《Beast of the Frozen Night》 Chapter 0 Prologue unedited He looked ten years older overnight. There were many emotions in the face that looked straight at her. Confusion, remorse, regret, guilt, and similar were clearly visible through his eyes. But he never looked pitiful. ¡°Angroanne.¡± ¡°It must be very mortifying that I regained my memories. Because everything you¡¯ve done has been revealed.¡± He let out a sigh as if the ground was going to collapse, and lifted his chapped lips with no energy. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. From now on, for you, I will give you whatever you want and devote my life to atonement.¡± As he did, Anne brought a smirk to her lips. ¡°Ridiculous. Do you think such an apology would be accepted, wrapped in a sense of guilt and shallow regret? You will regret it for a while.¡± ¡ª Bang! The door opened wildly with a bursting sound that tore the silence. The cold wind blew and the warmth of the heated room was mixed with the chill of the hallway. Thump, thump. The sound of the heel rubbing against the marble floor was getting closer and closer. As soon as the sound stopped, a low voice, unbelievably low in the human range, fell over Anne¡¯s head. ¡°Is the cycle over?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Anne put the teacup she had brought to her mouth and set it down on the table. She doesn¡¯t even like to drink cold tea, but even if she pretended to drink it casually, those bitter eyes would almost certainly catch the trembling of her hand. ¡®It¡¯s faster than usual.¡¯ It has been three months since she has been here as the Grand Duchess. Considering the northern climate, where darkness comes first, it was no mistake. Turning her head, she saw the face of Grand Duke Cromund, dressed in a neat robe. Even he, who has no patience, waits for her answer, especially at this time. He must¡¯ve already checked with her handmaid, but he sure enjoyed letting her spit it out of her mouth. Anne pressed her lips, which trembled with tension, and opened her mouth, trying to be calm. ¡°Yes, Your Grace. The moon¡­ Is over.¡± There was a slight change in his face, which had been as desolate as a frozen lake. He didn¡¯t stretch his mouth or lower the corners of his eyes, but she saw his pupils dilate, bright red, like a beast that caught its prey. The shoes, as black as darkness, moved again. Frightened by the wind, she added more words. ¡°But¡­ not yet¡­ I¡¯m sensitive¡­ huhk!¡± Anne, who was suddenly pushed against the wall, let out a thin groan. The Grand Duke, who had shoved her into the corner, tilted his head and stared intently at her tight, pink lips, holding back the pain. ¡°I would ask just one question¡­.¡± Anne¡¯s tender shoulder was gripped painfully in the large hand. Even though it was a thick dress that would protect her from the bitter northern cold, the deep pain that seemed to crush her bare skin made her delicate brow wrinkled pathetically. ¡°Today is really¡­ huhh¡­.¡± Anne¡¯s lips let out a faint groan at the strength of the grip that grew stronger. It felt like her shoulder was about to be crushed along with the pain. It was the Grand Duke who could break her as lightly as bare branches out of the window if he intended to. ¡°I already told you. That is not my business.¡± The red eye, quieter than ever, looked arrogantly into the trembling blue eyes. Instead of showing pity for her pathetic face, she could feel his lower back, which had already been filled with blood, gaining strength. The man¡¯s neck shook violently as if he had eaten a large chunk of meat. The large hand, which had viciously rolled up her skirt, slid violently between her thighs. Her heart sank as the hand gripped her dry vagina inside her underwear, which was rolled back at once. Soon after, the sensitive area was rubbed roughly by the palms covered in calluses. Chills rushed in and she shivered as if there was ice put on her. In a sense of humiliation, Anne pushed the Grand Duke¡¯s chest, but her hand was pushed helplessly against the body, as motionless as a boulder. ¡°Now that you are thinking of rejecting me¡­. How funny.¡± The Grand Duke twisted his lip and shuddered. Anne¡¯s eyes quickly became moist at the sound of his voice filled with a light disgust. While shaking her gripped entrance to the fullest, he spoke calmly, with no change in his expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a hole that men lose their minds to?¡± In response to the vulgar remarks that would only be said by a bunch of city officials who were not high-ranking nobles, Anne bit her lip instead of answering him. His hands, which did not ask for her consideration, carelessly traced the labia, and his hands rubbed against her sensitive skin. The squeaky noises from her twitching entrance lewdly heated the room each time the palms heavily rubbed on it. ¡°This place is begging for a man¡¯s cock to come in.¡± ¡°Some¡­ Something like that¡­ not¡­. haah.¡± ¡°Or are you hiding your intentions to receive another man¡¯s seed?¡± His face changed to a hideous complexion in an instant. Anne realized that she had offended the Grand Duke¡¯s heart. She picked her words, so she didn¡¯t know where his anger came from. The pain of the first night left a mark on her body like an imprint. Blue bruises and red marks all over her body. No matter how much the handmaids acted like wooden dolls, she couldn¡¯t show an ugly body full of reddish marks. Anne, biting her lips, answered helplessly at the coming pain. ¡°Please¡­ be polite.¡± ¡°Well¡­. You were probably the first to suggest it.¡± Anne flinched at the eerie low-pitched sound that landed in her ear. Suddenly, her one leg was lifted lightly in his hand, and the bulky pillar, which had been growing with no resistance, tucked inside her. ¡°Haaaahhk¡­!¡± Her breath was choked by the large chunk of flesh inserted in one breath. As if there was no need to wait for her to catch her breath, the Grand Duke began to move his waist. Just by the act of the ferocious pillar churning through the narrow vagina, the body that had become accustomed to it was pouring out obscene water at will. ¡°When you¡¯re pouring liquid like this¡­ Are you still pretending to be noble?¡± ¡°Huuk.¡± When the Grand Duke, who mocked Anne, pulled her closer to him, the tight junction deepened. The arm that was holding the Grand Duke¡¯s arm trembled. As his glans, which had dug deep into her, pressed against the soft flesh that he had been stabbing, Anne, startled, gasped for a heavy breath. ¡°Please¡­ huuh, stop¡­ Haa.¡± ¡°Do you want me to stop when you¡¯re squeezing to sow the seeds?¡± When he shoves it in, she tightens on him and chews it, and when he pulls it out, his thing comes out with the flesh sticking to it. He sneered, holding Anne¡¯s pelvis tighter and thrusting his thing all the way to the root. Every time he slammed up, Anne¡¯s body shook, and her golden hair fluttered to and fro. Every time his thick pillars came in and out of her like one¡¯s own house, the sticky luscious liquid flowed down her buttocks with a slimy sound. ¡°Haah¡­. Hahgh¡­ Ack¡­.¡± The frozen-eyed beast pressed his body close to Anne and pierced her tender flesh. It was pathetic to hear her moan, which broke out every time the hard flesh shoved into her sticky opening. The Grand Duke did not turn his gaze away for a moment, fixed it on Anne¡¯s eyes that had tears welled up. He tenaciously observed at which point she shed her moans, and if he crushed hard at any point, the tears would burst. ¡°Heukk¡­.¡± Suddenly, the water from Anne¡¯s eyes ran down her slender chin. Despite her desperate pleas, the Grand Duke did not stop his actions. The more Anne bit her lip and groaned, the smile on the Grand Duke¡¯s face only grew stronger. The arrogant man¡¯s face filled her blurred vision. The inside of his eyes, reminiscent of a ruby, was so beautiful that she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, but it only felt like a cruel and cruel gaze to her. Anne, who looked into the empty eyes like an abyss, swallowed her tears today. In the beginning, their relationship was always like this. A face filled with anger every time he holds her. It¡¯s like holding a woman he doesn¡¯t like forcibly, a relationship where no sympathy was felt. There was no heart in it. She became unintentionally aware of it by mixing bodies too much, but she couldn¡¯t feel that fact as desperately as she did today. Daymond was a man like the snow. The snow was like a precious symbol representing the North. It exudes a cool energy, but one will be captivated by its beauty and inadvertently touch it¡­. A man who scatters and sprays cold air that seems to freeze her hands once she actually catches him. And Anne¡¯s night freezes under him today as well. Chapter 1.1 Road to the North (1) The sunset light that streamed through the window colored the desolate parlor with an ominous red. With every move of his lips, thick cigarette smoke permeated from the middle-aged man with a long pipe in his mouth. In silence the man put down the pipe and drew a conclusion. ¡°So, prepare to leave for the North.¡± It was the sound of someone handing his daughter to a seventy-year-old perverted man that was old enough to be her grandfather. She suspected this to some extent from the time she was suddenly called to a family meeting, but they went too far this time. Anne forgot the etiquette drilled into her as a noble girl and revealed her true feelings. ¡°Father, I heard that he is over seventy years old.¡± ¡°Angroanne, you are being immature. This is the Grand Duke Cromund with authority comparable to that of the imperial family. When the old man dies, all the properties of his house will become yours. You should thank your brother for making you the Grand Duchess.¡± A snide voice interrupted without the slightest trace of courtesy. Robert Libelois, the immature successor of County Libelois. It was her older brother who was the one responsible for this, and yet he was brazenly showing his face. If it had been her, she would have immediately been rebuked for intervening in a conversation, but her parents, who were soft to the successor, were silent this time as well. Anne opened her mouth as she struggled to tamp down the resentment filling her throat. ¡°Was Brother so mature that he molested someone else¡¯s woman?¡± At the same time, Robert, whose eyes usually only came into focus at the sight of beautiful women, molested the Grand Duke¡¯s lover during her visit to the capital and was arrested on the spot by the knights of the Grand Duchy¡¯s family. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had acted like an animal in heat, but this time he got it wrong. She was a woman favored by the Grand Duke Cromund who oversaw the North. He was an immovable figure even to the imperial family. The only thing that County Libelois could do was lie flat on their stomachs and beg. They pleaded for mercy, but a threat to detain Robert was the only reply. After all, it was just yesterday that the Grand Duchy¡¯s family demanded a huge amount of compensation in the name of molesting the Grand Duke¡¯s lover. Naturally, the Libelois family did not have the ability to cover that amount. The incompetent Count and thoughtless heir had devoured the family¡¯s coffers and the business they had made was losing money rather than making any sort of profit. When her father said that there was no way they could pay the compensation, the solution that was offered was that they had to send a woman from Libelois. And only now was the news conveyed to her¡ª her, the one to be sent¡ª without even asking for her opinion. Why do I have to take responsibility for my brother? Why should I marry such a person? Whenever Robert had had a problem with obscene insults to noble ladies in the past, it was Anne who went to ask for their forgiveness. As a woman, she was forced to speak, but there was never a sense of friendship. Not when she had no choice but to cover up the flaws of her blood relatives. But now, she was sold into a marriage because those blood relatives could not pay the compensation. This time, Anne had no intention of being obedient. This was not something the person who had caused the incident in the first place could say to her in an angry tone. ¡°This is what Brother caused, so please leave me out of it.¡± ¡°Angroanne, what are you talking about! Your brother only made a small mistake because he was soft-hearted and naive . . .¡± The countess intervened quickly, her face cold. She and Robert had been born from the same stomach. Only their gender was different, and yet her parents were particularly strict with her and lenient with her brother. Robert opened his mouth again. ¡°Angroanne, how can you be so cold-hearted during a family crisis? It must have been that the woman approached me with hidden intentions.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense. What purpose would a woman who was the lover of the Grand Duke have to approach a mere County heir?¡± Anne couldn¡¯t control herself and all but snarled at Robert¡¯s unreasonable protest. If he had truly been caught on the spot, the woman would have had quite a few escorting knights around her. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t have dared to cheat on the Grand Duke in the presence of the knights. Moreover, Robert was a man who possessed neither good looks nor the ability to speak well enough to win over a woman¡¯s heart. That he was the County heir was nothing more than an empty title. Moreover, the entire family of County Libelois was a noble family that was a sinking ship. ¡°Stop! Does that mean that your brother, the heir to the family, should go to jail? Do you want this Libelois to be caught up in a scandal and rise and fall in people¡¯s mouths?!¡± Count Libelois, who was sitting on the chair for the head of the house, burst out in anger and his face became red. Chapter 1.2 Road to the North (2) At that moment, Anne¡¯s breath choked her as if the water that had reached her waist had risen to her chin in an instant. They covered everything with the fa?ade of being a family only when they needed something from her. A very convenient method, often used by nobility. It was as obvious as it was effective. It was a word that always made her shut her mouth. However, Anne, who quietly whispered to herself every time the word was used, couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut this time. ¡°Are you telling me to live with my future husband¡¯s mistress?¡± It was publicly known that a noble family would often have one or two mistresses who were paraded before the common people, but it was unheard of that a noble woman would get married as a means of dispelling an official complaint after laying a hand on one¡¯s lover. It¡¯s the same as being sold. It was an unbearable insult to a noble Lady. The family raised and valued their family¡¯s noble face, but paradoxically threw their daughter¡¯s honor into the fire. ¡°Angroanne, if they insist on asking you, doesn¡¯t it mean that they want to see a successor from someone with noble blood? Thanks to your brother, you have the opportunity to become a Grand Duchess.¡± Anne¡¯s eyes fell on Robert, who scratched his stomach and brazenly added to his mother¡¯s words. He raised his chin, as though daring her to contradict him. ¡°Yes. It turned out that she¡¯s a commoner. Marriage should of course be between nobles of the right class.¡± She wanted to laugh at her mother¡¯s words, defensive of Robert as they were. And at Robert¡¯s illogical speech. Libelois had apparently been upgraded to the point where they could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Grand Duchy. ¡°I already have a fiance. If Marquisate Whitmore finds out about it, they¡¯ll formally protest.¡± ¡°That is nothing to worry about. Thankfully, the Grand Duchy contacted the Marquisate directly. Just this morning, a letter of dissolution arrived from the Marquisate.¡± ¡°Disso . . . lution . . .?¡± Her voice trembled. She had not expected such an answer and had held a trace of hope. Her hope that she might be able to escape from this situation if she raised the Marquisate¡¯s name was completely shattered. It was too fast. It had been less than an hour since she heard this story, and the dissolution had already arrived. Robert had caused the issue the night before, less than two days ago. ¡°So, leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°. . . Tomorrow?¡± Before she could clear her muddled state of mind, Anne was speechless. Nonsense. It¡¯s too fast . . . It usually took a year to prepare for marriage. But such rapid progress was now truly frightening. Anne, who bit her lips in nervousness, swallowed a gulp, and firmly opened her mouth. ¡°No. I will never go.¡± Slap! Her head turned violently at the same time as the blow had sounded. Belatedly, a pain akin to a flash of flame spread across her left cheek. Anne, with dazed eyes, fixed her eyes upon the Count¡¯s hand which was still in the air. ¡°What are you! Do you have to throw your family¡¯s prestige into the gutter like this before you listen to the Master? How the hell did you educate your daughter!¡± The furious Count turned the arrow to the Countess who was stroking his son by her side. The woman who did not respond when her daughter was beaten, when the blame rested on her, she scrunched up her face as if resentful. ¡°Did I teach you that way? I spared you so much attention. You dare to ignore my grace . . .¡± In the end, it was always toward Anne that the real sparks flew. This woman, called her mother, had only raised her daughter to counter the declining profits by marrying her into a good family. Thoroughly educating her on all manners, piano, embroidery, and other necessary virtues was only to increase her value in the marriage market, not out of her love for her daughter. As Anne¡¯s eyes slowly reddened, the County couple secretly exchanged glances with each other, spitting out soft voices. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just living together? The beginning might be a little unsatisfying, but it¡¯s a Grand Duchy. There aren¡¯t just one or two families who are eager to form a tie by any means, so doesn¡¯t it make sense to grab onto the position of Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°Hmm . . . Angroanne, if you go and give birth to an heir, our family will enjoy great glory. As soon as you get there, give birth to a son.¡± Not surprisingly, it was not an apology, but a word that had even her small expectations crumbling to dust. Crying¡ª the bitterness akin to gastric juice¡ª felt as though it was about to spill over from her neck, so Anne bit the inside of her lip. In the midst of this, her parents became disillusioned as long as she was to give birth to a son. I was abandoned for their precious heir . . . Her heart sank at the reality that the knowledge, manners, and talents she had cultivated to elevate her family¡¯s name would eventually be embraced in the arms of an old man. No matter how hard she tried, never had a place here. Anne swallowed her growing resentment. It was useless to protest against those who would never listen. Anne, who had never refused, had no choice but to quietly nod her head. But she also had no intention of following through right away. ¡°Yes. I will go.¡± Anne clasped her cheeks with her hands and replied in resignation. Her parents¡¯ faces bloomed into smiles at her doll-like response. For the first time in her life, their smiles were directed toward her alone. She knew that the affection her parents showed for the first time would also be the last, so Anne smiled faintly, shoving her feelings deep down. Chapter 2.1 The next day, preparations to leave for the North were quickly completed without her having a chance to breathe. She had nothing to prepare and only one maid and a few knights of the family followed her as her escort. The nanny, who had been wiping her drenched tears with the handkerchief, finally patted Anne¡¯s hand. As she climbed into the carriage, the voices of her family caught her from behind. ¡°Daughter, I am so proud that you are getting married to such a wonderful family.¡± Those were the same words she had heard when she was engaged to the Marquis. ¡°Angroanne, take note. Don¡¯t forget that you are the daughter of our family, and make sure to give birth to an heir.¡± Even if you become a ghost in that house, do not forget to repay the price for raising you and make sure to steal their wealth in moderation. ¡°Compared to the concubine, she is no match for you. If you have a smooth face and body, that old man will die.¡± It sounded like she was only going there to offer up her body like a vulgar whore. It all sounded that way to her. Anne entered the carriage without saying a word. The carriage then moved, the horse whinnying. The vibrating sound transmitted to the chair echoed and was overlaid with the sound of her heart pounding in anger. I won¡¯t return again. And . . . Anne pressed down the last thought firmly. She didn¡¯t look through the window at the house she would never visit again. ¡°Miss, your cheek is still very swollen.¡± At the maid¡¯s question, who was sitting opposite her, Anne placed her hand on her cheek. Even without looking in the mirror, her swollen flesh could be clearly felt on the knuckle of her fingers. The maid had brought her ice packs until just before bed, but by morning it was useless and one of her cheeks had swollen even more. The red handprint had disappeared, but anyone could see that she had been slapped. ¡°In a few days, it will disappear.¡± ¡°You will have to nurse it until we arrive at the Grand Duchy . . .¡± The maid cried, saying that she was sorry for everything. Grand Duke Cromund¡ª a powerful man with the north as his domain¡ª had never once revealed his face, but all sorts of hideous rumors spread all the way to the capital. Like her, who was overcome with emptiness at the thought that she had endured until now to become such a man¡¯s wife, the maid groaned in sorrow. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t matter if he finds out.¡± Suddenly Anne remembered the face of Salton Whitmore, who had suddenly visited last night. Her parents, unable to refuse the Marquisate heir, allowed her to meet him, who came to her unexpectedly without a prior request for a visit. Although she had deliberately met him in a dark surrounding without even a light, Salton recognized the traces on her face at once. ¡°Lady, your face . . .¡± ¡°Ah . . . it¡¯s nothing.¡± Anne had turned her head to hide, covering her cheek with her hand. As though he were angry, Salton¡¯s eyes went cold for an instant. For the first time since they had met, he wasn¡¯t wearing his bright, sunny smile. ¡°The dissolution . . . I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°I know . . .¡± He had been surprised at first, but someone as kind and friendly as him wouldn¡¯t have abandoned his fiance so coldly. The dissolution was probably the decision of his father, Marquis Whitmore. Pressure came from the Grand Duke. I also realized for the first time that my father was such a weak person. Even he had been shocked by the shabby state of his father, who he had considered great for his whole life. To that extent, the Grand Duchy was a family at the pinnacle of power that even the imperial family could not recklessly provoke. ¡°Lady, I . . .¡± He had pursed his lips as if this situation was frustrating, but didn¡¯t say anything further. He wouldn¡¯t tell her not to go, he wouldn¡¯t tell her to wait and that they would find a solution . . . He had always been that way. Anne had placed her hand on Salton¡¯s arm, his head bowed in front of her. The feeble tremors were transmitted from him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± As it had not been his intention to dissolve their engagement, Anne had opened her mouth consolingly. Salton¡¯s dark brown eyes shuttered in pain. Leaving behind the stiffened Salton, Anne turned away. There was nothing more she could have done. After all, she was only engaged in an arranged and strategic relationship with him. There had been no love in the first place. When they were married, she thought that maybe he would give her a little bit of happiness, but that was her last meeting with someone she was slightly affectionate with. ¡°At the accommodation we are arriving at today, I will use medicinal herbs that are good for reducing swelling.¡± Her thoughts, which she had been drowning in for a moment, were erased like a dream by the voice of the maid. She was still concerned about her master¡¯s cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be gone in a week.¡± Since it was quite a distance, it takes about a week to get from the capital to the north, even with the power of a fast carriage. Still, the maid feared that she would be marred by the wound, so she was worried. ¡°You¡¯re still a new bride . . .¡± Her mind was made even more complicated when she saw the maid trying to hold back her watery voice. Anne turned her eyes away, pretending not to see the tears. Instead, she pulled out the book she had brought from her modest luggage bag. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat, and reading helped her to suppress her complicated feelings. She was going to the Grand Duchy, so she was unsure what she should pack. She brought a hardcover book that was easy to carry. If she had left it alone, it would have spent its life buried under dust anyway. As she turned the page, the book opened wide, revealing the string that marked the area she had read. It was the chapter right before the end. It will take a week . . . An indifferent hand pulled the string away and flipped to the front page. It would be a long time and she wanted to read the ending just before arriving in the North. Beginning with the author¡¯s words on the first page, Anne quietly read the words. Chapter 2.2 Maybe it was because of the quiet, but Anne, who had been reading without much concentration, suddenly fell deeply into the book. Then she suddenly lifted her eyes in silence, and the maid was nodding in an uncomfortable posture. Normally she would have scolded her, but the master was merciful as they had her go to the North, where there was no one else, so she showed generosity. As she immersed herself in her book for a while, the carriage rattled and her body leaned heavily. There was a vibration in succession as if she was passing a gravel road. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡± The voice of the coachman apologizing was heard from the front. It was evident that they had left the well-maintained capital¡¯s roads and went into the outskirts. ¡°Hmm? Miss, are you okay?¡± The maid, startled by the loud vibration, asked in a sleepy voice. Anne slowly lifted her gaze that had been fixed on the book, and nodded her head, saying she was fine. But once she lost her concentration, she did not look back at the book. So she pulled back the window curtains she had never once opened since she left the mansion. Unintentionally glancing outside, she found a large wheat field and took a breath. It created a spectacle like a wave of golden waves before the harvest. She felt a little stuffy at the sight reminiscent of the vast sea. As soon as she finished watching it and was about to take her eyes off her, a figure caught her attention. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My lady?¡± ¡°No, there is a man . . .¡± ¡°A man?¡± A man contrasted starkly with the plain, which was blazing like the sunset. It was because he covered his whole body in black that he stood out from the soft golden color. ¡°Where? There¡¯s no one?¡± ¡°Right over there . . .¡± Anne¡¯s finger, which was about to point to the large tree where the man was standing, lost its way. She opened her eyes for a moment, and the man had already disappeared. ¡°Obviously he was next to that tree . . .¡± ¡°Over there?¡± The maid opened her eyes wide and looked around, turning her head from side to side, and then she threw herself back as if she had given up. She never found the face. Still, the maid asked again as she thought Anne had lied to her. ¡°Miss, how did you know he was a man?¡± ¡°What? Ah . . .¡± Anne let out a small moan and blinked her eyes. If a person could be seen on this street, there would be no way to tell if it was a man or a woman . . . She didn¡¯t know why she decided that they were a man. Had she been hallucinating for a moment? Anne gave an empty and reopened her book, which she had covered again. * * * It was getting dark enough that it was difficult to secure a view, so they entered a village that had been mapped out on the route in advance. She didn¡¯t want to be extravagant, so she chose an accommodation that was reasonably quiet and clean looking. Anne, who briefly thanked the knight for opening the carriage door, slowly descended the stairs to sleep, where she saw a two-story wooden building with a neat exterior. The owner, whom she did not see exit the building, ran over to her and bowed. ¡°Oh, it is an honor to have a precious person in such a shabby place.¡± He took off his hat, crumpled it up, put his hand on his chest and crouched down. As if he had a guest after a long absence, he had a genuinely happy face. ¡°Everyone is tired of coming a long way, so I prepared a room for the number of people and prepared a meal.¡± ¡°Miss, you must be tired, so go in and rest first. I will take care of the other knights and horses.¡± ¡°Please.¡± It was fortunate that a rather strong knight followed. Well, that was why he was the one to follow her to the north. Anne ate enough food to satisfy her hunger in moderation before heading to the room on the second floor. The maid said she would bring her medicine, but she claimed fatigue and put it off until tomorrow. She didn¡¯t have any pain to raise a fuss about. More than anything, she wanted to rest her tired body. The owner deliberately gave her the best room in the inn, but Anne found the room she opened the door to and looked into, was too small. A single small lamp dimly lit the wooden floor and bed. Every time it moved dangerously, as if the lights were about to go out, the shadows in the room shook to and fro like a suspicious person. It was a room that was unattractive to the point of being incomparable to the County, but the feeling of leaving the house was greater than it was unfamiliar. Anne sat down on the bed as if collapsed. ¡°Who knew it was going to end up like this . . .¡± She never knew what made her life so hard. She has lived her whole life as though she was raised as the best product to stand out in the marriage market where ratings were given. She had never received any affection, and even though she had endured even harsh discipline, the conclusion she reached was bittersweet. She just thought she would become the Mistress of a Marquisate and lead a normal life just like everyone else . . . Anne muttered that she had been too naive. So she came up with this nonsense idea. When her parents told her to work for the Libelois family, she planned to do the exact opposite this time. Anne was intent on putting them to shame. That would be a sight really worth seeing. Thinking of the not-too-distant future, she lifted the corner of her lips, which had stiffened on the journey. Even though the weather was chillier than the capital, Anne opened the window. She needed something cold to soothe her heart, which had been melted by the scorching heat of her resentment. As the rustling, rusty sound of the old ringing reverberated, Anne opened the window carefully so as to not wake the others. Since the building is located at the entrance to the village, the view of the village is relatively full, but not the whole. The home of people living in small towns was immersed in the gloomy darkness, but it was even more peaceful. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to live in a place like this without having to think . . .¡± Even though she could never belong, as a guest, the sentimental words came out. Anne smiled sadly once at the fleeting meaningless words, and then turned her gaze toward the village entrance. Chapter 3.1 ¡°. . . !?¡± Her heart, which had been cooled by the cold wind, was pounding loudly. There was something in the shadow of a large stone engraved with the name of the village. Someone with a clear sense of presence had hidden themselves in the dark. The direction he was facing was exactly toward the inn where Anne was. She felt a chill down her spine all of a sudden, and unknowingly shut her eyes tightly. As if when she opened her mouth, a hot breath came out, the untimely winter came. She turned back to go to bed, but her feet wouldn¡¯t move, as though they were frozen in the cold. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ It was so scary that her eyelids fluttered and trembled. It was absurd, but when she opened her eyes, it appeared as though a beast with its mouth wide open would appear in front of her. A view of a certain wheat field that she had passed in the afternoon came to her mind in a sudden darkness. That man from earlier. Anne didn¡¯t know exactly why she remembered the scene, but her instincts were screaming something at her. Anne squeezed out one breath after another and slowly opened her closed eyes. Fortunately for her, the suspicious image disappeared, and at that moment, her stiff body also loosened. Anne hastily closed the window and dug into the bed. As she pulled out the sheet of rough material to her neck, the cold chill gradually subsided. What was that? She had buried her head in the pillow a moment ago to rid herself of the strange feeling, but her fingers were still stiff as her heart was still beating anxiously. She tried to read the book to catch her trembling heart, but she stopped. After all, I still have a lot of time . . . Her thoughts that she would be able to read fully through the book while she was on her way north, were mercilessly shattered the next morning. * * * Anne couldn¡¯t sleep properly because she tossed and turned all night in a troubled state of mind. She repeatedly woke up and closed her eyes and then she realized that she had stayed up all night at the call of the maid from outside the door. ¡°Miss, did you have trouble sleeping?¡± A scrutinizing gaze reached Anne¡¯s face. She stayed up all night, so it was obvious. ¡°I guess it was just because everything was a little unfamiliar. I¡¯ll be fine if I rest in the carriage¡± It¡¯s more likely that she had a strange feeling about the man she saw last night, but Anne simply blamed the unfamiliar place. She stopped at the landing that was going down to the first floor. It was because she felt a different atmosphere from last night. It wasn¡¯t cluttered, but there was a small crowd from downstairs. I heard that we were the only people staying at this inn . . . Obviously, last night, the owner with a shabby face expressed his pleasure that he had a guest for the first time in a week, but then burst into tears and complained. It was a long road, so unless it was the case with her party, who moved a little too much, the average merchant or traveler usually stayed in the previous village. ¡°Miss, I didn¡¯t know yesterday, but the number of guests must have increased a lot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it is a guest . . .¡± Yes? The maid in front turned her head and asked, but she was pushed down first by Anne, who didn¡¯t stop moving. As soon as Anne set her feet on the final steps, a panoramic view of the first floor caught her eye. Coincidentally, close to twenty people were filling the small dining room. The men, who had been sitting in the chair, got their bodies up in unison, as if they had been waiting as soon as Anne appeared. Although they didn¡¯t look menacing, their identical outfits created a deep sense of alertness just by looking at them. Again, the owner, who was very nervous, was sweating as he did not know what to say. It¡¯s a knight¡¯s uniform . . . It wasn¡¯t the uniform of the Libelois family, who was her party. The dark navy blue background dress was surrounded by a silver band with diagonal lines, and a sentence that people would ever know was engraved near the chest. A black sword thrusted into a small hill like a tomb, it was the emblem of the Grand Duchy Cromund. Even though it was black, there were always people who would feel divided over minor matters. It wasn¡¯t actually black, they claimed. It was the deep red that was the color of blood . . . The Empire had been at peace for over four hundred years, and people have survived their boring daily lives by making up their own stories regardless of facts. The Grand Duke, who did not show his appearance at all, was a topic gossip that suited their tastes, and it was unusually popular because it aroused curiosity not only in the social circle but also in the common people. The scandal about the Grand Duke, with whom she was acquainted, also came from there. Why are you here? Among the knights in line, a man sitting at the back stood out. He was wearing a gray cloak over his knight¡¯s uniform and was wearing silver plate armor on his chest, so he seemed to be the most important person here. Chapter 3.2 The man, taking a leisurely cup of tea, got up slowly, as if waiting for her to walk towards the center. The indigo blue hair, which was calmly tucked back and organized, gave off an intellectual atmosphere. The man who walked straight to Anne, put one hand on his chest and greeted her with impeccable manners. ¡°A pleasure to meet you. My name is Ashton Wald, the head of Grand Duke Cromund¡¯s knights. I¡¯m here to pick up Lady Libelois.¡± ¡°Did you come all the way from the North to meet me?¡± Anne pointed it out precisely. They came all the way from the north to here, so when did they start? The man named Ashton continued his speech, fixing the rimless glasses he was wearing. ¡°That¡¯s right. From here, we will escort you with our carriage. Except for Lady, everyone else needs to go.¡± ¡°What does that mean? Isn¡¯t it still far from the north?¡± ¡°We have not heard anything from the Grand Duke!¡± At the disrespectful words from the man who pretended to be polite, the knights of the Libelois family spat out their complaints. They, too, were waiting for their master, keeping an eye on the knights of the Grand Duchy who came suddenly. ¡°It¡¯s rude to interrupt a conversation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss.¡± In an atmosphere that was about to be a little ferocious, Anne motioned the knights to stop and lifted her gaze to the man. ¡°As you may have seen while entering, we also have a carriage and a party.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t bring other knights, maids, or even the coachman. There is only one Lady that the Grand Duke has promised to accept in the Northern Territory.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re saying I have to go through that long distance alone, without an attendant waiting for me? It will be unpleasant.¡± Anne, who had been forcing out her words, quickly steeled her nerves. After she arrived, the knights of the family were planning to return on their own, but the maid with her was planning to stay with her in the Grand Duchy. But she couldn¡¯t even take the maid, and she has to go that far alone . . . If the knights of the Grand Duchy had replaced them, it was obvious that she would be uncomfortable. Ashton, who took out his pocket watch despite Anne¡¯s harsh tone, checked the time and spoke softly. ¡°If the reason you are hesitating is because of the attendance, there is no need to worry. If you leave now, you will be able to sleep in a soft bed and not in this shabby place by tonight.¡± ¡°To . . . night?¡± Anne looked up at Ashton with puzzled eyes. It takes a full week to reach the North, no matter how fast the horses were rushed. Did this person believe she was stupid? Or was he even joking? It was beyond absurdity, to the point of angering her. As Anne¡¯s expression darkened, Ashton politely added his words. ¡°The carriage we prepared is equipped with a special magic stone that can only be found in the north. It can shorten the travel distance to the Grand Duchy quickly.¡± She knew that such a special carriage existed, but it only reduced travel by a day or so. But one week to one day. It was impossible no matter how great the magical power was. ¡°You are making fun of me.¡± Anne said as she lowered her voice. Although she was being sold, there was no reason for her to be despised even by the men of the family. ¡°How dare we, who have even been appointed knights, lie to the noble Lady who will become the Grand Duchess. As a knight who swore allegiance, we simply obey the master¡¯s orders.¡± The aristocratic accent, as if well-educated, comforted her step by step. Despite her wrathful voice, the man moderately stood up, wielding the name of Grand Duchess and pretending to do it for Anne. There was someone else who ordered everything, which meant there was no reason to argue here. His master, Grand Duke Cromund, was the name that would best summarize this situation. When Anne was silent, Ashton gestured his eyes at the knight standing behind him. The young-looking knight handed the box he was holding in his hand to the maid next to Anne. He saw her gaze asking what this was, and Ashton opened his mouth again. ¡°You are not allowed to take any of your belongings. Not even your clothes, jewelry, or underwear.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± The maid, who screamed in surprise, was startled and covered her mouth with her hand. Although referring to a woman¡¯s underwear, Ashton had a face without a single trace of shame. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you are changed.¡± ¡°Must I change into these clothes here?¡± ¡°The Grand Duke wants you to arrive dressed in northern clothes.¡± Rumors that he was over seventy years old and perverted appeared to be true. Even before they met, he was forcing her to wear clothing he liked . . . It was as though he would not allow a single thread and that she should bring only her body. At the insulting request, Anne asked, without even thinking of hiding an eerie look. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are doing this.¡± ¡°This was ordered by the Grand Duke, so we have no reason to refuse his order.¡± It meant it was they who would suffer if she refused. The eyes of the people who suddenly took over the space turned to Anne. ¡°Miss . . .¡± The maid, who was sniffling, was also looking at her. Her self-esteem was hurt, but she had no choice but to listen. It was difficult for her to keep blaming the man for, as he said, he had only been given orders, and it was difficult for him to persist. I can¡¯t help it. From the beginning, this is not a normal marriage . . . She didn¡¯t like it, but from the beginning, it was he who had been hateful. If he suddenly changed his mind and asked for compensation from her family, that would be a big deal. She left, swearing she would never see her family again, but she had no desire for her family to be ruined and to sit on the streets. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Anne took the box she had received, nodded her head slightly to the maid, who was only staring at her, and headed to her room. Every time she ascended a step, she felt someone¡¯s gaze stabbing into her back. It was obvious that it was the gaze of the man named Ashton. Chapter 4.1 The maid, who had been crying a while ago, pulled out the hem of a dress that was longer than her height and her eyes widened. The mermaid-style clothing was white enough to be called a wedding dress and looked similar to white jade. Unlike in the capital city, where dresses covered with lots of shiny beads were in fashion, the simple yet luxurious design drew attention. Is this to your taste? A soft light drifted over the thin silk, as though it had been sprinkled with ground jewels. It didn¡¯t have the fancy taste of expensive-looking decorations, but it looked like the craftsman put a lot of effort into it. The box contained not only the dress, but also a woman¡¯s underwear and matching accessories, all of which were neatly designed. Anne, who had stared at them with indifferent eyes, took a deep breath and changed her clothing with the help of the maid. The necklace inside came out on her collar that covered her neck when she pulled out her hair. Anne¡¯s hand, which was heading towards the necklace, stopped for a moment, as was a habit. ¡°Should I take it all off?¡± The maid, noticing the meaning of her hesitation, asked cautiously. Conflict broke out in Anne¡¯s face in her mirror. She was someone who always adhered to rules and kept her promises, but she couldn¡¯t concede enough of this. The ring, studded with blue melee diamonds, identical to the color of her eyes, shone from a thin necklace string. The worries were brief. Anne meticulously tucked the necklace deep inside her neck so that no one else could see it, and checked the mirror again. As the neckline of the dress grazed her chin, the necklace wasn¡¯t visible from the outside. She was convinced that this was enough and she wouldn¡¯t be caught. * * * When Anne, wearing the northern outfit and accessories that was prepared for her, left the inn, the Grand Duchy¡¯s Knights and Libelois Knights, who were waiting in silence, looked at her at the same time. They took a deep breath in admiration regardless of any knight. The snow-white dress crept and dragged on the floor. The half-up hair, colored like a golden iris, was woven like a thread, covering one half of her neckline. The morning sun shone down on the exposed nape of the other side. Her already pretty face matched the white dress, creating a neat impression like the morning dew. With that graceful figure, the faces of the Cromund Knights had weak expectations, and on the other hand, the faces of the people of Libelois had bitterness. ¡°Miss . . . be happy.¡± ¡°Miss, please let me know when you arrive safely.¡± Leaving the sad knights and the maid behind, Anne bid them an only brief farewell. As if to prove that he was the owner of enormous wealth, the carriage with the pattern of the Grand Duchy embroidered on it boasted a luxurious majesty at a glance. The color painted with golden paint also showed the extent of the Grand Duchy¡¯s prestige. As Anne walked past the knights who opened the way, Ashton, who was just checking the preparation for the departure, also found her and bowed his head politely. The gaze that meticulously inspected Anne¡¯s well-groomed outfit was deeply disrespectful, but she had no excuse for reproaching him. ¡°Be careful.¡± Still, he seemed to be quite sensible, and he held out his arm to escort her. When Anne in the carriage was seated properly, the carriage set off as if it had been waiting. Curious about the contents of the book she hadn¡¯t even read the end of, Anne looked out of the window. As Ashton said, she left everything she brought, including the books, so she couldn¡¯t take it. However, this left her with nothing connected to the Libelois family, so she became more at ease. It was several hours later that the carriage, which had no vibrations, suddenly stopped as though sliding on ice. It was still too early to wonder whether she had already arrived, and as she tilted her head, Ashton¡¯s voice was heard from outside the carriage, giving her a firm warning. ¡°Would you like to come out and see the estate? The weather is very cold, so be sure to wear the robes we prepared for you.¡± At the remark, Anne took out the robe she didn¡¯t wear as she set off. If the bride who was to be married caught a cold, there would be rumors. A winter robe woven from the rare northern white fox fur, with soft fur all around it, had excellent warmth and was quite light. She meekly put on the thick robe, meticulously fastened the knot, and answered Ashton, who was waiting beyond the door, and the door opened from the outside. ¡°Huhh.¡± As soon as the door opened, it took her breath away. The cold air that was forced into her nostrils filled her lungs at once. It was a cold that was far beyond refreshing. It was so cold that she even lost her sense of smell. Chills ran all over her body, and each time she opened her mouth, a white breath escaped. It was a strange feeling, as if even her body temperature was taken away from her. There was winter in the capital too, but not to this extent. Moreover, although it was still autumn due to the season, it was already as cold as midwinter here. In less than a day, the seasons had changed as though time had skipped. ¡°It is already winter here.¡± ¡°It is always this cold in the north. You have to be careful not to lose your body temperature.¡± Ashton answered as she took his hand and went down the steps, looking at Anne¡¯s pale face. Anne reached her feet, clasping the front of her robe with her hands to keep any wind from entering. For a moment, Anne¡¯s eyes slowly widened as she glanced over Ashton¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oh my God . . .¡± An exclamation came out at the superb view of winter that dyed her eyes. There was a world that was completely white and transparent. They stopped in the middle of a snow-capped mountain. It was a place with valleys on all sides, and the land was quite high, but it was cloudy like ice crystals, and even in the middle of the day, light did not pass through it completely. For that reason, all the landscapes in her eyes were dreamy. ¡°If you look here, you will be able to see the estate at a glance.¡± As she stepped out on the soft snow a few steps, she could see the estate, which was formed wide under the distant cliff, at a glance. Behind the snow-covered city, several towering roofs could be seen with its back to the mountain range, and the castle surrounded by enormous walls just below stood out. It was the Cromund castle. ¡°That is Cromund territory.¡± It was the first time in her life that she had seen so much snow, so Anne could not take her eyes off it as though she were possessed. Behind the Grand Duchy¡¯s castle, a steep mountain could be seen. Not the lush green mountains she was familiar with, but a snowy mountain as though white dust had descended on it. She had read in a book about such mountains. ¡°I wanted to show where the Lady will be staying in the future.¡± Ashton, who she thought was blunt, explained, reaching out and pointing at the bottom of the cliff one by one. Although the entire estate was not fully visible, it seemed secretive and peaceful, as if surrounded by a soft curtain. Since then, the carriage had been running non-stop despite being a dangerous place with snow. * * * Chapter 4.2 How far did they go? After some time, the speed significantly decreased as they entered the city. Thanks to this, Anne was able to take a closer look through the small window of the Northern estate, with its back against the ice cap. It was no different from any other city, but if she had to pick out the differences, perhaps because of the cold weather, the streets were relatively quiet and the clothing of people passing by were thick. Still, it was quite large so it was probably the most bustling area for the outskirts. After that, the outlines of the Grand Duchy¡¯s castle in the distance began to emerge. Excited by the overwhelmingly high gates, Anne clutched at her trembling heart. We really have arrived . . . Overshadowing her doubts, the carriage, which started in the morning, arrived at the Northern Territory by the end of the evening. The carriage, which had stopped briefly, moved again after the ornately patterned front door was smoothly opened, and after that, they continued to stop several times until they reached the main building. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± When they finally announced her arrival, her heart, which had been calm for so far, fluttered slightly. Soon, she realized that she was facing the Grand Duke as the bride who came to marry him. Anne took a deep breath, straightening her posture, and stroking her cheek lightly to capture her heart. After a little delay, she got out of the carriage, with knights standing in a row with their armor on either side, and in the center, the servants of the castle with their heads bowed came to meet her. Anne shrugged her body in the harsher cold than before, and glanced over the castle. The castle, with its outer walls stacked with gray stones, was both old-fashioned and majestic. Following the guide, Anne quickly moved her steps inside. The hall on the first floor was similar to the lobby of a noble family, but it was subtly different. There was a red carpet on the floor, and high-quality ceramics and stone statues were decorated around it, but it did not make a good first impression on guests. Maybe it was because the cold outside air came in through the window, or it was because of the gloomy atmosphere that didn¡¯t give off any warmth. Is everyone gathered here? It was also noticeable that the number of servants lined up inside was remarkably small for a Great Duchy. It was about the same as County Libelois. As she grabbed the hem of her skirt and was about to move, a man standing in the middle approached her. ¡°Welcome. I am Karl Wald, the chief attendant of this castle.¡± As the middle-aged man with pale gray hair and an experienced look finished his introduction, a middle-aged woman with her thick, white hair curled up nicely also walked out in front of Anne. ¡°Welcome to the Grand Duchy Cromund¡¯s castle. I am Courtnee Wald, the chief handmaiden of this castle. I look forward to Your Grace¡¯s guidance in the future.¡± Seeing that they had the same last name, they seemed to be a married couple. Then Anne realized that Ashton had the same last name and looked at the strangers around her. Contrary to the word of welcome, they all had stiff faces. Dry eyes and a tightly closed mouth. They clearly looked unwelcoming toward her. ¡®There is nothing to be surprised about. Because I have come prepared.¡¯ Slowly looking at the people, her gaze stopped at a young woman. When the woman¡¯s eyes met Anne¡¯s, she bowed her head in surprise. Unlike the other women who wore the same maid outfit, she looked like she was not a servant, seeing that she was wearing a beige dress. Mrs. Walde checked the gaze where Anne lost her gaze, she cleared her throat. ¡°That is . . . Miss Marie . . Miss Marie is . . .¡± ¡°I think I know.¡± She must have guessed right when she saw the chief handmaiden¡¯s troubled expression. As Anne went straight to the woman, the woman who had only clasped her hands raised her head. The woman was the mistress of the Grand Duke, the owner of this castle. The woman¡¯s first impression for capturing the Grand Duke was the exact opposite of Anne¡¯s expectations. She was also mildly impressed by her modest-look and gentle impression with her brown hair tied loosely. Even the outfit she was wearing was very simple for the Grand Duke¡¯s only loved one. ¡°I¡¯m Angroanne Libelois.¡± ¡°I- I¡¯m Marie. I have no last name.¡± It meant that she was a commoner. Anne, who she thought had already known, did not know how to speak immediately, was taken aback for a moment. Did he not bestow a last name? If it was a mistress, he would have been able to give her a last name from a lower family even if he couldn¡¯t give her the last name of the Grand Duke. She wondered why he hadn¡¯t completed that formality yet, but Anne didn¡¯t show it and showed a benevolent smile. She then gently took the woman¡¯s hand and wrapped it around gently. ¡°I heard that my brother, no, Lord Robert Libelois showed you disrespect.¡± ¡°. . .¡± She was the first to approach, but the woman shrank her shoulders without answering. She kept trying to pull her hand out as if she was too uncomfortable with her. She trembled as if she had been frightened, and Anne felt as if she had become a bad person. Was I too impatient? She had no intention of taking sides with her blood relatives in the first place. Also, she didn¡¯t think she felt sorry for a woman who would have almost suffered a terrible thing. Just because she didn¡¯t want to remain in an unnecessary relationship, she meant to show the broad tolerance of nobles. ¡°In the future . . .¡± Hit! Suddenly, Anne¡¯s hand was slapped away violently. The back of her hand tingled. Marie¡¯s eyes widened, perhaps even more startled now that she had knocked Anne¡¯s hand away. ¡°I¡¯m . . . I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know . . . !¡± While desperately apologizing, Marie kept looking upstairs. Anne, who followed her gaze and looked up at the second floor unknowingly, was startled. There was a man there, with both his hands on the railing, looking down at them. He is a young man with a cool face like the owner of a cold winter. Bright red eyes as if observing her. Like a beast¡¯s eyes that were staring intently at her as if he was hunting her and counting where the prey would jump to. But Anne had a different reason for stiffening. The man . . . Was who she saw last night. She couldn¡¯t see his face exactly, but her senses said. ¡°He is the Master of this castle, Grand Duke Cromund.¡± Ashton said cautiously from behind Anne¡¯s frozen body. That man is the one who will become her husband in the future. Chapter 5.1 The man had such a beautiful face that she would not have dared to look at it. The pupils in the sculptural face were dark red, and they emitted a red light akin to the color of blood. He had a towering nose and sensually thick lips, as well as a sharp jawline. His features were masculine and dark. Thanks to that, he exuded a sharp and cold energy. His impression was also cold, because the black hair that fell loosely highlighted the man¡¯s pale skin. Beautiful. It was the first word that most people would think of when they first saw the man. However, Anne vaguely thought that if she misstepped her feet because of the beautiful appearance, she would be pushed to a place where only danger would lurk. It¡¯s because the moment she met the man¡¯s eyes, the irrational desire to run away immediately surged. This sensation she felt was her instinct to run away. But now was not the time to rely on such an uncertain feeling. ¡°You are late.¡± The man who had been staring at Anne coolly for a long time slowly opened his mouth. She cleared her mind at the sound of the man¡¯s heavy voice ringing in the hall. Arms powerfully stretched over the railings illuminated his graceful body lines, and sharp-looking facial muscles followed them. With a strong physique resembling a huge mountain range, Anne looked at him as if possessed again this time. It was the first time she had admired a person¡¯s appearance and body so much, so Anne realized one fact belatedly. I heard that he was definitely over seventy . . . The known age of the Grand Duke in the capital was an old man close to seventy years old. Judging from the fact that he was not married, it was impossible for him to bestow the title to his successor. Do you have an undisclosed son? Or maybe he¡¯s from a collateral family . . . The answer came a little late. Anne gathered her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was a little delayed.¡± ¡°Who was the cause of your delay?¡± As if he was going to find him and question him right away, the low tone sounded dangerously somewhere. Anne slowly exhaled her uncomfortable breath and opened her mouth. ¡°Greetings, Grand Duke Cromund. I am Angroanne Libelois.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Spreading her skirt wide open, Anne introduced herself in the manner of an elegant noble family. She deliberately paid attention to her perfect posture without any deviation in order to make a good first impression on him. She couldn¡¯t see the Grand Duke¡¯s face because she lowered her gaze, but she could feel he was still staring at her. Her head felt like it was going to heat up at the pouring gaze. ¡°Is the woman who will be my wife stubborn? Or is she making fun of her husband?¡± The man¡¯s voice was low and drowsy, but it felt uncomfortable. As if indirectly suggesting that she will not be welcomed here. ¡°How dare I, Grand Duke. It was my first trip, so I was nervous and asked for understanding.¡± Just saying she was sorry and moving on, she didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It was the Grand Duke¡¯s knights who dragged her with all their rudeness, and to be sure, she wasn¡¯t even the Grand Duchess yet. Still, there was no need to deliberately ignite a sharp voice, so she gracefully bent her knees slightly and asked for his pardon. Just when the uncomfortable silence seemed to last longer, the man said still. ¡°. . . It must be cold.¡± It was only then that Anne realized that her shoulders were shaking. As she entered the room, she thought her body had melted, but she did not know if it was because her body had not adapted to the unfamiliar climate or whether it was because she was obsessed with the man¡¯s intimidation. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t expecting an answer in the first place, and the man turned around as if his business was over with those words. ¡°Whoo . . .¡± At the same time as the Grand Duke disappeared, the sound of the stiffened employees exhaling with difficulty filled the spacious lobby. It meant she wasn¡¯t the only one getting nervous. ¡°Then I will guide you to your room.¡± The maid, who had been clasping her hands together tightly, released her hands and guided Anne. When she turned around, the woman named Marie had disappeared. Anne followed the maid chief and made her way to the central staircase, which was lined with an impressive red carpet. Every time she stepped up the auburn-colored wooden steps, there was a faint sound at the seams. She found it to be well maintained, and she looked at the d¨¦cor of the concourse, the dilapidated staircase, and the passage. ¡°This is the main building. From now on, the Madam will live in the east wing, and the master will mainly live in the west wing. On the third floor of the main building, there is a hallway connecting the east and west buildings.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Listening to the maid chief, Anne turned her eyes away like a child visiting a house. She needed to pay attention to her breathing, as she had been very nervous a moment ago. Like the old-fashioned exterior, the interior was full of old things, as if proving its long history. A landscape painting from an unknown artist was hung on the dark wallpaper, and there were rare still life paintings that stood out. However, no portraits were hung on any wall. Usually, the portrait of the family head is hung on the front side closest to the ceiling. Are the portraits of the previous heads hanging elsewhere? As she continued to think about it, she reached the third floor before she knew it. In front of it, the hallway splits on both sides exactly. Chapter 5.2 ¡°As I said, the Madam¡¯s bedroom is located in the east wing of the hallway on the left, and the Master¡¯s bedroom is located at the end of the right hallway and going to the west wing.¡± Fortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to be using a single room. A loving couple shared a room together, but there was no way for them to have such a relationship. After walking for a long time following the maid chief, she arrived at the door that was finished smoothly as if it had chocolate spread on. The tightly closed door opened and the room came into view. ¡°Ah . . .¡± Even Anne, who was not easily shaken, was surprised to see the Grand Duchess¡¯s bedroom. It was spacious enough to be two or three times the size of the Count¡¯s room, and the furniture and interior were quite luxuriously prepared. Beige-toned wallpaper wrapped around the room cozy enough to offset the cold weather, and the furnishings were not decorated with expensive things, but with light luxury. There were two large windows in front, and a door leading to the balcony next to it. It was pitch-black outside, but it looked like the front door was where she could see a light on at the end of the window. ¡°Because we have never had such a valuable guest, the hospitality is modest. First of all, we have prepared it so that it will not be inconvenient for you, but if there is anything you want, please let us know. ¡°This is great. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± To Mrs. Wald¡¯s polite question, Anne answered with a soft smile. There is no need to quarrel with the maid who manages the castle like a strict master. And she wasn¡¯t in a position to come here in the first place with the intention of gathering luxury. Mrs. Wald showed her one by one the clothes hanging in the dressing room and the items on the dressing table. Among them, there were some products that were not exactly the same as those used by the Countess, but were similar. ¡°You must have put a lot of effort into preparing for today.¡± ¡°The Master himself told me directly.¡± ¡°His Grace did?¡± Anne, with bewildered eyes, pulled out one of the dresses from the hanger. There were no fancy dresses. It must be a northern style that avoids bulky things. Anne slowly put the dress on her body, and it seemed to fit her body. How did you know my measurements? In conclusion, for a hastily prepared room, the room was perfectly equipped with everything. ¡°Are you done?¡± Anne, startled by a cold voice suddenly heard from behind, turned around. She couldn¡¯t even hear footsteps, let alone a human, and the Grand Duke, who she didn¡¯t know when had come, was standing crookedly at the door. As Anne saw him staring at her with sunken eyes and arms crossed, her gaze fell on her own accord. ¡°I¡¯ve explained almost everything.¡± ¡°Then leave.¡± It was a simple yet high-pressure command. Mrs. Wald glanced at Anne¡¯s face, bowed her head, and then left. As only Anne and the Grand Duke remained inside the closed door, the air subsided. The Grand Duke, with his arms uncrossed, walked towards the center of the room. It felt like he was the owner of the room, not her, as he was striding without hesitation. Of course that wasn¡¯t wrong, and Anne, who was intimidated, steered clear of him. In an instant, the Grand Duke¡¯s face was in front of her. When she met him up close, he was tall enough for her to have to raise her head high, so just looking at him made her neck stiff. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes were intertwined with the red pupil under the black hair that flowed down on his eyes, staring down at her. Anne¡¯s body hardened and she swallowed a gulp at the tension. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on holding a wedding ceremony or anything of the sort.¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think I need one either.¡± She didn¡¯t come in the name of reparation or anything, so she never expected from the beginning that she would have a festive wedding. ¡°But I have no intention of skipping the first night.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Even though it was a set procedure because of their marriage, Anne struggled to twist her feverish face to one side at the strange words that came out of the Grand Duke¡¯s mouth. Even though she had prepared her heart, she was afraid because it was the first time. His gaze slowly went down. She could feel his gaze staring at her from head to toe. He probably was making sure she wore the dress he sent her. The gaze of the man, who had been moving slowly, returned to Anne¡¯s face. Even with his dry gaze, the place he touched tingled as if it had been stabbed. His tenacious gaze was more suffocating than the countless eyes that looked at her as if criticizing her at a nobles¡¯ social gathering. As Anne grabbed the hem of her skirt in tension, his lips slowly parted. ¡°Who dared to touch what belongs to me?¡± Chapter 6.1 Anne was startled by the words of the Grand Duke, who was staring at her. Anne¡¯s cheeks reddened when she realized that his gaze was trained on one of her cheeks. ¡°I belong to no one.¡± ¡°Not yet, perhaps . . .¡± As if hearing a funny word, the Grand Duke¡¯s lips stretched languidly. ¡°Still, I should know.¡± Suddenly, his straightened fingers grabbed Anne¡¯s chin and tilted her face up. Anne¡¯s body trembled at the sudden touch. Even though they were indoors, his hands were like ice cubes that didn¡¯t hold the warmth of a human being. He then turned Anne¡¯s head to the side, left and right, watching her cheek as if observing. Then, his hand, which was lightly stroking the cheek with his thumb, fell off as if he had lost interest. However, his curiosity did not seem to have disappeared. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°That Whitmore?¡± Embarrassed, she shut her mouth, as the Grand Duke immediately mentioned the name of her former fiancee. ¡°No. This . . . My father . . .¡± Her voice died instantly. It was still embarrassing and shameful. There was nothing okay with the fact that a noble Lady was beaten by her parents. ¡°It was Count Libelois . . .¡± There was no significant change in expression on his face, no hint as to whether or not it was in line with his expectations. He just pondered over her words. ¡°People in that house had a habit of messing around with what is mine.¡± Regardless of whether Anne agreed with him or not, he called her his. As though she were his property. At that moment, the Grand Duke, who had held her body in the blink of an eye, barely affixed his face to Anne¡¯s cheek. The cold winter scent wafted from him, who had narrowed the distance, so much that even the woman who had just experienced winter could feel it. ¡°Do you want me to kill him?¡± ¡°. . . !¡± Anne was terribly surprised by the casual mention of the word ¡®kill¡¯. As if she drank ice water, the cold seemed to invade her throat and into her body. He sneered lightly and opened his mouth again. ¡°I can do it if it is my wife¡¯s wish . . .¡± The Grand Duke spoke of her father¡¯s death as if he had given her the honor of choosing, leaving her the right to decide. It was her, the wife of who came for the marriage. Blood drained from Anne¡¯s face as she recalled the rumor that he was a savage person who casually killed people with twisted judgment. ¡°That . . . I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°Why? I didn¡¯t know you were obsessed with your bloodline . . .¡± He tilted his head as if hearing something strange. Anne was sure he didn¡¯t understand why she was speaking so. The incomprehension on his expressionless face really showed. But she didn¡¯t desire her family¡¯s death just because she was slapped in the face due to a lack of affection. ¡°Thank you for your words, but I don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s boring.¡± As if to ask why, he blinked his eyes slowly with a bored face. ¡°Instead, I have another request.¡± When Anne asked, examining the Duke¡¯s face, he made eye contact and nodded his head languidly. It meant to speak. Anne took her breath, and then she spoke the other words she had rehearsed all the way through. ¡°I came to take the place of my brother¡¯s crimes, but I heard that Your Grace also needs an heir, which is why you are marrying me.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Although the words weren¡¯t positive, the Grand Duke told her to go on, fixing his gaze on her. ¡°If . . . If I give birth to a child . . .¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, unmoved the whole time, swayed slightly at that moment, but Anne, who was hesitant and dragged her words, did not notice the change. ¡°Please let me go.¡± ¡° . . . !?¡± As soon as Anne had finished speaking, the Grand Duke¡¯s expression morphed for a moment. ¡°I will leave the child behind, so you can make it your successor and spend the rest of your life with the woman you want.¡± ¡°The reason you want a child . . . Just to give it to me and leave?¡± There was an illusion of a chill in his voice for a moment, but Anne calmly chose her words. ¡°To be precise, I am leaving an heir to Your Grace. You don¡¯t want to spend those long years with me anyway.¡± It might be an outrageous request, but she thought it was a pretty good offer, so Anne was confident. He would be reluctant to keep a woman he didn¡¯t like as his true wife, and she wouldn¡¯t have to be wary of his lover, whom he loved so much. And she actually had another reason that was as fundamental as he first. She knew how far the Count¡¯s obsession, which she had seen since she was young, would extend. I happened to be able to enter into a marriage contract with the Grand Duke in this way, but my father will somehow use this opportunity to fulfill his ambitions. Shortly after the marriage was decided, Anne decided that she would not live as the Grand Duchess, and that she would leave this place. When her family sold her over in the name of the family¡¯s honor, Anne made a vow. She would present the most humiliating insults toward those who value the ¡®honor of family¡¯, and thwart her father¡¯s ambitions. Chapter 6.2 So long as Anne was Grand Duchess, Libelois will be as arrogant as if they had won the world and will meddle in everything, be it politics or the economy. Just remembering how they were asking for such a request before she left, it was clear what they were going to do in the capital of the future, with the power of the Grand Duchy. In addition, it was likely that he would be the one who represented both sides in the middle and took care of things. It was just disgusting to meddle in her life and say anything more than this. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed as if trying to gauge her intentions. ¡°. . . What are you going to do after that?¡± ¡°I have no intention of going back to the County. I . . . I want to leave alone.¡± Her life was short and she had lived so passively that she thought of living her new life in a place where no one knew. ¡°If my wife were to leave, did you not consider the insults I would receive?¡± ¡°You just have to announce that you threw me out because I had an affair with someone else.¡± When that happens, her family will declare they cut ties with her because they can¡¯t stand the shame, and will not dare to reach out to the successor. Despite being seen as a ruthless woman leaving her child behind, Anne firmly made up her mind. Silence, which had enveloped them for a while, fell between them. When the duke¡¯s neck, who had been strangely calm, swayed like waves, he opened his mouth. ¡°Seeing that you spoke so easily, it must have been that you had hardened your heart before coming here. What my wife wants . . . I will allow it.¡± She was worried about what to do if an uncomfortable reaction came back, but the Grand Duke readily allowed it. She could see the Grand Duke¡¯s mouth, who was staring at her, slowly rising. ¡°Of course, if you have a ¡®child¡¯.¡± In an instant, there was a force that seemed to have pressed her down with a single word he uttered. As if it was her who made the offer, he gave a soft warning to take responsibility for what she said. As Anne hesitated, seized by the strange feeling, he threw her body onto the bed like a hawk snatching a prey. Before she could properly open her eyes, the Grand Duke was already covering her body with his. Anne¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± The Grand Duke, who had tightened his thick legs to keep her from moving, looked down at her. His red eyes, which were revealed every time the languidly sunken eyelids lifted, were focused solely on her. ¡°I¡¯m going to fulfill the terms of the contract, is there any problem? I¡¯m trying to put my seeds in my wife¡¯s stomach as much as I want . . .¡± ¡°That . . . What-¡± What offended his heart? The man with his back to the moonlight exudes a decadent and gloomy energy that she had not noticed before. ¡°It would be good to get used to it. From now on, you will lie under me and cry every day.¡± A cold sweat ran down her back. The man¡¯s voice was cold, and the content was extremely cold. He ruffled the collar of his shirt with an indifferent hand. The bejeweled buttons bounced off without a trace, revealing the developed muscles between the open shirts. Her strong chest major muscles unwittingly caught her attention, but she soon recalled her situation and tried to pull back again. As if ridiculing Anne who was struggling, the Grand Duke increased his strength and tightened the small body of the woman lying beneath him even more tightly. ¡°Ple . . . please wait . . . !¡± The knot in her chest broke first with a swish in his strong grasp, and the crumpled breast protruded from the gap. One area after another, the clothing was torn and Anne, who had become naked in an instant, was terrified. The Grand Duke¡¯s cool gaze descended upon the trembling woman. ¡°Where did that confident attitude go? Now you¡¯re trembling here? You must not be afraid. It must be because of the cold weather in the north.¡± His brief, sarcastic gaze scanned the woman¡¯s crushed body beneath him. The golden tinted hair ran down her smooth shoulders, flowing along the curves of her soft skin. He reached out and pulled the strands blonde hair from her skin one by one. A dangerous smile lingered on the Grand Duke¡¯s beautiful face, who was sweeping the white skin like sprinkled with snow, his bouncy breasts that he wanted to hold his hand full of, and even the pinkish-pink nipples that seemed to taste sweet if he swallowed straight away. ¡°How long will it take to have a child?¡± ¡°Please . . . do it . . . gently . . . Hah!¡± Anne, feeling that she couldn¡¯t escape, asked, but he didn¡¯t listen. The snake-cold lips clung roughly to Anne¡¯s long neckline as the large shadow fell. He took a deep bite on the nape of her pure white neck and began to suck in all of her tender flesh as if she was about to be eaten. Each time he gnawed with his growling teeth, Anne¡¯s head tilted behind. ¡°Heeuukkk . . . !¡± Pushing his hard chest, Anne complained of her pain, but the Grand Duke only passed by it. With his muscular thighs, he squeezed her side, preventing her from breathing properly, let alone escape. As Anne tried to turn her head, the large hand gripped her chin strongly. ¡°It is not a woman¡¯s virtue to turn her eyes away from her husband.¡± ¡°. . . It . . . hurts . . .¡± ¡°Relax. You won¡¯t die from this.¡± He sneered with a cold face. Chapter 7.1 After meeting him, the word ¡®death¡¯ was spoken twice. Anne¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly when she suddenly recalled that there were men with sadistic bedroom tendencies. ¡°Someone died on the first night of their wedding,¡± the rumors said, but she had thought it was all lies and exaggeration . . . Tonight, a sudden wave of fear came over her when she thought that the main character spoken of within the rumors was . . . him. Noticing that Anne had been lost in thoughts for a moment, the Grand Duke¡¯s hand gripped her breast with a crushing force. That didn¡¯t seem to be enough for him, so her nipples were pinched and rubbed. Anne¡¯s waist twitched and jumped up. ¡°Hahhhh! Huhh . . .¡± Despite her screams, the Grand Duke held her chest in his hand and teased her, sliding the tip of his tongue along her collarbone. Goosebumps appeared at the strange sensation. A small shiver ran through her body at the clinging touch, enough that she could feel the bumps on his wet tongue. ¡°Huhhh . . . Haa . . . Your . . . Your Grace . . .¡± Anne¡¯s sobbing moans became more and more wet. Each time her skin was bitten, a sharp sensation began to creep into her body, which had only been filled with pain. As the ticklish sensation tingled down her spine, Anne flinched as though in a seizure, then stiffened repeatedly. The Grand Duke gripped her breasts, frantically rolling his tongue over her nipples, which were beginning to stiffen. A long silver thread stretched between his lips and her shiny nipples. She was relieved as the Grand Duke paused for a moment, but Anne found the dark red flesh and stopped breathing. His erect pillar, with its veins sticking out, had a rough appearance she had never seen in her life. ¡°Such a thing . . . won¡¯t . . . fit in.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see once we try it.¡± As if he didn¡¯t know her circumstances, the blunt glans dripped turbid liquid as though coveted the delicious female body in front of it. The Grand Duke, holding her slender thighs apart, began rubbing the head of his pillar against the pink cracks. A pleasant feeling of heat was formed when the liquid that had formed on the tip of his glans was spread and he gently swept it from the opening to the apex. ¡°I only sucked at your breasts, so why are you already wet?¡± ¡°That . . . can¡¯t . . . be . . . hahh . . .¡± Anne¡¯s face flushed red when she realized that her lower regions had become wet. Each time the scorching heat swept under her, the sensitive bump was caught and the intense stimulation tinged through her from head to toe. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying? Every time I rub you with my cock, liquid leaks out . . .¡± He rubbed the length of him up and down along the fissure of the soft flesh. The racy sounds each time the glans rubbed the softly wet labia tangled in her ear. The crisp sound of friction and the texture of the skin being rubbed against it . . . Anne bit her lips in shame at the erotic sensations she felt even though she couldn¡¯t see it with her eyes. ¡°The hole looks pretty usable, but how will it taste . . .¡± But the entrance, which had never been penetrated before, was too tight and it refused to allow him in. The taut glans kept bouncing off before he was even able to properly insert his length into her flesh. The Grand Duke, who was about to shove it right in with strength, looked annoyed. As he stared silently at the trembling vagina, one corner of his mouth curled up. ¡°I can¡¯t do that . . . It¡¯s the first night, so I¡¯ll treat you like a proper husband would. It¡¯ll be easier if you are wet to a certain extent.¡± He murmured coldly, shoving a thick finger into the deep red opening. Anne¡¯s body stiffened as she let out a moan. ¡°Huuhh . . .¡± The Grand Duke, who was clasping her wrists tightly as she struggled to get the foreign object out of her body, stirred the inside of her vagina with his thick fingers relentlessly. Each time it moved in, the squelching sounded obscenely, heard over the delicate sobbing. ¡°Thank me for trying to be a husband.¡± ¡°Hahh . . . Ahhh . . . hic . . .¡± As the fingers moved in and out of her as if digging into her, her butt fluttered and Anne sobbed. The more she resisted the grip on her wrist, the more the revengefully Grand Duke put his other finger in her and stroked her inside. ¡°Huhh . . . Ha, hahh.¡± Anne¡¯s breathing gradually slowed. There was a watery sound every time the fingers, which had been rubbing her inside, came out. The viscous liquid dripped onto the floor, unable to wet his palms at the speed of his hand movements. A deep lust spread in the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes who stared at the entrance wet with love fluid. In an instant, something hard touched the place where the thick fingers had moved in and out. Anne¡¯s eyes, which were her half-closed, widened. ¡°This should be enough to take my cock . . .¡± ¡°Please . . . please wait . . .¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even properly started yet.¡± He smiled coolly as he lightly subdued Anne, who had started to struggle again. The moment their gazes were intertwined for a moment, a large piece of flesh cut through the narrow hole and mercilessly penetrated into her body. ¡°Huuuhh . . . ! Haaaah!¡± The moaning wavered through the air. The feeling of her vagina splitting open due to the enormous thickness was terrifying. ¡°I haven¡¯t even put half in yet, but you¡¯re making this big a deal. I can take it out if you want . . .¡± Chapter 7.2 Anne, who had forgotten her breathing and wrinkled her eyes, quickly shook her head. It was throbbing as if her body was cut in half, and she was afraid to even think about what would happen to her when he came in. The Grand Duke¡¯s gaze scanned her face as she exhaled with difficulty. In an instant, one of his thick fingers protruded between her lips, which were bitten to the point of bleeding. He felt the breath exploding from her tiny lips and groped every nook and cranny of her flesh. ¡°If the wife asks me to, I will consider it generously.¡± ¡°I . . . Ah . . .¡± Anne tried to spit the words out, but the fingers clenched against her tongue, disturbing the soft flesh of her mouth. ¡°No . . .¡± As if he didn¡¯t like the answer, the Grand Duke slowly pushed his cock into the already tight hole. ¡°Huuuuuu . . . !¡± Anne¡¯s long eyelashes were wet into moisture. As her belly contracted rapidly against her trembling upper body, she unintentionally clenched her inner walls around the thick penis. Cracks formed in the Grand Duke¡¯s slim forehead in the walls of her sticky vagina. He thought it would be nice to stop joking around and to shove it directly, but watching the woman¡¯s distorted expression was also quite a good sight. He lowered his torso and asked, pushing his face closer to Anne. ¡°What did you say?¡± The moment Anne was about to part her lips, the hard genitals were pushed all the way to the end. Anne, frightened by the pillar that had pierced her at once, bent her waist and trembled. ¡°Aahh . . . Haa . . . Stop . . .¡± Anne began to struggle against the excruciating pain she had never felt before. Her slender arms pressed against the sheet. Even if she tried to twist her back, she couldn¡¯t move the leg that was on his forearm. He lowered his upper body and supported himself with his elbows, caressing Anne¡¯s soft cheeks as if soothing her. Between the trembling eyelashes, he could see the blue eyes full of water. He licked the tears that hung from the corners of her eyes with the tip of his tongue. ¡°Oh no. I couldn¡¯t hear you right.¡± ¡°Huuh, heuu.¡± Satisfaction bloomed on the Grand Duke¡¯s face when he saw her unable to even breathe from the pain. Then, as if he had no intention of taking it out in the first place, he pressed her flat belly with his large palm. As if an outline was drawn under her soft skin, the hard thing felt thick even when stroked. ¡°I have changed my mind. It¡¯s already in so far, it¡¯d be a waste to take it out.¡± ¡°Haa. Huuuh . . .¡± Thrust! Tears welled up in Anne¡¯s eyes the moment the Grand Duke inserted the thick pillar he had barely pulled out again. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyebrows twitched for a moment at the stiff inner wall, but when he saw Anne¡¯s pained face, his eyebrows were smoothed out. ¡°How did you make such a bold offer to give birth to a successor when you can¡¯t even stand this much?¡± The hand that tidied over her sweaty hair was very gentle, unlike the one below. When Anne, nervous, swallowed a gulp, the Grand Duke, who smiled wryly, began to move his waist in earnest, as if he had no intention of looking at her from the beginning. Anne¡¯s pelvis, held in his large hands, was pulled towards the Grand Duke¡¯s crotch with a yank. A tingling sensation engulfed her entire body, causing tears to flow as her butt slammed against his hard hip. ¡°Hahh . . . hahh! Haaaaahhh!¡± A screeching scream erupted, the voice amorous even so. Every time the thing was pushed upward and pulled, her vision fluctuated and her stomach churned. With each of the Grand Duke¡¯s movements of hitting her, her immaculate breasts soaked in saliva also shook. He greedily sucked at the swollen nipples. ¡°Hah . . . huuh.¡± Anne let out moans uncontrollably. Tears welled up in reflex at the sensation of the thick flesh scratching her inner wall and spreading everywhere it passed. The cold tears in her blue eyes ran down her cheeks every time she closed and opened her eyelids. Her sensitive body and even her mind were becoming dizzy. Her lips trembled at the sensation as he stirred inside her scorching stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever my wife wants me to do.¡± The man, who had been languid and full of leisure, was terribly preoccupied with his actions. Even after pulling out the length that was soaked with the slippery liquid, she was entered again like a horned beast. Anne was crushed by the man¡¯s weight. Meanwhile, the Grand Duke¡¯s object kept mercilessly poking into her vagina. The more blunt the pain seemed to be, the more her senses began to clear up. As the inner flesh was rubbed, the sensation that rose like a haze took root and spread throughout the body. Her delicate hands trembled at the dizzying sensation, and she grabbed the sheet she was holding and crumpled it again and again. The Grand Duke exhaled a low breath on the flesh that was clinging to him. The damp inside was squeezing on him. ¡°Looking at how you won¡¯t let go of my dick . . . Are you a woman who has always been crazy about men?¡± The Grand Duke spoke coldly as he tore through the wrinkled inner walls that were tangled around him. Chapter 8.1 Anne¡¯s face heated up at the deliberate words. Her face burned. ¡°Hah . . . That¡¯s . . . not . . . it.