The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke’s Daughter - Chapter 24

Liriette took a step closer to the deer and chattered.

 

“Even its small tree-like horns are nice, its black eyes are beautiful, and its long fur looks warm. Riding an animal like this is like a dream.”

 

The deer nodded briskly, as if recognizing Liriette’s praises.

 

The Duke also smiled and looked at Liriette.

 

“You’ve done enough compliments, let’s stop and ride it.”

 

Liriette screamed, “Kyaak!”

 

It was because the Duke raised Liriette with both hands.

 

He furrowed his eyebrows and spat out the words.

 

“I knew you would be light because you were so small to look at, but… It’s like a ball of cotton.”

 

Liriette’s face turned red.

 

“I’m heavier than that!”

 

“Alright.”

 

Liriette put on an unfair expression at the tone of saying, “Let’s just say that.” But she couldn’t say anything.

 

Because the Duke put Liriette on the back of the deer.

 

It was as tall as its gigantic size. Yet the fear didn’t last long.

 

It was because the Duke got on behind Liriette in an instant.

 

Although he often stroked her head, he had never touched her so closely.

 

Oddly enough, she wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Rather than that, she was infinitely relieved.

 

‘It’s like being buried under the strongest blanket in the world.’

 

The Duke thought with an expressionless face.

 

‘She’s warm and soft, as if I’m holding a doll with a mana stone in it.’

 

It was unsettling.

 

He felt that the child’s small, limp body would shrink if he gave it even the slightest force. So the Duke said, trying not to put any strain on Liriette’s body.

 

“It’s dangerous, so hold the reins.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Liriette gripped the reins with both hands. The Duke’s large hand settled beside her small hand.

 

The Duke lowered the reins and the deer began to move.

 

Originally, the Duke drove his deer without hesitation. He was regarded as one of the fastest riders in the north.

 

However, today he moved the deer as slowly as possible.

 

Somehow, he was afraid that the small ball of cotton, no, Liriette, who was riding on the deer’s back would shake or fall.

 

The place where they arrived after passing through the huge snowfield was a huge forest.

 

He said.

 

“It’s a forest owned by the Duke of Windsor-Ice. It is a place where no one can come in, so there is no other place like this for a quiet walk.”

 

Clear blue sky without a single cloud.

 

Huge trees that tower high enough to pierce the sky.

 

White snow glistening in the sunlight.

 

Liriette was mesmerized by the picturesque scenery of the forest. Then, she found something far away.

 

A squirrel was sticking its head out through the trees.

 

Liriette shouted in an excited voice.

 

“Duke, there’s a squirrel over there!”

 

“Spring is coming, it’s time for those who hibernate to wake up.”

 

The duke replied in a blunt tone, and then held out the pocket that was in his chest to Liriette. The pouch was full of almonds and raisins.

 

“If you want to see it up close, sprinkle it on the ground. It will come here because it’s hungry.”

 

Liriette’s sky blue eyes sparkled at the Duke’s suggestion.

 

“Yes!”

 

Liriette scattered the fruits from the pocket on the ground.

 

The squirrel, who had been poking its face out from between the trees, sniffed and began to come closer.

 

One step, two step, three step.

 

Seeing the squirrel approaching in front of her, Liriette lost her words.

 

‘Big black eyes. Tail curled up. It’s definitely a squirrel, but…’

 

It’s big. Too big.

 

Almost no different from Liriette.

 

‘Come to think of it, the Duke once called me the size of a squirrel.’

 

At the time, she thought it was an exaggerated expression, yet it wasn’t.

 

‘I’m really the size of a squirrel.’

 

Liriette was shocked again.

 

It wasn’t just the squirrel that was big.

 

The animals that Liriette encountered while walking in the forest were all enormous in size.

 

A grown-up rabbit. A fox the size of a tiger.

 

‘If all the animals are that big, the bears must be very big too. What if I run into a bear?’

 

When she thought, a bear the size of a house appeared.

 

It wasn’t long before the bear grunted with a look of, I’m going to eat it!, and the moment the bear made eye contact with the Duke, it hardened like a stone.

 

Soon, the bear started to run away with a face saying, I’m sorry!

 

Liriette blinked her eyes.

 

‘Right. The Duke is by my side.’

 

The strongest man in the Empire.

 

Thus, no need for her to be afraid of whatever appears.

 

Liriette, now fully relaxed, waved her hand at the departing bear.

 

“I’m sorry, bear. You will be hungry, but find something else to eat.”

 

The Duke, who was staring at Liriette, opened his mouth.

 

“Northern people keep a lot of animals.”

