This Life, I Will Save The Duke (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 14
I couldn’t see him for several days.
I even went to the annex to wait for his reply and took walks near the Outer Palace on purpose, but I didn’t even run into him by chance.
Today, I planned to go directly to Kaius’s quarters and invite him to lunch, trying once more to persuade him. Surely he’d be tempted if I promised him delicious steak for a whole year—after all, the Kaius of the past had been particularly picky about the taste of steak.
“Pffhaa…”
After finishing my work in the greenhouse, I held my breath underwater and then surfaced. Ariel usually spent her vitality-replenishing time swimming. Since I’d taken considerably longer than usual, I hurried a bit. Wearing the artifact on my thigh, I stepped out of the greenhouse fully clothed—only to find an uninvited guest waiting.
“Ariel.”
At the sight of Ludvian, Ariel frowned deeply.
“What brings you here today?”
“It’s the day we agreed to go to the festival together.”
“Oh…”
I’d forgotten. Today was the day I’d promised to go to the festival with him. Ariel had kept him waiting in the reception room for quite a while before finally leaving her bedroom. Having no intention of giving even a single wrist to Ludvian today, she had concealed a dagger close to her body for protection.
In her memories, it was around this time that he had stolen her first kiss—so she had to be especially careful when leaving the palace.
***
“Why?”
As Ariel stepped down from the carriage, Ludvian blocked her path. Confused by his intent stare, she asked.
“Do you really need to cover your whole body like that?”
Since appearing at the festival alongside him wouldn’t benefit me—given that I already had an official fiancé—I’d hidden my figure beneath a cloak. That was also why I’d secretly instructed my guards to follow from a distance.
“If you dislike how I look, I’ll just go back.”
Ludvian, who had been silently watching her, suddenly took hold of Ariel’s hand. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go. My guard should have stepped in by now, having been instructed ahead of time—but he never appeared. Seeing Ariel glance around anxiously, Ludvian sneered.
“No one’s coming.”
I didn’t know what trick he’d played, but realizing I’d have to face him alone today, I pulled out the dagger I’d brought for protection and pressed it against my own wrist. I hadn’t expected to use it this soon.
Ludvian let out an incredulous chuckle at the sight—bringing a blade to a festival with him, of all things.
“Put it away. I never gave you permission to hold my hand.”
Ariel glared coldly, but he only tightened his grip. In response, Ariel pressed harder with the dagger.
This was a warning.
A clear signal that he wouldn’t be touching her body today. Frowning, Ludvian tried to take the dagger from her, causing Ariel to press even harder—blood slowly began seeping from her wrist. I hadn’t intended to go this far.
“Put the knife down.”
Finally, Ludvian released her wrist and spoke coldly. The moment his hand let go, Ariel quickly retrieved her dagger and stepped back. The pain was so intense that tears welled up in her eyes.
Ariel untied the ribbon from her hair and tightly wrapped it around her wounded wrist. She’d misjudged her strength—the cut was deeper than expected, and far more painful than anticipated. But she couldn’t let Ludvian see it.
This should have made my intentions clear; at the very least, I’d be safe until we returned to the palace tonight.
Ludvian, watching the whole scene, narrowed his eyes slowly. He could easily have seized the dagger if he’d wanted to—but for now, he decided to leave it be.
For tonight.
“Ludvian, I still can’t understand why we must enjoy the festival together. How about we just turn back right now?”
“I heard you like puppet shows—let’s go watch one.”
She’d asked half-hoping he’d relent, but his random reply only left her frustrated. Ariel quietly followed as Ludvian started walking ahead.
“This won’t change anything.”
At her quiet murmur, one corner of Ludvian’s mouth lifted in a faint smirk.
***
The festival grounds were dazzling.
People in vibrant outfits laughed and chattered; carts sold all kinds of goods and food; games invited crowd participation; and a large tent hosted a live puppet show.
“Tickets might sell out—go ahead and buy us seats for the puppet show first. I’ll buy a ribbon and catch up.”
When Ariel showed him her wounded wrist, Ludvian scowled and told her to hurry before walking off. Once he was out of sight, Ariel approached a cart selling drinks.
“One apple juice, please—with plenty of ice.”
“One wine—also with plenty of ice. And include the lady’s drink in my bill.”
Surprised, Ariel turned her head to see a tall man standing there, cloaked from head to toe—the same man who’d been making her anxious for days.
He looked at her with calm, dark eyes.
“Out enjoying the festival?”
Kaius gave a brief nod in reply.
“Um… You must’ve been busy these past few days.”
While he nodded once more, the vendor handed over their drinks, and Kaius passed hers to her. The sudden proximity of his hand stirred an uncomfortable memory—Ariel tugged her hat down further, unwilling to let him see her flushed face.
“I came out with Ludvian—but it’s not a date, I swear! I know it’s hard to believe.”
Worried he might misunderstand seeing her with Ludvian, she rambled on without being asked.
“If you’re free tomorrow, would you like to have lunch with me?”
After a long, quiet gaze, he finally spoke.
“Very well.”
His soft, low voice—heard again after several days—sounded pleasant to her ears.
“Then come to the North Palace tomorrow at the arranged time.”
Seeing his nod, Ariel, now in a good mood, gulped down her apple juice in one go. The icy drink sent a sharp pain through her temples, and she let out an involuntary groan.
Kaius, who’d been silently observing, couldn’t help but chuckle. She seemed perfect in some ways, yet oddly clumsy. Once the pain passed, Ariel looked up at him and gave a bright smile.
“Make sure to watch the fireflies—they’re truly beautiful. I proudly claim this is the best in the entire continent!”
