JBOWS 05

⟡Chapter 5⟡

Now she understood why the head maid had seemed so excited.

‘That person is a knight? He’s ridiculously handsome.’

A blond, handsome man with a longsword at his waist stood leaning casually against the door.

The man, whose face was as delicately crafted as fine porcelain, curved his eyes into a crescent smile.

At a glance, his eyes seemed to be silver.

“Hello, Miss Anneliese Solarichen. I’ve come to deliver a message from His Grace the Grand Duke.”

He greeted Anneliese with a gentle smile.

In the reception room of the Solarichen estate,

Anneliese pretended to lift her teacup while subtly observing the man sitting across from her.

He had introduced himself as a knight serving as the Grand Duke Aferhis’s personal guard.

Though he wore a loose shirt and black trousers instead of a uniform, the greatsword at his waist was very real.

‘Rather than a knight serving a lord, he looks more like a noble young master… or even a royal heir.’

A man as beautiful as an angel from scripture.

But for some reason, Anneliese felt uncomfortable around him.

‘He’s smiling brightly, but something about him feels suspicious.’

For instance, that gaze.

‘It’s like he’s watching me as if I’m some interesting specimen.’

At least, unlike other men, he wasn’t trying to win her favor.

Still, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

It was a different kind of unreadability compared to the Grand Duke’s indifferent gaze.

Their eyes accidentally met.

With a smile, he spread his arms wide.

“Isn’t it tiring to sneak glances? You can observe me openly if you’d like.”

His personality was… something else.

Pretending not to hear him, Anneliese changed the subject.

“You said you serve His Grace the Grand Duke. What should I call you?”

“You may call me Isaiah.”

Isaiah?

Anneliese’s expression turned subtly strange upon hearing his name.

It was a name no one in the Empire could fail to recognize.

‘The name of the king of the ancient desert kingdom who was punished by divine wrath for his arrogance.’

Moreover, it was said that even after that, he failed to repent and fell into corruption, becoming something no longer human.

It was a taboo name in the Empire. In its long history, there had only ever been that one king with the name “Isaiah.”

‘Ah—how rude of me to react like this in front of him.’

Her surprise quickly subsided.

‘His parents might have simply wanted to name him that. My name is also taken from the first saint.’

She composed her expression.

“Then I’ll call you Sir Isaiah.”

Isaiah looked at her reaction with interest.

“You’re not very surprised. Most people say it’s ominous and avoid me.”

“What’s ominous about it? It’s just a name.”

“Hahaha!”

Though her answer wasn’t particularly amusing, Isaiah laughed out loud.

“Honestly, just based on how it sounds, I think it’s quite pretty.”

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that… Well, I don’t dislike it.”

Covering his mouth with his hand, he smiled—this time, a more genuine smile than before.

“Anneliese is pretty too.”

…He meant her name, right?

“Thank you.”

He shrugged, looking somehow even more pleased than before as he continued.

“Ah, this is fun. Should I say you’re free of prejudice? I can understand my lord’s reaction now. I heard you asked to meet him at the Emperor’s birthday banquet?”

Anneliese, slightly embarrassed, explained herself.

“I heard that His Grace dislikes such events. Did he say he didn’t want to attend? If so, please let him know I don’t mind changing the location.”

Isaiah shook his head.

“No, not at all. Surprisingly, he said he would attend the banquet of his own accord.”

Phew. Relieved, Anneliese let out a quiet breath.

He continued.

“My lord said he would be waiting in the corridor of the northern tower next to the banquet hall that day.”

“I see. I know where that is.”

“Do you also know that the stairs leading up the tower are rather steep? If it’s too troublesome, just stand near the stairs. He’ll come to greet you himself.”

“Ah… alright.”

He was even giving unnecessary tips.

She couldn’t help but admire his tearful loyalty—so willing to make his master go through trouble.

“Well then, I’ve completed my mission. Shall we move on to the main topic?”

Isaiah straightened up from where he had been leaning back on the sofa, as if he had more to say.

“Huh? Wasn’t that just now the main topic?”

