The Monster Duke Mistook Me for His Wife

Red eyes staring straight at us flashed.

 

I assure you, Terzhe and I were clearly marked as prey for bears.

 

And we will be torn to shreds as soon as we are caught.

 

“Terzhe-nim, what about your weapon?”

“It’s broken.”

“The dagger…?”

“For a fair fight, I can’t bring a dagger.”

“… After all, you have nothing.”

 

Sob. Swallowing my tears, I stepped back and grabbed Terzhe’s arm.

 

This was to prevent him from attacking the bear with his bare body.

 

“Terzhe-nim, let’s run away first. It’s better if Sir Dillian joined.”

“Do you think we can run without getting caught?”

 

I know. You will never be able to outrun a bear at human speed.

 

“But….”

“And Sinaize never avoids a fight that has come.”

“Did that include animals?”

 

As I raised my voice without realizing it, the bear, who had accepted it as an intention to attack, showed it and roared.

 

“Roaarr!”

 

My shoulders shook, startled by the harsh sound of my ears ringing.

 

With that appearance, Terzhe patted me on the back with an unusually soft hand.

 

“Don’t worry. I even caught a tiger with my bare body when I was young.”

 

But now it’s your late year!

 

I swallowed the words that filled my throat.

 

“Terzhe-nim, it’s too dangerous.”

“I’ll be blocking it, so go and get Dillian.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, the bear ran towards him. At the same time, Terzhe ran forward.

 

It happened so quickly that I couldn’t stop him.

 

‘What do you mean to go? You will die if I go!’

 

I don’t know if he has a weapon, how can you catch a bear with your bare hands?

 

‘Do the people of the Sinaize always have to be crazy about something to survive?’

 

In particular, the unquenchable desire to win was similar enough to believe that it was a characteristic of the Sinaize.

 

“I will aim for the vital spot!”

 

I exclaimed confidently, but aiming for the vital point was more challenging than it sounded.

 

Thuck.

 

Again, I bit my lip at the bounced arrow.

 

‘How thick is your skin!’

 

It is an arrow that was made initially to catch small animals.

 

It was not easy to pierce the thick bear’s skin due to its thin and blunt tip. Even if it was barely pierced, it was difficult to inflict a fatal wound.

 

‘… Not enough arrows.’

 

Two arrows left.

 

There is no chance of winning.

 

“Urgh!”

“Terzhe-nim!”

 

See, it was dangerous!

 

The sharp claws rubbed his shoulders and ragged him.

 

It was a scene that could have made me faint, but Terzhe did not give up.

 

Suddenly, Terzhe, who grabbed a branch, pierced the bear’s eye with his final blow.

 

“Roaarr!”

 

The bear was writhing in pain. I took the opportunity to run to Terzhe and block in front of him.

 

“What are you doing? Hurry up, go!”

“If I run away from here, Terzhe-nim will die.”

 

Seeing him lose his dignity, I thought it was worth it. Reassured, I threw the bow I was holding.

 

“Why throw away the bow!”

“I can’t catch it with this.”

“Grrr, grrrr.”

 

The bear shook its head and revealed its teeth.

 

My heart raced wildly at the sight of it in anger, but the more it did, the calmer my head became.

 

“Terzhe-nim, do you remember? You said that if I catch a bear, you will allow me to marry him.”

 

I implemented a new bow and arrow by pressing the bracelet.

 

‘You can’t kill a bear with such a thin arrow.’

 

I created a thick, sharp arrow by amplifying my divine power.

 

I pulled the bowstring taut, staring straight at the rushing bear.

 

“Roar, roaaarrr!”

 

The target vital point is the neck.

 

Whoosh-!

 

The arrow bounced off the bear and aimed precisely at the bear’s neck.

 

Thump, with a sound, his large body collapsed to the ground.

 

Slowly lowering the bow, I took a deep breath and looked at the dead bear.

 

Finished. I won.

 

I smiled broadly at Terzhe.

 

“You have to keep your promise.”

 

That was the announcement of my victory.

 

 

***

 

 

“Okay, that’s it.”

 

After finishing Terzhe’s treatment, I pressed his shoulder firmly.

 

“Are there any more painful places?”

“… So, you know how to use divine power.”

“Even though I look like this, I am pretty good.”

“Even if you don’t say it, I know it.”

 

As if not believe it, Terzhe patted his shoulder over and over.

 

“Do you know? Dillian has a lot of resistance to divine power.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Doesn’t it the opposite for you, doesn’t it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt at all.”

 

Hurts, huh? Dillian found rest in my divine power, though.

 

Because I am different from others and the only person who can deal with his curse.

 

But Terzhe, who was unaware of that fact, misunderstood it.

 

“To love each other that much….”

 

If it continues, it will be wrapped as the love of the century. I shuddered and turned around.

 

“I will give you that bear as a birthday present.”

“… Well, thanks.”

