Trapped in the Mad Duke's Snare (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
In an instant, the Duke Torpeo who had become Mel could not bring himself to leave Adeline’s side.
Adeline recalled the moment the duke had awakened.
“Is that my name?”
“…Yes?”
“Mel.”
Mel was my name?
‘It seems the duke has lost his memories…’
Adeline regarded the duke with suspicious eyes.
He was the man who had mercilessly pressed a blade to her throat.
Yet now, this man gazed at Adeline with nothing but confusion in his eyes, demanding answers.
Just like this.
“Where exactly are we? More importantly, who are you? Agh… Is my name really Mel?”
Adeline’s suspicion that the duke had lost his memory gradually solidified into certainty.
He didn’t even know his own name, nor where he was.
Her original plan had been to appear like a savior beside the dying duke and become his life-saving benefactor.
But the duke who had immediately thrust a knife at her throat was nothing like the man she had envisioned.
‘Perhaps it would have been better if he had forgotten everything.’
She didn’t know when—or if—his memories would return, but if she cared for the injured duke well enough, perhaps someday she could demand a reward for saving and protecting him.
If time passed and his memories never returned, she would simply have to observe the situation and find a way forward.
With hope in her heart, Adeline snapped her fingers and began her gamble.
“Eh…! Mel, what are you talking about? I really can’t remember my name?”
Mel was, in fact, a word Adeline had mumbled in her sleep—but somehow, it had become the duke’s name.
And so naturally, the duke who had become Mel looked bewildered.
After all, how could “Mel” possibly be a person’s name? You wouldn’t call a puppy “Honey,” would you?
But Adeline pretended not to notice. No name had come to mind, and above all, it was he who had brought it up first. She reasoned that if his memories ever returned, she could simply claim she hadn’t wanted to confuse him.
The duke, trapped in chaos, glanced down at his shirt clinging sticky to his skin.
“I just don’t get it. I have a terrible headache, and why am I so damp…?”
“…”
“Why do I remember nothing at all? And why am I dressed like this? Explain immediately.”
Adeline’s gaze narrowed sharply as she stared at the duke.
It seemed that even without his memories, the duke remained a duke—his commanding demeanor came to him so naturally.
‘How do I explain his injury? I don’t even know why he looks like this myself…’
All she had read in the comments was that the injured duke had arrived at the villa.
She had no idea how he’d gotten so badly hurt—and she was just as baffled.
She was deep in thought when she remembered the wooden bridge connecting the villa to the sea had been broken.
Instantly, inspiration struck.
“He went out to catch the evening breeze and didn’t return for a long time. I’m just as puzzled as to why he came back like this.”
“Me?”
“Yes! Mel. Where exactly did you go? I was so shocked to see you return with a huge hole in your shoulder. Huhu.”
Adeline wiped away tears that had never formed, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket.
“You were unconscious for days, whether from poison or some wound. Honestly, I can’t remember anything at all?”
The duke’s expression reflected utter incomprehension.
Naturally—there was not a single part of what Adeline said that made sense.
But Adeline couldn’t fabricate events she didn’t know herself.
She had merely improvised, knowing she must prepare for the day his memories returned.
“Phew. The important thing is, Mel—you’ve awakened. This Del is truly overjoyed. That you’re safe. Truly, Goddess Helena has aided us.”
After a long silence, the duke gave a small nod.
“Huh.”
Just as Adeline sighed in relief, thinking he might let it go—
“Don’t you have anything to change into? Or better yet, I’d like to wash up.”
From the moment he opened his eyes, he had naturally begun issuing demands as if expecting service.
‘He’s a duke through and through.’
She wanted to throw everything aside and shout, “I’m a lady of House Credion too!” but how could a guest voice complaints?
By now, Adeline had grown accustomed to changing the duke’s clothes and wiping him down, and her body moved automatically.
“It’s because I sweated so much. Let me see.”
She approached naturally and began unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time.
Even as the duke’s firm chest gradually revealed itself through the opening shirt, Adeline’s expression remained steady.
Look at this sweat. Are you alright? I need to change the bandages too—wait here. I’ll help you change.
Adeline decided to switch on her kindness mode.
Even if his memories returned later, she wanted him to be moved by her profound care.
“You’ll help me change? You? Yourself?”
It was such a natural gesture.
The duke stared blankly at the unbuttoning buttons as if hypnotized, and only when he reached the last one did he reach out toward Adeline.
“Ugh.”
But he was forced to stop as pain surged through him.
The woman’s actions—removing his clothes so effortlessly—left a question in his mind.
Yet the woman showed not the slightest concern for the duke’s thoughts.
Adeline swiftly unfastened the shirt’s buttons and left to find fresh bandages.
As the bedroom door closed behind her, Adeline exhaled the breath she had been holding.
Leaning against the closed door, her legs weak, she bit her lip hard.
‘Is this really okay?’
She asked herself, but found no clear answer.
Well then, let’s pretend to be close.
Adeline, having made up her mind, hurried back to the bedroom with the bandages, where Mel—no, the duke—was waiting.
“Mel, were you waiting? I’ll change your bandages right away.”
“First, tell me who you are… Ugh.”
Ignoring his question, Adeline yanked sharply on the bandage she was unwinding.
“It’s Del, not you. I know you’ve lost your memory, but we’ve always respected each other. Please stop using casual speech.”
Adeline smiled gently and pulled the bandage tighter.
Though Adeline spoke softly, the duke felt there was no choice but to obey.
‘Right. What can I do when I’ve lost my memories? I’m a lady of House Credion, after all.’
“Was… was that so?”
As he unconsciously slipped back into casual speech, the duke saw Adeline’s raised brow and immediately added:
“…Yo?”
