26 - How to Survive as the Wife of a Monster Duke
How to Survive as the Monster Duke’s Wife
Episode 26The knights of Delos were flustered by the sudden visit of the Duchess to the knight’s quarters.
It was rare for outsiders to venture this deep into the knight’s quarters.
Moreover, the Duchess in question was someone who, not long ago, had been the subject of widespread rumors suggesting she had ties to the Blue Nose.
Of course, strange rumors had also been quietly circulating on the side.
Above all, the strange order previously issued by Vice Commander Aegis played a big part.
Do not enter the Duchess’s room, but if you do, it’s fine to go inside… Only if the Duchess gives permission.
It was almost unheard of for such an ambiguous order to be issued in Delos.
The Duchess, at the center of all these rumors, and the Lord standing beside her.
Naturally, the knights’ atmosphere couldn’t help but stiffen.
But since the one who brought her was their Lord, they had nothing to say.
Unfortunately, Vice Commander Aegis, the only knight who knew the full situation, was absent due to other business.
“I didn’t know duties started this early.”
Illyin said in a small voice.
Aden listened to her words while glancing at the knights who flinched every time their eyes met his.
“It’s fine to be a bit more relaxed for now.”
Aden led Illyin deep into the Delos knight’s quarters.
Other parts of the knight’s quarters were occasionally visited by people from other families for business, but this area strictly belonged to Delos’s private space.
“Oh, is that so?”
When Illyin naturally made eye contact with Aden, the ranks of the training knights became disordered.
“Huh?”
Some knights even made foolish sounds.
Everyone was just gaping, their reactions similar to the knight who had made the sound.
It couldn’t be helped, as the knights of the knight’s quarters had no way of knowing the facts known only to the Delos members on the 7th floor of the main building.
The sight of the Duchess naturally making eye contact with Aden meant, in other words, that she was a ‘true Delos’ member.
The atmosphere among the knights who realized this fact changed to the complete opposite.
The swords of the training knights began to falter noticeably even to Illyin’s eyes.
Their gazes were intermittently drawn to her, not the knight leading the training.
“…….”
Aden narrowed his eyes and stared at the knights.
Suddenly, strength surged into the knights’ swords.
“They’re all so tense.”
Illyin whispered softly, as if afraid the knights might hear.
Her tone held a slight hint of reproach.
Aden clearly saw the knights flinch.
They were individuals who had fought through blizzards fierce enough to kill people, without a single person being left behind.
Their ears were far better than Illyin thought.
“……Then let’s let them rest for a bit.”
Aden’s voice rang clearly through the training grounds like a command.
The movements of the knights wielding their swords halted simultaneously.
Illyin’s eyes widened.
“Is that alright?”
“I was planning to introduce the knights to you anyway.”
I wish I could be by your side all day, but the situation doesn’t permit it, so there’s no choice.
Aden slightly narrowed his eyes, displeased with that part of himself.
The movements of the Yester race were also unusual, and the mansion was filled with people with loose lips.
Aden did not consider the mansion a safe zone.
Even if only Delos members were on the 7th floor of the main building, not all of Delos’s maids would be of great help in battle if an emergency arose.
Placing a trustworthy knight by Illyin’s side was a natural course of action.
“I am Emil of Delos.”
The knight leading the training stepped forward as a representative and greeted her.
In the eyes of some knights lined up behind him, curiosity was even visible.
It was a somewhat different image from the stiff and rigid knight stereotype Illyin knew.
Illyin thought of the knights at the Baron’s estate, who only spoke when absolutely necessary and otherwise treated each other as if they didn’t exist.
Also the knight who didn’t hide his sneer when she mentioned finding a marriage partner.
But these were different.
“It’s our first time seeing a Sunfolk up close. If we are lacking in any way while serving you, please feel free to tell us.”
Emil bowed deeply.
“Welcome to Delos.”
Illyin didn’t hear those words as a mere formal greeting.
The friendly appearance of the knights gave Illyin a homely warmth even amidst the cold of the Winter Territory.
“Nice to meet you.”
People who welcome me.
Illyin, her heart feeling clearer, responded with a bright smile.
\\
Aden assigned two knights to Illyin.
When deploying knights, he usually left it to their own discretion.
Because there was no one in Delos who skipped expeditions or orders under the pretense of valuing their life.
But this time was different.
He recalled the image of his wife, who had laughed and said, I don’t know anything about swords.
With flushed cheeks, she ultimately couldn’t choose a knight.
She wasn’t the type of person who could ignore the gazes of the curious knights.
Even Aden could tell.
The knights hoped she would choose them.
Aden understood the knights’ feelings.
Putting aside that they were seeing a Sunfolk for the first time in their lives, Illyin was far too delicate a person to be placed in the heart of the Winter Territory.
It was enough to stimulate those who had taken up the sword with a lifelong resolve to protect something.
‘I’ll come by to see you all often.’
Illyin, speaking as if to calm them, seemed burdened by the knights’ attention.
After much deliberation, she ultimately couldn’t choose just a few from among them.
He could see her trembling fingertips as she worried about what to do if the unchosen knights were disappointed.
‘Shall I help you?’
In the end, she left the choice to Aden, who had whispered softly to her.
