MHM 17

 "Your Grace! What are you doing here...?"

Iana was startled as if she had seen a ghost.

Thump, thump, thump.

Her heart was pounding fiercely.

"Sorry to startle you. Kahn is such a sensitive creature that I was worried and came to check on him."

Charles approached with an apologetic face from behind a shadowed pillar.

"But why were you here without making any sound?"

"If the employees knew I was here at this late hour, wouldn’t they be on edge? I hid, thinking an employee came in, but it was the Countess."

"I see."

As her heart calmed down a bit, Iana quickly stood up to show respect.

"You can stay seated. I will sit too."

But Charles didn't sit right away; he started to take off his outer coat.

'His Grace saw everything. Me crying and shivering from the cold...'

Iana felt ashamed and embarrassed. She lowered her head, thinking her weakness had been exposed.

Just for a moment, Iana was lost in her melancholy when she heard Charles's startled voice.

"Why is this...?"

She looked up at him.

He was struggling with his coat, with one sleeve stuck, having difficulty because of his injured shoulder and arm.

The sight of the usually strong and composed Grand Duke struggling with something as simple as a coat struck Iana as unusual.

Iana had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing.

At that moment, their eyes met.

Charles asked playfully.

"Are you laughing at me right now?"

"..."

Iana shook her head, still covering her mouth with her hand.

Woof! Woof!

Kahn barked as if to respond.

"How insolent. Aren't you the reason this is happening?"

Charles scolded Kahn in a stern voice.

But Kahn ignored him, flapping his short ears and busily munching on strawberries.

"Kahn, are you even listening to me?"

Pfft...

Iana couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sight of Charles being ignored by Kahn.

It was then that Charles came closer and draped his coat over Iana's shoulders, saying,

"You are as insolent as Kahn. Laughing at the Grand Duke, how dare you."

"Laughing at you? No, that's not it at all."

As Charles sat down, Iana, flustered, sat down too, trying to explain.

"If you had any magical power, Master Rosso said, if strong magic like Kahn's pierced through, you could get seriously hurt."

"I'll be careful, Your Grace."

Iana blushed, feeling embarrassed.

Charles brought some strawberries closer to Kahn and asked,

"But didn't the Rachels family have any magic dogs? Don't the magical legions led by great wizards have a few magic dogs each?"

"I don't think we did."

Iana thought for a moment and trailed off.

Come to think of it, she didn't remember seeing any magic-detecting dogs in the manor.

Most of her knowledge about magic dogs came from books or from what wizards had told her.

Woof! Woof!

Sensing someone's presence, Kahn barked towards the door.

Shortly after, footsteps could be heard running, followed by Carrion's sharp voice.

"Check inside the warehouse where the dog is."

"...!"

Iana and Charles exchanged glances.

Being alone with the Grand Duke in a dark warehouse was enough to cause a misunderstanding.

Iana quickly stood up and, looking around frantically, pulled Charles's arm.

"Your Grace, this way."

"I should be here..."

Bang-.

Before Charles could finish his sentence, the warehouse door opened.

The two quickly hid. Iana squeezed into a narrow space between the wall and a shelf, while Charles had to hide behind a pillar.

The butler entered holding a candle and said,

"It seems no one is here."

"Where did they go?"

Carrion, who had followed, looked around irritably. He then walked slowly towards where Iana was hiding.

Thud, thud.

She crouched down, holding her breath, watching him.

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Kahn growled and barked fiercely.

"Quiet!"

An enraged Carrion yelled at Kahn. But Kahn barked even more furiously, showing his sharp teeth.

Woof! Woof! Woof!

"I said quiet!"

Carrion grabbed a club propped up against a corner and walked towards the dog.

Bang! Bang!

He struck the cage with the club as if to vent his anger.

‘I really hate this.’

This was the side of Carrion that Iana couldn't stand the most.

He could be endlessly kind, but he would turn violent at the slightest provocation.

No one could stop Carrion when he was like this.

The butler and attendants by the door watched Carrion in fear.

Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!

An agitated Kahn barked even more fiercely, baring his teeth.

‘I don't know what he might do to Kahn.’

Just as Iana was about to stand up,

Charles signaled her to stay put and walked straight towards Carrion.

At the moment when Carrion raised the club high again,

Thwack!

Charles grabbed Carrion's wrist, the one holding the club, with one hand.

"Your Grace?"

Carrion was too shocked to continue speaking upon seeing Charles. The butler and attendants recognized him and murmured among themselves.

"One mustn't mistreat a dumb animal. Put it down."

