6 - The Duke's Bride is a Warrior from Hell
Grand Duke's Bride is a Warrior of Hell 6
"The Imperial Family's plan to proceed with the engagement with Graitz is top secret. Even within the Imperial Palace, only a handful of people know about it. And he knows about it. But he's not trying to get gold as information fees, nor is he trying to threaten me. He's warning me to avoid some problem with the person I'm supposed to be engaged to. Sirius can't be a member of the Imperial Family."
"Your Highness."
"Your Highness, were you really planning to marry Lady Lauren of Graitz? I am against this marriage. Lady Lauren has had a weak heart since she was young, and traveling long distances is an adventure for her! Lady Lauren's illness is only known within the family by her direct relatives and the maids who attend her closely."
Roderick raised his voice in front of his superior and spoke strongly.
"How did you know that, Roderick?"
The gaze that had been fixed on the letter turned to Roderick's face.
Henrik's gaze also turned to Roderick.
A suspicious expression floated on his usually amiable face.
"...Trust me, Your Highness."
Roderick said firmly, under the gazes of the two men.
The gaze that had been fixed on Roderick returned to the ornate paper.
"Are there any more letters after this?"
"No, Your Highness. There aren't. Perhaps to reduce mistakes, the same letter was sent to the Grand Duke's Residence in the capital, Tessen Estate, and the military camp on the western border. I looked to see if there were any other contacts, but there weren't. What shall we do?"
At Henrik's question, the Grand Duke folded the paper in his hand and put it in the outer envelope.
"I have to go meet him."
"Are you thinking of meeting him in person?"
"Yes?"
Roderick was puzzled by his master's words about meeting and Henrik's worried words.
He didn't say, 'You don't know who he is, do you?'
"At Dolore Seven Rocks next to the Great Temple. On the day autumn ends. Sirius wants to meet me."
The man's fingertips tapped the ornate outer envelope.
"I will make preparations."
"Henrik, stay here and guard this place."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Henrik stepped back with a look of regret on his face.
Roderick, who had been watching him, spoke more seriously than ever.
"I will prepare the escort."
"I will go with the minimum number of people."
"Your Highness."
"Your Highness!"
Henrik and Roderick, who had stepped back, raised their voices at the same time.
At the shouts of the two men, the hand that was opening the drawer to put in the strange letter paused for a moment.
A nonchalant voice was thrown at the faces of the two men, who were trying to continue speaking urgently.
"Leave."
One word was enough.
Henrik and Roderick both had a lot to say, but they couldn't say any more, gave their respects, and left the room.
The gaze that had been looking around the room, which had become quiet in an instant, lingered on the letter in the drawer.
His expression was naturally distorted at the ornate envelope, which looked almost grotesque.
Even someone who had lived a luxurious life as a member of the Imperial Family would say, 'What is this frilly monster?' It was a letter covered in excessive luxury.
Even the Emperor's wedding invitation was more modest than this.
But the most immodest thing about this letter was not its appearance, but the contents of the letter.
"Congratulate my first marriage?"
The fact that he had bothered to write 'first' bothered him.
The upper nobility did not recognize illegitimate children.
On the other hand, the Emperor, who had ascended to the throne, had several Imperial Concubines and mistresses in addition to the Empress.
The Grand Duke was a member of the Imperial Family, but unless there was a major accident, he was planning to continue his marital relationship with the Grand Duchess for the rest of his life.
First marriage.
It was a very unpleasant and uncomfortable phrase.
The fact that he had specifically written 'first' seemed to be saying that he would have a second, or perhaps even a third, marriage.
"Who is it?"
With that mutter, the drawer containing the letter closed with a thud.
#3. Where is the Devil?
A large four-wheeled carriage traveled along the well-maintained main road.
The coat of arms of the Apel family was painted on the carriage.
Apel was a powerful family in the free city on the eastern coast.
It was rare for a carriage from an eastern family to travel on the northern main road.
But if it was the Apel family, everyone just assumed that was the case.
The Apel family, which was said to own countless merchant ships, was remembered in people's minds as a money bag or a lump of gold rather than a noble family.
In the last 20 years, the Apel family's carriages and carts had even been welcomed in the north.
This was only natural, as Marquis Reine's wife, Marene's maiden name was Marene Apel.
No one in the continent was unaware of the Apel family's wealth.
In addition, there was the power of the Reine Marquis family.
It was unthinkable to harm the Apel family's carriage.
"...Lady."
Alisha was heading to the Great Temple in the Marquis's wife's carriage.
The Marquis's wife, who had been banned from entering South Manor, had told her not to worry, as her family would help her.
Alisha did not elaborate on the complicated family matters.
She thanked the Marquis's wife for her comfort and asked to receive the Apel family's help in another form.
This carriage with the Apel family's coat of arms was the help Alisha had requested.
There would hardly be any crazy fools in the continent who would attack the Apel family's carriage.
The carriage, which had been running vigorously on the main road, suddenly began to slow down rapidly.
At the same time, the sound of rough hooves was rapidly approaching around the carriage.
The knights stationed in front of and behind the carriage did not utter a single cry.
The speed of the carriage gradually decreased, and it barely moved, as if walking slowly.
Surrounding the carriage, which was slowing down, only the sound of rough hooves rushing in and then quickly moving away echoed.
