I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 24

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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 24

“Ahem.”

Zephyrus cleared his throat.

“What an interesting object. One side is like a window and the other has a function that makes things transparent. It just looks like a glass panel though.”

Zephyrus examined the object Lora had left behind from various angles.

Judging by the faint traces of magical power, it seemed to be something made by a mage.

The only mages in the manor were combat mages who didn’t conduct this kind of research.

He suspected it might have been made by Ruby’s husband.

‘Mother once hinted about him.’

Glass. A variation of glass. Greenhouse glass?

After writing down the ideas that came to mind, he felt a piercing gaze from beside him.

Zephyrus glanced at Clemente, who was glaring at him with her arms crossed, and positioned the transparent part between himself and her.

From Clemente’s perspective, Zephyrus’s upper body seemed to disappear, but Zephyrus could still see Clemente’s sharp eyes clearly.

“Tell me. Why did you suddenly do that?”

Clemente was curious.

Why did he bother to cover his face?

Until now, he had been showing his face quite openly.

Even though there was a door between them, hadn’t he conversed face-to-face with his mother Raisie and Rossia?

Even Gwen had seen Zephyrus and shed tears saying he had grown up well.

It meant there was no need to suddenly cover his face when she called from outside the window.

Unless he had suddenly become scared and anxious.

Clemente pushed the glass panel aside and approached him.

“We need to resolve this too before we can move to the next step, don’t we?”

She could also explain to Lora that she hadn’t lied.

It was like killing two birds with one stone.

Zephyrus lowered his head, unable to meet Clemente’s serious and sincere eyes.

“The children call me a monster. I know that.”

“It was scary seeing you from below. Even knowing who you were, you looked like a ghost.”

Zephyrus smiled bitterly at her words that coldly hit the mark.

“I know it’s a bit foolish thinking. But…”

His wistful gaze turned toward the window. The courtyard visible through the small window from the Duke’s Chamber. How brilliantly those small, fragile-looking lives that had entered it seemed to shine.

He recalled the first time he heard the children’s laughter.

**

Children rolling around in the snow in the courtyard visible outside.

Loud, clear laughter. It was the first sound of its kind he’d heard while in the castle.

While exchanging work logs with his mother, he asked who they were. She said they were the housekeeper’s children.

Even after that day, the children came to play occasionally.

After just listening to their laughter, he became curious about their faces and slightly drew back the curtain.

Sunlight streamed through the gap, making his eyes water.

Only after getting used to the sunlight could he see the outside scenery.

Clear weather, rare in the Northern Region.

It sparkled.

‘Was snow reflecting sunlight always this beautiful?’

And children playing on that sparkling surface, sparkling even more.

‘I suppose all I can do for the rest of my life is look outside from here.’

Forever envying that sparkle.

Zephyrus turned his gaze away with a resigned expression.

On the table.

Papers documenting the happenings in the castle for his sake fluttered.

They contained his mother’s teachings, Rossia’s devotion, and the knights’ loyalty.

Fear and pity were also mixed in.

‘Why won’t they give up on me?’

Even if he survived like this and became Duke, what could he possibly do?

Depression and pessimism weighed him down, but he still continued studying.

Then, whenever the weather was nice, he would look outside once.

Whenever he did, he would invariably see the children.

Resting his chin on his hand and staring blankly, he would lose track of time.

That’s when it happened.

He made eye contact with the boy who was sucking his finger.

The boy pointed at him with his saliva-covered finger and started crying.

“Monster!”

He was so startled he couldn’t move. In that brief moment, the girl also spotted him and cried along.

Zephyrus hastily drew the curtain, but the crying wouldn’t stop.

“…”

Zephyrus, who had been standing there dazed, collapsed onto his desk. The scream-like crying in the quiet scratched at his heart.

He naturally never thought of entering that sparkle. But was he not even allowed to watch and envy it?

The emptiness he felt then still hasn’t been forgotten.

