Chapter 25

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 25

Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke

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Arlen Territory was enjoying a boom these days.

It was the greatest achievement Viscount Arlen had accomplished since inheriting his title.

He had planted a crop called "karot," which was all the rage in the south lately.

Arlen Territory, close to the capital, had strangely warm weather.

Like the surrounding territories, it had distinct seasons, but its winters were unusually mild.

And its summers were scorching, with sunny days stretching on endlessly.

There were even frequent long rainy spells, just like in the southern territories.

He'd had the clever idea to grow southern crops in that climate while he was searching for a physician discreet enough to care for his mad wife—and one who could be easily silenced if needed.

Finding a skilled doctor who kept their mouth shut and wouldn't blab was no easy task.

He'd heard about the southern karot crop purely by chance while reaching out to contacts down south.

The plant was incredibly hardy; just scatter the seeds, and it would sprout up vigorously. Its plump roots made for excellent food.

There was no need for it in prosperous Arlen near the capital, but its market value was more than sufficient.

It cost little to grow, yielded huge harvests, and Arlen was much closer to the north than the south was.

If he could strike a deal with the northern territories suffering from food shortages, his finances would bloom overnight.

"My lord, Knight Cedric reporting."

Cedric? Did he have a knight by that name? The viscount, who had no hobby of memorizing the names of his underlings, tugged the bell cord instead of answering.

The office door creaked open slightly.

"I've investigated as you commanded."

Ah, right—this was the knight he'd ordered to scout northern trade routes last time.

The viscount finally nodded.

"Quick work."

"Thank you, my lord."

"So, what's the result?"

Cedric hesitated before speaking.

"I looked into merchant groups that mainly distribute to the north. Some already had exclusive deals, so they were out. The most promising is the Esid Merchant Group. I'm sending someone there today."

The viscount was pleased with the swift handling.

Cedric continued his report.

"The other northern merchant groups are mostly clannish, so approaching them will take time."

Clannish, huh.

Viscount Arlen smacked his lips.

House Arlen truly had no prior ties to the north.

"We've arranged a marriage."

"With whom?"

"The north."

Suddenly, Viscount Arlen's face lit up.

Come to think of it, hadn't Ilrin gone north?

Milo had been visiting the north more frequently lately.

It was the season when trips north picked up as the weather cooled.

But the place he was heading wasn't just any northern region—it was Biplten.

"April like this is a first for me."

It was late October by the solar calendar.

The merchant group clerk, also from the Winter Lands like Milo, was referring to Biplten's April.

Biplten's April, when even Winter folk struggled against the fierce blizzards.

"Me too."

Still, Milo had no complaints.

There was no one in the Winter Lands fit to tend to a sun-person, and he couldn't very well feed the duchess—who wasn't yet acclimated to winter—harsh Winter herbs.

"Come in and talk."

"M-Me?"

"Yes."

"You mean enter the duchess's chambers in front of Crimson Delroz's maids?"

"……."

The innocent duchess had dragged him to death's door and then let him go.

After that, Milo had decided to avoid the Winter Lands unless absolutely necessary.

He planned to send someone else for this winter's food supplies.

His liege's gaze had been anything but ordinary.

At least he'd hauled in loads of herbs, so things should stay quiet for a while.

Milo slumped into his chair.

"Another message came."

"What?"

Milo shot up from his seat.

The clerk, looking troubled, explained.

"It's not a summons."

Why not lead with the important part? Milo glared at the clerk before slumping his shoulders.

"Then what?"

"An order to investigate Madam's maternal family."

"Maternal family?"

Her maternal family now?

He'd only just finished investigating House Arlen on Viscountess Arlen's orders.

At first glance, the viscount's house seemed unremarkable.

But digging deeper revealed something sinister.

Replacing all the lower servants around twenty years ago was suspicious enough, and investigating those replaced ones turned up only deaths or disappearances—more red flags.

Plus, the viscountess's madness had started around then, so that must be why his liege ordered more digging.

Milo's mind swiftly connected the dots.

"Good……."

He sank into thought.

House Arlen had few ties to the north.

To probe internal family matters, direct contact was essential.

That would expose them inevitably.

So far, focusing on those who had left House Arlen kept them off the radar.

But investigating the current viscountess's family would raise the risks.

No matter how weak House Arlen's intelligence network was, they needed a natural way to make contact.

"Milo, sir."

A knock sounded again.

Milo thought he had a lot of visitors today.

"Come in."

This time, it wasn't someone from Biplten but an ordinary sun-born clerk who knew nothing of the Winter Lands.

