CH 13

Around the same time, Riggs was in the office. He had a cold look on his face throughout the day as he read the report on the forces that attacked Isabelle.

“There must be more upper lines. Wait for the intruders to let down their guard and return to normalcy. We’ll have to keep an eye on them and find out who Baron Iron was working for.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Cardiago was far from an optimistic family. They always prepare for the worst.

It was the same now. Riggs intended to tear down Isabelle’s threat by digging into who she was bought by.

It was only right to question Baron Iron, who was secured immediately on the spot, after making sure he could not escape.

After reviewing the issues, Riggs looked out of the window for a moment. A woman’s silhouette appeared in the window of the room he had been preparing for Isabelle for a long time.

Finally, the owner of the room was there. It’s a little early, but I wanted Isabelle to be the Mistress, because she was the one who proposed first.

‘You’re here as the Duchess, so we can meet more often than ever.’

If the timing was right, I could eat with Isabelle, and if we had a lunch appointment at 1 o’clock, I was confident that I would be happy from 12 o’clock.

Unlike now, when I wanted to feed her sweet desserts and moist cooked meat to her heart’s content, but couldn’t because of transportation issues, you’ll be able to sit in a spacious dining room and enjoy your meal.

‘To do that, Isabelle shouldn’t be wary of me. I’ll have to resolve it little by little.’

Isabelle was not only repulsed by the Duke of Cardiago, but also feared him.

It would be premature to confess, “In fact, I am the Duke,” when the temple was attacked and she was already confused.

He had to slowly ease her boundaries over a few days, accept that the Duke and her friend were the same person little by little, and convince her that there must have been a good reason for hiding his identity.

Riggs remembered Isabelle’s persistence in talking to him when they first met. I thought you weren’t wary of anyone because of who you were.

But now that I see this, it’s not that you aren’t vigilant, it’s that you weren’t wary of me. A strange sense of pleasure caught me with a smile around my mouth.

So far, she has not been on alert with Riggs. I thought I was considered one of her ordinary friends, but in reality I was receiving special treatment.

When I was feeling satisfied, a black fog rose. A reaper, who sent Isabelle on an errand,, returned in a state of great agitation.

“Your Grace, I think you’ll have to hurry to see your lady.”

“Did something happen?”

“The lady was looking at the window with a lonely face.”

“My fiancée is originally lonely looking at the stars. I don’t think it’s anything special.”

“She murmured ‘…rather than spending a night with a disabled man.'”

“······.”

The office went silent in an instant. With the expression missing from everyone’s faces, there was a dark shadow on Riggs’.

I thought Isabelle, whose dream was to break the bed on the first night, could jump out of the window to avoid the incompetence of the lower body. I was suffocated by injustice.

“She may make extreme choices to protect your purity.”

“…maybe so.”

No, it can’t be. Isabelle admitted to him that she was too impure to serve the Goddess of Isis. Danny was right to read only red-covered books every day.

The flesh was pure, but Isabelle was not a woman to give up her life to preserve the value of purity. Then you don’t want to spend the night with the Duke of Cardiago either.

“I’m going to hide my identity and go to my fiancée, so bring me the right clothes.”

Riggs sighed and commanded. The employees who were waiting by his side brought clothes that he used when he went to see the three-syllable lady.

The clothes, ironed out and hung on the mannequin, were all made by the chief seamstress under the direction of Riggs.

“Your Grace, would you prefer to be the son of a farmer or an apprentice? It’s a special day, so I think the circus clown costume would be fine.”

“Get a set of clothes that a castle gardener wears. And throw away the clown clothes.”

“But…”

“Throw it away.”

If I wear clown clothes in front of Isabelle again, I’m not a man. Shaking his head, Riggs later changed into a gardener’s costume and rose from his seat.

Walking recklessly with his good-looking hair, he paused in front of the mirror in the hallway. The clothes were so clean.

It’s not convincing to appear out of the blue and say that you’re actually working in this castle, but if I say I’m a gardener in such a clean outfit, I’ll be even less convincing.

‘I think there was a passageway around here that connected to the garden.’

Riggs had to cross the bushes in the garden and head for Isabelle’s room. The clothes became quite plausible because of the grass.

In front of the room, the reapers were waiting around with food. Riggs bid them far away, coughed heavily and knocked on the door.

“Isabelle, it’s me, Riggs. Can I come in?”

I heard footsteps rushing towards the door. Riggs glowed and waited for her to open the door. But Isabelle, who opened the door one cheek at a time to check his face, remained vigilant.

“Riggs, why are you here?”

“I work here. I’m a gardener.”

“….gardener?”

Isabelle narrowed her eyes. Shadow magic could be used endlessly, so it was not impossible to change his appearance or voice. Besides, Riggs didn’t seem daunted.

