Chapter 13
“Alright, Marsha Bread. That’s a good name.”
The duke smiled.
Usually, when someone smiles, they look kind, but somehow this man seemed to look down on her.
Marsha thought about this and replied,
“What is your name?”
“My name is…”
Even without his last name, his first name was quite unusual.
“Claudio.”
Even someone unfamiliar would immediately know he was a special person.
‘I haven’t figured out the situation yet. It would be stupid to reveal my identity so easily…’
Claudio smiled with his eyes and said,
“Claudio.”
Although it’s not as common as Marsha’s name, it’s also not very uncommon.
Marsha didn’t trust his name, though.
The small pause before he said it made her suspicious.
“It seems like a fake name.”
Why hide his real name?
Did he have a reason to keep his identity secret?
“Perhaps because he comes from a wealthy family? Trying to hide that?”
Like Marsha, some people have ordinary names, but most nobles—especially the Strbarins—had special names.
Even wealthy merchants carefully chose unique names for their children, so nobles would be even more careful.
“But did he think just hiding his name would hide his status?”
Look at how he acts.
He casually talks down to me like he owns this place.
“How could I not notice?”
Anyway, his lie was good news for Marsha, who wanted nothing to do with his affairs.
“Speed up and recover. And I hope you leave soon.”
Marsha said bluntly and turned around, but Claudio called her.
“Marsha.”
She flinched.
His unfamiliar, low, and elegant voice calling her name felt strangely ticklish.
“Why?”
“Won’t you untie this?”
He glanced at his wrist and asked.
“Oh.”
She narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment before saying,
“I don’t feel like untying it yet.”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“…”
“I promise I won’t threaten you. Could you untie it now?”
How could she trust this man?
Especially nobles—they often treated those weaker than themselves with no care.
Sadly, her father was like that.
“And he even attacked me before.”
Just as she was about to say no, he spoke quietly,
“It’s because it hurts.”
Marsha’s eyes shook.
Looking into her eyes, he asked calmly,
“Don’t you want me to get better quickly and leave this house soon? Staying here might make the wound worse.”
“…Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
“Of course.”
She sighed and left the room to get something to cut the rope.
She looked quite irritated from behind, but the way she carefully opened and closed the door was surprisingly gentle.
“Even if he talks roughly, he seems soft inside.”
Claudio smiled softly, his red eyes looking at the ceiling.
The ceiling was low and a little faded, but oddly familiar.
A week is a long time, but since he lost consciousness…
“Still, my body remembers…”
Anyway, a week is a long time.
Even if Sean couldn’t come to the villa, Urain had plenty of time to look for him.
They would visit homes covertly or ask around the market for news, even if they didn’t conduct an open search.
However, they were unable to locate him, so…
“This place might be very difficult to locate.”
Anyway, now that he had regained consciousness, there was no problem.
He could tell Marsha to find Urian.
But…
“…I need to rest a bit first.”
He felt sorry for his subordinates who were looking for him, but right now, he was very tired.
Even though he just woke up, sleep kept pulling him back.
He had never slept more than four hours, usually.
Why was this small, old bed so comfortable?
Was it because his body hadn’t fully healed?
Or was it the sunlight flooding in?
Or maybe it was the special scent quietly filling the room.
“It smells like medicine, flowers, and grass all mixed…”
Claudio closed his eyes.
How much time had passed?
Creak
The old door slowly opened.
“……”
A hesitant step came closer again, cautiously so as not to wake him.
At some point, there was a busy movement by his bedside.
Marsha was struggling to cut the rope binding his wrist.
“The scent has grown stronger.”
Every time she moved, a calm fragrance spread, like crushed herb leaves.
“Was she the source of this scent…?”
The smell of medicine made sense, but how did the floral and fresh scent get on her?
Did she roll around in a flower field or something?
Each time the scent brushed his nose, his thoughts slowly faded away.
Eventually, his mind emptied, and he fell into a deep sleep.
***
A week ago, upon hearing that the First Knight Commander had arrived, Urain quickly headed toward the garden.
“No, Lord Visd.”
Visd was the first knight commander of the Gloria Duke family.
“You came early?”
“I have to leave a week earlier instead. I talked with the other commanders. We agreed it’s better to send fewer troops and leave sooner.”
Urain’s expression grew cold and hard.
“Did you tell the Duke about this…?”
“Of course, I told him before. He said to do whatever is best.”
“Oh. In that case…”
Just as Urain relaxed his face, Sean returned alone.
“Sean?! Where is the Duke, and why are you alone…!”
Visd ground his teeth when he saw the wound on Sean’s buttocks.
