Translator: Nabi

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Chapter 15

Rowaine smiled like a child, as if she was enjoying the situation.

“It was a perfect appearance, Duke.”

It was then that Dimitri burst into a loud laughter that he had been holding back.

“Really, Madam…”

She also crackled together, like what they did was belatedly funny. Laughing still, the two grabbed their stomachs as they returned on horseback.

How long has it been since he laughed like this?

Rowaine, who was sitting in front of him, smelled of fresh grass.

Perhaps, it was because they laughed out loud, Dimitri spoke to her in a soft voice.

“Madam Elbas is a terrible person.”

At his words, Rowaine nodded her head without denying it.​​“I actually experienced it.”

“I’m sorry. I should have written it down or told you in advance.”​​“It’s all right. Rather than that, I didn’t make the Duke in trouble, right?”

If the elders find out about Rowaine’s actions that had made Cayetana lose face, they may be outraged.

However, Dimitri reassured her.

“If Madam Elbas wants to do anything else to you, do it as you did today. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Hearing so, Rowaine turned her head slightly behind and smiled. Dimitri thought it was fortunate that she wasn’t as weak as his mother. Such a person as Rowaine seemed reliable and even great.

“Purr—”

Dimitri hurriedly covered his mouth at the sound of a purr that had flowed out unknowingly.

“What did you just say…?”

“…We’re here.”

In the end, he jumped off his horse as though to run away.

* * *

Hyle couldn’t believe what he was seeing now.

Dimitri, who had been to Elbas’, was smiling alone in his office.

‘I thought he was going to be smashing everything by now with nothing left.’​​Usually, whenever he went to see Cayetana, he was always out of his mind. In his rage, he would not distinguish between objects and people, and would scourge and destroy everything in sight.

That is why rumors about Dimitri being cruel and ferocious were circulating.

So, he was thinking about whether to take a vacation today and run away, though he barely went to work, dragging his feet.

But, instead, what he saw was Dimitri’s smiling face…

‘Even if it’s not because of Madam Elbas, it’s normal that he would have a harsh expression on his face.’

Because Dimitri was always tormented by the curse, he had never seen him in such a good mood.

Eight years ago, from the time they first met on the battlefield, he had always been seeking death. Dimitri, who was sixteen, and Hyle, who was nineteen at the time, met in the opposite upper and lower relationship.​​Hyle participated in the war as a descendant of aristocrats who were educated as the successor of Viscount Bilph, and Dimitri participated in the war as a commoner without revealing his identity.

Dimitri was an arrowhead soldier on a mission to protect Hyle. So, he lived with the slaves and was treated the same.

Then, despite the unfavorable conditions of being a shapeshifter, there was a tremendous performance that he did without sparing his life until he rose to an equal position with Hyle.

Because of that, the Duke of Blois, who heard about the performance, recognized him as his son in order to intercept his son’s ball. Then, Dimitri went around the battlefield without being restricted by his status.

Relations between him and Hyle quickly turned around, and he was saved several times by Dimitri.

Eight years went by like that.

In the meantime, Dimitri had cried and laughed about many things. He managed to survive on the battlefield, miraculously winning victories, sometimes enjoying sweet vacations, and suffering life-threatening injuries.

But, Hyle had hardly ever seen him genuinely rejoicing in all those moments.

So, Dimitri’s appearance right was very unfamiliar.

‘Was he a person who laughed like that…?’

Rumors were circulating that Rowaine had done a terrible thing in Elbas’s mansion. Maybe that could be why.

With that thought, Hyle decided to ask him.

“Your Grace, Baron Rant’s wife had said something strange about Duchess Rowaine.”​​“Ah, the rumors have already spread that far.”​​Hyle made a bewildered face.

“Is what Baroness Rant said true?”

“If you’re asking if it’s true that the Duchess sat on Madame Elbas’ lap and made a joke out of her, then yes.”

“…Is that really true?”

Dimitri burst out laughing, even just thinking about it again.

“She is a really fun and amazing woman. Well, you should have seen it, too. How surprised Madame Elbas was!”

Hyle’s mouth twitched.

“What are you saying… How could she do that…? Do you mean it wasn’t a mistake? No, who would make such a mistake—”

Dimitri, who was shaking his shoulders with a low chuckle as if he didn’t want to explain much, continued cheerfully.

“She told the Duchess that she has a bad cold. Her fever soared, and she lost her mind.”

