WMCT 07

Chapter 07

Iblea simply smiled brightly.

After watching her face for a moment, Calypso nodded.

“Very well.”

At last, permission was granted, and the knights immediately rushed forward as if they had been waiting for it.

“My lady, I will escort you to the carriage.”

“What are you talking about? I will do it! I even have an escort qualification certificate.”

“That’s nonsense! Move aside! I’ll do it!”

“My lady! Please take my hand. I will safely protect you from any attackers.”

While Iblea was feeling flustered at the four hands suddenly being offered to her—

“Get in.”

Calypso had somehow already boarded the carriage and was now extending his hand toward her. He looked every bit like a prince from a fairy tale.

At the sight of him, the knights withdrew with obvious disappointment, and Iblea inwardly felt relieved. Compared to choosing any of those knights, this was far cleaner and less troublesome.

Feeling much more at ease, Iblea placed her hand in Calypso’s.

But then she immediately had to widen her eyes in surprise.

Calypso wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Their faces came dangerously close.

“W-what are you doing…?”

Iblea stammered in confusion at the impossibly close, sculpted face before her, but she couldn’t finish her sentence—Calypso cut in with an unbothered expression.

“You should be more careful. You nearly fell.”

“M-me?”

Her eyes trembled slightly.

Me? I was about to fall? I was walking just fine…

Meanwhile, Calypso lifted her effortlessly and placed her on the carriage seat.

Still confused, Iblea didn’t forget her manners.

“Thank you?”

“Don’t mention it.”

Calypso, now seated across from her, crossed his legs and tilted his head slightly.

Iblea frowned as if still unsure about what had just happened.

Watching her reaction, Calypso dismissed his earlier suspicion.

So she’s not interested in me.

If Iblea had boarded the carriage because she was interested in him, she would have shown some kind of reaction—blushing or otherwise—at his sudden actions.

But her attitude was clean, unaffected.

And it doesn’t seem like the Duke ordered her either.

He recalled the Duke of Calin’s flustered expression earlier, his eyelashes trembling in disbelief. That reaction was far too genuine to be faked.

Then there was only one explanation.

She had simply come to the temple because she had business there.

The daughter of House Calin would naturally be going to the temple to give thanks after waking from five years of slumber, or to receive blessings for her new beginning.

“Your Grace.”

As both of them were lost in thought, they simultaneously looked toward the open carriage door.

The Duke of Calin had approached.

“Please take good care of Iblea. As you know, she has only recently awakened. The physician says she’s physically fine as long as she doesn’t overexert herself, but as a parent, it still worries me.”

Iblea felt her chest warm at her father’s words.

No matter what, a father was still a father.

Even knowing his daughter’s obvious antics, he still went along with it. And now he was worrying about his foolish daughter.

At this moment, Iblea felt like she could happily accept being scolded at the ducal household if it meant staying there.

“I understand. I will keep that in mind.”

“I’m relieved to hear that. Thank you, Your Grace.”

After saying that, the Duke’s gaze turned to Iblea.

“Iblea.”

“Yes, Father.”

Still floating in a sea of emotion, Iblea looked at him with moist eyes.

“On your way….”

The Duke hesitated, his lips moving slightly without sound.

Iblea could already guess what he was going to say.

He’s going to tell me not to overdo it… or not to go… or to behave…

She was already bracing herself emotionally, almost wanting to say she wouldn’t go at all.

But then—

“On your way,” the Duke continued, “just… try to talk a little less.”

“…Pardon?”

“Instead of talking ten times, talk once. Or rather, instead of a hundred times, just once.”

“….”

“Understood?”

“…Yes.”

Iblea felt the warmth in her heart evaporate without a trace.

I should definitely leave the house.

If she stayed here any longer, she felt like she would be completely ruined.

“Oh, Your Grace,” the Duke added quickly, “please don’t misunderstand. The physician did say she’s perfectly normal, but since she only recently woke up, her speech might still be a bit… unrefined. That incident in the office earlier was probably just aftereffects. So I’m simply being cautious.”

“Oh, I understand.”

Calypso’s lips twitched faintly as he answered.

But the Duke, too busy praising his daughter, did not notice.

“I understand completely.”

At Calypso’s generous response, the Duke looked satisfied.

“Then I will leave her in your care. Iblea, listen well to His Grace.”

With those final words, the carriage departed.

As it moved farther away, shrinking into the distance, the Duke finally turned back toward the mansion.

At that moment, Francis approached him.

“Father, where is Iblea?”

She was just here a moment ago. Francis looked around frantically, but his sister was nowhere to be seen.

“Iblea has gone to the temple with the Grand Duke.”

“With the Grand Duke? Why?”

“It just happened that way.”

“What? What do you mean ‘it just happened that way’?”

Francis gaped in disbelief.

“What if rumors spread? They’re both unmarried! And Iblea only just woke up—what if she collapses again? I’ll go bring her back right now!”

He looked ready to sprint after the carriage.

But the Duke stopped him.

“Leave it. If rumors spread, it will be the Grand Duke’s responsibility. And if Iblea collapses, the Grand Duke will take responsibility for that as well.”

“Excuse me? What…?”

A possibility flashed through Francis’s mind, and his expression hardened.

“Father… are you planning to marry Iblea off to the Grand Duke?”

“Yes.”

The Duke did not deny it.

Francis frowned deeply.

“She only just woke up, and you’re already talking about marriage? At least let her do what she wants for a while!”

“What she wants? She’s already twenty. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Twenty isn’t late! She could marry next year or the year after!”

At that, the Duke let out a quiet sigh.

In truth, Francis wasn’t entirely wrong.

It wasn’t really about missing her marriage age or running out of suitable candidates.