Chapter 56

(Oh no, it's already dusk.)

I hurriedly ran through the western corridor of the castle and rushed to my room in the southern wing. The red sunset was shining through, and it would soon be dark.

I had become so engrossed with the Bergenion that I ended up being very late. I didn't intend to go to the kitchen, but after helping to process a large amount of Bergenion, Reina and everyone in the kitchen insisted I take a look. Since we were also working on a new dish together, I decided to help a little. Before I knew it, I had become so absorbed that it got this late.

(How could I be so careless?)

I was supposed to return to the Duke much earlier, and I feel guilty for indulging in my hobby and neglecting him. The Duke had said he wanted me to stay with him before he went to sleep. I entered my room from the door, took off my dress, which was stained with sweat and various liquids, and changed into a white blouse and a navy skirt. After quickly fixing my hair in front of the mirror, I knocked lightly on the door to the inner chamber to check on the Duke.

"Duke, it's me, Melfiela."

There was no response, so I opened the door slightly and peeked inside. The magic lamps were off, and the room was dim due to the drawn curtains. The sky outside the curtains was slightly red as the sun had not yet set.

(Is he still sleeping?)

On the canopy bed, I could see a lump that looked like a person. I tiptoed over to the bed. The mound seemed to be the Duke, still asleep, with the blanket rising and falling slightly. He hadn't woken up at all since I left the room. The water in the pitcher I had prepared also showed no signs of being used.

"Duke?"

I stood by the bed and called out softly. The hourglass on the wall showed it was almost five in the evening. I had treated his wounds around noon, and he had fallen asleep without eating lunch. It was a good time to wake him up.

"Duke, the sun is about to set."

I called out gently to avoid startling him. However, the gray head peeking out from under the blanket didn't move.

"Duke, if you don't wake up soon, you won't be able to sleep at night."

I called out a bit louder, but his body didn't budge. He must be in a deep sleep. I decided to try calling out even louder.

"Duke, it's almost time for dinner. You must be hungry. Would you like to go with me to have some delicious food?"

The Duke slowly turned over in the bed. His face was now facing me, but his eyes remained closed, and his long, dark eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks.

(What long eyelashes...)

The sleeping Duke, despite being an adult, had a somewhat innocent, childlike face. His usually furrowed brow was now smooth. His handsome features, which I usually found embarrassing to look at, were now easy to admire while he slept. I felt a bit guilty for staring, but it was truly impressive that even his sleeping face was so handsome.

(Haha, the Duke is quite a heavy sleeper, isn't he?)

Deciding that calling out wouldn't work, I gently touched the Duke's shoulder.

"Duke, please wake up."

When I lightly shook him, the Duke curled up tightly, resisting. The gesture reminded me of a large feline beast, which was quite endearing. Despite knowing it was wrong, my curiosity got the better of me, and I tickled the Duke's nose with my finger.

"I also helped in the kitchen. We made a very nourishing soup. There's even a special dish we came up with with Reina. Wake up and let's go eat."

The Duke frowned slightly when his nose was tickled. Just as I thought he was stubborn, he suddenly opened his mouth and bit my finger.

"Ah!"

Surprised, I pulled my hand back and let out a short scream.

"That's enough! My finger is not food!"

As I pulled my finger out of his mouth, the Duke, who seemed to have fully woken up, quickly sat up and smiled at my flustered state. Seeing his mischievous grin, I immediately protested.

"Really, Duke! Teasing me isn't funny at all!"

"Hehe, I'm sorry. I've never been woken up so gently before. I got a bit carried away."

The Duke stretched widely and looked at the hourglass in surprise. The sky outside the curtains was turning a bright red as the sun was about to set.

"It's already dusk?"

"Yes, it's been about six hours since then."

"I didn't realize I would sleep this long."

The Duke rubbed his head. I moved away from the bed, poured water from the pitcher into a glass, and handed it to him.

"When did you wake up?"

The Duke drank the water in one go and sighed, "Right after you entered my room... I must have been more tired than I realized." He then ran his fingers through his gray hair and snapped his fingers to light the magic lamps in the corners of the room. The warm light illuminated the previously dim room.