Thus, Aden unusually decided the knight assignments without consulting the knights’ opinions.
The knights assigned to guard Illyin were women.
After all, he couldn’t place another guy beside Illyin, could he?
He couldn’t bring himself to admit that such a childish thought had intruded upon the selection process.
And so, for several days, Illyin spent her time without any discomfort.
As April began in earnest, the cold grew fiercer, but that was a different story for Illyin.
The people of Delos did their utmost to help her adapt to the Winter Territory.
“Your Grace, it’s hot.”
As a result, words that should never be uttered in April escaped Aegis’s lips.
Aden’s hand, which had been tapping the desk lost in thought, stopped.
“The temperature around the mansion is excessively high. Of course, it’s the best method to prevent intrusions by the Yester race…”
Because the Yester thrive in the cold. Though it feels like the reason isn’t that, but something else.
Swallowing his thoughts, Aegis spoke with a troubled expression.
Above all, his concern lay elsewhere.
“……I’m worried that Your Grace’s health might suffer.”
Aden understood his concern.
Still, it was April in Biften.
No matter how warm it was, it was still colder than a Sunlands winter.
Aden shook his head.
“I have no intention of lowering the temperature.”
Above all, Biften’s April was far too cold for Illyin, who still wasn’t accustomed to winter.
“Your Grace, if you use your Authority like that……”
Aden raised his hand, cutting off Aegis’s words.
“I understand your concern, but it’s not as difficult as you think.”
Strangely enough.
The area around the mansion was exceptionally warm, enough for Aegis to worry.
It was because of his Authority.
There is no power in this world without a cost.
The temperature of the Winter Territory depended on how skillfully the head of the Biften family, who had inherited the Authority, wielded that power.
The worst example was the previous Duke.
He was the person among all previous Dukes least capable of wielding the Authority.
To the point where it was suspicious how Aden de Bifelten was born from him.
In contrast, Aden was evaluated as the most skilled wielder of the Authority among all previous Dukes.
But even he was powerless to make the entire Winter Territory like the Sunlands.
At best, he could only make it warmer for a winter territory.
When he was young, he had overexerted himself using the Authority, pitying the winter folk freezing to death, but not anymore.
Because he knew that if the family head fell, the Winter Territory would fall.
Aegis also knew that Aden wasn’t foolish enough to collapse from failing to control his Authority.
But the current Winter Territory was warm, as if it weren’t April, enough to shake his firm belief.
“Is this April particularly warm?”
Aden’s hand resumed tapping the desk.
He hadn’t even used his Authority as much as Aegis thought.
His body felt excessively light compared to the raised temperature.
“Your Grace, an urgent message from the Sunlands.”
Just then, someone knocked on the office door.
Aegis, after glancing at Aden for a moment, silently opened the door.
The Delos knight who bowed had not yet managed to brush the snow off his shoulders.
He placed a single rolled-up piece of paper on Aden’s desk.
Unrolling the paper revealed Milo’s handwriting.
[Earl Arlen’s household wishes to trade with the Essid Merchant Group.]
Aden narrowed his eyes.
He recalled the incident-that-wasn’t-an-incident that Milo had caused not long ago.
His subordinate was by no means an oblivious person, but one mistake tended to stick strongly in memory.
[They say they plan to distribute Karrot in the North.]
There was no way Aden wouldn’t know about Karrot.
No matter how much of a winter territory person he was, he was fundamentally the lord of a territory.
He couldn’t afford to be ignorant about food supply issues.
Karrot should only be available in the south, right?
Although it’s called a dream crop that requires little labor and cost to cultivate, considering the distribution costs to reach the North, it’s just as expensive as any other food.
But if it’s supplied from the Arlen territory near the capital, that’s a different story.
The problem was that the Arlen territory wasn’t in the south.
How?
[It’s said that the Arlen territory recently succeeded in cultivating Karrot. We are verifying the facts, but during the process, it’s been confirmed that they have also made contact with other northern families.]
Making contact with other northern families is a natural step.
They probably thought of direct trade initially.
But Aden’s eyes narrowed as he read the next paragraph.
[It appears they are looking for the Madam. Judging by the fact that the people they’ve dispatched are limited to the North, it seems they know she came to the North but haven’t pinpointed exactly where.]
So, in short, it means he knew his daughter was getting married but ignored it, and didn’t even care enough to find out where she was going.
It’s clear that he only belatedly remembered Illyin, who had gone to the North, because he lacked the connections needed to distribute Karrot.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone whose thoughts are so transparently visible.
Aden put the letter down and stood up.
“How shall we respond?”
The knight who brought the letter cautiously asked.
Aden raised his hand to stop him.
He understood it was an urgent message, but he had somewhere to stop by first.
\\
“The Commander of the Delos Knights?”
Illyin received the message with a very surprised expression.
The entrance to the main mansion was guarded by people from the four families taking turns.
This time, it seemed to be the turn of the Dazzling Elo, as the knight who brought the news of Aden’s visit was from Elo.
“Please tell him I’ll see him.”
Illyin sent the Elo knight back with a slightly troubled expression.
She was on the 6th floor, in the library owned by Delos.
After the knight disappeared from the library, Illyin turned to look at the Delos maid beside her.
“Was it awkward?”