¡± Anne shook her head in denial, but even she was to the point of doubting her body at the strange sensations. Fine black hair brushed against Anne¡¯s face. Eyes full of passion, staring directly at her lips, wandering about. His climax rose to the tip of his chin as the red tongue was caught in glimpses between the slightly gaping pink lips. A low breath leaked through his lips. ¡°You have a damn good body.¡± With a soft curse, he lifted up Anne¡¯s buttocks, which were lying beneath him. Thrust! Thrust! As the Grand Duke¡¯s waist movement became faster and smoother, Anne¡¯s thin body was trembling non-stop, their flesh intertwined without even the slightest bit of a gap among the squeaking noise, and the viscous liquid splattered relentlessly. ¡°Haah . . ., haah . . . ha . . . Haaahhh.¡± Each time he thrusted, she stretched her calves so hard that the shrunken inner wall squeezed the column even more. He slightly wrinkled his eyebrows and hastened his movement. The creaking noise of the bed and the lewd sound of pounding wet flesh shook the bedroom violently. The Grand Duke¡¯s back muscles, who had been crushing the white breasts swaying frantically above the narrow waist with his large hands, were tightened for an instant. Soon after, he let out a low moan, pouring all the hot liquid into her. Anne, exhausted from having just one round, collapsed on the bed. Her body twitched unknowingly at a sensation she couldn¡¯t explain in her words. But the Grand Duke did not move or remove his thing. Rather, he clamped his penis inside and squeezed the entrance to prevent the semen from leaking out. ¡°I¡¯m going to wait until my semen enters the hole.¡± Anne, speechless, averted her gaze with her pale face. The two people facing each other with their interlocked genitals in between reminded her of an animal that was being raised for the sole purpose of breeding. The pubic hairs tangled between the crotch were drenched in sweat, and the murky liquid was hanging from the roots like snowflakes. That alone was embarrassing, but it was shameful enough for her to want to die because there was a big . . . thing . . . that stuck in the gap that was widened enough to the limit. At the unfamiliar sight where she did not know where to put her eyes, only Anne¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You can take . . . it out now . . .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to spill a drop.¡± The man slid his long fingers through the skin of the vulva with his genitals buried. Her vagina twitched as a cold aura swept over her tormented and sensitive areas. As if her reaction was amusing, the Grand Duke swung his finger around the area with his engraved genitals and eventually scraped it up slightly with the side of his fingernail. Anne¡¯s thighs trembled, feeling as though he was playing with a powerless puppy. ¡°How does it feel to be eaten by me? I want to hear what you think.¡± ¡°Yes . . . ?¡± A look of embarrassment crept into her face, which had struggled to hide her displeasure. The arrogant tone was offensive, but it was not dignified language that a person of great nobility would say. ¡°I want you . . . to refrain from saying that. I am now the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°The Grand Duchess . . . Haa . . .¡± The Grand Duke made a whistling sound as if he knew what the name was next to. Instead of apologizing for the rude words, he only laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t know how you look in front of me right now.¡± As soon as the Grand Duke finished his words, the foreign body in Anne¡¯s stomach twitched. ¡°Haaah . . . !¡± As the startled Anne struggled, a white liquid ran down her buttocks along with the mixed liquid from the gap. The man¡¯s pupil narrowed narrowly. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t spread your legs at all.¡± ¡°Huuh . . . that¡¯s . . .¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t a man by the name of Salton ever seen this hole?¡± Salton Whitmore. She, as a virtuous noble lady, could not have lain with him before the wedding ceremony. There were at most a few brief kisses with his fianc¨¦e, just like greetings. ¡°I never . . . did!¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s been a year since you got engaged . . . How surprising. It must have been difficult for him to leave this hole alone.¡± Contrary to the word ¡°surprising¡±, Anne read the subtle displeasure in his expression. ¡°If you had allowed it, I would have castrated him.¡± Unsurprisingly, she had an intuition from the Grand Duke¡¯s dazzling glare that it was not just a joke, but the truth. Anne, who swallowed a gulp, spoke her words at his coolness. ¡°Anyway, this is enough, so please take it out.¡± Then the Grand Duke slowly began to pull his waist back, as if he was satisfied. The vagina, which had been clamped around his genitals, poured out the tangled liquid as if waiting. Her body was suddenly turned over while Anne watched the liquid flowing between her legs with wrinkled eyes. The Grand Duke¡¯s face disappeared, and crumpled white sheets filled her view. Chapter 8.2 ¡°Your . . . Grace?¡± ¡°Are you naive? Stupid? Where did the idea of only doing it once come from?¡± While she paused at the eerie voice from behind, her face was slammed into the bed sheet with a crushed back, and her buttocks were lifted into the air. Long hair on the duvet was ruffled like the sheet that had just been pulled out. ¡°Heuk . . . That¡¯s enough already. Moreover, like this . . .¡± ¡°Show your resolve. You said you wanted to become the Grand Duchess, so you should be able to fulfill this duty properly first.¡± He clasped her blemish-free buttocks, and grabbed both sides with all his might so that the hole could be seen clearly. When her red flesh was revealed, he forced himself in without hesitation and poked it hard enough to crush her. ¡°Huuh . . . hahh.¡± A broken sound leaked from Anne¡¯s teeth in the sense of volume that was struck quickly. The pain decreased considerably, probably because of the sticky love fluid and climax that remained entangled, but it was still heavy. ¡°Huuuuh . . . !¡± As Anne twisted her pelvis to get away from him, a clap of friction overshadowed the sound of her moan. Even in such a short moment, the clear pain that remained was evident. He slapped her white butt with his big hand again. The Grand Duke curled his lips into a smile, as though he was quite pleased with the sight of the vivid red marks on her pale skin. ¡°If you move carelessly, the Grand Duchess¡¯ body will be hurt. As you can see, I have a hard time controlling my power.¡± It sounded like an adult speaking to a little child, but to her it sounded like a threat. Seeing Anne¡¯s silence, the Grand Duke slammed his length back in. ¡°Hah . . .!¡± With her face pressed against the bed, Anne grabbed the crumpled sheet with a tearing force. Unlike the first time, which started with pain, the second time, a strange feeling came more quickly. Her eyes were dizzy at the sensation of the pounding against her vagina. With her forehead all but pinned to the bed, Anne let out a rough breath. The back of her hand, which had become as white as snow, trembled. Her tears wet the sheet. Suddenly, the Grand Duke grabbed Anne¡¯s hair and swung her had towards him. Her crouched upper body stood, her chin raised, and her neck swung back. A cold hand stretched out from behind her and grabbed the nape of her neck. ¡°I have no choice but to admit it. The wife¡¯s hole is quite useful. I like this a lot more than the compensation money.¡± The man took her breath, savoring the sweet scent. His rough exhalations and inhalations alternately tickled the back of her neck, and his sharp nose bridge squeezed through her hair and penetrated to her scalp. Anne tried to shake her head, but as if to tighten her breath, The Grand Duke gripped her neck tightly, making her unable to move in his hand. As soon as her hastily closed lips opened, a tooth lodged in Anne¡¯s pure white nape. The man gripped her thin body tightly, pulled her slender neckline, and locked her inside him, leaving a tooth mark. ¡°Huh . . . huu . . .¡± The Grand Duke, who had bitten Anne¡¯s round shoulder and pinched her raised nipples with his opposite hand, penetrated her insides more fiercely. Each time the bundle of genitals were pulled out of her opening, a sticky, murky fluid splattered onto the sheet. Soon after, her bulging clitoris was crushed, and her body trembled. Her voluptuous breasts swayed up and down against the Grand Duke¡¯s forearm. The feeling of the bouncy breasts being pressed against his forearm gave him quite a bit of excitement. As the cool thumbs traced her labia and rubbed the bump, her body, which had only trembled, jumped for an instant. At the same time, the moist inner wall contracted and tightened around his genitals. ¡°Haah . . . ! Hah! St . . . stop . . .¡± Anne was about to faint from the violent movement. Her golden hair, which spread clutteredly over her pure white naked body, shook terribly, and her head was in ever more chaos. Her vision was blurred in the simmering heat as the flesh rubbed against each other. Her light body shivered every time her soft buttocks were crushed by the man¡¯s groin. The Grand Duke crushed his penis that had been thrust into the most intimate spot and spewed out a lot of sticky liquid. After that, Anne fell under the Grand Duke and groaned. He hadn¡¯t taken it out of her since the first time, but only pushed it into her uterus once again. As the Grand Duke, who revealed his true nature, pushed her to the limit, Anne shed tears all night long, drenched in a sensation she did not know to be pleasure. And he finally drew his soaken pillar completely out in the late morning sunrise in the North. ¡°Haa . . . haa . . .¡± Anne, who watched with disbelief as the thick liquid dripped endlessly along her thighs, knocked her exhausted body down. Her back felt uncomfortable touching the damp sheets, but her body soaked in cold sweat and man¡¯s saliva was not. Perhaps it was because of the hot heat and her sticky body, she felt like she wanted to breathe in the terrifyingly cold air. Chapter 9.1 Anne, who took a deep breath, lifted her heavy eyelids with difficulty. She tried her best to hold on with her mental strength whenever she was hit with a wave of dizziness, but her retinas were dyed with darkness in a world that was turned upside down halfway through, and she seemed to lose her consciousness for a moment. Through her half-closed eyes, the Grand Duke could be seen raising his upper body. Just as the dawn light passing through the window shone on his face, his shadowy, sculptural appearance shone beautifully. She thought he was beautiful when she saw him last night, but when the bright light hit him from the front, her eyes were dazzled. Moreover, unlike Anne, who was lying on the bed with her hair scattered all over her body, the Grand Duke had a clean face without a single mess. ¡°You will be satisfied with this.¡± The Grand Duke asked, wiping his bangs back coolly. A slight smile spread across his lips. ¡°. . . Your Grace?¡± To be precise, it was the Grand Duke who had satiated his lust. Anne¡¯s voice cracked badly as she asked back, the aftermath of her screaming all night long. He smirked at the answer that was deliberately sensitive. ¡°I would rather ask. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a person panting under me. It suits me so well.¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°And I did exactly what my wife wanted.¡± Deep lust was etched in his stern tone, saying that he was merely complying with a request. As if to look back on last night, the Grand Duke slowly pulled his removed penis upward. At the unparalleled size, Anne lowered her gaze not to show her embarrassment. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not at all a waste to not get the compensation money. I will never be tired of this body in the future.¡± A body worthy of compensation has no different meaning than to be a prostitute in exchange for money. Anne, who bit her lip in contempt, looked at him with tears in her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. Even if it¡¯s not a deal, all you have to do here is spread your legs.¡± He frowned with a dissatisfied expression at her disrespectful look. Then he glanced at her, who didn¡¯t answer, and then spat out with kindness. ¡°As you said, now that you are the Grand Duchess, you can do whatever you want in the castle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relie that I¡¯m locked up.¡± The Grand Duke, who was about to get up, approached at once as if to attack Anne in response to the harsh reply. Surprised at him who approached her nose in the blink of an eye, Anne instinctively pulled her body. ¡°If you want to be locked up, I can do that. It¡¯s not so bad. It would be okay to lock you up and just do it all day.¡± The unique deep pupils gave off a deep light and fell onto Anne¡¯s body which had goosebumps all over. Anne instinctively clenched her legs and quickly wrapped the sheet around her body. If she crossed the line further here, it really looked like everything would start over. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°If you do it one more time, the odds will increase.¡± With a short smile, the Grand Duke spread Anne¡¯s fingers that were holding the sheet like he lifeline. He felt her body tremble as he touched her hand. Seeing that reaction, he grabbed the rest of her fingers one by one, as if he was playing. As soon as the last little finger was pulled, the sheet that was barely holding on fell down helplessly. The traces that had bloomed like flames on the pure white naked body were revealed. The tooth marks gathered on the chest, and the red marks that spread like fiery flowers below them. Below the navel, the blue color was clear, as if a bruise was already forming. It was the place where the Grand Duke¡¯s grip passed through the night. It was at that moment that the expression of the unreadable man became vague. In the meantime, Anne quickly covered her neck with the cloth she had snatched, hiding her nakedness from his scandalous gaze. He wanted to show a little bit of guilt. But, more than that, it was because he didn¡¯t calm down even when he saw her poor body. The Grand Duke was silent for a moment. There was a long awkward silence, not knowing what to say when he saw this appearance, and he felt uncomfortable. The Grand Duke, who had been observing Anne¡¯s expression, stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll send the maids.¡± The Grand Duke, who spoke briefly, walked over to the bedside and began to put on the clothes he had taken off. On his bare back muscles, she could see the little scratches from her gripping all night long. Even after getting her nails trimmed, there were marks she had imprinted hard at the moment of climax. Anne turned her head. Not because she was sorry, but because she didn¡¯t want to look at the confirmation that she had been lying under the man all night. As the door closed tightly, a deadly stillness came. Anne then removed the sheet that had been covering her body, and carefully raised her body. Even though she only slightly moved her limbs, a soft groan escaped. There were torn pieces of fabric that were likely to be worn by beggars here and there. She thought plain dresses were his taste, but it seems that it was his taste to rip off those dresses. Chapter 9.2 ¡°Haa . . .¡± Anne, who got up and checked her own reflection in the mirror, bit her lip. She was full of scars, as if she had been bitten by a beast. ¡°Is he really the Grand Duke?¡± The impression spoke for itself. Evidence that it was hard to believe that he was of a noble descent was entrenched like her scars, arousing suspicions. What on earth was this man thinking? There was no such abnormal relationship in the sex education that she had been taught as a noble lady. It was just stroking and overlapping each other¡¯s bodies, not biting or inflicting pain. Tears welled up in her eyes with sorrow. Although she was prepared from the start, the Grand Duke was, as rumored, a terrible person. At least it was certain that this kind of love affair was not normal. ¡°Wake up. Did you think the Grand Duke would treat you like a man in love?¡± Anne groaned as she rubbed her cheeks with her hand. Anyway, she didn¡¯t come here with the intention of becoming an ordinary wife, so she had to think more thoroughly and rationally. As she was trying to organize her complicated head, she heard a knock on the door outside and the voice of the chief handmaiden. ¡°Your Grace, this is Cournee.¡± She didn¡¯t want anyone to enter the chestnut flower-scented room with traces of them tangling all night, but she was not in a condition to sort it out on her own. There was the dirty bed linen, and she had to ventilate the air in the room that was soaked in heat. Anne grabbed the robe that was close to her, put it on, and then tied the waistband. As soon as she allowed them to come in, the door opened and the chief handmaid and three women entered. Among them, Anne¡¯s body stiffened when she saw the woman at the back. Marie, the Grand Duke¡¯s lover, was coming in. After reading Anne¡¯s gaze, Mrs. Walde politely opened her mouth. ¡°We have been ordered to help Madam bathe. And in the future, your dedicated attendant will be Miss . . . Marie.¡± The chief handmaid, who quietly continued her speech, dragged her words out for a moment in the middle. Normally, she would have noticed a strange air current, but the content was so sudden that Anne did not notice at all. ¡°Marie had previously served as a maid in this castle. She knows a lot, and she will be happy to help you without any inconvenience.¡± Maid . .. She knew only that Marie was a commoner, but did not know that she had been an employee. No matter where she came from, it was equally uncomfortable. ¡°But . . .¡± ¡°The master has commanded so.¡± It was illogical. What kind of mistress was there to serve as a bathing attendant for the real wife? It was an unconventional sense to get the lover to attend to the wife. Does he want us to get along? Even for it to be called the Grand Duke¡¯s arrangement, it was too much since they were in an uncomfortable relationship with each other. Soon after, she heard a maid pouring the water in the bathroom, and the other began to change the bed linens with experience. Meanwhile, Marie, who came closer to Anne, bent her knees slightly and bowed her head. ¡°From now on, I will serve Madam with all my heart.¡± Anne looked at Marie who had spoken cautiously for a moment. This situation must have been dissatisfying, but she had no expression. Her body gesture showed that she had accepted it and she had a calm demeanor with her hands held together. Without a word, Anne replaced her answer with a nod of her head. As she was guided by the maid to the bathroom, a fragrant bathing agent was placed in the bathtub filled with hot water. She honestly didn¡¯t have the strength to move her body, but she wanted to quickly wash her body full of the man¡¯s body fluids. ¡°Ack . . .¡± As soon as she immersed her whole body in the warm water, she exclaimed in pain. There was no place where she did not feel bad as the bitter pain that had been gone for a while came back. The maid, who had been rubbing the foam ball against her white arms, carefully wiped away the traces of the night from her body. She was trying to avoid irritation as much as possible, and there was nothing disturbing in the touch. Anne, who was resting her weary body, suddenly questioned the doubts that came to her. ¡°Did His Grace have any plans outside yesterday?¡± ¡°His Grace was in the castle all day yesterday.¡± ¡°Has he never been out at all? ¡°Yes. He stayed in the castle all day.¡± The innocent eyes, like a country woman, did not appear to tell a lie. He must be the man I saw that night . . . She¡¯d think it was ridiculous, but she was strangely surprised that she still had that feeling. After the bath, Anne returned to her room in a light chemise dress, and in the meantime, Marie held a small ointment in her hand. ¡°I will apply the medicine.¡± She was reluctant to show herself to the mistress, but she had to. Anne took a seat on the clean bed and gently rolled up her skirt. A bruised mark was revealed above her knee, along with the curves of her leg. The sound of her breathing in a small breath leaked out of Marie¡¯s lips. Looking at her astonished face, it seemed that the Grand Duke wasn¡¯t too harsh with her. She didn¡¯t say anything else, but she was instantly hurt by those eyes. Chapter 10.1 It has been a month since she came to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. The season was now winter, and blizzards and bitter cold continued grimly every day. The wedding was omitted, but the day after the first night, Anne finished her autograph on the papers Ashton presented to her, and she became Grand Duchess. The Grand Duke visited her every night. Resistance was useless in front of him, but even if it was in vain, Anne struggled to push the Grand Duke who rushed at her every time. However, as it continued repeatedly, she later simply dropped and received the Grand Duke with her legs spread apart. This is . . . Marriage . . . ? The night was very painful even though she had come without any expectations in the first place. She had been mingling with him for over a month, but his thing was still too much for her¡ª she couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. Moreover, as their relationship progressed, she was also changing strangely. She moaned like the prostitute that her brother Robert had mocked, and even though she said she didn¡¯t like it, she tasted climax at the end. So she didn¡¯t like it. The fact that a noble¡¯s sex would be so filthy and promiscuous. I hope I will have a child soon . . . Anne thought as her face lit up with annoyance. Having a child would put an end to this formal relationship. Even if he was attracted to a new woman¡¯s body since he was in his early stages, the moment she conceives a child, his attention would fade and he will seek only the mistress¡¯ room. The Grand Duke should quickly lose interest in her. It was Anne¡¯s wish every day. She sighed deeply at the troublesome thoughts, and looked blankly at the burning fireplace. Every time the firewood burned, the flames rose and danced. The end of the flames twinkled and then withered like a withering flower, just like her who was in trouble, she stared blankly. Tak! The sound of the glass table against the bottom of the teacup caught her. When she turned her head, she saw Marie sitting opposite her. Today she had finely braided brown hair that created an impression that was milder than usual, but she couldn¡¯t erase the sad expression she had originally. She was a woman with an atmosphere that suited this gloomy place well. ¡°Are you bored?¡± Marie, who was slowly pouring the freshly brewed tea from the kettle, asked. It seems that she considered the Grand Duchess¡¯ sigh as boredom. Marie had made an appointment in advance, and in the afternoon like this, she came to visit Anne. Her troubled appearance on the first face, as if what kind of wind was blowing, disappeared, and it was like a person who had decided to be close to her. But Marie was not good at hiding her expressions, so it was easy to read that she was overdoing it. ¡°A little.¡± Anne, who reached out for the cup with hot steam, answered briefly. A few days ago, Marie asked her to be comfortable with her, since she is one year younger than the nineteen year old Anne. Because of their ambiguous relationship, Anne still tried to be formal with her, but she had no choice but to accept her earnest request. At first she was reluctant to do so, but she became quite used to it. ¡°If the weather is nice, we can go outside.¡± ¡°Does it always snow here?¡± Anne asked, turning her head to her window. A blizzard raged like a storm today, and the snow covered the entire castle like a blanket. She woke up early today as always because of the sound of the wind blowing through the cracks in the castle windows and the rattling sound of the windows. For nearly a month already, Anne had not been able to get a proper night¡¯s sleep. The nightly visits from the Grand Duke who held her until dawn and released his lust, often kept her awake, and in the morning a noise like someone knocking on the window with a fist cut off her sleep. Startled, her eyes opened. She did not have time to properly relieve her fatigue, and it was difficult to get used to the unfamiliar place. ¡°It¡¯s always like this here. You say the weather is very warm in the capital?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to see snow.¡± It did snow in the capital, but since it is in the southern part of the country, it is rare to see a decent amount of snow. As for Anne, when she was young, all she had seen was see white snow that flew like dust a few times. ¡°By the way, why did you go to the capital last time?¡± Anne asked indifferently, fiddling with the teacup. She had deliberately not brought up what Marie had been up to in the capital, and Marie had brought the topic first. ¡°Huh . . .¡± Marie dragged her words by fiddling with the tips of her hair, which was as limp as a horsetail. She looked visibly perplexed as she suddenly didn¡¯t know Anne was going to bring up the capital story. Come to think of it, her brother had met her in a salon, where sons and daughters of the nobles usually come and go. But no matter how carefully she looked at her, Marie didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who would enter a place like that, even until she died. To seduce a man with that simple and innocent expression and went with him to a room in the salon, and then he was caught by the knights of the Grand Duchy . . . Chapter 10.2 She couldn¡¯t believe her just based on Robert¡¯s claim, but she doubted that Marie had ever been there. Even if she went out of curiosity, she looked like a vigilant person. Anne gripped the handle of the cup she was holding and pressed her lips together while she waited calmly for an answer. ¡°There was an errand that His Grace gave me . . .¡± ¡°What errand?¡± ¡°. . . It¡¯s just . . . He told me to go to the Cromund mansion in the capital and get something.¡± ¡°. . . I see.¡± Anne placed the bottom of the teacup on her opposite palm and wrapped it around, taking another sip. Did he dare to ask his mistress to run an errand? There were many questions, but she gently grasped the corners of her eyebrows that had stiffened, as though convinced by Marie¡¯s words. She decided that she¡¯ll have to ask this one properly again next time. It was because it was clear that Marie would have kept her mouth shut if she brought it up prematurely. As Anne¡¯s face softened, Marie hurriedly brought up another topic. ¡°When the snow melts a little, I will show you around the castle.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. Rather . . . Is there a library here too?¡± This is a place where time passes exceptionally slowly. It¡¯s as if time has stopped. So Anne recalled a book that she had not read the ending. She still regretted that she should have read the last chapter ahead of time had she known this. So she wondered if the book was also here, maybe she could read it again. ¡°Yes there is. It¡¯s on the 3rd floor of the West Building.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the West Wing . . . Where His Grace stays?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s at the end of the hallway past His Grace¡¯s office.¡± Anne¡¯s countenance grew awkward, as she had never set her feet there before. She was said to be free to go anywhere in the castle, but she deliberately refused to visit the West Wing because she didn¡¯t want to see the Grand Duke other times at night. Marie said she would take her to the library right now, but Anne ended the conversation with ¡®next time.¡¯ * * * After Marie retired, she lay down on the bed to try to sleep again, but she eventually got up again. It was because the contents of the book that she did not see the ending of were secretly caught in her heart. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Did she say that the library is in the West Wing? There was no guarantee that the book she¡¯s looking for would be there, but she had not seen it with her own eyes; If it was the Grand Duchy¡¯s library, it would have a great variety, so there was a good chance it¡¯s there. Let¡¯s go just in case. Finally, Anne got out of bed and left the room, picking up a thick shawl that had draped over the back of the sofa. As she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, which had less heat than her room, her nose was chilled by the rush of coolness. She quickly draped the shawl over her shoulders, clasped her hands tightly against her chest, and walked out. Even though it was early in the afternoon, there was no one in the hallway. In the first place, the employees rarely went upstairs, and even if they did, most of them quietly entered the main building, so there was no chance of her encountering them. As she turned the corner across the long hallway of the main building, she immediately reached the west wing. She was consciously unfamiliar with it because she never set foot this way. She realized once again that they were living in the same house¡ª so close that she could reach him if she took a couple of steps. However, since their relationship was no less than that of an arranged marriage, Anne pushed her thoughts down and moved her foot, which had paused for a moment. ¡°Was it here?¡± After passing a few doors, as Marie had explained, she soon saw a quaint, auburn wood door. When she grabbed the handle engraved with a strange pattern and pushed it, the door opened with a heavy sound. ¡°Is this the Grand Duchy¡¯s library?¡± The first time she saw the magnificent sight, she was in awe. The spacious space, which did not look lacking even compared to the Imperial Library, was all dark brown, and all the walls except for the opposite window were bookcases. Many books were neatly stacked on top of each other, and the stairs to one side were also full of books. Even on the upper floor, books were piled up. She was already a little excited. Anne scrambled to step inside, and quickly skimmed through each of the bookshelves. With this amount, there must have been the book that she was reading. ¡°Huh . . . ?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only But her hopes were quickly scattered like dust. Most of the books on the bookshelf were so old that it was difficult to estimate the time, and the recently published books were nowhere to be seen. No, it wasn¡¯t exactly recent, but she couldn¡¯t even see books from about a few decades ago. Hardcovers covered with sheepskin with titles unknown to the extent that it was difficult to infer the contents were all. ¡°The book isn¡¯t here.¡± Anne was disappointed. Among these numerous books, none was the book with the title she was looking for. In the end, her neck was sore from looking at the books near the ceiling that she couldn¡¯t reach. Taking a deep breath, she took out a somewhat interesting book as the next best thing, and sat down on a long chair in the center of the library to read. Chapter 11.1 unedited The room was clean, but there was hardly any trace of a human hand. Maybe only the maid in charge of cleaning came in and out, and no one seemed to come here to read a book. She thought no one would come, so Anne relaxed her mind and lifted her legs up onto the sofa. She tends to stick to an upright posture, but after she came here, she decided to reduce her strict tendencies. If she¡¯s wrong, no one would lift a stick, and if she leaves anyway, this glamorous life will be over. Leaning her back on the armrest where she should have put her arms, she put a small cushion around her waist to get seated firmly in place, creating a fairly comfortable position for her. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is coming. Why is it so nicely decorated?¡± She guessed it had been built by one of the predecessors, and was lost ever since, and Anne opened the book. ¡¸The founder of the Swenia Empire, Emperor Vernoir Elekn of Swenia¡­ Among them, he gave five imperial officials families names¡­ Grand Duchy Cromund, Duchy Mullite, Duchy Libelois¡­.¡± ¡°Duchy Libelois¡­.¡± As Anne was reading the passage, she smirked at the familiar words. This was the reason her father, Count Libelois, spoke about the family like a habit. The reason why they insisted on their pride despite the declining pressure was because the Libelois family was a Duchy in the beginning. The family that contributed to the founding of Swenia¡­. Although he had never experienced it herself, his father took great pride in the fact that he was a descendant of a dukedom. ¡°From a Duchy to a County, it¡¯s amazing¡­.¡± Anne knew the path the Libelois had gone down from. She doesn¡¯t know exactly what happened, but she was told that from her predecessor they lost the name of a prestigious family. It was often the case that a family that had not been successful for a long time or committed a great crime that could not be washed away was downgraded, but the fact that Libelois was downgraded from a Duchy to a County for no apparent reason was a big topic of discussion even at the time. It was not clear why the Imperial Family was suddenly downgraded, but there was something more shocking than this. At the same time, the family¡¯s financial lines were all cut off, and the territorial pass given to them were confiscated due to minor mistakes, and the farmland was said to have been so devastated that it was impossible to pay any rent, let alone a bountiful harvest. Even the business they started was ruined. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing the family didn¡¯t fall.¡± It was already more than 400 years in the past. Nevertheless, Count Libelois lived with pride. From the time of Anne¡¯s grandfather, they managed to re-establish the estate and finances and succeeded in stabilizing it to some extent, but they were currently in trouble because of her father, who had a dull greed to upgrade their family to a Duchy. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Her parents were spending money like water trying to maintain friendships with people from high-ranking families, and they tried to elevate the family¡¯s name. He said that he would reproduce the glory of his predecessors, and he educated his children excessively strictly from an early age. The son to be a competent heir, and the daughter to be married to a high-ranking family. And Anne¡¯s case was quite successful. She was engaged to the successor of Marquisate Whitmore, who managed the Treasury from generation to generation. ¡°They will like it more now.¡± Whatever the case, her parents spread the word in social circles the day Anne left. It was said that they became in-laws with the Grand Duchy. Her parents don¡¯t think that they sold their daughter, but just by making a connection with the secretive Grand Duchy would have caught people¡¯s ears. ¡®What kind of expression will they make later?¡¯ A rather cool feeling settled over her melancholy. It was a pity that she could not see their faces in person, but she had no intention of going to check them out in person. Before she came here, she swore strongly to sever her ties with her family. She turned the page again and tried to read the next article, but she soon lost interest in it because she knew what it was about. Anne felt the sleepiness creeping in. The library was cooler than the other rooms, but as she lay on the comfy sofa, drowsiness came to her. It was as if the effects of the sleeping tea she drank a while ago to get her to sleep were starting to work. In her dimming eyes, Anne grabs the shawl and pulls it to find warmth, and eventually falls asleep. And it wasn¡¯t long before the door of the quiet library opened. * * * Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Roughly scribbled black letters spread like spilled ink on the paper on the wooden desk. The high-quality feather pen in his hand moved quickly, the Grand Duke¡¯s face was sharper than usual. Ashton, who was waiting on the other side with a bundle of papers, suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Have you asked Madam?¡± ¡°Talk about something understandable.¡± Grand Duke didn¡¯t even look away, he only spoke coldly. It was a nuance that showed he didn¡¯t understand what he was saying, but it meant that he didn¡¯t want to speak in circles. Chapter 11.2 unedited Ashton continued what he was saying despite his master¡¯s ferocious appearance who didn¡¯t give a single glance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the wedding ceremony be held properly?¡± Ashton recalled the Grand Duchess¡¯ face, who was trying to keep herself calm. She was a woman with a beautiful complexion, as rumored to have taken the place of Marquisate Whitmore¡¯s fiancee, surpassing other ladies of prominent families. That was not all. With the dignity and elegance of an upper-class noble, an appearance that does not fall short of any one, and the ability to properly get along with people. She was not a pure noble lady who knew nothing except to decorate herself lavishly, but was more suited to the position of the Grand Duchess than anyone else. Even when Ashton made a coercive claim, the Grand Duchess didn¡¯t panic and even spit out her words at a glance. It was a first meeting that was quite impressive for him as well. However, after coming to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, the Grand Duchess who he occasionally encountered was a little different from before, even though she was smiling softly. It was because there was a slight uneasiness in her clear eyes. And Ashton thought that had to do with the poor situation because she couldn¡¯t even have a wedding ceremony. Tak! The dull sound of the sharp nib breaking split through the room. Rather than throwing away the pen or something like that, he kept his seat, holding up his glasses. ¡°Since when have you been interested in people other than me?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, who had been ignoring Ashton the whole time, now reached Ashton in an annoyed way. The Grand Duke nervously pulled off the indoor ruffle-neck shirt he was wearing, and rolled up the ruffled sleeves up to his forearm. His chest muscles, visible through the clothes that were open to his chest, caught the attention of even the same man. Even in the cold weather that frost fell on the windows, the Grand Duke was dressed as if it was midsummer. Every time this happened, he had to realize that the Grand Duke was really different from him. However, it was also the duty and loyalty of a subject to his master to reveal his beliefs. ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s Your Highness¡¯ wife.¡± ¡°Ashton, you lost your manners. Your father did not dare to say anything cheekily.¡± As the chilly low-pitched sound descended, the inside of the office sank heavily with a sense of dreary pressure. It felt as if a sharp blade of murderous energy was pouring down on Ashton as the pressure was so high that the air he could breathe disappeared. Ashton swallowed more words when the Grand Duke referred to his father. Adding words to the master without knowing their place was one of the things the Grand Duke looked at the most. Ashton, who swallowed a gulp, bowed his head. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I made a slip of the tongue.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, tell me properly.¡± The Grand Duke who folded the paper he was writing on, waxed and stamped his seal, gave it to Ashton as if tossing it. The words that he had to say this far reached his throat, but he could not further increase the Grand Duke¡¯s wrath here. Swallowing his words, Ashton carefully took the letter and left the room. After Ashton left, the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes turned to the clock on the other side of the wall. At three o¡¯clock, it was time to move his feet to the library as usual. He doesn¡¯t like to read books, but it has something precious to him, so he always visits once a day. However, before reaching the library and opening the door, he read a different atmosphere and stopped his feet. It was because he felt a small presence from the inside. ¡®Who is it? It¡¯s not that person¡­.¡¯ He slammed the door open and looked for the intruder with fierce eyes. However, seeing the face of the woman in front of him, his breath fell from his tense teeth. In front of him, there was a stubborn woman who was terrified but answered her words clearly. ¡°Haa¡­. I was wondering who it was.¡± He almost immediately broke the intruder¡¯s neck without delay. Fortunately, she slept conspicuously like that. If so¡­ she would have been locked up that night again. A book was lying on the floor, it looked like she fell asleep while reading. Although he went all the way to the sofa without hiding his presence, she did not notice at all and fell into a deep sleep. Her puffy chest rose and fell lightly as her even breath ran through her tiny lips. Bright blonde hair meandered down between her deep-seated chest lines, and her shallow cheeks were reddish as if they had been crushed and dyed with roses. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Her smooth, immaculate nape stood out. Last night, he had sucked that neckline several times. A soft body that trembled in his arms, but could not resist, stimulated his excitement and brought out the sadism that had been sleeping inside. At the end, she burst into tears, but nothing relieved him as much as that time. ¡°Ummm¡­. cold¡­ .¡± At that moment, Anne, who was recklessly grabbing and dragging anything she could hold in her hand in search of her warmth, murmured in her sleep. ¡°It¡¯s hard if you¡¯re careless like this¡­.¡± Chapter 12.1 unedited He muttered softly to her defenseless face. What kind of nerve does this woman have to sleep so calmly in front of a beast? The Grand Duke sat down next to the wide sofa, staring intently at Anne¡¯s tiny lips. The woman who ate the same amount of food as bird feed was maybe eating in her dream, and her little pink lips kept tickling. Perhaps because of the thickly raised lips or the curved body line that went up and down with every breath, the scene gave off a strangely bewitching atmosphere. His upper lip got stiff at the lustful appearance. The Grand Duke reached out his finger and gently stroked Anne¡¯s lips with his thumb, causing her lower lip to open slightly in her sleep. As he passed his index finger between them, her tongue moved as if it was a delicious snack. Moist saliva wrapped around him, and each time his soft flesh slowly entangled, he wrinkled his brow as if in trouble. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for this, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± As he slowly lifted the inflated hem of her dress, her smooth legs that were hidden flinched at the cool air. When he raised the hem of her skirt a little more, this time her exposed thighs rustled. She bit his index finger as he swept up her smooth skin with the palm of his hand. ¡°If you keep doing this, I want to wake you up.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s mouth widened languidly. Laying facing Anne, he lowered the neckline of her dress. The pink nipples that rose above the voluptuous breasts like a pure white hill were luscious. The Grand Duke¡¯s neck swayed loudly. As if impatiently, he pressed his lips down on the soft flesh. Her areolas were covered with his tongue and his saliva was smeared on them as he left, and the flesh gleamed with color. Then he took a bite of her nipple and rolled it round and round with his tongue until it became plump. In the meantime, he moved her waist and rubbed her breasts to the fullest. The Grand Duke reached out to her secret place and gently stroked the gap. His middle finger glided into the damp crack of wrinkled flesh. The inside of the walls was too hot. He gently swung his fingers in and out as he stirred the watery walls. With a squeaky sound, his finger was wet with the slippery liquid, and he boldly pushed in another finger. ¡°Huuuhp¡­.¡± Watching Anne spit out her breath, the Grand Duke gently licked her earlobe. With his thumb, he gently rubbed the thick, protruding clitoris. The squeaking sound was loud, but perhaps feeling a warm energy, she let out a quiet, even breath. One¡¯s body¡¯s reaction was honest. The liquid that came out of the wet flesh was dripping down. It must have been because he had been doing that for a month without a break, but her insides no longer refused him and were busy pouring out hot water. As the slippery flesh greeted him, the Grand Duke whispered a praise in Anne¡¯s rosy ear. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Good job.¡± The Grand Duke gently tucked Anne¡¯s flowing hair behind her ear. Two fingers pierced her narrow hole, and her lips were also being trampled on, yet the woman showed no sign of waking up. Her eyelids only trembled, and she grabbed his lapels with both hands and clinged to them. ¡°Uhng¡­ ung¡­.¡± In addition, his fingers that had been churning in her mouth came out and she babbled again. She was an insensitive woman in many ways. ¡°My careless wife¡­ It¡¯s really troubling.¡± He didn¡¯t expect the woman to be quite clever and pretend to fall asleep in front of a man. While he was having fun, the thought of her being like this elsewhere made him feel dirty. He pushed his envious fingertips into the depths of the inner wall at once. Then, he stimulated the moist flesh, and stirred the inner wall vigorously. Every time his fingers swung in and out, the liquid splattered in all directions. ¡°Huuuhhpp¡­.¡± As if from a terrifying nightmare, Anne slams her face into his chest. Her body twitched and trembled, and her trembling wrists creased his collar more tightly. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Shh¡­.¡± He gently wiped Anne¡¯s back as if to comfort the ragged and irregular breathing sounds, pulling her closer to his arms. He hugged her voluptuous breasts enough to crush her with his tight muscles, and slowly craved her secret flesh. But there was one problem. He felt a pain in his lower body as if he was about to burst at the touch of her fingers. Even now, he was about to press down on the woman and insert his thing, but if he did, the woman would almost wake up. In his thoughts, whether she wakes up or not, he would want to put his cock in her narrow hole, but then he won¡¯t be able to see this defenseless face, so it¡¯s a pity in its own way. Suddenly he imagined how she would react if she woke up. Chapter 12.2 unedited When she opens her eyes, what kind of expression will she make when she sees the exposed bottom lustfully biting his finger and pouring out lewd liquid one after another. Will she refuse and resist? No, she was wrapped so tightly that she couldn¡¯t even move her body properly. ¡®Should I wake you up?¡¯ Thinking about it, he urged her to wake up by deliberately stroking her wet entrance. While he was pondering which one he would like more in his head, the woman shook violently as if she was about to open her eyes, but in the end her eyelids were firmly closed. Although the scene brought great excitement, the reaction of the dull woman was too dangerous even for the husband of the married woman. At first, he was curious about the woman¡¯s startled eyes who seemed to wake up in the middle, but on the other hand, he wanted to wake her so that the woman who noticed this strange feeling late should be more careful. The two conflicting minds quickly crossed the line, but he had no intention of giving up. A shrill squeaking noise pierced his ears. ¡°Hng¡­.¡± The man¡¯s low breathing was covered over the moan of the woman who didn¡¯t know whether it was a moan or a sleep talk. Feeling the woman¡¯s warmer body temperature and stroking her swollen bumps with his thumb, the faint voice of her woman thinly enveloped the library that should have been quiet. Water leaked from the corners of her sadly distorted eyes. The Grand Duke licked his lips, licking her tears, gently moving his hand. He bent the tip of his finger like a hook and scraped the walls, pressing firmly on the place where he wanted her reaction to increase. Now seething with even more heat, the walls drooled obscenely. After some time had passed, and as soon as he pulled both of his fingers out of her entrance, her lips twitched and her lower part fluttered in regret. His gaze turned to his wet fingers. The gooey liquid on the outstretched fingers was shiny enough to create a thin film. When it touched his tongue slightly, it was sweet enough to be lewd. Anne¡¯s cold demeanor wasn¡¯t great, but he liked her enough to be satisfied with her body alone. * * * A characteristic winter scent resembling the scent of dawn wafted over the smell of old books. Anne twisted her body as the cool wind brushed her ankles and rushed up her calves. ¡®Cold¡­.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Her body trembled as if a chill had arrived. Gradually she grabbed the cloth that was being dragged around and pressed it against her face, something heavy pressed against her chest. As she tried to escape, this time a rocky stone suffocated her. Anne opened her eyes at the vague feeling that it was hard to tell if it was a dream or reality, but her eyelids were heavy as if they were swollen. She felt strange. She seemed conscious but lost. It was as if she had been drunk, and her mind was so clouded. She drank a glass of wine at lunch, so maybe she is getting drunk now. Or maybe it¡¯s because of the tea that Marie brought to her, saying it¡¯s good for sleep. She didn¡¯t think it would be as effective as most teas, so she guessed it wasn¡¯t. Her body did not listen, as if she had been sacrificed to an unknown. She was unconsciously on the edge of somewhere, yet she still tried to keep her eyes open. As a dark shadow fell over her thin eyelids, Anne slowly began to understand the situation. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s night. The Grand Duke has come.¡¯ So, even though she endured it, perhaps she fainted and passed out. The chill, which seemed to flow from her breath, gradually disappeared, and a scorching heat circulated through her body. Her whole body throbbed. In particular, the tingling underneath, creating the illusion of tickling ants crawling over her bare feet. In the meantime, a strange pleasure engulfed her, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe as if the fever was boiling in her. She was hot and fervent, as if she had fallen into a scorching fire. She could feel the tears flowing down her cheeks, but someone gently licked her eyes right away. ¡®Mirabo¡­ ?¡¯ It was the name of the dog that was buried and forgotten beyond. She remembered the childhood memories of Mirabo comforting her by licking her whenever she shed her tears. But she couldn¡¯t because Mirabo died because of her brother. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®No, if it¡¯s still a dream, wouldn¡¯t it be possible?¡¯ She ran at her brother who kicked Mirabo in the stomach, and was trampled on by his feet and died so horribly that Mirabo might have come to blame her even in her dreams. The screams of death and the sound of bones breaking were still vividly in her mind. ¡®Then this is a dream.¡¯ The moment she acknowledged it softly, her body shook violently. It¡¯s like a strange sensation when she falls from a cliff she saw on my way to the north, and something grabs her body and lifts it up. As the feeling of being pushed and dragged again like a mischievous prank was frantically repeated, her eyes flashed open. Chapter 13.1 Anne, who got up in a panic, looked around quickly. Even with her eyes open, it took a while for the objects around her to get clear. She was alone in the desolate room. The dark cloud-covered sky was engulfed in pitch-black darkness. Seeing a crescent moon hanging over the sky alone like her, she couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed. She seemed to have fallen asleep when she closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°Library . . .¡± After looking around the books captured by her vision, the sense of reality returned to where this place was. She also slowly remembered why she had come here late. The soft velvet sofa cloth touched her fingertips as she groped around in the dark. However, it was moist, not dry. Then that¡¯s . . . Anne¡¯s hand hurriedly turned downward. The moment she thought the dream was too vivid, and this familiar feeling on the lower part of her body was clearly a trace of someone¡¯s hand. When she grabbed her skirt and pulled it, the bare white legs that were exposed were clean. It was dry, but the bottom was puffy. She slipped her hand inside her and gently touched the sticky arousal liquid. ¡°Ha . . .¡± It was so dark that her eyes clouded over. Nothing came to mind, but she was sure someone had been to this place while she was sleeping. Someone who dared to humiliate a sleeping woman like a beast. Her two hands trembled. She was humiliated at the thought of giving her body to the man and not noticing it. Him . . . Anne¡¯s head returned to the Grand Duke¡¯s office, which she had passed before coming to the library. There was only one person here who would do such a thing. Her eyebrows were wrinkled at the pity for herself, who fell asleep without knowing anything. She wanted to go to his office right away and ask him, but as every night the very same man lusted for her, it would be no different in the day. Rather, she would be ridiculed and called a woman who did not behave properly. Eventually, Anne left the library only after swallowing her wrath. * * * Like a capital city, the light of the sun shone wonderfully into the room. The blizzard stopped and for some reason bright sunlight appeared. Last night, the Grand Duke did not come to Anne¡¯s room, and the chief handmaid said he had suddenly left. Thanks to this, Anne had a leisurely dinner and was able to rest without feeling nervous. She tried to get enough sleep during this time, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep because she had taken a long nap. After she ate soft bread and warm soup made from mashed goat meat, which was only available in the North, for breakfast, she pulled the rope. The maid, who was waiting outside, came in. Anne, wiping her lips gracefully in front of the tableware, asked the maid. ¡°You still haven¡¯t found it?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I haven¡¯t been able to find it yet.¡± The maid shook her head and answered politely. ¡°Keep looking and let me know if you find it.¡± Even though she asked several times, only the same answer came back. The day after her first night, the necklace she was wearing around her neck was gone. It must have been caught in the Grand Duke¡¯s hand who tore her dress and it might have flown away somewhere, but none of the maids cleaning her room saw it. Did it fall into a gap? It¡¯ll be in this room and it¡¯ll come out one day, but she hasn¡¯t been able to find it all month and she¡¯s frustrated. It was brought in against the Grand Duke¡¯s order, and it would be futile to lose it like this. As soon as the maid left, Marie came to greet her in the morning and she entered the room. She usually only showed her face after lunch, but now as she thought they were getting closer, Marie came early in the morning. ¡°Madame, the weather is nice today, so I¡¯ll show you around the castle.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to go outside today. Get ready to go out.¡± ¡°. . . Out of the castle?¡± When Marie heard that Anne was leaving the castle, her eyes widened. The lively face hardened all at once, as if she had heard something she couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°I have a book I want to buy, so I think I should stop by the bookstore.¡± Anne, who glanced back at Marie, went to the dressing room. The book she was looking for wasn¡¯t in the library, so she decided to go outside and get it. It was okay to have Marie run an errand, but she wanted to see the downtown area with her own eyes as the bad weather had cleared for the first time in a long time. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Marie, following Anne, murmured a little. ¡°Madame, His Grace will be back soon . . .¡± ¡°I will be back soon too.¡± She didn¡¯t have to wait for the Grand Duke to return to get permission to leave. The Grand Duke apparently granted her the powers and freedoms as Grand Duchess, and Anne was not a prisoner of this Grand Duke¡¯s castle. There was no reason why she couldn¡¯t even go to the nearby town. ¡°Still . . .¡± Chapter 13.2 Perhaps there was some conflict, as Marie¡¯s eyes were on the floor. She seemed to be deeply troubled as she looked at the ground with her head lowered like a sinner. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I¡¯ll just buy a book and come back.¡± ¡°If you tell me, I . . . I will buy it.¡± Her voice was plain, but her attitude was somewhat nervous. By this point, even if she didn¡¯t want to suspect her, Marie looked very strange. It was as if she was reluctant to let Anne go outside. Especially at this point in time when the Grand Duke left the castle. ¡°No, I want to read the other books. If you don¡¯t want to go, you can stay.¡± After she resolutely remarked that Marie should not follow her, Anne was about to turn coldly, when an urgent voice stopped from behind. ¡°Well then . . . ! I¡¯ll go with you too. There are books I want to read too.¡± She must have made it up as an excuse, but Anne nodded her head. Even if she said Marie didn¡¯t have to come along, Marie would follow her anyway. While riding the carriage downtown, Marie kindly explained everything she could see to Anne looking outside. ¡°This is the residential district of Langtenais.¡± According to Mrs. Wald, half of the castle employees commuted to work from the residential district of Langtenais. Because the master didn¡¯t like people coming and going, she said it¡¯s always been like that. She had said that she was trying to reduce the number of employees altogether, but when they managed the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, there weren¡¯t enough hands, so they switched to commuting. As soon as she entered the business district, the carriage slowed down to streets bustling in the good weather. ¡°Madame, it seems that it will be difficult for the carriage to go any further because there are so many people.¡± As the coachman said, there was a large crowd, so Anne and her party decided to get off the carriage and walk. After basking in the sun after a long time, she felt refreshed. Due to the gloomy weather that had lasted for quite some time, she almost fell into depression. Every time she stepped on the unmelted snow, there was a soft, cute crunching sound, and with every step she took, the hem of her dress gently waved. ¡°The Lord¡¯s knights.¡± ¡°A woman from the Cromund family . . . Who is it?¡± Everyone she encountered stopped and muttered at the sight of Anne, a stranger. They were guessing at her identity by looking at the knights in uniforms with the emblem of the Grand Duchy. As she never officially married and there was no official announcement, it seemed that the people of the estate were unaware of Anne¡¯s existence. Rumors must have spread in the capital . . . But this place did not receive the public announcement. Anne turned away from the people¡¯s eyes and headed straight to the bookstore. She was a proud noble woman everywhere, and she was not shy. She didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d be in the castle anyway, and she didn¡¯t care as it only affected the capital. At the bookstore she visited, Anne was fortunately able to find the book she was looking for. As soon as she bought the book, she went right back, leaving behind Marie, and Anne pointed to the dessert shop across. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Marie, I like tea. Why don¡¯t we go drink over there while we¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Ah . . . yes . . .¡± Marie, who was about to head to the carriage, hesitated, but this time she followed Anne without questioning her. Ring! The bell hanging from the door made a cheerful sound to greet the guests. ¡°Welcome.¡± The young man turned around and greeted them with a refreshing smile. The staff, who gently led them to the table, smiled and started reciting the menu. ¡°Are you new to our store? Today¡¯s menu is hot tea to warm you up and a carrot cake made with fresh carrots that arrived from the south at dawn.¡± ¡°Please give me today¡¯s menu.¡± As soon as she ordered simply and clearly, tea and cake were ready. As Anne was going to take a sip of the steaming tea and stare blankly at the people outside the window. When she suddenly felt a standing presence, she looked to the side and saw a female clerk standing at the counter approaching the table they were sitting at. The woman with faded red hair stared intently at Anne. They looked at each other, looking for something, but the woman¡¯s green eyes, like buds, somehow caught her eye. ¡°. . . Miss Anne?¡± The voice of a woman who casually said Angroanne¡¯s nickname was trembling. ¡°Emily . . . ?¡± Then Anne, who recognized the face, got up from her seat. She was her maid, Emily, who took care of Anne like an older sister at the Libelois mansion. Emily was a maid with whom Anne was close enough to know her small habit. Then she suddenly quit her job and disappeared, and it was only when she was older that she found out why. Her mother knew that she had slept with Robert and was kicked out of the mansion. Anne later inquired about her whereabouts, but she never found anything. But I didn¡¯t expect her to be in the North . . . Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only This was the reason she couldn¡¯t find Emily, even though she tried. She couldn¡¯t send people to the North because she needed money to sneak in. ¡°Miss . . . Why are you . . . here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m married to Grand Duke Cromund.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Startled, Emily covered her mouth with both hands. Chapter 14.1 ¡°But . . . I heard that the Miss was engaged to Marquis Whitmore . . .?¡± Anne didn¡¯t know about her, but Emily must have known about her that far. Emily, who was about to say more, glanced at Marie, who was sitting opposite Anne. In an instant, her tightly stretched hand grabbed Anne and pulled her away. ¡°Lady, there are some items that I haven¡¯t been able to return before, but it¡¯s in the back room, so can I give them to you now?¡± ¡°Items . . . ?¡± As she thought about whether there was such a thing, she blinked a little. Emily was conveying with her eyes that this was just an excuse and that she had something else to say. As she turned her gaze to Marie as if uncomfortable, it seemed like a story Emily didn¡¯t want to bring out in front of Marie. ¡°Alright. Marie, I¡¯m going in for a while, so have some tea.¡± ¡°Yes. Madame.¡± Marie, who put the cake in her mouth, answered with an innocent face. Anne, who left Marie behind and followed Emily, took a look at the knights waiting outside the window and headed to the inner door. ¡°I suddenly left that day, so I hadn¡¯t been able to tell you about it.¡± As soon as the door closed, Emily shut her mouth immediately. After she looked around her to see if anyone could hear her and made sure no one was there, she spoke up again. ¡°Lady, are you really married to the Lord?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what happened.¡± She understands the surprise, but Anne wonders if this was something to ask so seriously. As she tilted her head at the trembling that was sent through her hands, Emily, with a rather wretched expression, resolutely opened her mouth. ¡°Please take me as a maid.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Anne just cut it off and refused. If Emily became a servant of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, she could receive a high wage and live a decent life. However, she suffered while working as her maid in Libelois, and Anne didn¡¯t want Emily to do the same again. Her firm, shining gaze turned to Anne. ¡°Allow me, please. I want to be by your side.¡± At Emily¡¯s earnest request, Anne was at a loss as to how she should respond. As the Mistress of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, there was nothing that prevented her from hiring Emily, but what bothers her was that as soon as she came here, the Grand Duke blocked all the servants of the Libelois family. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to get blamed for something like this, but . . . Outside the door with the two of them murmuring, Marie, who had been holding her ear, slowly pulled herself away. * * * Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks She couldn¡¯t dissuade Emily¡¯s stubbornness, who eventually asked to be her maid. Anne returned to the castle with Emily, who had packed her bags, saying she would follow immediately. It¡¯s just one maid . . . It should be okay, right? It was a fact that she came to know about, but all of the employees who were allowed to enter the Grand Duke¡¯s castle were from the Wald family. The aide Ashton, the chief handmaid, the chief attendant, and the rest of the employees. All of them were of the Wald family. The members of the Wald family have served the members of the Cromund family for generations and have done their best as their members. So she was worried that the Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t listen to her request. As soon as she got out of the carriage, she was greeted by the chief handmaid, Mrs. Wald. She should have waited inside, but in this cold weather, she had to go outside to meet her. ¡°The Grand Duke is waiting for you. But, this person . . .¡± The wrinkled chief handmaid¡¯s eyes turned to Emily, who was watching the Grand Duke¡¯s castle with admiration next to Anne. She was wary, as there was stranger who was not there when Anne went out. ¡°This is Emily. She will be my maid in the future, so please prepare what she needs.¡± Thanks to her long years of working as the maid, the savvy Emily nodded with polite gestures. ¡°. . .¡± The courteous chief handmaid¡¯s attitude became cold in an instant. The stern eyes ran slowly across Emily¡¯s from head to toe. At that glance, Emily¡¯s bowed head fell further. ¡°I will ask the Grand Duke first.¡± ¡°I want her as my maid . . . Does this require His Grace¡¯s permission too?¡± Anne¡¯s voice was raised in displeasure, but Mrs. Wald didn¡¯t even show any signs of distress. She just added her words in a polite and respectful tone. ¡°As I said before, the Master is directly involved in the use of people.¡± ¡°Then let me ask myself. Give Emily a room first.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be as difficult as her meeting the Grand Duke, anyway. As she handed her coat and gloves to the maid, and went straight to her room, a maid who had been receiving the book called for Anne, who was in a hurry. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Madame, a letter has arrived from County Libelois.¡± It was then that a blue paper bag stood out over the silver tray that the maid was holding. Anne looked away from it and turned her back. ¡°You can throw it in the fireplace.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Again, there was an obedient answer without any questions asked. The only thing she liked was that the employees of this castle did their job silently without much response to any instructions. Chapter 14.2 She thought to open the letter and only check the contents and burn it, but seeing it for nothing would only hurt her feelings. On the way to the room, Anne erased the letter from her memory. They must have sent it out wondering what¡¯s going on here rather than asking how she was, anyway. As soon as she entered the living room, the gloomy dark room greeted her. It was as if all the windows were covered with curtains where no moonlight was coming in. Anne, who narrowed her eyes at the dark view, looked around, but didn¡¯t even notice a sign. Is he not in the room? As she stood by the doorway, waiting patiently for her eyes to get used to the darkness. ¡°Come this way.¡± From not far away, a heavy bass sound fell. It was the Grand Duke¡¯s voice. Perhaps her hearing became more sensitive due to her blurred vision, as even though his voice was small, each letter clearly grabbed her eardrum. ¡°Daymond, where are you?¡± Like a child wandering through a black cave after taking the wrong way, Anne walked slowly. She stretched out her hand and fumbled through the air, but her steps slowed, losing her sight. ¡°Please turn on the light.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why the lights weren¡¯t on after he called someone. She thought she just wanted to get out of the room, but she needed the Grand Duke¡¯s permission to put Emily to sleep in the castle tonight. Forced to swallow her sigh, Anne fumbled for the soft rug she felt on her toes. She had never been to the Grand Duke¡¯s bedroom, and had no sense of where she was now, but she proceeded cautiously, based on that guess, as they would usually have a rug in the middle of the room. ¡°Come closer.¡± This time, a more weighty voice came out. At the same time, there was also a clicking sound of submerged ice hitting the glass. It seemed to smell like light alcohol. Are you calling someone and drinking? The more she thought about it, the more rude he seemed. Even so, thinking that she should ask about yesterday¡¯s incident, the moment Anne took a wide step, her body swayed violently as her leg caught on a blunt corner. Huh . . . ? Before she could utter a word, her body slid forward. Thinking she was about to fall, she prepared for the pain to come, a tight chest hugged her before her face touched the floor. The unique cold aura deeply stimulated her sense of smell. It had only been a month, and even though the Grand Duke¡¯s face was invisible, she remembered his body first. The Grand Duke¡¯s hard chest muscles touching her skin, his tall body that was more than enough to wrap around her entirely, and the thick forearms stretched out to wrap around her waist were felt intact. ¡°Daymond . . . ?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks She tried to stand properly on the floor, but for some reason the Grand Duke still was holding her. ¡°You . . . can let me go now.¡± She said because she was held awkwardly, but the Grand Duke did not respond. She pushed her hand against his chest to try to center herself , but instead of letting go, he only tightened his grip. ¡°Today . . . Where did you go?¡± There was a voice that had subsided. Before going out, she told Mrs. Wald where she was going, so he must have already known. It was more like a rebuke than a question of unknown intent. ¡°I just went to the bookstore.¡± ¡°And where else did you go?¡± ¡°I . . . I stopped by a store for tea and . . . That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You probably didn¡¯t come here after wallowing with someone else.¡± Anne, who was about to immediately answer no to that absurd question, suddenly remembered that he was no different from her. ¡°So, where have you been today?¡± The Grand Duke, who did not respond, suddenly turned to Anne fiercely. He grabbed her hands, forcing her to grab hold of something in front. The smooth thing wrapped around her hand was the post of the bed canopy. ¡°You¡¯d better grab it properly.¡± Anne¡¯s face was colored with embarrassment at the voice mixed with anger. Because she guessed what he was going to do. Even if he wanted to, she thought he would do it after she went back to her room, but she didn¡¯t know that he would do it so randomly. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Wait . . . Here is . . .¡± She tried to turn her head, but after the sound of the fabric ripping, her back became cold. Her heart was pounding. The moment she hardened her body, the messy dress tumbled to the floor, and her underwear was ripped off and barely caught on her ankles. ¡°I want to talk . . .¡± After a while, Anne stiffened at the damp feel of her smooth, exposed back. The sensation of his hot tongue swiping long along her spine was thrilling, as if the hair all over her body stood. In her fear, she rubbed her knees together, and a hand stretched out from behind her and grabbed her breast roughly. Tears welled up in the corners of Anne¡¯s eyes as her bruised chest bulged out between his knuckles. Chapter 15.1 ¡°Ha-uh . . . Why all of a sudden?¡± She tried to pull away from the relentless force that made her shed tears, but even if she resisted, what came back was stronger muscle strength. As the breasts in his large hands were crushed as he willed, the nipples between his fingers naturally twisted. Her heart pounded at the sharp pain and hot lips that parted at her back. ¡°Open your legs.¡± As the indifferent footsteps alternated through the insides of Anne¡¯s legs, lowering her posture and lowering her face to the floor. It was humiliating to think that her bare bottom would be clearly seen in the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes. Because she was immersed in the darkness, it was somewhat better for her, but because she couldn¡¯t see properly, anxiety came over her eyes as if an eye cover had been put on it. ¡°It¡¯s a punishment for shaking your ass without your husband¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Heuk. Don¡¯t be unreasonable. When did I . . . hahk . . .¡± Whatever her feelings, the Grand Duke was openly finding fault with his displeasing wife. There was no consideration at all in his hand, which she reluctantly tried to hold. His hands touched her dry pubic area, and then he hurriedly pressed his glans to it. The erect mass of flesh rubbed the opening violently, then opened the hole apart as if chewing it. ¡°Heu-ugh, hah.¡± The dry passage that was not yet wet was forced to open and accept the thick flesh. The elastic flesh clung to the pillar and spat out a slimy liquid, and he buried himself deep in one breath. Unlike the first night, it was a result of digging inside her for the whole month. ¡°Haauhhh . . . !¡± Anne, startled by the hard flesh¡¯s sudden stabbing, dropped her face in a groan. Her unprepared body stinged hot enough to convulse. Anne¡¯s shoulders trembled at the sensation of the foreign body that rushed into her, digging into her inner wall. ¡°Without your husband¡¯s permission, you acted on your own terms, so it was somewhat unexpected.¡± ¡°Huuh, then do I need permission . . . To go, huuh, anywhere?¡± He let out a short, deep breath. ¡°Hah, I¡¯m not a good enough husband to watch my wife go her own way.¡± The Grand Duke, who had been rubbing her breasts as if they were about to explode, slid his other hand onto her lower body. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Even in the dark, when he rubbed the clitoris he was familiar with, the viscous liquid was dripping. He put the leaking fluid on his finger and rubbed the area around the opening, and the fluttering hole greedily swallowed up the flesh. The Grand Duke clicked his tongue as if he was annoyed. ¡°Even though you are being punished, you¡¯re anxious and want it so quickly. You¡¯re a helpless woman.¡± It was an absurd thing to say. She had never been rude to him. Even so, her body was heating up at will with just the man¡¯s rubbing fingers. As his sturdy pillar overlapped tightly in her, the Grand Duke¡¯s legs shook softly. The narrow walls soon became filled with the slippery liquid, and the ferocious dark-red object came out of the soft inside and went back in. Every time the buttocks that hit the man¡¯s solid pelvis were crushed, the breasts hanging in the air shook dizzyingly. Hot liquid flowed from the tightly knit flesh, and Anne¡¯s body continued to lean toward the bed pole at the violent movement. Her already dark vision became more and more blurry. Whether or not doing it in the dark doubled the other senses of the human body, an inexplicable sense rose. Even though it was hard, Anne was terrified by the strange feeling that her body was getting tingly. She couldn¡¯t figure out why her body was so responsive when he held her so tightly. At this point, she too, like the Grand Duke said, was starting to doubt whether her body was strange. It was a feeling she had never experienced before until she came to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. She didn¡¯t know yet that it was her climax. All she did was twist her waist at the pleasure, which had bloomed like a haze and now turned into a ball of fire. ¡°Sto . . . stop . . .¡± With a pushing force, Anne grabbed the bed pole, which she held like a lifeline, and clung to it again. Veins protruded over the back of her small hands, and her legs trembled as if they were about to collapse. As she showed signs of collapsing, the Grand Duke held Anne¡¯s buttocks tight. ¡°Get up. It¡¯s not over yet.¡± ¡°Huk . . . plea . . . se. Hahh . . .¡± As if to prove his words, the Grand Duke who had properly lifted her up as she was about to crumble, slammed his back, which had been pulled back. Her boney pelvis was grabbed by his hand and swayed uncontrollably. Thrust! Thrust, thrust! Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The sound of splashing liquid broke out incessantly. When she could feel the movements of his glans piercing her inner wall, her mind was on the verge of getting confused. Her bent knees and hips shook as her walls rubbed in. From the joint they were together in, the foamy love liquid dripped to the floor. ¡°Ha . . . huhh . . .¡± Anne bit her lip as she resisted moaning. When the slimy inner walls were swept away, she crumpled back in. Anne clenched her teeth every time the genitals were pinned inside, but tears flowed down her cheeks as he squeezed her trembling breasts. ¡°Huuh . . . hahk . . .¡± Chapter 15.2 It had been a long time since her shoes fell to the floor due to his act of thrusting into her relentlessly as if he was going to put his scrotum into her narrow passage too. The thin underwear hanging from her ankles frantically swept across the floor as if fluttering in the wind. As he scraped her walls away, he thrusted hard again as it crossed her uterus. The convulsive walls contracted one after the other, and squeezed against his manhood. The Grand Duke¡¯s wet breath filled her back. She was caught in the Grand Duke¡¯s hand, who was doing her so frighteningly that she missed the string of reason she had barely endured, and tears flowed out. Intoxicated by the terrifyingly boiling excitement, Anne groaned again, surrendering her body to the pleasure. ¡°Hahk, haa. Haa-ahng . . . Hngg.¡± His large hands clasped her breasts as they pointed down to the floor. Then, as if trying to fix her breasts, which were constantly shaking by the movements, he rubbed them hard. The flesh playing on the Grand Duke¡¯s fingertips swayed. Every time the pale buttocks were squashed, there was a loud squeaking sound. It was so loud that a wet gurgling sound from the joint rang in her ears, Anne couldn¡¯t stand the bursting sound. And at the same time as her voice cracked, hot liquid seeped through her heated walls. * * * A single dim candle lit only the outlines of the faces of the two lying in bed. The Grand Duke¡¯s sharp jawline rested on Anne¡¯s shoulder, who was lying on her back, breathing even breaths. As his pointy chin poked her soft flesh, Anne shrugged her narrowed shoulders further. Her trembling hands grabbed the pillowcase. She had to be patient. It was helpless and humiliating. She didn¡¯t know that the beauty of conceiving life would be so painful. It was only dark before her eyes thinking how long she had to be held so harshly like this. In the end, the Grand Duke lightly lifted Anne with one hand and carried her to the bed. He had driven her wildly like a beast a little while ago, but now he has calmed down as if the typhoon had stopped for a moment. But that didn¡¯t mean his hand was pulled away. The Grand Duke¡¯s large hand gripped her trembling breast. Perhaps he liked the soft feeling, this time without much force, rubbing it and tapping her nipples that had become hard with excitement. Before you leave, you just have to do what you are supposed to do as the Grand Duchess. Anne curled her lips and bit them, reminding herself of her firm promise. This was nothing compared to the vain rules that she had been asked of all her life. There was pain, but it wasn¡¯t as much as her mother¡¯s long rod that she lifted without hesitation. At least after the initial pain, indescribable pleasure came rushing in, and there was no heartache like that of her family. And the women in the capital were not granted the right to deny their husband¡¯s request for intercourse in the first place. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Fortunately, at this rate, her belly would be full in less than a month. Once she had a child, what will stretch out in front of her will be freedom like a bird flying freely in the sky. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be hurt.¡± Even though it was just bodily tears, Anne brought out another word. She didn¡¯t have any remorse in her heart anyway, because she wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°You didn¡¯t like when your bottom was soaked?¡± What¡¯s so funny? As if unexpectedly, there was a faint smile accompanying the Grand Duke¡¯s words. ¡°My wife¡¯s pussy sucks my dick well. You bit me so hard, I thought you would cut mine off.¡± Putting his lips to Anne¡¯s ear, the Grand Duke whispered in a strange way. His hot breath whirled all the way into the eardrum. All holes called holes seem to be the Grand Duke¡¯s favorite. ¡°And all my cum that¡¯s dripping here.¡± He patted the flesh of Anne¡¯s thigh, which had traces of dried up milky liquid. The woman who groaned hotly at the pleasure he had given her forcibly, yet refused to admit it, was amusing. If it had been so terrible, she wouldn¡¯t have spilled such sweet lewd water. ¡°. . . That . . .¡± Anne¡¯s cheeks were dyed to match the color of the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes. It was only natural for her face to be flushed, as a significant amount of the liquid that soaked the floor had spilled from her body. No matter how much she wiped it off, the sticky liquid that dripped down was not only the Grand Duke¡¯s climax but also hers. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The more he overlapped her body, the more the pain at the beginning disappeared and she accepted the Grand Duke with ease. Although she had been trying to avoid it, she couldn¡¯t help but admit that the tingling sensation that climbed up her back was pleasure. When it was over, she was exhausted, but her chest felt like it was going to explode. Her whole body seemed to crumble to dust, but it felt like the dust contained her soul and floated in the air. So, to her dismay, Anne had nothing to say in response to the Grand Duke¡¯s words. ¡°. . .¡± His fingers brushed her ribs and caressed the curves of her supple mounds. Anne quickly grabbed the Grand Duke¡¯s wrist, and a cold voice rang out. ¡°Put your hands away.¡± Chapter 16.1 The hand that was trying to stop it slipped away in vain. To be precise, it would be more correct to say that she was pushed away by the Grand Duke¡¯s strength even though he did not release his hand. After several intense affairs, she didn¡¯t have enough energy. His long fingers slipped between Anne¡¯s tender thighs. Her butt trembled as his finger forced itself between her tight legs and tapped her sensitive area. It moved and rubbed around her opening, then he suddenly tucked his long middle finger into the hole. ¡°Ha-uuhh-uh . . .¡± Her lips moved freely. It was not as though she was caught in a fever, but moans leaked out as though her nose was blocked. She was still not used to the fingers coming in. She struggled even more with the pillar that would break in afterwards. There was no way she could adapt. The Grand Duke turned Anne back and looked at her with half-lidded eyes. ¡°Hold tight. I like to be rough.¡± The moment she looked deeply into the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, Anne knew. There was nothing human in it. A human¡¯s feelings, senses, personality, none of that existed. It was a near-empty void. Anne suddenly remembered a fact that she had not been aware of until now. Why aren¡¯t you kissing me? He only entwined their bodies, but didn¡¯t put his lips on hers. Although he rushed to her lower hole, he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in her lips. Except for the moment when he stared intently at them on the first night, the Grand Duke did not even deliberately look toward her lips. As if he was desperately trying to turn away. There was a saying. The lips contain words that were only meant for truly loved ones who shared the soul. Just like prostitutes, even if they sold their bodies, they closed their lips as they pleased. Her mood suddenly subsided. To be precise, a bitterness of unknown origins came over her. Are the lips reserved for Marie? Anne was deeply surprised at this particular thought. It didn¡¯t matter to her what they did in the bedroom together. To be honest, it was outside of Anne¡¯s interest. Because I¡¯m leaving anyway. So why would it matter? Anne pressed down her oncoming thoughts. Meanwhile, the Grand Duke teased her with his fingers. While playing with her body like a toy and pushing her hard, Anne struggled to pull herself together. She had no reason to give her attention to him. The reason she was with the Grand Duke was simply that she wanted to give birth to an heir so that she could leave. ¡°Your Grace, have you risen?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Just then, the servant¡¯s voice rang from outside the door. She didn¡¯t even know the day had brightened because the blackout curtains were pulled. The Grand Duke, who was standing up on his knees, stopped moving at the servant¡¯s interference. Slight irritation appeared on his smooth features. The Grand Duke looked slowly at the woman lying under his leg. ¡°Your Grace!¡± The Grand Duke, who didn¡¯t answer, thought for a moment at the servant¡¯s urging, then he removed his hand from her body and raised his upper body. Thank God. Anne lifted her head with a little relief at the fact that she had managed to separate the Grand Duke who had been clinging to her. Because of the Grand Duke¡¯s height, who seemed to reach the ceiling, her vision soared high. The Grand Duke¡¯s naked body as he walked was visible. His muscles were outlined clearly on his back, divided by distinct lines like the abs under his angled shoulders. Underneath the cool, solid torso, strong and muscular hips were visible. Anne, staring blankly, averted her gaze in surprise. ¡°The woman you brought . . . My wife can do what she wants.¡± The Grand Duke, who was picking up his shirt, brought up a topic that Anne thought he had forgotten. She had brought a maid. That meant that he would allow Emily¡¯s employment. * * * Just like it had been yesterday, the sunny weather remained. When she opened the window, a cold wind blew on her skin, but when she looked through the window, a warm light poured out as though it was spring. Anne returned to her room, took a bath, and as soon as she came out, she looked in the mirror. Water dripped down the ends of her hair. The mirror she looked at every time she was dressing up was now used to check the reddish marks he had marred on her body. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Ha . . .¡± Red marks were embroidered over her pale skin. Her body looked like that of a prostitute, not just the wife of a highly prestigious noble. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ll get cold.¡± Marie, who had been helping from the bathtub, came quickly and wrapped Anne¡¯s wet hair with a dry towel. Now, the other maids had been let out and Marie was the one who usually served her. It was somewhat paradoxical to show the Grand Duke¡¯s mistress the body she didn¡¯t want the other maids to see, but she became used to it. Chapter 16.2 ¡°How about Emily?¡± ¡°Emily is being educated by the chief handmaid.¡± Now that she had been given permission, she had a lot to learn as a maid for the Grand Duchy. It was said that it was not difficult because servicing Anne was something that she had done before, but this place seemed to have its own rules as it was a Grand Duchy. There was everything from understanding the structure of the most basic Grand Duke¡¯s castle to other details to remember. Come to think of it, Anne remembered that even she had not yet fully grasped the inner structure of the labyrinth-like castle. ¡°Let¡¯s go today.¡± ¡°Yes? Where to?¡± Marie¡¯s hand was startled as she drained Anne¡¯s damp hair with a soft towel. She looked surprised again, wondering if Anne was saying she wanted to go outside. ¡°You said you would show me the castle.¡± ¡°Ah . . . yes.¡± At that moment, Marie shook her head enough to shake her dark brown braid. ¡°Then I will prepare suitable clothes.