Chapter 15. The Grand Duke and the Villain’s Lover

While her blurry eyes gradually regained focus, Elena wondered about the warmth touching her back.

She couldn’t quite remember when she had fallen asleep, but then she saw the hand holding the reins. Long fingers with prominent knuckles gripped the reins, causing blue veins to stand out on the back of the hand. The large man’s hand forming a straight line reminded her of Rudfelix reaching out his hand while on horseback, and she finally realized where she was.

‘I fell asleep while riding the horse together?’

She had refused once out of awkwardness.

When she finally mounted after his semi-threatening persuasion, she had precariously maintained her balance on the running horse, trying not to let her back touch his.

And yet she had fallen asleep.

Ignorance is bliss—now that she knew, the warmth against her entire back transformed into sharp thorns pricking her skin.

She wanted to slowly move away rather than jerk away suddenly, which would openly admit she was conscious.

“Sometimes I think…”

Elena’s back flinched slightly at the voice from above her head.

“That while you’re so confident and straightforward when being honest, you’re quite clumsy when trying to deceive others.”

“Is that so?”

“What’s the point of pretending when I know you’re awake? Were you trying to act like you moved away in your sleep?”

Since he already knew she was awake, it would have been stranger to say nothing. Elena pursed her invisible lips.

‘Grand Duke, couldn’t you sometimes just pretend not to notice?’

Is it so difficult to feign ignorance?

“They’re here.”

“Ah……”

The procession of carriages entering in a line looked like ants carrying food.

Since they had borrowed carriages from various trading companies, their vigorous movement transmitted vibrations through the ground.

By the time she could clearly see the faces of two men coming at the front, surrounded by horses around the carriages, Elena dismounted.

“Senior Quiet.”

“Junior Elena.”

As if meeting family after a very long separation, Elena called out to him eagerly. Delighted, she ran forward, and Quiet also dismounted quickly and approached her.

“I missed you, Senior.”

Quiet’s nose tingled and his eyes welled up with tears at Elena’s enthusiastic welcome, calling him senior.

He must have ridden hard for this moment.

He forgot his aching b*ttocks and the numbing pain in his waist that threatened to collapse at any moment when he saw Elena’s smile.

“I see you didn’t run away and stayed well.”

“I’m proud of you” would best express his true feelings.

Though he knew his superior was watching with an unwelcoming, expressionless face, he spoke openly.

He was proud of Elena for enduring so well.

“Run away? Why would I run away?”

Elena smiled as she brushed off the dust on Quiet’s shoulders.

“Did everything go well?”

“I was worried there wouldn’t be enough carriages, but thanks to you contacting them in advance before she left, everything went smoothly.”

Quiet praised her for using the communication network between trading companies.

“I don’t know where they got so many carriages from. Thanks to that, it only took two weeks to move all the territory residents. You’re truly a treasure, Elena.”

Quiet spoke without pause, as if he had much to say. Elena scratched her cheek in embarrassment and slightly turned her head. When she noticed Rudfelix’s eyes narrowing progressively, she raised her hand to signal Quiet to stop talking, but he didn’t get the message at all.

His habit of talking non-stop once he started remained unchanged.

“Quiet.”

“I’m just saying this because I was amazed at how capable Elena is after experiencing it firsthand while coming here. Is it a crime to want to praise her?”

Since they knew each other well enough that just calling his name was sufficient, Quiet grumbled.

“Take it easy.”

Rudfelix struck Quiet’s shoulder—the same one Elena had dusted off—with considerable force as he passed by.

“I think His Highness the Grand Duke is happy to see you too, Senior Quiet.”

“You think so?”

There was definitely emotion in the hand that struck his shoulder.

Elena pretended not to notice and looked at Count Emphraim’s territory residents.

The residents who had disembarked from the carriages looked anxious as they surveyed the unfamiliar land. Soldiers and aides appeared before them, asked a few questions, and guided them to their accommodations.

Only when soldiers carrying basic supplies weaved between them did the anxiety on the residents’ faces begin to fade.

“Aba?”

Following a passing soldier, Elena saw a woman with a baby clutched tightly in her arms. When she made eye contact with the baby who was busy sucking on its mother’s clothes and looking around curiously, Elena finally felt the reality of the situation.

‘I really did something good.’

She had planned the rapid relocation of territory residents anxious about the war to the Grand Duchy. She felt proud of herself while working.

As the woman gently bounced to soothe her whimpering baby, she seemed to sense Elena’s gaze and turned her upper body.

The baby had already fallen asleep in the arms of the woman who bowed her head slightly as she passed.

“I’m so relieved.”

Were there any problems with the plan to relocate the territory residents?

Had she set an unreasonable schedule?

Had she prepared for potential dangers along the way? Many thoughts had crossed her mind, but finally, it was resolved.

Elena finally put down the burden that had been weighing on a corner of her heart all this time.

As Elena gazed endlessly at the territory residents, Quiet approached Rudfelix’s side.

“Some territory residents who sent family members to war refused to come.”

He reported what had happened so far.

He explained that they had brought everyone except those who stayed behind, saying someone should be there when their families returned.

