Chapter 20 – The Frozen Grave and the Duke’s Promise
“When you slapped me, I was shocked,” Cartiman said calmly. “But I think it was only natural. As you said, even a contract marriage is still a marriage. If I fall short, you have every right to hit me — if it helps you cool off.”
He said it so matter-of-factly, like someone completely unashamed.
At this point, I couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere or just pretending again.
Cartiman looked down at me, posture straight as ever.
“Let’s stop talking about slapping,” I said, waving my hand. “Let’s move on to the important part — my compensation. That’s much more fun.”
He nodded.
“Are you sure? I don’t usually turn down offers.”
“I’m aware.”
“I’ll write down everything I want when we get back. How many pages do I get?”
“One.”
“Then I’ll use a long scroll. You know what a scroll is? Doesn’t matter. You’ll see it on your desk tomorrow morning.”
I grinned from ear to ear. He just sighed.
That was that. I turned to leave, but he called after me.
“Where are you going?”
“Back. I came here to tell you to make sure something like this never happens again.”
“Nothing else you want to say to her?”
He meant Bella, the former head maid. I looked at her.
Honestly, I’d already said everything — but seeing her face again made my lips twitch.
“I think she’s the one with something left to say, not me.”
“P-please! Spare me!”
CLANG!
The metal bars rang as Bella banged her forehead against them. Tears streamed down her face.
“I’ll die here! Please, I’m begging you! Lady Dante! I lost my mind, I was blinded by greed — I’ll never do it again!”
“Remember what I said? The first time is a mistake. I believe that.”
“Then you’ll—”
“But the second time isn’t.”
Actually, it wasn’t even her second offense — it was her third.
She’d tried to attack me in the end, too.
“I let the first one slide. All you’ve done is steal — that’s already me being generous.”
“Lady Dante…!”
“I think that’s mercy enough, don’t you?”
I walked out of the cell.
Behind me, I heard her screaming curses that would make sailors blush.
“Wow,” I muttered, “she swears beautifully.”
At least she stayed a villain to the end.
That meant I could sleep soundly tonight, guilt-free.
***
That evening, my cheek was fully healed, and I joined the family for dinner.
Maybe everyone had heard what happened, because the chef went all out — the table was so loaded it looked like the legs might buckle.
It was the perfect way to erase a bad day.
After dinner, I sat at my desk, staring at the blank scroll, wondering what to write for my “compensation list.”
That’s when Cartiman walked in.
“No late-night work today?” I asked.
“I’ve finished everything urgent. Do you have plans tomorrow?”
“I have nothing but free time.”
Life here was boring. No phone, no TV — just books. And most of those were old, dull history texts written by my father-in-law.
“Why?”
“Then be ready in the morning. We’re going out.”
“Out? Suddenly? Is this your way of abandoning me after that slap? Because even if you throw me out, you still have to honor the scroll agreement!”
He exhaled through his nose. “It’s not that. In the dungeon, you said you’d never gone outside the mansion.”
“That’s true, but isn’t it dangerous? You said the dark mages are still out there.”
“That’s why I’m going with you. Even if a dozen attack us, I’ll win.”
He sounded confident — but I wasn’t entirely convinced.
Also… it was freezing out there.
“I didn’t mean I wanted to go outside when I said that,” I grumbled.
“Even a hunting dog goes mad if locked up for a month. Humans aren’t that different.”
“So you’re calling me crazy?”
“You sound angry again. You’re using informal speech.”
“Hey, Cartiman.”
“Tomorrow morning. Be ready. We’ll head down the main road — it leads to the largest town in my territory. Just a short walk.”
A big town?
That meant lots of people.
And I didn’t like lots of people. I rolled my eyes dramatically.
He sat beside me.
“Feels too much like a date,” I muttered. “Can we go somewhere else?”
“You dislike dates?”
“No — I dislike attention. You’re the Duke, everyone will stare. And then they’ll stare at me too.”
What if someone there recognized me as Aileen Dante?
The idea of people whispering, ‘What a mismatched couple!’ was exhausting.
“I’ll think of another destination,” he said simply.
Surprisingly, he didn’t argue.
And that… actually felt nice.
