Chapter 6

Holding the key Dominic had given him tightly, Daniel walked towards the bookshelf in the study instead of going out the door. His body’s memory, which returned faster than his mind, led him naturally to the secret passage connected to the study, as if he were flowing water. When he pushed the right corner of the wide bookshelf that occupied more than half of one wall, a bedroom appeared, and when he pushed the left corner, a secret staircase leading outside the inner castle appeared. The bookshelf, which had remained the same as before despite the three years the master had been asleep, still held the books he often read in the same spots. However, he noticed a subtle difference. Daniel stopped with his hand extended towards the right end of the bookshelf. When he did not continue his next move, Dominic approached his lord and asked,

“Why, my lord? Are you feeling dizzy?”

Daniel’s calm gaze momentarily fixed on the end of the bookshelf. The rich red cover of the Svergen Empire history book, placed at both ends of the wide bookshelf, meant only one thing:

‘This passage is safe.’

It was a code known only to Daniel and the Mollis. The unnecessarily thick and ridiculously expensive history book of the empire was in its proper place. However, one thing that differed from his memory caught his eye.

“There’s no dust.”

Upon hearing Daniel’s murmur, Dominic let out a short exclamation and swept his fingertips across the top of the history book.

“It’s because the duchess sweeps and cleans every day.”

Daniel raised an eyebrow at Dominic’s answer.

“Personally?”

“Yes. The duchess manages the study and the bedroom with one maid.”

Dominic, who had his hands behind his back, turned his shoulder slightly towards Daniel and whispered,

“She’s quite diligent. Despite appearances, she’s very generous.”

Dominic’s lips curved into a soft smile, seemingly finding something very amusing.

“My lord doesn’t like others touching your things, and you once cut off the fingers of a servant who entered your room without permission. So just leave it. No matter how much you tell her, she insists that as long as the things are in their place, it’s fine, and she doesn’t even get scared.”

Shaking his head at how stubborn she was, Dominic’s smile did not leave his lips. Suddenly, feeling a chill, he quickly turned his head to look at Daniel. As expected, the deep brown eyes, now tinged with red, glared at him and said,

“When did I?”

“Pardon?”

“When did I cut off a servant’s fingers? They were the empress dowager’s spies disguised as servants.”

What’s the difference? Perplexed, Dominic took a step back and slowly nodded.

“Y-Yes. To be precise.”

Having grown up close to Daniel like a brother, Dominic knew better than most how to avoid the sharp claws of this beast. If he wanted to keep his life, he had to avoid Daniel Rihardt when his eyes turned red.

“Dominic.”

A voice as cold as the Altas forest in winter called his name. Dominic realized he had already taken more than three steps back.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Watch your mouth before I rip out your tongue.”

With a cold warning, Daniel pushed the right corner of the bookshelf. Creak. The bookshelf, which had been firmly closed for three years, opened with a considerable noise. Watching Daniel ascend the stairs that appeared behind the bookshelf, Dominic only blinked, his mouth closed. Despite the wall lamps in the passage being off, Daniel stepped into the darkness without hesitation. Only after Daniel had completely disappeared did Dominic’s tightly closed mouth finally open.

“What did I do? Anyway, that dirty temper of his.”

People fear Duke Rihardt not because of the lethal words he utters.

‘Daniel Johannes Rihardt does not speak in vain.’

This single sentence, passed down from those who know the true Daniel, might express everything. Dominic burst into a laugh at the absurdity of his brief tension.

“Daniel, you’re really back, aren’t you?”

***

Three years were not enough to erase the deeply ingrained senses. Light was unnecessary as he ascended the dark stairs and walked through the passage. Daniel, fidgeting with the key in his hand, walked slowly but steadily towards his bedroom. His calm steps showed no sign of hesitation. What had returned was not just his senses. Mixed with his memories, thoughts poured down like a winter blizzard, without a moment to prepare.

“Hey, Fride is the only one of our three daughters who survived. We’re just taking care of her. Okay?”

‘The only one who survived.’

On the day of the wedding, the Countess of Harkbone called her youngest daughter, who was about to become the Duchess of Rihardt, by that name.

“You’ll obviously be criticized for not fulfilling your duties as a wife.”

The desperate voice was filled with affection for her child, just as Daniel’s mother, Laura, had been with him and Dominic. If not for the mess he was in after rushing from battle, he might have stepped out of the shadows and said, “Why would I criticize your daughter? I have no interest in the duties of a wife. You should clean up and change your clothes before coming in,” as Ricardo had advised, though it was just another tiresome lecture.

“Since it’s come to this, we have to get married, but you should wait a bit. She won’t live long, so if you don’t want to have a funeral right after the wedding, it’s best not to touch her at all. If you cover her with your massive frame, she’ll die on the spot. Sigh.”

