<Chapter 2>
I had walked past countless portraits of the duke’s siblings in the Raphael Duchy.
If Seren was like the endless sparkle of a blue lake, then Iberk was like a mist—dim and elusive.
Even considering it was a portrait painted when he was nineteen, his faded silver hair and skin that looked like it had never seen sunlight made him appear fragile—like he could vanish at any moment without warning.
Above all, there was a unique aura about him. One that made him seem indifferent to everything in the world, to the point of cold detachment.
But if he was nineteen back then, he would be twenty-three now. After all the battles with northern monsters, he would have gained a more solid, muscular build.
Just like the knight standing in front of me right now.
‘If that knight had silver hair…’
A white jaguar came to mind. To be more precise, he looked like a predator lounging in boredom after a successful hunt.
But no matter how similar the eyes were, he couldn’t be the duke. It was more likely someone who just resembled him.
‘Still, they seem too close…’
I couldn’t shake that suspicion. The biggest reason was the way they looked at each other and how they interacted.
Seren was sobbing uncontrollably, unaware of my presence. She kept stroking the knight’s cheek and hugging him as if he were her brother—again and again in just a short time.
The closeness between them felt strange.
“…I knew it…”
I almost called out “Duke Iberk” without realizing it.
But whether he heard the quiet syllables I let out or not, the man’s gaze shifted more intently toward me. What had once seemed expressionless now turned piercing and cold—sharp enough to stab into my chest.
Just like prey sensing danger, I instinctively shut my mouth and took a step back.
“Lady.”
When I first entered, he had definitely called Seren by name.
But now, the man had changed how he addressed her. On top of that, he quickly picked up his helmet from the side table and placed it over his head.
The piercing gray eyes that had locked onto me vanished in an instant.
“Hic… Are you… Are you leaving now?”
“I already showed you the letter. Please sit and wipe your tears.”
He was clearly conscious of me now.
Just moments ago, he had been soothing Seren, but now he kept a polite distance. The sudden change was stark, but Seren, caught in her tears, didn’t notice a thing.
She still had her back turned to me and hadn’t even realized I was here.
“You must not have closed the door properly when you came in. I’ll close it for you.”
He stepped briskly toward me, who was still gripping the doorknob tightly.
“D-Dianta?”
“As you can see, Lady Seren is crying. If you’re coming in, please do so. If not, kindly step outside.”
His tone was low and firm.
It was a completely different tone from the one he had used with Seren. His gray eyes seemed to scan right through me, searching every corner of my soul. One particular nickname people called him came to mind.
‘The Monster Duke.’
It felt like an invisible pressure was crushing down on me.
Startled, I let go of the doorknob I’d been holding so tightly. The door, now unrestrained, slammed shut with a deafening bang.
BANG!
“…Why do I feel like I was kicked out?”
Even so, I didn’t go back inside. But neither did I walk away.
At first, I was too flustered to think clearly. But standing outside helped clear my mind—and with clarity came a flood of thoughts.
‘Why did he leave the north?’
Iberk’s assignment to the north had practically been exile.
The Imperial family had always been watching him closely, waiting for a chance to strike. Anything—or anyone—close to him that could be used as a weakness, they would take.
And no one knew that better than Iberk himself.
He had inherited the dukedom at the age of fifteen, after losing both parents. From an early age, he had seen and experienced the dark side of the aristocracy. That’s why he had always wanted to protect Seren, at all costs.
Every decision he made revolved around her. He had never once protested the Emperor’s dangerous orders if it meant ensuring her safety. In the original story, Iberk had never left the North. Not even once.
‘Should I go back in?’
Knowing all of this only made me more curious about what was happening inside.
Besides, Iberk and I were strangers. He probably had no idea I knew who he really was.
Would it be so wrong to casually walk back in?
“Alright.”
I boldly placed my hand back on the doorknob.
But before I could even push it open, the door swung wide from the inside. As a result, I was pulled forward, stumbling headfirst.
I closed my eyes tightly and reached out my hands, trying to brace myself.
Instead of the marble floor, however, my palms landed squarely on a chest clad in black armor.
“…Ugh.”
“Wah, so cold…!”
An icy chill shot up my hands, numbing them.
Reacting on instinct, I pushed the man in front of me away.
Unfortunately, the only one who lost balance and landed on her backside was me.
“Ugh, my butt!”
“Dianta? Since when were you out here? Are you hurt?”
“Ow! No—don’t touch there! That makes it worse!”
The pain in my tailbone was too much for words.
I lay sprawled on the floor, speechless. Just as the pain began to subside…
“I’ll be going now. Please take your time and talk.”
