How to Survive as the Wife of The Monster Duke

e had changed from intruder to guest.

He left Emil and Idith trailing behind.
Seeing Ilyin was safe was more important than the scolding of knights.

“Il -,” Aden started to call out as he neared the meeting room door.

“Your Majesty,” Idith interrupted calmly, and again Aden caught himself, took a deep breath.

Right, he thought.
If there is someone else in there, I must be Grandmaster Den.
So flustered he was in worry for Ilyin, he almost forgot the roles he had to play.

“Ma’am,” he called out.
“It’s Grandmaster Den.”

“Den?” Ilyin’s voice answered back, tinged with surprise.
Aden felt his face loosen for the first time since Emil’s outburst, though he flashed him an icy stare.

If Emil had thought himself hardened to the cold after meeting the Duke of Biflten’s eyes for over 10 years, that stare – and the chill it sent down his spine – taught him better.

“Rippo, may I let the Grandmaster of Delrose in for a moment?” Ilyin’s voice came from behind the door.

“Ah, yes.
Of course,” another female voice – younger, lighter – replied.

Aden could hear rustling from within.
Rippo was moving – the sound was very different from Ilyin’s movements.

“… I came to see the Grandmaster anyway,” Rippo added.

Aden’s eyes narrowed.
She came to see the Grandmaster? Or did she simply mean someone who represented the master of Delrose?

The door clicked, and Etra opened it.
She bowed subtly as he passed.
He controlled his steps, careful not to rush into the room as he went to Ilyin.

“Greetings, ma’am,” he said.
“I heard the report.
Are you ok?”

“Of course,” Ilyin replied lightly, “there was no problem.”

She could sense his surprise.
She smiled, waved both hands as if to dismiss his anxiety.

“I heard you came to see me, Rippo de Mille,” he said.
Officially, the girl had no title, but has the direct descendant of the Mille family, he had no choice but to use her honorific.

“And you should note,” he continued sternly, “I will be putting responsibility on the Mille family for this intrusion into ma’am’s room without any official procedure.”

“Den,” Ilyin cut in, raising a hand to calm him, “It’s ok.”

Rippo had heard much of the Grandmaster of Delrose – the deputy of the Duke of Winter.
The one who handled the Master Who Was Cold – and was quite cold himself.
He certainly had no problem retaliating for acts against Delrose.

But then she noticed his reaction to Ilyin.
At her gesture, he did seem to grow calmer, almost like…

Like a beast on a leash, she thought.
 But no leash, just the Mistress of Delrose.
She knew how to handle the Grandmaster.

“Den,” Ilyin said calmly, “She’s the guest of Delrose first.”

If he were the Duke right now, she would have spoken differently.
But “Den, Grandmaster of Delrose,” had to follow the will of the Mistress.
She hoped it didn’t make Aden too uncomfortable.