IWAID 04

Chapter: 04

Nameless Chloe

It was impossible to predict how the Duke would react when he discovered that the personal attendant he had kept by his side for three months, thinking them a man, was actually a woman.

Although last night had been like an animal in heat, Chloe knew better than anyone how cautious the Duke was around women, having observed him closely for the past three months.

He had avoided women to the extent of taking a detour whenever one crossed his path. That was how much he disliked them.

And yet, despite hating women so much…

Compensation claim?

Was he looking for a sleeping partner just to do something like that?

But she shook her head to herself.

It couldn’t be that reason.

The Duke, rational and logical, and wealthy enough that money never ran out, wouldn’t treat such matters as something to be resolved financially.

Even if he did, it wouldn’t return someone to being a virgin.

In the first place, in the Elrion Empire, where sexual freedom was relatively unrestricted, holding one party responsible just because two adults spent a night together would make no sense to anyone, let alone the Duke.

That’s right! There was no need to worry just yet.

Even if Sir Joyce went looking for the “night of the dog and cat,” there was no guarantee he would find her.

Moreover, since he was searching for a woman and both the Duke and Sir Joyce believed her to be a man, it would be difficult for them to connect the woman who stayed at the inn with her.

So, nothing would happen.

Chloe buried her head in the bed, deliberately trying to shake off the negative thoughts.

Her previously sharp and alert mind began to blur, and her eyes slowly closed.

Overwhelming physical fatigue, brought on by a night without sleep, overpowered her mental exhaustion.

“Gasp!”

Chloe, who had fallen asleep, suddenly shot upright as if struck by lightning.

What time is it?

Looking out the window, the sun was already low in the sky. It seemed to be late afternoon.

How long had she actually slept?

The Duke didn’t employ female attendants and disliked physical contact with male servants, so he didn’t receive help with bathing or even dressing.

Because of this, even as a personal attendant, Chloe’s duties were minimal: assisting with morning face-washing, delivering tea in the morning and afternoon to hear and execute the day’s instructions, and attending to the Duke only when specifically called.

She was arguably the laziest personal attendant in the world.

Of course, at first, there were no established rules, so she had hesitated a little. But the Duke never said much, and gradually, this pattern settled.

In any case, with so little work, being late even for tea time would be embarrassing.

But it was already well past afternoon tea.

Chloe hurriedly prepared tea and entered the Duke’s room.

“I’m late. I apologize.”

“…….”

The Duke said nothing.

Was he displeased at her being late?

Feeling nervous, Chloe paused while placing the tea and glanced at the Duke.

Good heavens!

He had raised a hand just under his nose, glaring at her with a frown, as if trying to block a stench.

His gaze was so fiery it sent chills down her spine.

“Duke?”

Being a little late, was it really a reason to be that angry?

There had been many times when she had prepared tea, and he didn’t drink it until it had gone cold.

“You…”

The Duke began speaking but stopped mid-sentence, his face contorted strangely.

He looked slightly pained.

“Duke, are you feeling unwell?”

“Ahem! Nothing. Just open the window.”

“Yes.”

Did he have a headache? Why suddenly insist on ventilation?

After opening the window, the Duke’s expression seemed a bit more relaxed.

“Duke, shall I bring the tea to your desk? If you have a headache, drinking tea might help…”

“No! Don’t come near!”

“……Yes.”

Chloe was bewildered.

At the mention of approaching, the Duke waved his hands as if she were some plague victim. It seemed he would not tolerate anyone coming near.

“Leave.”

“Do you have any instructions? Mail…?”

“I said, leave!”

Startled by the Duke’s near-shouting, Chloe shut her mouth.

“Leave. Immediately.”

He repeated the command firmly.

Chloe flinched and left the Duke’s room as if being expelled.

“Phew…!”

As soon as Klein left and the door closed, Hugray took a deep breath.

It was certain.

That man, Klein, carried the scent of that woman.

It was more distinct than before.

From someone who usually had no personal scent, an extraordinarily pleasant aroma, the same as that of the woman he had been imprinted with, emanated from him.

Unbelievable.

To be imprinted by a woman he had never met, and now to be captivated by a man—such a phenomenon had never been recorded in wolf lycanthropes’ history.

