Chapter 03
That voice… could it be—?
Startled, Irene quickly turned around.
The shoes she had been clutching to her chest slipped from her arms and tumbled down the stairs.
Standing there, slightly bent forward, was Karlos, holding out a candlestick toward her.
She had guessed it might be him from the voice, but seeing that it truly was Karlos made her even more shocked. Still sitting, Irene instinctively scooted backward.
But the stairs were right behind her.
Before she could move far, her body tilted backward.
“Ah…!”
With a small cry, Irene flung her hand forward.
It wasn’t because she expected Karlos to catch her—her body simply reacted in an attempt to regain balance.
Karlos grabbed her hand firmly and pulled her sharply toward him.
Thanks to that, she avoided tumbling down the stairs.
But now her hand was trapped in his.
Her blue eyes trembled violently.
The large hand gripping hers felt like a strong snare—uncomfortable and frightening.
Irene tried to pull her hand away, but Karlos didn’t let go.
Instead, he tightened his grip even more, as if he had no intention of ever releasing her.
“P-Please… let go.”
“You have something to say first.”
Something to say?
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Karlos explained calmly.
“In a situation like this, shouldn’t you say thank you for saving you?”
It was true.
But hearing those words come from him somehow felt strange.
“Th-Thank you…”
Only after Irene reluctantly expressed her gratitude did Karlos finally release her hand.
Rubbing her aching fingers, Irene awkwardly stood up.
“What were you doing here?”
Actually, she had been about to stand—but upon hearing the question, the strength drained from her legs and she sat back down again.
“There’s a bathroom in your room, so you weren’t trying to go there.”
His voice continued calmly above her head.
“Are you hungry? Or perhaps…”
The eyes looking down at her narrowed slightly.
“Were you trying to run away?”
Thump.
It felt as though her heart had dropped to the floor.
Seeing the anxiety swirling in her blue eyes, Karlos twisted the corner of his lips.
“So you were trying to run away.”
“N-No! I just wanted to know where this place is…”
It was a terrible excuse.
There was no way Karlos would believe such nonsense.
Indeed, he was staring down at her as if it were absurd.
Avoiding his gaze, Irene clasped her hands together.
He’s going to get angry.
A harsh slap or kick might come.
In the worst case, he might even kill her.
The words please spare me rose to her throat, but Irene never spoke them.
No matter what she said—even if she cried and begged—there was no way he would listen.
She had lived her entire life shut inside her house and knew little about the outside world.
But she knew very well how frightening and cold the Grand Duke of Esper was.
Her mother, who pitied Irene for always being alone while her parents worked, had brought her many things to read.
Among them were gossip newspapers, where stories about the Grand Duke often appeared.
Stories that said he carried the blood of monsters.
That his temperament was bizarre.
That if someone displeased him, he would kill them instantly—even a child.
All of them were terrifying.
If she was destined to die anyway, she wanted to at least keep the last shred of her dignity.
Once she accepted everything, her heart oddly felt calmer.
Closing her eyes, she waited, hoping whatever punishment awaited her would end quickly.
Then a cold voice spoke above her.
“Take it.”
Irene slowly opened her eyes.
Karlos was holding out his hand toward her.
“How long are you planning to sit there?”
So… he wanted her to grab his hand and stand?
She had expected him to hit her.
Realizing that wasn’t the case left Irene stunned, and she simply stared at him.
Even though her hesitation might have annoyed anyone else, Karlos neither clicked his tongue nor urged her.
He simply waited.
Coming back to her senses, Irene stood up—without taking his hand.
Perhaps feeling slightly awkward, Karlos frowned faintly and withdrew it.
“I’ll take you back to your room.”
Why isn’t he angry?
Had that ridiculous excuse actually worked?
She had many other questions—why he had taken her, where they were going next—but none of them came easily to her lips.
She was still afraid of him.
Especially whenever she met those purple eyes, said to be the mark of monsters.
Her legs trembled and goosebumps ran down her spine.
But I need to know.
She couldn’t keep being dragged around without understanding anything.
When they reached her room, Irene finally gathered her courage.
“Why… did you bring me with you?”
Karlos, who had been opening the door for her personally, turned to look at her.
The courage she had gathered shattered the moment she met his eyes.
Her pale face lowered weakly.
Karlos stared at her for a moment before finishing opening the door.
“Because I need you.”
With his other hand, he gently pushed her back.
Irene stumbled into the room and turned around in surprise, momentarily forgetting her fear.
“So it would be best if you stop thinking about running away.”
Karlos said it in a voice filled with rare emotion.
“Next time, it won’t end like this.”
“……”
“Now get some rest.”
Click.
With those final words, the door closed.
*
Karlos had told her to rest.
But there was no way she could.
