IBWMD 101

~Chapter 101~

“Ah!”

Startled, I instinctively placed my hand on the Grand Duke’s shoulder.

‘…….’

A strong sense of déjà vu washed over me.
There was another man who used to pick me up without warning, without a word.

‘The things you did with that monster hunter… you can slowly do them again with me.’

Could it really be the same as with Karl?
Just like the Grand Duke had said, it truly felt like I was reliving what I had once done with Karl.

My heart thudded wildly again, without any will of its own.
Because of the strange dizziness I felt, I couldn’t even ask why he hadn’t just waited for me to get down.

“Elaine!”

From behind, Captain Ista hurried forward, looking alarmed.
From his expression, he looked like he had just witnessed me being kidnapped.

‘Well, no wonder.’

The Grand Duke was wearing that dragon-head mask, and he was drenched in monster blood, looking terrifying.

Cold energy radiated from him as he turned his head toward Captain Ista.
Their gazes met.

“……”
“……”

‘Wait a second…’

Didn’t the arm holding me just tighten a little?
It didn’t hurt, maybe because he was controlling his strength, but still—

‘Too close!’

The chin of the mask brushed dangerously close to the top of my head.
That faintly familiar, refreshing scent of the Northern Grand Duke mixed with the smell of monster blood drifted over me.

Before I could even gasp—

“…Elaine?”

This time, the voice came from the other side.
It was Reina.

“Is this… the Grand Duke of Silence?”

Her voice trembled at the end.

‘Why is she shaking?’

Then I remembered.

‘Ah.’

In the original story, Reina had fallen in love with the Grand Duke.

‘At first sight, no less.’

Even though he was wearing a mask now, who knew what might happen?

‘No way… Could she already be falling for him?’

But no. She wasn’t looking at him with dreamy eyes.
Instead, Reina stared at him with such a sharp, intense gaze it looked like she could pierce steel.

The Grand Duke calmly looked between me and Reina.
Again, silence filled the air.

And all of this was happening while I was still in his arms.
It was beyond uncomfortable.

“Put me down.”

“……”

“Put me down. Quickly.”

At my insistence, the Grand Duke slowly lowered me…

…or so I thought.

Instead of the ground, he placed me right on top of his own armored boots.

The cold metal pressed against my feet, and the déjà vu hit so hard I froze in place.

I barely managed to open my mouth.

“Wait, why would you—”

“The ground is dangerous, Elaine.”

“……”

“It’s covered in monster blood.”

It was thoughtful… but not comforting at all!

My heart, already racing, now felt like it would leap out of my chest.

Was it because he reminded me so much of Karl?
Or… was it because of something else, something that had to do with the Grand Duke himself?

‘Oh, no.’

But what could I do? It felt so familiar.
As if I were standing on Karl’s feet again—
even the way he held me felt strangely comfortable.

Ignoring my panic, the Grand Duke addressed Reina.

“Pardon me.”

His tone was unnervingly polite for someone called cold-blooded.

“Have you come as an envoy from the Emperor?”

It sounded like he already guessed her identity.

“No. I came to attend my sister’s wedding.”

He didn’t look surprised in the slightest.
Just gave a small nod, as if he’d expected that.

Even though Reina usually hated the sight of blood, she didn’t look afraid at all.
Instead, she kept her eyes wide and firm.

Between them, another strange air hung heavy.

If this were the original story, it would be a pink, romantic air… but now it felt darker—black, or maybe red.

‘I know this atmosphere…’

It was the same one Reina gave me whenever I caused trouble, when she’d say my full name in scolding: “Elaine Pascal.”

Shrinking a little, I noticed the Grand Duke looking down at me.
It seemed like he wanted an answer.

So I nodded quickly.

“Yes. She’s family. I wasn’t kidnapped.”

“And that one?”

“That one? Oh.”

The Grand Duke’s gaze shifted toward Captain Ista, who had been approaching.

“Who is he?”

“…He’s Captain Ista of the 3rd Holy Knights, here as the representative for this mission.”

