CH 148

Dylan, who walked heavily toward me, roughly grabbed Donovan’s wrist holding my bead.  

“Ack!”

Donovan let go of me as if he felt pain at his wrist being grabbed. 

“I-Identify yourself!” 

Even while guessing that Dylan was a servant based on his clothes, Donovan seemed confused because his attitude was so imposing. 

“Are you His Grace’s….family?” 

“No.” 

At Dylan’s tepid response, I raised my body which had fallen flat on the floor. I ran between Donovan and Dylan, who was growling like he would hit him right this instant and get into a fight.

“Dylan.”  

I drew his attention by keeping my mouth slightly open so that Donovan wouldn’t hear me. 

“No.” 

As I shook my head and protected Donovan, Dylan cocked his head to the side as if he didn’t understand my behavior. 

“Move.”

‘What will you do if I move?’ 

When I saw his eyes earlier, I thought they were red that sparkled like the sunset, but now I saw it was as black as the curtain of the night.

“I won’t move.”

“Why?”

‘What do you mean why, this guy!’ 

Donovan was a noble and Dylan was a commoner. I let out a sigh at him who was unaware of his circumstance.

‘I can’t let Dylan get involved.’

His boy was very strong, and he seemed to know how to wield a sword so he could easily beat Donovan who was ignorant of this world, but Donovan was without a doubt a noble young master. 

If Dylan, a commoner, hits Donovan, he could be executed for inflicting harm on a noble. 

“I asked you who you are! Huh? It’s the first time I’m seeing your face!” 

Donovan, who came to his senses, grabbed my shoulder and stepped forward. Seeing that even the back of his ears was red, he must be quite angry.

“Hmph.”

Dylan looked alternately between me, whose face turned pale, and Donovan, who was fuming, then shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth. 

“The Grand Duke.” 

Donovan’s mouth dropped open in shock as if his jaw were about to fall off at the words that came out of his mouth. 

“What do you mean you’re the Grand Duke? The person father and I talked with earlier had introduced himself as the Grand Duke!” 

‘Dylan is the Grand Duke of Lagrange?’

I was surprised too, that my eyes widened but Dylan slowly added. 

“....His servant.” 

“This bastard, a servant like you dared to grab my wrist?!” 

“I thought you were treating the servant too harshly.” 

Donovan snorted at Dylan’s words and raised his wrist which Dylan had grabbed earlier.

“What does that have to do with you! This woman is my maid!” 

Though he had hit hard enough to make a sound, Dylan easily dodged his fist by tilting his head.

Several servants could be heard giggling as if laughing at Donovan in the back. The young master’s precious face soon turned so red it looked like it would explode. 

“This–this bastard, really! Insolent! What’s your relationship with her?!”

“Kyaah!”

“Huh? Answer me, Annie! Are you cheating on me?”

‘Cheating, my butt!’ 

Since Donovan couldn’t hit Dylan with a single blow, he began to unravel his resentment by pulling back my hair again.

“Th-there’s nothing going on between us! I saw him for the first time today, young master!”

‘Just like nothing is going on between us!’

My voice grew louder in resentment.

Fortunately, Donovan let go of me quickly this time, but Dylan’s eyes sunk deeper. His eyes were so cold that even Donovan flinched for a moment.

Dylan, who glanced at us without a word, slowly opened his mouth.

“How interesting.”

“What?”

“His Grace has been looking for this maid, so if you want to go to hell, why don’t you keep holding her?” 

When Dylan finished speaking, he grabbed me and hid me behind his back so I wasn’t able to see Donovan’s stunned expression. 

“Is that true?”

“That’s right. You can confirm it.” 

Dylan’s answer was full of conviction.

That infamous and high-ranking Grand Duke of Lagrange was calling for his maid so how could Donovan, a mere young master of a Viscount, dare to stand in his way? 

The noisy lobby became quiet in an instant. 

Taking silence as an affirmation, Dylan gently held my hand and began walking away.

‘The Grand Duke of Lagrange is looking for me?’ 

I couldn’t believe it, but it seemed like he was holding me with a polite hand that if I shook it off saying I didn’t want to go, he would let me, so I followed him with confidence. 

“Why is His Grace looking for me?” 

Entering the quiet hallway, I asked with wide eyes if the Grand Duke was staying in an annex building.

“Does he need anything or something?”

“I lied.”

“......What did you say?”

I let out a laugh at Dylan’s blunt answer.

“You’re bold, really.” 

"..........."

“How could you lie like that? What if we get caught later?”

