Of course, I firmly refused.
It's a truly humiliating life, but I'm not so proud that I'd trade my body for it.
“I don’t like it. We’re not even close to getting married.”
“Are you giving it to me when we get married? Then I can keep it all to myself.”
"Give me something." I couldn't quite grasp what he was asking for, and my mind was spinning, trying to figure out how to respond. I had an uneasy feeling, as if he was trying to coerce me into giving him the answer he wanted.
“Usually, people who love each other get married... yes.”
"Love?"
Noah chuckled, one corner of his mouth raised, and he smiled. It was a strangely mocking expression.
“Then you must love me.”
“I’ll try.”
“Then try it now.”
What are you saying?
Is it love that you want me to do this right now?
This crazy man's demands were beyond bewildering; they even emptied my mind.
Suddenly, I remembered a scene from the novel "The Grand Duke" where a man asks a woman he saved from danger to tell him she loves him. He opened the book in question and said:
“You like this kind of thing.”
At this point, it's hard to tell whether the original work is a 19+ novel or a kidnapping negotiation novel.
There's no way to explain why the original's crazy guy is so absorbed in the role of the male protagonist in another book.
Surely, you're not just asking me to say it as a test? Something like a skit, right?
Love isn't something you can just say, but it's easy to just blurt out words without sincerity. If a single word could improve your situation, I'd say it.
“Yes. I love you.”
A faint glimmer of surprise crossed Noah's eyes at the soulless words I spat out carelessly.
Even if I happen to become lovers with this man, it doesn't matter. I'm a seasoned adult, and I've often had casual encounters, meeting and parting for mutual gain. I'm in a situation where I'll lose both my place and my life to a fleeting whim, easily overturned by a single gust of wind. So, I have no choice but to make the most of even a mere scrap of interest and wait for another opportunity.
Even if you date someone for a while and break up, you wouldn't shoot the woman you were seeing with a gun.
While I was seriously thinking about my future plans, Noah covered his mouth and burst out laughing as if he found it amusing.
Are you playing with me?
"Princess."
The corners of his eyes creased pleasantly as a soft voice called out to me. His hazy breath dissipated faintly with a faint laugh. Noah, who had been looking down, let out a deep sigh and slowly raised his head to meet my eyes.
“Did you really mean that?”
Ehat?
Noah's cool voice chilled the air around him. His eyes, devoid of any trace of laughter, turned back to me, their gaze fixed on me with their characteristically savory, savory eyes.
He's seen countless prisoners. He's heard every lie they've told to survive, and he's forced them to say the words they need to say, experiencing the very depths of humanity.
In the original, Noah was described as being incredibly intelligent and adept at understanding his opponents' strategies and plans. It wasn't for nothing that he received numerous promotions and became a colonel at such a young age. When I showed signs of confusion, Noah looked down at me with a satisfied expression, as if his plan had been successful, and grinned.
"You wouldn't be lying, would you? You wouldn't be just trying to brush it off. My Princess wouldn't say anything irresponsible, would you?"
His words, caressing my swollen cheeks, sounded like a threat disguised as kindness.
I was just role-playing, but he asked me such threatening questions? Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine as I realized something. He was trying to nail down my words, to make them factual. Perhaps I was wrong in thinking he wouldn't shoot his ex-girlfriend.
Is it even possible to have a normal relationship with that man in the first place?
Even if I tell the truth, what will happen to me? I tried to control my expression and wiggled my fingers.
“I’m serious. You saved me too...”
I lied for my own convenience. Of course, the man wouldn't believe me. It was just like giving him orders to do whatever he wanted. Like a puppet show.
I was someone who found everything annoying and apathetic, so I didn't really understand the feeling of love. I'd been in relationships in my life, but I'd never truly loved anyone.
It's a lie, but I can't help but say that because it's such a desperate sincerity that he's saying things like "I love you" when he doesn't mean it.
He still rubbed his lips with a disgusted expression.
“I can’t believe it. How could I know if you just told me?”
“I can’t show you that.”
“Why isn’t it there?”
Noah, who had been bending his head toward me and meeting my eyes, lowered his gaze, following my breathing. He remained silent, staring at my lips.
In the silence between our conversations, only the wind, rustling the tree branches, blew desolately. Noah held my gaze and raised a hand. The soldiers who had been clearing the area ran in unison and disappeared somewhere.
All of this was a gentlemanly and kind compulsion.
