Chapter 1 (Part 4)

“Young Lord Loengrin, please enter.”

The chamberlain opened the audience room door and called for Louis.

Looking at Cloud’s indifferent gaze as he received and reviewed the annulment letter, Louis felt nervous. Fortunately, the Emperor approved the annulment between the leech-like Beonar and his beloved sister Yuliana.

As soon as he left the audience room with a sigh of relief, Louis encountered the person he least wanted to see.

As soon as Louis saw him, he tried to back away and take another path, but it was useless.

He momentarily forgot that the person he wanted to avoid was a Sword Master who could easily sense his presence.

“Young Lord Loengrin, how have you been?”

“Ha ha. Yes… Yes. Duke Rockbellion.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you here.”

“Yes…”

The young Duke Anthus Rockbellion, at 24 years of age, possessed stunning beauty that made anyone turn their heads, and he was also a Sword Master, the dream of all knights.

Moreover, owning a dragon’s magic stone mine that only the Rockbellion family could mine, he had wealth, power, and honor, making him the most sought-after groom.

However, there were no women who dared to approach this young and capable unmarried duke.

Or rather, they couldn’t. He disliked anyone touching him, and if someone tried to get close, he would emit his fierce mana around him. No one could withstand his mana and approach him.

Additionally, he was very direct and did not hesitate to speak harshly. The story of him bluntly telling a beautiful lady who approached him that her strong perfume gave him a headache and to stay away was still famous.

There were many speculative rumors that he might prefer men because he pushed women away.

“Ha ha. Duke Rockbellion. Please do not come too close.”

“Am I not allowed to come close, Young Lord Loengrin?”

Louis wanted to shout at Anthus, who was making a cute and sulky face at him. But Anthus was already the Emperor’s closest confidant, having inherited the dukedom, while Louis was merely the young lord of an earl’s family.

Anthus uniquely approached him closely, examining his face with his red eyes shining.

He doesn’t really like men, does he?

Louis tried to hide his troubled mind, continuing to step back and thinking about how to escape this situation.

“Once again, Lady Loengrin performed brilliantly in her deployment.”

“Thank you for always protecting my sister.”

“I will continue to protect Lady Loengrin with my life, more precious than my own.”

He was saying lines that a man would say when proposing to a woman, but he was saying them to Louis, a man.

“I promise you, Young Lord. I will never do anything to hurt Lady Loengrin.”

With Anthus’s firm voice, Louis could only smile and ask him to continue to take care of his sister.

“Please stop coming closer, Duke.”

Louis took a step back each time Duke Rockbellion took a step closer. His back touched the wall.

“I just want to see your face after a long time.”

“Why my face…”

Louis recalled the rumors that Anthus liked men. His mind was filled with warning signals blinking ‘danger.’

“The more I see you, the more you resemble Lady Loengrin.”

“Yes, my sister and I do look a lot alike. Ha ha… I really must return to the earl’s estate quickly.”

Louis, feeling burdened by Anthus, said.

“I’ve been holding you for too long. Let’s have tea leisurely next time.”

“Yes… I understand.”

“You promised, Young Lord Loengrin.”

“Yes… Yes. Ha ha.”

Swallowing hard, Louis greeted Anthus and quickly headed to where the carriage was, trying to hide the cold sweat running down his face. Once he was away from Anthus, Louis let out a big sigh and rubbed his goosebump-covered arms with both hands.

Watching Louis’s retreating figure, Duke Rockbellion smiled and narrowed his eyes. Then, dropping his elegant smile, he entered the audience room where Emperor Cloud was.

“Duke Rockbellion, let’s go to the private reception room.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s private reception room was enchantingly warded to have private conversations.

Anthus, familiar with the place, entered the reception room, picked up the teapot on the table, poured tea into a cup, and drank while smiling.

“Seeing you smile, something good must have happened before you came in.”

“I met Young Lord Loengrin after a long time.”

Cloud laughed out loud at Anthus’s words.

“I can imagine what Young Lord Loengrin’s expression must have been like without even seeing it.”

