Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The people looked up, shocked and surprised at the chief’s words. Only then were they able to see clearly the color of both his hair and his eyes.

The Duke Erte.

The one who would be the next king.

At the end of the chief’s realization, dust rose from the ground as the sound of horses entered the fray.

[???] “Erte!”

There were several knights approaching, each one riding a horse as the man at the front of the charge shouted out at the top of his lungs.

[???] “You shouldn’t go off on your own like that!”

[Erte] “Do you really think I’ll get into trouble without you, Ravien?”

[Ravien] “No, that’s not what I meant! More importantly, what’s going on here?”

[Erte] “I was just asking that. You must be the village chief. Mind explaining what’s going on?”

The chief’s expression was now paler than the rest of his body.

[Chief] “Well, that’s….th, this woman! This woman is a witch! She brought disease and misfortune to our village! I was just trying to drive her out and save my people!”

[Man] “That’s right! After that woman came, three sheep died at our ranch!”

Some of the men, who were desperately trying to cover up the stake they had in the chief’s scheme, bought into the lie, giving him all the excuses they had.

[Man] “My child fell ill and has been bedridden ever since that woman came!”

[Man] “The cemetery behind the village was dug up and the bodies were damaged!”

Everyone already knew what caused those incidents.

The sheep from the ranch accidently ate poisonous mushrooms, the child was always sickly, and the cemetery was dug up by a group of wild boars, hungry for the food that was buried with the bodies.

But the Duke wouldn’t know that, so it was easy for them to throw all the blame onto Rise.

[Erte] “I asked the wrong question.”

The Duke dismounted his horse.

Immediately, he approached Rise, grabbing onto her arms and pulling her from her passive and pitiful position on the ground.

And the moment she made eye contact with him, Rise’s eyes widened.

[Rise] “You…….”

It was a face she remembered well.

The man who saved her when she came across that wolf in the mountains. That person was the Duke, Erte? Right now, she could clearly see the darkened black eyes that were far from her vision before.

He was definitely the Duke.

Hearing Rise speak like she knew him, the villagers choked on their own breath. They ceased their clumsy and sloppy lies. They must have realized that lying any further would not end well for them.

Instead, they just fell to the ground, their bodies trembling.

Swhick—

Duke Erte drew his sword, the blue blade glistening and shining like cold ice in the sun.

[Chief] “P, please don’t kill me…..”

The chief couldn’t even look at it. He only closed his eyes tightly, unable to stop the constant shake of his fear filled body.

Slip—

But when the air was cut by a blade, what followed that whooshing sound was the sound of rope being cut—specifically, the ropes binding Rise’s legs and hands.

[Rise] “Ah……”

Flexing out her fingers, Rise stared down at her hands. Things felt so hopeless a moment ago, but against all belief, her hands were free. This wasn’t a dream, right?

[Erte] “I should be asking why my person is being held captive by all of you in a place like this.”

When such unpredictable and wildly unimaginable words came from the Duke’s mouth, the villagers looked visibly shaken and confused. But Rise was no different.

What did the Duke just say? ‘My’ person?

[Erte] “Rise.”

The Duke turned around, bowing his head in front of her. He reached out his hand as if he were going to take hers in his own before stopping.

She was shaking so much, he couldn’t hold her hand. The Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of her, seeing how she could hardly even stand, then grabbed her by the waist.

And with a single motion, he pulled her up and held her in his arms.

Just as she thought. This was a dream.

The Duke would not remember her name like this, and he would not have appeared so suddenly and called her his person.

[Erte] “I’ve been looking for you.”

All Rise could do hearing the Duke’s words was stare blankly. What sort of dream was this? And the more she thought about it, the more her once still lips started to tremble.

[Rise] “Hick…..”

And the sob that was stuck inside of her throat escaped her.

Well, whatever kind of dream it was, it was a good one, because someone saved her and Karin.

But that wasn’t the only reason why these tears started to fall, nor the only reason why she couldn’t stop them.

I’ve been looking for you.

It was because Rise finally got to hear the words she’s always wanted to hear.

*

* * *

*

[Erte] “Have you calmed down yet?”

Rise quickly nodded hearing the Duke’s words, answering as fast as she could.

[Rise] “…..I….I’m…sorry, Your Grace.”

Her voice was still very haggard. After the Duke handed her a handkerchief, she sniffled, quietly blowing her nose.

The Duke brought both her and Karin to his home. Luckily she was able to make an antidote for Karin at the mansion, along with the help of his in-house herbalist. After she was given the time to check up on Karin’s condition and make sure she was stable, that was when she was told the Duke was waiting for her.

