BD Chapter 2

Chapter 2

02. A bad first meeting

3 years ago now.

The small estate in the southwest of the Kingdom of Swanton suddenly became busy. The third division of the royal army, retreating from the war, stayed there to regroup. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Verdier, the viscount of the small castle, willingly opened the gates for the soldiers and commanders.

In the prolonged war, the soldiers were exhausted, and due to the difficulties in battles, they were highly sensitive and rough. The sounds of the wounded echoing within the castle were incessant, and even those who were healthy also walked around the castle threatening others with half-lost faces. Inside Verdier Castle, which suddenly functioned as a hospital and barracks, the Viscount provided as much supplies and food as possible for them.

The Viscount had two daughters. Her younger daughter, Alice, was studying at a monastery in the capital, Swan, but her eldest daughter, Chloe, was so unwell that she never left the castle since her childhood. Along with the Viscount, who tried to provide as much help as possible to the soldiers with her friendly attitude, Chloe also took on the role of nursing wounded soldiers.

The wounded soldiers mistook her for a servant, as she spared no effort in doing difficult work, and occasionally made harsh noises. Her servant Gray, who was helping Chloe when someone called her 'cripple', grabbed her soldier by the collar.

"Don't do that, Gray. It's not entirely untrue, is it?”

The reason Chloe restrained him wasn't just because those who uttered sharp words were ailing and sensitive patients. Until her mother passed away, she emphasized to Chloe, 'Helping the poor and the sick is the duty of nobility.' Despite her physical discomfort, Chloe, who had learned the manners of a noble benefactor from an early age, mastered the art of concealing emotions and maintaining composure.

“Chloe, how about leaving the nursing to other servants?”

But when Viscount Verdier cautiously spoke with a confused look on his face, she decided to follow her father's words. It broke her heart to see her father's expression darken noticeably as he listened to the soldiers ignoring her.

The army stayed in the castle for about 15 days. Chloe spent the last five days quietly reading a book in her bedroom. Since it wasn't possible to completely block out the loud outside noise, she couldn't concentrate. She would sometimes close her curtains and play the piano when she heard an off-color profanity about an opponent or an erotic joke that made Chloe's face turn bright red.

That night.

It was an exceptionally quiet night when she first saw Duke Thisse. Normally, there would be a lot of noise until the campfire in the barracks, which was lit at night to avoid the cold, went out, but that day, for some reason, a strange silence began to flow among the soldiers at noon.

“Attention everyone!”

Chloe, who was reading a book by the window, also looked up when she heard someone shouting. When she slightly lifted the curtain and looked out the window, she saw someone walking out of the castle's backyard lit by torches.

“Salute to the commander!”

Injured soldiers with bandages wrapped around various parts gathered in line and bowed to the man. It was Chloe's first time seeing the commander in person, as she only went in and out of the barracks where the injured soldiers were. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] The tall blond man was dressed so neatly that one could believe he had just attended a ceremony at the royal palace. Chloe blinked quietly and she secretly opened the curtain a little more.

“This afternoon, I heard the news of the death of the commander of the 1st Army, which was moving south.”

The space where noisy noise was always heard was quiet. The sound of the cuckoo landing on the tree was loud enough to be heard.

“As everyone knows, the commander of the kingdom’s first army is my father, Duke William Von Thisse.”

Chloe stopped breathing for a moment and let out a small sigh. Her hand holding the curtain twitched.

“It is said that his head was cut off by the enemy and his head was hung on the castle wall.”

There was no movement in his voice as he announced his father's gruesome death. He said that the man who rose to commander in a war that lasted five years was twenty-two years old. Chloe held her breath, unconsciously overwhelmed by the calmness of the man who was only three years older than her.

“Do you want to go back home?”

The soldier who received a sudden question from his superior could not easily answer. The commander took a step closer to him and asked again.

“Does this mean you don’t want to go back?”

“…I want to go back!!!”

After hesitating, the soldier shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Why?”

The soldier answered the commander who asked an obvious question.

“My wife, who was pregnant when I went to war, is waiting for me at home. I've never seen my son who was born while I was away!!!”

"I see. Do you want to go back too?”

“Yes, sir!!!”

After receiving the question, the soldier raised his voice even louder.

"The reason is?”

“I feel bad that I left my sick mother alone. Without me... She can’t even move around on her own.”