I was making a deal for my peaceful life with this man, in a situation where I felt like I'd collapse at the slightest gust of wind. Without the strength to think, I decided to give in to this strange man's wishes.
I grabbed Noah's cheek, gently placed my cold, hardened lips on his, and quickly pulled away. His face remained expressionless, unmoving, and he straightened up, standing upright.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Why is the order like that? It's the first time I've seen someone ask if everything's okay only after they've finished their own business.
Oh, this guy is a pretty crazy bastard.
“No. You asked so quickly.”
At my feeble reply, Noah lifted me up lightly and gestured towards the soldiers hiding in the distance.
Were those people watching all this?
“Take care of the situation and come back.”
As I clutched the hem of my skirt, which was torn, because I was concerned about my thighs being exposed more and more while in his arms, Noah put me down and tied the hem of my skirt together.
“I’ll do whatever you want, too. We’ve even kissed before.”
He said "yes" to the question "Do you want my body?" and now he's talking like a pure-hearted man. What should I do? He's so unpredictable, I think I'm going crazy.
“Even though we kissed, our bodies are still...”
“That wasn’t a kiss.”
"Ah?"
Yeah, it was just something that happened by chance, like an accident.
“If you don’t know, should I tell you?”
Noah leaned closer, his face drawn to mine with a curious look. The sudden closeness made my eyes flush. Our noses were almost touching, so my gaze naturally turned to his lips.
"No."
“You said you loved me, but you don’t like me?”
“It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I’m embarrassed to be outside.”
“Then shall we go to the room?”
Noah, clutching my chin, asked with a languid expression. His voice was soft and relaxed, as if he were gliding across the water. "I've completely lost to this man. Even if this were all just a joke, I'm still more disappointed, so there's nothing I can do."
From what I've seen so far, he seems to be deliberately deceiving me, even though he knows everything. I feel like I'm being shackled by the strings of a "cornered situation," controlled by my will. At least he seems happy.
Ah... In the original, I think he enjoyed teasing Celine by leading her on like this.
Losing my motivation in a situation where I had no choice, I thought about his personality again.
When I squirmed in his embrace, feeling uncomfortable, he let out a laugh through his nose.
The round fur draped over my body was tickling his chin and neck.
“It tickles.”
“I can walk.”
“Your injury must hurt. It’s uncomfortable to lift, so put your arm around my neck.”
I obediently put my arms around his neck, and he straightened up and began walking toward the mansion. I asked him if he planned to go all the way there.
“But can you walk there?”
"Yes."
“Isn’t it dangerous? There’s a wolf there.”
“Are you scared? I’m here.”
Noah reassured me by rubbing his chin against my crown. Fortunately, the moonlight was bright, so I didn't think I'd get lost. A mysterious scent, warmed by his body temperature, wafted from the corner of his neck.
Despite his handsome face, I felt the strength of his arms and upper body. Despite his seemingly cold exterior, his embrace was warm. Up close, I found many things surprising. The warmth enveloping his body made me feel tired, and my eyes fluttered shut.
“Get some sleep.”
“I fell asleep?”
“I guess you can sleep well anywhere.”
I no longer had the strength to respond. My entire body relaxed, and I rested my head on his chest. How did I end up in such a life of twists and turns? I sighed inwardly and fell into a faint, my eyes closed.
I barely managed to lift my eyelids, and a familiar ceiling came into view, as if I had been transported through time.
The wood in the fireplace crackled. I felt a warm blanket covering me, and the soft sheets against my back.
"Uh?"
The clothes that were dirty, torn, and tattered in places had been replaced with soft pajamas.
There is a white bandage on the knee, which is scratched and injured here and there.
“Who did it?”
“I did it.”
A nice, low-pitched voice cut in behind my mumbling.
“You?”
“Yeah. Me.”
Noah, sitting on the edge of the bed, handed me some warm tea and pulled the blanket up to my chin. I couldn't tell if he was telling me to drink the tea or to go to sleep. Oh, wait, did he change my clothes?
“You stripped me?”
I placed my teacup on the nightstand and tried to get up, but my back ached and I collapsed back down. Every part of my body ached, as if I'd been beaten.
As I lay there and looked up with bewildered eyes, he smiled sweetly.
“What’s wrong between us?”
“Between us?”
It's not my body, but I still don't want to show it off so easily.
“It’s mine now, right?”
He kept asking me persistently.
“I’m yours too.”
