CH 23

[Looking for the missing person]

Blake looked down at the poster with Lily’s face on it.

Then he tapped the mahogany desk. The sound was quiet, yet threatening as if something was about to happen.

‘What’s missing?’

He murmured lowly.

‘It’s blatant to lie. Your wife ran away leaving even a divorce letter, and you’re not ashamed to make a poster like this.’

There was no such fact revealed on the poster, and it was expressed as if Lily had been abducted by accident.

‘Well, if that man had any conscience left in a man, or a human being, Lily wouldn’t run away like she did.’

The woman in the poster looked weak and vulnerable. To the point where anyone who saw this paper wished to find her.

‘She said her ex-husband was Count Fox? I think I ran into him at the auction, but who is it?’

But the more Blake thought of the Count, the more blurred the image became. It was because the impression of Lily’s ex-husband was so faint.

The man muttered.

‘I’ll have to take a good look at his face someday…’

It was then.

Outside the office, IlDexter spoke.

“Sir, can I come in for a moment?”

Blake put all the capital’s newsletters in a drawer. Anyway, now he had fled here after fighting with Lily. Right now, he didn’t want to see anything related to Lily and the capital.

“Come in. What’s going on?”

“Ah… that’s…”

IIDexter came in hesitantly, lifting his glasses.

Blake sighed. He knew very well why IIDexter was like that.

At first glance, he could see the small body hidden behind IIDexter.

“IlDexter, do you have anything to say? I want to be alone right now.”

“…”

“I mean you, Lily Hedwick.”

“How did you know I was there?”

Lily leaned to the side. Behind the man with glasses, her upper body appeared.

“How would you really know?”

Of course, Lily thought the man would notice right away.

She strode over to Blake’s desk.

“Let’s talk a little bit.”

Lily sat gracefully on the small chair in front of Blake.

“No.”

“You don’t want to talk?”

Blake didn’t even look at Lily, just looking at the papers on his desk.

He remained silent as if he would no longer talk to Lily.

The man was very upset and wanted to be alone right now. But the more Lily stared, the harder it was to ignore.

The moment Lily made a sad face.

“…… … You’re very evil.”

The man eventually had to put down the pen.

***

Only Blake and Lily were left in the office.

IIDexter, who was Lily’s shield, sneaked away.

‘His Excellency tries to have a conversation even though he’s making such a bad impression. What a wonderful person….’

IlDexter muttered as he closed the door very delicately and quietly.

He was absolutely impossible.

‘I’d rather stick my head in the dragon’s mouth. Or maybe a promotion……’

IIDexter shook his head and disappeared.

Then in the office, Lily was tilting her face in a playful gesture.

“Who’s evil?”

“The Lady.”

Lily looked up at Blake, who was sitting across from the table.

“I haven’t said anything yet.” (Lily)

“Then the eyes that stared at me intensely must have been someone else’s?” (Blake)

‘What was the sad expression while frowning your eyebrows?’

Blake twisted his tightly closed lips.

Well, it must have been something that Lily did without much thought.

He was just overreacting. All of a sudden, Lily’s face changed and he became sensitive to every gesture.

“So, what have you come to say?” (Blake)

He knew it was not his turn to be angry.

In any case, it was himself who poured out the abusive language. Whether Lily’s actions were offensive or not, he gave her back too much.

Nevertheless, he ended up acting like a child.

‘Even a boy in love wouldn’t react that much….’

Then Lily answered.

“You just ran away. If the princess ran away like that, wouldn’t anyone want to follow her?” (Now Lily called Blake ‘Princess’ )

“Princess?”

“The master of the Duchy.”

“Ugh…..”

Lily poked Blake in the forearm.

“Are you feeling a little better now? I apologize. Princess.” (Lily)

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” (Blake)

Blake got to know Lily to some extent during these brief days.

She would never understand why the man was angry. She’d think he was just an eccentric person who couldn’t accept consideration.

“It’s okay, it’s my fault too. I’m sorry for being harsh.” (Blake)

Blake reminded himself that Lily was still a pitiful person pursued by her ex.

A beautiful woman grabbed the hand of reconciliation that was out there.

