My Dear Grand Duke on a Leash - Chapter 96

Chapter 48.2 — Chalonné’s Man (12)

As if the others were mere statues or fixtures in the room, he crossed it without a second thought and stopped in front of her. In the next moment, something heavy landed on her shoulder with a soft thud. It wasn’t until she caught sight of the dark gray fabric in her peripheral vision that Riette realized it was his jacket.

Then, he lowered himself, kneeling on one knee before her.

His expression remained completely unchanged—neither softening nor revealing the slightest hint of emotion. His face was like an unbreakable wall, standing tall against any storm.

“…I’m late, Princess.”

Tears welled up in Riette’s large eyes at the sound of Cain’s tightly restrained voice.

Even though he had just arrived, she couldn’t understand why she felt like crying. Riette bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. It felt like the sturdy brick walls of a mountain cabin were shielding her from all the winds.

It was a sense of safety she had never felt in her life.

“….”

Cain’s gaze settled on her disheveled blouse, which had come undone.

Instead of fastening the buttons, he tightened the jacket he had draped over her shoulders, then turned and stood, positioning himself in front of her like a shield.

As he removed his suit jacket, his crisp white shirt revealed his broad, solid shoulders.

The vest, tailored perfectly to his muscular build and slim waist, along with the neatly draped silver chain of his pocket watch, reflected his character. He wore polished oxford shoes, black trousers with razor-sharp creases, and a double-breasted vest as part of his sharp lounge suit. His tall frame and well-built shoulders, topped with neatly styled black hair, gave him an imposing presence.

He exuded a clean yet commanding aura that few men could even hope to imitate.

“….”

His expressionless blue eyes swept across the room.

The first to be caught in his cold gaze was Ceres. She visibly stiffened under the weight of his icy stare. Only then did she realize he was holding something in his hand. As her anxious green eyes flickered toward his large hand, the deep rumble of his voice filled the room.

“To Her Majesty the Queen…”

The deeply resonant voice made everyone in the room flinch at the sound of his low, commanding voice.

“I’ve come to deliver this.”

Cain extended his hand indifferently toward Ceres.

It was a document, precisely folded into thirds with sharp creases. The paper was sealed with sealing wax, bearing the emblem of the Grand Duchy of Acheron. Ceres, with her nerves on edge, accepted the document and looked down at it.

Cain’s voice pierced through her thoughts as he parted his lips once more.

“This is the dowry Acheron is offering Chalonné as part of the arrangement to make Princess Lariette the Grand Duchess of Acheron.”

A dowry—essentially, a bride’s troops¹.

Unlike in Chalonné, where the bride prepares the dowry, Helios had a custom where the groom’s family provided the dowry to the bride’s family. This act was a measure of respect for the bride, and the approval of the dowry by the bride’s family was immediately regarded as a formal agreement to the marriage.

Ceres rustled as she opened the document to review its contents.

“….!”

“I believe you have no reason to refuse. As of today, Acheron will officially take responsibility for Chalonné’s safety.”

Cain muttered indifferently as he bent down.

His fingers brushed against the vase that had been left rolling under the bed. As he slid his hand into the vase’s opening and slowly stood back up, his imposing frame rising as he continued speaking.

“Therefore, whatever happens from now on will be the actions of Acheron, not Chalonné.”

Cain straightened up, lifting the vase. The heavy object sliced through the air with a whoosh.

Clang!

The loud sound of shattering porcelain echoed as shards scattered like bullets in all directions. He had struck Narkissis on the head with the vase.

“Kuugh…!”

“Your Highness!”

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Ceres and Bea let out short screams, while Riette, horrified, gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Narkissis staggered back, his vision spinning, before finally collapsing to the ground as his legs gave way. Ceres cried out his name and rushed to his side.

Cain looked down at him with a cold gaze.

“The ones who have laid a mark on the body of His Highness, the Prince, aren’t the second princess of Chalonné, but the Grand Duchy of Acheron couple. When you return to Helios, summon me, the head of House Acheron, Your Highness.”

Narkissis, with blood trickling down his forehead, gritted his teeth as he glared up at him.

“Kaisaros Acheron.”

“Also.”

Cain looked down at him indifferently as he casually ran a large hand through his tousled hair.

“You’ll pay the price for trespassing my bride’s bedroom and laying hands on her. You should be prepared.”

Then, he threw the remaining piece of the broken vase he was holding in his other hand onto the floor.

The shards of porcelain clattered to the ground at Narkissis’s feet.

¹ [ This term represents a cultural concept related to a dowry or a symbolic offering provided by the groom’s family to the bride’s family. The term ‘troops’ here metaphorically refers to the groom’s financial or material contribution in the context of a marriage arrangement. It signifies resources or wealth brought by the groom, similar to how a ‘dowry’ functions in Western traditions, but specifically from the groom’s side. ] ↩

Want to read more? Up to [15] advanced chapters are available on Patreon: