《Happy Ending After Divorce》 CH 1 **** ¡°Your Highness, a woman with a certain noble language is knocking on the door saying that she wants to see you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± The man rebuked the opponent with a low reply. The castle was located in the middle of a multi-layered mountain range, always among the frozen snowy mountains. The interior was dark with a gloomy color. If outsiders wanted to come here, they had to schedule a month in advance and make all the necessary preparations. In the past, half of the guests froze to death on the way here. ¡°There¡¯s no appointment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m wondering too¡­¡­ She did indeed mention Your Highness¡¯s name. She said she came to see Duke Blake Upus.¡± Blake checked the simple calendar on his mahogany desk once more. There were no outsiders to come. ¡°I¡¯ll go out myself.¡± At last he stood up and left his office. A much larger-than-average build passed through the desolate hallway. It was a dark night. On the mirror that occupied the entire wall on one side, the man¡¯s thick jawline and a clear neck of blood vessels were reflected. It was a manly face, all the way down to the dark skin he was born with, but everyone avoided Blake. This was because Blake Upus was a descendant of barbarians. The entire duchy was once a barbarian kingdom. So there were actually only a few outsiders who came to the Duchy of Upus. ¡°What kind of crazy noblewoman would visit here? It¡¯s more likely to be a ghost.¡± With as much sarcasm as he could muster, he finally reached the front of the gate. He broke through the huge castle in a single step and didn¡¯t lose a breath. A thick hand passed over the servant and opened the door directly. The metal ring, frozen in the cold air, breathed out a flame. And in the snow-covered fields of the night that could be seen beyond¡­. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Who are you?¡± Blake had to acknowledge the fact that a woman had indeed arrived. There was a woman standing on this high snowy mountain holding a light. Her head was a near-white blonde, but the thick hat prevented a good view. A scarf half-hid her small face. Even then, the eyes were blue, but there was no sign of fear or reluctance towards Blake. She was the color of waves on a deserted island. It didn¡¯t go well with these snowy mountains at all, which was funny. ¡®But why? She¡¯s familiar.¡¯ Strangely enough, there was a sense of familiarity. Pretending to be high and mighty, the noble shouldn¡¯t be so close to his barbarian self. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Blake asked bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m here for business.¡± The woman¡¯s accent was peculiar to the upper class. Contrary to her wild and arbitrary behavior, she seemed to have grown up with higher education since birth. He felt a sense of distance that seemed to have no contact at all. However¡­ The man was really strangely familiar with everything about this woman. ¡®Who in the world is this?¡¯ ¡°Otherwise, there¡¯s no way I would have knocked on someone else¡¯s castle gate, especially since I had to go through snowy mountains.¡± Okay, so the woman knew that her destination was winter all year round. How many layers of skirts did she put on? It was noticeable that she was wearing layers of clothes.¡­¡­ Blake pointed out in a not at all gentle tone. ¡°That is not appropriate clothing for climbing snowy mountains. They have to get off the carriage and climb more for half an hour. How long did it take you?¡± The woman let out a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s true, this tattered skirt keeps getting stuck under my feet. It took me at least two hours to get here with the help of magic.¡± As she said this, she lowered her scarf and her face appeared. She was beautiful, so beautiful that anyone who saw her once would remember her. The white blonde and blue eyes that everyone envied, and even the eyes of a puppy that matched it. The small face and facial features were densely packed. Blake¡¯s brow furrowed as if he was remembering something. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡± Lily Hedwick.¡± Lily was famous. She was the flower of society. There was always talk that any man would gladly give up one arm if he could only have her company. If such a famous woman was so close to him, how could he not remember her? Blake thought to himself. ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you remember me, but it was five years ago at a charity party that Lady Rose Jeffrey threw for war orphans. We were both in attendance, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve met before.¡± No, it wasn¡¯t because of such a trivial incident that Blake felt familiar with her. Maybe it was a long time ago, much older than five years ago¡­ ¡°And what else?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t any, is there¡­¡­?¡± Lily Hedwick tilted her head as the snow fluttered behind her. To Lily, the man was really just a stranger. ¡°Anyway, at that charity party, your father spilled some wine on my dress.¡± ¡°I suppose that got people¡¯s attention.¡± It must have been the talk of the town, because the barbarian who was the enemy of their eyes humiliated the flower of the society. The nobles around must have raised their voices and spoke ill of that man for the beautiful woman. ¡°Your father said he was sorry and apologized.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°And he made a promise to me. He said he would do me a favor for anything under the name of his family.¡± Lily recalled what happened five years ago. Somehow a middle-aged man with reddish copper skin had acted furtively when he spilled over fifty years of wine on her dress. Lily wasn¡¯t too concerned about him being ostracized as a barbarian. [Please don¡¯t worry about it.] When she laid the matter to rest as if nothing had happened, Blake¡¯s father showed his closeness. He exclaimed gaily with a laugh, for he was quite different from the temperamental nature of his son Blake. [How kind of you! I can¡¯t just let it go! I¡¯ll do whatever you ask, My Lady. We have no honor, but we have many possessions. You can tell me anytime!] And today, five years later, was the day Lily came to ask for the favor. ¡°You were there when it happened, and I hope you fulfill the promise of your father. Please allow me to stay in this house. I¡¯d be grateful for a long time.¡± Blake had a headache. He was strangely familiar with her¡­.but at the same time he didn¡¯t know her. He answered bluntly again. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Even though it wasn¡¯t your promise, your father did put his family on the line. It¡¯s not a very big request, so I¡¯m sure you can comply.¡± He was engulfed in the urge to make this shameless woman realize what she was saying. There were employees, but he was the only person in the family. ¡°It¡¯s a castle ruled by one strong man. What kind of rumors would arise from letting a stranger¡¯s woman stay here? It would add one more thing to the slander of being a dangerous savage. No, shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about your own honor than my reputation?¡± Blake was treated like a gutter by the Empire from birth. However, Lily Hedwick was the flower of society. If his knowledge of the society was correct, the young lady was a high-minded woman. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lily took off her leather gloves. Her left hand was getting redder and redder from the edge as the winter air hit it. It was a very white hand, so the disparity was awful. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°Look at my ring finger. You see the mark where I wore my wedding ring? I got married last year. I guess that means I¡¯m not a Lady. If you didn¡¯t know, you are a slow updater of information.¡± ¡°Are you now refuting the word ¡°Lady¡±? I was giving you my concern for your honor.¡± Of course, it was not a tone of concern. It was more like a sarcastic tone. However, he did look at the fact that Lily was freezing more and more as she stood outside the door, but¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my honor either. I¡¯m divorced. It was also a way to escape, leaving only the divorce papers behind. Honor is not more important than life. I need a very quiet place so that my ex can¡¯t find me.¡± The snowy mountains of Blake Upus were just right for Lily¡¯s requirements. This was a place with very little interaction with the outside world. As long as she kept the employees quiet, she could hide well enough for at least a year. Only then did Blake learn why she had come here. There was no better place to hide from all of the Empire. But Blake didn¡¯t really appreciate the fact that he understood. He hated outside visitors, anyway. All of the socialites were equally repulsive. It was strange that the woman didn¡¯t look at him as if he was a barbarian¡­Even so, the door to his heart was coldly closed. ¡°Ha¡­¡± In any case, now was the moment he had to make a break for it. Was his father, the father of the family, buried in the earth with a comfortable heart, leaving behind the promise of the family name? ¡°Good¡­.so¡­.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Come in for now. Just don¡¯t complain that the season is harsh. It¡¯s always winter here, and the rules of survival are even more developed than the rules of etiquette.¡± Lily smiled gratefully for the favor. ¡°If you¡¯re short-handed, you can leave the job to me. It¡¯s more what I want. There are certainly things I can do to help you.¡± When Blake stepped out of the way, Lily came inside the gate quickly. The difference in size between the two of them was drastic, even though she was wearing several layers of winter clothing. ¡°One moment.¡± Lily was caught limping lightly in his eyes. Lily stared at Blake as if to ask what the problem was. She didn¡¯t ask for help, even though it was obvious that her leg was frozen to the point that she couldn¡¯t walk. Blake felt strangely sick to the stomach. ¡®If it hurts, you should say it hurts. Do I look like the cruel one who won¡¯t even help if you ask?¡¯ He felt insolent, and wanted to tease her. So, without asking permission, he lifted Lily up, tucking her into his arm like a sack. ¡°¡­.!¡± It was really strange to feel this way about a woman he had never met before. It was as if he had known her for a long time. ¡°Let¡¯s start with soaking you in hot water. Unless you want to cut off your necrotizing legs as soon as you wake up tomorrow.¡± CH 2 *** IlDexter was the aide who had just informed Blake of the outsider¡¯s arrival. He was a young man with brown hair who wore glasses and was one of the few pure-blooded Imperials in the Duke¡¯s castle, not of barbaric blood. He smiled perplexedly with his handsome face. Then he asked again. ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness. I¡¯m sorry, but I must ask you again. Are you going to wash this lady yourself?¡± ¡°I see your ears are still not working properly. Yes, I¡¯m talking about this lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather the joke be that my promotion is closed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± ¡°Can I just leave my resignation in the office then?¡± Of course, Blake didn¡¯t mean to do anything about Lily. Blake¡¯s face was thick with cynicism. Well, since he lifted her up and carried her directly to the bathroom, wouldn¡¯t that be the same as washing her? The reason he had said something that could be misinterpreted was because he hoped Lily would be perplexed for once. But still in Blake¡¯s arms, Lily replied casually. ¡°I¡¯m not Lady.¡± Blake wanted to grab the back of her neck as soon as he heard those words again.That was a really uninteresting way to act. ¡°Is that all you have to say? And if you¡¯re divorced, you¡¯re a Lady again.¡± He threw away the feeling that she was familiar to him a long time ago. He didn¡¯t seem to know the young lady, Lily, at all. That way, his personal illusion would be correct. ¡°And let me warn you, you will be in trouble if you talk back to barbarians. Isn¡¯t there a fairy tale about that?¡± ¡°Barbarians¡ªso I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re referring to the people of the dukedom who also eat people, right?¡± Despite being the same country, there were many different ways in which the Empire discriminated against the Duke. As a result, whether they actually were or not, the people of the duchy were truly stamped with the image of being ¡°barbaric¡±. Lily asked, ¡°Do you have a preference for that? What is the aesthetics of human flesh?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Perfect. This clears up the blush between us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but will you come back after a day or two? In the meantime, I¡¯ll think about whether cannibalism can be to my taste.¡± The man felt a strange desire to conquer. It was strange to feel this way about a woman he didn¡¯t know well. ¡®What kind of woman could be so strange?¡¯ The people he hated the most were the nobles of this country. A tribe that was extravagant and always spoke ill of others. ¡®It¡¯s strange that they would call us savages when they are more savage.¡¯ Lily Hedwick that socialites envied the most. It was natural for him to want to score. The act of pouring out his senses to that woman was an illusion that began there. That was what Blake believed. At the same time, Lily looked around the bathroom, unaware of Blake¡¯s inner thoughts. Blake held Lily, holding her waist with his big hands. Her thin waist was wrapped in half and she could feel the firm and thick muscles of the man over the winter clothes worn in layers. It didn¡¯t bother Lily much, though, so she was able to concentrate on her bath. She eyed the rough white tiles on the bathroom floor. ¡°I was curious because it was a castle in the mountains, but I liked the Gothic style. It¡¯s more desolate than an ordinary mansion, but I think that¡¯s what makes it rather special.¡± ¡°Well, the people from the capital didn¡¯t like it because it¡¯s a rugged castle¡­ but they have different opinions.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a shame that only people with no eyes came to visit.¡± ¡°Every once in a while, an official of the Imperial Palace will stop by the Winter Castle. For example, they¡¯re investigators. Though they always looked uncomfortable, as if they were just here to do their job.¡± Blake sarcastically spoke in a low voice. ¡°But what do you want me to do? Our method of survival is like this. We have to hang meat in the kitchen and display barrels in the hallway to keep the water from freezing in cold weather. Without tapestries, though, even that is useless.¡± Steam from the hot water pooled in the bathroom. While the faucet spewed water out of the white bathtub, several maids poured hot water from a wooden bucket. IlDexter asked. ¡°The bath is ready, Your Highness. Then¡­..?¡± It was the end of the word that included the question of whether Blake would really wash Lily himself. Fortunately, Blake handed Lily over in a straightforward manner. The two maids warmly accepted Lily as she was handed over like a package. ¡°Now then, wash up and come out. We¡¯ll continue talking afterwards.¡± Lily folded her eyes, smiled and said goodbye. ¡°Have a good night, Lord Blake.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but it¡¯s night. It¡¯s an appropriate time for an uninvited guest to come unannounced.¡± ¡°I made an appointment with Lord Blake¡¯s father.¡± ¡°How come you never yield a word?¡± Lily tried to apologize for misleading him, since she didn¡¯t dare to try to win. But Blake was intimidated by what else embarrassing words she would say with her innocent face. So he didn¡¯t listen to her anymore and went on his way. ¡°Bye then.¡± He quickly exited the bathroom with his huge body. IlDexter nodded to Lily, laughing as he broke into a cold sweat. Then he hurriedly followed Blake. ¡°Your Highness, what will I do if you leave me behind?¡± ¡®So awkward!¡¯ The scream became distant. The rest of the maids approached Lily, looking embarrassed, wondering what they should do. It had been a long time since they had taken care of a woman. The Upus Duchy belonged to the Empire, but they were despised for being barbarians. They were such Upus people. They were large and solid, regardless of gender. They felt awkward seeing the frail Lily. ¡°Let¡¯s be gentle so she won¡¯t break.¡± ¡°Keep that in mind.¡± The maids said to each other as they exchanged glances. Lily mumbled as she took off her thick wool cape. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tend to my bath, I¡¯m just like an uninvited guest.¡± At that she let out a small yawn. It was because she had walked for two hours in the heavy snowfall. Now that she was wrapped up in warmth, she naturally felt sleepy. So Lily inadvertently forgot that she had to warn the maids. That they might be surprised at what they saw. ¡°¡­.!¡± The maids opened their eyes wide while receiving Lily¡¯s clothes one by one. Their gazes were fixed on the scars on her slender body. *** It had been quite a journey for Lily to get here from the capital. This was because the Upus Duchy itself was closed. Pureblood Imperials were afraid to go to the Duchy and had to do a lot of legwork to find transportation. Lily had to ride in several carriages even after she got off the train. Also, after walking through snowy fields, she barely reached the castle hidden deep in the snowy mountains. The Duchy was a kingdom founded by the Upus, a wandering tribe at one time, but the empire despised them, commonly calling them ¡°barbarians¡±. Even though they had been in the same country for hundreds of years, there hadn¡¯t been much human interaction. Lily stretched with a refreshed complexion. ¡°Hm.¡± She didn¡¯t show it, but when she got out of the hot water, her fatigue melted away. Lily followed the servant¡¯s lead and stood in front of the ruggedly patterned door. ¡°Master is waiting for you.¡± There was a door plate with the wolf seal of the family engraved on it. ¡®This must be the room where Lord Blake works.¡¯ She could hear the sound of writing through the slightly open door. Inside, she could see the interior of the rough and spacious office. The pillar clock as only the necessary furniture remained, which ticked regularly and steadily. Lily found the place lonely and isolated, just like Blake. The only sound was the flickering of the fireplace, which gave off a warm energy. Blake was reading some papers at the middle table. ¡°Hm.¡± He took his red eyes off the papers and raised his head. ¡°Took you long enough¡­ Are the women of the capital always that slow?¡± Blake had washed, too, and his clothes had changed. His white shirt was tied at the bottom of his neck with a string, but a small opening underneath it revealed a firm chest. Underneath he was wearing comfortable pants. Lily didn¡¯t dare respond to Blake¡¯s pros and cons. ¡°The servants were kind enough to even give me new clothes, and they¡¯re nice and soft. I ran away in a hurry and didn¡¯t have anything to change into. I am grateful for that.¡± He was indeed hostile to her. It was only natural since he was from the Upus family. Lily also understood the pressure the Upus people were under. But she could sense that he didn¡¯t really hate her. It would get better as time went on and they got to know each other. Lily walked in and the door closed. Only the two of them remained in the office. ¡°Is it customary around here that clothes don¡¯t cinch the waist so tightly?¡± Then Blake¡¯s gaze unconsciously scanned Lily¡¯s body. ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re all about life first¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± He stopped speaking immediately when he saw her clothes were much larger than Lily¡¯s body. It was a dress made of thick apricot-colored fabric, but it was slouchy and showed her beautiful skin as it was. It looked like she was wearing her husband¡¯s clothes, and they seemed to be much bigger. Blake tried his best to think of something else. No, but how did she end up looking like that? The reason Lily looked like that was simple. The two maids who helped her bath had to give Lily the best quality of the clothes they had. The maids took the dress from the room that Alfred, the butler, had bought for his daughter as a gift. The problem was that the butler¡¯s daughter had the magnificent physique of the Upus people. They had to give her the clothes their children would wear. Blake pretended to be looking at Lily, concentrating only on the tapestry that hung behind her. ¡®I should hurry up and buy clothes that fit her.¡¯ Blake made up his mind. ¡°Anyway, tell me your story.¡± He distantly suggested a seat on the other side of the desk. ¡°What would you like to know?¡± Lily approached meekly. And it was at the moment when she lowered her body to remove her chair to sit. The dress that was just barely hanging over her shoulders tried to slide down. ¡°¡­.¡± Blake couldn¡¯t stand it and quickly rose from his seat. ¡°Let me tell you in advance, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± CH 3 *** Lily raised her head. She looked at the approaching man and gave him a ¡°what¡¯s going on¡± look. ¡°Lord Blake?¡± The time just passed midnight. Outside the warm office, snow was falling fiercely. The mountains, frozen all year round, could be seen fluttering through the window. Blake turned the desk and stood beside Lily. The Upus people were larger in stature than the pure-blooded Imperials. Blake was particularly superior. His massive stature blocked the light from the chandelier. A large shadow fell over Lily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t understand. What¡¯s not your fault?¡± Her platinum hair flickered in Blake¡¯s shadow. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that the Lady looks like she¡¯s been put in a giant sack.¡± Blake tossed Lily the winter coat that had been hanging in his office. It was rough because he didn¡¯t want to touch the other person¡¯s skin in any way. He spoke in a rough voice as his ears grew redder. ¡°Still, cover yourself with that. It looks like you¡¯re covered with a full-sized comforter this time.¡± Well, that was exactly what he expected. Lily was almost completely covered by the giant coat and poked her little face above the coat. Blake looked at her with a dark face and a blank expression. Honestly, she was cute. He made an effort to stifle a sigh of laughter. ¡°I don¡¯t know who gave you those pajamas. But the sense of style has gone to hell.¡± Lily deftly tied Blake¡¯s coat around her shoulders. When she finished buttoning it up, it looked like a cape and the hem went down to the bottom of the chair. For the first time Lily didn¡¯t like Bake. Even when he didn¡¯t allow her into the house and had held her roughly. Not even then. ¡°I believe these clothes were given to me by the servants, Lord Blake. Please don¡¯t disparage them. They all had nice things to say to me.¡± Blake asked, still swallowing his laughter. ¡°Like what, for example?¡± ¡®The taller servants said I¡¯m pretty. It may seem awkward, but I¡¯ve found them both to have good hearts.¡± Lily spoke of the servants and smiled. The only two servants she tried to converse with were the two who helped her with her bath, but they were both kind. They were all from the dukedom, so they were strong and sturdy with faces like the Upus. But unlike their rugged appearance, they treated Lily as precious as glass. Blake became uncomfortable when she spoke nicely about his servants. How long has she been with them to become that close? She only threw a few formal smiles at him¡­¡­.. He hated to admit it, but he was jealous. ¡®Do you know that? I¡¯m the only person who feels strangely familiar to you.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re referring to because all the maids are tall. All those who stay in this castle will be bigger than the lady.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t childishly take the words out of context. Let¡¯s get to the point.¡± Blake felt the urge to be even more sarcastic about everything, but he kept his mouth shut. He felt strange when he was with her. He suddenly felt like a mean boy bullying the girl he liked. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done this.¡¯ He pressed his temples and strove to return to his true self. ¡°So ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ let¡¯s try to resolve this and the purpose for which I have called you here. This is what I am curious about. Explain what you meant when you said you ran away, leaving only the divorce paper, and why you need a place to hide from your ex-husband.¡± ¡°It will be a long story. It might be a little embarrassing for men to hear.¡± Before she knew it, Blake had returned to the seat across from her and waved his hand roughly as if to say, ¡°Explain.¡± It was a big hand, bulky with muscles and calluses. ¡°I had a political marriage a year ago. The day we got married, my husband confided in me that he had a problem with his reproductive organs. He was not a man who could work at night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he had problems.¡± Blake couldn¡¯t help but look at the fireplace burning from one side. Some people might lie to their spouse in order not to do their night duty, but would he do that to Lily Hedwick? If he was a normal nobleman, he would wish to marry her at least once¡­. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ As he was thinking this, Blake let out a small curse. ¡®D*mn it.¡¯ ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have admitted it.¡¯ It was really strange. Why did his father make a promise to this woman? He was an arbitrary human being, but not to that extent. ¡®My father wouldn¡¯t have known Lily Hedwick in advance.¡¯ If only he was still alive, he could have solved the problem. And he would have been able to ask his father why he felt familiar with Lily. Maybe there was a link to all of this¡­.Blake thought, but quickly shook it off. As much as he hated the imperial nobility, he should hate all of them equally. Lily Hedwick belonged to that group, so it was all over now. Blake was definitely not going to be nice to her. ¡°Go on with your story.¡± ¡°My husband seemed to feel inferior to the fact that he couldn¡¯t perform his night duty. He always apologized for it, but his main purpose was to hear I say it¡¯s okay.¡± Lily was reminded of the early days of her marriage. Lily¡¯s husband had an inferiority complex about not being good enough. He would always ask her if she was okay. [I¡¯m sorry. But it doesn¡¯t bother you much, does it?] (husband) Even if Lily nodded honestly. He said she shouldn¡¯t be so short with her replies. [I¡¯ve apologized so much, haven¡¯t I? I revealed my true feelings.] (husband) Her husband always spoke formally, but that was it. [But how can I say it¡¯s okay for a long time?] (Lily) [I don¡¯t care. Tell me not to care!] (husband) When days like this were repeated, people went crazy. Her life had always been horrible, both before her marriage and after she had started a new family in a political marriage. Blake¡¯s dark brows crinkled as he listened. ¡°He couldn¡¯t do his part and he was controlling.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have cared if it ended like that¡­¡­On the days my husband drank alcohol, it got worse.¡± Her husband hit her every time he was drunk. He said it was the virtue of a husband to correct his wife¡¯s bad habits. ¡°The rough behavior that started out as trivial became a major threat as time went on. The next day, he would apologize that he didn¡¯t mean it. But the same thing repeated over and over again.¡± Lily remembered earlier how surprised the maids here were when they saw scars on her body. She remembered their astonished expressions, even as she asked them to keep it a secret for the time being. Pain was inflicted only on areas that could be hidden by clothing. ¡°Last time my husband was gone all day, I asked the butler about it. He told me that a friend of his from his hometown had won the bid for the right to work on the railroad in the area and went to celebrate. He had 40 bottles of liquor stored in the tavern.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I found out that day. I thought today may be the day I die.¡± Her sweet voice was nonchalant. She even smiled, as if out of habit Her pale skin was like the snow falling outside the window. Her blue eyes painted a landscape of wide, rugged white mountains. She had the pity of a toy whose power was all worn out and broken. ¡°¡­.¡± Blake Upus was a man who was very immune to war, violence, and bloodstains. In the mountain range, monsters and beasts competed for the pecking order, and he was strong enough to overpower them all. But Lily was telling her horrible story so calmly¡­.for some reason, he felt like his own heart was aching. And he thought that the husband should be fed to the animals in the mountains as a meal. ¡°Is that why you ran away here that day?¡± Honestly, Blake wanted to beat the unknown husband of hers and cut off all his tendons. ¡°You guessed right. I got on the train trusting your father¡¯s promise to help with anything. He was very kind to me the first time I saw him.¡± After hearing this, Blake couldn¡¯t drive Lily out. How he could also rationalize it. Wouldn¡¯t it be an act of protection for the less evil nobleman from the evil nobleman that was her husband? It was a mutually satisfying outcome. Blake deceived himself and nodded. In other words, Lily Hedwick didn¡¯t really like living in his barren castle. It never had been. Never! ¡°Then do so. But it will be a year at most. Until then, you must find another way and leave the castle.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± Blake stood up as if he wanted to conclude the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a maid, if you need anything, just let her know. Don¡¯t wander around the castle for no reason. Unlike the other nobles, I often walk in the snowy mountains, so you won¡¯t see me often.¡± He opened the door to his office, which was coated with oil and made only a faint sound. ¡°Call me if you need me. But you should only find me when there is something you must meet. There should be absolutely nonsense reasons.¡± This was the last of Blake¡¯s pride. It was his attitude that he would never have a close relationship with a noblewoman. He would reject the nobility equally. ¡°If possible, it would be good enough to forget that we¡¯re in the same house.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Lord Blake.¡± Lily went out into the corridor to see the man off. Blake picked out one of the maids passing by and assigned her to Lily. Lily really intended to faithfully implement Blake¡¯s words. He did the favor and took her in, so she could at least listen to the strange demands of the difficult Duke living in the snowy mountains. When Lily returned the coat she was wearing, the two of them really parted ways. Blake breathed a sigh of relief, saying he will no longer have to meet Lily. Though he did accidentally put on the coat Lily returned to him and got stuck in the smell of her skin. ¡°¡­.¡± He never wanted to find out that the other person had a sweet, peachy scent. A scent that somehow tickled his old memories, a scent that he was familiar with and attracted to. A fragrance that he wanted to be filled with. ¡°D*mn it.¡± CH 4 Lily was uncomfortable by the male nobles giving her something. As they handed her gifts, they would say things like. ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened because it¡¯s just a favor.¡± If she refused, they even forced her to take it. There was nothing she could do if they delivered it to the mansion so Lily¡¯s parents knew. Then, when she danced with another nobleman, they felt betrayed. ¡°After all I¡¯ve done for her, why would she give the first dance to someone else?¡± One day, three men who loved Lily got into a fight at one of the Marchioness¡¯s outdoor parties. ¡°Lily Hedwick is my lady!¡± ¡°That¡¯s shameless! Do you know how many diamonds I¡¯ve given her? How can you claim her with a house you can¡¯t even afford?¡± They claimed ownership of Lily and compared how much money they had spent. In the end, after they couldn¡¯t come to a compromise and wielded their swords, Lily was uncomfortable with a one-sided gift from someone else. As such, it was uncomfortable to stay at Blake¡¯s castle for free. Even though Lily herself asked to stay. ¡®I asked for the job when I came into the castle, why didn¡¯t he say anything?¡¯ Of course, she didn¡¯t misunderstand that there were other intentions behind this strange Duke. ¡®He¡¯s not polite, and he has a rough mouth¡­¡­¡­.¡¯ However he was a much better man than the nobles who wore masks to hide their dirty insides. Still, it was a good idea to return the favor she received anyway. As long as she didn¡¯t run into the man as he wanted. Lily rested for a while in the assigned room and raised her upper body. ¡°¡­¡± It was dawn. It hadn¡¯t been more than a few hours since Lily had arrived at the castle late at night. She washed up in warm water and her body was tired. But she still couldn¡¯t sleep. It seemed that she would feel better if she helped with the castle work now¡­ ¡®I got such a nice room too. I have to do something.¡¯ Lily mumbled, looking around again. It was the room with the bathroom that Blake carried her in in his arms. It was high up in the castle and overlooked the snow-covered mountains. This was far from the fashionable homes of the capital of the empire. There were no famous paintings left behind by dead artists, and no expensive dry vine roses and displays. Still, it was the room of an aristocrat that she felt he did his best in the remote winter castle in the middle of the mountains. In the capital, witchcraft, a symbol of luxury, was everywhere. ¡®Indeed, it seems that the witchcraft resources are mined by the Duke. I wish Lord Blake would let me handle things related to magic, but it doesn¡¯t seem necessary.¡¯ Lily knew how to use magic. It wasn¡¯t strong but enough to be used in everyday life. Still, spellcasters who used unscientific powers were in high demand wherever they went. However, Lily did not bring it up. It was because Blake found her a bother. It was like a silent rejection when rumors spread that the socialite flower was a spellcaster and he said nothing. Of course, there was a misunderstanding. Blake classified the imperial palace newsletter as trash without reading it. He sometimes relieved his stress that way. -Trash, trash, trash this, trash that. One more bloody trash. -Do you want to take it all to the fireplace? Oh, I think this paper would make a good spark. -Yes, it would. We should be thankful the fireplace doesn¡¯t vomit. So the day he learned Lily¡¯s famous secret came later. It really was an appropriate time. ¡®I don¡¯t know how Lord Blake could not have known. I also said that I received magical help on my way to the Winter Castle.¡¯ ¡®He misunderstood me when I said I used magic.¡¯ He misunderstood it on his own. Lily went out into the hallway anyway. She wanted to find something to do to pass the time. Outside the room, she could feel the rough, cold face of the castle. Just then, she heard someone in the kitchen. The sound of clinking as they washed dishes. The bubbles were simmering as if they were cooking. It was a vulgar but funny joke. Lily leaned her head gently toward the kitchen. ¡°Gianna?¡± She called out the name of the maid assigned to her. The warm steam coming out of the pot instantly wet her cheeks. It was indeed a barren and cold space outside, but ¡­¡­ it quickly turned into a lively and warmly inhabited place. ¡°Ahahaha! That¡¯s really ridiculous!¡± The red-haired woman who had been laughing loudly and vigorously raised her head. ¡°Miss Lily? What can I do for you at this hour?¡± Gianna glanced out the kitchen window. The snow had stopped and there was a winter mountain scenery under a full moon. ¡°It¡¯s still dawn!¡± The employers of the castle were generally large, in fact all the people of the dukedom were. The people of the duchy had once been the Upus people. Even now, their identity was the same. The Imperials called themselves ¡°pure-blooded Imperials¡± and had a bad tendency to despise the Upus people as barbarians. Gianna was a true Upus. She was large and her skin was light brown. She wiped her rough hands on a rag and stood in front of Lily, the height difference was even greater. Lily thought the servants were more like hunters than the demure servants she had seen. ¡°Are you hungry? You came here at dawn. You can eat then go to bed.¡± ¡°No. I said breakfast can wait for tomorrow, and I must keep my word. Besides, what are you all doing together?¡± Lily looked over Gianna¡¯s strong shoulder at the other maids. It had been five hundred years since the Upus Kingdom had been incorporated into the Empire, and not all of them were born in perfect Upus, so their skin color was different. The Duke didn¡¯t seem to have a concept of servant¡¯s clothes, so they all wore ordinary clothes. Even the servants who took care of her bath wore normal clothes. It was true that the laws of survival were more important here¡­ ¡®¡­I would wear something comfortable like that.¡¯ Sitting in a circle, the maids were cutting dried meat. It was a truly unique and amusing sight to Lily. It was like a group of hunters. One of the maids sneered and laughed unnaturally. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s nice¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.dawn.¡± The employees of the Upus house were awkward with Lily. The two maids who helped Lily with the bath were not here. The maids here seemed distant to Lily. They shared a glance. ¡°Are the Pureblood Imperials normally so white and frail?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll only find out when more Pureblood Imperials come to this castle.¡± ¡°The aide, IIDexter, is big even though he¡¯s from there. That woman really seems to be a noble lady.¡± Lily felt like a chick in a wolf¡¯s den. Everyone had adapted to the harsh wild and lived rough, but they had to be careful with this chick because if she was accidentally stepped on, she might get seriously hurt. But Gianna was comfortable with Lily. They had just gotten a little closer when she introduced her last name earlier. Gianna explained, trying to refrain from using harsh words familiar to her mouth. ¡°We¡¯re making preserved food together. Around this time of year, snow storms comes and the mountain path is completely cut off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Lily wanted to give them a hand. She wanted anything to do with labor. The maids looked at each other, bewildered. ¡°Yes¡­.but how much strength could she apply with those skinny arms?¡± ¡°Gold.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± In the first place, they didn¡¯t know the nobles worked. They knew how high class people in the empire lived. And how noble they pretended to be. They were the ones who see the working class less than dogs. Every once in a while, Blake the Master would come in with an earful of information whenever he had to go to the capital. They didn¡¯t know when the good-looking Lily would suddenly become angry and slap them. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ So, would you like to have a taste?¡± The freckled maid held out a well-dried piece of dried meat. Lily crouched down between them and ate the meat without hesitation. ¡°Oh!¡± She imagined the brick-hard jerky people ate only in the slums, but it was completely different. It didn¡¯t even smell like it and it was easy to chew. ¡°It¡¯s not as salty as I thought it would be.¡± What¡¯s more, it even felt like something she had eaten as a child. It was as if someone as small as her was sharing something that he had carefully brought with him from a distant place. It was a taste of memories, flickering in front of her eyes, scenes she didn¡¯t even remember. The maids, who were staring at Lily with nervousness, loosened their facial muscles. They were nervous that she would yell at them for giving her such a thing. However, Lily chewing the jerky, was adorable. ¡°Oh, yes. Snow storms don¡¯t last too long, and they don¡¯t come very often.¡± ¡°Try this part too. It¡¯s the lower belly part near the hind legs, but it¡¯s much softer.¡± Lily was full thanks to the occasional snacking. The maids were buoyed by her beautiful smile as she ate all she could. They rolled up the sleeves of their dresses and selected the most well-made jerky. ¡°But am I being helpful right now?¡± Lily questioned after her small stomach was about to burst. No matter how she looked at it, this was not a way to help, but a way to get a treat. The maids loved it so much, so they tried to match the mood¡­¡­. ¡°Ah yes! Of course.¡± The middle girl, the one was most awkward, laughed out loud. The girls were busy just feeding Lily. They brought a new piece of meat to Lily¡¯s mouth every time she finished. Lily couldn¡¯t go on like this and looked around. She had to find something else to do. There was an old barrel on the sink came to her vision. ¡°What purpose did you have for putting it up there like that?¡± Gianna answered Lily¡¯s question. ¡°A horse is about to give birth. It¡¯s the Master¡¯s favorite. So we replace drinking fountain water with warm water every hour and check on its conditions¡­.¡± ¡°Are you going to do it now?¡± ¡°Yes, I was just going to finish cleaning the jerky and go right to the stable.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go. Can I take the hot water to the stable?¡± Lily quickly got up and held the wooden barrel in her arms. She was happy to have something to do properly. CH 5 Lily said she was going to the stable to do some work¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡°What?¡± It wasn¡¯t dangerous, but the maids held her back. ¡°No, no, no!¡± There was no way they would send a baby out into the snowy fields at dawn. That was how they felt. But they could not break Lily¡¯s insistence. ¡°I can¡¯t? ¡° Lily¡¯s shoulders drooped with a hint of sadness in her blue eyes. Lily¡¯s short life consisted of a long string of pressures. Her family, and even the husband she had lived with since her marriage, were equally selfish and heartless people. So Lily had a small appearance, but at one time she was the flower of society. She knew how to treat people to some extent. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t?¡± Lily blinked her big eyes and cried. ¡°Ah¡­.. Then how about we go together?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not as difficult as both of us are going.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick witted, aren¡¯t you?¡± The servants explained ten times how many steps they had to take to get to the stable, and packed the dried meat to eat if Lily got hungry while walking. ¡°If you are ever in distress, holler at us. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± It was only tens of seconds away from the castle. But they packed things like Lily was going on a long trip. Lily thought these maidens were really cute, despite their size. They wrapped scarves around her and put hats on her, Lily went outside looking like a fluffy snowman. *** At the same time. Blake was sitting in his dimly lit office, with only a small candle lit. The morning sun had not yet risen, and the duchy was very dark. ¡°Oh my gosh. That scared me.¡± The old butler was surprised when he came into the office and saw the dark figure. Alfred, who had given his daughter¡¯s clothes to Lily. He was an Upus, but he was small and calm, perhaps because of his old age. He was also a man who had devoted all his time to the dukedom. ¡°What are you doing without sleeping?¡± ¡°Thinking.¡± Blake was in the same position he¡¯d been in since Lily left his office. His face shook with the fire flickering on the candle. The hard shape of his jaw moved. ¡°I was reminiscing about what kind of a man my father was.¡± ¡°The previous Duke was a good man.¡± ¡°We have our differences of opinion, don¡¯t we? The man in my memory was just selfish.¡± ¡°Hahahaha.¡± The butler was on the side of the former Duke, but there was no denying that. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he made a promise using his family name just because he spilled wine on an unknown woman. Was he that much of a madman?¡± ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t a woman he didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Do you know anything about her?¡± ¡°It was a guess.¡± The butler shook his head. His role was closer to that of a head servant than an aide. He was in charge of the big and small things in the castle. Most of the external affairs were the work of his aides. ¡°But I want to tell you this old story.¡± The wrinkles in his eyes deepened as the butler recalled the old days. ¡°It was a long time ago, when you were a child. Your father, who was the head of the house at the time, didn¡¯t like to go to the capital.¡± ¡°Of course not. He had to meet those b*st*rd noblemen.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s interesting. One day, a while ago, the young lord and your father had fun visiting the capital. I think it was when you were no more than seven years old, isn¡¯t that unusual?¡± ¡°We did? What did we do?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t answer any of my questions, instead he told me to ask Your Highness. But you were very young at that time.¡± ¡°I see. Then bring me the seven-year-old.¡± ¡°His Excellency is looking for you, seven-year-old Master Blake, hahahahaha.¡± ¡°Not funny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Alfred could no longer remember and left the office, leaving Blake with only questions. The old butler pondered as he walked down the dark corridor, relying on the lights. ¡®I suppose I¡¯m getting old. I can¡¯t remember a thing about the old days.