“I have to work so that my little brother doesn’t get hungry!!!”

Chloe could clearly hear the crying in the voices of those who were asked questions as they answered one by one. Her eyes also became moist. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] The commander, who listened to the last soldier's story one by one, finally raised his voice.

“There are so many reasons why we should end the war and return home, and I am no different. It means the same goes for me, who has to pick up a gun without even being able to collect my father’s body, let alone bury him.”

The sound of soldiers taking a deep breath, as if they were choking back tears, could be heard here and there.

“Two days later, we cross the mountain range again. Even though I am exhausted, injured, cold and hungry, I pick up a gun. Is it for the country? No! It’s to protect precious things!”

She had the illusion that the commander's words were echoing throughout the castle. Chloe unconsciously placed her hand on his chest, feeling her heart pounding loudly. The man's words had the power to make the audience listen.

“Are you desperate? Do you want to go back?”

"Yes!"

“How desperate are you?”

“I am desperate enough to give my heart!!!”

The youngest-looking soldier shouted at the top of his lungs with his arm wrapped in a bandage. His face was a mess of tears.

“It is not God’s will to win or lose a war. If we lose this war, it means only one thing! It would be proof that they were even more desperate.”

“That can’t be possible!!!”

The soldiers were now screaming for their life. Their cries of fighting to the death shook the castle.

“I will not back down. I will not inflict defeat on my soldiers. In the name of my dead father, I will add another banner of victory to the Thisse family. Not for the country. Only for myself!”

It was a dangerous thing for a commander of the royal army to say, but no one could object to him. This is because of the sincerity that overflows from his eyes and voice.

“No commander is better than me. I have proven it every time and it will be the same this time too. I will do whatever it takes to bring victory to my army. Because that is Thisse’s pride and dignity. So now it is your turn to prove the earnestness you told me.”

Now the atmosphere among the soldiers had completely changed. His eyes, which were full of despair and resignation, shone with a single thought for victory. The voices of soldiers pledging their loyalty rang out everywhere.

'this… Is it a speech... ?'

She had read in books that great leaders are eloquent, but she had never experienced it firsthand. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] There was one thing Chloe could clearly recognize in this situation.

That person is sincere.

Chloe's always pale cheeks became flushed with heat. Without realizing it, Chloe had pulled all his curtains and even opened the window, concentrating on him.

“Let us return home with the proud flag of victory planted in our hearts. People will praise the achievements of great soldiers who won the most difficult battles, and your families will be honored for generations. I would do the same!”

“Wow!!!”

The soldiers raised their fists and chanted his name. Chloe watched intently as the man slowly turned his head, making eye contact with each and every soldier he saw.

And.

"Ha…!”

She made eye contact with him. Chloe was so startled that she fell from her window as he looked directly in her direction, as if he knew her hidden audience from the beginning. She leaned back against the wall next to the window and gasped, but then she realized she hadn't turned off the lamp on the table and bit her lip.

It was natural that the room with the lights on would appear bright in the dark. Chloe stretched out her arm and barely managed to close the curtain, then limped over to the table and blew out the lamp.

Darkness had descended on the room, but her heart was still pounding. Chloe carefully sat down on the bed. She raised her good leg first, then lifted his weak right leg with her arm, and then lay down on the bed. One skinny and unsightly leg was revealed through the disheveled poplin pajamas.

Chloe took off her clothes, adjusted her appearance neatly, and blinked quietly in the darkness. Outside, the sounds of soldiers moving vigorously could now be heard. The noise became more noisy when someone brought in a late meal.

Damian Ernst Von Thisse.

'He is a great person.’

This was Chloe's first impression when she first saw the Commander. He was a man who was calm and strong even in crisis situations and had energy that overwhelmed the audience. If it were her. Would she have been able to say something like that even after hearing the news that her father had died in battle? Ha. Just the thought of her father dying was terrifying and made her shudder.

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but she couldn't sleep at all. Chloe finally gently opened her eyes and sat up again. Outside the window, she could still hear the sound of the campfire burning and the soldiers talking. The man had probably gone back inside the barracks. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] He will be there trying to prove what he said.

"Please… Please help them win. So that the soldiers can return home... To protect their precious things…”

Evening prayer had long since ended, but Chloe put her hands together again. And she earnestly prayed that everyone could return to a peaceful daily life.

