《How to Get My Husband on My Side》


 Chapter 1

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally found a worthy groom for you, darling,¡± announced Father, as he wiped off his lips with a napkin.


    Laying on the knees of my oldest brother Cesare, I felt the urge to run back to my bedroom and throw up all the food I¡¯d just eaten.


    My second brother Enzo, who had been busily chowing down on an awfully smelly quenelle, slammed his fork down and cried out in protest.


    ¡°Not again! Father, how many times has it been already?¡±


    ¡°Enzo.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been three months since her last engagement was called off! Regardless of what our family would gain from this marriage, shouldn¡¯t you at least try to consider her feelings?¡±


    ¡°What a surprise to see you side with your little sister. Then would you rather battle the barbarians yourself instead of accepting Britannia¡¯s support?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Those savage barbarians up north wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the likes of me, the greatest, most noble soldier to ha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut your trap, boy.¡±


    The great noble soldier took the rest of the quenelle on his plate and shoved it into his mouth, aggressively chewing in protest.


    The marriage proposal wasn¡¯t any surprise to me though. I knew that it would come sooner or later.


    ¡°Who is it, Father?¡±, I asked cheerfully.


    My father, who had been staring disapprovingly at Enzo, looked back my way and smiled.


    ¡°He¡¯s Britannia¡¯s hero. The king¡¯s beloved nephew and famous knight of the South. He¡¯s very handsome, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like him.¡±


    ¡°What! Father, do you know how bad his reputation is?!¡±


    ¡°Boy, was I talking to you?¡±


    Enzo became quiet again.


    None of them had any idea that this handsome knight would one day massacre their entire family. Oh poor, wretched creatures of this world¡­


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    As I pretended to hesitate for a moment, Cesare, who had been stroking my head, called for me again. This time his long fingers groped the back of my head. I shuddered in revulsion. It felt like a cold snake slithering up my neck.


    I slowly raised my head and locked eyes with Cesare. After glancing at his eerie azure eyes, I shifted my gaze to Enzo who was frowning discontentedly, and then to Lady Julia and my father beside her, both seated upright, poised and dignified as always.


    ¡°Thank you, Father. I¡¯m grateful that I can at least be of some service to you with this marriage.¡±


    Cesare curled his lips into a rare gentle smile and pressed them up against the top of my forehead.


    ¡°Perfect as always, our sweet little angel,¡± he whispered.


    Now I really wanted to puke.


    But I had more pressing matters to attend to than throwing up. After all, the handsome knight of the South was out to kill me too.


    ***


    I thought with that untimely helicopter crash that my tiresome life had at last come to an end and I could finally rest. But if I¡¯d known that I would be reincarnated as a lady in the Renaissance Era, and as a character in a novel that I¡¯d read long ago, and, to make matters worse, forced to survive in an environment that was just as vile as my previous life, would I still have thought the same way?


    If I was going to be reincarnated as a character in this novel, couldn¡¯t I have at least been born into a decent family?


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    I could feel my stomach tense up and my eyes begin to water. I¡¯d gotten good enough at throwing up silently that I didn¡¯t need to worry about being caught by the maids, but, nevertheless, it was still excruciating every time.


    One thing in common between my old and new life was anorexia, or as people call it nowadays, an eating disorder. Before I became Rudbeckia de Borgia¡ªI mean before I died¡ªI was an adopted daughter of an upper-class family in Spain. I guess you could say I was a child of charity.


    Having been adopted at a very young age, I knew nothing about the so-called ¡®Korean Peninsula¡¯ where I was born. Like my adoptive siblings, I attended a prestigious private school in Madrid and lived a life full of ballet classes, tennis club, horseback riding, and charity events.


    I think the first time I felt different than the kids around me was sometime around 4th grade, when a boy in my class laughed at me while pulling back his eyes. At first I didn¡¯t understand what it meant, so I just laughed along with the rest of the kids in my class. I thought that my eyes were round like everyone else¡¯s, so I had no idea that he was mocking me.


    Over time I grew numb to the racism that I faced at school, but as for my life at home, despite the sophisticated, welcoming facade of my adoptive family, there was always an unspoken rule that I was to be treated differently, that I was an outsider.


    Each of my adoptive parents had a separate lover, and my second brother, who was a rising tennis star, was publicly exposed for his promiscuous private life and drug addiction. The only one in my adoptive family who would sometimes treat me nicely was my older sister, and she committed suicide at age twenty-one. As for my oldest brother, I quickly learned that he was a monster just like his father.


    So it became a habit for me to play the role of a smart, cheerful, and obedient daughter, since if I ever brought the smallest bit of shame to my family or offended them in the slightest, there was hell to pay. And when I woke up here, it was exactly the same.


    At first I thought I was just hallucinating before l passed away. But when I looked in the mirror, instead of seeing my face, there was a beautiful western girl staring back at me.


    It took me a few days to realize that I¡¯d become Rudbeckia de Borgia, a character in the fantasy novel Sodom and the Holy Grail I used to read as a teenager.


    The novel was set in the Ressanaince Era and revolved around the tale of a vile, corrupt pope who abused his power to subjugate others. It was a story about the countries of the North and the clergy bravely rising up and banding together to overthrow the wicked pope, his family, and the entirety of the house of Borgia.


    The name ¡®Sodom¡¯ in the title referred to the people of the northern Romagna region of Italy, and ¡®Holy Grail¡¯ was a metaphor for the holy site of the Vatican City. And as for lucky me, I was reincarnated as Rudbeckia¡ªthe pope¡¯s only daughter.


    I, Rudbeckia, was destined to die, and to die no less than at the hands of my future husband.


    My father and oldest brother, in an attempt to gain even more political influence, were hellbent on marrying off Rudbeckia, and after three unsuccessful engagements and another last minute cancellation, she ended up being married off to Izek van Omerta of Britannia.


    As to why someone as noble and austere as Izek would lose his mind and decide to murder his wife¡¯s entire family after only being married for six months, it was Rudbeckia who made him go crazy.


    It wasn¡¯t love that made him lose his mind, it was hatred¡ªhatred of Rudbeckia, who¡¯d poisoned his little sister. Cesare had miscalculated the severity of Izek¡¯s rage.


    When I think about it though, more than being mad about Rudbeckia killing his little sister, it seems like Izek just got fed up with his backstabbing b*tch of a wife and ended up killing her.


    Regardless, it¡¯s clear that Rudbeckia was following Cesare¡¯s orders, and, if my vague memories are correct, Rudbeckia didn¡¯t exactly have the greatest of personalities either.


    As a matter of fact, I remember that after she moved to the North, she was known by those around her as the pope¡¯s evil spy, and was notoriously disliked for disregarding basic etiquette and treating other women like maids. That included her husband¡¯s precious little sister and even her childhood friends.


    But now that I¡¯ve lived as Rudbeckia for three years, I¡¯ve started to understand why she acted the way she did. ¡°The Beloved Princess of Romagna¡±, ¡°The Angel of Sistina¡±¡ªit was all just an act, just like my old life in Spain.


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    Hearing his knock, I shoved my mint candy pouch into a drawer and stood up. He opened my door before I¡¯d even answered like he always did.


    ¡°Cesare.¡±


    Cesare, known formally as Cardinal Valentino, still had on the black robes he was wearing at dinner. He had his father¡¯s jet-black hair and deep azure eyes, and although people described him as devilishly handsome, to me he seemed closer to the devil. It was a small comfort to me that the two of us didn¡¯t look anything alike.


    ¡°You looked upset earlier, so I got worried and came to check on you.¡±


    I played along like usual.


    ¡°Oh Cesare, you know me too well.¡±


    ¡°Are you unhappy about the marriage proposal? You can be honest with me.¡±


    As Cesare approached me, he paused, turning his head towards the small turtle statue on my nightstand. He seemed to stare at it with a kind of deep affection. It was a closely guarded secret of mine that I absolutely despised turtles.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just that the North is so far away. I won¡¯t be able to see you much while I¡¯m there, I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll be terribly lonely.¡±


    ¡°Why would you be lonely? You¡¯ll be with your husband.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything to me. If I could have my way, I would stay here and live with you forever, Cesare.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored that the prettiest woman of Romagna cares for me so much.¡±


    Cesare came beside me and placed his hand against my head, his lips curled in a smile of satisfaction. I had given him the answer he wanted to hear.


    He brushed his hand against my cheek and I continued to play along, closing my eyes like a stray kitten being petted.


    There was no telling when the hand that stroked me so gently would turn violent. Although I had managed to keep him and the rest of my family on my side so far, I knew better than anyone that, if they saw it fit, the people around me would turn against me in an instant.

 Chapter 2

    Anyhow, he was undoubtedly a strange man.


    Despite the way Cesare obsessed over me and clung to me, he didn¡¯t show the slightest hesitation using me as a pawn in his political schemes. For all I know, maybe he just thought of me as another one of his objects.


    Three years ago, when I¡¯d just gotten accustomed to the fact that I¡¯d become fifteen year-old Rudbeckia, I made the mistake of refusing my arranged marriage to the Duke of Rembrandt.


    With the foreknowledge that the duke would later become a key figure in the demise of my family, I invalidated our marriage right before the wedding was scheduled to happen using the humiliating pretense of ¡®bodily incompatibility¡¯.


    I wanted to do whatever I could to protect my new family that had treated me so well and stop whatever enemies would later plot against them.


    But as soon as I expressed my unwillingness to marry him, Father¡¯s usual warm expression morphed into an ice-cold frown that made my body tremble with fear in a way I was all too familiar with. That night I was locked in my room and beaten by Cesare until I nearly passed out from pain.


    It was after those events repeated themselves a couple times that I realized there was no difference between my old and new life. Maybe, in part, that was also because I knew that Rudbeckia wasn¡¯t actually the pope¡¯s biological daughter.


    Rudbeckia¡¯s biological mother¡ªmy mother¡ªwas killed as soon as she gave birth, before the pope met his second official lover, Carmen. Most people around me were already suspicious that I wasn¡¯t the pope¡¯s legitimate child, and, well, since I¡¯d already read the story myself, I knew their suspicions were correct.


    Putting on a facade and pretending to be family with people that didn¡¯t share a drop of blood with me, it was identical to my previous life. And after I became Rudbeckia, my anorexia manifested itself again as well.


    ¡°It hurts me to see you go too. This¡¯ll be the last time something like this happens, I promise,¡± said Cesare.


    ¡°But I heard it¡¯s dangerous there¡­¡±


    ¡°Dangerous? You¡¯ll be guarded around-the-clock by a legion of elite knights, you have nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll try to come visit you as often as I can too. It won¡¯t be that bad, every place has something to like about it. Just think of it as a six-month-long vacation.¡±


    ¡°Six months? It¡¯s really going to be six months?¡±


    I already knew exactly how long it was going to be but I pretended to be surprised anyway.


    He chuckled and wrapped a lock of my hair around his finger, pulling it up to his nose.


    ¡°Yeah, you just have to make it six months. He won¡¯t do anything to you regardless, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t what I was worried about.


    ¡°You¡¯ll really come visit me often?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I prayed that he wouldn¡¯t.


    Trying to convince the knight who¡¯d become my husband to not kill me was going to be difficult enough as it was. Even if I refused to poison his little sister, someone else would be hired to do it and I would end up being blamed.


    If I was going to stop my husband¡¯s little sister from being poisoned in six months, I had to start by convincing my husband and the other people around me, all of whom passionately hated me, that I was harmless¡ªthat I was their ally.


    At least it wasn¡¯t any different than how I¡¯d been forced to act with my previous families.


    ***


    Izek van Omerta.


    The successor of his father¡¯s legendary martial arts technique, he was given the title of knight at fifteen years old and at age seventeen was crowned the kingdom¡¯s youngest champion of the famed triannual dueling tournament.


    Through his heroic feats as a paladin, he became even more renown and celebrated amongst the people, but, because of his stubborn, headstrong personality, he refused every one of the marriage proposals he received, much to the displeasure of his father.


    The only females he was close with were his younger sister, Ellenia van Omerta, and his childhood friend, Flaya van Brianna. If I remember correctly, his standoffish personality was, in large part, due to his mother¡¯s death.


    His mother, once a young princess, was passionately in love with the duke, but after she became the duchess of Omerta and gave birth, she ended up killing herself while her children were still young. It seems like her death had a profound impact on both Izek and Ellenia.


    People believed that a soul who committed suicide was destined for eternal damnation, so their mother¡¯s death consequently became a taboo subject.


    To be honest, it was so long since I had read the novel that my memory of a lot of the story was vague at best. I wish I could¡¯ve remembered more¡­


    The reason why Izek had obediently accepted his marriage with Rudbeckia wasn¡¯t due to any sort of coercion from his father, it was because Ellenia had been arranged to marry the pope¡¯s second son¡ªEnzo.


    The Vatican was struggling to fight off barbarians on their northern border, and, with the added difficulty of internal conflict, they were severely in need of reinforcements.


    Receiving the aid of Britannia¡¯s elite knights¡ªthat was the point of these political marriages.


    After his announcement of the marriage at dinner, Father worked at lightning speed to prepare the wedding. A huge dowry and an assortment of elaborate gifts were sent to Britannia, and after my marriage was made official with a representative from Britannia, Father began arrangements for me to leave for Britannia immediately.


    ***


    I thought that after three years I would eventually get used to it, but every time I looked in the mirror I was still startled by the unfamiliar woman I saw.


    Her hair was a cascade of spiraling gold threads. Her eyes were shining blue lakes. Her supple cheeks and tender lips didn¡¯t resemble my original body in the slightest. The only thing even remotely similar between my two bodies was my long hair and small figure.


    When I was a child, I was always sensitive about how I looked different than the other kids around me, but, funnily enough, there are times now when I miss my old body.


    ¡°My beautiful daughter,¡± said Father with a warm smile, pulling me towards him and hugging me.


    I was eighteen years old and, by the standards of this world, a fully-grown adult, but I was still considered and treated like a child in many ways. Like how Cesare would always sit me in his lap and pat my head like I was some kind of pet.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make a wonderful bride, my darling. The North will love you.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°Aw, there¡¯s no need to be upset. Don¡¯t cry, my dear. We won¡¯t be apart forever.¡±


    If anything, I wished that this would be the last time we ever saw each other. Of course I cried though, that was part of my job after all.


    My father chuckled seeing my delicate face covered in tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you all.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to miss you too, so much, my dear. I would send your brother to accompany you on the trip if I could, but it¡¯s impossible right now, sadly.¡±


    How grateful I was that it was impossible. It was scary enough seeing the visitors from the North watch our family like vultures. Did Father really not care about the rumors they would spread about me and Cesare?


    ¡°Wuaah! I can¡¯t accept this bullsh*t! Am I the only one who¡¯s upset by this? Waaah!¡±


    ¡°Enzo.¡±


    ¡°Wuaaah¡­ Come here you idiot!¡±


    Enzo, who¡¯d been kicking the dirt and sulking by himself, hugged me tightly. Despite Enzo¡¯s fiery temper and all the mischief he caused, I never felt uncomfortable around him. In a way, he really was the only normal one in this family.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll miss you too, stupid.¡±


    Still grumbling, he hugged me so tight I could barely breathe.


    As he hugged me, Cesare, who¡¯d been watching us, approached and wriggled his way between us.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough Enzo, we don¡¯t want to suffocate her.¡±


    Six months.


    It was unclear what would happen after that, but the one thing I was certain about was that I wouldn¡¯t shed any tears if Cesare were to end up dying.


    Even if the entire Borgia family were massacred, I¡¯m not sure how upset I¡¯d be.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    Stroking my tear-stained cheeks, the back of Cesare¡¯s hand sent a cold shiver down my spine. I could feel his eyes staring inside me, like two vipers trying to strangle me.


    It was those vipers I feared. They were the ones that scared me into obeying Cesare. In a lot of ways, he reminded me of my oldest brother from my previous life.


    ¡°Cesare, you have to come visit me, alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. I promise. Make sure to behave yourself until then, okay?¡±


    How funny the human instinct for survival is sometimes¡­ that¡¯s what I thought about myself at that moment.


    Despite having been reincarnated into an even more miserable life than my previous one, I was still doing everything in my power to survive as best as I could. Funny, right?


    ***


    Although the people of the South believed otherwise, the North did in fact have weather besides constant rain and snow.


    During the summer, the sun shone brilliantly, and the weather wasn¡¯t excessively hot or humid like the South was. The problem was that summer was the only season you could ever see the sun.


    Every three years, the country¡¯s borders were opened and soldiers from neighboring lands were invited to participate in a grand dueling tournament.


    On a clear, sunny summer weekend, crowds of children gathered to watch the groaning, dust-covered men battle it out.


    Lord Ivan glared at his peers, both with pity and contempt, and then approached the man leading them.


    ¡°Can I talk with you for a second?¡±


    The man dropped his sword on the ground and took off his helmet, lowering his head.


    His sharp jawline and long eyelashes were delicate, almost angelic, a stark contrast from the hot-blooded stare of his scarlet red eyes.


    His gleaming, sweat-covered face. His jet-black, dust-covered armor. Standing at two meters tall, he looked like a demon that had just crawled out of the pits of hell.

 Chapter 3

    ***


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because Elly said so.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, seriously, why do you try to get on my nerves every time we talk?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that you have a thing for my little sister, you weirdo.¡±


    Ivan knew that it was pointless to try and argue with him so he chose his next words carefully.


    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that, while you¡¯ve been screwing around over here, your wife arrived from the South. I¡¯m not telling you to go run and greet her, but at least have dinner with her on her first night here¡­¡±


    ¡°Judging by the looks of you, it seems like there are plenty of people willing to meet with her while I¡¯m screwing around.¡±


    Ivan let out a long sigh of defeat.


    Izek smirked at him while untying his gauntlet straps.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°As a paladin of the North, I felt it was my duty to go and monitor Borgia¡¯s spy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough of your bullsh*t.¡±


    ¡°F*ck, fine, I admit it. I went and saw her because I was curious. Curious what the pope¡¯s famous daughter looked like in person. Is that so wrong? If you¡¯re so irritated by me going then why didn¡¯t you go yourself, huh? Izek van Omerta you rude little sh*thead!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I guess I got a little carried away.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Despite his delicate appearance which earned him the nickname ¡®The Flower Knight¡¯, Ivan was, to put it bluntly, incredibly short-tempered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna ask?¡±


    ¡°Ask what?¡±


    ¡°You know, if she really looks like her portrait, how her personality is, that kind of stuff. You¡¯re not curious at all?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Either way you should still meet her. After all, it¡¯s your obligation as her husband. And I¡¯m only telling you this because I can¡¯t stand to see you turn out like that duke¡ªRembrandt whatever-his-name-is¡ªand become an international mockery. Lord knows what would happen if you were to get on the pope¡¯s bad side.¡±


    In reality, no one believed that this marriage was going to last. Izek¡¯s obsession with his work and Rudbeckia¡¯s stubborn personality were an obvious recipe for disaster. Some people were already betting on the number of weeks left before the marriage fell apart.


    Ivan restrained himself from suggesting that Izek just marry Flaya instead. He knew that it was next to impossible and Izek was too naive to understand anyway.


    But after seeing Rudbeckia, who had travelled all the way from the Port of Elmus to Omerta Castle, Ivan had mixed feelings.


    According to Lord Evanste, who had acted as a representative at the Vatican¡¯s marriage ceremony, she suffered from seasickness the entire journey. Yet, in spite of that, all he could think about was her radiant smile as she stepped off the boat. She really was as beautiful as the rumors made her out to be.


    Her flowing, spiral golden hair and round, shimmering blue eyes¡ªher face was as beautiful as a porcelain doll.


    She looked so fragile, so delicate. Like she would shatter from a single touch.


    For reasons even he could not comprehend, Ivan felt responsible for her.


    ¡°She¡¯s small.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s small, really small.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying she¡¯s a dwarf?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying she looks so fragile that one dirty glare from you would be enough to kill her. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand where you¡¯re coming from, but try to think about it from her perspective too. She¡¯s been forced to come all the way here basically as a hostage. It must be incredibly frightening and lonely for her.¡±


    Izek, who was about to pick up his sword, paused and stared at Ivan.


    ¡°Seriously, who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a knight of the North. A paladin too. And the pope¡¯s daughter, the angel of Sistina, is now my comrade¡¯s wife. So you better get your *ss over there and meet he¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know, there was once a time when you swore you would slay the pope.¡±


    ¡°You know, my little sister cried when she heard the news that you were getting married. Evil b*stard.¡±


    Ivan¡¯s little sister was six years old.


    ¡°Tell her to forget about a bad guy like me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I told her but she won¡¯t give up. And now I¡¯m jealous that she cares more about you than me.¡±


    ¡°I see she¡¯s already capable of manipulating you, hahaha.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, what I was trying to say is that your wi-¡±


    ¡°I knew that the Borgias were famous for their shiny exterior, but did you seriously fall for her after looking at her once and now you¡¯re planning on betraying me?!¡±


    Behind them, a shrill, high-pitched voice cried out.


    Short-tempered Ivan spun around and pulled out his sword, pointing it straight at the approaching boy. The blade¡¯s sharp edge glimmered.


    ¡°Aaaaah! S-Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry, s-sir, aaaah!¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should cut off this ear for yah, eh?¡±


    ¡°Aaaaah! P-Please don¡¯t, sir!¡±


    To those that didn¡¯t know what was going on, it must have just looked like a knight harassing a pitiful boy.


    Only after making him let out another scream did Ivan finally let go of the fifteen year-old rookie¡¯s ear.


    ¡°What is it? Why¡¯re you bothering us again, Lorenzo?¡±


    Eyes teary, Lorenzo frantically checked to make sure both his ears were still attached.


    Izek, arms crossed, glanced at Lorenzo absentmindedly. To Lorenzo, he looked no different than a frost wolf that had just escaped the underworld.


    ¡°M-My older sister¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°W-With my sister¡­ after your current marriage ends, I think it¡¯d be great if you married her, b-but for the time being, I beg you to pretend like you don¡¯t know my sister at all!¡±


    Izek didn¡¯t react at all. It seemed like he didn¡¯t even understand what Lorenzo was talking about. So Ivan snapped at him instead.


    ¡°What the hell are you rambling on about now?! Kids these days¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry, what I meant is that, until your current marriage is over, please stay away from my sister! If you don¡¯t, t-that Borgia witch will kill her.¡±


    ¡°You really have no shame, huh? You haven¡¯t even met her once and your big, fat head is already full of prejudice.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not prejudice! If it was prejudice, then why did my sister lock herself in her room crying right after visiting Omerta Castle? She¡¯s never done anything like that before¡­¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you say she went?¡±


    ¡°Omerta Castle, sir. That witch¡­ Lady Rudbeckia, it¡¯s all because my sister visited her when she arrived.¡±


    Aha. Ivan knew that Flaya had plenty of reasons to be upset about this sudden marriage¡ªreasons her airhead little brother would never understand.


    How Lorenzo even managed to come up with such an absurd conclusion was beyond Ivan¡¯s grasp.


    Still not comprehending the slew of words coming out of Lorenzo¡¯s busy mouth, Izek tilted his head in confusion and then proceeded to turn around and walk away.


    Too busy squabbling with each other, it took the two a few moments before they realized that Izek had snuck away.


    ¡°Lord Izek?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Izek! Where the hell are you going? Hey!¡±


    ¡°L-Lord Izek, I still haven¡¯t finished my¡ªaaaaah¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, it¡¯s the Sabbath. Stop bothering me, you two.¡±


    Why someone who didn¡¯t know a single line of the Lord¡¯s Prayer was talking about the Sabbath perplexed both of them.


    Ivan glared at the knights sprawled out on the ground that had been secretly listening to their entire conversation.


    They looked back at him with devious grins.


    ***


    ¡°I heard you suffered terrible seasickness on your way here, I hope you¡¯re feeling alright.¡±


    At least one nice thing about the long journey was that my excuse of seasickness let me avoid meals and throw up whenever I needed to.


    Getting away from my family was nice too.


    After arriving at Britannia¡¯s capital city of Elendale and partaking in the welcoming procession, I was escorted to Omerta Castle to meet with Ellenia van Omerta.


    ¡°I think it was because it was my first time on a long trip like this. It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say, but this is actually my first time leaving the South¡­¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to be embarrassed about. As a matter of fact, I myself have never had the chance to leave Elendale,¡± replied Ellenia softly.


    Ellenia was, in all honesty, gorgeous beyond belief. I didn¡¯t understand how someone could actually look like her.


    The beautiful people I was surrounded by in both my lifetimes were no match for her.


    She was like a marble statue. I gazed dumbfoundedly at her long, model-like physique, her cascading silver hair, and, most stunningly, her brilliant red eyes which glistened like gemstones.


    Despite what I had assumed, her red eyes were, if anything, more fascinating than scary. I was captivated by her cold, controlled exterior. For someone to try and murder this creation was a crime against humanity.


    ¡°Is the food not to your liking?¡± said Ellenia, turning her head towards me.


    She was the same age as me, Rudbeckia, but she seemed more mature in every way.


    I¡¯d always been good at reading people¡¯s emotions, but Ellenia¡¯s poker face was impossible to read.

 Chapter 4

    ¡ª


    ¡°I asked them to make it light so that you¡¯d feel better.¡±


    ¡°No, everything is so good. I guess I was just really nervous. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    What here doesn¡¯t suit my taste?


    The scent of the cherry jam applied smoothly on the thin bread, hot onion soup, and fish meat covered with an unknown sauce was absolutely tempting.


    I was always madly hungry.


    It¡¯s not that I never wanted to eat, but that I ate at a place where I had no choice but to throw up.


    In that sense, it was rather more comfortable to have a ball-like event.


    No one cared about who ate what in those events.


    The only person who could control me was myself.


    Ellenia, who stared at me for a while, smiled like a happy child, and soon told me to finish up.


    After a while, the empty plates were taken away. A fragrant tea and a simple dessert came out.


    ¡°As you know, here in Elendale, it¡¯s crowded every summer, so I ask for your understanding that my brother might be a little late. My father will not return to the capital until the end of the month due to political issues. I¡¯m sorry for the lack of hospitality.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m fine, I do not mind it.¡±


    ¡°Since my mother¡¯s death, I¡¯ve been living in this mansion. I was in charge of the housekeeping, but I can change it to the Lady¡¯s preference. If you don¡¯t like it or if you¡¯re uncomfortable with it, you can ask a maid to switch things.¡±


    Ah, ¡®the Lady¡¯. A strange and awkward title.


    I pretended to fiddle with the teacup, my eyes gazing downwards.


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, but I¡¯d rather it stay the same for a while. I¡¯m not used to the customs here yet and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get in trouble if I go too far.¡±


    With that impassive look on her face, Ellenia, who had put the teacup down, stared straight at me again.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. No one would dare think of you like that.¡±


    Formal words. Businesslike reactions.


    Nevertheless, there were signs of her being surprised and anxious. I smiled innocently as if I didn¡¯t know anything and changed the subject.


    ¡± More importantly, I¡¯d like to ask you something else.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to ask me anything.¡±


    ¡°Can you just call me Ruby for the time being?¡±


    Ellenia did not immediately reply.


    I looked carefully at her perfect poker face and pretended to swallow in nervousness.


    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m a stranger here, and even though I knew what was coming, I¡¯m honestly clueless of how I¡¯ll adjust. If I had someone like you as a friend, I¡¯d have a lot of courage¡­¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Uwah, thank you!¡±


    As I leaned forward and held her hands with a wide smile, I felt her trembling. I quickly let go of her hands and moved away, stuttering embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m being rude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°T-then can I call you Ellen?¡±


    ¡°It would be nice to be comfortable with each other.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t imagine this cold beauty, being comfortable with someone. She calmly lowered her eyes.


    Then, she added, as if she was sighing, ¡°It¡¯s not good to act too kind. Too much humility can cause misunderstanding.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mean it out of concern for me.


    It was an implicit suggestion that if we both were hiding our true colors, we should get to know each other comfortably and quickly.


    I also didn¡¯t expect her to let go of her guard against me already, but I think she succeeded in making an unexpected impression.


    I didn¡¯t want people here to like me, including Ellenia.


    My purpose was to come off as harmless as possible. For a fool who is not like the others in the Borgia family. A mild-mannered fool, unlike rumors circulating around the world.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to being misunderstood. I¡¯ll try hard so that I don¡¯t become anyone.¡±


    Once again, Ellenia gazed at me silently.


    I suddenly remembered my sister. What she looked like at the end. Blood clots stuck to her frail wrist.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you where you¡¯re going to stay.¡±


    I could see the sea through the window with the curtains pulled back.


    The sunset, which painted the horizon all red, extended all the way here and warmed the white room.


    Ellenia approached me behind the line, looking at the window.


    ¡°I tried my best to decorate the room, but I don¡¯t know if you like it.¡±


    ¡°I like it very much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you around the mansion tomorrow. If you like any other room¡­ ¡°


    ¡°No, I really like it the way it is. I like the view. I¡¯ve always wanted a room with a view of the sea.¡±


    Ellenia didn¡¯t flinch when I held her hand this time.


    Instead, she lowered his eyes as if she was caught off-guard, and stared at the hand I was touching. She spoke in a slightly subdued tone,¡±You must be tired today, so it¡¯s better to rest early. My brother might be late because of his schedule¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ellen.¡±


    I just wanted to sleep. I knew it would be the same from the first day. There was nothing to be hurt about it.


    No, rather, I felt relieved.


    Either way, my goal was not to win his love. Maybe not even compassion.


    I could see a tall maid like a pole over Ellenia¡¯s shoulder, looking silently at me. To describe her expression¡­


    It was a mixture of ridicule and contempt, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    Being considered insignificant is familiar and acceptable.


    ***


    Cold.


    I woke up to notice my teeth chattering on its own.


    I heard it was a little cold at dawn even if it¡¯s summer, but I didn¡¯t think this counted as just a little cold.


    Holding onto the blanket tightly and trembling, I soon found out that the fire in the fireplace had died out.


    The green flames lit everywhere at night in aristocratic houses in the northern part of the country, where the monsters dwelled, were not just for warmth.


    It was a precious source that could be built from an official monk or someone higher in rank.


    When the sun sets, it permeates everywhere like a shadow and fights against the monsters, which seeked humans.


    I knew well that it couldn¡¯t turn off on its own unless a person did it on purpose.


    Who did such a childish thing? The maid from before?


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    I tried to get back to sleep, but it was so cold that I couldn¡¯t bear it. I shivered out of bed and crept up to the fireplace.


    I was wondering if any embers were left.


    This kind of bullying was childish.


    Shuuuu- Shuuuuuu-


    At first I thought it was just the sound of the wind knocking on the window.


    But it wasn¡¯t the wind that came into my sight. Half frozen in front of the fireplace, I slowly turned my head.


    In Romagna, there were few opportunities to encounter a demon. Not only me, but even a decent noble in the South would meet one.


    Except for the Screaming Forest and very few outer areas, the Papal States were as clean as ever, and I never got to see any demons.


    The first time I encountered the existence of a demon was one day in the late winter of the year of my first marriage annulment.


    Cesare took me to the basement of the museum, saying he would show me something.


    I didn¡¯t really remember what got under his skin at the time.


    Anyway, in that basement, I was locked up all night with a gargoyle, who was about to break the chain and tear me apart.


    I was probably out of my mind with fear at that time.


    I thought that the gargoyle, who exuded a green glow and shrieked, looked less disgusting than a turtle.


    ¡®Go away!¡¯, ¡®Don¡¯t move!¡¯, was all I said while uttering a futile scream. I, who was terrified, must have given off quite the impression, because the monster stopped moving at some point. It curled up and stared at me all night.


    Or it was just a coincidence.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come¡­¡±


    The demon with black wings moved smoothly through the closed window, stared at me while floating.


    Assuming that the green jewels between the bat-like wings were its eyeballs. If I screamed or turned and started running away, it would catch me in an instant.


    My mouth moved fluidly, even though my knees were shaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come near me.¡±


    The Northern demon seemed to admire my struggle.


    It is quite bizarre to see its wings drooping, even though it was hanging in the air, peering at me.


    Is that its attack position?


    It didn¡¯t look confident.


    ¡°Go away.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you have to get up.¡±


    The maid, who was about to push through the door, yelled.


    It seemed like she had yelled her throat out. It had such a magnificent and long echo that I closed my ears with both hands.


    At that moment, the demon with its drooping black wings spread out, ran toward the screaming maid.


    ¡°Ruby!¡±


    I heard Ellenia¡¯s voice. Then, a rumble, similar to that of a thunderstorm, filled my ears and a flash covered my vision.

 Chapter 5

    It wasn¡¯t long before the room became quiet.


    I lowered my arms that were wrapped over my head and my eyes grew wide.


    The intruder was slowly disintegrating, falling to the floor like a dead moth, black smoke rising from the remains.


    A man standing with a shining blue sword turned to me. My heart pounded. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of what just happened or because of the unexpected first encounter.


    Or is it because of the overwhelming aura that flowed from him? His silvery blue hair, clear red eyes, sharp jawline, and defined facial features were quite similar to Ellenia¡¯s.


    However, their personalities were quite different, and if Ellenia was like an ancient, cool-headed ice princess, this man felt much more barbaric and dangerous.


    The gaze directed at me was so overwhelming that it made me flinch.


    Why are you staring at me like that?


    ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why did you turn that off?¡±


    Had I been the culprit who had turned off the torch, that tone of voice would have reduced me to a blubbering mess, who couldn¡¯t even give a proper excuse.


    Do you think I made this fuss on purpose?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even have to do this. Don¡¯t you have enough attention already? Or is this one of the excuses to use for later?¡±


    He seemed to think that I was already trying to figure out an excuse for breaking up. I knew he wouldn¡¯t like me, but this is one of the worst first images I¡¯d ever made, so there¡¯s a long way to go.


    It was then that Ellenia came up.


    She said calmly, facing her brother, ¡°Don¡¯t rush her, brother. We don¡¯t know who did it yet. Even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t have expected this to happen. In Romagna, you wouldn¡¯t have had torches like here.¡±


    I love you, Ellen. Even if I die, I will save you and die.


    (T/N: lmao i choked xDDDD)


    I reached out to Ellenia¡¯s back and clasped her dress.


    She was dressed in casual clothes, not pajamas.


    She was probably drinking tea or something.


    ¡°I was just so cold that I woke up¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Speak up.¡±


    He was quite the character.


    I took a short breath. It was very natural for tears to form around my eyes. But it was not just acting that made my voice tremble.


    Holding the sword, with a heated gaze, was my husband. He looked like Satan incarnate who had just come out of the desert.


    Che, Cesare¡¯s equivalent was right here.


    ¡°I woke up for a second and saw the torch was blown out¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it was someone else. Who was it? My sister? Me?¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I guess I turned it off because it was too hot. I¡¯m sorry for the disturbance. I wasn¡¯t thinking. I won¡¯t let this happen again .¡±


    There was a moment of silence as I blurted this out with a whimper and a piteous expression. Izek looked at me, biting his bottom lip as if he was searching for something, while Ellenia gently stroked my shoulder.


    My face will start bleeding if he stared this much.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­no, leave it,¡± He left the room, clicking his tongue with one last glance.


    What was he trying to ask?


    ***


    After our unexpected first meeting, my husband seemed to have disappeared again.


    I had breakfast alone with Ellenia.


    There was silence for a while.


    Ellenia focused on her meal with an expressionless look, making it hard for me to know what she was thinking. I was conscious of what happened earlier and ate as timidly as possible.


    If I ate, I had a good excuse to throw up anyway¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Waking up from the cold.¡±


    I gently lowered my fork and raised my head.


    Ellenia was still stirring the mushroom soup with her eyes cast down.


    So, she noticed that someone was playing around.


    I never thought someone would do such a childish thing in the first place, but, I responded with, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be at the court banquet in four days. Let me know if you need anything by then.¡±


    Right, there was a banquet. As the royal family had arranged this marriage, it was only obvious to go to greet the king.


    At the same time, it was a banquet to celebrate the wedding anniversary of the King and his wife.


    ¡°Ellen, if you do not mind, could you introduce me to a seamstress?¡±


    ¡°Seamstress?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As you know, the only clothes I bought are Southern ones, so it would stand out too much. I also heard that the summers here are very short.¡±


    There was a moment of silence. Ellenia, looking back at me who was smiling carefully, turned her gaze back.


    Somehow, it felt embarrassing.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I should have thought about it in advance and prepared for it. I¡¯m ashamed of myself.¡±


    Of course she didn¡¯t think about it. Goddamn, they¡¯re all betting on when I¡¯ll go back to Romagna.


    Furthermore, as I recall, the original Rudbeckia didn¡¯t care about the northern customs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my own seamstress. It will be difficult to make new clothes in four days.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped this time. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to lend you my dress, but it¡¯s too big for Ruby. To be honest, Ruby is too thin. You need to eat more to survive Elendale¡¯s winter.¡±


    Indeed, our heights were quite apart too, and if I wore Ellenia¡¯s clothes, I would probably look as awkward as an immature teenager who stole her sister¡¯s clothes.


    That would just be sad.


    Anyway, it will be my first time here in a crowd, so I¡¯ll have to be careful to make an impression.


    My husband, who is the most important person, seemed to have had the worst impression already.


    ¡°Then that day, Lord Izek¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind what happened today. He just overreacted because he is particularly sensitive to safety. Usually, the torch doesn¡¯t extinguish easily. Therefore, it is very rare for a demon to break in, so we were also very surprised.¡±


    Ellenia seemed to have decided that I was terrified of Izek.


    Were his arms bent inside out?


    He must be really sensitive.


    Haa, what an ideal brother and sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take it badly. I¡¯m just a little sad because I think he¡¯s misunderstanding me. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t like me, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t hate Ruby.¡±


    It was quite a serious tone for empty consolation.


    Ellenia gave me a dry look, as my eyes widened.


    ¡°He¡¯s an ordinary person who avoids people he really hates. You never know when he¡¯ll lash out.¡±


    That was an extraordinary and unique personality. He turned out even more twisted than I thought.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°He just doesn¡¯t like the current situation, so he¡¯s looking at everything in a crooked way. I don¡¯t know about you, but I could never imagine my Brother getting married.. even if it was to anyone other than Ruby. It must have been hard.¡±


    It didn¡¯t really make sense.


    He was from an ordinary family, and not like me, Rudbeckia de Borgia. But if it were someone ordinary, he wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood that I was already trying to break us up.


    He would have been nicer if I was his childhood friend.


    Nevertheless, if Ellenia¡¯s testimony to Izek¡¯s unusual behaviour was true, I felt a little bit settled.


    Even if there were endless reasons why he disapproved of our marriage, there was little hope unless his hostility was purely directed at me.


    How would I handle him from now on? First of all, I had to understand his tendencies.


    ¡°Ellen, I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    After all, you have to figure out the opponent first to play the game.


    My ultimate goal now was not to die at the hands of my husband.


    Trying to look as harmless as possible was a kind of insurance policy. I couldn¡¯t continue to live here if I didn¡¯t prevent my husband¡¯s sister, Ellenia¡¯s death..


    The History of Borgia family assassins was already an open secret.


    For example, Cardinal Iliope, who came to know of my birth issue, it was officially declared that he was killed by a knife in a brothel, but rumors said that it was actually done by my brother and sister.


    Besides, the reason Ellenia was poisoned was that she had become engaged to the prince Dorias by that time.


    It was only right to doubt us because it is unclear what would happen if the Prince of Dorias, who did not get along well with the Pope, and a woman from one of Britannia¡¯s noble families got married.


    I also felt that it was quite absurd for Rudbeckia to just poison Ellenia for such a situation.


    Even if it¡¯s the epitome of a crazy family, Cesare was a pretty particular man. The Holy Grail was stolen at the last minute, and the failure just seemed so¡­


    Anyway, I couldn¡¯t tell anyone about this story in advance, and who would even believe the beloved princess of the Pope¡¯s family?


    Even if someone believed me, Father¡¯s spies were planted throughout Elendale. I couldn¡¯t say anything because of that.


    I didn¡¯t want to be dragged home when that rumor started circulating.


    So I had to seem good to Izek, the person who was going to kill me.


    I didn¡¯t care about anyone else.


    It would be very difficult if he didn¡¯t believe me, or took it in the wrong way. A little bit of favor and compassion, maybe a little mercy¡­ maybe that would make him believe my warning.

 Chapter 6

    What kind of facade would work the best for someone with the personality of a scumbag? That was the problem.


    He was still a man, so if I approached him with a cute and pitiful face, he wouldn¡¯t hit me, would he?


    The marble stairs under the summer sun glistened white. When it came to the northern temple, I had imagined a gloomy and dull labyrinth in a fantasy game, but the uniquely styled building showed off its magnificent and linear beauty.


    Of course, my goal was not to explore the temple.


    Now I was hiding behind a marble pillar, peeping into the noisy hall.


    I didn¡¯t mean to hide and snoop, but somehow this happened. I did not like the scene in front of him. Like medieval fantasies, tall paladins in black armour gathered in twos and threes to wield swords glowing a brilliant blue.


    This was a region plagued by demons all the time, so they felt much rougher and more aggressive than the Knights of Romagna.


    Their armour and equipment all looked heavy and massive. How could they move so lightly with that on?


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    The politely resounding voice brought me to my senses rather than just looking around.


    Without a sound, a Paladin had appeared behind me and was looking down at me.


    A sweet face like a girl. A soft and elegant smile. The curly hair around his temple was a pretty shade; pale yellow.


    The man blinked slowly as I pretended to hesitate. Once, twice. Light green eyes glistened with unknown light.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Lady Rudbeckia?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. When you arrived at the port of Elmos, I was also part of the convoy.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡­ ¡°


    ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t recognize me. But what brings you here? Did you stop by to see the temple?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, I heard my husband¡¯s here.¡±


    I smiled shyly and answered, and the man was silent for a while.


    He seemed surprised and embarrassed by the way he was blinking his eyes.


    Soon, my gaze turned to the basket in my hands, not knowing what he was so surprised by.


    ¡°¡­¡­..Wait a minute,¡± he smiled nicely again and walked past the pillar.


    I was about to peek my head out again.


    ¡°Izek! Your wife is here! Izek! Hey! You damn b*stard! Are you ignoring me?! Your wife¡¯s here! Ah, f*ck, this guy isn¡¯t listening!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe those words came out of that fine mouth.


    What the hell was wrong with the people in this world?


    I hid behind the pillar and stared intently at the statue on the opposite wall. St. Agnes, holding the lamb, suddenly made me feel like throwing up again. That was weird. I already threw up today.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The low-pitched voice along with the cold tone penetrated my ears. I lifted my head up and my eyes widened. Izek stood with one arm leaning on a post and looked down at me with that fierce look.


    Sweat dripped down his tangled silver hair to his forehead. It would be worth a watch if he had a staring contest with Cesare.


    ¡°I, uh, this morning¨C¡°


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were offended by me. So I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    I pursed the corners of his mouth as I pretended to look around, mumbling the last of my words. As if I didn¡¯t know what to say. Then my shoulder drooped, powerlessly.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Wa-wait a minute!¡±


    He immediately shook off my frail hand. I staggered back and dropped the picnic basket on the floor. The basket fell down with a thud.


    Oh, this¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Ellenia had said that it was a precious fruit in this area.


    I squatted on the floor and began to pick up precious fruits that had fallen out. I expected him to leave, but Izek stopped and stared at what I was doing.


    His red jewel-like eyes flashed with bewilderment.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    What, I¡¯m picking up precious fruits.


    You¡¯re such a cranky person.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I brought it for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Who asked you to do that? Why are you picking up something that fell on the floor?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Open up, dam. Flow, river of tears.


    Tears rolled down my cheeks as I pulled myself up, shaking helplessly.


    Sniff, sniff.


    I was doing this for survival, but I think I could get the Best Leading Actress Award at this point. It was more of a learning instinct from my past life. Once I started crying, the situation would calm down a bit.


    Of course, there were people like my big brother, on whom it didn¡¯t work throughout my past life.


    What kind of a man would he be?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to offend you. I just, I think you¡¯re mistaken about me, so I¡¯m trying to explain¡­¡±


    The best knight of the North was still standing there staring at me.


    What a consistent fellow. Your eyeballs are going to pop out at this rate.


    ¡°What misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°Well, the misunderstanding, that I¡¯ve been trying to figure out a reason to break up the marriage¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I-I know it¡¯s natural for you to take it that way, and I know it¡¯s okay for you to hate me. I¡¯m sure anyone would. But I don¡¯t¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Who said that I hated you?¡±


    I sighed and opened my mouth.


    With his head tilted, a smile made his lips arch as he approached me.


    I got goosebumps at that moment.


    Far from feeling pity for crying people, he must hate it a lot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling anyone that I hate you.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you don¡¯t hate me?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    Look at him. You¡¯re lying, right?


    ¡°A-Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Really, really?¡±


    I held his hand tightly and smiled excitedly with anticipation.


    There was a moment of silence. The smile of the man looking down at me slowly faded away. Izek stared at my face for a long time, very silent.


    For a second I thought he was going to hit me. But that did not happen.


    As soon as he blinked, the blazing look in his eyes suddenly faded and the cold look returned.


    ¡°¡­ damn it, what the hell am I doing?¡±


    His voice was filled with absurdity. Or should I call it a sense of shame?


    The way he turned his body and swept his hair in an annoyed manner, felt like he was frustrated.


    Ah, ah.


    This was it. I had done this with a risk, but I was lucky to get a reaction.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    The next thing he did was pick up the fruit that fell at his feet. Izek glanced at me after I questioned him. He threw the fruit into the basket and shoved it towards me.


    Oh my, he¡¯s so aggressive.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need this, so don¡¯t do anything useless.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance because I don¡¯t want to be mistaken, but I don¡¯t care if this clown game ends right now. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t wait to see who¡¯s messing around with me. So why don¡¯t you just write a letter and go home right away, Little Southern Princess?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t seen this side of him before.


    I felt more convinced.


    I knew I was not the naive innocent type, but for a man like him, pretending to be different and smart was rather dangerous.


    That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he was the type to prefer the crying or pitiful ones, so the gap I saw a while ago was a precious clue.


    Maybe it was because he thought I wasn¡¯t worth getting angry at.


    He would feel like he was being childish even if he argued or engaged in a psychological fight.


    It was obvious what I was doing was not worth the vigilance or doubt.


    Wait, did this guy who¡¯s only four years older than me, call me ¡®little¡¯? What? Just because he grew up a bit fast?


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you feel that this gutter is your home already?¡±


    Did you think I¡¯d even consider this a gutter? Thank you for letting me know.


    ¡°I¡¯m¨C I¡¯m falling for you.¡±


    For a moment, I could only hear the sound of the wind passing by.


    I dropped my head to hide my red face. I praise my acting skills.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know you hear that a lot. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d like me. But you were the first one to save me like that. I¡¯ll try to fix my shortcomings as much as I can, so I don¡¯t want anything. Could you please let me be of any help? You said you didn¡¯t hate me.¡±


    Aha, I¡¯m the fangirl type. Most obvious and insignificant type for guys like him.


    That was the way he would treat me from now on. There was hope for me too.


    I thought I heard a booing sound somewhere.


    It seemed that someone was watching us in this very exciting situation.


    Using this sound like background music, I raised my face and smiled. Be as bright as you were before, no countermeasures. Apparently, Izek decided to pretend that he didn¡¯t hear the lines I had just poured out.


    Or did he think that he would feel more shame if he faced more people?


    It was just heartless to turn around without a word.


    I slammed another wedge into his unmoving back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never be a nuisance. I swear.¡±


    Of course, there was no reply back.


    Silence.

 Chapter 7

    After visiting the temple, I met the duke¡¯s exclusive tailor, who Ellenia had called, and spent four days fitting new clothes, writing letters to the Romagna family, and preparing for the banquet.


    In the meantime, even Izek¡¯s nose could not be found, and according to Ellenia, the summer season was surprisingly the busiest with various preparations.


    Anyway, that was how my first Elendaleian social event arrived.


    The jade silk dress I wore during the Eucharist was the plainest dress I had ever brought.


    Cream-coloured leather shoes studded with pearls and summer gloves. Other accessories were only aquamarine earrings.


    My hair was also long braided downward without any accessories attached.


    My modest attire was quite unexpected, and the blunt-faced maids looked a little suspicious, but they asked no questions.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    I¡¯m grateful for having an ice sculpture-like face call me by my nickname.


    Standing under the hall stairs in a red dress with long sleeves, Ellenia was like a mythical goddess herself. Phew, I can¡¯t believe she almost married Enzo. But, the person next to her¡­


    ¡°Ruby, say hello. This is an old friend of mine, Freya Van Furiana.¡±


    (T/N: I believe the previous translator had called her Flaya(mentioned once in chapter 3) but to me, Freya sounded more natural, so I¡¯ll be using that ^^)


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Rudbeckia. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± A cool smile that revealed her white teeth. A sparkling smile unique to a person who had lived surrounded by love made the viewer feel cheerful. She was a beauty with a style that naturally attracted people¡¯s hearts regardless of gender and age.


    Her crescent-like eyes were violet-colored. The dress she donned, wrapped around her long, slender body like a glove, and her blond hair hanging around her face, seemed lustrous.


    It wasn¡¯t dark blonde, flax coloured, like mine, but paler; a cold platinum.


    She was that childhood friend.


    Why are you all so pretty?


    My whole life was filled with beautiful people, but I feel like I¡¯m still normal compared to some of the people from this world.


    And of course, a childhood friend would be treated differently from a humble bride from a foreign country.


    I could tell by looking at the maid¡¯s eyes full of kindness.


    Tch.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, too, Lady Furiana.¡± I said shyly, and Freya¡¯s eyes turned wide for a moment before she turned back with a cheerful smile.


    ¡°Ellen, you didn¡¯t tell me she was such a lovely person.¡±


    (T/N: The word used to refer Ruby here was  ?? = wife, the missus of a household, but that would sound awkward so I just went for she.)


    ¡°You might have thought of me as a hawk-nosed witch.¡±


    Ellenia still had a perfect poker face on.


    The way she looked at me while tapping her fan was a bit strange.


    Was something wrong with my clothes?


    ¡°I ask for your understanding in advance that my brother¡¯s arrival might be delayed a little. It happens often, but¡­¡±


    Aha, so that was what you¡¯ve been waiting for.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting him to come anyway. But I hoped he would show up later today.


    I had to keep a close watch to create an image. That was my fate.


    ***


    A wagon with a colorful insignia ran through the city surrounded by walls.


    It was no different from taxis of my previous life; a luxury vehicle that took you to parties on a well-maintained road. Even if the times were different and the world was different, the way people lived was similar.


    Or so I thought.


    I wished it was more different.


    ¡°Your Highness will be furious if you don¡¯t make it today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a day or two. What can I do? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll figure it out.¡± As far as I remember, Freya and the Omerta siblings¡¯ mothers were close, even before they were born, so they grew up naturally close.


    That explained their connection and deep understanding of each other.


    I could sense their bond.


    Something that only people who had known each other for a very long time could share.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried that the banquet here will look too tacky to your eyes. As you know, compared to Romagna, it¡¯s an easygoing town.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will happen. I think Elendale is more interesting.¡±


    With her outstanding sociability, Freya talked to me about things, and I responded as humbly as I could, so it was a very formal conversation.


    Although she was treating me as a friend, with her kindness and curiosity, she was also exploring me alongside.


    Freya was an old friend of Izek and Ellenia, so it was natural to worry because a woman with a notorious reputation like mine, became her friend¡¯s wife.


    She had been taking care of me, but that didn¡¯t mean she liked me.


    So I would just have to show her the same side of me. Especially since those two were the most important people after my husband.


    Haa, my husband is the final boss.


    Arriving at the Angvan Palace, Britannia¡¯s pride soared high toward the sky. The scenery of the moon tower and the crowd of nobles who arrived earlier greeted us.


    Women were dressed in thin dresses with long sleeves and men in dark tailcoats.


    The few knights dressed in armour stood out.


    Most of them were paladins, but as they were the important members along with priests in the neighborhood where monsters were prevalent, they did not seem to be caught off guard because of their misconduct.


    Ellenia, who had the best knight as her brother, was by far the best flower in society.


    In addition, the combination of the power of the Omerta family, the advantage of being the queen of the king, her own great beauty, and impeccable character made it clear that everyone was longing and careful.


    And so, the Omerta siblings¡¯ best friend Freya was definitely a target of envy.


    It was different from what I thought, but somehow it reminded me of my family and social circle in Romagna.


    People who did all sorts of favors to me, or to my father¡¯s mistress, Lady Julia, for making connections with my father and older brothers.


    No matter what the rumors or public criticism were, Cesare had a huge fandom following, regardless of gender, and Enzo wasn¡¯t any different.


    Whatever my situation was from the inside, I was the object of envy and admiration. At least, in my previous life. What would everyone think of me if my miserable innermost thoughts were revealed? How would it all tumble down? Funnily enough, there were times when I was afraid of it.


    I had to say, I felt like a little girl between two models.


    Damn it, being short was the same downside as in my last life.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± As I approached to greet Ellenia and Freya, I replied with a smile to those who cast curious eyes on me.


    I was suffocated by all the curiosity, contempt, hostility, envy, and other vibes flowing from this large crowd, but it was okay because I was used to it.


    Ah, my facial muscles are tense.


    The priests, wearing brown robes, whom I encountered occasionally, came up and greeted me to ask about my father and older brother.


    Whether His Holiness was healthy these days, or Cardinal Valentino planned to visit Elendale, and so on. That was how we got to the fancy dome banquet hall surrounded by people.


    ¡°That man is really¡­¡± I opened my eyes wide and looked back at the place where her eyes were directed at, as Ellenia muttered quietly.


    I had never imagined such a sentence would come out of her mouth. And there, I saw¡­


    ¡°Izek?¡± Freya¡¯s surprised voice rang out faintly. Near that small stage, among the paladins loitering in black metal armour, was my husband, whose presence had been a mystery, let alone the excuse that he might be late.


    What was he doing over there?


    If he was trying to humiliate me so earnestly, I¡¯d say it was a very admirable try.


    Was this worth the effort?


    ¡°Izek!¡±


    At the sound of Freya¡¯s welcoming cry, Izek glanced over this side instead of talking to his colleague. He hesitated on seeing me squeezed between his sister and childhood friend, and looked away again.


    Haa, same as ever. Well, that sure didn¡¯t hurt me at all.


    ¡°My Lady, do you want us to go and nag him?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think he¡¯ll listen?¡±


    Ellenia threw a lamentable comment at Freya¡¯s suggestion. Nevertheless, I bravely began to move towards my husband.


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    The interesting expressions of people divided like the Red Sea were impressive. It was obvious what they were expecting, but they wouldn¡¯t get to see what they wanted. The fact that I was a nuisance from the first night and that Izek was turning a blind eye to me was already a known fact.


    Everyone took it for granted, so no matter what I did here, there was no chance that his reputation would be damaged.


    It was rather my side that would suffer.


    As I approached the paladins, who exuded a daunting and solemn atmosphere, eyes naturally turned towards us.


    Eyes full of curiosity.


    Why? Do they think I¡¯m going to slap my husband in here?


    I don¡¯t think I could even reach his face.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Rudbeckia?¡±


    Ah, wasn¡¯t he the pretty, foul-mouthed knight who pretended to know me?


    I smiled at him and then greeted my husband, who stood across from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you again. You look great today, too.¡±


    Soon the surrounding area became quiet. Looking up at his tall figure staring down at me with an expressionless face, I forced on an ecstatic look, gulping saliva down my sore throat.


    He was an unnecessarily tall man.


    After a while, he turned away from me and spat out. ¡°You seem to have no sense and no face. As you can see, I¡¯m a little busy right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. But, if I don¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I heard you say that you wouldn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°Y-you remember. So, you were listening to me?¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t ever bother you next time. I¡¯ll just hide and watch.¡±


    I was about to take my leave. At that moment, the man who was staring at me with an absurd expression grabbed my shoulder.

 Chapter 8

    ¡ª


    This was unexpected, so even I was a little surprised.


    There was a commotion. Whether others were seeing or not, Izek grabbed me and turned me around to see for himself. Caught in his giant grasp, I felt like a chick trapped inside an eagle¡¯s claw.


    Was he going to hit me?


    I didn¡¯t care as long as I didn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Say it again. Hiding¡­What are you going to do while hiding?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll just hide and watch. Even if I follow you, you won¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to die?¡±


    His tone sounded pretty odd for a threat.


    Of course, I was doing this so I wouldn¡¯t die, so I shook my head.


    ¡°Then, why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­would like to see you, but I don¡¯t want to be a nuisance¡­¡±


    Like a cute fan.


    Surely, he wouldn¡¯t think his weak wife would try to assassinate him. There¡¯s a saying that the only person brave enough to assassinate a paladin is a suicide lovers.


    As I tried to make the eyes as teary as possible, my husband, who was staring at me with an unknown look, suddenly let out a sound similar to a sigh and touched his temple. At the same time, Sir Ivan, who was watching us with a somewhat absent-minded look, coughed, ¡°Lady Rudbeckia, that¡¯s a very dangerous act.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that he¡¯ll mistake his wife for an assassin. As you know, the North is a dangerous place, so we¡¯re a little different from the knights who grew up in the South. It¡¯s not as safe as the last time, but if you¡¯re near us when we¡¯re tracking down the monsters, we may kill you without knowing what¡¯s going on.


    I see.  Who knows what they would do if they were at their peak? Maybe they¡¯ll be as hyperactive as humans would be on drugs. Naturally, I didn¡¯t want to pretend to chase except where safety was guaranteed. But, I guess, I do look like a fangirl from their reactions. Thank you for misunderstanding, you delusional patients.


    (T/N: ??? is the term used here, apparently it¡¯s a disease where the patient believes everybody has a crush on him/her xDDD)


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m in such trouble. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m from the South¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. No wonder you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s fine, right? Hey, say something.¡±


    Izek, who didn¡¯t budge, was silent. He just stared at me with a strange look, chewing on his bottom lip.


    He seemed to be thinking about how he¡¯d get annoyed to death.


    I stuttered with a glum expression, as much as possible.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never get you in trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°If the schedule had changed, you should have told me in advance.¡±


    The chilling voice belonged to Ellenia.


    Ellenia came close to us and looked at her brother with that impassive look on her face.


    ¡°Ellen¡¯s right. You could have stopped by. You don¡¯t even know how to be grateful for the beauty at home.¡±


    Freya changed the atmosphere by hitting Izek¡¯s arm, who was still busy staring at me, with a slightly playful blow using the tip of her fan.


    It seemed to be a very natural move.


    An atmosphere where you would usually hear a reply like ¡®Where is the beauty?¡¯ was made, but by maintaining an unmoving figure, Izek was making this barely cheerful atmosphere awkward again. By the way, his tight grip still had my poor shoulder trapped.


    Such a narrow-minded b*stard.


    This response was interesting, though. I thought he¡¯d just walk away like last time.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty The King has arrived!¡±


    Just when he had finally opened his mouth, a magnificent horn sounded.


    It was indeed the most appropriate time.


    King Feanol spoke.


    The King of the North, with a gentle and gracious impression, said in a moderate yet business-like tone, ¡°You must have taken trouble coming a long way, but I¡¯m happy to have your presence, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    ¡°I also appreciate your hospitality, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for my nephew to appear on time for a banquet, but it seems like after getting married, little boys really do grow up. Isn¡¯t that right, Lord Izek?¡±


    Apparently, King Feanol had a considerable amount of money made by his nephew.


    Likewise, Izek, who would have gotten enough money due to his marriage with me, responded with a polite attitude to the jab, ¡°The son will only follow his father¡¯s steps, after all.¡±


    The king¡¯s expression became distorted.


    It was not an angry look, but one of strange bitterness.


    ¡°Is this why you never listen to me, even after I kept requesting for so long?¡±


    ¡°What can I even say, and whom can I even blame? Since I was the one who brought this on myself.¡± His cynical tone was so cold that everyone who listened to it felt chills run down their spine.


    Izek glanced at me, looking at me carefully once, before leaving like a storm, clicking his tongue in displeasure.


    His child-like behaviour overlapped with Cesare¡¯s.


    Laughter rang out from all over the place.


    Yes, yes, laugh as much as you can. I will be the fool smiling even when my husband throws me away.


    ¡°If only he hadn¡¯t been Isis¡¯ child¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Your Majesty. The new bride will be surprised.¡± The queen gently calmed down the king, who was about to burst into a fit. She smiled kindly toward me.


    Rich reddish-brown hair. Lemon-colored eyes with a mole underneath her eye. Light coffee-colored skin, which was rare for royalty. She stood out. I remember someone said that she was a slave from the East, and my memory seemed to be correct.


    ¡°Now, princess, it¡¯s daring of you to look at me like that. Let¡¯s say hello with an example.¡±


    She looked six or seven years old.


    With brilliant turquoise eyes, the princess, who was staring at me, looked up at the queen, who slightly pushed her back. Her long braided reddish-brown hair swayed as she moved.


    ¡°¡­welcome to Angvan Palace, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Princess Ari.¡±


    As I greeted her with a big smile, the princess, who hid herself behind the queen¡¯s skirt, quickly averted her eyes.


    It was like a kitten hiding.


    Now, it was clear why the existence of the princess was so insignificant in the original work.


    King Feanol was a good enough lover to give the crown to a former Pagan slave, that too, a dancer. But he could not give his daughter, who resembled her mother and had those familiar pagan characteristics, the same position as any other princess.


    It was inevitable no matter how hard the king tried. Furthermore, with cousins ??like Izek and Ellenia, Ari would be an eternal stranger in Brittania¡¯s aristocratic society.


    I was never in a position to sympathise with anyone, but I held a bit of pity for her.


    Damn it, this world and that world are not much different after all.


    Anyway, after the greeting, the banquet was carried forward in earnest.


    The music the bands played, the sound of people talking, the laughter and the glasses clinking was all that could be heard.


    It filled the huge banquet hall.


    ¡°These sleeves are unique. Is it a Southern fad?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m still waiting for a new dress.¡±


    ¡°Did you get your new clothes tailored?¡±


    ¡°Do you like the food here? I visited Romagna before, but I had a hard time because the southern food didn¡¯t fit my palate.¡±


    Sitting at the dinner table with Ellenia, many questions poured in.


    It was expected that they would glance at me with a mixed look of compassion and ridicule.


    Yeah, look at me more like that! I¡¯m a fool who can¡¯t even think about hurting anyone.


    ¡°Ah, Ellen.¡±


    ¡°Frey? Where have you been?¡± Freya, whose whereabouts had been unknown, finally reappeared and joined our table. It was refreshing to see her flushed complexion, it seemed as if she had been riding a horse in that short time.


    Freya sat on the right side of Ellenia and immediately said to me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lady. I was going to bring him back in, but now he¡¯s ignoring my words. Just where did his chivalry go?..¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done something useless. Did he ever even pretend to listen to us?¡±


    ¡°I know¡­Haaa. My Lady, do you like horseback riding? Ellen and I host horseback riding meetings every summer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ride very well, but I like it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all you have to do is like it.¡±


    As a matter of fact, it was the other way around. In my previous life I was pretty good at it, but I didn¡¯t like horseback riding itself. Now that I think about it, I just didn¡¯t like horseback riding clubs. That was the only way to get around there, so I couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Horseback riding skills are hard to keep up with. Lord Izek helped you, of course. How about asking your husband for help, my Lady?¡±


    One of the women sitting across from me smiled widely. Her round gray eyes sparkled provocatively.


    Before I could open my mouth, Freya cut in quickly, ¡°That was when I was a kid. Besides, I wasn¡¯t that good at it.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Lady Furiana.¡±


    Lady Conolace apologized coolly and exchanged glances with people around her. She looked like she was dying of joy. Why was there always one such person like that everywhere?


    ¡°Thank you for your concern. But I can¡¯t take his time for such a trivial matter.¡±


    There was a moment of silence when I spoke with a smile.


    She gaped at my smiling face as if it were absurd, and soon cleared her throat and responded with an awkward smile, as if she lost all her excitement, ¡°By the way, summer is coming to an end. This year¡¯s sword fight will be held earlier than last time, right?¡±


    ¡°Will Sir Izek attend this year¡¯s game?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m looking forward to it, but if Lord Izek is present, the winner will be too obvious.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen this year. I wonder who the flower of glory will be.¡±


    The conversation quickly shifted, and I felt sick when this topic came up.


    This was because Cesare would visit this season.


    The sword match, held every three years in Elendale, was the largest event with the longest history on the continent, attracting participants and visitors from all over the world.

 Chapter 9

    ¡ª


    It was not a fight between people, but against monsters who had been tamed with ferocity.


    Although the match itself was a terrifying contest, only the nobles were allowed to attend, and a committee was formed to identify foul acts and prevent accidents, by all priests.


    Yes, Cesare was coming to see me using that as an excuse.


    Ah, damn it.


    ¡°Do you not have an appetite?¡±


    Ellenia suddenly asked me, sitting down and listening to the conversation with her cold and indifferent face as always.


    Did she notice that I was only sipping from my glass?


    ¡°I just love the taste of alcohol.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to just drink on an empty stomach.¡±


    So, I put down my half-drinking glass and pretended to eat the lemon pie in front of me.


    Then, when everyone left to join the dance, I made an excuse to use the washroom and slipped away. I didn¡¯t mean to vomit the pie crumbs.


    There was a serious problem that a rumour would spread if anyone saw me vomiting in a place like this.


    Obviously, I was a little dizzy because I drank on an empty stomach.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡±


    I left the banquet hall and tried to enter the balcony, which I was closest to, but I bumped my shoulder hard with someone who came out from the opposite side.


    My shoulders were quite unfortunate today.


    The other person held my hand and helped me hastily, just as I was about to stumble.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    He sounded quite young. When I raised my head, slightly frowning to endure the pain in my shoulder, I faced somewhat mesmerising purple eyes.


    He was tall, but he seemed young. I felt that he was about 15 years old.


    His pale blonde hair covering the back of his neck and pretty face type, looked a lot like someone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Lorenzo van Furiana. You were with my sister a little while ago, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    As expected, Freya¡¯s brother. He really resembled her.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Do you want me to help you to the banquet hall?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I was just coming out to get some fresh air. Are you a paladin?¡±


    ¡°Sir Izek would laugh if he heard this. I¡¯m still too young. But, are you bored with the banquet?¡±


    Banquets were always boring. Though, why did he hate me?


    The boy smiling in front of my eyes was acting quite friendly and cheerful, but the hostility that he emitted with his whole body was so vivid that it was suffocating. I was always sensitive to this, but the disgust in his eyes was too obvious. Maybe it was because he was still young.


    Look at him. When did he ever see me to get such a bad impression?


    My husband didn¡¯t have this bad of an impression either. As for Ellenia, she had a god-given poker face, it was difficult to catch sight of emotions. Freya was a little vague as I had just met her, but it was hard to call her hostile.


    But why was Freya¡¯s brother making such a fuss?


    I smiled silently and looked at him, and he stared at me for a moment, too.


    Then, he scratched his head as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I just can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing you in person¡­ ¡°


    ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m famous here.¡±


    ¡°Where in the world would there be a man who doesn¡¯t know My Lady¡¯s name? You¡¯re the Pope¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m not as famous as my brothers, so I¡¯m a little surprised.¡±


    A short silence passed by. Lorenzo, who pretended to think about something while scratching his temples, smiled and confessed,¡±Actually, there¡¯s a famous song that was not too popular until a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve never heard of it before. Would you like to listen to it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°This is what it¡¯s all about,¡± he hummed, exaggeratedly clearing his throat.


    ¡°Sistina¡¯s larks said she couldn¡¯t find a man to suit her taste, but her half-brothers would be fine¡­¡±


    Whatever reaction Lorenzo had expected from me, it remained an eternal unknown because of the sudden sound.


    Wham!


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to f*ck around alone, huh?¡±


    ¡°Ah, wait a minute, ahhh!!¡±


    My eyes widened. It was Sir Ivan who jumped out of the hallway like a basilisk, cuffed Lorenzo¡¯s head mercilessly, and then pulled his ear mercilessly. The pretty, foul-mouthed paladin.


    ¡°Apologize immediately before I rip your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Ha, but¡­¡±


    ¡°To think you admire Izek. Do you want me to bring you to him? If it¡¯s that a**hole, he would tear your bloody mouth up, when he hears the sh*t you just talked about. Then, you¡¯ll apologize to Lady Omerta with that sh*tty snout of your¡¯s.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think Izek would rip Freya¡¯s brother¡¯s mouth just because I listened to that song. Lorenzo murmured something like an apology, with his head down in Ivan¡¯s grasp, perhaps because Isuke was scared or because he gave in to pain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you mumble! Should I make you bark louder?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine, just let him go.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really want to hear an apology since I wasn¡¯t angry in the first place.


    Sir Ivan, who looked at me, soon smiled and let go of him. Lorenzo immediately ran away. Tsk tsk. Sir Ivan now shook his hands and murmured a last low-pitched curse, smiling beautifully at the same time.


    He looked back at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the mess you had to see.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s just lost his mind in a weird delusion. Such an absurd song is known to none of our Knights¡­.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ivan, it¡¯s really alright. It¡¯s not my first time hearing that rumor.¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    I was opening the dam again while Lord Ivan looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.


    Sniffle.


    ¡°M-My Lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just¡­ I just suddenly thought about it. I  wonder if my husband believed in such rumors, so¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. He¡¯s not interested in the din other people make up in the first place. Even if it needed some attention.¡±


    ¡°Huu. Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course, and it¡¯s not his way to stay with people who bother him. To be honest, he was a bit surprised earlier, he probably didn¡¯t mean that you were a bother¡­ ¡°


    Should I say it¡¯s an honor?


    ¡°H-He doesn¡¯t hate me, right?¡±


    ¡°Not at all! How dare a man hate his wife? It¡¯s just that he¡¯s been living my own way, and this is the first time he¡¯s experiencing  something not going his way. He¡¯s just embarrassed and acting up.¡±


    ¡°So, he doesn¡¯t hate me even if I liked him to my heart¡¯s content, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. No, it would be a great honor for him.¡±


    Sir Ivan, who had been shaking his head and cheering for me instead of insulting, began to cough awkwardly in vain with a sullen look on his face.


    It¡¯s okay, I understand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the banquet hall first.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I came out because I wanted to get some fresh air anyway.¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re alone¡­ alright. But if that kid shows up again, you must tell me.¡±


    Was he worried that the kid might come after me again and make me cry?


    His mouth was dirty, but his chivalry was certainly alive. Coming out on the balcony alone, at evening time, my eyes fell on the night scenario, which looked as bright as day. A beautifully decorated courtyard with winding steps outside the balcony.


    There was a pond surrounded by artistic sculptures. I went down the stairs because I thought I could take a look.


    Next to a pair of swan statues with their heads in the shape of hearts, a reddish-brown bob stood out, moving swiftly.


    ¡°Princess Ari¡­¡±


    Ari, who was hiding behind the swan¡¯s tail, leaned out.


    A bunch of yellow summer flowers were held in her hands, gathered in front of her. Maybe she was playing here alone? Where did her nanny go?


    ¡°Un, don¡¯t tell Mama.¡±


    Ah. So, she sneaked out. Surprisingly, she was a tomboy. I nodded my head and smiled coolly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell her. What are you making?¡±


    Instead of answering, the little princess looked at me with her hesitant eyes. What I said seemed unreliable.


    I turned my head and approached the pond, meaning I wouldn¡¯t disturb.


    A bridge stood out gracefully in the middle of a fairly large pond.


    ¡°¡­you can¡¯t be there alone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A couple has to be together to make their love come true.¡±


    She came out from behind the statue.


    [Love will come true.]


    I couldn¡¯t believe there¡¯s a pond like this in the palace.


    Such romantic people. Well, the king, at least, was one.


    ¡°Does love come true?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡­ this is what the nanny said. The fairy of love lives in the pond.¡±


    I bent over and made eye contact with Ari, grinning.


    Now, the little princess was staring at my hair, nothing else.


    Was it because my hair looked similar to hers?


    ¡°Is that a bouquet of flowers?¡±


    ¡°¡­is it pretty?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really pretty. Who did you make it for?¡±


    The princess, who was blinking her big eyes as if hesitating for a moment, nodded and whispered in a tone that was hard to understand, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you let me touch your hair, I¡¯ll give it to My Lady.¡±


    Huh?


    I pulled my hair to one side and smiled again.


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Not now, but later.¡±


    So, she wanted to play with my hair like a doll¡¯s.


    Even though I¡¯m this old, to the little girl I probably looked more like a giant doll from the South.

 Chapter 10

    ¡ª


    Well, if it¡¯s a doll, then a doll it is.


    Phew, a child¡¯s eyes are surprisingly sharp.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    Oh my god, you scared me.


    Why is everyone coming out from all directions today? Ari, who was handing out a bouquet of flowers,  froze on the spot, biting her lip. I also froze for a moment while accepting the bouquet.


    I didn¡¯t expect to see him again today.


    Silver-gray hair glittered under the sunlight. As he strode through the small path between the elegant statues, Izek looked even more sensational with the peaceful scenery around him.


    I could feel Ari¡¯s body shaking as she held onto my skirt.


    I get why I¡¯m like this, but why are you so scared?


    Her cousin brother, Izek, somehow stopped about two meters away from us, and spat it out in a blunt tone without a hint of courtesy, ¡°Your Highness is looking for you. I told you last time that you shouldn¡¯t walk around alone.¡±


    Huh?


    The next moment, the little princess threw the bouquet into my hand and quickly ran past him, toward the palace like a scared kitten. I felt like this happened a lot, and Izek didn¡¯t really try to hold on to her either.


    My husband stood upright without looking back.


    There was an absurd look in his eyes.


    ¡°You were playing with each other¡­¡±


    Ah, is that what he wanted to talk about? I gently straightened myself with the bouquet in my hand. I felt bad about being treated like a six-year-old kid, but I smiled shyly on the outside.


    ¡°Were you looking for the princess?¡±


    ¡°No. I was looking for you. I¡¯m not a guard.¡±


    What? Looking for me? You were the one who left me behind. Are you trying to kick me out of here too, now?


    I was a little scared, but I didn¡¯t show it, and made my eyes widen.


    ¡°Me? Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, really.¡±


    Just like before, the one who threw me away strode forward.


    God, is he really going to hit me? Well, fine, as long as he¡¯ll let me live later¡­


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Open your eyes.¡±


    I slowly opened my eyes, which had been instinctively closed.


    I could see his huge chest right in front of me. When I raised my head up, I saw the face of the man looking down at me with a blank look.


    ¡°Did the princess of Romagna grow up accustomed to being beaten up?¡±


    How did you know that? Hey, it¡¯s natural to be scared when a big man like you darts forward. How tall are you? I think, probably over 2 meters.


    ¡°I thought you were going to hide and watch me.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m good with just watching.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why close your eyes? Did you expect a kiss or something like that?¡±


    The way he tilted his head and muttered was very unfamiliar.


    If he just stared at me as he always did, I could get used to it, but the way he looked at me with his red eyes open was even more dangerous. If I said that I was expecting a real kiss, he¡¯d notice it was a lie.


    Do you think I¡¯ve lived like this for a day or two?


    ¡°That¡¯s because, earlier, you seemed upset because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you thought I¡¯d hit you or something?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, but if you did¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you like me even when you know I¡¯m going to hit you?¡±


    ¡°No? You¡¯re the only one to protect me. I¡¯ll try my best to correct the mistakes, so please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    There was a short silence. While I clasped a bouquet of flowers with both hands and stared down mournfully, he gazed at me with an indescribable look. Why was he staring at me again?


    Rough footsteps sounded.


    It was clear that it was coming this way, but neither of us looked away.


    ¡°¡­Sir Izek!¡± My husband, who had been staring at me, turned his head.


    The boy, who gasped and approached us, paused with a slightly puzzled look, and then spoke carefully.


    ¡°I think you should come for a while.¡±


    Hmm, was something happening with the Paladins in the palace?


    ¡°Wait here for a second.¡±


    These words were spat out by  my husband, who turned away.


    Ho-oh, did he still have work for me? What now? Should I put the flowers in my hair and wait for him?


    I glanced briefly at the giant back of the distant man and sat on a flat rock nearby.


    A fresh wind blew.


    I was shaken, by the way. I wondered what kind of delusion Freya¡¯s little brother was having.


    He showed such hostility simply because of rumors about me. It was hard to say what triggered him.


    That was all too much to say just because a senior he admired had a wife like me¡­maybe it was something to do with Freya?


    While I was organizing my thoughts, I suddenly looked down at a bouquet of flowers in my hand.


    Now that I see it, they were Rudbeckias.


    The same flower as my name. Eternal happiness in the flower language, but it¡¯s ironic.


    Cold water splashed on me from behind.


    Just as I tried to get up reflexively, something wet and slippery wrapped  around my torso and literally pulled me into the water in an instant.


    There was not even enough time to scream or struggle.


    Splash!


    The water was cold to the bone.


    My heart seemed to stop for a moment. It was worth thinking about whether I was going to die like this and what kind of empty ending it was, but strangely, I didn¡¯t feel any fear. I was caught up by some crazy pond monster. I felt empty, but the thing that was holding me tight right now, didn¡¯t have the purpose of killing me, it was just¡­


    When I struggled a little, the monster¡¯s arm relaxed a little.


    It felt ridiculous, as if it would just let go of it if I just swam up like this.


    What was this, kid? Did it just want to play with me¡­ or was I just so terrified that I became delusional? Or was I being attacked by some kind of psychological attack? As the oxygen in my lungs decreased, I instinctively tried to shake off the pond monster and climb up.


    I was about to move my hands in the water and grab the arms that twisted around my waist.


    As if a torpedo had exploded, a blindingly intense light flashed, sending a tingling feeling everywhere. The arms holding my body completely disappeared, but this time, something held me from the top and pulled me up with strong force.


    Poa-ha, my blocked breath burst out at once.


    My head was all dizzy and my surroundings were noisy.


    ¡°How the hell did this happen here¡­¡±


    What were they talking about? When I managed to wake up, my husband was in front of me, looking down at me. But, why did he suddenly get shorter?


    Oh, he was holding me up. His eyes, which were indescribably complex, stared at me.


    I didn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but the pond monster was just a monster, and I didn¡¯t call it out on purpose.


    Like the last time the torch went out¡­


    ¡°¡­..Waah!¡±


    I screamed loudly as I clung to Izek¡¯s neck, bursting into tears, thinking that I would be hit.


    Regardless, I choked him to death and burst into tears.


    ¡°Oh, I was scared! You¡¯ve protected me again, you¡¯re the only one!¡±


    As it became silent everywhere, only the sound of Izek¡¯s sigh rang loudly.


    A sigh that sounded very tired.


    ***


    The appearance of a monster in a pond containing the romantic legend of Angvan Palace seemed to have spread to quite a serious disturbance.


    Inside the palace, where absolute safety is essential, it was also a case of a sudden attack, a pond that had been free of problems for decades, so everyone was shocked.


    Besides, no matter how bad my reputation was as the Pope¡¯s favorite daughter here, it would have been quite embarrassing for Brittany if it had gone wrong.


    Looking back on my vague memories, I didn¡¯t think there were any of these things that came out in the original


    The heart of Elendale, where the nobles¡¯ sagas, temples, and palaces were close, belonged to a fairly safe clean zone. What happened on the first night of arriving here was strange in many ways.


    Of course, Rudbeckia in the original, did not experience the first night of the torch being extinguished or leave the palace banquet and go near the pond, but if this continued to be the case, they¡¯ll misunderstand that I was a witch who attracted the creatures.


    ¡°Whoo¡­¡±


    The annual event had come. I didn¡¯t feel anything until the night I fell into the pond, but I felt a little strange from the next day.


    I thought it was just a cold at first, but it wasn¡¯t.


    My body was burning hot, as if someone was poking my whole body with a needle. It was a symptom that came twice a year after I possessed this body. I thought it would come back at the end of the year, but it came early at a time like this, damn it.


    At first, my family called the physician because I had said I was sick, but he just tilted his head and repeated that he had never seen such symptoms before. The same was true of others.


    The next time something similar happened again, everyone started to think I was faking it because I didn¡¯t want to get engaged. So I decided to put up with it.


    I was used to holding back my pain anyway. It was a symptom that would disappear in just a few days. It would be the same to call a physician here, but it would be tough to be branded as a ¡°foolish faker¡±.


    Especially my dirty husband, who might think I¡¯m up to something else, haa. What was he trying to tell me at the pond, though?


    The conversation wasn¡¯t completed because the monster appeared¡­ Whatever the reason he told me to wait, it was unexpected coming from a man who didn¡¯t bother with annoying people.


    So, I had to know what he wanted from me.

 Chapter 11

    ¡ª


    Ellenia had been out since early in the morning, so there were only cold-faced household servants in the house.


    I told the maid who came to wake me up that I didn¡¯t need my breakfast. I went out with a good expression on my face, and no one came to look for me all morning.


    Tch, heartless people.


    Still, I felt a little better lying in bed all morning.


    But it was a waste of time, so I finally got up and headed to the bathroom. I was so glad I knew how to wash myself. The overnight sweat was simply washed with lukewarm water and I headed to the dressing room. The robes here were never easy to wear alone, but some of the simple casual clothes could be worn without borrowing other people¡¯s hands. After tightening the corset by myself and putting on tunics, I got into a simple green dress with white puffed sleeves.


    I should practice wearing it alone. I didn¡¯t know what was going to happen later.


    I put on a little makeup to cover my pale complexion, combed my long hair until it glowed, and gently left the room. As I walked down the stairs through the white marble corridor covered with rugs, I saw escorts standing like statues at the entrance, the line pointing toward the hall. ¡°What do you need, madam?¡±


    One of the knights, who stood there holding on to his spear and staring hard at me, finally spoke aloud, thinking that he couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. Do you know where my husband is now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t know where the Duke is.¡±


    Another knight tapped the one who answered on the shoulder.


    Did the two exchange glances for a moment?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but Miss Ellenia said she¡¯d stop by Elmos port with Lady Furiana around lunchtime today.¡±


    ¡°Ah-¡°


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­as you know, the Duke is in a very bad mood right now, and only the two of them can soothe him.¡±


    I see. Those two girls are the only ones who can soothe that personality wrecker. That¡¯s too much information for something I didn¡¯t even ask. I¡¯m sure it was my fault that he was not feeling well. Yeah, I know my place.


    Everyone seemed eager to see me jealous of Freya.


    They seemed to think that Freya deserved to be in my place right now, but were they expecting me to make an ugly scene out of jealousy?


    I could see why Rudbeckia in the original book was particularly hard on Freya.


    It was natural that she¡¯d be encouraged by all sides to do that when she already has a bad reputation. Anyway, Izek must be at Elmos Harbor now.


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±


    There was a moment of silence. I was still staring at them with a grin on my face while the guards went back to being statues.


    It was not long before a dismal voice rang out,¡±I¡¯ll arrange a carriage if you need it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir. You are very kind.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Elmos Port, where I first stepped on the land, was a peaceful and exotic place with the fresh sea breeze, open dock scenery, lighthouses, nearby inns and bars.


    But now, city guards and armour-clad Paladins were mixed all over the place, making the beautiful harbor landscape somehow grim and eerie.


    What were they doing? The atmosphere was quite serious, were they going to have a meeting? Or was someone important arriving?


    I didn¡¯t remember a foreign VIP visiting at this point of the story.


    As I stopped the carriage a little away before and walked along, I saw a group of guards and paladins sitting on the stairs around a bar just across the low stone wall, drinking beer cool under the broad daylight.


    No, these people¡­ Were they really paladins? I hid behind a stone wall, leaned out, and looked at the busy harbor view.


    Ha, this makes me feel like a real stalker. It¡¯s hard to survive.


    Indeed, Izek was there. My husband was with a ruddy-looking guard with a red beard. They were talking in a very serious way. It was a relief that I found him easier than I thought.


    Now, how should I approach him?


    ¡°That man¡­¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    Oh, no, please. I thought my heart was about to pop.


    I turned my head gently, suppressing a scream that almost burst out at the moment.


    Someone had approached me without a mouse or a bird knowing, crouching in the same position as me.


    I saw a boy next to me.


