Please Be Patient, Grand Duke

When she opened her eyes, it was undoubtedly daytime. In an instant, she felt the sensation of a searing tongue lavishing her entire body.

She closed her eyes once more, only to open them again to find that it was late at night. The scent of food greeted her senses, and she felt the figure that had been entwined with her retreating.

The damp sheets clung to her skin, leaving a sticky residue. Canilia stared at the ceiling for a moment before gradually closing her eyes.

Curiosity mingled with a tinge of embarrassment as she wondered who had brought the meal. Surely, the servants were not unaware of the situation between the two individuals, who had remained secluded in the bedroom since early morning.

It had already been four days. Their movements were confined to an excruciatingly limited space, to the point where she questioned whether it was still acceptable.

“I must gather my belongings now,” she asserted, pushing him away and rising to her feet. However, Claude, as if devouring her bosom with fervor, pulled her back onto the bed.

The time had truly come to attend to her affairs. They would depart for Geore place in just one day. She needed to prepare gifts for her mother and gather the necessary items. Time was of the essence.

Yet, it seemed Claude had no intention of letting her go as he once again buried himself within her.

His grasp tightened around her beautiful honey-colored locks as he tugged at the sheets, moving with an almost savage intensity. Canilia, overcome by a surging wave of arousal, met his piercing blue eyes squarely.

She exhaled a breath, her gaze locked on his face. They stared into each other’s eyes, savoring the intimate sensations etched into their beings.

Finally, Claude, who had been gently stroking her hair, smirked and pursed his lips. The scorching heat flowed into her depths.

It was she who broke into tears after their sweet kiss.

“One month. Can I truly endure one month without you?” she whispered, suppressing her childish antics.

Claude’s lips brushed against the corner of her eyes, which had absorbed her unspoken mischief. He whispered with his usual mellifluous voice.

“Don’t lose focus and come back safely. Until you return, this bedroom will be mine.”

****

Claude lit a cigarette as he watched Canilia’s luggage being loaded into the carriage. Owen, who had been observing his exasperated and worried master’s face, handed him a letter.

“It’s a letter from Count Carso. He says he found an expert in explosives and will be heading north with them. They’re going straight to the Valencia Plains. This is the information on the dealer.”

Claude paused his gaze out the window and opened the letter Owen had handed him.

Carso had not yet revealed who the top scorer on the test was. If Carso were to discover that it was Canilia, his eagerness would be cut in half.

Sometimes, Canilia tended to see through people’s hearts all too clearly. It was as if she could vividly predict their inner thoughts as if she had seen them with her own eyes.

That aspect was admirable, but sometimes it made him angry. Being overly considerate of others ultimately resulted in his losses.

“Arnold Humpreasher, huh? A peculiar name.”

“He’s an immigrant from Geore. Originally, he was a doctor but also skilled in bomb-making. It’s mentioned that he injured his leg during the war and now walks with a limp. And this is the blueprint for the new explosive they’re planning to install.”

An automatic explosive?

Claude was amazed that someone skilled enough in bomb-making could send a blueprint instead of a chemical formula. The fact that Carso had found such a person surprised him as well.

He stamped his seal, indicating his agreement with Carso’s decision, and handed the letter back to Owen.

The long ash fell onto the table, dirtying it. Claude flicked the half-burnt cigarette and stood by the window once again.

Canilia, who had finished her preparations, sensed his gaze and turned her head in his direction. Her honey-colored hair shimmered in the dazzling sunlight.

Her radiant smile felt like an illusion reflected on the water’s surface. It was like a fleeting water shadow that would disappear if grasped.

Feeling oddly uneasy, Claude clenched a new cigarette and sighed before turning away.

“I’ll personally take you to the Geore border. There’s a place I need to stop by on the way.”

Owen lowered his head as if he had expected it.

“I will prepare, sir.”

****

“Sir Arnold, are you okay with motion sickness?”

With Carso’s kindness, the man known as Arnold smiled and nodded.

“I truly appreciate you remembering and seeking me out. Moreover, to take my assistant along with me, I am at a loss for words, Count Carso.”

“We cannot confine a skilled individual within the framework of the celestial realm. Since I have seen the blueprint, His Highness will certainly employ you willingly.”

“I will do my best.”

The man bowed his head until it touched his knees. Carso, who appeared quite charming with a faint smile, glanced briefly at Arnold’s assistant sitting across from him.

The assistant, dressed in a reversed cloak, was a beauty with red hair. Although he hadn’t seen her face properly, she exuded an orphaned atmosphere contrary to her rough hands and unassuming appearance.

The carriage that had left the south soon entered an unpaved road. Due to the bumpy ride, it was Carso who felt motion sickness.

Considering the financial situation, Carso thought that even the outer roads needed attention and eventually stopped the carriage.

Carso stopped at a place where a wide plain stretched to the left and a white oak forest spread to the right. As soon as he got out of the carriage, he covered his mouth and dashed into the forest.

The smile disappeared from Arnold’s face as he watched Carso, who even took off his armor, and handed motion sickness medicine to his assistant sitting beside him.

“Please take it. You seem quite exhausted, Marilyn.”

“I am no longer a noble lady, so please lower your tone.”

“Well, I suppose I’ll have to get used to it. But I’m still more familiar with the name Karl, Marilyn.”

After swallowing a strong motion sickness medicine, Marilyn pressed her lips tightly.

Marilyn adjusted her glasses and squinted her eyes as she watched Carso rinse his mouth with water in the distance.

“With this incident, you could also become endangered,”

“It’s fine. I was already prepared when I escaped from Viscount Shelby.”

“I’m helping you because of the connection with Viscount Shelby. So please don’t interfere with my work under any circumstances.”

“Why would I interfere?”

“Well, if you still have feelings for him…”

“Hah, there’s no such thing.”

Marilyn chuckled coldly and wiped her mouth. Then she took a deep breath and lightly touched her injured hand.

“We are both cooperating for the sake of revenge. I am a collaborator Dr. Carl, not your burden. Don’t treat me as a burden.”