Chapter 5

Melissa’s skirt hem was slightly torn, but that long, frilly dress was never meant for climbing walls in the first place.

The Eisenhart Grand Duke’s Castle.

Known as the northern wall of the empire, the fortress that belonged to House Eisenhart was befitting of its name. The walls rose dozens of meters high, and sharp spears were embedded in crisscrossed formation along the top.

Even skilled thieves or spies would never dare approach such a wall.

And yet she had climbed it while wearing a dress?

An ordinary person would faint just thinking about attempting it.

Perhaps…

‘She might be a spy.’

The Grand Duke’s sharp eyes swept over Melissa.

‘What kind of training has she had?’

No one could climb that wall, especially dressed like that, without possessing strength and skill surpassing most knights.

The more Seres thought about it, the less sense it made.

What in the world had Demius been thinking, bringing someone like her into this house?

That small girl, who looked as fragile as a flower and smiled so harmlessly, had somehow climbed over the most heavily fortified wall in the empire. That alone was reason enough to be cautious.

His son, who was always suspicious by nature, would never let such a questionable person stay near him.

Much less take her as a wife.

‘…But perhaps.’

Seres frowned and corrected his thoughts.

After his elder son Asellion disappeared, Demius had lost his mind for a time.

He had even run away from home and been missing for a full year.

It was possible that his judgment had dulled during that time, or worse, that someone with ill intent had taken advantage of his weakened state to get close to him.

Seres’s cold eyes lingered on Melissa, then stopped at the bandage wrapped around her forehead.

“What is that?”

“That…”

Linburton flinched, his lips trembling, before reluctantly answering.

“She was injured saving the Young Master from a rampaging horse.”

…Was that so.

Seres slowly parted his lips.

“Eisenhart always repays its debts.”

To repay kindness twice over and grudges tenfold was the Eisenhart family creed.

He closed his eyes briefly and gave his command.

“She will stay in the castle until her wound heals.”

“Your Grace!”

Linburton, startled, hurried forward and whispered urgently.

“You must not. When Lord Demius returns from the hunt, who knows what kind of trouble he will cause again…”

“Linburton.”

The Grand Duke’s voice turned sharp and cold.

Ah.

Linburton realized his mistake.

The man before him was his lord.

A man whose orders were absolute, even at the cost of one’s life.

Linburton immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“Your command, I shall obey.”

Seres nodded slightly, then turned his gaze back toward Melissa.

A small girl with green eyes and hair that glimmered somewhere between orange and gold.

He felt uneasy about letting this unfamiliar girl stay in the castle even for a day, but there were two reasons behind his decision.

The first was to repay a debt of gratitude.

And the second was to confirm whether she truly was a spy.

It would be wiser to keep a potential threat close, where he could observe her.

While Seres was deep in thought, Melissa, who had been fidgeting with her fingers the entire time, spoke timidly.

“Um, Mother?”

Again with the ‘Mother.’

Seres’s eyebrow twitched, but his reply came out cold.

“What is it?”

“Um… have we… met before?”

‘What nonsense is this?’

Seres clicked his tongue in irritation.

She looked so innocent that he had almost lowered his guard, but now it was clear she was no ordinary girl. The kind of cunning it took to win over the Eisenhart heir could not be underestimated.

‘Demius should never have fallen for something like that.’

But then again, his son had always avoided high society, devoting himself only to hunting monsters.

Perhaps his lack of experience with people made him vulnerable to such obvious tricks.

The Grand Duke replied curtly.

“Impossible.”

“I thought so…”

Melissa’s shoulders drooped as she looked dejected.

She looked so much like a wilted flower that Seres flinched before he could stop himself. But then she suddenly brightened again and exclaimed cheerfully.

“Then this must be our first meeting! That’s fine too!”

“What?”

Seres stared at her in disbelief as Melissa beamed.

“If someone as wonderful as you were someone I’d met before and I’d forgotten you, I don’t think I could bear it!”

“…?!”

The Grand Duke froze, his face hardening.

“Flattery will not work on me.”

“But I mean it!”

Melissa’s eyes sparkled as she said earnestly, “You really are amazing, Mother!”

There it was again.

Seres rubbed at his temples, feeling a throbbing ache build.

“Leave.”

“Yes!”

Melissa answered brightly and bowed before stepping out.

Creak. Thud.

