Even Death Was Taken Away by That Obsession - Chapter 8
“You want to go outside the mansion? “
“Our young lady, your body is still weak. “
“Instead of that, how about having tea time with us? “
“What about looking around the dressing room? “
I thought I had finished getting acquainted with the Grand Duke’s residence, and I wanted to explore this Grand Duchy.
But whenever I mentioned going out, all the maids subtly blocked my way.
It seemed they were cautiously waiting for someone’s permission that hadn’t been given.
‘Who on earth?’
The only people who could do such a thing in this mansion, excluding the absent Grand Duke, were Feiden or Ian.
‘Surely Ian wouldn’t have done that.’
Could it be that Feiden, that crazy high priest, was worried I might cause some trouble?
As I bit my lip in frustration during my walk, my body collided with someone’s chest, blocking my path.
It was Ian, who had returned at some point and approached silently, seemingly on purpose to surprise me.
“Haine, I’ve been looking for you.”
“For me?”
With the crimson sunset as a backdrop, Ian extended his hand.
“How about dinner together? I’ve made a reservation at a nice place.”
“Ah, I’d love to!”
I nodded immediately at the suggestion to go out together.
I couldn’t help but smile brightly without even realizing it.
‘I guess it was just my imagination that someone was trying to keep me confined to the mansion.’
Of course, this is Ian, who’s eager to do anything more for me.
Even now, he’s smiling as if he can’t contain his excitement about going out with me.
I, being particularly weak to his clear face, neatly folded away any shallow doubts and got into the carriage.
The place we visited was a restaurant with a trendy course menu.
Ian, who got out first, naturally extended his hand and skillfully escorted me.
It felt precious to welcome the spring evening together with him, as the sky dyed purple spread like paint.
Unconsciously, I clung to Ian’s arm, feeling how long it had been since I’d enjoyed the soft ground.
Ian looked a bit surprised with round eyes, but soon gently stroked my head with his large hand.
He seemed to know well that his gentle touch reassured me.
The restaurant door opened with a welcome from a pleasant-looking waiter.
Beyond the brown door, good music, good smells, and good voices softly leaked out.
“This way, please.”
The waiter politely extended his hand and guided us.
Ian and I walked in a manner that could easily be mistaken for a couple by onlookers.
And then.
‘That woman is…!’
Sticky gazes that didn’t miss the moment clung to my body.
I quickly rolled my eyes to observe the faces of the nobles glancing this way.
They all pretended to be elegant, but couldn’t hide the curiosity in their eyes.
Among them, some seemed desperate to find even a single flaw, but soon showed defeat and lowered their heads.
‘How cute, all of them.’
Unfortunately for them, this body that has experienced countless deaths cannot be hurt by such petty jealousy.
“Haine, this way.”
Ian wrapped his arm around my waist and gently pulled me towards him.
He looked as if he wanted to hide my existence completely if possible, perhaps bothered by the excessive stares.
I wanted to tell him not to worry, that I was fine, but Ian shook his head first.
“It’s because I’m not okay. ”
His voice, softly whispering even as he frowned anxiously, tickled my ear moistly.
With that small gesture of consideration from him, I could no longer hear the surrounding voices.
***
“Who is that lady?”
The young man dining asked the middle-aged man sitting across from him.
“Who are you referring to?”
The middle-aged man hurriedly wiped around his mouth with a napkin and looked around.
The young man who posed the question lowered his knife and gestured towards Haine with his eyes.
“Over there, the one with Lord Ian.”
The middle-aged gentleman sitting opposite the young man rubbed his chin and followed the young man’s gaze. As Ian and Haine, who were absorbed in each other and smiling affectionately, moved away, the middle-aged man frowned for a moment before finally unable to contain his excitement.
“Oh my, the one with young Duke Fortena is… the lady from the rumors!”
“The lady from the rumors?” While the young gentleman raised an eyebrow, the middle-aged man continued his explanation in a cheerful tone.
“Why, haven’t you heard the commotion about a young lady suddenly brought into the Grand Duke’s residence as a benefactor!”
There were rumors that it was just hearsay since the lady hadn’t been seen in any social circles, but it turns out she was quite frail. They say even High Priest Feiden is taking care of her with great attention, and the people of the Grand Duke’s residence have already opened their hearts to this fiancée and serve her with utmost devotion.
The middle-aged gentleman’s mouth moved incessantly, engrossed in the gossip.