And now, after the panic had faded, she was realizing she hadn’t even thanked the Duke properly.

Rise bent at the waist, bowing her head deeply towards him.

[Rise] “Thank you so very much.”

[Erte] “You’ve spoken enough of your thanks. Rather, I have much I’d like to say to you. If you don’t mind, could you take a seat?”

Would that be alright? The Duke had saved both her and Karin, so even if he’d told her to get down on her hands and knees while she listened to him, that would’ve been fine as well.

The Duke didn’t say anything at first. He kept his eyes trained on Rise, like he was observing her, and his gaze was oppressive enough to make her nervous. Just then, Rise finally had enough clarity of mind to remember what he said earlier.

[Erte] “I’ve been looking for you.”

Why was the Duke looking for her of all people?

She was not a special enough person to warrant being looked for. And not only that, but the Duke went on to say that she was his ‘person’. What was that supposed to mean?

[Erte] “I’ve been looking for you.”

[Rise] “For me…..”

Did she make a mistake treating his wounds that night? Was it such an awful thing that he had to go looking for her in order to hold her accountable? But if that were the case, he should’ve cut her neck, not the ropes that were binding her.

So why?

[Erte] “I’m going to do something, I need you for it.”

[Rise] “Do something? Do you happen to require herbs for it?”

Trying to find answers, the only thing she could think of that he might want from her were the herbs she gathered. That was the only helpful thing she had to offer.

Maybe he thought the herbs she used to treat his wounds from the wolf bite were useful?

[Erte] “No.”

[Rise] “Ah…Then in that case, I’m sure there are many other people who would be of more use than I. I’m sorry, I cannot help you.”

He already had skilled doctors and herbalists from the capital residing here. And within the Duchy itself, there were also so many talented knights.

And yet, he needs my help? Rise thought, her face turning a little red from the embarrassment. But if not for her herbs, why would he need her?

Rise kept her eyes turned towards the ground, and while her eyes awkwardly moved around, the Duke finally spoke up.

[Erte] “Rise, twenty-five years old. You lived with your parents in a small village near the border before escaping after demons appeared.”

[Rise] “How did you…..?”

[Erte] “You gave birth to a pagan daughter, and came to this village about a year ago. You refused the villagers’ offers, living in an abandoned cottage in order to avoid their scrutiny. You gathered herbs and sold them to the people who came to visit you, sometimes to the local apothecary, or even caught small animals in the forest. Not long ago, you even participated in this mansion’s restoration work. And now, if I’m not mistaken, you are collecting the money necessary to pay the toll across the bridge to Imperial territory?”

Every small little detail about her life poured without end from the Duke’s mouth, and his words sent goosebumps across her skin.

Immediately she tried to push away from him, but then the Duke gave a bitter smile.

[Erte] “I’m sorry I did some digging into your identity. I had no choice—I needed to know what sort of person you were.”

And all the information he collected about her were various facts that were known to the villagers. Things she’d told them in passing.

Though, Karin isn’t technically my daughter.

But she felt no need to correct him on this.

The Duke stood up from his seat and approached her. He got so close to her face that she immediately felt nervous. He knelt down in front of her and looked her directly in the eyes.

[Erte] “I need your help.”

[Rise] “Is there really something I can do to help you? Because if there is, then you need only ask.”

Rise could feel the desperation in his words. Considering he was searching for her while simultaneously looking into her past, then clearly whatever this was, it was very important.

The only question she had left was what that was exactly.

And so Rise waited patiently for his words.

[Erte] “You don’t even know what I want. Don’t you think you’re agreeing too easily?”

[Rise] “You saved my life, Your Grace! It doesn’t matter what you ask of me!”

She probably answered with a bit too much enthusiasm, but the small smile crossed the Duke’s face.

[Erte] “First, there’s something I want to check.”

Check? What did he mean by, check?

Rise wasn’t sure how she should interpret his words, only staring at him in a confused daze. That was when the Duke merely held out his arm to her.

[Erte] “Hold it.”

[Rise] “I’m sorry?”

[Erte] “I want you to hold my arm.”

The request was very unusual and certainly unexpected. With a shaky and trepid hand, Rise reached out her hand and put it on his arm.

[Rise] “Like this?”

Back when she ran into him on the mountain path, she had no idea who he was since it was so dark. She only thought of him as an injured man, so she thoughtlessly grabbed him by the arm and treated his wounds.

