The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 65

Episode 65. Gemini (1)

Louid, who had been tossing and turning, finally grew still again. Each time he breathed, his broad chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. There was no doubt he was in a deep sleep.

‘Louid hates me. He must have had no choice but to lie next to me because there wasn’t another bedroom.’

Emilia forced herself to rationalize the situation in her head, then drifted back to sleep.

At the break of dawn, Emilia opened her eyes again. There was no trace of Louid anywhere. The bedsheets were smoothed out as neatly as if they’d been ironed. She couldn’t tell whether seeing him at dawn had been a dream or reality.

“Your Highness, did you sleep well?”

Right then, with a knock, Helen entered carrying breakfast.

“Oh, yes. Did you sleep well too?”

“Yes. His Highness the Grand Duke said we’ll be departing right after breakfast.”

“Alright. Where is he now?”

“He’s having breakfast with the knights and inspecting the carriages and horses.”

“I see.”

Emilia ate her breakfast at the table by the window while looking down outside.

Next to the line of carriages, Louid was giving instructions to the knights. He could have left the inspections to the coachmen and knights, yet he was always so meticulous and diligent.

Once she finished her meal, Emilia hurried to get ready for departure. There was still a long way left until they reached the imperial capital.

With Helen’s help, she changed into comfortable clothes, then slowly walked down the stairs. The morning sun hadn’t fully risen yet.

“You’re here.”

Standing in front of the carriage, Louid took her hand and helped her climb aboard. After giving the knights and coachman the order to depart, he soon joined her inside the carriage.

The journey was smooth. The carriage would run quickly, then stop for lunch. After feeding the horses water and food, they’d set out again. And when evening approached, they stayed at an inn the assigned knight had arranged in advance.

Fortunately, after the first day, the inns all had two beds, so Emilia could sleep comfortably apart from Louid.

The farther south they traveled, the warmer it got, and wide plains began to stretch out. Cypress trees lined the roadside in long, straight rows, making Emilia feel as though she were traveling through the places she had seen in travel books.

“It’s beautiful.”

Before she knew it, Emilia was enjoying the journey. She felt as if she could go on a trip around the world like this.

About a week into the journey, the procession entered a canyon. Emilia’s jaw dropped at the sight. It was an enormous canyon.

“Wow! Is all of this naturally formed?”

Even tilting her head all the way back, she couldn’t see the top. The vertical patterns that stretched on infinitely looked mysterious.

“Yes.”

‘How can a place like this exist?’

She couldn’t tell whether she was looking at a painting or reality. Emilia kept staring out the window.

She had passed along this road a few months ago when traveling to the grand duchy, so why hadn’t she realized it then?

“Ah…!”

When she thought about it, she remembered that she had been unwell at the time and barely conscious. She hadn’t even been able to think about looking outside.

‘I almost missed seeing such a beautiful place.’

She was glad she had the chance to see it now.

Meanwhile, Louid was quietly shocked as he watched Emilia marvel at the canyon.

‘This is enough to surprise her? Why does she seem like someone who has never been outside?’

There were many canyons in the empire, slightly smaller than this one. There were probably some near the Berthe ducal territory as well.

Asher’s Dalton County was a completely flat region with no canyons, but Emilia was from a ducal house, so she should’ve seen such places before.

He looked at Emilia with puzzled eyes.

While the two were lost in their own thoughts, the surroundings grew dimmer.

Louid, who’d been lost in thought while looking at Emilia, said, “Since there’s no inn nearby, we’ll camp out tonight.”

“Yes, alright,” Emilia answered in a cheerful voice. Even though camping would be inconvenient for a woman, she was simply excited.

“Have you ever gone camping before?”

“…No.”

As if he’d expected that answer, Louid silently nodded. A duke’s daughter would never have a reason to camp.

‘She’ll be uncomfortable.’

He could already hear Emilia sleep-talking all night again, calling for Simon.

That damned Simon.

Louid’s eyes hardened as he thought of the man believed to be Emilia’s former lover. He didn’t even realize why he felt anger.

