The Devilish Duke Can't Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

“Hoooo…… haaammm.”

Lena, who made a small sound, yawned and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Lena? Are you awake?”

She was still closing her eyes because she was dazed, but a cautious and urgent voice could be heard next to her. Lena turned her head and was startled by the red eyes that stared into her.

“Uh…… ? Du, duke… … .”

Lena had slept well for a long time and woke up feeling refreshed, but Kahel’s figure sitting in front of her didn’t look so refreshed.

“Are you okay? Any pain or discomfort…….”

“Ah, no, rather than me, Your Excellency! Are you okay?”

Lena hurriedly looked at Kahel, who had a haggard look, with her eyes, which hadn’t even taken the eye mucus off. A paler and duller complexion than usual, hardened hair soaked in something sticky, desperate eyes…….

Kahel looked quite tired and precarious for some reason.

“I’m fine. Just tell me how you are.”

“Me? I’m really okay.”

“Your back doesn’t hurt at all? No, even if it’s not your back, tell me if you have any pain anywhere.”

Lena then remembered how she got to be lying in bed in front of her master.

“Huh? That…… Come to think of it……”

Although she was so dazed, she certainly remembered herself to have been cut in the back by the claws of a hideous monster. Because it was such an unforgettable pain for her.

Lena reached out and touched her hand behind her back, fumbling. However, her back was in a clean state with no itching, let alone scars.

“How did this happen…… ? Did I dream?”

“Lena…… Do you have any memories of anything?”

“Ah, there…… I was sure…… Being dragged into a cave by monsters…… I hurt my back. But I guess that was a dream. Or maybe I had lost my consciousness until the wounds were all fully healed?”

Kahel, who looked into Lena’s eyes, which was full of surprise and puzzlement, believed she wasn’t lying to him. After he slaughtered the monsters in Kalahan Mountain, as soon as he arrived at the castle, he summoned Phil and asked about Lena’s status, Phil even looked around and then whispered carefully.

“By any chance, did you infuse the maid with magic before you left? For healing purposes.”

“That’s nonsense. Do you think that magic can be injected into anyone?”

“Then you gave a blessing of healing …….”

“I never even thought about it because I had never given a blessing of healing.”

“Haha…… That would be very surprising news, but the maid’s wounds have been completely healed. The two maids went to change the bandages and it had already healed without even a scar. I told the two maids who had changed her clothes to keep quiet.”

At first he didn’t believe Phil’s story. Of course, there’s no way Lena, who can’t even feel magical powers, can heal her body in a matter of hours.

However, Lena’s appearance, lying on her back, sleeping soundly in her usual robes, was quite different from before he left for Kalahan Mountain, so he could tell without having to check her back that she was all right.

“How the hell did this happen?”

“Your Excellency. Just tell me. Who is this lady?”

If only Kahel could know, he wanted to know first. Who the hell is this cute and adorable but strange woman who possesses even healing powers!

Phil didn’t seem to believe Kahel’s answer that he didn’t know either, but he was content to know that Lena didn’t have to get sick anyway.

He wondered if Lena could sense the strange aura when she opened her eyes, so he stayed by her side until she came to her senses, but when she woke up, Lena was so ordinary that he fizzed out. No, it wasn’t that he lost anything, because that freshly waking unkempt figure was cute, too.

“Perhaps…… Did Your Excellency heal me?”

Kahel suddenly came back to Lena’s cautious questioning.

“What?”

“I’ve heard somewhere before. The Duke’s blessing…… It has healing powers…….”

“I think…….”

Kahel paused for a moment, who was going to say that he didn’t do it. If not, how the heck was he going to explain her healing? He went out for a while and she was all right? Wouldn’t Lena be confused?

After thinking for a while, Kahel decided to lie for the time being.

“Oh, well, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“As expected, you saved me! Thank you, Your Excellency! How am I supposed to repay all this grace… ? I will serve you with all my heart until the day I die!”

“Uhh…… ?”

In this situation, Kahel knew from his long training in etiquette that he needed to step back and said, ‘There is nothing to be so grateful for.’ Because he didn’t even really heal her.

But Kahel couldn’t let go of Lena’s oath that she would be by his side “until death”. Of course, it could be a sworn oath said just in the lips, but he wanted to get her promise, no matter what.

“Hmm! Well, suit yourself.”

His earlobes burned at the guilt that he was deceiving Lena. However, Lena’s expression suddenly hardened. A guilty conscience needs no accuser and Kahel, who felt guilty, was just about to open his mouth, thinking that he should tell her right now.

“Your Excellency…… But that…… is it……blood?”

“Huh?”

“Umm, the hair…… No, now that I see the clothes, too…… ! Oh my gosh! Are you hurt?”

“Oh, no. This is not my blood…… .”