But the circumstances were different now.

Even if she had permission, how could she dare touch the Duke’s body?

[Erte] “Hold it tighter.”

Rise trembled like a mouse, and she seriously thought she was going to start crying. This order of his was too weird, and she did not understand what his intent was.

[Erte] “Just as I thought.”

With his head down, staring at Rise’s hand that was holding onto his arm, the Duke had an odd look of relief on his face.

[Erte] “I’m okay.”

Well, obviously he was okay? Or did he honestly expect something truly amazing or unexpected would happen just because a poor woman touched the arm of a nobleman?

[Rise] “Um……Can I ask……”

[Erte] “I’m sorry, but I want to check one more thing.”

There wasn’t exactly anything he needed to apologize for, but with how strange this line of events was, she had no choice but to feel a little curious wondering what he might ask for next.

[Erte] “Can I kiss you?”

[Rise] “……Excuse me?”

Rise couldn’t believe her own ears.

What did he just say? Did she hear him right?

But he sounded so urgent when he asked that Rise just nodded without even really thinking about it—without even understanding what she had just given him permission to do.

And then, right after that, she felt something warm touching her lips.

It happened so quickly that she didn’t even get the chance to close her eyes before a pair of darkly black eyes were right in front of her.

Then, before she could even process it, his touch fell away from her just as quickly. It took her second, but Rise was finally able to realize what just happened.

The Duke kissed her.

[Rise] “…….Ah?”

She was so shocked she couldn’t even utter a single word even if she wanted to.

What….just happened?

With her head entirely empty, Rise stared blankly at the Duke.

*

* * *

*

I finally found her.

Erte looked at Rise, staring at him while completely unmoving.

Even after she touched him or even when he kissed her, it didn’t feel terrible and he wasn’t filled with that overwhelming sense of disgust. All he could feel was that small warmth, and there was no major change in his body or his mood.

The one I’ve been looking for.

He needed a woman who could help him with his plan. Or to be more exact, he needed a woman he could use.

A woman who will play the part of his woman, sitting next to him.

A woman who could carry this lie with him, with whom he could kiss on the final day of his coming of age ceremony that failed to happen so long ago.

There were plenty of women he could’ve chosen from, all the way from the Imperial territory to here in Vievari. Women who sought the seat next to him to become his Duchess and eventually, the next Queen of Vievari.

But they weren’t good.

He couldn’t do anything to those women. It was difficult just sitting next to them, much less touching them. From the second he so much as brushed up against them, he was filled with this unbearable disgust.

Their cunning voices and arms like snakes trying to hold onto him felt more repulsive than any monster he could have fought. And the strangest thing was that he had no idea when these symptoms first began. He’d never considered that because he’d spent so many years on a battlefield without a single woman in sight.

It was only after he returned to the capital of the Empire for a short leave and attended his first banquet that Erte realized something was wrong.

The Empress had grabbed his arm, asking to be his dance partner, and that was when he was struck with a sense of revulsion unlike any he had ever felt before. He gently refused her request, excusing himself from the banquet hall—all while desperately fighting back the urge to vomit.

And these symptoms just wouldn’t go away.

He called in every doctor and herbalist he could. He even endured the wretched presence of a priest within his mansion, but none of them could find the cause of this sickness.

[Prince] “Maybe it’s a curse.”

The Imperial Prince, who would often come and go from Erte’s mansion every day, mentioned with a grave and serious voice.

[Prince] “It could be a curse from your dead wife.”

Though, if that were the case, Erte wouldn’t have minded that. Even if it were a curse she was leaving him, it would have been nice if she left behind anything at all.

After his return to Vievari was decided, he realized another problem.

Once he returned to Vievari, he would need to have his coming of age ceremony that he couldn’t undertake when he was young. After that was done, he would finally be able to fully claim his rights.

And the problem was that a woman would be needed for the last rite of the ceremony.

At the time of the final rite, when one was required to bed their woman, none could enter for obvious reasons, but the process leading up to that was where things got complicated.

During the ceremony, in front of one’s people and a priest, he would be required to kiss the woman in question on multiple occasions, and keep her by his side for the entire duration.

Erte brought in several different women to test the conditions of his illness. He was fine around children and elderly women, but any woman that would make a suitable partner caused those same symptoms to come back up.

In other words, any woman who would fit the standards for the ceremony caused him to feel sick.

[Prince] “It could be a curse from your dead wife.”

And what the prince said to him continued to echo in his mind.

* * *