¡¯ But the hustle and bustle of winter was still vivid in his old brain. The former headmaster who laughed out loud, and Master Blake, who often stuttered but had a good heart¡­ That had changed after the former Lord disappeared in a mysterious death five years ago. ¡®The Young Master was always a quiet person, though. I don¡¯t really see him smile now. ¡® It had been five years at most. The winter castle had been frozen for far too long. Alfred wondered if he could see the former young Master Blake again before his lifespan was up. He felt lonely, so he stopped and looked out the moonlit window for a while. Then he suddenly looked down and saw a small person walking on the snow field. What could it be? It was Lily, who happened to be on her way to the stable. He could see her breath spreading under the hazy light from the castle. How can a guest from the capital venture outside at this cold dawn? The surprised butler soon smiled. The figure, surrounded by clothes and scarves, seemed to be the work of the servants. ¡®It seems she couldn¡¯t sleep at dawn.¡¯ It was a small, lightly pigmented guest, who had walked alone in the snowy mountain path to come here, so he needn¡¯t have worried too much. Unexpected guests were what brought surprises to the castle. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± Alfred remembered a scene when Blake¡¯s father came back from the capital with young Blake. The former master was indeed teasing Blake. ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about! This little boy! You already promised to marry that girl?¡± ¡°Go away!¡± ¡°Alfred! Could you check out the wedding venue a bit in advance? It¡¯s for my wonderful son and his wife.¡± ¡°Please! Haha!¡± Butler Alfred¡¯s wrinkled eyes became fond of the memory. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s meaningless now¡­¡± Still, Alfred thought about telling Blake about the memory, but there was no one in the office anymore. Blake was crossing the hallway on the other side. He was filled with frustration. He had to do everything he could to forget this feeling. It was dawn, but he thought he¡¯d stop by the stable. He didn¡¯t know it, but it was the same place where Lily was already in. The morning sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. Blake walked through the thick open gate. He saw a white field where the snow had stopped. The castle of Upus, high up in the snowy mountains, was always covered with snow. He stepped on the snow with his black leather boots and passed by. Cold steam came out of his mouth. This had been Blake¡¯s daily routine lately. It was because his most prized possession, his cherished horse, was about to give birth. As the day of delivery approached, he went to the stable himself every morning to check on the horse¡¯s condition. ¡®It¡¯s a little early.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not bad.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know when Lily Hedwick was going to show up for breakfast, so he left in advance. Without knowing that Lily was already in the stable. Lily¡¯s shoe prints were left on the snow, but Blake didn¡¯t notice them because Lily was wearing the maid¡¯s shoes. He only thought that probably one of the maids must have gone to the stable to change the water. Blake entered the stable, vowing never to see Lily again for the next year. Inside, the magic whale oil light was always on. It was dimly lit¡­¡­¡­. Thanks to the daily cleaning by the servants, the place smelled only of faint barley tea. However, he also smelled the scent of peaches through the familiar air. Blake pounded his feet on the ground, shaking off the snow from his leather boots, and flinched. He raised his head. His dark brows furrowed as he thought. ¡®No way¡­.¡¯ ¡®Is it her?¡¯ Blake hid himself in the darkness for a moment. *** Lily had just come to the stable under a dark dawn. It was just quiet inside. After looking through a number of horses, she quickly found the black horse that the maids had described. ¡®I take it you¡¯re the one Lord Blake cherishes.¡¯ Blake was quietly observing Lily from his hiding place. ¡®What connection did I have with this woman when I was young¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡¯ The more he looked at her, the more familiar he felt, and the more he wondered about it. Of course, it was still just speculation. The butler didn¡¯t know anything about her, and the woman in particular didn¡¯t seem to know anything about it at all. Thinking about it twisted his judgment. Somehow, these worries themselves might not make sense. He just wanted to see what that woman was doing in a stable where the picky nobles would never come. In the meantime, Lily thought the horse stable was good. The stable was in the form of a separate room for each horse. There were beds piled with clean straw, and the food containers were spotless. ¡®This is how the horse stable is made. It¡¯s too bad that I just know now. It was hard to get out of the mansion in the capital, so there are so many things I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Outside, there was snow all year round, but inside it was warm, probably due to the special temperature control. Horses were sensitive animals to heat and cold. Lily stood in front of Blake¡¯s favorite horse. ¡°Good dawn to you, my friend.¡± Lily pulled down her scarf as she greeted the horse. The slight mouth barely opened due to the servants¡¯ overdressing, which made her look like a small giant. ¡°Neigh.¡± The black horse replied lightly. The horse had fierce eyes. Lily marveled at the pitch black mane behind the pointy ears, like a famous work of art. The muscles were tightly connected under the neck, but the belly was plump. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re really pregnant . It¡¯s a mysterious thing.¡± Lily moved as she mumbled. Suddenly the past smoldered in her head and she whispered. ¡°I once thought I would get married and have children of my own.¡± The fact that the person who was listening to her was a horse that didn¡¯t understand human speech eased her mind. Lily leaned the water bucket she had been holding against the drinking fountain. The hot water reached the right place with steam¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Hm.¡± There was nothing more to do. Instead of returning to the castle immediately, Lily paced around the black horse. ¡®It¡¯s really romantic and serene.¡¯ The whale oil lamp inside flickered at just the right moment, glowing against the brown walls. Lily liked this monotonous atmosphere. She thought long and hard about the ordeal and the hard time that had passed, and decided to rest for a while. Blake was watching the whole process. He could completely eliminate the signs if he wanted to. It was similar to how a wolf would completely hide in the grass before a hunt. Blake just needed to lean his head at an angle against the ledge. He kept his arms crossed tightly and stared at Lily¡¯s white wrists. ¡®If you¡¯re done, then leave, what the hell are you doing lingering around?¡¯ Lily brought out a square of rice straw at the corner. She sat down like a chair to meet the horse¡¯s eyes. Even though she was a sorceress, she did not have the ability to communicate with animals. However, seh called out to the horse gently. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be giving birth soon, how are you feeling? Are you scared?¡± Blake snickered when he heard Lily¡¯s question. He thought to himself. ¡®Dominique is a brave horse. Dominic¡¯s lineage has long been excellent at supplementing people from the Upus family. It shouldn¡¯t be afraid of creating a future generation!¡¯ However, the way Lily spoke in a whisper evoked a feeling of the past somehow. At that moment, he suddenly thought of a scene. ¡°¡­.?¡± In his memory, his gaze was much lower than it was now. He was in a light brown wheat field. His younger self was talking to a girl, younger than him, from a distance. ¡°Are you stupid? You talk to an ear of wheat and it doesn¡¯t answer you.¡± ¡°No¡­. But still.¡± The wheat made a whoosh sound as they swayed in the wind. CH 6 A field of wheat rustling in the wind. And it was the clown who talked to the grass. Young Blake in his memory said bluntly. At that time, a girl no more than four years old turned around¡­¡­¡­¡­ Her hair fluttered through the wheat fields. But he couldn¡¯t remember the girl¡¯s face. The color of her hair was also blurry. Did the girl laugh? Or did she answer his question friendly? ¡°¡­!¡± Blake pondered, then came to his senses. It was because Lily was holding a comb. The tip of the brush touched Dominic¡¯s hair carefully. Lily was very curious about everything in the stable that she had never seen before. Blake tried to stop her action. Dominic was a brave horse. It had been in every kind of battle with its master and was that fierce. Blake was worried that it might rip Lily¡¯s arm to shreds. But before he could stop her, Lily¡¯s hand touched Dominic¡¯s hair. That was the moment. ¡­¡­¡­¡­! ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so gentle.¡± (Lily) Dominic closed its long eyelids and its distinctive lashes and got closer to Lily. By nature, animals and monsters were not the ones who feel an affinity for wizards. Besides, Dominic mistook the cute Lily for a child¡ªso it was extra kind to her. Blake felt betrayed. He twisted his lips, which were always tightly closed, and held back a muffled ¡°ha¡±. After being pregnant, Dominic became very sensitive that it wouldn¡¯t be very friendly even to Blake. Blake had somehow forgotten his original purpose. Instead of monitoring Lily to see if she was treating Dominic recklessly, he was watching to see how ¡°unloyal¡± his horse was. His keen eyes held a frowning emotion. ¡°You look exactly like Lord Blake on the outside, but on the inside you¡¯re very different. You are very friendly¡­.¡± (Lily) Blake clenched his teeth tightly. ¡®It¡¯s a war horse! It¡¯s fierce and cold hearted!¡¯ (Blake) In the meantime, Dominic steadily showed obedience. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know your name. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say maybe Coco.¡± (Lily) ¡®What kind of name is that? A cute female cat¡¯s?¡¯ (Blake) Blake closed his eyes tightly. Honestly, with the way Dominic looked right now, the name Coco would be more appropriate. He had to admit it. Blake was upset. He was determined to just send Lily Hedwick back. Blake spoke firmly. ¡°Look here, young lady.¡± The timing was not good. Lily finished brushing Dominic¡¯s hair and was coming down from the pile of straw. She fell when she suddenly heard Blake¡¯s heavy voice. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Miss Hedwick!¡± As she suddenly collapsed, Blake ran vigorously towards her. ¡°Oh! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Oh, Lord Blake¡­ Can you grab my hand?¡± ¡°Did you hurt your ankle? Then don¡¯t get up. It¡¯s better to check the affected area first.¡± Blake was so startled that he didn¡¯t even recognize his racing heart. A little bit of that won¡¯t freak him out. It was his chest. It was the moment he was about to pick Lily up. ¡°Neighhhhh!¡± Dominic tilted its head hostilely at Blake. It didn¡¯t like the way Blake had startled Lily. ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re mad at me right now¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± (Blake) It was the first time in his life that Dominic was angry with him. This was such a regrettable part of his life. The friendships and memories he had built over so many battles were crumbling. Blake was upset. The man made an effort not to act as wild as he usually did. He quietly stepped out of the corner of the stable and deliberately kept his voice low so as not to startle the young lady. Although maybe the problem was that it was too much. Anyway, he hated Dominic, who stood on Lily¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯ve only been with her for a few minutes and you take her side!¡± Blake grumbled sincerely. Then, under Dominic¡¯s watchful eye, Blake raised Lily up by the hand. It was an extremely careful movement. ¡°Move your feet carefully. So I don¡¯t get misunderstood. So that Dominic won¡¯t drop me off the saddle later.¡± (Blake) Lily burst out a small laugh because the man¡¯s way of speaking was funny. Imperial aristocrats were never this straightforwardly sarcastic. Blake¡¯s lips quivered faintly at her clear laughing sound. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Blake made a tireless effort to regain his gaze from Lily¡¯s smile. Hmmm, hmmm. Luckily, Lily didn¡¯t seem to notice. Blake put her on the shelf. Then he took off her shoes and looked at her ankle. It was definitely swollen. ¡°I¡¯d better tie it so that there¡¯s less blood flow through the area near the ankle. I need some cloth¡­¡± Blake was about to take off his coat to tear the fabric. Lily hastily stopped him. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I¡¯ll use my clothes. It would be a shame if you have to destroy your coat because of my injury, Lord Blake.¡± The trait of not wanting something from a man came into play again. Lily looked down at her body as she said this. ¡®Wait a minute. On second thought, I don¡¯t have anything I can call clothes right now.¡¯ She had a lot of clothes on, but they were clothes that the maids had lent her so that she wouldn¡¯t get cold. Only the one pair of pajamas inside was given to Lily as her own. ¡®Should I tear off my pajamas?¡¯ In order to do so, she had to take off all her clothes. Lily was a little concerned about the dignity of being upper class¡­ It¡¯s outrageous. She ran away from the nobles, so why should she still have to care about dignity? She had to change her way of thinking. ¡°Hmm, wait a minute. I¡¯ll take it off right now and tear the cloth.¡± Lily wanted to fit in like the people of this Duchy. She decided to be free like the people here, unencumbered by petty pretensions and falsehoods. In the first place, the pajamas were also the loungewear that she wore around the castle. So¡­.Lily took off her hat, scarf, and winter cloak one after the other. Blake¡¯s dark eyes blurred open for a moment. He stared blankly at Lily in disbelief. ~He did. The scent of peaches was haunting him again. ¡°¡­.¡± His lips quivered. He regretted it. How could he have been so close to this woman again? His beloved horse had caused him to lose his reason momentarily. ¡®God d*mn it, Dominic. Lily Hedwick!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t you have any awareness? In front of a stranger?¡¯ His voice was laced with anger, sighs, and the pain of trying so hard to suppress his wild emotions. ¡°Lord Blake?¡± This time it was Lily¡¯s turn to be frustrated. She just wanted to give up her aristocratic manners and be free for the first time in her life. She hated her parents. Her father was a member of the imperial court and a very serious man. Because her father valued dignity too much, Lily¡¯s movements were strictly controlled. She ran away to this Duchy without hope, but it was quite a nice place. So she tried to be like the people here. She recalled the scenery she had seen when coming to the castle. The territorial people, who looked like the working class, were singing and making firewood. Instead of worrying about the cold, they drank fermented beer in the broad daylight and laughed aloud. Black dust was on their clothes when they were digging for gold or magic resources. ¡°Don¡¯t call my name like that. Do you know what your voice actually sounds like?¡± (Blake) Blake was not confident of being fine looking at her pajamas. Lily just didn¡¯t know that. The fact that the man didn¡¯t explain it well was also a problem. But Blake would rather bite his tongue and die than say it himself. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re mad at me. From what I hear, Lord Blake¡­¡± (Lily) ¡°Name! again!¡± (Blake) It was a tug-of-war between reason and instinct as to whether Blake should leave the woman. Rip! Lily, who had only her pajamas left, pulled up her skirt to tear the fabric. Blake turned his face quickly elsewhere. It was a swift, beastly motion. But his dark eyes were cursed after seeing everything. The brown walls of the stable. The tiny Lily Hedwick, placed on a shelf at his chest¡¯s level. And the pure white skin on thighs. And the small scars on it¡­.. Wait a minute, scars? ¡°¡­¡± Blake couldn¡¯t believe his memory and looked back at Lily on the shelf again. He could have sworn. These wounds were probably the work of her b*st*rd ex-husband. The stable had a temperature control system, but it was cold. It was even more so at dawn when the sun had not risen. Lily felt a little cold with only her pajamas. She didn¡¯t think she showed her thighs. But the next thing she knew, she discovered Blake¡¯s strange gaze. ¡°Are you going to get angry with me and say strange words again? As I said before, my injury isn¡¯t that serious.¡± (Lily) It was hard for Lily¡¯s ability to heal serious wounds on others. However, it was possible to heal herself. But she didn¡¯t want to use magic right now in front of Blake. The words were thrown lightly, but unfortunately the man heard them with complete misunderstanding. It was due to the fact that he still didn¡¯t know that Lily was a wizard. Blake¡¯s heart thumped in pain. How could she smile like that when her ankle was injured? Wouldn¡¯t a normal noblewoman cry already? Oh, she had gotten used to this kind of injury because of her ex-husband! Blake completely misunderstood and dragged her husband into the subject of dialogue. Then he shouted in anger. ¡°You should have killed your ex-husband!¡± Lily¡¯s blue eyes shone with curiosity. He stared intensely at Lily sitting on the shelf. He seemed to be remembering their conversation they had a few hours ago. ¡°It was a drunken mistake to raise his hand at you every night? Then there is no way he could have tormented you in such a despicable way by mistake! I didn¡¯t know it was this bad because you looked fine on the outside!¡± (Blake) ¡°Oh, you saw my wounds other than on the ankle.¡± (Lily) Lily grabbed her clothes in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Blake gripped the shelf tighter. Blood vessels popped up the back of his hands. ¡°How can he dismiss it that it was a mistake to leave scars only in invisible places? It was deliberate and premeditated harassment. Why did you stay still? If I were you,.¡­¡­¡­!¡± (Blake) Blake couldn¡¯t even move his sharp lips properly. His voice, which had hardened, was filled with anger and heat. Lily knew that he had noticed everything. For example, how unfortunate her marriage was. It would have been different if this man was there. It was a little amusing to imagine that this man would scare her ex husband to the point of crying. ¡°Of course. Because Lord Blake is a bold person. The moment you met my husband, you would have picked up the candlestick nearby with that strong force and determination. And then, like a skewer of pork on my husband¡¯s stomach¡­¡­¡­¡± (Lily) ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡± (Blake) Blake was still huffing with anger and stopped talking. CH 7 ¡°Oh. Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll just walk in front of you today. You can hit me on the back five times a second.¡± The man smiled awkwardly as he met Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m IIDexter. I¡¯m the Duke¡¯s aide.¡± The brown-haired man had a neat appearance with his glasses. Lily was sitting on the bed, half coerced by the servants, when she noticed the man and readily shook his hand. *** *This chapter is so funny lol. CH 8 Lily had seen IlDexter before. ¡°You were the one who opened the gate when I visited the castle yesterday, weren¡¯t you? I didn¡¯t say hello. I¡¯m Lily. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± He was also the man who dissuaded Blake from taking her to the bathroom. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right time to make a statement. Haha.¡± And he had known Lily for a long time. IlDexter¡¯s white face meant that he was one of the few pure-blooded Imperials of the winter castle. When he lived in the capital, his father was a merchant selling jewels to the nobility. So there was no way he couldn¡¯t recognize the most beautiful flower of the Imperial society. It was also nighttime yesterday, and he didn¡¯t notice her because of her hat and scarf¡­¡­¡­¡­ Now that he looked at her more closely, she was incredibly beautiful. But he didn¡¯t have time to blush. The servants were guarding every corner of the room, and how scary they looked. ¡°While the aide is treating Miss Lily, let¡¯s make a plan to show our Master an example.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The maids were still angry even after hearing all the details of the incident from Lily. But they decided it was his fault, since Blake was hiding and startled Lily and caused her to fall. ¡°But in what way? Miss Lilly said no rebellion.¡± Honestly, they couldn¡¯t even set up a head-on confrontation with Blake. But that didn¡¯t mean that the servants were weak, of course. But Blake was also their master, a man who didn¡¯t need to catch his breath after beating all of them. ¡°Why don¡¯t we keep an eye on the master?¡± IIDexter raised his hand to Lily¡¯s ankle, pretending not to hear the servants¡¯ plans for rebellion. A light shimmered. Lily marveled. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a sorcerer!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so good as to be called that. I shouldn¡¯t be. Still, I¡¯m the only spellcaster of the winter castle, so I have an advantage in promotion. Come to think of it, I¡¯m not the only one anymore.¡± He was the only one who knew Lily was a sorcerer. It was because he was from the capital. Surely he also mistakenly assumed that Blake knew about Lily¡¯s abilities. ¡°You¡¯re not half bad at cutting bandages, either.¡± ¡°I minored in medicine in college. If you need anything at the castle, just call me. I¡¯ve learned just about everything there is to know.¡± A university big enough to have a medical major was only in the capital of the empire. Lily wanted to know why this man was living in the capital and why he came to the dukedom. That was how high the mental barrier was between the pure Imperials and the Upus. ¡°The necessary treatment is done, Miss Lilly. If you don¡¯t do rough activities for a week¡­..what is it again?¡± The servants looked at IIDexter with horrified glances. ¡°Aide, let¡¯s help each other in similar circumstances.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk sloppy like a back street robber. What is it?¡± ¡°Make the Master have breakfast in the dining room today. At that time, we plan to give him a silent hint.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wasn¡¯t to say things that block my promotion path.¡± ¡°Aide, I know you¡¯re a person who is always talking about promotion, but it is not more important than your life.¡± (*They threatened him ) It was very hard to say no. IIDexter was annoyed and he sighed heavily and nodded. *** Blake was in his office. He started the day at dawn, running into Lily in the stable. After that, he was just processing some paperwork here and there in the territory. ¡°Is it time to have breakfast soon?¡± As he let go of the pen in his rough hand and saw IlDexter just standing there. ¡°IIDexter, let¡¯s eat here. Tell the cook to bring us something simple.¡± ¡°Excuse me, my lord. Let¡¯s go to the dining room¡­. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been there.¡± IIDexter recalled the appointment with the servants. He laughed, trying to hide his cold sweat. Blake raised one of his dark eyebrows in question. They all knew that after Blake¡¯s father passed away five years ago, he has been eating in his room as much as possible. ¡°¡­. will be a regular banquet soon. Everyone will be in a hurry and the paperwork needs to be taken care of in advance.¡± ¡°I think so too. But still, we should eat properly. Your Excellency must live in good health indefinitely if I am to be promoted.¡± Blake¡¯s handsome face curled into a merciless crumple. Why is IIDexter behaving so strangely? He didn¡¯t look ill or anything, seeing as how he wanted to be promoted, promoted, promoted as usual. Normally IIDexter would have brought him a simple meal without complaint. Blake decided to go to the dining room even out of doubt. The castle had a small space for the people of the Duke¡¯s family to dine. It was winter all year round, but still well lit with warm sunshine. In front of the fireplace, there was a pile of wood in the shape of a triangular column lying on its side. In the middle was a long dining table that could seat eight people. Currently, there was only one member of the Upus family, Blake. So he naturally thought there would be no one else in the dining room. However, as soon as he entered, he made eye contact with Lily, who was sitting on the chair across from him. ¡°¡­¡± If the man was really a wolf, he would have revealed his teeth and howled. It¡¯s only been a little while since they promised not to see each other anymore! Lily also noticed his sharp gaze and laughed. She joked in a playful voice. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you up front, it wasn¡¯t my will. I confessed a few hours ago that I liked Lord Blake.¡± ¡°Then whose will is this?¡± The culprits were now appearing. The fierce maids! ¡°¡­And to tell you in advance, I definitely tried to stop them.¡± Lily smiled awkwardly. II Dexter who followed Blake said, ¡°Me too. So you shouldn¡¯t penalize my promotion later.¡± Then he quickly left the dining room. Finally, the maids stomped their feet as the plan unfolded. It began with the pre-meal. ¡°Appetizers, Miss Lily.¡± A variety of glasses were placed in front of Lily. Champagne, some colorful dried fruits, even a water glass to wash her hands. finger balls to wipe her hands. Blake was sitting across from Lily. He had an exasperated expression on his face and was roughly sarcastic. ¡°What do you mean appetizer?¡± Here, in the winter castle, meals did not go around in vain. It was not enough to serve a variety of food at once and eat plenty at once. Appetizers were a formal course meal! It was what the nobles of the capital were trying to show off! ¡°What kind of wind is blowing that makes you serve appetizers?¡± ¡°A warm spring breeze called Lady Lily, my lord.¡± The maids responded naturally. The accent became very harsh when pronouncing ¡°master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for you, Master.¡± A bowl similar to Lily¡¯s was placed in front of Blake. But the inside was strange. Lily¡¯s finger bowl was a standard one with a piece of lemon floating in water. But Blake¡¯s was¡­. There was no water, just a whole lemon. Blake looked at his bowl and laughed in vain. The lemon in the bowl was still in its yellow skin. ¡®How the hell am I supposed to wash my hands with this?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m wondering what all this is about.¡± The maids turned their heads away, pretending not to hear what Blake said. Instead, they spoiled Lily even more. ¡°Do you need anything else, Miss Lily?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t but¡­ I think Lord Blake is calling you.¡± Blake called again. ¡°Yeah. Even one person recognizes me. Hey.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Hey, the servants who were tricked by outsiders. Why don¡¯t you take a look at me for a moment?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, my god.¡± Blake raised his right hand in frustration. It was a gesture that asked what everyone was doing. But this was all just the beginning. In fact, the maids¡¯ plan was simple. This meal was to tease the Master. Then, from then on, they would be a little more careful and gentle with Miss Lily. ¡°Gloria, Gianna! ¡­¡­. I must have died!¡± It was pretty scary to see Blake so angry. If it was outside, all the beasts of the snowy mountains would have run away. And yet, the maids remained silent. Rather, they were giggling. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s all good.¡± Blake shrugged his shoulders and told Lily. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if I was a ghost. But it¡¯s a lot to ask when I haven¡¯t left a will yet. Miss, perhaps you would like to take some of my assets with you? It¡¯s a bit much.¡± (Blake) ¡°That¡¯s a bit humble for the master of a dukedom where most of the magical resources are buried.¡± (Lily) ¡°I stand corrected. It¡¯s a lot.¡± (Blake) Blake shook the lemon bowl. He also called the maids about five more times. When all actions were useless, he eventually muttered in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s an order, but lastly, I want you to call IlDexter. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve issued a letter of dismissal.¡± (Blake) Then finally one of the maids answered. ¡°What can I do for you, Master? Master was the one who surprised Miss Lily and made her fall, and not only that, Master was the one who made her come back to the castle alone without proper treatment!¡± ¡°Thank you for your very kind explanation. I know what you¡¯re doing right now.¡± (Blake) Then a few more arguments back and forth. Lily calmed the people down. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s all stop now¡­.¡± But both Blake and the maids were busy shouting with veins popped up on their foreheads. Lily¡¯s words were not heard. ¡°¡­Lord Blake? Gianna? Hey.¡± It was an environment where a gentle voice was buried. CH 9 Lily had fresh feelings before embarrassment. She would have barley imagined the master and her employees arguing about what was going on before she died. Oh, she saw a servant whose hair was cut off by the owner just by putting down one less fork. Eating etiquette in the capital was deformed. There was a strange competition between families, and at one time, the more forks and knives they had, the more docile their families were. She once saw more than ten pairs of forks and knives. Compared to that, this place was interesting¡­.. She was a survivor in the social world of the silent battlefield. Secretly, she knew exactly where Blake stood here. He was everyone¡¯s superior. If this man gave a serious order, the people of the dukedom were in an atmosphere of silence and obedience. They wouldn¡¯t complain one word even if it was a dangerous order. Lord Blake was a good man. He was willing to tolerate a certain amount of rudeness if it¡¯s from someone he was in charge of. The servants knew this, too. They were just trying to be mean while protecting the good. So Lily gave up, she just smiled and murmured. ¡°They¡¯re all adorable.¡± Blake¡¯s ears were very good. He could hear Lily¡¯s faint sounds clearly. He had been dueling with the servants with a good deal of sincerity. But he was dismayed to see Lily smiling like an angel instead of defending him. The maids huddled next to Lily. She looked like a chick surrounded by chickens because of their size difference. ¡°Miss Lily, try some of the dried fruit. It¡¯s a precious food, and you may not find many dried and old ones are good, but up in the mountains it¡¯s precious too.¡± ¡°Oh my, I guess you put your heart into it instead of losing moisture. I can see the sweetness in this one.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! How can you speak so beautifully?¡± Blake kept his chin propped up. His sharp eyes opened in disapproval and he tapped his fork with his other hand. The fork was just the right size for the others, but in his hand it was as small as a toddler¡¯s. In his mind, he thought, ¡°What a mess. Even the thought, ¡°What a mess.¡± It was even funny now. ¡®Ha! Let¡¯s see how far everyone goes.¡¯ A wry smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Miss Lily, we¡¯ve put a lot of effort into this meal. The nobles of the capital eat in a very complicated order and etiquette, don¡¯t they? I¡¯ve prepared breakfast for you as a welcome.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for all your hard work.¡± ¡°I understand there is also a custom of always drinking alcohol before meals? It¡¯s hot!¡± Lily thought that was a funny thing to say. How can they call a pre-dinner palate cleanser hot? Lily dipped her lips in her share of champagne. Then she was startled by a strong whiff. ¡°¡­!¡± Who would bring a high alcohol content to whet the appetite? It was originally a mild cocktail or a wine mixed with juice. The maid whispered in her ear. ¡°A hastily uncorked wine, but I¡¯ve added brandy at 70 degrees. Haha! What do you think?¡± ¡°Really. It¡¯s good. ¡­¡­¡± Lily had to be patient not to show any sign of it. The servants were shaking their shoulders too proudly. They were very excited. Lily didn¡¯t want to ruin their mood. It was then. Over the long table, Blake noticed Lily¡¯s strange appearance. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with her face?¡¯ His expression also changed strangely when he followed Lily and drank the alcohol. Blake was also an aristocrat after all. He sometimes forced himself to go to parties in the capital. He was a man who had learned all the manners of an aristocrat. It didn¡¯t hurt to use that kind of grooming in real life, though. ¡®The smell of brandy at seventy degrees is outrageous. I¡¯m sure it looks like a plaything for a woman as awesome as Lily Hedwick.¡¯ His intense eyes began to watch Lily. He could see her striving to match the rhythm of the maids. Somehow, the deepest part of his chest was itchy. ¡°Come on, bring some entrees or something. Grandpa Chef! Hurry up and come out!¡± Blake added a sarcastic word. ¡°I did think the word entrees existed in the Winter Castle.¡± Of course, they ignored him again. The chef called by the maids was an old man like a chubby dwarf. Every time he walked, his white chef hat shook. ¡°Hmmm, hmmm.¡± Chief cook Alex was very nervous. He heard a Young Lady, a pureblood Empire moved in last night¡­ What should he cook? He was worried that if he didn¡¯t do good, the noblewoman whose face he didn¡¯t even know would throw a plate at his head. ¡®The servants¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. How dare they ask this old man such an impossible favor! They suddenly request a refreshing course meal! It¡¯s a ridiculous request to make.¡¯ Fine cuisine required fine ingredients. However, the only ingredients in the castle this winter were mostly suitable for preservation. Hanging deer meat. Cabbage in salt. Dried turnips, frozen sugar carrots¡­ Chef Alex sighed. The old man had to be the best cook since he was born out of a wobbly wagon. In any case, he was capable. ¡®The result of squeezing to the strength of his mother¡¯s milk when he was a baby was what he had now. The most expensive plaiting barbecue. The chef creaked and walked like a carved wooden doll and stood beside Lily. Let¡¯s see. In the capital the chefs have to introduce dishes for a long time, right? ¡°¡­¡­. First, I used lamb for the meat. The asparagus served with it was topped with an egg yolk sauce, yes. What was the official name of this sauce?¡± Nervousness turned a person¡¯s brain white. Even if it didn¡¯t, he was old and in a daze about yesterday. Chef Alex¡¯s crinkled eyes touched the cheat sheet in his palm. In the meantime, Lily gave the correct answer instead. ¡°Is it hollandaise sauce?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Hollandaise sauce! Wait a minute. Did I bother you, Miss?¡± The old man¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°Please tell me that if you throw a plate at me, its endpoint is not my forehead! It¡¯s a crushed face!¡± Chef Alex was also known for his rich imagination and outspoken beak. He squeezed his eyes shut, thinking of a terrible future. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®throw¡¯?¡± Alex looked carefully ahead in bewilderment at Lily¡¯s question. For the first time, the chef took a good look at Lily. The stark white woman was smiling prettily at him. She reminded him of his granddaughter, whom he could feel no pain in his eyes. She was a good child. ¡°That¡¯s enough of an explanation! Thanks to you, I can eat while examining them. Thank you.¡± (Lily) Finally, chef Alex chuckled. He was serious this time. He raised his mustache, which was brown when he was younger. ¡°What, as much as you want. I hope you marry my Master later! I¡¯ll give you a tremendous feast!¡± Again, but it was an honest mouth. Blake stared at chef Alex. He (Blake) looked just as rough as he was, but his heart was racing. ¡°Chef, your mouth!¡± Blake glanced at Lily. She seemed to think that Alex was just a funny old man. ¡®It¡¯s annoying.¡¯ What was more annoying was that he didn¡¯t even know why he was angry. The time was ripe for a half-hearted course meal. Before they knew it, it was time for dessert. The maids were still acting dourly towards Blake, but when Lily said, ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± they finally stopped. ¡°If Miss Lily says so. I¡¯ll bet on the wolf¡¯s heart and take your order!¡± ¡°Everyone doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in my feelings. Can I make it clear that I plan to bring in new employees? For those who don¡¯t put the wolf¡¯s heart on the outsider lady.¡± (Blake) The man then noticed that Lily was looking at him. And that she was deliberately trying to stifle laughter with her small lips. ¡°What are you looking at, young lady? Is there a problem?¡± (Blake) It was as if the heartache that he had become the target of the maids¡¯ frank had not yet to be relieved. His tone was rough. ¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Blake tried to be patient, but after a moment of silence, the man also gave a small smile. The muscles in his dark cheeks moved beautifully. A look of mixed pleasure was exchanged between them. ¡°It was a wonderful meal. Thank you.¡± ¡°It must have been an interesting meal for you. I know, so don¡¯t worry about the insincere compliments.¡± The maids believed that they had treated them to a perfect course meal, but he had hit them on the back of the head. ¡°Did something go wrong?¡± (Lily) ¡°Let me give you an example. The fact that you guys acted funny all day. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t join the noble family¡¯s meal? Do you want to hear more?¡± (Blake) Lily interrupted him. ¡°What are you talking about! No, it was really good.¡± Social etiquette was strict. You could not put a knife in your mouth. It was a place where if you put your elbows on the table during a meal, you would be shunned for not being polite. After scooping soup, the spoon must be placed at eight o¡¯clock. There were hundreds of such items! Lily had also been hit by the courtesy teacher many times when she was a child. Compared to that, eating now was like playing house, but it was better. This winter castle was a stark contrast to her previous nightmare. ¡°I¡¯m the happiest I¡¯ve ever been. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m experiencing such warm hospitality.¡± Lily hugged Gianna, then they hugged chef Alex. The other maids joined in, and a giant human herd was born. ¡°Lord Blake, come on! The Master needs to get in here!¡± Lily waved her hand asking Blake to come too. The man¡¯s face turned serious. CH 10 Blake hated seeing the maids hugging Lily. How could he let himself get caught there? ¡°You seem to be the Lady¡¯ people, go play on your own and be done with it.¡± The maids teased Blake, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen a Lady.¡± It was a wonderful breakfast for everyone. Lily was still hugging everyone and mumbling. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll really like it here.¡± ¡°I like you already Miss Lily. These guys, they all do.¡± ¡®In the afternoon I will introduce you to some of the other people who live in the castle. The butler, the maids, even the gardener. Everyone in the Winter Castle will welcome you.¡± Blake added. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°Did a person live in a castle with a voice like that?¡± There was a burst of laughter, except for Blake. Everyone felt awkward with Lily at first, but they had soon opened up to her. And Lily was happy in it, too. It meant that Lily¡¯s people were created. *** Meanwhile, it was an ordinary brown mansion in the capital of the empire. ¡°It¡¯s these dirty people who only want to get paid! The rats crawling in the sewers deserve better than you!¡± Count Fox¡¯s shout made all the servants in the mansion tremble. As his last name implied, the fox-like man was not that intimidating. However, the glass bottles and fountain pens he actually threw at them had a murderous intent. ¡°It¡¯s already been a week since Lily ran away!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡± ¡°Should I have given you more time? Should I have given you a month to find Lily? So that you can relax and enjoy your snack time.¡± Just then, the butler came back to the mansion after running some errands. ¡°You. What did you find out?¡± The butler had just visited Lily¡¯s closest friend, a Young Lady. He shook his head in denial. ¡°The lady said they hadn¡¯t even seen each other for the past year.¡± ¡°Really? How is that even possible?¡± It was a normal routine for the upper class to spend a luxurious day meeting other upper class people. Count Fox, himself, met his friends every day. Along with that, he also bragged about various things. His beautiful wife and a business that everyone envied. Or his political connections that were strengthened thanks to Lily¡¯s family. He lived for the pleasure of showing them off. But lately, he couldn¡¯t raise his head. All the nobles were in the mood to mock him. ¡°I heard that Countess Fox disappeared, leaving only her divorce papers.¡± ¡°She couldn¡¯t even have children, but maybe there was something wrong with the Count.¡± Count Fox was in a terrible mood. ¡°Maybe that woman is hiding Lily from me? Have you looked around her house? It¡¯s a perfect lie that she hasn¡¯t interacted with Lily in a year!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry..¡­ It was the Count who prevented Lady Lily from meeting anyone after marriage.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And her friend is not even very close to Lady Lily.¡± ¡°Hmph. Anyway, did you send in all the missing persons notices? Not only the other families, but also the doctors¡¯ offices, and places like the monastery.¡± ¡°Yes, even the Duke of Upus knows.¡± The Duke of Upus was a word used as if it were an idiom. It meant that Lily had contacted everywhere she could possibly escape to. ¡°The Duke?¡± Count Fox stopped for a moment and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather go to hell than go to that place. He¡¯s a barbarian who thinks that more money will get him into the upper social classes. Then why do you think there is a word for middle class?¡± Count Fox, perhaps annoyed by his servants standing there dumbfounded, finally scolded them. ¡°It¡¯s outrageous that no one in this mansion knew about it until she was gone!¡± Because no one in the mansion cared about the meek Lily. They were not on Lily¡¯s side. They were assigned the task of keeping an eye on Lily and forcing her to stay only inside the house. In short, no one was Lily¡¯s person. That was why Lily could introduce herself without hesitation as Lily Hedwick and not Lily Fox. ¡°Anyway, make sure to find Lily Fox. Bring her in front of me. I will firmly correct my wife¡¯s bad habits the way a husband should.¡± *** Lily had adapted quite well to the winter season in a few days. She didn¡¯t even have to make an effort to actually get used to it. She didn¡¯t hide the fact that she loved it here. The people here were happy too. Lily Hedwick was like a sprout on the snowfield. At first, the people in the winter castle looked awkwardly blue. However, later, they stamp their feet and pour out their sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s snowing, Gianna.¡± It was morning. Lily looked out the window, only her upper body was raised up in bed. It was a mountain range covered in heavy snow, so naturally it snowed often. But it was very strange to Lily, who had only lived in the capital. Of course, it snowed in the capital in the winter. But in the morning, It was already trampled underfoot and covered in black. Lily ran out in her pajamas. ¡°Miss Lily!¡± The outside of the castle has turned white without a trace. ¡°It¡¯s heaven. I swear to the heavens, Gianna!¡± The winter castle employees realized at some point. Lily liked to leave footprints in the snow. As such, recently people would use the side road to go in and out the castle. So, a pure white snowfield was preserved for Lily. They were happy to see Lily¡¯s happy face. They hid here and there watching Lily. There were two more behind the pile of firewood. One person was hanging on the cliff behind the castle. On the way out of the castle, there were three maids disguised by covering themselves with dirt¡­¡­¡­.. If Lily had known, she would have laughed in a very perplexed way. Lily found the man while she was walking and playing in the snow. ¡°Mister IIDexter? Oh, I¡¯m so glad to see you.¡± IIDexter was coming down from the second floor. The bespectacled aide greeted Lilly happily. ¡°Good morning, Miss Lilly. You¡¯ve finally taken off the bandages I put on you.¡± ¡°You still have to walk carefully, though.¡± ¡°It needs a little more time to heal. By the way, what are you doing?¡± Just then, Gianna caught Lily and put the jacket on her. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m forcing myself to wear a hat. Where are you going, Mr. IIDexter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a few days. I¡¯m going to get a list of names from a village down the mountain. I have to figure out how many people will attend the banquet. His Excellency won¡¯t even give me a promotion, but leave the tricky stuff to me.