¡± She also needed to be properly equipped for a walk. Anne, who was not yet accustomed to the northern weather, thought that it was a bit excessive as she wrapped her body tightly with thick clothes as if to protect her. In Libelois, when she was sick, she was often scolded for not taking good care of her body. It was because she had been taught to never show when she was sick or weak and remain calm even if it was uncomfortable. But here, except for the Grand Duke, everyone took care of her, which gave her a strange feeling. Anne slid fur gloves in her hands and meticulously put on a wide-brimmed hat before leaving her room. As she walked towards the back of the main building, she was bathed in warm sunlight. In a place filled with the earthly colors, small birdsong also mixed in. Now she could hear a noise that was a bit like a human dwelling. No matter how good the silence was, it was like a torment for her to be locked up in a quiet place for a month. As if climbing a sparsely populated mountain, the Grand Duke¡¯s castle was always surrounded by silence, and even the air was different. Perhaps it was because it was built on high ground. Anne took a deep breath as she seemed to be relieved of the stuffiness. The wind was still cold, but she was fine. Suddenly, a strong wind blew from behind. The wind swept away the hat Anne was wearing. ¡°Oh, the hat . . .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it back.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Marie rushed out saying she would bring back the hat. The hat seemed to fly quite a distance as it flew high in the wind. Holding her gloved hands and waiting for Marie, she heard the rustling of dark leaves from the tree beside her. The moment Anne lifted her head, the snow that had fallen on the branch fell down on her shoulder. ¡°Aahh . . .¡± For a moment, she shivered as the cold snowflakes entered her eyes. While she closed her eyes for a moment in a cold sensation, she heard a small, dull sound as if something had fallen. She struggled to open her eyes, and a man with a face she had never seen before was jumping from the tree. Falling from a tree taller than two stories high, the man landed lightly like a nimble cat. ¡°. . .¡± The man who found Anne looked like a fresh spring blossom blooming alone next to a bare winter tree. He had a surprisingly innocent and bright smile. The silver hair fluttering in the wind reflected in the soft light, and the soft tips of his hair brushed his shoulders. His smooth body with no flab was as thin and slim as a woman¡¯s. His shoulders were wide, but his dense facial features gave off a mysterious atmosphere as if he was standing on the border between genders, as if he could not completely escape the boyish figure. It went well with his pure white shirt and white trousers, and even the straight collarbone visible between the shirt looked pretty. She suddenly thought that it would be a very beautiful scene if he ever showed off his swordsmanship. If the Grand Duke went well with black, the man in front of her would look good with white. When Anne looked at the man in front of her, the man with a neutral and pretty face clasped her palms together. ¡°We finally met, Anne.¡± He spoke in a gentle voice with his head tilted. The man she saw for the first time with clear silver eyes was calling her name. ¡°. . . Do you know me?¡± All of a sudden, someone called her by her nickname. Who was this? There was no man in Anne¡¯s memory who had called her by her nickname. Even Salton, who had been engaged to her for a year or so, called her Lady in a formal tone, and her husband, the Grand Duke, had never properly called her by name. Even if she traced back her memory, the man in front of her was someone she did not know. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The man with eyes finely folded and red lips stretched. ¡°Anne! Looks delicious.¡± Hearing ¡®looks delicious¡¯ all of a sudden, Anne looked at herself from head to toe. She didn¡¯t have anything to eat. The man stepped closer. ¡°My name is Luciel. If I had known Anne would come so soon, I would have just waited quietly.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Chapter 17.1 The man who spoke very gently seemed to be sociable and friendly. The round eyes, the sharp nose that was different from that of the Grand Duke, and the raised corners of the mouth made him look like a playful child. From the outside, he was a man with clear enough energy to appear as a good person. But even if she admitted that he looked likable, Anne wasn¡¯t the kind of person to let her guard down. Most of the time people laughed harmlessly, but behind those laughs were plots to devour their opponent. The man rested one hand on his chin and circled around Anne. His blatant gaze turned without hesitation, and he moved his long legs to stand in front of Anne at once. ¡°I said Luciel . . . Did you not hear me?¡± Did you not understand that? the man seemed to ask by stretching his neck out. He drooped his eyebrows and showed that she didn¡¯t need to be vigilant at all. ¡°I heard your name. What I was asking is your identity.¡± Seeing that he was dressed lightly without a coat, it seemed that he was not a guest. He could be a servant, but his flowing appearance refuted that guess. ¡°I am a relative of Daymond.¡± Are all your questions answered now? And then, Luciel wandered around her as if he was about to come forward again. ¡°Luciel, are you staying here?¡± Anne asked in a quiet voice. She hadn¡¯t seen his face in the month she had been here. Nor did the Grand Duke ever mention this man. Of course, she didn¡¯t think he would tell her because he wasn¡¯t the kind of person to tell her something in advance, but maybe he should have told her if he had a relative. ¡°Call me Luci.¡± She wanted to ask for his last name because she wanted to know if he was from a collateral family, but he suddenly replied that he wanted to be called by a feminine nickname. ¡°Still . . . How could I . . . With my husband¡¯s relatives . . .¡± ¡°Husband? Are you married . . . ?¡± As she dragged her words, Luciel widened his eyes and asked again. His reaction made it appear as though he had heard of it for the first time. For a moment, she felt sad. It seemed that he did not announce her existence to the people of the estate, nor to the people of his family. Did that mean she was a woman who he didn¡¯t even feel the need to introduce . . . Should she be satisfied with just the name of Grand Duchess? Her complicated inner thoughts became more mixed up. ¡°Ha . . . It¡¯s fast . . .¡± Luciel¡¯s bright smile suddenly hardened. His eyes that twinkled under the sun were frozen as if eaten by crystals, and nervousness crept into his face, which had been as fresh as the spring breeze. ¡°Well, whatever it is, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Luciel smiled again, but his countenance was so cold. To Anne, who had been stiffened due the subtle feeling, suddenly Luciel narrowed the distance so that their noses could touch. ¡°Then . . . How is Daymond?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Even though she was quick-witted, the man¡¯s words were unpredictable. ¡°Daymond is pretty good at it.¡± The softened face changed to a bright smile again. What are you doing? Even as she thought this, the man¡¯s words were difficult to understand. It was when the cold, mirror-like face turned warm and reflected her clearly. Suddenly, Luciel glanced over Anne¡¯s shoulder. She suddenly followed his gaze, but all there was at the end was a barren-looking building. It was the west building where the Grand Duke stayed. What? As she was about to ask, Luciel, who immediately shook his head again, muttered gloomily. ¡°Oh my . . . I was caught.¡± The clear silver eyes suddenly darkened to the point where they looked cloudy. However, it was only for a brief moment, and he returned to his former expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I like Anne. The other woman is really annoying.¡± Again, Luciel didn¡¯t answer the question properly. But the contents caught Anne¡¯s attention. ¡®The other woman.¡¯ At present, there were only two people who could be called women by the Grand Duke, so it was probably referring to Marie. ¡°Are you talking about . . . Marie?¡± ¡°. . . Who is Marie?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know who Marie is . . . ?¡± As Anne tried to speak to him, the presence of another person was felt by her side. When she turned her head, Marie was standing a short distance away. In her hand, she held the hat that had been blown away by the wind. ¡°Greet . . . greetings, Luciel.¡± As soon as Marie saw Luciel, she startled and bowed politely. She seemed to be terrified of him when Anne saw that the flushed cheeks from running had quickly cooled and become pale. Still, her reaction added credibility to the man¡¯s words. Chapter 17.2 Seeing Marie nervous, he must be a member of the Grand Duke¡¯s family. Luciel¡¯s unimpressed gaze moved to Marie, as if he saw a bug. The atmosphere was different from the gaze that was looking at Anne. If it was a blue spring for Anne, it was a cold winter for Marie. Anne had a strange feeling about the eyes that were so different. The docile impression was directed only to her. Marie, who had hesitated, opened her mouth just when Anne thought that the blind favor was a little strange. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here. Inside . . .¡± ¡°Anne.¡± Luciel, who cut off Marie¡¯s words, fixed his gaze on Anne again. He was completely ignoring Marie, who was only staring at the ground. He ignored Marie, but it would have been more accurate to say that he gave no reactions. Not only Marie, but also all the people who passed by sweeping the snow greeted him, but Luciel didn¡¯t even look at them, nor did he give them a single gaze. ¡°Is Daymond good to you?¡± ¡°. . . Yes.¡± It was not a virtue to reveal the scars left by one¡¯s husband. When she answered roughly, Luciel burst into laughter. As he laughed out loud, his silver hair fluttered finely. He had no resemblance to the Grand Duke, no matter how distant a relative he was, with that fine, silky hair that shimmered in the sunlight with every move. His marble-like eyes moved slowly, as if trying to understand the truth. Luciel¡¯s pupils, who had been staring at her, narrowed for an instant. ¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡± His red lips stretched coolly with satisfaction. Even though she didn¡¯t show her expression, Luciel seemed convinced she was telling lies. Luciel shook his head once, then bowed his head in an elegant manner and held out his arm. ¡°I will introduce myself formally. I am a distant relative of Daymond, Luciel. I wanted to greet the beautiful Lady.¡± Anne looked down at the hand he reached out to her. One of the old etiquettes was a kiss on the back of the hand. Reluctantly, she stretched out her hand slowly. She probably didn¡¯t even have to do this, but it was rude to make someone feel uncomfortable with their already extended hand. Clutching her outstretched hand, Luciel stared intently at her. Then he grinned and snapped at her middle finger with his teeth. ¡°Oh . . .¡± Her fingertips were slightly nipped, but it didn¡¯t hurt because she was wearing thick gloves. Luciel smiled once more and pulled at the glove he was biting on. Her center of gravity was tilted, and Anne¡¯s body leaned forward. The glove came off and her bare hands appeared. ¡°Gloves don¡¯t taste good.¡± Luciel, who had his eyes rounded, smiled softly and clutched Anne¡¯s hand tight. However, this time, she was not shaken. She steadied herself, so she could avoid being hugged by Luciel. ¡°What are you doing now . . .¡± As soon as he opened his mouth, his soft lips landed on the back of her hand, rubbing her flesh. It was more like a sincere caress than a greeting. Anne, startled, tried to pull her hand away, but the hand holding her was still that of a man¡¯s. The sound of a small gasp was heard from the side. Marie, startled, was looking around, anxious to see who could see this scene. ¡°Please stop it.¡± Anne spoke in a stern voice. As he continued kissing the back of her hand, Luciel raised his eyes narrowly upwards. Each time he blinked slowly, the long silver eyelashes fluttered down. They were so thin and transparent that she wouldn¡¯t even know he had eyelashes unless she looked closely. Luciel, who caught her gaze, licked the back of her hand with his damp tongue this time. The squeak could be heard clearly beyond the sensation that hit her eyes. He didn¡¯t want to open his slanted eyes that were bent over his handsome face, as if enjoying Anne¡¯s breathless face. ¡°It¡¯s enough, so please stop.¡± Embarrassed by the fact that she was doing this as a married woman, Anne put strength in her arms again. Her tense right shoulder was so stiff with her force. Then Luciel parted his lips and lifted his head, but his hand was still clasped on hers. ¡°Anne¡¯s hands are so sweet. It¡¯s just like soft cloud candy.¡± He said, fiddling with Anne¡¯s fingers. While stroking her knuckles, he pressed his fingers down to her palms and tickled them. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Hmm . . . It¡¯s so soft that I don¡¯t want to let it go.¡± Despite the brazen remarks, Luciel did not loosen the grin on his face. Then suddenly, looking across from Anne, his face hardened. ¡°Ah . . . I¡¯m getting annoyed.¡± Luciel¡¯s lips, drawing an arc, were tightly shut. When the bright eyes suddenly turned dark, it was somehow eerie. But in the blink of an eye, his face had changed to the same perfect look as the first time. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Daymond.¡± Staring over her shoulder, Luciel greeted him kindly. Chapter 18.1 Daymond? Since when has he been here? Gulp. Anne swallowed her dry saliva. She was not relieved by the fact that the Grand Duke was looking at her and Luciel. She felt like someone who was caught secretly doing something bad. She hated unwanted misunderstandings, so Anne hurriedly tried to pull her hand away. Not knowing her thoughts, Luciel still smiled innocently and whispered so that only she could hear it. ¡°Anne, why do you keep whimpering? How cute.¡± Anne beckoned him with a sharp gaze, telling him to let go. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Luciel let out a small sigh and relaxed his hands. Perhaps because he understood her words properly, this time her hand came out with ease. Anne quickly put on her gloves, as if hiding the pink marks on the back of her pale hands. Luciel, who had deliberately let go, acted casual and looked back at her. As if it was still there. Anne, who had captured her expression, also looked behind her, and there was the Grand Duke who she did not know when he came. He stopped at a short distance, with a complexion that looked darker than the navy blue vest he was wearing. He had thick, black hair that didn¡¯t succumb at all under the light. It looks like he had just got up, as if he hadn¡¯t brushed his hair properly. She thought for a moment that it might have gotten messy from coming here in a hurry, but it couldn¡¯t. ¡°Daymond, when did you come out?¡± Anne greeted and spoke to her, but the Grand Duke did not look at her or respond. Are you mad? Had he seen the situation earlier, any husband would have been offended. Even though they had an arranged marriage and a dry relationship, even though she might feel that he had completely ignored her . . . It was clear from the atrocious atmosphere that was exuding from him that his heart was uncomfortable just now. However, upon closer inspection, his expression was slightly different from that of an angry one. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, which were as monotonous as they were indifferent, were filled with disgust. ¡®Clear hostility¡¯, if she had to choose the words. She had seen him mostly at night, so it was the first time she had seen the Grand Duke¡¯s face so closely. Suddenly, a gentle wind blew sharply. Her rich skirt was blown away by the wind, and her calves were visible. Anne held back her hair in one hand, which was blown to and fro by the strong wind, obscuring her view. Luciel glanced around and clicked his tongue with a look of boredom. ¡°Oh dear. It¡¯s scary, Daymond. Have you been well?¡± When there was no answer even though he greeted him warmly, Luciel curved his lips again. ¡°Daymond, I thought you got here alone, but you brought your dog with you.¡± ¡°Long time no see. Mister Luciel.¡± Ashton, who was standing behind the Grand Duke, bowed stiffly. The face wearing glasses with a clean impression was the same every time, but today, the intellectual expression was harsh. Luciel¡¯s words could be offensive, but his expression was just blunt. Luciel¡¯s soft voice followed. ¡°If you were going to get married, why didn¡¯t you invite me too? Then I would have come sooner . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I missed Anne in her dress.¡± ¡°But you did it properly right?¡± The barrage of questions continued without a break, but the Grand Duke did not return a single word in answer. Anne was bewildered by the strange currents flowing between them. One was staring at the other with murderous eyes, and the other was speaking to the other with a friendly smile. Anne, who was standing between them, looked at both sides. Are you not on good terms? No matter how close and deep a bloodline was, they sometimes stuck knives into each other¡¯s backs for benefit, so if they were very distantly related, they would not be so different from strangers. But even so, the two seemed to have an especially poor relationship. Before long, the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, which had been glaring at Luciel, slowly shifted to Anne. ¡°Angroanne.¡± A voice cold enough to make her heart sink called out to her. Anne felt her heart pounding slightly for a moment. It was the first time he had called her by my name since she came to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. The Grand Duke probably did know her name, but it was the first time he had called her name directly, so it felt strange. ¡°Come here.¡± As if to grab hold of her, a large hand slowly reached out. ¡°Daymond, don¡¯t be so obvious.¡± Luciel muttered with a displeased face. Anne¡¯s eyes, who had been looking at the Grand Duke, turned to the right again at the cold words where the smile had completely disappeared. It had been a long time since the smirk had disappeared. Anne turned her body and walked to the Grand Duke. She didn¡¯t know what it was for, but it seemed like she had to. As soon as she got close to him, the Grand Duke grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the side. Her wrists throbbed as if they were about to break from how tightly he held them. She looked up at him due to the painful sensation, and was stunned for a moment. Chapter 18.2 The Grand Duke had a hardened expression. His mouth, tightly closed over his stiff jaw muscles, as if restraining something, gave off an intimidating force. ¡°Take the Grand Duchess.¡± When the Grand Duke gave the orders to Marie, who was standing not too far away, the frozen woman came close to her in an instant. ¡°Madam . . . let¡¯s go to that lake.¡± At the same time, the Grand Duke released Anne¡¯s hand completely. A glimpse of her wrist stretched over her glove. A red band was engraved on her thin wrist as if to prove how hard he had applied force to it. As Anne rubbed her sore wrist, Marie hurriedly wrapped her arms around Anne¡¯s shoulders and grabbed her, forcing her to hurry her steps. ¡°. . . Yes.¡± Anne left the two of them to their strange confrontation and followed Marie. She realized she wasn¡¯t in the position to involve herself. She could not contain her curiosity, and she looked back several times, but the Grand Duke never turned her head. Luciel muttered something behind her, but she couldn¡¯t hear it because of the wind. * * * ¡°It¡¯s Anne . . . She¡¯s pretty.¡± Luciel, who looked sadly at the back of the woman who was moving away, licked his lips. She looked back a few times with anxious eyes, but now that the other woman had taken her away, she no longer looked at them. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off of it until the slender appearance turned around the corner of the building and disappeared completely. Finally, when the woman¡¯s figure was completely gone, Luciel turned his head to the Grand Duke, who was staring at him with a frightening expression. Luciel¡¯s slender eyebrows fell down pitifully at the icy glare that was pouring down on him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me, Daymond, but if you look at me with such a scary expression, Anne would be scared too. And what if she runs away again?¡± ¡°Why did you come back?¡± A low growling sound came from the Grand Duke¡¯s lips. If anyone saw his face now, they would be terrified, but Luciel continued speaking naturally, as if familiar. ¡°Are you thinking of talking to me now?¡± Can you see me now? Luciel raised his chin. ¡°Daymond, I never left. But you did something interesting.¡± ¡°Get out of here right now.¡± It was like Daymond was spitting at Luciel¡¯s face, who was playing the innocent one. ¡°What to do? I think that would be difficult . . . I really like this woman.¡± Luciel, who was rubbing his red lips with his white index finger, slowly blinked his eyes. * * * She asked about Luciel all the way, but Marie spoke vaguely and deflected. She had a face that Anne couldn¡¯t tell whether she really didn¡¯t know, or whether she knew. She thought Marie was the type to show her inner self in her face, but this time, Anne couldn¡¯t read her properly. Instead, Marie devoted herself to guiding Anne around the castle, which was the original purpose. ¡°It is frozen now, but in the summer the water is very clean and beautiful.¡± ¡°Over there, there is a nice tree-lined road, and in autumn, the colors of the leaves take on different colors like flowers.¡± As she left the Grand Duke, Marie¡¯s rigid expression was relaxed as if she had returned to normal. She had been shaking a little while ago as if she was afraid of something, but she seemed to have calmed down a little. However, as soon as she saw the Grand Duke and Luciel, she could not easily forget Marie¡¯s image. In retrospect, she found that Marie was always shy in front of the Grand Duke and in front of anyone else. She looked uncomfortable even in front of Mrs. Wald. She would be treated well, if not as much as the Madam, with the affection of the Grand Duke, but she acted just like the other maids. Even if it¡¯s because of her timid personality, she¡¯s overreacting. Why is she so afraid? She wanted to ask, but Marie wasn¡¯t likely to give an answer. So she decided to tour the castle instead. The place they came from now was a vast forest that passed through the castle¡¯s backyard. After passing the lake, a small trail appeared. After that, there was nothing but the same winding road. Maybe it wasn¡¯t properly managed so far, or it was different from the well-maintained paths of the garden. At one point, the passing servants or the knights standing guard were nowhere to be seen. Anne walked, pressing her toes heavily against the fallen leaves, which were rolling in the unmelted snow. She kept stepping on the snow even though she was wearing boots with sewn-in fur, and her toes began to tingle. She thought she¡¯d seen almost everything. When she was about to tell Marie to return, she saw a building in a secluded place not far away. It was more conspicuous because it was not a place where there was likely to be a building. ¡°What is that over there?¡± Anne asked, pointing to the thick glass building next to the frozen lake. What was clearly visible through the glass wall did not look like a space where people lived. ¡°That¡¯s a greenhouse. It¡¯s not managed right now . . . It¡¯s just about abandoned.¡± ¡°Abandoned?¡± Anne¡¯s feet turned that way. She wasn¡¯t even that interested, but she walked strangely. Chapter 19.1 As soon as she went through the open door, the temperature on her skin became different. Even though it was empty, it was warm because it was indoors. However, like Marie said, there were no traces of human touch. She wasn¡¯t sure, but it seemed as though it had not been managed for a very long time. This was just like an abandoned house. There was dried up grass and withered flowers that she thought had once bloomed. ¡°It looks fine, but why didn¡¯t they take care of it?¡± With every step she took, the grass on her feet rustled and crumbled. The dead plants that had lost their color and the dry soil beneath them were losing their lives. ¡°His Grace said to just leave it alone. Others agreed because it was expensive.¡± ¡°Even though . . . It¡¯s a shame to leave it like this.¡± Keeping a greenhouse warm in the middle of winter did not just require a lot of money. A mild temperature like that of a spring day must be maintained, and water and nutrients must be continuously taken care of according to the conditions of the plants. Even the management for one season would be enough to buy a mansion in the capital, so greenhouses could only be maintained by wealthy nobles. However, it didn¡¯t make sense to say that the Grand Duchy, who was not inferior to the Imperial family in terms of financial resources, wanted to save money. ¡°I think it¡¯s because there wasn¡¯t a Madam at the castle during that time.¡± Although the appreciation of flowers was not limited to females, it was not wrong to say that greenhouses were usually managed by the Madam of the family. Anne agreed because Marie¡¯s words made sense. She then asked, as though she had suddenly remembered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Marie ask His Grace?¡± ¡°. . . How dare I?¡± What was the difficulty in creating a flower garden to soothe the mistress¡¯ heart? Of course, considering the Grand Duke¡¯s cold disposition, it must have been difficult for Marie to bring up the words. ¡°But if Marie had asked, he would have listened.¡± ¡°No. He will listen if Madam asks. I want to see flowers too.¡± Marie, waving her hand, showed her inner feelings for once and smiled shyly. Anne heard she was from the North to the bone . . . Just as there were few women who disliked pretty flowers. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him when I get a chance.¡± It would be good to assign someone to manage the greenhouse. She could spend some free time there¡ª time passed so slowly here. * * * Returning to her room after wandering around the greenhouse and the big lake, Anne hugged herself in an attempt to shield herself from the chill. A shiver coursed through her body, as she had walked longer than expected. When she changed from her gown, which was droopy with moisture, into her indoor gown, Marie realized that Anne was cold and prepared tea to warm her body. Rubbing her frozen hands, her gaze strayed to Marie, who brewed the tea. She looked down at the droopy corners of Marie¡¯s eyes, creating a gentle impression. ¡°If Madam says so, Master will order us to manage the greenhouse right away.¡± Marie, who had scooped a spoonful of cinnamon powder¡ª said to warm the body¡ª spoke in a quiet voice. Master? Marie was not a maid, why would she call Daymond master? The more Anne thought about it, the more strange it was. Obviously, Marie is His Grace¡¯s mistress . . . Anne suddenly realized something. The Grand Duke visited her without missing a single night from the moment Anne entered the castle. Even if she admitted that it was unavoidable on the first night, she was somewhat suspicious as the visits continued. He comes to my bedroom every night . . . When does he sleep with Marie? The war of nerves between the legal wife and the mistress occurred a lot during tea parties. They did not interfere with each other or quarrel openly, but they were subtly conscious and alert. Among them, the factor with the most weight was their bedroom lives. They judged each other¡¯s superiority based on whose bedroom the man went to that night. When she heard those ladies¡¯ innermost thoughts, Anne clicked her tongue, saying that it was a pity. Human life was too short for women to live their entire lives competing for one man. In other words, it was a waste of time. So, she paid little attention to the relationship between the two and moved on. She never even thought about when they slept together. But those doubts, once started, kept biting her in the back and encouraged her to keep asking questions. ¡°Since when did you and the Grand Duke become lovers?¡± ¡°. . . It¡¯s been less than half a year now.¡± Marie¡¯s head lowered. Such a conversation was obviously quite difficult. It was always like this. Marie had always acted like that, unconsciously avoiding questions related to the Grand Duke. At first she thought it would be better not to ask Marie, so she didn¡¯t, but she kept having strange feelings, so she didn¡¯t back down this time. ¡°The Grand Duke . . .¡± Anne pondered what to ask, and said again. ¡°He seems to like Marie a lot.¡± ¡°That . . . that¡¯s . . . not true . . . !¡± Marie jumped and shook her head violently. Was it just a humble, polite denial? Or was it a complete denial? She could not make a proper judgment. Chapter 19.2 Anne took a sip of the warm tea and wet her lips. The sweet and spicy taste of cinnamon soaked into her tongue at the same time, but all that lingered on her tongue was the taste of plain water. Her throat stung as if pierced by a thorn, so Anne took another sip and swallowed. The delicious-looking refreshments never reached her hand, and she was constantly thirsty. ¡°His Grace has a lot of scars on his body . . .¡± ¡°Scars?¡± Marie¡¯s face suddenly lifted up at Anne¡¯s words. Her round eyes and startled reaction only heightened Anne¡¯s suspicions. Why are you so surprised? You must have seen it all already . . . Anne put down the teacup, seemingly ignoring the reaction. And she didn¡¯t seem to show her agitation, and she continued to ask calmly. ¡°I had never heard that His Grace had been to the battlefield separately, so . . .. I¡¯m asking because I¡¯m wondering if there has been any disputes over the territory that I¡¯m not aware of.¡± It was said that they were living in a social circle where rumors flew fast, but most of those rumors could not be confirmed. Indeed, if Marie was the mistress, she would have known more about the Grand Duke than Anne. The scar appeared quite deep, so if the Grand Duke had slept with Marie, Marie would have seen it too. ¡°. . . As for what His Grace does . . . I don¡¯t know either . . . Maybe asking Ashton would be better than me.¡± Marie gave a quiet answer, but she cleverly deflected. In an instant, a look of nervousness appeared on her face. As expected, it¡¯s suspicious . . . Her outward appearance wasn¡¯t the only reason Anne¡¯s first impression of Marie was modest. No matter what Marie said or did, she was the type to show the emotions on her face. To be precise, she couldn¡¯t hide her thoughts or feelings at all. Over the years, she had learned through personal experience that there were hidden meanings in words, even when lightly uttered by the well-respected people in social circles. But Marie had never shown this, so she must have been unable to hide her intentions. Marie herself may not know about it, but for Anne, it was one of the best ways to reach Marie¡¯s heart. ¡°His Highness had a pretty large scar on her left lower abdomen . . .¡± Anne with her eyelashes long lowered, took a peek. Marie, who had not noticed any other signs, was helplessly caught. ¡°Yes . . . yes . . . that¡¯s right . . . It must have come about when he was dealing with the beasts that came down from the Silbur Mountains in the past.¡± ¡°So, a wound from a beast . . .. In the abdomen . . . he must have been seriously injured at the time . . .?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. There are many knights who get injured every time they go to subjugate those beasts. It must be the wound His Grace suffered back then.¡± Anne pulled back her shoulders and sat with her back straight. And she looked at Marie¡¯s face closely. Looking at her face as she nodded her head as she answered, the uncomfortable expression from before had completely disappeared, and there was a sense of relief that she had escaped the troublesome question. Anne¡¯s blue eyes, like a calm lake, were clouded like the sky outside her window. As expected, Marie . . . doesn¡¯t know about that wound. The exact location of the wound, which Anne said, was not in the abdomen. It was in the chest, which was right next to her heart. Why are you lying to me? There was no intention to deceive Anne in that innocent face as Marie picked up the chocolate-stuffed cookies and brought them to her mouth. Still, Anne stared quietly at Marie, who was sitting opposite her. The reason was unknown, but one thing was certain. Marie had never seen the Grand Duke¡¯s body. Marie was never the Grand Duke¡¯s mistress from the beginning. * * * As soon as Marie came out of the Grand Duke¡¯s room, she said to Anne to enjoy the refreshments and rest in peace. As she walked down the hallway of the West Wing, she saw Ashton coming out of the Grand Duke¡¯s office. Seeing Marie walking from the other side, he also carefully closed the door and waited with his back against the wall. Ashton looked at Marie¡¯s face, as she had arrived completely in front of him, and spoke his words first. ¡°Did Madam drink the tea quietly?¡± ¡°Yes. It was as usual.¡± ¡°What kind of conversation did she have with Lord Luciel?¡± ¡°It was nothing. They just exchanged greetings.¡± Although she witnessed a bit of embarrassment, they didn¡¯t really talk much, so she responded this way. Instead of going to her room, Marie came straight over here to report what happened to the Grand Duchess. The reason she attended the Grand Duchess without missing a day was because of Ashton¡¯s request. On Anne¡¯s first day at the castle, Ashton told Marie to visit the Grand Duchess every day, talk to her, and report every detail of how they were spending time together. Marie didn¡¯t know exactly why, but it didn¡¯t harm the Grand Duchess, so she followed suit. It was an order from Ashton, but she knew it was the Grand Duke who truly gave the orders. Their master was the Grand Duke, not the Grand Duchess. CH 20.1 But the guilt of deceiving the Grand Duchess was still heavily entrenched in her. It was even more so because she had come to know firsthand by staying with Anne that Anne was a good person. She was terrified how the Grand Duchess would see her if she found out that Marie was watching her every step of the way. ¡°Did she ask anything about the family and the Master today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, so I don¡¯t have anything specific to tell her as usual. She asked about the wounds on his body, so I just answered yes.¡± Today too, Marie answered the questions that were not so common. His hand, which had been lifting the glasses as usual, paused for a moment. What the Grand Duchess asked about was usually trivial information such as habits to be careful about in consideration of the Grand Duke¡¯s tendencies or points to be aware of as the Grand Duchess. There was no direct mention. ¡°Wound?¡± ¡°She asked how he got the wound . . .¡± ¡°Tell me, just as the Madam asked, without omitting a single word.¡± As Ashton¡¯s voice, which had been calm, subsided, Marie cringed, wondering what she was doing wrong. The Grand Duchess did not respond to her reply, so there must have been no mistake . . . Marie looked at Ashton with a timid face and opened her mouth. ¡°She asked why there was a wound on his stomach.¡± ¡°. . . Stomach?¡± Ashton¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. ¡°. . . Yes . . . So, I remembered how the Master had been hurt when the beasts came down before, and I answered that way.¡± ¡°Did you say that it was the abdomen exactly?¡± ¡°Yes . . . But why?¡± As Ashton wrinkled his smooth forehead, Marie knew right away that she had made a mistake. Her heart was already pounding. What did she do wrong . . . Ashton, who had a disappointed look, let out a long sigh. ¡°No. You¡¯ve never seen the master¡¯s body . . . Stand by for now.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Ashton made her more uncomfortable than the chief handmaiden did, so Marie answered quietly and left the place. Ashton glanced at her back for a moment as Marie moved away, then narrowed his eyes. He then opened the door to the office from which he had left and entered again. When Ashton, who had done his job, returned, the Grand Duke glanced at him and lowered his ;gaze. ¡°I think I told you to deliver the documents right away.¡± ¡°Your Grace, I have something to report to you. I think Her Grace has noticed that Marie is not your mistress.¡± ¡°. . . Right. The woman who is surprisingly quick-witted.¡± Even though the fact that he was hiding a secret was revealed, the Grand Duke¡¯s face was composed. As if it didn¡¯t matter that it was known. ¡°May I ask why you ordered Marie to attend her in the first place? This is something that the Madam would be bound to discover at some point.¡± As Ashton saw, the Grand Duchess was a clever woman, and as she continued her conversation with Marie, he thought she would one day notice something strange. If it had been him, he would have tried to reduce the contact point between the two as much as possible, but rather, the Grand Duke gave the order to attack Marie and report the Grand Duchess¡¯ actions in detail. The Grand Duke responded to the question-filled gaze indifferently. ¡°That woman, as soon as she arrived, cheekily offered me a deal. She made a pretty bold offer on a subject when she doesn¡¯t even know what her situation is.¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun now. I can hear her pretending to be smart to get away from me and using her head hard.¡± The Grand Duke, leaning on his back languidly, smiled and tapped his ear. The face of a mischievous husband playing a prank on his wife was quite eerie. Ashton swallowed in surprise. He had seen the Grand Duke for over thirty years, but it¡¯s the first time he had seen the master so happy. He couldn¡¯t believe the light smile that crept across his lips, which had always been hard and cold. ¡°But that arrogant woman was very polite in front of Luciel.¡± With a face that hardened for an instant, the Grand Duke gave a dangerous smile. The slightly stagnant energy in the slightly smiling lips were terrifying. Ashton swallowed a gulp and opened her mouth carefully. ¡°With all due respect, I am concerned about Madam¡¯s knowledge. She also confirmed the marriage.¡± ¡°Therefore . . .?¡± ¡°. . . Your Grace, will you not see a successor?¡± The Grand Duke who tilted his head slowly lifted his gaze. An insidious light dwelled in the pupil between the long eyelids. ¡°Ashton.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace..¡± He spoke in a soft voice, and Ashton, who was waiting, answered his call. ¡°You will never know if you are not careful with your mouth.¡± He raised his lips softly in a warning. * * * ¡°Marie . . . was not the mistress.¡± Anne got up from her seat after emptying the cold tea at once, standing around the room and talking to herself. She looked at Marie, hoping that she would know something, but she really didn¡¯t know anything about the Grand Duke¡¯s wounds. Was it a mistake? Anne shook her head vigorously. She had been the mistress for half a year, and she could not have mistaken the wounds on the Grand Duke¡¯s chest. Why . . . CH 20.2 She tried to think, but her thoughts didn¡¯t work out, as if her usual brilliance had ground to a halt in her confusion. The reason Anne had married the Grand Duke was to pay for the indemnity. Because Robert molested the Grand Duke¡¯s woman. But if Marie wasn¡¯t the mistress, there was no reason for her to come here in the first place. As soon as she recognized that, her stomach suddenly grumbled loudly. The only thing she could put to her mouth was a cup of tea, but her chest tightened. Then, with the sound of a knock, Emily entered the room, peeking her head. ¡°Miss.¡± Emily said that she had finished training and could now properly serve Anne. Anne stopped hovering on the carpet, and fell into the vanity chair. She tried to ask Emily for her opinion about this, but she stopped. Although Emily was her cherished maid, this required prudence, as Emily had left for ten years. Not yet . . . I need to figure it out myself. She was only guessing, so she couldn¡¯t act hastily. Even if she interrogated Marie, she wouldn¡¯t get anything, and if she asked the Grand Duke, there was no guarantee that she would receive a truthful answer. First of all, it was a problem that she had to figure out on her own. Since the Grand Duke had already become her husband, she could not overthrow the marriage. She might be able to try her luck if Libelois protested, but even knowing this, Anne¡¯s parents would rather her keep her mouth shut. Anne, who had decided not to expose it in the first place, greeted Emily with a casual expression. ¡°Good work. Mrs. Wald is a strict person, so it will be quite difficult in the future. If you ever change your mind later, let me know then.¡± ¡°No. I will be by your side. The chief handmaid . . . It must have been that I suddenly appeared, so it must be hard to look nice. I¡¯m still trying to get used to it.¡± Emily, who was waving her hand in case Anne would let her go, smiled shyly. ¡°Emily is a really nice person. Because I got a lot of help when I was young. Mrs. Wald will eventually understand.¡± ¡°It was easier for me to serve you because Miss is a good person. By the way, it is like a dream to see you again like this.¡± Emily, who looked moved, picked up the brush that had been lying on the vanity table. Her careful hand gently brushed Anne¡¯s hair. The maids of the Grand Duchy, like the maids in Libelois, were devoted to Anne, so her hair was always shiny and her skin texture was as smooth as porcelain. Still, Emily, looking at Anne through the mirror, showed a gloomy face. Emily, who knew the County couple, spoke to her with a very sad tone, as if she had expected it. ¡°To such a pretty and lovely daughter . . . you were sent here.¡± ¡°Lovely . . .¡± Her lips let out an involuntary laugh. ¡®Love.¡¯ What a nonsensical word. Affection never existed, because they were never devoted to Anne. No, there was no such word in their dictionary. Had they done so, it would have been so rare for them to lift a rod at her. Anne was like her merchandise in the wedding market. Having been decorated and cared for since she was a child, it was only natural for her to stand out in the social world. Although she may not be of a prestigious family, her beautiful appearance played a part. She didn¡¯t speak with people unless they were of a decent family. That was why she was called the flower of the social world without any friends. Even though she was a great person, it was merely an illusion. It was just because of her foolish parents who tried to meddle in her actions one by one. It was true that she grew up well, but she wasn¡¯t loved. If she had to pick out the similar feelings, the affection would be all from Emily, who was twelve years older than her. Rather than that, she wondered why Emily was in the North. Anne directed her gaze to Emily¡¯s belly. The last time she remembered, Emily¡¯s stomach had swollen as if a pillow had been tucked in. She asked if Emily had gained weight, but Emily only smiled bitterly without a word. And the next day she disappeared. Anne¡¯s mother had told her that Emily had quit her job and gotten married. What happened to the child . . . When she saw Emily willingly pack her bags and followed Anne . . . Perhaps the child did not ever see the light of day. It was impossible for her to dig into someone else¡¯s wounds, so she didn¡¯t ask Emily until now because she was afraid it would hurt her . . . ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I had nowhere to go. The Countess . . .¡± Anne could notice that her mother must have placed a block to prevent Emily¡¯s employment. She must have spread rumors that Emily had seduced her innocent son on purpose. And in the capital where the rumors spread everywhere, the only place Emily could go would be the north, as if it was independent, far from the capital. It was a story so obvious that it made Anne sigh. CH 21.1 ¡°Emily, do you hate him?¡± Although she omitted the name, Emily understood her words perfectly. ¡°No. I loved him.¡± Ha . . . Emily was talking about the love that only existed in books. Her heart sank. Emily fell in love with a man younger than her, conceived a child, and was kicked out. Robert couldn¡¯t have loved Emily, and even if he did, it wouldn¡¯t have stopped their mother. It¡¯s not that different from me, but . . . Emily, who was kicked out because she had a child, and her, who said that she would leave when she had a child, were the same. And by now she might find out something else she hadn¡¯t thought of. Seeing Anne¡¯s face as she sighed, Emily said with a bitter smile, knowing what Anne was thinking. ¡°He just didn¡¯t know what true love was.¡± She was not so sure. Robert was more of a womanizer than anything else. Not only with the mind, but with the body. It was because of Robert¡¯s behavior that Anne became the wife of the Grand Duke, who she had never met before. Still, she didn¡¯t tell Emily, who was so fondly wrapped up in memories. ¡°It must have been a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still alive. I came to the North and tried to work as a maid again, but the North would not accept anyone without connections. Luckily for me, I used my skills in making sweets for the Miss, so I was lucky enough to work there.¡± Anne nodded her head slightly, but Emily¡¯s hand stood still. ¡°Miss, actually, I have heard a story.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The store¡¯s owner-grandfather is gone now, but I¡¯ve heard that he previously worked briefly as a dessert chef at this castle.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And he said before he died. About the Lord.¡± ¡°His Grace . . . ?¡± Come to think of it, she remembered Emily¡¯s face, who was hurriedly dragging her, was quite serious. She thought Emily was thrilled to see an acquaintance in the barren north, but when she came to think of it, Emily, who had lived here for nearly ten years, didn¡¯t need that anymore. Still, was there any real reason why she followed Anne saying that she would be by Anne¡¯s side? Swallowing her saliva, Emily muffled her voice and whispered in Anne¡¯s ear. ¡°Lord Cromund never grows old.¡± ¡°Haa . . .¡± The ears that had listened were relieved. She wasn¡¯t someone who spoke in vain, but her heart throbbed as Emily had been through a lot of hardship. Emily¡¯s countenance grew more serious when she realized that Anne wasn¡¯t listening at all. ¡°Really, Miss. The people who use this castle are all from the same family, and at that time, the store¡¯s grandfather worked for a while because they needed someone urgently.¡± ¡°An outsider worked for a while?¡± ¡°Yes. At that time, he only worked in the castle for about a week and then came out. He said he was eighteen then.¡± ¡°Yes. Therefore?¡± ¡°And he said he forgot to work in the castle again while running a shop in the village again. But after that, fifty years later, another request came in to work at the castle for only about a week. So he went back, well. The Lord¡¯s face was the same. Fifty years had passed, yet it didn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Do you really believe in such nonsense?¡± The old man who worked as a dessert chef for a short time must have been nothing but a busybody that poked his nose everywhere. Anne took a brush from Emily and combed her hair. Emily was so engrossed in her story that she didn¡¯t even know she had let go of the brush. She was nearing thirty, how could she believe such a story? Emily lowered her voice even more in case anyone heard her voice. ¡°No. At that time, he was called by the castle because they needed a patissier for a hastily helf banquet, but the same offer came fifty years later.¡± Emily, who took a deep breath, spoke her words one after another. ¡°Originally, the grandfather¡¯s son was supposed to receive the call, but there was an accident and the grandfather had no choice but to come in his son¡¯s stead. And that day, she was very surprised to see His Grace.¡± Never grows old . . . Recalling the Grand Duke¡¯s face, Anne grinned. There were rumors that he was an old man over seventy years old in the capital, but rumors of him being immortal seem to be circulating in the estate itself. It was all rumors because they couldn¡¯t see his handsome face properly. She listened when she asked Madame Wald about the Grand Duke. Rumors that the Grand Duke is an old man spread across the capital were mere rumors made up by those who liked to talk, and were rumors that had been created because they had not met the Imperial Family or the central nobles. The Grand Duke was the hidden son of his predecessor, and upon his coming-of-age ceremony, it was said that he assumed the position of head of the family and did not go out to socialize, so that fact did not spread. She explained step by step that the Grand Duke, who was ignorant of such trivial things, let them talk at will. CH 21.2 ¡°He wondered because it was so long, but it was too strange to pass by, so he asked the other people in the castle and he said they were all angry. And . . .¡± ¡°And . . .?¡± ¡°Sometimes in the west building there were strange noises, like crying.¡± This time Anne opened her mouth wide and laughed out loud. It was really absurd. She hadn¡¯t heard a cry, let alone a small sob. Even during the day, the Grand Duke¡¯s castle was enveloped in silence as if the veil of night had descended. If she had heard such a sound, she couldn¡¯t have been unaware of it. ¡°How absurd.¡± There were many resident workers as well as commuting workers in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. Wherever it was, the number was small, but there were also knights belonging to the Grand Duchy. Among them, she had not even heard of anyone who had heard crying. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Emily tapped her chest in frustration. Even though her shoulders shook as if to protest with her whole body that it was not a lie, Anne did not have any impressions. ¡°That happened fifty years ago?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then the scolded maids must have cried.¡± Anne spoke casually, like Mrs. Wald, there must have been a stern chief handmaid before her. ¡°No. It sounded like a beast howling.¡± ¡°. . . A beast?¡± Her brow furrowed in an instant. The sound of a beast¡¯s cry, from the mountain facing the castle? ¡°The Miss should have been the Marchioness and lived happily ever after . . .¡± As she spoke, sad tears welled up in Emily¡¯s eyes. Even after she came to the North, she kept asking about Anne¡¯s news. She was relieved by the news of her engagement, so she had wept as Anne became the Grand Duchess of the secret Grand Duke¡¯s castle and did not know that they would meet here. ¡°I can¡¯t help it . . . But did you follow me with such a serious face because of this story?¡± It was strange that Emily had followed her just because of these false rumors. The atmosphere was serious, as if for some great reason, but it was because of some fairy tale like this. ¡°That¡¯s actually . . .¡± Just as Emily glanced at the door and opened her mouth, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Your Grace, it is Ashton.¡± ¡°Emily, would you like to go out for a while?¡± At Anne¡¯s quiet dismissal, Emily could not finish her words and left the room. ¡°His Grace invited you to dinner today.¡± For some reason, Ashton came and said that the Grand Duke invited her for dinner. When she looked at him, she suddenly thought that he, the Grand Duke¡¯s right hand might have the answer to her doubts. No . . . Even if he knew, he wouldn¡¯t tell me. As the Grand Duke¡¯s person, there was no way he would take her side. He was the person who had delivered the Grand Duke¡¯s order himself¡ª which she thought was very rude¡ª on several occasions. A cold-hearted man who told her to take off her underwear without changing his complexion. He was in the same class as the Grand Duke, who didn¡¯t show his emotions properly. She thought she could try to get him to open up like she did with Marie, but from what she had seen so far, he wasn¡¯t a man easily convinced. In the end, Anne gave up and answered quietly. ¡°I understand. Please tell him I¡¯ll see him in the dining room.¡± ¡°He said that you should eat separately in His Grace¡¯s bedroom.¡± Something didn¡¯t feel right. It was clear that he was thinking of bedding her again. Because the Grand Duke coveted her like a beast when night came. Anne said she would go in time for dinner. After all, it¡¯s clear that he doesn¡¯t sleep with Marie. If she looked at the Grand Duke¡¯s face in a complicated mood right now, she wouldn¡¯t know what to say. Why did he deceive her by calling Marie a mistress? As she looked at Ashton as he left, Anne was lost. * * * She called Emily back, but they said that the chief handmaid had taken her. After that, Anne was attended by the other handmaids and finished her grooming, and she headed to the Grand Duke¡¯s room. As she traversed the hallway, she had yet to come to a conclusion. It¡¯s never too late to act after understanding the situation first. Anne, who had made a decision, entered the living room. The bedroom, which had been full of heat last night, caught her eye. There were desks and furniture that she couldn¡¯t see in detail because of the dim lighting, and luxurious decorations showing the Grand Duke¡¯s taste. Among them, there were objects that were so old that their history could not be estimated, and there were also exotic statues that she did not know the origins of. At first glance, they were all expensive items. Anne walked across the room and found the Grand Duke without difficulty. He wasn¡¯t in the room, but on the wide balcony. Why did you prepare a meal on the balcony in this cold weather? In the current weather, her breath frosted just by breathing. Trembling, Anne grabbed her shawl again and stepped onto the balcony. CH 22.1 The table was full of food. Juicy thick veal steak and smoked fish dishes, even fruits that were common in the South but were rare in the North. It was a luxurious and hearty dinner. And right next to it was the Grand Duke in a navy blue robe, sitting on a chair. A loose gap revealed his angled shoulders and a firm chest. ¡°I heard you called.¡± There was no expression on the Grand Duke¡¯s face. Only his slender eyes slowly turned towards Anne¡¯s face. The bright eyes she saw in the afternoon were immersed in darkness. Anne quietly met his gaze. Although she was standing and he was sitting, the difference in eye level was not large, perhaps because of his tall body. The Grand Duke crossed one outstretched leg over the other and picked up a wine glass from the table. With each slight wave of his wrist, the wine in the glass swayed in gentle circles. ¡°Sit down.¡± Anne looked at the Grand Duke¡¯s other side. As she approached the chair prepared for her, he suddenly grabbed her wrist painfully. Her dragged body came so close that it touched his inner thigh. ¡°Your seat is here, not there.¡± Looking down at her grasped hand, he chin towards his thick knee. ¡°Do you want me to sit on your lap?¡± Anne asked, glancing at his thick thighs, but the Grand Duke did not say a word and tapped her on the shoulder indifferently. Even though she tried to hold on, her knees bent and her body went down. Her balance was completely thrown off-kilter, and she slumped in front of the Grand Duke. The floor felt through her skirt was as cold as ice. She lifted her hips slightly, but the chill from the floor gave her goosebumps. ¡°What is this? Are you telling me to sit on the floor instead of on a chair?¡± Anne, whose eyes became sullen at the unexpected situation, gave a sharp glare. It was too much for her husband to have her sit on the floor. However, instead of explaining why, the Grand Duke¡¯s gaze, who was staring at her quietly, was very cold. What did I do? Nothing came to mind. If she had to choose, it was just taking a handmaid on her own terms and talking to Luciel. Anne bit her lips, which were chapped by the cold wind. He clenched her chin in his hand and her gaze moved up. The jaw held by him went numb. The touch of his thumb was far from gentle, and brought tears to her eyes. Then his lips, wet with blood-red wine, opened very slowly. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Anne doubted her ears. However, contrary to her wishes, the man¡¯s voice was heavy and resonant. Even though she did not open her lips wide, only the contents were clearly engraved into her ears. ¡°What . . .? When she asked, he slowly lowered his upper body. The sculptural features that were pushed in that the bridge of his nose rubbed against her lips was close enough that their lips would touch as he came a little closer, but he didn¡¯t come any longer. As she tensed at the man¡¯s hot breath on her cheeks, he twisted his reddish lips. ¡°I want to put mine on those lips and hands that have been buried with traces of another.¡± Traces . . . ? Anne unknowingly looked at her hand, and she was startled. It was because she found the red marks on the back of one of her hands, like rose water. But she was upset that it was only because of this. She only gave a hand to the person named Luciel and exchanged some words. Did it mean that she has to sit here on the floor and plead guilty? ¡°I was just saying hello and talking. After today, nothing will be remembered.¡± ¡°Angroanne!¡± A flash of reproach flashed across the face with the unknown inside. Again, the Grand Duke was not ordinary. Then his long fingers pressed her cheeks. Anne, who gathered her brows together, tried to remove her face, but it was in vain again this time. His thick thumb stroked her half-open lower lip carelessly. Anne¡¯s shoulder shuddered every time he touched the inside of her mouth with the tip of his fingernails. ¡°You are mine. That body, those lips, even that lewd hole, everything. So, don¡¯t try to provoke me any more and open those lips properly.¡± There was a deep possessiveness in the bright red eyes staring at her. What was wrong with her lips? She naturally glanced at the wine glass he was holding. Was he trying to get her to drink? But for some reason, instinctively, her gaze fell downward. The blunt point where the shape of the trousers swelled between his wide-opened knees strongly attracted her attention. Suddenly, she gasped as though something was clogging her throat. Her pounding heart couldn¡¯t be calmed, and Anne breathed in the cold air that had been blowing her hair the whole time. As her hot lungs cooled, the tension never subsided. ¡°This is too much . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s a punishment. Swallow your husband¡¯s cock with that lewd mouth.¡± Punishment. Rather than obscene, the words he uttered were more frightening than anything. CH 22.2 Now she knows for sure what the word punishment from the Grand Duke meant. During the education she received to be an obedient wife to her husband before the marriage, she had never heard of such a startling thing. Her parents had secretly educated her on things that could captivate the husband, besides adorning herself like a flower. She only heard it orally without a textbook, but all of it was vulgar. She vaguely wondered if the day would come when she would do something like that, but when it finally came, her head went blank. Trying to hide her withered body, Anne captured her expression with as calm a face as she could. ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡± Her tight voice trembled slightly. The rough touch was transmitted to her chin, which was caught by the Grand Duke. Her shivering shoulders were drawn up, and her head was raised frighteningly. He made her look straight into his eyes. ¡°If you can¡¯t . . . Shall I open it up?¡± The slow question made Anne lose her words in shock. As if her heart had stopped, it felt like all the blood vessels in her body were blocked. No, maybe it was because her blood circulated so quickly that it felt that way. ¡°You told me you would become a good Grand Duchess since you came to my castle. But you¡¯re only showing incompetence at this kind of thing. It¡¯s disappointing.¡± For a moment, his eyes became cold. The tone was mocking her that it was all talk. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously as he pressed her temple with his other hand. As if he was going to see if she could properly answer his question. ¡°That . . . that . . .¡± This time she didn¡¯t have anything to say. As long as she was in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, she would serve as the Grand Duchess, so it was right that he requested it. The blood drained from Anne¡¯s face, and a resignation struck. Among her duties as Grand Duchess, accommodating the demands of her husband was also her virtue as a wife. She accepted the relationship, so there was no way she could avoid this. I have to . . . As soon as she made up her mind, a cold sweat ran down her back. The cold winter wind ruffled her hair, making a soft sound. Even so, Anne couldn¡¯t get over her dizziness. The extreme nervousness made it difficult for her to come to her senses. Her face was released from his rough hand, as thought he had read Anne¡¯s consent. Touching her tingling cheek, she breathed in tensed breath, the Grand Duke lowered his gaze. He wasn¡¯t looking down at Anne, he was looking at his front. The Grand Duke, who was holding the wine glass¡¯ thin stem, loosened his legs and parted his lips slowly. ¡°Undo it.¡± Anne¡¯s hand, trembling at the brief instruction, was directed toward the Grand Duke¡¯s swollen front. Saliva continued to accumulate in her mouth, which had dried up from tension. Anne was quite surprised to see the penis sticking out through the pulled down trousers. The object she had devoured inside her until yesterday was standing upright in an imperceptibly erect form. The fluid in the thick glans, with the veins bulging out, was obscene. Just looking at it, tensed her up and her eyes were burning hot, Anne bit her lips. What should I do? Can she just lick it up? When she was not willing to touch it, the Grand Duke took Anne¡¯s hand and forced her to squeeze his genitals. Surprised by the thickness in her hand, she tried to release it, but he grabbed Anne¡¯s hand and moved it up slowly. The slick flesh felt like a ball of fire each time it was rubbed into Anne¡¯s pale hands. The more the wrinkled skin rubbed against the surface of her palms, the more blackish-red pillar swelled like it would burst, and the blue blood vessels dilated to a frightening degree. The sound of a beating pulse, whether it was from her wrist or from the Grand Duke¡¯s flesh, muffled her ears. ¡°Angroanne.¡± Anne trembled as her name was called. It was because the Grand Duke¡¯s voice was noticeably lower. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. Anne swallowed a gulp with a nervous mind. She brought the Grand Duke¡¯s cock that she was holding, to her lips. Her heart was beating like crazy and her arms were trembling. ¡°Hup . . .¡± A soft, warm touch pressed against her lips. Then he started stroking the blunt part of his glans against Anne¡¯s lips. As he swept it from side to side, rubbed it as if moving up and down, the damp texture was forcibly rubbed against Anne¡¯s lips. She could feel a sweet taste between her tightly closed lips. Her movements were blunted by the slightly fishy, unfamiliar scent, but a long sigh sounded above her head. ¡°Should I inform the noble lady how to do this?¡± CH 23.1 After speaking briefly, the Grand Duke relaxed his hands and leaned his back languidly against the back of the chair. It meant that she had to figure it out herself. Anne cautiously stuck her tongue out and licked the tip of the pillar, which was dripping with fluid. A slippery, slimy liquid, thicker than before, was smeared on the tip of her tongue. At that moment, the Grand Duke¡¯s thick legs went around and pressed tightly against Anne¡¯s back, as she crouched down so as not to escape. ¡°Hu-uh . . .¡± The tightening force caused Anne¡¯s body to lean heavily forward. Her face was smashed into the Grand Duke¡¯s groin. The sensation of the thick, crushed testicles on her chin was vivid. The frizzy pubic hair shoved into her nose, and with every breath she exhaled, the hair like a forest poked her soft skin. ¡°Hooh.¡± Anne reflexively touched the Grand Duke¡¯s thigh and lifted her face up immediately. Her face became flushed. She was unbearably ashamed of having to put her face to the Grand Duke¡¯s crotch. Anne gave him a sharp glance, but he only drank from his glass without hesitation. ¡°Do it right.¡± After unbalancing her on purpose, the Grand Duke gave a brief order. Her knees were numb as she sat down, but she couldn¡¯t get up. Even if she changed her mind now, it didn¡¯t look like the Grand Duke would let her go. Anne carefully licked the glans again. Her body was still and only her head was moving at the tip, the Grand Duke removed his hand from the armrest of the chair as if displeased. ¡°It¡¯s so pathetic. I will help you with my hands.¡± What more could he do to help his wife suck his bottom? Before she could finish her thoughts, he pulled her hair and at the same time forced the large penis past her lips and into her mouth. ¡°Heuuuhh . . . !¡± With no time to prepare, her breath was suffocated in an instant. Even though only the glans part was in her mouth, Anne was so startled that tears fell from her eyes. The Grand Duke, who had easily overpowered Anne, who sucked him on all sides, with only his hand, exerted more strength in that state and pushed himself into the cramped inside. ¡°Uh-huh. Heuh . . .¡± Anne, who let out a crushed moan, pushed hard on his hard thighs, but he didn¡¯t budge. Rather, he seemed to be dissatisfied that he had only put it in halfway, and pushed in the rest of his pillar inside her. ¡°Take it to the end.¡± ¡°Huuuh.¡± The burst groan was interrupted in vain. Anne¡¯s dry cheeks, which did not swell even after eating food all day, became curved due to taking the Grand Duke¡¯s thick penis. Her chin tingled with the flesh that pressed against her tongue. Anne hurriedly shook her head. It was a silent struggle to pull it out, but he gripped the back of her head tightly again. Each time she shook her head, Anne¡¯s teeth scraped the Grand Duke¡¯s pillar, causing a slight wrinkle in his forehead. ¡°It isn¡¯t a polite thing to use your teeth on your husband.¡± The Grand Duke thrust his cock into Anne¡¯s narrow throat in a cold stare. Then, he lightly stroked her swollen cheeks with the back of his hand. The more she swallowed him and he pressed her protruding cheeks, the more he felt the wet flesh rubbing against him. A smile appeared on his face for an instant. ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun to have the Grand Duchess, who used to be so arrogant, quietly sucking my cock.¡± He looked at Anne¡¯s face with a very satisfied expression. His tenacious gaze stayed on her for a while, but what was contained in his eyes was just a dry gaze as though he were looking at a monotonous landscape. There was no love or compassion for her at all. Tears were about to burst out of her eyes as she imagined what her badly distorted face would look like. Unlike Anne, who stared at him with cold eyes, the Grand Duke looked languid and relaxed like a formal noble. To the side of her blurred gaze, she saw his other hand slowly turning the glass of wine. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t the wife happy?¡± The Grand Duke tangled his fingers in her golden hair and ran them slowly. The freezing hand moved towards the nape of her neck, then grabbed the back of her neck as if to support it and pulled her towards him. ¡°Hu-uh. Heuh.¡± Anne was dragged along again this time. The surface of the flesh rubbed against her mouth and went up to the esophagus, then came out. Only pulling it to the point where it was barely caught on the tip of her lips, the Grand Duke pulled Anne¡¯s neck from the back and repeatedly pushed in, as if he had no intention of pulling it out. Putting the thick penis in Anne¡¯s little mouth, the Grand Duke did not let out a single groan of lust. He just watched her as she glared at him with her lofty figure and thrust her face into his crotch. Anne gave strength to the corners of her eyes so as not to shed tears at this humiliating reality. Meanwhile, the stronger and faster his hand pulling her was, the more violent was his act of digging into her mouth. As her body shook faster, the glass of wine held in the Grand Duke¡¯s other hand swirled in a terrifying whirlwind. CH 23.2 Even the Grand Duke was now starting to thrust his back. He continued to act as if he had the will to bury every trace of him inside, and as a result, the piece of flesh large enough to cover her breath was rubbed on the end of Anne¡¯s tongue. Her breath was choked by the mass of flesh squeezing her tongue back and forth. There were gurgling and popping sounds whenever the hard penis moved in and out between her tiny lips. ¡°Cu-urgh . . . co . . . heup.¡± Every time she tried to speak, her pronunciation was muffled, only sobs leaking out. Even though her eyes became cloudy to the point it was blurring, her body became more and more sensitive. Her bottom began to get wet. Every time the Grand Duke¡¯s mouth stirred, it was throbbing deep inside her. The cold eyes met the blue eyes filled with water between the eyelashes that fell as softly like the flap of a butterfly¡¯s wings. ¡°You are sucking well now. But what about those eyes?¡± He smirks at her and pulls her closer to his side. Anne, who lost her center, was shoved between his thighs. ¡°Hu-buhbb . . . Uh-uhbb . . . heub.¡± The saliva that couldn¡¯t reach the pillar, which was quickly pounding into her mouth, trickled down her chin. It was because the Grand Duke¡¯s object quickly closed the hole in her mouth for swallowing saliva. Losing her will, her body tilted forward and then often pushed back and forth. The thick object pressed against her inside, crushed down on her tongue, and every time it stroked her throat, she gasped for breath. There was no mercy in the force exerted by holding the nape of her neck, and with every movement she was encased in dizziness. Yet Anne did not close her eyes, and she stubbornly stuck her gaze to the Grand Duke¡¯s. She didn¡¯t want to please him with a troubled face. Finally, as he rubbed her face between his thighs, he relaxed his hand, and Anne spit out the flesh that she had been sucking. The hair that had been mercilessly crushed by the Grand Duke¡¯s hand was scattered in a mess. ¡°Haa . . . Cough, kuh . . .¡± Anne coughed as she gasped for breath with her face covered in tears and saliva. Her tears, which were barely hanging from the corners of her eyes, fell on the cold floor. Chill and heat ran through her body alternately. As she sat on the cold floor, cold air rose from below her, and hot breath barely escaped from her mouth. ¡°Is this enough to teach you what your situation is?¡± ¡°. . ..¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start eating properly now.¡± With a noble expression on his face, the Grand Duke now pointed to his chair with his chin, without reaching out his hand to her as she sat on the floor. 4. Beginning of Doubt That night, Anne became very sick, and in the end she fell ill. She had been sitting on the balcony for a while in the cold weather, and her frail body had no strength to endure. In the sweltering heat, Anne had a dream. She looked back at her memories from exactly six months ago. * * * Sweet music sang softly in her ears. Here . . . Ah, the masquerade of Duchy Mullite. As she walked down the red carpet with Salton escorting her, Anne slowly remembered why she was here. Even today, reluctantly at her mother¡¯s insistence, she attended the banquet with Salton. ¡°Miss Anggroane, you are so beautiful today.¡± Salton¡¯s gaze, unable to take his eyes off her, flashed an unseen passion. ¡°Sir Salton as well.¡± Anne bowed her knees slightly, and she responded by praising Salton¡¯s appearance. She could easily recognize that he was also handsome even though he was covering his face, so she wasn¡¯t completely lying. Just then, she saw a woman approaching from the other side. Although she is hiding her face with a flashy colored mask, Anne recognized who it was at once. Marquis Lady Sienna Pelimont. She was always the woman who showed a subtle hostility to Anne, behind which was Anne¡¯s own fiance, Salton. She recognized them even while masked and went straight to where Anne and Salton were standing. ¡°Long time no see.¡± The bright voice of the woman who smiled softly appeared delighted. As she hesitated, not knowing who Salton was to Anne, Sienna spoke her words, raising the corners of her lips beautifully. ¡°I am Sienna Pelimont.¡± ¡°Long time no see. The mask suits Lady well.¡± ¡°Sir Salton, you are very handsome today.¡± Sienna¡¯s red eyes squinted at Salton. In front of her, Sienna gave off an ecstatic look, and Anne, who had seen it several times, could guess that she was obsessed with Salton. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Pelimont.¡± Anne gave a brief greeting. She thought she wanted to ignore Sienna, but Sienna was drawing too much attention. For this reason, Anne, who valued her reputation, had to show courtesy that was worthy of her outward appearance. ¡°Ah . . . Lady Libelois?¡± Before long, she could feel the woman staring at her, her eyes scanning up and down. In spite of the blasphemous behavior, Anne did not express her displeasure, and responded moderately with a smile that was now made as easy as breathing. ¡°For the ladies¡¯ privacy, I¡¯ll depart for a moment.¡± When Salton left the place in a friendly tone to provide a place for the girls to talk, Sienna lowered her lips like a lie. CH 24.1 It meant that there was no need to forcefully smile in the absence of the person. And with that arrogant face, she parted her lips. ¡°Lady Libe . . .¡± ¡°Can you leave now? You have nothing to do with me.¡± Anne, who was fluttering the peacock feather fan in her hand, interrupted Sienna¡¯s words. It was nothing more than a dismissal order because their business was over. At those words, Sienna¡¯s eyelids twitched visibly. If it hadn¡¯t been for the mask, her distorted forehead would have been visible at once. Ridiculous. Anne laughed to herself. She knew what Sienna was going to say, even if she didn¡¯t listen. She knew Anne was going to shoot back at her as she always did, but in the absence of her fiance, Anne didn¡¯t want to put up with it. ¡°Miss Libelois, what does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you because you didn¡¯t seem to notice. Are you waiting for my fiance?¡± As Anne spoke with a sarcastic smile, Sienna gripped her skirt and grabbed it so tightly. Sienna¡¯s angry response was refreshing in her heart. ¡°Today, we are trying to quietly enjoy ourselves without being conscious of other people¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like the Marchioness just because you¡¯re a fiance. Lady Libelois is not married yet.¡± In spite of her tone of voice, which was so angered that it made the sound of teeth grinding, Anne smiled softly and lifted her chin gracefully. ¡°Thank you for your concern, but we will be married soon. Then I would be Marchioness Whitmore.¡± When that time comes Sienna won¡¯t do anything vulgar to press her family, so she was appreciating Sienna¡¯s lips smashed together under the red mask. The gentle banquet dance music began to flow when all the nobles had finished their entrance. ¡°The music has started. Miss Angroanne.¡± When Salton returned just in time, Sienna rearranged herself as if nothing had happened. Her face, which had been terribly distorted, had suddenly changed to a freshly bloomed flower bud. It was even more ridiculous. Anne raised her eyelashes shyly and tucked her hand inside Salton¡¯s arm. ¡°Lady Pelimont congratulates us on our engagement.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Salton gently caressed the back of Anne¡¯s white hand, which rested on his arm, with a thrilled expression. The two of them, wearing matching masks, looked like a good couple. Anne passed Sienna lightly as she gently placed her hand on his outstretched palm and made her way to the center of the banquet hall. She felt a gaze at her from behind, and she smiled softly. ¡°Lady seems to be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°Since Sir Salton is having a good time.¡± Anne answered, curving her eyes elegantly. As soon as she reached the center, she held her dress wide and bowed her head to Salton, who was standing opposite her. The first song was a group dance to enhance the awkward atmosphere. It was a dance where men in the same line stood opposite the woman standing in a line as well and circling, holding hands. They would alternate with their partners, touching palms, turning, and then touching the opposite palms again. Turning her body softly to the gentle accompaniment, she placed her hand on Salton¡¯s palm. She felt a warm hand caressing her hand. The moment she got closer while turning, Salton, who had a deep smile, opened his lips. ¡°Lady looks a little different today.¡± ¡°A little different? Is it a bad thing?¡± Her shoes glided softly on the floor, drawing a semicircle as she moved to her side and her shoulder collided with him. Salton turned his head and pressed her lips to Anne¡¯s cheek. ¡°Any change in you, is acceptable to me.¡± ¡°. . .¡± With his friendly kindness, Anne forgot her words to reply for a moment, but did not make the mistake of unraveling the smile on her lips. She had to be a flower in front of him, waking up from the morning dew. Salton, who seemed to be expecting something, gave way to the next song that started just in time and stepped aside. In the meantime, Anne¡¯s movement, which would usually put her hand on the new partner standing in front of her, stopped. . . . !? The moment she encountered a man wearing a mask engraved with a black leopard pattern, she was captured by the illusion that her whole body was shaking all at once. The jet-black hair that caught her eye, and the red eyes that were visible through the mask that covered his face. The man with a different atmosphere from the glamorous place certainly created a strange feeling. Recovering from the fear, Anne carefully raised her right hand. The man¡¯s hand, which was clinging to her hand, was cold as if he was holding a terrible chill, even though he was wearing banquet gloves. As Anne, startled, hurriedly took her hand away, the man grabbed her hand. What? Anne¡¯s face was wrinkled with displeasure as the man had put weight on her hand, which he had grabbed even though she had tried to pull away. Anne hid her vigilance and looked at the man in front of her. Dark red eyes stared intently at her. Somehow, the man was slowly examining her face. From the precisely round forehead to the eyes, nose, mouth, and the hands held together. Anne, who felt her heart pounding at the cold gaze, pretended not to show her reaction. Fortunately, however, when the man¡¯s turn came to an end, he released her hand in a manner more docile than expected and stepped aside. CH 24.2 Anne was relieved when she danced with another man once. Suddenly, the upbeat tune was approaching the middle part. Anne again encountered a new partner, and she opened her mouth in stupor. It was the man she had been dancing with a while ago. What happened? The whole sequence had not yet been completed. If it were so, Salton should have been in front of her already. Anne hastily turned her head and looked for him with her eyes. Not far from her, there was a mask just like her. It¡¯s out of order. It was really weird. She was suspicious because the man approached her too often. What¡¯s more, no one seemed to be wondering if the order went wrong. Even if a defector appeared among the people standing in a line, there would have been some who refused to get cut off in the middle, but all the people had happy expressions. At this point, Anne felt increasingly uncomfortable. Salton¡¯s turn hadn¡¯t come at all. He was still only at the end. And this time, as if he had noticed something strange, he looked at Anne. The fifth time the stranger grabbed her hand, Anne reluctantly pulled her hand away and left the formation. As she quickly turned her back and busily tried to get out of the place, someone grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Lady Libelois!¡± When Anne, startled by the voice, turned around, her fianc¨¦, who had left the place just like her, was chasing after her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Anne exhaled slowly, and sent a gaze over his shoulder, but the stranger had disappeared without a trace. Even among the crowd, his tall stature and a black leopard-patterned mask could be easily recognized, but even looking around, there was no trace of him. As Anne continued to look around her to see where the suspicious man had gone, Salton spoke to her. ¡°I suddenly saw the Lady leaving, so I hastily followed. But it was strange. I waited for the Lady, but my turn didn¡¯t come . . . Like . . .¡± ¡°Sir Salton, there are too many people. I want to go out to the garden to get some air.¡± Anne didn¡¯t want to think about it any more, so she moved Salton¡¯s topic elsewhere. Even though she said that, she felt dizzy because she was wearing a heavy mask. ¡°I thought so too. Let¡¯s go together.¡± As soon as she stepped out of the place, the wind at the end of spring gently tickled her face. The garden of a high-ranking family created a beautiful landscape with the efforts of talented gardeners. Perhaps it was because the colorful flowers that received the night dew and moonlight mysteriously embraced their colors, and the fragrant smell of flowers and the night air sweetly melted her lungs with every breath. As she leisurely strolled along the white stone-paved road, Anne looked up at Salton with a puzzled look when the person next to her stopped. ¡°I look forward to the day I marry Lady.¡± ¡°I feel the same way.¡± She could feel the trembling contained in the low confession that showed how nervous his heart was. Anne, who had slowly blinked her eyelids, patted his arm softly in agreement, and he turned to her. A faint scent of wine wafted from Salton, who was facing her. ¡°Angroanne, you don¡¯t know. How much I . . .¡± Today, he had a different mood than usual. Salton, who was dragging his words, slowly entangled their eyes. He was a gentle man, but now he had a man¡¯s face before she knew it. When she got too close to him, Anne, bewildered, hurriedly called him. ¡°Sir Salton.¡± ¡°I am the man who will soon become your husband.¡± Salton, who recognized what the voice calling her meant, spoke louder. The hot breath that blew from him, who had become more determined, tickled her face. Anne, noticing what he was trying to do, took a step back at a loss, but all she could do was pull her shoulder back a little. Finally he came close enough to rub his lips, and she unknowingly pushed him away. ¡°Please let go.¡± When she shook her hand so hard that her wrinkle-free dress was wrinkled, he raised his eyes in surprise and came into view belatedly. His eyes, vivid with disappointment, made her feel guilt instead. Thinking that she had committed a great disrespect, Anne turned her staggering feet and ran away. She suddenly felt the power of a man so great that she was terrified, and with his clear intention of wanting to kiss made her want to leave that uncomfortable position. As she ran with the heavy dress, she barely stopped her feet until her breath reached the tip of her chin. As she passed, regrets flooded in. She had pushed him too hard. ¡°Haaa . . . haa . . . I made a mistake. I have to go back now.¡± She didn¡¯t make a single mistake in front of her fiance the whole time, so she couldn¡¯t stand it and ran back. What he would think of her right now, and what kind of criticism she would hear if what happened today went into her parent¡¯s ears who had been strictly admonishing her words and actions. How she lived until now has been to live up to their expectations. Her shoulders trembled just thinking about it. As Anne twisted her back to return to Salton, someone grabbed her waist and pulled her back. CH 25.1 It happened in the blink of an eye, without her able to scream. When she opened her eyes again, her face was buried in someone¡¯s chest. ¡°Sir Salton?¡± When she called out her fiance¡¯s name, wondering if he had come to find her, she felt the hand wrapped around her waist stop. The cold energy that passed through the soft cloth, dug into the tip of her nose. It wasn¡¯t the scent she felt from Salton, but it was a cold, winter-like fragrance that didn¡¯t feel anything. Anne raised her head. All she could see was the other person¡¯s sharp jaw, but even this way she knew that the man holding her was not her fiance. The man¡¯s fingertips touching her waist were thick, and goosebumps rose. To be held in the arms of an unfamiliar man in a deserted place. The sound of her heart beating faster than when she ran in the garden just a moment ago, pounded in her ears. Anne, who came to her senses in a flash of light, pulled her cheek that touched the hard muscles. ¡°Let go of me!¡± She writhed and struggled, choking out a sharp voice, but the man who stood up like a solid brick wall was not pushed at all. Then, a low, scratching sound fell over her head. ¡°Why . . . are you here?¡± The voice without a rise in tone was far from just questioning, and it was closer to being unbelievable. ¡°Let go. How do you dare to harass a noble Lady?¡± ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Anne stood frozen when he asked again. She didn¡¯t need to know about that. Her lips opened slowly, facing the red eyes behind the black leopard-patterned mask. ¡°You are . . .¡± ¡°Do you remember now?¡± ¡°Why did you . . . do that at the banquet hall?¡± It was the man who roamed by her side all day. He also carried with him a strange feeling and had a mysterious identity that constantly appeared in front of her. ¡°How sad.¡± Then he clicked his tongue in disappointment. The man hugged her slender waist tightly. Her heart pounded wildly as her bountifully raised breasts were crushed and their stomaches were pressed close enough to touch. The man slowly lowered his head. His sharp nose brushed against her nostrils. ¡°It¡¯s funny. I have no regrets about coming.¡± The eyes staring intently at her were suffocating. As she froze, she heard a voice calling her name from afar. ¡°Angroanne!¡± It was the voice of her fiance, who was looking for her. Even though he must have heard the sound, the man did not release his grip and run, but looked down at her without moving. ¡°You can scream if you want.¡± In addition, the unscrupulous man arrogantly told her to shout. Anne¡¯s throat tickled and she struggled to crumple the erupting scream. It was easy to misunderstand the appearance of a man and woman hugging each other. She can¡¯t show Salton that his fiance who left was being filthily embraced by another man. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to call him? Then, I might take you over that wall.¡± Anne, who saw where the man was squinting at, also saw a wall not far away, rising like the sky. As in a Duchy, the security was so strict that the wall was high to prevent outsiders from peeking inside, and he couldn¡¯t jump over there alone without any tools. Anne let out a laugh. ¡°Even if you threaten me like that, it won¡¯t work on me. Let me go now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me.¡± Unlike her, who struggled to get away from the man¡¯s body, his tone was languid. He had a relaxed face, like the owner of a cat in his arms who knew that trying to escape would be of no avail. ¡°This eye that doesn¡¯t look at me, this nose that doesn¡¯t look for my body odor. And the lips . . . It was a pity, he was right.¡± Even though he said it was a pity, the man glanced down at her face and looked meticulously at her features. Why? She was reflected in the man¡¯s eyes, but he wasn¡¯t looking at her alone. Rather, he seemed to find a trace of someone else beyond her. However, it was none of her business, so Anne opened her eyes wide and glared at him. ¡°What are you going to do with me? Do you mean to block my marriage path by insulting a noble Lady? Only my fiance can touch me.¡± ¡°You have a fiance¡­. I don¡¯t care. Even if you already had a husband, as long as you catch my eye, your freedom is over.¡± ¡°Haa . . . That¡¯s stupid.¡± ¡°Because I can take you from here right now. You can¡¯t avoid my eyes with a cloth like this. It depends on whether I make up my mind or not.