Chapter 02
“You know I already have a ton of work to do, right?”
“I know.”
“Then I really can’t add reading love letters for the Duke on top of everything.”
“You’re not the type to give up before even trying.”
“There’s no need to try. You have no idea how little sleep I get these days.
“More than I do?”
“You get an hour more sleep than I do.”
Conrad gritted his teeth and glared at Kalen.
Kalen gave a nod.
Then let’s get started. You read the letters out loud beside me while I work.
“As you work, read the letters.? Won’t that be reading complicated documents about harvests, wages for the serfs, mansion maintenance, and managing the private soldiers—on top of that, listening to love letters?
One mistake in the mining reports, especially a single wrong number, could lead to serious losses.
Conrad frowned, worried that this would lead to him writing the replies too.
“Just try it. We have no other choice.”
Kalen sighed deeply.
‘Why did Miss Wendy stand me up earlier?’
Earlier, he had instructed him to visit her, but they both insisted on saying “just a little longer” until they lost all sense of time.
They got too focused on work.
Conrad rushed out, returning with a bulky box.
It was stuffed with love letters to Kalen that were neatly stacked.
“They stacked up.”
It would take a long time to read all of the letters, even three a day.
“Let’s get started.”
Better to start now than forget again with some excuse.
“This is a letter from Lady Catherine of Amber County. ‘To the respected Duke Kalen, the golden stars decorate the night sky. I have heard stories about you like legends, like novels. I saw you once, from a distance. When you touch your ebony black hair, it must feel as soft as a cat’s fur. That…’”
“Wait, what’s ‘cat’s fur’?”
“Cat’s fur? I guess it means something soft because it said it feels soft when touched.”
“Hmm…”
“And your big hands must be like the claws of the famous dragon from Lar Gorge.”
“Dragon claws from Lar Gorge? Where is Lar Gorge?”
“I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve heard of that gorge…”
“Dragon claws? Does that mean dirty?”
“Oh, probably not.”
Even though Conrad was called a genius, he couldn’t figure out what the dragon claws of Lar Gorge meant.
Sharp? Strong?
Could it mean dirty?
By the way, where is Lar Gorge?
He knew all the place names on the Proctia continent, but this was new.
“What do dragon claws from Lar Gorge mean?”
“I don’t know either.”
“We need to find out where Lar Gorge is.”
Kalen looked through geography books, and Conrad checked other books for Lar Gorge.
But nowhere was it mentioned.
They couldn’t guess where this lady had seen Lar Gorge.
Because of these unclear words, Conrad couldn’t even finish reading one page.
It was also because Kalen was a neat freak who couldn’t stand a single confusing word.
But Conrad thought differently.
The duke just didn’t want to read these love letters!
Ah! What a tough mission.
***
Later,
Conrad stood before Lisa, lowering his head like a criminal.
Lisa took a sip of tea from a delicate porcelain cup and looked up at him coldly.
“Sit down.”
“I’m more comfortable standing.”
Standing and being scolded is easier than sitting.
Conrad politely clasped his hands and stood, ready to be scolded.
“So, are you reading the letters well?”
“I’m trying.”
“Have you written and sent all the replies?”
“So… to write a reply, I need to fully understand the letters, but some difficult words are making it hard for me…”
“Difficult words?”
Lisa didn’t understand what Conrad meant.
Her son Kalen was a genius, and Conrad, his aide, was just as smart.
That was why she kept him by her son’s side, even though he was a commoner.
So difficult words?
‘Those noble ladies wouldn’t use such difficult words…’
Lisa put down her cup and asked him,
“What are these difficult words, exactly?”
“First, I got stuck on the word ‘neungra.’”
“Cat fur? Is that a type of silk?”
“Oh! Could it be a kind of silk?”
“Well, they’re men, so maybe they don’t know. What’s the other word?”
“It’s a place name. Do you know Lar Gorge?
“Lar Gorge? You should know place names better than I!”
Lisa’s words were true, but even Conrad was hearing the name for the first time, which was frustrating.
They searched every corner of the Eneryten Kingdom and the whole Proctia continent, but Lar Gorge didn’t exist anywhere.
