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Chapter 32
It seemed I had been in a deep sleep. I hadn’t dreamed at all, nor had I stirred even once. I opened my eyes feeling unusually light and refreshed.
“Your Grace?”
Three men with anxious expressions were there. The duke, who always looked so composed, had eyes that trembled incessantly. Beside him stood Orbi and Spen.
If I remembered correctly, after I had collapsed, I was moved to the Valoran Duke’s residence. But why was Orbi here? His face was strained, holding back tears, and his eyes were noticeably red.
“Orbi, what are you doing here…?”
“Lady Serna, come with me.”
“What?”
He cut me off with those words, and the atmosphere in the room stiffened. Come with him? Where exactly?
He brushed back his hair roughly, a gleaming thread of gold, and sent a cold glance toward the Valoran Duke.
Having just woken up, I needed a moment to process the situation.
The duke simply watched me without a word, looking displeased. His brows were slightly furrowed, and he seemed unable to speak.
I guessed from the brief moment of clarity I had earlier and the conversation I’d overheard that:
The duke had kissed me, transferring the power of a mark to my body. Because I hadn’t willingly accepted his feelings, the mark had become forced, and to recover, I had to fully accept his heart.
I already knew this, but saying it out loud again made the shock hit me all over. Either way, I couldn’t leave the duke’s side.
Being loved by such a handsome and capable man isn’t something I dislike. But I know all too well from my past life that such love isn’t eternal.
“You mean… it’s about the mark, right?”
“How did you know?”
“I overheard you talking with Sir Spen earlier.”
The duke ran his dry hand over his face.
He looked at me as if he had no idea what I might say next, like a large dog nervously waiting for its owner to scold it. He always insisted he was a wolf, but right now, he looked more like a clumsy, anxious pup.
“I don’t want to die.”
“I know.”
“Loving someone… it’s not easy either.”
“I know that too.”
After that, silence fell between us. He probably sensed it too: I had never once spoken positively about love in all the conversations we’d had.
My head was spinning. Being forced to love someone just to survive felt utterly miserable.
But if I left the duke’s side, I might die. I have to make Serenade famous beyond the Empire, across the continent, and sit on a throne of wealth.
“I need to figure out a way—”
“Come with me, Lady Serna.”
Orbi interrupted me again. The usually playful man looked serious as he spoke.
“Orbi, what do you mean, come with you? What would I even do in Quilln?”
“The mark. I’ll erase it.”
“I know you’re talented, but I don’t even understand the mark. This isn’t easy for me.”
“That’s why I want to help, Lady Serna.”
“This is our problem. You don’t need to be involved.”
The Valoran Duke stepped in to stop Orbi this time. Their subtle tension wasn’t unfamiliar. Like at the royal court, these two always had a quiet battle of wills.
My head was already spinning; they didn’t need to fight in front of me, and this could be dangerous.
“Both of you, quiet.”
Noticing the anger in my voice, they both immediately fell silent.
For now, I can’t die until I reach the pinnacle of success. I won’t allow myself an unfair death this life, after the injustice of the last.
For now, to survive, I have to stay by the Valoran Duke’s side. Whether I love him or not, it seems that’s the only path to staying alive.
“As you say, Your Grace, I’ll stay by your side.”
“Lady Serna!”
“Enough.”
Orbi interrupted again, but I calmly stopped him.
I understood Orbi’s heart. I was tempted by his offer to go to Quilln and find a solution.
But I had Serenade to protect and nurture, and people in the Empire I cared about. I couldn’t abandon all that to go to Quilln.
“I’ll find a solution here. There has to be a way. Going to Quilln would mean abandoning Serenade entirely.”
“There’s teleportation magic, and if you want, I can create a few gates to the Empire. Trust me.”
“I do trust you. You’re Serenade’s artisan and my long-time friend.”
“….”
It wasn’t hard to realize that Orbi harbored feelings for me. He always joked, spoke lightly, but sometimes, his sincerity leaked through.
I learned at the trial that he was the Empire’s only Archmage. But it wasn’t just me—everyone knew he was capable: skilled in magic, handsome, and charming to women. Anyone would struggle to reject him. Except someone love-weary like me.
“I’ve decided to stay by Your Grace’s side.”
He looked surprised at the formal title, and for a moment, I felt an impulse to ruffle his shining silver hair.
“However, I have one condition.”
“?”
He waited silently, as if willing to agree to anything. He knew perfectly well what he’d done wrong. His usual confident, predator-like demeanor was gone.
“This place is too far from the capital.”
“If it’s for Serenade, I can take care of it.”
“No. It’s because I like my own home.”
“?”
“Come live at the Troyd residence, Your Grace.”
I smiled brightly, sunnier than summer sunlight. I didn’t have to move here permanently—this was just a temporary cohabitation to resolve the mark.
They all looked dumbfounded.
“Is that too difficult a condition?”
“Ah.”
He let out a short exhale, looking at me as if he had just discovered something new. Curiosity filled his long eyes.
“Simply… excited.”
He had gone mad.
His words made heat rise in my face. Listening to that in this small carriage, I felt my heart flutter for the unknown days ahead in my own familiar space.
The carriage jolted, and I saw the familiar residence. Small and worn, it hardly suited the term “castle.”
The duke, carrying the stack of documents, got down first and naturally reached out his hand.
“Your Grace, are you really trying to seduce me?”
“It’s just a consideration for the lady.”
I couldn’t refuse his playful, charming hand. Holding it, my heart thumped unexpectedly. The excitement was from the thought of a stranger in my familiar space for the foreseeable future.
The moment the carriage arrived, Anna ran barefoot to greet us.
“Milady!”
She froze, staring at the duke holding my hand, and dropped to the ground in comic disbelief.
“Interesting reaction,” he whispered to me playfully.
“Anna’s heart might have stopped,” I murmured. I bent down and helped her up.
“Ah, Milady. Your Grace… why are you here…?”
“You’ll be staying here for a while.”
“What?!”
Don’t be too surprised, Anna. I still can’t fully grasp it either.
Her eyes widened, glancing back and forth between me and the Valoran Duke.
“So that’s how it is, right?!”
“Not exactly, Anna. Please.”
I lowered my voice so that the straight-forward man wouldn’t hear.
“How long will you stay?”
“Well…”
“Probably quite a while.”
The duke, scanning the carriage, had moved close to me without me noticing.
“If I do well, it could be… for life.”
I should’ve gone to Quilln.
This is really… madness.
