How Can You Pay Back The Kindness I Raised With Obsession?

‘I was wondering why the Duchess had to take refuge here, given the family she came from, and it turns out there was someone with a plan like this.’

 

Elliot concluded that this was the Duchess’s sole action against the Duke’s wishes since the Duke has already agreed to a future alliance other than marriage. In fact, Elliot, who had heard every detail of today’s conversation from Sven, had expected something like this to come out.

 

“So, are you saying that you will have a successor within two days and take control of the Grand Duchy while His Highness is away?”

 

Hazel, well said. He also shouted this loudly and spread the word among the employees, so while he was away, the employees would fiercely monitor and keep the Duchess in check. As a reward, he even wanted to give Hazel the title of Grand Duchess. Of course, that’s the prize he wanted, not Hazel.

 

“Princess.”

 

Elliot turned his gaze to the princess, who was just sitting there, somewhat like a doll.

 

“Did you say the same thing to my lover today?”

 

The princess shrugged her shoulders, but she couldn’t say anything and just kept her mouth shut. She had completely admitted it to him.

 

“That’s disgusting.”

 

Elliot muttered coldly. As if to listen to the ruthless people in front of him.

 

“Well…”

 

The princess opened her eyes in shock and she began to cry. The Duchess, who knew how to take advantage of her daughter’s tears, was silent. She seemed frozen because she didn’t expect him to be so outspoken. Unfortunately for them, Elliot wasn’t a generous person enough to keep his manners to the end to those who were rude to him.

 

“Duchess, I will only say this once, so I hope you will listen carefully and never say something like this again.”

 

“…”

 

“If an emergency arises, the Grand Duchy already has someone who will become the successor.”

 

He meant Luca.

 

“Also, I am prepared to start a family while I am away. To think that I, who had gone on numerous expeditions under the orders of the Emperor, would not have even established such a system… It’s unexpected.”

 

The Duchess’s spirits were dampened as she fully understood the unpleasant implications of the disparaging remarks made against him and the Grand Duchy.

 

“It was a presumptuous remark. Please relieve your anger.”

 

But she didn’t apologize, which angered Elliot even more. What on earth were those two women going to do while he was away? Elliot should have been warned in advance.

 

“I will do something to save face for the Duchess, who spoke presumptuously even though she knew full well. If something happens to the Grand Duchy, I will understand that it is the work of Princess Monette, who was greedy for the position of successor to the Grand Duke.”

 

The two women were visibly shocked. Those two people didn’t have the courage to harm Luca. The Duchess would not be unaware of the disaster that would come if she did so. This was just a warning to discourage her.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“I hope you are comfortable and take care of yourself.”

 

Elliot ignored the Duchess’ attempts to grab him, and he resolutely walked away.

 

“I don’t often say things like this because of your harsh words, but I feel relieved.”

 

Daniel laughed as he followed Elliot into the main building, soon letting out the sigh he had been holding in. It was as if the foodie took advantage of the chaos to take over the house. Whose fault was it for the confusion?

 

“Even if the Duke finds out about what I said today, he won’t be able to accuse me of being rude.”

 

“On the contrary, the Duke should apologize for his rudeness.”

 

“The Duke is a brilliant man…”

 

The woman and her daughter were far from brilliant.

 

“That’s too bad.”

 

* * *

 

Before she knew it, the night before departure had arrived. The noisy Grand Duke’s residence became quiet. It meant that all preparations for deployment were completed. Now, when the sun rose, the Grand Duke was leaving.

 

When she touched it again, something seemed to burst out of her chest. As she was walking down the hallway carrying a tray, she stopped when she saw the Grand Duke’s office.

 

‘Smile. I’ll send him off with a bright smile.’

 

After practicing smiling in the mirror several times, she knocked on the office door.

 

“Please come in.”

 

When she went inside, as expected, the Grand Duke was sitting at his desk. Even the night before departure, he couldn’t rest and was busy doing last-minute work.

 

“It has an irresistible smell…”

 

The Grand Duke raised his head and smiled broadly at her. As she practiced, she raised the corners of her mouth and walked over and placed the tray on the desk.

 

“Thank you so much.”

 

He looked at the soup bowl in the middle of the tray, put the papers aside and picked up a spoon. She sat on the chair across from him, watched the Grand Duke, and asked:

 

“But why did you choose this?”

 

The day before he left, she promised to cook him something delicious. She expected the previous Grand Duchess’ chicken soup, but the Grand Duke said he wanted the beef stew she made.

 

“Do you remember when I went to the east to subdue monsters not long after we first met?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“The thought of this stew never left my mind throughout the expedition. I was wary of you back then, but my tongue was already obsessed with you.”

 

“The tongue that said it was rabbit food after seeing the cabbage salad?”

 

“It’s unfair. It’s my eyes fault. To be honest, it was weird to see.”

 

As he ate the stew, they occasionally joked and laughed. It was a difficult time, so she had to spend it with a smile. When the bowl was empty, she took out another gift from her pocket. It was a locket with her portrait in it. As soon as he received it, he opened the locket and gently raised the corner of his mouth.

 

“The Hazel I know is the same. You draw self-portraits accurately.”

 

That’s because this face wasn’t a self-portrait, it was a painting she drew in the first place.

 

The Grand Duke looked at her face and the portrait for a long time, then thanked her and hung the necklace around his neck. Suddenly, she remembered the first time she gave him a locket containing portraits of his younger siblings as he was about to go off to war.

 

“I don’t take bribes. Take it back.”

 

Where did the man who was so wary of her back then go? Once again, she felt that the Grand Duke and she had come a long way that they had never imagined, and her heart sank. She wanted to be by that man’s side and help him, just like she did throughout the territory. But her combat skills were terrible, so she wouldn’t be of any help. Her role was to be a nanny. A nanny must protect the children.

 

“Rest assured, I will keep the chestnuts safe.”

 

‘So please do your best to come back alive.’

 

She swallowed the last words for fear of sounding ominous.

 

“I will only trust a competent nanny.”

 

He responded with a smile and stood up.

 

“Are you going to sleep now?”

 

“Uh…”

 

The look in the Grand Duke’s eyes looking up at her was unusual. There was something he wanted, but it seemed difficult to say it out loud. Was he asking her to help him with some work?

 

“I’m not sleepy yet. I have a lot of time.”

 

She didn’t think he would sleep tonight anyway.

 

“…okay?”

 

She tilted her head to ask him to speak, but he didn’t open his mouth willingly. She didn’t know what he was asking, but he looked at her with an extremely embarrassed expression that made his face turn red, and then he suddenly sighed and covered his face with one hand.

 

“I can’t do this to you when I might not be able to come back. I’m saying I’m being excessively greedy when I have a life-threatening fate in front of me.”

 

She heard a muttering sound from him.

 

“What is it? Please speak comfortably.”

 

“Please take care of my younger siblings.”

 

“…It’s already been said.”

 

“…This is a request so important that I cannot emphasize it enough times.”

 

Ugh. That sly.

 

“Oh, one more thing. No matter what the princess says, don’t be swayed.”

 

“Yes.”

 

She smiled and stretched out her hand to the desk. As she was about to take the tray, he squeezed her hand, kissed the back of his hand, and said,

 

“Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

 

* * *

 

From early morning, the army and knights were lined up in the square of the Grand Duke’s residence with no room to move. At one end of the square, those who had come to see the people off gathered, waving handkerchiefs and wiping away tears.

 

“Listen carefully to Hazel, and don’t forget what I told you.”

 

Elliot said goodbye to his siblings.

 

“Huh. You have to come back safely, brother.”

 

“Take care of yourself… I’ll take care of the family, and I’ll do well… Don’t worry about us.”

 

The children, who had smiled and waved their hands during the last expedition, tried hard to hold back their tears today. Even Luna, who was hard to see crying, couldn’t speak because she was crying. Elliot hugged his younger siblings, who had grown old enough to understand the meaning of the expedition, and told them that he loved them.

 

“Your Highness, you must go now.”

 

It was only when Daniel let him know that the time to say goodbye had come that he let go of his younger siblings. Elliot briefly exchanged greetings with those who came to see him off, and he made final eye contact with Hazel. Of all the people gathered here, Hazel was the only one smiling. While Princess Monette could clearly be heard sobbing, Hazel said goodbye to him in a bright voice.

 

“Have a safe trip.”

 

What should he do if Hazel cried? He stayed up all night worrying for nothing, because she seemed fine. If she felt sad about it, it’s a bad thing. It’s good if they parted ways with a smile.

 

“Hazel is doing well too.”

 

Elliot smiled at her too, bid her farewell and climbed on his horse. He rode to the other end of the square, organized his ranks for the final time, and stood at the head of the knights. It was just as he was about to raise his hand and give the order to march. Sensing something about it, he paused.

 

“Why are you doing that?”

 

“Damn…”

 

Daniel asked, but he didn’t answer and closed his eyes tightly. Elliot immediately opened his eyes and turned his horse’s head away, unable to overcome his rising passion. The white horse passed the knights and the army at speed, parting the crowd of people who came to say farewell, and stopped only at the end of the square. Elliot dismounted from his horse in one fell swoop and walked straight to one of the giant pillars that lined the road to the mansion.

 

‘I don’t know about you, but I can feel wherever you are. But why are you hiding behind the pillar?’

 

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Translator Note: