Chapter 114
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body.
Chapter 114
"We've arrived at the Grand Duchy!"
With the Knight's cry, Kaian's—no, Ian's—face, which had been lifeless, bloomed with radiant emotion.
"Finally...."
Despite moving ceaselessly from the Miel Barony to the Northern Region, four days had slipped away like sand through fingers.
And that meant this hellish stretch of time had dragged on for four endless days.
"Well, I suppose we should wrap up these old tales now."
"Aha. Randolph, that was truly entertaining and enlightening."
Soon after, April's forced laughter reached my ears, strangely devoid of energy.
When I glanced sideways at her, it was exactly as I suspected. April's expression was far from pleased.
Four days of listening to nothing but fanatical praise for Blaire Grand Duke—anyone would feel the same.
Fortunately, Kaian was riding his horse some distance away, but that hardly meant freedom.
It was the first time I'd ever cursed my own body for becoming so refined and sensitive through training.
But now that we'd reached the very threshold of the Grand Duchy, this ordeal was finally over.
"I'll go on ahead."
Seizing the moment, Kaian seized the reins and urged his horse forward at greater speed.
I felt as though I couldn't endure another moment in this place.
"Ah, yes. You go on ahead. We'll take good care of the Young Lady April."
Randolph's irritating attitude grated on my nerves, but that was a matter for later. For now, he was merely a guard in my service.
"...I'll see you in a few days."
I'd already informed April that I wouldn't be able to attend to escort duties for some time, so with a brief bow, I galloped toward the Grand Duchy.
Let someone mock me as a coward in retreat if they wished. There was nothing I could do about it. Because....
"...Two years ago, it was the day I went to control the troll population that had bred excessively. During the battle, I lost my sword and was on the verge of death, unable to defend myself. But then!"
"But then...?"
"His Majesty Blaire Grand Duke appeared from nowhere with a triple tumbling technique and crushed the troll's head with a powerful hand strike, saving me!"
What kind of unfunny theatrical performance was this?
As the absurd, exaggerated tales of valor continued, I felt my skin crawl from head to toe.
Moreover, though I couldn't reveal my identity and had to remain silent, calling April a prospective Grand Duchess—what was that supposed to mean?
Of course, welcoming April as Grand Duchess wouldn't be the worst scenario, but I needed to understand the situation through Liam as soon as possible.
The moment Kaian arrived before the Grand Duke's Residence, the first thing he did was remove his transformation ring.
"Eek... Y-Your Majesty?"
The servants who caught sight of him for the first time in ages gasped in shock.
Considering how he always maintained an immaculate appearance, the sight of him in clothes that had become little more than rags, limping as he walked, was utterly unfamiliar.
But he paid no mind and immediately made his way toward Liam's Office.
Crash!
"Liam."
"Y-Your Majesty?"
Startled by the sudden visit, Liam even dropped the pen he'd been holding, rising to his feet a beat too late.
Kaian strode toward him and opened his mouth with a somewhat menacing tone.
"I have much to explain to you today."
I was about to ask for the full story from the beginning, but Liam beat me to it.
"Before that, there is someone you must meet first."
"...Who?"
"Robert Count, a trusted subordinate of Stefan Marquis."
* * *
Upon arriving at the Grand Duke's Residence, I immediately submerged myself in hot water.
As my frozen body thawed, a warm bed welcomed me in turn.
After that, I rejected Bonita's meal offerings and fell into a deathlike sleep with the blackout curtains drawn tight.
Honestly, I would have preferred to sleep eternally like this....
But life rarely goes according to one's wishes.
Knock, knock.
"...."
Knock, knock, knock.
"...."
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
"Ugh, for heaven's sake...."
Even with my ears covered, the knocking came through crystal clear.
Don't do this. I'm suffering from exhaustion right now!
Or rather, I need time to recover my eardrums, which the knights damaged....
After being tormented by so many people in such a short span, I needed time alone.
Time to purify my body, contaminated(?) by external activities, while in bed—or so I might say?
In any case, now was not the time.
At least a week, or please, even just three days... *sobs*.
"Miss, please have your meal."
Despite my resistance, Bonita's voice from beyond the door made me groan in distress.
"No, I don't need to eat...."
"You absolutely cannot skip meals! Besides, you've already been sleeping for sixteen hours!"
"Ugh... I... don't want to."
Whoosh!
Bonita finally opened the door and burst in, sweeping the thick curtains wide open.
As sunlight poured through the large window, I burrowed into my blankets like someone engulfed in flames.
