IRER 74

Chapter 74

The Softly Closing Door

The victim, River, leaned back comfortably in his chair, eyes never leaving the documents in front of him, as he asked Caleb:

“So you’ll accept any punishment?”

Caleb, still kneeling with his head bowed low to the floor, replied:

“Yes, I will.”

Brody quickly cut in.

“Chief of Staff…”

But River cut her off.

“The Madam seems to be paying special attention to this woman. I suppose camaraderie is especially abundant among you people of the Empire.”

He still didn’t raise his eyes from the papers, his sarcastic tone dripping as he arched an eyebrow and scratched his forehead in an irritatingly smug way.

‘Ugh, this bastard.’

Still, Brody swallowed down her emotions. First things first—she had to save Caleb. So her voice came out calm and soft.

“Caleb is not just a citizen of the Empire. Before that, she was a Northerner, and before even that, she is a woman and a person. Can’t you take that into consideration?”

“Even if I do, a crime is still a crime, and punishment is still punishment.”

Brody’s face hardened. River’s decision seemed unshakable. She stepped between him and Caleb, standing firm.

“But it wasn’t a crime committed with intent.”

“How can you be so sure? She claims she doesn’t even remember.”

“She had no reason to target you. Why would she, of all people, come after the Northern Chief of Staff?”

“Well, who knows? Maybe there was some deal—something like, ‘Bring me the Chief of Staff’s head and I’ll reinstate you as a maid of the Ducal House.’”

At those words, Caleb’s fingers, still pressed against the floor, turned pale white.

She was clearly forcing herself to endure the insult. Others might not see it, but Brody knew: the hardships Caleb had endured were not born of “schemes,” but of “horrific suffering.”

Brody’s voice trembled slightly with pity.

“Chief of Staff… she lost her daughter because of the Empire. She endured hell and came north. If it were you, could you go back and work for the Empire?”

River scratched his chin as he answered.

“Who knows? People value different things. There are plenty of people who throw away family for the sake of their work.”

At that, Caleb finally spoke, her voice steady though her face was pale and her emotions heavy.

“Madam, please don’t. I’ll just accept the punishment.”

River looked down at her.

“Good attitude. Someone who truly repents prepares to accept punishment as well.”

Brody bit her lip. It looked like River was going to carry it out after all. She sat beside Caleb, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and glared up at River with wide, unblinking eyes.

“Chief of Staff! If you punish her, then punish me too—”

“Brody!”

She had been about to drag herself down with Caleb, but suddenly Aidan, who had been silent all this time, called her name.

Startled, Brody turned to him. He slowly shook his head—don’t do it.

‘Why? Why not?’

Though confused, Brody stayed silent. She trusted that Aidan wouldn’t stop her without reason.

River let out a long sigh.

“Ha. What a shame. Just a little more, and I might have gotten one or two things out of it.”

“!”

Brody froze.

His words meant only one thing—that his stern talk of punishment had been a ploy to bargain with her for Caleb’s sake.

River smirked.

“Impressive. You never asked His Highness for help, and you refused to back down to the end.”

Aidan scratched the back of his neck. He hadn’t expected Brody to avoid using his authority either. Was it because of the lingering distance between them? But then again, she hadn’t even invoked her title as Grand Duchess.

River continued, meeting Brody’s blazing glare.

“Spirit you have, but no foundation. You don’t seem to have realized you’re the Grand Duchess yet.”

“So you were testing me?”

“I test everyone I deal with, every moment. A strategist’s virtue is to wring out everything possible.”

“…”

When Brody stayed silent, Aidan interjected.

“When he starts talking this much, it means his head’s spinning with schemes. If he really meant punishment, he would’ve cut it short from the start.”

River only shrugged with a crooked smile.

This time, Brody had been the one caught out. She had to admit it.

When River first summoned Madam Murphy, she had sensed he didn’t intend to punish Caleb severely—but she had forgotten it in the heat of the moment. And, unaccustomed to the hierarchy, she hadn’t thought to use her title as Grand Duchess either.

Brody squeezed Caleb’s hand tightly, then stood and pulled her up as well.

“Testing me is fine. But don’t you think using her life as part of your game goes too far? Let’s go, Madam.”

“M-Madam…”

Caleb looked around nervously as Brody pulled her along.

River spoke.

“I never said I wouldn’t give punishment.”

Brody stopped and turned to him. Her eyes were no longer pleading—they were firm, defiant, demanding: Then tell me what punishment.