“You’re close enough to call him by name?”

“Excuse me? He was my superior. Captain. Do you want to introduce yourself? This is the Grand Duke of Silence…”

“……”
“……”

Even after my introduction, the two men only continued staring each other down.

Leaving me in the middle, awkward and tense.

Worse, I noticed Captain Ista’s eyes on the Grand Duke’s hand around my waist.
His pupils trembled with concern, as if remembering the scoundrels who had once treated me like a toy.

‘But no. He won’t hit me. He’s careful. Even his hand feels… warm.’

I realized too late how strange that last thought was.

Then—

Whoosh!

The Grand Duke moved swiftly.

“Huh?”

Before I knew it, I was in his arms again—
this time atop his massive black horse.

“Escort the Holy Knight Captain and the Pascal family carriage to the ducal mansion.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Wait a second!” I shouted.

Was he planning to take me like this?

“I know how to ride. Just give me my own horse—”

“Hyah!”

“No, wait! I said put me down!”

The black stallion neighed loudly and bolted forward.

My cries for him to let me down were left behind in the wind.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“…Yeah.”

“Goodness. To think even you could get motion sickness.”

Later, at the ducal mansion.

I sat at the vanity stool, still feeling the aftereffects of the ride.
Beth helped me change clothes, whispering cheerfully.

“I still can’t believe Lady Reina actually came.”

“…You could’ve told me you wrote to her.”

“I honestly didn’t think she’d come.”

“I guess I can’t blame you then…”

Still, I couldn’t help worrying about Reina.
I hadn’t been able to welcome her properly since we came in separately.

“Beth. Did Reina arrive safely?”

“Why? Are you going to keep watch yourself?”

“Keep watch?”

“To make sure no pests buzz around her, maybe?”

“What? I never—”

“Don’t you remember when you were fifteen? Some Holy Knights stared at Lady Reina, and you jabbed their eyes with their own crosses.”

“…Ah.” The memory came back.

“When you were sixteen, you kicked that young lord who was spying on her.”

“……”

“And at seventeen, you beat up the ones trying to lure her onto the terrace at a party.”

Yeah… that all happened.

‘How did I ever make it into the Holy Knights after all that?’

If it hadn’t been for Captain Ista, it probably would’ve been impossible.
He really was my benefactor.

Even if I never really wanted to join in the first place.

And now, I hated that I had no choice but to doubt him.

I sighed and glanced out the window toward the training yard.

This morning it had been full of the Duke’s soldiers, but now it was crowded with Holy Knights waiting with Captain Ista.
Their lodgings weren’t ready, since they’d arrived earlier than expected.

The household staff whispered among themselves as they passed by.
It made me uneasy.

“Will they be okay?”

“Who?”

“The Holy Knights. If they’re already getting looks like that… will Reina, too?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Hm?”

“The Grand Duke himself gave orders for her to be treated with the highest respect. She was even given a guest room.”

“…A guest room?”

Not even I had been given one when I first came here.

Again, the original story’s connection between the Grand Duke and Reina came to mind.

‘Whatever the case, they did end up as husband and wife there.’

Earlier, there had been a strange current between them.
Not pink, but dark and heavy.

‘This feels uneasy…’

Especially with Captain Ista here too.

‘The male lead. His first love… and her one-sided love.’

A tangled mess of affection.
Just imagining the three of them together again made me dizzy.

‘I’ll have to make sure they don’t end up alone together too often…’

Beth broke my thoughts.

“And that’s not all. To celebrate Lady Reina and the Holy Knights’ arrival, the Grand Duke is hosting a banquet.”

“What? A banquet?”

“That’s why you’re changing clothes now.”

“Wait. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“No, I told you right when you arrived.”

“……”

“Goodness. Was your motion sickness that bad? Maybe you just haven’t ridden in too long.”

That was when I realized how out of it I’d been earlier.
I hadn’t caught half of what Beth had said.

Though really, it wasn’t the motion sickness.

It was the memory of the Grand Duke’s warmth pressed so close against my back… filling my whole mind.