She clearly remembered Demian telling her he would depart for war. The memory of his steady voice still echoed in her ears.
Noel nodded. "That is correct. And we are heading to him because those were his direct orders."
Valerie's heartbeat stumbled for a moment.
To the battlefield? To the Duke? To the warfront?
A hundred questions rushed through her mind at once, fear, shock, curiosity, all tangled together. Yet Noel's calm tone made it clear this decision was absolute, unchangeable. Whatever awaited her at the Duke's side… she was already being pulled toward it, unable to turn back.
"So you're saying… the Duke wants me on the battlefield as well? To fight?" Valerie's voice trembled, caught somewhere between fear and disbelief.
Noel turned slightly, uncertainty flickering in his eyes as if he wasn't sure how much he was allowed to reveal."I don't know, My Lady. I was only ordered to bring you to him."
That answer made Valerie's stomach twist painfully. She bit her lip, staring through the small carriage window as the wheels rattled over uneven soil. The farther they went, the more the world outside felt strange, dark forests, wet earth, and a grey sky that seemed to mirror the heaviness weighing down on her chest.
The journey felt endless. Her body grew stiff, her thoughts frantic, circling questions that never found answers. Why did the Duke summon her? Hadn't Demian himself said he would be gone for war? Why must she be dragged into a world that had nothing to do with her?
When the carriage finally came to a stop, she let out a shaky breath, yet her heart only pounded harder. As soon as she stepped down, dozens of sharp gazes locked onto her. The eyes of trained soldiers, cold, calculating, and intense in a way noblemen's eyes never were.
Their uniforms were jet black, marked with the symbol of a black wolf across their chests.The Morvex Wolf, known for ferocity, loyalty, and the kind of ruthlessness that came only from living at the edge of death.
"My Lady, this way. Please step inside first," Ash said, guiding her. Though his tone was polite, his posture remained alert, like a soldier who never truly relaxed. "His Grace the Duke is still in a meeting with the commanders."
Valerie nodded faintly and followed him into the Duke's personal barrack, larger and more refined than the others, yet still carrying the scent of iron, dust, and war. Inside, two women stood waiting, both bowing in greeting. They introduced themselves as Lira and Sera. Their faces were gentle, yet their expressions carried the fatigue of people long accustomed to the brutality of war.
"They will attend to your needs while you're here. Please wait until the Duke arrives," Ash explained.
Valerie frowned slightly. "Ash… am I here to… join the battle?"
Ash looked at her for a long moment. For a fleeting second, something like pity flashed in his eyes. Then he offered a thin smile, so faint it barely counted as one.
"No, My Lady. You are here because His Grace wishes for you to stay with him." His voice was soft but unyielding.
The word stay hit Valerie like a stone.
But Ash wasn't finished.
"The Emperor often sends women to the Duke and the other commanders. War… it brings out the darker desires of men. Women and drink become their only comfort when death breathes down their necks every day."
Each word landed like a blow to her chest. Valerie felt her breath catch, her throat tightening.
So that was it.
She was no different from the women the Emperor sent. No different from the battlefield courtesans.
The only difference…was that she belonged to the Duke alone.
A possession.A private indulgence.Not even valuable, merely claimed.
What was there to hope for in a position like that?
"You should rest, My Lady. It was a long journey," Ash said with a respectful bow before leaving the room.
And then Valerie was alone.
She stayed still for a moment, numb, her hands shaking slightly.Lira and Sera approached slowly, careful not to startle her, as if they feared the wrong movement would make her break apart right before them.
"Do you need anything, My Lady?" Sera asked softly.
Valerie lifted her gaze. Confusion, fear, and humiliation swirled in her eyes.
"Yes… I want to bathe. And eat. I… I'm exhausted."
Lira and Sera bowed deeply."Of course, My Lady. We will prepare everything at once."
Once they left, Valerie sat on the edge of the bed. She wrapped her arms around herself, only then realizing,
She was trembling.
Not from the cold.
But from the crushing truth:
The Duke had summoned her to the battlefield.
Not as a wife.Not as a companion.And not as someone respected.
But as something that belonged to him.
Valerie had already changed into the nightgown Lira and Sera prepared for her. She had eaten, washed, and now the two maids had left, leaving her alone inside the Duke's personal barrack.
The space was larger than any tent she had ever seen. A heavy bed covered in black bear fur dominated one side, and the floor was layered with soft deer hide to trap warmth. Everything here, every fur, every thick wooden beam, every iron hook, seemed deliberately chosen to shield the Duke from the merciless cold of the battlefield.
The wind outside howled like a wounded beast, yet none of its chill seeped inside. The Duke's tent was built like a fortress; warm, solid, unshaken.
Still, Valerie felt cold.
The noise outside pulled her from her thoughts. Men shouting. Laughter. The clash of metal cups. Curious, she stepped closer and lifted the fabric of the entrance just enough to peek out.
The camp was alive.
Dozens of Morvex soldiers, men in black uniforms bearing the crest of the Black Wolf, gathered around blazing campfires. Some drank greedily, ale dripping down their chins. Others leaned against women, women who were clearly not wives nor nobles, but hired comforts of war.
Lira and Sera had warned her earlier:All of them serve the Duke. All of them stay here because this is the restricted zone of the Morvex Wolf Battalion. The front line is only a few hundred meters away. The enemy waits one kilometer ahead. The war hasn't erupted yet… but it will.
Valerie's heart tightened.She didn't belong here.
She had no armor.No weapon.No right to stand among soldiers preparing to die.
And yet she was here.
Because he summoned her.
She exhaled shakily and peeked again, only to freeze when a deep voice rumbled behind her.
"I didn't know my woman enjoyed spying on others."