Chapter 15 – Guest, Lavinia Veil (2)
As Mio steeled her resolve, Lavinia continued the conversation, deliberately leaving her out.
“It would be so much fun to hunt foxes,” Lavinia said, pretending to stab something repeatedly with the fork she was holding.
“How quickly does a fox die if a hunting dog bites its neck? Or do you catch them with bows?”
Geoffrey didn’t bother answering, but Lavinia kept firing questions without pause.
“Would you catch a red fox for me? I want to make a scarf or a hat. Huh?”
She even pretended to drape something around her own neck as she spoke. Mio’s face gradually turned pale.
“…Fox hunting.”
The very animals she had walked with in the forest had just lost their lives to hunters’ arrows. It was natural in the forest for the strong to prey on the weak.
“But humans hunted foxes for amusement.”
The thought of just staring at a small rabbit growing cold in that way made her stomach turn. He had been a kind creature, sharing fruit with her even though she couldn’t eat raw meat because she was a fox demi-human…
“If it dies, everything ends.”
The chilling feeling resurfaced, making her fingertips tremble. Her hand holding the teacup shook slightly, causing the cup to clink softly against the saucer.
“I don’t want this. I’m scared.”
Fear took over her shoulders, making them shake. The sounds of hunting dogs barking rang vividly in her ears, and the image of sharp, fearsome fangs lingered in her mind. The dog had been tearing at the hind legs of the little rabbit hiding in its burrow and showed no intention of letting go. The dripping saliva and savage growls left Mio unable even to shed tears.
“Are you hurt somewhere again?”
Geoffrey finally showed interest at the sight of her thoroughly frightened state. Mio could only move her lips silently in response. Geoffrey’s deep, black eyes stared at her intently, making her heart flutter.
“Is he… even worried about me?”
At that thought—so incongruous with reality—dizziness washed over her. Geoffrey stepped closer and intercepted her just as she was about to collapse from her chair.
“…Your Grace!”
He scooped her up in his arms, and Lavinia let out a sharp cry.
“It’s fine—”
Mio, panting, weakly pushed against his chest. She felt like she might faint at any moment, but her consciousness remained intact, making the situation unbearably uncomfortable. Her stomach twisted, her eyes trembled at the scent of his strong body—but Geoffrey spoke to her coldly, without a hint of emotion.
“Stay still.”
Ignoring her weak protests, he held her even tighter.
“…Ugh.”
Though Geoffrey was incredibly irritating, Mio, on the verge of fainting, had no energy to hate him.
Lavinia Veil, a newly come-of-age daughter of a count, had been unable to hide her excitement since arriving at the Caspian household yesterday.
‘My dream is right in front of me.’
She had first seen Geoffrey Caspian years ago when Samuel had become the duke’s page. Back then, Geoffrey, still the crown prince, had been the most handsome man in the Caspian Empire.
‘Like the sun that I could never reach.’
Fate had other plans—Geoffrey was deposed and sent to the frontier. But Lavinia had never let go of her feelings. She considered it a chance given to her by the goddess Diana. Taming a wounded, ferocious beast held a strong allure for her.
‘This is what really matters…’
Her continued correspondence with the naive Samuel had always been part of her plan. Understanding the duke’s situation would make it easier for her to become the future Duchess.
‘Though it’s a mess now, the Caspian household will be reorganized soon.’
As the only daughter of a wealthy family, she could become the mistress of the Caspian estate. She even had a fairly close relationship with Empress Katrina. Imagining the future, Lavinia shivered at the thought of Geoffrey’s face.
‘How did he become so much more handsome over the years?’
The rough masculine aura that clung to Geoffrey’s adult form was enough to make her pulse race. She bit her lower lip in anticipation.
‘What would it feel like to be held against that firm chest?’
The shiver ran down her spine just imagining it. But the sweetness of the thought evaporated instantly. Just that afternoon, sipping tea together, she had felt the happiness of a future duchess.
Then Lavinia had stormed into Samuel’s room, green eyes flashing.
“Samuel Veil! That wasn’t part of the plan, was it?”
All she could do was watch Geoffrey Caspian stride away, holding an unfamiliar woman. No matter how loudly she called, he didn’t look back.
“After all these years, he values that worthless woman over me?”
Fuming, Lavinia threw her fan to the floor. Samuel tried to calm her.
“My goodness, Lavinia. That’s enough. Miss Mio is a guest of the Caspian household.”