Charles spoke respectfully, but Carrion was stubborn.

"I'm punishing it. How dare an animal attack the Countess? It must be punished."

"The punishment is my responsibility as the commander."

Charles's gray eyes turned fierce. He tightened his grip on Carrion's wrist and twisted it.

"Ugh!"

Carrion let out a groan of pain.

"Y-Your Grace..."

Seeing the tense situation, the butler stepped forward.

Charles shot him a stern look to stay back.

Bang.

Carrion finally let go of the club under Charles's strength.

Only then did Charles release Carrion's hand.

"Your Grace! How dare you show such disrespect to the head of the household offering hospitality to your knights?"

Embarrassed, Carrion glanced at the employees and questioned Charles angrily.

Charles, who had been listening quietly, spoke in a cold voice.

"Count Dietrian, remember this well."

"What are you saying?"

Carrion tensed up, facing Charles.

"Even Count Dietrian is not strong by force alone."

Their gazes clashed intensely.

"Now, leave. I will stay and calm the scared magic dog."

Charles ordered.

Fuming, Carrion yelled at the employees.

"What are you looking at? Go find Iana!"

As the butler and attendants left, Carrion, still angry, stormed towards the door.

Bang!

Carrion slammed the warehouse door shut.

"Hah..."

Iana's legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

"He’s gone. You can come out now."

Charles approached and spoke in a low voice. He then extended his large hand to the collapsed Iana.

Drip, drip.

The rain had eased up.

Moonlight streamed in through the small window, casting a glow on Charles.

Already tall and imposing, the moonlight made him appear even more majestic and untouchable.

"Th-thank you, Your Grace."

Iana took his large, firm hand.

The warmth of his hand seemed to soothe her frightened heart a little.

"You have a fever."

Charles looked at Iana with concern.

An awkward silence followed.

Iana quickly stood up and pulled her hand away, trying to change the subject.

"Kahn must have been very scared, too, right?"

"Kahn fights monsters several times his size. He wouldn't be scared by this commotion."

"That's a relief then."

Iana looked at Kahn with an apologetic face.

"No one will come here now, so wait until it quiets down before leaving."

After speaking, Charles sat down in front of the cage. Iana also quietly sat down next to him, her knees drawn up.

For a while, they sat in silence.

Then Charles, still looking at Kahn, spoke in a calm voice.

"In life, there are things that don't work out despite our efforts."

"..."

"For me, it was human relationships, wars, and Kahn, who only eats strawberries."

Charles glanced at Kahn, who was fiercely licking his paws.

Iana chuckled softly, but her smile held a trace of sadness.

Human relationships.

It seemed Charles thought she had fled to the warehouse to escape Carrion's violence.

"When things don't change despite my efforts, I have words to calm my mind."

"What are those words?"

"'It's not my fault.' I say this to stop myself from harsh self-blame."

"Harsh self-blame."

Iana muttered softly.

"Sometimes, that harsh self-blame can lead to loneliness."

"Kahn, you're not lonely because you have me, right?"

It seemed Charles had paid attention to the words she had casually spoken to Kahn.

"I don't know exactly what you're going through. But there's one thing I can tell you for sure."

Charles turned his head slowly and looked into Iana's eyes as he spoke.

"It's not your fault."

At that moment, countless memories flashed through Iana's mind.

"Do you think you can drag me down from the position of Empress?"

She blamed herself for being powerless.

"Just seeing your sickly self makes me depressed, you know?"

She blamed herself for being abandoned because she was ill.

She blamed herself for the betrayal of her closest friend and her beloved husband.

So, even though her life had started anew, she was still living in the past.

'It's not my fault. Yes, it's not my fault.'

With Charles's gentle eyes and calm voice, her bruised heart began to mend slowly.

She felt as if the weight on her shoulders was being lifted.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

Iana murmured in a faint voice.

Seeing her teary eyes, Charles spoke with a warm smile.

"Are you going to cry again?"

Iana shook her head slightly.

"Thank you for your comforting words."

Hearing her sincere gratitude, Charles smiled.

The light of the candle and the soft moonlight were reflected in his gentle eyes.

"You seem tired. You should go get some rest."

"Yes. I will."

Iana stood up with a faint smile.

After saying goodnight to Kahn and Charles, she quietly opened the warehouse door.

But when she stepped outside, a maid came running to her.

"Countess, there you are!"

It was Vera.

"Yes."

"You have to come to the front door quickly."

"Why? What happened?"

Confused, Iana asked, and Vera whispered,

"Her Grace is here."