STM 140

When the butler said it was good news, I was just reading Doctor Kim’s letter that had arrived via the portal. The content was very simple.

‘Ekaf will handle it.’

Ekaf is Doctor Kim’s alias, right? Why would she go out of her way to write that she’ll handle it?

I tilted my head. Besides, handle what? The butler immediately answered this question.

“The Grand Duke has arrived.”

I jumped up from my seat. Doctor Kim, as expected! She must have pulled something off. Excited, I told her to lead the way and headed out, but the butler began guiding me toward Tairok’s room.

“Why are we going that way?”

“The Grand Duke’s room is this way.”

I know that, but why specifically to his room… The question vanished as I recalled the Kun family’s rules. Could it be… because he returned from battle, they want me to greet him in bed? Panicked, I quickly folded my fingers one by one.

“But according to the Kun family’s rules, it hasn’t been ten days yet. Look, today is exactly the ninth day.”

My voice trembled with indignation, but the butler looked at me with a pleased expression.

“Were you worried about breaking the rules by greeting His Grace naked in bed before ten days had passed. It’s fine, Master Lu.”

It wasn’t fine.

“Having intercourse with His Grace is the one thing permitted within the Kun family that breaks the rules. So you may spread your legs whenever you wish.”

Did she really need to announce that so calmly, like a news anchor? I quickly shook my head. No, I’m someone who stakes my life on the rules. I wanted to insist, but the butler spoke first.

“However, due to His Grace’s injury today, I regret I cannot encourage you.”

I started to wave my hand, then froze.

“Injury?”

“Yes, he is currently receiving treatment in his room.”

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Why didn’t I feel anything? Tairok stared at his own hands as he replayed his fight with Bayan. He had risked his life and given his all. But why hadn’t he reached that moment when he felt he was about to break through his limits?

When facing monsters at Crystal Lake, he had thought it was because his opponents weren’t strong enough. Bayan was an excellent test subject in that regard, and he had given everything he had into the fight.

Then why was there no change? He absolutely had to grasp that edge of his limit again, the one he had encountered in his duel with Dorgo.

Only then could he really understand the nature of that power that had emerged from within him. It wasn’t the Kun divine beast power he had sensed from before, nor was it the sword master aura he possessed.

Then how could he have used that power back then? The only change was losing the sword master’s aura and instead accepting Borhumi divine beast power…

Tairok’s gaze darkened. Accepting a divine beast’s power? But the true lightning power that erupted from his hands back then wasn’t Borhumi divine beast’s power.

That power was pitifully weak to begin with. Instead, he had trained for a whole day to use the power of the divine Beast. Could it possibly be related to that?

“Your Grace.”

One of his subordinates entered the room and approached quickly. He was one of the men who had been moving with Tairok to capture Bayan. Under Tairok’s orders he had remained in the forest.

“My apologies. We found no trace of the woman known as Black Bear.”

It was the answer he expected, so Tairok wasn’t disappointed.

“Keep pursuing Bayan. Eventually, you’ll reach Black Bear.”

“Yes, but why…?”

“Go out.”

The subordinate seemed confused as to why they were chasing Black Bear, but bowed his head to the order and vanished as quickly as he had come. Tairok lowered his gaze, looked at his hand again, and clenched his fist.

The reason for chasing Black Bear was simple. Help offered for no reason felt more unsettling than an enemy with a clear reason to fight. Because there was absolutely no such thing as a good deed without a reason in this world.

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The walk to Tairok’s room was a short one, just down a long corridor, yet because I was feeling nervous, it felt endless. Could he be seriously hurt?

Judging by the butler’s reaction, it probably wasn’t a major injury. Trying to think rationally, I opened the door. But the first thing I saw was a back wrapped in bandages.

A deep gash running long across his back, the bandages stained a dark crimson. Then he lifted his head.

He looked down at his hands, then slowly turned to face me. He tried to smile at me out of habit, but his mouth stiffened.

