The End Of Winter (2)

The entire mansion was covered in plush carpeting, so even when a large man like the Grand Duke walked across it, his footsteps made no sound. I hurried through the mansion alongside him.

The place he stopped at and opened was a bedroom. Although it must have been prepared in haste, it had been perfectly arranged as a married couple’s chamber. The elegant ebony furniture and the dark-toned furnishings throughout gave it a remarkably comfortable atmosphere, while the weapons and armor hanging here and there on the walls seemed to announce that this was a knight’s room.

The Grand Duke said.

“This is the room you and I will use.”

After hearing his voice for the first time in several days, I noticed the terrible exhaustion in it. He rubbed around his eyes as he spoke.

“And you have only one duty. Remain by my side while I sleep.”

I immediately turned toward the Grand Duke. I wondered what nonsense this man was talking about. Was sleeping together not only natural for a married couple?

Before I could ask, he added.

“However, you must remain awake.”

“……Remain awake? Even at night?”

“That is correct. Stay awake and watch over me.”

Watch over him?

The Grand Duke walked toward the wall and tossed me one of the swords hanging there. I caught it reflexively and drew it, discovering that both its length and weight suited my build perfectly.

In a gloomy tone, he said something incomprehensible.

“If it becomes too difficult to handle, you may cut me down. I will not resent you.”

“What do you…….”

Before I could ask anything further, the Grand Duke summoned the attendants. He told them that neither a meal nor a welcoming banquet was necessary and ordered them to lock the mansion’s doors. He also commanded them to prepare for bed.

“Prepare bathwater. Bring some for my wife as well.”

The taciturn maids escorted me to the lady of the house’s room. The absurdly luxurious chamber looked like a single painting in its entirety, but before I had time to admire it further, I was led toward the bathtub behind a partition. The maids swiftly removed my dust-covered clothes and filled the tub with water.

I soaked in the dizzyingly fragrant water and looked out the window. The sun had just begun to set, painting the sky with twilight.

The questions that had followed me throughout the journey did not fade. I could not understand why he was already going to bed, why he had told me not to sleep and to watch him while he slept, or why he had said I could cut him down. It likely had something to do with why he had specifically brought along a woman who knew how to use a sword.

While I was lost in thought, the maids gave me new undergarments and a light nightgown before leaving. I put on the garments, which were as soft as cotton, and returned to the bedroom.

The Grand Duke was already in the bedroom. His body, clad only in a dark robe, was close to perfection. Whether viewed from the eyes of a woman or as a swordswoman, I could only marvel at it.

Perhaps because he was exhausted, he said nothing. When the Grand Duke gestured for an attendant, one entered and carefully drew the curtains. After extinguishing the lights and leaving only a few candles burning, the room was enveloped in warm darkness.

The Grand Duke collapsed onto the bed without even properly covering himself and warned me once more.

“Do not fall asleep. Not if you wish to see tomorrow morning’s sun.”

Though I was still filled with questions, I nodded for the moment. Then I sat beside him with the sword in my arms.

The Grand Duke truly fell asleep in an instant. Only the faint sound of breathing from his motionless body assured me that he had fallen into sleep rather than death.

I forced my heavy eyelids open and began counting numbers.

How much time had passed? One hour? Two?

My body, weary from the journey, demanded sleep. Miserably, I looked down at the man sleeping beside me.

At that moment, the sleeping Grand Duke suddenly opened his eyes.

He slowly raised his eyelids. Startled, I called out to him.

“Your Highness?”

But the Grand Duke did not answer. He slowly rose and climbed out of bed. After wandering around the room for a moment, he picked up a longsword hanging on the bedroom wall. His murky, roving gaze soon came to rest on me.

Surely not.

I instinctively drew the sword I had been holding. At the same moment, the Grand Duke swung his blade at me.

Clang!

With a sharp sound, our swords collided. From his sluggish reactions, I realized that the Grand Duke was not in his right mind. Even so, he was tremendously strong. Each time our blades met, my arms trembled faintly as I was pushed backward.

I had no chance if I fought him head-on. I quickly dodged the incoming blade and shouted.

