The Crow That’s After Me
Chapter 06 —
The gods the people of the North believed in were a little different from those of the South.
They all believed in the same creator god, Aum, who made the continent.
But under Aum, the southerners worshiped the Sun God and the rooster, while the northerners worshiped the Moon God and the crow.
Elena stood before a cold stone statue of the Moon God and the crow perched on Her shoulder. She clasped her hands and looked up.
She had come here pretending to pray just to clear her complicated mind, but before she knew it, she was praying sincerely.
She prayed for the poor souls who had suffered or died in the war seven years ago…
Among those people was the current Grand Duke Barsian himself.
So, in a way, Elena was praying for her own husband.
“Oh my, it seems the master has already returned!”
Hearing the noise outside, Mary grew anxious and quickly helped Elena up.
She was terrified that she might get scolded for not going out earlier to greet him.
As if the Grand Duke would even care about that, Elena thought, walking calmly despite Mary’s nervous urging.
They both left the chapel and walked toward the courtyard.
Grand Duke Barsian and his knights were there, receiving greetings from the butler and servants.
But the moment he saw Elena, Barsian cut the others off mid-sentence.
He looked the same as ever after a week away —
the elegant face and the sharp, mocking tone that always came with it.
“My one and only wife — what keeps you so busy that you can’t even show your face?”
“M-My Lady was in prayer…” Mary tried to explain timidly.
“Were you praying for me not to come back?”
Seeing how irritated he seemed, Elena actually felt amused.
“I came here to greet you, didn’t I? Please, don’t be angry.”
Elena smiled softly, her tone gentle.
If she got angry in return, it would only make Barsian look like the cruel one — and he knew it too.
He smiled crookedly.
“So kind of you. Then I’m sure you’ll gladly help your husband with his bath, since he’s just come home.”
Bath?
Elena had to fight hard not to frown.
“Of course. I’ll be happy to assist.”
She bowed her head politely — all while cursing him in her mind.
What, did he miss women after hunting for a week?
As she followed behind him, Elena stared daggers at the back of his head.
The maids had already filled the tub with hot water.
Barsian stood there, motionless, instead of getting in.
Elena stood still too, unsure what he expected.
“What are you doing, my lady?”
“Pardon?”
“I can’t exactly bathe with my clothes still on, can I?”
He wanted her to undress him — even though they had never even shared a wedding night!
Elena clenched her fists. You think I can’t do it?
Biting the inside of her cheek, she rose on her toes and began with the wolf fur draped over his shoulders, then his black cloak.
As she turned to put them away, Barsian spoke again.
“Where’s the comb you always used?”
Elena froze. She had been using the same comb ever since she came here — the one her old nanny gave her.
She never imagined Barsian would remember that.
“I… lost it.”
“You said it was your most precious item from your nanny. Yet you don’t seem too upset.”
That was something she had only mentioned in passing to the maids on her wedding day.
So one of them must have reported it to him.
Keeping her face neutral, she reached to unbuckle the sword belt at his waist.
“A crow took it. Mary said there’s no way to get it back.”
“Ah, I see. For a moment, I thought you’d given it as a love token to your secret lover.”
Elena glared at him — but he only smiled as if he’d made a clever joke.
Since when did questioning a woman’s fidelity become a joke?
Ignoring him, Elena kept working and finished undressing him.
When she finally pulled off his tunic and his bare skin showed, her cheeks flushed despite herself.
“That will be enough,” Barsian said casually. “I’m afraid if I ask for more, my dear wife might faint.”
If she could have punched him once, she would have been satisfied for life.
While he took off his pants, Elena turned her head away.
Only when she heard him step into the water did she finally look up again.
That’s enough. I did my part.
“Well then, please rest—”
“Are you running away already?”
His teasing stopped her in her tracks.
“If not, then stop standing there like a fool and come closer.”
Don’t fall for it, Elena. Just ignore him.
But despite her thoughts, she walked toward him.
Barsian even clicked his tongue mockingly.
“The noble daughter of the Salem family acts as if she’s never helped anyone bathe. No wonder her husband doesn’t love her.”
“By the time I help my second husband, I’ll surely be much better at it.”
Elena snapped before she could stop herself.
Barsian’s smile disappeared.
“Second husband, is it…” he murmured, then suddenly pulled her closer by the wrist.
