The Grand Duke of the North

Chapter 1

You know how these stories go, right? The kind where you wake up and find yourself in a different world? Aren’t there tons of tales where the protagonist gets pulled into the world of a book they were reading the day before? They always know what happens next, they make a fortune, and then they fall in love with a cold but secretly warmhearted, handsome duke. Well, that was exactly what happened to Yumi when she opened her eyes and realized that she had entered the world of a novel.

However, there were two problems. First, she had fallen asleep before finishing the book, so she had no idea how the plot unfolded. The second problem was that the character Yumi had taken over had been practically sold into marriage to the Grand Duke of the North. The only silver lining was that Selene, the soul Yumi now inhabited, was the protagonist of this book, so at least she didn’t have to worry about dying anytime soon. Except for one tiny detail—this was one of those dark romance novels, so there would be confinement and constant torment, day and night. Still, all things considered, it wasn’t the worst position to be in.

Oh, right, there was one more pressing issue: the timing of Yumi entering Selene’s body. It happened to be just after the wedding, right as they returned to the bedroom.

***

Day 1

Right after the wedding, Selene changed into a comfortable chemise and settled into the warm bedroom. Left alone and with the maids gone, she slowly approached the mirror. The unfamiliar face staring back at her had light blonde hair cascading to her waist and sky blue eyes, both of which felt strange and awkward. As she ran her fingers along the mirror, tracing her reflection, she suddenly thought that she resembled Selene, the female protagonist from the book she was reading yesterday.

It was a ridiculous idea. But was it really so crazy? Here she was, in a brand-new bedroom, having just changed out of a wedding gown with the help of the maids, staring at a face she had never seen before in the mirror. Her mind was so muddled that she could hardly think straight. She stumbled over to the bed and crawled under the soft covers. The moment her body sank into the plush mattress, a wave of exhaustion washed over her, and she closed her eyes before even realizing it.

Sometime later, the sound of the door creaking open startled Selene awake. Everything around her was pitch-black, and she could sense that someone had entered the bedroom. This presence exuded sinister energy, even in the darkness. She realized that she was indeed in the world of the book The Monster Archduke she had read yesterday. The ridiculous thoughts she’d had before falling asleep now seemed confirmed by the man’s presence. This was no dream—she had truly entered the story.

After the wedding, it seemed he had stayed to tend to the guests till late, only coming to the room once it had gotten dark. The smooth fabric of his clothing rustled as he moved from where he’d been standing by the door. In the dark bedroom, the faint light shining through the curtains allowed her to catch a glimpse of his silhouette. Even at a glance, his tall stature and brawny build intimidated her for some reason.

Leaning back against the headboard, Selene gulped, gripping the bed covers tightly. No matter how hard she tried to glimpse his face, she couldn’t make out what he looked like. The dim light offered limited visibility, but from what she could see, at least he wasn’t some beast covered in fur. Her type had always been tall, broad-shouldered men, so she held a glimmer of hope that they might get along. However, recalling the harsh descriptions of his appearance in the novel, she realized that it wasn’t something to get her hopes up for.

—He had lost vision in one eye, leaving its iris a haunting white, while the other glowed a striking red, resembling that of a demon. His fierce gaze, paired with crooked lips, only added to the beastly aura.

Overall, the novel described him as some sort of beast or monster. Regardless of whether he was conventionally handsome or not, his looks were intimidating. The Selene from the original story had been so frightened upon first seeing the grand duke that she nearly fainted. After that, true to his role as the male protagonist of a dark romance, he ended up imprisoning her. It certainly wasn’t out of love. This book was basically just smut with no plot or logic.

As Selene struggled to get a read on the grand duke’s face, he—Varas Belias—was also observing her reaction. The darkness was no obstacle for him—he could see the curiosity etched on her face. She looked like an innocent girl, as if she hadn’t heard the rumors about him. He’d been watching her from a distance since she arrived a week before the wedding. But for some reason, the girl before him seemed completely different now. Her demeanor was a far cry from the somber attitude she’d shown during the wedding, making him wonder if someone had perhaps switched the bride in the meantime.

Even in the dark, she diligently followed his footsteps with her eyes. She clutched the blanket tightly, looking like a terrified rabbit, but he couldn’t help but think that maybe they could get along after all. And yet, Varas quickly shook off that hope as he recalled his eye, the scars on his face, and his overall menacing appearance.

He slowly walked to the window and pulled the curtains shut, blocking out the light streaming in.

“Go to sleep.”

He swallowed a hollow laugh, wondering if he had sounded too blunt. Before entering the room, he’d never considered wanting to get along with the woman who would become his wife. She was just the illegitimate child of a failing viscount, no different from a commoner—someone who had barely managed to join the viscount’s family, only to be sold off for money. Besides, all he needed was a woman to bear him an heir.

Selene watched him close the curtains, sensing that something was off.

How did she faint from seeing his face in the original story? I can’t see a thing.

“Get some sleep.”

In the dark room, his voice seemed to echo softly through the air. It seemed like their wedding night would pass without anything happening, so Selene slowly scooched down the bed to find a comfortable spot. Still, her eyes remained fixed in the direction where she thought he was. She held on to the hope that she might glimpse his face, but even as she drifted off to sleep, that moment never came.

