CH 70

“Ah, the Grand Duke is currently in the office.”

Elysia’s body trembled at the mention of the office. To go to him on her own… Besides, now was not a good time. She hadn’t been able to control her emotions yet, so there was a high chance she would be caught in front of him.

“If it’s not urgent…”

“It’s very urgent!”

It was supposed to be dinner time soon, so she was going to see him anyway. She had to meet in the room, even if it was not during mealtime.

“I see.”

Even though he had asked her politely, Elysia knew she couldn’t refuse because she was an existence to follow Damon unconditionally.

“Thank you.”

With her agreement, the man sighed in relief. He served Damon, so this man would probably have it hard, too. Of course, the one who was the most pitiful and dishonorable was her.

“Oh, I didn’t even introduce myself. Forgive me.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“I am Ethan Hubert. Please call me comfortably.”

Seeing that he had a last name, the man in front of her seemed to be a nobleman. In fact, it was a problem if a commoner was selected as an aide to the Grand Duke.

“Yes, Hubert.”

“Then, I will guide you.”

She did not know where the office was. Even though only a part of the castle was used due to management, the Grand Duke’s castle was insanely wide. She might get lost when she stumbles. The first thing she wanted to do was reduce the size of the castle though that was impossible.

“We have to go down the stairs…”

“Yes.”

Elysia thought she didn’t know why she was fidgeting in front of the stairs like a pampered puppy. She was only able to follow after Ethan started to descend first.

“I was told you almost fell down the stairs.”

If it hadn’t been for Damon, who had talked about a time when she would have left the world. She was surprised that Ethan knew that. For him to know a fact about her… she didn’t expect Damon to say anything like that.

“That’s why he said he would change the stairs.”

“Yes.”

“Can you come down?”

Did he think of her as a fool? At the time, she was with Damon, so she was distracted and almost fell. She was not careless enough to trip on her foot twice.

Somehow perhaps, that was why Chloe and Rachel were holding her hands as she walked down the stairs. It was so natural that Elysia didn’t notice it at all. Come to think of it, it was from that day onwards. They had never held her hand before.

“That is…”

In short, Ethan asked if he should hold her hand now, although she didn’t understand why he was hesitating so much about what was wrong with that.

“You don’t have to hold my hand.”

“Understood.”

He seemed relieved when she said he didn’t have to hold her hand. Was she that bad?

“Come down carefully.”

After nearly falling down the steps once, Elysia was more careful. This time, Damon was not there to catch her when she fell. Ethan, who was right in front of her eyes, would roll with her instead of grabbing her.

* * *

“Is this really the way to the office?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Not thinking that she was on her way to the office, Elysia expressed her doubts as she headed towards the corner. Was the office this far away? She slowly began to feel uneasy in the endless darkness. All of a sudden, the only light was the light hanging on the wall.

“Wait…”

“It’s a little far away.”

Not to the office… It was like going to a dungeon.

“We’re almost here.”

As she turned around and was about to run away when the voice said they had arrived, they eventually passed through an all-black hallway and arrived in front of a black door. Elysia lost her words at the door so large that it couldn’t even compare to the bedroom.

It was a size that could hardly be considered an office. Was it really the office over there?

“…Is this the office?”

She could think the place behind the door would be a dungeon or a torture chamber… but that made more sense. What kind of person would see this and think this was the office? Maybe, it was because it was Damon’s office? The look was also terrifying.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s because it’s a bit far.”

No wonder. It took so long because it was far. Isn’t the office normally located in the main house? The Count also had his office close to his bedroom.

“Then, Your Grace, I will leave.”

“What? Are you leaving?”

She was only looking at the door of the huge office, so she was surprised when Ethan said that he would go back. Weren’t they going in together? Of course, she had accepted him because she thought she wouldn’t be alone.

“Aren’t we going in together?”

“No.”

It was scary to be with Damon in a crowded place, but to be alone with him in such a scary place…?

It was like telling her to die. If she had known this would happen, Elysia would never have agreed to it. After all, it was clear that this was not the office. To kill her quietly, he lured her away from the main house.

“I don’t want to.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“Hubert goes in, too.”

Of course, if Damon was really determined to kill her, Elysia knew he wouldn’t mind Ethan’s presence, but it was a matter of mindset. There was no fool to enter the cage of beasts alone… to that extent, she wasn’t foolish enough.

“Please go in.”

“I don’t want to.”

Even though she knew it was forced, she didn’t want to go in alone. Just looking at the door was so scary… though to go in. It wouldn’t be strange if a knife flew out the moment she opened the door.

“The Grand Duke said that only Your Grace should come in.”

If he said that, she couldn’t hold on to him any longer. Even so, Elysia still didn’t go in, and she was only glancing at Ethan. It was because she didn’t want to let go of him, whom she currently saw as her only lifeline.

“I will get going.”

“No, wait…”

Seeing Ethan disappear before she could stop him, Elysia stomped her foot. He disappeared so quickly that she couldn’t even hold him.

“….”

No matter how much he liked black, this wasn’t it. Now Elysia was sick of blacks.

Her legs trembled even though she was only facing the door. The place where even the door was scary was the Grand Duke’s castle. Even if she opened the door and tried to enter, she was worried that the big door would open with her own power.

“I don’t think it’ll bud—”

Creaaak—

Before she could finish saying that it wouldn’t budge, the door started to open with a creepy noise as if telling her to come in.

“….”

She couldn’t take any more time. Damon might be offended for taking her time. Elysia wiped the sweat from her palms on her dress several times before taking a step. It was because her palms were damp with tension.

“Your, Your Grace…?”

The office, which she thought would be dark, was brighter than she thought. However, the inside of the office was very empty. There was only one desk, a sofa, and a table. There wasn’t enough furniture for such a large room.

“I thought you weren’t coming in.”

“What did you call me for…”

“You did an interesting thing.”

“….”

As soon as he brought it out, laughter came seeing her flinching figure. Even though no one touched her, it was cute to see her tremble by herself. Elysia didn’t know that her trembling behavior whenever she was in front of him agitated him even more.

“That, that… what…”

That was why he was even more anxious. His wife was not afraid. He was amazed that she wasn’t afraid. Although she was still shaking, she didn’t try to leave.

“I heard that Marchioness Blair is here.”

As Elysia’s eyes visibly looked bewildered at the mention of Marchioness Blair, the corners of Damon’s mouth went up. As expected, the more he looked at it, the more he felt like going crazy. The existence of Elysia Caitlin refreshed him every time, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her every action.

“….”

Seeing her biting her lips carefully made him feel sad and curious at the same time. If blood leaked from those bright red lips, would he be able to stand it? Even now, he was desperately holding back, trying not to bite her fragile neck.

“That…”

“Isn’t Estelle the person Your Highness gave me?”

“You are going to bleed.”

What Elysia chose was to pretend she didn’t know.

It was the most correct choice in the current situation. In the first place, Damon had no intention of interrogating her. After all, she had long since put her every move under him.

Drool pooled, seeing the white nape of her neck exposed under the dress. Somehow, Elysia was giving off a sweet scent like ripe fruit. It was difficult to endure as if nothing had happened, while he wanted to tear her to shreds right away.

No matter how much he wanted to rush at her, Damon was standing calmly in front of her.

If she knew his filthy secrets, she would never have married him.

On the one hand, it was fortunate because Elysia didn’t notice. She never had to know about him forever. Even though it was much harder than having to watch her walking around in front of him, Damon always seemed to be put to the test.

“Did you enjoy your time with Marchioness Blair?”