I Snatched The Duke - Chapter 15. Realization(2)

She was a woman he’d have to let go someday anyway, and his guilt for not caring was funny.

 

‘Still, I’ll have to make sure she’s comfortable while in my castle.’

 

After all, Eliana was merely a victim, sold according to her parents’ will.

 

‘No more women should die in the Duchy.’

 

Mihalis intended to fulfill his duty to protect Eliana until she requests for a divorce.

 

Thud. Thud.

 

Mihalis, lost in his thoughts with his gaze focused outside the window, turned his head to follow the small sound echoing inside the carriage.

 

Clip clop. Clip clop.

 

Thud. Thud.

 

Every time the carriage moved slightly, her leaning head hit the carriage’s wall.

 

Perhaps tired from today’s schedule, Eliana was sound asleep leaning against the wall of the carriage. Should the carriage wheel run over a stone, it would be quite painful.

 

Mihalis quietly stood and moved into the seat next to Eliana, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

 

He was so tall with their height difference so big, that she was leaning on his arm and not his shoulder.

 

“…….”

 

It was an act with no ulterior motive. He simply hoped for Eliana’s head to not be in pain.

 

That was so, but then.

 

Mihalis, frozen into a rigid posture, found himself in a difficult situation. They had held hands all day, and had even waltzed together.

 

‘I’m going crazy.’

 

Is it because of the carriage’s enclosed space?

 

Eliana’s cheeks and shoulders were just touching his arm. Yet Mihalis found it difficult to pull himself together because of her scent that continued to tickle his nose.

 

It was like whipped cream made from mixing freshly squeezed milk with finely ground sugar…. This was what she smelled like. He unconsciously swallowed saliva.

 

‘Ugh.’

 

Mihalis clenched his eyes tightly because of some instinct rising from the depths.

 

A few strands of her hair rustled around her neck, and her white collar bone was exposed. He shouldn’t have looked.

 

1 second.

 

2 seconds.

 

3 seconds.

 

That backfired.

 

Closing his eyes made him smell her sweet scent more deeply. As he was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, he picked up on each minute detail of her breath as it brushed against his arm, heightening the sensation she stirred within him.

 

For heaven’s sake! The hat that Eliana placed on her lap fell away and landed on the floor. The hat had been covering her immaculate thighs that were barely hidden under her skirt.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Mihalis was on the verge of madness.

 

No matter how hard he tried to stop it, his evil-minded puppy crept up and raised its head.

 

Thump. Thump. Thump.

 

His ears were numb from pain as his heart throbbed as though it was having a seizure.

 

“…….”

 

‘Get a grip, she’s the target you need to protect.’

 

Taking a few deep breaths to calm his pounding heart, Mihalis raised his index finger and carefully pulled the curled-up skirt down.

 

“Phew….”

 

After completing the difficult mission, a sigh of relief came out.

 

Mihalis looked out his window with his eyes wide open. It was much better now.

 

‘Crazy, garbage b*st*rd.’

 

Mihalis spat out curses directed at himself, who for a moment, had had all sorts of dirty fantasies.

 

‘How dare you think like that…….’

 

Mihalis, who had been swearing at himself, felt something strange.

 

“Oh.”

 

He stopped swearing and stared at Eliana, who was sound asleep.

 

There was nothing s*d*stic about all the obscene fantasies he had in his moment of lust.

 

‘Also.’

 

Looking back, he didn’t feel the slightest desire to w*ip or stra*gle her.

 

Rather, thinking that her weak-looking body would get hurt made him feel angry.

 

“Ho…!”

 

A low-pitched laugh leaked out.

 

It was a kind of tr*uma. Until now, he had deliberately avoided contact with women, not wanting to face his ugly nature that resembled his father’s.

 

He hated to admit it, but because he was so like his father, both in looks and talents, he was certain that he inherited the s*d*stic s*xual tendencies from the past two generations.

 

‘I’m different from my father.’

 

Mihalis had maintained his ‘self-imposed celibacy’ for 27 years and only realized it when he unexpectedly faced his lust.

 

‘I’m perfectly normal.’

 

That the tr*uma that had gripped him all his life was nothing. A strange sense of joy and despair swept over him at the same time.

 

‘Perhaps….’

 

Mihalis, who had stabilized his fluctuating emotions, looked at Eliana again.

 

‘We won’t need to get a divorce.’

 

Still sleeping peacefully on his arm, Eliana looked even more radiant.

 

‘Maybe we can have a normal married life.’

 

A sliver of greed crept into Mihalis’ heart.

 

Clip clop.

 

The carriage that had been moving for a while now swayed slightly as it came to a halt.

 

“Your Excellency, we have arrived.”

 

Hearing Puellini’s words as he stepped down from the coach driver’s seat, Mihalis pondered for a moment. Eliana was still asleep leaning on his arm.

 

Should I wake her?

 

He didn’t think it would be bad to wait for a little bit.

 

“You’ve worked hard. You can go now.”

 

“Yes, Your Excellency! I understand.”

 

Looking at the still sleeping Eliana, Mihalis sent Puellini first.