“Damn it, that’s a gunshot wound!”
Urain’s eyes froze in shock.
A gunshot?
So, someone attacked the Duke?
Urain and the First Knight Command quickly went to look for Claudio.
Despite the strength of the First Knight Command’s forces, it was difficult to locate someone in a large forest.
When it appeared that they had found no sign of the Duke, Visd showed up with a man at the back of his neck.
“This is the one who ran away when he saw us!”
The man admitted that he had targeted the Duke after being questioned further.
“Where is the Duke?”
“Haha, it’s already too late. Wolves roam this area at night, so by now he’s probably become wolf food!”
“Where is the Duke?!”
Visd, unable to believe the man’s words, asked again.
The man chuckled.
“Sorry, I don’t know! Wolves keep roaming all over the place!”
“This bastard…!”
As Visd raised his hand to strike the man’s face, Urain stopped him and asked the man,
“Who ordered you?”
The man’s laughter stopped.
“…I just wanted revenge for my sister and comrades from four years ago.”
The man who had been glaring at Urain suddenly showed a creepy smile.
‘No way…!’
Just as Urain reached out toward him, the man bit down hard.
“Gah!”
The man twisted his tongue, foamed at the mouth, and struggled in pain before finally dying.
‘He had poison in his mouth.’
There are many kinds of poison.
Where would an ordinary person get poison that only spreads when bitten like this?
Rolling up his sleeve, Urian examined the deceased man.
There was a sharp, hooked tattoo wrapped around by a ribbon.
‘This is…’
Urian had seen this unique and detailed tattoo before.
The smugglers from four years ago had the same one.
I forgot about it since I hadn’t seen it since then. Looks like it’s a bigger group than I thought.’
They must completely wipe out this group now, but more importantly, they have to ensure Claudio’s safety.
“We need to bring more knights. But of course, we must bring them quietly and secretly.”
“That’s not difficult, but wouldn’t it be better to officially announce the Duke’s disappearance? We will have to conduct a large-scale search anyway.”
“The search for the Duke must be done in secret.”
“What? Why?!”
Visd shouted, veins standing out on his neck.
Urain understood his feelings, but…
“This is the Duke’s wish.”
It was the day a letter came from Severia, the Marchioness and Claudio’s great-aunt.
“Duke Gloria, noble marriages are not made just because hearts agree. They are made because it is proper. Please lower your standards and choose a suitable lady. If you die like this, all your wealth and lands will fall into other hands. Are you okay with that?”
The Marchioness seems very angry.
She pressed the pen so hard that it almost broke.
Claudio dropped the letter on the table and said,
Now that I think about it, if I die like this, it will cause trouble.
Urain hurried to speak, wondering if Claudio was ready to marry.
Right.
Those who don’t know their place are trying to take the Gloria family’s wealth…
More than that.
The westerners.
Claudio was protecting the current king’s throne.
If something happens to me, they will immediately try to seize the throne…
If Claudio died without losing the king’s support and a civil war started, the Gloria family would have to fight on the king’s side.
So, whether I die, disappear, or lose consciousness… if I can’t handle things, keep everything secret and prepare for civil war first.
Speaking calmly, if it was someone else’s problem, Claudio said.
Urain, pale with worry, spoke with difficulty.
Duke, such things…
You think it won’t happen?
Can you be sure it really won’t?
[…]
Don’t ignore this.
Even after I’m gone, I won’t allow the Duke’s knights to lose to the westerners.
Visd’s throat trembled hearing this.
“…He said that?”
Urain nodded and replied.
“The West may have already prepared for civil war if they are responsible for this incident.”
Then we have to keep a close eye on the West. I’ll pick which knights to send.
“Please.”
Visd nodded sharply, eyes burning cold, and quickly left.
Urian pressed his throbbing forehead.
‘Duke, where are you?’
Could it be that the attacker’s wish came true and he died?
‘No. The Duke is strong. He wouldn’t die so easily. He must be alive… surely alive…’
Urian repeated this to himself as he continued searching for Claudio, hoping for news from the west.
Time passed, and thankfully, news arrived that the west showed no unusual activity.
“So it wasn’t the West. After all, they wanted the Gloria family’s support, not to make them enemies.’
Urain sighed deeply.
With western news like this…
“Why are we unable to locate any evidence of the Duke?”
Though the search wasn’t public, many knights were secretly placed among the people.
If anyone found an injured person, especially such a handsome man, rumours would surely spread.
‘Is it possible no one found the Duke…?’
So, where is the Duke of Gloria now?
Just as Urain’s worry deepened, a knight reported hearing news of a discovery.