“Lu.”

“Yes.”

I answered properly, but he still looked confused. He reached out his hand toward me, beckoning me closer. When I just stood there staring, he called my name again.

“Lu.”

That’s not my name.

I suddenly felt rebellious. What am I thinking? I scolded myself and took a few steps closer.

Then he stood up, grabbed my hand, and pulled me toward him. I resisted for a moment, but seeing his back muscles tense, I gave in. That’ll just make the wound worse.

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“Does it hurt you to see me hurt?”

His playful tone made it easy for me to respond lightly.

“No. When you fight monsters, injuries like this are common.”

I meant it. In battles against monsters, this barely counted as an injury. Unless a limb was severed, that is. So it was commonplace for my body to sustain new wounds before old ones healed. The crimson bruises were like permanent tattoos, always lingering somewhere on my body. The staples used to close torn flesh were like accessories I wore constantly.

Compared to that, Tairok’s wounds were just scrapes.

“But why are you worried about me?”

Tairok’s low voice pierced my ear. No way. Why would I… The retort swirled in my head but wouldn’t come out.

Instead, the question of why he looked at me with such warm eyes loomed larger. And I wanted to believe in that gaze. I wanted that light to be genuinely directed at me.

Fortunately, reason reined in that desire. Idiot. I’m not going to start dating here, so why covet that gaze?

“You mustn’t get hurt, Your Grace.”

“Why?”

“Because I want you to be strong. Strong enough that no one can touch you.”

I gave an ambiguous smile and shrugged.

“Crush them all.”

He smiled.

“If that’s what you want.”

His smile was dazzling, his voice sweet. So I wanted to blame him entirely for my delusion. He was just too good at acting. Annoyed for no reason, I blurted out a topic I knew would make him uncomfortable.

“Don’t make promises lightly. What if I say I want you to use the power of a divine beast?”

“I’ll use it.”

“So… Huh? Why?”

“Because you want it. Do you?”

He gently asked while rubbing my hand with his thumb. His touch was strange, his gaze sticky.

Normally, I’d know this was bullshit meant to seduce me, but my judgement was clouded by others thoughts.

I needed to get him to accept the divine beast’s power, to help Black Bear, so, in my impatience, I blurted out the question without even verifying the facts.

“Weren’t you mad at the divine beast?”

…His lips twitched, it seemed he was upset with me.

“Of course, if His Grace is upset, then the divine beast must be at fault.”

I was trying to take his side, but his expression was unmoved. Yet, he was clever enough to see through my intention before I even spoke.

“Did the Borhumi divine beast return?”

“Um, no.”

I expected him to rebuke me for lying, since I’d brought up the divine beast to stop his fight with Bayan.

But he said nothing, and just waited for me to explain properly. I was at a loss for how to describe this situation.

I couldn’t just say that Black Bear needed help to wield Sarne divine beast’s power. To do that, I’d have to confess about the Acorn Forest too… Huh? I suddenly remember the letter Doctor Kim had sent.

‘Ekaf will handle it.’

Wait, could that mean…? I jumped up from my seat. Then I reached out the window and pointed to a spot.

“Your Grace, there’s someone I need to introduce you to over there.”

Tairok’s gaze followed my pointing hand, and his eyes turned icy.

“The Acorn Forest? You mean someone is there?”

Yes, I nodded firmly. I thought he’d interrogate me further, but he didn’t demand any more explanation.

Rick and the others, who had business with Tairok, rushed in, so I couldn’t say more. Instead, early the next day, before the sun rose, I took him to the Acorn Forest.

In front of the cabin beside the rock, Black Bear was practicing again today. But I couldn’t move forward.

Swish.

Tairok unsheathed his sword and blocked my path. He seemed unconcerned about his own injuries.

For some reason, he radiated a menacing aura, so I quickly introduced Black Bear.

“Say hello. This is Mrs. Ekaf.”