¡± ¡°If you want to save your life, I hope you don¡¯t make up your mind. If you lift a hand at me, Marquisate Whitmore won¡¯t sit still.¡± It was a small bluff. Although the Whitmore House would not move for a fiancee who was embraced by someone else, it was more effective than the Libelois name. CH 25.2 The man then stretched his lips as if he had heard a funny thing. ¡°If I were to make up my mind a little more, the Whitmore family would be ashes.¡± Her heart pounded at those words. Who the hell can destroy the Marquisate at once? Even the Duchy now couldn¡¯t do that. Are you from the Imperial Family? Salton¡¯s voice got so close that it was tangled in the folds of her ear. Deciding that she would rather call her fiance, Anne raised a corner of her mouth and laughed at the man. ¡°I changed my mind. You are finished now.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± It was just as Anne was about to call her fiance¡¯s name. The man¡¯s hand neared her quickly and tightly clamped over her mouth. ¡°Sal . . . heup . . . ! Heuuuhh.¡± As the fingers tightened like a hawk¡¯s claw as if to hold her breath, only a gasping groan barely escaped between her lips. And the man with his lips pressed to her ear, whispered softly. ¡°I have changed my mind too.¡± A sneer spread across the man¡¯s mouth as he exhaled a languid breath. A pleasant wind blew like a sweet taste. The leaves rustled and danced, and the scent of roses in bloom pierced her nostrils. In the magnificent spectacle, which would not be strange even if the spirit of spring appeared, only Anne¡¯s appearance, who was hugged by a stranger and had her mouth closed, was not at all beautiful. ¡°Huuuh . . .¡± The crushed body was so tight that her blood couldn¡¯t circulate properly, and there was nothing she could do except shake her dropped hand. All she felt was helplessness. ¡°Angroanne!¡± Salton¡¯s voice came close enough to set foot around them. Through the rose bush, she could see Salton¡¯s unmistakable dark brown hair. Anne¡¯s eyes were filled with a faint anticipation. The body she had suddenly embraced was swept backwards. Anne¡¯s brow furrowed at the stinging of the thorns and the thorns of the rose bush clinging to her back. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Can your fiance save you?¡± Unlike his former expressionless face, the man¡¯s lips began to show joy. Meanwhile, the sound of footsteps stopped. ¡°Angroanne?¡± Anne was relieved to hear the voice approaching her. Even if she could not be seen, she could not hide the lavish dress between the rose stems and the vines that did not receive a single ray of light. Anne wished her fiance¡¯s eyes would be sharp. Now, as she believed she would be saved soon, Anne glared at the unclear man¡¯s face. There was the sound of footsteps walking carefully. He also didn¡¯t seem like a very dull man. She predicted that soon Salton would draw his sword and separate her from this rude man, and he would order the knights to punish him for the crime of daring to intimidate his woman. But her fiance, who had asked carefully, took no other action. Salton narrowed his eyes while looking at the two of them stuck together in the dark. Her anxiety took over. ¡°I have to tell him.¡± She didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. She lost her strength, but Anne, who was looking for a different way to announce her presence, bit the man¡¯s hand covering her mouth with all her might. She flinched as the slimy fluid slipped into her teeth and the fishy taste lingered on the tip of her tongue, but he wouldn¡¯t let it go. He was a rude man who threatened her. Even when she bit him without mercy, the man did not let go and was not surprised at all. The leopard-patterned mask drew closer. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a talent for biting like a dog.¡± For a moment, the man¡¯s lips under the mask grew eerily beautiful. Just when she thought she didn¡¯t know why she was so scared of people¡¯s smiles, the man¡¯s hand finally fell off. But Anne did not call her fiance. Soon, cold lips sank down on her face. ¡°Huuuhhh . . . !¡± It was an instant. In less than a second, Anne¡¯s pink lips were swallowed without a trace by the man¡¯s lips, which were slamming hard as if he was going to eat her whole. Anne closed her mouth to reject him, but the man¡¯s power to dig into her was terrifyingly strong. The man¡¯s tongue came in through the open gap. The sensation of the moist tongue licking the insides and the sharpness of the sensitive flesh was terrifying. ¡°Huh. Don¡¯t . . .¡± Each time the man tenaciously sucked the hidden tongue and stirred the inside, their saliva was entangled. Her heart, which had been dangling at the sharp sensation of the squishy tongues tangled in a promiscuous manner, fell to the floor. CH 26.1 She thought her first kiss would be with Salton, who was going to be her husband . . . On the contrary, she showed Salton the image of her kissing another man. Misery came rushing in at the thought that everything had been ruined. An awkward sigh escaped from behind the man¡¯s shoulder. And the footsteps that had stopped, moved again and began to move further and further away. Salton must have decided to go somewhere else because he judged that they were lovers enjoying a secret tryst. Anne shook her head. The man continued to devour her lips, but he whispered softly to her without opening his mouth. ¡°Pathetic fiance. He went away without knowing what his fiance was doing with another man.¡± ¡°Huuhh.¡± Every time the man spoke, she could feel his hot breath. In part because of her breathlessness, Anne lost her words and simply sobbed. The shock of the first kiss for the first time in her life seemed to empty her head. Anne closed her eyes. Why did she have to be subjected to this? She also felt resentment toward Salton. However, she couldn¡¯t blame him because the sight of them rubbing each other¡¯s faces while clinging to each other under the tree would only be seen as a pair of lovers. He would never dream that his virtuous fiancee, who ran away from his arms, would be kissing a stranger. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel pain. ¡°You¡¯re still expecting the man called your fiance to save you.¡± ¡°Haa . . . How dare . . . you do this . . . Huh . . .¡± She spoke sharply, but the man became more daring. Her waist was pulled tighter, and the man¡¯s hand gripped her neckline. As he patted the nape of Anne¡¯s pale neck and swept around her head, her finely curled hair fell around her like a waterfall. Anne¡¯s slender shoulders curled inward as his cold fingers touched her scalp. The fumbling fingertips pressed firmly against the back of Anne¡¯s head, and the man¡¯s lips were pressed down to her cheeks. The man¡¯s sharp nose pressed against Anne¡¯s nose, causing her nose to bend. ¡°Ummm . . .¡± The root of her tongue felt as though it was about to be pulled out, but then he broke in again and pushed it inside. The delicate flesh was rubbed against his tongue as he moved in and out, and their intertwined tongues pounded on her inside as if it would swallow her all. Even after he swept her teeth, when he found her tongue hiding for a moment, he wrapped it tightly around again and dove through. ¡°Haauhhh.¡± Anne¡¯s mask slammed against the man¡¯s mask and fell to the floor. Then the corners of her eyes, wet with tears, appeared. Seeing her quivering eyelashes wet with the wetness, the man satisfiedly pulled her closer to him. ¡°Ha¡ª uh . . .¡± The man¡¯s hot breath warmed her inside, and Anne suddenly burst into tears. Clear water dripped down due to the humiliation of her first kiss being given to a stranger who she didn¡¯t know. Today was weird. She was more impulsive and emotional than usual. Just after a conversation with Siena, she wasn¡¯t her usual self. She ran away from her fiance, to whom she had promised her obedience, as well. Was this punishment? Anne was confused as to why she had to go through such a storm in her serene life. She blamed her throbbing heart, which was about to explode to the current situation. The man who had rushed in was now leisurely and tenaciously coveting her lips. He sucked at them, licking tightly, lest he would miss a single spot of flesh that had not been touched. The man devoured her passionately, without haste, and her lips were violently tingling. As Anne¡¯s head was tilted back and her chin was lifted as the hand gripped her hair, the man¡¯s lips slid softly over the nape of her neck. There was a chu sound. As he tried to leave a mark, Anne pinched him. The man smiled ridiculously. ¡°Even if you make a fuss, there is no one to come and save you now.¡± ¡°Huuh . . . Heup . . . Huh . . .¡± The sound of her fiance¡¯s distant footsteps had long since disappeared. As if the man never cared about in the first place, he concentrated on carving a red mark on the flesh exposed by Anne¡¯s dress. It was deliberately done to draw her fiance¡¯s attention. It was difficult to gauge how much time had passed since she had endured this humiliating harassment, before the man finally opened his mouth. Even though there was no light, the man¡¯s shiny lips were clearly visible. Anne was about to scream, but she suddenly realized what had happened and closed her mouth. Her make-up must have been messed up by the man¡¯s saliva, and her hair would look like she had been rolling around through the garden. The lips that she was about to close were stinging. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had so much fun. What to do . . . The lower part is also tempting.¡± The man blatantly lowered his gaze to her lower body. Anne, startled by the gaze, grabbed her dress with her trembling hands. ¡°I want to fuck you right now.¡± CH 26.2 The man smacked his lips in regret. No way, in such an open place . . . Anne looked at the man with her terrified eyes. Unlike her who had been messed up, the man was neat and his black mask was intact. The man appeared to be in good shape, unruffled and composed. Except for the fact that his face was covered. ¡°How dare you harass a woman . . . Take off the mask and show your face.¡± The man narrowed his eyes and approached Anne. Afraid that the man would rush at her again, Anne tensed, trying to pull herself back, but her feet froze under the pressure. ¡°Wait quietly. I¡¯ll come pick you up soon.¡± ¡°Who . . .¡± ¡°At that time, I won¡¯t let you off the hook like now, so it would be better to gain some weight. It will be difficult if you die.¡± The man¡¯s last words echoed as if filling the space around them. The moment she stared blankly at him with a bewildered look, her vision blurred and her eyes opened at the same time. The elaborately crafted ceiling pattern entered her clear vision. It was her bedroom. A dream? No . . . This . . . It wasn¡¯t a dream. Anne, realizing that the strange man of her dream was her husband, the Grand Duke, buried at the far end of her memory, she bit her lip in her contempt. Immoral and unscrupulous human being. The only thing that came to her mind right now was the Grand Duke parading under the name of her husband. She thought she had never met him, and she was horrified this spring that she didn¡¯t recognize him, even after the fact that she had met him exactly half a year ago. I am sure. He¡¯s been deliberately hiding the fact that he¡¯s met me. The man¡¯s last meaningful words half a year ago still dominated her mind. That meant that he had been preparing for this marriage from that day on. From the beginning, he was thinking of bringing me. I, a fool, fell for his tricks. As expected, she should have been suspected from the moment the marriage contract, an important contract between two families, was so easily overturned by one person. Unlike her parents who got blind and saw it as an opportunity, she should have noticed. Not convinced that there was any trick to her own marriage, even though she realized that Marie was not the Grand Duke¡¯s mistress, but the man¡¯s last words, her memories of that day, convinced her. Feeling the humiliation of being deceived, Anne twisted her fingers mercilessly. ¡°Miss, are you awake?¡± Emily, who had heard the rustling and noticed that Anne had opened her eyes, took a step closer. ¡°What . . . happened?¡± Ever since the Grand Duke forced her to do it on a cold balcony, her memories have been in jumbles. She slowly remembered the violent hand that seemed unacceptable. Whether he thought it was exciting or not, or whether he had only intended to inflict shame on her in the first place, the Grand Duke removed his hand at the last minute and continued his meal dignifiedly. It was the last scene that remained in her mind. ¡°I was told that the Miss suddenly collapsed while having dinner with His Grace. You suddenly had a fever and was unable to regain consciousness. The doctor¡¯s words scared me.¡± ¡°Help me up.¡± She tried to get up, but her body was heavy like lead. The duvet covering her was hot, and it was unpleasant to feel her clothing she was wearing sticking to herself. Emily, who supported Anne¡¯s back with some of the plush cushions, raised her. It was as if she had back pain as she had slept for quite some time. ¡°How long have I been lying down?¡± ¡°Three days.¡± Emily wiped Anne¡¯s sweat-drenched forehead with the clean water-soaked towel. Anne was surprised to hear that it had been three days, but she nodded her head. Then she waved her hand as she didn¡¯t need Emily to wipe her face again, and looked around, blinking her still-hazy eyes. ¡°Give me some water.¡± Her throat burned, as she hadn¡¯t taken a proper sip of water for three days. As she drank the glass of water Emily was handed over, her head, which had been complicated, seemed to fade a little with the coolness. Anne stared at Emily with an indifferent expression and opened her mouth. ¡°Did you take care of me all this time?¡± ¡°Yes. Marie came and went a few times, but I said I would do it.¡± It seemed that Marie had also come and gone too. But there were no mentions that the Grand Duke had visited. ¡°Did nothing else happen while I was away?¡± ¡°Ah, there was a letter.¡± Putting down the towel she was holding, Emily opened the drawer on the side table and pulled out white envelopes. Different patterns were engraved on the sealing wax. One was the seal of her family, Libelois, one was that of her former fiancee, Salton Whitmore, and the last was Sienna Pellimont¡¯s family, a woman she had no contact with at all. ¡°Would you like to see them now?¡± ¡°No, just throw them away.¡± She was concerned about the letter from the Libelois family, which had arrived twice, but she couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to it. At least for now . . . ¡°Anyway, where is that man now?¡± CH 27.1 ¡°His Grace sent a doctor right away on the day you collapsed. After that, he went out for two days. He must have been busy.¡± Emily seemed to be mincing her words because she found it difficult to tell her that the Grand Duke had not visited her. However, Anne didn¡¯t care whether he came to see her or not. If he had any face, he wouldn¡¯t dare to show his face. Instead, she was going to visit him. She had no intentions of letting this go on like this. She was going to ask him properly and to receive an answer. ¡°No, where is he now?¡± ¡°Now . . . in the office . . . Mi . . . miss!¡± Emily hurriedly rushed to support her. The dizziness came upon her as she fully lifted her upper body and stretched her legs down to the floor. Anne held her forehead for a moment and caught her breath. ¡°I want to see him right now.¡± ¡°With this body? Are you in a hurry? Do it later . . . later.¡± Emily was blocking her path, saying that Anne had to recover first, but Anne ordered Emily not to follow her, and resolutely left her room. ¡°Ha . . .¡± She couldn¡¯t even take a few steps, her breathing was hard, and the hallway spun. The slight fever was still there, and even though her body was in a cool state, hot breaths came out of her mouth. She immediately remembered an event at a banquet where her mother had pushed her despite her being ill. She felt like she was going to collapse that day too, but with her mental strength, she endured with an undisturbed appearance until the very end. ¡°This is no problem . . .¡± Anne bit her lips, leaned against the wall and began heading to the Grand Duke¡¯s office. As she reached the west building hallway, she met the eyes of Ashton, who had just exited the Grand Duke¡¯ office. As though surprised by the Grand Duchess¡¯ sudden appearance, he hurriedly approached and greeted her while shifting the papers he was holding into his other hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Out of my way. I have something to talk to him about.¡± ¡°That is . . . He is very busy with work right now.¡± He raised his glasses with a very troubled expression. Anne sighed and looked at him. ¡°I am taking this as your demand that the not busy Grand Duchess get out of the west building.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°I was going to meet my husband . . . Is his aide blocking my way?¡± She was not in a good condition, so her annoyance flared. However, since he was also a close aide to the Grand Duke, he didn¡¯t look good in her eyes in the first place ¡°It¡¯s not that . . . How is your body?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine, so get out.¡± Despite Ashton¡¯s reluctance, Anne stormed into the office. What she saw through the open door was the Grand Duke¡¯s face, who was leaning on a chair and staring softly out the window. Even from a distance, he looked like the opposite of her, who was about to fall. He didn¡¯t look bad at all. Bang! Anne, who was staring at the Grand Duke¡¯s sideline, heavily closed the door as though letting out some of her uncomfortable feelings. The Grand Duke slowly turned his head to her. He lowered his eyes shining like jewels in the light and belatedly picked up the pen that had been rolling on the desk with an indifferent expression. It looked like he was pretending to be busy on purpose. What do you mean, ¡®busy¡¯? Anne walked to the front of the Grand Duke¡¯s desk. As she looked at his face, that humiliating moment resurfaced in her mind, and she became choked up. ¡°You have something to tell me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± A piercing gaze could be felt from the Grand Duke who slowly raised his head. At this moment, she was disgusted by the terrifying glance that looked over her face. ¡°Did you think I would never wake up?¡± ¡°Oh dear. You lost more weight.¡± The Grand Duke clicked his tongue in displeasure. He added that he had to tell her handmaiden to give her some medicine, acting like he wasn¡¯t fully aware that her condition was caused by him. ¡°I know everything, so if you are capable of speech, please tell me properly.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The Grand Duke pretended to be indifferent and asked back, tilting his sharp chin, but there was a hint of interest in his raised eyes. There was also the arrogant hint that he wouldn¡¯t be impressed with whatever she said. Anne hardened her expression and, rather recklessly, slammed her hands on the shiny desk. ¡°Duchy Mullite Masquerade. There must be something that comes to mind.¡± ¡°. . .¡± The corners of the Grand Duke¡¯s lips curled up slightly after a moment. Was he smiling in this situation? As Anne, who felt that the whole thing was absurd, was about to continue her words, he waved his long fingers. The pen he was holding fell and rolled over the dry wooden desk. The unusual sound was somewhat eerie. CH 27.2 ¡°You¡¯re talking about that.¡± He stretched out his empty left hand and looked up. As Anne blinked, not knowing what he was saying, a blurry mark appeared on the flesh between his thumb and forefinger. That¡¯s . . . The Grand Duke looked at the scar, raising his hand, showing her the traces of her bite. ¡°How hard was the wife¡¯s bite back then . . . Did your husband¡¯s blood taste so good?¡± She could see the ends of his lips rising even more, like he heard a funny joke. Taste. The fishy taste that seemed as raw as licking a piece of iron was instantly etched into her tongue. To erase that taste, Anne swallowed her saliva. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have another question. You also knew about Marie.¡± ¡°. . . !?¡± Anne was startled. She had never imagined that he himself would bring up Marie. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know all that? That she has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°You are surprisingly docile in admitting that you lied.¡± Her calm attitude seemed to make him laugh out loud. She didn¡¯t know how he knew what she had noticed, but she couldn¡¯t believe he would admit that there was no mistress. Her hand clenched in her fist was trembling, and Anne barely spoke with her gritted teeth. ¡°Then why did you do such a thing to be married to me?¡± ¡°That. Your parents are stupid, and I had to have you.¡± ¡°Why? Why did it have to be me?¡± ¡°That . . . Let¡¯s just say I saw you at the banquet that day.¡± Again, the answer was no different from what Anne had expected. Had he been planning since the day they first met? It wasn¡¯t a normal marriage proposal, but he did such a cumbersome thing as breaking her engagement with the Marquis and forcing their marriage, only to have her sit in this castle. On the other hand, it was still difficult to understand his words as they did not make sense. Far from loving her, didn¡¯t she displease him? The more she tried to wrap her head around it, the more cloudy her mind became. She had no idea what the hell he was thinking. ¡°I can¡¯t listen to you anymore. I will tell you my purpose.¡± Anne finally brought out her purpose of coming here. She solved the puzzle, so she didn¡¯t have to go on with her marriage for Libelois sake. ¡°You didn¡¯t try to deny that Marie isn¡¯t your mistress and used that lie with my brother to put me here. So our marriage is null and void.¡± ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking of . . . The wife seemed to be mistaken. This castle is not a place for anyone to enter and exit. The same goes for this room.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice resounded heavily. There was no roar nor loud noise, but Anne felt all the warmth of her body drain away. For his words entangled her like ropes and gave her a sense of intimidation that she could not lift her hand. In his intense gaze, Anne grabbed her trembling chest and pulled out the words that she didn¡¯t even want to say. ¡°This matter will be formally protested by County Libelois as well. The Count¡¯s son was framed, and you insist on marriage by mentioning compensation . . .¡± Slam! Before she could finish her words, the Grand Duke pulled something out and threw it on the desk. Anne¡¯s gaze fell to the white paper that covered her hand. The first thing that caught her eye was the bold gothic text. She licked her lips, noticing the largest phrase lined up in the center of the first line. Promissory note. It was a document that went back and forth between parties borrowing and lending money. Below that was a number, and the number of zeros was too many to count properly. An amount beyond imagination at first glance. Anne¡¯s eyes trembled anxiously as she read the documents for a considerable amount that could even afford to buy a few large mansions in the capital city. Her slender hand, turning the paper, stopped again and again. In the next chapter, a feast of letters continued, and at the end of it, two familiar signatures and seals of the family were stamped. It was the coat of arms of Grand Duchy Cromund and County Libelois. A document between the Grand Duchy and her family. Has Father already started his work? What a disaster. Anne rubbed her sweaty, slippery palms, clutching her skirt. She looked closely to see if it was fabricated, but the signature was clearly her father¡¯s. Anne looked up at him with bewildered eyes. ¡°What is this? Did you lend money to Libelois?¡± ¡°Could I ignore my wife¡¯s father, who was in a hurry to ask for help?¡± He acted like a good man who reached out his hand to someone in need. The Grand Duke slowly blinked his eyes as he slid his index finger across his chin. It was as if dark clouds were forming in her already blurry vision. She was completely unaware of what kind of accident her family members had caused after taking all this money. However, her request could not be ignored by this. ¡°This is between you and Father. It has nothing to do with me. So don¡¯t connect it with our marriage.¡± ¡°Did you not check the last sentence?¡± The Grand Duke blinked at the papers she was still holding. CH 28.1 What more was there? Anne hastily looked at the underside of the paper. After all the important content was finished, articles that were not as important as the date continued, and a small sentence was added in the corner. [However, if the marriage relationship between the two families is unavoidably terminated, Libelois will immediately repay the principal and the amount equal to ten times the principal as a penalty.] ¡°Penalty . . .?¡± Unbelievable. This meant that if the conditions were violated, they would have to pay a large amount that was far larger than the amount of compensation they had originally offered. We wouldn¡¯t be able to afford that kind of money . . . She wondered if her father had properly confirmed what was at stake. However, her face hardened when she realized that even if her father had known, he would not have thought twice about it. She couldn¡¯t understand why the Grand Duke placed such a clause, but marriage and business had become entangled. As if to shatter her plan to somehow revert the marriage. What to do . . . Her mood was complicated. If she pushed forward like this, Libelois would be on the path to bankruptcy. All the arrows of the sin would be poured out on her, and she would gain the reputation as an unfaithful daughter who has ruined her family. The Swenia Empire was a very conservative country in terms of clans and families. When the child¡¯s choices caused damage to the family, the child was often criticized. For instance, a son of a baron¡¯s family, who reported his father¡¯s crimes, ended up turning his back on the country because of the stinging eyes and criticism of the people. I decided to cut ties with my family anyway. However, contrary to what she had already made up in her mind, it was different to see her family sitting on the street right in a situation where she wasn¡¯t ready for it, and she refused to be labeled as a villain. Her head was pounding in a throbbing headache. Tap. Tap. Tap. The Grand Duke¡¯s long fingers tapped the cold desk. The sound that flowed out like a heartbeat was very regular. It sounded ominous. His red eyes turned to her. Her hands trembled, as the eyes seemed to be asking what she was going to do. Anne, barely holding back to crumple the paper she held in her hand, opened her mouth. ¡°It sounds like you don¡¯t want me to annul this marriage using this as an excuse.¡± ¡°Of course. I really like our married life. There¡¯s a wife who spreads her legs out at night, so there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t like it. That underside of you is quite usable.¡± Unsurprisingly, he let out a small laugh and spoke, not caring whether Anne felt insulted or not. ¡°Simple. If you give birth to a successor, I will let you go. On that day, the penalty clause will also be deleted.¡± This proposal flowed out from the Grand Duke¡¯s mouth instead. As if he had given her a choice from the beginning. ¡°I need to contact my father.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the wife¡¯s freedom to do so, but it won¡¯t be of any use.¡± As if pretending to be a generous man, the Grand Duke raised his lips. When she opened the door, there was a deep sense of satisfaction on his tired face. What was with that satisfied face? As if everything was in order, even the documents he brought in as soon as she woke up. Doubts, once tethered, were branching out everywhere. Wait, I received a letter. In an instant, Anne recalled the letter from her parents¡¯ house a few days ago. She told the maid to burn it in the fire, but maybe this was written there. She felt the need to check the second letter, which she had previously told Emily to throw away, and as she turned to turn her body, the continuous tapping stopped. She wished it had just continued as it is. Anne stopped at the sudden silence. It was because the temperature in her room had dropped sharply. A large shadow was formed on the floor as if dusk had set. Anne hesitantly looked back. Suddenly, the Grand Duke stood up from his chair. Instead of the boredom that had been looming around his eyes all day long, his piercing gaze stung her. ¡°You¡¯re not that bright. Did you not hear what I just said?¡± ¡°What do . . . you mean. Ha¡ª ugh!¡± Anne frowned as he slammed her stomach against the edge of the desk and pulled her arm without warning. The Grand Duke murmured, as he stared at her with lowered eyes, holding back her groan. ¡°Since you came to this room, you couldn¡¯t leave without my permission. And I didn¡¯t say you could leave now.¡± The Grand Duke tucked back a few strands of hair from her neckline, curled it around his finger, and brought it to his nose. Her soft hair moved with his exhales. ¡°I was tired of using my head on the cumbersome task, but it worked out. I need the wife to relieve it. I¡¯ll be less tired if I put my cock in that little hole.¡± ¡°. . . !?¡± CH 28.2 Anne¡¯s lips opened wide. In this situation, he was thinking of doing her in the office, not the bedroom. He was still a shameless beast. ¡°I came for . . . heuh . . .¡± As she was about to refute, her body leaned forward. Grand Duke wrapped her hair in his hand and pulled her towards him. Her shoes, which dropped to the floor as Anne fell on her face awkwardly and almost laid on the desk. ¡°Let go . . . I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°Who in your family do you resemble to be so picky? Count Libelois didn¡¯t look very smart. No, he was stupid.¡± Her father was a fool trying to make his dream come true, but Anne did not bother to agree even if it was right. To say that she resembled the Count was a harsh insult, even to her. Anne held herself in place with her knees draped over the desk. Anne closed her eyes tightly as she suddenly remembered the beating that had fallen upon her thighs while she was in a kneeling position. The face of her mother, who had been beating her only in the places easily covered by clothing, kept glimmering over and over. At that moment, when she realized the reality, she suddenly lifted her head. ¡°Damond?¡± Clearly, the Grand Duke was out of her vision until now. Anne looked around anxiously, as she clasped her palms together. With a pat on her back from behind, her face flattened on the desk. The pale blonde hair that fell like a waterfall added yellow color to the dry desk. While Anne, in embarrassment, brushed away the flowing hair that covered her eyes, the Grand Duke relentlessly lifted her voluminous skirt. ¡°No, I . . . really . . . don¡¯t want to.¡± She stretched out her arm behind her to stop him, but the Grand Duke¡¯s hand came back to the back of her head. Anne gathered her strength and lifted her head. However, her head, which had been rising gradually, fell down as she caught the sight in front of her. ¡°Huuh . . .¡± Anne¡¯s heart pounded as she stared at the floor littered with wads of paper. This man was really preparing to do her right there. He took both of her wrists in one hand and laid them on her waist, causing her to hold the pose of a sinner pleading guilty at his work table. When the cool air touched her lower body with only her butt protruding, goosebumps crept up. ¡°Haah.¡± Anne groaned in surprise at the touch stroking her hips. Her secret place trembling beneath her coveted butt, fluttered as if seducing him. The heat in the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes grew with the blood rushing the desire to do it quickly. The Grand Duke, clutching her luscious white butt, spoke lowly. ¡°You said you were sick, but it looks fine here. Were you pretending?¡± ¡°I . . . I really don¡¯t want to.¡± Anne shook her head violently as she felt the thick fingers carelessly groping her insides. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the wife thinks. The point is that I want to.¡± She held her breath as she felt her hips widen. Blood rushed to her head as she was stretched into that uncomfortable posture. Anne, who felt her already flushed face turn redder, cleared her voice. ¡°I¡¯m . . . I¡¯m not feeling well yet. There won¡¯t be any children.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you have to try to know?¡± The Grand Duke, who seemed that he would not bleed even if he were stabbed, touched her skin and shoved his cold fingers between thin crevices. ¡°Ha¡ª uh . . .¡± Anne trembled at the rough touch and bit her lip. ¡°Why is it so hot?¡± The Grand Duke, who stirred between her open folds, swept away the liquid from inside. When he rubbed the gooey liquid on his thumb and index finger, it was noticeably hotter than usual. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m really . . . I¡¯m really not feeling well.¡± He leaned over her and put his lips to her ear. Then he sucked at the soft flesh of her earlobe and swept it up with his tongue, whispering. ¡°It was a good try, but I¡¯m done letting it slide like on the balcony that day. Angroanne.¡± With those words, the Grand Duke again reached underneath her as if he didn¡¯t really care. He opened her slightly wet folds and mercilessly inserted his middle finger into the narrow hole, and forced the wriggling inner walls to widen. ¡°Hu¡ª uh . . .¡± Maybe it was because she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so it was harder than usual for his rough fingers to enter. Her tight inner walls couldn¡¯t accept him at all, and struggled with every joint that came in. It would have been better if she was wetter and the pain was less, but that wasn¡¯t the case. The pubic area, which had spilled liquid on his fingertips for a short time, was now swelling red with heat from the foreign body that was disturbing her flesh profusely. CH 29.1 ¡°Haa . . haa . . .¡± With her knees down and head bowed, Anne let out a hot breath. She was so dizzy that her long hair, which kept obscuring her vision, annoyed her. She was already overheating with her low fever, and her body was heavy and wet like wet laundry, but her nerves stayed focused on her lower body. She felt as though she was about to collapse at any moment. ¡°. . . Hu-uh . . . Day . . . haa . . .¡± She let out a faint noise like a dying beast, but the Grand Duke didn¡¯t say a word. He was rubbing at her sensitive, tender flesh, and churning her insides with the middle finger embedded in the opening. As her inner walls twitched with a gurgling sound, he gripped Anne¡¯s hip tighter and continued with his movements. ¡°Huuuuh . . . heuh.¡± Sobs escaped her. As Anne¡¯s eyelids slowly closed, she felt her vision darken. Suddenly, a tingling sensation appeared at the back of her neck. ¡°Ha-uh!¡± Anne, whose breathing nearly stopped, let out a suppressed scream. Her eyes that were about to close, burst open. Her mind, clouded by the heat, flashed bright. The touch of the hot lips spread a tingling sensation all over her body. Seeing the red tooth marks on her long neckline, the Grand Duke relaxed his lips. He really liked the bright red color against her transparent, snow-like skin. ¡°Angroanne, are you thinking of going to sleep? That¡¯s not polite.¡± ¡°Hu-uh . . . what are you doing now . . .¡± She swallowed while speaking. As the Grand Duke¡¯s hot lips clinged to the traces he left a while ago, her heart pounded with tension. The Grand Duke, who had gently brushed Anne¡¯s trembling neck with his lips, bit at her flesh once more. ¡° . . . !¡± ¡°Angroanne, does it . . . hurt more here?¡± Anne¡¯s back, curled up, convulsed. Looking at her posture, stiff enough to make her spine stand out, the Grand Duke curved his lips in a smile. It was quite amusing to see the luscious walls squeezing and contracting his fingers every time he parted the sweet flesh. The feeling of the moist flesh sticking to him aroused quite a bit of wild excitement. It made him want to shove my cock straight into it and pierce it until it came loose. But he wanted to see how much longer she, who was still being stubborn, could endure. ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, I can do more . . . Just like when the wife bit my hand then.¡± ¡°Huh . . . Are you taking revenge . . . now?¡± ¡°No . . . I¡¯m not so narrow-minded to the point of demanding accountability for matters before our marriage. The wife couldn¡¯t concentrate because she¡¯s sick, so I wanted to see you.¡± Even though his tone was kind, as if he cared for his wife terribly, there was a twisted nature within the heavy bass. It was he that said she was sick and also he who gave her another pain. ¡°What are you . . . talking about now . . .¡± As the tingling wrapped around her neck, Anne barely suppressed her desire to shoot back at him. In addition to being in the worst condition, the Grand Duke was a man who would grab her head and put it on the desk till her cheeks were crushed. The Grand Duke buried his lips over the new red tooth marks on her slender neck and swept upward with his tongue. Even though he was gently sucking at her, Anne flinched for an instant. As he inhaled, he listened to her thin pulse, feeling the walls of her secret place sucking at his fingers. ¡°Huuuh . . . Hah.¡± He dribbled wet saliva along her fine neckline, enjoying her trembling. The feeling of his tongue wrapped around her flesh was terribly hot. Anne¡¯s eyes burned at the sensation of the scorching heat radiating through her body and the stirring of the flesh underneath her made her dizzy. In spite of the startlingly intense stimulation, Anne kept herself silent. She was afraid because she didn¡¯t know when he would hear. Doing preparation beforehand didn¡¯t reduce the pain, but it was too much for her to take it unexpectedly. It was scary. Anne clenched her teeth, as the Grand Duke¡¯s was toying with her from the beginning. I have to go and check it out quickly. Before Emily could completely dispose of the letter, she had to go back to her room and confirm. What did she not know? She was sure there was something written in the letter. He was someone who wouldn¡¯t listen to her requests anyway, so she just wanted him to end this quickly and let her go. ¡°Huh . . . If you¡¯re going to do it, just do it quickly.¡± Suddenly, the movement that had been poking around the wrinkled flesh stopped, and the Grand Duke¡¯s hand slipped away. ¡°. . . ?!¡± If it had been before, she would have been relieved, but Anne knew that the Grand Duke never let her go. So it didn¡¯t relieve her tension at all. He was letting her go to put something big right away. She pressed her forehead against the cool desk and waited for his next move. CH 29.2 ¡°If you say so.¡± With a smirk, he thrust his erect flesh into the throbbing walls. He had given up the thought of loosening her dry inner walls. With his swollen glans, he slowly swept the opening, and rubbed it, forcibly coating it in liquid. The more the wet sounds resounded in the room, the more liquid was wrapped around the round glans. However, the red, swollen flesh was clearly drier than usual. If he thrusted this, the bottom would be torn. The dry red eyes were fixed on the red, tender flesh. From a man¡¯s point of view, it was still erotic, but it wasn¡¯t as though it had much change. He had no intention of looking at it in the first place, so he just put it in as it is, but this time, he was thinking about how many days she would have to stay in bed. Thinking that far, a hesitation arose for the first time. He was so reluctant to do whatever he wanted, no matter what condition she was in, that even his lust disappeared. ¡°I¡¯ve lost interest.¡± As the sensation of being pinned down disappeared, Anne was bewildered at the words. She was dubious of this man¡¯s favor. But before he could change his words, Anne hastily pulled her staggering body upright. ¡°I have a banquet with the vassals this weekend. It will be difficult if the woman named Grand Duchess were to lie in bed that day.¡± After saying something that sounded like an excuse, he laid his back on the chair and picked up the pen again, and Anne left after staring at him for a moment. * * * Perhaps the Grand Duke¡¯s words were not empty words, and Mrs. Wald, who visited the next morning, spoke politely about the banquet. ¡°There is nothing special for Your Grace to be concerned about. We¡¯ll take care of that, so you can focus on your recovery by the weekend.¡± ¡°So be it.¡± Anne, who was sitting by the window, answered shortly. Anne¡¯s cloudy eyes stared blankly at the busy workers. She heard that it was the first banquet held by the Grand Duke since he took over the position of head, so it was the first time for today¡¯s attendees to meet the Grand Duke face to face. No, it was the first time that the gates of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle would be opened to outsiders in the first place. In the employee¡¯s bustling movement, Anne saw that their expressions were bright for the first time since she came here. Indeed, for the first time since she came, the Grand Duke¡¯s castle was engulfed in vibrancy. After breakfast, as she was walking down the hallway, she overheard the maid¡¯s strange voices over the stairs. Their chattering voices were exhilarating and they couldn¡¯t hide their joy. ¡°Are they finally opening the gates? Pinch my cheeks. I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Well, I never dreamed that in my lifetime, I would ever see the day the Grand Duke¡¯s castle held a party. Now it seems like a place where people could live.¡± The maids would usually keep their mouths shut. Now, they were engrossed in conversation, not even dreaming that the Grand Duchess was nearby. From the standpoint of those who served, preparing for a banquet would be difficult, but Anne later realized that not only the maids, but also the servants and knights in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle had brighter faces. It was strange. Why were they so happy? And what they said after that, made her feel a little puzzled. ¡°But it¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the date yet. Weren¡¯t there 30 years left? Is it because the new Madam has come?¡± ¡°Shh. Quiet. Did you forget the order not to speak recklessly about the madam?¡± While talking excitedly, they mentioned the Grand Duchess, and then suddenly shuddered and lowered the tone of their voices. As a result, Anne could no longer overhear their conversation. As she recalled their questionable conversation, Anne soon gave up on guessing what they were talking about. Now was not the time for her to pay attention to some maids¡¯ chatter. A shadow fell on Anne¡¯s face. For some reason, the Grand Duke yesterday did not satisfy his greed due to the banquet. His whims weren¡¯t welcome, but it was unexpected. Afterwards, she left the Grand Duke¡¯s office and hurriedly returned to her room, but Anne was disappointed by Emily¡¯s words as she had already disposed of the letter. She couldn¡¯t be more sorry for her own rashness. So, the plan to bury the marriage went completely over the water. Either give birth and leave neatly as promised, or leave after ruining the marriage in the hope that Libelois will pay it back as soon as possible. Otherwise . . . run away. There were three possible options, and she liked none of them. ¡°Madam, I brewed these fragrant hymon tea leaves today.¡± A cautious voice awakened Anne to reality. Anne looked at Marie, who came to her again. ¡°Really? Serve me some tea.¡± As she pushed the teacup, Marie carefully tilted the steaming teapot toward it. ¡°By the way, Marie, you come to my room every single day. Aren¡¯t you uncomfortable with me?¡± ¡°Well I . . . I like to spend time with Madam.¡± Anne held back her laughter. It seemed that this one had not yet heard of the conversation between the Grand Duke and Anne yesterday. ¡°But the Grand Duke comes to my room every night. When could he sleep with you?¡± CH 30.1 ¡°. . . Yes? Ah . . . I¡¯m sorry.¡± Panicking, Marie had tilted her hand, and hot tea had spilled over the rim of the teacup. Marie hurriedly wiped the table, issuing a series of apologies. Her fingertips were trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll bring another teacup.¡± Anne glanced at Marie, who was about to stand up while holding the cup of hot water, and spoke. ¡°You didn¡¯t end up saying that you¡¯re not a mistress with your own mouth.¡± Clink! At that moment, the teacup fell to the floor and shattered. Marie, standing still, saw at Anne¡¯s stern expression, and fell to the floor where the broken pieces were scattered. ¡°Ma . . . Madam, I . . . I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. . . I . . .¡± ¡°I know His Grace made you do that. By the way . . . I was comfortable around you because I wanted you to be like a younger sister, but it¡¯s disgusting when you deceive me with a smile.¡± Anne knew it too. The Grand Duke¡¯s arrows were shooting at the powerless Marie, under the pretext of receiving his orders. But today, when Marie smiled at her brightly, seeing that lying face, Anne couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Tears fell from Marie¡¯s eyes and dripped to the floor. ¡°For the time being, don¡¯t come to my room unless I order it.¡± Whether or not there was a faint scent of blood from the flesh cut from the sharp pieces, Anne didn¡¯t care. In the first place, all of these people were just the Grand Duke¡¯s pawns. She couldn¡¯t rely on them. * * * Five days later was the day of the banquet. Through the window, Anne stared indifferently at the carriages passing through the main gate. ¡°The vassals of the Cromund family are arriving one after another.¡± Mrs. Wald, who was checking the Grand Duchess¡¯s banquet dress for the last time, spoke carefully. ¡°How is Marie doing now?¡± She could feel the tension from the chief handmaid and the handmaids helping with Anne¡¯s headdress. ¡°Marie . . . is probably on probation in her room.¡± As if she had heard of all the circumstances, Marie was no longer mentioned with a title. ¡°Take it easy. I have no intentions of questioning the chief handmaid.¡± Anne got up from the chair and slowly gazed at her makeup reflected in the mirror. Everyone in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle had become one to deceive her. It was a given to call everyone and rebuke them, but the more she did it, the more likely she would be isolated here. This time, Anne would leave them as they are. However, a warning was necessary¡ª she did not intend to be seen as weak by her subordinates. ¡°It¡¯s just this once, there will be no second time. Next time something like this happens, you will be punished, so you will have to behave properly.¡± The air in the room, which had been fueled by excitement from the banquet, sank. ¡°I will keep that in mind, Your Grace.¡± ¡°From next week, tell Marie to attend me again.¡± With Mrs. Wald¡¯s trembling reply, Anne dismissed everyone except Emily. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve become very mature.¡± As Emily, who knew a bit about what had happened, spoke, Anne relaxed her rigid expression. ¡°Did I look like that? I had to change after you left.¡± After Emily, who had received a harsh beating on Anne¡¯s behalf, left, Anne had to live alone, swallowing her sorrow. By the time she realized that no one could be relied on but herself, she had learned to control herself well. That was Anne¡¯s way of life. ¡°But I am so happy that you have grown up so beautifully.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes were tinged with admiration, watching Anne¡¯s gold hair, which had been draped in a long braid on one side of her neck. Thanks to the elaborate make-up, Anne was able to cover her pale face. A dignified and gorgeous lady was in the mirror. But Anne did not admire it. This dress, too, would lose its shape and become torn fabric by the night. ¡°It¡¯s worth a look.¡± As soon as she remembered him, the heavy low-pitched sound came from behind her. Looking behind her, the Grand Duke was entering the room as her escort. The Grand Duke¡¯s gaze ran from the tip of Anne¡¯s head to her toes with great meticulousness. Even without expression on his face, she could tell that he was pleased with it. Maybe because she¡¯s been living with for quite a while. She could roughly understand his feelings now. ¡°. . . Is it to your liking?¡± ¡°I want to tear it apart.¡± A not-completely unexpected answer. Anne sighed and replied calmly. ¡°You . . . look different today.¡± He was wearing a black-blue robe with gold thread embroidery. The royal blue cravat, combined with his dark hair, showed off his handsome figure. CH 30.2 He had a good physique, and the hem of his trousers fit snugly, so he looked like he had been paying considerable attention to his clothing for some reason. He would only wear a shirt with a loose neck in the bedroom or even the office, so it felt strange when he wore a suit. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Disregarding her praise, the Grand Duke extended his straight arms to her. The blue cuffs neatly sewn on the sleeves fit stood out. Anne reluctantly placed her hand gently on his arm. After all, his attitude was quite different today. He was a little more tempered than usual, as he had only been overbearing and sharp before. I suppose it¡¯s because he¡®s going to meet other people. Anne guessed the reason for the change was the official banquet. Her lips trembled, finding it funny that he was thinking of playing an ordinary husband at a place where other people¡¯s eyes would be on them. ¡°You must be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°Not so bad.¡± ¡°I wonder why you feel good about it.¡± ¡°It is a place to introduce my beautiful wife to the vassals, so as a husband, naturally I¡¯ll feel good.¡± Beautiful wife. It was the first compliment she had ever heard from him, but it sounded sarcastic, far from being of delight. ¡°Who are the vassals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just people who want to go after unexpected profits. It¡¯s best not to have high expectations.¡± From what she heard, all of the vassal families were self-interested people not doing their job properly. So their credibility was low. On the other hand, the reputation of the Cromund family was the opposite. Due to the cold climate, the barren estates found it difficult to harvest proper crops. However, none of the residents of this territory went hungry nor did they live a difficult life because of thieves. The fact that they could lead fairly abundant lives even if they are not wealthy lies in the fact that the Cromund family worked hard. They procured grains from the warm southern regions on time and released them at a reasonable price, and instead of squeezing out the taxes, they lowered or reduced taxes according to the year¡¯s harvest. The fact that despite the huge loss and huge amount of money spent, the family didn¡¯t take any damage . . . the infinite wealth of the Grand Duke was astonishing. This was the reason why the loyalty of the citizens did not fade even though the lord never showed his face. It¡¯s a surprise. I don¡¯t see him as someone who takes care of others like that. As Anne walked along the Grand Duke, she glanced at him. He was especially cruel to her. She was suspicious of his reasoning. The castle¡¯s employees feared him, but it was just because they¡¯re terrified of his outward pressure. He didn¡¯t seem to actually beat anyone or behead people recklessly. In the end, the rumors that he was a cold-blooded person that were across the capital were false. But why was he so cruel to me? The more she pondered, the more suspicious she was. Also . . . Why did he bring her here? ¡°Why do you look like that today?¡± The Grand Duke, who was walking while staring straight ahead, exhaled abruptly. Anne realized that she had been staring at him too long. ¡°I want to know more about Your Grace.¡± Perhaps Anne¡¯s words were unexpected, the corners of his eyes, which had been calm, wrinkled slightly. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± His brows were wrinkled, but an unexpected light flashed through his eyes. They arrived at the banquet hall before realizing it. Considering the cold weather, the banquet hall was prepared indoors with the largest hall in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. As the heavy door opened, a chandelier light that was so intense that it was dazzling came pouring in. There were so many people in the hall that it was hard to believe that this was once a castle that had been immersed in silence. The interior of the castle, which was always dull, became splendid and grandiose than any other banquets she had ever been to thanks to the luxurious decorations and the fresh flowers. Outside the front glass window on one wall, everything was white with snow, but spring had come inside. The scene was bizarrely beautiful. ¡°I told them to decorate the greenhouse by bringing all the seeds of the flowers here now, so from now on, you will take care of it.¡± ¡°The greenhouse . . . Did Marie tell you about that?¡± ¡°Marie?¡± He raised and lowered the corners of his lips slightly. ¡°There is nothing I do not know about this castle. Whatever it is, whatever the wife tries to hide, everything comes into my ears.¡± ¡°I had no intentions of hiding.¡± It was too bland for a conversation between a true couple. However, the Grand Duke¡¯s tall appearance and Anne¡¯s beauty were seen by the nobles as a well-matched couple. As they entered, the sound of gasps erupted from here and there. The Grand Duke, exuding a masculine aura, immediately attracted the ladies¡¯ attention. Although they usually couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of him, they were more impressed by his well-thought-out attire and his muscular body. From the ladies already blushing, there were some who lost their dignity and couldn¡¯t close their mouths. In addition, Anne also stood out with her bright blonde hair over her white jade-like neckline. Contrary to their dry feelings, the sight of the two of them next to each other was enough to bless the eyes of those who attended this banquet. ¡°Nice to meet you, Grand Duke. I am Marquis Brussels.¡± A middle-aged man spoke first. CH 31.1 After that, a few gentlemen greeted him. The Grand Duke did his duty as a host by nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about you for a while because you rarely show your face. Were you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Since you guys are doing well, why should I show my face?¡± ¡°My late father often said that Your Grace¡¯s father was a very good looking person when he served Your Grace¡¯s father. But now I see it, all the Grand Duchy¡¯s blood leads to excellent beauty.¡± He chuckled as he brushed his mustache. The nobles standing in the back agreed and responded. As the Grand Duke said, their reaction was as if they had seen Daymond for the first time. Then, the attention that had been focused on the Grand Duke soon reached Anne. The piercing eyes scanned her as if searching for her. The gaze was unpleasant, but Anne only held a soft smile in place because she couldn¡¯t ruin her first impression. Most of them expressed favor, but there were some ladies who were gossiping with their mouths covered with fans. They knew for some reason why Anne had come here. No matter how far away it was from the capital, it was not unreasonable since this incident had been on the nobles¡¯ lips for a long time in the capital. ¡°I heard that Lord Libelois is a playboy. He touched His Grace¡¯s mistress, and instead of compensation, they sent Libelois¡¯ daughter . . . If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to show my face from embarrassment.¡± ¡°Still, she became the Grand Duchess. The Libelois is selling the Cromund family name here and there in the capital.¡± It was a story that caused a stir in the capital, so no one would not know about it, but it was unfair to Anne. As she came to the North for marriage, Anne¡¯s upright character was placed on the same line as that of her brother, Robert, the promiscuous man. As she closed her ears, the women continued to speak, believing that she was powerless to even question them. ¡°Oh. Can she hear us?¡± ¡°She can. Look at how she was lavishly decorated to be the Grand Duchess. What kind of place is the north? This isn¡¯t a place to indulge in pleasure like the capital city? Does she even know what the nobles have been protecting so far?¡± Northerners born and raised here were very proud and conservative. Although they did not openly reject the people of other regions, they could implicitly show antagonism. A woman from the capital city who appeared out of the blue would not look good in their eyes. In addition, due to the scandal related to her background, her image got even worse. How long do I have to listen to this? Despite her position as Grand Duchess, Anne wasn¡¯t sure if she had the power to break the atmosphere and rebuke them. As she struggled to gather her mind that it was not worth dealing with, an arm stretched out without hesitation gently wrapped around her shoulders. When Anne, who was shoulder to shoulder with the Grand Duke, glanced up at him, the Grand Duke let out a smile and spoke to the audience. ¡°Today is an event prepared to introduce Grand Duchess Angroanne Cromund. I¡¯m not the main character for today, but she is. So, if you came here with the intention of showing off to me, you better show it to the Grand Duchess.¡± As the solemnly decreed command cut through the wide hall, all the nobles¡¯ eyes turned to her. ¡°Your Grace is so beautiful, I don¡¯t know where to put my eyes.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t there rumors that the daughter of County Libelois is elegant and full of dignity?¡± A few quick-witted people who recognized the Grand Duke¡¯s intention as he formally introduced Anne, gave words of praise in time. It was a quick read that the favored figure had changed. The sight of the Grand Duke suddenly taking her side made Anne feel unfamiliar. No one has never been on her side in her entire life, and yet the first one to do so would be the distant Grand Duke. The Grand Duke gently caressed her back and brought his lips closer to her in a mysterious light. ¡°The wife hates me killing people. Is this to your liking?¡± She couldn¡¯t tell whether he was on her side or just being sarcastic, but Anne looked calm. She thought he would never introduce her since he didn¡¯t acknowledge her anyway, but her position had elevated thanks to him. The Grand Duke was the second most powerful person in the Empire, after the Emperor. He may not be active publicly, but his name itself was awe-inspiring. As he officially confirmed her position as Grand Duchess, it was clear how this would affect other nobles. For example, everyone who made eye contact, including those ladies who had been discussing her, had their eyes lowered in a hurry when Anne made eye contact with them. Seeing them changing their attitude, Anne mercilessly opened her eyes. Whether it was the capital or the North, humans were the same everywhere. They had an ugly habit of lowering their head¡ª infinitely subservient to the strong, and trying to bite off the weak. The world that was disgusting enough to make her sick was the nobility, and this place was just an extension of that. CH 31.2 I want to leave as soon as possible. Reminding her resolve in the bitter and disillusioned reality, she picked up the champagne that an attendant had just brought. As she drenched her throat with the glass, the door to the bustling banquet hall opened and she saw a man coming in, thumping his leather boots to the floor. ¡°. . .!?¡± Anne put the glass down as she suddenly felt her appetite dissipate. Her heart, which she had been trying to hold onto, was beating uncontrollably. The man striding in like a late-arriving main character was a face she could not forget or erase. Robert Libelois, her blood, the culprit whose fault has made her dismissed. Anne looked at the oversized jewel, which was tucked over his tailcoat with a frown. He might think he¡¯s cool, but he looked stupid rather than cool. ¡°Today¡¯s banquet, you invited . . . my brother?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to see him? I invited him for the Grand Duchess.¡± The Grand Duke, who was satisfied with the situation, smiled lightly, beckoned the attendant lightly, and Robert, who saw it, blinked his eyes stupidly. Robert, who wiped the snow with the back of his hand over and over again, looked very startled to see the Grand Duke being younger than he had expected, but he walked swiftly and greeted him. ¡°Greetings, Grand Duke Cromund. I am Robert Libelois. Thank you for inviting me.¡± ¡°Lord Libelois, I can finally see you now. I called because I thought I should see your face.¡± Meanwhile, the Grand Duke dismissed everyone around him with a gesture. Robert, who had expected to be introduced publicly, became surprised. But he wasn¡¯t the kind of guy who would be flustered by this. There were only a few people who could have a face-to-face conversation with the Grand Duke, and he was immersed in a sense of superiority, being one of the few. ¡°I did not know that the Grand Duke would be so young and of great spirit. The alliance with Cromund is a great blessing for our family.¡± ¡°Alliance.¡± The Grand Duke gave a light smirk and shrugged. Robert swallowed a gasp in the Grand Duke¡¯s face, which was quite the opposite of what he expected. When he looked closer, the Grand Duke was a man with a strong build that even he,himself as a man, had to look up. What¡¯s more, when the red eyes touched him languidly for a moment, he felt numb. Looking back on whether there was anything against the Grand Duke¡¯s heart, Robert soon realized what was the problem. ¡°Please forget all the unsavory things that happened in the past, as we had formed a bond through marriage, I will treat the Grand Duke with the utmost respect like an older brother.¡± ¡°Well, I never had an older brother. Nor anyone who touches what¡¯s mine so recklessly.¡± ¡°. . .¡± The Grand Duke brought a glass of wine to his mouth and murmured with a cold face. Taking a sip, he saw Robert standing awkwardly and slightly raised his lips. ¡°And don¡¯t you have more stories to share with the Grand Duchess than me?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m . . .¡± ¡°Brother, talk to me.¡± Anne, who had just seized the opportunity given by the Grand Duke, grabbed Robert¡¯s arm, who was trying to keep the conversation going. At that moment, Robert¡¯s eyes turned as if he had grasped Anne¡¯s existence. To his sister, who had interrupted him, he soon muttered with an annoyed face. ¡°You are rude, Angroanne. Did you not see I¡¯m busy talking with the Grand Duke right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll just be a moment. Your Grace, excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°You will need time to share the relationship between siblings.¡± With the Grand Duke¡¯s brief approval, Anne suppressed her anger and gave a strong glance. Soon, Robert rolled his nervous eyes and followed her. The two left the banquet hall and moved to the guest room. Robert saw a large sofa and laid down his large body. ¡°As expected, of the Grand Duke¡¯s carriage. I arrived in one day. If you tell the other nobles about this, they will faint.¡± Robert tampered with the soft side of the sofa, and he acted arrogantly as if he belonged. He even whistles, saying that she had a great castle, from where she came from. Her brother¡¯s face, humming as if it was his home, made Anne choke. ¡°I think you have been doing very well after sending me here.¡± ¡°Angroanne, you have become the Grand Duchess. Do you feel like thanking this brother now?¡± Even at the cynical words, he sarcastically skimmed over Anne¡¯s outfit. ¡°We¡¯re not even close, what the hell have you done? I know there was a monetary deal between His Grace and Father, so please tell me in detail.¡± This was the reason Anne wanted to speak with Robert separately. She thought that she would ask him about the background of the contract that they had as he was the self-proclaimed heir. Robert patted the table made of precious ivory, and raised his legs up on the table as if to show off. CH 32.1 ¡°It¡¯s . . . none of your business.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide it from me, Grand Duchess.¡± An annoyed gaze was evident in Robert¡¯s eyes as he watched Anne¡¯s face grow serious. Robert frowned. ¡°The mine acquisition business that Father started with determination this time . . . When I checked, the veins had already run out. Damn, those swindlers dare to play with Libelois. Even the creditors come to the house and make a fuss, would I have any other way?¡± ¡°How much work are you doing? Are you doing anything more than the existing business?¡± ¡°Besides that, we also bought a large trading company in the southern region, but the trading ship suddenly sank, causing some debt. All of a sudden, everything went awry . . . We tried to stop it, but suddenly things got difficult.¡± ¡°Ha . . . Therefore . . . You borrowed that much money from His Grace. How . . . such a foolish thing.¡± When Anne lamented the foolishness of her family, suddenly a smirk appeared on Robert¡¯s face. ¡°This is your fault. If you had acted wisely in the first place, Father wouldn¡¯t have sent a messenger to the Grand Duke in a hurry. He said that you ignored all the letters Father sent.¡± ¡°You are really proud of what you say when you were just stealing wealth. Still, you should have given a word.¡± Feeling her head hurting, Anne touched her forehead. Her eyes went dark just seeing this helpless family. Then, a fact flashed through her mind. It didn¡¯t take a day or two for the business that Libelois has been boasting to go bankrupt, so it wouldn¡¯t come all of a sudden. But, coincidentally, it was certainly strange that it all happened in an instant. It was disconcerting that the family¡¯s finances had all but collapsed in the mere month of her departure from Libelois. ¡°Then why did everything become so difficult suddenly?¡± ¡°After you left, people suddenly appeared here and there asking to invest. Damn, we looked all over the place to see if that was safe. Obviously there was no problem, but after we started the business or whatsoever, things suddenly went awry. They persuaded us to invest first, and then everyone came all at once and said they were trying to recover their investment.¡± ¡°It must have been because Father sold the Grand Duke¡¯s name first, so they were determined to aim at it.¡± ¡°The place Father talked about was not an investment meeting, but a social gathering. In the first place, Father only met upper-class nobles, not merchants like that.¡± As Robert said, Count Libelois was suspicious of people. He believed only in high-ranking nobles who were higher in rank than him. It meant that he was an idiot who gave money without stalling, but he wasn¡¯t a fool who snapped at every attractive offer. Upon hearing the situation, Anne got somewhat puzzled, but it was more urgent to reverse this transaction than that. ¡°So, how are you going to pay the money back? Have you come up with a solution?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. He¡¯s your husband, so why do I need to pay back right now?¡± ¡°If the marriage ends, there is even a penalty. Did Father sign it after seeing that clause?¡± ¡°Angroanne, you are speaking strangely. Why would you end the marriage? And think about it. If you give birth to an heir, he will tell you that you don¡¯t have to pay that amount.¡± At this point, Anne was enraged at Robert¡¯s carefree attitude. Even in this situation, the fact that his complexion was not gloomy at all meant that he had believed in something. ¡°That¡¯s not what I want.¡± Robert spread his legs wide and folded his arms in frustration. ¡°Whoo, that¡¯s your problem. You¡¯re going to continue to live as the Grand Duchess anyway, so what¡¯s the fuss if I just have to hold on until the heir is born? This will happen more often in the future, so prepare in advance. It¡¯s for the family.¡± ¡°As always . . . That again.¡± Anne could see the Count¡¯s face, possessed by the lust for power over Robert¡¯s face. Even his cloudy eyes, stained with filthy obsession, were the same. I was not wrong. The blue eyes slowly filled with tears. As always. Anne realized once again that she was a piece of the chessboard for the family¡¯s honor. Now, she was treated as a mare for the family. In an instant, the blood all over her body cooled. She couldn¡¯t stand it and shot her words out. ¡°Who said I would keep this marriage forever?¡± ¡°What?¡± Robert¡¯s facial muscles hardened at those words. Perhaps Robert suddenly felt anxious at the unusual look on Anne¡¯s face, so jumped up. ¡°Angroanne, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Brother asked me why would I end this marriage.¡± ¡°You . . . Are you trying to run away from here? When you only have your body. . . Are you going to tarnish the honor of your family by selling your body?¡± The roaring shout pierced Anne¡¯s ear like a sharpened sword. What can she do? This was something she heard all the time growing up, but it wasn¡¯t as blunt as usual. As if pierced by an invisible sword, a cold wind blew into her heart. CH 32.2 ¡°I can take care of myself too. I never ask for help from my family.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been looking only at books that you¡¯ve lost your mind. What will happen to our family if you leave . . .¡± ¡°Do you think I came here for you? For the family? No, it¡¯s for me. That family . . . I threw it away.¡± As she cut off his words and spat out the promises she had made with herself, Robert¡¯s face burned with anger. ¡°Such an ungrateful bitch!¡± Angered all the way to the top of his head, he raised his hand. Anne flinched as the man¡¯s large hand reached over her head, but she did not step back. She rather sticks out her right cheek, as if provoking Robert. ¡°Are you going to hit me again? Do I still look like a crying child trembling at Brother¡¯s hand? Even this hand of yours won¡¯t change my decision.¡± ¡°Ha . . . crazy bitch. You are completely out of your mind. How dare you talk about betraying your family in front of the heir of Libelois?¡± Cursing, Robert¡¯s face contorted in a strange way. Soon, his hand, lifted in mid-air, parted the cold air without hesitation. Just before Robert¡¯s ruthless palm touched Anne¡¯s face, Bang! Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from behind. A cold wind blew in through the open door, and Anne¡¯s hair flew in a mess. She hurriedly grabbed her hair and turned around, and the Grand Duke, with blood-red eyes flashing, was standing in front of the door. As the chilly silence descended, the sound of shoes hitting the marble floor resounded eerily. Robert, who later moved his hand, gathered his expression and bowed his head hurriedly. ¡°Your . . . Grace. What brings you all the way here?¡± ¡°Why are you making such a fuss?¡± A dark voice that transcended the atmoshpere sullenly broke through the room. His hard expression was similar to his usual one, but he seemed to be uncomfortable somewhere with a ferocious atmosphere. Like Anne, who read the unusual energy, Robert carefully looked at his eyes. ¡°What were you two talking about?¡± ¡°It was nothing. I was disciplining my sister because she didn¡¯t seem to understand a wife¡¯s duties.¡± ¡°Angroanne.¡± The Grand Duke, who had been staring at Robert the whole time, tilted his head and urged her to answer. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Anne swallowed a gulp as the red pupils terribly narrowed, and spoke the same like Robert¡¯s answer. The tip of the Grand Duke¡¯s red lips curled up and his jaw muscles hardened. ¡°It would be better to answer my question directly what kind of discipline it is.¡± It was then that Robert realized that things were going wrong. His face turned blue as he sensed that the Grand Duke dreadful energy was squeezing his neck. ¡°That is . . . a wife has to . . . be dealt with strictly, kugh . . .¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s thick hand, which reached out in an instant, grabbed Robert¡¯s neck tightly. The strong force was about to block the passageway through which Robert breathed, he tightened his grip, and at the same time, Robert¡¯s legs flailed in the air. It was unbelievable for a human being to be able to lift an adult male as it is. ¡°So . . . Did you dare lay those dirty hands on what¡¯s mine and in my house?¡± ¡°Kugh . . . Your . . . Grace . . .¡± A cold sweat ran down Robert¡¯s back as the Grand Duke¡¯s ferocious eyes seemed to be aiming for his heart. The predator-like eyes glared at him as if to devour him. The hairs all over his body stood up, and goosebumps ran up from the tip of his toes to his face. ¡°She said she didn¡¯t want me to kill, but . . . I can¡¯t help it.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice, implying that he wanted to kill Robert immediately, was dangerous. Anne held her breath at the sight unfolding before her eyes. She has seen him get angry a few times, but it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s seen him threatening someone¡¯s life like this. Anne, who instinctively realized that Robert¡¯s neck would be shattered if the Grand Duke just twisted his wrist a little, spoke up. ¡°That . . . It wasn¡¯t like that, but there was some misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Angroanne, you think I¡¯m a fool. Don¡¯t get involved if you don¡¯t intend to deceive me anymore.¡± Anne took hold of the Grand Duke¡¯s arm, wanting to stop him, but he insisted on her to not intervene without looking back. ¡°No matter how . . .¡± Anne wasn¡¯t strong enough to bear watching her brother¡¯s neck fall off in front of her eyes. She knew that if the Count lost his one and only heir, his eyes would turn to her and Anne would be in trouble. As Anne struggled to calm her expression, she chose her words carefully. ¡°Please stop your anger. Brother misunderstood for a moment because he thought he was in the Libelois mansion . . .¡± ¡°Ha . . . Did you do this in that house too?¡± CH 33.1 The words that were meant to stop Daymond had encouraged him instead. The hand that grabbed Robert¡¯s neck rose up to the ceiling. Robert¡¯s blue complexion as he struggled with his arms wrinkled with pain. ¡°I think he still doesn¡¯t know what kind of man your husband is. I think seeing blood interest will make this unpleasant feeling better . . .¡± ¡°That¡­ That was my brother¡¯s mistake. If you show your generosity, Brother will never forget this grace.¡± Anne continued to speak, but the Grand Duke did not loosen his hand. Seeing Robert groaning as if he was about to lose consciousness, Anne spoke out what she wanted without a second thought. ¡°I won¡¯t speak of ending the marriage for a while, so stop it now.¡± The Grand Duke then glanced at Anne, and released the strength from the hand that grabbed Robert¡¯s collar, which was drooping from the suffocation. Robert fell to the floor. Slumped down, his body drooped, and coughed as if he was about to vomit. ¡°The banquet is over. Don¡¯t ever think of coming to the North again. If I see you again, I will cut off your neck.¡± Robert, who still had a dazed face, looked at the long sword on the Grand Duke¡¯s waist and breathed bizarrely. Then he ran out of the room. Anne was left exhaling slightly. She could feel the Grand Duke¡¯s breath going in and out, as if his agitation had not waned. Anne, who wiped her chest that had been throbbing with tension, looked at him properly. The red pupils, which held a cold light, slowly returned to normal. * * * On the way back to the banquet hall, Ashton, who approached in a hurry, whispered in the Grand Duke¡¯s ear, and his mouth twisted nervously. ¡°I have a place to go to for a while, so go ahead and wait.¡± Without even looking at Anne¡¯s face properly, he followed his aide and walked away. Anne continued alone. ¡°In the end, the only option left is to give birth and leave here.¡± She didn¡¯t think the words that she had spat out in a rush to stop him really worked. In the end, Anne was forced to stay here, but there was no other option in the first place. ¡°By the way, why did he do that a while ago?¡± Anne was worried about his energy again, being so fierce until just before. It was the first time he showed such vivid emotions. He was often angry in the past, but his expression was still dignified and was rarely obvious. Perhaps it was an insult to the Grand Duchess, and was thus an insult to him, but she didn¡¯t expect such a violent reaction. After all, was it not his usual self that brought disgrace upon her in the first place? It may have been that he was immersed in his husband¡¯s role, as it was talk about the wife¡¯s duties. Anyway, it was a relief. If the Grand Duke had not arrived on time, she would have been hit in the face. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but frankly, she was slightly grateful. ¡°Are you trying to acknowledge me?¡± At this point, from officially introducing herself to standing by her side. Although they were just a couple on the surface, it was hard to guess the kindness of his hospitality, albeit it being a formality. If so, then he must have had a plan. As Anne, who shook her head, thinking of him as an infinitely capricious man, returned to the banquet hall. The awkward atmosphere had disappeared a lot more than when she started. The long-awaited banquet had changed to a bustle of dancing and drinking as many northerners who were friendly to each other gathered. Robert, who was confused and ran away, was nowhere to be seen. I don¡¯t think this is going to cause trouble. Still, the scene where the arrogant Robert ran away made her feel refreshed. She tried to stop the Grand Duke who was trying to take Robert¡¯s breathing away, but it was only a moral act, and it was quite worth seeing Robert¡¯s face, which had reigned over her since childhood, distorted with fear. It was enough to look forward to. The Grand Duke, who she was not very close to, disappeared. Her position quickly became awkward. She saw some ladies wandering around wanting to talk, but she deliberately ignored them and pretended she didn¡¯t see them. She stared blankly at the opposite door with a bored face, and this time she saw familiar faces. ¡°. . . Were they invited?¡± It seemed that the Grand Duke had been so considerate of his arrangements that it made her laugh. It was Lady Sienna Pellimont who handed the shawl over her shoulder to the attendant, brushing the snow that had fallen on her shoulder, and the man was her former fiancee, Salton Whitmore. Seeing the two people coming straight towards her, Anne got up, feeling very tired. Now that the Grand Duke was absent, she was the one who should welcome the guests, so she had to fulfill her responsibilities. CH 33.2 ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lady Libelois. No, I should call you Mrs. Cromund.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you two would come all the way to the North.¡± ¡°The Grand Duke personally invited me. He said he would congratulate us on our engagement.¡± Siena¡¯s luscious red lips fluttered like a snake. Salton, who had stood by her side, bowed his head in accordance with the etiquette. ¡°Long time no see. Miss Angroanne.¡± ¡°Oh, Sir Salton. You need to correct her title.¡± Sienna smirked, as if she didn¡¯t like Anne¡¯s intimate call. ¡°Welcome. You have come a long way, so I hope you have a good time.¡± ¡°Where is the Grand Duke? I need to pay my respects. Does he have to stay in bed because he¡¯s old? Then I¡¯ll have to go there and greet him.¡± She only wanted to greet, but that cheerful voice full of laughter was mocking Anne. Anne gently raised her lips. ¡°Do you . . . Really want to?¡± ¡°He invited me all the way to the north, so it is not polite to not give my greetings. Could you introduce us?¡± Seeing Sienna¡¯s victorious expression, Anne smirked. For first timers visiting the North, they did not know the Grand Duke¡¯s age. Sienna wanted to say that Anne had taken the name Grand Duchess from a dying old man. ¡°I will let him know that you have come. By the way . . . He is a very scary man, so you have to be careful not to touch his heart.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I am well aware of etiquette toward the elderly.¡± Anne had been experiencing this for a long time as conversations in the capital¡¯s social circles flowed in this way. As he quietly watched the conversation between the women, Salton turned to Anne. There was a hint of affection in his soft, dark brown eyes. At the same time, the music was changing to a soft accompaniment song. ¡°Would you like to dance a song with me?¡± At that question, Anne blinked hard. Sienna rolled her eyes openly at Salton, but he held out his hand regardless. It wasn¡¯t strange for her to dance as Anne was the host, but Anne pondered for a moment if she dared to dance with Salton in front of Sienna. But, she accepted, because it wasn¡¯t bad for her to talk to him. ¡°I will.¡± * * * The Grand Duke, who was sitting on the top seat, languidly raised his eyelids. After the meeting between the feuding brother and sister, Daymond set out to find them, and unintentionally overheard their conversation. Leaning against the half-open parlor door, he heard was something he had never realized before. The traces of the corporal punishment that Anne had hinted unconsciously came to his ears. I knew that the Count raised his hand arbitrarily the day she came to the North, but has she been dealing with this since she was young? It was Daymond¡¯s daily routine to trample on Anne and treat her with force, but he was also not as heartless as a stone statue. He gave her bitterness, but only he could do so. It was when he saw Anne¡¯s face in a form he had never seen through the door, that made him react. The only expressions he had ever seen on her was perseverance through tears, but there was a bleak depth of sorrow on her white face. A woman who was as dry as firewood on an open fire, was revealing her feelings. He felt strange when he saw the woman, who had been stubbornly holding on with such an ignorant face, shedding tears over such a thing. When he came to his senses along with the sound of a bang, the wooden door had completely lost its place. Did I become soft? He was bewildered that his sudden action got him involved in a useless matter. Why was he so angry that he wanted to kill Robert? Whatever happened between Robert and the Grand Duchess, Daymond did not have to care. Even if Anne was in the right, what he should have shown was a completely indifferent attitude. Daymond wanted Anne to be unhappy here. He wanted to give her the same sense of helplessness that the marriage was ultimately her hell. He was going to let her know that inviting Robert in the first place is also useless if she was to try to dig up information . . . But, what was this situation now? In the end, he ended up helping her. That he was emotionally agitated and stood by the woman . . . The aftermath it brought annoyed him. You unsightly man. Did you want to be a good husband? He ridiculed himself on the inside. Had he known this would happen, he would not have called Robert. Daymond voluntarily passed all the excuses about Robert to Anne, who was nothing more than one of his belongings. He was the cause, but he didn¡¯t change anything. CH 34.1 ¡°Your Grace, are you with us?¡± The Marquis asked if he had seen that the Grand Duke was immersed in other thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t know if a report has been made, but we are completely behind. If we do not find the right solution quickly . . .¡± ¡°Last year, didn¡¯t they move as well . . . Why are you fussing over this every year?¡± When the Grand Duke raised an eyebrow, the vassals trembled at pressure the Grand Duke, who was younger than their son, exuded. They had heard till their ears grew calluses from their ancestors that facing the Cromund bloodline would lead to an inexplicable fear. And today, they were fully experiencing what their ancestors had said. Among them, the Marquis, who had been trained by age, gradually opened his mouth. ¡°As I said, the number of monsters increased significantly while Your Grace was living in the castle. We lost a lot of troops last year. If you could spare us a little . . .¡± ¡°Haa . . .¡± The Grand Duke made a whistling sound. ¡°You have to speak properly. I have delivered supplies to you every winter . . . Was my memory distorted?¡± In the North every winter, regular subjugation of monsters was conducted. This was a deal made between the Imperial family and the ancestors of the Cromund. As they dealt with the monsters that could be a threat to the capital, they were recognized for their merits for the stability of the empire, and the benefits the Grand Duchy and the North received were power and fame that even the Emperor could not treat them lightly. Marquis Brussels looked perplexed following the Grand Duke¡¯s cool sigh. ¡°But this winter has been unprecedentedly cold. Most of the materials were also frozen in the cold and became useless or thrown away without being used.¡± ¡°Therefore . . . What exactly do you want me to do?¡± ¡°I request that Your Grace and the Grand Duchy¡¯s knights also participate in this subjugation.¡± ¡°I should also participate . . .?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s lips twitched. He only thought to support them with troops and supplies, but they responded that it was not enough. At that moment, a young nobleman sitting in the farthest seat suddenly interrupted. ¡°The monsters cannot use much power in front of those who inherited the Grand Duchy¡¯s lineage . . . I heard that.¡± ¡°A nobleman believes in absurd and vain words.¡± The Grand Duke openly clicked his tongue. The nobleman, who had been dismissed, turned red with embarrassment. When he brought out his words, it too sounded vain. ¡°If you participate directly, the soldiers¡¯ morale will increase and so will their loyalty.¡± ¡°Then . . . You are saying I should empty this castle.¡± The Grand Duke replied as if he knew it, and looked out the window. The large falling snowflakes were blocking the view. It was so quiet that people wouldn¡¯t even notice it until they turned their heads. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°It usually lasts throughout the winter, but if Your Grace acts, it will be finished within three months.¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t leave the castle for so long.¡± ¡°Is there any other reason to protect the castle?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s face hardened. There was no reason. He just didn¡¯t feel like leaving this place. More precisely, he just didn¡¯t want to leave Anne here alone. If she ran away while he wasn¡¯t there . . . Even a premonition of some kind struck him with uneasiness. She wouldn¡¯t break the deal, but he himself couldn¡¯t understand his heart. ¡°Anyway, I have no intention of leaving this place for such a long time.¡± The Marquis expressed his displeasure after seeing the Grand Duke who kept his strong will. But he could not return empty-handed after he had come this far. The Marquis did not lose and offered a compromise. ¡°Then . . . How about a month? If we fail, they will come down here.¡± The Grand Duke thought for a moment. The possibility was slim, but if all of the troops were annihilated, it was only a matter of time before they could get here. If that happens, he himself wouldn¡¯t experience any harm, but she was a human being so weak that she could die clumsily if he looked away for a moment. A cold sigh escaped the Grand Duke¡¯s lips. ¡°I will finish everything within two weeks. That¡¯s the limit for me to accept your suggestions.¡± Two weeks was impossible. The destined border area was the Sylbur Mountains. It could be reached in half a day by horseback, but it would take a week just to move supplies and troops. It would take a whole day just to gather all the available people. However, they knew that it would be difficult to break the Grand Duke¡¯s stubbornness, so there was no reason not to follow his will. ¡°This is over now. The schedule will be announced through my aide.¡± When the Grand Duke had finished speaking, he stood up, and the vassals, who were compelled to say that they were satisfied with this, followed the Grand Duke. CH 34.2 As soon as he returned alone, he headed straight to the place where Anne was sitting, but there was a strange woman sitting there. His eyes scanned the hall and stopped when he saw Anne dancing with a stranger in the center. ¡°They have arrived.¡± ¡°I have eyes too.