CH 19.7

Lucas returned to the Duke’s house first, and with Vincent leading the way, he began to dismiss the servants.

He had sent someone out earlier to review their behaviour.

Naturally, the butler and chambermaids, who also had no idea that the Duke was coming back, were surprised to see Lucas and scrambled around in confusion.

Taking in all their indolent behaviour with a cold eye, Lucas muttered sullenly.

“I suppose it’s a good thing my wife isn’t her.”

He’d only been away for about two months, and the Duke’s house was a mess. They’d put things off and not even cleaned it properly.

“They haven’t even prepared for winter…”

Lucas swept his fingers across the tabletop as he spoke, one corner of his mouth quirking up in a pout.

“You’ve made a mess of my house. Vincent!”

“Yes, Duke!”

“Right now, get the knights. I want every single one of them rounded and held accountable, from butler to maid, from cook to coachman. I’ll take it upon myself to find out what’s going on.”

Despite the upturned lips, his eyes were fierce. The servants who had rushed to his side froze in their tracks at the sight of a different side of the Duke, one they’d usually ignored.

Giving his orders, Lucas headed for the alchemist’s laboratory, not his office.

The capital had sent him the potion first, and he was most curious to see if they had analysed it properly.

If he could get the potion right, he would no longer be dragged around by the imperial family.

It was a chance for the Dukes of Montefeltra, who had been on a leash for so long, to become truly independent.

Plus, it was a contingency plan. He is well aware of the crown prince’s interest in Lila.

The fact that the Emperor hadn’t said anything yet suggested that he and the Crown Prince had different wishes.

But he was not reassured. At any moment, if the Emperor cancelled the marriage, the Crown Prince might take Lila away, invoking some ridiculous law called the premarital cohabitation.

“No way.”

I’m not going to take this anymore.

Lucas slammed the door to the alchemist’s lab in the basement.

“Whoa! I’m surprised!”

“Long time no see.”

“Duke?”

The other researchers were gone, and Nick was alone in the lab, but it didn’t matter. Nick was the most skilled alchemist.

“The analyses of the first potion I sent you should have come back, and if they haven’t, you’ll be hauled in for dereliction of duty.”

“What are you talking about, coming out of the blue? Who do you think I am…”

“Okay, then recite your analysis.”

“Eh, hmm. So…”

Rummaging through his unorganised, dumpster-diving desk, Nick pulled out a piece of paper.

“What the hell kind of potion is this, and how complicated is the formula?”

“So?”

“Not that I wouldn’t be able to figure it out. The ingredients themselves aren’t that rare, just the formulation. Instead…”

Nick’s confident reply suddenly trailed off.

“What is it?”

Lucas asked, one eyebrow twitching. Folding his arms and tilting his head to the side, Nick answered timidly.

“There’s just one ingredient I can’t quite figure out…”

“…What is that.”

“I think it’s the root of some kind of grass… I’ve never seen that herb before either. I couldn’t figure out where they grow it.”

“So, you’re saying you can’t make a potion exactly like that one?”

“…I can make it almost exactly, but… Apparently the secret herb is the key to the potion.”

“…Hmm.”

Lucas was disappointed, but not discouraged.

“That’s right. If it were easy to replicate, they wouldn’t have been so confident in wielding my power as a Duke.”

Muttering softly, Lucas spoke again.

“How many potions do we have left?”

“One vial left… My apologies.”

Lucas paused for a moment, looking at Nick, who was looking downcast, a far cry from his initially confident demeanour.

“The next potion won’t be available until winter… Do you think I can survive estrus without the potion?

Then he remembered the time he’d spent in heat with Lila.

Lucas’s eyes sunk low and he stared off into space.

He remembered the night he’d spent with Lila.

‘I’ll be fine with her, I’m sure. I didn’t think it was going to be easy anyway. I have to be prepared for this.’

Lucas concluded, turning to face Nick.

“With the one remaining potion, I want you to find out what it is. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand… Even if I don’t, I’ve just sent an apprentice to find out the identity of that herb.”

“Yes. This is confidential. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes, Duke.”

As soon as Lucas had finished speaking, he strode out of the room, as if he didn’t care.

He went upstairs to his office. He had as much to do as Lila did. He needed to make sure that he had taken care of the estate’s business and winter preparations while he was away.

And now that the Senate had been dissolved, he had twice as much to do.

With the help of Owen and another aide in the capital, he had managed to get some work done, but only a little.

Lucas sat down at his desk and pulled out his papers, ignoring the screams and frustrated tantrums outside.