    Wait, I had seen him somewhere¡­ Oh, yes. Wasn¡¯t he that trainee that came to find Isuke by the pond? As I stared for a moment, the trainee blinked slowly. They were clear amber eyes. The black hair covering his straight forehead suddenly reminded him of Cesare, but Cesare¡¯s hair was not this black.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if you¡¯re surprised. I don¡¯t know why, but you seem to be hiding.¡±


    So, he copied me without even realizing it? He was a bit of a weirdo.


    Still, it¡¯s a good thing he didn¡¯t exude weird hostility like that Lorenzo kid.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you doing well? At the palace¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    When I answered with a smile, the trainee stared at my face for a moment, and soon spoke in a low tone, scratching his head awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m actually Lord Izek¡¯s trainee.¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s a surprising fact.


    ¡°I thought so. How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, actually. I was lucky enough, because the trainee before me got in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Was it that he sang an obscene song in someone¡¯s presence?¡±


    Hmm¡­ Why did I feel like that was the song I heard? Lorenzo¡­ this kid was not asking me to see if I¡¯m curious, was he?


    ¡°But why is my lady hiding like this? Aren¡¯t you here to see Lord Izek? Do you want me to go get him?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not here to meet him, I¡¯m just stopping by to see him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand. He¡¯s the best person to watch from afar. But isn¡¯t he pretty sweet to my lady? He¡¯ll be sad to know that you just left like that.¡±


    I was very, very curious to know what ¡®sweet¡¯ meant in his dictionary.


    Nevertheless, I threw my eyes down shyly.


    ¡°Do you see it that way?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s not the one who would beg a woman to wait for him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t tell anyone I said this. I might be beaten to death.¡±


    At this point, I wonder if some screws are missing because he was beaten so much by Izek. I decided to move on to another topic.


    ¡°But what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the palace pond incident that happened all of a sudden¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you lie flat next time?¡±


    The frightening growl overhead made both of us gasp and shriek.


    Oh, my heart.


    ¡°Your words of adoration are on point.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re perfect as always.¡±


    Izek didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. His veins popped out at his temple, when he looked down at us, smiling brightly and chatting.


    Ah, so scary.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s definitely my lady. We wondered who Andymion was hiding with and swearing at us.¡±


    You must have committed a lot of crimes, to worry about that.


    So, this kid¡¯s name was Andymion.


    I got up from my squatted position. I felt a little dizzy, but it was fine.


    ¡°Hello, Sir Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling well? I was worried that you might have been very surprised yesterday¡­ Hey, Andy, get out of here. Can¡¯t you take a clue, son of a b*tch?¡±


    He smiled so beautifully that I could see the illusion of fluttering rose petals, and while saying those words, he seemed more humane.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, of course. By the way, are you here to meet this ferocious b*stard?¡±


    The said ferocious b*stard was staring at his trainee, who crept away. Then, he glared at me again. How could he remain so stoic?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt. But I wanted to thank you for what happened yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something this b*stard should be grateful for, my lady. He had the honor of saving his wife. Don¡¯t you think so, son of a b*tch? Why don¡¯t you answer if you have a conscience?¡±


    Of course, Izek couldn¡¯t have a conscience.


    Izek ignored his friend¡¯s taunts and said what he had to say, ¡°It was only natural.¡±


    ¡°No, of course it is. If I die, everyone gets in trouble.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Now, my lady, why don¡¯t you come and have lunch with us? He¡¯ll love it, too.¡±


    Elegantly intervening, Sir Ivan grabbed Izek¡¯s magnificent shoulders tightly. Oh, he¡¯s got big guts.


    ¡°Can I really join you? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll distract you from talking to your close friends.¡±


    ¡°What? I think you¡¯re misunderstanding, but we¡¯re not that close. I don¡¯t want to be friends in the first place.¡±


    ¡°But I think Ellen and L-Lady Furiana would be uncomfortable¡­¡­ I¡¯d rather just go home and rest.¡±


    I tried to appeal to the fullest that I was a pure fan who has no connection with jealousy, but the responses of the two paladins were a bit strange.


    ¡°Huh? ¡­Is that¡­ my lady?¡±


    Eh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?


    I tilted my head innocently. But the looks on their faces were getting weird. Besides Sir Ivan, why was Izek staring at me with his eyes so wide open? I couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    It was then that I felt something running down my nose.


    ¡ª


    T/N: Casual note; I noticed a lot of reviews in kakaopage, complaining about how childish the mc¡¯s monologue was, but imo, it just makes her seem more humane. I¡¯m actually loving her sarcastic comments xDDD she¡¯s a lil dense at times but¡­i dunno, I really like her character. Let me know what y¡¯all think :3


    And thank you, once again, for the comments <3 feel free to let me know if I messed up something,,,

 Chapter 12

    ¡ª


    Confusion filled me. No, wait, don¡¯t tell me I was a damn embarrassment with a runny nose, in front of my husband¡¯s friend- ah, thank god, it wasn¡¯t a runny nose. The liquid dripping down my chin was dark red.


    It¡¯s not snot, but a nosebleed- why all of a sudden?!


    Even if I was in bad shape because of my yearly sickness, I¡¯d never been like this before.


    ¡°Oh¡­ ¡°


    ¡°M-My Lady, are you alright?¡±


    No, I¡¯m so confused that I don¡¯t know what to do.


    Just when I was acting like a huge fan, I got a bloody nose.


    I tried to stem the blood flowing from my hands by raising the back of my hand reflexively, but my head felt dizzy.


    Someone quickly grabbed my drooping shoulder.


    ¡°You¡­¡­¡±


    Izek, who stretched out his bulky arm over the stone wall, suddenly paused and frowned.


    Look, you stubborn b*stard, I¡¯m fine with your rude behaviour, but there¡¯s no way I can get a nosebleed on purpose.


    ¡°Why are you so hot?¡±


    Huh? Hot? Me? That can¡¯t be true.


    I¡¯m in the middle of my yearly sickness and a lot of pain, but others could never feel it. It was a phenomenon that I often experienced, although the heat that seemed to be burning and poking my whole body like needles, became worse than before. It was the first time I had a nosebleed, but I think my fanatic acting had reached that stage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to look like this on purpose.¡±


    He cut off my words, in spite of my embarrassment. His red eyes had an unfamiliar glow like before.


    ¡°Who are you here with?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I came alone¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to go crazy. You came out alone like this?¡±


    I felt dizzy again because my body was lifted into the air. Izek put his hand under my armpit and hugged me tightly, as if he were carrying some kind of sack.


    Ah, the chick in the eagle¡¯s claw must have felt just like me.


    I wanted to ask him to let me get off, but I held it in because I thought he¡¯d throw me down.


    Sir Ivan¡¯s light-green eyes had a serious look, as he hurriedly handed over his handkerchief, ¡°My Lady, who went to call for a physician?¡±


    No one would have gone even if I had asked.


    (T/N: Gosh, I felt so bad translating this part¡­my heart breaks for her.)


    ¡°It¡¯s not something worth calling the physician for. I¡¯m sorry, the sunlight was too harsh, and I became dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Ivan, give me your handkerchief.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter- damn it, she¡¯s boiling.¡±


    ¡°No sh*t¡­ I¡¯m sorry, my lady. Hey, since when has she been living in your house? Does it make sense that nobody knew until this point?¡±


    It did make sense. This sickness was an unusual one, that showed no symptoms.


    Even professional physicians thought it was just a side effect that came because I overworked my body. But now, my husband is telling me that I¡¯m as hot as a pot.


    It was both confusing and intriguing.


    And my head spun. As my vision faded, my body soon grew limp in his arms.


    ¡°¡­Huu¡­huuu.¡±


    A strange noise entered my ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw familiar canopy decorations. I got up.


    I was lying alone in my bedroom in Omerta Castle. A fireplace with green flames crackled warmly.


    What had happened?


    I fumbled through vague memories. Everything that happened from when I woke up, visiting the port of Elmos by myself¡­.it all felt like a dream.


    I pulled back the curtains and looked out the window, and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was dawn or sunset.


    The symptoms of my sickness had already disappeared, but I was heavy-headed and thirsty.


    The moment I came down from the bed and approached the bottle of water on the table¨C


    ¡°¡­¡­huu¡­.huuuuu.¡±


    The sound of sobbing.


    The sound of a woman sobbing made my breathing halt.


    I didn¡¯t know where it was coming from. It was probably nearby. Since it sounded as if the person was right outside the door, I walked and opened it. But no one was there.


    ¡°¡­¡­huuu¡­¡±


    It was a rather sad, heartbreaking cry. Who was crying? Was it Ellenia? Or the maid? I crept along the direction of the sound as if I were possessed. Bright lights were emitting from the end of a long hallway covered with darkness.


    There was no way the maid would cry hiding there, was it Ellenia? Did something bad happen?


    ¡°Anyway, for the time being¡­ my lady?¡±


    I blinked, my hands stuck on the wall.


    No one was crying in the bright hall leading up the stairs. All that could be seen was a strange man and my husband, who looked even more dangerous at night.


    There was a moment of silence.


    While I was rummaging through excuses in my confused mind, and choosing an appropriate one, the two stared at me as if my appearance was somewhat unexpected.


    My husband is always the same. Stoic. But why was that stranger staring at me like that?


    ¡°¡­My lady, are you okay?¡±


    Thank you for asking. I know I look kind of bad.


    As I was about to nod my head with a smile, Izek, who was looking this way, approached me slowly.


    He came so suddenly that I blurted out while shrugging my shoulders,¡±I¡¯m sorry, but someone keeps crying¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard someone crying, so I was worried that it was Ellen.¡± Izek looked down at me again, only to exchange glances with the stranger.


    It looks like he had decided I was selling drugs.


    ¡°Nobody cried.¡±


    No, I¡¯m sure it was there until a while ago¡­ Why can¡¯t I hear any more of the crying? What a perfect time to stop.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not lying to you, I¡¯m sure a while ago¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were lying.¡± He spat out in a sharp tone.


    You¡¯re right, but are you aware that your argument is contradictory to your previous statement?


    ¡°Oh, right¡­ Sergei, you need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll come back in the afternoon. I¡¯ll see you later, my lady.¡±


    Sergei, the stranger, seemed to be a doctor.


    I also tried to greet him nicely, but my husband interrupted me.


    As my feet lifted off the floor, my head grew light and deja vu hit me, ¡°You¡¯re too big¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Did I just get a nosebleed?¡±


    ¡°¡­not just now, but three days ago too.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true¡­ ah, I¡¯m heavy, so drop me off.¡±


    ¡°You must have a high fever.¡±


    High fever?


    I moved my arms around his thick neck and he flinched as if he had been burned.


    So rude.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep bothering you. Please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    ¡°I thought Ellen was crying¡­¡±


    ¡°Ellen doesn¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s not like me. She¡¯s good, though.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­¡­hoo, there you go.¡±


    That¡¯s what you call good acting. I clicked my tongue briefly and grinned at the side view of the man who put me down on the bed.


    Red ruby-like eyes were gazing at me with a strange light in them.


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­no, I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡±


    He still remained the same.


    That¡¯s how my husband just left the room.


    The door shut softly.


    But I couldn¡¯t hear any footsteps.


    While I was half-asleep, my ears pricked up, and a sigh sounded a little later, with a thud. As if something had hit the wall lightly.


    What was that? I didn¡¯t think he was hitting his head against the wall.


    What was he thinking? Standing there? Why wouldn¡¯t he just walk away? It¡¯s like he¡¯s trying to catch a rat, but I have to thank the people here, who do nothing to make him go away.


    I was sick for about two more days after that.


    It wasn¡¯t the yearly sickness, just a normal fever. The doctor, Sergei, was very kind, but he didn¡¯t give a detailed answer to what I asked or explained my condition. It was unclear whether he was hiding something or not.


    However, he emphasized that I should eat well, saying that I am too skinny. Anyway, the conclusion that I could in this situation was that my yearly sickness and fever came at the same time. Since I fell into the pond the day before, it was natural for a fever to strike. So it explained why I suddenly had a nosebleed and Izek felt I was burning up. But why did I want to know the unknown cause? In addition to whatever happened, the attitude of the servants changed ¡ª they became polite, and I was not able to adapt well to that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new porridge, ma¡¯am. I ground the potatoes to make it more appetising.¡±


    Yes, what an honour. It¡¯s already very hard to adjust to this, but I also have to smile brightly.


    Another disadvantage of being sick is that I had to be stuck in bed and take my meals.


    To make matters worse, Ellenia came to me every meal, so I couldn¡¯t do anything about it secretly.


    My body temperature was already reducing. Everything should go back to normal.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand that day.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to see him around lunch to discuss an old situation.¡±


    I slid the spoon down, scraping the porridge bowl. Ellenia was sitting upright in an armchair, her gaze fixed on my hand.


    ¡°There is no misunderstanding, Ellen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened recently. So¡­ ¡°


    The popular beauty of the North, with her lips pressed together, fixed her unique red eyes on my face.


    Ellenia would be in the most trouble if there was a disturbance.


    Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have any interest or time to waste on that.

 Chapter 13

    ¡ª


    ¡°I know Lady Furiana is an old friend. I don¡¯t want you to worry about it, either.¡±


    ¡°¡­Everyone was shocked when Ruby suddenly collapsed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you. I didn¡¯t know that would happen¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our fault.¡±


    Her sharp tone was the same as Izek¡¯s. You could tell they were siblings, after all.


    I smiled awkwardly and slid the spoon down again.


    There was a moment of silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him that upset before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault he got upset. Anyway, I¡¯m glad you recovered faster than I expected. If you¡¯re feeling well, why don¡¯t you join us this weekend afternoon for a horseback riding meeting?¡±


    The meeting that Ellenia and Freya had every summer for a long time?


    Of course, I had to go. It was a good opportunity to build an image in this society.


    ¡°Thank you for asking. Of course, I¡¯ll come.¡±


    Horseback riding meeting.


    It wasn¡¯t really about riding horses, but more of an outdoor party where young nobles gathered under the pretext of horseback riding to build friendships, gather information and search for partners. You could call it a social club.


    As it is a club led by Duke Omerta and Marquis Furiana¡¯s daughters, only important northern family members could visit. I had left a pretty insignificant first impression at the last court banquet, so I had to push forward to make a better one.


    I had to use all the opportunities as much as I could for half a year or so.


    The clothes I ordered from the tailor were yet to arrive, so I chose the simplest-looking dress I had brought from home.


    A sky blue dress with ruffled sleeves cut off from the elbow, hair tied up in a long braid with blue ribbons.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to keep it this way, ma¡¯am?¡±


    The hard-faced maid who was combing my hair glanced at the dresser drawer I had left open.


    I left it open on purpose. The hair ornaments I brought from Romagna were spectacular enough to make her eyes pop.


    They were all given by Cesare, so it didn¡¯t matter if it was fancy or not.


    ¡°Hmm, why? What do you think would be better?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for me to give an opinion.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about you? While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s pick one for you.¡±


    The hands threading the ribbon stopped. Silence stayed for a moment.


    Doubt slowly spread over the maid¡¯s face, who was looking at me with a little surprise.


    Yes, it was only natural. Either way, I grinned at the mirror.


    As always, act like a fool, be kind to everyone.


    ¡°You mean me? Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ You¡¯ve been taking good care of me for the past few days when I was sick. I don¡¯t use it much, so I wanted to give something to you as a gift. Choose whatever you like.¡±


    The maid was still looking at me with a wary look, but at the same time, her eyes glanced at the colorful ornaments greedily. One of the smallest hairpins would exceed her ten-month salary.


    So, pick one up already.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s keep it a secret between us because it¡¯ll be difficult if others to find out.¡±


    That was the end of her hesitation.


    The maid, who had pretended to hesitate for a moment, soon picked up the biggest and most colorful out of all.


    An emerald butterfly-decorated comb. I guessed it looked the most expensive.


    As if I were going to take it back, a smile rushed to her previously angry face, hiding the decorated comb in her arms.


    A familiar expression. That was the expression of a pushover being caught.


    ¡°¡­thank you, madam.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I look forward to your kindness. How long have you been working here?¡±


    ¡°Three years, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Then you must know that maid. How long has she worked here?¡±


    When I asked a completely unrelated question, the answer was immediately returned.


    ¡°That maid has been here since she was very young. I heard she was a nanny at first.¡±


    She added in a polite tone, her eyes flitting side to side. Well, she doesn¡¯t seem to like the maid much. Anyway, I just remembered that maid as a loyal maid character, but if she was Ellenia¡¯s nanny, she must have a special affection for her. That was why she didn¡¯t like me even more. It would be funny if the main culprit for the first day was that maid. She didn¡¯t do that to the original Rudbeckia.


    Was she the type to bother someone because they looked easy?


    ¡°Thank you. Then, you can leave.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Oh, my lady, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well. I was so worried when I heard that you were sick. I wanted to visit you in the hospital, but I couldn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t want you to feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, what¡¯s the point of discomfort? But thank you for your concern.¡±


    When I arrived at the stable after all preparations, Ellenia was waiting ahead with Freya as scheduled. Freya, who was stroking a white stallion in a riding dress that seemed to be tailored by Ellenia¡¯s tailor, looked very friendly with the horses here.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that a horse looked like a dog in the rain. Was this the power that came with being the main character¡¯s childhood friend?


    It wasn¡¯t too much for everyone to think that Freya deserved to be in my place.


    Freya, I don¡¯t know what you think yet, but if you let me live, I can transfer this position to you any time.


    Ellenia, who looked at me and Freya alternatively with that expressionless face of hers, soon placed her hand on my shoulder and led me into the stable.


    ¡°They¡¯re all well-trained stallions, so you can choose who you like. Except for the ones on the right.¡±


    ¡°Oh, those over there¡­¡±


    ¡°Only my brother rides them, so they¡¯re a little bit¡­¡±


    I see. It would be more befitting to call them devil¡¯s spawns instead.


    Freya burst into laughter.


    ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s right. But isn¡¯t it a little rough for my lady to ride? You just recovered.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a long ride, so it won¡¯t be too much, but if you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll pick the most docile one for you. Cedric?¡±


    Oh, so he was the most docile one. All of them looked like young masters. Look at those glares. Haa, I was being discriminated against even by horses.


    I don¡¯t like you either. No, I don¡¯t like this town itself.


    ¡°Good morning, on the way in or out?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Your lovely wife is going out with us today. Do you want me to let you in if you¡¯re lonely?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    What was this strange feeling of being stabbed when I wasn¡¯t even hiding like last time?


    As I turned my head slightly, I saw my husband trudging close to me in a black uniform. He seemed unfamiliar because it was my first time seeing him wearing anything other than armour.


    A strange silence fell for a moment.


    In contrast to Freya, who was smiling cheerfully, Ellenia just stared at her brother and said nothing. And Izek looked straight at me, holding onto the stable fence, and frowned.


    As cold as ever. If he keeps that up, I¡¯ll also act the same.


    ¡°Wow, you look really cool today. Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Nowhere. I don¡¯t do anything on Sabbath.¡±


    What was this answer? Was he being sarcastic?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was picking horses to attend a horse riding meeting with the two of them here. Would you like to come?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    He kept contradicting me, just a moment before, he said he was doing nothing because it was Sabbath. Of course, I knew he¡¯d say no, so I grinned undauntedly.


    ¡°Well, is it okay if I pick any horse?¡±


    ¡°Do you even have an eye for horses?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much of good eyesight.¡±


    That¡¯s why I have a crush on you. Although I¡¯m pretending to have a crush. (haha)


    He glared at me before blinking slowly and turning toward the two closest women to him. Freya opened her eyes wide, and Ellenia opened her mouth without a change in her expression.


    ¡°Sergei said it was fine. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re curious about.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, why don¡¯t you check it out yourself and take her there? I¡¯ll leave with Frey first.¡±


    What? Now, hold on, Ellen, why are you abandoning me like this all of a sudden?


    I thought it was a joke, but Ellenia got on her stallion with a quick move, as if she were really going to leave me alone with this monstrous husband of mine.


    As a result, not only I, but Freya too looked astounded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°But Ellen¡­¡±


    To make matters worse, Izek just stared at me silently instead of trying to put a stop to this situation that he wouldn¡¯t be happy with.


    Satan¡¯s embodiment had his arms folded, glaring proudly.


    Sniff.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. Because of me, Ellen¡­ ¡°


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll just sit back and reflect on myself at home.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    A man who spat this out, as if he was clicking his tongue, came close to me through the fence door. Then he gestured to the stableman who was carefully waiting in the room nearby.


    ¡°Cedric.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Cedric looked puzzled for a moment, but quickly left his seat with the will to live. Why was he letting him go again?


    The nasal snorts of the horses rang out. I was overwhelmed.


    I hated the stable.


    Especially a stable with a ruthless opponent.


    Even more so now that I had been through something horrifyingly similar in my previous life and this life.


    The sound of horses crying. The sound of a horsewhip cutting through the air.


    The creepy whispers of my eldest brother and my pathetic cries blended and echoed in my ears.


    ¡®Did you know what you did wrong?¡¯


    My breath caught in my chest. I shook my head to get myself together.


    I shouldn¡¯t be swept away by trauma and mess things up.


    I¡¯m way past that stage. So¡­¡­So¡­

 Chapter 14

    ¡ª


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    I raised my eyes trying to catch my breath.


    Izek was looking down at me with his head tilted to one side. His red eyes shone faintly.


    ¡°You have a weird look on your face.¡±


    ¡®I told you not to drag me down.¡¯


    ¡°Well, come here for now.¡±


    ¡®Come with me, stupid b*tch who doesn¡¯t know anything.¡¯


    I followed him blankly. The eyes of stallions standing on the right side of the wide and dark stable shone on seeing their owner.


    Laughing eyes. Animals that laughed while I cried.


    ¡°Can you give me one of those?¡±


    ¡®Bring it here.¡¯


    I swallowed and looked back.


    A bag of carrots and apples and some whips were hung on the wall.


    ¡°This is the only way to treat these stupid snobs.¡±


    (T/N: Referring to the horses)


    ¡®There¡¯s only one punishment I can give to a stupid woman who doesn¡¯t know her place.¡¯


    I paused for a moment and made eye contact with the stallion in the front fence.


    The horse stomped on one foot and snorted disapprovingly.


    I felt like I was slowly burning from inside.


    It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. I was the one who said yes to it. I just need to find an excuse for later.


    ¡°He seems to have the dirtiest temper, but is pretty simple¡­¡± Izek, who was stroking the horse¡¯s nose, stopped the next moment.


    ¡°¡­¡­what are you doing?¡±


    Why was the way of taming the same everywhere? Just let me live.


    I approached with a tearful expression of remorse.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve committed a terrible crime.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t know what to do and acted presumptuously. I¡¯m so hopeless.¡±


    He stared at me. His dark ruby eyes somehow looked a little blank.


    ¡°You really-¡±


    His eyes turned downward. He looked at my trembling hands.


    His gaze became sharp like razor blades.


    ¡°I guess horses eat whips as a snack in Romagna.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Hiccups kept rising up my throat. He snatched the whip from my hand and threw it over there.


    Snap!


    The stallion, which was almost hit by the whip while welcoming its owner, neighed discontentedly.


    Neigh, neigh.


    My hiccups kept pouring out.


    I was trying to cover my mouth with both hands, but this man held my hands and forced me to lower them. His cold hard face was very brutal.


    ¡°Why did you bring that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have, so if you tell me what to do, I¡¯ll fix it¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ll fix.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, hic, for doing this. I didn¡¯t mean to¨C Hic, I know I did something wrong.¡±


    ¡°You did something wrong.¡±


    ¡°E-Everything. I mean, in the first place, I-¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine. Stop talking. Damn it!¡±


    I kept my mouth shut. Izek let go of my hand, stood back, and stared at me in silence for a long time with an unpredictable look.


    Rather than staring, his gaze seemed to be penetrating into my very being. It was more disturbing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ease your breathing?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯ll stop the hiccups¡­¡±


    I breathed out of my mouth. Fortunately, my hiccups seemed to stop.


    Instead, my legs lost strength, gave away, and I sank to the floor. My husband looked simply dumbfounded.


    ¡®You¡¯re driving me crazy.¡¯


    He lifted me up like a sack.


    Ah, I¡¯ve become a chick again.


    It was unsettling to be in the air like this. And I was annoyed with myself. I was always scared for no reason. It was not a big deal. I was just supposed to do the same thing as back then. So, why were my legs so weak?


    Come on, get a hold of yourself and get back to the role.


    ¡°I was a little dizzy. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°I never said you did it on purpose. Damn it. What kind of riding party is this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was out of my mind. I just thought, maybe I could get to know some of these people.¡±


    ¡°The people here already know you.¡±


    He took a few steps back.


    Then he bent over, grabbed an apple from the basket, and handed it to me.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯d fix it. My horses are snobs, they need a ransom.¡±


    I see. His horses were snobs. So he was telling me to bring them a giant apple¨C ah, it would have been nice if he had told me before!


    I felt relieved and embarrassed at the same time.


    I was glad he was not annoyed though. Phew, I need to stay a little more alert from now on. He doesn¡¯t like people crying, so I shouldn¡¯t show that again.


    ¡°Can I ride your horse?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    What, would you not be angry if I did it without asking?


    I thought it was ridiculous, but of course, I didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes, really.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the horses will get offended?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t even recognize the owner if you give them an apple.¡±


    I faced a muscular black stallion that looked particularly proud of being held in my husband¡¯s arms. His eyes were so arrogant that someone might be scared to become his master.


    Puu, puu.


    When I gently offered the apple, he looked extremely pleased, his eyes glowing gently.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll give you this, so be nice to me.¡±


    ¡°Snort¡­¡±


    I could feel a pair of eyes staring at me. It belonged to no one else but my husband.


    Why was he looking at me like that? What was he thinking? So far, I had been wondering if he was interested in what I was doing.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s pretty majestic¡±


    ¡°You seem to like him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Cedric!¡±


    The stableman that ran away earlier came running again. He looked a little flustered, but when Izek nodded, he immediately approached and began to saddle the horse.


    ¡°My Lady¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Nevermind, she¡¯ll ride with me.¡±


    Cedric¡¯s eyes grew as wide as horseshoes, but he asked no questions.


    As for me, my eyes wide became wide just like Cedric.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you really taking me?¡±


    ¡°What I really mean is¡­ I don¡¯t do anything on Sabbath, so it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s only the trainees who are excited.¡±


    ¡°But you said you were busy earlier.¡±


    ¡°I was mentally busy.¡±


    What kind of guy is this? Haa, I had to admit he had a very surprising attitude. But, the arrogant paladin who didn¡¯t even want to bump into me, was now talking to me ¡ª a great development. I¡¯ll keep trying to gain his interest.


    The foot of Lake Greyleo, where the meeting was held, had a lively and noisy atmosphere. People in light horseback riding suits and drivers covering the area were mixed together, flirting and enjoying dinner at outdoor tables. The sky above us was a peaceful blue without the sight of a single cloud. The scene felt really beautiful and romantic as I gazed up.


    ¡­..of course, the romantic atmosphere soon shattered.


    ¡°¡­.Whoa, sh*t, what the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°Hey, can you see that too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I can see too.¡±


    ¡°Is that some hallucination spell?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense anything.¡±


    Husband, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one feeling that you¡¯re more of a devil than a paladin. Your friends are about to pull out a sword and come at you.


    They were either cursing or taken aback. One man fell off the saddle watching us and some couple spurted juice out of their mouth.


    Izek had completely destroyed the good atmosphere, but he could not have had the conscience to be embarrassed. Izek drove his horse without delay and approached the table where a group of women were sitting. Ellenia was there too. In contrast to the shocked expressions of those around her, Ellenia calmly greeted him with her distinctively indifferent face.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always up to me to take care of what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    He jumped off the saddle.


    And then they just started a family fight-


    No, you guys¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame this on me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking you to do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be sure from the start.¡±


    ¡°Then what can you do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic. At least I¡¯m grateful, not like my father.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re the only one with conscience in our family. So why don¡¯t you stop fighting back? I¡¯m starting to get annoyed.¡±


    That¡¯s the way it is for this little husband. What¡¯s wrong with Ellenia, who¡¯s so dignified.  That¡¯s why I¡¯m like the seed of strife.


    Freya, who was sitting next to Ellenia, stood up and approached them. She stood between Ellenia, who sat upright, and Izek, who stood arrogant with the saddle, her purple eyes looking worried. ¡°Stop it, both of you. It¡¯s not something to argue about here. Iz, you should stop teasing your wife, too. Huh?¡±


    Despite the friendly scolding from his childhood friend, the son of a b*tch didn¡¯t budge. Ellenia was also staring at her brother, no fear in her eyes.


    ¡°Hey¡­ ¡°


    I tried to jump down, but I didn¡¯t manage properly, so Izek stretched out his arms and grabbed me.


    T/N: In case y¡¯all didn¡¯t understand, the italicised sentences in ¡® ¡®  were flashbacks.

 Chapter 15

    It was so unexpected that I fell off the saddle, making me clutch his arm and lean on him.


    Ah, I don¡¯t like this. I¡¯m worried about being a chick.


    There was a commotion around us. I laughed obliviously, pushing out the annoying murmurs.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t fight.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at them. Your handsome face will get ruined.¡±


    Izek stared at me silently for a moment.


    Like Satan¡¯s incarnation, his glaring eyes were very fierce. He growled when I wriggled my body in preparation for being thrown away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad, damn it. Ellen. Am I mad?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not so.¡±


    Ellenia, who answered immediately, stared at me. What kind of siblings were they? This was absurd, but of course, I didn¡¯t mention it and smiled widely. When my feet touched the flat grass, I felt alive.


    ¡°Thank you for taking me. I won¡¯t forget today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ride alone too. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­do as you please.¡±


    It was said without sincerity, but still a reply. It was pretty hard to be a fan. Freya, who looked at me with interested eyes, smiled softly.


    ¡°Come over here and sit down, my lady. Everyone is waiting.¡±


    Thank you for those empty words.


    As I approached the table obediently and sat down, I saw that the handle of the teacup was decorated in the shape of a turtle with jeweled eyeballs.


    Today sure was a tough day.


    ¡°E-Ellen¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have shown you something ugly. He¡¯s always like this, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ellenia, who spat out in a businesslike tone, pushed a plate containing finger food toward me.


    That was good enough, but why was there a turtle decoration on the plate too?!


    I drank tea as much as I could, trying not to look at the decorations.


    Freya, sitting next to me, murmured anxiously,¡±Is it okay if I leave him like that?¡±


    ¡°Leave him alone.¡±


    Ellenia was heartless. Before I knew it, my husband was dragging his horse away.


    I glanced at the sight of the men approaching him as if they had been waiting, when someone asked me, ¡°Are you feeling well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so surprised to hear that you collapsed at Elmos Port. I heard you even shed blood.¡±


    I swallowed a groan. Well, there was more than one person there at the time, so it was not too much for rumors to spread.


    But the fact that I had a bloody nose, did we have to point it out here? Huh? This lady-Consolace or something. She had been poking at my sore spots since last time.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I almost got in trouble. Thank you for your concern.¡±  I replied, smiling with gratitude from the bottom of her heart.


    Lady Conolace made a mixed expression, frowning yet smiling, but tried again,¡±I guess my lady cares a lot about her figure.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already pretty thin, but I haven¡¯t seen you eat anything since the last time. Do you not like the food here?¡±


    Her gray eyes sparkled as if she was genuinely concerned.


    I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve only seen me twice now. It¡¯s sad to think you¡¯re already pointing fingers at me for eating less.


    ¡°Is that so? I usually don¡¯t eat a lot.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what the southern trend is, but health is necessary to withstand the climate here. As you know, a lot happens here, so we don¡¯t want to bother each other.¡±


    I see. A lady like me is a nuisance. So funny.


    Nevertheless, I smiled brightly, my eyes twinkling. ¡°Oh, thank you for your concern. You¡¯ve been so sweet since last time, can I talk to you about things from now? As you know, I don¡¯t know many people here, so I don¡¯t have anyone to ask.¡±


    ¡°¡­well, anytime.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Lady Conolace, who murmured bitterly, nodded her head coyly.


    She seemed annoyed.


    I know, I understand.  Insults have to be in sync to make it fun. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not doing stupid things because I like you.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Castella cake is delicious.¡±


    ¡­¡­Yes, Castella cake is delicious. You want me to eat it?


    Today¡¯s Ellenia was scary for some reason, so I began to nibble on the bright yellow castella cake.


    It¡¯d be okay if I didn¡¯t see this turtle.


    ¡°Relax. Why would argue over nothing all of a sudden? Such good siblings.¡±


    ¡°You and your brother are the ones who have a good relationship.¡±


    ¡°My brother? He¡¯s nice, but such a troublemaker. I wish I had a more reliable brother¡­ ¡± Freya, who playfully trailed off, changed the conversation topic naturally, looking in my direction.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I heard that my lady had a very good friendship with her elder brothers.¡±


    There was only one ¡®good¡¯ sibling in my family. Enzo was a knight, not a cardinal. That was not the point, though.


    ¡°It¡¯s just normal. My brothers tend to put up with my childishness a lot.¡±


    ¡°I envy you. You were the baby sibling. You must miss them alot.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t think of anything. I¡¯ve already gotten so much better here.¡±


    Freya was one of the closest people to Izek.


    Even if it¡¯s not her, I¡¯ll be careful of what I say, just in case there¡¯s a rumour going around about me.


    ¡°Will Cardinal Valentino visit Elendale this year?¡± It was a question that the lady, who said that she suffered because the food was not to her taste the other day, asked with sparkling eyes.


    Haa, apart from the rumours, I forgot how popular Cesare is.


    Please don¡¯t come. I really don¡¯t want you to come, but it¡¯s painful knowing you¡¯re already coming.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t heard anything yet.¡±


    The match was around late fall, so he still had a few months left, but my future already seemed dark. My body is going to die, trapped between Cesare and Izek, two walls.


    After the chatty brunch time, everyone started horseback riding. Fortunately, my husband left the horse alone and disappeared somewhere, so I rode on the snobbish horse and joined. Somehow, Freya and I were walking slowly toward the forest road.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Lady Conolace.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that she¡¯s grumpy. She used to follow Iz around a long time ago. But she¡¯s not a bad person.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter, but I nodded as if I understood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s bad. Lord Izek is a wonderful man, so it¡¯s not too much to have a lot of people who like him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so sweet, my lady,¡± Freya tilted her head to one side with her eyes fixed forward.


    Sitting on a snow-white stallion, she was like a goddess jumping out of a stunning painting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll take it, but I thought you were a very picky person.¡±


    ¡°Me? Why?¡±


    ¡°You are the princess of Romagna. Not surprising if you were.¡± The playful addition made her smile, revealing her white teeth.


    Well, if it were Rudbeckia, she would have taken it the wrong way.


    I still felt sorry for the original Rudbeckia.


    ¡°But can we go this way?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay as long as we don¡¯t go too far. It¡¯s the safest place to hold outdoor gatherings, so it¡¯s the same every time.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ ¡°


    ¡°But you seem to be better at riding than I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to you. Just that the horse is good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so at all. Speaking of which, why don¡¯t we have a match?¡±


    ¡°A match?¡±


    ¡°If you go straight in that direction, you¡¯ll reach the opposite side of the road we came from. How about we race till there? What do you say?¡±


    I nodded because there was no reason to refuse. It was the perfect time for me to get closer to Freya.


    Should I win or lose?


    ¡°Then, my lady should leave first.¡±


    ¡°Are you going easy on me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more used to this road, so it¡¯s natural to give way.¡±


    That was how I started first. As soon as I stepped up, the horse started galloping as if waiting. I didn¡¯t know how to put up with it. My braids flew wildly. Surprisingly, I felt pretty good. Maybe it was because it had been so long since I rode as much as I wanted to without noticing anything. I wanted to show my skills properly for the first time in a while.


    After some time, the road that Freya talked about appeared. As I was running along the side road, I stopped for a moment. A strange feeling rose in me. I couldn¡¯t hear any sound coming from behind.


    Where was Freya right now? Maybe she went the other way?


    Just when I was trying to detect sounds, something literally popped out of the bushes without a sound swirling around my ankle. I thought it was a snake and screamed in a fit.


    Surprised by the momentum, the horse also neighed and leaped on its front legs!


    ¡°AHHHH!¡±


    My hand slipped off the reins and my body was thrown into the air.


    The shock made my body tingle all over and I was dragged away. I didn¡¯t know if it was a vine that twisted around my ankle, but it was already clinging to my body, dragging me into the bushes. I didn¡¯t even realize I was screaming.


    I only felt pain, hitting my head hard against something dull.


    There was a brief blackout.


    ***


    ¡°Kuu¡­¡±


    My head was heavy. Likewise, I found it hard to open my heavy eyelids.


    It was dark and calm all over. The white moonlight shone through a spot.


    Where am I? What happened last?


    ¡°¡­¡­Gah!¡±


    I made eye contact with it while I was struggling to pull myself together.


    Assuming those were eyes.


    It was standing by my bedside, looking down at me.


    How to express what it looked like? A  giant black monster rabbit, or a raccoon? Its two ears, which were on the top of its penguin-like body, were pointed like rabbits, and a pair of green jewels ¨C eyes, shone noticeably in the dark.


    And below that¡­


    If that huge hole in its belly was a mouth, I would die as it is.

 Chapter 16

    What the hell was in there, apart from those awful crocodile-like teeth? Maybe corpses?


    ¡°Augh¡­¡±


    I got goosebumps all over my back. I moved back hurriedly, biting my tongue to avoid screaming. It made a strange sound, flapping its weird arm, which seemed to have claws on the wing-like parts.


    ¡°Po, po¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Stay away¡­¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po, po¡­¡±


    ¡­.it should have felt threatening, but somehow it sounded funny.


    Its flapping arms also didn¡¯t look good on it.


    ¡°Over there¡­¡±


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    ¡°Come on¡­¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po.¡±


    Despite my desperate efforts, the mysterious creature waddled up to me, making a mysterious noise.


    The view in its wide-open mouth was horrible, so I just closed my eyes, when my body got thrown up into the air again.


    There was a strange cry from afar.


    It sounded like someone was wailing sadly. Maybe it was just the sound of my heart.


    Wasn¡¯t it too futile for a girl to die like this?! I was trying not to get killed by my husband, but I don¡¯t want to get killed by a Popo monster instead! The Popo monster picked me up with its short arms, and waddled around to look for a place when there was no one. I was dragged behind to a nearby rock. I wanted to scream, but I felt that as soon as I screamed, it was going to bite my head off in one bite.


    In addition, a sudden ominous chill made me feel suffocated. The sound of hooves approaching.


    I was trying to scream, but I felt uncomfortable somehow.


    I had a gut feeling that I shouldn¡¯t show any sign of being here, instinctively.


    At a glance, the Popo monster was holding its breath, holding me tightly in its arms.


    At last the one approaching us reached a point where it could be seen.


    ¡°Wuuu!¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t for the moonlight, I¡¯d just think it was just a knight. Sitting on a pale blue horse, it certainly looked like a knight. Just in a decapitated state.


    What looked like a severed head was stuck to its side.


    Was this what Durahan was about?


    (T/N: Durahan/Dullahan: a headless rider, on horse, who carries his own head held high in his hand. )


    It was even more terrifying in reality than I had imagined. Durahan stopped his horse for a moment and stood still, but only when Popo and I were about to die from suffocating, did he slowly turn his head.


    A cold sweat ran down my cheek.


    ¡°Whoo¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Po.¡±


    My feet touched the ground. Popo Monster laid me down gently and waddled. I was watching it from afar, and then I suddenly noticed the debris scattered at the spot where I was lying down. The thick python-like vines were pieces of debris.


    My ankle throbbed.


    I raised my hand and wiped off the sweat dripping down my chin, but when I looked at my palm, it was blood, not sweat.


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    Popo, who picked up a giant leaf, came back to me. Then, it stuck the leaf to my forehead. There was a moment of silence.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡°By any chance, did you save me?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    It shook its giant body back and forth. Like a nod.


    ¡°Can you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand people?¡±


    This time, it shook its body from side to side.


    Do you mean you understand me because I¡¯m not human?


    ¡°You know¡­ can you help me one more time? I-I have to go back home. But I don¡¯t know the way out of here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how deep I was dragged into the forest. Moreover, seeing the moon rise, it seems that I had been unconscious for quite a while.


    I was bleeding, and if I wandered alone like this, I would be eaten by a mountain animal, let alone a monster. Popo Monster seemed to stare at me for a moment, but soon its ears drooped and it shook its body back and forth.


    Hey, why do you look so down all of a sudden? What are you doing with all that debris in your mouth?


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Popo picked me up again. This time, it lifted me higher than before and put me up to its head. It seemed like I was meant to get on, so I gently grabbed its long ears while sitting. They were surprisingly soft.


    Puuuf!


    My body swerved so hard, that I put strength to my hands holding its ears. Popo began to run at an extremely fast speed- who knows whether it was flying or running.


    It was incredibly fast even with a huge body. The wind hit my face, making me close my eyes tightly.


    I wondered how far it had run.


    Finally, Popo stopped running and tapped my foot. As I lowered my legs carefully, its slippery arm supported my feet and helped me lower them.


    ¡°Po.¡±


    It was noisy everywhere. Green lights were circling from not too far away. So they were searching for me.


    ¡°Well, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    This time, Popo flapped its arms as if it was greeting, then turned back and disappeared into the dark forest.


    I limped through the bushes to see the light.


    ¡°¡­¡­woa!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    As soon as I pushed past the bushes, I was also taken aback to see some of them scream.


    ¡°M-M-My Lady?!


    ¡°Oh, Andymion?¡±


    ¡°W-We found her! She¡¯s safe! We found her! My Lady, are you alright?¡± An exhausted Andymion asked, he seemed to have been looking for me.


    As the whole area rejoiced, the paladins ran one by one. It was a situation where I should be relieved, but nervousness overtook me, and my heart began to beat violently with anxiety.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia is safe!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alright. Are you hurt anywhere? It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±


    Andymion, who was bending over and looking at me, reached out carefully and took off the giant leaf on my forehead. It¡¯s amazing that it didn¡¯t fall off. The blood-soaked leaf fluttered away.


    ¡°Andy, get out of the way. My Lady, come this way.¡± Sir Ivan, who came through the other paladins, extended an arm to me. He had a scary look I had never seen before.


    It was then¨C


    ¡°My wife is too impatient to stay out of trouble for a day.¡± I flinched as I grabbed Sir Ivan¡¯s arm at the familiar sound.


    Andymion, who was looking at him with a blank look, quietly opened his mouth, ¡°Sir, your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Andymion shut his mouth immediately and gave me a pitiful look. It was understandable that Izek¡¯s appearance now was unparalleled. His blood-red eyes burning like the flames of hell seemed to be on par with the Durahan I saw a while ago.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve already told you that you don¡¯t need to draw attention this way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you. But I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ ¡°


    ¡°You can¡¯t help it?¡± The corners of his mouth pulled up into a smirk. Cold, cold ridicule was apparent.


    Then what am I supposed to do in that situation, you b*stard? Don¡¯t tell me you thought I was being dragged to the end of the world on purpose?


    Sir Ivan stepped in just as I was trying to explain the situation somehow.


    ¡°Calm down for now. You should listen to her side.¡±


    Huh? Listen to me? Why would he?


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to listen to.¡±


    ¡°Just calm down and¡­ ¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ll beat you up if you say something else.¡± The one who threw it like a chewer came straight up with a terrifying stranglehold.


    ¡°Get out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Iz¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Sir Ivan, who was half supporting me, fell.


    ¡°You f*cking jerk!¡± rang loudly.


    Regardless of that, Izek quickly took me on one shoulder and moved on.


    My body trembled.


    Husband, what¡¯s wrong with you this time?


    I knew I¡¯d made a mistake. I decided to keep my mouth shut because he might really throw me away this time. Izek pushed me up on a horse that had been parked outside the forest and rode on. My  injured ankle throbbed as the horse galloped, but I tried to bite my lip and hold it in.


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    The mansion was lit up all over. Ellenia, who was sitting on the sofa, immediately rose as we entered the hall. Unlike her usual self, her face looked agitated. Freya, too, was with her.


    Tears glistened on her face as she stood up holding a soaked handkerchief, ¡°Oh, my lady, you¡¯re safe! I¡¯m so relieved. I don¡¯t know how much¡­¡±


    ¡°Ruby, what happened? Why did you get a wound?¡±


    I was hesitating to open my mouth when my husband interrupted me.


    ¡°Call Sergei. You come here.¡±


    ¡°But brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    He snapped in such a vicious tone that Ellenia stayed silent.


    The expression on the maid¡¯s face as she pampered the two girls was horrifying. I didn¡¯t know what to do at the sight of her accusing me mentally.


    I tried not to limp and followed my husband.


    Huu, I don¡¯t want to follow you like this, you¡¯re too scary.


    The place he led me to was something that resembled a study.

 Chapter 17

    ¡ª


    Izek slammed the door as soon as I followed him in. The sound of the door closing was loud. Tears welled up in fear, but I held it in.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    I hesitated and sat on a nearby chair.


    Izek, who sighed as if he was trying to suppress his boiling anger, was in a messy state. His clothes were covered in dirt, sweat had drenched them all the way to the back of his neck, and his silvery hair was all over the place.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He finally straightened himself up, folded his arms, and gazed straight at me.


    His eyes, which had been blazing with heat, were already bone-chilling now.


    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    What was he trying to do?


    I gulped dry saliva down my throat, and quickly began to explain, ¡°While riding, Lady Furiana asked me to compete till the other side, so I started first along the path she told me. Suddenly. something popped out of the bushes and grabbed my ankle and pulled me. I was trying to get out of its grasp, but I couldn¡¯t manage since I had hit my head hard.¡±


    I caught my breath, wondering whether I should tell him that I met Popo monster or not, but his expression was so unusual that I stopped.


    His gaze was somewhat empty¡­


    ¡°Freya said you ran into the woods to play on your own. Even though she told you not to.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Freya lied to us? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?¡± His eyes, which had been suppressing his anger, shone coldly.


    What the hell was going on?


    I felt like I had been hit on the head.


    (T/N: You already have been hit once, sweetie.)


    Why did Freya say that? Why? Why would she do that? Just because she didn¡¯t want to take responsibility? Afraid to say that she had offered to play first?


    No, it was not that. I was sure she didn¡¯t have any animosity until today, so why would she do that? She didn¡¯t even seem to care about me, but what was up all of a sudden? I didn¡¯t expect to be kidnapped by Popo but she had definitely shown me the wrong way. And now thanks to her, Izek misunderstood me. I was no match for Freya here, and it was only natural for Izek to trust her more than me. Once I was branded wrong, and if something similar was repeated in the future, he would be swept away by the wrong impression. I¡¯d be chucked into the swamps. It was something I¡¯d learned from experience.


    Why was she messing with me like this?


    It was then that Izek, who was silently looking at me, lost for a moment, spat out in a subdued tone, ¡°You, just go back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Return to Romagna, I¡¯ll send you back without any conditions.¡±


    ¡­what did that mean?


    Izek agreed to marry me only to prevent Ellenia from marrying Enzo.


    Everyone knew that one day our marriage would dissolve. However, even my father or Cesare was in a situation where I could not ask for divorce if I wished, and on the other hand, I was a hostage that Britannia could not easily let go of. But it hadn¡¯t even been a month since I arrived here, and he was ready to cancel without any strings attached. No matter if he was the king¡¯s nephew and the next Duke Omerta, this was not his decision to make.


    And if I went back to Romagna in this state, apart from my personal fear of my family, Ellenia would marry Prince Dorias in half a year. Who would stop her from being assassinated?


    Even if it wasn¡¯t for me, my father¡¯s spies here would do their work, and Ellenia would die¡­


    If I can¡¯t do anything and just go back home like this, I¡¯ll¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t marry you because I liked you anyway, and if you stay here, you won¡¯t be able to see me, so go back to your house. As you may have known, this is not where you belong.¡± His voice sounded as cold as a knife. His calm tone, which was completely drained of emotion, was very determined.


    It was too unexpected for him to explode because he thought I was trying to drive a wedge between him and his childhood friend.


    I don¡¯t think the original Rudbeckia had ever been so hard on Freya that this kind of situation took place.


    Knock, knock.


    Izek now turned to the door, sweeping his hair back with a short sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a while before the physician arrives, so until then¡­¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Bam!


    I clung to him, almost falling off the chair. My leg was tingling, but I didn¡¯t care. Instead, I hugged his leg tightly.


    I had to solve this first. Even if I got hit for lying¡­


    ¡°What the hell are you doing¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go back. I was wrong. It¡¯s all my fault. Please don¡¯t throw it away like this¡­¡±


    I knew crying would irritate him, but there was nothing else I could do in this situation.


    I sat on my knees sobbing and clasping my hands together. Izek was staring down at me with a look similar to the one I saw in the stable this morning.


    ¡°I-I must have misunderstood what she was saying. How dare I make up that Lady Furiana lied to me? I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll apologize to her. I apologize to everyone else. From now on, I¡¯ll just stay at home doing nothing. I won¡¯t do it again, so please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I will-will do whatever you tell me to do. I¡¯ll take any punishment. Even if I¡¯m treated badly, I won¡¯t get angry. I¡¯ll be good¡­ ¡°


    His face, which was half-frozen, slowly became distorted.


    The next moment he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up. I closed my eyes, thinking he was about to slap his face.


    ¡°I hate you so much.¡±


    His ear-piercing voice made me hiccup.


    I¡¯m already aware of that!


    Even though I already knew it well, this was the first time he spoke to me in such a determined and emotional way, and I was half-blown away.


    Izek growled with each word, his fiery gaze burning into me, ¡°I get so annoyed with you.¡±


    ¡°Hic¡­¡±


    ¡°Why have I been so riled up all night, why are you making me worry about things that don¡¯t matter to me, and why do I care about whether you die or not¡­.All you do is f*cking troublesome. I can¡¯t figure out why I¡¯m so concerned, so I¡¯m really annoyed. I¡¯d rather you go around with a sassy smirk like this was your hometown. So, why do you keep behaving like this? What the hell are you? All you¡¯re talking about is crap, but why am I thinking about you all the time¡­!¡±


    What¡­?


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy because I can¡¯t figure it out. That¡¯s why I hate you and I feel annoyed.¡±


    I was suffocating. The waves of emotion flowing from him were so intense that I couldn¡¯t breathe properly.


    In the midst of a heavy silence, we¡­


    We were both staring at each other from afar. Though his blazing eyes were fierce, I didn¡¯t want to separate myself from him. A sudden chill of relief struck my heart.


    He didn¡¯t just want to let me go because of Freya. It wasn¡¯t like that. He didn¡¯t get tired of me. Above all else, the fact that he was a little shaken by my words despite the testimony of his ten-year childhood friend was paramount.


    A beam of light seemed to shine in the dark.


    Whether it¡¯s compassion, interest, or a mix of something else¡­


    In such an intense situation, I still had hope. As the unknown author had said, Blue Beard and the Shining Knight were the same person.


    ¡°I-I¡­ just tell me what to do. I¡¯ll do anything. I¡¯ll do everything, so please don¡¯t throw me away.¡±


    Izek slowly pulled away from me.


    I was the one who was sniffling and shivering, but maybe because of the mood, his red eyes looked pained.


    He turned as soon as I opened my mouth again. The door thumped shut.


    The best knight in the North ran away like that.


    What was Freya¡¯s character like? A perfect lady who was confident, cheerful, full of dignity and loved by all. Other than that, there was no special description. In addition, I read the novel so long ago that my memory was hazy in many ways.


    Of course, even if it came to mind, most of the narrative was centered on the plot of the Borgia family and the northern knights including Izek, so it was unreasonable to know Freya¡¯s detailed tendencies.


    However, even if Rudbeckia fought, she responded wisely every time, and if there was a possibility of a disturbance, the time when she stepped up to mediate seemed impressive.


    Although I don¡¯t remember anything more than their friendship, as the protagonist¡¯s childhood friend and the main character of the epilogue part, I thought that even if she or Izek had feelings more than that of friends, it would not be a variable.


    Because I was the wife who¡¯d be thrown out and everyone knew that.


    I thought she¡¯d be fine if I didn¡¯t look like I was tormenting her or jealous of her like in the original. But why did Freya do this to me, who was pretending to not be worthy of a counterattack? She had no reason to.


    She would have been fully aware of the danger of getting lost there, wandering around, or encountering monsters.


    She just didn¡¯t expect me to be attacked in such a short time.


    So, she went back and lied right away¡­Perhaps, she expected them to find me soon, but her motive was to brand me as a liar in front of northern nobles.


    Why on earth?


    I didn¡¯t think she had any animosity towards me from the beginning. It was a different story if it was her brother¡­ I thought it was not worth paying attention to, but I could only conclude that it¡¯s starting to get on my nerves because it didn¡¯t seem like this was unimportant. Whatever it was, it was going to be really difficult if this carried on.


    Even if it¡¯s not a big deal, even if it¡¯s childish and trivial, it was never small enough considering my situation and situation.


    My suspicions proved right the next day when Freya personally visited me.


    ¡ª


    T/N: Daym, I totally did not expect Izek to say that XDDD This legit explains why he was being so tsundere lmaoooo¨C i¡¯m so looking forward to what he¡¯s gunna do :3

 Chapter 18

    ¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lady. I was stupid. I asked you to go first, but when I heard you went missing, I got so scared of Iz¡¯s reaction that I ended up lying to him¡­¡­ Really, I¡¯m so ashamed to admit this.¡±


    Freya, who repeatedly bowed her head, her purple eyes glistening with tears, seemed truly sorry.


    If I hadn¡¯t known much about their relationship, I might have forgiven her.


    She said she was scared of Izek¡¯s reaction? What dog sh*t. And if she was really sorry, she would tell him the truth later. Why would she only tell me? Ah, she was somewhat scary.


    Depending on how I react here, I¡¯d get to know Freya¡¯s true self.


    Of course, I would continue to look insignificant. Especially for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, that¡¯s possible. Lady Furiana didn¡¯t know that such an accident would happen. I understand everything, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t made such an offer in the first place, my lady¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really okay. It¡¯s a secret, but this was actually a little fun. This had never happened in Romagna. I feel sorry that the paladins had been working so hard to find me until late at night, but I was fine.¡±


    When I smiled brightly like a child, she stared into my eyes as if she were searching for something, and then grinned, like she understood. It may be just my gut feeling, but at first glance, she seemed to be ridiculing me.


    ¡°I see what you mean. But I¡¯m glad my Lady is okay. Feel free to let me know if there¡¯s anything I can do for you in the future.¡± Suddenly, I could tell why I didn¡¯t feel any animosity from her until now.


    I was not worthy of hostility to her. Not at all. I didn¡¯t know what suddenly offended her, but Freya was an old friend of Izek and Ellenia. Her position was unparalleled in the North.


    No matter what happened, no one would believe me.


    It was ironic that in this dark situation, the final boss: my husband, is my last ray of hope. The problem was that I hadn¡¯t even seen a strand of his hair since that night. To make matters worse, I couldn¡¯t even dare to take a step outside the mansion even after my injured ankle was healed.


    The guards in the mansion watched me with their eyes wide open as if they were very happy about the situation. Ellenia seemed to be very angry with me and stuck to a very bystander-like attitude.


    Haa.


    I couldn¡¯t even go out of the mansion even after my ankle healed.


    I had to see his face to check if I had a chance of surviving or not!


    If he made a decision, threw away all my hard work, and sent me home, I¡­ I didn¡¯t want to even imagine what was going to happen next.


    ¡°The banquet will be held soon.¡±


    But Ellenia was less heartless compared to her brother. She visited me and kindly reminded me of the event I had forgotten.


    My husband¡¯s birthday, in the midst of the cold and ruthless winter, was approaching. Summer had already ended.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to do what I do every year, so it¡¯s fine. By the way, all the clothes you¡¯ve ordered will arrive this afternoon.¡±


    When I asked carefully, she retorted with a sharp tone.


    Indeed, even if I stepped up in this situation, I felt that I would only gain more haters, and not provide help. So I decided not to pressurise anymore.


    Ellenia looked at my bowed head without saying a word, and got up, ¡°I¡¯ll be a little busy until the day before the party. I told the maid to prepare whatever you need right away, of course.¡±


    So, that was how I¡¯d been placed under the mercy of these scumbags, who were anxious to kick me out, for a while.


    Waah! Ellen, why do you keep abandoning me?


    Until just a while ago, the servants all pretended to take care of me, but after the night of the incident, they all became cold again.


    When I pulled the rope by my bed because I needed something, a maid with an unpleasant look would appear almost half a day later.


    The maid who received my jewellery the other day was named Lucille or something ¨C it would have been a pain if I hadn¡¯t bribed her that day.


    I didn¡¯t know who was going on, so I didn¡¯t want to ask about anything sensitive.


    In particular, the maid(nanny)  felt as threatening as Freya.


    How do I lighten my complicated husband¡¯s mood? I was also stressed about what to prepare as a birthday present. It¡¯s not that I hadn¡¯t experienced such a similar situation, but I was being very careful because I didn¡¯t know when or where he¡¯d go. After nearly half a day of racking my brain, I decided to just rely on experience. Since it was difficult to ask anyone out of the house anyway, all I could prepare was embroidery.


    My father¡¯s mistress, Lady Julia, brought me an embroidery kit as a wedding gift.


    I was lucky to still have it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you enjoyed embroidery.¡±


    When I stayed in my bedroom all day, maybe because she thought it was suspicious, but the maid who came, mentioned this.


    I just grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯m just practicing.¡±


    ¡°Are you making it for the Duke?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s been a while, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be good. I wonder what would be the most appropriate¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind the advice of this humble servant, a willow pattern would be great.¡±


    ¡°Willow¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, when the Duke was young, there was a willow tree that he often climbed up and played with. But now it¡¯s been a long time since it was cut down, so he often feels sad remembering it.¡±


    Her light brown eyes glowed with a mean look, along with that thin smile. I got goosebumps at that moment, but I didn¡¯t show it and smiled.


    ¡°Ah, thank you for the good information. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Of course, I had no intention of embroidering the willow tree.


    What, he often felt sorry remembering it? Aside from the fact that I was not the type to fall into such cheap sentiments, her hate for me was too much to actually ask me to do this. I didn¡¯t know exactly what caused Omerta¡¯s mother to die such a tragic death, but I clearly remembered that she had committed suicide by hanging herself from a willow tree in the backyard.


    I still couldn¡¯t believe she told me to embroider that.


    A sign asking to be beaten to death by a willow cane.


    She must have turned off the fire on purpose on the first night.


    It was just a suggestion, but it was very obvious, you b*tch!


    She seemed to be looking forward to me getting kicked out of here, but I won¡¯t allow that, you vile woman.


    When I thought of my first night here, I naturally thought of monsters.


    Especially Popo. A strange creature who understood me and helped me. I thought it was silly back then, but there were suspicions that other monsters might be the same as it. The Gargoyle in the basement where Cesare had once pushed me into. My first night, when I met that monster, and the water monster that dragged me into the palace pond¡­


    I was sure that Rudbeckia had some connection with monsters.


    I didn¡¯t have the weird ability to do this. No, I didn¡¯t think there was a human being with such an unusual ability to understand monsters in this world itself.


    Nevertheless, Popo communicated clearly with me and made it clear that it couldn¡¯t understand what anyone else said, except me.


    It was something I had to wait and see for now.


    If I told someone about this beforehand, I¡¯d be labelled a witch.


    I worked hard on the embroidery for a few days. It had been a long time and I was so absorbed in it that my fingertips were swollen, but I ignored it.


    By the time it was almost completed, I had asked Lucille to give me stationary for writing a letter.


    While I was writing with all my heart, I was a little scared that the personality wrecker might just tear it apart, but I couldn¡¯t just stop. My back throbbed, and pain spread through my lower stomach.


    I heard bad things happen all at once. I knew I had irregular cycles, but why did it have to come today? It was sad that even Mother Nature wasn¡¯t on my side.


    I was pretty good at enduring pain, but this time it was especially severe.


    I almost wanted to roll over the bed.


    How long had it been since I pulled the rope next to my bed, sweating buckets?


    ¡°Are you feeling uncomfortable, ma¡¯am?¡±


    It would have been better if Lucille came, but why did this maid come? Just as I was about to grumble and open my mouth, she spoke, ¡°You don¡¯t seem very well, I¡¯ll get you a painkiller for now. Also¡­¡±


    Huh?


    I tilted my head and looked at her.


    The pain was so severe that my vision was blurry, but I could see that the grumpy maid had a hesitant look on her face.


    What, what are you pretending to be hesitant about?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Duke has said to tell my Lady to stay here today. You don¡¯t have to attend the banquet.¡±


    What?


    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem to be feeling well, so you¡¯d better follow it. If there is anything I can deliver to the Duke, I will deliver it for you.¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t plan on leaving my well-prepared gift in the hands of this woman.


    And what? What¡¯s going on? You must be selling me crap.


    No matter how angry he was, I couldn¡¯t just stay in my husband¡¯s room while his birthday party was going on. I wanted to believe that it couldn¡¯t be possible for him to say that, but on the other hand, I felt anxious about what to do if it was real.


    It was not impossible if it was him.


    I knew he was not going to see me for a while, but if he was really trying to get rid of me¡­


    Not long after the maid left, Lucille came in and gave me painkillers. I felt sorry for myself, but I was unfamiliar with the way she looked at me with pity.


    I asked her to call Ellenia, but all I could hear was that she was out and that she would be back by the end of the banquet.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 19

    These cold-blooded people.


    As always, taking painkillers didn¡¯t do much. I fell asleep for a bit with a groan. When I woke up, time had flown by. I knew the banquet started at 6 pm, but it was already past 5 pm. If someone had come to tell me to get ready for the banquet, I would have gotten up earlier.


    If the maid had lied to me, she might have made an excuse to Ellenia that I was sick and was in no condition to attend the banquet.


    It was true that I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she didn¡¯t lie to her master. Or maybe she just told me the truth.


    Either way, I couldn¡¯t stay still. I had to check first. Fortunately, after a little sleep, the pain was more bearable than before.


    ¡°Did you call me, madam?¡±


    I pulled the rope just in case, but for some reason, Lucille appeared immediately. She came so fast that I wondered if she had been watching me.


    ¡°Can you help me? It¡¯s already late, and I have to change my clothes quickly.¡±


    ¡°But madam, I heard¡­¡± Lucille said trailing off, staring at me. Somehow, she looked troubled.


    I didn¡¯t know whether Izek really intended to keep me in the room, or whether that maid had told everyone under her, or if all the servants were working together. What was certain was that even if that maid lied, only a few people had been on my side in the first place. So I couldn¡¯t stay still any longer.


    I had to coax my husband somehow. Now that he¡¯d shown me a bit of emotion, I had to grab this last straw.


    I will just check first. Only check¡­


    ¡°I know. Just help me get dressed.¡±


    ¡°Madam, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°I just want to feel better. I¡¯ve been in the room for a couple of days already. I beg of you, please?¡±


    Lucille looked grumpy, but as soon as I put out my diamond hairpin, she agreed to help me change into a new dress and sneak me to the garden.


    The garden was like a misty forest with dozens of plants lined up. Warm green-colored sacred fires were lighting up the dark sky. The place where the banquet was held was hidden among the lilac bushes, with no one wandering around since everyone in the western side was focusing on security. I tucked the embroidery and letter in my sleeves.


    Haa, what the hell am I doing?


    Acting like a fan really wasn¡¯t something anyone could do. My lower abdomen and waist throbbed relentlessly, but it was tolerable.


    I¡¯ll take a peek, check on him and¡­ I¡¯ll just deliver the gift and return.


    It was his birthday, but as a big fan, I had to give a gift to make it seem realistic. I had to see him no matter what the circumstances were. With this situation, it was too much to wait in nervousness. The cold and silence were killing me.


    I didn¡¯t eat much the past few days, but I felt like throwing up. It would be much better to be beaten up. This was simply unbearable.


    Boom, rumble!


    God, you really hate me, don¡¯t you?


    Why was there a sudden shower at a time like this? In an instant, the sky turned black and rain poured down. I paused and wrapped my sleeves around my hand tightly. To avoid the rain as much as possible, I walked on the side with thick trees, but I couldn¡¯t help getting wet. It was fortunate that my dress was made of stiff lace.


    As I approached the venue, I could hear some noise.


    The sound of guests bursting into laughter, saying things like heaven was angry because it was his birthday.


    Someone cheerfully replied that it was a good joke.


    I hid behind a nearby juniper tree and peeked at the entrance to the banquet hall.


    Glamorously dressed people were walking, laughing, talking and greeting. What made them so happy?


    Everyone went inside and the stairs became empty for a moment. I hid myself behind a pillar again, and snuck a look. It was lively and luxurious.


    I could see the noisy crowd moving about.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been through a lot preparing this gift.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him anyway.¡±


    ¡°I told you, my lady, you don¡¯t need to be nice.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who came to invite me.¡±


    A group of men and women happily chatted at the centre of the banquet hall. Several Paladins in black armour, along with a silver-armour one, were walking down the stairs, escorting two women. Their faces had a similar proud look. I felt this every time I looked at them, but the Paladins had a huge sense of pride.


    Ellenia, escorted by Paladins, was dressed in an elegant blue dress, looking like a goddess, and so did Freya with her pale blonde hair, prettily dressed in a pink dress with a matching design.


    She laughed and smacked the silver Paladin on the shoulder.


    As Izek turned his head, I couldn¡¯t see his face, but he seemed very happy.


    I felt weird. Similar to how I felt on the last day of high school in my previous life.


    On the night of the dance party, I hid in the garden, abandoned by my partner, and watched all the students pass by¡­


    The door of the banquet hall slowly closed. I snapped out of it on hearing the thud.


    I should go back. It would only be a disgrace to show up like this. In addition, what that maid had said, didn¡¯t seem to be a lie.


    In no time, the rain came to a stop.


    I squatted down behind the pillar for a moment and soothed my sore back. Even the gift probably got wet and ruined, so I couldn¡¯t give it to him. I¡¯d think of something else later.


    Haaaa, I shouldn¡¯t have gone through this. It was my fault for forgetting for a moment how cold he is.


    Yes, even if she was a mean maid, it was too much to tell a lie like that. I should go and make a new plan for what to do in the future. While he¡¯s asleep at home, I¡¯ll sneak¨C Did I walk too far?


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    I sneezed as I went back to the thick bushes. Sniffle, suddenly the rain got worse.


    I unintentionally became a fool, just to know what he was up to.


    Wait, was this the way I came before? Wake up, you idiot.


    I hit my forehead with my fist up. But tears crept out because I hit it too hard.


    When I looked around while rubbing my forehead, it was as if I was walking aimlessly at the back of the venue. What was I doing going in circles? In the meantime, I strode ahead, hoping that someone hadn¡¯t looked out the window.


    I hit my shoulder hard on something as I turned the corner.


    It hurts.


    What was wrong with me today?


    The pungent smell of smoke filled my nose. Was it the smell of a torch? As far as I keow, it didn¡¯t extinguish even if it rained.


    I suddenly wanted to see Popo. Though it was a monster that carried corpses in its mouth, no one was as kind to me as it. Hah, he even put a leaf on my head so I wouldn¡¯t bleed.


    (T/N: STAHP¨C I swear, I feel her loneliness too much ;-; )


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    I kept walking without stopping. I didn¡¯t know who this was, but please, I just hoped they¡¯d forget the stupidity they saw today. Aiii, my back was about to break.


    ¡°Lady, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    So persistent. Why couldn¡¯t he just let me go?


    As I turned my head while enduring my irritation, I saw a familiar face. Pale blonde covering the back of his neck, round dark purple eyes. Oh, it was him. I was really out of luck today to be caught by him.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    I stared at Lorenzo¡¯s face for a moment. He seemed to be laughing. What was so funny? This brother and sister were out to make my life miserable. Why were they everywhere?


    ¡°You can just swear.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You can just swear at me comfortably. You can tell from my appearance. You don¡¯t have to work hard to sneakily sing songs like that.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­.¡±


    The corners of his mouth pulled up, as if he was speechless.


    It looked hilarious. He was somewhat embarrassed. What was wrong with singing such a disgusting song and showing that he didn¡¯t like me?


    I rolled my eyes and grinned.


    ¡°What kind of misunderstanding do you have? When the hell did I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know everyone hates me. I¡¯m good at knowing things like that. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pretend to be a dead rat without being greedy.¡±


    My vision blurred as my voice faded.


    What was I saying to this kid? Perhaps due to Mother Nature¡¯s attack, my judgment level seemed to have fallen.


    It was useless to say anything, but I had already commanded my method of acting harmless.


    Yes, look at me like a fool. Can you go tell your sister how insignificant I am?


    I don¡¯t want to die.


    I don¡¯t want to die. I want to live. I can do anything for that.


    I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and turned away from Lorenzo. The scene right in front of me took me aback. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. Why were these guys out here? I was sure they were in the banquet hall a while ago¡­


    The proud Paladins seemed more surprised than I was by this unexpected scene.


    It was a bit funny to see each of them staring away with a frozen expression with a leaf cigarette in their hands.


    Was that the source of all the smoke?


    In particular, Sir Ivan seemed to have no idea how frozen he was, the cigarette supported by his fingers had already burnt out.


    Andymion was even worse ¡ª he continued to light matchsticks that were already charred.


    I knew as well, I didn¡¯t look good. I was already embarrassed to death, but they had probably heard everything I said.


    Ah, someone please find a mousehole for me! My laughter isn¡¯t genuine.


    (T/N: the word used here is ???, cos she was embarrassed enough to want to find a mousehole to hide in.)


    ¡ª

 Chapter 20

    Izek, who stood with a look quite similar to his fellow paladins, slowly hardened his face.


    It was not enough for me to leave on my own, since he seemed to think I held on to anyone without shame. What a consistently cold-hearted fellow.


    Nevertheless, for some reason, I didn¡¯t want to be scolded in front of Freya¡¯s brother. Wasn¡¯t that just too miserable?


    So, I bit back the words threatening to pour out of my mouth, and turned away.


    Let¡¯s go back to my bedroom for now. Even if he¡¯s angry, he¡¯ll have to come to talk. And then¡­


    ¡°My Lady?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if it was because my back hurt like hell that I just tripped over something and fell down. My new dress was splattered with mud now. What a waste. I was trying to stand up right away, but my body suddenly went up in the air.


    No! Not again!


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to give you a birthday present, so I was just going to deliver it and come back right away. I¡¯m sorry it didn¡¯t turn out like I wanted it to. I didn¡¯t mean to show you this.¡±


    I felt extremely humiliated, having to hold back my tears. But I got hiccups instead.


    Goddamn it.


    Shame on me. Shame on me more than when I had a nosebleed the other day.


    The embarrassment was so much that my cries kept leaking out. I tried to hold it back, thrusting my fingers into my mouth, but he grabbed my hand.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Ah?


    I tilted my head up. His huge red jade-like eyes stood out against his skin.


    ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t want me to attend the banquet, but I still wanted to give you a present¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Huh? Who said that?¡±


    Eh? That wasn¡¯t the case? As expected, the maid tricked me! That wicked woman! Along with anger, relief poured out of my body in waves of emotions.


    What a relief. So, I¡¯m not stuck that bad. Ah, I¡¯ll stay alive. My last straw is back. This was worth the trouble!


    I quickly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and smiled broadly, ¡°So you didn¡¯t hate seeing me here, did you? Can I give you your present?¡±


    My cold-hearted husband held me and stared silently for a moment. If I hadn¡¯t known better, his eyes had a broken look ¨C one that could be associated with the feeling of helplessness I had experienced when I was young. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for a devil like him to look vulnerable, but¡­


    The expression on his face was really strange. A total mess¨C anger, relief, pain, and helplessness altogether.


    ¡°What are you¡­¡±


    He was about to say something, but he soon clenched his teeth.


    Somehow, he came off as tired.


    I was the one who was sick, so why was he having a hard time? It was then that an untimely commotion broke out over his magnificent broad shoulders.


    ¡°You, you, you¡­! Did you just run your mouth off without me knowing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! I would not have done it one more time¡­ Aaaaah!¡±


    ¡°What did I say I¡¯d do if you were to sing a song like that one more time? Huh?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ Aah! Wait a minute, please!¡±


    This was it. I¡¯d unintentionally fed Lorenzo a big piece of sh*t. But, I didn¡¯t feel very sorry.


    As I smirked softly watching Sir Ivan pull Lorenzo¡¯s ear, Izek, who had been gazing at me, slowly turned around.


    ¡°What song?¡±


    All the sounds stopped. Not just the Paladins, who were watching the scene, but also Lorenzo, who was screaming and denying, closed his mouth as if they were in shock.


    Izek opened his mouth again.


    Unlike usual, his tone was very gentle, ¡°What song?¡±


    Ah, right. He was an extraordinary paladin because he didn¡¯t tolerate any kind of nonsense. It was understandable that everyone was speechless. After all, the trainee before Andymion was kicked out for singing obscene songs.


    Apart from wanting to give Lorenzo more sh*t, I didn¡¯t want to hear the song again.


    I didn¡¯t want my cold-blooded husband to hear such a disgusting song.


    I¡¯d already been humiliated enough today.


    Do something, you proud b*stards.


    Why were these paladins, who said they could even beat invisible dragons, suddenly acting like shy teens?


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Eventually, I sneezed as he was about to speak. I¡¯d just covered my mouth with my hands when he pulled his arms around me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect to hear all this, at all. He was unexpectedly generous because it was his birthday. My eyes sparkled, now that my husband was in a tolerant mood.


    ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Are you not angry anymore? You don¡¯t hate me?


    Izek had noticed that I was talking without a zip on my lips. The arm wrapped around my body was warm and tight, but the next moment, he stepped back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Excuse me? This isn¡¯t it. Hey, hubby, are we going in like this? I know I¡¯m a total disgrace, but¡­ Surely, I have a knack for spoiling a good atmosphere.


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    As soon as I entered the noisy banquet hall, Ellenia immediately approached me.


    She was quite stunned.


    ¡°How did this¡­ how did this happen? What happened, brother?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the details later. First, go deal with her clothes. Go with her, get her changed, and bring her back.¡±


    Ah, I¡¯m so out of my mind. I wish I had a day to get to know his twisted mind.


    I was so led into a room upstairs by Ellenia.


    The maids moved busily. Fortunately, the handkerchief and letter in my sleeve were not wet because they were wrapped tightly. These were packed separately in silk pockets.


    Ellenia touched my forehead once and gave a strange sigh. ¡°Ruby, the maid said you were too ill to attend. I thought you were really sick when I went to check earlier. You were in deep sleep. What happened then?¡±


    I¡¯m curious about that, too. Why don¡¯t you ask the maid?


    ¡°I had some menstrual pain, but I¡¯m fine now. I heard that I didn¡¯t have to attend the banquet today.¡±


    ¡°What? Who said that?¡±


    I bowed my head instead of answering.


    As the maid was also Ellenia¡¯s nanny, I did not want to appear to be framing her. Besides, even if I didn¡¯t have to answer, Ellenia guessed the answer.


    ¡°Huuu¡­¡­¡±


    As I lifted my head back, there was a complex look on her ice-cold face. What was she thinking?


    ¡°First of all¡­ have you taken medication? Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°I took a painkiller earlier, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s working very well.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you, go get some painkillers. Not regular painkillers, but the one my brother has.¡±


    The ones that Izek used? When I turned my head and looked at her, Ellenia patted my shoulder in comfort, ¡°He¡¯s not hurt. It¡¯s just for work.¡±


    Oh, she meant the painkillers for Paladins. Would that work for me?


    The blue painkillers, which looked like candy, had a great effect.


    I was wondering why it hurt so much before.


    The pain that had been destroying my waist and stomach was gone, and after changing into a fluffy new dress, I felt much more alive. Was I getting my luck back? It would be nice if that was so.


    After putting on some make-up and calmly brushing my hair, I went back to the banquet hall with Ellenia. There was a lot of attention, but there were no sudden questions.


    ¡°Ruby, first of all, sit here and have some food. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve eaten all day.¡±


    I¡¯d sensed this since last time, but Ellenia kept trying to feed me something or the other. I appreciated her caring, but I couldn¡¯t do it that easily.


    ¡°Ellen, what¡¯s going on here? What¡¯s wrong with Iz all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯ll go first, so keep a watch on her.¡±


    Was I a kid?


    I was the same age as them, even though I was a little short. Why do I feel sad now?


    I pretended to nibble on the lemon cake and glanced at Ellenia¡¯s direction. The hallway behind the pillar felt quite noisy. The atmosphere was somehow extraordinary.


    What else did my husband do?


    He told her to bring me back, and then he left me alone, as expected from my cold-hearted husband.


    ¡°My Lady, are you alright? I heard you were sick, but¡­ ¡±


    Why did you show up here?


    ¡°Well, things are a little complicated, but I¡¯m okay now. Thank you for asking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was really surprised earlier. What happened with Iz?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know. I shook my head hard to say I didn¡¯t know the situation. Freya was reluctant to be by my side. Her eyes constantly glanced over there, eager to check the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine, so you can go. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot of people left for you to greet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ if you¡¯re feeling any pain, tell someone right away. Okay?¡±


    How am I going to complain to anyone that my husband was bad? Anyway, why did he ask me to come back? Don¡¯t tell me he was going to break up with me here¡­ no, no! Let¡¯s not have negative delusions.


    ¡°My Lady.¡±


    After Freya disappeared, I tried to blow off my negative thoughts by myself and played around with fruit cocktails. I turned my attention to the small voice I could hear from below.


    ¡°Princess Ari?¡±


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t coming out today.¡±


    A cute girl with reddish-brown hair tied in pigtails was peering at me. She was none other than Princess Ari.


    ¡ª


    T/N: AAAAH finallllyyyyyy!!!!!! HE¡¯S BEING A BIT SWEET TO HER- I just love it when Izek¡¯s true nature comes out >///<

 Chapter 21

    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a little late because of something. Who did the Princess come with?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here with my nanny. My mother doesn¡¯t come to places like this often.¡±


    I see. It was understandable. The Omerta siblings were descendants of the king, not the slave queen.


    In any case, the king seemed to care about his nephew, the personality wrecker, considering the fact that the little princess was present. Next to Ari was another girl about the same age as her.


    She was as cute as a doll with beautiful blonde hair and sparkling emerald eyes.


    The girl spoke up first, just as I was about to say, ¡°My Lady¡¯s husband is a Paladin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, little one.¡±


    ¡°My brother is Paladin, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Do you think I know him?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. My brother is pretty famous, too. His face is pretty, but mouth is very dirty. My mother said he probably swallowed gutter water.¡±


    Wait, why did it feel like I knew who it was? Come to think of it, the color of her hair and eyes were familiar. And the way she spoke¡­


    ¡°Can we drink that, too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no. Instead, you can choose the juice here.¡±


    ¡°Your husband used to give me a ride on his shoulders.¡±


    Really? Izek? Really? No way.


    Besides, if he was that kind, why would Ari be so scared of him?


    The girl poked out her tongue cutely at my look full of doubt.


    ¡°My brother forced him to do so, but still.¡±


    That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way that cold-blooded man can have such a caring side.


    ¡°But, my Lady, Ari said you allowed her to touch your hair. Was she serious?¡±


    ¡°I was serious! But not now. We can¡¯t do it here.¡±


    ¡°Why not now?¡±


    ¡°People are looking, Leah.¡±


    ¡°I want to touch it now.¡±


    In contrast to Ari, who was quite shy, Sir Ivan¡¯s sister was a bold tomboy. Was this the power of blood or the power of the environment she grew up in? Anyway, they were both really cute. I hope they grew up unhurt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you touched my hair now. So what if others see?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, why can¡¯t others see it?¡±


    As I sat on the stairs behind me with a smile, Leah approached me and reached out as if she had been waiting.


    Ari also hesitated and began to stroke my hair. Their fingers ran through the strands of my hair, twisting and twirling.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    You have a knack for ruining a good mood.


    I tried to lift myself up, but the two girls were stuck to my shoulders, so I just sat there and grinned.


    ¡°Where have you been roaming?¡±


    ¡°Not roaming. I¡¯m the main character of this banquet.¡±


    What is this answer? Are you bragging? Or are you saying that you can go anywhere because you¡¯re the main character? What a know-it-all you are.


    My handsome husband stood tall for a moment and looked down at me, but soon shifted his eyes to the two girls.


    Don¡¯t stare at them like that. That was why they were scared of you!


    I could feel poor Ari shuddering.


    It¡¯s okay, I understand how you feel.


    ¡°Oh, you were playing here, too. Leah, did you say hello properly?¡±


    ¡°I cursed you a little bit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Sir Ivan, who followed Izek, had already returned to his serious and pleasant appearance.


    But what did she mean?


    ¡°Ahaha, the Princess and Young Lady were playing with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Guys, don¡¯t be so serious about this.


    I was judged again by my husband for being at the same level as a six-year-old princess. As I was slowly trying to get up, Izek suddenly reached out his hand.


    Did he want to help me up? I was sure he felt generous because it was his birthday. As soon as I grabbed his hand, my body quickly stood up.


    ¡°Can you do it one more time?¡±


    (T/N: Idk why she said this, doesn¡¯t make sense.)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t bother you.¡±


    So please, just let me off. He stared intently at me again, his eyes gleaming as sadly as possible. Why was he staring at me like that again?


    At one point, I thought the hardest thing was keeping up with Cesare, but I was wrong. Understanding my husband¡¯s twisted mind was the toughest!


    Wait. Was it because of that?


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll give you the birthday present.¡±


    As I searched through the silk pouch that I had been holding, he blinked as if he had been waiting. This snob¨C


    Honestly, after seeing the pile of shiny gifts piled up on one side of the hall, I didn¡¯t feel like taking out my gifts, but there was nothing I could do. What could I possibly do about my situation?


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing, but I stayed up all night to make it. I hope you like it. Happy birthday to you. I¡¯m so glad you were born.¡±


    Regardless of him liking it or not, I smiled widely as I held out his present enthusiastically.


    Izek gazed down at my hand. To be exact, he glanced at the handkerchief with sunflower embroidered and the finely folded letter.


    My heart thumped loudly in anxiety.


    Don¡¯t tear it, don¡¯t tear it, no, you can tear it, just put an end to this silent war.


    Why was it so quiet, all of a sudden? It was not long before he slowly raised his eyes again and faced my eyes. For some reason, his face had mixed emotions like the one I saw outside.


    Why did he look so exhausted? Don¡¯t tell me it was too much to get a gift like this.


    Gulp, I swallowed dry saliva.


    The smiling corners of my mouth began to twitch, but I added, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never, ever get into trouble again.¡±


    ¡°So please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    Why don¡¯t you say something back or take it?


    Do it for me, please. My arm hurts.


    Finally, he finally moved his hand.


    The handkerchief I tried to embroider and the letter I wrote were lying weakly in his iron-like grip!


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ ¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a heartfelt apology I wrote.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    I was going to say it was a heartfelt letter, but then I thought I¡¯d rather just die.


    So, I said it was a letter of apology.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t completely wrong, since the words I wrote were pretty ambiguous, and he didn¡¯t end up tearing it to pieces.


    Ah, but why are you clutching it so hard? The letter is going to crumple.


    ¡°Listen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    The man who spat this out in a fairly serene tone, held my hand that was slowly falling down.


    His blood-red eyes took in my swollen fingers.


    ¡°¡­¡­so foolish.¡±


    Obviously, this was trivial, but why did it sound so painful?


    -Northern Wind Circus-


    As soon as Izek¡¯s birthday was over, Elendale¡¯s sky quickly turned gray.


    A gloomy climate unique to the north had begun, making it hard to see a handful of sunlight until next summer arrived.


    I could see why there were so many crooked people here, with such a dark and creepy environment, it was hard to not be like that.


    They were likely to suffer from depression, the unknown fear of when and where a bloodthirsty monster would pop out, hanging over them.


    Even the most innocent one was likely to turn into a fierce and sensitive pessimist in less than a month.


    In this situation, a person whose existence was forgotten had returned.


    Duke Omerta, Izek and Ellenia¡¯s father, had finally returned to Elendale.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the late greeting.¡±


    I vaguely imagined that their father would have been a middle-aged man with a sharp feeling, who would have maintained the beauty of his youth, as good-looking as best the knight of the North. But my prediction was shattered this time as well.


