Why the Northern Duke Wanders the Snowfields - Chapter 36

“What is it this time?”

Since he didn’t need money anymore, Kaeloc’s mood soured when Sion showed up again in the evening.

“I came to give you this.”

As he held out a sheet of paper, Kaeloc snatched it away with a careless flick of his hand.

“Countess Bellone? Who’s that?”

When he spat it out in a rough tone, Aubrianna hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“May I take a look?”

Kaeloc handed over the paper. Aubrianna held the letter and read it carefully.

“It’s exactly as it says. She’s someone who has taken care of you since you were born. Because of a chronic illness, she went away to recuperate, so she wasn’t informed of your disappearance in time. Since you’ve returned, I quickly delivered the news, and she’s very worried about your current condition.”

Regardless, to Kaeloc she was just a stranger.

“So?”

Kaeloc leaned back lazily against the chair, his expression indifferent.

“Kaeloc. I think you should go.”

Aubrianna set the paper down and persuaded him with a serious expression.

Countess Agnes Bellone was a relative of the king, and it was known that they were close, having grown up together.

Moreover, she had personally raised him since he was a baby, so meeting her would surely help him recover his memory.

But Kaeloc already looked uninterested.

“Do I have to? You said you wanted to see the fountain near the square.”

“We can see that next time. Since she’s been ill, it’s only right to visit and greet her.”

For once, Sion agreed with her.

“She has invited Your Grace to dinner tonight. You must go immediately.”

“What?”

Sion handed over the bundle of clothes he had brought. “It’s formal wear for dinner. Please change and come down within ten minutes.”

“What’s this?”

When Aubrianna asked about the small bundle, Sion replied as if it were nothing, saying it was the young master’s clothes.

“Countess Bellone has not yet met Lord Theophilus and wishes to see him.”

“Then you’re saying only Theo and I should go? What about Aubrianna?”

“I’m sorry, but the countess has invited only Your Grace and Lord Theophilus.”

Even the baby?

Aubrianna recalled the countess she had met once before.

With gentle eyes, she had called her by name and told her to make Kaeloc happy.

It wasn’t a bad memory, so she nodded.

“You’re just going to have dinner and come back, right? Theo eats solid food well now, so it should be fine for him to go along.”

“Still, I don’t want to leave you behind.”

Seeing Sion frown at his childish complaint, Aubrianna suppressed a smile and soothed him.

“I’d like to relax on my own for once.”

“Have I been bothering you?” Kaeloc shot back sullenly.

“It’s only for a few hours.”

“Even so, I don’t feel like going.”

Kaeloc glanced sideways at Sion with gleaming eyes.

‘I don’t like that expression of his.’

There was an unreadable malice in his gaze, which made him feel uneasy. But there wasn’t really a reason to refuse, and since Aubrianna said she should greet her because she was a good person, he had nothing to say.

“Then don’t go anywhere and stay here instead.”

Still feeling uneasy, Kaeloc looked around the room for no reason.

There are two windows, so I should tell her to lock them both.

“I’ll have dinner brought to the room.”

As if worried someone might take her away if she stepped outside, he fussed restlessly, and Sion twisted his lips slightly.

“Five minutes remain. The generous countess is very particular about punctuality.”

Aubrianna wanted to leave a good impression on Agnes, who had no reason to dislike her. She wiped the baby’s face once more and rubbed it with a clean towel.

With a clear face, smiling brightly, the baby was as lovely and adorable as ever.

“Go and greet the countess properly.”

She pressed a kiss to the soft cheek and dressed him in the clothes Sion had brought.

“You look wonderful.”

The sight of the two men dressed in formal wear was so striking she wanted to capture it in a painting.

Aubrianna looked at them with a satisfied expression and waved her hand.

“Have a safe trip.”

‘I hope he recalls even a few memories after meeting her….’

Whenever impatience crept in, she pulled on the reins of her thoughts.

‘No. Slowly. There’s still time.’

The ball attended by the queen was still far off, and Kaeloc and she had only just arrived at the ducal castle, so there was plenty of time.

With lingering reluctance, she pushed Kaeloc’s back as he kept turning to look at her and sent him out the door.

