The Crazy Prologue Never Ends

ible, even if it wasn’t necessarily the Duchess.

Being a Duchess would be difficult to escape.
So I didn’t want to… being the second wife I might be able to get the key.

Yeah, I’m not in this mess because I’m impudent, it’s because he didn’t make me his wife!

Lost in thoughts, Deon approved the document and passed it to Viter.

“Where is the hunting ground we decided this time?”

“The terrain in the west is rough, so we plan to go east.
I thought it would be comfortable to move with a small number of people, so we’ve selected a minimum.”

The Duke nodded.

After that, they had a long discussion about the area conquered by the first prince and the upper ranks colluding with him.

The conversation was full of unknown stories.
I got bored and decided to leave.
I had to check the dried beef jerky, to make sure it’s not spoiled.

I ate macarons as usual and brushed the crumbs off onto the Duke’s robe.

As I walked down the long corridor and rounded the second pillar, someone stopped me in the hallway.

When I turned around, there was Viter, with his dark brown hair.

He seemed to follow right after I left.
He slowly approached and stood in front of me.

“Young lady, do you know? Most of the knights who work for ducal families are nobles.”

He sighed and smiled, raising the corners of his mouth.
A sneer stood at the corner of his raised mouth.

The way he spoke was calm, but his words gave me goosebumps.

“Even a low ranking maid of the Duke’s might have a career worthy of being treated as a head maid in other estates.
Besides, the Duke can bestow titles, so the butler here also has the title of Baron.”

Well, what do you want me to do?

I looked at him wonderingly, and his mouth twitched upwards.

“At the Duchy, even every passing dog has a breed.
It means that everyone here has a higher rank than the young lady.
There were also many nobles among the blood that came last time.
However, this is the first time for the Baron’s daughter.
So… We didn’t have any idea on how to treat you.
None of the guests of the Duke lived outside the capital.
We don’t know what the environment and manners are like there? I didn’t expect it to be so different.”

Oh, that’s right, you don’t like the fact that a lowly creature is running around the Duke’s house.

He wants a clear line, so he put Reoni in the basement to keep her quiet.
And now she’s back on the top floor, so he’s not happy about it.

“I was really surprised when I heard that you had asked for the wife’s seat.
Until now, no guests have made such a request.”

When he pronounced the word ‘wife’, his face contorted slightly in horror.

“When you enter the office, you have to knock and come in.
After eating something, you should wipe your mouth with a handkerchief.
And…”

If there were more, he was ready to teach me how to walk.

“Why don’t you refrain from visiting the Duke when you don’t have any business?
The Duke won’t be calling the young lady anymore.
Well… he hasn’t called you yet.”
After a long speech, he finally said what he wanted to say.

“I hope you don’t have to see each other outside work in future.”

I smiled at him.
I could feel that he was startled by my resolute demeanor.

“I don’t think I can.”

I really can’t.
Wherever the Duke goes, I will follow him.
I replied with a bright smile like an idiot.

“I’m also going to the hunting ground with the Duke.”

It was a real tantrum.

I couldn’t use a bow or spear in the cold winter, so it was not right for me to wander around the mountains.

Still, I will have to patrol the territory someday.
Taking this opportunity to memorize the escape route wasn’t a bad thing, either.

And I’ll have to check a lot of things I’ve been curious about.

How thick is the snow piled up if there aren’t servants to clean it, can you walk, can you survive the cold without that damn insulation stone…

The map I stole from the Duke’s office could also come in handy.

***

“I heard you were going hunting?”

Lying on the sofa, she stretched out her feet.
I could see him flipping through thick papers.

Perhaps it was because I had been by his side all the time, there was no resistance left.

“So?”

“Please take me too.”

“I am not going to play.
I’m going to check if the trap I set is safe.”

“You know what? Exercise is essential to being healthy.
Being confined in such an unventilated space makes you weak.”

“Did I lock you up? Isn’t it the young lady’s foot that was glued all day in the office?”

Oh, then let me out of the estate.

He raised one eyebrow and looked tired.

He took off his glasses and squeezed his eyes shut.

He couldn’t even drink my blood, let alone sleep.

Because he stayed up all night looking at the documents that were overdue for several days.

He looked at me intently and strode towards me with his long legs.

He leaned over slightly and looked at me
.
Don’t tell me you can’t hold it in.
I looked up at him a little stiffly.

“Leoni.”

He called me with a sigh.

“I think you’re mistaken for being favored just because you’re warming my bed.”

He raised one hand and put it on my neck.
And caressed carefully as if touching a delicate animal.
As if at any moment he would bristle his nails and press them down.

“Sometimes I wonder what I should do with you.”

He bowed his head.
His face drew closer and cast a long shadow over me.

A cold, withered hand tugged at my chin.

“Do you know that I’m being lenient? You started acting confident without knowing the end of your one successful threat.”

In his low voice, there was a quiet warning.

“I only need your life and blood.
I can tie you up, raise you and take blood whenever needed.
No need to be gentle and placate.
So stop trying to get on my nerves.”

It was creepy.
I really felt like I’m going to be chained up and locked up in a room.

I saw spears, chains, and knives on display in one corner of the office.
The other day, I went closer to look at it out of curiosity, and all the objects I thought were for display were real.
Even if it is displayed for a long time, seeing the knife I realized that it is periodically maintained.

But I won’t be afraid.
If I back off like this, I won’t be able to follow him around the office, or anywhere he goes.
I won’t be able to get my hands on the key.
I would be back staying in the corner room, returning to being the blood packet Reoni.

I won’t back down like this.
You didn’t expect this, did you?

I’ll live for a long time, and I’ll keep nagging you.
And one day, I’ll surely get back at you.

“Do I just need to prepare shoes for the cold?”

“You, my words… ”

“Ha, yes,” he laughed.

He straightened his back.

“I get it.
I’ll prepare for it.”