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Chapter 10
The corners of the man’s lips curled upward as he read the document. His brilliant golden hair shimmered with light. He possessed a dazzling, glamorous appearance—as if an artist had obsessively combed his hair to achieve absolute perfection, refusing even the slightest flaw. Even his insolent posture, slouching back with his legs crossed while reading through papers, resembled a finished painting.
Duke Espenser, standing beside him, watched with an expression of astonishment. Remarkably, a spark of genuine interest now twinkled across the man’s face, which was usually caked in heavy boredom.
Guihgit Hirpus Solaris. He was the sole, absolute ruler and sovereign of this nation.
Famous among the populace for his breathtakingly handsome looks, those near him—and the rest of the nobility—knew all too well how wickedly poisonous and treacherous he truly was.
A youngest prince with no succession rights seizing the imperial throne was not necessarily an unheard-of story; such things could happen, after all. However, this prince had whispered into the late Emperor’s ear, manipulating his own father into purging his rival royal siblings with his own hands. In essence, he had driven a father to murder his own sons and daughters.
In the end, after “purging” his father as well, Guihgit ascended the throne and slaughtered every last member of his opposition. His only surviving sibling was his sister, Princess Sienna.
The prince had finally grasped everything in the palm of his hand. Yet, what awaited the new Emperor was an unending, agonizing boredom.
People suggested that marrying and siring children might cure him, but the Emperor loathed such “filthy” affairs. Consequently, he remained unmarried.
The eyes of this lonely man who became Emperor shone in only one circumstance: when he locked his sight onto prey he intended to kill.
“He’s marrying his brother’s wife? Ha ha!” He chuckled, clearly finding something immensely hilarious. “Not even beasts are this utterly primitive! Even I never entertained the thought of taking my sisters-in-law. Isn’t that hilarious, Duke?”
When the Duke forced a quiet laugh alongside him, Guihgit wore a satisfied expression.
“Ah, what a farce played by vulgar beasts! Almost as amusing as the story of Count Fintan, who went mad after becoming infatuated with his own son’s concubine!”
He rose from his seat. His radiantly smiling face bloomed beautifully, like a deadly, poisonous flower.
“Didn’t I tell you, Duke? From now on, Wesselwolf is going to get very interesting.”
There were far too many amusing things over there: Astaldo, who had killed his own brother; Astaldo, who dared to covet his sister, Sienna; and the barbarian woman from Mahina whom that man had insisted on keeping as his wife after discarding his vassal’s daughter.
His blue eyes shone with innocent glee, looking just like a child eagerly awaiting his birthday.
Edda wanted to thank Astaldo, but she couldn’t catch a glimpse of him. Whenever she asked where he was or when he would return, the only answer she received was that no one knew.
“Well… we truly do not know.” “We can assure you that His Grace the Grand Duke is not avoiding you intentionally.”
The knights looked flustered, but Edda didn’t mind. Nieve and Claudel both seemed to be carefully reading her expression, but surprisingly, Edda wasn’t in a bad mood at all. She and Astaldo were not close enough to share expected return dates, nor was she worthy of such consideration. Knowing her place, she had no reason to feel upset.
He had given her a musical instrument. That alone was proof enough that he held a favorable impression of her. Perhaps, unlike Ivar, he might refrain from using violence against her.
Upon returning to her room, Edda plucked the strings several times, contemplating how best to play the new instrument. Unable to watch her hesitate any longer, Claudel spoke up.
“Why don’t you play it right here?” “I want to play when there’s no one around. If I play now, people passing by will hear it.”
Edda smiled at the instrument. Seeing this, Nieve added:
“You played during the succession ceremony, didn’t you?” “That was… a special circumstance.”
Knowing Edda’s nature of wanting to avoid drawing attention to herself, Claudel refrained from pressing her further.
In the dead of night, when everyone was fast asleep, Edda rose from her bed. Both Claudel and Nieve had returned to their own quarters. She quietly slipped out of her room, carrying her instrument with her.
The castle was dead silent. Having moved about stealthily for a long time, she knew exactly which hours were completely deserted.
“Wolves sometimes wander into the castle, Milady.”
Claudel had told her that before, but Edda had never once seen a wolf here. Checking her surroundings for any sign of presence, she quietly made her way toward a secluded corner of the castle premises.
Enclosed by high stone walls that kept the forest at bay, this was the quietest spot in the area—a place where people rarely set foot. In the past, when Edda had contemplated escaping, this was one of her candidate routes. Of course, she had quickly abandoned the idea upon realizing she would have to dodge wild beasts to navigate the forest.
Perching herself beneath the wall, Edda pulled out the lute and plucked its strings. Even though it was a brand-new, unbroken instrument, its resonance was exceptionally rich. It had clearly been crafted by a master instrument maker. A satisfied smile graced Edda’s face. Her hands moved in elegant, flowing arches.
Under the pure white moonlit night, a quiet melody began to echo. Edda played a song her mother used to play often—a story about the love between a wandering dancer and a terminally ill noble boy.
As the slow, melancholic tone transitioned into a vibrant, lively melody, Edda felt as if she herself had become that noble boy. The moment he laid eyes on the dancing and singing maiden, green shoots sprouted within the boy, whose life had resembled a barren winter tree.
