The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 75: Those Who Dwell Near Ink Become Blackened (6)

“Handle this properly, like an adult.”

I will… I will, okay? I really will…

That day, Astrid didn’t leave her room. It wasn’t just the embarrassment; she had no idea what to say if she ran into Leopold.

Of course, she knew what she should say. A proper apology was the right thing to do—any three-year-old would know that. 

But finding the courage to actually apologize was another matter entirely. When she thought about why she needed to apologize, the weight of it made the task feel insurmountable.

“Saying his sweat tastes sweet? How could you possibly say that with a straight face?”

I didn’t mean it like that… No, I wasn’t in my right mind! I went insane, okay?

The real Astrid had explained everything—the events, the cause, and the effects. Astrid understood, logically. But the shame was still unbearable. 

The fragmented memories from the incident kept surfacing, sharper and clearer: pinning Leopold against the wall, licking the sweat from his neck.

It wasn’t some figment of her imagination. It had actually happened. And as Astrid recalled it, she found herself unconsciously flicking her tongue.

“What are you doing now?!”

Ack?!

Realizing what she was doing, Astrid slapped her own lips repeatedly before letting out a frustrated sigh. She was losing her mind—she couldn’t possibly be sane after all this.

Regardless of the excuse that she had been under the influence of an arousal spell, her behavior was far too extreme. At this rate, she felt like…

“I’m nothing but a shameless harlot…”

“It’s funny you thought otherwise. And let’s be accurate—it’s not called a harlot.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s called a bitch in heat.”

She wanted to argue, but the real Astrid’s words were technically correct. She couldn’t muster a retort.

There were other things she wanted to ask, like how the real Astrid had swapped control of their consciousness without her consent. But she didn’t have the chance before morning arrived.

“I have to go to school, right?”

“At least keep your attendance record decent. I don’t blame you for not wanting to, though.”

“I’ll go…”

If her grades were mediocre, she’d need perfect attendance to make up for it. Determined, Astrid packed her bag. 

The textbooks were notoriously thick, sparking complaints among the students, but to her, their weight was like feathers—completely inconsequential.

The first class was Military Administration.

As the academy trained future knights, its curriculum was designed to prepare graduates for officer-level positions. Military Administration was a core component of this training.

Arriving a bit earlier than usual, Astrid entered through the back door of the lecture hall. The first thing she noticed was the figure of a girl with short hair and bronze skin: Violet.

Violet was facing the front of the hall, so she hadn’t noticed Astrid entering. Astrid tiptoed silently to the back row, avoiding attention.

Violet likely didn’t know about yesterday’s events, but Eranya had been present, so there was a good chance rumors had already spread.

Deciding she wouldn’t pay attention during the lecture anyway, Astrid chose a seat far in the back. 

Leopold hadn’t arrived yet, which was a relief. She placed her book on the desk and prepared to settle in for a nap.

“Astiiiiee~?”

The overly familiar voice brimming with mischief shattered her plans. 

Astrid barely held back a grimace as she turned toward the source of the voice. Eranya was smiling brightly at her.

“Yo. You’re here early. Didn’t see you in the dining hall yesterday.”

Without waiting for an invitation, Eranya plopped her bag on the desk next to Astrid’s and sat down.

“I-I just wasn’t hungry,” Astrid stammered.

“Ohhh, is that so?”

Eranya’s cat-like eyes narrowed mischievously, her amusement unmistakable. Astrid, unable to meet her gaze, turned her head away.

“Astii, look at me.”

But looking at Eranya would only invite more teasing. Desperately avoiding her, Astrid considered burying her face in her arms and feigning sleep. 

Maybe if she just fell asleep, class would be over by the time she woke up, and peace would return to the world. Sleep—oh, the infinite peace of slumber…

“Oh, look, it’s Leopold.”

“Wha—?!”

Astrid’s head shot up, only to find Eranya grinning at her. Realizing she’d been tricked, Astrid groaned inwardly. Before she could turn away again, another voice cut in.

