The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 190

Chapter 190

The first person to express dissatisfaction after the plans changed to a long-term hunting operation was Leilda. Seriously, if you were going to go for a long time, you should have just said so from the start. You were going anyway.”

He shot an irritated glance at Scheuer, who was tightly attached to Raygrain’s back. As Raygrain glanced at the map indicating the location of the black stone, he asked bluntly,

“Is there a problem? ”

“Why is she tagging along? ”

Leilda pointedly jabbed his finger at Scheuer. In response, Scheuer quickly interjected,

“I promised I’d be with him all day for a week! ”

“Oh, really? ”

Leilda grimaced as if he had seen something unpleasant and roughly snatched the map from Raygrain’s hands.

The countless red dots on the map were minuscule but gradually shifting. They were mostly clustered in the north, though a few were marked in the center. 
Scheuer, intrigued, peered over Raygrain’s shoulder and asked,

“Are those moving? ”

“Yes, Leilda had it set up to indicate the direction pointed out by the black stone.Wow, impressive, Leilda…”

When Scheuer looked at him with slightly astonished eyes, Leilda clicked his tongue and replied,

“I made it because my eardrums were about to burst listening to that idiot screech every time he saw those red lines from the black stone.”

“Did High Priest Sevi say that? ”

“Yeah. His voice is louder than a crow’s. We should build him a doghouse next to it so he can croak every morning. It’d fit him perfectly.”

The look of irritation on Leilda’s face seemed almost unfamiliar, as if he had really been through it. Meanwhile, Sevi was lounging contentedly on a hammock in the sunniest and warmest part of Blenga’s garden. Even with monsters pouring out outside, he lay relaxed, while Koa frequently bowed her head in respect.

It brought back vague memories of the sweaty knights he used to see, with High Priest Sevi fanning himself vigorously.

“Still, it seems like he spares no divine energy when the knights ask for help, doesn’t he? ”

“Of course.”

Leilda tossed the map onto the table, exasperated as if questioning why she was asking such things.

“He just wants to get rid of it quickly because he can’t stand seeing it.”

Ah… Regardless of his intentions, it might ultimately lead to something good for the north, so isn’t that a good outcome?

As she hugged Raygrain tightly from behind, Leilda waved his hand dismissively and asked,

“So, what are you planning for the week? You can’t even hold a banquet, and all your friends are stuck in the center.”

At that, Raygrain turned his head slightly to look in Scheuer’s direction. 
Meeting his gaze, Scheuer beamed and answered,

“A date! ”

***

The desolate northern marketplace had been frozen for a long time, with a hard floor and a clear, sunny sky free of dust. 
So this is why the cold makes the air so clear… 
Scheuer felt again just how warm Blenga’s garden was.

A thick winter cloak was draped over her shoulders, and Raygrain asked, his expression serious as he wrapped her tightly,

“There isn’t much to see in the north. It’s only going to be worse lately with all the monsters around.”

Compared to the central region, where stalls and people filled the streets, everything in the north felt cold—both the air and the atmosphere.

Scheuer tightened her grip on his arm, her voice firm.

“We’re going. You’ve never experienced this kind of outing, have you? ”

Raygrain was always surrounded by many followers. In the north, going out was almost nonexistent, and visits to the central region were strictly formal. It felt unfair not to have even a proper date before leaving.

It felt unfair to leave without having a proper date. Standing in the square where ice sculptures were on display, Scheuer rummaged through the pockets of her cloak. Unfortunately, there were no coins. She turned to him, who was silently watching her, and asked,

“Do you happen to have any money? ”

“Of course.”

As soon as she asked, Raygrain pulled out a gold coin from his pocket.

Staring at the shiny coin in her hands, Scheuer tightly grasped it with both hands.

‘If I throw it like this, someone will definitely pick it up! ’

She had intended to throw it to make a wish, but it would feel bad if someone stole it. Reluctantly, Scheuer entered a nearby pet supply store and bought chicken feed and high-protein mealworms.

“Thank you. That will be 2 silver and 15 lir.”