***

Early morning the next day. Chloe stood up with a light heart. When she opened the curtains and checked, the sky was bright blue. The sky blue of dawn was also Chloe's favorite color. A darkness that contains brightness, different from the night sky. Sometimes on clear days, the sky was so beautiful that you could see a purple dawn that made you hold your breath and stare blankly.

Sigh.

Chloe got ready and hurried out of the room. When housekeeper Mary woke up, trouble would arise, so she had to move quickly. After carefully passing the quarters by the stairs where the exhausted servants were soundly sleeping, she passed through the kitchen and exited the castle. Since the barracks were full of soldiers, it was better to use the side road next to the stables.

“… Miss Chloe.”

Gray saw her next to the stable and opened his mouth. It was a long time ago that Chloe couldn't even remember when Uncle Chester brought the boy who was being beaten from the market. If Gray had a weakness, it was that he didn't talk much and that he woke up earlier than anyone else in the morning.

“Hello, Gray. Good morning."

“What are you doin in the forest in this dawn?”

“I’m going to go pick some herbs.”

“If it’s some medicinal herbs, I’ll pick them for you.”

Gray looked at her and opened his mouth politely. It was a long time ago that he first spoke informally to Chloe and then got scolded by Uncle Chester, but now Gray was treating Chloe with courtesy, like a complete servant.

"No way. Are you going to surprise me by picking some lily of the valley leaves again?”

Gray's face turned a little red as he thought back to the past when he instead picked poisonous plants that resembled medicinal herbs.

“Not anymore.”

“It would be a relief to go in person, Mr. Gray Wilson.”

“Still, it would be dangerous. The morning air is still cold.”

Chloe looked at Gray who was hesitating with a look of concern and cleared her throat with a hmm. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] This was the reason she moved so early without her servants knowing. The servants in Verdier Castle were too worried about the weak young lady. Especially the boy with black eyes in front of her.

"Gray. But did you finish the homework I assigned?”

“…Yes.”

Gray nodded. When Chloe saw that Uncle Chester's old vest, which had fallen below her waist when she first wore it, had grown taller, she felt somewhat envious. She was the same age as her younger sister, Alice, and both Alice and Gray were as tall as new shoots growing next to her.

“Would you like me to show you your homework?”

"It’s okay. Instead, can I take a test right now?”

Gray's face, unable to answer, was now red up to his ears. Chloe muttered to herself, "I'm sorry," as she passed by Gray, who was avoiding her gaze as if she wasn't there yet until the exam. If you hesitate, dawn will break and you will have more chances to be noticed.

“Then I’ll come back. It's a secret from people. Understand?"

“… Miss Chloe.”

Gray opened his mouth behind Chloe, who opened the fence and walked slowly. Chloe turned around and looked at him, her cane on the ground.

"Huh. Why?"

“Mr. Chester bought me a horse. It's in the stable now. I've checked the forest a few times too.”

While Mr. Chester, known for being stingy, might have given Gray more responsibilities to get more work out of him, it turned out well for Gray. Seeing Gray, who usually spoke very little, talking more was a pleasant surprise for Chloe, and she smiled brightly.

"That's great. Since Alice also learned horseback riding, we can ride together sometime. Your presence will probably calm her down; she tends to be a bit reckless."

"Well... um..."

"Yes?”

"Never mind. Have a safe trip."

Chloe headed toward the forest, leaving Gray behind, who hesitated and shook his head as if he had something to say. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Although he was congratulated that Gray had a horse, he couldn't help but feel envious.

She had trouble with her legs, so it wasn't easy for her to go outside, let alone go horseback riding. None of the servants were happy to see her stumbling and walking precariously. She didn't want to bother the servants, who were visibly nervous, in case an accident happened. Her father, Viscount Verdier, was also worried about her. Alice, an active tomboy, broadened her horizons from an early age by visiting her relatives here and there, but all Chloe could do was stay quietly in the castle and devote herself to embroidery or playing the piano.

‘…I want to become someone who is at least somewhat useful.’

After her mother passed away last year, Chloe's aspirations grew a little more. In fact, as the eldest daughter of a Viscount, the most she could do for her family was to quietly take her bridal lessons and marry a nobleman of sound and leisurely means. However, due to her physical discomfort, she gave up early on.

