Duke, Please Fail! - Side Story 1 (Part 15)

Side Story 1: Part 15

Then he’d actually wake her up and go back, and sometimes he’d carry her back to her room himself when she was asleep.

And generally, they often took naps together. 

As this kind of thing repeated, Nelly, even without Leonel’s urging, occasionally fell asleep on the bench.

When Leonel turned his head, he liked to see Nelly until late at night, ordering to keep the lights on in the garden. The knights naturally silenced their footsteps when patrolling near the garden. 

Roger, without being told, planted all sorts of plants that chased away insects around the bench.

As summer came, the garden became more pleasant than Nelly’s room. On days when it felt stuffy inside the building all day, Nelly would come out to the bench, look at the stars, and fall asleep.

‘If the weather gets colder, I won’t be able to see that sight.’

Leonel stared at Nelly for a long time and then went down.

He sat at the end of the bench. Even though the whole world was shrouded in darkness, her outline was clear. His scarred hand, which had moved toward her disheveled hair, stopped abruptly.

‘May I touch it?’

Was it a position where he could reach out to her without permission while she was asleep? If he touched her and she opened her eyes, what kind of explanation would he have to give?

What should he do if she felt uncomfortable? What if he hurt her with this rough and rugged hand?

While hesitating, the tightly closed eyelids opened.

Many light brown eyelashes split, revealing blurry green pupils.

It was just a very small movement, but it took his breath away.

He felt the awe of discovering a tender shoot that had emerged from the desolate and hard ground.

Leonel remained frozen. Captivated, he couldn’t do anything.

For a while, Nelly, who had been looking at Leonel’s hand, slowly closed her eyes.

As if allowing his touch.

“Nelly Pepper.”

There was no response. 

Leonel cautiously moved his hand to sweep away the disheveled brown hair above the still-emerging leaves-like skin. 

The firm fingertips slid over the skin, as if full of fluffy feathers, causing the palm to tingle and the knuckles to itch. His heartbeat shook his entire body. Desire arose.

He wanted to be in a relationship where he could sweep her hair without asking for permission or hesitation, fearlessly. 

Leonel gently brushed Nelly’s warm and soft cheek with his index finger.

“Nelly.”

Just whispering her name made his tongue tingle with sweetness. Leonel willingly swallowed that emotion. However, from then on, he couldn’t treat Nelly as he used to. He wanted to be with her longer and treat her more tenderly.

For no reason, he would call her to have tea, dine together, or take a stroll in the garden. As the days with Nelly smiling comfortably increased, Leonel also found himself smiling more.

So, autumn arrived once again.

“Levance, this harvest festival, call the chef from Braushtete.”

“Didn’t you say last time that you didn’t like their food?”

Leonel wouldn’t touch meat if it wasn’t seasoned with spices. However, Braushtete’s food preserved the natural taste of the ingredients while being savory. 

The main course was beyond what Leonel could resist, but he didn’t cancel his decision.

“Nelly will like it.”

Levance quietly agreed. The chef from Braushtete prepared all the food for the harvest festival banquet. 

Leonel’s prediction was right on target.

“How can such a taste exist in the world?”

Nelly’s admiration was heard from nearby. Leonel found himself smiling involuntarily.

He never dreamed it would be a problem.

The enemies, who had once plotted to bring Leonel down, easily recognized who had made him smile.

And that person would become Leonel’s weakness.

The harvest festival was peaceful, but the trouble started afterward.

Upon realizing that to break Leonel, they needed to eliminate Nelly Pepper, assassins were sent.

“Your Grace, it might be better to send Nelly to a safe place for a while.”

Levance urged, but Leonel shook his head. 

No one had left and returned intact so far. He couldn’t let her leave under any circumstances.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

Leonel reduced his sleep and sharpened his focus. He protected her so perfectly that she wouldn’t feel any threat. However, as spring approached, he became engulfed in anxiety.

Spring had always taken something away from him. This time would be no different, and his anticipation was not wrong.

“Your Grace, the ranch keeper tried to kidnap someone.”

The follower, converted from the Carter Empire, believed that offering sacrifices to their god would grant them eternal life. The victim attacked due to betrayal from Tatiasun, was a man who had lost his daughter.