In the end, Hyle just nodded his head. Even if he thought about it, it didn’t seem like there was any other way except for such an excuse…

​​* * *

That night, Dimitri finished his work and went out for a night drink with joy. He was thinking of going to see Rowaine.

Until now, she had not moved her room yet and was still using the annex.

‘I was joking around with her for no reason. I couldn’t even bring her to the room next to me.’

Dimitri thought he should persuade her as soon as possible and give her the closest adjacent room.​​At first, he thought he’d just keep her by her side and take advantage of the healing powers he desperately needed. However, when he smelled the scent from her, it made him feel better. So, Dimitri wanted to keep Rowaine by his side more.​​It was just an attachment to a useful tool.

But, after watching Rowaine for a few days, his curiosity and interest in her grew out of control.

Now, when he thought of her, even his smirk came out.

In Dimitri’s head, she was not a ‘tool,’ but ‘someone a little special.’

Humming, he strode to the annex.

Though Rowaine was sitting under the moonlight and weeping alone again.

‘…What is this?’

Dimitri somehow lost strength.

‘Is it because of what happened during the day?’

He thought she gave Cayetana a cool shot, but was she actually hurt, too?

Dimitri slowly sneaked up to her.

His mood plummeted sharply. Maybe he was expecting that innocent smile he saw last time. Seeing her cry like this disappointed him.

‘Doesn’t she like cats? Would she smile when she sees me?’

As Dimitri thought impatiently, without even realizing that he had thought that he wanted to make someone laugh, before carefully moving his steps towards her.

…Will she laugh?

Will he ever be able to see her dazzling smile again like the last time?

With that strange feeling, he stared at Rowaine. It felt like his stomach was boiling for some reason.​​How many steps did he take?

Suddenly, Dimitri stopped walking, feeling pathetic about what he was doing.

‘What am I doing?’

For a moment, a sense of shame instantly made him lift his head.

‘Ha. What am I looking forward to?’

Looking back at it now, he thought it was ridiculous. Dimitri couldn’t believe he was thinking strangely like that as if he was possessed by something.

Thinking that this was all because of the strange smell I got from Rowaine, he quickly turned around, although she found him first.

“What… When did you get here?”

Rowaine stopped whimpering as soon as she found him.

Dimitri paused, stood still, and gazed up at her.

Rowaine was smiling.

Just as he expected.

‘….’

Even though it was a lightless night, she shone under the soft moonlight. At that moment, he was instantly overcome with indescribable emotions.

‘What is this relief…?’

“Are you here again? You’re getting pretty close now.”

She unexpectedly stretched out her fingers and held them out to him.

‘What is she trying to do?’

The scent of grass from the tips of her fingers stimulated his sense of smell as he was about to stare at her alertly.

‘The smell of fresh grass…’​​Why does she keep smelling such a refreshing scent? Does she even wander through the grass?

Dimitri followed the scent as if possessed, without even knowing he was doing it. When he came to his senses, he noticed that Rowaine was tickling his head.

‘…I was distracted. Whose hair do you dare—’

Coming to his senses, he was ready to scratch Rowaine’s hand.

After counting to three, he was going to launch an attack.

‘One, two…!’

But, before he could count to three, Rowaine pulled out her hand as though she knew he was going to attack.

Dimitri trembled with a sense of despondency, not knowing that she knew the behavioral language of cats.

‘…Unbelievable.’

He couldn’t believe his agility could be caught up with by an ordinary human like Rowaine. With that level of judgment and agility, she must have been spoiling her talent if she hadn’t learned her sword.

‘I think it would be better to make her let her guard down.’

Dimitri changed his course and pressed his pride down to persevere, and called out for Rowaine.

“Nya!”

‘Touch me more.’

At this point, it was difficult to come here, so he will do it no matter what.

Without realizing that he was excited, Dimitri was poised to rush in, thinking that he would scratch her white hand so that it would bleed.​​However, once again, Rowaine withdrew her hand just before Dimitri could launch the attack again this time.

‘….?’

Could it be that she really learned martial arts? If it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have been so quick…

At that, he muttered in vain without thinking of getting stroked anymore.

“What’s your name? Since you live in Blois… Can I call you Blue? What do you think, Blue?”

‘What do you mean, Blue?’

“Do you like it, Blue?”

‘There’s no way I would like the name that you gave without any special meaning.’

When Dimitri meowed again and again in disgust, showing that he didn’t like it, Rowaine cried out loud.

“You already know the name!”

“….”

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