“Vanessa?”
The person standing at the door was Vanessa.
As Callion came out, she bowed her head in respect with a grim expression. Vanessa rarely came this far. Moreover, while it might have been understandable if she were in front of the door to their room, there was even less reason for Vanessa to be loitering in front of the couple's bedroom.
As if noticing Callion's bewilderment, Vanessa bent down a little further and opened her mouth.
"It seems you came out because of me. I apologize."
“Why are you here?”
“That is...”
Just as Vanessa was about to speak, a rough voice was heard from below the stairs.
“How long does Hessengard intend to ignore Havand’s envoy like this?”
An arrogant voice filled with displeasure. It was clearly the Marquis of Carnarvon's. At the Marquis's voice, Callion's face contorted. He could guess what the situation was.
"Did the Marquis come looking for Erna at this hour?"
At Callion's voice, which had turned cold, Vanessa bowed her head even lower, as if the Marquis's visit were her own sin.
“That is correct. I was on my way to the Council when servants rushed out of the main building with pale faces, grabbed me, and begged for help. Thinking something had happened, I came to investigate and found the Marquis of Carnarvon stubbornly trying to go upstairs to see Grand Duke Erna.”
Vanessa’s expression also turned as cold as Callion's after saying that much.
“I told him she would be asleep at this hour, but they absolutely wouldn't listen... I asked him to wait and came up here, but I felt apologetic looking for both of you at this hour and was wondering what to do.”
Callion strained his ears to listen to the sounds coming from below. From what he could hear, the Marquis seemed extremely displeased that the Grand Duke's castle attendants were blocking his way. Then, he even heard a loud slap! At that sound, Callion gritted his teeth.
He is an arrogant man. To think that an envoy of the kingdom would dare to lay his hand on a servant at the Grand Duke's castle. All the servants here act in the name of the Grand Duke. This means that they, too, have received a certain degree of the Grand Duke's authority. For this reason, the servants of the Grand Duke's castle were respected by the people when they traveled around the capital.
Just the fact that they were wearing the Grand Duke's castle uniform was enough for people to remove their hats, bow their heads, and treat the castle's attendants with polite words and attitudes.
To think he would raise his hand to them as if he were ordering livestock.
Callion remembered the Marquis's attitude from last night. He was the one who had acted disrespectfully toward Erna as well. He was probably the only person here whom the Marquis would feel intimidated by.
'And the fact that he came here at this hour...'
The left side of the Grand Duke's castle is Erna's quarters. He must have been guided to that extent, and since he was a Marquis who had visited here before, he surely wouldn't have taken the wrong path. However, the fact that he insisted on taking the central staircase and coming towards the couple's bedroom to look for Erna meant exactly what it meant.
'Is it to confirm?'
Callion recalled the letters sent by the two kingdoms. They had spoken as if they had granted Erna and Callion a one-year grace period, but in reality, it was a notice to prepare to leave Hessengard.
Even though the two kingdoms were in a state of war, they were not so foolish as to be completely unaware that the two were on bad terms. Marquis Carnarvon must have come here having heard at least that much information. However, upon arriving, he must have been taken aback to see the Grand Duke and his wife acting affectionately—even if it was just an act.
'He surely intends to verify the details, find fault, and force us to hurry back home.'
So, he must have dared to think of coming directly to the couple's bedroom. To verify whether or not the two were actually sleeping together. The Marquis of Carnarvon is glaring with his eyes, looking for a flaw in the Grand Dukes of Hessengard.
Callion clenched his fist. He wanted to punch Marquis Carnarvon in the head right then and there. He remembered the past. Those who had stripped the two of them naked without permission and shoved them into the room to mate. They had returned and were lurking around the room once again.
'Should I just throw him out the window and cover it up as an accidental fall?'
Harsh and reckless fantasies that he would never have had in his usual self flashed through Callion's mind. Of course, they were merely fantasies. Callion quickly regained his composure.
