Chapter 9

As if mesmerized, I reached out a hand, but Himong clasped his two front paws together and snapped his head up.

Then, dodging the hand I was about to land on his bald spot, he leapt off the sofa with a spring.

“Himong doesn’t have time to sit around like this, nya. I’ll go watch for any signs of a gate forming, nya. Ayrbet-nya, do your best, nya!”

Finishing what he had to say, Himong didn’t even look back as he waddled toward the window with heavy steps.

While I was busy marveling at how he seemed to walk on two legs naturally, he opened the window with his front paws and disappeared into the darkness.

A night breeze filled with the scent of flowers blew in from outside, and I collapsed onto the sofa, drained.

I had to stop dungeons, protect the original plot… suddenly I had far too many responsibilities.

I had sworn that this life would be spent rolling at the peak of laziness, but at this rate, I’d be even busier than in my previous life.

“Sigh… my sweet honey…”

I felt like I could see the honey jar drifting farther away.

Flailing weakly at the air like a sleepwalker, I sniffled and forced myself upright.

I couldn’t live my second life gloomy like this.

I quickly reviewed the plot of The Butterfly Garden’s Secret Affair in my head.

I didn’t remember the beginning very well since it had been a while, but it was mostly the two protagonists fighting and then slowly falling for each other.

They’d snap at each other every time they met, then whine about how they couldn’t stop thinking about each other once separated, that part had been delicious.

The story began in spring and ended with winter.

Which meant there was less than a year left before this world would stabilize.

Who knew what kind of dungeon would appear or in what state, but after living eight years as a dungeon slave, one year was nothing.

The next two months or so would stay relatively peaceful, so I’d leave the original plot in the protagonists’ hands and focus on blocking the dungeons.

No matter what happens, I will stop them.

Raising my tightly clenched fist toward the moon high outside my window, I made a bold vow.

“Whether it’s a B-rank dungeon or an A-rank dungeon, bring it on. I’ll show you the grit of a possessor from K-country.”

I burned with determination for a moment, then remembered that I had cleared two S-rank dungeons in my previous life.

I slowly lowered my fist and brought my hands together in a polite prayer.

“But please don’t let an S-rank dungeon appear. Moon, stars, all the gods of this world.”

S-rank is something grit alone cannot overcome.

* * *

The day after Himong dropped that bomb on me, I returned to my room after breakfast, and Ruby delivered the same news as yesterday, but with a very different expression.

“The Duke of Piction has sent a letter.”

“Oh, right.”

I took the letter from Ruby. It said he would visit at the same time as yesterday.

With all my attention consumed by the dungeon situation, I had completely forgotten my promise with Linus.

We were supposed to walk together in the Titanoa garden today.

Meeting a sweet-faced man was something to look forward to, but Father’s words from yesterday weighed on my mind.

Something about how, since a duke couldn’t become a son-in-law, I shouldn’t grow attached to Linus.

Seemed like Father had other reasons for disliking him too.

If the Titanoa and Piction families had gotten along well before, wouldn’t it be best to maintain good relations?

But since Linus never appeared in the original novel, I had no way of knowing what his circumstances were.

As I stood there holding the letter and worrying, Ruby asked carefully:

“Shall I send a reply saying you are feeling unwell?”

Not only Father but Ruby also seemed to wish I wouldn’t meet with Linus.

Her sudden shift from melting at his smile yesterday puzzled me.

“You don’t want me to meet the Duke of Piction?”

“Well… His Grace seemed uneasy about it, so I asked around a bit more…”

“And you found what?”

“It seems he really isn’t the son of the late Duke Piction. There’s no one in the Piction territory who knows him.”

“Then how did he become duke?”

“He suddenly appeared with the late duke’s will, apparently. A legitimate will, handwritten and stamped. Since there was no heir, the Piction family had no choice but to accept him.”

“Then that’s fine, isn’t it? If he had the will, what’s the problem?”

“Well, nobody knows where he lived or what he did before. There seems to be a lot of talk within the Piction estate too.”

Listening to Ruby’s explanations, I understood the behavior of the servants I had met yesterday.

And I also understood why Father seemed reluctant about Linus.

But having lived in a world without social ranks, my reaction was basically “so what?”

Why should it matter where he lived before? He’s duke now, just live well going forward.

It was a far more legitimate identity wash than mine, when I had been called an “impurity of the world.”

Besides, he was the one who agreed to keep my secret.

Whatever becomes of our relationship, I couldn’t be the one to break the promise I had made first.

So a few hours later, ignoring Ruby’s worries, I greeted Linus warmly.

“Welcome, Linus.”

I smiled as I spoke, but strangely, Linus didn’t reply.

Maybe it was because I’d only ever seen him smiling since we met in the Butterfly Garden.

Seeing Linus without a smile felt unfamiliar.

When I tilted my head in confusion, he relaxed his eyes and broke into a radiant smile.

“Ayrbet, you are beautiful today as well.”

It was a smile that rendered me speechless.

Father, I’m afraid not.

This man’s face is too sweet.

My vision went a little hazy, and I almost blurted, “You’re even prettier,” before barely holding onto my sanity.

“The weather is lovely today, Linus. Let me show you the Titanoa garden.”

As I stepped out the front door, he followed with the excited expression of a puppy being taken for a walk.

Unlike the orderly rows of giant trees in the Piction garden, ours was cozy and charmingly arranged.

We wandered through the garden fragrant with blooming spring flowers, then took a seat on a bench in front of a small fountain.

Linus admired the view with his red eyes shining like candy, but at some point, he fell silent.

When I looked over, the bright smile had vanished, replaced by a lonely expression.

“What’s wrong, Linus?”

“It seems you haven’t heard the rumors about me yet.”

“You mean the rumors about your past?”

I asked lightly on purpose, since to me, it really wasn’t anything serious. But Linus seemed very surprised.

“I thought you would refuse to see me once you heard them.”

“Why? Nothing would change.”

“Though I somehow ended up as a duke, I don’t really know proper etiquette or…”

“If it’s etiquette, I don’t know it either, Linus. I’ve been asleep for ten years.”

“Ayrbet is different from me. I…”

He tried to say something, then bit his lower lip and trailed off.

Tall, handsome, sweet, perfect in temperament, and even a duke, how could someone like that look so defeated?

Just how much gaslighting had he gone through to end up like this?

“Why does the past matter? You shouldn’t worry about what people who don’t even know you say.”

“I’d like to, but… the person who knows the least about me is me.”

“What do you mean?”

“The truth is, I have no memories prior to becoming the Duke of Piction.”

“What?”

When I asked what he meant, he began an unexpected story.

“One day, I woke up and found myself in the Piction territory. The only thing I had was the late duke’s will.”

Linus said he had no idea where he lived or what he had done before, not even how old he was. He only learned his name was Linus because it was written in the will.

And since the former duke had died without an heir, he became duke almost by accident.

He bowed his head, saying it was only natural people found him suspicious. It was a devastatingly pitiful moment.

A handsome duke with amnesia. That was the exact setup of a male lead.

I absolutely love characters with mysterious pasts like that.