¡± There was someone staring at Lily and IIDexter. It was in an office on a fairly high floor of the Winter Castle. Blake¡¯s dark, piercing eyes were staring at them. ¡®The way they talk is so affectionate. People might think they¡¯re lovers.¡¯ He would never admit to the fact that he was jealous. Instead, he used various words to sarcasm them. ¡®What¡¯s good about IlDexter?¡¯ He was a man who only glowed at promotions. Blake thought that Lily would fit in with the pure imperialists so well¡­then he banged his head against the wall. ¡®Oh no, Blake Upus, that was such a silly idea just now.¡¯ Lily does not discriminate against the Upus people. He couldn¡¯t help but notice her these past few days. It was just that man¡­¡­It bothered him. He knew it was inevitable. He didn¡¯t think it was his problem. Lily Hedwick was fragile, as if she was about to shatter if touched. And she was objectively adorable. The pure white skin, the flush that blooms on it¡­. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to imply that I thought so!¡¯ ¡®No wonder people follow you around.¡¯ Actually, IIDexter and Lily had only met by chance just now, but Blake thought it was arbitrary. Blake placed his red eyes on the window once more. Lily and IIDexter were conversing so friendly. The footprints behind them were also very friendly. In fact, Lily and IIDexter were from the same capital city, so they could sympathize. No one in Winter Castle suspected that there was something between them. Only Blake was disturbed by it. Lily didn¡¯t know what was going on and asked IIDexter. ¡°A regular banquet? The Duchy has banquets?¡± ¡°It is not something like you imagine. It¡¯s a party where all the people belonging to Winter Castle gather. For example, the knights, the subordinates who work outside¡­¡± ¡°Wow! It must be lively.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a time to get drunk with an entire oak barrel of alcohol. I have to admit that the Upus¡¯ ability to break down alcohol is also a form of witchcraft.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t see it in person.¡± IIDexter paused for a moment, thinking that Lily¡¯s words were strange. He raised his eyes behind his glasses. ¡°Why can¡¯t you see it in person?¡± ¡°Well, because I can¡¯t attend.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll need a longer explanation.¡± Why can¡¯t someone residing in Winter Castle attend the regular banquet in Winter Castle? ¡°I don¡¯t want to attract other people¡¯s attention.¡± Lily had been living in hiding. It was only then that IIDexter finally understood Lily¡¯s words. However, he saw the maids discussing Lily¡¯s banquet dress earlier. They looked more serious than when they had caught a wild boar. CH 11 Lily and IIDexter chatted as they walked along the path outside the winter castle. And, Blake stared at them. ¡°¡­.¡± His calm appearance hid his blazing eyes. He didn¡¯t like the situation, so he cupped his chin in his large hands, but the lips visible between them were slightly tilted at an angle. The man did not admit it, but he was clearly jealous. ¡®Lily Hedwick, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. I¡¯m appalled that you flirt with another man in front of me.¡¯ When that thought came to his mind, questions followed. ¡®Wait a minute. Why?¡¯ Well¡­.. yes¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡®Because I made a promise.¡¯ (Young Blake) It wasn¡¯t Blake who answered. Young Blake from his childhood was standing in the corner of his memory with a sulky face. The boy made a promise. ¡®What did you promise her?¡¯ (Old Blake) ¡®We promised to marry. We held up our pinkies to each other and even sang a nursery rhyme.¡¯ (Young Blake) The young Blake disappeared like a phantom before anything could be further watered down, leaving only the lone remaining man in shock. ¡°What?¡± Was it an illusion or the truth? When it was hard to discern the truth. Lily and IIDexter walked slowly down the snowy mountain path, not knowing it either. ¡°Mr. IIDexter? What did you just say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Instead of saying, ¡°The maids will not accept Miss Lily¡¯s absence from the banquet,¡± IIDexter shrugged and said something else. ¡°Do you know that the current headcount in the castle is less than a tenth of the total? They all work outside the city.¡± ¡°Oh my, I thought it was small in size, but there was such a secret.¡± They talked about many things after that. He said the closer to the banquet period, the livelier it gets. They said that the drivers don¡¯t stay at the castle much. ¡°Why are the knights staying outside the castle?¡± ¡°Because monsters go to places with a lot of oxygen. And it¡¯s easy to fight. You can shoot there.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use firearms here? Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I saw anything like that in the castle.¡± IlDexter stopped for a moment, pretending to shoot a gun. He was very embarrassed as if he had said something he shouldn¡¯t have said. ¡°Oh¡­ Um¡­¡­¡­¡­. As you know, guns are very difficult to handle. It hasn¡¯t been long since it was developed, they¡¯re big and break down easily. I think an axe is still a better choice.¡± ¡°I heard you use them under the mountains?¡± ¡°Only in some zones where we can inspect the guns in real time¡­Please don¡¯t ask me more questions. I should get going now!¡± IIDexter left Lily alone and disappeared in a hurry down the mountain. ¡®Is there a special reason why you can¡¯t use guns in the castle?¡¯ When Lily returned to the castle alone, she could see Blake out near the door. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, what an hour when I ran into you in the first floor hall this morning and you were angry.¡± Blake¡¯s dark brows furrowed every time he ran into Lily over the past few days. Lily teased him lightly and then got to the point. ¡°I see you have some business to attend to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why.¡± The man couldn¡¯t understand why he had left his office. Did Lily Hedwick really make a promise to marry him? It couldn¡¯t be, since he had always been ostracized as a barbarian. In the first place, even if he had hung out with her when he was a child, he would not have seen her more than a few times. There were always only a handful of times a year when he went to the capital. ¡°When did the Lady promise to marry your husband?¡± Blake suddenly asked Lily. ¡°We had our wedding soon after the matchmaking came and went, so it wasn¡¯t long, was it? Black tea would have taken longer to make.¡± ¡°Then didn¡¯t you promise to marry anyone before that?¡± ¡°Of course not. Breaking up and similar actions are not good for a socialite.¡± ¡°I meant a promise you made when you were very young¡­.. D*mn it, nothing.¡± Blake was disappointed. The girl in his memory looked younger than five years old. Very few people remembered that time, and even if it were true, it was pointless. ¡°Did Lord Blake come down to ask me that? That¡¯s the most fruitless question I¡¯ve heard all day.¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯m going to see if the horse is going to give birth today.¡± (Blake) ¡°Oh! That¡¯s adorable Coco. Let¡¯s go see it together.¡± (Lily) She should have said ¡°Dominic¡± instead of ¡°Coco.¡± There were many words hovered on Blake¡¯s tongue. But the sentence that came out after the sigh was insignificant. ¡®¡¯I thought I told you to turn around if we met.¡± (Blake) Oh, he said it. But he knew for sure that he had come down to see Lily. They talked as they walked to the stable. ¡°I heard there¡¯s going to be a regular banquet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an event that annoys me once a year. All visitors will be properly taken care of, so your disappearance will not be leaked to the outside world.¡± Hearing this, Lily remembered her husband. He must be dying of embarrassment right now, sending servants all over the place to find her. Despite this, it was interesting to note that he did not send people to the Upus dukedom. ¡°Thank you for your kind attention. However, you need not to make your visitors suffer. I¡¯ll just stay quietly in my room during the banquet.¡± ¡°You are not going to attend?¡± Blake thought of the maids he had seen on his way over. The winter clothes they made were thick and dull. He really tried his best to find a beautiful banquet dress among them. And the man¡¯s heart also whispered, ¡°Perhaps I would like to see Lily in such a beautiful dress, at least a little.¡± So he ordered her brusquely. ¡°Participate.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We mostly only live in the dukedom. All guests are winter castle¡¯s members, they won¡¯t talk to the outsiders. Don¡¯t worry and come to the banquet.¡± ¡°Lord Blake doesn¡¯t have to be so considerate¡­¡± ¡°I do not listen to the opinions of those less powerful than me. Let¡¯s go see Dominic.¡± Blake led quickly ahead with his large body. ¡°I see no way to stop Lord Blake other than the royal family.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Lily didn¡¯t want to attend the banquet. So she sighed and let out a half-hearted word. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± The subject soon shifted to the horse, Dominic. Lily sincerely believed it. After all, the lovely Coco was more appropriate than the name Dominic. ¡°I hope Coco the second is born before the banquet. It would be a good memory to carry around the baby Coco and see all the places.¡± (Lily) ¡°Dominic the second will be a rough fighting horse. Don¡¯t take care of him selfishly.¡± (Blake) ¡°I¡¯m afraid our nurturing philosophies for Coco the second don¡¯t quite fit. It¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re strangers.¡± (Lily) Blake paused at the joke Lily threw without much thought. ¡°I think it¡¯s really fortunate¡­¡± It was then. ¡°Why are firearms banned? Lord dictator.¡± Lily couldn¡¯t help but ask. If guns were not allowed near the castle, it must have been this difficult man¡¯s order. ¡°¡­.¡± Lily said it as a joke, but Blake¡¯s reaction was intense. As if he had been told that he was to blame for his parents¡¯ death. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± (Blake) It was a low voice to begin with, but the bleak momentum became even stronger. ¡°I believe that whoever I name will be brutally killed.¡± (Lily) ¡°IlDexter, I presume.¡± (Blake) ¡°Where are you going, sir? No, you can¡¯t! What if he blames me?¡± (Lily) ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the dead don¡¯t talk.¡± (Blake) For a joke, he now had a way of freezing anyone in place. Lily shrugged as she looked at Blake going to where IIDexter had gone. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble.¡± *** As it turned out, nothing happened. Except that IlDexter grabbed Lily, ¡°Why in the world did you say that?¡± and almost sobbed. And except for Blake¡¯s more blatant avoidance of Lily. ¡°Good morning, Lord Blake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Bad morning, Lord Blake. Did you get caught trying to sneak out the back door? You know I spend a lot of time near the front door. Cute.¡± But Blake walked away without a reply. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve become invisible.¡± (Lily) Lily vented her frustration to her immediate maid of honor, Gianna. Even her appearance was graceful and refreshing, which made Gianna giggle. ¡°Master has gone mad. Still, you have to understand, he¡¯ll come back to himself in a few days.¡± ¡°Why did the word gun become a banned word from the castle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t hear anything!¡± (Gianna) Gianna, who had rioted at dinner for Lily¡¯s sake, was acting like this. Lily¡¯s curiosity grew by the day. Then there was an incident that solved her question. ¡°Thunder from the mountains is like this.¡± Lily looked through the window of the castle at the pitch black night sky. ¡°Heavy snowfall accompanied by thunder, that¡¯s very tasteful. Don¡¯t you think so, Gianna?¡± The maid who had been standing behind Lily earlier had disappeared. Lily wondered and went out to the hall on the first floor of the castle. The employees were busy with a gloomy expression. ¡°You mean no one has been able to find out where the Master is? Did he go see the horses?¡± ¡°There are no tracks leading out of the main gate. I¡¯m sure the tracks will be completely buried soon, but they can be found.¡± ¡°This is a big problem.¡± Lily interrupted. ¡°Is there a problem with Lord Blake?¡± ¡°Oh, dear God, Miss Lily.¡± This time, Lily wanted to know the truth. The servants were very confused by her persistent glare and eventually told her the truth. ¡°Master lost his father, the only family he had left, five years ago. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. It was then that Lord Blake inherited the title.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unknown cause of death. Master walked around the battlefield in grief and suffered from war neurosis.¡± The illness called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) today was still called ¡°war neurosis¡± or something similar at this time. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like loud noises. Very much.¡± It was only then that Lily understood the context. ¡°For example, thunder¡­..gunshot!¡± (Lily) ¡°That¡¯s right. Please don¡¯t tell Master. He wants to hide it. You know, in the capital, they curse that these symptoms are caused by weakness. We can¡¯t accept the capitalists insulting us. B*stards.¡± Lily quickly ran out the back door. Because she knew. These days, Blake only used the back door secretly. CH 12 ¡°Lord Blake?¡± Lily¡¯s faint voice drifted near the back door of the Winter Castle. However, as the door was not used often, the surrounding area was quiet. ¡°Lord Blake, look¡­ are you here?¡± She opened the door. The cold snow clung to her skin. Soon there was so much snow that she couldn¡¯t see more than a few meters ahead, but then Lily spotted the tracks left in the snow field. Footprints. It was much larger than hers, it must be Lord Blake¡¯s. Although she didn¡¯t have the eyes of a hawk like the servants in the winter castle, the steps that seemed to be buried in the snow were oddly clear in her vision. The words of Gianna came to her mind. ¡°Keep in mind, you should not be outside when there is thunder. The altitude is very high, so it¡¯s easy to get electrocuted. It¡¯s a whole roast ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. No, it¡¯s a roasted chicken.¡± But somewhere outside, Blake must be shaking with war neurosis. Lilly knew very well about that fear. It was 6:50 p.m., time for her husband to come home after an evening of entertainment with the rest of the upper class. She would sit upstairs and stare out the window breathlessly. -Is he drunk again today? Will he slap her again? Her hands would shake with fear when her husband came back to the house and looked drunk. And the sound of his footsteps coming up the stairs would make her heart skip a beat. Thump. Thump. ¡°Lord Blake¡­¡­..!¡± Lily didn¡¯t hesitate to walk into the snow storm and search for the man. But within a few seconds, her footprints were buried in the snow and gone forever. Soon she was trapped in the heavy snow, unable to see an inch of the way. She couldn¡¯t even see her way back, but she kept her composure. ¡®I have a few minutes left before my tracks disappear. I haven¡¯t walked much, so I can go back to the winter castle, so don¡¯t worry. Calm down. Lily Hedwick.¡¯ At least there was less shivering among the servants than there had been at dinner. Lily walked slowly forward. By the time she felt the freezing, stinging pain in her cheeks, a very small house came into view. It was an intermediate resting place for the hunters¡­ and there was a faint glimmer of light. Knock.knock. She knocked on the door. And Blake was right there. ¡°¡­Lady?¡± He was in the corner, curled up like a wounded wolf. His black hair, which he had been well organized, was disheveled, and a few strands fell over his eyes, and the insane Blake muttered gruesomely ¡°Crazy. It¡¯s suicide to go outside in this weather. You should go back before it gets worse.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave without you. Are you okay?¡± Blake lied. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? I¡¯m just here on an errand.¡± Actually, he was just stopping by the stable and suddenly there was a thunderstorm and he had to take shelter in a hurry. ¡°Don¡¯t be nosy, just take care of yourself..¡­¡­¡­.¡± And that was when the thunder boomed nearby. Blake held his breath as the sound of battlefield gunfire came to his mind. It had been a long time since he had been there, but his soul still felt like it was going to battle. It was as if any moment now he would have to tear the enemies to pieces for this horror to subside. ¡°I¡¯m coming in, Lord Blake.¡± Lily grabbed the doorknob proudly. Blake wanted to stop her, but he didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up. It wasn¡¯t locked, so he figured she¡¯d come right in. ¡®D*mn it, I don¡¯t want to see anyone right now¡­¡­¡­.¡¯ Lily tried to turn the doorknob. Blake closed his eyes tightly, but to his surprise, she couldn¡¯t get in. ¡°Huh? It doesn¡¯t work.¡± It was an intricate knob in a very different style than the one in the capital. Moreover, she had rarely opened the door with her own hands. After several unsuccessful attempts, Blake suddenly felt ridiculous. Tsk. Tsk. The fear that had gouged his body was gone in an instant, and he could now even open the door for her. ¡°Thank you¡­..it looks like the doorknob malfunctioned.¡± (Lily) ¡°The latch here is perfectly normal. It was probably someone¡¯s hand that malfunctioned.¡± (Blake) Lily lightly ignored the man¡¯s crude joke and looked inside. The interior was small enough to hold a man and a woman. All it had was a small fireplace and an old bed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t get very warm in here, does it?¡± (Lily) ¡®It¡¯s a place to rest for a while, only when the weather conditions worsen. There is no heating system. So why did you come here?¡± (Blake) ¡°Well, I got lost.¡± (Lily) Lily wanted to say ¡°I¡¯m here because I¡¯m worried about Lord Blake.¡± But perhaps that would offend him, so she lied. ¡°Hmph.¡± Even as she did so, the man who knew the truth inside and out snickered. He didn¡¯t know which servant¡¯s mouth was light that told Lily, but he intended to make that person work hard. ¡°Rest then go back.¡± Blake threw an old blanket at Lily and sat down in the corner. Thunder kept hovering around them. Still feeling better, the man quickly exhaled again, keeping his mouth tightly shut. Lily became concerned and asked, ¡°Lord Blake?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± He let out a short syllable, as if he was struggling to even breathe. ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look okay at all, but I know you might answer with a straight face that there¡¯s nothing wrong with you, but I¡¯ll ask you once.¡± (Lily ¡°You are a prophet, aren¡¯t you?¡± (Blake) ¡°Come here, dictator.¡± (Lily) Lily lifted her covers and held Blake¡¯s head. He was half asleep, but he couldn¡¯t refuse. He didn¡¯t have that much strength. ¡°I¡¯m not a newborn baby¡­.. ¡° Their distance was close enough that they could smell each other¡¯s scent. Lily¡¯s peachy body scent and the heavy scent of the man. It mingled with a seductive scent that he couldn¡¯t tell who it belonged to. However, Lily focused only on patting him and was satisfied when his condition improved. ¡°Much better, isn¡¯t it? A human touch is better than a warm, inorganic one. It¡¯ll calm down to the sound of the other¡¯s quiet heartbeat.¡± (Lily) Blake wanted to say sarcastically, ¡°You make it sound as if you¡¯ve been through this before,¡± but he couldn¡¯t. His whole body felt like it was leaning into hers. Being so close to each other in a small house. ¡®I think I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Not to mention the beating of her heart, and the way her hair tickled his cheek¡­. Blake chuckled to himself. A meek woman like Lily might leave her seat immediately if she knew what he was imagining. He despised himself for that. It was shameful to feel this way about a woman who had run away from her husband. ¡®It¡¯s because I¡¯m confused by my childhood memories. That¡¯s all.¡¯ At that moment, Lily asked. ¡°Why did you participate in the war?¡± It might have been a sensitive question, but Blake was rather glad. He really needed to immerse himself in other thoughts, so for once today he was being frank. ¡°I wanted to leave the castle; I couldn¡¯t trust anyone after my father died five years ago. Tsk, that father, how can he drink poisoned alcohol in the middle of the house and go to the other world?¡± (Blake) ¡°Then the culprit. ¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Lily) ¡°Yes. I thought there was a good chance it was a servant. I felt a great sense of betrayal.¡± (Blake) Blake was in the middle of talking when he was distracted by Lily¡¯s lightly tapping hand. It was nothing like his rough hands. When he put that thing in his mouth, it seemed to taste as sweet as pigmented sugar. Then he suddenly regained his reason and continued to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this but the bond between the people of the dukedom is special. It¡¯s not like the children in the capital who sell out their friends for a few gold coins.¡± (Blake) ¡°No cursing.¡± (Lily) ¡°Oh, my father was poisoned by a servant when we believed that we were each other¡¯s protective shield¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I wanted to leave the dukedom, so I toured the battlefields. Killing pirates wandering the imperial ocean or greeting neighbors on the frontier.¡± (Blake) He heard the thunder again. The man was glad to be out of his energy, instead. ¡°But as time passed, my mind became clear. It wasn¡¯t the fault of any of us. Probably from the outside¡­They must have approached it with a very secret and dirty trick. As soon as I realized it, I came back to Winter Castle.¡± (Blake) ¡°So you do trust your employers after all.¡± (Lily) ¡°Well, I can¡¯t trust them blindly, so I used a few other methods. All employees were investigated very thoroughly.¡± (Blake) Blake laughed strangely, half in jest, half in earnest, as he bared his steely teeth. ¡°I knew they were all innocent, but my heart was still heavy. So even after returning to the castle, I usually don¡¯t eat in the dining room. It reminds me of my dead father.¡± (Blake) The snow was disappearing through the small old window. There was no more thunder. The moon should be visible from its hiding place soon. ¡°Shall we go back to the Winter Castle?¡± (Lily) ¡°Yes, we should.¡± (Blake) That was the moment Lily was about to get up. Rejuvenated, Blake grabbed Lily¡¯s arm tightly. Their gazes collided with each other. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lily noticed that the space within them instantly became hotter. Was it because of their breath? Or¡­.. She tried to leave with an inexplicable feeling of embarrassment and outrage, but she was blocked. It was because Blake had hugged her thin waist under the covers. ¡°You¡¯re fearless.¡± Blake¡¯s wrenchingly low voice somehow caused Lily¡¯s body to begin to shake. ¡°You said you¡¯d be a Lady after you divorced.¡± Blake¡¯s copper skin brushed against Lily¡¯s stark white face. He smiled like a villain. CH 13 A cold, old hut, quite far from Winter Castle. The warmth between them was the only warmth of the night. Lily and Blake clung oddly to each other as they hugged under the same covers. ¡®It¡¯s like a pure city aristocrat.¡¯ Blake intended to pick on her. He was going to let her know the fact that she shouldn¡¯t be alone with a man in a closed room, shouldn¡¯t have any contact with him, shouldn¡¯t tease him with the scent of peaches. Because otherwise it seemed that one day he would cross the line¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ But in reality, a thrilling current flowed. And frankly, Lily was the same. Blake, with the sharpness of a beast, read the emotion in her widening eyes. ¡°Hey, Lady.¡± He whispered softly with a hot breath. ¡®I know it¡¯s a strange question, but why don¡¯t we kiss?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯ll be fun. Maybe you¡¯ll like it.¡¯ Without any facts or grudges¡­¡­.. It was the moment Blake was about to say ¡­¡­. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s wet¡­.¡± Lily nervously pushed Blake away. It was because all the snow that had been sticking to their clothes had melted. Her ears were also red, but she was good at hiding them. Lily had to pretend she was fine to get out of this situation. She thought. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t get stuck in this weird atmosphere¡­¡­¡­..¡¯ On the subject of a divorced married woman, how dare she with a single Duke? Besides, isn¡¯t she in a situation where she is a guest in his Castle? ¡®I can¡¯t make the slightest mistake.¡¯ With that, she stood up, forgetting her earlier sensations. ¡°I should go back to the mansion and wash up. If you allow it, of course. Water is also a precious resource, so I¡¯ll just go to bed if you complain.¡± (Lily) ¡°Wash up, wash up. Wash all day long. I¡¯ll also add gold powder to the water.¡± (Blake) Blake, who did not know the situation, burst into a sigh of vain laughter. Time to return to the Winter Castle. *** Since then, Lily and Blake had grown closer. Blake no longer ignored Lily and would greet her when he saw her. The promise to ignore each other for a year has long since disappeared. But a much bigger change¡­ ¡°It¡¯s time for breakfast, Lord Blake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat in my office.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t. The maids have already prepared two servings. Chef Alex said he got some frozen lamb.¡± It was the fact that Lily had pulled Blake out of the dining room. The Winter Castle employees realized that it was secretly their fault that the man was eating alone. Of course, they weren¡¯t responsible for the former Duke being poisoned, but they were beginning to understand Blake¡¯s rejection of them. ¡°Master!¡± The employees were more than happy for Lily to bring Blake in. When was the last time they saw their Master really laugh? As expected, they met the right person. A cute Lady. Another lively meal was served today. They still gave up strong drinks and favored only Lily. ¡°Here, try this, Miss Lily.¡± ¡°These blueberries were secretly flown in from a village at the foot of the mountain. I won 5 poker games. I took the blueberries while the gardener lay on the ground begging. What do you think?¡± The maid lifted the fork and shouted loudly. ¡°It¡¯s for Miss Lilly! ¡°Can I have my fork back, please? Now, it¡¯s my turn to take the fish¡­¡± Lily couldn¡¯t smile much out of politeness, but her face was bright red. ¡°Thanks to you guys, I¡¯m having a lot of fun.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have more fun at the regular banquet.¡± Lily¡¯s face stiffened as she smiled. The servants had recently encouraged her to attend the banquet. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared the dress for you as well. We don¡¯t have a lot of buttons and lace or colorful ribbons like the ones in the capital, but ours is beautiful too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just thought that if I met a lot of people, maybe my husband would hear¡­ .¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t believe in our axes? The best defense is attack! We¡¯ll cut off his bare neck very easily! If we cut it off, Lily won¡¯t have to hide!¡± Lily¡¯s gaze met Blake¡¯s as he sat across the table from her. He made the gesture that the servants were crazy, as if he had never thought of such a terrible thing. ¡°That¡¯s why we get cursed at for being barbarians. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± The exchange between Blake and Lily was as brisk as if nothing had happened. ¡°Well¡­.¡± Lily blurred the end of her sentence. The Castle people call each other barbarians and even demean each other. That was all it meant, as much as ¡®you b*stard¡¯. But if Lily, who was from the capital, said such words to the people here, the meaning would change. But when Lily couldn¡¯t help and just smiled graciously, the servants hit Blake on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t make Miss Lily feel uncomfortable!¡± ¡°You crazy maids!¡± While they were bickering amicably, the other maidservant spoke to Lily. ¡°Tomorrow, there will be a lot of people in Winter Castle, and the people attending the banquet will be here soon.¡± All of the attendees will come to the Winter Castle, but the servants didn¡¯t seem too worried about it. ¡®Regular banquet festival¡­¡­¡¯ Lily pondered as she gracefully popped her salad into her mouth. She heard this in advance from the aide, but she didn¡¯t want to attend. ¡®Of course, I¡¯m curious about the banquet here, but can I risk showing myself?¡¯ She remembered parties in the capital. She had always been at the center of the social gatherings, but in reality she wasn¡¯t as flamboyant as she looked. Before her marriage, she was under the control of her parents, but if she made even the slightest mistake, she was punished greatly back at the mansion. Did that change after marriage? The only thing that changed was the fact that her husband was now in charge of her life, and she couldn¡¯t even go freely from the banquet hall to the corridor. When she thought of the past, she suddenly felt tired. ¡®Let¡¯s go see the horses again, shall we? When is Coco going to have her baby?¡¯ These days, Blake and her interests were aligned. He didn¡¯t like that Dominic didn¡¯t care about what he said, because from the look of it, Lily was Dominic¡¯s master¡­ ¡°What?¡± After eating, Blake was about to go to the stable and realized that Lily¡¯s movements overlapped. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡®¡¯For a walk. Ladies and noblewomen like to walk gracefully around their homes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a problem because we¡¯re in the same direction.¡± ¡°Say hi to Coco.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± Lily and Blake chatted peacefully and left the castle. But then it happened. A boy was coming up the mountain path, wearing a brown hat. ¡°Master!¡± It was a boy Lily had never seen before in the Winter Castle. A boy who seemed so close to being an adult, but so assertive. He took a single step between them and immediately hugged Blake. He didn¡¯t even give Lily a glance. ¡°I¡¯m here at last. My proud Master!¡± The boy was similar in height to Lily. He had red hair and many freckles. She had never seen him before, so she was curious. Besides, there were only adults here. But Blake¡¯s face only grew harder. ¡°Sebastian, the day of the regular banquet is not here yet, why are you here already?¡± Blake showed signs of annoyance. Sebastian was the boy who followed Blake everywhere. ¡°I came a few days early to see Master. My proud Master hasn¡¯t changed one bit in a year! He is still as majestic as ever!¡± Sebastian was the son of a woodcutter in the Winter Castle. He had grown up worshipping Blake from the time he started to walk. However, after his father retired, he could only come to the Winter Castle once a year. This was because Sebastian had taken on the chore of getting food outside the castle. The boy¡¯s gaze met Lily¡¯s. ¡®Uncle Billy told me that a noblewoman came to live here.¡¯ ¡®How could there really be a platinum imperialist by my Master¡¯s side!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe it when he heard it, but the sight he could see now was truly shocking. In the boy¡¯s thoughts, Blake had to be a lone captain wolf. Jealousy boiled up as the imperial woman was by Blake¡¯s side in his absence. ¡°Hello, noblewoman.¡± Sebastian bowed his head lightly as he took off his cap. ¡°You can comfortably call me by my name. My name is¡­¡± ( Lily) The moment Lily greeted him kindly, the boy passed by as if he had not heard her words. He deliberately bumped into Lily¡¯s shoulder and¡­.. That was the problem. There had been many people who had bumped shoulders with Lily in social circles. The nobles always had enemies. When that happened, Lily chose to relax instead of endure. When she did so, she would fall into a dainty position. Her quarrelsome opponents saw her face turn red and ran away from the sharp glances around her. ¡°Ouch.¡± It was unintentional, but Lily¡¯s body had learned the trick. Lily fell down before she knew it. Sitting on the cold snow, she blinked. She thought she made a mistake. She didn¡¯t have to do this at the Duke¡¯s Castle. Of course, the boy, Sebastian, had a strong look in his eyes. But Lily was a person who had lived for some years longer than him, and she could see this as a charm. Lily was moments away from hastily getting up again. ¡°Oh my god!¡± A huge figure lunged at her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± CH 14 Lily, fell in the snowfield, stood up with a rough escort from Blake. ¡°Lily Hedwick, are you okay?¡± She occasionally felt the distinct difference in size between her and Blake. He was too big. She had to admit, she was still a little surprised at the way the man rushed to her. ¡®The nobles aren¡¯t that big.¡¯ There were many differences between the upper class and the working class. Among which white and thin bodies was a physical condition for the nobility, regardless of gender. Some loved riding and had a well-developed lower body, but that was all. There was a big difference between that and a body trained by labor. But Blake¡¯s body was really so much that she was embarrassed to look even when he was fully dressed. Lily looked away. Even though he seemed to be wearing clothes that were several sizes larger than a nobleman of such stature would wear, his muscles were taut. ¡®Even Knights don¡¯t look like that.¡¯ Blake¡¯s body was particularly well developed, as he preferred all manner of melee weapons instead of guns. Lily was surprised by his sudden approach, but Blake interpreted it differently. ¡°Doctor!¡± Lily realized as he was about to take her back to the castle. ¡°One moment, please. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s only fluffy snow.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I looked at Lord Blake and I can tell what you¡¯ll say, ¡®the world hasn¡¯t collapsed yet and you¡¯re fine.¡¯ Right?¡± ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ Blake¡¯s expression was disturbed. He was not able to calm down. He checked her head closely, seeing that Lily was talking gibberish. Lily was pretending to be dainty and fell, so only her thighs and hands might be injured, but the man couldn¡¯t make a proper decision. Lily wondered a bit. He looked as if his subordinates, who had been together for ten years, had been hit by an arrow in front of him¡­ That¡¯s surprising. Does he have a worrying personality? Blake then turned to Sebastian and expressed his anger. ¡°Sebastian!¡± The poor boy stood there helplessly and waved his hands in the air. ¡°I bumped into her very gently! It¡¯s a mistake!¡± ¡°This woman already had a hurt ankle!¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve recovered, Lord Blake.¡± Lily was a sorceress. It wasn¡¯t really a big deal, but she was recovering fast anyway. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Blake, not knowing what was going on, snickered and quickly picked her up. He didn¡¯t carry her around his waist like before. Instead, he put her on his shoulders. It was a major development. It was a change that no one, not even him, had noticed. But Lily only frowned as she raised her belly to the hard shoulder within the man. ¡®How dare you ignore my spellcasting ability!¡¯ On the other hand, Blake, who didn¡¯t know that she was a sorceress, misunderstood again when he saw her expression. ¡®You¡¯re a proud young lady in a strange way.¡¯ It¡¯s natural for a ten year old to outgrow the idea that she¡¯s invincible. Still, Blake chuckled, finding that cute. ¡°Looking at your attitude, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re not seriously hurt. But please stop acting like a child.¡± (Blake) ¡°I want to go to the stable, not the castle. And now I hate you.¡± (Lily) ¡°I see. I like you today, young lady.¡± (Blake) That was what Lily said the other day. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I¡¯m starting to like you today, Blake.¡± She gasped and slapped the man on his broad back. There was no pain in his muscles. And while they were returning to the Winter Castle¡­ There was one boy left alone. ¡°Master?¡± Sebastian mumbled dumbly. ¡°Master? What about me? I haven¡¯t been here in a year.¡± But he got no reply. He stood forgotten in everyone¡¯s brain for a while. *** Sebastian was grumpy. ¡®Huh! She thinks she¡¯s an amazing person!¡¯ He thought of Lily. How could she show such behavior, tapping on Master¡¯s shoulder? Sebastian had a big ambition. Someday, he wanted to finish his life outside and become an aide to protect Blake. Isn¡¯t it really the best profession to be a meticulous assistant to an amazing master? But¡­. ¡°They¡¯re together again!¡± Sebastian looked through the window and found Blake and Lily. For the entire day he stayed at the castle, those two were together all the time. A flame of jealousy flared in his eyes. The seat next to his master had to be his. Sebastian quickly put on his hat. The maid, passing by with her tools, scolded him. ¡°You! You¡¯re not going to Master again, are you? If you have nothing better to do, help me with my work!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, Aunt Victor!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cross your line. He just looks out for us to a certain extent. We should be grateful for that!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± The families at Winter Castle knew Sebastian well. So, with a sigh, the maid threatened him with a big eye roll if he bothered Master and Lady Lily. Sebastian ran outside the castle, breathing hard in the cold air. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lily accepted the friendly greeting instead of Blake who ignored him. ¡°Hello, Sebastian.¡± ¡°Where are you two going?¡± ¡°The horse stable. Coco ¡­¡­¡­ Dominic is pregnant, so we are going to check on her.¡± ¡°Why are you going, Miss Lily?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cute horse.¡± Sebastian thought of the black horse Blake cherished. What¡¯s so cute about that scary looking horse? Anyway, he followed the two of them. Blake opened the stable door under the oil lamp. Then he looked at Sebastian and frowned his dark eyebrows. ¡°Are you going to go in there? Dominic is in a sensitive state.¡± ¡°But Miss Lily is here too.¡± Because Dominic liked Lily. Even more so than Blake, the owner. Blake¡¯s pride was so hurt that he couldn¡¯t get the words out. Because he couldn¡¯t believe that Dominic obeyed Lily more. ¡°Suit yourself. However, if you get in my way, I will remove you immediately.¡± The interior of the stable, built of dark wood, was manicured and clean as always. Lily greeted Dominic with her arms outstretched in her signature elegant gesture. ¡°Coco!¡± The black horse showed its head in one corner that was divided into walls. Until yesterday, it was the one that nodded happily when it saw Lily. Today, by the way, it looked somewhat anxious. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Lily also noticed the signs and approached cautiously. Dominic gave her a light toure and Lily patted its head with her cold hand. ¡°I think the day we¡¯ve been waiting for might be today.¡± (Lily) ¡°Is there anything different about Dominic¡¯s mood?¡± (Blake) As soon as Blake took off his thick coat, he stood next to Lily with excitement. ¡°In my opinion, yes, we need some good quality hay.¡± The moment Lily turned to do her work, Sebastian interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± She was a little put off and found another job. ¡°Well, I will get some water then.¡± ¡°The location of the drinking water container is still the same. Hehe.¡± Sebastian stepped between Lily and Blake, changing the water. Dominic and Blake both scowled at the boy with sullen eyes. Sebastian put Lily to shame. ¡°Coco, here¡¯s the carrot¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to Dominic!¡± The moment Sebastian took the carrot from Lily¡¯s hand. Dominic¡¯s anger finally exploded. Dominic knew very well that it was not Lily¡¯s white hand that was holding the carrot in front of her. Even the smell of the man wasn¡¯t as fragrant as Lily¡¯s. So instead of the carrot, Dominic chewed on Sebastian¡¯s hair. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Oh, my God.¡± ¡°Please help!¡± Sebastian struggled between the horse¡¯s upper and lower mouths. Blake and Lily helped him earnestly with his desperate pleas for help. Sebastian was finally freed, but his head was still damp from the horse¡¯s saliva. It was a truly disgusting feeling¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Lily scolded the horse. ¡°Coco! Why did you bite people! I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Blake wanted to argue with Lilly. So what if it bites people? Dominic had stepped on dead bodies on the battlefield before. The man could have refuted, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he grabbed Sebastian roughly by the arm and pulled him outside. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°I did say that I would kick you out if you got in my way. Now that you are in my way, so go to the castle and deliver the news that Dominic is going to give birth soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet from now on!¡± But Blake¡¯s face was cold. ¡°No one is to come until I leave.¡± Blake usually tolerated mischief from his employees with a ¡°when will they grow up?¡± attitude. Now, however, the situation had changed dramatically. It was the spirit of the captain wolf that was seen when carrying out the dangerous defeat. Sebastian was numb and out of breath. ¡°Lord¡­.Master!¡± Sebastian thought, stunned. Why in the world was Blake so fiery and angry? How did that woman end up in the dukedom in the first place? The employees urged the boy not to spread rumors about the fact that she was living here. Sebastian, however, did not know why because they didn¡¯t tell him the reason. They were worried that he might cause trouble. Because of this, the boy didn¡¯t know that Lily hid to avoid her husband, and it was all very frustrating. ¡°Go back.¡± Blake had the attitude that he had finished what he had to say. The door slammed shut right in front of Sebastian¡¯s nose. CH 15 So, Dominic¡¯s birth was approaching. Lily kept stroking the horse¡¯s black fur. ¡°Good girl. You¡¯ll be fine. Everything will be fine¡­I¡¯ll be with you all the way until the end.¡± Lily cast a small spell and comforted Dominic. The black horse exhaled with a hint of relaxation. Blake, who had sent the boy away, came back to Lily. ¡°How is it feeling?¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s about to give birth, but I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never even seen a person give birth to a child before.¡± ¡°Horses are similar. Not long after the amniotic fluid breaks, the foal¡¯s forefoot appears.¡± So they waited quietly in the stable. Blake suggested that Lily should go to the castle to get some rest, but Lily refused. ¡°Do as you please. Was there a time when you didn¡¯t do what you wanted? However, I suggest you sit on a chair. Or you¡¯ll get in trouble.¡± (Blake) The man became brusque when his consideration was rejected. Silence reigned in the stable. Blake stood there for quite a long time, checking on Dominic. After such a long time. The man couldn¡¯t take it anymore and turned around again. ¡°Hey, miss, you too should be in a warm room ¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Lily was dozing in a small chair. He closed his mouth quickly without realizing it. ¡°¡­¡± Blake carefully hugged the sleeping Lily. The frail body came snugly into his arms. It was surprisingly light. It was reasonably cool. Blake stood still, feeling strange. ¡®What the hell should I do with this woman?¡¯ What were these old memories that came back to him every now and then? He could only sigh at the fact that it hadn¡¯t even been a month since she had stayed here. It was a terrible year. ¡®You said you¡¯d leave after a year¡­. ¡­Where the hell are you going?¡¯ In the arms of the abusive ex-husband? Blake¡¯s inner child self felt like shouting again. ¡®That¡¯s outrageous.¡¯ The current Blake agreed. He had no intention of agreeing to that. In fact, he would rather kill her ex-husband, as the servants had said. But then where should Lily Hedwick go? ¡®Well, let¡¯s not care. You act as if you¡¯re anything to this lady.¡¯ He realized by reflecting on his words. ¡®I don¡¯t really want to be her something, do I?¡¯ That was a ridiculous thing to say. He muttered in a creepy low voice. He didn¡¯t have to worry about Lily¡¯s next year. There were many things that were far more important to him. Territories, management, battles, and so on. The man tried to shake off worries about Lily. Then he laid Lily down on the hay. He didn¡¯t forget to throw the coat he had taken off earlier on her. His thoughts and actions were completely different. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®Come to think of it, I think I have a diary from my childhood lying in my old room.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps there is a clue to all this uncertainty.¡¯ ¡®Should I look for it when the horse is done giving birth?¡¯ *** ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lady!¡± Lily woke up at the call. That was when crisp blue eyes appeared beneath long lashes. ¡°I¡¯m seeing the bay. Can you bring me the towel?