TNDHD 12

Chapter: 12

What is this? You’re not trying to say this is ridiculous, are you?

I needed to make my intentions clearer.

“If you’re truly remorseful, then…”

At my words, Kagan let go of his faint smile and took a step closer.

“I am deeply remorseful.”

It was an utterly defenseless appearance and an obedient answer.

But the problem was that he still didn’t look like someone to be taken lightly. After all, clothing exists to protect the fragile human body.

Yet this man’s bare upper body looked anything but vulnerable without clothes. His tightly packed muscles, almost inhuman in density, covered broad shoulders and a thick chest, extending down into a lean but powerful abdomen. The way those massive muscles rippled like a predatory beast whenever he moved only made him seem more threatening.

Even the scars etched here and there.

“I will make sure something like this never happens again.”

Despite that, his voice remained gentle.

Kagan brushed back the hair that had fallen over my shoulder and apologized once more. Looking up at him as he bent down to match my eye level, I thought to myself.

Perhaps his excessively polite behavior, to the point of feeling out of place, was his way of concealing the fact that he could be dangerous to me—like an animal hiding its claws.

Whether it was deception or consideration, I still found myself grateful for his courtesy.

“Alright.”

He was a husband I liked.

“Then I’ll help you with your bath.”

The moment I reached for the part of his clothing that clearly revealed his desire while he still wore a deliberately composed expression, he suddenly changed and grabbed my wrist.

“Ah…”

I was roughly pulled in, colliding against his chest as hard as stone. Even as he whispered an apology, he did not stop. His fierce kiss, as if swallowing me whole, made my eyes close on their own. My elaborate outdoor dress tore and fell in pieces at my feet.

The bathtub was large enough for two people. My body sank into the warm water. And then skin even hotter than the bathwater wrapped around me.

I remembered Mila, who had once adorably described the suffering of a newlywed husband separated from his wife for several nights.

I had laughed then, saying our duke was a gentleman, but in this moment, I understood.

Mila had been right. And the nights we would spend apart would no longer feel so pleasant to me either.

“I think I might get married soon.”

Even at his master’s major announcement, spoken while neatly fastening his cufflinks, Ben reacted only lukewarmly.

“That would only be natural, wouldn’t it?”

The Duke of Steinway, Kagan Steinway, who at twenty-six still hadn’t shed the status of an unmarried man, had always dodged marriage conversations with a casual “I’m not ready yet, but soon,” every time someone brought it up.

Had anyone been fooled even once?

“But Your Grace, if you want this ‘soon’ to actually come without issue, you should seriously start going on proper matchmaking meetings.”

Ben was becoming anxious inside. If his master continued like this, the proud legacy of the Steinway family, which had ruled Wayriver for generations, might end here.

Though relying on Lady Diana, who absolutely refused to become a lord, was impossible. A shy girl who stammered about unpredictable dreams like “soldier” or “dancer” was hardly fit to inherit Wayriver. At this point, it would be more reasonable to consider whether Ben himself had any legal claim.

Was it last month? Princess Sienna, who had openly expressed her affection for the Duke of Wayriver for years, had finally given up and announced her engagement to Crown Prince Kosanti.

When the duke heard the news, he, as always, showed no interest. But Ben could not remain calm. He had to swallow molten tears in silence.

“How about the eldest daughter of Marquis Halventi? She comes from the prestigious Ingestan bloodline, and her family is closely connected with the House of Schumann.”

Since his master had brought up marriage, Ben seized the moment and mentioned the young lady he had been considering. The other side had also shown subtle interest, and he had been planning to arrange a meeting soon.

“Hmm…”

But the duke gave neither approval nor refusal, only an ambiguous breath. He seemed lost in thought while sliding his arm into the jacket Ben was holding for him.

Was he uninterested in women? He had never once been seen flirting despite the many who approached him.

But even if he wasn’t interested, what did it matter? Nobles of his rank did not marry for interest or preference in the first place.

This stubborn bachelor was already in his sixth year of ducal life, and four years since formally inheriting the title. Outsiders dismissed him as a novice noble who didn’t understand the importance of marriage, but Ben, who served as his direct aide, saw it differently.

He had adapted to noble life with frightening perfection. The face of the “barbaric knight who hunted monsters,” as he had once been called, was now completely hidden behind a polished, refined mask.