Dylan shrugged his shoulders at my rebuke but didn’t offer any countermeasures.

“Will you not be scolded by the Grand Duke?”

I glanced at his ruffled shirt and pressed down on my aching temples.

“.......That’s not going to happen.”

“What’s not going to happen? If they don’t like it, they’ll scold you. They’re all the same.” 

I raised the corner of my mouth at Dylan who seemed to believe in the character of his master. As if he was startled by my cynical attitude, his eyes widened. 

“What are you so surprised about?”

“I didn’t know you hated the nobles that much.” 

“Did you know that young master was such a scoundrel from the start?”

“That bastard–” 

I muted my voice and whispered deliberately the word ‘scoundrel’ but Dylan couldn’t keep his cursing mouth.

“Hic! Please be careful of your words! You have to call him young master.” 

I was surprised and covered his mouth with both hands then pushed him inside the warehouse. 

“It’s a little dirty, but if you still have something to say, then say it here.”

Dylan coughed a little at the musty air of the warehouse where old dust rises.

‘What’s wrong with him? His body is not even of high birth.’ 

I looked around, turning my head to and fro at the sight of Dylan looking genteel. Fortunately, the high wall has a window. 

“Wait. I’ll open the window.” 

".........."

Dylan, who was lost in thought ever since earlier, didn’t open his mouth even as I went to the window. 

‘Uhm. Is it too high?’

I glanced at his sharp outline, half-submerged in the shadow, then jumped in place to open the window. 

‘I think I can reach it if I jumped a little higher–’

“Ack.”

As if finding me funny, a long arm stretched out from behind. 

I didn’t know when he came, but from right behind me, he opened the window instead of me. I swallowed my saliva as I became trapped in his arms.

“Thank you, Dylan.” 

If I turn around, I think our faces would be very close. He seemed to have no plans of moving away so I had no choice but to look up at the night sky filling the window. 

‘Why am I so nervous?’

He was a person I met for the first time earlier today, but I thought he felt too comfortable, and yet now I’m standing on my toes. 

‘Is it because he’s handsome?’ 

My toes twitched at the low breath falling at my nape and put both my hands on the wall. 

“W-will you please move?

Silence.

“Dylan?”

“....Why is that young master treating you like that?” 

The situation where I had refused Donovan’s passionate courtship was well-known among the servants in the Viscounty, but there was nothing good that would come out of informing an outsider. 

‘Hic….!’ 

But then he started fiddling with my hair so I stammered and opened my mouth without thinking. “The yo-young master wants me to become his concubine.” 

Crunch. 

There was a sound of something breaking but the surroundings were dark that I couldn’t figure out what it was. 

‘Was there a mouse?’ 

“And then?”

“Pardon?” 

Dylan lifted my chin as if he was frustrated that I didn’t answer right away. 

Our faces were closer than I had expected and that distance was beautiful enough to forget. 

The ends of my fingertips tingled at Dylan’s elegant beauty under the dim moonlight. 

‘Isn’t this beauty enough to make Donovan fall for Dylan and not me?’ 

“So, are you thinking of getting married?”

His questioning voice was strangely dark.

I responded hastily to his souring mood. 

“No? I don’t like the young master. I’m forced to stay here in the Viscount’s house because of my debt but I plan to go to the capital after paying it all off.”  

I didn’t even know why I was explaining the whole story. 

Dylan sighed softly as if relieved by my words and removed the arms that had been holding me captive.

“I see.” 

“Yes. I’m thinking of looking for a job in the commercial district.”

“I could help you get a job in Lagrange.”

“It’s fine. I’m sick and tired of nobles now.” 

He scratched his chin when I added that it was better to be a commoner with a lot of money than a noble.

“Not all nobles are like your young master.”

“Ha? Well, are you trying to say your master is different?”

“No, It’s not like that….” 

When I placed my hand on my side and smiled cynically, Dylan started to mumble. 

I wrinkled my nose because I found his behavior cute. 

“I guess it hasn’t been long since you’ve started working.”

“What?”

“Servants who have only served a nobleman for a while often fall into such thoughts. Thinking, our master is different.” 

However, the Grand Duke of Lagrange would be no different. Besides, he also had a bad reputation. 

“Moreover, don’t you know I had a difficult time because of your master?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Phew. His Grace has mysophobia so I had been up cleaning for the past few days without getting proper sleep.” 

Dylan’s eyes widened as if it was news to him.

“That’s why I don’t particularly like your master.” 

".............."

His face stiffened at my confession, perhaps due to his excessive loyalty.

‘Why is he so shocked?’