I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 38

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

Chapter 38

 

Clemente returned to her usual expression as if nothing had happened and went around greeting everyone here and there.

 

“Oh, Julay!”

 

“Clemente! Hello!”

 

“Yes, good morning.”

 

“It really is! It seems even better because the caravan is here. You wouldn’t know since it’s your first time, Clemente, but every time a caravan comes, they bring interesting things with them.”

 

Julay chattered away as she walked.

 

“Come to think of it, do you know the stable keeper, Clemente?”

 

“I’ve seen his face occasionally. Why?”

 

“He caught a cold. So everyone’s worried about it.”

 

“Is the stable keeper very sick?”

 

“No. Here, when one person catches a cold, almost everyone catches it. Then it spreads to the village too.”

 

When colds spread like that, a few people would inevitably die.

 

“So the keeper decided to stay in his room for a few days, but it’s a big problem.”

 

Clemente roughly grasped the situation.

 

While the caravan was here like now, the stable keeper had a lot of work to do.

 

He also had to take care of the horses the caravan brought with them.

 

The Ducal Palace already had few staff members. If the stable keeper was sick, it meant someone else had to do his work.

 

It was understandable why the servants were worried.

 

“But in the end! The person who ended up taking care of the horses was me!”

 

Julay pretended to wipe away tears. This seemed to be what she really wanted to say. Julay, who had been sobbing, put her hands together and looked at Clemente.

 

“Could you come to the stables when you have time? It’s outside, so it’s even colder.”

 

Clemente laughed softly.

 

“I’ll try to visit once. When would that be?”

 

“In the evening! You must come, you must!”

 

After waving goodbye to Julay and parting ways.

 

She went to Zephyrus.

 

“You’re late again today.”

 

“I went to see Rossia first.”

 

“I don’t know whose personal attendant you are.”

 

“Of course I’m my master’s. Anyway, look at this.”

 

She handed over the letter Rossia had asked her to deliver.

 

Zephyrus, who had been reading through it smoothly, asked.

 

“Did you read it too?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What do you think?”

 

“I don’t know what there is to worry about. I’ve never spared anyone who touched me.”

 

Zephyrus spoke slowly.

 

“There might be circumstances involved.”

 

“It’s written right there. It looks like he’s been preparing for quite a long time.”

 

It was a report written by a spy who had been assigned to Nerhi from before Clemente came to the Northern Region. Sensing Nerhi’s suspicious behavior, the spy had followed him around and even recorded who he met.

 

“He meets quite frequently with Noven, the Caravan Leader. He sponsors mages, he’s gathering people. He spreads false rumors about Your Highness. Contracts with mercenaries are being exchanged. He secretly meets with other nobles.”

 

Clemente pointed out several of the circumstances written in the letter.

 

“Honestly, I still don’t understand the difficult stuff well. But if this is dangerous for my master, we need to deal with it.”

 

It was dangerous.

 

Zephyrus thought so even more because he understood the circumstances hidden behind it.

 

The fact that the Emperor was turning a blind eye to it.

 

There was no way the Imperial Court wouldn’t know about the cadet branch of the Duchy House moving in the Capital.

 

No matter how secretly they moved, the Imperial Court was still the Imperial Court. They would be aware of everything happening in their own front yard.

 

‘Well, that’s probably why he’s going this far.’

 

Zephyrus had never met Nerhi. They were practically strangers. It would be strange to spare him just because they shared blood.

 

However, what he was worried about was.

 

‘My inability to step forward.’

 

In the end, he knew that everything would only be properly resolved if he stepped forward.

 

But when even meeting Noven, the Caravan Leader in this room made him this nervous.

 

How could he go outside?

 

How!

 

“Master, you’re having strange thoughts again, aren’t you?”

 

At Clemente’s question, Zephyrus snapped out of his thoughts.

 

“Strange thoughts? What do you mean by that?”

 

“Your face became like this again.”

 

Clemente lowered the ends of her eyebrows and slightly pushed out her lips.

 

“…I made that expression?”

 

“Yes. When my master thinks useless thoughts.”

 

“It’s a realistic concern.”

 

Zephyrus turned away from Clemente and muttered. Then he took a deep breath and straightened his head again.

 

“For now, tell them to keep gathering information. Collect physical evidence.”

 

It meant they would continue but ultimately postpone the decision.

