Why the Northern Duke Wanders the Snowfields - Chapter 39

As if it was an unexpected story, Agnes drew in a light breath, then soon smiled.

“You said you liked her, and even the way you act is cute.”

Agnes gestured to the attendant standing by the door.

As the attendant approached and bowed his upper body, she whispered something into his ear, then leaned back and wore a relaxed expression.

“Since you’ve come back anyway, I’ll say what I was going to say earlier.”

Kaeloc, who had been turning his glass, lifted his head. Agnes smiled as she looked at his face, where a hint of impatience showed.

“I just told the attendant to send someone out. Quietly, so it won’t be noticed.”

She looked around and pointed to the maids, servants, and attendants present. “The people here are all those I brought from the palace. They are well trained and know what kind of people to use for what kind of work.”

Agnes patted his hand. “So don’t worry. If we’re lucky, we’ll find out where Aubrianna is, and even if not, we’ll at least learn what happened.”

The attendant who had gone out returned holding documents in his hand.

“Read it.”

As Agnes was about to hand it over, she asked Kaeloc, “Surely you haven’t forgotten how to read as well?”

At the suspicious violet eyes, Kaeloc snorted and snatched the document.

“I didn’t expect to hear that here again, but I lost my memory, not my mind.”

He looked at the paper in his hand.

Soon, Kaeloc’s blue eyes widened. Surprise and confusion mixed on his face as if he had lost his words.

Agnes said with a satisfied smile, “Right. It’s surprising, isn’t it? I’m planning to adopt Aubrianna into the Bellone family.”

Kaeloc swallowed and blinked. A new thought flashed within his blue eyes.

***

Morning came.

“She is being held in the underground prison of the ducal castle and will soon stand trial on two charges: abduction and enticement related to the duke’s disappearance, and the abduction of the young master.”

At the attendant’s report of the information gathered overnight, Agnes’s face turned pale.

“This has become troublesome. With you having lost your memory, you can’t testify.”

“I’ll do it.”

Agnes, with a worried expression, asked as she watched Kaeloc roughly put on his jacket in anger, “How are you planning to do that?”

“I’ll go, reveal that I’m the duke, and say that none of it is true.”

“Will it be that easy?”

Kaeloc also couldn’t come up with a proper method, but he was so angry he couldn’t stay still.

“They dared to lay a hand on what’s mine. A prison?”

It made no sense. It was Aubrianna who told him he was the duke and led him out of the snowfield.

If anything, she should be rewarded. How could they accuse her of abducting and enticing him?

Agnes shook her head as if it was pitiful. “You may have lost your memory, but your arrogance remains the same. Aubrianna is not some object.”

“I didn’t refer to her as an object.”

“If Aubrianna is adopted into the Bellone family, will you still speak like that?”

“That’s….”

Agnes stood up, radiating the dignity of royalty. “I raised you as your nanny, but because of my weak health, I couldn’t take proper care of you. Even so, I believe I did my best.”

There was sorrow in Agnes’s face as she looked at the son of her dear friend.

“Cecilia was a wise friend. I always admired her and loved her. So I raised you with affection after you lost your mother.”

A dark shadow fell across Kaeloc’s cheek. A story about a mother he didn’t even remember.

Kaeloc looked at her with a fierce gaze but did not open his mouth.

“If you’re a duke, arrogance is only natural. But not toward my people. Save your arrogance for your enemies.”

Agnes, her clear eyes carrying a sharp edge, delivered a pointed remark to Kaeloc.

***

Lien, carrying a laundry basket, smiled with her eyes at Carlo, the guard watching the small back door used by the servants.

“Hi! Nothing happened overnight, right?”

“Of course.”

“Really?”

After looking around and confirming no one was nearby, Lien set the basket down and reached inside. She took out a white bundle and walked over to Carlo.

“It’s bread I just baked this morning. I swiped it from the kitchen.”

At the fragrant, savory smell, Carlo swallowed and took it, biting into it in large mouthfuls. Watching him with satisfaction, Lien hesitated a moment, then whispered to him.

“I heard a rumor. Something happened, right?”

“Well, I’m not telling you because you gave me this… but anyway, since she was your friend, I’ll tell you. Aubrianna was brought into the underground prison yesterday.”

Lien’s eyes widened, and the corners of her lips trembled. “How is Aubrianna? The baby? Did she look alright?”

“Calm down, Lien. I don’t really know. I only know she came late last night with Sir Sion.”

Lien’s face turned pitiful. “Carlo. Can you do me a favor?”

Carlo looked down at her with a troubled expression. “Sorry, Lien. I can do other things, but I can’t grant a request to go to the underground prison.”

Frowning, Lien clasped her hands and twisted them.