The sparkle he had yearned for had instead become a blade flying toward him.

He knew it couldn’t be helped since he was cursed and made precious people leave.

He knew his existence endangered the Ducal Palace itself.

But it wasn’t something he had wanted.

‘What… did I do wrong?’

Was his very existence the mistake?

**

Nevertheless, Zephyrus wanted to be a monster to the children.

Because then they would be afraid.

Because then they wouldn’t be curious.

Because then they wouldn’t come close.

“Thinking about it… it might be too dangerous for children to come to the manor. I could freeze the manor at any time.”

“Hmm…”

Zephyrus seemed to think of himself as a real monster.

Since she was in a similar situation and often had such thoughts herself, it wasn’t something she couldn’t understand.

Rather, she was the person who could empathize with him more than anyone.

However, she didn’t want to tell Zephyrus that he wasn’t a monster.

Being different from others and hearing words like monster or demon wherever he went, saying he wasn’t a monster wouldn’t reach his ears anyway.

‘But so what? Even monsters can be loved.’

And he is being loved.

Clemente could count at least three people. The Dowager Duchess, Rossia, and even Gwen.

“Hmm.”

Clemente tapped her chin with her finger while thinking, then placed her hand on Zephyrus’s shoulder.

“So you’re saying you want to become friends but you’re afraid they’ll be scared even after seeing the real master?”

“Who said I was afraid! I said I don’t want to.”

“Unfortunately, that’s the same thing.”

Zephyrus removed Clemente’s hand with an expression like he had chewed something he shouldn’t have put in his mouth.

“Then how about we do this?”

Clemente, unfazed, grinned.

There was a way for both Clemente to reconcile with the children and for Zephyrus to remain a non-scary monster to them.

“Do you think that will work?”

Zephyrus’s expression became puzzled as he listened to Clemente’s plan.

“Let’s try it first. Could it get any worse than now?”

“It might be possible.”

Clemente pretended not to hear and continued speaking.

“And… The reason people are afraid of Master is because they don’t know you well.”

When Zephyrus tilted his head, his silver hair flowed softly over his shoulders. Clemente tied his hair up while continuing to speak.

“If someone knew Master well, they wouldn’t be scared at all, right?”

“Is that a compliment? Surely you wouldn’t insult me so openly.”

“It’s neither. I’m just stating a fact.”

Should he be angry, interpreting her words about not being scary as a Duke as meaning he lacked dignity? Or should he take it as a compliment? Clemente’s words were puzzling.

“Wait. What’s this with my hair?”

“What do you mean? I braided it up prettily.”

Zephyrus frowned and raised his hand to undo his hair. Clemente grabbed his hand and pulled it down while giggling.

“No, it’s really pretty. Should I show you a mirror?”

“I don’t need it!”

“Ahahaha!”

Clemente’s bright laughter rang out. Zephyrus sighed deeply and looked at the mirror Clemente had brought.

A pale face with features of muted colors.

‘Is this pretty?’

Wasn’t “pretty” a word that suited people who were vivid and glamorous? Like someone he knew.

“Master thinks it’s pretty too, right?”

Zephyrus, who had unconsciously been looking at Clemente, shook his head.

“It’s strange. You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen.”

“How many people have you seen to be so confident?”

“Who counts that? Anyway, you’re pretty. Pretty!”

Clemente sang “pretty, pretty” like a song.

“Stop! I get it, so just tell me when you’re going to execute your plan. I need to prepare.”

“Mental preparation, you mean?”

Even if he said no, she would obviously tease him about it.

Zephyrus nodded with a tired expression.

“Alright. Let’s solve this problem perfectly before the caravan arrives. The execution date is tomorrow.”

“That soon…?”

“The sooner we clear up misunderstandings, the better.”

Zephyrus let out a short sigh as if to say ‘do as you please.’

“Just trust me.”

I’ll make you into a monster loved by everyone.

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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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