 

When I moved to help Therze, Dillian, who came because he heard the commotion, wrapped his arms around my shoulder with a contemplative face.

 

“Miss Ria, are you hurt?”

 

Bows and arrows scattered on the floor, a wolf’s carcass, and even a large black bear’s carcass.

 

It was a sight for Dillian to worry about.

 

“Yes. I am fine, but Grandfather was injured.”

 

Terzhe struggled with the unfamiliar name.

 

“Gra, Grandfather?”

“We will soon become one family, wouldn’t it be better to have a closer title?”

“Uh-huh.”

 

A sigh escaped from the bewildered Terzhe’s mouth.

 

Either way, I brought this good news to Dillian.

 

“Sir Dillian, rejoice. I caught that bear and was proudly recognized by Grandfather.”

“Miss Ria indeed. I believed in you.”

 

Dillian grabbed my cheek and kissed my forehead. The place where his lips touched burned hot.

 

“Si, Sir Dillian?”

“What are you doing in front of this old man!”

 

Whether Terzhe yelled, Dillian held me in his arms and smiled triumphantly at him.

 

“It would have been nice to have allowed it sooner. I’m glad you know Miss Ria’s true value even now.”

“I won’t speak.”

 

Terzhe shook his head at the sight of his stupid act.

 

“We should call someone to take the bear away. Let’s go down first.”

 

 

***

 

 

I need to hurry up and brag to Nathan!

 

At last, having been recognized by Terzhe, I returned to the duke’s castle with great joy.

 

Waiting for me to return in anticipation of a golden return was a low-key atmosphere.

 

‘Weird. Why is it so quiet?’

 

The duke’s castle was lively until noon today, but no single ant was seen there.

 

Confused by the sudden change of atmosphere, Lloyd approached and whispered to Terzhe. Hearing his words, Terzhe raised his eyebrows.

 

“The guy who didn’t even see his nose is showing up now?”

“Not only that.”

 

Lloyd’s face was unusual.

 

I rolled my eyes at the whispers I couldn’t hear.

 

‘Can I just go in?’

 

I don’t know what it is, but it sounds like a serious situation, and I wouldn’t be much help if I stayed here.

 

“I will go up first.”

“Yes, go and rest. And Dillian, you follow me.”

“What is it?”

 

Of course, Dillian, who had planned to return to the room with me, openly expressed his discomfort.

 

I was the one who was ashamed of that arrogant, childish act.

 

“Lexter is here.”

 

I looked at Dillian in surprise at those words.

 

‘Lexter is here? I thought he wouldn’t come?’

 

Dillian asked Terzhe again, his brows wrinkled as if it was the first time he had heard the news.

 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I heard that other guests have also come, so as the owner of Sinaize, you should welcome them.”

“You can go first. I will take Miss Ria first, then go.”

“Dillian. It’s an important matter.”

 

Terzhe’s heavy, sunken eyes showed the seriousness of the situation.

 

I quickly pushed Dillian on the back.

 

“It’s okay. It seems like an important guest, so take care of it first. I will go straight to my room.”

 

I understand his concern for me, but he is the master of Sinaize and the only duke of the Empire.

 

So, he had to show the behavior appropriate for the position.

 

“I like people who work well. You know?”

“With that said, I have no choice but to go.”

“Good job. I will go in first!”

 

I left the two who were heading to the drawing room behind and climbed the stairs alone.

 

“It’s creepy.”

 

I looked down the empty hallway with my shoulders shrugged.

 

It’s not like they planned it together, where did they all go?

 

The empty hallway was odd, and Lexter, who had been hiding until now, suddenly appeared, was also odd, it was all odd.

 

‘I should stay in the room until Dillian comes.’

 

I grabbed the doorknob. At the same time, a large hand grabbed my shoulder.

 

“Finally met you. Ria.”

 

Startled by the unfamiliar hand, I twisted my body and froze on the spot.

 

“Really, I miss you so much.”

 

The friendly smiling face was terribly familiar.

 

He has long, curved eyebrows like a crescent moon, dimples that dig deep when he smiles, and a hand that touches his bangs like a habit.

 

It was a face I will never forget.

 

Since the day I first had that dream, the face that appears often and calls me anxiously.

 

My lover, who sacrificed himself to seal the Darkness.

 

“Are you surprised that I’m still the same?”

 

White skin, jet-black hair, even the smooth lips….

 

‘No. Look at that. They have different eyes.’

 

He had red eyes like a ruby. He doesn’t have purple eyes like this guy.

 

He had spots under his eyes, and his body was smaller than that person.

 

Above all, the atmosphere was different.

 

For a moment, as my vision, which had been blurred by surprise, gradually became brighter, I began to see a slight difference.

 

“It’s not the same. It’s different.”

 

Their smiles were so similar that they looked alike, but they were definitely different people.

 

As I muttered firmly, talking to myself, the smile on the tip of the man’s lips disappeared like smoke.