Chapter 2

“Wh-who…….”

She was so startled that even her words came out stuttered. On the man’s handsome face, there was a hint of pity directed at her.

“Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”

At that title, she snapped back to her senses and looked around. Whether it was fortunate or not, she was back in Iris’s bedroom, a place she had grown sadly accustomed to.

As she tried to sit up, the man quickly supported her, treating her as if she were a fragile glass doll.

“…….”

For a long moment, she didn’t know what to say. She was still wearing a maid’s uniform, and given that he called her ‘Your Grace,’ it seemed her identity had already been discovered.

“Are you all right?”

The man asked again. When she looked up, his silver-grey eyes were fixed on her lips.

Only then did she realize she’d been biting her lip. His nailed-down gaze was probably out of concern, but her face flushed for no reason.

“Your Grace, you don’t need to worry at all.”

He spoke in a gentle voice.

“There were no other witnesses besides myself.”

For some reason, the man seemed to be trying to reassure her. But in the North, trusting anyone completely was dangerous. Even if this man had saved her life and seemed almost saintly in his purity.

“Sir… Are you a knight?”

“Yes, I am.”

<The Beasts Who Obeyed the Saintess>, or <Saintess Obedience>, was, in short, a novel for the saintess, by the saintess, and about the saintess. In the original story, all the male characters fell in love with the saintess the moment they saw her pink eyes and hair.

Every man surrendered to her charm and willingly entered her harem. The only big catch the saintess missed was the Grand Duke.

And the Northerners’ loyalty to their Grand Duke was extraordinary. They all resisted alongside their master who refused to repent, and were destroyed together.

“So…….”

So there was no guarantee this man wouldn’t report her escape attempt to her husband. Even this kindness could be hiding some ulterior motive.

Her mind was so tangled she couldn’t help but sigh. She’d read <Saintess Obedience> to clear her head… If she’d wanted to use her brain, she wouldn’t have picked this kind of novel!

“I’m… Demian.”

The man’s low voice broke the silence. He suddenly introduced himself without being asked. She looked up at his handsome face with a puzzled gaze.

At her look, Demian blushed slightly, as if embarrassed. 

‘What was with him? He’d been a little too kind from the start……’

“…Your surname?”

In any case, more information was always better. The man smiled faintly and paused for a moment.

“I abandoned my surname.”

“What?”

“I’m basically an orphan. After the previous Grand Duke took me in, I left my past behind.”

“Oh…….”

“My real father’s gambling ruined our family completely. My mother was someone who could have given me ten stepfathers.”

His voice was pleasant, in contrast to his shocking family history.

She eyed him suspiciously. He had an excessively attractive face and overwhelming strength, and even a tragic past?

For a supporting character who didn’t even appear in the original, it was too much. There was no way the sloppy original story had written such detailed settings for an extra……

“I lived a mess of a life. It was only after entering the ducal residence that I pulled myself together.”

He was a handsome man with a neat appearance, but there was something wild about him. His unusual gaze and casual tone were fitting for his story. In the North, ability was valued over background, and he was a perfect example.

Now that she looked, his attire was a bit more relaxed than that of typical Northern knights.

Northern knights were known for their strict discipline. They buttoned their clothes up to their necks and rarely exposed any skin……

She deliberately avoided looking at Demian’s loosely open collar. The moment her gaze reached his broad shoulders and firm chest, her heart skipped a beat.

“Sir…….”

“Please, call me Demian.”

His tone was gently persuasive. She swallowed nervously.

“Um, first of all, thank you for saving me.”

“There’s no need to thank me. I was simply doing my duty.”

“About today…….”

‘Should I ask him to pretend he didn’t know? To forget it? Or should I start with an excuse?’

Whatever she said, it would probably sound strange, so she couldn’t easily open her mouth.

“Your Grace.”

Their eyes met at the same time. His silver-grey eyes seemed to see right through her.

“You don’t have to explain anything. At least not to me.”

“…What?”

“I know it must be hard for you, alone in a strange place.”

Suddenly, she nearly burst into tears, biting her lip hard. Since she’d possessed this body, he was the first person to show any understanding. The Northerners seemed almost incapable of empathy.

She remembered their fateful first meeting. No, now wasn’t the time to get sentimental.

“I’ll forget about today as well.”

“…….”

“But…….”

He gazed at her quietly. After hesitating for a while, Demian let out a low sigh.

“You were definitely reckless. If I’d been just a little later today, it could have ended terribly.”

“…I know. I won’t do something like this again.”

It wasn’t a lie. She hadn’t given up on escaping completely, but she certainly needed more time to prepare.

“As expected, you’re wise.”

His smile seemed almost insolent. She was about to get lost in his excessive beauty when a forgotten worry suddenly rushed back.

“But… What do the others think?”

“What do you mean?”

“About why I suddenly disappeared today…….”

Just then, voices murmured outside the door. The distance made it hard to catch the details, but it sounded like the servants were approaching her room!

