Chapter 5: CH 5

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“Nothing.”

Louis put on a gorgeous smile on his lips.

“I just… thought it would be dangerous…”

Louis’ voice was filled with concern. Juliana tilted her head. She clearly heard something else…. Maybe she was mistaken.

“Don’t worry. I was thinking of tying the blankets and jumping down.”

“Leaving me… Are you going to leave me alone?”

Juliana chewed the inside of her cheek once she saw Louis’ sad expression, the definition of being abandoned. What’s with that sad cat face as if it was caught in the rain?

“No. We can go together….”

Juliana, who was frustrated, added hurriedly.

“Don’t leave me alone.”

The handsome man begged her with a gloomy look on his face. Juliana’s golden eyes shook and she turned around.

She swallowed her saliva on seeing Louis, who looked at her with sad eyes. This man was softer than he looked.

Juliana peeked down the window again. Indeed, if she fell under this condition, it might lead to the death of normal humans.

She had no choice but to let her plan fall to pieces due to lack of blankets and Louis’ weak body.

Like that, the whole day has already passed. In the meantime, no one had come to look for them. Juliana laid down calmly while staring at the white ceiling, thinking back on her daily routine.

She tapped her chin, wondering about the reason someone brought her here.

It must be the owner of a prestigious mansion. A neat room that was well managed, white furniture that was simple but looked expensive.Not only that, but this mansion was also enormous in size and comparable to the royal palace.

“……”

Juliana glanced at Louis. She didn’t show it in front of him, but she actually felt a little sorry for him.

There were quite a few people who approached and aimed for the background of Duke Hariens.

There was also a man who wanted to marry her and asked for hundreds and thousands of gold coins.

That is why Juliana was certain. She didn’t know who their kidnapper was, but he was after her, and in the meantime, Louis has been dragged into this.

‘Sigh…‘

Juliana’s expression darkened. A normal human would be unlikely to know the politics of the aristocratic world. She didn’t know who this person was, but she would be glad he asked for a bundle of money, just in case he was a crazy bas***d……

‘Don’t tell me……’

Juliana’s body stiffened at the flashing thought passed by. A person owning a mansion comparable to the royal palace.

The person who could carry out this scheme boldly against her, the daughter of Hariens.

There was only one name that came to mind.

“The Empire’s lunatic, Grand Duke Teflano…!”

Goosebumps rose on Juliana’s body.

***

The Empire’s lunatic.

He was the cousin of the emperor, who was fed up with everything.

The Empire’s lunatic was even known as a straight-up celebrity, Juliana found out about his rumor quite late. His antics were famous in the Empire. The owner of the title Grand Duke, who lost his parents at an early age and rose as the head of family position.

The man who sometimes drove mad and proudly occupied the first top spot of the Empire’s dangerous figure.

Grand Duke Teflano got hated openly by the late emperor for his bloody ways. He was only 12 years old when he was sent off for war, as a former successor candidate for the imperial throne in the past.

The late emperor sent his young nephew to war under the name of imperial order.

His name began to be widely known as the ‘Empire’s Lunatic’ at the age of 19. He was called ruthless because he cut off the head of the enemy king fairly with strategies and schemes.

As soon as he returned to the Imperial City, he looked for the emperor first.

The lunatic presented the emperor with the neck of the enemy king as a gift and gave him the same fate. The senators and nobles were both terrified.

The next thing the lunatic did that caused fear to everyone was to take down the emperor’s corpse and affix his butt on the throne.

“Nothing much.”

(Read only at rainofsnow.com)

The secretaries trembled while saving the record of the man talking in a dry voice. It was the fear that followed his new politics.

In any case, society cursed him for his cruel character. The level of his influence couldn’t be disregarded which was powerful enough for him to abruptly enter the witch’s forest and wipe out the monsters all by himself.

Above all…

He also became the marked person who tossed away the position of the emperor to his first cousin because it was troublesome.

Grand Duke Teflano, who left such an enormous impression, had been absent since then from both society and imperial events. She knew the last time he showed his presence was seven years ago.