“Your Highness! Lord Mort!”

But he attacked recklessly. His sword cut through the air with a chilling sound and struck toward places that were difficult to defend. If I continued doing nothing but dodging, something truly terrible might happen.

In the end, I twisted my body toward the side of the bed, waited for an opening, and knocked his sword away. At the same time, I struck the back of his neck hard with the hilt of my sword.

“!”

The Grand Duke staggered before collapsing onto the bed.

Was it…… over?

Breathing heavily, I stared at the fallen man. Even when I cautiously poked him with the scabbard, his solid body did not move. I hurried away from the bed and sank beneath the window. The sleep that had weighed down my eyelids had long since vanished.

Was this why he had told me to watch over him? But why would a sleeping man suddenly do something like this? Unless he had been possessed by a demon!

I wanted to run, but even if I did, I had nowhere to go.

I sheathed the sword and held it against my chest so I could draw it at any moment. The blade rattled in my drained hand.

I was scared…….

Beneath the faint candlelight, I curled myself up as inconspicuously as possible.

The Grand Duke did not open his eyes until birds began calling at dawn. The moment he woke, he urgently looked around. When he found me curled against the wall, his eyes widened.

“You are alive.”

I could not possibly let that remark pass without answering.

“Were you hoping I would be dead?”

“No, I was merely…… surprised.”

When I saw him leave the bed, I staggered to my feet as well. My eyes stung after being strained all night, and my body shivered from sitting beside the window in a thin nightgown. This one night had been more exhausting than the past several days of travel. My body trembled like an aspen from the incomprehensible shock and fatigue.

The Grand Duke stared at me before properly closing his robe. Then he picked up the white blanket that had probably been meant for me. Was he planning to drape it over my shoulders? But I instinctively stepped back. The Grand Duke flinched and stopped walking. Then he said.

“……You endured a great deal. Rest. I will have them prepare a meal for when you wake.”

I had countless questions I wanted to ask him, but I was truly far too tired. Barely aware of what I was doing, I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.

By the time I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky. My body felt refreshed, but I was terribly hungry. I rang the bell and summoned the servants. An elderly woman who appeared to be the head maid entered with several maids, all bowing their heads.

“Are you awake, my lady?”

Their manner was just as exceedingly respectful as when I had first seen them. Awkwardly, I asked for water to wash with and something to eat.

Their service was attentive. I washed my face with water scattered with flower petals and brushed my hair with what looked like a gold-plated comb.

Once I was prepared, the meal was served. There were appetizing cuts of meat dripping with fat, soft eggs, and something fluffy that resembled pudding. They were all foods rarely seen in the territory where I had lived.

I ate as slowly as possible so that I would not appear too ravenous. Once my plate was completely empty, the elderly woman bowed in greeting.

“My apologies for the delayed introduction, my lady. I am Sermona, the head maid.”

“It is nice to meet you, Madam Sermona.”

“I will devote myself to ensuring that you live comfortably in this mansion. Should you have any questions or require anything, please feel free to ask.”

I hesitated briefly. But there was only one thing I wanted to know.

“Um, why does the Grand Duke behave that way at night?”

The woman flinched. She quickly composed her expression so it would not show, but she could not conceal the bewilderment in her voice.

“Did His Highness awaken again last night?”

“Yes. He seemed aware of it himself, so why exactly does it happen?”

A stir spread among the maids. Madam Sermona silenced their whispering with a sharp look, but I wanted to know what they were saying.

“What were you talking about?”

At my question, a young maid cautiously answered while watching the others’ reactions.

“W-We honestly thought His Highness had not awakened last night. If he had, we believed Your Highness would have been…… gravely injured…….”

My eyes widened. Not only did I understand even less, I also felt slightly aggrieved.

In other words, from the Grand Duke to the servants, they had all known I would experience something like this.

Madam Sermona bowed deeply toward me when my expression darkened.

“My apologies, my lady. This concerns the master’s secret…… so we could not tell you beforehand.”

“No, it is all right. In any case…… no one was hurt. I simply want to know the reason.”

The woman looked into my eyes for a moment before beginning her explanation with a sigh.