Rustle. Okay. Rustle.

Beads of sweat began to form on Chloe's forehead as she moved forward with her cane. Just because she had trouble with her legs didn't mean she couldn't do anything as much as people thought. Her tutor, Mr. Wharton, was a doctor, so Chloe learned a lot about her first aid from him.

Of course, it was for her mother who had been bedridden for a long time, but she was happy to think that it was of some help to the soldiers this time. In the end, she couldn't help until the end because of her father's concerns, but she wanted to give a small gift one last time to the soldiers who were going to go out tomorrow.

“Oh, there it is.”

Chloe diligently picked out the leaves that were shining with the morning dew and put them in the basket. It was a herb used as medicine because it had the effect of relieving inflammation when chewed and swallowed. While looking for herbs to give to the soldiers, she also picked wild flowers that she occasionally saw. After her mother passed away last year, the gardener was let go and the flower decorations in the castle were completely reduced to nothing. So sometimes, just going out for a walk and picking fresh wild flowers and putting them on the table made her feel good.

"Ha...”

When the basket was half full, she felt a little thirsty. Just then, a small stream hidden in the forest appeared. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] It was always a place for Chloe to rest when she went for a walk without the servants knowing. This mountain was her private property in Verdier, so no one could enter, and this spring in particular was her secret place that only she knew about.

The small stream of water that flows coldly throughout the four seasons sparkles under the light of the stars at night and the sunlight during the day. When she sat still and watched the water flowing over the rocks, she felt like her mind was being purified. However, the unexpected intruder already occupied her secret spot.

He was standing in a spring so cold that even in the summer one’s hands would get so cold.

What is he doing there?

Even turning around, she couldn't help but recognize him. The perfectly arranged uniform revealed his rank. Chloe discreetly turned away to avoid catching the commander's attention. Given her lower status, pretending to already know him wasn't an option, and the timing and location weren't suitable for a casual introduction. Moreover... she had a strong gut feeling that somehow interfering wouldn't be wise

Let's go back quietly. Quietly retreating, Chloe decided to disappear as quickly as possible, but in her haste, she stumbled. Managing to avoid falling, the real issue came next.

"What's this?”

A sharp voice, sensing her presence, grabbed the back of her head. Chloe tightly shut her eyes, slowly turning around with her cane in hand. The commander she had seen through the window last night, Duke Thisse, was even more dazzling up close. However, what truly overwhelmed her was the chilling and cold aura emanating from his entire being.

"I asked what are you doing."

He asked as he emerged from the water. Chloe, who had been staring absentmindedly at the water dripping from his boots onto the tall grass, belatedly regained her composure and curtsied.

"My apologies for the delayed introduction. I am Chloe, the eldest daughter of Verdier, Duke.”

As she politely bowed, her lack of freedom caused her legs to weaken. She was on the verge of falling helplessly when, in an instant, the duke was right in front of her. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] While he prevented her from falling, the issue was that his grip on her arm was uncomfortably tight, reaching the point of numbness.

"Ah...!”

Fortunately, he let go of her arm, and Chloe stepped back a little, strengthening her hand holding the cane.

“Does Viscount Verdier’s eldest daughter enjoy spying on people like a rat?”

Chloe's eyes widened slightly. His gaze did not waver as he looked directly at her, unable to hide her expression of injustice.

“It was like that last night, and it’s like that now.”

Chloe's lips, which were about to protest, trembled silently.

“I sincerely apologize if you were offended. But today I swear that I did not spy on the Duke.”

“So that means it was like that yesterday.”

The duke lightly chuckled, and as he spoke, Chloe's neat eyebrows converged slightly over her forehead. Even though she had never run, her heart raced as if she had. Due to her limited outings beyond the castle, she hadn't encountered many nobles. Was it typical for a duke to use such impolite language?

"What are you doing here at this hour?”

Finally, a question she could properly answer. Chloe extended the hand holding the basket a bit forward and calmly opened her mouth.

"I heard the news that you'll be setting out tomorrow, so I was gathering some herbs."

"For me?"

Chloe blinked her eyes a couple of times before responding.

"For all the soldiers who are going to the battle.”

With a soft chuckle, the duke approached even closer. His eyes briefly inspected the basket, elongating as he did so.

“The effort is worthless. Seeing you venturing into the dangerous forest at this early hour."

