Chapter 1 (Part 7)

The very next day, her stepmother, the Baroness Elina, came to visit.  

If it had been up to Theodore, he would have ensured the two never met again for the rest of their lives. But that wasn’t possible.  

No matter how much he wanted to heal Reinis’s wounds, he couldn’t indefinitely block the Baroness’s visit, as she was Reinis’s legal guardian.  

“Oh, Reinis! What is this state you’re in!”  

As soon as she entered the room, Elina ran toward Reinis, who was lying in bed, and grabbed her hand with tears in her eyes.  

“You must have been so scared being alone. You wouldn’t know how many times this mother of yours requested to see you. At least we’ve finally met. I’m so relieved to see that you’re safe.”  

To anyone who didn’t know better, Elina’s performance would have seemed genuinely concerned for Reinis.  

“This won’t do.”  

Elina, who had been stroking Reinis’s hand, stood up and turned to the servants with an angry expression.  

“Where is the Duke? I need to hear more details about what happened.”  

“I believe… you already received a handwritten letter with all the details. If you need further explanation, you can ask me directly.”

Although the question was directed at the servants, it was Reinis who answered instead.  

Startled, Elina looked at her, unable to hide her awkwardness, and spoke.  

“W-What do you mean? Of course, I received the letter, but just imagine your condition, unable to take even a single step out of bed. My heart aches too much to remain still.”

“It’s because my leg is injured. The physician said it might scar, so it’s better for me not to move for the time being. That’s all.”  

Even though her voice trembled slightly and she couldn’t meet Elina’s eyes properly, Reinis steeled herself.  

Elina was visibly taken aback by Reinis’s reaction. After all, Reinis had always obeyed her every word without hesitation, even to the point of pretending to die if asked.  

“Oh… oh my… You must have been so shocked by the accident. Don’t worry, I’ll speak with the Duke. Considering the marriage discussions with the Earl, you can’t stay here forever, especially since the Duke has no intention of taking responsibility for you.” 

Elina’s insistence on meeting the Duke made Reinis furious. She knew exactly what Elina wanted.  

“…Leave.”  

“Yes, I’ll take care of everything, so you just—”

“Leave.”  

Before Elina could finish her sentence, Reinis interrupted.  

“What? Wh-what do you mean by that?”  

“The physician said what I need most right now is rest. So, please stop causing a commotion and leave.”  

Reinis’s heart pounded so hard it felt as though it might leap out of her chest.  

She was terrified of what kind of retaliation might await her once she returned to the Baron’s manor after her recovery. But for now, her priority was to drive Elina out of the Duke’s manor.  

Her clenched fists trembled, but her determined gaze showed no intention of backing down.  

She couldn’t just stand by and watch Elina behave disrespectfully toward the Duke, Theodore, who had helped her.  

No matter how much power Elina held, this was the Duke’s manor.  

With the Duke’s servants watching, Elina couldn’t show a domineering attitude toward Reinis here. Forced to maintain her composure, Elina awkwardly smiled and said,  

“Did you hit your head badly in the accident? How could you say such things to your mother…? Oh, how it pains me.”

Reinis shook her head as she spoke to Elina, who was trying her best to appear like a caring mother with a worried expression.  

“I didn’t hit my head. It was already confirmed during the examination. I’m speaking to you with a clear mind. So, please return for today. Come back when I’ve recovered.”  

Her hands trembled from the fear of the cold gaze directed at her, but her tightly clenched fists were filled with determination not to back down.  

What worried her even more was the possibility that Theodore might face an awkward situation because of her.  

“How could such a sweet child say something like that! This won’t do. I’ll have to file a formal complaint! Let’s return to the Martin family at once!”  

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Elina shouted. At that moment, a low voice came from the direction of the door.  

“You’re free to file a complaint, Madame, but I cannot allow you to take the lady back with you.”  

It was Theodore, glaring at Elina with a barely restrained expression of anger.  

Elina’s eyes caught sight of the knight’s uniform he was wearing. Certain that he wasn’t the Duke, she raised her chin arrogantly and spoke.  

“How dare you say I can’t take my daughter back! No matter how much of a Duke you serve, you can’t pull such unreasonable stunts! And you, Sir! How dare a mere knight barge into a lady’s room so carelessly? This cannot be overlooked! I’ll go to meet the Duke immediately to report your rude behavior as well!”  

At her outburst, Theodore’s expression hardened further.  

“If I hadn’t come, you might have forced your way past the guards and into the garden.”  

In his mind, he recalled what Heldor had said when delivering Elina’s letter previously.  

He couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief at how little regard Elina seemed to have for the Duke’s manor, to the point of making such outrageous statements.  