Irene tried to force herself to sleep, but she ended up staying awake the entire night.
In the morning, she rubbed her bloodshot eyes and got out of bed.
Many things had kept her awake, but the biggest reason was Karlos’s answer.
Because I need you.
If he had brought her simply for amusement or entertainment, he wouldn’t have said that.
That meant there was another reason.
But she had no idea what it was.
“My head hurts…”
After thinking all night, her head throbbed.
Lack of sleep only made it worse.
Planning to wake herself up by splashing cold water on her face, Irene went into the bathroom—and ended up washing herself completely.
Cleaning the grime she had accumulated in prison felt wonderful.
But a new problem appeared.
She had no clean clothes to change into.
As she debated whether she had no choice but to put the dirty clothes back on—
Knock knock.
Was it that man?
Her blue eyes trembled nervously as she stared at the door.
“Miss, are you awake?”
The voice outside wasn’t Karlos’s.
That voice… it was Dewey.
“Miss?”
“Just a moment!”
Irene hurriedly put her dirty clothes back on and opened the door.
Standing there was Dewey, smiling brightly like sunshine.
“You’re awake.”
Irene nodded and glanced around.
Fortunately, he was alone.
Karlos was nowhere in sight.
“W-What… do you need?”
“I brought breakfast.”
Only then did Irene notice the tray in his hands and reached out for it.
But Dewey shook his head and didn’t give it to her.
“I’ll set it up for you.”
“But—”
“I insist.”
Dewey spoke so firmly that Irene had no choice but to nod.
Humming lightly, he entered the room and quickly arranged the table before inviting her to sit.
“Please sit here.”
Irene awkwardly sat down.
Dewey poured water into a clean glass and placed a piece of freshly baked bread on her plate.
Irene blinked in confusion.
She had never once received such treatment in her life.
Instead of eating, she simply stared.
“If my presence is making you uncomfortable, I can leave.”
“N-No!”
Irene quickly shook her head.
Saying she was completely comfortable would be a lie.
But compared to being alone with Karlos, this felt like heaven.
“I’m just not used to being treated like this. So please don’t worry.”
“I see.”
Dewey smiled gently.
“Still, since you’ll be staying at Esper Castle from now on, it would be best if you get used to it.”
So the place she would live from now on… was Esper Castle.
She had vaguely assumed they would go to the Esper territory since Karlos was the Grand Duke—but she never imagined living in the castle itself.
“Why… did His Grace bring me here?”
Karlos had already said because I need you, but that wasn’t enough.
She wanted a clearer answer.
“You should hear that directly from His Grace.”
Unfortunately, Dewey offered no further explanation.
Irene almost said she had already asked Karlos—but stopped herself.
“…I see.”
It felt like he wouldn’t tell her anyway.
She gave up asking more questions and picked up the bread on her plate.
Dewey placed a jar of jam beside it.
“If you need anything, please tell me.”
Anything she needed…
Irene’s gaze naturally dropped to her worn-out clothes.
“Oh dear!”
Noticing them as well, Dewey sighed deeply and hurried out of the room.
A moment later he returned with a clean set of clothes and held them out apologetically.
“I should have taken care of this earlier. I’m sorry.”
Irene shook her head.
“No, thank you for bringing them for me.”
“It’s nothing. It’s only natural.”
Smiling faintly, Dewey placed the clothes on the bed.
“I’ll take my leave now. My room is right next door, so please call me if you need anything.”
*
After Dewey left, Irene intended to change immediately—but decided to finish eating first.
The food would get cold otherwise.
And she was hungry.
She hadn’t realized it until she saw the food, but now the forgotten hunger rushed back.
While she had been imprisoned, all she had been given was a small piece of bread.
It had even been moldy, forcing her to throw half of it away.
Eating delicious food and feeling full again lifted her spirits from the depths they had fallen to.
The tight knot of tension inside her loosened slightly.
Humming softly, Irene checked the clothes Dewey had left.
Only then did she realize there were undergarments among them.
The thought that Dewey had brought her underwear made her cheeks flush red with embarrassment.
She quickly removed her shabby clothes and underwear and began putting on the new ones.
And at that moment—
Bang!
The door burst open without a knock.
Karlos walked in.
“—!”
Startled, Irene quickly turned around and covered her front with her clothes.
Goosebumps rose across her completely exposed back.
“P-Please leave!”
She cried desperately.
But instead of moving away, the sound of footsteps grew closer.
Her face turned bright red.
Right now, more than fear, she felt overwhelming embarrassment.
Still turned away from him, she waved her arms frantically, trying to signal him not to come closer.
But it was useless.
Closing the distance in a few large steps, Karlos reached out and grabbed her shoulders.
Then his fingertips slowly brushed across her back.
