The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 46

Episode 46. The Duke’s Letter

“Welcome.”

The innkeeper greeted them with a bright face.

“Where are we now?” Damian asked what he was most curious about first.

The innkeeper answered kindly, “This is Selgona, the most famous wine-producing region in the Empire. It belongs to the territory of Count Dalton.”

‘Ah, so this is the southern region Simon told me to go to. I’m almost there.’

He felt relieved to realize that he had finally reached the south.

When Rick remained silent, he opened his backpack, took out a pouch of gold coins Simon had given him, and paid the inn fee.

He was hungry, covered in dust and sweat, and wanted to wash up. His feet were swollen from walking for so long.

After unpacking his things in a double room with Rick, he washed himself in the small bathroom and had dinner with the bread, soup, and salad the innkeeper had brought.

“Owner, I heard the wine here is famous. Bring two bottles.”

Rick ordered wine from the innkeeper who had brought the food.

“Yes, of course.”

“I’ll pay for the wine,” he said with a friendly smile.

A moment later, the innkeeper returned with the wine. Rick poured it into a glass and handed it to Damian. Damian hesitated for a moment before taking a sip. The sweet yet slightly bitter taste was excellent.

“As expected, wine from Selgona is delicious. Here, have another.”

Rick poured him another glass.

“…Yes.”

Since Damian had been confined in the tower since he was two years old and had only ever eaten the food Simon brought him, this was his first time drinking alcohol.

Captivated by the sweetness of the wine, he kept drinking whatever Rick offered him. Before long, he got completely drunk and fell asleep as if he had fainted.

“Ugh….”

The next morning, Damian woke up late, clutching his head. It felt like his skull was splitting from the first hangover of his life.

“Huh?”

Rick, who should have been in the bed next to him, was nowhere to be seen. His belongings and clothes were gone too.

At that moment, Simon’s words about being careful around people flashed through his mind. Damian quickly rummaged through his backpack. The pouch of gold coins inside was missing.

Panicking, Damian hurriedly got dressed and went down to the first floor.

“Where’s the man who stayed with me?” he asked the innkeeper with a flustered expression.

“I don’t know where he went. That guest left early at dawn.”

“Ha….”

All strength drained from him as disappointment set in.

Penniless, Damian left the inn and continued walking along the forest path.

He was afraid of being spotted by people again and getting into trouble, so he walked only through the forest, where he thought no one would be.

But after a while, he began to hear strange sounds following him.

“What’s that sound?”

When he turned around, sharp eyes were glaring at him from within the thick bushes.

Grrr. The beast growled.

Damian slowly stepped backward, then turned and ran with all his might. Behind him, an unknown animal charged after him at a frightening speed.

His stamina was weak, and he had never run before, so his breath soon caught in his throat. But if he stopped now, he would surely be attacked. Gritting his teeth, Damian kept running.

Then, it happened. His foot caught on a rock, and his body pitched forward.

“Huh…?”

Damian was lifted off the ground and rolled straight down the cliff.

“Are you awake?”

When he managed to lift his heavy eyelids, an old man with graying hair was looking down at him through the blurry vision.

“Who are you?” Damian asked weakly.

“I’m Martin.”

“Where am I?”

“This is the Dalton County estate. You’re lucky. It looks like you fell off a cliff, but you got caught on some branches, so you weren’t badly hurt.”

“Thank you for saving me.”

The old man who had rescued him introduced himself as a servant of the Dalton County family and began asking Damian several questions.

“Where are you from?”

“I came from the north. On my way here, I was robbed and lost everything I had.”

“I see. Tsk, tsk. Do you have any family?”

“…No, I don’t.”

At the mention of family, Damian answered with a bitter expression.

“What’s your name?”

“Lucian.”

“All right, Lucian. Stay here until you recover.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Martin couldn’t ignore the boy. The injured one looked frail, and having once lost a grandson about the same age in a carriage accident, he couldn’t help feeling concerned.

He couldn’t bring himself to abandon Damian, who had no family or place to go.

Thus, Damian stayed in Martin’s cabin, recovering from his injuries. Once he had regained some strength, he began following Martin around, helping him with the grape cultivation.