It was chilly in the office without Owen, working alone.

* * *

Lila, who had been telling Kate the design of the wedding dress she wanted and looking at fabric swatches for the dress material, looked up at the scarlet sunlight streaming in through the window.

“What time is it already?”

The sun was setting beautifully.

“The sun sets early as winter draws near, my lady, so I’ll see you as soon as I can get organised.”

“Yes, ma’am. You must return now.”

“I suppose I should?”

Lila replied, setting down the catalogue and Kate’s drawing sketchbook.

Pressing her fingertips to the corners of her puffy eyes for a moment, she turned to Jessie.

“But what about the carriage?”

She remembered the carriage too late. At her haste to get off and come to the dressing room, she hadn’t thought of a carriage to take her back.

In response to her question, Jessie answered confidently.

“The butler has sent a carriage. I assume it will be here soon?”

“Really? How did he contact you?”

To answer Lila’s question, Jessie pulled out the bead she kept in her pocket.

“It’s a communication device given to me by the butler. I use it to keep in touch.”

“… Why didn’t I know about this?”

“I think the Duke gave me special instructions, and I don’t think he wants you to be bothered.”

“Mmm…”

I think I know what Jessie means. Lucas seems to speak straightforwardly, but he never mentions this kind of attention to detail.

His sensitivity and care in noticing and preparing for discomfort she hadn’t even realised she had was something she admired every time.

But Lila had no way of contacting him. In fact, they hadn’t created a communication tool to reach each other.

“Well, we’re together every day…”

There was no need for that. But it was a bit of a bummer as it was.

After saying goodbye to Kate, Lila and Jessie looked for the carriage. Hearing that it was nearby, Jessie made her way through the alleyways to the main street.

Kate’s dressing room was on the far corner of the street, not the best place to wait for a carriage.

Jessie led the way. Lila quickened her pace, noting that the sun was rapidly setting.

As night fell, she naturally thought of Lucas. Lila smiled and took a step forward.

But her feet never touched the ground. Goosebumps broke out on her floating body.

Someone had grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up.

“Kyaaah”

She wished Lucas was joking, but Lila noticed with goosebumps rising on her skin.”

A stranger’s hands were on her body. She was sure of it because there was none of the scent that always accompanied him.

“My lady?”

Hurrying to find the carriage, Jessie turned at Lila’s scream.

“This, this.”

“Hehehe, what kind of gift is this, I was just about to leave, and I see all these beauties?”

Jessie and Lila’s complexions hardened at the sight of the two men speaking in husky voices.

“The boss must be pleased!”

“All right, let’s get out of here before the guards make their rounds!”

“I can’t let you go!”

Jessie lunged, only to be grabbed by the other man.

“Whoa, you’ll get in trouble if you make a sound.”

A thick hand clamped over Jessie’s mouth. Lila quickly opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped by her captor’s hand.

“You’d better keep quiet if you don’t want a scar on your pretty face.”

Lila struggled to free herself from his grasp as he spoke in a sinister voice.

But her grip was tight, and she couldn’t. In a flash, she was being dragged into the darkness, her fear consuming her.

“Lucas!

Tears filled her eyes. She’d been lulled into a false sense of security because he was always there to protect her.

Even if she regretted it in hindsight, it wouldn’t change the situation now. With all her might, Lila pulled her face out of his grasp.

“Luca…!”

She was immediately cut off, but she couldn’t give up. She didn’t want to be dragged away like this when she could finally live on her own terms.

“…Let go of me!”

The man bellowed as she struggled to push her hair back.

“I was going to take you home because you’re pretty!”

“Ma’am!”

Jessie shouted as she removed the man’s palm, but the men’s expressions didn’t change.

They knew Lila was a noble, but they still tried to kidnap her. Lila’s mind went blank at the audacity of their crime.

“Oh, no, I can’t do that. It would be easier to stun them.”

“Isn’t that right?”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Lila closed her eyes at the sight of her hands flailing, a reflexive response to the pain that was about to come.

But there was no pain, as she had expected. Instead, a familiar scent enveloped her.

“No!”

Lucas muttered darkly as he kicked at the man holding her, pulling her out of his arms.

“I can’t believe I have this bastard in my territory…”

“Duchess!”

The knight commander who had followed Lucas hurriedly tied up the who’s man holding Jessie.

Lucas picked Lila up like a child, forcing her to bury her face in his shoulder.

Then he kicked him without warning.

“Aaaah!”