IOTLYG – 1

Prologue

Lynette glanced around, clutching the bundle in her arms tightly.

The hallway of the mansion was dark. Normally, the corridor would be brightly lit by magic stones, but now, only an oil wick crackled softly.

“…Where did… that…”

“Over there… make sure to capture…”

As the noisy footsteps faded into the distance, Lynette looked down at the bundle in her arms.

The checkered quilt wrapped tightly around it gave a small squirm.

“Shh. Not yet. It’s dangerous.”

At Lynette’s whisper, the squirming cloth covered lump stopped.

“Good girl.”

Lynette smiled gently and brushed her hair behind her ear.

If he caught her, this tiny child’s life might end right here and now. She couldn’t let that happen.

“Françoise.”

A soft voice accompanied the tender smile on her lips.

“Just hang in there a little longer. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

“I’d love to know where exactly that ‘safe place’ is.”

At the sound of a man’s voice, a long shadow stretched slowly overhead like a demon rising behind her.”

“…Ack!”

Lynette inhaled sharply and instinctively curled her body to shield what she was holding.

As if amused by the gesture, the man now clearly standing before them let out a soft chuckle.

“So, what do you plan to do with that thing you’re holding, Princess?”

“……”

Lynette clamped her mouth shut, afraid he might snatch the little one right from her arms.

‘Stay calm. Breathe.’

Lynette paused to catch her breath, then rose to her feet and turned around.

A tall man stood there. His lips curled smoothly upward, but his icy blue eyes were cold enough to make even the devil cry.

“Good evening, Dervel.”

“Well, I can’t say I share the sentiment… But did you enjoy your little escapade?”

“Escapade? I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

At Lynette’s feigned innocence, Dervel Chrysian slowly crossed his arms. Then, he smiled even more charmingly as he spoke.

“If sneaking around suspiciously, trying to hide something, and running away doesn’t count as an escapade, then what does?”

“……”

“If you hadn’t left like this, no one would’ve noticed that thing in your arms.”

“Ah.”

Lynette tilted her head slightly, wearing a deep smile, as if she’d finally caught on.

“This child is innocent.”

“Innocent…”

He took a step toward her.

“Sure, it’s innocent. But its very existence serves a purpose, Princess.”

“You’re awful. Françoise was born to be loved.”

“Françoise?”

His eyebrow lifted slightly.

“What’s that?”

“The child’s name.”

Lynette raised her chin defiantly.

As Lynette stood tall and stared up at him, Dervel’s eyes narrowed.

“You’ve already given it a name?”

Dervel let out a disbelieving laugh.

For a moment, he looked at her like she was speaking some foreign language he didn’t understand. Then, he donned a gentle expression and extended a hand.

“Hand it over, Princess Lynette. Cooperate willing, and I’ll pretend tonight never happened.”

“I refuse, Duke Chrysian.”

Lynette knew better than to fall for that smile. Instead, she took a step back. The chill of the stone wall behind her slowly crept up her spine.

Sweet on the outside, twisted on the inside—he was that kind of man.

Publicly, Dervel Chrysian was known to be charming enough to melt anyone, but Lynette was intimately aware of just how cynical he truly was.

Of course she was—she’d experienced it firsthand.

When she’d proposed their contractual engagement, he’d been so sarcastic she’d almost scrapped the whole plan altogether.

There was no way she could entrust Françoise to someone so spiteful. If the child ended up in his hands, she’d undoubtedly be killed.

If she hadn’t known, maybe. But now that the child was in her arms, there was no turning back.

As the first princess of the Holy Kingdom and the temporary fiancée of Dervel Chrysian, Lynette Igraine clenched her fist.

“I know it might sound strange, but I don’t want this child to just follow the future she’s been given, Your Grace. So just this once—”

“Hand it over.”

The standoff had clearly gotten on his nerves. Dervel’s brows creased with irritation.

Seeing this, Lynette pressed her lips tightly together and gave him a look full of resentment.

According to that ‘mysterious voice’, this child was meant to help her.

Now that that fox of a man was back and she couldn’t roam around freely in search of the ‘Lucky Star’ anymore; but losing this helper would throw a huge wrench in her plans.

So she had to protect the child, no matter what—
That’s when it happened.

“Squee…”

The checkered quilt in her arms squirmed, and before long, something pale pink began to emerge.

“No, Françoise!”

Lynette’s sharp cry rang out as a pink baby pig, Françoise, poked her little head out from beneath the quilt.

“That man’s going to kill you! Let’s go!”

With a desperate scream, Lynette clutched the piglet tightly and broke into a run.

Dervel watched their pathetic escape attempt in silence for a moment.

Then, when they looked about the size of his cufflink, he snapped his fingers.

The captain of the guard, who’d been watching nearby, sprang out and bowed deeply—clearly aware he was at fault, his face dark with guilt.

“You posted people ahead?”

“Three of them, sir”

“Lose them again and I’ll string you up by your feet on the outer wall.”

“We’ll ensure that doesn’t happen again, sir.”

Dervel gave the determined man a couple of light pats of encouragement on the shoulder.

“Bring them to my office.”

Leaving his diligently nodding subordinate behind, Dervel turned away.

She’ll be back soon enough, I just need to sit and wait.
In any case–

“Why the hell would you name a pig that’s destined to be dinner?”

He couldn’t seem to shake the irritation in his voice.

Chapter 1

Let’s rewind time just a little.

To the time just before Lynette met Françoise, when Dervel summoned her to his office, one month after his return.

“I heard you were looking for me, Your Grace.”

Hiding her unease, Lynette tilted her chin slightly with a gentle smile.

In doing so, a few strands slipped free from her high, haphazard updo.

Right now, Lynette could hardly be said to resemble a princess of a nation, not even as empty flattery.

The fluttering lace of her sleeves was crumpled, and the hem of her dress—tied up carelessly so she could move freely—was covered in dust.

And that her hair of hers?

Her luscious coral-colored waves were bound roughly with a ribbon, stray strands jutting out here and there.

She looked nothing like a Duke’s fiancée, let alone a Princess of the Holy Nation.

Yet Lynette’s fiancé, Dervel, rose without a word of reproach and pulled out a chair for her.

His eyes crinkled in a soft smile, the very picture of a man besotted with every last thing about his betrothed…
Lynette only raised her guard even higher.

“I’ve summoned you because I have something to ask you, it’s about the last two years while I was away subjugating demonic beasts.”

“Has something gone wrong?”

“Gone wrong…?”

Dervel gave the stack of papers a light tap and continued.

“Well. I wouldn’t say anything has gone wrong, exactly.”

Without taking his eyes off Lynette, Dervel picked up a thick bundle of documents.

“Please, speak freely.”

“Then I won’t hold back. A waterway construction project, bridge and road projects, crop seed improvements.”

As he ticked them off one by one, Lynette tilted her head, a somewhat solemn look crossing her face.

“That sounds familiar.”

“As it should. They’re all things you did. You even signed the documents of approval yourself. Quite nicely, too.”

“People often say my handwriting is elegant and refined.”

So that’s why he called me here.

Realizing Dervel’s intent, Lynette doubled down on keeping her expression in check.

Truthfully, he was slower to bring this up than she had expected. She originally assumed that Dervel Chrysian would summon her within two weeks.

It had been a month since he returned from that two-year-long demonic beast subjugation. He’d been so quiet she thought he might let it slide—but of course not.

While Lynette straightened with tension, Dervel closed the file he’d been reading, set it down, and narrowed his eyes.
What came next was a chilling voice, completely at odds with his gentle smile.

“I did give you authority over household affairs, both great and small, but I’ll admit I was surprised. I didn’t expect you to do quite so much for the Chrysian Duchy.”

“It just sort of happened once I got into it.”

Lynette smiled sweetly, feigning innocence.

Well, it’s not like she could confess she’d turned everything upside down just to search for a holy relic that was supposed to be somewhere on his lands.