Chapter 2: The Grand Duke’s Lady (3)

“What…….”

Demian was at a loss for words. While it was expected from Grand Duke Escalante, he hadn’t anticipated the woman treating him the same way.

Because who would dare to ignore the eldest son of Duke Fernand?

A superior background, a handsome face, excellent swordsmanship, and a praised personality. The only thing he couldn’t have was Princess Helena.

So, in an attempt to avenge himself on the Grand Duke who had taken her, he tried to take his woman in return.

The young duke’s face turned red as if he had been insulted, and he raised his voice.

“The House Fernand will remember this insult!”

“Lord.”

Tehis’s cold voice drew his attention. Startled by the faint killing intent, Demian quickly realized his mistake. He, who had not yet formally received the title of Duke, could not mention rudeness to the Grand Duke’s woman.

The blue light reflecting from Tehis’s eyes was directly aimed at him. Despite the warm weather, the knight felt a chill run through him.

“The House Escalante will remember this as well.”

The Grand Duke’s expressionless words reached Demian’s ears like a slow death sentence.

The man standing before him was a blood-crazed killer. The Emperor’s watchdog.

He had forgotten this fact, having been ignored several times before, but now it sent a cold sweat down his back.

It was obvious why he was only now responding directly. Even that monster cherished his woman.

‘But to show killing intent just because of a little threat.’

Grinding his teeth, the young duke quickly collected his emotions and bowed respectfully.

For now, he had to yield. At least, for now.

“I showed a moment of weakness. I apologize, Grand Duke.”

At those words, Tehis gestured to the side.

“There is someone else you should apologize to.”

“……I’m sorry, Lady Chloe. Please forgive me.”

Chloe, who had been observing the tension between the two men with interest, answered lightly as if it were no big deal.

“It’s okay, you might just be a bit impatient. I understand.”

“……Thank…… you.”

Swallowing his pride, Demian turned around and left with his entourage. He planned to gather all the information on that woman as soon as he left the restaurant. Unaware that she had no official status in the Empire as a mage.

As Chloe turned her gaze from the departing young duke to Tehis, she spoke softly.

“There are many interesting people in the capital. Though I wouldn’t want to see them often.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience. Let’s continue our meal.”

Resuming their meal as if nothing had happened, they only exchanged a few words here and there. The food, still warm, tasted excellent, making it worth having chased away the young duke.

The fake couple quickly finished their meal and stood up without having dessert.

As Chloe, arm in arm with Tehis, leisurely walked out of the restaurant, she could still hear the whispers. It wasn’t just the voices; even the eyes followed, making it clear who the subject of the gossip was.

She’s probably a noble’s illegitimate child, no. She’s the Grand Duke’s trophy, no. She’s a pr*stitute, no… 

All sorts of things were said in that short time, more absurd than infuriating.

‘They must be really bored, being so interested in someone else’s identity.’

Do the nobles in the capital have so much free time? If it were a commodity, I’d like to buy it.

The mage, walking without much thought, turned to look at Tehis when he didn’t move.

His gaze was fixed precisely on a table where crude jokes and laughter were being exchanged, making the air grow cold.

Hiccup.

The man who met Tehis’s eyes turned pale and started hiccuping. As he watched the man, who was clearly startled, Tehis resumed walking and guided Chloe outside. Once they were through the door, he asked her calmly.

“Do you want them punished?”

“No need……? It’s a waste of time. Let’s go buy the gift.”

Seeing her face, which showed no sign of being affected by being called a pr*stitute, Tehis felt relieved. They had only shared one meal outside, yet too many things had happened that could have upset her.

Even if she didn’t seem displeased, it would be troublesome if she refused future public dates because of this.

‘I should at least give a warning later.’

Whether she knew what he was thinking or not, Chloe tugged his arm and asked.

“Do you know where the herb shop is?”

“Let’s take the carriage.”

Heading towards the carriage contracted with the restaurant, the coachman who had brought them bowed deeply. As at the checkpoint, his tightly clasped hands were trembling, and he was sweating profusely.

“Can you take us to the most reputable herb shop around here?”

“Please get in. We’ll depart immediately.”

The two boarded the carriage, passing by the overly frightened middle-aged coachman.

Watching the moving scenery for a while, Chloe voiced a question she had been pondering since arriving in the capital.

“Why is everyone so afraid of you?”

Looking at the Grand Duke as she asked, the answer didn’t come immediately.

Tehis, who had been silently watching her, finally spoke after some time had passed.

“Because I’ve killed many people.”

“Killing people in war is expected, isn’t it?”