“Astrid, I heard you caused quite the commotion yesterday.”

Somehow, Violet had appeared beside her.

“C-Commotion? W-What do you mean? I-I don’t know anything about that!”

Surrounded by Eranya and Violet, Astrid felt cornered. Her mind went blank as they closed in, poised to interrogate her about yesterday’s incident.

This had to be Eranya’s doing. If Violet knew about it despite not being present, Eranya had definitely spread the story.

“Don’t you think you were a little bold? You were downright daring! I mean, you even pinned him—”

“I’ll be taking this seat, Eranya Cadet. I had reserved it earlier.”

The deep voice interrupted, and the timing couldn’t have been better. Leopold stood nearby, placing his bag on Eranya’s desk.

All eyes shifted to him. Leopold, unfazed by the attention, motioned for Eranya to move. 

She glanced between him and Astrid before smirking and vacating the seat.

“Astrid Cadet, if you’re feeling up to it, may we have a word?”

Leopold’s tone was calm as he opened a book on his desk, then turned to Astrid.

“This is it. Your chance. Settle things properly.”

“I know…”

Steeling herself, Astrid stood and followed Leopold out of the lecture hall.

The weather wasn’t great. Overcast skies threatened rain, and the air was thick with humidity despite the refreshing coolness.

With little time left before class began, they stopped at a bench not far from the lecture hall. 

Astrid sat while Leopold crouched before her, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers directly.

Though she couldn’t decipher the full depth of his gaze, she could tell one thing for sure: he wasn’t angry.

“…Your Highness, about yesterday…”

Astrid took a shaky breath, bracing herself.

“I’m sorry. I think I… lost myself for a moment. I wasn’t in my right mind,” Astrid said softly.

Leopold didn’t interrupt her. Astrid didn’t typically apologize. For someone like her to offer such words now was unprecedented.

To Leopold, this felt like immense progress. It was as if the Astrid he had known had transformed into someone else entirely.

“No, it’s fine. Something must have happened. There were surely circumstances—an anomaly of some kind. I understand that much, so there’s no need to be so sorry. More importantly, Astrid…”

Leopold’s hand moved closer. Tentatively, he touched her side, gently running his hand over the area.

Astrid flinched like a startled fish. That spot—where Leopold had kicked her yesterday—now felt like it was burning from the mere graze of his touch. 

The sensation wasn’t painful. In fact, it was far more overwhelming than the impact of the kick had been.

“Tell him it’s fine.”

“I-It’s fine, Your Highness,” Astrid stammered.

“Even so, I kicked you with all my strength. It must have hurt. Are there no bruises? No marks?”

“No, it’s… perfectly fine.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief, though it’s also concerning. If my full-force attack didn’t leave a mark, it suggests I couldn’t even hurt you.”

“Say it’s a relief, like the incident ten years ago. Quickly.”

Astrid hesitated for a moment.

She didn’t know what had happened ten years ago. Only the real Astrid knew. Was it okay for her to speak as though she understood?

“I’ll explain later. This is the moment to clear the air. Hurry.”

“…If it’s like what happened ten years ago, then perhaps it’s a relief after all,” she said cautiously.

Leopold’s brows furrowed slightly at her words. His hand, which had been resting on her side, moved to touch his own neck briefly before brushing against her cheek.

“I see. So you’ve been thinking about that. Ten years ago… Yes, I suppose now things truly have evened out.”

Silence lingered between them for a moment.

“After the first class today, I’ll be stepping away for a while. If anyone tries to tease you about yesterday’s incident, tell them to speak to me directly. Don’t try to handle it on your own, Astrid.”

“Y-Yes…”

Without realizing it, Astrid nodded.

Leopold’s gaze was softer than ever before, and the tenderness in his eyes made Astrid’s face feel hot.

What is happening to me?

She couldn’t make sense of her own feelings.