¡± Lily came to her senses at the sound of Blake¡¯s voice. How long had she been lying on that hay bale? Lily rushed to Dominic¡¯s side. A mare was lying on the other side of the open door. ¡°Oh, Coco!¡± ¡°All is well. Can you see the foal¡¯s nose? It¡¯s coming out in a normal order.¡± Dominic floundered in the air with its front feet. Lily also bent her knees and sat down. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you cheer me up?¡± He meant just watch. Lily understood the joke, but her fists tightened as she looked at Dominic. Blake sat down beside her. Then he saw Lily twitching next to him, without even closing her eyelids. ¡®What are you really going to do?¡¯ The man couldn¡¯t help but smile and watch. At last, the black pony in the amniotic sac poured onto the ground. Blake and Lily looked at each other. Their eyes lit up at the birth of a new life. ¡°Lord Blake¡­..!¡± ¡°Give me a towel over there!¡± The man climbed through the sliding door at once and checked on the foal. ¡°Young lady, come here! Dominic has already checked the foal, so you can dry the foal off.¡± Lily wiped the foal¡¯s body as Blake had instructed. The two people with the highest status in the castle did this voluntarily. Blake looked at Dominic while Lily did her best with passion and sincerity. ¡°It seems the foal is already bigger than me!¡± ¡°Horses are upper body animals right from birth. They grow a lot from the start.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hold it in my arms and walk around. The face is bigger than my arms!¡± Lily learned for the first time that the foal¡¯s eyes could open right after birth. She made eye contact with the black foal that had just come into the world. ¡®What are you thinking about?¡¯ Her heart throbbed. It was only a few dozen minutes that they took care of the new life. Before they knew it, the foal was drinking its mother¡¯s milk. Lily and Blake stood outside the door and looked at it. ¡°It¡¯s really cute. Look at Coco II. She looks just like her mother.¡± Instead of looking at the horse, Blake took notice of Lily. Her platinum blonde hair, softer than silk, was a mess. Even the horse¡¯s hair was sticking everywhere. The messed up part must have been Blake himself. He answered mischievously as he leaned his head against the pillar. ¡°Coco II? I¡¯m warning you, I will hate you if you don¡¯t recognize your own name, Dominic II, when I call you later.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up ¡°Coco¡±. How about we agree on Coconic II?¡± (Lily) ¡°What the hell? Doesn¡¯t it sound like coconut?¡± (Blake) Dominic II had just staggered to the door. It was heading towards Lily, to be precise. Lily held the pony¡¯s head. ¡°May I say a blessing?¡± ¡°IIDexter isn¡¯t here. Do as you please.¡± The blessing, which should be given at birth, was originally the task of the clergy and sorcerers. As Blake, he meant, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she gives the blessing because the real sorcerer (IIDexter) is out,¡± but Lily accepted it differently. ¡®So you mean I¡¯m not a reliable sorcerer?¡¯ ¡®Well, I suppose so.¡¯ She admitted very coolly. ¡°You¡¯ll be a sturdy horse. I can already imagine you riding through the open country without any illness. You will be a brave friend, not afraid of nature. I will always love you.¡± Blake looked at Lily for a moment . A faint smile appeared on his lips. It reminded him of the first time he had seen her. It was a snowy night, more snow than now, and when he opened the gate, the small figure appeared with the sound of hinges. From the moment she saw her, his winter castle was slowly changing. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry too much about the snowstorm last time. So¡­¡­¡­..¡±(Blake) That was when he unexpectedly opened his mouth. ¡°Do you understand? Coco II?¡± (Lily) Lily had ended her blessing with Coco II. Blake staggered for a moment. ¡°What a terrible name.¡± (Blake) ¡°I¡¯ll call it Dominic II sometimes.¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡¯d rather fall into a river than trust you.¡± (Blake) *** It was noon the next day. Blake was buried in dust. ¡°My God, it¡¯s a pain in the a****.¡± He was annoyed as if he had never learned any manners. The man was going through the nursery he had used when he was a child. It was a room that had been empty for a long time since he had taken over the duchy. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a diary in here¡­¡± The room was a mess, as was his crazy personality. Blake, with his strong muscles, swam through the junk and finally found the diary after a few minutes. ¡°What kind of trouble is this? I don¡¯t even have enough time to look into the territory for more business.¡± It¡¯s because of that troublemaker Lily Hedwick¡­..because she¡¯s so pretty. Blake paused for a moment when he thought of that, and immediately hit himself hard on the head. Anyway, he moved his big body to the window and sat down, flipping through his diary. A few old papers went over. The most noticeable contents were bad words about the capital. (*XX meant bad words that he wrote in there.) The more he read, the higher the level of bad words. It was understandable because it was the first time he received the hostility of the nobles in the capital after staying only at the Duke¡¯s castle. Blake¡¯s memories came to his mind one after the other. He was still rough now, but he was even less polite then. He even tried to attack the nobles while wearing a cloak and a tie. ¡°¡­One, ten, twenty five¡­..the first page is abusive language, the second page is also abusive language, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and so on. The 31st page is also slang.¡± What is this malevolent little thing ¡­.. Blake clicked his tongue, forgetting that it was his past. *** *This chapter is so cute and funny. It looked like they were witnessing the birth of their child instead of the horse¡¯s. And how funny is that the diary of little Blake back then was nothing but all the cursing CH 16 The diary found in the room Blake Upus had used as a child. The man read through thirty-five badly-written pages full of swear words and malicious intent. It had taken a great deal of patience for him. ¡°What did you write in here? What a bad handwriting.¡± He still had bad writing, but the man was seven years old at the time, so his writing style was more free. But he endured reading it because of his curiosity about Lily. Finally, the clue he had been looking for came out of page 35. An annoying girl? From then on, Blake could occasionally find the appearance of the girl. Next page. The cursing level dropped when the annoying girl made her appearance. It meant the young Blake¡¯s heart was warming up. The last page. In the diary, the young Blake¡¯s anger had subsided a bit since then. He almost understood the story when combined with the butler¡¯s words. ¡°Young Blake would now enjoy his days in the capital a little more.¡± There was someone he wanted to meet. Old memories that had been dormant in Blake¡¯s brain were slowly beginning to awaken. He looked back again at the scene that had come to his mind a few days ago. ¡°Are you nuts? You spoke to the ears of wheat, but they didn¡¯t answer.¡± (Young Blake) It was just the young Blake and the little girl in a field of yellow wheat. The man finally remembered why the two of them were in the wheat field. They escaped the party by crawling under the table, avoiding the eyes of the adults, and they found themselves in a nearby wheat field. ¡°No, but¡­.¡± (Little girl) ¡°And talking to grass is the work of clowns.¡± (Young Blake) An intense scarlet reed lay beneath the bright sunlight. The little girl in the scene turned to face him, and Blake could see her face now, unlike before. She was Lily Hedwick. It was clear. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Blake dropped the diary he had been holding in shock. ¡®Really¡ªI met that girl when she and I were little?¡¯ He picked up the diary from where he sat by the window. Through the window, he could see Lily and the pony playing around in the snowy field. ¡®They go well together. Maybe it¡¯s because they have the same mental age¡­¡­¡­¡¯ The horse Dominic¡¯s bloodline was better than the imperial one. So Dominic¡¯s child belonged to Blake and Blake¡¯s family, but¡­ ¡®Seeing how you follow the Lady so well, I guess it wouldn¡¯t matter if I give you to her?¡¯ Either way, Blake doesn¡¯t have any children, so maybe that¡¯s better. ¡°Lord Blake!¡± Lily waved at him from afar. The moment he opened the window to hear the sound clearly, she threw a snowball she had hidden behind her at him. Of course, the snowball fell to the ground due to Lily¡¯s lack of strength. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Blake watched with blank eyes, then closed the window again. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to play. Because he was very disturbed. It was far too late to ask her anything. He was a few years older than she was so he could remember, but she was too young back then to really remember anything. So even if he goes to her and says, ¡®We actually promised to get married,¡¯ it¡¯s only pathetic. ¡°What am I really doing here?¡± Blake read the diary all the way through, but could not recall the past anymore. Whoosh. He turned the page. He flipped through the pages. Flap, flap, flap. In the end, only a faint memory remained like an afterimage, and then it was gone. Finally, Blake¡¯s patience ran out. ¡®Done. I¡¯m going to stop doing meaningless things now.¡¯ He found only one diary anyway, so there was nothing more to read. ¡®I¡¯m not curious at all about how we ended up not seeing each other anymore.¡¯ This was when he was thinking like a fox in front of the new grape. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Blake sensed footsteps approaching his old room. His in-house ears were keen and had served him well on the battlefield. ¡°It¡¯s Sebastian.¡± The child was slyly following Blake. He had previously come up much earlier than the banquet. Blake had a look of annoyance on his languid face. ¡®He must have heard that I came here.¡¯ It was better to avoid the boy than to scold him for sticking around and kicking him out. Blake jumped out of the window. It was several stories high, but his body, flung like a wild animal, immediately trudged across the snow. ¡°Oh my, Coco II. Let¡¯s go see him who suddenly appears. You¡¯re going to be a sorceress.¡± The black pony that had been following Lily around stared at Blake. ¡°¡­¡± (Blake) ¡°¡­¡± (The pony ) Blake glared at the pony as well, a strange stubbornness forming. The mother horse recognized him as its master, but this fierce thing didn¡¯t seem inclined to do so. ¡°What are you two doing? Have you fallen in love or something?¡± (Lily) ¡°Why is your reasoning going in that direction?¡± (Blake) ¡°Because Lord Blake had a very intense look in his eyes¡­Coco II, don¡¯t look at someone like that.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, didn¡¯t you also say that you would call it Dominic II occasionally?¡± Lily frowned, elegant and mischievous. ¡°You¡¯d have to fall in a river to believe me, not to mention a word.¡± *** The annual winter banquet was really just around the corner. The castle was noisy in the morning. Lily felt a sense of wonder from the moment she woke up to the cold sunshine. It was the time when Gianna, her full-time servant, should have arrived. After she had done everything she could to wake Lily, Lily said, ¡°You are a perfect example of a servant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to be praised!¡± She looked at Lily with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡®But nothing happened today. What is it?¡¯ Lily walked out into the gray corridor that was always so lonely. The servants were moving busily. It was not a cheerful atmosphere. They ran around with hard faces, without noticing Lily. Each of them had either a bow or a harpoon in their hands¡­.. ¡°Lord Blake.¡± Lily went down the round stairs and found Blake on the first floor. ¡°Where are you going?¡± (Lily) He was usual. Instead of a loose cotton shirt, he was well armed. His matted black armor was overlaid with a wolf-shaped brooch and a thick leather sash, and on top of that, a fur-lined winter cloak came down to his thighs. It looked so heavy that Lily wouldn¡¯t be able to stand up if it covered her. But it was perfect for Blake¡¯s appearance. ¡°The families that were supposed to arrive by now haven¡¯t come.¡± Blake replied bluntly. Quite a few of the people on the attendee list did not arrive at the castle. They lived outside the castle, but they belonged to the castle. Blake had reason to be concerned for their safety. ¡°Oh my god¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± A situation was discovered where the number of monsters had increased. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ve been attacked, so we have to form a team and search the mountain range.¡± Lily remembered the proverb about the Dukedom of Upus. [Even if you set a schedule and prepare everything, you will still freeze to death halfway up the snowy mountain.] It meant that no matter how hard you tried, there were some things you just couldn¡¯t do, and ¡®snowy mountains¡¯ was exactly what these winter mountains were. Blake received a sword handed by others. The sword handle on his waist was already glittering. It was a serious situation, even for Lily, who was a complete stranger. ¡°Are you all right, Lord Blake?¡± ¡®You hate loud noises because of war neurosis.¡¯ Blake understood what Lily meant and smiled. It was the same smile he always had, arbitrary. The smile made Lily feel a little relieved. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t see what¡¯s wrapped around my body.¡± (Blake) ¡°Miss Lily, Master is a genius with all kinds of weapons. He can hold anything in his hands and end the lives of ten people at once.¡± IIDexter explained as he prepared to leave. He was a sorcerer, which helped him a lot on the snowy roads, but he clearly didn¡¯t want to join the ¡®combat team¡¯. ¡°If I die, I won¡¯t get promoted. Please worry about me instead of His Excellency, who is as strong as a monster.¡± (IIDexter) ¡°Please take care of yourself and come back safely, Sir IIDexter. And everyone else too.¡± Blake climbed onto Dominic, the black horse Lily called Coco. ¡°Dominic.¡± CH 17 The mood of those who remained in the castle was heavy. Everyone was gathered in the first floor hall. Everyone, men and women alike, lifted their huge weapons. And someone was about to pull out a cannon. ¡°It¡¯s a little scary. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Lily was sitting on the stairs, holding a baby bottle. The foal, Dominic II, drank the contents peacefully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry, Miss Lily?¡± Gianna asked as she walked by. A stone bow was placed on her arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You can talk to me anytime. Right now all I can give you is jerky, but you can¡¯t go hungry.¡± ¡°One time, I didn¡¯t eat anything for two days before the Imperial Palace party. And this jerky from the castle is strangely good for my palate. I feel as if I¡¯ve been eating it for a long time.¡± Lily asked the question she wanted to know the most. ¡°Is this situation common? People get together and leave for battle¡­¡­¡± ¡°About once every year. We do patrols, but sometimes monsters lay their eggs in secret places.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, is it?¡± ¡°Better than dying, anyhow? Just bear with me one day and I¡¯ll serve you a nice stew. Besides, the pony is especially dependent on you, Miss Lily.¡± Gianna smiled broadly and hurried away. People stopped by Lily one by one, even though they didn¡¯t have much time since they were armed. She could tell how much everyone cared about her and loved her. But every once in a while there was a time when Lily was left alone, and there was a young boy who waited for just that. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sebastian stood in front of Lily as she sat on the stairs. His tone was unfriendly. He had difficulty approaching Lily because of Blake¡¯s concern. And he didn¡¯t like that fact. Winter Castle, and the people of the Duchy, did not live under the protection of anyone. The only thing that can protect them were themselves and their weapons. It was with this belief that they all built up their armed forces. The boy didn¡¯t appreciate Lily changing Blake. He was full of desire to pick a fight with Lily. And now, after waiting with bated breath, he had his chance. ¡°What are you doing here alone when everyone else is so busy out there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m protecting a newborn foal.¡± Dominic II just glared at Sebastian. Even though it was a child, its eyes shone like its fierce mother. She sighed as he involuntarily stepped aside. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Lily was used to other people¡¯s quarrels. When she was young, her parents told her that there was nothing she could do. After she got married, it was the same, except that the person in charge of her changed to her husband. ¡°You have nothing except your face. Do you know, my love, Lily? Can you do accounting or handle taxes?¡± It was only natural that Lily didn¡¯t know, since she never had the chance to learn. But her husband stopped her from all activities without giving her reasons. She was tired of being treated the same way, so she left everything she had and ran away. Sebastian was offended by Lily¡¯s seeming indifference. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t expect Lily to do anything.¡± ¡°What are you doing with that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know it when you see it?¡± ¡°I see a boy who¡¯s too lazy to talk to me, though.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but I was polishing my arrowheads!¡± Sebastian wanted to warn Lily. Blake was the Lord of the Winter Castle and the symbol of the Upus people. The master always had to look as creepy as a well-worn sword. And he needed special people to assist him. For example, Sebastian himself. ¡°Stay put, please. It seems that it¡¯s best for you to stay out of everyone¡¯s way, Miss Lily.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind advice. You can go if you are finished with your business.¡± It was an obvious dismissal order. He was angry with a red face under his cap. ¡®Arghhh! Don¡¯t act all high and mighty!¡¯ The others were approaching Lily. Sebastian hurriedly left his seat. Dominic II put his head on Lily¡¯s lap and murmured. Neighhhh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It doesn¡¯t bother me at all. I¡¯m sure he felt it.¡± How much time had passed while people were moving so fast. The sun rose high in the sky and then disappeared. The snowy mountains outside the castle became too dark to be seen without a light. Finally, the huge gate opened¡­. The people who had departed returned. The first thing she felt was the smell of iron mixed with oxygen, in other words, the smell of blood. They had twice as many people as when they left, but only a few were actually healthy. Many were on the backs of horses or carried on their backs by others. She could even see an old man limping along, leaving bloodstains in his wake. ¡°¡­.!¡± Lilly spotted Blake. He was fine, except that his cloak was stained red. The man, to her surprise, had brought two men-at-arms on his back and dropped them off in the hall. As soon as Blake entered the castle, he looked around as if he was trying to find Lily. He spotted her right away through the black clothes. It was like magic. The man walked over to her without even being aware of his actions. He didn¡¯t feel very good. If there was a hell, it would be no different than the situation before he came back to the castle. His prediction had come true. The guests who came to Winter Castle were attacked by a pack of demons and were isolated. After the battle, he finally brought everyone back, but his mind and body were exhausted. Every single step he took was heavy. As he approached Lily, she could hear his armor overlapping and clattering. ¡°Lord Blake! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Is everything okay, Miss?¡± Their words came out at the same time, worrying about each other. Blake smiled faintly just like when he left. He liked the way Lily looked in her panic. He sat down on the floor, taking off his cloak at random. ¡°Tell me what happened to the castle first.¡± ¡°We just stayed the same the whole time. Is everyone on your side safe?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve saved all of them, but I don¡¯t know. If only the people who are supposed to die could hit the safe side for once.¡± The situation wasn¡¯t good. Some of them had lost one arm. Most of them needed emergency surgery, but resources were scarce. Blake took a drink of cold water. ¡°We need a sorcerer and a hospital, but we can¡¯t go down the mountain right away, we haven¡¯t killed all the monsters yet.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just get some first aid!¡± ¡°Still, we need a sorcerer as well. But with IIDexter in the state he¡¯s in, some of them are going to die.¡± Il Dexter was also lying in the hall, unconscious. ¡°It¡¯s no use waking him up. His guidance was very helpful in returning. Now he¡¯s run out of energy for work and has been sleeping like a lazy bum for days.¡± The dukedom had very few sorcerers. Because the pureblooded imperialists were more powerful and the only suitable academy was in the capital. Moreover, there were various political interests at stake. So, IlDexter was the only sorcerer in the castle. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ Lily didn¡¯t understand. She was a sorceress too. She accepted the fact that Blake hadn¡¯t trusted her with any special tasks during that time because he didn¡¯t trust her. But it was foolish to pretend not to know even in this situation. ¡°I can do it too! Of course, I don¡¯t promise to save everyone, but anyway, unless you want me to punch you in the cheek, bring me all the spell resources in the castle! If IIDexter worked hard enough to pass out for a week, what will happen until first aid?¡± (Lily) ¡°What are you talking about?¡± (Blake) Of course, Blake had no idea what Lily was capable of, so he had to be perplexed. ¡°Is the Lady a sorceress?¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me!¡± ¡°How famous I was in social circles. Only a person who burned the journals and newspapers and all the letters coming from the capital without even unfolding them would not know!¡± (Lily) (Blake burns everything that came from the capital so he didn¡¯t know Lily was in the news) ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­I didn¡¯t know for that very reason.¡± (Blake) Lily took it as a joke, but Blake was extremely serious. How well she got it right, and the man even suspected that she was watching him. ¡°Everyone moves in turn. Classify the seriously injured in front of the fireplace and the general patients to the side of it.¡± Lily was weak by nature and didn¡¯t get much exercise. It was because she was not allowed to go outside much. As a result, she was able to get to and from the hospital often and had a good understanding of how the medical system worked. Under Lily¡¯s excellent direction, the people moved in a straight line. Now everything was in Lily¡¯s hands. CH 18 The patients were sorted in order of severity of injury. Lily stood in front of those who were about to die and needed magical treatment. The first injured person she took on was a thirty-something in hunter¡¯s clothing. He was a knight of the dukedom who lived in the outpost below the mountain range, and naturally a man who was close to all of Winter Castle. ¡°What¡¯s urgent is the abdomen.¡± The teeth marks of a monster were clearly visible on his upper left stomach. ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard to see?¡± (Blake) Blake watched the expression on Lily¡¯s face as he stood beside her. It was clear that the beautifully grown noblewoman would struggle at first sight. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not in a hurry. What about the spell resources I requested?¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡¯ve raided the warehouse. But are you feeling nauseous by any chance?¡± (Blake) ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s in that bag? Please give it to me.¡± (Lily) ¡°Do you feel dizzy?¡± (Blake) ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. As expected at the dukedom, you¡¯ve brought a lot.¡± (Lily) ¡°Do you feel like you are going to faint?¡± (Blake) ¡°Excuse me, you¡¯re interrupting me. If you don¡¯t have anything better to do, could you please go away?¡± (Lily) Lily said it euphemistically, and if Blake¡¯s dictionary was to be interpreted, it meant go away. Lily sent Blake upstairs. He had no choice but to be pushed by her small strength. Still, he looked at Lily¡¯s complexion. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Lord Blake, please take a bath. Those are monster guts in your hair. I¡¯m sure you know, there is a risk of infection.¡± ¡°I thought I got rid of them before entering the castle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly amazing that you had the time to do that while carrying two men on your back.¡± Lily replied in a tone that was a mixture of reproach and admiration. There was a moment of silence. Her anxious expression, which had been hidden behind the joke, appeared. ¡°Lady?¡± Lily felt somewhat frightened and grabbed Blake¡¯s hand. A large gauntlet was inserted between her white hands. A thin ooze of blood wetted the gauntlet. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Lily was scared. It wasn¡¯t because she wasn¡¯t used to seeing injured people. She was afraid that if she wasn¡¯t good enough, someone would die. The fact that Lily was a sorceress was only strange for a noble. Her spell power itself wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was easy to see that she did not use any energy in her daily life. In fact, she was burdened. Lily thought that because of her lack, the kind people of Winter Castle would disappear somewhere, never to return.. ¡­. Then what about their poor families? Tomorrow¡¯s year-long nesting season ¡­¡­? Blake realized what she really meant. ¡°You are the only one who can save us now.¡± The man squeezed Lily¡¯s hand tightly. He had been outside in the cold earlier, but his hand had somehow become hot with his sturdy heart. A strong warmth washed over her. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t question you if you can¡¯t save some of them.¡± There were many servants who formed families in the Winter Castle. In the hall, husbands murmured to their wives and wives to their husbands, ¡°It will be alright.¡± Without Lily, they would surely die without making it past today. ¡°If someone stops breathing and returns to the earth, it¡¯s his or her fate. We are willing to accept fate, and I will bet my name and the honor of the people.¡± (Blake) ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know, but you¡¯re good at soothing people.¡± (Lily) ¡°But you must promise me one thing too.¡± (Blake) Blake¡¯s mouth twitched. Would it be okay to say this? He didn¡¯t feel like they were close enough to say it. In fact, the man couldn¡¯t even define what kind of relationship he had with Lily at all. How close were they in the past? Had their relationship been verbally obligated by his weird dead father? Blake hesitated, but eventually he spoke his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t over do it¡­.¡± He raised Lily¡¯s hand and bent down. He placed his lips on the back of her hand. It wasn¡¯t a soft and graceful posture like most nobles. It was crude like a knight who had only lived with a sword. However, Lily could tell that he was worried enough. Lily¡¯s face was the same as it always did. ¡°Hoo-hoo, I told you I would do my best. I¡¯m sorry, but the words ¡°don¡¯t over do it¡± are in contrast to that. That¡¯s an impossible request.¡± Lily was ready to push her limit. She returned to the patients and the passion and heat for her vanished. Lily returned to the cold hall again, but she was not afraid. His protection still stayed with her. *** The original Lily Hedwick would not have been able to give first aid to all the injured even if her life depended on it. However, if they were helped by a spell resource, it would be a different story. The spellcasting resources were processed by the sorcerers to become various products. In other words, the gemstone itself was a source of energy. Her mission was not to put too much power into one person. Just keep everyone breathing until the mountain pathway was clear. ¡°Huh, huh, who are you¡­¡­¡­..¡± The first patient¡¯s eyes were blurry. On the other hand, his dry lips quivered as he realized that Lily was a stranger. ¡°I¡¯m Lily, we¡¯ll have a chance to exchange greetings later.¡± The wounded man¡¯s tension dissolved easily at the sweet voice that promised the future. Lily held the abacus stone in her left hand and sent it with strength in the other hand in moderation. But it was always the ¡°just right¡± that was the hardest part. It was very complicated, but¡­ it started out well. ¡°Next!¡± Many more ¡°next¡± sounds were shouted after that. Blake, after washing lightly, returned to the hall without wiping off all the water. He swept his black hair. The man was feeling inexplicably anxious. He wanted to see Lily. ¡°Master! We¡¯re almost done with the injured!¡± The maid came up to him with a quick open expression. All of them? Then where is Lily? Sorcery wasn¡¯t a power that could be used endlessly. And she didn¡¯t promise not to over do it. The man was breathing hard as he came downstairs in a hurry. He could see the back of Lily¡¯s head. She was getting up from her chair after examining the last patient. The first thing he saw was her thin neck. It was the same as it usually was, but now it was as pale as a corpse. Blake¡¯s beastly vision caught another feature that had occurred to Lily. The chair handle she grabbed because she couldn¡¯t stand up completely. And the way she walked with no strength¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Lady.¡± He walked from a distance. He could feel the tension in the air, and his whole body tensed up. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve used up all my magic resources. Oh my god, I could have bought some mansions if I sold them.¡­¡­. But there won¡¯t be a big blow to the Duke¡¯s wealth, right? You¡¯re rich. The capital¡¯s aristocracy may swear that it¡¯s a frivolous game of money, but secretly they all envy you.¡± (Lily) ¡°Lily Hedwick.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to breathe. Please open the window¡­¡± ¡°Lily!¡± Blake ran. The small Lily fell over his shoulder. It was time for Lily, who had lost consciousness, to get closer to the ground. Blake picked her up and held her in his arms. ¡°Lily! Lily!¡± Her skin was cold like ice. **** It had been several hours since Lily Hedwick passed out. Even then, a decent number of the employees had gathered in the kitchen. They peeked in the door of the room where Lilly lay and were kicked out. The aide, IIDexter, had originally had the right to sleep for a few days. However, he was forced to wake up to examine Lily¡¯s condition. Otherwise, Blake was going to kill him, so he wasted no time talking. He had to keep his mouth shut and use his abilities. When IIDexter returned to the kitchen, everyone rushed in. ¡°Is Lily okay?¡± ¡°She just used up a lot of energy. That¡¯s why her body temperature dropped. She poured her energy based on the spell resources, so it¡¯s no problem. Put her to bed in a warm room for a few days.¡± ¡°Lily is fine!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem!¡± Worries and depressed moods for Lily suddenly turned festive. ¡°No one is interested in me. ¡­¡­¡­.¡± (IIDexter) IIDexter dragged his tired body and lay down in the corner. It didn¡¯t matter that he just saved Lily or not. Plus, he wasn¡¯t even interested in a promotion today! While he was a skeleton and sick, the others all praised Lily. Many stories were exchanged between the dispatchers and the servants who lived in the Winter Castle. ¡°Is that blonde woman who healed my son you told me about the other day?¡± ¡°She is a very compassionate person. We all owe her our lives.¡± ¡°How can I repay this favor?¡± The servants and knights alike sat down and praised Lily. Lily was their benefactor. The people who used to be at the castle were told how kind Lily usually was. A moving story was added one by one. Of course, there was one person who didn¡¯t like the situation. It was Sebastian. He remembered what he had said to Lily ¡°Stay still. It¡¯s best to stay out of people¡¯s way.¡± The same night he said that, Lily suddenly became everyone¡¯s idol. He was speechless. He sat annoyingly by the window, putting on his hat and left. CH 19 As Sebastian walked out, the maid, Gianna, followed him. ¡°Sebastian? Where are you going?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Auntie?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡± Sebastian hated Gianna. From what he had seen over the past few days, she was the closest to Lily. He chuckled. ¡°That person is doing it on purpose.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about Miss Lily. How can she hide the fact that she¡¯s a sorceress until now? It¡¯s because she didn¡¯t want to work.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that it was a misunderstanding? She helped us with our work!¡± ¡°She only pretended to help us, but actually played with Master! It¡¯s also obvious why that person suddenly told us her identity now. She wants to put us in debt for life!¡± Sebastian thought he knew it all. He was even quite confident about it. He¡¯d only run into Lily¡¯s shoulders a little, but she fell down. The woman was wicked. And Sebastian was the only one who could see through her true nature. Gianna scolded him harshly. ¡°Sebastian!¡± ¡°You¡¯re all idiots!¡± Sebastian pushed back, not afraid of Gianna¡¯s momentum. ¡°Why is everyone¡¯s view so narrow? I get it, actually, everyone hates and envies the pureblooded Imperials. Then some amazing noblewoman came along and was nice to you, and you all went blind!¡± ¡±Get out of my sight. Get away from me now, until my fist can¡¯t reach you!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so kind! You didn¡¯t have to say that, I¡¯m already leaving!¡± Sebastian ran to the other side of the corridor and disappeared. Meanwhile, people were busy worrying about Lily and complimenting her. **** Lily was sleeping peacefully. It was Blake¡¯s room. He had moved her here himself. It was the best space in Winter Castle. The portraits of the previous Dukes hanging on the walls had been roughly painted. The fireplace, made of red bricks, was very large. It was also very hot inside¡­¡­.. Lilly was still cold. It wasn¡¯t even human body temperature for the always hot Blake to feel. ¡®How foolish of you to overdo it like this.¡¯ He even pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down. In fact, he thought it was him who was stupid. Surely there was a way to prevent situations like this from happening in advance. He should have doubled the patrols to prevent a surge of monsters. ¡°D*mn it.¡± He could have taken more sorcerers. The sorcerers were too high-minded to see the Duke when he came to the capital. Still, he should have shown an astronomical amount of money to bring them here. ¡°Lily Hedwick.¡± The man called the name quietly and placed a hot towel on her forehead. She didn¡¯t even smell like peaches anymore. Sometimes it was hard to breathe because he was scared when nursing Lily. His chest tightened. Even if he didn¡¯t hear a gunshot, he still felt like a war neurosis coming back to him. ¡®What on earth do I want with her?¡¯ It was a question he couldn¡¯t find an answer to. He just nursed her, speaking to himself. ¡°If the Lady knew about this, I¡¯m sure she would tease me¡­¡­wouldn¡¯t Lily be waking up any minute now?¡± He looked at the edges of her dry lips, but there was no sign of movement. He missed the low voice that gave him goosebumps inside. ¡°Why is it like this? Mother, I¡¯ve been an adult long enough. I hate being overprotective,¡± she said ¡°Because you liked to make fun of me by turning my words around.¡± Blake often laughed at such jokes. He just bit his sharp teeth harder and didn¡¯t show it. How long has passed? He heard a heavy knock and a man¡¯s voice outside. ¡°Captain, everyone is ready.¡± It was a knight of the Order who called Blake captain. It was time to clear the rest of the monsters in the mountain to take the patients down. Blake gave the order to his employee, ¡°Protect Lily well,¡± and then walked away. ¡°Rest well, Lady. Please don¡¯t do anything strange.¡± *** Of course, the people nursed Lily well. They frequently took boiling water to raise Lily¡¯s body temperature forcibly. ¡°Here we go.¡± One of the servants lifted a huge water bucket. ¡°Are you going to Lily?¡± (Sebastian) Sebastian stood in front of her. He had a bright face. He kept his dislike for Lily well hidden. ¡°Then let me go to Lady Lily!¡± (Sebastian) Sebastian held out his hand willingly. This boy snatched the water bucket from the maid who had no time to say anything. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy nursing the rest of the sick.¡± (Sebastian) ¡°Will you do that for me? Thank you very much. It seems like only yesterday that you were a child, but when did you grow up to be this big?¡± (The maid) The people of Winter Castle were a kind of huge family. They raised Sebastian together like a son. Sebastian actually didn¡¯t like being treated like a child. ¡®Hmm, there are only a few months left before I become an adult.¡¯ He had long since grown up himself. He had to be an adult to carry out missions with Blake. He turned around, cursing the adults who raised him inwardly. Of course he didn¡¯t mean to nurse Lily for real. Not even Sebastian had ever been in Blake¡¯s room. That was how secret the Lord of the Winter Castle¡¯s place was. And in there was Lily¡­¡­¡­. Sebastian thought. It would be nice if she died quickly now. ¡°I¡¯m coming in, Lily.¡± He stepped inside noisily. There was no answer. Lily was perfectly asleep. Sebastian looked around. ¡®If low body temperature is a problem¡­¡­¡­¡­. How about turning off the fireplace and opening the windows?¡¯ Then the icy cold outside the castle rushed in quickly. Sebastian spilled a bucket of hot water into the fireplace. The fireplace, which had been flickering with flames, began to lose its light. Eventually, he opened the window and quickly slipped out of the room with his hat still deep on his head. *** Lily was alone for hours after that. It was because Sebastian hovered in front of the door. ¡°I just checked her.¡± He said, and let all the people who came by leave. Even those who doubted him said, ¡°No way did that kid cross the line¡±. Sebastian thought to himself. He hoped the upper class woman would freeze to death. In fact, his plan was working quite well. People die when their body temperature is kept below 28 degrees Celsius. Not to mention people who are weak like Lily. So¡­ The thick gate of the Winter Castle opened, and the strike force returned. It was much earlier than expected. The cause of this was Blake. The stains of blood proved just how fierce the battle had been. It was so violent that even the knights who accompanied him had blood on their faces. Even the black hair had long since frozen reddish. Blake swept his hair and spoke indifferently. ¡°Now, it¡¯s somewhat finished. Those who have spare strength will transport the patients down the mountain. The knights will guard you all the way.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help! We¡¯ll protect them. Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t forget your weapon!¡± Our bodies will be protected by us, so don¡¯t be furious. Let¡¯s all go. Don¡¯t forget one weapon at a time! ¡° While they were preparing, an aide approached Blake. ¡°Should we prepare your bath?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the room first. ¡° Blake¡¯s first task was to go to Lily. He forgot about the hindrance of the thick fur cloak and the leather belt with the sword. He was going to brag to Lily how hard he had worked. How the sword had cut through the monster¡¯s heart and how the axe had cut through its head. Once while Lily was asleep and once after she woke up, he would tell her. ¡°Lady.¡± He walked into the room, hiding a smile. Immediately, the cold air grazed the edge of his lips. It shouldn¡¯t be this cold. Her flushed face stiffened instantly. The muscles and veins were clearly visible against the dark skin. ¡°What the hell is this ¡­.Lily Hedwick?¡± ¡®Is she playing a joke?¡¯ Blake would rather think so. Yes, that¡¯s for sure. It must be the mean woman who had woken up and pulled a prank like this. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tease me with your mouth? I would be happy to accept it today no matter how many times you made a bad joke.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not funny at all.¡± The man moved his chin harder. But the closer he got to her, the colder his blood became. That was when he finally noticed Lily¡¯s faint breathing. The man realized that all of this was not a prank and that Lily was really dying. CH 20 Blake continued to stroke the fur cloak that covered Lily. He had to get her temperature up somehow. He patted Lily¡¯s cheek and then patted her shoulder. ¡°Please, please¡­It¡¯s not time for that yet.¡± He still remembered Lily asking to stay for a year vividly. To be honest, the man was quite optimistic. A year was quite a long time. It was enough time for Blake to clear up his troubled mind. With that much time, he could easily forget about his childhood. So he was in no hurry. But everything shouldn¡¯t end like this. ¡°Even if they stop breathing and return to the earth, it is our destiny. We gladly accept our fate.¡± It was not long ago Blake told Lily that. Never has that fate been as cruel as it is today. Blake absolutely could not accept his fate. No one can take Lily Hedwick. No one can touch her. At least, not while he was holding on to the wanderings of his mind. ¡°Please, I beg you.¡± It was very cold in winter. Still, perhaps because of him, Lily¡¯s body temperature began to rise slightly in front of the fireplace. ¡°Lily, Lily, Lily Hedwick.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Normally he would have to leave her alone to sleep more for a few days. Blake couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Under the determination to wake her up somehow, she kept touching her arm and making noises. ¡°Come back to your senses. I want you to show me those eyes that stared at me so fiercely.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an order!¡± Blake¡¯s rough voice woke her spirit. Lily¡¯s eyelids trembled. Blue eyes gently shone through the slowly opening eyelids. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Lily sighed, unable to regain her senses. Minutes passed in a state of being awake but not so awake. Now she was looking at the situation quite fully. ¡®Okay ¡­¡­. Let¡¯s see. ¡­¡­..Lord Blake is staring at me.¡¯ How grim the man¡¯s face was! Lily misinterpreted it that way. And¡­ on the left was the fireplace, oh, Lily looked again and Blake was holding her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lily¡¯s last memory had stopped a few days before she had passed out. She was sure Blake went to take a bath while she was treating patients, but now why is he all messed up like he went to battle again? Why did he embrace her like a baby? ¡±Mother¡­¡± Lily whispered quietly. Blake¡¯s head shifted slowly. ¡°You¡¯re still not awake? Do you want to see your mother? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re not close to your parents? Do you want me to order a portrait of her in secret?¡± (Blake) ¡°Mother¡­¡± It was hard for her to move even a finger. Instead, she called Blake closer to her. The man lowered his ears to hear what Lily had to say. ¡°Now that I can hear you properly, please repeat what you said.¡± (Blake) ¡°What kind of overprotection is this, mother? I¡¯m an adult too¡­.I¡¯m past the period of being wrapped up in a bag like a baby.¡± (Lily) (Lily called Blake ¡®mother¡¯ ) Blake ignored the fact that Lily was sick and almost threw her away. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what happened while you were out cold, and all you say are jokes! You are a mean woman!¡± ¡°Oh, there was a different reason hidden. No wonder. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re holding me like an egg for no reason. But I hatched, mother chicken.¡± He was about to scold Lily, but a laugh escaped his stiff lips immediately. Huh, how she joked around with the same words he had expected to hear. Blake still didn¡¯t let go of Lily. In fact, he had his hands full just trying to keep her spirit alive. They sat still for a while, staring at the fireplace. Then he murmured to her. ¡°Do you know what my last name, Upus, means?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the name of a region?¡± ¡°Upus means wolf.¡± And the wolf protected theirs very well. Blake still couldn¡¯t define what kind of relationship Lily and he had, but one thing was for sure. He wouldn¡¯t let her go back to the Devil¡¯s lair. The one year deadline didn¡¯t matter anymore. He was the captain and master of the Upus. Lily wanted to ask him what he meant, but the sleepiness rushed in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my eyes are closing.¡± She said in a low voice and went back to sleep. **** In the meantime, the culprit Sebastian was caught. Sebastian had long crossed the line of Blake¡¯s forgiveness. He was trapped in the dungeon of winter castle. No one thought the treatment was serious. ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace to the race.¡± The knight shook his head as he came up from the prison. The others replied. ¡°Bullying a weak person is something that should be punished. But if that person is our savior, it¡¯s even worse. What will happen to Sebastian?¡± ¡°He will be lucky to escape the death penalty.¡± The knights did not stay at the castle much, but their employees were a little disappointed. Most of them had seen the boy since he was a child. ¡°No one will ever forgive him. Don¡¯t you see that there¡¯s no one coming to see him?¡± In the days before Lily woke up, the Winter Castle family had come to some sort of agreement. They agreed not to tell Lily anything. They didn¡¯t mention Sebastian. However, the banquet to entertain Lily turned up the heat so that it would not be hindered because of this incident. ¡°Miss Lily! How do you like these outfits?¡± Gianna lifted up some of Lily¡¯s potential banquet clothes. ¡°How about our traditional dress with fur? And now even gloves made out of lots of monster¡¯s skins! We did our best with sewing, which we don¡¯t even have the skills for.¡± ¡°I have at least ten needle marks on my hands! hahahahaha!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be quiet!¡± Lily burst out laughing as the two servants fought with their weapons. Lily thought. Their efforts to pretend to be unaware of the series of events was incredible. ¡®Sebastian must have tried to harm me.¡¯ There were many reasons to find out the truth. First of all, the people at the Winter Castle were terrible liars. Blake skillfully lied with a languid look on his face, but the others were as awkward as toys that had not yet been greased. ¡®You have a long way to go to deceive my eyes.¡¯ To Lily, who struggled in social situations, employees were easier to grasp than babies. Otherwise, the boy, who had been fighting with her from time to time, was not visible at all. They never answered properly when Lily asked. They just rambled on about how Lily saved their lives and averted their gaze. Even though Lily had finally gotten used to human malice, the people of Winter Nature were still in an uproar. ¡®They¡¯re the warmest people I¡¯ve ever met, even though they look rough.¡¯ A kiss on the cheek and they¡¯d all fly away, wouldn¡¯t they? Anyway, Lily appreciated their consideration. So she tried not to think about the boy. It was Lily¡¯s own life, anyway, and it wasn¡¯t worth much¡­¡­ ¡°Lily, why don¡¯t you pick out some clothes? You¡¯re really not going to attend the banquet? Of course, you¡¯re not fully recovered from your condition, but you can attend and just sit down¡­¡­.¡± Lilly appreciated their efforts. She decided to attend the banquet as a reward for their good faith lies. ¡°Then may I wear this dress?¡± ¡°Oh! You¡¯re going to attend! This outfit?¡± ¡°There is also a thread of the same color of this dress on Gianna¡¯s waist. You¡¯ve put the most effort into this, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I definitely did!¡± It was the Winter Castle¡¯s banquet, held once a year. That banquet was just a few days away. *** Hundreds of people gathered in a very large dining hall and drank and ate to their heart¡¯s content. They sang songs, danced, and fought as they pleased, and it became a mess. ¡°Let¡¯s drink ourselves to death!¡± It was the beginning of the annual banquet. Blake was sitting in the most upper seat. He wasn¡¯t wearing his usual rough shirt. The Upus man¡¯s suit was armor. It had been a while since the man dressed up properly¡­¡­ Actually, it wasn¡¯t for a banquet. ¡®I have to tell the Lady today.¡¯ He intended to let Lily stay longer than a year. He also had mixed feelings about it, so it was enough for now. But he was nervous. What could he say? Lily would think he was crazy if he told her to stay here comfortably, even for a long time. The fact that she was here would reach the capital someday. Then it would turn into a political issue. It was a matter of Lilly¡¯s family and her ex-husband filing a lawsuit against him. Blake knew. He was ready to handle it. The real difficulty was that if she would ask him why he decided that. Even the man himself could not answer. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°Captain! Why are you sighing on such a good day?¡± Should he tell her the truth? ¡®I don¡¯t know much about it, and I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t either, but we were actually close when we were little.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why I felt an unknown attraction and tried to kiss the lady. You didn¡¯t think it was because I¡¯m a pervert, did you?¡¯ ¡­like this? ¡°She¡¯d think I¡¯m crazy.¡± ¡°Me?¡± (Knight) ¡°No, you should be quiet and drink.¡± Anyway, Blake had to prepare to answer in any way he could. Should he take this opportunity to say that he wants to cut the emperor¡¯s head off? ¡®That would be great!¡¯ Blake was going crazy, unable to make a decision. CH 21 That was when Blake was lost and went crazy. Lily was in the hallway. She was on her way to the banquet hall while talking to the other knights. This was the first time she had a proper discussion with a knight here. ¡°We stay out there for three months and then stay in the Winter Castle for a month! I can finally meet such a beautiful guest.¡± ¡°By the way, I heard that the name of the Order is the Wolves of Upus¡­.That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°No way. You know what Upus means.¡± ¡°Is it strange? Lord Blake explained it to me a few days ago.¡± Lily nodded and the young knight¡¯s eyes lit up strangely. ¡°It is true that Upus means wolf in the old language. That¡¯s why the wolves of Upus are called¡­. It means to connect the past with the present. We exist to protect history. The Upus people were free wolves at one time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful word.¡± The knight seemed to be perplexed throughout the conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the captain told the Lady the origin of the word¡­¡­.. He¡¯s not that kind of a person. We don¡¯t usually share old words with outsiders. That¡¯s the unspoken rule. The pure blooded Imperialists will only ridicule it.¡± The knight thought. Could it be that Captain Blake has a special interest in Lily? If so, that¡¯s very good news. There had been a new fervor among the people of Winter Castle recently. So to speak¡­ A great plan to make Lady Lily stay in the castle until she dies. The first opinion was this. This received the most support, but was discarded due to a slight lack of practicality. Because it¡¯s not going to be Lily Hedwick any more, it¡¯s going to be Lily Upus. It will be more likely that Lily will stay in the castle for the rest of her life. But the employees were vehemently against it. After a twenty-six hour meeting, they finally agreed that ¡®marriage between them¡¯ was the way to serve Miss Lily for the rest of her life. ¡®But I can¡¯t believe the captain told Lily about the old word. If I tell the others, they¡¯ll be glad to have the good news.¡¯ At any rate, there was one thing that was certain. ¡°At least our captain believes in Miss Lily.¡± Then Lily had a new feeling, too. She smiled and thought more seriously than her usual graceful smile. Blake, sometimes that man knows, but sometimes he doesn¡¯t know. ¡®Always grumbling, but soft.¡¯ Was it because he had a weak heart that he mangled his muscles to create a protective coating? Lily had lived in a society where a body without physical labor was a sign of beauty. And Blake¡¯s solid figure was very unique. Lily arrived at the huge dining area that was the banquet hall. ¡°Miss Lily!¡± ¡°Wow, Miss Lily!¡± ¡°Duchess!¡± Duchess? Lily turned her head to the side to see who had called her ¡°Duchess,¡± but there was no one at that table anymore. This was because the employees quickly searched for the culprit. The culprit, who accidentally uttered his wish and made a mistake, will be released after receiving a full mental education. ¡°Did I mishear?¡± Lily tapped her ear lightly. ¡°Of course you did. No matter what you heard, I¡¯m sure you heard it wrong.¡± ¡°By the way, you really are beautiful, Lady!¡± ¡°I thought our clothes would look good on you.¡± Lily sent the people around her back to their original positions. ¡°I¡¯m not a famous theatrical actor¡­Calm down and go back.¡± She lifted the skirt of her dress and stepped inside. Upus¡¯ suit still looked awkward. She looked around the dining room, where the party was being held. ¡°Wow¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± A different kind of banquet where they didn¡¯t call Lily¡¯s full name when she entered or recite the fame of her family¡¯s name. The smell of meat and stew was about to make Lily hungry. The chandeliers on the ceiling had a reddish tinge to them. The floor was covered with bearskin to keep out the cold. ¡®I thought the dress was thick, but it¡¯s cold here.¡¯ Even some furry men were throwing snowballs from outside to his friends. ¡®It¡¯s noisy. Where is Lord Blake?¡¯ Lily had been going around the halls looking for him, everyone greeted her when they passed her. Someone even hugged her roughly. It was fluffy because everyone wore thick clothes. ¡°You saved my brother! My savior!¡± ¡°Lily!¡± ¡°Hahahaha! Sorry!¡± The atmosphere was completely different from the past parties she had attended. Oh, a similar memory came to her mind. It was when the Botty family led the ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Imperial Civil War. On the way there in a horse-drawn carriage, she saw a village festival. The men competed for the record by throwing spears far and wide, and the children threw tomatoes¡­¡­¡­¡­. She could see a similar scene here all the time. A smile appeared on Lilly¡¯s face. If she hadn¡¯t joined the party, she might have really regretted it. Just in time, she found Blake in this huge space. The man was on the podium. At that time, Blake had created hundreds of different answer sheets in his mind. He even came up with 341 reasons why Lily should stay in the castle for longer than a year, and finally he saw her.. ¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡± The man¡¯s pupils went wide at her new appearance. Blake had thought that no one would look better in the imperial dress than Lily. But what about now? The dim colors and multiple layers of costumes here were different. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Really. Lily had just spotted him, too. ¡°Oh, mother chicken.¡± The two got closer under the sound of a drum beating cheerfully by someone. Even to her eyes, the man stood out even more today. His solid physique was enhanced by the armor. His dark hair also seemed to be nicely groomed. ¡°Where did the normally irreverent Blake go? I mean the exposed Duke, who showed his chest clearly.¡± ¡°In case you didn¡¯t know, physical contact isn¡¯t the only form of sexual harassment, lady criminal.¡± ¡°Hmm, you always say this. Then arrest me, lord Double Standard.¡± Lily joked and held out her hands. ¡°Thanks to the Lady, I have too many nicknames.¡± ¡°Is that so? Dictator, mother chicken, exposure duke, double standard.¡± Instead of arresting Lily, Blake escorted her onto the podium. Lily thought he was dressed nicely because of the banquet, but that wasn¡¯t the only reason. Blake was just about ready to say, ¡°Stay a year longer than you promised.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what wind makes you dressed like that.¡± Blake¡¯s low voice was dull. He said something entirely different. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Lily since she first walked in. Lily was dressed in a special outfit. She didn¡¯t know it, but her dress was tailored to her body embroidered with a wolf, a traditional Upus pattern. The fur cape with hat that covered her shoulders was also in the traditional Upus winter clothing style. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? I¡¯ve never seen an outfit like this before.¡± Lily¡¯s white skin was as transparent as it could be seen inside, and her eyes were pure. Her face was so small that it made him wonder if it was the same person. Blake observed Lily¡¯s beautiful figure, and before being too obvious, he averted his gaze and cleared his throat. ¡°But this is¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± His words were slurred. He had been wanting to see Lily in a western dress here. This is¡­ This is¡­ Wasn¡¯t this a noble¡¯s outfit of the duchy? And there was only Blake who was currently a member of the Duchy. A stranger could mistake Lily for his wife. Of course, he didn¡¯t suspect the servants as the culprits. The maids must have done it without much thought with the strong will ¡®let¡¯s dress Lily the best thing.¡¯ ¡®You perished humans.¡¯ Actually, though, that was the servants¡¯ intention to dress Lily like the Lady of the house. Blake deliberately changed the subject. ¡°Is your body okay?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m still lying down in my room. It¡¯s my soul that¡¯s here now.¡± ¡°You seem to be feeling much better.¡± ¡°Of course I am. I¡¯ve been resting a lot.¡± ¡°Still, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t walk around recklessly. How annoying it will be again if you get injured.¡± Blake couldn¡¯t help but clam up at the look on Lily¡¯s face, ¡°Another petulant remark, mother?¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so used to your nagging, Lord Blake. I never had a loving nanny, but I can picture someone like that from you. It doesn¡¯t make me feel bad, it makes me feel strange.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Blake had a dirty personality from an early age. He was like a banker who worked nights for a week. Lily, who was playing with him at the time, was a much younger child, so Blake must have been a constant nag even then. ¡°¡­By the way, are you naturally dismissing me as a nag?¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Just laugh all you want. And in the tomb where the Lady is buried, laughter can be heard even at dawn.¡± ¡°Anyway, I have something to say.¡± CH 22 ¡°What is it that you want to tell me?¡± At Blake¡¯s question, Lily looked around the dining room from the high podium. From somewhere, spaghetti was thrown over someone¡¯s head and down it went. Oh my goodness. ¡°Before that, I should say thank you first. Thank you for inviting me, it¡¯s a fun banquet.¡± (Lily) ¡°In answer to your belated greeting, ¡®it¡¯s too late¡¯, there¡¯s a beer showdown over there that I think just opened, but you¡¯ll have to check it out later.¡± (Blake) ¡°I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is¡­¡± (Lily) ¡°Exactly my point. So what the hell is it?¡± (Blake) Lily smiled elegantly, as always. ¡°Don¡¯t blame Sebastian too much.¡± (Lily) ¡°Excuse me?¡± (Blake) Blake¡¯s face turned grim. Of course it was natural for him to look that way. The boy was no longer just a teenager. He was a criminal who tried to kill Lily. ¡°You don¡¯t have the authority to punish him. I am the decision maker.¡± (Blake) ¡°As a victim, I can appeal to the decision maker, or as a benefactor who saved the lives of many people. I heard that all the surgeries on the injured people went well?¡± (Lily) ¡°¡­¡­ That boy should get a heavy punishment.¡± (Blake) ¡°I¡¯m going to leave anyway.¡± (Lily) Lily was considerate of Blake. At least she thought so herself. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, Sebastian would have been the loved child of the winter castle. Lily was an outsider. It felt uncomfortable to see an insider take so much punishment because of an outsider. She was also somewhat aware of what big things Sebastian had done. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the capital in a year. So if you really must punish the boy, it will be enough to keep him from coming to Winter Castle during that time.¡± (Lily) For a moment, the man felt as if his reason was cut off. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it if you¡¯re pretending to be clever, but you are stupid!¡± (Blake) It all happened in an instant. Blake was about to ask her to stay longer. Honestly, he thought Lily would have wanted that suggestion too. It wasn¡¯t simply because she didn¡¯t want to return to the capital. He thought she liked the winter castle. And d*mn it, what the hell was those laughter? What is the reason for taking Dominic II for a walk in her spare time? Didn¡¯t she enjoy it when she and the servants worked together to spill a bucket of snow on a man¡¯s head? But now Lily seemed to have no love for the winter castle. ¡°Did you think I would be grateful if you said that? Do you think you¡¯re a nice person? An innocent person who forgives evil people?¡± (Blake) Lily was perplexed by the sudden harsh words. ¡°Why do you think that way? Don¡¯t talk to me like that. I was just giving the Duchy some consideration, Lord Blake.¡± ¡°The Lady is acting like an idiot, stupid, foolish and frustrated.¡± Concessions were a virtue in the world around her. The upper classes, in particular, preferred to act in direct opposition to the commoners. She hated it when commoner maids had to live in squalor to feed their children. They were greedy. So Lily couldn¡¯t want for anything more. When she was a child, she used to get whipped for wanting more dessert and her legs would swell up. Thanks to that, she now had no appetite and no desire. There was also a lack of human defense mechanisms to protect her body to the extent that she escaped from the capital just before her husband would kill her. ¡°An employee¡¯s mistake can damage his master¡¯s reputation. So the act of punishing Sebastian would be a clear proof that ¡°the employee has made a mistake.¡± When that happens, for example, in our society¡­¡­.¡± (Lily) ¡°This is not that d*mn society!¡± (Blake) As their argument grew more and more heated, few people around them began to look at each other. Even Lily¡¯s voice, always supple and elegant, sped up with a bit of anger. ¡°Please don¡¯t overreact! I am merely a lodger who will return to the capital in a year¡¯s time, and it is only for your honor¡­¡­..¡± (Lily) ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re calculating when the year will end. Is the capital that good? If so, don¡¯t touch anything from the dukedom! I¡¯ll send a messenger to the capital to purchase what you need, if you request it in the report. Just use the capital stuff!¡± (Blake) When Lily became quiet, Blake was like ¡°Oh, no¡±. He didn¡¯t mean to insult her like this. It was just surprising to him that things went so wrong. His plan was simple. He thought if he asked her to stay longer, Lily would reply, ¡®Yes, thank you for your consideration.¡¯ He got it all wrong¡­¡­¡­ ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have been as cynical as I am now.¡¯ There was something he should have protested. ¡®Still, it¡¯s awful to defend a pre-murderer who tried to kill you.¡¯ His chest tickled sometimes when he looked at Lily. He was not in the mood to deny it. He couldn¡¯t believe how much he had to hold back a smile at the sight of Lily¡¯s traditional dress. Also, how angry she made him feel. He even had the boy who had grown up here for over a decade shoved in the dungeon. It was embarrassing to think that all Lily could think about was leaving. Thinking about it, the man surrendered to the uncomfortable feeling that came over him again. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m leaving.¡± (Blake) I seem to be the only one who cares about you. It was a fact that I knew. The man suddenly felt the leather belt around his waist tighten. He took it off roughly, messed up his hair, and returned to a bad look as usual. ¡°Enjoy the feast well, but do as you please. As you know, the next banquet is a year later, and the lady will not be able to attend.¡± The huge dining room was crowded with people, and it was hot from the heat of the alcohol. Still, everyone overheard the fight between them despite how loud the noise was. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems that your Master has gone mad¡­¡­¡± When Blake disappeared with a rough gait, the maid, Gianna, approached Lily. ¡°My goodness. What happened? Why did Master suddenly get mad?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lily smiled a little weakly. ¡°I was being considerate, but he got angry.¡± Lily was speechless too. How could he tell her that the capital was good? When he heard the situation directly from her mouth. She knew he was rude, but he had gone too far. ¡®He¡¯s such a stubborn man. I wonder if he was a little less stubborn when he was little.¡¯ Fortunately, he had noticed his mistake. Lily could see the dismay in Blake¡¯s eyes earlier. Lily decided to make up another nickname that he would not like. Only then did it seem to loosen her mood. ¡°I must go after him and calmly clear up this misunderstanding. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± *** Blake was sitting in his office. He sighed as he swept his face with his calloused hands. ¡°Hmmmph.¡± He glanced at the window through his stiff fingers. It was so cold outside that even the window frame was frozen. He was still angry. But he already regretted his anger. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± What if Lily was scared? ¡®Her weak body would have been weaker, but I don¡¯t think I can give in.¡¯ ¡®And I don¡¯t think she even knew what Sebastian did to her.¡¯ All the employees hid the truth from Lily. Maybe she thought it was just a small mistake, because Sebastian was just a boy. It was enough for her to be considerate¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡®Oh, crap, I see. Why did I do that?¡¯ He didn¡¯t often make such fatal mistakes, and even then he had to go back six years to remember them. It was a certain Young Lady who had confessed her love to him. ¡°Lord Blake. Even though we met for the first time, I felt like fate. Will you propose to me when you go back to the duchy?¡± The woman was the eldest daughter of a family that owned at least ten luxurious hotels, and it was a good resort. So her family had contacts with most of the nobility. ¡°Me? Do I have to?¡± (Young Blake) Blake didn¡¯t find it necessary to refuse in a roundabout way. Feeling great disdain, the woman vented her grief to many nobles. The House of Upus, which people hated even just for that, was increasingly despised based on that day. ¡®After all kinds of maneuvering, the hotel of that family owed me a huge debt, and then the case was closed.¡¯ Looking back on that time, Blake¡¯s choice to marry her properly would have been the right one instead. Moreover, Lily, who was younger than Blake, was already married. It was a time when he was of marriageable age. But he didn¡¯t marry because he found the opposite sex troublesome. The more he did, the more fascinating it was. He couldn¡¯t believe there was a woman who was already involved with him since he was a child. Little and cute Lily laughed in his head and disappeared. ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, just like with the hotel¡¯s family, he had to fix his mistake this time too. But how? Blake couldn¡¯t even see the papers on his desk. Still, he flipped through some of them to regain consciousness. He immediately regretted it¡­ ¡°Tsk, that¡¯s it.¡± It was a bundle of papers from the capital. Originally, he had burned almost everything that came from the capital. As a result, he didn¡¯t even know that Lily was a sorceress. So this time, he ordered the employees to keep them. ¡°Now I don¡¯t want to see anything from the capital, but I¡¯m out of luck. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Wait.¡± Blake spotted a familiar face on a piece of paper. It was a piece of paper with a yellow string strung across it. It had a portrait of Lily on it. The first phrase that caught his eye was, [Looking for a missing person.] ¡°You know why Lily Hedwick disappeared. What do you mean ¡®missing¡¯?¡± Blake¡¯s lips twisted roughly. CH 23 [Looking for the missing person] Blake looked down at the poster with Lily¡¯s face on it. Then he tapped the mahogany desk. The sound was quiet, yet threatening as if something was about to happen. ¡®What¡¯s missing?¡¯ He murmured lowly. ¡®It¡¯s blatant to lie. Your wife ran away leaving even a divorce letter, and you¡¯re not ashamed to make a poster like this.¡¯ There was no such fact revealed on the poster, and it was expressed as if Lily had been abducted by accident. ¡®Well, if that man had any conscience left in a man, or a human being, Lily wouldn¡¯t run away like she did.¡¯ The woman in the poster looked weak and vulnerable. To the point where anyone who saw this paper wished to find her. ¡®She said her ex-husband was Count Fox? I think I ran into him at the auction, but who is it?¡¯ But the more Blake thought of the Count, the more blurred the image became. It was because the impression of Lily¡¯s ex-husband was so faint. The man muttered. ¡®I¡¯ll have to take a good look at his face someday¡­¡¯ It was then. Outside the office, IlDexter spoke. ¡°Sir, can I come in for a moment?¡± Blake put all the capital¡¯s newsletters in a drawer. Anyway, now he had fled here after fighting with Lily. Right now, he didn¡¯t want to see anything related to Lily and the capital. ¡°Come in. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± IIDexter came in hesitantly, lifting his glasses. Blake sighed. He knew very well why IIDexter was like that. At first glance, he could see the small body hidden behind IIDexter. ¡°IlDexter, do you have anything to say? I want to be alone right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I mean you, Lily Hedwick.¡± ¡°How did you know I was there?¡± Lily leaned to the side. Behind the man with glasses, her upper body appeared. ¡°How would you really know?¡± Of course, Lily thought the man would notice right away. She strode over to Blake¡¯s desk. ¡°Let¡¯s talk a little bit.¡± Lily sat gracefully on the small chair in front of Blake. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk?¡± Blake didn¡¯t even look at Lily, just looking at the papers on his desk. He remained silent as if he would no longer talk to Lily. The man was very upset and wanted to be alone right now. But the more Lily stared, the harder it was to ignore. The moment Lily made a sad face. ¡°¡­¡­ ¡­ You¡¯re very evil.¡± The man eventually had to put down the pen. *** Only Blake and Lily were left in the office. IIDexter, who was Lily¡¯s shield, sneaked away. ¡®His Excellency tries to have a conversation even though he¡¯s making such a bad impression. What a wonderful person¡­.¡¯ IlDexter muttered as he closed the door very delicately and quietly. He was absolutely impossible. ¡®I¡¯d rather stick my head in the dragon¡¯s mouth. Or maybe a promotion¡­¡­¡¯ IIDexter shook his head and disappeared. Then in the office, Lily was tilting her face in a playful gesture. ¡°Who¡¯s evil?¡± ¡°The Lady.¡± Lily looked up at Blake, who was sitting across from the table. ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet.¡± (Lily) ¡°Then the eyes that stared at me intensely must have been someone else¡¯s?¡± (Blake) ¡®What was the sad expression while frowning your eyebrows?¡¯ Blake twisted his tightly closed lips. Well, it must have been something that Lily did without much thought. He was just overreacting. All of a sudden, Lily¡¯s face changed and he became sensitive to every gesture. ¡°So, what have you come to say?¡± (Blake) He knew it was not his turn to be angry. In any case, it was himself who poured out the abusive language. Whether Lily¡¯s actions were offensive or not, he gave her back too much. Nevertheless, he ended up acting like a child. ¡®Even a boy in love wouldn¡¯t react that much¡­.¡¯ Then Lily answered. ¡°You just ran away. If the princess ran away like that, wouldn¡¯t anyone want to follow her?¡± (Now Lily called Blake ¡®Princess¡¯ ) ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°The master of the Duchy.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­..¡± Lily poked Blake in the forearm. ¡°Are you feeling a little better now? I apologize. Princess.¡± (Lily) ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for.¡± (Blake) Blake got to know Lily to some extent during these brief days. She would never understand why the man was angry. She¡¯d think he was just an eccentric person who couldn¡¯t accept consideration. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s my fault too. I¡¯m sorry for being harsh.¡± (Blake) Blake reminded himself that Lily was still a pitiful person pursued by her ex. A beautiful woman grabbed the hand of reconciliation that was out there. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Princess. You told me in the first place not to complain about winter because winter is harsh, Princess.¡± (Lily) ¡°But you still look angry.¡± (Blake) ¡°Me, princess? No way, princess.¡± (Lily) ¡°I got it! I¡¯m sorry too!¡± (Blake) Lily laughed out loud at the man¡¯s loud voice. She found it interesting to see the man being bullied. Perhaps it was because Blake was the complete opposite of the noblemen she had ever met. Because of that, she became more relaxed. She was strangely accustomed to this kind of whining. Blake said with a relaxed expression. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to what we talked about earlier.¡± ¡°Eww.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to say something about the request to forgive Sebastian, but the lady has a duty to protect her rights.¡± ¡°Stop, stop. If that¡¯s the way here, now I know. I¡¯m not going to talk about it now. Done, right?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Blake bit his lips, then stopped talking. How could he say that he was dissatisfied because he was the only one worried about Lily? ¡°¡­¡­ All right, go out and have fun.¡± (Blake) ¡°I will escort you to the restaurant, Princess. What if the main character misses the banquet?¡± (Lily) Lily held out her hand gracefully like an escort knight. Blake burst out laughing. From the title of princess to the escort. Instead of being escorted by Lily, the man picked her up. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. Knight.¡± (Blake) He brought Lily into his arms and hugged her. It was ¡®Hugging the Princess¡¯. ¡°Oh, this is cheating!¡± (Lily) ¡°In what way?¡± (Blake) ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength to lift Lord Blake yet.¡± (Lily) ¡°Not yet? Do you think that one day you will have that kind of power?¡± (Blake) ¡°No one knows the future.¡± (Lily) Blake shook his head as if it was ridiculous. Lily¡¯s dream was too great. Lily tried to escape, but Blake didn¡¯t let her go until she reached the banquet hall. *** After they left, no one was in the office. The candles in the chandelier went out and the remaining smoke mixed with the scent of beeswax and flowed. In fact, no one even existed in the hallway. Most of them were having a blast in the banquet hall. A night with no light leaking through the rough bricks. In the dark, someone quietly entered the office. It was none other than Sebastian who fixed his hat. He had escaped from the dungeon, his body was covered with scars, dirt and snow. ¡®Damn it, damn it¡­ ¡­ ! This is not it!¡¯ Sebastian couldn¡¯t end it like this. No one came downstairs to see him. It meant he was completely abandoned by everyone. ¡®How can you do this to me!¡¯ He cried inwardly. It was he who held the hands of maids since childhood. He carried firewood for carpenters and helped adults with their work. ¡®But because I made only one mistake, you left me and chose that woman?¡¯ Sebastian had already forgotten that he had tried to kill someone. The boy staggered towards the office. He had to plead something with his respected master. He was sure Blake would listen¡­ But in the office, only the extinguished fireplace and chilly cold greeted him. No one was there. ¡®Will he come if I wait?¡¯ Then Sebastian found a piece of paper that had fallen on the floor. A faint ray of moonlight leaked through the curtains and fell long on the paper. A notice to find the missing Lily. It seemed that Blake had hurriedly put it in the drawer and dropped it. ¡°This¡­.¡± It was such shocking content that Sebastian mumbled unintentionally. He didn¡¯t know why Lily had fled to the Duchy, but now he does. ¡®She¡¯s the hostess of the Fox family? Her husband is looking for her. Oh no, he thinks she¡¯s missing.¡¯ Sebastian felt sorry for Lily¡¯s husband. ¡®Actually, this woman is staying in the winter castle voluntarily¡­..¡¯ Lily ran away for some reason. She must have done something wrong. If he visited her husband as the notice said, he was sure her husband would take Lily away. Sebastian thought that it might be an opportunity. If that woman leaves, won¡¯t the winter castle family come to their senses? Then they would let Sebastian stay with them! He moved frantically, hiding the paper in his arms. He planned to flee to the capital and visit Count Fox. *** At the same time, in the banquet hall. Blake raised his head with the intuition of the beast. ¡°¡­?¡± The nape of his neck stinged like when an enemy hid in the grass and aimed a rifle at him. Even though there was no loud noise, it felt like war neurosis was revived. The man left the banquet hall to find the cause of the strange feelings. CH 24 The boy in the hat ran frantically on the dark mountain road at night. The purpose of going to the imperial capital was a great driving force. ¡°Gasp¡­gasp.¡± Sebastian¡¯s leather boots were buried in the snow. However, since he had lived in the Duchy all his life, his pace was unstoppable. A wolf howl was heard in the distance. When Sebastian reached the bottom of the winter mountain, a harsh man¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Who¡¯s there? A monster or a human?¡± A lamp lit Sebastian. The new character was none other than a hunter belonging to the Winter Castle who lived nearby and hunted monsters. ¡°Sebastian? What are you doing here dangerously when dawn is approaching? Since guns are allowed around here, you might get shot.¡± ¡°Ah, ha ha¡­ . Mister¡­¡± Sebastian laughed awkwardly. From the way the man looked at him, it seemed that the news of Sebastian¡¯s imprisonment had not been reached here. If caught here, he might face execution, so Sebastian quickly made an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s too bright, could you please put away the lamp?¡± ¡°Oh okay, where are you going? You¡¯re not going to fight the monsters, are you?¡± ¡°Chef Alex suddenly needed dried lamb. You know him, right? He¡¯s a talented chef.¡± ¡°At this time? He¡¯s just an eccentric chef.¡± Sebastian had no time to delay. Even at this moment, the people might have already noticed the empty prison in Winter Castle, so he had to rush. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll go first. Say hello to the people down the other mountain.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful with the guns around as you go and come back early!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­ ¡± Sebastian went down and turned around. It was a serious expression. ¡°I will come back quickly, as soon as possible.¡± It was sincere for now. He swore he would definitely get his lost place back. ¡°I¡¯m going to get rid of that woman. For me and everyone.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll go now.¡± So Sebastian fled from the Winter Mountains. *** Blake, feeling the beastly anxious, returned to the office. The man sensed strangeness. In the air slowly sinking. The room looked the same, but a lot had changed. Finely stamped footprints on the floor, and dirt¡­ This sign was definitely Sebastian. Sebastian was confident that it was the perfect crime, but no one could avoid Blake¡¯s beastly sense. ¡®How did Sebastian get out of the dungeon?¡¯ Since there are no prisoners these days, the security must have been poor. Just a few decades ago, it was a place where spies from the capital were thoroughly locked up. Blake followed Sebastian¡¯s movements in the office. The footprints reached the front of the desk drawer. ¡®What the hell did he take?¡¯ He opened the drawer and looked through the newsletter he had put in earlier, but there was no paper. The poster offered a reward if anyone helps find Lily. ¡°¡­this scumbag.¡± Blake hurriedly turned around. ¡®Is Sebastian going to announce that Lily is staying at the winter castle?¡¯ If Blake summoned the knights right away and went down the mountain, he could pursue Sebastian. All were masters of pursuit. But the moment when he was about to call people together by shouting out loud. Blake stopped walking. ¡°No. No. Rather, this is an opportunity¡­¡± It was the best chance. To both himself and Lily. Because he was arguing with Lily, he couldn¡¯t even discuss with her about staying longer. However, this could have solved the problem at once. He continued to ponder and then smiled fiercely in the dark. ¡°Sir, why are you laughing like that?¡± IlDexter followed after Blake. ¡°Why do you like being alone in the dark? Scary.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­ Are you thinking of getting me promoted?¡± IlDexter literally laughed ¡®Heh heh¡¯. Blake slapped the aide in the head and left the office. ¡°Ouch! Why are you hitting me! I¡¯m going to tell Miss Lily. She asked where you were! The protagonist left the banquet hall again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back now. Besides, the party will go on for a few more days, so what¡¯s the matter if I¡¯m gone for a few hours?¡± Winter Castle¡¯s banquet was meaningful for everyone to gather. Since it was a meeting once a year, it was going on for several days. ¡°Mr. Taylor, the carpenter, is looking for the captain.¡± Amidst the noisy crowd at the banquet, a knight pointed to the dining room. Blake and Lily were talking affectionately under the lion statue. ¡°It¡¯s really surprising¡­ It¡¯s the first time the master smiles like that.¡± Blake was a pretty decent boss. But that didn¡¯t mean he smiled at his subordinates. All he had for them were curses if they tried. The knight mumbled involuntarily. ¡°If he announces that he will get married, I will have no wish.¡± ¡°The captain is past the age to get married. If he misses a woman like that, he¡¯s worse than a stupid goblin.¡± ¡°Besides, Captain Blake said he needed to find more sorcerers besides Mr. IIDexter because of this incident. If he marries Miss Lily, that problem will be resolved, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a win-win? Besides, there¡¯s a good chance that the sorcerer¡¯s offspring would also be sorcerers.¡± ¡°There is another good reason. Whenever the master bullies us, we can always tell Miss Lily.¡± Truly a three-pronged road! The knights were serious. Lily was the only one who could beat Blake in their opinion. So what if she said she¡¯d be here for the rest of her life? They were willing to spend two nights plowing the ground and writing, ¡®We welcome Miss Lily with open arms.¡¯ Quite a few of them also glanced at Blake and Lily from time to time. The distance between the two was too close. After Blake and Lily reconciled, Blake became a little more friendly. ¡°Would you like some cocktails?¡± Blake suggested to Lily over two cocktails. ¡°Everyone drinks alcohol like water, but cocktails seem to remain?¡± ¡°I heard someone spilled a whole bottle of vodka while they were making a cocktail. We added other alcohol to match, so the finished product filled the room.¡± ¡°Oh! Next time, I hope someone spills something on the bread dough! Sugar bags would be perfect to spill by mistake.¡± ¡°If you want to eat a lot of bread, ask for it. If we don¡¯t have the stored ingredients, we can just send the wagon down.¡± Lily narrowed her eyes as she took the cocktail. ¡°You are very kind today.¡± She felt very strange. He would have been nagging her considering his personality. Lily thought. The man originally would have uttered endless words like the headmaster of the academy. ¡®The survival of the winter castle is not as easy as you think¡­ blah blah¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡¯ Lily wondered why he had suddenly changed. Why? Did Lord Blake¡¯s soul suddenly change? There was no sorcerer in history with that ability. But it was serious enough to be considered. Maybe Blake felt better because she stopped talking about Sebastian. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m glad¡­¡¯ Blake, on the other hand, had a plan. A day had already passed since Sebastian ran away. At that time, the knights selected a pursuit team to arrest him immediately, but Blake refused. ¡°What will he do? All right, just don¡¯t let the news of the escape reach Lily Hedwick¡¯s ears.¡± ¡°But¡­..¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± When Blake responded in a serious way, the opponent felt threatened. In the end, the knights scattered without saying anything. Blake muttered. ¡®By this time, Sebastian must have already escaped the duchy.¡¯ Blake hoped Sebastian would hurry up and run to the nobles. So he wanted everyone to know that Lily was here. *** *Blake had a plan to let Lily stay at the winter castle legally instead of hiding when everyone in the capital knew¡­. CH 25 Lily intended to make fun of Blake, who was alone in her thoughts. She called the man with a fresh yet formal accent unique to the upper class. ¡°Princess.¡± (Lily) ¡°Yes?¡± (Blake) The moment Blake answered naturally without realizing it. Lily couldn¡¯t stop laughing. It was so funny that she even clapped her hands. ¡°haha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ahahaha!¡± ¡°Stop laughing.¡± ¡°Hahhahhhhhaaaaa, I think my lungs have burst. Call the doctor¡­¡± (Lily) ¡°Just die. That would be better.¡± (Blake) ¡°Is the sweet man who embraced me like a mother chicken gone? If I die, please bury me next to that person. I have to repay my kindness even in death.¡± (Lily) Lily couldn¡¯t contain her laughter. Even the way she closed her eyes was beautiful. She also slapped him on the shoulder. Blake¡¯s gaze reached Lily¡¯s hand. ¡°In the first place, the problem is that the young lady calls people names strangely. Now Dominic II doesn¡¯t even care when she hears her name.¡± The more he spoke, the more anger he got. How humiliating it was to have to end up calling the pony Coco II! This woman didn¡¯t know. Lily said exaggeratedly, as if she was really sorry. ¡°Unbelievable¡­. I was going to call it Dominic II by the end of next week, but I¡¯m a little late.¡± (Lily) ¡°I really hate that aristocratic detour. I hope you postpone your meals for a week, too.¡± (Blake) ¡°Really. I was really trying to call it. I also wrote it down in my notebook. Would you like to see ¡­.Oh no, unfortunately, I left it in my room.¡± (Lily) After a while, the corners of Blake¡¯s tightly closed mouth finally contained a faint smile. ¡°Oh my gosh. What kind of woman is this¡­.¡± Lily¡¯s puns became more frequent and varied with each passing day. Thanks to her, Blake had a hard time, but he looked quite good. He didn¡¯t know for sure, but in the capital, Lily probably wouldn¡¯t have showed this side of herself. He really believed that winter castle would be the perfect space for her. Of course, it snows all year round, and it¡¯s cold, bleak and rough¡­but¡­ ¡®Wait a minute. Do I need to install more fireplaces?¡¯ The duchy was really barren. As soon as that thought occurred, the man quickly became anxious. He wasn¡¯t sure if Lily would like it here. There would be no cool spring sunshine and picnics here. Of course it was impossible to hold a bazaar with aristocrats to dispose of outdated valuables. ¡®How about Christmas?¡¯ The other nobles would dance under the chandeliers around the clock, but there was nothing in the winter castle. There was a time when the knights secretly cut down an evergreen tree to create a Christmas atmosphere amongst themselves. -From today on, its name is Holden! He even gave the tree the name [Holden], but after being caught by Blake, it was burnt horribly in the fireplace. Hold on!!! A barren place without Christmas. Where the hell is Lily Hedwick¡¯s favourite? Blake quickly fell into skepticism. ¡®I¡¯ll have to build more fireplaces.¡¯ If possible, one per room, no, two more¡­¡­ It would be better to just use processing manastones that generate heat and replace the entire wall on one side. The man has really changed. The original Blake never thought there was a winter problem. The Upus have always liked rough things. The word ¡°strong¡± also meant being fierce. Even after this land, which had existed since ancient times, passed through the kingdom and became a duchy, the nature of Upus remained unchanged. Therefore, Blake and his employees did not hesitate to live in a winter castle located high in a snowy mountain. On the contrary, they felt free. Hanging crossbows and swords, their blood was awakened every time they hunted and fought. The duke¡¯s last name was the reason why it existed here. Although most of the manastones were buried, he had a wealth that was second to none. But the man today has become a completely different man. ¡®I have to pave the road. To make it easy to move through the entire mountain range. When the day comes when she can live proudly here, I can bring in the merchants. It would be difficult to bring it from the capital far away, but anything¡­ ¡® It was the sound of operating expenses for several years of a small estate. But he was serious. He was going to cause an accident without asking Lily for her understanding, so shouldn¡¯t this be the case? That was the moment. A familiar voice was heard along with the noise of the noisy banquet hall. ? hey, guess what I brought. (YB) It was another memory of Blake¡¯s childhood. There was the young Blake in the heavy but somehow dismal carriage. It looked like he was handing the pouch to the young Lily. ¡ªYeah, what is it? Is it another moving frog? (YL) ¡ª I won¡¯t give you that again after you cried, silly! (YB) There were a few pieces of dry jerky in the bag, and even today, when there was a snow storm, Winter Castle made it still. ¡ªAnd candy cane and this..