Chapter 31
“Speak. Now.”
The moment the man’s eyes met Eclite’s burning crimson gaze, it felt like they were being scorched.
It was unbearable, but he couldn’t even scream.
Every word Eclite spoke slammed into his skull like it was splitting his mind apart.
He couldn’t take it anymore. His lips finally began to move.
“A-Aulin… fields… an o-old… mansion… I-it’s…!”
The moment Eclite heard the answer he wanted, he straightened.
The man collapsed to the floor in a seizure.
He had felt like if he didn’t speak, he’d die.
No—worse than dying.
That cursed red gaze—
This man was the one they called a monster.
The madness in Eclite’s glowing eyes pierced right through him.
Overwhelmed by agony, something inside the man’s vision snapped—
And the world went black.
A beastkin…!
The scream stuck in his throat.
He had completely lost his sight.
And yet, strangely… he felt relieved.
It was less terrifying not being able to see.
He passed out.
Finally, the lightning that had split the clear sky vanished, and the darkness faded.
The onlookers trembled unconsciously in the silence that followed.
Even the snipers, trying not to show it, couldn’t stop the chill that had settled in their bones.
It had all happened in mere seconds, but it felt like they’d seen hell itself.
Their minds couldn’t even begin to comprehend what had just occurred.
Kamari, finally regaining her senses, approached Eclite.
And because she had to say something—had to ground him—she asked,
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
He replied calmly.
He had to be fine.
If he lost control now, everything would spiral.
He couldn’t allow that.
Eclite pushed down his emotions and turned to Isana.
“Aulin Fields. Bring the entire sniper unit and follow me.”
As he left the inn, the air, frozen in place, began to move again.
Isana exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and gave a tired smile.
What he had felt earlier—
That wasn’t even close to the real killing intent.
Just now, he’d genuinely feared for his life.
A nearby Tier finally found their voice.
“Wh-What was that earthquake earlier? And that lightning…?
It was so dark; I couldn’t see a thing… What happened?”
“Same here.”
Isana stared at the collapsed man—his eyes bleeding tears—like he was already dead.
“I couldn’t see anything either.”
It was like the world had gone blind.
Like something was trying to conceal everything all at once.
“There’s no way… His Grace Clio caused all that, right?”
It made no sense.
And yet—why did he feel so sure?
Because in that pitch-black void, Isana thought he’d seen something— A presence.
Not human. Towering in the darkness. Familiar, yet far too alien.
“No. It couldn’t be. I must’ve imagined it.”
“He was really angry.” Kamari sighed, exasperated by how quickly everything had escalated.
Still, it was fortunate he’d kept enough control to say he was “fine.”
Now she understood why Captain Cahillro had been worried—
Why she’d been sent to keep Eclite grounded.
But at this point… it was clear.
They’d need to protect Amelia instead, at all costs.
“Let’s hope Lady Amelia wasn’t kidnapped.
Otherwise, hell is about to begin.”
Isana flinched at her words.
“Kidnapped?”
“His Grace seems to believe so.”
“If that’s true… we’re in trouble too.”
His usual smile gone, Isana turned cold and issued an order to the snipers.
“Aulin Fields.
Search for the lady of the house.
If we don’t find her, prepare to die trying.”
His chilling expression sent another wave of fear through the squad.
They immediately scattered.
“Aulin, huh… It’s not far from here.”
For now, finding her mattered more than understanding the truth behind the Duke’s identity.
Eclite sprinted toward Aulin Fields.
His emotions were shifting with every breath.
It might not be a kidnapping.
He desperately hoped it wasn’t.
Because if it was—
He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.
He’d be the one who put her in danger.
“Please… Please!”
His feet moved faster than the wind.
Yet his chest only tightened.
No matter how fast he ran, nothing filled the hollow ache inside.
It stayed clenched, hard and immovable.
Then—he came to a sudden halt.
Something glittered at the edge of the path.
Catching the moonlight, it glowed faintly.
He reached down and picked it up.
A shard of ice.
“…Amelia.”
It was a piece of the ice necklace he had placed around her neck himself.
