen during this time of the year. I glanced back as I spoke to Sir Tyra. I could see Duke Kyron giving me a momentary glance when I moved away from him to go to Sir Tyra. ¡°Sir Tyra.¡± Sir Tyra was caught in a fluster when he made eye contact with Duke Kyron. Then, he answered me. ¡°Y, yeah? Why?¡± ¡°Those deers, are they going to die like that?¡± ????? Chapter 19 Sir Tyra glanced at Duke Kyron¡¯s face before answering me. ¡°Sometimes. Usually, the fight will end once the winner is determined but there are some who don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Then, that antler¡­ Can I have it?¡± ¡°You want to taxidermy the deer? Where will you put it, in your room?¡± Sir Tyra tried to hold back his laughter from hearing something so unexpected. The thought of taxidermying such a huge deer was already terrible enough as it is but if I placed that in my room then there was no other place that I could sleep in. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°Then?¡± I answered very carefully. It was because I had to play the part of timid Arielsa who was worried about the Duke. ¡°The antler is good for a man¡¯s body and health¡­¡± ¡°Antler? Man¡¯s body?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When I saw Sir Tyra¡¯s widened eyes, I quickly shut up my mouth as I went back to the Duke¡¯s side. It seemed like just being timid and speaking carefully would not help me act Arielsa¡¯s character perfectly. The contents of my words were also a problem. I kept as close to the Duke¡¯s horse as possible otherwise Sir Tyra would come to tease me. ¡°Which specific part of the man¡¯s body is it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± However, it was Duke Kyron who attacked me. He even spoke gently in his distinctive low voice as he turned to look at me. The knights burst into laughter as I ran away after looking at the Duke¡¯s face with tears in my eyes. I heard Sir Tyra saying ¡®Duke, shall I get her?¡¯ but I did not hear the Duke¡¯s reply. Sir Tyra¡¯s loud and boisterous laughter rang so loudly in the forest that the stags¡¯ ears perked up in caution while they stopped fighting for a moment. I realized something very unexpected, I was quite good at horseback riding. Also, I hated my mom. Why did my mom boil and antlers for my dad every fall! I also hated Duke Kyron at that moment. If I boiled some deer antlers for him then he should eat it by himself, why would I need to take care of such a man! ?????????????????????????????? The carriage that I¡¯m riding back to Harpel Castle looked like it was a merchant¡¯s cushioned wagon. The cushions that were piled up on the narrow space where I could sit must have been a joke pulled by the knights. They even giggled when they passed by me who looked at the scene with a stunned look on my face. I wanted to take everything out and throw them away but I was the timid Arielsa so I forced myself to climb the wagon as I tucked myself in between the cushions. However, I thought that it was a bit fortunate that I held back my anger. Not long after the wagon started moving, the shaking had started and I fell in a slumber amidst the piled cushions. Tch. Anyway, on the way back to Harpel Castle, the weather remained warm, there were no wolves and I already got used to the carriage so I felt comfortable both in body and mind. Above all, I had nothing else to worry about since Duke Kyron recovered his health. I couldn¡¯t get enough of the sight of Duke Kyron riding on a horse under the north¡¯s spring sun as he let out his soft aura that was finally recovered. ??? When we arrived at the castle, the first person to run out to greet us was George. He was the first to return to the castle after they finished their outdoor training. ¡°Did you finish your training safely?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as what I had reported.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Duke Kyron nodded at George as he spoke to me. ¡°You should also take a rest with Sir George for a few days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alr¡­!¡± ¡°This brat!¡± George laughed loudly as he hooked my neck with his thick forearms. It seemed like he wanted to kill me. Duke Kyron just turned a blind eye when George dragged me away as he continued his way to his office. ¡°Dad, it hurts. It hurts!¡± He mercilessly dragged me away until he remembered that he had something to ask. ¡°I heard that the Duke got ill?¡± ¡°Yes. A bit¡­¡± ¡°You brat! Why didn¡¯t you serve the Duke well?!¡± But I¡¯m the one who saved Duke Kyron? He grinned and apologized when he saw my face turning dark. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t worried about you. Ugly people are always strong! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Dad! Really!¡± When we arrived at the room, I looked back and saw his excitement. My heart felt a bit warm as I spoke to him. ¡°Dad, how did your training go?¡± ¡°So, so. I worked those punks hard. Hehe.¡± In addition to Duke Kyron¡¯s title, the well-known strength of the Northern Knights were largely attributed to this squared up and towering man, George. They said that the only thing that could break through Harpel¡¯s Knight Geroge was a huge herd of bison that was now extinct in the north. Aside from that, he looked like a man who truly enjoyed his gruelling work. He stroked my head as his mouth twitched happily. It seemed like he was delighted that I asked after him. ¡°You¡¯re all grown up now. You can now serve the Duke alone.¡± I spoke angrily when I recalled the knights¡¯ jeers as they teased me. ¡°It¡¯s because Dad always treated me like a child that¡¯s why everyone made fun of me!¡± ¡°I treat a child like a child. How do you want me to treat a child? Do you want me to treat you like a demonic beast that¡¯s found beyond the northern barrier?¡± George raised his voice as I hesitated on whether I should take a step back. What the hell? In this person¡¯s eyes, are there only the demonic beasts and his daughter that would never grow up? I decided to not deal with this anymore. ¡°Dad. I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go and eat.¡± I grabbed him by the forearm as I spoke to him. His large body was pulled gently through his thick and tree-like forearm. There were knights that went to the east that were sitting around in the restaurant. When they met George, they raved about sitting on cushions and wolves. What was ridiculous was the fact that George took their side when he heard the stories as he began to tease me along with them. It seemed that the reason why people took Arielsa lightly was definitely caused by George. ¡°This is child abuse.¡± I mumbled as I continued to eat. ??? Following Duke Kyron¡¯s orders, George and I went on a holiday together. We went to the market near the castle and looked around. To be honest, I had assumed that such a large man would only eat chicken breasts. But he did not miss anything that we could eat when he thought that I would want to eat it. The amount of food that he inhaled was enough to make me laugh though. ¡°Arielsa, they¡¯re selling candy over there. You want to eat one?¡± ¡°Dad, am I a baby?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked at me quietly with a subtle expression on his face. When I saw his face, all I thought about was speaking up as quickly as possible. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m Dad¡¯s baby. Ack!¡± He gave me a flick as soon as I finished talking. ¡°If you know then do it right.¡± ¡°No, what do you mean by do it right¡­ that¡¯s too much!¡± But by the time I reacted, George had already turned away from me as he bargained with the market vendor. Looking at it closely, it seemed like he had a lot of acquaintances. I was left alone for a while so I had the time to watch the market. The streets were crowded with merchants and street vendors. There were even chickens and goats clucking and bleeping loudly although I wasn¡¯t sure if they were sold or just playing around. There were also a lot of people coming and going in the market. Harpel Castle was quite lively and peaceful. It was all because the male lead was still doing well at this time. I hugged George¡¯s arms again after he felt proud for a bit. This ahjussi was literally a tsundere with his huge mood swings. In fact, I was quite surprised that I was having fun spending my day with this ahjussi. George often flicked me on my forehead as he scolded me but when I wasn¡¯t looking he was always gazing at me with a soft smile on his face. He¡¯s such a tsundere ahjussi. As we walked, I suddenly remembered something. Since it was George, I thought that he would know. ¡°Dad, who is Mr. Gaurin?¡± ¡°Huh? How did you know him?¡± George frowned slightly wondering if I heard this from the east. I looked around for a bit before answering him. ¡°I heard it from the Duke.¡± His frown deepened as he answered me. ¡°You¡­ You shouldn¡¯t talk about the things that you have heard when you¡¯re near the Duke. You should know this well¡­¡± As he spoke to me, his expression turned somber. His face was screaming ¡®Is this because of the Ladder Disease, too?¡¯. I hurriedly spoke to placate him. ¡°Of course I know that! I¡¯m saying this because you¡¯re Dad.¡± He sighed lightly as he continued to speak. ¡°I know that Administrator Hallisa is in jail. Gaurin is the east¡¯s young representative. With his father¡¯s halo, he will probably become the next administrator.¡± George said the same thing as Chaers. Even if I did not mention Gaurin, it seemed like he was everybody¡¯s guess. ¡°I was just¡­ wondering if he was reliable. This time, I went to Movale so I realized how important an administrator was.¡± ¡°Oooh. This brat, did you grow up a bit?¡± George said that before lowering his voice. It seemed like he was wary of the surroundings and the ears hidden from within them. ¡°I know. Of course, it¡¯s an important position. The knights are people who will follow the Duke on horseback and die on his behalf. But the administrators are people who will remain behind to send supplies and take care of the people. This is how important it is.¡± George¡¯s mood sank sharply when he talked about death. He seemed like he would always live as if it was his last moment especially if he was riding on top of his horse. Just like what was written in the original. When I let go of his arm, George frowned as he looked back at me. ¡°Then, Gaurin-ssi¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a smart guy. He¡¯s smart enough that he can coax the elders.¡± The more I hear about him, the more I think that he was a perfect traitor. George saw my hardening expression as he clicked his tongue before continuing. ¡°Administrator Romney has the other administrators in his hands so if Gaurin ever acted immaturely, then he¡¯ll step in to help.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not the problem though.¡¯ I sighed to myself as I continued to walk silently. I was confused. The original work began when Gaurin pushed Romney off of his position as he took over his administrator post and controlled the northern estate¡¯s warehouse. This fell through since I cleared the accounts and proved Romney¡¯s innocence but now he was trying to become the east¡¯s administrator¡­ ????? Chapter 20 Gaurin couldn¡¯t use the Forslan Warehouse to harm Duke Kyron but it was still unclear on what he would do once he gained the power of the East Administrator. They said that villains were tenacious beings. However, there was still hope since Duke Kyron was yet to appoint an administrator to the east. In addition, even if Gaurin became an administrator, he would still not be able to act recklessly as long as Romney was alive. ¡°I know, Dad. I¡¯ll watch what I say.¡± George looked at me with discontent when I answered him first before he could even speak the words that he wanted to say. ¡°Sir George!¡± Then, I heard a woman¡¯s beautiful voice calling out to him. When I turned back in surprise, I saw George¡¯s face blushing instantly. Oho¡­ I got you! A middle-aged woman was waving at him from a store not far from where we were. She was waving her arms wildly as her loose and shiny blonde hair swayed and fluttered behind her. I turned towards George with a big smile on my face. ¡°Dad, who¡¯s that?¡± One of Arielsa¡¯s childhood memories floated in my head. ¡°My daughter must not have curly hair! This is your dad¡¯s lifelong wish!¡± Unfortunately, the hair that I was born with was naturally curly. I did not even need to get a perm with how curly it was. And that lady from the store had straight, neat and beautiful hair. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± When I smiled widely at him, George hurriedly turned his back on me as he tried to hide his reddened face. Then, I spoke sensibly. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go on ahead.¡± ¡°A, A, Arielsa. This is not, no, that¡¯s¡­¡­ not it!¡± I quickly walked away and heartlessly left behind the stammering George. Then, I turned around and hid behind the shadow of the signboard near a stall that overlooked the market area. The owner of the store smiled broadly as she approached George. ¡°Sir George! Did you come with Arielsa today? It¡¯s been a long time since you had a vacation, right? You must have enjoyed it well!¡± ¡°Ah. Uhm. Yes.¡± Hmm. Her voice was not that bad. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t dressed up well since she was in the middle of doing business but she was beautiful. Her figure was also feminine and lovely. He always gave me a strong flick on the forehead so it was quite nice to see George with his big build coughing and flinching in embarrassment in front of her. Spring has come¡­ When I turned around and looked up, I could see the blue sky beyond the stall where I was standing. The spring here in the north felt like early winter for me. However, even if the blue sky remained cold, the spring sky was still the spring sky. I grumbled at the thought that crossed my head. Anyone would feel restless when the spring breeze started to blow and I knew that I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt this way. ¡°His girlfriend has a parlor but his daughter¡¯s clothes are too dull¡­¡± I was grumbling but perhaps that naive ahjussi just came to her and told her ¡®Give me your thickest and warmest fabric. It¡¯s for my daughter!¡¯. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh when I thought that he might have approached her that way. I did not know much about what¡¯s in the head of that muscular single father but for now, I left him alone with that beautiful, self-employed woman and returned to the castle. ??? I was thinking of going back to my room when I came back but I was still worried about Duke Kyron. I wondered if he was truly fully recovered by now. I also did not want to go back to my room since I felt that my heart was a bit empty after witnessing my father¡¯s spring breeze. I walked towards Duke Kyron¡¯s office but I just stood in front of the door, unable to enter. ¡®What if he thinks that I¡¯m weird since I came to visit him even though I¡¯m on break?¡¯ The door suddenly burst open just as that thought flashed through my head. Chaers¡¯ eyes narrowed in discontent when he saw me outside the door. He quickly shut the door to the office as he pulled me at a corner far away from the office so we wouldn¡¯t be heard. ¡°You, what are you doing here? You¡¯re on break.¡± I mumbled as I lowered my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still on vacation right now.¡± Somehow, I could tell that he was on edge. I somewhat remember what Duke Kyron said back in Movale Village. It seemed like Chaers really did fall in love with me once, but it was clearly something that happened when we were still children. Chaers having a crush on the neighborhood girl¨Dwhich was Arielsa¨Dclearly showed that he was once a normal boy. But it was also clear that he had changed his mind at one point as he grew up sensibly. Look at that, look at those disapproving eyes of his. I couldn¡¯t imagine Chaers blushing at the sight of a woman or blushing in embarrassment like George earlier. He would probably just show up in front of the girl that liked him¨DIf there¡¯s one!¨Dand stare and talk to her just like this¡­ ¡®Can you explain to me the benefits of liking you?¡¯ He still probably believed that I came here to disturb Duke Kyron¡¯s work and relaxation time. Or maybe they¡¯ll have to pay me more if I go to work if I¡¯m on vacation? Anyway, the only thing that I wanted to do right now was to escape his burdensome gaze. ¡°I was wondering if there was something that I can do for the Duke¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s none. Go back. The Duke needs to rest now.¡± I wanted to shout at him that he did not even ask Duke Kyron if he needed me for something but he was the Duke¡¯s right hand man and I was just a personal maid. In other words, he was the man with the highest authority when it came to matters related to the Duke. Just because my father was the one training the knights did not mean that I was some great person. Of course, I was Duke Kyron¡¯s one and only personal maid so the servants in the castle listened to me unconditionally but it was still entirely different from his position. ¡°Yes, Sir Chaers.¡± I walked down the hallway feeling crushed and despondent. ¡°Tch.¡± I hastened my steps when I heard Chaers clicking his tongue at me. It seemed like that guy was annoyed with my very existence. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His sudden call brought me to a standstill. Then, Chaers walked towards me. ¡°Follow me if you¡¯re bored.¡± ¡°Wh, why?¡± The distance between us grew larger since I stood still from when he called out to me. But Chaers just continued to walk as if he knew that I would follow him. When he realized that I did not follow him, Chaers turned around and walked back to me with a grimace. Then, he spoke to me in a deep voice. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a genius in ledgers and bookkeeping? The Duke had told me about it, so don¡¯t worry about it. Right now, there is a lot of paperworks that we need to catch up on so come and clean it up.¡± He turned around believing that I would follow him naturally but my answer would remain fixed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± I ran in the opposite direction from where he was going and left him behind. I never thought that Duke Kyron would tell him that I helped him with the ledgers. It was something unexpected and strange. I wondered how he told him. Arielsa¡¯s got an unexpected talent? Or perhaps¡­ Do you think Arielsa received a serious head injury back then? But what I was sure was, it would never be something like ¡®Arielsa¡¯s potential has finally bloomed. I¡¯m proud to see her like this¡¯¡­ The only place that I could think of was the garden in the greenhouse. And on my way there, I finally made up my mind. ¡®Let¡¯s not help Chaers!¡¯ He was someone who wouldn¡¯t look and glance at my unusual appearance so perhaps calling me out to help was some sort of test. Perhaps if he felt that I was different from before then he might have suspected that the ladder disease was a fake and he wouldn¡¯t listen to me until I died. ¡°He¡¯s a scary human being.¡± Even though we went to the east for quite some time, the greenhouse was still managed well. The servant who managed the greenhouse really liked his job so I did not need to necessarily ask for anything else. The greenhouse was clean and my herbs seemed to be thinned out just a few days ago so I once again lost the job that I thought I could do. The servant really did his job perfectly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that my first break would be this boring¡­¡± I mumbled sullenly as I went to the chair by the corner and sat down. The sunlight that shined down on the greenhouse made me feel drowsy. ¡°You sleep well even without a cushion.¡± It was Duke Kyron. ¡°Heok! Heup¡­¡± My head quickly sprang up in shock. It seemed like I dozed off as I sat in the greenhouse. Leaving my drowsiness behind, I quickly wiped the saliva off of my face. It was a bit embarrassing to be caught dozing off as I spent my vacation like a grandma. I felt even more embarrassed since Duke Kyron just looked down at me with no expression whatsoever on his face. ¡°Du, Duke. Do you need anything?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go hunting tomorrow with the vassals.¡± Yes, of course¡­ [The Northerners are known to be strong and carefree, but for anyone who arrived in the North for the first time during spring would never think that way. Each and every one of them enjoys every bit of time that they can get once the ice melts and spring comes. Unperturbed by the cold and brutal wind of the northern spring, the Northerners will release their livestock out in the sun as they hunt or go to picnics. If the temperature even rises a bit in the middle of the day, they may even enjoy sunbathing albeit for only a short time. If you first meet the Northerners during this time of the year, you will certainly think that they¡¯re impetuous and excited. However, it was very important for the Northerners to enjoy and savor this period of time since even the ice in the ground melts. It was their only reprieve during the harsh and cold winter that enveloped the North.] I used to ponder and think over the original story while cursing at the crazy northerners who enjoyed such a cold spring. I used to think¡­ The ice in the ground has not melted completely yet! What will you do in the summer if you¡¯re so busy right now?! It¡¯s still winter! ¡°Are there any problems?¡± I was so surprised that I answered his question awkwardly. ¡°Yes, hunting! I¡¯ll prepare for it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But the Duke just kept staring at me. The warm sunshine that filtered through the greenhouse mixed with the Duke¡¯s gentle aura made me feel as if the entire greenhouse was filled with his light. It seemed like he was completely well now. Anyway, I couldn¡¯t really take my eyes off of him. But when I made eye contact with him, I was surprised to see that he was staring at me. ¡°Duke?¡± ¡°Do you know what to prepare?¡± Chapter 21 He¡¯s really a sharp man. Of course, I did not know anything about hunting. ¡°Ah¡­ Uhm¡­ The Duke¡¯s hunting clothes, simple refreshments and water, and¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± When Duke Kyron sighed at me, I almost couldn¡¯t resist the impulse. I really wanted to tear my hair out. The Duke is not going to an elementary school picnic right now! Then, as if he had given up on me, he spoke step by step. ¡°We¡¯re going to cook and eat the game that we caught straight away. So the servants¡­¡± When I listened to Duke Kyron, I learned that I almost ruined Harpel Castle¡¯s spring hunt when all the vassals gathered together. The kitchen tools that Duke Kyron told me about were things that I would not have thought of if I just figured it out alone. ¡°Did you remember them all?¡± ¡°Yes. Most of them¡­¡± I silently glanced up to look at Duke Kyron. I appreciate what he did for me but at the same time, I felt discouraged as a maid since the Duke was taking care of me. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± He frowned when he saw me sulking as I asked him the question. ¡°Why? Did I interfere too much and hurt your pride?¡± I shook my head quickly and unknowingly raised my voice. ¡°No, Duke! In fact, I¡¯m very thank¡­ ful.¡± ¡°If he knows that you can¡¯t handle this much, then Chaers will ask me to get a new maid. I also don¡¯t know why I¡¯m doing this. After all, I have no reason to deny my bookkeeper if my maid can¡¯t do this much.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± The Duke knew how to crush someone¡¯s self esteem with dignity and grace. I realized that his delicate and careful ¡®interference¡¯ had nothing to do with me. He did not care for me at all. I just stared at him. I felt fed up with everything. ¡°And if I said that I kicked you out of your position as my personal maid because of an illness that can¡¯t be cured¡­ then George¡­ will probably get agitated. Or maybe fall into despair¡­¡± It was a very ominous sign when I saw Duke Kyron frowning. ¡°It¡¯s quite unacceptable that ¡®Harpel¡¯s Shield¡¯ will be destroyed by just a single maid.¡± Heok, is that what you have to say to me? I complained to myself but there was something that I confirmed. Duke Kyron was someone who did not want to make a fuss. He couldn¡¯t help but support his forehead. It seemed like the image was quite shocking to him. It seemed like Sir George Lockman¡¯s image was the epitome of seriousness. Anyway, his expression quickly cleared out as he spoke coldly to me again. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you can do what you learned easily. So I decided to just teach you first. It¡¯s also convenient to find you since you¡¯re on vacation.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± I laughed derisively. So the Duke has only been soft and lenient on me not because I saved him nor because he considered me as his childhood friend and was treating me specially but because he believed that George would fall into trouble if he treated me harshly. So you only did it to set the mind of your estate¡¯s vassal, an important power in your territory, at ease¡­ what is this? Family welfare? I couldn¡¯t believe that I was just a person who got a parachute job thanks to my father¡¯s halo¡­ I smiled as tears began to fall down my cheeks. ¡°Th, thank you. Duke.¡± As I stammered my greeting out, Duke Kyron turned away. After all, his business with me has finally ended. Then, he turned back to me as if he forgot something. ¡°Arielsa?¡± Ahyuuu. That surprised me. ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°I have no intention of bringing in another personal maid other than you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Duke.¡± I came back to my room and laid down on my bed. I felt both despondent and pleased at the same time. ¡°I have no intention of bringing in another personal maid other than you.¡± He might have only said that so he would not embarrass me and George but it sounded different to me. It sounded like he was happy and attached to me. Perhaps it¡¯s only because it was something that I wanted to hear so badly¡­ I stared at my ceiling as I mumbled to myself. ¡°He can easily lift and drop anyone¡­¡± If the Northerners had some modern technology, perhaps they would be the first ones to create a rollercoaster. Lift and drop. Lift and drop¡­ I informed the kitchen and prepared the things that Duke Kyron had told me about. I also found a hunting attire that looked almost brand-new in his closet. When I realized that I had to help Duke Kyron wear his hunting suit¡­ I couldn¡¯t stop myself from blushing after I recalled the perfect body that I saw in the bath last time. ¡°My goodness¡­¡± I finally realized an important issue. It was stated in the original that he had a big scar on his side when he fell down from hunting. The fact that his body was perfectly, no fiercely, sexy without any scratch or scar meant that the accident would probably be due tomorrow when the spring hunt would take place. No matter what he thought about me, I still had to stop it. After all, I still cared very much about our male lead. Besides, I wasn¡¯t that strong enough to pretend that it was not my business when I already knew that people would get hurt. I went to sleep after setting the determination in my heart as I murmured to myself. ¡°Will Chaers still think that I¡¯m a petty and insignificant maid?¡± ??? I went to Duke Kyron¡¯s room early in the morning to help him prepare. Most of Harpel¡¯s vassals and retainers were gathered in the inner courtyard. The outside was even buzzing with people. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from being on edge. ¡°Why are you nervous?¡± ¡°No. Duke, please be careful today. Hunting is quite a dangerous sport, right?¡± I was unaware of the exact timing or situation when the accident happened since Duke Kyron¡¯s fall was something that was only mentioned in passing. So an accident could happen at any moment. But I could predict that something unexpected would definitely happen since it was unusual for the Duke¡¯s well-trained war horse to drop him just like that. I watched as the stableman brought the horse to Duke Kyron. I felt my breath hitch as I watched Duke Kyron climb up on his horse. I was filled with endless anxiety. But Duke Kyron was just calmly patting his horse as he talked to his vassals. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± I felt like I was on pins and needles. I really wanted to be by his side but a personal maid couldn¡¯t just approach the Duke for no particular reason especially if he was surrounded by his retainers and vassals. Not long after, Duke Kyron set out for the hunting grounds with his men. Everybody else was filled with excitement with this long-awaited pleasant spring hunting. I was the only one sweating in nervousness. Once we arrived on the hunting grounds, the vassals that arrived earlier greeted us. The number of the people gathered in the hunting grounds was quite large since they were the strength of the Harpel Family. The servants were having a hard time calming down the dozens of hounds that we brought with us. It seemed like the hounds were excited since the people on horseback were all laughing and talking happily. The atmosphere on the hunting grounds was quite boisterous. I felt that it was a bit risky for me to watch the hounds barking loudly as they tugged on their tight leash. I just watched as the servants set up tents and some makeshift stoves where they could cook the game before climbing up a low hill and sitting down. This was a great place to view the entire hunting grounds. Aside from the fact that I knew that Duke Kyron would fall off of his horse, watching the men talking loudly and laughing maniacally at the sight of the barking dogs was a bit exciting. In the modern world, soccer and baseball were the popular sports that men liked. If I could move this Harpel Hunting Grounds to the modern time, I could bet all my money that hunting could take away the top place for the most popular sport. I could tell that there would also be hunting lottery and bets if that happened. Once all of the participants had gathered, one of the servants stepped up and played a flute. Then, all the hounds fell quiet. The hounds clearly knew that the event was about to start. I couldn¡¯t help but gulp when I saw the hunting grounds engulfed in tension. The servant loosened their holds on the leash of the hounds as soon as Duke Kyron nodded his head. The hounds quickly ran out into the forest as if they were being chased by fire. Some of the horses that were a bit nearer to the hounds got flustered as they shook their heads loudly and neighed in protest. I was so surprised that I jumped out of my seat. But Duke Kyron and his retainers just nonchalantly patted the horse to calm them down as they watched the hounds running happily in the forest I gazed at the squawking birds that flew up in the sky after they got forcefully invaded by the hounds. Duke Kyron spurred his horse on with a loud roar akin to a beast¡¯s cry. His retainers ran together with him as they spread from side to side following his signal. The sound of the hooves of the Duke¡¯s horse seemed to echo in my heart. Isn¡¯t it normal for someone to die if they fall off of a horse that¡¯s running like that¡­? I felt like I couldn¡¯t take my wildly thumping heart as the excitement of the hunt and the nervousness and anxiety of what would happen to Duke Kyron came together. I quickly ran to a high vantage point and watched the entirety of the hunting ground as Duke Kyron moved away. Duke Kyron looked like a lead bird guiding his huge flock of birds. The retainers that were running behind him looked similar to the big and black migratory birds. Duke Kyron whistled long and sharp when he saw the hounds, who disappeared in the forest for quite some time, came back herding a forest fox. Then, their ranks split in half like waves parting from the shore. The fox was running away from the forest after being driven away by the hounds. However, it stopped in its tracks when it saw the people blocking both of its sides. Duke Kyron¡¯s pack slowed down their pace as they approached the fox. My breath caught in my throat as I watched him get off of his horse. I was only able to breathe when he got off safely. The hound was only biting the neck of the fox to suppress it. So when Duke Kyron got off his horse and killed the fox, his retainers all applauded and laughed. Perhaps excited by the commotion brought about by the humans around them, the hounds howled and barked loudly towards the sky. I sighed in relief wondering if they were finally done now. But I suddenly heard my father¡¯s excited voice roaring from across the field. ¡°Duke, we should definitely catch something to eat from now on! Wahahahaha!¡± Duke Kyron immediately left the fox alone as he mounted his horse again. When he whistled again, the hounds immediately ran and disappeared in the forest once more. Then, a servant ran frantically to bring back the fox. A passing servant chuckled when they saw me sighing in relief at Duke Kyron¡¯s safe departure. ¡°Now that they have started, we¡¯ll have plenty of time to prepare.¡± When I thought about it, the fox was not edible. And even if they ate it, it was not enough for such a huge amount of people. It seemed like the fox was just some kind of warm-up pitch in baseball. Now that they had warmed up by catching such a small and light animal, it was now time for them to hunt a real beast. Duke Kyron and his retainers had disappeared beyond the forest that was still in my sight. They were now invisible to me. I couldn¡¯t help but bury my face in my hands as I teared up in anxiety once more. ????? Notes [Parachute Job] ¨C nepotism. Someone who just glided in the job thanks to their parents/connection. Chapter 22 The hunting party only emerged when I had become tired from waiting after Duke Kyron. I hurriedly ran down the hill to greet Duke Kyron. Since the hunt was over, I had no qualms and worries about going forward since we had to cook the deer that Duke Kyron had hunted. Duke Kyron, who was riding his horse, had an excited smile on his face. He looked so cool that I couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the sight. He saw me smiling when his eyes brushed over where I was. It was a coincidental look. However, I was so flustered that I bowed my head down before speaking. ¡°We have prepared everything. We¡¯re just waiting for your words.