B Chapter 27

'Isn't it blinding?'

The man's face as he looked at the sword was utterly serious.

"What are you doing?"

He said, keeping his gaze on the sword. Chloe quickly readjusted her grip on the quill pen. She had completely forgotten about the letter, distracted by watching him. She had plenty to write about. Camping every day naturally led to encounters with surrounding plants. Chloe mainly examined poisonous plants. Patients usually came to the medicine shop because of poisonous plants, so her eyes naturally gravitated toward toxic herbs.

'I saw mad weed today, actually.'

Mad weed resembles wild parsnip, but when animals eat the fresh plant, it becomes poisonous. Not only that, it also affects other predators that eat that meat. She calmly wrote down the characteristics of mad weed's roots, berries, and flowers, and how the fresh plant affects creatures.

Humans weren't harmed by eating mad weed, but when they consumed animals that had eaten the plant, they suffered severe stomach pain and high fever before vomiting blood and dying. Fortunately, boiling and drinking an antidote herb called windflower would cure it quickly, but there was no remedy for animals.

At first she was uncomfortable being conscious of the Grand Duke in front of her, but once she concentrated, she forgot about him. Chloe became completely absorbed in writing the letter.

Meanwhile, Alessandro, who had been watching Chloe while pretending to clean his sword, was inwardly amazed. She was writing the letter herself. Her expression was more serious than anyone's, as if she were composing a secret document. Alessandro's blue eyes scrutinized her thoroughly. The small hand holding the quill pen showed no awkwardness at all. Her movements were without hesitation, and she never stopped midway.

'She's writing fluently.'

She seemed very accustomed to writing.

'She's young too—is this possible?'

She had clearly been writing for at least five years.

'But how could a slave do that?'

The maid was undoubtedly a slave. Her clothing and behavior showed it. Things like trying to eat what was on the ground, or drinking water meant for horses. A noble could never do such things under any circumstances. Yet she remained calm while doing all sorts of miserable things.

'She even brought grass in her pants once.'

And she had taken it out in front of the stable hand and himself. A noble whose everything was pride, power, and honor could never live like that.

'She's not a noble... then was she a commoner?'

But commoners who could read were very rare.

'From her appearance, she's definitely from a foreign country.'

She must have lived in the Empire for a long time.

'I need to watch more.'

Just then, Chloe began writing her second letter. It was still about mad weed. Since it was a widely growing poisonous plant, there was much to write about. What mad weed and wild parsnip had in common was that in their fresh state, they caused no harm to humans.

'It might be related to the access restriction on Mount Nallusawan.'

So as she wrote in more detail, she had filled both sheets before she knew it. The Grand Duke hadn't specified two sheets, but paper was expensive.

'I'm done.'

Chloe quietly set down the quill pen. The Grand Duke was still polishing his sword.

'How lovingly meticulous.'

She could see at a glance how much he treasured it.

'I shouldn't even pass by him.'

She was afraid of accidentally knocking it over. Though it wasn't something that would break. The Grand Duke was so focused on polishing his precious sword that he seemed to have no interest in her.

'Thank goodness. I guess I was scared for nothing.'

I shouldn't disturb him. After folding the letter and placing it on the table, she quietly moved her chair and stood up. The Grand Duke still didn't look at her.

'Let me get out quickly.'

After bowing, Chloe carefully lifted the tent flap and came out.

"Whew, now I can breathe."

As soon as she came out, Trigger put his arm around her shoulders and took her to eat the buttered corn he had obtained.

Alessandro couldn't hide his chuckle as he looked at the letter the maid had left behind.

'This is incredible.'

Those letters were definitely the ones written by the maid before his very eyes. Comparing them with the first two letters, the handwriting matched. The size of the letters was identical across all four sheets.

What the maid had written this time was about poisonous plants. The writing had clear structure like an excellent scholar's explanatory text. How they looked, where they grew, what happened when consumed and what symptoms appeared, what the antidote herb was and where it could be obtained.

"Ha."

Was it possible for a maid to write at this level? Real scholars might be one thing! Not just the handwriting, but the content too was something that only doctors with professional education would write. He couldn't understand it.

'What exactly is she...?'

It was a moment when he became even more curious about her identity.

Knight Commander Alessandro mainly converses with Vice Commander Evan Kupiheilt, committee member Sir Boris, Sir Christopher, Sir Elton who commands the 3rd Knight Order, and Sir Martin of the 4th Knight Order.

And...

With a young knight named Chris Skallovag, captain of the 2nd Knight Order...

Duncan paused at the name Chris while reading the letter. It was a name he never wanted to see again after the last letter.

"Your handling of affairs seems to be becoming less and less reliable."

Duncan spoke to his subordinate who was prostrated like a guilty person. The subordinate's shoulders flinched as if struck by a whip.

"I ordered that knight to absolutely not participate in the ceremony."

Duncan's words had no variation in tone. A stranger might have thought it sounded peaceful, but his confidant Humphrey recognized that Duncan was very disappointed and angry.

'That's understandable.'

Chris Skallovag was the young knight in the closest relationship with Alessandro. The two had fought through several wars together, were the same age, and according to statements from those around them, had very good chemistry. That's why there were reports that they often secretly met outside of the Knight Order.

That 'secret' part was the problem.

'Why do they meet secretly? Why on earth...!'