“She’s guiding me.
She’s calling for me.”
Eclite ran toward the spot where the shard of ice had fallen, struggling to calm his pounding heart.
Before he knew it, he had left the village far behind.
And there it was—just as the man had said.
Aulin Fields.
At its center stood an abandoned mansion, crumbling and forgotten.
Without hesitation, Eclite vaulted over the wall.
Though the mansion looked like it was ready to collapse, he could see faint lights and hear the slightest signs of movement inside.
Without thinking of the danger, he rushed toward the mansion—
But suddenly, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a tree.
He stiffened, his eyes wide in shock as he recognized the warmth that embraced him.
“Shh. Be quiet. We’ll be discovered.”
The one holding him, her expression feigning sternness, was none other than Amelia.
She peered over his shoulder, watching as a group of smugglers rushed past the spot where Eclite had just stood.
It had been a close call.
Only after they passed did Amelia let out a breath of relief and look at Eclite, who was still frozen in place.
“Thank goodness. You found me. Did you see what I did?
I’m really sorry about the necklace. I was moving in a hurry and it fell off.
But it caught the moonlight, and I thought maybe, just maybe, you’d spot it.”
“……”
“I saw him—the missing worker!
He’s not dead, and he wasn’t kidnapped either.
I saw him heading here.
This isn’t just about illegal liquor or wild animal attacks…”
“That—”
“…Yes?”
“That doesn’t matter right now!”
Without warning, Eclite pulled Amelia into a crushing embrace.
So tight that her hat was knocked off and her hair spilled down.
He buried his face in it, holding her as if he would never let go.
Startled by his desperate touch, Amelia let out a shaky breath.
“Y-Your Grace?”
“Right now… the only thing that matters…
is that you’re safe.”
Eclite forced the words past his trembling lips.
He clung to her like a child seeking comfort, his entire body trembling.
Amelia, flustered, tried to speak—
But just then, footsteps and voices echoed in their direction.
“Hey. Did you hear something over there?”
“Hear what?”
“Just in case. Go check it out.”
Amelia, still wrapped in Eclite’s arms, whispered urgently.
“We’ll get caught if we stay like this!”
But then—
A sudden downpour began, drenching everything in seconds.
The footsteps halted, followed by a few muffled curses.
“What the hell? Rain?”
“Damn it! We’re soaked—get inside!”
Their voices faded as they retreated.
Eclite removed his coat and gently placed it over Amelia’s head.
Now that she could finally see his face clearly—
She froze.
His face had gone pale, and the rain sliding down his cheeks looked like tears.
His normally bright blue eyes—beautiful as ever—were quivering, warped with fear, anxiety, and raw panic.
“Y-Your Grace… What’s wrong? What happened? Are you okay?”
Shocked, Amelia reached out and cupped his face, running her hands over it again and again.
But this time—unlike before— Eclite couldn’t bring himself to say the words: I’m fine.
Because the truth was…
“I’m not okay.
Not even a little.”
He had clung to reason—over and over— Only to finally snap.
“I wasn’t okay at all.
I was so scared. So terrified I thought I’d lose my mind…”
He had broken down.
Eclite pulled Amelia tightly into his arms once again.
His large fingers clung to her—over and over—as he whispered, voice shaking:
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.
I shouldn’t have brought you here.
I should never have left you alone.
I… I was too selfish…”
The moment he let out the fear and anxiety he’d been suppressing, he couldn’t hold it back any longer.
Even breathing felt painful.
No—he wasn’t okay.
He had just gotten used to pretending he was.
Saying “I’m fine” never changed anything anyway.
He had given up on expecting more.
But this time—he couldn’t.
He finally understood why his chest had felt so tight.
Why it felt like his heart would burst.
It was the fear.
The fear of losing even a piece of her.
That unbearable fear—he realized—should never be endured.
“I can never lose her. I won’t. I refuse to.”
Even if everything else in the world fell apart—he wanted her.
For the first time, that raw, possessive desire surged in his eyes, swallowing his reason whole.
Amelia felt her heart jolt at the storm of emotion crashing down on her.