¡± Duke Kyron nodded lightly. His horse was shaking its head from side to side. It seemed like it was still excited from the earlier hunt. He tried to pat the horse¡¯s neck to try and calm it down. Then, I found something attached to the horse¡¯s ear. ¡°Duke!¡± I shouted lightly before approaching him. I shot a look at the northern battle horse that was a lot taller and bigger than me. Duke Kyron smiled at me as he saw me approach them. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Arielsa?¡± However, I had to ignore his words. I needed to say what I had to say first. ¡°Sir Chaers, what¡¯s that?¡± I pointed my fingers as I asked Chaers who was riding on his horse a bit ahead of the Duke. He was right next to the head of the Duke¡¯s horse. Chaers gasped in surprise. He quickly leaned down and pulled off the goblin grass stuck to the horse¡¯s ears. It was so fast that only a few people saw it. Chaers and Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes were both tinted in shock as they looked at each other. However, they soon returned to their nonchalant looks. But when Chaers turned to me, his eyes were already narrowed. I quickly ignored his gaze as I spoke to Duke Kyron. ¡°I have prepared some food for you. Duke.¡± Duke Kyron nodded lightly as he spoke to his surrounding vassals. ¡°Let¡¯s take a rest.¡± I sighed in relief as I watched the hunting party scatter around to tie their horses up. But Chaers just kept on looking at me. He looked like he had a lot to say to me. It seemed like I would get an earful from him. I even held my breath at some point. Then, George approached me. He clearly felt the tension between Chaers and me. ¡°Arielsa. Do we have enough to eat? I¡¯m hungry.¡± I finally released the breath that I was holding when he came near me. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go right away!¡± George then turned to Chaers and smiled. ¡°Chaers, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Chaers replied a bit reluctantly. He obviously did not want to have any dispute with George. As the two of them moved away, I went back to the servants that were preparing a meal. They were rubbing their sore palms. Goblin grass was a plant that was as big as a fingernail. It was filled with curved thorns and could stick to the fur of animals to spread their seeds. It was a dangerous grass for those who ride horses. Once it got stuck to a horse¡¯s ears, the horse would run wild. The tickle and prick of the thorns was something that any horse could withstand. I knew that I had to face the consequences after I attracted Chaer¡¯s attention but I felt more relieved at the fact that I had at least protected Duke Kyron. I had also retracted my opinion earlier about hunting being a great sport. The process of killing the deer, draining it of its blood, skinning, gutting, slicing and roasting each part¡­ I would have been left with a trauma if I had to do those things myself. Fortunately, everyone, including the servants, were so excited that they failed to notice me. No one really cared about me who turned pale and white as I avoided them. Well, except for two people. Chaers was watching me while George was watching him. I hid in the corner under the pretext that I felt sick. I also ate the roasted deer meat that the servant brought to me in my own corner. I almost cried when I took a bite. It tasted so good. How can such a poor deer taste so savory and juicy¡­ Just a bit earlier, I was feeling nauseous at the sight of the deer being dismantled so I hated myself a bit when my tongue and stomach decided that it was a delicious food. ¡°You said that you¡¯re not feeling well but it seems like you just did not want to work. This glutton.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± George made his presence known by flicking my forehead. I couldn¡¯t help but look up at him in tears. However, his face was not smiling. What happened earlier must have made him feel uncomfortable. ¡°Dad, do you want more meat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough. How about you?¡± ¡°I already ate a lot.¡± ¡°¡­Then, that¡¯s enough.¡± George went back to the fire after leaving those words. He probably came here to check on me and see how I was feeling. Duke Kyron and his vassals were mostly seated around the fire. They were happily drinking and eating meat. They were gathered in groups trying to find a suitable seat. It took the sacrifice of the animals for these people to enjoy their delicacy and celebrate the coming of spring. However, they seemed happy. In the course of this, I had received Chaers¡¯ doubts. After all, he was the one who was protecting the Duke. This time, my case might not be cleared just by drinking the night away like last time. However, I believed that I just made the necessary sacrifices. With that thought, I decided to just eat my heart out as I tried to understand the way these Northerners celebrated the coming of spring. ??? The spring hunt ended safely. The vassals ate their fill and laughed happily before making their way back. Duke Kyron was also able to come back to the castle in a perfect condition yesterday. I also came back to my room before throwing off my hunting suit. I opened my closet that was filled with dull clothes, like the clothes worn by an IT company conglomerate. Since I got a parachute job, I thought that I should get help from my connections. If I ask the pretty owner of that store, maybe I can get a pretty fabric at an inexpensive price. Maybe I can get a family discount¡­? Someone knocked on my door as soon as I finished changing into my indoor dress. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± George came inside the room. He pulled out the chair that I was supposed to sit on so I just sat on the bed that was opposite of where he was. ¡°What happened earlier? Why was that Chaers brat staring at you like that earlier?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I think it was because I was a little rude in front of the Duke.¡± I spoke timidly as I looked up a bit at George. ¡°It was my fault.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not here to scold you¡­¡± He closed his mouth as he chose his words for a moment before speaking again. ¡°I wanted to know if the reason why you were restless all day today was because of Chaers.¡± The thought of George killing Chaers suddenly flashed in my head. ¡°No way! Sir Chaers did not do anything to me. Nothing¡¯s wrong dad.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m right.¡± George looked at me disapprovingly with his arms folded on top of his chest.. Excuse me. I¡¯m more scared of my dad right now compared to Chaers? ¡°You¡­ Are you guys in a relationship? Maybe you fought?¡± ¡°Heok. Dad!¡± I vehemently opposed George¡¯s take on this matter. I felt both relieved and confused at the same time so I spoke to him with a bit of anger. ¡°Just because dad has a lover doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m also dating someone!¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± I was deliberately referring to the owner of the store before. He clearly looked like he was embarrassed and shy about his relationship with the owner of that store. My strategy is successful. He kept his mouth shut in embarrassment before speaking again. ¡°I will not stand it if Chaers is treating you poorly for no particular reason at all.¡± I shook my head wildly. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°What happened in Movale? Ever since then, things have been strange.¡± ¡°When the Duke was running a fever and I was nursing him, I dozed off for a bit¡­¡± ¡°That Chaers punk must have misjudged you. He doesn¡¯t even know how much you care about the Duke! I was right about that punk.¡± I knew that a line had been crossed when I saw George¡¯s complex expression. It seemed like he truly couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone mistreating me. I stared at him as I spoke slowly. The last thing that I wanted to happen was George fighting against Chaers. ¡°Dad, the Duke was in a dangerous situation back then. Sir Chaers deserved to be angry at me.¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± George suddenly placed his palm on my head. His hand was quite heavy but nevertheless it was filled with warmth. ¡°I was worried that the ladder disease had changed your personality but you¡¯re still holding things in. You¡¯re still nice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I hugged George sincerely. I felt that it was a good thing that I met someone who was stubbornly supportive of me. I was both grateful and sorry since he felt more like my real dad. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°What, brat?¡± ¡°The dry goods store¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough. Good night, Arielsa.¡± ¡°Dad? How far did the two of you go? Huh? Dad?¡± But he was already out of sight. I giggled at him before lying on my bed. Truthfully, I felt tired. I felt exhausted after paying so much attention to Duke Kyron today. At the same time, I felt a bit hurt that Chaers was viewing me as an assassin after Duke Kyron¡¯s life. However, after being comforted by George, I didn¡¯t think that it was that big of a deal. After all, I still stopped Duke Kyron from having an accident today. ¨DArielsa? I got up and opened the door to my room. A kitchen maid was standing outside. ¡°The Duke is asking you to come to his office.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I took a deep breath before going to the Duke¡¯s office. No matter what question he asked, I knew clearly that I would be reluctant to give him an answer. However, it was something that I couldn¡¯t avoid. When I arrived at his office, I could see that Duke Kyron was not alone. He was slouching and laughing with Chaers. He only gestured lightly when he saw me coming in. ¡°Did you call for me, Duke?¡± When I approached him, he held out a glass to me. ¡°Arielsa. I¡¯m going to stay up all night drinking from now on since the spring hunt is over.¡± My eyes couldn¡¯t help but roll when the Duke held out his glass to ask for a drink. I did not expect that he would ask me to drink. However, several worries flitted through my head at the same time. What if they caught me drinking? Will my real personality pop out due to the bottle of alcohol¡­? But when else can I have the chance to go drinking with Duke Kyron! Of course, nothing would happen. Because I was just his maid. So of course, nothing would happen but I did not know anything about others¡­ ????? Chapter 23 *** Translator: void ????? Duke Kyron spoke firmly. ¡°Drink. With Chaers.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± When I turned my head to look at him, Chaers avoided my gaze like a sulky child. ¡°Arielsa, Chaers had been bothering you a lot lately.¡± ¡°Duke!¡± Duke Kyron asked him with an incredulous look on his face. ¡°Is that not it?¡± ¡°Cough. Not¡­ much¡± Chaers was furious but he did not deny it. Chaers attitude was nothing new to me but I was still nervous because I did not know what Duke Kyron was thinking. I asked him timidly. ¡°Wh¡­y?¡± Duke Kyron leaned back as he looked at Chaers while sipping on his glass. Chaers coughed uncomfortably while I felt like I was a troublemaker called in the teacher¡¯s office. Chaers clicked his tongue as he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°You¡¯re going to say that it¡¯s a coincidence that you saw the goblin grass that was attached to the Duke¡¯s horse today. Right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence.¡± I was already prepared for these questions so I answered him naturally. ¡°How do you explain it? It¡¯s your first time seeing the hunting party?¡± ¡°Did I¡­ make a mistake?¡± I asked again as pitifully as I could. Chaers clicked his tongue harder. It seemed like he knew that I would answer like that. Duke Kyron smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence even if it was a coincidence.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Do you think I knew it in advance?¡± Then, Chaers cut me off with anger clear in his voice. ¡°Since when have you been so impatient when greeting the Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°When did you put the goblin grass there?¡± ¡°Heok¡­¡­!¡± I finally realized that Chaers was suspecting that the goblin grass incident was made by my own hands. ¡°What I value more is the reason for your actions than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The Duke has already asked you to come. But if you don¡¯t appreciate it then you should be ashamed. Arielsa. I will be disappointed if you just tried to cover it up by being negligent with the Duke. More than before.¡± Why are you bringing it up now! I gritted my teeth. I was only barely able to let the words out from my clenched teeth. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already made up your mind that I did this¡­¡± I spoke to Duke Kyron seething in anger and filled with a sense of injustice. ¡°I know that Sir George is treating me well. I am grateful. But I never did such a thing¡­ Sob.¡± Even though I was speaking in tears, Duke Kyron just smiled at me lightly. ¡°I spoke to Chaers. You saved me so I should thank you. And you also have a mysterious yet serious disease. Ha.¡± Chaers flinched and stiffened when Duke Kyron did not take his side. I knew the meaning of his gaze and smile. ¡®You saved me for the third time. This is not a coincidence, Arielsa.¡¯ That was when I realized that this was Duke Kyron¡¯s trap. He knew that it was not the doctor and that I was the one who saved him back in Movale. He had begun to doubt me back then but it was even more so because of what happened today. I felt like I was looking at the loopholes that I had created while I was being interrogated by Chaers. A bone chilling coldness suddenly came down my back. I closed my mouth tightly. However, even though I understood the situation, I was still unable to find a way out. No matter what I said, I was sure that I would either be criticized by Chaers or be doubted further by Duke Kyron. What will you do if Arielsa cries? However, even if that was how I thought, I knew that they were great men that wouldn¡¯t even bat an eye when I cried. Especially Chaers. He would even scold me and tell me to not cry and just say what I had to say. I grabbed the bottle that was in front of Chaers as I poured its content into the glass in my hand. Then, I spoke as pitifully as I could. ¡°It¡¯s really unfair¡­!¡± The two men¡¯s eyes widened when they saw me drinking the alcohol in one go. Because of the embarrassment that started to creep up on me, my voice began to waver and sound more pitiful. ¡°Sob, sob. But it¡¯s not like that¡­ Dad¡­¡± Yes! However, contrary to my words, I was singing praises for myself inside. When I spoke the word Dad, Duke Kyron and Chaers¡¯ faces both hardened. I felt a bit apologetic, but at the very least, George was someone who supported me. If he got angry and asked Chaers for a duel then Harpel Castle would become noisy. I made my voice sound more pitiful when I heard Chaers growling beside me. ¡°Sob¡­ I didn¡¯t do it¡­! Dad always told me to take good care of the Duke and live a good life but¡­ sob¡­¡± Chaers grabbed the bottle out of my hand when I tried to pour on my glass again. ¡°You don¡¯t even doubt her?¡± ¡°Sob¡­!¡± When I looked at him, my eyes were filled with sadness and resentment at the world¡¯s unfairness. Chaers then glanced at Duke Kyron. ¡°She has a very mysterious disease. Did you even care about her ladder disease?¡± ¡°No!¡± He did not care at all! This was the first time that I had encountered someone in the world who¡¯s as insensitive and ungrateful as him! I screamed inside but I still kept my pitiful appearance. Chaer¡¯s expression began to crumple. ¡°Are you telling me to be understanding because of her mysterious disease? That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, right?¡± ¡°Sob¡­ I didn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°I get it. I get it.¡± Chaers took the glass in my hand as he quickly drank the contents. It seemed like he felt sick when he said something that he truly did not mean to say. Meanwhile, Duke Kyron just looked at the two of us quietly. His first glass was still half full. This time, I looked at Duke Kyron. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back, Duke. I¡¯m not going to drink with Sir Chaers. Sob.¡± ¡°Arielsa!¡± Chaers called out to me in a fluster but I still stood up while wiping the tears on my face with the back of my hand. ¡°My stomach feels weird. I¡¯m going to make herbal tea.¡± ¡°Look here! You¡¯re obsessed with tea! I¡¯m the same, I¡¯m also obsessed with my duty to serve the duke!¡± Chaers was trying to say that it was unfair for him too but I cut him off cleanly. ¡°I¡¯m not obsessed. It¡¯s because the Duke loves tea.¡± Duke Kyron slowly placed down his glass. I walked out of the office while sobbing but no one stopped me this time. I closed the door of the office tightly. I realized that my heart was beating wildly as I walked down the hall. I only felt a bit relaxed once I stepped away from the hallway where the office was located. I leaned on the wall near the stairs when I felt that my head was spinning and I was out of breath. It seems like I was finally feeling the drunkenness from the glass earlier. I wanted to go to the garden to get some cold air. I wanted to calm myself down before going back to my room. It might seem that I did that to get out of the office but I knew that it was only a stopgap measure. My brain did not work well because I was terrified and scared but now I could already feel the effects of the drink I had earlier. It just felt heartbreaking that Duke Kyron was doubting me. I struggled and suffered every day for his sake but instead of being praised and recognized, I was being suspected of hiding something. It was both sad and unfair. I went down the stairs and opened the door that would lead to the garden. My heart felt heavy as the cold wind slapped my face squarely. ??? The cold crescent moon shone in stark contrast to the cold and dark garden of Harpel Castle. There was a slight chill floating in the night air but it felt a bit bearable due to the rising heat in my body. I did gymnastics as I stretched and folded my arms and legs to get my act together. It was my habit when I wanted to switch up my mood. Whenever I was studying all night, I would feel refreshed after I opened the window and did some gymnastics or stretching. And even thought it was just a bit, I missed the simple and meaningless yet safe life that I had in the past. ¡°Bambaba, bambaba, bam, bababam. Bambaba, bambaba, bam, bababam¡­ one, two, three, four¡­¡± I felt a bit better as I hummed the tune to gymnastics while jumping with my flapping arms. Perhaps it was because of my drunkenness that I strangely felt emotional while trying to make myself feel better. I shouted towards the sky from the garden. ¡°I want to go! I really want to go home!¡± I slowly turned my head when I felt the cold and sharp blade nick the back of my neck. I could see the pale and white moon hanging above Duke Kyron¡¯s head. He was emitting a subtle glow amidst the cold, somber and dreary garden. It was the glow of the soft and gentle aura of life. ¡°How dare you do such filthy sorcery in my castle, Arielsa.¡± My head was tipsy and my body was overcome with shock. His blade shone blue as he aimed it at my neck. There was a faint murderous intent flowing from his eyes and voice. My lips were dried and chapped but I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say to him. ¡®Sorcery¡­? No way, the gymnastics¡­?¡¯ ¡°Your real home? You¡¯re clearly not my Arielsa. How dare you¡­ How dare you cast sorcery, you high-ranked demonic beast!¡± I was frightened. ¡°D, demonic beast?¡± My head turned blank for a moment as Duke Kyron¡¯s chillingly sharp sword nicked my jaw. ¡°Do you think that it would be easy to hide in my castle?¡± I tried to answer him as I desperately held back my teeth from clacking together. ¡°I¡¯m not a demonic beast! Duke Kyron.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re also not Arielsa Lockeman.¡± ¡°Just now, what I just said now¡­ It was because I was so cold that I imagined a warm place like my home. So¨D¡± ¡°¨DShut up. Arielsa would not forget the reason why I¡¯m drinking tea. Even if she was hit on the head with a mace and did not fall off a ladder.¡± ¡°Tea¡­? The tea?¡± I felt suffocated. I¡¯m the one in charge of the tea in this place but I¡¯m dying because of tea? My intense fear brought forth Arielsa¡¯s buried memory. ????? Chapter 24 Translator: void ????? The young Arielsa was wailing. I was so frightened that the ins and outs of the situation in my memories did not come to me so easily and only slowly appeared but in the end, it was because the Young Duke Kyron had a bad temper. She was crying while pouring out her resentment to the Young Duke Kyron. ¡°Hic, hic. The Young Duke, hic, hic, hic, really, really has a bad temper. The Young Duke should drink lots of tea, hic, because you¡¯re always cold!¡± The late wife of the Duke used to explain to her that the Young Duke¡¯s eccentric and weird personality was brought about by the coldness of his body. And it stuck in the mind of the young and immature Arielsa. Young Duke Kyron was in shock as he stood still in front of Arielsa. He looked like he did not know what he should do with her. Just like me right now. Duke Kyron chewed me on with his words. All I could do was stare blankly at the breath that was coming out of our mouths. ¡°You said everything that you could say. You even told me that I¡¯m human trash. Since you blamed me, I thought that I really had a problem with my personality. So I started drinking the tea, just like you said.¡± My god! Arielsa only said that you have a bad personality. When did she even say that you¡¯re human trash¡­¡­! Ariel would definitely sigh sadly if she heard that the Duke remembered her words like that. However, I couldn¡¯t even make such noise. ¡°It took me years before I could adjust to the taste of tea. Arielsa would often look at me apologetically whenever she made me tea. A child like that easily forgets those memories?¡± Indeed, it was a memory that could not be easily forgotten. If these important memories and experiences between people had disappeared, from that point on, I could confidently say that we really did not know each other. It was at that point that Duke Kyron stopped pretending that he could understand my suspicious behavior. So he followed me and heard me shouting that I wanted to go back home after I ran around the garden while shouting strange words¡­ My actions were suspicious enough especially in this era where demonic beasts existed. I couldn¡¯t even think of a word to persuade Duke Kyron. Our first encounter was something that was far beyond what was written in the original novel and even if I tried to run away, it seemed like my legs would fall off. Even my head was frozen and blank. ¡°Hic!¡± When the blade of his sword grazed the back of my neck, I felt like all the blood had been drained out of me since my skin felt extremely cold. ¡°I¡¯m already merciful enough to let you die by my hands.¡± There was no hesitation in his words. I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯ll die like this. And it¡¯s even by the hands of the male lead¡­? A still have a lot of work to do, no, this is only the beginning! I shouted loudly in frustration. I did not have any reason to pretend and be timid like Arielsa. ¡°D, d, dad, if you hurt me, then dad will go crazy!¡± ¡°Right. Whatever you are, George will definitely crush you with his own hands once he finds out that you stole his daughter.¡± Ah¡­ I did not think of that. Duke Kyron raised his sword after leaving those cold words. ¡°Duke!¡± I quickly crouched down and covered my head with my arms. I couldn¡¯t even determine if the cold that I was feeling was from the coldness of the hard ground beneath me or it was from the fear that was enveloping my body. I shouted hurriedly. ¡°Arielsa¡¯s gone! I¡¯m Arielsa!¡± Duke Kyron glared at me as he stopped for a moment. It was only natural that he couldn¡¯t understand my words. After all, it was also something that I couldn¡¯t understand either. ¡°What the hell are you on about?¡± ¡°Arielsa already left¡­ when she fell off of the ladder.¡± His expression turned heavy and dark but it seemed like he had already accepted her death. Then, he asked me with his cold and gloomy voice¡­ ¡°Then, what are you?¡± ¡°I came, I came from a different world.¡± Duke Kyron gritted his teeth as he forced his words out. ¡°What nonsense.¡± I spoke quickly. ¡°A scar! The Duke was supposed to fall off of his horse today and get a scar. I didn¡¯t like the thought of that so I stopped it!¡± His arm that was holding the sword tightly became a bit relaxed. He was fully aware of the consequences if I wasn¡¯t able to remove the goblin¡¯s grass from the horse¡¯s ear today. If he hadn¡¯t admitted that I had saved him, then he wouldn¡¯t have tested me under the guise of drinking. ¡°Right now, you, are you claiming to know the future?¡± ¡°I saw your life when I was still in the other world. It was a hard life where the Duke had to constantly fight against a gigantic enemy but you never gave up nor backed down against them. That was the reason why I liked the Duke! It was because your life was so moving!¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to tell him that this world was from a novel and that the creator, the author, was someone that existed separately from them. In this world of fiction where everyone was vividly alive, it seemed like those words were like the harshest way to put them in death and despair¡¯s door. So I just told him that I saw his life. He looked down at me in the dark, no, under the cold and subtle light. ¡°Do you think that I would be fooled by something like that?¡± ¡°The lake. The Duke almost drowned in that boat accident. You were only barely able to swim out of the lake. Once you got to the shore, you passed out and contracted pneumonia. When the Emperor learned of it, he sent the Duke a cure that contained poison.¡± I quickly shut my mouth. I couldn¡¯t help but flinch at my own blabbermouth. It was not yet time to speak about the Emperor. He was a man of integrity and he despised the fact that someone was pouring suspicion over the Emperor. He did not believe that the Emperor was trying to kill him until the very last minute. And just like I expected, Duke Kyron¡¯s expression darkened. His hand that was holding the sword tightened once more. He slowly approached me with his sword as he grasped my chin with his left hand. If he just placed a bit more strength in that hold, my jaw would definitely break. The only thing I could do was shut my eyes tightly. ¡°How dare you¡­ Who sent you?!¡± His tone had changed. It seemed like he thought that I was a spy sent by the Emperor. I felt choked. Since there was nothing I could hide, I spoke everything that I kept bottled up in my heart. ¡°I want to know too. I also want to know how to get back! But until I know how, at the very least I wanted to see the Duke becoming happy. I wish to see the Duke experience love and happiness¡­¡± Duke Kyron glared at me for a moment. He threw my face away after snorting loudly. My body staggered as I fell down on the ground. However, his stare was still as cold as the air around us. ¡°Love? Ha! What a funny thing to say.¡± That was right. Kyron Harpel was a man who had everything. However, he did not shed any blood or tears. Especially now. Perhaps there would be no room for an everlasting love in his heart if he had not lost everything and was not driven south. After all, all the hardships that he went through was a process that created the ground where true love could sprout in the heart of this man that was stubbornly obsessed with coldness. When I looked at him, I realized that it was because I was Arielsa so his eyes were a bit softer. It was because he had a bit of a soft spot for his maid and his childhood friend. I couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°There is! Love! You will have the greatest love in the world! Even if everything is a lie, you shouldn¡¯t deny something like this!¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why I shouted these words. I even jumped up as I bragged to the king of this territory and the man who held a sword to my neck. Duke Kyron just stared at me coldly. His eyes were as cold as tundra. However, I spoke as harshly as I could. ¡°I beg the Duke to remember the times when I saved you.¡± He would deny the grace that I have given him after saving his life. He might have saved me from the wolf but I saved him far more times than that. There was a short yet long silence. He finally sheathed his sword back in. ¡°You, you¡¯re another woman in Arielsa¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know my future?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to help me?¡± I stared straight at his eyes as I answered his question. ¡°Yes. I think so.¡± ¡°That sounds convenient.¡± He strode to me as he lifted my chin up. I could feel his breath lingering on my face. That was when I realized that our faces were too close to each other. Then, he looked down at me as he spoke softly¡­ ¡°From now on, I own you. It would be good for you if you remember that fact.¡± His laughter was so cold that it gave me goosebumps. His laughter contained the cruelty of someone who ruled the North and defeated the demonic beasts as well as the person who survived against the Emperor and won his hard earned love. This was something that he did not show Arielsa. No, it was something that he showed to the rest of the world while Arielsa was safely hidden behind him. My heart sank coldly. Did I finally meet the full and complete Kyron Harpel? Then a smile formed on my lips. This new look on his face might not be what I wanted but I did not feel offended nor betrayed. After all, this was the real him. Duke Kyron¡¯s face hardened when he saw the smile on my face. However, he still chuckled even though his mouth was twisted and sulking. The two of us finally met and greeted each other for the first time. ¡°Keep this a secret from George. Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes. I will keep this a secret from my dad.¡± ¡°Come to the office tomorrow. Make sure to do so if you don¡¯t want your legs cut off.¡± He turned around with his flapping cape and left me behind in this cold and dark garden. I stumbled back to my room, but in the end, I couldn¡¯t go to the Duke¡¯s office. It was because my body was now like a ball of fire. I was unclear as to the cause. I did not know if it was because I had exposed my body in the cold garden for quite a long time or if it was because I was exposed to fear and death. I had to suffer from fever all night. When George found me the next morning, he literally panicked. He rushed the doctor to my room as he continued to pace back and forth inside. George would even panic whenever I let out an ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ from the bitterness of the medicine. Chaers looked like he was suffering from a bad hangover as he stared down at me with a frown. ????? Chapter 25 Translator: void ????? ¡°Sir George. She has a bad cold. It¡¯s not a disease that would kill her. Go out and get some fresh air. Roll the knights or something.¡± Chaers couldn¡¯t help but pull his hand off of his forehead. He flew into a rage when he heard the doctor giving George a pep talk. ¡°Doctor! You¡¯re going to make the knights riot!¡± The knights would speak of their harsh training under George. The men in the north are scary. I¡¯m scared of the men in the north¡­ The only time I closed my eyes last night was when I remembered Duke Kyron. Ah¡­ He told me to come to his office in the morning. Will he come to my room with his sword and cut my legs off? ¡°Sob¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa, does it hurt a lot? Can you stand it? Doctor, please do something!¡± George¡¯s yelling voice was so loud that my ears ached. I couldn¡¯t even help but frown. He even got more agitated when he saw me frown as he created a bigger fuss. ¡°Oho! Really!¡± The doctor started to get annoyed too. The door suddenly burst open when Chaers, who couldn¡¯t take it anymore, shouted ¡®Sir George!¡¯ loudly. ¡°Duke.¡± The three of them respectfully called out to Duke Kyron, who suddenly appeared in my room. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver in fright. George saw that my face looked like the world was collapsing. However, Duke Kyron was smiling amiably at me. [ Sometimes, he would have a very warm smile. But his vassals and retainers knew that this was the most dangerous moment for someone facing Kyron Harpel. ] A passage from the original novel suddenly flashed in my head. I couldn¡¯t help but shriek loudly in my head. But for some reason, no one noticed that this was a dangerous moment. Instead, everyone was looking at him blankly. ¡®Dad! Dad! George! Do something!¡¯ Duke Kyron spoke kindly as he looked straight at me. ¡°I came here because I heard that Arielsa was sick. It seems like the room is very cramped.¡± What was worse was that George¡¯s eyes looked moved when he heard his words. ¡°Since she was a kid, she had no advantage except for her strength. This is embarrassing¡­! I¡¯m sorry that we have let the Duke come here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Sir George. Arielsa stayed up all night in the East and nursed me diligently. No, up until some point. But she did her best while she was at it.