Who’s covering who? Just because I was raised like an animal, does that mean I’m a real beast? Daniel, who had momentarily stopped walking to his bedroom, ran his hand through his bangs and leaned against the wall. A warm sensation seeped into his palm.

“The doctor said to keep her warm, so I’ll light the fireplace today.”

His wife, who was described as overly diligent, was clearly warming the bedroom. A disgruntled sound escaped Daniel’s lips before he could stop it.

“I’m really going to go crazy.”

A wife? When I’m struggling to take care of myself, what’s this talk about a wife? She’s a frail woman who could be blown away by a strong wind. I’ll resist, no matter what the empress dowager says. The regret that came too late made his head spin. The marriage between the short-lived Harkbone family’s daughter and the emperor’s hunting dog, Duke Rihardt, known throughout the empire, caused a stir in the social circles of the capital, ‘Cellino.’ It was even more noisy than when the emperor granted Daniel the title of Duke of Rihardt, one of the ‘Twelve Dukes.’ How else could the empress dowager, Margarete, have earned a reputation for being stingy? Despite her actual nature, she publicly displayed a kind and gentle demeanor to all.

“Huh.”

Daniel sighed deeply and pressed his head against the wall leading to the bedroom. Unlike the bookshelf in the study, it opened without any annoying noise, creating a gap. A clear beam of light seeped through the crack, dividing the pitch-black passage into light and darkness.

“Sister Lote, Sister Hestia. Fride is really, really having fun here.”

The voice that seeped through the wall was as thin as the beam of light that had entered.

“And I… I’m twenty now.”

From the weak, frail voice, a sense of inexplicable pride could be felt. Daniel unconsciously held his breath. After a while, a faint whisper, barely audible, reached his ears.

“I… I’m proud…"

After those words, no more sounds were heard. How long had the crackling of the burning logs been the only sound? After quite some time, Daniel carefully pushed the wall with force. The bright light that flooded his vision made the darkness retreat. To adjust to the light, Daniel slowly opened and closed his eyes. The first thing to greet him was an unfamiliar warmth. Next, he saw the white hair, like the snow on the winding paths of the Altas mountains. Daniel, with his hands behind his back, quietly approached Fride. Stopping, he gazed down at her face, which was resting on the table, and at her white eyelashes that trembled with her breath. A calm and steady voice emerged from his slightly open mouth.

“The first time I saw you…"

Daniel’s right hand cast a shadow over Fride’s head. After a moment, he withdrew his hand, which had been calmly observing the black shadow it cast on her white hair.

“You were just whining.”

A low praise settled softly in the place where the shadow had been.

“I’m proud of you, Fride.”

After gazing at the soundly sleeping Fride for a while, Daniel repeatedly folded and unfolded his arms. In the past, holding a woman would have been easier than breathing, but he repeated the motion until he was confident. However, to his surprise, the woman was as light as a feather. Fride, once placed on the bed, shifted a couple of times and then settled at the end of the bed, falling asleep. For a moment, he considered going to Dominic’s room, but remembered his rough sleeping habits.

“Damn.”

I don’t know. Let’s just sleep. We’ll think about it tomorrow. It was a busy day for someone who had just woken up after three years. Rubbing his face a few times, Daniel lay down at the far end of the bed, as far from Fride as possible. *** If he had known he would wake up to such a morning, he would have sworn to go to Dominic’s room.

“I’ll start by massaging your legs.”

Sitting up at the edge of the bed, Daniel firmly shook his head to indicate he was not interested in negotiating.

“I’m fine.”

Why would she start touching him as soon as he opened his eyes? He was so startled that he almost lost consciousness again.

“But this is something I did every day when the duke was unconscious. The doctor said continuous massage is necessary to prevent stiffness.”

What? So she had been massaging him every day for the past three years? With those tiny hands? It’s a talent to spout such absurd stories with such innocent eyes, as if it were nothing.

“Surely you didn’t… I mean, you’ve been touching… or rather, taking care of me every day?”

The carefully chosen words brought a wave of absurd relief.

“Yes, of course. The doctor said to do it every day.”

Damn doctor. I’ll cut him to pieces. Daniel let out a short sigh.

“To recover quickly, you need to be even more diligent from now on.”

Fride, ready to grab his calf at any moment, wiggled her ten fingers and approached. Daniel, who had not flinched in front of hundreds of cavalry, felt his shoulders flinch as she approached.

“Ah, if you’re uncomfortable, should I call Dominic?”

Dominic massaging him? That’s even more terrifying.

“No. No, that’s not necessary.”

Life with a wife is truly troublesome. Very much so.

“I’m really fine, so you don’t have to do this.”

Even the way she made him feel guilty for refusing. Daniel, determined to avoid this situation, lifted his legs, which had become lighter. At that moment, for the first time in his life, he was pushed down by someone.

“Ah, really. Stop moving!”