CH 19.1

It was the dead of night when the full moon appeared.

Cade, who sat at the top seat of the District 1 Strategy Office, moistened his throat with red wine.

However, it failed to relieve his thirst.

The full moon had awakened the Balkan instinct, making his heart beat faster than usual.

His companions weren’t exempted as well.

“These pieces of sh*t!” Schiff growled furiously as he crumpled the letter.

“Boss. The Onyx Tribe living in the Snow Forest is acting strange. According to the scouts, about thirty people are leaving their base camp to move towards the border.

“The Onyx Tribe, huh? Aren’t they just a group of little children with inflated heads?” Cole asked.

Lecter shook his head.

“I’ve heard a recent rumor that this tribe started raping women and children when their chief had changed.   They were initially a group of bandits, to begin with.”

“Damn it! Things have been going crazy since we moved here.”

“There is a possibility that they would cross the border and descend to the Blkanov estate. What should we do, boss?”

Cade’s eyes were downcast as he examined his glass.

“Find them and kill them.” He ordered without any hesitation. “Hang the bodies at the forest’s entrance for everyone to see and dig some snow underneath them. Also, cut their limbs off so we can feed them to the wolves.” The voice, who had just given the terrible order, sounded bored.

“Bring the necessary number of troops with you to ensure this tribe knows who has the upper hand. If they still attempt to harm, just kill them all. They won’t dare do this again if we wipe them out.”

“Yes, boss.”

As the night deepened, the men left the strategy room.

Sitting alone in a room where only a candlestick’s flame was his only light source, Cade slowly swept up the hair covering his brows.

After obtaining the dukedom and the properties with the title, he also killed countless wildlings to bring her here in return.

In the process of removing the empire’s risk factors, he hadn’t expected the Emperor to give him a higher title.

He even made Cade the ruler of the entire North.

Still, he knew that the royal family could never be trusted.

The threat was endless.

He had no idea how much more blood he should have to get.

As long as he had someone he would risk his life to protect, he would have to endure this in silence.

As Cade’s black pupils narrowed thinly in the darkness, his gaze swiftly turned towards the other side of the window.

It was where the spire of District Four was located.

He wanted Cherryl to live there and did it for her sake.

Since it would be hard for her to adapt to Carlsvik’s coldness, he chose the warmest sector in his castle where good sunlight could reach her.

If he was honest with himself, he also had an entirely different reason for doing it.

Cade had to protect Cherryl from his lustful desire that was getting out of hand.

His carnal appetite—-which he should have been able to control even at their first dinner on the last full moon—became more desperate the more time he spent with her.

Now, Cade had required a great deal of patience even on a night when the moon wasn’t shining.

He seemed to have used up all the patience he had acquired in life as he and Cherryl remained in the carriage while they traveled back to his estate.

He needed to stay away from her for the time being now that his patience had hit rock bottom.

Cade had to find a way to control himself in this growing desperation.

He once heard medicinal herbs that calm this excitement had grown somewhere in the snowy mountains.

He should find that as soon as possible.

But his mind—-

Cade swallowed the vulgar craving that he should not have imagined with alcohol.

Tonight, his bright red emotion, demanding to show its existence, must have rushed in like a tidal wave due to the moonlight pouring in on him.

He had no one to blame but her.

+++

Cherryl quickly adapted to her new environment even if she hadn’t spent time in Carlsvik for a long time.

The cold seemed unbearable initially, but she grew familiar with it.

Also, she hadn’t gotten lost in District Four—-which had more than twenty bedrooms—-now compared to before.

It was all thanks to Mrs. Bailey and the few but kind maids taking care of her.

However, Cherryl’s curiosity had flown in a particular direction.

“What is he doing now?” She muttered to herself while drinking tea in the bedroom.

Cherryl was dying to know what a man like Cade, whose nose she hadn’t even seen since her first day here, could be doing right now.

It wasn’t like she missed him or worried about his well-being.

He proposed to marry each other quickly without love.

Yet, what was the point of being a couple if they had to live this far apart?

‘Don’t tell me Cade and I would have this arrangement forever?’

Can’t they at least have a meal together?

“Is it impossible for him to do that just because he doesn’t have an appetite?”

Cherryl stared blankly out of the window.

“I’m done preparing your bath, My Lady.” Mrs. Bailey came in just in time, rubbing her wet hands on her apron. “The perfume I ordered for you also arrived today. It has a sweet fragrance. You’ll surely feel better if you apply it after bathing.”

“Thank you for your concern, madam.”

“You’re welcome. We have not served a noblewoman since a few years ago, so we didn’t feel the need to buy women’s consumables.” Mrs. Bailey gave a gracious smile. “You don’t know how happy I am to use the budget for you, My Lady. Alright. This way, please.”

“It was shameful to be called ‘My Lady’ by Cade’s servant when she hadn’t even married him yet.

Come to think of it, when will the wedding be held?

She should have talked to the groom about it.

Cherryl, who was headed to the bathroom, suddenly stopped.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Bailey.”

“Go ahead, My Lady.”

“Is there a village near the castle? It doesn’t have to be bustling. I just want to visit the small shops in that town.”

Cherryl didn’t want to shop because she didn’t enjoy the activity very much, but she loved looking around busy streets and festivals.

In addition to that, she felt strangely trapped since she arrived in Cade’s castle.

It would be too much to describe this as confinement when she’s eating well and doing well due to the polite treatment of Cade’s servants.