Chapter 2- Part 3

“It’s just that, like I said, my situation isn’t the worst, and there are lines I want to keep.”

Marcus fixed his gaze on Liese’s flushed face. Eric looked back and forth between the two of them in disbelief, the glass he’d been holding to his mouth hovering in the air.

For some reason, he couldn’t make sense of the conversation that was taking place in the middle of nowhere.

“What on earth are you guys talking about?”

Eric’s question made Liese quickly lower her head.

“I apologize for the disrespect.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

Putting down the glass, Eric laughed as if he found it ridiculous.

“Come on, Marcus, you can’t boss around a vulnerable maid; this isn’t the army, and she’s not Trevor.”

“She’ll last longer than that whiny toad.”

“Well, he picks his battles, so that’s one thing….”

In his years of experience, Marcus’s targets usually fell into two categories.

Either they’re Trevor Miller, and they’re just barely over the line, or they’re the ones who never give him the reaction he wants, and they’re the ones who hold out until the end.

The former would end with a few punches and some blood, but the latter was a different story. An example was a captured enemy soldier during the last war.

At that time, Marcus, who was a commander in the Special Forces, had taken charge of interrogating a prisoner. The man knew crucial base information, but no matter how much he was tortured by other soldiers, he stoically endured without revealing anything.

However, after spending just a few hours with Marcus, the man finally started spilling out information about the base.

After the interrogation, the man was not much different from a vegetable.

Even his allies frowned upon him as he fidgeted with his hands and mumbled unintelligible words through glassy eyes. Marcus, on the other hand, was fresh-faced as he left the interrogation room.

The Duke himself had put his stamp on the rumors that he had a talent for crushing the unruly and that he even took pleasure in it.

As a result, under the Duke’s command, the regiment raided the enemy’s base along the way, safely rescued their troops, and, combined with the artillery, inflicted an irreparable defeat on the belligerents.

The unyielding temperament that could turn a stubborn captive into a broken man had laid the foundation for a massive victory for the Rosan Kingdom.

Eric looked at Liese with a sympathetic gaze.

‘It doesn’t seem like that quiet maid intentionally provoked Marcus.’

If so, her patient, high-minded nature might have piqued the Duke’s interest.

After all, seeing most women break down in tears and protest vehemently, Liese’s calm and measured responses were a reasonable hypothesis.

‘What a pity; she’s a strikingly beautiful woman.’

How could she have fallen for such a madman?

Marcus, recently showing a consistently carefree demeanor, seemed more vibrant during his time on the battlefield. He stared into space like a madman, missing the stimulation of war, and puffed on a cigarette he rarely looked for.

He’d seemed a little energized today, shooting flying beasts with Eric. However, the moment that maid appeared, there was an intensity in his gaze beyond what was normal.

It was as if a crazed creature that had starved for three days and nights suddenly found a fatty piece of meat in front of its nose.

‘If she just keeps apologizing and repeating that she’s sorry, he might lose interest and let her go.’

But it was too much interference to offer advice to a mere maid. Eric, who thought Liese was tough, refrained from saying more.

At that moment, Marcus, gently running his thumb over the armrest of his chair, looked up at Liese.

“I guess I won’t have to look under your dress today.”

Eric, who had been listening intently, suddenly sprang to his feet. His eyes, wide open with surprise, turned alternately between the two.

“Of course. I’ll never be able to lift the hem of my robe with my own hands.”

Marcus let out another short laugh.

“Don’t be so quick to judge. You know what else is coming.”

“I’m not a bold person who would dare smuggle a firearm into a duke’s mansion.”

“You don’t have a small distribution if you’re shamelessly sticking your face in front of the man who subdued you and groped between your legs.”

“It’s because I didn’t take it personally as part of a pat-down.”

“You’re in a desperate situation where you don’t even have a single coin. right? “

Marcus tilted his chin at her, reminding her of her predicament. Liese lowered her eyes and meekly admitted.

“…Yes.”

The duke’s clenched jaw slowly unclenched, forming a pleasing arc. He smiled so softly that she wondered if she’d ever seen it before. Liese braced herself.

“Have you ever fired the pistol your grandfather gave you?”

“Never.”

“Have you ever wanted to shoot it?”

The conversation, which had been continuing without interruption, was cut off when Liese suddenly closed her mouth. It was because she didn’t immediately know whether he wanted her to simply fire a live bullet or whether she should hit him with a gun.

Marcus still had an unusually friendly smile on his face. The benevolent glow of his outstanding appearance was enough to naturally soften the hearts and vigilance of those who saw him.

It was only then that she realized that he had deliberately asked her a question to put her on the spot.

What would have happened if Liese had unconsciously responded with a furious expression that she wanted to shoot him? Wouldn’t he use the whole incident involving the handgun as an excuse to charge her with attempted murder?

Liese’s hands, clasped together in front of her, were wet with a cold sweat. Her breath caught in her throat from the tension of every moment since she’d been confronted by him.

“It was a gift from my grandfather, and I’ve thought about learning how to use it.”

“I see. That’s good.”

“…….”

“If it’s a gun, I have some bullets left over, so it might be a good time to pull the trigger.”

Marcus leapt out of his chair, picking up the shotgun leaning against the table, and strode briskly toward Liese.

Stunned, Liese stumbled backward. The man’s tall, rock-hard physique, which could only be seen by craning her neck, struck a primal fear in her.

“Your job today is to work under me and practice firing until I’m satisfied, which I’m sure you can do.”

Eric listened for a moment, then started to pace.

“I don’t know where to begin, yes!”

Eric’s chivalry sparked.

“Marcus, are you going to train your maid in shooting? You, who was once rumored to be a drill sergeant that even demons would cry over, want to train this delicate woman suddenly? Why…?”

“Get the hell out of here.”

Eric’s flame was quickly extinguished by the short comment. Marcus didn’t spare him a single glance. He only looked down at Liese, whose eyes were flickering between calmness and irritation.

Seeing her flustered by the unexpected demand, Marcus felt a strange sense of satisfaction rising from the depths.

He felt a strange sense of satisfaction well up in the pit of his stomach as he watched Liese begin to cower under his sudden demands.

The look on the woman’s face as she stubbornly stood her ground no matter the insult. This was the look he wanted.

“Until the Duke is satisfied… I mean, I don’t know if I’ll be any good; I’ve never shot before.”

“You said you were desperate, so why don’t you do what you’re told?”

“…….”

“Follow me. I’ll show you.”

Marcus patted Liese on the shoulder and trudged away. Liese glanced back at Eric, who also seemed confused by the duke’s outburst, but stood in place and said nothing.

Eventually, Liese followed Marcus with heavy steps, not expecting to be able to escape the Duke’s clutches with anyone’s help.