Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 16
Macy gathered her courage and looked down again. Duke Krygen was still looking upwards.
His blue eyes, even under the bright light, seemed to hold a dark undertone that stung Macy, prompting her to check if the brooch on her hat was securely attached as she adjusted her appearance.
Meanwhile, the boat carrying the Duke moved beyond the bridge.
“Ah, it’s a pity. I wanted to watch him longer.”
“Indeed…”
Now, only the back of Duke Krygen was visible as he no longer looked upwards.
‘It’s strange. Why did I feel like our eyes kept meeting?’
It was supposed to be their first encounter. Macy watched his retreating figure for a long while.
The image of the only man at the festival who seemed unhappy stuck with her the most.
* * *
“The weather is so beautiful today. And it’s truly lovely out here.”
The rhythmic splash and dip of the boatman’s oars tickled the ears, while the boat filled with the scent of flowers and grass spread a fragrant aroma. Isabella, holding her parasol, leaned slightly forward to watch the schools of fish swimming freely under the clear water.
“How do you find it, my lord?”
Isabella looked up from the scenery, impressed, but the breathtaking view paled in comparison to the man before her.
Under the dazzling sun, Duke Rubens Wester de Krygen, maintained a noble composure as if harboring moonlight within himself. His presence was elegant, even as he merely observed the passing scenery, it was as if he was part of a beautiful painting.
‘I can’t believe I almost rejected such a man. It would have been the mistake of a lifetime.’
The heads of the Werfel and Krygen families had long ago agreed to marry their firstborn children. This arrangement was made even before Isabella and Rubens were born.
But there had been rumors of Rubens’ ill health since childhood, and Isabella, fearing a frail husband, had once thrown a tantrum to her father, begging him to break off the engagement.
Count Werfel, wary of hastily arranging a marriage and then dealing with complications should Carlin Krygen, the second born, ascend to dukedom, delayed discussions about the engagement whenever it was brought up.
Surprisingly, however, Rubens Krygen fully regained his health after reaching adulthood. He had grown into a fine figure, so much so that the rumors of his frailty seemed nothing but a lie.
“It’s beautiful. It’s a good thing we could enjoy this view because of Lady Werfel.”
Rubens seemed distracted, taking a moment to reply.
Isabella followed his gaze to the bridge connecting the riverbanks. There, commoners were tightly packed at the bridge’s edge, watching the nobles’ boating activities.
Some were setting up easels, capturing the beautiful scene on canvas.
“Do any of the paintings catch your eye?”
Rubens had recently developed an interest in art, especially paintings, and did not hesitate to invest in valuable pieces. The nobility of Laden was keenly observing whether Krygen’s interest in art was merely a hobby or part of a broader business strategy.
His actions often had a significant impact on Laden.
“No, it seems there’s something out of place here.”
“What might that be?”
Rubens merely curled the corners of his lips into a smile. That subtle change was enough to send Isabella’s heart racing, as she was unaccustomed as she was to his striking appearance.
She fanned her heated cheeks, trying not to appear flustered.
“Are you familiar with the tragic tale associated with the Romanci Bridge?”
“Which tale are you referring to?”
“The lover of the world-renowned poet, Raynor, died after writing a love confession on Romanci Bridge.”
There is a legend that writing a lover’s name side by side on Romanci Bridge ensures their love will come true. Among these, the story of Raynor Lawrence and his lover is one of the most frequently mentioned.
“It is said his lover died upholding her fidelity after her name was revealed.”
Isabella continued with interest.
Helena, Raynor’s lover, felt that it would be a betrayal to sleep with anyone other than Raynor, even though her name had been revealed. So she broke up with him and chose to die slowly without seeking treatment.
It is said that Raynor found the love confession and her story written on the Romanci Bridge much later.
“I don’t think I could do the same.”
Isabella said in a hesitant voice.
“Even if fidelity is important, death seems too harsh, doesn’t it?”
Although their conversation had a sensitive nature, given that they were betrothed, she spoke with disarming frankness. Rubens looked at her expressionlessly for a moment before a slight smile appeared on his lips.
‘Does he realize what I’m getting at?’
The reason she had suddenly brought up this topic was due to unsettling news she had recently heard.
‘They say Duke Krygen was seriously ill last winter. Since then, he’s been seen leaving at night in a black carriage.’
From just these clues, Isabella could easily guess something was amiss. Even the high nobility of the Krygen family could not escape the curse of the name.
“If I were in that situation, what would you do, Duke?”