    It was obvious that it was the late Duchess who passed on such beauty to her children.


    His red eyes were similar to his children.


    However, the combination of his droopy eyes, sparse shaggy black hair, an angled chin, and a troll-like gigantic physique made him look more like a wild bandit boss than the head of Britannia knights.


    ¡°I was worried that my son might not have treated you properly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±


    The Duke tilted his head to one side as he replied with a smile.


    Ellenia, who was sitting silently, suddenly stepped in, ¡°You missed Brother¡¯s birthday, Father.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. That brat would prefer me to be left out anyway.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty also expressed his regret. You weren¡¯t there for the wedding banquet either.¡±


    ¡°Nothing unusual. More importantly, Young Lady, did you visit the temple?¡±


    Ellenia bit her bottom lip. I carefully put down the teacup I was holding.


    The question of whether I had visited the temple was not a question of whether I had taken a political step to visit the priests here as Izek¡¯s wife.


    The northern tradition of visiting temples together meant that nobles who had just been married had their first night of marriage and became a true couple.


    It was unexpected that his father was asking me about this. To be honest, I never thought I¡¯d hear a question like this. Rudbeckia of the original, had never spent the night with Izek, because no one had forced them to do their duty.


    If someone did force, it would be disastrous for both sides.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Young Lady?¡±


    The Duke, who gave me a questioning look, was silent for a moment, before his face grew cold. It was quite spooky to see such a similar expression, reminding me that he was really Izek¡¯s father.


    ¡°No¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother didn¡¯t even show up.¡±


    Ellenia stepped in again, as usual, her tone suggesting why we would do that.


    Nevertheless, the Duke¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he shot me a bitter gaze.


    Hey, mister¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s already winter, and you haven¡¯t finished your duty yet?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, Young Lady, I don¡¯t know how to accept this present situation. Your Holiness assured me that he would never insult the North, so what is going on?¡±


    Your guess is as good as mine. Why don¡¯t you ask your son?


    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t understand the Duke¡¯s reaction.


    From what I knew, I couldn¡¯t claim that we were a proper couple since we didn¡¯t spend a night together after the marriage. It would be unacceptable for such a proud family to suffer the humiliation of undergoing marriage annulment like my previous grooms did.


    The problem is, why did Izek¡¯s father, who only sat aside in the original, suddenly come out like this? The Duke¡¯s aggressive pushing for Izek¡¯s marriage was largely aimed at not being able to give his daughter to the Pope¡¯s second son, but at the same time, there was also a hope that he would break his hard headed son¡¯s bad habits.


    Once the marriage was over, it would be easier to annul it, compared to if he had gotten married to a good northern family¡¯s girl.


    In other words, the Duke also expected that our marriage would not last long.


    What was wrong with him? Are they just trying to show that they¡¯re not that easy? To show that they had the control, and would gladly let me go when the time came, and to not even dream of doing it my way?


    Haaa, if it were Rudbeckia, she would have turned the table upside down or laughed and provoked the other side.


    He was doing this because I didn¡¯t look like I would do that, right?


    Should I be grateful that they were already underestimating me? I picked up the teacup again and smiled a little, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve fallen ill so many times. Everyone¡¯s been pretty considerate. I¡¯m ready to do my duty, so please don¡¯t be angry, Father.¡±


    The Duke still looked incredulous, but his expression relaxed slightly.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. You¡¯ve come all the way on a ship, so I hope you¡¯ll feel better soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern. Izek must be so sweet because you resemble your father. I think I¡¯m very blessed.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a relief he¡¯s understanding.¡±


    Why did it sound so fake when he said it¡¯s a relief? Did he expect a fight? A conspiracy sprang up. If I spent a night out with my husband, and we really became a couple, it would be difficult to break up later.


    If we didn¡¯t have our first night, like so far, there would be no need for annulment.


    It was easy to make relationships, but divorce was another story.


    Divorce in Romagna, ruled by the Pope, was taboo regardless of status. The neighboring countries loyal to the Vatican with the same faith also had a similar trend.


    Of course, as anywhere else, they¡¯re legally married. There were also people who lived separately and freely, but divorce was not an easy matter.


    No matter how openly the Pope had children, it would not be easy.


    Even my father and Cesare would have to give up quite a lot to agree that the night was never going to happen and to take me back.


    That was what the Duke is after, but¡­


    After becoming a real couple, I have more time.


    In the original, Rudbeckia has poisoned Ellenia and returned to Romagna in time for the annulment of the marriage. So, as my divorce procedure would become more complicated, the plot to assassinate her might be delayed accordingly.


    If I did well and my plan succeeded¡­


    Izek may just leave me here instead of sending me home. Maybe he¡¯d let me live here as a hostage or whatever. Cesare couldn¡¯t take me at will if Izek didn¡¯t allow it, so I¡¯d stop Ellenia¡¯s death and save my life at the same time.


    Oh, oh, sounds good. Very good!


    I took the role of a fan who wanted nothing, but wanting nothing was different from being faithful to one¡¯s duty.


    Well, more than anything, Izek¡¯s father was pushing my back.


    There¡¯s nothing I could do when he was angry that we didn¡¯t do our duty.


    The only problem was how to seduce my cold husband.


    He was well-known as an unmoving ascetic¡­ would he really want to do something with me that might make him tainted¡­?


    * * *


    Surrounded by gray fog, the temple had a different feeling than when it first saw it. At this time, the gloomy and mysterious atmosphere of the North was overflowing.


    ¡°Ah, my Lady. You¡¯re here!¡±


    I was a little grateful that he had forgotten my embarrassing self from Izek¡¯s birthday party.


    But what did he mean by ¡®You¡¯re here¡¯?


    ¡°Hello, Sir Andymion. Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°What? No, nothing happened, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just saying it because I¡¯m happy to see you.¡±


    What is this guy? You¡¯re bored, so this is good for you, huh?


    ¡°Are you here to see Lord Izek?¡±


    ¡°Yes, would you like some fruit?¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you. I was dying of thirst.¡±


    I put down the fruit basket and sat next to Andymion. Then¨C


    With a thud, a huge paladin advanced closer to us.


    The combination of his dark blood red hair, glowing amber eyes, tanned flesh and large build was very threatening. His low voice was also very husky.


    ¡°Fruit?¡±


    Instead of answering, the angry bear-like paladin picked up a peach from the basket.


    Crunch!


    Then, he bit into it, juice pouring out, and went back to training. Staring at his back, Andymion scratched his head and gave an unspoken explanation, ¡°That¡¯s my brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you have a reliable brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. As you can see, he¡¯s not very intelligent.¡±


    I see. I think all of you are missing a screw somewhere.


    ¡°More than that, ma¡¯am, look over there. Sir Izek is fighting.¡±


    ¡°A match?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s five to one. Oh, it¡¯s a fair match.¡±


    Of course. I sat side by side with Andymion, nibbling on the fruit and watching them.


    My husband, surrounded by five paladins, soon wielded a light blue holy sword.


    Whoosh!


    Light waves flashed all the way over here.


    ¡°Ahhhhh! So cool!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my boss!¡±


    ¡°Fighting! My idol husband!¡±


    ¡°Idol¡­ f-fighting!¡±


    Let¡¯s just say we acted as huge fans.


    I didn¡¯t want to explain with what eyes the solemn and serious Paladins had begun to look at us, clapping our hands and giggling passionately.


    In any case, the massacre of the paladins under the guise of a match ended quickly.


    Thwack!


    Isuke hurriedly threw off his helmet over his fallen comrades and started striding towards me straight away. His momentum was so scary that we talked about anything we could.


    ¡°Wow, not everyone has the title of the best knight in the North.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I feel that every time I see him, but he really is a monster.¡±


    ¡°My hometown¡¯s knights are no match, really.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my idol, of course. Hahahahaha¡­..Argh!¡±


    Tuk!


    Sir Ivan, who literally flew in, smacked Andymion¡¯s head. Sir Ivan¡¯s hobby must have been bullying trainees.


    ¡°You son of a b*tch, do you want to eat fruit and laugh while they¡¯re sweating? Huh?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­ hah, but I¡­.¡±


    ¡°These kids don¡¯t do what they¡¯re told to do, slacking whenever they have the time¡­ you came, my Lady? I was wondering when you were coming today.¡±


    What did that mean? It felt a little strange, but I didn¡¯t care and smiled.


    ¡°Sir Andymion was my companion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much for him to be your companion. And he¡¯s still a cub.. I don¡¯t know what he told you, but he¡¯s still wet behind his ears. Hey, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°R-Right. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could just call me Andy¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Andy? Are you flirting with your superior¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°What? How dare I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, b*stard,¡±  I heard him yell.


    They really get along well, hohoh¡­


    Izek, who wiped off his sweat with the back of his hand, looked down at me. I gulped.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, you were really cool just now. I was already in love, but I think I fell for you again.¡±


    So, why don¡¯t you loosen up a bit? Yes?


    ¡°You come here, you b*stard.¡±


    ¡°No, no, why do you keep¡­¡±


    Thanks to Lord Ivan dragging Andymion away, only me and my husband were left on the stairs. Apparently, Izek didn¡¯t care much whether his trainee was harpooned or not by his foul-mouthed friend.


    ¡°A-Am I disturbing you?¡±


    ¡°You seem to know it.¡± This cold fellow took off his gauntlet and threw it randomly to one side. For some reason, he sat on the stairs near my feet and reached out to the fruit basket.


    There was a moment of silence, and only the sound of Izek biting and chewing fruits rang.


    Crunch. Crunch. Every time his smooth jaw moved, the sweat drop on his temple slid a bit downward.


    I reached out and his eyes held me captive. Red eyes made me freeze.


    Hah, so arrogant.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I was going to wipe your sweat.¡±


    He frowned as I smiled softly, trying to hide my dark heart. Did he hear my thoughts?

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Dirty.¡±


    ¡°But I washed my hands earlier.¡±


    ¡°What I meant is your hands¡­ God damn it.¡±


    This haughty husband of mine, clicked his tongue, and turned away annoyed.


    Ah, it¡¯s hard, it¡¯s so hard.


    After the eventful birthday banquet, he was a little less harsh and I thought I had reached a better stage, but he was still a question mark for me.


    I wish I could know what his face looked like right now.


    Hmm, but this was quite an improvement.


    Do you mind if I act a little bit hopeful? At least you¡¯re not throwing sh*t at me like the first time.


    ¡°You know what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your father is back.¡±


    ¡°Father? Oh.¡±


    What else were you expecting?


    If it were his dog that left the house and came back, it wouldn¡¯t get that insincere of a reaction, hah.


    ¡°Well, he was a little upset.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always grumpy,¡± Izek spat out the seed and picked his way through the other fruit. He suddenly became gloomy.


    I¡¯m so scared! Why did he look like he was about to smash something with one hand?


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had a very unique expression ever since¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Who else is here besides you?¡±


    ¡°The angel of love is watching.¡±


    Silence fell for a moment as my eyelashes fluttered, my palms resting on both my cheeks.


    Izek literally gave me a soulless look.


    I felt like I was going to get hit, so my hands hastily moved to cover my head.


    Ah, I think I went a little too far¡­


    ¡°I won¡¯t touch your head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Actually, your father is so angry that I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do for father to get mad at you?¡±


    I was genuinely speechless. Just in time, I could feel his palm tightly clutching my wrist and lowering it. I gently opened my closed eyes.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°T-That I still haven¡¯t completed our marital obligations¡­¡±


    ¡°What obligations?¡±


    What¡¯s this answer, are you being sarcastic on purpose?


    ¡°It¡¯s what we have to do to become a real couple.¡±


    ¡°So what is it?¡±


    Izek looked really curious, so I was taken aback for a moment.


    What is this¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­ No, he was not that kind of an innocent man. There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t know. Did I have to tell him that straightforwardly to make him understand?


    ¡°First night¡­¡±


    ¡°First night is¡­ oh.¡±


    Only then, as if he had understood, he blinked instantly and turned his head.


    Why was my face burning?


    Did you have to make me speak so bluntly, you cold-blooded b*stard?


    I swallowed and slowly peeked at my husband¡¯s face. Izek said nothing, rummaging through the fruits with a surprisingly indifferent face.


    However, I was a little worried because it felt like there was something he was hiding, from the strange emotion in his eyes


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what my father says.¡±


    I see. It¡¯s none of your business. You can say that because it¡¯s your father, but not mine, you arrogant man!


    Besides, I had a critical life-and-death crossroad in front of me.


    ¡°B-But I¡­ ¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you care. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want that.¡±


    I¡¯d like to pay tribute to your consistent cold self.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t argue with that, but wasn¡¯t not wanting anything and doing my duty two different things? I couldn¡¯t back off like this. My life and soul were at stake. My only straw was this man.


    Damn it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I knew you wouldn¡¯t like it¡­ but I just thought, maybe I should do everything I could to be your wife anyway. I know I¡¯m a useless nuisance who doesn¡¯t help anyway, but if we did it¡­ ¡°


    I¡¯m going crazy.


    He stared at me, taking a bite out of the yellow fruit.


    I didn¡¯t know if one more word meant I was dead or if I should keep trying.


    ¡°I-I thought everyone would think I was a little useful. I mean, I have a lot to clear.¡±


    ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t want to go home, I¡¯m not lying. I really don¡¯t want anything else. I just love you so much, that even if you¡¯re to say you won¡¯t look at me any more, I¡¯ll be fine. I can¡¯t help it¡­ if you want to marry someone better, then it be so, but as long as it¡¯s your choice. This time, it¡¯s not something my family wants.¡±


    Silence lingered for a while after the enactment of the most mournful dialogue I¡¯d uttered ever since I came here.


    Izek still just stared at me silently, chewing on the fruit. It was not unusual to see his red eyes glistening.


    Was he questioning the authenticity of what I¡¯m saying?


    ¡°I¡¯ll never bother you. I promise you won¡¯t lose anything. Anytime you want¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to want to go back home.¡±


    Huh? Why are you talking about something else all of a sudden? That¡¯s not the point.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that really the only reason?¡±


    My husband, who muttered to himself, threw the seed to the other side. The scene looked unnecessarily dramatic.


    No way, this arrogant man¡­ after how hard I¡¯ve worked to act as a big fan all this time, does he actually doubt my fanatic nature? I gave him a birthday present even when I got humiliated.


    Were my acting skills still far from enough? Wasn¡¯t it top-class?


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, good.¡±


    He lifted himself up, shaking his hands. I snapped out of it at the moment and just looked up at him from a distance.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. After spending the night with you, even my father-in-law can¡¯t interfere. Are you sure you won¡¯t regret it?¡±


    Oh, of course!


    I nodded my head three times excitedly. What a surprise, I thought I¡¯d have to work on it for at least a few days, but I couldn¡¯t believe he was reacting like this!


    Unlike my enthusiastic response, my ascetic husband, who had got up, only kept a nonchalant face.


    ¡°Tell me now if you think you¡¯re going to change your mind. You have only one chance to return to your hometown.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the last time. Once you¡¯ve committed, you can¡¯t go back. I can do anything.¡±


    Are you warning me? Will you do something to me if I turn back later? Now that I¡¯ve met you, I can¡¯t go back!


    If I was married to the main character of this world who can do whatever he wants, I could also do anything to live. Oh, looking at us like that, we seemed to be on the same wavelength, right?


    ¡°I will never change my mind,¡± a brief silence surged once again as I vowed with both fists clenched.


    At first glance, the complex expression on Izek¡¯s face, which faced me, also had a passionate pair of eyes.


    ¡°Fine then¡­ see you tonight.¡±


    As soon as he turned around, I raised my arms in happiness.


    Woah!


    ¡°Really? Is it really tonight? Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so happy¡­ Then should I come to your bedroom? Or is it better to wait for you? I might as well go and find¡­ ahhh!¡± In no time, I was once again turned into a chick in the eagle¡¯s claw. My monster-like husband carried me like a sack in one arm and went straight to the place where the carriage was parked. He chucked me into the carriage, like he was ushering a hen into a henhouse.


    Ugh!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and take a good nap since you won¡¯t get any sleep tonight.¡±


    Bam!


    The door slammed shut at the end of that heartless line.


    Ahh, this arrogant man!


    * * *


    Cesare had guaranteed Izek would never touch me.


    The biggest reason must be because he had been an Omerta.


    I¡¯d rather argue with my husband, beaten up and taken as hostage than getting caught and taken home by Cesare. From the start, there had only been one road. There was no other way for me. Besides, Izek told me earlier that this would be my last chance to go back home.


    I didn¡¯t know what unexpected stance I¡¯d said, but it was clear that he had agreed to the night over and that was  a symbol that he wouldn¡¯t let me go. Oh, hope, hope! As time passed, I got more straw.


    Although there were many who hated me and I had many enemies to face in the future, it was not as bad as the first time.


    I could make a way to live somehow. Once I made him believe in me¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll dry your hair, ma¡¯am.¡±


    It seemed that my husband had notified the house. I don¡¯t know what he was thinking, but anyway, it was kind of weird to let the maids rush around and help me dress up.


    Lucille, who got a diamond hairpin from me a while ago, especially helped out. She must have concluded that there was a lot to be extracted from me for the time being.


    As for the nanny maid, who was on my list of people to watch, she was calm, as if she had never told me such a bold lie.


    When she heard that I was going to spend the night, she couldn¡¯t believe it, but she stayed quiet.


    I didn¡¯t expect Ellenia to scold the maid after her birthday banquet, but she was still so brazen that it was terrifying.


    ¡ª


    T/N: F-F-First night, what¡¯s gonna happen ? ¨C ? I¡¯m too curiousssss!!!


    ¡ª

 Chapter 24

    ¡ª


    Her attitude was such that she gave no heed to my status. In a way, she was similar to Freya. Their confidence that no matter what happened, everyone would believe in them, and that they will never be abandoned¨C I wanted to shatter that confidence.


    I wouldn¡¯t have thought so if she hadn¡¯t irked me like that in the first place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fill in the water. Are you fine with lemon perfumed oil?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    After that, I took a bath in the water with lemon¡¯s fragrance, combed my hair, and dressed up with light makeup and accessories. As I sat alone and patted my skirt, it suddenly felt so real.


    Ah, I really looked ready- my heart started pulsating. I tried pressing my chest with my hand and it didn¡¯t calm me down at all. I was so scared!


    ¡­What if he didn¡¯t come?


    That person with a twisted mind would definitely change his mind at the last moment. I put down my teacup, got up and approached the bed.


    I even blew off the candles, but it wasn¡¯t too dark with the fireplace burning. I wished it was darker. I crouched on the bed with my legs folded under my arms and looked out of the window. The sea was full of black waves.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Krakens below were lurking in search of food.


    Heh, I wonder how Popo¡¯s doing? If we could meet again sometime¡­


    I should thank Freya for that. If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t have imagined talking to it.


    God, I beg you, I sincerely beg you. Please let tonight go my way. Let my cold-hearted husband be a little less cold-hearted. Please open the way forward so that his compassion can build up enough emotion for him to trust me, be it out of interest or whatever.


    ¡°Did you fall asleep first after all that fuss?¡±


    ¡­¡­Hic, I thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest. He made no sound coming in, but I was probably too deep in thought anyway.


    As I hurriedly stood up with my hair hanging below my waist, I could see Izek taking his place, right next to me.


    The green light of the fireplace eerily shone on his enormous physique. I¡¯d only seen him in armour or a suit before. In nothing but thin white clothing, it was as if he were naked.


    I literally felt like I was losing my mind.


    Oh my god. Oh my god¨C


    The arrogant man with his arms crossed, looked down at me, and shifted his hand to sweep back his wet silver hair. Blood red eyes sparkled in the dark room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this, but it¡¯s obvious that the bride isn¡¯t supposed to look like this while waiting for the bridegroom.¡±


    I came to my senses with a jerk.


    What are you doing, idiot? Are you going to ruin it?


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I looked blank. I just couldn¡¯t believe my eyes for a second.¡±


    ¡°Is it hard to believe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like a dream¨C to think you¡¯re really here.¡±


    My eyes widened eagerly, even drooling a bit with a goofy smile.


    I guess you don¡¯t feel my sincerity. Damn it.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance again. Tell me right now if you think you¡¯re going to change your mind. I won¡¯t let anyone bother you just because you didn¡¯t do the right thing with me.¡±


    Why do you keep trying to check back and forth like that? Do you suspect that I have something else in mind? It wasn¡¯t about anyone bothering me in the first place.


    The Duke¡¯s anger on me was nothing short of informing me of a good way.


    So I clenched my fists again, flames of determination burning in my eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll never change my mind. I would rather be happy to live as your real wife .¡±


    Izek tilted his head a little for a moment to gauge the authenticity of what I was saying, and soon took off his robe, which he had been wearing, without a word of warning. I failed to keep a straight face and my eyeballs almost came out of their sockets. I had expected it, but his body was almost overwhelming to see in person.


    The body exposed below his cold, ascetic face was too rugged.


    A huge, finely defined statue-like body. Smooth-like silk, but tensed, rough muscles.


    It felt like I was looking at an exotic animal; completely out of touch with this civilization, not a person. He took off his gown completely, climbed up onto the bed, slowly grabbed my shoulder and pulled me close.


    My breath hitched as I swallowed.


    The act itself was not frightening. Nevertheless, I could not help feeling as if I had become a chick thrown at the feet of a wild beast.


    ¡°You look scared.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shaking like I¡¯m going to eat you now. ¡°


    I thought he was annoyed, but he was just calm, rather than blunt. He also sounded a little less harsh than usual. I tried to concentrate on the artistic aspects of his body, to get my mind together.


    Broad shoulders, metal-like breasts, slim waist, strong, sculpted thighs¡­


    It was a very sensual scene.


    To the point where I felt guilty to see it in its full glory.


    I struggled to smile while catching my breath.


    Izek lifted me up with his heavy arm and seated me on one of his thighs. He untied my negligee gown. The thin material flowed down, exposing my shoulders.


    ¡°Relax. I¡¯m not good at it either.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not nervous¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop biting your lips. Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m supposed to do, and not you?¡±


    ¡­¡­Look at this. Husband, are you really an ascetic? Are you sure you¡¯re a personality wrecker? Why are you so good at this? Talent, is this what they call talent?


    Doubts had sprung up, but my nerves still seemed to have eased a little.


    The man who took off my robe now gathered my long hair and swept it to one side.


    It was then that the body that was hugging my body stiffened.


    His hand that was sweeping back my hair halted, and the sound of breathing became slower. What had happened?


    ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s this?¡±


    His callused finger swept around my shoulder blade. A Paladin¡¯s vision must be on a night vision level.


    I thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. Well, there¡¯s nothing we could do about it now.


    ¡°I got hurt playing when I was a child.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear there was a scar. What did you do to get a scar like this?¡±


    I don¡¯t care what¡¯s on my body, let alone the servants of this house, to tell you. Besides, I¡¯ve been washing on my own.


    ¡°I played Circus with my brothers and cousins, and of all, the leader was the troublemaker. He wielded a whip, and in excitement, we got into an accident. I¡¯m glad mine isn¡¯t that visible, but my cousin has a scar on the back of her neck.¡±


    Even though I said it cheerfully with a sigh, there was an awkward lingering feeling and silence fell.


    Izek was just gazing at my back with his mouth shut.


    I was nervous because there was no way to check his expression since my back was facing him.


    I was about to add more, but¨C


    He, who had been staring at my back, made me stiffen on the spot, as he suddenly moved his hand and pulled up my gown.


    Huh?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    There was no reply.


    Instead, Izek returned my gown to its original state and began to re-tie the strings.


    I wondered what this was all about, my mind going blank.


    Was it because of the scar? He didn¡¯t want to see it?


    I knew he was a bit picky¡­I thought he wouldn¡¯t mind, but I guess I¡¯d made a mistake.


    The damn scars weren¡¯t just on my shoulder blade. I had a few more behind my thighs. These were scars that could never be erased even if they healed. Even though it was possible to heal them with divinity, there was no choice but to leave a scar. It was not that thick, so I thought it would be fine. I thought¡­.I thought it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem if he happened to see it, but his reaction¡­


    Or maybe scars weren¡¯t the problem?


    Did I act too frightened?


    Was he annoyed by the fact that I froze and whimpered at the topic I had introduced? No, maybe he noticed I was lying.


    There was no way that the Pope¡¯s beloved daughter could get hurt like that because of children¡¯s pranks, and that I must have been punished for doing something wrong.


    Maybe that was why he didn¡¯t want to move on¡­


    Say something, you cold-blooded husband!


    I couldn¡¯t let go of the opportunity that came after a long time. With this determination burning, I turned around and faced him, straddling his thigh.


    I slowly placed my hands on his bulky, muscular chest.


    A short silence passed by.


    Izek, who was watching what I was doing, finally spat out, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make you lie down. Did¡­ did I do something wrong again? I¡¯ve made you feel bad, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then, why¡­¡±


    ¡°I just thought it wasn¡¯t my day.¡±


    A completely serious tone.


    Why all of a sudden? It¡¯s not even Sabbath!


    I expected him to push me right away, but Izek sat motionless and peered at me for a long time. In the dimly lit darkness of the room, his eyes resembling red flame, flashed with curiosity.


    He seemed angry and lost in some complicated thoughts, and at the same time, mysterious.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is there another scar I don¡¯t know about?¡±


    I wanted to bang my head. It must be because of that! To find out whether I was truly playing around or making trouble as a child, so annoying. This troublesome guy!


    ¡ª


    T/N: I MeANNN, this is better than nothing~ I¡¯ll take fluff over smut any day *cough*

 Chapter 25

    What should I say? Should I be honest and say that I got punished? But what if he got mad that I just lied? As I gulped dryly, he opened his mouth again, ¡°No, it¡¯s already done. That¡¯s not the point.¡±


    What?


    He got me off his lap and picked up the clothing he had taken off. He put it on again and walked away¡­.his body plopped on one side of the bed.


    He didn¡¯t say anything or do anything. He was just lying down with one arm across his forehead in silence, but I was scared to talk to him because of the unusual atmosphere.


    Looking at the obvious outline of the man, a hint of irritation evident on my face, a cloud of gloom hung over me.


    Damn it. I totally messed up again. My life and death depends on this, so what should I do now? I knew it was going too smoothly! I¡¯m sure he was just leading me on!!


    No, I couldn¡¯t afford to be branded as a liar anymore.


    I crept up on my knees and curled up next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it. I was so embarrassed that I didn¡¯t know what to say¡­ ¡°


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I-I was so embarrassed to tell you that I was a stupid troublemaker¡­ Hic, I¡¯ll never do it again. I¡¯m so hopeless. I was wrong. Next time, just, hic, just, hit me!¡±


    Hiccups kept coming out, so like before, I tried to stuff my fingers in my mouth and hold my tongue, but he suddenly grabbed my hand. I raised my head in surprise.


    ¡°Stop talking.¡±


    ¡°Hic¡­?¡±


    ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t like that.¡±


    His burning eyes were fixed on me. As I closed my mouth with a flinch, Izek let out a sigh.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    I was dragged and laid down as soon as he grabbed me.


    It felt very strange to lie down with my head resting on his shoulder, grasping his iron-like forearm.


    The heavy silence was disturbing.


    What was this?


    When I lifted my head, his eyes were busy taking me in.


    Oh, our eyes met.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you stop trying to breathe every time. Does that stop you from hiccuping?¡±


    ¡°I, hic, I thought you might have misunderstood me as a liar.¡±


    ¡°I hate lying very much.¡±


    ¡°Hic.¡±


    ¡°If you were a liar, you wouldn¡¯t be lying with me like this.¡±


    I see, so he didn¡¯t think I lied yet. Haa, it took ten years. Then, why did he suddenly stop?


    ¡°Well¡­ ¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. I¡¯m just¡­ better off another day.¡±


    A low tone. Of course, it wasn¡¯t soft, but it wasn¡¯t chilly or cynical either.


    Could I trust him? Will another day truly come?


    Well, he¡¯s new to this, and I didn¡¯t want to rush him. The game has already been turned upside down, but it¡¯ll be annoying to whine more here. It would be better to just aim for the next opportunity. Yes, today was just not the day. I¡¯ll work hard again and make sure to have a big deal next time. Let¡¯s not lose hope!


    As I held myself together, I put my chin on his chest and fluttered my eyelashes, ¡°Then you don¡¯t hate me, do you?


    ¡°Are you that worried?¡±


    What a random answer. What did he mean by that?


    It was confusing, but his low-pitched voice felt somehow bitter, so I changed the subject.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to sleep here, do you want me to leave?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Can I sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°Do as you please.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡±


    What¡¯s up with you? Why are you acting so easy? Is it a trap?


    It was surprising, but I shouldn¡¯t have asked. There¡¯s no way I could sleep peacefully by this monster¡¯s side. I had no choice but to curl up and close my eyes tightly. How long had I been doing that? I couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so I opened my eyes again. My husband had already fallen asleep alone, his eyelids were shut.


    Even his sleeping face was so arrogant. Look at those long eyelashes. It looks like he got extensions.


    For some reason, he seemed much younger than usual. Haa¡­ if I was in Madrid, I¡¯d be busy preparing for a job in college by now. I acted so mature that sometimes I forget that I¡¯m still young. I gently wriggled and peeked at his hands wrapped around my body.


    It was about twice the size of my hand. He¡¯d stab me to death with this hand later. No, I would not die. I¡¯d definitely survive. There was still hope¡­¡­I let go of his hand and leaned my head gently against his firm chest. I could hear a clear thud, a strong throb of life in his steel-like body.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool.¡±


    You¡¯re the main character. You¡¯re the main character who can do whatever he wants.


    So, why do you keep hesitating?


    If you were like Cesare, if you were like my family, if you were the kind of human being I¡¯ve been living, if you were frank enough to ask me¡­ it would have been easier.


    You wouldn¡¯t have felt so conflicted.


    ¡°Good night¡­¡±


    Good night, my twisted straw. If possible, have some good dreams about me.


    The table that greeted me at breakfast was literally a feast. Seasoned reindeer meat, raw ham, rabbit stew, grilled herring and lamb sausage¡­


    It was a carnivore¡¯s meal itself. A person who could digest this from early morning would have been a very healthy human being.


    And of course the North¡¯s best paladin was an over-healthy fellow.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have an appetite.¡±


    ¡°No, I just wanted to savor this time.¡± I answered automatically. I felt like I was going to be in the same condition as the poor meat, so I was quick to reply.


    But my ruthless husband squinted at me as if he doubted the sincerity of my words.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been nibbling since earlier.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Empty the bowl. You¡¯re too skinny.¡±


    Now even him¡­ I obediently picked up the spoon and served my share of the stew. I tried my best not to look small as it was my first meal with my cold-hearted husband, but it was hard to pour greasy meat stew over a small bowl of rice.


    Ah, I wanted to throw up. While I managed to empty the bowl half way, Isuke had already finished the stew and herring in a bowl much larger than mine, and was now gobbling the reindeer meat.


    Being an ascetic didn¡¯t seem to have much to do with appetite. How the heck was all that stuff going in?


    ¡°Do you want me to bring you some bread, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°No. Leave it.¡±


    While we sat alone and had breakfast, the servants waited diligently. They looked as nervous as ever, even tending to his breath. It felt different from eating with Ellenia. Ellenia was an unexpectedly generous princess.


    It was clear that I had not spent the night with him, but it wasn¡¯t too bad that I slept in one room with him, and even woke up to have breakfast together.


    I honestly thought he¡¯d have disappeared when I woke up. What was he thinking? I glanced at my husband across the table, emptying the food.


    He looked daunting, dressed in black armour, and ready to take charge of the security of the city at any time, but he also felt tired and sensitive, somehow. I was the one who couldn¡¯t sleep feeling like a chick next to a beast, so I had no clue why he looked so tired. Besides, why was his aura so brutal? Hah, he was a tough guy anyway. A haughty, twisted¡­


    ¡°Is the seasoning bad?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead and eat.¡±


    Yes, I chewed the reindeer meat with tears in my eyes. There was no other option left.


    ¡°By the way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is it okay if you eat with me like this? Your father just came back¡­ ¡°


    ¡°I¡¯d have an upset stomach in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Because of the food?¡±


    ¡°No. Because of him.¡±


    I see. Did it mean that the view was so bad that he¡¯d have a stomachache? Well, as I recalled, Izek¡¯s relationship with his father had gone completely wrong since his mother¡¯s suicide.


    Furthermore, once Ellenia testified, Izek was not a man who just avoided the people he disliked.


    My father, Cesare, and his father were together¡­. while Izek was the king¡¯s favourite nephew.


    The king¡¯s missing sister. After Princess Omerta¡¯s suicide, the antagonism between the Duke, who maintained subtle grittyness with the royal family, and Izek, the king¡¯s favourite, was natural.


    ¡°What else are you curious about?¡±


    Night vision wasn¡¯t enough, he even wanted to try mind reading now? I shook my head as innocently as I could.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I suddenly thought of a silly question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered one in the South, so¡­ can a monster understand humans?¡±


    After finishing the reindeer meat in an instant, he, who wolfed the lamb sausage in one bite, looked at me blankly.


    Why are you so shocked? Was the question that bad?


    ¡°No. And I¡¯m glad they can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Why ask all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I just read it in, like, a stupid novel.¡±


    This had made it a bit clear. Either Popo was unique or I was. The latter was a matter of great care. If I could communicate with creatures other than Popo¡­


    Izek caught me grinning like a child for a moment, only to turn his gaze away and focus on the sausage.


    ¡ª


    T/N: Husband on my side will be on break for tomorrow~


    ¡ª

 Chapter 26

    ¡°Are you busy today?¡±


    ¡°A bit. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­well, I¡¯m going to write a letter to a friend.¡±


    ¡°Friend¡­ who? Princess Ari?¡±


    Huh, how did you know? No, more than that. What¡¯s with that insignificant tone?


    Yes. I don¡¯t have any friends! The only person I play with is a six-year-old princess¡­ damn it.


    ¡°Actually, the princess gave me a postcard.¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing else to do, why don¡¯t you come to the temple at lunch?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°They are eager to have you visit. I am also free at that time, so I can just drop by.¡±


    I doubted my ears for a moment.


    What did you just say, hubby?


    (T/N: I hope y¡¯all are fine with me writing ¡®hubby¡¯, cos ¡®husband¡¯ sounds weird sometimes xD especially if it¡¯s her thoughts.)


    ¡°Are you¡­ okay with that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Pope¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s not too much for them to be anxious to meet you.¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You may be mistaken if you went alone, but with me, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    That¡¯s right. If I was the only one who frequented the temple and made friends with the priests, I would be labeled as a spy. But it was a little different if I visited with Izek. It was rather good¡­ what was on his mind? Why would he say this, all of a sudden?


    Among Elendale¡¯s priests, there would be some part of my father and brother¡¯s spy network. There was no way Izek didn¡¯t know that.


    Is he trying to give a warning? Don¡¯t even think about plotting something because he¡¯s watching me? Don¡¯t look down on the North or something? Or was he trying to test me?


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    ¡°Really, really?¡±


    ¡°¡­finish your meal.¡±


    Right. Ugh, my stomach was about to explode.


    I heard a scream.


    The cries of people in pain and fear sounded as vivid as the cries of the abyss, but the woman did not seem to be disturbed at all.


    Although she could not be seen clearly in the dark, the woman who leaned on the balcony and looked at the city wrecked by her father, looked bright and joyful as if she was waiting for the moon on a peaceful summer night.


    A man slowly approached her from behind, holding a bloody sword instead of a bouquet of flowers.


    The appearance of the balcony and the surrounding scenery seemed familiar to me. Was it a dream? Was I dreaming?


    ¡®You¡¯re here.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­¡¯


    ¡®I knew you¡¯d come like this. It was worth the effort dressing up.¡¯


    The man didn¡¯t say anything. He only looked silently at the woman who looked back at himself and smiled. Finally, a voice as painful and mournful as that of the wounded beast spoke up, ¡®I¡¯ve already let go of the expectation that I¡¯ll hear an answer.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s the reason?¡¯


    ¡®Do I have to tell you that?¡¯


    The woman shrugged her hands and smiled like a fool. It was a smile that made it look like she was crying, even though her lips were arched upwards.


    The man clenched his teeth, ¡®Stop making excuses that you couldn¡¯t help it. You could have made a different choice.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, I could have made a different choice. I could¡¯ve told you, I could¡¯ve betrayed my family. But this is my choice.¡¯


    ¡®Is it your choice to make me slaughter the priests? Are you that confident that my blade would avoid you?¡¯


    ¡®You still don¡¯t know? I¡¯m not the kind of person who falls for such illusions.¡¯


    ¡®What¡­¡¯


    ¡®You already know that. I know, you probably noticed.¡¯


    Her eyes were bloodshot.


    As if to warn him, a sign of denial.


    Either way, she came close to him with a strange smile.


    ¡°My brother, who was running around in circles, decided to kill Omerta¡¯s princess because of this marriage. Isn¡¯t that weird? Hmm? If he was just trying to break up a marriage, that¡¯s too reckless and stupid, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®Stop ¡­¡­¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m just saying this to make it hurt a bit. It was a little difficult to proceed with the marriage, but not to the point that he needs to kill her. Do you understand what I mean?¡¯


    ¡®¡­..¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m the one who killed your sister. Not my family, but me.¡¯


    What kind of horrible conversation was this?


    During a long, heavy silence, I was worried that the man might just plunge the sword into her body. But that didn¡¯t happen.


    ¡®Why¡­Why the hell would you do that¡­¡¯


    Contrary to expectations, his low-pitched voice didn¡¯t have emotions such as anger or hatred.


    It just sounded miserable. An indescribably terrifying one.


    The woman¡¯s voice in response was as cheerful as ever.


    ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know. Why the hell did I do that? It wasn¡¯t that I hated your sister.¡¯


    ¡®You¡­¡¯


    ¡®Well, come to think of it, I think I wanted you to come after me like this.¡¯


    ¡®¡­Did you steal the Holy Grail too?¡¯


    ¡®Oh no, I got caught. Hah, who else can steal it and use it to get to you? Right?¡¯


    She added with a smirk and pulled out a bundle of papers from her clothes.


    He was just staring at it silently.


    ¡®These are marriage cancellation papers. I haven¡¯t signed it yet. So, we¡¯re still a couple.¡¯


    ¡®¡­..¡¯


    ¡®Let me act as your wife for the last time. It¡¯s a little late, but take it as a newlywed gift.¡¯


    ¡®A couple.¡¯


    He laughed.


    It was hard to tell whether he was laughing or crying.


    ¡®In the meantime, all we¡¯ve done is harass, misunderstand and fight with each other. You killed my family and I came to the point of killing your family, but you still call us a couple?¡¯


    ¡®Idiot, that¡¯s proof that we¡¯re a real couple.¡¯


    Teasing him, she spread her arms as if pointing over the balcony. Towards the burning city.


    ¡®Look at this splendid fight between a couple. Haa. Every day, I dreamt of when this damn place would turn into a sea of blood, and you¡¯ve made my wish come true in the blink of an eye. In return, I will present you with this city. The position of the next pope or whatever, is in your hands.¡¯


    There was silence.


    As she stepped forward slowly in the heavy silence, her hands gently reached out and grabbed the blade of a blood-soaked sword. She pointed it close to her chest. The man didn¡¯t budge. He didn¡¯t push her away or move the sword.


    ¡®You¡¯re driving me crazy until the very end.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯


    ¡®Is it my fault for not trusting you? Tell me, did you intend to do this from the beginning?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m so sorry to make you do this. Don¡¯t ever forgive me.¡¯


    ¡®I¡­¡¯


    He stopped talking and held his breath. As if it were painful to say even one more word.


    ¡®I could have done something. If you hadn¡¯t done that, I¡¯d¡­¡¯


    She smiled again.


    Warm and bright, like someone who had heard a desperate confession of love.


    ¡®There¡¯s no other way for me anyway. Even if you tried to protect me, my family¡¯s enemies would try to retaliate against me. And I-I¡¯d test you this way every time. No matter how hard you try, you wouldn¡¯t trust me. Look, I ended up killing your sister.¡¯


    ¡®Stop¡­¡¯


    ¡®God knows what else I¡¯ll do in the future. I¡¯ve tested your mind, tested your patience, and you¡¯ve confirmed with your own eyes that I¡¯ll continue to do crazy things to make sure I¡¯m on my way to the end of hell. It¡¯s best to end it like this¡­ so please¨C don¡¯t hesitate.¡¯


    ¡°¡­Ruby. Ruby?¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    I leapt to my feet, startled by the gentle shake of my shoulder. As I tried to regain my half-asleep mind and rubbed my eyes with my hands, I could see Ellenia looking perplexed for some reason.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, but where¡­ ¡°


    ¡°This is Ruby¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    Oh, right. I had no idea what I was thinking. Maybe it was because I couldn¡¯t sleep all night, but I was so tired that I lied down for a while.


    Huu, I slept deeply for a moment. It was like I had a really complicated dream.


    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ ¡°


    How many people could lie next to a monster and sleep well? By the way, what time was it now?


    ¡°Now¡­ ¡°


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re going out for lunch. I think you have to get ready. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just a little tired and lying down for a while.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t waste a chance I didn¡¯t have in a while. I didn¡¯t know what kind of sign my ruthless husband was trying to show, but I will present the same old image. Trying to test me would be of no use to him.


    Ellenia, who was sitting gracefully and looking at me, soon changed the subject.


    ¡°A letter has arrived from Romagna.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°It was sent by Cardinal Valentino. I thought I¡¯d better hand it over to you, so I brought it here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ellen.¡±


    It was a thoughtful act. Did she think someone might try to steal it? Not only the servants, but also the whole family monitored my mail. It wasn¡¯t strange to do that. Especially if it was from Cesare.


    Hah, Cesare¡¯s letter made me feel depressed even before I opened it.


    I was worried about replying. Less content was an issue, and so was more content. He was so difficult to please that it was a problem if I lacked in writing or went over the top.


    T/N: I got a bit emotional reading about the dream¨C Just,,,, idek why, but my heart is so sad hshsjsjshs ;-;

 Chapter 27

    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­ ¡°


    ¡°You must be feeling sick.¡±


    How did you know that? I don¡¯t think you can read minds- did someone notice that I threw up?


    I¡¯d never done it in front of someone else before, but I should be more careful next time.


    ¡°Well, actually, I ate too much greasy food this morning¡­¡±


    ¡°It makes sense since you ate with Brother, but you definitely need to increase the amount you eat. I asked the maid to serve you some dandelion tea, so please have some.¡±


    Ah, nice. I¡¯m scared to death of these siblings. Then again, if I complained, they would be irritated.


    ¡°For the time being, you¡¯ll be having lunch with Brother every day. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Oh, no, wait a minute. Beautiful sister-in-law, what was this all of a sudden? I thought we decided on no new type of tortures in the morning!


    ¡°B-But he¡¯s busy¡­¡±


    ¡°Paladins, who pretend to be busy all the time, never skip meals. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s a picky eater, so he won¡¯t be taking Ruby to a cheap inn.¡±


    I see. Should I be relieved? I wanted to ask if I could eat with Ellen, but I put up with it because it was a very contradictory act for my role as a fan.


    Of course, it was not a bad thing. It was rather really good. Even if I didn¡¯t follow him around like a stalker, I¡¯d have more natural chances to meet him every day. But why did I feel like a chick being dragged to a slaughterhouse?


    ¡°Oh, I heard that you have been interacting with Ari lately.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I think it would be okay for you to visit the palace soon. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s fine?¡± When I asked that carefully, Ellenia¡¯s red eyes fluttered.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what Ruby wants to do. It¡¯s not something you need my permission to ask. You can pick a day and come with me.¡±


    ¡°With Ellen? Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes, if you don¡¯t feel uncomfortable.¡±


    What were these siblings up to today? If I went with Ellenia, the queen may feel a little uncomfortable, but the Princess would be happy.


    After getting ready, I had some time left, so I started making bouquets by myself in the garden.


    I was visiting the temple right after my first night.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t have a proper early night nor did I come here to make a point, but I felt somewhat awkward.


    Sheesh, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll lose track of it sooner or later.


    With a dark heart, I followed the messenger and entered the sacred temple. I didn¡¯t know what the inside looked like because I had only been in and out of the practice area, but when on a closer look, it was all black marble.


    It was astounding that no one got depressed when the weather was gloomy all day, and even the decorations of the temple were dreary.


    According to my memory, the priests of Elendale were much more faithful than the priests of Romagna, where even Satan would tremble, perhaps because they were active in a land infested with demons.


    However, it was not their faithfulness that brought benevolence and forgiveness, but the faithfulness of the Inquisitors.


    Their relationship among the Paladins, the majority of whom were proud nobles, was also subtle, so it was more like they were companions, rather than any competition.


    The denomination of the Northern Paladins, which was rare elsewhere, also played a part in that.


    The Longinus Knights, to which Izek belonged, were guardians of the temple and also a special unit that followed the king¡¯s secret orders. In short, he was in a complicated position, and so, the conflict between the Britannia royal family and the temple couldn¡¯t be avoided. No one knew which side to stick to.


    ¡°Oh, my lady?¡±


    As I was walking around thinking about everything, I was startled by this sudden exclamation. A hall that looked like a resting area with stained glass, barely caught my attention.


    The unwanted figure of the person I didn¡¯t wish to see came into view. No, why was she here?


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to visit the temple today. I¡¯m so glad to see you.¡± Freya, who greeted me with a smile, looked like a goddess shining alone inside this grim and gloomy temple.


    Ha, I feel this every time I see it, but she was a beauty that would melt anyone¡¯s heart. This was the cheat of being the main character¡¯s childhood friend. Anyway, I guessed that Izek and her talked about stopping by the temple. When had they met, though?


    ¡°Oh, haha, nice to meet you. What¡¯s your business here, Lady Freya?¡±


    ¡°My uncle is the archbishop here. I stopped by with my sister to see her uncle and have lunch together.¡±


    Her uncle? I didn¡¯t know that. The men sitting at the back glanced at me, and then at Freya, who was smiling. Of course, they weren¡¯t friendly gazes.


    Lorenzo and other fellow trainees were there.


    Andymion wasn¡¯t present. That fact somehow felt fortunate. Tsk, if they played around like this, did that mean Lord Ivan left them alone? Well, since they were all nobles, they seemed to have their meals alone unless they were in an emergency.


    ¡°Lorenzo, why aren¡¯t you saying hello? I guess everyone¡¯s fascinated by your beauty?¡± In the face of Freya¡¯s hand gestures, surprisingly, the boys sitting at a distance stood up.


    Huh?


    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡­Aha, yes, of course. That b*stard just showed up and everyone acted disciplined.


    I looked back with a big grin on my face. Izek was the same as I saw him this morning¡­ Slightly less brutal than he was before, maybe.


    He closed the bottle cap and looked arrogantly at me.


    This arrogant man. What did he do to sweat so much again?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No. I just arrived.¡±


    You just told me I was late. Are you being sarcastic again?


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    Hmm? I blinked and looked down at my hand. A colourful bouquet.


    ¡°I made this with Ellen for you in the garden earlier.¡±


    In fact, Elenia did most of it. I was just observing, but it was fine to exaggerate this much, right?


    ¡°With Ellen?¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    I quickly lifted the bouquet of flowers so that he wouldn¡¯t say anything else. That arrogant husband of mine, of course, criticized me with a look of disapproval.


    ¡°Your hands are a mess.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s because my favorite flower was near a thorny plant¡­¡±


    Will it kill you to just let me in? Huh? You son of a b*tch!


    My face as a noble lady in the presence of my enemies and brats was somewhat fading, damn it.


    ¡°Hey, Iz¡­ How can you be so blunt to your cute wife?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came here to see my uncle. I called my brother, so don¡¯t scold him for fooling around okay?¡±


    ¡°You seem to know that he fools around.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m thirsty. Can I drink your water?¡±


    ¡°You always try to steal my drink.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too stingy with water.¡±


    What a pleasant conversation. If I wasn¡¯t there, it¡¯d be perfect.


    Hahaha. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to this feeling.


    Besides, Freya¡­ was important enough to be present in this, no matter what she did to me.


    Haa. Was there any way I could beat her? If she hadn¡¯t touched me, I wouldn¡¯t have thought about this. But if she left me alone in the future¡­


    ¡°By the way, Iz, my brother said he had something to tell your wife.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My lady, I heard the other day that my brother had committed a great disrespect to you. Thanks to that, he made a fuss. I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to apologize properly, would that be all right?¡±


    Ah, that damn song he sang before?


    ¡°What do you mean by disrespect? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± When I asked, smiling brightly like an idiot, Lorenzo raised his eyebrows. He looked like he wanted to squint his eyes.


    Freya opened her eyes wide for a moment but soon smiled coolly again, ¡°You¡¯re so generous. But you don¡¯t have to hide your frustration. Because everyone knows it¡¯s wrong. I was saddened because I thought you should have told me if you were upset.¡±


    Did she have to stress on that? She was different from me who talked about this, in front of others, on purpose.


    Yes, he was a jerk. What should I do? He could have apologized earlier, but he just had to do it now¡­ If she had explained what happened late at the horseback riding meeting, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of this twisted plot. Well, it can¡¯t be helped now, because I¡¯m just like this.


    Don¡¯t interfere with my way to safety, people.


    ¡°Your brother didn¡¯t hurt me at all. When I first saw him, he teased me a bit, but that kind of joke is normal. I rather thought he was being pretty friendly.¡±


    ¡°My lady¡­¡± Freya¡¯s lips began to twitch slightly.


    I know, I understand. But my husband is watching. I have to look as harmless as possible. I shouldn¡¯t look like a victim of vile jokes, as you intend. I have to appear as a naive idiot who forgets things like that in no time¡­


    ¡°My lady,¡± Lorenzo stepped forward, apparently judging that I would never let it slide.


    Yes, I guess you were ashamed to hide behind your sister. But can you take a few steps back? I¡¯m suffocating because of the animosity you hold for me.


    ¡°The other day, I¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Lorenzo.¡±


    We all flinched at the cold voice.


    Lorenzo, who turned around to look at Izek, immediately stepped back. Ah, this man¡­ Why was the atmosphere suddenly heavy again? Or was I being too bright?


    Was this mean guy misunderstanding that I was playing hard to get even with kids? Ugh, that¡¯s just sad.


    ¡°Ahahaha, I¡¯ve forgotten everything, so don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    My husband cut off my words, as I rushed to reply. It seemed that my facial expressions were a mess. No, I was babbling too much.


    It had been a long time since I threw up, and I was feeling a little dizzy, but the bad intentions of his friend and her brother were more deadly than that.

 Chapter 28

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean not like that?¡± His giant palm moved forward to slap my forehead.


    ¡­Well, he didn¡¯t hit me, he just pressed his palm against it. Was he checking the temperature? He did the same last time.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird. Why are you sweating so much when you don¡¯t have a fever?¡±


    ¡°She was playing in the garden earlier¡­ I think she spent too much time in the cold wind. She seems to be sick,¡± said Freya, who was quick to help, but somehow, her words made sense.


    Izek immediately glared at me with a frustrated expression.


    Just save my life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m married or if I¡¯m taking care of a child¡­¡±


    Hey, you cold-blooded b*stard! Yes, I¡¯m a child! An innocent, idiotic, immature southern princess whose only friends are six-year-old princess¡¯ of the same level of maturity! Please think that way all the time.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to get in trouble. I was so excited that I didn¡¯t sleep well¡­¡±


    ¡°What was so exciting?¡±


    I was going to say ¡®Sleeping with you?¡¯ but I changed my mind because I thought it was too much to say in front of young ones.


    ¡°I really want to open your head to take a look into it.¡± At the same time as these terrifying words came out, my feet lifted in the air.


    Oh, no, no, you son of a b*tch! I¡¯m being treated as a chick again!


    ¡°Haa?¡±


    ¡°Tell him to apologize next time. I don¡¯t have much time today.¡±


    My husband was consistently arrogant to everyone. What a know-it-all he was. I felt like I was slipping, so I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his neck.


    Ha, what¡¯s wrong with you after showing me your naked body? I want to whack the bouquet of flowers on your head, but I¡¯ll put up with it.


    ¡°I¡¯m heavy, so you can let me down.¡±


    ¡°And then you¡¯ll bleed out again.¡±


    No words. Oh, the same shame. The bloody nose from that time is a real shame.


    I tried to argue that it was because I was sick, but I held it back because he might throw me away. I hate being thrown. It didn¡¯t hurt much physically, but it¡¯s still a kind of trauma.


    Since we kept doing this, should I start working on getting his affection? The plan failed first, so now, one step at a time¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to be in your arms like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, I thought you were¡­ ¡°


    ¡°What song did Lorenzo sing to you?¡±


    What? W-Why are you asking me that all of a sudden? Don¡¯t you know that?


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard it was a song that made fun of your curly hair. Is that right?¡±


    Aha, so that¡¯s what you knew. I¡­ I can¡¯t believe it. Besides, I don¡¯t have curly hair. It¡¯s naturally wavy!


    Well, I didn¡¯t want to tell him the lyrics of that horrible song. He shouldn¡¯t start paying attention to those rumors. I hated them. I didn¡¯t want to look fickle.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I think so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a quick answer, I thought you didn¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard you¡¯re going to have lunch with me in the future, is it true?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the real deal¡­ yes. Why? You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    No, I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t need a new torture! I thought I was going to die throwing up what I ate this morning, you carnivore!


    ¡°No way. I just can¡¯t believe it. Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I think I already said it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    I should move a bit faster to gain his affection. As my black heart burned, I quickly pressed my soft lips on his jaw.


    Phew, I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll get you¡­


    ¡°Sir¡­?¡±


    Yes?


    I turned my head, blinking. Only then did the surrounding scene come into view. A magnificent library-like place where the statues of saints loomed over solemnly. And the embarrassed faces of priests.


    Come on, don¡¯t tell me¡­ even if I¡¯m the Pope¡¯s daughter¡­ In this holy place, did I just commit a sin by kissing my husband¡¯s cheek in front of these people? Even though I was the one being hugged by my monstrous husband?!


    Hey, hubby! You can¡¯t bring me all the way here!


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia, welcome. I¡¯ve been waiting for your visit.¡±


    The pale blonde archbishop greeted me politely, pushing back his embarrassment.


    Was that Freya¡¯s uncle? He looked younger than I thought.


    I looked at Izek, asking him to drop me. My haughty husband was staring at me, having stopped walking.


    His red ruby-like eyes looked blank for some reason. What was wrong with him?


    ¡°Cardinal Valentino has sent a message to make sure that we take good care of his sister.¡±


    Couldn¡¯t we just put Cesare aside? I felt uneasy in my husband¡¯s arms. I wished he¡¯d let me walk on my own.


    ¡°This temple has long been a place of special recognition of faith by the Holy Father. Lady Rudbeckia, please consider this place your home and feel free to visit.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The archbishop, who was walking a few steps ahead, stopped in front of the entrance where the vineyard was visible and looked back at us. His face was of kindness itself.


    ¡°In fact, I was worried that you two weren¡¯t here yet, but I think it was an unnecessary concern.¡±


    Don¡¯t mention that, please!


    In the original book, I tried to recall what kind of person Archbishop Lee was, but no matter how hard I tried to think, I couldn¡¯t remember. Rudbeckia was in and out of here, but it didn¡¯t mention who she usually talked to and what she did.


    This was the disadvantage of being the supporting role. That there was no detailed description of their whereabouts¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type to be tied to old traditions. As you know.¡±


    Huh? I unknowingly widened my eyes and looked at my husband. Not only I but also the Archbishop seemed a little confused by this sentence, out of the blue.


    ¡°Hehe¡­It¡¯s even more reassuring to hear Sir saying that, but wouldn¡¯t it be right for My Lady to follow the customs even if it¡¯s bothersome as she is the maiden of His Holiness? To prevent any misunderstanding that may appear¡­ ¡°


    ¡°I was just joking. My wife has been refraining from going out because she hasn¡¯t been feeling well. I¡¯ll visit you again soon on that issue.¡±


    He¡¯s being polite, but why did he sound sarcastic?


    The archbishop had been responding with a caring smile, but he seemed uncomfortable now.


    What was this atmosphere? A sudden realization occurred. It was obvious that Izek didn¡¯t like the archbishop.


    The Archbishop seemed to know it as well. Apparently, not just him, but also the other priests around us had a similar look.


    As if they were watching the beasts who broke into the vineyard of the peaceful Lord¡­¡­ being a good paladin did not necessarily mean that they would be on good terms with other priests. Besides, this guy¡¯s personality had to be a son-of-a-b*tch class. The only thing I don¡¯t understand was why and for what purpose did he bring me here?


    What the hell is he up to? What are we doing? What are you plotting, hubby?


    The archbishop, who coughed and glanced at Izek, smiled warmly at me again, ¡°Lady Rudbeckia, I believe you will have no disruption in your religious activities while you are here. It just so happens that the temple will host a charity event on the upcoming St. Agnes¡¯ Day. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be happy to attend.¡±


    ¡°Oh..¡± I was now a symbol of all sorts of things. I smiled half-heartedly and peeked at my husband. My cold husband opened his mouth with his eyes fixed on the archbishop, ¡°Is it possible for us to attend as a couple?¡±


    ¡°¡­of course. It¡¯s even more welcome if you come with her. I guess you don¡¯t want to be separated even for a moment because you¡¯re newlyweds. Haha.¡±


    Drive those words away from your mind, Archbishop. This arrogant guy must be planning on setting me up, throwing me in a trap and watching me flail. That¡¯s exactly what this guy brought me here today! It¡¯s just to show off to my father¡¯s spy network!


    He was watching over me like a chick, so don¡¯t even think about hitting Omerta on their back¡­


    Ah, this man!


    Maybe he had something else in mind for me? For example, using the fact that I was the Pope¡¯s daughter for the better.


    After all, I was a fool who was looking forward to building a new position by interacting with the priests of the North.


    Haa, yes, I was foolish to expect such a twist. Well, I was not the type to have ridiculous expectations. So, why did he do that all of a sudden? It felt a bit awkward. My eyes glistened passionately, swallowing the urge to tighten my arms around his neck.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Can I really attend? With you?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just react normally once?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t believe my ears.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you like that, but you¡¯re always too suspicious.¡±


    What did this mean? If he didn¡¯t act sarcastic for a while, would something pop in his mouth?


    ¡°Then, I understand that you two are going to attend together. This event will be bigger than expected.¡±


    Finally, we left the temple after meeting up with the archbishop, who had a lunch appointment with his nephew and niece. My husband seemed more excited than usual, perhaps because things had gone his way. An unlucky day.


    But what did he mean by bigger than expected?


    It wasn¡¯t until the day of St. Agnes¡¯ birthday, a few days later, I finally understood what the Archbishop meant.


    I knew that charity events hosted by the parish here were no different from charity events in my previous life. In particular, in a world where religion is such a big backbone of power, even for a brief moment, the most powerful people would visit to show their faces.


    Even so, I thought it would not be as grand as Papal States of Romagna. This was a place where battles for survival were more important than religious ceremonies, after all.


    ¡°Oh, my lady, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°I wished that my lady would attend but, why are you dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, nice to meet you too.¡±


    Of course, my prediction was wrong again. It was hard to tell whether this was a charity event or a banquet.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 29

    ¡ª


    Andymion and Sir Ivan, who immediately greeted me, made me grateful and relieved.


    They were the few who were in favour of me. Ellenia, escorted by Sir Ivan, was also one of the people. She was a little scary, but she¡¯s good, but why, why did all the aristocrats in Elendale seem to be attending today? And why were there so many Paladins? Even though it was a holiday, shouldn¡¯t they be hunting? They had always been so proud of their work.


    ¡°Oh, what is this? Sir Izek, what brings you to such a humble place?¡±


    ¡°And why did no one tell me you were coming here?¡±


    ¡°St. Agnes¡¯ birthday is an important event, kid.¡±


    It was more crowded than the horse riding meeting the other day. My plan to come quietly with my haughty husband and appeal to him how insignificant a human being I could be, disappeared with the wind.


    Haa, my husband was a celebrity. He was only at a charity event, and so many people were chasing him. Well, he was the king¡¯s nephew, a powerful Paladin, Omerta family¡¯s descendant, and his appearance¡­


    He had everything. The protagonist is in the spotlight, after all. I smiled with excitement as I looked back at the unlucky main character.


    ¡°Wow, the atmosphere is very lively. I think everyone is very faithful, to have so many people attend.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just here for the food. It¡¯s a  small group.¡±


    I see. The North had small groups. Why wasn¡¯t it surprising?


    ¡°I¡¯m different. You know how sincere I am.¡±


    ¡°Andymion.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember giving you a vacation. Why did I come here to see your face?¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Poor Andymion. How did you end up with this guy?


    Izek was consistently harsh on his trainee, who had popped up in this event. I¡¯d sensed this since last time, but I don¡¯t think he liked crowded places that much. Who was the cause of this?


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You look thinner somehow,¡± Ellenia, who let out a strange noise, stared at my brother.


    Izek had a desolate look on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Are you not going to come home at all?¡±


    ¡°I will come by.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come in for just a minute or two, but to see Father.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll run into each other one day.¡±


    What kind of conversation was this? In addition, I doubted I would gain weight in just a few days. I felt like I was suffering from torture every lunchtime, but I was afraid this was just the start.


    ¡°S-Sir Izek.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you thirsty? Can I get you a drink?¡±


    Our poor Andymion would never know what his fate will be after the event. He seemed to have fallen into agony. Sir Ivan broke out into a laugh.


    Izek was blunt as usual, ¡°I have my own feet.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty, too, so I¡¯ll go and get it with you.¡± I spoke up.


    The statue of a beverage spouting from the nostrils was just nearby. Andymion looked a little hopeful, and my husband was utterly displeased.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my trainee.¡±


    ¡°But the statue is amazing and I want to see it up close.¡±


    ¡°Everything is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back!¡±


    Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t spit in your glass. Tsk.


    I was about to run excitedly towards the statue with Andymion, feeling liberated from that tense atmosphere. My husband, who let go of my hand, grabbed my shoulder to see what the problem was again.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?


    I swallowed my dry saliva, suppressing my pounding heart, as he suddenly leaned down. To be precise, he was sitting with one knee on the floor.


    Huh?


    ¡°What are you wearing on your shoes? Is this Southern fashion?¡±


    Even for a moment, I couldn¡¯t enjoy the pleasure of this bad guy kneeling down at my feet.


    There was something black on the heels of my shoes like gum! No, when did this happen? I think they were fine before I wore them. I just got in the carriage with Izek after getting groomed at home, so I couldn¡¯t have gotten in there. Did I get in the carriage? Don¡¯t tell me someone had been waiting to do this on purpose¡­  seriously?


    ¡°Oh, haha, I¡¯m so careless¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I knew,¡± He threw off the lump of gum or something, shook his hand, and raised his body.


    I was so embarrassed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t run. You¡¯ll fall.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll walk gracefully.¡±


    As I tried to hide my sarcasm, he squinted suspiciously. Ah, so dangerous.


    Trying to pull out of his shadow quickly, I paused at the sudden silence. Why was everyone staring at me like that? It was the same as when my husband was taking me to a riding party the other day. The time when I arrived at the lake. However, now, it was different because even Ellenia was looking at me with her eyes wide open.


    I hesitated and looked back at my husband. Izek¡¯s face was cold and blank.


    .


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­nothing.¡±


    Well, it was no wonder that this arrogant noble would lean down and take off dirty gum from other people¡¯s shoes. It was enough to make everyone suspicious that he was drunk. Our relationship was too complicated for this to be considered as a sign of hopeful development¡­ this confusing b*stard.


    ¡°It looks like pomegranate juice.¡±


    ¡°It looks like a bleeding nose. Like mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You can just laugh. I meant it for a laugh.¡±


    Let¡¯s turn it into a self-criticizing joke since it¡¯s a dark history.


    I pulled a glass under the statue¡¯s nostrils, pretending to sigh heavily, filling it up with the red drink.


    Andymion smiled, ¡°Actually, I also feel sympathy for this statue. Almost all of Elendale¡¯s Paladins have had a nosebleed.¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the process of your body reaching a certain point. It¡¯s proof that one is getting stronger, and because of that, they go and brag about it to others. Then they get beaten up and have nosebleeds again, which is much needed.  You can¡¯t be arrogant on the path of a true Paladin.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s not a very trustworthy fact. The representative of Paladins here was one proud man.


    ¡°Do you mean the training process?¡±


    ¡°Ah, as you are well aware, if you are continuously exposed to magic in the process of harmonizing with the divinity, and maintain proper stamina and swordsmanship, which are essential conditions for becoming a paladin¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this tomato?¡±


    The husky voice and huge shadow hovering over my head, almost made me drop the drink.


    Fluttering dark red hair, burning amber eyes, tanned skin and a giant bear-like figure¡­ huh?


    ¡°Eh, it tastes like pomegranate. Would you like it?¡±


    The paladin, like the incarnation of a ferocious brown bear, quickly accepted my glass and walked away again.


    Andymion coughed in vain as I watched his back, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as I said the other day, my brother is a little¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Ahaha, he always looks reliable.¡±


    ¡°His skills are pretty good. A bit like Sir Ivan. The other day, the two of them were trying to determine their superiority, and they destroyed the entire training area. I don¡¯t even know how they reached that stage.¡±


    Destroying the whole area¡­ I was surprised that Sir Ivan, who looked like a flower, was close to the level of this bear paladin. In fact, there was also a description of him as the master of swordsmanship, unlike his appearance¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time to see. What were you talking about?¡±


    When Andymion and I returned with drinks, my cold-hearted husband immediately rebuked us.


    Haa, this jerk.


    ¡°We talked about something interesting.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The lonely and romantic road of being a Paladin. While you¡¯re at it, I¡¯d like to be a Paladin, what do you think?¡±


    Silence hovered for a moment. Ellenia and Paladins, who stared at me with similar expressions, turned their eyes at Andymion in unison. He jumped up and down in panic, ¡°I-It¡¯s not me! I swear to God that I¡¯ve never put any false words¡­ ¡°


    What was this reaction? I only said some ignorant nonsense, but what were these serious and weird reactions to something that I just said for a laugh?


    After all, I might be the first human to be able to communicate with demons!


    ¡°Will it be difficult? I¡¯m strong. I also have biceps.¡± A strange silence fell as I raised my arm with one fist clenched.


    After a while, Ellenia, whose astounded look was comparable to Sir Ivan, suddenly covered her mouth with a fan and turned her head, while everyone else coughed in vain and turned away from me.


    Even Izek, whom I thought would give me a slap, was rubbing his mouth with his palm and turning his head to the other side.


    Hey, hey, hubby! My gosh, it¡¯s hard work to be seen as insignificant.


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Archbishop.¡±


    After the prayer and dedication ceremony in honor of the martyrdom of St. Agnes, auction funds were held to fund priests around the country who took care of the sick and the poor. The auction items were mostly paintings and sculptures imported from southern countries, including Romagna.


    I didn¡¯t know how to proceed from here, so I was just looking around slowly, but the archbishop appeared and called me.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. Would you like to walk with me for a while?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    It just so happened that my husband disappeared to smoke with the others.

 Chapter 30

    ¡ª


    I smiled softly and followed the Archbishop to a walkway near the vineyard yard where the auction was going on. Until not long ago, I thought I should keep my distance from the temple as much as possible, but now I felt it would be better to keep a proper relationship and observe it.


    And we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen in the future if I can¡¯t figure out who Cesare¡¯s spies are.


    Cesare was no less predictable than Izek. Even if things go my way, even if I fight Izek to make it difficult to cancel the deal, even if Ellenia¡¯s assassination will be postponed, even if the day when Izek fully trusts me comes¡­


    The opponent shouldn¡¯t ever lower their guard around Cesare.


    He might just do something crazy as soon as one turns their head.


    ¡°Cardinal Valentino is going to visit the match soon.¡±


    He kept bringing up topics I wanted to forget as much as possible.


    Haa, please don¡¯t come here to make trouble.


    ¡°I was actually expecting you to stop by the temple as soon as you came to Elendale.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I understand that the conditions have not been good. You weren¡¯t feeling well¡­ and you went through a lot of trouble. I heard,¡± The archbishop, who added leisurely, looked back at me with a gentle smile. It seems that he had no intention of going into the main topic.


    ¡°I was unsatisfied. You¡¯re not someone who should be treated so lightly here. Sir Izek  is also an important person, but I couldn¡¯t help being angry.¡±


    It sounded like a light insult. But why did I feel like he was testing me?


    I smiled brightly at his kind smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never been treated lightly. Everyone is very kind to me. Lord Izek is especially sweet to me.¡±


    The archbishop raised one eyebrow slightly, but immediately smiled as if he knew it would happen.


    ¡°You are the angel of Sistina. I feel humble at your unparalleled generosity.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I appreciate your concern.¡±


    ¡°No matter how cold-hearted he is, it is natural that he would melt in the presence of Sistina¡¯s angel, the embodiment of nobility. It¡¯s a pleasure to see a special bond between you two. It¡¯s just¡­ ¡°


    The angel of Sistina or whatever was just a name given by my father¡¯s government.


    I tilted my head trying to maintain a smile.


    The archbishop, who hesitated to speak, whispered in this grim, low, and serious tone, ¡°You know the sacred principle of confession better than anyone else. If there is anything you can¡¯t stand, don¡¯t hesitate to visit the temple. Elendale¡¯s holy temple will not betray the grace of His Holiness.¡±


    If I didn¡¯t know anything well, if I didn¡¯t know what the end of the world would have been, I might have accepted it as a pure favour. He was just reaching out to me because he was so heartbroken that I was the princess of Romagna, and felt bad for me. Or maybe he was just trying to use me as a way to leave the North and enter the Sistine Chapel.


    Either way, I wouldn¡¯t have stepped into the confession chamber of the temple.


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural. The North is merciless and chilly, so it¡¯s not easy to find kindness even if you¡¯re a believer.¡±


    ¡°Have you stayed in the North all the time?¡±


    ¡°Elendale was my hometown, but I also stayed in Romagna during my pilgrimage. I was blessed to stay at the monastery in Francesco. When the Pope was still a Cardinal, I had the honor of speaking briefly with him.¡±


    Right. Did he say that he was Freya¡¯s uncle?


    If this archbishop went beyond being just an ambitious clergyman and grew up siding for family, that would be a pain in the a**.


    ¡°¡­Blood can¡¯t deceive. It must have been because of the Holy Father¡¯s will, but all I can do is help you with all my heart, body and soul.¡±


    Huh? What are you talking about?


    I turned my head in bewilderment. The archbishop suddenly clicked his tongue and I turned my gaze to the direction he was looking, and eventually, I saw the unfamiliar sight of my in-law and husband gathered in one place.


    Father, what were you doing here? Did he come after his son? Duke Omerta, who was the greatest knight of Britannia until he suffered a chronic shoulder injury, and his son.


    Him along with Izek, the reputed superior knight, was quite a sight.


    It was even eerier to see their arms folded, standing proudly with the same red eyes. The paternal line¡¯s inheritance had a tendency to ruin the warm atmosphere.


    The archbishop moved first while hesitating for a moment, whether to go close or not. As the tall archbishop, like a pole, gracefully spread his robe while moving forward to greet the two, felt unnecessarily pious.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back safely, Duke. Has the territorial issue been resolved well?¡± Apparently, the reverent archbishop seemed to be no less accustomed to the public nuisance of the Omerta than the others.


    While his father responded to the archbishop in an unexpectedly cool manner, Izek glanced at me and immediately shifted his eyes. He seemed rather cold, as if telling me not to approach him.


    This arrogant b*stard. I mean, what¡¯s wrong with him when he was the one who asked me to come with him? Are you afraid that I¡¯ve already talked to the Archbishop about you? Or maybe you¡¯re plotting something?


    ¡°Ruby, this way¡­¡±


    Ellenia, who came close, grabbed me and took me to the table where I was with her earlier. She had a poker face as always, but I was a little worried because she was a bit tense. Wasn¡¯t it just normal for them to be like that?


    ¡°Ellen, uh¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Never mind them, leave them alone. It¡¯s always like that when they meet.¡±


    There was a chuckle on Ellenia¡¯s advice.


    Of course, it was Freya. Well, it would be weird if she was not here. This has become like a daily routine now.


    What a pleasant look¡­ I was jealous for some reason.


    ¡°Well, just by looking at the scene, the Duke is bothering Iz again. There are a lot of things he¡¯d like, should I bid some and give it as a gift?¡±


    ¡°Leave it, I¡¯m sick of just piling it up.¡±


    ¡°But he sent me a gift on visiting, and I can¡¯t just let it go. My Lady, do you like paintings?¡±


    They¡¯re just pictures. By the way, did she bring presents for all her childhood friends just because their fathers visited them? That was a little too much information.


    ¡°I like it, but I don¡¯t know have an eye for them.¡±


    ¡°The Duke loves paintings. Why don¡¯t you bid for one and give it to him as a gift?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s not bad advice, but coming from her, I was sure I would get into Izek¡¯s bad side. Besides, I didn¡¯t have any money. I could use the dowry I brought when I came here, but it was dowry after all¡­ sigh.


    ¡°I think Lady Furiana has a better eye than me¡­ I¡¯ll just look around.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just learned a little over my mother¡¯s shoulder. Isn¡¯t Romagna the Arts Center?¡± Meanwhile, a white-uniformed servant approached, cleaning up the empty cups and bringing new drinks.


    It was not the same pomegranate juice as before, but grape juice. I¡¯d never seen such a full plate of food before. As soon as I reached out to the wine glass with an upset stomach, Ellenia spoke to me all of a sudden, ¡°Ruby, there¡¯s something we were discussing earlier.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hire a new Ruby maid. The ones you have are old so I¡¯m going to pick new ones who have no connection to the royals.¡±


    I was a little surprised. She was going to hire a new maid? That¡¯s fresh news.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Actually, my brother said it the other day, but I think it¡¯s a good idea. Marquis Furiana was asking Frey to make sure she knew someone trustworthy there.¡±


    Unbelievable. Was that really what Izek said first?


    Usually, servants circulated from one household to another. But if she was a young maid who had no connection to any household, she might be a little immature but much better for me. She didn¡¯t know anything, and since she just came in, I could teach her without being prejudiced. Since she was a similar outsider, it¡¯d be easier to bring her on my side¡­


    I wouldn¡¯t have to bribe her like Lucille.


    Just that it was Freya¡¯s side who was going to make these arrangements.


    Freya grinned over the glass of wine as she peeked at me, hiding a hint of awkwardness, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Father to send you a letter of introduction first. You can decide when you see it. From what I can tell, you¡¯d like someone who¡¯s somewhat mature.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯ll be fine with a young one.¡±


    ¡°But Ellen, my Lady may have a different opinion¡­¡±


    Freya trailed. I thought for a moment she was choking on the wine.


    Perhaps the same was true of Ellenia.


    ¡°Frey?¡±


    Freya, who had been frozen as if she had paused the screen in the middle of talking, soon lowered the glass of wine roughly.


    The sudden sound of something rupturing made a shiver run down my spine.


    ¡°Blood¡­¡±


    ¡°Hau, ah, ahh!¡±


    A dark red liquid splattered on the white tablecloth. Everything just happened in a flash. It was such an unexpected and shocking sight that my brain stopped working for a while.


    ¡°L-Lady!¡± I jumped up, screaming reflexively.


    As I hurriedly approached and held her shoulder, Freya slowly raised her head.


    Her beautiful purple eyes were filled with great fear and shock. The next time she coughed up blood again, I saw someone pushing me roughly onto her. A cold, repulsive, and irritating premonition began to choke me.

 Chapter 31

    ¡ª


    T/N: Slight mentions of suicide, be warned.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her. Stand back.¡±


    Goosebumps rose up my body as Izek clasped my half-stretched body. A faint blue light was gushing from Izek¡¯s palm, holding Freya, who was throwing up blood.


    That¡¯s¡­


    Izek looked back at me for the last time.


    His calm face, which showed neither agitation nor shock, was unexpected, but his chilling cold frozen eyes were even more unfamiliar.


    ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ivan! Please do it for me!¡±


    Others followed behind Izek, who ran quickly into the temple. Ellenia also looked at me once and ran straight after him. It was noisy everywhere. A chaotic mess. I raised my arms and gazed blankly at Freya¡¯s blood on my long sleeves.


    I thought of my sister.


    To be exact, her last appearance. The dried blood on her thin wrist¡­


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    A rough hand suddenly clasped the back of my neck. Huh, this kid? I never expected him to be friendly in the first place. But why was he attacking me all of a sudden?


    ¡°You did it!¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°I knew this would happen. From the beginning, this witch was behind her!¡±


    What?


    With a loud sound, the force that gripped the back of my neck loosened. Thwack, thwack, thwack! I opened my eyes wide, swallowing a cough.


    A man was beating Lorenzo¡¯s head mercilessly like a tin drum, with his huge palm. Lorenzo couldn¡¯t even dare to fight back and soon fell on the floor.


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia. Please forgive this rudeness. My foolish son seems to be out of his mind for a while.¡± The man¡¯s eyes, who politely bowed to me, were a cold purple.


    In other words, Marquis Furiana had beat up his own son. What a shrewd move. This was the front yard of the Temple, the land of Brittania, and I was the Pope¡¯s daughter to whom the temple swore allegiance.


    It was stupid to come at me here and accuse me all of a sudden; nothing short of accusing the temple and the Vatican City together. The problem was that the fact seemed to be amplifying antipathy.


    Boom!


    Even before I could answer anything, the roar of thunder shook heaven and earth. Screams rang. Someone who approached quickly wrapped their arms around my shoulder and led me somewhere.


    ¡°My Lady, this way¡­ D-Damn it, forgive me for being rude.¡±


    In one go, my blood-soaked sleeve was ripped off by Lord Ivan¡¯s grasp. His hands were also surrounded by blue smoke-like light. Beyond rudeness, it was an act of wonder.


    ¡°Come on, everyone, get out of the temple quickly! This is not an emergency drill!¡±


    ¡°Area B sealed immediately, not emergency training! I repeat, block Area B immediately, not emergency training!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take the people out first!¡±


    Thick raindrops poured down over the rushing people. I felt that I was the only one who didn¡¯t understand what was going on. While I was being dragged, I heard a faint cry from afar. It was a bizarre cry, a mixture of flute and trumpet sounds.


    Paladins with torches burning green ran and put the torches between the walls. Black smoke was emanating from over the wall. I had never heard or seen a case where the monsters come near the temple or attempt to get close to the temple.


    I clearly remembered that it was nothing but suicide for them.


    Apparently, most people were also very shocked.


    ¡°Sir Ivan!¡±


    ¡°Andymion, can you replace me¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll take care of you, my lady,¡± said Sir Ivan, who immediately handed me over to Andymion, and ran to the other side, saying, ¡°What the hell is this on a f*cking holiday?¡±


    I was then handed over to Andymion and taken inside the temple with the others. Soon, the doors closed one after another with a thud. It was nearly half a day after the doors opened again.


    Fortunately, Freya¡¯s life was saved.


    It happened in the front yard of the temple, so thanks to quick action by the paladins, she was able to escape. The person who brought us wine that day disappeared somewhere during the confusion and his whereabouts were unknown.


    It was an unusual incident in many ways.


    Since I and Ellenia drank right in front of them, they were openly aiming for Freya from the beginning. The placement of the glass was far too accurate for it to be a random attack.


    ¡°It¡¯s called magic stone solution.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The poison that the Marquis Furiana¡¯s daughter drank. Do you have any idea?¡± Duke Omerta, who asked this, was calm and cool.


    Unless one¡¯s an idiot, it was clear what he was implying. It was not just a normal poison. Magic stone solution.


    Here, the Magic Stone was not just a stone, but an object that was used as a bait for summoning demons. One combined the Magic Stone, which was the core of a dead monster, with the Holy Spirit Stone.


    Did I mention that it could be used only after putting human blood on it?


    It was quite understandable that there was an unexpected disturbance that led to the blockade of the temple. The point was that Magic Stone had a tricky procedure for even Paladins to get permission to use it. It was a rare artifact. The quantity of Magic Stones owned by each temple was also limited, and the production was done in the Vatican City. Which meant¡­


    ¡°The magic stones kept at the temple are in place. Every single one of them. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡­¡­He meant that I was the only one behind the incident, adding very plausible evidence to the allegations.


    Hello, Father? It¡¯s weird that you don¡¯t understand me! Ha, I want to cry. This damn situation is such that even I¡¯d doubt myself.


    When Lorenzo lost his reason and attacked me, Marquis Furiana quickly stepped up and shut him down, but there was no doubt that most people were suspicious of my family. The notoriety of the Borgian family¡¯s assassination history was already a public secret, and my reputation associated with my family was nothing good either. Furthermore, the Archbishop of Elendale was Freya¡¯s uncle, so it was more reasonable for them to suspect me than an insider. For some or the other reason, they¡¯d blame me¡­


    ¡°Father¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Of course, I will not tolerate tying my daughter-in-law into such nonsense allegations. You¡¯re a part of the Omerta family, obviously.¡± The Duke, who answered in a sharp tone, soon coughed in vain as to what he had said.


    That sounds new, even to my ears. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m family with them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the kind of person to do that. I just want you to tell us here if you know something we need to know. My son told me not to say anything, but¡­.¡± He was beating around the bush to ask if it¡¯s related to my family.


    I twisted my eyebrows at the Duke staring at me.


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying. If you doubt me, I really don¡¯t know what to say. Should I¡­ ¡°Tears welled up in my eyes.


    My nasty father-in-law was looking at me with a blank look on his face.


    ¡°I too, I too know what you¡¯re all thinking. I have eyes and ears, too. You think I¡¯m jealous of her. So I was blinded by jealousy and did such a terrible thing¡­¡±


    ¡°What.. who dares to say such nonsense? I¡¯m just¡­ Don¡¯t, just don¡¯t cry for now. I didn¡¯t really mean to ask that.¡±


    What do you mean? Damn it, I¡¯m definitely acting but he actually thought I was crying. I was hoping for some luck, but this was like a lightning bolt. I took the Duke¡¯s handkerchief and cried silently, ¡°I-If Lord Izek is also suspicious, I¡¯d rather ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that¨C it¡¯s not like that. First of all, if Young Lady had secretly had magic stones, he¡¯d be the first to notice.¡±


    It was so, and yet most doubted me.


    If I was the daughter of the Pope, they would vaguely conclude that there were plenty of separate purchases of magic stones. Or that I left it to someone else¡­ That was sad.


    At a glance, the Duke was scratching his beard with a complicated look that didn¡¯t match him. He was not like his son. He didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d be shocked by a tear attack.


    Well, if I said I couldn¡¯t stand such unfair suspicions here and that I wanted to go back home, it would be something for the Duke. He was the last person who wanted to see my marriage canceled like that.


    Why would someone who knew enough stab me? If he really suspected me, he¡¯d better keep a low profile and spy. He must have been forced to comply with someone¡¯s orders, without disclosing much. Did he even calculate that I wouldn¡¯t know?


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Forget everything I said. It was such a hopeless situation that I held on to the last straw and said all kinds of wrong things.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯d rather die because I think you¡¯re doubting me.¡±


    ¡°No, why would you¡­ I told you I¡¯m not doubting you. I¡¯ll cut off my own tongue if anyone talks about that nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, really?¡±


    ¡°Of course, insulting my daughter-in-law is like insulting Omerta.¡±


    I was still a stranger. Who in the world was looking at me like an Omerta? A stranger who is reluctant and uncomfortable, but is more difficult to deal with because it was hard to reject them. The best thing to do was for me to stay calm, and sometimes help them when they needed me. Even if I died and moved on to another world to live as a different person, it would be the same.

 Chapter 32

    While contemplating alone, I hypothesized about Freya¡¯s poisoning attempt.


    A man who was dissatisfied with the Furiana family and the temple.


    But then, how did he get his hands on the Magic Stone? Maybe from the black market? It was a world of illegal clerical trafficking, as well as holy goods trafficking, so it was possible through the black market routes.


    The question was why? Why would they use Magic Stone, which would obviously make people suspicious of us, compared to other poison?


    That is; animosity against me. Maybe someone who wanted to get rid of me?


    Maybe Cesare? He didn¡¯t want me to get attached to this place, or¡­He wanted things to get worse between me and Izek?