“The more I see him, the more he resembles Lady Yuliana, so I can’t help but look…”

Anthus recalled Louis, who had been backing away and greeting him while running away, and his lips twitched.

“Unlike her, he was wary of me, which was cute. If you have something to say, please speak quickly, Your Majesty.”

Anthus took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and asked Cloud, dropping his smile.

“I have one good piece of news and one bad piece of news. Which do you want to hear first?”

Cloud looked into Anthus’s red eyes and spoke.

“Please tell me the good news first.”

“Lady Loengrin’s annulment has been confirmed.”

At Cloud’s words, Anthus’s red eyes widened slightly and then curved beautifully into a half-moon shape.

“That is good news. Now, please tell me the bad news, Your Majesty.”

“All the residents of the village of Luteons on the outskirts have disappeared.”

“All of them?”

“It’s unbelievable, but it’s true.”

“There are no survivors at all, Your Majesty?”

“There is only one male child survivor. Take a look at this report and make your judgment, Anthus.”

Anthus took the document from Cloud and began reading it.

“There is only one survivor.”

According to the report, a new type of monster had appeared, causing all the residents of Luteons village to vanish.

“Duke Rockbellion, this is an imperial order. Go to Luteons village and find out what happened.”

“I, Anthus Rockbellion, accept the imperial order.”

Anthus gracefully lifted the corners of his lips and accepted Cloud’s command with flawless elegance.

“I think we will definitely need the power of spirits. Her wind spirit will be very helpful for reconnaissance.”

Cloud clicked his tongue as he watched Anthus speak with a bright smile. His intentions were too obvious.

“It’s just an investigation, but it could still be dangerous with monsters involved. Do you plan to take Lady Loengrin?”

“Even if something dangerous happens, I will protect her.”

“You are overconfident, Anthus.”

“I just promised Young Lord Louis, whom I met a while ago, that I would protect Lady Loengrin with my life. So I must keep my promise.”

Anthus shrugged his shoulders.

“So, you plan to take her.”

“Since we successfully got rid of the leech-like Beonar from Lady Loengrin…”

“Got rid of him?”

“It’s time to move forward without retreat.”

There was no longer any need to suppress the long-held unrequited love.

* * *

Returning to the Duke’s estate, Anthus smiled broadly.

“Master, you look happy.”

The butler, Ferrell, also smiled warmly at Anthus’s smile.

“You will like what I have to say, too, Ferrell.”

“A story I will like… I am curious, Master. Please tell this old butler.”

Ferrell laughed heartily as he helped Anthus change from his outdoor clothes to indoor clothes.

“Prepare to be surprised.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Soon, the Rockbellion family will welcome a duchess.”

Ferrell was so surprised by Anthus’s words that his busy hands stopped moving.

“Could it be… Lady Loengrin has finally annulled her engagement?”

Anthus blushed and nodded.

“Congratulations, Master.”

“It’s too early to congratulate me.”

He had long watched Yuliana from the sidelines, nurturing his feelings.

<Anthus.>

<What?>

<Can’t you just call me Anthus?>

<I’m sorry. I think it’s not appropriate to call you by name considering my fiancé in the Empire. I will continue to call you Duke Rockbellion.>

Though he knew it, it felt like there was a gaping hole in his chest.

<It’s okay not to treat my wound. Save your mana, Lady Loengrin.>

<Duke, there is no such thing as an okay wound in this world.>

Anthus recalled her treating his shallow wounds.

How many people would care for me? 

Yuliana has a kindness that only thinks of the injured.

Every time her golden eyes, tinged with a pink hue, glimmered beneath her eyelids and she called him with her red lips smiling, his heart was pierced. If her smile was directed only at him, he would always want to stay by her side and protect that smile.

He couldn’t define why he liked her. He just did. He wanted to be Yuliana’s man.

Now that the leech-like Beonar was far away… He would try his best to seduce her.

“Of course. This old butler believes in you, Master. You’ve really held out well all this time.”

At Ferrell’s words, Anthus nodded with a pleasant smile.

He had spent a lot of money and time over 9 years to break her engagement. And finally, the fruit of his efforts was realized.

“Shall I give it my all now?”

Before she runs away to a place I can’t reach.