Chapter 58. His Eyes Went Wild
Frida did not realize that her fingernails had scratched the lace of her gloves and finally torn a hole in them. A huge black horse stood right in front of her, breathing out rough snorts, and there was no way she could notice anything else. Standing beside the horse, Frida was so tense that she did not even realize she was slowly stepping backward. Just as she put strength into her feet to take another step back, a large shadow fell over her head.
“He’s not exactly gentle, but I’ll ride with you, so there’s no need to worry.”
Daniel wrapped an arm around Frida’s shoulders and guided her toward the horse’s back. From behind her, she heard Dominic click his tongue.
“Please be honest, my lord. Calling Balzac ‘not gentle’ is a bit much, isn’t it? That beast is the furthest thing from gentle in this world.”
Frida slightly pushed back the hood of her cloak that covered her forehead. Her clear eyes, filled with both anxiety and excitement, looked up at Daniel.
“It’s really okay, right, Daniel? Balzac won’t throw me off or anything?”
Seeing the desperate look asking for a firm promise, Daniel smiled calmly.
“I’ll hold you tightly. Don’t worry.”
“My lord, wouldn’t it be better to just take the carriage as usual—”
“That’s enough.”
At Daniel’s firm interruption, Dominic shut his mouth and did not interfere further. Balzac was vicious and ill-tempered, but he obeyed Daniel without complaint, so there would likely be no trouble.
Still, why did he suddenly decide to take the duchess outside the castle?
As soon as the sun rose, Daniel had announced out of nowhere that he would leave the castle with his wife.
“Only Dominic and Sir Rosibalt will follow.”
Dominic had complained that they were already busy beyond belief, but Daniel had ignored him completely. Selfish bastard. Pouting, Dominic glared as Daniel stepped onto the stirrup and mounted the horse in one smooth motion. Like an acrobat, Daniel bent down from the saddle and wrapped one arm around his wife’s waist, lifting her up to sit in front of him.
“Ah!”
Though she clutched Daniel tightly with both hands in fear, her voice sounded clearly excited. Hidden entirely beneath the large cloak, her face could not be seen, but her laughter rang out unmistakably.
The duchess was terribly timid, yet strangely brave. What kind of contradiction was that? Just moments ago, she had screamed, but now she was buried in Daniel’s arms, looking around curiously. Muriel, who had been fidgeting anxiously, finally stepped back once Frida was safely seated. After confirming Daniel was adjusting Frida’s posture, Muriel mounted her own horse.
Frida’s laughter did not stop.
“I hold this, right? Like this, Daniel?”
“Yes. Don’t pull—just hold it. Is your waist uncomfortable?”
The nervousness she had shown before riding vanished, and she chattered excitedly about the view from horseback.
“Wow, from up here, Balzac’s head looks really black. Look, Daniel! I think it’s even darker than your hair.”
Dominic, who had been watching them the whole time, finally mounted his beloved horse. It was obvious that the relationship between the duke and duchess had changed. They now ate together, took walks together. More than once, Dominic had seen Daniel look at his wife with a shy, almost embarrassing smile.
And then there was the order to turn the fifth floor of Marian Hall into the duchess’s room.
A bad feeling poked insistently at the back of Dominic’s head. Daniel had started to desire again. From experience, this was never a good sign.
As a child, Daniel had been quiet, focusing only on his own duties, uninterested in what happened around him. Yet even brushing past him drew attention naturally. It was not only because he resembled his grandfather Massimo, once called the most handsome man in southern Lapas.
There was something else—an overwhelming presence that could not be explained in words.
He acted aloof and arrogant despite being a bastard noble, yet it suited him so well that it was hard to hate. Leopold drew loyalty through power granted by birth, but Daniel did it through sheer presence. Without doing anything, people were drawn to him and followed.
Even the servants treated Daniel with the same respect as Leopold. Lady Laura had tried to stop that, worried about Marguerite’s reaction, but it never worked. Daniel himself had been careful because gossip followed him everywhere.
But once his eyes turned—
Nothing could stop him.
When his suppressed nature exploded, he became deaf to everything else. If he wanted something, he clung to it obsessively and never let go, even unto death. Some called that manly, but seeing it up close, “terrifying” was not enough.
It had happened not long ago. He had even sacrificed his own thigh to take the famous sword Koldar from Muriel Rosibalt.
Don’t tell me that obsession has now turned toward the duchess…
Daniel’s intense gaze was fixed on the crown of Frida’s head as she gently stroked Balzac’s mane. Dominic let out a deep sigh.
“He’s going to devour her. He really is.”
A cold feeling crept up his spine. The signs were bad.
The four of them rode until they reached a cliff at the edge of a forest overlooking the entire duchy. Daniel dismounted first and lightly lifted Frida down, just as he had helped her up. Letting go of the hood she had been gripping the entire ride, Frida took a deep breath. The cool, fresh mountain air filled her lungs.
A strong gust blew her hood back, but Daniel, standing behind her, gently placed it back over her head.
“Thank you, Daniel.”
“The sun is strong. We should stand under the trees. Come this way.”
After tying the horses, Dominic stretched with a loud sigh.
“Whew. There’s no way a carriage could have come here.”
Riding through the mountain without a path made it obvious why Daniel had snorted at the idea of a carriage. Even on horseback, Dominic and Muriel had to cut through thick branches ahead for them to pass.
That bastard brought me here just to make me do that, didn’t he?
As Dominic glared at Daniel, who was acting like a loving husband without shame, Muriel tapped his shoulder.
“Dominic. You really aren’t afraid of dying, are you?”
“I am. Didn’t I tell you my dream is to ‘live long and eat well for a hundred, no, a thousand years’?”
“Then why glare so murderously at the man holding your life? Even I can feel the killing intent. There’s no way His Grace doesn’t notice.”
Hmph. Of course he notices. That’s exactly why I’m doing it.
“If I were afraid of death, I wouldn’t have stayed by his side in the first place. Do you know how many people want him dead?”
“People who want His Grace dead?” Muriel asked, frowning. “Who? The Dowager Empress?”
Dominic scoffed lightly.
“Do you know why the Duke of Richard is called the Emperor’s hunting dog?”
“Because he’s summoned all the time?”
“When the hunt ends, the dog gets boiled alive. It means ‘know your place and behave.’”
At that moment, Daniel crooked his finger, calling for them.
“Let’s go. His Grace is calling.”
Dominic quickened his pace, and Muriel followed. She had many questions—why the duke had been acting this way lately, why he kept calling for her lady and never left her side.
“The construction of the new road leading to the southern port will be handled by Dominic and Sir Rosibalt from now on.”
At the duke’s sudden order, Muriel forgot every question she had.
“I’m supposed to handle road construction alone?” Dominic shouted, loud enough to send nearby birds flying.
“I didn’t say alone.”
“Making me work with Sir Rosibalt—who’s no better than a fool—how is that any different from making me do it alone?”
Muriel also had no desire to accept this task.
If I’m running back and forth here, who will stay with my lady?
“Dominic,” Frida said gently, “this was my idea to begin with. Leaving it all to just the two of you feels unfair.”
Thank goodness the duchess was reasonable.
“I’ll take care of everything, so there’s no need to worry.”
That was the problem.
“If there’s anything else you want, tell me.”
Daniel’s eyes burned fiercely.
“Is there anything more I can do for you?”
Dominic almost shouted, If there is, will you do it yourself instead of me?!