The light, which I hadn't seen in so long, pricked my eyelashes until I thought I might go blind.
"Kyaaaah...."
Is this how a vampire feels when exposed to sunlight?
Yet despite my desperate resistance, the formidable Bonita didn't even blink.
"Sleeping like this will only harm your health. Eat your meal, and you can sleep again once it gets dark."
Even if I strongly refused here... Bonita wouldn't listen to me anyway.
The only silver lining was that the cold weather meant she wouldn't force me outside for exercise.
"Fine, fine... *sobs*."
I made up an excuse about already being on the verge of waking up as I slowly pushed myself upright.
Truth be told, I couldn't ignore the irresistible aroma wafting from the food Bonita had brought—my hunger suddenly surged with a vengeance.
Drawn like a moth to flame, I turned my gaze toward the tray before me and gaped like a primitive human discovering fire for the first time.
"That looks delicious."
"Doesn't it? I've specially curated this menu just for you, Miss, after all your hardship!"
The spread was modest—a light soup, soft bread, and plump tangerines—but in terms of pure quality, it seemed superior to what I'd eaten in the Empire.
Compared to the days I'd survived on nothing but jerky, this meal was incomparably luxurious.
"Thank you for this meal!"
But the moment I lifted a spoonful of soup to my lips.
A familiar face suddenly flashed through my mind.
'Come to think of it... I wonder if Ian made it back safely?'
He had mentioned he wouldn't be able to visit for a while.
"My primary duties will be demanding, so once I return to the Grand Duke's Residence, work will be difficult for some time."
"Oh, I thought you'd given up your main position... Yes, I understand. Please do make sure your leg recovers fully."
"I will."
What bothered me was the feeling that I hadn't explained anything to him.
The next time we met, I felt I should be able to give him some clear explanation.
'But will things really change once I explain?'
In truth, I was somewhat confused about what I actually felt toward Ian.
Now that I thought about it...
'I think I've felt something similar toward Blaire Grand Duke as well.'
But there was no way I could like Blaire Grand Duke.
What was this? Was I so exhausted from work that my emotions were becoming tangled?
As I sat lost in thought with the spoon in my mouth, Bonita spoke up in her cheerful voice.
"Oh, that's right! His Grace the Grand Duke asked to see you once you woke up!"
"Huh? Oh, um... he did?"
"Yes, and come to think of it, His Grace is truly remarkable. He must be so tired, yet he's been up since early morning."
At this unexpected information, my eyes widened in surprise.
"Huh? He's tired? Why?"
"Oh, he had business to attend to, so he's been away from the Grand Duke's Residence for several days. He only returned last night. It seems he arrived around the same time as you, Miss."
Had something gone wrong?
Or was this the period when a monster wave was about to break out?
If not that, could it be that Stefan Marquis House was scheming something again, causing more headaches?
My endless chain of thoughts came to an abrupt halt, struck like lightning by a sudden realization.
"Oh, the comic book!"
I had no idea how things had progressed with the comic book project during my absence.
What if there had been delays in publication while I was gone?
Fortunately, Bonita, noticing my expression darkening in real time, quickly added,
"I was going to explain anyway since I thought you'd worry. Don't concern yourself about the comic book, Miss!"
"Huh?"
"Baroness Fabron has been staying at the Grand Duke's Residence for several days now!"
Bonita's explanation that followed went like this.
The moment Baroness Fabron confirmed the plagiarism incident involving the Stefan Marquis House, she hastily wrote up some arbitrary story and sent it off, then packed her belongings and came to the Grand Duchy.
She had worried in her heart, thinking I would handle it myself once the story leaked.
But then, when unavoidable circumstances arose and I happened to be absent, that was when her judgment truly began to shine.
Only after hearing that there were no problems with the deadline did I finally exhale a sigh of relief.
"Phew, thank goodness."
Thanks to the Baroness, I could finally catch my breath. Now, only one thing remained.
'I need to have it out with the Grand Duke.'
I wasn't entirely sure why he wanted to see me, but I had a strong premonition it was because of the incident with the prospective Grand Duchess.
If it was a choice made to rescue Ian and me quickly, then I had nothing to say against it.
"I should finish eating this first, though."
Once my tangled thoughts had sorted themselves out somewhat, I popped the rest of the fruit into my mouth with a noticeably lighter expression.
"Of course. No matter how busy you are, you must take care of your meals!"
She was right.
Hehe, but returning to everyday life really is wonderful.
Now that I knew what suffering awaited beyond these walls, all that remained for me was a comfortable, cozy life at home.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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