It would be strange if the Grand Duke, who subdued the northeastern barbarians, hadn’t walked a bloody path.

Such a thing didn’t explain why people’s eyes looked at him as if he were a monster rather than a war hero. It seemed less noticeable among younger men, but those over thirty clearly felt uncomfortable with his very presence.

Understanding her confusion, Tehis added an explanation.

“Not just barbarians. I also exterminated several noble families for treason. It was all by the Emperor’s command, but I was the one who directly dealt with them.”

Tehis, who had served as a sword for the Imperial Knights before coming of age, vividly remembered the eyes that looked at him as a monster. Even though he was following orders, dragging corpses through the streets was bound to horrify people.

His infamy as a blood-soaked executor of the Emperor’s will had already been high from that time. People even used his name to scare children, saying the black ghost would take them if they kept crying.

‘It must have been a rumor spread by the Emperor to instill fear of Escalante.’

A childish tactic, but the result was quite effective. It didn’t take long for him to be synonymous with cruelty.

Having experienced all sorts of rumors, Tehis sighed and continued.

“I don’t go around killing indiscriminately as rumored, so there’s no need to worry. If I wielded my sword for trivial reasons, it was because the target had to be dealt with…….”

“I’m not worried.”

Chloe cut off his lengthy explanation and shrugged, crossing her legs.

“You won’t harm me, and I don’t care about reputation.”

Taken aback by her unexpected words, Tehis opened and closed his mouth. He was about to ask what made her trust him so much, but then he remembered the contract.

Right, the contract. 

There was a clause in their contract stating that they wouldn’t intentionally harm each other. Even if that was the basis of her trust, it was much better than her avoiding him, so he felt relieved.

Chloe’s casual voice continued at that moment.

“And with a friend who’s a dark mage, who am I to judge?”

Magic wasn’t divided into white and black. The same magic could be used for good or bad purposes, so such distinctions were meaningless.

Although the continent believed otherwise, a mage expelled from the Mage Tower for intentionally killing someone was called a dark mage. They often had bounties on their heads depending on their crimes.

‘That’s why dark mages have such a bad image.’

Thinking of the brown-haired man, Chloe fiddled with her earrings. The first friend she made upon entering the Mage Tower. The golden-eyed man who had given her flowers and smiled brightly crossed her mind.

‘I haven’t seen him in a long time. I wonder when I’ll see him again?’

Not knowing his whereabouts and believing no news was good news, she met Tehis’s eyes.

“You’re not prejudiced.”

“I tend not to be.”

Actually, it might be more that she didn’t sense danger, but the Grand Duke held his tongue.

“We’ve arrived!”

With the coachman’s slightly stiff voice, the scenery stopped. As they got off the carriage, they left the coachman waiting and entered the herb shop.

Tinkle- The sound of the doorbell was accompanied by a gentle herbal fragrance.

“Welcome!”

A lively employee’s voice greeted them. A woman who smelled strongly of herbs left what she was organizing at the counter and approached. Her eyes, the same color as her wheat-colored hair, curved warmly.

“Is there something you’re looking for?”

“I’d like to browse first. What’s the most precious thing you have here?”

“The rarest herb would be Lunaria. Have you heard of the legendary flower that contains moonlight?”

“Oh, do you have Lunaria?”

“Yes! We only have one, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it, and it’s so beautiful…….”

“Gasp!”

The employee’s chattering stopped at the sound of someone gasping. Turning her head, she saw a middle-aged man running from the storeroom, knocking over a chair.

“Oh my, I apologize, Your Grace! This girl just came up from the countryside and didn’t recognize such an esteemed guest……!”

“It’s fine. I’m not the customer, so please assist this lady.”

The employee, who couldn’t have imagined his identity, alternated between looking at Tehis and Chloe with wide eyes. Seeing her uncle repeatedly bowing and saying ‘yes, yes’, she awkwardly tried to follow suit until Chloe stopped her.

“Don’t worry about it. Can I see the Lunaria? If it’s genuine, I’d like to buy it.”

“Of course! It’s in the back storeroom…….”

“L-Lunaria, you say?”

Interrupting the employee, the owner bowed with trembling hands, wiping his sweat. His gaze never rose, as if it were too humbling to speak to such high-ranking individuals.

“I’m sorry, but it was sold yesterday. A customer paid half in advance and said he’d bring the rest today, so we were holding it temporarily…….”

As the shop owner trailed off, the doorbell tinkled again.

A man who had arrived at the promised time took a step inside and then froze.

From beneath the dark hood of his black robe, an incredulous voice emerged.

“Chloe……?”