Meanwhile, the Marquis of Carnarvon's voice was growing louder. Judging by his attitude, it seemed that even if Vanessa were sent, the Marquis would inevitably come all the way up here. In that case...
"I'll go."
Callion sighed. He didn't want to wake Erna, who had been tormented until dawn. Her eyes were all swollen from crying; who would he want to show her like that? It was only because it was him that he could just accept it. He absolutely had no intention of letting anyone else see her in that state.
“...?”
Then, Callion became puzzled. What did it matter to him if Erna met someone looking unsightly? But why...
Callion shook his head roughly. It seemed he had lost his mind after listening to Erna's sobbing voice all night.
"Then I will go down and ask him to wait until the Grand Duke is ready."
"No, never mind."
Callion stopped Vanessa from turning around.
"I'll go down like this."
Having said that, Callion strode down with his long legs. The wound Erna had inflicted stung beneath his loosely draped nightgown.
'I'll show you if you want.'
There was no greater evidence than this to prove that the Grand Dukes were making tireless efforts in accordance with the correspondence between the two kingdoms.
As the sound of something descending from above was heard, both the Marquis of Carnarvon and the attendants blocking his path turned their heads toward the stairs. Thick, long legs covered in solid muscles like those of a wild horse on the meadow were slowly descending the stairs. The owner of the legs soon revealed himself.
“Grand Duke Callion...”
Even though he was wearing only a nightgown, as if to show that this Grand Duke's castle was his home, there was no sign of shame or hesitation in Callion's attitude.
Messy hair and the crumpled marks on his gown. And above all... the long scar remaining on his exposed neck and chest. Everyone's gaze turned toward the deep red mark etched on his chest. Callion swept his hair back without making any particular attempt to hide it. Although his actions, tinged with a languid weariness, were nothing out of the ordinary, there was a certain erotic quality to them that somehow made the onlookers swallow hard.
“I hope you show some courtesy befitting a guest, Marquis. I think you're past the age where I should be telling you this myself. Or perhaps I was mistaken about your age.”
At the sound of Callion’s voice, filled with genuine contempt, several servants blocking the Marquis’s path contorted their faces as they struggled to suppress their laughter.
“And I thought you knew the inside of the Grand Duke’s castle well, but seeing you come to a place like this at this hour, it seems that isn’t the case. So, I will assign a good guide to you from now on. Vanessa, the dog being raised at the Council, gave birth to puppies, didn’t it?”
"Yes."
Vanessa, who had followed Callion down before anyone realized it, answered from behind him, twitching her lips.
“Give the youngest puppy among them to the Marquis. He knows very well where you can and cannot go, so he will be of great help to the Marquis of Carnarvon.”
Thanks to Callion, who didn't mince words about whether he was worse than a dog, the shoulders of a few of the servants twitched.
“No, it’s not that I have any other intentions... it’s just...!”
The Marquis, not expecting to hear such sarcasm to his face, involuntarily raised his voice. At this, Callion hurriedly put a finger to his lips and spoke in a small voice, as if soothing a child.
“Shh, Marquis. My wife is still asleep.”
Having said that, Callion slowly ran one hand down his neck. Thanks to this, the long claw marks became even more clearly visible.
“Then, I hope you are careful from now on. You all escort the Marquis outside.”
At the master's command to drag that fellow out immediately, the servants bowed at the waist before the Marquis with slightly excited faces and reached out their hands toward the entrance.
"I will guide you, Marquis of Carnarvon."
Marquis Carnarvon turned with a stunned look and watched the retreating figure of Callion as he went upstairs. Before Callion's figure had even disappeared, he was practically dragged out of the main building of the Grand Duke's castle. As he emerged outside, Vanessa asked him a question from behind with a somewhat serious expression.
"There is a black dog and a white dog; which one do you prefer?"
Pfft. The sound of servants, finally unable to hold back their laughter, could be heard from inside the entrance. A moment later, the Marquis’s face turned red as he finally realized the situation.
“I don’t need it!”