“What’s that carriage?”

At the end of the uniform line of carriages was a noble’s carriage, uniquely colored.

“That’s a carriage commissioned separately by a trading company. They requested special protection as they were coming to the Grand Duchy.”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know. The trading company separately guaranteed their identity and said nothing more.”

Whoever it was, they didn’t want to reveal their identity, as they hadn’t left the carriage even once during the entire journey.

Except for a maid who came out several times to attend to them, even the windows were tightly covered with black curtains.

They relied solely on the soldiers’ escort, essentially traveling separately.

Quiet put his hand to his forehead and narrowed his eyes as he confirmed the trading company’s carriage turning sideways.

“Looks like they’re leaving.”

As the horse changed direction, the body of the carriage with its windows became visible.

The window seemed to open briefly, but it was too far away to see clearly.

Rudfelix kept his eyes fixed on the carriage. With an uneasy feeling, he didn’t want to let the carriage in.

“Your Highness, Count Emphraim is coming.”

If they’re hiding their identity, there’s nothing we can do. Otherwise, they’ll reveal themselves. Thinking this, Rudfelix turned his body.

* * *

“Still the same.”

The red lips of the woman who had just lowered the curtain parted, revealing snow-white teeth. The attending maid blushed at the sweet voice that could melt ears despite being of the same gender.

“Still cold, still perceptive, and still…… handsome.”

The carriage stopped at the main gate as it entered the Grand Duke’s residence.

“Are you attending the ball?”

The coachman nodded as he handed over the identity certificate.

When the knight tried to peek inside the carriage, the coachman cleared his throat uncomfortably with a “Ahem.”

“For the safety of the Grand Duke’s residence, we need to verify who is riding inside.”

“But it says that the Juralint Trading Company guarantees everything, doesn’t it?”

As the coachman said, all identification came from the trading company, and they directly guaranteed it.

If anything happened to the Grand Duke’s residence, they would take full responsibility, and the trading company’s guarantee carried a very high level of trust.

“However, we must prepare for any contingency.”

“Are you disrespecting the continent’s finest trading company?”

“Gail.”

The knight and coachman flinched at the elegant voice from inside the carriage.

“Yes.”

The coachman carefully responded to the owner of the voice.

“It’s okay to open the window.”

Gail, as the coachman was called, opened the connected window uncomfortably but without protest since the instruction had been given. He didn’t open the door, but this was enough of a concession.

The knight looked at the figure visible through the window.

A young woman who appeared to be a maid. And a woman with a fan covering her face, but with straight, intense eyes and pupils with a mysterious light, indicating exceptional beauty.

“I’ve come to see His Highness the Grand Duke.”

A humid yet languid voice flowed along the wall to the knight.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

“The Grand Duke’s residence is vast. If you wait a moment, I’ll bring a guide.”

Just as the knight raised his hand to call for a guide after saying this—

“That’s fine.”

The woman rejected the knight’s offer, gently fluttering her fan.

“I know better than anyone how large and complex this place is. I can navigate it with my eyes closed, so I’ll go right in.”

The woman’s eyes closed gently and then opened, curved with amusement. If that’s what she said, there was no reason to detain her further.

“Enter.”

As the soldiers opened the main gate, the carriage glided into the Grand Duke’s residence.

The knight who read the identity certificate again looked up at the carriage.

“The name is definitely unfamiliar……”

Yet her gaze seemed familiar from somewhere.

* * *

Elena was walking quickly back after Lady Schmie told her that the dress she would wear to the debutante ball was ready.

Though no additional fitting was needed since it was made to her measurements, she was told to try it on to match the accessories.

After confirming the dress hanging on a mannequin to prevent wrinkles and see it most realistically, Elena spotted Rudfelix and stopped.

Sunlight fell crisply on his face as he looked at the dress.

His hair absorbed the light and gently fell on his forehead, creating deep shadows on the bridge of his nose.

“Is this the dress you’ll wear tomorrow?”

“Yes, Lady Schmie worked hard to select it.”

The purple halter dress was so intricately made that it required a matching corset and petticoat.

Despite the exposed shoulders, the lace around the neck prevented it from feeling bare. As Lady Schmie had said, the lace and chiffon blended so well that no necklace would be needed.

The fresh feeling of a newly blooming flower was enhanced with gold color for added splendor.

The back of the dress with its different-length skirt was particularly pleated and voluminous, making it a unique dress tailored for Elena rather than following imperial fashion trends.

“Will you show me how it looks when worn?”

Miche tactfully brought the petticoat. Then she called another maid who was walking outside and moved busily.

Since Elena had come to try it on anyway, she could easily nod.

“Just a moment.”

When Elena went in, Miche followed her.

‘Has he ever asked to see me wearing something before?’

At the annual imperial event, he had waited to escort her. Though his desire to see how she looked in the dress felt unfamiliar, her body was paradoxically eager to change quickly.

Conscious of him waiting outside the dressing room, even Miche’s skilled hands seemed slow.

“We’ll be done soon.”

Sensing Elena’s impatience, Miche moved her hands faster with her friends.

“It’s ready.”

“Thank you.”