¡­ (YB) At that time, young Blake was also anxious to do anything for young Lily. ¡®what the¡­..¡¯ As the new memory finished playing, Blake smirked. ¡®By the way, where were we going in the carriage back then? According to the diary, sometimes we only played secretly at parties, is that possible?¡¯ Then Lily spoke to him, and he woke up from his thoughts. ¡°Pretty princess, what are you thinking now?¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡¯m not deceived anymore, so stop calling me princess.¡± (Blake) Blake flicked Lily on the forehead. Then he dropped his hand. It was just that. For him, it was an act without much thought, but..¡­ ¡°Ouch¡­¡­¡± Lily touched her slightly sore forehead. She opened her eyes wide. The man had never hit her. There were times when she was carried on his shoulder like a bag, but there was never any violence. Blake had just realized that, too. What he had done to the people of the winter castle, he had done it to Lily involuntarily. ¡®Did I feel so close to Lily Hedwick?¡¯ His cold face twitched strangely. Somehow he felt some kind of shock. The atmosphere in the banquet hall was also chilly. Everyone was buzzing. From a middle-aged woman with a scar on her face to a young man wearing a bear¡¯s skin. ¡°Master hit Lady Lily.¡± They kept glancing at Blake and Lily, so they saw everything. ¡°Master hit Lady Lily.¡± ¡°Someone worse than an oak hit Lady Lily.¡± ¡°You crazy, how?¡± The more the news spread from mouth to mouth, the more distorted the facts. ¡°He slapped her on the forehead.¡± ¡°What a terrible and vulgar thing he did to Lady Lily with his middle finger and his thumb!¡± ¡°What? Did it leave a permanent scar?¡± ¡°She fainted, she needs treatment!¡± ¡°My righteous ax is thirsty for blood again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s war!¡± They were really great people in Lily¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe it when they pulled out weapons from somewhere under their thick clothes. Did they expect this to happen? No, even if it was like that, where did they keep the weapons in their bodies? Blake was quickly swept away by the hordes of enemies, moving away from Lily. Lily¡¯s embarrassment subsided and she now smiled. Her ex-husband used violence against her whenever he was drunk. By comparison, Blake¡¯s flicking her forehead was a child¡¯s play¡­ No, it was really a joke. Even so, when a war broke out like this, the people of Winter Castle were just cute. Lily thought. But she couldn¡¯t laugh because Lord Blake would definitely get angry. It was certain that he would return as fiercely as before, so Lily endured it. ¡°¡­¡± However, there was no way Blake, who was quicker than the devil, could not notice the change in her expression. Even when he was busy avoiding the swords from the servants, his great vision saw everything. Lily, using her small hands, grabbed her small cheeks as well, trying to keep her expression hidden. And in the end, she covered her face and laughed. ¡°Look, you really have to stop this.¡± Blake murmured grimly. Even so, he put the closest enemy on his shoulder armor, and then swung it back. The second opponent was also mercilessly disarmed and Blake shouted with annoyance. ¡°What the hell! What a fuss, you idiots!¡± ¡°Die without excuses!¡± The last day of the banquet ended so affectionately. (Blake didn¡¯t know why everyone suddenly attacked him ) **** One afternoon, sunny and cool. A mansion located in the imperial capital was certainly beautiful. The round garden harmonizing with nature, elaborate white stairs, and even the door leading to the outside were meticulously constructed to show geometrical beauty. ¡°Can¡¯t you go away right now?¡± There was a commotion at the front gate. ¡°How a savage kid like you knows Lady Fox?!¡± A giant knight pushed his opponent back with a stern expression. ¡°Ahh!¡± The person who was pushed out was none other than Sebastian. Although he soon became an adult, Sebastian helplessly fell on the ground. Sebastian¡¯s appearance was not very good. The clothes he was wearing were torn in several places, as if caught on a branch. It proved how hard it was to get from the winter castle to the capital. CH 26 ¡°Oh my, look over there.¡± ¡°What happened to the Fox mansion?¡± The capital was crammed with mansions and people. Therefore, the Fox mansion was also close to the main entrance of the boulevard. Passersby glanced past Sebastian. The gatekeeper complained. ¡°Messy barbarian, your accent gives me goosebumps just by hearing it. Go back to your dukedom or something! Why do you come here and scam us!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying! I really do know the whereabouts of the person you¡¯re looking for! It¡¯s that woman named Lily!¡± Sebastian¡¯s journey was very rough. Because of what he was wearing, it wasn¡¯t easy to get a ride on the carriage. Why on earth should he have to go through this! He managed to get on the train, but they told him to use the livestock compartment to clean up the pigs¡¯ defecation! But the look in his eyes was intense. Now that he passed this difficulty, they will go to catch Lily. He could even learn what mistake the woman had made and run away. ¡°Please, give me a chance to prove it! With everything I have, Lily, I know where that person is¡­. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°This b*stard!¡± The knight aimed his spear at Sebastian. The iron was shining and reflecting the cool sunshine. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise? I can hear it all the way to the dining room!¡± Lily¡¯s husband, Count Fox, came across the yard. ¡°You¡¯re too stupid to handle anything properly!¡± His tantrum caused the knight to look perplexed. ¡°Not that, Count¡­¡­¡­¡± Sebastian had a gut feeling at once that Count Fox was someone important. He ran to the gate and knelt down. ¡°I know where Lily Hedwick is!¡± It was the moment Blake had been waiting for. Count Fox didn¡¯t even know that he was about to stick his head in the wolf¡¯s mouth. He just opened his eyes wide in delight. ¡°Eh, what? What?¡± Sebastian couldn¡¯t even enter the mansion. He just knelt down on the hard road and did his best to look innocent. ¡°Lily Hedwick, that¡¯s who.¡± He began to explain to Count Fox. It was from when Lily Hedwick came by dukedom¡­how gracefully she held the fork. Also, what skills she used to seduce the people of Winter Castle. He told him everything to prove his knowledge. He even described the way Lily walked. ¡°Yes! The woman you speak of must be Lily!¡± Count Fox was happy and jumped with joy. The tips of his shoes filled the well-spread lawn. Pebbles flew. ¡®I should have known that that freaking woman had crawled to such a dirty place. No wonder I couldn¡¯t find her until now!¡¯ Count Fox remembered the humiliation of Lily¡¯s disappearance. It was the day a friend from his hometown won the bid for the regional railroad construction rights. ¡°How is your wife?¡± His friend¡¯s voice, laced with envy, seemed to be ringing in his ears as usual. Count Fox received attention even though his friend was the one needed to be congratulated. In fact, he attracted attention wherever he went. It had been since he had married Lily Hedwick. When he went to parties, people came up to him with drinking cups. They wanted to know if his wife was okay, and they envied Fox. ¡°Your wife didn¡¯t come with you?¡± ¡°Hahaha, no. After she¡¯s married, Lily concentrated more on housework than socializing. Just small meetings with other women from time to time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry to hear that. The Count is not hiding his wife in his home, is he?¡± ¡°I was joking. But I think I¡¯d do that too if she¡¯s my wife. She¡¯s very pretty. Kkkk¡± Count Fox enjoyed the envious gaze with all his might, although he sometimes got hit with the words. On the other hand, there were times when he was self-conscious.¡­¡­¡­. There was a dinner party where the nobles discussed things a little more casually. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that Lady Hedwick would marry such a person. I mean¡­you know, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean to imply that Count Fox is lacking! That person¡¯s luck was certainly good.¡± Could you have imagined that the Marquis of Hedwick (Lily¡¯s father) was about to lose his position? Count Fox¡¯s cousin helped him to keep his seat. Thanks to that, Count Fox could marry Lily. How great that he had a cousin who was a politician. Nut Count Fox was always uneasy. He was too stingy a man There were days when he was endlessly on edge, in fear that Lily would ignore him. Even limiting her activities to confine her in the mansion didn¡¯t help the uneasy feeling. And then he got a taste of it¡­¡­¡­¡­. It was the feeling of conquest he felt when he wielded violence against her on drunken days. That was when he regained his peace of mind. Lily was gone, and only the divorce paper she had left behind took her place. ¡°Bring her back from the duchy now!¡± Count Fox shouted angrily to his knights. How hard it must have been for him to endure the gaze of the nobles! Even though he tried to keep quiet, rumors were circulating that Lily had left behind a divorce paper. ¡®Lily, it¡¯s no use. It¡¯s a scrap of paper that the council will never allow anyway. If you get caught this time, I¡¯ll never let you go.¡¯ It was a blessing. He was able to rectify the situation before the Marquis and Marquess of Hedwick noticed. Count Fox was always looking out for the best interests of Lily¡¯s parents. ¡®I¡¯m dying of embarrassment because of Lily.¡¯ How could one bad wife bring so much shame to her husband? After he caught Lily, he was going to invite an etiquette teacher with a heavy mouth and a harsh punishment. He would not leave her alone even after she was scolded. ¡®I will make sure that you pay your fair share!¡¯ ¡°Yes, I will send someone to Duchy.¡± ¡°Make sure you instruct them to come back with Lily. This is her chance to get out of that dirty place!¡± Sebastian knelt down and listened, then his expression gradually brightened. ¡®It appears that the woman will finally leave the Winter Castle!¡¯ The knights had moved on to carry out Count Fox¡¯s orders, and the Count walked towards his mansion. ¡°Huh?¡± Sebastian called hurriedly to the Count through the bars. ¡°Count!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I think you forgot my reward money. ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s written on the missing flyer. It did say that you would give me this much money.¡± The reward was important to Sebastian. When coming from the Duchy to the capital, he didn¡¯t need any money. This was because when he cried and lied to the Upus people, who did not know what was going on, they wrapped bread in paper for him. However, for the first time in his life, he could not even beg in the capital. He needed money for the train. He was sure he would starve to death in the capital. He bowed to the Count, but the Count¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡®He¡¯s a barbarian, why would I want to waste my fortune?¡¯ So the Count said to the servant next to him. ¡°Get rid of him. If he wanders around again, teach him a lesson.¡± ¡°What? Count! Count!¡± Count Fox no longer gave Sebastian any attention. Sebastian was dragged away as he watched Count Fox disappear into the shade of the orange trees. *** Count Fox thought to himself. The barbarian Duke will return Lily to him immediately. He didn¡¯t know why the Duke didn¡¯t kick her out right away when Lily visited him in the first place. One thing¡¯s for sure, he was going to give her a hard time. However, the Count¡¯s plan was ruined from the start. The person he sent was not even allowed to enter the Duke¡¯s territory. He was kicked out by the guards from the border. ¡°Stupid barbarian. It seems that they wouldn¡¯t let you enter unless you have the document with your family¡¯s seal on it.¡± And for the second time, the knights were given ample proof, only to be rejected again. The knights passed on the words of the Duke¡¯s men. (Blake¡¯s men) ¡°They said that orders have been given that no outsiders are to be allowed through. Even if the Emperor is present.¡± ¡°All the doors in all the areas have been closed because of any incident!¡± ¡°Hmm, how about sending a letter to the Duke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a good way to communicate in a hurry. But it can¡¯t be helped.¡± And so the Count¡¯s letter made its way to the Winter Castle. When the letter found its way into Blake¡¯s hands, he was sitting listlessly in his office. ¡°Hmmm.¡± It wasn¡¯t what he sometimes showed when he was with Lily. His piercing eyes looked as terrified as a predator¡¯s. IIDexter watched the whole process anxiously. The fireplace flicked on and off. Blake spoke as he roughly tore off the letter with his knife. ¡°I thought the Count would send his people five times, but he sent a letter after two rejections. The man has no patience, either.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± IIDexter was disturbed. He had a look of, ¡°This crazy boss bursts the case.¡± CH 27 Blake opened the Count¡¯s letter roughly. ¡°Well, let¡¯s read to see how much the bugger was in pain¡­. The greeting is long.¡± ¡°My Lord.¡± IIDexter, his aide, was not at ease. He said only business was in Blake¡¯s office at the moment, and as time went on, he would not be able to hide this incident. Blake, however, was tough. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s read the letter first. Let¡¯s skip the greeting¡­this is where it gets interesting. The rest is useless.¡± IlDexter kept trying to dissuade him. The newly tailored silver glasses were raised. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°The greeting is long, and the back part is useless. Isn¡¯t the rhythm good?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny, he thinks he can get Lily back. Stupid Count.¡± ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t keep it a secret from Miss Lily!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know right away. You¡¯re the only one who needs to keep quiet.¡± Blake was determined to hit the spot if he was going to have an accident anyway. He already had a picture in her head of how Lily would act when she found out. She was prepared enough to leave at any time. Even now, her square luggage was ready. ¡®It¡¯s enough that you protected me until now. I don¡¯t want to cause any damage to the duke, so I¡¯ll leave now. Thank you for everything.¡¯ He could see Lily saying goodbye like that¡­¡­. ¡®That darn lady. Where is she going when she has nowhere to go back?¡¯ That was why Blake decided to keep it a secret from her until he sent a reply to her ex-husband. The reply saying that he is not going to send Lily back. Furthermore, he would be Lily¡¯s guardian, and he would be satisfied if her ex-husband decided to sue or send an army, whatever he wanted to do. And even the reply must be sent to him at a distant future date. ¡°You must tell Miss Lilly!¡± But IIDexter couldn¡¯t read the thoughts within Blake¡¯s head. ¡°This is madness. This is a big deal. You know the capital hates the Upus. Moreover, if Miss Lily finds out about this fact later, she¡¯ll have a stroke!¡± (IIDexter) ¡°I¡¯ll give you a promotion.¡± (Blake) For a moment, IIDexter stopped the eloquence that had been going on loudly. Then he slowly mimicked the speech as if he had been drugged. ¡°Promotion¡­.?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll promote you to General Aide at the appropriate time. It¡¯s a position that allows three generations to receive a pension.¡± For a moment, many thoughts flashed through IIDexter¡¯s mind. It was a tremendous temptation for a man who always spoke of ¡®promotion.¡¯ But Lily, who would be playing with the pony right now, suddenly came to his mind.¡­¡­¡­ Oh, no¡­¡­.. Still, I¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that IlDexter was the kind of guy who could turn down a promotion. The Lady is amazing.¡± Blake clicked his tongue. The original IIDexter would jump to the first floor as soon as he was promoted. Blake had no choice but to come up with an alternative. ¡°We¡¯ll wait until we get at least three letters then. The Count will lose his reason and make the case bigger. That¡¯s the right time to send the signal for all-out war.¡± ¡°But sir¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an order. Then I¡¯ll tell Lily the truth.¡± When the word ¡°order¡± was even mentioned, IIDexter couldn¡¯t rebel anymore. He could feel the line that Blake had to protect. ¡°¡­If it goes wrong, it¡¯ll spread the word to everyone in the winter castle.¡± (IIDexter) ¡°We need to handle this properly. How much they love the Lady?I don¡¯t want to die a lowly death impaled on a cannon either.¡± (Blake) The spectacled aide only sighed. *** Moments later, Blake came down from the winter castle and exited the main gate. The weather had warmed up somewhat, though there was still white snow visible on the ground. It was noon, so it was even warmer. And the man was a big man, so he was wearing very light clothes this time. Lily was just coming back from the stable alone. ¡°Lord Blake, you look like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The man couldn¡¯t hide his happiness, thanks to Fox or whatever he was, who was just grunting and waiting for a reply. Lily followed Blake and her expression brightened. The happiness was contagious. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be dancing soon enough.¡± (Lily) ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± (Blake) ¡°Oh my, then can I ask the princess for a dance?¡± (Lily) ¡°What? Of course I¡¯m kidding. If you¡¯re serious, I¡¯ll reject it. I¡¯ve never danced with anyone even at parties.¡± (Blake) There was no way that the high and mighty Pure Imperial Aristocrat was going to accept a request for a dance. Blake had never suggested it, either. So he was inwardly surprised when Lily actually reached out her hand. ¡°There¡¯s no band, and it¡¯s not even indoors.¡± (Blake) ¡°I can¡¯t believe how graceful and far-fetched it is to say you don¡¯t like it. You are the epitome of aristocracy.¡± (Lily) Lily took the man¡¯s hand and led him slowly. ¡°Come on.¡± The steps they took left their footprints intact on the snow. The first was one of the most popular dances these days. The big footprints were mixed with tiny shoe prints that were clearly different as they moved. They weren¡¯t under a luxurious chandelier or on a red carpet, but it was enough. Instead of music, the winter wind made a noise as it passed them by. ¡°Look at that, don¡¯t I look strange?¡± The man mumbled as he followed Lily with rough gestures. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you over the sound of the wind. Like someone¡¯s strange complaining.¡± Lily smiled softly. She hadn¡¯t danced since her marriage, but she was as graceful as ever. It was much more fun now than it had been when she had danced to the format. Her hair swayed in time with her movements. Her platinum hair met the afternoon sunlight and sparkled in the man¡¯s eyes. They fell gently, but became active again. Lily entered his arms and spun around on the snow. They could feel each other¡¯s body heat. ¡°¡­¡± Blake froze for a moment. For he felt his heavy, still breath mingle with the scent of her peaches. Suddenly, the texture of Lily¡¯s skin began to make him feel excited. The blood in his whole body flowed with passion. They moved to the waltz. The dance that had kept them apart and reunited turned into a dance of close contact between the young couple. ¡°The waltz is pretty good, too.¡± Lily and Blake began to move slowly. ¡°Are you serious? It sounds like a lie. I haven¡¯t learned to waltz since I was young. And now I forgot everything. Who would have danced the waltz with me?¡± ¡°I know, I know. I know, I know. I¡¯m a little awkward now, too. My ex-husband wasn¡¯t a fan of dancing either.¡± Lily¡¯s statement was obviously thoughtful. Compared to his awkward movements, she was as natural as flowing water. ¡°Your ex-husband was not a good dancer either? He was just like a guy like me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lily laughed, frowning in exasperation. No matter how much so, her ex-husband was a socialite, educated under parents of aristocratic lineage. To compare that to Blake, who was flying a stone bow at the time¡­¡­¡­.. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I misspoke.¡± Blake grumbled. Lily stopped circling and became very amused. ¡°If you don¡¯t learn that much, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re not very good at it. Don¡¯t worry about it too much, Lord Blake will be better than my ex-husband in no time.¡± ¡°How many people like me?¡± ¡°Oh, a perceptive question. If you look hard enough, you¡¯ll find at least one or two¡­¡­¡­¡± As soon as the words came out, Blake turned Lily around a few more times. ¡°I¡¯m dizzy!¡± ¡°Of course you are. I told you.¡± The steps were chiseled into the snowfield. Blake liked the way Lily smiled. From the time she came to the Winter Castle, she had been very bold. She was mischievous and graceful, and she was quiet even though she knew she was advancing the dialogue. For example, she was the one who completely changed Blake. She converted him into a ¡°princess¡± or a ¡°mother chicken.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure this woman was like that before.¡¯ The young Blake waited only a day to go to the capital. Lily must have been as cute then as she was now. She was, so Blake couldn¡¯t forgive her ex-husband even more. How dare he (Lily¡¯s ex-husband) laid his hands on Lily? It was more of an insult than being beat up on the street. Because Blake was Lily ¡­¡­. ¡°¡­.¡± The man stopped waltzing with a shocked look on his face. Lily couldn¡¯t handle the immediate movement and bumped into him. ¡°Oh my gosh. What are you doing? Even a man 50 years ago wouldn¡¯t have done this to me.¡± Lily tried to back away with a joke of laughter. But Blake wouldn¡¯t let go of Lily, who was now in his arms. The man had a very confused look on his face. Lily was worried that the war neurosis had suddenly returned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you okay?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± No, he wasn¡¯t fine. Because¡­.who was he to Lily? CH 28 ¡°Uh, umm¡­¡± When Blake stopped suddenly, Lily raised her head in embarrassment. Their eyes were entangled. ¡°Lady.¡± His hot breath reached her ear. Cold air, the smell of clean snow, entered the lungs. The skin of the man she touched was really hot and hard. Lily was even more embarrassed. ¡°You don¡¯t know the next move, do you?¡± (Lily) She tried to lead the waltz, but the opponent did not move as if he was a statue even though she gave it strength. Blake¡¯s chest was burning fiercely. D*mn, he wanted to put his lips on Lily¡¯s forehead and press it right away. But isn¡¯t it obvious that she will be angry? If not, it certainly won¡¯t lead to good results. ¡°Lady, I¡­¡­¡± A low, rough whisper came from just above Lily. Her body trembled strangely, and blood rushed to her face. The heels of her ankle boots pushed and slipped backwards. ¡°Ah.¡± Lily almost fell, but she stood still without her feet attached. The man was holding her. Of course, it was not difficult at all. Now Lily knew what he wanted. But it wasn¡¯t the kind of feeling she had ever thought of¡­. ¡®Should I decline?¡¯ Her mind was spinning and spinning. ¡®Do I need to say no?¡¯ Meanwhile, their bodies were constantly getting hotter due to their close contact. The cold air of winter seemed to disappear elsewhere. While only the smell of the two people¡¯s skin mixed. Finally Blake bowed his head over the collar of her cloak. As he tried to kiss her white neck¡­ Lily remembered her ex-husband¡¯s voice. Memories of the past hit her like waves. There was almost no physical contact with Count Fox. It was probably because there was no possibility of what followed. But whenever he went to work at the Imperial Palace, he always asked for a goodbye kiss. When Lily kissed the Count¡¯s cheek, he gave her a response by pushing her lukewarm lips in. She had to close her eyes and endure the time. A time of great pain. It was harder to endure than when she was whipped by her parents when she was a child. It was only after the clock passed very slowly that Count Fox gradually stepped away¡­ Lily always wanted to push Count Fox away. ¡°Stop!¡± Involuntarily, Lily shoved Blake on the shoulder. He staggered back and distanced himself. At that moment all the heat was blown away into the winter wind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lily felt a little empty. But before that, she came to her senses. ¡°It¡¯s just that all of a sudden, my ex¡­ I mean, oh no. I mean¡­ it¡¯s time to go. My hands are cold because I¡¯m not wearing gloves.¡± ¡°Can I give you my gloves?¡± (Blake) ¡°It would fit my head!¡± (Lily) ¡°Is it a joke now?¡± (Blake) Lily hesitated, then fled as if running away to the winter castle. The outside, which had been warmer than usual, suddenly felt like ice. When did the sky suddenly become cloudy? To make matters worse, it started to snow. Snowflakes sat on the brooch made by the maids. ¡°Then, let¡¯s put it on your head!¡± Blake¡¯s voice followed her eagerly, but the distance widened. Eventually he ran after her. Lily didn¡¯t want to be caught. The heart inside her ruffled shirt was beating fast. It was embarrassing. She had never loved anyone in her life. There were no good memories of the opposite gender at all. ¡®I can¡¯t do this.¡¯ She wanted to shake off the memories of Count Fox. If she stayed with Blake like this, other memories seemed to come to her mind. She didn¡¯t mean that the two men looked overlapping. In fact, on the contrary, they were completely different¡­ That was strange. What does love mean? Lily didn¡¯t know love. The first was parental love. She knew that even if she died, her parents wouldn¡¯t shed a single tear. So would Lily. They had always left her behind. The second was love between friends. She heard that really close friends reveal their secrets without hiding, but is that possible? Lily¡¯s only friends were the children of the families that her parents ¡®allowed¡¯. Since it was only a political interest, she had to hide her flaws. Finally, there was love between the couple. Lily couldn¡¯t understand the love of this classification the most. Her ex-husband had always been a terrible person. Her heart, which was beating warmly, would turn cold with fear when she saw him. ¡®I do not know. I don¡¯t know anything.¡¯ Lily heard Blake following after her. But right now, she didn¡¯t want to see him face to face. Just then, she saw the stable keeper in the distance. There was also a black horse with angled muscles. Dominic was enjoying the walk while the keeper held the reins. ¡°Coco!¡± Dominic lifted its head at Lily¡¯s call. Dominic, who originally liked Lily, grew more obedient to Lily after having a child. It seemed to think of Lily as its owner. ¡°Coco, come here!¡± At that call, Dominic lightly blew its nose and threw away the stable keeper. This battle horse was not an animal to be easily caught by anyone in the first place. Lily thought. How can Dominic effectively stop Blake? She was so desperate that she used magic. The enchanted language turned into a visual image and stuck in the horse¡¯s head. Dominic blew its nose in response as it was seeing a carrot in front of its eyes and then rushed to Blake. When it opened its mouth and exposed its teeth, Blake had no choice but to back away. ¡°This ungrateful beast!¡± Dominic was a beast that ripped off the arm of the enemy on the battlefield. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t bite Blake, but¡­¡­ It was enough for the man¡¯s strong back to contract with tension. While the two quarreled, Lily ran into her room. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡± At her request, Gianna, a dedicated maid, brought out all kinds of cleaning tools. Lily was puzzled again. ¡°Oh, before closing the door, I want to ask what Gianna is intending to do¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do a thorough cleaning so that not even an ant can get in!¡± Because Lily said ¡®no one can come in¡¯. Lily tried to say that her request had nothing to do with one such insect, but just went into the room¡­ Her whole body screamed that she had only uttered a single word of incantation. Lily wiped her tired face. ¡°ha.¡± The act of using magic in everyday life was something a great sorcerer would do. They would later appear in standard textbooks. Would it be better to take a nap? She didn¡¯t even want to go out and meet Blake anyway, so she just lay in bed. **** Lily had a dream. It was a pretty painful nightmare. Memories went back to when she was a kid. Her father scolded her, saying, ¡®You¡¯re a fool, and can¡¯t even learn a proper etiquette.¡¯ Her mother prioritized the gatherings of the wives of lawmakers over Lily. Then, at some point, she grew up and married Count Fox by arrangement. Standing under an old tree at the wedding, the guests came to fulfill their social duties¡­. After the ceremony was over, Lily entered his mansion¡­ Each time the memories flashed, she felt nauseated. She didn¡¯t want to remember anything about Count Fox. After waking up, Lily had been dazed for days. ¡®Why do I feel so anxious?¡¯ The dance on the snow and the hot breath had long since disappeared like a mirage. She was strangely anxious. Like a herbivore with natural enemies approaching. Her ex-husband was far away but Lily felt suffocated. This Winter Castle was crowded with amazing people, so she thought she would forget her painful memories, but she didn¡¯t. She had to go back to the topic she had been ignoring. It was inevitable. She couldn¡¯t stay here forever. The seasons naturally flew. But where the hell is she supposed to go? Does she have any other option than death now? ¡°Lady.¡± An evening a few days after the day they danced outdoors. Lily was sitting in front of the fireplace in the hall on the first floor, drinking tea. Blake shrank his huge body and approached cautiously. ¡°Are you having a good day?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Gianna brought me an armchair and blanket. Even chamomile tea.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes were still looking at the fireplace. The sparkly blue eyes were blurred out of focus. ¡°Hey¡­.¡± The man sat down slowly across from Lily. It was a sign of observing her mood. ¡°Others¡­¡­¡± Blake tried to tell Lily that the people of Winter Castle were worried about her, but stopped. There must be a reason why Lily suddenly became quiet, so there was no need to make her worry anymore. ¡°¡­.?¡± Lily waited for Blake to speak up, then looked back at the fireplace when he didn¡¯t say anything. Blake let out a low sigh, not knowing how to deal with this situation. CH 29 The fireplace blazed warmly with red flames. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lily and Blake were the only ones in the hall on the first floor. Blake was terrified that he might be the reason she acted like an old, broken watch. Was he scared? It was a modifier that never suited him, but the man he now definitely was. ¡®Is it because of me?¡¯ Blake couldn¡¯t stand it and made contact with her. If it was the original Lily, she would have noticed his thinking and denied it. However, Lily was caught up in her past and had no energy to even think about the memories of that day. ¡°You look bored.¡± (Blake) Blake fidgeted and let out a low, laborious voice. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thank you for your concern.¡± (Lily) ¡°I heard you skipped dinner tonight.¡± (Blake) ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± (Lily) ¡°Can you drink tea on an empty stomach like that?¡± (Blake) Lily looked up at Blake, who was sitting across from her. She didn¡¯t remember learning anything like that. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± (Lily) ¡°Then not. Give it to me.¡± (Blake) She wrinkled her expression lightly. It meant she didn¡¯t like it. But Blake couldn¡¯t tolerate any disturbing elements. Taking the tea from Lily was not enough, he drank it in one gulp. ¡°Wow, the smell is disgusting.¡± (Blake) ¡°It¡¯s like a sensitive rookie.¡± ¡°I should rinse my mouth with brandy.¡± (Blake) Lily nodded her head slightly. As she fell into a world of her own again, Blake looked into her eyes. ¡®Are you really saying I¡¯m the problem?¡¯ But¡­ Even if time goes back to the day they danced, he wasn¡¯t sure he would be able to resist his desire to kiss her. ¡®So, I warned you not to think about staying alone as a family member.¡¯ Besides, if it was another woman, he might think differently, why Lily? He sipped the brandy on the shelf in a frustrated mind. Still, the red eyes continued to stare at Lily. Blake didn¡¯t want to be abandoned. Really. Losing his father in a mysterious accident, losing his men on the battlefield, and now losing his first love? Blake didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Lily was definitely his first love. It was a harsh first love that opened the door to his young heart. Time went on and on. The man had been restless for several days, but the situation was still the same. Lilly was quiet, the servants couldn¡¯t find a solution, and Winter Castle was as quiet as before. The only difference was the fact that Blake couldn¡¯t concentrate on his work at all. ¡°I can¡¯t read the words. I¡¯ll see the papers later, so put them away first.¡± ¡°But, sir, it¡¯s already been two days¡­ .¡± ¡°We can do it all at once later.¡± To make matters worse, not long ago, gunshots had been heard near the mansion. ¡°My head hurts.¡± It was as if the war neurosis had a needle in his brain and danced a tango. It was because of the employees who lived at the bottom of the mountain. After realizing late that the Sebastian they encountered was a criminal, they widened the scope of their actions to find him and apologize to Blake directly for their mistake, but then used a gun close to the castle. ¡®The last time I had war neurosis, Lily Hedwick helped me.¡¯ On that thundering day, the atmosphere in a place that was nothing more than an abandoned house was very good, but why is it like this now? IlDexter was equally troubled. If the processing of documents was delayed at this rate, financial problems could arise. He thought, looking at Blake. ¡®Isn¡¯t there any solution that can evoke the atmosphere in the castle?¡¯ Rather, he hoped that a letter from Miss Lily¡¯s ex-husband would arrive sooner. That would give Blake a reason to talk to Lily for a long time, so maybe it could work out the awkward atmosphere between the two of them. A few days later, IIDexter¡¯s wish finally came true. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± IIDexter opened the door of the winter castle and came in with a cold wind. His glasses were fogged. He shouted as he saw Blake leaning against the red wall. ¡°Sir, the third letter has finally arrived! You¡¯re going to write a reply and tell Miss Lily, right? You promised, right? You just pretend you don¡¯t remember?¡± The aide brought Lily¡¯s ex-husband¡¯s letter and was excited. It wasn¡¯t just the original reason. During this time, he suffered a lot of heartache. It was because he had to hide all these facts from Lily, who always smiled. Did her ex-husband find out her whereabouts? Still, Blake was silent. He was also very anxious. ¡°Promise?¡± (Lily) Surprisingly, it was Lily, not Blake, who answered. Lily was in a place where IIDexter couldn¡¯t see because of his foggy glasses. Blake was talking to Lily, who was going down the stairs. ¡°What promise, Mr. IlDexter?¡± (Lily) ¡°¡­.!¡± Blake almost smashed the wine glass he was holding with his grip. And IlDexter also sensed his death. The steam slowly disappeared from his glasses. The first floor of the castle on a cold evening with a stone wall. A cold staircase away from the center glowing red around the fireplace. He looked at Lily who was with her eyes wide open as if curious about what was going on. He also saw Blake staring at him from a distance with a monster-like grim expression. ¡°After Lord Blake sent a reply, he¡¯ll tell me. I¡¯m curious what you were saying.¡± (Lily) Lily kindly reviewed the lines. ¡°That, that, that, that is the word¡­.¡± At this moment, IIDexter has no thought of promotion. He had to somehow get over the situation and save his life..¡­ Or come up with a quote to be engraved on his tombstone. As he faltered because he could not find an excuse, the glass of wine in Blake¡¯s hand cracked. Thanks to that, the adrenaline was released, and IIDexter¡¯s brain worked. All of a sudden, lies came out. ¡°I ordered a large number of magic stones this time! Aren¡¯t Miss Lily and I the only ones who can inspect it?¡± (IIDexter) ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°In other words, our work has increased, and His Excellency said that I have kept my mouth shut until the goods arrive. He¡¯s always angry, don¡¯t you agree?¡± (IIDexter) Fortunately for IlDexter, he did not bring up the word ¡®ex-husband¡¯. Her ex-husband was the same noble as Lily and Blake, a class that IIDexter had to keep his head down from a job standpoint. Thanks to that, he avoided the word ¡®ex-husband¡¯ and just said ¡®a letter came¡¯, but that saved his life. ¡°That¡¯s right, Lord Blake always kills.¡± Lily nodded obediently to IIDexter¡¯s lies. ¡°Because not long ago, he took away the tea I was drinking.¡± (Lily) ¡°Isn¡¯t that a very terrible act?¡± (IIDexter) The two talked hard in front of Blake, where the beats were right. ¡°In the past¡­ ¡­¡­ .¡± At the secret whisper of IIDexter, Lily¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? Did he really do that?¡± ¡°I told you. But I¡¯m not surprised. Lord Blake is basically a martial arts rookie.¡± ¡°Did you know that? Not long ago, while pouring alcohol, I accidentally spilled it on his head, and he got angry like fire.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­ I¡¯d like to curse if possible, but it seems that there¡¯s a little bit of your fault¡­¡± Blake¡¯s feelings became increasingly uncomfortable. It was good to turn the topic off of Count Fox¡¯s letter, but IIDexter was really¡­.. ¡°Hmm.¡± Blake coughed low, still leaning against the wall. IIDexter was excited to be able to lie to Lily, and then came back to his senses. ¡°Oh, Miss Lily, while talking about it. Would you like to go check the magic stones right away? It arrived in the afternoon and I put it in a room in the hallway on the right of the third floor.¡± IIDexter didn¡¯t want to be alone with Blake right now. ¡°Okay.¡± Lily simply nodded her head. After it was finally revealed that she was a sorceress, Lily was helping hands in an appropriate place. Blake also raised his large body from the wall. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go on a night patrol. I¡¯ll have to check my bow skills after a long time.¡± (Blake) ¡°The knights say that the mountain range is unusual, so please have a safe trip!¡± (IIDexter) ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go back and share the situation, so I¡¯ll see you later, aide.¡± Blake smiled. His teeth looked fierce. For IIDexter, it was a smile that came only with fear. ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Lily headed to the third floor, leading the frightened aide. She had such a soft expression on her face. However, as she circled the wolf statue in a clockwise direction, she suddenly raised her eyebrows. ¡®They¡¯re deceiving me.¡¯ (Lily) She was also the one who noticed when the couple, who hated her, lied that they had postponed the sponsorship date by three days. Of course, she was aware of such a clumsy lie. But she also knew that there would be no income even if she questioned them right now. It was cute to see the two men lying hard, but¡­ Lily¡¯s pretty eyes turned cold and then returned to normal without anyone knowing. ¡®Should a person like me know the truth that I don¡¯t even know what it is? Or should I become a puppet who knows nothing as I have been living all this time?¡¯ She soon felt exhausted. It was not of her own will, but she became dazed again, as she had been for a while. CH 30 IlDexter and Lily opened their mouths when they saw the magic stones filling the room. Lily thought it was a supplement because she had used all of the stones for the treatment last time, but it wasn¡¯t. IIDexter lifted the receipt. ¡°Mostly processed magic stones¡­ ¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s also designed to generate heat. A product of Otis.¡± It was ordered by Blake with the intention of making all Lily¡¯s paths warm. ¡°Lord Blake wants to treat all the walls to heat?¡± Lily opened the box and checked the back of the magic stone. Shegrew up seeing expensive things, but this made her speechless. ¡°The emblem of Otis. It is a company that produces only the highest quality. The stone itself is here duchy. He paid for it, but it must have cost a huge amount.¡± Lily and IlDexter looked at the magic stones with tired expressions. She shook her head and said, ¡°It would have been better off doing something else with this money. Rich people.¡± ¡°For example, what else could you have done, Lily? Buy a title?¡± ¡°If I were Lord Blake. I should have bought another duchy. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good. Looking at his temperament, one day he¡¯ll lose the dukedom, so it¡¯s for insurance purposes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Lily shrugged and joked. For such a high-end company product, there was no need to inspect it, but anyway, Lily had to do what she had to do. The two sat quietly and began to check the magic stones. The method was simple. If you inject a little force and it glows, it¡¯s normal. There was no need to get tired as the magical energy returned to the body as it is. IIDexter was bored with repetitive work, so he raised his head. He wanted to say something, but Lily was already dazed. ¡®She¡¯s like that again.¡¯ ¡°¡­.¡± It had been like that for several days, but at this time, he couldn¡¯t hear anything from Lily. He thought it might have gotten a little better for joking around, but Lily still seemed out of it. Besides IlDexter, the rest of the winter family were also worried. Didn¡¯t she try chamomile tea from the south a hundred times and served it to perfection? ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Even if the two of them worked quietly, the amount of work far exceeded that. In the end, IlDexter and Lily decided to gather in the small room at a fixed time every day. So after a week. Lily lifted her head while working while thinking of her ex-husband. Huh? Her hand rummaged through the box, but nothing was caught. It was the moment when 7 days of simple repetitive labor came to an end. ¡°Mister¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Kkkkkk¡­¡± IIDexter was sitting and sleeping. His head was tilted back, he even snored, which he had never done in his life. ¡®Oh my goodness. You don¡¯t want to break a fracture like that.¡¯ Lily got up carefully so as not to wake him up. She was thinking of asking someone else where to move these magic stones. Of course to Blake¡¯s office. During this time, he would always sit in his office and do his work. Lily, who expected it this time too, stood in front of the office and spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Lord Blake, are you inside?¡± As usual, she expected an answer of ¡®No, I¡¯m not.¡¯ Then Lily would open the door at will and gracefully enter. She was thinking of doing that again. But there was no response. Does this person play with ¡®no¡¯ and then ignore her now? ¡°Is it okay to come in? Oh, yes, of course. Thanks for the kind suggestion.¡± But when the door opened, only the extinguished candles on the desk and the chilly fireplace greeted Lily, and only then did Lily remember that the man had left on patrol yesterday. ¡®Me too. I misunderstood.¡¯ She was going to turn around thinking that she would have to come back next time¡­ but something caught her eyes. The office table was made of natural wood with the simple and rough texture characteristic of the duchy. Then she saw a letter ¡­ along with a used fountain pen, crumpled paper, and a pile of documents that had been roughly thrown over it. At that moment, she felt her heart stop. It was a very familiar red seal. A seal adorned with silver imitation fur and affixed with cheap silk. It must have been a letter from the Fox family, where Lily had lived for a year. Lily couldn¡¯t move until she realized she was still alive. She wanted to vomit anything and it actually led to nausea. ¡°Woooooo¡­¡± But because she hadn¡¯t eaten anything, only painful noises came out. Lily thought. This was clearly a dream. It was because she had been thinking too long about Count Fox. However, the red wax seal remained unchanged. Lily didn¡¯t come closer to the desk until after a really long time. IIDexter¡¯s words a while ago came to her mind. ¡°Sir, the third letter has finally arrived! I delivered it to the office earlier, but I think you didn¡¯t see it. You¡¯re going to tell Miss Lily after you sent your reply, right? You promised, right? You would say you don¡¯t remember?¡± Did those three letters come from her ex-husband? It couldn¡¯t be. Because Lily never knew. Lily began to read, covering her nauseated mouth. <¡­ Since there is no reply, I have no choice but to say that it is not my will, but this case should be referred to the court¡­ > <¡­ As I have asked before, I ask you one last time, please open the door to the duchy.> <¡­ ¡­ I sincerely hope that your non-response is not evidence of the fact that you kidnapped my wife.> Count Fox also circumvented threats, such as the possibility of reporting it to the Imperial Palace. Lily found out that her ex-husband had finally found her hiding place. He was so angry that even his handwriting was a mess. When Lily found in the drawer the two letters from before¡­¡­ IIDexter woke up just in time and rushed to the office. He wished Lily wasn¡¯t the only one here, so the moment he saw the letter in Lily¡¯s hand, he grabbed his forehead. Lily asked IlDexter first. ¡°What is all this?¡± She looked like she was going to pass out at any moment, but her voice and accent were as elegant as usual. ¡°That¡­¡­¡± ¡°I need an explanation. I don¡¯t even want to say goodbye to Lord Blake and want to run right now, I don¡¯t know.¡± At her confused expression, IIDexter eventually chose to tell the truth. ¡°His Excellency does not plan to send Miss Lily back.¡± ¡°It is a fact that I, as a party, do not know.¡± ¡°He must have felt sorry for Miss Lily¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± Lily¡¯s eyes were filled with fear and despair. Her voice trembled even more, and tears fell from her eyes at the same time. Still, she kept her posture straight. She couldn¡¯t even lower her head to hide her tears, how much manners her parents had instilled in her from an early age. ¡°His Excellency¡¯s heart is a little soft. And he has the power and money to protect Miss Lily. Can¡¯t you consider this an opportunity?¡± ¡°Did you think I would be grateful for this kind of consideration? At someone¡¯s will?¡± The feeling of being discovered by her ex-husband was not Lily¡¯s illusion. It was the truth. Count Fox was looking for her. He will surely find her. Lily would rather die. She wanted to stop breathing under the cold winter sea. ¡°How much winter people like Miss Lily. This will be a good place to live. Even people from the capital city like me were accepted into the castle.¡± ¡°My husband is not someone who gives up on me easily. Is he the only one? My parents¡­ ¡­ . Oh my gosh, this is real.¡± At any moment, Lily just wanted to jump and escape. Just in time, Blake could be seen riding back on horseback with the night background behind. Lily went down to the first floor with the letter in her hand. Blake was shaking off his cloak on the porch. Snow and debris fell from the rainwater as if he had rolled in the mud. ¡°You are here.¡± (Lily) ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come near me. I¡¯m dirty from rolling in a pit. It¡¯s so invisible at night, and it¡¯s hard to tell the weaker areas because of the snow piled up.¡± The man roughly removed the mud stuck in his hair. He was so busy that he didn¡¯t realize that Lily¡¯s voice was cold. On the contrary, as soon as he came back, he had an expression that was always stiff, whether he was subconsciously happy to see Lily. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Miss. The processed magic stones that came in this time. Actually, I¡¯m thinking of putting them up on the walls in the lady¡¯s room to use instead of the fireplace.¡± (Blake) ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s just not for girls, it¡¯s just a hassle if a weak pure-blooded imperial person gets sick.¡± (Blake ) Blake was talking nonsense to relieve Lily¡¯s burden. ¡°The construction date is probably two days later¡­ What¡¯s wrong with your expression?¡± (Blake) Finally he raised his head to face Lily. CH 31 Returning to the castle, Blake realized that something was going wrong. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did something happen?¡± The man brushed off the dirt, and then looked at Lily. She had a terrible expression, as if she had seen a ghost, or, she seemed to have received ten sad news in a row that her beloved acquaintance died in an accident. ¡°You lied to me. You can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­..¡± As Lily threw the letter on the floor, Blake realized what was going on. The man bit his teeth hard. He shouldn¡¯t have been caught like this. At least, he tried to tell Lily himself after seeing the situation. After sending a reply to her ex. First of all, Blake had to make a huge accident to help Lily. ¡°Did you go into my office?¡± ¡°I want to say that it was my fault for breaking in without permission. Should I apologize now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know what to say. Anyway, why don¡¯t we move to an appropriate place and talk? I¡¯ll explain everything.¡± ¡°Say it here. There is no place that suits the time and place like now.¡± Lily looked obviously out of her mind. It was the case, and she was doing her best not to miss the end of the shallow reason. Fear that her ex-husband will come to get her. And maybe, maybe, maybe¡­ Hope that Blake might save her. Maybe it was just an illusion. It was like a wild flower in front of a wave. It would cost him enormous resources, such as time and power, to legally help her stand alone. Even if he was a duke, it was an amount that he could not easily handle. If he changed his mind, Lily was over. She hated it more than dying to return to her ex-husband¡¯s hands. Lily thought. ¡®I have to go somewhere.¡¯ If she stayed here longer, she would definitely want to lean on this person. ¡°What¡­¡± It was the first time Blake saw Lily like that. For example, the man would immediately find Lily even if she was surrounded by people in the Winter Castle. Because every elegant and careful gesture caught his eye. He had seen her often, but it was the first time he had seen her raise her voice like she was now. How frightened she must have been of Count Fox¡¯s letter. The man felt choked. ¡°¡­¡­you don¡¯t have to leave this place, so a letter to him doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± (Blake) ¡°Why do you decide that by yourself?¡± (Lily) ¡°I was afraid that you would leave if I told you ahead of time.¡± (Blake) ¡°You know well. I¡¯m going back now. Thank you so much!¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it seems like I¡¯m risking something else, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a way of saying thank you.¡± (Blake) IIDexter followed later down to the first floor. He ran down the stairs two steps at a time because he was in a hurry. Because of the commotion, the employees also gathered. However, the atmosphere between Blake and Lily was so horrific that they moved away on their own. IIDexter disappeared with the people, thinking, ¡®I¡¯d rather die now.¡¯ ¡°Can you tell? I thought I hid my heart well, but I guess I¡¯m still inexperienced. I¡¯m so ashamed of my etiquette teacher.¡± Lily turned pale and staggered. She bumped into a wall as she stepped back. The vase placed on the pine stone wall shook. The man nimbly grabbed the vase, leaving her trapped between him and the wall. Lily¡¯s overflowing emotions were conveyed with a hot breath. ¡°Get out of the way, I have to pack my things.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Blake¡¯s eyes looking down at Lily also began to burn. ¡°You had fun here, the damn employees even set the table for you. How about Dominic II? You don¡¯t know how uncommon it is for a horse of such good pedigree to follow you alone!¡± (Blake) ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Lily tried to push Blake away, but his rigid body didn¡¯t move. He wanted to stop her rebellion by grabbing her wrist, but he couldn¡¯t. How much has Lily changed because of the last contact? Now he was afraid to even touch her slightly. ¡°Then where are you going?¡± (Blake) ¡°¡­¡± Lily laughed as if the man knew the answer. ¡°I would rather die. It is the only place where I can go completely by my own choice since I was born.¡± (Lily) At those words, Blake felt absurd and took a step back. How should he accept the fact that Lily would rather die than get his help? It hurt as if a sword had been stabbed deep into his bones, and he felt empty and shabby by himself. His anger also rose to the top of his head. ¡°Winter Castle did its best for you. Miss, sometimes at noon you have fun in snowball fights with Il Dexter. A few days ago, I looked good on you, too. It was a skill that I couldn¡¯t even do, but I also danced!¡± The man¡¯s voice grew even higher. He didn¡¯t understand that death was better, and her words were just cruel. If it was such a trivial life, then¡­she shouldn¡¯t have smiled at him in the beginning. ¡°Miss. Let me tell you for sure. Eventually, when all of this is over, you will thank me.¡± ¡°You terrible person. Don¡¯t assume that everything will go your way. Human emotions and minds cannot be solved by calculations. My heart as well.¡± ¡°My calculations are always correct!¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at doing those calculations too, can I tell you one thing?¡± Lily was in a state of ecstasy enough to spit out the words she normally never spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have to leave here. You¡¯re stopping me because you¡¯ve come to like me.¡± (Lily) At that, Blake stopped abruptly. The cold, colder than ever, gained an atmosphere beyond the cold stone walls and tapestries. ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know¡­¡­ ?¡± (Lily) Blake opened his eyes to deny it, but his lips were dry and nothing came out. ¡°I come from a place where no one tells the truth. It¡¯s perfect for training to read your heart.¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡­don¡¯t like you. At best, it¡¯s likable. It¡¯s a feeling that a passing puppy can embrace even a stone.¡± (Blake) He exhaled hard, but Lily didn¡¯t even pretend to listen. ¡°But love is like a dream overnight, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re just curious about a woman you have met for the first time.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Blake was about to say this wasn¡¯t the first time they met, but Lily was quicker. ¡°What if I believe that your love is sincere? And what if I get the illusion that I¡¯ll be here forever? One day you¡¯ll change your mind and say: Love has grown cold, so go away now.¡± (Lily) The hardships that arise when she completely escapes from her husband. Numerous court battles, the eyes of nobles, gossip, criticism, and property consumption¡­.. Yes, the honor could not be overlooked. If rumored wrong, Blake will be a scum that passed down from word of mouth to future generations. If Lily was really going to escape, her husband and parents would do that to Blake. If he experienced this kind of hardship¡­ ¡­ . Lily was sure. Anyone would let go of her hand and run away. ¡°You have no idea what will happen in the future¡­..¡± (Lily) ¡°I¡¯m ready for everything.¡± (Blake) ¡°You don¡¯t even know exactly who my father is.¡± (Lily) The humans around Lily were not always normal. Her father, mother, superficial friends, and her husband. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t know love. ¡°No matter what the future holds, I will not be cruel.¡± (Blake) ¡°Do you want me to tell you what you look like in my eyes now?¡± (Lily) Men whispered love to Lily, but they didn¡¯t feel it was worth asking her for any advice. It was only after her father decided to make Lily marry that he informed her. Count Fox also decided to lock her in the house and ordered her to do so. And now even Blake made his own judgment and hid the facts. Blake read her thoughts from Lily¡¯s empty expression. For a moment, he would rather be buried in the ground. A feeling of guilt rose from his back and strangled him. Lily didn¡¯t continue what she had said before, and just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡± ¡°Is this the end? Will you leave without talking to me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m telling you this in advance since you¡¯re not going to talk to me anymore, but don¡¯t even think about going down the mountain range. Neither the carriage nor the horses will be used. Please do not return to the capital by any chance.¡± (Blake) The moment Lily left the Duchy, she knew that even Blake wouldn¡¯t be able to help her. And now, in anger, this kind of remark was the best. ¡°You know? This is confinement.¡± (Lily) At Lily¡¯s helpless words, Blake swept his dark hair roughly. And he sighed softly. ¡°I, too, know well.¡± Blake and Lily both turned their backs and walked away to opposite ends at the same time. CH 32 Blake couldn¡¯t sleep for several days after that, and he became very haggard. It looked as if he was on drugs. His aide, IlDexter, hid like an assassin, fearing Blake would kill him. It was only natural, since the cube of things was the beginning of the conflict. One time, while moving behind a tapestry hanging on the wall, the knights mistook him for an assassin and he almost got in trouble. ¡°Do something, aide!¡± He was caught by Blake. ¡°Master, are you going to leave it like that? The air is so heavy that I can¡¯t breathe at all, breathe!¡± Originally, the person they leaned on was the butler Alfred. It was because Alfred had been taking care of Blake, who has an unruly temperament, since he was a kid. But Alfred was lying ill with a cold, and it was IIDexter who was the next closest to Blake. It was IIDexter¡¯s side job. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help it and stood in front of the office. ¡°Sir, may I come in?¡± Through the door, the only sound was the murmur of the grumpy man in his sleepiness. Eventually, IIDexter slowly opened the door and entered. Blake lay crouching in his chair. ¡°What the heck¡­.¡± A harsh grunt came from the gap between the man¡¯s dry lips. He didn¡¯t have the strength to be angry, he was just killing time. He hadn¡¯t slept well for several days, but he wasn¡¯t able to sleep. It was crazy that he could keep his eyes open even on the battlefield with roaring noises from all directions. It was the first time something like this had happened. IIDexter first brought up everyday conversations to look normal. ¡°This is a story about the last agenda. I think you made a little mistake when processing the paperwork.¡± ¡°Me? What mistake?¡± Blake has the mouths of many duchy people. He was always careful because even a single mistake could result in starvation in some areas, where even hard bread made of oat and barley could not be obtained. ¡°It is time for the knights to descend again, but the atmosphere in the mountain range is not good, so you made them stay longer in the castle for a while. As you know, the monsters are suddenly intense.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what we agreed.¡± ¡°For that purpose, the knights have set a budget for decorating the rooms, new bedding, and other daily necessities¡­.¡± IlDexter held out a piece of paper. Contrary to Blake¡¯s intention, two zeros were missing. ¡°With this amount of money, we can buy one soap at a time.¡± ¡°Why did I do that? Fix it.¡± Blake wiped his face and motioned for IIDexter to leave. But Blake¡¯s mistakes weren¡¯t one or two. ¡°There is a big error in this tax case in the northeast region¡­¡­¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°And every year we buy salted sardines at the border. They want you to re-check your order. Did you really ask for a hundred tons of sardines?¡± ¡°¡­who eats a hundred tons?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s what Your Excellency asked for.¡± And so, the work of correcting the wrong documents continued for a long time. Eventually things had to be said. He didn¡¯t know if he would just leave it alone and someday it might cause a big problem. ¡°You must not do this. You haven¡¯t been working properly for the past few days! You should get some sleep!¡± ¡°I try, but what do I do with the impossible?¡± Blake was so stressed out that all sorts of thoughts would not disappear from his mind. It was an early symptom of typical insomnia. ¡°Go to your bedroom and lie down. Are you in the office 24 hours a day?¡± ¡°I know with my head. It was subconsciously thinking that I had to protect something in the office.¡± It was the letter from Count Fox. In the end, it was an incident that occurred because the letter was not kept. IIDexter was thoughtful, but Blake didn¡¯t care. He just kept regretting it. I shouldn¡¯t have done this either. Why did I do what I wanted? Why did I scream? Why did I use force? All were his problems. Blake drank alcohol out of disgust and wanted to forget. ¡°I just wish I had an unfortunate accident.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just apologize?¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Blake struggled to lift his messy head off the table. A wolf, a leopard, or something like that looked like an animal that had lost all its vitality. He held that position for a while and thought..¡­ Apologize? To Lily Hedwick? Tired eyes stared blankly into the air. He was tempted, but his heart became cold. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t even want to see me face to face.¡± He muttered in a broken voice. A few days ago, when he had an argument with Lily¡­.he remembered the face he saw last. She was really looking at Count Fox in him. The memory caused Blake to hate and anger at himself. He couldn¡¯t believe he was the same level as that kind of water garbage in her eyes. IIDexter tried to convince him again. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything unless you try it.¡± ¡°Apologize, It¡¯s one of the words that you can easily suggest to others, but you can¡¯t even do your job.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to show her this broken image.¡± Not long ago, Blake had spent a lot of time dressing up for the annual banquet. He groaned and groaned. It seemed like he really had fallen in love. He couldn¡¯t believe he touched those useless clothes. It¡¯s not love. No way. ¡°Can I drink?¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t Lily think of her ex-husband even more?¡± However, IIDexter uttered Blake¡¯s thoughts exactly. ¡°Does Miss Lily¡¯s ex-husband use violence whenever he drinks?¡± ¡°¡­how did you know that?¡± Blake¡¯s voice became terrifying, as if immersed in lava. Only he (Blake) knew exactly what misery Lily Hedwick had to run away from. Soon he came up with a new idea. Perhaps IIDexter was a spy sent by Lily¡¯s ex-husband. ¡°Come here for a moment.¡± ¡°Hey! Sir! Can you put down the brandy bottle you¡¯re holding!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m interpreting as you¡¯re going to harm me, am I weird?¡± ¡°Can I torture you? If you confess early, I¡¯ll kill only three generations and cut you some slack.¡± IlDexter was wrong. The speculation that Lily¡¯s ex-husband had done something bad to Miss Lily was an open secret in Winter Castle. All the winter family members knew. First of all, there were many maids serving Lily¡¯s bath. Wounds on top of old wounds. ¡°I just feel sorry for everyone. All we can do is swallow our sorrow and pretend we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Alright, get out. I¡¯m sleepy, but my ears hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, you¡¯d better apologize.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to face her. Couldn¡¯t it be transmitted telepathically? Sorcerers don¡¯t have that kind of ability?¡± IlDexter responded honestly to Blake¡¯s insanity. ¡°I mean, is it alcohol? I will resign.¡± ¡°My dear aide wouldn¡¯t be in a position to argue with me¡­¡± Contrary to words, Blake had a harsh tone. It was entirely IlDexter¡¯s fault that Lily knew everything. First. He mentioned the word ¡®letter¡¯ in her presence. Second. He fell asleep while on the job. That resulted in Lily entering the office alone. Blake couldn¡¯t stand the disgrace. ¡°Promotion? I¡¯ll let you have it. Can I bury you in your grave first then give you the promotion letter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!!¡± IIDexter ran away with contemplation. In the office where Blake was left alone, only the weighted grandfather clock made a sound. ¡°Tsk.¡± Blake, who had no one to blame, clicked his tongue. All this mess came from himself. It was an obvious fact. The man scrambled to the window. The dark shadows under his eyes were very dark. In the distance beyond the window, snowy mountains without a trace of people. Nearby, there was a wide field of snow. Originally, it should have been filled with Lily¡¯s footprints. The employees walked between roads for Lily, keeping the snow pristine. ¡®But there is no more a Lady who leaves her marks while walking happily there.¡¯ His mouth was bitter. All of the organs in his body were rotten and he wanted to replace them with something else. The man thought he was too lazy to sleep today. IlDexter, who was watching through the crack in the door, slowly walked down the hallway. ¡°I wish Miss Lily would look at that foolish master once.¡± *** Lily Hedwick stayed in her room and bed for several days. There was only a dry sigh. She knew that Blake was a man who was a man of his own free will. Still, she lost her temper and raised her voice¡­. It was completely against the rules of etiquette. ¡®I wasn¡¯t like my usual self.¡¯ She was always obedient to the words of others. Was she more comfortable with Blake? But it was because Lily had come to believe in him. She realized she had already fallen into a situation where she had been so vigilant. ¡®I¡¯m already leaning on him.¡¯ Strangely, she had only met him for a few months¡­ ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡¯ Lily looked out the window with eyes full of sorrow. It was frozen white and the outside was opaque. CH 33 Lily was used to living helplessly by others¡¯ orders. It was a virtue of a wife to obey her spouse¡¯s choices. But wasn¡¯t this the result of all these mindsets now? It was a child¡¯s duty to obey the father¡¯s decisions. Returning to the capital right away or dying was not a good option. But trusting Blake and staying with him was also a problem. ¡®If I stay here and be caught, I will definitely be burned at the stake.¡¯ Aside from Count Fox, her father wouldn¡¯t forgive Lily. They would brand her as a witch who seduced men. Her father was a cruel man. Her father did not stop at memorizing and quoting classics like other nobles, but he also studied various disciplines such as economics and world geography. Especially anatomy¡­ The sight of him having fun dissecting more than ten mice for fun was just terrifying to remember. Lily could be sure that her father had killed someone, just so far, no one has noticed. ¡°Miss Lily?¡± At that moment, Gianna, a dedicated maid, entered the room cautiously. ¡°Miss Lily, the chef has made puree with avocado, would you like to have some?¡± To make it look appetizing, Gianna grabbed the spoon with a strong hand and stirred it. But Lily only shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t eaten properly for several days.¡± ¡°I have no appetite, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why do you keep saying you¡¯re sorry to us?¡± Gianna had hardly cried since she was born. But now she wanted to cry a little. She wanted to cry like a baby and rolled on the ground. Then, break down a few floors, force her, and whine, ¡®Please, just take one bite.¡¯ ¡°Miss Lily has nothing to apologize for!¡± It was Lily who had been dazed for a while now, but she only stayed in the room after the argument with Blake. For Gianna, it was crazy. Lily curled up on the bed. ¡°It must have been the Master¡¯s fault. To be honest, we have no idea what¡¯s going on, but the Master must have been bad! He¡¯s not in a good condition, either.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Lord Blake?¡± For the first time, Lily, who had been quiet, had a worried look on her face. Then she stopped immediately. Is she in a position to worry about others right now? Shw even thought that the act of apologizing to the person she raised her voice to was deception. ¡°He stopped talking. He¡¯s a pure b*stard these days. His hair has become sporadic¡­He¡¯s very savage, so it¡¯s understandable that the capital people called him savages. Right?¡± For Gianna, it was a self-sacrificing joke, but Lily was busy putting on a blanket and regaining her warmth. There was no threat now, and every time she touched the air, she was vaguely terrified. ¡°¡­Thank you for not asking about the situation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! Whatever it is, it must be the Master¡¯s fault! Why would a maid be mad at our Lily? Even if Satan comes back alive, I can¡¯t do that. Do you want me to kill him?¡± Lily couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the harsh joke. She wanted to smile faintly for Gianna, but only her face was distorted. It was quiet again. Gianna lowered her eyebrows and placed the green porridge on the table. ¡°Even if we come to torment our master, it won¡¯t be different this time, will it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But keep this in mind. We are always on Miss Lily¡¯s side.¡± Gianna held Lily wrapped in a blanket in her arms. ¡°I love you too. I think Lord Blake is a good person too.¡± Lilly¡¯s smiling face looked extremely normal. But Gianna knew she was not okay. This little girl was not perfect in any way. Lily let Gianna out. Then she sat still in the corner of the bed for hours until dawn. She could hear breathing, but it was as cold as death. **** ¡°The time has come for me to go slowly. Time to go.¡± The butler, Alfred, who was ill with a cold, and his face was pale. ¡°What are you talking about, old man? What are we going to do without you? It¡¯s just a cold.¡± ¡°Ho ho. It¡¯s not just the cold. It¡¯s because I¡¯m not feeling well these days¡­ I¡¯m worried about my lord without me. It was a big deal when the previous headmaster of the family passed away, but what if even me leaves? Who remembers your childhood?¡± The butler, Alfred, was packing his luggage. Winter was good, but he wanted to spend the last days of his life at home. He lightened his luggage so that he could leave at any time when his condition got worse. ¡°Things that are going to be thrown away should be thrown away. Have my things become this large all of a sudden? Greed is also a disease, so I¡¯ve saved up stuff I didn¡¯t use before.¡± ¡°Everyone lives like that, huh? Since you have lived here for several decades, wouldn¡¯t you have a lot more luggage?¡± ¡°Even so, it was bad that the suit I wore when I was young was still here.¡± Alfred laughed in an old, calm voice. How much did he throw away the trash and distribute useful items to those around him? ¡°No, this is¡­¡± The old man found an old locket necklace in the closet. Faded eyes twinkle with surprise. Immediately, he walked slowly to Blake¡¯s office. ¡°Master. Do you remember this? You entrusted it to me when you were young. After that, we completely forgot about it.¡± Blake couldn¡¯t sleep and picked up the necklace with bloodshot eyes. He couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Why does it look so expensive? Did I have such luxury?¡± ¡°Open it.¡± Blake meekly looked at the picture kept in the locket necklace. A deep silence came, and after a while the man murmured in a subdued voice. ¡°¡­¡­Wait a minute.¡± Portrait of young Blake and Lily as small as a head. He recalled the memories he had at the banquet. In that memory, young Blake and Lily were in a carriage. They were secretly chatting at a big party. I wondered if there was anything to be proud of riding a carriage together¡­. Now he knew. ¡°It was my birthday then. That¡¯s why I was able to go and greet her justly.¡± Blake¡¯s father, who was busy with work, felt sorry for the two children who could only play little by little. So, on the occasion of Blake¡¯s birthday, a celebration party was held in the capital. ¡°A lot of people have accepted the invitation. Nobles, monks, bankers¡­. No one really came to congratulate me on my birthday.¡± However, young Lily made a flower ring with her little hands and handed it to Blake. Butler Alfred nodded. ¡°Then the picture on the necklace must have been drawn then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It was the moment we were playing in the flower bed in the banquet hall. It was painted by the painter we hired¡­¡± At that time, young Blake was quite happy. To the extent of taking the painting and asking his father like this. So Lily and Blake had the same locket necklace, but the necklace that was in Lily¡¯s hand was discovered by her parents not long after. ¨C What the hell is this, Duke! Lily¡¯s parents, the Marquis, immediately questioned Blake¡¯s father. Blake was also there at the time and listened to all the conversations. ¨DMy daughter has a portrait that I did not allow. A picture with a boy that I didn¡¯t allow! Someone told me, isn¡¯t he your son? ? haha. Little children can have memories. ¡ª-I¡¯m sorry, but Lily is fragile and easily follows others. No wonder the results of etiquette education have been insufficient these days, so without permission, this, this, this, this, this, this! Although they did not dare to speak out, the Marquis and Marchioness were questioning Blake¡¯s origins. ¡®Barbarians.¡¯ The Marquis couple were furious. ¡ª-Oh, I should have thought it was weird. I heard that you invited Lily to a birthday party and escorted her because she was the same age as your son. In fact, you had a different intention! ¡ªThey were just hanging out together. ¡ª-Lily hasn¡¯t even made her social debut yet. I can¡¯t let the rumors go around already. If she gets involved in the wrong gossip, it will be difficult to find a good marriage partner later. The situation that young Blake feared most had arrived. ¡ª-Do you understand? From now on, your son and Lily will not meet again. Never again. Young Blake blamed himself for leaving evidence of the necklace. It was the reason Blake had roughly thrown away the precious necklace he shared with Lily. After that, he couldn¡¯t talk to Lily again. His heart was in pain, so he tried not to think of her anymore¡­He had to throw away all his memories. Decades passed like that, and Blake, who forgot everything, remembered. ¡°After breaking up with Lily, I cried a lot. I remember clearly now.¡± The man who finished the recollection was still frowned as if crying. ¡°I cursed the unruly adults. We were just playing. Adults say that everything is up to them. They treat their children like toys¡­ .¡± But the current Blake thought he was also selfish. He realized how wrong he had done to Lily. He rubbed his face with his hand and let out a sigh. How can I be so stupid? I have to meet Lily. Right Now. CH 34 A carriage with the characteristic cold light of the Duchy ran. Inside, young Blake was crying. He was on his way home after being told not to approach Lily anymore by the Marquis and Marchioness. Even the Duke, his father, who would normally have teased him for being a crybaby, smiled at his son this time. The Duke was not surprised, for he knew something like this would happen someday. He was neglectful, and his son liked Lily, so it was a natural ending. The Duke touched Blake¡¯s head. The Duke couldn¡¯t have been in a good mood to see young Blake weeping with tears in his eyes. He knew how Blake felt, because the Duke also had a childhood. The Duke threw another word to lighten the mood. Blake was taken aback at those words, but he soon gave up. ¡° Blake buried his messy face in the carriage chair. He thought he would never give up. A strong man who never bows his knees to anyone. He would become such an adult. ¡®I miss Lily¡­¡¯ *** Back to the present. A chilly dawn sank in Lily¡¯s room. The dust reflected in the moonlight floated in the air, revealing its presence. She was buried in bed, alone the whole time. Lily sighed as she saw the bowl of puree that Gianna had left behind. It had long since cooled and hardened and lost its role as food. ¡®Gianna will be relieved if the contents are secretly empty.¡¯ She took the bowl and quietly left the room to secretly throw away the puree. It was cold and she needed a shawl, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to go down the road. ¡®I¡¯ll just empty this and come back soon.¡¯ From tomorrow onwards, she will eat hard. So it¡¯s okay to lie today. Lily was as tired as an old clock from accepting everyone¡¯s consideration¡­. A watch in which the second hand barely moves once every three seconds. However, Blake was also standing in the dimly lit hallway. He looked terrible. He looked like a defeated king, or a rich man who lost all his fortune. She couldn¡¯t focus properly because she didn¡¯t get enough sleep. Lily looked at the man for a moment and then passed by without agitation. Blake said when she moved away. ¡°Miss.¡± There was no one around, and only a cracked voice could be heard in the quiet hallway. ¡°¡­.¡± Lily¡¯s blue eyes fluttered. Blake followed her slowly. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk.¡± ¡°I¡®d like to decline.¡± ¡°Give me a few minutes, I beg your permission. Please.¡± Lily couldn¡¯t go out to throw away the food. She turned around. Now what? He wants to apologize? It is questionable whether they can apologize to each other. What¡¯s the point of getting along as well in the first place? If she said she¡¯d stay in the castle as Blake wished, it meant that she still had to give her life to the man without any guarantee. ¡°Then I hope it will be a meaningful conversation.¡± With Lily¡¯s permission, Blake felt like he had passed a hurdle. This hallway was never the right place for a long time. Blake saw Lily shivering in the cold, but he couldn¡¯t give her his clothes. Instead, he decided to end the situation quickly. Blake hurriedly cleared his dizzy mind. He said what he had prepared in a rough voice. ¡°I have a wide burn scar on my left shoulder.¡± It was nonsense. It wasn¡¯t a story that fit this situation. But Blake had to tell this story. ¡°When I was a teenager, my father and I participated in an antique auction in the capital of the aristocrats.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°The noble boys my age came up to me, and wanted to hang out with me. There was no particular reason to refuse.¡± The man¡¯s voice seemed faint as if he were searching for old memories. ¡°They took me like that and stunned me with a wooden stick.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know your intentions now.¡± ¡°I woke up and found myself locked in a shabby barn in an unused forest. Can you guess what those guys were shouting outside?¡± Blake laughed wildly. The moonlight shone on the well-woven shirt. ¨C You savage b*stard! Where did you come from? Don¡¯t come out of your trash! -If you get down on your knees and beg, I¡¯ll let you out! ¨C Promise you¡¯ll never come out of the land of barbarians again. Or I will set a fire to purify your filthy blood! The more he talked about the past, the more Lily¡¯s face became distorted. She thought it was a good thing it was dark in the morning. ¡°What is kneeling? I hit the wall of the barn with all my might. I heard a squeak from the termites gnawing at it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There, the frightened b*stards really set fire. The flames engulfed the barn in an instant and spread to my clothes.¡± He could have saved his life if he begged even if it was too late¡­ As a teenager, Blake didn¡¯t want to. ¡°The more the smoke filled it, the harder I hit the wall. Can you see the result? Well, as you can see, I¡¯m alive here. The wall fell and I escaped. It left a burn mark on my shoulder.¡± He escaped and rushed to the noble boys. Most of them were permanently disabled by Blake¡¯s hands. As a result, Blake was taken to trial, but fortunately, the settlement was settled. Most of the noble children were the only children to succeed their families, so it was a business that remained. ¡°Well, anyway, that¡¯s what it was.¡± His voice was pitiful. Lily, too, assimilated her feelings, but struggled to resist. ¡°It¡¯s a sad past, but I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re bringing up such a story. If it was to win sympathy, you succeeded¡­ did you think that I would accept an apology for this?¡± ¡°If you think it was sad, that¡¯s a good effect. But I have something else to say.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I never got down on my knees. Even before the moment of death.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡°Never, never, under any circumstances have I ever begged¡­¡± Lily heard a dull sound. The man knelt on the stone floor where there was no warmth. For some reason, her chest ached. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized with sincerity. The man did not know how to make elegant sentences from birth. Like other nobles, he could not convey his intentions in an elegant way of speaking. It was the only way to spit out the truth so harshly. This was the greatest apology the man could make. He couldn¡¯t even take one step closer because he was afraid Lily would be scared. Why was he so helpless? He was more helpless than when he was locked in a barn. He felt like he hadn¡¯t grown at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will never be selfish again. We will discuss everything about you together.¡± He put his hand in pocket and fiddled with the locket necklace. He felt something hot inside and his eyes reddened. ¡°So let me off this one time. Lily.¡± Blake took out the necklace with the tone of voice that called her when he was young. The necklace gently placed on the floor absorbed the cold. ¡°Just once¡­.¡± The man didn¡¯t even mention that his work was messed up because he couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Instead, he continued to mutter, staring at the gray stone floor. ¡°Only once¡­.¡± Lily couldn¡¯t believe it. Blake was clearly crying. Even though it was a cynical first impression that she thought that iron was flowing instead of tears in his body. Lily approached slowly. All her nerves went to the necklace, and she wondered what it was and why Blake had it. Under the dark shadow of the castle, Lily picked up the necklace. CH 35 Lily couldn¡¯t comprehend the kneeling Blake. With her blank eyes, she whispered, sweeping only the outer surface of the locket necklace. ¡°Why? Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°Open the necklace.¡± ¡°Tell me before I do that.¡± Lily really wanted to know. Her mind was confused. Was she right to hate Blake? The Blake she saw for the first time was a cold-hearted person, but he also had a kind heart. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have hugged Blake on a thundering day. ¡°What should it mean to me that you get down on your knees?¡± It was as if this was the first time in her life that Lily had been angry. It wasn¡¯t because she was nice. It was because she had a life that could not even be refuted. Then, what was he that made her laugh so easily and get angry? Lily said she was afraid of love, she hated love, and she didn¡¯t want to accept anyone into her heart. ¡°I¡¯ve begged. I¡¯ve been on my knees countless times.¡± (Lily) Neither of them took this as sarcastic. Lily was quietly telling him the truth. ¡°As a child, I had to beg my father even when I dropped the tableware. Do you know what has changed with the cursor? I always had to ask for forgiveness. Even though I did nothing wrong.¡± (Lily) ¡°Yes, you wouldn¡¯t have even had a chance to rebel like me. I know. Roughly.¡± (Blake) ¡°How do you know? You didn¡¯t even know I was a sorceress. You lived in a decent place without knowing anything.¡± (Lily) ¡°I really know. The fact that the Lady had a hard time.¡± (Blake) ¡°Do I have to be so pushy here?¡± Lily pressed her forehead as if in pain. ¡°I will accept your apology. Because I don¡¯t think I responded well. But I want it to be over. The underlying problem will not be resolved. I still have no reason to trust you.¡± (Lily) Eventually, Blake slowly walked over to Lily. Blake grew bigger and bigger in her big eyes, but she wasn¡¯t afraid. That¡¯s how careful the man was. ¡°I can assure you that I know a little bit of your fears. I remembered it now.¡± (Blake) ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± (Lily) ¡°Because I saw it myself. How difficult your life was.¡± (Blake) Blake opened the locket necklace and showed her the picture inside. It was the first time Lily had seen a painting that had faded after a long time. She couldn¡¯t remember her childhood. ¡°Because we have been friends for a very long time.¡± Blake¡¯s voice was very damp, unlike her dry face. It was pitch black outside the window, so it felt like it was in the middle of pouring rain, even though there was nothing. In addition, it was a voice that penetrated into Lily¡¯s heart. She tried to comprehend Blake¡¯s words, but every word he said didn¡¯t connect. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t remember at all. So we¡­¡­ ?¡± ¡°When we were young, we were pretty close.¡± ¡°But how¡­ ? How much?¡± ¡°I think it will take a long time to tell you all. I don¡¯t remember everything either.¡± Blake was finally able to take off his coat and wrap it around Lily¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Not because of love. I have many other reasons for wanting to help the Lady. First, like I said, because of this necklace.¡± (Blake) Blake put one of his fingers in. ¡°Because you reached out to me and spoke kind words to me when I was alone. In return, I will protect you.¡± (Blake) He raised his second finger and explained another reason. ¡°And I have something to avenge your parents. Our last meeting wasn¡¯t very good. Because of them.¡± (Blake) ¡°Oh my god¡­¡­¡­..¡± Lily quickly noticed the situation with her clever brain. ¡°Surely my parents were harsh on you, right? I know well, such remarks that tear even the value of existence.¡± (Lily) ¡°For a third reason, um. What else? Then let¡¯s say it¡¯s because of ¡°likability¡± to fill in the numbers. As I said last time, I have a good feeling.¡± (Blake) This time he spoke very calmly, but the tips of his ears were a little red. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the third reason, because I won¡¯t make any demands in the future just because my money and power are wasted.¡± (Blake) Lily quickly noticed Blake¡¯s change again, and she felt slightly better for the first time in a few days. ¡®God, you¡¯re ashamed to say that you have a crush¡­?¡¯ Others might be very surprised when it turned out that she thought that big, naughty man was cute. ¡°So, I ask you here again. I want to sign a guardianship contract with you. It starts with protection and supports everything you need until you become self-reliant.¡± (Blake) ¡°Then what should I do¡­.. ¡± (Lily) ¡°Give me a chance to repay and get revenge.¡± (Blake) Blake took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it under the moonlight. Lily looked at the neatly written contract like Blake. Her blue eyes twinkled, and then vanished over her eyelids, carrying her sorrows, and she again became wise and read the contract¡­ She finally smiled a little at the absurdity. She couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Wait a minute, you¡¯re going to give me the North Blue Diamond Mine if you break the contract?¡± (Lily) Anyway, the confrontation was successful. Her emotions tend to follow her face, and Lily became a little ordinary. ¡°That¡¯s enough to open a bank in the capital. It¡¯s one of the great reasons why the capital nobles bow to me even if they don¡¯t like it.¡± (Blake) ¡°It¡¯s an absurd condition. You know best how much it is worth.¡± (Lily) ¡°I have only enough resources like this to leave you if I broke my promise.¡± (Blake) Lily thought it was a face-saving contract he gave her. It was not really going to happen. In that case, Lily¡¯s point of view was the same as before the conversation with Blake. However, she was still terrified that she could be abandoned even by Blake, and she could still be swayed by his words. Still, it was the picture in the locket necklace that caused Lily to change her mind little by little. Lily thought. ¡®I am smiling in the picture.¡¯ Although she has no memory of her childhood, she knew the little girl in the picture was herself. From the earliest she remembered, she had never been happier than the figure in the picture. Then she had no choice but to believe¡­. If she doesn¡¯t trust herself, who will she trust? ¡°To be honest, I still don¡¯t know. You¡¯re only going to help me with the will of revenge? I am too much of a hassle for Lord Blake to get.¡± (Lily) ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But as long as you like it, okay. I¡¯ll agree. Thank you.¡± (Lily) Lily thought Blake would like it, but she didn¡¯t. He looked at Lily with his fierce eyes wide open, as if he had been confronted with a very serious incident. ¡°Huh¡­ . What happened?¡± Lily looked behind her, but suddenly nothing dangerous seemed to happen. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it. To be honest, it was half a gamble. More than deciding whether or not to cross a canyon where the enemy may be in an ambush.¡± (Blake) ¡°Me too. I have no idea what you just said¡­ As a normal you, you would never have been sympathetic. I¡¯m not saying there¡¯s a problem with Lord Blake, but¡­¡± ¡°I understand. The Lady is still anxious.¡± For Blake, he was proud because he had no intention of breaking the contract. ¡°So, let¡¯s finish this right now. We have to go to the contract guarantor, legal advice, and finally the notary office.¡­ ¡± This time, Lily was surprised. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°The contract must be sealed and finished immediately upon the original agreement. The nobles say that leisure is a virtue, but I am thorough when it comes to money. But if you need sleep, then we¡¯ll do it tomorrow morning.¡± (Blake) ¡°Are you really going to sign this contract?¡± (Lily) They had communicated but now Blake suddenly felt stupid. What? Huh? Only the sound came and went. Then Blake raised his voice. ¡°What do you see me as? I¡¯m different from those sleazy capitalists who don¡¯t keep their words. Of course we have to sign a contract.¡± (Blake) ¡°Then how do you see me? How do I sign a contract with a diamond mine? There is an old proverb that says that if you make a lot of money you become a maniac, but it must be true.