¡± ¡®Please shut up!¡¯ I quietly pulled the quilt to avoid eye contact with Duke Kyron who was very blinding for some reason or another. Meanwhile, George, Chaers and the Doctor all vacated the room. I wanted to hold them in the room, but it was an impossible feat. When only the two of us were left in the room, Duke Kyron went and sat on my little wooden chair. He even crossed his long legs and leaned back. ¡°I was very troubled on my way here. Arielsa.¡± His tone of voice was still amiable and friendly. Perhaps that was the reason why my hair stood on end. ¡°Should I cut your leg or your head¡­ but it¡¯s very embarrassing when I see you like this. I¡¯m not fond of taking back my words. Hmm. I¡¯ll be too lazy to teach you what I¡¯m like in the future.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t teach me!¡¯ After roaring loudly in my head, I answered him tearfully. ¡°B, but I¡¯m really sick now. It¡¯s not that I did not want to go but it was because I have a fever and I can¡¯t move¡­¡± ¡°You treated me but you couldn¡¯t even treat yourself?¡± I answered him as I continued to hide under the covers. I felt really sad. ¡°I¡¯ve used up all of the medicine that I made back then for the Duke¡­ Sob, sob, sob.¡± I wanted to tell him that my body¡¯s immune system, my only advantage with this strong body, had collapsed after experiencing life and death under his sword. However, it was something that I couldn¡¯t do. The fever even made it easier for me to feel the sadness so my tears kept on flowing down my cheeks. When I began to sob, Duke Kyron just frowned deeply. Not even a fleck of sympathy could be seen in his face. Thinking about how he treated his enemies and how he punished the heads of the female lead¡¯s family in the original novel, it seemed like he had not even started yet. He uncrossed his legs and stood up before looking down at me from above. I could see that he was smiling. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you off the hook just this once. I¡¯ll punish you if you get sick again without my permission.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days. Come to the office after you get over this sickness.¡± ¡°Heok¡­¡± Duke Kyron turned and left. It seemed like he did not need any answer from me. I just took some medicine so I felt like my body was being dragged down as I buried myself deeper under my covers after hearing his ridiculous threat. What? Get sick with permission? I can only get sick in the period that he had set for me? He had just said earlier that I stayed up all night when he was sick before. He did not even know how sick he was back then. Chaers was even pissed off. But right now, this man! However, instead of those words, the words that came out of my mouth were different. Perhaps it was because of my desire to survive. ¡°Hic, hic. Duke¡­¡± I fell asleep crying like that. Perhaps this was what it felt like for the world to collapse. Nothing can be sadder than your favorite male lead being mean to you. Perhaps it was because I took the doctor¡¯s medicine well, or maybe it was really just like George had said and I was really born with a strong physique, but my fever dropped after a good night¡¯s sleep. However, I still had to stay in bed at all times thanks to the chills and slight fever that coated my entire body. George even fed me some tasteless mushroom soup as he chattered until my ears bled. Perhaps it was because he was too agitated that he needed to do something like this to be rest assured. I¡¯m sure that the food would not taste this bad if there weren¡¯t any mushrooms. George just continued to speak without knowing what was going on. ¡°How grateful we are to the Duke. That man gave us these precious mushrooms. Eat a lot.¡± But right now, I was already starting to think about confessing the truth to George and bidding everything in this place goodbye. ¡°I¡¯m really moved by what the Duke did. Everyone says that he¡¯s cranky and bad tempered but the Harpel Family had long been known for their warm actions towards their vassals and retainers.¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to listen to his words since they were all too far from the truth. I just felt sad since I hated everything right now. ¡°Hic¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa, why? What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling sick again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, Dad.¡± ¡°So why are you crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just very thankful to the Duke. Hic.¡± ¡°This brat¡­ Good girl.¡± If I could die because of irritation and annoyance, I would definitely be dead right now. However, irritation and annoyance would definitely not kill anyone. I just kept on opening my mouth to eat the porridge. George looked very happy. I¡¯m just glad that at least, someone was happy in this situation. ??? Exactly three days later, I got out of my bed before washing and grooming myself. I did not know if it was because of that weird mushroom but I recovered much faster than I thought. Before going to the Duke¡¯s office, I made sure to wear a dark dress. It was dark enough that blood would not be obvious even if it was spilled with it. This was my consideration for George. My final consideration for him was to make his daughter look less terrible as much as possible. I headed towards the Duke¡¯s office with this determination in mind. ¡°Good morning, Duke.¡± He did not even pay me any heed as he continued to sit on his desk. It was the same behavior that he had before. So I had no choice but to act as usual. ¡°Should I make you tea?¡± I still did not hear any answer. But at times like this, steeping some tea seemed to be the best answer. When I was on my way to the console table, I heard his dry and dreary voice from behind me. ¡°Do it. I need some tea in the morning to kill my dog-like personality.¡± I stood there with my stiff limbs as my lips trembled. ¡®This¡­¡¯ Romance Fantasy was just fantasy with the male and female lead going off on a romance point. This world was rough and cruel. And this stunning Duke Kyron, my favorite character who kept me awake even if I did not study for my university exam, had a wretched personality if he was not in front of the female lead. And right now, he decided to pour that extremely wretched talent of his all into me. My plans had to be revised. If my previous goal was to protect Duke Kyron and influence reality so he could be safe, my goal right now was to prioritize my safety and survival. There was nothing I could do. I got out of my daze as I moved forward to the console table. I could feel that someone was coming up behind me while I chose the tea. ¡°Ah!¡± Duke Kyron, who suddenly appeared behind me, quickly turned my body around as he pulled my chin. He brought my face close to his. I could feel him looking at my face like he wanted to eat me alive but I just held on with my eyes shut tight. I even needed to hold on to the corners of the console table to keep my balance. The voice that he used to speak to me was low and ferocious. ¡°It¡¯s completely perfect. No matter how I look at it, you¡¯re Arielsa.¡± ¡°Th, this is Arielsa. It¡¯s her body.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He sighed for quite some time before he withdrew. Then, he brushed his face as if he was distressed about something. Only then did I realize how terrified I was. I did not know and I could not understand but I was terrified at the prospect of him taking this situation wrongly. He had also lost Arielsa. The only childhood friend that he was kind to. I easily forgot about the tingling sensation left on my jaws after he had grasped me tightly earlier. I spoke carefully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. She was a good child¡­ She really cared about you.¡± ¡°If I had a sister, I¡¯m sure that she would be like her.¡± He turned his back towards me as he sat on the sofa. I suddenly remembered how he said ¡®My Arielsa¡¯ in the garden last night. He loved her much more than what she thought. I could see that Duke Kyron was deeply distressed by the loss of Arielsa. His silence had a strange power. For some reason, I could hear his heart roaring loudly like the reverberating sound of a woodcutter chopping wood in the middle of a forest. ¡°Duke, please have some tea.¡± I carefully placed the cinnamon tea on the table in front of him. He stared at the white steam blowing from the tea before looking up at me. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 My tone came out awkward since the silence was too much for me. ¡°Thank you for sending the mushrooms. I heard that they were precious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of George.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I felt like I grew used to how he speaks now. Then, Duke Kyron¡¯s expression suddenly hardened. The fact that I was used to and familiar with his way of speaking meant that I had been deceiving him for that long. I spoke to him from the bottom of my heart. Whatever my position was, I knew that it would be hard for him to accept. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you.¡± Duke Kyron just stared at me. I knew that he was feeling despair and sadness after losing Arielsa but he was an adult so he wouldn¡¯t go on and blame me. I felt a bit fortunate and grateful knowing that fact. ¡°You live there, in that world?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°What kind of place is it?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± I felt a bit flustered. I had never been asked before about the world that I lived in. I wondered where I should start¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a very advanced and developed place.¡± ¡°Developed?¡± ¡°There are a lot of cars and apartments¡­ Every household is equipped with a good water supply so hot water always comes out whenever you turn on the faucet. There are also a lot of processed foods so it¡¯s not hard to store food. We can even eat fruits during the winter too¡­¡± ¡°The Imperial Family uses mana stones so they could use hot water all year round. So it¡¯s just mana stone and¡­¡± He hated magic. It was because he was the one who knew best about what kind of sacrifice was needed just to get a single mana stone. It must have been insulting for him that they used the mana stone that he earned after a lot of sacrifices just to boil water. Just mumbling the words at the end of his sentence showed his enormous restraint. ¡°Did you say car?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a carriage or a wagon that can move on its own. We don¡¯t use any mana stones. There¡¯s this kind of special fuel that makes it move.¡± ¡°Special fuel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of oil but it¡¯s not something that you can get with the technology that you have here right now.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°Duke, how valuable is your steel sword?¡± He glanced towards the side where his sword was propped up before speaking proudly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that in the entire Empire.¡± ¡°Then, you have to be rich enough to build a house out of that steel and develop various technologies just so you can get the oil.¡± Of course, that was something for a thousand years later. But right now, it was something that was impossible for this world. He leaned back on the sofa before taking a sip of the tea. Then, he turned to look at me. ¡°You. You¡¯re more useless than I thought.¡± Was that how it worked? Although his evaluation was a bit unfair, I never meant to contaminate this world by recklessly spreading modern technology. However, I couldn¡¯t help but pout as I tried to refute him. ¡°Even though I saved your life?¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s a woman who is fated for me? Since I haven¡¯t met her yet, then I¡¯m still not going to die. Isn¡¯t that what you said?¡± I mumbled silently, a bit sullen at his words. ¡°Well, whether you could meet her safely or in a very difficult situation would depend on my help.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m not safe?¡± I had to make a decision right now. The amount of information that I could disclose was a matter of my life and death. For now, I believed it would be better to speak as little as possible about these things. ¡°If I tell you in advance, then the future will change. After all, the Duke will make completely different choices if you knew about them. Then, my knowledge will be useless.¡± A corner of his mouth curled up as he chuckled at my words. ¡°I keep mistaking you for Arielsa. Fine. That¡¯s a smart choice.¡± I felt horrified when I heard his words. If I spoke about all the information that I knew then he¡­ I quickly shook my head to shake off the horrendous thought that flashed for a moment. ¡°You said that you know my future. How is that possible?¡± Of course, it was something that I couldn¡¯t answer right away. ¡°Uhm¡­ I knew it from someone.¡± While I was choosing my words carefully, I saw him sipping his tea as he mumbled to himself. ¡°Peeking at someone else¡¯s life. Does everyone in your world have no conscience, just like you?¡± This was such an unexpected turn of events. However, this misunderstanding was only natural. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. I did not peek at your life, in fact, I actually read it. I didn¡¯t even know that this world existed. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It was moving. Reading someone else¡¯s life was very moving. And the people of my world loved that kind of emotion.¡± ¡°Moving? Ah. My love affair. Hoo.¡± Duke Kyron took another sip of his tea as he chuckled. I just found out that he was very cynical and rational. It was as if he did not believe that something like that would happen to him. Wasn¡¯t our male lead too critical and distrustful? I thought that his feisty personality was the Northern Duke¡¯s personal setting but he was also a man who did not believe in love. Well, that was the reason why our female lead was so great. This was because she was a woman who made our male lead into a man that would put his life on the line for her love. I spoke quietly but firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± The look in his eyes turned ugly in an instant as he glared at me. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in a position to tell me what to do? You stranger.¡± Stranger. It was a much better word than demonic beast. It was a word that was objectively correct but it was still an upsetting remark that hit my heart fiercely. Then, he spoke mockingly. ¡°In other words, the bards in your world are frauds that sell people¡¯s lives for entertainment. And you are pleased to see me as a poor guy who¡¯s crazy about one woman.¡± Heok. That¡¯s how it is? ¡°When you meet her later, then you¡¯ll know what I mean immediately.¡± I spoke with great determination but Duke Kyron just ignored my words. I could see clearly that he was not interested in anything other than information that was pertaining to his safety. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So why is my love important to you? You¡¯re trying to protect me for something like that?¡± He cast a furtive glance towards me. Perhaps he realized that my words were also meant for him too. I felt a bit relieved when I heard that. However, Duke Kyron coldly warned me. ¡°Stop talking about moving stories.¡± It was a bit embarrassing to speak of these words myself. I couldn¡¯t help but grip the cloth of my skirt tightly. I mumbled a bit dispiritedly but still, they were words from my heart. ¡°It¡¯s because seeing the Duke being happy is also making me happy¡­ We live because we want to have happiness. I want to make sure that your life has some special meaning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed like Duke Kyron did not want to question me anymore. Then, he spoke quietly. ¡°Fine. I admit that you have saved me many times. And the tea tastes better these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I also admit that you have had plenty of opportunities to kill me if you ever wanted to kill me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He put the cup down on the table as he stared at me. ¡°But I can¡¯t stand being deceived even if it was just for a moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that¡­¡± ¡°From now on, you only have to go back and forth from your room to my office.¡± ¡°B, But¨D¡± ¡°¨DDo you think my words are unfair? Would you prefer the dungeon?¡± Never! I already knew what Harpel Castle¡¯s dungeon was like from the book. And it was something that I never wanted to experience in my life. ¡°No! No, I mean, I still have to clean the herbs in the greenhouse.¡± ¡°You can only move under my watch.¡± Under these circumstances the only thing I could do was say yes. For the time being, it was important for me to garner his trust and faith by doing what I was told to do. ¡°I understand. Duke.¡± I spoke dispiritedly as the Duke signaled towards the center of the room. ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What you were doing in the garden. I need to make sure that it¡¯s not really magic. If you know me well then you must know how much I hate magic.¡± I knew. He hated demonic beasts and he was fed up with those with power who were greedy for mana stones. So not only was magic forbidden in Harpel Castle, there were also a few scant wizards in the north. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but freeze as my mouth dropped open. Duke Kyron looked at me in interest when he saw me being flustered for the first time. He even leaned back on the sofa contently as he picked up his tea cup again. He looked charming as he held the tea cup with his hand with the saucer on the other. Even if he was sneering with his legs crossed proudly at me, I couldn¡¯t help but think that he was handsome. I would have definitely enjoyed that look if I weren¡¯t being picked on. ¡°It¡¯s an exercise. Just like when the Duke warmed up before hunting¡­ It¡¯s not something extraordinary!¡± But Duke Kyron just stared at me. It seemed like any excuse would not work on him. I stood up feeling empty inside. ¡®You brought this humiliation yourself.¡¯ I stood up, moved my heels and started running in place after hearing his command. ¡°One, two, three, four¡­¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t do that. You were doing that foreign spell.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That.¡± I sighed deeply as I sang the gymnastics music with my own voice. ¡°Bbambbarabbabba bbambbabba¡­¡± I sang with tears running down my cheeks. ¡°Let¡¯s start the youth gymnastics with a light jump! This is how you exercise. Arm exercise. Arm and leg exercise. I had to warm up because I got drunk and it was cold.¡± But Duke Kyron just looked at me with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s just a stupid gesture?¡± I answered him while sighing deeply. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s lame.¡± I told you that it wasn¡¯t something extraordinary! I couldn¡¯t help but laugh derisively at Duke Kyron¡¯s frowning face. Then, I slid over to the console table. I desperately needed the winter strawberry tea that I was letting Duke Kyron diligently these days. It was a tea that has a relaxing and calming effect. I turned my head to look at the small noise from behind me while I was making tea. But Duke Kyron was still drinking the cinnamon tea that I had made for him earlier. It seemed like he did not move from his place at all. But it felt like he was laughing. I thought that perhaps Duke Kyron was holding his breath down to stop himself from laughing. As I continued to make the winter strawberry tea, I heard another ¡®Pfft.¡¯ from behind me. Damn it. ????? Chapter 27 Chapter 27 I went back to the couch after making my tea. However, when I looked at him, his face remained cold and passive. He looked like he did not laugh at all. Tch. Two-faced. I glanced over the cup as I took a sip of my tea. In fact, I was actually grieving. It was preposterous for me to hate the male lead, Duke Kyron. However, it was proving to be a hard feat. Then, he spoke to me. ¡°It feels weird.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Arielsa¡­ It feels a bit weird to see a woman with Arielsa¡¯s face speaking and acting as she pleases.¡± Whatever you say¡­ However, his face was extremely calm. He even turned his eyes away from me to hide his sorrow. Although he was making fun of me, he was still grieving and missing Arielsa. Just like a swaying reed, I immediately cancelled my plan to hate Duke Kyron. I was feeling rather sorry for him. I spoke up to change the subject. ¡°Too bad. If I hadn¡¯t been drunk and made a mistake then I would have fooled the Duke for quite a long time.¡± ¡°No way.¡± He snorted. Somehow, I felt offended. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Duke believe in the ladder disease?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Eeeeeh.¡± I booed him but he did not even sway. ¡°I just thought that you were crazy. You fell and hurt your head after all. I actually sympathized with George.¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± I waved my hands in the air before dropping them on my knees. ¡°Then¡­ I refused to believe it.¡± Our eyes suddenly made eye contact. He was just staring at me with his dark and emotionless eyes. His eyes strangely resembled the night sky. It did not occur to me that he was bluffing. ¡°It¡¯s because the Duke only wants to believe in certain things.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He replied with a slight frown on his face. He looked like he was offended by the fact that a stranger, an intruder, like me knew him well. ¡°Is it also written in your future story that I don¡¯t like apple pie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He looked out of the window as he muttered ¡®I see¡¯ under his breath. Then, he spoke to me without turning his gaze away from the window. ¡°No one in the North admires the aurora. Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Then he stared straight at me. ¡°Didn¡¯t your bard sing about the ominous legend about the aurora?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I read it and just forgot about it. Or perhaps it was just in the writer¡¯s settings. But strangely enough, I still felt a bit embarrassed. The aurora that I watched in the northern forest on our way to Movale was an unforgettable sight. I felt happy back then¡­ So I turned to look at my memory destroyer with unhappiness. Perhaps there was no one in Harpel Territory that would look at him with eyes like this but I felt like I could do it now. Strangely enough, I felt more relieved when I got caught. ¡°You only know what¡¯s going to happen to me, and not everything. Am I right?¡± His sharp argument brought me back to my senses. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So¡­ What are you going to save me from next?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked at him hesitantly. ¡°The East¡¯s new administrator. You care about who will take that position, right?¡± This man was so sharp that he could easily cut through me with just a gaze. I was once again reminded of how different Duke Kyron was. The Duke Kyron, the owner of the North was extremely different to the Duke Kyron who always looked bored and soft in front of Arielsa. ¡°You can¡¯t choose Gaurin.¡± ¡°How come?¡± I had to save my words. ¡°The things that should happen have not happened yet.¡± ¡°That means that he will do something wrong in the future.¡± ¡°Yes. Definitely.¡± ¡°I have the intention of using the elder¡¯s choice for the new East administrator. They have been administrators since my grandfather¡¯s time so I have to base my decision from what they say.¡± It was quite amazing that there¡¯s a ¡®kkondae¡¯ in this world too. ¡°Gaurin is young, capable and able to satisfy them.¡± But I still kept my mouth shut. I couldn¡¯t tell him that he was the one who killed most of his knights with his youth and abilities. Because Romney, the administrator that he was trying to remove, was still in charge of Forslan Grain Storage, Gaurin¡¯s role could have changed in the future too. However, a traitor would never remain loyal. He turned to look at the window again before speaking. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know who and what you are, how did you intend to stop me from appointing him as an administrator?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± I spoke with a sneaky smile but the truth was I did not have any countermeasures. I have been improvising things so far! He got up after turning away from the window with a slight hum. ¡°You¡¯re going to spill the information when you want to, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I have to live too, after all.¡± He smiled at me before speaking again. However, I was left confused when I saw his bright smile. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s a good choice?¡± I suddenly came to my senses when I heard his cold and threatening voice. ¡°What do you mean?¡± But he pretended to not know anything. ¡°Heh. Be careful not to get caught by George. Compared to Arielsa you¡¯re too¡­¡± ¡°Too?¡± ¡°Sloppy.¡± Then, he went back to his desk and ignored me completely. Ha! I glanced at him before going back to my seat by the window. It was just a moment, but it suddenly sank heavily to me that the exciting and thrilling Northern life had become my reality. I was a bit glad that I did not have to pretend to be Arielsa in front of Duke Kyron but just like his warning, I was most likely going to make mistakes in front of others since a lot of my tension had been eased. ¡°Nothing is ever easy.¡± I murmured as I stared out of the window while drinking another cup of winter strawberry tea. At some point, I fell asleep on my seat. I only opened my eyes when I heard Duke Kyron and Chaers speaking from over the separator. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Gaurin. Should I also call the other administrators?¡± Duke Kyron then answered Chaers¡¯ question. ¡°No. The purpose of this meeting is to call the elders and hear their opinions. Let them know that I¡¯m still pondering on who the next administrator will be.¡± ¡°I understand, Duke.¡± Chaers looked at me in surprise when I approached them and asked what tea I should make. He just realized that I was also in the room. Then, he spoke nervously. ¡°Arielsa, go out for a while.¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Chaers.¡± As I turned around to leave, Duke Kyron spoke up as if to cut us off. ¡°Arielsa. Do we have some yendel tea?¡± This meant that I should not go out. When Chaers¡¯ heard his words, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Yes, Duke. I will prepare them.¡± I answered quickly as I went to the console table. Duke Kyron just continued to speak indifferently as the two of them discussed several matters regarding the official duties in the territory. I took two cups of yendel tea and placed it in front of them before going back to my seat. My mind was in a mess. From what I heard, Duke Kyron called in Gaurin for some kind of interview. I thought he believed me but it seemed like he didn¡¯t. I felt heavy since I was caught and my identity was revealed. It seemed like my persuasiveness had been lost. Chaers went back after discussing a few more things. I approached the Duke¡¯s table to clear the tea cups up. I also spoke solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re bringing Gaurin in?¡± Duke Kyron turned to look at me fiercely from above the documents that he was perusing. ¡°Right now, is my personal maid meddling with politics?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it! Duke.¡± I took the tea cups away and went back to my seat. I rested my chin on the window frame and looked out at the forest but I still felt extremely uncomfortable. I wanted to go out and get some fresh air but I couldn¡¯t do that since he ordered me not to leave his office. Anxiety suddenly crept up inside me. Although Duke Kyron accepted my words, there was no law saying that he would believe everything that I said. After all, he was a man who couldn¡¯t be swayed by other people¡¯s words. I felt a bit heavier at that thought. From now on, I have to help him with that huge distrust placed on my shoulders. When I opened my eyes again after falling asleep on my little desk once more, I realized that the sun was already setting. ¡®The Duke¡¯s meal!¡¯ The time was a bit past the meal preparation so I couldn¡¯t help but jump up in surprise. Then, the cape that was on my back fell heavily on the floor. The cape belonged to Duke Kyron. He must have come here at some point¡­ I turned to look at him who was sitting on his desk as I quickly dusted off his cape. He was still working even though I knew that he heard me jump up in surprise. When he turned to look at me, his eyes looked like that of a wolf hunting his prey. I felt like I was going to die just catching his eye. But maybe he had mistaken me for Arielsa? After all, he wouldn¡¯t cover me with a cape when I was asleep if that wasn¡¯t the case. A complex of emotions rushed within me. I felt both grateful and disappointed. When I stood up to go down to the kitchen and order his food to be prepared, a maid suddenly came in. She brought in a trolley of food for two people and set it up at the table. Just like he usually did, Duke Kyron was also going to have dinner with Chaers. I looked out to see the dusk from outside the window. I quickly lit the lamp on the table to brighten the room up. When the maid went out of the room, the Duke gestured towards the table and spoke. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°From now on, the maid will bring the meal on time. All you have to do is wait in my office.¡± His words meant that I wasn¡¯t even allowed to go down to the kitchen. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that if you just want to keep things hidden. Even if I talk, people will just say that Arielsa is crazy. You know?¡± I sighed as I spoke those words to him. But he just pretended that I did not speak. I opened the lid covering the tableware and sat in front of Duke Kyron. His face still remained perfect under the flickering light of the fire. He still remained elegant. Even when he ate, he still didn¡¯t mess up. He didn¡¯t get food on his face nor did he spill any drop. Even his chewing was elegant. Occasionally, he would turn to look at me with a glare. The warning was obvious in his stare. I felt like my heart was dropping each time. ????? Notes [Kkondae] ?? ¨C Someone who gives guidance that one does not ask for. The slang for someone condescending. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 My chest felt so constricted that I couldn¡¯t even taste the food but it seemed like it did not matter whether I was here or not. I felt offended that he looked relaxed and carefree. He did not even look like he was shocked by the events prior to this. ¡°You¡­¡± As soon as I opened my mouth to speak, he turned to look at me with a gentle gaze while placing the knife and fork in his hands on the table. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we eat separately. The servants will find things strange.¡± Duke Kyron had ordered me to sit down earlier so I just sat down in a daze but it was extremely ridiculous for a personal maid to sit face to face and eat with the duke that she was serving. Then, he answered. ¡°Did you think that I will listen to you completely, stranger?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I felt desperate. It seemed like he knew what was going on in my head. What should I do with this man who¡¯s a hundred times more sly and clever than me¡­ In addition, I felt afraid that the plot would proceed in a direction that I did not know once Gaurin became the East¡¯s administrator. By then, I would have no power to stop the misfortunes that would befall them. No. To be exact, I was already feeling hopeless about everything right now. I desperately wanted to know what Duke Kyron thought of me. But if I did anything excessive then I would be thrown in prison. After all, he had lost all reason to protect me and take care of me the moment that I became Arielsa. And I wanted to avoid such a situation. He smiled wickedly at me as I shied away from his piercing gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the others that I made you into my poison taster.¡± If I became a poison taster then it would not be a strange sight to see the duke¡¯s personal maid share a meal with her lord. After all, I would be tasting the poison in his food. His vassals might find it strange that he was suddenly worried about poison but no one would ask him something like that so openly. They¡¯ll probably think that he was concerned about his health after the major illness that he had experienced in Moval. Or that he was just suspicious. All I could do was sigh deeply as I watched him give off a beautiful glow. A glow that was much more stunning and brilliant than the glow from the lamp. ¡°Arielsa did not have that much expression.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°She could smile and frown as easily as you but she did not show her thoughts in her face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I answered with a pout but I immediately halted my actions. The duke had just pointed it out so I did not want to give him the satisfaction of proving himself right. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He asked me nonchalantly as he sliced the meat on his plate. This was the first time that he was showing his interest in me. However, instead of feeling happiness, fear rushed in me. Is it okay for him to remember a name that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world? Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t be here? Maybe I¡¯m already polluting this world by existing here when I shouldn¡¯t be here? ¡°¡­Arielsa. Please call me that.