The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 36

Episode 36. The Small Monster

“There’s a monster egg inside the greenhouse. It’s very dangerous.”

“Really?”

Emilia’s eyes widened at the surprising answer she hadn’t imagined.

‘Why would a monster egg be here?’

She didn’t know the reason, but she had wanted to see a monster for a long time. She had only ever seen them in fairy tales or adventure stories. If it was still an egg, it didn’t seem too dangerous. If the Grand Duke had brought it in, precautions must have been taken.

“Is it completely forbidden?”

“Not exactly… but His Highness the Grand Duke said it’s dangerous and warned to be cautious.”

Helen spoke hesitantly. Apparently, Louid hadn’t completely banned access.

“Then let’s go see it.”

Emilia spoke as if making up her mind.

“But Your Highness, if His Highness the Grand Duke finds out… after all, it is a monster egg…”

Helen fidgeted, gauging her reaction. Even if it wasn’t completely forbidden, it seemed difficult to go in without reporting to Louid. And she seemed afraid of the monster egg itself.

“Then I’ll go alone. Stay here.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry.”

Smiling brightly at timid Helen, Emilia walked to the small greenhouse entrance.

“Your Highness, you’ve come?”

The guard standing in front of the greenhouse saluted her politely.

“I heard there’s a monster egg here, so I came to see it.”

“Well… His Highness ordered us to forbid entry…”

Like Helen, the guard wore an awkward expression.

“I know. I’ll just take a quick look.”

Emilia didn’t back down because she truly wanted to see the monster egg.

“Uh…”

“Show her.”

At that moment, a bright voice came from behind. Turning around, she saw Vice Commander Aaron standing there.

“Your Highness, how are you?”

“Nice to see you, Sir Aaron. I heard there’s a monster egg here.”

“Yes, we brought one back from a monster hunt.”

“What about the mother?”

“The mother was killed, and only the egg was left in the cave, so His Highness ordered us to take it.”

“I see.”

The guard opened the greenhouse door. Inside was a large cage made of iron bars, and inside that, on a blanket, lay a large egg.

“Amazing. That’s a monster egg?”

“Yes, we assume it’s a wyvern’s egg.”

As expected of a monster egg, it was big and the shell looked thick.

“When it hatches, will you keep raising it?”

“We’ll try to tame it, and if it doesn’t, we’ll kill it. Monsters are dangerous.”

“Oh…”

Emilia was at a loss for words. Even though it was a monster, hearing that it would be killed before even being born made her feel a pang of pity. After looking at the egg a little longer, she returned to Louid’s bedroom.

A few days later, Emilia left the castle with Helen in a carriage to visit the boutique. Guards on horseback followed behind.

“Is it really that dangerous?”

Emilia pointed to the increased number of guards and asked Helen.

“They said His Highness the Grand Duke ordered extra protection for Your Highness after the fire incident.”

“Mm… I see.”

Emilia nodded and looked out the window at the scenery.

The carriage ran along a lakeside road lined with tall birch trees. All the way, the landscape outside looked like something out of a fairy tale.

From the chimney of a house across the lake, smoke rose into the sky. According to Helen, there were also log cabins hidden in the forest.

After a while, the carriage reached the central district of Lot, the largest city in the Grand Duchy. The streets of Lot were lined with shops big and small, and many pedestrians bustled about. Couples walking hand in hand, little children walking with their parents—a peaceful scene. Getting out of the carriage, Emilia watched the children closely, then looked at the clothes people were wearing.

“Your Highness, welcome.”

“Nice to see you.”

When she entered the boutique, Bella and her staff greeted her warmly.

Emilia sat on the sofa Bella led her to. It was a separate reception room out of sight from the other staff.

“These are the designs I’ve made so far.”

She showed Bella the sketches of clothing she had been working on.

“My, these designs are wonderful, Your Highness.”

Bella praised her as she looked over each sketch.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Being praised by the Empire’s top designer made her shoulders lift on their own.

“Then, Your Highness, shall we draw up the contract now?”

Smiling, Bella handed her the contract.

The contract stated that Emilia would provide designs, Bella’s boutique would create and sell the clothes, and half of the profits would go to Emilia.

Checking the conditions carefully, Emilia thought they seemed fair and signed without hesitation. In truth, she would have signed even if they weren’t such favorable terms. Helen, aware of the contract, assisted her at her side.

After Bella also signed, she expressed her gratitude with a satisfied smile.

“I look forward to working with you, Your Highness.”

“I also look forward to it.”

Since each dress sold at Bella’s boutique fetched an enormous price, receiving half the profits meant Emilia would never have to worry about her livelihood even without what Louid had promised after divorce.

Though she didn’t show too much excitement in front of Bella, inwardly she was overjoyed. Not only was she proud of earning her own living expenses, but she was even more delighted at becoming a designer.

