The Duke's Gaze
Men never cry over something like this..! It was freezing. A single drop of cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck under the countless gazes directed at me. Did I… did I just say that out loud? For real? It was the kind of absurd, third-rate plot device you'd see in some trashy romance fantasy novel. Had I really done something so ridiculous and idiotic?
"A… Alice…"
Lani-senpai took a step back from me, her face filled with disbelief. Seeing the senior who had always approached me first react like that, it seemed I'd truly spoken the words I'd kept buried in my heart.
"….Ahaha."
I'm so screwed. That was the only way to describe the current situation. Goodbye, my eight-figure salary… Goodbye, my dream cafe that was supposed to open in splendor in the Imperial Capital. In a world where insulting a count or baron could get you arrested and imprisoned, I'd gone and badmouthed the Grand Duke right to his face. It was a suicidal act that not even a third-rate extra villain from a novel would commit.
When the cold blue eyes of Arvian Valaxar—the hero who dominated battlefields and the king who ruled the North—turned toward me, my entire body froze solid. So that's where the overwhelming aura of the young Grand Duchess came from. She'd inherited it from her father.
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. What should I do? Should I beg for forgiveness? Considering the Grand Duke's outwardly righteous demeanor, he might show mercy. Or should I run? I glanced at the black ring on my left index finger. It was a magical tool that let me move to any shadow within my line of sight up to three times a day. If I used it well, I might be able to escape this mansion.
But what then? This wasn't like the Imperial Capital, surrounded by buildings. This was the North, blanketed in snow and bitter cold. Even if I managed to flee, I had no idea where I could go in this vast snowy field. And I'd likely spend the rest of my life as a wanted criminal for insulting the Northern Grand Duke.
Let's ask for forgiveness first. I'd bow my head and apologize. Even though he treated his daughter like garbage, he at least maintained a courteous appearance toward others. It didn't seem completely impossible.
But that faint hope vanished cleanly the moment the Grand Duke's blue eyes flashed with a chilling light.
"…What did you just say?"
After staring at me in silence for a while, the Grand Duke turned his body and began walking toward me. Yeah… forgiveness was clearly off the table. No choice then. Time to run.
Why had I worked so hard to raise my specs? Why had I trekked all the way to the graveyard behind the academy mountain to obtain this magical tool? It was precisely for situations like this—to survive a crisis.
Of course, this crisis was one I'd brought upon myself… but there was no use crying over spilled milk. Even in this freezing snowy field, if I didn't give up, there would surely be ways to survive. Since things had come to this, I'd just hurl some refreshing curses at that pathetic excuse for a parent and bolt.
I quickly scanned my surroundings, searching for the farthest shadow in my line of sight. That tree growing atop the pure white snowfield in the distance. If I moved to its shadow, I could at least escape his view for a moment.
The Grand Duke, who had approached before I knew it, looked down at me with blazing eyes.
"What did you just—"
"Y-Your Grace!!"
The moment the Grand Duke reached out toward me, the head maid urgently stepped forward and stopped him.
"Th-this is the new child who just joined us. She's usually diligent and commendable… It seems she let her mind slip for a moment. I will educate her properly."
"….."
The head maid's desperate voice as she shielded me. I was incredibly grateful that she would step forward even in such a dangerous situation… but unfortunately, it didn't work on the Grand Duke at all.
"Move aside."
He pushed the head maid away and looked at me again. Realizing it was over, I immediately tried to activate the magical tool. But at that moment—
CRASH—!!
A sudden loud noise came from the direction of the mansion's door. An intense sound, as if something were breaking. It was an unpleasant noise that made one frown. But thanks to that sound, the Grand Duke's gaze was pulled away from me.
"…What are you doing, Adriel?"
Following the Grand Duke's gaze, I could clearly identify the source of the noise. One of the wolf-shaped marble statues that had stood on either side of the mansion's main entrance lay toppled on the ground, shattered into pieces. And standing before the shattered statue was none other than the young Grand Duchess.
"I'm… sorry… I tripped and fell, and…"
"…Tsk."
The Grand Duke clicked his tongue with a greatly distorted face. Having lost interest in me, he immediately turned and walked toward his daughter.
"As expected, you take after your mother in your clumsiness. Never show such a sight in front of others again."
After hurling those harsh words at his daughter, the Grand Duke entered the mansion. The young Grand Duchess bit her lip hard, hung her head low, then glanced at me once before quietly disappearing from view.