¡± Annoyed at Ashton¡¯s words, the Grand Duke sat down, watching them, and Sienna, who was opposite him, saw him and widened her eyes. Who is it? She spied on the man, forgetting that it was rude of her to do so. The northern man¡¯s large physique was like a statue made of thick lines, but his appearance was so beautiful that it was hard to take her eyes off it. She was fastidious in the social world, so just by looking at the clothes the man was wearing, she knew he was a man of quite a high rank. Are you a northern nobleman? The man was staring intently somewhere. Sienna tilted her head after she found out that the end of the gaze was Angroanne. The man who had not even looked at Sienna while lost in thoughts, perhaps of the woman who had been taken by her long-distance former lover without her old husband¡¯s knowledge, suddenly turned to look at Sienna. Standing behind the man, a well-groomed, blue-haired man with blue hair spoke politely. ¡°This is Daymond Cromund, the owner of this castle.¡± Sienna took a short breath. It¡¯s the Grand Duke. She heard that he was an old man who looked like a dying corpse, but he¡¯s actually a handsome man? Did you become the wife of a man like this? The smile on Sienna¡¯s face was swept away. A fever rose at how Angroanne had seen her, after she ridiculed her about how it felt to be embraced by an old man a while ago. But the man was said to have a mistress, so there was absolutely no way the two of them would get along. She put the most confident smile on her face. ¡°Your Grace, thank you for inviting me to this wonderful banquet.¡± ¡°Lady Pelimont?¡± When the Grand Duke asked in a low voice, Sienna¡¯s cheeks bloomed. Her heart fluttered just by him calling her name with a pleasant low-pitched tone. ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°You want to come and say thank you for being invited despite the circumstances.¡± ¡°. . . Excuse me?¡± Sienna¡¯s eyelids went up stupidly. She had a dumb face, trying to understand if she had heard right, but only a rude tone that she would never expect to come out of the mouth of such a handsome man was heard. Even with her full smile, the man¡¯s mood did not change softly, but rather became colder. ¡°Is it a characteristic of people in your family to be annoying? If you are invited, eat and drink quietly then go away.¡± Sienna was unfortunately in front of the displeased Grand Duke, so she had to listen to his blade-like words. While Sienna frowned in shock, the Grand Duke¡¯s gaze turned back to the two dancing people, moving close to each other. The man¡¯s hand touching Anne¡¯s back and waist was very annoying. In the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, they may look like lovers who danced happily while reminiscing the memories of the past, but the reality was different. Without knowing that the castle¡¯s owner was watching, Anne danced with Salton twice in succession and asked about the capital. ¡°I heard that Count Libelois often said things from time to time. Like he was being promoted to Duke soon.¡± ¡°I understand. He is such a person.¡± It was not enough that she can¡¯t get rid of her regrets after they¡¯ve been brutally tricked by fraudsters, but they were talking around too. As expected. Anne let out a long sigh at the fact that the Count had no intention of repaying the money. She expected that to some extent, but when she heard it through Salton¡¯s mouth, it became even more bitter. After the dance, Anne left the hall, asked to go to the lounge. As she slowly walked down the quiet hallway, someone grabbed her wrist and turned her around. The Grand Duke, who had been following her, grabbed Anne¡¯s thin wrist and dragged her, and began to walk. ¡°Ack . . . Please wait. We¡¯re still having the banquet, where are you going? The guests . . .¡± When she asked her husband, who was dragging her, the Grand Duke stood still and turned his head. His eyes, which she had thought had softened a little earlier, flashed terribly. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to be able to listen when I told you to wait, did you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I definitely told you to wait until I get back.¡± ¡°That . . . I didn¡¯t think it was that important.¡± He told her to wait until he came back, but he was displeased because she went absent for a while. As if she had violated some divine order. ¡°The way you look at him was spectacular. Did you enjoy it so much? To the point where you want to run and hold his hands and whisper?¡± In front of him, who had a hard expression, he witnessed Anne wearing a smile throughout meeting her ex-fiance. The fact that she had fun with her ex-fiance made him feel uncomfortable. It was only a few hours ago she showed tears in front of Robert. He was offended by that look, but he didn¡¯t like her smile this time either. In conclusion, it was not a problem for Anne to cry or smile. The reason was that it wasn¡¯t he who caused it. CH 35.1 unedited ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. Do you ignore people¡¯s sincerity just to show off to me?¡± His eyes were furious. It was the second time that his feelings had been made so obvious that day. ¡°Tell me. Why is he here?¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? You invited him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t invite him!¡± Anne¡¯s head twitched. She was sure the Grand Duke had invited her ex-fiance to mess with her, but turns out that¡¯s not the case. Anne, who swallowed a gulp, looked up at him and answered. ¡°Then he must have come to see Your Grace.¡± ¡°No. He must have come to see you. You must¡¯ve sent him a letter telling him to come.¡± The words were forced out from between the Grand Duke¡¯s gritted teeth. Whether it was his invitation or not, he was horrified by this conjecture, blaming Salton¡¯s appearance on her. Anne didn¡¯t want to lose to the Grand Duke in this argument and countered him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was thinking. And we only danced once for a while.¡± ¡°Right. With your ex-fiance. In front of your husband.¡± The red eyes that looked fiery were narrowing sharply. Suddenly, a terrifying coolness poured from him. Anne¡¯s shoulders shrugged. When he showed these eyes, she knew what he would do next. He stretched out his arms as he unraveled the cravat painstakingly tied up by the attendant for the banquet. In an instant, Anne¡¯s body was pushed back. As Anne sat on the railing of the stairway, the Grand Duke gripped her chin tightly. ¡°The way you look at your fiance is different from when you look at me.¡± ¡°Huh . . . That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t treat women this way.¡± Anne, who had been biting her lips for a long time, managed to accept it calmly, so the Grand Duke sullenly frowned. He was possessed by a strange feeling. If he had to find a word that could be defined, it was jealousy. ¡°He must¡¯ve been quite a gentleman to you, does he? You must be upset and regret marrying a bastard like me.¡± The Grand Duke dropped his gaze. His fingers razor-sharp on his white hands were rubbing the bare skin on her shoulder blades. The man¡¯s body fell on the slim neckline, and the man¡¯s legs pressed against Anne¡¯s slender lower body. It was his impression of seeing them dancing together. He was on the verge of rolling his eyes in anger and didn¡¯t even realize it. The only person who could take Anne¡¯s flesh was him, her husband. He tucked his waist between her two naked legs. Because of this, Anne¡¯s upper body, which was half rested on the railing, wobbled slightly about to fall back. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Put me down!¡± She was on the second floor with no place to support her back. Anne¡¯s complexion grew white as even a slight push could drop her to the first floor and cause serious injuries. ¡°I have to do it now.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? Must you do crazy things on a day like today?¡± Anne, raising her eyebrows, glanced at the door on either side. Although there is no one now, this place was an open place where the attendants could come in and out, or the guests of the banquet hall could come out saying they wanted to look around. ¡°This is my home. If anyone did see, they would cover their eyes.¡± As he said, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if someone watched the couple¡¯s love affair. It was not against the law, nor was it condemned because they were having a relationship in their own space. Rather, the eyewitness would have turned their face away, pretending not to have seen it. But Anne¡¯s face was not thick enough to let this happen. ¡°But if you¡¯re going to do it, I¡¯d rather go to my room . . .¡± ¡°What is it about a husband and wife to make love?¡± The Grand Duke, who was speechless at Anne¡¯s refusal, saw the fine tooth biting her lower lip, stretched out his thumb, and rubbed Anne¡¯s lips. ¡°Are you out of words? Why don¡¯t you just scream, so the humans inside can hear it?¡± Hearing such a question, Anne felt that she was about to explode. Any hope that he had become an ordinary husband quickly dissipated. ¡°I knew it.¡± As Anne couldn¡¯t answer, the scornful Grand Duke roughly pulled her toward him. Her focused face was crushed by the dark wine-colored ruffles, her breath choked by the muscles that were strong enough to be felt through the cloth. At that moment, both of her knees hovered in the air. Her upper body, losing her focus, trembled precariously as her raised legs slid across the inside of the Grand Duke¡¯s folded arms. Anne hurriedly grabbed at his collar, in fear that she might fall backward. ¡°I¡¯ll fall. Please stop.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, hold on tight.¡± The Grand Duke spoke so that she would hold him by the neck, but Anne stubbornly held his collar tightly. Meanwhile, her skirt was lifted by a vicious hand and the Grand Duke¡¯s hot flesh touched her opening. Every time he nudged her secret place with his hot penis, the hole opened shamelessly to receive him. CH 35.2 The Grand Duke¡¯s lips twisted as he looked down at the crimson-colored puckered hole between her immaculate thighs. ¡°Are you worrying about other people¡¯s eyes while you¡¯re like this?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice only provoked her sense of shame, so Anne bit her lip helplessly. She hated this situation, but her body was so used to it. It was hotter just by being close to him. Just as she was about to say something, something heavy slammed inside her. ¡°Hu-uh, hah.¡± Even though she clamped her mouth shut, the suppressed moan still leaked out. The object of an unbearable size gave an overwhelming feeling in this way every time. The heavy object moved hotly within her, and their joint part burned with a sense of harmony. ¡°Every time my cock is inside you, you have to make sure you know who you belong to. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s spreading your legs right now.¡± Every time his hard pubic bone tapped against Anne¡¯s groin, the thick penis slid between the thighs soaked with liquid and disappeared inside. The tangled flesh twitched, and she devoured him with a tight bite. Anne¡¯s blue eyes rolled wildly. No one was there, but she wasn¡¯t relieved because it was such an open space. He didn¡¯t move slowly, perhaps even reading Anne¡¯s heart that wished he would finish sooner rather than later. He clenched her thin waist tightly and slammed his groin towards her, moving his waist quickly. Every time the Grand Duke thrusted, she was startled by the feeling that even her inner walls were being dragged by something so big that it immediately throbbed deeply. Slam! Slam! Anne¡¯s upper body trembled precariously along with the sound of the wet skin rubbing against each other. As the stinging stimulation vigorously rubbed her inner walls, Anne grabbed the Grand Duke¡¯s shirt with trembling hands and clinged to him in order to not fall. ¡°Your mouth says you don¡¯t like it, but you¡¯re so excited and eating my cock. It¡¯s like you¡¯re in heat.¡± Looking at the eyes as clear as a blue lake, the Grand Duke¡¯s stomach twisted even more. Her slightly open pink lips were so red that he wanted to swallow and chew them. Her tongue . . . he wanted to eat the little pink flesh. He knew that the bite would be sweeter than any other fruit. On the day of the masquerade, her sounds were enough to cause him to lose his mind. The reason he hasn¡¯t tasted her lips until now was to prevent his heart from softening in any way . . . But as soon as he remembered that she would be entangled with that man, fearful jealousy devoured his mind. The color of the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, filled with desire, grew deeper. The Grand Duke, who grabbed Anne¡¯s droopy chin on his chest and turned it toward him, swallowed her lips as she let out a thin breath. ¡°Hu-uh . . .¡± Anne, startled, twisted her head when the Grand Duke, who had never kissed her, suddenly devoured her lips. The Grand Duke then pressed hard on the tip of Anne¡¯s chin and forced her to open her mouth. ¡°Open it properly. Unless you want to take my dick again.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice was real. It wasn¡¯t something he just said for no reason. Previously, he had put his thing in her mouth and she fell ill. Eventually Anne slowly opened her lips. The Grand Duke¡¯s blood-red lips overlapped hers, as if swallowing her whole. He let out a small groan as he opened her teeth and ran through her most delicate parts. ¡°Hu-uh . . , huh. Heuh.¡± The Grand Duke, who had been tangling with sticky saliva, moved his hand to the back of her head and thurst his tongue in. The more he attacked her tongue, the further Anne was dragged away. Anne panted, her breaths tight as the Grand Duke devoured her without a break. While the two tongues were entangled in a tight space, his thick, hard genitals were pounding against her inner wall and churning it into a mess. ¡°Huh. Huh.¡± Unable to bear it anymore, Anne grabbed his collar. The Grand Duke, who had been biting and sucking her lips for a long time, finally lifted his face. The Grand Duke¡¯s lips made twisted corners and curved up. He had enjoyed it so much that he wanted to bite those red, swollen lips again. It felt like the anger that had simmered a little while ago had gone away. As Anne struggled to exhale her choked breath, her dress loosened as the ribbon on her back was untied by the Grand Duke¡¯s hand. ¡°Wa . . . wait . . . Don¡¯t touch . . . my chest.¡± It was meaningless to say that he should not take off her top while her bottom was fully revealed, but unlike her lower body, which could only be seen through the voluminous skirt, her upper body would look more naked. Ironically, he didn¡¯t seem to want to get rid of the people¡¯s eyes. As the cloth near the neckline fabric was dragged down under the open shoulder sleeve, one swollen breast popped out. The nipples, which were exceptionally pink on the milky skin, rose cutely with excitement. As he twisted the soft apex, the nipples swelled up. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re swollen here too, you seem to like my body more and more.¡± CH 36.1 His pillar scratched the inner walls of her vagina incessantly, the impact of flesh on flesh creating lewd sounds. The Grand Duke pressed against the swollen clitoris, making his movements feel even more intense. Every time the blunt tip pressed the apex, a slimy liquid flowed from the moist opening. She really hated it, but her body would not cooperate with her thoughts. Her body, swallowing his, couldn¡¯t be more opposed to her mind. ¡°Ha-uh . . . hah . . . Slow down . . .¡± ¡°Your body is more honest than your face. Your ¡®mouth¡¯ always opens lustfully for me.¡± The Grand Duke grabbed her tighter. With each deep thrust, the soft walls clung to him. As soon he had stirred the inner walls, he would pull out his taut penis before shoving it back in, hard. ¡°Ha-uh! Ha-ah.¡± Every time the Grand Duke drove into her wildly, the irresistible sensations rode up her body at will. Anne¡¯s breath trembled irregularly as the shivering sensation in her spine and the contrasting sensations of her heart bursting occurred one after another. All the while, the Grand Duke, who had fixed his gaze on Anne¡¯s half-closed eyes, crushed her large breasts with his large hands, which rocked in time with his thrusting. Anne¡¯s twitching belly trembled as he rubbed her soft flesh like kneading a dough. He opened his mouth, pinching her nipples raised taut by the excitement. ¡°Did you like to be seen? It¡¯s been a long time, so you got very excited¡­.¡± ¡°Haa. Absolutely, hunt, it is not¡­ Huhng.¡± Every time the dark-red soaked flesh moved in and out, the watery lascivious sound struck her eardrums. If their connected parts were to separate even a little, the sticky liquid dripped to the floor, and when the connected parts collided violently, the clear liquid splashed to the Grand Duke¡¯s well-shaped abs. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know this face. What a pity for him.¡± ¡°Ha-ugh¡­. please¡­ hahng.¡± He shoved his hard penis into the muddy(?)/drenched (they both mean different, what¡¯s the synonym for muddy? murky?) hole. The more he thrusted into her, the more desperate her hand grabbed her collar, the more overcome he was with a strange satisfaction. The love liquid that poured out along with the never-stopping insertions could not flow anymore, and a white bubble was formed instead. As he stretched his long fingers into her chest and rubbed it, she let out rough breaths against her tightly contracting inner walls. ¡°Huugh¡­huht¡­.¡± Her two legs that were draped over the Grand Duke¡¯s arms swung non-stop up and down in the air like a dance. It was not only the body that shook dizzyingly, but so do the gasping breaths. Her body¡¯s every nook and cranny was tingling. As her climax approached, Anne became even more terrified. To the end, she was dragged by him. But in this appearance now doesn¡¯t it look like she was the one who felt more pleasure, and she was moving her waist lewdly. Her eyes fluttered incessantly as she scanned the surroundings. Obviously, she should hate the Grand Duke who makes such a reckless request to have sex and speaks vulgar language, but Anne was feeling excited even though she hated it. The moment his thick pillar pierced her, Anne¡¯s upper body wobbled back. She thought she was going to fall back, but fortunately a hard hand caught her back in time to avoid falling. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to fall from here, grab my neck.¡± The cold voice rubbed against Anne¡¯s earlobe. Anne lost her reason and looped her arms around his neck. And, devoured by her pleasure, she moaned hotly in this room, where the banquet was in full swing next door. Her worries that if someone came in through the door and would see the promiscuous mating with the bare legs of a woman protruding from the side of a strong man¡¯s waist, had long since disappeared. ¡°Aht! Haht! Haahng¡­ hnngh¡­.¡± With a hazy mind, Anne exhaled an exhilarating breath and moan. The thrilling pleasure made her lose her reason. All her peak sensations were being rubbed so she thought she was going to die. The moment the hot lips licked her earlobe, a tingling excitement enveloped her whole body. All of a sudden, her consciousness melted away, forgetting that she had to suppress her voice and hide it. She hooked her legs around his back and moved her back too. The Grand Duke gripped Anne¡¯s pelvis tightly and slammed her inside. As he climaxed, the clinging flesh rubbed his glans as much as it could, and the vaginal walls poured out the liquid. ¡°Remember. Even your body and mind belong to me.¡± Said the Grand Duke, who pulled out his drenched penis. Anne couldn¡¯t say a word even when a significant amount of semen flowed down her thighs to the stair railing. As she reached her climax with the heavenly pleasures, her body was so exhausted that she could not even utter a single word. ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­.¡± Anne staggered as big tears dropped down. She was afraid that she might fall back, and her legs trembled uncontrollably as she gave it so much power. It was her action that came out of her suspicion that he might let go of his hand, even though she knew his hand was supporting her back. The Grand Duke stared at the woman who was about to collapse, with dry eyes. As he pierced through Anne¡¯s body, he felt his anger gradually subside. It wasn¡¯t just for the bodily pleasures. It came from the satisfaction in owning her completely. ¡°You don¡¯t have to return to the banquet again. You¡¯ll have to wash my semen anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Anne looked up coldly at the Grand Duke, feeling the discomfort of the hot liquid flowing down her thighs. Her tears blurred her vision and his face appeared blurry. Anne clasped her hand against the railing and struggled to move her steps. Tears fell over the insulting affair. She was momentarily caught off guard by his favor. His whims will never improve or change. False expectations had to be nipped in the bud. CH 36.2 The banquet was only for one day, but due to the nature of the northern season, rooms were provided for the guests. Sienna and Salton were also guided to the distinguished room in the main building. After breakfast, Anne¡¯s eyes crossed the hallway and saw Salton walking from the other side. Anne¡¯s feet stopped. It was because her mind recalled vividly the memory of the Grand Duke, who had been ferocious when he mentioned Salton yesterday. Salton, not knowing her thoughts, stopped in front of Anne and smiled brightly. Neatly combed brown hair exuded a warm atmosphere like grain before harvest. The warmth reminded him even more that he was not a match for the North. ¡°Good morning. I have a meeting with the Grand Duke and I¡¯m on my way . . . But I still have time, so how about a cup of tea?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Anne hesitated for a moment. Hesitation arose because the Grand Duke was so angry even though they were just dancing. She couldn¡¯t give an answer because she didn¡¯t know what else to say, so Salton spoke again. ¡°It will only take a little while.¡± ¡°. . . Yes, of course.¡± Conflicted, Anne eventually accepted his request. Even if the Grand Duke later got angry over Salton, she couldn¡¯t continue locking herself in the room because she was scared. Even if it was light tea, the weather did not allow them to be at leisure in the garden, so they decided to have a conversation in the guest room of the main building. ¡°What of Miss Sienna?¡± ¡°Lady Pellimont said she was not feeling well, so she would rest in her room.¡± As Anne asked about his party, Salton responded kindly and took a seat. ¡°That¡¯s too bad, I¡¯ll send a doctor.¡± It¡¯s not good news for an invited guest to fall ill after the banquet, so Salton waved his hand at the suggestion. ¡°Even so, when I asked if I should call a doctor, the Lady refused. She said she would be fine if she rested for a while.¡± ¡°Yes. If she feels worse, please let me know.¡± There wasn¡¯t really a need to worry about her. But even so, if Sienna Pellimot visited the Grand Duchy and became seriously ill, people would talk. While the usual greetings were being exchanged, the maid served pelone flower tea and refreshments to accompany it. Anne took one of the dried fruits, put it in her mouth and hummed a little, and Salton looked at it for a moment and then grinned. ¡°Miss Angroanne still eats little.¡± ¡°If I ate even a little more, I would be severely scolded by Mother. This habit has yet to be erased.¡± ¡°Countess Libelois is a strict woman . . .¡± Salton, who had been Anne¡¯s fiance for a year, recalled some of his memories. The Countess was a lady who took care of her daughter with care in the public eye, but he also witnessed her stern voice several times in private. It was when he stayed in the County for over a week to see his fiance. As he returned from his absence for a while, what he saw was the Countess, who raised her voice, saying, ¡°What should I do with such a gluttonous woman?¡± Astonished, he had stepped on a branch on the ground to let his presence be known. The Countess, after seeing Salton, quickly left.. ¡°The only things on the table at the time were a few dried fruits and a fruit sherbet.¡± ¡°My mother believed that a woman should take care of herself unconditionally, so she was dissatisfied with even that.¡± ¡°You know what I was thinking back then? I thought that we should get married one day sooner and take you away from there.¡± ¡°You thought about it? I am grateful for your thoughts alone.¡± Anne laughed out loud at his pointless words. It would have been better if the marriage had been hastened then. Then she would be smiling as she was now while facing him. A future that could never exist. It was futile to recall the days with her ex-fiance when she had married another man, but it tasted bitter when she compared him to the Grand Duke. Thinking of his cold reaction yesterday made her sick to the stomach. She wanted to leave after giving birth to a child, so she had to be indifferent, but she didn¡¯t know why she gave meaning to each of his actions. As though she had expectations. Dried yellow pelone petals bloomed slowly in the teacup. The subtle scent permeated the tip of her nose, but if she drank it now, she could only feel the bitter taste and had to wait a little longer. Anne thought that her relationship with the Grand Duke was no different. Just like she had to wait for the bitterness to go away, her relationship with him would also take time. As Anne¡¯s smile ended, Salton copied her, lifting the teacup and opening his mouth. ¡°Actually . . . I never thought I would be here.¡± CH 37.1 He spoke with a somewhat confused expression. ¡°A few days ago, Lady Pellimont suddenly asked if I would like to attend a banquet at the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. I agreed. I had a chance to meet His Grace, and most of all, I wanted to see if Miss Angroanne was doing well.¡± ¡°I see. As I said yesterday . . . I¡¯m doing well here, so there is no need to worry.¡± Salton¡¯s uninvited attendance was actually due to Sienna¡¯s invitation. In the end, the Grand Duke and her just had different misunderstandings. However, even if she had known the situation in advance, he would have held onto the slightest problem and blamed her anyway. As they continued their words softly, Anne looked at the door. She was afraid that the Grand Duke would come without notice. Seeing her glance at the door continuously, Salton picked up one of the dried fruits and leaned towards her. ¡°Countess Libelois is not here, so don¡¯t worry . . .¡± Salton, who was about to speak, was startled and his voice trailed off. The moment Anne turned her head, he saw her neck. In the past, he would have turned his eyes away from shame, but all over her white bare skin were naked traces of lovemaking. Shortly after Anne left the lounge yesterday, he saw the man in the host¡¯s seat hurriedly following her. He had a strange premonition, and another man stopped him when he tried to follow that man. It was the Grand Duke¡¯s assistant. And he realized that the man he was going to follow was the Grand Duke. Unlike the Grand Duke who returned later, Anne did not return until the banquet was over. So perhaps . . . Salton¡¯s head fell heavily. Anne, who had not seen Salton¡¯s expression as her attention was on the door, saw him approaching, and pulled her torso back. ¡°Thank you.¡± Anne took the refreshments from Salton and shoved them into her mouth. As she chewed the dried prunes, a sweet taste engulfed her tongue. Seeing her smile while eating, Salton pulled his back too belatedly. Now he had to get up, but his feet didn¡¯t seem to move. ¡°Really . . .¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As Anne looked up at Salton worryingly, he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Well, if you have any further questions about the Libelois family, I will look into it properly and send you a letter.¡± ¡°No. Sienna will be offended if we continue to correspond. I will find out for myself.¡± ¡°If you need my help later, please let me know. I want your Ladyship to be happy.¡± Salton¡¯s face, wishing for the other person¡¯s happiness, was filled with regret. The bitterness that the woman he loved being unable to live comfortably here was heartbreaking. * * * Afterward, Salton visited the West Wing¡¯s office at the appointed time with the Grand Duke. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a cool room that resembled the owner¡ª no warmth at all. The Grand Duke who was sitting in front of the dark desk slowly raised his red eyes. ¡°Did you say you wanted to see me separately?¡± The Grand Duke slowly got up and sat himself down on the sofa, and Salton sat across from him. His dark hair and drowsy red eyes. Seeing the unrealistically beautiful man, Salton was enveloped in a strange feeling. It feels like yesterday. There was a dazed feeling he had felt from the first time he met the Grand Duke in the banquet hall. No, the feeling was stronger than it was yesterday, probably because the two of them were face to face now. It was a feeling he was terribly familiar with, but never pleased with. This unfamiliar feeling of intimidation. The cool, low voice, and the eyes like that of a beast¡¯s. He felt suffocated as if every feature was pressing his heart. ¡°Is this the first time we¡¯ve met each other?¡± As Salton struggled to speak, the Grand Duke twisted his head slightly and spoke with a smile on his face. ¡°Why are you asking such a question?¡± ¡°We must have met somewhere.¡± Clearly, somewhere in his hazy memory, he had met the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke was a man with a strong impression that was difficult to forget. So Salton must have remembered if he had seen the Grand Duke, but he couldn¡¯t figure it out no matter how much he looked back in his head. A light smirk lingered on the Grand Duke¡¯s slightly raised lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the capital, and you said it was your first time here, so we probably never met.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Perhaps, I don¡¯t know. It may just be that I don¡¯t recognize you.¡± The Grand Duke, who had muffled incomprehensible words, immediately looked bored. Salton read the sign that Grand Duke no longer wanted to continue the conversation on this topic. ¡°Then let¡¯s listen to the main point of your visit to the castle.¡± ¡°I have come to ask why you are still putting pressure on our family.¡± ¡°Pressure . . .¡± The boredom that had been clinging to the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes quickly dissipated. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pressing Whitmore? My father told me to tell you. Keep your promise.¡± ¡°My condition was simple. The Lord should immediately marry another Lady. But I know you are still alone.¡± Blue veins settled over Salton¡¯s fist, which rested on his lap. How long did he have to put up with this outrageous behavior? CH 37.2 ¡°The engagement ceremony was held according to Your Grace¡¯s will, and soon the wedding will be held.¡± ¡°You were also engaged to Angroanne. So, are you two married?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Grace put a halt to that on purpose?¡± Salton couldn¡¯t stand the Grand Duke¡¯s attitude of using his own influence to prevent Salton¡¯s marriage and retorted. It was no longer possible to follow his father¡¯s instructions to unconditionally please the Grand Duke and ask him to relieve the financial pressure. He was still shocked to learn that Marquisate Whitmore, who belongs to a prestigious family in the Empire, was swayed like a reed by the breath of a Grand Duke in the northern outskirts. But he had no intention of being swayed along like this. ¡°We have all known that it is not only us who exercised power, but also County Libelois. They don¡¯t know, but isn¡¯t this all Your Grace¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°So did you say that to the Grand Duchess yesterday?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell the Lady, but if you use your power more than this, I have no choice but to tell her.¡± ¡°That . . . is a threat.¡± The Grand Duke looked very happy and sat down with his long legs crossed. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. Even if the Grand Duchess knew it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything from now on. I know that girl well. She won¡¯t be able to completely ignore her family.¡± The Grand Duke, who had seen Salton¡¯s face dripping with regrets, wore an arrogant smile as he always did. ¡°If that¡¯s what you asked to see me, then my proposal is the same. I will let go as soon as you get married.¡± Salton¡¯s face darkened. The conclusion stayed the same, far from achieving any results. He let out a groan. He barely parted his dry lips. ¡°What I want to say is, I want you to stop worrying about other families and be a decent husband.¡± ¡°Lord Whitmore, if you¡¯re going to do something presumptuous, look straight at who your opponent is. Angroanne is now my wife.¡± ¡°Please be nice to her Ladyship. Didn¡¯t you want her enough to put pressure on us and her family? Then please be nice enough that I won¡¯t worry about her any more. As you may not know, she¡¯s been through a tough enough time. She deserves to be respected as the Grand Duchess.¡± The Grand Duke thought cynically when he said that Anne had her own twists and turns. Hard times. Shouldn¡¯t it just be me? The Grand Duke, who was about to let it go, thought of Robert, who was going to slap Anne¡¯s cheek, and her face, obviously familiar with it and resigned. His mouth, which was about to rebuke, was closed by the unpleasant feeling. ¡°Her Ladyship is a person who never expresses her feelings even when it is difficult. Even if she feels like she is going to die. Rather than seeking help, she pushes herself to the limit and tries to hold on to it somehow. She is the kind of person who will endure without saying a word even before she dies. Your Grace, by the time you find out, it will be too late.¡± It was a meaningful sentence. It was unpleasant to know that the Grand Duke, who had only read reports, knew less than Salton, but it was true that he learned of her existence belatedly. The Grand Duke, who was about to shout of Salton¡¯s rudeness right away, stood still, and Salton let out a deep sigh. ¡°Anyway, her Ladyship¡¯s husband is not me, as you said. Whatever the process, I¡¯m speaking to you as the man who should care for her in the future. So, loosen the pressure on me and my family and care for the Grand Duchess instead.¡± Even though it was a forced marriage, as long as she went on her own feet, their relationship was documented as a married couple. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t speak that, I¡¯ll take care of my wife. Now I want you to completely get your mind off it.¡± ¡°I will prepare for the wedding as soon as I return . . . I hope you will keep your promise.¡± After the last conversation that ended like admonition, Salton, who requested for her happiness, left the room. ¡°A couple . . .¡± Contrary to what he thought that yesterday¡¯s displeasure would completely dissipate after a conversation with Salton, he let out a deep growl. An unfamiliar word that did not reach him even though he called Anne his wife every time and she called him her husband. That heavy sound lingered in his mind for a long time. * * * The next day, the snow clouds cleared and the clear sky was revealed after a long time. Thanks to this, all the guests who had planned to stay for a few more days when the weather got bad all withdrew. The banquet, held for the first time in decades, was completed without much fuss or issues. Anne, as she was the Madam of the castle, dressed neatly and sent the guests off. She also said her goodbyes to Salton and Sienna. ¡°Please be careful on your way home.¡± ¡°I hope that Miss Angroanne will be in good health.¡± Sienna still had a cold look, but Salton gave Anne a sad smile and said his final goodbyes. Finally, as the carriage pulled through, Anne drew her curtains to cover the window. The Grand Duke¡¯s castle, after the guests left, returned to its former serene state. CH 38.1 After the banquet, the Grand Duke changed his attitude slightly. The love affairs were still ugly, but there was a slight softening in his tone and expression. Such as the meal they were having right then. In the midst of a plethora of plentiful foods, the relentlessly handsome man was sitting loftily and moving his jawline vigorously. But for Anne, the place made her lose her appetite. Why are you suddenly asking to dine together? Since Anne came to the Duchy, she has never eaten alone with him, except for the day on the balcony where he made fun of her. Actually, that had to be excluded. What Anne put in her mouth that day wasn¡¯t delicious steak, but the Grand Duke¡¯s thick flesh with blue veins sprouting out. As she suddenly recalled that day, her breath choked. The contempt of that day. The taste that stung in her mouth mercilessly. Even the wind that cut through her flesh. It was an experience she would never forget. So, just sitting with him like this now made Anne anxious. He must be up to something. Are you going to do it here? Did you develop a taste for holding me while eating? As she struggled to suppress her anxiety, which kept resurfacing, she met the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes that had raised his head. Anne noticed that a corner of his mouth was slightly raised and she turned her head, pretending not to see him. What are you going to do? He even occasionally curved his mouth slightly when their eyes met. This time, she thought again, what was he going to do? The bite-sized piece of sirloin, good enough to eat, fell on her white plate as she looked down. Her head raised reflexively watching the Grand Duke as if he had done something by mistake. ¡°I hope we can eat together once a day like this from now on.¡± ¡°Everyday . . . together?¡± It was so sudden that she replied unknowingly. ¡°The nobles asked if I was starving you because the Grand Duchess looked like she was about to collapse. Why do you keep getting thinner?¡± Of course. It was to establish his own prestige. Anne, who thought so, put a fork into the meat he gave her, expressing her hatred for the Grand Duke who had satisfied his greed until dawn this morning. The meat, marinated in high-quality spices, turned tasteless as she recalled the day¡¯s events. ¡°The seeds I ordered this morning have arrived. I¡¯ve already told the gardeners, so I¡¯m going to start working on it today. Let the lower ones do the planting, and after that, when the flowers bloom, water them slowly and take care of them.¡± He spoke kindly, so she looked forward to something. She was excited inside that she had something to do, but she still had a hard time letting go of the tension, so Anne just replied affirmatively in a stiff voice. Was he not interested in flowers? Expecting a favorable response from her, Anne¡¯s silence caused the Grand Duke¡¯s eyebrows to turn crooked. Her lips, which were always closed, did not open unless there was something to be said. She did the same when kissing. She stubbornly endured and forced herself to hold on, but in the end she showed a gap. Even that was very small, so in the end he had to push it with force, but she accepted it. Haa . . . What an unknown woman. The Grand Duke clicked his tongue inside. Despite trying to ignore it before, he was following Salton¡¯s advice, knowingly and unknowingly. He only got reports of her, but he didn¡¯t really know Anne. Her personality was also very different from what he knew. But he didn¡¯t agree with everything Salton said. He¡¯s just giving her some time to catch her breath while hiding his own desires. She had to be harassed by his side for countless hours in the future. As Salton pointed out, if he pushed her like this, the woman might collapse and die and he would realize it too late. Up to that point, he hadn¡¯t even thought of it. Considering Anne¡¯s stubbornness, it wasn¡¯t wrong. If she collapsed like this . . . So the Grand Duke decided to revise his plan for a while. Because teasing was possible only if she was alive. Then he repeated to himself that this was never a withdrawal for her, nor was it born of affection. Suddenly, her bare wrist caught his eye. Anne was more skinny than she had been before, before she arrived at the castle. She got some cold air on the balcony and was very sick. A light body that seemed to fly away if he tapped it with his finger. A weak woman in many ways. As if she was going to die while he was away. Without knowing as he was driven by lust day and night, he thought he should tell the chef to prepare a nutritious meal for the time being. On the other hand, when the Grand Duke stopped cutting and looked at her, Anne became more anxious. Did he really want to do it here? Like when he touched her in the office. She didn¡¯t know if he was going to pretend to reassure her, then surprise her with a sudden change. CH 38.2 As she constantly imagined the worst situation, the Grand Duke, who had been silent for a while, spoke out. ¡°I will be vacating the castle soon.¡± Anne¡¯s head, who had only stared at the plate, finally flashed up. It¡¯s nice to see that face even now, but it feels really bad to have reacted only after hearing her husband¡¯s departure. That was the case even with those eager eyes. ¡°Where . . . How long are you going?¡± The voice that came out of her tiny red lips was faintly filled with hope. Suddenly, his appetite plummeted. The Grand Duke, with a frown on his forehead, picked up a wine glass and poured in the alcohol, rinsing his mouth. As the bitter taste lingered on his tongue, he swallowed it together. ¡°Something troubling has happened. From next week onwards, I will be participating in the monster subjugation for about two weeks, so please be aware of that.¡± ¡°Yes. Have a safe trip.¡± Anne nodded her head slightly. The regular monster subjugation in the northern part was known even to those from the capital. ¡°Wait and decorate the greenhouse until I return. Don¡¯t go out recklessly.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s words meant that she should take care of her favorite flowers well, but it sounded to Anne to just grow flowers and be quiet. She didn¡¯t notice that he had put extra emphasis on ¡®waiting¡¯. The Grand Duke, who had developed even further, spoke to her kindly for about a week after that, or visited Anne frequently even when it was not time to eat. He was still blunt, but he didn¡¯t seem overbearing. He was behaving strangely like someone who really had a date to die. He would suddenly go for the subjugation, so Anne did not completely abandon her vigilance despite his change. He will just reassure her in a soft tone, then speak harshly again. The Grand Duke she has seen so far was a man who remained that way. * * * On a lazy afternoon when the sun rose in the middle of the sky, Anne went for a walk with the Grand Duke. When the Grand Duke came to her for tea time and asked how she was managing the greenhouse, Anne responded that if he was curious about it, why not go and see it in person? It was just passing words, but he replied that he would for some reason, then followed her and came out to the garden. ¡°Have you been interested in greenhouses?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested in it, but it¡¯s been refurbished, so I¡¯m going to take a look. It¡¯s cold here, so when I see flowers, I thought I would feel warm.¡± The blizzard, which had been raging hard for days, stopped for a moment before bringing another, even bigger blizzard. The cold wind was still there, but it was not unbearable, so the castle employees were busy cleaning and washing the blankets, and sweeping the fallen leaves in the garden. Anne walked with the Grand Duke through a passage made of smooth stone. The floor was clear of snow so her shoes did not slip, but she had to walk with caution as there might be some thin ice. It was the first time she had walked shoulder to shoulder with him like this. Inevitably, in the awkward silence, Anne opened her mouth first. ¡°I heard that the Second Knight Division will not be going out tomorrow. Was there not enough power? I heard that even now, the border area is struggling quite a bit because of the monsters.¡± Compared to the name Grand Duchy, the number of people in the Knights Divisions were insufficient. Splitting such a knighthood in two was questionable, to say the least. ¡°They have small guts, so it¡¯s just to save themselves. One group is enough. And we need knights to protect the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, so it¡¯s better to leave some behind.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hearing his confident reply, Anne turned her eyes to the frozen lake. She seemed to be able to see the water flowing as soon as the slightly thin ice melted. The lake, which she had always passed by, seemed to be quite beautiful when the sun was shining. Anne turned her head to see the Grand Duke properly. He was looking straight ahead with indifferent eyes. Changes in the seasons seemed invisible to him. ¡°But why hadn¡¯t the greenhouse been maintained until now?¡± ¡°Because there was no one to manage it until now.¡± ¡°It would be very beautiful if it was managed properly.¡± As she muttered to herself, she heard a sound, and the presence of the person next to her stopped. Even standing in the middle of the oval bridge, she had to look up because his eyes, even while standing below her, were far above her line of sight. As Anne tilted her head, she could see his expression darkening sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t like flowers. No, I hate them.¡± Then why did you come with me? ¡°Angroanne.¡± He called her name out of the blue. ¡°Do you think of me as your husband?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Anne, blinking at the sudden question, hesitated to answer. CH 39.1 He was a problematic man in many ways for her to actually admit that he was her husband. It didn¡¯t matter how kindly he had treated her or how he sided with her now. It was bound to be forgotten as soon as he tried to be her again, especially when she overlapped with his body and faced those cold eyes. ¡°You said something nonsensical.¡± After hesitating for a long time, the Grand Duke let out a breath and strode forward again. As his long legs stepped open, Anne followed him diligently, clutching at her skirt. * * * By the time she returned to her room after touring the greenhouse, quite some time had passed. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you ask the gardeners to do this?¡± Anne smiled awkwardly watching Emily, who was practically nagging. The new soil in the greenhouse was so soft that she touched it with her fingernails, leaving dark dirt on the tips of her fingernails. ¡°I heard that it was soil brought from the capital, so I wanted to touch it.¡± ¡°I heard that they changed it very nicely. Do you like it?¡± ¡°They seem to be paying close attention. You won¡¯t know it, but this used to be like an abandoned building.¡± The greenhouse she visited in the afternoon was completely changed, to the point where it was rather difficult to believe that it was the same space as before. The glass walls, free of cobwebs, were polished so clear that people might bump into them if they weren¡¯t careful, and the abandoned indoor fountain was spouting clean water. The greenhouse was no longer empty, thanks to the few seedlings that were able to grow naturally in the north and were planted together with flowers in bloom. However, throughout the tour of the greenhouse, the Grand Duke¡¯s face remained stiff. ¡°Take me with you next time. Oh, look at me. I will prepare the bath water.¡± She was unwilling to respond due to the fatigue that had settled in her body. Ashton entered the room after a knock on the door. ¡°His Grace ordered you to come to the courtyard behind the west wing.¡± His high-class speech and well-educated accent were always polite, but at times like this, he was nothing but a loyal servant who conveyed his master¡¯s will. It was Ashton who came to call Anne last time too, so his face wasn¡¯t really welcome. ¡°At this hour . . . The courtyard behind the west wing?¡± ¡°Yes. He told me to bring you right now.¡± She had never stepped behind the west wing before, so she felt anxious. Anne sighed and nodded, giving an affirmation, and Ashton, who had finished speaking in that polite manner of his, waited at the door, saying he would guide her. His expression was a bit strange earlier . . . He¡¯s going to take out his anger on me, is he? Thinking of the Grand Duke over the past few days, he had been like the calm before the storm. It filled her with unknown anxiety again. There were people willing to play along with others but the Grand Duke was in no way such a person. Anne left her room in the negligee she was wearing. She followed Ashton, who went in front, down the spiral staircase that met at the end of the hallway, and arrived at a wooden door. ¡°You can go from here.¡± Ashton, who had finished guiding her, walked away with his back to her. Anne took a deep breath and grabbed the handle. As soon as she opened the door, a cold wind blew at her. Her hair, which had been loose for a while waiting to be washed, swayed like it was about to be swept away. Opening her eyes, which had been temporarily closed by the bitter wind, Anne cautiously opened the door wider. ¡°Outside?¡± Sure enough, the wind was cold, so it could only be a door leading to the outside. Anne¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as she belatedly confirmed the view outside. The large space, like the back garden, was an open space facing the snow-covered Pinere Mountains. ¡°Here . . .¡± Needle leaves were placed between the coniferous trees surrounding the branches, creating beautiful scenery. Anne drew in a breath at the splendid view of the slender spruce trees that stretched out before her eyes, then walked out, folding her arms around her body in the chilling cold. Right in front of her, there was a large hollow in the square, and hot steam was rising over it. On the surface of the water in the cold outside air, a hazy water mist disturbed her eyes. And in it, a blurry person was soaking his body. ¡°Angroanne.¡± Hearing the bold tone, Anne widened her eyes even more to take a closer look. As her eyes gradually got acquainted, she could clearly see the Grand Duke sitting languidly with his bare forearms resting on the railing. ¡°Daymond, what is this place?¡± Every time she took a step, hot steam hit her face. The steam was hot, but the cold air still stung her flesh like ice, so she couldn¡¯t loosen her arms. ¡°This is my personal space in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, the Northern Hot Springs. Hot spring water comes from the Segra River Gorge across the Pinere.¡± ¡°Hot spring water? This is the first time I heard of it.¡± It was the first time that she knew there was a hot spring inside the Grand Duchy. The regions with hot springs in the empire were extremely limited. It was open only to the Imperial family or high-ranking nobles, so Anne had only heard of them, but never actually encountered it. ¡°I wanted to rest together with my wife, who must have been tired from looking at the greenhouse today.¡± CH 39.2 The Grand Duke gestured to the spot next to him with a large hand. As he waved his hand, the misty steam distorted, and with a clearer view, she could see the Grand Duke¡¯s bare, broad chest. Every time the hot water and cold air clashed each other, his strong abs and broad shoulders were revealed. The statue-like hard muscles were drenched in hot water. It wasn¡¯t Anne¡¯s first time seeing him naked, but her cheeks were hot enough that Anne had to twist her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s cold, so come in.¡± Anne¡¯s feet, which had been moving slowly, stopped abruptly the moment she was about to take on the next step. As she lowered her gaze, everything beneath the flat floor and the connected stairs was submerged in water. ¡°Where do I take my clothes off?¡± Anne hesitated in front of the steps, gripping her arms tighter against the cold. The knife-like winter wind seemed to cut through her skin, so she hesitated to go straight into the warm water. First of all, she was wearing her underwear, and there wasn¡¯t enough space to undress. There were no people passing by, but this place was still outside. Her head moved anxiously to the side of the outdoor bathtub. Even though she knew that no one would dare set foot in the Grand Duke¡¯s personal space, she hesitated that she might show her bare flesh to someone. Seeing Anne¡¯s hesitant gaze, the Grand Duke smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone would risk their life just to see the Grand Duchess¡¯s naked body.¡± ¡°Nevertheless . . . Knights on patrol might see it.¡± Feeling reluctant to show herself naked to others, Anne stepped back, and there was a loud splash of water. It was the sound of the Grand Duke stepping up and walking towards her, cutting through the water with long strides. Every time the large muscles of the upper body exposed above the water swayed, water droplets dripped from the wet skin to the surface of the water. Startled, Anne tried to step backwards, but her wrist was caught and she was thrown forward. ¡°I forgot that my wife is stubborn and doesn¡¯t listen all at once. I have to grab her and pull her here so that she can listen to my words.¡± ¡°Wa . . . Wait, clothes.¡± Anne¡¯s feet slipped and her body tilted against the unexpected strength. This time, he accepted and avoided her falling, but what touched her face was his bare, wet skin. Drops of water rolled down his lukewarm skin and landed on her cheeks. Feeling the warm water on her eyes, Anne opened her tightly closed eyes and saw the Grand Duke¡¯s face as he hugged her and looked down. Is he not angry? She examined the Grand Duke¡¯s face, but he seemed rather pleased. He asked, looking down at Anne, who was resting precariously on his chest. ¡°What are you thinking? You look like you¡¯re thinking I would throw you into the water.¡± ¡°That¡¯s . . . thank you.¡± Come to think of it, he had actually been stretching out his hand to her every time she thought she was in danger. Of course, she didn¡¯t know if it was for her sake or just another whim on his part. She was captured in his arms as her body cut through the surface of the water. The temperature of the hot water was warm enough that it felt good. But at the same time, the cold air against her face was indescribably cool, and she shivered violently whenever her clothes got wet. Her lower body was hot, but her upper body was very cold. Even her teeth were clashing with each other. ¡°You look very cold.¡± Seeing Anne trembling, the Grand Duke settled down and sat her on his right thigh. Her clothes floated and her body became light as if they floated too. When the water that tickled her around her waist came up to her neck, the startled Anne lifted her head to keep herself from drinking the water. ¡°Are you afraid of water? I haven¡¯t seen much, but it seems like you are quite afraid of a few things.¡± Seeing her frightened face, the Grand Duke laughed, unbefitting of him. Her cheeks became hot. It was embarrassing, from the close posture of being hugged by his wet body. Her lips moved first as she didn¡¯t know where to put her eyes. ¡°I have to take my clothes off and come in.¡± There was no dressing while bathing even with common sense. It wasn¡¯t washing, but more like a mouse soaked in water. Not knowing how funny she would be, she looked around restlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I can take it off.¡± The strangely low-pitched sound warmed her ears strangely. As Anne trembled with a ticklish feeling, the Grand Duke met her eyes, and slowly poured hot spring water over her shoulders. Then the cool air against her face became quite tolerable. ¡°This hot spring water has an excellent effect on softening the skin. That¡¯s why it¡¯s also the most coveted place for women in the Imperial family.¡± Anne¡¯s skin was as soft as that of other noble women. It was because she had been nurturing herself with rose oil and fragrant oil that whitened her skin since she was a child. However, the slippery hot spring water was comparable to that and was as soft as oil. ¡°This is what hot springs are like. I heard that the Empress often visits the hot springs, so I can understand why. If you take a bath with this water every day, your skin will definitely become softer.¡± This intangible facet of nature that couldn¡¯t even be touched was soft. Anne fiddled with the water she had scooped with her hands with curious eyes. It slipped between her fingers as he said, and the feeling of it dripping down was very tickly. Like someone¡¯s hand gently caressing her body. CH 40.1 Her legs were swollen from walking around in uncomfortable shoes all day, but the discomfort seemed to subside a bit as she dipped in the hot water. She was so tired that she even felt drowsy. ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I didn¡¯t know you would like it.¡± ¡°It would be nice to come to a place like this every day.¡± Trees pushed by the wind split between them with a rustle. The scenery around her was breathtakingly beautiful. Every time the wind rustled the quiet trees, the fallen snow flowers reflecting the moonlight shimmered softly. A mysterious and wondrous place. Anne closed her eyes, calm washing over her in waves. She enjoyed the silence. When their conversation lulled, all she could hear was the sound of dripping water and the piled up snow on coniferous trees falling from branches unable to overcome their weight. Her nervousness faded and her heart became absolutely calm. After slightly tilting her head, Anne, who had been enjoying the leisurely time, spoke unconsciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but the sky seems closer in the north. The constellations here are bigger and brighter than the capital city.¡± Hearing those words, the Grand Duke¡¯s expression hardened for an instant. It was because a certain memory from the past appeared on the Grand Duchess¡¯s face, even when she asked an unusually innocent question. His eyes darkened. And Anne also read his subtle reaction. They were a couple who had been clashing their bodies together for over a month. She could see the other person¡¯s reaction to some extent. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± As Anne cautiously opened her eyes, their gazes met. At that moment, water droplets dripped from the Grand Duke¡¯s black hair. The clear water flowed slowly down the thick, dark outline of his face, staying in a precarious moment on his angular chin before falling. The moment she met his wet face, Anne saw his eyes shaking like embers flickering for the last time. Looking into those red eyes made her feel strange. It feels as if a familiar feeling rose up through her flesh. Her heart pounded. ¡°Do you really like this place? Seeing that you talk a lot today . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bath with clothes on . . . I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s strange.¡± The clothes she was wearing interfered with her appreciation of the warm waters, so Anne made an excuse. Annoyed by the clothes floating on the water, she stretched out her arms, and the wet cloth wrapped around her skin. The water-soaked fabric clung to her, revealing the curves in Anne¡¯s silhouette. The cloth clinging to her skin created a dizzying image. The Grand Duke¡¯s gaze landed on the nipples that stood out from the cold through the soaked cloth. The gaze, which continued to slide, stopped near her collarbone. The moment he saw the water slightly forming on her dented collarbone, his desire burned strong. Forgetting he had never been gentle, the Grand Duke wanted to hold her like a normal lover today. The banquet was not pleasant, but after properly declaring that she was his, his mind became much more relaxed. So today, he thought of coveting her slowly and properly. So that she can dwell on this day while he is gone. ¡°Tell me. What do you want me to do?¡± Since the Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t be able to see her attractive body for a while, he wanted to hear it directly from her mouth. Of course, there was also a shameful thought that he wanted to give the woman, who might run away after he left, ecstatic pleasure so that she would not forget him. ¡°What, do you mean?¡± What would this mean? The Grand Duke always had the upper hand in their relationship, and he held her whenever he felt like it. But for the first time, he was making an offer. How should she respond to his whims? Anne, who had been quietly choosing her words, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Then . . . Not like before. Hold me gently as a wife.¡± She has already asked the Grand Duke several times, so she did not have high expectations as she was ignored each time. She just hoped that the next day she would be a little more comfortable. ¡°Is that all? I shall.¡± The request must have been a bit unexpected, but the Grand Duke¡¯s lips landed softly on hers. CH 40.2 She could feel his wet, hot breaths as he bit her upper and lower lips. For some reason, the slightly bitten lips were not in pain, but rather, the bites evoked a dizzying sensation. His sucking tongue burrowed into her mouth, licking every inch inside her mouth. A strange sensation coursed through her body every time soft flesh tangled. ¡°Huuuh . . .¡± Her breathing quickened in the steamy air. Anne¡¯s lost gaze awkwardly strayed away from the Grand Duke¡¯s lust-addled eyes. But she was caught by his hand. As he lazily lowered his long black eyelashes, the ruby-like eyes flashed with every slight movement. Eyes full of lust made her body feel hot just by looking at them for a very brief moment. A moan spilled from Anne¡¯s mouth as his hot tongue invaded her mouth. ¡°Huuuh . . .¡± Sitting on the Grand Duke¡¯s lap, Anne curled up slightly. As his hands patted the cloth clinging to her, Anne bent her neck and moaned. The strength drained from her hand on his angular shoulder. His hard muscles pressed painfully against her nipples through the damp fabric. Drops of water trickled down his lips and dripped onto her breasts. The red eyes turned to her chest for an instant. In the water, the knots in her chest were undone by his flowing hands. Her breasts protruded from the quickly loosening clothes. Every time he gently touched her body, the calm water rippled. ¡°Ha-uh. Huh . . .¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s firm arms pressed against her breasts. Even the nipple was sandwiched between his index and middle fingers. As the tips, which had been shaking between his fingers, gradually hardened, the tongue in her mouth became ever more active wrapped itself around Anne¡¯s tongue. ¡°Huh, huuuuh . . .¡± Even her breaths were sucked into the Grand Duke¡¯s mouth. While pinching her nipples slightly, the Grand Duke pressed her other breast against his own firm chest. The exciting rush was so intense that it was hard for her to even open her eyes. Anne gasped and reached toward his shoulder, but her hand slipped because of the dampness of his flesh. At such times, the touch of his deep embrace permeated into her. The Grand Duke¡¯s rough breathing sounded like water had entered her ears. Anne flinched at the touch that was caressing her flesh. His hands were too cold, but the water was too hot. The Grand Duke, who had been squeezing Anne¡¯s trembling breasts, parted his lips. Anne, feeling the shudder running through her body, was stretched out so much that she did not even realize that he had left her lips. ¡°Huh-uh . . .¡± The Grand Duke ran his thumb over Anne¡¯s swollen lips, drenched in his own saliva, and skimmed through her naked body. Blue eyes that gave off a gentle light were wide and the way her big breasts rose and fell as she trembled with the pleasure he gave her was exceedingly erotic. She always looked pretty, even when she didn¡¯t want to admit it. ¡°Is this what you want?¡± As she struggled to lift her hazy, wet eyes, the low, seething voice pierced her eardrums. The thick neckline swayed beneath his firm jawline. Beyond the calm waters, the Grand Duke¡¯s flesh had suddenly grown wild. ¡°Angroanne.¡± He called her name before licking her nipples with the tip of his tongue. He squeezed the tender flesh between his knuckles and moved his fingers as if massaging them. She trembled at the feel of the damp hands against her skin. ¡°Huuuuuh . . . haa . . .¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to hate it today.¡± The Grand Duke made a mischievous expression. Then, without giving her a chance to answer, he sucked and swallowed the red, bloodshot nipple in his hand. Each time the lukewarm tongue bit into her nipples and rolled it, Anne, who was sitting on his thick thighs, struggled to tuck her legs in. It was because the blunt head was pressing down on her secret part. Seeing her tensed up, the Grand Duke¡¯s teeth grazed at her nipples. Anne¡¯s lower body shook greatly at the stimulation that spread throughout her body. ¡°Haah-uuh . . . Wait . . .¡± Her every effort to suppress her voice was of no use, as her lips parted wildly. The Grand Duke¡¯s red eyes gleamed dangerously as he looked up at her slightly distorted expression from all her efforts to contain her moans. The scent of her wet skin slowly seeped into his nose. It was sweeter and more fragrant than the scent of flowers that filled the banquet hall. He massaged her soft breasts in succession and greedily swallowed them until her immaculate flesh glowed red. ¡°Haahh . . . that . . . stop . . .¡± A sweet smile spread across the Grand Duke¡¯s face. He lowered his head close to Anne¡¯s face, inhaling her strong scent. Then he chewed on her ear lobe. He whispered, smiling as Anne¡¯s face grew hot with the sound of the whispers in her ears. CH 41.1 ¡°When I am away . . . Don¡¯t even think about mingling with other men. This body is mine, and even the soul in it belongs to me.¡± ¡°Hu-uh . . . that . . . can¡¯t . . . be . . .¡± Anne twisted her head, feeling the tickle of his exhaled breath digging deep into her ears. Then he boldly bit the smooth neckline that was exposed defenselessly. Every time the light skin was sucked deep into his mouth, a liquid that could have been either saliva or water rolled down her white collarbone. ¡°Ha-uuhh . . .¡± Anne made up an excuse, saying that why the heat in her body rose so quickly and the excitement that grew even deeper was all because she had been immersed in the water. Sensing the nipples over the tip of his tongue were hardened, the Grand Duke opened Anne¡¯s wriggling legs wider. He massaged her round breasts while restlessly resting his other hand on her bump. Something sticky, different from water, touched his fingertips. He smiled with a satisfied face. ¡°Are you wet already? I don¡¯t know if the slippery thing is water . . . Or if you came.¡± He threw a joke that didn¡¯t suit him. He said that he didn¡¯t know if it was hot spring water that was smeared on his fingertips or if Anne spilled it because of her excitement. Anne felt that she would choke on shame. ¡°That¡¯s . . . Hah, because you keep touching it. Hnnnnnh.¡± His fingers fumbled down the clitoris. As her pubic area was rubbed against the palm of his hand, Anne¡¯s hips moved up and down. There was no way he could not have noticed her violent reaction. Every time the Grand Duke touched the protrusion and pressed it firmly, she flinched on his lap. He squeezed the flesh he was rubbing harder with his thumb until it completely hardened under his fingertips. ¡°Ha-ah . . . ! Heup . . .¡± A loud moan erupted from her wide-open lips. In response, the Grand Duke cupped her chin with his hand and pressed his lips against hers. He opened the gap and stroked the soft flesh with his tongue. Each time the tips of their nostrils rubbed against each other, the Grand Duke penetrated deeper and swallowed Anne¡¯s tongue. Each breath mingled terrifyingly as the mixed saliva tangled randomly in the wet, smeared mouth. ¡°Huuuh . . .¡± As he continued to kiss her, the hand, which had been caressing her back, rose higher and higher, and the Grand Duke pressed her closer to his chest. Anne, who had nowhere to put her hands, wrapped her arms around the Grand Duke¡¯s neck. The kiss became so intense that her breasts, perfectly pressed against his chest, were severely rubbed and crushed. The breaths from her lips spilled into his mouth. As her sticky flesh became wet, Anne¡¯s nipples became slippery. At the same time, her hips, held in the Grand Duke¡¯s hand, pressed closer to the firmly erected pillar. He grabbed Anne by the pelvis and lifted her up and down with only the strength of his thick arms. The chunk of hot flesh squeezed through the inner wall. The hard glans pierced the gaping opening fiercely. The feeling of her secret place being opened was obvious. ¡°Ha-uh . . . Huuuh . . .¡± Anne¡¯s head was thrown back. For a brief moment her feet soared up and she fell. Then the object lodged in her inner wall sank deeper. The water overflowed from the bathtub and poured violently onto the floor. The pure white snow melted gently in the overflowing water. Just like how her body was melting. ¡°You seem to be feeling differently than usual today.¡± ¡°What do . . . huh, ahh, you . . . haahhh.¡± He vigorously lifted her back above the water with little effort. Anne¡¯s body in his hand trembled helplessly. Each time, the bond deepened and the pierced pillar crushed the deepest flesh. Just the slight lifting and lowering made the slender woman¡¯s body tremble. The sound of the wet flesh rubbing against each other as their thighs slapped against each other sparked excitement. ¡°Now that I see it . . . You like doing it in the water?¡± He asked as he fumbled around her secret area, which was holding the large penis. No matter how much she tried to deny or affirm, when he rubbed her wet breasts with one hand and scraped at the tightly clenched flesh with the other hand, Anne could not answer. ¡°Hah! Huuh . . . Haaah . . .¡± ¡°Or is it good because being outdoors is more stimulating?¡± The steam of the hot water and the heat of the two people mixed and rose up in the elegant place. Steam rose up into the star-studded sky like breath blowing over a field of pure white snow. As their hot breaths wet each other¡¯s faces, their actions became more intense. ¡°Haahn . . . huh . . . Haahhh . . .¡± Anne let out an ecstatic cry, shedding tears in excitement. With every slight lift of her buttocks, the water surface roared wildly and the water drained away. The scorching heat, the sound of wet flesh slapping, and the frantic splashing of water mixed in a lewd way. Perhaps because of the hot spring, the excitement deepened and her pleasure came faster. Anne, with her hazy eyes and a clouded expression, couldn¡¯t come to her senses in the intense hot bath. Her dizzying vision came with the climax. ¡°Haa . . .¡± Every time the rubbed skin brushed against her deeply, Anne¡¯s head was thrown back as far as she could. Her immaculate breasts swayed resiliently with each stroke he lifted. CH 41.2 The Grand Duke held her nipples between his lips and swept the flesh of her breasts. The pink tip that had been sucked into his mouth was rolled, causing her back to bend. ¡°Haaahh . . . ah . . . Haaangg . . .¡± Anne groaned, her slender body trembling whenever his wet hair brushed her breasts. As the splashing water hit her face, she pulled her neck all the way up. She tried to get up on her knees, but his grip on her buttocks kept her from moving and dragged her to the bottom of the water. ¡°Hu-uh . . . Ha-h . . .¡± Anne¡¯s lips parted slightly in excitement. Heat was transmitted from the warmed bodies close to each other. On top of that, the hot steam from the hot springs was splashed on, so both of them were flushed red. Her submerged body became extremely sensitive, adding to the terrifyingly stimulating sensation. The intense excitement caught her breath. With each gasp of hers, he swallowed even gaping lips. ¡°Haa . . . haa . . .¡± As she could no longer control her dizzying body, Anne wasn¡¯t aware of how she was reacting. Her panting was harsh, her moaning thick. It was as if his hazy breath was pouring into her face. The Grand Duke let out a breath roughly and pulled Anne¡¯s soft, disheveled face to the climax. Nurky liquid, from his own climax, lingered between her legs. ¡°Huuuhh.¡± Anne buried her face in the Grand Duke¡¯s shoulder, feeling the heat spreading through her body. She tried to calm down her breathing, but the Grand Duke¡¯s pounding heart mixed with her. Anne was seized by a strange mood. If only it was always like today . . . At the thought that came to her for a moment, Anne shook her head in denial. He was only gentle once, and it was a fool for her to be weak. The Grand Duke continued to support Anne¡¯s back, who was drooping from exhaustion, and peered into her face. Her immaculate skin was a pale pink from the heat. The moment he saw her wet eyes, he felt a strange feeling. The woman who had just gotten to know a man was beautiful, resembling a ripe fruit. The traces he left on her pale skin were blurry, but they contained small traces. His lust raised its head again over his mind who wanted to let go of her. Likewise, the object beneath his hips was gaining its vigor again. He wanted to savor her slowly, but for a moment, his lower body swelled out of control, to the point where even Anne noticed. ¡°Are you . . . Going to do it again?¡± Startled, Anne raised her head, and the Grand Duke¡¯s eyes sank. Her eyes seemed to find doing it with him was terrible, and it might have touched his heart. So he came up with another excuse. The word ¡®successor¡¯ worked quite well. In the end, the wet little head nodded slightly in acceptance. After spewing his second climax, the Grand Duke¡¯s face was the same as the first time, but Anne, exhausted, lay in his arms as if she was about to collapse. The hot water flowed pleasantly around her shoulders. The spilled liquids were diluted with water and disappeared without a trace, but instead, the illusion of intense excitement continued. The Grand Duke, who was stroking Anne¡¯s drenched golden hair, removed one strand of her hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. ¡°You can use this place all you want while I¡¯m gone.¡± The Grand Duke, who looked in bliss, said while fiddling with her ear lobe. Anne¡¯s gaze, which was staring at the Grand Duke¡¯s smooth face, scanned the hot spring large enough for ten people to enter. ¡°Anytime I want?¡± ¡°Because you are my wife, you are qualified.¡± If what he said was nothing more than a whim, it kept sounding different. As if he wants to be a normal husband. While Anne was looking at the wide space, he suddenly asked a question. ¡°Do you really want to get pregnant and get out of here?¡± ¡°. . . The reason I came is because of the successor.¡± The bewildered Anne immediately replied. In the first place, their marriage was established by the need for a successor. But why does his expression become colder like the snow on that snowy mountain? But soon, something like a smile crept across his sleek face. ¡°I¡¯ll suggest something fun.¡± ¡°Something fun?¡± Anne lifted her head as she tried to lift her wet shoulder. The Grand Duke¡¯s expression became strange in an instant as he met her eyes that were full of doubt. He had an incredible urge to kiss her again. Feeling his heart tingle for a moment, he responded with another answer. She didn¡¯t believe what he was saying at all, but she asked uneasily. The side of his jawline pressed gently against Anne¡¯s cheek. ¡°While I am gone, look for what I have hidden.¡± What he proposed was, ironically, a treasure hunt played by children. ¡°Then what will I get?¡± A prize was needed. As he wiped the water from her face with his thumb, he quietly opened his mouth. ¡°I will grant you one wish you say.¡± ¡°All right.¡± A transaction was established. She turned her head, and in her field of vision, there were red eyes that were filled with bittersweet yet faint anticipation. When she looked into his eyes, something deep inside her trembled. Anne twisted her head again. If she locked eyes with him, she would feel weird. Seeing Anne turn away without regret, Daymond buried his face in her shoulder. He didn¡¯t wonder if she could find it or not. He did not throw out the suggestion impulsively. Because she would never find it. CH 42.1 In the early morning of the next day, the neighing of a galloping horse awoke the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. The Grand Duke had left the castle, leaving only one division of the Cromound Knights to guard the castle. Anne saw him off in bed. After their passionate activity in the outdoor hot spring, the Grand Duke picked up Anne, who had almost fainted, and took her to the bedroom. And without letting her go, he mingled his body with her again. In order not to strain the struggling Anne, he hugged her from behind as she lay on her side and embraced her very slowly and gently. His arms, which had only been cool, gave off a fairly warm body temperature as time passed. It was the first time he had held Anne so tenderly as he had last night. She didn¡¯t feel insulted, nor did she feel like a prostitute. He made love to her in a caring way, as though holding the woman he loved. It gave Anne a feeling of unfamiliarity as her heart pounded. Anne, watching the Grand Duke¡¯s horse move away from the window, blankly leaned against the window sill. She thought he looked back for a moment as his back was getting more blurry, but she didn¡¯t think he was looking at her. After all, the Grand Duke wasn¡¯t the kind who would be worried about his wife who would be left alone. 7. Grand Duchess¡¯ Obligations Ever since the Grand Duke left the castle, Anne had been procrastinating. She had previously acted like a diligent lady, even though no one was there to glare. The reason she got up early and put on neat clothes and proper make-up was not because she had an appointment, but because she had learned to be dignified even within the mansion. However, when the master of the castle disappeared, she became more and more indolent. ¡°I am tired.¡± So today she thought she¡¯d be lazy. She had sent her husband to a dangerous place, which a wife is not intended to do, but did not think that he would be in danger. It was a certainty that she did not know where it came from. She was about to close her eyes, her face buried in the soft pillowcase. ¡°Miss Anne!¡± Anne, startled by the sudden voice of a young man, raised her upper body. A familiar face stood right next to the bed. ¡°Luciel?¡± The man who was the Grand Duke¡¯s distant cousin, whom she had met shortly after coming to this castle. Silver hair, which flowed like a curtain of silk, caught the light and shimmered whenever it moved. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Anne. How are you doing?¡± ¡°When did you come into my room?¡± Anne glanced at the back of his shoulder. There would usually be the sound of bolts shifting every time the Grand Duke entered the tightly closed door. But she didn¡¯t hear the door open, nor any footsteps. Moreover, she felt no wind, as though everything was still. Luciel, smiling brightly, came closer and stretched his hand toward Anne. Even though she knew she was going to say hello, Anne hid her hand, startled. Luciel¡¯s silver eyes widened, but soon narrowed sadly. ¡°This is sad. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve last seen you, but your face always keeps me in check.¡± ¡°I was surprised. I couldn¡¯t hear you coming in.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were sleeping . . . I¡¯m sorry. I knocked several times but there was no answer. At first I thought I should go back, but I came to comfort Anne who was sad.¡± ¡°Am I sad?¡± ¡°Your eyes are swollen. You must be worried because Lord Daymond is on the battlefield.¡± Anne touched her eyes with her index finger. Her face looked swollen from actually being in the hot spring for a while. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Anne lifted herself up and left the bed. He seemed unwilling to leave, and it was not polite to speak to another while half-lying down. As she offered a seat to Luciel, who hovered nearby, he smiled brightly and sat down on the sofa. He had a bright expression like last time, but somehow that smile felt foreign. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a few weeks. Where have you been?¡± ¡°Well . . . Lord Daymond kicked me out so I went down to the village.¡± Luciel muttered with a gloomy face. The drooping down to the corners of his mouth seemed very pitiful. The relationship between the two was worse than expected. ¡°Then, did you come knowing that His Grace is gone now?¡± Like a puppy caught in the rain, the face that looked like it was about to burst into tears suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Haha . . . Anne, you also had a naive side. I didn¡¯t expect you would take my word for it.¡± He suddenly grabbed his stomach and laughed amusedly. Only Anne, who seemed to have missed the point of his laughter, ordered the handmaid to bring tea with an expressionless face. CH 42.2 ¡°Ah . . . I didn¡¯t mean to offend you . . . You¡¯re not offended, are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re laughing at me, but honestly, I don¡¯t feel very good about it.¡± Even considering her liberal nature, his reaction was unpleasant, so she spoke frankly. Luciel¡¯s eyes quickly became moist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s because Anne is so cute.¡± She never thought she¡¯d hear someone say she was cute. It was a description she had never heard in her life. Anne assumed a solemn look. ¡°The word cute is not appropriate for a Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°Hmm . . . Then, can the beautiful Grand Duchess forgive me with her endless generosity?¡± Luciel closed his eyes and continued with his snarky words. The problem was that his tone seemed so bright and selfless that her heart melted quickly. Anne agreed to let go of the fact that he had entered her room carelessly, as well as his rude remarks from earlier. ¡°So why did you come to see me all of a sudden?¡± ¡°My purpose . . . By the way, Anne, could you give me your hand?¡± Clad in wrist-length black gloves, Luciel glanced at her hand. His gaze was very specific, probably because she had avoided his greeting a moment ago. But strangely, she was reluctant to give her hand to another man. ¡°What are you going to do with my hands?¡± ¡°I want to touch you.¡± Anne¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly at those blunt words, even though he was being straightforward. His confidence in asking for the hand of a married woman reminded her of their first meeting. ¡°Sir Luciel, I was quite in trouble by that last time.¡± Luciel, who read her expression becoming more determined, raised his lips prettily. ¡°If it¡¯s about Lord Daymond, he¡¯s not here right now. If you give me your hand, I will tell you something about Daymond that Anne does not know.¡± She, about to say no, paused at that moment. Something I don¡¯t know about His Grace? As she continued to stare at him, Luciel raised both of his hands, professing that he was no a liar. As though showing an honest attitude. ¡°You mean if I give you my hand, you give me a piece of information?¡± He nodded once. ¡°A deal.¡± Luciel smiled, narrowing his eyes. Then he suddenly nudged his face in the middle of the table. ¡°If you think of it as a deal, it could be a deal, or if it was a conversation between friends, it could be a conversation. It¡¯s up to Anne.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Anne held out her palm without the slightest hesitation. Perhaps waiting for it, he grabbed one of her fingers and looked down at it gently. As Anne, who had been watching him, waited for his next words. He kissed the back of her hand lightly, and suddenly something cold dripped onto her hand. Surprised by the cool touch, she let go of her hand and saw that a necklace was placed on top of her palm. ¡°This . . .¡± A ring with blue diamonds studded densely like seeds, hung on a gold chain as thin as a thread. It was the only thing she had brought with her from her parents¡¯ house, and it was a precious thing that she had long since forgotten. ¡°This is a present for Anne. I got it at the market at the entrance of the town.¡± ¡°You got this from the town? Where is this market?¡± Luciel smiled, and instead of answering her question, he made fun of her by saying that the jewels matched well with her eyes. He still spat out his own words and used his own style of speech. ¡°Tell me where you got it. It¡¯s important to me.¡± Luciel widened his eyes and explained further. ¡°I was passing by the village store and I could see this necklace right? Strangely, as soon as I saw the jewelry, I immediately thought of Anne. I thought you would like it, so I got it for you specially . . . But why are you like that?¡± ¡°No . . . No . . . This. No, that¡¯s fine.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand how an item lost in the castle could have appeared in a store downtown, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Is there a maid with bad intentions? Every time she asked the maids, she only got back parrot-like answers saying they couldn¡¯t find it, but she was looking in the wrong places. It was clear that among them was a maid who had stolen and sold it. Ange, who was briefly excited about getting her ring back, raised her head, realizing that the topic had changed. ¡°By the way, you said there was something you wanted to tell me. This is a gift.¡± ¡°Anne, you¡¯re smarter than I thought. Good. I made a promise, so I have to keep it.¡± The words ¡®smarter than I thought¡¯ was jarring, but she listened intently to his next words. He made small gestures and wanted her to come closer. She, too, tilted her face closer for his secret whispers. At that moment, cool fingers touched her forehead and then went away. Her head throbbed as if a warm energy had penetrated her, but she felt nothing special. When her eyes met his, Luciel¡¯s long eyes curled gently. ¡°I told you everything.¡± Luciel grinned at Anne as she rubbed her forehead with a bewildered face. Anne tilted her head, but Luciel said nothing more. He just smiles, like wanting her to figure out the rest on her own. CH 43.1 ¡°I thought I would never find it again . . .¡± Anne stroked the necklace around her neck as she did as usual. The bluish ring was intact, with no damage except for a slight faded light. ¡°Like my grandmother said, it came back to me this time too.¡± The necklace was the only thing that the previous Countess had given her. Unlike her foolish parents, the former County couple were wise people and did not dream of vain dreams. In fact, it was all thanks to their contributions that the family was able to be rebuilt to lead a noble life again. Anne had received this ring as a gift from her grandmother in the year she turned ten years old. ¡°This is a ring I got from my grandmother. She said it originally belonged to her older sister.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she still have it?¡± As Anne asked with a bewildered face, a shadow formed around her grandmother¡¯s eyes. ¡°She couldn¡¯t keep it anymore. When she gives birth to a daughter, she says she wants to pass it on, she said it¡¯s like a habit . . . So this was kept by my grandmother and given to me when I was Anne¡¯s age. I¡¯m giving it to you now.¡± Her grandmother had only one child, which was her father and had no daughters to pass down, so she gave them to her granddaughter, Anne. She didn¡¯t forget the last request, that Anne must keep it. ¡°Thank you. So pretty.¡± The memory was vivid of accepting with her dainty hands what her gracious grandmother had given her. At the time, she didn¡¯t understand why she was asked to have it, but little Anne had fallen in love with the sparkling ring. Partly because it was something her benevolent grandmother gave her. But for some reason, whenever she whimpered after being whipped by her mother, touching the ring made her feel the sorrow go away. Looking back, she thought she was used to this ring as tough it was hers from the beginning. It was nice because it felt like it warmed her heart somehow. Since then, it had become her habit to stroke the ring whenever she was lonely or when her heart was down. When she was younger, the ring was too big to fit on her hand, so she wore it on a necklace instead, but now she still wore it as a necklace, even though it fit snugly on her hand. ¡°I¡¯m glad I found you.