HCLYB 07

“What is that child’s identity?”

Maya, who had climbed into the carriage with Reina, asked as if she had been waiting for the moment.

“Please tell me at least a little about what’s going on.”

Reina swallowed dryly.

She had already intended to tell Maya, but the sharp look in her eyes made her feel intimidated.

“Well…”

Carefully gauging Maya’s reaction, Reina told her the truth.

That she had secretly taken in a terminally ill child whom the Grand Ducal House of Ingersoll was keeping hidden.

Reina expected Maya to get angry.

However, Maya simply lowered her head without saying a word.

‘My lady, who I always worried was too kind and soft-hearted and easily hurt…’

…has become a kidnapper.

“My lady.”

Maya spoke with a choked voice, taking a deep breath.

“You do know why Lucius Ingersoll is called the ‘Monster Grand Duke,’ right?”

Reina nodded.

That he feels no pain, eats nothing, doesn’t sleep, and instead hunts and devours humans every night.

Those rumors had originally followed the first Grand Duke of Ingersoll.

“And you also know that the first Grand Duke of Ingersoll was insane.”

The first Grand Duke of Ingersoll was a hero of the Empire who led wars against neighboring nations to victory.

The people of the Empire revered him as a hero, but at the same time feared him as a monster.

Because after the war ended, he changed.

He neither ate nor slept properly and always carried a sword.

Eventually, he reached the point where he would cut down anyone who approached him.

As if he were terrified that someone would come to kill him.

“Then… have you heard about the curse that afflicted the first Grand Duke?”

“A curse?”

It was a secret rumor, so it was no surprise Reina didn’t know.

Even Maya wouldn’t have known if her parents hadn’t told her.

The first Grand Duke suddenly died overnight.

His death was mysterious enough, but even his corpse was unusual.

“They say his entire body was covered in black stains. Horrifying stains that wouldn’t come off no matter how much they tried to wipe them away.”

Reina’s eyes widened.

She was reminded of the black stains that had covered Calyx’s body.

“People believed those stains were the blood of those he killed on the battlefield.”

How many lives had he taken in war?

They said the resentment of the blood that soaked his body had festered and rotted black along with him.

“Since the bodies of later Ingersoll Grand Dukes were normal, the rumors of a curse faded away, but…”

Maya felt she needed to make Reina understand the danger.

“Do you think a curse born from resentment would disappear so easily? It’s best not to get involved with such an ominous family at all, my lady.”

But instead of being frightened, Reina’s eyes sparkled.

“That’s it! That curse must be the cause! I knew it didn’t seem like an ordinary illness. If we break the curse, Calyx will get better.”

This wasn’t what Maya had intended.

Flustered, she quickly spoke.

“M-my lady. Even if it is a curse, it can’t be lifted.”

“Why not?”

“If there were a way to lift it, the Ingersoll Grand Ducal House would have already figured it out and done so!”

Maya didn’t want Reina to waste effort on something hopeless—or put herself in danger.

“So please, return the child to the Ingersoll Grand Ducal House while you still can.”

“No. The moment my brother brought Calyx here, we couldn’t avoid responsibility anymore.”

“Responsibility?”

“You know how the Empire’s winters are getting harsher day by day, right?”

Of course she did.

Land and water froze, and animals and people died overnight.

But what did that have to do with this?

“The Ingersoll Grand Ducal House governs the coldest and most barren northern lands in the Empire.”

Maya’s eyes slowly widened.

“What’s the easiest way for a family to acquire new territory?”

A new territory to replace one that had reached its limits.

That was Lucius’s dark intention.

“You can’t just declare war between families without reason. But if it’s for killing a direct family member, that’s convincing enough.”

Calyx was terminally ill anyway and couldn’t avoid death.

When that happened, Lucius could easily hold whoever had taken Calyx responsible.

“So I have to make sure Calyx gets better.”

If Calyx didn’t die, there would be no excuse to start a war.

“Maya. Trust me.”

Reina said firmly.

“If Calyx lives, we live too.”

Only then did Maya realize.

Reina already knew everything.

What kind of family the Ingersolls were, what they were capable of—she understood it better than anyone.

Maya clenched her fists tightly.

‘How foolish of me. My role isn’t to scare my lady.’