I still don't know what we exchanged, but I clearly said that I would give it to him if we got married... He's definitely doing it on purpose. That man is so pathetic.
“But I don’t like it when people take my clothes off without permission. I don’t like it when they force me.”
"I'm just kidding. I'm not so uncivilized as to touch you without permission. I did put the bandage on, after all."
If that's the case, then that's fortunate. I exhaled, feeling a deep sense of exhaustion. Unlike me, who had sagged, a man with a clean and perfect appearance was looking down at me. He had a shallow dimple. His eyelashes were long, casting shadows across his cheeks.
Telling this man you love him is absurd. He didn't even look at Celine's fatal seduction tactics in the original, his face dry and indifferent. Why is he doing this to me? Is this just one of the many games this peculiar man enjoys? I'm a puppet, manipulated by him.
“Diana.”
Noah called my name in a soft voice. Before I could answer, he continued.
“Did you forget what I said I would tell you?”
What did he say he'd tell me? A faint musk scent and a feeling of fatigue, tangled together, cloud my mind. All I remember is the corners of the beautiful Duke's mouth curling loosely.
“They failed?”
Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal furrowed his brows when he heard the news that the attempt to rescue Diana had failed and all of his men were killed.
“Yes, they say they were all killed.”
At the lieutenant's words, the lieutenant colonel put down his teacup and sighed.
“Tell the Admiral that I will visit the mansion tomorrow.”
The next day, the lieutenant colonel boarded a military vehicle and headed to the admiral's mansion. At the mansion's entrance, Celine, dressed in a rose-colored dress, greeted him with a bright smile.
The diamond pin adorning her platinum hair shone visibly in the afternoon sunlight. Celine couldn't hide her delight, and even her face flushed brightly.
“Good morning, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal.”
“Yes, Miss Claire. How have you been?”
“I haven’t been doing well... because my younger sibling ended up like that.”
Celine, who had hastily changed her subject, stroked her messy hair. She led him to the reception room, ordered a maid to bring a teapot, teacups, and black tea, and brewed the tea herself.
Refreshments and precious foreign fruits were served on a table covered with a white tablecloth.
“Father will be back in about 30 minutes.”
“I see. I will enjoy my drink.”
The lieutenant colonel, holding a cup of fragrant black tea, looked at Celine silently.
She was adorned with expensive jewelry that sparkled and shone with every movement.
“I guess you like jewels.”
"Yes. My father bought me a lot. This is the same color as your eyes, Lieutenant Colonel. It's my favorite gem."
Celine spoke proudly, fingering her blue sapphire earrings. The lieutenant colonel remembered Diana's ears, glimpsed through her jet-black bob.
Even the flat shoes, which didn't even have a puncture mark, didn't fit her tiny feet and would scrape the heels with every step, threatening to fall off.
“I will save your sister.”
“Huh? Are you going to Frogen yourself?”
Celine's once-pristine face withered in an instant. Why would a man she had a crush on risk his life and go to an enemy country just because of her rascally younger sister?
“Yes. I was there at the scene and had a lot of responsibility.”
"I've heard that Colonel Rothchil is a very cruel and dangerous man. He's a skilled marksman and..."
“There’s nothing we can do. We don’t know what’s going on with Miss Diana there.”
“Ah, Diana...”
'You're calling her name? Surely you've never met before? That's impossible.'
Celine, whose words were trailing off, bit her lower lip slightly and put down her teacup.
"There's no need for you to go, Lieutenant Colonel. You're a noble person. Someone else will go."
“What does family origin have to do with a soldier?”
"Still..."
Tears began to well up in her clear, green eyes. Her eyes, reddened, stared pitifully at the lieutenant colonel. He looked strong and collected, his stubbornness unwavering.
The man she loves is driven to the brink of death because of her younger sister, who was treated like a kitchen maid.
Celine lowered her eyes and finally let tears fall. Her appearance was as poignant and beautiful as a dew-covered forget-me-not.
“I’m worried, so don’t go! Please!”
When Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal finally saw Celine burst into tears, he spoke in a gentle and affectionate voice, as if trying to comfort her.
“Miss Claire, I can’t help it. It’s for your sake.”
"Yes?"
Celine stared at the lieutenant colonel with a surprised expression, a hint of anticipation.
“It is literally so.”
He sighed meaningfully and placed one hand on his face.
The corners of the lieutenant colonel's mouth, hidden beneath his palm, were twisted upwards, holding arsenic that he would not spit out.