I added a bit more water to the empty glass and handed him a damp towel.

"You must be tired. Since we met at the banquet, you've been working non-stop. No one would complain if you took a break."

Even Chaos was grateful for it. "You always make sure your subordinates take breaks, but you never do the same for yourself," he said with a troubled look. Knights need to take care of their bodies; overworking and collapsing would be counterproductive. The Duke wiped his face with the towel and looked somewhat refreshed. I noticed that his hair at the back was sticking up.

"Hehe, you have a bit of bedhead at the back."

His hair was a bit stiff, so it kept sticking up even when I tried to smooth it down.

"Water will fix it. But, it's time for dinner, isn't it? Let's get ready and go eat."

The Duke, looking a bit embarrassed, stopped as he was about to get out of bed.

"Melfi, can you do something about the bandage on my shoulder?"

The Duke's left shoulder was tightly bandaged by Chaos, making it difficult to move. However, it was for his quick recovery, and I couldn't do anything about it.

"Please bear with it for today. If the wound improves tomorrow, Chaos can do something about it."

I wish I could treat his wounds, but I don't even know how to wrap a bandage. As the Duchess of Galbreath, I should be able to handle such things.

When we first met, I saw the Duke's excellent physique in the tent at the banquet. His muscles rippled with every movement. The meat on his body was well-balanced with muscle and fat, perfect for eating. Unfortunately, the Duke's muscles are not suitable for meat.

Considering his shoulder injury, I chose a looser outfit. The Duke's wardrobe was mostly dark-colored, as he said, "Dark colors don't show dirt." I agreed, and the Duke happily offered to make matching outfits for us. Ideally, I would prefer separate tops and bottoms.

"This can be left off now."

With my help, the Duke managed to put on his shirt. He looked at me, holding his cravat, which was embroidered with silver thread to match his hair. I had never helped a man with his attire before.

"I think it looks very nice, but I'll try to tie it if you can show me how."

I had no idea how to tie a stylish knot. I decided to learn from the Duke. I remembered how the butler, Herman, used to tie my father's cravat every morning in Marshall Raid.

"Right, pull the long end while threading the short end through here... Uh, it seems to have shifted a bit."

The Duke showed me the easiest knot, but I couldn't tie it properly. He then instructed me to make a large loop and tie the knot there.

"First, fold the fabric into four strips. Then fold it in half... Good, hold the middle and make a small loop at the halfway point, and thread it around my neck."

I followed the Duke's instructions, making a loop and slipping it over his head. I held the knot and slowly pulled the short end through. After adjusting the gap around his neck, I wrapped the long end around to hide the knot and smoothed it out.

"Hmm, not bad at all."

"The Duke is a good teacher."

"Right, Melfi. Do you know the meaning behind a knight allowing someone to tie their cravat?"

I was caught off guard by the sudden question and didn't quite understand what the Duke meant.

(Tying a cravat? What does 'allowing' mean?)

Curious, I tilted my head and looked up at the Duke. He cleared his throat and hesitated.

"What does it mean to allow someone to tie your cravat?"

"...W, well, the neck is a vital point. When a knight allows someone to expose this vital point, it means... t, trust."

"Trust?"

"Trust that the person will never betray you. Absolute trust!"

The Duke's face turned red as he explained. I was so surprised that I stood there in a daze. The Duke looked down at me.

"I'm happy."

"Really?"

The Duke, who seemed skeptical, asked.

"Of course! To be trusted so much by the Duke... What can I offer in return? Well, I can give you the cloudy crystal filled with Bergenion. How about tonight's dinner? What else...?"

I panicked, as I had no dowry and couldn't think of anything else. The Duke placed his large hand on my shoulder. In his gentle amber eyes, I could see my own face.

"You don't have to give me anything material. How about... your, h, heart?"

"Kokokokokoro? I've never heard of such a creature! What kind of monster is it?!"

The Elsenie Great Forest of Galbreath must have some mysterious creatures with unfamiliar names. Curious, I grabbed the Duke's hand and pressed him for more information. The Duke muttered, "That's why... I said, three points..." and hung his head.