Until our Hatred Turns into Love - Chapter 2

The man’s platinum blonde hair shone brilliantly even in the faint winter sunlight. His skin was pale yet translucent, and his eyes were a very light, chilling grey.

A tall man of pale colors. That was Adelheid’s first impression of him.

However, he was not wearing an imperial uniform, and his appearance was far too magnificent for an assassin sent by the Emperor. No matter how she looked at him, he appeared to be nothing less than a high-ranking noble. Unable to gauge his intentions, Adelheid waited tensely for him to speak. As she stared into those quiet eyes, goosebumps rose on the nape of her neck. A fleeting moment felt like an eternity.

Finally, the man’s beautiful lips parted.

“I’ve come to get you.”

“What?”

The woman’s delicate brow furrowed deeply. It was utterly absurd; she wondered by what right he had come for her. Furthermore, he wasn’t even asking for her consent.

In the end, he just sees me as a lowly woman.

Even if it was inevitable given her current state, such an insult was unimaginable to Adelheid Raines just a few months ago. She felt a surge of anger.

“Who do you think you are to take me?”

“Ah, perhaps my introduction is late,” the man murmured quietly before continuing. “I am the master of Reichardt, Klaus Reichardt.”

Reichardt was the name of the Grand Duchy that guarded the northern part of the Empire. But the master? Could this young man truly be the Grand Duke of Reichardt? Adelheid could not shake her confusion.

I’ve never met him because he rarely appears in the capital, but I heard he was a veteran of a hundred battles.

Had his son already inherited the title?

“You are the Grand Duke of Reichardt?”

“Yes.”

He let out a low laugh that felt sufficiently overbearing. The man stood up abruptly and held out his hand to Adelheid.

“Let’s go. Drawing more attention won’t do either of us any good.”

“What is your motive?” she managed to ask in a cracked voice, her violet eyes narrowing defiantly.

“Motive? I’m saving you.”

“Nonsense.”

It wasn’t certain if this man was truly the Northern Grand Duke. The only thing certain was that he was not an opponent she could physically resist. Despite the intimidating situation, she spoke with a firm face.

“You cannot save me.”

His words were nothing but arrogance. There was no one who could save Adelheid Raines, a woman who could neither live properly nor die as she pleased. Not unless a god appeared and turned back time. But God was likely a mere illusion. If a god truly existed, he must be an evil one. The one who bestowed such a cruel hell could not possibly be a holy being.

“I don’t need it, so stop.”

“Adelheid Raines.”

Adelheid gasped in shock as the name she had almost forgotten herself flowed from the stranger’s mouth. Her transparent violet eyes widened.

“You, how do you know me?”

“Take my hand.”

Ignoring her question, Klaus urged her with a bored expression. Adelheid bit her lip as she glared at him.

The fact that the Iron-Blooded Grand Duke guarding the North is a handsome man who looks less than thirty, and that he acts as if he knows me well.

Everything about this man was suspicious.

“Answer me. Who are you?”

“I already told you.”

With a low sneer, Klaus suddenly wrapped his arm around Adelheid’s waist and lifted her up.

“Let go of me!”

Embarrassed to find herself suddenly in a stranger’s arms, Adelheid’s face flushed red as she growled.

“I said let go!”

But the more she twisted to escape him, the tighter his firm arm held her.

“You insolent.”

“I couldn’t just stand by and watch the once-noble you go mad like this.”

“Ha.”

Trembling with humiliation, Adelheid spat on the man’s flawless face.

“Then let me go mad.”

“…”

“Whether I go mad or die, it’s none of your business.”

The man did not waver despite her vivid hostility. He merely adjusted his grip on her waist and nonchalantly wiped his chilled cheek with the back of his hand. Adelheid did not look away either, maintaining a composed face. Even as she saw a strange glint in the grey eyes focused solely on her, she tried her best to hide her fear.

Though she looked destitute, she was a natural-born noble; one who knew how to boldly rebuke a man who lacked manners.

“How dare you pretend to be a savior?”

“True, I’m no savior. Perhaps the opposite.”

“If you understand, then, mmmph!”

Adelheid had never learned how to deal with a man suddenly pressing his lips against hers. When his tongue licked her lips, she reflexively opened her mouth at the unfamiliar sensation. The tongue that tangled with hers was surprisingly soft yet hot as fire.

