Chapter 22: Resolve
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 22: Resolve
Loik instructed the kitchen to include an abundance of fruit in every dessert.
Fruit was a rarity during Blenheim’s winters.
Nevertheless, the chef seemed to have taken the Grand Duke’s first-ever personal request to heart. From the next day onward, the desserts served were piled high with an almost excessive amount of fruit.
Since Loik had begun to scrutinize the desserts at every meal, he couldn't help but notice the change.
Everything was like that now.
Facts he had never noticed before suddenly became reality the moment the Lady spoke of them.
When she mentioned the sea, the beautiful waters bordering Blenheim finally came to mind. When she offered to tie his cravat, he finally noticed what he was wearing. When she asked about the servants, he finally saw the maids scurrying away at the sight of him.
His days, which had always passed in a hazy blur, were being colored for the first time.
But Loik soon realized he had to be wary of it all.
Leon was one of his most cherished subordinates. Though the boy was still young, Loik had knighted him early despite his commoner roots because of his exceptional skill.
Seeing Leon and the Lady so comfortable with each other had sparked an inexplicable surge of anger. Unable to sit there and watch it, he had abruptly dismissed the knight.
Why did I do that?
Only when night fell and he was alone could Loik truly chew over his emotions.
Was it jealousy? A childish sense of possessiveness?
Or was it because his body had become so comfortable since the Lady appeared, as if he were a different person?
Every time those small hands touched him, the tension in his body dissolved, replaced by a pleasant lethargy. Just having her arm rest lightly against his sent warmth coursing through his entire being.
On the nights she sat by his bed and gently patted him, he felt a sense of peace spreading from his fingertips—a feeling so wonderful it was followed by a suffocating, intense fear.
The mere thought of her letting go of his hand made his heart ache.
Loik almost choked up at the surge of emotion.
The Lady was dangerous.
He knew it, yet he couldn't reject her when they were face-to-face. Even as he told himself he must never get used to her touch, he found himself hoping she would suddenly appear again.
Don't get the wrong idea.
The Lady wasn't staying in Blenheim because she liked him. She simply needed a place to stay for a year. And because she was naturally born to be lovely, she was merely sharing her overflowing affection with him as well.
But Loik could not allow anyone by his side.
The previous Grand Duke had met his end less than a year after being cursed. Loik still remembered the day his father screamed upon realizing the curse would be passed down to his son.
With a face full of bitter regret, his father had worried for him until the moment he died, saying that if he had known, he would never have entered into a contract with the dragon, whether Blenheim collapsed or not.
His father had no choice, but Loik was different.
He would never produce an heir to inherit the curse. This agonizing pain had to end with his generation.
He felt sorry for the ancestors of Blenheim, but it couldn't be helped. They would never find a way to break the dragon's curse.
The Lady’s presence only lessened the pain; it didn't solve the curse. Therefore, Loik must not forget how to endure the agony.
I must not get used to the warmth.
If he grew accustomed to it, he could never go back to the way things were. He would spend the rest of his life in misery, craving a peace he could never truly possess.
He had impulsively agreed when she said she wanted to stay for a year, but this was as far as he would let himself be swept away. If she kept crossing the line so defenselessly, he would have to be the one to maintain the distance.
Her dejected face had been pitiful, but he had to give her this much of a warning so that the Consort would at least have a minimum sense of caution.
After standing by the door for a long time, Loik called Whitley and gave him an order.
"Place a writing gueridon next to the sofa in the office."
He remembered how uncomfortable the Lady had looked earlier, trying to read in the office without a place to rest her arms.
I can't just leave her like that when I know she's uncomfortable.
Trying to justify his actions to himself, Loik shook his head to dispel the image of the Consort’s crestfallen face.
*
The next morning, I didn't go to see the Grand Duke. I didn't want to risk being banned from his room entirely if I annoyed him so early in the day.
Is it still too soon to visit the office?
Whitley told me that "His Highness is busy all day, but he might have a moment of free time toward evening," so I decided to bring the Grand Duke a snack around sunset.
"The weather is so warm; maybe I should read outside?"