“I’m tired,” he added, standing up. “Go sleep in your own bed.”
“This is my bed.”
“You’ve been sleeping in mine.”
“That was because you didn’t have the sheets changed! They’re clean now. I’ll sleep here.”
“Fine.”
His tone carried a hint of disappointment.
He blew out the candle and lay down. I could hear his breathing in the dark.
For the first time, I was really aware we were in the same room.
He slept flat on his back. I always turned away.
But tonight, I rolled over — toward him.
His cheek was still a little red from my slap.
I didn’t feel sorry. Instead, a strange thought crossed my mind.
If I slapped him one more time… would he finally turn into a decent human being?
…Probably not. Better not risk it.
I closed my eyes.
Just before sleep claimed me, I heard a soft rustling from beside me.
***
Morning came bright and cold.
I was barely awake when the maids began swarming around me like bees, fussing with my hair and clothes.
“Miss, look at this!” Tangent chirped, pulling dresses out of the wardrobe.
She held up several options, matching colors and hems, and even started doing my hair.
“I look good in anything,” I said, only half-joking.
It wasn’t arrogance — Aileen really did have a beautiful face. Young, too. Youth itself was the best makeup.
“Still, you should look perfect today,” Tangent said seriously.
“Why? Who cares what I wear?”
“Your companion is Duke Cartiman.”
“Oh. In that case… yeah, make me look amazing. I can’t be mistaken for an octopus next to him.”
“This will be the hardest makeup job of my life,” she sighed dramatically.
We both burst out laughing.
When I finally stepped outside, Cartiman was already waiting beside a carriage, dressed impeccably.
He held out his hand silently.
I blinked. “What?”
Then I remembered the fan Tangent had given me, so I handed it to him.
He looked at it, unimpressed, then actually fanned himself twice.
It looked ridiculous.
Once we were both inside, the coachman gently started the horses.
“So,” I asked, “where are we going?”
“To the mine I promised you.”
My eyes lit up. “Really?! That’s amazing!”
My heart raced.
By now, the minerals from that mine were probably piled up high in the Dante family’s old warehouse — our family’s long-awaited treasure.
The carriage stopped gently. Cartiman got out first and held out his hand to help me down.
“Ah!”
“Careful.”
I nearly slipped — the ground was icy — but he caught my hand just in time.
“Thanks,” I breathed.
He stayed close, shielding me from the wind with his body.
“Thank you,” I murmured again.
“A husband should do at least that much,” he said lightly.
I looked up at him. His expression was calm, but there was a teasing glint in his eyes.
He was quoting my own words back at me.
We walked a bit farther. I slipped more than once, and each time he caught me.
“Husband’s duty,” he kept saying smugly.
“I haven’t even said thank you yet.”
“Then hurry up.”
I ignored him and focused on the path.
We reached the edge of the forest — the mine entrance was nearby.
He pointed to the snowy trees.
“The mine’s right there. It’s safe around the entrance, but don’t go deeper. There are dangerous creatures inside — beasts with venom.”
“Venomous beasts?”
“Yes. This whole land is cursed. The monsters thrive here.”
Cursed land.
That phrase triggered a memory — something Grandpa Fairy had once mentioned.
“Was the Asser territory always this cold and dangerous?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “It changed twenty-five years ago, when the dark mages rose. They were experimenting with forbidden magic that almost destroyed the kingdom. My father stopped them…”
“And was injured, right?”
He nodded. “Before they died, they unleashed a massive curse using all the monster cores they’d gathered. The entire land fell under it.
They say this used to be fertile — you could farm in summer and hunt in winter. Not anymore.”
He pointed ahead. A stone monument stood half-buried in snow.
“The dark mages worked like clans. That’s where my father killed their leader. The monument behind it holds their names — a memorial.”
“Wait, what? He killed them and then built them a monument? That’s insane. They cursed his entire territory!”
“My father built it himself.”
I blinked. “Wow. Truly, a saint among dukes. The kind who ‘forgives all and cherishes everyone,’ right?”
I stepped closer. The engraved letters had faded after years of freezing and thawing.
Only the last few words were still legible:
“…last… son… Rione…?”
I frowned.
That name sounded ominously familiar.