¡± In contrast to the relief she felt from leaving behind everything associated with Libelois, this ring was the medium through which brought her inner peace. To Luciel, who had found her ring, she thought that she should at least give him a gift the next time they met. Anne had a smile on her face. * * * Since then, there had been no major changes in Anne¡¯s life. She was simply killing her time as Madam of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. She lived a boring life where she never had anything to do. When it wasn¡¯t snowing, she passed her time riding a horse through the thick forest or lounging around on the lawn of the sunny greenhouse. Luciel, who reappeared, visited Anne often. He would appear in the castle from time to time, but the servants did not respond much, as if they were familiar with him. Neither Mrs. Wald nor the chief attendant seemed to care much, nor did she bother to ask where he was busy wandering around. Luciel, who was so sociable that the Grand Duke¡¯s attitude of keeping him in check was overshadowed, was an easy partner to get along with, so Anne got along well with him. ¡°Are you going to the greenhouse today? Tsk, isn¡¯t it boring?¡± ¡°There is nothing to do.¡± For some time now, Anne has been frequently visiting the well-decorated greenhouse. She was not very interested in things like flowers or grass, but any scenery that was different from the white snow would do. Moreover, the gazebo created inside was so wonderful that it was a good place to have tea. ¡°Shall I follow you too?¡± ¡°Well . . . You can do as you please.¡± Luciel, who was always by her side, followed her into the greenhouse. She didn¡¯t stop him because the silent castle at least seemed alive as he talked incessantly. * * * Anne, half leaning against the gazebo at the end of the greenhouse and drinking tea, stared blankly at the busy gardeners. They were supplying water and nutrients for the seeds they planted a few days ago. Intoxicated by the peaceful atmosphere, Anne¡¯s gaze shifted to the snowflakes flying beyond the glass wall. ¡°I don¡¯t think the snow will ever stop.¡± After the Grand Duke left, she heard from Marie that the mountain range the Grand Duke went to had snow storms even worse than they were here. As well, the regular monster subjugation every year was like a dangerous battlefield where they risk their life to participate. Of course, she knew he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would get hurt easily, but from the moment she heard that, she was somewhat concerned. It was said that the deep scar on his chest was also caused by fighting monsters. ¡°Anne, did you think it would be better if Lord Daymond didn¡¯t come back?¡± Anne¡¯s head turned at Luciel¡¯s question. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because your married life is unhappy.¡± Luciel, who had been smiling, looked at Anne¡¯s face. His question hit the mark, but that was because Luciel didn¡¯t know that the end of the relationship was fixed. CH 43.2 ¡°Among the nobles, there are no couples who are happily married.¡± ¡°But Lord Daymond is pretty harsh. Considering his strange tendencies.¡± As he circled the air, his long fingers stretched out to Anne. ¡°His abnormal attachment relationship will ruin Miss Anne.¡± ¡°Hah, ruin me? Luciel, unfortunately that won¡¯t happen.¡± Anne shook her head with a firm face. If she was going to collapse like helpless women, she would have been weeping in the corner of the room the day after their first night. She used to be like that when she was little, but after she learned that no one would help her, she realized that the only thing she could trust was herself. She learned that even if her body was struggling, she could remain sane with the strength of her mind. This is just an emotionless deal. All I have to do is leave this place. I¡¯m not going to be a weak woman. Luciel narrowed his eyes looking at Anne¡¯s determined look. ¡°Anne, don¡¯t bet. I wonder if you will say the same thing if Lord Daymond goes one step further.¡± There was a hint of laughter in Luciel¡¯s voice when he said that. ¡°Does Luciel really want to see me like that?¡± Anne, who also narrowed her eyes, held the teacup in her hand. ¡°It can¡¯t be. Since I know what Lord Daymond does every night, I¡¯m only sorry for Anne.¡± Hearing that he knew what Daymond was doing, Anne¡¯s cheeks turned red. It was natural for a couple to sleep together, but she was unknowingly ashamed to hear it from another man¡¯s mouth. ¡°Say what you want to say.¡± ¡°The more I look at you, the more you look alike. I am very sorry for that.¡± The staring golden eyes shone like the sun today. She didn¡¯t understand what it meant at all. He used to confuse people by saying unexpected things from time to time, and that was the case now. At the strange feeling, Anne took a sip of tea and quenched her throat. ¡°Whatever happens between the two of you, I don¡¯t want to get involved. So questions with intent to open me up will be of no use.¡± ¡°However, I have been faithfully responding to Anne¡¯s questions as you ask.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°No matter what Anne talked about with Lord Daymond, it won¡¯t turn out the way Anne thinks. Not without my help.¡± Anne looked at him as she swallowed her cup of tea. It was because he sounded like he knew about the deal with the Grand Duke. Then, his willingness to offer her help aroused her suspicions. ¡°That help will come at another price.¡± ¡°It depends on the situation, but I will listen to you once. At no cost.¡± Luciel¡¯s red lips stretched pleasantly. Anne, recognizing that the answer was impulsive, took it quickly. ¡°You promised. Luciel has to listen to my request at least once.¡± ¡°As the Lady commands.¡± Luciel sat down with one hand outstretched and bowed his head exaggeratedly. I can¡¯t trust you. As long as she had made up her mind not to trust anyone here, Anne smiled even more brightly so that her true intentions could not be seen. ¡°Madam, would you like to look over here for a second?¡± At that time, one of the gardeners who was diligently moving his hand asked cautiously. As the Grand Duke had entrusted Anne with managing the greenhouse, the gardeners asked her to check at the end like reporting their daily routine. Anne put down the teacup she was bringing to her mouth and walked in the direction she heard the voice come from. A gardener with gray hair was digging through the soil in the flower bed with calloused hands, checking the quality of the soil. ¡°The soil is good and the moisture is just right, so all of them have sprouted.¡± It was a warm indoor temperature like spring, but she was worried because the ground was so cold. But he added that it was pretty good at this level. As he said, just by looking at the place where the seeds were sown, they had blossomed into dainty new shoots. It was good news that their sincerity, which they cared for and cultivated the plants quite well, worked. ¡°By the way, only that side won¡¯t sprout, is it because of the climate?¡± Anne pointed to a corner where the quantity of green leaves was insufficient. ¡°Um, no. The soil is cold, but the temperature affects the bottom, and thus it doesn¡¯t grow well in another place? It will probably sprout after a while.¡± Even the seasoned man didn¡¯t seem to know the exact reason. It was when Anne looked at it with puzzled eyes. Luciel, who had been sitting on the gazebo and crunching berry cookies the whole time, snuck up next to her. ¡°Anne, there seems to be something blocking the roots from growing well at the bottom, so try digging inside?¡± Luciel pointed his finger at the flat dirt. CH 44.1 ¡°To dig?¡± ¡°Nothing grows in that place. It¡¯s the same land, but isn¡¯t it strange that only that place is barren?¡± What he said made sense. When Anne looked at the gardener, he shook his head in disapproval. ¡°If we dig here, the other side may be affected. Rather, we will kill plants that have already sprouted by touching their roots.¡± Anne, who judged that there was some truth in those words too, nodded her head in agreement. To save one, there was no need to scrape the roots of other shoots that were still intact. ¡°You are right. Let¡¯s not dig for now.¡± After briefly requesting a few details, Anne turned her back. * * * Anne, who lost her appetite after Luciel left, skipped dinner and changed into bed clothes early. Her lower belly was stiff, and her body felt heavy as if her moon cycle was about to start. Feeling heavy and swollen, she asked for a bunch of soft cushions and then lay down on the bed. ¡°Madam, if you feel cold, tell me. The weather here is very cold, so it will be difficult. I had a hard time too when I first came.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. For the first week, it was difficult because the wind seemed to penetrate my bones.¡± ¡°It is completely different from the capital city. Have some hot tea. They say you need to warm up your body to reduce the pain.¡± As she comfortably held the cup of tea in the palm of her hand, she suddenly remembered the words the Grand Duke had said before leaving. If she found what he had hidden, he would grant her wish. She thought about it a few times, but came up with nothing. As she pondered, she looked at Emily¡¯s face as she checked the latch on the window, and something came to mind. ¡°The things you said when you came to this castle the other day.¡± ¡°Yes . . .¡± ¡°You said you came to protect me then. That¡¯s what you said.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But why are you suddenly asking about that time?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me then,¡± said Emily, pulling the knots and pulling the curtains tight. She even checked with her face to see if there was a slight cold wind coming in. Anne looked straight at her and opened her mouth. ¡°If you know anything more than that, tell me.¡± Ashton suddenly came that day, so she had to stop her conversation with Emily. After that, she was busy with work, and various things happened, so she forgot about it. ¡°In the words of my grandfather . . . there is a secret room.¡± ¡°Something like a secret space?¡± She asked if Emily was referring to the hot springs, but Emily shook her head. ¡°At a certain time every day, there is a place that His Grace would always go to. He didn¡¯t know what the Grand Duke did there, but it looked very suspicious, he said.¡± ¡°There is such a place . . . ?¡± ¡°At that time, the person who worked as a patissier died mysteriously . . . My grandfather suspected that it had something to do with it.¡± Anne was lost in her thoughts. She had never heard of such a place, and she had no idea of his schedule. She didn¡¯t even want to check his schedule, and she didn¡¯t even bother to know. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± ¡°That . . . I must have heard but I couldn¡¯t think about it . . . I¡¯m sure it was the west wing where His Grace is staying . . .¡± Emily tapped her head, saying that it was so long ago that her memory was fuzzy. To be honest, ever since she was put in charge of serving the Grand Duchess, she had never been to the west wing, so she couldn¡¯t even recall the location. ¡°The west wing . . .¡± The west wing was a place where people didn¡¯t even set foot except when going to the library. Anne had spent time visiting the library quite often, but she hadn¡¯t been doing so recently because she was reading books she bought from the village. There was a secret room in the west building? She had never found a suspicious-looking door. ¡°I have to go there.¡± As Anne was about to get up, Emily stopped her by holding her arm. ¡°You don¡¯t know where it is. What if it¡¯s a place where torture or other terrible things are done?¡± ¡°Torture?¡± Anne frowned. She doesn¡¯t think he would do such a thing, but she didn¡¯t know about it since he was a high-ranking noble. ¡°I told you. The howling of a beast. Maybe it is there.¡± ¡°No way . . .¡± Despite Anne¡¯s disbelieving expression, Emily was serious. ¡°Anyway, if I remember later, I¡¯ll let you know, so you can go to sleep now.¡± Recalling that absurd word, Anne finally laid her body back on the soft bedding. She went to sleep, using the flames of the fireplace as a dancing mobile. On that normal night, Anne had the second dream. CH 44.2 She was running through the woods. The thought of why she was here quickly caught on to her. Haa . . . haa . . . No. If I get lost here . . . no. Seeing the sun go down over the horizon, her face went white with impatience. She immediately started running. She ran and ran through the snow-covered mountain roads, but the snow piled up to her calves slowed her down. She couldn¡¯t reach far. Her body that had been running forward for a while was tripped by a large rock. She stretched out her arms to break her fall. Before she knew it, the surroundings were clearly starting to turn dark. Even so, she didn¡¯t stop. She had to live. As the branch brushed against her cheek, she felt a stinging pain and something flowing. The cold wind was like a blade, and she knew later that she felt something flowing on her cheek. She tried to wipe away the smudged tears, but the back of her hand was covered with blood instead. It¡¯s . . . bleeding. A terrifying roar erupted from behind her, piercing her chest when it smelled the faint smell of blood. As darkness descended and a dreary atmosphere came over her, her fears came terrifyingly. She looked around where she was, feeling like she was running in circles several times. The endless forest was terribly dark, resembling her miserable heart. The occasional screaming sound was so terrible that she had to cover her ears. A little bit of fear came over her. She knew that the true nature of this dreary noise was the sound of monsters waking up in winter and starting to move. I have to get out of here. She calmed her thumping heart, but she was already far away from the road people were walking on. No matter how much she walked, all she could see was frozen trees, stones and snow. Where should I go? She has been looking at the same sight for hours already. Although she regretted entering the forest so late, she couldn¡¯t turn her feet again. ROOARR! Then a terrifying roar erupted and shook the entire mountain. The hairs all over her body stood, and cold sweat ran down her back in the middle of winter. Fear took her breath away, so Anne stopped her feet. She hid herself behind a tree. She silently held her breath as she watched the grass sway in silence. There was something inside that trembled. It was strange to hear a sound more terrible than that of a beast and the sound of something hard breaking. Goosebumps ran up her spine every time she heard that sound. Her instincts told her who was frightened. You should never be caught. Her breath stopped, and as she bent her knees. The dark figure from within the grass raised its body by a fraction of a second. Its entire body was black. It must have been crouching. As soon as it straightened its body properly, the height gradually reached the sky. She was so startled that she stumbled backwards and fell on her hips. Hearing that sound, the hideous monster with red fur and big horns turned its head towards her, and their eyes met. Monster. Although it stood on the ground on two legs like a human, the face was so terrible that it was indescribable. Something was half-tucked into the big mouth, and when she confirmed the identity of it, she covered her mouth with her two hands. Her body hardened like ice. A figure resembling a human was chewed into the mouth that was grumbling. She tried to run away, crawling on the ground at the horrid sight, but finding new prey, the monster came closer to her with its eyes burning. The thought of running away was all over her head, but she couldn¡¯t herself up. Tears streamed down her white cheeks in fear. She closed her eyes looking at the monster screaming and running like crazy. It was then. The shaking of the earth stopped and a huge sound, like a heavy object falling to the ground, came. She couldn¡¯t feel the monster¡¯s hand, which should have gripped her whole body by now. Anne quietly raised her eyes at the strangeness. The reddish arm, which had been rapidly reaching to her just moments before, fell at her feet. And a scream, worse than the howl, rang through the empty winter mountains. The sound that pierced her eardrums was so terrible that she had to cover her ears. Her heart was beating like crazy. When the monster¡¯s movement, as it spasmed and the blood bubbles, stopped, a heavy sound of stepping into the snow came from behind. She carefully turned her gaze to it. She wondered if another monster had appeared. When she opened her trembling lips and looked at it, a certain man was standing there. The eyes of the man covered in blood were exactly the same color as the blood that was splattered in front of her. Ah . . . A dazed sound that wasn¡¯t even a word leaked out of her. The man gave off a terrifying aura, but his face was indescribably beautiful. The man¡¯s lips moved slowly. She couldn¡¯t quite hear what he was saying, as her ears were deafened by the noise just before. Very slowly. She was about to ask what he was talking about, but the scene in front of her disappeared in pitch black darkness. CH 45.1 ¡°Haahh!¡± Inhaling, Anne lifted her upper body. A cough escaped. She lifted the kettle on the table next to her and drank water from the cup. But she drank so hurriedly that the water spilled. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­ this¡­¡± It was a strange but very vivid dream. She couldn¡¯t forget the wind that brushed her cheek, the terrible voice that made her body tremble. Anne gathered herself. ¡°What kind of dream is this¡­ And who was that man?¡± Although she clearly saw his face, when she woke, she remembered nothing. Even though he hadn¡¯t been wearing a mask, her glimpse of his features were so blurry that it was hard to tell who it was. She didn¡¯t know why she had dreamt such a thing, but she was reluctant to dismiss it as just a dream. ¡°It can¡¯t be a memory. If that was the case, there¡¯s no way I would have been in the North.¡± Anne had stood in a forest full of snow that covered the whole world in white, and her clothing was also in a Northern style. She hadn¡¯t been to the North for more than a few months and hadn¡¯t been to the woods alone in all that time. ¡°Why must I have to dream of monsters¡­¡± Suddenly, she recalled that the Grand Duke was currently subjugating monsters. ¡°What could happen to that person?¡± It was a disturbing, strange dream. But she remembered how she felt at the end. There had been an overwhelming sense of relief. After downing another cup of water, Anne inadvertently touched her forehead and, startled by the heat, removed her hand. Her face burned. It wasn¡¯t that she was sick or had a headache. It was simply too hot. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Everything else seemed perfectly fine, so she couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong. Anne rubbed her chest at the sound of her thumping heartbeat, and muttered to herself quietly as if to alleviate her anxiety. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll go to the forest alone.¡± There was no way that the Grand Duchess would be in distress alone in the mountains. After wiping away her cold sweat, Anne laid back down to go to sleep. She closed her eyes tightly to be rid of the strange feeling, but it took quite a while for her to fall asleep again. Anne, who fell asleep claiming that she would not go to the forest, found on the next day that she was wrong. * * * The next day, Anne opened her eyes at dawn. She had had a hard time sleeping last night, so it was natural for her to want to sleep more, but strangely, the thought that she absolutely had to go to the greenhouse filled her head. ¡°Madam, you will fall.¡± Emily, chasing after her, cried out restlessly, but Anne kept moving her feet. Arriving at the small flower bed, her eyes found something slightly different. The green sprouts that had sprouted on top of the mound looked like they would soon bloom. ¡°Madam, why did you come here all of a sudden?¡± Emily knew that Anne often visited the greenhouse to pass the time, but it was the first time she had gone there so early in the morning. ¡°I suddenly wanted to see the flowers.¡± It was an unfamiliar sentence even though she said it herself. She always admired the gardeners¡¯ support, but she had never looked for it herself like this¡­ A flower was just a flower, but her body got up on its own as if it could not bear not to come. Emily was puzzled by Anne¡¯s answer, as she had never been very interested in anything, but she ignored it, thinking that Anne was secretly lonely due to the Grand Duke¡¯s departure. At the time when Anne was quietly looking at the sprout, there was a sudden uproar outside. ¡°Is something going on?¡± ¡°Wait. Let me ask.¡± Emily rushed toward the door. Just in time, through the open door, the chief attendant Wald and the knight commander bowed silently and entered. ¡°Sir Abreham?¡± He was the Commander of the Cromund¡¯s Second Knights, whom she had seen a few times. Originally, he should have left with the First Knights, but the Grand Duke left the Second Knights on purpose as a force to protect the castle. He was on his way to report, and greeted her with an unusual complexion. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It was said that several houses were swept away by an avalanche that suddenly occurred in the village of Tahor, which was close to the mountains in the north of the territory.¡± ¡°An avalanche¡­?¡± ¡°The area is a village on the border between Marquis Brussels and His Grace¡¯ territory¡­ It seems that Marquis Brussels¡¯ troops have gone to subjugate the monsters, so they have come here to ask for help.¡± ¡°You mean the village was buried?¡± The startled Anne asked. The snowstorm that had been blowing ferociously for the past few days was frightening, but it seemed that last night it had been too much. It was the middle of winter. Avalanches occurred because the terrain could no longer hold off the heavy snowfall. CH 45.2 ¡°Nearby villages also appear isolated from heavy snowfall, so they don¡¯t seem to have the capacity to help right away. What should be done? I will do as you order.¡± Chief attendant Wald, who was bowing his head, asked repeatedly. ¡°Order?¡± ¡°With His Grace absent, the right to decide rests with the Grand Duchess.¡± The chief attendant replied with a serious expression. Without Ashton, who was in charge of administration, she was the decision-maker meant to fill the Grand Duke¡¯s vacancy in the castle. ¡°Even if you say so¡­ I am¡­¡± Anne had never been taught what to do during such an emergency. Before, in the event of an unexpected situation, the report went to her father or her older brother. She has always been prepared to become a member of a different family, so she did not know what to order in this situation. ¡°People¡¯s lives can be at stake if time is delayed.¡± The voice was urging her to make a choice. Embarrassingly, the voice was enough to make Anne, who had lived her life thinking that she did not have the right to be the Grand Duchess, to open her eyes wide. Yes. I am the master of this castle now. I have to give orders. She opened her lips and thought this to herself. Even though she had power, ignoring the people¡¯s misfortune was something an upright member of the nobility should never openly do. ¡°How big is the town there?¡± ¡°I heard that there are only about twenty residents living there.¡± It was a small town that would have been relatively poorly prepared for the snowfall. ¡°Do you know the extent of the damage?¡± ¡°Currently, all ten houses have been buried, and it seems that even the people in the houses have been swept away.¡± ¡°How many people buried in the snow?¡± ¡°The snow is heavy and we are currently unable to approach it.¡± Anne¡¯s head, as she bit her lip in frustration, returned to the window. The wind was so strong that the long, bony trees knocked against the windows. She had to make a decision quickly, as it was a race against time. If she dragged it like this, they couldn¡¯t be sure of the life or death of those buried in the snow. It was the same as ignoring their peril. With no one speaking, Anne, with a determined face, finally opened her mouth. ¡°Send the remaining knights stationed in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°With all due respect, His Grace has given orders to protect the Grand Duke¡¯s castle and the Grand Duchess. Although the situation is unfortunate, it would be better to send other personnel.¡± Commander Abreham intervened, flustered. Chief attendant Wald also had a grim expression. It seemed like she knew why they came together ¡­ They also couldn¡¯t find a solution. Even though they want to help, there are restrictions on their actions, so they can¡¯t act hastily. If it was the Grand Duke who cherished his territory, they would have already sent the knights, but now that the number of people is small, they were reluctant to send the knights out of the castle. ¡°Are you saying that you will refuse even if I order it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± When the knight commander showed no sign of following her instructions, Anne had no choice but to speak. ¡°Emily, get ready to go out. I will go myself.¡± ¡°No, Madam.¡± Aware of what she was about to do, Emily interrupted Anne. ¡°We can¡¯t do nothing. Sir Abrehem, if I go there myself, the knights will escort me, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a place the Madam can go directly. Send others.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Madam, it¡¯s dangerous to go there yourself in this weather.¡± ¡°No. We can¡¯t put the employees at risk. I¡¯ll be fine with the knights. And I am in charge of this castle right now.¡± Despite the chief attendant and Emily¡¯s concern, Anne¡¯s expression was serious. The knights would not intervene recklessly unless there was an excuse for the Grand Duchess to be going. Since now is the time for her to practice her right to speak, Anne firmly continued. ¡°Gather the knights. I am coming.¡± The knight commander, seeing her firm expression, could no longer stop her and cleared the way. * * * Anne, attended by the handmaidens, quickly donned a riding vest and breeches that were comfortable for activities. On top of that, they wrapped her in a thick winter robe to regulate her body temperature and long boots to reduce the risk of frostbite, before she could go out the front door. When the Grand Duchess appeared in person, she could see people gasping. It was after they were all told that the Grand Duchess would lead them personally. As the attendants who were inspecting the condition of the wheels and horses of the carriage moved out of the way, she was approached by Abreham. He opened his mouth with a cold expression. ¡°If it is judged to be even slightly dangerous, we will prioritize Your Grace¡¯s safety.¡± ¡°I have no intention of being an incompetent burden. You just need to think about saving the survivors to the best of your ability.¡± CH 46.1 Anne climbed into the carriage and heard the sound of horses galloping in succession outside. As soon as the carriage began to move, Anne opened the window. About twenty knights followed on horseback. The world was covered with white, but the snowfall was decreasing. Not long after, the carriage¡¯s movement completely stopped. Arriving at the area in question, she could clearly hear people¡¯s cries outside. There must be a lot of people who have lost their homes. Seeing that the situation was more serious than she thought, Anne took a deep breath. Taking care of the territory and taking care of the people of the territory during times of calamity was her role as the Grand Duke¡¯s representative. ¡°This is about as far as carriages and horses can go. From now on, we have to walk.¡± Abreham¡¯s voice sounded from outside. Anne opened the door, carefully wrapping her outerwear around her as best she could. The chill that blew in was enough to suffocate. Covering her nose with a shawl that seemed to freeze in her head, Anne walked up to the crowded hill. ¡°Here? There¡¯s nothing here. Where is the village?¡± ¡°This is the village.¡± The knight commander with a hardened face pointed forward. Anne¡¯s face contorted as she inadvertently saw the wide plain-like snow hills toward which his finger was pointing. She probably expected that she would see a ghastly sight. That¡¯s why she gathered her heart more firmly, but the reality was a dark story on its own. The village had disappeared without a trace. The avalanche-stricken villages, she saw, were small settlements set on hillsides where the terrain lowered inward. There was a cliff behind it, and the ground had collapsed from the snowy mountain above. If it had been a forest with trees, there wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but in villages like this, there are many cases where the wood would be used, so sparse bare hills collapse without a countermeasure. ¡°This ¡­¡± Looking down at the hill, Anne felt helpless. To think that a village was buried under this seemingly ordinary hill. Some hesitant people suddenly intervened among them as they carefully scanned the land around them. ¡°Huhuu¡­ no¡­ My child, my daughter, is at home¡­ !¡± A young couple who had been to the central downtown area and returned belatedly hearing the news sat down on the ground and burst into tears. A few villagers who arrived afterwards also cried in tears, and in an instant, the sound of crying made the space they were in sad. Her heart was beating anxiously. ¡°Please help her. She is still only ten years old. Hic, I came out for a moment after seeing her sleeping at home, but my God¡­¡± When the weeping woman saw Anne, who seemed to be in charge, she collapsed and knelt on the cold ground. ¡°Please, please help her.¡± Seeing a grown-up woman cry sadly, Anne¡¯s heart ached. Anne, who was watching the couple sobbing with sorrowful faces, turned her eyes to the knights with a hardened face. Whatever it may be, she couldn¡¯t stay stunned like this. ¡°We have to hurry up and get the workers and knights to dig this place.¡± ¡°There are too many people. If these personnel hit the ground all at once, a secondary hazard may arise from the artificial vibrations.¡± Abreham stopped her, hushing his voice so that others could not hear her. ¡°But you can¡¯t just watch with both hands open like this. Search this place with all available personnel.¡± As time goes on, the ones who are at a disadvantage are the survivors who may be somewhere. As the Grand Duchess was resolute, Abreham raised his hand helplessly. ¡°I will follow your orders, Your Grace.¡± As soon as instructions were given, the knights slowly walked toward the place where the village had been. Now that the snow had stopped momentarily, their work must be finished as quickly as possible. According to the knight commander¡¯s orders, several people came together to scoop the snow with shovels, but it was not enough. The villagers who came to hear the news belatedly chipped in, but before the sun set, they seemed to have made no progress. ¡°We need to ask for help. Please send someone right now and call for help from the surrounding village who can use their strength.¡± ¡°I accept your order.¡± Hearing her words, the knight commander nodded his head and walked to the subordinate who handled a horse best. In the meantime, Anne approached a knight who was busy digging with a shovel. ¡°Give me one.¡± ¡°Your Grace is going to do it yourself? It¡¯s nonsense. If His Grace finds out, we will be held accountable.¡± Anne nodded her head with a stern expression. The hands were not enough, and at this time she was the Grand Duchess, so she did not come to just stare. The knight handed her a shovel with a helpless look at Anne¡¯s determined expression. CH 46.2 Anne fixed her gloves and took hold of the shovel. Her wrists felt sore from holding the shovel, the heaviest object she had ever lifted, but it was okay for her to get used to it in advance, as she would have to regularly hold such objects once she left the castle. Anne walked out to the side, not where the knights were crowded, but near the entrance of the forest, where the father of the child was digging at the ground with his bare hands. There is no time. It¡¯ll be harder for the child to hold out. Passing by the mother of the child, who was crying, Anne began digging next to the father whose hands had turned red. Even with the gloves on, the ground was hard, and even when scooped up with a shovel, the house was barely visible. With earnestness, she bowed down and dug the land for a long time, and beads of sweat flowed down her forehead. As she wiped away the sweat and caught her breath, she felt small vibrations under her feet. ¡°What?¡± Anne and the father of the child who was digging next to her raised their heads at the same time. The knights who were standing at a distance also noticed a strange sign, stopped their actions and all raised their heads. A cool silence fell over the noise of people who were muttering or sobbing. A strong winter wind blew between them. Then, ruuumbbblee again! There was a stronger vibration than a moment ago. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the mountain behind them. At that moment, the knight commander shouted at the top of his voice as if he had discovered something. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Voom! Voom! Voom! When Anne belatedly turned her head, she noticed an avalanche coming like a tidal wave with uncontrollable tremors. Huge trees snapped like reeds and mountains collapsed. ¡°It¡¯s an avalanche!¡± ¡°If you get swept away, it¡¯s over!¡± In an abrupt situation, the digging knights and people shouted and started running toward the entrance of the village. Anne also hurriedly turned her body and moved her frozen legs across the cool snow. At the desperate moment as the thunderous roar got closer and closer, her foot slipped. ¡°Kyaah!¡± Anne, who had slipped, tried to get up again, putting her palms on the cold snow, but her ankles throbbed. When Anne, realizing she sprained her leg, raised her head towards the entrance of the village, where she met Abreham¡¯s eyes, who just in time rushed out to save her. ¡°Your Grace!¡± As she tried to reach out to him who was shouting anxiously, her vision went white and huge snow fell over her small body. * * * Meanwhile the estate is in crisis due to an avalanche. The subjugation of monsters in the Silbur Mountains was progressing despite the harsh weather that followed. Red blood dripped from the longsword that sliced through the air at an angle. Then the massive body, slashed by the sword, plummeted to the floor with a thud. In the meantime, Daymond, who had twisted his body to another monster that was charging at him with sharp teeth, lightly decapitated it. He squinted as the unpleasant blood splattered on his clothes. ¡°Damn it. What the hell were you doing last winter?¡± A monster youngling knew no fear. It rushed recklessly without the slightest hint of trepidation. There were more than one or two monster younglings that endlessly popped out. Marquis Brussel¡¯s face was troubled, as it was their duty had not been properly carried out. ¡°That is¡­ It seems to be because the number of the monster younglings have suddenly increased last year.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Daymond, who was sarcastically asking if Marquis Brussel could at least come up with a more proper excuse, vigorously brushed off the blood still flowing along the sword. The fact that the number of monsters was this high meant that they had only imitated subjugation, or that they hadn¡¯t done it right at all. Even if they were punished for neglecting their duties, they would have nothing to refute. ¡°We have been hunting every winter. Your Grace may not know it, but many knights are sacrificed every time. It was the best we could do.¡± ¡°Can you take responsibility for that? Can you risk your life?¡± Marquis Brussel¡¯s face froze at the Grand Duke¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t want to risk his life. ¡°I plan to look into this properly when I get back. What, exactly, you guys have been doing so far.¡± Hearing those words, anxiety overwhelmed Marquis Brussel¡¯s face. ¡°How can we tell lies? It¡¯s just that it¡¯s so hard¡­ Even the Imperial family doesn¡¯t provide proper support, so how could we¡­¡± ¡°I will be involved until this week. After that, you will have to figure it out yourselves.¡± Daymond, staring at the silent Marquis, slashed his sword menacingly. Leaving the frozen Marquis alone, Daymond turned around. ¡°Your Grace, the matter here has not been resolved yet. Are you saying that you¡¯re going back to the castle?¡± Ashton followed Daymond as he strode into the barracks and whispered next to him. Thanks to his monstrous inaction, the subjugation was picking up speed. Although he had solved it with ease until now, the moment he left, the place would become desperate enough like a disastrous battlefield. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the castle empty any longer.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Is there anything wrong with the castle? Perhaps, is it because of the Grand Duchess?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s footsteps paused. CH 47.1 Those ferocious red eyes turned to his aide. Ashton, who belatedly realized his mistake, hurriedly lowered his head. ¡°Ashton.¡± ¡°Forgive me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it twice. Your father never crossed the line. His son should know what that means.¡± ¡°Yes, forgive me.¡± Daymond, who had been staring at Ashton¡¯s head, lowered his eyes to the floor and shoved his sword into the scabbard with a nervous hand. Daymon knew that he was taking his anger out on Ashton, but even he couldn¡¯t understand why he was so nervous. As he put down his sword and sat down in the barracks, Daymond¡¯s mind was complicated. He wanted to return to the castle right away. He wasn¡¯t worried about an empty house. What filled his mind was the woman called the Grand Duchess. Angroanne¡­ just seeing her calmly in her room, seemed to dispel his uneasiness. Funny. Am I missing that woman? Daymond strongly suppressed his momentary speculation. He held no love or affection for her. Nevertheless, contrary to his cold reasoning, his instinct encouraged him to return to the castle quickly. He felt¡­ bad. He was about to wash the blood that had clung to his hands with a bucket of water brought by a low-ranking knight. Someone didn¡¯t even ask for permission beforehand, and the barracks curtain was pulled back. ¡°What insolence. How dare you not ask for His Grace¡¯s permission!¡± Ashton shouted at the rude knight, but the knight quickly knelt in front of the Grand Duke. His breathing was quite heavy, probably because he had hurried all the way here. Seeing the knight¡¯s complexion, Daymond¡¯s eyebrows curled up. He looked away as if he wasn¡¯t interested, but suddenly got up from his seat. He wasn¡¯t one of the knights that he had brought here. Rather, it was a member of the knights who should have remained in the castle. ¡°Your Grace, please forgive me. The matter is urgent. The Grand Duchess¡­¡± ¡°What did the Grand Duchess do?¡± Daymond quickly moved to stand before the kneeling knight. ¡°The Grand Duchess has gone missing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The knight, who struggled to utter his last words, slowly lifted his head in the silence that came. And he saw the Grand Duke¡¯s face contort like a beast. It was something he had never seen before. It wasn¡¯t human. * * * The coldness on her fingertips, the uncomfortable feeling of being crushed by something. She couldn¡¯t breathe properly, as if someone had clamped a hand around her neck. She barely managed to wipe the unpleasant touch on her eyelids with the back of her raised hand, and her wet eyelashes clung to her. What happened? There was an avalanche. That was the last thing she saw. The shocked face of the knight commander and the shouts of the people disappeared in an instant, as though she had become deaf. Apparently, she lost consciousness after that. Lifting her stiff eyelids with difficulty, Anne lifted her head and looked around her. For some reason, there was a small space where one person could barely lie down and breathe. Judging by the few wooden blocks lying around, it seemed that the avalanche had been held off by a small pile of debris. She didn¡¯t know how long it would last, but she was able to breathe for a while, so she was lucky. Anne tried to lift her body. Her body didn¡¯t move the way she wanted to. She looked down at her leg, which seemed to be under a heavy boulder, and sure enough, part of a broken wooden pole rested on her leg. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Despite all her efforts, Anne, who had given up on removing the pole, reluctantly wrapped her hands around her shoulders. The bitter cold made her teeth chatter. The thick clothes she had worn were useless. The same was true of the robe that had become wet with snow. ¡°For now, I have to conserve my energy. Abreham should be looking for me by now.¡± He couldn¡¯t just watch the sight of her falling under the snow. He would dig and try to save her. She shook her head calmly, trying not to be agitated by the tight air. She had read in a book that in a situation like this, if she were to scream, her breathing would become heavy, which could lead to a more difficult situation. I need to make sure I don¡¯t lose too much body heat. Judging that she might not be able to recover her frozen body if she moved, Anne hugged herself tightly to maintain her body temperature as well as possible. While she was trying not to lose her mind and decided to continue her wandering thoughts, she suddenly thought of the strange dream she had had the night before. She thought it was something in the vaguely distant future, but considering the current situation, it wasn¡¯t. The same thing happened, she was fighting in front of death, but the target changed from a monster to the snow. CH 47.2 But her thoughts seldom continued. The soft falling snow was gradually pressing down on her shoulders. By the way¡­ Can they find me¡­ ? Can I hold out until they come? It was for a while that Anna was immersed in hopes. But, at some point, pessimism washed over her. She wondered if she would meet her death here. Her breathing that became increasingly difficult was evidence of that. Too cold. The intense chill on her flesh made it difficult to even open her mouth. In the cramped space, Anne drew her body as tight as possible. However, her space only became narrower and she couldn¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t ¡­ I have to open my eyes. Her body¡¯s senses had become dull at some point, and her eyelids were very heavy again. Dying like this isn¡¯t bad either. As Anne struggled to push her eyelids open, she thought in a hazy consciousness. Looking back, it was not that she had any regrets in life. If God, who took pity on her, summoned her, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to finally rest. Wouldn¡¯t she be able to get out of this difficult life? In the face of death, which was eating away at her clouding mind, she was unexpectedly calm and accepting. She didn¡¯t regret leaving as it is, but the only regret was that Libelois would take advantage of the price of the Grand Duchess, who gave her life trying to save the people. But after a while, it wouldn¡¯t matter anyway. Her consciousness faded and her vision blurred. She could feel the hot blood in her veins cooling and slowing down. After a while¡ª A blinding light that suddenly stung her eyes. And suddenly, a human figure appeared before her. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming. A man walked without hindrance. She could see the bloodshot red eyes slowly widening. Seeing his face gave her a strange sense of relief. But for some reason, the man, who was pale as if his blood had dried up, looked to be in more danger than her. ¡°Angroanne.¡± The familiar call was mixed with heavy breathing. She had to answer because he called her name, but she stopped when she tried to open her mouth due to extreme exhaustion and the cold that hit her throat. He dropped to his knees and slowly met her gaze. The red eyes were more subdued than ever. ¡°An¡­ n ¡­¡± A gloomy voice was cut off as if the world had collapsed. His tone of voice calling her by her nickname disturbed her for some reason. Why . . . Why are you making that face? Anne couldn¡¯t understand why he was looking at her that way. A nameless emotion settled on his pale face, and the unfamiliar yet somehow vague figure, enough to make her calm heart ache. The last thing she could not take her eyes off of was the flickering of the beautiful red eyes, and she lost her consciousness. * * * ¡°God has helped her. Since she had been buried in the snow for a long time, you need to pay special attention to maintaining her body temperature. The fracture on her leg isn¡¯t big, so she can rest for a few days.¡± As soon as the doctor finished saying that she would have been helpless if help had been even a little bit later, the maid¡¯s breathless sobs leaked out. The bloody atmosphere that was caused by the uproar subsided when the doctor said that her life was not in danger. But the castle was still so cold that she couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. God helped. If so, she shouldn¡¯t have done such a thing in the first place, the Grand Duke thought. ¡°Can you take responsibility for that? You will have to put your head on the line when you say that there is no danger to the Grand Duchess¡¯ life.¡± After reading her pulse, the doctor tucked Anne¡¯s wrist back under the thick blanket. As an eerie energy prodded his back, he was overcome with the illusion that it was him, not the Grand Duchess, who suffered from hypothermia. With more than thirty years of experience as a doctor, he was unsure of a person¡¯s life, but when his own life was at stake, he had to speak out with hope. ¡°Keep the room warm and keep Her Grace from cooling down, and she should be able to regain consciousness tomorrow.¡± As soon as he heard that, the Grand Duke opened the door and left. Bang! The Grand Duke had no way to vent his anger, so he punched a perfectly fine wall. He couldn¡¯t figure out why he was so very angry. Why did he feel this way? Her cold body temperature, which he could still feel under his palms, clung to him uncomfortably. Unlike him, the woman¡¯s body was always warm¡­ Thinking that far, he even felt sorry for Anne. CH 48.1 I let myself go too much. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but when he heard that her life was in danger, he left the knights who were preparing for a large-scale subjugation and rode alone to the area where the avalanche had taken place. Forcibly suppressing his uncomfortable feeling, believing that it was a waste of his hard work, he turned his head to the chief attendant, who was waiting outside the door. ¡°Useless things. What have you been doing?¡± While turning a blind eye to the point that her life was in danger, the Grand Duke poured out his anger on the employees. The cold accusation pierced the eardrums of chief attendant Wald and Commander Abreham like a dagger. ¡°Forgive me. Your Grace¡­ that¡¯s what Her Grace¡­¡± When they were reprimanded for not knowing it would be like this, instead of making excuses, they only bowed their heads deeply, not knowing what to do. Ashton, who was standing behind, couldn¡¯t bear to see it and helped them out. ¡°They couldn¡¯t disobey Her Grace¡¯s orders. Since Your Grace was away, they had no choice but to follow Her Grace¡¯s instructions?¡± ¡°My orders were to protect the Grand Duchess. I didn¡¯t ask you to stare at that woman until she was buried in snow.¡± The tone made even the rational Ashton shudder. ¡°If the Grand Duchess doesn¡¯t wake up, you¡¯ll all pay with your heads.¡± According to the doctor, such an outcome was impossible, but at that point, everyone was holding their breath in fear. Pathetic things, he thought, and strode past them and across the hallway. Ashton followed him, beckoning for everyone to leave. ¡°Are you planning to return to the Silbur Mountains?¡± The Grand Duke, who was about to say that he would do so immediately, hesitated. According to the doctor, Anne¡¯s consciousness would return by tomorrow. So, it was right to take care of the unfinished business until the end¡­ But other thoughts came to his mind. If she didn¡¯t wake up¡­ Ashton glared at his master, who hadn¡¯t even washed properly. While the doctor was examining the Grand Duchess, the master did not change his clothes, nor did he relax for even a moment. Anyone could see that he was worried about the Grand Duchess¡ª he was the only one who didn¡¯t admit it. Ashton, who imagined what he would do if her life had been taken, shuddered. Even the Grand Duke, who was said to have no feelings for the Grand Duchess, made a monstrous expression when she lost consciousness and her body drooped. He¡¯s trying to hide his inner feelings. Ashton sighed as he recalled the Grand Duke¡¯s face when he threatened the doctor and told him to save her immediately. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come this far, let¡¯s take a day off and return tomorrow.¡± The Grand Duke gave no reply, but Ashton took it as acceptance. * * * Even when night came, Anne did not wake up. Daymond, leaning on one shoulder against the window of the Grand Duchess¡¯ room, looked out. However, what he saw was not the scenery outside or the knights standing guard in the dark. It was Anne, who fell into a long sleep and laid still, reflected in the dimly lit window. After the doctor withdrew, he claimed that he would stay by her side and dismissed the employees. He ordered the attendants to feed the fire a lot of fuel, so the temperature in the room was hot enough to remind one of a summer¡¯s day. He was sweaty and uncomfortably hot, but his complexion was frosty. ¡°Huuuuh.¡± A soft moan came from the bed. Responding reflexively, he strode straight to the bedside and examined her. She looked as if she had been sleeping quietly, but Anne¡¯s expression was painfully contorted. Her white face was as pale as her corpse, without any blood. The rosy cheeks had lost their life, and her lips were blue. Daymond¡¯s vision, looking down at the sleeping Anne, was blacker than the darkness outside. ¡°Are you having nightmares?¡± Her slender fingers convulsed several times. Her white knuckles bulged out on the backs of her hands. Daymond put his hand on her forehead. However, despite all the fire and medicine he had given her, her bare skin was colder than his frigid body. ¡°Damn it. It¡¯s like ice.¡± He went straight to the roaring fireplace and warmed himself for a while. Then he got into the bed, laid down, and held her little body tightly. Wearing only a thin slip, her body temperature remained low even under the thick cotton blanket. He hugged her cold, tender body closer into his arms. Fortunately, he could feel her spasms gradually subside. The Grand Duke exhaled slowly on her face as if his arms were uncomfortable. He put his lips on Anne¡¯s cheek, hugging her cold body again. ¡°Anne¡­ If you die again this time, I won¡¯t forgive you, even if it means chasing you to the ends of hell.¡± He took a shallow breath and recited fiercely to the lying body, but there was also a sense of urgency in his voice. ¡°If you are going to go again, at least kill me before you go.¡± However, his only wish was near-impossible to achieve. Unlike her, he was immortal. CH 48.2 Daymond was human, and yet not. Something inhuman was mixed in his blood. It wasn¡¯t what he wanted. He just inherited his father¡¯s lineage. He later found out that the blood was from an unknown entity. Being of transcendental blood did not mean that he could freely use magic, control the weather, or possess great powers that could destroy a kingdom in the blink of an eye. It was just that he was faster than ordinary people and had a little more strength. It was just that no one could hide their fear in front of him. Above all, the most special thing that differentiated him from other humans was eternal life. Daymond¡¯s mother was Mariel Cromund, the only daughter of Grand Duke Klein Cromound, who ruled the Northern Territory. With her radiant blonde curly hair, pure as a snowflake, she was more noble than anyone else. There was no one who didn¡¯t treat her like a goddess. One day, Mariel broke through the snow and fell in love with a man who suddenly appeared in the estate. The man was a man with a bewitchingly beautiful, mysterious appearance, so she fell in love with him at first sight. With ardent love, Mariel had a child, but the man left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant, leaving her with strange words. [Can¡¯t you tell me who the child¡¯s father is!] [¡­] Grand Duke Cromound was furious with the fact that his daughter was pregnant. He then imprisoned her in the annex of the castle on the grounds that she had dishonored the family. It was a natural reaction, as impure blood was mixed in the noble blood born with the lineage of the Imperial family. He criticized his daughter for having a bastard child and treated her harshly without even looking at her face. She went from being a respected woman of the northern territory to being stigmatized as a prostitute who recklessly threw away her body overnight. The world¡¯s condemnation of her having an illegitimate child and the ten months of being locked up alone behind the iron gates were enough to drive her deep into the abyss and led to her consequent collapse. Mariel couldn¡¯t forget the man who abandoned her, so she wept endlessly and became ull. Soon after, her mind and body weakened, and she died of difficult labor on the day she gave birth to Daymond. Because of this, the Grand Duchy¡¯s illegitimate son attracted all sorts of attention from the moment he was born. The child who was born from the mother¡¯s sorrow and tears was gloomy from birth. He didn¡¯t smile or cry, and he didn¡¯t show much emotion. Moreover, the child did not have the characteristic of the Grand Duke¡¯s family that has been passed down from generation to generation, but resembled the secret man¡¯s appearance. A child with black hair and red eyes was born to the Grand Duke¡¯s family, where before there had only ever been blonde hair resembling the sun. So it was obvious how his appearance would be reflected in people¡¯s eyes. Even though he was a lovely child with smooth black hair and ruby-like clear eyes, people started to say baseless things because of his odd appearance. That the Lady bore the seed of a non-human being . . . [That hair color, those red eyes. It¡¯s terrible.] [No matter how you look at it, he must be the devil¡¯s child.] The blame for Mariel¡¯s death was directed at the young Lord. Since illegitimate children were originally regarded as a source of sin, the rumor spread like wildfire. Knowing how it would affect the child, they blatantly grimaced and walked away every time they saw Daymond¡¯s face. It was because they quickly realized that there was nothing the little noble boy could do. On top of that, no one would protect him. There was also a common opinion that they felt displeasure and fear when facing the child. The Grand Duke closed his ears despite hearing the rumors and locked himself in his room out of the guilt of causing his daughter to die. The only ones taking care of the young Daymond were the careless servants. They only prepared meals according to the time, just like feeding a dog, and no one cared for him affectionately. Until the child was seven years old, he grew up all alone. A child who grew up alone amidst the shunning of the world, once he reached educational age, he began to stand out with distinction. He was so intelligent that even a private tutor would be rendered speechless. He quickly mastered things such that, if he was taught one martial art, his skills would be ten times as great. Around that time, the Grand Duke finally came out of his room after hearing the news of his clever grandson. Although he was of illegitimate blood, Daymond was the only heir to the Grand Duke¡¯s family. CH 49.1 The Grand Duke gradually began to give generous treatment to the young grandson, who had a brilliant mind and showed extraordinary ability. It was hard to like the face that didn¡¯t resemble the mother, but the child¡¯s outstanding ability softened the heart of the old Grand Duke, who had been weakened by the loss of his child. He acknowledged the child as his own and made him his successor. However, even if Daymond belatedly attracted the Grand Duke¡¯s attention, it was difficult to erase a rumor that had already spread through people¡¯s mouths. Being different from others evoked awe, but also fear. So even though time had passed, the gazes and the uneasy looks in people¡¯s eyes had never changed. The child grew up well, except for his difficulty communicating with people and his lack of emotions. However, as the child grew up little by little, the Grand Duke realized that it was somewhat strange. It wasn¡¯t long before he realized that his grandson was different from ordinary people. It was the middle of winter, the day before Daymond¡¯s tenth birthday. As usual, fluffy snow fell from the sky to the Grand Duke Castle¡¯s garden, and a cold, stinging wind blew. What if his intelligent head had been a bit dull that day? If he didn¡¯t show his genius mind beyond the teacher¡¯s skills, if the class didn¡¯t end early¡­ Perhaps he could have escaped the ordeal he was about to face. As they walked side by side through the outer corridor, explaining to the Grand Duke what he had learned, a commotion broke out out of nowhere. A terrifying roar enveloped the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. A monster living in the Silbur Mountains entered the castle through the mountain behind the Grand Duke¡¯s Castle. [Protect the Grand Duke!] Even the formally trained knights collapsed one by one in a sudden situation, and the Grand Duke¡¯s castle soon turned into a terrible mess. And as luck would have it, Daymond and the Grand Duke met the monster head-on. The moment the drool dripping monster with yellow fangs the size of a forearm exposed, blocked their way, the Grand Duke had a sense of death. But at that moment, his grandson who had been standing silently next to him took a step forward. He stood right in the monster¡¯s path. [Daymond, what are you doing?! Hurry up and run!] Just before the shocked Grand Duke stretched out his arm to grab his grandson, the monster¡¯s action to swing its long claws abruptly stopped. Soon, the ferocious beast, which was about to devour them at any moment, stiffened, and soon ran away. [What did you do, Daymond?!] The surprised Grand Duke asked, grabbing his now ten-year-old grandson¡¯s arms and shaking them. [I didn¡¯t do anything.] The child answered calmly. Like nothing happened. There was no sign of surprise when he saw the wounded and bleeding soldiers nearby. Suddenly, the Grand Duke recalled the moment when he threatened Mariel, asking whose seed the child in her belly was from. [How could a Lady be so careless with her behavior! Tell me who the father is. I¡¯m going to kill him right away.] [He is the unknown that we dare not look up to, he is the one who looks down on us everywhere. We are foolish human beings who cannot fathom his will.] He thought that his daughter was talking nonsense to protect the man¡¯s life, but were all the rumors true? At that moment, the Grand Duke was seized with fear of something that was not of human domain. He let go of his grandson, who blinked his red eyes, and took a step away from him. The creepy moment when he faced the sparkling eyes of the monster¡¯s veins suddenly began to overlap with his grandson. From that day on, Daymond¡¯s life changed. He suddenly went back to his unhappy and unfortunate past. Before long, the Grand Duke was so afraid of his bloodline even if he came near. He said, ¡®he¡¯s trying to take my life¡¯. There was only one blood relative left to protect Daymond, but instead, the Grand Duke¡¯s paranoia was so terrible that he tried to kill his grandson. From his mother, who left without giving him even a hint of warmth, to his maternal grandfather, who constantly tried to kill him. Now that his guardian had disappeared, what was left of Daymond were only suspicious gazes and fear-filled eyes. The child abandoned his expectations and closed his heart. He had been alone in the vast castle from the beginning, so it was not too sad to be alone again. The Grand Duke¡¯s castle, where all laughter and energy had disappeared, was swallowed up by depression once more. As time passed and the Grand Duke realized that Daymond, now an adult, was no longer aging, he shut himself in his room again. His body trembled and he even said to himself that Daymond was going to eat him, and gradually went mad. In this situation, the Northern Territory was also devastated as the Grand Duke, who had to take care of the estate, was abandoning everything. Frightened by Daymond¡¯s existence, the servants left one by one, and the people who abandoned the barren land continued to leave. Rumors that the Grand Duke¡¯s family would perish sooner or later gained traction. The Grand Duke, who had cut off communication with the world and went mad, eventually ended his life alone in his room. At that time, those who came out were vassals from Count Wald¡¯s family. CH 49.2 [Please become Grand Duke Cromund and give us strength.] [Why should I? Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?] [Lord Daymond is the official heir to the Cromound family. You are the only one who can lift up this territory, the north that Lady Mariel loved.] Daymond had never been interested from the very beginning but eventually accepted their will after successive persuasion. As soon as they held the Grand Duke¡¯s funeral, they appointed Daymond, who was the only heir, as the Grand Duke and set out to reestablish their territory. They told Daymond to get rid of the rumors that faded as time went by and to shut up the Grand Duke¡¯s castle and lock it up. Daymond, who became Grand Duke Cromound, helped rebuild the Wald family¡¯s vassals and the northern territory. He was an outstanding leader as he inherited the Grand Duke¡¯s blood, and the people of the Wald family swore allegiance to him. Even as time passed and his servants grew old, he alone maintained his youth. Thoughout his immortal life, when members of the Wald family passed away, their children took over the work of their parents. Rumors about him naturally faded over time, and people completely forgot about them. After that, he pretended that a new successor inherited the title every fifty years. Then one day, a man came through the strong snow. As if he had just undergone a coming-of-age ceremony, the young man¡¯s silver hair shone softly in the light. As soon as he saw the dazzlingly beautiful man who exuded an aura as cold as ice crystals, Daymond intuitively recognized that he was the same as himself. [Why did you come to see me?] [I just came to see what caused my brother to die.] As he expected, the boy was like his father. He briefly explained that Daymond¡¯s father had lost his life for leaving behind a human mixed-blood. [Who are you?] [Humans call us gods, or demons. We are just nameless beings observing humans on the side.] He said there was no way to explain their existence, just like the monsters whose origins were unknown. However, the man replied that he had existed since the land was submerged in the deep sea, long before the empire had ever formed. He said that he has lived so many eons that it is hard to count time. At first, Daymond thought that only this man could fully understand him, unlike the others who feared him. However, Daymond, who was born with half human blood, was different from the man as well. He didn¡¯t understand feelings like emptiness at all, and the man didn¡¯t acknowledge him as an equal, saying that he was evidence of a weak human being. Introducing himself as Luciel, he continued to visit the castle from time to time, but Daymond completely ignored him. But the more he did, the more Luciel hung around him and told him one by one the facts he didn¡¯t know. Most of them were nonsensical, so it just passed through his ears, but a few things were imprinted in Daymond¡¯s head. [You, the other half, have eternal life like us, but you cannot conceive children.] Daymond was unmoved by his words. He wouldn¡¯t birth a child just for them to have the same misfortune as him. He had no intention of having one even if it was possible. It was Anne who Daymond met at the end of such a boring and dull time period. For the first time, he cherished and loved her with all his heart. She, who awakened his human feelings for the first time¡­ She betrayed him because of a child. * * * When Anne opened her eyes, the coldness that had been gripping her so terribly was gone. Instead, a blanket that was hot enough to make her feverish wrapped around her. She thought she was held in someone¡¯s arms in a hazy dream, but that must have been the blanket. As she turned her head helplessly, an unfamiliar old man was explaining something to Emily, crushing pills in a white dish. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Her throat was stinging as she tried to call them. Feeling the presence of that alone, Emily suddenly called out to the man behind her. ¡°Are you awake?¡± To the man¡¯s question, Anne nodded her head instead of answering. And because of her uncomfortable voice, she couldn¡¯t help but ask what was going on with her eyes. ¡°Madam, I thought I would never see you again¡­ Huuh.¡± From her sobbing, she could tell how worried Emily was. When she turned to the rather calm Marie standing next to her, she too wiped her eyes once. ¡°His Grace saved Madam, who was swept away by the avalanche.¡± Anne¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the wonder. The Grand Duke was currently out hunting monsters¡­ Come to think of it, the bloodless face she had seen before she passed out slowly came to mind. Was he on the way back after subjugating monsters? If not¡­ Anne, wondering if he had come back after hearing the news, asked herself what kind of foolish things she was thinking. She gently closed her eyes. He was not the kind of person who would delay something important just to save her life. Still, how relieved she must have been to see the Grand Duke at that moment. She felt fortunate to have been saved. She even felt grateful because he had saved her life. If he had not come, she would have died after being buried under the snow. CH 50.1 When she saw the Grand Duke¡¯s face, Anne felt an indescribable feeling. She felt relieved that she had lived and a faint feeling that she was lucky that he was the last person she saw. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared medicine for her, so take it on time.¡± The doctor was asking Marie for a favor. The door was flung, and someone burst into the room with wild steps. ¡°Everybody out.¡± The three people without saying a word. ¡°Open your eyes. I know you woke up.¡± Hearing the cold voice, Anne slowly opened her eyes to see the Grand Duke in his armor. Looking closely, his jawline, which had become sharper over the past few days, and his tousled black hair gave him a more sensitive impression. Despite his rather stern expression, Anne was trying to lower her voice to thank him. ¡°Do you think that the Grand Duchess can do anything? Why did you do such useless things?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Hearing his sudden reprimand, Anne blinked with a blank expression. Then she slowly raised her upper body and managed to speak her voice out. ¡°In Your Grace¡¯s absence . . . I am the master of this castle, so it was right for me to go.¡± Anne¡¯s breathy voice was faint, but the Grand Duke only showed a cold expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave my castle to do such troublesome things. Why are you being so selfish?¡± ¡°I thought you were worried about me.¡± In response to his tone, Anne answered harshly without even realizing it. Her gratitude disappeared and seeing his accusing face drained her strength. ¡°Huh!¡± In an instant, Anne¡¯s body was helplessly dragged by his hand like a piece of paper. She felt his hot breath and the subtle scent of blood. As Anne¡¯s nose wrinkled at the disgusting bloody smell, his face crumpled. ¡°If you are the Grand Duchess, live like the Grand Duchess. Lock yourself in the castle and wear jewels. Stop pretending to be a hero.¡± ¡°Heuh . . . I can do whatever I want,¡± ¡°You still have the strength to talk back?¡± The Grand Duke, tilting his head, cut her off coldly. Her neck was painfully tightened. His intertwining eyes were as cold as a lifeless stone. ¡°Don¡¯t get on my nerves. Don¡¯t do as you please.¡± ¡°Huuh . . . I know, so I did this.¡± ¡°Listen, Angroanne. All you have to do in this castle is stay put and spread those pretty legs whenever I tell you to.¡± Seeing her turn white in her hands, the Grand Duke put her clothes aside as if tossing them away. Anne¡¯s slender arm was pushed against the pile of pillows. There was a sharpness in the red eyes who looked at Anne¡¯s pale face. He was terribly annoyed by the way she made fuss, not knowing that she was about to die. I shouldn¡¯t have let you go. That was it. He should have done it the first time. It was right to push, tease and bully her as he originally thought. He would rather not give her unreasonable rights and freedoms. Not too long ago, he would worry if he should step back. But now, he believed that he had given her too much slack. The present position was good. She didn¡¯t need to be advantageous here, nor did she have to keep her nose up. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way. From now on, live as if you were dead.¡± He coldly turned away from Anne and turned his back. Anne, who was staring at the loudly closed door, grabbed the water glass to calm her swaying stomach. Even though she drank the whole cup, her body didn¡¯t stop shaking. ¡°Live as if you were dead . . .¡± Their conversations were always like this. There was never a question about if she was in pain. That¡¯s why those particularly cruel words pierced her heart like a dagger. Not too long ago, she didn¡¯t mind his words. She was neither sad nor angry, just a little bit of agitation as a human being. But at this moment, her heart was beating strangely. Anne felt her throbbing chest, like it was pricked with needles. Anne was hurt by the fact that he, who had softened enough to sway her, turned cold again. She didn¡¯t want to be fooled by him. She shouldn¡¯t have expected anything from him in the first place. Just because he saved her, her heart went soft? There was no need for that. As she blinked her stinging eyes, thick water droplets suddenly fell on the sheet. Anne, staring at the tears spreading to the white sheet, bit her lip, remembering the thunderous Grand Duke who just before. ¡°It can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no way my heart can be broken by his words.¡± It was a ridiculous sadness, she thought with all her might, trying to pull herself together. She couldn¡¯t have felt this emotional agitation from him . . . CH 50.2 ¡°If I give birth to a child and leave this castle as soon as possible, I will never see him again.¡± This calm chant calmed her down. She didn¡¯t admit to any feelings. Leaving only the strong heart she had recalled when she first came, those weak feelings were deeply buried. Anne closed her heart. * * * As he mounted the prepared horse at the front door of the main building, the Grand Duke, holding the reins, looked back at the window of Anne¡¯s room. He was glad she was safe. What would he have done if her eyes stayed cloased forever? Instead of showing his feelings about that hellish time, he chose the harshest way. But even after that, his heart wasn¡¯t clear at all. Because it didn¡¯t change the fact that Anne almost died. ¡°You stay! Don¡¯t disappoint me again.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice to Ashton was gloomy, like a warning. ¡°I will take responsibility and monitor Her Grace.¡± ¡°Watch that woman and stop her if she tries to do nonsense again. If she doesn¡¯t listen, lock her up altogether.¡± ¡°Are you telling me to lock her up?¡± ¡°Otherwise?¡± ¡°. . .¡± It was an odd order, but Ashton quietly bowed his head, as he was not allowed to speak out against his master¡¯s opinion. The black horse roared loudly as it spurs and ran away. A long sigh escaped from Ashton¡¯s lips as he watched his master walk away. ¡°It¡¯s tiring to be a faithful dog. You look so pitiful today.¡± When Ashton turned around hearing those words, Luciel had appeared at the front door. Despite the smile on his face, Ashton froze. ¡°Lord Luciel, have you been watching? When did you come?¡± ¡°Me? It¡¯s been a while. While Daymond is gone, I spent a good time with Anne.¡± ¡°If His Grace finds out, a fiery command will be issued.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of my fiery commands?¡± Luciel quickly pulled out Ashton¡¯s glasses and lifted them up. Ashton stretched out his hand to take them back with nary a change in expression, but Luciel stood at a distance before he knew it. ¡°I mean. I like Anne quite a bit, but . . . I don¡¯t like what Daymond is doing. You know, right? Your master¡¯s inner thoughts? Am I wrong?¡± Ashton kept his mouth shut and he said nothing. Even though he knew what Luciel was asking, it was not his duty to carelessly speak. Luciel smiled as he peeked playfully through the clear glasses over his eyes. ¡°Daymond is a hypocrite. He brought her here saying he would cause her pain, but when Anne was in danger, he turned the place upside down like a madman. That¡¯s not the behavior of someone trying to bully her. It¡¯s what he does to the woman he loves.¡± Seeing how Ashton still hadn¡¯t answered him, Luciel tilted his head and soon looked annoyed. Even Ashton¡¯s blunt disposition resembled that of his master. ¡°Is Anne inside this room?¡± ¡°Why are you interested in Her Grace?¡± ¡°Why? I liked Anne from the beginning. He is a very different person.¡± Luciel, who giggled once more, disappeared with light steps. After Ashton looked in the direction the Grand Duke had left, he followed Luciel without a word. * * * While the Grand Duke was away from the castle, Anne quickly recovered her health. Her body, which had been frozen by the cold, was filled with warm blood and vitality. The dizziness that had come upon her after a short walk also disappeared. But there was still a shadow cast over her face. A look of trepidation settled on Anne¡¯s face as she read the letter from Libelois, which had been quiet. The content was simple. Robert¡¯s succession ceremony was coming soon, and they hoped she would attend. Why did it happen so fast? There was a sense of urgency. The early succession of the title to a successor who had not even married . . . Besides, Count Libelois? Being a man obsessed with vain ambitions, there was no way he would pass down the title easily. It would take place exactly one month from now. Spring was the season for succession ceremonies for many families, and in the empire, succession ceremonies were considered of great importance. Since it was a high-profile event, it was taken for granted that not only other nobles, but also the elders and relatives of the family would gather together. So if she was unable to attend, it was almost inevitable that there would be rumors. ¡°Madam, is it bad news?¡± Seeing Anne¡¯s complexion darkening as she read the letter, Emily asked with a worried face. Anne silently looked at the next page of the letter in her hand without answering. One thing that struck her was that she thought they would insist on the Grand Duke¡¯s presence, but they made no mention of it. [¡°I don¡¯t want to worry His Grace over the unfortunate incident. I hope, at least, that you, a member of the family, will come.¡±] CH 51.1 That meant that Anne was to go alone. Anne tossed the paper into the fireplace. The fire quickly swallowed the paper. Anne, silently watching as the roaring fire soon died down to ash, turned her head to Emily. ¡°Emily . . . Have you heard anything about the capital these days?¡± Whenever Emily ran her errands in the Langtenais district, she would bring back news from the north and the capital, which was quite useful to Anne. Emily opened her mouth. ¡°I was going to tell you anyway, but there are rumors about the Grand Duke in the capital. He is not a seventy-year-old man, but turns out to be a very good-looking young man.¡± It wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Even when he was living in seclusion, rumors of the Cromound family had been circulating, so it must have become more lush since he officially revealed his face. ¡°And . . .¡± Emily suddenly looked into Anne¡¯s eyes and hid her words. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so tell me.¡± ¡°I heard rumors that Young Marquis Whitmore had suddenly caught a fever and was bedridden.¡± ¡°Sir Salton?¡± Anne was surprised. He had been fine when he left, but to suddenly fall so seriously ill to be bedridden. It was hard to believe because he had the stamina strong enough to serve as the leader of the Imperial Knights. He also visited the North, and right after that . . . ¡°When the Young Marquis visited, there was a severe snowstorm. Is that why he was sick . . . ? I haven¡¯t heard anything since.¡± It wasn¡¯t good news that an acquaintance was sick. As she leaned back, she remembered his face the last time she saw him. On the day of his departure, his complexion had been particularly dark, so she wondered if he hadn¡¯t been feeling well since then. Siena had also been feeling unwell, so she might have passed it on to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine.¡± In any case, the Marquis would do everything in his power for the sake of his one and only heir, so Anne asked for other news. ¡°Any rumors about Libelois?¡± ¡°Ah . . . They¡¯ve been fussing about money for a while, but it¡¯s been quiet lately. Even the Count and Countess rarely do outside activities.¡± It was nice to hear that. It was her wish to live as if they were dead. Suddenly, the Grand Duke¡¯s cold words echoed in her mind. From now on, live as if you were dead. Anne rubbed her palm to her stomach at the sudden tingling sensation in her stomach. The Grand Duke¡¯s stern face, who had poured out anger, became vivid in her eyes. Is this what it means to live as if I were dead? She wanted her family members to live in silence. Then, did he also look at her with such a wish? Suddenly frustrated, Anne grabbed the glass of water and gulped it down. ¡°Madam, drink slowly.¡± Seeing her like that, Emily remembered the Count and Countess, and thought Anne must have been remembering them, so she placed a new glass of water in front of her. ¡°Are you going? You don¡¯t want to meet them.¡± Anne smiled bitterly. At one time, she took their words for granted and listened to their every word. There was a time when she was heartbroken by their harsh words and punishments. It was natural for her to do what she was told to live up to their expectations. But now, it felt far away. However, since coming to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, the past had all felt meaningless. Even if they said anything, she was confident that she would no longer be hurt. Should she say this is thanks to the Grand Duke who trained her enough to get used to harsh words? ¡°I don¡¯t want to go there. But I thought a trip might let me cool my head for a while.¡± Emily¡¯s expression darkened as she looked at Anne¡¯s lonely face. ¡°Whooo . . .¡± Anne¡¯s gaze followed the ridge of the quiet snowy mountain outside the window. Her eyes sank as she wondered if somewhere on that winding mountain ridge was the place where she first stepped on the ground the day she came here. She had another reason for wanting to leave the castle for a while. It was because she had to be rid of the feelings that she couldn¡¯t ignore as the days went by. As soon as Anne regained her strength, she heard that the person standing by her side while she was unconscious was the Grand Duke. That the man had never taken a single step away, when she had been bedridden, and had nursed her all this time. That warm embrace, which she dismissed as a dream, was real, and from that day on, the Grand Duke¡¯s broad arms came to mind for no apparent reason. The smell of his hot breath and his scent that pierced her nose . . . She already felt too much around him. And the senses that she didn¡¯t want to admit keep accumulating. Such a rude man . . . Wake up. Have you forgotten all the insults and shame? Just like what you¡¯ve been doing until now, let go of that weakness. CH 51.2 Anne bit her lip as she forcibly stopped herself from craving his affection like a needy child. It must have come from the lack of affection that had dominated her life since she was a child. Anne pulled the shawl that was up over her shivering shoulders. She did not want to allow even the slightest bit of feelings to a man who treated her so harshly. As time goes by, a child will come. Then she had to leave this place, but something was holding her back. There was only one emotion to define, but Anne told herself it was nonsense and forced her teeth to crumple it. She was terrified just thinking about it. Yes. Maybe it¡¯s better to stay away for a while. She didn¡¯t know why her rational self felt this way toward someone who she had no expectations of, but she was determined to do so. If she didn¡¯t see the Grand Duke¡¯s face, she would be able to go back to the beginning with a heart as solid as stone. No, she absolutely had to. * * * The Grand Duke returned. This time, unlike the previous visits, all the knights who had gone out returned safely. Anne, watching the warhorses pass through the front door, went out to meet them dressed formally. She didn¡¯t know exactly how to subdue monsters, but she was told they would have a pretty difficult time. Maybe that¡¯s why she saw some injured knights wearing bandages. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, who rode in with a huge black horse, searched for Anne. As he got off his horse, he looked closely at her lowered head with sharp eyes. Her pale complexion he saw before he left seemed much better. ¡°You finally look like a human. Is it enough to walk around?¡± He pierced her ear with an extremely cold voice. She didn¡¯t say much about the deliberately thrown scolding. It didn¡¯t feel bad as she just stood there without refuting. The Grand Duke, who was about to rush inside, grabbed Anne¡¯s arm. As she looked up at the sudden yank, he spat out words with a hard face. ¡°Go to your room.¡± It was a simple and clear sentence, but Anne lowered her head as she could understand what it meant. He threw off his armor and clothes in the room upon her arrival, beckoning the maid to leave. Far from being surprised by his hurriedness than usual, she stood still. Her heart was relieved when she saw the visibly depressed face. In one breath, the Grand Duke pushed her against the wall and twisted his mouth. ¡°You look pretty disappointed, seeing your husband¡¯s face after a week.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°I told you to stay quiet like a dead rat . . . Yet you hung out with Luciel.¡± He could see Anne¡¯s complexion turning pale as he questioned her, perhaps recalling what had happened on the balcony. ¡°Are you going to do this . . . every time I talk to Luciel?¡± ¡°No. No matter who it is, I will do this.¡± The Grand Duke mercilessly grabbed Anne¡¯s skirt and yanked it up. His member was thrust in between her bare legs. ¡°Hu-uh.¡± Anne grabbed the Grand Duke¡¯s disheveled shirt and narrowed her eyes. He grabbed her hand and forced her to cling to his neck. In a close knit position, he thrusted his hips. Anne¡¯s skinny body fluttered every time he lifted her, wanting to shove everything into her narrow hole. The torn fabric fluttered, and Anne¡¯s immaculate breasts were fondled violently in the Grand Duke¡¯s hands. He pressed his lips against the round flesh like an apple. ¡°Huuuh.¡± Anne groaned at the sensation of him twirling the tips between his fingers. After drawing over the round areola with his tongue and soaking it up, then pinching her nipples, Anne, who was trembling, pressed her forehead against his shoulder. ¡°Huuh, hah-ugh.¡± A warm breath relentlessly wrapped around her chest, and a hard lump of flesh stirred the inside of her walls. While clutching her chest painfully, the Grand Duke drove his teeth into Anne¡¯s nape. He bit hard enough to leave marks and was intent on poking at her narrow hole. ¡°Ha-ahh! Stop . . . hu-uh.¡± Every time he slammed into her, the sticky liquid splattered in all directions. A squelching, obscene sound erupted from between the clinging bodies. Even the sleeves hanging from Anne¡¯s shoulders were ripped off by the Grand Duke¡¯s hand. He sucked her neck, then swallowed her hardened nipples. As soon as the intensely hot breath brushed her skin, the Grand Duke drove inside. He squeezed her chest, which he gripped as if he was going to tear it apart, and squeezed him into her cramped path. ¡°I was thinking about this hole for a week.¡± He whispered, smearing his saliva in her ear. When he teasingly added that he was full of sexual desire, Anne bit her lips, suppressing the feeling of her body growing hotter. ¡°It¡¯s still bright . . . ha-uhh.¡± As Anne was about to speak more, her lean body swung to the side. CH 52.1 Her swollen chest was crushed against the cold window glass. A ghastly aura seeped through the crack in the window and quickly swallowed up her heated body. Anne tried to pull herself away from the cold air that sent goosebumps all over her body, but her head was suddenly pressed against the frozen glass. The chill that crept over her bare skin was terribly cold. Not paying attention to it, the Grand Duke briefly pulled out his erect penis and shoved it all the way in. ¡°Ha-uh!¡± Anne struggled. She placed her hand on the window and twisted her waist as if to ask him to pull it out, but each time she did so, the Grand Duke just pushed harder. He rocked his hips, pressing hard with his thighs to keep her from moving. ¡°I think you¡¯re making me misunderstand everytime I do this.¡± The Grand Duke crumpled up her cumbersome skirt and spread the cheeks open with his hand. Beneath the wriggling crimson anal, his pillar was completely sheathed. The Grand Duke slowly pulled out the pillar that was stuck in her buttocks. When he pulled out, leaving only the thick glans, the dark red pillar was already wet with excitement and glistening. The look in his eyes only grew darker. He didn¡¯t hesitate and thrusted in all at once. After that, he no longer enjoyed any sentimentality. He just pounded himself into the wet inner wall. As her bouncing breasts were crushed by the cool glass from, the chilling goosebumps shook her lower abdomen and squeezed the flesh that was invading the drenched inner wall. Scratching her inner flesh, he let out a rough moan. ¡°You still like sucking in my dick.¡± ¡°Ah! Hu-uh¡ª haanh.¡± ¡°Your hole drives me crazy. Even I lose my temper when I see it, so other guys must go crazy.¡± Anne shook her head, denying it, but she shook her waist to the fullest as she moaned obscenely at the pleasure she was feeling. Her body was clinging to him for more. It was humiliating, but she never wanted him to find out about it. To the end, this was the reaction of her body, not her own will. On the other hand, something inside asked if she really hated it. Anne repeated herself countless times. That this is just an action for one night of pleasure, it had nothing to do with emotion. ¡°Stop thinking with that little brain and focus on what you¡¯re doing.¡± A heavy bass sound descended on her, and the act of moving his waist became fine and quick. The Grand Duke, clutching Anne¡¯s long hair, slammed his pelvis so hard that her bouncy buttocks were crushed. As the friction intensified, the liquid-soaked, protruding penis stabbed through the split flesh again and again. ¡°Haa . . . Haah, st . . . stop . . .¡± As the body stuck to the window, even one of her cheeks was crushed. Every time the body moved up and down from the thrusting, her hardened nipples swelled with excitement and rubbed against the glass with a squeaking sound. A tingling shudder ran through her body. The pleasure was so intense that she lost her senses, and Anne bit her lip enough to make it bleed. Her eyes were glazed over at the thick sensation that permeated her as all of her sensitive apex was rubbed and scraped against the cool side. Even in the meantime, wet flesh was rubbing against her inside. ¡°Aht. Hu-uh, haahn . . .