The sunlight was perfect for a bit of photosynthesis. When I mentioned I wanted to read, the kind Whitley personally brought me a list of general books.
Unfortunately, the "general" books in the Grand Duke's Castle were all at least twenty years old—stuffy religious novels or practical manuals with tedious titles.
"I'll take this one, please."
"This... book, you mean?"
Whitley, ever the professional, didn't lose his smile despite his bewilderment. I took the book he brought and headed to the garden.
Reta, who had been attending to me more frequently lately, soon brought out warm tea and a plate full of fresh strawberries.
"The strawberries here really are the best."
I was munching on a sweet strawberry and flipping through a few pages when a voice called out.
"Your Highness the Consort!"
It was Perel. He was crossing the garden with the Grand Duke and called out to me with a bright face.
"Sir Perel!"
Ignoring the Grand Duke standing beside him, Perel hurried toward me.
"Lady Consort, it has been a long time."
Pfft.
I couldn't help but laugh at the way the aide suddenly turned formal once he reached me. Perel tilted his head in confusion.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm just so glad to see you. I was starting to think it was harder to see our aide than the Grand Duke himself."
At my words, Perel looked visibly embarrassed. "I've been away from the castle for a while, so I had quite a lot of work to catch up on."
The Grand Duke, who had been trailing behind, approached the tea table with slow steps.
"Your Highness."
I stood up, clutching my skirts, and gave him an elegant bow. I was being much more polite than usual.
I wonder if his mood has improved?
When I looked up, the Grand Duke's handsome face caught the light. Contrary to my hopes, his gaze was deeply subdued. He seemed to still be in a bad mood.
"Were you out for a stroll?"
"...I was on my way to the watchtower on business."
I smiled warmly, but his reply was stiff and curt. Startled by the Grand Duke's cold attitude, Perel quickly changed the subject.
"Were you reading a book?"
"Yes."
"May I ask what you're reading? I have quite a few books in my office. If you tell me what you like..."
Perel peeked at the title on the cover of the closed book and blinked.
"Oh, my eyes must be failing me. For a moment, I thought it was a cookbook."
"It is a cookbook."
Perel’s eyes went wide.
"100 Recipes for a Wife to be Loved by Her Husband..."
Perel’s voice trailed off as he read the title.
At those words, the Grand Duke let out a sudden, hacking cough. His long neck was turning a deep shade of red.
Oh? Come to think of it, he's not wearing a cravat today.
I stared at his bare neck for a moment before finally reacting to Perel’s gaze.
"Ah! Don't misunderstand. I'm not reading it because I plan to cook."
I just need to know what kind of dishes exist so I can ask the chef to make them.
I was just looking to see if there were any other dishes that might suit my palate, like the tomato stew. Naturally, since there was only one cookbook on the general book list, I didn't have much of a choice.
"Where do you keep finding such strange books?"
The Grand Duke interjected, pretending not to be interested. Had his mood improved slightly in the meantime? His grumbling voice sounded softer than before.
"It's a book from the castle library."
"And why... are you reading out here?" the Grand Duke asked, his gaze slightly averted. "It's quite cold."
"Well, I didn't really have anywhere else to go."
Since someone told me not to visit. I added that last part under my breath, and the Grand Duke’s eyes wavered.
Actually, Whitley had set up a thermal magic tool for me, so it wasn't cold at all.
"Th-that was only for the nighttime..."
"Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
Perel, who hadn't heard my whispered remark, cried out with a stunned expression.
"Nowhere to go? Is your room uncomfortable? There's an empty room next to my office, so..."
"Go to my office," the Grand Duke cut Perel off sharply. "At least it gets plenty of sunlight during the day."
I blinked at his suddenly generous attitude. "When will you be there?"
"I... will be out all afternoon."
Wait, what? What am I supposed to do alone in a room without its owner?
It was absurd, but I tried my best to hide my disappointment. "What about tomorrow?"
"I won't be there tomorrow either."
I should have known he was being too agreeable.
I could see right through him. He'd probably be "sick" the day after that, and the day after that, he'd have to attend some distant relative's wedding.