Thinking it might be an old name, they checked old books in Kalen’s study and even visited the National Library and Rodiel Library during their busy schedule, but it was all in vain.
Lar Gorge was nowhere to be found.
Lisa stared sharply at Conrad, who hung his head.
“So, how many letters have you read, and how many replies have you written? Did you make sure to include where to meet when you reply?”
“Well…”
Conrad began to sweat as Lisa pressed him.
Hesitating, he closed his eyes tightly and confessed with a sigh,
“I’m sorry. I haven’t read a single letter.”
“Oh my.”
Lisa groaned and rubbed her forehead as she looked at him like he was a criminal.
Come to think of it, Conrad was also a bachelor of marriageable age, but just like Ka0l0llen, he was hopeless when it came to romance.
Telling two men who know nothing about love to read and reply to love letters was like asking a noble lady to take a knight’s exam.
“So you haven’t written a single reply either?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh dear…”
Lisa stood up quickly, nervous and rubbing her hands as she paced.
Kalen was already 23 years old.
It was late for the Elias family to have children, given the average lifespan of the men in the family.
He had to tie the knot as soon as possible.
Clenching her fist, Lisa glared at Conrad.
“I’ll handle the letters myself.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Conrad bowed and stepped back, wiping the sweat from his neck.
After he left, Lisa drummed her fingers on the table.
Her mind was racing.
“He needs to fall in love before we can even talk about marriage.”
With Kalen’s personality, an arranged marriage was impossible, and a matchmaker’s marriage would be unfair to the lady.
Even though she desperately wanted him to marry anyone just to continue the family line, Kalen wouldn’t agree to marry someone he didn’t care for.
He had to find someone he felt at least a little affection for.
That’s why she showed him portraits—but that failed.
“Looks don’t matter. She has to be someone who understands me.”
That was what he said two years ago when Lisa showed him portraits of noble ladies.
The two men were unable to comprehend the meaning of the letters, so she forced him to read them. It was frustrating.
“I need to find someone to read the letters aloud first.”
Lisa thought again.
It had to be someone who could read well, understand women’s language, and know the latest trends in society.
Most importantly, it had to be someone trustworthy who could keep secrets.
“Where on earth am I going to find someone like that?”
She knew what kind of person she needed but doubted such a person existed.
Her head started to ache, so Lisa pressed her forehead hard.
She thought she needed to take some painkillers before thinking more.
***
El took a seat on the rock and began to tell a story while leaning her pickaxe against it.
Around her, about five or six children were listening with bright, eager eyes.
“Finally, Aarin helped the fairies defeat the enemy and married the Fairy King.”
“Wow!”
“That’s great!”
El smiled gently at the children’s reactions.
They heard the story many times, but their excitement was always like it was the first time, and El found that adorable.
“You’ve heard this story more than ten times already. Is it still fun?”
“Even if we hear it twenty, no, a hundred times more, it’s still fun!”
“Me too! Me too! It’s fun. Sister! The stories you make up are the best!”
Together, the kids said this, and El’s face brightened with a broad smile.
Just then, a middle-aged woman shouted from somewhere close by.
“Eddy! Erin! Why don’t you come sooner? The field is overflowing with work. Are you just playing around or what?
At the harsh shout, Eddy quickly stood up and grabbed his younger sister’s hand.
“That’s Mom! We’re coming. Sister El, the story was fun.”
Eddy, who was only seven years old, took the hand of six-year-old Erin and ran off.
Then Tom and the other children also quickly stood up.
“Let’s go too.”
“Bye, sister!”
As the children ran quickly toward their homes, El looked a little sad.
The people of Silus didn’t like the children coming to El to hear stories.
“Ha, they probably think stories don’t matter when they have to worry about living day by day.”
They disliked the idea of El telling what they saw as unrealistic stories.
But El thought differently.
“People can’t live by eating alone. Stories full of dreams and hope, stories that warm the heart and bring understanding—those are important for children too!”
She said this strongly, but it was a lonely whisper to herself.
“Still, I’m glad the children like my stories. It makes me happy too. What story should I tell next?”
She had told many fairy stories, so next time she thought she would make up a story about dragons and knights.
She enjoyed writing each new story.
“Well, I suppose it’s time for me to start working as well.