More than anything, considering how reclusive the Duke was—even avoiding public appearances in official settings—it was clear what kind of person Elina was, given her insistence on meeting the Duke.  

“I apologize for entering the lady’s room without her permission. However, Madame, you will not be meeting the Duke.”

“What? How rude! I must see the Duke! Where is the Duke?”  

Elina raised her voice even louder, as if she were ready to storm into the Duke’s office at any moment. Already furious at Reinis’s reaction, she wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to vent her anger on a new target.  

Theodore, silently observing her behavior, grew increasingly rigid.  

Noticing the tense atmosphere, the servants rushed to stop Elina, but their interference only made her raise her voice even more.  

“Enough!!”

While everyone’s attention was focused on Elina, Reinis, who had risen from her bed, shouted as if she could no longer endure it.  

Her tightly pressed lips trembled, her gaze was filled with anger, but her expression also betrayed a hint of unease as she glared at Elina.  

Startled by Reinis’s sudden outburst, everyone turned their eyes toward her.  

For a moment, silence filled the room.  

“My lady! If you get up like this…”  

Theodore, the first to regain his composure, rushed toward Reinis, shouting. The servants who had been holding back Elina also hurried toward her.  

“Miss, if you stand up like this, your wounds might reopen! We’ll summon the physician immediately.”  

“Let us help you lie back down.”  

Elina, thinking the servants were overreacting, scoffed inwardly as she watched them fuss over Reinis.  

At that moment, she noticed a chilling gaze directed at her. The sheer authority in that gaze made her swallow dryly, her body freezing in place as if paralyzed.  

The reputation of the knights of the Duke’s manor as fearsome monsters was already well-known throughout the Empire. However, the only reason Elina had been able to arrogantly raise her voice until now was thanks to Reinis.  

The Duke’s handwritten letter, as well as his personal messages, had extended such favor to Reinis that Elina had deluded herself into thinking she was someone important. But as soon as she met Theodore’s gaze, she realized the truth.  

One wrong move, and she might lose her head right here and now.  

“I… I’ll leave for today, but I’ll formally lodge a complaint with the Duke! And, my dear, if anything happens, be sure to write to me. If they don’t let you send a letter, I’ll send someone to collect it.”

As Elina finished speaking and was about to leave the room, Heldor and the knights arrived, having rushed to her room after hearing rumors of a commotion. They feared the Duke might resort to violence.  

“You’ve come at the right time. Hel, once the guest leaves, lock the gates of the Duke’s manor. If any outsider dares to enter without permission, cut them down without hesitation.”  

Noticing that Theodore was quite angry, Heldor dropped his usual playful demeanor and turned to look at Elina.  

If Elina stayed here any longer, something was bound to happen.  

“I’ll escort you to the entrance. Please, follow me.”  

With those words, Heldor took the lead.  

Moments ago, Elina had been full of arrogance, but now, whether it was because of the sudden arrival of the knights or Theodore’s intimidating presence, she followed him silently without saying a word.  

Watching her leave, Reinis let out a sigh of relief and spoke to Theodore, who was standing in front of her.  

“I’m truly sorry.”  

At her words, he smiled and shook his head.  

“You have nothing to apologize for, my lady. More importantly, I think it would be better for you to lie back down in bed.”  

His gaze and tone were completely different from when he had been glaring at Elina.  

“I’m worried that the wound might leave a scar.”  

His gentle and soft demeanor left the knights utterly shocked.  

Their commander had never shown such a side to anyone before—not even to a child.  

“Did the commander just say something like that…? Is the empire finally doomed?”  

“Come to think of it, didn’t the maids say that young lady touched the commander’s cheek?”  

“What?! Are you telling me it’s true that someone touched the commander and lived to tell the tale?”  

“That’s not all. They said he even patted her on the head.”  

“My goodness…”  

The knights, gathered in a corner, whispered among themselves. Their voices carried far enough to reach Theodore’s ears, but fortunately, his priority at the moment was Reinis’s condition.  

After ensuring that her wounds wouldn’t worsen, he instructed the servants to help Reinis lie back down on the bed. Once that was done, he turned to the knights.  

“Seems like you all have too much free time.”  

The knights, frozen in place, slowly turned their heads toward the source of Theodore’s voice. The gentleman they had seen moments ago was nowhere to be found, replaced by a cold expression.  

“C-Commander… t-the lady… i-is watching…”  

Realizing the danger in Theodore’s gaze, one of the knights stammered nervously.

At his words, Theodore sighed and turned around, only to meet the eyes of Reinis, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression, as though she didn’t understand what was happening.  

The moment he saw her face, looking straight into his eyes, the image of Reinis touching his cheek flashed through his mind, causing his ears to turn bright red.  

Watching this, the knights thought to themselves: it was clear that their commander had fallen for that young lady at first sight.