Chapter 100
Honestly, Ruan had similar thoughts too.
That is, the thought of “I’ve entered a den of madmen, but why is it so quiet?”
Although he became preoccupied with the Grand Duke’s changes midway and had no time for other thoughts… Ruan was quite worried about this trip to the capital until they departed from Reinke.
That’s because the capital was the main stage of the novel “Tales of the Sirah Empire,” which dealt with the catastrophe of madmen. How could there be no trouble going to such a place, and how could he bring a cat to a place with so many crazy people? Ruan boarded the carriage heading to the capital with various concerns.
But when he actually arrived in the capital, contrary to his expectations, nothing unusual happened.
Volker, whom he had been wary of thinking he might scheme again, seemed satisfied with the Grand Duke’s appearance, showing no desire for power or antipathy towards it.
He did use the attention focused on the Grand Duke to solidify his authority as “the monarch to whom that Grand Duke pledges loyalty” and “the monarch who can summon that Grand Duke at a moment’s notice”… But he showed no signs of trying to harm the Grand Duke or Reinke beyond that.
The same was true for other figures besides Volker. Everyone had an overwhelming interest in the Grand Duke, but no one showed malice.
The Grand Duke’s stay in the capital, which he had expected to be eventful, was passing peacefully without any incidents. It was so peaceful that Ruan’s biggest concern during their stay in the capital was nothing other than the Grand Duke’s changes.
As such days continued, Ruan, who knew about the chaos in “Tales of the Sirah Empire,” couldn’t help but think:
‘Even if Marquis Elenroth intervened, can it really end without any incident in a place where those crazy people are gathered?’
Of course, he immediately realized he had said something that sounded like it could raise a flag at any moment, similar to “Did I defeat it?”, and quickly erased it from his mind.
Anyway, while enjoying peace with such mixed feelings, after the events he had been most wary of, like audiences and banquet attendance, were over, and as the day to return to Reinke without incident was approaching, he was just starting to relax…
‘This… at this timing? And in this way?’
Ruan looked at the man sitting in front of him.
“Are you the aide to the Grand Duke of Reinke?”
A handsome face that could be called beautiful rather than handsome, with a long scar across one cheek. Bright red irises, a color he had never seen before even in this world where everyone had colorful eyes.
The man with an appearance one would never forget if seen even once was someone Ruan had never directly greeted. But that didn’t mean he didn’t know who this person was.
Because he knew a character described as looking exactly like him.
Ruan recalled the background of one of the main characters from “Tales of the Sirah Empire.”
The illegitimate child of the Bettin ducal family, treated as something that shouldn’t exist and abused. A boy who lived a life full of contempt and ignorance, as if he had been shaped solely for misfortune, until he met Louise who had fled from Volker.
A follower who was blinded by Louise, the first radiant thing he had ever seen in his life, who proudly spoke of her love and responsibility for Sirah, and her goal to reclaim this beautiful country, her everything, from the enemy, even in a hopeless and miserable situation.
He had lived a life where enduring was the most he could do, let alone hoping for anything, yet he made her wish his own. He had never achieved anything with his own power, yet he thought he could do anything to fulfill that wish…
But when Louise decided to marry the Crown Prince of the Holy Empire and leave Sirah, which she so loved and longed for, he became a young man who thought she had abandoned everything because of his powerlessness.
‘And… as a result of turning to the dark side amidst feelings of betrayal and powerlessness, he became the current Grand Duke Bettin who seized power from the family members who had abused him, after shedding blood without regard for means or ends to gain power. In the process, he volunteered to be Volker’s dog, but in fact, he’s a mad dog ready to bite Volker’s nape whenever Louise calls for him.’
Rafael Bettin, the character closest to the description of “madman” in “Tales of the Sirah Empire,” where everyone is out of their minds.
‘Right. I was wondering why the most active one who never stays still wasn’t seen…’
Not knowing he would ambush like this.