¡± He looked at me with both anger and sadness when he heard my answer. He continued to stare at me for a moment before dropping his gaze and continuing to eat. Duke Kyron chose to let Arielsa, even though she was already a stranger, stay by his side. ??? I went back to my room late at night. I thought that I should go and search the room for Arielsa¡¯s old things. So far, my schedule included making tea for Duke Kyron in the morning, cleaning the office and preparing the meals for the guests. And if I get finished early then I could take care of the herbs in the greenhouse or spend my time leisurely. However, Duke Kyron wouldn¡¯t let me go now until the time that we¡¯re supposed to go to bed. So I¡¯ve become desperate for work that I could do during the day. Fortunately, I also enjoyed doing cross-stitch so I was going to spend the day doing some embroidery. I should also go ahead and sleep in the office because Chaers would defintiely get livid if I made single squeak and stood out. Speak of the devil and the devil will come. ¡°Sir Chaers.¡± He stood in front of the door of my room. Then, he opened the door and went inside first. It looked like he was the one who owned the room and not me. I stiffly walked inside and spoke. ¡°Sir Chaers, it¡¯s getting late¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± However, Chaers just continued to look down at me with his arms folded in front of his chest. IT was quite intimidating since a tall and sturdy man was looking at me with that kind of posture. ¡°You¡¯ve got quite a lot of gall, Arielsa.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Arielsa would never be able to quibble and fight against him. So I just kept my mouth shut. And if I fought against him and George learned of it, he would definitely get angry. Then, things would get more complicated. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± When I stepped back meekly with my head down, Chaers expression eased a bit. ¡°When you were sick, the Duke gave you truffle mushrooms, right? Did you get a lot of energy from the mushroom and had such a bad temper?¡± Are you jealous because of the mushrooms? I felt shocked that Sir Chaers was such a cheap person. But I held back and answered him as timidly as I could. ¡°Ah¡­ My dad told me about the mushrooms but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But it seemed like this was really not the reason why he came in front of my room at night. And I knew the reason not long after. When he tried to get me out of the duke¡¯s office earlier in the day, Duke Kyron stopped me from going out. Chaers was now making the expression that he had back then. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re giving a negative influence on the duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This jerk of a ghost. Chaers must have noticed the duke¡¯s agitation today and suspected that it had something to do with me. For a moment, I wondered if he had heard me talking about Gaurin from outside the door. ¡°It¡¯s totally unacceptable for someone like you to have an influence in politics. You are a maid. And that fact doesn¡¯t change just because you¡¯re Sir George¡¯s daughter. Arielsa.¡± I looked straight at Chaers¡¯ eyes. A maid influencing Duke Kyron¡¯s decisions about the territory¡¯s affairs was something that should not happen. That was true but¡­ ¡°Are you being jealous right now?¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Chaers spread his arms in disbelief as he took a step back from me. My performance as Arielsa had always been in jeopardy in front of this man. I felt a bit hopeless but there was nothing that I could do. ¡°Will Duke Kyron even stop his decisions just because a mere maid said so? Do you see the duke as a man that¡¯s just like that, Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaers looked at me dumbfounded. I clenched my fists behind my skirt. Strangely enough, I felt like I wanted to cry. This was a war. A war that I had started on my own. ¡°I care about the duke as much as Sir Chaers cares about him. I don¡¯t know the reason why you can¡¯t admit that.¡± I looked at him with sweat and tears dripping down my face. However, it seemed like he was in too much shock since his eyes were shaking badly. The duke was not someone who could easily be swayed by a woman¡¯s words. But the problem was that woman was Arielsa. I couldn¡¯t bear any of this anymore so I spoke firmly at him. ¡°It¡¯s gotten late now. I would appreciate it if you went back now.¡± I could only relax and plop down on my bed after Chaers shut the door with a slam. I couldn¡¯t help but kick my feet up. ¡°What to do! I¡¯m dead¡­!¡± I did not know if I was fortunate or not, but Chaers began to ignore me completely after that incident. At least, that was what he was trying to do. But in fact, it was much scarier than before. 4 You have not satisfied me yet ¡°Tell the kitchen to prepare this.¡± Duke Kyron handed over a note to me that was filled with his neat strokes. ¡°When the administrators and the vassals come, we hold a banquet. Arielsa would ask me about the main ingredient every time before delivering it to the kitchen.¡± ¡°The duke is really capable!¡± I was so excited that I unknowingly gave him a compliment. It seemed like he found it unacceptable especially with that frown grazing his face. It was no wonder. After all, would the Lord of the North want to be praised by his maid just for choosing the menu for the banquet well? So when he spoke again, it was filled with sharpness. ¡°This will be the last time. You have to prepare for this from now on.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± ¡°Go and run. If there¡¯s any delay then I will go and get you. If you run into me like that¨D¡± ¡°¨DYes, yes, yes. You¡¯re going to cut my leg.¡± I quickly closed the door and ran down the kitchen. He was acting like an extremely terrifying man but it did not feel that bad. It was because I did not hate the fact that he was taking care of me like that even though he knew that I was me. Because of the things that I have heard and seen in the castle, I also made sure to inspect the banquet halls as well as the dishware in addition to the food preparation. Since things had ended up like this, I wanted to at least be a competent Arielsa. But the problem was the fact that I had to welcome the guests. This banquet was held to entertain the elders from the East that were visiting Harpel Castle. And Gaurin was also supposed to come. The official purpose of this gathering was to confirm and check the sentiment of the public in the East after the embezzlement of Administrator Hallisa. The elders from the East would apologize since Hallisa, one of the elders and the previous administrator, had committed fraud. They were also here to ask for the prompt and fast designation of the new administrator as soon as possible. They would have no problem as long as Gaurin was mixed into their pack. But everyone actually knew that this was some sort of interview. After all, this was the first time that Duke Kyron would meet Gaurin. Everyone was hoping that a new administrator would be nominated quickly. If there were no administrator, then the flow of money from the castle would stop. I was worried that Duke Kyron would be swept away by their pace and appoint him as the new administrator. When I returned to the office, Duke Kyron turned and glared at me. ¡°If you had just been ten seconds later then I would have gotten out of this room. So¡­¡± ¡°I was checking the banquet hall while they were preparing the dishes!¡± Duke Kyron murmured ¡®I did not think of that¡¯ when I interjected him. Then, he went back to his work with a slight frown on his face. My goodness. I have accepted the fact that I received the obsession of the Lord of the North but no soup would be cooked without the correct ingredients and I would not be able to enjoy this situation if he kept on misdirecting and throwing these confusing and scary words at me. I admit that I liked romance fantasy novels with obsessive men as the main character but I really did not want to learn that someone could be so obsessed without any affection. I sighed as I went back to my seat and picked up my embroidery. Not long after I started my embroidery, Duke Kyron sighed loudly. It seemed like he wanted me to hear it. ????? Chapter 29 Duke Kyron spoke irritably. ¡°Noisy.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He spoke as I jumped up to go to his desk. ¡°I said that it¡¯s noisy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But I didn¡¯t even make any noise and the entire office was so quiet. I couldn¡¯t hear any noise louder than usual from the outside. But I still took a glance out of the window and said¡­ ¡°Should I tell them to be quiet outside?¡± ¡°The sound of your embroidering is loud.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stared at Duke Kyron¡¯s profile before speaking once again. ¡°You¡¯re just nitpicking because you want to rest, right?¡± He snapped the pen in his hand before turning to look at me. His eyebrows were all drawn in a line. Ah, I messed up. ¡°Are you nitpicking me?¡± Unfortunately, no, fortunately, I received Arielsa¡¯s memories from last time. Even as a child, Duke Kyron would vent his anger on Arielsa whenever he was stressed. He would go and pick on her work over nothing. That was also the case when young Arielsa bawled her eyes out and got obsessed with letting Duke Kyron drink tea. But strangely enough, I don¡¯t remember anything after that day¡­ Well, the young ducal prince must have made considerable efforts to change himself after that day. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Doing something that he did not usually do was testament to the fact that he was extremely aware of the fact that he had actually lost Arielsa. I turned around and went to the console table. I made him some yendel tea with honey and made sure to make it sweet. ¡°Duke, please have some tea.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s brows furrowed further. ¡°Right now, are you telling me to shut up and drink tea?¡± ¡°I received some honey from the kitchen. They said that it¡¯s the best of the best.¡± Lost for words, all he could do was snort loudly as he drank his tea. The way he was gazing at me clearly expressed his worries on where he would start his torture on me. I gulped, barely feeling relieved over my situation. Did Arielsa really accept this hateful personality without feeling any remorse? For you to even grow herbs and make tea in hopes of making him feel better¡­ Born as the Lord of the North and coupled with his extraordinary abilities, he was bound to be lonely from the very beginning. The person that he could consider to be most similar to a friend was Arielsa, a maid who stayed beside him ever since his childhood. Respect for Arielsa Lockeman slowly creeped up my head. I couldn¡¯t help but spit out some words as I stared at his self-indulgent appearance. ¡°The Duke developed well thanks to Arielsa and her tea.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s sharp gaze stuck to me. I felt like a sword was being pressed on to me with how sharp his gaze was. I quickly stepped back to my desk at the corner. ¡°P, please have some! Have some and drink more! It¡¯s sweet.¡± Eat something sweet and calm down. He drank the still hot tea in one gulp before slamming the teacup down. Fortunately, he did not come after me. I sighed with relief deep inside before picking up the embroidery that I had placed down earlier. How can something like this be loud? But there was no need for me to unnecessarily provoke him. On the other hand, I couldn¡¯t fathom the reason why a corner of my heart was being tickled with warmth. Ah. Perhaps it was because Duke Kyron truly cared about Arielsa. A person who would care this much about someone would definitely not be a bad person. Even though he was ill-tempered and cruel sometimes. After all, he was our male lead. Without realizing it, I fell asleep. It was already dusk when I woke up again. I stood up quietly and went outside. It seemed like Duke Kyron was completely engrossed in his documents that he did not realize that the doors were opening. ??? When Duke Kyron found me in the garden, his teeth were already gritted. One side of his cape was lifted so he must be holding on to the hilt of his sword. When he pulled out his sword, my legs almost gave out. ¡°D, Duke¡­?¡± I paused and staggered back but strangely enough it did not occur to me to run away immediately. Duke Kyron stood in front of the fading light of dusk. I did not even argue against the fact that he was extremely beautiful. I looked at him for a moment before turning to get a paper lantern. He watched me as he stopped pulling his sword. I carefully grabbed the lamp that lit up from behind me before bringing it in front of Duke Kyron. His eyes shook lightly as he alternated between me and the paper lantern. ¡°Maybe they came with the wind. Arielsa must have also passed by with the wind.¡± ¡°Stranger¡­¡± HIs voice was low and a bit rough. ¡°She¡¯s getting better there, Duke. But Arielsa must have felt sad that she couldn¡¯t greet and say goodbye to the duke¡­ So she let these lights follow the wind to deliver her goodbyes.¡± I remembered the scene in the novel when Duke Kyron lit up a lamp to remember his dead knights after being driven to the south. This was how the northerners paid tribute to their fellow men. Back then, he even had to get persecuted because it was not easy to get a paper lantern in the South. It was a truly heartbreaking scene. He carefully and cautiously accepted the paper lantern that I held out to him before speaking briefly. ¡°I see.¡± Under the blanket of darkness, the red paper lantern shone brightly. Duke Kyron lifted the paper lantern lightly into the air. ¡°Arielsa. My friend. May you be at peace wherever you are.¡± I watched the paper lantern floating out of his hand. It flew steadily until it disappeared from our sights. When I lowered my head, I saw that Duke Kyron was looking at me. His eyes were burning faintly, just like the red lantern from earlier. At that time, I thought that it would have been better if he was just a stranger to me. If that was the case, then I would be more than happy to hug him and pat him on the back. But he was a man who carried everything by himself. He had always been like that and would always be like that. So he just turned his head without looking for a place where he could lean his head. Not long after, he looked up once again and gazed at the distant sky before turning around completely. ¡°See you tomorrow, Arielsa.¡± ??? I could see right away why Duke Kyron was reluctant to meet with the elders of the East. I was actually standing by the window in the office and watching them get off the carriage one by one but the grandpas all looked like they were talking about something as they gestured violently. It seemed like they were angry about something. At first, I thought that they were quarreling in the carriage but the more I watched them the more I realized that they were talking about the things that they wanted to say. I shook my head as I closed the window. It already felt scary that they would all be cramped in this office talking all at once. ¡®What is the herbal tea that can make you sleepy again¡­¡¯ The first thing that I prepared was a winter strawberry tea. I was sure that Duke Kyron would have to quell his irritation sooner than later. ¡°We have seen the Guardian of the North!¡± The four elderly men rushed straight to the Duke¡¯s office as they greeted Duke Kyron with a kiss on the back of his hand. And the last person to greet him was a young man with a sturdy build. It was Gaurin. He had short gray hair and an angular and hard face. Rather than being a dull person, I felt that he was carefully hiding his feelings and intentions. He was silently standing among the elders while guarding the entryway with his large build without talking much. I quickly served winter strawberry tea to Duke Kyron while I served honey tea to the guests. Honey tea was something that was served to entertain precious guests in the North. This was customary in public places. The elders from the East were all outraged. They looked like they were surprised by the fact that Administrator Hallisa was imprisoned for fraud. Does the impression that Northern men are taciturn and brusque only apply to a certain age group? Anyway, they were extremely keen on saying that they were not with Administrator Hallisa. They made sure to emphasize that he had been distant from them. In fact, I even felt sorry for the former administrator as I listened to them. They even nodded happily in agreement when they heard that Administrator Hallisa would be locked up in the dungeon for three years saying that this heavy punishment was only natural since he pocketed the disaster relief and aid that the Duke had given to the east. There was no way that an old man like that could survive that long in the prisons of the North. The dungeons were notorious in the original book. Prisoners would even volunteer to go to the barrier by the edges of the Northern territory instead of going to the dungeons. They argued that at least, they would be able to see the sun when they were out there. Duke Kyron just listened to them with a gentle smile on his face. I noticed that he was drinking his winter strawberry tea faster than usual but if you did not pay attention to him then he would just look like his usual self. Chaers, who was standing to his right, also had a diplomatic and polite smile painted on his face. The atmosphere between them looked similar to people serving the adults that came from far away. Seeing their smiles gave me goosebumps. ¡°Then, the person who replaces that unclean¨D¡± ¡°¨DI¡¯ll take that into consideration.¡± Duke Kyron immediately cut them off when they tried to sneakily bring the topic up. And Chaers immediately took the reins of the conversation. ¡°The banquet is ready. Shall we go down now? We are serving the meat of the deer that we have hunted during the spring hunt.¡± ¡°Oooh. The first hunt of the spring. We¡¯re very grateful.¡± The elders stood up with a laugh as they exchanged glances with each other. I couldn¡¯t help but admire the fantastic chemistry between Duke Kyron and Chaers. But right now, it was my turn to work so I quickly stood up to lead them to the banquet halls. Chapter 30 ????? I stood by the corner of the banquet hall and watched the dinner on the table. I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at the table that was set and filled with the menu that Duke Kyron had personally ordered. Of course, I would have been more impressed if I was the one who had set the table. The deer meat and the vegetables that were glazed and served with sauce were giving off a smell that would make it impossible for any person to lose weight. Duke Kyron signaled for me after I was mesmerized at the Northern dinner table that was served before me. ¡°Arielsa.¡± He winked fiercely at the food in front of him and I only realized his intentions a beat later. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a poison taster!¡¯ Duke Kyron made the excuse of making me into his personal poison taster to keep me from leaving his office during meal time. I couldn¡¯t stop the chuckle from leaving my mouth when I realized that I was too late. However, I tried to muster the most solemn look that I could do as I approached the table. This piece of well-marinated deer meat had a taste that would take away mankind¡¯s, and not only those who diet¡¯s, reason. I really wanted to have one more bite but when I realized that Chaers and the elders of the East were looking at my chewing lips in unison, my reason finally returned. When I quickly composed my face, one of the elders spoke up. ¡°Poison taster¡­ This is quite unsavory¡­¡± But Chaers was the one who replied in my stead. ¡°We had a stomach ache in the East.¡± ¡°Oho. That!¡± I swallowed my food as I spoke solemnly with my bowed head. ¡°Please enjoy your meal, Duke.¡± Duke Kyron smiled strangely while I stepped back, whether it was towards me or towards the guests and their entertainment was something that I did not know. ¡°Well then, shall we?¡± The awkward silence in the room was broken by Duke Kyron¡¯s words and the table began to become noisy. Duke Kyron would immediately change the subject when the topics would lead to talks about the new administrators. For example, how the village chief of Movale was working hard to restore the village. ¡°I should have paid more attention to Movale. Chaers.¡± He looked disapprovingly at Chaers. And Chaers immediately bowed his head and answered. He looked like he had done something wrong. ¡°I¡¯ll send word to them immediately tomorrow. Duke.¡± Then, the flow of conversation was cut off. The elders repeatedly lost their opportunity to reveal their intentions in front of these two fantastic partners. I noticed a crack showing in Gaurin¡¯s considerably patient expression. By the end of dinner, when liquor started to pour in, the first drink from Duke Kyron¡¯s bottle had to be drunk by me, the woman who tasted for poison. I would have been sad if I did not get the chance to taste it since it was a high-end liquor but the problem was that I was getting drunk. When I saw that the atmosphere was heating up, I excused myself and came out to sober up and take a rest. The white moon that completed the Northern view was coldly shining over the garden that laid beyond the corridor. It seemed like the heat on my cheeks were slowly going down as cold air blew on my face while I leaned on the railings. ¡°Is Sir George doing well?¡± Gaurin approached me without a sound. It looked like he also came out to get some fresh air. I couldn¡¯t help but close my mouth when I saw him near me. He probably knew George. After all, there was no one in the North who did not know of ¡®Harpel¡¯s Shield¡¯, George. I answered him as dryly as I could. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s well. Was the food to your liking?¡± ¡°I would even want to stop by Harpel Castle often. No, perhaps I could also live here.¡± You want to become an administrator and come to the castle often for reports? Not a chance! He must have believed that I was an easy opponent. Since he, a person who had been managing his expressions perfectly earlier, was showing his true self in front of me. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. The servant will show you to your room after the banquet.¡± I tried to leave silently but Gaurin took a step forward and blocked my way as he continued to speak. ¡°The duke was wise to have a poison tester with him. He¡¯s quite a precious man so there¡¯s no harm in always paying attention to the things around him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Now, I believe this guy is trying to make my acquaintance. Perhaps, he¡¯s trying to get some information from me since I was a close aide to the duke. ¡°It¡¯s good that he has a loyal maid like you by his side. I saw that you didn¡¯t even take your eyes off of the duke while he was eating. You¡¯re the kind of person that the duke truly needs.¡± You¡­ You were looking at things like that too? What the hell does this guy want to say? I stared at him angrily. Everything he said just sounded like what a traitor would say to me. His face still remained expressionless and his sturdy physique was actually making me feel a bit scared. I even felt it more clearly since we were the only ones left in this dark corridor. Anyway, I did not want to spend any more time with him. Even though he could see the disapproval and disgust on my face, he still spoke to me casually. ¡°You dress a bit plainly compared to your pretty face. That¡¯s wise. But if it were up to me, I would give you the East¡¯s Young Lady Sash. It would look perfect on you.¡± Ooooh. He¡¯s trying to bribe me sneakily. It seemed like Gaurin was a bold and tactless man. He was the type of person who believed that whatever he wanted should be done regardless of what the other person thought. Ugh. I hate this. ¡°Please excuse me. I have to work and stay by the Duke¡¯s side.¡± Gaurin looked like he still had something to say to me but he did not stop me anymore so I walked away coldly. I went back to the banquet hall and made sure that there was no shortage of food or alcohol on the table. Then, I went back to my chair that was placed by the wall. Duke Kyron¡¯s gaze flashed by me for a moment but he just naturally turned towards the elders as he continued to have the conversation with them. Instead of looking at him, I made eye contact with Chaers, who was already staring at me. Then, he got up and went outside to get some fresh air. I realized that he was now in the corridor outside so I quickly followed him. No one cared about a maid in the dining hall so all I had to do was to move quietly. Just like I had expected, Chaers was talking to Gaurin, who was just about to return to the banquet. I quickly hid myself by the corner as I peeked at them. ¡°Did you come out of the banquet out of boredom?¡± ¡°Sir Chaers.¡± Gaurin only smiled when he heard Chaers¡¯ words. ¡°Are you disappointed that the words that you were waiting for did not come and go as you pleased?¡± Only then did Gaurin stare at Chaers. ¡°I can see for sure that Duke Kyron had become a lot more sensitive because of the incident with Administrator Hallisa. None of the previous dukes had a poison tester.¡± ¡°Ah. That maid.¡± Chaers had never called me ¡®maid¡¯ until now. He had always called me naturally by my name so it felt very strange to hear him address me as ¡®that maid¡¯. To be honest, it felt a bit unpleasant and bad. It occurred to me that he hated me far more than I thought. Well, perhaps I hated him even more than he hated me. Well, come to think of it, he would never find me pleasing to the eye since I am standing beside the duke more than him, his strategist. After all, I¡¯m just a maid. ¡°Did you annoy her back in the east?¡± ¡°This is my first time seeing her.¡± Both Gaurin and I looked surprised even though we were in two different places. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s strange. I thought there might be a reason why she doesn¡¯t like you so much.¡± I bit my lip. I couldn¡¯t help but feel the goosebumps on my skin. It seemed like Duke Kyron had relayed my words to Chaers. Gaurin asked politely as if he did not know how to react to his words. ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s the only reason he¡¯s delaying his decision on Gaurin-nim even though I supported you.¡± Gaurin spoke lowly in answer. ¡°Are you saying that the lord of Harpel Castle is easily swayed by the words of a maid?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Chaers raised both of his hands as he denied his words exaggeratedly. ¡°Just like what Gaurin-nim had said, the Duke had become more sensitive and suspicious as of late and the maid that stayed with him all day hates you. That¡¯s all I wanted to say to you.¡± Chaers turned to the banquet hall before adding to his words. ¡°And I think that you¡¯re the right person for the East.¡± I quickly returned to the banquet and sat down on my chair. I made sure to return before Chaers did. My heart was pounding so fast and I was a little out of breath. I took deep breaths to manage my shallow breathing and hurried expression. The scene I just saw was completely devastating. I thought that Chaers just hated me but it seemed like I did not mean anything to him at all. But¡­ Chaers came back inside and sat down. I turned to avoid eye contact with him as much as possible but my heart did not calm down at all. In the original work, he was loyal to Duke Kyron. He was a strategist and tactician and a friend to the duke who stayed with him until the end. I wondered if such a person who had that character could betray the main lead or perhaps it was only me that he had betrayed. I did not know if it was because he was jealous that I stayed beside Duke Kyron to the point that he would refuse me leaving his sight but this was just too much. I could feel the tingling signs of a headache from Chaers¡¯ betrayal. I felt deeply afraid of how and where this story was going to go. Meanwhile, I could feel Chaers staring at me from the table once again. I looked hard at Duke Kyron to avoid making eye contact with him. ¡°Arielsa.¡± Duke Kyron called for me while laughing. I felt flustered when he called for me so suddenly but I saw him opening a new bottle so I quickly went to his side. In the meantime, Gaurin had also returned to the banquet and sat down by his seat. When I went to Duke Kyron¡¯s side to taste the first drink of the bottle, I made eye contact with Chaers. He stared at me with a grin so I just stared at him as I placed the emptied glass on the table. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ????? I grumbled deep inside. ¡®I¡¯m disappointed in you, Chaers. So disappointed.¡¯ Perhaps it was because I was too agitated so the sound of me placing the glass down was louder than usual. I was fortunate that the guests were already drunk so they just burst into laughter when they saw my actions. When I came back to my seat, I could feel that my heart was thumping loudly due to my drunkenness. It seemed like this was the perfect drinking place. After all, I was being surrounded by betrayal and conspiracy. But I couldn¡¯t make any mistakes so I just kept my mouth shut as I waited for this to finish quickly. The banquet remained noisy and happy regardless of what was going on in my mind. ??? After the banquet ended, the servants began to guide the guests to their respective rooms. This marked the end of my role. I stood up confidently without knowing what would happen later. I quietly bowed to Duke Kyron as he left the banquet hall. But Chaers, who was following behind him, just looked at me coldly. I wonder when Chaers started to hate me this much. I felt sad as I walked down the empty hallway. He was quite the reliable person in the original novel but how did he end up like this? I couldn¡¯t fall asleep with my raging thoughts so I stood up to go to the garden. After all, there was no other place in this castle where I could freshen up my mind and sober up from the alcohol. Meanwhile, the North¡¯s temperature in spring had gone milder. In my standards, it was still equivalent to the middle of winter. I thought it would be better if I did gymnastics but considering that I almost died when I did that, I thought that I wouldn¡¯t be able to do gymnastics in real life. Instead of doing gymnastics, I just took a deep breath and wandered around the garden for a while. ¡°Huh¡­¡± The doors of the dark greenhouse were wide open. It seemed like the servant had forgotten to close the doors. I quickly ran to the greenhouse in surprise. No matter how mild the temperature in the North was wild, the sensitive herbs would still be damaged by the cold and become unusable if they were left alone. ¡°Heup!¡± As soon as I entered the greenhouse, someone grabbed my neck and covered my mouth. ¡°I heard that you fell from a tree a while ago? Then, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if you fall again. After all, everyone else had seen you become drunk. You bitch.¡± I suddenly fainted from his powerful hold on my neck. ??? When I came back to my senses, my hands were already tied behind a chair. I was in a wooden warehouse and a brazier was lit in front of me. I remembered the voice of the man who covered my mouth in the greenhouse. It was definitely Gaurin. I was kidnapped by Gaurin. Then, a man appeared behind me when I heard a rustling sound. I was shocked to see the man sit on the chair across the brazier in front of me. ¡°Sir Chaers? What in¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa.¡± He leaned towards the brazier to warm his hands up. He looked like he was checking the temperature more than warming himself from the cold. He looked like he was going to use the fire somewhere else. I followed his gaze and looked at the floor below. I was so shocked to see the iron laid down on the ground. I remembered that he did not drink that much at the banquet earlier. Don¡¯t tell me that he will take care of me¡­? ¡°Were you with Gaurin?¡± Chaers looked up at me as he warmed his hands up. ¡°So?¡± There was a saying for people who were often surprised¡­ ¡®I thought my liver would fall off¡¯. But since my surprise coincided greatly with my disappointment, I felt like my heart was being torn apart. Chaers betrayed Duke Kyron! He was one of the few people who stayed by Duke Kyron¡¯s side after George died and they were driven to the south¡­ If the original work got messed up this way, then I would not be able to predict whatever would happen an inch ahead of me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I lost all hope. ¡°How¡­ How can you betray the Duke? How did you manage to¡­¡± He stared at me for a moment before speaking. ¡°Is His Majesty the only enemy of the Harpels?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but mutter in shock. ¡°What?¡± Many years ago, the Emperor¡¯s younger brother, the Marquess, rebelled when he was suffering from measles. So he decided to defeat all of the powerful forces to secure the Crown Prince¡¯s power. His first target was Duke Kyron. He was the Lord of the North and the guardian of the Empire against the demonic beasts. He was arguably the most powerful man in the entire Empire. But you¡¯re telling me that there¡¯s another evil behind the Emperor? I shook my head in confusion. Then, I felt uncomfortable again when the ropes that bound me tightened with my movements. ¡°So who¡¯s behind the sir and Gaurin?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Chaers leaned back on his chair as he stared at me. He scratched his head and wiped his face with his hands. He looked like he was in a conflict. However, what I was sure of was no matter the conclusion to his conflict, it would still not end well for me. ¡°Arielsa. How did you know about us?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaers focused his eyes on me as he spoke quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t let me torture you.