***

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess had many official events to attend. Today, they were scheduled to visit a school within the duchy.

“Most nobles are taught by private tutors. Schools like this are usually attended by commoners.”

Helen gave a brief explanation about the school.

That morning, Emilia accompanied Louid to visit the academy located in the city center of Lot. The Lot Academy accepted students from the ages of six to eighteen.

After having tea and a conversation with the headmaster, they toured the school and admired the paintings displayed along the hallway, all drawn by the students.

“Oh my, Louid, look at this painting. Isn’t it really well done?” Emilia pointed at a student’s artwork in admiration.

“It seems so.”

Louid, too, studied the painting she was pointing to with a serious expression.

“Waaah….”

As they were looking at the paintings, a small cheer came from behind them.

When they turned around, a chubby boy, about six years old, ran out of an open classroom door, shouting as he ran toward them. The boy threw himself at Emilia’s legs.

“Princess!”

The child called her “Princess” and looked up at her with a bright smile.

“Leo, you can’t do that. Come here.”

The teacher, who ran out of the classroom with a startled face, called out to the boy with an embarrassed expression.

“It’s fine. Leave him be.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“So cute.”

Finding the plump child irresistibly adorable, Emilia picked him up and kissed his cheek. Beside her, Louid stared at the little boy in her arms with a sulky look.

“Let’s go.”

Louid strode down the hallway.

“Oh? Yes. Let’s go together.”

Emilia handed the boy back to his teacher and hurried to follow him.

“Let’s have lunch nearby and then head back to the castle.”

“All right.”

They got into the carriage as the academy headmaster saw them off.

The place Louid took her to was the most renowned restaurant in the city of Lot, known for its long history.

A staff member guided them to a private room at the far end of the second floor.

“If there’s anything you’d like, tell me.”

Louid unfolded the menu the staff brought and showed it to her. He had brought Emilia here as a way of making up for the harsh training that had made her sick.

“I can eat anything, really. But I especially like potato dishes,” she replied brightly.

“Why do you like potatoes?”

“I grew up eating them a lot when I was young.”

Louid placed the order with a nearby waiter. Soon, the table was filled with an extravagant feast. There were potato dishes, and many others she had never seen before.

“Wow….”

Emilia’s blue eyes widened in admiration at the beautifully arranged food.

“Eat.”

“Yes.”

Louid peeled the meat off a huge grilled shrimp and handed it to her. Emilia dipped it into a sauce and took a bite.

“The sauce is really good. Try dipping it in this.”

She pointed at the sauce while enjoying her shrimp. Louid followed her suggestion, dipped the shrimp into the sauce, and took a bite.

“Ugh, how can you say this tastes good… my tongue’s on fire….”

He frowned deeply and grabbed his water glass, gulping it down.

“It’s delicious, though. Haha.”

“….”

Emilia laughed heartily at the sight of Louid struggling with the spice. Talking with him didn’t feel as difficult as before. When she had first met him, he had only seemed intimidating, but now, they could eat and talk together comfortably.

“Louid, while I was looking at the students’ artwork earlier, I had a thought. What if we established a fashion academy here in the duchy? The students could learn design, sewing, and tailoring so they can create clothing themselves.”

“Hmm… That doesn’t sound bad. I’ll consider it positively.”

Thankfully, Louid nodded at her suggestion.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s for the people of the territory, isn’t it?”

“I’m just grateful you accepted my idea.”

“Good ideas are always welcome.”

“Thank you.”

Louid smiled faintly as he watched Emilia’s delighted face.

The two finished their meal in a pleasant atmosphere and stepped outside.

Perhaps because of the previous carriage accident, there were many invisible guards around them.

‘Those people standing there in commoners’ clothes must be guards too, right?’

Both inside and outside the restaurant, people stood silently on alert. Emilia felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward Louid, who not only listened to her ideas but also cared about her safety.

***

When they returned to the Grand Duke’s castle, unwelcome news was waiting for her.

“Your Highness, His Grace the Duke of Berthe has sent a letter.”

“…Really?”

Emilia’s expression darkened. Her hands trembled as she broke the seal on the letter.