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Chapter 30
“Ah, well… I had a lot of work piled up. Harvest season is coming soon, after all.”
Even though it was true, saying it out loud made it sound awkward.
Now that I noticed, the Grand Duke had two rings on his left hand.
A wedding ring on his ring finger, and an amethyst ring I had gifted on his middle finger.
Meanwhile, my hands were bare. Last night, I had taken them off while disguising myself as the pawnshop owner and left them in a corner of the dressing room, completely forgetting to put them back on.
I fidgeted with my empty fingers for a moment before discreetly tucking them under the table.
I wondered if the Grand Duke had noticed my lack of rings.
I carefully observed his expression. He didn’t seem to know yet.
“I must have been sulking in front of you despite your fatigue…”
The Grand Duke said bitterly, almost to himself. I quickly waved my hand.
“No, it’s nothing. I’ve taken care of most of the urgent matters. I also had a good rest today.”
“Grand Duchess.”
“Yes?”
“I will be faithful to you. No matter how much I think about it, you are the only support I can rely on.”
He spoke while looking straight at me.
His pure violet eyes sparkled as if holding dew.
As I met his gaze, a strange flutter stirred deep in my chest.
In short, he was just saying, “I have nowhere else to lean on, so I’ll stick with you.”
Yet, why did my ears feel warm as if I had just received a love confession?
That face, appearing so dignified first thing in the morning, talking about loyalty—it felt a bit unfair.
“Haha, yes. I’ll be a steadfast support for you, like the Ultram Mountains.”
I gave a polite smile, keeping up appearances.
There was no way affection could blossom in such a strained relationship. The realistic goal was simply to gradually build trust and maybe develop some loyalty.
“You kept me… waiting, didn’t you?”
The Grand Duke murmured. His low, monotone voice carried a weight of accumulated emotion. He hadn’t raised his voice, yet it felt like an echo might return.
“Waiting? What do you mean by that?”
“I searched for you throughout this castle for a week. You were nowhere to be found. Even the staff said they hadn’t seen you at all.”
A week?
I was slightly taken aback.
How many days had passed since we returned to Blansk after the wedding? I counted the days discreetly under the table.
I had thought it was at most four days… but it had actually been seven.
Since we hadn’t seen each other for a full week after the wild boar hunt, I could understand why he might think I had been neglectful.
Ah, suddenly I broke into a cold sweat. Without realizing it, I had left my husband alone.
If this were a normal marriage, it would have been the sweetest honeymoon period, a time for us to get to know each other.
And yet, I had not been faithful to him.
I felt like a shameless person who had taken in an abandoned animal but hadn’t even properly fed it.
“Hahaha, our wedding was long and exhausting. That week was meant for you to rest and do nothing at all.”
“I do not like it. Doing nothing, just staying still.”
He answered sharply.
When it came to expressing dislike, he was clear and precise. I had thought the abruptness in his speech came from the Dvorcan accent, but it seemed to reflect his personality.
Still, why dislike being idle? Even Sir Julio, whose lifelong dream was retirement, would probably be thrilled.
“You are diligent by nature, Grand Duke.”
“I was merely puzzled why nothing was being done when you said I should be utilized.”
“…Do you have something else you wish to do?”
“I have a request.”
He took a sip of water. His Adam’s apple moved, and his stiff shoulders rose slightly before slowly settling.
“What kind of request?”
Why was he making such a fuss? Even I felt tense just observing him.
“I would like permission to go out.”
“Permission to go out?”
“Yes. I want to return to the farm where the wild boars appeared. I’m curious to see if the restoration work is progressing properly.”
I felt the tension leave me instantly.
Was this the big request he wanted to make?
“Grand Duke, what are you saying? I never told you not to go out.”
“….”
He paused, clearly surprised by my response.
“I am not your superior. If you wish to go out, just let me know beforehand. There are plenty of horses in the stables, so you can ride whichever is best at the time.”
“I shall… do so.”
The Grand Duke brushed back his bangs and answered.
The short sigh he let out seemed both relieved and slightly exasperated.
I had no intention of controlling his outings. Why restrict the movements of a grown adult?
Moreover, he wanted to check on work he had already handled—who could stop him?
I was actually glad.
It meant he had at least some interest in the lives of the people here in Blansk.
But why had he sought my permission? There were no servants bold enough to restrain the Grand Duke if he went outside.