The Letiana Firefly Festival was famous enough that people came from other countries to see it. Since the continent’s only firefly habitat stretched along the riverbank, visitors would enjoy the festival in the square and then, once night fell, board small boats to view the glowing spectacle.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Having said everything she wanted, Ariel bid him farewell—though she hadn’t even given him a chance to state his own business yet.
“Why is your wrist like that?”
He caught her as she turned to leave. At his question, she quickly hid her hand behind her back.
“It’s nothing. Enjoy the festival!”
She hurriedly bowed again and turned to walk away—she didn’t want him to see the wound on her wrist.
“Ariel.”
In an instant, Kaius stepped in front of her and seized her injured arm. Startled, Ariel reflexively tried to pull it free—but he held on tight.
“Why are you doing this? I said it’s nothing.”
“Stay still.”
His grip on her arm was firm. As Ariel blinked in confusion, he gently unwrapped the blue ribbon from her wrist. Seeing the deeper-than-expected wound, his brow furrowed.
With narrowed eyes fixed on the injury, he asked,
“Why aren’t you using your healing magic?”
“…”
It must seem strange—even she had wondered about it since childhood. When she remained silent, Kaius raised an eyebrow, pressing her for an answer.
“It doesn’t work on me.”
At her admission that she couldn’t heal herself, Kaius let out a small laugh and pulled out a hemostatic agent he always carried. The moment the medicine touched the cut, she flinched and tried to yank her arm away—her reaction was almost pitiful.
“It hurts.”
Then don’t do reckless things if it hurts.
Kaius pulled a neatly folded handkerchief from inside his jacket and looked up at Ariel’s face. The moment their eyes met, she instinctively turned her head away from his gaze.
Feeling his gentle movements as he bandaged her wrist, Ariel couldn’t resist glancing at him sideways. His soft eyes, lowered so deeply she could see his long lashes, felt strangely tender.
It was oddly unfamiliar.
As Kaius wrapped the wound, he recalled the moment earlier when Ariel had pressed a dagger to her wrist in front of Ludvian. The memory made his expression harden instantly.
Once the dressing was done, he released her hand without protest. She inspected her wrist briefly, gave a short word of thanks, and disappeared.
“Thank you for the treatment.”
Watching her vanish into the crowd, Kaius spotted Marquis Beloas approaching from afar. Ariel had insisted it wasn’t what it looked like—but the way that man’s eyes followed her told a different story. Based on what he’d observed over the past few days, it was obvious.
Kaius admitted it to himself plainly:
Even if she was only a politically arranged wife, he still disliked seeing her walk toward another man.
***
As darkness fell, the festival’s fervor shifted to the riverbank.
After watching the puppet show, Ariel and Ludvian headed to the pier. She didn’t want to share a narrow boat with him, but since viewing the fireflies was the festival’s grand finale, refusing likely wouldn’t help. At least, she thought, the crowd would ensure nothing untoward happened.
Ariel and Ludvian sat at the bow—the passengers’ seats—while the boatman rowed from the stern. The river leading to the firefly habitat glittered with lanterns from countless boats.
But Ariel had no leisure to admire its beauty.
The boat was cramped, and with nowhere else to sit, she twisted her body as much as possible to avoid facing him. Tense and alert, she tightly gripped the hilt of her hidden dagger beneath her cloak.
Noticing something off about their direction, Ariel looked around and realized their boat was veering away from the others. The distance between their boat and the rest kept growing.
“Where are we going?”
Ludvian only smiled without answering, and a chill ran down Ariel’s spine from a bad premonition.
“Turn the boat around—now!”
Their lantern was the only light visible around them. Fearful, she stood up—but Ludvian pressed down on her shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
“We’re going somewhere else.”
He’d planned this since the night of the ball. Tonight, Ludvian intended to take her to his mansion and make her his. If he took her body, Ariel would—no, she surely would—break off her engagement with Kaius von Elbaltan. Even if she refused to, he only needed to inform the Duke of what happened.
Then everything would fall perfectly into place, just as he wanted.
“No! I won’t go! Turn back right now!”
As she struggled to break free, the boat rocked violently. In response, he grabbed her by the back of her head and yanked her toward him. Sensing the ominous shift in atmosphere, Ariel tried to draw her dagger—but his grip stopped her.
“If you declare right now that you won’t marry that man, I’ll quietly take you back to the palace.”
His crimson eyes, inches from hers, reignited memories of past pain, fear, and anger. Her mind began to clear and grow cold.
“What did you say? This breaks the rules between us. If you do this, I won’t tend your flowers anymore.”
“Rules?”
“Yes! Rules! I care for your flowers, and in return, you leave me—and those around me—alone!”
Ludvian smirked, lifting only one corner of his mouth, and whispered into her ear,
“But isn’t there more to our agreement than just that? Cross me, and a curse might just fall upon the King and Queen.”
Ariel’s eyes grew fierce—at that moment, her gaze alone felt capable of killing the demon before her.
What startled her, though, was spotting another boat charging toward them from behind Ludvian. By the time she saw someone standing on its deck, the unlit boat was already alarmingly close.
But there was no time to think.
Crash.
In an instant, the boats collided—and Ariel’s overturned.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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MANGA DISCUSSION
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Chapter Comments (1)
Kaius is everything that is right with this world. I would have liked him to stay and accompany Ariel since he is her fiancé, but following her and rescuing her from Ludvian was way better hahaha. They get their moment alone, even if Ariel doesn’t take advantage of it.
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Rahzel Everlasting
Ugh, Ariel should have been firmer in pushing Ludvian away. I would love it if Kaius got way more involved in that and took her away with him instead of letting her stay with Ludvian—even if that parasite ended up being the third wheel, I wouldn’t have minded!