To protect her master with her life so she remains safe—

That was what she had to do from now on.

The carriage carrying Reina and Maya arrived at the capital’s shopping district.

“By the way, what happened to your hand?”

Maya asked, looking at Reina’s left hand wrapped in bandages.

It was an injury Reina had gotten the night before due to her own foolish excitement.

When Calyx’s fever dropped, Reina became convinced that her hands had some special ability.

She even wondered if she might possess newly awakened divine power in the Empire.

Well, if she transmigrated, shouldn’t she at least get some kind of perk?

Excited at the thought of healing Calyx, Reina lightly cut her palm with a paper knife as a test.

‘Divine power, my foot.’

It hurt terribly, and no matter how much she rubbed it, the wound didn’t heal.

Embarrassed and flustered, she quietly wrapped it in bandages.

“I cut it by accident.”

Maya didn’t seem to fully believe her, but she let it slide.

“Is your visit here today also because of that child?”

Reina nodded as she entered an antique shop with Maya.

The shop she visited was the largest antique store in the capital’s commercial district, frequently used by Count and Countess Krollot.

The couple had a hobby of collecting expensive rare items.

Most of them were unusual—and suspicious—smuggled goods.

‘Things you couldn’t obtain legally.’

Thanks to the couple, who used to boast about their illegal dealings, things became easier.

For the first time since transmigrating, Reina felt grateful to them as she looked around the shop.

Though it appeared to be an ordinary antique store, the young man known as the “Master” was anything but ordinary.

If paid the proper price, he was an underground dealer who could obtain anything his clients wanted.

Reina had contacted the Master in advance to request an item.

He had said it would take time to acquire, but after she doubled the commission, he promised to have it ready by today.

“How may I assist you?”

A clerk asked as Reina approached the counter.

“I’ve come to pick up an item reserved under the Master’s name.”

At the word “Master,” the clerk’s expression changed.

“And the reservation name?”

Reina hesitated to answer, and the clerk’s demeanor turned sharp.

Sensing something suspicious, Maya was about to become wary—

when Reina leaned closer to the clerk and whispered in a tiny voice,

“V-violet blooming under the moonlight.”

Ugh. So embarrassing.

Reina’s face flushed.

To guarantee anonymity, the Master assigned ridiculous nicknames as reservation names.

‘He doesn’t even know who I am, and he gave me something this cringeworthy…’

She had never met him, but he was clearly an eccentric.

“Please wait a moment.”

After regaining composure, the clerk disappeared behind the counter.

Maya grabbed Reina’s arm.

“My lady. Is it a weapon? Or poison?”

Reina blinked at the sudden whisper.

“You said you came because of that child, but this clearly looks like a suspicious deal.”

Maya quickly came to a conclusion.

“You’re here to buy something to eliminate witnesses, aren’t you?”

“…What?”

“It’s okay. I was planning to get rid of the witnesses too.”

To find a way to heal Calyx, they needed time—and to buy time, no one could find out he was hidden.

“Who is it? Who saw?”

Maya’s eyes turned fierce.

“I’ll handle it quietly. My gentle lady shouldn’t have to—”

While whispering and glancing around, Maya suddenly froze stiff.

Her gaze shifted to the glass window, and her eyes widened.

“Maya?”

Reina followed her gaze—

but before she could, Maya grabbed her and pulled her behind a shelf.

“What’s wrong?”

“Shh.”

Through the gap in the shelves, Maya stared at a man who had just entered the shop.

Though confused, Reina also held her breath and peeked.

His features were so finely sculpted they stood out instantly.

His hair was as black as night, and his eyes shone a bright gold.

The cold aura of his expressionless face suited him so well that he looked more impressive than frightening.

“Do you know him?”

“He’s the Monster Grand Duke.”

Reina, who had been admiring his looks, widened her eyes.

‘Wait… that’s Lucius!’

He looked exactly like how Lucius had been described in the original story.

Reina had only just realized, distracted by his handsome appearance.

“W-why is the Monster Grand Duke here? For me? N-no, that can’t be… not yet…”

As Reina panicked and rambled, Maya quickly covered her mouth.

The sound of Lucius’s footsteps was drawing closer and closer to them.