Grand Duke, Please Stop Obsessing Over Your Wife! - Chapter 49
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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49.
“Gasp!”
After hearing Elli’s words, a lightning-like realization flashed through Pamine’s mind.
“That’s right. Lady Annelize said she was going to the Village Across the River today! No wonder. That’s why she left at dawn.”
She didn’t abandon us. Pamine’s complexion brightened again.
“I was wondering when you’d realize. Idiot.”
Whatever Isaiah said didn’t matter.
He rejoiced like a puppy who realized that his human companion, whom he thought had left forever, had actually just gone grocery shopping.
Pamine stood up from his seat and straightened his clothes. He swept back his gray hair, deliberately showing off his eyebrow scar.
Next came a solemn monologue.
“Hmm… Then shall I go look for Lady Annelize? If anyone dares to touch even a fingertip of hers, I won’t forgive them.”
Isaiah crossed his arms and replied indifferently.
“Wipe your tear stains first.”
Pamine bristled and raised his head.
“Do you know how much trouble dogs go through to erase tear stains? You don’t even know, yet you carelessly talk about someone else’s tear stains. Such a rude bastard.”
“So what. I’m human and my eye area is fluffy without any tear stains.”
“Both of you stop and follow me.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
The two men obediently followed behind the Duke. Because if they defied their lord now, they felt like they would die. No, they would definitely die.
They exchanged a silent oath. To absolutely not mess around until their lord returned to his right mind.
* * *
Village Across the River.
Village Chief Alriksen also didn’t know Annelize’s whereabouts.
“We’re searching hard, but we don’t know either. Where on earth could she have disappeared to…”
The Duke left the village without further delay. He divided three boundaries with his hand.
“Pamine, Isaiah. You two take charge of investigating each side. I’ll take the middle boundary.”
The Duke’s yellow eyes glowed. They were bright enough to spark yellow sparks.
“Where did you go… Annelize.”
While they were thoroughly searching the vicinity.
They received news about a child who had witnessed Annelize and immediately rushed there.
“The little kid told us. Lady Annelize rescued him, and the barrier swallowed Lady Annelize.”
It was as expected. The Duke agonized in front of the barrier before him.
“It looks like a giant snow ball.”
“This barrier is meant for only one human.”
As time passed, the circular barrier was gradually shrinking its area toward the center.
The density increased proportionally to the reduced area. Due to the raging blizzard, it was now almost impossible to see inside.
It was a kind of trap that finally left only the prey inside the area to catch it.
“Well. That prey is probably wandering around inside the barrier right now.”
The Duke clicked his tongue.
‘Such obsession with another man’s wife. Not knowing his place.’
The monster had created a barrier and set a trap solely to catch her. Then?
‘What does it plan to do after getting its hands on Annelize?’
Just thinking about it made his blood run cold.
‘Annelize. Please, you must be safe.’
Since he couldn’t see inside, the Duke’s throat burned with anxiety.
Before entering inside, Isaiah stopped him.
“Are you thinking of going in? You might be swallowed by the barrier instead. With your current unstable physical condition, I honestly can’t guarantee you’ll be able to hold up properly.”
The Duke’s eyebrows twitched as if his pride was hurt.
“Isaiah. Even though I’ve lost my power, I’m not at the level of receiving pity from you.”
“Look in a mirror.”
Isaiah grumbled and stepped back.
Because he knew he couldn’t break his lord’s stubbornness.
The Duke sighed.
“Yes. My body honestly isn’t in good condition. I know that too.”
He might fall asleep again and lose consciousness, but he still had to go.
“I promised to save her. She’ll be waiting for me.”
The barrier was like part of a magical creature.
The soap bubble-like protective barrier spat out Pamine and Isaiah. On the other hand, the Duke could enter easily.
His figure disappeared into the barrier.
The two retainers worried about their lord’s safety with serious faces.
“Will he be okay?”
“Well. The result will be one of two things.”
Isaiah continued.
“Either our lord wins, or the Frost Monster wins.”
Pamine asked quietly.
“…Really, what if the Frost Monster swallows our lord?”
Isaiah answered in a strange voice.
“Well. An unimaginably terrible future would await us. Something similar almost happened a thousand years ago.”
“Wh-what happened? So?”
“Like this.”
Isaiah made a gesture of pulling out his own heart with his hand.
Pamine sighed.
“Still, I want to believe that our lord will return safely without being eaten by the monster. Because Lady Annelize is inside the barrier. She’s special. She’ll manage somehow.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
* * *
“Where is this?”
I remember sinking into the ground like a swamp.
Annelize stood up in surprise.
As if she had teleported, she was in an unfamiliar space.
“Wow.”
Snow was falling heavily.
‘Since Anel didn’t come with me, it seems she safely escaped outside the barrier. Thank goodness.’
It was too harsh an environment for a five-year-old.
“That is.”
A shadow that wavered like a mirage was standing there, as if observing her.
“Annelize. Are you okay?”
“Your Grace!”
Annelize was happy to see him, then suddenly felt puzzled.
“How did you get in here?”
“To save you.”
“Here?”
“I said I would save you.”
The Duke replied nonchalantly.
‘That’s right. The Duke doesn’t know that the Frost Monster is himself.’
“Then if that monster approaches me, will you protect me?”
The Duke nodded naturally.
“Yes. I’ll make sure it can’t even lay a hand on you.”
It was just yesterday that she was confused about his two personalities.
‘To think he’d willingly fight against himself for my sake. How interesting.’
Her heart became peaceful again.
“Hold onto me. It’s better if your footprints don’t remain on the ground as much as possible. This barrier is watching to find you.”
The Duke held Annelize in his arms.
They hid beside a rock in the blind spot to avoid being seen by the monster.
Seeing the man trying hard not to fall asleep, she wondered why she had been worrying.
“Why?”
The Duke looked at Annelize with sleepy eyes.
“No. It’s just that you’re so consistent.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s a compliment. It puts my mind at ease.”
Since they had entered the monster’s territory,
the temptation to make him fall asleep became twice as strong.
But the monster’s plan didn’t go as intended.
Because the Duke, holding Annelize, was enduring and persisting through the limits of his mental strength.
The Duke growled like a beast and hugged Annelize even tighter.
His desperation showed through the arm strength so strong it was suffocating.
Without even realizing it himself, he muttered to himself.
“I won’t let you take her away again. Not this time.”
So the monster changed its target.
‘It suddenly became humid.’
The humidity inside the spherical barrier rose sharply.
The Duke, who had thought nothing of it, recognized the seriousness when Annelize in his arms went limp.
‘She can’t breathe properly. If this continues…’
‘Either she gets hurt in my arms, or I let her get hurt by someone else while I’m asleep. Choose one.’
The Duke snorted.
It was a cruel choice.
The Duke’s choice was the latter.
‘Annelize isn’t that weak.’
She wouldn’t let others harm her carelessly.
Thinking this, the Duke closed his eyes.
Beyond his fading consciousness, he sensed the presence of someone who would soon take over his mind.
“Just who exactly… are you?”
No answer came.
* * *
“Your Grace, Your Grace!”
Annelize grabbed the Duke’s shoulders and shook him.
Though they were buried in cold snow, she wasn’t hurt thanks to the Duke protecting her by holding her.
‘I lost consciousness for a moment. Now that I’m awake again, I don’t know what’s what.’
She had barely woken up, but now the Duke had fallen asleep.
After the Duke became like that, she tried to call for help but it was useless.
She looked up at the sky and had an intuition.
The strangely rippling opaque sky meant there was a barrier.
‘I’m still inside the barrier. No one can come to rescue me.’
This was after the Duke who had been hiding her had collapsed.
‘It’s only a matter of time before the Frost Monster finds me.’
The sound like a snake slithering grew louder.
It seemed to be looking for Annelize.
The monster’s yellow eyes scanned the surroundings.
‘It doesn’t look like the Duke at all. The Duke’s eyes are prettier.’
Her eyes met with the monster’s. Annelize didn’t look away and glared at the Frost Monster.
Blonde hair and light purple eyes.
The Frost Monster that had found its target approached Annelize.
To confirm if she was the person it had been looking for.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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