FMLDM 21

Chapter 21.

 The Person Who Fell for Calypse, Part 1
2020.11.14

Startled, I turned my head and saw Duke Shufen standing there, his hand clenched as he looked at Kai. Even from a distance, it was clear he was badly injured—blood could be seen flowing. But why was he just standing there like that? My heart jumped as I hurried toward Duke Shufen. Yet he didn’t move at all; he just kept his eyes on Kai, as if testing him, observing his every move.

“Duke Shufen, your hand—there’s blood…!”

The previous worry about my prior commitment completely vanished from my mind. Only now did he seem to notice me, brushing the back of his hand lightly.

“It’s fine.”

Despite his words, the blood soaking his hand was clearly not fine.

“What do you mean it’s fine? Look at all this blood…”

Not a child anymore, he kept trying to hide his injured hand. I grabbed it firmly. Once caught, Duke Shufen simply stayed still, like a little dog offering its paw. He looked at me in surprise, but I was too focused on the hand to notice anything else. The wound on the back of his hand was much deeper than I expected—it made my heart race.

“Should I call a doctor?”

I had never seen such a severe injury before, and my pulse quickened. I quickly took out a handkerchief and tied it around Duke Shufen’s wound. The cloth gradually darkened red as I tried to stop the bleeding.

“Shall I call a doctor?”

“I’m fine.”

Repeating that he was fine, he seemed just as flustered as I was. But why was he only looking at me? Didn’t it hurt?

“Could it be… he’s too scared to look at the wound?”

He wasn’t looking at anyone else—was he waiting for me to do something? I panicked slightly, wondering if he had lost his mind standing there so blankly.

“I’ll bring some medicine, just wait a moment.”

With a sense of urgency, I ran toward the annex. Duke Shufen muttered something behind me, but it was obvious—he was probably just saying it was fine.

“There’s no need…”

Before he could even finish, he was left staring blankly at my retreating back. As I disappeared from view, he turned his gaze toward Kai. Kai, who had been staring at Duke Shufen’s wound, looked down in surprise when their eyes met. In that brief moment, Duke Shufen saw through Kai’s wavering thoughts.

“Seems he’s been well-trained… which means he knows everything about Macaron.”

But speculation alone wasn’t enough; Duke Shufen needed concrete proof.

“I thought I could get definite proof today…”

Putting aside his disappointment, he walked toward Kai, who was still crouched. Duke Shufen extended his hand, and Kai lifted his head, looking crestfallen.

“Kai, this is not your fault.”

“But…”

Seeing a child about to cry might soften most hearts, but Duke Shufen showed no such weakness.

“Situations like this will happen countless times from now on. Will you cry every time?”

His expression carried a seriousness unlike how he usually treated others.

“If you show weakness, everyone will look down on you.”

Hiccups escaped Kai as he bowed his head.

“…I will remember.”

Holding Duke Shufen’s hand, Kai rose while bowing under the weight of his firm gaze. Silence naturally settled over them. Duke Shufen regarded Kai with a peculiar look. At that moment, Calypse snatched Duke Shufen’s wounded hand. Duke Shufen froze, caught in a tug-of-war with her.

“No need to be so tearful…”

It was actually Duke Shufen who felt embarrassed by Calypse’s seemingly tearful expression.

Calypse, having rushed over, panted slightly. Her silver hair shone brilliantly under the sun, and her calm purple eyes carried a serene peace. Occasionally, ripples appeared in her gaze, and Duke Shufen felt a thrill. Today, she had barged in, seized his hand, and he felt his heart flutter once again.

Mesmerized, Duke Shufen watched as she tied back her disheveled hair and turned to him. Momentarily dazed, he again lost his hand to her. The gentle touch as she applied the medicine teased his heart. But suddenly, she froze in place, pressing against his pinky as she rubbed the wound. A strange sense of déjà vu struck his mind.

“I’ve definitely seen someone like this before…”

In a flash, he remembered the previous encounter.

“The Luna Guild?”

The head of the Luna Guild, whom he had visited to find Duke Shufen, had the same habit.

“Could it be… that Shufen is… the Luna Guildmaster?”

