Minsoo suppressed a laugh. The vice-captain was right: he was indeed a fraud. He wasn’t Archievald Glennhort; he wasn’t even capable of fencing or riding.

"But he’s right."

"He is."

"So why punish him?"

"Because he’s trying to cause unrest among my army. I can’t let it happen, and since you can’t take care of it yourself, I have to do it in your place." The duke sheathed his sword. "Your presence here is a problem, messenger. Maybe I should teach you how to use a sword."

"I’m not good at learning."

"How can you be so sure?"

Minsoo parted his lips, then closed them again. Because that’s what his family used to tell him, and slowly, like a vicious poison, he started to believe them. In the end, he wasn’t brilliant like his elder brothers.

"I have my reasons."

Duke Corvaliso narrowed his eyes. "I know you met Sallust. He told me what happened."

"I’m fine. Alaira is just angry with me."

"So being here is more like a punishment."

Minsoo shook his head. "It’s more like a second chance for doing the right thing. Most probably the last one I’ll ever receive."

And I don’t even know what will become of me once I survive until the end of the story.

Duke Corvaliso seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I’m willing to marry Lady Loder if it’s the only way to protect the North."

"That’s good to hear."

"So, is there something I need to do?"

"You could give her a gift. Is there something she likes?"

"Jewels, just like every other noblewoman. And she used to like books."

Minsoo smiled broadly. "Then you could gift her a book! A jewel is too much; it seems like you’re asking for her hand."

"And isn’t that what I’m going to do?"

"It is, but you can’t rush things. You’ll scare her. For now, you have to ask for her forgiveness and show her that you’re a good man."

Even though it’s a rather tough thing to do.

Duke Corvaliso furrowed his brows. "You seem like an expert on this kind of thing."

"You’re not the first man I’ve helped."

"I see." He averted his gaze. "So you’re not talking about personal experience."

Minsoo flinched and lowered his eyes. He had his share of relationships, but neither of them was a good one. He usually fell in love with toxic men who just wanted a rich boyfriend.

"I’m a divine messenger; how could I have experience in matters of love?"

"Then you seem pretty good at them." The duke stepped closer. "You said that I’d bring ruin to the North, didn’t you?"

"I did."

"But you also said that you could help me avoid it. If that’s true, then I’ll do as you suggest; in exchange for your help, I’ll grant you whatever you want."

He reached out a hand, and Minsoo grabbed it. There wasn’t anything he wanted more than finding a way to go back to his world, but it was also the only thing that the duke could give him.

But there wasn’t any reason to tell him.

In the following days, Minsoo helped the kitchen to prepare for the upcoming meeting. He supervised the preparations and took a bite of each pastry to taste them. They were delicious; the head chef was right in saying that she was the best in the North.

Knight Cara helped him to buy new clothes and ran errands for him in the town; the young boy seemed to have forgotten about Minsoo’s proposal, as if that conversation didn’t even take place. It was a pity—Minsoo would have loved to sleep with him—but it was for the best; the duke wouldn’t approve and he could get angry. Minsoo didn’t want to ruin his efforts to make Corvaliso Maythorne start to trust him.

The vice-captain—his name was Vilyan Bodger—started to avoid him. Minsoo was sure he was up to something, but he didn’t have time to think about it. The meeting with Lady Loder was right around the corner.

The night before, a knight delivered Minsoo a letter. There weren’t any names nor signs, nor anything that could help him identify the sender. And the text stated simply: ‘Meet me near the training ground’.

Minsoo furrowed his brow and burned the message. He didn’t remember anything like that happening in the visual novel, so it can’t have anything to do with the main plot. He could have ignored it and gone straight to sleep, but he was curious. Besides, he had a hunch about who the sender was.

He left his chamber, crossed the palace and reached the entrance. He exited it and a cold gust of wind brushed through his hair. He squinted into the dark, then he walked toward the stables. As soon as he reached them, the faint light of a lantern flared to life and Vilyan’s face emerged from the shadows.

Just like Minsoo foresaw.

"You really came, captain."

Minsoo shrugged. "You were the one who wanted to meet me. So, what do you want?"

Vilyan gritted his teeth. "You should step down from your position."

"Why?"

"Because you’re not qualified to be the captain of His Grace’s knights."

Minsoo furrowed his brow, and Vilyan flashed a broad smile.

"You can’t fence, am I right? I don’t know why, but I’m sure that you won’t be able to hold a sword anymore. You lost your memories, your personality changed as well, so I bet that you forgot even how to fight and how to ride."

"So what?"

"So you can’t be a knight anymore. I don’t know why the duke keeps defending you, but you should leave this place."

Minsoo laughed. "If that’s what you wanted to tell me, you wasted your time. I don’t care what you think; I’m going to stay here as much as I want."

He turned around, heading toward the palace, but Vilyan grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. Minsoo turned to slap him, but the vice-captain threw something wet similar to water at his face. Minsoo gasped and coughed, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"What are you doing, you bastard? Are you out of your mind?"

Vilyan grabbed his chin and smiled cruelly. "Don’t you like my gift, captain?"

Minsoo smacked his hand and stepped back. "You fucking asshole."

He gave him his best murderous glare and walked away, still wiping his face. He didn’t know what he threw at him, but he was sure it wasn’t water. Could it be piss? But it didn’t stink.

He entered the palace and headed for the upper floors, but midway to his chamber he started to feel dizzy. His vision started to sway, to flicker as if he couldn’t focus. His thoughts drifted and melted like snow on a warm winter day, his breath growing rapid and hot.

He leaned against a wall and clutched at his shirt. He had the feeling that he couldn’t breathe properly, as if he was drowning. It was the same sensation he felt when he was in the chapel.

As if a large presence was pressing against his chest.

A hand grabbed him by his chin and forced him to turn his head. Cold, violet eyes pierced him through the dimness of the corridor, thin lips curled in annoyance.

And for a fleeting moment, Minsoo thought that he’d like to be torn apart by that dangerous yet beautiful beast.