This… was a side of him she had never seen before.
She hesitated for a moment—
Then gently embraced him in return.
Because it was her that made him feel this afraid.
“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this.
I didn’t know you’d worry so much.
I’m really sorry. I didn’t think it through.”
Her voice trembled as she gently stroked his hair, soothing him.
“I only wanted to find the missing worker.
I thought if I waited for the Tiers, I’d lose track of him.
But if I left a trace… I knew Your Grace would find me.
You would come. I trusted you.”
Her soft voice slowly calmed his unrest.
The trembling in his shoulders eased.
Eclite looked at her quietly, his voice low.
“…It wasn’t a kidnapping?”
“No. It wasn’t.”
Amelia told him everything.
After sending Eclite off, Amelia had quietly waited for the Tiers.
But something had caught her eye.
“…Oh. They’re selling it over there, too.”
There had been something she had wanted to buy for a while.
But with him around, she hadn’t dared.
Now, she glanced around.
No Tiers in sight.
“Just quickly… before they get here.”
With a small smile she couldn’t quite hide, she headed toward the stall.
Then—
Through the crowd—she saw someone familiar.
‘…Wait, who is that? I feel like I know them…’
Suddenly, it hit her.
“That missing worker!”
She had seen his face in the portrait.
She was certain.
“…But I thought he was dead.
They said he’d been mauled by a beast…”
Amelia kept her eyes on him.
He looked perfectly fine, cautiously scanning his surroundings before slipping onto an old wagon.
The cart started moving.
She couldn’t let him out of her sight.
Without hesitation, she paid a passing freight cart and climbed aboard, following the wagon.
She figured the Tiers would notice her absence and report it to His Grace.
That’s why she dropped the shard of ice.
To guide him here.
Now, looking completely apologetic, Amelia bowed her head.
“It didn’t seem like just a liquor smuggling case.
I wanted to help you.
And I thought… maybe that worker was being threatened or blackmailed.
I had to try and save him.”
Eclite shook his head, gently taking her trembling hand.
“As long as you’re safe.
As long as you’re unharmed—that’s all that matters.
But… please, don’t ever do this again.
Nothing is more important than you.”
“…I understand. I’m truly sorry.”
The rain that had poured endlessly finally began to subside.
The world returned to the calm of a full moon night.
Only then did Eclite notice how soaked Amelia was.
Though he’d given her his coat, it hadn’t been enough.
But at the time, he hadn’t cared—
He didn’t want to lose her again, didn’t want anyone interfering.
So he’d pushed everything else aside.
Now, clumsily, he tried to wipe the water from her skin.
“You’ll catch a cold like this…”
He tried with his hand, then his sleeve—
But they were both already drenched.
Amelia finally laughed aloud.
“Haha, really. It’s fine.
We’re not in the North.
I won’t catch a cold from a little rain. I’ll dry off soon.”
Still, Eclite looked displeased, his brows furrowed in worry.
That familiar expression made Amelia feel relieved.
This was the Duke she knew.
“…But right now, we need to catch those smugglers.
And that worker still needs rescuing.”
“I’ll handle that. You—”
Aahh—!
A sudden scream rang out from inside the mansion.
Amelia and Eclite both stiffened, their eyes locking toward the source.
Without hesitation, Eclite drew his sword.
“I’ll go.”
“It’s dangerous alone! The Tiers should be arriving, right?”
“They should be.”
“Then I’m going too. I came prepared.”
Amelia quickly pulled out a rifle. But Eclite’s voice rose instantly, sharply.
“Absolutely not.”
She had expected that answer.
So, Amelia immediately continued.
“Then would it be better if I stayed here alone?”
“…That’s—”
“Or would it be better if I stayed with Your Grace?”
Eclite instinctively furrowed his brow.
The idea of leaving her here alone unsettled him just as much.
Amelia saw the hesitation flicker in his expression—
And smiled gently.
“See? It’s better if I go with you, right?”
In the end, Eclite took her hand again and held it tightly.
“Stay where I can see you. I’ll protect you—no matter what.”
“Don’t worry about watching your back. I’ll protect you too.”