    Cesare could handle Magic Stones at will and he definitely hoped that I would have a bad relationship with my husband more than anyone else. But, why would he do something that he didn¡¯t do in the original¡­ Was he bothered by what I had done, informed by someone inside the Elendale Temple? Didn¡¯t I just walk in and out of the temple like Rudbeckia in the original book? Was he annoyed to hear that I went to the temple with Izek not too long ago?


    Ah, that day I was hugged by Izek, and even kissed him on the cheek in front of the archbishop and other priests. He might have been irritated to hear about that.


    He was told that we seemed to get along surprisingly well, and he got pissed off because of that¡­ Ugh, if it¡¯s true, you¡¯re the king of psychos, Cesare!


    It was only a speculation, but quite plausible.


    I unconsciously overlooked that psycho¡¯s craziness and obsession while dealing with my psycho husband.


    No, but why would that b*stard do such a crazy thing? He was putting so many people in danger by using Magic Stone, hoping that I¡¯d be beaten to death by my husband!


    If something went wrong with Freyag, what would have happened to me by now? It was scary just to imagine. I thought all I needed to do was stop Ellenia¡¯s poisoning, but this was a bolt from the blue!


    I had expected that after I had my first night with Izek and everything went as planned,  once it¡¯d reach Cesare¡¯s ears, I would have to suffer alone during the match season.


    But this ambush¡­ or maybe this whole thing could be Freya¡¯s play¡­ no, this was too much. It didn¡¯t make sense to risk her life just because she was a little offended.


    Hah, I don¡¯t know. All I know is I¡¯m going to die.


    I wonder what he¡¯s thinking by now. I felt more anxious because I couldn¡¯t see his face all this time. Of course, I didn¡¯t have lunch with him, and he didn¡¯t leave any words behind, so the stress was killing me. It would have been much better if he had just talked to me like his father or hit me.


    I hated this thin ice-like floor.


    I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the last look I saw.


    He had pushed me away¡­ of course, it would be dangerous if the blood had splattered all over me. Now, I knew how close he and Freya were.


    He was probably regretting being so kind to me by now¡­


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡±


    My mind was in such turmoil that my body felt weird. A burning pain along with a needle-like stinging sensation spread over my body. The symptoms of the annual illness had hit again. This year, both of the usual times had passed, so I was relieved, but unexpected twists continued one after another.


    Did it regret ending earlier than usual because of the fever the other day?


    ¡°Cough! Haa!¡± I was in bed all day and groaned all night. I got up with a burning thirst and felt nauseous as something got stuck in my throat while drinking water on the table.


    When I stumbled to the bathroom and threw up, bitter gastric fluid, blood, and grains of sand flowed out.


    Who put sand in my water bottle? Did they want me to suffer the pain Freya must have felt?


    Damn it, Freya¡¯s good, because everyone down there¡¯s on her side. Ha, it¡¯s okay, at least I¡¯m on my side. Damn it. My family is my dark side, what can I do? Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to find a chance to have a private talk with my cold-blooded husband.


    It was just a moment later from when I left the bathroom, half-asleep.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Oh, I thought something fell. It was Ellenia who appeared suddenly and stood in front of the entrance of the bathroom.


    I was seeing her after some days. Ellenia just came back, and went to the bathroom because she saw that the bedroom was empty.


    But¡­


    Ellenia, standing there with an expressionless face and gazing at me, felt somewhat more eerie than usual.


    Her silent gaze made me really nervous. I swallowed my dry saliva ignoring my sore throat.


    ¡°Ellen, what¡¯s going on¡­¡±


    Boom!


    I hit hard against the closed bathroom door. My eyes were wide, literally about to pop out. Ellenia was pushing me back, almost twisting my neck.


    Her usual elegance became such a terrifying force that one couldn¡¯t recognise it.


    No, come on, pretty sister-in-law, even you!


    Her cold, dangerous voice almost growled into my numb, deaf ears, ¡°Why, why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d do it right from the start, but you¡¯re really!¡±


    Hands? Why are you looking at my hand? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re an assassin too.


    She shook my numb body violently. It was hard to breathe.


    ¡°Tell me. Why the hell are you doing this? Because you want attention? Is it because the food makes you feel dirty, or is your goal to starve and die? What the hell are you sorry for? If you want to die like that, stop protesting and die quietly!¡±


    What in the world are you talking about?


    I looked up at Elenia blankly.


    To be exact, I looked into her eyes blazing like a flame. Strangely enough, it occurred to me that I wasn¡¯t the one she was angry with. I barely opened my mouth. An unexpected answer popped out.


    ¡°Because all I can control is my body.¡±


    Her burning red eyes shook, followed by silence. After a short but long silence, Ellenia slowly blinked her eyes and lowered her gaze. Then she took her hands off as if she hadn¡¯t done anything.


    ¡°What am I¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She seemed to have regained her usual composure, but she seemed somewhat confused. Her eyes were unfamiliar¡­ as if she was suppressing her pain.


    Should I say it¡¯s fine? What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?


    Ellenia looked at me blankly for the last time, turned, and left at a quick pace. What an unexpected event in the middle of the night.


    I looked down at my hand from afar. To be exact, at the joint under the index finger of my right hand, where the fist protrudes when it is clenched.


    This was what happened to people who throw up habitually like me. Now that I didn¡¯t use my hands as much as before, it was just a faint scar people wouldn¡¯t generally notice.


    A mark that a stranger would regard as just a faint spot.


    The fact that she noticed after seeing that meant that she already had a similar experience. Judging from what she said, it didn¡¯t seem to be herself.


    Who did she think of? Who was it that made the poker face Elenia so emotional¡­Was it someone resentful?


    Maybe it was because I had so many thoughts in my mind that I stayed up all night. After a long time, I had breakfast with Ellenia alone, but the atmosphere was very awkward. We both nibbled and bit into the food without saying a word.


    It was harder to eat than usual because of the pain in my body.


    Just before I left, Ellenia told me that the Archbishop had asked me to visit. I was thinking of moving a little today anyway, so I got ready to go out right away.


    My face looked weak and ugly because of the illness and lack of sleep, but it was worth watching when I covered it with makeup. I didn¡¯t know why he wanted to see me, but it was probably related to that day.


    If Cesare was behind the incident, it was more likely that the Archbishop was a spy. But would he have readily agreed to do such harm to his niece?


    I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯d know once I see him.


    I arrived at the temple with a half-asleep mind.


    After getting off the carriage, walking through the front door, which was as monstrous as a dragon¡¯s wings, I halted.


    Suddenly, I want to take a peek at the temple¡¯s training area.


    There was no guarantee that my husband would be there today, but it was not bad to check. Well, I wanted to see what he would say anyway.


    Tch, you don¡¯t even show up all weekend, you arrogant b*stard. You could¡¯ve left me a word, even if you were out of your mind. At the very least, come by to threaten me.


    I was walking through a corridor leading to the area while staring at the statues.


    Turning toward the stairs where I could see the granite fountain, I was so surprised that I hid behind the pillar the next moment.


    I did it on instinct.


    Was I caught? Did he see me?


    T/N: I hate that FL has to go through so much pain ;-;;;; my heart </3

 Chapter 33

    ¡°¡­isn¡¯t your sister okay now?¡±


    ¡°What you see isn¡¯t everything.¡±


    Phew. Fortunately, Andymion or Lorenzo didn¡¯t seem to have seen me either.


    This was a surprising combination. Were they always this close? Trainees often hung out near the temple. Shouldn¡¯t they be working?


    If Andymion was here, it was a little more likely that Izek was here as well¡­


    Damn it, if it weren¡¯t for Lorenzo, I¡¯d say hello and ask.


    ¡°Then sit quietly next to her. Why did you crawl all the way here? You¡¯re on probation.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Wouldn¡¯t your eyes roll over if your sister suddenly vomited blood and almost died?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a sister. Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t turn my eyes to the wrong person like an a**hole..¡±


    ¡­ something struck me as odd. Had Andymion¡¯s way of speaking always been that rough? Besides, I think he was talking about me. As I was listening carefully, I heard the two of them moving. I shifted to the other side, but the loud voices gradually grew farther away as if they were fighting.


    ¡°Ha, the wrong person?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that if it weren¡¯t for your father, you¡¯d never have dreamed of being a Paladin in your entire life?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the size of a rat, like you? You damn b*stard, you don¡¯t even have any patriotism. F*ck you and the Pope or whatever. Such rotten pigs won¡¯t dare to do anything to the North.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone spout blasphemy in the front yard of the temple. Stop making silly comments. Go train and get rid of your delusions. She¡¯s soon-to-be Duchess Omerta. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, you son of a b*tch. It¡¯s the Borgian lady who pretends to be naive, only bringing shame to Omerta¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Hey, this is so¡­¡±


    ¡°Why, you didn¡¯t know? The next time we meet, she¡¯ll have that shameless look on her face¡­¡±


    I¡¯d heard enough. They were now so far away that it was harder to overhear, and I didn¡¯t want to hear more.


    Brutal. So brutal. What was wrong with my face?


    That little b*stard was good at talking nonsense.


    Feeling goosebumps rise, I touched my cheeks. I guess I had been looking down on the notoriety of my family. But, what evidence was there that made him firmly believe me to be the culprit?


    Ha, I didn¡¯t know who the real criminal was, but there was no way Freya or anyone else would believe me. Sad, sad. Although it was a false accusation, this world did not have a human rights concept itself, and so, even minor disasters seem big.


    While I was walking aimlessly in any direction with a confused mind, I realized that I had already left the temple. My head was spinning when I thought about whether to go back to the temple where the carriage was parked.


    I was tired. I was tired physically and mentally. The symptoms of the sickness were worse than before. In case anyone saw me, I crept into any bushes nearby. Sitting curled up in the bushes, cold sweat rolled down my cheeks.


    Hold on, hold on a bit.. Where do I go¡­¡­? Where do I stay?


    It hurts. I¡¯ve never been this sick before. Why does my body hurt so much?


    It would be better if others could tell I was sick, but even if I said I was sick, they¡¯ll say I was faking it.


    It hurts. It hurts so much. It hurts so damn much. My husband¡­ that cold-blooded b*stard.


    My nose was bleeding again.


    Hey.


    Why have you been nice to me?


    Why did you look at me with those weird eyes?


    Why did you look so tired every time I laughed?


    Why did you act like that when you saw my scar?


    Why did you hesitate so much?


    Why didn¡¯t you just leave me behind?


    Why did you nag me that I was too skinny, and made us eat together?


    Why are you so angry if I get sick?


    You shouldn¡¯t have done that. If you hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have had such a stupid hope. If only you hadn¡¯t been so kind.


    Why did you make me look forward to it?


    Why did you fool me into expecting that you might be the only one different from everyone I knew?¡­


    Po, po, po, po¡­


    The familiar sound made my ears perk up even with my messed-up consciousness. This sound¡­ No way.


    ¡°Po, po, po¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Popo?¡±


    ¡°Po, po¡­¡±


    ¡°Popo!¡±


    Popo! I never thought I¡¯d meet you here! I missed you!


    It really was Popo. A huge mouth with crocodile-like teeth and a chubby body like a rabbit-penguin hybrid approached me excitedly. Oh, it looked different from before.


    ¡°Po, po?¡±


    ¡°Popo, what are you doing here? This is near the temple. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po.¡±


    ¡°Did you come looking for me?¡±


    Popo rocked its huge body back and forth.


    This guy¡­ Tears of emotion came out. And a nosebleed, damn it.


    ¡°Popo, I¡¯m sick. But no one knows.¡±


    ¡°Po?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    When I smiled helplessly, Popo stared at me with a pair of sparkling green eyes for a moment and soon stretched out its arms.


    What?


    ¡°Popo, are you taking me along?¡±


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m gone, no one would care anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Po?¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯d rather live in hiding with you guys¡­¡±


    I was losing consciousness. My body dropped down without feeling any pressure. Popo¡¯s arms, which hugged me tightly, were all slippery, but they were still warm and clean.


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the mirror¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. You overworked idiot. Do you have any idea how ugly you look right now? Do you have any idea how bloody your eyes look? If you have a conscience, why don¡¯t you go to your house and get some rest?¡±


    Crash!


    The mirror, which was thrown weakly to the floor, was reduced to shards. Ivan clicked his tongue.


    ¡°This conscienceless son of a b*tch worries me!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to worry about someone running around with their eyes open for 79 hours. Ah, whatever, you¡¯re just an attention seeker.¡±


    79 hours? Izek stopped frowning. Somehow, he thought he had a headache.


    ¡°It¡¯s already been that long.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you feel sleepy all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Not really, but I have a slight headache.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you suddenly fall down during the search. I¡¯ve warned you.¡±


    A little less sleep didn¡¯t matter for a Paladin. During Izek¡¯s trainee days, he stayed up all night for five days. He didn¡¯t know why this b*stard who rolled around with him at that time was scolding him.


    ¡°Did that person fall out of the sky or something? This is out of our jurisdiction, at this point, just let the city guard take care of it. They¡¯re better at looking for a wanted man than we are. As Ellen explained, I¡¯ve put on a sketch¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Is he really gone?¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Izek glanced back at the narrow, dark alley just passed instead of explaining.


    He himself couldn¡¯t even tell what he wanted to say.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m doing this because I don¡¯t know how you feel? I know you¡¯re pissed off because Freya¡¯s been through this, but if you know we¡¯ve been going through illegal guilds¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that angry.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Then, why the f*ck are you being like this?¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t have heard about the 79 hours part. Now, he has a headache.


    Izek stared at the rats swimming through the ditch, pressing down on his throbbing temples. Freya¡¯s face came to mind. When she¡¯d just come back from the threshold of death.


    Her sickly white complexion.


    Her smiling face.


    Her voice when she said she was happy that Izek was the first one to come near her.


    He didn¡¯t know what made her so happy.


    Anyway, he couldn¡¯t answer honestly.


    Answer honestly about whom he had run to when he first sensed magic in Freya¡¯s blood.


    (T/N: In case y¡¯all didn¡¯t understand, he went to Ruby first.)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, who knows?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°Hah, you boring b*stard. Are you angry because of your wife?¡±


    Wife. Wife.


    Izek gently closed his eyes and shook his head. Her last image was lingering in his mind.


    The last time he saw her dull eyes. Blue-eyed Rudbeckia, whose brightness had diminished, had flinched like a kitten, frightened by his rough movement.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be aware of it, but her light blue eyes would look at everything carefully before taking another step.


    And Izek had never been careful of his behavior in his whole life.


    Even in the face of the king.


    If it was him, it would be very tiring to pay attention to his every single gesture in front of someone.


    So, he couldn¡¯t quit, even if it was rude.


    However, the monsters possessed by magic stones call were dozens of times more dangerous than usual.


    The threat of the flames and divinity were useless.


    If the ten thousand monsters that came that day had crossed the temple walls, and Freya¡¯s blood splattered everywhere¡­


    He thought she¡¯d understand. She¡¯d understand after he explained the whole story. His rough behavior and that push were indispensable, he couldn¡¯t help it.


    But, why were those dark lifeless eyes of hers bothering him?


    ¡°This is useless.¡±


    ¡°Did you finally realize that? Have you finally come to your senses? Oh, come on, then¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Maybe by now, he¡¯s already turned into a rotten body in a liquor storehouse.¡±


    ¡°The temple is suspicious from this point of view, but I agree with that. The source of magic stone and the fact that a servant can disappear so suddenly¡­ isn¡¯t normal. By the way, Izek.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that among all those priests, there¡¯s a man who licks the soles of the Pope¡¯s feet. You¡¯re not the only one who has that suspicion. They¡¯re suspecting your wife¡¯s family is behind this, so¡­ ¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s absurd that my in-laws would use magic stones to poison someone from here and put their own blood in danger.¡±


    ¡°From what I think, it¡¯s true¡­It sounds like your wife is not on the list of suspects then?¡±


    ¡°What a strange question. It should have been obvious in the first place.¡±


    His sense of understanding was somewhat different from Ivan¡¯s.


    T/N: OMGGG FINALLLYYY Izek¡¯s pov ;;-;;


    My heart broke a bit reading Ruby¡¯s thoughts </3

 Chapter 34

    Ivan stared at Izek¡¯s indifferent figure, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity, and soon muttered aloud, ¡°Oh my God, do you happen to¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, from what I saw, it is unfair to suspect only the temple, as magic stones are sold in the black market too. The servant may have used a magic stone on purpose to make us doubt them. Go find enemies of Marquis Furiana or Frey¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Izek stopped walking and looked back, tiredness evident on his face. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes. Ivan gulped, his mouth drying up because there was nothing more dangerous than a sleepless monster.


    ¡°Was that why?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been trying to find the servant for 79 hours. Was that why?¡±


    Silence fell. Ivan, who was arguing out of nowhere, and Izek, who stopped talking, just stared at each other silently for a long time.


    ¡°What, why?¡±


    ¡°The opposite of what I think.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re annoyed because you¡¯re suspicious of your wife. You, what if you found the criminal, and he has something to do with your wife¡¯s family or your wife?¡±


    Izek just walked back without a reply. Finally, the narrow streets ended and an open square with mosaic decorations greeted them. Yes, that was what it was. Ivan only realized the source of the unsettling feeling that he had sensed all this time. That b*stard wasn¡¯t always searching the city to arrest the criminal in the first place.


    If he was caught by Izek, and if the person who sent him was a noble of Elendale, he might be lucky to save his life. But if he was related to the temple or to the Romagna¡¯s side¡­ it would be hard to find a trace.


    ¡°What if your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter. He wasn¡¯t saying that he didn¡¯t doubt his wife at all. It just really didn¡¯t matter.


    Even if she was involved, she was told to do so at the instruction of her family. It didn¡¯t matter if she had or didn¡¯t have anything to do with it. Even if it was possible to completely remove the only evidence related to this¡­ but how was that possible? Ivan felt an unfamiliar wave swirling through his head. Of course, he didn¡¯t think Rudbeckia was the one to do it, but her family was something different, and he felt that Izek was acting like a completely different person around Rudbeckia these days.


    It wasn¡¯t anyone, but Freya, who almost died.


    And yet, he was his wife, the woman he hated so much.


    ¡°Why are you so¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I don¡¯t know either. Stop talking.¡±


    I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know either.


    Izek kept looking out from the corner of his eye. Paladins waiting on one side of the square slowly approached them trying to erase the afterimage on the street.


    ¡°Hey, Izek.¡±


    ¡°What again? Stop talking¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something we were actually hiding from you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°After you took Freya and went in, that b*stard Lorenzo¡­¡±


    What about Lorenzo?


    A strange nerve-wracking feeling made Izek turn to Ivan. And then¨C


    ¡°Lord Izek!¡±


    A trainee ran towards them in a hurry. He couldn¡¯t just ignore him because it looked very urgent.


    ¡°Lord Izek, earlier, P-Princess Ellenia¡¯s message arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°Ellen? What happened?¡±


    The two knights waited patiently while Andymion caught his breath. Finally, Ivan, whose fuse burnt out, was about to explode, but Andymion shouted loudly and woefully, ¡°My Lady is missing!¡±


    Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp.


    I opened my eyes again as an unidentified noise tickled my ears. The smell of damp soil and the smell of unknown blood wafted into my nose.


    Turning my heavy head to the left, I was stunned by the sight that entered this grim and slowly clear view.


    A giant bird glanced back at me, raising its upper body.


    No, it wasn¡¯t even a bird, but its half-folded wings, including the face, and the two front feet, looked exactly like those of birds, but the lower half of its body, including the hind legs, were shaped like another animal.


    There was even a long line with a clear leopard pattern attached to the part that was supposed to be its tail.


    Probably the tail.


    It looked strange, half-eagle and half-leopard. Also, what was it eating? The monster, who looked just like a  Griffin, stared at me for a moment, its cool green eyes felt somewhat solemn, and then, it calmly focused on eating again.


    Apparently, it was eating a dead horse.


    I closed my eyes for a moment and put up a silent tribute to the poor horse. I think I lost consciousness after Pop hugged me, but where did Popo go? Why was Griffin, a ferocious monster, watching me?


    Don¡¯t tell me this was Popo¡¯s real self.


    Popo seemed to prefer human meat to horse meat.


    When I looked around, I noticed I was in a cave. The icicles hanging from the roof like jewels felt unnecessarily artistic. As I turned to the right, I saw an entrance not too far away.


    ¡°Purung,¡± Griffin, who saw me trying to get up, stomped one front foot and stared back at me.


    Hic.


    There was a moment of silence.


    While I was thinking about what to say, the monster, Griffin or whatever, bit into something with its giant beak, appearing very threatening and came close to me.


    Then, it dropped something on my lap.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    It was none other than the thigh of a torn horse.


    A scream almost leaked out, but I suppressed it. Why was it giving this to me¡­


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po, po, po, po, po!¡±


    I looked back hastily at the sound of a welcome ringing at the entrance.


    Popo, where have you been?


    My Popo leaped this way with something wrapped in giant leaves in its arms. When Popo saw me, it stopped on the spot. Popo turned to Griffin, probably talking to it, while I wondered what was going on.


    A strange thought crossed my mind for a moment.


    It may have been purely my illusion, but Popo was staring at Griffin with a hint of reproach. And the Griffin made a bizarre sound as if it were snorting.


    Huh?


    It was not long before Popo picked up the horse¡¯s leg, which was randomly placed on my lap, and threw it at Griffin.


    Slap!


    Gryffin, who was hit for giving me food, complained to Popo, ¡°Puru¡­¡±


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    ¡°Purung.¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡­¡­I wish I could understand what they¡¯re saying. Don¡¯t tell me you two are fighting here.


    ¡°There there¡­¡± I whispered carefully, and both of them looked back at me, as if waiting for me to talk. It was a situation where other people would think their lives were in danger, but strangely, I felt no fear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight¡­¡± If anyone saw me, they¡¯d probably say I was out of my mind.


    Whether it understood me or not, Griffin, who turned its head first, began to focus on the meal again.


    And Popo gently put down what it was holding in front of me, waddling with its short legs.


    I hesitated, my eyes falling on the dark blue fruits in the large leaf plate.


    Popo had already revealed his fearsome teeth in the shape of a crescent. Close to a smile.


    ¡°Are these¡­ blueberries?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡°You want me to eat them?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    I see. You picked blueberries for me. I can¡¯t imagine how tough it must have been to collecting blueberries with that appearance, but¡­


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It¡¯ll be disappointed if I don¡¯t eat it even though it brought those for me.


    At that thought, I picked up the round berries and put them in my mouth. They didn¡¯t taste bad, a bit bitter, sweet and sour.


    Before I knew it, Griffin stopped slaughtering horse meat and sat still staring at me with its legs folded.


    I thought it needed dessert, so I picked out a few blueberries and shook my hand. It was a strange situation. I sat with Popo and Griffin and finished half the blueberries alone, but unlike usual, there was no problem in eating.


    The sweet taste just made me feel good.


    Come to think of it, my sickness seemed to have subsided a lot. What did Popo do? Or¡­ Wait, didn¡¯t I get a nosebleed before fainting?


    ¡°Hey, guys.¡±


    ¡°Po?¡±


    ¡°Purung.¡±


    ¡°I-Is there something on my face?¡±


    It was useless to think about my face, but I couldn¡¯t help it when I imagined how bad the nosebleed made me look.


    Popo and Griffin exchanged glances for a moment, and then shook their heads at the same time.


    To be exact, Popo rocked its body from side to side and Griffin shook its head.


    Really?


    ¡°Po, po, po, po.¡±


    Popo flapped its arms quickly. At a closer look, it was a familiar move. Like someone washing their face.


    ¡°Did I wash my face?¡±


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    ¡°Did you wash my face?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±


    At that moment¨C


    Griffin, who was about to pitch in, suddenly raised its body, and Popo also stood up. Popo¡¯s teeth stopped flashing.


    And then¡­


    T/N: let¡¯s take a moment to appreciate Popo¨C


    POPO BEST BOI T_T

 Chapter 35

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s f*cking real. This really works, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°A good harvest for the first time in a while. Let¡¯s see¡­ wow, isn¡¯t that a Griffin?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get more Griffins later. But what¡¯s that thing with it?¡±


    The noise definitely belonged to humans.


    Rough, loud voices that were harsh to the ear. I didn¡¯t feel good. The calm sensation in my heart faded away, and it began to beat fast.


    ¡°What¡­ Wait, isn¡¯t that a woman in the corner? A human woman?¡±


    ¡°A banshee, she must have transformed. Oh, but banshees bring bad luck¡­ ¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s because someone dies when that b*tch cries, you idiot. You¡¯re just pretending to be smart at the end of the day.¡±


    Without any hesitation, the people who came into the cave chatted with excitement.


    Two men and one woman. They were all very suspicious, armed with odd-shaped equipment, and as excited as hunters who discovered wonderful game, rather than being frightened by the sight of Popo and Griffin.


    I had a feeling I knew what they were¨C Poachers.


    I had heard of poachers, who illegally hunt and collect monster cores by purchasing relics in the black market. They seemed to have been led into the forest after detecting magic with the relic they had.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a shame. Banshees are supposed to be dirty old witches, but this one is a beauty¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I saw earlier that there were paladins all over the place, and if we get caught, we¡¯re really screwed.¡±


    I didn¡¯t move a muscle. I hardly breathed. Popo and Griffin were strangely still.


    The man holding a light blue shining sword approached Popo as if he was amazed. Popo¡¯s mouth was tightly closed, hiding its teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re coming here. The legend said that a giant lizard cub was asleep here¡­ but what the f*ck is this? Rabbit or raccoon? What was the name of this thing? It looks so stupid.¡±


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s get this one first. The monster is pretending to be a human being.¡± The flaming red-haired woman gestured toward me.


    At that moment, a man who was scratching his stomach turned toward me, smacking his lips.


    ¡°Ku, ku, ku, ku¡­¡±


    Griffin let out a sound of laughter. To be exact, it was more of a low, bizarre cry, but to my ears, it sounded like a laugh. And¡­ Popo opened its mouth. Popo¡¯s wide-open mouth enlarged throughout its huge body, revealing a space full of eerily beautiful sharp teeth and skeletons.


    I didn¡¯t make any noise until the end.


    The sky seemed to be getting darker and darker, and the heavy rain began to pour. The sky-high trees didn¡¯t help much either.


    ¡°Lord Izek.¡±


    Someone put out a cigarette of leaves. Izek shook his head as a gesture of rejection and looked at Durahan¡¯s corpse at his feet. It was the monster he¡¯d caught a while ago. Only the remaining monster core and the severed head rolled around at his feet.


    Why did they only leave behind their heads?


    His silver hair quickly got wet. He looked around, sweeping back his wet hair that kept blocking his view. Everyone seemed tired of the three-day search, but it was strange that none of them were talking.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a no-go here, too.¡± Ivan, who almost kicked the Durahan¡¯s head, muttered in a low voice.


    Izek did not reply. He had been hearing it for three days.


    ¡°You know what, Iz.¡±


    Ivan rarely used Izek¡¯s nickname. Except when he was desperate or something was missing. Izek turned his back because he knew what he was going to say. Ivan shrugged at his friend¡¯s broad, stubborn back.


    It¡¯d already been three days. They had been searching the forest area for three days.


    It didn¡¯t make sense to search this place, where only monsters lurked, but Elendale¡¯s efforts, including the City Guards, the Knights of Longinus and the Round Table Knights, were concentrated here after the missing lady¡¯s shoes were found.


    It was fortunate that the people who were usually crazy about fighting were working together without making noise for a long time, but so far, no progress has been made.


    At this point, they should seriously consider the hypothesis that the madman who kidnapped Rudbeckia, intentionally threw a shoe over there to lead them off track.


    In a way, it was a more promising option.


    If Rudbeckia had indeed been dragged into this area, by now¡­ no one had the courage to say it.


    ¡°Iz.¡±


    Instead of looking back, Izek stared at the Durahan¡¯s head.


    He didn¡¯t know why he kept looking at it. Something as ominous as a severed head¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s already been three days, Iz.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been four days.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Four days.¡±


    There was silence.


    In the pouring rain, Ivan dropped his head. Because he suddenly felt miserable. It was the same for Izek, who said this. It was around dawn three days ago when he found the shoe, but it was around four days ago that Rudbeckia disappeared.


    It wasn¡¯t until much later that he found out.


    Half a day after Ellenia had sent a message to Izek.


    That is, no one knew until then that something had happened to Rudbeckia.


    It didn¡¯t make sense.


    It was impossible that no one knew about her disappearance for nearly a day, who required servants for even a single move.


    Nevertheless, that had happened.


    Who should he blame? Who should he kick?


    The temple that invited her in the first place? She had been hanging around all day. The coachman and the escort who returned without a word?


    The guards who stayed still when they found out she hadn¡¯t returned home? The Duke who was in the manor all day long?


    Ellenia who returned home in the evening after visiting Freya, and received no report until she went to bed?


    Or himself?


    Izek rubbed his face wet with rainwater roughly with the back of his hand.


    In the end, he was the only one to blame.


    Ellenia burst into tears, saying that it was all her fault, but it was never her fault. His foolishness, him not knowing how Rudbeckia was being treated in his house when he was absent, came backstabbing like a sword. The majority of Omerta¡¯s servants were old and loyal.


    In particular, the chief maid who was close to a mother for Ellenia.


    He hadn¡¯t quite figured out how harsh they could be on the ¡®intruder¡¯.


    When the inside story of what happened on the day of his birthday party was revealed, because the maid was forty years old, Ellenia covered for her. He thought that was the root of it all anyway, so he just let it go.


    He shouldn¡¯t have done that.


    From the beginning, if Rudbeckia had made it clear since the first day she was here, he should have checked the matter again.


    Both of them foolishly thought it would just get better.


    It felt like the severed Durahan¡¯s head was laughing at him.


    Even if he was laughed at by a dead man, he had nothing to say. He had nothing to say even if it laughed at him for being just like his father.


    It was just a ridiculous self-deception when he tried so hard to deny marriage because he thought it would turn out like this.


    Dark eyes glistened again.


    To be exact, her wife¡¯s last appearance.


    Her dull eyes and her pale face.


    Rudbeckia, who had never had such eyes.


    When she was abandoned in the banquet hall, when she didn¡¯t collapse right away even with a high fever, when she talked about something confusing in the stables, crying and begging not to let her go, when she quit urging him on their night together¡­


    The severed Durahan head¡¯s mouth moved, showing a gruesome smile. Of course, it was just an illusion.


    Was he hallucinating now? It was possible because he didn¡¯t sleep for nearly seven days. He knew what Ivan was trying to say, and what his companions were not able to say out loud.


    It was unlikely that Rudbeckia would be alive somewhere in this forest.


    Nevertheless, Izek couldn¡¯t just ask them to stop searching.


    Although it wasn¡¯t a sure possibility, he had no choice but to hang on desperately. The monster that broke into the bedroom on the first night. The water monster that appeared in the Pond of Angvan Palace. When she went while riding a horse at the horse riding party. When she came back in such a safe way.


    Sergei¡¯s testimony- Even if she was the Pope¡¯s daughter, her divinity was lesser than ordinary people.


    Things that he had not been able to look into properly because he was thrown aback with other emotions were coming together, causing this bad feeling, you could call it a sense. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but he couldn¡¯t leave without finding out.


    He remembered his mother.


    His mother had left this world too early. It was funny that he had no choice but to pray to his mother, whose face now glowed faintly in his mind.


    If he could never see her again like this, if he could never find her again, if her tears, smile, and sparkling hair would disappear forever, he would¡­¡­ his head grew dizzy. Countless afterimages were clouding his view.


    Her skinny body that had always been hidden in a dress. the scar on her back, her bright eyes, as blue as the clear sky, always looking around¡­she always smiled even when it seemed that she was about to break down into tears.


    A woman who trembled like a rabbit, yet kept grinning.


    All the things he couldn¡¯t ask. The things he couldn¡¯t say.


    Would something have changed if he had told her earlier what her actions meant for him? All of those things that he didn¡¯t wish to hurt her, caused her pain.


    And when he realized it was too late, he turned away because he wanted to care too much¡­


    ¡°Lord Izek.¡±


    A dark red-haired Paladin came his way.


    T/N: I guess I¡¯m happy he regrets it¡­ :¡±)

 Chapter 36

    Izek looked at him blankly. He wanted to talk to him first unlike his younger brother, Andymion.


    ¡°I just found a suspicious woman in District C. She looks like a poacher¡­ ¡°


    ¡°The poachers are roaming around in this season?¡±


    ¡°She was unconscious. I don¡¯t know if her friends left her or what. Anyway, I woke her up and she¡¯s talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It sounds like gibberish, but it¡¯s also a little weird. She mentioned seeing a big raccoon, the raccoon ate her colleagues. And, a Griffin who was playing with a blonde witch¡­ would you like to take a look?¡±


    ¡°Wow, a good harvest.¡±


    Taking advantage of the brief pause in the pouring rain, a forest with hazelnut trees and raspberry bushes came into view.


    While Popo and I were diligently collecting fruits, Griffin sat in the bushes and ripped off a chunk of meat that he had brought as its lunch box.


    ¡°Look, who are they?¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po.¡±


    ¡°Are they your friends? Hello?¡±


    As I waved my hand warmly, the monster shyly swung behind the tree¡­ must be another raccoon monster, but it still waved its arms. While staying here for a few days, my friend circle seemed to have gotten bigger.


    I walked barefoot since I lost my shoes, but I¡¯d gotten quite used to it too.


    Still, I was really surprised when a basilisk with a big apple popped out of the bushes.


    For your information, the apple was very delicious. Popo and Griffin were stuck next to me except for a brief time, and other monsters also alternatively pestered us. It was funny, but it felt like the monsters had come on hearing rumours about me.


    And the hypothesis that Popo was unusual or that I was unusual, was later confirmed. Rudbeckia in the original book had this ability, but it was unclear whether no one knew or if something happened when my soul entered her.


    It was dangerous from what I¡¯d seen so far. They were more docile to me, and I didn¡¯t feel any threat or fear. Although Popo seemed worried that I might be scared when I saw him gulping people. I just closed my eyes and turned my head, so I compromised by pretending I didn¡¯t see.


    It didn¡¯t occur to me that it was horrible.


    Popo was definitely a monster, and they illegally hunted and sold monsters.


    They were poachers.


    Just like wild predators, it was impossible to hold onto human standards.


    So I just turned away while Popo gulped down both men. The girl fainted, but I don¡¯t know what happened after Griffin took her out. Even if Griffin had shown mercy, it would have been difficult to get out of this flood alone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pick them up and go back to the cave. It looks like it¡¯s going to rain again soon.¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    Popo rocked his body back and forth, but Griffin puffed up and snorted. Its attitude said that the rain was nothing.


    Of course, the reason why I quickly went back to the cave was because of what the poachers said before they died. There were a lot of Paladins around, and they wouldn¡¯t come to this cave¡­ because of the lizard cub that lived here or something?


    I¡¯d wondered if Izek was looking for me, but I was just being idiotic.


    No matter how rich the North was, it would not be able to launch a full-fledged search to find me. If someone was kidnapped by a demon, they¡¯d most likely be dead.


    And as soon as I was said to be lost, everyone would have thought the same¡­ well, maybe the Vatican would look for a few days.


    Maybe my husband¡­


    Ah well, he was always a cold guy.


    ¡°Po, po.¡±


    Popo, who came closer to me, stretched out his flapping arms and pulled me. I must have looked down again. Good boy. Haa, should I just hide here with them? Even if I went back, I¡¯d be misunderstood and scolded.


    Not long ago, the plan to run far away was ridiculous. In this world, where there was no concept of human rights and security, no matter how much wealth I ran away with, I would become a prey to the underworld and bounty hunters.


    The only place where I could hide my identity and hide safely was the monastery, but Cesare was someone who would search all over the world to find me.


    But now, instead of giving up the benefits of civilization, it may be one way to live in hiding with Popo.


    Though there¡¯s a risk here, I hadn¡¯t met all sorts of creatures yet, and we were desperately hiding out of sight of poachers and paladins.


    I¡¯d probably be branded as a witch, and sooner or later, a massive witch hunt will begin¡­ damn it, whatever it takes for a shot at survival.


    Why did my fate look like this?


    ¡°Purung¡­¡±


    While I was seriously thinking about becoming a female Tarzan, Griffin, who was burping vigorously after ripping off all the horse ribs, suddenly flapped its wings and pulled itself up. Popo also leapt past me and approached Griffin¡¯ side.


    What, did the poachers show up again?


    As I listened with bated breath, I heard a faint sound.


    Many metallic clangs¡­ it was definitely the sound of horseshoes. When about five or six cavalry appeared beyond the misty forest road, I thought they might be Paladins for a moment. But fortunately, they weren¡¯t Paladins. Those were Durahans.


    ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡±


    Griffin let out a threatening growl as if it were saying something. Popo, on the other hand, was frozen motionless. It felt different from staying still when poachers showed up.


    Yes, Popo was afraid of the Durahans.


    Even when we first met, Popo hid with me when the Durahan had come close. I didn¡¯t know why it was afraid of the Durahan when it gulped down a human man armed with a holy object.


    On the other hand, the Griffin, whose staple food is horse meat, was in a wary state, rather than frightened.


    Come to think of it, these two didn¡¯t seem to care if Basilisk or other raccoon monsters were around. What was different about Durahan? Was it because it was a knight?


    Popo and Griffin¡¯s new reaction made me start to get scared, too.


    The Durahan, who was in the lead, threw something toward the basket of leaves on the floor. The helmet landed at my feet. I was shocked. It was creepy and ridiculous, and I couldn¡¯t help but scream.


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    Next, everything happened in a flash. Popo, who jumped, picked me up and Griffin flew up in the air. Then, it grabbed Popo¡¯s ear with its two front feet and started running fast! This was the moment when my soul flew out of my body and scattered. This was truly being stuck as a chick in an eagle¡¯s claw!


    Of course, the Durahans didn¡¯t just stare blankly like a dog chasing chickens.


    Suppressing my fear, I glanced down, and they were chasing us in a terrifying manner. It almost seemed as if they were skating, and not running.


    The dreary cries of the horses made shudders run down my spine. What the hell did they want?


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    In the blink of an eye, we came back into the cave entrance. Griffin literally landed as if he had been sliding and dropped down like a cannon. Soon after, Popo started running blindly inward with me in one arm.


    While we slid down the winding slope of the cave entrance, Griffin took the lead with a whistling cry. Finally, the endless slope stopped and we fell into a dark space filled with piles of stones.


    Popo let me go gently. I sat with my legs stretched out on a pile of stones for a moment to recover my confused mind.


    Oh, my head. It felt like my eyes were twitching. Silence filled the place. I listened with a stifled breath for a long time, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything. Did they stop the chase?


    ¡°Ku, ku, ku, ku¡­¡±


    Griffin, who sat next to me, looking at us alternately with green eyes shining bright like a fluorescent light, suddenly partly opened its beak and made a strange cry. It sounded like a laugh for some reason.


    ¡°Popopopo¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡­¡±


    I laughed even though the situation wasn¡¯t funny.


    I bit my lips, laughing quietly, and finally burst into laughter.


    I didn¡¯t know why I kept laughing.


    I didn¡¯t know how long it¡¯d been since I laughed like this¡­


    ¡°Po, po, po, po!¡±


    Even Popo looked the most pleased.


    It flapped its arms and rolled around in a pile of stones, like a cat that saw a catnip. Do it like the pile of stones?


    ¡°Po, po, po!¡±


    Ching, ching.


    The happy Popo threw sparkling stones in the air. That was weird. What kind of stones were they?


    ¡°Purung..¡±


    Without thinking much, I picked up a stone under my body and looked into it. To be exact, Griffin¡¯s shining eyes were brought close to it, used as a source of light.


    It was also taking a sand bath on the pile of rocks, so it was a bit of a hassle.


    ¡°¡­Ruby?¡±


    Griffin snapped its beak happily.


    Didn¡¯t this really look like Ruby? Not my nickname, but the real jewel ruby!


    Other stones were picked up and examined. Some were a vivid red like rubies, some were sapphires, others were emeralds and diamonds¡­ but these were real jewels, not glass. So all of these stones¡­ oh my dog, did we find a treasure island in the cave?


    ¡°Po, po, po!¡±


    ¡°Purung, purung, purung.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ ¡°


    I stared away at the two monsters rolling around in the treasure with my jaw dropped.

 Chapter 37

    ¡ª


    I¡¯d heard that there were monsters that are attracted to particularly shiny jewels, but now that I looked at them, they seemed to be fascinated by all of them.


    Could it be that these two had been hiding their jewels as a hideout here? These guys, now that I saw it, were really rich!


    It was so dark that it was hard to tell in detail, but from a rough estimate, this space seemed very large. And jewels were packed to the end of the invisible wall. If these were all jewels, Popo and Griffin would be richer than my father.


    ¡°Oh my lord.¡±


    How would it feel to be buried in a jewel mountain? I decided to forget my dignity as a human being for a moment. When else would I be able to lie on a jewel mountain?


    ¡°Hey, you guys are amazing! You¡¯re awesome! The best!¡±


    We were playing like such young children, while I felt overwhelmed by the sensation of jewels bouncing around. As I slid down the most curved part like a sled, I found a huge gem right at my feet.


    What was this? A jewel I didn¡¯t know about?


    It looked bigger than my fist.


    In addition, in this darkness, it was shining a golden bright, enough to be seen clearly.


    It was then that the golden gem slowly began to rise into the air. It had a shape that was close to a sphere, but there was something unusual about the center¡­No, it would be right to say that the buried jewel mountain began to rise. As it rose higher and higher, countless jewels cascaded down.


    Only the golden jewels kept rising up.


    It took a long time to realize that they were eyes, not jewels. The eyes of powerful creatures that I had never met or imagined meeting.


    It seemed right to say that when a person encountered a phenomenon that deviated from his or her common sense, when he or she dared to confront or experienced the fear of something invincible, he or she just stayed put.


    Before leaving Romagna, I remembered a book I had read for reference.


    Unlike the intellectual, arrogant, and defiled images encountered in the media from my previous life, ¡®he¡¯ was close to being the top predator among the monsters, endangered by the stigma of being Satan¡¯s servant.


    It was said that he last appeared in the North decades ago.


    But¡­


    The rain that had stopped for a while began to pour again.


    As they passed through the deepest part of the forest and the border, the underground tunnels dug by the rats and webs set up by the spiders prevented the smooth expedition.


    The dreary cries of the frost wolf in all directions added on to it.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    Izek stopped and looked back at his companions who followed. There were only six elite men, including himself, Ivan and Galar¨C those who were able to withstand and could be trusted within a high-risk zone. Andymion, of course, was an exception. Izek couldn¡¯t understand why the coward wanted to keep up with them, but he decided to let it slide.


    If anything happens, Galar would take care of it. He was his brother.


    ¡°Are you serious? The crazy woman said¡­¡±


    There was a lack of clues. Everything was not logical in the first place. It was unsure how the poacher had escaped the border area alone. The half-deaf poacher claimed that the raccoon monster ate all her friends and threw her to the spot where she was found.


    Before, Izek would have decided that it was nonsense and immediately become angry as usual. If only she hadn¡¯t told her that she had seen a blonde witch in Rom¡¯s cave.


    One of the most beautiful creatures in the frost forest was the one who enticed humans by creating the illusion of beauty. As a trained Paladin, it was something to keep in mind, and Izek had never fallen for such a trick. Nevertheless, the word ¡®blonde¡¯ made him come all the way here, since he had no other choice¨C he was desperate for the slightest possibility.


    ¡°Your trainee is right. Iz, think again now. Even if what the poacher said is true, there¡¯s no chance that it¡¯s your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep on chattering, you guys can go back together now.¡±


    ¡°You son of a b*tch¡­¡­¡± Ivan cursed until even his colleagues, who were accustomed to his harsh words, frowned, but he didn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°¡­Ah, f*ck. Why did you ask us to come with you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to hear?¡±


    ¡°This b*s¡­¡±


    ¡°Archbishop Lee¡­ I can¡¯t trust the people outside right now.¡±


    The most reliable Paladins exchanged their gazes with each other as they were moved. What was up with this personality wrecker who always believed in himself? As expected, it seemed that he couldn¡¯t handle the lack of sleep.


    Izek then rushed to Rom¡¯s cave, which was huge. He himself couldn¡¯t tell what kind of blind hope he was holding.


    If Rudbeckia had come in here in the first place, there would be no chance of her being alive by now.


    ¡®Can monsters understand what humans say?¡¯


    The morning after their first night, the question she asked while nibbling at the stew, took over his head at this moment. It wasn¡¯t like he inferred anything from there. She was just in a dazed state. But what was she thinking that morning? Why did she look so surprised when he asked her to visit the temple? Why did he think about when she¡¯d made a bouquet of flowers with her slender hands with the flowers she gathered?


    ¡°I should have accepted it¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    He should have accepted it then. He should have accepted the flowers she gave with a smile. He should¡¯ve let her go instead of blaming her hands for being messed up.


    ¡°Hey, Iz, stop for a second. I really don¡¯t feel good right now.¡±


    And yet she had kissed him on the cheek. As a wife did to her husband, as his mother did to his father. He felt like his head was turning white for a moment.


    Maybe, that was foreshadowing?


    ¡°Ivan, stop¡­¡±


    ¡°You guys stay still. Iz, you know how Rom¡¯s cave is like these days. Ha, sh*t, if your wife is in that cave, then by now¡­¡±


    Ivan seemed determined to say the word out loud.


    That if he could handle seeing her dead body, and if he would be able to live after seeing her torn body¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­Argh!¡±


    A sudden scream erupted.


    It was an unthinkable noise in this place.


    Silence came in an instant. It was a meaningful moment when Izek and the rest of the boys, who whipped their heads back, clenched their teeth. It was not known who opened his mouth first¨C probably Galar. The moment he tried to speak up again for the first time in a while, once again, his words were blocked by an overwhelming roar that shook heaven and earth.


    [KRUUUUAAA-]


    ¡°Aaahhhhh!¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t have screamed.


    No matter how terrified I was by this Cosmic-horror class monster, I shouldn¡¯t have screamed.


    It was impossible to look pretty in the eyes of the landlord after being nosy as to pluck the nose hair of the sleeping landlord, after barging in freely. The landlord, or well, the endangered top monster, of course, responded to my scream with a frightening roar.


    [KRUUUUAAA-]


    Heaven and earth seemed to shake.


    The jewel mountains rocked and jewels splashed like pebbles.


    It was amazing that the cave did not crumble down like this. For a moment, I was completely out of it. Only when I felt poor Popo and Griffin clinging to me with their huge sizes did I feel a little bit awake.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, please save me! I didn¡¯t know you were here! I just ran away and I came here somehow! None of us stole your jewels! I¡¯ll go right out!¡±


    The dragon, who glared at me as I spouted gibberish, looked solemn for a moment. I thought it might have been a Wyvern earlier, but Wyverns couldn¡¯t be that big.


    Wyvern¡¯s eyes were green like other sea creatures, and not bright gold.


    ¡°Grrrrrrrrr¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°L-Lett me off the hook¡­¡± My struggling body rose into the air.


    From a chick in an eagle¡¯s claw to a chick in a dragon¡¯s claw. God, will you end me like this? No, I can¡¯t die a dog-death like this! Save me, Izek!


    ¡°Po, po¡­ po, po, po, po!¡±


    ¡°Popo! Run!¡±


    My eyes spun with the wind that shook my body relentlessly. Popo flapped its arms, jumping and biting the ankle of a dragon.


    I¡¯m touched, but run away first, you idiot!


    There was a whistle above my head.


    Griffin was spinning in the air trying to shoot the dragon in the neck. Of course, the dragon, who topped the food chain in the world of monsters, did not budge. No, he didn¡¯t even look at them at all. There was no way to win if the fight was like this.


    ¡°Grrrrraa¡­¡± A giant snout came close to my face. His huge nostrils, the scales tinged indigo, and his creepy golden eyes were vicious as the beast himself.


    Hot breath flowed to my face.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    It was then that the dragon, who¡¯d sniffed me, suddenly dropped me off. As if he had never done anything, he put me down on a pile of jewels and just stared at me.


    Did he understand me like other monsters¡­¡­? Or did he just let me go because he was lazy?


    I crept up on my feet and pretended to move. The mysterious dragon was still watching me. Finally, I was going to move to the side from where I came in earlier. Just when I was about to run, his leg shifted and blocked my way!

 Chapter 38

    ¡°Aaahhhh!¡±


    ¡°GRAA¡­¡±


    ¡°Why, why are you¡­Agh!¡±


    Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!


    Jewels were thrown into the air wildly.


    Every time I moved around, he also moved his feet in my way.


    He wasn¡¯t doing anything else.


    Only told me to stay still and blocked me whenever I moved.


    Only after playing hide-and-seek but not really, did I notice that the atmosphere was a little strange.


    What was he doing with me? Don¡¯t tell me he was playing with me. I stopped moving and stared away at him.


    If I looked at him like this, he should snap and swallow me in one bite.Why was his tail shaking? Was he ready to attack?


    Tong, tong!


    Every time the dragon wagged his tail, precious jewels splashed all over the place and caused vibrations, as if the walls were collapsing.


    Popo came back and started to slap his leg.


    ¡°Po, po, po!¡±


    Popo was brave, but the ferocious dragon just kicked Popo mercilessly, snorting like Popo¡¯s moves were just like tickling.


    Popo was blown away without much resistance.


    ¡°Popo! You bad¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°CRRAAAA!¡±


    When I made a loud noise without realizing it, the dragon opened his gigantic mouth.


    I was surprised to see if he was trying to shoot a fire, but instead of a fire, a huge amount of jewels poured out.


    No, just how much did he love jewelry to sleep with it in his mouth? Just look at this.


    A pile of large, fist-sized gems poured down at my feet, slightly different from what had been piled up around. I wondered if this was a sign to suffocate in giant jewels.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Gr¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, what are we going to¡­.¡±


    ¡°Growaaaa!


    With the cave shaking, I rolled down the jewel hill.


    What¡¯s wrong with you, you moody dragon!


    Someone caught my arm, and pulled me back. It was Popo.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± A dragon right after Durahans? This was far from a B-rated movie scene! In the midst of confusion, my body moved to live. The dragon roared, close behind us, as we rushed to escape.


    ¡°Growaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Boom, boom, boom, boom!


    The frightening sound of his feet coming after us, caused a shudder of fear. There were cracks on the stone floor as he moved everywhere. Icicles stuck on the ceiling fell down, unable to withstand the unexpected shock. If Griffin hadn¡¯t flown over my head and stopped them, I¡¯d probably have become a hedgehog.


    ¡°Kang, kang! kang! Kang!¡±


    ¡°Baa, bang! Baaaaaaaaaang!¡±


    It seemed that there were more than one or two unauthorized guests living in the dragon¡¯s abode.


    With the appearance of an angry dragon without any warning, unknown people jumped out of all directions and joined our escape.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    At one point something grabbed me and threw me out hard. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for a moment, pieces of debris floating in the air.


    Tong, tong!


    A cannon flew up from the back and sent me down the slope. Not really a canon, but it did resemble one, rolling down the slope.


    Then at the end of the slope, it was caught in a rock or something and forced to a halt.


    ¡°Fiyooo.¡±


    It felt like my eyes were wide open.


    Griffin dropped us halfway down in the thick undergrowth. It also stretched out its wings and laid down. Things that might have been half frozen or just snow, fell on my head. I managed to sit up with a cough. Popo and Griffin were all half-lying, looking completely exhausted.


    ¡°Guys, are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Poooo¡­Po¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Purung¡­¡­.¡±


    I don¡¯t think this place was okay. No matter how dark it is, is it safe here? What the hell was that dragon, in the first place¡­¡­.


    ¡°Bam, baam!¡±


    It was then¨C Griffin and Popo, who were lying on their back, suddenly rose to their feet. At the same time, a light blue light flashed through the bushes. Oh, come on, what now¡­


    ¡°¡­My lady?¡± Among the swept away bushes, stood a man I¡¯d seen a lot.


    ¡°¡­Sir, Sir Andymion?¡±


    Why was he here¡­?


    Why in the world was Andymion here?


    While I was just staring blankly, Andymion looked as shocked as me. His wide-open amber eyes were completely blank. I¡¯d never seen such a surprised look.


    And¡­ after a while, another blue light flashed.


    ¡°My lady, step back¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As soon as I shouted without realizing it, Popo opened its mouth. Its ghastly mouth looked especially horrifying today. Griffin was also already flapping his big wings threateningly, flashing its green eyes.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do that!¡± Griffin tilted its head.


    Popo, who flinched for a moment, stared at me with its mouth wide open.


    I shook my head imploringly. Oh my lord. What was this situation?


    Andymion¡¯s eyes showed confusion. He was stunned, and didn¡¯t understand what happened.


    ¡°My lady, I¡­¡­we are¡­¡­.¡±


    Had it just turned into a misunderstanding?


    I felt like crying. I couldn¡¯t let Andymion get eaten by Popo. That didn¡¯t mean Popo and Griffin could die or get hurt.


    I was sure that if Andymion was around here¡­¡­.


    ¡°Andymion!¡±


    Ah, I¡¯m in trouble. The others seemed to be approaching. I turned my back from Andymion and started running recklessly to the other side. Popo and Griffin rushed after me.


    ¡°My-My Lady!¡±


    I¡¯m screwed, my civilized life is completely ruined! From now on, I can only be a female Tarzan! And then, whether I¡¯ll turn into a personality wrecker¡¯s toy or undergo a witch hunt, we¡¯ll think about it later¡­¡­.


    ¡°My Lady! Lady Rudbeckia!¡±


    I didn¡¯t stop running, but threw a glance back. The silhouettes of the damn Paladins came into my dim view.


    Don¡¯t call me, people! Well, you won¡¯t stop doing it anyway!


    If I went back like this, I¡¯d be lucky enough to get on a ship bound for Romagna.


    If I was unlucky, I¡¯d be misunderstood that all the attacks that had happened so far, after going through all kinds of interrogations, were planned by the Vatican City and me.


    I¡¯d then return to Romagna, used as another tool for my father and Cesare, or as a tool for hunting monsters l in Britannia, and when my need is over, I¡¯d be removed without a single mouse or a bird knowing.¡­.


    A blue sword that flew like a bolt of lightning, hit Griffin who was about to hold me. Griffin shrieked,  bounced off, and fell under a tree.


    Popo jumped up.


    No!


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    At that moment, the earth trembled, leading to an earthquake.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    The shock caused me to fall to the ground and sink. Until the earthquake subsided, the whole area seemed temporarily destroyed. I rubbed my teary eyes with the back of my hand. A dragon was right in front of me.


    Yes, the furious dragon had landed right in front of me.


    While there was an awkward silence for a moment, I thought he was staring at my face, which was stained with tears, his eyes glistening bitterly. Soon, he turned to my back, twisting his long neck.


    ¡°Crowaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Heaven and earth shook once again.


    ¡°Shield! Come on, Shield!¡±


    ¡°My lady, come this way quickly¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sh*t, I¡¯ve never seen a dragon in my life!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bark all at once, you f*cking pieces of shit! My lady!¡±


    I put my head back with my arms wrapped around it. Meanwhile, the dragon, whose thick neck was bent from side to side, opened its mouth vigorously once again. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, a chaotic ice storm blew out toward the shaken Paladins!


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    It was crazy.


    The light blue membrane around the paladins collided with the cold, causing cracks. The Dragon continued to give off ice attacks by changing the angle of his neck. The surrounding bushes and trees froze white and broke into pieces, and the puddles of rain quickly turned into frozen ice links.


    I crept my knees and looked in Griffin¡¯s direction.


    Poor Griffin was groaning, its legs shaking in Popo¡¯s plump arms.


    ¡°Popo, both of you, get away first!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what Popo reacted to. It seemed to shake from side to side. At that very moment, the ground once again vibrated loudly, turning white everywhere. The blinding light faded away in time. Taking a few steps back, hesitating for a moment, the dragon stamped his feet, puffing out his nose in a ferocious manner, perhaps displeased by the unexpected visual terror attack.


    Crack! Crack!


    The ground shook wildly as the ice shards flew everywhere. Leave the ground be!


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    My eyes grew bigger in size. My lips also parted. I expected him to be nearby, but I felt like I was temporarily out of breath when I met him like this.


    It was my husband, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in almost a week.


    Izek stood in the middle of the confrontation between the dragon and the paladins, gazing at me with an incomprehensible look.


    His large red eyes glowed with unfamiliar and bizarre light.


    ¡°Grrrrrrrrrr¡­¡­.¡± Seemingly annoyed, the dragon let out a low growl as a warning.

 Chapter 39

    ¡ª


    This time, it felt a bit different from before, but he was staring at Izek with his ears tilted back slightly, like a cat or a wild beast. Blue scales covered his whole body and clashed together.


    Apparently, the dragon didn¡¯t like Izek anymore than us. Well, he was kind of annoying.


    My husband, who was staring at me like a stone statue, slowly turned his eyes and looked at the dragon. I got goosebumps all of a sudden, when I saw this view.


    Wait, that b*stard was probably too excited right now. The said half-crazy state¡­


    ¡°L-Lord!¡±


    ¡°Crawaaaaaah!


    The dragon opened its black mouth again. Ice crystals fluttered and shot at eyes. The refracted cold air storm soared into the air as the dragon¡¯s attack and shield from the Holy Sword collided.


    The passing birds froze and dropped down.


    ¡°Hey, that obese lizard cub¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, you b*stards!¡±


    My teeth chattered because it was extremely cold, to the point that my ears were red and in pain. As the ignorant conflict continued, the translucent shield slowly began to crack. The dragon, who took a few steps back, resumed the ice show while Izek roughly pulled out a holy sword embedded in the ground.


    Guys, what kind of Elsa versus Dragon Slayer show was this?!


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    A scream came out. That too, one that I didn¡¯t know I could make.


    The cold storm, which was about to bring down the winter kingdom, suddenly stopped. Then came an awkward silence that was hard to put into words. I barely stood up on both feet, panting.


    The dragon was staring at me with his mouth half-open. His bright golden eyes were shining with a strange light.


    Izek was also staring at me with his bizarre glare.


    Did they actually listen to me?


    ¡°Cr¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Excuse me, excuse me. Don¡¯t tell me these two are turning me into their target.¡­.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡±


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    There was a stir in the back. The stunned and suspicious voices of the Paladis filled my ears.


    As soon as I stepped back, my husband, whose eyes were stuck on me, suddenly glanced back.


    The noise stopped. And¡­


    ¡°¡­aaaaaah!


    Boom!


    The ground quaked once again, and my body was lifted into the air. The nasty dragon snatched me out of the blue, clenching me in his claws and flying up strongly.


    Hey, you b*stard with no manners!


    ¡°My-My Lady!¡±


    ¡°Po, po!¡±


    Fortunately, Popo, who grabbed Griffin¡¯s two front legs with one arm as if it was a chicken, clung to the dragon¡¯s tail. Griffin, who dangled like raw chicken meat, snapped its beak discontentedly, but there was no other choice.


    ¡°Crowaaaaaaaa!¡±


    It was too high. Too high¡­


    My head spun, and a little while later, I blacked out completely.


    Crunch. Crunch.


    When I opened my eyes again, I lay leaning against a pile of moving scales.


    My head felt like lead.  As I rolled my eyes, I could see the beautiful northern sky coloured red by the sunset.


    Where were we?


    Crunch. Crunch. Chop, chop, chop.


    What was this noise?


    I tilted my heavy head to the side. At the end of the sea of deep blue scales.


    ¡°Haa¡­!¡± When I stood up, the dragon, who was mercilessly eating a dead monster, glanced at me.


    He looked resentful. His huge tail wobbled and hit the white ground. The snow splashed all over the place, causing vibrations on the floor.


    Mother, forgive this sinful child¡­¡­ but when did it snow?


    ¡°Grr¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t mind me and keep eating.¡±


    Thuk.


    He kept his gaze on me, chewing the ribs ferociously. It was such a burdensome look that I held my hand over my heavy head. I could see Griffin crouching with its legs folded on one side of the river.


    Its head bobbed, like it was dozing off with its eyes closed.


    Ha, I¡¯m glad¡­ But where was Popo?


    I staggered and got up. It was white all over the place. Even if it¡¯s the north, it was strange that it snowed this much in this season. My feet were numb and cold. On a closer look, they were a total mess.


    Well, I¡¯d been walking barefoot for a few days, so I deserved it. It didn¡¯t look like a lady¡¯s foot at all. It was like the feet of a wild.¡­sniff.


    Hah, what¡¯s going to happen from now on? Should I go back to Romagna? Or work it out on my own inside Britannia?


    ¡°Grraaa¡­¡­.¡±


    As soon as I moved, the nasty dragon growled again.


    Griffin¡¯s head shook as it looked at me. When I gave a peek, I felt like it wasn¡¯t dozing off, but that it couldn¡¯t hold my head properly.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Purung¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, that was a silly question.¡±


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be fine after that. What should one do when a monster is injured? Besides, why couldn¡¯t I see Popo? Maybe it went to get something to eat?


    ¡°Where is Popo?¡±


    When asked carefully, Griffin nodded to one side.


    A thick forest and a small pond were seen in the direction pointed by its twitching beak. Which meant that Popo went there.


    I hesitated for a moment and eyed the dragon. The dragon was still staring at me, chomping away at the meat.


    In spite of the terrible situation, pity arose in me out of nowhere.


    He too was probably trying to make ends meet. Yes, who was the guilty one here?


    I was the one who woke up the dragon that was hibernating in its treasure cove in the first place.


    I was chased by a group of Durahans, and came in by accident, but¡­


    If I hadn¡¯t met Popo, if I hadn¡¯t come here with it, Griffin wouldn¡¯t have been hurt like this.


    I scuttled to the side of the pond.


    I could feel the dragon staring from behind my back. I was in his field of vision anyway.


    ¡°Popo. Popo?¡±


    Fortunately, Popo was there. As I approached the pond through the bushes, Popo, who seemed to be lying flat on the floor and picking up something, quickly got up.


    He was alright!


    ¡°Po, p o, po!¡±


    ¡°Are you okay? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po.¡±


    Popo flapped one arm and pointed below its feet. Among the white frozen weeds were pretty mushrooms that shone purple.


    What was this? Was it a food item especially meant for monsters?


    ¡°Is this for eating?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    ¡°For Griffin?¡±


    ¡°Po.¡±


    I see. Would it recover quickly if it ate this? I squatted next to Popo and started picking mushrooms together.


    I didn¡¯t know if it really worked, but I was sure there was some use, if Popo had said so.


    I also wanted to repay the kindness just as they took care of me all the time I stayed there.


    I didn¡¯t know what was going to happen next, after all.¡­.


    We were so absorbed that we picked up too many mushrooms.


    My skirt was full of mushrooms.


    I was finally getting up and going back to Griffin and the dragon after picking everything I could see.


    Flop!


    Something sticking out of the dense waters fell at out feet and rolled around.


    Popo jumped up.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The hair on the back of my neck stood up. It was a broken basilisk¡¯s head!


    The basilisk, which had been splashing and making its final effort with only its head left, slowly crumbled like dust, leaving only the black monster core on the spot.


    What the hell was this¡­


    As soon as Popo opened his fearsome mouth, a light flashed.


    Just like gunfire.


    ¡°Popo!! Popo!¡±


    ¡°Is this where you hide?¡±


    Oh god, please no.


    This was no death reaper. Goosebumps rose up my body. Izek, who approached the fallen trees irritably, looked at me right away, breathing heavily.


    As if his sense had completely disappeared, his eyes glistened with madness. His pupils were open, like a starving beast.


    His rough, worn-out voice also felt as strange and dangerous as his eyes.


    My heart beat violently and my body trembled.


    My overly excited husband must have judged me as a witch in cahoots with the monsters.


    I wouldn¡¯t find it weird if he plunged a sword in me and tore me up at once.


    ¡°Crowaaah!


    Fortunately or unfortunately, the dragon responded immediately.


    Our personality wrecker dragon roared and ran straight ahead.


    I didn¡¯t expect Izek to feel threatened. Gaze fixated on the dragon silently, Izek smiled.


    A bloody smile that made my throat run dry.


    ¡°Your voice is already gone. No wonder you were so excited to run away.¡±


    ¡°Crrrrrrrrrr!¡±


    ¡°Have you learned from humans to kidnap someone else¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°Growaaah!


    What was he talking about? He was out of his mind right now! Drunk on adrenaline, convinced that he could just beat the dragon!


    That was when I remembered¨C My husband was the main character of this world. As the main character, it was not too much to show such reckless, no, mad confidence.


    Maybe he¡¯d beat the dragon with a buff and make his name known as Dragon Slayer¡­


    The dragon was about to vent his anger, but for some reason, he was holding back.


    In the meantime, my husband¡¯s sword glowed.


    Oh my god-


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it if you just don¡¯t give her to me.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡±


    Thwack!


    A mushroom, which was thrown out of my hand, flew and hit Izek¡¯s forehead.

 Chapter 40

    ¡ª


    The sound of the mushroom hitting his forehead was so loud that I was flabbergasted. Izek sat on the floor, covering his face with his hands.


    Huh?


    There was a strange silence for a moment.


    ¡°I- I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Un¡­¡±


    ¡°A-Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He muttered with a low roar, terrifying the hell out of me.


    Somebody, please tell me I didn¡¯t just get a death flag.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t throw it hard on purpose¡­.¡±


    ¡°Grrrrrrr!¡±


    The dragon, who growled loudly while my husband got attacked, moved with a flash as if to eat the arrogant human being in front of him in one bite.


    My hand grabbed his blue scales.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°Groooo¡­¡± The dragon looked back at me with a discontented look.


    Ha, I really want to cry. I don¡¯t know who the hell I¡¯m worried about.


    The whole area was slowly becoming noisy. The sound of humans approaching in a crowd¡­ I looked around, biting my lower lip.


    The dragon still had meat bits stuck around his mouth like a child. Popo was shaking like a scared bunny. Griffin was struggling to flap its wings while shaking its head¡­


    It shouldn¡¯t be like this.


    There must be more Paladin reinforcements than before, and it would be too much for a dragon to hold against.


    Popo and Griffin would really die at this rate.


    I also didn¡¯t know what kind of monsters they were to the general public or how intimidating they were. There was never an instance where poor wild monsters were left alone. But¡­


    How could I just turn a blind eye to those who understood me and had been so kind to me? How could I just let them be slaughtered, injured, and kicked out of their homes? This was all because of me in the first place.


    I had to save everything for now. We¡¯d have to live to see each other again later.


    I hesitated and looked at Izek. Izek had already lifted his face and was staring at me with his chest heaving.


    Look at those wild eyes. Was he trying to figure out what to do with me?


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I-I didn¡¯t know. I really didn¡¯t know it would be like this¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, how?¡±


    My words weren¡¯t working on him.


    But I really didn¡¯t know, you cold-blooded b*stard!


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think¡­.¡±


    How was I supposed to explain this? My head was throbbing and my stomach was urging me to throw up.


    What should I tell him? I was invited to the temple, and I almost ran into Lorenzo, so I hid? And then I heard that b*stard talking about sh*t me, so I wandered around in a daze. While I was sick and walking outside the temple alone, I bumped into Popo?  That I didn¡¯t plan on running away, I just happened to be like that.


    I knew it was no use talking about things like that.


    He wouldn¡¯t believe me anyway.


    Throughout my life, I¡¯d never had a good outcome lying, but¡­


    ¡°I have nothing to do with Lady Furiana.¡±


    Words popped out of my mouth. Like it was enchanted, my tongue worked on its own accord.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe it anyway¡­. you might think I¡¯m a witch, but I really don¡¯t do anything¡­.I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    The dragon snorted and came close to my face. I rubbed my eyes with my fist and tried to come to my senses. What was I doing? It was not the time to say this.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t run away on purpose, hic. No, I fainted because of the pain, and they¡­ hic, all they did was help me. The dragon woke up because of me. I mean, hic, I mean¡­You don¡¯t have to trust me, I¡¯ll do whatever you say, and I¡¯ll take any punish-hic-ment, so please just don¡¯t, hic, make me a witch¡­.¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­ stop crying.¡±


    He must be annoyed. Soon after, my husband raised himself up with a sword, panting. At that moment, I tried to stand back with my mouth shut.


    ¡°Who dares to say you¡¯re a witch?¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hic, what?¡±


    ¡°Everything we did¡­ Haa, I mean¡­¡±


    Flop.


    The dragon tilted its head.


    ¡°Damn it, I haven¡¯t slept at all¡­.¡±


    Despite having managed to stand up on his feet, Izek fell back and lay buried in a pile of snow.


    I was far away, so I just looked at him.


    How could that monster just fall like that? Just because he got hit by a mushroom? Was there something toxic about this mushroom? Or¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡­what?


    I exchanged eyes with the dragon for a moment. I thought my ears were hearing wrong.


    ¡°Am I going crazy?¡±


    Izek shook his head helplessly. His breath came out white, as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Was it because of the toxic mushroom? Or was it because of the aftereffects of his excited state? Or did he mistake me for someone else?


    His red gaze that lost its light, stared blankly at my frozen face.


    Weird. This was really weird.


    Why was he looking at me like that?


    I thought he was annoyed. I thought he didn¡¯t like me. Did he not feel relieved that I was gone? Did he not assume that I was behind Freya¡¯s condition?


    ¡°Lord Izek!¡±


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia!¡±


    I could hear the Paladins shouting close by. I thought a crowd would appear, but only five or six knights came to the snowfield. Sir Ivan, who was at the forefront, stopped when he saw Izek lying on the ground.


    ¡°Crr¡­.¡± The dragon growled, showing its huge teeth.


    I put my hand to his snout.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I disn¡¯t know what the hell was okay, but I still said it.


    The Paladins remained silent as if they were calm, but they were probably nervous. At that time, my husband pulled his sword up from the floor and pulled himself up again.


    Then, he staggered towards me. The dragon gave a ferocious look, but he didn¡¯t care. I was slowly swept away by fatigue and unknown emotions.


    My messy hair, ragged dress, muddy hands, and bloody feet¡­ all eyes were on me.


    My body shrank on its own.


    See, I know I don¡¯t look good¡­.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll leave him alone. You¡¯ve had enough fun.¡±


    What was this? Was he being sarcastic? It was as if he¡¯s picking up his wife who lost track of time on a picnic. And not as if he was here to catch a witch.


    ¡°Hey, he¡­¡±


    ¡°One punch won¡¯t kill them. It would only take some time to recover.¡±


    Really? I faltered and turned towards Popo and Griffin. Sir Ivan opened his mouth to me who hesitated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, ma¡¯am. They¡¯re surprisingly persistent. After a day or so, they¡¯ll be all up and fresh.¡±


    ¡°Yes! And above all, endangered species must be left alone! Everyone¡¯s going to make a fuss about the dragon waking up for a while, but we have a work ethic¡­.¡±


    Someone blocked Andymion¡¯s chatter mouth. I didn¡¯t know why everyone was acting strange. As if to reassure me, trying to appease¡­Were they setting a trap to placate me?


    ¡°Crooooo¡­¡± The dragon¡¯s snout moved again.


    Something fell from it. At this point, I thought there was a separate cheek pocket in his mouth. I bent over and picked up the jewel that fell at my feet.


    It was almost the size of the fist-sized ruby ?.


    The dragon, who threw up the jewel out of the blue, was staring at me quietly, making no noise. I tried to return it, but he refused, shaking his snout.


    His golden eyes were glowing mysteriously as if they wanted to say something. Was he telling me to not go? Did he want me to stay with him longer?


    The guilt made my throat bitter, but now, I couldn¡¯t help it.


    Haa, I didn¡¯t know how everything would turn out if I messed up here. We could meet again only if we lived through today. Besides¡­


    I shifted my eyes forward. My husband was silently waiting for me with one arm out.


    Now that I see it, he looked quite tired.


    What was so hard? Why did he keep making that weird face? What was he thinking?


    I turned to Popo and Griffin again, gave a final look at the dragon, and held my hand in front.


    Sighs broke out in the field.


    ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡±


    ¡°We can all retreat! Come on, let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    Ah, that¡¯s a relief.


    I thought I was about to fall, but then my feet swung up in the air. I was a chick again.


    My teeth chattered.


    I didn¡¯t even know it was cold until earlier, but it was amazing to feel how cold the weather was as soon as I returned to the arms of civilization.


    ¡°Anyway, just go home.¡±


    ¡­Ha, I¡¯m getting goosebumps. What now, hubby? Hey, you pretended to be having a hard time just now! You said you were sorry all of a sudden, and said all those weird things that made me confused! Are you showing your true colors again?


    This jerk. I knew this would happen. As expected, this cold-hearted brat had not the faintest idea of ??letting me slip away!


    ¡°Craaa¡­..croooo¡­.CRAAAA!¡±


    Instead of chasing us, the dragon, who was just looking straight at us, seemed to be roaring in a low tone. Soon, he uttered a long, pain-filled cry.


    It wasn¡¯t that majestic of a roar, but a shrill cry of sorrow.


    ¡°Groooooo!¡±


    Oh god, that idiot really is crying.


    I buried my face on my mean husband¡¯s shoulder and tried to swallow the sob threatening to escape my mouth. His arms that held me were full of strength.

 Chapter 41

    ¡ª


    My whole body felt like lead. I couldn¡¯t come back to my senses.


    It was terribly hot and extremely cold at the same time. My eyes were throbbing as my consciousness flickered in and out.


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡±


    Someone touched my forehead. I gasped and my eyes opened.


    Who was it? There was only one person who did this to me when I was sick.¡­


    ¡°Sister¡­?¡±


    Blood red eyes entered my blurry view. I thought of my sister. The blood on her thin wrist¡­


    ¡°Hey¡­ hey.¡±


    ¡°Ruby¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t die. Please don¡¯t die.¡±


    Long, soft hair touched the tips of my shaking fingers.


    It¡¯s you! It¡¯s you!


    I grabbed her hair desperately and twisted it with my fingers, whimpering, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want to die alone. So don¡¯t go away, sister. Live with me.¡±


    Her comforting touch on my forehead disappeared.


    No, don¡¯t go!


    ¡°Did you do anything dangerous in front of her?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that happened.¡±


    ¡­Huh? Isn¡¯t that my sister?


    That was my mean husband¡¯s voice, but my sister couldn¡¯t be talking to my husband. Ah, I was in a whole different world¡­


    I was about to turn around, but a hand grabbed my shoulder and made me lie down straight. I was familiar with the scent that entered my nose.


    Eh?


    ¡°Sp¡­¡±


    A death reaper. A silver-haired death reaper was staring down at me dying.


    Ugh!


    ¡°Sp, spare me. Help me¡­¡±


    Those blood-red eyes shook a little.


    Help me, don¡¯t kill me, you son of a b*tch! If you¡¯re the main character, it¡¯ll be fine!


    I was so angry that tears welled up. I stared hard at him and slapped the standing man on his arm.


    ¡°Spare me, save me¡­¡±


    Why wasn¡¯t he listening?


    I decided to give up because I felt like my hands were giving it their all. My line of consciousness was cut off again there.


    It came back again.


    When I opened my eyes, a small palm was patting my face.


    ¡°Get well soon, my lady..¡±


    Who was this? Her clear blue-green eyes are pretty.


    It reminded me of a little princess I knew. There was no way the princess could visit me, but¡­


    The scenery changed once more as I almost gave up my consciousness to the gentle pats on my face.


    The place I was in, the face looking down at me by the bed¡­ Was I dreaming?


    ¡®Why are you stuck here?¡¯ My sister asked.


    Long ginger hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and soft lips tinted with coral-red lipstick.


    It really was her.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you go out and ride a yacht? It¡¯s summer vacation.¡¯


    Every summer vacation, we came down to our family summer house. Where you could see the beautiful lakeside from the window. The sound of my sister¡¯s friends screaming in excitement was heard even in the room where I laid down.


    My sister, who was lighting a cigarette with a giggle, flopped down next to me.


    ¡®What¡¯s the problem? I don¡¯t think my mom or dad told you to stay quiet, and yet you¡¯re here. Are you sick?¡¯


    Our parents were traveling abroad with their respective lovers while their children gathered their friends and enjoyed the summer.


    I wasn¡¯t sick.


    But I couldn¡¯t tell her that my oldest brother told me to stay here until he came.


    My sister often fought with her brothers. I often argued with my parents as well as my brothers. After such a fight, I would hide and hurt myself. So, I couldn¡¯t say it.


    If I had told her back then¡­


    Her thin forearms, covered by cigarette smoke, flickered back and forth in front of my eyes like an illusion.


    At the end of it, the landscape was erased like a white bubble.


    I seemed to have been unconscious for a long time without waking up again in the middle.


    Perhaps because of that, when I came back to my senses, I felt as clear and refreshed as ever.


    A familiar ceiling came into view.


    My bedroom in Omerta Castle¡­


    While sitting up, the memory of the last thing that happened slowly came back. What would happen to me now? Popo and Griffin were probably fine.


    It was not like a vicious dragon was picking on them¡­


    ¡°Are you fine?¡±


    I almost jumped up.


    As I slowly turned my head, calming my frightened heart, I saw Ellenia, who was sitting upright in a chair on one side of the bedroom, staring at me.


    Although she had the same indifferent and expressionless face, I was a little scared because of everything I had done.


    She spoke up again, as my mouth became dry, trying to figure out what to say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to push Ruby like that.¡±


    She seemed to be talking about what happened in front of the bathroom.


    While I was just staring blankly, Ellenia lowered her eyes a little and looked down at my hand. She seemed to be feeling awkward for some reason.


    I was curious, but I guess I should just say it was okay.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to worry about it¡­¡±


    ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t ask anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°My mother also had such marks on the back of her hand.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°She thinned up a lot, the year before she passed away.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I kind of guessed it when she pushed me that day, but it was surprising to hear it from Ellenia¡¯s mouth.


    I see. So¡­


    ¡°She was morbidly obsessed with her appearance¡­ I was the only one who knew more about my mother¡¯s bizarre habits. She ate only a few fruits a day and spent half a day on hair care.¡±


    Once again, my mind wandered to my sister. My dead mother-in-law and my sister¡¯s last moves were too similar.


    Of course, I¡¯d developed a similar habit, but¡­ I would never take my own life.


    Ellenia, who slightly bit the tip of her lip, raised her eyes again and looked straight into my eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve never really understood her so far. Just¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I think I know a little bit.¡±


    ¡®Thanks to me¡¯, what do you mean?


    Did she mean what I had said as an excuse back then, ¡®I can only control my body¡¯ ?


    ¡°Well, my husband..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret from him, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Her cool voice brought relief. It was no good being caught. Aside from the shame.


    So, this was a secret between Ellenia and me?


    There was a moment of silence. After the momentary pause, Ellenia finally took her eyes off me and raised her body, ¡°Princess Ari had visited.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She said she wanted to visit you. She asked me to tell you that she wished for you to get better soon.¡±


    So, that hadn¡¯t been a dream? I was amazed and moved that the princess had really come by.


    ¡°By the way, Ruby.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to have a sister?¡±


    What? What did she mean by ¡°sister¡± all of a sudden? That was in my previous life.


    As I tilted my head in confusion, Ellenia quickly shook her head quickly, ¡°No, never mind¡­ I¡¯ll find out sooner or later, but the situation right now is quite chaotic because the dragon, who was asleep, woke up.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared. We knew this would happen someday, so we had prepared thoroughly.¡±


    I see. She didn¡¯t look that stress-free. More than that, did Ellenia not know that I was the one who woke up the dragon?


    Didn¡¯t Izek tell Ellenia? Or was Ellenia trying to test me?


    ¡°So, you should never go around alone for a while. Fortunately, people found you first this time, so you were lucky.¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ellenia blinked when I asked blankly.


    ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t remember. Some of Vigilante¡¯s guild members found you lying near the forest and were discussing ransom, but how did you end up there?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was sick and I¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. But don¡¯t ever walk around alone again. Especially near the frost forest, even the well-trained paladins are reluctant to go there alone. Fortunately, you were lucky this time, since the guild members are also not that reliable. Do you understand?¡±


    Soft yet determined, I nodded my head vigorously.


    Ellenia seemed to have concluded that I was mentally cornered by the series of events.


    She didn¡¯t have any idea of what really happened.


    Although city guards were turning a blind eye to the private guilds¡¯ work, it would mean that they had contacted the private guild, which was strictly illegal.


    In other words, it meant that the Paladins, who found me that day, kept everything a secret, but I didn¡¯t know if that was good or not.


    Who all were unaware?

 Chapter 42

    ¡ª


    The freezing rain and snowstorm, which had been pouring nonstop, came to an end and sunny weather continued for days.


    But, it was strange.


    It was too early for snow and too late to see the sun.


    Even if the dragon¡¯s powers had some impact on their side, it was only in the middle of summer when one could see the sunshine in Elendale.


    ¡°In times of fear and confusion, the warriors should remain more cool and calm. More attention should be paid for a while, but dragons, like other monsters, were beings that were only present in gladiatorial matches nearly 20 years ago. Although the ice dragon is a species that cannot be compared to other dragons, it is not invincible, and I believe that there will be no needless fear and lack in discipline, which are just signs of immaturity. Since its foundation, the Longinus Knights have brought countless men and women to peace and development in the North.¡­.¡±


    The meeting ended with a sermon by the commander of the Knights, who was known for the legend of beating two adult fire dragons with his childhood friends.


    Roughly summing up, the most troublesome dragon had appeared. This was a rambling session to say that nothing changed.


    As soon as the words fell, the Paladins, who were holding back their sleepiness, left one by one.


    In that way, only six Paladins remained in their seats until it became empty.


    These were the few elites who entered the border of the frost forest that day. No matter how little they were in number, it was a small joy of daily life to secretly cause trouble behind their strict leader. Even more so if it was something that other colleagues had always thought they couldn¡¯t do. Plus, it was even more thrilling to keep the temple and the royal family¡¯s secrets.


    But this one was a little different than usual.


    They also found it difficult to clearly conclude what they saw that day, but they were aware that it would turn into an international dispute. The appearance of the ice dragon, whose existence had long been unknown as to whether he was completely extinct or not, was not a shocking event.


    It was a possibility that a northerner always had in mind.


    Dragons were also monsters. Like other monsters, even if they were Satan¡¯s servants, as they¡¯re harmful to humans, they could be killed and destroyed by divinity. No other country has ever seen a record that a beast has mingled or communicated with humans, as wild beasts might have known.


    However, one of the people at the highest peak of divinity, the Pope¡¯s daughter, survived in the border area of the forest of frost, which was full of monsters. In addition, there was an unusual atmosphere between her and the monsters.


    They doubted anyone would believe their words.


    At this point, some would say that the Borgian family had created some strange new method. Anyway, the elite Paladins, who saw the situation themselves, were holding back their judgment for now.


    ¡®You tell them.¡¯


    ¡®No, you say it.¡¯


    In a tacit silence, there were opinions that at least their leader should be informed and that the scared should die alone.


    If it was revealed later that they even talked with Vigilante¡¯s members, it would be better to blow the whistle quickly and kill themselves alone.


    To be honest, they were a bit scared of the leader¡¯s scolding, but they could still somehow survive.


    The main culprit of all the hesitation was none other than the troublemaker of the situation.


    Duke Omerta had a rough hand. He was too scary to be offended.


    If one of them couldn¡¯t handle his conscience and talked to the leader about what happened inside the border area that day, he would have to be prepared for a disaster that would cut off his head. Or, his fate would be like that poacher woman.¡­.


    On the subject of putting trustworthy colleagues in this dilemma, Izek himself was concentrating on sharpening the blade of his sword with a relaxed look on his face.


    It was as if he was openly asking for them to run their mouths off.


    Rather than leaving his seat immediately, the commander of the Knights, who was watching the tense atmosphere of the elites, suddenly approached Izek about what he had thought.


    Everyone breathed slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad the Princess is safe.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°But why do you look so troubled? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re jumping in joy, but like you¡¯re about to make a fuss about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Lord, has your wife ever run away from home?¡±


    ¡°Two times when we were newlyweds, and once when we had our first son. She ran away to her family¡¯s home, but that¡¯s not what you¡¯re worried about, right? Does your wife say she doesn¡¯t want to see you?¡±


    The Paladins, who were watching nervously inside, made distorted faces, wondering if their leader had noticed something, or if Izek would blow up like a bomb.