Edda loved that particular section, yet she hated it at the same time. The scene where the boy’s dark world—once filled with death—was transformed upon meeting the dancer was something she could never hope to experience, yet envied beyond measure.
However, she felt she could understand it just a little bit now. Her heart was dyed with joy through this single instrument. In this dark, early morning, she felt that the moonlight was truly beautiful.
Just as Edda let out a soft smile, a low growl resonated through the air.
Grrr—
She flinched. Right at that moment, the howl of a wolf echoed again. The sound had come from quite close by. Following it was the heavy, rhythmic thud of pawsteps approaching.
It was said that Wesselwolf had an abundance of wolves. Could a wolf have actually made its way inside the castle?
Stopping her performance, Edda nervously scanned her surroundings. She knew just how dangerous wolves could be. Having seen them in person, she was well aware of their massive size.
The wolf she had tamed in the past had been the same. It was only because that particular wolf happened to be exceptionally gentle; she knew it was impossible for other wolves to be as kind.
Still, the castle inner grounds should be safe with people around. Yet Edda knew better than anyone—wild beasts were known to come down to human settlements and drag people away. Some wolves were agile enough to leap over low stone walls, while others could climb right over them.
Claudel had warned her as well. There was no reason to assume the interior of the castle grounds was safe.
She wanted to call out for help, but there was no one around. She thought about making a sound, but doing so might alert the wolf to her location.
Edda swallowed hard. It’s fine. I just need to quickly head indoors. Just as she tried to walk away quietly, another growl echoed from somewhere near.
It was a wolf. A wolf was nearby.
As Edda took hushed steps, a sudden pattering sound broke the silence—the sound of a beast leaping.
What on earth—?
Just as Edda was about to scream at the shadow of the jet-black beast that appeared before her in an instant—
“Huh?”
Standing right in front of her, wagging its tail, was a pitch-black wolf. Unlike ordinary wolves, its coat was completely dark.
Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of a apex predator swishing its tail back and forth softly.
“My goodness… Is that you?”
The beast plopped its hindquarters onto the ground and sat right in front of Edda, letting out a soft, high-pitched whimper. She rushed toward the wolf that had appeared beside her and threw her arms around its neck.
A nostalgic scent washed over her.
While wandering from place to place with her mother and sister, she had once nursed an injured wolf back to health. Once recovered, the intelligent wolf had followed Edda everywhere she went.
The wolf seemed to have grown significantly since then; its body was massive and its legs long, forcing Edda to stand on her tiptoes just to hug it. Under the golden moonlight, its black fur gleamed as if coated in fine oil.
Recognizing that familiar appearance, Edda spoke with an overwhelmed heart:
“Kami, I missed you so much!”
Startled by her voice, the wolf flinched slightly for a second.
“Ah… I’m sorry. My voice changed, didn’t it? But it’s me, it really is me.”
It seemed surprised by her altered voice. Turning slightly somber, Edda stroked the wolf’s head and murmured:
“How did you get all the way here, though? Ah, I suppose it’s because this is where wolves live.”
The fluffy fur felt wonderfully comforting. The wolf slowly licked Edda’s cheek. A giggle escaped her lips. The wolf jerked slightly and stared intently at her face.
When Edda smiled brightly, her surroundings seemed to illuminate as if bathed in moonlight. Dimples appeared at the corners of her smiling mouth, and her curved eyes traced a beautiful arc. The blushing girl of the past had grown into a woman, becoming impossibly beautiful.
“Still, it must have been a long distance from there to here. How did you make it all the way? You really must be a smart wolf!”
“……”
“I’m so relieved… that at least you made it here alive.”
However, like clouds suddenly blotting out the moonlight, Edda’s face darkened in an instant as she spoke those words.
“After you left… my mother and my sister both passed away.”
Edda’s voice carried no tears. It was a dry, hollow voice, almost devoid of sadness.
“Since then, I’ve just been holding on to life.”
When the wolf let out a displeased growl, Edda gently kneaded its neck as if comforting it.
“After all… there’s no one looking for me other than you.”
“Woof!”
Woof? Edda smiled again. It was almost as if the wolf were disagreeing with her statement. Staring intently at the gloomy Edda, the wolf nudged the instrument with its nose.
“This? You want me to play?”
A frustrated, low whine came from the beast. It sounded as if it were trying to say that’s not what I meant, but Edda, busy looking around, failed to notice.
“What if people come?”
After whimpering and pacing back and forth, the wolf eventually sat down beside her as if giving up, then nudged the instrument with its nose once more.
“You might get hurt, you know.”
Sitting there so stubbornly, it seemed almost human.
“If anyone else comes, you can just run away, right?”
At Edda’s words, the wolf nuzzled its face against her chest. Edda sat down quietly and began playing the lute. As she played, she felt the wolf’s gaze locked onto her.
For a moment, she was reminded of a man with golden eyes who had once looked up at her with his chin resting on her thigh—but she quickly refocused on her playing.
The wolf continued to watch Edda with a ravenous intensity: her slender neck, her delicate fingers, and the sight of its brightly smiling “wife.”
Unaware of that sinister, covert gaze, Edda remained defenselessly beautiful.
And Astaldo watched her for a very long time.