“Don’t worry, Princess. You told me in the first place not to complain about winter because winter is harsh, Princess.” (Lily)

“But you still look angry.” (Blake)

“Me, princess? No way, princess.” (Lily)

“I got it! I’m sorry too!” (Blake)

Lily laughed out loud at the man’s loud voice.

She found it interesting to see the man being bullied. Perhaps it was because Blake was the complete opposite of the noblemen she had ever met.

Because of that, she became more relaxed. She was strangely accustomed to this kind of whining.

Blake said with a relaxed expression.

“Then let’s go back to what we talked about earlier.”

“Eww.”

“I’m going to say something about the request to forgive Sebastian, but the lady has a duty to protect her rights.”

“Stop, stop. If that’s the way here, now I know. I’m not going to talk about it now. Done, right?”

“And…”

Blake bit his lips, then stopped talking.

How could he say that he was dissatisfied because he was the only one worried about Lily?

“…… All right, go out and have fun.” (Blake)

“I will escort you to the restaurant, Princess. What if the main character misses the banquet?” (Lily)

Lily held out her hand gracefully like an escort knight.

Blake burst out laughing.

From the title of princess to the escort. 

Instead of being escorted by Lily, the man picked her up.

“Yes, let’s go. Knight.” (Blake)

He brought Lily into his arms and hugged her. It was ‘Hugging the Princess’.

“Oh, this is cheating!” (Lily)

“In what way?” (Blake)

“I don’t have the strength to lift Lord Blake yet.” (Lily)

“Not yet? Do you think that one day you will have that kind of power?” (Blake)

“No one knows the future.” (Lily)

Blake shook his head as if it was ridiculous. Lily’s dream was too great.

Lily tried to escape, but Blake didn’t let her go until she reached the banquet hall.

***

After they left, no one was in the office.

The candles in the chandelier went out and the remaining smoke mixed with the scent of beeswax and flowed.

In fact, no one even existed in the hallway. Most of them were having a blast in the banquet hall.

A night with no light leaking through the rough bricks.

In the dark, someone quietly entered the office.

It was none other than Sebastian who fixed his hat. He had escaped from the dungeon, his body was covered with scars, dirt and snow.

‘Damn it, damn it… … ! This is not it!’

Sebastian couldn’t end it like this.

No one came downstairs to see him. It meant he was completely abandoned by everyone.

‘How can you do this to me!’

He cried inwardly.

It was he who held the hands of maids since childhood. He carried firewood for carpenters and helped adults with their work.

‘But because I made only one mistake, you left me and chose that woman?’

Sebastian had already forgotten that he had tried to kill someone.

The boy staggered towards the office.

He had to plead something with his respected master. He was sure Blake would listen…

But in the office, only the extinguished fireplace and chilly cold greeted him.

No one was there.

‘Will he come if I wait?’

Then Sebastian found a piece of paper that had fallen on the floor.

A faint ray of moonlight leaked through the curtains and fell long on the paper.

A notice to find the missing Lily. It seemed that Blake had hurriedly put it in the drawer and dropped it.

“This….”

It was such shocking content that Sebastian mumbled unintentionally.

He didn’t know why Lily had fled to the Duchy, but now he does.

‘She’s the hostess of the Fox family? Her husband is looking for her. Oh no, he thinks she’s missing.’

Sebastian felt sorry for Lily’s husband.

‘Actually, this woman is staying in the winter castle voluntarily…..’

Lily ran away for some reason. She must have done something wrong. If he visited her husband as the notice said, he was sure her husband would take Lily away.

Sebastian thought that it might be an opportunity. If that woman leaves, won’t the winter castle family come to their senses? Then they would let Sebastian stay with them!

He moved frantically, hiding the paper in his arms.

He planned to flee to the capital and visit Count Fox.

***

At the same time, in the banquet hall.

Blake raised his head with the intuition of the beast.

“…?”

The nape of his neck stinged like when an enemy hid in the grass and aimed a rifle at him. 

Even though there was no loud noise, it felt like war neurosis was revived. The man left the banquet hall to find the cause of the strange feelings.