I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 12

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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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Chapter 12

She was afraid that his cold energy might grow stronger. She worried that his cold energy could become so powerful that it would even suppress Clemente’s warmth.

‘Hah.’

At that moment, she realized how cowardly she had been acting.

If she hesitated due to all sorts of worries even when someone extended their hand first, he wouldn’t be able to move forward.

She had to change.

At the very least, she had to try. If only to avoid experiencing such terrible things again.

“Sorry for getting angry.”

“Angry? Oh, it’s fine. Friends can get angry at each other.”

“Friends, do you have any?”

“…Welcome to being the first friend to get angry at me?”

The corners of Zephyrus’s mouth twitched and moved.

“Oh, but you’re not saying we’re not friends?”

“I already received comfort, so is there a reason to say we’re not?”

“That’s right!”

“And…”

“And?”

“Your advice. I’ll gladly accept it.”

A brief silence. Then a bright voice danced around him.

“Then, then there’s something we need to do first!”

Clemente’s hand grabbed the back of Zephyrus’s head.

“That’s too sudden-“

Before the flustered Zephyrus could finish speaking, his vision suddenly brightened.

Hot breath touched his cheek and then moved away.

Clemente’s face, showing her teeth in a bright smile, was clearly captured in Zephyrus’s eyes.

“Mm! As expected, you’re pretty.”

“Who’s calling who…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

All he could do now was hide his face that had turned bright red from the heat.

**

They experimented with quite a few things during their short time together.

To summarize only what was certain:

Zephyrus’s cold energy posed no danger to himself.

And whenever he was emotionally shaken, the cold energy burst out more intensely.

The former was different from Clemente, while the latter was the same.

Clemente’s heat would burn the surroundings whether her heart was shaken or her emotions became too intense. If she let her guard down even a little, it would try to devour Clemente. Zephyrus’s cold energy might freeze the surroundings, but he himself remained unharmed.

The reason Zephyrus hadn’t actively thought about controlling his cold energy until now was fear.

‘The first time must have been too difficult for him.’

Someone he was close to had grabbed his hand and frozen solid.

It was understandable why he wrapped himself up so tightly.

But he couldn’t stay locked away forever.

Therefore, the most important thing for Zephyrus was reducing his fear of exposure.

“Wait, no. Don’t take it off!”

Clemente removed Zephyrus’s thick gloves. Touching inanimate objects with bare hands didn’t freeze everything. Even though they had discovered this through a full day of experiments, Zephyrus was still afraid.

“…It’s not going as well as I thought.”

Clemente clasped her hands together and looked at Zephyrus’s face.

It was fortunate that she had cleared away that trash covering his face.

‘If I hadn’t been able to see that angry face…!’

It would have been a loss for life.

Clemente watched Zephyrus tremble his eyelashes and put his gloves back on, then patted his back gently.

“It’s okay. We can take it step by step.”

“Time… do I have time?”

He also knew that the Duchy House’s situation wasn’t good. If he had made up his mind to try, he wanted to show results as quickly as possible.

“What kind of old man talk is that? Of course you do.”

“I see.”

Though she had spoken without knowing anything, Zephyrus felt a little relieved by Clemente’s firm answer.

Clemente smiled inwardly.

Zephyrus didn’t seem to realize it, but Clemente could see everything he was thinking.

It couldn’t be helped. He wouldn’t have had reason to worry about his expressions.

“All that’s left is getting used to it. Don’t worry. Ah.”

Clemente picked off a potato crumb that was stuck in Zephyrus’s long hair.

“Ahem!”

Zephyrus cleared his throat and swept his hair back.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t touch me so freely.”

“I’m sorry about that. But there’s more up there too.”

Zephyrus put on his gloves with an increasingly reddening face and roughly tousled his hair. Then he abruptly issued an eviction order to Clemente, who was smiling gently.

“If you’re done eating, then leave.”

He covered his face again and stood in a rigid posture to check his documents. Clemente put effort into keeping her lips from curving up and said:

“Is that right side up?”

Swish, the document turned 180 degrees.

“Leave.”

Zephyrus, with his bright red face, issued another eviction order.

“Right, shall I trim your hair sometime soon?”

“What… what?”

But it didn’t work on Clemente.

Facing the bewildered Zephyrus, Clemente asked innocently.

“It looks a bit uncomfortable. Isn’t it?”

“…It is, but.”

“Are you worried? Don’t worry about that either. I have lots of experience.”

“Have you trimmed your own hair?”

“You caught me. Anyway, I trimmed it well… no, I styled it well. Look.”

Clemente turned around and untied her hair that was bound together.

Her curly hair spread out like clouds. Would clouds touched by sunset be that color?

“Your hair is too messy for me to tell.”

“That’s mean.”

“I’ll think about how much to cut, so leave. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Oh! I receive your command!”

Clemente left after mimicking a knight’s salute with clumsy gestures.

“…Does she get along with the knights?”

He felt strangely bothered for no reason. After pondering, he finally found the reason.

‘The knights’ discipline mustn’t become lax.’

Clemente had a tendency to easily break down people’s barriers. Was it because she had the ability to soften the Northern Region’s cold even a little?

‘I should ask Gwen when she comes.’

It was a little later that he focused on his work.

**

Time flowed steadily as it always did.

‘Lunch time is… ah, not yet.’

Though for some, it felt slow.

‘I can raise it until the doctor comes, right? Time is passing too fast!’

Someone just felt it more quickly.

Clemente’s days were especially busy.

She had to work, strengthen Zephyrus’s mental fortitude, and meet with the Dowager Duchess for conversations.

And since she couldn’t rest at night either, it was much harder than expected.

And Zephyrus was feeling it too.

Just a few days ago, Clemente had been full of vitality.

But after one day passed.

“I went to see the Dowager Duchess again today. Fortunately, she ate a little porridge…”

“I see.”

“She says it’s nice and warm when I come. She seems like a really good person. Right?”

After two days passed.

“Mmm. Delicious…”

“You’re eating a lot today.”

“I need to eat a lot.”

“…Is work very difficult?”

“It’s fine… Oh, right. The Dowager Duchess-“

Clemente’s words, which had mainly focused on stories about his mother, gradually disappeared. Dark circles appeared under her eyes.

“Clemente.”

“Yes.”

“Does the food not taste good today?”

Today, after a week had passed, she couldn’t eat well either.

“No, it’s because it’s hot. Um… your hand.”

Clemente, who had removed her gloves, rubbed her face against his palm. It was hot. It was already hot normally, but more than usual. Hot enough that the heat could be felt without even touching.

Even her drooping, smiling face lacked strength.

“I heard a physician will arrive soon. After mother’s examination is finished, I’m thinking of asking him to examine all the servants too…”

“I’m fine.”

“No. Everyone must be examined. It would be troublesome if someone collapsed from illness.”

“That’s not what I mean… mm.”

Clemente brought over Zephyrus’s other hand and removed the glove.

“Unlike other people, my body temperature is high. If the physician sees me, it’ll probably be a temperature where I could collapse and die from fever.”

She placed her face between Zephyrus’s palms and smiled, saying it was cool, but something felt a bit ticklish.

‘Her cheeks are soft… no, what am I thinking!’

Suppressing the urge for his fingers to twitch, Zephyrus spoke in a weighty voice.

“Then how do you get medical examinations?”

Clemente looked up at Zephyrus with round eyes and asked back.

“How do you do it, Master?”

“…”

Medical examinations when he couldn’t even meet people? He had nothing to say. As if she had expected this, Clemente giggled and stood up, stretching.

“Then I’ll go finish my work today too! You stay strong too, Master!”

After Clemente left, all he could see were his hands with the gloves removed. Suddenly overcome with fear, he put the gloves back on.

One pair, two pairs… he hesitated while trying to put on the last remaining pair of gloves.

‘This much… should be okay.’

She seemed to be struggling quite a bit with mother’s situation, and he didn’t want to add more burden to that.

It was certain that not everything would freeze just from bare hands, so all that remained was eliminating his fear.

He drew a blueprint for the future.

Him and mother and Rossia, the knights. And… curly, bright vermillion, and clear laughter flashed by.

Zephyrus shook his head to dispel the afterimage.

**

The physician that everyone at Pruina Castle had been waiting and waiting for finally set foot in the duchy.

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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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