TGDHC Chapter 88

Chapter 88. A Hot Night (1)

“Is he giving in because of the Grand Duchess’s pressure?”

The way he flinched earlier, telling me not to come closer—it seemed he was scared the Grand Duchess might find out.

Feeling hurt rising up to my throat, Meisel had no choice but to offer a polite farewell.

With every step she took away, the faint sounds of her ornaments sounded strangely pitiful.

***

“Are you okay?”

After watching Meisel glance back and leave, I checked Loic’s condition first.

“She didn’t touch you, did she?”

“I’m fine,” Loic said, clearing his throat.

“It was thanks to you that you arrived when things got dangerous…”

Even in his awkwardness, I could see a hint of a smile on his face.

It seemed my little “performance” earlier had impressed him.

“You can still laugh right now?”

When I scolded him, Loic pressed his lips together.

“No.”

“I had no choice. We never know when a situation like this will happen again. If we don’t do something like that, the noble ladies will keep throwing themselves at you any time.”

Honestly, you can never let your guard down.

I was gone for just a moment, and Meisel already tried to get close.

Well, with someone this outstanding, maybe it’s only natural.

Even a robe couldn’t hide his glow.

Through the hood, Loic’s face practically dripped nobility.

At this rate he’s the empire’s number one groom-to-be.

Now that he’s started appearing in public more, the fact that he has a wife—practically his enemy—won’t matter to them at all.

I had a bothersome thought that more ladies like Meisel would show up.

“From now on, you should keep your face covered as much as possible.”

Loic frowned as if he didn’t get my point.

“And wear the old clothes you used to wear.”

“…?”

“You got too handsome. Now the noble ladies are trying even harder to talk to you.”

“What are you….”

The Grand Duke cleared his throat, embarrassed.

“No one is thinking that.”

Does this man never look in a mirror?

Anyway, I’d scolded Meisel loudly, so she’d probably bad-mouth me everywhere. But even so, other ladies would at least hesitate once before standing in front of Loic.

Maybe from the tension, the hair at the front under his hood was damp.

I took out a handkerchief and gently wiped his forehead.

“The children…”

“Don’t worry. Their parents were already looking for them. Jerome took them, so they should be reunited quickly.”

For some reason, I felt a faint heat from Loic’s face.

Is he running a fever?

When I reached to check his forehead, Loic gently took my hand and lowered it.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go separately from here. Will you be all right?”

“Separately?”

His gaze turned toward the lakeside.

At some point, the fountain show had ended, and the crowd had dispersed.

The road in front of the shops—empty a moment ago—was packed with people again.

“Ah…”

“Norton will escort you, so please don’t worry too much.”

At those words, I looked back and saw Norton had approached and was waiting for me a little ways behind.

“What about you?”

“I can use the gate behind that forest path.”

He reassured me that the knights had probably already brought his horse.

“Then you go first.”

“You go first.”

“I have Sir Norton, but you’ll be going alone.”

Ever since he ran into Meisel, his complexion had looked oddly off, which worried me.

That forest path looked rather dark.

Even a strong grown man would find it scary to walk there alone, right?

Who knows what might jump out of the bushes…

I was just about to tell Norton to take Loic first and that I’d be fine.

“I’m sorry,” Loic said quietly.

“About what?”

He hesitated, then spoke.

“I know how hard you worked to change the lakeside like this.”

Out of nowhere?

When I looked at him, confused, he gave a slightly awkward smile.

“I should have announced it properly to everyone and thanked you in public…”

“What are you talking about? I feel like you’ve already thanked me a thousand times.”

“Not officially.”

I wrinkled my nose.

That again.

He meant he hadn’t been able to hold an official event to commend the Grand Duchess.

Since the Grand Duke couldn’t appear officially, it couldn’t be helped.

“But you did spread the word to everyone in the territory unofficially.”

All the notices issued from the ducal castle during preparations began with “Personally prepared by Her Grace the Grand Duchess…” and every meeting started with “As Her Ladyship planned…”

There’s probably no one in Blenheim now who doesn’t know the lakeside market was my project.

Yet even so, he was disappointed he couldn’t publicly announce that I’d done it.

If Loic were my boss, I’d pledge loyalty for life.

Even here, it seemed to weigh on him that he had to keep things hidden like this.

“Then I’ll go first.”

He looked so apologetic that I turned away first.

I waved a hand behind me to Norton, and Loic, lifting a hand at his hip, gave a small wave back.

***

When I returned to the administration office, Cecilia was waiting with all sorts of snacks she’d bought.

We sat on the terrace eating apple pie while Perel gave us reports.

More people had come than expected, so some shops sold out and closed earlier than planned. Some restaurants ran out of ingredients and had to shut briefly during peak hours to restock. Overall, the market was a huge success.

“We’ll need about a week to see how things settle, but by the time the delegation arrives, the market should run smoothly.”

Thanks to the staff moving around diligently, there were no big problems despite the crowds, Perel said with relief.

The feedback on the market was overwhelmingly positive.

Since there hadn’t been any real leisure space for people, everyone seemed happy even while jostling one another.

Because of that, we had to extend the closing time by an hour.

Only after people started to leave and the crowd thinned did I take a carriage back to the ducal castle.

It was such a satisfying, exhausting day.

All through the execution of the market plan, a part of me was nervous.

Even more so because no one objected to my plan.

Before I transmigrated, all kinds of people would have given orders, interfered, and meddled.

But now the officials and workers moved like clockwork without a single complaint, as if my judgment could not be wrong—which, honestly, scared me a little.

Still, I’ve never done anything this rewarding.

Maybe because I’d been tense since morning, my whole body ached, but my heart was full of pride.

At least I’d done my part, worthy of the title of Grand Duchess.

Leta, who prepared my bed, also seemed in a good mood after the outing.

Pretending not to be excited, she brought me warm water. I drank a little and lay down.

“Your Ladyship, sleep well.”

“Good night, Leta.”

After Leta left, I happily drifted toward sleep.

“…”

I don’t know how much time passed.

Just as I was about to cross into sleep—

Knock, knock.

A small, urgent-sounding knock reached my ears.

Who could that be? At this hour?

A bad feeling jolted my senses awake.

I grabbed a light shawl and hurried to the door as the knocking grew a little louder, more impatient.

When I opened it, Norton stood there, face stiff.

“What is it?”

“Your Ladyship…”

The knight swallowed and spoke in a pleading voice.

“Please save His Grace.”

****

I followed Norton out of the main castle.

The cold night air wrapped coolly around my ankles.

He led me in a direction I’d never taken before.

After passing the east wing’s colonnade, Norton went down and up irregular stone steps connecting buildings, then took a narrow path with rough slopes for quite a while.

He had said Loic might be about to go berserk, so I’d thrown on a gown and rushed after him.

So Norton knew about the curse too…

Worry and fear made my steps slip again and again.

I’d tied his cravat every day and held his hand now and then.

Hadn’t his mana been relieved enough?

Why would he suddenly go out of control?

Norton asked if we could take a rough shortcut because there was no time, and I nodded.

The way was steeper and rougher than I expected, so I had no breath to ask questions while trying not to lose him.

Even while hurrying, Norton kept glancing back to make sure I was following.

“Careful. The path is slippery.”

Maybe ten minutes passed. After we went down a long, slick stone path close to the outer wall, Norton finally stopped.

A brick building stood there—very solid-looking but completely out of place among the surrounding structures.