"Someone's here. They want to meet the group leader urgently."

This felt familiar. Milo tilted his head.

"Who?"

"From House Arlen. They say they have a business proposal."

Milo blinked.

Huh? Things were falling into place too perfectly.

Aden had stayed with Ilrin until morning, as promised.

None of the seventh-floor residents found the sight odd.

"So everyone knew?"

Ilrin narrowed her eyes at Etra, who had come for morning greetings.

Etra bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry, Madam. We were ordered not to speak of it……."

The other maids entering behind her spotted Aden beside Ilrin, grasped the situation, and bowed in a line.

They all said the same thing, of course.

"His Grace the Duke told us not to say anything."

The maid who blurted out the truth too plainly hiccuped under Aden's gaze.

Paradoxically, Ilrin got the impression from their reactions that the maids weren't as afraid of Aden as one might think.

Well, these Crimson Delroz maids on the seventh floor were the sort who didn't flinch even meeting his eyes, so maybe it was natural.

But it also seemed different from the typical noble-servant hierarchy.

"We're sorry, Madam!"

The way they cried out was definitely unlike the sun-born maids.

Ilrin briefly recalled the viscount's maids, who stiffened in his presence.

"……If it was an order, you had no choice."

Ilrin ended up laughing.

She wasn't cruel enough to punish maids begging forgiveness with teary eyes.

Besides, they hadn't meant to deceive her maliciously—they'd just followed orders.

"Liars are the bad ones."

Ilrin murmured softly.

Aden turned to gaze out the window.

The maids exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"What time does Crimson Delroz's Knight Commander start work?"

Ilrin asked Aden slyly.

"……It's time to begin the morning schedule."

He spoke as if it were about someone else, but it was really about himself.

Ilrin laughed brightly.

"Shall I walk you?"

"It's cold outside."

Aden tried to dissuade her, but Ilrin stood, pulling him up with her.

Etra draped a thick cloak over Ilrin's shoulders.

"It's truly cold outside the residence, Madam."

"I won't go out."

Aden escorted Ilrin from the room anyway.

A strange feeling washed over her.

They couldn't walk together like this from the floor below, where other families resided, but on the seventh floor, the two of them could do whatever they pleased.

A secret shared only on the seventh floor.

It felt more comfortable than the viscount's residence, and the seventh floor was the most serene spot in the entire estate.

Like walking on soft clouds.

That's what Ilrin thought.

Crimson Delroz maids trailed behind them at a trot, carrying cold-weather gear and thick clothes for their fragile sun-born Madam.

As they neared the stairs to the sixth floor, Aden slowed.

"From here, I must be the Knight Commander."

In other words, unless it was a special circumstance, he couldn't walk side by side with her.

Ilrin turned to him.

At least outside, they could meet eyes freely.

Feeling cheerful, she smiled.

"Wouldn't it be fine here?"

Her words came in a slightly low voice, mimicking someone.

Not so much asking if it was okay on the stairs, but quoting what Aden had said before.

"……."

Aden, catching on, rubbed his forehead.

In that moment, Ilrin discovered a strangely unfamiliar side of herself.

Teasing him with playful words felt so out of character.

It was a version of herself she'd never seen in over twenty years at the viscount's residence.

Aden's brief silence felt endless.

What if he got angry? A subtle anxiety crept in just as—

"……Guiding the new duchess around the residence as Knight Commander doesn't sound so bad."

The silence, though it felt long, had been only a moment, and it ended like that.

A maid with gloves approached quietly from behind and slipped them onto Ilrin's hands.

A scarf slipped gently under her lifted hair and around her neck.

Aden, watching, waved the maids back with one hand.

As he extended the other, a soft blue light emanated from it.

Ilrin's eyes widened.

His power, no doubt.

"Wow……."

The temperature in the residence warmed in an instant.

The heat trapped by the scarf around her neck felt sweltering right away.

His intent was clear.

The maids, understanding their master's desire for time alone, quietly fell back.

All the cold-weather items were withdrawn except the scarf and gloves on Ilrin.

A small commotion stirred among the maids.

Ilrin couldn't hear their hushed voices, but Aden certainly did.

They were debating whether to remove Ilrin's scarf or not.

"……."

Aden glanced back, and the maids flinched farther away.

Only then did he turn to Ilrin with satisfaction.

"Shall we go?"

Ilrin looked at him, then at the now-distant maids.

They bowed deeply as she turned.

It was more a "have a safe trip" than avoiding her gaze.

Can't be helped.

Ilrin smiled unwittingly and gladly placed her hand in his.