Chapter 19

 

The last incident had occurred without any warning.

‘If it happened again like last time… it could be a serious disaster.’

Just thinking about it made Jayden’s head ache.

But as always, his master remained perfectly composed.

Turning his head with a calm air, Kallain issued the order.

“Then we’ll take that woman along for the memorial.”

“That woman, sir…?”

“A backup.”

Too excellent for a mere backup—but Kallain didn’t feel the need to say that aloud.

“Yes… sir? W–Wait, what?”

Jayden, answering out of habit, widened his eyes and stared at his master.

“But her identity hasn’t even been verified yet.”

“Better to have someone with uncertain identity than a healer with no skill, don’t you think?”

* * *

In the past few days, the Grand Duke hadn’t sought her out.

She, too, had done her best to stay out of his sight.

She even refrained from approaching the training grounds directly.

All she could do was glance from a distant garden, watching for a chance while keeping far enough away.

It wasn’t certain, but she was almost sure they’d had to run dozens of extra laps that day because of her.
If she approached again and got caught by the Grand Duke’s eyes…

‘Just the thought of it is terrifying.’

Of course, this could all be just her delusion.

Life at the Grand Duke’s estate went on peacefully as always, and the knights seemed to forget such events by the next day.

There was no way to know if the Grand Duke really acted that way because of her.
He might simply be a man who liked to torment his subordinates out of sheer meanness.

But even so, she knew she couldn’t approach the knights so easily for at least a few days.

That was the least she could do—a bare minimum of respect.

And so the days dragged on with no progress, until now—today arrived once more.

Just when she was wondering whether she should write a letter, now that she’d observed enough—

Knock knock.

A knock sounded at the door.

When she opened it, Butler Jayden gave a polite bow, just like before, and got straight to the point.

He said she would be accompanying the Grand Duke to the southern territory.

The former empress—that is, the Grand Duke’s mother—was buried there, it seemed.

The problem was the destination. Of all places, it had to be the Kaphran Territory.

The moment she heard the name, her mind went blank.

Kaphran… The very name evoked horrifying memories.

The place where demons lived—the ones who abused her, locked her away, never letting her see even a sliver of light.

She had never seen sunlight while in that land.

The bruises hadn’t fully faded. Though they were much smaller now, they still ached from time to time.

She wanted to refuse—but she hadn’t yet proven her worth in this place.

She couldn’t start out on the wrong foot.

From what she’d heard, she was only chosen for this task because the regular healer in the estate was unavailable.

‘Right. As long as I avoid Viscount Langston, I should be fine.’

She’d be moving in the Grand Duke’s shadow anyway.
Even if Kaphran was small, it was still a proper territory.

‘As long as I move like a ghost, how likely is it that I’ll run into the viscount?’

And so, she climbed into the carriage and set off with the Grand Duke.

The carriage rolled along in comforting luxury.

The gentle rocking created a pleasing rhythm, but she couldn’t fully relax.

Sharing a carriage alone with the Grand Duke was still deeply uncomfortable.

Sunlight streamed through the window, making his silver hair shimmer with a soft blue tint.

Beneath that light, his eyes stayed sharp and aristocratic, his posture proud and composed.

Just meeting his eyes made her shrink back a little.
She turned to the window, pretending to watch the view, but she could feel his gaze piercing straight through her.

The silence—stifling—was broken after only a brief moment.

“Why did you come to the Grand Duke’s estate?”

“…Pardon?”

She turned her head at the unexpected question—and met his piercing blue gaze.

“When you threw yourself in front of me, you must have had a reason.”

“…But I guess I wasn’t that reason.”

“I… I don’t know what you mean, Your Grace. I came here to assist in your treatment and…”

‘What is this? Did I do something wrong?’

She didn’t know what it was, but instinct kicked in—and her well-trained flattery spilled out without hesitation.

“Who in the order wouldn’t want to stay by Your Grace’s side?”

“…”

“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve you.”

“Honor and privilege, my ass. Anyone listening would think I’m some kind of cult leader.”

The Grand Duke casually turned the watch strapped to his wrist.

His tone was dry, but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips.

That smile, however, vanished in an instant.

“For someone who talks about honor and privilege, you sure spend a lot of time looking elsewhere, disciple.”

He muttered it like a passing thought.

And after that, he said no more.

‘What was that? Did I do something wrong?’