Iberk, ever indifferent, simply gave a polite bow and walked past us in his black cloak.
He moved so quickly. By the time I had gotten up and dusted myself off, he had already disappeared. All that remained in front of me was Seren, with mascara smeared like a panda.
“Never mind the swollen eyes—your makeup is a mess. People will think it’s a political marriage if your fiancé sees you like this at the engagement ceremony.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Hmm, some light touch-ups and a veil should do. Let’s go back inside and rest a little.”
Afraid someone might see her, I quickly led Seren back into the waiting room.
Only then did I cautiously ask her,
“Who was that? You were crying because of him, right?”
“Huh? Oh, well…”
“I saw the duke’s crest on his armor. Was he sent by Duke Raphael?”
“Y-Yeah…”
Seren’s gaze flickered uneasily.
She couldn’t meet my eyes and her lips trembled, like she was holding back a secret she couldn’t tell.
Then, as if deciding something, she handed me a crumpled parchment.
“He brought a letter from my brother in the North.”
“A letter? Can I read it?”
“Yeah. I didn’t really get to talk to him because I was crying so much. It looks like he’ll be staying here for about a month… You’ll find out anyway.”
A whole month?
That letter must hold the answer to my growing doubts.
Instead of asking more questions, I quietly unrolled the parchment.
Duke Raphael’s seal marked the page, and sharp, elegant handwriting filled the lines.
“Seren.
Ever since I left you alone in the capital, not a day has passed without worry. I wish to protect you by my side now.
The North may seem cold, but the ducal estate is warm and I’ve prepared a knight order for your protection. Come without worry. Once you are ready to leave, come to the North with the knight I’ve sent.”
It was concise and to the point—but the impact was enormous.
In the original story, there was never a scene where the duke summoned Seren to the North. This had to be a ripple effect caused by the changes I’d made.
“This is crazy!”
I grabbed Seren’s shoulders with pale hands.
“Wait, I need to go out for a bit.”
“Dianta?”
“Don’t tell Hynte-oppa. I’m too shocked… He’s planning to take you to the North? I just need some air.”
Without waiting for her response, I ran out of the waiting room.
Then I rushed straight out of the main building, where the ceremony was being held. He must have come on horseback, so I figured he would stop by the stables before leaving.
Honestly, a part of me had still been in denial.
But Seren’s slip-ups—and that expression on his face when he looked at me—they all told me one thing.
The “knight” in the letter was none other than Iberk himself.
I had to see him again.
‘I can’t let Seren go to the North.’
This was for Seren’s sake.
* * *
I asked the staff for directions and made my way to the stables.
They were tucked away in a remote corner of the back garden. Since the ceremony wasn’t over yet, the area was quiet. That made it easier to hear things—like the sound of someone collapsing.
Thud!
Alarmed, I sprinted toward the stables. The hem of my dress got dirtied, but I didn’t have time to care.
My heart was pounding loudly.
“…!”
When I finally reached the stables, it felt like my heart would burst.
But I couldn’t say a word. The scene before me was too shocking to even breathe.
“What the… What happened here?!”
I gasped and clutched my forehead.
A man in a black robe lay collapsed on the ground, covered in dirt. The familiar crest and black armor peeking through the robe made it clear who he was.
I couldn’t believe it.
Just minutes ago, he had been walking out of the ceremony in perfect condition. If there had been even a hint of this coming, I wouldn’t have been so shocked—but there had been none.
‘I should at least check… right?’
I couldn’t just leave him here. Someone could show up at any moment.
I had a suspicion about what this was, but first, I had to check his condition. Starting with that stifling helmet.
“Calm down. Stay calm.”
I muttered like a mantra.
Then, gathering my courage, I carefully reached for Iberk’s helmet. It was cold, but not hard to remove.
“Ugh!”
In the process, my fingers accidentally brushed his pale cheek.
The cold that surged up my fingertips was on another level compared to when I touched his armor. A spark even flew from where our skin met—literal yellow sparks.
Startled, I yanked the helmet off completely.
“What was that?”
I frantically examined my hands. Not a single burn mark.
“Though… he’s a mess in other ways.”
Iberk’s cheek was clear too.
But the rest of him—was not. I had suspected this when I found him collapsed, but anyone else would’ve screamed upon seeing this.
His entire face was covered in frost.
Even his black wig and eyebrows looked nearly white. Every breath he took came out as a frosty puff, as if in pain.
At least he was still breathing. But what came next was even more concerning.
“It’s definitely… magical poisoning.”