 

It was almost evening now. He couldn’t wait long, but he had about ten minutes to spare.

 

“Uum, have we arrived? Huh?!”

 

Eliana, who didn’t realize she had fallen asleep in the carriage, was immediately startled when she awoke.

 

“Why am I…?”

 

Eliana jumped and straightened up when she suddenly realized that she had been sleeping, leaning against Mihalis’s arm.

 

“Please pardon me, your posture seemed uncomfortable.”

 

“I see.”

 

This again. This excessive sense of responsibility that confuses people.

 

‘I’ve decided not to delude myself anymore.’

 

Eliana’s expression hardened as she faced Mihalis from so close.

 

“Thank you for everything today. Duke.”

 

‘Duke?’

 

It was a formal expression of gratitude.

 

Was it because the warmth had left his arm? Or was it the title that had gone back to what it was before? Since they were going to be married soon anyway, it was alright to keep calling him ‘Mihal’.

 

“You can still call me by my name.”

 

“No. Our outing is over.”

 

At that moment, his eyes caught Eliana’s cold expression.

 

“Let’s go back to the way we were before.”

 

For some reason, Mihalis was confused by Eliana’s sudden distance from him.

 

‘Did I make a mistake on the way?’

 

Come to think of it, he had made so many mistakes that he couldn’t pinpoint what they were.

 

“Have I done something wrong?”

 

“No.”

 

Eliana’s answer to Mihalis’ careful question was firm.

 

“You were very kind.”

 

“…….”

 

He couldn’t figure out the answer.

 

Mihalis stared at Eliana for a moment and forced himself to speak.

 

“I’ll take you to your room.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning.

 

Mihalis welcomed Eliana to his office. Eliana had visited for three days in a row now, so her visits were no longer awkward.

 

“Will you be horseback riding?”

 

Mihalis asked after seeing Eliana dressed in her riding clothes.

 

“No, I just wanted pants.”

 

“What brings you here today?”

 

“Can I request for an escort?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Mihalis asked no further questions. He tugged on a rope to summon a servant to fetch Puellini.

 

“You can sit down for a moment.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…….”

 

After the business-like conversation ended, an awkward silence enveloped the place.

 

Mihalis turned a document over.

 

His eyes were on the papers, but his nerves were all focused on Eliana, who was sitting on the couch. The letters that filled the paperwork didn’t catch his eye at all.

 

What do you have to do while wearing pants, and why do you need an escort?

 

He was so anxious that he wanted to ask about so many things. However, he couldn’t bear to ask, for fear that she’d feel stifled and restrained.

 

‘D*mn it, I can’t concentrate at all.’

 

His eyes, which had been on the paperwork, glanced at the small desk mirror that was newly placed on his desk today.

 

Not a single strand of hair was out of place, and he was clean-shaven, so there was no trace of a beard. At this rate, he might be able to hear the word ‘handsome’ again.

 

“Ahem, ahem.”

 

It was a very awkward cough. Even though his eyes were on the documents, he felt her gaze on him for a moment.

 

“…….”

 

That was it.

 

Eliana’s gaze didn’t even linger for more than a second!

 

‘Why?’

 

What great mistake had he made yesterday?

 

Mihalis still hasn’t found an answer. He was certain that something had gone wrong.

 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

 

Heavy knocks rang out.

 

“Milord. It’s Puellini.”

 

“Come in.”

 

Mihalis answered in a solemn voice. He suppressed the confusion in his heart and swallowed it.

 

“You called for me?”

 

“Sir Puellini. I order you to escort the lady today.”

 

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

 

“It’s good to see you again. Lord Carlisle.”

 

Eliana rose from the sofa and stood next to Puellini.

 

“Please address me comfortably, you may call me Puellini.”

 

“Yes, please take care of me today. Sir Puellini.”

 

Eliana smiled brightly as she spoke to Puellini. At first she found him intimidating due to his enormous size, but he was more reliable than anyone else to protect her.

 

“I will do my best.”

 

“Thank you for listening to my request, Duke.”

 

After bowing with courtesy, Eliana turned to her without hesitation.

 

“I shall undertake my duty without delay. Milord.”

 

The door slammed shut after Puellini’s greeting. That was it.

 

“…….”

 

Mihalis stared blankly at the closed door for several seconds.

 

‘Puellini, Sir Puellini?’

 

She called Puellini by his name without the slightest hesitation.

 

‘Duke? Duke, Duke, Duke….’

 

“Sh*t.”

 

The document he was clenching in his hand crumpled. Just because of a name…. why did it feel so bad?

 

* * *

 

The desire to earnestly go to work. This was the ‘fairy effect’. That’s what everyone called it.

 

Soldier, soldier, soldier, soldier, knight, knight.

 

The arrival of the silver duchess-to-be, who appeared unexpectedly one day, bestowed her gracious presence upon a Duchy swarming with grubby men.

 

She was everyone’s idol who created the miracle of making them want to go to work.

 

“Huup!”

 

It was said that seeing her from afar was equivalent to using a day’s worth of luck; and that fairy appeared at the gymnasium today. It was only natural that everyone would be frozen for a moment.