 

Zephyrus delayed his decision.

 

“What about the one who shot an arrow at you?”

 

“Under interrogation! He said he lived in the village for quite a long time. We haven’t found out anything else yet.”

 

“He had quite a loyal subordinate.”

 

“He didn’t seem that way to me.”

 

Knock, knock!

 

Clemente was tilting her head when she clapped her hands at the sound of the precise knocking.

 

“Look how late it’s gotten! Shall we start training then?”

 

It was the last training session they could have before meeting with the caravan leader.

 

“Today’s protagonist is Kael, apprentice knight of the Pruina Knights~”

 

Few people knew about Zephyrus’s curse. Among the knights, only Gwen knew.

 

But there were several reasons why they had Kael help with training, even going so far as to tell him about Zephyrus’s curse.

 

First, he was also Gwen’s youngest brother.

 

“M-may I come in!”

 

Most importantly, he was an ardent supporter of the Duke.

 

He was even someone who had fallen in love just by looking at a childhood portrait.

 

When he learned that Gwen had helped with Zephyrus’s training, he pestered Clemente, wanting to see the real face somehow.

 

Eventually, he achieved his wish.

 

The door opened timidly, revealing a knight with a youthful face.

 

Kael hurried in and saluted toward Zephyrus.

 

Zephyrus also nodded his head to acknowledge the greeting.

 

Soon, one of his eyebrows twitched.

 

“H-he’s truly beautiful.”

 

Because Kael muttered that and grabbed Clemente’s arm, hiding behind her.

 

“Ah, ack! Ice!”

 

“Master, why are you suddenly like this? Calm down!”

 

As Kael and Clemente made a commotion, Zephyrus closed his eyes. However, in his darkened vision, Clemente’s forearm being grabbed by Kael kept going back and forth, getting on his nerves.

 

Crack, crackle!

 

For a while, Kael’s screams echoed throughout the manor.

 

**

 

“…Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine. Don’t worry too much.”

 

“How much gold must be painted on the Duke’s face to make him this hard to see?”

 

“Watch your words.”

 

Although rumors circulate that it’s gradually crumbling, it’s still a ducal household. Speaking ill of the Duke in front of his courtyard is not a good choice.

 

Above all, Harvie was concerned about the Dowager Duchess’s attitude of welcoming him.

 

He had come after the time when his goods were needed, and had even placed conditions on their sale.

 

Her behavior seemed to pay no mind at all to such rudeness from Harvie.

 

“Phew.”

 

Harvie, who had let out a sigh, rubbed his haggard face.

 

“How is Tei’s condition?”

 

“He’s still fine for now.”

 

“You’re saying he’s fine even though he hasn’t taken all his medicine?”

 

“Yes, Master. For now.”

 

There was no telling when his condition might worsen.

 

“We’ll have to endure a little longer. If we make a mistake, the entire caravan could fall into that bastard’s hands.”

 

After losing his only son, what remained was his grandson Tei. If he couldn’t escape from Nerhi’s clutches, the caravan would likely face the same fate.

 

For now, they had no choice but to listen to that bastard’s words, but they couldn’t continue like this forever.

 

Whether they discovered the identity of the medicine or found out the name of the disease.

 

They definitely needed to find a solution.

 

However, even decent physicians didn’t know the name of Tei’s illness. Time was needed.

 

‘To buy that time, they had no choice but to listen to that bastard’s words.’

 

But saying they would only sell their goods after seeing the Duke’s face was purely their will—no, Tei’s will.

 

It was a letter sent secretly without that bastard’s knowledge.

 

But the person who would meet the Duke was none other than Harvie himself.

 

Whether to lay everything bare and find a solution together since he hadn’t shown himself for so long, or to first grab onto the opposing side’s rope, would be decided then.

 

‘Whether I’ll even be able to meet him during the week I’m staying here…’

 

With such worries, he entered his assigned room and settled his tired body onto the sofa.

 

Then his eyes caught sight of a note placed on the desk.

 

Harvie opened the note with a light heart.

 

Since welcoming greetings were often left written in rooms where he went for business, he thought this was the same.

 

But it wasn’t.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“Master! You mustn’t do this!”

 

Harvie immediately ran toward Zephyrus’ room.

 

“Please meet with me right now! Right this instant!”

 

His face had turned completely pale.

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