But contrary to his thoughts, Emilia was eagerly looking forward to the night ahead. It was her first time spending a night embraced by such magnificent natural scenery. With a fluttering heart, she waited quietly as preparations were made.

Before long, the carriage stopped, and the knights began pitching tents on a flat area without rocks.

The knights in charge of food dug a circular pit in the dirt and lit a fire in it. After stepping out of the carriage, Emilia went straight to the campfire and stared at the red flames.

‘It’s wonderful!’

As she watched the dancing flames in a daze, Louid came to sit beside her.

“It feels so nice just looking at the fire.”

“Really?” Louid tilted his head. He didn’t understand what was so pleasant about a fire meant only for cooking.

She must get cold easily.

He figured that since she was always chilly, she probably liked fires even in summer.

When the fire died down, the knights placed large palm‑leaf‑shaped leaves over the remaining embers, then set meat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables on top. They covered everything again with large leaves and piled fine dirt over it. Emilia watched with fascinated eyes.

Ah! So that’s how they cook it with the residual heat!

Just imagining how delicious it would be made her swallow hard.

How am I supposed to wait until it’s done?

Her stomach felt like it could growl any moment.

Watching her silently, Louid stood and held out his hand.

“Let’s take a walk while we wait for the food to finish.”

“Yes!”

At the word walk, Emilia’s ears perked up. When else would she get to see scenery this breathtaking? She quickly took his hand and stood.

***

The canyon’s night landscape was quiet and eerie. Moonlight lit their path just enough that it wasn’t too dark. Knowing the canyon’s layout thoroughly, Louid led her only through safe routes.

“Oh my, Louid. There’s a lake here.”

“It’s Dani Lake.”

After walking uphill for dozens of minutes following Louid, a small, serene lake revealed itself between the rocks. Moonlight shimmered across the surface, making it glitter gold.

“Can I wash here?”

Emilia asked with sparkling blue eyes. She loved the idea of camping in such beautiful scenery, but she had worried about not being able to wash. The thought of enduring that discomfort until the next evening had troubled her, so discovering the lake delighted her.

“Yes. I’ll stand guard, so wash up. But be careful, the water is cold.”

Louid warned her. He had intentionally brought her to the lake. Food cooked with residual heat would take a long time, and he thought she would be uncomfortable if she couldn’t wash.

“Alright.”

He turned his back to the lake so Emilia could wash comfortably. Behind him, he heard the faint rustling of clothes being removed.

“Eek, i-it’s c-cold….”

A frantic scream burst out. Dani Lake was freezing cold even in midsummer. As he expected, Louid’s shoulders twitched as he held back laughter.

“Hahaha.”

A moment later, he couldn’t contain himself and threw his head back, laughing loudly into the sky.

“Louid, the water is way, way too cold. Ugh….”

Emilia’s teeth chattered as she groaned.

“Just bear with it a little. You’ll get used to it soon.”

“Uuugh… have you ever bathed here before?”

“Of course. Whenever we camp here, I always wash in this lake.”

She really was a strange woman. No matter the situation, she somehow made him laugh. Even without looking, he could imagine her trembling like a soaked squirrel.

Emilia, who’d planned to stay in the water longer, couldn’t endure the cold and quickly scrambled out of the lake.

“Dry off with this.”

Without turning around, Louid reached backward and held out a cloth. He had packed it when they came to the lake.

“Thank you.”

Shivering violently as the cold sank deep into her bones, Emilia took the cloth. Even while hurriedly wiping her wet body, she marveled at his thoroughness. Then he extended his hand backward again. This time, he was holding the clothes she was supposed to change into.

‘When did he prepare these?’

Once again amazed, Emilia accepted the clothes and put them on.

“Are you all dressed?”

“Yes.”

As soon as she answered, Louid turned around as if he had been waiting for that cue. Then he suddenly shrugged off his top.

“W-what are you doing?”

Emilia squeezed her eyes shut and shouted. She had never imagined he would suddenly start undressing, and it startled her so much she nearly jumped.