He glanced at Duke Shufen, meeting his gaze. Feeling as though his thoughts had been discovered, he looked away, noticing the pale, slender fingers. He had thought that the guildmaster’s hands were smooth for someone who did so much rough work…

“Rare for a swordsman to have hands this refined.”

Feeling uneasy, he quickly finished applying the medicine and organized the kit.

“I’ve only done emergency treatment. You should see a healer.”

As I turned to leave, Duke Shufen’s gaze followed me. Even after returning to the room, his thoughts lingered there.

“Come to think of it, his speech is always formal, just like the guildmaster… even the slyness is similar…”

Though he thought Duke Shufen was a good man, if he were hiding something… and if his true identity was the Luna Guildmaster, that changed everything.

“But why would the Luna Guildmaster be at the Macaron Estate?”

He carefully retraced the situation. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Even with a wounded hand, he only looked at Kai.

“And the Empire’s top swordsman… to Kai? Such a mistake?”

Should he report this to Macaron? Or should he verify it first? Initially, he had dismissed Calypse’s search for a swordsmanship teacher as mere pretense. She had a reputation for being overly enthusiastic for a child that wasn’t even hers. He had doubted her intentions, but her indifferent expression didn’t suggest that. Combining what he learned from Kai, everything seemed to defy his expectations.

A woman, poisoned and abusive to the child, yet devoted and caring in household work.

“Am I just part of her domestic duties?”

The magical tools she handed him so casually were always perfect. Duke Shufen longed to see inside her mind.

“Why put so much effort into a contractual marriage?”

Her expressions when looking at the children were unmistakably sincere. That curious, endearing way she asked, ‘Aren’t they really pretty?’—it was charmingly unpredictable. Duke Shufen had even smiled unknowingly. The day he realized Calypse, who never seemed like she’d cry, had shed tears, he felt a surge of anger—angry that someone else had made her cry. Macaron was certainly lucky.

Even outside the Luna Guild’s information network, Calypse constantly slipped from his expectations. Slowly, a seed named Calypse had taken root in his heart. Her work was sexy, her loose hair enchanting, her tied-up hair maddening. Yet he hesitated to call her his type.

Many women, even competitors in the Coachella contest, had confessed to him before, but he had never considered them his ideal type. Yet this strange feeling stirred something in him.

“Did I actually like this kind of style?”

The curiosity was intense. Every time he uncovered that Calypse’s actions weren’t a pretense but real, he felt both a thrilling and unfamiliar emotion. Today, when she took his hand, he felt his heart stolen as well. The tingling sensation of the medicine beneath his hand tickled his heart and seeped inward.

Clearing his thoughts, he emerged from the tunnel, wearing a much more menacing expression than when he entered. Duke Shufen, now masked, whispered a spell into the void.

“May the glory of Halatis be upon you.”

In an instant, the magically concealed building reappeared, and he entered. Two elderly men in pure white uniforms greeted lightly and immediately got to the point.

“Does Kai have divine power?”

“…We haven’t found out yet.”

The men looked anxious, their faces tense.

“If Halatis learns the prince is alive, they won’t stay idle.”

“We must act before they do.”

Duke Shufen’s brow furrowed slightly.

“I know. I want it more than anyone.”

“It’s not that…”

No one could oppose his steely gaze.

“How far has the operation progressed?”

“All parts of the royal knight corps, including chefs and servants, have been deployed.”

“Prepare fully. We will contact soon.”

Another elder, intending to urge haste, was gestured aside by his companion.

“May the blessings of Halatis be with you!”

Duke Shufen watched the departing men, his thoughts complicated.

Several days had passed without him handling any matters. On top of that, the busy schedule of the estate piled up work for Macaron. At this rate, he wouldn’t even keep the promise he had made to Calypse this morning. Macaron drew the curtains on the window he kept looking at. After finishing the review of the estate’s tax issues, he summoned Momont.

“What’s the schedule for tomorrow?”

“Morning: knight induction ceremony and tax reform review.”

So far, nothing problematic. The real issue was the next schedule.

“Afternoon: Secretary ‘Tally’ will visit the Crade territory for inspection.”

Tally was the emperor’s long-time servant. His arrival meant the emperor sent him. By now, the palace must have heard about the marriage… it was strange that nothing had happened until now.

“The inspection is just a pretext. He’s coming to see Calypse.”