¡± Beyond the window, thick snowflakes were scattered, and below it were the knights who had arrived and people wandering around. The frost on the window made it hard to see that she was doing this, but the warmth that spread with each Anne¡¯s exhalation was melting the frost. Even though she was afraid that someone would see them like this, the Grand Duke was stabbing his erect penis mercilessly into the sticky vagina. ¡°Hu-uh . . . Huuhn.¡± ¡°Who would have imagined that this elegant Grand Duchess would have such a lewd expression.¡± As the Grand Duke taunted her while piercing her hot inner flesh, Anne, who had suppressed her moaning, closed her eyes tightly. The pooled tears ran down her crushed cheeks. But she didn¡¯t reply to his words. He sped up as he gripped her pelvis, digging into her wet flesh. He pushed himself into every nook and cranny. Excited, her body gushed out sloppy love liquid. Feeling the spasm of the inner walls clinging to him all over, he spewed everything out. The hot, spreading semen hit her inner wall, which was heated with excitement. Only then did Anne, who had been frantically pressed against the window, stop. The clothes she was wearing became rags, and the seeds that could not find a place, flow between her legs and down her thighs. The grand duke held her and laid her down on the bed. Then he looked down at her lethargic, drooping body. CH 52.2 The woman¡¯s face was pale again as she was breathing heavily. The traces of him that he had just formed created red scars. The Grand Duke, who followed the traces that were spreading with his eyes, curled up his lips. He undid his buttons and threw off his shirt. He took off the pants that were draped around his waist and stood up on the bed with a perfect naked body. Anne¡¯s eyes lifted with difficulty as she saw him standing with his member hanging upright. After blinking her eyes for a moment, the Grand Duke was holding her by both ankles. Her eyes fluttered as her grasped leg was wide open, but he soon looked away from her. ¡°Why are you not even refusing today?¡± The Grand Duke asked, grabbing and kneading the breasts that were still rising and falling with a non-trivial gaze. With Anne¡¯s legs spread apart, his gaze pierced the secret place that was spitting thick semen. The Grand Duke frowned at her pink flesh, swollen and fluttering from the cold. His terrifying member has been poking around, so her delicate flesh wouldn¡¯t have the strength to endure. She was hesitant to answer. The conflict continued to brew inside. The thin eyes were filled with tears. But the wet wall beyond was glaring at him. Like he was terrible. A fire blew through the Grand Duke¡¯s chest. ¡°Is this how you greet your returning husband, without listening to what he says?¡± There was no way he would lose his life in subjugating monsters, but the general public thought differently. It was the fate of the northerners to risk their lives when anyone went on a campaign. Whether Angroanne, who was born in the capital, knew it or not, at this moment he was angry. She was a woman who filled herself with thoughts that once she had children, she would leave this place immediately. She was a selfish woman who only thought of herself and had no affection for motherhood, nor anything else. She was so much the same as before that the anger he had been holding back was welling up again. The Grand Duke, who grabbed Anne¡¯s thighs, exerted such force that she was crushed to the surface of her bed. His twisted insides calmed, albeit just a little, as the woman squinted her eyes in pain. ¡°You are a lousy wife.¡± ¡°Haah!¡± In an instant, Anne screamed at the sense of him rushing into her. As her body was immobilized by his thick pillar, the Grand Duke lowered his head. His beautiful appearance was cold, unable to take his eyes off her. Anne¡¯s heart throbbed at the smell of the dried blood, as well as the cold energy. ¡°Huuhh . . . Hu-uh.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s thing moved and pushed her inner wall wildly. Stuck in that thick thing of his, Anne twisted her pelvis relentlessly. Sensing her sticky walls, he too began to move. As Anne¡¯s hips lifted slightly in the Grand Duke¡¯s hand, she felt a stronger grip on her. Perhaps trying to get her into position, the Grand Duke thrusted his pelvis. He manhandled her so that Anne¡¯s wide-open legs rested on his shoulders. In line with the deep thrusting, the newly gushing liquid splattered. The wet inner walls clung to the genitals again. ¡°Your head is full of thoughts of having a baby and leaving this place. So what¡¯s the matter? I am helping you now.¡± The Grand Duke attacked her with his words. His voice was so venomous that it suited the situation wonderfully. Seeing that his red eyes darkened mercilessly, Anne turned away from him altogether. She didn¡¯t want to see his face. But as soon as she turned her gaze to the wrong place, in a flash the Grand Duke turned it back. Her clenched jaw hurt beyond words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it your job to wring out my cum?¡± ¡°Why, why are you being so mean to me?¡± Anne, who had been silent throughout the whole affair, asked with wet eyes. The Grand Duke, who had been uttering lowly words, hardened his expression. At the same time, his movement stops. In the instant silence, the Grand Duke spoke slowly. ¡°Because you¡¯re an untrustworthy human being.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry like that, explain in detail. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I am angry? Wrong. You are not worth being angry about.¡± That meant that she was nothing to him and that she was less than a mere subordinate. Even though she knew it, it was a bitter reality. The Grand Duke pulled out his flesh without any regrets and stood up. The solid pillar that had not finished was drenched with her excitement. ¡°Starting today, move into my bedroom. You can stay where you want during the day, but come to my room at night.¡± The Grand Duke gave brief instructions. He told her to share the same bedroom, not having each own room, as if he had decided to keep her close to his eyes. The Grand Duke, who got out of bed, turned his back. He turned away and she could no longer see his face on the broad back. Why . . . What did I do? Anne questioned it, but no one answered her. And that night as well, Anne continued to moan hotly under the Grand Duke, shedding tears all the while. It would be pointless to recall how many times she had been held by him when she fell asleep. CH 53.1 When Anne opened her eyes the next day, the Grand Duke was nowhere to be found. Perhaps, he had already started his day¡¯s duties. Anne gazed blankly through the window while occupying a large portion of the bed. The afterglow of the climax clung to her, and she didn¡¯t want to move. Maybe the curtains were left open so she could see the scenery outside the window clearly from the bed she was lying on. If the window was open, a fierce wind would immediately rush in, but at least the sunlight is warm. She was still unfamiliar with northern life. However, unlike her unfamiliar mind, her body was terribly accustomed to Grand Duke¡¯s actions. Obviously, the relationship with him was close to a beast¡¯s mating, but her body had already changed to welcome the affair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even hurt anymore.¡± She laughed because it was so absurd. Anne couldn¡¯t believe her own body, which had become terribly lewd. Rather, she hated herself so much that she felt guilty. The first sharp pain ended in overflowing pleasure, and it seems that she clung to her hazy mind scratching his back with her nails. She wasn¡¯t happy with either memory. This kind of abnormality in the relationship only corroded her and caused her to fall apart. Her emotions, which had permeated her heart for a moment, transformed. The man who had affectionately embraced her until he left for the subjugation had been eaten by the monster, and the beast was inside him instead. ¡°No. He was that kind of person from the start.¡± Anne winced and lifted her weak body. She didn¡¯t want to run into the Grand Duke, who would walk in at any time. * * * Their relationship was back to square one. From a certain point on, the Grand Duke blocked all of her official activities as Grand Duchess and did not even want Anne to leave the castle. For some reason she didn¡¯t come looking for him as she thought he would just refute her. The Grand Duke held her more roughly as before. He openly shamed her for being a lousy Grand Duchess and spat out merciless words. He disapproved of everything she did and mocked her even in bed. Every night, she cried as she lay beneath him in his rage. Even now, it was difficult to estimate how much time had passed. The two legs stretched out in the air twitched randomly. Even the burning sensation between the legs, which were spread slightly, was erased a long time ago. ¡°H-uh! Haah . . . stop . . .¡± Anne was shaken enough to not be able to tell if the castle was shaking or if she had gone out of her mind. As her twitching inner walls tightened again and again, a grim laugh pierced her ears. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the only way to have a child? You proudly asked me to even state it in the marriage contract, and from the beginning it was your purpose to spread your legs for me.¡± ¡°Huh . . . Huuhhn, haanh!¡± As soon as the cold sneer appeared, the thick pillar that came in succession scratched her inner walls and roughly pressed her deep inside. The feeling of the blunt point crushing her was familiar, but it was driving her crazy. ¡°Or are you taking medicine without my knowledge?¡± ¡°Hah. Hahn, not like that, hu-uh . . .¡± As he said, by now it would be time for her to have a child, so the Grand Duke¡¯s suspicions were not at all baseless, but Anne felt that it was unfair. ¡°Then you dared to make such a proposal with a useless body in the first place.¡± The Grand Duke narrowed his signature cold eyes and grabbed her delicate ankles. While staring at his genitals ravenously digging through her already wet little hole, he didn¡¯t miss Anne¡¯s expression as she squinted her eyes. ¡°Hah! Ha-uh . . . please . . .¡± The Grand Duke, who had mercilessly hammered the thick piece of flesh into her swollen opening, twisted his mouth. He pressed the inside of the woman¡¯s body beneath him, revealing the pubic area even more. ¡°Ha-ahn . . . haahn . . .¡± It had been a long time since the peak swept through his body. Even so, he showed no sign of stopping, and he was terrifyingly thrusting his back. As her swaying breasts caught in his cool grip at the same time, Anne twisted her waist violently in a struggle. The air heated by the hot breaths exhaled by the two people made her mind confused. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of fainting, cut it out. I don¡¯t know what to do with a sleeping woman.¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks. The corners of her eyes had been wet for a long time. She was foolish to expect that he had begun to be considerate of her for even for a moment. She didn¡¯t know why she softened her heart even for a moment when he hadn¡¯t shown how two-faced he was just once or twice. Instead of a refusal, Anne closed her eyes, and then their hot lips overlapped. Even today, she clung to the frozen heart and swayed at his will. * * * CH 53.2 The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes, which had been staring out the window far away, lazily closed. The subtle anxiety that plagued him throughout the monster hunting grounds had all disappeared since he returned to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, but another unexplained anxiety came to him again. ¡°Strange . . .¡± Not too long ago, he had been very pleased with Anne¡¯s docility, as she was extremely obedient. No matter the insults, she would be unwaveringly aloof and did not care about strange words that provoked her. He felt a sense of pride when she had become obedient unlike before, and was satisfied that she would stay calm. He thought that if she would no longer act the way he wanted to, he would be able to hold her more firmly. Lately, however, she had calmed down so much more and reserved her words. No, it was better to say she was being virtually unresponsive. It was his wish that she would live as if she had died in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, but her helpless appearance gradually overwhelmed him with anxiety. ¡°She¡¯s not a woman to sit still . . .¡± Even if he deliberately provoked her during an affair, she would shed tears insensitively, but she would not show any emotion, such as glaring at him like she used to. When the unsentimental eyes of a doll looked at him, something inside felt sore. It wasn¡¯t even lust. He doesn¡¯t understand why he felt so confused that he missed her old self, but he somehow hated Anne¡¯s changed appearance. As he pictured her lifeless face, he suddenly remembered the advice Salton had given him. Then, an unexplained nervousness clung to him. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he had heard her voice. As he pondered, he realized that the last thing he heard was a moan. ¡°Did I get it wrong . . .¡± A weak heart was starting to appear inside him. He swore he would never feel these dirty feelings, but he actually knew it too. There were times when he was overcome by nasty jealousy, and there were times when he was angry with himself for not being by her side in a moment of danger. The confusion about whether it was time to stop entangled in the past and resolving his own resentment against her stuck to him for quite some time. Then, she finally came to him and spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°It¡¯s a letter from the Libelois house.¡± ¡°There is no need for you to go to the succession ceremony of the Libelois family title.¡± The letter was crumpled in his hand. Anne looked at the letter on the floor and tried to turn around as if her business was over. The Grand Duke momentarily grabbed her arm. Anne, who looked down at her hand, looked up at him with dry eyes. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± He was glad that she had spoken to him after a long time, but he was reluctant to ask her to leave. But the anxiety he had felt about her appearance was scratching his nerves uncomfortably. ¡°Do you want to go?¡± ¡°. . .¡± He could see the dead eyes shaking very slightly. He was chilled at the slight change in her. Even if she didn¡¯t say anything, she wanted to go. He finally agreed to it on condition. And while she was gone, he decided to think about why he felt uneasy about her change and why he was shaken by her. * * * The Grand Duke allowed her to go to the capital under three conditions: to stay only in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence in the capital, to go everywhere with knights, and to return quickly after completing her errands. It was quite unexpected that he gave permission even though he was reluctant, but he was not a man that can get understood in the first place. Beside Emily, who was checking that nothing was missing from her luggage, Anne opened the window wide. There were still traces of snow in every corner of the garden, but the air was different. Winter is over. Spring was coming. Neither the fresh flowers nor the green leaves could be seen yet, but the fierce air flow had changed. Now, even when she breathes in, her nose is not spicy, and she can feel the subtle scent of spring. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s done now.¡± Anne smiled as Marie tied her hair finely and gave her a wide-brimmed hat. The woman in the mirror, wearing a ragenta blue dress resembling a blue hydrangea, was quite worth looking at. There was no gloomy expression as if she had been assimilated into the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. With a slightly excited face Marie tied the long ribbon of the beige hat neatly around the back for the last time. ¡°Are you excited about going to the capital?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t get a good look last time. By now, the capital should be splendid with spring flowers, right?¡± When she asked a question related to the capital, Marie, who had become somber, did not shy away from the conversation like she had done for so long. On the day she allowed Marie to attend to her again, Marie knelt down and apologized and Anne had forgiven her. She, too, was only one of those to whom the Grand Duke had given his mandate. She didn¡¯t want to blame Marie for her hard work. And she knew Marie wasn¡¯t the Grand Duke¡¯s real lover, and she didn¡¯t feel too bad about it now. So, even though she tried to deny it, Anne admitted only one thing to herself. She hated the thought of the Grand Duke going to another woman¡¯s room. CH 54.1 But no matter what, someday, there will be such a woman. At that time, all she wanted was for those women to raise her child with affection. When she went out the front door, the large carriage, loaded with all her belongings, was waiting for her. On the surface of the huge carriage, the pattern of Grand Duchy Cromund was imprinted. She was still unfamiliar with the reality that she had been riding in someone else¡¯s family carriage when she first came, and when she returned, she had become the owner of it. ¡°If we go back to the capital in this carriage, chaos will arise.¡± It was clear how surprised people would be when she entered the capital with the Grand Duchy¡¯s coat of arms. When she came here, she rode the Grand Duchy¡¯s carriage outside the castle, and the other guests rode in standard vehicles without patterns. So, it would be the first time that the Grand Duchy¡¯s carriage entered the capital. After taking a look at the faces of the servants who had come out to see her off, Anne raised her head to the west building. ¡°His Grace went hunting early in the morning.¡± Ashton spoke with a lofty attitude like a scholar who gave an excuse. He went out . . . Proven by the inevitable permission, it seemed that the Grand Duke did not want to see her leave. Our contract is still valid. Until the end of the contract, this is my home, so I will come back as soon as possible. Reminding herself of what the Grand Duke had asked her to do for the last time, Anne fixed her hat in the strong sunlight. ¡°I won¡¯t be late, so tell him not to worry.¡± The time frame given by the Grand Duke was about a week. The schedule to and from the capital could be tight, but thanks to this carriage, it was enough to shorten the journey. Just like the day she first came to the North, Anne set out in the morning and passed through the gates of the capital by the evening when the sun was setting. And, as she expected, there was a small commotion in the process of verifying her identity. It was not just because the high-ranking superiors who were on the spot were called in right away, but the capital security was contacted. Even though the Grand Duke was absent, they said that they would escort the Grand Duchess¡¯ journey to the Imperial family. Anne refused and had to use her power to issue such an order. Looking at their reactions, she realized how far the title of Grand Duchess went in the empire. ¡°Are you feeling emotional? Since it¡¯s been a while since you came to the capital?¡± Through the carriage window, Anne, who had been gazing at the city for the first time in a long time, looked back at Marie, who was busy looking around with an excited expression. ¡°It is neither good nor bad. This place is desolate.¡± Because it was the place where she was born and raised, she felt a little separated, but on the other hand, there was no nostalgia to be found. Maybe it was because she came from the quiet Grand Duchy, but the streets full of bustling crowds felt so unfamiliar. Even so, the reason she felt desolate was because, in fact, she didn¡¯t feel any warmth amongst the busy people. In the capital, where the selfishness of the nobility stood out, time always passed quickly and it was difficult to relax. ¡°You will like the mansion, though. It¡¯s not as good as the castle, but there are many beautiful flower gardens.¡± Marie, who had visited the capital¡¯s mansion once, smiled brightly. The carriage arrived at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence and came to a gentle stop. Holding Marie¡¯s hand, Anne stepped out of the carriage and looked at the mansion. Unlike the Grand Duchy, which felt like an old castle, the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was a white stone building like any other Capital residence. Though not as imposing as the northern castle, it was a mansion that stood on great land. It was much larger than the Duke Mullite¡¯s residence, a residence where half of the capital¡¯s aristocrats could fit into their ballroom. Come to think of it, I first met Daymond at their masquerade. Anne laughed bitterly. Everything started from that day. She remembered the past, when she was very angry to learn that she had met the Grand Duke before. Afterward, Anne followed Marie to the mansion, but she quickly felt tired of the large land and went out to the garden. Spring had arrived in the capital for a while. Beautiful flowers were in full bloom in the well-arranged garden, and the floral scent filled the air with each breath. Marie, who took a long breath at the sweet and pleasant scent, had a smile like one of those flowers. ¡°It¡¯s like the greenhouse that Madam loves.¡± Flowers had not yet bloomed in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, but the greenhouse was in full bloom like here. ¡°Madam, His Grace said to make sure to stay here . . . Even if it¡¯s unfortunate, please bear with it.¡± ¡°No, this place is better.¡± When asked if she wanted to sleep at her parents¡¯ house, she smiled bitterly. After that, she had a quick dinner and went to bed early to recover from her travels. CH 54.2 Anne visited the Libelois House the very next day. Originally, she planned to go only on the day of the succession ceremony, but rumors spread that Grand Duchess Cromund had passed through the gates of the capital, so the messenger arrived and she had no choice but to move her body. Anne feared that there would be a disturbance if she took Marie, who was known as the Grand Duke¡¯s mistress, so she took a handmaid and two escort knights. Even before the door of the carriage was opened, a familiar voice greeted her. ¡°Oh my God, my daughter, Angroanne. Welcome.¡± It was her mother, adorned with no wrinkles. From her outward appearance, the Countess had the expression of an affectionate mother who had been eagerly awaiting her recently-wed daughter. The Countess approached her at once, gave Anne a hug. Anne was bewildered by the excessive attention. She was dumbfounded that a woman who had never shed a single tear until Anne was married, now came and welcomed her so warmly. ¡°How are you doing?¡± When Anne awkwardly greeted her, breaking the silence she had been holding on to, Count Libelois approached with a deliberately solemn face. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you. You became a Grand Duchess, but your face is very sunken.¡± Not knowing that Anne had a brush with death by the avalanche, they added, ¡°Why did you lose so much weight when you would live luxuriously as the Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°Things happened.¡± ¡°Come in and let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Guide the people of Cromund to the guest parlor separately and serve them tea and refreshments.¡± The Countess gave orders to the maids with rare generosity. Anne was led by her mother into the living room. Her brother, Robert, was already sitting there. When he saw Anne, he bowed his head in amazement. ¡°Angroanne . . . You¡¯re here.¡± Robert¡¯s voice was weak, somehow. It was the Countess who spoke first. ¡°Angroanne, how are you? Seeing this, it¡¯s like a dream for this Mother.¡± Her wrinkled hands overlapped the back of Anne¡¯s. She patted her daughter¡¯s hand and smiled broadly. Anne¡¯s indifferent blue eyes looked down at her hands. The countess was a woman who was stingy with skinship, almost like she was mysophobic. She had never hugged Anne or held her hand like this before. The reason why the Countess welcomed her this way must have been because of her status as the Grand Duchess. Still, the warm hands were the first warmth Anne felt from her mother, and her face was so kind that Anne couldn¡¯t bear to shake it off. Anne paused for a moment to say what she was trying to say. ¡°Well . . . Angroanne¡­ . . . Last time I was careless.¡± Robert, who had been sitting in silence until then, spoke indirectly. ¡°It seems that I got a little agitated when I went to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle that day. On top of that, I felt like I was robbed of my sister, so . . . I lost my mind that day.¡± To discredit all the vulgarity that had been poured out that day, Robert emphasized the word sister. Anne wanted to look him in the eyes to see if what he was saying was true, but Robert acted like a guilty man and avoided her gaze. It was hard to tell if he was serious because he couldn¡¯t even hold his face straight and was only staring at the ground. ¡°Angroanne, we heard about it too. You know very well that your brother is impulsive. I hope that the Grand Duke will not be offended.¡± Anne didn¡¯t know how far they had heard, but Anne brought up another topic. ¡°My father is still here and Brother has not yet married, so why are you handing over the title already?¡± ¡°As you know, we are old. After handing over the title, I intend to spend the rest of my life comfortably in the estate.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°As you may have heard from your brother, a lot has happened in our family in the meantime. It must be because I, the head of the family, is incompetent. If it weren¡¯t for the Grand Duke¡¯s kindness, our family would have collapsed.¡± ¡°Yes . . . I heard.¡± In the face of her parents, who were brazen enough to sell their daughter to borrow money from her, Anne kept her arguing voice for a moment. ¡°How can people see me if I continue to hold this position? I decided to wash away the stigma of the family and start anew by handing over the title.¡± ¡°What is Father¡¯s purpose?¡± After pondering for a while, she asked about her father¡¯s long-cherished wish of re-elevating the family. Then the Count let out a long sigh. ¡°We can¡¯t do everything we want to do, everyone has their own time. It is already out of my hands.¡± With a heavy sigh, the Count spoke grimly. The way he tapped the pipe in his hand to shake off the ashes of the tobacco seemed to shake off something inside. ¡°How are you going to repay the debt owed to the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°I plan to repay him even if I sell all the remaining territory, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Anne did not express herself, but was terribly embarrassed by her family who treated her as if she had become someone else. CH 55.1 They weren¡¯t the kind of people who would change so easily overnight. The couple in front of her had lived their entire lives bound by obsession, and Robert was an arrogant man who never apologized due to his pride. She knew that best, having been with them for the longest time. So, a voice full of doubt came out of nowhere. ¡°The desire to elevate Libelois to a Duchy . . . Have you given up on everything?¡± ¡°After leaving you like that, I regretted it belatedly. Children are the greatest treasure. Is it not so?¡± ¡°Angroanne, unlike your brother, you have been good at everything since childhood, even when you were alone. That¡¯s why I did it. It¡¯s not that this mother wasn¡¯t interested in you, it was because I believed in you.¡± Their voices were weak, like they were repenting in front of a priest. Anne didn¡¯t know what to say. She kept her mouth shut and listened to what they were saying. It was the first time she had ever had a conversation like this, it felt so unfamiliar. ¡°Angroranne, will you forgive us?¡± The faces of the couple showed sincere apologetic feelings. Anne felt her heart throb as she grasped their intentions. She never thought the day would come when she would see her parents apologizing for what had happened. That was why her cold-hearted reasoning whispered that their words were lies, but her emotional side wanted to believe it.. Wanted to believe that they might be sincere. Anne¡¯s gaze fell to the floor at her complicated state of mind. She wondered what they would gain from false repentance, but there seemed to be no immediate benefit. In the first place, they think that their money can be paid off slowly. They secretly exchanged glances as they looked at Anne, who remained silent. The Countess gently caressed the back of Anne¡¯s hand. Anne remembered her mother¡¯s smile, which she sometimes exposed when Anne was very young. Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t feel bad. Anne caught her trembling breath. Whether it was real or not, she could just wait and see. The shallow belief that they wouldn¡¯t harm her because they were her family gave her strength. Anne put her other hand atop the Countess¡¯ hand. ¡°I will try.¡± Anne struggled to smile. She thought she would never see her family again, but she felt the stone in her heart easing up a little. Hearing those words, the couple¡¯s faces immediately brightened. And after making eye contact, they asked the question again. ¡°By the way, Angroanne, since you came all the way here, stay at home. The family head succession ceremony will be held here anyway, so that would be more convenient.¡± It was a reasonable statement, but Anne quickly answered that it was because of the Grand Duke¡¯s condition for her to stay at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion that she refused. ¡°His Grace told me to stay at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°You will go back to the north, and this mother doesn¡¯t know when I will be able to see you again. As you know, we¡¯ve never been close like a mother and daughter should.¡± Gloom quickly crept over the Countess¡¯s face. Anne¡¯s heart weakened at the sad look on her face, as if she was about to burst into tears. How could Anne refuse her parents¡¯ request, while they behaved in such a servile manner to their child? In the end, with their apology and persistent persuasion, Anne decided to stay at Libelois from that day on. The Count told the knights who followed Anne that it was safe here, so they didn¡¯t have to worry, and sent them back. They went to confirm with Anne in the end, so Anne answered that she was fine. That night, for the first time, Anne had what seemed like a normal conversation with her family, without shouting or crying. As she accepted their request, the couple looked into each other¡¯s eyes and smiled brightly. Robert still couldn¡¯t look at her, but his depressed spirits were dampened. After the meal, Anne opened her original room door. Even after she left, they didn¡¯t neglect to clean the inside and it still looked tidy. ¡°I thought they got rid of all my belongings, but they didn¡¯t.¡± She felt strange, like she was staying in a stranger¡¯s room, even though it was clearly the room she¡¯d been in all her life. It was strange. The capital city where she was born and raised was so unfamiliar and she actually missed the North. As she lay on the freshly made bedding, Anne thought, I told Marie too, so she¡¯ll understand. She knew that the Grand Duke would be reluctant to hear this news, but she assumed that it would be okay, that it didn¡¯t matter where she slept, since it had only been a few days. * * * Life in the capital city under the warm sunlight was lively, but Anne felt rather awkward. The atmosphere of the capital that she returned to was very unfamiliar. There were a lot of uncomfortable things, such as the questioning of her life in the North at the salon she used to go to, but by far the most embarrassing was when she asked about the Grand Duke¡¯s appearance. Still, her outings with her mother were pretty good. She couldn¡¯t wait to get something more into Anne¡¯s hands. The unfamiliar kindness was burdensome, but Anne was terribly unwilling to break the Countess¡¯ heart, and her own heart was loosening little by little. CH 55.2 As people were busy preparing for the succession ceremony, Anne drank tea leisurely in the garden. A butterfly landed gently on the flowers in full bloom. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never seen a butterfly in the North. Will they fly around in the spring?¡± Her thoughts continued automatically in the distinctly different weather in the north. No matter what she did, the end of her thoughts always led to the north, and Daymond naturally followed behind it. She kept getting nervous about him, who was all alone, overshadowing that he had come all the way to the capital and tried to win her heart. Why? Right before her life was cut short by an avalanche, his pale face, who had come to save her, kept lingering. What did those terribly sad eyes mean? Then, without fail, she remembered the night at the hot spring, when the snow was falling beautifully and the whole world was quiet. The day he held her so tenderly as if he loved her more than anyone else in the world. ¡°I must be going crazy, too. That¡¯s why I¡¯m having these crazy ideas.¡± Anne shook her head and said to herself. Her memories of that day must have taken root in her head. Without that, she wouldn¡¯t be like this. Anne sighed deeply and rebuked her swaying heart. What¡¯s so good about such a capricious man? She doesn¡¯t know why she kept thinking of the arrogant man who only spoke cruel words and behaved as he pleased. It was too foolish. ¡°The reason I decided to come here is to calm myself down.¡± So Anne forcibly retrieved her memories when in the bedroom. His inexorable temper, cold as the crystals of the snow. Her heart, which was about to heat up, calmly subsided. * * * Finally, the day of the succession ceremony came. The cramped Libelois mansion was crowded with guests. Anne, of course, guessed that it was because they had leaked word that the Count¡¯s daughter who had become the Grand Duchess had come. Among those present was Salton. When he heard of Anne¡¯s visit to the County, he came at once. ¡°I heard that your Ladyship returned.¡± ¡°My parents asked me to do it. By the way, I heard you were sick, are you okay now?¡± He had the same expression as when she had seen in the north. His serious appearance was still the same, and he didn¡¯t look ill at all. ¡°I guess the news that I had a fever after I returned to the capital reached your Ladyship.¡± ¡°Because news travels to the North.¡± The lines of Salton¡¯s lips went quiet for a moment. Anne waited silently, staring at the lake. I thought it was pretty big here too, but it¡¯s smaller than the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. Looking at the lake, it reminded her of the frozen lake inside the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. It must have completely melted by now, but now was not the time to think about it. ¡°Miss Angroanne, do not trust the Grand Duke.¡± Anne turned her head to look at him properly. His face was much more serious, as he wasn¡¯t a man who spoke nonsense. Then his mouth opened again. ¡°He is more dangerous than we think.¡± ¡°We . . .?¡± As if they were on the same boat? Why did he include her? ¡°He knew you before you were married.¡± ¡°That . . . I know.¡± Anne wanted to ask if that was what he was talking about, and she averted her gaze. She doesn¡¯t know how he knew, but it seemed that Salton noticed that the Grand Duke had done something behind the scenes for the marriage. ¡°You know? And yet, you¡¯re still staying in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle?¡± He replied with an agitated expression. She expected it to be surprising, but Anne was rather taken aback by such a big reaction. ¡°I also found out a while ago that the Grand Duke had a hand in it. But, what should I do now? We are already married.¡± At first, she even tried hard to break the marriage, but now it was all to no avail. Her promise to leave an heir was valid, so she would have to keep it. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Rarely did Salton¡¯s temper rise. The voice that deeply suppressed something that could not be tolerated even contained anger somewhere. ¡°You mean to keep this marriage knowing what he did to us? Anrgroanne, wake up! Anne tilted her head as she saw Salton becoming more and more upset. She found it strange that he, not her, was so angry. ¡°But it is already in the past. Now how can I take back that His Grace had already deliberately dragged me into marriage?¡± ¡°What your Ladyship wanted to say . . . Was it that?¡± Even the muscles in his face were twitching, and Salton dropped his lips in vain. ¡°You don¡¯t know yet. Exactly what he did to us.¡± ¡°Is there anything else besides that? If so, please tell me.¡± Anne swallowed a gulp. Could he mean that there is something else she doesn¡¯t know about? Salton¡¯s complexion became serious. After moving his lips a few times, he sprang to his feet. ¡°If you don¡¯t know yet, I can¡¯t say it out loud. Because this is a truth that is hard for you to bear.¡± After saying that, Salton left. She tried to ask again, but he turned his back on Anne, saying he would take care of it himself. Is there something else I don¡¯t know? Anne¡¯s anxious eyes wavered as she looked in the direction where Salton had disappeared. CH 56.1 The succession ceremony took place normally. She wondered if the ceremony would be very grand, but with the presence of the main nobles and the elders of the family, the successor¡¯s qualifications were confirmed and the ceremony concluded without incident. When she was about to return, she was asked by her family to attend a dinner, so she ate dinner, and when midnight arrived, she got into her carriage. The Count and Robert did not say much throughout the farewell, and her mother raised the corner of her lips in a bright smile. With a lighter heart, Anne climbed into the carriage and leaned back in the soft chair. She planned to go back to the mansion in the capital first, and then go to the north the next day with the servants she had brought with her. ¡°Marie must have been bored.¡± She wanted to give Marie a tour of the capital, but she was in a rush due to the tight schedule. Anne decided that before leaving tomorrow, she should at least show her the downtown area of the capital. She buried her back deeply. The only sound was the sound of the horse¡¯s hooves as they stepped down the dark night road. The carriage did not return to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence with the Grand Duchess that day. Chapter 9. False Relief It was not long after that Anne opened her eyes. It was pitch black, a musty smell clinging to her every time she exhaled, and the texture of the material touching her cheek was greasy. Where am I? Quietly recalling her memories, she recalled that the carriage on the way to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was attacked, and the assailant put a sack over her head and soon lost consciousness. Concluding that she had been kidnapped, Anne realized that her hands were tied behind and took a slow, deep breath. As she was unaware of the situation, she focused all her attention on what she could hear, rather than making any hasty moves. She heard the sounds of a conversation not far away. ¡°I did as you were told, so give me the money you promised.¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯re quite usable for this kind of thing, but you handled the job neatly.¡± Her heart sank. Coincidentally, the voice that came after an unfamiliar man¡¯s voice was that of someone he knew well. She doubted her ears, but that insolent voice was definitely her brother¡¯s. The person who instigated her own kidnapping was her blood relative, Robert. Anne listened, keeping her breathing quiet. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain of my job.¡± ¡°I will give you the money after everything is done. Be sure to get her pregnant.¡± ¡° I¡¯ll try my best.¡± As she overheard the conversation between the two, Anne¡¯s face turned pale. Pregnant? The purpose of kidnapping her was to impregnante her. Her shock seemed to choke her. How could Robert sell her own sister for that? The memory of Robert suddenly spilling out his heart at the banquet flashed by. Ah, it was a lie that he had repented. Robert had prepared this terrible planwith the intention of using the child to take over the Grand Duchess¡¯ power and inherit the Count¡¯s desires. I was complacent. Anne swallowed her tears. She could not regret her rashness more than she already did. It¡¯s been years since she grew up watching him, yet she still believed he¡¯d really changed. People didn¡¯t change that easily, so it wasn¡¯t Robert who was dumb, but her. Still, she couldn¡¯t stay so helpless. It was a terrible thing to imagine that the wife he married had an affair with another man. If the Grand Duke knew this, judging from his temper, it wouldn¡¯t end with just being kicked out. Anne chewed her lips. Deciding that she¡¯d rather make an excuse before Robert went away, Anne opened her mouth after taking a deep breath. ¡°Brother.¡± Her small voice broke the silence. After a moment, the sound of footsteps on the floor was followed by a noise like creaking wooden planks. The vibration that made the floor vibrate along with a dreary sound that seemed to be about to crumble soon reached her body. The cloth covering her face came off roughly. She blinked for a moment, and when she checked the face of the person standing in front of her, she felt devastated. She wished otherwise, but the person in front of her was undoubtedly Robert. Anne quickly looked around. She saw a narrow wooden wall and a black curtain in front of her eyes, realizing that she was currently in a carriage. Robert really did kidnap his sister. The rough sound of leaves swaying in the bleak wind informed her that this was the side of the forest away from the road. There was a man with black hair holding the curtain over Robert¡¯s shoulder. CH 56.2 Anne struggled to deny the misfortune that befell her, and she stubbornly shook her head. ¡°How could you ever come up with the idea of doing something so reckless . . . Even if you¡¯re out of your mind, it¡¯s too much. Aren¡¯t you afraid of the consequences from Grand Duchy Cromund?¡± ¡°Whoo . . . Angroanne, you¡¯re already awake.¡± It was a very troublesome voice, but Robert quickly showed his usual face. An annoyed light was evident in the eyes looking down at his sister. ¡°Since you¡¯ve heard it all, it¡¯s easy. Do as I say now. Spend the night with that guy tonight and get pregnant. All you have to do is say that the child is the Grand Duke¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Are you still saying that even after having met the Grand Duke himself? He won¡¯t end up holding you accountable. Brother will never get out safely.¡± The Grand Duke was not a very easy-natured man. Even if this caused Anne to become pregnant, he would not believe it. How could he not recognize his own child, even if Robert did go to great lengths to find a man with a similar appearance? ¡°So don¡¯t get caught. It¡¯s simple as long as you keep your mouth shut. If you carelessly open your mouth, you¡¯ll be seen as being complicit in this.¡± Robert twisted his lips. Perhaps Anne would also be considered a conspirator in what would happen from now on. ¡°Haa . . . you . . . want me to sleep . . . with a man like that? That won¡¯t do. All of the Libelois family will be executed for deceiving the Grand Duke!¡± It wasn¡¯t a mere excuse. If tried for contempt of a high-ranking nobles, Libelois would be on their path to destruction. Moreover, Daymond was a ruthless man with no mercy. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything, so please let me go.¡± ¡°No, you definitely said you would run away from the Grand Duchy. If you do that, we will lose everything.¡± She begged several times, but no matter how she begged, he had already made up his mind. ¡°If you have a child, someday. you will thank me too. Father also thanked you for your hard work.¡± Anne¡¯s mouth hung open in despair. Father . . . ! Robert wasn¡¯t alone. Her parents were behind him. This is why they had me stay at the count¡¯s mansion. When she thought about her family, who suddenly acted as if they had become new people, a futile smile crossed her face. How could she believe that it was real? She obviously had doubts, as she thought they weren¡¯t the kind of people to change overnight. As she listened, she realized how foolish she had been. What did I believe, to assure His Grace that I would return without incident? A deep regret came over her. She should have stayed at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence as promised to him. No, she should at least have kept the escort knights by her side. If that was the case, this horrible situation would have been avoided. She was deceived by her own family. Anne¡¯s voice was desperate for the first time in her life. ¡°Brother, please . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t fear him, it¡¯s just one night.¡± At the shocking reply, she felt the emotional pain running down her cheeks in the form of thick tears. ¡°Angroanne, it¡¯s all for the sake of the family.¡± Robert, who was trying to leave the carriage, looked back at Anne and said so. Citing the disgusting word, ¡®family¡¯. Sinking in misery, Anne nervously bit the inside of her lip. She would never do what Robert wanted. Anne wriggled her hands from the chains and twisted her body. ¡°Miss. It won¡¯t work out like that.¡± The man grinned and approached her slowly. His eyes were already glistening with lust, and his lower body was bulging, covering something she didn¡¯t want to imagine. Even though she had begged in front of Robert with tears, for a moment, anger welled up in Anne¡¯s eyes, which were filled with sadness. Anne glared at the man who was smiling cruelly. ¡°Give up now. There¡¯s no way Brother will let you live. You¡¯ll definitely die in the future.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? That¡¯s why I received the amount in advance. Nobles are dark-eyed, so they don¡¯t know this neighborhood properly, but I know this place is as clear as the palm of my hand.¡± The man treated noblemen so astoundingly, but now was not the time to argue about that. ¡°Should I tell you who I am, you lowly peasant? I am Grand Duchess Cromund. You¡¯ve heard rumors about what the Cromund family is like, so there¡¯s no need to try to explain. You¡¯ll have a world of repercussions to fear if you carelessly put your hands on my body.¡± She could feel him pause at the word Cromund. Anne continued with a stern expression, building her noble prestige. ¡°Anyway, when this is over, my brother will kill you. Even if you¡¯re lucky enough to survive, you¡¯ll die at the Grand Duke¡¯s hands. And if he kills you alone, it will be a waste of the Grand Duchy¡¯s name. Everyone you hold dear will be included on the list.¡± CH 57.1 However, when she thought that the successive threats had worked, the man suddenly laughed loudly. ¡°Miss, even if you sharpen your claws like that, it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re afraid. If I measure things like that, it will be impossible for a person like me to make a living.¡± The threat she brought out as a trick to convince him was dismissed. When no persuasion worked, Anne bent her bent body like a piece of luggage. As long as the ropes around her legs that bound her ankles were untied, she would have a chance. She even pictured in her mind the idea of kicking the man in the stomach with her foot to get out of here. However, the situation did not go the way she expected. The man took out a dagger and cut the rope without looking back. Anne¡¯s face contorted with dismay. Anne glared at him with sharp eyes, but the man pressed her closer as if the situation was nothing. ¡°When my child becomes the Grand Duke, I will visit you then.¡± What was more, he was talking nonsense. She was about to vomit at the foul smell of alcohol wafting from him. Goosebumps appeared on her body as his filthy hands touched her lips. Was he really going to be held by this stranger? It was only then that her body began to stiffen. An unpleasant cold sweat ran down her back as her heart pounded like it was about to explode. At that moment, there came a dull sound from outside. Anne assumed that Robert would have regretted his actions and came to her, but the face she saw belonged to someone else. A man with a unique, overbearing presence and a beautiful face appeared in the cold moonlight. ¡°Daymond.¡± A faint voice, faint enough to be carried away by the wind, called for her husband. Rather than why he was here or how he came to know, she was more embarrassed that he came to her in this situation. But, to her disbelief, seeing him gave her a feeling of relief. Just like the day she was lost in the mountains, the emotions she felt warmed her heart. ¡°How dare someone touch what¡¯s mine again?¡± Anne drew in a deep breath at the dismal tone. Looking down without an expression, his face was the same as usual, but the bloody eyes stained with murderous intent were blazing as if to burn the entire forest. ¡°Who are you . . . Kuah!¡± As soon as the bleakly sunken red eyes were transferred to the man talking to him, the man¡¯s body flew violently through the window. Anne crouched down at the noise that frightened her. The sound of something being slammed on the ground, the sound of bones breaking, and even the creepy sound of a sword being stabbed . . . Her heart skipped a beat at the gruesome noise in the carnage. At the moment of the last boiling scream, Anne tightly closed her eyes. It was the man¡¯s last cry. After a moment of silence, the curtain was lifted and the Grand Duke entered. Anne shuddered at the noise and vibration so loud that the carriage creaked. Her tension seemed to affect every muscle in her body. She drew her attention to the flashing blade in his hand. Thick liquid dripped from the tip of the sword. It seemed that she would pass out due to the thick bloody smell, but Anne held her breath as well as she could. The Grand Duke¡¯s aura was more bloody than she could have imagined, as if he was going to point the tip of his sword at her. It made her realize that the angry expressions she had seen before this were not truly anger. He¡¯ll suspect me too. Although her hands were tied, it was unclear how this would look to him. Now that he saw Robert, there would be plenty of room to mistakenly think that maybe she had been in cahoots with him. But, despite thinking that he was going to question her immediately, Daymond was strangely silent. When the man who was extremely displeased with just talking to another man said nothing, she became nervous, as if she was in the eye of a storm. It would be better if he yelled or shouted, but just looking down at her quietly like that made her feel like she was the one who was suffocated. Unable to withstand his cold gaze, Anne¡¯s lips parted first. ¡°That . . . this . . .¡± Anne forcibly opened her chapped lips and stammered, but her throat choked. She was hesitant to utter the filthy words she had to say to explain this misunderstanding. ¡°That is . . .¡± How can she say this? She couldn¡¯t figure out where to start and how to tell him to make him believe her. Even if she managed to explain this situation, no one will believe her. Especially if he is extremely reluctant to contact others. CH 57.2 ¡°My . . . my brother . . .¡± Anne trembled and tried hard to explain the situation. But her words kept blending together. She was afraid because she thought that the moment she spoke the words, she would end up like that dragged man. I am also a victim . . . Anne tried to suppress her tears and swallowed gulps in succession. The fear of death was drawn in the heavy, suffocating air. Wasn¡¯t there a room for terrible torture in the Grand Duchy? ¡°Hooo . . .¡± The Grand Duke let out a long breath as he saw Anne¡¯s shoulders trembled. He looked at her slightly trembling face, trying to hold back her tears, and the hand that was holding the sword fell in vain. Horrible emotions were read in the pitiful distorted expression. He was astonished at just how frightened this woman was, and his wrath was quenched in an instant. ¡°Angroanne.¡± The Grand Duke knelt on one knee and brought himself to her eye level. When he reached out his hand, Anne, who flinched reflexively, closed her eyes. But he only reached for her bound wrists. Her wrists were loosened as the rope was pulled. ¡°Your body.¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°Are you injured?¡± ¡°. . . I¡¯m okay.¡± As if her muffled speech was suddenly cleared, the answer came out reflexively. A deep sigh sounded from above her head. It was heavy, stuffed breathing. The large fingertips touched Anne¡¯s cheek, and the redness in his eyes softened slightly as he saw the visibly trembling of her startled body. ¡°You¡¯re not okay.¡± While examining her body, Anne met his eyes. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, and she could see the deep red eyes twitching slightly. Anne was taken aback by his unusual reaction. He didn¡¯t get angry or open his tight lips again. Even so, as the anger disappeared without a trace, a terrible sadness was buried somewhere instead. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? I have nothing to do with this.¡± ¡°Angroanne.¡± He, who was only stiff, finally distorted his face as if he had been stabbed. He hugged Anne affectionately. Just like the day he came to rescue her. As she buried her face in his arms, the sound of his heart pounding violently hit her ears. Among the rapid beating, Anne silently buried her face in his arms and waited. His clumsy hand ran slowly across her back. When he gently caressed her, her eyes grew hot even though he just hugged her. ¡°Huuh . . .¡± As she bit her lips and held back the oncoming cries, the Grand Duke pulled back his body and met her gaze. His hands cupped Anne¡¯s cheeks. Her skin, which should have been soft, was caked with dried tears. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you. Let¡¯s go home.¡± He first told her what was bothering her, then lifted her up with both hands. Then he lightly stepped from the carriage. On the ground, a disfigured body was rolling on the dirt floor like trash rolling on the street. Seeing a puddle of blood on the ground, Anne turned her head away. It was so terrible that it made her nauseous, but she didn¡¯t pity him. If he tried to do such a bad thing, he should have been prepared to suffer. When she saw the Grand Duke, she was relieved, and then her cold reason returned. Anne looked around. His knights were nowhere to be seen. There was only his beloved dark horse in front. Could it be that he rode this horse all the way here from the north? How did he find out about this place? There were many things she wanted to ask, but she held everything down. It was a question that she could only ask if he brought it up first. ¡°Even if it makes you uncomfortable, bear with it.¡± The Grand Duke put Anne on his own horse. Anne held the bridle slightly between the horse¡¯s mane. Soon after, the Grand Duke climbed up, covering her at once. With one hand wrapped around her waist, the Grand Duke held the reins with the other. Robert, who had fainted after being hit on the head, got up and rolled his eyes in a panic. ¡°Which bastard spilled the beans, hah.¡± Seeing the man lying on his stomach covered in blood, he spat out a strange sound, and soon saw the Grand Duke¡¯s face and stopped breathing as if he had encountered a monster. ¡°Your Grace . . . let me explain . . . how . . . this happened . . . I am . . .¡± ¡°What you were going to do today . . .¡± The Grand Duke words paused for a moment. He took a deep breath as he gripped the handle of the sword at his waist as if he would break it. Blue veins protruded from the back of his hand. ¡°I will never forget it. I¡¯ll return to you, what you tried to do to my wife. Today¡¯s succession ceremony will be your last experience as a noble.¡± His inconceivable anger leaked out in each syllable, as if he was holding something tight. CH 58.1 Robert¡¯s face went pale. The one and only Grand Duke in this country had the power to trample their family at any moment. Then Robert fell flat on the floor. Trembling, he lowered his forehead to the dirt-covered ground like a slave. It was too late for him to realize just how bad the situation would be as long as the Grand Duke made up his mind. He was so terrified that he was now looking servile and rolled up his back. He was trembling so much . . . Finally, he seemed to remember what the Grand Duke was like.. ¡°Your Grace . . . it¡¯s a . . . Misunderstanding! I¡¯m just . . . trying to correct Angroanne¡¯s habit, she was trying to trick you. Angroanne dared to run away.¡± Anne couldn¡¯t help but laugh with bewilderment. Even at this moment, she burst into laughter at his cowardice using her as an excuse. He seemed to think that the Grand Duke would spare him if he said this. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know that?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice, so low and cold to sweep the ground, shook the dark forest. A strong gust of wind blew and the birds hiding in the trees flew up. Robert¡¯s face turned pitifully bluish from the gloomy cold energy. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that the likes of you would dare to intervene in a couple¡¯s affairs. Don¡¯t expect to die of old age.¡± It was the last warning from the Grand Duke. As he tugged hard on the reins, his horse began to trudge and stamp its feet. Robert, impatient, jumped up, spread his arms, and stopped the horse. And again he uttered foolish words. ¡°Angroanne, say something! Don¡¯t you know? Father and I are¡ª for you¡ª¡± Looking down from the horse, Robert looked really small. He wasn¡¯t even worth answering, but Anne coldly spit it out as she guessed that it would be the last time. ¡°Robert Libelois, as of today, I am no longer part of the Libelois family. Don¡¯t even think about seeing my face again.¡± Robert¡¯s face collapsed in a mess. ¡°Angroanne, I didn¡¯t want to do this either. It was for the family . . .¡± He didn¡¯t apologize and made excuses until the end. Anne turned her head with a tired face. She would be inclined to live in the public eye all her life that was why she had never been able to definitively cut out her family. However, seeing the bottom like this, there was no reason to look at them anymore. This is really the end. The lovely dream was just a dream. The Grand Duke grabbed her by the waist and tugged at the reins he was holding in his other hand, kicking his feet. * * * Probably taking a shortcut, the horse ran vigorously through the middle of the forest rather than on a well-maintained road. A fierce wind pierced her face endlessly. The Grand Duke, noticing that she was cold, wrapped a cloak around her shoulder and embraced her. Anne curled her body and she leaned deeply into his arms as if to hide her face. She wanted to hide somewhere, but in the current situation, all she could do was turn her face away. She smelled the blood on him. Tears began to flow as the tension was finally relieved. Anne sobbed silently so as not to be noticed by the Grand Duke. She felt ashamed and sad that she had such a family. The sound was small enough to be drowned out by the clatter of the horse¡¯s hooves, but the Grand Duke could sense the small shoulders in his arms shook slightly and his chest slowly became wet. Perhaps reading her mind, the Grand Duke covered her small body with his cloak even deeper. He must have hated her, but the touch he gave her was so kind that she kept thinking about other things. The horse ran for a long time. Anne opened her eyes, which she had closed to avoid the blowing wind. It was still a forest, but an open field opened before her eyes. She didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but as she rode on the horse, her sobs had stopped and she managed to control her chest. ¡°Wa . . . Wait.¡± However, her body continued to shake and she just got a shock, so she was feeling sick. Her dry hand, trying to hold on, gripped the Grand Duke¡¯s cloak with difficulty. The Grand Duke, who belatedly noticed that Anne¡¯s condition was not good, let go of the reins. He realized that she couldn¡¯t run like this anymore with a pale face that covered her mouth with her shoulders trembling. He frowned as he realized that he hadn¡¯t taken her stamina into account. The belated regret that if he had known this, he would have stopped by a village, was useless since they had already entered the forest. When he couldn¡¯t even find a private house to be indebted to, the Grand Duke bit his lip and looked around. ¡°I think we should rest here.¡± The Grand Duke, who first balanced Anne so that she did not fall, jumped off the horse. After that, he stretched out his arms to Anne. Anne thought for a moment, then reluctantly hugged him by the nape of his neck. She felt as if she was a child as she went down, hugged by him. ¡°There is nowhere to sleep around here. If we can take a short break here and leave tomorrow morning, we will arrive in the North by evening.¡± After standing for a while, she nodded. The Grand Duke settled down on the widest part of the flat ground. Afterwards, he gave water to his horse at a nearby lake and rested his horse near a tree. CH 58.2 Anne sat down at the base of the nearby tree and pulled her knees. She didn¡¯t express it, but her body was still shaking. The fact that she was almost assaulted by a stranger, and that the person who instigated it was her brother, the shock was too much for her to calm down easily. The Grand Duke was also seated across from her. Anne looked at the Grand Duke lighting the bonfire. Despite his high status, he skillfully built a fire, probably familiar with camping. When she put her palms in front of the roaring bonfire, the warmth felt good. Thanks to him who appeared at an unexpected moment, she can experience this kind of feeling. She stared at the flames with sunken eyes. It was a night with a bright full moon. In the softly pouring moonlight, the Grand Duke¡¯s features, always reminiscent of winter, shone in a subtle light. The shadow cast over his face deepened, and his eyes, stained with memories somewhere, shone slightly. Anne twisted her gaze whenever her eyes met his. She struggled to look him in the face, but she managed to open her mouth. ¡°Thank you for saving me, Daymond.¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°But . . . How did you know?¡± She asked again, not even guessing how he knew and how he got to the place. Instead of answering her question, the Grand Duke tapped the wood of the bonfire that had been lit to light the flames bigger. ¡°I told you. There is nothing I don¡¯t know.¡± He kept quiet as if he already knew everything. ¡°You really know everything . . . I didn¡¯t notice anything.¡± If he hadn¡¯t come, she would have been assaulted and impregnated by that¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t leave the North again.¡± Anne nodded her head at the softer tone. She would never go to the capital again. However, she would also have to leave the North someday. As the warm flame melted the tension, the Grand Duke suddenly stood up and took off the robe he was wearing and carefully laid it on the floor. ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s uncomfortable, it¡¯s better to close your eyes for a while.¡± ¡°. . . Like this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to rest nearby, and it will be troublesome if you faint.¡± ¡°But . . .¡± Hesitantly, Anne looked at the Grand Duke, with his big build, and then awkwardly laid down next to him. Lying next to each other, the feeling was very strange. Are we sleeping like this? She had never experienced spending the night outdoors. A daughter of a noble family since her birth, she was experiencing something that would never happen again in her life. Still, when she lay down, her throbbing insides had calmed down. The starlight illuminated her face. Anne gazed with enchanted eyes at the shining stars that often fell in large lines like meteors. It was the first time she had seen such a beautiful sight in her life, yet it felt strangely familiar. In an instant, the Grand Duke covered her back with his body. Anne, startled, twitched her shoulders. He hadn¡¯t touched her body just once or twice, so she wasn¡¯t surprised by the touch. But her skin was sensitive, perhaps because she had been touched by a stranger a while ago. Then the large hand swept her back slowly a couple of times. Anne raised her eyes carefully as she examined his face. His towering nostrils touched the top of her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to freeze to death, bear with it A warm wind blew here adjacent to the capital, but the nights in the forest were still cool. She didn¡¯t mean it that way, but Anne gave up the thought of questioning him. Even though his words were blunt, she felt grateful because he had saved her. The characteristic winter smell of him made her feel at ease. Oddly enough, she felt very comfortable with him¡ª probably because she had gone through something bad a little while ago¡ª even though she was with the Grand Duke she hated so much. His big hand ran across her back on repeat. Like he was comforting her, Anne let her eyes close. She smelled the scent of flowers mixed with his familiar scent. A gust of wind blew through the black hair. The hair on her forehead tickled every time it rustled, but she didn¡¯t hate it. After their conversation was cut off, only the sound of small grass insects and the sound of the wind permeated her eardrums. She also liked the scent of wild flowers that permeated sparsely. Her heart, which had been swaying like waves, became calm. In the still and quiet atmosphere, Anne closed her eyes. Daymond soon stared at Anne with a vague expression as she exhaled evenly and closed her eyes. She looks small today. When he held her in her arms, she was a very thin woman. Have you been overdoing it? She didn¡¯t express it, but she must be surprised; her body trembled until she fell asleep. Is that why? Daymond suddenly felt his heart thump. She wasn¡¯t living a happy life either. He took his eyes off her and stared helplessly at the sky. The pitch-black sky was filled with small stars as if they were about to pour down. When he saw that scene, a few buried memories came to mind. CH 59.1 ¡°Daymond, the northern stars are really pretty. I want to continue living here.¡± Her voice still rang clearly in his ears. The voice of the woman he loved so much. At that time, Anne burrowed deeper into his arms in her sleep. He wondered if she was cold, so he pulled her closer. She rubbed her forehead near his heart. If I¡¯d been even a little late . . . He shook his head vigorously, thinking of the worst possible scenario. If he had been even a little late, Anne might have been at the mercy of that insignificant human being. When he thought so, uncontrollable rage boiled within him. It was terrible just to imagine. Even though he had ended the man¡¯s life, his anger wasn¡¯t soothed. Robert should stop breathing too . . . Even if he was only watching, he definitely had a hand in it. Of course Daymond knew that even if he did as he pleased, he would still be angry. Because he could not undo what had already happened. Still, he couldn¡¯t just watch her family continue doing this. I¡¯ll definitely take care of Libelois. Anne only said that he shouldn¡¯t take the lives of her blood relatives, no one else. So Daymond gazed at her sleepy face, thinking of pulling out Robert¡¯s tongue and taking his limbs to give him a life that was worse than death. Thinking of cutting off the wrist of her mother, who had whipped her. And to have the venomous Count¡¯s tongue. Having declared that she would cut ties with her family, Anne would never know. Daymond pulled the robe up to her neck as she moved. Watching her exhale evenly, he hugged her so that she wouldn¡¯t wake up from the cold, silently looking down at her for a long while. * * * The next day, the Grand Duke and Anne returned to the Northern Grand Duke¡¯s castle. It was possible because the Grand Duke¡¯s black horse had very strong and fast legs. The servants of the Grand Duchy, seeing the two of them on horseback, had a commotion. None of the attendants who went with them returned with the Grand Ducal couple. In addition, Anne¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet of paper, so they were very worried, wondering if something had happened. As soon as he got off the horse, the Grand Duke carried Anne and walked toward the east wing. Emily and Mrs. Wald approached with confused expressions. ¡°I will carry her.¡± He carefully laid Anne on the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything today, just rest.¡± He left the room after that, but his voice wasn¡¯t as cold as before. As the bed last night had been uncomfortable, Anne was still asleep. The Grand Duke quietly closed the door and went straight to the library, making his way to a specific bookshelf. He pulled out a book on the right side of the bookshelf. Thump! With a clicking sound, the bookshelf that was covering the wall moved sideways with a heavy sound. As the shelf passed by, scratching the floor, a door made of iron appeared where the wall should have been. As he stepped inside, lights lit up the space. There was nothing on one side of the small, narrow room, but in the center hung a large portrait framed by an ornate golden frame. The woman in the portrait, sitting there with a bright smile, had the same face as Anne. Before, he had visited the library every day, looking at the portrait of the woman and talking to her. It didn¡¯t matter if it was crazy. While hating and resenting her, he couldn¡¯t endure a day without seeing her face. It was like magic that this shell-like body could barely endure. ¡°Anne . . .¡± The tip of his hand, moving slowly, touched the face of the woman in the portrait. ¡°Has this life been painful?¡± Daymond, muttering something unknown, stroked the portrait with his hand. His heart, which had been quiet until now, was beating strangely. The pale face, which had been weeping sadly, flickered like an afterimage. The face with the soft cheeks wet with watery drops of water was embedded in his head. Daymond found out that Anne had a harder life than she thought. In addition to the beatings and insults she had suffered since she was a child, seeing her family thoroughly deceiving her and even planning to kidnap her to get her pregnant, he could hardly imagine bullying her like before. Am I feeling that it¡¯s pitiful . . . Pity. That was what he felt now. He was feeling empathy for a woman. It wasn¡¯t once or twice that he abused her, as if to vent his anger on the her who didn¡¯t remember anything. Looking back on it, he did the same thing as her family to her. CH 59.2 He had never cared about her wellbeing, living in a strange place. He just wanted to see her crying face next to him. He had been blinded by vengeance. Sometimes he acted impulsively to help her, but that was it. The feeling of betrayal he felt was so terrible that he could never forget it. Since that night, time had stopped for him. However¡­ he was feeling skeptical now. Angroanne, who was next to him now, had been the woman he loved the most in the past. She was the woman who trampled on his heart and betrayed him. ¡°What would you do if she was alive?¡± These were the words Luciel, who had disappeared after the woman¡¯s death, suddenly said after a few hundred years. ¡°It¡¯s been 400 years, how is the woman alive?¡± ¡°Human beings have a second chance bestowed by the good and kind God. Reincarnation.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe Luciel¡¯s words, but he couldn¡¯t completely ignore it either. Daymond pretended to be fooled and only realized the words were true when he saw Anne¡¯s face at the banquet he attended. And the moment he felt the touch of her lips that day, he felt his blood begin to boil again. From then on, everything happened in a flash. She only had the same face as before. Both her personality and name were different. In fact, her personality was completely different, so there was no resemblance anywhere except her appearance. But that didn¡¯t matter. The moment he buried himself in the woman¡¯s lips, Daymond felt that it was an inevitable fate. He felt like his heart was beating again. His frozen life moved forward. If nothing else, he had a first thought to bring her back. He had no intention of missing out this time. This time, she was bound by the binding force of the law of marriage so that she could not escape. He was not interested in a successor in the first place. This body couldn¡¯t sire a child anyway. He planned to blame her for letting her think that way so that she would never leave. She was a woman with a cold heart. It was like the bright old days never existed, but one thing was the same¡ª when it came time to hold her. The soft skin at his fingertips, the way she shed tears when he stretched out her cramped opening with her slender waist lifted at random, even the climax she felt was the same. He could feel her only when they had sex. I promised myself never to be weak¡­ However, it was rather he whose mind became more complicated as time went on. The useless feelings, which he thought he had forgotten, kept rising in his chest. Still, he forced himself away from the thought each time. He couldn¡¯t love the woman again. She had to be punished for betraying him. So he only spoke severe words, and he pierced her heart. He was willing to watch her slowly crumble. At first, he liked her crying, even when she stubbornly held it back. It was nice to see her bite her lips while her face was stained with pleasure. It felt quite good to see her despair as she tried her best to think of a way to leave, when she lost her words every time he mentioned the child that would likely never be born. But what was this indescribable feeling? Did he still have her in his heart? Come to think of it, Anne knew nothing. She couldn¡¯t even be considered the same person as that woman. He was nothing more than a ruthless bully who felt betrayed by a woman, someone who desperately chased an afterimage of the past. He didn¡¯t have to be nice, but he didn¡¯t have to be so cruel to her either. ¡°What have I been doing?¡± It was funny. Clearly, Anne and that woman were different, yet he foolishly treated them as the same person. He took a woman who didn¡¯t even remember and kept harassing her, saying that he would get his dirty revenge. It was to comfort his frozen heart by resenting and tormenting Anne. He laughed at himself inside. What¡¯s the difference between myself and those weak humans? He clenched his fists tightly. Even when blue veins appeared on the backs of his hands, the unpleasant beating of his heart did not stop. Even when he denied and rejected his heart, he could no longer deceive himself. He still loved her. The feelings open the floodgates in his mind, making him infinitely weaker. He finally realized what a foolish revenge he had been trying to achieve. CH 60.1 ¡°Anne, have I been given the second chance that humans have?¡± Daymond pressed himself against the portrait and stroked her face with his fingertips several times. He touched her lips, which would never open again, and pressed himself harder against the cold painting. ¡°This time, if the opportunity to love you properly comes¡­¡± Daymond closed his eyes and called out to her while gripping the canvas. Even at this moment, when her name appeared in his head, he both hated and missed her madly. Having become a cowardly man, he kissed the old painting that smelled only of paper and oil paint. * * * Marie and the escort knights, who had left for the capital together with Anne, all returned to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence the next day. They were quite taken aback by the fact that the Grand Duchess, whom they thought was in Libelois, had returned to the Grand Duke¡¯s castle before they knew it. They didn¡¯t know the details, but they had heard that the Grand Duke had brought her himself. They were reprimanded for neglecting the Grand Duchess¡¯s protection. After that incident, Libelois was destroyed. The Grand Duke was not a man who only bluffs. From the day he brought Anne to the castle, he started working secretly by dispatching people. He took away all the properties of County Libelois on the basis of debt and removed the name of the Libelois family from the list of nobles on the pretext of threatening the Grand Duchess. He had power equivalent to that of the Emperor, so he settled everything neatly by sending a messenger to the Imperial family to notify them of the outcome. Less than two days after all the work had been completed, the news reached Anne¡¯s ears. It was something Emily found out secretly from a merchant who came to deliver goods to the Grand Duchy. ¡°The name of the Libelois family has been erased, and the Count and Lord Robert have disappeared. Madam, are you okay?¡± Thinking Anne might be in shock, Emily looked rather worried. Anne¡¯s hand, which had been combing her hair, halted. In fact, she had expected to some extent that the Grand Duke would take such an action, so she did not mind this turn of events at all. Surprisingly she only had a slight sense of guilt, but that was all. This time, she didn¡¯t even bother to ask him to look after her family. Any reason for her to show them generosity was gone. They had done something a family should never have done, so she brushed off even the slightest bit of remorse. ¡°Yes. Excessive greed will incur wrath. They should be grateful that their lives had been spared.¡± ¡°It does, but¡­¡± ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to bring any news about Libelois to me. There¡¯s nothing to care about.¡± Her pale gold hair, shining softly in the light coming through the window, was gently combed. Contrary to Anne¡¯s calm face, Emily¡¯s expression disturbed. Emily may be bothered about her one-time love with Robert, thought Anne. She closed her mouth on the topic. But there was one catch. After that day, the Grand Duke began to distance himself from Anne. The Grand Duke, who used to go to her every night, never stepped beyond her door. He told her to rest and even allowed her to use the bedroom in the east wing where she used to stay. He didn¡¯t insist on sex, so she felt somehow sad even though it was something she should actually be happy with. He seems to have changed a little. It was similar to how the Grand Duke acted for about a week before he went to subjugate the monsters, but it was also different. It was a fleeting whim back then, but this time there was a subtle difference. When she saw him at dinner, he showed an effort to suppress his temper. I don¡¯t know what caused him to change, but I hope the change lasts for a long time this time. Whenever she faced him, who seemed like a completely different person, Anne felt her heart throb. She did not forget his touch when he hugged her gently in the forest. As a result, her determination, that had been firmly pledged when she came here, was constantly shaken. Wouldn¡¯t it be okay to have a child and stay here forever? Marie was not his mistress, and the family members who used her succession to scheme were gone. Added with his changed appearance, hope arose that it would not be bad to settle down and live here. Anyway, he was still a benefactor who had saved her during a desperate moment, so he was being re-evaluated in her mind. Anne rose from the vanity chair, took off the silk gown and handed it to Emily. As she lay down on the wide bed, the fluffy and soft sheets warmed her heart. It had only been a few days since she had been away from the house and she had missed this bed very much. Anne put her hand to the pillow where her head rested. When everything was settled and comfortable, her eyelids crept shut. That day. Anne had her third dream, and in the end she collapsed. CH 60.2 10. Withered flower The man who had finished off the huge monster at once took a step closer. ¡°Are you a northerner? What village are you from?¡± She looked away from the dead monster, then carefully straightened her back and looked up at the man talking to her. ¡°At this time, the forest is no place for a woman like you. If you don¡¯t intend to become monster food, return to the village right away.¡± As she was about to say thank you for saving her, she lowered her head as she felt her stomach suddenly twist. Something churned in her stomach. Seeing her actions, the man squinted at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to say thank you, but you don¡¯t have to throw up upon seeing my face¡­¡± That is¡­ not it¡­. The smell of blood¡­ is too strong. Thank you for saving me. She quickly realized she had been rude and rubbed her mouth with her sleeve. He saved her according to his words. Instead of thanking him, she even did this¡ª anyone would have been offended. But the smell of blood was too strong, so she covered her mouth again. The sound of the man¡¯s footsteps sounded again. When she saw that he was about to leave, she hurriedly grabbed at the man. He glanced at her hands. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That ¡­ Help me get out of this forest. I lost everyone in my group, and I can¡¯t find my way alone. Please.¡± Embarrassed, she clung to him, gripping his clothes even tighter. In the dark forest, not even the moonlight could be seen. It was impossible for her to get out of this forest alone. ¡°If you¡¯re not scared of me, I can do that.¡± The man sighed softly and moved his legs again, but he kept his speed slow enough to let her grip his clothes. Approaching the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, she patted her chest. After catching her nervous breath several times, she opened her eyes wide as she looked at his chest area. Wounds were visible through the gap in the man¡¯s torn clothes. The wounds he suffered while saving her. ¡°I won¡¯t die from this, so there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. It will be better tomorrow.¡± The man obediently responded to her silent question. Despite him saying he didn¡¯t need treatment, she made him stand still. The man only glanced at her now and then, but didn¡¯t say much until she wiped the blood clean and applied medicine. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± She looked out the window, tying the bandages one last time. The snow was falling ferociously. From the time she entered the North, her schedule was continuously delayed due to the severe cold, and she lost her entire party. ¡°Excuse me, but can I ask you to take care of me here until the snow stops?¡± ¡°Until the snow stops. After that, leave this castle.¡± They made an implicit promise. To stay for a while, blaming the harsh weather, so no one would die if they went out. After that, their cohabitation began. The winter that year was exceptionally rough and harsh. Thanks to this, the departure of the messenger who had to contact her family was delayed day by day. She started to be attracted to the man who took care of her from time to time contrary to his cold appearance. The longer she stayed in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, the more time they spent together, and the two naturally grew closer. So the two stayed together, sharing each other¡¯s body temperature until the snowstorm died down. And, somehow, they fell deeply in love. She was happy. Every moment she spent with the man, she completely forgot about her home. She completely forgot the fact that her family would be waiting for her, and that the marriage with the fiance her family chose would be waiting for her when she returned. * * * It was well over two months that she had been in the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, following Daymond, who had helped her out of danger in the forest. Not just the blizzard, the snow had stopped for a long time, and the season when the wind would recede was approaching. From the morning she woke up, her body felt strangely heavy. Did I eat something wrong? She had been fine until yesterday. She tapped her chest with her hand, wondering if it was a bloated stomach. Then, nausea burst out. After the long throbbing, she hastily spread her palms. Her fingers stiffened as she counted the days. I didn¡¯t have it. I didn¡¯t have my moon cycle. She skipped the moon cycle that should have started a fortnight ago. She may be ignorant about sexuality, but it wasn¡¯t like she had no sexual knowledge. Pregnancy. The thought that she might have a child made her complexion darken. CH 61.1 To think that an unmarried noble lady became pregnant¡­ She slumped down on the bed, casting her gaze out the window. It had only been a while since she had sent a letter that the weather had cleared and she was staying in the North for a while. She was going to go back to her family soon, to tell them about her relationship with Daymond and to sort things out with her fiance¡¯s family, but to have a baby ¡­ Cold sweat dripped from her hands. What to do? Having a child ¡­ She remembered Daymond. Come to think of it, it was a big deal for her to get pregnant before marriage, but having a child was a blessing. Since it was a child born between two people who love each other, he must be delighted. A rosy tint quickly stained her depressed face. She had vaguely wanted a child who looked like him, it had really happened. She patted through her pounding chest as she stood up to inform Daymond of this. Suddenly, Luciel walked in through the open door. He was Daymond¡¯s cousin, who disapproved of her every time he saw her. She looked at him, wondering if he had come to tell her to leave as soon as possible today, but Luciel suddenly pressed his nose with the back of his hand. ¡°This smell. Could it be that you have a baby?¡± As he asked if she was pregnant out of the blue, she was very surprised, but she nodded her head excitedly because she was happy. ¡°Yes. I have Daymond¡¯s child.¡± Seeing her full of joy, Luciel clicked his tongue. ¡°Stupid. Daymond hates children. As soon as he hears that you¡¯re with child, he will tell you to get rid of it.¡± ¡°What¡­? He would get rid of it?¡± The smile disappeared from her face at those bloody words. Still, how could she use the word ¡®death¡¯ when speaking of her unborn child, when she couldn¡¯t even say it out loud? Come to think of it, there was one thing she overlooked. In fact, whenever she said that she would like to have a child like him, Daymond would deliberately avoid the topic, saying that he did not want children of his own. Then, perhaps reading her question, Luciel crookedly leaned against the door and crossed his arms. ¡°Daymond is an illegitimate son. You see he mistrusts people?¡± She almost stopped breathing for a moment. She had never heard of Daymond being an illegitimate child. Illegitimate child. In this conservative empire, the standards for children out of wedlock were quite sharp. The label would follow the woman who gave birth to the child and the child for the rest of their lives. Not only the illegitimate children of commoners, but also the illegitimate children of nobles, who are treated lowly with all sorts of contempt until they die. It meant a never ending and exhausting life. ¡°So¡­¡± He would often ask why she wasn¡¯t even afraid of him, or why she didn¡¯t avoid him. Could this be the reason for Daymond was living alone, with no other family members or close friends coming and going? As her thoughts reached that point, she remembered his face as he calmly said sad things about why he smiled at her. Her heart suddenly tightened at the circumstances in which she did not know. ¡°That¡­ But¡­ The child is already here.¡± She caressed her straight belly and said to herself. She would marry him anyway, so wouldn¡¯t it be possible to avoid people¡¯s prying eyes? ¡°You do have a child. Are you going to give birth to it? Of course, even if the child is born, killing it is easy.¡± ¡°This is nonsense. Why would he kill his own child?¡± She glared at Luciel with teary eyes. Daymond wasn¡¯t such a scary person to do such a terrible thing. Luciel narrowed his eyes and had an intrigued smile on his face. ¡°Do you really not know what humans do?¡± Her eyes wavered for a moment as she recalled the secret rumors that had spread in the nobility. When a woman was pregnant with an illegitimate child, women would take medicine to kill the baby. Even if the woman refused, the father would not hesitate to kill the newborn baby on the spot as soon as the child was born. The most convenient and certain way to dispose of an illegitimate child was to kill them. ¡°Still¡­ Daymond is not that kind of person.¡± Giving strength to her eyes that seemed to burst into tears, she shook her head resolutely. She knew better than anyone how much Daymond loved her. Of course, he reacted reluctantly a few times, but deep down she expected that he would like his child. Luciel smirked, touching his chin instead of answering her. ¡°Really? Then go ahead and ask. How does he feel about having children?