Ruan’s face hardened at the absurd situation. Seeing this, Rafael, who was leaning back loosely against the chair with his arms crossed, spoke.
“There’s no need to worry that much. I’m not going to do anything to you. I just called you here because I’m curious about something.”
Normal people don’t describe forcibly taking someone off the street as “calling them here.” They call it kidnapping.
Confused by the statement that defied common sense, Ruan suddenly recalled what the man in front of him had done in “Tales of the Sirah Empire.”
‘Come to think of it, he kidnapped Louise in the novel too.’
When time passed and Louise started a war to reclaim the empire and eliminate Volker… When she seemed to have forgotten about him, even though he had waited thinking she would naturally come to him first if she wanted to reclaim Sirah…
Rafael, who had lost his mind, kidnapped Louise, who had been captured by Volker due to the nobles’ betrayal.
And ignoring Volker, who was enraged at having the enemy leader he had captured stolen, he caused a huge commotion with Louise who had “abandoned” him.
‘Is he a habitual kidnapper?’
No, that’s not the point.
What on earth did he want to ask that he kidnapped me while I was on my way home after buying duck meat to feed to the cat?
Moreover,
‘Why now of all times!’
Ruan had just realized his feelings for the Grand Duke. He didn’t know exactly how it had happened, but anyway, it meant his heart was now so full that excuses like “he’s just a cat” wouldn’t work anymore.
‘No, but he’s still the cat I’ve been biting and licking because he’s cute… Is this really okay?’ His caretaker self was shouting, but another part of him was shouting back, ‘It was already too late when you were afraid of getting caught up in his heat! You were turned on then! And you said you didn’t want him to marry someone else! It’s too late to say such seemingly sane things now!’ He liked the Grand Duke so much that the latter voice drowned out the former.
Ruan had avoided the Grand Duke when he was coming onto him due to his heat, fearing that skinship without affection would ruin their relationship.
Now that he had finally realized he liked the Grand Duke, and at this rate, the Grand Duke might marry someone else… Since it would be impossible to stay normally by his side watching the person he likes marry someone else, Ruan, with no way out, was left with only one answer.
To quickly seduce the Grand Duke and become the one to exclusively share affectionate skinship with him.
In such a situation, he was desperately in a hurry.
He needed to quickly go and hold onto the Grand Duke who was strict, solemn, and serious yet cute, soft yet sexy, feed him warm duck meat, and talk about why he avoided him, what this political marriage nonsense was about, and all the problems he had been turning over in his head alone out of preemptive fear. And based on that, he needed to seduce him quickly…
‘Why do I have to be caught by this madman… now of all times?’
Ruan unknowingly gritted his teeth. Seeing Ruan like this, Rafael, still looking nonchalant, said,
“No, I’m telling you there’s no need to worry that much. I just called you here because something was bothering me.”
Who wouldn’t worry in this situation? Ruan, who was about to go crazy with worry, swallowed a sigh as he looked at Rafael, who was talking so calmly after kidnapping someone out of nowhere.
It was a truly incomprehensible situation, but in any case, he needed to return safely from here to see the Grand Duke.
He had just realized his feelings, and to confess, he needed to return alive from this madman. What an insane level of difficulty.
Firmly resolving to defeat this guy as quickly as possible and return to the Grand Duke in one piece, Ruan opened his mouth.
“Your Grace. I apologize for saying this, but… You sought me out at an unexpected time, and much time has already passed compared to the return time I reported to His Grace the Grand Duke. His Grace the Grand Duke must be wondering about my whereabouts, so what should we do about this… If you have something you want to ask, would it be possible to call for me separately at a later time, after daybreak?”
It was a polite way of saying that kidnapping me, the Grand Duke’s close aide, so suddenly was far beyond common sense, so please send me back quickly. It was also the most sensible thing Ruan could say in this situation that was beyond common sense.
But if such words worked, he wouldn’t have been called a madman in the first place.
