~Chapter 3~
The male lead was a renowned figure in this world.
Anyone with half a brain could piece together the clues and recognize him.
Dain casually listed off what any average village resident might know.
“The new Duke of Kenwolf returned victorious from the final battle that ended the war.”
“…”
“They say he’s an extraordinary man—with pitch-black eyes and dark hair. Even a married woman from a remote village who doesn’t follow news well knows that much.”
“You recognized me from just that? Quite the sharp married woman you are.”
“Thank you, my lord. That’s the first compliment I’ve ever received from a noble. It’s true what they say: after every misfortune, comes a bit of joy.”
Dain looked genuinely touched, bowing like a knight receiving honors from the emperor.
Her exaggerated and clumsy gesture made him chuckle.
What a pretty smile.
He turned his head to hide it, but Dain had already caught that unbelievably handsome smile.
He looks even better than the cover I drew of him!
While recalling the illustration she had made, he quietly began setting up a campfire.
The red flames devoured the lakeside mist and roared to life.
“Thank you. Also, here.”
She offered him some food she’d brought from the inn, but he shook his head—clearly not in the mood to eat.
As Dain quietly chewed a piece of stale bread, he suddenly said,
“You don’t have to be married to know what it means to be tired of fighting. Win or lose, I’m done rolling around battlefields. Isn’t that the same?”
As mentioned before, he had just returned from war after leading his army to victory.
Dain nodded slowly, still holding bread in her mouth.
“That’s why I’m grateful. I can sit here eating bread peacefully, my husband has enough leisure to cheat, all thanks to you. You saved us all.”
“Even a married woman from a remote village owes me gratitude. If I hadn’t fought, the enemy would’ve marched right through here.”
Dain wiped the crumbs from her lips with the back of her hand and recalled the male lead’s character setting.
Modesty? Definitely not one of his traits. If he’s a regretful male lead, arrogance is par for the course.
As she accepted that, he said something she didn’t expect.
“But now that I’ve found out one of the people I saved is a cheating husband, it leaves a bitter taste. Maybe I should’ve let the enemy march in.”
“…”
Bread halfway to her mouth, Dain looked at him.
He wasn’t humble, sure—but the author must have written in some warmth, because here he was offering comfort to a total stranger.
Dain replied quietly,
“You’re right.”
Why had her husband done that to her?
Why had he cheated?
She didn’t know, and maybe she never would.
But there was one thing she did know—this man had just comforted her.
She came to ease his suffering, but he ended up easing hers.
That alone made the journey through the dark woods worthwhile.
“I don’t understand why my husband cheated. But maybe I don’t need to.”
They often argued about her mother-in-law.
Their interactions had grown cold.
Still, they could’ve tried to fix it. So why did he cheat?
Because the other woman was younger? More cheerful?
Despite saying she didn’t need to understand, Dain’s mind still chased the reasons.
Enough. Stop thinking. It’s not even something happy.
“You look troubled.”
Even though only her eyes were visible—hood drawn, scarf wrapped—he somehow saw right through her.
Dain lowered her head.
She felt ashamed to be caught unable to control even her own feelings.
As he stared at her, then looked away, he muttered indifferently,
“You won.”
“…What?”
“You’re here with me tonight. I don’t know what that other woman looks like, but does it matter? You’re here with me, so that makes you the winner.”
It was a childish logic.
But Dain couldn’t help laughing—and felt oddly comforted.
Yeah. Go ahead. Live happily with your beloved mother and brother.
I’ll live my life well right here.
And I just got consoled by the protagonist of this world, thank you very much!
As she smiled quietly to herself, his large hand suddenly reached into her hood.
Is he trying to pull it back?!
Afraid her identity might be exposed, Dain instinctively leaned away.
“You won. So don’t think about dying.”
His hand gently brushed under her eye.
She touched the spot—it was a scratch, likely from pushing through the forest. Now it had ointment on it.
“I won’t do anything you don’t want, so don’t be scared.”
The wound stung and tickled.
Maybe she needed to move away from that blazing fire.
She pulled her hood down further until it reached her nose.
She had never thought of dying, but still…
It felt like he was telling her not to give up.
Dain quietly resolved to live well in this world.
“At the very least, I should know your name. What is it?”