“Your Highness, please come this way to try on the dresses.”

Once the contract was complete, a boutique staff member entered the reception room and called her. Leaving the room, Emilia tried on the dresses in front of a large mirror with the staff’s help.

The dresses fit her body perfectly without the need for alterations. Madame Bella’s skill was indeed as impressive as her reputation.

“Your Highness, you look truly beautiful.”

Bella and the staff surrounded her with admiration.

“Thank you.”

Hearing their praise made her feel good. But by the tenth dress, she was so exhausted she felt she might collapse. She didn’t remember ordering this many…

At that moment, a commotion came from the boutique entrance.

“Your Highness, you’ve arrived?”

Your Highness? Emilia turned with a startled face.

That afternoon, when Louid heard the report that Emilia had gone to the boutique, he remembered he had an upcoming schedule to visit the Grand Temple. He had matters to discuss with the priests about supporting a hospital run by the monastery.

As soon as the butler’s report was finished, Louid said that he would stop by the temple and then mounted his horse, heading toward the city center where the boutique was located.

Upon arriving in the district and entering Madame Bella’s boutique, he saw Emilia in a pearl-colored dress that revealed her shoulders and arms. Her platinum-blond hair falling to her waist and her snow-white skin suited the dress perfectly.

When she turned toward him, Louid’s breath caught for a moment.

Her clear, light-blue eyes looked straight at him. Struck by her pure gaze, he was speechless for a while, standing silently.

“…It suits you well.”

“Louid, what brings you here?”

“I was on my way to the Grand Temple and stopped by.”

“Yes.”

Standing face to face, the two exchanged words while looking into each other’s eyes.

“Are you done here?”

“Yes, this is the last dress.”

“I’m thirsty. Shall we go out for some tea?”

“Sure.”

After changing, Emilia followed Louid to a café not far from the boutique.

“Wait outside.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Entering the private room, Louid dismissed the aides who had come with him. Soon, tea and cake were served on the table. Tired, Emilia eagerly ate the cherry cake she had ordered.

“Emilia, before marriage, did you ever make any enemies?”

Watching her eat a large piece of cake, Louid asked. He had asked in her sleep once before, but he wanted to confirm while she was awake.

“Enemies? I don’t think so.”

Emilia chewed the cake and answered. But soon her expression grew thoughtful.

“I’m not sure… Before the marriage, I hit my head and I can’t remember the past well.”

She didn’t even know why she had been locked in the tower. She had asked Simon once, but he hadn’t answered. So she couldn’t say for certain whether she had enemies or not.

‘If there was someone who held a grudge against me, it would be Duke Berthe, who locked me in the tower.’

But she couldn’t say that to Louid. He might ask about her childhood, and the only excuse she could use then was that her memory was unclear because of her head injury.

“All right. If you do remember anything, let me know.”

Louid nodded. He himself had suffered long-term poisoning and couldn’t remember much of his childhood, so he could understand Emilia’s words.

“Yes.”

Her answer left Louid deep in thought.

If she had an enemy, he needed to find the culprit quickly. If not, then the culprit was Duke Berthe.

‘She must get pregnant quickly if that old man is to stay quiet.’

Otherwise, the Duke would not sit still.

“We need an heir soon. From today, let’s make the effort every day.”

“Yes.”

Emilia glanced around to make sure no one was listening. Talking about such a private matter in a café made her blush.

She was no longer afraid of nights with Louid. Her body had grown used to it. Since she had to get pregnant quickly to get a divorce, she didn’t oppose his words.

From that night, rough sounds of a man and woman echoed in the Grand Duke’s bedroom every night.

***

“Your Highness, from today you may use the adjoining bedroom.”

Ten days later, near sunset, Helen informed her that the adjoining room had been prepared.

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s been fully cleaned and arranged.”

“You’ve worked hard. Thank you.”

‘Mm… Somehow I feel a little sad.’

Had she grown attached to Louid’s bedroom in the meantime? Though the adjoining room was right next door, she found it hard to leave.

Opening the connecting door, Emilia stepped into the adjoining room. Like the annex bedroom she had stayed in before, it was filled with splendid furniture. There was even a large desk and a soft chair. It seemed she wouldn’t even need a separate workroom.

‘Though I feel sad, Louid must have been uncomfortable with me here.’

Though she was reluctant to leave his room, she thought it was for the best.

A few hours later, late at night, Louid returned to his bedroom after finishing work. But Emilia, who should have been asleep by then, was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t in the bed, nor at the desk where she drew. Not in the bathroom, nor the dressing room.

‘Where could she be at this hour?’

Louid’s expression hardened. He stood in the middle of his bedroom, momentarily at a loss.