Chapter 8

"Butler!!!"

Count Alketa snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.

The butler opened the office door and bowed politely.

"You called."

"What did the messenger we sent to Lecashe say. Did the Grand Duke really send this letter?"

Count Alketa's brow stayed furrowed in a deep scowl.

To save face and get his son into the academy, he needed more money.

"I've looked into it. The same letter went out to other territories as well. It seems the Grand Duke was away, and the Grand Duchess handled it in his place."

"The Grand Duchess?"

"Yes. A few years ago, the Grand Duke married the viscount's daughter from the Sherburn family."

"Ah, that tribute the imperial family sent over."

"Yes."

"Hah, a tribute thinking she's somebody now."

That was the slang nobles used for anyone sent off as the Grand Duke Lecashe's bride.

Tribute.

After all, who'd want to send their daughter off to a cursed Grand Duke?

So the imperial family picked the bride directly, and not just anyone—she had to carry imperial blood.

The one chosen this time had been Iberin, daughter of Viscount Sherburn.

"She's been so quiet I figured she'd already kicked the bucket. Now look at this trash trying to act big."

"What would you have us do?"

"You said the same letter went out to other houses?"

"Yes."

"Then we need to meet with them."

"I'll make the arrangements."

---

At the very moment the nobles were plotting their scheme, over at the Lecashe Grand Ducal Estate—

Iberin was busy spreading another new game to everyone.

After Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed and Freeze Tag had both been hits, this time it was bubble blowing.

Running around was great, but kids also loved making things with their own hands and feeling textures.

"Eeeheee."

Sure enough, Ether looked happier than he'd ever been.

There was no dish soap here, so the bubbles weren't as thick and tough as they could've been, but they held their shape well enough.

"Ether, are you having fun?"

"Yes! Whoooo—"

The servants had been the same when they first saw it—going wild and begging for a turn to blow one themselves.

The floors had become a swamp of foam, so today they were playing outside.

"Look! It's reaaally big, isn't it?"

Ether pointed at the bubble he'd made, showing it off proudly.

"Wow, that's amazing."

"I'll do it again!"

He was holding the soap container tightly enough, but his hands were already coated in soap.

The moment he dipped his little fingers in to blow another, his hands slipped and he dropped the container.

Bounce, bounce—

The container hit the ground and soap water spilled out.

Ether blinked.

"Wh-whaaaah!"

The moment he registered the spilled soap water, the tears burst out.

"Ether, Mommy will make another one, don't cry. Hush!"

"Whaaaah."

But once the tears were going, they weren't easy to stop.

"Mommy said she'll make another one, Ether."

What in the world had broken his heart this badly, our little prince?

Iberin scooped Ether up.

"You don't want a new one?"

"Hng, but, you made that one for me…it was the firstest time you—"

"Huh?"

"You gave it to me…as a present."

She'd wanted to see him happy, so they'd made the soap water together and exchanged them as presents.

Which meant somewhere, there was another container of soap water Ether had given to Iberin.

But the first present they'd ever exchanged had just been knocked over and spilled out, and that was what was breaking his heart.

"Then should we make one more?"

"Hnnng."

"You don't want to?"

"What about that one?"

Ether pointed at the soap water that had already soaked into the ground.

It seemed every first he shared with Iberin was precious to him.

Iberin thought for a moment, then asked,

"Should we, um, bury it?"

"Huh?"

"Ether can write a letter to the soap water, and we'll bury it together right over there."

Good grief—she became a mom and now she was holding a funeral for soap water.

Iberin almost snorted at her own suggestion, but to a child like Ether, it sounded like a pretty good idea.

"A letter?"

"Yeah. Once soap water spills, it can't come back, so we'll send it off properly!"

"Mhm. Then let's go get paper, Ether!"

Got it!

Iberin smiled brightly and stood up.

Ether wiped at his wet face and scampered down the hallway, insisting they had to write the letter right now.

The soap on his hands made foam bubble up on his cheeks where he'd rubbed at them.

And that day, a soap water grave appeared at the back of the Grand Ducal Estate.

It was heart-shaped.

Iberin had personally found a stone and set up a headstone, so not a single servant didn't know about the birth of the soap water grave.

[Here rests the first present Iberin and Ether ever exchanged. Imperial Year 306, Month X, Day XX]

---

"What's going on? Why's it so loud?"

Iberin had Ether tucked against her chest as usual while she worked on her imperial language studies.

Whenever he woke up, playing with him took all her attention, so she squeezed in study time wherever she could.

The noise outside today was especially loud, and she was carefully starting to get up when Rotte came in.

"Oh, good timing."

But Rotte's expression was off. Iberin froze and looked at her, and Rotte said,

"Lady Iberin."

"Yes, what is it?"

"His Highness the Grand Duke has returned."

"…What?"

"It seems he arrived quietly in the early hours."

Her husband was back.

She'd been so curious about what he looked like—there hadn't even been a portrait, so she'd been left to her imagination—and finally!

"Can I go see him?"

"You, Lady Iberin?"

"Should I let him rest a bit?"

"No, he's up, but…"

"But what?"

"It really does feel like you've lost your memory. The old Lady Iberin was terribly afraid of His Highness."

"Ah. That much?"