¡± He lifted his eyes from the brazier as he looked at me with his heavy breathing. Then, he picked up the iron from the ground and placed it inside the brazier. I tried to back off but the chair was stuck in place. I could suddenly feel the heat of the brazier hitting me in the face. ¡°I, I¡¯ll call the Duke! Sir Chaers!¡± I yelled loudly but Chaers just smirked at me. His laughter made me feel like cold water had been poured on me. He turned to look around the warehouse before speaking to me. ¡°Sir George will be sad if he did not find your body. My head is already spinning at the thought of consoling him. So Arielsa, you better tell me what you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I tilted my head to my shoulder. Tears were dripping on my face so I wanted to wipe it on my shoulders but I couldn¡¯t reach it since I was tied down. In the end, I burst into tears. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing this because I know you well! I¡¯m just doing this to make the male lead live a good life! ¡°Sob¡­ You¡¯re too much!¡± Chaers paced in the wide warehouse as he frowned at my babbling. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because he was caught or it was because he did not want to hear me cry this loudly. But one thing was for sure, this was a very quiet place. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t let myself cry this loudly. However, that realization just frightened me even more. ¡°Arielsa!¡± Chaers yelled at me. In shock, I couldn¡¯t help but stop my wails. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to fool around with you! Answer the question! How did you know about Gaurin?!¡± I stuttered in answer. ¡°I, In Movale.¡± ¡°In Movale?¡± ¡°When the Duke went on a two-day trip I went around the village and looked around. I heard some people talking in the forest. But I didn¡¯t see their faces¡­¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°Gaurin should take over the East since we failed to kick Romney out. Convey this to His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Convey?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anymore! When the workers showed up, they suddenly disappeared!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell the Duke right away?¡± ¡°How can I even say that?! How will he believe my words?! How would I know that I heard something big or maybe I just heard something ridiculous because I fell off of a ladder?!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I realized that it was something serious when I heard him mention a new administrator but¡­ I was scared. Sob, sob, sob!¡± It sounded plausible to me when I told a lie that was mixed with my frightened tears. Chaers seemed to be a bit persuaded especially after he heard me mention the ladder. Even if I told him the truth, with Chaers¡¯ personality, he would not believe that I possessed this body. I did not want to betray the male lead by dying after I possessed this body. Fortunately, Chaers was immersed in something else since he was scratching his chin in thought. ¡°Sir Chaers, why did you betray the Duke? Since when?¡± I asked him earnestly but all he did was frown at me. ¡°Arielsa, I will ask you this one last thing. Your end will depend from your answer.¡± ¡°Sir Chaers¡­¡± ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve heard? What did Gaurin say to you?¡± ¡°Since I fell off of a tree, then it wouldn¡¯t matter if I fell again¡­¡± I stopped talking in the middle. If Chaers and Gaurin were on the same side, then why would he bother asking what Gaurin said when he dragged me here? ¡°Sir Chaers¡­?¡± When I called out to Chaers, who was thinking deeply, he glared at me as if I was getting in his way. ¡°What about Gaurin?¡± He spoke harshly as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered anymore with my words. ¡°Of course he¡¯s in the dungeon. In the most terrible room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stared at him in a daze for a moment. It seemed like Chaers had questioned me while pretending to be in the same boat with Gaurin. Does he want to kill me¡­? Chaers looked at me with a frown before speaking again. ¡°He deserves to die because he tried to kill the Duke¡¯s poison taster and personal maid. The trial will be held for the sake of the elders from the East but he will never see the light of the sun again. How dare he kill inside Harpel Castle!¡± The crimes that were committed in the Duke¡¯s home were commonly accepted as attacks on the Duke himself. Furthermore, it was only natural that he would receive severe punishments since I was the Duke¡¯s personal maid that served as his poison taster. I couldn¡¯t help but look at Chaers with confusion. ¡°Did¡­ you deceive me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ where you fooled? Pfft.¡± It was the most obnoxious laughter that I have seen in my entire life. ¡°Wuuuuuu!¡± I wanted to rock the chair towards where Chaers¡¯ was but the chair was stuck. What was worse was the fact that Chaers was looking at me with absurdity. ¡®The next time I get a chance to possess someone, I will definitely possess George. Then I¡¯ll knock you down with his pillar-like arm!¡¯ I gritted my teeth and asked. ¡°Then did you do that on purpose? Saying that to Gaurin in the corridor?¡± ¡°Hoo. Arielsa, did you peek at us? I¡¯ve always thought that you were a bit sloppy but looking at you today it seems like you¡¯re quite quick-witted. How admirable.¡± ¡°Uggh! I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± ¡°Won¡¯t forgive me?¡± ??? Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ????? Chaers chuckled as he sat on the chair again. But even though his eyes were smiling, his mouth was strangely calm. I stared at him defiantly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you untying me?¡± ¡°I want to believe you but I also don¡¯t want to believe you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The information that you heard in Movale by chance? Alright, I¡¯ll accept that. But even if I believed you, you have been acting¡­ weird.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¨D¡± ¡°¨Dthe ladder disease?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His brows furrowed. ¡°You used to be a bit more¡­ but when I saw you kick¡­ wow.¡± Chaers started to compare Arielsa to me and I started to feel worse and worse. ¡°So. You tied me up because you don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°I heard it at the inn in Movale, Arielsa.¡± I broke out in cold sweat. ¡°You injured your hand because you ripped off the hive, boiled it for hours and squeezed it. That was what saved the Duke, right? How did you know that?¡± ¡°Sir Chaers should learn more about tea. You¡¯ll probably learn about it too!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ So what about the broken boat and the goblin grass in the horse¡¯s ear during the hunt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m looking closely! It¡¯s only natural to see things if you look at the person that you like!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaers¡¯ mouth opened a bit but he did not say anything any more. I also froze. It was true that I like Duke Kyron but if I said that in this situation then¡­ However, I ignored that and just spoke to him. ¡°Untie me!¡± ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chaers stood up with a dark face. ¡°Do you like the Duke as your master and your lord? Or¡­¡± ¡°Of course I¡­¡± I shut my mouth but I suddenly felt speechless. I felt happy that I could like him to my heart¡¯s content but in the end, it turned out to be an embarrassing question. Of course, me and him¡­ I stared at Chaers¡¯ gloomy face as I replied vaguely. ¡°I just want the Duke to live happily.¡± Chaers shut his mouth as he headed towards the door. ¡°Sir Chaers! Untie me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Then, he really slammed the door and left me behind. ¡°Ha¡­¡± I was so stunned that all I could do was scream in my seat. ¡°What kind of dog sht is this!¡± But only my shouts rang loudly in this empty warehouse. He did not come back even if a long time had passed. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell my dad!¡± I screamed again. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t help but sniffle. The brazier was burning red so I would not get cold during the night. But my arms were tied and they were hurting. In addition, I felt scared that I was left in a secluded place. I mumbled as I looked down on the brazier. ¡°Where on earth am I¡­¡± ¡°In my heart.¡± ¡°Duke!¡± Duke Kyron was the one who opened the door and came in. He grinned as he sat on the same chair where Chaers sat on before. Then, he poked through the brazier with the iron that he had placed there earlier. According to his gesture, he did not want to release me either. I looked at the charcoal that was burning red with every breath that I took. All I could do was bite my lip. I had realized that everything Chaers did today was ordered by Duke Kyron. Chaers wouldn¡¯t tie me up like this without Duke Kyron¡¯s permission. It seemed like Duke Kyron had never abandoned his suspicions of me. ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± Duke Kyron looked at me in doubt. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± ¡°After all, you used me as a bait to hook Gaurin. You used me as a bait to find out what kind of person he really is! And you won¡¯t even let me go!¡± ¡°Hmm. This is really interesting. I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯ll respond that way. You believed that Gaurin will really be the administrator, right? I was sure that he¡¯ll be in a hurry to see the conclusion while he¡¯s still in the castle.¡± Seeing how he was enjoying this situation, I couldn¡¯t help but feel scared. ¡°¡­So did you find out who was behind him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do from now on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really thorough.¡± He showed me a very attractive yet sullen smile. ¡°I¡¯m a bit like that. So it won¡¯t be just one or two people who will be shuddering in fright.¡± ¡°What about Gaurin?¡± ¡°How dare he hurt my maid right under my nose? He¡¯ll have to pay for his sins.¡± Despite his complicated plans, his solution was quite simple. But that did not matter to me. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t satisfied me yet.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I looked at Duke Kyron dejectedly. I did not know what in the world was so funny to him but he was staring at me with his eyes glistening with mirth. ¡°I thought that you were going to cry and cry in front of Chaers while spilling your secret. But you disappointed me.¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± ¡°No. It was Chaers¡¯ fault. I never thought that he would be so soft on you. He¡¯s a long way off.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be engulfed with emotions. ¡°You wanted me to tell him that I possessed this body?¡± He smiled strangely at me. ¡°If you did, then Chaers would have let you go right away. He would definitely think that you went crazy since you hit your head. Actually, all of us thought so. We were just pretending that we didn¡¯t know because we were minding Sir George.¡± He spoke calmly after letting out a sigh of disappointment. ¡°But it seems like you were very keen on keeping your secret.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked drearily at Duke Kyron. Did he hear that I like him or not? No. Considering his personality right now, he wouldn¡¯t even consider it to be special even if he heard something like that. It was only natural. After all, who would be happy after hearing that a stranger, who had peeked at and enjoyed his life, liked him? That did not sound right at all. My body trembled as I shouted. ¡°I hate you! I hate all of you!¡± Duke Kyron smiled cheerfully when he saw me like that. His face was so beautiful that I forgot about my misery and despair for a moment. He took out a dagger, cut off the rope that tied me and pushed me out of the door. Before the door opened, his cape landed heavily on my shoulders. So when the door opened, I did not shrink that much from the cold wind that slapped me in the face. In front of me was the black lake that was illuminated by the light. It was shining brightly like there were pieces of glasses that were scattered inside. We were by the boathouse near the lake. He spoke as he placed his hand on my shoulder from behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t hate Chaers too much. Because that punk likes you. If he did not, then your thighs would have been fully cooked by the iron now. ¡°¡­¡­¡± My feelings that were overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery in front of me were suddenly shattered by his words. But I did not want to cry anymore or get angry at all. Chaers was still the Duke¡¯s loyal servant and I felt like I had bought a bit of the Duke¡¯s trust. Besides, the traitor who hit the Duke in the back was also defeated so it was already more than enough. On our way back to the castle, I rode behind the Duke and hugged his waist. However, I couldn¡¯t help but close my eyes from the fatigue and the warmth that surrounded me. ??? ¡°Aaack!¡± I overslept the next day. However, it was only natural since I experienced a turbulent banquet night. The fact that my legs were still intact even if I was still not at work while the sun was already shining brightly felt like a small reward after all of the trouble that I went through yesterday. Since I was already late, I decided to go to the garden first. I wanted to make sure that the greenhouse was safe. But I did not have a good feeling at all. When I went out to my garden, my mind couldn¡¯t help but fly away in shock. There was a huge hole in my precious greenhouse. ¡°Arielsa?¡± George grabbed my trembling hands. ¡°Dad? The greenhouse, the greenhouse¡­!¡± However, the only thing I ended up saying was a loud ¡®Ack!¡¯ after he flicked my forehead. His strength was close to a hammer pounding on a nail. His flicks so far had been cute compared to this one. I staggered back with tears in my eyes. ¡°Dad didn¡¯t even know what happened yesterday¡­¡± But George was staring at me with tears in his eyes. I felt terrified. I did not know what to do with a big and muscular guy that was crying in front of me. When our eyes met, he slowly approached me and held me in his pillar-like arms. ¡°D, ad.¡± ¡°Arielsa! The Duke told me not to wake you up because you had to be stable. I couldn¡¯t even wink my eyes to sleep!¡± ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Where are you fine?!¡± He let me go. Then, I looked at my greenhouse that had a big hole in the corner. ¡°My herbs¡­¡± ¡°That Gaurin bastard. I¡¯ll break his neck with my own hands. He can avoid me while he¡¯s still in the dungeon but that will be the end of his luck.¡± ¡°I heard that he¡¯s the son of an elder who used to be an administrator in the East?¡± ¡°And I am Harpel¡¯s Shield.¡± I looked at his eyes that was filled with madness for a moment. That¡¯s right. This person, in the original, has the personality of a berserker. ¡®Harpel¡¯s Shield¡¯ George, was a person who usually looked meek and gentle but his personality would change whenever he was in battle. I was just an extra that did not hold any weight so it seemed like the author did not describe that he had a setup of being a huge daughter-con but seeing this side of his personality so vividly was making me sweat. It seemed like there were a lot of different things that were happening so I did not know what would happen to this world at this point in time. I sighed. I felt like I was Saint Wonhyo who drank the water in the skull. ¡°Do you know why he did that?¡± I asked carefully to know the extent of what George knew. ¡°The Duke said that he will conduct the interrogation in secret. I¡¯ll be able to know soon.¡± His eyes were glaring. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver in fright. ¡°He should be thankful that Chaers saved him from me breaking his neck! Do you really have to know about his situation right now? Are you hurt anywhere else?¡± Just as I followed Chaers out of the banquet hall, he also followed me to the garden. ¡°Filthy bastard. My flower-like daughter¡­¡± ¡°D, dad! Let¡¯s go inside!¡± I quickly held George¡¯s hand and pulled him inside when he started to get more agitated. ????? Notes [Saint Wonhyo who drank the water in the skull. ???? ?? ????] ¨C There was an incident when Saint Wonhyo was sent to study abroad and he was staying in the cave for a night. He woke up in the middle of the night thirsty and ended up drinking water from a gourd. He thought that the water tasted sweet and refreshing but when he woke up the next day and looked for the gourd, all he saw was a graveyard. This is a phrase that tells about the placebo effect and/or probably the mandela effect. Or when your brain/mind supplements yourself about things that you haven¡¯t seen or experienced at all. Just like when Ron Weasley drank the water that he thought was the felix felicis and he became lucky or so he thought. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 His appearance was not that bad but when a muscular man called me a ¡®flower-like daughter¡¯ with madness shooting from his eyes, goosebumps seemed to have risen from my entire body. After successfully sending him back to the training grounds, I went to the greenhouse once again. The area near the edge of the door had been blown away and my herbs had been withered by the cold breeze of the North. ¡°Sob, sob. My herbs¡­¡± Then, I went to Duke Kyron¡¯s office with a gloomy face. ¡°Hello, Duke.¡± I slumped into my chair without even sparing a glance at him but I could clearly feel Duke Kyron¡¯s gaze in my general direction so I quickly trudged back to the console table. ¡°We¡¯ll have cinnamon tea today.¡± I sullenly left the cup of tea on Duke Kyron¡¯s desk. But before I turned around, I shouted. It seemed like I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to break the greenhouse!¡± I had vaguely remembered seeing Chaers running over before Gaurin strangled me to fainting. But the door to the greenhouse was wide open so they were not in a situation where they needed to break in. The greenhouse must have definitely been broken after my rescue. ¡°That¡¯s the only way that they can feel Gaurin¡¯s crime more deeply. Even the noisy old men who saw the scene couldn¡¯t help but shut their mouths. My goodness, they fell silent. He. I¡¯ll hold a trial when they get back.¡± Duke Kyron sipped his cinnamon tea happily. For the first time, I believed that our male lead might be the devil. How could he be this meticulous that it was scary? ¡°But¡­ What should I use to make tea now? All of my herbs had withered.¡± ¡°One month.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The glass and the new herb seedlings that I ordered will arrive in a month. I left it to Chaers so you can ask him about it.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± My mouth dropped open in shock. ¡°You know that glass is a luxury, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Our meticulous male lead even thought about things to that extent. I felt a bit sorry for cursing him in my head just a few moments ago. Glass was an extremely luxurious commodity in this world so I couldn¡¯t help but drop my mouth open in shock when I heard that he bought it. ¡°Thank you, Duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how much you¡¯re worth.¡± After spitting those words indifferently, he ignored me. Is that right? Is it because I saved him a few times? So am I worth that much? I felt like my shoulders were about to soar into the sky as I returned to my seat. I quietly lifted my embroidery before placing it down again as I opted to stare out the window with my chin propped on my hands. ¡®It¡¯s spring now¡­¡¯ The people here have already finished all of the fun that they wanted to do in the spring but I felt like spring had only come now since the chill was already being worn off by the daytime sun. I quickly jumped off of my chair. ¡°Duke, can I go out for a while?¡± He turned his head to look at me for a moment. Perhaps it was because I suddenly asked him with a cheerful voice. I felt a bit embarrassed because I was just moping around and crying about the greenhouse but I was now smiling. Ah, I couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Stay here. We¡¯ll watch when Gaurin is being tortured.¡± Duke Kyron spoke those words as if he was just saying ¡®Stay and let¡¯s have a cup of tea.¡¯. But his words were quite scary so my mouth couldn¡¯t help but drop in shock. I did not really wanted to stay and see how the Northerners torture their prisoners. ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to.¡± His brows furrowed as he stared at me before shaking his head. It occurred to me that no one would ever dare say no to him when he told them to come with him. He spat out his words with irritation. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The market. It¡¯s spring so I wanted to get a new dress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you an hour.¡± My lips immediately popped out in a pout but I quickly straightened my face. Staying somewhere else for an hour was infinitely better than staying and watching a traitor get tortured in the dungeon. ¡°Thank you!¡± Then, I remembered something so I turned back to look at Duke Kyron. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Does my dad¡­ does my dad make a lot of money?¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Duke Kyron slammed his pen on his desk in irritation. Well, what did he expect? Wasn¡¯t it rude for a child to ask this of their parents? But I couldn¡¯t help it since I had no sense of money in this world. He spoke briefly while my eyes darted around the room in nervousness. ¡°It¡¯s enough for him to buy his daughter some clothes. If you¡¯re going to Belia then leave everything in my tab.¡± ¡°Belia?¡± ¡°The owner of the dry goods store. You still don¡¯t know yet?¡± Regarding my dad¡¯s lover, it seemed like everyone knew except for me. ¡°Thank you!¡± The hamburger index did not work here so I had no way of knowing the cost of items here. But it¡¯s true that I did not want the cost of my clothes to become a burden to George. But I wouldn¡¯t be sorry at all if I would be spending Duke Kyron¡¯s money. After all, I work overtime every day without getting paid plus I also had to endure the risk of dying¡­ ¡°Heok¡­¡± I realized that I had been ignoring something important. The Duke was about to return to his documents but he looked back at me when he heard me speaking firmly. His face was really on the verge of being irritated. But I still asked him seriously. ¡°Do I not have any salary¡­?¡± Duke Kyron answered me through his clenched teeth. ¡°Go and check with the finance officer. There¡¯s money set aside for you every year.¡± I thought that this world was dominated by the common law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but it seemed like there was an unexpected salary system here too. I quickly went to the finance officer to disburse some money and found out that our handsome male lead was not as cheap as his irritable looks. I hummed happily as I headed towards the market. ??? ¡°Ms. Belia.¡± ¡°Arielsa! I heard that you almost got in trouble yesterday! Are you okay?¡± When I appeared in front of the dry goods store, Belia ran out and grabbed my hands. She looked both surprised and worried. It seemed like Duke Kyron wanted to fully reveal what Gaurin was truly like. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m alright. Sir Chaers rushed in like a Northern Wolf and saved me¡­¡± I had to act like Arielsa outside so I spoke as timidly as I could but even though I did that it seemed like my response still brought about a tremendous shock. Belia¡¯s eyes widened as she shook my hands tightly. ¡°Did Sir Chaers save you? As expected of Sir Chaers! I wonder how many of the ladies in the castle would be heartbroken if they heard this! Thank goodness, Arielsa.¡± Hmph. Like hell! There was a phenomenon in the North that I couldn¡¯t understand no matter what. Chaers was quite a popular man in the castle. I wanted to dare all those ladies that were swooning over him to get tied to a chair inside the boathouse as he threatened them with fire under his icy gaze. However, I had no choice but to nod in agreement. ¡°You and him are very blessed children to stay beside Sir Chaers, Arielsa. And you even have a wonderful dad.¡± The ¡®him¡¯ that she was referring to was clearly referring to Duke Kyron. Belia seemed to be a very conservative and conscientious woman. How did I know that? It was because her voice turned small as she shyly spoke the part ¡®You even have a wonderful dad.¡¯. I would definitely have hated her at once if she said that shamelessly. ¡°Yes. Of course. That¡¯s why I wanted to do something different for myself today¡­¡± ¡°Something different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s spring now, so I was wondering what it would be like if I wore something bright¡­¡± Arielsa¡¯s taste was so monotonous, no, she must have been color blind. But I wasn¡¯t color blind. I wanted to wear pretty clothes that were fit for my age! Belia seemed to be very surprised when she heard my words. ¡°Bright clothes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Belia¡¯s eyes began to sparkle. The look of her eyes looked similar to George¡¯s madness from earlier. I guess these two people were really a couple. ¡°Pretty clothes with patterns, embroidery, ribbons and other ornaments?¡± I nodded my head violently. The female lead praised the clothes from the North saying that she had never seen something like this when she came to this place later. Seeing those words from the original, I could safely assume that the clothes that women wear in this place were colorful and pretty. They were just not in my closet. I couldn¡¯t help but speak with a bit of excitement and restraint. ¡°Embroidery? But isn¡¯t that expensive? The Duke told me to tell you to put it in his tab but I wouldn¡¯t want to burden¨D¡± ¡°¨DDid he say that? My goodness! Is it to console you for what happened? He¡¯s truly a great and generous man!¡± I saw the figurative fuse in her eyes snap at that exact same moment. Belia quickly dragged me in the store as she began to scour the shelves. ¡°You didn¡¯t like the fabric that I left out on purpose for you. You said that the clothes shouldn¡¯t show the dirt that you would get when you tend to your herbs in the greenhouse. Ah! Is the greenhouse alright? Hohoho.¡± Belia was so excited that she kept on chattering. I was actually starting to get a bit scared right now. Her momentum was actually comparable to the noisy elders of the East. And finally, she turned around. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I was left speechless. This was it! This was the beautiful fabric native to the North! Belia was holding a slightly hazy yellow fabric with pretty geometric patterns printed all over. This was the fabric that I was looking for. Belia looked elated when she saw my overwhelmed expression. ¡°Do you like it? If you wear this to the festival, all of the knights will definitely stop breathing. Right?¡± ¡°Festival¡­?¡± There was a festival held in the North before the spring had fully settled and the farming had begun. Once the festival ended, everyone would be busily moving around tending to the farm, caring for the livestock and preparing for the harvest season. I couldn¡¯t help but drool over the fabric but I still looked at it solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s expensive¡­ right?¡± I actually wanted to ask her to take my measurements right away but I had to pretend to be worried about the price to protect Arielsa¡¯s character. Of course, it was also necessary for me to ask so I would know how much would be charged to Duke Kyron. But Belia just shook her head at me. ¡°The Duke said to place it on his tab! I¡¯ll also give you a special discount for the ornaments and decorations. There¡¯s this colored belt that was specially imported from the South but I did not sell it since it was so pretty. And I also wanted to dress you up with it one day. I¡¯m sure Sir George will also like¡­ it?¡± We stared at each other for quite a long time before shaking our heads slowly. ????? Notes [Hamburger Index] ¨C Big Mac index, index published by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity between two currencies. Simply put, they use the price of the big mac in each country to compare the disparity between the purchasing power of two nations. TL¡¯s notes The amount of times Arielsa¡¯s mood changes when talking with the Duke is giving me a headache. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 I could imagine well what George would look like if I showed him this and tried to look good. It seemed like Belia had the same thoughts as me. But I still spoke with determination. ¡°Let¡¯s make it first, then I¡¯ll hide it.¡± Belia also answered me solemnly. ¡°Let¡¯s make it first and hide it?¡± The two of us nodded at the same time. She measured me quickly before showing me the colored belt that she had kept. When I saw it, I was certain that the fabric and the colored belt came from the same merchant. I felt overjoyed. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll place this tassel on the strap of the top.¡± She waved a cute and loveable golden tassel in front of me. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± Our eyes were filled with hearts as we continued our pleasant and enjoyable time together. She only showed me things that I liked. And once I sent the fabric that I chose to the seamstress, I would get my new clothes in a week. Before I left the store, she asked me¡­ ¡°Arielsa, would you like to come often? I had a lot of fun with you today.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if she had fun today because she sold a lot or because she spent time with me but I knew that I liked her. Aside from the fact that we¡¯re almost like twins spiritually, she had a pleasant personality. And above everything else, she did not seem like a bad match for George. ¡°Yes, Aunty.¡± Her face reddened at my words. ¡°Actually, I felt upset all these years since you kept on calling me Ms. Belia¡­ I¡¯m glad that you called me with that name, Arielsa.¡± I quickly gave her a hug before returning to the castle. My heart felt warm as the sunset as I walked back. When I opened the door to the office, Duke Kyron was staring at me with half-closed eyes. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve only been gone an hour, Arielsa?¡± I quickly glanced at the window. Oops. It was already the time for the sun to set. No matter how much I would insist, I wouldn¡¯t be able to claim that I had only been gone for an hour. But when a woman chooses pretty clothes, everything in the universe stops! ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry!¡± I quickly pulled out the candy that I took from Belia¡¯s store and presented it to the Duke with both hands. His eyes were immediately filled with fire when he saw me acting like this. ¡°I chose some fabric to make some new clothes at the dry goods shop. I also only talked about clothes with Aunty Belia. I didn¡¯t meet anyone else at all.¡± I silently placed the candy on the table because holding out with my hands felt a bit embarrassing. ¡°Ha.¡± Duke Kyron stared at his desk for a while. He looked like he couldn¡¯t keep his irritation at bay. So he just began to rewrite his letters once again. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I told you that you wouldn¡¯t be able to walk around if you¡¯re not under my watch.¡± Ah. I remembered him saying something similar to me before. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply. But this was fortunate. I was true with my words and it would be good for him to know that my words were true since he followed me around. ¡°You should be punished.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± I stared blankly after hearing his unexpected remark. I¡¯m not an elementary student, what do you mean by punishment? Then, Duke Kyron dripped wax on the envelope as he continued to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow about what kind of punishment you will get. Go back for today.¡± ¡°Du¡­¡± No matter how ridiculously stupid my common sense was, this was his world and his land. This was a place where his maid could be punished if she failed to comply with the Duke¡¯s order to return in an hour. So all I did was shut up as I trudged around. But strangely enough, when I closed the door, I could vaguely hear him munching on the candy. Ha¡­ ??? I came to work feeling a bit refreshed as I recalled my new clothes that were being made by now. Duke Kyron was sitting on his sofa today while the usual neat collar of his jacket was loosened. His desk was also strangely clean. He looked like he was focused on something as he stared out of the window pensively. ¡°Duke, please have some tea.¡± ¡°Is it yendell today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s releis. It smells good and it¡¯s supposed to cheer you up.¡± ¡°But the greenhouse is not yet fixed?¡± ¡°I rolled and kept some before.¡± Duke Kyron took a sip before putting his cup down quickly. It seemed like it did not suit his taste. It felt a bit disappointing but I was only able to roll some of the releis herb once so there wouldn¡¯t be much left for me to throw away. Duke Kyron continued to stare at me. I was smiling since I felt excited about the clothes that he had paid for me. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t suit your taste then I¡¯ll make you a different tea next time.¡± But then, one corner of the Duke¡¯s mouth curled up. I knew very well what that look meant. So I paused and stared back at him. ¡°Duke¡­?¡± ¡°Shall I give you your punishment?¡± I looked at him slack-jawed. His temper is really nasty. Arielsa must have felt really bad! I finally understood why she was obsessed with tea to kill his temper. ¡°What kind of punishment shall I give you?