DKVM Ch 17

Chapter 17

Oops, was I acting too friendly?

I took a step back, scratching my cheek in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry, I was too happy to stop.”

“Well, that’s good, anyway.”

“Is that so? Are you happy too, Princess?”

Rahel didn’t answer, but I could guess now that she meant it in the affirmative.

Rahel’s relaxed eyes looked very similar to the dukes when he was pleased.

“So what were you doing here anyway? Were you waiting for me?”

I asked, expecting Rahel to deny it again.

But instead of answering my question, Rahel brought up what we were talking about before.

“You said you wanted to go to the library.”

She held out her hand to me.

I stared at the hand outstretched in front of me, dumbfounded.

Before I met with the duke, I had wanted to grab her hand, but thought she would shake me off.

Rahel offered her hand first!

“…Unless you don’t want to.”

Rahel quickly pulled her hand back, but I quickly grabbed it before it was too late.

“No, I want to!”

I grinned.

The smile on my lips was reflected in Rahel’s own mouth before it faded away.

Our joined hands tickled somehow, but I didn’t let go.

For a very, very long time.

* * *

“So.”

Late at night, Emperor Orpen, who had been listening quietly to the report from the inspector who had arrived at the palace, spoke up.

“A son, not a daughter?”

Orpen’s bloodshot eyes glowed in the darkness as he spoke.

“That child looked so much like his father somehow.”

His icy gaze stared at a memory from years ago.

Five years ago, the missing Isela returned with a child whose father was unknown.

When Orpen heard the news, he couldn’t fight the uneasiness that gripped his heart and made his way to Duke Edelwein.

And then, for the first and last time, he saw Isela’s daughter.

No, her son.

That’s when he saw Rahel.

He felt as if the brother he had killed by framing him for treason was looking back at him.

‘Alright, it’s a girl’

The realization that Rahel was a daughter calmed his bubbling fears.

But then…

‘Not a daughter, but a son.’

The backs of his hands burned as he gripped the armrests of his chair.

He remembered something even more distant.

His brother, Leofrid, was always better than him.

They were born in the same boat, ate the same food, learned the same things, and yet they were so different.

Once, in a fit of jealousy, he impulsively tried to kill his younger brother.

But as soon as he saw Leofrid drinking the poisoned drink, he regretted it. He prayed to God, please don’t let his brother die.

Luckily, Leofrid survived.

After that day, Orpen was grateful that Leofrid didn’t die and tried to love his brother.

Even though he compared himself to him at every turn.

Even when they tried to give the crown to his younger brother.

But…

“I do not deserve this position, Your Majesty, and I believe it belongs to my brother, who is truly for the good of the people.”

The instant he heard Leofrid’s heartfelt plea, he regretted his past.

He regretted not killing Leofrid once and for all.

As it was, he would sit in the seat his brother had given up, and live in his shadow for the rest of his life.

So he killed Leofrid.

It was a relief to finally sit on the throne he had earned, not the one Leofrid had so graciously given him.

But ever since the day Rahel appeared, the vision of the dead Leofrid haunted him like a ghost.

Even after he had confirmed that it was a daughter, the anxiety had begun to eat away at him, growing in size.

It wasn’t until today that Orpen realized the source of his inexplicable anxiety.

“That ghost had a child.”

He said, still picturing the grown-up Leofrid and Rahel before him.

“Then I must kill him.”

The corners of his mouth twisted grotesquely as he gave the command.

2. Grandfather hides his true feelings

Ever since the day the duke said he would sponsor me, I came to the villa every day to take lessons with Rahel.

Math, theology, philosophy, history, art, and more, as well as manners and liberal arts classes.

Now we were wrapping up the last lesson of the day.

“That’s it for today’s lesson, then,” said the teacher, ”please don’t forget to go over the lesson one more time, as review is more important than preparation.”

“Yes, Teacher, thank you!”

I replied cheerfully, and the history teacher smiled at me.

Rahel on the other hand gave a wry smile.

The teacher left first, and we organized our books.

As I picked up my book, Rahel, who had finished organizing it first, held out her hand to me.

“Let’s go.”

I stared at her hand.

After that day, Rahel was always the first to offer to hold hands.

‘It seems like we really are friends now.’

I took Rahel’s hand, newly pleased with the change, and a strong hand wrapped around mine.

‘Is it because she’s been learning swordsmanship?’

Either way, I loved the feeling of holding someone’s hand, of feeling their warmth, of being so close.

Rahel, who was smirking and watching me sideways, said teasingly.

“You give such an energetic greeting.”

“What?”

“Like, you’re pretending to pay attention in class when honestly, you’re not having fun, right?”

“N-No. I am having fun!”

“That’s a lie.”

“It’s not a lie.”

“Then what’s with the doodles in your book?”

*gasp*

When did she see that?

“Uh, that was…reviewing for art class, because you said reviewing is more important than practicing!”

Because it was art class before history class.

‘Phew, that sounded natural!’

But Rahel laughed at my shameless excuse, and then she went on to another topic.

“What about the time you dozed off with your eyes wide open in philosophy class?”

I was astounded.

‘Was she just staring at me instead of paying attention to the class?!’

But it was her fault I was in that class, so I begged her in a pleading tone.

“…You can’t tell the duke.”

“Well, I saw you do it.”

“Eek…! That’s too much!”

Rahel laughed at my outburst.

It was a laugh I’d grown accustomed to seeing since we became friends.

Rahel always had a pretty face, but it was even better when she smiled.

It made me wonder why I didn’t try to make her smile all the time.

As I was looking at her smiling, Rahel’s expression suddenly stiffened as she looked over my back.

‘Huh?’

I turned around, and a large shadow hung over me.

It was the duke and his butler.

Judging by the duke’s attire, he was about to go out.

I greeted them with a smile.

“Hello, Your Grace and Mr. Butler.”

The duke nodded his head in polite disinterest, and the butler returned the greeting with his usual gentle smile.

“I see you’ve finished your lessons. How was it today?”

“That was fun, I had a philosophy class, art class, and history class today…”

I chimed in excitedly, but then I remembered that Rahel had caught me nodding off, and I glanced over at her.

‘You’re not going to accuse me of dozing off, are you?’

But….

Rahel had no intention of snitching.

In fact, she didn’t seem to want to talk at all.

Her eyes were sunken, her mouth tight.

And I could feel a subtle tightening in her grip.

It was as if she wanted to get away from this.

‘It’s because of the duke.’

I suddenly noticed the somber undercurrent between Rahel and the duke.

Even while I spoke to the butler, they hadn’t really said a word.

They just glanced at each other and then looked away.

The silence was broken by the sound of a clock chiming.

“Let’s head out, Owen.”

The duke said and turned away.

“Have fun, then.”

The butler, who bowed to me, followed.

I gave the duke a quick wave as he walked away.

“Take care, Duke!”

As I turned to see them off, I noticed that Rahel’s expression had subdued from her earlier teasing.

I spoke more cheerfully on purpose.

“Let’s go have a snack too, Princess.”