‘The cowardly crybaby? Why is a gardener dressed like this at this hour?’

Something must have been tampered with. Isabelle did not ease her guard. Eventually, Riggs decided to use his usual “Teary Baby Deer Operation.”

“Isabelle….. Are you doubting me?”

The tearful voice popped out of the mouth and was heard by the reapers who were holding food from afar. What is happening at the moment?

‘When he was seven years old, my Lord, who tamed the underworld king, said, ‘What the hell is that?’

‘Is Felix crying right now?’

‘What did I see?’

No matter what the reapers murmured, Riggs shamelessly continued to cry. Weakened, Isabelle gave him a chance.

“Tell me three titles of books I lent you and you lost.”

“……you want me to say that here? Oh, okay. I’ll tell you, so don’t close the door.”

Unlikely glancing at the reapers, Riggs spoke quickly in a squirming voice.

” <The Lady is not Lonely at Night.> <The Knight’s Way of Persuading.> <I’m Doing This Because I Love You>·····”

“It’s Riggs!”

Then Isabelle smiled brightly and opened the door wide. Her hair and the hem of her clothes were fluttering because of the wind blowing from behind her.

At that moment, the reapers, who were waiting from afar with food, looked at the strange face of their master and doubted their eyes.

“Huh?”

“Oh, my God…”

I can’t believe that Felix, Duke of Cardiago, dyed his ears red and swallowed his saliva.

I knew the three-syllable girl was a great person, but I didn’t know she was this good. It was surprising to see the lord dragged helplessly.

‘He who cuts down mountains with a single sword is dragged away like that?’

‘She’s the one who made you go out every two weeks.’

“The great Felix Cardiago’s name is only two syllables….”

The reapers listened more politely to the food they were carrying. Riggs took the food they were carrying into the room after a while.

Riggs even personally sampled and fed the wary girl. Filled with delicious food, Isabelle looked much more relaxed.

“Riggs, why didn’t you tell me you started working at the castle of Cardiago? I’m more than happy to see you by chance, but…”

“I just started working. They’re all good people. In particular, the Duke of Cardiero is completely opposite of the rumors.”

Riggs had the gall to say. But Isabelle looked keenly elsewhere.

“But can the gardener be alone with the woman her master has kidnapped?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t think of you this way, but the Duke of Cardiago would think of you as a man.”

At this rate, Riggs might be called by his owner and punished severely. Riggs, who has a talent for losing his job, may even lose his life this time. Isabelle clasped Riggs’ hand.

“Come on, Riggs. If you stay here, you will get in trouble.”

“Are you worried about me now that you’ve been kidnapped?”

“What if I get you hurt? I was dragged to be the one-night stand of the monster duke, who is said to be impotent, and get killed.”

Isabelle couldn’t keep her throat moist. Instead, she held Riggs’ hand tightly. The only hand that can be held at ease in the great Duchy of Cardiago.

“Riggs, why don’t we just run away together? Once we run away, we’ll live on our feet, bragging that you’re married as planned.”

“……Shall we?”

“You’re the only one I have here because there are no Saints here. Wait…. what?”

“Am I the only one?”

Why? Riggs, looking up with teary eyes, was obviously amused.

“That’s not gonna happen. It’s the Duke’s will to take care of you.”

“····· really?”

“So let me know if you need anything. You don’t have to be as vigilant as you are now, because your meals and clothes are being managed safely.”

Riggs’ words were both reassuring and frightening. The Duke’s kindness felt like he was fattening her up on purpose before eating her. Having a comfortable and plentiful day, then…

“Isabelle, he won’t do what you’re worried about unless you want to.”

“……how do you know that?”

“Cardiago doesn’t like to be impatient and force himself.”

Isabelle also learned about that and knew. Cardiago was a family that persevered until the fruit on the tree ripened and fell beside them.

I don’t know if the myth will apply to wifely duties, but Riggs’ voice was convincing.

“If you don’t want to, he won’t press you with his strength.”

“……I really hope so.”

Isabelle let out a small sigh as if the tension had finally eased. Riggs stayed by her side until she fell asleep after a long chat.

The furniture I’ve been preparing for the past decade and Isabelle has goes together brilliantly. Riggs narrowed the distance between his face and Isabelle, who was fast asleep.

He stopped just before their lips crossed. I could feel Isabelle’s breathing. I could be satisfied just by stealing breath today.

‘Isabelle.’

Already, the desire for her has grown unbearably. But as I told her, I didn’t mean to extort love when she didn’t want to.

So I’m gonna make you want me.

Riggs moved the word inside and stood up. The dawn, which would be the beginning of a long temptation, was still.