In the spot where the storm had swept through and left, as I stood there blinking blankly, the head maid—who had approached before I knew it—grabbed my wrist with a face full of fury.
"Come with me right now."
*
Unlike before, when it had carried the fresh scent of scented candles and a calm atmosphere, the head maid's office was now filled with the sharp sound of flesh being torn and agitated breathing.
SMACK—!
"Ugh..! Forty-seven..!"
I squeezed my eyes shut at the stinging pain. But as if refusing to give me any rest, the head maid's switch flew mercilessly toward my calf once more.
SMACK—!
"F… forty-eight.."
"Louder. Do you want to start over from the beginning?"
"U… understood.."
In the head maid's office, I was receiving punishment for the atrocity I'd committed. The head maid, who had declared she couldn't let this incident slide, said she had no choice but to discipline me. She struck my calf hard with a thin switch made of leather. Since I was reflecting on my own mistake, I lifted my skirt myself and began to endure the corporal punishment.
SMACK—!!
"Eut.. forty-nine..!"
My calf felt as hot as if it had been burned. The pain was so intense it was hard to even stand, but I gritted my teeth and endured it.
A man… can't be whimpering over something like this..!
SMACK—!!
"Ack..!!"
But at the merciless blow of the thick leather, I couldn't help letting out a short groan. I'd managed to hold out until around the twentieth strike, but after that, the pain felt like my flesh was being ripped apart, and cold sweat began to flow. My eyes grew watery from the burning pain, but I clenched my teeth, refusing to let a single tear roll down my cheek. I absolutely could not cry.
I am a man..
And men never cry over something like this.. I somehow held on desperately with sheer willpower when—
"…All your seniors cried enough to leave this world… but you endured until the very end."
The head maid placed the switch on her desk and let out a sigh.
It's finally over.
Fortunately, I'd managed to protect my pride as a man. I felt a bit proud of myself for holding back my tears until the end. I lowered the skirt I'd been gripping tightly, and the head maid took out a box from her desk and approached me.
"It's bleeding. Your skin is already quite pale, so it looks even more vivid."
"Ugh.."
My body trembled at the sensation of something cold and sticky seeping into the wound. The burning pain gradually subsided, so it seemed she was applying ointment.
"Why did you do that? No matter how uncomfortable it was to watch, to say such things in front of His Grace… It's fortunate he let it pass, but your life was truly in danger."
…Yeah, I know. I didn't realize I'd do something so stupid either. I never thought I'd end up creating the kind of frustrating development I'd seen in so many romance fantasy novels. If I had to make an excuse… it was because I could feel the young Grand Duchess's sorrow directly in my chest, so I acted without thinking. Having spent my childhood without parents, I could empathize with her loneliness and emptiness. But that didn't change the fact that I'd done something insane. I wasn't stupid enough not to realize how lucky I was that the punishment for my crime ended with nothing more than a switch.
"I'm sorry…"
"If you understand, that's enough. Don't ever do something like that again, alright? I was so startled earlier."
"…Yes. Thank you so much for stepping in for me earlier."
Even when her own life had been at risk, the head maid had protected me. Honestly, I'd only seen her as a boss who paid me an eight-figure salary until now, but I couldn't look at her that way anymore.
I need to work even harder from now on.
I wanted to be helpful to the head maid so she wouldn't regret protecting me.
"Alright, go back to your room and rest. Reflect on what you've done one more time."
"…Yes. Thank you, Head Maid."
I bowed deeply to the head maid in greeting, then turned toward the door. My legs throbbed badly, but it didn't seem like I couldn't walk. With a weary heart, I made a firm resolution inside.
I won't pay attention anymore. Absolutely. How could someone who couldn't even take care of themselves worry about others? No matter how pitiful the young Grand Duchess was, I really didn't want to care anymore.
Just think about the cafe… only the cafe..
As I grabbed the door of the head maid's office with unsteady steps, I heard heavy footsteps from outside. Wondering if someone had been waiting, I opened the door, but the corridor beyond was empty.
"Huh?"
However, when I felt something hard under my foot and looked down, I saw an ornate case lying there.
"…..What is this?"
It definitely hadn't been there when I came in. Curious, I opened it. Inside the case—which clearly looked expensive—was an ointment that gave off a much more fragrant scent than the one the head maid had applied.