He hasn’t noticed what I’m doing, has he?
Brody watched the grand duke’s reaction, holding her chest with both hands because of her thumping heart.
“You’re amazing. Making the crops grow like this here. It’s boosting the morale of the soldiers, too.”
“You flatter me.”
Without reaction, no, looking satisfied, the Duke, Brody sighed in relief inwardly and replied.
“How about it? Do you think you can achieve the harvest amount instructed by the Chief of Staff?”
“If there are no variables like natural disasters.”
A refreshing answer indeed. Aiden nodded pleasantly.
“The hero of this war may not be me or the Chief of Staff but you.”
“It’s burdensome to say that when the results haven’t come out yet.”
The two now walked among the grasses that had grown to the size of their ankles.
The night was subtly shining with faint moonlight and stars that seemed ready to pour down.
Facing today’s battle, Aiden decided to immerse himself fully in this tranquillity, though he felt a sense of incongruity.
The chilly northern air, suddenly, a woman’s voice was heard amidst the rustling grass.
“Your Majesty, I have a question.”
“Hmm, what?”
Aiden suddenly thought Brody looked cold, so he gently asked as he draped his cloak over her.
Brody awkwardly accepted the Duke’s touch, bit her lip, and then, as if determined, opened her mouth.
“If we don’t achieve the goal, will you kill all the female prisoners?”
Hesitant, Aiden’s hand trembled as he fastened the cloak.
But he soon steadied his breath and looked at her.
Once the Duke had made sure the cloak was properly fastened, he withdrew his hand.
His eyes were shining resolutely in the moonlight.
His voice calmly echoed in the night air.
“I am… trusting you.”
“……”
Aiden spoke as he tidied up Brody’s loosely protruding curly hair, which was tied up for work.
“What we’re doing now won’t fail.”
Brody, feeling absurd, raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“I think it will go well, too. But there’s always an ‘if.'”
With her oddly confident answer, Aiden also cracked a slight smile.
“You’re so full of confidence, there’s no doubt. But if we must consider an ‘if,’ then…yes.”
“……!”
Brody was taken aback. Suddenly, Aiden appeared in her downward gaze.
So, he was kneeling before her.
“I promise on my honor. I will never let your courage and effort be in vain.”
Aiden said, feigning a kiss on Brody’s astonished hand.
This was the pose a knight would take when swearing to a lady.
“I… Your Majesty. It’s dirty. I mean, my hand.”
Brody hastily withdrew her dirtstreaked hand from touching the plant and hid it behind her back.
Aiden looked at her delicate escaping hand, wore an embarrassed expression, and then smiled faintly as he stood up.
“It’s not dirty.”
Slanting moonlight shining in backlight. And a smile dispersing in the night air.
Thump, thump. Brody’s heart raced madly, and her face flushed.
Brody turned to hide her blush and asked.
“Why make such a rash promise if I don’t do my job properly?”
“If you were afraid of dying for a mistake, you wouldn’t have volunteered.”
“So, so. If you’re going to kill the prisoners, you’ll have to kill me too.”
Though flustered and stumbling over her words, it was a clear threat.
‘To threaten the Duke of Ice Wall to save the prisoners. Putting my life on the line?’
At Brody’s strong words, Aiden’s heart began to beat.
Somehow, he felt an alarming respect, but also an overwhelming desire to love…
He approached her turned back, desperately resisting the urge to gently hold her in his arms, and answered.
“A knight’s oath is not a light matter. You can trust me.”
With her back turned, Brody was equally overcome with emotion.
‘Why is my heart going crazy? Ah, really, isn’t such appearance, such atmosphere, such dialogue cheating?’
Brody spoke as she walked to the opposite side of the Duke.
A desperate question to change the subject.
“I… When do you go into battle?”
Aiden followed Brody, slowly walking and looking up at the sky.
He seemed to be estimating the time by the positions of the stars and the moon.
“It will be soon.”
Brody stopped walking.
It’s war. A real war.
Originally, being the ice wall that would have killed her, Brody didn’t know the outcome of this war.
Whether he won or lost the war, she thought she could survive…
But the thought that he could actually die somehow made her uncomfortable.
“Please return victorious.”
“Hmm? You, a prisoner, say that?”
Ian spoke with a surprised face, as if he had never expected to be cheered on.
“Do you think we prisoners will be safe if Your Highness loses? No, we’ll be lucky if they don’t chase us out, saying we’ve lost our manners.”
Brody’s realistic response darkened Ian’s face.
“So, it’s better for us if Your Highness returns.”
Brody somehow replaced her personal desire for the duke to return alive with a general sentiment.
It was too embarrassing to speak from the position of a lover who celebrates his victory.
“Anyway, what now? I can’t serve tea to Your Highness for a while.”
Brody looked at Ian with eyes asking if it would be okay.
“There’s nothing to be done. You have something to do here.”
Brody nodded, looking worried, and the duke answered coolly.
“Don’t worry. The pain I’ve been living with all my life, it bothers me less when I’m fighting than when I’m still.”
“Ah… yes…”
She knew he was trying to alleviate her worries, but the word ‘fighting’ reminded her of the reality of war, making her more worried.
She tried, but seeing Brody settling down, Ian sweated heavily.
When he was wondering what more to say, Brody spoke.
“Your Highness, when you return victorious.”
“Ah, yes.”
‘When you return victorious,’ what a good premise. Ian sighed with relief as the awkward atmosphere passed and waited for Brody’s next words.
“If I successfully complete the mission, will you grant me one wish?”
“Yes, anything that I can grant?”
Brody’s face brightened at those words.
“Really? Promise, no, swear?”
“Yes, I swear.”
Ian saw her smiling and looking happy for the first time.
Somehow, it felt good to look at that smile.
He thought he should grant wishes often to make her smile like this.
Without even knowing what wish Brody wanted to make.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