The Marquis yelled at Vanessa and turned around with the knights who had accompanied him. The knights had no swords at their waists. This was because they had been taken from them by Erna and Callion at the place where they had been greeted before arriving at the Grand Duke's castle, citing etiquette. The Marquis's footsteps grew fierce as he walked toward the room.
'I won't let you get away with this.'
The Marquis thought about what he could do. All his power stemmed from Havand. Therefore, to do anything, he had to reach out to Havand.
'I should send a letter.'
He pondered what to write in the letter.
As soon as I arrived, my weapons were taken away. Princess Erna treats Havand's envoy poorly, refusing to even give us a proper meal. Even more problematic is the fact that the Princess has fallen for another Grand Duke, her enemy, and is handing over everything that belongs to Havand...
Thinking of the letter that would be filled with blatant lies, he disappeared with rough steps. And there was someone who continued to watch the Marquis. It was Vanessa, the Chairwoman of the Council.
She whispered to the council employee who approached her.
“Wouldn’t it be better to send a black dog to the Marquis?”
It was a speech without laughter.
After returning to his room, Callion closed the door and stood there blankly for a long time.
What have I just done?
His attire was reflected in the mirror hanging on one wall. It was his own reflection wearing nothing but a nightgown. Callion had never once gone out dressed like this. He had always dressed perfectly in his ceremonial robes—to the point where Cedric grumbled he was obsessive—and he had never once unbuttoned a single button. To think he would stand before people in this state.
Callion covered his mouth with his hand, unable to believe what he had done. Of course, since this was the Grand Duke's castle and his own home, it did not matter what he wore as he walked around. He wasn't walking around naked, nor was his attire particularly impressive to other nobles. Callion looked in the mirror again. He could see the red fingernail marks still remaining.
It was an impulsive act done to shut the Marquis, who firmly believed the two were separate. I thought that seeing such clear evidence would prevent him from making such a fuss anymore. Up to that point, it was fine. But why...
Callion recalled the words he had just blurted out. "My wife is sleeping."
His face quickly turned red. Callion muttered with a blank expression.
“Am I crazy...?”
The person standing at the door was Vanessa.
As Callion came out, she bowed her head in respect with a grim expression. Vanessa rarely came this far. Moreover, while it might have been understandable if she were in front of the door to their room, there was even less reason for Vanessa to be loitering in front of the couple's bedroom.
As if noticing Callion's bewilderment, Vanessa bent down a little further and opened her mouth.
"It seems you came out because of me. I apologize."
“Why are you here?”
“That is...”
Just as Vanessa was about to speak, a rough voice was heard from below the stairs.
“How long does Hessengard intend to ignore Havand’s envoy like this?”
An arrogant voice filled with displeasure. It was clearly the Marquis of Carnarvon's. At the Marquis's voice, Callion's face contorted. He could guess what the situation was.
"Did the Marquis come looking for Erna at this hour?"
At Callion's voice, which had turned cold, Vanessa bowed her head even lower, as if the Marquis's visit were her own sin.
“That is correct. I was on my way to the Council when servants rushed out of the main building with pale faces, grabbed me, and begged for help. Thinking something had happened, I came to investigate and found the Marquis of Carnarvon stubbornly trying to go upstairs to see Grand Duke Erna.”
Vanessa’s expression also turned as cold as Callion's after saying that much.
“I told him she would be asleep at this hour, but they absolutely wouldn't listen... I asked him to wait and came up here, but I felt apologetic looking for both of you at this hour and was wondering what to do.”
Callion strained his ears to listen to the sounds coming from below. From what he could hear, the Marquis seemed extremely displeased that the Grand Duke's castle attendants were blocking his way. Then, he even heard a loud slap! At that sound, Callion gritted his teeth.
He is an arrogant man. To think that an envoy of the kingdom would dare to lay his hand on a servant at the Grand Duke's castle. All the servants here act in the name of the Grand Duke. This means that they, too, have received a certain degree of the Grand Duke's authority. For this reason, the servants of the Grand Duke's castle were respected by the people when they traveled around the capital.