“Here you go! ”

When Scheuer confidently handed over the gold coin, the shopkeeper seemed startled, even using a magnifying glass to check if it was counterfeit before putting the silver coins into a bag. Suddenly, with a handful of coins, Scheuer scattered them in front of the statue.

Clink, clink, as the coins fell in front of the statue, she clasped her hands together and made a wish.

“Dear Lord Lapel, please let His Grace return safely! If you don’t grant it, I’ll change them all to 1 lir and scatter them again, making it hard to pick them up!”

After finishing her threat, Raygrain asked,

“What kind of wish makes you pray so fiercely? ”

“It’s a wish for your safety, Raygrain.”

“Surprisingly devout, huh? ”

“No, I’m not devout, so I just conveyed my thoughts properly.”

With a cheerful smile, Scheuer wandered around the spacious northern thoroughfare.

They stopped by a theater to watch a play. Perhaps because it was too cold for everyone to go outside, the audience was sparse.

The stage was a bit shabby, and it wasn’t a large theater, but the content was flawless.

“Oh, my hero. When will you come to take me away? ”

“Oh, Solina! I have come to propose to you after defeating the monsters! ”

It was a perfect ending where the hero returned safely after completing the hunt, proposed to her, and sealed it with a kiss.

Scheuer was so pleased with the happy ending that she jumped up from her seat and applauded loudly as soon as the play finished.

“It was amazing! This was the most impressive play I’ve ever seen! ”

The few audience members present filled the space with her enthusiastic applause, and the actors were so moved that they called her over after the curtain fell. They gifted her a paper bouquet they had used as a prop.

As Scheuer walked the streets with the bouquet cradled in her arms, Raygrain quietly murmured,

“The hero’s outfit was ill-suited for the hunt.”

“Come on, it was a play! If they dressed like that for real, they wouldn’t be able to move.”

With a grin, Scheuer wandered around and met someone walking a pet wolf, pausing to chat for a moment.

When she reached out to pet the wolf’s forehead, Raygrain deemed it too dangerous and quickly pulled her back with one arm.
However, Scheuer slipped under his arm and managed to stroke the wolf’s head.

“Wow, it’s so gentle. Can it go for walks too?”

“Of course. These days, many people raise them in the north to prepare for encounters with monsters.”

After chatting with the wolf’s owner for a while, Scheuer received some cookies and offered them to Raygrain.

“Look! The owner made these homemade cookies. They’re not too sweet, so I think you can eat them! ”

Watching the man waving from a distance, Raygrain’s expression momentarily twisted in disbelief.

Scheuer casually placed a cookie into Raygrain’s mouth, and despite his grumpy demeanor, he accepted it without resistance, which made her laugh.

Night fell quickly in the north. Returning to Blenga later than usual, Scheuer confidently entered Raygrain’s room, holding only a pillow. 
Raygrain, changing his clothes, chuckled as he saw her.

“So, you said you’d stick around all day, and here you are back in my room.”

“How was it? Was today fun? ”

“Well…”

His short reply prompted Scheuer to crawl onto his wide bed. 
Once he had changed into more comfortable clothes, he naturally sat beside her and asked,

“You seem to be comfortable calling me by my name now.”

“I’m going to try.”

“When you call my name, it usually comes with some sort of troublesome request.”

Raygrain’s sharp gaze seemed to scrutinize her. Leaning back on the bed, he appeared intent on watching her instead of sleeping, which felt oddly familiar now. Scheuer, glancing at him, subtly moved closer and sat right in front of him. 
When their eyes met, he regarded her with a questioning look.

Scheuer stretched out her arms.

“Can you give me a hug? ”

Even with her arms extended, his cool expression showed no reaction. 
With no other choice, Scheuer inched closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she pressed her lips softly against his tightly shut ones. 

Finally, the icy glimmer in his eyes wavered. His quiet voice broke the silence.

“What does this mean? ”

With a bright smile, Scheuer replied.

“They say affection arises from the name.”

“When you choose peace; it comes with a lot of goodbyes”