Chloe's mood was becoming increasingly peculiar. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] No, to be precise, it felt bad. Without saying a word, the duke, unexpectedly, threw another unexpected comment towards Chloe.

"The seemingly immature Viscount seems to be boiling over with ambition. Did your father give you an order to seduce me, even if it meant throwing her body?”

"...It's not appropriate.”

Chloe raised her face and looked at him with trembling eyes and raised her voice. The admiration she had for him last night disappeared like smoke, and only her displeasure toward the young and arrogant commander soared.

“Isn’t that the reason why you personally took care of the wounded whose flesh was rotting and dirty pus was flowing? Even if the family is from a Korean-American family, it is an impossible task for a noble lady to do. Moreover, with that body.”

He looked her up and down as if evaluating her and couldn't bear what he clearly added at the end, but what made Chloe even more unbearable was his fundamental misunderstanding.

“I had no idea that the title would become an obstacle to helping the soldiers who went off to defend their families in a wartime situation. My late mother emphasized that no matter how humble our family was, as long as we were nobles, it was natural to help those in need. That's what I learned about nobility... It’s attitude.”

The duke's blue eyes resembled the chilling dawn just before freezing. Chloe felt that from now on, she might not be able to appreciate the dawn sky anymore. His perfectly symmetrical lips traced a slow curve, moving upward.

“You’re serious, actually.”

Chloe met his gaze with wide eyes. Though her heart pounded as if it would burst, she disliked the idea of him having any strange misconceptions.

“Of course.”

"I believe in the altruistic belief of preserving the pride of nobility."

Chloe barely restrained the urge to shoot back that she didn't particularly care about his beliefs. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Perhaps Alice wouldn't have hesitated. However, the opponent was the successor to the Duke of Thisse, or rather, the Duke of Thisse himself.

"Thank you for believing in me."

As she bowed in gratitude, the Viscount looked at her and slowly spoke.

"But you know..."

"….."

“Haven’t you ever thought that doing something beyond your capabilities is excessive and a nuisance?”

"Why do you say such things?”

No matter how much Chloe thought about it, she had never been greedy. How hard did she try not to be a nuisance to others? Her lips trembled at her resentment.

“For example, let's say Lady Chloe was limping around, claiming to treat the wounded. If you knew the kind of vulgar jokes exchanged in some soldiers' beds that night, could you still lecture me on noble behavior?”

Chloe's expression hardened. Her hair blew in the dawn wind and brushed her pale cheeks.

“What would have happened if the Viscount had heard that? If I were him, I would have beheaded the soldiers who insulted my daughter with their foul mouths.”

The duke did not stop talking even after seeing Chloe's face turn pale.

“War is no joke. It is certainly not a tool to satisfy the daughter's petty benevolence. It is natural for the heads of those who witnessed a bullet hole in the forehead of a fellow soldier they were talking with to be half-turned right in front of their eyes. Would you like to give another example?”

“It is enough.”

Chloe shook her head as her mouth felt dry, but the Duke easily ignored her words.

“In the darkness of an unraveled dawn, if a woman ventures alone in such a forest and faces some danger, who should bear the responsibility?”

Chloe managed to open her trembling lips. Despite being named Chloe, she wasn't foolish enough to not consider such matters.

“This forest has been the Verdie family’s private property since before I was born. It means that it's a secure place where unauthorized people cannot enter."

"Haha. Secure?”

The duke laughed at her out loud this time. His voice was cold. Behind the peacock, the sky was turning purple.

"Yes! Aside from being safe...!”

“I wonder if you can keep spouting such nonsense.”

As the Duke snatched her cane, Chloe's eyes widened in astonishment. What is he doing now? A sense of instinctual fear engulfed her as his shadow, taller than her, loomed over.

“W-what are you doing?”

The duke struck the ground with the staff he had taken from her. Chloe instinctively lowered her gaze at the animal's hissing sound that followed, but was so startled that she almost fainted. Her staff had pierced right under the head of the large snake.

The snake that approached her with its head raised was camouflaged in the color of tree roots. The beast that attacked her twisted her body, its maw wide open. It was clear that something sticky was dripping from her sharp teeth.

Chloe was startled, took a step back, and ended up falling to the floor. The venomous serpent, with its body pierced by the cane, was still moving with all its might, just moments before its breath would cease. The sound of the snake's body sweeping across the dirt was even more vivid.