He tried to explain that it was the blood of monsters, but suddenly he thought that it must have looked terrible to Lena. He couldn’t even understand how he had thought of staying by Lena’s side while covered in the body fluids of dirty monsters.

“I’m going to wash up soon. Don’t worry, I’m not hurt. Go rest.”

“Ah…… Yes…….”

Lena stared blankly at Kahel’s back as he hurriedly turned his body and moved away, and her cheeks began to blush. Come to think of it, the fact that Kahel was in front of her when she woke up meant that he was watching over her.

In the Barony, Uncle Theo, Aunt Layla, and Sid took turns taking care of her. At that time, rather than feeling warm, she would first feel sorry for taking their time from their short sleeping hour and regret for their harsh life. So she pretended to be okay even though she didn’t get better, and thanks to that, she had to stay in her room for a few more days and suffer more.

But now it was different. Warm and clean bedding, a quiet and cozy room, and Kahel, who was waiting for her next to her, not knowing when she might wake up…….

For some reason, her heart warmed and a smile crept across her lips. Her heart was pounding because she couldn’t believe this reality where she could just be grateful for someone’s kindness. But she had to guard herself lest this kindness make her arrogant.

‘Right. Maybe he arrived just then.’

Lena tried to believe it was a coincidence. The fact that the Duke, who is like the king, healed the wounds of his wounded maid and watched her by her side until she opened her eyes, is a very kind thing that rarely happens in her life…….

* * *

When reports came from Levanas that Leonard’s party had left for Ardennes, Kahel prepared to leave as well. Lena’s wounds were healed, so he had no reason to delay.

“Your Excellency! Can I put this in the luggage? Or would you like to wear it yourself?”

Lena held the gray fox fur shawl in front of Kahel. Unlike a person who had been seriously injured, Lena’s cheeks had a healthy complexion, and her purple eyes twinkled because of the anticipation of returning to her home.

“Put it in the luggage.”

“Yes!”

Looking at Lena’s back, who answered brightly and retreated, Kahel still wanted to know what her true identity was, no, the identity of the power that healed her wounds overnight. Lena was thrilled that he had healed her, but he had no way of knowing whether it was a sincere thank you or a high-level deception.

But he knew that Lena wasn’t the one who came to harm him from this trip to Sharden. If she had been someone’s instigated spy or assassin, she would have faithfully served as a bait to lure him out to the cave where she was captured by Sevcheks. But while Lena was hurt so badly, she didn’t scream. If he hadn’t been sensitive to her senses, he might not have realized her sound was being swept away by the winter wind.

Besides, the words that came out as soon as she saw him were ‘run away.’

Since that day, the scenes from that moment repeated over and over again in his mind, and it was deeply engraved in Kahel’s mind. He even imagined what he would be like if Lena had died before he arrived. Every time he imagined it, he felt terrible.

He thought it wasn’t just how he felt when he couldn’t protect Lena, but how he felt when he couldn’t protect his people.

‘Yes. I don’t know if I’ve been too passive all this time. How funny that they would have dared to touch my people.’

Kahel vowed firmly that he would never make room at the New Year’s celebration this year.

While Kahel was thinking this, Lena was saying goodbye to the employees at Sharden Castle.

“I thought you were going to stay a little longer.… It was a pity that we couldn’t get together often. Will you come together with His Excellency next winter as well?”

“I am so glad that all wounds are healed. Still, just in case you aren’t aware, put this in your tea once a day. It is a special medicine in Sharden. It’s good for rejuvenation.”

“We’ll move your luggage, so please rest for a while before departure. You have to travel to Ardennes for another few days, but you don’t need to lose your strength already. Viola! Please bring me a cup of honey tea for Lena!”

Lena, who was greeted by several of the maids, was a little puzzled even in the frenzy. In fact, since she came to Sharden, she has been with Kahel the whole time, so she hasn’t been able to even speak to the other employees, and they feel sorry for her as if they were sending an old comrade.

‘The people of Sharden are really nice. Chief maid Marianne was kind, too.’

In the Barony, no matter how hard she tried to get along, the maids were rude, and the knights were impatient with her. However, at the Duchy in Ardennes and the people of Sharden Castle, they were kind and approached her first, even though she did nothing.

It was so tender that Lena’s heart, who could trust no one, could melt little by little.

“Me, too! Actually, I also wanted to hang out with you often.”

Lena took her courage and confessed. The tip of her words faltered a little, as she’d hear criticisms for not coming down often, so her voice became smaller.

However, the maids who surrounded her smiled happily as if they had heard the confession of affection from the very cute youngest siblings.

“Then, you’ll come again next year, right? Please! Please!”

“I will definitely come if allowed!”

“After all, Miss Lena is the only close maid, so you will come.”

Everyone seemed to sincerely hope for her return visit. Lena had to try hard to hide her tears.