If I Disobey the Duke

Mentoring (4)

“How dare I say such a thing to the lord…”

Ivan only chuckled a little. “Aren’t you his wife? The full-time wife of Duke de Winter. If you don’t deserve to say it, then who does?”

Crack

He cracked an egg on his forehead and slowly began peeling it. “Madam is underestimating her influence.”

It was a pretty firm tone.

“I’m putting my experience on the line, and it really works. So be sure to give it a try.”

She nodded blankly as she was looking at the flesh of the hard-boiled egg.

Looking at the white and blunt end, she remembered that vulgar cylinder that had rolled at her feet.

Lily scrambled out of the chair, trying to hide her red face again.

***

It was like someone was poking around her head with a stick. The rushing thoughts felt more endless than the corridor.

Lily suddenly stopped walking. “Come to think of it, I didn’t ask him much of anything…”

The advice Ivan gave her was still too overwhelming.

I don’t like it.

Even the sensation of the statement on her tongue felt unfamiliar.

When was the last time I said that?

“Mom, I don’t want to live like that. I want to run away. Can’t you help me? Hm?”

It was a memory from her childhood more than 10 years ago. A chilling goosebumps ran up her spine as if electricity had risen.

“My wife died because of you!”

It reminded her of her father, who cried to her when she was ten years old with bloodshot eyes.

Her head felt like it was going to explode, the roaring in her eardrums deafening. Breathing became painful. Lily squeezed her eyes shut and staggered.

By what qualification do I dare say that…

The chapel door swung open. Lily reflexively raised her head as cold air blew in.

A man stood in the middle of the chapel. He had his back against the pale blue sky.

“…Knight?”

His black hair swallowed the afternoon sunlight.

A sharp nose with seemingly merciful eyes, a clear jaw, and a hard, long neck all embodying masculine beauty.

Like an emperor who came to rule the world where she did not belong, he opened the door to greet her.

Her father’s angry face was erased cleanly from her mind’s eye.

Lily faltered. She was sure that she talked to Ivan for quite some time.

Has he been outside all this time? It looks like he had already talked to the priest. So, was he waiting for me?

For some reason…

Suddenly, the situation before entering the priest’s room crossed her mind.

Lily, not knowing what to do, covered her mouth with both hands. “Oh, I’m sorry. I had a ridiculous misunderstanding, so I was rude to the knight.”

He must have waited to receive an apology from Lily.

It must have been that his knight’s ego had been severely damaged.

He just stared at Lily.

“How can I make the knight feel better… I’ll tell my husband that I’m sorry too.”

Pfft.

He laughed and Lily’s eyes grew round.

His eyes drew a fine arc. It was a smile that made her heart melt.

As if beckoning her, he leaned back and opened the door wide. The iron gate, which was quite heavy, moved lightly without making a sound.

Lily walked out into the courtyard. Talin was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that he was sent back.

She looked at the knight, closing the door. “Are you feeling better? Oh, and I… I can speak a little sign language. Only basic words…”

When their eyes met, he turned his head away.

Lily lowered her gaze slightly.

She could see his hand moving. It looked like he was trying to talk to her in sign language.

Lily answered, “I’ve got a problem. I’m trying to get counseling while confessing to the priest…”

“…I don’t have any other options…”

“…”

He moved first.

Lily blinked a few times before following him.  It seemed he would be the one to assume Talin’s role.

But Lily had to stop. As she moved away, the little thing at her feet revealed itself. “Snowman…?”

It was a snowman the size of two of Lily’s fists. A guy with good features made of two stones of the same size and a branch that drew a perfectly symmetrical arc.

It even had pine needle bangs.

“…Cute.”

It was a small thing that didn’t match the old walls and the dark red wooden doors full of tiny scratches.

It was so cute that the dignified Winter Castle had a bright atmosphere.

Lily crouched in front of the snowman. Without knowing he was looking back, Lily tapped the snowman’s hair.

It was just a small tap, but then the snowman lost its hair.

Suddenly, he approached and sat down on one knee, returning the hair to the snowman’s forehead with a rather delicate touch.

Lowering her head, Lily could see his nape. She blinked as she saw him attach the bangs with satisfaction.

“Did you make it?”

He shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“…Pft.” Lily made a deflated laugh.

Vlad’s eyes got bigger, and his ears turned red.