As someone brought here as a hostage, he likely thought he couldn’t move freely without my approval. Wherever he went, he assumed he needed the lord’s permission.
He must have been anxious in the castle because I wasn’t around.
That explained why he had searched for me so desperately.
I felt even more apologetic.
The Grand Duke’s gaze dropped to the table. Long lashes cast a shadow beneath his eyes.
“Grand Duke, go out soon and inspect properly. I’ll assign Sir Julio to accompany you. He managed the city’s reconstruction and knows every corner. He’s talkative too, so you won’t get bored.”
“You mean you will assign your aide to me?”
“Hmm, if you feel watched, you can hire a local instead.”
“No, I am asking if it is acceptable for the person who serves you to be absent.”
“Katarina alone is enough. Accompanying a ruler of a nation would be an honor even for Sir Julio.”
His expression stiffened even more at the word “ruler.” Perhaps it was still uncomfortable for him to hear. I added with an awkward smile:
“Within Blansk, go freely. But if you must leave the walls, please let me know. I cannot guarantee protection outside, so a proper escort will be necessary.”
The Grand Duke nodded heavily.
Silence settled over the table.
We began our breakfast quietly.
When we finished and the soup bowls were empty, I looked up. The Grand Duke was staring at my hands.
Was he going to comment on my bare fingers?
“…Do you handle swords often?”
Unexpectedly, he spoke about something else.
“Yes. Can you tell just by looking at my hands?”
It was the first time I had shown him my bare hands.
From the wedding, banquet, parade, and boar hunt, I had always worn gloves in front of him.
“There are calluses on your grip, so I asked.”
“Ah, you know I graduated from military school. I’m proficient in swordsmanship, though not quite as skilled as in shooting.”
“…Hitting a charging wild boar at full speed was impressive.”
I had assumed he was utterly stoic, but he did not hold back praise.
“If it had been my true skill, I would have struck its chest in one blow. I was just too tired, so I slightly missed.”
“What a pity. Had it hit, you could have finished it yourself.”
I shook my head.
“No, it should have been you who defeated that boar.”
“Why should it have been me?”
“If I caught it, it wouldn’t have been noteworthy. I’ve taken down dozens of wild boars over the past five years. It wouldn’t be interesting if the same person caught it again.”
Whenever a wild boar appeared near farms, I always went personally. Hunting was both my specialty and hobby, and I could immediately assess damage and take action.
The locals’ reactions were lukewarm. They thanked me in person but scowled behind my back.
Of course… catching a few boars didn’t make me a hero.
“What’s the point of making a fuss if I caught it?”
“You left a strong impression on the locals. A handsome and gallant ruler who is also brave—how could they not admire you?”
“…I’m sure they know I’m a ruler in name only.”
His tone was extremely cynical. He seemed indifferent to how others perceived him.
While his lack of pretense was admirable, could he be slightly less pessimistic?
I decided to share what I had heard at the pawnshop.
“The locals couldn’t stop praising you, Grand Duke. They called you an Archangel, a God of War—they were in a frenzy.”
“It was just one wild boar.”
“Just one? Don’t downplay it. For the farmers, it’s a matter of their livelihood for the entire year.”
“….”
“I honestly didn’t expect you to come along on the hunt, but belatedly, thank you sincerely.”
“Not at all. They could have managed without me.”
True, they could have managed without him.
But there was another reason I suggested he accompany me.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the people of Blansk so thrilled. The western farms usually have poor yields, and the mood was gloomy, but thanks to you, there’s been newfound energy.”
“I don’t understand why that’s my doing.”
“Hmm, actually, I used you. I was already looking for ways to boost the farmers’ morale.”
Had I been too honest?
A small crack appeared on his smooth forehead.
“Grand Duchess, I did nothing so remarkable. Catching a wild animal on a farm is something I did even as a knight.”
“Sometimes it matters less what you do than who does it.”
“….”
“Even someone who does nothing, simply by surviving and holding their place, can be a support for someone else.”
“Are you… saying that’s me?”
“Yes. You may feel like a ruler in name only, but the symbol your title represents is never insignificant.”
“….”
“For those who have lost their country and wandered, you may be their support.”
Had I gone on too long?
The Grand Duke remained silent for a while.
He watched me quietly before finally asking a question:
“Did you… intentionally miss the boar’s chest?”
