Episode 8: The Wyvern’s Appearance and the Duke
“Ella!”
The Duke urgently called out Ella’s name and, with a single leap onto a tree standing tall by the riverbank, cut off one of the wyvern’s wings and drove his sword into the falling wyvern’s neck.
Blood spurted like a fountain as the wyvern’s neck was pierced by the Duke’s sword. The wyvern’s claws, which had been gripping Ella tightly, went limp, and she fell into the river, where the rain had intensified the current.
“Splash!”
Without hesitation, the Duke jumped into the rushing water to save Ella, who was being swept away. Despite the faster current caused by the torrential rain, he barely managed to pull her into his arms, but it was not easy to get out of the water.
Struggling, the Duke managed to take a dagger from his waist, drove it into a massive tree root near the riverbank, and only then was he able to pull the unconscious Ella safely out of the water.
“Ha… ha… Ella…! Ella, wake up!”
Shaking the pale, unconscious Ella, the Duke prompted her mouth to expel water, and her eyes slowly opened.
“Duke…”
But when Ella immediately lost consciousness again, the Duke decided to seek shelter from the heavy rain in a nearby small cave.
After confirming that no threatening animals or monsters were inside, he carefully laid Ella on the ground.
Soaked through, the Duke removed his outer coat, wrung it out, and hung it on a branch in the cave.
Ella, feeling the cold and pain in her shoulder, opened her eyes again and called to the Duke.
“Duke… where… is this?”
“This is a downstream cave. The current must have carried you a bit away from the hunting grounds.”
“Duke, I’m sorry… it’s all because of me…”
Ella apologized to the Duke, who had been swept along with her in the water to save her.
“Achoo!”
As the rain and cold made Ella shiver and sneeze, the Duke handed her the coat he had hung.
“It may not be completely dry or very warm, but it should at least block the wind.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine.”
Although Ella refused, she had no choice but to gratefully accept the large coat and drape it over her shoulders as the Duke continued holding it out.
Feeling the chill, Ella remembered the waterproof matches she had stashed in her pocket and checked her waist. Luckily, her pocket hadn’t been swept away by the water, and she retrieved the matches to start a small fire inside the cave.
As the fire warmed the cave, the cold air gradually became cozy, and their bodies began to feel warmth.
Sitting side by side by the fire, Ella noticed a red stain on the Duke’s back.
“Duke, are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing.”
Though the Duke had sustained a back wound from hitting a rock in the current, he was used to minor injuries from the battlefield and didn’t pay it much mind.
However, seeing the Duke wounded while saving her, Ella’s heart sank, and her expression darkened.
“Wait, let me see, I’ll put some ointment on it.”
Having brought some ointment for emergencies, Ella opened the lid and offered it to him.
“It’s fine. This doesn’t need attention.”
“I just feel so guilty… let me see the wound.”
Seeing Ella’s determined expression, the Duke sighed lightly and removed his shirt. Ella carefully applied the ointment to the wound on his scar-covered back.
Her delicate fingers traced the rough texture of his scars and the firm muscles honed by years of swordsmanship.
Feeling Ella’s cool, gentle touch on his back, the Duke experienced an unfamiliar sensation and turned to lightly grasp her wrist.
“That’s enough.”
He put his wet shirt back on and quietly added more wood to the fire. Outside, the heavy rain gradually eased and eventually stopped.
Seeing that they couldn’t stay in the cave indefinitely, and noticing Ella’s pale face had regained color, the Duke spoke.
“Now that the rain has stopped, let’s head back.”
“Yes.”
As Ella stood up at the Duke’s words, a sharp pain shot through her right ankle, and she sank back down.
“Ugh…”
Kneeling in front of her, the Duke removed her shoes to examine her swollen ankle. Seeing that she couldn’t walk in her condition, he turned and said,
“Get on my back.”
“Huh?”
“You won’t make ten steps with that ankle without collapsing again. Come on, get on.”
After a brief hesitation, Ella climbed onto the Duke’s back.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. If I hadn’t brought you to the hunt, you wouldn’t be hurt like this.”
With a clumsy reassurance, the Duke carried her up the steep forest path. Despite exhaustion, Ella couldn’t relax against his warm back and heavy breathing.
After a long walk through the forest, voices calling for the Duke were heard in the distance.
“Duke! Duke Glois!”
“This way!”
Ella shouted loudly, revealing their location.
“Duke, I’m glad you’re safe.”
The knights, who had been searching for the missing Duke, expressed relief.
“And the wyverns?”
“Oh, they went after their eggs and left quickly. They rarely come near here, but it seems a viscount stole their eggs, which drew them here.”
“I see.”
“Yes, and His Majesty the Emperor has returned to the imperial palace with the Crown Prince.”
The Duke nodded to the knights and returned with Ella to the barracks.
“Oh, Ella, you’re safe!”
“Duke! You’ve returned safely!”
Bill and Roy, who were tidying the area, greeted them with relief. Knights and servants were bustling about, searching for missing nobles and attending to the wounded, who were hurriedly sent back by carriage. The Duke surveyed the devastated hunting grounds.
“Let’s head back as well.”
Bill and Roy quickly packed and followed the Duke.
Even though the hunting competition hadn’t ended, the servants were busy welcoming the Duke, who had returned unexpectedly early.
“Ella? What’s this mess? Why are you soaking wet?”
The head maid asked, drying Ella with a towel. Roy, standing beside her, answered instead.
“Oh, don’t even ask. Ella nearly died today.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Some foolish person ignored the hunt and collected wyvern eggs instead, which drew a flock of wyverns to the hunting grounds. People died, went missing—it was chaos.”
“What?!”
The head maid yelled in shock, checking Ella over for injuries.
“So that’s why you’re like this? Oh, thank goodness you’re safe!”
“Yes, the Duke saved me.”
“Huh? Who?”
The head maid couldn’t believe her ears and asked Ella again.
“The Duke saved me from the wyvern and even pulled me out of the water.”
Unable to believe Ella’s story, the head maid looked at Roy and Bill in astonishment.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. We saw it with our own eyes. That terrifying Duke personally rescued Ella and carried her back on horseback… I still can’t tell if it was a dream.”
As Bill packed, the head maid’s mind went to the Duke, who seemed to care deeply for Ella. She had thought it was just because Ella worked well, but even the best servant wouldn’t rescue someone from a monster or carry them on horseback. Could it be that the Duke actually… liked Ella?
She shook her head vigorously, dismissing the thought. The Duke disliked anyone touching him, so liking someone seemed impossible.
“No, the Duke liking anyone? That’s impossible.”
“Ella! I heard you were hurt? Are you okay?”
The next morning, the steward came rushing to check on Ella as she prepared the Duke’s meal. Hearing that Ella, the Duke’s greatest supporter of peace, had been injured at the hunting grounds, he had come early to find her.
“Yes, I’m fine, Steward.”
“Did you visit the doctor?”
“No, it wasn’t that serious.”
“Really? That’s a relief… Ella, just so you don’t forget, you’re a treasure of our Duke’s household. For the sake of my health, you must never, ever get hurt. Understand?”
Holding her hand tightly, the steward spoke earnestly, and Ella smiled, nodding.
“Oh, and while you were at the hunting grounds, a letter arrived for you. You forgot to bring it, so make sure to pick it up later.”
“Was it really addressed to me?”
Ella was unsure, since no one would send her a letter at such cost, but the steward confirmed it was indeed for her.
“Alright, I’ll deliver the Duke’s meal and pick it up right after.”
Feeling uneasy about the unexpected letter, Ella hurried along.