 

Farming wasn’t possible during the long winter, so there were many people who looked after animals.

 

Of course, the practical purpose outweighed the pleasure.

 

When the animals they worked hard on were all grown up, they skinned them to make clothes and ate their meat.

 

The Duke continued without mentioning that part.

 

“I’ll catch one if you want, to be taken to the castle and raised.”

 

Liriette’s eyes widened at the suggestion she hadn’t thought of at all.

 

Liriette liked animals.

 

Even when she was at the temple, whenever she encountered a sneaking cat, she would stop and search her pockets for something to eat.

 

When petting the cat she had barely become friends with, she thought, ‘How nice it would be if we were together like this every day.’

 

But…

 

Liriette shook her head.

 

“It would be very frustrating to live freely in such a wide forest then be trapped in the castle.”

 

“…”

 

“I know how painful life without freedom is. I don’t want animals to suffer like that because of my little greed.”

 

The Duke looked at Liriette in silence, then stretched out his hand. He said while stroking the small round head.

 

“How kind of you.”

 

Liriette didn’t like being called kind.

 

Because in my previous life, the High Priest often giggled, saying, ‘It’s good to use you because you’re kind.’

 

Yet at this moment, the words felt different.

 

As if that meant, you have a warm heart. I like that aspect of you quite a bit.

 

So, Liliette smiled shyly under his big hand.

 

***

 

As they turned around in the woods, the Duke touched Liriette’s red cheeks.

 

“Your face is cold. Let’s go back.”

 

Liriette wanted to explore the forest a little longer.

 

‘But I don’t want to bother the Duke. I don’t want to become a disobedient child.’

 

So she nodded her head obediently.

 

Contrary to expectations that they would return to the castle, the Duke headed to a villa in the back of the forest.

 

There was a chill in the empty cottage.

 

The Duke took off the cloak he was wearing and threw it over Liriette’s little body, then wrapped it around her like a pupa.

 

“Wait. I’ll warm you up right away.”

 

Liriette was taken aback.

 

She had received a lot of consideration from the Duke until now, but it was the first time he directly moved his body and took care of her.

 

“Tell me what to do and I will do it!”

 

However, contrary to her mind, it was difficult for her to stand up properly as the Duke tightly wrapped her body in a cloak.

 

And the Duke, looking down at Liriette, seemed to have no intention of releasing the cloak.

 

In the end, Liriette gave up everything and began to watch the Duke with her face sticking out of his cloak.

 

The Duke, who must have been served by subordinates all his life, lit a fire in the stove surprisingly skillfully.

 

The kettle on the stove started bubbling in no time.

 

He put a spoonful of honey in the hot milk and handed it out to her.

 

“If you drink it, your body will warm up.”

 

However, there was one problem.

 

Seeing Liriette groaning, unable to take her hands off the rolled up cloak, the Duke said, ah, then loosened the cloak.

 

Only then did Liriette, who was free, take the cup with both hands.

 

“Thank you. I will drink well.”

 

Liriette slowly took a sip of milk.

 

‘Whoa, it’s warm.’

 

The corners of Liriette’s eyes drooped as she felt the hot heat spreading all over her cold body.

 

‘She’s smiling like that again. Like spring that comes in the middle of winter.’

 

The Duke thought so and drank a cup of milk at once.

 

Liriette said with a reddened face.

 

“It’s delicious.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

Liriet carefully brought up something she was curious about.

 

“By the way, isn’t there originally a manager in this place?”

 

It was strange that there were no workers in the villa used by the Duke of Windsor-Ice.

 

The Duke replied, drinking another cup of milk.

 

“It’s a place I come to when I want to be alone, so I don’t leave people alone in the villa. It should be my own secret base.”

 

A secret base.

 

It was a word that didn’t suit the Duke of Windsor-Ice, who was said to be the coldest and most feared in the empire.

 

After a while, the tips of Liriette’s ears, which had been laughing, turned red.

 

‘That means he brought me to the secret base where the Duke comes when he wants to be alone?’

 

Her heart throbbed at the thought that the Duke had given her a seat. The corners of her lips kept rising.

 

‘The Duke might think it’s strange if I make it obvious that I like it too much.’

 

He said to her, who was trying hard not to show the emotions that were about to come out.

 

“Liriette, will you be my daughter?”

 

She tilted her head.

 

“You decided to do that, didn’t you?”

 

The Duke said in a calm voice.

 

“Not pretending to be a fake daughter for a while to get away from the High Priest, I’m saying that I want you to be my real daughter.”

 

At the shocking words, Liriette widened her eyes.