"Huh…"

Chloe tried to get up from her spot but couldn't. The cane was stuck in the snake, and due to her shock, she couldn't muster any strength in her body.

"H-help me, please.”

Chloe, with her arms crossed, managed to speak out towards the Duke who was observing her.

"You said it wasn't dangerous."

Repeating her own words back to her, Chloe bit her lip tightly. No matter the Duke's superior position, such treatment wasn't right.

"Then... at least give me back my cane."

"Can't the lady walk? The snake is already dead.”

Swallowing her fear, Chloe glanced through blurry eyes at the Duke's words, only to see the once writhing snake now limp and sprawled out. However, retrieving the cane was simply impossible for Chloe. Even if she managed to grasp it with great effort, the question remained of what to do with the carcass. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Just the sight of the lifeless snake's eyes made her shiver and her stomach churn. Gripping the earth with both hands, Chloe struggled to rise to her feet. The Duke, who approached belatedly, swiftly removed the cane and tossed the corpse aside with a single motion.

"It's broken."

There was a dent in the middle of the cane, indicating how forcefully it had been driven in.

”You can use it until you get back to the castle.”

“I decline.”

Chloe turned her pale face away from the Duke who was holding out a broken wand to her.

“…Can you please excuse me? As the Duke said, I think we should stop taking dangerous walks now.”

“Seeing as how you know how to make joke, you seem to have a good temper. It's surprising because it's different from what you look like. It’s refreshing.”

As Chloe looked at him with a wry smile, she unexpectedly blurted out as if about to vomit.

"...There's something I'd like to return to Duke.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means you can’t judge the contents of a book just by looking at its cover.”

Her heart pounded fiercely, and her ribs ached. A white breath emanated from the Duke's red lips. The eastern sky, once entirely purple, was gradually brightening. The Duke looked at her with a smile in his eyes.

“I can understand the feelings of the Viscount who made his disabled daughter stand in front of me.”

“Duke."

"He praised her so much that makes one’s mouth was watering, saying she would have done well even if she had been sent to the palace if only her legs weren't uncomfortable. He even shed tears.”

As Chloe watched the Duke continue speaking in a cold voice, she felt a rare sense of pure malice towards others. It was the first time she felt dislike for people since she was a child and saw a maid secretly touching her sick mother's belongings.

“Lift up your skirt.”

"...Excuse me?"

"I want to see the condition of your legs. Is it hereditary?”

She knew that the other person was the commander of the royal army and a duke, but that didn't mean it was okay to be rude to her like this. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Attacking the opponent's weakness meant not possessing the basic principles of humanity. Chloe's voice, barely opening her mouth, trembled thinly.

"Why are you... being so rude to me?"

As Damian took a step closer to her, he smiled even brighter.

"It's a question, not an attack, mistaking it for an attack is a delusion.”

Chloe's face was now so pale that there was not a trace of color left. Chloe genuinely disliked him now. Her hands were clammy with sweat, and her heart pounded so intensely that it couldn't beat any stronger.

”If you plan your strategy emotionally, you are bound to lose. Likewise, you cannot win a fight if you emotionally disobey orders.”

Chloe opened her moistened eyes wide and whispered as if she spat out.

"I am not a soldier who fights wars, Your Grace.”

Approaching slowly, crushing wildflowers underfoot, he lowered his head and met her gaze. It was the first time the bright sun behind him felt so unwelcome. Chloe wished she could hide her body in the darkness if she could. She didn't want to show a face barely holding back tears.

"Since birth, life itself is a war. Especially for someone like you."

Like glass, the smooth and cold wall seemed to slowly sweep up and down her body again. It felt like the dead snake had come back to life and was coiling around her body. Yes, this person was a golden snake. Chloe clenched the hem of her dress tightly to keep from falling.

"Even so, Your Grace, there's no reason for you to meddle in my life.”

"Meddling, you say? Giving deliberate advice, yet you can't even offer a word of thanks. Seems like your mind is quite twisted."

There was an illusion that the Duke's pupils were even more mysterious in color. Despite it being morning, his perfectly arranged golden hair, aristocratic white skin, and sharp lips were as beautiful as a work of art, but he looked like a demon with an angel's face.