“The estate manager discovered that they were holding the victim to take him to the heretic’s temple and reported it to the guards. The victim suffered head injuries and a broken left leg.”

“Is Nelly okay?”

“Yes. She wasn’t present during the ranch keeper’s attempt, as she went to see the donkeys during the ranch keeper’s off-hours.”

Leonel punished the ranch keeper and personally went to the victim. He hired a doctor from a nearby town, provided compensation and food, and even found someone to help the man adjust to life since he had no family.

The man was grateful that the lord still cared for him.

‘I made the right decision coming here.’

Leonel relieved some guilt and returned to the castle. As he entered the garden surrounded by lush greenery, he felt the warm air. 

Even standing in spring, he didn’t feel the deep sense of loss as he used to.

Leonel looked at the western tower. He thought he now knew what emotions he had swallowed.

“Nelly.”

Just calling her name made his breath lighter. 

But he couldn’t approach her right away. The time the queen granted him was just around two years, and he wasn’t sure he could develop the estate as much as the queen wanted within that time. 

There were those around him, like predators, baring their fangs, craving his position.

In this uncertain and perilous future, he couldn’t involve her. Above all, he wasn’t certain that Nelly shared the same feelings.

Survive first. Once the territory is developed and the power is stable, he’ll subdue the nobles and relatives, even if he has to break the alliance.

‘Then I can convey these feelings.’

Leonel strengthened the security to protect Nelly from assassins. To prepare for any situation, he even brought a doctor to the mansion.

He planned to develop the estate rapidly, working several sleepless nights. Overtime became common, but finding new hires was rare. Although everyone was overloaded with excessive work, no one dared to complain, especially since Leonel was the one working the hardest.

Then, Nelly’s patience exploded.

“Duke!”

Before the harvest feast, Nelly rushed towards Leonel. Unlike usual, she had half of her hair braided and adorned with lace, wearing a beautiful dress.

Her complaining about being tired and her cheeky attitude were simply adorable. 

Leonel unintentionally burst into laughter but quickly composed himself. 

Since the last harvest feast, a smile from him had revealed Nelly’s presence to the enemies. He couldn’t make that mistake again.

Purposely, he didn’t respond to Nelly and passed by her. The sound of footsteps followed from behind.

“I’m going to die. Look at the bags under my eyes. My feet ache, and I can’t even sleep properly. And here! I even bit my lip!”

His steps involuntarily stopped at the mention of pain. As if waiting, Nelly pulled her lips, showing the affected area.

Despite knowing it was inappropriate, he couldn’t look away from her lips, which became redder as he pressed his finger against them.

Pretending to check, he gently pressed his lips, barely resisting the urge to kiss. With an effort to appear composed, he spoke.

“It’s not a lie.”

Nelly nodded and stepped back. Her cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue, and Leonel couldn’t look away from that color.

A moment of silence passed. The dining table was so close that even without coming out, one could overhear the conversation between the two.

Unfortunately, the peculiar atmosphere needed to be dispelled before someone else saw it. 

Leonel brought up the topic of vacation again. Nelly seemed to imply that she wanted to leave the estate, and Leonel felt his heart sink, interpreting it as her intention to leave his side.

“Why do you need to go somewhere? Rest within the castle.”

If Nelly left the estate, it would become more challenging to protect her. However, if he revealed that her life was at risk, she might leave forever due to her fearful nature.

Leonel wasn’t skilled enough to explain the situation without instilling fear in her. He wanted to speak sincerely, saying that he was afraid of losing her because she was precious to him, but the desire choked his words.

Moreover, trauma from losing those who had left, promising to return, resurfaced unexpectedly, leading him to blurt out sharp words.

“How can I believe that?”

It was only after seeing Nelly’s wounded expression that Leonel snapped out of it.

“I… I…”

“I’ve worked my hardest in the Altwood Duchy for three years. Have I ever disappointed you, Duke, even once during that time? Or have I been lazy?”

“Nelly Pepper.”

“How can you say that?”

Nelly turned abruptly and walked into the dining area. Her retreating figure left a deep impression. 

Leonel felt the need to express all his wounds, anxieties, and affections immediately. However, the dining table was too close, and if he spoke there, someone would undoubtedly hear.

‘Let’s talk after dinner.’

Leonel swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and regretted his choice for the rest of his life.

Nelly Pepper forever left his side.