¡± ¡°¨DDuke. It¡¯s Chaers.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± He stared straight at me before speaking. ¡°Enter.¡± He stood up as if he wanted to get off work early as he went out of the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep.¡± Chaers bowed to him as he stepped out of the office. When he left, an awkward silence hung in the room. We stood on either side of the sofa and stared at each other before turning our heads away. Chaers silently sat on the sofa and I just poured a cup of releis herb that Duke Kyron disliked before leaving it on the table. ¡°The Duke stayed up all night questioning Gaurin. I think he¡¯s going to rest now.¡± Ah, so it was like that¡­ I felt a bit sorry that I was excited about my new dress while I did not know what Duke Kyron did last night. No one would do such a thing because they liked it. Even if he was the strongest of the strong, he would not be able to remain indifferent even though he would always be able to overcome the crisis of betrayal and murder. I sat on my seat quietly. A maid should not be more conspicuous than a piece of furniture so Chaers would not be able to see me from where he was sitting. But I still could hear the sound from over the partition. ¡°Keughk. Ugh. Hoo.¡± Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to like the taste of releis herb either. ¡°Arielsa!¡± Hearing Chaers¡¯ annoyed shout, I hurriedly jumped out and went to him. ¡°This herb¡¯s unique scent is not the scent of poop. It¡¯s a tea that you can really enjoy once you get used to it.¡± Chaers stared at me blankly. ¡°Poop¡­?¡± I felt a bit embarrassed so I turned my head away. ¡°Sit down.¡± I¡¯d like to get out of the office right now but it seemed like spending time with Chaers was the work that the Duke had left behind for me. I spared him a glance as I sat across from him and dragged the tea that Duke Kyron left behind. Chaers stared at my actions with widened eyes. I realized that it was wrong to put my master¡¯s food in my own mouth but I had already taken the teacup to my mouth. The sour and tangy flavor was a bit strong so I couldn¡¯t help but frown for a bit. Hmm. It seems like I brewed it wrong. Meanwhile, Chaers just wiped his face with his hands as he stared around the room. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t because of the releis tea that he had called me out here for. ¡°Is Sir Chaers being punished too?¡± ¡°Punished?¡± ¡°I¡¯m being punished. Sitting here alone with Sir Chaers. Well¡­ Isn¡¯t this like some kind of torture?¡± Chaers avoided my gaze when I pointed my finger at the direction where the boathouse was. ¡°Going out¡­ Did the Duke tell you to do that?¡± Cheers voice was strangely fuzzy. That was not the point but it seemed like he did not understand my words. I¡¯m saying that I hate you enough that I don¡¯t want to spend time with you! But to him, I was just Arielsa who was slightly out of it and he wasn¡¯t a traitor to Duke Kyron in the end either. The thought of that had reduced some of my hatred for him. I quietly took a deep breath before changing the subject. ¡°Did Mr. Gaurin confess?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something you should know. Arielsa.¡± Chaers placed his teacup down as he spoke quietly. The Emperor¡¯s hostility to the duchy was the secret of all secrets. It was silly of me to ask such a dumb question. It seemed like I had no choice but to ask Duke Kyron. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chaers coughed as he called out to me. But all I did was answer him curtly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stared at him and scoffed. ¡°So Sir Chaers is also being punished. Did the Duke force you to apologize?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He murmured to himself as he avoided my gaze. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Because you used me as bait?¡± Chaers frowned when he heard my words. ¡°It¡¯s the Duke¡¯s order so I¡¯m not apologizing for that!¡± ¡°Heok! It seems like you have no conscience.¡± ¡°I wanted to apologize, hmm, because I did not release you from the boathouse. I got a little upset¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How much I¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence. Strangely enough, Chaers was looking at me closely as if he was a hawk closing in on its prey. How hard it must have been for a proud man like him to apologize to a maid that he looked at like his toenails. I decided to stop since I thought that his apology was sincere. I had no complaints since he was also being punished. No. It had occurred to me that the cape that Duke Kyron had put on me that day was extremely warm. And the memory of riding on the horse and hugging his waist came back to me. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Chaers looked flustered when I answered him immediately. ¡°I will accept your apology. I hope that it¡¯s not something that you will do again. And¡­¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll acknowledge sir¡¯s extremely suspicious disease so I hope that you also acknowledge the fact that I suffer from my ladder disease. I don¡¯t know the reason why I have changed after hurting my head so I hope you acknowledge that in the future.¡± ¡°Cough¡­ All right.¡± Taking charge of the momentum, I was able to get insurance for my changed behavior. I felt happy looking at Chaers who was uncomfortable from accepting my terms. ????? Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ????? I stood up with the teacup in my hand like a cool woman from this world. Evidence that Arielsa, this world¡¯s tea manager, failed to brew proper tea had to be removed quickly. ¡°Arielsa?¡± I replied while putting on the kindest smile that I could muster. ¡°Yes, Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to the festival. As an apology.¡± ¡°Woow¡­¡± He stared at the piece of furniture behind me, not at me, as he continued to speak in an uncomfortable voice. ¡°Are you telling me that you¡¯ll go?¡± ¡°Ah. No. That¡¯s not it. You see, the Duke is really a bit too meticulous and cruel. He really has a bad temper, is what I thought. And you guys often confuse me, so I got confused right now.¡± He had already forced his subordinate to apologize but I thought that it was a bit of a powertrip to force them to take me to the festival. If I had to calm down his terrible personality, then I should probably plant some poppies and cannabis instead of herbs. Chaers looked at me with one of his eyebrows raised. ¡°You¡¯re not going?¡± ¡°Chaers-nim¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I sometimes forget about things, since you know, I have the ladder disease.¡± He sounded a bit doubtful when he replied to me. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Am I really not popular with men?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaers blinked blankly. He looked like he stopped working for a moment. I kept my eyes down but my voice was clear. ¡°There might be a man out there who will enjoy the festival with me and I don¡¯t want to lose that opportunity because of Sir Chaers¡­¡± Chaers¡¯ mouth dropped open. When it came to being cold and ruthless, he more than resembled Duke Kyron. But with that silly face, he looked a bit dumber than the person who fell off of the apple tree. Wait, I¡¯m the one who fell off of the apple tree. Right? I chuckled to myself as I continued to talk to him. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time to go to the festival as a punishment. If no one will ask me out on a date, then I will gladly go with Sir Chaers as a punishment, but¡­ still¡­¡± He covered his face with his palm before burying them on his knees. I gradually understood the situation in front of me. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m his tactician and comrade. I can only cover this much.¡± The proud and perfectionist Chaers said that he can¡¯t fulfill the Duke¡¯s orders? It did not sound so believable. I looked at his grumpy back as he turned to leave the room. But he said this to me over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s because of Sir George. He¡¯s the reason why no men had asked you out for a festival date. There¡¯s no other reason.¡± I stared at the door that he had slammed shut with great resentment. ¡°As expected!¡± The culprit was the daughter-con! That tsundere ahjussi! But I couldn¡¯t spend the festival this year like that. This festival might be the last festival that I could enjoy leisurely. This was the only time that we could relax before Duke Kyron got caught up in a lot of conspiracies. I had to visit Belia again. I needed to get a pretty northern spring festival dress and to make a deal with her and hand the muscular tsundere over to her. ??? I quickly dumped the releis tea, cleaned up the office and returned to my room. There was nothing for me to do since Duke Kyron was taking his nap. So just like a loyal maid, I also decided to take a nap. ¨DArielsa, the Duke is calling for you. I woke up to the sound of the maid¡¯s knock. I rubbed my eyes and turned to look at the window outside. It seemed like it was already dark. Ah. I must have fallen asleep for a few hours. I shouldn¡¯t feel happy going to work at sunset but there was nothing I could do. I was weak against this great man, the Lord of the North. When I entered the office, Duke Kyron was lounging on the sofa with a dishevelled look. I felt a bit happy. If I did not go to the office, then I would not be able to see his dishevelled appearance. He must have called me out because he was bored all by himself after taking a long nap during the day. ¡°Duke, did you get some rest?¡± I only realized that he was drinking when I saw him pick up a glass from the table. He spoke grumpily to me. ¡°Did you receive your punishment properly?¡± I glanced stealthily at Duke Kyron before sitting down opposite him. His eyes narrowed to a slit as if he was displeased with my actions but he did not point out anything. If I was his proper maid, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to sit at the same table as my master, but I was just a stranger, am I not? At some point, I had started acting the way I used to when I was alone with Duke Kyron. He often looked like he was bothered by my actions but he would not stop me from doing so. Sometimes, I would feel like he was observing me in my natural state so I felt a bit uncomfortable. But considering his position, I couldn¡¯t just tell him not to do it. This was all because of the pretentious Emperor. He had increased his vigilance so much. An unfamiliar person like me was something that was unknown. And anything that he did not know might threaten the safety of the North. In fact, even if it wasn¡¯t for that reason, I would still leave him alone. After all, I enjoyed the moments when his attention was all on me. When I looked at it properly, it seemed like Duke Kyron was the only person in this world that had a connection with me. He was the only person who knew my secret and kept it. I would always feel strange whenever that thought flashed in my head. There were times when I felt stupid and dumb for enjoying the feeling of someone looking at me like I was a strange animal but at the very least, I believed that what I was feeling was not dumb. It was inevitable that my trust and faith in him would build up especially if he looked at me like that from time to time. I even liked the quiet stillness in the office whenever I was alone with him. ¡°Thank you.¡± His movements suddenly stopped for a moment when he heard my words. However, Duke Kyron continued to drink leisurely as he stared at the distant mountains. It seemed like he loathed to look at me. ¡°I made up with Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°You should probably receive more punishment.¡± ¡°Of course my time with him was extremely painful!¡± He snorted at my ridiculousness. ¡°Did you come here because you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°I slept enough.¡± ¡°But you have to sleep well to maintain your perfect skin¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°N, nothing.¡± I quickly shut my mouth. I almost blurted out about skin care to a cold Northern man. I turned to look at the fire burning in the fireplace in silence. ¡°Until when will you be letting the fire burn in the fireplace? I¡¯m worried about making tea when it gets warmer.¡± ¡°Just bring a small stove to make tea.¡± He stopped talking for a moment before continuing. ¡°I don¡¯t use the fireplace at this time of the year. I just left it on since you look like you¡¯re sensitive to the cold.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± My face burned up a bit after hearing his unexpected words. I couldn¡¯t believe that a person who willingly placed me as bait to a traitor who was more than willing to kill me would care about my wellbeing¡­ Still, I decided to just accept the good things. I quickly gathered my senses before looking at him and asking him. ¡°What happened to Gaurin? Were you able to find out something?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you knew everything?¡± The eyes that he gazed at me with today were unusually wet. I did not know whether it was because he slept well, or because he was tired, or maybe because he looked dishevelled from drinking alcohol. All I knew was that his eyes were glistening. ¡°He was originally supposed to take the administration position from Romney. But since the situation has changed, I don¡¯t know what will happen to him in the future. So you have to keep giving me information.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His words were completely unexpected. ¡°His tenacity is extremely high. He kept his mouth shut until dawn before suddenly hitting his head on the table. Then, he died.¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa, humans don¡¯t die that easily. They would only have a bump or a wound but the punk died.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°It looked like that punk was meant to die. Am I thinking too much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stared at Duke Kyron as a strange chill ran down my spine. In the original, Duke Kyron did not know of his betrayal until the end. He had only realized his betrayal when an ambush came to greet them instead of the important supply delivery. Only at that last minute did they realize that Administrator Gaurin had betrayed them. When Duke Kyron had regained Harpel, Gaurin fled to the capital and lived comfortably before being assassinated by Chaers. In other words, Gaurin never explained his actions to Duke Kyron. Was it because it was a scene that was impossible to set up in the original? Or perhaps it was because the plot would not be able to proceed if he gave the information to Duke Kyron? Was that the reason why he was removed from this world? This ridiculous idea floated in my head. Him choosing death instead of opening his mouth could be seen as an act to protect those who worked with him. It was unreasonable of me to attach other meanings to his actions. But he died too easily in the interrogation room. It seems like he did not have any chronic disease and he also did not take any poison beforehand so¡­ I quickly shook my head to prevent my thoughts from recklessly extending. Gaurin¡¯s sudden death must have disturbed Duke Kyron. I was not sure if this was the reason that he took a long break to sleep before drinking. For such a meticulous person, it was only natural that he would find it difficult to handle if things that were outside the common sense suddenly happened in front of him. ¡°How did he betray me after taking Romney¡¯s place?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Arielsa?¡± I tried to evade the question but his eyes were starting to get fiercer by the moment so I was forced to answer him. ¡°He used the Forslan Warehouse¡¯s grains to put the Duke in trouble. You can¡¯t ask any more than this.¡± He looked a bit surprised at the information before glaring at me. ¡°Is that why you helped me with the auditing and saved Romney?¡± ¡°Ah. That was really just coincidental¡­¡± However, Duke Kyron turned away from me. His face looked like he wouldn¡¯t believe in anything that I, or this world, have said. So I carefully asked him. ¡°Did you choose the successor for the East¡¯s administrator?¡± ¡°Klein.¡± He spoke out before staring at me. It seemed like he was trying to get confirmation out of me. I felt nervous so I tried to squeeze out my memories. ????? Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ????? Thankfully, I was able to recall the Klein from the original work. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a knight?¡± ¡°But he has good connections since he came from a prestigious family. He¡¯s cheeky too so he would be a good fit for the old men from the East.¡± Although he wasn¡¯t the main character, Klein was one of the few people who went to the South with Duke Kyron. I felt a bit relieved knowing that none of the members who came with him betrayed him. ¡°If he did not become an administrator then he would have stayed with the Duke until the end.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Duke Kyron only hummed in answer before turning to look at the fireplace. I could tell if he was saving his words but this time it seemed like he was fighting a battle in his head. ¡°You¡¯re upset because His Majesty, the Emperor, hates the Duke. Right? But the Duke only has loyalty for him¡­¡± Duke Kyron downed the alcohol in his glass in one shot as his face distorted unpleasantly. It was only then that I realized that I have said something that I shouldn¡¯t have said. But there was nothing else I could do since I already spat the words out. ¡°He was deeply hurt by the Grand Duke¡¯s rebellion. So, he wants to hand over a perfect power to the Crown Prince. Although it was all the Grand Duke¡¯s fault and not the Duke¡¯s fault¡­ It seemed like it just¡­ It just happened like that.¡± He continued to sit there and ignored me, but I could see him mumbling to himself. ¡°It just happened like that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Duke¡¯s fault. And I¡¯ll make sure to help the Duke meet her as smoothly as possible.¡± ¡°Her?¡± Duke Kyron finally turned to me. I was looking at him with twinkling eyes but he just turned away from me as if he found me unpleasant. ¡°My love? Hmph.¡± I did not say anything anymore. He did not believe in love since he had never fallen in love yet. I haven¡¯t met his destined person that was destined to blind him with love yet. So it was meaningless to argue with him over this issue now. I felt complex emotions running through my head. I felt both strange and empty. I took a glass from the console table and poured alcohol on myself. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Cough! Cough! Why is it so strong!¡± I grabbed my throat quickly. It felt like it had caught on fire as I continued to cough like crazy. He looked at me as if he was dumbfounded. Then, he laughed lowly. The fire in the fireplace swayed with his laugh. For a moment, I was mistaken that the flames were swaying from hearing his beautiful voice. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hate his slightly sneering gaze as he tried to hold back his laughter. ¡°Roll it a bit on your tongue before swallowing it. You can¡¯t be a Northern man if you can¡¯t stand this much.¡± ¡°How can I be a Northern man¡­¡± Let¡¯s just try it. So, I rolled the alcohol in my tongue for a bit as I sulked. The tingling did not even feel that bad. After letting it stay in my mouth long enough, I swallowed it down. I was surprised when there wasn¡¯t any stinging in my throat. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Duke Kyron tilted his glass as he looked at me. His expression looked like he was watching a puppy performing some tricks. I glanced at him with my proud gaze. But his gaze back seemed like he was just seeing something petty. Even if his gaze was like that, I did not have any time to feel bad. ¡°This is delicious! I¡¯m like a woman from the North now, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to pour more. This is a precious drink especially for those who don¡¯t even know how to taste it.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s delicious? I know that it¡¯s delicious!¡± I quickly filled my glass before cradling it in my chest. I was worried that he wouldn¡¯t let me drink it if I left it on the table. Duke Kyron just smiled helplessly at me. However, his smile was also brief. ¡°That¡­ I want to go to the festival with a man.¡± Duke Kyron quickly placed the glass down on the table when he almost choked on the alcohol that got stuck in his throat from the shock brought about by my words. His face screamed ¡®What kind of crazy nonsense are you saying, Arielsa?¡¯. ¡°So please get rid of Sir Chaers¡¯ punishment. It¡¯s too much for me to be punished even at the festival. It¡¯s my first Northern Festival, you know?¡± Duke Kyron frowned when he heard my words. Various emotions flashed through his face. Then, he looked at me with a complex expression on his face. ¡°Chaers asked you to go to the festival¡­?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my dad, there¡¯s probably a man who will ask me out now.¡± He snorted as he turned to look at the fireplace. ¡°Hmph. You underestimate George.¡± Now, I could confirm once again, that Arielsa growing up like a nun was entirely because of George. I could clearly imagine him asking ¡®Are you the bastard who will die soon after asking my daughter out?¡¯ as he crossed his thick forearms on his bulging chest. But this time will be different! ¡°I have a secret weapon!¡± I spoke bravely but he was still staring at the fireplace as if I was not that interested. But somehow, his words sounded a bit mad. ¡°You can go.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°With Chaers.¡± ¡°Duke! You know what Sir Chaers is like¡­!¡± When I looked at him like a cat begging for treats, he frowned at me and spat out the alcohol in his mouth. ¡°Do you want me to withdraw my orders to my vassal for no reason at all? Do you think this is a simple thing for Harpel¡¯s Lord, huh? Arielsa?¡± ¡°Hing¡­ What do I do?¡± I fell flat on the table not knowing what to do. But I quickly jumped up when a thought flashed in my head. ¡°If Sir Chaers asks this of you, will you do him a favor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I did not know why he was grumbling about this but I felt like this problem would be solved if Chaers was the one to ask him. Since Chaers did not want to go with me, then this problem would definitely be solved. I smiled happily as I rolled the alcohol in my tongue. Our drinking session was pleasant. I made a lot of jokes that Duke Kyron ignored repeatedly but he did not blow me off at all. Everytime I mentioned a story about the entire world, I could see that his eyes would shine. However, he still did not say much. In the end, I demonstrated the entire youth gymnastics in front of Duke Kyron under the light of the fireplace. However, he declared that it was clearly sorcery. ¡°This is clearly sorcery that invokes shame on the user, Arielsa. It has a particularly evil effect on women.¡± I booed him when I heard his words and Duke Kyron looked extremely shocked. There was definitely no one daring enough to stick their tongues out at the Duke while saying ¡®Bleeeh. The Duke doesn¡¯t know anything!¡¯. When I looked back, I realized that I had crossed a lot of lines. It was thanks to Duke Kyron¡¯s precious liquor that I was able to extend my life. Thanks to it, it loosened my nerves as well as Duke Kyron¡¯s words. Duke Kyron sighed as he stood up from his seat. I laughed in surprise and looked up. He was reaching out to me. ¡°Duke?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re going to the festival? Arielsa always came back after watching the events during the bonfire. So, she won¡¯t know how to dance. I don¡¯t want anyone to get in trouble because of George.¡± ¡°Poor thing¡­¡± I frowned while I said so but Duke Kyron remained standing as he stared at me. That was when I focused on him. ¡°Are you asking me to dance?¡± ¡°Did you want to miss out on the dancing during the spring festival?¡± I hurriedly stood up from the table. ¡°Follow me.¡± I copied him as he stretched his hand out. We walked in a large circle with our palms touching together. He let go of his hand, touched his back, went the other way and held my hand again. Then, we walked in a large circle again. After every four beats we had to bend our knees or move our bodies towards each other in greeting. ¡°Duke, this is fun!¡± ¡°Arielsa was never interested in this. I think she only liked tea.¡± ¡°No. Arielsa got interested in tea because of the Duke. Haha.¡± Perhaps it was because I was drunk and dancing with him that I got a bit too excited. ¡°Oh my!¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s sudden stop made me lose my balance and stumble on my feet. He quickly wrapped his hands on my waist to prevent me from falling down. I was immediately glued to Duke Kyron¡¯s chest. I slowly turned to look up at him. Looking up close, I could see that his chin was perfectly chiseled. Maybe the reason why his eyes that were staring at me were so dark was because he was drunk. Badump, badump, badump, badump¡­ I was in a daze but I could feel my heart thumping from the dancing that we did earlier. But Duke Kyron just stared down at me with no intention of letting me go. When I finally regained my balance and stood up, our faces grew infinitely closer. I gently pressed his arm away as I twisted my body to get out of his hold. ¡°S, sorr¡­¡± But his arms remained where they were. Just as fear started to accumulate in me, his arm loosened and he let me go. He turned around and looked at the fireplace. ¡°These are the basic movements, can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes! Duke!¡± He lay down on the sofa when I answered him cheerfully. ¡°Then go to bed now.¡± I hesitated for a moment before taking out a blanket and placing it by his head on the sofa. Then, I wished him a good night. ¡°Today was fun, Duke! Thank you!¡± I returned to my room and happily went to bed. Both of us had to reflect on not so pleasant memories but they seemed to be too precious for us to throw it away together. And although Duke Kyron had told me that he never get cold, I wanted him to sleep with a blanket covering him for warmth. ??? I visited George the next day. He looked happy when we had breakfast together. ¡°What happened? Why did my brat find me first?¡± ¡°Just because¡­¡± But when I spoke out after gathering enough confidence, his face immediately hardened. He even called my name as he stared at me sharply. ¡°Arielsa?¡± ¡°The Duke asked me to drink with him last night.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s because of those bastards from the East.¡± He got angry. But I only sighed. I was deliberately acting like I was discouraged. ¡°Daddy, I want to go to the festival this year.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the festival every year?¡± ¡°This time I want to go with a man.¡± I almost dropped my fork in surprise when George slammed his fork down on the table. ????? Chapter 37 Chapter 37 How can men approach Arielsa if he¡¯s like this! Nevertheless, he still smiled despite his trembling mouth. ¡°A, Arielsa¡­ When the time comes, your dad¡­¡± ¡°Dad, are you going to marry me instead?¡± George¡¯s face reddened when I looked back at him with my sulky and pouting face. I felt so nervous that my hands were starting to sweat but I couldn¡¯t stop now. ¡°Everyone has been treating me like a weird kid but¡­ If things keep on going on like this then I think I¡¯ll really become that kind of person.¡± ¡°Which bastard?! Who dares say that to you?!¡± I looked back at him with the saddest look that I could muster. ¡°Weird is weird. No other girl wears dark clothes like this and no one else haven¡¯t stayed up all night during the festival¡­¡± I slightly closed my eyes when I saw the fork that was stabbed on the table slightly get bent under George¡¯s grasp. ¡°Dad¡¯s like that too.¡± ¡°What¡­? What?¡± ¡°Dad is working hard to raise me, I know that. Auntie Bella must have wanted to go to the festival with my dad too but you¡¯re thinking of going to the festival with me this year too, right daddy? Because of me¡­¡± ¡°Keok¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry daddy. I didn¡¯t know that I was disturbing my dad¡¯s happiness. I didn¡¯t know until now because I was young.¡± I slowly got up from my seat with a very sad face. ¡°Ah!¡± However, he pulled the tail of my braid and brought me back to my seat before huffing. The people that were passing by the restaurant glanced at our table. When they saw us, they immediately went back to avoid us. He was huffing as if he had slight difficulty in breathing. ¡°Calm down Arielsa. It¡¯s not like that. Calm down.¡± But I thought it should be my dad who should calm down. I glanced at him but kept my head down. ¡°Y, you want to enjoy and have fun at night during the festival? Sure. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Look! What about Aunty Belia?!¡± ¡°Be, Belia¡­¡± ¡°Without me, my dad would definitely have a happy time with Aunty Belia.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°No? You don¡¯t like Aunty? Even though I like her¡­¡± His face turned redder as his muscles bulged. I could see the people sitting near our table moving farther away with their tablewares in fear. ¡°No? It¡¯s not that I¡­ That¡­ Hnggh¡­¡± I was going to wait until the answer that I wanted came out of his mouth but I couldn¡¯t let this go so I spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll really just sit still and watch before going. Daddy should have a good time with Aunty Belia. For me.¡± ¡°Cough¡­ Just watching?¡± I nodded diligently. ¡°Yes. Just watching.¡± George mumbled sadly as he looked up at the sky. ¡°Oh. God who holds the snow and ice in his hands¡­¡± This ahjussi was going to be in big trouble. Was this something that you needed to call God for? He was even asking to bring the harsh Northern winter to the spring festival. The Northerners believed that the snow and ice were created by a God that was sleeping on the snow mountain located at the Northern end of Harpel. The words that talked about God who held the snow and ice in his hands was an idea that came from the Northern part of the country that had been fighting against the cold all their lives. I stood up and left my seat. George would be able to prepare himself until the festival if he continued on at this rate. ??? When I came to work in Duke Kyron¡¯s office, I saw him looking out of the window. ¡°Good morning Duke.¡± ¡°On the desk.¡± The atmosphere surrounding Duke Kyron was a bit unusual so I carefully went to the desk and looked at the letter on it. My face that had been filled with excitement also subsided until it was already calm. ¡®So it finally showed up.¡¯ I had no choice but to think of this. ¡°His Majesty is ordering you to attend the spring hunting contest.¡± I quickly went to the console table and made some yendel tea. There was no way that the Emperor¡¯s summon was anything good. After all, he was someone who wanted to remove himself. ¡°Am I going to come back safely? Arielsa.¡± I took the teacup and walked towards the window as I handed it over to him. ¡°Yes and no.¡± Duke Kyron¡¯s eyes turned fierce as he stared at me. In fact, I was really the one who wanted to calm down. It seemed like the festival and George¡¯s date was now far from my reality. However, despite the turbulent thoughts running in my head, I still spoke as calmly as I could. ¡°There¡¯s a noble from the East who will insult the Duke and pick a fight with you. The two of you will have a duel and the crown prince who tried to stop it will get hurt by the Duke¡¯s sword.¡± ¡°What?¡± Duke Kyron looked at me in shock. ¡°His Highness, the Crown Prince, generously forgives the Duke. But as soon as the Duke returns to the North after the hunt is over, the other servants and nobles blame the Duke.¡± ¡°Was the Crown Prince seriously injured because of me?¡± I sighed deeply as I shook my head. ¡°No. You only cut his hand. A little bit.¡± He looked extremely shocked to hear that he had injured the Crown Prince so I spoke bluntly to him. ¡°Hmph. Isn¡¯t it only natural that he bounces back easily if that¡¯s his only injury. In addition, it¡¯s an unwritten rule that another man should not intervene in other people¡¯s duel.¡± This was it. It was because of this personality that it was easy to get him into this trap. ¡°And that¡¯s when the rumors started to spread.¡± Duke Kyron stared at me. His past and future stories that were heard through my mouth sounded very unfamiliar to me too. I felt it a bit rude to summarize and explain someone else¡¯s life in such an easy way. However, I still continued calmly. ¡°Duke Kyron does not blink even if he injured His Highness, the Crown Prince. So, in the future, he will probably do worse things without any hesitation¡­ is what they said.¡± ¡°Should I kill you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I remained standing beside him as he stood by the window. The sky from across the window was clear and blue while the people in the castle were moving around happily in their busy schedules. It was the spring, the time when people took off their thick coats. ¡°So, that¡¯s how they create an atmosphere to get rid of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the people are afraid of the Duke since you¡¯re the only person who can suppress the demonic beasts in the North. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the Duke is a man who never bows his head to anyone.