¡± ¡°You want me to ask¡­ now?¡± His confident facial expression and tone suddenly made things complicated in her head. CH 61.2 Luciel, standing by the door, turned sideways. He smiled as he pointed across the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m getting out of the way. Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going now. You want me out of this house. Daymond would never do that.¡± She was about to run straight to the west wing where Daymond was, but she remembered her condition and walked out slowly. Even on the way, she was preoccupied with unbelievable thoughts. That¡¯s not possible. Luciel lied to me. While she was lost in many complicated thoughts, she quickly arrived at Daymond¡¯s office. She quietly knocked on the door. She guled. When she opened the door, he, who was sitting in the chair, saw her and smiled softly at her. ¡°I thought you were sleeping, but you¡¯re awake already?¡± He pressed his lips to her forehead with a warm voice. She opened her mouth swallowing the words that couldn¡¯t leave her closed lips. ¡°Day¡­ mond, well¡­ What are you going to do if we have a child?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As soon as she spoke the words, Daymond¡¯s complexion hardened. She saw clearly that he was terrified. Daymond roughly ran a hand through his hair as he walked to the window and put his hands behind his back. Seeing his silence, she was afraid to ask again, but she had to say it anyway. ¡°A child who resembles us¡­¡± ¡°Are we not done talking about that?¡± She shut her mouth in surprise at the cold voice. ¡°I don¡¯t need children. Don¡¯t say that again.¡± ¡°But, if we did have a child¡­¡± She stuttered, swallowing her cries hard. Bang! A harsh roar erupted. There was a dent in the place where he hit the desk roughly as if he couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. She looked at him in disbelief. It was the first time she had seen him so angry. ¡°There will be no such thing. I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Her heart skipped a beat at those words. Are you really going to kill the child? Our child? She felt her legs go weak and hurriedly reached for a table near her. Feeling that her tears were about to burst, she twisted her face as if to hide them, but the heat in her eyes had long since ripened. When she was so startled that she remained still, Daymond said that he had been too much on her and walked right up to her and wrapped her little body in a hug. ¡°We alone are enough.¡± His lips softly touched her skin. Her thoughts were tangled up in her head until the fervent whispers of love landed in her ears. His hot breath tickled here and there along her thin neckline. As his hand stroked her bare skin and slipped through the shoulder straps, her top fell to the ground. Daymond buried her face between her luscious breasts and held her nipples in his mouth. He sucked the flesh of the round breasts into his mouth, feeling her breath quicken. A faint moan escaped her mouth, responding to his stimulation. No¡­ No¡­. Daymond can¡¯t do that. Every time she shook her head saying no, the tears that she thought she had suppressed flowed down again. The tears that ran down her cheeks and down her lips dripped to the floor. Daymond, who read her tears as pleasure, hugged her and sat her down on the desk. Her full skirt was pulled up at once and he placed his face between her legs. After that, strange sounds resounded in the room. As though trying to resolve the quarrel, they had an intense affair. On the way back to her room, her steps stopped several times. She couldn¡¯t even bring up the words that she was pregnant in the end because of his strong reaction. In her melancholy, she looked at the floor and walked away, but black shoes entered into her vision. When she raised her head, she saw Luciel smiling. ¡°See, I was right. So hurry up and get rid of the child.¡± She forgot her rebuttal and left as if running away. * * * She rubbed her flat belly, which was barely noticeable. It was hard to believe that there was life in it. She felt nothing. She even checked from a doctor who she called in quietly just in case to confirm she was pregnant. Daymond left the castle early in the morning, saying that he had to look around the granary of the estate today. Even though he hugged her warmly all night without sleeping, he didn¡¯t neglect his work as the Grand Duke. So alone for the first time in a while, she stared blankly at the ceiling of the bed, struggling. She did not know the feelings of those who suffered for having an illegitimate child, or for having been born as one. However, it was not that she couldn¡¯t understand Daymond¡¯s heart because he must have been in more pain than she could have imagined. It was so sad. The fact that she had an unwelcome child. How nice it would have been if the child had come a little later. She felt so sorry for the child, but she felt weak. Still, I can¡¯t give up on my child. Despite Daymond¡¯s apparent refusal, she couldn¡¯t give up the life she was embracing. It was because of the fact that she inherited the blood of the man she loved. CH 62.1 She has been deceiving Daymond by making excuses that she was not feeling well for several days, but the morning sickness was getting worse. Even if her morning sickness stopped, Daymond would notice that she was pregnant when her stomach started to swell. If she missed the time to use the medicine, he might be aiming for the life of the unborn child. Let¡¯s leave this place. Thinking that far, she jumped up. The reason she decided to leave the castle was to protect her child. She hated leaving Daymond, but she hated the death of a child of his blood even more. She loved Daymond, and after she gave birth she intended to keep the child well hidden and come back to persuade him. She was about to leave the room with only the simple things she had packed right away when she saw Daymond¡¯s ring lying on the table. He took off the ring whenever he went out, saying that he might lose it. She wondered if he might get angry and throw away the ring after she left. She looked at the ring on her hand and his, then put them together in her pocket. Just after passing through the front door, she was about to exit through the back door of the castle, when she passed the greenhouse. The greenhouse, where she tended flowers with him, suddenly looked forlorn. She fiddled with the ring in her pocket. Let¡¯s hide it here. After thinking briefly, she went into the greenhouse and knelt down at the end of the flower bed with their favorite flowers. She put it in a small box and dropped the two rings in it. She tried to dig, push the box in, and cover it with soil again, but her empty finger kept catching her eyes. Should I just wear mine? She was going to leave it in case she lost it on the long journey, but she felt a little regretful. Eventually, she took out her own ring and put it on her finger, and put Daymond¡¯s in the box and closed the lid. When she returned, she intended to give him back his as well. She left the North and returned to her parents¡¯ mansion, but before she could cross the front door she was kicked out. As soon as they heard that she had an illegitimate child, they heartlessly abandoned their beloved daughter. It was her fiance who came to pick her up at the moment when she had nowhere to go. He took pity on her and gave her a house in the little countryside for her to give birth to the child. An ignorant noble daughter could not live alone, so she had no choice but to entrust her to his mansion and prepare to give birth to the child. Daymond will definitely be happy when he sees you. She endured it alone for nearly ten months, holding her longing for Daymond and talking to the child. Strangely, she was able to endure without being lonely, as the small life seemed to comfort her every time. As she made clothes for the child, she often imagined the day when the life she had carried would come out into the world. If he saw the lovely child, even if Daymond was an illegitimate child, wouldn¡¯t he give up his harsh thoughts and accept it? She had no doubt that if he saw the child who looked just like him and her, he would change his mind. And finally, the day of birth was imminent. Seeing her fiance who had hurriedly called the midwife from the village, she let out screams with anxious eyes. ¡°A little bit¡­ a little bit¡­ Give me more strength.¡± ¡°Huuh¡­. Aaaahhh! Aaah!¡± It was painful for her, and she bit the cloth in her mouth. She lost consciousness several times like that. But she has to wake up and give strength to give birth safely. The midwife shouted something, but her mind, disturbed by the pain, did not understand the words and was more likely to pass out again. When she finally lifted her hazy eyes, everything was still. She found a figure standing still among the flickering lights. Her breath stopped. ¡°Daymond¡­¡± She called him in a slurred voice, but he was silent. There was only a flash in his bright red eyes. There was a sword in his hand. Dark blood flowed down the blade. She looked around her as she lay down. On the floor lay the midwife and her fiance. Then she saw their red-stained clothes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She closed her eyes in misery. In the end, sadness at the fact that he had come seeking to kill the child that was just born, weighed down her neck. A throbbing pain spread to her stomach. And her vision went dark. So she lost her life along with her child at the hands of the man she loved. CH 62.2 The dream ended there. Her death was lonely and heartbreaking. ¡°No!¡± At that moment, Anne shuddered and awoke from her dream. Her whole body was covered in cold sweat, her hair stuck to her cheeks in strands down to her collarbone, and her face was a mess of flowing tears. Anne blinked her eyes blankly for a moment. Then she slowly lowered her gaze to her stomach, recalling the sensation of her hand caressing her swollen stomach. Her vividly swollen belly was only flat now. There must have been a child in her stomach who she talked to everyday¡­ Where did it go? It was strange. She could no longer hear the heartbeat that was not hers. Anne sluggishly rolled her eyes and looked around. The clothes she was making for the child were nowhere to be seen¡­ Her expression became more and more contorted. It was a memory from her previous life, but not from her current one. However, it seeped into her head as if she had experienced it herself. Suddenly, the sense of loss enveloped her, and her pounding heart beat painfully. ¡°Daymond killed me¡­¡± Soon, tears blocked her vision. ¡°He even killed my child.¡± Looking at the dim room, Anne buried her face in her blanket. Her sobbing groans transformed into sobs. ¡°Huuuh¡­ Hu¡­ huuuh¡­¡± From a certain moment on, the uncontrollable emotions engulfed her. Caught in the shock of her past life, desperate cries broke out. ¡°I don¡¯t even know¡­ huhuuu¡­¡± Anne, who had been determined with a cold heart and reason, eventually collapsed. Her beautiful face twisted into a grimace, and the howl of a beast flowed as if a burst of rage had burned her throat. She felt like an idiot for not protecting her child. She didn¡¯t know anything and she came back by this man¡¯s side again and again. She even had feelings of love for that man. Despair stifled her throat, and a choking scream came out. Anne sobbed like a madwoman, tearing at her clothes as if to rip her heart out, and scratching her chest with her nails as if to vent her boiling anger. Anne, who cried for a long time, lifted her head in tears. The feeling of betrayal made her tremble, and something flashed through her mind for a moment. Has Daymond been reincarnated too? What a twist of fate. It was hard to believe that she was born at the same time as Daymond. In addition, the fiance in her dreams, who accepted his fiance who returned pregnant with pity, was now Salton. The probability that the three people could be reincarnated at the same time is extremely rare. It was only then that Anne remembered that Salton, whom she had met at Robert¡¯s succession ceremony, had said something incomprehensible. ¡°He said he knew something I didn¡¯t know. He recalled his past life too.¡± On second thought, nothing was certain. But why did she and Salton suddenly recall their previous lives? Then Daymond¡­ Thinking that far, Anne¡¯s face turned white. There was one thing to point out. At the masquerade, he said something incomprehensible. These eyes that don¡¯t look at me, this nose . . . And the lips¡­ It was a pity, he was right. Her body felt chilled. Even if she thought hard about it, the reason for bringing her into this place through the marriage trick was unclear. But the unsolved puzzle was finally solved. He remembered his previous life from the beginning. It wasn¡¯t enough that he killed her? She didn¡¯t know why he brought her back again, but one thing was certain from what he did to her. Her existence must have been just as irritating. It was as if the fog had completely filled her mind, which was full of questions that had been cleared. ¡°Daymond.¡± The white sheets in her hand were crumpled into a mess. Grabbing the crumpled blanket, Anne pulled her knees together and buried her face. His emotionless red eyes, which looked down at her until the very end, could not be erased from her mind. Even if he killed her, killing a child was unacceptable. She could never forgive herself for having even the slightest affection for a man who killed an innocent child. There was only a foolish woman who allowed her heart to say that because he saved her life once. As she wiped away the tears from her hands, the clear blue eyes lost their sense and became cloudy. Her eyes, which had rummaged through the chest of drawers, stopped at a sharp metal object. Scissors. Anne picked it up without hesitation. The ends of the heavy scissors were sharp and pointed. Anne held it, put her hand behind her waist to hide it. It was a dark dawn with no moonlight. Squeak. The ghastly noise of the door rang sharply across the silent hallway. The sound of the door, which she had heard numerous times during the day, gave her a different impression at night. The corridor she looked out was as dark as her heart. I will kill him, then I will die too. With her memories back, all she had left was revenge. Without a shawl, Anne walked slowly through the dimly lit hallway. Her skirt trailed along and the floor creaked, but none of the noise reached her ears. CH 63.1 Tears welled up her eyes as she walked along. The happiness of having a child faintly engulfed her whole body, but it was too faint. Because the father killed the child who was never able to see the light of day. ¡°Huuu¡­ huuh¡­¡± Sorrow choked her throat. Even as she tried to pass it over, the sudden outburst of cries heated her heart. Her heart was beating so hard that it felt like it would burst as is. Anne continued walking, dragging her trembling legs. With each step she took, the cold piece of metal tapped her back. However, having lost her reason, her head was only filled with the thought that she should end everything today. Her trembling hands clenched the scissors and she placed her hand on the doorknob where the Grand Duke slept. Just as she was about to turn the cold iron that sent chills down her spine, someone suddenly grabbed her hand. Marie¡¯s face entered her vision. ¡°Madam¡­¡± Marie widened her eyes when she saw the pair of scissors Anne was holding. ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t see me.¡± Anne said coldly and turned her head away. She shook off Marie¡¯s grasp and tried to open the door again. Her wrists were caught again. ¡°Madam, you can¡¯t do this.¡± Marie pleaded in the quietest voice possible. Perhaps she had wondered what the Grand Duchess was up to. She, too, knew that the Grand Duke had consistently treated the Grand Duchess badly. So she understood Anne, but this wasn¡¯t the answer. ¡°This¡­ is not it. It¡¯s all my fault. For lying to Madam¡­ huuh¡­ I told everything to His Grace.¡± It seemed that Anne could finally understand the Grand Duke¡¯s incomprehensible words when he said he knew everything that happened in this castle. Marie had been serving as his ears. Since Marie had been following Anne everywhere she went, she couldn¡¯t even imagine the extent of the news that Marie had told about her. Anne even forgave the lie of Marie being a mistress, but she never thought Marie would have acted as a spy¡­ Feeling betrayed, Anne glared at Marie with cold eyes. ¡°Who are you touching? Let go of me.¡± The hand holding her didn¡¯t come off at all. After a while, a silent scuffle began to ensue. Anne¡¯s hands, who was about to enter and kill the Grand Duke, and Marie, who was trying to stop her by any means, were tangled in the quiet hallway. ¡°Let go of this. If you meddle¡­¡± As Anne was about to shake off Marie¡¯s grip, a sharp pain arose in her stomach. Suddenly, her eyes spun and her legs went limp. Marie, who struggled to support Anne as she fell, took one look at the door with a restless face and left the place. She didn¡¯t forget to pick up the scissors, which had fallen to the floor. After that, it was past noon when Anne opened her eyes again. Anne buried her face in the bedding again. She fainted. As she went through the sadness of the sky falling, she couldn¡¯t just do anything on her own, as if her body had just collapsed. ¡°Leave me alone.¡± Anne didn¡¯t know anything about what had happened in the early morning, and when Emily asked about this and that, she only said one sentence and dug herself back into the covers. * * * For a while, Anne could not properly face the Grand Duke. Her memories from her past life haunted her. Even though it was a thing of the past, as long as she regained all her memories, she could not live as calmly as before looking like she knew nothing. I should have killed him that day. When she was blinded by rage at dawn, she should have gone into the Grand Duke¡¯s chamber and dealt with it. Afterwards, even if she collapsed, she would have had enough time to stick the scissors into the Grand Duke¡¯s chest if only Marie hadn¡¯t stopped her. From that day on, Anne forbade Marie from entering her room. Even though she turned a blind eye to her mistake, it was disgusting that Marie had stood in her way. She doesn¡¯t know if Marie confessed the day¡¯s events to the Grand Duke or not, but judging from how quiet the Grand Duke was, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t been informed. What should I do now? Anne thought deeply about her future. Whether it was for a successor or whatever, there was no reason for her to be here anymore. As it was, he would catch her again. Taking revenge on the Grand Duke or leaving this place, she has to choose between the two. ¡°Madam, have some of this. You keep losing weight.¡± ¡°Ung¡­¡± Knowing that the Libelois family had become like that and Anne was heartbroken, Emily brought her meal to bed with worried eyes. Anne was about to take a spoon of the beef stew Emily had brought. CH 63.2 ¡°Uuuggh¡­¡± In an instant, Anne covered her mouth. A foul smell came from the soup, which she thought had been fine with until Emily brought it in. It stung her nose. It was an unpleasant scent that made her nauseous. When she gestured for the soup to be rid of, covering her nose, Emily, startled, quickly put the plate away. ¡°Madam¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°I think the food has gone bad.¡± Though the soup went away, there still seemed to be a bit of a nauseous feeling, but she still couldn¡¯t stand the smell that was creeping up. Eventually, Anne ordered her food to be taken away. As Emily opened the window to ventilate her room and hurriedly took the tray out, the doctor that had been visiting regularly since the last time just happened to enter the room. Seeing the Grand Duchess¡¯ bad complexion, he ran to her. ¡°Madam smelled the food and said she felt nauseous.¡± Emily¡¯s explanation opened the old face¡¯s eyes as he checked her pulse. He bowed his head to Anne with a bright face. ¡°Madam, congratulations. You are pregnant.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The old man¡¯s words were like lightning. Anne asked, hoping she had heard wrong, with a pale face. ¡°Pregnant¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. You have a child. It seems that it was too early to find it before. It must have just turned seven weeks.¡± Anne gulped heavily. She couldn¡¯t believe it, a child is in this situation¡­ ¡°Try again. Maybe it¡¯s not true.¡± The doctor burst into laughter, thinking that Anne was too happy to believe it. ¡°I speak in my name as a doctor. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re pregnant.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing the congratulations, everything seemed to collapse. Anne looked down at her stomach, which was still flat, with dazed eyes. Why¡­ Her eyes grew dark. Even though she had waited for so long, she couldn¡¯t be happy. She was thinking of leaving him altogether. Now, this harsh reality has become a curse. ¡°His Grace will be very pleased when he finds out.¡± Anne¡¯s head, which had been dazed by the doctor¡¯s words, turned mechanically. Would this man be happy? Somehow it didn¡¯t make sense to say that the cruel man who killed her previous child because it was an illegitimate child had brought her here because he needed a successor now. Plus, he used to love her but now he was bothered by her. There was a trick he played in the marriage too, so there must be another reason. That man would never welcome this child. Come to think of it, she wondered why he accepted her offer in the first place. Obviously he didn¡¯t like the child¡¯s existence, but she was confused as to why he accepted her request. Was it because he was different from before? She wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying, don¡¯t let His Grace know.¡± A troubled look crossed over the doctor¡¯s face at Anne¡¯s determined order. Feeling the pressure of having to hide the news of the Grand Duchess¡¯ pregnancy, he barely raised his voice. ¡°What are Your Grace¡¯s intentions¡­ Isn¡¯t this an important matter that His Grace should know¡­¡± ¡°I will take care of that.¡± Anne spoke sternly. She also asked for medicine to relieve the morning sickness. After thoroughly making sure Emily would keep her mouth shut, Anne lay with her back on the cushion. Since it was in the early months, no one would notice that she was pregnant if she kept her mouth shut. * * * After that, Anne was confined to her room for about a week, immersed in thoughts. She waited for the child when she didn¡¯t know anything yet, but at this point, her pregnancy would only confuse her. Her plan to kill him and leave this life without regrets collapsed at once. At first, the fact that she had his child again made it difficult for her. However, it was too heartless to kill a child while giving up her own life. She lost the previous child who couldn¡¯t even see the light of day, so if this one died too . . . The fate of the child who came to her was so harsh. So she had to give up anything that would harm the child. However, she also belatedly remembered that the Grand Duke would not stay still if he knew about this fact. ¡°What should I do?¡± What filled her mind the past few days was definitely plans for the future. She couldn¡¯t decide whether he really wanted a successor or not, but she couldn¡¯t entrust her child to someone like him. Worst of all, she didn¡¯t even know if he was going to kill the child again. ¡°I can¡¯t let you touch my child again.¡± Anne, who had intended to leave once the child was born, changed her mind. This child must be protected so that it can see the light of the world and live happily. CH 64.1 With Anne acting like that, word gradually began to spread among the maids in the mansion that the Grand Duchess¡¯ condition had turned strange. Many times they found her in a daze, unlike before, when she was always neat and dignified. ¡°She¡¯s been a little strange since she came back from the capital.¡± ¡°I know. What happened? She seems to have left her mind somewhere else.¡± Her usual forlorn face was still the same, but her eyes lingered somewhere in the air from time to time. It wasn¡¯t even a proper gaze. To anyone¡¯s eyes, she seemed to have lost her mind. And their concerns reached the Grand Duke through Ashton. ¡°Madam seems to have noticed the matter about the Libelois family. Maybe she¡¯s just staying in the room because she¡¯s blaming herself for that?¡± Ashton spoke to the Grand Duke¡¯s back, as he stared out the window with his hands behind his back. His face was tired from working late into the night to quickly solve the Libelois matter for the past few days. However, his appearance was still clean and undisturbed. ¡°Blaming herself¡­¡± The Grand Duke, who had been staring at the servants who were diligently polishing the carved statues on the fountain in celebration of spring, turned his body. He leaned back into the chair and stretched one leg up. His calm hand opened a desk drawer and took out a luxurious box with a high quality bronze finish. Then he opened the lid and took out a long, neatly arranged cigar. Count Brussels gave it as a gift to say thank him for his hard work. It was said to be of the highest quality, and even though it wasn¡¯t lit, the spicy scent seduced his nose. ¡°I ordered it to be handled secretly, but it seems that it reached the Grand Duchess¡¯s ears anyway.¡± ¡°Forgive me. Rumors hadn¡¯t spread to the north yet, so I was caught off guard. It seems that it was not enough to completely block the rumors from leaking out through the nobles.¡± As he wasn¡¯t being reprimanded for failing to carry out the Grand Duke¡¯s order properly, Ashton raised his glasses awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s not too much.¡± It was impossible to completely hide this matter, as it was all about erasing the traces of a family. The Grand Duke also knew that someday news would reach Anne¡¯s ears, but it was faster than he expected. The Grand Duke¡¯s sunken eyes looked at the cigars laced with dark brown. He had quit because of her a few hundred years ago, and he never thought that he would become desperate for cigars again because of her. As his thoughts deepened, the cigar that gave off a faint scent was rolled between the Grand Duke¡¯s index and middle fingers. As Ashton approached to light it, he shook his head. She used to frown, saying that the smell was disgusting, so even the current Grand Duchess wouldn¡¯t be happy with it. The Grand Duke put down the cigar he was holding back into the box and stashed it roughly into the drawer. He was thorough with other things, but anything related to Anne was difficult. He couldn¡¯t find the answer, so he had been secretly keeping a distance from her lately. ¡°What do you plan to do with Her Grace?¡± The Grand Duke sighed as he wondered whether it was okay to just leave the matter like this. The Grand Duke felt that he should have said something, but he couldn¡¯t undo what had already happened. He showed patience in her presence and avoided cutting Robert¡¯s throat, but upon his return he immediately did everything he had intended. So Anne wouldn¡¯t know exactly what had become of them. ¡°It¡¯s already been dealt with, so don¡¯t let them fool around in front of the Grand Duchess again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. They should be on board by now. They will never return to the Empire again.¡± Contrary to rumors that they disappeared, the Grand Duke moved them somewhere they would never be seen again. Despite Ashton¡¯s reply that he would deal with all those who were bothering him, the Grand Duke¡¯s expression was quite dark. ¡°Angroanne¡­ I just don¡¯t know where to start.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but since the Grand Duchess has been hurt, she will need someone else¡¯s help.¡± Ashton pretended not to, but spoke to the Grand Duke, who kept looking outside the window. It was better to bump into her than to avoid her. ¡°Help¡­ She would feel even more offended if she saw my face now.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you keep trying? Considering the hardships she suffered here, Your Grace should approach her more.¡± ¡°You have grown up a lot.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice went lower as he spoke to his subordinate, who kept saying what he had to say instead of backing down. However, Ashton did not hesitate to express his opinion. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that the Grand Duchess had a hard time here?¡± It was an undeniable fact. The reason he was frustrated was that every single word Ashton said was correct. Since the Grand Duke had been so harsh and had harassed her so much, she must have been resentful of him. In addition, there was this incident. Since he did a lot of hateful things, it would take twice as much time to undo them. The Grand Duke rose from his seat. It was late, but he was going to follow Ashton¡¯s advice. * * * CH 64.2 The more nights she struggled through, the worse Anne¡¯s heartbroken face became. Then one day, the Grand Duke sent word through Ashton to have dinner together. Anne refused immediately on the pretext that she was not feeling well. However, the reply told her that the Grand Duke would continue to wait even if it was late, so she had to attend. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go in the evening.¡± Reluctantly, Anne crawled out of her bed, pulling herself together. In time for dinner, she groomed herself for the first time in a long time. She didn¡¯t want to care how she dressed, but Emily insisted repeatedly, because her face was so pale it looked sickly. The handmaids, attending to Anne for the first time in a while, helped her wear a fresh light green dress suitable for spring. Anne¡¯s complexion was still pale after she had washed and wore the new dress and hair ornament, but it was tolerable. But Anne, who was staring blankly into the mirror, saw the handmaids glancing at her. When the young handmaid straightened out the folds of her ruffled skirt, her eyes met Anne¡¯s through the mirror just in time, and she lowered her head in surprise. ¡°Why is everyone like this? Do you have something to say to me?¡± When Anne spoke about the gazes that were looking at her like a strange person, the young handmaid knelt down on her knees, unable to lift her whitened face. ¡°No¡­ Madam¡­ with all due respect¡­, Madam will be fine.¡± As she looked down at the handmaid, Anne¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°What do you mean? Tell me in detail.¡± ¡°His Grace will not send Madam away. So¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry too much¡­.¡± Although the maid was terrified, she added words to comfort Anne. As Anne looked at the presumptuous maid, who dared to fathom her master¡¯s intentions, Anne struggled to suppress her wry smile. While she was away in her room, rumors spread throughout the North that County Libelois had been purged by the Grand Duchy. Now, among the servants and knights working in the castle, there was no one who did not know the news. Since the Grand Duke kept his mouth shut about the abduction, only Anne and the Grand Duke knew the full story, and people assumed that Libelois had done something big that brought the Grand Duke¡¯s anger. So, when her family was dealt with, even the young handmaid, who thought that the Grand Duchess¡¯ position had become unclear, was worried about the Grand Duchess¡¯ welfare. They think I¡¯m like this because of the County. They think I might be kicked out. She was worried that they might think it was strange that she was wasting her time hiding in her room, but people seemed to speculate that the reason for her dazedness was her extinct family. Actually, Anne hadn¡¯t even thought about her family. It didn¡¯t hurt to let them think that way anyway. She didn¡¯t know when people had started worrying about her here, but she decided to pass it on regardless. When Anne was silent, the handmaid, who had been bowing her head, lifted her eyes. Anne held out her hand to the handmaid with a graceful smile. ¡°Yes. Thank you for your feelings. Please help me more in the future.¡± Only then did the handmaid¡¯s face color return to normal. * * * As she entered the dining room, Anne noticed that the air inside was distinctly different from before. The interior is darker than usual due to the low level of lighting, but the moonlight pouring through the front window gently wraps the entire dining room. In the middle of the wide table, a sparkling silver candlestick was softly lit, and around it was elegantly decorated with delicate blue hydrangeas in vases. Anne¡¯s dry eyes turned to the Grand Duke who was sitting in the head chair. Seeing him after a week, he was dressed in a clean, dark gray spring suit, not the black he usually wore. ¡°Angroanne, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± When she saw his face, her heart suddenly started beating anxiously. In the meantime, it seemed like she knew why her rational self was so swayed by him. In addition, the last face she saw in her dream overlapped with the Grand Duke who was now sitting in a lofty posture. She even had the illusion that the man holding a sword drenched in blood and glowing bloody eyes was in front of her. Don¡¯t think of it. Anne chewed on the inside of her lips, repeating it over and over again in her mind. She lowered her head as she felt her breath stop to the tip of her chin, and at the end of her gaze, she looked down and saw a neatly arranged silver knife. At that moment, she felt the urge to grab the knife and slash the Grand Duke¡¯s palm. He¡¯s the one who killed me and my child. Her very candid state of mind pierced the blade of the knife without a slight movement. While her blue eyes were filled with hatred, the Grand Duke also saw her eyes linger on the white knife for a long time. He noticed that she was deliberately avoiding his eyes as she entered the dining room. Looking down, he could see the icy blue eyes, but he pretended not to know that. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suddenly regaining her senses, Anne took a deep breath and suppressed her uneasy, anxious heart. CH 65.1 Afterwards, the attendants began to serve the meal. Lustrous foods and delicious steaming dishes are served in luxurious teaware. Fresh fruit, thinly sliced salmon, and perfectly cooked steak. Anyone could tell that the Grand Duke had paid special attention today. ¡°I told them to prepare your favorite meal today.¡± Even before she went to the capital, he insisted that they eat together once a day, but after she returned, Anne ate only in her bedroom. So, this place was very uncomfortable. Anne silently tapped the blade on her fingertips several times with her fingers. As she fiddled with the knife, the polished surface felt even colder. However, she couldn¡¯t compare it to her poor heart. Since then, the dining table was dead silent. In the meantime, only the sound of meat being cut echoed. Anne, who straightened the knife, sliced the skin of the meat thickly. As the veins of the rare sirloin were cut, red liquid smeared on the white plate. Even so, her head was filled with the thought that what had to be cut with this knife was not meat, but rather the Grand Duke¡¯s body who had committed a terrible deed. ¡°In the meantime, we ¡­¡± The Grand Duke held out his hand in front of her. Anne¡¯s eyes, staring at the large palm, wavered for a moment. His hands, which had been patting her back and reassuring her, made her feel tight inside. Anne¡¯s eyes, which were fixed only on the plate, slowly lifted up. ¡°It¡¯s true what you wished for¡­ I hope to do better in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I admit it. My negligence for not caring about you.¡± He decided not to see her as the woman from before. He changed his mind, wanting to stop looking at her as her past self and treat her as a single person. Moreover, he felt sorry for Anne, and realized that he still loved her. So he decided not to be cold even now, but it was difficult for him as he had forgotten how to speak to her affectionately. Unskilled at conversation, he decided to reach out for reconciliation before bringing up the topic about County Libelois. ¡°Since when have you been interested in me? You told me to live as if I was dead, so I am doing that.¡± Anne¡¯s face was stained with disbelief. She knew his detestable true nature, so now his acting like a loving husband was very pretentious. The Grand Duke belatedly remembered what he had said when she brought that up. He didn¡¯t mean that at the time, but in the end, he hurt her anyway. ¡°At that time, I was careless. I apologize.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re apologizing. Are you asking me to believe you?¡± ¡°It must be hard to believe. Still, I have no intention of doing the same to you as before. I will be a normal husband.¡± When he looked serious, showing his seriousness, Anne¡¯s head pounded. I¡¯d rather you act the way you were before¡­ If he spit out low words and treated her harshly like before¡­ It would have been more convenient. Then she¡¯ll be able to properly vent her anger. She doesn¡¯t know why he suddenly had a change of heart, but after they returned, he completely softened up. He didn¡¯t push for sex as recklessly as before. She only thought so at first, but after returning from the capital they never shared a bed. When Anne gave no response, the Grand Duke became flustered and changed the topic. ¡°They say that the reconstruction of the village, which was hit by the previous avalanche, is almost complete. Why don¡¯t we take some time to go there together?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to see that woman who lost her child.¡± Anne finally understood the woman¡¯s feelings who had wept bitterly. Her experience of losing her child pierced her heart. Why did you kill your own flesh and blood? Anne raised her head and looked right at the Grand Duke. The delicious meat did not pass her throat, but the stinging thorns were stabbing her throat instead. Because she couldn¡¯t say that. She thought she wanted to ask him that question right here and now. Why did you kill the child? ¡°That¡­ Hahhh.¡± The Grand Duke, who was about to say something at her resolute refusal, took a long breath before choosing his words. He tried to check her condition before bringing up the County, but apparently it was difficult to mention right now. ¡°I heard that the greenhouse is decorated quite well¡­ If there are any other breeds you want, I will get them. Are there any flowers you want?¡± ¡°What flowers do I want . . .? Oh. Please save Abelsis.¡± ¡°Abelsis¡­? Isn¡¯t that a poisonous weed?¡± The Grand Duke, who did not know what was inside her, tilted his head in bewilderment. Anne raised her mouth and let out a soft voice. ¡°It blooms white flowers in spring, and they say it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Anyway, it would be dangerous to keep something like that for ornamental purposes¡­¡± He didn¡¯t like the fact that the flower she wanted was poisonous. He was afraid that the maid may make a mistake while preparing a flower tea. CH 65.2 ¡°To whom is it dangerous? Why? In case I might feed the flower to Your Grace?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± As a dry smile curled on Anne¡¯s face, the Grand Duke¡¯s eyebrows narrowed slightly. ¡°Just be honest. There¡¯s no way Your Grace didn¡¯t think that I would use it for Your Grace just a moment ago.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s brow narrowed even more. Anne grabbed a piece of meat and put it in her mouth, chewing it well and laughing. ¡°You¡¯re not denying what I said.¡± The Grand Duke looked at Anne, chewing on the meat, with eyes that he couldn¡¯t understand, licking her lips with an unprecedented cold face. ¡°I intend to eat anything my wife gives me.¡± She almost laughed at the nonsense that he would accept it without question. It was evident that he was lying to her in an attempt to provoke her anger. Anne twisted her head and tilted her head up to the Grand Duke. ¡°You mean you believe me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of believing or not believing, because there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll give me something like that.¡± ¡°How can you trust me so confidently?¡± Anne asked again as she wrinkled her beautiful face. As he kept up with the arrogant man¡¯s nonsense, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to poison his glass after all. ¡°If you were going to kill me, you would have already tried.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s lips curled up gently. Even that was not enough, he even gestured to the attendant and instructed them to retrieve the flower right away. Her stomach churned as she watched his carefree reaction. It was said that even blood-related siblings stuck knives into each other¡¯s backs when they became obsessed with lust. This was just a marriage relationship between husband and wife with no blood shared. The Grand Duke looked slowly into Anne¡¯s face as she cut up her meat again and brought it into her mouth one after another. Her reaction was much sharper than he expected. She had been rational if not kind-hearted before, but she was sharper than rose thorns now. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to Marie¡¯s bedroom today?¡± At that moment, Anne suddenly asked a question. But the word she said made him frown. Her unexpected remark, made him raise his eyebrows in displeasure. ¡°Why are you saying that? Didn¡¯t you know that she isn¡¯t a real mistress?¡± ¡°Of course I know. I want you to make it official at this point. There¡¯s nothing bad about it, right? She¡¯s already officially known as Your Grace¡¯s woman, it¡¯s not like the sky will fall just because you¡¯ll make it real.¡± Anne, who lost her appetite, pushed away the plate and wrapped her fingers around the stem of the water glass. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what this dinner means?¡± After dinner, they would naturally go to the same bedroom. Since they haven¡¯t had a relationship for over a week, the Grand Duke must be having a hard time controlling his overflowing sex drive. After all, he couldn¡¯t go out without wearing out her body even for a day. The Grand Duke¡¯s well-shaped eyebrows were furrowed greatly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that from now on, if the wife doesn¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Since when did you think of me¡­¡± His answer made Anne¡¯s mouth crumple. Anne opened her eyes sharply. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t want to, you¡¯ll always come and hold me¡­ Or, did you become interested in abstinence?¡± ¡°It was because of what you suggested. Our contract¡­ Didn¡¯t you want a child?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That one.¡± Anne, who had been sarcastic, rolled her words into her mouth. It was a hard word to speak of. ¡°Come to think of it, you never said you wanted to have children. It was just my condition. Tell me. Do you really need an heir?¡± Anne put on a ferocious expression, wanting him to say with that impudent face that he needed a child. Fleeting embarrassment flitted across his face. As she glared at his lips, Anne brought the glass of water to her mouth without hesitation. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t drink the wine that was in front of her because she was pregnant. The Grand Duke, who saw the markedly changed Anne, was slightly frowning. He was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t like talking in circles. If you have something to say, say it.¡± Perhaps the Grand Duke found it frustrating, so he loosed two of his shirt buttons in succession. His Adam¡¯s apple and well-shaped collarbone were exposed through the gaping collar. When she saw the cool build that disturbed her eyes every time they joined, Anne closed her eyes and turned her head away. She couldn¡¯t bear to think of him who had been holding her carelessly. As Anne¡¯s expression hardened, the Grand Duke, who assumed that the reason was because he had raised the tone of his voice, cleared his voice with an apologetic expression. ¡°I know why you are being like this. Why I made County Libelois like that¡­ I punished them so that they would never touch Grand Duchess Cromound again.¡± CH 66.1 Soon after, the Grand Duke began to make excuses. As expected, he seemed to think that she was acting like this because of her family. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like it, I don¡¯t think what I did was wrong. I spared their lives.¡± ¡°Why did you do that for me? I asked why you care so much about what happened to me.¡± The Grand Duke looked dumbfounded for a moment. In fact, this was not something a husband would do in an not affectionate couple. He cleared his throat, probably realizing it too late. ¡°Anyway, you are mine. Like it or not, we are a married couple.¡± He spoke as if he had become a good husband, Anne bit her lips. Does he regret it now? His change of heart, talking about improvised excuses, was ridiculous. ¡°It was my mistake not to ask for your opinion, so I apologize. No matter what I do from now on, I will ask for your opinion, so stop locking yourself in your room.¡± The Grand Duke ran his big hand through his hair. His neatly combed jet-black hair tumbled along his hand. ¡°Are you saying that you will listen to what I want?¡± The Grand Duke, who read the light expectation in her questioning voice, entangled his eyes straight into Anne¡¯s. ¡°Is there anything else you want?¡± Anne looked into the Grand Duke¡¯s red eyes, which shimmered deeply. She once loved those beautiful eyes, and not long ago, when those eyes looked at her, she felt a little excitement. Feeling her stomach choking again, she swallowed a gulp and opened her lips. If she asked him to disappear from this world, he will treat her like a madman and laugh at her again. Then there was only one thing to say. ¡°I want to cancel our marriage treaty and leave this castle. I want to live in a place where no one knows. Somewhere without you and your family¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The grand duke, who looked as if he would listen to anything, hesitated for a moment. His chin stiffened, and after a moment of silence, he gave a weak answer. ¡°That is out of the question. You seem to be misunderstanding something. I have no intention of kicking you out just because I did that to the people of Libelois.¡± He added, thinking that she misunderstood that she would be kicked out of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle, but Anne didn¡¯t care about it in the first place. ¡°No. I really meant it. Our marriage is nonsense in the first place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even worth discussing.¡± ¡°Tell me so I can understand it.¡± The debt would have been roughly recovered after dealing with the County, and there was no reason for him to refuse unless he really wanted a successor. Unless he really wants to annoy her. The Grand Duke, who was staring at Anne, who was glaring at him, lifted his wine glass and poured it all at once, as if his throat was burning. The red wine looked like blood. Instead of speaking, he then reached out his arm and went to the bottle of wine and poured it into his glass. Seeing him being a coward and avoiding to answer her, Anne felt that her suppressed anger was about to explode. Tang! Unable to hold it in any longer, Anne slammed the knife she was holding onto the plate. It made a terrible grinding noise as the blade touched the plate. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to hear. I¡¯m done eating, so I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Sit down! I¡¯m not done talking yet.¡± Her body that was about to stand up was seized by the Grand Duke¡¯s hand and was sat back down in an instant. It was a bit rough, so she was surprised. ¡°Were you such a faithless woman? You promised not to leave until you have a child!¡± His smooth face had grown cold. His atmosphere had changed so much that anyone could see that he was exercising his patience. ¡°Other than that, you can do anything you want. Don¡¯t even think about leaving here.¡± Anne¡¯s pink lips parted slightly at his piercing voice. He still intended to hold her for succession¡¯s sake. When he mentioned a child, it was she who couldn¡¯t stand it even more. Anne raised her body and vigorously shook the Grand Duke¡¯s hand, which was trying to grab her again. In that moment, her eyes spun and her knees buckled. The Grand Duke quickly got up and held her staggering body. Anne nearly fell over, but she slapped away the hand that was on her shoulder. ¡°I have said all my requests. I¡¯ll give you a week to think about it.¡± Anne turned her back not wanting to see her anymore. With the Grand Duke¡¯s beckoning, one of the maids hurriedly helped her. ¡°I¡¯m going on my own, so get your hands off me.¡± Her cold hand hit the back of the innocent maid¡¯s hand. The Grand Duchess¡¯ cold reaction, which never made a loud fuss, made the maid look very surprised, but Anne didn¡¯t feel sorry at all. Anne¡¯s feet, walking out of her dining room, veered out of her tracks. Standing impatiently, the maid looked at the Grand Duke and cautiously followed her. CH 66.2 The door closed and the Grand Duke slammed his fist into the table. Bang, there was a loud crashing sound of cutlery. ¡°Shit. Even such people are family.¡± He didn¡¯t mean to speak like this¡­ In the end, she couldn¡¯t hold back her anger. He was literally shattered, and with his dry hands, he splashed water on his face. His efforts were not reaching her at all. No, on the contrary, it was like pouring fuel on her fiery anger. He intended to be her husband in the future. In order to loosen up her tender heart and do it properly, he instructed the meal to be served perfectly, but she never reacted as he expected. * * * As soon as she left the dining room, Anne dismissed the maid. She was belatedly regretting that she became greatly agitated in front of the Grand Duke. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find it strange.¡± However, at that time, it was difficult to hold on to her reason. Her hand, which had habitually tried to touch the necklace to soothe her upset stomach, stopped. The shape of the ring her grandmother had given her overlapped with the one in her dream. ¡°Ha¡­ Was this originally mine?¡± The burst of ridicule became scattered in the wind. She wondered why she was so familiar with this ring, and it was because she was the original owner. She used to say to her sister who came to see her from time to time, saying that when a child was born, she would definitely have it in their tiny hands. Through the hands of her grandmother, a descendant of her sister, it finally came into her hands now. Thinking that far, the events before leaving this place also followed. Anne moved her legs, possessed. Grabbing her dress and running, she reached the greenhouse. She threw open the glass door and stepped through the flowers in full bloom. ¡°It will still be here. If it¡¯s not a dream, if it¡¯s real.¡± Anne, who looked at the bare, dry land located in the farthest corner, sat down on the spot. When she looked for a tool to dig nearby, there happened to be a shovel for digging a garden because they were digging to give it nutrients. Anne hastily started digging. She later used her other hand in digging into the hard soil. Damp dirt clung to her fingers. Just as dirty dirt filled the inside of her manicured fingernails, something hard caught on her fingertips. She casually threw the small shovel she was holding in her hand and spread her palms to sweep the dirt. As she concentrated and dug, a small wooden box came into view. The box that passed the years was old and dirty, but it was clean as if no human hands had touched it. Long trembling fingers opened the box. The dirt fell down next to the box. ¡°Ha¡­¡± A hollow breath came. Inside was a small ring. Something a little thicker than the ring on her necklace that she was wearing now. This was what the girl from her previous life had done before leaving. As much as she liked the greenhouse, she thought that she would take it out and give it back to him one day. Anne pulled out the necklace from around her neck. An identical ring on her palm glistened in the light. It was given to her as a gift by Daymond, saying that it looked exactly like her blue eyes. It was a distant time, but she remembered the time she had accepted the gift with twinkling eyes. She thought that she would be full of only happiness, but the warm days came to her unfamiliarly as if they belonged to someone else. ¡°Stupid¡­¡± It was unfamiliar to her, as if the ridiculous proof of that desperate love was never hers. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s all over now.¡± Anne violently rolled up the ring and spurred her feet. All the way through the woods, the ring pressed against her palm painfully. It was the oval bridge over the lake that stopped her frantically running feet. Anne stood on the railing of the bridge in silence, and she looked down at the now-melted lake. The sound of running water holding the moon was calm and dreary. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything like this.¡± Anne raised her arm as if she was about to throw the ring into the lake. The two rings on her hand were rough. If she just opened her fist, it would roll down and become a ring she would never find again¡­. She could only flinch a few times. ¡°Why¡­¡± Anne tried again, swallowing her tears, but she couldn¡¯t open her fingers. Her hesitation made her grip her fisted hand. As if the existence of this ring was the only bond that held them together¡­ ¡°What is this? Ahhh¡­¡± The suffocating sobs spilled over into tears. Unlike her body, which was cooled by the cool wind, the water on her cheek was excessively hot. It¡¯s just a piece of metal, she didn¡¯t know why her heart was torn. Anne burst into tears as she sat down on the cold stone floor. She was so sad that she couldn¡¯t stand it. This is a place where the guards would never come, so no one passed. There was only the lake shining softly in the moonlight, the surrounding bushes, and the intermittent sound of bugs. In the meantime, no one was there to wipe her tears. CH 67.1 Spring has finally arrived in the North. Now, the smell of green grass and the chirping of birds that had left during winter returned and brightly colored the Grand Duchy, announcing spring¡¯s arrival in full swing. On the other hand, her frozen heart could not melt even in the warm sunlight. It was stagnant at midwinter inside her. Since that day, Anne has told the Grand Duke several times that she would leave, but she was dismissed every time. He gave in to everything she wanted, but not the divorce request ¡°Madam, let me air the room.¡± Emily, who was changing the bedding sheets for spring, pushed the veranda door, wiping the sweat from her brow. Anne was resting her chin on a hand which in turn was on the table by the window, roughly nodding her head in annoyance. Through the wide-open door, a gentle breeze blew into Anne¡¯s face. Feeling her hair blown by the wind, Anne only blinked her eyes. A small bird flew in just in time, flapping its wings, and settled on the railing. It jumped around, then flew away. ¡°That would be nice. It has wings.¡± As Anne, who had been drooping helplessly, spoke to herself, Emily folded a blanket and set it down on the floor. ¡°The weather is nice. Shall we go out for a picnic?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Anne let out a deep sigh and nodded her head at Emily¡¯s question. She was frustrated because she felt like she was trapped in a cramped castle. She got out of the bed for the first time in a while and settled down in a gazebo near the lake. The sunlight broke down, and the green forest swayed pleasantly, fluttering in the wind, giving off a blue light. Then, her frustrated inner feelings began to well up. ¡°You¡¯ve come this far, are you going to read the book again? You¡¯ve already read that.¡± What Emily asked while glancing at the book Anne bought in the Langtenais district. Anne had read it all the way to the end a while ago, so Emily was curious about why she was reading it again. Anne answered softly, without taking her eyes off the book. ¡°I like the ending. So I am reading again.¡± ¡°Is it a happy ending?¡± When Emily, who did not know about it, asked with curious eyes, Anne gently twisted his lips. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a happy ending. A very perfect ending.¡± ¡°A happy ending. That¡¯s why you¡¯re reading it again.¡± When Anne smiled for the first time in a while, Emily, who drank the herbal tea that grew up under the morning dew, smiled softly as well. Anne, unaware of anything, turned her head away from the smiling Emily and lowered her eyes, which had darkly changed, onto the open book. In fact the book had a sad ending. The book ends with the betrayed female lead thrusting a dagger into the man¡¯s chest. However, that sad ending was the perfect ending for her. The female lead¡¯s circumstances were unforgivable. Just like how Anne could never forgive the Grand Duke herself. In the book, the female lead killed the male lead with all her resentments, then killed herself. Anne admired her actions. Whenever Anne was tempted to kill the Grand Duke, she chose to escape into books. What she couldn¡¯t do herself, she was doing in the book. In particular, the last chapter where the female lead stabbed a dagger into the man¡¯s chest was the most refreshing part. She was reading this scene over and over again because it projected her own wishes. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t just read the book, have some tea and refreshments. This is the most important time.¡± Anne, who escaped from her thoughts, blinked blankly. It was Emily¡¯s job to take care of her after she was pregnant. She made sure to prepare dishes without much seasoning or spices, and prepared only teas that were harmless for unborn children and good for pregnant women. The tea she was handing her now was not a product sold in the market, but finely dried hibiscus petals grown in their own greenhouse. Thanking Emily again for her hard work, Anne said as she accepted the teacup she handed over. ¡°You must have made a lot of effort to do what other maids and handmaids have to do.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? It¡¯s just tea.¡± Emily was the only one who took care of Anne, saying that as she was in the early stages of pregnancy, she had to be extra careful. Anne was still keeping it a secret from others. ¡°You also deliberately prepared this and had less sleep because of me.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s strange that the Miss got married, but you even had a baby¡­ You don¡¯t know how good it is.¡± Emily was kind enough that she was talkative, and she was always on Anne¡¯s side. In the past, and even now when they met after a long time. Anne set the teacup down on the floor and gently scratched the surface with her fingernails. The unique strong scent of hibiscus made people emotional. CH 67.2 ¡°Tell me if it¡¯s still too hard. I know you always keep things to yourself.¡± She thought of Marie for a moment, but she discarded the thought. She still hasn¡¯t looked for Marie since that day. She was still disgusted with Marie for daring to spy on and defy her master. Anne¡¯s eyes sank deeply as she stared at Emily silently. She felt sorry for the way Emily continued to support her, when Emily was already nearing her thirties. She lost a child once, but since she was young enough, she could still meet a nice man and have children again. ¡°Emily, I¡¯ll give you money soon, so get out of the castle.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emily¡¯s head lifted as she was tidying up the teapot. ¡°It would be nice to open a decent shop in your name in the village. I know your skills are better than anyone else¡¯s in making desserts.¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden¡­ I don¡¯t understand. I know it¡¯s rude, but I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear it. I will take care of the baby who will be born next to you.¡± ¡°I too want you to stay by my side¡­ but you know that my reality is not so good either.¡± She knew that Emily had been ignoring the scars on Anne¡¯s body every time she took a bath. Emily pretended not to see it on purpose¡ª how could she not know that? It was not once or twice that she had seen Emily looking like she was going to cry. Even so, Emily never once carelessly asked her. She just silently stayed by her side. It was the most comfort Anne had ever received from anyone. Emily shook her head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to tell you, as a lowly person, but I have to tell you this. The moment I met Miss again, I made a promise. I will continue to be by your side as time permits.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So please don¡¯t throw me out.¡± Anne stared at Emily, who was about to start crying, with complicated eyes. She had no idea that Emily was thinking about her so far. So she couldn¡¯t speak more strongly. ¡°Looks like I was hasty. I didn¡¯t mean to kick you out, I just meant you want to live your life.¡± As Anne grew up with a little bit of emotion, Emily slowly revealed her concern after wiping her eyes once. ¡°Madam, is there anything going on? You don¡¯t even tell His Grace about the child.¡± Until now, she assumed that there must be other circumstances, but it would be difficult to hide as her stomach would grow day by day. Anne didn¡¯t want to tell the truth, because people would be more suspicious if they caught her, so Emily wanted Anne to tell the truth. Emily also had experience of hiding until her stomach was fully swollen because she was yelled at by Robert. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m thinking about it.¡± With the difficult question, Anne¡¯s hand fell helplessly to the floor. She was only dragging her feet because she hadn¡¯t made up her mind yet. Emily, feeling that her question had made the air heavy, hurriedly placed some of Anne¡¯s favorite dried fruits on the plate. Anne, who had just moistened her lips, crossed her legs and squinted her eyes when she saw the Grand Duke approaching. Anne looked at him who leaned loosely on the post of the gazebo and raised her eyes ¡°Were you reading a book?¡± ¡°Why ask a question you already know the answer to? What else are you here to talk about?¡± Even though she didn¡¯t answer well, the Grand Duke took a seat next to her. He looked down at Anne, who didn¡¯t offer him tea and didn¡¯t welcome him, and he struggled to start a conversation. ¡°You know everything, so I¡¯ll tell you right away. I know that your heart is still struggling because of the Libelois family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He mentioned Libelois. It was unbelievable that he is still talking about that¡­ She knew he was wrong for a long time, but Anne turned the pages of the book indifferently without reply. Nevertheless, the Grand Duke slowly continued his words. ¡°And the fact that I forced my marriage with you¡­ I want to have you by my side.¡± ¡°I know. That you brought me to strangle me.¡± When the Grand Duke saw her, knowing his second plan, he was speechless for a moment. But he did not back down and spoke again. ¡°That¡­ I admit it was my fault. But that wasn¡¯t all.¡± Despite the sharp sarcasm, he didn¡¯t get hurt, let alone get angry. One way or another, he tried to get rid of his anger. However, despite his efforts, Anne¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°Are you sorry for me now?¡± ¡°I apologize for what I did earlier. So please tell me¡­¡± Anne threw the book she was holding to the side, venting her anger. What he said now after playing with people was amazing. Not only was the content of his apology wrong, but the apology he really wanted to make was limited. ¡°Tell me exactly what you¡¯re sorry about. Threatening Libelois for a forced marriage? Or putting me down as the Grand Duchess to insult me?¡± Anne¡¯s breathing became more rough. ¡°No, there is something else. Treating me like your personal prostitute according to your wildest whims. You still don¡¯t know anything.¡± CH 68.1 Even though the word ¡®still¡¯ was particularly powerful, the Grand Duke did not notice. No matter what she said, he focused on her sharp retort. The small wrinkles on her smooth round forehead and the sky-clear eyes glaring at him have become natural for him now. ¡°That¡­¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s lips closed again. He felt his throat burn and opened his mouth, but he was speechless. He was conscious of how he treated her in this castle. He didn¡¯t think her heart would be relieved easily since he had deliberately tormented her. But he didn¡¯t know that she would keep acting like this. Anne, who was exhaling with agitation, emptied the cooled tea at once trying to soothe her suffocation. ¡°If you really feel sorry for me, show sincerity properly. Sign the divorce papers and let me go.¡± ¡°Ahh . . . That¡¯s troublesome.¡± It was always like this. The conversation always ended with her request to set her free. But he couldn¡¯t even listen to that. Even though she hated him, it was his desire to keep her close to his eyes. Leaving his side was out of the question. ¡°What on earth, why? Then can I leave this place only when I die?¡± Anne¡¯s voice mixed with anger. As soon as she threw out the words about her death, his expression turned weird. Unaware that Anne remembered her past life, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate at the word. The memory of the day when he had witnessed her death and her own life freezing had completely haunted him. You have nothing to say. Because you killed me. Looking at him, who was slightly agitated, Anne was barely resisting the urge to reveal everything. She gazed into his unreadable eyes, and she wedged herself in. ¡°Do I have to die to leave this place?¡± She brought up these words to provoke the utterly confused man. Driving an opponent into a corner was something she had already experienced with the Grand Duke. There was no reason to understand and consider his situation now. The red eyes that peeked out from beneath the long languid eyelashes darkened as he continued his thoughts. ¡°What is so unbearable?¡± ¡°Being with you. Daymond, it is unreasonable to continue this false marriage.¡± The relationship between the Grand Duke and her was made of nothing but conflict. They can never get close. Their rift was too deep to bridge. ¡°Live here. I won¡¯t interfere no matter what you do. I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that just now.¡± ¡°Daymond!¡± Leaving her alone, the Grand Duke left her, practically running away. Both of them had fruitless conversations like this every time. No matter what she started talking about, in the end he closed his ears to Anne¡¯s request. Watching him walk away, Anne threw the glass she was holding onto the floor. The glass that hit the stone shattered. Emily, who was standing far away, was startled by the sound and hurriedly ran. While looking to see if any fragments of her had splattered on Anne, she saw Anne¡¯s stern expression and quietly began to sweep the broken pieces on the floor. Are you saying you¡¯re going to do whatever you want? With the Grand Duke¡¯s steadfast attitude that he had no intention of letting her go, Anne glared at the direction he had left. * * * From that day on, Anne began to look at everything with crooked eyes. She took her hands off tending the greenhouse, and behaved as she pleased in the castle. She felt like she would go crazy if she didn¡¯t. Having locked the door to her heart, she only communicated with the maid close to her and remained stubborn. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t need it! Get out now.¡± Beginning with the sharp voice of the Grand Duchess, the sound of breaking cut through the Grand Duke¡¯s castle every day. Anne also was conscious of other people¡¯s eyes at first, and she tried not to show off as much as possible, but she could not deceive the eyes of those who saw her face every day. Now, all the servants serving them noticed that the relationship between the Grand Duke and his wife was noticeably deteriorating. Around this time, rumors began to circulate in the Northern Territory that the relationship between the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess was unusual. As Anne openly began to get irritated, there were people in the castle who whispered that the Grand Duchess had become mentally ill due to what happened with her parents. ¡°Sorry. Madam¡­¡± When the maid was cleaning the fireplace, ashes flew into the room, the maid bowed her head to the floor, helpless at the thunderous fury. Anne felt dizzy and touched her forehead. Her body reacted quickly and she had a fever for a moment. CH 68.2 ¡°I¡¯d rather go out.¡± Anne, who belatedly realized that she had taken her anger out on someone who didn¡¯t know anything, uttered the words annoyedly and left her room. Today, as always, the place where she headed was the lakeside. The long-awaited spring is running toward its end, and the days are getting hotter. Perhaps because of this, or because she was pregnant, a fever kept running through her body. She originally did not suffer from the heat, but her pregnant body was struggling with the late spring unlike usual. So, she was thinking of soaking her feet in the lake while sitting on a loose stone. Under Emily¡¯s care, Anne carefully sat down on a flat stone. Splashing the water on her legs with her hand made her feel refreshed. She even dipped her feet in the water, and the cold water washed away the heat. ¡°Anne.¡± Hearing a voice suddenly calling her name, Anne turned around to see the silver hair sparkling in the light. It was Luciel smiling wide with curled eyes. At that moment, the words he had told her in her previous life rang in her ears. ¡°Daymond brought in a guest. The blizzard stopped, why are you still not leaving?¡± ¡®Yes. There is that person too. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯ In her previous life, Luciel existed too. She felt a sudden sense of displeasure at the thought that the two of them would have played with her. Anne stayed silent despite him greeting her, fixing her eyes only on her leg. ¡°Long time no see. Miss Anne. How have you been?¡± Luciel sat right next to her, pretending to be friendly. He grinned as he rolled up his pants and sat in position as she did. ¡°Who is giving our Anne such a hard time?¡± Anne quietly looked back at him. It was funny that a man who had hated her in her previous life was pretending to be friendly now. ¡°I know that face is fake. You don¡¯t have to do that anymore, so do what you normally do.¡± ¡°Anne¡­ You¡¯ve gotten a little weird.¡± Anne¡¯s tone was colder than usual, it made Luciel tilt his head. ¡°I¡¯m telling you to throw your mask away.¡± ¡°Anne, this is my real self.¡± Luciel glanced at her. Anne snorted at his sly look. ¡°You used to do that to me before. No one here welcomes me, so I have to leave as soon as possible.¡± Luciel¡¯s eyes, which had been finely curled, changed into straight lines. The eyes that seemed to judge her face were busy rolling. Then he put his hand on his chin coming to a realization. ¡°Anne, you remember.¡± ¡°Yes, Luciel. I even remembered everything you said to me. It must have been fun. You must have remembered from the beginning.¡± ¡°Oh dear. I didn¡¯t know you would even think of me¡­ Did you tell Daymond too?¡± She thought it would be a big surprise to him, but Luciel¡¯s complexion was the same and he didn¡¯t look surprised at all. As if he knew that one day this day would come. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°I thought you would run right away¡­ I¡¯m surprised. Anne, how far do you remember?¡± He asked, peering slowly into her eyes with his narrowed gaze. Anne, dissatisfied with his attitude, turned her head away. ¡°Everything!¡± A slight change was engraved in Luciel¡¯s silver eyes, who smiled brightly in the sun. ¡°Then you can¡¯t stay still like this. You must have something to do.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just having fun with this situation.¡± Seeing him wanting her to do something right now, made Anne furious. Then, Luciel showed a disappointed expression. ¡°I feel sad when you say that. I really like the current Anne. The former Anne¡­ You know what? She was a weak human woman who cried often.¡± Through Luciel¡¯s mouth, the word ¡®human¡¯ came to her very strangely. ¡°Then you understand that my anger is justified.¡± ¡°Anne, that woman is not Anne.¡± He innocently said that she was completely different from her previous life, but he replied as if he couldn¡¯t understand why Anne was in a bad mood. ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do?¡± Anne asked directly. His existence, then and now, was something she had not yet understood. Who was he to tell her this and that? Luciel bared his teeth and smiled brightly, stretching the corners of his lips. ¡°I was and still am nobody. Let me just say that I have a lot of interest in Anne and Daymond.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ Even if I don¡¯t want that attention, you¡¯ll keep meddling.¡± ¡°Anne, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right.¡± Luciel, who had a smile as clean as it was innocent, soon shook his feet in the water and burst out laughing like a child. Even Anne, who was looking at him with anxious eyes, smiled brightly. CH 69.1 After that, the Grand Duke was silent for a while. He didn¡¯t force himself to come, and he didn¡¯t even ask to have another uncomfortable meal with her. She liked not having to see his face, but the problem was that her condition was going from bad to worse. ¡°Uh-uh¡­ uh¡­¡± Anne¡¯s face contorted as she covered her mouth with one hand at the repeated vomiting. Dry bones stood out on the back of her hand that suppressed her morning sickness. ¡°Emily, I can¡¯t even smell it. Please clean it up quickly.¡± Anne furrowed her brows, pointed to the food on the table and waved her hand telling it to be taken right now. ¡°Madam, are you still feeling unwell?¡± Emily¡¯s face darkened when she saw Anne retching as soon as she saw food. She hurriedly held out a glass with medicine, but she knew it was only a temporary prescription. The medicine to alleviate the morning sickness seemed to have been effective, but somehow it hadn¡¯t worked at all since a week ago. She must have developed a tolerance. Anne barely swallowed the dark pill with a frown. The bitter taste made her stomach churn even more, and the arms on her bed trembled as if with difficulty. ¡°Ohh. Our Miss will collapse. Can¡¯t you just take a bite?¡± Emily looked at the pale Anne with eyes full of concern and bit her lip. It had been a week since Anne hadn¡¯t eaten a proper meal. Yesterday, as soon as she took a bite of a meat pie, she vomited. She thought Anne could at least eat a few spoonfuls of soup with chopped vegetables, but Anne couldn¡¯t even smell it, so it was taken away. ¡°I won¡¯t eat it.¡± Anne couldn¡¯t stand it, so she crumpled her forehead and lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over her head. There was no helping it, so Emily touched Anne¡¯s blanket again. ¡°You can¡¯t. Rest. I will try something else.¡± Emily knew from her own experience that a mother was in danger if she could not have food to this extent. She was about to make a dish that was completely restricted from scent this time for Anne, who is particularly sensitive to scent. Leaving Anne, who struggled to answer her, Emily rushed out of the room. * * * Around that time, Daymond, who was enjoying the warm sunlight seeping through the window of the hard and dry office, opened his eyes slowly. Flowers were in full bloom in the desolate Grand Duke¡¯s castle after winter, but Daymond¡¯s heart was still stuck in the middle of winter. From the beginning, he wasn¡¯t affected by the weather at all, but this winter was so cold that even his heart was cold. ¡°Your Grace, I separately investigated the flow of funds for Marquis Brussels, but there was nothing particularly strange about it. There was no trace of tax evasion by raising taxes, and no evidence of goods being stolen separately. However, it seems that the Marquis of Brussels¡¯ maternal family did the work to avoid the Marquis¡¯ eyes.¡± ¡°I guess that old man is too blind.¡± Daymond muttered in a low voice, recalling the Marquis, who was decrepit but had a strong personality. No matter how clever they were, they were bound to be weak around their own people and could not make upright judgments. Well, it wasn¡¯t that different either. He couldn¡¯t understand the Grand Duchess¡¯s thoughts himself, so he couldn¡¯t blame anyone. ¡°Tell Marquis Brussels everything you¡¯ve investigated. There is no need for us to step out.¡± ¡°I will take your order.¡± As Ashton finished his report and tried to leave, folding the papers he was holding, the Grand Duke let out a long sigh and opened his mouth. ¡°Ashton¡­ How is the Grand Duchess doing these days? After wandering around outside, I heard she locked herself in her room again¡­ Do you see anything else?¡± For some reason, Anne was suddenly locking himself in her room. Her sensitivity had changed immeasurably since she had awakened from her long slumber. Like she has become a completely different person. It had been a week or so since he had last spoken to her, but she seemed to feel the same way. Perhaps the incident with the County still left a big shock on her, so she was always on edge. As soon as she met him, she reacted sharply, so he had no idea what to do. She must have been the one who felt the most repulsive about being in this castle right now. She hated eating together, talking to him, and when he went to her bedroom, she wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with him. The more he spoke to her, the more enraged she became, so Daymond hadn¡¯t been looking for Anne. If possible, he hoped she would change her mind on her own. He would often watch her wandering the garden from the window, or from a distance, keeping his distance, but even that stopped a week ago. ¡°She is only in the bedroom, and there is no major change. There have been reports from the handmaids that the servants are having a hard time recently because she has become noticeably more sensitive, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to be concerned about.¡± ¡°Yes. That means she¡¯s quiet.¡± Daymond relaxed his face, which was rare. Even if she didn¡¯t pack her bag to leave right away, she was always wandering somewhere. Right now, he was in such a cramped position that he was at least relieved of that. CH 69.2 Even today, Daymond felt empty as soon as he opened his eyes. Since when did he care that he was alone? ¡°Why the hell is Angroanne doing that? She hated me from the beginning, but¡­ Strange. There must be something other than Libelois.¡± The Grand Duke asked a question, still covering his forehead with one hand. Lately, the Grand Duke had been trying to make up for his mistakes in the past. Besides, hadn¡¯t he saved her from danger many times? Even to him, it was unlikely that the rational Grand Duchess would become so angry simply because of a family she no longer cared for. ¡°Are you asking the right question? It¡¯s useless advice unless you are the person involved in the couples¡¯ discord.¡± ¡°I tried to ask if there was anything else, but she didn¡¯t even think to listen. It seems that she has also abandoned the contract.¡± ¡°If not¡­ Maybe, she happens to know?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice changed severely. ¡°That the contract Her Grace accepted is impossible.¡± The moment¡¯s words stopped his hand that was rubbing his forehead. A look of unease began to appear on his face. After all, at dinner, she asked if he really needed an heir. ¡°Angroanne knew that she would never have children?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, there¡¯s no reason for her to act like that all of a sudden, is there?¡± It was frustrating, but for Ashton it was all the same. He was also aware of the Grand Duchess¡¯s change from the maids¡¯ reports. He also knew that there were rumors going around among the maids that their nervousness had increased, and that it was difficult to work alongside the Grand Duchess. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be. Aren¡¯t you and I the only ones who know that? There¡¯s no way you would risk your head and say such nonsense.¡± The Grand Duke slowly shook his head. There was no way she would find out. At least, according to his research. Then, his hand stopped for a moment. He had already jumped to the conclusion that he knew all about her. However, there was one question. Even though she was like that, why did she refuse others serving her? ¡°Is she still with only her maid named Emily?¡± ¡°Yes. The maid is in charge of serving and preparing meals. Oh, come to think of it¡­¡± Ashton pulled up the frame of his glasses as if he had just remembered something. ¡°Tell me everything you heard.¡± ¡°I heard that the dining room workers have said strange things. Food that hasn¡¯t been touched has been thrown away lately, and it¡¯s all said to be the work of the maid serving Her Grace.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± She was a woman with a very small stomach. He had never seen her empty even half of the plate in front of her during a meal. ¡°That is¡­ it was a little strange because she didn¡¯t touch it at all. But I judged it not to be of much concern¡­¡± ¡°Who told you to judge yourself? I would have told you to report everything.¡± The Grand Duke turned his head and glared coldly at Ashton. ¡°Forgive me. I hadn¡¯t even thought of that.¡± ¡°When exactly did they say that?¡± ¡°About a week ago.¡± Ashton, who was answering so, paused as if he sensed something strange, and the Grand Duke, who met his eyes, jumped to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while. Until I come back, take care of that.¡± Daymond, who couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, left the room, leaving Ashton behind. The Grand Duchess refused her food. His heart, which had been calm just a moment ago, became heavy again. Daymond, who was about to go through the main building and headed for the east building, saw a familiar maid hurried up the stairs. It was the maid that the Grand Duchess would allow to be by her side. What was she in such a hurry? She didn¡¯t even seem to see Daymond because she was so focused on the tray with the dishes. ¡°Wait.¡± As he got right in front of her, he could see the maid getting very nervous. ¡°Greetings, Grand Duke Cromund.¡± Emily was walking along with freshly baked bread and soup, and almost spilled the tray hearing the man¡¯s sudden burst of voice. She managed to keep her mind and greeted him without spilling the food. But when the Grand Duke, who usually passed by, suddenly called her, her heart sank. ¡°Are you taking it to the Grand Duchess? Open it.¡± Sensitive from the information he had received from Ashton, he ordered the cover to be removed so that he could see the contents. When Emily hesitantly lifted the cover, the identity of the dish came. The tranquil red eyes went back and forth between the dry grain bread on the silver tray and the thin soup that was nothing short of plain water. ¡°Whose food is this?¡± ¡°I was on my way before it got cold because it was food for Madam to eat.¡± ¡°This kind of food¡­ Are you taking it to the Grand Duchess?¡± The Grand Duke frowned at the dish, which was far too simple to be offered to the Grand Duchess. CH 70.1 ¡°Madam said that she had no appetite and asked me to prepare it separately, so I made it myself.¡± Seeing the master¡¯s narrowed eyes, Emily fidgeted and spoke hastily in fear. By the time the Grand Duke¡¯s gaze reached her with wonder, she was getting nervous inside. Then the answer fell like a thunderbolt from the blue sky. ¡°Go ahead. I will go with you.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Emily lowered her head and moved slowly. Seeing her reluctantly walking away, Daymond followed her with a doubtful look. ¡°Madam, this is Emily. The Grand Duke has arrived.¡± Emily knocked cautiously on the door, and announced his arrival. After a moment of silence, there was an answer to come in. As she opened the door and hurriedly entered, Anne, who was sitting in a rocking chair by the window and reading a book, slowly raised her head. ¡°Why did you come to my room again?¡± Seeing Anne after a while, he was genuinely surprised. In the times he was not able to see her face, her complexion was terribly damaged. The pale cheeks, as if the energy of life had dried up off her, cracked skin, and sunken eyelids¡­ There seemed to be no strength in her emaciated body. Then, suddenly, he thought of the food the maid had brought. ¡°They say that you refused all the food¡­ Why are you refusing all the good food and eating this kind of food?¡± After Anne¡¯s gaze lingered on the dish for a while, she slowly turned to him. ¡°Are you even monitoring what I eat now?¡± The Grand Duke wrinkled his expression. Despite the sharp answer, he softened his voice as much as possible. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ Your status now¡­¡± ¡°I asked for it myself. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to eat anything other than freshly baked bread these days, so please stop meddling and leave. Because I am about to eat.¡± Anne cut off the Grand Duke¡¯s book and coldly folded the book. He opened his lips and searched for something to say, but he was speechless as Anne tried to end the conversation completely. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have an appetite, eat properly. I¡¯ll tell the chef separately.¡± Daymond, shocked by Anne¡¯s face with nothing but bones as he left the Grand Duchess¡¯ room, was in agony. There were not just one or two things that made him wonder how a person could become so skinny in just a week. When he checked with the dining room employees again, he heard that the Grand Duchess did not seem to be eating properly. From that day on, he kept a close eye on all the food that went into Anne¡¯s room. * * * Anne was getting thinner day by day. Still it was said that she was still eating the bread, and there was no trace of it being thrown away. So he pondered for a while and then instructed the chef to make bread using carefully selected fresh ingredients. ¡°You should eat something like this rather than such crude bread.¡± The Grand Duke took out the freshly baked loaf of high quality buttered bread from the oven and took it himself. The servants¡¯ attention was drawn to the sight of the cold owner of the Grand Duke¡¯s castle directly stopping by the kitchen, but he didn¡¯t care and grabbed the tray himself. Captivated by a feeling of pride in himself, he hoped that perhaps this might help ease Anne¡¯s mind a little. As soon as he entered the Grand Duchess¡¯ room, he saw Anne at a glance. Her face was bathed in the warm sunlight from the open terrace, and was slumped in her chair. When she saw his pale face, with no blush of blood, his insides groaned even more. He was looking at Anne¡¯s face, who had lost the meaning of life. He has seen many of them. The muddy eyes, darkened by despair, were what he had seen many times when he was rebuilding the northern estate. But now his wife¡¯s expression resembled those forgotten ones. Such an empty face with no attachment to life. Heading to the terrace, he slowly put the bread he had brought onto the table. Slowly opening her eyes at the presence she felt next to her, she looked at the food in front of her and frowned at once as if she saw something she couldn¡¯t see. Daymond ignored the reaction and spoke in a plain tone. ¡°I brought your food separately because you refused everything¡­¡± ¡°You really annoy people. If you won¡¯t bring divorce papers, go away!¡± ¡°Seeing my sincerity, why don¡¯t you listen to me?¡± Despite his chilly demeanor, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try a bite?¡± And picked up a piece of bread and pushed it close to her face. ¡°Put it away¡­ uhhh¡­ ugh¡­.¡± Anne, who had been moving away from her food as if rejecting it with her whole body, suddenly covered her mouth and nose with her hand, shaking her body with difficulty. She began to retch as her face contorted in pain a few times. Daymond¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the small body staggering in danger like enduring something. ¡°Angroanne!¡± In response to her unexpected reaction, he hurriedly grasped her arm and supported her, but his hand was strongly shaken off with a sound.