Escaping the Archduke of the North's Obsession

Duke Kyar couldn’t get rid of the woman’s face while she stood at the podium out of his mind.

She seemed sad about not winning the archery competition.

He never even thought that the woman would win second place.

Her archery skills were better than he thought, and they never failed to surprise him.

Duke Kyar had never considered the woman lacking.

Still, Evan won because he was the best in the competition.

If the woman had participated in the archery competition the next year, she would have easily won it.

The audience laughed at her when she stood in front of the target with her small bow, but her skills were amazing enough to turn the ridicule into surprise.

‘I should have told her that she did a good job.’ Duke Kyar thought before he hurriedly shook his head.

He was supposed to be training right now, so why did he think about her?

It didn’t matter to him if she was disappointed or upset by the results.

He nervously swept his black hair to the side.

Duke Kyar couldn’t understand why he was so drawn to the woman he didn’t even know.

**

The aristocratic ladies, gentlemen, and their servants stayed in the main castle while the rest of the servants were separated into another house.

Rubella Castle was enormous enough to accommodate all the people who worked there.

Isabella was assigned to the last room located on the third floor.

Rubella Castle had excellent facilities, and the servants were pretty satisfied because it showed that the Archduke genuinely cared for its people’s welfare.

Isabella loved that she had her privacy.

She was the only one staying in her room.

It might be smaller than the room that Duke Kyar had given her in the past, but at least it was more significant than her mountain cabin.

Would it be alright for Ignis to stay the way he is?

Isabella released the firebird from his cage and started unpacking her luggage.

Marc had also told her that she could utilize space on the first floor and turn it into a medicine room.

That room was created for the previous pharmacists who worked here before she came.

“What do you think, Ignis? Better than the cabin, huh?”

“The room is too small for me, Isabella! Even the small window frustrates me!”

Ignis complained as he glanced at the small window near the bed.

Ignis, who loved to bathe under the sun, was too small for the window.

“If you’re frustrated, how about going to the mountains once in a while? Alright?”

Isabella comforted her firebird.

Then, she heard a knock on the door.

“Yes?”

Isabella answered loudly before opening the door, and Seria came in.

“Hey, sister!”

“Thank you very much, Seria. I easily got a job here in Rubella Castle because of Prince Victor.”

Isabella held Seria’s hands in gratitude.

“Do you have to stay in this separate house? The room is too small here.”

Seria commented with a slight frown as she recalled the room Isabella used to live in.

“It’s bigger than a hut, Seria. I think it’s all right.”

Have you met Duke Kyar yet?”

“Not yet. He  is out for training.”

“Are you nervous about seeing him again?”

Isabella smiled and nodded.

“I’m so nervous. He was so different from the one I used to know. I think he changed a lot.”

She just hoped that the Archduke hated her.

“I’m sure Duke Kyar will love you again. He doesn’t have a choice.”

Seria said warmly, and it comforted Isabella’s aching heart.

Still, Isabella didn’t know the outcome.

Will he love her again?

Isabella let out an inward sigh when she recalled the Archduke’s cold dark eyes staring at her.

Honestly, she was contented just seeing him up close.

Wishing for his love would be straight-up greed.

“Why is Ignis so angry, sister?” Seria asked as she pointed at Ignis.

The firebird was scowling at the small window.

“the window is too small, according to him. He wanted to date the sun.”

“Well, Ignis. Do you want to visit my room, instead? My window is wider than this.”

“Are you sure? I like it! I’ll go play in your room!” Ignis exclaimed.

Isabella shook her head at his antics.

“Then, Seria, can I ask you to take care of Ignis for the rest of your stay here in Rubella Castle?”

“I’m fine with it, sister. I wouldn’t get bored at night with him as my companion. You’re going to chat with me all night, aren’t you, Ignis?”

“Seria, you talk too much! You will talk to me until I get tired! If you don’t shut up,  I will run away from here!”

“Okay. We will sleep after talking a little bit.”

Ignis nodded in agreement.

“Ignis, don’t bother Seria too much.”

“I have told you this multiple times, Isabella. Seria was the one who bothered me all the time! I don’t bother Seria! Hmph!”

Isabella suppressed a grin when she realized nothing had changed between Seria and Ignis’ friendship.

‘This felt like I was back in time.’ Isabella recalled the past wistfully as she watched them bicker.