If You're Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 14
Rumors quickly spread that the Duke of the Black Wolves had a new addition to his household — a family member to be exact. To add fuel to the fire, it was said that the member of the family was a herbivore.
“Mr. Butler, wait!”
Given that the visitor had been personally brought in by the Duke himself, it was not appropriate to inquire directly about their identity. Instead, all of the Duke’s hired help had come to Liam, who was a bit more modest than the duke, to find out the identity of his guest.
Wearily, Liam turned away from the stairs and turned to the person who called him.
“Mr. Butler, even if others don’t need to know, shouldn’t you at least inform me? You say she’s in the Duke’s service!”
Liam understood why the handmaiden was making such a fuss.
Who was this master he served? It was safe to say that he possessed the most powerful aura and strength his lineage had ever seen. From the natural immensity of his stature to the imposing presence he exuded even in his human form, his majesty was such that even the duchy’s finest knights feared him.
His piercing eyes were intimidating to look into, yet the silver irises shone like the light of the moon, giving him an air of dignity. The sharp bridge of his nose, the tightness of his mouth, and the graceful curve of his jaw were so elegant that even other men were drawn to them.
Standing at over 190 centimeters tall, his broad shoulders appeared so sturdy that a slight collision could send anything flying. In contrast to his broad shoulders, his waist was slender, and his legs were so muscular that their strength was evident even through his clothing.
Lastly, the faint teardrop-shaped mole near his right eye was one of the most admired features among all the women in the duchy. It might have been due to the maternal instincts it stirred, or something of the sort.
Liam heaved another deep sigh and turned to the handmaiden.
“I truly empathize with your words. However, if the circumstances had allowed me to speak earlier, I wouldn’t have kept quiet like this. Especially Margaret, she would have been the first to know.”
As a longtime coworker, Liam felt more comfortable confiding in Margaret than in the others.
Margaret nodded in affirmation, but cut to the chase. “You don’t think he’s going to take her as a mate, do you?”
The reason why rumors about Ruby had spread so quickly was precisely because of this.
“You’ve never had a woman by your side before, so you were the only one who could advise the Duke.”
“Hmph, that sounds presumptuous.”
“Of course, I know I shouldn’t say it. But I also have to say something to my subordinates who are asking questions.”
Liam understood what the handmaiden meant. How could he not? This place was a war zone, day in and day out, with women vying for the Duke’s favor like combatants. Ivan was probably the only one who didn’t know that.
“I don’t think so, sir, and I’m afraid your master has different intentions, so tell him to keep his head down and behave himself.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Margaret was not entirely convinced, but she knew it was time to step back. The assurance that even she wasn’t being informed of anything would at least shut the noisy ones up for a while.
Only after the handmaiden left did Liam ascend the stairs. In his hand he held the garment Ruby would wear in the future.
He wasn’t sure what had been said during his brief absence, but if she was to serve the Duke, she would need to be properly attired, and not even Ivan would be able to stop him on that matter.
Standing outside the Duke’s private chambers, Liam knocked politely. When he heard a voice inviting him from inside, he drew in a short breath and opened the door.
After seeing mostly black and gray, it was an ethereal feeling to see a pink, dainty herbivore. As Ivan had said this morning, they wouldn’t eat a herbivore just because they were carnivores, but there would still be carnivores all around her. Would she really be okay?