¡± (Lily) ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy?¡± (Blake) ¡°How could you say something so direct and harsh, I was just stating a proverb. It was a proverb that Princess Blake didn¡¯t like to hear.¡± (Lily) Lily shrugged her shoulders gracefully before realizing. How long has it been since her head was this clear? There were still many things she wanted to ask, but one thing was certain. She had to thank him. Unlike before, Unlike before, she wanted to say so without anyone¡¯s coercion. CH 36 Lily was tired too, but in fact, it was Blake who was the most sleepy. It was natural because he couldn¡¯t sleep for days and now he was relaxed. His jaw muscles tightened as he held back his yawn. When she saw it, Lily smiled gracefully as she closed her eyes as she normally would. ¡°I¡¯m curious about the contract and the story of my childhood, but I¡¯ll put it all off until tomorrow. Let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°Well, then, okay.¡± Blake pressed hard on the corners of his eyes as if he suddenly feel sleepy. Still, he made the gesture to take Lily to her room. ¡°By the way, what is that bowl in your hand? You¡¯re going to throw it away? Give it to me. It¡¯s not empty at all.¡± ¡°I will definitely have breakfast starting tomorrow. I¡¯ll see you at the dining room after a long time.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Blake stopped trying to tell her that since Lily was upset, he had his meals in his office. ¡®It¡¯s not love, don¡¯t misunderstand. Anyway, it¡¯s not love. It¡¯s not love.¡¯ For the man, the word ¡®love¡¯ seemed to keep popping up in his head these days, but he just passed it over, saying it was because of his mood. ¡°Tomorrow, breakfast. Anyway, I see.¡± Finally, Lily said goodbye to him in front of the door of her room. ¡°Then see you tomorrow.¡± As Blake was about to leave, Lily stopped him. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have something I want to say, but I don¡¯t think I have delivered it yet.¡± Lily pulled Blake and made him bend down slightly. The man lowered his head gently, thinking Lily was going to tell him a secret, and was startled. Lily kissed his cheek in a friendly and formal gesture. ¡°Thank you.¡± This greeting, which thanked him for the kindness of the knight, was proof that she felt reassured about Blake. This quarrel was ultimately a matter of whether Lily trusted the man, so there was no better way than this as a gesture of reconciliation. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Before Blake could say anything, Lily disappeared into her room. She stretched out under the dim moonlight and looked around inside. Lily thought. ¡®Um, I said thank you¡­now since I rested too much, starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to work hard again for the winter season¡­¡¯ She thought about filling the stable¡¯s food bins, and would ask if there¡¯s anything she could do to help the maids. Meanwhile, in Lily¡¯s room, the window was closed and the air was stagnant. She never cared about the stuffy air, but now her breath was suffocating. She opened the window wide. Whoosh. A cold wind shook her hair and the smell of winter felt good. ¡®From tomorrow on, I should stop lying in bed. Let¡¯s stop thinking about my ex from today.¡¯ Lily yawned slightly. Slowly falling asleep. *** Left alone in the hallway, Blake had completely lost his sleepiness. Now he didn¡¯t look like someone who hadn¡¯t slept for a long time. Only the cheek that someone¡¯s lips had touched was blankly touched. Just now¡­What was it? Even trying to recall his memories, he was so startled that only the strong peach scent was engraved in his mind. One beat later, Blake¡¯s face darkened. ¡®D*mn it, you d*mn woman¡­¡¯ In fact, Lily went back as if nothing had happened, but it was funny that he was overreacting like this. ¡®It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s no big deal.¡¯ Okay, let¡¯s not think about this any more. With that in mind, he walked back in stride in the hallway of dawn. But Lily¡¯s eyes kept coming to his mind. Blake used to feel strange when he looked into her eyes, and the feeling was like a shock. It felt different from war neuralgia. When the blue eyes hidden behind her long eyelashes were revealed and looking at him¡­ When Blake was in her twinkling eyes..¡­ ¡®Stop thinking!¡¯ Blake hit the wall in the hallway hard. The problem started there. A fist made of stone-hard muscles had tremendous destructive power, and the brick was in a state of needing some repairs to the adhesive. A huge white brick fell far down in search of freedom. Fortunately, there was no one, so it ended with being buried in the snow. ¡°¡­¡± Blake was met with a blank expression on the cold wind coming through the open hole. What is this? He looked around and made sure that no one was there, and then moved on quickly. ¡®I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Returning quickly to the room, he unfastened his belt. Then he stopped at the moment when his reflection in the mirror was disturbing. ¡®I went to see Lily looking like this?¡¯ Black hair disheveled as if in need of gel. And his eyes needed a rinse. In Blake¡¯s own eyes, some b*stard was standing opposite him. ¡®Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to call someone and have my hair trimmed.¡¯ His shirt was also very wrinkled. His belt had to be changed too¡­. It was the first time in his life to inspect his appearance so thoroughly. The man didn¡¯t even realize it, and he concentrated on the mirror. He stood like that for a dozen minutes before he sat down on the bed. Thanks to someone with platinum hair, his sleepiness ran away, but he had to sleep. Anyway, he felt like his insomnia was over as of today, so it was possible. ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯ Blake was putting the locket necklace in a drawer when suddenly he realized something important. There was a reason his deceased father, the former Duke, had acted burdensome to Lily. ¡®I thought my father was crazy because he made a promise using his family¡¯s name because he spilled wine on a noblewoman. But he actually remembered Lily Hedwick.¡¯ Unlike the two youngsters, the former Duke was still sane, so there was no way he could not remember Lily. ¡®D*mn, that¡¯s why he said he would do Lily a favor using his family¡¯s name. But he never said anything to me.¡¯ Blake suddenly wondered. Did his father foresee that in the future Lily would come to the winter castle using the promise he gave? It couldn¡¯t be. Blake was convinced. His father must have an optimistic idea that it¡¯s good to have a connection. The mysterious father was such a simple human being. ¡®Still, I have to say thank you for today.¡¯ The man clenched his fists involuntarily. Then he remembered the accident and carefully loosened his fingers. *** The next day, the sun rose at the same time as usual. Lily¡¯s maid, Gianna, stretched herself behind the circle. Her body was in bad shape. Another maid spoke to Gianna while carrying dozens of kitchen knives. ¡°Where are you going, Gianna¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to change the blanket to a new one¡­.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ .¡± The people of the winter castle were dying these days. Life without Lily was so lonely. Even though it was the same life as it was a few months ago, it was empty all the time. It doesn¡¯t matter if you haven¡¯t eaten strawberries in your life because you don¡¯t know the taste of them, but if you take them away after you eat them, it¡¯s too hard. Gianna stood in front of Lily¡¯s door. ¡®I have to smile in front of Miss Lily.¡¯ She had to give a gloomy person a bright aura. Gianna opened the door with a big smile. ¡°Lily! Good morning! Did you enjoy the puree I gave you yesterday? I brought a new, fluffy blanket.¡± The voice that was loud, as if it had boiled and ate a train barrel, gradually diminished. Because Lily wasn¡¯t anywhere in the room. Gianna wondered if Lily had fallen under her bed and started her search. But there was no income. Her trembling eyes and her fingers searched everywhere. Then she jumped out into the hallway and shouted. ¡°Lady Lily is missing!!!¡± The news spread all over the winter castle in an instant. ¡°Miss Lily isn¡¯t here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? It¡¯s cold today as always.¡± ¡°D*mn it, you b*stard. But there really isn¡¯t anything inside!¡± ¡°Did she really run away without a carriage? We need to find her quickly before she gets lost!¡± They searched the inside of the winter castle like a mouse and couldn¡¯t find anything, so they formed a search group and went outside. After the knights crawled on the snow-covered ground, they found footprints that were almost erased. ¡°This is it!¡± They brushed off the snow that had accumulated on the footprints with a brush. It was a very careful gesture, as if finding evidence of a serial killer. ¡°The gait with the center of gravity inward! Depth pressed with a smaller weight than normal women! Especially since it¡¯s 0.1cm more from the thumb, it¡¯s definitely Miss Lily¡¯s footprint!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s follow this. Everyone gather!¡± In broad daylight, as if a war had broken out, they rushed to the front of the stable. Huh? The stable? While they raised question marks, the wooden door opened with a creaking noise. It was Lily Hedwick who tied her bountiful white blonde hair into a braid. She looked around the people with her round eyes, holding in her arms the straw that was left over from the feeding trough. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± CH 37 A clean but worn out brown skirt. Plain blouse and warm outerwear. And even her hair tied high like a woman working on a farm. Lily stood upright, dressed like a cold-weather wife. ¡°I asked what¡¯s everyone doing here? You don¡¯t just gather like this for no reason. I¡¯m really curious.¡± She looked around the winter castle people who were in the midst of chasing her escape route. Unlike her dazed and depressed appearance before, she was full of vitality. Her splendid beauty that caught the eyes of others, not covered by ordinary clothes, was the same. ¡°Did you all go play hopping as a group?¡± People were dumbfounded with Lily¡¯s reasonable reasoning. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to be relaxed, but it can also make Lord Blake mad. He is a very thorough person.¡± ¡°Eh, yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold, so don¡¯t play too long. I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Lily had been working since early morning, so she went away with her light gait following today. The knights and the servants looked at each other¡¯s faces and spoke again. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What happened just now?¡± ¡°Wait. Was it Miss Lily that we saw?¡± They returned to the winter castle with footsteps as if possessed by something. It was incredible! It wasn¡¯t an illusion. Lily was still exhaling a cool energy and smiling affectionately. As she walked through the hall on the first floor, she talked to Blake. ¡°Lord Blake, I just came to see Coco II and there was white hair around his buttocks. Is he okay?¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s molting. It¡¯ll grow black again soon.¡± ¡°And Coco¡­¡± Lily looked at the people standing blankly in front of the gate. It was very funny to see the snow piled up on their heads. ¡°The people here are full of energy since morning. Earlier, everyone was running and playing.¡± ¡°Them?¡± Blake fixed his fierce eyes at the people. He thought it was crazy that grown-ups were running around. ¡°Stay away. Don¡¯t get too close, it could be a contagious disease.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± Lily poked the man¡¯s hard forearm as if his joke was too much. The servants, who suddenly became crazy, just stood still. One of them suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh¡­ If this is a dream, I never want to wake up¡­¡± ¡°Miss Lily is back¡­!¡± ¡°Blow the trumpet quickly, and rob the food warehouse! Let¡¯s hold a festival even if we get scolded!¡± (*Blake and Lily were clueless that the people were looking for her. Lily thought they were playing, and Blake thought they were crazy ) *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you all this time.¡± Lily, who was eating at the dining room for the first time in a long time, was bewildered when she saw the huge cake in front of her. ¡°I will try not to worry you in the future¡­but what the hell is this cake?¡± ¡°This is a cake that Chef Alex made in a hurry! Although there is no flour or whipped cream.¡± The servants had to celebrate the day by making a cake out of ingredients they didn¡¯t have. It was the happiest day ever. They only now realized it anew. The fact that this little lady, who had been staying here only for a few months, had become so precious. ¡°So it probably tastes a little weird. It won¡¯t taste like the cake you think it is¡­Hehehe.¡± A chick who fell out of the blue in a wolf cave full of ugly scars wasn¡¯t in danger. Instead, she brought out the vigilant Captain Wolf due to an unfortunate incident and saved many lives with her mysterious power. As a result, the chick unwittingly became the king of the wolves. ¡°A cake without flour or whipped cream?¡± Lily looked at the cake, repeating that same sentence. The white outside was sauce, not cream, and the inside consisted of chopped meat. She thought carefully after tasting the cake. What a great combination of hamburger steak and garlic sauce. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s chef Alex¡¯s work. Now. Eat a lot, a lot! What is this because you haven¡¯t eaten properly in a while? Your arm is so thin, it can go through the hole of a needle. Can you walk for eight hours, let alone half a day?¡± ¡®Can even an average person walk for eight hours?¡¯ Lily thought as she watched the garlic steak-cake piled up in front of her. Yeah, when it comes to fitness standards for people in the Duchy, well¡­ ¡°Yesterday, all of a sudden, there was even a hole in the wall. The repair has been done, but a little cold wind is still coming in, so don¡¯t go near it. You¡¯re going to catch a cold with this body.¡± The culprit Blake coughed and turned away. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to eat half of what you gave her. Idiots.¡± ¡°Really, my lord? Thank you for the good information.¡± The maids were astonished and serious as if they were sincere. But it wasn¡¯t intentional. Soon after, a maid changed her face 180 degrees and grinded her teeth. ¡°I have one more question for this clever master. So, what the hell happened to Miss Lily?¡± It wasn¡¯t until after an argument with Blake that Lily locked herself in her room. Everyone knew that the culprit was Blake. It even got into the ears of employees who stayed under the mountain. During that time, Winter Castle was literally gloomy and desolate. ¡°Right. You¡¯d better tell the truth, Master.¡± Obviously this wasn¡¯t a battlefield, it was a place to eat, but there was a sound of iron friction coming from somewhere. How hard he tried to get Lily to stay at the castle, how dared these idiots¡­.. Blake, who had become bitter, opened his mouth. ¡°Lily Hedwick will stay at the castle for a while, not for a year, but for an indefinite period.¡± ¡°Huh, what did you say? Are you serious?¡± ¡°And the employees are also planning to change completely. You¡¯re saying goodbye to the lady. Say goodbye to her today. Oh, even that won¡¯t work. She has work to do with me today. Work hard.¡± After he had finished speaking, Blake took Lily after her meal and left the dining room. In the end, the servants fell into chaos because they couldn¡¯t tell if the story about Lily¡¯s increase in tenure was serious or a joke. *** It was in his office that Blake guided Lily. The clock ticked heavily. Lily sat in a chair across from Blake and looked at him. ¡°Now, read it.¡± Blake pushed the letter towards her. The sender was ¡®Duke Blake Upus¡¯. The receiver was¡­. Lily¡¯s husband, Count Fox. ¡°Oh, my God. I thought you had something to do with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send this letter to your ex-husband. Read it before I mail it.¡± The letter, which was only three or four pages long, will be the catalyst for the case. A chance for Lily to break free from the beasts of her parents and her ex-husband and become independent. Blake¡¯s tone was blunt, but his actions themselves were quite thoughtful. He said he was going to discuss everything with Lily, and he really kept his word. ¡°Oh, um, yes¡­. thank you.¡± They were seeing each other for the first time since dawn¡¯s reconciliation. Lily came with a light heart, wondering if he was going to tell her the old story, but she was completely nervous. Lily placed her snow-white hand over the letter. It wasn¡¯t a letter from her ex-husband like last time, but a reply that had not been sent yet, but her heart was still pounding. ¡°Ummm¡­.¡± She furrowed her brow. She thought it was too much. At that moment. Blake¡¯s large hand placed over Lily¡¯s raised hand. Just like that, the warmth was delivered to Lily. ¡°¡­¡­ just.¡± Blake spoke bluntly again. ¡°Nothing to be nervous about. Not for a man like that.¡± She was the one who was nervous. The problem was that she wasn¡¯t afraid. Maybe it¡¯s because she gave a useless kiss yesterday. She had held Blake¡¯s hand before, but why was she nervous now? Lily felt Blake¡¯s hard, callous hand. And the smell of old paper and mahogany in the office. It smelled like an old but clean bookstore. Her heart, which was racing with her anxiety, slowly calmed down. ¡°Thanks to you, I feel better. The time has really come to see what you wrote.¡± ¡°If there is anything you want to edit, you can do it.¡± Finally, Lily began to read the first sentence silently. [To Count Fox..¡­ . I read your best regards¡­] ¡°Um, um.¡± Lily was very serious. She certainly did at first. However, as the paragraphs continued, her expression faded. In the end, she almost burst out laughing against her etiquette. ¡°Wait a minute. Are you serious? Are you going to send it like this?¡± How big and terrifying her ex-husband had imprinted on Lily. Even in the midst of that, it was not normal to say that the content made her laugh. She read the letter again, flicking the bangs of her beautiful platinum hair to her side. She wasn¡¯t mistaken. ¡°Especially this middle paragraph.¡± [By the way, why are you calling her your wife when you¡¯re divorced. I¡¯m sorry to hear that you¡¯re a b*stard. There is no magic stone good for your head.] ¡°Did you really write this? If you had prepared a fake letter to make me laugh and it was very successful, comedian.¡± ¡°Why? I mean it.¡± Blake, on the other hand, pouted his lips. What¡¯s wrong with saying her ex was a b*stard¡­. CH 38 Lily was responsible for preventing Blake from sending the letter like this. ¡°You can¡¯t send this. It will heat up the newspaper all year round. That would be more chaotic than the case of a Count 10 years ago when he secretly met his lover with his wife¡¯s necklace and was shot and killed by his wife.¡± ¡°What a mess.¡± ¡°It is the content that heats up the newspaper. Anyway, I am against it.¡± ¡°But¡­ .¡± Blake looked dissatisfied. Sure enough, Count Fox had no reply, and he must have been charred by now. Like adding oil to fire, Blake had to make fun of Count Fox. Only then his firm will would be conveyed. Well, for no reason, he just wanted to make fun of him. D*mn Count. ¡°It¡¯s good if the case moves on quickly. If he¡¯s mad at the top of his head, he¡¯ll file a lawsuit against me sooner. Don¡¯t you want to get a legal divorce as soon as possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over the limit. My husband is going to have high blood pressure that he doesn¡¯t have, and it¡¯s going to put him down. If he dies, your plans will be disrupted.¡± ¡°Your husband?¡± Lily raised her head at the sudden remark. Blake asked again fiercely. ¡°Your husband?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ He¡¯s not my husband?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he your ex?¡± ¡°Oh, of course he¡¯s my ex. But administratively, it is a problem because we are still married.¡± Blake grunted nervously as he turned the quill he was holding. ¡°I understand what you mean. Anyway, don¡¯t call him your husband in front of me. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Lily lifted her head and stared at the man opposite her. The man was reflected in her blue eyes, resembling a sense of maturity, not suitable for his young age. ¡°¡­.?¡± Blake noticed Lily¡¯s gaze with the sharpness of a beast. At first, he pretended not to know but somehow he felt ticklish, so he made eye contact with Lily. Just for a moment, then he looked away again. Blake tapped his fingers. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Anyway.¡± After Lily saw him getting hot, she looked down at her as if nothing had happened. Even after a brief silence, Blake felt strangely long. ¡°I understand your fussiness. You should be more careful in choosing words than in front of the Empress. Anyway, let¡¯s fix the contents of the letter. I don¡¯t know the law very well, but it¡¯s good to avoid getting caught in court later.¡± Lily edited the content of the letter to be more sophisticated. Although she put a red line on every sentence, Blake¡¯s intention remained intact. ¡°If Lord Blake agrees, how about changing the content like this?¡± Blake didn¡¯t seem to like it, but without a word he pulled out a new piece of paper and dictated the proofread. Lily had nothing to do while he wrote the new letter. Gianna hid it tightly, saying it was her ¡°lethal weapon,¡± but walked around drinking apple flavored black tea that she gave only to Lily. Lily sat across her window and looked at the man¡¯s back. It was a backside that would make many women¡¯s lips dry. Sensually woven skin, not flesh, but a stone-like neck. Aristocrats would evaluate him as vulgar like a commoner, but in fact, it was only in public places. In fact, not long ago, there was a craze for muscles among the ladies. In unofficial clubs created by ladies, only waiters with ¡®such¡¯ bodies were hired on a daily basis. So Blake was definitely ¡®the type.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just the appearance. He was stubborn, ruthless, and at times a little bit less than a sea pirate, but he was a good man. At least the most of everyone Lily has ever met. ¡®If the saying that luck comes after misfortune is true, then I¡¯ve met Lord Blake because of the life I¡¯ve been through.¡¯ If Blake really rescued her according to plan, she would never be able to repay the kindness. Moreover, Lily had no money and she was far from being able to repay the help. If she had to think of one thing Blake would like to do, it would be¡­ ¡®Lord Blake will need a wife. There must be a successor.¡¯ If she asks if he wants to marry her, he will be happy. ¡®Even if I say that I am a divorcee, a child with half of my blood has a high probability of becoming a sorcerer, so it would be a good offer for him.¡¯ But for Lily, her marriage was the worst from start to finish. New marriage? Lily continued to stare at Blake¡¯s back. He wore no fancy design, but a well-ironed white shirt. She was very sick of the word marriage until she gave her husband a divorce letter. But it wasn¡¯t that uncomfortable to look at Blake and think about marriage now. She wasn¡¯t really suggesting Blake marry her, but Lily¡¯s transformation surprised herself. ¡®He¡¯s a great man. In many ways, as well as business performance and power.¡¯ Lily laughed quietly, then touched her lips in disbelief. She felt strange. ¡°¡­.?¡± Blake, on the other hand, was a superhuman who felt Lily¡¯s gaze even through the back of his head. His office felt like a cold sweat, despite the moderate temperature thanks to the fireplace. ¡®Why are you looking at me? What are you thinking? Why are you smiling now? Does my back look funny? I¡¯m sure I called someone from dawn and trimmed my hair well.¡¯ Moreover, he had done good grooming. Only his black hair that wasn¡¯t decorated. So, were his clothes the problem? Blake turned his head as agilely as he did when he led the battlefield, which had a clear atmosphere of defeat. Was there a tear on his shirt? He felt like his right shoulder muscles were tight in his clothes earlier in the morning. ¡®I must have taken the wrong size.¡¯ But when he lightly touched the sewing line on the shoulder, it wasn¡¯t like that. Then, the next possibility was¡­ As Blake couldn¡¯t concentrate on writing the letter, Lily sensed something strange beyond the window where she sat. ¡°Oh?¡± Lily sat across the window, and cast her gaze outside the snow covered field. The ground beyond the frosted window. I saw the knights scratching the snow and drawing a giant heart. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ But before she could look closely, the knights threw themselves on the snow and covered it. ¡°Hey, Miss Lily has appeared!¡± ¡°Hide it everyone!¡± A bizarre human figure drawn inside the heart appeared and then disappeared. Lily turned her eyes back to the office when the knights grinned and saluted. She had a strange feeling that the human figure in the snow painting somehow resembled Lily. Anyway, it was a peaceful winter. *** The letter with the bomb was taken by train and loaded onto a wagon through the post office operated by the country. Finally, it was safely transported to Count Fox¡¯s mansion. If only Count Fox had read the letter, nothing would have happened. Blake thought that as soon as the Earl received the letter, he would be very furiou. The letter ¡®I won¡¯t send your wife back¡¯ was very provocative, so it was a natural inference. However, contrary to Blake¡¯s expectations, Count Fox also had a weak side. Lily knew her husband well¡­ ¡°Why don¡¯t you just send a letter, but send it in a parcel containing food?¡± ¡°If the recipient is an aristocrat, all parcels of food are tested for poison.¡± In this case, the post office has the right to check the contents of the letter as well. So if Count Fox tried to hide the letter, it was already seen enough for Blake¡¯s message to leak to the world. ¡°What if the food won¡¯t work? What if the post office workers don¡¯t read the contents of the letter? I heard they are obsessed with mannerisms and do their job roughly.¡± ¡°I heard rumors that there was such a thing, but¡­ Well¡­¡± Lily didn¡¯t say they would inspect it very thoroughly if it was a parcel from the Duchy. Because the discriminatory meaning was clear. Anyway, their plan worked. A post office worker retired after leaking the contents of the letter to the media for a large amount of money. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone involved in the press to get access to the leaked version. [Exclusive! It is known that the missing Countess Fox has entrusted herself to the winter castle¡­ ¡¹ Blake¡¯s letter adorned the low-level newspaper almost immediately upon its arrival to Count Fox. Then, famous newspapers, which had been quiet due to legal issues, started to publish them on the front page, citing rumors. [ Count Fox knew all the facts from the beginning? The maid, who requested anonymity, testified: ¡°The Countess left a divorce paper and fled.] [It could be a complicated love triangle between the men and the woman.] [Duke Upus is going to be the guardian of a married woman. It¡¯ll be a big scandal.] This news quickly spread to the social circles and occupied the mouths of the nobles. CH 39 A concert was held every evening at the Rose Palace of the Imperial Palace. It was one of the lowest social places, so nobility without a base could rent a house nearby to attend the concert. If only the minor nobles were participating, that was not the case. ¡°I¡¯m going to die of a headache.¡± The lady who was doing administrative work in the imperial palace was elegantly annoyed. Another lady clashed. ¡°Have you tried the new medicinal herbs? It couldn¡¯t be more suitable for stress headaches. He said the apprentice was a sorcerer, so I think he¡¯s better than that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to put up with the concert today and go on vacation tomorrow.¡± Of course, those who worked in the Imperial Palace were all elite. The higher the position, the more they came from a good school and the more stressful their job was. It was a natural result of having a lot of responsibility. Stressed elites used to cheer themselves up by attending concerts. Therefore, it was a natural result for the concert to become a meeting place for all kinds of aristocratic groups. Rumors circulating in the social world always started at the Imperial Palace concert. ¡°Why did Countess Fox make that choice? I thought she was a woman of honor.¡± The attendees focused on talking about one thing rather than music. It was the story of the letter from Blake to Count Fox. ¡°According to the newspaper, there was a family strife, but ¡­ Anyway. In the Duchy of Upus live savages whom no one dares to associate. How could Countess Fox entrust herself to such a place? What if she gets eaten?¡± This story was arguably the biggest gossip of the year. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the truth is that the Duke and Countess Fox had contact¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, how shameless¡­.¡± Everything started as Blake had planned. The nobility had a lot to say about the fate of Lily, a once-popular icon. ¡°There is more than one insider testimony that they saw the divorce papers that she left behind. At this point, shouldn¡¯t we be called Miss Hedwick, not Countess Fox, as a courtesy?¡± Rumors swelled like a snowball. From the rumors that Count Fox wielded violence against her every night, stories of Lily fleeing through her monstrous obscenity¡­¡­. Or that Lily made eye contact with the duchy¡¯s master. Count Fox said she was missing even after he saw Lily¡¯s divorce papers, leading to speculation that he had done the shameful act of distributing missing flyers on a massive scale. Surprisingly, all of this was about half correct. Because reality was sometimes more frightening than rumors. ¡°Oh my gosh, d*mn it.¡± Count Fox was unable to leave the house, let alone concerts. He was a vain man who devoted his time to bragging about Lily. Socialites weren¡¯t initially attracted to him, but to meet Lily, they had to go through him. Thanks to this, he enjoyed a popularity beyond his means. ¡°Who will talk to me now?¡± Count Fox was well aware of that. He didn¡¯t know how to deal with this situation. ¡°Who would talk to me?¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± The butler made an opinion as he watched the Count wander through the house anxiously. ¡°Right now, the urgent task is to bring the madam.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that, you punk! It¡¯s impossible because that savage man doesn¡¯t give Lily up!¡± In any case, he had to stop things from going the worst. Count Fox said again. ¡°The documents that Lily left behind¡­¡­ Are you sure it¡¯s burned? The divorce paper.¡± ¡°I also made sure there was no ash left after putting it in the fireplace.¡± ¡°Yes. Like that¡­ . I don¡¯t know if some cheap employee was talking about the divorce papers anonymously, but that¡¯s not proof.¡± He couldn¡¯t raise his head to anyone if the public even found out that the divorce papers really existed. Eventually, he went to visit Lily¡¯s parents, the Marquis and Marchioness of Hedwick. ¡®Can they give me some advice?¡¯ The Hedwick family had a long history, having served as a senator for generations. Moreover, the current Marquis overcame many enemies and was called the devil of politics. ¡°Count Fox is here.¡± Count Fox¡¯s butler knocked on the Marquis¡¯ door. After loudly announcing the Count¡¯s visit, a maid came out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the sudden visit, but my master wants to see the Marquis and his wife for a moment.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t accept any guests right now. Please go back.¡± However, the Marquis¡¯s couple suddenly turned into closed-minded people. Count Fox held the door in urgency. His rumors had spread to the servants, and the maid of the Marquis¡¯s residence, who knew the circumstances, had no choice but to speak. ¡°Then please wait on the first floor. I will tell the Master.¡± At last Count Fox met the Marquis, but it was not what he expected. The marquis couple was very upset. ¡°Marquis¡­ ¡± ¡°Are you here? I was expecting it to come sooner.¡± The Marquis and his wife were very oppressive people. Originally, Lily could marry someone more powerful than Count Fox, so they pretended not to care. Count Fox also knew that fact, so he lived his life keeping an eye on the couple. Count Fox thought. ¡®I thought you were going to be furious again today.¡¯ They must have been very angry at the fact that Count Fox had not been able to handle Lily properly. But today, they had an appearance of dead old people. Did the rumors circulating about Lily make them this way? The scandal intensively harassed Count Fox, but did not make the daily life of the Marquis and his wife any easier. They like to be overbearing with authority as a weapon. Count Fox was very puzzled, but he couldn¡¯t ask. Instead, he handed them his greeting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been able to visit you, Marquis HedwicK, Marchioness Hedwick. I apologize for the sudden visit.¡± ¡°I know you are busy, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± The Marquis responded with a weak tone. Fox obviously noticed they were hiding something, but pretended not to know. ¡°I want to ask for advice. You probably heard the rumors.¡± ¡°How exactly did my daughter disappear?¡± Count Fox explained without mentioning the divorce papers. ¡°One day when I came home from work, Lily was gone. That¡¯s all. I put up missing flyers and it was only after a long time that I was informed that she was in the winter castle, but¡­¡­ I couldn¡¯t talk to her. Duke Upus is blocking all passages.¡± He was reluctant to lie about the divorce papers, but what about it? Annihilation was enough to say that it has definitely disappeared by burning. Young and short-minded, he was not a match for the Marquis couple. The couple also loved Count Fox, but they didn¡¯t have time to worry about it right now, so they gave him some advice. ¡°Sue the Duke for confinement and kidnapping. My committee mates will help to get to court quickly.¡± ¡°Then will I be able to bring Lily back?¡± The Marquis wanted to hurry up and send Count Fox back. He did his best to reassure him and inform him of various countermeasures, saying that everything will be fine. ¡°Then I will go.¡± Thanks to this, Count Fox could leave the door with hope. Eventually, only the Hedwicks were left in the parlor. The Marquis approached the curtained window. Through the purple curtains, he watched Count Fox¡¯s carriage leave. He said with a dark expression. ¡°Oh my gosh, that¡¯s unbelievable. Why did Lily even go to the Duchy, honey? Perhaps¡­.¡± ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t speculate.¡± However, the Marquis kept feeling anxious. ¡°We just have to be careful.¡± ¡°Lily, doesn¡¯t she remember her childhood? Lily had never brought up the story of the boy she used to play with.¡± ¡°Obviously she wouldn¡¯t have remembered Blake Upus, so why did she go there?¡± In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if Lily remembered her childhood. What they were most concerned about was something else. ¡°¡­ Did you notice that too?¡± ¡°If that was the case, would the current Duke of Upus have accepted Lily? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not come forward just in case. We can only hope that the stupid Fox gets it right.¡± Cursing the opponent was the same for Count Fox. The Count stamped his feet in the carriage going back to his house. ¡°D*mn marquis couple. The old foxes always leave me alone¡­ .¡± Amid the doubts, the relationship only deepened. *** ¡°Finally, the complaint has arrived!¡± Excited cheers filled the peaceful winter castle. ¡°Our Master has been sued! Sue!¡± ¡°The complaint has finally arrived?¡± The maid took the complaint from the Imperial Palace and handed it to Blake. ¡°Congratulations on being sued, Master!¡± ¡°You have worked hard. Master!¡± ¡°Good for you!¡± In praise and encouragement, Blake¡¯s expression was strange. That was what he was hoping for, but hearing such words made him feel strange. **** *They are happy being sue CH 40 The people of the winter castle were experiencing the fact that life was twisted. There was no distinction between maids and knights. Recently, when Lily was depressed, they were so depressed that they even burned jerky, but a few days ago, they felt like flying. ¡°I am so happy that Master has been sued.¡± The maid Victor said proudly. They had finally heard of Blake¡¯s detailed plans. He will solve Lily¡¯s legal problems and restore her freedom. He¡¯s finally using his overflowing money very correctly and justly! They let their imaginations run wild as if they were even best-selling authors. ¡°Free Madam¡­¡­ No, where will Miss Lily go after that?¡± Then the maid, who was holding a whole tree for firewood, clashed. ¡°Where is she going without us?¡± ¡°Then maybe she¡¯d like to stay in the castle?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll live with us forever?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much just to imagine! I¡¯m happy!¡± Their hearts were overflowing and their emotions were expressed outwardly. The maid appealed to her loveliness by cutting a tree that had lived well for several decades in two. Adviser IlDexter, who had seen all this, clicked his tongue. ¡°Please calm down. You crazy people.¡± Anyway, he¡¯s been very busy. He runs around the clock so that Blake doesn¡¯t get found guilty just in case. IlDexter went with a lawyer. He then summarized his preparations for trial and reported it to Blake. ¡°To be precise, the charges against you are for kidnapping and detaining Miss Lily. They ask you to send her back immediately and then you¡¯ll get punished or pay for the damage.¡± ¡°Did you hear that? Kidnapping and confinement, I don¡¯t know who they are, but they¡¯re garbage.¡± Blake joked with Lily, who was sitting across from him in the office. Lily smiled clumsily with her guilt and gratitude. ¡°Oh, what a bad person.¡± ¡°The materials you need to prepare before going to trial are as follows. First, a copy of Miss Lily and Your Excellency¡¯s guardianship relationship. The consolation letters that Count Fox had sent, and the details that Miss Lily was treated as a guest rather than a kidnapped victim.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°And¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it over yet?¡± IlDexter paused for a moment, then said cautiously. ¡°Miss Lily must stand as a witness in the trial. There¡¯s no better way to prove she wasn¡¯t kidnapped.¡± That said, Count Fox would also be on trial, so they had to face each other. Blake stood up violently from his seat. ¡°That¡¯s not allowed.¡± ¡°Sir, please. I can¡¯t help it¡­. If Miss Lily doesn¡¯t show her face, you can be arrested immediately after the trial.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find another way. Get out.¡± But Lily agreed. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Ah! Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°There is only one court in the capital for aristocrats, so I will be going to the capital after a long time.¡± Blake was bewildered by the spontaneous conversation. ¡°Miss. You mean you want to know where the capital is?¡± ¡°I think I know better than you. I went there to play a lot.¡± ¡°I was saying you won¡¯t know who will be there.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but meet my ex-husband. Besides, if the content of the accusation is like this, then of course I have to come forward and prove Lord Blake¡¯s innocence.¡± IlDexter nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Master, you have to put the first button on well. After that, there will be continuous lawsuits. We need to get ahead of the crisis.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it so easily.¡± ¡°No, do you want to make it hard for Miss Lily? Unless only the master can promote me, Miss Lily is a hundred times or a thousand times better than the master, right? Who would like a boss who is abusive?¡± ¡°Yeah. You mean you don¡¯t want to be promoted, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That, that, that¡¯s not¡­¡­. In the end, it means it¡¯s for Miss Lily.¡± Despite the protest, Blake¡¯s gaze was so frightening that the aide had to hide behind Lily. Lily said, patting poor IIDexter. ¡°Mr. Il is right. I already finished preparing my heart that night. Let us do what we can do together.¡± Blake wanted to lay down, saying, ¡®I¡¯ll do it my way, don¡¯t mind everyone.¡¯ If Lily¡¯s ex-husband met her, something would most likely happen. Still, Blake had no other choice, as he had promised to discuss everything with Lily. Lily knew that too. ¡°¡­¡­ A clever woman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t hear Lord Blake¡¯s mumble because I have so many plans in my head.¡± Eventually, Lily was included in the party heading to the capital. In addition to that, there was still room to take a few employees. Winter Castle unlike Lily, they desperately wanted to see Count Fox¡¯s face. ¡°I have to see that mug myself. How dare he torment Miss Lily?¡± ¡°Even the monster cherishes my family and sometimes dies instead!¡± They were born and raised on this barren land, and even if they weren¡¯t knights, they had enough combat weapons. Every single maid was confident enough to screw up Count Fox without leaving any evidence. ¡°I will definitely go! I can walk in mud without leaving footprints, I¡¯ll hit him in the back and run away!¡± ¡°Are you going to ambush the carriage just to grind the back of the head? I¡¯m the master of traps. I¡¯ll set up a trap that sends even bears lightly in 5 minutes and put it on the road.¡± ¡°I understand your enthusiasm, but the knights are the experts in this kind of thing. I will go!¡± As Lily¡¯s parents had promised Count Fox, a trial date was set in the near future. Employees spent all those days competing ¡®who will be in the party¡¯. If they didn¡¯t understand the language, they weren¡¯t afraid to fight. The last of those who won rode their horses with glory. They had to go further down the mountain to get the carriage. ¡°Then let¡¯s go! Heya!¡± Two days before the trial, the group, including Blake and Lily, began their way to the capital. *** ¡°Lily, would you like to try this?¡± In a rattling carriage. One of the glorious victors was Gianna, Lily¡¯s dedicated maid. In addition, she even won the privilege of riding with Lily among several carriages. Gianna took out an old but sturdy wooden basket. It was jerky. Lily had no reason to refuse, so she accepted with a gentle smile. ¡°Make sure you have a full stomach for what lies ahead. Of course we will protect you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m not here to fight my ex- husband directly..¡­¡­ .¡± The employees looked at Lily without saying anything, thinking, ¡®We¡¯re going to fight.¡¯ ¡°Give it to me too.¡± said Blake, who was sitting across from Lily. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Contrary to what they were bluntly saying, they only gave Blake half a piece of jerky. ¡°Eat a lot!¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°But¡­ I have to give it to Miss Lily too¡­ I gave you a lot¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°I saw everything loaded on the wagon like a mountain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the amount Miss Lily should eat! To be honest, that¡¯s not enough!¡± ¡°Is the Lady a hippopotamus?¡± A small war broke out inside the carriage. Of course, the employees knew they couldn¡¯t win. The victorious Blake grabbed a handful of jerky and popped it into his mouth. Lily burst out laughing. ¡®Cute.¡¯ She didn¡¯t feel nervous. It might be different if she saw Count Fox in person, but now every time she feels uneasy, she calms down when she thinks of the picture in the rocket necklace. ¡®I believe in my childhood.¡¯ The carriage was passing through the streets northwest of the duchy. It was close to the sea and the weather was mild, so the sun was warm. Through the curtains of the carriage, a ray of light shone on Lily¡¯s eyelashes and lips. At that moment, Blake remembered his childhood birthday. The day Lily was officially invited for the first time. Even then, Lily was sitting across from the carriage. She looked like a fashionable wheat ribbon tied to her hair, as Blake thought. Pretty. ¡®As it was then, and now¡­¡­ .¡¯ Blake involuntarily spat out the back words. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Oh, the flower¡­.¡± Just in time, the carriage was passing a beautiful natural garden full of red and yellow flowers. ¡°Did you say I was pretty? I understood. I hear that often, thank you.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m kinder and more naive when I was younger¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good topic to talk about. Speaking of which, please tell us the stories of our past that Lord Blake remembers. It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been in the carriage like this before.¡± Blake¡¯s harsh voice continued through the midst of the employees who had lost their energy and had fallen. ¡°At that time¡­ .¡± While the old events were taking place one by one, the card arrived at Aquawoods Station. They were going to rest for the night then catch the train, and at that time, a festival was being held in Aquawoods.