River chuckled softly.

“Caleb Miller, your punishment shall be this: you will swear to serve Madam as her maid for the rest of your life.”

“…”

Caleb froze, staring at him. Her burning black eyes met his cold gray ones, until River finally turned back to his documents.

“Do you object?”

“N-no. I apologize. I will accept it gladly.”

“…”

Is that really punishment? Brody wondered, but held her tongue. She couldn’t read his intention.

“If there’s no complaint, then leave. You as well, Madam.”

Brody nodded, pulling Caleb with her. For now, it seemed settled—best to get Caleb out.

Click. The door closed softly behind them.

River shook his head at the fading sound.

But Aidan caught the slight curve of his lips.

“You look pleased.”

“Hardly. I may be obsessed with work, but not to the point I find it fun.”

“That mouth of yours…”

“And Your Highness the Grand Duchess isn’t exactly easygoing either.”

“…”

Aidan was startled. River had just called Brody Her Highness the Grand Duchess.

River recalled the look in Brody’s eyes earlier. In just that short exchange, she had shown the gaze befitting a Grand Duchess. He was sure that even if he truly had intended punishment, she would’ve stopped him.

“When people have something to protect, their vision narrows. Still, she didn’t let emotions rule her in the end.”

Though surely upset, she had restrained herself to the last—closing the door softly as she left.

‘That sort of person is the hardest to face.’

Seeing River nodding to his own thought, Aidan spoke.

“She must’ve made an impression on you.”

“Who knows. Either way, she’s the Grand Duchess now. Best to get along.”

“….”

So he did like her after all. His tone and his decision proved it.

Showing leniency to Caleb, appointing her as Brody’s maid—both were choices unlike the River Aidan knew. Normally, he would’ve punished Caleb lightly and then sent her far away, never to be seen again. He wouldn’t have kept such an uncertain element close.

But this time, River had done much more.

First, he tested Brody and tried to bargain with her—perhaps to balance out the debt of her saving and healing him. (Though Aidan’s intervention ruined that plan.)

Second, he reminded her of her status as Grand Duchess. This would force her to reflect on how to use it. That reminder itself was a kind of favor.

Third, by having Brody defend Caleb so passionately, he ensured Caleb’s loyalty to her. That would serve Brody well, especially since River had already planned to make Caleb her maid.

And fourth, keeping Caleb—once head maid of the Ducal House—close instead of exiling her hinted at another motive. Likely to test her, watch her, or draw out information about the Ducal House.

Either way, River seemed to have resolved to work with Brody as Grand Duchess.

‘Whether that’s fortunate or not… I’m not sure.’

Aidan’s feelings were complicated.

Reading the mood, River asked:

“I say I’ll get along with Her Highness, but why do you look like that?”

“You and Brody both read my expressions too well.”

“Ha. So Her Highness already can read yours? Already?”

Indeed, it had taken River more than twenty years by Aidan’s side to notice them.

Aidan sighed.

“Anyway… when you say ‘get along,’ what you mean is ‘use her well.’ I’m not sure that’s something to be glad about.”

“Do you think I’m doing this for myself? Honestly, I’m disappointed, Your Highness. I’ve spent months cleaning up the messes you made, and you’re not even sorry?”

“I am sorry. But that doesn’t mean you get to cross lines.”

Aidan’s sharp gaze locked onto him, and River fell silent, frustration churning but unable to answer.

At last Aidan said, slow and heavy:

“I’m prepared to do anything for the North. But the Grand Duchess is different. If anyone dares treat her carelessly, I won’t let it pass.”

River’s heart went cold.

It was rare for Aidan to speak like this. He devoted everything to the North, yet never demanded anything from it—living like a puppet, sacrificing his own will.

But now, he had expressed a fierce will.

His icy blue eyes bore down, sharp and weighty, aimed not at an enemy but at River himself.

For the first time, River faced Aidan’s opposition head-on. And he understood why the man was called the Grand Duke of the Ice Wall—unyielding, cold, impossible to break.

River clenched his teeth to keep from trembling, sweat breaking across his back.

Only when Aidan turned away and stood did he manage to speak.

“She’s that important to you?”

Still facing away, Aidan answered:

“‘That important’? Hard to say. I can’t measure it myself.”

And with that, he strode out.

“I’ll finish work and return. Take care of yourself.”

The door closed with a soft click.

River let out a deep sigh.