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As I descended the stairs connecting the first and second floors, I spotted his comforting silhouette among the people. My troubled thoughts were pushed aside, and I felt a rush of relief as I called out.

“Roan!”

He turned around at my shout.

“Duchess.”

For some reason, I saw his initially expressionless face soften a bit when he saw me.

“Was everything alright today?”

“Yes. Well, it wasn’t exactly alright… I have something to tell you.”

“Something to tell me? What is it?”

“It’s about the Marquis of Nocturne.”

As soon as I mentioned that, Roan’s face tightened slightly.

“What did she say to you this time?”

“No, it wasn’t anything bad… Let’s go inside first.”

***

David had a rough idea of what Delis would say. Since she mentioned meeting the Marchioness of Nocturne today, the Marchioness must have pleaded with her. He recalled the rather grim night before.

After laying the sleeping Duchess in bed, Duke Roan had discreetly ordered David to find out the details of the incident from the previous night.

David had gained a newfound respect for Delis through this ordeal. He felt that he would now truly serve her with his heart. The reason for the fight between the Duchess and the Marchioness was shocking. It seemed the Marchioness was hastening her own demise.

David thought that if the Marchioness knew what kind of person the Duke was, she would never have dared to say such things, not even to herself. In the past, the Duke had dismissed such bold words as not worth his attention.

But things are different now. For a moment, David felt as if he were in the midst of a battlefield.

The Duke’s eyes were chillingly cold.

“There’s no other way.”

David knew that the Duke was truly angered. At times like these, his master showed no mercy.

Why did she have to insult the Duke? It was as if she were asking to be sent to hell.

The Duke, who had been staring deeply into the void, finally spoke.

“David.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Kassia Guild.”

“Kassia Guild, Your Grace?”

The Kassia Guild, associated with the Nocturne family, was heavily financed by the Belcostar Bank. Like any large guild, it also had significant loans from Belcostar. David looked at the Duke with surprised eyes, wondering why he suddenly mentioned such a vital part of the Nocturne family.

“They have long been suspected of tax evasion.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Inform the palace to conduct a thorough investigation at dawn.”

“Understood.”

The guild would certainly suffer a significant blow, but considering the Duke’s mood today, this was rather lenient.

Though more tasks had arisen, David thought it was deserved and let it pass.

“And,”

David felt an uneasy premonition. When it came to his master, his instincts were never wrong.

“Withdraw all the funds currently supported by Belcostar.”

David couldn’t believe his ears.

“All of them, sir?”

It was essentially a command to ruin the family. The previous orders had seemed mild in comparison, but this was extremely harsh.

“Yes.”

“Not just some, but all of them?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Your Grace, but that would…”

David’s next words were swallowed back. The Duke’s deadly gaze was fixed on him.

‘Your Grace, I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?’

The icy voice pierced his ears again.

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s just that, if you do that, the Nocturne family will be in serious danger…”

Scary. The rising fear choked his words.

The Duke gave a rare crooked smile.

“Should I be concerned about that?”

Only then did David realize how deeply angry the Duke was. From his years of serving, he knew that such a tone only came when his master was extremely furious.

The Nocturne family would be thoroughly ruined. Although he himself was not in a good situation, David briefly pitied the Nocturne family. Then, curiosity, which had been bothering David, surfaced.

Why was the Duke this angry? Although it was an infuriating issue, normally he wouldn’t have taken it this far. It felt almost like a half-understood mystery.

Should he risk his life to satisfy his curiosity? He deliberated briefly.

‘Given the years I’ve served him, he wouldn’t kill me just for asking, would he?’

He seized a slender thread of hope and spoke.

“Your Grace, why go to such lengths?”

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it when he met the Duke’s icy gaze. The Duke could have sliced him apart with a single sword stroke.

Fortunately, the Duke didn’t draw his sword. He replied in a chillingly low tone.

“…She cried.”

Cried? Who? David didn’t dare to entertain the absurd idea that it was the Duke. Nor did he have the courage to ask further.

As David’s thoughts wandered, a person flashed through his mind.

‘Oh.’

Come to think of it, lately the duke’s mood has been dictated by one person.

Impossible. He had a vague suspicion, but… was it true? David couldn’t deny that even this iron-blooded duke had found emotions that made his blood flow.

***

“Now, speak.”

“So, I heard you withdrew all the funds from the Nocturne family’s guild.”

Unsure if it was meddling, but to relieve this uneasy feeling, I had to say it.

At that moment, I felt the temperature around Roan plummet rapidly. A chill ran through my body.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Why did you do that? Roan, did you find out about the conversation I had with the Marchioness back then?”

“Yes.”

To think he really heard that. An indescribable desolation washed over me. Roan heard that because of me. It was like I had reopened an old wound.

Seeing the despair on my face, Roan’s expression changed slightly.

“Duchess.”

Roan’s hand slowly cupped my cheek.

“No matter what they say, it doesn’t bother me.”

“There’s no way it doesn’t bother you.”

When he said that, it seemed even less true. I thought he just didn’t outwardly show the way he expressed his pain.

“It’s true.”

Roan’s blue eyes looked at me steadily, with no hint of falsehood.

I felt momentarily confused. So, the Marchioness’ words were just a remarkable coincidence?

“Then… there really was no personal motive involved in the matter with the guild?”

Roan’s face, which had softened a bit, hardened again. He spoke in a cold tone.

“Did they ask for mercy? They merely sowed the seeds of their own destruction.”

“But… I heard their family might collapse. Oh… I know I have no right to say anything to you about this.”

Roan’s brows furrowed slightly, displeased with something in my words.

“No. You do have that right.”

Come to think of it, it was Roan who was directly insulted, not me, so I had no place to criticize his actions. He didn’t falsely accuse the Nocturne family. Even before, what mattered most to me was Roan.

“Oh, haha. Everything fit so perfectly, I must have misunderstood. I just worried about what would happen to the innocent people… I was being overly concerned.”

“…….”

Roan listened to me in silence, his expression unreadable.

After a moment, he opened his tightly closed lips.

“You are too kind. Sometimes, no, often, I worry. That when I’m not there, you might… be crying again.”

Roan reached out and gently caressed the corner of my eye.

“Sigh.”

He exhaled softly as he looked at me.

“I won’t fully withdraw the funds.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes. I acknowledge that I may have gone too far.”

“Really?”

What’s going on? It was astonishing that his unyielding stance had changed.

“But there won’t be a next time.”

Surely, having been severely punished this time, they wouldn’t think to cross him again.

“If they dare to trouble you again, I’ll pluck out every strand of their hair.”

“No, that’s not… never mind.”

Roan gave a faint smile, showing his profile that looked like a painting. Watching him, I felt a strange impulse rise within me.

“Roan.”

-Smooch.

Feeling shy, I quickly kissed his cheek and then darted out of the room.

The wide eyes he had when I kissed him were quite a sight to see.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories