Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 68

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The sensation of the ground shattering beneath him sent a chill down Ed’s spine, freezing him in place as if his feet were trapped in a mire.

“It’s alright, Ed. This time, I won’t let you face it alone.”

But as the Grand Duke whispered this, holding him tightly and pressing his hand against the back of Ed’s head, Ed felt his fears ebb away.

With the Grand Duke’s warmth enveloping him, Ed’s heart beat rapidly, not from anxiety, but from the warmth and scent surrounding him.

Lifting his gaze, Ed saw the Grand Duke holding him close, his jaw set with determination.

Ed instinctively spread his arms, wrapping them around the Grand Duke’s back. He didn’t want to let him go.

The solid, muscular back pressing against Ed’s arms was both firm and reassuring.

Their clothing rustled as they closed any remaining distance, and Ed intertwined his fingers to ensure his grip wouldn’t falter.

The Grand Duke chuckled softly at Ed’s movements, the gentle sound rippling down to the top of Ed’s head.

In that moment, the world around them plunged into darkness.

“Ah…”

Ed couldn’t even voice a sound as his vision went black and his body dropped down, feeling himself bounce, hitting something solid with each impact.

Yet, the Grand Duke held him so tightly that Ed felt no pain.

After tumbling downward for what felt like forever, they finally came to a stop.

Ed raised his head slightly, still nestled against the Grand Duke, and looked up.

Large leaves draped above them, and white, cocoon-like bundles floated against a blue sky.

Staring in awe at this strange new world, Ed murmured, “This is… the Rift.”

“Yes, it seems a rift has opened near the hunting grounds,” the Grand Duke replied, gently stroking Ed’s hair.

Ed lowered his gaze from the surreal sky.

The Grand Duke held him with the care one might show a child, his arms strong around Ed, an unmistakable resolve to never let go.

“Are you alright, Your Grace?”

“Of course, Ed.”

Ed slowly loosened his grip, and as he attempted to rise, the Grand Duke’s arms released him with a warm smile.

Once free of that steady hold, Ed scrambled up, distancing himself slightly, only to look back at the Grand Duke, scrutinizing for any injuries.

‘Falling down like that while holding me, he must’ve taken the brunt of it.’

The Grand Duke met Ed’s worried gaze, then brushed the dust from Ed’s arm.

“Are you hurt anywhere, Ed?”

“No, I’m fine, Your Grace.”

“Good, shall we move then?”

“… Is it safe to move?” Ed’s gaze shifted warily to the white, floating cocoons in the sky.

The rift was a realm of monsters.

If they encountered them unprepared, it would put them at a disadvantage.

‘If it were just the Grand Duke, he’d handle it, but having me along would slow him down.’

Wouldn’t it be more practical if he left me behind and went alone?

The Grand Duke, noticing Ed’s hesitation, gently tapped Ed’s forehead to draw his attention.

“I can guess what you’re thinking, Ed. Those cocoons contain larvae of the butterfly monsters, gathering energy to molt.”

As Ed looked down and met the Grand Duke’s gaze, the Grand Duke continued to explain in a calm tone.

“There’s a core inside the cocoon. In this kind of situation, it’s best to wait until the creature breaks out of the cocoon and then destroy the core. That way, you don’t have to waste any unnecessary effort.”

“Oh…”

So, even creatures can have weak spots while evolving.

Thinking of everything that appeared like tangled threads as actual cocoons gave Ed an odd feeling. Were the creatures inside floating around and resting?

“This creature won’t attack first as long as the cocoon isn’t disturbed, so unnecessary battles can be avoided. And surprisingly, the cocoon is sturdy enough that it doesn’t break easily under ordinary attacks.”

The Grand Duke’s explanation was concise and easy to understand.

Relieved to realize they weren’t changing positions because of him, Ed felt his nerves ease.

Sensing the change in Ed’s mood, the Grand Duke extended his hand.

“Shall we move on, Ed?”

---

The second rift Ed entered felt incredibly surreal.

Sunlight poured in, and the trees were tall and grand.

Their leaves were lush and green, while the soft, plump cocoons that floated like white threads in the sky somehow looked almost…cute.

As Ed gazed at the scene, he nearly bumped his forehead against the Grand Duke’s back as he stopped abruptly.

Shaking his head, he restrained the urge to tap his cheeks lightly, but his right wrist was being held by the Grand Duke, leaving him no choice but to stay still.

‘Get it together.’

He couldn’t afford to be lax just because he was with the Grand Duke.

Even if this rift seemed peaceful, there was no telling when or how things might change.

Ed followed the Grand Duke quietly, careful not to get in his way.

“It would be wise to stay here and observe the situation,” the Grand Duke remarked.

The place he’d chosen was a small cave.

After checking inside with a magical light and confirming there were no signs of life, the Grand Duke led Ed inside.

“Sit here for a moment.”

Seating Ed on a flat rock, the Grand Duke glanced around, then bent down to pick something up.

‘What’s he doing?’

Watching him curiously, Ed realized he was gathering dry branches for a fire.

He quickly stood up, moving around the cave to collect branches and handing them to the Grand Duke until his arms were loaded with kindling.

The Grand Duke smiled and said, “Let’s make sure we finish this before we need to leave.”

Standing beside him as he prepared the fire, Ed looked for anything else he could help with and replied, “Yes, I’ll do my best to assist Your Grace.”

With a few motions, the Grand Duke sparked a flame, lighting up the cave with warmth and a soft glow.

Ed sat close to the fire, watching the flickering flames cast their shadows along the cool cave walls.

His gaze followed the dancing flames, and his eyes shone with their reflection.

The Grand Duke observed him, then added more dry branches to the fire.

The quiet crackling of the flames echoed softly throughout the cave.

“By the way, Ed.”

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“How did you end up in that pit?”

Now that Ed’s emotions had settled, the Grand Duke wanted to understand what had happened.

He hadn’t asked earlier because Ed seemed too shaken.

He thought it was best to wait until Ed had calmed down before asking about the details.

Ed, lightly poking at the flames with a small branch, looked up and said, “I was outside inspecting the golden ornament Your Grace entrusted to me when suddenly a vine wrapped around my ankle.”

“A vine?”

“Yes, it was incredibly strong. The moment it coiled around my ankle, it dragged me into that pit.”

“Then it must have been a magically created creature.”

“Yes, I think so. And it seemed to respond to the ornament’s energy, Your Grace. In the pit, there was a lab with a large tank containing vines.”

Ed calmly recounted the things he saw in the pit, including an elderly man using forbidden dark magic and the conversation he’d overheard.

“They must be targeting Your Grace.”

Listening to Ed’s serious explanation, the Grand Duke nodded, then lowered his gaze to Ed’s ankle.

The slight gap between his trousers revealed a faint reddish mark, almost like a light burn.

‘This must be from when he was dragged by the vine.’

The Grand Duke waited until Ed finished speaking, then asked, “Let me see your ankle for a moment, Ed.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine.”

“Hmm. Just a second.”

Despite Ed’s protest, the Grand Duke gently grasped his left ankle.

Under the firelight, a faint mark became visible.

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue softly.

‘Unfortunately, I don’t have any medicine.’

After a moment’s thought, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around Ed’s ankle.

Ed’s leg was slender and pale, and the red mark against his delicate skin tugged at him.

“…”

“…”

Tracing the mark carefully with his fingers, the Grand Duke’s hand moved lightly over Ed’s ankle.

Ed felt a tickling sensation rise, as if he wanted to scratch his neck.

Then, as the two exchanged a glance by the crackling fire, the warmth of the cave seemed to intensify.

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