¡± That was what the original work said about him. [ It was only natural for Duke Kyron, the Lord of the North, to be accused of treason. He was the first and the only human to completely drive the demonic beasts that polluted the North beyond the barrier. He made achievements that no Emperor could ever have. He only remained lurking in the North as he focused on governing Harpel. However, the fear and awe of this man that stood arrogant on his land only grew. He was a man who never smiled whenever he asked for a favor in front of the Emperor. He looked like someone who had never bowed his head to anyone.] Looking at his beautiful face right now, I could feel that the words that I read were alive and breathing vividly. Then, a question came to my mind. Would everything have changed if he just smiled when he asked favor from the Emperor? Probably not. After all, the anxiety and fear that lurked in the heart of that man was so powerful that it could not be resolved by just a smile. Duke Kyron continued to stare out the window as he spoke in his low yet firm voice. ¡°I have never coveted anything that is not mine. Arielsa.¡± ¡°I know Duke. I know¡­¡± I whispered quietly as I fixed my gaze on his cheeks. He had been true to his words. However, he did not know it himself yet. That he was someone who could be hellishly obsessed with things and people that he thought were his. ¡°Th, What¡¯s that?¡± I suddenly pointed towards the window. There I could see some of the inner part of the walls from the office. It seemed like they were connected to the tower. ¡°It¡¯s a guard tower. However, there is no way to shout from all the way over there so it actually serves as a warehouse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that we don¡¯t need a warehouse?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Duke Kyron turned to look at me with a grim expression on his face. ????? 5. I decided to enjoy the festival with my own way this year ¡°D, Duke¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Duke?¡± Duke Kyron, who was sitting on the sofa and drinking his tea, looked up to me in annoyance. It showed all over his face that he did not want to get disturbed while he was drinking his tea. But I felt extremely impatient. The Duke did not have any schedule for today. And after receiving the message that Belia had sent through the maid in the morning, all I ever wanted to do was to run. However, no matter what I said, Duke Kyron did not answer me. So I resorted to squatting in front of him. Perhaps my eyes even looked similar to a pleading cat. ¡°Duke. Please let me go out for an hour today.¡± But Duke Kyron immediately turned his head away from me. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Duke!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that your one hour is half a day? Arielsa.¡± I answered in agitation. ¡°No! This time, for real. I will be right back after an hour! Yes? If I¡¯m late then you can punish me¡­¡± I quickly shut my mouth. This was because Duke Kyron, who had been turning a blind eye to my pleading, turned to look at me with a crooked smile on his face. It seemed like he had been waiting for those words to come out of my mouth. When I went to the store, Belia looked serious. All I could do was follow behind her seriously while gulping my saliva down. There, I saw a yellow dress hanging on a hanger. ¡°Heok¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± Belia grabbed my shoulder from behind and laughed. ¡°This is beyond what I expected¡­ This is a piece of art, Aunty!¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ????? Belia¡¯s face distorted for a moment as she burst into laughter. She quickly took out the clothes as I stood in front of the mirror in nervousness. ¡®What to do? It¡¯s too pretty¡­ I¡¯m just an extra but this is too pretty. Right?¡¯ The light yellow dress spread lightly at the hem. There were a bit of carefully designed wrinkles on the hem and it was designed with a wide band of ribbon on the wrists and the hem. The geometric patterns on the dress looked luxurious, lively and cheerful. The golden tassel that was added on the string that closed around the neck was not that extravagant but it was colorful and pretty enough. My heart felt overwhelmed as I imagined myself dancing the dance that Duke Kyron taught me while wearing this dress. When I remained silent, Belia asked me. ¡°Why? Is it uncomfortable? I said that I did not need any basting since I know your body type well but are there any problems?¡± I shook my head and hugged her tightly. ¡°Thank you Aunty Belia! It¡¯s so pretty!¡± She patted me on the back as she spoke affectionately. ¡°I¡¯m sure Sir Chaers will like it, Arielsa.¡± ¡°Keok¡­ Yes?¡± She spoke excitedly as if I did not need to worry since she knew everything. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to fall in love with a man who saved your life. In addition, Sir Chaers is the second best young man in the North next to the Duke. Of course, Sir George is the best among middle-aged men¡­ Ahem, ahem.¡± She evaded her gaze and mumbled her words at the end. I stayed still for a moment because I was not sure which part I should point out in my excitement. But in that short time frame she believed that I had developed a crush on Chaers because he saved me from Gaurin. So she must have thought that I wanted to wear these pretty clothes to look good in front of him. ¡°Not at all!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Belia felt too embarrassed when I shouted firmly. So, I smiled awkwardly as I quickly corrected my words. ¡°I did not think about anyone when I bought this outfit, Aunty Belia.¡± ¡°You. Your way of speaking¡­¡± ¡°Haha. No, no¡­¡± As I took off the dress, Belia spread out the other clothes in the corner. There were casual clothes in the North¡¯s unique dark green and orange. However, despite being casual, the clothes still remained spectacular compared to Arielsa¡¯s usual gray, black or dirty navy blue dress. ¡°Aunty?¡± ¡°This is my present. It¡¯s spring. Not in the North, but in you.¡± This aunty seemed to like saying words that made people¡¯s hearts race. I couldn¡¯t help but blush as I answered her. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to burden you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that burdensome. If you think that it burdens your heart then just think that the Duke bought it for you.¡± Belia¡¯s eyes turned into crescents as she laughed. I felt a bit moved as a thought flashed in my head. Does this mean that I have to be infinitely grateful to Duke Kyron? ¡°They¡¯re so pretty! Thank you!¡± I spoke my sincere thoughts as I gave a smile to Belia. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll give you a present too.¡± ¡°A present?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to the festival with my dad this year.¡± Belia quickly avoided my eyes in embarrassment. ¡°¡­Huh? I thought there would be a duel at this festival? Did you two not get along well? But if I go on a date with him¡­¡± Belia said a lot of terrible things with her innocent expression. I endured the veins that popped out of my forehead as I recalled the daughter-con of a fool. This was the only way. ¡°So this year, aunty should go and take responsibility for my dad. My dad is surprisingly shy so he can¡¯t go to the festival alone.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ uhmm¡­ Is that so? Well, I¡¯m a bit shy too. It¡¯s a bit, a bit too much for someone to go to the festival alone, right?¡± She held my hand tightly with a tearful face. ¡°Then, Arielsa. I will take care of Sir George!¡± ¡°Thank you, aunty. Then, I need to get going, I¡¯ll be in trouble if I don¡¯t get back now¡­ Can I look at them one more time?¡± ¡°Of course! Of course!¡± I quickly took out the yellow dress and placed it on top of my body in front of the mirror. Colorful and bright clothes had a disadvantage. People tend to get tired of them easily. However, this dress did not seem to be like that at all. Belia also spoke in admiration again. ¡°Pretty. So pretty.¡± ¡°You¡­ Are you going to walk around in those clothes?!¡± Belia and I froze at the same time. The thump, thump of George¡¯s feet as he entered the store rang loudly in my ears. ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°S, Sir George!¡± Belia had a strange expression on her face as she awkwardly laughed. It seems like she was feeling both fear and anxiety right now. Of course, the same was true for me too. He stood in front of us as he crossed his arms with a scary look on his face. ¡°You. A, are you going to the festival wearing this dress?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a festival, you know. I also want to be a little¡­¡± Scared by George¡¯s momentum, my voice became little before scattering in the wind. ¡°You¡¯re going to send me to the festival with Belia while you walk around in a pretty dress alone ready to be eaten as you walk around those punks that are darker than a black wolf?¡± When he ground his teeth, Belia staggered as she covered me. ¡°Sir George. Arielsa is now at the age where she is the prettiest. Please let her enjoy it a bit.¡± ¡°Belia, this is not that kind of problem.¡± ¡°S, Sir George is also like a black wolf in front of me¡­!¡± ¡°Heup.¡± At that moment, I felt like I saw George¡¯s face actually split and break down. His eyes trembled wildly as Belia¡¯s face turned red. The two immediately turned away from each other. While they were like this, I took the gap and slowly retreated from the store aisle with my clothes. It was important that I get the timing right if I was going to run away. But George was a skilled warrior. He did not miss my movements even when he was looking to the sides. ¡°Put that down.¡± ¡°Sob, sob.¡± I placed my yellow dress down and ran away from the store. Fortunately it hasn¡¯t been an hour yet. So I ran away like Cinderella who heard the first chime of the bell as I went back to the office. Duke Kyron was reading a book while sitting on a long chair by the window. He was also free until the festival was held. ¡°I¡¯m back, Duke.¡± ¡°Tea.¡± He spoke without looking back at me. So I quickly went and made some yendel tea. Come to think of it, this has only been decreasing recently. ¡°Duke, please have some tea.¡± I placed the teacup on the table next to his chair as I spoke with a sad voice. It seemed like my voice was so down that he even took a glance at me. ¡°Arielsa?¡± ¡°I came back in time, Duke.¡± He sighed silently, closed his book and lowered his leg from his chair. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± I followed the tea before glancing at him and speaking out. ¡°I met my dad at the store. He got mad at my new clothes¡­ I don¡¯t think I will be able to wear new clothes.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± He laughed. I thought I heard it wrong but he really did laugh. Pfft my foot! My goodness. Even if he did not have any empathy, was this a situation where he could laugh? However, regardless of my dismay, Duke Kyron still spoke. ¡°I heard rumors that you have been cheating on me lately.¡± I sighed as I murmured to myself. ¡°The situation will continue to become complicated in the future. Sigh. I wanted to have a good time even if it was for a short time but¡­¡± ¡°You drink this. I¡¯ll have the cinnamon one.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Usually, he would have just asked for cinnamon directly since he did not like asking for people to work twice. But looking at the Duke¡¯s face, it seemed like he was giving up on the tea to calm me down. I was very grateful to him for silently dragging the teacup towards me but even after drinking it, I still couldn¡¯t calm down at the thought of the clothes that I had left behind. Duke Kryon continued to read his book the entire day before saying ¡®Sir George is not in a good mood today so we should skip the training patrol today¡¯. I felt like my sore wound had been scratched again after hearing his words. I couldn¡¯t help but hate him when he let me go early this afternoon. Even when I came back to my room, all I could think of was that yellow dress. The idea that I should just endure and give up to avoid conflict with the daughter-con George kept turning in my head to the point that my head was in a tangled mess. Then, a note came under my door. ??? When I came out, Belia quickly pulled my wrist and dragged me somewhere. The place where I was unexpectedly dragged into was a bar. Since I couldn¡¯t go to the bar thanks to Arielsa¡¯s timid personality, I felt like I was a minor who was doing something bad. ¡°A, Aunty?¡± ¡°You were upset because of your dad earlier, right? Me too.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will be your guardian.¡± I nodded with determination as I followed her inside. Beyond the wooden door that Belia opened for me was a world in Harpel that I never knew of. ¡°My dad said it was because I was cute? No, aunty! One plus one is a gwiyomi (cutie). I¡¯m not a cutie!¡± ¡°Huh? Why aren¡¯t you cute? You¡¯re really cute! No one knew that because you are so calm. No. That was in the past.¡± ¡°Then, does that mean that I can be cute too since one plus one is gwiyomi? Even if you put it backwards, it¡¯s still cute! Haha!¡± Having lost the youth gymnastics, I found a new shot. It was fortunate that I was not that drunk since I still stopped myself from singing and dancing the gwiyomi song. We had started the conversation while bad mouthing George but after getting a bit drunk we were now talking loudly about a lot of things. The customers who were surprised to see Arielsa in the bar glanced at our table as they gave us a warning. I felt uncomfortable at first since they were afraid of George but the thought soon disappeared in my head. ¡°Arielsa.¡± I noticed the shadow that was cast over the glass that I reached out to toast to Belia. So, I quickly turned around and glared at him. ????? Chapter 39 Translator: void ????? But Belia gave him a chair before I could make a fuss with him. ¡°Sir Chaers!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Duke allowed you to go out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came out secretly¡­¡± I answered with my lips tightly closed together. I was wondering if I should just run away or ask him to watch but he just sat on the chair himself. ¡®Chaers?¡¯ Belia did not have a clue so she just gave him a cup and poured him a drink. Seeing her smile like that, it was clear that she misunderstood. She probably thought that I was ashamed instead of being reluctant to see Chaers. ¡°Did you come here to pick Arielsa up? Rumors fly so fast!¡± ¡°Not at all. I looked back because I heard a woman claiming that she was cute loudly and found you by accident.¡± ¡°Oh my, Sir Chaers too?! How lovely. Hohohoho!¡± Belia must have been very drunk since she was talking nonsense. I put the glass down since the fun time was over. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way now. I¡¯ll just get my punishment tomorrow.¡± Chaers drank as if he was drinking some bitter medicine before frowning and asking me. ¡°Punishment?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re going to tell the Duke.¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± He stood up and left his glass on the table as he ordered me firmly. ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make a mistake just because you¡¯re drunk. Don¡¯t you think so too, Arielsa?¡± Chaers was clearly warning me. What should I do if I suddenly blurted out Gaurin or the Emperor? So I quickly stood up from the distraction. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°A, Arielsa?¡± It was Belia who got flustered from my reaction as she stuttered out my name. But I just said my goodbye to her again as I went out of the door. ¡°Thank you for a lot of things, Aunty Belia!¡± Chaers sighed and scratched his head as if everything was ridiculous. ¡°Miss Belia, I¡¯m going to pay for that idiot¡¯s drink today at Harpel Castle¡­ but what were you going to do if Sir George saw you?¡± Hearing the name, Belia became furious. ¡°That punk also needs to grow up too! His daughter has already become an adult!¡± After leaving those words, she gave Chaers a strange smile before leaving too. I waved at Belia for a long time while I walked toward the castle. Before I got surprised by the shadow behind me, the shadow already spoke. ¡°Walk straight.¡± You¡¯re telling a drunk person to walk straight, my gosh. But I liked people who were consistent with their personality. This meant that they were people who wouldn¡¯t change or betray others easily. Besides, I couldn¡¯t hate Duke Kyron¡¯s best friend and right hand for the rest of my life. ¡°Hehe.¡± He frowned when he saw me looking back at him and smiling. ¡°What did you do? Did you fall from the tree today too?¡± ¡°My dad stole my clothes.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Aunty Belia made me the prettiest spring festival dress in the North but¡­¡± ¡°Fine. You don¡¯t have to say anymore.¡± I stopped on my tracks and raised my head. I could see the insanely beautiful stars in the sky. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Chaers followed me and also looked up. He wouldn¡¯t know that in some worlds, the stars in the night sky couldn¡¯t be seen because they were being outshone by the lights on the road. Then, I suddenly realized that I was lonely. It was because I was a stranger. Although there were countless stars floating in the sky like that, I was still here all alone. But the cold tactician did not know about my pain and just stared at me like that. Even if Duke Kyron trusted me now, and even if I continued to save him and Harpel from the crisis, the fact that I¡¯m the only one like this in this world would not change. Just like how Duke Kyron would not change. Although he was waiting for the ¡®Rose of the South¡¯, the heroine, I would still remain like this. After all, I had no one. Once this story ended, there would be nothing left for the stranger. ¡°Ouch!¡± I tried to walk again with my head still raised up in the sky. But I lost my balance and my body tilted sharply. But my body did not fall. I could feel some pressure on both of my arms. ¡°You¡¯re really a handful.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? huh¡­?¡± Chaers stopped me from falling before carrying me on his back. I was a bit uncomfortable so I wriggled around before speaking. ¡°Excuse me, mister knight¡­¡± ¡°Mister knight? My goodness. Stay still. It¡¯s freezing.¡± ¡°No. You can put me down¡­ I can walk.¡± ¡°Last time you got sick, you ate toful mushroom. What are you going to eat this time around?¡± For the first time in my life, I blamed the author of < The Snowing Dessert >. Since the readers only wanted to hear the protagonists¡¯ story, they omitted a lot of things about the surrounding characters and just told them as shortly as they could. However, wouldn¡¯t it be better if they could explain that the North was filled with tsunderes? Like Duke Kyron, George and even Chaers. ¡°Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°Stop movi¨D¡± ¡°¨DThank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaers did not say anything from that point on until we went back. He placed me down in front of my door, pushed me from behind to get me into my room and went back. ??? The spring festival began with a ritual as we offered sacrifices to the Gods. The priests prepared a brazier to light the sacred fire using only the young branches that sprouted during the spring. Once the priests finished praying for the wishes of the people, Duke Kyron cut the head of the finch, the spring¡¯s messenger, and sprinkled its blood on the sacred fire. To me, it looked like it was something that should be done in the kitchen but the Northerners gathered together in the field and attended this ceremony with solemnity. They thanked the Sun God for setting a new sun in the North and wished that the God who held the snow and ice in both their hands would sleep deeply over the next few months. By the end of the ritual, the flutes and drums resounded as the people scattered to get food and drinks. There was even an area for clowns and jesters. However, Duke Kyron just headed straight towards his office as if he had just finished a part of his work. I followed behind him and saw the huge pile of wood in the square. The pile of wood was almost three to four stories high and resembled a christmas tree. ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t know that the bonfire would be this big. I bet it looks spectacular.¡± ¡°There are a lot of trees.¡± That was all Duke Kyron answered me. His next schedule was attending dinner with the knights and the administrators of Harpel Castle so he had some time to rest. I¡¯ve been watching the whole time wondering when Duke Kyron would mention about me secretly going to the bar last night. But after we returned to the office, he did not say a word. So I began to suspect that Chaers did not report me. If that was the case, then I¡¯ll forget anything that I hated about him! Once the sun set, men and women began to gather in the square. The only thing I could do was stare at them from the window in Duke Kyron¡¯s office. After all, the square was in full view from this place. Once those beautifully stacked trees were lit up, the true festival would then begin. The youngsters would be allowed to sing, dance, drink and have the time of their lives there. But that had nothing to do with me. After all, I was deprived of the clothes that I would wear. Ah, I feel so bad. If George really hated it that much then I thought that it should be better for me to not find any personal enjoyment there. After all, there weren¡¯t any words in the original that mentioned Arielsa being in a relationship. My mood just kept on falling down. Will I go back home once Duke Kyron has his happy ending? If that does not happen, should I forever live alone hiding the secret that I¡¯m just a stranger¡­? I kept on doing embroidery as I stared at the square through the window. Strangely enough, Duke Kyron was not that harsh today. He did not tell me that the sound of my embroidery was too loud. When it was completely dark, he said¡­ ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± Since I committed a sin, I had no choice but to quickly jump up and run to his desk. He pointed to the chest of drawers on the wall and said¡­ ¡°Open it.¡± I opened the drawers wondering what was going on. There I saw my beautiful yellow dress folded neatly! Even the other clothes that Belia made for me were also folded together. I looked back at him in shock. ¡°Duke¡­?¡± ¡°Drinking is prohibited. Go there and return quickly.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± He spoke coldly as he continued to do what he was doing. ¡°I bought it with my own money, so it¡¯s mine. Right?¡± ¡°Pfft¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± This man always pretended to be indifferent but he seemed to know everything. He sometimes made my hairs stand on end but he would also do things like this. I even wanted to take a bite out of him since he was so pretty! However, I had no guts to bite the Duke so all I did was smile. I hugged my precious clothes as I bowed to him. ¡°Thank you, Duke!¡± I quickly ran to my room and changed my clothes before running to the square. I didn¡¯t know what to do because I felt like I looked pretty myself. I arrived just in time for the bonfire to be lit up. I heard the other young people shouting happily as they toasted and felt excited with the happy atmosphere too. It was only a bit later that I realized that it was awkward staying here without any partner since I was so entranced with the flames that were burning brightly. There was no one who pretended to know me since they were all busy with their partners. My heart shrank as I realized that. I realized that I was not Arielsa and no one really knew me. Little by little, I retreated to a corner where only the littlest of light could reach. At that time, I could see George being led to the bar by Belia. Belia looked pretty with her bright dress, and George, who was neatly dressed, pretended that he couldn¡¯t win and let himself be dragged away. He seemed to be looking for me but his eyes looked so far away. They looked so happy in the light. ????? Chapter 40 I thought that I wasn¡¯t worth the price of my dress. Everyone around me was happy but here I was all depressed by myself. I sat carefully on a pile of firewood at a corner of the square. I did not like my new dress getting dirty but it seemed like this was also the same place where Arielsa went back to whenever she finished watching the lighting ceremony. Music began to play as the pair of men and women started to gather in a circle in the square. I thought that I should go back after a little while so I stayed. But when I was going to stand, someone suddenly approached me. ¡°Were you the one?¡± The person was Chaers. And he frowned at me as he spoke. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± I could see a long and bluish bruise on his forearms when he rolled the sleeves of his clothes. ¡°Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°Sir George asked me where I went with his daughter on my back in the middle of the night. If it weren¡¯t for Miss Belia¡­ sigh.¡± Parents are the ones responsible for their children¡¯s education, so who¡¯s responsible for their parents¡¯ education? I couldn¡¯t help but cry out and ask about him. It seemed like rumors spread around the castle just by breathing. ¡°What happened to your arm?¡± ¡°The Duke would be angry if there was a fight between his vassals so we decided to arm wrestle.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Who can even beat Harpel¡¯s Shield in terms of strength? Fortunately, Miss Belia hit him on the back and took him away to the bar.¡± I was absolutely timid when I spoke to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you cooped up here like you¡¯re going to die?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t answer?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t? I was just looking around.¡± ¡°Ah, goodness. Stand up.¡± I stood up while staring at Chaers hand that was stretched towards me. The fluttering light from the huge bonfire casted some light on us that revealed Chaers¡¯ face. I couldn¡¯t understand the unpleasant and uncomfortable expression on his face while he reached out for me so I just stared blankly at him. ¡°Thanks to Sir George, I couldn¡¯t tell the Duke to cancel the punishment.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± When I gingerly placed my hand on Chaers¡¯ palm, he pulled me near the bonfire. I felt even more depressed. The dance that was being done by the young villagers around the bonfire was much more lively, exciting and faster than the one that Duke Kyron taught me. Rather than doing a patterned set of movements in one spot, the pair of men and women kept on switching and running around. It was something that I couldn¡¯t learn in a day. Chaers was holding my hand tightly and leading me but I was sure that stepping in would mess up their ranks so I pulled my hands away from him. But Chaers just clicked his tongue and brought me there. Just watching the dancers run around was making me feel dizzy. ¡®Harpel territory¡¯s spring festival this year was ruined by the Duke¡¯s maid. She was terribly uncoordinated.¡¯ I felt like I was going to do something that would be added in the revised version of < The Snowy Desert >. ¡°Waaah!¡± Chaers had already grabbed my hand and pulled me in line before I could even say no. I placed my hands firmly on his and went around safely but I twisted my legs and fell down on the next turn when we were changing lanes. Chaers quickly pulled me up to escape the huge line that flowed around the bonfire. ¡°How can I take a kid around who falls down even when we¡¯re just walking.¡± He seemed to be embarrassed by the fact that I did not know how to dance but he did not look like he was angry. Rather than angry, I thought that it was a bit strange since his voice sounded a bit happy and pleasant. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll get you some drinks. You can have just one glass of alcohol under my watch but¨D¡± ¡°¨DI¡¯m going to go now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already received your punishment. So, I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°Arie¡­¡± However, Chaers did not hold me back. It was because he saw the tears that dripped from my cheeks. ??? I went back to Duke Kyron¡¯s office. I wanted to go back to my room right away but there was no helping it. He told me to report to him once I got back. I roughly wiped my tears as I knocked on the door. I did not even care about whatever I would see in his office. In fact, I thought that I would just cry a bit more if I went straight to my room so I thought that it would be better if I just went back to Duke Kyron¡¯s office. I knew that I was a novice. It was really nothing for someone like me to fall like that while dancing. But strangely enough I felt sad about that fact. I greeted the Duke like I did when he allowed me to go out for just an hour. ¡°Duke, I¡¯m back.¡± Duke Kyron looked a bit surprised but he did not answer me. He just continued to sip his drink as he watched the square from his window. I tried to speak as casually as possible. ¡°Should I tell them to bring in some snacks?¡± Duke Kyron glanced at me briefly before shaking his head for a bit. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Then, Duke Kyron turned his back again and stared outside of the window. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you playing anymore? Did Chaers make you angry again?¡± Look at this Duke Kyron! He knew that I hated it! But I couldn¡¯t get on his nerves. After all, he was the one who took my clothes and gave them back to me. I was the only one who was being sensitive about things. ¡°No. I¡¯m sure Sir Chaers is the one who¡¯s angrier?¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°I fell down¡­ I thought I was good but baam! I fell down. Sir Chaers is popular in the castle so I think he¡¯s mad because I humiliated him.¡± Duke Kyron did not answer me. Why is he asking me if he¡¯s not going to answer back? I blamed him deep inside as I went to my seat. I placed my chin on the window sill and looked at the bonfire in the square. From this distance, it looked like a giant christmas tree made of flames. I finally acknowledged my depression as I looked at it from afar. ¡®I guess I¡¯m getting sentimental since it¡¯s spring.¡¯ I laid down my cheeks like that and tried to ask Duke Kyron ¡®Duke, aren¡¯t you going out?¡¯ but I stopped in my tracks when I remembered the contents of the original work. He thought that dancing was useless. When he was relying on the Southern Marquess, he looked like he was being dragged to his death sentence as he reluctantly attended a party. He would just stand near the wall before coming back. Even the heroine blamed and hated him for not asking her to a dance. ¡°Ah¡­ I guess it¡¯s already burnt.¡± I watched as the huge bonfire christmas tree collapsed. It¡¯s gigantic height was immediately halved. I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in regret. I heard a light clink as the Duke placed down his glass. ¡°Come here.¡± You said you didn¡¯t need anything. I grumbled to myself as I walked towards the Duke. He jutted his chin and pointed towards the square. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp. Through the windows of the office, I could see one of the towers emitting flames. Then, I spoke with a frown. ¡°Aren¡¯t they supposed to do it after the festival?¡± ¡°I decided to enjoy the festival in my own way this year.¡± ¡°Duke¡­!¡± ¡®Our male lead must be crazy.¡¯ But I still smiled despite that thought passing through my head. This man looked at the burning castle tower in enjoyment. But his face looked more beautiful and fascinating under the light of the flames. And this was a secret that I wouldn¡¯t say for a long time. However, I¡¯m just a stranger here. I didn¡¯t have the right to say what was normal or what was crazy. A fierce fire rose from within that castle tower. But that tower was not something that could be seen from the streets of the village and the square where most of the people were at now. We stood side by side in front of the window as we watched the tower burn down with the fierce flames. After a while, Duke Kyron stepped back and reached his hand out to me. ¡°Duke?¡± Seeing the command in his eyes, I placed my hands on his. It was as if I was possessed as I followed him to the center of the office. He raised both our hands in the air. It seemed like we were going to dance the festival dance. I could see a crooked smile on his face as his mouth opened. It seemed like his mouth was saying ¡®Yeah, I must be crazy.¡¯. He ignored the dance from the square as he moved to a pace that I could follow. However, the thumping of my heart was louder than the sound of my steps. I felt like I was finally experiencing the spring festival. I laughed loudly as we circled around the office. We enjoyed our own festival as we watched the burning castle tower. ??? The next day, Harpel Castle was turned upside down. The people only found out that one of the castle towers had been burnt down and destroyed after the bonfire in the square was almost gone and the dancing people were going back to their homes. While most of the adults were still dizzily swimming under the influence of alcohol, the tower was burnt down. People were also banned from entering the tower due to the risk of a collapse. In fact, it was just a measure to prevent the people from finding out that it was an intentional arson. Anyway, the people felt hideous and alarmed because of the fire. So, the atmosphere was a bit gloomy despite the still ongoing spring festival. However, Duke Kyron, who suffered from a disaster in his own home, just continued to work without saying much. Although I wore an orange dress from the clothes that Belia made for me, I still couldn¡¯t feel the joy of wearing something new because of this. He just spoke lightly as he sealed his letter in an envelope. ¡°I¡¯m forced to refuse His Majesty, the Emperor¡¯s invitation due to the circumstances of our territory.¡± I nodded as I answered him. ¡°There was a fire in the castle so the Duke can¡¯t leave.