Humphrey had done his best to use the influence of elderly knights to prevent Chris from participating in the ceremony. Canceling his promotion, transferring him to the royal guard, and so on. But Chris was a knight with many achievements. It wasn't easy to exclude him from the ceremony. Even after bribing and threatening his family members, Chris's will was too firm.

'How much must he have wanted to be with His Grace...'

Humphrey was ashamed. He had been told to take responsibility for stopping Chris, but he had failed. In the end, he heard that Alessandro had practically taken Chris along himself.

'Why! Of all things! Why does His Highness's son have such tastes!'

Of all people, that one precious bloodline of the Graham family... why!

Every time a secret letter about Alessandro arrived, Humphrey became a guilty person. His heart felt heavy as if he were that unfilial son.

'This is driving me crazy.'

Humphrey let out a long sigh.

'His Grace said he would give an estate to any woman who spends one night with the Grand Duke, regardless of status.'

That ridiculous order he had suspected was senility now made sense. At first he had thought it strange. Other families were in chaos trying to control their young men. Afraid that some unknown young lady might come knocking at the estate door carrying a baby.

'Has he given up on things like family legitimacy? Well, the lineage is about to end anyway.'

The Grand Duke didn't sleep with any women. After interrogating the guard at Alessandro's bedroom, they confirmed that the scandalous rumors with the Vandoras young lady were ultimately untrue. Duncan and Humphrey, who had held onto a thread of hope, were greatly disappointed.

That day Duncan refused all food and drink and didn't step one foot out of his study.

'If a woman like Lady Clara Vandoras came to his bedroom, any normal man would...'

Humphrey felt like the sky was falling. Thanks to this, the Graham family was in a state of emergency. Due to his former wife, Duncan not only didn't remarry but didn't meet any women, even showing slight aversion. But his son Alessandro too...

Duncan, who had been turned away for a while, pressed his forehead with a long sigh. Worry and anguish wouldn't leave him. Duncan regretted the wrongs he had committed in the past.

'If I hadn't made such choices back then.'

He had hoped that Alessandro, who had suffered from unhappy family circumstances since childhood, would form an ordinary family. He wanted him to marry a noble young lady who had grown up in circumstances similar to Alessandro's, so he could live peacefully without conflict. If he would just have children of any gender and live happily, Duncan was prepared to play the role of a doting grandfather. People worry about unknown women coming to knock on estate doors carrying newborn babies, but Duncan felt that if only that would happen, he would have no other wishes.

'I would carry the baby around myself.'

But what he had hoped against hope was true. He knelt before the cruel reality. That's why he had given such ridiculous orders. Duncan wasn't his usual self when it came to Alessandro.

"...I have no excuse."

Duncan, who had been holding his forehead from the headache, picked up the unfinished letter. He didn't want to touch it, but he still needed to know. The words written on white paper struck his head like a blow as they entered his eyes.

Once, Sir Chris visited His Grace's private tent late at night after dinner was finished.

He called His Grace casually and went inside the tent.

And... His Grace's maid who was inside came running out as if being chased.

The maid's face was pale as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.

And from inside the tent came sounds like Sir Chris's screams.

Only after a long while did Sir Chris leave His Grace's private tent with an exhausted face.

His Grace often spends time with Sir Chris, and rather than talking outside where everyone is... he prefers spending time together just the two of them in his private tent late at night.

Duncan pressed his temples as his head throbbed. He stood up and paced while looking out the window like an anxious person. Humphrey watched that figure from behind with a pitying expression. He knew well how Duncan thought of Alessandro, his only blood relative. Guilt and compassion for giving his son terrible memories.

'His heart must ache the most.'

Graham was the family Duncan had devoted everything to building over his lifetime. It wouldn't be easy to give up and accept his son's rebellion.

"Immediately send a carrier pigeon to Count Lambut."

Duncan's face set with resolute determination.

"Tell him any woman in Alessandro's bedroom is welcome!"

"Yes, Your Grace!"

This time, Humphrey stood up quickly with firm resolve that he must succeed.

Full-scale mountain climbing began. Some of the maids were making dying sounds. For Chloe, it was closer to a slightly inclined forest. Everyone was tense because mountain climbing was starting, but it seemed they could descend by today.

From the summit, they could see Count Lambut's castle in the distance. The count's castle walls weren't high. The castle gates were open and close to the residents' houses.

'He must be a good lord.'

She could guess the count's character.

'Usually they build walls high and gates thick.'

The Lambut count family was an old family. They must have strong alliances with other lords and good relationships with their people.

'An ideal lord.'

There seemed to be no worry about external invasion or concern about popular uprisings.

'The atmosphere welcomes the knight order.'

The village was in a festive atmosphere, colorful and vibrant. The other people were also absorbed in conversation while looking down the mountain.

Finally they had reached the first lord's castle. A light smile appeared on Chloe's face.

'At first I really didn't want to come along.'

But the march wasn't as difficult as expected, and above all, Grand Duke Graham wasn't picky. At some point, Chloe began to think of this ceremony as a 'trip' touring the Empire.

In her previous life, she had never properly traveled. Sometimes watching travel programs on television showing travelers completely immersed in foreign countries, she had dreamed, 'I want to take that kind of trip too.' But reality was just a 3-night 4-day Thailand trip. And that was a package tour.

'You can't even call it travel. It was too short.'

A cool mountain breeze shook her hair as it passed. It was refreshing.

'Maybe I'm really lucky after all.'