“Perhaps I went too far. I apologize.”
The apology caught her off guard, but Elena didn’t respond.
“Come, my lady. You should join me.”
“I’m fine where I am.”
“So you still haven’t forgiven me.”
He clearly wouldn’t let it go until she gave in.
Sighing quietly, Elena turned around — and felt him loosen the laces of her dress.
In moments, she was standing there in her undergarments.
She placed her dress neatly on top of his discarded clothes and slowly stepped into the tub.
The water splashed over the sides.
The wet fabric clung tightly to her body, revealing her curves.
Elena tugged at the cloth in embarrassment.
“You’re in the water yet keeping so far away?”
Barsian suddenly reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.
Their bodies touched, and Elena turned her face sharply aside.
“Tsk…”
Barsian clicked his tongue and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“You still seem upset with me.”
What is he thinking? Elena wondered.
She searched his eyes but couldn’t read his true feelings.
Cautiously, she reached out and brushed his sharp jawline.
“Please… don’t get angry and just listen to me for a moment.”
He nodded slightly, allowing her to continue.
“When I served the princess in the royal palace, I heard nothing about your situation. And since I’ve come here, there’s been no message from my nanny or my father. I think something must be wrong along the route between the capital and the North.”
It was a test — to see if Barsian had been intercepting her letters.
But his black eyes showed no emotion.
“That possibility can’t be ruled out,” he said seriously.
He actually seemed to consider her words thoughtfully.
Elena’s tension eased a little. Maybe he really wasn’t involved.
Her faith in the princess was too strong for her to doubt that woman.
The princess would never ignore the North’s suffering from famine.
“You must be very fond of your nanny,” Barsian said, brushing her hair aside.
Elena felt uneasy from his touch but kept her composure.
“My mother died when I was born. My nanny is the only mother I’ve ever known.”
Unusually for the South, the Duke of Salem had never remarried,
so her nanny truly was like a second mother to her.
Thinking of the woman made Elena blink quickly, trying not to cry.
Barsian, too, had lost his parents in the war seven years ago.
She couldn’t cry in front of him.
Silently, he pulled her into his arms.
Elena was a human being before she was a noble.
And despite the insults and cruelty she’d endured for over a month,
she found herself feeling comfort in his embrace.
It made her angry at herself — but she couldn’t help it.
The northern cold was too harsh, and she was lonely.
“I think that’s enough bathing,” Barsian said softly. “Let’s move to the bed.”
Elena flinched.
“While I was away hunting, I thought of you every night.
But now that I see you, you’re thinner than I imagined.”
He took a lock of her hair and kissed it.
“I owe you an apology for misunderstanding you before.
Please, forgive me.”
This marriage was a political alliance — one they’d have to maintain for a lifetime.
It would be wiser to keep peace between them.
After hesitating, Elena finally wrapped her arms around his neck.
His lips met hers — warm, steady, and burning.
That night, Elena shared her long-delayed wedding night with the Grand Duke Barsian.
And she learned that the act between man and woman was far more embarrassing than she had ever imagined.
She also began to understand why southerners were so obsessed with it.
She fell asleep in his arms, but her rest was uneasy.
In her dream, someone was chasing her.
When she woke up startled, she realized the real cause —
Barsian’s arms were wrapped so tightly around her she could barely breathe.
Gasping, Elena slipped out of his hold and drank some water.
Since coming to the North, she had always woken from the cold.
But tonight, she was sweating from the heat.
Wanting to cool down, she walked toward the window — and froze.
Snow.
The first snow of the winter had come quietly in the night.
She had seen snow piled on the roads before,
but never seen it falling from the sky.
Elena quickly threw on a dress and wrapped a cloak around her shoulders.
Her body still ached slightly —
thanks to Barsian’s thorough attention the night before —
but she could move.
She stepped out of the bedroom.
The guards at the door looked startled, as if seeing a ghost.
“Where are you going, my lady?”
“I can’t sleep. I’ll get some air.”
“At this hour? It’s dangerous.”
“Then you can be my escort.”
There were two guards — one could easily accompany her while the other stayed.
As they hesitated, a voice spoke from behind.
“I’ll go with you, my lady.”
It was the Grand Duke.
When did he wake up? Elena turned to look at him, then said nothing — and simply led the way forward.