“That can’t be. The meeting location could’ve been sent in a letter. The reason I came here… is to give you a warning, miss.”

“A warning?”

“In case you end up running away in tears after meeting my lord.”

Isaiah’s eyes sparkled.

“Please keep this in mind. It’s advice from my lord’s right-hand man.”

Calling himself the Grand Duke’s right-hand man didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to listen.

She decided to go along with the self-proclaimed “right-hand man.”

“What is it?”

“Ah, I’ll say this first—there’s no need to worry about violence or affairs. Contrary to rumors, he’s quite diligent and well-behaved. However…”

Isaiah trailed off.

“My lord has lived alone for a very long time—since before the Empire was even founded.”

Human lifespans only lasted a few decades at most. That sounded exaggerated.

‘He just means he’s been alone for a very long time.’

Given how little interaction he must have had, it was natural there would be differences in expression.

Anneliese filtered the information accordingly.

“He had no parents or friends. The only sibling he had had a terrible personality, so they didn’t get along.”

So he had a sibling. His parents must have passed away early.

“Did the previous Grand Duke and his wife die young?”

Isaiah raised an eyebrow as if he’d heard something strange.

“No. He never had any to begin with.”

“…What?”

“Well… it’s hard to explain right now. His origin is rather complicated.”

Isaiah brushed off the explanation.

‘So there’s a family background he wants to hide.’

For a noble family, such dark stories weren’t uncommon. Better not to pry.

Anneliese accepted it and moved on.

“In any case, because of that, my lord doesn’t care about social customs and is indifferent to interpersonal distance. He considers such things too trivial to bother with.”

“Ah…”

That matched what she had already experienced during their first meeting.

He hadn’t paid any attention to noble etiquette or conversational norms.

‘If that was his upbringing, it makes sense.’

She might have mistaken him for simply being rude.

‘Turns out he’s rude with a backstory.’

Isaiah casually waved his wrist, as if he knew about their previous conversation.

“You’ve probably noticed to some extent.”

“So you also heard that he complained my wrist was as thin as a dried twig?”

Suppressing laughter, Isaiah looked off into the distance.

“No… rather… well… it’s nothing.”

‘What on earth did the Grand Duke say about me to get that reaction?’

Whatever it was, it didn’t seem positive.

“He may say things that catch you off guard, but he has no ill intent, so please don’t misunderstand. He truly speaks without thinking.”

“I understand.”

Isaiah’s “warning” was essentially telling her to be understanding of the Grand Duke’s lack of social skills.

‘That much is obvious.’

Such minor flaws had long been overshadowed by one overwhelming advantage.

‘That’s hardly a warning.’

What she was actually concerned about was something else.

This was a good opportunity.

‘I should ask why he wears a mask.’

Princess Roselia had fainted after seeing the Grand Duke’s bare face that day.

‘But the face I saw didn’t seem horrifying enough to make someone faint.’

Though she had only seen around his eyes, he definitely wasn’t ugly.

Unless there was a special reason, she was thinking of telling him it was fine to remove the mask when they met again.

“Sir Isaiah, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“Ask anything. If I can answer it, I’ll even spill my lord’s weaknesses.”

“Oh, nothing that extreme… But does His Grace even have any weaknesses?”

“No.”

…Then why offer?

Anneliese gave him an incredulous look.

“You should always leave room for possibilities. Someone so precious that they become a fatal weakness might appear in the future.”

Isaiah’s tone was meaningful.

‘What am I supposed to do with that? Why tell me?’

Anneliese returned to her main question.

“Anyway, what I wanted to ask is—why does His Grace wear a mask?”

“To prevent troublesome situations. As you may have noticed that day… my lord has a somewhat difficult appearance to behold.”

After saying that, Isaiah carefully observed her reaction.

“I didn’t see his whole face, but it definitely wasn’t horrifying.”

Apparently, that was not the answer he expected. Isaiah raised his brows.

“You saw his face and felt no discomfort? Not even the sense that you were looking at something you shouldn’t?”

“Not at all. It was a bit scary and tense, but that’s all.”

Why is he reacting like that? Is there actually something wrong?