He had even captivated Prince Zeke. That prince who notoriously looked down on free knights of low birth—especially monster hunters.

There was no way he was a bear. A fox, perhaps. Or more likely a wolf, considering both size and danger.

“Ben.”

And yet, could he lose like this? Ben was also a knight. A knight sworn to protect the Steinway family and the future of Wayriver. He, who had served this house for nearly twenty years since he was a fifteen-year-old boy, was now burning with determination.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

He would make sure the duke got married.

For the glory of the Steinway family and Wayriver’s future.

“How do women like to be proposed to?”

If he would just get married, Ben would do anything.

“Don’t worry about such things. If you just tell me whether it’s a proposal or a wedding, I can handle everything…”

Wait. Was something different just now?

It didn’t feel like the usual pattern of avoiding marriage pressure.

Ben stared intently at his master’s face, now neatly dressed and standing before the mirror.

Yes, something was different. Had there ever been a time when the duke’s eyes looked so alive while talking about marriage?

“Could it be… there’s a young lady you have in mind?”

This wasn’t a casual remark about marriage. It was serious.

But when? Who? Ben couldn’t hide his shock.

“Not exactly someone I have feelings for.”

The duke frowned slightly, as if searching for a flaw in even his own handsome face—one often compared to Keor, the god of beauty and war worshipped in the Church. He brushed back a loose strand of hair and continued.

“More like someone I’ve decided to marry.”

What?

Ben asked cautiously.

“May I ask if I know her?”

“No.”

He answered indifferently. He did not sound like a man in love.

Then what, a strategic marriage? But even someone who rejected Princess Sienna wouldn’t settle for something purely practical.

“Is she perhaps a hunter, or from that kind of background?”

Please, let the future duchess be a proper noblewoman at least.

“She’s an ordinary girl. Though for a noble, you might not call her entirely ordinary. But I’m not in a position to judge that either.”

Whether to be relieved or worried, Ben stood there with his mouth slightly open.

The duke, glancing at him as if at a ship caught in a storm, continued.

“You’ve been to Olbwise, haven’t you? There’s a village called Tesena beyond the southern wall. She lived there…”

The duke stepped out of the dressing room with a radiant presence that looked fit for a wedding hall. His confident stride crossed the shining marble corridor toward the sunlit great hall.

“Hm. But she hasn’t married yet, right?”

He suddenly muttered to himself.

“That would be troublesome if she already got married.”

“Pardon?”

“I heard from Priest Vien a few months ago that she was still unmarried. She’s twenty-five this year, after all. At an age where she could decide on marriage in a single day if she wished.”

Ben watched his master with trembling eyes, like a ship facing a storm.

Regrettably, it was heartbreaking to see that his strongest traits—his powerful body and striking looks, and his intelligence that had condensed what should have been decades of education into just a few years—were all utterly useless in the realm of romance.

“Um… does that young lady even know you, Your Grace?”

“Who knows. She might, or she might not.”

Ben clutched his forehead.

“What is her name? As I will be serving her as the duchess, I, though lowly, would like to meet her first as your representative.”

“Ruwan.”

The duke said, gazing toward the distant eastern forest without protest.

“Ruwan Hielra.”

As if savoring the sound of a name he was saying for the first time.

“She’s a small woman, with pale skin, round eyes, nose, and lips. She looks delicate but is surprisingly lively, and her mouth is a bit rough…”

A bit rough? Ben’s anxiety grew—what kind of woman was this man planning to make the mistress of their noble house?

But the duke’s expression softened slightly.

“She’ll suit you. The priests confirmed she is a devout Ingestan.”

“Yes. I will arrange to meet her soon.”

“But after we get married…”

The duke continued as if it were already decided.

“I don’t want her to be made to do anything.”

At that overly condensed statement, Ben raised his head.

“What do you mean?”

“There is no deeper meaning.”

It was a command not to ask. A refusal of disobedience.

The duke seemed unusually firm.

By the time he left the great hall and reached the gate where Prince Zeke would arrive, he would once again wear his usual calm and gentle gentleman’s mask, deceiving the prince flawlessly.

“Nothing must be demanded of her, Ben.”

The wolf in sheep’s clothing revealed a sharp gaze as he repeated the order once more.