“My name?”
“I’m not interested in the name of your cheating husband.”
“Oh, I’m…”
“Your Grace!”
“Where are you, Your Grace?!”
Just as the sun peeked over the ridge that early morning, shouts echoed through the forest, waking the birds from their nests.
Did those two finally stop chatting? the birds seemed to complain. Do they expect us to never sleep?
An angry mother bird looked down from her perch while comforting her drowsy chicks.
Below, the forest swarmed with armored knights.
As one bird debated whether its beak could dent their silver armor, someone spoke.
“Whoa… that sun is strong already.”
Among the armored men, a well-dressed man appeared.
Wearing a luxurious shirt and jacket, he squinted into the rising sun.
He pushed up his tinted glasses and scanned the area.
“Ethan spent the night in this forest?”
This man was Kenwolf Merrick, the Duke’s eldest son and Ethan’s older brother.
Ethan’s lieutenant, Stanley, stepped forward to answer.
“My apologies. I should’ve ensured his safety.”
Merrick’s eyes slowly dropped to Stanley’s midsection.
A knife wound—inflicted when Ethan had lost control.
“It’s fine. We all know Ethan wasn’t himself last night. If he’d stayed in camp, you wouldn’t have been the only one injured.”
“I should’ve stopped him. It’s my failure.”
Stanley couldn’t lift his head.
Merrick gave a soft flick to Stanley’s shoulder.
“Do you keep apologizing to me because I’m easier to approach than Ethan?”
“No, sir!”
Still bowing, Stanley flinched as Merrick teased,
“Come on, even my looks and demeanor are milder than his. And he’s the Duke while I’m just a Count. It’s no wonder people want to apologize to me instead.”
“Please, that’s not it—!”
“Then enough apologizing. My brother’s not the kind to just go off and die.”
With that, Merrick walked off, scanning the woods.
“Young master!”
Another knight called out. Merrick hurried over.
There, leaning against a tree stump, lay Ethan—fast asleep.
“Well, well.”
Merrick observed his brother quietly.
Ethan, unaware of the leaves piled on his messy hair, was deep in slumber.
His shoulders slumped, mouth slightly open.
It was the most peaceful Merrick had seen him in three years of war.
“Looks comfy. And to think he could never sleep even in luxury bedding. Guess he just needed a more natural environment.”
“Should we wake him?”
“Let him sleep. He finally looks relaxed.”
Merrick smiled down at Ethan’s sleeping face.
It reminded him of when they were kids.
“He looks the same as he did back then, doesn’t he, Stanley?”
“Really? He used to sleep with that dumb expression even back then?”
The knights, drawn by curiosity, gathered closer.
“Why isn’t he waking up?”
“Usually, he’d wake up at the slightest noise…”
“Could something have happened? Could it be the evil god took him and left a doppelgänger?!”
One panicked knight dropped his helmet and fled.
Then—rustle.
Ethan’s eyes opened.
“Your Grace… it’s you, right?”
Everyone stared in silence.
Then—relief.
“You still can’t recognize your commander? I’ve clearly failed as a leader.”
His usual snark meant he was himself.
Ethan scanned their faces—people he feared he’d never see again.
That he saw them with his own clear mind meant he’d made it through.
He leaned back against the tree with a deep breath.
Thanks to that woman… I made it.
As he ran a hand through his hair, leaves rained down.
Merrick chuckled.
“Let me brush that off for you, little brother.”
“Gross.”
“Accept your big brother’s affection, you adorable thing.”
Ethan leaned back to avoid him—then paused.
Someone was missing.
“Where is she?”
“What?”
“There was a woman with me. Did someone move her somewhere safe?”
“A woman?”
Merrick looked confused. The question rippled through the group.
“A woman?”
“Did he say… a woman?”
“The Duke… with a woman?”
A knight dropped his helmet again and clutched it tight, bolting.
Stanley delivered the final blow.
“You left last night, claiming you couldn’t risk hurting us—and you were with a woman?!”
As Ethan watched the knight flee in panic, he groaned and rubbed his forehead.
No one else had seen the woman.
Did she leave? Go home?
Back to her cheating husband and terrifying mother-in-law?
“I have to find her.”
With cold eyes, Ethan stood.