“A guest? Don’t give me that! Tell me the truth. That woman isn’t even a noble, is she? Whatever flattery she used, I can see right through her. She’s clearly after the duke for impure reasons!”
Lavinia stamped her foot in fury, but then she smiled sweetly at Samuel.
“I told you, if you help me, it won’t hurt you either.”
“Lavinia, I will help you—but—”
Samuel blinked innocently, and Lavinia smacked his back repeatedly.
“You fool! Nothing’s changed since we were kids!”
“Lavinia, please calm down,” Samuel said, prepared to assist her in any way—as long as it didn’t go against his conscience. He endured her playful beating, bowing his head. Since childhood, she had treated him like her servant despite being a year younger.
‘It was only natural.’
His father, the second son, had barely managed to get a viscountcy with the help of his elder brother, Count Veil. Their houses had always been in a quasi-master-servant relationship, despite being relatives.
‘What am I going to do with her?’
He had no idea of Lavinia’s true intentions in coming here—he had assumed she merely wanted news of her cousin.
‘I guess I’ll just have to accept being called a fool.’
Finally sitting down, Lavinia was served water by Samuel, who instinctively performed the role he had long done for her.
“Listen carefully. I will become the Duchess of Caspian,” she declared, tossing aside her glass and staring Samuel in the eye.
“But the duke—”
“Shut up. Do you think I can’t seduce Duke Caspian?”
“Lavinia, what are you saying?”
Samuel stammered in shock. Though Lavinia had a rough temperament, he still saw her as a young, delicate girl.
‘Seduce him… my goodness…’
Gazing at her golden hair and voluptuous chest, he realized she had matured into a lady in the years he hadn’t seen her. His face flushed, and Lavinia snorted.
“What use is a blockhead like you?”
“Lavinia, that’s not something a lady should say.”
“Samuel Veil, snap out of it! What you’re saying is just like an old man’s advice!”
Ignoring Samuel, who was of little use to her plans, Lavinia walked to the window and threw it open.
“There’s a pebble on a well-paved road. What should you do?”
She wasn’t expecting an answer.
“Just dig it out,” Samuel said.
Though Geoffrey’s appearance earlier had complicated her thoughts, she tried to take a steady breath.
‘They said she was a troublesome woman. I don’t need to worry about taking care of her out of pity.’
Cheerful again, Lavinia twirled around the room.
“Samuel, look at the outfits I brought. I need to dress properly for the hunting tournament, right?”
Her excessive friendliness made Samuel uneasy, but Lavinia ignored him and continued.
“I need to look like the perfect pair with the duke.”
Carrying a bundle of clothes, she marched around the room, scolding Samuel who sat blankly.
“Why aren’t you following?”
“…Okay.”
Samuel reluctantly rose, a sad expression on his face.
Walking down the dark corridor, Geoffrey brushed his bangs back roughly.
‘Would a blood-soaked battlefield have been more comfortable?’
The makeshift quarters couldn’t block the howling wind, and lying on the cot made every sound unbearable. The cold creeping up from the floor made his teeth chatter. Meals were often meager—thin porridge with a hard piece of bread.
‘Here, at least, the bedding is soft and meals are warm…’
Returning to the capital, his nerves were even more frayed, his skin raw. He could almost feel the invisible blades cast by Katrina piercing his body.
‘A hunting tournament, just for me…’
Remembering the letter written by the Empress herself, a vein bulged on his forehead. He suspected they intended to force him to shed blood with their hands.
‘Perhaps the fox isn’t what they really want to catch.’
He had been seventeen when his mother passed. Not quite an adult, but not so naive to be ignorant of the world. Geoffrey understood exactly what the Emperor feared. His father despised anyone who possessed new powers surpassing his own.
‘I can’t forget Katrina and Ben’s insatiable greed.’
Thoughts of the Caspian Empire, his deceased mother, the Emperor, and his enemies made his temples throb.
‘The enemies in the frontier have been wiped out, but my real war hasn’t even begun.’
As he mulled over his plan, a moaning reached his ears—from Mio’s bedroom across the hall. Suspicious, he flung open the door. Luckily, her room was empty. Standing at the doorway, he saw Mio flailing her arms on the bed.
“Go away! I’m not tasty. Don’t bite me—”
“…Hah.”
Her terrified voice, as if someone were about to bite her, made Geoffrey’s headache throb even more.