It's a truly humiliating life, but I'm not so proud that I'd trade my body for it.
“I don’t like it. We’re not even close to getting married.”
“Are you giving it to me when we get married? Then I can keep it all to myself.”
"Give me something." I couldn't quite grasp what he was asking for, and my mind was spinning, trying to figure out how to respond. I had an uneasy feeling, as if he was trying to coerce me into giving him the answer he wanted.
“Usually, people who love each other get married... yes.”
"Love?"
Noah chuckled, one corner of his mouth raised, and he smiled. It was a strangely mocking expression.
“Then you must love me.”
“I’ll try.”
“Then try it now.”
What are you saying?
Is it love that you want me to do this right now?
This crazy man's demands were beyond bewildering; they even emptied my mind.
Suddenly, I remembered a scene from the novel "The Grand Duke" where a man asks a woman he saved from danger to tell him she loves him. He opened the book in question and said:
“You like this kind of thing.”
At this point, it's hard to tell whether the original work is a 19+ novel or a kidnapping negotiation novel.
There's no way to explain why the original's crazy guy is so absorbed in the role of the male protagonist in another book.
Surely, you're not just asking me to say it as a test? Something like a skit, right?
Love isn't something you can just say, but it's easy to just blurt out words without sincerity. If a single word could improve your situation, I'd say it.
“Yes. I love you.”
A faint glimmer of surprise crossed Noah's eyes at the soulless words I spat out carelessly.
Even if I happen to become lovers with this man, it doesn't matter. I'm a seasoned adult, and I've often had casual encounters, meeting and parting for mutual gain. I'm in a situation where I'll lose both my place and my life to a fleeting whim, easily overturned by a single gust of wind. So, I have no choice but to make the most of even a mere scrap of interest and wait for another opportunity.
Even if you date someone for a while and break up, you wouldn't shoot the woman you were seeing with a gun.
While I was seriously thinking about my future plans, Noah covered his mouth and burst out laughing as if he found it amusing.
Are you playing with me?
"Princess."
The corners of his eyes creased pleasantly as a soft voice called out to me. His hazy breath dissipated faintly with a faint laugh. Noah, who had been looking down, let out a deep sigh and slowly raised his head to meet my eyes.
“Did you really mean that?”
Ehat?
Noah's cool voice chilled the air around him. His eyes, devoid of any trace of laughter, turned back to me, their gaze fixed on me with their characteristically savory, savory eyes.
He's seen countless prisoners. He's heard every lie they've told to survive, and he's forced them to say the words they need to say, experiencing the very depths of humanity.
In the original, Noah was described as being incredibly intelligent and adept at understanding his opponents' strategies and plans. It wasn't for nothing that he received numerous promotions and became a colonel at such a young age. When I showed signs of confusion, Noah looked down at me with a satisfied expression, as if his plan had been successful, and grinned.
"You wouldn't be lying, would you? You wouldn't be just trying to brush it off. My Princess wouldn't say anything irresponsible, would you?"
His words, caressing my swollen cheeks, sounded like a threat disguised as kindness.
I was just role-playing, but he asked me such threatening questions? Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine as I realized something. He was trying to nail down my words, to make them factual. Perhaps I was wrong in thinking he wouldn't shoot his ex-girlfriend.
Is it even possible to have a normal relationship with that man in the first place?
Even if I tell the truth, what will happen to me? I tried to control my expression and wiggled my fingers.
“I’m serious. You saved me too...”
I lied for my own convenience. Of course, the man wouldn't believe me. It was just like giving him orders to do whatever he wanted. Like a puppet show.
I was someone who found everything annoying and apathetic, so I didn't really understand the feeling of love. I'd been in relationships in my life, but I'd never truly loved anyone.
It's a lie, but I can't help but say that because it's such a desperate sincerity that he's saying things like "I love you" when he doesn't mean it.
He still rubbed his lips with a disgusted expression.
“I can’t believe it. How could I know if you just told me?”
“I can’t show you that.”
“Why isn’t it there?”
Noah, who had been bending his head toward me and meeting my eyes, lowered his gaze, following my breathing. He remained silent, staring at my lips.
In the silence between our conversations, only the wind, rustling the tree branches, blew desolately. Noah held my gaze and raised a hand. The soldiers who had been clearing the area ran in unison and disappeared somewhere.
All of this was a gentlemanly and kind compulsion.