Just the fact that they were wearing the Grand Duke's castle uniform was enough for people to remove their hats, bow their heads, and treat the castle's attendants with polite words and attitudes.
To think he would raise his hand to them as if he were ordering livestock.
Callion remembered the Marquis's attitude from last night. He was the one who had acted disrespectfully toward Erna as well. He was probably the only person here whom the Marquis would feel intimidated by.
'And the fact that he came here at this hour...'
The left side of the Grand Duke's castle is Erna's quarters. He must have been guided to that extent, and since he was a Marquis who had visited here before, he surely wouldn't have taken the wrong path. However, the fact that he insisted on taking the central staircase and coming towards the couple's bedroom to look for Erna meant exactly what it meant.
'Is it to confirm?'
Callion recalled the letters sent by the two kingdoms. They had spoken as if they had granted Erna and Callion a one-year grace period, but in reality, it was a notice to prepare to leave Hessengard.
Even though the two kingdoms were in a state of war, they were not so foolish as to be completely unaware that the two were on bad terms. Marquis Carnarvon must have come here having heard at least that much information. However, upon arriving, he must have been taken aback to see the Grand Duke and his wife acting affectionately—even if it was just an act.
'He surely intends to verify the details, find fault, and force us to hurry back home.'
So, he must have dared to think of coming directly to the couple's bedroom. To verify whether or not the two were actually sleeping together. The Marquis of Carnarvon is glaring with his eyes, looking for a flaw in the Grand Dukes of Hessengard.
Callion clenched his fist. He wanted to punch Marquis Carnarvon in the head right then and there. He remembered the past. Those who had stripped the two of them naked without permission and shoved them into the room to mate. They had returned and were lurking around the room once again.
'Should I just throw him out the window and cover it up as an accidental fall?'
Harsh and reckless fantasies that he would never have had in his usual self flashed through Callion's mind. Of course, they were merely fantasies. Callion quickly regained his composure.
Meanwhile, the Marquis of Carnarvon's voice was growing louder. Judging by his attitude, it seemed that even if Vanessa were sent, the Marquis would inevitably come all the way up here. In that case...
"I'll go."
Callion sighed. He didn't want to wake Erna, who had been tormented until dawn. Her eyes were all swollen from crying; who would he want to show her like that? It was only because it was him that he could just accept it. He absolutely had no intention of letting anyone else see her in that state.
“...?”
Then, Callion became puzzled. What did it matter to him if Erna met someone looking unsightly? But why...
Callion shook his head roughly. It seemed he had lost his mind after listening to Erna's sobbing voice all night.
"Then I will go down and ask him to wait until the Grand Duke is ready."
"No, never mind."
Callion stopped Vanessa from turning around.
"I'll go down like this."
Having said that, Callion strode down with his long legs. The wound Erna had inflicted stung beneath his loosely draped nightgown.
'I'll show you if you want.'
There was no greater evidence than this to prove that the Grand Dukes were making tireless efforts in accordance with the correspondence between the two kingdoms.
***
As the sound of something descending from above was heard, both the Marquis of Carnarvon and the attendants blocking his path turned their heads toward the stairs. Thick, long legs covered in solid muscles like those of a wild horse on the meadow were slowly descending the stairs. The owner of the legs soon revealed himself.
“Grand Duke Callion...”
Even though he was wearing only a nightgown, as if to show that this Grand Duke's castle was his home, there was no sign of shame or hesitation in Callion's attitude.
Messy hair and the crumpled marks on his gown. And above all... the long scar remaining on his exposed neck and chest. Everyone's gaze turned toward the deep red mark etched on his chest. Callion swept his hair back without making any particular attempt to hide it. Although his actions, tinged with a languid weariness, were nothing out of the ordinary, there was a certain erotic quality to them that somehow made the onlookers swallow hard.
“I hope you show some courtesy befitting a guest, Marquis. I think you're past the age where I should be telling you this myself. Or perhaps I was mistaken about your age.”
At the sound of Callion’s voice, filled with genuine contempt, several servants blocking the Marquis’s path contorted their faces as they struggled to suppress their laughter.
