The Monstrous Grand Duke's Fake Lady

The Baron’s gaping mouth couldn’t be shut at all. Looking at his dumbfounded face, it seemed like everything that had been happening was flashing right through his head. As he recalled the ludicrous remarks he had thrown to Knox so far, he quickly bowed his head deeply.

“Pl-please let me off this time! I made a slip of the tongue because I wasn’t able to recognize you, Your Highness! Please forgive me!”

Just a while ago, he had raised his head proudly, but now, he was leaning down immensely to the point where even his shabby face could no longer be seen. Nevertheless, Knox’s eyes were just cold.

“The one who you should be apologizing to isn’t me.”

“Pardon?”

The Baron raised his head slightly since he couldn’t really grasp Knox’s words. As if he had already been waiting for it, Knox pointed towards Vivian with his chin.

“Apologize to her.”

“But, how can a noble such as myself—”

“You don’t want to?”

Knox smiled wickedly. He was already sick and tired of seeing nobles who were only filled with vanity while trying to protect their pride right till the end.

He drew the sword from his waist that had been covered over his robe.

“There’re lots of ways to forcefully make someone kneel, actually.”

“Kneeling as well, sir?”

“You don’t want to? If you wish for it, I can kindly make you kneel, even.”

The reflection of the light glimmered as he lifted the sword at a certain angle.

The man’s legs immediately began to tremble uncontrollably at that sheer sight. How many people had already died by that sword? The Wolf of the Empire. There was even a rumor which went around saying that this particular sword had never missed its target.

“N-no, sir! I’ll do it!”

Fortunately, the Baron was someone who knew how to treasure his life. He quickly stood in front of Vivian before the Grand Duke could cut his knee—forcing him to kneel.

However, in contrast to his resolve, it was actually rather difficult when it was put in action. He bit into his lips to the point of bleeding before he slowly bent his knees down.

The Baron could feel that Vivian’s eyes were all over him. Shame and a sense of broken self-esteem had eventually caused his face to distort badly, but there was nothing else that could be done.

“…rry.”

“Louder.”

“I am… sorry.”

Vivian’s eyes instantly turned to the top of the Baron’s head.

She wondered if she had ever gotten a word of apology from any nobles in her whole life. Vivian felt rather strange when she looked down on the man who had previously pointed his finger at her.

She had somehow felt a different feeling back when Knox apologized to herself.

Although he had held his head straight, it was still a great shame for a noble to bend his knees in front of a mere commoner. The Baron then quickly rose from his position before Knox continued his command.

“It’ll be best for you to leave now. I mean, the Lord of this place seems not so happy to welcome you as well.”

The Baron covered his face unwittingly at Knox’s cynical remarks. Unlike the time when he had appeared grandly, he now looked rather pathetic and even down to the ground.

As he quickly disappeared after bowing to the Grand Duke, people who were still around also began to shift.

The entourage who had been restricting Vivian and Ez also disappeared right after him. She was still stroking her tingling wrist when she raised her head to the shadow that loomed in front of her.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m not, sir.”

“What about pain?”

“There’s nothing, sir.”

“…I’m glad.”

Knox’s relieved breath eventually brushed against the side of her head.  His fierce eyes had already vanished and his eyes were only filled with her right now.

Knox carefully touched her wrist. He rubbed the place that was still red with a handprint softly with his thumb before lifting it up and kissing it with his lips.

“I shouldn’t have just let you go like that.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt anyway.”

“However, didn’t it leave a trace on your body, still?”

Even when I can’t. He mumbled faintly.

Although he held Vivian’s thighs tightly before, it still didn’t leave a single mark. He thought of nibbling her with his teeth, but since he realized that she might get hurt, he would then just embroider her with kisses.

So, the wrist is her tender spot. He finally stopped his kiss after muttering in his mind a couple more times in order for him not to forget that.

“I’m just afraid that something bad is bound to happen to you.”

At his voice that faintly said so, Vivian began to stare intently at his face.

He didn’t seem to have passed by or even run here by accident. His face didn’t even flow with a single bead of sweat and his hair wasn’t wet at all.