    Everyone had gone as crazy as the weather because of the conflict between the husband-and-wife.


    Anyway, the commander of the Longinus Knights was quite partial to Izek.


    It was a matter of caring for talented subordinates, but sometimes he was a bit too caring.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, but it would be better if you said so.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re reflecting on yourself. The sun will rise from the west tomorrow.¡±


    Izek responded to the leader¡¯s joke with a bleak look, while the leader had a warm expression, as if he were reminded of old thoughts.


    The leader smiled bitterly, ¡°Do you glare at your wife like that at home?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how to treat her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a great development to see that you¡¯re worried about how others feel about you. I think this is normal for a newlywed. Especially for a woman your wife¡¯s age, she¡¯s as sensitive and delicate as a glass bowl. That¡¯s why¡­¡±


    The leader¡¯s tight grasp rested on Izek¡¯s grand shoulders.


    Izek¡¯s eyebrows rose, but he did not resist.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one answer for now. Be nice to her until she feels better.¡±


    ¡°So, how do you¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, it depends. Nothing that grand, just show that you¡¯re constantly reflecting on yourself. Don¡¯t talk nonsense and don¡¯t forget to give gifts and attend social gatherings often. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s familiar with southern social culture, so she¡¯s bored out of her mind.¡±


    As expected, middle-aged married men sounded sensible.


    Izek hesitated for a moment and asked again, ¡°A gift like?..¡±


    ¡°Hah, do you not have a friend with a younger sister to ask?¡±


    ¡°People have different tastes, don¡¯t you think?


    ¡°And how would I know your wife¡¯s taste? You¡¯re going to have to make your own porridge.¡±


    The leader looked beyond proud. A warm expression was stuck on his face.


    The day had come when he could give all his advice as a senior in life to this stubborn troublemaker.


    ¡°Uh, Leader?¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is there a relationship problem? You can always consult me on such matters.¡±


    The Paladins, who usually showed courage with the generous and caring attitude of their leader, ended up clumsily silent.


    After the leader, who was erratic, finally left his seat with a warm smile, silence lingered for a while.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just saying-¡°


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I-I think we should at least inform the chief.¡±


    No one reacted to the pale-haired paladin, Camu, who talked up in vain.


    It was just that the instigator of the situation was still watching them with his subtle appearance.


    After a series of silence, Camu finally exploded, ¡°Are you guys really out of it? Am I the only one who¡¯s uncomfortable with this situation? If we get caught dealing with the Vigilante, then¡­then¡­.¡±


    Izek, who was standing with an unknown look on his face, slowly turned his head and looked at Camu.


    Camu faltered unknowingly at the mysterious glare, feeling as if he had been caught up in the excitement alone.


    ¡°Go talk, then.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Go hold on to anyone and talk.¡±


    His harsh aura, which had been so tense and chilly, quickly subsided.


    Camu now looked livid beyond anger, ¡°Are you threatening me? I mean, us? Because of the Borgian woman? I can¡¯t even laugh.¡±


    ¡°Camu-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is the same situation? If you hide it this way, we¡¯ll end up taking responsibility at the last minute. We¡¯re taking on everything we didn¡¯t even know about, not just the Southern Pigs!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Are you threatening your comrades because you have nothing to do? It¡¯s natural for such a timid b*stard to get scared!¡±


    Camu, who was called timid by Ivan, forgot the point and became angry, ¡°Who¡¯s timid? You-!¡±


    ¡°Is this jerk someone to take sides with? Hey, Iz, come on, let¡¯s just finish him up. If he disappears, our secrets will go to the grave¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure Romagna doesn¡¯t have any information?¡±


    The silence ensued at Galar¡¯s sudden question, who had always been silent. It seemed that he was finally talking these days, and while everyone was thinking so, Izek replied back, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Since when have you been the one who¡¯s been believing in such a serious matter and moving on?¡±


    ¡°She said she had no idea. If my father-in-law knew something, he wouldn¡¯t have sent his daughter so unprepared.¡±


    If he had intended to screw the North over with his daughter¡¯s brilliant talent, she would never have been caught in such vain in the first place.


    Everyone agreed on that.


    Now that she got caught, it was like they were holding a knife over here.


    Everything was too sloppy to think that there was a huge conspiracy lurking from the beginning.


    ¡°It makes sense, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Or do you want to tell me about the possibility that my wife lied?¡±


    Izek¡¯s eyes were as calm as the eyes of a typhoon. Galar¡¯s dark red eyebrows shifted a little.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her like that. I agree that the more people know, the less good it is, but what are you going to do?¡±


    From now on. What are you going to do?


    Izek was sick and tired of hearing this.


    Regardless of what they knew or didn¡¯t know, they were repeating the same words, as if they had made a promise.


    After four days of searching, everyone held him back and repeated the same thing like a parrot.


    What are you going to do? What do you intend to do?


    What did they expect from such a question?


    Even the king was no different.

 Chapter 43

    ¡®It was a close call, with the Ice Dragon opening his eyes at the same time. Either way, it¡¯s a relief you found her safe and sound, but what are you going to do now?¡¯


    ¡®When was I ever the type to plan?¡¯


    ¡®Your marriage was a one-time thing, in the first place.¡¯


    Their eyes that pretended to be worried about the subject of their arranged marriage, which they regarded as a one-time thing, were filled with pity.


    So Izek was more sarcastic than usual.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, if either of us were slaves, we¡¯d be filming the romance of the century.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re mad at me. With your temper, your or your father would have sent her on a ship bound for Romagna by now, no matter what she said. What¡¯s bothering you?¡¯


    What was bothering him?


    He didn¡¯t know. All he could be sure of was that he got annoyed whenever King Feanol acted like a caring outsider.


    Even when he pretended to be adept, while having a former pagan slave as a queen despite all kinds of opposition.


    ¡®She¡¯s known all over the royal families now.¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s the daughter of the Pope.¡¯


    ¡®As your wife, in the north, she¡¯d be under your jurisdiction. If what you¡¯re feeling is just a clumsy sense of responsibility, let it go when you can. I won¡¯t stop you. You¡¯ll regret it a lot if you push for it with compassion or responsibility.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯


    ¡®At times like this, you look more like your mother than Ellen.¡¯


    You look more like your mother.


    That wasn¡¯t even funny.


    Princess of Britannia and Duke Omerta.


    A woman who had always been unhappy while living in the center of power and yearning for life, eventually hanged herself.


    He was the first person to find her mother hanging from a willow tree early in the morning.


    His father, who ran one step later, hit the willow tree until his fist was covered with blood.


    Like the tree was the one who killed her.


    At first, they really loved each other. They were so passionate.


    No one interrupted the love between the two, nor were there any obstacles, so they just struggled in the pit created by themselves, but eventually the wife hung herself and the husband drove her to that act.


    Neither side understood nor wanted to understand.


    Yes, at first Izek wanted to meet his mother again and ask her.


    He became a paladin with the desire to reunite with his mother, who became a ghoul in exchange for her unforgivable sin of suicide.


    Such naive thoughts died down every time he killed a wild beast.


    His mother really had died. But now, as a ghoul, she was just another being to kill.


    The question of whether his mother would be among the countless fallen remains of his sword became irrelevant.


    It was not for any other reason that he kicked himself out of every marriage talk and claimed to be an ascetic.


    It was not because of the shock caused by his mother¡¯s suicide, as others recklessly guessed.


    It was just the idea that the same blood was flowing in his body.


    Same blood. It was possible because he had the same blood as his father.


    It would be hilarious to only pick the good parent and regard them as the same blood.


    You couldn¡¯t say that you didn¡¯t know the debt after accepting the inheritance.


    How comfortable it would be if everything in the world was as simple as fighting the monsters.


    But now, it was not even that simple.


    No, actually it was still very simple. It was just a matter of telling the truth.


    Tell the king, his father, the commander of the Knights, the important people in the North, and then tie her up.


    She was a deadly existence that could completely turn the whole world upside down.


    The North would not want to let her go, and even the Borgian family would not be able to overturn the negotiating table this time.


    Or he could just put her on a ship and send her back.


    With minimal consideration, he could decide to forget everything that had happened here, ask her to do her own work, and send her away forever on the condition that she would never step into the North again. It was a very simple task.


    And it would be his job to live like before.


    But why was he doing this?


    Even contacting trashy Vigilante guilds, pressuring his colleagues and deceiving everyone.


    What made him hesitate to let her go?


    ¡®I really didn¡¯t know either. I didn¡¯t know I could do this.¡­I¡¯m not lying to you.¡­¡¯


    It didn¡¯t matter if she knew or not.


    The sight of her making excuses while calming the mad ice dragon with one word appeared in front of his eyes.


    ¡°If you push ahead with compassion or responsibility, you¡¯ll regret it a lot later.¡¯


    Compassion. Responsibility. What the hell was all that?


    The uncomfortable feeling that had been with him since the night he saw the scars on her collarbone, was it just compassion?


    The faded, cruel marks on her body that looked like it would break even with a little force, making his blood run cold, was it just a sense of responsibility that he felt?


    The sight of her sniffling at the stable with a whip disturbed his mind.


    What? When? Why?


    He remembered what she said by the pond of Angvan Palace.


    ¡®You can hit me.¡¯


    At first, he suspected that she was just trying to provoke him to break up.


    As time went by, he felt that something was increasingly strange and that something in her was deformed.


    ¡®I¡¯ve fallen in love with you.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t even laugh. What did she mean by confessing her love with such frightened eyes?


    How could she come up saying that it was okay to hit her?


    It was not a matter of falling in love in the first place.


    It was difficult to define exactly what it was. The more he looked at her, the more she felt like a child, not an 18-year-old woman.


    Not in the sense of immaturity or innocence, but in the sense of helplessness and blindness.


    She wasn¡¯t in a position to be so humiliated. She was the princess of Romagna, and not any other woman from a common family.


    And yet, she was acting like that.


    What was she so afraid of? What did she want?


    Well, she didn¡¯t even seem to know what she wanted, so how would he know?


    And yet, she confessed her love foolishly.


    Since he became a Paladin, he has seen countless people who were helplessly out of their minds.


    They looked fine from the outside, but went crazy in various ways.


    Nevertheless, in this case, he had never seen someone like her.


    Just because she met one or two crazy people, she wouldn¡¯t go that far.


    Furthermore, Rudbeckia had never even lived with them.


    All of her ex-fiances were reputed.


    However, they also fell behind the power of Borgia.


    Izek had never met his wife¡¯s family, but he knew that Rembrandt Alfonso, who became a eunuch, was not the kind of person to touch women.


    Nevertheless, before suffering the greatest humiliation as a man, he gave his legacy to Cardinal Valentino.


    That smart jerk.


    Overly-smart jerk.


    Who made the Pope¡¯s daughter this way?


    Who made Cardinal Valentino¡¯s dear sister twisted to that extent?


    Was Cardinal Valentino the man who broke his sister to that extent?


    Damn it, he should just pretend he didn¡¯t know. As always, such annoying things, it would be simple if he just turned a blind eye to other people¡¯s circumstances.


    But then, what was the source of this anger bubbling in him?


    ¡®I remember telling her not to say anything.¡¯


    ¡®Did I know she¡¯d run away like that?¡¯


    It was not necessary to read his father¡¯s mind.


    From the beginning of this marriage, the Duke¡¯s intentions were very obvious.


    ¡°If I had known she¡¯d go crazy like this, I would have stopped the marriage at all costs!¡¯


    ¡®Brother!¡¯


    ¡°P-Please forgive me!¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ve sinned to death!¡¯


    The appearance of the servant, who turned blue from lack of air and begged for forgiveness, was miserable.


    The escort guard, who was choking under his grasp, had become one hell of a sight.


    His excuse, brazen nonsense, claiming that he thought Rudbeckia would stay in the temple for a long time, and forgot what she looked like.


    ¡®¡­It would be unfair if I only killed you, when you all committed negligence together.¡¯


    ¡°D-Duke, please forgive me¡­¡¯


    ¡®Wish my wife to wake up safely. If she isn¡¯t fine, all of you won¡¯t live.¡¯


    After bringing Rudbeckia back, he spent several nights on the floor, beside her bed.


    There was no particular reason. He just wanted to feel her and hear her breathing.


    ¡®Save me, save me¡­¡­.¡¯


    She was a damn woman. It would have been much better if she were a vicious and selfish woman as the rumor had it.


    If she had been like that, he could have sent her on board.


    If she were a woman who would rather take advantage of him, if she were a woman who showed off every little ability, everything would be much easier.


    If she was a woman who loved being pampered, or if she was just a normal woman..


    He wouldn¡¯t have been in so much pain.


    There was a crack in the thick ice barrier that had been built over the years.


    Just as even the most severe cold ice melted away in the spring sun, his cold and simple world was collapsing.


    ¡°Izek?¡±


    All in all, it was very annoying.

 Chapter 44

    ¡ª


    The golden sun of Romagna was warming the cobblestone road leading to San Midre Cathedral.


    Around the fountain where the statue of the Holy Mother was built, plump white pigeons are gathered as usual to enjoy the afternoon sunbathing.


    Such easygoing and bold creatures, they didn¡¯t look at people even when they sat close.


    Even if it was a cardinal that made even an arrogant nobleman shiver.


    To be fair, that side also didn¡¯t pay much attention to the flock of pigeons.


    The young cardinal¡¯s broad shoulders were not just a perch for pigeons, but also messenger birds with elegant golden tails.


    One of the birds quickly flew from the northern capital across the sea to the Papal States, Romagna and proudly completed his mission.


    Although he deserved an award, the man who finished reading the letter remained silent for a while.


    His black hair, which glowed blue in the sun, tanned copper skin, deep dark blue eyes, and sculpture-like facial features, boasted devilish beauty.


    Sitting still, barely blinking, there was no sign of humaneness in him.


    ¡°You must be really worried.¡±


    In the end, a servant, who was standing nearby pretending to feed the pigeons, broke the silence first.


    In contrast to his superior, the elegant handsome man, he had dark red hair and a scar across one eye.


    It was amazing how pigeons fed what he ate without running away.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad she got home safely. Your brother-in-law has been searching through Elendale for four days. She feels better, apparently.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they wrote across the sea. You don¡¯t trust me completely anyway, do you?¡±


    It was obvious Pietro had the nerve to look into his superior¡¯s letter and then pretend to not know about it.


    But Cesare did not reprimand Pietro, who was busy feeding pigeons.


    If he had wanted to oversmart him, he¡¯d have done that sooner.


    It will be difficult to find again a loyal servant like Pietro anywhere in the South.


    Where else would he find a man who has the power of all monsters, cruelty to even make Satan cry, the ability to infiltrate shadows, and blind loyalty to his superior?


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Seeing how agitated you are, the nations across the sea must have also been quite surprised. Is your sister¡¯s neglect unexpected or your brother-in-law¡¯s attitude unexpected?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise how long you¡¯ve been so sarcastic.¡±


    Pietro didn¡¯t budge at all, despite the warning.


    He kept talking, even shamelessly shrugging.


    ¡°Who knew the obedient lady would make such a fuss? Well, if it was someone your sister¡¯s age, you never know what they¡¯d do. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s amazing? Even your brother-in-law, who is known to be stone-hearted, was moved by her.¡±


    Brother-in-law. Cesare¡¯s lip pursed as he crumpled the letter in his hand.


    To him, his brother-in-law was nothing more than a paper towel to be thrown away.


    It wasn¡¯t even slightly pleasing to watch the arrogant b*stards who stood up stiffly and insisted on making his sister happy, eventually retreating with humiliating smiles.


    But this time, it was a little different. It was not his choice to send Rudbeckia to Brittania.


    The will of his father, the Pope, was crucial. The fact alone is irritating, and the point that he had never got to see his Brother-in-law, added to the irritation. ,


    A northern paladin who was going to marry the Pope¡¯s child. Cesare didn¡¯t like him since he was a knight, but when he finished researching what kind of man he was, he was quite relieved.


    He would have no objection to the fact that this marriage was a joke.


    But what was this uncomfortable feeling?


    It wasn¡¯t just because of the fact that Rudbeckia, whom he had asked to stay quiet, broke his instructions and made such a commotion.


    His brother-in-law, whom he had never met, was already annoying. He was so annoying that it made his stomach twist.


    Cesare wanted to catch the most noble knight of the North and cut off his hand.


    The hand that would have taken Rudcbekia¡¯s little hand back home.


    ¡°If it were me, I would have broken his limbs twice, but I don¡¯t know how that would be fine for a knight like him. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    Cesare lowered his hand holding the letter and a smirk appeared on his face.


    Since when had Pietro managed to read his thoughts?


    Rudbeckia was always in his hands.


    From a very young age to now, this remained unchanged, even though now, she had moved farther across the sea.


    He believed so. Yet, at the moment, there was no way to know the cause of this sudden uneasiness in him.


    It had been a long time since he had this unpleasant feeling. The first time since that day three years ago.


    ¡°You said it right. I want to go after him right now and fulfill my duty as a reliable brother, but I can¡¯t, so I want you to go instead of me.¡±


    As if this was unexpected, Pietro, who was taking out a fist of rice from the sack, paused and looked back at him.


    The way his big black eyes grew wide was comical.


    ¡°You mean this humble fellow? Oh, holy lord. No matter what, it would be so hard for me to confront the best Paladin in the North. Besides, it¡¯s terribly cold there. What about this little civilian if the frost dragon, who woke up from his long sleep, comes at me?¡±


    ¡°Who but you can give advice to my troublesome sister on my behalf?  I¡¯m pretty worried about this. How do I know what my brother-in-law would do to my sister, when she¡¯s asleep? How can I know that he won¡¯t possibly hurt her?¡±


    Pietro no longer pretended to be tactless.


    It was because the eyes of his superior made him understand the situation.


    Go and keep an eye. Keep an eye on her. Warn her not to do nonsense, never to do anything that made him interested again.


    ¡°Can I do whatever I want?¡±


    ¡°When didn¡¯t you do as you please?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, you¡¯re unpredictable. You were never the type to be complacent with people.¡±


    ¡°When it comes to the unpredictable, that¡¯s just you. Anyway, if you live in the temple, you can avoid getting attacked  and becoming a night snack for the ice dragon. Don¡¯t make trouble.¡±


    ¡°Hoo, I¡¯ll look good pretending to be a monk.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like pretending, become the real deal instead.¡±


    ¡°Do you know that it¡¯s illegal to force that? Before that, it¡¯s blasphemy, master.¡±


    ¡°The benevolent Lord will forgive us. Stop talking nonsense and go get ready. Don¡¯t miss even a little thing, keep an eye on her.¡±


    Lastly, Cescare, who ordered in a calm tone as if he was reciting prayers, added.


    His deep blue eyes burned like a blue flame.


    ¡°Until I go there myself.¡±

 Chapter 45

    According to Sergey, Omerta¡¯s doctor, I had been sick for ten days with fever.


    I was shocked that I spent as much as ten days like that.


    I thought it would only be about three or four days!


    ¡°Your fever has reduced, but moving around is absolutely forbidden. As you know, it¡¯s best to eat well to recover quickly. Do you understand? You should eat even if you don¡¯t have an appetite. Take a light walk in between.¡±


    Since recovering was the most important task, I followed his instructions obediently.


    Ellenia had no choice but to keep her eyes on me constantly.


    It was fortunate that it was soup or porridge that didn¡¯t strain my stomach.


    Although it would not be an appetizing dish for the northern people, who usually ate biscuits with meaty stew in the morning.


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let you know if I want anything.¡±


    This sequence of questions and answers went back and forth between Ellenia and me several times a day.


    I was putting it off on the pretext of feeling sick, but I felt I had to explain why I ran away soon.


    Anyway, according to some observations, no one, including Ellenia, seemed to know the truth about it.


    Even my father-in-law, the Duke, seemed to have heard nothing from his son.


    His daughter-in-law, who was like a hot potato, ran away from home. He should be displeased, but he did not show up.


    Maybe he didn¡¯t ask because I was still sick.


    ¡°My lady, is there a dragon in Romagna?¡±


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s no such thing in the South.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Princess Ari and Leah hovered around like butterflies, chattering and picking flowers while I was walking around the garden.


    I appreciated those two coming to visit me, but I felt strange that the royal family didn¡¯t know about the truth.


    Besides, what made Lord Ivan send his sister to me after seeing everything that day?


    I thought he¡¯d be reluctant for a while.


    Haa, I wonder what everyone was doing? Popo and Griffin¡­


    No, let¡¯s not think about it. It¡¯s no use thinking about it. It¡¯s not good to make it so obvious.


    ¡°My lady, do you know how to make a wreath?¡±


    The weather was quite nice.


    It was unbelievably sunny in Elendale.


    While Lucille and other maids followed me around with cream-colored parasols, I squatted with the two children and made wreaths.


    ¡°My lady, here¡¯s the refreshment table.¡±


    Ari and Leah¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Well, refreshment tables weren¡¯t my favourite anymore.


    I used to like them a long time ago.¡­ Haa, I couldn¡¯t help it.


    What about this wreath? Should I give it to Ellenia? I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll like this, but she¡¯s been taking good care of me for the last few days, so, to thank her¡­


    So, I took a bribe-but-not-really-bribe to my sister-in-law and headed to the table with the two little girls.


    The sweet scent wafted into my nose from the wind.


    Fresh lemon cheesecake, strawberry mousse, all kinds of cookies, tarts and puddings..


    ¡°Oh! Brother, why are you here?¡± Leah, who was hopping in excitement, paused and asked blankly.


    I almost dropped the blue flower wreath that I made.


    It was not that surprising, but I was completely unprepared.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    Beside Ellenia, who calmly turned to me, stood my husband, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for what felt like a long time.


    In addition, Sir Ivan was with him.


    Why did these men always pop out of nowhere?


    ¡°Nice to meet you, too, sister. Hello, Princess. Long time no see, my lady. I¡¯m so glad to see you recovering.¡±


    Sir Ivan was as cheerful as ever. His greeting with that friendly smile felt very sincere.


    I tried to smile, but today, my facial muscles were stiff.


    Ah, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve lost my touch.¡­!


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve caused you needless worries¡­¡±


    I was trying to respond with a smile, but I felt dizzy because I was so nervous for a moment. I staggered uncontrollably, the view in front of my eyes swaying, when a strong arm grabbed my thin forearm hurriedly.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I hastily tried to get a hold of myself.


    Izek was looking down at me with strange eyes, holding my body in his arms.


    Why are you making that weird face again? So confusing¡­


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look good, call Sergey¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s really okay! It¡¯s just because I¡¯m so happy.¡±


    Oh, my acting skills. It¡¯s not completely rusty yet! And of course, my ice-cold husband immediately raised his eyes suspiciously.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I-I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t wish to see me at all. Everyone has been through so much because of me¡­¡±


    Including meeting up with the Vigilante guild. Hubby, what are you up to this time? What are you going to do with me?


    ¡°Well, this b*stard deserves to suffer. Isn¡¯t that right, Princess?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ellenia, who answered quickly, gave me a complex look. She seemed a bit worried.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do for her. I¡¯ll just give you the wreath, so please¡­


    ¡°I want to eat cake.¡± Leah whined. Ari was standing still, a little nervous.


    Sending a side-glance at Izek, I still felt stressed.


    Ellenia was probably happy, but her cousin was having a hard time. Well, this man was just that scary.


    ¡°Leah, you should be polite in someone else¡¯s house. Ah, such a tomboy¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother, you said that you ate something called politeness.¡±


    ¡°You, you damn¡­¡­.¡±


    Izek glanced back once, and suddenly flexed his arm. It wasn¡¯t long before a very familiar feeling came in.


    This jerk, you think I¡¯m just a chick, don¡¯t you?


    Be it the dragon, him, or Griffin, all of them¡­


    ¡°Your ruby is well kept.¡±


    Huh? I looked up at his face blankly, wondering what he was whispering in my ear about, and then, laughed awkwardly.


    Ah, he meant the giant jewel. The one the dragon gave me¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s chocolate pudding!¡±


    Somehow, everyone ended up seated around the refreshment table.


    It felt strange to sit comfortably with colorful five-tier dessert trays placed delicately on the table.


    More like, strange sitting with two monster-like paladins in here.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to eat too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡±


    Ellenia seemed to think they were out of place as well.


    Her thinned eyes, as if she was trying not to squint, looked hilarious.


    ¡°E-Ellen¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to give you this.¡±


    I thought I wouldn¡¯t have time to give it to her if it wasn¡¯t now, so I just shoved the wreath, I was holding, towards her.


    What the hell was I doing? Anyone could tell I was trying to flatter her! That too, with a wreath!


    My beautiful sister-in-law looked surprised, but fortunately, she didn¡¯t refuse.


    She seemed a little hesitant, but still took it. It was still a bit embarrassing. I¡¯d have to look for a chance to buy a decent present soon.


    My husband, who was watching what I was doing, smirked.


    ¡°I think it¡¯ll look good on you. Put it on your head.¡±


    ¡°¡­So irritating.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s polite to use a gift if you¡¯ve received it.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it on? I think it would look better on you than on me.¡±


    What? Of course, Ellenia would never put anything like that on her head. Because it wasn¡¯t her thing to do so. It would be worth watching if it was put on Izek¡¯s head, though.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who received it, so you should use it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting it because you seem to want it. Aren¡¯t you mad that Ruby only gave it to me?¡±


    I was starting to worry about the flow of this conversation.


    For a strange reason that I would never know, Izek only drank the tea in front of him instead of responding to his sister¡¯s taunt.


    Then, he covered his mouth with his hand and frowned.


    I was nervous. Why did I do this without thinking?


    This b*stard seemed to have become mad after judging that I was not showing my fan-behaviour properly.


    Even though he was a mean guy, who wouldn¡¯t accept anything even if I made it for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make yours next time. I didn¡¯t expect to see you today. Besides, I assume you don¡¯t like flowers.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­I love them,¡± mumbled Izek.


    (T/N: he said this in a muffled voice, I didn¡¯t know how to tl it, so just imagine xD)


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­Cough! It¡¯s not that I hate it.¡±


    What are you talking about?


    I guessed that his brain had temporarily stopped working because of his rapidly rising blood sugar.


    Alright, next time, I¡¯d make sure to put a cute wreath on his head.


    ¡°Hmm, the tea Princess chose has a different flavor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s overrated.¡±


    Ignoring the tea in front of him, Sir Ivan, who gulped down the cocoa made for the children and let out slurping noises with his mouth.


    Nevertheless, our Ellenia acted gracefully as usual.


    I was the only one who couldn¡¯t get used to this atmosphere.


    ¡°It looks like a dragon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but the real dragon doesn¡¯t have horns.¡±


    The sounds of Leah and Ari, who didn¡¯t know anything, peering at the cookies and whispering were very helpful.


    The dragon did look similar to the one I met.¡­.


    At that moment, Izek, who seemed to be barely biting into anything, spoke up, ¡°Here.¡±


    I stared at the giant pudding pushed in front of me.


    Chocolate pudding topped with cream, beautifully decorated with colorful sugar confectionery.


    Was this him telling me to suffer along with him?


    Leah left the cookie and stretched her arms to the pudding plate, her mouth slightly open.


    She was clearly aiming for this colorful chocolate pudding for a while.


    ¡°Chocolate¡­¡±


    ¡°Leah, you want some? I can have another pudding.¡±


    ¡°But then¡­.¡±


    Leah¡¯s eyes twinkled prettily, as if she had been waiting, but trailed off at the end, averting her gaze for some reason.


    Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡­

 Chapter 46

    ¡ª


    ¡°I gave that to you.¡±


    There was a moment of silence. My husband, leaking the dark aura of Satan¡¯s incarnation came into my blank view.


    ¡°Hey, you son of a b*tch, why are you looking at my sister like that? Why are you trying to get into a fight with me?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for Sir Ivan to get angry and act like this.


    I genuinely wondered if the cocoa from before had something in it.


    ¡°It is one of the seven sins to covet others¡¯ belongings.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? This b*stard, trying to act pure all of a sudden¡­ What¡¯s wrong with having some pudding? Ah, so cheap. Leah, just eat something else!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t mind eating something else.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Leah nodded her head and pulled the strawberry pudding plate.


    Ari, who was staring at her cousin with a blank face, also pretended to go back to eating.


    No, I¡¯d never heard of this sin. I didn¡¯t want to eat this!


    ¡°Come on, eat.¡±


    Ellenia, who became as dumbfounded as I was, sighed.


    Therefore, I, who was caught up in the awkward mood, scooped up the giant chocolate pudding and put it in my mouth.


    A sweet lingering taste spread throughout my mouth.


    Ha, it¡¯s really delicious.


    I couldn¡¯t help the habitual reluctance, but it¡¯d been a while since I tasted something so delicious.


    ¡°Is everything alright now?¡±


    ¡°It seems like the temple wants to catch the ice dragon and put him in the gladiatorial match.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s still a young dragon, Princess. We can deal with it, but it¡¯s a common opinion to let him go for now and watch.¡±


    I listened carefully to the conversation between the two Paladins and Ellenia.


    The dragon was still a kid.


    But a gladiatorial match? What kind of trap is that for an endangered species that¡¯d been around for decades?


    ¡°The trainees have dried up searching, so if the dragon has some awareness, he should be fine.¡± Izek, who muttered sarcastically, suddenly glanced sideways at me. Why me?


    Ellenia, who knew nothing, looked tense.


    ¡°It¡¯s fair to say, but the more active dragons are, the more monsters there are.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. The amount of monsters killed is about as good as the number of dragons killed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried that ambitious youngsters will go out for a fight to become a dragon slayer. We¡¯d only be struggling to find their bodies later, won¡¯t we?¡±


    It makes sense, but look who¡¯s talking. Who were the ones who had a scuffle with me in front of an angry dragon?


    ¡°My lady, do you like dragons?¡±


    ¡°¡­ahahaha. Well, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Dragons are cute.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re cute. Pitiful, but cute.¡±


    Ari and Leah seem to imagine that dragons look like those cookies. Or the clumsy pretending-to-be-dumb creatures in fairy tales.


    ¡°But are you still not going to use the wreath?¡±


    ¡°Why, you want to try it on?¡±


    ¡°If the day comes when Iz wears a wreath on his head, I will lie down on all fours at the front gate of the temple and bark like a dog.¡±


    In a weirdly peaceful atmosphere, I finished eating the chocolate pudding, scraping every last bit.


    It was in the spirit of being prepared for whatever storm that might come in the future, after having done things I had never done before.


    After the refreshment time, Leah returned with Sir Ivan, and Princess Ari also returned to the royal palace. And I¡­


    ¡°Is it okay to move around like that?¡±


    ¡°Sergey told me to walk more than half an hour every day¡­ I couldn¡¯t walk properly earlier.¡±


    I had a walk with the monster alone.


    Why did I feel like a chick being dragged to a slaughterhouse, even though it was just a walk in the yard? Of course, I knew that my husband had a problem to talk about separately.


    Whether it was about the monsters and me, how to dispose of me, or the case of Freya¡¯s poisoning, which got buried in my escapade¡¯s disturbance..


    ¡°He¡¯s a quack.¡±


    I see. Mr. Sergey was a quack. Why the hell did his family have a quack doctor, then?


    A stormy silence hung between us as we walked through the garden, which appeared more like a wild forest than a garden.


    Sweat slid down from the palm of my hand, which was held tight by him.


    I wanted him to interrogate me or something. This delay was suffocating.¡­.


    ¡°About your runaway friends.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Was that the first time you met them?¡±


    Runaway friends. I cleared my dry throat and thought for a moment.


    I did meet Griffin for the first time then, but it wasn¡¯t the same for Popo.


    To explain my first meeting with Popo, I¡¯d have to bring up the horse riding incident..


    Gosh, why was he asking this question from the start? He was too good at torturing people.


    Izek, who was looking at me with a slight frown, tilted his head a little. His silver hair looked blond in the sun.


    ¡°From the look on your face, I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    It was a cheat to be so tactful at times like this. I had no choice but to be frank. The rest is up to fate.


    ¡°I first met Griffin there.¡±


    ¡°What about Popori?¡±


    Popo¡¯s name was Popori? It fit perfectly.


    ¡°At the horse riding party. I was riding a horse on a forest road and got dragged into some kind of vine. When I came to my senses, I realized that Popori..¡±


    So, I stuttered and talked about my first meeting with Popo.


    I also explained how I ended up running away from home.


    I went to the temple to visit them, and was in bad condition, so I went out to walk around for a while and met Popo. Then, I lost consciousness.


    Izek didn¡¯t say a word until I finished talking.


    He looked expressionless and said nothing, which made me feel more anxious.


    I feel uneasy about my hand, which was held tightly by his hand, like a pot-lid. I felt as if he was about to crush it in one go¡­


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did anything else happen? Did you run into someone near the temple?¡±


    What kind of trap was this?


    Of course, I didn¡¯t run into anyone. I overheard the terrible conversation between Lorenzo and Andymion in the middle, so I guessed that it counted. Why was he asking me this question?


    Sensing my curious eyes, Izek squinted and uttered a strange sound.


    ¡°Now that I see, you didn¡¯t run away, but got kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was kidnapping¡­¡±


    ¡°My trainee told me something strange.¡±


    ¡°Strange?¡±


    What did Andymion talk about? Did he see me back then? Did he catch sight of me before I hid behind the pillar?


    Lorenzo was obviously a stranger to me¡­


    ¡°What did Lorenzo sing to you?¡±


    Hubby, what kind of unexpected question is this? Isn¡¯t that already over?


    The story of his song was not a welcome topic for me either. Even if people don¡¯t believe it at all, if they keep talking and remind others, they¡¯ll naturally care.


    It was even worse if Izek started to care about those rumors about me.


    Even if it was just about my ex-fiances¡­ Lorenzo is Freya¡¯s brother, and it might seem like I was trying to drive a wedge between them.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s done. You don¡¯t have to say it if you don¡¯t want to,¡± He muttered while letting go of my hand and sat on a nearby rock.


    Then, he looked at the distant mountain with a thoughtful face. I waited for a long time, but there was no sign of another question.


    Is that it? Hey, hey, hey. Isn¡¯t it good to finish the interrogation at once? They said to strike the iron while it¡¯s hot. It¡¯s better for it to be beaten when it¡¯s hot.


    As I was nervously looking at him in silence, my eyes were drawn to his prominent thighs.


    It was hard to understand why that reminded me of our first night. I was too¨C


    ¡°H-How is Lady Furiana?¡±


    As soon as I started to talk about her, my husband looked back at me right away.


    Why did he look so tired all of a sudden? I was the one having a hard time!


    Suddenly, I remembered what he said to me in the frost forest. At that time Izek said he was sorry to me.


    He was out of his mind, but he certainly said so.


    ¡°Drinking some magic stone solution won¡¯t kill the Northerners.¡±


    I see. That was the spirit of the great Northerners. Well, after all that fuss¡­


    ¡°You haven¡¯t caught him yet?¡±


    ¡°There are no specific clues, so we¡¯re slow. Well, that¡¯s the government¡¯s problem, not yours.¡±


    Was he being serious? His sharp tone, cutting the conversation short, was somewhat unfamiliar.


    Were all the speculations related to me just being buried like that?


    ¡°More than that, there¡¯s something I need to know for sure right now¡­.¡±


    The tension came back and I gulped, waiting for the question.


    ¡°Tell me all the beings you met in the frost forest.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±

 Chapter 48

    Duke Omerta finally opened his mouth. With a complex look trying not to lose his dignity and claiming to be stunned my father-in-law said,  ¡°It won¡¯t be long before he dies.¡±


    He was hinting that if he did something people didn¡¯t like, he¡¯d die.


    What a nice way to speak about one¡¯s son.


    ¡°Ellen, did you join in?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just as stunned as you.¡±


    The father and daughter, who exchanged gazes, now looked at me.


    Ah, no, why are you looking at me? I have no idea what this is at all! I¡¯ve never even dreamed of this!


    ¡°A greenhouse in the courtyard is clearly a Southern-styled garden.¡±


    My father-in-law was right. Though glass greenhouses could also be built with the northern climate.


    But I¡¯d never meant for Izek to make one here! I just explained it to him because he asked!


    Whether or not they looked at it my way, the diligent workers who were instructed by the Strongest Northern Personality Destroyer only focused on their work with mysterious equipment.


    Every time the land was divided, the gnomes that jumped out screaming and squeaking were thrown straight into a bucket of holy water.


    This was just like treatment of moles.


    ¡°Well, this change is not bad because it used to be completely desolate before.¡±


    Thank you, Ellen. As expected of you¡­


    ¡°She won¡¯t run away from home with something familiar nearby.¡±


    ¡°It makes sense, but all of this was once¡­¡± Her father looked bitter for some reason.


    Elenia soon pursed her mouth, but did not reply. Were they talking about her late mother?


    ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t like it that much, you can just tell him to stop.¡±


    ¡°When did he ever listen to me? He¡¯ll get angry and grab his own father by the collar.¡±


    My tongue-tied father-in-law turned to me again. It seemed that he didn¡¯t like it. He probably thought I was starting to manipulate his son.


    Well, he¡¯d be in trouble if Izek fell in love with me from the duke¡¯s point of view.


    He had the plan to make Izek divorce me one day and arrange a more fruitful marriage¡­


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you. I won¡¯t let this happen again.¡±


    When I smiled with an oblivious face, he stared at me for a moment, and soon,  coughed in vain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the most important issue has been resolved yet, but I¡¯ll look into it sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    You don¡¯t have to remind me of everything that happened on the first night. I¡¯m in a hurry too. I need to get moving quickly, but don¡¯t you need to see the sky to catch sight of the stars?


    Besides, I was worried that this mysterious husband would become more reluctant to do such a thing with me because he doubted my identity.


    * * *


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am. My name is Ronja.¡±


    The maid with her brown hair tied in pigtails looked down politely. I guessed she was about sixteen years old?


    ¡°This child was recommended by a relative. She¡¯s still young, but good with her hands, so she¡¯ll be of help.¡±


    I see. If that was true, then Freya wouldn¡¯t have recognized her like before. I felt relieved.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Thank you very much, Ellen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something I should have done earlier. I¡¯m rather ashamed of myself for being late. I tried to find someone more experienced, but my brother and I agreed that a younger child would be better. It¡¯s hard to move on right now, but we¡¯re going to increase the trust level, step by step.¡±


    Whether she was an experienced maid or a young maid, I liked her.


    Finally, I had an exclusive maid who could make me feel safe and comfortable!


    Now, I didn¡¯t have to bribe Lucille anymore! There would be no trouble with the mean servants!


    Seemed like the sun was going to rise from the west.


    A glass greenhouse was being made too. Why such unexpected good news, all of a sudden? It was nice, but a bit hard to adjust.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡±


    ¡°I will serve you with all my heart. I¡¯ll work hard on anything.¡±


    As she greeted with a smile, Ronja blushed slightly and repeatedly bowed her head.


    Her big friendly brown eyes were clear.


    A shy but brave child. She was just the kind of kid I wanted. I hoped her first impression stayed the same.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be busy as soon as you get here. That would make it easier for you to adjust.¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss.¡±


    Huh? Busy as soon as you get here?


    Ellenia calmly explained to me, who looked curious.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hold a banquet. Before I get busier preparing for the festival.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but what kind of banquet..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a feast. Ruby is the guest of honor, so you have to work extra hard on your decorations.¡±


    A moment of silence lingered. I probably just misheard something.


    ¡°I¡¯m the guest of honor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What kind¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the guest of honor because this is a feast for Ruby,¡± Ellenia said with no change in her expressionless face.


    I was even more confused.


    A banquet for me? My birthday was still far away and I didn¡¯t do anything special. Was this a birthday party for the wife who ran away from home?


    Ellenia, who had no idea how my mind was in chaos, finally wedged in, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to feel pressured. The host is my brother anyway, so if something goes wrong, he will be criticized.¡±


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll still be the same.


    Why was he suddenly making up such situations? What the hell was he up to? What kind of conspiracy was he plotting this time?


    So far, I¡¯d only attended three social gatherings in Elendale.


    A wedding banquet for the king and his wife, a riding party, and a birthday banquet for Izek.


    I was only attending them as a guest, and only one of them could be counted as ¡®fine¡¯ among all three tough times.


    And now, there¡¯s a banquet where I become the main character.


    Of course, it would be nice if it was an introduction party to strengthen my position as a benefactor of the Omerta family and ask the northern natives to take good care of me in the future, but Izek was not the type to do that.


    Besides, we hadn¡¯t even had our first night yet. There would still be a lot of people who would blame me  for Freya¡¯s situation.


    I was sure he was bothering me because of the running away incident, but at this point, just what the hell was he up to?


    Don¡¯t tell me it was like I thought.


    To do as he said in exchange for my future.


    What if he¡¯d ask me to act as a secret weapon to fight,  as a promise to take care of my safety?


    No, it didn¡¯t really look like that back then. He told me that I shouldn¡¯t come back into contact with the monsters.¡­.


    Agh, it¡¯s hard. Too tough. I never thought I¡¯d meet a more difficult man in my life than Cesare.

 Chapter 49

    For now, I decided to put aside the suspicions, reply to Cesare¡¯s letter, which was postponed due to the running away disturbance, and go to the temple to meet the archbishop.


    The contents of Cesaren¡¯s letter were as dry and to the point as usual.


    The Romangnan border turmoil and the Limini march had been successfully concluded, and the family was doing well and often thought of me.


    As usual, writing back was quite a difficult task.


    He was a man who wouldn¡¯t look twice at a letter, even if you wrote briefly.


    I was sure he heard the whole story of my runaway incident. I also thought he would have liked it because he wouldn¡¯t want me to be doing very well here.


    Anyway, I roughly skipped that part and poured out all kinds of flattery and insincere words, including that I wanted to see him as we had a lot to talk about.


    This was just my fate. I really hope he didn¡¯t actually come.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you recover safely.¡±


    When I arrived at the temple, the archbishop welcomed me with an ¡®emotional¡¯ expression.


    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have been moved.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how worried everyone was. All we could do is pray, so we fasted and prayed all night long during your disappearance. Fortunately, the Lord have heard the earnest cries of humble servants.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, I¡¯m back safely.¡±


    I was the one who knew better than anyone what a hunger strike was, but I just decided not to think about it. Well, it might be different here.


    Light sunlight penetrated the stained glass ceiling.


    The interior of the temple, which was like a dark labyrinth because of the nice weather, also felt soothing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll take it, but I¡¯ve heard about Lady Rudbeckia¡¯s vulgar assumptions which have been circulating in the capital. I¡¯m ashamed that you must have had a hard time because of that.¡±


    The Archbishop also seemed to think that this was the cause of my neglect.


    Well, in the eyes of others, I guess it does seem so. Thank you for the misunderstanding.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I don¡¯t care anymore. Above all, I¡¯m just glad Lady Furiana is safe.¡±


    ¡°You are the angel of Sistine. You can¡¯t compare to her.¡± The archbishop, whose purple eyes shone under the torchlight, looked so reverent.


    Did this man really have nothing to do with the attempt of poisoning Freya?


    Even though she was a cherished niece, there were many people who could pretend to care and regard them as faithful family members.


    It would be nice if this archbishop was just an ambitious ordinary priest, but I had no way of knowing. Not only the archbishop but also the countless priests and monks of this temple, with Cesare¡¯s spy network hidden in them.


    Unless they approached me first¡­


    This was also proof that Cesare was watching me closely.


    It was funny though. He was so obsessed with me, and yet, no trust in me. Obsessed to the point that he wouldn¡¯t allow a little trust.


    If I tried to get in and out of the temple like Rudbeckia in the original book, it would cause misunderstanding between my husband and others. If Cesare comes, I¡¯d have to figure out something.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that Satan¡¯s servant has re-emerged in this situation.¡±


    Satan¡¯s servant. He was talking about my dragon cub.


    ¡°Ah¡­ it seemed like everyone was nervous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a punishment for the North, which is losing the true mindset of believers. I just hope the festival comes soon. If Cardinal Valentino comes, we¡¯ll feel more secure than anything else.¡±


    Yes, if Cesare, the eldest son of the Pope, comes, only the temple will rejoice. I would definitely die, though.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see him too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried for you. If he knew how much his lovely sister has been through, he would want to see you.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly tough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you to say. But you¡¯re not the one to be treated so lightly. It would be natural for His Grace to be scolded by the Cardinal.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem to be worried about what Cesare would do, but hoping he would do something.


    Scolding, haha, is it possible for Cesare to scold Izek?


    Rather, I was already worried that the two of them would have a fight. They were the only ones who could trap me between them.


    ¡°But the reason you invited me at that time¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. I just wanted to give you some comfort because you might be surprised and confused due to the situation. I didn¡¯t know who did it, but he will surely not escape the punishment of the Lord.¡±


    I really hoped so. I wished the same came from Lorenzo¡¯s mouth.


    What did he say he¡¯d do next time he saw me?


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to have the Archbishop¡¯s kindness. Thank you for taking care of me. I¡¯m not good at expressing myself, but I think I can rely on you.¡±


    ¡°As a servant, loyal to the Holy Father, it is natural. Please feel free to visit us. I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you.¡±


    Just in time, ding-dong-ding. The sound of the afternoon bell echoed.


    ¡°Time flies. Would you like to join me for lunch?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have a prior engagement with my husband.¡±


    It was not a prior engagement, more like a torture session under the guise of a meal. The Archbishop¡¯s reaction was a little strange, as he smiled, ¡°Your husband¡­¡±


    At first glance, confusion flashed across the archbishop¡¯s face, faintly omitting the rest of his words.


    What was that look? What was so surprising?


    ¡°¡­I see. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re getting closer day by day.¡±


    It sounded as sweet as it was before, but somehow, my mouth ran dry.


    That was weird. Did he expect this incident to make my relationship with my husband worse? It would not have been such a dismal response if he had vaguely guessed. I didn¡¯t want to turn him..


    Damn, I¡¯m trying to think of him as innocent, but I can¡¯t if he keeps doing this.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Rudbeckia!¡±


    I was seen off by the archbishop, a gloomy atmosphere covering me as I walked past the hallway to the entrance. A familiar trainee appeared and shouted brightly.


    What else was left?


    ¡°Sir Andymion.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Archbishop. It¡¯s a lovely day.¡±


    Andymion, who greeted us with a wistful smile, looked as calm as Sir Ivan. I thought he would mind me a little after the frost forest incident, but I didn¡¯t know why everyone looked so carefree.


    I thought they were doing something on purpose.


    Andymion said, while I was wondering how to greet him properly, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well recovered, my lady. I¡¯ll see you often again in the training area now, hopefully.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡­ Thank you. But what brings you here?¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lord Izek has ordered me to bring you. You are to have lunch with him, I believe?¡±


    I see, but how did Izek know I was here? Who¡¯d he hear that from? Was he watching me?


    Andymion¡¯s glistening golden eyes looked so innocent.


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine the harsh tone in the conversation he had with Lorenzo the other day.


    ¡°Lord Izek must immensely care about you.¡±


    These words were thrown by the Archbishop, who was silently watching Andymion for a while, with a meaningful smile.


    Whatever you¡¯re imagining, it¡¯s a big misunderstanding, Archbishop.


    There were other escorts, but he was mistaken since Izek sent his trainee instead.


    A paladin¡¯s trainee was a valuable assistant in an emergency, even as an apprentice.


    They could not be compared to ordinary trainees or escort knights.


    Usually, their relationship was quite relaxed, so it was very rare to send trainees for small tasks like picking up someone nearby.


    I was sure he was trying to keep an eye on me, that cold-blooded husband of mine¡­

 Chapter 50

    ¡ª


    Roasted venison marinated with all kinds of precious spices, pickled deer meat, stuffed and roasted goose, cabbage and boiled lamb, fried cod, fish pie, round bread stuffed with minced meat, and yak milk.¡­.


    ¡°Why is there yak milk but no yak meat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡­what kind of a carnivore are you? How can you look for more meat after eating all that meat?


    The sky was so clear.


    Lake Girello glittered in the golden sun, with the winds blowing gently, carrying along the scent of the forest, sparkling green leaves, and tall beautiful grass waving in the wind.


    And I felt suffocated by the smell of the meat mountain on the table.


    Outdoor meals were usually cooked in the mansion and served by servants.


    It was like the Paladins¡¯ custom to not move back and forth while eating their meals.


    Of course, that couldn¡¯t always be done, but sometimes they ate at a restaurant, and it was common for them to skip meals if they were busy.


    Sometimes, people filled their stomachs in any cheap pub nearby, but they didn¡¯t seem like nobles.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your tongue? Get a chef if you¡¯re that desperate.¡±


    ¡°I get it, stop babbling and eat already.¡±


    How could those people possibly eat in a cheap pub? I¡¯d rather starve.


    The long simple table was divided into two sections.


    Some people knew my secret and some didn¡¯t, but they didn¡¯t seem to care much about me.


    Andymion was not seen, probably eating separately from other trainees.


    It felt like a poor prey surrounded by a group of wild wolves.


    The poor prey being me. Haha.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have an appetite again.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°The Archbishop must have given you something delicious.¡±


    Are you being sarcastic? What the hell do you think I am, a person who eats everything someone gives me?


    ¡°Being a picky eater is not good.¡±


    I thought he was being sarcastic about my visit to the Archbishop alone, but he remembered what I did the other day and judged me as a picky eater.


    I was too shocked back then, you son of a b*tch!


    I sipped my yak milk and glanced at my husband across from me. It was very intimidating to see what he had been doing all morning.


    He looked like he had just slayed a dragon. But he was the main character and his beauty shone through. Oh my lord.


    Perhaps because he sensed my gaze, Izek stopped mercilessly slaughtering the roast goose and looked at me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cool¡­ Actually, Ellen told me about the banquet.¡±


    I wanted to ask him what he was up to, but I couldn¡¯t, so I added with a smile.


    ¡°If I knew more about what kind of banquet it is, I¡¯ll help you with something¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a banquet. A feast. What would you help with?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s reasonable. But you know what? Who wouldn¡¯t think it was strange that you, no one else, but you, would throw a banquet out of the blue?


    Please, it shouldn¡¯t be a conspiracy to use me as a secret weapon.


    Ahh, I don¡¯t know.


    Since this is happening, I¡¯d rather take the opportunity to organize a conspiracy to gain his favour.


    Yes, dressing up as sexily as I could and seducing him¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think that was quite right.


    Trying to hide my dirty thoughts, I tried to munch on the pie filled with fish flesh.


    Apparently the other paladins had almost finished all that food.


    Izek seemed to eat a bit slowly, but he was at the same speed as lightning compared to me.


    They must be monsters indeed. Well, it was not too bad to rush since they could be called out during the meal. A true noble¡¯s ways.


    ¡°By the way, the numbers have dropped dramatically these days. I wish it were like this every day, except for the damn scraps¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the ice dragon. That¡¯s why everyone is hiding and taking care of themselves. They¡¯re going to pour out again.¡±


    Ugh. Whenever I heard about the dragon, I felt guilty.


    As he glanced around, Izek seemed distracted by the deer meat.


    Are you an animal?


    ¡°We should be like this until the end of the festival season. Hey Izek, are you going to attend this gladiatorial match?¡±


    I knew I would. Because I did it in the original. And the flower of glory¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me while I¡¯m eating.¡±


    ¡°What? I only asked once.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to win this year, do you? You don¡¯t want to be embarrassed in front of your wife, do you? Tsk, tsk, you ugly b*stard.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all luck that he won the match in the past. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Why were they blowing off my husband¡¯s temper lid again? Ah, bloody, too bloody.


    ¡°I mean, honestly, isn¡¯t that all trash? What kind of joke¡­.¡±


    ¡°I heard Cardinal Valentino is coming to this festival.¡±


    Silence fell in an instant when someone said something.


    The Paladin, who was wearing an eye patch, was the one who actually spoke in a strange and awkward silence, acting like someone had poured cold water on him. He was puzzled about the sudden silence.


    ¡°What, you guys didn¡¯t know? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re stupid. Right, my lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he will attend.¡± I was sweating as I tried to answer casually.


    I really didn¡¯t want to talk about my brother in front of my husband.


    Why was everyone looking for Cesare today? I didn¡¯t like it.


    When Lorenzo sang such a song to me from the beginning, there was no way that they wouldn¡¯t know about such a scandal of us siblings.


    Even Izek would have heard of it at least once. Believe it or not. So, it bothered me more. I already had a bad reputation¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Please tell him to scold this son of a b*tch who thinks he¡¯s the only good one.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, but my husband is really good.¡±


    There was a different kind of silence than before. Someone¡¯s choking sounds faintly echoed.


    Tsk tsk. This was why you shouldn¡¯t talk about Cesare.


    I could feel Izek staring at me, and so, I grinned, not forgetting my role as his fan.


    What should I do? I pushed a piece of lamb mixed with cabbage into my mouth and mashed it with my teeth.


    Let¡¯s pretend to eat well. Ha, I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach.


    ¡°How do you like the new maid?¡±


    The lamb that I was chewing fell down my throat.


    As I slowly opened my eyes, I could see Izek¡¯s face, which was insensitivity itself.


    ¡°Yes, I love her. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s more useful than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Her hands are fast and she¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you need? Anything you want.¡±


    What was this question? A trap?


    I hesitated for a moment, then decided to just follow my role. My eyes widened and I supported my chin with both hands.


    ¡°You.¡±


    Wind blew past.


    Everyone at the table, including Izek, stared at me with a blank face. I gently lowered my hand and gulped down the remaining half of my yak milk.


    Geh, I think that was a little too much. I didn¡¯t know why I did that.¡­.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m off to work overtime.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I enjoyed the meal.¡±


    ¡°Then, next time, my lady..¡±


    The Paladins, who left with their gauntlets, looked angry for some reason.


    That left me alone with my cold husband. Save me!


    ¡°That seems to suit your taste the best.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you drink this, too?¡±


    I just drank it out of embarrassment.


    With tears in my eyes, I chugged his yak milk. The froth was killing me.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s still hard to adapt to northern cuisine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m a picky eater.¡­.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush too much.¡±


    Izek snapped his fingers. Soon after, the waiters who were waiting nearby, approached, cleaned up the dishes and leftovers, and brought dessert trays.


    Chocolate mousse cake, chocolate macaron, chocolate cookies and giant chocolate cream pudding¡­¡­why were they all full of chocolate?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you liked chocolate.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat anything but sacred chocolate.¡±


    Sacred chocolate. What kind of Hershey¡¯s chocolate was that?


    ¡°What does sacred chocolate taste like?¡±


    ¡°It tastes like mashed potatoes.¡±


    ¡°Do you like mashed potatoes?¡±


    ¡°In the middle of winter, we store it for a whole week. It¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    I asked him just to tease, but he was unexpectedly good-natured. What was wrong with him? I couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    I took a big bite of the chocolate pudding.


    My stomach might be in pain, but I had to pretend to eat. Izek was watching me sipping tea, while I pushed the pudding into my mouth little by little.


    His red eyes were almost a light pink because of the sun.


    Why weren¡¯t they prying for anything anymore? For example, what did I do with the monsters after running away from home, had I met with anyone, had I really not known about my condition, etc.


    And about what I talked with the Archbishop earlier, about Cesare coming.


    I thought there would be a lot of questions to ask, but he didn¡¯t ask anything until now.


    ¡°The weather is so nice these days. I thought it was going to be chilly all the time.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Everything is random here.¡±


    Aha, is that so? But why do you look upset?


    ¡°B-By the way. That night, we.. No, we couldn¡¯t¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°First get well, and then we¡¯ll talk.¡±


    He said haughtily, giving me a good scolding.


    Was that the only excuse he had?


    ¡°But I¡¯m all better now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too much! I can literally fly around, do you want to see¡­¡±


    Clank.


    I was just trying to prove how robust I was.


    But maybe because I was a little too excited, I put down the spoon and jumped up. The table vibrated, the glass that Izek had just put down overflowed.


    Alcohol splashed on the back of his hand.


    ¡ª


    T/N: 50 CHAPsssss LEZZZGOOO  <3

 Chapter 51

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    This is a disaster! Oh my god! Save me! My first night!


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just alcohol.¡± He answered back, saying it was not a big deal, took out a handkerchief and wiped the wet back of his hand.


    His tone was so monotonous that I was staring blankly, but my eyeballs almost popped out.


    What? Wasn¡¯t this the handkerchief I¡¯d given him?


    No matter how hard I looked at it, this was definitely that handkerchief. The one with the sunflower, that I worked hard to make for his birthday!


    Originally, I was going to embroider Rudbeckias, but I thought I would be rejected, so I decided to stitch sunflowers to show my loyalty.¡­.


    Hoooooo?


    ¡°I¡¯m going to¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Eat.¡±


    Yes.


    I quickly sat back and concentrated on the pudding.


    I thought it would be a relief if he didn¡¯t throw it away in a corner, but it was very surprising to see him carry it around. He was such a surprising fellow.


    ***


    ¡°Your hair is really pretty. It looks like a golden spider web.¡±


    While I soaked myself in a bathtub with all kinds of petals and medicinal herbs, including fragrance oil, and dried my wet hair, brushing it with a comb, Ronja spoke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re babbling all the time. And what do you mean by spider web?¡±


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t what I said. It sounded like Lucille, who was combing my hair together.


    After Ronja came, Lucille was always on watch as if she were dealing with her competitor, maintaining an unkind attitude towards her.


    She was anxious, thinking she¡¯d lose the chance to get jewelry from me.


    ¡°I meant it as a compliment. I¡¯m sure you understood my true feelings.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are to speak your heart out? So funny.¡±


    Of course, Ronja didn¡¯t just take her nonsense.


    After a few days of watching, unlike her shy first impression, she was quite brave and confident.


    She showed no sign of intimidation from other maids who had worked here for years. In addition, her hands were amazing..


    I wanted to say something, but it¡¯s hard to move my mouth because of the mud pack stuck to my face.


    Now that the day of the banquet in question came near, I was suffering from prior banquet arrangements, compared to when I had groaned to myself on my husband¡¯s birthday.


    After drying my hair, I washed the mud pack on my face, rinsed my face again with some clean water, clipped my hair back, put on makeup, wore a dress for a banquet, and clasped all the accessories.


    Romagna had a heavier dressing style, but it¡¯d been a long time since I¡¯d dressed this well, so my eyes were twitching.


    Damn it, you¡¯re a lady, act like one.


    This was no different from my past life.


    Whenever I went to all the high-class social gatherings, including charity parties, experts helped me dress up. It¡¯d been a very familiar procedure since I was a teenager.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, my lady.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what the hell was going on with my husband.


    I am afraid that there may be a terrible conspiracy that I had not thought of.


    It was like he was going to make me look pretty and take me to the amusement park before dumping.¡­ No, no, no! Let¡¯s not have bad delusions. It hadn¡¯t even happened yet.


    Yes, there¡¯s no need to waste energy shivering with anxiety. Let¡¯s think about it after we¡¯ve come to despair.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, my lady. You look like a summer flower.¡±


    Ronja¡¯s cheeks grew red as she praised her.


    I knew Rudbeckia was very beautiful, and everyone knew that.


    Cesare didn¡¯t touch my face¡­ It would have been better if I hadn¡¯t known beautiful people in my present and past life, but ultimately, they were all just empty shells.


    No matter how ugly and rotten I was inside, I appeared like a beautiful and lovely Southern woman in the mirror.


    My wavy blonde hair had milky pearl decorations, and my makeup made my complexion more lively.


    The pink satin dress with wide lace sleeves was¡­


    Well, should I have chosen another dress? After wearing it, I looked like a kid.


    Something more fashionable, provocative red, elegant purple or something seductive.¡­.


    ¡°Do you like it, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you all.¡±


    Haa, that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t have time to pick out other clothes, and I¡¯ll only get ridiculed if I wear them.


    And if Izek was the kind of person to fall for that, he would have been in love with me before he married me.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re all set.¡±


    When I took a short break, sipping the tea that Ronja brought, Ellenia appeared.


    As soon as my beautiful sister-in-law appeared, I was ashamed of the praise I had just heard.


    I¡¯m sorry, but no one dares to compare to Ellenia!


    Ellenia, with a delicate silver dress and a simple platinum tiara, was literally like a winter goddess. She was the ice princess of the North.


    ¡°Wow, Ellen, you look so beautiful today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ruby looks lovely, too.¡±


    I wish. Hoho.


    Behind Ellenia, who answered with her eyes slightly lowered, was the head maid.


    Her brown eyes glancing at me, showed disapproval.


    You still don¡¯t like me, do you? I hate you, too.


    ¡°Is there anything you need?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Ronja and Lucille were very enthusiastic. I¡¯d never felt this pampered before.


    Haha. Damn it.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go to the banquet hall first. If there¡¯s anything wrong, you can tell anyone.¡±


    Yes, yes. I nodded hard, and Ellenia left.


    The head maid, who followed politely, looked more displeased than before.


    Do you think I¡¯m pretending to be vulnerable and pathetic  in front of Ellenia, even though I¡¯m a fox? Yeah, I¡¯m a fox. What will you do?


    After talking about my anorexia and experience, Ellenia was treating me a little better than before.


    I was nervous about how long this would last, but it was good.


    And I envied Freya. Because she was Ellenia¡¯s best friend. Heh, she had it all.


    Wait, but¡­¡­.


    How would I get to the banquet hall? Should I just go by myself? Or do I wait for someone?


    Although life here wasn¡¯t much different from Romagna, I was confused because I got too used to being escorted.


    Until recently, it was easy to take a bath alone.


    ¡°My lady, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡±


    A polite knock on the door made me feel relieved. Of course, that was only for a short time.


    I was walking without hesitation under the escort of a silent and businesslike escort in the endless corridor, feeling suspicions rise in me. It must have been because so many people here had suffered because of me.


    Where were we going? Don¡¯t tell me he was pulling me into the wrong place and locking me up like.¡­.


    ¡°Your Gracr.¡±


    Yes?


    At the end of the long passage leading to the western annex, a man was sitting by the window and fixing his gauntlet.


    The reason why he looked so strange at the moment was because I rarely saw him wearing anything other than that black armor. That was not the only problem.


    ¡°Are you here?¡±


    Hey, why are you so naked? What character from Assassin¡¯s Creed are you?


    The clothes Izek was wearing, the design seemed to re-create something like that of a Middle Eastern assassin.


    Does that make sense in this cold area, a hooded top that covered only the forearm and chest? His abdomen was showing!


    I almost misunderstood him as a handsome assassin when he took off his hood.


    At least the pants were fine, but they were also a foreign type.


    What the hell is this? Are you sure you¡¯re a paladin? Are you an ascetic? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too unfair for an ascetic who looks like you to walk around naked like this?


    While I was staring at him in a daze, Izek raised his head and stared at me.


    I¡¯m the one who¡¯s freaking out, why are your eyes wide? You don¡¯t like something? Do I look tacky? I don¡¯t know anymore.


    ¡°Wow, you look amazing today.¡±


    I clapped my hands, eyes sparkling like a passionate fan, and my husband immediately understood I was buttering him up.


    ¡°I¡¯m back in the nick of time because of a classified mission. I didn¡¯t have time to change.¡±


    What? Confidential mission? Do you even do that? I thought you were just killed the dead. What kind of assassination is that? How surprising. Is it okay for a paladin to do that?


    ¡°Then, are those clothes for duty?¡±


    ¡°Roughly, yes, the armor stands out too much. It¡¯s time to change them.¡±


    It was obviously noticeable. Wearing such a Middle East assassin-like outfit in a world centered on Catholicism.


    Who designed this? I didn¡¯t know who it was, but it must be a pervert who liked to have a good view of knights¡¯ bodies. Look at all those abs showing.


    My face grew hot.

 Chapter 52

    I was supposed to be the one to seduce him! Why was he dressed like he was seducing me?


    What did he mean by not having time to change, he was the main character!


    He shook his hand, raised his body and extended his arm toward me.


    ¡°It¡¯s only once or twice that I go. I¡¯m sorry about the clothes.¡±


    I see. You don¡¯t want me to go to the banquet alone, so you don¡¯t change clothes¡­Who are you really? Is this an assassin disguised as Izek?


    ¡°No, it¡¯s rather new to me.¡­so cool. It¡¯s like a dream to attend a party with you.¡±


    It was a great improvement, considering that he left me alone at the other banquet.


    My eyes kept turning  towards his abs, so I  just grabbed his extended hand.


    Oh, why are you grabbing so tightly? Do I really look like a chick?


    It didn¡¯t seem unreasonable to say that. He was pretty tall compared to me.


    I was very concerned about how we would look as we walked down the stairs leading to the banquet hall, with me hostage in the hands of my giant, rough-looking husband.


    ¡°Oh my lord, look at that, Lord Izek¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Lord Izek, aren¡¯t you?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the uniform? I¡¯ve seen my brother wear it before, how can it feel so different¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him like that before.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­.¡±


    Everyone, I¡¯m drooling too. I understand.


    The response other Paladins gave meanwhile, was very different.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t change clothes.¡±


    ¡°But why is he showing up like that? He has no conscience.¡±


    ¡°So shameless.¡±


    It was not surprising, but a stark disapproving reaction.


    Anyway, overall, it was not an atmosphere of discourtesy. Indeed, since he was on a mission, it couldn¡¯t be helped. As long as they¡¯re paladin, I guessed everything was forgiven. I wanted to be like them too.


    ¡°Next to him¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard he was having a banquet for his wife. I guess it was right.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡­¡­.¡±


    Of course, there were also murmurs about me.


    Hahaha. Of course I expected it. It¡¯s understandable.


    Besides, it felt like only yesterday when he left me at the banquet and suddenly, he did this¡­


    My arrogant husband seemed to have no qualms about the topic countless people chattered of, in the banquet hall.


    Look at his arrogant figure.


    ¡°That was close, brother.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you have a conscience, don¡¯t you need to change? No matter how hastily you came.¡±


    When we reached the banquet hall, we were greeted first by Ellenia and Sir Ivan.


    Come to think of it, this time Lord Ivan has escorted Ellenia¡­ Hmm, these two. Hmm?


    ¡°Long time no see, my lady. Wow, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. You look so lovely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Ivan, you look great too.¡±


    As always, I was sweating when I greeted him casually. I couldn¡¯t help getting nervous, not only around Sir Ivan but around those who were there at the time.


    After all, I didn¡¯t know when and how they¡¯d change.¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you dressed like that.¡±


    ¡°Frey.¡±


    My ears pricked up automatically.


    ¡°Long time no see, my lady. I¡¯ve been worried a lot since I heard you¡¯ve been through a lot, but fortunately, you look healthy.¡±


    It was the first time I saw Freya since then.


    She recovered without a hitch. I thought it would take a long while, so I didn¡¯t think she would show up today.


    Freya, wearing a green dress that matched her slender frame, looked as elegant and beautiful as ever, but at the same time somewhat pale and frail.


    Instead of her usual freshness and liveliness, she was full of alluring melancholy.


    Seems like she recovered quickly. Were there any aftereffects?


    It looked like I was not the one who¡¯d been sick for 10 days, but her. Anyone could tell..


    ¡°Even Lady Furiana¡­ I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay. I was so shocked.¡±


    ¡°It could have been a disaster. Anyway, we¡¯re all fine, so I want to thank God.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what I had been through, but there was no fear or reluctance in the purple eyes that smiled kindly at me.


    She may not be the type to show that, but she was more relaxed than before.


    Haha, at that time, Izek ran ahead of everyone else and pushed me away¡­ yes, she was good, I keow. In the end, I knew who the most important were¨C bratty protagonists.


    Who was that next to her? I was glad it was not Lorenzo.


    Appearing with Freya, she was a middle-aged lady I¡¯d never seen before.


    Her pale blonde hair and cool eyes were just like Freya¡¯s.


    She looked a little more strict and colder than her. A family member?


    ¡°Long time no see, Mrs. Furiana.¡±


    ¡°I just stopped by to say hello because the Duke was going to hold a banquet. I won¡¯t distract young people from playing.¡±


    She seemed to be Freya¡¯s mother. The lady, who spoke in an elegant and outspoken manner, turned her eyes to me immediately.


    Her sharp silver eyes quickly swept up and down.


    I suddenly remembered my mother. Not Rudbeckia¡¯s mother whose face I didn¡¯t remember, but my foster mother in my previous life.


    ¡°It seems your treatment postponed the greeting, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    It was a perfunctory tone with no warmth. There was no malice. Her personality was just like that.


    More than that, she was making it obvious that she was here to see me.


    Trying to see if I was the poisoner of her daughter.


    ¡°Nice to meet you here. I see that Lady Furiana¡¯s beauty was outstanding because of her mother.¡±


    I smiled as innocently as possible. Mrs. Furiana raised one eyebrow slightly as if she were observing, and glanced at my hand, which was tightly held by her husband.


    Hmm?


    ¡°You¡¯re as lovely as I¡¯ve ever heard. All the southern women are like nymphs. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Nymphs. That was an overstatement, but it sounded very formal with that dry tone.


    But at the next words, I straightened up.


    ¡°You seem quite liberal compared to the strict North. I heard you¡¯ve been through a lot lately.¡­.¡±


    That was surprisingly provocative, ma¡¯am. But why did I feel that I was not the one she provoked?


    ¡°The conversation is getting longer. You didn¡¯t just come to say hello.¡±


    Hubby, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bad way to talk to your friend¡¯s mother? That¡¯s also the Marquis¡¯ wife.


    But Mrs. Furiana didn¡¯t seem to mind Izek¡¯s attitude of being a jerk.


    Rather, the corners of her mouth pursed up, as if it was understandable.


    ¡°Excuse me. Maybe because I¡¯m older, I talk more.¡±


    ¡°Take care on your way, madam.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, princess. Let¡¯s meet separately next time.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving already, Mother?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? More than that, do something about your hair.¡±


    Freya¡¯s mouth was slightly stiff with a smile lingering on them. Her hair looked good. I felt embarrassed for some reason.


    Not only me, but also Ellenia and Sir Ivan seemed very embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here. Are you sure it¡¯s okay? You¡¯re quite pale today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good now. Well, I¡¯m doing even better today. Sir Ivan, does my hair look weird?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look bad at all.¡±


    ¡°Really? Phew, Iz, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Your mother is right. Next time, wear a wig.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s too much.¡±


    I thought I was embarrassed for nothing, with the cheerful atmosphere remade. They¡¯d be laughing on their own anyway.


    ¡°That¡¯s why your cute and nice wife ran away from home.¡±


    ¡°A fight between a couple is nothing unusual.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, idiot? Anyway, madam, you¡¯d rather have him out next time. It¡¯s a good thing you got away. What if you had any trouble? Vigilante is not the only thing¡­.¡±


    What was that? I knew what he wanted to say, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    Because that was what my husband made up for me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop messing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    My head moved up when he pulled my hand.


    Izek was looking at me with that indifferent look on his face.


    Was he talking to me?


    ¡°Your hair.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as it is.¡±


    A strange silence hovered for a moment.


    I let go of my hand that was secretly touching my hair.


    Oh, that was not because of what Mrs. Furiana said to Freya. I thought of my previous life¡¯s mother, and I didn¡¯t know that¡­


    ¡°Thank you. Your hair looks good too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°D-Do you want to dance?¡±


    Izek did not answer. Was he too shocked? Or did I have something on my face?


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to dance, but no matter what, he had to answer me.


    In the end, Ellenia answered instead of my husband.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look forward to it. My brother probably forgot the basic steps a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s very boring, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be devastated¡­.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±


    What? What did you just say?

 Chapter 53

    Before I could doubt my ears, I was already heading straight for the dance hall, held by my husband¡¯s fearsome grip.


    My eyes, which looked back without knowing what to do, also saw his three friends with a bewildered face.


    Hey, this isn¡¯t it.


    ¡°You know, right now, I¡¯m really¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling shy all of a sudden? We have to dance first so that others can continue.¡±


    You¡¯re right, but! It doesn¡¯t make sense that you¡¯re dancing with me? And in that outfit! In that flashy outfit! Who the hell are you trying to seduce?


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just like a dream.¡±


    I¡¯m not laughing right now. Please someone tell me this isn¡¯t a death flag.


    As I recalled, Izek of the original work was an ancient, iron-clad man who did not dance with me or anyone else. How could I not be suspicious of such unexpected behavior?


    Who the hell are you? Izek¡¯s assassin?


    As we reached the dance hall together, with me trying to hide my confusion, the crowd¡¯s reaction was divided into two.


    Shock, and frenzy.


    ¡°What, Izek is dancing? Where is he, where the hell is he!¡±


    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    ¡°What sh*t, I hope he steps on his wife¡¯s foot and humiliates himself!¡±


    ¡°Fall down and break your leg!¡±


    Hubby, I¡¯m thrilled to see your relationship with paladins. How have you lived your life?


    In contrast to me, who was trying to escape from the chaos, the man responsible for it, stood without any shame under the sky.


    Was this what the main character looked like? What a know-it-all he was.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it because you suggested it excitedly, but suddenly you don¡¯t want to dance with me?¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m just a little nervous because it¡¯s been so long.¡±


    My heart was beating so fast.


    Let¡¯s calm down. I am a puppet. Just a dancing puppet. As always.


    ¡°Is there a dance that¡¯s popular in Romagna?¡±


    ¡°There is, but maybe it¡¯s a little¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take it. You can lead the way.¡±


    What? Lead the way? I didn¡¯t want to.


    Whatever the nobles here thought was the most important thing.


    I¡¯m glad I wore shoes with short heels.


    A cheerful waltz piece played by musicians spread dramatically in a grim melody.


    Why did it sound like Day of Judgement, Requiem to me?


    Haha, there was a half-naked assassin-looking monster in front of me¡­ if I stepped on that metal foot, I¡¯d break my own foot instead.


    I am a dancing puppet.


    I just had to show an interesting dance move to receive the mercy of the assassin.


    Trying to concentrate on the idea, I left myself to the flowing melody.


    In the beginning, it was a dance that was performed closely with each other, so it was killing me because of his abs and his bare chest that was barely revealed.


    Stop trying to seduce me! Why is this stone sculpture so thoughtless?


    ¡°¡­Interesting.¡±


    I thought he was more interesting, compared to the dance. As I raised my head slightly because I felt a little less nervous than before, I made eye contact with him.


    Beautiful sparkling red eyes under the chandelier.


    It was very mysterious. I had seen many beautiful eyes resembling jewels in my previous life, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever seen eyes as pretty and creepy as this set.


    ¡°You¡¯re following me well. Everything is perfect.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so awkward.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t awkward at all. Why was he so good at following me?


    Of course, it was much better than stepping on my foot, but had it really been a long time since he last danced?


    I felt there was a hidden behind-the-scenes story about what we did last time.


    And that in fact, he was a liberal pretending to be an ascetic.


    As the beat accelerated, our distant bodies grew close.


    While holding one of my hands, he turned me around and almost let me fall into his embrace.


    His thick muscles¡­¡­ This was part of the dance, not an ulterior motive!


    The next move was the hardest. Fortunately, it was the woman¡¯s time to dance alone, so my feet would be safe.


    Let go of the man¡¯s hand completely, raise your heels, fold and stretch your arms, and circle around the man quickly.


    I was lucky I learned ballet in my previous life, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t know how to perform this.


    It was called butterflies and flowers.


    Whoever made such a grand-name dance popular would have the resentment of the southern people.


    Anyway, at least while I was dancing, I could only hear beautiful music. There seemed to be no murmuring, nothing, or even breathing at all.


    I smiled broadly at Izek¡¯s eyes, chasing me spinning.


    Hubby, you¡¯re the flower, you! You, the monster-like assassin!


    And I¡¯m the butterfly. I¡¯m using my whole body to get your mercy.


    At the same time as the climax reached the end, I swirled around and fell into his arms like a butterfly.


    My upper body leaned back and his strong hold quickly supported my slim waist¡­. perfect! Since he was no fraud, he was certainly talented, wasn¡¯t he?


    Whether it was because of the excitement or because of the music, his red eyes that were drawn to me seemed to attract me.


    I felt like I was being sucked into them. It was almost impossible to turn my eyes away.


    Why was he looking at me like that?¡­.


    Just then, magnificent applause poured out with someone whistling and shouting.


    My body straightened up, my mind returning to its original state. I was a little relieved by the unexpectedly loud applause. It was supposed to end here with a Coda, but who cared. I was out of breath maybe because it¡¯d been a while since I danced.


    (T/N: A Coda is a classical ballet term that refers to the finale of a group of dancers and more often, the finale of a pas de deux.)


    I stepped back, grabbed my skirt slightly, and leaned down.


    Izek also bid goodbye with impeccable courtesy. He seemed so polite and disciplined that I felt like I had succeeded in impressing the real assassin.


    ¡°Did you like it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Southern dances are hard.¡±


    Yes, but why do you care? You¡¯re a stubborn man! Don¡¯t give me that weird look! Ahh, I almost misunderstood that you were impressed.


    As new music began to flow again, others began to pair up and join the dance.


    I was caught in his hands again, and taken for a drink. That¡¯s what the picture looks like.


    ¡°Welcome! I¡¯ve prepared this in advance!¡±


    Oh, that scared me. What was this?


    Andymion, who held a glass of juice on a tray, blocked us. His clear amber eyes were shining, especially today.


    Izek looked bewildered.


    Andymion spoke up, ¡°What a fantastic¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but my Lord, that dance was just¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°She looked like a spring fairy¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°But for the first time in my life, I¡¯ve had this lingering feeling.¡­¡±


    The more I look at Andy Mion, the more I think of him in the article, the more difficult he is.


    I was a little worried that my husband might beat him up here, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Wait here for a second.¡±


    Izek, who was about to take Andymion by the scruff of his neck and throw him out, suddenly left saying that.


    As soon as I looked back to see what was going on, my father-in-law, who was standing majestic like a pole, came to the side of the stairs.

 Chapter 54

    I hadn¡¯t seen him for a while. When did he show up?


    As if he didn¡¯t like it at all, Izek approached his father with an unpleasant expression on his face. They were almost the same height.


    I couldn¡¯t see Izek¡¯s expression because he turned his back on this side, but it was easy to understand that the atmosphere was far from good. He always looked upset when he met him.


    Ever since his mother died, Izek had been¡­


    ¡°My lady.¡±


    I quickly picked up Andymion¡¯s glass. The sparkling pink drink looked refreshing.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. More than that, my lady, your dance was good. No, it was amazing! I¡¯m surprised that Lord Izek danced, but you were the star. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off you even for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. It¡¯s nothing much. I was worried that it was too much.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. My Lord seemed completely mesmerized, too. I honestly thought you two would kiss.¡±


    No matter how hard I looked at it, it was clear that some screws were missing in his head because he¡¯d been beaten too badly by Izek.


    There was no way he didn¡¯t know how Izek was. Kisses don¡¯t make you freeze to death!


    I hadn¡¯t even done such a bold move like that!


    Well, except when I kissed him on the cheek the other day.


    ¡°Ahaha, did it look like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone thought so, not just me.¡±


    I admit that he had a strange look in his eyes.


    But that was not it!


    He was not the type to do that even if he was mesmerised by music and dance for a while.


    ¡°Strawberry?¡±


    I almost dropped the glass I was holding. No wonder the floor suddenly vibrated.


    ¡°Oh, no. It seems like grapefruit.¡±


    Did he say his name was Galar?


    Anyway, Andymion¡¯s brother stomped away again with my answer as always.


    Why did he always¡­¡­.


    Andymion let out a sigh, scratching his head at seeing my bewildered look.


    ¡°It seems that his intelligence is deteriorating more and more.¡±


    ¡°Well, he looks like a nice brother.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Hoo, I¡¯d rather have someone like Lord Izek be my brother.¡±


    You have a weird taste. Your brother is one of a kind, but you¡¯re also very unique.


    Anyway, Lord Galar was one of those who, like Andymion, found out my secret in the frost forest that day.


    Sir Ivan and everyone were too unwavering to be anxious or relieved.


    Were they so proud of themselves that they didn¡¯t blink even if I was a witch?


    Or maybe they were trying to reassure me and then secretly get me to help them with their work.¡­?


    What should I do if that was the case?


    What if they didn¡¯t want me to just send back monsters that attacked them, but try to make the monsters cooperate with me, only to wipe them out? Or try to catch the ice dragon and Popo by using me as bait?


    I was a human being who wanted nothing but to live my life.


    Nevertheless, whenever my family came to mind, I felt sick.


    Funnily enough, I felt more curious about how Izek would react when I refused, rather than what I should do if such a moment came.


    If I didn¡¯t do what he told me to do¡­


    ¡°Wow, that looks delicious.¡±


    Yes?


    I stared blankly along the way Andymion was gazing at. I was astonished.


    What was that? Pudding? Wasn¡¯t that a giant pudding?


    The servants were carrying it to the middle of the shiny buffet table.


    In a decorative bowl was a giant chocolate pudding that was familiar to me these days.


    Pudding was pudding, but this was as big as a three-tier cake!


    ¡°We should go have a taste¡­ ugh!¡±


    ¡°Stop chattering. Why are you pestering her?¡±


    Sir Ivan, who appeared after dancing with Ellenia, grabbed Andymion¡¯s ear at lightning speed and pulled it hard.


    It hurt to see that. Stop picking on him!


    ¡°Ha, but as Lord Izek¡¯s trainee, I am obliged to bring the pudding to my lady¡­.¡±


    ¡°You were going to eat it for yourself, you liar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have a bite.¡­Ahh!¡±


    Poor Andymion.


    The pudding was huge. I¡¯d love it if he could eat it all.


    ¡°By the way, my lady, I was really surprised earlier.¡±


    ¡°It was amazing that he didn¡¯t step on Ruby¡¯s feet, but I didn¡¯t know Ruby had such talent. I wanted to learn, too.¡±


    Oh! I must have done a pretty good job to get this generous compliment from Ellenia. My husband should have heard this!


    ¡°But where¡¯s brother again?¡±


    ¡°Over there with your father..¡±


    I soon realized that my father-in-law, who had been exuding a dark aura, had disappeared from the spot.


    Where¡¯d Izek go in the meantime?


    ¡°Was father here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was over there a while ago.¡­.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s expression was a little stiff.


    Sir Ivan, who had just let go of Andymion¡¯s ear, also suddenly had a serious look.


    What¡¯s wrong with them? Something I don¡¯t know about? Or is it simply because the two had met?


    At the last meeting¡­


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s good that they moved. My brother must be paying attention.¡±


    Attention to what?


    ¡°D-Did something happen? Father-in-law seemed to be a little angry..¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. It just seems that my brother¡¯s time has come.¡±


    Sir Ivan and Andymion were struggling to hold their breath and a rattle sounded.


    Yes, I see. It¡¯s hard to understand, but I understand, sister-in-law. I can tell that he didn¡¯t like the banquet itself, but it would be even worse when he saw Izek dancing with me.


    The closer his son got to me, the more it would ruin his plan¡­. damn it, what a pain.


    ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s hot. Everyone¡¯s so energetic.¡±


    I was tense again when Freya approached for a drink just in time. However, this time, it was not because of Freya, but because of the pale-haired Paladin escorting Freya.


    Another person who knew my secret.


    This paladin, with a stern and cold impression, gave a weird look, and soon bowed his head politely and turned away.


    Ugh, I¡¯m nervous for no reason.


    ¡°Ivan.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Camu?¡±


    ¡°Let me talk to you for a second. Where did Izek go?¡±


    Meanwhile, Freya was being friendly, accepting the drink that Ellenia gave her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s having a talk with his father.¡±


    ¡°Again? Haa¡­ by the way, you seem to be growing tall every time I see you, Sir Andymion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡­.¡±


    What?


    Andymion, who left suddenly, muttered greetings in an awkward manner while touching his earlobes.


    I was naturally surprised because it wasn¡¯t like him, but Freya, who wasn¡¯t greeted, didn¡¯t seem to be too bothered by it either.


    Even Sir Ivan, whose hobby was beating up trainees, seemed to be reluctant.


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s still awkward with me. You don¡¯t have to reprimand him.¡±


    ¡°My Lady, please understand. He¡¯s such a shy guy.¡±


    ¡°But he fought with my brother, not with me.¡±


    Whoa, this is some kind of unexpected news. Andymion fought Lorenzo?


