Chapter 10
To give Illina some space, I had sent away all the attendants who were originally supposed to accompany me, leaving me to wander the unfamiliar duke’s estate alone.
“Huh?”
I was glancing around, thinking this was probably the garden, when I spotted a small lake. It sat at the edge of the garden.
By the lake was a covered promenade, and there stood a middle-aged man, silently gazing out over the water.
‘He’s huge.’
That was my first impression of him.
He looked like he was nearly 2 meters tall, and even though he was wearing a formal outfit, it was obvious he had the build of a seasoned warrior.
He looked to be a little over sixty, with distinguished gray stubble lining his jaw.
I instantly realized who he was—one of the border lords. I’d never seen a guest like him at the banquet.
I slowly approached him.
‘Hmm? There’s someone else.’
That’s when I noticed the border lord was talking to someone else.
The garden’s path led down a set of stairs from the promenade to the lake, and another man stood at the bottom.
‘Was he hidden behind a tree? It feels like he just appeared out of nowhere…’
From this vantage point, I couldn’t quite see what was below the stairs, but that man seemed to be just as tall as the border lord.
What caught my attention more than his height was his outfit.
‘Is that Eastern clothing?’
The fabric was adorned with strange patterns and colors not typically seen in the capital or the western regions—definitely Eastern attire.
And more striking than his outfit was the helmet he wore.
It clashed with the rest of his appearance—a metal helmet paired with ceremonial clothes. As I got closer, the moonlight reflecting off the helmet gave it an eerie glow.
The surroundings were quiet, so I could begin to catch fragments of their conversation.
“…Are you really not going to meet her? You were so looking forward to it.”
“It’s fine. Now’s not the time.”
“Then when? Don’t tell me this is still because of that weird poetry book?”
“…No.”
“Seriously, they say the most dangerous people are those who’ve only read one book… You should consider getting counseling. I read that poetry collection, and honestly, it feels like it was written by someone who’s never been in love…”
‘Are they… having a heart-to-heart?’
Even with just a few lines, it didn’t sound like something two large grown men would usually talk about.
Still, I had business with the border lord and couldn’t just walk away pretending I hadn’t heard anything. So I slowed my pace even more.
“All of this happened because…”
“I don’t want to approach it that way…”
As I stood behind a tree, wondering if I should wait for them to finish talking, I accidentally stepped on a fallen branch.
Crunch.
The sound immediately drew their attention.
“Ah…”
The border lord gave me a sharp once-over, then offered a brief nod.
“…You must be the Duke’s wife. A pleasure to meet you. I am Count Isolon.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Wilhelmina Leighton.”
Count Isolon—one of the most renowned border lords in the West and a hero among swordsmen.
His reputation wasn’t exaggerated. I could feel a pressure from him that I hadn’t experienced with anyone else before.
If we had met at the banquet, I probably would’ve been nervous… but the current situation was strange.
I glanced at the man wearing the helmet.
Until a moment ago, he had been speaking smoothly, but now he was frozen like a statue. I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing.
To lighten the mood, I put on my best duchess smile and offered a polite excuse.
“I apologize for missing the celebration. I had something to attend to.”
“I heard. As the host, I had responsibilities elsewhere. I don’t mind.”
His voice was short and to the point, but it felt sincere.
It was a relief to be forgiven by the guest of honor.
“Thank you for your understanding. …By the way, may I ask who that is?”
“A friend of mine.”
He answered so quickly that it seemed like he was waiting for me to ask.
I had expected the helmeted man to remove his helmet and introduce himself, but he remained completely still, staring at me.
Since I couldn’t see his face, I had no idea what he was thinking.
‘Does he not want to reveal his identity?’
Surely no intruder would’ve made it into the duke’s estate, so maybe I should just ignore it. Getting involved wouldn’t do me any good.
So I turned my attention back to the border lord and continued the conversation.
“I heard there was a drinking gathering tonight.”
“Yes. I don’t drink myself… but since I was invited, I should at least show up.”
It seemed like he had stepped out to take a break.
There weren’t any attendants around here, so it was a perfect place to rest.
Still, it was surprising. In this world, noble culture was deeply tied to alcohol and tea. I didn’t expect anyone to avoid drinking.
“You don’t like alcohol?”
“No… My wife asked me not to.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
‘So he’s a devoted husband, huh?’
His expression softened when he mentioned his wife.
He might be huge, but it looked like he melted in front of her.
“Will you be joining the others in the inner courtyard, then?”
“No, I came here just to see you. I was hoping to greet you in person, and now that I have… I’ll be heading back.”
“His Grace was looking for you earlier…”
“I know when I’m not needed.”
“…I see.”
That gathering must’ve been for his closest confidants. I had no desire to intrude. The real hostess of that space was Helene, not me.
Perhaps understanding my position, the border lord nodded with a grim expression.
‘…?’
Then I noticed the helmeted man clench his fist tightly.
The border lord must’ve noticed too because he quickly wrapped up the conversation.
“Then I hope you have a pleasant evening, Duchess. I’d see you back myself, but…”
“It’s alright. I can call for an attendant. I hope you enjoy your gathering as well, Count.”
Just as I was about to head back to the annex to rest, the border lord suddenly stopped me.
“Duchess, may I ask you something?”
“Hmm? Sure, go ahead.”
“Have you ever had a romantic connection with a man in the past?”
What the heck?
I barely stopped myself from frowning and tried to reject the question politely.
“Sorry, but I’m not interested in married men…”
“Huh? …Oh no! That’s not what I meant! I love my wife!”
He rushed forward to correct himself.
Startled by his size moving toward me, I instinctively stepped back. He flailed in alarm and waved his hands.
Then he glanced at the helmeted man again, still frozen like a statue, and sighed in relief.
“They said he was a strange one, and it’s true…”
“Pardon?”
“Just talking to myself. Anyway, you attended the academy, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
That was back before I had recalled Kim Hana’s memories.
It felt like a distant blur. I didn’t have many memorable experiences from the academy. I was a very quiet student back then.
“What if I told you someone you met there has been waiting for you all this time?”
“…”
I took a slow breath. Like before, I answered in the kindest tone I could muster.
“I’m not really into that spiritual stuff.”
The connection you missed… if you perform the right ritual, it’ll come back to you.
That sounded exactly like something a cultist would say.
The border lord scowled at me.
“…Please don’t mock me.”
Oops. He figured it out.
I let out a small laugh.
To be honest, I’d never had a boyfriend at the academy. I had maybe two or three close friends, but we lost contact after graduation.
That made sense—while I was looking for jobs, they returned to their noble households.
Even during my time there, I had no romantic experiences, nothing remotely like a teen drama.
If anything, I was either being ignored or not attending class.
“That’s strange. He said he never confessed? Then why…”
The border lord looked baffled by my explanation.
“Maybe he’s confusing me with someone else?”
“There can’t be many people as unique as you.”
…Was he calling me strange?
I was slightly offended, but I kept my composure like a proper duchess.
“You make it sound like he confessed and got rejected… Wait, was it all in his head?”
Judging by his muttered words, it seemed his friend had fallen in love with a woman from the academy.
And now either he mistook me for her, or his friend had been lying all along.
“In any case, I never had such a connection.”
“That’s… odd. Not even one confession?”
“I think it’s strange too. I thought I’d be more popular, but nope. I had high hopes.”
“…What?”
“Hmm?”
“…Ah, nothing.”
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