I was making a deal for my peaceful life with this man, in a situation where I felt like I'd collapse at the slightest gust of wind. Without the strength to think, I decided to give in to this strange man's wishes.
I grabbed Noah's cheek, gently placed my cold, hardened lips on his, and quickly pulled away. His face remained expressionless, unmoving, and he straightened up, standing upright.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Why is the order like that? It's the first time I've seen someone ask if everything's okay only after they've finished their own business.
Oh, this guy is a pretty crazy bastard.
“No. You asked so quickly.”
At my feeble reply, Noah lifted me up lightly and gestured towards the soldiers hiding in the distance.
Were those people watching all this?
“Take care of the situation and come back.”
As I clutched the hem of my skirt, which was torn, because I was concerned about my thighs being exposed more and more while in his arms, Noah put me down and tied the hem of my skirt together.
“I’ll do whatever you want, too. We’ve even kissed before.”
He said "yes" to the question "Do you want my body?" and now he's talking like a pure-hearted man. What should I do? He's so unpredictable, I think I'm going crazy.
“Even though we kissed, our bodies are still...”
“That wasn’t a kiss.”
"Ah?"
Yeah, it was just something that happened by chance, like an accident.
“If you don’t know, should I tell you?”
Noah leaned closer, his face drawn to mine with a curious look. The sudden closeness made my eyes flush. Our noses were almost touching, so my gaze naturally turned to his lips.
"No."
“You said you loved me, but you don’t like me?”
“It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I’m embarrassed to be outside.”
“Then shall we go to the room?”
Noah, clutching my chin, asked with a languid expression. His voice was soft and relaxed, as if he were gliding across the water. "I've completely lost to this man. Even if this were all just a joke, I'm still more disappointed, so there's nothing I can do."
From what I've seen so far, he seems to be deliberately deceiving me, even though he knows everything. I feel like I'm being shackled by the strings of a "cornered situation," controlled by my will. At least he seems happy.
Ah... In the original, I think he enjoyed teasing Celine by leading her on like this.
Losing my motivation in a situation where I had no choice, I thought about his personality again.
When I squirmed in his embrace, feeling uncomfortable, he let out a laugh through his nose.
The round fur draped over my body was tickling his chin and neck.
“It tickles.”
“I can walk.”
“Your injury must hurt. It’s uncomfortable to lift, so put your arm around my neck.”
I obediently put my arms around his neck, and he straightened up and began walking toward the mansion. I asked him if he planned to go all the way there.
“But can you walk there?”
"Yes."
“Isn’t it dangerous? There’s a wolf there.”
“Are you scared? I’m here.”
Noah reassured me by rubbing his chin against my crown. Fortunately, the moonlight was bright, so I didn't think I'd get lost. A mysterious scent, warmed by his body temperature, wafted from the corner of his neck.
Despite his handsome face, I felt the strength of his arms and upper body. Despite his seemingly cold exterior, his embrace was warm. Up close, I found many things surprising. The warmth enveloping his body made me feel tired, and my eyes fluttered shut.
“Get some sleep.”
“I fell asleep?”
“I guess you can sleep well anywhere.”
I no longer had the strength to respond. My entire body relaxed, and I rested my head on his chest. How did I end up in such a life of twists and turns? I sighed inwardly and fell into a faint, my eyes closed.
I barely managed to lift my eyelids, and a familiar ceiling came into view, as if I had been transported through time.
The wood in the fireplace crackled. I felt a warm blanket covering me, and the soft sheets against my back.
"Uh?"
The clothes that were dirty, torn, and tattered in places had been replaced with soft pajamas.
There is a white bandage on the knee, which is scratched and injured here and there.
“Who did it?”
“I did it.”
A nice, low-pitched voice cut in behind my mumbling.
“You?”
“Yeah. Me.”
Noah, sitting on the edge of the bed, handed me some warm tea and pulled the blanket up to my chin. I couldn't tell if he was telling me to drink the tea or to go to sleep. Oh, wait, did he change my clothes?
“You stripped me?”
I placed my teacup on the nightstand and tried to get up, but my back ached and I collapsed back down. Every part of my body ached, as if I'd been beaten.
As I lay there and looked up with bewildered eyes, he smiled sweetly.
“What’s wrong between us?”
“Between us?”
It's not my body, but I still don't want to show it off so easily.
“It’s mine now, right?”
He kept asking me persistently.
“I’m yours too.”
