Kidnapped By The Crazy Duke - Chapter 26

Chapter 26
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Intelligence Commander Max Rockefeller, a general-level officer in the Progen army, frowned when he saw Noah coming into the command center.
The dark brown-haired general’s black uniform was crammed with many medals, as it corresponded with his long years of military service and fame.
Despite his middle age, his clear eyes were sharp and rigid, like a man who had spent his life in the military. He was a man who respected the former Duke who was the commander-in-chief and tried his best to protect his* son, Noah. (*his=the former Duke)
“I know what you’re thinking about.”
With his solemn tone, Noah showed a calm smile with his eyes bent round.
“What do you mean, Commander ?”
A deep crease appeared on Commander Rockefeller’s forehead as he looked at Noah, whose face pretended to know nothing.
“I heard everything. You’re planning to bring Admiral Belford’s daughter back.”
“…… As I suspected, Molly is a spy who pretended to be a maid to keep an eye on me.”
Noah bowed his head as he sighed. The general sighed as he looked Noah up and down with his yellow eyes.
“It’s because I don’t know what you’ll do. I managed to prevent what you committed last time, but there’s nothing more I can do.”
At his words, Noah squinted and smiled.
“As expected, uncle is the best.”
“Why am I your uncle? Call me properly. You were never meant to be a soldier, so why…….”
The commander frowned at the term “uncle” and pressed his eyelids together.
More and more, Noah was just like His Excellency Rothsilde.
He thought of Noah’s father, General Noel Rothsilde, who had blue eyes and gold hair in the same appearance as Noah today.
He was the heir to a prestigious family, but the man who had caused a stir in Progen by marrying a silver-haired woman he had brought from the colony.
The Duke and his wife lost their lives in an accident when Noah was not even ten years old. The Duke always seemed to foresee his death and would throw these words around as a joke.
“Max, if I die, will you raise my son in my place? Oh, I don’t mean that you should remarry my wife.”
The calm voice of the former General Commander, who was not at all serious, was still vivid. He was a crazy man who always got things done when he said he would. The same went for this guy, Noah.
“Colonel Rothsilde, I promised your father that I would protect your life. What possible reason could you have for being so attached to this woman?”
Noah thought about the message Diana had given him, “Tell me how you really feel.” He had to reply to that.
Noah, who had been silent and thinking, opened his mouth.
“I promised to marry her. Of course I’ll try to date more. We need time to get to know each other. But I think this will be enough.”
Commander Rockefeller softly opened his mouth and made a wild expression. He kidnapped the daughter of an enemy for no reason, and now that he decided to get married, he has to bring her back?
He shook his head as he lightly tapped the platform of his chair. He was going to have to convince Noah somehow.
“Marriage after how many times have you seen her? Absolutely not.
We’re in the middle of negotiating a truce and if you bring the Admiral’s daughter back again, there’s a good chance the other side will nitpick and demand a renegotiation.”
At least it shouldn’t end with a disciplinary action. Despite the heavy warning, Noah only stared at Commander Rockefeller and made no response.
“Can’t you wait after the war? There are only a few days left.”
At the added words of the Commander, Noah’s face gradually subsided expressionless. Noah stood upright and saluted with his hand on his forehead.
Beneath the palm of his hand, which was lifted at a precise angle, his murky colored eyes narrowed. The appearance reflected a clear intention of rejection. After Noah left, not quite sure where he would bounce, Commander Rockefeller turned his head and sighed.
“I don’t have a choice.”
Noah was a talent that the Emperor cherished and was wary of. Monarchs cared about competent commanders who stood out in war.
He (Noah) was also the man who could be of the greatest help to the current Crown Prince when he later became Emperor. In the future, he (Noah) may well become the Commander-in-chief of the imperial army, or even occupy the highest official position, the position of Prime Minister.
In the distant future, if the form of government would completely change, he may become the leader of a country.
The Commander Rockefeller feared that Noah, who would lead Progen, would lose much because he was obsessed with small things.
Noah, who had left the Commander’s office and was walking down the corridor, stopped walking and recited low.
“What if it disappears?”
***
In the end I lost my way in the deep forest because of this crazy horse.
“If the wolf appears, I will throw this perishable “Celine” as bait.”
I looked around and let out a sigh.
The endless rows of grayish-brown birches with the white bark of winter, one could only guess at the depth of the forest.
This old horse was stretched out in a state of exhaustion, and I couldn’t even ride the horse out of the forest. I shivered as the sun set and darkness fell, as well as the cold and fear that washed over me.
The forest was dreary quiet, and I could hear the occasional sound of wind and owls grazing through the thick trees. I leaned against the horse’s flank, which was steaming with body heat, and shivered to soothe the cold.
“You’re killing me. Celine.” (Celine the horse)
The horse made a neigh sound and brushed my hair. A feeling of exhaustion came over me and I lowered my eyelids.
If I fall asleep like this, I might see a dog-like ending of Flanders with this d*mn horse. Whenever I was overwhelmed by despair and loneliness, there was someone I missed very much. It was not my parents, who left me nothing but wealth, nor my family relatives, who were after it, nor my pretend friends. I was pulled into a deathly silence, and when I closed my eyes for a while and woke up, my vision was filled with a thick woollen uniform. From the clothes was the fresh scent of freshly washed wafting in front of me.