In that instant, Adeline’s lips slowly relaxed into a smile.
“Well done. You didn’t even hit your head—why can’t you remember?”
She smiled faintly, subtly scolding.
“Still, I’d rather wash up before changing clothes… Yo?”
“Can you stand?”
Feeling an inexplicable sense of defeat, Mel didn’t answer—he simply rose from the bed.
“Ugh.”
Perhaps because he had lain so long.
His legs weakened as he stood, and he let out a groan.
“I’ll support you. Come on.”
“Fine…”
Again, the duke muttered half a sentence, sighing briefly before speaking.
“…Yo.”
The injured duke was unexpectedly endearing—like a haughty giant cat.
Soon, the two reached the bathroom door.
“Mel. Look at me.”
As if soothing a child, Adeline turned Mel around.
Then, swiftly, she undid the remaining bottom buttons that hadn’t yet come free.
Starting from the right side, half-exposed from unwrapping the bandages, the shirt’s hem fell away.
Her eyes finally took in his body—she had been too focused on treating his shoulder to properly see it before.
His abdomen was sculpted as if carved, each curve sharply defined.
Countless fresh scars marred his bare upper body.
‘How did he come to be like this…?’
“Hmm. I’d like to bathe…”
Oops. She couldn’t seem to keep her mind off this man when she looked at him.
Adeline forced herself to appear calm.
“Shall I help you bathe?”
“I’ve already bathed. Please leave… Yo.”
The duke swiftly pushed Adeline out of the bathroom.
Mel’s ears, as he turned away, glowed crimson like ripe cherries.
Striding away, he slammed the door shut and vanished into the bathroom in an instant.
Even as he turned on the bathwater, he kept thinking of the woman—how she had boldly touched a man’s body.
Recalling the woman’s gaze tracing down his bare torso, he felt heat rush through him again.
He turned the faucet to ice-cold water and submerged himself completely.
Thus, the bath continued for a long while.
Waiting outside, Adeline suddenly felt time had slipped away.
‘It’s been an hour already…’
What had happened?
Had his memories returned?
Could he have died?!
Adeline’s imagination ran wild.
Tap-tap.
Unable to bear the wait any longer, Adeline flung open the bathroom door after the duke failed to emerge.
The duke’s broad back came into Adeline’s view.
Perhaps he had exhausted himself healing his wounds—he lay slumped in the tub, sound asleep.
“Mel! Mel?”
Adeline shook him awake. He showed no reaction, deeply asleep.
“Hmph.”
Only his furrowed brow and long lashes trembled slightly as if disturbed by discomfort.
His chest rose and fell only with each breath—he was fast asleep.
No matter how she looked, he appeared to be in deep slumber.
Adeline grew anxious that the duke, barely returned to life, might slip away again.
Should she save him? She hesitated—but she simply couldn’t bring herself to stare at the fully naked, muscular body of an adult man submerged in soap suds.
Then, an idea struck her.
She pulled the drain plug to let the water out and immediately began wrapping him in a large towel from head to toe.
She left only his face exposed as she wrapped him tightly.
Sensing Adeline’s fidgeting, the duke’s body twitched.
The thick breaths so close to her ear. The deep crimson eyes visible between strands of damp hair.
Adeline had never expected him to wake so silently—she felt her heart drop.
‘So close.’
Too close.
“Oh, no—I was just worried you weren’t coming out. I came to help.”
Adeline stammered out excuses, then hurriedly finished.
“Just rinse off and come out.”
She didn’t even know what she was saying.
All she could think was that she needed to leave the bathroom.
The moment she finished speaking and rose to leave—
Adeline was pulled back toward the duke by a hand tugging at her.
“…”
As Adeline sat down on the edge of the tub, their eye levels aligned again.
Slipping in the tub, Adeline plopped down squarely onto the duke’s smooth thigh.
She had tried to avoid getting so close—
Yet somehow, their distance had become even narrower than when they had faced each other.
So close that if she moved even slightly, their noses would touch.
The half-closed eyelids revealed pupils redder than ever, radiating decadence.
He gazed sideways at Adeline, then slowly raised his hand and swept her disheveled hair back from her face.
Adeline shuddered at the warmth of his hand brushing her ear.
There was no time to escape—then came a soft, drowsy voice laced with his hot breath against her ear.
“What exactly are we to each other?”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
3 Comments
Chapter Comments (73)
“He needed to divert the duke’s gaze as he lowered his head to closely examine the shirt.”
u meant “she” there
Poor Duke, what happened to him? I hope he gets better soon.
“Understood. Even though I’ve lost my memory, I’m truly lucky to have you.”
+“Me too. I’m really lucky to have you.”
Bwahahahaha 😂 i don’t expect this to be a comedy!!!
Inline Comments (34)
The Duke stormed out of the study.
Hmm, I feel that the Duke hasn’t lost his memory and that he’s trying to uncover it.
Faced with the sudden risk of being mislabeled a married woman, Adeline hastily
You just had a golden opportunity to turn this misunderstanding around and save your future self some pain and embarrassment…why claim to be lovers?
Counting the falling raindrops, Adeline soon drifted off to sleep.
This female lead is creating all sorts of issues for herself. Behavior like this makes forfeit any right to complain regarding future complications.
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Blairwoods
There was no time to escape—then came a soft, drowsy voice laced with his hot breath against her ear.
+
“What exactly are we to each other?”
Omo omo!!! The tension between them 😘
Artemtisforaday
Am I the only one who questions how the plumbing is still working after the place had been abandoned for so long?
Miioo
Kyaaaa, what’s with this atmosphere? Poor Adeline, it seems the Duke has fallen for her.