    ¡°Huh, what do you mean fight?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know. There was a group fight some time back, though they let go of each other eventually when I came by. It turned out that the two of them started it and others got caught up in the atmosphere while watching them. I can¡¯t believe it. Kids these days, haa.¡±


    I could imagine how Lord Ivan would have separated them up.


    ¡°Why did they¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess they were competing to see who was good at it. They all shut their mouths and refused to talk. Have you heard anything from Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Lauren said anything at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go talk somewhere else.¡± Lord Camu, who had waited patiently and silently, became irritated. At the same time, Freya, who pretended to shake her head, suddenly grabbed my hand.


    ¡°My lady, don¡¯t be like this and come with us.¡±


    Can¡¯t you let go of my hand?


    At this moment, I hesitated about what to say, but to make matters worse, even Ellenia joined.


    ¡°Frey is right. Ruby should get acquainted with this opportunity. That¡¯s what my brother wanted me to do anyway.¡±


    That cold-hearted man couldn¡¯t have thrown a banquet to make friends, but I couldn¡¯t say that, and was taken away by Ellenia and Freya to a place where the other women gathered.


    Guys, what kind of a prisoner am I?


    ¡ª

 Chapter 55

    ¡°Please teach me next time.¡±


    ¡°What did you do with your feet? Like those moves¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually going on a trip to Romagna this winter, and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be humiliated. It isn¡¯t wrong to say that the Southern nobles are graceful.¡±


    On one side of the banquet hall, where beautifully decorated women gathered, stood young women of my age and middle-aged married ladies.


    Although Freya¡¯s presence was making me nervous, unlike what I had been worried about, the atmosphere was quite calm and cozy.


    ¡°I was more surprised to see Lord Izek dance than that. He¡¯s never done that before.¡±


    ¡°Right, I guess this is why men change after they get married.¡±


    ¡°It depends on the person. Everyone says so, but why hasn¡¯t my husband changed?¡±


    A burst of laughter rang out at someone¡¯s lamenting comment. Suddenly, the atmosphere soared.


    Ugh, that¡¯s how I feel too, though.


    Was it just me who kept noticing Andymion¡¯s head from over there?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but when you two appeared earlier, my heart was pounding so much that it almost exploded.¡±


    ¡°Me, too, I was already very excited seeing him and Sir Ivan, but he acted amazing and¡­ and showed such a wild appearance¡­¡­!¡±


    You¡¯re popular, hubby. They call you wild even though you were more or less naked.


    Had it not been for his asceticism, he would have been my first groom.


    Since they considered him as cute, should I join as his fan?


    ¡°Actually, I thought I was going to die as well. You don¡¯t know how nervous I was¨C almost made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°As expected, right? Be honest, my lady was very excited too, yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡±


    Hubby, I think I¡¯m going to set up your fan club today.


    The fan club leader will be me, heh.


    ¡°Ah, my lady, Cardinal Valentino is coming to this festival, right?¡±


    ¡°Can you introduce us as well? It just so happens that my cousin¡­¡­.¡±


    Why did the topic change just when it was going well? I¡¯d forgotten how popular he was.


    Not the Cesare, ladies! He was a perverted psycho in the guise of a handsome man!


    ¡°The Southern accent is quite fresh. Your husband doesn¡¯t seem to like it much though, or am I thinking too much?¡±


    There was always a person who blew up a good atmosphere.


    For example, consolacion Youngae or consolacion Youngae.


    You¡¯re persistent, too. I grinned at Consolacion Young-ae, who pretended to be worried, her gray eyes glowing in derision.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little immature.¡±


    ¡°¡­I thought Romagna would be more strict in that, compared to the North, but you have a freer spirit than expected.¡±


    ¡°Not really. If my brother comes, I¡¯ll probably get scolded a lot. Haa, I¡¯ve already been scolded a lot. I guess I deserve to be scolded.¡±


    Consolacion Young-ae¡¯s eyes, which looked at me angrily, were irritating and annoying.


    I know, I understand. So don¡¯t talk to me. You¡¯re the only one I¡¯m tired of picking a fight with, it¡¯s like arguing with a child who has a flower bed in his head.


    No matter how hard she poked me, I wouldn¡¯t change my role.


    Especially after Freya¡¯s incident.


    ¡°Oh, really? Will you get in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know why I did it. I was so angry over nothing.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Your husband must have been worried. He had been searching all day. I¡¯m telling you, the whole Elendale was in search.¡±


    ¡°Thank you all. I¡¯ll never bother you all like that again.¡±


    Someone patted me on the top of the head. It was my beautiful sister-in-law.


    Ellenia seemed surprised that she had touched my hair, but she quickly returned to her original cold expression.


    What, are you proud of me for reflecting on myself?


    ¡°By the way, Lady Furiana, you look especially bad today, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I even danced. Of course, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense that you would be absent from the Omerta banquet. Oh gosh, just who did did such a sin? We need to catch the criminal soon¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should talk about it here.¡±


    A brief silence fell when Freya glanced at me and said calmly.


    It was only for a short time, but there was a stillness with a strange tension.


    You don¡¯t have to act like that, looking at me out of nowhere. If you believe I was the criminal, along with running away¡­ Are you also considering the possibility that I or my family are the culprits?


    Even so, I couldn¡¯t blame Freya, the victim of the incident, but damn it.


    I¡¯d rather be innocent.


    I was not in the mood of pretending.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not talk about bad things. It must be uncomfortable for you¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think too much.¡±


    My mind, which had been relaxed, got worked up again.


    I¡¯d considered it several times.


    It was possible that Freya was really out of her mind at the horse riding party.


    Maybe because I had been through so many of those things that I¡¯d developed a sense of victimization, which is why I thought she was behind it.


    Because I was a twisted human being.


    Even so, since no one believed me and I couldn¡¯t trust anyone either, it was better to be careful than being foolishly trusted and betrayed.


    I was someone that deceived everyone to live anyway.


    However, the problem was that I did not know the truth behind what Freya had gone through.


    I lifted my eyes and glanced at Ellenia standing next to me.


    If something similar happened again, it was clear how Ellenia and Izek would act.


    Both of them were being a bit soft on me these days, but I didn¡¯t know how long it would last, and now that I knew the power I had, they would easily understand that I wasn¡¯t as naive as I seemed.


    Oh god, what was this situation?


    I got impatient.


    I didn¡¯t know what my current husband wanted from me. Whether the feelings he felt for me was interest, compassion, or something else.


    At least, he did not kill Popo and Griffin, and was being considerate in many ways, so it was not hopeless at all. I should build up trust first.


    It was not time to relax, I needed to block the possibility of a break-up, and then think about what to do next.


    I will take him down tonight!


    With such determination burning, I left the room under the pretext of going to the bathroom.


    When I said I¡¯d go to the bathroom, Ellenia gave me a strange look.


    I really did not plan to throw up this time.


    There just happened to be no toilet on the balcony back then.


    As I was approaching the mirror, I felt the tension that had been burning in my stomach, cool down.


    Ah, Rudbeckia, she¡¯s so beautiful. I mean, I know she¡¯s a Villainess. That too from the Borgian family. But why does she look like a bright princess who knows nothing?


    Of course, it would be quite attractive to do evil things with this look, but that wasn¡¯t what I wanted.


    I forgot that other people¡¯s tastes might be different because I heard so many compliments in Romagna.


    Or did my husband just not want to quit asceticism?


    Was that why he kept acting like a rock? All his life, he had seen mature, alluring beauties like Ellenia and Freya, and he just didn¡¯t feel any attraction¡­ No!


    In my previous life, I had a complex because of my Asian appearance compared to people around me, but I didn¡¯t expect to feel a similar problem here.


    A wheel-like reincarnation in many ways. I wish I had grown taller.


    Nevertheless, I fixed my messy hair and straightened my clothes.


    It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s not lose hope. Well, I¡¯m more mature now. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll take him over tonight!


    ¡°¡­It looks like it, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    A moment later I¡¯d left the bathroom with a firm determination to find my husband and seduce him.


    The sound of whispering at the entrance stopped as soon as I approached.


    ¡°They had an official banquet, escorts, and even danced. It¡¯s obvious to anyone. However, there is a possibility that Romagna might have pressured him.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, how much of a fuss must he have made about her beloved daughter running away from home without adjusting? But is the Duke the one who would fall for that kind of pressure?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe she cried, begged, with her two hands and feet up. How bold of her to run away without knowing Elendale¡¯s geography.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense does she spout? Like a fox. Just at that time¡­¡±


    Oh, what?


    ¡°Hah, the first person the Duke ran to when he found out about the magic stone was Lady Furiana¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw it then. He pushed his wife and hugged her. Isn¡¯t that surreal?¡±


    ¡°Then, his real love is more likely to be Lady Furiana. I heard they haven¡¯t had their first night yet.


    ¡°There was no one who didn¡¯t know that marriage would end soon. Wouldn¡¯t you know as soon as you looked at them? The Duke won¡¯t be swayed unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°Haaa, I feel sorry for Lady Furiana. If the Duke hadn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Furiana was treated like a princess, too. It was so nice of him to take care of her like that.¡­.¡±


    ¡°When she ran away from home, the vigilante guild members found her. No, they were about to sell her.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Right? Honestly, how did that happen? She looks innocent, but the rumours are so chaotic.¡±

 Chapter 56

    ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t run away from home, but went out with a purpose? With a lover she had for a long time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious just from the rumors. She¡¯s so crazy about men.¡±


    ¡°I get annoyed every time I hear that rustic southern accent. Why does it sound so barbaric?¡±


    Look at these guys. I expected it, but I¡¯m a little bit overwhelmed.


    Although Freya¡¯s poisoning attempt seemed to have been buried to some extent thanks to my runaway disturbance, I knew that there was still public opinion about me and my family.


    I won¡¯t be able to pry or reveal anything openly.


    It had become a matter of joining the Omerta family as well as the temple and the Vatican.


    No matter what the real intentions behind Izek¡¯s banquet were, my position was clearly better compared to before, and all they were covering for me. It was as good as a public announcement.


    Therefore, a slip of the tongue could lead to the Omerta family being involved¨C which wouldn¡¯t be tolerated.


    But they could talk behind my back as much as they wanted. My runaway could also be made into a scandal in some way.


    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t expect that there would be such public opinion, but I still wanted to give them a hard time.


    ¡°I think¡­¡­Gasp!¡±


    One of the ladies, who had been huddling and whispering, gasped as I approached with bated breath and pulled back the curtain.


    The other two ladies also had a look of astonishment. All three of them were chatting with me earlier. Look at those aghast faces.


    ¡°M-My, My Lady, we¡¯re¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­Erkl!¡±


    ¡°M-My¡­¡±


    They looked blankly at me, shedding crocodile tears.


    ¡°I, I, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Woo¨C¡±


    ¡°Really, really, I really did nothing, un, I didn¡¯t think I was that bad..¡±


    As I burst into tears, covering my face with my hands, they clung to each other in a hurry, not knowing what to do.


    ¡°My-My Lady, I¡¯m sorry, we just didn¡¯t think about it, so we really didn¡¯t¡­.¡±


    ¡°Unnn, I really thought you all liked me.¡­¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not how you think¡­ We¡¯ll stop being drunk on cocktails and makinh stupid mistakes.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah, everyone¡¯s been saying that you¡¯ve hurt Lady Furiana.¡­ How could you.. I-I really didn¡¯t do anything. I really liked you¡­ I love that you came here¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady. I¡¯m sorry, we made a stupid, stupid slip of the tongue.¡­ Don¡¯t get hurt, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    What do you mean you don¡¯t mean it?


    One of the young girls, who was whispering and sobbing, suddenly started hiccuping.


    ¡°Hic, I¡¯m sorry, my lady. I won¡¯t talk behind your back again. Please forgive me. I just find what other people are saying interesting.¡±


    ¡°Me too, I¡¯m so sorry. I can¡¯t regret it enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say such a terrible thing, please forget it.¡±


    They were so young. No matter what, children who followed me to ask for forgiveness with tears in their eyes would look cute at that moment.


    These moments were short-lived, the kind I¡¯d forget once I turned around.


    I was just going to tease them for a while anyway, so I wiped away my tears and sniffled.


    Even if it was a quiet corner, staying for long would catch the attention of the people who were vigilant.


    ¡°Hoo, then, you don¡¯t really think that way about me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Of course! I didn¡¯t mean it. How idiotic of me¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed!¡±


    I hesitated to smile at the babies nodding their heads in unison.


    The kids also smiled, wiping their eyes.


    Ah, such a heartwarming sight. I¡¯m jealous of you guys. I¡¯m so jealous.


    I left the warm scene and returned to the banquet hall. Looking at it, the atmosphere seemed to have heated up.


    The dance hall was active again, and those who did not dance were scattered around, eating, drinking and talking.


    I had cried a bit so I felt like I needed to get a drink first. Acting was hard, too. Why were there so many people here? And that too, so tall¡­


    ¡°Wow, look at that.¡±


    ¡°Were those released by the temple?¡±


    From far away, the sound of firecrackers sounded, and people flocked toward the balcony.


    The crowd gave me a hard time going the other way.


    I feel like a character from Gulliver¡¯s travels, haa.


    ¡°That¡¯s so amazing, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    A whisper suddenly came into my ears and I looked around to see if my husband had returned by now, avoiding people who were drunk and excited.


    I tried to turn my head and catch sight of him, but I couldn¡¯t.


    Whoever it was, had disappeared.


    This was because a great deal of pain came at that very moment.


    The pain was immense, as if my right toe had been crushed in one-go.


    The pain that surged through my foot made me unable to even scream.


    While I struggled in pain and barely turned my head, the one who crushed my feet mercilessly was already gone.


    More than that, there were so many passersby that it was hard to figure out.


    No, this was unfair, why on such an important night!


    I carefully raised my sore toe.


    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to be broken, but it still hurt as if it was on fire.


    This couldn¡¯t be excused today.


    Who the hell was it? The creepy voice was worse than the pain. It was too much to say that someone stepped on me by mistake because I was drunk.¡­.


    The whisper that rang in my ears was still vivid. It felt like a warning¡­


    ¡°My lady, are you all right?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be more glad to see Andymion approaching me among people and reaching out his hand.


    Good boy! I feel like you¡¯ve been chasing me for some time, but I¡¯m glad to see you.


    ¡°Are you feeling well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I tripped for a moment. Have you seen my husband more than that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he came back earlier and he¡¯s at the table over there.¡±


    I turned to Andymion¡¯s direction and headed for the dinner table, trying not to limp as much as possible.


    I was used to enduring pain, but I couldn¡¯t help but lose strength.


    It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, hubby¡­!


    My haughty husband was right there. On one side of the dinner table, black armour familiar to my eyes was visible in the center of the crowd. He was sitting with arms folded arrogantly, like an assassin negotiating with paladins.


    What were they talking about so seriously in the banquet hall? It was making me nervous.


    ¡°Lord Izek, your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Honey!¡±


    I don¡¯t know what I just said.


    However, I could only see that I must build up feelings for the sake of my mind and body tonight.


    I, who was trying hard to approach him with such firm determination, met another ambush before long.


    I¡¯d already almost broken my foot.


    Why was there a giant turtle at the dinner table? Even if it¡¯s a plate, it¡¯s head was too big! The eyeballs are so vivid!


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Madam?¡±


    Thap.


    Silence dragged out. After a very long moment, I managed to come to my senses and grasp my current state.

 Chapter 57

    ¡ª


    Translator: Yui


    ¡ª


    It was not a sad or affectionate position, but a position where the parents put their children on their knees to scold them.


    That was the position! Damn it! What was this?


    I was so embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t even think of moving, but somehow I heard my husband¡¯s cautious voice.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel faint?¡±


    No, but I¡¯d rather faint. I felt that it was better to have a bloody nose and faint.


    If only my toes were okay. No, if only there weren¡¯t any turtle plates.


    His hands helplessly dug under my armpit.


    No, don¡¯t touch me!


    ¡°You seem weak¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no..!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean no?¡±


    I¡¯m so embarrassed!


    However, it was useless even if I tried to hold on with all my strength. I bent my head as low as I could while Izek lifted me up easily.


    Ah, respectful Paladins, please make a mouse hole with your fraudulent superpowers.


    ¡°Raise your face.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to¡­.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like me?¡±


    Why are you asking me that so seriously?


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so embarrassed¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You just fell down, what¡¯s so shameful?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    God, you really hate me, don¡¯t you? There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll keep holding this conversation without doing that.


    I didn¡¯t even realize that I was stuck on Izek¡¯s lap, burying my head in his magnificent shoulders.


    ¡°Really, really, really stupid.¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s stupid at all. Raise your face.¡±


    Really?


    I pulled myself together and lifted my head gently.


    I heard half of what he said. Until my eyes met the vivid giant turtle¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    ¡°Why, why¡­¡±


    ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you surprised to see that?¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with me? I¡¯d expected to be over the trauma. I thought I could stand turtle phobia calmly. It¡¯s all because that¡¯s too big.


    What kind of artisan made such a big turtle dish!


    Or maybe these are the psychological aftereffects of a stranger trying to break my toe¡­.


    ¡°Are you afraid of turtles?¡±


    ¡®What, are you scared of turtles?¡¯


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not scared at all.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s not scary at all. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    There was a rumble above my head.


    No, no, no. Wake up. Snap out of this, you idiot.


    ¡°No more turtles!¡±


    ¡°You hear me? Let me see your face now.¡±


    My husband¡¯s voice sounded strange for some reason. It was so gentle that I couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    His rugged hands came down to my chin, slowly sweeping down my tangled hair and face. Then I lifted my head.


    The damned turtle was no longer in sight.


    The only thing that came into my tear-stained vision were his red eyes, which were filled with unknown light.


    On the contrary, my heart, which had been pounding, was already calming down.


    ¡°Why did you cry?¡±


    That¡¯s a strange question. Why did I cry? I know he doesn¡¯t like crying, but can¡¯t he interrogate me later?


    ¡°Did you have another accident?¡±


    Am I a kid?


    I was trying to open my mouth, but I kept getting hiccups.


    I didn¡¯t know why my toes hurt so much. I resented the turtle plate maker whose face I hadn¡¯t even seen.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°Hurt?¡±


    I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t say it. You will definitely laugh¡­You don¡¯t have to make fun of someone stepping on my foot.


    Why the hell did I even come here? I should have gotten some ice packs from Ronja. What was I possessed by?


    ¡°My feet, my feet hurt so much¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I tried to hide myself because I was in pain, but my tongue had its own mind.


    It hurts, it hurts, hubby. Some nasty bastard crumpled my foot and walked away. I told you to not laugh at it.


    ¡°It hurts, it hurts¡­¡­.¡±


    It was clear that the mouth and body played separately. To the shame of my contradictory struggle of whining, Izek was pressing down on my shaking legs and leaning down to take off my shoes himself.


    Someone gasped out in the hall. The look of my foot was quite gruesome.


    It didn¡¯t seem like a broken toe, but blood was flowing out of my toenails and my toes were horribly swollen.


    The silky socks that were peeled off were stained. It suddenly reminded me of the first time I learned ballet.


    There was a cold silence as if someone had poured cold water on the fire. My husband, who had been staring at me for a long time, finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Who the hell did this?¡±


    My body trembled at his cold voice.


    Holding my shoes, Sir Ivan, who had been frozen blankly, bent towards me.


    His light green eyes had a rare, serious light in them.


    ¡°My lady, how did this happen?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. I was just passing by when¡­¡±


    I had become a lady who walked around without knowing who stepped on her feet. A moment where I was overwhelmed with self-pity.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll have to find out.¡±


    What?


    Izek jumped to his feet with me in his arms.


    It was only then that Paladins and Andymion surrounded the area like a circular wall.


    They were unfamiliar faces, all of which seemed serious.


    ¡°Izek, wait a minute¡­¡±


    ¡°Get your hands off me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I should have kept an eye on her a little longer¡­¡±


    ¡°If it had happened with so many eyes, it could have happened anytime.¡±


    It suddenly hit me why Izek was famous for being the best paladin in the North and the best knight.


    If he scolded his colleagues who were all unique and had a strong temper like this, to what extent had he lost his temper before?


    ¡°Izek!¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡±


    Izek shrugged off his colleagues, who hung on anxiously, giving off the aura that he was about to slaughter some people on the occasion of Judgment Day.


    It was natural that the people around me, who were enjoying the feast, were confused.


    ¡°Iz? What is going on here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s face had a rare look of puzzlement.


    Others were all the same as usual.


    Why was he doing this to Ellen, this son of a b*tch?


    I¡¯m already dying keeping an eye on your colleagues these days, but do we have to be a couple that¡¯s good at ruining the mood?


    That was why I was like the seed of real turmoil, even at the feast he hosted¡­


    I opened my mouth trying not to make a fuss.


    It was very scary, thinking he might throw me away, but I had to stop my husband from destroying the banquet.


    ¡°Please calm down, it¡¯s not¡­.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, why did your feet become like this? Why can¡¯t you tell me who did it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°A brat dared to hurt you, without anyone, even you knowing?¡±


    Oh! That growl makes chills run down my spine. Listen to me, you personality wrecker!


    My angry husband was deliberately threatening in the open. I could tell why.


    He must have thought it was a provocation to him in many ways to hurt me at a banquet hosted by him.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t expect him to be so furious, I really didn¡¯t know who did it!


    ¡°All I can think of is you!¡±


    I grabbed my spinning head and spat out whatever came to his mind.


    Izek, who was moving like a scary figure; Cerberus in hell, halted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I,I was too scared and hurt to see who did it, and that¡¯s why I went to you¡­ I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be this upset. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hic.


    I couldn¡¯t hear anything but my hiccups for a moment. My heart was pounding, about to burst any moment.


    Did I pour oil or water on the fire?


    Soon after, with a gentle sigh, his tense arms tightened.


    Save me! Is it oil?


    ¡°¡­ Please wait a bit.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the things here, go quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


    Ellenia, who nodded her head gently with the Paladins at her back, gave me a worried look. I was ashamed of myself.

 Chapter 58

    ¡ª


    Translator: Yui


    ¡ª


    Leaving behind the banquet hall where peace took over, I was dragged by Izek and got my foot treated.


    Neither of us said a word while the maids worked hard, applied medicine to my toes and bandaged it.


    I hated the elongated silence. It just brought me anxiety.


    Until all the maids finally left, Izek stood on one side and fiddled with my shoes.


    I was scared all of a sudden. He was not going to hit me with that, was he?


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Your feet are so small.¡±


    My feet are the perfect size for my height. It was just his hands that were big.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see who did it?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t see it. There were so many people earlier, I¡¯m not lying¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were lying to me.¡±


    He put my shoes down on the table and came close to the sofa I was seated on.


    He looked incredibly calm, compared to before, so I felt even more anxious.


    ¡°Now that your feet are in good shape, the banquet is over.¡±


    Yes, and my first night plan is done for. Damn it! Again!


    ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ you held a banquet for me for the first time and I¡­¡±


    He danced with me in that half-naked assassin costume.


    My lord! My face flushed again, swallowing the urge to hit the ground and sob.


    ¡°Are you mad? Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No.¡±


    No, I was sure he just became angry.


    Well, if there was nothing else I could do, I should just move on.


    I was lifted up again. I was starting to get used to being treated as a chick.


    ¡°You must be disappointed, by the look on your face.¡±


    ¡°My expression is¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just so happy to be with you.¡±


    I almost made a slip of the tongue. I grinned at the face of my husband staring at me with unbelieving eyes.


    Hi, I¡¯m the leader of your fan club.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d be really happy if I got to be with you all night.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But, of course it won¡¯t happen. Because you¡¯re a busy man. I¡¯m sure a lot of people are looking for you.¡±


    Because of his status. Damn it, I¡¯d have to walk out on my own if he goes back to the banquet hall, alone in this dishevelled state¡­


    ¡°I¡¯d rather get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°With me?¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s take a walk to test out your foot.¡±


    ¡°But weren¡¯t you talking about something important with your colleagues?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing that important.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. It was good for me. Since we¡¯re together a little longer, I should aim for a chance to gain his favour.


    Even if I couldn¡¯t build a castle, I¡¯d at least make the doorstep slowly.


    (T/N: Idiom.)


    * * *


    The glass greenhouse was almost finished, with the hard work of the top craftsmen in the north.


    It was my first time coming here since I saw it briefly on the first day of construction.


    It was fantastic to see the glass walls shining silver in the moonlight at night. I felt it¡¯d be even more amazing during the day.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°I asked them to build a fountain too, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s similar to Romagna¡¯s.¡±


    The cool sound of water resounded.


    Although it could not be seen in detail at night, the scenery surrounding the flower garden with colourful cascading waterfalls, artificial statues of various shapes, sparkling flowers and pond was simply amazing. It was like a garden of water in a fairy tale.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯ll be like in the daytime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be even better during the day. It¡¯s fantastic. Like the hanging gardens of Babylon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that again?¡±


    Oops, I made another slip of the tongue. It¡¯s normal for them to not know the hanging gardens of Babylon.


    ¡°It¡¯s just something from a novel. A garden made by the king of a country for his homesick wife.¡±


    I felt a little embarrassed after adding an explanation. Why was Nebuchadnezzar so romantic? I felt like I was being compared.


    Anyway, it was really cool. Not as good as the hanging gardens, but still amazing.


    Izek didn¡¯t say anything while I was looking around in awe.


    What else can I do without saying a word? It wouldn¡¯t have taken too much money and manpower to build a greenhouse like this, but the thought behind it was worth it..


    I tightened his arm around his thick neck and kissed his smooth cheek.


    It was half impulsive. Of course, I thought about making progress.


    The quiet fellow, like a statue, turned his head slowly and looked at me. Sure enough. He looked exactly the same as when I kissed him for the first time at the temple. A look of great surprise.


    ¡°Hehe, thank you so much¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Can I tell you something? It¡¯s embarrassing that you always react like this to a kiss. But it¡¯s needed for me to build a castle.


    His big red eyes stared at my half-smiling eyes.


    I didn¡¯t know why he suddenly seemed exhausted again. He was really weird. So weird.


    Why do you keep looking at me like that? Like you¡¯re in pain because of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    The voice that rang after a long time was hoarse. Izek returned to his original haughty face, dropped me on a bench nearby and sat next to me.


    There were many roses shining under the moonlight.


    I feel suffocated by their sweet scent. I didn¡¯t want to be silent again, so I spoke softly.


    ¡°Ellen says she likes lilies best, what¡¯s your favourite flower?¡±


    ¡°Sistina¡¯s Lark.¡±


    What? I¡¯m at a loss for words.


    It was not surprising because it was one of the most famous nicknames for me, but I was stunned as soon as Izek let those words out of his mouth, as if my secret had been revealed.


    ¡°Why do they call you Sistina¡¯s Lark?¡±


    I gulped. Sitting on the bench with one arm hanging behind my back, Izek seemed particularly handsome, perhaps because of the moonlight.


    Maybe it was because of the clothes. He was like an assassin of God who came to deal with the fallen Pope¡¯s children.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think when I was young, I sang for my oldest brother¡¯s birthday and got the name¡­ It¡¯s a funny nickname.¡±


    Sistine¡¯s lark or angel or something like that were names given by my father¡¯s people.


    I hated the damn nicknames. I didn¡¯t know what the original Rudbeckia would have thought.


    ¡°You must be good at singing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just like the others. In the South¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of turtles in the South?¡±


    Oh no. Since I showed you that side, it¡¯s natural to ask, but did you have to ask that question now?


    ¡°I¡¯m not that afraid.¡±


    ¡°There must have been some kind of incident for you to be scared just by a decoration, and not the real thing.¡±


    There was an incident. In my previous life.


    In my previous life, I had been afraid of turtles ever since I saw the fish I got as a gift for my 12th birthday being eaten by my eldest brother¡¯s pet turtle.


    My family thought my phobia was very pathetic.


    And here.. Well, I got scared because of the golden turtle that Cesciare bought me as a souvenir.


    My mouth dried up when I remembered what happened then. I shouldn¡¯t have shown it. I should never have exposed my scared self. It was not even real. It was nothing.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have kept them if you had told me beforehand. Turtle decorative tableware is quite common here, how have you been holding it in the meantime?¡±


    His eyes were as sharp as a snake¡¯s.


    It was hard to look into his eyes, but I tried to keep my eyes open because I thought I shouldn¡¯t avoid him awkwardly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually care. But this one¡¯s eyes were so real and scary that I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it your habit to put up with it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tenacious.¡±


    That¡¯s why I don¡¯t give in to your consistent unkind behaviour, heh.


    As I slyly grinned, my bad-natured husband changed his words, apparently not having a reply.


    ¡°About your family.¡±


    I almost bit my tongue in the middle of laughing. It was going well. Why was the conversation going there again?


    ¡°Your father and your brothers. What kind of people are they?¡±


    ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it strange for a husband to ask about his wife¡¯s family? Especially your first brother, whom I will meet soon. I¡¯ll have to know what he¡¯s like so I can deal with him properly.


    Wife¡¯s family. Haha. I doubt I¡¯ll have a good time talking about my family with my husband.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t strange to ask at all. I was just a little confused because I¡¯d never been asked that before.


    Aside from my feelings of not even wanting to talk about Cesare.


    ¡°He¡¯s not as particular as he¡¯s known to be. He¡¯s popular at social gatherings, and a better fit as a knight than the clergy.¡±


    Cesare blamed his father for making him a cardinal.


    Father¡¯s lack of relationship with Enzo contributed not only to his childish character but also to his jealousy.


    Cesare always wanted to be a knight. He preferred to fight on the battlefield rather than assist his father. Compared to Enzo, he was very talented.


    ¡°You siblings must be quite close. Do you want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Just a little bit.¡± I bowed my head, evasively. The calm gaze above my head was disturbing.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not happy about your family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡­ This is my home from now on. My family is not a topic that everyone loves.¡±


    ¡°Everyone? Am I a part of that everyone?¡±


    ¡ª


    T/N: I was a bit late today, but enjoy~

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Wasn¡¯t that the case with most of these northerners?


    Especially him and his colleagues. If you hear praises of the Pope being a Paladin yourself, it¡¯ll be borderline offensive. Well, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable considering we were talking about Romagna.


    I took a short breath and raised my eyes again. Izek was still sitting motionless, watching me. As if searching for something.


    How many brides had been forced by the groom to talk about their families?


    Most of my ex-fiances were good people, but there was someone who turned into a completely different person when he began prying into my relationship with Cesare.


    The change was completely sudden.


    His image was vivid in my mind; all that respect and goodwill turned into contempt and hatred in an instant.


    It was just my guess, but Cesare seemed to be playing tricks on us, because of the disgusting rumors that followed everywhere.


    It was possible with his crazy thinking.


    Even though I was sent as a political asset, I would never get my husband on my side, and as a result, there was only one place for me to go back.


    ¡°No, of course not. But you don¡¯t have a cage here yet?¡±


    As I tried to turn around cheerfully, my husband¡¯s eyes inspected to see if I had taken his efforts seriously.


    To be exact, he suddenly grabbed my wrist and put something around it.


    Huh?


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°A gift to replace the cage.¡±


    What an unexpected twist¡­. to give a gift out of the blue.


    I stared blankly at the shiny bracelet from my wrist. The tightly woven black jewels sparkled under the colorful lights.


    Looking at it more closely, I didn¡¯t think they were gems I knew. What kind of jewel was this?


    ¡°What jewel is this?¡±


    ¡°Just some jewel. It¡¯s good for your health.¡±


    Aha. What kind of health fraud is going on here too? This is definitely not obsidian.


    It had a pretty simple and intricate design for a lady to wear, but more than that, I was puzzled by wyhy he was giving me all these gifts.


    I should make a fuss, but my body wouldn¡¯t move.


    As I stared at him silently, Izek stopped looking into the air and tilted his head.


    ¡°You have a weird look on your face. Is it a shame that it¡¯s not a cage?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Or do you feel sorry about something else? I didn¡¯t think Arien or Leah would come in today.¡±


    (T/N: Just found out Princess Ari¡¯s full name was Arien.)


    Am I a kid? I can¡¯t believe you think I¡¯m upset that you didn¡¯t invite my little friends.


    ¡°I just love you so much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, do you want me to show you something funny?¡±


    Even before I heard the answer, I jumped up excitedly and ran. Izek shot to his feet.


    ¡°If you run like that..¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even hurt anymore. I can actually move on one foot.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can dance like this. Look.¡±


    I was someone who went to ballet school in my previous life.


    I smiled brightly and turned around with my good foot upright.


    Izek stopped, his eyes widening.


    It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°You¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    It felt refreshing doing it after a long time. It had been really hard when I went to ballet school.


    I went on to show the simple moves. Entrechant, Pli¨¦, Pass¨¦, Arabesque. I wish I had some music.


    Moonlight pouring through the glass wall blurred the view.


    The sweet scent of flowers tickled the tip of my nose.


    While I was dancing, my husband just stood stiff and stared. What else was he thinking?


    If what he wanted was simple, and obvious as so many people, everything would have been easier.


    I could play the role that fit anything, if you wanted me to be a bird in a cage, or a dancing puppet, I could do that.¡­.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡±


    As expected, it was too much. Besides, my injured toe betrayed me. I tried to do Le Reve lightly, but my body slipped back.


    Ah, another one of my darkest moments.


    Thud!


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    My husband, who approached me at a fast pace, reached out his arms and raised me, who fell on the damp bushes.


    There was a lot of concern in his ruby eyes.


    Handsome assassin, give my real husband back. I¡¯m so confused.


    ¡°You should be careful¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Was I not good?¡±


    Come on, tell me it was okay, come on! Just tell me it was worth seeing, you cold-blooded b*stard!


    Izek just stared at me for a moment, who was grinning hard while shouting curses inside.


    Moonlight glistened like a spider web, falling on his silver hair.


    ¡°Did you dance like this to the dragon?¡±


    I almost hiccuped. Where did the dragon come from all of a sudden, you little prick!


    ¡°Absolutely not¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking. The lizard would be fretting otherwise.¡±


    What lizard? He¡¯s a dragon!


    The man who grabbed me and hugged me, lightly touched the tip of my nose with his finger.


    His mouth, which had always been stiff, was half-open, with a smile that looked almost playful. For a moment, he almost looked like a young teenager. Like a pure boy who had a crush on a ballerina.


    ¡°My wife has a lot of hidden talents. More than I ever knew.¡±


    Before this magic disappeared¡­¡­ Maybe, I was the one who was possessed by magic.


    My hand moved by itself and touched his cheek. His cleanly shaved skin felt as soft as touching the baby¡¯s cheeks.


    I didn¡¯t know that our eyes wouldn¡¯t look away from each other. Every sound seemed to have stopped. And¡­


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    Crack!


    The sound of the spell breaking sounded out loudly in my ears.


    God, why are there so many things in the way of my progress?


    As I hurriedly withdrew my hand, my husband turned his head.


    At times like this, it was none other than the butler who appeared at the entrance of the greenhouse. What was his name again? Except for the first day of greeting, we barely ran into each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you, but I think you should go to the banquet hall now.¡±


    The butler, politely, glanced at me with a strange look.


    Why are you looking at me like that? Damn, did something happen to Freya again? She had been looking bad all day, so did she fall down?


    I thought we¡¯d head straight to the banquet hall, but Izek looked back at me for some reason instead of stepping away or following the butler.


    I just blinked as innocently as I could.


    I¡¯d been here with him the whole time! I didn¡¯t do anything, I didn¡¯t have time!


    ¡°Are they all dancing in the dance hall?¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s true, but¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt unless there¡¯s a problem. I can¡¯t afford to care about the little things right now.¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Since when have you been so rebellious?¡±


    Oof, brutal. So brutal. The butler no longer argued against his coldness worthy of cuts from a blade.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡±


    I gulped and glanced at my husband¡¯s haughty face. This unexpected attitude was very strange. As expected, he was a top-notch protagonist. Honestly, I thought he¡¯d leave me like this.


    ¡°Er¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°My name is not Er. Or would you like to call me like before?¡±


    What was this now? What did I call him earlier¡­¡­ Oh, right.


    I swallowed back the tears rising up in the terrible memory of my embarrassing self.


    I was crazy, definitely crazy. I was very embarrassed, but to think I called him Honey!


    ¡°Then, can I call you Iz?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you¡¯ve never called me by my name¡­¡±


    As I dawdled, Izek fiddled with my hair, apparently speechless.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s a lot of dirt on it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dirt, it¡¯s petals¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is that any better?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better go wash up and rest now.¡±


    What nonsense was this? He sent the butler off like that, and now he was shooing me away too?


    Was I a fool to be happy that he didn¡¯t walk away? The magic hadn¡¯t completely died yet. Was I a fool to believe?


    ¡°I want to talk more today, but be patient. I¡¯ll tell them to prepare a bath, so your feet¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But that would be scary!¡±


    A moment of silence fell as I clung to him and shouted urgently.


    My husband, who was striding out of the greenhouse, looked at me from afar.


    ¡°Do the servants scare you?¡±


    ¡°What? No, no, I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought the new maid would be better, but I guess not. What the hell did they do to you?¡±


    Go away you dragon cub, with those freezing eyes of yours.


    Ronja did not do anything wrong, you hothead! Listen to me, please!


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, actually, I¡¯m just scared to be alone¡­ that too, with this foot injury. You might think I¡¯m stupid, but I keep feeling like someone did it on purpose, so I¡¯m nervous. The maids won¡¯t make me feel any better. The night is long and they¡¯re all gathered in the banquet hall.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Can you stay with me a little longer?¡±


    It sounded like it wouldn¡¯t work, even to my ears, but I pushed it blindly and made my eyes as mournful as possible. It was because I thought I would never have such an opportunity again unless it was a night of unexpected events.


    Come on, get back under the spell!


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m like?¡­.¡±


    W-Was it a failure?


    The man who let out a short sigh, stepped toward the hall again.


    I couldn¡¯t dare to stop him anymore because he was so scary.


    Ahhh, what the hell are you doing, you ice block? Is that all you have to say?


    ¡°What do you need, Duke?¡­.¡±


    ¡°Get a bath ready. And holy water.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    As I felt every time, the servants here seemed to be much more nervous in front of Izek than when Ellenia or her father were present.


    I held Izek¡¯s shoulder tightly and looked around, with the servants moving busily. It was my first time here.


    ¡°Is this your room?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s shabby, but it is.¡±


    Are you being sarcastic?


    My husband¡¯s place, which I had entered for the first time since I came here, was much grander than I had imagined. It wasn¡¯t as fancy as I thought, but it was a place decorated with a rustic look.


    The fur on the smooth black marble floor looked fluffy.


    Through the square balcony, you could see the entire view of the mansion and the city at a glance like a kaleidoscope.


    There was also a shining lighthouse at the Port of Elmos.


    ¡°It¡¯s just cool. It¡¯s like a fortress.¡±


    ¡°These days, it¡¯s a fortress.¡±


    There was no decoration on the wall. I thought there might be a portrait of his deceased mother, but nothing was found.


    There wasn¡¯t even a tapestry.


    I remembered his father said he liked art, but he must be different in many ways.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s done. M-My lady¡­.¡±


    ¡°Call Ronja.¡±


    I was stunned by the servant¡¯s voice and came to my senses as I stopped looking around the room. Izek sent away all the servants and took me to the bathroom.


    I was literally puzzled.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡±


    As soon as I entered the hot steamy bathroom, I couldn¡¯t help but admire it. This was my husband¡¯s private bathroom. You¡¯re a real Dyke, aren¡¯t you? What bathroom is more fancy than a room?!


    This wasn¡¯t just a fancy bathroom. It was a private open-air bath with hot spring water!


    The gold-plated walls, high marble bath, and, above all, a large window on one wall were impressive.


    The window occupied half of the wall and was covered with thick curtains.


    If I soaked my body here and opened the window, the scenery would be amazing.


    ¡°Watch your step.¡±


    What was going on?


    Izek left me sitting on a small staircase leading to the bathtub.


    What am I supposed to do? It¡¯s safe here, so you want me to wash up safely in your bathroom?


    ¡°My lady, are you all right?¡±


    I guess that¡¯s what it is. Why is he always out of focus? That¡¯s not what I meant!


    ¡°Oh my God. Did you hurt your foot?¡±


    ¡°I made some mistakes. It¡¯s okay now.¡±


    Although, my chance was gone. Ugh, my progress!


    While I swallowed back the bitter tears, Ronja made a fuss over my feet and busily stripped me off.


    It took time to take off the fancy dress, accessories and underwear. Her friendly and delicate touch made me feel grateful.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take off the bandage. They said it would be good for healing wounds with holy water.¡±


    They? Oh, the servants. It must be great to pour that precious holy water into the bathtub. What a bath for a paladin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt next time, my lady. It¡¯s a waste if your pretty feet are scarred.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Aren¡¯t you here for my bath?


    To my puzzled expression, Ronja also made the same puzzled expression, instead of holding up my naked clothes.


    ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Duke asked me to help you take off your clothes. And he told me to come out right away.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad. If the Duke had touched your dress, it would have been ruined.¡±


    That was true. The reasonable Ronja finally smiled and left. I climbed up the stairs, holding my head, with only a gown hanging on me.


    Did this mean that just because I was a girl who played around with monsters, I should stop being a child and wash myself alone?


    Don¡¯t tell me, don¡¯t tell me you want me to stay with you¨C


    No, no, that¡¯s not it. Even if I begged him, he wouldn¡¯t accept.


    He was a jerk. A cold-hearted jerk.


    You arrogant bastard! I¡¯m still a lady!


    I sat down and dipped my legs in the warm water, sighing in pleasure. The languor spreading from the tip of the toes was not bad. If I bathed in a place like this every day, I¡¯d feel like a Roman emperor.


    The bathtub was so big and beautiful. You could even swim.


    ¡°My only condition is, tell me you¡¯ll remember me¡­¡±


    I hummed and splashed against the water.


    Oh, I want to see Popo. Griffin and the dragon. I shouldn¡¯t show that for the sake of their safety.


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯ll remember me, standing in nice clothes, looking at the sunset, baby¡­¡­tell me you¡¯ll come see me again, even if it¡¯s just your wildest dream¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°There are times when I¡¯m truly confused whether I¡¯m married or I have a child for a wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ahhh!¡±


    The hum turned into a scream.


    Scared, I stopped playing and turned around to see my husband, not knowing when he came in.


    Standing with one arm hanging over the bathtub railing, he looked so arrogant and hot.


    But, why was he wearing only a white gown?


    Where¡¯s that naked assassin costume? I¡¯m not disappointed at all.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? Did you make trouble?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. You¡­¡­.¡±


    The fact that you just showed up in a gown, and that I¡¯m sitting right next to you with a gown on my bare body, how could I be okay?


    And this is your private bathroom.


    ¡°Let me see your feet first.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem to care.


    The man approached me, who was frozen in a daze. He lowered his upper body and lifted my leg up. In the meantime, my mind became increasingly filled with terrible premonitions.


    I think he wanted to wash me off.


    Yes, washing me. That¡¯s all right. However, the problem was washing him.


    Only his face needed washing, really!


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you let it soak. Wait a minute.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t just blow this opportunity away in vain.


    When else would I be alone in the bathroom with him?


    With such determination, I turned around and stared intently at the back of the man who touched the jade jars at the side.


    Just take it off¡­ No, it might make a difference today.


    Should I say I¡¯ll wash him while he washes me?


    ¡°I forgot to tell you to bring a separate bottle of perfume. I want you to hold back even if your hair smells like me for a while.¡±


    ¡°I like the way you smell.¡±


    It¡¯s all the same. Don¡¯t you think so? I don¡¯t care if my hair smells like a man as long as I can build a castle tonight, hehe.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you are. Take off your gown.¡±


    Why, why do I suddenly feel like I¡¯ve been attacked first?


    Izek, who was folding up my robe sleeve to my elbow with an indifferent look, glanced back at me.


    ¡°What are you doing? Take off your gown and go in.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you do this all of a sudden, I¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡±


    There was a cold silence that could hardly be expressed in words.


    Ugh, it¡¯s dangerous.


    I quickly lowered my eyes and began to take off my gown.


    Didn¡¯t I tease you a lot today? Even though you¡¯re a terrible character who can tear me to death at any time.


    I could feel the gaze at my back. Was he looking at the scar? To cover up quickly, I flipped my hair back and pushed my body into the water.


    Damn it, I forgot about this scar. I hope this doesn¡¯t get in the way.


    Last time, he only saw the top of my back¡­


    ¡°Is it right to wash your hair first? How do women usually go in order?¡±


    ¡°I usually start with the head.¡±


    His rough fingers dug into my hair.


    The feeling of his massaging my scalp was strange. Is he going to tangle up all my hair?


    ¡°It¡¯s too long. I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±


    I was getting scared.


    Unlike my previous life, where my hair was smooth and straight, my current hair was not only curvy but also very thick, so I had to wash it very carefully.


    If you brush it randomly, it¡¯ll get tangled and never come undone.


    But wasn¡¯t it too much to ask this ignorant knight to do such delicate work?


    ¡°I will¡­.¡±


    I tried to say I¡¯d take care of it, but the next spooky voice caught my tongue.


    ¡°Why, all of a sudden, are you scared?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m telling you. Apply the foam from the end and brush it gently with your finger.¡±


    I am a doll. A doll held by a bored assassin¡¯s ruthless grip.


    I mourned my poor hair and closed my eyes tightly to the flood of water on my head. I was an ascetic who was being baptized in the waterfall now.


    ¡°Uhn¡­!¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    The tangled part of the end caught on his finger, which stung my scalp.


    Get some foam on it and brush it! I¡¯m worried that I¡¯ll lose half my hair.


    I heard a low sigh and a clattering sound. Sneakily glancing back, my husband was frowning at his palms. The shape of the veins on his thick forearms were noticeable.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to this kind of thing.¡±


    Why was he saying such obvious things? When did he ever have to wash someone?


    It was just glorious that I was the first person he experimented with, even though he¡¯d never even washed a dog before.


    ¡°Are you okay? Hang in there even if I¡¯m a little clumsy.¡±


    Suddenly, a strange feeling came over me. It felt unfamiliar.


    His grip on my soaked hair was rough and clumsy, but careful and sweet.


    I didn¡¯t know if it was right to say sweet.


    It was now a familiar thing to get help even washing my body. In Romagna, servants used to follow each move. Every single day of my life, from every little act to big ones, were reported and known.


    Servants who had been engaged in such work all their lives have been surprisingly skilled and delicate.


    Nevertheless, I had never felt this way before.


    Come on, wake up. You have to be careful. Don¡¯t be mistaken. You know it¡¯s quick to turn kindness into violence.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard. I didn¡¯t know that hair would be like this. It¡¯s not a spider web.¡±


    Are you saying it¡¯s hard or not? Ah, you¡¯re a twisted guy anyway.


    ¡°My neck hurts a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll get there from the heads to the end.¡­.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    It was a question of whether he was criticizing or talking to himself.


    It was a little awkward, but I kept talking.


    ¡°By the way, what were you talking about with your colleagues?¡±


    ¡°The Frost Forest¡¯s Subjugation plan.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It was  a joke, relax your neck. If he had the decency, he¡¯d stay quiet for a while.¡±


    Where in the world would you find a knight asking for shame from a dragon?


    You said a joke that didn¡¯t go well with me. I thought my heart was about to drop!


    ¡°You must be very worried about your friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You looked like you had a lot of fun. Close your eyes.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say because it was true that I had fun.


    The water poured into my head with the water from scooped out snow.


    Whoo.


    ¡°I came to pick you up, and you cried because you didn¡¯t want to leave your friends.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really like that, I was just afraid I¡¯d get in trouble..¡±


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re afraid of, that too, after meeting Popori?¡±


    At first glance, it sounded like a joke. The touch on my head felt unfamiliar to me. Almost like he was teasing¡­ Who the hell was this man?


    ¡°I managed to find you, but I got a mushroom on the face.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re safe, and that¡¯s all I need to know. I think I¡¯m done with my hair.¡±


    As expected, he never forgot when I threw the mushroom.


    Remembering the days of self-indulgence, I turned and hung on to the bathtub railing.


    In the thick steam, Izek was seen squeezing a thick sponge and wiping the sweat off his forehead with his other hand.


    ¡°I need to open the window.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Stay where you are.¡±


    Whoosh.


    Soon, the cool air came in.


    Through the half-open window, I could see the night sky shining brightly.


    Wow, that¡¯s awesome.


    ¡°If I take a bath here every day, I¡¯ll feel like a real princess.¡±


    ¡°You are a princess.¡±


    Well, I was the daughter of the Pope and the princess of Romagna. But, that was not what I meant.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful bathroom in Romagna.¡±


    ¡°The splendour cannot be matched with the Holy Father¡¯s.¡±


    What? Was the Pope¡¯s bathtub some sort of a sacred constellation?


    I didn¡¯t know because I¡¯d never been in my father¡¯s personal bathroom.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s just pretty. It¡¯s really nice here.¡±


    ¡°If you like it, come here as you please.¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Why ask that everytime¡­¡±


    The man with a vile tongue approached me and sat on the railing.


    My eyes widened.


    ¡°Arm.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to give me your arm to wipe it.¡±


    Ah.


    As soon as I raised my arm like I was possessed by a spell, Izek grabbed my wrist with one hand and began rubbing it with a foamy sponge.


    From the wrist, to the inside of the elbow, and below¡­¡­.


    ¡°Tell me if it hurts. It¡¯s hard to control my power.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think that was the problem right now.


    His veined heavy forearms moved up and down in intervals.


    The hard muscles in the chest, revealed through the half-spread gown, were also moving to the rhythm.


    I stared blankly at them, almost absentmindedly, alternating between the muscles and his indifferent face.


    His silvery hair was spread out on his forehead and temple.


    Sweat was running on the back of his neck, too.


    ¡°The other side.¡±


    Are you okay with this situation?


    No matter how bad the steam was, I was sitting bare in the bathtub, and he was washing my body in a careless manner.¡­.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°Raise your legs and walk over here. To the side that¡¯s not hurt.¡±


    I obediently lowered both arms and raised my left leg to hang my ankle on the railing.


    My feet were stuck in his cauldron-like grip.


    A dark thought struck me.


    It turned out that I was not the type of woman that he had expected. Was that why he stopped in the middle?


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What other pranks are you going to play?¡±


    You¡¯re being such a jerk!


    Anger soared, but I quickly came to my senses.


    Progress was important.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just come inside? I¡¯ll wash up with you.¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    Izek¡¯s face, which was staring at me, slowly hardened.


    My heart dropped suddenly. Oh, god, did I make a mistake?


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m made of? Stone?¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m sorry.¡­.¡±


    I stuttered, and the grip on my ankle was loosened.


    Izek put the sponge down and straightened his upper body.


    ¡°You better do the rest.¡±


    ¡°Now, wait a minute!¡±


    This cold-blooded man must be suffering from multiple-personality disorder. Why was he suddenly trying to be cold again?


    As I clung to his forearm, a bewildered voice rang immediately.


    ¡°What are you doing now¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go! I won¡¯t bother you! I just want to be with you¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going, so just put this down first¡­¡±


    You¡¯re a liar! And you¡¯ll walk away again!


    It was a moment of desperation, where I clung to his forearm.


    Splash!


    I lost my balance, my body swaying, and soon there was a magnificent splash.


    Holy water mixed with bathwater flowed out of the bathtub, bubbling up. I couldn¡¯t come to my senses for a while.


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    As soon as I got out of the water, I coughed.


    Ugh, I think I got water in my ear. What the heck just happened¡­¡­.


    ¡°You¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hic.¡±


    Hiccups burst out.


    Oh, I thought it felt weird.


    I tilted my head back, wondering if it was possible.


    Water dripped from his  wet silver hair.


    Standing wet even in his gown and rubbing his face with his palm, Izek looked like a legendary monster who had descended into a monster bathhouse.


    And I hung on the monster¡¯s magnificent shoulders like a ghoul.


    Ah, this position made me anxious.


    ¡°Oh, are you okay?¡±


    The fearsome monster gave no reply. The moment I tried to open my mouth again, he moved.


    Splish.


    I stepped on the stairs and came out of the bathtub. I went straight out of the bathroom.


    ¡°Darn it¡­.¡±


    The soles of my feet touched a fluffy leather fur rug.


    My toes didn¡¯t hurt anymore. Instead, the heart thumped like a rabbit in front of a fox.


    As I stood there, dripping with water, staring blankly at his back, I could imagine his arrogant face in my head.


    Wet hair clung to my body. As the cool air touched me, I got goosebumps on my skin.


    Damn it, I messed it up again.


    I guess I was too relaxed because I did a good job.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t just about me running away from home, but it was an indication that I was being tactless and even burdensome.¡­


    I dropped my gaze to the floor.


    I could see a large foot approaching me with dripping water.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    My knees shook nervously. What should I do? Should I have gotten hit earlier? Please don¡¯t kill me.


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Fwip.


    My vision was obscured before I could turn. The hand rubbing my head was truly evil.


    Ugh, what kind of torture is this!


    A soft fluffy towel rubbed my wet hair and wiped my neck and shoulders.


    It was only as the towel flowed down that I could see ahead.


    As I turned around, Izek, sitting on a sofa, squeezing the water out of my hair, looked surprisingly calm.


    You¡¯re not mad, are you?


    ¡°Hey¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°No, raise your arms.¡±


    It was a very unpredictable tone. I gently closed my mouth and raised both arms.


    I couldn¡¯t think of anything while he was sitting and wiping my body. I felt like my mind was empty.


    Why are you¡­


    It was then that the hand that was drying the water on my back stopped and the touch of the soft towel quickly fell off.


    It took me a while to figure out what had caused him to lose his cool when a strange silence took place.


    As his calloused palms touched my thighs, the sense of reality rose in me belatedly.


    No, don¡¯t look!


    As soon as I turned my back, I raised my husband¡¯s head straight away. My hand moved by itself and snatched the towel from his hand.


    Silence. There was a long, painful silence while I was floundering around with the towel.


    I¡¯m going crazy. If I had succeeded in building a castle in the bathtub, he wouldn¡¯t have seen this!


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m embarrassed.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I was a bit of a tomboy when I was young.¡­.but this still remains.¡±


    Ugh, it¡¯s hard to make eye contact.


    It didn¡¯t really matter since I looked at his feet with a stupid smile.


    I wished that he¡¯d let it slide.


    Damn, what would the most appropriate reason be? What would have left me a long-lasting scratch on my supposed-to-be-flawless female body? Should I say I made a fuss about my self-esteem? I think that would be the best.


    Once he knew what I really looked like, then he would know how I¡¯d been treated.¡­.


    I knew that compassion was only temporary, and that weaknesses could be used as a leverage. But I also knew how it would turn out in the end.


    I was the princess of Romagna, Sistine¡¯s Lark, the beloved daughter of the Pope.


    No matter how troublesome I was here, I was being treated somewhat well thanks to the fact.


    They¡¯d think they were being fooled as soon as I removed the fancy wrapping and revealed the miserable kernel ¡ª my true self.


    Where and what kind of treatment would you get when your family was of the Pope¡¯s?


    That was why I couldn¡¯t even dream of using the truth to save Izek¡¯s sympathy.


    If I say that I was not actually the Pope¡¯s daughter, and that I¡¯m someone who just babbled as they pleased, if I tell you all about how I was treated every time I stumbled, wouldn¡¯t it be too obvious what kind of eyes they would see me in the future?


    Every time I imagined it, I felt so miserable that I had a headache. Moreover, their trust in me would degrade even more.


    In a situation where even my talents related to monsters were revealed, if I revealed about E;lenia¡¯s poisoning that would happen in the future, Izek might think that I was just pretending to be on the bad side of my family.


    No, before that, if I did this and that in the North, and he felt deceived, I didn¡¯t know what would happen if he agreed to cancel our marriage with my family.


    What a terrible ending would this be? And, what about Popo and the others¡­

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    ¡°Your father is surprisingly strict. That¡¯s so harsh that even I¡¯m surprised.¡± Izek, who finally opened his mouth, murmured slowly.


    My body shrank at his cold sarcastic voice.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t usually do that, but I¡¯ve had a bad accident. Shame on me¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    Are you being sarcastic? I¡¯m not crying. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m so scared of you that I¡¯m tearing up, you cold-blooded monster!


    ¡°Woo, I didn¡¯t mean to cry¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid, afraid you¡¯re disappointed in me¡­¡­.¡±


    He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me just as I was about to wipe my eyes with my fist. My eyes widened as my legs relaxed.


    Izek held my hands together and placed his head on top of it. He did it for a long time, without saying a word.


    As I stared blankly at his silver hair, which was wet and disheveled, 50,000 thoughts crossed my mind.


    And this was what he said when he finally raised his head,  ¡°People would think I made it like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have nothing to say when the lizard comes after me.¡±


    What are you talking about, Dragon Slayer?


    My cheek, which was wet, was cupped by a rough palm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do when a girl cries. And¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Every time you do this, I¡­¡­.¡±


    His teeth clenched, his eyes shook with a strange emotion.


    A completely perplexed look, one where he was suppressing anger, pain, and bitterness.


    I was confused, but I felt sorry for him.


    ¡°I wish your husband was a wiser man than me, but now I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    The touch on my wet cheek was soft.


    His hand was rough, with calluses, but it didn¡¯t feel bad.


    ¡°I have to stop roaming between consideration and avoidance.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You have only one chance to come open now. So tell me what you want. You can do anything.¡±


    My head  was ringing. I think he said this last time too. I could do anything after I chose¡­


    I didn¡¯t know what that meant, but at this very moment, I could see that the opportunity I¡¯d been looking for, had finally come back.


    I was clueless about this sudden change of heart, but I couldn¡¯t miss it.


    ¡°Answer me carefully. It won¡¯t do any good if you regret it later.¡±


    Unconsciously, I may already have realized it.


    He gave me a few chances, and this was the last time.


    Once I opened this door, I¡¯d never be able to go back, something I had never imagined would be waiting.


    I didn¡¯t have another option in the first place anyway. If I had a chance to choose, it was already clear which way to go.


    I curled my arms around my husband¡¯s neck. I tried to answer carefully, but as my mouth opened, my tongue twisted as if I had been possessed.


    ¡°I want to live next to you with my friends.¡±


    His snake-like eyes glowed like a red warning light. Once, twice. Something soft and fierce.¡­ I didn¡¯t have time to reflect on what I was saying.


    ¡°Oof!¡±


    The towel, which was wrapped around me, fell to the floor as my body jerked up.


    I was a chick again!


    I was struggling without knowing what to do, but my back was buried in a soft sheet.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The large bed was covered with thick wool and fine cotton blankets.


    Izek put me down on top of it and took off his soaked gown from the bath earlier.


    His voluptuous statue-like body was revealed as the moist cloth flowed down.


    Strangely, it wasn¡¯t as terrifying as last time.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want¡­¡±


    It was hot. His soft lips on my feet were hot. The same foot that I had hurt earlier.


    Yes, he was holding my foot and kissing it.


    I watched the scene with my eyes about to pop out.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that arrogant guy kissed me on the back of my foot. I couldn¡¯t even have imagined it. Why did I feel so weird?


    It was not long before his body, muscles rippling, wriggled up.


    I felt like I was being attacked by a wild animal.


    His broad shoulders, chest, and waistline below it were as smooth and sensual as a leopard.


    Suddenly, a strange question arose.


    Who else was as brutal and beautiful as Izek?


    ¡°Relax, Ruby.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time to react to hearing my nickname in his voice.


    Lips that felt like they were on fire, pressed against my lips.


    No, wasn¡¯t this going too fast all of a sudden? Has been holding back for too long?


    His soft tongue opened my lips, swept through my teeth, and squeezed in.


    Short of breath, I could feel a throb.


    A heart was pounding.


    Pulsing, thumping. I didn¡¯t know whose heart it was.


    I couldn¡¯t move because of the dizziness.


    ¡°I-Iz¡­¡±


    A warm breath hovered on my neck, and I looked up. Just in time to see him sweep the hair on his forehead back.


    His red eyes glistened above me, breathing hard.


    Deep ruby eyes with a silver light. Their depth was so much that it felt like I was about to get sucked into them.


    ¡°Damn it, you keep looking at me like that.¡­.¡±


    Are you accusing me or being sarcastic?


    His lips fell around my eyes as I blinked.


    Kisses poured on my eyelids, on my nose, on my lips and neck again.


    It was no match for me to kiss him on the cheek, it would seem like a joke.


    This almost felt passionate. The song from before rang in my ear.


    My only condition is, tell me you¡¯ll remember me¡­


    The hand that was stroking my shoulder went down past the collarbone.


    My body trembled at the feeling of his fingers grazing my ribs. I tried to stay calm, but my limbs kept flinching.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    His long fingers brushed my solar plexus and stomach, reaching my lower abdomen. My leg reflexively shuddered, causing my eyes to water.


    ¡°Relax and breathe.¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. I¡¯m as nervous as you are.¡±


    Really? Why do I think you¡¯re better than me? Is this the main character buff? What an unfair world.


    I relaxed my tensed limbs. Cool air poured in through the gap.


    My body kept burning. Finally, a translucent thread hung around the tip of his finger, as my upper body jerked up.


    ¡°Hand. Like before.¡±


    He gave me a low command and nuzzled me on the shoulder.


    I raised my arm and hugged him by the neck as before.


    ¡°Like this¡­?¡±


    Instead of answering, Izek lowered his head and bit my shoulder slightly. And then slowly came in. It was all in an instant.


    ¡°W-Wait a minute!¡±


    A steel-like arm held me tight.


    It was useless even if I struggled and slapped his shoulder.


    I wondered if my body would break into pieces.


    It hurts, it hurts, hubby!


    ¡°Relax, or it¡¯ll hurt more.¡±


    ¡°Huuu¡­¡°


    I know that, but how did you know that? I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s so hard to relax.


    I thought my lower half had loosened a little, but a wrist suddenly popped up in front of me.


    I accidentally bit it. Wasn¡¯t that why he gave it to me?


    It¡¯s not fair if I¡¯m the only one in pain. Good, I hope it bruises, you cold-blooded b*stard!


    I was a little too ambitious. A groan, almost a moan, sounded near my ear.


    ¡°Did you actually bite me? You¡¯ll be a mess by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m so sorry.¡­.¡±


    ¡°This is crazy, really.¡±


    A giggle rang out.


    I was high even in the daze. The tension eased little by little while he kissed my head with me supported by his arms.


    Slowly repeated thrusts made me shudder with pain and joy.


    ¡°I-Iz¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I-I feel weird¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. So do I.¡±


    Why was that look so confusing for me?


    It was as if I was the one who¡¯s trapped, who¡¯s caught in a trap, even while knowing it¡¯s bait.¡­.


    I just realized I couldn¡¯t go back to what I used to be.


    God, how did I know what I would turn into here?


    How did I know whether this night could be a blessing or a curse for me?


    The excitement shook my mind and his lips gently pressed on my cheek, which was flushed red.


    The kiss on my face was sweet. It was so sweet that I almost cried.


    ¡°Pretty. Really.¡±


    Really?


    My hand went up and grabbed a handful of his hair.


    So are you.


    So tell me you¡¯ll remember me.


    Wearing shining armour and looking at the sunset.


    Why was it a mistake to think of that song today? I didn¡¯t know why my heart ached so much when I didn¡¯t have enough courage to say anything.


    We were stuck together all night.


    I was sure this memory would follow him around even after he leaves me one day.


    Even if it was just a dream he¡¯d forget when he woke up.

 Chapter 63

    Bright sunlight poured through the circular glass walls, making the whole area sparkle.


    Green grass, sweet-scented roses, lilacs, lilies, dahlia, rapeseed flowers, rudbeckia, petunia, and all sorts of other colorful flowers, statues with beautiful figures, and cool, peaceful sounds.


    I felt like I was back in Romagna. At the same time, I realized that I was missing the nature and climate of the South, apart from my feelings for my family.


    The golden sunlight and warm wind, siesta and sherbet, women with faded blonde hair, lace parasols, and men with tanned skin.


    Maybe it was because it felt similar to where I lived in my previous life.


    ¡°We can go boating here.¡±


    Ellenia, who followed me into the greenhouse garden, saw the magnificent waterfall from the fountain and said this calmly.


    It was just like her, so I laughed.


    ¡°Ellen, you like lilies, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ll make you a wreath.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    It was a vague answer, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    I wanted to see the brother and sister with a wreath on their head one day.


    Ellenia sat on a rose-covered bench and looked around the surrounding landscape while I made a wreath out of lilies and other flowers. I couldn¡¯t decide which looked more beautiful, the rose or Ellenia.


    ¡°This is a Southern garden. It may not be the same greenhouse from there, but is it similar?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the same, but yes, pretty similar. Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s wonderful. As you know, the style itself is different here.¡±


    It must be different since this was a place where gnomes having fertility comparable to cockroaches, dug tunnels in the yard to make a living.


    For this reason, the gardener who managed the greenhouse was from the temple vineyard.


    Instead of wasting budget and manpower to make more improvements, they were going to focus on increasing security.


    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s already quite a stack of invitations. It¡¯s all for Ruby.¡±


    ¡°Oh.. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°As you know, you don¡¯t have to answer each one. You have a lot of things to pay attention to, so I think it¡¯s okay for you to start social activities after the festival season is over. You need to learn how to keep track of these things.¡±


    Social activities were a must in Romagna.


    Considering my status and position there, it was natural, and I hosted more frequently, rather than being invited.


    As a head group, the meeting hosted by my father¡¯s group was more luxurious than the ones here.


    Some made excuses of being busy or not having time, but everyone knew that they were secretly attending.


    All the social activities that I¡¯d attended so far were horse riding meetings and the St. Agnes¡¯s charity event, but after my husband gave me a banquet, invitations flew from all over the place.


    From simple tea-time invitations to all kinds of social gatherings, I was almost at a loss.


    Of course, it was not only the banquet but also the fact that we were finally married.


    Yes, I finally built a castle with my haughty husband and made a visit to the temple! Hehe.


    Regardless of how holy the bell of the temple sounded, even the eyes of the archbishop, who usually seemed expressionless, looked warm.


    (T/N: I have no idea why this analogy was used.)


    ¡°Ellen is right. But, well, I was wondering if everyone would feel uncomfortable if I suddenly tried to interfere.¡­.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s voice immediately cooled as she lowered her head, clicking her tongue, ¡°You¡¯re the hostess of this family, who dares to think it¡¯s interference? If there¡¯s such an insolent person, I¡¯ll kick them out immediately.¡±


    Sometimes I don¡¯t know the difference between these siblings.


    Thank you, but it isn¡¯t very realistic.


    The servants of Omerta were all old and loyal, regardless of what they did to me, the possibility of being kicked out was very slim.


    Obviously, if I suddenly started kicking them out, instead of discussing this with Ellenia, the problem would have exploded in some way.


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t stay still forever. Even if it¡¯s just an act, I¡¯d pretend I was doing my best.


    ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be of any help. I don¡¯t want to mess up the order that¡¯s already been set up.¡±


    ¡°Do as you please. There¡¯s nothing urgent. I¡¯ll let you know step by step. You know, since I was a child, I¡¯ve been doing the same¡­¡­¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s tone grew soft as she lowered her eyes and clenched her hands together.


    ¡°But my nanny did it in the first few years. A year before my mother died¡­.since my mother had never been in a sane state. Not only did she have that habit, but she was different from Ruby in many ways.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°As I said back then, the only people who knew her eating habits were me and a few others, but everything else was really weird. She was obsessed with her appearance, extravagant clothing, and she suddenly insisted on pouring huge amounts of money into donations. If one day she was extremely energetic, the next day she would be staying in bed all day.¡±


    There was a bitter look in her ruby eyes.


    Suddenly, I felt sorry for her. I wasn¡¯t in a position to feel sorry for anyone, but I was also aware of how the combination of depression and the resulting eating disorders affected the minds of those around me, including myself.


    My sister from my previous life went through a situation like that.


    The fact that only a few people knew about my shaken mind was similar to that of my dead mother-in-law.


    However, although my family desperately hid it, I had received help from modern medicine and understanding from other people, but depression was difficult to understand and define from the perspective of this worldview.


    It is a world without the concept of human rights or mental illness.


    ¡°Why did your mother¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I still don¡¯t know about that. What made her so unhappy¡­..It¡¯s because my mother died that my brother and father became like that.¡±


    ¡°Did your father do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°There were a lot of fights, but I don¡¯t know for sure¡­ I was young at the time. It¡¯s just my thought, but I think it¡¯s because of my mother that my brother became a paladin. The naive idea of ??getting to meet my mother, who would be a ghoul.¡±


    I got goosebumps on my forearm and a corner of my chest ached.


    I see, that¡¯s possible. His mother, who had already turned into a being that he wouldn¡¯t even recognize¡­.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like now, of course. This story is a secret. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be furious if he finds out I told Ruby this.¡±


    She had a rare joking tone. My hand weaving the wreath stopped and I gave her a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It must have been really hard for Ellen.¡±


    ¡°It was. The cause of death and all¡­ My brother refused to attend the funeral at that time. If Frey hadn¡¯t managed to persuade her, he really wouldn¡¯t have gone.¡±


    Ugh, it¡¯s going well, but suddenly Freya pops up. That¡¯s the power of a childhood friend. It¡¯s not too much to be special since they were together since they were young.


    Someone entered the beautiful greenhouse garden with only two people.


    ¡°Madam, a guest is here.¡±


    It was rare for someone to visit me in this house, who was it? As soon as I looked up, puzzled, Ellenia opened her mouth first, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°T-They said that the Duke sent them, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Longinus Knights, princess.¡±


    What¡¯s this? The Paladins came to see me on this sunny day? And my husband sent them? Something smells fishy.


    It seemed the same for Ellenia, who looked confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­¡­¡±


    I lifted myself up with a half-finished wreath.


    I think it has something to do with my secret.


    ¡°Since they¡¯re here, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll finish the wreath later.¡±


    ¡°Would that be all right? What do you want me to do?¡­.¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s okay, I heard Ellen has an appointment today. Since Iz sent them here, I¡¯ll meet up anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not normal for them to come see you.¡±


    That was what I thought too. However, Ellenia soon nodded, probably thinking anything was possible these days.


    ¡°You should ask them to come this way. It¡¯s time for me to get going, so I¡¯ll tell them to come here on my way out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ellen.¡±


    A moment later, instead of my beautiful sister-in-law, black-armoured Paladins appeared.


    ¡°Good morning, my lady. Were you making a wreath again today? I can smell the flowers.¡±


    At least, Sir Ivan didn¡¯t look as black as them. Well, he was always flowery.


    (T/N: Black here referring to their aura.)


    ¡°Do you want me to make you one too?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, well, yes, it¡¯s an honor.¡±


    Even Sir Ivan looked awkward in this warm and sunny garden.


    The people accompanying him¡­ was that Sir Camu?


    The pale blue-haired paladin had the same harsh and sleek face as the last time, and was concentrating on taking care of the flowers under his feet.


    And Sir Galar, like a brown bear¡­ Well, he hadn¡¯t said a word today. There was a butterfly on his head.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, my lady, we didn¡¯t come here just to visit you.¡±


    Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know at all.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have a request¡­ Izek wanted us to meet alone, in case anyone suspicious was around.¡±


    So, the only reason they were here was because Izek sent them? Why did the paladins seem so weak?


    ¡°Oh, what kind of request?¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    There was some silence for a while.


    As I pretended to be innocent and grinned with a teacup in my hand, the three sloppy paladins exchanged looks and soon began to cough and elbow each other.


    What are you doing, guys?


    It was surprisingly Sir Camu who was determined not to be able to endure it any longer.


    Sir Camu opened his mouth with a somewhat displeased expression on his face, and asked in a blunt tone, ¡°My lady, do you know about the frost wolf?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it in illustrated books.¡±


    ¡°I see. Books¡­ I don¡¯t know if it was common knowledge, but it does not come out of the woods. It¡¯s pretty smart for a monster, so they rarely attack humans first.¡±


    It was also in the province. The frost wolves, which live in the frost forests of Britannia, were quite rare, along with dragons.


    In the hierarchy, the average monster leaves only the stone when it dies, while the frost wolf leaves a corpse just like a dead beast. A dragon leaves behind a heart and a stone.


    To get the magic stone, you have to split the corpse.


    ¡°But now they¡¯re¡­¡­¡±


    Lord Camu, who vaguely trailed off, looked back at his colleagues.


    Sir Ivan, who was waving his arms to chase butterflies hovering around his shoulders, quickly spoke up, ¡°To give you a rough idea, they¡¯re cubs who live in their own burrows and do little harm to us. There is also a saying that killing a frost wolf before a jubilee event is unlucky, a superstition. But you know, my lady, this is a jubilee year, and there¡¯s going to be an international event called the gladiatorial match soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know there was such a superstition.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible superstition that only native people know about. Anyway, the problem is that the cubs are doing things that they didn¡¯t usually do, whether they were excited about the frost wolf or if they picked up the medicine that poachers spilled and ate it up¡­.those f*cking poachers really deserve to have their throats slit¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ivan.¡±


    ¡°What is it, you b*stard¡­ Oh, right. Anyway, the frost wolves suddenly flocked into people¡¯s houses and aren¡¯t moving back. According to the circumstances, they have been doing that since last night, but fortunately, there have been no casualties yet. The problem is, they are so fierce that people don¡¯t know when they might get attacked. We¡¯re here because it¡¯s hard to catch and kill them.¡±


    After a lengthy explanation, Sir Ivan licked his lips in a slightly awkward manner.


    Sir Camu and Sir Galar were just staring at me.


    So, the frost wolves, who never left their homes, suddenly swarmed in and threatened them, and with the superstition above them, they came to me?


    ¡°What am I supposed to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I was wondering if you¡¯d find out why those b*stards were here.¡­ we thought you may know.¡±


    You¡¯re asking for me to be an interpreter?


    On the other hand, I felt relieved. I was so glad it was not about Popo.


    Besides, they were not asking me to help kill, they were just asking me to find out why they refused to move out.


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to help you, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll help. I¡¯ve never met a frost wolf there. It¡¯s hard to be sure that every monster can communicate with me.¡±


    ¡°We are also fully considering that possibility. I¡¯m just asking just in case. Above all, we¡¯ll defend you thoroughly so you¡¯ll never be in danger, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Is my husband there too?¡±


    As soon as I asked the question, an awkward silence immediately fell.


    Ugh, they must have come secretly.


    Instead of Sir Ivan scratching his head, the feisty Sir Camu replied sarcastically, ¡°No, if he knows we¡¯ve come to visit you, he¡¯ll probably cut our throats and make us the wolves¡¯ meal.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s true. If you don¡¯t want to, I don¡¯t mind your refusal, my lady. I¡¯m not really looking forward to it.¡±


    Kang!


    The tea table shook. My eyes opened wide. Sir Camu and Sir Ivan were also taken aback.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Pull out the sword, Camu.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Hey, don¡¯t you bring your sword out! We¡¯re indoors, you idiot!¡±


    After a brief scuffle, Sir Galar put in his sword and sat back.


    While Sir Ivan was cursing him, Sir Camu wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    I was just staring at them in a daze.


    ¡°I apologize if I sounded rude. Anyway, we¡¯re in a hurry¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help, but I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    They were the ones who found out my secret in the frost forest that day, and they remained silent no matter what.


    I was sort of in debt.


    As such, it was not an unreasonable request, so it was right to grant it. No, there was no way I could refuse.


    In addition, these were Izek¡¯s colleagues and old friends.


    If I was helpful in this way, some bad suspicions may disappear, and I felt I¡¯d be able to meet Popo or other monsters someday.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little¡­.¡±


    They came here to ask for a favor, but now they were staring at me blankly. Soon, Ivan began rummaging through his pockets. What, did he bring a purse?


    ¡°I heard my lady likes chocolate very much, so¡­.¡±


    Who was spreading that rumour? I¡¯m not a kid, you jerks!


    ***


    ¡°Your horse riding skills are extraordinary.¡±


    The place where I arrived on horseback with the people who gave me chocolate, was an eerie area where blacksmiths and weapons dealers could be seen.


    Perhaps because it was close to the forest, it felt particularly wet and dark even though the day was sunny. I grinned at Sir Ivan, clasping my hood around my head.


    ¡°I just sit back.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be better than I am. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. The more I see you, the more amazed I feel.¡±


    They were surprised just by the horse riding.


    When I looked around, the whole area was empty.


    Except for a few of the city¡¯s security guards on guard, everyone seems to have locked their doors and hid.


    I heard that if someone recognized me, it would be difficult in many ways, so they probably blocked it in advance.


    ¡°That way, my lady. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    There was a spooky vibe from the river bank, where fog was rising.


    The slower I approached them, the closer I got to the angry cries reverberating.


    Sir Ivan and Sir Galar were on my sides while Sir Camu led the way with a sword.


    Over the fog, pairs of red eyes flashed violently.


    I thought the dragons were the only ones that were different from the other animals, but the frost wolves didn¡¯t have fluorescent green eyes eithers.


    ¡°Grrrrrrrr¡­.¡±


    We stopped about 20 meters from the swarm of frost wolves. A moment of silence held out.


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Camu?¡±


    ¡°C-Can you hear anything?¡­¡­¡±


    Why was this feisty-looking man so stupid?


    I don¡¯t know how to translate, they just understand what I¡¯m saying!


    Holding a sword in one hand, Sir Galar silently took out my chocolate in the other hand, and opened his mouth. It reminded me of the scene where a bear ate from a honey jar.


    ¡°I think we need to get closer.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Going about five meters further, a group of angry wolves appeared just around the corner.


    The white-furred wolves loitering around the riverbank looked really just like normal wolves except for the snow colour.


    ¡°My lady, are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    I think you guys are more nervous than I am.


    Feeling their stressed gazes concentrated on me, I edged ahead past Sir Camu.


    There was a frost wolf standing at the head of the group and staring at this side.


    He was especially bigger than the others. Was he the leader?


    I saw all kinds of monsters in the frost forest and experienced being chased by a dragon, so I didn¡¯t feel that it was scary or threatening. Rather¡­


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    His blood-stained eyes glistened wildly. Did all the monsters have fluorescent lights in their eyes?


    I swallowed and gently opened my mouth, speaking to the leader.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so handsome, aren¡¯t you? I feel like you¡¯re a prince.¡±


    The alpha frost wolf didn¡¯t say anything. He was very quiet. What was he thinking?


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    Behind my back came Sir Ivan¡¯s cautious voice.


    I stood motionless and stared at the haughty wolf looking at me.


    He looked sad.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt like he looked sad. And very angry.


    It felt like he was trying to suppress his sadness even though he was about to explode.


    ¡°Uhn..¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Uhn, uh¡­¡±


    As soon as something flew at my feet, someone quickly grabbed my shoulder.


    ¡°My lady, at this point¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    I rubbed my wet eyes and tried to look closely at the object at my feet. And then, I freaked out. I tried to stop myself from screaming.


    ¡°A-Agh¡­!¡±


    ¡°What? Are your feet in pain?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, not my feet¡­!¡±


    Sir Camu, who had been staring at me as I was talking in panic, hurriedly picked up what had fallen to the floor. He immediately threw it back.


    What the hell was he doing?


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    What the Alpha frost wolf spat at me was none other than a severed foot.


    Almost the size of my palm, foot of a giant monster with damp fur.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    ¡°Grrrrrrrrrrhh¡­.¡±


    Perhaps he didn¡¯t like the way we were making a fuss, but the frost wolf, who sent the severed foot, began to growl, the fur on the back of his neck rising up.


    The others were equally threatening, revealing their large, beautiful teeth.


    Brutal, this was brutal.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°Did they hurt themselves?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one who lost a foot among them.¡±


    I hesitated to pick up the feet rolling on the dirty ground. The roars, which seemed to be vibrating in the atmosphere, suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I looked at the feet in my hand for a moment. Suddenly, Enzo came to mind. To be exact, the clock he once showed.


    The mysterious dark red jewel attached to the exotic embossed wood.


    A jewel that brought good luck.


    Glancing back at the wolves, the sad alpha frost wolf now looked this way with a more frightening appearance than before.


    I felt like they were going to start slaughtering the whole area like this.¡­


    I think I know why.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my lady?¡±


    ¡°What did you get?¡±


    ¡°Did the foot speak?¡±


    What the hell do these people think I am?


    I swallowed back a sigh and carefully continued.


    ¡°The superstition you said earlier, I think someone just ignored it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    How should I explain this?


    I took my eyes off the frost wolf and carefully chose my words.


    It was hard to express exactly, but what the wolf was feeling right now, seemed vivid to me.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re here to find the owner of this foot.¡±


    ¡°The foot owner¡­ someone from their own kind?¡±


    ¡°I guess the owner is still around here. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s still alive. I think that¡¯s why they¡¯re only threatening.¡±


    Bang, thadum!


    Oh my¡­ The timing was amazing.


    Following the thunder that seemed to tear up the sky, frost wolves began to howl dramatically.


    At a time like this, it¡¯s unnecessarily dramatic.


    Sir Galar, looked back at his colleagues, spreading his palms over my head.


    ¡°The blacksmith might have taken them.¡±


    ¡°¡­did those f*cking poachers sell the wolf?¡±


    That seemed to be the conclusion.


    I was resting in a nearby hut while the Three Musketeers overturned the whole area to catch a man who had broken the sacred superstition.


    Frost wolves around the river bank were still camping like before.


    I wonder if he was alright. He seemed extremely angry, but if the owner of the severed foot had already died¡­.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold? You should wear a cape.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡­¡±


    Even if my faint voice broke a bit in the end, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    I saw Andymion smiling as brightly as ever in my eyes that had lost its spirit.


    Why did he suddenly come out of here?


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you. It¡¯s just that you seemed to be hiding, so I didn¡¯t know¡­¡­¡±


    As always. Did he come to see his brother? Wasn¡¯t it time for work? The fact that Andymion appeared here meant¡­


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    Something flew by, landing with a loud sound on the hard ground.


    The horses that were standing nearby neighed in shock, already agitated by the lightning.


    Andymion looked shocked as well. We turned around in unison, and Sir Camu was seen lying down with his limbs stretched out.


    ¡°Hey, you son of a bi*ch! Listen to me¡­.Hey! Hey! Wait a minute!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Izek! This isn¡¯t your home!¡±


    I could feel Sir Camu staring grimly at me, cries piercing my ears. And I suddenly felt sad.


    Ah, it¡¯s not just nice to have my heart beating like this.


    I lowered my hood quietly and smoothed my tangled hair.


    Then, I drained off the rainwater from my lace sleeves and brown skirt, and rubbed the mud off my shoes with straws near the bottom of the hut.


    Andymion and Sir Camu just watched silently while I finished the whole process.


    ¡°My, my lady!¡±


    I eventually slipped out of the hut with no choice, on hearing the dying soldier calling his mother.


    In the middle of the rain, my eyes fell on my husband, who looked like a scary demon, with two paladins hanging to his legs.


    What are you doing to someone else¡¯s husband?


    There was a moment of silence.


    About 10 meters away, a group of dim-faced city guards opened their mouths and watched an unexpected situation.


    Now, it couldn¡¯t be helped. As soon as he saw Sir Ivan, my fate had already been decided.


    ¡°Hi, honey.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ehehe, I begged them to let me see the frost wolf, and they listened.¡±


    Praise my foolish immature performance.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, the guards didn¡¯t seem to care much about me.


    They were only busy looking at the Paladins hanging on.


    Izek, who was staring at me smiling sheepishly, slowly lowered his arm.


    Sir Ivan was let off by the back of his neck.


    Sir Galar, who had been hugging Izek from behind his back, also let go of his arm.


    Wow, they must be monsters to some extent if they¡¯re not embarrassed with this. I¡¯m starting to get scared.


    Thump, the helmet was thrown to the floor. Izek¡¯s silvery hair soaked in sweat fluttered.


    I gulped down my dry mouth on his approaching footsteps.


    Thuck!


    ¡°¡­You son of a b*tch, you hit me again!¡±


    Sir Camu, who was kicked for no reason, cursed fiercely.


    But Izek didn¡¯t even look at him and extended his arms to me. My body was lifted at once.


    Oh, I¡¯m a chick again.


    ¡°L-Lord¡­¡­¡±


    Andymion, who was trying to say something, kept his mouth shut and began to follow suit.


    Since then, Sir Ivan who kept swearing, and Sir Galar, who helped Sir Camu, followed him.


    The guards, who were still watching, finally turned their eyes and shook their heads looking at each other.