Only after the door closed did Seres finally exhale a long, weary sigh.

Where in the world had Demius found her?

‘I don’t like her.’

He frowned and pressed a hand to his forehead.

That girl was unlike any noble lady of the empire. Even the roughest drunkards in taverns had more self-restraint than she did.

She smiled all the time, said absurd things like calling people ‘heroes’ or ‘amazing,’ and yet somehow made it sound sincere.

‘Suspicious.’

Whatever training she had received, it must have been from a very peculiar place.

And he remembered her hands. They were not soft or pampered, not the hands of a noblewoman sheltered from sunlight.

They were strong and calloused. Much like his own.

“Hah.”

Seres let out a short laugh before he realized what he was thinking.

Comparing his own hands, hardened from years of slaying monsters, to those of a suspected spy. He really must not have fully recovered yet.

Pressing a hand to his forehead, the Grand Duke murmured to himself.

“…Time is running out.”

Even if his health had declined, the fact that he had fainted upon seeing the rings on Demius and Melissa’s hands was proof that his condition was far worse than expected.

He probably had a year left to live. Perhaps even less.

‘At least it’s a relief.’

That he had managed to find Demius before the end came.

With a faintly bitter smile, Seres gave his final order.

“Do not let your guard down. Keep a close eye on that girl.”

“…!”

At those words, Linburton’s face lit up with joy.

“At once, Your Grace!”

Of course.

That was exactly what he had expected from the Grand Duke.

Linburton felt a surge of relief and admiration as he lowered his head.

‘As expected of His Grace!’

He silently scolded himself for ever doubting his master, then clenched his fists with renewed determination.

‘Just wait, you little fox.’

To think she would dare covet the precious heir of House Eisenhart, the very child I helped raise since birth.

It would not be long before she was cast out of this place.

That was what he believed.

* * *

“This is incredible.”

The room I had been given was breathtakingly beautiful.

The furniture was old yet perfectly maintained without a single crack, and the curtains and bedding were made with luxurious silk and embroidery.

Everything inside the Grand Duke’s Castle was more elegant and refined than anything I had ever seen, even in the city across the mountains.

But after Demius returned from hunting monsters, covered in blood, my assigned room was suddenly changed.

* * *

“Maybe this is the one.”

Walking down the darkened corridor, I rubbed my chilled fingers together.

After realizing that my new room was in the annex where guests stayed, Demius had suddenly declared to the servants that I would be staying with him.

The butler had been so shocked he tried to argue, but Demius had said,

‘Do you dare object to my wife?’

I had not seen his face then, but judging by how pale the servants went, it must have been terrifying.

My fingers felt cold with nerves as I walked down the hall.

It was my first time entering my husband’s room, after all.

But I would have to get used to it.

For at least the next year.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and knocked softly on the door.

Knock, knock.

“…My lady.”

The door opened, and Demius appeared wearing a loose robe.

With the dim light spilling from the room behind him, his silhouette looked almost ethereal.

Droplets of water fell from his freshly washed hair, sliding down the bridge of his nose.

My eyes followed the glimmering trail down to his half-open collar.

Beneath it were his collarbones, his firm chest, and the faint outline of his abs.

…Wow.

I stood frozen, completely entranced, until Demius hurriedly pulled his collar closed and stepped aside.

“P-please, come in.”

“Oh, excuse me!”

I quickly raised my head and stumbled into the room.

Click. The door closed softly behind me.

“So this is your room, Lord Demius.”

I looked around, eyes wide in awe.

Even compared to the luxurious guest room I’d seen earlier, this place was on another level entirely.

Every piece of furniture gleamed with intricate gold and gem inlays.

I had never seen anything like it.

More than that…

‘It smells nice.’

Though Demius had been away for a year, the room carried a faint scent that felt unmistakably like him.

It felt almost like being in his arms.

‘…Wait, what am I thinking?’

Blinking quickly, I turned my head, and his voice reached me from behind.

“There was no other meaning behind it.”

His tone was slightly shaky, as though he were trying to explain himself.

“I truly had no other intention. I just thought people might misunderstand if my wife stayed in the guest wing. That’s all. Nothing more…”

Listening to him ramble nervously, I realized he must have been just as flustered as I was.

So I smiled brightly and said to ease his tension,

“You don’t have to be so nervous!”

Then added cheerfully,

“We’re under a contract, remember?”