I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 78

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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 78

The Northern Market doesn’t open very often.

Not only was the population small, but it also snowed quite heavily.

Today they were lucky.

Snow fell sporadically and the wind was calm.

“Hurry home and buy some of this!”

“We have frozen sweets made with sweet fruit!”

“Hot tea available! Now’s your chance! You can only drink it for 5 more minutes!”

Even so, the people in the market were full of energy.

Good weather, and even a day with plenty of food!

They didn’t know when such a day would come again.

They willingly endured the cold to enjoy this abundance.

But then it happened.

Four people wearing identical hats appeared.

Though they were bundled up, people immediately noticed.

‘It’s Clemente.’

‘Clemente must have come.’

That one of them was Clemente.

They couldn’t help but know.

As soon as Clemente appeared nearby, the cold they felt changed.

“Hot tea! You can last 20 more minutes now!”

“Buy frozen sweets before they melt! We’ll give you a discount if you buy several~”

The people running market stalls became even more aggressive in their soliciting due to the changed situation.

Four people walked slowly through them, looking around.

“Hmm. It does look quite like a market. Don’t you think?”

“This is a market…”

The only person Liriart spoke formally to was Zephyrus.

So they knew she was speaking to him.

But Zephyrus couldn’t respond to Liriart’s words.

He had never visited the village except when he first came out to the village and saved Clemente.

He was busy taking in the expressions on people’s faces.

“I, no. That…”

“Liri.”

Clemente stopped Liriart.

“…Why are you interfering?”

“Please give Zeze time to look around properly.”

Only after hearing those words did Liriart remember that Zephyrus had hardly ever left his room.

“Liri.”

“Why are you calling me again?”

“Should I buy you some frozen fruit?”

“You’ll buy it for me?”

Liriart looked quietly at Clemente’s hand gripping her arm, then slightly raised the corner of her mouth.

“You must be getting paid quite a lot?”

“Yes. I’ll show you just a little, only to you, Liri. Look at this.”

Clemente, who had brought all her wealth wanting to buy something for everyone, slightly opened her pouch to show Liriart.

“How is it? It’s a lot, right?”

“…This is one month’s worth?”

“It’s everything I’ve saved since coming to the Northern Region… so about four months?”

Liriart unconsciously looked at Zephyrus.

She had only heard that the Northern Region’s situation was bad, bad. It seemed worse than she thought.

If someone was the Duke’s exclusive attendant, they should naturally be paid well. Since they were one of those closest to the Duke, it was necessary to prevent any possible corruption.

‘Though I can’t say anything since she’s happy receiving even this…’

If she became my maid, she’d receive at least twice this much.

Liriart, who had thought this carelessly, was startled and trembled.

“I’m not so hard up that I’d squeeze blood from a flea. It’s also a virtue of those above to be generous. What would you like to eat?”

“I want bear meat skewers!”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to do what you’re supposed to do?”

“That’s too much. This is discrimination.”

Gwen pretended to be hurt, covering her face as she stepped back. Liriart grabbed Clemente’s hem and led her toward a stall.

“Wait. What are you doing? Where do you think you’re taking Clemente?”

Then Zephyrus, who had seemed absorbed in looking around the market, put his arm around Clemente’s shoulder.

With her arm held by Liriart and her body held by Zephyrus, Clemente blinked.

“There’s a place for women to go together, are you planning to come along?”

“Yes. I don’t know where it is, but I’ll go.”

Liriart had wanted to see Zephyrus flustered, but at his completely different reaction, she pressed her lips together.

“I’m joking. Markets are about the fun of eating, so I was going to buy some food.”

“Is there something you want to eat?”

Zephyrus naturally took Clemente’s hand and pulled it from Liriart’s grasp.

“I want to try everything!”

“Alright. You can eat everything then.”

Zephyrus looked at Clemente with a gaze like white snow gently falling on a plain.

He looked down at Liriart with an expression that said he had no choice but to ask.

“Will you come?”

It was an utterly cold gaze.

‘What an honest look, Your Highness.’

Even thinking this, Liriart nodded.

“Who was it that interfered? Of course I’m coming.”

Liriart was the first to move.

“What did you say you wanted to eat? Frozen fruit?”

“Oh, wait! I’ll buy it for you!”

“Eat it when I buy it for you.”

Liriart brought back a basket full of frozen fruit. What had been slowly melting froze again when it came near Clemente.

“Oh my. …It just became regular fruit.”

“I’ll handle it.”

Zephyrus picked up one piece of fruit and concentrated.

Just one. It was solely to freeze the cherry in his hand.

“It might melt if you touch it, so open your mouth.”

“Wow!”

Zephyrus put the fruit into Clemente’s mouth as she looked at him admiringly and clapped her hands.

“Mmm~ It’s cool and delicious!”

Trembling slightly at the sensation of lips touching his fingertips, Zephyrus quickly hid his hand behind his back.

“Zeze and Liri should eat some too. Gwen too.”

“Only one person looks after me. Sob sob.”

Gwen pretended to cry as she picked up a piece of fruit.

“Will you freeze it for me?”

“Freeze it yourself.”

At Zephyrus’s cold refusal, she clicked her tongue and just put the fruit in her mouth.

Since fruit was hard to come by in the Northern Region anyway, it was delicious.

Four people wearing identical hats pulled low and covering their faces huddled together eating fruit.

And not just fruit. They went around the market stalls buying every single food item available.

Their appearance drew the attention of people around them.

‘If they came with Clemente, are they people from the Duchy Castle?’

‘Then could that possibly be His Highness?’

‘What’s that, an inspection?’

‘Are the other two perhaps the Knight and Lady Rossia?’

The people living in the village exchanged conversations through glances. Among those who were only speculating, there was someone who courageously stepped forward.

“Excuse me…!”

“What can I do for you?”

Gwen moved half a step to position herself where she could protect all three of them.

“Oh, it’s nothing major. There’s a liquor that can only be tasted when the market is open. Are you perhaps interested?”

It was the owner of the village’s only tavern and inn.

“Liquor!”

Clemente’s eyes sparkled. She looked back and forth between Zephyrus and Liriart, clenching and shaking both fists.

“I want to drink together!”

“Do you have wine too?”

At Liriart’s question, the tavern owner fidgeted with his hands with a troubled expression.

“Well, we specialize in vodka, so we don’t stock wine.”

“Then that’s fine. Since we’re in the Northern Region, it might be good to experience the local liquor.”

“Yes! Thank you! Then shall I escort you?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

She didn’t ask for Zephyrus’s permission separately. Since Clemente liked it, going was already a foregone conclusion.

And so the four people moved to the tavern.

Even without them, it was already full.

“Oh, isn’t this the Fire Fairy?”

Even those with hazy minds and heated bodies from drinking easily recognized Clemente.

“Have a good time!”

Those who had gone through the same thought process as the villagers earlier continued their quiet conversations.

However, as always, drinking more than a reasonable amount becomes problematic.

Three individuals who were drunk beyond flushed faces, to the point where they couldn’t know what consequences their words might bring, staggered over.

“Hey! The human fireplace is here!”

They were so out of it that they couldn’t even think that the group with Clemente might include the Duke.

It was the moment their mockery and sinister gazes turned toward Clemente.

Crack—

Zephyrus’s reason snapped.

The walls inside the building were instantly covered with ice.

Zephyrus’s cold silver eyes, surrounded by brilliantly sparkling blue ice, glared at them so frighteningly as if he would freeze them too.

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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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