    * * *


    Being a Southern spy felt pathetic.


    The weather was not as cold as expected. He thought it would be sunny, but the fleeting rains were quite annoying.


    It was not his cup of tea to walk around in the dark, mysterious temples of Elendale, wearing rosaries and scapulars[1].


    It was also important to keep in mind the attacks of the magicians even when they hide.


    Fortunately, he was a very patient human being.


    The man¡¯s eyes glistened under the dull blue sky.


    The most annoying incident of all was the failure of his mission.


    It was a clear mistake to mess with Rudbeckia at the banquet.


    He didn¡¯t know she¡¯d go to the Duke immediately after that¡­


    No, it was surprising that the Duke would take her with him and disappear.


    The couple, who once disappeared, showed no sign of returning, causing a disturbance that they left because they didn¡¯t feel very good.


    Duke Omerta had appeared and dealt with the situation, so he had to quickly hide.


    Then, the night had already arrived, and the next day, the couple appeared side by side at the temple to make a declaration.


    He felt like he had been hit hard on the back of his head. Though his master would add to this sort of feeling.


    Maybe it was supposed to be a failure from the beginning.


    In his years of loyalty to Cesare, Pietro had never spoken to Rudbeckia properly.


    No, he had never even met her face to face.


    When he contacted her, all he did was guard her, standing in front of the locked door at the behest of his owner, or hide and watch her in the distance when she was alone with her fiances.


    Therefore, Pietro did not know exactly what Rudbeckia was like, what she thought, what she could be up to, and what she could do.


    If he had known in advance, he would have been able to see through her movements earlier, but this could be chalked up as his and his master¡¯s negligence.


    Now it seemed that his lord also did not fully know his sister, who had lived in his arms.


    He had thought of her behaviour as an immature child¡¯s, but this fierce resistance¡­


    Of course, it was too early to be completely sure.


    Maybe that blind little girl just had a crush on her new husband.


    Or maybe it was that stone-like man. Duke Omerta, who was known to be cold, fell in love with his fragile wife.


    It was always difficult to make a hasty guess about what¡¯s going on between a man and a woman.


    So Pietro worked hard to keep tabs on Rudbeckia, while rubbing the back of his head.


    He didn¡¯t have anything else to do until Cesare came anyway.


    Elendale was a boring land.


    Even the bar was more like a monastery compared to Romagna.


    It was no fun to pick a fight with the bullies and break their necks.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    A string of words flowed out of his throat.


    It was getting harder to figure out that woman.


    He was wondering why she had come all the way to this district with the Paladins. Did she come here to see the frost wolves or something like that?


    He wanted to get closer to observe what she was doing, but if he went beyond this, he would be caught by those damn paladins.


    So, Pietro patiently waited for his missing target to reappear in sight, hiding in the thorny bush.


    And when she finally reappeared, separated from the Paladins, headed alone into a nearby hut, he tried to move without wanting to miss an opportunity.


    His mind said this was the moment.


    ¡°Sir, sir! If you move like that, your wife will be scared!¡±


    A boy¡¯s high-pitched, nasally scream rang.


    Soon after, a Paladin riding a horse in a stormy mood, and a black-haired trainee, who was also trying to catch up with the horse, rushed near the area, trampling on the muddy road.


    ¡°¡­damn it.¡±


    Pietro clenched his fist as he muttered a curse.


    He was unlucky. The unexpected disrupter who appeared in the form of a storm was obviously Duke Omerta.


    As long as he was there, it would be no good to sit around anymore.


    It was like recognizing your own kind.


    On the night of the banquet in the Omerta Castle, when Pietro first saw the Duke, he immediately recognized that he was a dangerous man.


    It was expected that he would simply be a cranky and picky young gentleman, and that him being considered as one of the strongest knights in the North was just exaggeration as usual, but the aura he gave off from afar was fearsome.


    A mixture of arrogance, wildness, and pessimistic insanity, that couldn¡¯t be reigned in.


    At the same time, there was no sign of a raw barbaric man.


    Was it because he was a nobleman?


    Was it possible for him to suppress everything with the noble blood running through his veins?


    That was something that Pietro, who was born as a poor man and grew up from the bottom, didn¡¯t have. Even Cardinal Valentino, who was held up like a prince from the front but called an illegitimate child from the behind couldn¡¯t escape the criticism.


    So, Pietro was particularly bothered by this man.


    Apart from the fact that he was not his rival, but his master¡¯s.


    A confident man who had never felt deprived in his life, made him really annoyed.


    It was a feeling similar to Wyvern¡¯s hatred of dragons.


    This feeling deserved to be suppressed. Until a miraculous opportunity came forth.


    Pulling off the thorn stuck on the hem of his cape, Pietro left quietly like a shadow.


    * * *


    [1]Rosaries and Scapulars: They¡¯re believed to be ¡°devotional articles¡± in Catholicism.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    ¡°Honestly, change your position and think about it. What would you have thought of first? You¡¯re just going to kill me in that situation?¡±


    ¡°Uhn.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you may not care a damn thing about that, but I feel uncomfortable! We¡¯re all normal, we feel uncomfortable!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right!¡±


    Boom.


    The sound of thunder outside an empty pub sounded really loud. I wondered how he found out I was here, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask.


    So with Andymion, I bowed my head and pretended to nibble on chocolate. It was so sweet.


    ¡°So you secretly made things up behind my back?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Tempting my naive wife outwith chocolate?¡±


    I quickly pulled my hand out of my chocolate pocket and started touching the bracelet on my wrist instead.


    Izek, who hadn¡¯t been raising his voice at all since earlier, looked even more terrifying.


    The scene of his iron-fist clenching and unclenching was truly eerie. It was not long before a thud sounded.


    ¡°Argh! Why, why me¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop eating.¡±


    ¡°A-Agh, fine.¡±


    Andymion, who was beaten for no reason while eating chocolate without noticing, appeared very upset.


    Everyone looked very upset. In particular, Sir Camu had a sulky look.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you honestly think that¡¯s too much? In a nutshell, we¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°W-Wait a minute!¡±


    Somehow, I felt like the atmosphere would only get worse, so I shouted without realizing it.


    The shout drew four angry pairs of eyes to me in unison.


    Help me, ahh.


    I coughed as my mouth grew dry, and looked at Izek.


    Always lovely to see those blood-red eyes burning like hellfire.


    ¡°Iz, smile. Like this¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I just wanted to be of some help to you.¡±


    Once I opened my mouth, I could hear words pouring out, ones that I didn¡¯t even think of.


    Of course, this was followed by a low roar straight away, making me suffocated.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to go out without contacting me? You can¡¯t be sure that all of them are good just because you spend some time together, and you don¡¯t even know what exactly they want from you. So what if they just came to you for help? Do you think these guys have a lot of experience fighting frost wolves?¡±


    ¡°Is he looking down on the elites? Hey, I even had a confrontation with the Frost dragon. What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you close your mouth? At least the lizard cub didn¡¯t shamelessly throw rotten feet at my wife. You shameless b*stards.¡±


    My sshameless dragon cub gave me a big, beautiful jewel instead of a severed foot. Oh god, this situation wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    ¡°I remember everything you said. But I was sorry that I¡¯ve only caused inconvenience to the people here. I thought it would be nice if I could at least lend a little bit of help¡­.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s saying such nonsense? That you¡¯re an inconvenience¡­?¡±


    No, why are you so focused on that again, you jerk!


    I had an urge to slap my husband¡¯s big back, whose mind constantly went in the wrong way, but I held it in.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say that, but everyone had a hard time looking for me for a few days and it could have been dangerous. I wanted to be of any help. I¡¯ve never done my duty right here, and I¡¯ve always been in trouble, so I thought I could be of some use to you. I¡¯d be more¡­¡­¡±


    I was out of breath because I spat out words as fast as I could.


    The atmosphere was a bit strange when I was looking for the next thing to say while catching my breath.


    A strange sense of doubt rose.


    The faces of those standing around an old pub table and staring blankly at me were exactly the same as they were when I appeared on my husband¡¯s birthday the other day.


    I wondered if I had another nosebleed.


    ¡°W-w-why are you all so¡­¡­¡±


    As I was about to ask if they were staring at me, Izek, who looked at me with a weirdly complex look, angry or spacing out, finally turned his head and headed out with his shameless colleagues.


    ¡°So, is this the owner of the foot?¡±


    The owner of the severed foot in question was a drooping wolf with a muzzle that emitted an unidentified blue light.


    At first, I thought the wolf was dead, but its stomach, covered in gray fur, was going up and down weakly.


    ¡°We-We went to collect frost mushrooms to treat it. We found it trapped in a net by poachers¡­.¡±


    ¡°Look at the wolf¡¯s condition. Treat it? If you really wanted to, you should¡¯ve thrown it some frost mushrooms and let it go. Why did you go to collect it in the first place? Do you have any other monsters in your house?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no! How can you say that, we¡¯re just trying to set a trap for the gnomes¡­.¡±


    ¡°And what about that muzzle, holy and baptized? Do we look like idiots? Where did you get all those? Didn¡¯t you buy them at a premium sale on the black market? Do you think we¡¯ve never met a bunch of poachers? Do blacksmiths run these on the side these days? Is it hard to make ends meet? Do you really want to make it hard for me to live?¡±


    The other day, the equipment that poachers encountered in the cave had been the same, and I had heard about the issue of holy artifacts being sold in the black market.


    The newly joined priests and paladins earn money by selling them on the black market.


    What should one do in a world where it was strictly illegal to sell holy materials, but the pope is already disgusting enough to have children openly?


    Romagna, the main distribution site itself, had developed a huge international black market, so it would be impossible for the northern part to not be a part of this problem.


    While Sir Ivan, like blood-covered flowers, worked his sword in the quiet blacksmith¡¯s shop, the rest carried the giant frost wolf outside.


    I sat on the frozen fence and watched in a relaxed manner, as if I was really watching my husband work.


    ¡°Andy, are you here to play?¡±


    Andymion, who was sitting with me and just looking around, heard his name being called.


    Sir Galar had called him, but Andymion did not take his words lightly.


    ¡°Unlike my shameless brother, I have a duty as Lord Izek¡¯s servant to guard him.¡±


    Sir Galar looked at Izek instead of answering back.


    Izek, who was shaking his hand after putting the frost wolf on the floor, looked around and raised his eyebrows.


    Andymion quickly jumped off the fence.


    ¡°Even if I can help you¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What do we do now? Should we just bring the wolf to them?¡±


    The feisty Sir Camu scratched his chin in confusion. There were low growls coming from the banks of the river.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe these guys chased us all the way here. Were the frost wolves originally such kind of monsters?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a simple monster. This is a female. Her size is not the same as a normal pack member.¡±


    As Sir Galar pointed out, the frost wolf, whose left front leg was tied with a dirty cloth around the cut area, looked about the same size as the leader of the pack we saw earlier.


    Were they an alpha couple?


    Everyone probably thought the same as me.


    Just as the chaotic atmosphere began to subside ominously, Sir Ivan stormed out the door.


    ¡°F*ck, I¡¯m going to arrest every b*stard¡­¡­ Hey, why are you guys spacing out all of a sudden? Why don¡¯t you take it back? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    No one answered back, we were all looking over the fog to the banks of the river.


    So, Sir Ivan swerved his gaze towards the still Andymion.


    Andymion was startled.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all?¡±


    ¡°Well, according to my brother, this poor wolf is a female, and she doesn¡¯t even seem to be a regular pack member.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Then, what¡¯s that over there¡­¡­ Oh, damn, I got it. Well, just bring her back like this, and they¡¯ll probably walk away.¡±


    The rain was already stopping.


    I sneaked down from the fence and crept up to the poor monster lying on the floor.


    With my move, all eyes fell on the top of my head at once, but I didn¡¯t mind them and squatted down.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡­¡±


    Her closed eyelids slowly opened over the huge snout tied to a rugged muzzle.


    Dark red eyes, shaped like jewels, stared at me with a painful look.


    I thought of Popo and Griffin in vain. They should have recovered well after that.


    ¡°Her eyes are still fine¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. It¡¯s a relief we pulled her out when she was still breathing.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he pick them out right away?¡±


    ¡°He was going to, but I guess he was scared to see them swarm in.¡± Izek, who muttered sarcastically, sat down on one knee beside me.


    I thought he might just kill her, but he just untied the cloth wrapped around the front legs of the troubled monster.


    ¡°Grruu¡­¡­¡±


    The wolf trembled with a feeble groan. Her severed leg shook and soon began to tap on my foot.


    Rather than threatening, she looked as if she was asking for something.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything about her feet? Maybe you could treat her if she¡¯s been cut by a trap.¡±


    I was just asking just in case, but my husband suddenly bowed his head.


    Then came a breathless laughter above my head.


    I was puzzled. No, what was this? He probably has multiple personalities. Why was he laughing all of a sudden?


    Andymion kindly explained to me, who was puzzled, covering his mouth with his hands.


    ¡°Madam, they¡¯re not just wolves, they¡¯re monsters. So there¡¯s nothing to worry about. If they go back to the cave and pick up some frost mushrooms, their legs will grow back soon.¡±


    Oh, really? Well, I didn¡¯t know that. Why are you laughing at me? I became confused for no reason.


    ¡°Then, we don¡¯t have to worry about them being angry. But what¡¯s a frost mushroom?¡±


    ¡°What you threw on my face then.¡±


    I closed my mouth at the sound of Izek¡¯s dry reply. Wasn¡¯t it time to forget that?


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re still an innocent princess.¡±


    My cold-hearted husband then smirked at what was so funny and pushed my head away with his palm. Did he want to see her?


    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t like her legs like this¡­.¡±


    ¡°Did she tell you?¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that, but I don¡¯t think she wants to show her injured parts. I guess she doesn¡¯t like it this way.¡±


    The cloth that was originally wrapped around her legs was too dirty.


    Izek had a strange look for a moment and turned his head when he saw her legs alternately.


    ¡°Andymion, give me my cape.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time to wonder what he was doing.


    Whether the alpha wolf smelled her or not, the growling sound from the river bank turned into an angry howling.


    ¡°Izek?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her there, and you take care of the wound.¡±


    Izek, who had a precious Paladin cape tied firmly on the monster¡¯s front legs, lifted the drooping frost wolf up in his arms.


    I couldn¡¯t tell who the monster was and who the ordinary being was.


    Suddenly, I felt worried.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be too much for a group of disorganized frost wolves to come at him?


    ¡°Will you be alright? They¡¯re so angry, what if they suddenly come at you?¡±


    ¡°¡­are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°O-Of course you¡¯re very strong, but you are¡­¡­¡±


    My crooked husband seemed to think that I underestimated the power of the best knight in the north.


    Otherwise, there¡¯s no way he would stop and stare at me like that.


    Sir Ivan suddenly slapped Izek on the shoulder.


    ¡°What day is it today? This guy and that guy, all are going crazy. My lady, don¡¯t worry. This is the one who played with dragons alone during his trainee days. Rather, we have to worry about the frost wolf.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ then I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Sure enough. I faltered while rolling up my sleeves resolutely, due to his straight refusal.


    ¡°But I..¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ll be waiting with Andymion.¡±


    ¡°But what if they attack you all of a sudden, and you can¡¯t even communicate? What am I supposed to do if you die like this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, who¡¯s going to die? If you¡­¡±


    ¡°Grrrrrr.¡±


    I didn¡¯t spit out the growl, of course.


    The sound was made by the frost wolf, who was drooping like a cotton doll on Izek¡¯s arm.


    I didn¡¯t know what suddenly happened, but I didn¡¯t miss this opportunity and quickly approached to pat the wolf¡¯s thighs.


    ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re going back home, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°There there¡­ Yes, yes¡­ Quieten down¡­¡­.¡±


    I turned my head and looked triumphantly at the dazed knights.


    Izek kept a straight expression even with his mouth half open.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But what if you die¡­!¡±


    ¡°No, who the hell would die¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You just saw it, I have to come with you! I¡¯ll be there for you!¡±


    And no one opened their mouths anymore.


    While Izek strode along with his long legs, I grabbed the wolf¡¯s tail from the side and followed him.


    What a bad picture.


    Technically speaking, the main character, with his buff, was never going to die of a frost wolf.


    To be honest, I think I was more worried about the frost wolf side.


    The closer we got, the sound of howling that served as a horn, was slowly dying down.


    After passing the foggy mist and reaching the river bank, a swarm of frost wolves with glowing eyes just like the previous scene, appeared.


    ¡°Grrrrrrrrrr¡­.¡±


    As soon as the leader wolf saw us, he lowered his head and gave a warning growl.


    I felt a shudder run down my spine.


    As a human being like the poachers, I felt that I should kneel down and apologize.


    Of course, Izek wouldn¡¯t have such a warm sentiment.


    A cold glare came on as he stared at the bunch of monsters gathered.


    * * *

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    ¡°Other monsters would be dead, but you¡¯re lucky. If it were another day, I¡¯d have hit you all.¡±


    I don¡¯t think we would get anything from him. I was an idiot to wish for something warm and kind from this heartless man.


    ¡°Grrrrr¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you shut your mouth and be gentle?¡±


    My shameless husband approached the wolf.


    I held onto his elbow.


    ¡°Iz¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not fighting them.¡±


    Really?


    As I watched nervously, Izek bent over and slowly put the injured female wolf down on the rock.


    Meanwhile, the alpha wolf let out a heavy breath and sent a glare to Izek¡¯s arm.


    If there was any wrong signal, he was about to go for his throat.


    The muzzle that was holding the female wolf¡¯s snout came off with a thud.


    As Izek took a step back with the muzzle taken off, the frost wolf, who had become still as stone, finally shifted.


    ¡°Sniff, sniff¡­¡­¡±


    Their long snouts nuzzled each other, sniffing.


    I had been tense thinking that the alpha wolf might break out on seeing the paladin¡¯s cape tied to his partner¡¯s leg, but fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen.


    After a while, the alpha couple, who had been sniffing, licking and nuzzling each other, separated.


    While the female wolf stood on her three legs and howled, the male followed suit with his mate, wagging his tail slowly.


    There was a spellbinding look in the monster¡¯s eyes at that moment.


    A combination of viciousness, alertness, pride, arrogance and relief.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    A steel hand grabbed mine and pulled me ahead.


    I gave a last glance and walked along with my husband.


    The heavy clouds were drifting and twilight was taking place.


    A sense of reality rushed in as the setting sun¡¯s light seeped into my eyelids.


    Well, I didn¡¯t know what to say. I didn¡¯t know what to do either.


    We went back to where the horses stood in awkward silence.


    Sir Ivan, who was standing beside them, smoking leaf cigarettes, welcomed us.


    ¡°Is it over already? Surprisingly, you look fine.¡±


    ¡°I let you off the hook this time, and if you have any shame left, you should just walk away now. Where did the rest of them go?¡±


    ¡°They arrested the merchants and took them. Do you want to smoke one?¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Andymion, who was pretending to fix the saddle, came near and took the muzzle and his gauntlets.


    My eyes were fixed on Izek¡¯s uncaring pose, as he silently untied his gauntlet, and then, I opened my mouth, ¡°Do-Do you want me to squeeze your arms?¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong with my arms?¡±


    ¡°Are they numb? You held a heavy wolf in your arms¡­.¡±


    ¡°What kind of work do you think I do? My sword weighs more than that fat dog.¡±


    Fat what?


    My gaze unknowingly went to the sword hanging around his waist, an incredulous look creeping up.


    It looked like a decoration, not that heavy.


    And this was a fantasy world.


    Maybe because of my doubtful gaze, Sir Ivan threw his leaf cigarette and approached me laughing. He pulled out his sword and pushed it forward.


    ¡°Would you like to try it?¡±


    ¡°Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Why? Your wife seems like she can¡¯t trust you.¡±


    The way he was teasing me was a bit of a pain, but I decided not to say anything.


    You¡¯re Ivan, a flower. How heavy would it be even if it was too heavy?


    I was indignant that I reached out my hand, and soon asked, ¡°Will you let go of the sword?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Was he not holding it?


    No matter how hard I pulled, the decoration that looked unnecessarily holy, showed no sign of shifting as if it had been lodged in the palm of Sir Ivan¡¯s hand.


    At last, I let go of my hand quietly and turned my back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    I¡¯m so sorry for being so arrogant. This is it. Haa, I definitely look like a chick now.


    I couldn¡¯t hear anything for a moment as I swallowed back the tears of shame with those bitter words.


    I thought I was being too childish, so I was about to turn around, but somehow Ivan looked embarrassed.


    ¡°My lady, are you angry?¡±


    ¡°What? No.¡±


    This didn¡¯t make any sense.


    What could I, a chick, even do if I¡¯m mad at the great Paladins?


    ¡°Oh, you just looked angry¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Why would I be angry?¡±


    Silence held out.


    What was this silence I didn¡¯t even know the reason for?


    Why was this happening?


    ¡°What should I do¡­?¡±


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s pull off your fingernails.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. This is all Sir Ivan¡¯s fault¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No, this jerk- I¡¯m very¡­¡­sorry, my lady. I¡¯m sorry, I never meant to offend you. I was just saying that you¡­..¡±


    ¡°I am sorry too. I committed a mortal sin acting greedy for your chocolate, I was rude!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t want you to touch my arm, but that you didn¡¯t have to worry about me. It was just that.¡±


    I was clueless what these men were suddenly whispering and fighting about.


    Three embarrassed faces that didn¡¯t fit into my confused mind came into view.


    Particularly, my monster-like husband looked the most apologetic.


    It was as if he wasn¡¯t the same person.


    ¡°As an apology, I¡¯ll give you an exotic chocolate treat that only the family elite can get their hands on, or some kind of chocolate pudding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get something too. This sword is nothing to be proud of, it¡¯s just, your acts are so cute¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not a good sword, too heavy. Compared to what you did in sending the injured wolf back, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    He was complaining about the fat dog before, and now this was nothing?


    This was hilarious, and I felt a little refreshed, seeing these proud men wag their tails.


    Hu, I am seeing stars today.


    ¡°What a relief. My husband is so sweet, no?¡±


    ¡°What? Ye, yes. I¡¯m a bit sweet.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s known for being friendly here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯d never find a superior as sweet as Lord Izek.¡±


    The three men struggling with their words soon began to cough, feeling embarrassed about their actions.


    Tsk tsk.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go after Camu and Galar¡­.because I don¡¯t trust the way they handle things.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and go.¡±


    ¡°My lady, I¡¯ll see you next time. You helped out a lot today.¡±


    ¡°See you later.¡± I replied as warmly as I could to Sir Ivan, who greeted me awkwardly.


    I didn¡¯t do anything great today, but I hoped this would help me build up a new image.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    That was what I was supposed to say.


    As soon as my eyes opened, I saw my husband standing, one arm on the saddle, gaze fixed on me.


    That ice-like face glowing under the sunset light seemed unfamiliar.


    ¡°I am just happy the frost wolf got back safely.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the chocolate, I wouldn¡¯t even be here.¡±


    My speechless husband lifted and placed me on the saddle, pulling the straps.


    I hesitated a bit before asking, ¡°Did I help you?¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking that? They were about to go mad. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be in trouble.¡±


    Oh, such generous words. Maybe I should advance a bit more¡­


    ¡°So, next time¡­¡±


    ¡°Next? What next time?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing this because you want to meet those friends of yours.¡±


    I almost bit my tongue.


    Ugh, he¡¯s smart only when it comes to things like this.


    ¡°Not really¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean not really? Eitherway, I won¡¯t give you time to even look away.¡±


    He stood up straight and squeezed the water off my cape.


    In contrast to his harsh tone, the light in his red eyes was soft.


    Maybe it looked like that because of the sunset.


    ¡°I mean, you just follow them with a few interactions, without thinking again¡­¡±


    ¡°I-I was just wondering if they were there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true! I¡¯m always thinking about you. So, if you don¡¯t do this¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Was that why you ran away here?¡±


    He got straight to the point.


    Ah, what was this new torture, you son of a b*tch!


    ¡°I-I was out of it, and it had been a while since I rode a horse and saw the rain¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Your hair is a mess, your clothes are wet, you¡¯re sweating because you walked so much, so what? Do you really just want to be of help?¡±


    Blood rushed to my face.


    I stopped struggling and leaned over to Izek¡¯s neck.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    His head bowed and he wrapped a steel-like arm around my waist.


    A warm breath tickled my neck.


    ¡°No¡­ I just wanted you to wash up soon.¡±


    ¡°Like last time?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It was a stern answer.


    His warm, dry lips pressed softly against mine, tongue snaking out.


    Just as I was willing to part my lips, his scent trickling in, I finally came to my senses.


    ¡°W-Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sir Andymion¡­¡­¡±


    I completely forgot about poor Andymion¡¯s existence for a moment!


    As soon as I looked up, I saw a black-haired boy standing frozen just a few steps away, his jaw wide open.


    His bright amber eyes shook as if they had just witnessed the destruction of the world.


    Glancing back slowly, Izek growled frustratedly, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    The white marble floor and the marble statue were in harmony.


    A crown woven of diamonds and platinum was placed on the head of the stone statue in the shape of a knight with a sword.


    Around it, various golden statues stood in circles, and all kinds of jewelry wrapped in velvet cushions glistened like heavenly light inside a long crystal display.


    Seashells, large tapestries, and ornate gold leaf decorations adorning the huge walls add to the ecstasy of this luxurious space.


    It was like a jewelry fair, not a jewelry warehouse.


    Another view emerged as the marble sentries climbed up the stairs.


    A crude and simple view that contrasted sharply with the lower floors.


    On one side, several balck heavy safes lined up in unison like guards, with majestic shapes, locked chests, and antiques covered in black sheets.


    ¡°It¡¯s shabby, but this is how it is. It¡¯s not comparable to my father-in-law¡¯s warehouse, but this is the most expensive place in the castle.¡±


    Was he being sarcastic?


    There was nothing to be ashamed of. And even the Pope¡¯s treasure trove would not have been enough to hold the dragon¡¯s jewels.


    As for this place, even if not as good as the dragon¡¯s home, it was well-matched with its distinctive artificial splendor and secretive style.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never looked at my father¡¯s treasure trove, so I don¡¯t know how to compare. Only my father and older brother can enter there.¡±


    Even Enzo couldn¡¯t get in his way.


    It was obvious that Enzo, the playful one, would pick up whatever he wanted and use it to have fun.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s surprising.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in those coffers?¡±


    ¡°Similar stuff, trinkets or old weapons cherished by ancestors. All the coins we put in that chest are as old as fossils, and the old-fashioned furniture over there is old enough to have become dust if it hadn¡¯t been preserved as sacred.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell whether this was sarcasm or playfulness, so I stopped laughing.


    Old-fashioned furniture, even the golden-legged tea table under the tablecloth would be worth a fortune now.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s more like a real treasure trove. It¡¯s not just expensive and fancy, it¡¯s a history of blood that no one can buy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to show you everything, including the safe, but I don¡¯t have time.¡± Izek, who murmured, put his gauntlet arm around my waist and pulled me close to his arms.


    My ears started burning.


    ¡°You can show me later.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but do you like it?¡±


    Is that even a question?


    Suddenly, I felt like this might be some kind of trap.


    For example, a nasty attempt to test my greed¡­.


    ¡°There¡¯s no jewel as big as the shameless lizard boy¡¯s though.¡±


    ¡­what nonsense is this?


    I lost my sense of humour and looked up at his face.


    My unwavering husband tilted his head with a shamelessly innocent face.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    ¡°T-That can¡¯t be true! I honestly don¡¯t even know if the jewelry he gave me is real¡­.¡±


    ¡°Aha, so that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t told me to put it out for purchase? Because there¡¯s a high possibility it¡¯s fake?


    ¡°No! Of course not¡­.¡±


    ¡°The lizard will be upset if he finds out.¡±


    ¡°Iz!¡±


    My face turned red.


    Who doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s a real gem! I just couldn¡¯t wait in case you doubted me with that twisted mind!


    My mean husband kissed me on the top of my head, giving strength in the arms he hugged me with.


    A playful smile made his red eyes sparkle like ruby.


    ¡°All of a sudden, I¡¯m starting to feel uneasy. My Southern Princess is so beautiful that even Satan¡¯s servants offer a gift of admiration.¡±


    ¡°Come on, stop teasing me.¡±


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t think I can be more proud of you. Now, keep your nose up and control this shabby warehouse. You can sell out what you don¡¯t like and use it to buy something else, or you can give it  to someone if you think it¡¯s good enough.¡¯¡±


    A heavy key with a rattling bead fell on my palm.


    I was speechless for a moment.


    I really didn¡¯t know what to say at that moment.


    I thought it was weird when he brought me here to show me around the jewelry warehouse, but I couldn¡¯t imagine¡­.


    ¡°The lizard¡¯s jewel is in that safe. Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you make your storage out of it later?¡±


    What do you mean, my storage? ¡­ Oh, the storage of public funds.


    When I became an official Duchess one day,  I would wear a jeweled crown given by the Dragon as a public fund.


    Of course, it¡¯s a joke.


    ¡°With the jewel given by Satan¡¯s servant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Paladin.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what that has to do with it, but let¡¯s just leave it. Let¡¯s focus on this key for now.


    ¡°Do you really leave it to me to take care of this place?¡­.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel pressured to take care of it. I just told you, do whatever you want.¡±


    Does this man even know what it means to hand over the jewelry warehouse management?


    No words came out as if my tongue had hardened.


    Meanwhile, the one who was fiddling with my hair suddenly sighed and buried his head in my neck.


    ¡°Damn it, I don¡¯t want to get dirty. I can¡¯t wait for the Sabbath.¡±


    As the gladiatorial match season approached, Izek was having busier days.


    The dragon disappeared and the appearance of other monsters was temporarily reduced, but he was making all-out efforts to make the path clear.


    In addition, he was a candidate for the gladiatorial match.


    Candidates who had to risk their lives against top-tier monsters brutally tamed in every conceivable way.


    Everyone thought he would be present, and even though he had yet to affirm it, I knew he would be present.


    He¡¯d win the final championship again.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t know which side I was worried about.


    ¡°Are you coming back late again today?¡±


    ¡°I know how anxious you are every day before you go to sleep.¡±


    The hand that had been stroking my hair went down and ran down my back.


    My body and breath trembled at the gentle ripples his finger drew.


    My arm went up on its own and hugged his neck.


    ¡°I wish I could come with you.¡±


    ¡°If you go with me, you won¡¯t be able to meet your friends.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Strong refusals are affirmations.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it the other way around?¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    My body lifted up as I gained strength with the arms wrapped around my waist.


    This chick was about to get warm.


    ¡°Your friends sneak in while I¡¯m away, and you follow them. Or if my shameless colleagues sneak up on you again, you follow them with chocolate, then¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not following them right now!¡±


    ¡°Such confidence, did you forget you were caught in an affair just a few days ago?¡±


    Just who said I stopped the frost wolf from exploding, you¡¯re the one with an affair!


    When I came out of the warehouse, the clear morning sky appeared.


    My husband grabbed my hand and kissed my finger with a sneaky, grinning face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a pushover. Eat well and play well. Okay?¡±


    See this jerk? These days, I feel like I¡¯m getting caught up in his weird mind, but I decided not to pay heed to it. Well, I¡¯m a fandom leader.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a tea party with Ellen this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is it a Southern tea party?¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re having a northern tea party in a Southern garden, then? Do you like the garden?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I feel like I¡¯m back in the South. Ellen said we could go boating.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a boat ride. A little gondola would be nice.¡±


    The butler and the guards, who were waiting around the entrance, exchanged gazes, finding it hard to say anything.


    It was not too much.


    It did look like Izek was possessed by something. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t get used to it either.


    But¡­


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything else you want to fill in, feel free to tell me. Something you need here, or if you want to play with your little friends.¡±


    Little friends meant Princess Arien and Leah.


    It was clear that Izek didn¡¯t like the children at all, but he must have thought they were my best friends and left them alone.


    And I was sad because it seemed true.


    I couldn¡¯t believe all my friends are 6-year-old kids and monsters.


    Well, that was fine.


    ¡°Or a book, maybe. Don¡¯t hesitate to say anything. I haven¡¯t got to know much about you so far.¡±


    That¡¯s right. But why do I feel the same way? I¡¯ve been thinking I know you well.


    I didn¡¯t hate the gentle stroke on my back.


    An unidentified strange feeling and familiar anxiety tickled my chest.¡­ I smiled as I tried to empty my head full of thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    ***

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    ¡°My lady, the Duke is looking for you.¡±


    Just as I was about to get ready early for seeing off my husband, the butler appeared and told me that my father-in-law wanted to see me.


    What was wrong with my mean father-in-law wanting to meet me today?


    He hadn¡¯t said anything to me since the issue of me running away was resolved.


    ¡°Oh, Young Lady.¡±


    Duke Omerta, the twisted man, just like his son, greeted me in the stable.


    Giving a glance to his nice outfit, I think he was about to go out.


    ¡°Were you looking for me, Father? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I have a court meeting, and the weather is so nice that I wanted to ride a horse after a long time.¡±


    Right.


    I glanced at the grey stallion which the stableman was saddling.


    A magnificent muscular stallion with black and grey fur stared at me.


    Damn it.


    ¡°That¡¯s really nice.¡±


    ¡°Do you like horseback riding? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve attended a lot of hunting events in Romagna, so I¡¯m probably no match for your skills.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. A hunting festival doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re really on the hunt.¡±


    Then there was a moment of silence.


    I was waiting nervously with a smile as innocent as ever, while the Duke seemed indifferent and clueless, adjusting his leather gloves.


    What is it, what do you want to say?¡­!


    ¡°My son handed over the key to the jewelry warehouse to you. Or so I heard.¡±


    Oh, so that¡¯s why. Well, from his point of view, I am not trustworthy.


    But it was too much to ask me to return it.


    I didn¡¯t want to get involved in this fight.


    ¡°Yes, what did he say when he gave it to you?¡±


    ¡®You can use it however you want.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t say that, so I had to come up with something else.


    ¡°That he trusts me to take good care of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that doesn¡¯t sound like him.¡±


    What does he sound like then? You both are so twisted.


    The Duke sent away the stableman and other servants and finally stared at me with a light sigh.


    There was a complex expression in his red eyes, same as his children.


    ¡°As expected, the bracelet went to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he give it to you on the night of the feast? I was wondering where he¡¯d use it because he took it from me, and why he insisted so much on it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, took it from you? I think that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°My grandfather made it out of the heart of a dragon. I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s particularly that plain.¡±


    I blinked and looked at my wrist.


    Oh my god, what in the world is this? The heart of a dragon?


    I thought it was a bit unique, but I never imagined this. Besides, why would he give this to me?


    So this was why he showed up at the banquet looking so unhappy? My father-in-law coughed quickly, as if he had seen through me while I was thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t attend the banquet properly. I don¡¯t like such a place by nature¡­I thought I should show my face, but I got mad seeing my son¡¯s clothes.¡±


    Aha, were you really mad at your son¡¯s clothes, of all things?


    He was suspicious, but I didn¡¯t say anything about it, and smiled broadly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry. More than that, I didn¡¯t know this bracelet was so meaningful, I just thought it was an accessory¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask you to give it back, you¡¯re the true hostess of this place, as you¡¯ve finished your promise.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°By the way, you seem very satisfied with your life here. You must like this barren land.¡±


    He said this in a strangely cynical tone. My ears tingled and sweat ran down my back.


    God, what else are you going to ask for?¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way. In a way, it¡¯s more interesting than Romagna.¡±


    ¡°Right? I thought you¡¯d miss your hometown very much, but you¡¯re always acting¡­ unexpected.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, unexpected?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. It¡¯s not natural for a woman like you to settle as soon as you get here without any connection. Elendale¡¯s temple will always be ready to help you. From adapting to the North to every little problem. To be honest, the other day, you..¡­ when you pulled off the runaway disturbance, I assumed that the temple was actually protecting you and keeping this a secret.¡±


    Ah, is it suspicious that I don¡¯t spend time with the clergy, walking in and out of the temple like Rudbeckia in the original book? If you¡¯re going to think it¡¯s suspicious whether I do it or not, which song am I supposed to dance to?


    ¡°I grew up in that environment since I was so young, and honestly, I get sleepy whenever I hear a chant. But of course, the Archbishop and everyone is very kind. Do you want me to pay more attention to my religious life?¡±


    When I worked hard on acting as a child, my father-in-law scratched his jaw without saying a word.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I was just wondering if the Holy Father would misunderstand that we¡¯re keeping you at bay.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, I don¡¯t think he will. You know I really like this place.¡±


    ¡°Do you like this place or my son?¡±


    I-Is this a test? Don¡¯t look down on my big fan acting, mister!


    ¡°Of course, I like my husband.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you find so good about that blunt man. Actually, not long ago¡­. It was said that Cardinal Valentino might take you away as soon as he arrived.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, but I¡¯ll never follow him if I get in trouble.¡±


    It¡¯s a yard that¡¯s over till the end of the night, so Cesare doesn¡¯t even have the means to take me with him.


    What is he trying to tell me? Is it now that we¡¯re gonna have to divorce her later? Because you don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna walk away?


    ¡°It¡¯s a little surprising. Even though he was so upset..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve rotted more, well.¡±


    ¡°What do you like about my son?¡±


    ¡°Well, I fell in love at first sight.¡±


    ¡°You fell in love at first sight. Fated love or what?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds romantic. I don¡¯t know if it is fated or not.¡±


    I opened my eyes wide, placing my palms on my cheeks, blabbering foolishly.


    Duke Omerta looked at me with a rather blank stare, and then he spat out, ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    What¡¯s this?


    The palms covering my cheeks slipped down.


    The look in his eyes was surprisingly calm.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Just what I said. You don¡¯t have to be so scared, I¡¯m not here to argue.¡±


    What is this guy talking about?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to escape under the guise of love. I¡¯ve been with such a person, so it¡¯s not surprising.¡±


    You¡¯ve been with that kind of person? Are you talking about your wife? The story of your marriage that started like a fire and then went down the drain?


    I was not curious about that at all.


    The Duke smiled slightly at me, frozen stiff.


    A bitter and twisted smile.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that the reason why Britannia¡¯s princess refused all of the queen positions in other countries and chose Omerta, who wasn¡¯t in power at the time, was because she didn¡¯t want to leave Elendale? I knew it from the beginning, but I was overconfident.¡±


    I¡¯m not curious. So, why are you talking about things you didn¡¯t ask all of a sudden? What does that have to do with me?


    ¡°My son, who has been wandering all his life with a sword, has been acting like a complete stranger these days. I¡¯m worried as I get older. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I even thought I shouldn¡¯t have made you his wife. I didn¡¯t know that first love would be such a scary thing.¡­. No, I did know that, but I thought my son would be different. He¡¯s not a human being, so he¡¯ll be an exception. But my gut tells me it won¡¯t just be a short-lived passion.¡±


    So¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the inside story of your life. There¡¯s no way to know if what you want is just a refuge her, or other political things. The more I look at you, the more I can¡¯t get rid of the feeling that you¡¯re struggling to death.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous for me to say this, but¡­ is there a chance? For my son.¡±


    What¡¯s the point of this? The reason why you were so enthusiastic about our wedding was because you wanted to fix your son¡¯s habits. I¡¯m just putting it in practice. You have a real daughter-in-law in mind. You talked about my duty to get laid or else the divorce would take place.


    But why are you picking up on my mindset now?


    What¡¯s the point of that?


    What¡¯s important about my real feelings?


    If your son has fallen in love with me for the first time and you think it¡¯s going to be hard to separate him later, shouldn¡¯t you not say this?


    Why are you making such a weird move all of a sudden?


    What does his business have anything to do with me?


    It stung under my ears and made me irritated, but I quickly got rid of the feeling.


    No, let¡¯s not get caught up in this.


    I relaxed my stiffened facial muscles, holding myself together.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying at all. Did I offend you?¡±


    Silence passed.


    The Duke turned his eyes. At the same time, the tense atmosphere disappeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s not so. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m old, but I said a lot of nonsense today. Then, have a nice day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that flower before. What¡¯s its name?¡±


    ¡°I thought I was in a different world for a second. Even if the weather is bad outside, it¡¯ll always be spring here.¡±


    ¡°This fountain is Cesare¡¯s, right? I think I saw something similar when I traveled to Romagna.¡±


    Watching everyone admire and praise it, I felt like I had been too worried about choosing the greenhouse garden as a venue for a tea party.


    I was afraid I might seem too proud.


    Ellenia was right to insist, saying, ¡°This is something to brag about.¡±


    Yes, I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t brag about it. It won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s perfect for the role of a childish princess.


    ¡°It was true that the princess was a good fan of the Duke. They¡¯re always here together¡­Did you play a lot with him?¡±


    Nevertheless, it was inevitable that I would turn red when someone asked this question.


    Ugh, it¡¯s hard to survive.


    Beyond the tea table we sat around, there was a huge dollhouse next to a maize of daisy and lavender flowers.


    Inside the dollhouse woven with pastel-toned wood, were the other guests of the day, Leah and Princess Arien, having their own tea time.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    ¡°I¡¯ll pour out the tea now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the princess today.¡±


    ¡­¡­I can¡¯t just say that I was forced to join here.


    So I pretended to be just sipping the tea with a clumsy smile.


    ¡°The garden is as beautiful as is rumored. The greenhouse in our mansion isn¡¯t even worth living in. I guess the Duke thinks a lot about you.¡±


    The lady, whose eyes twinkled, changed the subject, was the one who came out of the banquet just a while ago and had hugged her.


    One of the women who was caught talking behind my back on the balcony.


    I think I succeeded in making myself look rather insignificant, seeing that they were attending like this without any second thoughts.


    Ellenia, who was sitting next to me and holding the teacup with a graceful posture, opened her mouth gently, ¡°Even I didn¡¯t know my brother had that side, Lady Victoria.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if the princess says so, I guess these two are really special.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable because it¡¯s painfully obvious. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m worried that he¡¯ll burn out if he changes so much.¡±


    Freya, who answered jokingly, smiled as she looked around.


    A distinctive refreshed smile.


    She hadn¡¯t seen much of us together.


    Phew, I really appreciate Ellenia helping me out like this, but there¡¯s the fact that Freya couldn¡¯t be left out just because Ellenia stepped in.


    She couldn¡¯t help it because she was Ellen¡¯s best friend, but I was nervous when she¡¯s around.


    It was more comfortable to be fooled by Lady Conolace, and to pick a fight like a child.


    But I couldn¡¯t see her today. That was upsetting.


    The conversation quickly shifted to another topic.


    The story of social culture in the North and the South, the radical weather, talks of fashion, and the forthcoming gladiatorial match were also naturally mentioned.


    ¡°By the way, is Lord Izek attending this gladiatorial match? Everyone says he¡¯s going to be the winner.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard a definite answer yet, but I think he¡¯ll attend.¡±


    ¡°You know he won the last time, right? And he was the youngest one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I still can¡¯t forget how he looked back then. I was jealous and excited about the scene where he gave the princess the flower of glory. Why does my brother not look like that?¡­.¡±


    ¡°But I think this year will be particularly competitive. Apparently Dorias is sending out candidates too.¡­.¡±


    There are so many delicious desserts on pretty plates.


    Although my vomiting had decreased quite a lot these days, the fact that I felt intimidated in front of food hadn¡¯t changed.


    Still, I was pretending to eat the chocolate pudding as deliciously as I could, but I almost choked because someone was asking me to do something about Dorias.


    Dorias is the country that would propose the marriage of their prince and Ellenia in the near future.


    Because of the marriage, Ellenia was driven to death¡­¡­.


    Well, it had been a while since I read the original book, but even if I thought about it again, Cesare¡¯s random attempt to get rid of Ellenia didn¡¯t fit his character.


    He had a lot of enemies, but I couldn¡¯t believe he, the thorough and smart man, threatened the North like that.


    Rudbeckia had met up alone with Ellenia the day before returning to Romagna after the cancellation of the marriage, and Ellenia died of an unknown poison after 15 days.


    All the circumstances surrounding the death were so obvious.


    Anyway, things were very different now that I¡¯d become Rudbeckia.


    There would be no cancellation of the wedding this winter and no poison for Elenia.


    However, I could not be completely relieved because the situation had changed, and the series of events that would follow would also be different from the original events I remember.


    As my family knew by now that I had a fight with Izek, will Cesare, who would be angry enough, assign me the task of assassinating Ellenia?


    The lunatic will probably smash this marriage in ways I wouldn¡¯t have imagined and try to tarnish the Omertas¡¯ reputation.


    What was he thinking right now?


    If he came this time, I¡¯d have to work hard to figure out what he was up to.


    I didn¡¯t want to miss out on who the spies in Elendale are, what they were going to do in the future, or even a little clue.¡­ Oh, this was already bothering me.


    Contrary to my concerns, the tea party was uneventful and lively.


    After chatting for a long time, a simple and fun time followed where I got up from the table and explained how to dance to a few young girls at the banquet, and looked around the huge greenhouse garden in groups.


    That was all what had happened until an unexpected visitor appeared.


    ¡°Good afternoon, ladies, I¡¯m so sorry to interrupt your fun.¡±


    I know how busy you all are these days just by looking at my husband, but what are you doing here at this hour?


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Sir Ivan?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean interrupting? We were just about to run out of topics.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. What are you doing at the Omerta¡¯s?¡±


    The knight in the dark armour who stepped up, flowers springing at his steps, into this beautiful landscape, was Sir Ivan.


    I didn¡¯t know why he was here.


    Was he here to pick up Leah?


    That was the job of the nanny and the escort. It was not a good enough reason for him to step in person.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Sure enough. With shy and fussy greetings pouring in, the door of the dollhouse rattled open, and Leah popped out, wrinkling her cute nose.


    Sir Ivan responded with a very similar expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re always causing trouble, so I came to pick you up before sunset. Oh, hello, Princess. You were here, too.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Arien, who was gently sticking out her head behind Leah, quickly went inside.


    Leah pouted her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not making trouble. And I decided to play with the princess. Brother doesn¡¯t have any authority over the princess.¡±


    Instead of answering back, Sir Ivan looked at us with a puzzled smile.


    To be exact, he looked towards Ellenia.


    Ellenia, as usual, remained expressionless, but still spoke tactfully.


    ¡°You always have a good relationship.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡±


    Why did this suddenly feel strange?


    Sir Ivan, wasn¡¯t picking up your sister just an excuse? Did you actually skip work and sneak in because you wanted to see Ellenia?


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to go back now.¡±


    ¡°What? Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s late and¡­ I¡­ came to pick her up.¡±


    ¡°I am not done playing yet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any authority when the princess says she¡¯s going back, brother.¡±


    Even Arien was poking at Ivan, so Leah had a very treacherous look on her face, but she was unexpectedly not stubborn.


    ¡°Next time, I will come alone and play with my lady. Then, no one will be able to interrupt.¡±


    ¡°If you bother my lady like that every day, my filthy friend will disturb you.¡±


    ¡°Your mouth is filthy.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My lady, I¡¯ll visit you again next time.¡±


    I was about to say goodbye to the little girls who jumped out of the doll¡¯s house and greeted me.


    Ellenia held my shoulder with one hand and said this, ¡°Sit down, Ruby. I¡¯ll see them off.¡±


    Eh, Ellen, even you?


    I am the host of today¡¯s party, so it¡¯s not worth leaving, but Arien and Leah are definitely my guests, so if they go out, why would she have to go out?¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Me too¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ivan, are you attending this gladiatorial match?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you something, do you¡­¡­.¡±


    Hey, why are you all acting like teenage girl fans?


    It seemed like everyone was going to leave.


    There was no other way around.


    This was it. Everyone chased after him.


    Sir Ivan was also very popular.


    Indeed, I would have been excited if I were an ordinary northern girl, since he was the eldest son of a prestigious family and a talented Paladin.


    But if there was such a spark between Sir Ivan and Ellenia, I¡¯d cheer for them with all my heart and body.


    Come on, Sir Ivan!


    The garden, which had been noisy a while ago, quickly became silent as they took their leave.


    I went back to the tea table and started looking inside the dollhouse.


    When Arien or Leah came here to play, one of them always dropped something, so today was just another check.


    Sure enough, there was a hairpin there today.


    It was the emerald hairpin Leah was wearing earlier.


    Just as I thought I¡¯d go after her and tell¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s so cute.¡±


    I-I thought my heart would fall out.


    Why didn¡¯t you leave?


    ¡°I remember playing in a similar dollhouse when I was a child. It wasn¡¯t as great as this.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°This garden is great, too. I didn¡¯t expect to see this in Omerta Castle.¡±


    Freya, who came close to me with a teacup in her hand, gently directed her gaze at me.


    On the contrary, I naturally became stiff.


    I couldn¡¯t hear anything for a moment.


    Behind the dollhouse, Freya, sitting gracefully on a small rock beside a maze bush, finally opened her mouth again.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with this?¡±


    A buzzing sound filled my ears. What was wrong with everyone today?


    ¡°What do you mean by this?¡±


    ¡°As I said, are you happy now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡­.¡±


    ¡°You mean there¡¯s nothing you lack.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, what would I lack?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing. Wherever you are, whoever you are with, you will be satisfied. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been like that until now.¡±


    I was starting to wonder if my father-in-law and Freya planned this together today.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    ¡ª


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved that even if you leave here and marry someone else, you¡¯ll be as happy as you are now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happiest right now. I don¡¯t have to leave here.¡±


    During a short silence, her dark purple eyes stared at my innocent raised eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t long before she smiled and turned away.


    ¡°I¡¯m always confused whether you really don¡¯t understand or pretend.¡±


    It was good that she was confused. No, I didn¡¯t want her to get confused, but be sure of this.


    ¡°Do you have anything against me, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Iz is the king¡¯s beloved nephew and an outstanding knight who inherited both of Britannia¡¯s most noble blood. If anything happens, you¡¯re more likely to be the queen of Britannia than Romagna¡¯s little princess. I¡¯m sure you understand this.¡±


    The sunlight that penetrated the glass ceiling made her platinum hair gleam.


    On the other hand, the place where I stood was shaded.


    ¡°If so, the future of the North will depend on who his spouse is. Will the North lose its old glory forever, suffering from the interference of the fallen priests, or will it rise with them stifling their own self-interest and make this a warm and safe land? What do those people know about this land? Even you think it¡¯s just an interesting playground with bizzare monsters, don¡¯t you?


    Make the North great again! Was she talking about something like this?


    She was really excited today.


    If this was not a plan, I think she took some wrong medicine.


    I didn¡¯t expect her to say this to me.


    With my eyes wide open, I remained still.


    Perhaps it was the reaction she wanted, but Freya¡¯s mouth relaxed as she looked at me again.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably hard for you to understand what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m not exactly asking for your understanding.¡­I¡¯m just telling you in advance that I don¡¯t want to incur the resentment of an innocent woman like you. Who knows if you¡¯ll complain later that I didn¡¯t give you any warning?¡±


    ¡°Warning¡­?¡±


    ¡°First love is scary. And you¡¯re a lovely woman without a plan. A pretty dancing doll in the music box for Izek. For a man like Iz, this combination may cloud his judgement and confuse his rationality. Even if it¡¯s only for a short time.¡±


    You mean that Izek¡¯s type of women are stupid idiots?


    More than that, even Freya was the first love of many men, and if the first love was this great, every man in the world would have been as pure a frost wolf.


    Of course, I was aware that my husband¡¯s recent move was very unadjustable, and that it had changed in earnest since the night he finally built a castle with me. I also knew that it could change at any time.


    It would be weird if I didn¡¯t know.


    Cesare¡¯s father sometimes acted like he would pick the stars for me.


    My family from my past life¡­¡­.


    What was the difference?


    I knew, I always knew. Even though I knew¡­ Damn it, it was unpleasant to hear her say it.


    I gently closed my open mouth and smiled slowly. To look as innocent as possible.


    ¡°Why would I complain? But the more I see you, the more I think you know more about my husband.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did I offend you?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not! I¡¯m just saying this out of curiosity. Iz has never talked about you.¡±


    Her mouth became slightly stiff, the smile frozen on her face.


    As the purple eyes, which had glistened leisurely, subsided calmly, something came to my mind.


    A woman born and raised carefully never loses her composure.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might regard me as a lover. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not interested in such childish emotional play. The same goes for Iz. We¡¯ve shared so much in common since we were young. One of them is affection for the North. Even if he¡¯s into a little entertainment right now, it¡¯s not enough to trade us all.¡±


    All right, you¡¯re right. If you want to give me a sense of deprivation as an outsider, this was a lot of work.


    I was sick and tired of this body already.


    We stared at each other for a moment.


    I suddenly felt strange.


    Freya was like a famous female student who was featured as a model for Teen magazine in my previous life, to be very objective.


    With a reputable family, a good family, good friends, perfect appearance and overflowing talent, she was so different from me. The type of person who you didn¡¯t even dare to feel jealous of, because they seemed to belong to a completely different world.


    A person who cannot even imagine oppression, solitude, discrimination, violence, etc. and will never allow such a thing to happen to themselves.


    Even though nothing compared to me, even though I was a different kind of person, when such a person somehow crossed paths with me and showed a little bit of their true colour while staring at me¡­


    Should I say it was an honour?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t everyone dear to those who have been together for a long time since they were young? I¡¯m sure you know that.¡±


    So to conclude by putting together all the warnings Freya issued out of the blue, Freya¡¯s goal seemed to be the queen¡¯s position in Britannia.


    Together, as the king¡¯s partner, the queen, she would make the North great again.


    I didn¡¯t know what that had to do with messing me up.


    I knew the fact that I was a member of the fallen Papal family was one of the reasons why she hated me, but it was the same for most people.


    She shouldn¡¯t have acted so childishly.


    She didn¡¯t have to be this noble.


    If she had just left me alone, I¡¯d be out of her way when she wanted me to.


    ¡°I understand everything you¡¯re saying¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s hard to understand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it doesn¡¯t make sense?¡±


    ¡°At first, you said you were relieved that I was happy with anyone anywhere, even if I wasn¡¯t with Iz. But why are you suddenly saying scary things like warning or lover? I don¡¯t know exactly what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    I also didn¡¯t have to say this.


    Perhaps without having met the Duke in the morning, I would have been a little less direct.


    I may not have been tempted to take off the noble mask of someone I had never recognized or understood in my life.


    I felt suffocated inside.


    There was no way to know what made me feel like this, so I felt even more suppressed.


    So instead of showing this off, I smiled broadly. But Freya didn¡¯t laugh.


    Her smile had completely faded away, and her gaze was chilly.


    Of course, her voice was still relaxed and soft.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­¡­what if you¡¯re so bright and bold?¡±


    So she just told me I was stupid and daring. Well, she definitely ate the wrong medicine today.


    ¡°Why are you so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t just Iz whom you moved around these days. Ellen tells me you¡¯re becoming close to her too. It was a little surprising, Ellen is the same as me when it comes to hating pretty idiots who have no will or thoughts. But my lady, overconfidence goes too far and comes back with a knife. I should take this opportunity to let you know in advance.¡±


    I was going to pretend to listen to what great wisdom of life she was going to give me, but our ambitious woman surprisingly didn¡¯t say much more.


    Instead, she moved forward.


    Whoosh.


    Blonde hair, enticing make-up, blue lace dress, was ruined by the tea.


    The teacup fell on the grass and rolled about.


    Have you ever seen a woman pouring tea on herself?


    I certainly hadn¡¯t seen it before.


    I had seen a naughty little boy with mayonnaise over himself before, though.


    Freya rose straight up like that, gracefully passed out of the maze, leaving me lost.


    At the same time, voices that had left the place rang.


    ¡°How careless were you to drop your hairpin? Mother gave it to you that too¡­.¡±


    ¡°So noisy! My lady will hear you.¡±


    ¡°What? What else have you been dropping¡­ Lady Furiana?¡±


    ¡°Frey? Oh lord, what is going on here?¡±


    The hairpin in my hand felt prickly.


    Sir Ivan and Leah had come back.


    God, you really hate me, don¡¯t you? I have a sense of shame, too!


    ¡°Lady Furiana, what happened?¡±


    ¡°How did you become like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, just¡­¡­.¡±


    Who was being childish? Damn it, this was definitely a very childish way to have revenge.


    I dug my own grave, I did. I¡¯ll just shut up and listen.


    I swallowed bitter tears of remorse, grabbed the hairpin and came out of the bushes.


    As soon as that happened, all eyes naturally turned to me.


    Sir Ivan, Ellenia, all the other tea party guests, and a miserable Freya.


    Freya turned her back, covering her face with a handkerchief, as if she was avoiding me. Then, she said with a sigh, ¡°I think my lady misunderstood me a little. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, so please calm down¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What? My Lady did this to you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god.¡­.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to mention what kind of expressions came to mind in unison with those wide-open eyes.


    Suddenly, the disturbance that happened on the day of St. Agnes¡¯ birthday crossed my mind.


    A buzz rang in my ears like a swarm of bees.


    I suddenly felt like throwing up.


    Ellenia, who was staring at Freya¡¯s trembling shoulders, looked at me again.


    Her large red eyes seemed very scary today.


    ¡°Ruby, what is going on here?¡±


    Ah, this? Hahaha, how would everyone react if I said Freya was the one who poured the tea on herself?


    The servants weren¡¯t there. This was a place where one couldn¡¯t even see us properly, and even if the servants saw the whole scene¡­

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°I asked you what happened. I don¡¯t really understand the situation right now.¡±


    My tongue stung and I felt nauseous.


    You don¡¯t have to confirm this unnecessary thing.


    ¡°Tha¡­ uhn, waaaaah-¡±


    It was then.


    In an atmosphere of sudden seriousness, Leah, who just wanted to find her hairpin, stopped looking at us and burst into tears.


    She seemed to have been scared.


    I wanted to cry with her.


    But if I cried here, it would only be a negative factor.


    I wanted an innocent childish image, not an impudent idiot image.


    To make matters worse, the damn poisoning attempt was helping to create a clear picture of perpetrator and victim.


    Sir Ivan seemed briefly enraptured by this unexpected disturbance.


    And as soon as Leah began to cry, the floating spell was lifted.


    If I had not been the subject of this situation, I would have been deeply moved by Sir Ivan¡¯s unexpected brotherly behaviour.


    ¡°What the¡­ Leah, Leah. Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°M-My, my hairpin, my hairpin, because of me, uhhhnn!¡±


    Poor Leah seemed to have judged that Freya and I fought over her pretty hairpin. I¡¯d rather it be that way.


    Ellenia was still waiting for an answer with her eyes fixed on me.


    Sir Ivan, who had been struggling to sweep back his pale yellow hair, also turned his eyes to me.


    ¡°Good lord. What in the world happened, my lady?¡±


    I gulped at his low voice.


    Maybe it was because I¡¯d only seen his usual abusive behavior, but he seemed like a different person when he acted calm.


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    In the series of my silent replies, Sir Ivan pressed again, his eyes slightly distorted, perhaps irritated.


    He looked scarier than just being angry with her face as if she were a girl-like face.


    As the heart beat like a rabbit in front of a fox, the white panic pressed down in my head.


    This was what Freya was trying to tell me.


    She didn¡¯t have to go through all this trouble in the first place.


    No matter how I may be, in the end¡­¡­.


    Damn it, I just want to live.


    I just don¡¯t want to die.


    Why do you keep putting me on the edge?


    ¡°Ruby, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Ellen. I don¡¯t want any more fuss. I think she was just surprised. You should go now, sir. My lady is very frightened.¡±


    Freya¡¯s eyes, gently interrupting and putting her hand on Ellenia¡¯s shoulder, quickly swept past me.


    Funny, it was a reproachful look. As if I should have been the one to do this.


    ¡°Huu¡­. Brother, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°Huh, what are you doing? You little¨C!¡±


    Leah, who suddenly bit her brother¡¯s wrist while wiping tears, now moved her small hands up and down.


    She was asking him to bend over.


    Sir Ivan grumbled but sat with one knee bent.


    What was he doing?


    While Leah whispered something into Sir Ivan¡¯s ear, everyone was just looking away.


    No matter what he heard, Sir Ivan soon scratched his head and straightened himself, approaching me closely.


    No, why are you making me nervous all of a sudden?¡­.


    ¡°My lady, I know you¡¯re not someone to do this for no reason. There seems to have been some misunderstanding, could you please continue what you were about to say?¡±


    It was a tone one would use with a child.


    Almost a whisper.


    What I was going to say earlier, I don¡¯t think it would make any difference.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter for me to interfere, but I want to make sure you don¡¯t get in trouble.¡±


    What does that mean? You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll run away from home again?


    You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll do something?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything and I won¡¯t do anything.¡±


    My frozen tongue rolled out as my lips parted.


    As these words flowed out, my body trembled.


    I¡¯m crazy, really crazy.


    Sir Ivan, staring at me with blank eyes, looked back.


    Ellenia¡¯s expression, which hadn¡¯t changed for a while, was indescribable. What was she thinking?


    ¡°What do you mean, my lady?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything just now.¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, so you¡¯re saying Lady Furiana made something up?¡±


    In the midst of a stir again, Freya smiled. As if she had been waiting.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s just move on.¡±


    ¡°¡­Frey, let¡¯s start with your clothes. This is the end of today¡¯s meeting. I¡¯m sure you all understand.¡±


    As Ellenia finally turned away from me and moved, the tense atmosphere completely disappeared.


    While awkward and unsatisfactory greetings were pouring out, I was caught in a dizzy spell and stared stiffly at the tip of my toes.


    The gazes above my head stung.


    It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s all right. It would have eventually happened. For once, this is fine.¡­.


    I would like to believe so.


    ¡°Now, I want Durahan to show up.¡±


    Camu, who uttered a low groan, grabbed the legs of the gnome and tossed them down the road.


    The final cry from the gnome echoed loudly.


    ¡°Typical workaholic symptoms.¡±


    Izek recited.


    He was rubbing his blade with a piece of cloth. At his feet, there was a body of gnome beginning to melt down like a lump of sticky slime.


    The only monsters he encountered these days were these.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something you get to say.¡±


    ¡°At least I know how to enjoy this relaxation.¡±


    Despite Camu¡¯s irritating remarks, Izek grinned if he was in a good mood.


    These days, Camu saw him smile a lot.


    He really couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    Reflecting on that thought, Camu crumpled his forehead.


    What was so good about it?


    Since when has he been so happy about his wife?


    He wanted to call him an ignorant b*stard, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t hurt much.


    Because he was far too mature for something like self-reflection.


    ¡°Damn it, if you¡¯re so worried about your wife, you should just find and kill them all or it¡¯ll be a pain later. They¡¯re all just monsters anyway. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°If we want to get rid of it, we need to get rid of all these minions. They¡¯re hiding on their own, so do we really need to relax?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, only some are enjoying our vacation. Only the incompetent ones took on all the chores like a workaholic, so they were the most excited.¡±


    Camu usually expressed great pride in the fact that he was a member of the minority elite.


    And that pride was often refracted in the direction of disparaging other colleagues¡¯ abilities.


    Their leader, who regarded patriotism and camaraderie as the highest creed, would have scolded him if he knew.


    ¡°It is not good to call your colleagues incompetent.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing this just in case other monsters run into your wife¡¯s friends and kill them? How long have you cared for monsters? Just so that your wife wouldn¡¯t run away from home?¡±


    If you want to be merciful, you should be human.


    Camu still vividly remembered the sight of a poacher woman who was summarily disposed of on the day she found Rudbeckia in the frost forest.


    Paladins of Brittania had the power to dispose of sinners on behalf of the king. And the poacher was a felon.


    Her arm would have been cut off if she had been arrested and taken in accordance with the procedure.


    However, Izek did not cut off the arm of the woman who was begging for her life in the midst of her madness.


    He didn¡¯t kill her.


    He cut out her tongue alive and pulled out her eyeballs.


    The reason was obvious, but Camu, the owner of a surprisingly delicate soul, still felt sick when he recalled it.


    Furthermore, he became more and more unlucky.


    He was such a cruel b*stard, but he was so into his wife that he was pretending to be sweet and coy.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so unhappy, you can take a vacation too. Don¡¯t follow me around and chatter.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this lovestruck b*stard.¡±


    (T/N: almost wrote simp LMAO)


    Galar was sitting next to a tree nest a short distance away, smoking leaf cigarettes.


    Izek approached Galar, who was crouching like a real bear, and similarly pulled out a leaf cigarette.


    His sweat-drenched silver hair scattered in the wind.


    Then, he spoke excitedly, ¡°I¡¯m glad the lizard cub keeps disappearing. Otherwise, we¡¯d be grinding to capture him alive by now, just to put him in the gladiatorial match.¡±


    There was a small smile in his red eyes, sweat clinging to his long eyelashes.


    Soon, there was a gentle whistle.


    Camu and Galar exchanged glances for a moment.


    Galar¡¯s gaze was one of a shocked man.


    He never thought he¡¯d see that tough nut whistling in his life, and it was a shame that other people didn¡¯t see this.


    ¡°You said it well. But he can¡¯t escape if he crawls out and attacks, right? And speaking of the gladiatorial match, do you really believe it¡¯s a good idea for you to attend?¡±


    ¡°I guess my stomach would hurt if I don¡¯t win again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You¡¯re going to have a fight with the monsters on the subject of making sure your wife¡¯s friends don¡¯t die? What are you up to? What if she gets shocked while watching?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­you¡¯ve been getting weirdly chatty lately.¡±


    Izek¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    His lips placed on the tip of the leaf, moved to form a smirk.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    ¡ª


    Because of his tone, Camu coughed a little and carefully chose his words.


    ¡°I mean, if your wife makes a mistake¡­ Damn it, think realistically. I¡¯d be confused, too. Imagine a grilled pig on a table talking to you one day! If she could understand all of their cries, wouldn¡¯t she be disturbed if you were the one who was fighting? Would that not be a problem? What if they look at your wife sitting in the audience and show some strange behaviour?¡±


    The metaphor with grilled pig was a bit illogical, but Galar also expressed his agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯m most concerned about that, too, Izek. Even if the Duchess is good at dealing with it, you don¡¯t know what the mad monsters would do. If you¡¯re trying to rush into the auditorium, if it¡¯s impossible, or if you¡¯re trying to send a signal¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by signal?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know, body language or something like that.¡±


    A mysterious silence passed by Galar¡¯s quibbling over whether Izek did not have common sense.


    Izek, who had a fed-up look on his face, finally murmured as if he was sighing, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that? That¡¯s why I¡¯m attending.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Izek turned away from his colleagues staring blankly at him and watched the sunset burning scarlet.


    The wild tricks used in the gladiatorial match to tame monsters had grown wild over the months.


    So, these monsters were reborn as a perfect monster through hunger, torture, stimulation and drug injection.


    At present, no one could tell what would happen if such monsters detected Rudbeckia.


    That is why Cardinal Valentino could not be excluded from the stands as he came to take control of the committee.


    So¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can kill them as quickly as possible without pain before they make a fool of themselves.¡±


    It was a serious, unfortunate argument, but there was no pride or arrogance in his slow-flowing voice.


    Camu and Galar did not even feel like refuting for once, because the words that came out were not plain but dry, and a very natural and understandable fact.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­ but what if you lose in the middle?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no losing. I¡¯m the final winner of this tournament.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I will do my best to save the spirit of the North and give pride to my uncle. Wouldn¡¯t that be enough for me to have my own way if I get found out later on? My wife¡¯s got some quirks, so there¡¯ll be fewer people to question her with a man like me as her husband.¡±


    Camu turned away and rummaged through his waist pocket for a leaf cigarette.


    Meanwhile Galar dropped his leaf cigarette and spat out, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll have to attend.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®we¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Me and you, Camu. And maybe Ivan and¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is this bear crazy, why are you suddenly dragging me in? And don¡¯t you know that foul play is prohibited?¡±


    ¡°Who said this is foul play? Let¡¯s go on a new adventure.¡±


    ¡°You talk so easily about this, just what do you think a gladiatorial match is?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not confident, Camu? I¡¯m disappointed.¡±


    ¡°This man, really¡­¡­.!¡±


    It was then that the sound of hooves getting closer quickly came from the bottom.


    Camu, who became embarrassed, looked away from Galar, who was shaking his head disappointedly.


    Izek was stuck looking at the slow sunset.


    ¡°Ah, f*ck. What is this sh*t.¡±


    ¡°¡­What, Ivan, is that you? Where have you been? You only show up now, you insincere b*stard.¡±


    ¡°Eat sh*t, you a**. Do you want to lose your mouth?¡±


    Although Ivan was always a foul-mouthed man, he rarely talked this way, so Camu became speechless rather than enraged by his unexpected verbal abuse.


    Ivan jumped out of the saddle and approached Izek. Camu and Galar were staring at him from afar.


    ¡°Hey, Iz, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Where have you been to show up this late?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was at your house. Because of Leah.¡±


    Ivan, who gave a much different answer to the same question, looked very out of shape.


    He seemed nervous, worried about something, but in a word, he was a mess.


    Izek¡¯s cheerful expression also became serious.


    ¡°Did your sister have an accident?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. She was playing well.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you pretending to be worried? Oh, did you see the tea party?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, it was almost ending when I came.¡±


    ¡°You must have met Ruby, too. Was she having fun?¡±


    Ivan did not answer immediately.


    There was a moment of silence.


    ¡°Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you answering? How was my wife?¡±


    At Izek¡¯s question, Ivan went silent.


    Damn it, how the hell am I supposed to explain this.


    Ivan suddenly thought that it would have been nice to have a spirit in his sword as Rudbeckia had asked one day.


    Then the sword could tell him instead.


    ¡®I really didn¡¯t do it.¡­.¡¯


    ¡®Calm down. Do you think I¡¯m here to argue with that?¡¯


    A friendly pat on my cheek, almost soothing.


    It was a touch of tenderness and affection like caressing a beloved treasure.


    On the other hand, the hand clutching my hair was so ruthless and barbaric that I couldn¡¯t believe it was on my body.


    ¡®I heard the atmosphere was ruined. I wish you didn¡¯t make such a fuss and just let it go, and then I could take care of it for you¡­ if you came to me. You don¡¯t trust me that much?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯


    ¡®The more I think about it, the more strange it is. Why do you have so much energy these days?¡¯


    Those deep blue eyes were glowing with dangerous light.


    A warning signal blared in my head.


    My body trembled like a scared dog.


    ¡®¡­Oh, is it because of him, too? You¡¯ve been looking pretty good lately, did he promise you anything?¡¯


    Instead of making use of my frozen tongue, I tried to shake my head.


    However, his strong grip on my head kept me stuck.


    Soon a grim whisper sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡®I guess you forgot who you¡¯re staying in this house for.¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡­AHHH!¡±


    I woke up startled by my sleep talking.


    It took me a while to clearly remember where I was and what I was doing.


    I had fallen to my knees.


    I must have dozed off in an armchair without realizing it.


    I tried to come to my senses, shaking my heavy head.


    What time was it now?


    ¡°Madam, are you all right?¡±


    With a knock, Ronja appeared. It was a rare tearful face.


    While I was just staring blankly, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and dragged her tray cart in.


    ¡°I brought you a meal, mdam. The princess said¡­. Sniff, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ronja, why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam, madam¡­¡­ Your Tea Party ¡­¡­.¡±


    Apparently, the disturbance at today¡¯s tea party spread among the servants.


    I didn¡¯t know how Ronja, my maid, heard it, but she seemed pretty upset.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily my tea party. Don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡­Uhnnn¡­¡­!¡±


    The naive Ronja showed no sign of stopping her tears.


    I tried to speak calmly, but I also felt like crying.


    No, I literally wanted to hit the ground and wail.


    I¡¯m crazy, crazy! What the hell have I done?


    Damn it, I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.


    If I had just shut up, the situation would have been less serious than it is now.


    Was this how the castle, which had just been laid out with the utmost effort, collapses?


    This case was different from what happened at the horse riding meeting the other day.


    I thought we had just got a little closer, but now neither Ellenia nor Sir Ivan will ever think of me the same way again.


    And Izek¡­¡­.


    Lucille, who followed, buried her face in an apron and threw a cloth at the sniffling Ronja.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you stop whining? What are you doing in front of madam?¡±


    ¡°B-But the Lord¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°This is why children are so tiresome.¡±


    Lucille started to cook my meal, clicking her tongue.


    She looked very professional when she rolled up her sleeves and moved diligently.


    I think she was a little excited.


    Lucille¡¯s mindset was obvious.


    She would think I had a chance to bribe her again.


    Ronja didn¡¯t know much about the inside of this castle yet, so if everyone starts being as cold-hearted as they used to be, I¡¯ll need her presence.


    Anyway, everyone was always the same.


    ¡°Come on, madam.¡±


    The scent of cream cheese and meat salad with thick onion soup, sliced salmon were very stimulating, but it didn¡¯t give me an appetite at all.


    It seems like my most important humans went away with one shot, so it would be funny if I had an appetite left.


    Ellenia knew about my anorexia.


    I didn¡¯t know why she ordered her to bring me a meal, who was stuck in my room having skipped dinner, but I had to eat it for now.


    And then I¡¯d throw it up carefully so I didn¡¯t get caught.


    This was so depressing that I didn¡¯t even think about blaming Freya.


    What was the use of cursing her in my heart?


    Like she said, here she and I were not even comparable, and we knew for a long time that if anything happened, they¡¯d choose her.


    Considering the truth that the dignity of the childhood friend is everywhere, the cliches of all ages and times gathered to give the zero possibility that I would beat Freya in the fantasy fiction world.


    But why was my mouth so bitter?


    Maybe I was unconsciously mistaken.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    I had become friends with Ellenia, gained Sir Ivan¡¯s trust, met some really nice people here, and so, my husband¡­


    Maybe that was not the only reason why he was so nice to me.


    On a day like today, when he even gave me the keys to the jewelry warehouse¡­


    Damn it, he¡¯s going to take it back in just a day.


    When I recalled the looks everyone had on their face earlier, I sighed.


    I was really stupid. It¡¯s not like I hadn¡¯t expected it. What kind of presumptions was I keeping?


    While I was nibbling and eating, Ronja, who had barely stopped crying, looked at me and asked carefully, ¡°Madam, where should I prepare your bath today?¡±


    Lucille, who was filling the empty glass with milk, had tapped Ronya on the shoulder, giving a hint.


    It was a gesture to ask questions.


    I frequently used my husband¡¯s luxurious bathroom instead of my bathroom.


    It would only be right to have the decency to wash up in my bathroom on a night like this¡­


    ¡°As usual. Just get ready, I¡¯ll take care of it today.¡±


    The two maids exchanged their eyes side by side.


    Was it because of my words that they looked worried?


    Sounded pretty gutsy to my ears too.


    Nevertheless, it was better to get beaten first and finish the painful work quickly.


    If it was an ordeal you have to go through anyway, it¡¯s better to finish it as soon as possible because you¡¯re just waiting for it.


    This morning my father-in-law told me something bizarre about his son¡¯s first love.


    Freya also said something similar, although the gist was a bit different.


    Simply put, I was Izek¡¯s first love, so I¡¯ll take it as a special position for a moment to get his sympathy.


    There was no way for me to know whether that was true or not.


    Because this development didn¡¯t come out in the original.


    If in their eyes, Izek looked like a completely different person, then whatever the reason is, he seemed to be really soft on me.


    So if I acted as if I was self-reflecting as much as I could, maybe he would let go of it.


    Since he seemed to like me a little bit, if he accepted anything voluntarily, maybe I could find a way to make up for today¡¯s incident¡­¡­.


    After dinner, it was my daily routine to take a short night walk for exercise.


    Today, I told Ronja and Lucille to rest early and headed alone to the greenhouse garden.


    Previously shameless and determined, worries crept in as soon as I entered the beautiful garden filled with water, colorful lights revealed in depths.


    Ah, the key to the jewelry warehouse was a problem.


    What if they took it away from me?


    I wasn¡¯t sure when Izek would return home.


    Sometimes he appeared around this time and sometimes he came back when I was getting ready to sleep.


    Still, he was always back early compared to the past.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡­.¡±


    Maybe because I threw up after a long time, I felt a throbbing pain in my stomach.


    It¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯ve been trying to control myself as much as I can these days. I can¡¯t help but feel a little sorry for my stomach.


    Izek may be the same as ever, but I was worried about Ellenia.


    What kind of eyes would I see from now on?¡­I felt like the maid was right.


    I was glad to have gotten closer at best, but this was a short and beautiful illusion.


    In addition, Ellenia was even worse off, because she had helped me so far without knowing.


    If Ellenia concluded that I had become ¡°weird¡± like her dead mother, and if she told her family about my bad habits, it¡¯d just become horrible.


    Who liked someone who reminded them of a dead woman who left in a bad way?


    I approached the bench in front of the cool waterfall fountain and sat down, a glass can containing shiny fireflies on my lap.


    I didn¡¯t know if today would be the last time I come here, so I had to keep an eye on it.


    It was sad. I was looking forward to playing with Ellenia here.


    Come on, come on, come on! You have to think about breaking through.


    It was comforting that I did not have to worry about the cancellation of marriage anymore.


    All right, let¡¯s go in soon, clean up the bath, and wait for my husband.


    By the time he comes to me, he would have heard from Sir Ivan or lElenia, but I had to pretend to be willing to speak up first.


    How should I explain it? That I was just jealous because she looked so close to him?


    Until not long ago, such words from Rudbeckia in the original book would be considered taboo, but these days, after spending the night together, this childish reason would be better than to be considered to have become proud.


    Let¡¯s decide the reason based on his mood. Even though I¡¯ll get in more trouble for lying to him earlier.¡­.


    All of a sudden, my heart started beating fast.


    Right, I heard he hated lying.


    I dug my own grave.


    But what can I do now? Even if I got in trouble until my body got worn out, I had to pray and make up for today¡¯s situation.


    I¡¯d also have to give Ellenia the same explanation, and pretend to apologize sincerely to Freya in front of the siblings.


    Of course, I had pride, so I would rather put a poisoned apple in my mouth than apologise to Freya, who put me in this situation once again, but I couldn¡¯t ruin my image that I had been building up so hard.


    The childish reason that I was jealous of my husband¡¯s childhood friend was worthy of the image of an immature idiot princess.


    The problem was that even if it went well as planned, judging from the ambitious warning Freya gave me today, it was highly likely that I would be in trouble again in the future.


    It would be better if it were as childish and trivial as this was.


    It was so obvious that I was a stumbling block to her ¡°Make the North Great Again¡± project.


    Well, how noble was it that the fundamental reason to defeat me was for the prosperity of her hometown?


    What an insidious b*tch. I was doubtful whether the poisoning attempt was Freya¡¯s own play.


    Anyway, let¡¯s just work things out now¡­¡­.


    ¡°My lady.¡±


    An unexpected voice made me startled.


    Subsequently, a servant with a straight and majestic body like a pole slowly appeared.


    A woman with dark brown eyes and hair brushed behind her forehead.


    It was the nanny maid, whom I had rarely encountered recently.


    I didn¡¯t know why she came to visit me all of a sudden.


    Was Ellenia looking for me?


    ¡°Here you are, my lady.¡±


    The maid¡¯s expression, who opened her mouth with a nasally voice, was insensitivity itself.


    Stress crashed suddenly, but I asked indifferently, trying not to show any weakness, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°My lady asked me to make sure you¡¯re done eating.¡±


    It was something she would usually check through Lucille or Ronja.


    She said again, just as I was trying to make that point, ¡°As you already know, I¡¯ve been taking care of her since she was a little girl, so she often tells me secrets that she can¡¯t tell others.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°She probably thought I¡¯d change my mind about my lady by doing that, but¡­ I actually noticed it from the beginning.¡±


    I had a feeling I knew what she was talking about.


    What else was there besides my anorexia?


    I didn¡¯t expect Ellenia to tell the maid.


    Even if she said it, it wasn¡¯t wrong.


    The maid was a nanny closer to Ellenia than her biological mother.


    Moreover, based on what the maid said, it would not have been a bad intention.


    The problem was that the maid seemed to be taking it completely differently from Ellenia¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°You understand what I mean. You may be angry that this humble servant is interfering in your personal matters.¡±


    Indeed, today seemed to be the day. Maybe they were all working together?


    When I did not answer back, the maid waited a moment and kept talking.


    ¡°I heard that you know about the story of the eldest lady who passed away. Of course, my lady couldn¡¯t tell me how hard it was for her at that time.¡±


    The smile on the maid¡¯s face shook a little.


    There was a chill in the back of my neck.


    I see. I see.


    I vaguely assumed that the maid, who had seen the Omerta¡¯s Mistress closer than anyone else at the time, would have felt sorry for her, but now it seemed completely different.


    That eerie smile felt more like criticism than pity or longing.


    Well, yes, the maid was Ellenia¡¯s nanny, not my mother-in-law¡¯s nanny.


    Oh god, how terrifying was she?


    She was top-class in loyalty.


    The people here were all very loyal.


    The said nanny was now staring at me with a very challenging look.


    I didn¡¯t move a muscle. I hardly breathed.


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying? I don¡¯t want her to suffer the same pain again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But you can ruin her relationship with people around her not only through such habits but also by acting strangely¡­I doubt that you¡¯ve cursed the owners of this castle.¡±


    This is ¡­ Ha, you¡¯re totally treating me like a psychopath.


    I thought she came to me for what happened at the tea party, but..


    This was a truly outrageous remark.


    However, she even leaned towards me as if she wanted me to slap her.


    She probably wanted me to get angry and make a fuss.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to do this, my lady. Please, until the day you leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave? Where will I leave?¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    ¡ª


    My mouth was also very sneaky today.


    My sudden tone was so cheerful that it was weird even to my own ears.


    Her brown eyes glistened with mirth, as if she knew I¡¯d ask this.


    ¡°You know better than anyone else. It¡¯s just a matter of time, and everyone knows you¡¯ll leave this castle anytime.¡±


    ¡°My reputation is indeed, a bit glamorous. But we¡¯ve already had our first time after getting married. Where would I go after making such a sacred offering of myself?¡±


    ¡°The Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go out of here, even if you pray till your tongue falls out.¡±


    Unexpected words were popping out as if there was some kind of spell on my tongue.


    The maid, who was staring at my smiling face with a look similar to Freya, soon smiled again.


    ¡°First love is like a sweet dream. Even though I am unfamiliar with the way he looks these days, you must feel safe.¡±


    Oh, was this the first time she was talking about him? Why the heck did these northerners love to talk about his first love?


    ¡°It¡¯s just a midsummer night¡¯s dream after all. Especially for Young Master. I¡¯m telling you this for your wellness, but in the end, you will realize who is most appropriate as the mistress of this castle.¡±


    There was silence.


    Amid a cold and twisted silence, the maid was sitting idle waiting for my response.


    How long have you been doing that?


    Perhaps because she thought there was no sign of a reaction, but the maid finally bent her head slightly and turned away. Her walking manner made her seem really elated.


    I could guess who the most appropriate person was as the hostess of her castle.


    Wasn¡¯t that too obvious?


    By comparison, I would have been just a psychopath who had invaded this noble land.


    Like a corrupt Pope¡¯s daughter, a member of a dirty and ugly family.


    That¡¯s why I knew.


    I already knew, but why was everyone trying to come forward and remind me?


    I was just going to let it go. I was going to let everything that happened the other day go away. I was really trying to behave.


    Why can¡¯t you just leave me be?


    I was having a headache. My head was killing me.


    The inside of my ribs shook violently as I stood with a blank smile.


    Yes, that¡¯s it.


    It was unsettling to hear that everyone was worried and coming forward to me because this was Izek¡¯s first true love.


    The excuse of saying it for me couldn¡¯t have been more selfish.


    How did they know what it meant for me?


    I was really just trying to stay lowkey.


    If I could live, I was going to give them everything they wanted, do whatever they wanted, lie flat and live quietly.


    I tried to live quietly, but they didn¡¯t help me.


    Well, there were a lot of people who twisted everything I did anyway. There were so many people who couldn¡¯t accept it.


    No matter how much I proved that I was not such a smart person, they would decide on their own and point fingers at me, whenever the secret related to monsters got revealed.


    What was so wrong about believing in those that were nice to me, whether it was my husband or the monsters?


    Was first love so scary?


    The ascetic gave me his sympathy, and he was just mesmerized for a moment?


    Yes, I guess I had made my way to the point where our main character is so enraptured that these guys became nervous.