‘Come to think of it… Was it really okay for a man to be alone in the Grand Duchess’s bedroom?’

“Wait, Sir. Is this situation really okay?”

“You mean my presence in your room, Your Grace?”

Demian wasn’t oblivious; he immediately caught her meaning. She nodded, listening to the voices outside. Demian smirked and spoke.

“Probably… not okay?”

“What, what did you say?”

She accidentally raised her voice and quickly covered her mouth. Footsteps sounded even closer.

“Then what do we do? If someone sees us like this…….”

Demian shrugged slowly.

‘Was I the only one panicking? If we got caught, wouldn’t both of us be in trouble?’

She had no desire to be branded as a scandalous Grand Duchess and bring her assassination forward. Desperately, she looked around for a place to hide him.

“What about the wardrobe?”

“Your Grace, do you really think I could fit in there?”

Demian was far too large to fit in the wardrobe.

“Then, under the bed?”

“No matter how I fold my legs, my feet would stick out.”

He wasn’t wrong. She glared silently at his long legs. Unlike her, who was frantic, his calm and handsome face only made her more frustrated.

“Sir, am I the only one anxious here?”

“Well, I’m scared too. I just don’t show it because I’m a knight.”

“All that’s left…….”

‘Was the window.’

Demian blinked, realizing she was looking at it.

“Wait. You’re not suggesting I jump out, are you?”

“Is there any other way right now?”

It was high enough that something would definitely break if he fell. It was a shameless request to make of someone who’d just saved her life. But her own survival came first.

“Doesn’t seem like there’s another way. Well, all right.”

Demian chuckled and leisurely stood up.

“Your Grace, you were found collapsed in the greenhouse.”

“The greenhouse?”

“Servants have barely entered the greenhouse for some time, so it’s perfect as an excuse.”

Demian said, leaning against the window.

“Please keep our meeting secret from His Grace the Grand Duke.”

He smirked, raising one corner of his mouth in a rebellious gesture. Just then, voices sounded right outside the door.

“His Grace… news…….”

“…Her Grace the Grand Duchess…….”

She steeled her gaze. Sensing her urgency, Demian grinned and, without hesitation, leapt out the window.

“…….”

Demian disappeared without leaving a trace. Cold night air blew in through the window frame. It felt like waking up from a short dream.

‘By the way, this is the third floor… Is he going to be okay? I didn’t hear a loud thud, at least.’

The worry hit her belatedly, but her own safety came first. She quickly lay down and pretended to be asleep.

“Your Grace, I’m coming in.”

After a short knock, the door opened and she sensed a couple of people entering. They stopped at the entrance, observing her.

“Looks like she still hasn’t woken up.”

“She’s so small and frail, even a slight shock keeps her bedridden.”

It was the butler and a maid. They seemed to be trying to whisper, but those damn Northerners were so robust that it didn’t help at all. They tiptoed closer to her.

“Wow, it’s my first time seeing Her Grace up close. Can someone really look like this…….”

“Shh! Keep your voice down.”

“She’s so white and delicate… She looks like a doll made of sugar. If you tapped her, she’d probably shatter.”

‘What kind of thing was that to say? Why did she have to say something so scary?’

“She’s even more fragile and sensitive than a newborn beast. If you’re going to serve her up close, you have to be extra careful.”

Even the butler! She glared and opened her eyes wide in frustration.

“Your Grace! You’re awake!”

“…Butler?”

She acted with all her might as if she’d just woken up.

When she tried to sit up, a maid she’d never seen before hurried over to support her. The maid’s hands were as big as pot lids.

She swallowed her envy. If she were that sturdy, she’d have already climbed down the castle walls and escaped!

“Your Grace, are you feeling better?”

She only nodded at the butler’s words.

“You seemed weak, so I brought you a tonic. In the North, this isn’t even considered a real illness, so the physician took some time to prepare it.”

‘What? I’d barely escaped death from tea, and now they wanted me to drink another mysterious medicine? And was he implying I was just making a fuss?’

“I don’t want to take it.”

She was too tired to explain, so she refused briefly.

“Hmm… Are you still worried about poison?”

The white-haired butler adjusted his glasses. She pursed her lips, not wanting to answer.

“If that’s the issue, don’t worry.”

What was he going to say now? She silently raised her eyebrows.

“His Grace the Grand Duke gave special orders. From now on, this maid will taste everything before you eat.”

Taste test? As a modern person, the word made her frown. She squinted at the maid, who quickly bowed.

“I’m Donna.”

“…….”

“I was trained from childhood to detect poison. I have some resistance to it, too.”

Why would a regular maid need that kind of training?

“I tasted this medicine myself. If you’d like, I can do it again right now.”

“Your Grace, you must take it to recover.”

It was as if they were determined to make her explode with frustration. She wondered if she should throw a tantrum like the reckless imperial princess she was? But if she did, she’d just end up being disliked and assassinated even faster.

With a tearful face, she reached for the medicine. It was pitch black, and looked ominous at first glance.