IPTD 27

Chapter 27

The silk shirt loosely draped over the Duke’s upper body was gaping at the front.
I forced my gaze elsewhere as much as possible and looked into the Duke’s eyes.

“Huh?”

But…
The man’s eyes, usually so sharp and clear like hydrangeas…
were now strangely murky, unlike usual.
His eyes were open, but…
it seemed as if his mind was somewhere else.

“Well, at least I feel relieved seeing the Duke here.”
I didn’t completely trust him, but if it had been someone else, it would have been much more terrifying…

At that moment, the Duke suddenly started walking toward me in long strides.
Startled, I took a step back.
Perhaps noticing my fear, he paused for a moment, then raised both hands slightly as if to prove his innocence.

“I wasn’t trying to scare you… Don’t be startled.”
“…….”

…Why are you talking like that?
If I were just a little closer to the Duke, I might have answered without thinking.
His usual emotionless, curt tone was gone, replaced by an unexpectedly gentle, affectionate manner.
Where did this sudden charm come from?
The Duke was extremely suspicious right now.

As my wariness grew, the Duke let out a quiet chuckle.

“Rene.”
“Uh… me?”
“Yes, you.”

I glared at him, wary of the unusually different atmosphere he gave off.

‘Until now, he always called me with my full name. What’s he trying to do this time?’
The Duke, who had always called me “Rene Blanche” in full, probably intended to show me how pointless marriage with him would be and to clearly reject me.
I hadn’t yet been acknowledged as “Rene Celeste” by him.
Well, honestly, I didn’t care what name he used.
I had never minded, never felt hurt.
Why would his approval matter to me in the first place?

But…
“I’ve always thought your name is pretty. It’s smooth when pronounced.”
“…Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”

I forced down my pounding heart and replied coldly.
This Duke was unlike anyone I had ever known.
Had he been thoroughly bewitched by a mental-type monster?
Otherwise, why would he behave so differently!
Maybe he was even a completely different person with the same face.

With his loose smile and unusually free attire, he looked so unfamiliar.
‘He usually has a sharper, more distant impression… but now he’s like a Casanova.’
I felt he could charm anyone in the world if he really tried.
The problem was—it seemed like it would work on me too!

“No! Get a grip, remember the atrocities he committed!”
Ugh! Why am I so weak to his face?

“Why are you out here?”
The Duke asked, completely unaware of my unholy thoughts.
I shrugged casually.

“That’s what I wanted to ask… What are you doing at this hour?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Same here… but aren’t you cold?”

I nodded toward his chest.
‘Button it.’
Stop tempting me with lewd thoughts!
It was meant as a sharp warning.

“Hmm?”
The Duke glanced down at his clothes, seemingly unfazed.
“Ah.”

But his next action was completely unexpected.

“I’m cold.”
“Then go back inside to—”

Before I could finish speaking, the Duke strode forward and suddenly pulled me entirely into his arms.

“!!!”

In short, a “hug” happened between us…
a rather scandalous event!
I froze like a statue.

“Why… why… why are you doing this?”
“I’m cold…”
Lowering his head, the Duke rubbed his cheek against my crown, pouting.

His entire body was icy, as if he truly was cold.
A chill ran through me from head to toe.
At the same time, a strange, nameless feeling rose in my chest.
Maybe because of that feeling, my heart had been racing uncontrollably.
I worried it might literally burst.

But there was another, bigger worry.

‘Earlier…’
It wasn’t just the hug—I clearly saw his bare feet in the moonlight.
This was proof that the Duke was not in a normal state.

‘But… I’m not scared.’
I even felt a little… pity for him.
No, wait. Pity?
Quickly shaking my head, I deliberately freed myself from his arms.
I would never let him see me flustered.

Surprisingly, he let me go willingly.
His claim of not intending to scare me still seemed true.

“L-Let’s go inside first.”
I had no choice but to lead him into the cabin.
Despite his large frame, he followed closely, like a dog sticking to its owner.

“Even though I’ve lived in the Duke’s Castle my whole life, this is my first time inside such a place.”
He looked around the cabin with curious eyes.
There was no corner I hadn’t touched in this cabin.

‘Look at this place. Pretty great.’
I proudly wiped my nose with a sense of satisfaction.

But the Duke’s brief comment was:
“Looks like a storage room.”
…His social skills were clearly still broken.

“This isn’t something you should say in front of the person living here, you know?”
I retorted with a sly smile.
Finally, he felt like the Duke I knew.
Ah, so he hasn’t completely changed.

‘Hmph.’
Deciding not to respond further, I turned sharply and led him to the bed.
Since he said he was cold, I would cover him with a blanket and then go back to the main building to get help.

“Lie down for a bit. I’ll add more firewood…”
Before I could finish speaking:
“Don’t go.”
“Ah!”

The Duke, half-sitting on the bed, grabbed my hand.
As expected, my face ended up against his broad chest again.
He had probably controlled his strength, as it didn’t hurt at all.

‘I-Isn’t this chest way too close?’
Ever since earlier, it felt like a family-friendly fantasy novel had turned into an adult one!
This is problematic!
I silently screamed, venting my frustration inwardly.

Regardless, the Duke lay back fully, turning comfortably on the bed.
He placed me completely on top of him.

“Um… this…”
He glanced briefly, then closed his eyes completely.
‘So stiff…’

I tried to push him away slightly in protest, but he didn’t budge.
Eventually, I gave up and settled in comfortably, thinking of it as a wooden bed.
That made me feel a little more at ease.

“…….”
Unlike before, his large chest radiated warmth.
When stranded in a snowstorm or falling into icy water in winter, people huddle together to share body heat.
I always thought that was just a romance trope learned from media… but it was real.
Even penguins do it, right?
They huddle together to survive the Antarctic cold.

‘Yes! So this is a way to survive the cold, just like penguins!’
Reluctantly, really reluctantly…

“…Haa.”
Okay, I knew it was ridiculous.
But… otherwise, my head might have exploded from the overload.

‘What a sight I’m making of myself.’
I thought it was funny how I was rationalizing this.

“You keep bothering me…”
The Duke’s low voice, which I thought was asleep, reached my ears.
Thump… thump… thump…
I could feel his heartbeat through our contact.
Strangely, it felt peaceful.

Just like this early morning.
Under the calm light of the full moon.
With only the faint sounds of insects and our quiet heartbeats filling the night.

I couldn’t tell if the pounding belonged to him or me…
so I deliberately closed my eyes.
I feared my thoughts might wander inappropriately.

At that moment, the Duke continued speaking.