Day 2

Selene slowly got up from bed, taking her time to gather herself. Given that there were no signs of anyone having slept beside her, it seemed the grand duke must have slept elsewhere.

She yawned, then stood and walked over to the window and opened the curtains. As sunlight filled the room, she caught sight of a large figure sitting on a small chair by the window. It was the grand duke. Startled by the sudden presence of another person in the room, a shiver ran down Selene’s spine, and she gasped. She felt exposed in the brightness of the room. Finally, her eyes met those of the grand duke, who was watching her intently.

No matter how hard she tried not to, her gaze kept drifting to his left eye. His white eye, clearly a sign of blindness, was marred by a scar that ran down from his eyebrow. With a cold expression that seemed to show his displeasure, the grand duke created an intense atmosphere that made him seem unapproachable.

Avoiding his gaze, Selene quickly looked to the side. Seeing his tense expression, she instantly remembered her outfit. She was wearing a thin chemise, suitable for a wedding night. Her face flushed crimson as she quickly turned away, hesitating to move for fear that her skirt might billow up and reveal her butt. She hurried back under the safety of the covers.

It wasn’t until she pulled the blanket over her head and took several deep breaths that she heard the grand duke rise and head for the door. When she finally heard the distinct click of the door shutting, she pulled back the covers to scan her surroundings.

Varas had been watching as Selene got up and approached the window by which he was seated. When the room lit up, and she jumped at the sight of him, he thought it was as expected, but he soon realized that he’d been mistaken. It seemed she was simply startled because she hadn’t expected him to be there.

Upon first meeting Varas, most people were terror-stricken, their eyes unable to meet his. According to his subordinates, people felt intimidated by him because of his menacing looks and the murderous aura he’d picked up from his time on the battlefield. The person she would have to live with for the rest of her life was a rough northern man known as “The War Demon.” Moreover, once she learned he was blind in one eye, he thought that it would be a miracle if she didn’t faint.

What he witnessed instead was entirely unexpected. Watching her shyly turn around in search of a blanket made her seem almost cute. The way her neck flushed as she kept tugging at the hem of her chemise gave him the impression that she might actually see him as a man.

No, that can’t be it.

Who would ever think of him as a man? It was just a reaction to being dressed so inappropriately around someone else. Varas shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts, and headed off to get the chicken.

Selene scanned the bedroom to ensure that no one was around, then quickly found something to wear and got dressed. However, after squeezing into a dress, she encountered a problem. How was she supposed to tie the straps on the back by herself?

While she rummaged through the closet for something she could manage on her own, the door opened, and Varas walked back in. She quickly turned around, ensuring that she wasn’t showing too much skin. Fortunately, he didn’t glance in her direction as he walked over to the bed, pulled out a leather pouch, and yanked the blankets off in one smooth motion. She nearly screamed when she saw him dump the contents of the pouch onto the bed.

It looked like blood. There wasn’t much of it, but the unmistakable metallic scent confirmed that the red liquid was indeed blood. Clamping both hands over her mouth to stifle her scream, Selene sank to the floor. For a moment, she struggled to process what she was seeing.

Is this some sort of demonic ritual in this world? No way. That’s not human blood, is it?

Droplets of blood scattered across the bed, making it look like a scene from a horror film. His blank expression and languid movements—everything about this seemed like a scene playing out on a screen. The whole situation felt staged. Only the sharp, metallic scent of blood lingering in the air made the horrifying scene feel real.

Varas glanced at her briefly, then casually stripped off the blood-stained sheets and pulled away the thick furs beneath them as if nothing had happened. He tightened the drawstring on the bedsheets and slowly approached Selene. As he reached out with his hand, she took it and rose from the floor. Still, Selene felt as if her legs were made of jelly.

Varas took a moment to look her over. The dress slipping from her shoulders looked awkward and unkempt. He moved slowly, examining Selene, who was as stiff as a stone. When he reached behind her, he noticed the straps of her dress were undone. Her back, visible through the gap in her clothing, looked soft and pale.

Is this okay? he thought.

After hesitating briefly, he decided to tie the straps, but then caught sight of his ghastly hands. They were large, with thick knuckles covered in calluses and scars. What would happen if those hands touched her delicate skin?

Selene felt increasingly uncomfortable with Varas standing behind her. She could practically feel his gaze boring into her, making her skin crawl. Though Yumi knew how to take care of herself, that was the extent of it. She had never been with anyone at the ripe old age of twenty-nine. She had never been this close to a man before. Perhaps that was why the mere fact of being close enough to hear his breathing made her feel uneasy.

Just then, a soft knock on the door broke the tension.

“It’s me, Anna.”

As Varas shifted his gaze between Selene’s back and his hand, he hurriedly tied the string, trying his best not to touch her. His gaze remained fixed on the knot he was tying as he replied, “Come in.”

Moments later, a middle-aged woman entered with breakfast. Anna didn’t bother looking around the room. After placing the food on the table by the window, she gathered the bedding Varas had set aside and left. When the door closed, leaving just the two of them in the bedroom, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

What if I just… lock the door?

He caught the sight of her nape. Her skin was fair and smooth and seemed to emit a sweet, pleasant scent.