13 - How to Survive as the Wife of a Monster Duke
How to Survive as the Monster Duke's Wife
Episode 13: "Your Highness, it's Aegis."
Behind Aegis, who entered the room, stood another person.
Aden raised an eyebrow.
"Is there more to report?"
He asked, referring to the information from Essid's merchant guild.
Milo, who had already heard the explanation on the way, opened his mouth with a trembling voice.
"Have you perhaps visited the bride's room?"
Aden leaned back in his chair and watched him.
It seemed like this irrelevant story would be long.
"Um, perhaps in Biften, it's okay to enter the bride's room—"
"Aegis."
Aden cut off Milo and turned to Aegis.
Aegis, implicated for discovering Milo, looked up at the ceiling for a moment before answering.
"Yes."
"Explain why that story is coming from another mouth."
Aden knew his subordinate's abilities.
If he had listened carefully, he would have heard the conversation in the room.
But because it was Aegis, he didn't push it.
His adjutant had been loyal to him since childhood.
Milo was similar, but he didn't want the ears of a guy who hadn't listened to hear it.
'...It's okay here.'
That absurd excuse.
The strangely clumsy bride made him even more clumsy.
Normally, he would never have made such an absurd excuse.
But her appearance under the light embarrassed him.
The scent in the room that bound him was so strong, it felt like the light from the ceiling was not the Sunlands of summer, but the scent of a deep summer.
A scent so strong and dense that it made him lose his reason.
In the midst of it, the bride sat with a face that knew nothing.
A face that was embarrassed and confused, and, unbelievably, cute.
"..."
If he were in his right mind, such a ridiculous excuse would never have come out.
Wouldn't it be an obvious lie that would be exposed if someone else entered her room?
Of course, there was no one with the guts to enter the room of a woman who had married the head of Delos.
"I went to the bride's room."
He thought there wouldn't be anyone.
The pen in Aden's hand snapped with a crack.
It was said that it was a Biften tradition for the bride to spend a week in the bridal chamber after the wedding night.
During that time, the bride could receive her husband's love to her heart's content.
Since there was nothing uncomfortable about it anyway, Illyin intended to follow the tradition as it was.
"You will be moving up to the 7th floor the day after tomorrow."
The problem was purely because Illyin's body was weak.
Illyin blushed.
The Biften Duke was blocked by the doctor from visiting her after the wedding night.
The Delos Maids, worried that she might be upset, placed flowers and items that Milo had brought from the Sunlands by her bedside.
Of course, the flowers that struggled in the cold were quickly removed within a day.
"Will it really be alright?"
The old Delos Maid bowed deeply.
"Of course. And please, speak more casually."
Illyin could tell that this Maid was at least in a position to lead the Delos Maids.
"Your name is...?"
"I am Etra of Delos."
Etra said without raising her head.
"If you are feeling well today, the mansion's adjutant says he has something to tell you."
She glanced at the door.
The Maids where her gaze landed looked startled.
"Why don't you go out for some air while I assist you?"
Air? When Illyin looked out the window, Etra corrected herself.
"The hallway is warm today. It seems the Lord is in a good mood."
Lord meant the Biften Duke.
What did that person's mood have to do with the hallway...? Was it just a figure of speech?
Illyin eventually got up.
She had been resting in bed for several days, so she was weak, but her fever had gone down a lot.
Etra looked at Illyin's arm, which was revealed as the soft gown slipped down, with pity.
"There are many foods that nourish the body in the Winter Territory. I will have them brought to you when you leave the bridal chamber."
It didn't seem much different from Arlen's mansion...
Illyin glanced at her arm.
Still, Etra looked genuinely sorry, so Illyin couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you."
"Please, speak comfortably."
Etra really helped her move comfortably.
The old Maid's arm had more strength than she expected, firmly supporting her body.
Etra, who helped Illyin put on a thick coat, didn't react even when she walked slowly.
It was definitely different compared to the Blue Nose Maids, who had looked surprised at her body the day after the wedding night.
"Greetings, Madam."
The adjutant waiting in the hallway was someone Illyin had seen before.
Aegis of Red Deloz politely guided her into the room.
Illyin realized that Aegis had not entered the room to wait for her.
Certainly, the people of Red Deloz were showing her the utmost courtesy.
Illyin found the feeling strangely ticklish.
And unfamiliar.
To her, subordinates had always been those who passed on words to others.
People who spent more time monitoring her than serving her.
"I am Adjutant Aegis. We have met before."
"Of course, I remember."
Aegis bowed deeply.
The distance between him and Illyin was excessively far.
But both Etra and Aegis didn't seem to think it was strange.
'It's okay here.'
It didn't seem okay at all.
Milo's reaction was the same.
He had looked very relaxed when she saw him at the merchant guild.
If it hadn't been for the Precognitive dream, she would have been led by his eloquence and dismissed her doubts, thinking, 'Is that so?' and left.
But yesterday was different.
Didn't he tremble as if a knife was at his throat?
"I hope the Sun Elixir is good for you."
"I'm much better."
These were just words exchanged out of courtesy.
Illyin was reminded of Den even in those words.
His appearance, asking about her well-being on the Duke's orders, seemed somehow awkward.
"..."
But why was she thinking about that person?
After having one Precognitive dream, she kept thinking about him ever since.
"I'm glad to hear that. By the way, are you perhaps aware of the Biften succession ceremony?"
Illyin tilted her head slightly.
"I thought the Duke had already succeeded to the Dukedom."
"Yes, of course, he has already succeeded. The succession ceremony in Biften refers to the Lord's Authority. Not inheriting the Biften Dukedom of the Empire, but the Authority as the ruler of the Winter Territory."
Authority? Was it like magic? Illyin tilted her head again.
She had heard that there were magicians in the Imperial Palace, but it was a rare occupation in the first place.
A knight could become one through effort, but a magician needed the innate talent to manipulate magic, so their numbers were bound to be small.
Thanks to that, Illyin had never seen magic before.
She only knew that magic could do many things.
"The Lord's succession ceremony is held every three years. This succession ceremony is coming up soon. Originally, the Lord performed it alone, but since you have married, it is customary for the succession ceremony to be performed by the couple together."
Ah.
Illyin nodded.
"Of course, if you are very uncomfortable, we can postpone it..."
"It's okay."
Illyin raised her hand to stop him.
She had gotten much better, but if she postponed things here, it would only make things more troublesome for the people working below.
Aegis's face lit up at her words.
He briefly explained the succession ceremony.
Red Deloz, Blue Nose, Verdant Mille, and Dazzling Elo each had a Divine Relic, and the Lord had to receive the power of those Divine Relics at the succession ceremony to properly use the Lord's Authority.
The power to raise the temperature of the Winter Territory and protect the people of Biften from the cold.
"This is the first time I've heard of this."
Aegis nodded at Illyin's words.
"That's because it's an ability that cannot be used in the Sunlands."
That's why they were called the Winter Duke.
Illyin recalled the short rumors she had heard about the Biften Duke in the Empire.
A scary rumor had spread that you shouldn't make eye contact with the Duke in this generation, but she had heard that at least the previous Duke occasionally appeared in the Empire's social circles.
There were no rumors that he had done anything like magic at that time.
"That's amazing."
"We are also studying the origin of the power."
Aegis continued his explanation in a calm voice.
Until now, the Lord had been unmarried, so they had simply placed the Divine Relic on the altar, but now that he was married and had a bride, the bride had to bring the bride's Divine Relic up with her.
"Then, do I get to keep the Divine Relic even after the succession ceremony is over?"
"The Divine Relic originally has the meaning of dividing the power of Biften among the four families. There may be times when you need to use the Divine Relic at certain events, but usually each family takes it back."
Aegis answered, glancing at the relic of the Blue Nose above her head.
"Of course, how they keep it is up to each family."
For something called a Divine Relic, they didn't seem to cherish it very much.
Illyin looked at the blue cloth once and asked.
"What happens if you lose it?"
"It is said that it will return to the land. You don't have to worry too much about its safekeeping."
Aegis bowed politely.
"Isn't that what we are here for?"
'Now that you have become the Duchess, the subordinates must naturally serve you without inconvenience. If they can't, get rid of them.'
Illyin recalled the words she had heard on her wedding night and nodded, smiling.
"I'll be careful not to lose it."
Still, she didn't want to trouble the people of Red Deloz.
Unlike the other three families, they were sincerely serving her.
"If you have any inconveniences, please call us at any time."
Aegis, having finished his explanation, added polite words.
His footsteps leaving the hallway were very fast but silent.
Illyin turned around.
The hallway really felt much warmer than before.
Illyin was helped by Etra back to the bridal chamber.
She was supposed to move to the 7th floor in two days.
The 7th floor was clearly the space of Red Deloz, would Maids from other places come there too?
That's what she was thinking as she turned the corner of the hallway.
Illyin had been thinking about him all day, but she ran into the person she shouldn't think about.
"Oh?"
It was Den.
