ISAAK looked at Princess Runa with interest after she asked if Lady Zoe could be her mommy.
He was happy to hear the young princess request something from him for the first time.
But it wasn't a simple request.
"Princess Runa, may I know why you want Lady Zoe to act as your mother?" Isaak asked curiously. "Is it because you're curious about the steak tartare that she makes? Or are you interested in her because she eats raw food like us, even though she isn't a ghoul?"
Princess Runa smiled and nodded shyly. "But there's one more reason why I want Lady Zoe to be my mommy if possible, Sir Uncle."
"What is it?"
"I like the face that you make when you talk about her, Sir Uncle," the young princess said cheerfully. "I think both you and I are the same. So if Sir Uncle likes Lady Zoe, then I feel like I can easily like her as well."
"I think we have a misunderstanding, Princess Runa," he said with a straight face. He didn't want to scare the young princess. But he thought a blank face was better than a frowning one. He knew very well how scary he looked when he was scowling. "I don't like Lady Zoe. I just find her interesting and fun."
Princess Runa smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "If you say so, Sir Uncle."
He was stunned.
[Princess Runa is really the late Empress Liane's daughter.]
He already noticed this earlier, but it seemed like Princess Runa was very interested in his love life.
To be honest, he thought the young princess was shy and reserved.
But ever since he brought up Lady Zoe, Princess Runa's eyes would sparkle and she would express her strong interest in the matter. That was how the late Empress Liane had reacted when he got engaged in the past.
Moreover, the late empress also had a vast collection of romance books.
[Empress Liane, it seems like Princess Runa is also a hopeless romantic like you.]
He remembered the first time he met Princess Runa. The young princess asked him to "punish" the blasted former Archmage. Of course, she had all the right to ask for such a thing.
But Princess Runa was still a child.
[Even if it's uncomfortable for me, I'd rather hear her ask things about Lady Zoe than hear her ask for something as vicious as killing someone again.]
"His Majesty, your father, also recommended Lady Zoe to be my contract wife," he said, because he couldn't reject Princess Runa's request. "But I'm not sure if Lady Zoe is going to accept my marriage proposal." He put his hands on the young princess's shoulders. "I can't force her to marry me if she doesn't want to, Princess Runa."
Thankfully, the young princess didn't look discouraged.
"I understand, Sir Uncle," Princess Runa said with a warm smile on her face. "I will cheer you on."
He gave her a small smile, then he changed the topic. "Princess Runa, you're probably bored now since you can't even go to the garden."
It was for the young princess's protection.
Since he and his people were still in the process of adjusting the protection spells in his entire estate, especially in the main building where Princess Runa's current bedroom was located, he hadn't allowed her to leave her room yet.
Moreover, the young princess's chamber was restricted only to people who had his permission to enter the room: Sawyer, Knoxx, Tori, Scarlet, and Briella.
"I'm not bored, Sir Uncle," Princess Runa said while shaking her head. "Miss Tori, Miss Scarlet, and Miss Briella often visit me here. They also bring me picture books, toys, and pictures of pretty dresses. And they also teach me how to read and write properly!"
It pained him to know that the true princess of the empire hadn't received a proper education yet.
But it was about to change now.
"I'm glad that you're having fun," Isaak said, then he changed the topic. "Princess Runa, I will give you a precious item that your father has sent for you."
Princess Runa's face instantly lit up. "For me?"
***
"DON'T enter Princess Runa's room unless she calls for you," Isaak instructed Scarlet and Briella, who were standing in front of the young princess's bedchamber. "I already told Her Royal Highness to call anyone of you if she needs assistance. For now, let's leave her be."
The item that Emperor Rino sent to his territory was the late Empress Liane's diary. Although Princess Runa hadn't received a proper education yet, he gauged that she could read a little. Since the diary was special, he was pretty sure that the young princess wouldn't have a hard time "reading" it.
Scarlet and Briella bowed to him, then the two spoke at the same time. "As you wish, Your Grace."
He was about to add another instruction when Sawyer suddenly arrived in a hurry.
"My lord, I received an urgent message from His Majesty," Sawyer reported to him. Despite the urgency in his voice, his face remained calm. Since Sawyer was in charge of his communication device, he was already used to sending important messages to him in a mannerly way. "Apparently, the Red Snake has left its lair."
He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Just when I thought the Red Snake is being too quiet…" He trailed off when he realized that Sawyer wasn't done with his report yet. "Do you have something else to report?"
The knight nodded before he spoke again. "Your Grace, I also received an urgent message from Lady Roseheart's attendant. According to Miss Dal, the Red Snake has approached Lady Roseheart."
He was shocked.
The emperor just sent him a message about Vaughn Wilson's recent movement. But the Red Snake was already after Lady Roseheart? Of course, it was possible for the duke to have access to long-distance teleportation scrolls. But that wasn't what he was worried about.
[If Vaughn knows where Lady Zoe is, it only means that he has planted a spy among Marquis Rochester's people.]
Tsk.
"Connect me to Lady Zoe's communication device," Isaak said in an urgent voice as he headed to his office. "We're leaving as soon as we get Lady Zoe's Constellation."
***
ZOE understood why the coordinates were called 'Constellation' when the wall where the Magic Gems used for communication were attached changed.
The walls suddenly turned black.
Then hundreds of sparkling dots appeared on the black surface. A few moments later, a shining blue line appeared and connected some of the dots until the outline of an object was revealed. Now it looked like a group of stars that formed a pattern that somehow resembled sea waves.
[Yep, it looks like a constellation of stars.]
And it didn't end there.
After the correct dots were connected, the remaining dots disappeared. The shining light also turned dull. Then the wall returned to normal.
Or so she thought.
A couple of seconds later, the wall was suddenly divided into two as if it was an automatic double sliding doors opening.
Then Isaak Viotto stepped out of the "door."
"Omo," Zoe said, amazed. This time, it wasn't Isaak Viotto's explosive handsomeness that shocked her. It was the fact that the "door" behind him closed and the wall returned to normal again. She couldn't help but clap her hands enthusiastically. "Magic is the best!"
[I'm really inside a fantasy novel!]
Isaak Viotto, whose handsome face was shining despite being clad in black from head to toe, looked at her and asked. "Does magic not exist in your world?"
"Nah," she said while sitting on the bed and admiring the Grand Duke's visual. God, he was so hot. And his black gloves? Chef's kiss! "I mean, I'm not sure if there are mages hiding in our world, but we're not capable of using magic."
"Interesting."
"Me?"
"Your world."
She just laughed at his blunt response. "Did you come alone?"
"Sawyer came through a different portal," he said. "I ordered him to check the area to see if Vaughn really left the town."
She nodded because she thought it was a smart move. "You didn't really have to come here," she said. "I mean, I'm grateful that I get to see your explosive handsomeness. But I wished you didn't leave Princess Runa. I'm capable of protecting myself."
"I have to come in person," he said. "You helped us find Princess Runa, but you didn't wish to be rewarded. The least thing we could do is to keep you safe."
"Uh-huh," she said, then she crossed her legs and observed Isaak Viotto. She could sense that he didn't come here just to protect her from the red-haired duke. "It looks like you have something else to say, Your Grace."
The ghoul duke nodded. "Have you eaten?"
She was surprised by the random question but she still gave a proper response. "Not yet," she said. "Should we eat together?"
"Okay," Isaak Viotto said, then he casually asked: "Lady Zoe, will you marry me?"
Zoe suddenly coughed because of shock. "Mwo?!"
***
NOTE: Hi! Please consider ADDING 'I Won't Let The Ghoul Duke Go Hungry!' to your LIBRARY. Thank you! <3