I still don't know what we exchanged, but I clearly said that I would give it to him if we got married... He's definitely doing it on purpose. That man is so pathetic.
“But I don’t like it when people take my clothes off without permission. I don’t like it when they force me.”
"I'm just kidding. I'm not so uncivilized as to touch you without permission. I did put the bandage on, after all."
If that's the case, then that's fortunate. I exhaled, feeling a deep sense of exhaustion. Unlike me, who had sagged, a man with a clean and perfect appearance was looking down at me. He had a shallow dimple. His eyelashes were long, casting shadows across his cheeks.
Telling this man you love him is absurd. He didn't even look at Celine's fatal seduction tactics in the original, his face dry and indifferent. Why is he doing this to me? Is this just one of the many games this peculiar man enjoys? I'm a puppet, manipulated by him.
“Diana.”
Noah called my name in a soft voice. Before I could answer, he continued.
“Did you forget what I said I would tell you?”
What did he say he'd tell me? A faint musk scent and a feeling of fatigue, tangled together, cloud my mind. All I remember is the corners of the beautiful Duke's mouth curling loosely.
***
“They failed?”
Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal furrowed his brows when he heard the news that the attempt to rescue Diana had failed and all of his men were killed.
“Yes, they say they were all killed.”
At the lieutenant's words, the lieutenant colonel put down his teacup and sighed.
“Tell the Admiral that I will visit the mansion tomorrow.”
The next day, the lieutenant colonel boarded a military vehicle and headed to the admiral's mansion. At the mansion's entrance, Celine, dressed in a rose-colored dress, greeted him with a bright smile.
The diamond pin adorning her platinum hair shone visibly in the afternoon sunlight. Celine couldn't hide her delight, and even her face flushed brightly.
“Good morning, Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal.”
“Yes, Miss Claire. How have you been?”
“I haven’t been doing well... because my younger sibling ended up like that.”
Celine, who had hastily changed her subject, stroked her messy hair. She led him to the reception room, ordered a maid to bring a teapot, teacups, and black tea, and brewed the tea herself.
Refreshments and precious foreign fruits were served on a table covered with a white tablecloth.
“Father will be back in about 30 minutes.”
“I see. I will enjoy my drink.”
The lieutenant colonel, holding a cup of fragrant black tea, looked at Celine silently.
She was adorned with expensive jewelry that sparkled and shone with every movement.
“I guess you like jewels.”
"Yes. My father bought me a lot. This is the same color as your eyes, Lieutenant Colonel. It's my favorite gem."
Celine spoke proudly, fingering her blue sapphire earrings. The lieutenant colonel remembered Diana's ears, glimpsed through her jet-black bob.
Even the flat shoes, which didn't even have a puncture mark, didn't fit her tiny feet and would scrape the heels with every step, threatening to fall off.
“I will save your sister.”
“Huh? Are you going to Frogen yourself?”
Celine's once-pristine face withered in an instant. Why would a man she had a crush on risk his life and go to an enemy country just because of her rascally younger sister?
“Yes. I was there at the scene and had a lot of responsibility.”
"I've heard that Colonel Rothchil is a very cruel and dangerous man. He's a skilled marksman and..."
“There’s nothing we can do. We don’t know what’s going on with Miss Diana there.”
“Ah, Diana...”
'You're calling her name? Surely you've never met before? That's impossible.'
Celine, whose words were trailing off, bit her lower lip slightly and put down her teacup.
"There's no need for you to go, Lieutenant Colonel. You're a noble person. Someone else will go."
“What does family origin have to do with a soldier?”
"Still..."
Tears began to well up in her clear, green eyes. Her eyes, reddened, stared pitifully at the lieutenant colonel. He looked strong and collected, his stubbornness unwavering.
The man she loves is driven to the brink of death because of her younger sister, who was treated like a kitchen maid.
Celine lowered her eyes and finally let tears fall. Her appearance was as poignant and beautiful as a dew-covered forget-me-not.
“I’m worried, so don’t go! Please!”
When Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal finally saw Celine burst into tears, he spoke in a gentle and affectionate voice, as if trying to comfort her.
“Miss Claire, I can’t help it. It’s for your sake.”
"Yes?"
Celine stared at the lieutenant colonel with a surprised expression, a hint of anticipation.
“It is literally so.”
He sighed meaningfully and placed one hand on his face.
The corners of the lieutenant colonel's mouth, hidden beneath his palm, were twisted upwards, holding arsenic that he would not spit out.
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