I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 57

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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 57

“…What are you doing?”

“I told you to take it.”

Nerhi’s mask cracked for a moment before returning.

“Haha. You said you were a foreigner, so your Imperial language is still lacking. It seems His Highness hasn’t been taking care of you.”

Clemente grimaced and clutched the bread preciously in her hands. The bread was innocent, after all. It was also a good opportunity to check if there was poison or anything else in the bread.

However, she didn’t like how Nerhi brought up Zephyrus every time he spoke.

His intention to somehow slander Zephyrus was so obvious that it made her feel bad.

“My master doesn’t worry about that. He’s a good person who accepts me even though I’m not good at Imperial.”

Of course, he also teaches her. When Clemente retorted, Nerhi suddenly changed the direction of the conversation.

“My goodness, calling him master! Are you perhaps being subjected to strange things?”

Clemente snorted at the absurdity.

There were so many people who called others master. What kind of strange things was he thinking about?

“They say there’s a saying in the Empire that you only see what’s in your eyes.”

“I’d appreciate it if you thought of it as the concern of someone who’s lived in the world longer.”

Concern? When Clemente tilted her head, Nerhi raised one corner of his mouth.

“You don’t know the word concern. Let me tell you—”

“Ah, it’s fine. I was told that you understand foreign languages through context anyway.”

Clemente lifted her head and raised the corner of her mouth at an even steeper angle than Nerhi’s.

“I don’t want to learn anything from a shameless person trying to steal his nephew’s position.”

Nerhi immediately changed his expression. It was clearly an expression showing he would reluctantly accept that reputation, though it was unfair.

“Steal? You speak strangely. I merely came to help the poor vassals.”

It was an expression filled with such sincerity that even Clemente, who knew the truth, hesitated for a moment. Taking advantage of that brief gap, Nerhi continued speaking.

“Of course, I acknowledge that it might look that way. But I cannot leave the suffering vassals alone. It’s a matter of survival.”

“Exactly. What if you tell them not to sell anything to the caravan?”

“Wasn’t it the Duchy House’s mistake that caused the rift with the caravan? I barely managed to persuade the Guild Master to bring them here, so it’s disappointing if you say that.”

Nerhi pretended to be wronged and looked around. Everyone was focused on them. He raised his voice.

“Of course, as an outsider, you could only hear what His Highness’s side told you. I’ll tell you the truth, so come with me!”

The vassals whispered in lowered voices.

“What’s going on?”

“He’s planning to take that woman away?”

“Didn’t he say His Highness would be cursed after lifting that woman’s curse, putting the Duchy in danger? But now he’s asking her to come with him?”

Nerhi’s speech, disguised as conversation, happened to scratch their curiosity.

“Do you know that false rumors about you are circulating in the Imperial Court? I don’t believe them, but if you stay with His Highness, such rumors will continue to spread. His Highness won’t come outside. If His Highness continues to stay only inside the manor, people will let their imaginations run wild.”

If you dislike such rumors, stay away from Zephyrus.

“Of course, you don’t have to be with me. But…”

Nerhi extended his stinging hand again.

“If you’re with me, such rumors won’t arise. Even if they do, I’ll eliminate them immediately. Your warmth… must surely be the power of a fire spirit, not a curse.”

Nerhi immediately refuted the fake curse he had created himself.

His eyes were filled with greed. His desire burned as much as his hand had reddened.

He would get that thing and make him scream as much as he had hurt him, no. Even more than that.

“The Northern Region needs your power. Come with me.”

A vassal who heard those words looked at Clemente. He was someone who had just arrived from another nearby village to receive food supplies.

He was momentarily surprised by the much warmer outdoors compared to his own village. He couldn’t close his mouth upon realizing that the cause was a woman with flame-like flowing hair.

Even a fire spirit?

If this strange warmth was the power of a fire spirit.

Anyway, it seemed better to be with that noble person.

He had brought a caravan and distributed food. He was much more helpful than His Highness the Duke!

“Right! Fire spirit, guardian of the Northern Region! Please choose a better person!”

“That’s right! For the Northern Region!”

When one person shouted like that, multiple voices echoed. The knights’ efforts to appease public sentiment the previous day had been useless. For them, the person who brought food was the top priority.

Nerhi was already smiling as if he had won everything.

The public opinion and rumors he had laid out in advance were now exerting invisible power.

‘There’s nothing a savage who only lived in the desert can do in this situation.’

Clemente slowly looked around. After quietly opening the cap of her water bottle.

“Uh, uhbubup!”

She poured it into the mouth of the person in front of her.

The man who unconsciously swallowed it opened his mouth to scream, but a fragrant aroma came out.

“What…! Why is it delicious?”

The man who unconsciously smacked his lips soon began to sweat.

Nerhi intervened.

“Why are you forcing him to drink that bad stuff! What instructions did you receive from His Highness!”

“How is it? Your body feels light, right?”

The man unconsciously examined his body. Certainly, the headache that usually bothered him wasn’t felt. His blurry vision seemed a bit better too.

Rolling his eyes, he finally parted his lips.

“…I think I need to drink one more bottle to know for sure.”

“Ahaha, hey! Mister. That was cute, but it won’t work. That’s enough.”

Clemente collected the empty bottle and took out a new bottle, shaking it.

“Anyone want to try drinking this?”

“I, I’ll drink it!”

“Give me some too!”

The vassals who had been watching rushed toward Clemente.

“Yes, yes, form a line, a line!”

“Hey! Don’t cut in line there!”

Lésible also shouted because of the sudden crowd.

Clemente glanced at Nerhi while dealing with the people.

Catching Nerhi was certainly important, but first, her mission was to distribute Icetas water to the vassals.

‘I think I can catch him while doing that too.’

Seeing the crack in his previously perfect expression, she was confident.

That she was doing well.

So Clemente deliberately praised Zephyrus while distributing the Raha.

“My master, no. His Highness worked hard to find this water for us.”

“His Highness really thinks a lot about the domain.”

“Although the situation became like this due to someone’s malice.”

While saying the word ‘malice’ and simultaneously looking at Nerhi, Clemente continued.

“He says that’s also the lord’s fault and responsibility, and tries to take care of our health somehow.”

Nerhi gritted his teeth distantly. His raised mouth corner trembled.

‘Satisfying, so satisfying.’

Just one bottle of water.

With that one bottle, the rumors Nerhi had spread all night began to be erased as if buried in clean snow.

The faces of the vassals, which had been dark with distrust and worry, began to hold radiance.

Their bodies became warm from drinking the warm water, and their chronically aching bodies became fine, giving them some leisure.

They recalled the previous Duke’s grace.

They developed favorable feelings toward the current Duke just for sharing such delicious and mysterious water.

Of course, Clemente’s words, smiling brightly and being warm by her very existence, had a great influence on this.

“By any chance… is the fire spirit taking the same path as the current His Highness?”

“I’m taking my own path. I’m with the most decent person for taking that path.”

“Then can’t that noble person over there be with the spirit?”

But they couldn’t ignore Nerhi, who had distributed food right before their eyes.

From their perspective, it didn’t matter who it was as long as they kept them fed and warm.

Hadn’t Nerhi made sure she never went hungry?

Even now, he had food piled up like a mountain behind them.

“Of course I’ll join you! Even though you wear human form, you’re a fire spirit. I’d be more suited to the spirit’s path than His Highness, whom I’ve never even met in person, since I’m here for all of you.”

Nerhi gave the answer. Clemente crossed her arms as if to see how far this would go.

Seeing the corners of his eyes trembling slightly was quite amusing.

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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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