I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 17

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 17

Clemente hadn’t visited many cities on her way to the Northern Region. However, just from what was visible on the surface, the Northern Region gave off a very frozen feeling.

“The goods do seem to be lacking. Still, people didn’t look hungry.”

“I see.”

“The food is similar to this.”

“A caravan will come soon. Then things will be a bit more comfortable.”

“The caravan must bring a lot of food supplies.”

“Yes. So there’s a lot to prepare.”

They had to clear the roads for the caravan to travel. When heavy snow fell, the domain’s people would have to continue endless labor, so supplies needed to be well-prepared too.

And above all, food!

That was what gave Zephyrus the biggest headache.

He was at a loss about what to use to pay for all that food.

This year too, the caravan had sent a messenger bird saying they would appraise monster carcasses at low prices.

In crude terms, they were lowballing. This was disadvantageous for the Northern Region, which sold monster carcasses to purchase food.

‘Should I tell them to hunt more monsters?’

It was getting colder and the weather was harsh, yet he was in a position where he could only give orders from inside a room.

Not knowing what it was like outside, it was difficult to speak carelessly. Zephyrus stopped ladling his soup and fell into thought.

“Hmm, Master, ah.”

“Ah.”

Zephyrus’s eyes widened as he reflexively opened his mouth.

Bread filled Zephyrus’s mouth completely.

Clemente had stuffed bread soaked in soup into Zephyrus’s mouth when he reflexively opened it.

As he frowned as if asking what she was doing, this time she put meat in his mouth.

“Eat while you do it. We live to eat, after all.”

Zephyrus quickly chewed and swallowed the food, then spoke sarcastically.

“Do we live to eat? Don’t we eat to live?”

“Eating is such a happy thing to do.”

Zephyrus shook his head with an attitude that said he had much to say but wouldn’t.

“The more difficult and busy things get, the more you need to eat well.”

“I’ll manage on my own.”

“If you really don’t seem to have time, I’ll feed you.”

“That’s not necessary!”

Clemente, who had been giggling, suddenly stretched her neck out.

“What is it?”

“Ah, it seems like the gift has arrived.”

“Bring it here.”

He didn’t have high expectations. There would be limits to what Clemente could obtain, and it wasn’t a situation to worry about gifts.

‘Still, her thoughtfulness is touching, so I should at least say thank you.’

Even when Clemente went near the door telling him to look forward to it, he was still pondering whether there was anything else to sell besides carcasses.

“My child.”

That’s why.

He couldn’t react immediately to the voice that came from outside.

**

How should they give the gift?

Clemente and the Dowager Duchess had quite an in-depth discussion about this.

The most important thing among them was for them to see each other’s faces.

But opening the door was premature.

‘Then let’s try putting glass between the doors’ was the conclusion reached after heated debate.

Replacing the door while Zephyrus slept was the most difficult part, but seeing his reaction made it all worthwhile.

“Zephyrus, can you hear me?”

Only then did Zephyrus come to his senses. As one piece of wood slid to the side like a window opening, the middle of the door had been replaced with transparent glass.

“What the!”

When he whipped his head around to look at Clemente, she nodded and smiled mischievously. As if telling him to hurry and receive his gift.

One step, two steps. He was about to place his hand over the Dowager Duchess’s hand that appeared above the transparent glass, then hesitated.

Standing in an awkward position, Zephyrus couldn’t take his eyes off the face of the woman with faint wrinkles around her eyes.

“Mother…?”

“Yes, it’s nice to see your face and hear your voice after so long.”

“Mother! Mother, are you alright? Is it okay for you to come out like this?”

“How do I look?”

“…You look healthy.”

It was true. She didn’t look sick. Though she was a bit thin, her face was full of life.

“How did this happen? I only received reports that you were showing signs of improvement.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to give you a surprise, so I influenced the reports a bit.”

“No! No, Mother… please don’t apologize.”

The affectionate eyes of mother and son endlessly examined each other.

They had really missed each other.

