Chapter 14. Duke Calver (1)

The sword that protects the northern part of the empire.

The righteous master of the Calver ducal family, Duke Aster Calver.

A man often called a genius raised by the snowy mountains.

From a young age, he showed extraordinary talent in swordsmanship, and as he grew, he reached a level of skill that no one could match. He flawlessly performed the family’s duty of subjugating monsters, proving his impeccable qualities as the head of the family. This earned him the title of the northern leader and led to a swift succession.

This story became a source of pride for all northerners and soon brought a new wave to the social circles of the distant capital. He quickly became the most desired son and son-in-law among the noblewomen of the social circles.

At the first banquet he attended after his succession, his sharp, well-honed appearance and emotionless demeanor, like a cold northern wind, stole the hearts of many young ladies.

Because of this, he is currently one of the top eligible bachelors, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor and the Grand Duke, known as the charming wolf!

…This was the reputation of her friend that Iella had heard incessantly from Vanessa the previous night.
In reality, she had nearly fainted from the shock of discovering the true identity of her friend, whom she had thought to be a knight for the past two years.

Vanessa, who had brought her to the secondary palace, undressed her robe, changed her into nightclothes, and laid her on the bed, kept talking about such stories without being asked.

Perhaps it was fortunate that she had listened in a daze and responded with meaningless nods.

As she recalled the explanations under the light of the rising sun, she felt embarrassed. Fortunately, that wasn’t all.

Officially, there was no particular connection between Duke Aster Calver and Ailexia.

However, Vanessa, who was directly under Ailexia, seemed to know more detailed and intimate parts beyond common knowledge. Analyzing her muttered words, it seemed their relationship was more than that.

The Duke seemed to despise Ailexia to the point of contempt, and Ailexia seemed to consider the Duke as insignificant.

Even when they occasionally encountered each other at banquets, they didn’t even exchange formal greetings, which seemed to confirm this.

‘Well, the Calver ducal family is a high-ranking noble family, so there’s no reason or need for them to greet Ailexia, who isn’t even from the imperial family. Even though she’s treated almost like the imperial family, he is the protector of the northern empire. It’s a different level from ordinary nobles.’

And considering Ailexia’s nature, she wouldn’t have approached him first to greet him.

[“Oh my, I was so surprised. Of all people, it had to be the Duke. Fortunately, His Majesty the Emperor wasn’t in the palace, and the Duke left urgently after hearing something from his aide, or else… Oh, don’t even mention it.”]

Vanessa, recalling the situation from that time, shuddered once more. She then left the room, firmly advising Iella to refrain from going out for a while.

That was what happened last night.

The important thing here was that, in conclusion, she had failed the outing she had originally planned.

“Sigh.”

Iella sighed deeply and closed her eyes wearily.

Her mind was complicated. The fact that she had missed the opportunity she had created by taking risks with Vanessa, and the shocking true identity of her trusted friend—all of it.

However, even if she went back to that situation, she wouldn’t have been able to act differently. She realized her stiff demeanor, which was awkward for Ailexia, only when the dawn light seeped through the unclosed curtains.

“Now that I know, I can see it.”

The fabric of his clothes, which looked too good for a knight, the noble demeanor ingrained in him, the commanding tone he sometimes used with fellow knights. His habits of living a regulated and controlled life, always restraining and suppressing himself.

When she didn’t know, she didn’t even suspect.

She vaguely thought that the ducal family provided good items to their knights and assumed he was a fallen noble or a second or third son of a low-ranking noble family who had learned basic etiquette.

She thought he was merely responding to the playful attitudes of his fellow knights. She attributed his familiar habits to his long time living by the rules and commands as a knight.

However, Iella couldn’t completely hate him for hiding his name.

Their relationship was built on lies from the start. The betrayal made her blood boil and caused a sharp, stinging pain in her heart. Yet, she didn’t want to believe, and couldn’t believe, that the kindness and memories they shared were lies.

She wondered if he had wanted to release the suffocating control and restraint in such a way.

‘Even if that’s not the case, there must have been some other reason.’

Ultimately, Iella decided to hold on to her trust in him.

For the past two years, he had been a sincere and thoughtful person who always considered others. When they first met, he was helping a lost child. He wasn’t someone who would deceive others just for fun or to cause harm.

So, until she heard directly from him, she wouldn’t make hasty judgments.

‘Let’s go back and ask him.’

Her deep pink eyes, which had been clouded by betrayal and helplessness, regained their clarity and determination.

‘But how do I get another chance?’

But that clarity soon faded. Though she had resolved to confront him, the current situation was not favorable, and she quickly felt lost.

‘I could pressure Vanessa to let me out. But that might raise suspicion.’

She pondered how Ailexia would have acted in this situation. But pretending to be Ailexia didn’t mean she truly became Ailexia.

Iella didn’t know if Vanessa would find it familiar or suspicious if she pressured her to prepare for another outing.

Of course, every moment she imitated Ailexia involved such risky choices. But now was not the time to act hoping for luck to be on her side.

In fact, luck had never really been on her side. She had already encountered three unexpected people: the original male lead, the Grand Duke, and the Duke.

Though she had barely managed to navigate the situations so far, she didn’t know what would happen next. She might meet someone new, or get entangled in another troublesome situation.

And the likelihood of that person being friendly towards Ailexia was extremely low. Unfortunately, this was the only certain fact amidst an uncertain future.

‘Not just extremely low, it’s almost zero. I should be thankful if it’s not negative.’

Considering the reactions of everyone she had met, it wasn’t surprising. It was a minefield, and there was no way there would be a normal relationship among them.

‘But I don’t have much time to wait for the next opportunity.’

She didn’t know when the Emperor would return, and she could draw the Grand Duke’s suspicion in the meantime. Time was running out for Iella.

‘I need an ally… but Vanessa can’t fully be on my side, so…’

Holding her throbbing head, she thought of possible solutions one by one. Then, a scene from the previous night flashed through her mind, giving her a good idea.

“If there’s no one friendly, I just need to make someone friendly!”

Iella’s lips curved into a smile. She quickly called for Vanessa.

Handing her an envelope with Ailexia’s initials, she quietly instructed her to contact him. Vanessa seemed surprised for a moment upon hearing the recipient’s name but nodded without much suspicion.

“Since I overlooked your deception of your identity with this, please just move according to my will, Arthur.”

Iella clasped her hands tightly, earnestly hoping her feelings would be conveyed as she murmured softly. But in her heart, she was already certain.

The words that his aide, who had rushed to find the Duke the night before, had inadvertently let slip: attending an auction.

Then, Vanessa’s words that he had left first with a grim expression after hearing a whisper from the aide while she was frozen in place. Lastly, the fact that the only auction that could currently be mentioned was the illegal auction she intended to use as an excuse for her outing. Considering all these, he couldn’t help but come the moment he opened the letter envelope she sent.

Thus, the next day.

The reception room was filled with the soft light of a lamp and the rich aroma of freshly brewed black tea.

It might have felt peaceful if not for the heavy silence that pressed down like a weight in the twilight evening.

Duke Aster Calver discreetly visited the secondary palace.