Why did a man suddenly give off that scent, and so strongly?

Her head ached just thinking about tracking down the imprinted woman, yet here she was, unable to focus because of the servant’s scent.

It was an unprecedented emergency.

The next day, Sir Joyce returned.

He entered the Duke’s office, saying he would report the results of his investigation.

Chloe quietly followed behind him. She needed to hear how much had been discovered.

Even though the Duke had expelled her so harshly yesterday, Chloe had often been nearby when Sir Joyce faced the Duke, so it didn’t seem too suspicious.

As expected, the Duke’s eyes flicked over Chloe standing behind Sir Joyce. Fortunately, he did not expel her.

“Did you find the woman?”

The Duke’s gaze turned to Sir Joyce.

“Yes. There was only one woman who stayed at that inn that night. She said it was her third visit. Her name is Chloe.”

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut.

Chloe… Chloe!

Did she have to live forever under the name Klein?

How had they even learned her name at the inn?

It wasn’t the kind of inn that kept a register, so she hadn’t written her name down.

“Her surname?”

Asked the Duke.

“They didn’t know. She said her name while intoxicated on the night of her third stay, spilling it almost carelessly.”

She didn’t remember saying her name.

Ah! That’s it!

<Miss, what’s your name?>

<I’m Nameless Chloe.>

The memory of that conversation suddenly resurfaced. She had said it that way to be cautious about revealing her name.

“Chloe.”

The Duke murmured her name quietly.

Chloe shivered.

Even knowing that he did not realize she was Chloe, the feeling of standing naked in front of him, with the disguise of a wig, glasses, and men’s clothing removed, was overwhelming.

“They drank on the first floor before going up to the second. She disappeared by dawn. She always paid in advance and vacated her room by morning. No one, including the innkeeper, knew where she came from. She said she was returning from a vacation to work. So she is likely not local.”

“Chloe is not from Arne. She was on vacation.”

The Duke muttered each detail as if engraving it into his mind. Each word felt like a stone hitting her head.

“Yes. And…”

Sir Joyce hesitated slightly.

Ominous.

What else would he say?

“And what? Report everything you’ve found, Joyce.”

The Duke’s voice was firm, urging the report.

“She said working life was difficult. She wanted to quit her job, return home, fall in love, marry, and have children. It seems she either had a fiancé or at least a lover.”

Ah! That’s why it felt ominous.

Chloe sincerely wanted to smack her own mouth.

She had said she wanted to return home to love and marry… and children?

She must have said it under the influence of alcohol, when even tiny words spilled out.

Being dressed as a man was tiresome, so she said everything that only a woman could. She never actually considered any of it seriously.

Her clenched hands were damp with sweat.

Now that her name, Chloe, was out, any further information could make the situation extremely dangerous.

“Fiancé? Marriage?”

The Duke asked again, his expression harder than she had ever seen.

“That’s just my speculation,” added Sir Joyce.

Chloe looked from the back of Sir Joyce, standing in front of her, to the Duke’s face in astonishment.

The Duke kept his head down, staring at the desk.

“…….”

The suffocating silence filled the room, making it hard to breathe. Finally, the Duke spoke again.

“Given that she stayed at the inn while moving between her workplace and hometown, I assume her workplace or hometown is at least half a day’s travel away. We will narrow our search to women named Chloe living within a four-hour radius from the inn. It will take some time. It would be best to request the Intelligence Guild using her female name.”

Hearing Sir Joyce’s words, Chloe felt her strength drain and her legs tremble.

She felt like a prey cornered by hunters closing in.

No, she needed to stay focused!

But even as she forced strength into her legs, she gasped and her knees buckled.

The Duke was staring intently at her face.

She couldn’t understand why it wasn’t Sir Joyce he was watching.

Chloe quickly lowered her head again.

“Bring back information as soon as possible.”

Yet the Duke said nothing further to her, turning his gaze to Sir Joyce instead.

“Yes.”

Sir Joyce nodded and turned away. Chloe quickly stuck close behind him, trying to leave the Duke’s room.

It was fortunate the Duke hadn’t said anything about her being there, but after staring at her so intensely earlier, it was best to leave quickly.

“Klein.”

However, the Duke called out to her even as she had already turned away.

Ah, why now again!