My sluggishly dozing senses awoke in every corner, letting me know that I was not currently freezing to death and that my body was warm.
I blinked and realized that my body was being held by someone. It was Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Grenendall with a completely unsuitable scent.
“Oh?”
“Are you awake?”
I heard a familiar low voice. In front of me was a flickering bonfire that I had no idea when he had started it. I dropped my body with an awkward look on my face as Jeffrey pulled back his arm around my shoulders.
“Did you come looking for me?”
“Yes, I did. Everyone was scattered and searched continuously. Let’s go back now.”
The righteous hero of the classic novel, whose hobby it was to help and smiled softly. A shadow hung long below his eyelashes, illuminated by the light of the bonfire.
I got up, approached the old horse lying helplessly, and patted him on the neck.
“Get up….let’s go home.”
I don’t know if it ran out of energy or what, but the horse didn’t get up. How could an animal that could sleep standing up so stretched out like this? It must have been overworked.
“It’s old and tired. It looks like it can’t even run from the start, but how did it get here?”
Jeffrey looked at the old horse and slowly swept its neck. The horse hung its head on the ground, as if it had no strength to hold its neck.
“I gave it a little sugar on a stick and it ran like crazy.”
“I don’t know where he got that kind of power, but I guess he was a cavalry horse.”
Seeing the old scars all over the horse’s body, Jeffrey held the horse’s neck and tried to wake it up, but there was nothing he could do.
“You’re a veteran, aren’t you? It’s been a while since you’ve had a good run, hasn’t it?”
I couldn’t call the horse ‘Celine’ in front of Jeffrey, and as I approached, the horse purred and let out a snort. I chuckled and touched the horse’s wispy mane.
“It understands what you’re saying. It’s smart.”
“Yes, it is. You complimented it earlier and gave it so much strength.”
The Lieutenant Colonel, a smile on his lips, leaned upward and looked at me, spoke in a gentle voice.
“Miss Diana. You have a beautiful heart.”
Gulp.
I nearly hiccupped, having never once thought of it that way. I’ve heard nothing but scathing reviews: calculating, double personality, mean, selfish, self-centered.
“It can’t stay here, so I’ll wait until it’s better.”
Jeffrey, who had been crouched beside the horse, raised himself. He was a warm-hearted man.
“Oh, I thought I was going to die from the cold.”
I felt a pang of remorse in my heart, so I changed the subject briefly and reached my hands out toward the fire. The warmth drove out the cold that lingered in my body, and I felt pleasant goosebumps.
“Miss Diana.”
Jeffrey quietly called my name. I loosened my shoulders and turned my head toward him.
“Yes.”
“Have you read the article?”
(*The article was about Jeffrey rescuing Diana from Progen. It said he did it to become a Duke or gain a higher position and to marry Celine.)
“Yes. Well, I understood it. There’s no good deed that comes from a pure heart.You do good as much as you are allowed because you have a benefit or purpose.”
He was the second son of a Duke, so it must have been to occupy the position of successor. Or he could stand to gain a higher position. At my words, Jeffrey looked down for a moment. He put a few more branches into the bonfire and spoke seriously.
“Yes, but your sister and I don’t have that kind of relationship.”
He sounded nervous and careful as if making excuses. What I meant was about the titles or status. I looked at him absurdly at his unexpected excuse, Jeffrey covered his mouth and cleared his throat.
“Of course, I have no desire to become a Duke, nor any desire to advance.”
“You came to save me for no reason at all?”
“No. You are correct in saying that there may be a greater reason.”
“What is the reason you came to save me?”
I asked directly. The color of the orange bonfire blurred in his blue eyes.
“My mother is Medean and has the same dark hair as you. I’m sure you know that you are half-Medean yourself.”
I didn’t know much about this body, and I didn’t have a portrait or photo of Lady Claire, who was described as ‘mother’ in the original story. I just knew that she had blonde hair like Celine.
When I went to the Progen Imperial Ball, Princess Erica of Medea mentioned that I looked like a Medean and I was out of place in the Admiral’s family. So I always thought that Celine’s mother was not Diana’s mother. And if there was a mother, she would be Medean.
“You said that because your mother is a Medean? That’s not very convincing.”
“When I first saw you, you reminded me of my mother, but there were other reasons as well. Some of it was my promise to my mother, and some of it was my will. Anyway, it wasn’t the reasons that the article or the gossip magazines stated.”
Jeffrey’s pitch black hair shook weakly as he did his best to explain. He looked embarrassed as he rubbed his face.
“What promise? What kind of will?”
When asked back in a harsh voice, he looked like he was on the defensive, as if he had been forced to maintain his normally gentle but cold figure. The near-difficult look was quickly wiped away. His gentle face returned and he rubbed his knees with his hands.
“Do you remember what I said to you the day you were kidnapped?”
“Yes. You said you were curious about me.”
My answer brought a faint smile to Jeffrey’s lips.
“I was interested in you from the first moment I saw you. I cannot tell you what the promise is, but I saved you to protect that promise and many lives.”