The real name of the lunatic, also referred to as a strange human being, was unknown. People called him this way instead.

He was ‘The Empire’s Lunatic’.

Juliana, who was absorbed in her thought, swallowed her saliva. Oh well, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She couldn’t just ignore the possibility, but why would the lunatic take her?

She never did anything to deserve a grudge from him. There was no point of contact… she almost slapped herself at the absurd speculation.

Juliana tried to think positively.

This could be another common accident. Juliana was determined to find a way out as soon as possible for Louis, who unintentionally became involved with her.

“Haaaa.”

She was tired after an exhausting day.

Juliana slowly scanned through the inside of the room. At the center are two beds, with each the size of one adult body.

There was a bookcase and a comfortable couch on one side of the wall. The structure of the room with a small kitchen was just like a mini-mansion.

“Are you going to sleep?”

Louis, who was already sitting down on the other bed, stretched one of his arms leisurely while fixing his eyes on her unexpectedly with tired and gloomy eyes.

‘Since when has he been staring at me…?’

Juliana paused for a moment to look at Louis’ half-closed blue eyes.

She thought she had seen him somewhere. Oddly enough, a sense of deja vu rose in her.

“Yes, I’m going to bed.”

Juliana brought the built curtains to the bed floor. Busily moving her hands, she installed a wall between Louis’ bed and her own.

Juliana shook her hands proudly after setting up the separation. Louis was still looking at her movements with a serene look on his face.

“…Good night.”

Juliana met his gaze and hurriedly drew the white curtain. The curtains covered them from each other.

Her heart was pounding. She was nervous at the thought of being with another man at night. Juliana took a deep breath and turned to the other side where Louis was.

“Have sweet dreams.”

Louis’s sweet voice came over the curtain.

“Yes, Louis too.”

Juliana rolled over on her back. She couldn’t shake off his low voice that stimulated her sense of smell and nerves. Juliana ignored the strange shivers that wrapped her whole body while recalling her plan in her head to run away.

She must be able to get out of here tomorrow….

Juliana went to sleep while closing her eyes.

She woke up early the next morning, shaking her head with hollow eyes.

“Your eyes look tired.”

Juliana looked up at Louis’ low voice. Unlike Juliana’s puffy face, Louis’ face was dazzling as if it was sparkling. He checked Juliana’s eyes.

“You couldn’t sleep.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Juliana shut up shortly after she answered once. Just like what he said. Juliana didn’t sleep a wink at all last night.

“Here’s some water.”

“Oh, thank you.”

She came back to her senses after drinking a glass of cold water. Juliana glanced at Louis. He was wearing black-rimmed glasses.

He looked very intelligent while wearing them. She couldn’t believe he woke up early in the morning to read even when he was in an unfamiliar place.

Juliana was confused while at the same time, admiring Louis’ thorough self-management.

Suddenly, she was curious about the title of the book. Juliana glanced secretly at the cover.

She frowned at the unusual title.

Louis gestured to the bookshelf on the far right when he saw her questionable look.

“It was on the bookshelf over there. I thought of recommending it to Juliana, so I brought it.”

Juliana gave a cold look. She didn’t want to read such a strange book.

She stood up and walked towards the bookshelf. It was full of strange books of similar kinds that Louis was reading.

“……”

She didn’t know who their owner was, but she was speechless. It was clear that he was a man with a strange taste.

Juliana closed the book. She should have met the face of the person who brought her here, but she hasn’t even met anyone yet. Actually, it didn’t really matter if they met or not.

“I wonder if there is any good way……”

Juliana glanced at her wrist while muttering quietly.

“Well… I think I would probably be able to reverse it if only I knew where it was made…….”

Juliana said to herself.

“It’s specially made in the forge.”

Then, a languid voice was heard. Juliana turned her eyes. Louis said while raising his glasses slowly, “A former wizard turned blacksmith opened a new store.”

“Wha-what?”

Juliana blinked blankly.

How did he know this fact…?