"Thank you for giving valuable advice to a the mistress of a humble Viscount"

"Now that I see it, your sarcasm is top-notch”

Instead of showing a displeased expression, the Duke revealed his white teeth as he laughed. Watching him, Chloe took a deep breath.

"Don't you know that I am not worthy enough to be sarcastic to you, Your Grace?"

"If you want to demean yourself, write it in your diary."

"Your Grace, may I speak just two unconventional things?"

Damian chuckled as if amused by her.

"Go ahead, Lady Chloe."

"Firstly, I hope that the cane you broke is replaced with a new one."

"I should have just left you for the viper to bite."

"Because I don't believe a cane is a stronger weapon than a sword.”

Chloe, with her back straight, clearly glanced at the long sword hanging at the Duke's waist. The Duke's eyes gleamed as he licked his lips.

"As soon as you return to the mansion, summon a carpenter to craft the finest cane."

"No. What I want is a cane made from the birch trees grown in the Thisse estate."

"What?”

The Duke raised an eyebrow strangely as he looked at her. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Chloe was momentarily taken aback by the sudden strong aura emanating from him, but soon clenched her fist. Her palms, damp with sweat from tension, felt clammy.

"Do you not know that I am currently at war?"

The Duke's gaze, articulating each syllable precisely, proved how uncomfortable he was at the moment.

"Can't you make it and send it after the war is over?”

The Duke paused, quietly regarding her. Chloe, once again calming her mind, spoke with a small yet clear voice.

"Last night, Your Grace, you clearly stated that you would return victorious from the war. You would send the soldiers home, and that includes you, Your Grace."

"And?"

"After you return victorious and return to the Thisse estate, please send me the cane.”

In the morning sunlight, the badges adorning the Duke's military uniform sparkled brightly. Chloe felt the Duke's hand lightly grasp her chin. Trembling with fear, she tried to hide it as Damian whispered to her.

"Should I give you something even more impressive?"

"No, that's enough."

"Verdier, who has been angry with me, probably wants something more."

"...What do you mean?"

"He dared to want me to get involved with one of his two daughters, so you went out of your way to provide rear support that no one would volunteer to do. Of course, he was also convinced that I would win this war and come back, so he took a gamble.”

Chloe could no longer bear it. Swiftly, she turned her head away from his touch and staggered back a little.

"It seems you're bringing up the second topic yourself, Your Grace."

"What's that?"

"If my father had praised you even once, it would have been out of pure paternal affection. Even a hedgehog tends to find its own child beautiful.”

Ignoring the Duke's chuckle, Chloe continued.

"Regardless of my father's love for his two daughters, it's not unrealistic to forget that Verdier is not a family to be trifled with, Your Grace. Furthermore..."

Chloe swallowed dryly and then continued.

"It's not just you, Your Grace, who doesn't want to associate with a cripple. I imagine it's the same for all other men as well."

The Duke's eyes narrowed with an unpleasant gleam.

“I would have told you to keep your self-deprecation to yourself.”

Feeling a satisfying sense of hitting the mark, Chloe felt inexplicable elation. Her heart pounded fiercely, as if it would burst out of her throat. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] The fact that her opponent was a duke didn't feel important. She simply wanted to point out his mistake.

"Stating visible facts as they are is not an insult. Your Grace's sympathy may come from your heart, but you cannot arbitrarily define my life as unhappy."

"Is living like that truly happy? Your life will never change."

"Yes. I am happy.”

Chloe didn't hesitate to nod her head. Watching the smile slowly fade from Damian's face, Chloe spoke again.

"Living peacefully without anything changing on this land where I was born for the rest of my life is my happiness. Your Grace."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It is.”

Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes, but they never fell. She was grateful for the cold wind blowing. With all her strength, she held back her tears, politely bidding farewell until the very end. Watching her, the young head of the duchy laughed quietly, with the most beautiful and cruel face in the world.

After breakfast time had long passed, when Chloe returned from her walk covered in dirt and leaves, the army led by Thisse refined their formation and set out on their journey. Despite suffering from fever and chills, Chloe was grateful for the fact that she didn't have to see him off.

The problem was that Chloe was seriously ill. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Grateful for the diagnosis that it wasn't pneumonia, her father spent every night crying, while Alice, who was studying at the monastery, had to return without even seeing her sister's face.

The misfortune for Verdier began that winter.