After the duke’s disappearance, Aubrianna had been confined to her room with the baby. Lien had deliberately asked another maid to bring her food and took it to her herself. And then she saw it. The duchess’s maid pouring a strange liquid into the food….

When she tried to recruit Carlo to bring different food for her friend, she was caught, and after that, Lien couldn’t even go near the room where Aubrianna was confined.

“Carlo. Come on, please? I’ll bake your favorite meat pie. Just once! Please?”

Although security was tight because it was the underground prison, it had been built hundreds of years ago, so there were multiple entrances and it was complicated. It seemed like he might be able to take Lien in for a short time.

“You know I’m not the type to be swayed by a mere meat pie, right?”

Carlo lightly nudged Lien with his shoulder. Lien smiled sweetly and leaned against him.

“I know. They say the first spring ball will be held at the Crixy building in the bustling district this time. You’ll escort me, right?”

At her invitation, Carlo’s face brightened and he nodded.

“You’ve got it good.”

Mr. Torain, an older veteran soldier who now served as a guard, approached.

Startled, Lien gave a hasty greeting and quickly picked up the laundry basket and disappeared.

“Looks like you even forgot it’s time for the shift change.”

“I didn’t forget that.”

Carlo smiled and handed over the bronze key that carried the authority and responsibility of guarding the door, then asked as if something had just occurred to him.

“Mr. Torain, when is the prison guard shift? I’ve got a ball appointment, so I think I need to switch times.”

***

Kaeloc stood in front of the main gate of the ducal castle, staring at the massive iron gate.

The main building of the ducal castle, visible from anywhere in the city, looked even more enormous up close.

Kaeloc gazed at the windows shining in the morning sunlight, then turned his head. A guard saw him, his eyes widening, then shouted loudly.

“Y-Your Grace has returned! Open the gate!”

Clank. Clank.

The massive iron gate slowly rose, and as if the news had spread quickly, Razen came running out with a flushed face.

“Your Grace! I was just about to come escort you!”

“How would you know where I am?”

At Kaeloc’s words, Razen flinched, then approached and took hold of the reins, gently stroking the horse’s neck to calm it.

“There, there.”

Then he handed the snorting horse over to a servant who had come up and instructed him.

“It’s a horse from Countess Bellone’s estate, so take care of it.”

Hearing that, Kaeloc stamped his foot and brought the whip down on the ground.

“How ridiculous.”

“Countess Bellone’s estate is within our duchy.”

Muttering that it couldn’t leave the duke’s domain anyway, Razen glanced around nervously.

“It got too late yesterday, so it would’ve been improper to come.”

“Where is the underground prison? I’m going to see Aubrianna. Lead the way now!”

Kaeloc tried to assert the authority of the duke. But Razen hesitated with an awkward expression before speaking.

“I’m sorry to say this, Your Grace. Please go to the office first.”

“What?”

Kaeloc’s eyes turned back, gleaming coldly like yesterday, but Razen couldn’t back down.

“Sir Sion is waiting in the office.”

Just now, Sion had said to bring him there even if it meant dying.

‘Dead this way or that way.’

Holding back the tears that threatened to spill, Razen pleaded with Kaeloc.

“He said it’s something very important.”

Sion had said that it was urgent to cure the illness of the lord who had lost his memory, and that to do so, they first had to bring Aubrianna, who controlled the duke, into the ducal castle.

Razen also agreed with that. Right now, both the ducal castle and the duchy were in complete disarray.

And what about the knight order? The food and supplies being distributed were all of poor quality and insufficient, so the soldiers’ morale was steadily declining.

‘But he never said anything about framing her and throwing her into the underground prison.’

Razen was large and had a rough face, but he was soft toward children and women, and he thought Sion’s actions were unjust.

He ran ahead toward Kaeloc, who was looking at the door he had come out of.

“Your Grace! That’s the servants’ entrance. Please come this way.”

Kaeloc let out a sigh. Even from a brief look around, the ducal castle was enormous. It seemed a day wouldn’t be enough to find the entrance to the underground prison.

He was angry, but decided to stay calm.

“Then guide me to the office.”

At the sight of attendants and the head attendant, who had just heard the news, running out from the main building’s stairs, Razen frowned and spoke to Kaeloc.

“Just nod your head and pass by.”

As Kaeloc moved forward, he was surrounded by five or six people in an instant.

“Your Grace! You’re safe! What a relief!”

Harick looked at Kaeloc with a voice full of emotion.

“My goodness, your face looks so worn!”

Kaeloc looked at the beard of the man who was worrying about him, then, as Razen instructed, simply nodded his head and continued walking.

“He’s heading to the office first.”

At Razen’s words, Harick bowed his head.

“Then we will prepare a room and a meal so you can rest quickly after your work.”

Only after nodding once more was Kaeloc able to escape from the people chattering like a flock of ducks.