“I thought it was just a groundless rumor, but indeed, the story of her being more beautiful than a doll was true!”
His excitement subsided as he suddenly blurted out the fact he had confirmed with his own eyes.
“More beautiful than a doll… huh.”
The young man dryly mulled over the comparison before rolling his eyes with a “Hmm.” It was an ambiguous reaction, unclear whether he found it interesting or tedious.
The young gentleman maintained his cold gaze that seemed about to flow down after brushing back his golden hair. Due to the two people who had just passed by, everyone was softly chattering in unison.
“Did you see just now?”
“Of course. I couldn’t take my eyes off!”
“I saw too! It was definitely Lord Ian.”
“I was so captivated by the rumored lady that I almost forgot to breathe!” “It seems a bit too much to call her just a benefactor…”
“Right? They looked too close.”
“Young Duke Fortena, he certainly has high standards.”
Even though Ian and Haine were no longer in sight, the surrounding tables were busy gossiping about the two. The pot-bellied gentleman sitting across from the young man also enjoyed this atmosphere, blabbering like a fool.
“If he had such a lovely lady in his heart, he should have revealed it earlier. He didn’t budge no matter who approached him.”
“……”
“It’s no exaggeration to say that the young Duke Fortena has captivated not just the ladies of Bonasea, no, the entire Aintz!”
“Indeed.” The young man leaned on his arm, seeming bored with this topic.
The middle-aged gentleman, suddenly startled, hurriedly wrapped up his words.
“Ah, of course! There’s also an incredible person sitting in front of me. Incredible? That doesn’t do justice! Aren’t you unmatched in appearance, character, and ability? Moreover…”
“It’s fine, you can stop there.”
The man’s hair was an icy gold, like the moon shining on the coldest day. The smile beneath it was excessively handsome. It was a well-crafted smile that anyone would like.
As the smile gradually faded, the young man’s eyes, nose, and lips were undeniably fine and cold. The languid atmosphere he exuded was peculiar in its perfection completed by that coldness. While the young man’s impression was clearly likable, there was something about him that made people tense.
The pot-bellied gentleman cleared his throat with an “Ahem, ahem,” hiding his cold sweat, and lowered his voice.
“Lord Dekiel. As I’ve said many times, it’s truly an honor to be with you today!”
Dekiel, as the man was called, traced the remnants of Haine, long gone from sight. His eyes, persistently capturing the afterimage of the woman, were as red as the heart of a freshly caught beast.
“If it weren’t for the ‘Year of the Oracle,’ it would have been difficult even to dare to meet such a person…”
The middle-aged gentleman trailed off, glancing around the tables filled with nobles from various regions.
The Year of the Oracle. In the temple of Aintz that serves the god Koseji, there’s an important ceremony held once every 10 years on the last day of the year to receive an oracle and deliver blessings. To coincide with this, dukes from various regions and nobles from all over Aintz gather in townhouses in the capital Bonasea, creating a summer-like excitement even though spring hasn’t yet begun.
“The Year of the Oracle… Indeed, this year will be quite an important one.”
Dekiel gently picked up the fork and knife he had set down, smiling faintly. Meat juice seeped out between the cuts of the meat. His gaze was quite languid as he picked up the meat he wasn’t even going to eat.
He recalled Haine’s luscious silver hair. And her eyes, which looked as heated as bright red berries, just like his own.
“By the way, do you know the name of Lord Ian’s fiancée?”
The gentleman, who was stuffing a large piece of meat into his mouth, hurriedly moved his jaw at Dekiel’s question.
“Her, her name… it was quite unique.”
The gentleman rubbed his chin, carefully retracing his memory. What was it, what was it… After muttering for a while, he suddenly seemed to remember and slapped his palm.
“Haine!”
Dekiel asked again, twitching his eyebrows.
“Haine?”
“Yes, I heard it was Haine.”
Dekiel put down his fork and knife and picked up his glass. Then, while swirling the wine glass round and round, he thought about something and quietly moistened his throat.
The middle-aged gentleman, seeing his chance, asked in a friendly manner.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Ah, I’ve found something I want.”
“When you say something you want, what exactly do you mean?”
The middle-aged gentleman leaned in close, as if ready to bring anything. Gently avoiding him, Dekiel sank deep into the soft cushion, his posture more arrogant than even the Grand Duke who ruled this country.
Adorning that arrogance like an ornament, his red eyes flickered vividly as if they held fire.
“Something… very beautiful.”