¡± This was our secret plan. A plan to refuse the Emperor¡¯s invitation to a hunting contest. ¨DIt¡¯s Chaers. I was like a rabbit rushing towards its burrow as I speed ran to my seat to avoid Chaers. Duke Kyron just stamped and sealed the envelope with wax before handing the letter over to Chaers. ¡°We¡¯re refusing the Emperor¡¯s invitation. I will not do any outdoor activities for the time being.¡± Chaers accepted the letter grumpily as he whispered grimly. Something that he rarely did. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be the day when the festival ended?¡± Chaers whispered about the subject since he was conscious of my presence but I could understand everything. I knew that he was complaining to the Duke about the change of date with the plan to set the castle tower on fire. I was surprised that Chaers even mentioned this so I just quietly listened. ¡°I was upset to see everyone playing around except for me. Is this more than enough for an explanation?¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± ????? Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Translator: void ????? Chaers¡¯ jaw fell out while Duke Kyron asked him coldly. ¡°The castle tower?¡± ¡°We have restricted access just like you ordered. As soon as the festival is over, the repair work will begin.¡± ¡°Good. Don¡¯t interfere with the festival and drag the construction as slowly as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Chaers stepped back from Duke Kyron¡¯s desk before stopping once again. Since I could be seen straight from that position, I stared out of the window and endured the burning gaze at the back of my head. However, my upper body gradually sunk down under my desk. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chaers left that short sound before leaving like that. Although it was just a short sound, I could feel his disapproval conveyed clearly to me. I relaxed on my seat only after I heard the door closing. Suddenly, I felt that it was unfair. Why can¡¯t I look at his face? Why should I avoid him? However, despite my thoughts, I knew deep down that seeing Chaers¡¯ face would always remind me of falling down during the group dance. It seemed like it had become my trauma. It hurt my pride that I had shown Chaers such an embarrassing appearance after he had asked me for a dance for his punishment. I did not come out to wear such pretty clothes just to do something like that. When I realized that I had become extremely timid, I felt something. Has Arielsa always lived like this¡­ I shook my head to clear my thoughts away. Read only at RainOfSnow. ¡°Arielsa.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± ¡°A drink.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was still midday. But Duke Kyron just smiled when he saw me making a strange face as I brought the alcohol to him. ¡°I knew it for a long time. It¡¯s just¡­ I had no choice but to know.¡± I immediately understood what Duke Kyron was saying. He was talking about the Emperor¡¯s hostility towards him. ¡°But I did not want to admit that my loyalty is being questioned. How to say this¡­ I feel like my pride has been hurt.¡± Only then did I realize that Kyron Harpel was a man who had never once fought to be recognized by anyone. So, I felt a bit surprised. He was born as the heir to the Harpel Family, the family that owned the North for generations, and was a man who used his feats to build his family¡¯s reputation by expelling the demonic beasts beyond the barrier. Ever since his birth, he was given the responsibility of protecting the land from demonic beasts. He had never once questioned this responsibility. His only ambition was to fulfill his duties to the best of his abilities. And he succeeded in doing so. The name ¡®Great Man¡¯ was a praise that he had received from protecting and maintaining the barrier while preventing the demonic beasts from crossing over. It was also a title that was given to him from protecting, feeding and making the people of Harpel live in abundance and peace. But the stronger he was and the more faithful he was to his responsibilities, the more the Emperor doubted him and even his measures to keep him in check had become fiercer. It was definitely bound to make a splash even though he hid it in the corner of his mind. ¡°This is because His Majesty, the Emperor, is a fool.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Read only at RainOfSnow. His eyes widened in shock when he heard me say those words bluntly. A short burst of laughter suddenly came from his mouth. It was good to see his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down as he laughed with his chin pointing up to the sky. He had set fire to one of his castle towers to avoid the Emperor¡¯s invitation. It was clear as day that he was feeling very disturbed right now but I felt like I was someone pathetic for feeling depressed and admiring my own beauty in front of a person who was feeling like that. ¡°Haha. You¡¯re so weird, Arielsa. No¡­ Stranger.¡± He smiled calmly at me. The current situation was certainly not good. But the moment he called me a stranger, I felt like the smoke that had been covering me had been cleared and I felt like I was truly myself in that moment. It felt like he was truly spending his time with me for a short while. It was a bit bitter yet still slightly sweet. A taste that I truly wanted to save and remember. I smiled as I spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not a very pleasant thing to say but I¡¯m going to count that as something good since you¡¯re laughing.¡± I laughed too. The air in the room quickly heated up just like the spring sun grazing us of its presence. ¡°Did I tell you about it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The clothes that you wore during the festival were worth a lot of money.¡± Damn. I bit my lips tightly. It felt unusual to hear Duke Kyron saying ¡®It¡¯s worth a lot of money.¡¯ so it seemed like Belia¡¯s remuneration was much bigger than what I thought. I couldn¡¯t help but feel scared. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± My hands were covered in sweat and I couldn¡¯t decide where to look. But Duke Kyron spoke softly. Read only at RainOfSnow. ¡°It means that it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I tried to move slowly and move away from the table as I tried to think of ways to hide my blushing cheeks. But even though he was not looking at me, my embarrassment still grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment. ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fun drinking alone.¡± Please! I stuttered as I spoke to answer him. ¡°It¡¯s still early. I should go and call Sir Chaers¨D¡± ¡°¨DDo you want to receive punishment?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I prohibited you from going out except for your room and the office.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± That was right. He never forgot. He continued to speak coldly. ¡°I heard that you were belting out a song about cuties.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Read only at RainOfSnow. I almost tore the skirt of my new dress from the shock. Receiving his insensitive gaze and decided there and then to never go out in the future. Of course, I also decided to stop drinking. I was forced to sing the Gwiyomi Song in front of Duke Kyron. With. The. Dance. I decided to be thankful that he did not consider this as some sort of sorcery. I had to think like that¡­ For my precarious mental health¡­ ??? Over time, the noise from the construction work for the repair of the castle tower spread all over the place. People worked from dawn to night as they busied themselves between farming, livestock raising and hunting. This was the vitality of the North. I went to the drill hall by myself to meet with George. This was because there was something that had to be solved between us. He had never come to see me ever since he got angry at me back at the dry goods store. I was concerned with how upset the middle-aged daughter-con was so I came out with the permission of the Duke. George was walking back and forth as he yelled at the knights that were swinging their swords. I waited for him to look at me before waving my hand wildly. He sighed as he approached me. I quickly gave him a bottle with tea. There was nothing much better than drinking tea to recharge one¡¯s energy after sweating. However, he just gulped down the tea while sighing deeply. I looked around while speaking. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re still angry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you make up with Sir Chaers?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The psychological war between Chaers and George seemed to still be ongoing. It seemed like he was still mad that Chaers carried me on his back that night. I looked gloomily up in the sky for a moment. It was clear that George thought that Chaers was flirting with me. That was why he was angry. But in fact, he was angry for another reason. Despite Chaers rescuing the timid Arielsa, rumors that spread as fast as the wind still threw his reasoning out. There were many people who had seen me and Chaers dancing, well trying to to dance, in the square during the festival. And now, rumors have become our fait accompli. In other words, George now had sufficient evidence to identify Chaers as his enemy. That was also the reason why Duke Kyron laughed at me when I asked him to provide a place for their reconciliation. This was actually an unexpected reaction from the Duke especially since his most valuable vassals were fighting. Read only at RainOfSnow. ¡°They have to see blood once in a while. Don¡¯t mind them.¡± ¡°Yes? But still¡­ No, regardless¡­!¡± ¡°You might know the future but you don¡¯t know anything about the men of the North.¡± I was left speechless when the Duke said this. Anyway, with George¡¯s personality, there was not a chance that he and Chaers would make up in just one go. In his point of view, Chaers was a wolf who was trying to snatch his precious daughter away. I wanted to deal with this problem since we were able to safely refuse the Emperor¡¯s invitation but seeing George huffing and puffing like that when I went to him in the drill hall made me feel nervous. ¡°Dad, did you have fun with Aunty Belia?¡± ¡°Cough!¡± He grunted uncomfortably before coughing to clear his throat. ¡°I had a great time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± However, he still spoke grimly. ¡°You must have wanted to go and have fun with the person you like. So, why can¡¯t you do so? I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯ve blocked your happiness this long¡­ I did not mean to be a father like this to you.¡± Heok. Excuse me? Read only at RainOfSnow. It seemed like something worse was going on in his head than what I had thought. ¡°Daddy! I really like my dad! I¡¯m also living a happy life with my dad!¡± But George just shook his head sadly. ¡°I will give my blessings to you and Chaers.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? ¡­What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just cranky but except for that¡­ He has a good head since he¡¯s the tactician. And he¡¯s also good enough to protect you even if a demonic beast appears.¡± Is this daughter-con who wanted to live with his daughter for the rest of his life suddenly jumped and wanted to marry off his daughter to Chaers?! This was the only person in Harpel Castle who never accepted the fact that I was possessed. I was in such a hurry that I grabbed his forearm tightly and hung on him. ¡°Daddy! I¡¯m not getting married!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Really! I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯ll live with you, daddy, for the rest of my life!¡± Geroge smiled sadly as if his eyes were filled with defeat. I felt heartbroken seeing such an appearance on him. Ah¡­ ahjussi? ¡°You¡¯re quite a nice child. It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t need to comfort your dad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I¡¯m not getting married! I also don¡¯t like Sir Chaers!¡± ¡°H, huh¡­?¡± Read only at RainOfSnow. George struggled to suppress the happiness that suddenly appeared in his eyes as he stared at me. ¡°I won¡¯t marry Sir Chaers.¡± George¡¯s face turned as bright as the sun. But my throat became stiff as I spoke hoarsely. ¡°Is that¡­ so? You don¡¯t like Chaers? But I¡¯m sure that the punk has been fond of you for a long ti¨D¡± ¡°¨DYes, dad. I don¡¯t like him.¡± I hurriedly said those words. I felt like my response was as fast as the wind just so I could stop him from speaking any further. ????? Chapter 42 Translator: void ????? ¡°So make up with Sir Chaers. There¡¯s nothing between us and there won¡¯t be anything between us. But what would happen if the two people closest to the Duke kept on fighting!¡± ¡°Arielsa¡­¡± ¡°Until when is Dad going to grab me tight? There¡¯s Aunty Belia too.¡± When I quickly changed the subject, George¡¯s face quickly turned red. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ that¡­ we¡¯re already old. So, we have to be careful¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Do think carefully. Please don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m rooting for you. Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± I even went so far as to kiss George on the cheek before getting up quickly. George looked puzzled as he failed to say anything else. I felt like I had aged ten years while I was on my way back to the office. I sighed listlessly when I went back to Duke Kyron¡¯s place. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Duke Kyron was standing by the window and watching the castle tower that was under construction. ¡°Is the matter with George over?¡± I answered grumpily. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Whether it went well or not, I don¡¯t know.¡± George might stop hating Chaers for now. But while I remained in this world, I would grow old and die as a maiden. So, did it go well or not? While I was busy sniffing in tears in my head, Duke Kyron spoke. ¡°I received a message. The Crown Prince said that he will visit Harpel Castle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was now standing in a daze. I was extremely shocked by this turn of events. We had refused the invitation to attend the hunt at the Imperial Palace because of the fire at Harpel Castle¡¯s tower but¡­ ¡°He¡¯s coming in person?¡± ¡°His Majesty seems to have no intention of leaving me alone.¡± He was speaking calmly as he turned towards me but my heart was pounding wildly. ¡°Why, why is he coming here?¡± ¡°The Imperial Family sometimes comes to look in each territory. It happens quite often.¡± I spoke anxiously. ¡°He¡¯s coming to find fault with the Duke! Since Gaurin failed and they failed to call you in the Imperial Hunting Contest, they went out themselves!¡± He looked me straight in the eyes. His eyes were so calm and cold that I felt like I was looking at a different person. ¡°Arielsa. I¡¯ll confront him if I have to. I will not run away from anything.¡± ¡°Duke¡­¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with the most urgent matters.¡± He looked stable and firm. Like an unshakeable rock. A large and rock-solid existence that could withstand the wind and bring shade in anytime. Duke Kyron smiled softly at me. I answered with determination. He was a person that I could rely on even if he just stood by the side. For some reason, I felt like he was my rock. Unknowingly, I was already acting like I was somewhat from the North. ¡°I¡¯ll help you with anything.¡± ¡°First, prepare for the banquet menu.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I quickly lost all my confidence as I stood next to Duke Kyron¡¯s desk and listened to him while he wrote down the Imperial Family¡¯s banquet menu. The menu was completely different from the banquet that welcomed the administrators from the East. It seemed like we were truly welcoming the most precious existence in the Empire. I couldn¡¯t help but sweat when I realized that there were only a few things that I knew on the menu. However, the Duke reassured me that the castle¡¯s kitchen was filled with experienced maids. I was shocked when I realized that the Duke knew these details personally so I unknowingly stared at his face. Doesn¡¯t this person know everything, except for his future? ¡°Arielsa, did you understand?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time. We should further slow down the castle tower¡¯s restoration so His Highness will be able to see the burnt tower personally.¡± ¡°How about doing construction at night? It¡¯s noisy so they might just hurry up and go home.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± I quickly stepped back when Duke Kyron clicked his tongue at my suggestion. Just like he said, we did not have enough time to prepare to greet the Crown Prince. ??? Duke Kyron took his important vassals out to greet the Crown Prince at the border of our territory. I was also tagging along at the end of the procession. Crown Prince Devron appeared with dozens of ministers. He even brought his own secretary, guard and servants. He was a blonde handsome man wearing a red cape and a white military uniform as he sat on top of a white horse. When he appeared, I felt like I just had the illusion that the sunlight was moving along with his every step. Duke Kyron wearing his black cape and riding on top of his black horse and the blonde prince with his white uniform looked like they were day and night. ¡®But you still don¡¯t have an aura.¡¯ I quickly lowered my peeking eyes when he turned to look at the attendants following the Duke. Duke Kyron greeted the Crown Prince as usual. He was neither subservient or arrogant. ¡°Greetings to the Empire¡¯s little sun. You have worked hard coming this far.¡± ¡°Thank you for greeting us personally, Duke Kyron.¡± The two rode side by side and looked around the fields and pastures around the castle instead of going straight inside. I did not get bored since this was my first time walking outside the Harpel Castle¡¯s territory properly. The people were busy plowing the fields as they hung their plows on cows. Even their goats and sheeps that had been trapped all throughout the winter were grazing at the green pasture. Even though it was a boring sight, it was still a sight to behold. The prince spoke as if he was having fun. ¡°Women are already showing their shoulders in the capital but it¡¯s still cold here.¡± I felt annoyed when I heard the prince¡¯s pleasant attitude as if he had gone on a lovely trip. How could this person show his flamboyant attitude when he was here to pull Duke Kyron into a trap. Duke Kyron, who did not know the prince¡¯s intentions, just answered the prince leisurely. ¡°It¡¯s because the God who holds the ice and snow in his hands is asleep not too far away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the God of the North who opens his eyes during winter and brings about the freezing cold when he¡¯s grumpy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Next time, I should come when it¡¯s hotter.¡± What do you mean next time? You want to come here again? Are you going to bring down Duke Kyron again? I was already throwing up curses in my head at every word of the prince as I stayed at the end of the procession. However, Duke Kyron just replied softly. ¡°Your Highness is always welcome.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you welcome me, Duke.¡± I was a bit confused. But somehow, it was also scary. Crown Prince Devron looked like a gentle and sophisticated person. So, I felt angry that such a person¡¯s head was filled with countless conspiracies just so he could stabilize his power. From the Crown Prince¡¯s point of view, he must have felt a great sense of inferiority against Duke Kyron. After all, he was just a natural person who ate with a golden spoon while Duke Kyron achieved a feat that surpassed him with his golden spoon. But is it so difficult to recognize that Duke Kyron is an indifferent person as long as they don¡¯t threaten the safety of the North? I followed the Crown Prince¡¯s procession with countless complicated thoughts in my head. We only returned to Harpel Castle by the time the sun had set. When we arrived at the castle, dinner was already prepared. I stood in front of the chair near the wall while the Crown Prince¡¯s entourage and Duke Kyron took their seats. ¡°It smells good. Quite unique.¡± ¡°I heard that outsiders find that the North¡¯s delicacies have a strong flavor. But I hope that you still enjoy it.¡± The Crown Prince nodded in satisfaction as he began eating. Then, Duke Kyron and his attendants also began eating. Duke Kyron entertained the Crown Prince with a flexible and relaxed attitude. If it was me, I would never be able to treat the person who wanted to kill me to a meal with such a soft face. However, I thought that his poker face still remained scary. But the fear that came to me from his expressionless face added to his charm which made me like him more. ¡°Ah. I heard that the Duke has a poison taster.¡± I stood up upon hearing the Crown Prince¡¯s words. However, Duke Kyron just replied calmly. ¡°I may be bitten because of my disrespect to the Crown Prince. But because of my constitution, I need to have a maid test for poison. It¡¯s for health reasons so I hope that you don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± The Crown Prince turned his head to look at me. ¡°I see.¡± Fortunately, that was the only time that he got interested in me. I can¡¯t say that having attention was good. After all, I almost dozed off on my seat. They kept on asking and talking about what happened during the day in a formal tone so I felt that it was too boring. Finally, they were guided to their rooms after the long meal was over. I was in charge of guiding the Crown Prince to his room to express our greatest courtesy. It was a form of respect since the Duke had personally sent the maid that served by his side. However, I only felt solemn. I opened the door to the best guest bedroom in the castle and let the Crown Prince enter. The Crown Prince¡¯s secretary checked the room before being sent out. The Crown Prince¡¯s knights stood outside the door as I stood there for the last time. ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Please call for me if there is something that you need.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± When I tried to step back with my back not turning away from him, he pulled the rope. I told him to call me if he needed anything but it seemed like he was already using this trick to a person who was leaving since he did not say anything. However, I just bowed my head and spoke calmly. ¡°Do you need anything, Your Highness?¡± He smiled brightly as he said¡­ ¡°You.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± I unexpectedly raised my head in surprise. But I quickly bowed my head. I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in this person¡¯s head since he was playing his tricks on me. I felt the tendons on my neck ticking. The Crown Prince just sat on the sofa and crossed his long legs. I did not know if he knew what I was thinking but his smiling face made him look like those gross play boys. The problem was that he was a very cruel and dark boy. ¡°Everyone knows how feisty Duke Kyron is so I¡¯m a little curious about what kind of woman kept staying on his side. What¡¯s your name?¡± ????? TL¡¯s corner I have a feeling that all hell will break loose. Chapter 43 Translator: void ????? There was no escape. I had to tell the Crown Prince my name with my head bowed down. ¡°My name is Arielsa.¡± This human was a master. Although I did not expect such a question from him, my mind still went blank. Just because I knew of the future did not mean that my tricks and actions would suddenly jump to the master level. I sweated under his pressure in fear of making any mistake. ¡°Arielsa¡­ So? Tell me your secret. How did you win the heart of Duke Kyron?¡± ¡°Me?¡± I accidentally spat out my words in annoyance. I saw the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes turning bigger before I hurriedly bowed down once again. I had to speak quickly and as timidly as possible to make it seem like I did not know what I should do. ¡°The Duke likes the tea that I make. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s not the only reason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because you¡¯re pretty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was barely able to hold back my sigh. If Kyron Harpel is a man that gets fascinated by a woman¡¯s beauty, would he still be single now? Well, thank you for saying that I¡¯m pretty. I bowed my head further as I spoke as politely as I could. ¡°I know that it¡¯s only a joke but I would take it as Your Highness¡¯ very generous compliment. Thank you, Your Highness. Then, I will get going now.¡± I stepped down without giving him any time to talk. I only had a short conversation with him but I could clearly see that the Crown Prince was not an easy person to deal with. I quickly left the hallway to escape the knights staring at me. It seemed like I had to remain vigilant during his stay here. ??? The Crown Prince came to the Duke¡¯s office early the next morning. Duke Kyron, who had been waiting for him, politely pointed to the sofa but the Crown Prince went straight towards the window. ¡°Oh my, is that the castle tower over there? His Majesty was very disappointed when the Duke was absent from the hunt.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s tone did not hide the fact that he did not believe Duke Kyron¡¯s excuse at all. However, Duke Kyron just calmly replied to him. ¡°It ruined this year¡¯s spring festival. And we have also stopped the construction so we wouldn¡¯t disturb Your Highness¡¯ rest.¡± ¡°What a pity. You now have a flaw in your historic castle.¡± ¡°The North always overcomes its hardships, Your Highness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The Duke should know best how important Harpel is to the Empire. Without the Duke, who would protect the barrier from the demonic beasts?¡± Duke Kyron looked a bit short with his head bowed down. ¡°It¡¯s my calling and duty to keep the demonic beasts from defiling this land.¡± The Crown Prince stared at Duke Kyron with a subtle smile on his face before going to the sofa. ¡°Arielsa, what tea are you going to make for me?¡± Duke Kyron looked back at me when he heard the Crown Prince¡¯s cheerful voice. Even I felt flustered with the Crown Prince calling out to me comfortably as if we had known each other for 10 years. ¡°How does yendel herb tea sounds like, Your Highness?¡± Of course, I chose it for Duke Kyron who was looking at me with disapproval. He looked like he was under extreme stress right now. I was the only one that could tell since he was standing behind the Crown Prince but his expression was so intense that I couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered. The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes widened as he asked me without knowing what was happening behind him. ¡°Does the Duke like that tea?¡± I glanced at Duke Kyron before speaking. ¡°The Duke likes tea with a strong flavor¡­ would you like to try cinnamon tea instead?¡± ¡°The Duke enjoys cinnamon tea? Then, I want to taste that. I¡¯m here to taste the flavor of the North after all.¡± He smiled at me as he said that. You want to taste the flavor of the North? That sounded a lot like it was filled with meanings. I bowed and turned away afraid that I would be caught with an insolent expression. Duke Kyron¡¯s eyebrows were also furrowed but I only saw them briefly as I passed by. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± I took two cups of cinnamon tea to the table. When I tried to step back, the Crown Prince held my wrists tightly. I was shocked as I turned to look at the Duke who was looking at the Crown Prince with a hardened expression on his face. It was an extremely slow movement. The Crown Prince spoke with a harmless smile. ¡°Let¡¯s drink together, Arielsa. Since you¡¯re the daughter of ¡®Harpel¡¯s Shield¡¯ you¡¯re not inferior at all even if you joined me. Right?¡± ¡°I entered this room as a maid¡­¡± But I was already sitting next to the Crown Prince. It was because he pulled my wrists without any hesitation. It was a situation where I couldn¡¯t say anything about what I was in this room. ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince.¡± That was a threat. Duke Kyron¡¯s voice was flat and dull but it was also hiding something sharp. At first glance, one would mistake it as a calm voice. But the threat laced in his words were vividly conveyed to my ears that I felt like I was going to cut myself with the sharpness. I couldn¡¯t think properly because I felt dizzy. What¡¯s wrong with this person! Why is he holding me so tightly! I pulled my hand out of the Crown Prince¡¯s grasp as I covered my mouth. Then, I shouted. ¡°How dare someone like me? Can I really have that honor?¡± Duke Kyron looked at me with gritted teeth when I spoke as if I was surprised and couldn¡¯t understand the situation. The Crown Prince looked a bit embarrassed with my sudden change in behavior. But he wouldn¡¯t care either way since he did not know my personality at all. ¡°Of course. Just do what I told you to do.¡± ¡°Oh my. How could I? What do I do¡­?¡± In response to the Crown Prince¡¯s pleasant words, I jumped around on the chair as I continued to speak ¡®What do I do¡¯. Because of my movements, the two cups of cinnamon tea on the table jumped up too. ¡°Arielsa, do you like it that much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural to feel honored if I¡¯m sitting next to the Empire¡¯s Little Sun, Your Highness.¡± He titled his head and supported it with the back of his hand as he looked at me in interest. I made sure to avoid Duke Kyron¡¯s glare that was coming my way. ¡°Hoo.¡± ¡°Actually, I wasn¡¯t able to sleep a wink last night. Although I heard that Your Highness is the most handsome man in the Empire, it¡¯s a bit hard to believe since it¡¯s only from the rumors. But when I saw you in person, how should I say this¡­¡± Ah, shoot! My type is Kyron Harpel. Lying about my type is the most difficult type of lie. When praises came out from my mouth, the Crown Prince encouraged me as if he wanted me to speak more. ¡°What is it?¡± Seeing the interest in his eyes, I squeezed out my words while feeling like I tasted some shxt. ¡°Uhmmm¡­ Since the sun has come to the North, I felt like the real summer has come, or something like that? But if that is the case, then I have to change my calendar but I need the Duke¡¯s permission to do that¡­¡± At that moment, I felt like I could bet 10,000 won that I had a rash on my stomach. I decided there and then to never swear at those who flatter me from now on. Praising and flattering someone was something that you have to put your soul into. I couldn¡¯t help but huff a bit after speaking a lie. To be honest, he looked just like a seven. Nothing more, nothing less. In other words, I was telling that it was a bit absurd for me to sit in one place together with the beautiful and clear Crown Prince and the cool-headed and powerful Lord of the North. I did not know if he knew my intentions or not, but Duke Kyron thankfully spoke quietly. ¡°Arielsa, that¡¯s disrespectful. What about your reputation?¡± ¡°Heok! I¡¯m sorry. This is why my father told me to never show myself and keep my mouth shut to maintain the Duke¡¯s reputation. I¡¯m sorry¡­ Sob!¡± When I tried to cry, the Crown Prince turned to look at Duke Kyron with an awkward expression. The disapproval on the Duke¡¯s face was instantly wiped out. Since they turned away from me, I naturally got up from my seat and left the room. At that moment, I felt good since I thought that Duke Kyron and I were in perfect harmony. The Crown Prince¡¯s escorts almost grabbed me when they saw the slight smile on my face. When I went out, Chaers, who was waiting out in the hallway, quickly approached me. ¡°Are the two of them still talking?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Chaers.¡± ¡°Then come out with me while we wait for them to finish talking.¡± I wanted to say ¡®But I don¡¯t want to¡¯ but I couldn¡¯t say anything when I saw the Crown Prince¡¯s knights. ¡°Yes, Sir Chaers.¡± I bowed my head and walked down the hallway with Chaers. He opened the door of the waiting room in the middle of the hallway. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh and sat down on the sofa. It seemed like I was already exhausted. ¡°How was the mood?¡± ¡°His Highness, the Crown Prince, is¡­¡± I looked around the room to check if no one was there before I whispered to him. ¡°Is completely selling dr¡­ is completely different from the outside.¡± Chaers smiled as if he understood what I was trying to say. ¡°He¡¯s going to be the Emperor. What did you expect?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Chaers did not talk to me until I caught my breath but I knew that his gaze remained on me the whole time. He looked a bit different today. He was usually cold, but his coldness was at the level of ¡®I¡¯m busy so don¡¯t talk to me unless it¡¯s important¡¯. But now, he was completely cold. I opened my mouth carefully when my agitation subsided a bit. I felt a bit uncomfortable staying in the room with him alone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you feel uncomfortable with me because of my dad¨D¡± ¡°¨DI¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I made peace with Sir George.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief!¡± I spoke with sincere joy upon hearing the news. However, Chaers¡¯ expression did not change at all. ¡°I have resolved the misunderstanding with Sir George.¡± ¡°Really? What misunderstanding?¡± Chaers¡¯ gaze and smile that was directed at me was a bit twisted. ????? Notes Selling drugs ¨C an idiom/proverb/saying (I¡¯m not entirely sure) that meant selling fake drugs. It means that someone was saying things that they did not really mean just like a person selling fake drugs while telling people that it was the real thing.