Episode 11
TL: Jasmine
“Miss Chloe.”
The Duke, who had never made eye contact with Chloe, slowly turned his head and called her name, Chloe breathed in briefly, and then bent down to show her respect.
“Yes, Duke.”
“I hope you keep your words now that you would do your best to accommodate without any inconvenience.”
Chloe unknowingly raised her head and made eye contact with the Duke who went ahead with his instructions with a unique smile.
“Because nobles who do not know grace have no
reason to hold titles.”
Chloe didn’t think she’d receive a reply for what she said. She felt the air around her sinking heavily. As soon as she saw Alice’s fist flinching standing next to her, Chloe pulled herself together.
“I am only grateful for the opportunity to repay the kindness I received from the Duke.”
The Duke, who was staring at an anxious Chloe, who was trying to put a smile on her face, while feigning a smile he glanced at Viscount Verdier, who was not sure what to do at the moment.
“I see why you’ve been bragging about your wise and beautiful daughter, Lord Verdier.”
Chloe, who wore the best dress which was out of season to greet the Duke, heated up as the Duke moved one step closer while the sun burned at the top of his head. The summer in Verdier’s estate was famous for its high temperature, but it was the first time the heat got into her.
“There is a second daughter who knows very well that it is better to keep her mouth shut than to gossip.”
In midsummer, a cicada attached to somewhere in the poplar tree cried loudly as if laughing at her.
The duke ignored Verdier’s two daughters in his own way and immediately went hunting with his luggage.
Alice regretted not rebuking Duke who was rude to her sister, but Chloe on the other hand, thought it was fortunate that the scene ended with this. In a situation where marriage talks with Count Cromwell were going back and forth in earnest, it was necessary to prevent Alice from being in a scandal by touching the Duke’s mood.
At noon, the duke’s party went on a hunt and returned to the castle as the sun set over the mountains. The duke’s attendant showed up carrying the reindeer on his shoulder, quoting that it was a gift
from Duke to the Viscount. Viscount Verdier gladly thanked Duke for the hunted prey and promised that he would display it on the wall. However, Chloe immediately felt goosebumps on her forearms when she thought of seeing the poor animal passing by every day.
Alice did not attend a dinner with the Duke, making an excuse that she was not feeling well. Viscount was worried that the Duke might be offended, but fortunately, he did not show any signs of displeasure,
“I hope it’s not a serious illness.”
“Thank you for your concern, Duke. We should thank you more for preparing such a great dinner, even though it was our duty to serve as the hosts……”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Viscount Verdier’s concern that he had to treat a distinguished guest was unnecessary. Among the attendants brought by the Duke was a chef dispatched, from Swan, and the wagon was plentiful with seasonal fruits to be used as desserts.
Chloe had to admit the bitter fact that tonight’s dinner was the best meal she had eaten in recent years. However, no matter how good the quality of the dish was, it was impossible to taste the food as the seats were uncomfortable.
“But Miss Chloe doesn’t seem to like the food.”
It was a question as if the owner of the castle and the guest had changed. Chloe quickly opened her mouth as she saw the face of the chef standing next to him hardened silently.
“No way. Maybe it’s just a little bit of heat, I have less appetite these days.”
“Oh no. That’s too bad.”
The Duke said it out with a face which was not at all sorry. There were no unnecessities in his movement to accurately cut the new dish on the table after hunting.
“Ladies these days avoid the sun, but this problem happens even if they don’t do too much outdoors.”
Chloe took the glass of water to her mouth without saying a word, trying to keep her composure. Viscount Verdier spoke with a friendly smile.
“I think my daughter is probably nervous. Actually, she is a child who likes to go for a walk more than anyone. When she was a child, she fell asleep while reading a book in the forest, so there was a time when the servants of the castle were all dispatched. Haha. Maybe that’s why she is so smart.”
The Viscount started boasting about his daughter again without any malice. Embarrassed, Chloe smiled slightly and stopped her father, but the Duke continued the conversation instead of interrupting him.
“If it’s true that she likes walking, she must know the geography of the forest very well.”
“Yes. In particular, the forest that leads to the mountain is not too much to call this child’s personal garden. There was a time when she came back from the rain while taking a walk, but she still didn’t stop going to the forest.”
“Did that happen?”
As the Duke frowned, the Viscount Verdier nodded with a dizzy expression on his face.
“Yes. I’m glad she didn’t get pneumonia, I thought that she would be gone and be by God’s side (dead). Also, she might have seen a snake while she was having a nightmare because she turned deadly pale and muttered nonsense… Come to think of it, that’s….”
Viscount, who had his eyes squinted, shook his head in a hurry after belatedly realizing that the period coincided with the time when Duke Tisse left after staying in the castle.
“Anyway, that’s how much she likes forests. She probably went in and out of the forest more than the caretaker. Don’t you think so, Chloe?”
When Chloe replied silently with a hard face and a smile, the Duke raised his voice as he looked at her.
“Good. Next time I go hunting, I will ask Miss Chloe to guide me on my way.”
At the sudden remark, Chloe almost missed the glass of water she was holding. When she managed to hold the cup and put it on the table, Gray, who was standing next to her, handed her a napkin. Chloe moved her lips slowly toward him, who took care of her, knowing that the water had fallen on her skirt.
“Thank you, Gray.”
The duke’s eyes narrowed curiously, then returned to normal. His knife cut through the meat again without hesitation.
“Duke, I’m worried that my daughter has a weak body and will become an interference. It’s a shame, but she doesn’t even know how to handle horses, so T’ll put someone else as a guide or I can go there myself.”
The duke, who chewed and swallowed the meat, emptied the glass at once and touched the empty glass with a knife.
Tuk.
The sound of silver utensils colliding with it rang sharply. The rude way of asking for drinks to be refilled was completely out of line with the high-level duke’s table manners. The Viscount was bewildered, but soon he glanced at Gray.
“Come on.”
The Duke looked at Chloe, lifting the glass that Gray had filled.
“I’m curious about your intentions”
The duke’s expression was brutal. It was a question with a fixed answer from the beginning anyway. Chloe will go hunting with him tomorrow. She managed to open her mouth.
“It would be an honor, if you allow me to escort you”,
“Young lady will ride my horse together. Because I’m not used to following someone.”
Chloe was in a desperate mood. As if it had only been the eve of the storm so far, she feels even more afraid of the duke that is gradually tightening her. Is it just her delusion due to paranoia that a beautiful but
poisonous golden snake seems to be licking its mouth while looking at her?
Chapter 5: The Hunting Duke
The morning of the hunting day dawned. After taking a deep breath hundreds of times in front of the mirror, Chloe held the cane in her hand. Unlike Alice, who is good at horseback riding with extraordinary athletic nerves, Chloe was one of the few people who never rode a horse.
All Gray did was grab the horse and walk through the forest, but not hunting.
Viscount Verdier, who initially showed signs of concern, seemed relieved after confirming the duke waiting for Chloe on a two-man saddle. It was also because he knew that the Duke had won the horse race competition he had competed in when he was in the Royal Guard.
Chloe walked slowly toward the Duke looking down at her. The duke on the horse looked bigger and more arrogant today. Staring at Chloe as she walked slowly as if dragging her legs, the duke finally reached out to her.
Chloe entrusted her wand to Gray, who was following her, and, using the duke’s hand as a support, stepped on the stirrup with her strong leg. Climbing on top of a beast that is much higher than a carriage is also an uneasy situation, but the duke’s grip on her hand was too strong. It was a moment when surprised Chloe almost tripped.
“Ah…!”
The Duke, sitting on the saddle, tilted his torso completely to the side, and then lifted Chloe and put her in front of him. Chloe felt as if she were a rag doll. The duke lifted her lightly, holding his center with only the strength of his lower body, and the sound of his breathing was not disturbed.
“Depart”
That was the end of the word. Before Chloe, who had almost stumbled, could calm down, he kicked the horse on the stomach and ran forward.
“Hik….!”
Chloe, who instinctively grabbed the horse’s mane, felt the duke’s solid upper body behind her back. He drove the horse with Chloe in front of him and bowed down as if hugging her from behind. Entering the forest at tremendous speed, she had no time to appreciate the scenery passing by. Her heart pounded violently.
This is too fast.
“D…duke”
“Should I go right or left?”
The Duke’s voice was heard right in her ears. She realized that the Duke’s face was right next to her face, but Chloe couldn’t move. Regardless of being afraid of falling, she was completely trapped in his strong arms.
Comments from Korean readers
They are just riding horse but it’s sexy
He is jealous of Gray…the duke is planning something while taking her out for a hunt…or am I just paranoid? TTTT I am seeing tsundere behaviour
The chemistry between Chloe and duke is awesome
Aww duke please do it in moderation
Whatever it is, he is freaking worse than Gray!!