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Chapter 31
Cesar looked at the Duke of Kanos standing before him. Even after Cesar revealed himself, the Duke did not move an inch.
In the Duke’s arms was Isel. Seeing her sleeping as if completely unguarded, Cesar frowned sharply.
He stepped forward and said,
“Perhaps there’s been some misunderstanding… The young lady was in the middle of a conversation with me, Your Grace.”
Before he could even finish speaking, a chilling srrrng echoed past Cesar’s ears.
The Duke of Kanos had drawn his sword.
The knights and Cesar widened their eyes and stared ahead.
The Duke, sword drawn, immediately pointed it at Cesar’s neck.
His face, cast in shadow, carried not a trace of emotion. Under the faint moonlight, his golden eyes gleamed sharply.
A suffocating, eerie killing intent seeped from him. The surrounding air felt suddenly denser, as if oxygen had been stripped away.
Someone swallowed hard, and at that moment, Lahan moved.
Before the knights could even draw their swords, Lahan’s blade cut cleanly through the air.
Just before the blade reached Duke Ration’s throat, a small sound escaped from Lahan’s arms.
“…Mm…”
As if frozen by that sound, Lahan’s sword halted midair.
The razor-sharp edge of the blade hovered precisely above Cesar’s throat.
Lahan looked down at Isel in his arms. She had been lightly stirring, but soon returned to steady breathing.
Lahan frowned slightly in discomfort.
He wanted nothing more than to cut down the “meat” in front of him immediately. Killing intent roared violently inside him.
But he did not want to commit murder in front of Isel. Even though he had done it countless times before, he didn’t want to do it in front of her.
The hesitation didn’t last long. Lahan withdrew his sword from Cesar’s neck, who was pale with terror.
Cesar gasped sharply and staggered backward in panic.
The knights, who had been watching blankly, finally came to their senses and rushed to protect him.
Even though Duke Kanos was infamous for being a man with no temperament, no one expected him to draw his sword so suddenly.
Cesar, still shaken, shouted,
“What is the meaning of this?!”
But Lahan did not answer. With a look of disdain, as if hearing a dog bark, he sheathed his sword and began walking again, carefully holding Isel.
His demeanor was so composed that no one dared to stop him.
“Your Grace!”
At Cesar’s call, Lahan paused and slightly turned his head.
“Cesar Lesion.”
From beneath the shadowed face, only his golden eyes gleamed like a beast’s. His cold voice fell like a verdict.
“Because of your foolish actions, the Lesion family will pay the price.”
Without hesitation, Lahan turned his back and walked toward the manor.
Cesar could do nothing but stare at his retreating figure.
The Next Morning
Isel woke up the next morning.
Through her hazy consciousness, she felt warm sunlight touching her eyelids.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. Before her vision fully cleared, someone called her name.
“Isel!”
It was her father.
Blinking, she tried to regain her senses. It felt like she had woken from a very long, exhausting dream.
Her father and brother looked at her with worried eyes.
“Father?”
Her voice was hoarse, surprising even herself.
Viscount Blisha frowned slightly and silently held her hand.
As warmth filled her palm, last night’s memories began to surface.
She had gone out for a walk in the garden and met Cesar.
Remembering his crazed, glimmering eyes, Isel shuddered.
“Isel…”
Her brother Leo called her gently, hesitating as if unable to ask what he wanted.
It reminded her of the past. Back then too, it had been the same—her crying helplessly while her father and brother could do nothing.
But…
Isel bit her lip and tightened her hand around her father’s. Then she spoke.
“Father, brother… I know.”
“What do you mean?”
“That the Lesion family sent a marriage proposal.”
At her calm words, both men stiffened.
Isel quickly continued before Leo could interrupt.
“I’m sorry, Father.”
“I…”
She looked directly at them, her eyes steady and determined.
“I do not want to marry Cesar Lesion.”
It was obvious.
And yet saying it out loud made Viscount Blisha’s heart ache.
The daughter who never complained, who always smiled as if nothing hurt—this was not her anymore.
She had clearly changed.
Unable to hold back his emotions, the Viscount pulled her into a tight embrace.
“…Alright.”
Nothing like that would ever happen. His voice was firm as he whispered to her.
Isel closed her eyes in his warmth. Her chest, once tightly suffocated, now felt as if a hole had been opened—air finally flowing in.
Leo then spoke again.
“By the way, Isel…”
“Yes?”
“What exactly happened with Duke Kanos? I asked him, but he wouldn’t answer…”
Isel blinked.
Then realization slowly dawned on her.
She remembered crying like a child. She remembered asking him for help.
Her face darkened.
She had said something foolish.
She hadn’t truly meant it—asking for help had just been an instinctive plea in desperation, like reaching for warmth after a nightmare.
But she had said it to the Duke of Kanos.
And now she regretted it.
At that time, she had no idea what storm her words would bring.
Later
After returning to the capital, Isel’s family became extremely overprotective.
Even though she wasn’t seriously injured, her father and brother wouldn’t even allow her out of bed.
Only after she complained that she might get sick from lying down too much did they allow her to leave the bed.
Even then, she could only stay within the manor grounds.
Her father and brother strictly forbade her from going outside. No matter how much she begged, they refused.
Even sneaking out was impossible—Alak and Harris followed her constantly.
Isel sighed while sitting by the window.
Outside, everything was quiet except for servants and guards.
Then suddenly, commotion erupted in the garden.
Knights ran around in panic.
“…What is it?”
Is it a guest?
She leaned toward the window—and saw it.
A black carriage stood at the entrance.
And from it stepped a man with jet-black hair.
Duke Lahan El Kanos.
The entire manor turned upside down.
Viscount Blisha nervously asked Leo,
“Did we… offend the Duke somehow?”
“I have no idea.”
Leo replied, pale.
The two began wildly speculating.
Isel’s mind went blank.
She hadn’t seen Lahan since that night.
Why was he here? Was it because of that incident?
As she tried to prepare herself to thank him, the door opened.
Lahan entered the reception room.
Everyone stood.
After tea was served, the Viscount carefully asked,
“May I ask the reason for your visit?”
Lahan calmly set down his cup.
“I have come to formally propose to Isel Blisha.”
Silence fell like a thunderclap.
Isel barely managed to speak.
“…Pardon?”
Lahan smiled faintly.
“Did you not promise?”
He looked directly at her.
“That you would marry me.”