"Yes. Especially after Master Ether was born and you received the terminal diagnosis, it only got worse."

That much she could understand.

"But why do you look so grim?"

"He's been injured."

"Badly?"

"Not badly, but I've never seen His Highness injured before."

"What did the physician say?"

"That it's not serious—he just needs to be cleaned and disinfected daily and get some rest, but…"

Worry shadowed Rotte's face. Iberin was a little surprised.

She'd assumed everyone was just afraid of the Grand Duke Lecashe, but apparently that wasn't the whole story.

Rotte had said she was the longest-serving—were they close, then?

"Hm, is that what all the commotion is about?"

The Grand Duke had come back in the early hours, supposedly.

"Ah, um."

Rotte couldn't quite get the words out and trailed off.

Then she changed the subject.

"Would you like to go see His Highness?"

"Yes."

Burning with curiosity, Iberin shot up the second Rotte finished speaking.

Even so, she checked thoroughly to make sure Ether was still asleep and tucked the blanket back into place.

"Where is he?"

"In his room."

There was no way the current Iberin knew where the Grand Duke Lecashe's room was.

When she just stared at her, Rotte said,

"I'll show you the way."

So Iberin followed Rotte.

She'd assumed in his room meant his bedroom and that it would be nearby, but it was in an entirely different building, far enough that they had to walk a good while.

"Why's it so far?"

"Because everyone's afraid of His Highness. And His Highness finds people uncomfortable too."

"Are you afraid of him, Rotte?"

"When I was young, sure—I believed all the rumors and got spooked. But I'm an old woman now. How much longer do I have left? No point being afraid of him."

"What kind of person is His Highness?"

Iberin asked.

In the original novel, he was a character who ended his own life, so she'd vaguely pictured him as a lonely man.

But come to think of it, Iberin had appeared in Ether's flashbacks, while the Grand Duke never had.

How distant had they been?

"You really don't remember anything?"

"You've seen for yourself."

"…His Highness… well, just see for yourself."

Rotte clearly didn't want to say more, and she stopped in front of some shabby-looking door.

"You've got to be kidding?"

"He's in here."

The state of it was worse than the west tower where Ether had been.

It was right next to the Forest of the World Tree, too, and looked like it hadn't been maintained at all.

Nobody would come out here unless they were out of their minds!

There were monster remains all over the place.

Bloodstains and chunks of flesh lay scattered—the monsters had clearly been killed in single blows, and the sight was grotesque.

"Your Highness, it's Rotte."

There was no answer from inside.

"Lady Iberin has come with me."

—What for.

The indifferent reply finally came.

If Iberin had been afraid of the Grand Duke, it seemed the Grand Duke hadn't thought much of her either.

"She'd like to see you."

—Creeeak.

The worn door slowly opened, and the Grand Duke stepped into view.

Iberin's eyes went wide.

Drop-dead handsome!

He was, literally, devastatingly good-looking.

He was tall too, and from years of fighting monsters, his build was incredible.

Iberin forgot what she'd come to say, swallowed dryly, and stared up at him in a daze.

So this was Ether's father.

In the original, Ether had been described as oozing sensuality, but the Grand Duke in front of her was no less so.

He looked like he was wearing a sign that read I'm decadence itself!

"Come in."

"Uh, yeah. Yes."

Iberin walked in like she was under a spell.

The outside hadn't exactly looked livable, and the inside was no different.

A quick glance showed an old table and a single bed in an otherwise bare room.

Did he really eat and sleep and live here?

"Uh, um."

"What did you want to say."

The handsome face had her dazed a moment ago, but coming to her senses, the pressure radiating off the Grand Duke looking down at her was no joke.

Without realizing it, Iberin hunched her shoulders slightly and watched him warily.

The Grand Duke seemed used to that attitude from her—he was unfazed. He looked like he wanted Iberin to say whatever she had to say and leave.

Not having actually come with anything to say, Iberin started talking off the top of her head.

"Hey, um."

"Yes."

"What's your name…"

"……What?"

The decadent Grand Duke's brow furrowed deeply.

Iberin felt slightly short of breath and bit down on her lips.

"Stop messing around. What did you come to say."

But the Grand Duke seemed to think she was joking.

She wasn't joking; she was being completely serious.

She only knew he committed suicide in the original—she didn't even know his name.

He was her husband, and until he died she was planning to take responsibility for him along with Ether, so not knowing his name was unacceptable.

"Your name…"

"Lyssel."

"{Ooh, Lyssel Lecashe…! Even your name is a perfect fit.}(#9iga1k5rnx5t)"

"…Madam."

"Ack. Right. I'm a married woman."

Iberin clapped both hands over her mouth.

She hadn't realized the word Madam could be this sexy.

And it seemed Lyssel wasn't the only one thrown by Iberin's behavior.

Rotte had been standing there with her mouth hanging open this whole time.

That was when it happened.

A knock came at the door, and when Iberin looked, a trembling voice followed.

—Um, Lady Iberin. It's me, Tami…

Tami, who'd been told to stay glued to Ether's side.

She'd been told to come find her immediately if anything happened.

Tami had gone white as a sheet when she heard Iberin was going to see the Grand Duke, and from the sound of it, the internal struggle of coming all the way here had been enormous.

"Tami?"

Wait, Tami?