“And I thought you knew the inside of the Grand Duke’s castle well, but seeing you come to a place like this at this hour, it seems that isn’t the case. So, I will assign a good guide to you from now on. Vanessa, the dog being raised at the Council, gave birth to puppies, didn’t it?”
"Yes."
Vanessa, who had followed Callion down before anyone realized it, answered from behind him, twitching her lips.
“Give the youngest puppy among them to the Marquis. He knows very well where you can and cannot go, so he will be of great help to the Marquis of Carnarvon.”
Thanks to Callion, who didn't mince words about whether he was worse than a dog, the shoulders of a few of the servants twitched.
“No, it’s not that I have any other intentions... it’s just...!”
The Marquis, not expecting to hear such sarcasm to his face, involuntarily raised his voice. At this, Callion hurriedly put a finger to his lips and spoke in a small voice, as if soothing a child.
“Shh, Marquis. My wife is still asleep.”
Having said that, Callion slowly ran one hand down his neck. Thanks to this, the long claw marks became even more clearly visible.
“Then, I hope you are careful from now on. You all escort the Marquis outside.”
At the master's command to drag that fellow out immediately, the servants bowed at the waist before the Marquis with slightly excited faces and reached out their hands toward the entrance.
"I will guide you, Marquis of Carnarvon."
Marquis Carnarvon turned with a stunned look and watched the retreating figure of Callion as he went upstairs. Before Callion's figure had even disappeared, he was practically dragged out of the main building of the Grand Duke's castle. As he emerged outside, Vanessa asked him a question from behind with a somewhat serious expression.
"There is a black dog and a white dog; which one do you prefer?"
Pfft. The sound of servants, finally unable to hold back their laughter, could be heard from inside the entrance. A moment later, the Marquis’s face turned red as he finally realized the situation.
“I don’t need it!”
The Marquis yelled at Vanessa and turned around with the knights who had accompanied him. The knights had no swords at their waists. This was because they had been taken from them by Erna and Callion at the place where they had been greeted before arriving at the Grand Duke's castle, citing etiquette. The Marquis's footsteps grew fierce as he walked toward the room.
'I won't let you get away with this.'
The Marquis thought about what he could do. All his power stemmed from Havand. Therefore, to do anything, he had to reach out to Havand.
'I should send a letter.'
He pondered what to write in the letter.
As soon as I arrived, my weapons were taken away. Princess Erna treats Havand's envoy poorly, refusing to even give us a proper meal. Even more problematic is the fact that the Princess has fallen for another Grand Duke, her enemy, and is handing over everything that belongs to Havand...
Thinking of the letter that would be filled with blatant lies, he disappeared with rough steps. And there was someone who continued to watch the Marquis. It was Vanessa, the Chairwoman of the Council.
She whispered to the council employee who approached her.
“Wouldn’t it be better to send a black dog to the Marquis?”
It was a speech without laughter.
***
After returning to his room, Callion closed the door and stood there blankly for a long time.
What have I just done?
His attire was reflected in the mirror hanging on one wall. It was his own reflection wearing nothing but a nightgown. Callion had never once gone out dressed like this. He had always dressed perfectly in his ceremonial robes—to the point where Cedric grumbled he was obsessive—and he had never once unbuttoned a single button. To think he would stand before people in this state.
Callion covered his mouth with his hand, unable to believe what he had done. Of course, since this was the Grand Duke's castle and his own home, it did not matter what he wore as he walked around. He wasn't walking around naked, nor was his attire particularly impressive to other nobles. Callion looked in the mirror again. He could see the red fingernail marks still remaining.
It was an impulsive act done to shut the Marquis, who firmly believed the two were separate. I thought that seeing such clear evidence would prevent him from making such a fuss anymore. Up to that point, it was fine. But why...
Callion recalled the words he had just blurted out. "My wife is sleeping."
His face quickly turned red. Callion muttered with a blank expression.
“Am I crazy...?”
Comments
Post a Comment