“Please take good care of Theo.”

“I will.”

Aubrianna looked at Kaeloc and smiled, her eyes curving.

“Alright. See you later.”

The moment the door closed, Sion’s eyes flashed, but Aubrianna paid it no mind. She now felt that Kaeloc was entirely on her side. She had come to enjoy the persistent way his gaze followed her every movement.

‘But still, being together every day is tiring.’

It was time to herself for the first time in a while, without the baby or Kaeloc.

It was a kind of freedom she hadn’t known before giving birth.

Though she felt a little empty, she still savored the peace as she sat on the chair.

‘The countess is wise and kind, so she’ll surely care about Kaeloc.’

In truth, when Aubrianna was confined to her room after Kaeloc’s disappearance, she had first tried to ask her for help. But she didn’t know that she had gone south since summer because of her chronic illness.

“If she had been in the North, things might have been different.”

She wouldn’t have been chased by assassins in the snowfield with the baby, nor would she have lost her life.

As the fear and terror of that day surged vividly again, she clasped her hands tightly.

‘It’s all in the past now. Let’s not think about it anymore.’

Right now, she was alive, Theo was growing up healthy, and Kaeloc was on her side.

It was just as she was thinking that.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door of the inn room.

‘Is dinner already here?’

But Kaeloc had just gone downstairs.

Aubrianna quieted her footsteps and approached the door, then asked, “Who is it?”

There was no answer.

Aubrianna, suddenly frightened, looked around for something she could use as a weapon. When nothing suitable came into view, anxiety began to gnaw at her from her toes.

“Who is it!”

When she spoke in a slightly stronger tone, a familiar voice reached her ears.

“It’s me.”

Good heavens. Aubrianna flung the door open with a slightly angry gesture.

“Kaeloc! You startled me—mmph!”

Perhaps because he had run over in a hurry, Kaeloc’s breathing was slightly uneven as he pulled her into his arms and locked their lips together deeply.

His thick tongue roamed here and there as if even the short time apart was a waste, exploring the inside of her mouth.

“Hnn.”

Just as Aubrianna was about to run out of breath from the sudden kiss, their lips parted.

“Wh-what is it?”

“I just suddenly wanted to see you….”

It was truly out of the blue, but a warm feeling welled up softly in Aubrianna’s chest.

“I’ll be right here.”

“Of course you will.”

As if amused, Kaeloc wiped her damp lips with his finger, then stole another quick kiss.

“Otherwise, I’d chase you all the way to hell.”

Aubrianna let out a helpless laugh.

‘No, why has he gotten so serious?’

It was to the point that the previous Kaeloc, who had always been cold and unreadable, didn’t even come to mind.

“Go now! That way you’ll come back sooner.”

She smiled as she pushed his back.

Watching until Kaeloc, who lingered as if reluctant, disappeared down the stairs, Aubrianna smiled again.

‘Have a safe trip.’

As Kaeloc had told her before leaving, Aubrianna carefully checked the windows, then sat back down on the sofa.

Hehe.

The kiss he left behind kept coming back to her mind, and the smile wouldn’t leave her lips.

‘To be that romantic.’

Aubrianna cupped her flushed cheeks with her hands and shrugged her shoulders.

‘This is crazy. It feels like I’m in love.’

Had she ever felt like this before? She couldn’t remember. Aubrianna now found herself frequently checking the time on the wall.

She couldn’t believe only five minutes had passed since Kaeloc left after kissing her.

‘Still, if they eat and talk, it might take a bit longer.’

Estimating the time, Aubrianna started to rise, but then she heard knocking on the door again.

‘Kaeloc?’

That couldn’t be it.

‘It’s probably dinner.’

It was a bit early, but it seemed dinner had been brought up.

Without any suspicion, she walked to the door and opened it wide.

At that moment.

“Aubrianna Morel! You are under arrest for the crime of abducting Duke Kaeloc Tennant!”

Two sturdy men each grabbed one of her arms tightly.

“What…?”

Before she could say anything in shock, Sion appeared from behind.

With a triumphant smile spread across his face, Sion spoke to her, “And we should add the charge of abducting Lord Theophilus Tennant as well, shouldn’t we?”