Felt as if her brain were melting, Adelheid closed her eyes as if collapsing.

What is this?

This was the first deep kiss of her life. It was only natural, as she had never allowed anyone to kiss her before. Therefore, she didn’t even know how to respond. She simply held onto the man’s collar tightly, being led by him.

As if to steal even the very breath from her lungs, Klaus slowly pressed down on her. Adelheid felt the back of her head and her back touch the cold stone wall.

There was nowhere left to run.

She trembled slightly with a sensation she couldn’t identify—perhaps fear, perhaps something else. Just as her mind was beginning to drift due to the man’s thick scent, a cold wind blew and bit at her cheeks. It was then that she realized how absurd the situation was. Adelheid snapped her eyes open.

Since one of her arms was pinned by the man’s strength, she jerked up the hand that had been clutching his collar. She intended to slap him. But his hand, which had been resting against the wall, quickly caught hers.

Large fingers slowly interlaced with hers as he pressed his body closer. Adelheid was completely restrained. His solid frame crushed her, and his kiss became even more persistent.

There was no way to resist. Her body heated up, her head spun, and her breath became uncontrollably ragged. At the moment she thought she could take no more, Adelheid lost consciousness.

As the small body in his arms suddenly went limp, Klaus pulled away, lightly sucking her lower lip. He whispered in a husky voice.

Goodnight, Adel.

Her pale face with closed eyes remained noble despite the smudges of dark ash. Her lips, which had been so chapped they lacked color, were now glowing red like a freshly bloomed rose. Klaus wore a handsome smile, appearing thoroughly satisfied.

“Your Grace.”

A subordinate approached, covered the woman in the Grand Duke’s arms with a blanket, and informed him that the carriage was ready. Supporting the sleeping Adelheid’s head carefully, Klaus kissed her forehead lightly. Then, passing the bowing subordinate, he strode out of the alley.

A magnificent carriage engraved with the Reichardt seal stood on the empty main road. He boarded carefully to ensure the woman’s head wouldn’t hit anything.

“Let’s go.”

The moment the door clicked shut, the carriage sped away. On the cold road where only grey dust blew lonely, people who had been hiding began to gather.

“Why would the Grand Duke take that crazy woman?”

“Maybe they knew each other? Like a maid at the castle.”

“I’ve seen some guys talking dirty about that filthy woman. Surely His Grace wouldn’t also.”

“Hey, watch your mouth! Do you want to die?”

In fact, the person most curious about this whole ordeal was Adelheid herself.

“Mmm.”

She expected to feel a chill that would make her huddle up, but the room was strangely warm. Realizing the touch of bedding as soft and fluffy as a cloud, she opened her eyes in surprise.

Where am I?

Her mind went blank. She couldn’t understand the situation at all. Her violet eyes blinked in the darkness, filled with confusion. More than anything, the fact that she smelled good was incredibly foreign to her. The negligee she was wearing was also very fragrant and soft.

I can’t believe I don’t smell bad; it’s like a dream.

The room was dark, but seeing faint light leaking through the curtains, it didn’t seem to be night. Thanks to that, she could vaguely see the grand fresco painted on the ceiling. It was a scene from a massive war.

Adelheid stared up at the gold leaf decorations on the ceiling shimmering in the dark. She didn’t know how long she had been asleep, but she thought it had been a very long time since she felt this refreshed.

That man brought me here.

As her thoughts reached that point, Adelheid’s face flushed hot. The sensation of those persistent lips and hot tongue vividly returned to her. It was an insolence she had never experienced. Yet, Adelheid could not deny that the kiss had been enchanting.

While she couldn’t push him away, she certainly could have bitten his tongue. She could have even severed it with all her might. But Adelheid hadn’t done that. Even if it wasn’t by her own will, she had certainly surrendered herself to him. At the start of her twentieth year, she had shared her first kiss with a mysterious stranger.

And a shamelessly passionate one at that.

Adelheid touched her lips with a trembling hand, thinking that she had acted in a way truly unlike the Lady of Raines. No matter how her family had fallen, she had lived her whole life as a noble. Just because she became a commoner didn’t mean she could suddenly think like one.

What do I do now?

At that very moment, the door swung open with a bang, and light from the hallway flooded into the room. Adelheid hurriedly held her breath.

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