She paused to think, but nothing came to mind.

Only after his gaze drifted out the window did her tension begin to ease.

It hadn’t felt like they’d spoken much, and yet the carriage had already passed through several towns, now racing along beside a brilliantly blue sea.

The rising warmth in the air made it clear they had reached the southern territory.

They were riding along a cliff, the ocean spread out below—a breathtaking view, though the sheer drop was dizzying.

White and blue waves stretched out into the distance.

She let out a gasp without thinking.

“Wow—!”

The sound of waves crashing, the cries of seagulls—
She was hearing them for the first time in her life.

Even though she’d lived in the southern territory for so long, the southern world she knew had been nothing more than a single, tiny room.

She had thought the South was just that—small, dark, and hellish.

But Kaphran was far more beautiful than she ever imagined.

After following the scenic route for a while longer, the central fortress of Kaphran came into view.

It was the place where she had once been imprisoned.

Staring at the sharp, spire-like structure, her heart clenched.

Her breath caught, and the hazy view sharpened into focus.

Soon, her eyes took in the bustling streets.

Crowds filled the roads. Street vendors, people wearing clown masks, bands playing music—it all looked like a festival.

Lively energy danced across the faces of the crowd.

The smell of sizzling food on hot iron plates drifted through the air, and before she realized it, the carriage had moved past the crowds.

It glided peacefully along the main road, steady as ever.

But then—
The carriage gradually began to slow down.

She looked out the window and saw the cause: another carriage approaching from the opposite side.

As it drew nearer, the crest on the other carriage became clearer.

When the once-blurred emblem came into focus, she froze.

‘That crest…’

It was the same one she had seen in the Langston Viscounty.

Back when she had been locked in the underground chamber, the knights who dragged her around had worn uniforms bearing that symbol.

She quickly turned her head and held her breath.

Her breathing turned shallow and hot, as if the air around her had thickened.

By the time the view changed outside, she finally dared to lift her head—but her heart was still pounding uncontrollably.

Glancing behind her, she saw the carriage bearing the Langston crest fading into the distance.

‘They didn’t see me. They couldn’t have.’

She forced her trembling hands to still, turned her body back forward, and quietly steadied her breath.

How much time had passed?

When she opened her eyes again, the Grand Duke’s sharp gaze was fixed on her.

“Are you unwell?”

If she said yes, he might label her as difficult or fragile.

She wasn’t his only healer—just a substitute.

If she made a fuss over something trivial, it might become a bigger problem later.

“No. I’m fine.”

The Grand Duke’s gaze lingered on her briefly, then he turned away as if accepting her answer.

By then, the carriage was heading straight into the heart of Kaphran.

Outside the window, the viscount’s estate—once a distant shape—grew larger and closer.

Though it had become strangely shabby and many parts had changed since before, its overall shape remained unmistakable.

She couldn’t possibly mistake it for anything else.

‘Are we… actually going to stay here?’

‘Why didn’t I think of this earlier?’

“Um… Where are we staying tonight?”

She hadn’t meant to ask, but her voice came out faint and shaky.

The Grand Duke, who had been watching the scenery outside, slowly turned his gaze toward her.

Her throat went dry from the tension.

* * *

At the entrance of a house too small to even be called a viscount’s estate, Viscountess Langston rushed over to her husband.

“Why would the Grand Duke suddenly want to cut off our trade? I can’t think of any reason at all!”

“And what am I supposed to do about that man’s whims? Damn it.”

“I mean, we even offered to renegotiate the terms, and he wouldn’t even look at them!”

Grand Duke Kallain.

Because of that insufferable man’s whims, the Langston family was facing serious losses.

The truth was, their ability to maintain their status—and even build influence as a merchant family—had depended heavily on their share of the North.

And at the center of it all had been Grand Duke Kallain.

Losing trade with Detroit wasn’t a problem limited to just that territory.

Even lords from nearby northern lands would cut ties, all because of how closely they watched Kallain.

Viscount Langston slammed the table with a scowl.

“Damn it all!”

Nothing had gone right for him lately.

His life felt like someone had tangled it into a huge, knotted mess.

His wife glanced nervously at him, the smell of alcohol heavy in the air, then rose from her seat.

Just then, the chamberlain rushed in.

“His Grace the Grand Duke’s carriage has arrived in the southern territory. We should begin preparations.”

Wait—The Grand Duke?