How had he grown?

Was she healthy?

How pretty would she be?

Was she still beautiful?

One person had tears of joy at seeing him grown better than imagined.

One person held back tears of regret at seeing her more wrinkled and gaunt than imagined.

But the conclusion was the same.

It was truly fortunate to be able to see each other’s faces like this.

From now on, if they wanted, they would be able to see each other’s faces.

“It’s really fortunate. To think it was an illness that could be cured this quickly…”

“This is all thanks to Clemente.”

Indeed, if not for her, he might have lost his mother without even knowing what the illness was or finding its cause.

“Yes, it’s really fortunate that Clemente knew the name of the illness.”

“That too. And cultivating the medicinal herbs as well. I can’t express how grateful I am.”

“That… cultivating?”

Cultivating?

Zephyrus turned to look at Clemente. Her face showed panic.

“Hey! We agreed not to talk about that!”

“Oh my, Clemente, were you there?”

Even though she was in plain sight, the Dowager Duchess brazenly smiled and brushed off Clemente’s protest.

Seeing his mother’s bright laughter and Clemente’s eyes darting around, Zephyrus’s surprised heart calmed down.

“Thanks to Mother, I’ll be able to hear the story Clemente was hiding.”

She had acted like she would explain why she disappeared without a word, then suddenly shut her mouth tight and pretended not to know.

When he explained it like he was tattling, the Dowager Duchess looked at Zephyrus as if he were cute.

“She’s a grateful and precious person. Don’t press her too hard.”

“I’ll do as Mother says.”

Seeing Clemente turn red as if burning, it seemed like these embarrassing words weren’t so bad occasionally.

“Whew, no matter how much Clemente warmed things up for me, it’s still difficult.”

“Yes, please go inside. And next time… let’s talk with the door open, Mother.”

“While we’re at it, let’s take walks together too.”

“Yes.”

I’ll try. He swallowed those words and waited until the sound of the Dowager Duchess’s footsteps disappeared.

Only after it became quiet did he approach the door and carefully touch the glass where his mother’s warmth might still remain.

After doing this for a while, Zephyrus called for Clemente.

“Clemente.”

“What. You’re not going to tell me.”

Clemente replied curtly, but her ears, redder than her hair, were visible.

“Thank you.”

“Hmph, ahem! Don’t mention it.”

The reason Clemente had been tired, and the reason she had disappeared without a word.

It was all because of cultivating medicinal herbs. He only realized this now.

“I could find out easily enough without hearing it from you, so I won’t ask about that. However…”

What he wanted to hear was why she had done it.

It had been like this from the beginning.

She came in without hesitation and stirred up the human village.

“Why did you go that far?”

There was nothing between them. They hadn’t known each other long, nor had Clemente received any favors from him. There was no reason for her to help while overexerting herself.

“I was taught to help when there’s someone in danger. That way I can live well too.”

“Would you have helped just anyone?”

Clemente, who had been pondering her answer with a “hmm,” shuffled over and placed her hand on Zephyrus’s shoulder.

She bent down and brought her lips to his ear.

“I did it for myself. Because I didn’t want to see another person die from the same disease.”

Even when she said this, Gwen and the Dowager Duchess just reacted with “Oh my, is that so?” They would leave it at that.

Seeing those who wouldn’t believe her even when she told the truth, she wondered if she should say the same thing to Zephyrus.

“And it wasn’t really that much of an overexertion. I just raised my heat output after a long time and got sleepy from cutting back on sleep.”

“…Do you have to say that right next to my ear?”

“Did my sincerity get through to you a bit?”

“Yes. My resolve has become even firmer.”

“What resolve?”

Zephyrus had been contemplating something since Clemente disappeared without a word.

It was a concern he’d had since the night of the day Clemente disappeared and returned on her own.

He couldn’t lock her up somewhere, but he wanted to keep Clemente by his side for as long as possible.

The best way to do that was.

“You, become my personal maid.”

To make Clemente his personal maid.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————