Daisy looked at Alisha with an uneasy face.
Daisy was frightened, but she moved close to the carriage door as if to protect Alisha.
"Stay still."
Alisha stopped Daisy, who was trying to open the carriage door to check outside.
"No, I'll do it."
Daisy erased her frightened expression and tried to show the dignity of the Marquis family.
The moment she opened the carriage door, Alisha moved at the same time.
It was a very narrow gap, but a dark dart flew through it.
The carriage door closed as soon as it opened, but Daisy's neck swayed.
Daisy couldn't even let out a short scream and collapsed after a convulsion.
Alisha locked the carriage door and laid Daisy down in front of the door.
The crude lock was unstable, but there was nothing else she could use as a weapon right now.
Alisha frowned as she laid Daisy down and examined the dart.
She took out the dart with a handkerchief and brought it close to her nose to check it again.
"Musto?"
The pungent cinnamon scent and the refreshing cypress scent together confirmed that it was the Musto that Alisha knew.
Musto was not a deadly poison.
It temporarily caused strong paralysis and sleep, which could be dangerous depending on how it was used, but it was relatively safe compared to other poisons.
But this poison...
Alisha was confused and unable to quickly sort out her thoughts.
Knock knock knock.
At that moment, the roof of the carriage rang.
A person on horseback was standing close to the carriage and knocking on it.
Alisha twisted the handkerchief she had used to remove the dart and wrapped it around her hand, then approached the carriage window.
The short moment of opening the window was important.
Alisha kept her body as far away from the carriage wall as possible and raised the window.
As if knowing her thoughts, the other person did not do the foolish thing of showing his face through the window.
Instead, a man's hand in a leather glove reached into the window.
Alisha quickly pulled her body back, but the hand that had reached into the carriage grabbed Alisha's collar tightly.
"Sirius?"
The man beyond the carriage wall said briefly.
Even though she was heading to the Great Temple, Alisha did not expect the Grand Duke himself to come.
She thought that no one might come.
It was not a secret that anyone could know, but she thought that the childish letter could be dismissed as a prank.
But the low voice coming from beyond the window was one that ordinary people could not make.
It was an imposing and overbearing voice that only those born noble and raised arrogantly could make.
"...I, I greet Your Highness the Grand Duke."
"Nice to meet you. Lady Alisha Rosette Sirius Eugenie Reine. I am ashamed to say that I do not remember all the records of the northern nobility, but I found it with difficulty because the Imperial Family has records of noble families."
"I did not mean to bother the Grand Duke."
Alisha belatedly regretted not using a completely different alias.
She knew that the other party was a member of the Imperial Family, but she overlooked the fact that the Imperial Family had a genealogy of nobles.
"As you may already know, my Grand Duke is Reikart Tessen."
Alisha tried her best to move even one step away from the window, but it was useless.
The man who became the Grand Duke Tessen at the age of 14 was the master of the western border.
He was very famous for brutally defeating enemy soldiers in battles and wars.
The Imperial Family had snow-white skin, dazzling Platinum Blonde hair, and transparent sky-blue or light water-colored eyes.
Even when green eyes were born, they were mostly pale, like light green.
There was no end to the praise for the angelic appearance of the Imperial Family.
The only one among the Imperial Family who was famous for his beauty but had a bad reputation was Grand Duke Tessen.
The man, who never moved from his territory unless it was a battlefield, was said to be a huge, muscular man comparable to pirates or bandits.
He was said to have a fierce face befitting his violent nature.
"It is an honor to meet Your Highness the Grand Duke."
Alisha greeted him, looking at the man's shadow seeping through the narrow window of the carriage.
She whipped herself, saying that she should not repeat the actions of the past, such as stuttering or wasting time in confusion.
She could only see him as a shadow in the backlight, but the Grand Duke was tall as rumored.
Judging from the fact that the hand holding her did not budge no matter what she did, it seemed that the rumors of him being a huge, muscular man were also true.
Unlike other members of the Imperial Family, who had angelic appearances, it was said that the Grand Duke had horns on his head.
That his skin was dark and pitted like black rock.
That his eyes were split vertically like a snake.
That he was a huge, muscular, terrible monster.
The absurd rumors did not seem to be true, but it seemed that he was indeed a tall and strong giant.
The large hand slowly released its grip and let go of Alisha, who it had been holding.
"Shall we get out?"
A strange face was cast over the narrow window where the sunlight was pouring in.
The grayish-silver-blonde hair was darker than the bright Platinum Blonde, but it radiated a brilliant light as it received the sunlight.
The skin of the Imperial Family was said to be clear and bright, unlike the pale skin of the northerners, but the man's skin was slightly dark, as if tanned by the sunlight.
His unusual amber eyes did not seem to be of this world.
"...G, Grand Duke...?"
Alisha's eyes widened for a moment when she saw the Grand Duke, who was rumored to be a terrible muscle monster.
"Lady Alisha, let's get out."
Reikart pointed to the outside of the carriage with a nod.
Alisha said, a little dazed.
"Your Highness, please marry me."
A terrible silence fell inside and outside the carriage.
The silence continued for a while.
The amber eyes stared at Alisha for a long time.
Alisha also looked up endlessly at the face that did not seem to be of this world.