    I¡¯ll use him for the first time. I¡¯m a human being who doesn¡¯t care what I do for my own safety anyway.


    It wasn¡¯t that I wasn¡¯t worried about what would happen in the future, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    I could look at myself normally if I put my mind to it.


    I could do well as long as the pain wasn¡¯t too great.


    Either way, this body was one that was going to suffer.


    But I didn¡¯t think the images I¡¯d built so far would be very useless.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    As I stood up from the bench and spoke cheerfully, the nanny maid, who had been a few steps away, turned around.


    I strode toward her without delay.


    There was a sharp sound of a slap landing on her cheek.


    My fingertips were all tingling.


    The maid, who was slapped out of the blue, seemed to have hardened on the spot.


    Her wide open brown eyes were shocked.


    ¡°What¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you expect me to do this?¡±


    ¡°What, what, what do you¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to be beaten by me. I¡¯ve been wondering, do you like girls?¡±


    The maid, who was staring blankly at me, slowly pulled up the corners of her mouth.


    Ah, it was such a creepy smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been acting so pitiful, and now you¡¯re finally showing off your true colors. If you know¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You got what you wanted, so go ahead and tell her. If a maid dared to question mine, the holy daughter of The Pope of Romagna¡¯s capability to be a hostess, then cutting off your tongue would barely be enough.¡±


    ¡°My lady¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It would be quite noisy if I really told you I was going to cut your tongue off. Now I see you¡¯ve forgotten about my origins.¡±


    Ellenia had no authority to reprimand me, even if I slapped the maid on the cheek for some trivial reason.


    I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking inside, but since when had I ever wanted the luxury of a true friendship?


    I was foolishly expecting a little bit, but that was it.


    Besides, I didn¡¯t expect the people here to be on my side in the first place.


    What would I want from humans who secretly poured sand in water bottles?


    They deserved to give me a reason to act like a jerk when I didn¡¯t do anything.


    The maid looked at me with frightening frozen eyes, but she quickly turned around and ran out of the greenhouse.


    I turned my steps and came close to the fountain.


    I almost wanted to jump into the water because it felt like my stomach was boiling.


    I think I felt a little relieved, though.


    The other day, when I was embarrassed at my husband¡¯s birthday party because of her¡­. damn, what, pretending to pity me?


    I¡¯ll show you what pity is.


    Huu, suddenly I missed Popo so much.


    Griffin and the dragon. What would they be doing right now?


    I wonder what kind of expression Ellenia would make when she heard that I hit the maid. Izek too.


    Haha, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be very nice to see.


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯ll remember me, standing in nice clothes, looking at the sunset, baby¡­¡­.¡±


    To calm my beating heart, I squatted near the bushes and started making bouquets of flowers.


    Yellow rudbeckias and red roses. I think it was worth seeing if I spread them out on the bed.¡­.


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    As I was weaving bouquets of flowers, I almost collapsed when the sound of water splashing sounded near the entrance.


    Oh, god, why was everyone popping out of nowhere?


    Well, even if they made a sign, I might not have been able to hear it because I was so absorbed in my thoughts.


    That wasn¡¯t the problem right now. Don¡¯t tell me he was home already!


    ¡°Are you here?¡±


    My eyes were spinning. I didn¡¯t know what had happened in the next instant.


    When I came to my senses, I was crouching in the dollhouse, crawling through the trail of rosemary and lavender bushes.


    I could hear Izek moving forward.


    My heart thumped like the fast tempo of hip-hop music.


    There was no way he didn¡¯t know that I was there until a while ago because I left the can of fireflies intact on the bench.


    What the heck was I doing?


    What did I want to do by hiding like this?


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s strange.¡±


    You¡¯re the strange one! I¡¯m going crazy. I can¡¯t go back out now. What should I do?


    Mrs. Curie, sitting in the attic of the dollhouse, was looking at me with a smile on her face.


    I had no choice but to sneak out and quickly return to my bedroom after hiding until he left, the water had already been spilled after all.


    So I had a snowball fight with Mrs. Curie and listened with bated breath as much I could.


    I thought his footsteps passed by, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything for a moment.


    Where¡¯d he go? Did he leave? Did he?


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±


    The harsh noise that rang on my head without warning made me startle.


    It was not long before I saw the face of my husband looking down this way, lifting the roof of the dollhouse, along with the glass ceiling of the beautiful greenhouse garden shining.


    His red eyes, which were wide open, streaked with desperation and absurdity, focused on me.


    I never knew how he found out right away that I was hiding here.


    While I was in a panic and couldn¡¯t do anything, Izek opened his mouth first.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Playing hide-and-seek.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the tagger?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±


    I was sweating as I forced the corners of my mouth up.


    Agh, should I just bite off my tongue?


    I think my mouth has turned into a disastrous mouth today.


    Izek, who put down the wooden roof on the bushes, almost throwing it, now shook his hands and looked at me sideways. I gulped, my mouth growing dry.


    Don¡¯t tell me he was going to scold me here¡­.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the reward?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I found you. What¡¯s the reward?


    I was overwhelmed and confused. In the great North, even in hide-and-seek games, rewards must be paid separately.


    Such greedy paladins.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a sincere kiss.¡±


    ¡°Just that?¡±


    What? Just that? You cold-blooded b*stard!


    ¡°It¡¯s an actual kiss.¡±


    ¡°Give it to me, then.¡±


    I kept digging my own grave.


    I felt like a chick going into the slaughterhouse, but I crept up in vain.


    It was so romantic to have a kiss in this situation.


    While I gently lifted my toes and put my arms over his magnificent shoulders, Izek stood proudly with his arms folded and did not budge.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    ¡ª


    A knight in black metal armour, soaked in sweat and covered with dust stood in front of me.


    I managed to purse my lips together and stuck out my tongue slightly. It was the moment to lean my body forward.


    My husband, who arrogantly wanted my reward, suddenly frowned and held my shoulder.


    I got scared.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°R-Reward¡­¡±


    ¡°You said it was a kiss with sincerity.¡±


    ¡°Because it is one!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, did you usually kiss me like this?¡±


    What kind of nonsense was that?


    Even though the situation was not that bad, my cheeks heated up.


    ¡°Then, you¡­¡­.¡±


    Even before I could speak, his steel hand held my head and pulled it close.


    In the cozy and fragrant atmosphere of the greenhouse, I felt dizzy by the pair of lips pressing down on mine.


    ¡°Why, why the hell are you hiding here?¡±


    After a long time, he lifted his lips and now stretched out his arms, grumbling in a low voice.


    I was just puzzled.


    Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t heard anything yet.


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like this is the secret of Omerta Castle. Even if you want to play hide-and-seek, what if you fell asleep here?¡±


    Are you testing me?


    Giving me a chance to confess first?


    Damn it, you¡¯re a tough b*stard.


    ¡°H-Have you eaten?¡±


    He shook his head and pulled up his arms holding me.


    Silver hair, which looked like they had been covered with stardust, was messy.


    ¡°Just in case you didn¡¯t eat, I wanted to have a meal with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Your weight remains the same. There¡¯s no sign of weight gain, are you even eating properly?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re to blame for that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    His ruby-colored eyes grew wide.


    I almost bit my tongue off.


    Ai, why is my mouth running around so freely today?


    ¡°Say what you just said again.¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°No, you said something.¡±


    My face was probably dark red with the amount of blushing by now.


    I¡¯m crazy, but what if it¡¯s true?


    If you were a person who spends nights like me recently, you wouldn¡¯t gain weight even if you ate an entire bowl of cookie dough every day.


    (T/N: referring to their *cough* night activities.)


    If there was one thing that everyone was mistaken about, my husband was never the shy type to be swayed by his first love.


    He was a tough opponent even for me.


    He was a crazy, savage, animal-like masculine being, a man who entirely swallowed me up.


    And yet¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s a problem, then. Should I just hold your hand and sleep from today onward?


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡­.¡±


    ¡°What was it then, if you didn¡¯t mean that? What do you mean? I¡¯m not familiar with elegant Southern words, so you have to explain it straightforwardly for me to understand it.¡±


    If he really said that, then he would do what he says,  hold hands and talk with me, even if that meant not doing anything else at night.


    I just buried my face in the back of his neck.


    Did he really not hear anything?


    That¡¯s why he looks so happy, right?


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    His mischievous voice became a little serious.


    I didn¡¯t move a muscle.


    ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­nothing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, did you have another accident behind my back?¡±


    Am I a kid? I wish I had caused a real accident.


    I hit someone, and that someone is Ellenia¡¯s nanny.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m glad to see you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Southern tradition to hide your face in delight?¡±


    ¡°¡­I just created the tradition.¡±


    ¡°I see. So how was your day, princess, who loves hide-and-seek?¡±


    I felt his big palm carefully stroking my back.


    Gentle, soothing, and reassuring.


    Suddenly, a crazed laugh almost burst out.


    Yes, it was scary if this was his first time, seeing him fiddle around instead of pushing back the villainess, so he definitely seemed to be mesmerized.


    ¡°Just¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Just?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t do anything, I didn¡¯t do anything like that.¡±


    His body that was in contact with me seemed to stiffen.


    The hand that was stroking my back also stopped.


    There was a strange tension in my trembling breath moment.


    It was not like he didn¡¯t hear anything.


    Then, why¡­.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me anyway. But I am not lying.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ruby, raise your head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. I¡¯ll return the key to the warehouse.¡±


    As my breathing became ragged,the dam of tears opened naturally.


    My heart ran like a wild horse as my fingertips throbbed earlier from hitting the maid.


    There was no turning back now.


    Even if he threw me on the floor like this, in the end¡­


    Yes, he would need me. Whether it was for work or private stuff. For my brain or body.


    I had to be really careful from now on.


    It was my first time dealing with this kind of person.


    Cesare and my family were completely different in nature.


    Everything would have been easier if what he wanted from me was simple¡­


    My feet slowly touched the ground as my wrapped arms became loose.


    I quickly tried to cover my face with my palm, but Izek snarled, grasping my hand.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡­.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to see me anymore?¡±


    What was the point of this? It felt ridiculous, but I didn¡¯t show a change in expression and sniffled calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I just don¡¯t have the face to see you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve caused unnecessary drama about something that I could have just let slide quietly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone thinks I¡¯ve become proud. But in the end, I know who¡¯s the most important. Even if I¡¯m gone.¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    His cold voice was so frightening that I almost recoiled.


    Even though he was holding my hands tightly.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡­ Who dared to tell you such nonsense?¡±


    I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?


    I shook Izek¡¯s hand off strongly. Or tried to.


    ¡°Tell me, who was the one to whisper this in your ear?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to go check for myself?¡±


    Izek¡¯s low-toned growl reminded him of the frost wolf who lost his mate.


    Maybe that was why I was more upset.


    You hot-tempered b*stard!


    I hate you the most!


    I hate you the most, you twisted protagonist!


    ¡°You¡¯ll hate me if I tell you!¡±


    At the same time, the grip on my hand loosened.


    What have I done?


    My body fell back even before I could even realise.


    Luckily, the bushes on the ground were fluffy.


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡±


    Izek, who was frozen and far away, moved quickly.


    There was a lot of concern in his eyes, which were stuck on me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Don¡¯t ask that. It¡¯s embarrassing to even be honest about being hurt.


    I was trying to push this boulder¡¯s chest and fell down by myself.


    It was like hitting a rock with an egg.


    Why do I always end up getting embarrassed in front of him?


    My heart pounded as I felt dizzy with shame.


    A soft silk handkerchief touched my wet cheeks.


    Come on, what are you doing, the sunflowers I embroidered will get wet.


    ¡°Ha, damn it, at the end of the day¡­¡­.¡±


    My husband clenched his teeth and swept his hair back with one hand.


    Dark shade fell on his serpent-like eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been worried about that all this time?¡±


    Am I not supposed to worry?


    Ridicule rose up in my mind, but I didn¡¯t answer.


    Because I wasn¡¯t in a good condition to do so.


    Anger and shame kept on coming out, so I held a handkerchief in my mouth and groaned.


    Izek, who was watching what I was doing with a blank stare, took away my handkerchief, not being able to watch it anymore.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°Hic.  I could have stayed still, but I kept causing trouble, and I thought you¡¯d try to send me back like last time.¡­.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really expect him to have a conscience to look back on the past.


    No way that this guy had a sympathetic conscience.


    But, why couldn¡¯t I control my hiccups in front of him?


    I couldn¡¯t hear anything for a moment while I was trying to get rid of the hiccups.


    At last, I couldn¡¯t resist my curiosity and lifted my head pretending to wipe the tears around my eyes, and was taken aback.


    ¡°This¡­¡­¡±


    Sitting in front of me and staring at me, Izek literally had a look I had never seen before.


    In a way, he seemed like he was shocked or in pain, but it was a strange look.


    His pupils were shaking so much, as if he could not hear anything.


    Was that too straightforward?


    But he said I needed to be straightforward for him to understand.


    Rather than being scared because it was such an unfamiliar reaction, I even stood up in the strange mood, adding without realizing it.


    ¡°And then you said you hate me and you get annoyed.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°So, I tried not to do what you didn¡¯t like, and again, and again¡­¡­.¡±


    Tears of frustration dripped down based on acting.


    What do you do when you keep trying to survive but people around you keep making trouble like in the little mermaid!


    Ugh, I¡¯m going to drag everyone down from now on!


    If things go wrong and die, I¡¯ll never die alone!


    His eyes became distorted as I thought of the meaningless embarrassment I suffered.


    I momentarily admired his bad temper from the bottom of my heart.


    ¡°At that time¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    ¡ª


    Why are you acting good all of a sudden? You seem very sincere, but I¡¯m doubtful whether I¡¯m dreaming this.


    Of course, if he really had been sincere since the first day, he would have sent me home the very next moment.¡­.


    ¡°Not a word of everything I said to you at the time was true¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not mistaken anyway, I didn¡¯t misunderstand, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! No, it¡¯s not that way, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    It was natural that I doubted my ears for a moment.


    Did this arrogant protagonist just voluntarily apologize? I need to hear this again.


    My husband, who had been still like a statue, stretched out his arms very slowly without warning and hugged me, and the hiccups that had stopped were about to pop out again.


    As my face was buried in his rock-like shoulder, confusion poured in.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so confused from the beginning, you wouldn¡¯t have been like this, but in the end¡­¡±


    There was a complex note in his voice while his arms held me tight.


    A voice low enough to be close to whispers. Almost a moan.


    I was just dazed. My mind felt completely blank.


    What was he talking about?


    At this point, I had to give a proper answer.


    However, unlike my mind, my mouth had its own plan.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Something that was tightly clumped in the corner of my chest cracked and burst.


    Waves of unknown passion seemed to have engulfed any reason left in me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, I didn¡¯t do anything. Why is everyone doing this to me¡­!?¡±


    His arms clasped tightly against my struggling body.


    I sobbed and pounded the shoulders of the man who locked my body.


    I didn¡¯t realize the craziness in what I was doing. In the meantime, Izek held me still and silently.


    If he was like everyone else, everything would be much easier. If he was like all those cursed people.


    If he hadn¡¯t looked at me like that every night, if he hadn¡¯t looked at me like a real princess in his arms, I wouldn¡¯t have had the stupid fear of losing him.


    I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter if he was BlueBeard as long as I could live.


    Why do you keep doing this to me?


    Why do you keep making me want to be greedy?


    With all that I was doing, I finally decided I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, but he grabbed my hand, which was hitting me.


    Of course, it was not because he was hurt.


    It was my hand that smacked his metal armour that was feeling pain.


    ¡°Ruby, stop. Stop it. You¡¯re going to break your hands.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t want to¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then you should slap me in the face.¡±


    How would I dare do that?


    The common sense that had left my mind at a ridiculous rate, came back a little.


    While I was sobbing and trying to come to my senses, Izek sighed and held my tingling hand, murmuring, ¡°For once, I should have planted some frost mushrooms in advance.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Then you could have thrown it at me, instead of doing this.¡±


    Silence fell.


    I glanced at him, lost for words, and now he put his hand under my armpit and lifted me up lightly.


    Ah, he was definitely no joke¡­


    What in the world did I just do to this guy?


    ¡°Hey, Iz¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay? I hit you too hard¡­¡±


    ¡°You hit me like a nine-year-old kid, but it¡¯s bearable. I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t get bruised with that.¡±


    My husband kept caressing my hand with one hand and kissed it.


    Short and simple moves.


    Watching him blankly, one side of my chest was in unbearable pain.


    At the same time, I wondered why I was doing this.


    After all, I was the only one who was hurt after hitting him.


    It was a relief he wasn¡¯t hurt, but why did it feel like I was slowly getting angry?


    I should have slapped him when he told me to slap him earlier!


    I was a fool to just blow up a chance I had never gotten before!


    ¡°¡­brother?¡±


    When I came back into the mansion, I ran into Ellenia on my way. Not only Ellenia but also my father-in-law.


    My heart began to pound again as she was just leaving the study, standing side by side with him.


    What were they talking about? Did they talk about me?


    Ellenia¡¯s face, which had always been expressionless, was filled with indescribable agitation.


    Considering that I was brought back by my husband in tears, it was understandable.


    My father also tried not to hide his appalled look.


    In a rush of shame, I stopped closing my eyes and buried my face in my husband¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What have you done?¡±


    ¡°What the hell did you do to Ruby, Brother?¡±


    ¡­¡­The subject of the question was a little strange.


    At a glance, Izek had a very sad look on his face, but he still strode past and responded without any hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The answer was equally strange.


    Well, this family was just that strange.


    By the way, Ellenia should have known by now that I had hit the maid.


    I didn¡¯t regret it, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    There was no turning back now.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    What a romantic scene it was to sit on the balcony facing the moonlight.


    The green torch burning in the fireplace looked as if it would summon a fearsome werewolf at any moment.


    And across from me was a monster who was no match for werewolves.


    The scent of warm frothy cocoa was sweet.


    While I carefully grabbed a teaspoon and picked out the marshmallows that were floating, Izek sat in front of me, untied his gauntlets and cuffs, and threw them off roughly. Was it okay to just throw it away like that?


    ¡°What¡¯s in your glass?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just molasses alcohol.¡±


    I see. Rather than savouring the alcohol, I stared at the prominent throat gulping down molasses like drinking some soft drink, and asked out of the blue.


    ¡°Can I try it too?¡±


    Izek paused and looked at me, but soon he handed it to me without a word of what he had in mind.


    I didn¡¯t know what this sudden impulse was.


    However, it was probably because I remembered the image of Freya I faced at the temple that day.


    And what Izek said then.


    He said that she was always trying to steal his drink.¡­.


    Ha, what? You¡¯re not interested in childish emotional play?


    Anyway, I immediately regretted drinking that glass of thick honey-colored liquid.


    Ugh, as expected, I don¡¯t do well with alcohol.


    Besides, why was this so strong? He was a tough guy to drink such a thing so well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it suits your taste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just savoring it for a moment. I¡¯m a good drinker too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I stopped gulping this down in the awkward silence.


    I had only had a couple of sips and I was already feeling sick.


    It was because I had an empty stomach.¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if you just put a bit into this.¡±


    For some reason, my husband, who murmured quietly instead of making a fuss, took the glass back and dropped a few drops in my cocoa cup.


    Oh, this wasn¡¯t bad either.


    I didn¡¯t mean to drink in the first place.


    ¡°Tell Letler if you have a favourite drink. He¡¯ll get it ready.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to drink.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious about what you¡¯re drinking.What did you do today?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t do anything but catch a few gnomes. It¡¯s boring these days, so if frost wolves come in again at times like this, the paladins will all run out of excitement.¡±


    That¡¯s understandable. You caught a few gnomes, didn¡¯t you?


    When I took a sip of the sweetened cocoa, warmth spread throughout my body.


    Phew, I think I¡¯ll go to buy some molasses now.


    There were no words exchanged for a moment. We both drank from our glasses without saying a word.


    As I drank cocoa, I glanced across the street, and Izek lowered his eyes with an unknown look, unknown whether he was tired or lost in thought.


    What should I think?


    ¡°What else do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been staring ahead for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­ well, everyone¡¯s talking a lot. Are you also attending this gladiatorial match?¡±


    ¡°Why, you don¡¯t want me to?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I just heard it was very dangerous¡­¡­.¡±


    I shook my head in a hurry because I thought I might look worried about the game¡¯s outcome.


    Izek sent me a bit of a strange look, but he spoke up, ¡°But the ones that come out are a bit different from the kind of friends you have.¡±


    I was aware of that.


    It was a type of monster that I¡¯d never seen before, unlike the ones I met in the frost forest.


    I remember reading the scenes where Ogres and Trolls ran wild in the preliminary round, mental attacks and even the undead were mobilized.


    Even so, of course, the top of the list would have been the frost dragon.


    It was fortunate that he was hiding his tracks.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m even more worried. Of course, you¡¯ve already become the winner once¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means to you, though.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    With a rather indifferent gesture, Izek put down the glass and pushed the white chocolate plate toward me.


    You want me to stop talking nonsense and eat?


    You want me to eat this and get to the point?


    ¡°You can tell what¡¯s going on just by looking at the frost wolf¡¯s eyes. If I can¡¯t stop you from sitting in the audience, I¡¯d better get it over with as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    It took me a while to understand exactly what he meant.


    Are you serious right now?


    The opponents were the monsters.


    Only some were my friends, not all.


    I knew they weren¡¯t even comparable to wild animals, and I knew they weren¡¯t just poor creatures that were hunted unilaterally.


    It were the participants who should be concerned about the savage gladiatorial match, not the wailing monsters.


    But why are you saying this?


    ¡°Most of all, if I set a new record in this match, I guarantee that no one will dare to make a fool of you, no matter what happens in the future.¡±


    I almost laughed like an idiot at the way he spoke, treating it as a joke.


    Ah¡­ don¡¯t do this! Why do you keep doing this to me?


    The fact that this was the only reason for him to participate didn¡¯t make sense.


    Because of me, the best paladin whose goal was to protect the North from the Monsters was taking part only for this reason.¡­.


    Suddenly, I understood why he had kept me from contacting other kinds of monsters, and why he was so angry when Sir Ivan and the others secretly took me to the frost wolves.


    It wasn¡¯t just because of the unclear danger.


    If Popo were a gnome, I would have been disturbed when he said he had caught gnomes a while ago.


    Even though I knew in my head that it was inevitable in the North, I would have bad feelings in my heart.


    Since the definition of my talent, whose cause and limits are uncertain, was not just being a simple interpreter, but a sympathizer, it would have been unavoidable for me to feel a little heartbroken.


    Izek guessed that and did as much as he could¡­¡­.


    ¡°Iz.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Of all things, it was very cruel of me to test him at this moment.


    I heard couples acted alike, hah.


    ¡°Lady Furiana poured tea on herself to tell me where I belong.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°And the maid said something similar earlier, so I slapped her in the face without realizing it. I¡¯m ashamed of myself for making things big¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes and pressed his temple with one hand, as if the situation that had been thrown out of the blue was not well accepted.


    I swallowed the heavy lump stuck in my throat.


    They say it¡¯s hard at first, but really¡­


    ¡°Like this¡­¡­ don¡¯t rush and tell me what happened from the beginning. What did they do? Don¡¯t be in a hurry.¡±


    I was a little stunned, but I quickly came to my senses.


    ¡°I never meant to, but I guess I¡¯ve been looking too proud lately. She told me that overconfidence is prohibited and then, she was holding the tea cup¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You skipped straight to the end. Just like before.¡±


    What good was there to be talking about the details?


    I hesitated to look straight.


    Izek was sitting with a surprisingly expressionless face.


    Perhaps because of the moonlight, his red eyes were colourful like prism pieces.


    It was strangely heartbreaking to see those complex, mysterious eyes, eyes that seemed to be suffering from mental torture.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it roughly from Ivan earlier, but it doesn¡¯t matter to me whether it¡¯s you or not.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you tell me slowly, so just say what comes to mind. What actually happened today?¡±


    Was this¡­ was this hot-tempered man drunk? It was ridiculous, but my wild horse-like heart seemed to calm down a little.


    Was it a matter of my habits?


    It was very difficult simply to confide in the facts that happened.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do if I pushed too far or he got angry in the middle, so I developed the habit of skipping as much as I could because I was afraid of being scolded for being so stupid when I could behave better.


    ¡°Iz, do you really not care about anything but me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, really.¡±


    ¡°Then, can you grant me my wish?¡±


    Izek tilted his head a little and smiled soon, instead of pushing me to say something else.


    At a glance, it looked almost playful.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to.¡±


    ¡°Anything?¡±


    ¡°Just say anything, my doubtful princess.¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t get tired of me.¡±


    ¡°What kind of wish is that?¡±


    His soft voice sank in an instant.


    His tone seemed to be so ridiculous that he didn¡¯t even get angry.


    I bowed my head and added carefully.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about this, but I keep saying it¡¯s just for a moment. You¡¯re just being blind for a moment, and one day you¡¯ll get tired of me¡­¡±


    ¡°Was that what Freya said to you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°She, really¡­¡­Let¡¯s see, you just said the maid said something similar and you slapped her.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I may have magnified it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You torture my mind and body, a lot.¡±


    The low-sounding roar almost made my hair stand.


    I didn¡¯t know if the reason why my heart was pounding was purely fear or his actions in the future.


    His gaze burning like the flames of hell with suspicion and anger was like that of a reaper who foretold my death.


    ¡°Why on earth would they¡­ and you actually believed that nonsense?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, I don¡¯t want to think so!¡±


    As I shook my head desperately, his burning eyes eased slightly. Oh, my heart.


    ¡°If not, why would you wish¡­.¡±


    ¡°Everyone keeps saying that, because they¡¯ve known you for a long time. I don¡¯t know much about you, so I¡¯m just not sure about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­?¡±


    The one who was staring at me slowly got up.


    The scene of a dangerous beast stretching.


    Uh, this is dangerous.¡­.


    ¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡±


    I didn¡¯t move a muscle. I could hardly breathe.


    A red warning light flashed in my head as he approached me with leopard-like steps.


    ¡°What do I have to do to make you sure?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Can I just grab everyone that¡¯s talking nonsense and pull out their tongue so that they can¡¯t repeat it?¡±


    What¡¯s he talking about now?


    It didn¡¯t sound nonsense because this was what the main character was saying.


    Get a hold of yourself, b*stard! They¡¯re your old friends!


    Sadly speaking.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be in big trouble if you do that.¡±


    ¡°Big trouble? What big trouble?¡±


    The voice with a smile above my head was more creepy than ever.


    To the point where I felt it was better for him to yell.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to fight because of me¡­.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it encouraging for a husband to fight for his wife¡¯s honor?¡±


    ¡°But then families get on bad terms and civil war¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Tell them to snap out of it. I¡¯ll turn them into dust.¡±


    ¡°Iz¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you feel any less anxious if I burn everything to ashes, Brittania or Romagna?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Tell me. How can I stop you from crying in hiding?¡±


    Crying in hiding?


    I slowly lifted my head, resting my hand on his arm, clutching his bicep.


    Finally, Izek¡¯s eyes, which looked up, were distorted and burning.


    As if my figure was unbearable to watch.


    Are you tired again? Why are you so tired?


    I reached out and pressed my finger around his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m the problem.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Because I look like this¡­¡­. I¡¯m not confident in anything. The happier I am because of you, the more anxious I am when my dream will be broken. That¡¯s why.¡±


    I thought there would never be anyone who would hug me and make me feel as warm as the red twilight that coloured autumn afternoons.


    Because I was abandoned even by my parents who gave birth to me, throughout my life.


    I was a cursed soul who struggled to survive in the past and in the present life.


    The reason why I refused to die so much was not only because of the pain I had already experienced, but also the memory of the moment I was being sucked into the dark.


    From birth, I wanted to survive in a world that told me that I was not worth living.


    I wanted to survive until the end even if the whole world died.


    And if I die again, then I want to live in another world with the same fate and shackles.


    But I didn¡¯t feel that way when I was with him.


    I didn¡¯t think I was a cursed soul when I was with him.


    When I¡¯m with you, I feel like a real princess.


    I felt like a noble and beloved princess.


    Even if one day he¡¯d know who I am and wouldn¡¯t want me anymore, even if he didn¡¯t look at me like a dream anymore, even if I was just as different from my parents and all the others¡­¡­.


    ¡°Thank you for believing me. Seriously, I¡¯ve never felt this way before.¡±


    Silence stagnated. The red eyes that fluctuated violently and stared into my eyes were the same as those that I once saw in the frost forest.


    Why did he have those eyes?


    Where did the ascetic and ruthless protagonist, who I knew was determined to be cold, go to? Who was this strange man who looked into my eyes so earnestly? A new unrealistic feeling arose.


    The sense of reality that came back at the moment when Izek stroked my cheek with his calloused palms pierced me painfully.


    ¡°I can do anything. Isn¡¯t that too much gratitude for a wish?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if it was unpleasant. I was so foolish that I was worried about this.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re a fool. I¡¯m always on your side.¡±


    His tone was determined enough to make me feel desperate at first glance, making me feel guilty.


    It was like I¡¯d done something very bad.


    I opened my mouth playfully, hoping to cheer him up.


    ¡°Really? Are you on my side even if I¡¯m terribly wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­a married couple is one in body and soul. I was naturally the enemy for most people.¡±


    T/N: someone make the waterworks stop, I can¡¯t deal with Ruby¡¯s sad life ;-;

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    His previously strong gaze became less intense.


    Are you kidding me?


    I smiled and brought my husband¡¯s hand to my cheek.


    His head slowly came down and put his forehead against my forehead.


    ¡°What if my habit gets worse?¡±


    ¡°You have a lot of strange worries. Is it a big deal for a princess to have a bad habit?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not even a real princess.¡±


    ¡°You are a real princess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just in Romagna, officially I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    No matter how well-treated, I was just the Pope¡¯s illegitimate child.


    That was the same for me, Enzo, and Cesare.


    All three of us knew that the moment we were, this fate was one that we could not escape from for the rest of our lives.


    In addition, there were suspicions that I was not the biological daughter of the Pope.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡°Runaway Princess¡± the title of a novel in which a girl like you ran away with an obese lizard?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s ¡®Kidnapped Princess¡¯. It¡¯s about a dragon kidnapping a princess.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I haven¡¯t read it.¡±


    It would be amusing if he had read such a fairy tale.


    I guessed that the incident with the dragon would never leave his mind.


    Well, I had nothing to say because I made him angry with my wish.


    What I was more concerned about was that Izek was no longer asking the whole story about what I had confessed, so I became a little confused.


    Was this enough?


    Was he not at all curious about the situation before and after what happened to his old friend, how his loyal servant came out and caused such a commotion?


    Then, I thought it was good for me.


    I didn¡¯t want to care about this right now.


    I wanted to focus only on what he had said to me a while ago and the way he looked at me.


    The hope that a miracle could happen to me because he was obsessed with me, was a sweet epilepsy, almost magical.¡­ Even if it was just a fleeting dream.


    Long fingers dug into my hair.


    With the sharp sense of the fingers sweeping over my scalp, I gulped.


    ¡°Iz, should we wash up? Will you wash my hair?¡±


    His eyes fluttered and fell on me. An expression where I didn¡¯t know if he¡¯s smiling or frowning.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have time to gain weight because of me earlier.¡±


    ¡°Hey, why are you talking like that?¡±


    I turned pale while my husband raised me up.


    Oh god, who would have guessed that a feisty ascetic would turn into such a person?


    It was questionable how he had been so firmly aiming for purity.


    Furthermore, I wondered if this change was simply because of his first love.


    So, even if it was someone other than me¡­


    ¡°If you make a wish like that again, I won¡¯t wash you next time.¡±


    Would he still have been this dreamy?


    A boy who fell in love for the first time, like Romeo who met Juliet, like Solomon with the queen of Sheba, would he never change?


    I straightened my body, raised my heels, and planted a kiss on his lips.


    Looking at me, he soon grabbed my cheek and tangled his tongue with mine.


    * * *


    Sunny days continued, but the air in the early morning was still chilly and dry.


    With a shawl on her shoulders, Ellenia sat on the green, cool balcony and looked at the courtyard at dawn.


    A cold, expressionless face like a piece of ice and a rare complex light in her eyes.


    Perhaps because she didn¡¯t sleep well, her head was throbbing and she had a headache, but it wasn¡¯t worth paying much attention to.


    It had been rare in recent years for her to wake up at dawn, so the quietness of the early morning was unfamiliar.


    Why couldn¡¯t she sleep well? It was all because of yesterday¡¯s tea party.


    Precisely because of the commotion that took place.


    According to Freya, one of the two parties in the case, there seemed to be a misunderstanding while she was telling Rudbeckia about what happened in this castle when they were children.


    Only God knew what misunderstanding occurred in which part.


    And Rudbeckia only said she didn¡¯t do anything.


    She said that without any additional explanation.


    When she recalled it again, she felt unpleasant and confused.


    Ellenia didn¡¯t like this kind of confused feeling.


    It was because she felt like she was going back to her childhood when she didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Freya had been a friend who she could talk to about anything since they were very young and played with a doll house filled with mud dolls.


    It was natural to believe in such a friend¡¯s explanation.


    Nevertheless, why did she feel so uncomfortable?


    She didn¡¯t know why the appearance of Rudbeckia, who was like a scared child, kept lurking in her mind.


    Why did she look so indignant? What was she so afraid of?


    Even if a fight broke out, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to make up and resolve it?


    Freya was not the type to hold a grudge for that.


    Feeling a headache again, Ellenia rubbed her temple with her finger.


    Regardless of whether she should act as a mediator or not, she was not comfortable.


    Something had gone wrong, and a sense of incompatibility forcing the broken clock¡¯s needle back rose in her, persistently stuck in her gut, but she felt suffocated because there was no way to know the cause.


    She thought of her mother.


    Although Ellania¡¯s mother and Rudbeckia were different except for their habits about food.


    Would it have been easier to understand the two if they were very similar in many ways?


    Her mother was a person who never shed tears.


    On the other hand, Rudbeckia cried very well.


    Her mother would never sit in the garden, make wreaths or run around with young children to rhyme random words.


    They were very different.


    She was different from her mother, different from the rumors known to the public, and different from everyone Ellenia had ever seen and experienced.


    Nevertheless, it was very difficult to seal her heart firmly.


    When she first met her, she didn¡¯t think much about her who fell from the sky and just stepped on the northern lands.


    If it weren¡¯t for this marriage, that is, if Izek and Rudbeckia hadn¡¯t married, she would have married the Pope¡¯s son and suffered staying with her in-laws in unfamiliar foreign lands, so she felt a mixture of some relief and compassion.


    Anyway, she thought she was going to leave soon.


    Her father and she herself thought it wouldn¡¯t last long.


    It was a marriage that both parties didn¡¯t want more than anyone else, so it¡¯d end.


    Now that she saw it, it was all clear.


    She wondered who knew this would happen, but she also questioned whether she really didn¡¯t know at all that her brother and Ruby would be like this.


    She couldn¡¯t understand.


    She couldn¡¯t understand what had happened to Izek or Ruby.


    But the most difficult thing to understand was her brother.


    Ellenia had difficulty figuring out her brother just as much as her dead mother.


    Perhaps it was because they were all of a similar kind.


    The heated wine heated in the glass held, cooled down.


    Ellenia slightly frowned and put her silver hair behind her ears.


    It was still quiet everywhere.


    The heavy silence, which would have been natural in the past, was unfamiliar and uncomfortable.


    Then suddenly, she laughed at herself.


    The red eyes stared toward the courtyard where the glass greenhouse was located.


    Water garden.


    A place where some of the bright and warm scenery of the south seemed to have been moved and planted.


    In addition, there was a large doll house for the garden owner¡¯s little friends.


    It would have been ridiculous if it was in the past.


    Her cousin, who was not even interested in them, regularly visited this place, played in the garden with a grown-up woman, chattering voices, giggling laughter, unstoppable talks, and fluttering steps fill the castles¡­.


    It was all unimaginable in the past.


    What if they could go back to what they used to be? Will she miss all of that?


    Ellenia thought it would probably be.


    Not just her, but everyone else would.


    They would miss the southern sunshine that they had never experienced.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    With that voice, Ellenia awoke from her thoughts and raised her head. Then, as if she was calm, she looked at the butler who had a troubled face.


    ¡°Letler? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady, but the Lord right now¡­¡­.¡±


    Letler trailed off with a calm face trying to maintain composure.


    A strange feeling arose from the agitation that grew up in his eyes.


    It was weird to see Letler losing so much composure.


    The last time she saw it was the night Izek hugged unconscious Rudbeckia after a four-day search.


    The night when several saints disappeared.


    Ellenia got up straight and walked along the yard.


    Everyone was so foolish that they thought the problem between men and women was easy enough to solve as others expected, and they could point out whether the other was a real partner or not.¡­.


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    Izek was down in the hall. It was not uncommon to see him fully dressed, as if he had not slept at all.


    However, it was extremely rare to see a maid with her head down, shivering, from dawn itself.


    ¡°Martha?¡±


    Martha was a woman of majestic stature.


    From the time she stepped in as Ellenia¡¯s nanny a long time ago, to the present when she became a maid, she was a strong enough lady to stun not only the servants but also the stingy guards.


    So it was natural for her to challenge the duke as well, sometimes.


    And the reason why Duke Omerta gave her the role of head maid was solely because of Ellenia.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    However, at this moment, Martha¡¯s figure was nothing more than that of a frightened middle-aged maid.


    It was understandable because her opponent was him.


    Aside from being 195 centimeters tall and 60 centimeters wide, even the duke would be overwhelmed by him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Martha, who was bowing her head, slightly raised her head and looked at Ellenia.


    Eyes that seemed to be begging for help.


    On the other hand, Izek did not turn towards his sister.


    His outline in the cool morning air was chilling.


    Unexpected cynicism flashed in his sharp eyes.


    ¡°Will you say it yourself?¡±


    Martha flinched at his smooth and insensitive voice.


    Ellenia just wrinkled her forehead.


    She didn¡¯t have a good feeling.


    Her older brother was rude enough to compare to Sir Ivan.


    As such, it was rather normal for him to show his anger.


    It was scary for him to be soft-toned like this.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. This humble maid doesn¡¯t know her place¡­¡­.¡±


    Was this also related to Rudbeckia?


    She felt it was obvious, but she found herself stopping before judging further.


    ¡°What did you do to Ruby?¡±


    ¡°I was just worried, since madam doesn¡¯t know much about the situation here yet. It may seem presumptuous, but now that she¡¯s the mistress of Omerta Castle¡­¡­.¡±


    Martha, who hesitated and trailed off, straightened her shoulders to look straight at Ellenia.


    An attitude where she somehow suddenly regained confidence.


    At this unexpected change, Ellenia was unknowingly about to hold Izek¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°¡­¡­I told her that it would be better to gradually reduce her bad habits because there are a lot of eyes on her. She got angry and slapped me.¡±


    Looking at Martha, who had an apologetic look on her face, Ellenia felt her headache stirring up again.


    This was an unexpected bomb.


    In addition, a slap from someone who had a temperament like Rudbeckia, was far worse from pouring tea.


    But this incident happened right after yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. Because I forgot my place and went out of my way¡­¡­.¡±


    Martha, who immediately knelt on the floor and bowed her head, looked truly sheepish and sorry.


    Nevertheless, Ellenia was unexpectedly recalling the fact that Martha lied to her even the other day.


    The story of the small commotion that took place on Izek¡¯s birthday banquet.


    At that time, Martha gently admitted to her wrongdoing and after giving her a hard time, Ellenia forgave Martha.


    It was inevitable that not only Martha but also most of the servants did not like the new madam.


    She thought time would solve this.


    This was after the chaos of her escape, so she felt it was normal.


    She assumed that such a frivolous thing would not happen again.


    That was why she told Martha about Rudbeckia¡¯s secret and what she had in common with her dead mother.


    It was okay to have compassion, so she hoped the two would get along well.


    Ellenia had sincerely hoped that her nanny and Ruby would get along well.


    Was it an innocent wish?


    Since yesterday, the sense of incompatibility, which had been weighing on a corner of her mind all day, had been growing.


    What is the unpleasant sense of incompatibility that seems to be caught in this trap?


    ¡°This is unexpected¡±.


    Izek, who was silently staring at Martha, turned to Ellenia and opened his mouth slowly.


    He seemed to have seen the suspicious atmosphere between the two women.


    ¡°I was expecting nonsense, but this looks planned.¡±


    This was embarrassing.


    Ellenia was not familiar with being in such an awkward and embarrassing position.


    She herself felt conflicted. She didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.


    ¡°What I said hastily¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make such mistakes hastily, so wasn¡¯t that slap well-deserved?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°More than anything, she¡¯s sleeping soundly for the first time in a while, and I don¡¯t want to wake her up to ask such a question. I don¡¯t want to ruin her sleep.¡±


    He must be in a bad mood.


    Izek was like a wild horse running wild without knowing the end when it comes to Rudbeckia.


    Above all, it was Ellenia¡¯s side that would suffer shame if Izek asked Rudbeckia directly.


    Martha was supposed to keep it a secret. How did it get so twisted?


    She couldn¡¯t blame Martha for it was Ellenia herself who told Martha about it in the first place. In addition, there were other problems.


    Even if she told the truth, how would Izek accept it?


    Ellenia had been as difficult to adapt to the recent changes in her brother as her father, but she did not want her relationship with Rudbeckia to deteriorate.


    Whatever the reason was, this was the case.


    It was still difficult for even herself to fully understand the reason.


    In order to properly discuss this issue, she had to talk about her mother.


    Was that really a wise move?


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s move¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? I like it here. Don¡¯t you already know that?¡±


    It was unfamiliar for Ellenia to be on the receiving side of his violent words.


    Ellenia stopped biting her lip.


    The butler and the guards, who knew nothing, just looked at her with a dazed face.


    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t get me wrong. It¡¯s something I promised to keep a secret for Ruby. Do you think you can talk about it in front of these people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. I thought you already did that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ What do you think of me? You¡¯re not always this sarcastic to Ruby, are you?¡±


    She snapped and recklessly pulled his long arm.


    Fortunately, Izek was no longer acting like a jerk and followed her.


    * * *


    ¡°She throws up after eating?¡±


    ¡°If she has no choice but to eat it. If I or you didn¡¯t hold on and force her to eat, she wouldn¡¯t have eaten at all. But it¡¯s gotten a lot better these days.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that she doesn¡¯t have an appetite because she¡¯s depressed or that she doesn¡¯t feel well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s a mental problem. There are times when she stops and explodes once in a while, but normally¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a professional. Is it all thanks to mother?¡±


    Ellenia closed her mouth for a moment and stared at Izek.


    Contrary to her concerns, Izek was surprisingly responding with a quite calm face.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it is. At that time, mother¡­¡­ she was acting unusual, if you remember.¡±


    ¡°I saw everything. It was obvious that mother was getting thinner. I thought it was just because of depression.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, depression is a cause. But there was much more to it¡­ Who would have guessed that she would refuse to eat?¡±


    ¡°You said you knew from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°I did, mother stayed with me all day, so she didn¡¯t try to hide it from me. I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    ¡°Father. Did he know?¡±


    ¡°How can I know what Father knows and what he doesn¡¯t know? He didn¡¯t get along well with mother back then, so he barely saw her face.¡­ Even if they had a good relationship, I understand that if she had to hide it with all her heart, she would never have told her husband, just like now.¡±


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s no excuse.¡±


    Izek, who muttered this, crossed his arms and leaned against the sofa.


    Red jade-like eyes sank.


    Ellenia glanced at the figure and added slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s your fault. Ruby was in that state even before she met you. If it wasn¡¯t for Mother, I wouldn¡¯t have known at all, I would have thought she was just a little picky.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Mother grew thin slowly. I think Ruby¡¯s been like this for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by stop and explode?¡±


    No matter how strong the hunger was suppressed, human appetite directly connected to the survival instinct, this was the law.


    At that time, even after spending nearly a week fasting all day, her mother would suddenly go to the restaurant late on weekends to finish the full course of dinner for two.


    When Ellenia told the story, Izek looked completely shocked.


    ¡°And throw up again? That would be so frustrating.¡­.¡±


    ¡°I was really going crazy seeing it. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you. She told me that she would die if I let Brother or Father know, so I kept hiding it until now¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you kept hiding it, but eventually she passed away. How old were you then?¡±


    At that tone, Ellenia smiled faintly.


    She was nine years old then.


    Izek, who was the first to find his mother hanging from a willow branch, was thirteen.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see that, thanks to Brother covering it. If you want to talk about a share of traumatising incidents.¡±


    There was silence.


    The siblings sat silently for a very long time while the outside scenery became brighter.


    While Izek stared at frescoes covered over the pillar with a lost face, Ellenia tried to suppress her nervousness.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t gain weight.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to Ruby. This doesn¡¯t solve it, but this was meant to be a secret. I don¡¯t want to be hated by her.¡±


    He turned his head slowly and stared at her for a long time with eyes that seemed to be possessed by something.


    Then finally, when he spoke, it was this;


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re close, do you get to talk like this with each other?¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°A little. And if it was a secret, how come the maid knew?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I admit it was silly. I just wanted Ruby to have friends because of what happened last time. Martha knew about mother¡¯s illness.¡±

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Ellenia frowned slightly without realizing it, as discomfort suddenly filled her mind.


    How did Martha bring it up to Rudbeckia?


    If she asked, she would definitely hear a sufficiently convincing reason.


    The problem was that this fact made her feel even more unpleasant.


    The feeling of being trapped and the unidentified discomfort that stayed throughout the whole time since yesterday¡¯s disturbance.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were that considerate to my wife.¡±


    ¡°Are you being sarcastic again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m refraining because I¡¯m afraid of losing my temper. Ruby hit your nanny for that? As you said, it must have something to do with last time. Do you want me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Martha, I will definitely¡­¡±


    ¡°Last time, you said the same and look how it is now. Do you know how much she cried?¡±


    Izek growled.


    Restrained anger was blazing fiercely in his narrow eyes.


    Ellenia recalled Rudbeckia, who looked almost exhausted last night.


    She bit her lips gently.


    Without her, Martha would have been beaten and kicked out even before dawn without a chance to make excuses.


    No, she would be lucky if she was only beaten.


    Her brother was merciless with a person at his fingertips.


    If Martha wasn¡¯t her nanny, if their relationship wasn¡¯t so tight, if there wasn¡¯t room for her to resent Rudbeckia after Martha was kicked out¡­


    This was a great development because now she knew how to deduct and endure it.


    It was funny that this development applied only to one person-related factor.


    How could she persuade him?


    ¡°This is the last time, Brother. Let me take care of Martha. It¡¯s because of me after all.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a careless addition.


    Ellenia was also in a bad mood due to unpleasant suspicions that had been rising all along.


    Why did it feel like Martha used her to escape Izek¡¯s anger?


    It was ridiculous.


    Nevertheless, such ridiculous suspicions were urging her.


    Izek threw an unknown look at her for a moment and let out a ragged sigh.


    ¡°Damn it. Fine. I don¡¯t want Ruby to feel conflicted because of a stupid maid. But this is the last time. Make sure you don¡¯t let her get close to Ruby for a while.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that either, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful. Tell me something else. What¡¯s the matter with the tea party?¡±


    ¡°What did Ruby say to you?¡±¡±


    ¡°The same thing she told you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Right, it was like that.


    Ellenia hesitated for a moment to catch her breath, and replied.


    ¡°If you fully believe her, you don¡¯t have to ask this question.¡±


    As if he could see her thoughts, Izek smiled.


    It was a rare sarcastic smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny. Don¡¯t try to take this out on me. Don¡¯t try to project your feelings on me. I just want to know what Freya talked to you about.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to say it, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t really want to say it.


    It was just hard to define in a word.


    Feeling a headache again, Ellenia rubbed her temple.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself? She¡¯s also your friend.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your friend, not my friend. These young ones keep trying to match up with me.¡±


    Izek clicked his tongue and poked his sister¡¯s forehead with his finger.


    Ellenia stopped staring at him.


    ¡°So why did you run that fast then? On the day of the temple incident.¡±


    ¡°I know it was a misunderstandable situation, but I would have done the same if the person who consumed the magic stone was not her but another person. And at that time, there was another person near her who made me worry.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to ask who it was.


    Because she already knew it.


    Ellenia knew more about her brother than anyone else.


    Maybe even more than he perceived himself.


    Was that why there was such a bizarre anxiety?


    Izek was truly selfish.


    When he was young, he seemed quite sad when their mother died, but after that, he turned rough like an ice storm.


    If he was blunt to his family, he was like a beast to others.


    He showed no interest in anything other than sword fights, and rather than understanding other people¡¯s circumstances or thoughts, he ridiculed them.


    He was so sensitive to such indifferent topics that he became violent like a hungry beast when someone went against his plans.


    It was not a bad thing for Ellenia to see such a human being¡¯s attachment to others for the first time, showing an obsession that seemed almost blind to a southern woman who was clearly annoying.


    What she was worried about was others.


    Others who would have thought they were special to him. For example¡­


    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t say anything of what I just said to Ruby. She has been getting better little by little these days, but if you push her, she¡¯ll probably not be able to bear it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speechless. Who do you think I am?¡±


    Irritated and grumbling, Izek had a very complex look. And Ellenia was speechless.


    Did he actually have a conscience?


    It was difficult to adapt to him acting like another human being.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m worried about what you¡¯ll do if you follow your temper. If you have a temper to ask why she threw up even though you prepared everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯ll get mad at her? Why are you trying to give me this hint?¡±


    ¡°Why do you say I¡¯m giving you a hint? I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m really worried. Even yesterday, it would have been resolved if Ruby had told me everything correctly. She just said she didn¡¯t do anything, but what happened then?¡±


    It was a reasonable argument. Above all, Ellenia was not so aware of Rudbeckia¡¯s hidden thoughts.


    However, Izek did not want to blame Rudbeckia, who would have been frightened by the northern nobles.


    To make matters worse, she had an eating disorder.


    Somehow, he had always thought there was no change in my skinny body.


    It was a little better than when he first saw it, but had she secretly been like that all the time?


    How long had she been doing that?


    Should he pretend he didn¡¯t know or hold onto it and talk?


    How would she react if he brought up the topic?


    The thoughts were chilling and his stomach was boiling.


    He didn¡¯t know who he was angry at.


    His mind was all over the place. A complicated and dirty feeling.


    Recently, Rudbeckia did not give him a strange look of fear as before.


    Before she easily shrank her shoulders and would not even look at him


    So this development was good.


    It was also good to see her smile lively as if she threw away the burden in her heart, to come up and hug him first, and to fall asleep on his bed every night with an unidentified look on his face.


    Even making a fuss like last night and hitting him with that tiny hand¡­


    He thought it was evidence that it was getting better, but now,where should he start?


    He had to dig up the fundamental cause, but the problem with the surrounding people was also an issue.


    The humans that made her cry this time were those he had considered as trustworthy for many years.


    But now, rather, the monsters looked more reliable.


    The maid and Freya.


    Freya and Lorenzo¡­


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking all of a sudden?¡±


    He did not respond to Ellenia¡¯s question.


    When he thought of Freya, one side of his head became cold.


    Was she originally a two-faced person?


    Along with the incident at the horseback riding meeting, Lorenzo¡¯s words had been persistently stuck on his mind since last night, urging him to do something, a cold sensation growing in him.


    His trainee Andymion was not the type to get caught up in a quarrel. Such a man had recently caused a huge fight with Lorenzo.


    Even if he pressed him for why he fought, there was no explanation.


    All he said later was for Lorenzo¡¯s cheeky self to keep in mind that he seemed to have the wrong feelings for the mistress.


    The wrong feeling would not have meant the frivolous love of a teenager.


    As for trainees, the fellow pigs suddenly turned into golden pigs for a problem.


    To make matters worse, Lorenzo hadn¡¯t been around him recently to find out what he had said.


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    ¡°¡­ In the meantime, Ruby begged me to apologize first because there was such an unsavory disturbance in my garden. I¡¯m sorry. She asked me to deliver this message.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because she hit your nanny. What the heck, I want everyone to be at least half alike.¡±


    She¡¯d heard couples resemble each other, but why didn¡¯t her brother take on Ruby¡¯s form instead?


    Ellenia swallowed a sigh and clenched both hands. Ruby was such a nice person.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being awkward with Ruby either. I hate this kind of situation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I just happened to ask you a favour.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by favour?¡±


    ¡°My holy in-laws will soon visit this shabby neighborhood.¡±


    Izek¡¯s eyes, which had a sarcastic flare, subsided coolly.


    It was quite rare for him to ask for something first, so Ellenia listened silently.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have enough time to look at the game, so I hope you don¡¯t take your eyes off them.¡±


    ¡°From whom?¡±


    ¡°From my wife and her relatives. Keep your eyes on her, especially when she¡¯s with Cardinal Valentino.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    ¡ª


    Part 5 Festival Fantasy


    A row of colourful dresses hanging beside each other appeared like the flags of the festival.


    Red, green, purple, cream, sky blue, pink and yellow, delicate embroidery and jewels engraved on all kinds of high-quality cloth such as organdy, lace, erode, chiffon, and more.


    (T/N: I swear¡­ this novel teaches me new names, words and behaviours LMAO)


    It was a dazzling and colorful landscape.


    ¡°What¡¯s your favorite, madam?¡±


    ¡°Well, Ronja, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to choose which one is the prettiest.¡±


    If I was surprised, Ronja and Lucille were enchanted by all.


    When I saw the brilliant ornaments in the jewelry box decorated with bright red roses and bright yellow Rudbeckias, I almost drooled.


    Actually, I was kind of like them too. I mean, who wouldn¡¯t be amazed by this?


    ¡°I guess the Duke loves his wife a lot.¡±


    Our greedy Lucille expressed her feelings as she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the five-colored diamonds filled in them.


    Oh my god, so expensive! But I had to admit that I was a little touched.


    I didn¡¯t know that the jerk would send me these luxurious gifts.


    The gladiatorial match season finally started, and the day Cesare would arrive at Elmos Port with the Romagnan pride was also just around the corner.


    It couldn¡¯t help but be a gloomy reality, but I felt more hopeful than before.


    Let¡¯s cheer up. Let¡¯s not make mistakes and do well. It only takes a few days to endure it.


    With such determination, I took a step wearing a Chaplet with various coloured diamonds shining like stars on my head.


    (T/N: Not the prayer kind Chaplet obviously, but diadem/crown.)


    Even if I didn¡¯t want the gifts, I had to say thanks.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt if you run like that!¡±


    As I was going down the winding stairs, I almost tripped over when a stern voice sounded suddenly.


    My father-in-law and a butler were standing side by side next to the corridor.


    I halted.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I acted rude¡­¡±


    ¡°What a beautiful Chaplet. Who are you in such a hurry to show it to?¡±


    Are you being sarcastic again? Why is the father so similar to his son?


    The butler looked at me, who was hesitating.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Duke is in the study now. You look good with the diamond chaplet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Does it really look good on me?¡±


    When he smiled broadly and shined his eyes, the experienced butler and my father-in-law exchanged gazes for a while and coughed at the same time.


    Why? What?


    ¡°Diamonds from the Austrian Robesque are famous for their brilliant colours. I wonder if there¡¯s anyone else who can wear them as well as my lady. Isn¡¯t that right, sir?¡±


    ¡°When did I ever get interested in jewelry? Anyway, hurry up and go ahead. Don¡¯t run.¡±


    Who stopped me on my way?


    Anyway, this bipolar disorder must be from the family¡¯s paternal gene.


    Saying that this suited me, even if they were empty words, something didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s under the jurisdiction of the city guard, and we don¡¯t have anything to care about there.¡±


    ¡°Tell him to re-check whenever he has time.¡±


    ¡°They still want you to be absent. Something about a dream¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why is this kingdom so full of superstitious believers?¡±


    ¡°But is asking them for a favour as simple as a nanny¡¯s work? Seriously.¡±


    ¡°Then, the rest of the delegation will be shared by the members of the Round Table¡­.¡±


    Why did they forget to say that there were guests?


    Arriving in front of my husband¡¯s study as gently as possible, I stopped at the scene that seemed awkward.


    It was a pretty serious atmosphere, and so I felt like coming back later.


    ¡°It¡¯s an entourage from Romagna anyway.¡­ Ruby?¡±


    I suddenly turned my head and made eye contact with Izek, who immediately raised himself from the desk.


    As a result, everyone in the study turned to this side at once. I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Sorry for disturbing you. I thought you were alone..¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here just in time. I was about to get tired of hearing him. That¡¯s a pretty accessory. Are you here to show him?¡±


    It was a greeting that Ivan, who was sitting on the head of a desk in a rather tired position, stood and gave.


    Surprisingly, Izek growled as soon as I tried to naturally face them, hiding my awkwardness at his playful greeting that was no different from usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat. Go eat, you punks.¡±


    ¡°This b*star-¡±


    Thanks to Sir Galar, who was sitting down crushing the new cute yellow couch, we were all able to avoid getting our ears dirty.


    Sir Ivan left with his mouth blocked by Sir Galar¡¯s grand grasp.


    After that, the feisty Sir Camu lightly bowed to me and followed them.


    Next, a Paladin with a blindfold on his smiling face and a Paladin with a mask on¡­¡­ All of them were the few elites I saw at that time, come to think of it.


    I went into the study lightly and closed the door.


    My husband, who was staring at me, smirked and raised the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Why are you so excited?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of you. Because of the gifts you sent me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    ¡°All of them are so pretty that I can¡¯t decide what to wear first. I don¡¯t even know how to repay you.¡±


    ¡°If you wear it around well, that¡¯s my repayment.¡±


    Really? I smiled and tapped the Chaplet on my head.


    ¡°Does it look good on me? I feel like I¡¯m a princess after wearing this.¡±


    Izek came up with his arms folded and hugged me by pulling my waist.


    Then, he lifted me higher than his eyes, spun me in the air, and placed me on the desk.


    ¡°You¡¯re a real princess, that¡¯s why the obese lizard kidnapped you.¡±


    What kind of logic was this? I thought the tip of my nose was stinging, but then a kiss came down.


    On my nose, eyelids, cheeks, and lips.


    Dealing with something sweeter than a dream.


    ¡°Iz.¡±


    ¡°What? Heartless princess.¡±


    ¡°Why am I heartless?¡±


    ¡°So cold-hearted that you break my heart.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything¡±.


    When I protested since this was unfair, he pinched my cheek and pulled it all the way.


    No, have you ever seen someone who holds grudges like this?


    ¡°You¡¯ll see your family soon, you¡¯ll be very happy to see them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ you¡¯re going to meet them at Elmos Port?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my Brother-in-law, but of course I¡¯ll have to go myself. Why? Do you want to come too? Do you want to meet him as soon as possible?¡±


    Of course, it was never like that. It just felt a little strange that I was left behind and Izek was going on the way to greet the corps led by Cesare.


    Because it was the opposite in the original.


    Furthermore, it was surprising that Izek voluntarily took charge of welcoming.


    What was he thinking? Was it just that he wanted to show courtesy to my brother?


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring him in safely, so don¡¯t worry and wait here. You can say hello at the banquet hall. By the time you arrive, we¡¯ll be there.¡±


    That was not what I was worried about, but I nodded calmly.


    It was a little disappointing that I¡¯d miss the first time those two met.


    In the original, they rarely met each other and treated each other as if they were looking at cows or chickens.¡­.


    ¡°Iz, you know.¡±


    Slowly stroking my back, he lifted his eyebrows a little and looked right into my eyes.


    Whenever I met the eyes that changed colorfully, asking why, the worries and longing, and all those emotions that I couldn¡¯t know, my heart grew strangely cold.


    ¡°¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll dress up and wait.¡±


    How I wish everything in the world was as it is in sight.


    Actually, I wanted to tell him everything.


    I¡¯m not the princess that others think of, I¡¯m scared of you, I¡¯m afraid of you changing, and I want you to stay with me instead of participating in the match.


    But it couldn¡¯t be done.


    Let¡¯s not be swayed.


    I had to play my own game while he fought in the gladiatorial match.


    With such determination, I put my arm around his neck and kissed him on the back of his neck.


    It didn¡¯t even take a single blink of an eye for the hand that was stroking my back to pull up the hem of my dress.


    * * *


    ¡°Madam, keep your eyes closed. Give me the brush. Where did you put the henna oil?¡±


    ¡°Are you done heating the tongs?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and move!¡±


    Oof, preparations for the last day were incomparably hectic.


    On the first day of the festival, I was almost overwhelmed by the preparations but today was just horrible.


    ¡°What about the alum and kohl powder?¡±


    ¡°Bring me more pearl powder.¡±


    ¡°Madam, leave your hands still like this. Are we done yet?¡±


    ¡°Be careful not to get dirt on your hands!¡±


    There was a lot of noise.


    I didn¡¯t think Romagna put so much effort into decoration.


    Indeed, it was not easy to act as Omerta Duchess.


    Time flew by in the busy and hectic atmosphere.


    It was not until the sun rose in the middle of the sky that I finally stood in front of the mirror, catching my breath.


    ¡°What do you think, madam?¡±


    What should I say to those sparkling eyes with pride and satisfaction?


    I blinked once, thinking it was worth it.


    Perhaps thanks to the careful makeup, I looked much more lively and refreshed than usual.


    My lips and nails were shiny, a rose-coloured dress decorated with fur and jewels around the chest, shoes, ribbon, and colored diamonds hung around my neck, and jewels on my ears glistened like chandeliers.


    My hair was like a golden shawl topped with a colorful corona made of rubies and sapphire-like tiny gems.


    (T/N: corona is a crown.)

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    ¡ª


    ¡°Oh, you really look like a fairy, madam.¡±


    ¡°Who do you want to show this to first?¡±


    I thought that I didn¡¯t hate the pouring of compliments. It was amazing to look at even with my own eyes.


    The woman in the mirror smiling shyly was blinding, as if she were under magic.


    And it wasn¡¯t just because of makeup, not because of luxurious dresses and colorful jewels.


    ¡°Is that bracelet really okay with you?¡±


    Lucille, who was closing the jewelry box, secretly asked.


    All my jewelry was shiny, but she looked disappointed that only the bracelet was worn out.


    ¡°Yes, this is enough. Thank you. You all worked hard.¡±


    I raised one hand and pressed my pounding chest tightly.


    Thanks to the beautiful sleeve, this bracelet would not stand out.


    If I had to insist on this, I don¡¯t know, maybe it was because it was the first gift he gave me.


    So when I wore this, I felt like I was getting stronger.


    And I had to be very strong for a while from today.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    Eleania was waiting ahead where the carriage was parked.


    It was fantastic to see her in an elegant lace dress coloured in light lemon and cream, a jewel pin in her braided hair, but¡­¡­ Oh, it¡¯s awkward. It¡¯s awkward.


    Not only me, but she also had an awkward atmosphere around her.


    It goes without saying that it was not like her.


    It¡¯s our first time meeting alone since the tea party incident.


    Haa, that Freya.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Ellen.¡±


    When I talked carefully, trying to suppress the awkwardness, Ellenia looked at me right away.


    At first glance, her cold red eyes had a tinge of embarrassment.


    ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re beautiful without words.¡±


    During a short silence, we hesitated to see if we would continue the conversation for a while, but soon we closed our mouths and got into the carriage.


    Surrounded by such an awkward silence, the wagon ran toward the royal palace.


    * * *


    Two flags were scattered in Elmos Port, pale sunlight and fog covering it.


    The flag with the crown symbolizing Omerta and the flag with the Longinus symbol on it.


    Below it, some priests of the Temple of Elendale stood, along with knights wearing blue capes, on display to greet the guests.


    Finally, the Romagnan people came like a red wave.


    The cardinal was among the crimson dressed people.


    Cardinal Valentino was the only one in a tailcoat, at the forefront of the dogs, but aside from his outfit, his appearance was even more noticeable.


    Was that the young cardinal Cesare de Borgia?


    The Pope¡¯s eldest son, Cardinal Valentino, Duke of Savoy, and governor of Romagna.


    A silent disturbance spread among the welcoming groups.


    Although the appearance of attracting attention at once may be the same, there was no figure that resembled Omerta¡¯s Duchess in any corner.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Archbishop of the Elendale Temple, who got off the horse, approached the young cardinal and knelt on one knee.


    Cesiare looked down on the archbishop of his father¡¯s age for a while and reached out without a word.


    The archbishop kissed the ring in his hand and drew a sign.


    ¡°Thank you for coming a long way. Thank you to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Father.¡±


    As soon as the archbishop, who added this, stepped back, the sound of horseshoes rang.


    Cesare rode a horse from the other side and stared quietly at the silver knight approaching.


    The same eyes as the deep blue sapphire in the ring fluttered with cool light.


    The insensitive eyes looking down at the eyes were a burning ruby color.


    A thin ray of sunlight fell between the two men.


    At the very moment when the people gathered at the dock were overwhelmed with unknown anxiety and passed the dry needle, his sister-in-law opened her mouth.


    ¡°Welcome, Lord.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    A sigh of relief spread like a wave.


    It was the beginning of the festival.


    * * *


    ¡°Dorias¡¯ delegation is coming in!¡±


    ¡°Prince Visconti is entering!¡±


    ¡°The delegation of the kingdom of Pavia is coming in!¡±


    The banquet hall covered with fresco paintings was crowded with people shining brightly and foreigners dressed exotically.


    VIPs and delegates arrived one after another, all with a face that hadn¡¯t recovered from a good laugh, drinks, and chatting.


    It didn¡¯t seem to be a very important matter whether they had a good relationship with Brittania or not.


    It reminded me of a sports game in my previous life.


    I had experienced several banquets attended by foreign VIPs in Romagna, but this was the first time here.


    I guess I underestimated the international event called the gladiatorial match.


    Anyway, at the moment, I was rather distracted and had no thoughts, so I diligently wandered around as Omerta¡¯s Duchess, greeted the VIPs, and exchanged fruitless conversations.


    Among them were faces I saw in Romagna a few times. For example¡­


    ¡°It feels new to see you here, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    Whether it was my old partner or anyone else.


    Ugh, I knew this would happen, but it was embarrassing to actually meet him again.


    In the original, I remember that the people who broke up with me were busy avoiding Rudbeckia.


    ¡°Nice to see you too, Prince Osorel.¡±


    ¡°It seems that the cardinal has not arrived yet, seeing that you are alone for some reason.¡±


    This jerk¡­ I smiled at the man who smiled provocatively.


    ¡°Yes, thanks to that, you won¡¯t be able to push me by the back of my neck again.¡±


    Osorel immediately looked like he chewed something bitter, but nevertheless calmly responded.


    ¡°Well, luckily, I won¡¯t be the man who will hold my lady¡¯s neck this time. I heard that you have a good relationship with your husband, and I think it will be a pretty fun festival.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very lucky. My husband is not an ugly man who takes his anger out on his wife after hearing false rumors.¡±


    If you become suspicious after hearing false rumors, go to Cesare and talk to him.


    However, none of them did.


    This was just a bluff anyway.


    If Cesare was determined to provoke Izek¡­¡­.


    Oh my god. Get a hold of yourself, get a hold of yourself! You have to behave properly.


    No matter what you do to me, I will never¡­¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m ugly?¡­¡±


    Osorel, who was about to spit out something, soon shut up again about what he was thinking.


    Then he murmured as if whispering.


    ¡°Yes, I admit I was mean. Because of that, I paid a great price, from your brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Actually, my lady, today I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m thirsty¡±.


    He seemed to want to tell me something more, but I turned around and left.


    See, I went around to relax, but I happened to run into that person.


    ¡°Are you okay, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sir Andymion.¡±


    ¡°Taste this, please. It¡¯s very refreshing.¡±


    Phew, nice. Just in time, I was thirsty, so I gently accepted Andymion¡¯s yellow drink.


    Thank you, but is it just an illusion that you feel like you¡¯ve been wandering around me since last time? Your boss told you to keep an eye on me.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m really blinded by your beauty today, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. The same goes for you. You look taller than last time.¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Are you serious?¡±


    Of course, I meant it. I think he¡¯s a few centimeters taller than when I last saw him.


    That¡¯s true. He¡¯s at an age where he grows fast too.


    What if he becomes like his brother?


    ¡°Wow, but there¡¯s really a lot of people. I think more foreign VIPs came this year.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was a kid then¡­Oh, look, they must have come from Rembrandt.¡±


    I almost dropped the cup I was holding while turning my eyes inadvertently.


    Oh, I should¡¯ve just begged my husband to pick me up!


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    Why was he here today?


    I remember that he didn¡¯t come to Elendale in the original!


    Whether Andymion looked puzzled or not, I quickly grabbed the hem of the dress and took some steps forward.


    I should avoid bumping into these people.


    Moreover, Rembrandt¡¯s Duke Vishelier was not comparable to any of my old suitors.


    He¡¯s still often ridiculed as an eunuch, and if he¡¯s holding a grudge against me like Prince Osorel, there¡¯s a lot to care about.¡­.


    ¡°My lady, my lady!¡±


    Once I thought I had to go to the bathroom and reorganize my mind, someone jumped out of my way.


    It was Leah, the doll-like little girl in a cute pink dress.


    ¡°Oh, Leah¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why do you look so pretty today?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha, thank you. You¡¯re prettier.¡±


    ¡°Lies. Do you want to go to Princess Arien with me? I¡¯m sure the princess wants to see that crown, too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a crown, it¡¯s a corona. First, I¡¯ll go to the bathroom¡­¡­.¡±


    Leah opened her eyes wide as I tried to rush back, a weird look on her face.


    I stopped because this was unusual for her.


    ¡°Young Lady Leah?¡±


    ¡°My lady, do you hate me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of my stupid brother, right? Do you hate me because of him?¡±


    Oh no. Leah seemed to think that I had a bad relationship with Ivan because of the incident at the tea party.


    That was why I didn¡¯t want to fight in front of the kids.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    ¡ª


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. There¡¯s no reason to hate Sir Ivan or you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Did my brother bother you again?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t bother me¡­¡±


    ¡°Then did the marquis bully you again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    Oh, I was caught in the end.


    I took a deep breath and turned my head.


    Flamboyant soft clothing, fresh chestnut hair, and black eyes like the night sea.


    I didn¡¯t think he was much different from the last time I saw him.


    ¡°Long time no see, Alphonso. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re happy to see me?¡±


    ¡°Are you here to attend the match?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Never mind. A knight under my command is scheduled to attend, but the number of participants is so prominent that I don¡¯t have many expectations.¡±


    Adding jokingly, he looked at Leah and smiled.


    Leah was shy, mumbling something similar to a greeting, and ran toward her nanny.


    ¡°My lady is still the same.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You ran away from me then, too.¡±


    You heard about me running away from him? Is there a mousehole I can hide in?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I understand. You couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    How can I greet a man who has fallen into ridicule because of me?


    All I can say is I¡¯m sorry.


    But at that time, I couldn¡¯t even say it freely. Just like I couldn¡¯t even enter the scene.


    ¡°Alphonso, what happened back then¡­¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay, my lady. It¡¯s all over. Now I¡¯m getting used to being made fun of.¡±


    Are you being sarcastic?


    I carefully raised my eyes and looked at Alphonso¡¯s expression.


    A friendly smile same as the one in my memory.


    As if there was no resentment left, it was a smile that was forgiveness itself.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he was the same man who helped our family collapse in the original.


    It was natural that the attention from all sides was focused on this side as the two of us stood side by side.


    What a ridiculous combination was this?


    However, Alphonso didn¡¯t seem to care much about others watching with excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re still worried, but I actually got engaged a while ago.¡±


    I had already roughly known, but I opened my eyes wide pretending to be surprised.


    ¡°Did you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there are still people who tease me. I think the men would have teased me anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you met a good person¡­¡±


    ¡°It really is a relief. I¡¯m so glad you seem to be like that, too. If I were a more courageous man, I would have caught that luck.¡±


    I¡¯m getting more and more confused.


    Why is he saying this? What is he up to?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t something to blame you for. I was young back then¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something to blame. As long as I shared my pledge, I had to take responsibility until the end, but I guess I was no different from a criminal. It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m ashamed, but I wanted to check with my own eyes. How are you?¡±


    Did you mean that you wanted to make sure that I was eating well and doing well even after giving you that shame?


    So you don¡¯t have qualms about destroying me later?


    On the one hand, suspicions arose, but his gaze felt so sincere that it became a little confusing.


    It¡¯s better to play around like with Osorel earlier.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, as you can see¡­¡±


    ¡°Romania¡¯s entourage has arrived!¡±


    The atmosphere of the banquet hall, which was excited to the fullest, became solemn as if someone had poured cold water in an instant. And I suddenly became sad.


    Ah, what kind of skit was this?


    My old fianc¨¦, who had been turned into an international eunuch thanks to my family, my monstrous psycho brother, and my terrifying husband, were all gathered in one place.


    Save me, someone.


    ¡°It must be suffocating among the scent of males.¡±


    Alphonso murmured in a low tone as if it were meaningful.


    You¡¯re a male too, what are you talking about?


    Speaking like a real eunuch.


    ¡°Male¡­ What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Someone like me would give you a kind of pressure to run away quickly.¡±


    He who explained the same very seriously, smiled at me.


    I didn¡¯t think I could understand.


    From the main gate of the magnificent banquet hall to the seat where the king sat, it was indeed a rare scene to see people split into both sides like the Red Sea in an instant.


    The reason why the Romanian Cardinals, who entered under the strict escort of the Britannia¡¯s Welcome Team, looking reverent and sacred, were full of untimely tension and pressure was probably due to the two leading men.


    My brother and husband.


    Except for King Feanol in the upper seat and Duke Omerta standing next to him, both men and women of all ages in the banquet hall were spellbound and could not take their eyes off the two.


    In an instant, my breath seemed to have stopped.


    The dark blue eyes twinkling with the devil¡¯s energy gave off a gloomy and lonely charisma.


    It was the first time in months that I saw him.


    His last appearance I remember was in a Samir outfit, a combination of black and purple.


    Today, he was dressed the same as what he wore on my 18th birthday.


    A cape with black fur decorations and a navy blue satin overcoat made his copper skin stand out.


    Dark blue hair was neatly swept back, and sapphire-decorated crosses, necklaces, and rings sparkled like heavenly light every time they walked.


    Really devilish beauty, but in my eyes, this was nothing short of the devil¡¯s return.


    Crap, they were really the final bosses.


    And my husband. To be honest, I thought Izek would be dressed in black armor again today.


    Or the black uniform that I saw the other day.


    However, Izek, who moved his long legs forward, was dressed so neatly that he looked like another person.


    It wasn¡¯t his paladin uniform, but an event uniform.


    Instead of a blue cape, a white fur cape was worn on his shoulder over a silver uniform, gold thread patterns, rubies and diamond brooches harmonized with the statue-like tall body to create artistic charisma.


    Seeing the two who had similar personality and beauty stand side by side, I got chills in my spine.


    It was like a combination of a black leopard and a snow leopard.


    The rest of us were just poor predators.


    Even my father-in-law and the king would appear like toothless lions.


    ¡°The Holy Father of Romagna blesses King Feanol of Britannia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you to the Holy Father. You all worked hard and came a long way.¡±


    The upper seat next to the king, who greeted calmly, was empty.


    The queen was always there to greet foreign delegations, but no matter how much the king loved her, he didn¡¯t let her greet the cardinal of Romagna. It seems that he would not show the queen, who was from Muhee, a pagan country.


    Well, it was better to rule out the possibility of being caught even if it¡¯s trivial.


    ¡°I heard that some of you suffered from seasickness, so I¡¯ve been waiting for you in advance.:


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your hospitality, but I wasn¡¯t seasick.¡±


    A low laugh erupted among the cardinals.


    Of course. What do you mean seasickness? They probably had a hangover.


    King Feanol looked at people like he had no idea what was funny, but he nevertheless nodded gracefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad it wasn¡¯t much.¡±


    ¡°Thank you again for your hospitality. By the way, it¡¯s my first time seeing you in person, Duke Omerta.¡±


    ¡°Welcome, Lord. I¡¯m sorry that the welcoming squad is small.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It was a relief that a small group welcomed me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why it felt so unrealistic to see Cesare and my father-in-law greeting each other.


    An escape from reality?


    He was being extremely polite.¡­.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about the details gradually and I hope everyone enjoys the banquet to their heart¡¯s content.¡±


    The cluttered order of silence, which was encroaching on the banquet hall, was lifted as a signal that the king lightly clapped his palms.


    The murmur of conversation, the sound of music played by court musicians, and the sound of clowns and magicians performing tricks spread.


    ¡°Then, see you again.¡±


    My old fiance who greeted me, quietly ran away.


    He went away gracefully.


    The ones approaching through the Red Sea of people made it feel as if they were cutting through the crowd.


    I looked up for a moment.


    ¡°Day of Judgement¡± covered the huge dome ceiling. Will my name be in the book of life?


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    Before I could even look right at them, they caught sight of me.


    It was worth seeing the shape of two pairs of different eyes opening equally wide.


    I smiled as happily as I could, grabbed the skirt slightly, and bowed down.


    ¡°I thought I was going to be late.¡±


    I felt Izek staring at me.


    I didn¡¯t know what he was so absorbed in that he just looked as if he got nailed in.


    I knew I looked pretty today, but ahem. They were all new things he gave me.


    Cesare, who was glancing at me with a gaze different from my husband, soon smiled slowly, releasing his solemn expression.


    It was a bright smile that seemed infinitely friendly and beautiful to others.


    ¡°Oh, my. What¡¯s with that formal greeting?¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Come here. Give your brother who had a rough sea journey a hug.¡±


    And there was of course, no one who could be more friendly than my brother with a slightly open arm.


    The women of Elendale, who had no idea of the psycho¡¯s true colours, were blushing, throwing their mesmerized eyes this way.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    ¡ª


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Pretend to be happy. Pretend to be happy. I approached him as if I had nothing to hesitate about and held him in his arms.


    The familiar scent of musk tickled the tip of my nose and mercilessly stimulated the already vivid sense of reality.


    Likewise, the muscled arm hugged me tightly and lifted me up once. He then put me down.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve gained some weight, Duchess. Being newlyweds must be good.¡±


    My brother¡¯s deep blue eyes, as he jokingly added, sparkled with pure welcome and joy, and there was no trace of the expected dark anger.


    Looking back at Izek, he had a smiling face that showed humility and courtesy itself.


    Rarely, I felt my spine stiffen with more tension than ever when he wore a perfect mask.


    Wow, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m like this already.¡­. Let¡¯s just get used to it for now. There¡¯s no other way than that in the first place.


    ¡°Are you making fun of me, your sister, who you haven¡¯t seen in a while?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my mistake. You¡¯re angry because I teased your husband.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡±.


    As I pretended to flutter my eyes in a coy manner, a low smile burst out among the cardinals who followed him.


    They were indeed familiar people and familiar reactions.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you look so happy, Lady Rudbeckia¡±.


    ¡°Long time no see, Secretary Lissario.¡±


    After responding cheerfully to the cardinals who greeted me happily, I turned to Izek, who was silently watching.


    Haa, why did he look so good today?


    As soon as I tried to calm my pounding heart, he opened his mouth first.


    ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    Oh, really?


    It¡¯s not that! If you just say I looked pretty, would it hurt?


    How can you be so mean all the time?


    ¡°You¡¯re so pretty that I couldn¡¯t even recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Is it a compliment?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a compliment.¡±


    When I smiled with sarcasm, my mean husband narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment. He soon smiled, held my hand, and kissed the back of my hand.


    Short and light, respectfully like a knight.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour, princess.¡±


    Look at him. Is that what you¡¯re going to say at the royal banquet hall?


    I don¡¯t know how my brother will react when he hears it.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing them safely.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if anyone hears you, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m a prisoner of war and my brother-in-law saved me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you as a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for that. The same goes for the brother-in-law.¡±


    Did he eat a lot of butter today?


    I was ridiculous by the two men¡¯s good exchanges.


    Snooty Cesare and Destructive Izek¡¯s personality¡­ I couldn¡¯t adapt to the appearance of them being polite like someone else.


    It was amazing that Izek led the welcome team himself.¡­.


    Suddenly, I felt very strange. What would it have been like if everything had been as it was visible to others?


    If so, I would probably have been the happiest woman in the world at this moment.


    I must have looked happy to see my beloved brother and beloved husband willingly welcome each other.


    But it was just a play, not a truth.


    Therefore, as an actor in the role, I smiled brightly while looking at the two men.


    As if I was the happiest in the world.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Welcome to Elendale.¡±


    Ellenia, who gracefully showed her example, looked at me once instead of gracefully facing Cesare.


    Did she think of how much we didn¡¯t look alike?


    ¡°The beauty of the princess is as I heard. Ruby, you must be jealous.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be jealous of my husband then.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I got caught.¡±


    When Cesare clicked his tongue as if he was hesitating, laughter burst out from all sides.


    Even the ice siblings smiled lightly.


    Ah, how warm was this scene?


    When I walked around, greeted people, and introduced people with my brother¡¯s and husband¡¯s arms crossed on both sides, the feeling of ominousness grew.


    To be honest, the appearance of Cesare, who had maintained a gentle attitude that deserved an award, was not very surprising.


    He was a man who can direct himself anytime, anywhere he wants.


    What bothered me was that he was completely hiding his feelings even from me.


    And whenever he acted like this, it always led to a mess that caught me off guard.


    This was going to be harder than expected.¡­.


    ¡°You¡¯re dazzlingly lovely today, Lady Rudbeckia.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you, Archbishop.¡±


    I straightened my back to the reappearance of the archbishop, who was in the welcoming group earlier.


    Not because of the archbishop, but because of the person with him.


    ¡°Lord, this is the daughter of Marquis Furiana.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you, cardinal Valentino.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s best friend, Freya, who showed her courtesy in an impeccable elegant figure, was always perfect.


    Similar to Ellenia, her braided hair looked brilliant with amethyst and spinel, and her dark purple dress made her purple eyes look brighter.


    Her eyes, slightly looking up at Cesare, sparkled with unexpected curiosity.


    Furthermore, she seemed a little surprised.


    ¡°Oh, my. Are Elendale¡¯s women always so beautiful? It¡¯s a good thing I left Enzo back.¡±


    ¡°If Enzo had come here and acted as he did in the south, he would have had to take a boat back this evening.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Aren¡¯t you sad that he¡¯s missing this?¡±


    ¡°Not really. He¡¯ll only cause a commotion if I come here.¡±


    When I added coyly with envy, Cesare stroked my hair that flowed down, making a low laughing sound.


    It was then that Freya, who was looking at us alternately with a strange smile, spoke to me.


    ¡°I think this side should compliment you. Lord, my lady didn¡¯t tell you that you were such a wonderful person.¡±


    ¡°You look quite close to my sister.¡±


    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s so lovely that anyone would want to be close to her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Is it true, Ruby?¡±


    Can¡¯t you two hold hands and go to hell?


    This idea itself was like a match made in heaven.


    At the question of this experienced chess player, I nodded my head.


    ¡°Yes, I like her. So, if you were offended by me the other day, I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to apologize, Lady Furiana.¡±


    The Archbishop, who was smiling and talking to other cardinals, looked this way.


    Cesare also looked suspicious.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°If you know, you¡¯ll get hurt, because it¡¯s between girls. Anyways, are you fine my Lady?


    Then Freya raised the corners of her mouth toward me, pretending to be wary.


    ¡°My lady, I¡¯d forgotten it a long time ago. You don¡¯t have to say it here¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Frey.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s cold voice had the effect of making everyone momentarily confused.


    Whether I did something wrong or not.


    Ellenia looked at Freya, who paused to turn around, and looked at her as if reproaching her.


    Freya¡¯s gaze slid to my side and toward Izek.


    Oh.


    I looked up at Izek, flinching.


    But even before I saw his expression, he turned his head first.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Lord will misunderstand. My wife is just so kind-hearted, as you know.¡±


    A strangely smiling face. A large gloved hand gently stroked my back.


    Cesare, who had been throwing strange looks at his touch, responded with a smile that it was soon understandable.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I know that my sister is not a bullied child anywhere, but I was also worried when I sent her to a land without connections. I¡¯m relieved that my brother-in-law is reliable.¡±


    What an amazing twist these two are laughing side by side over my head.


    Was there anyone else here who looked as blessed as I was?


    ¡°By the way, Ruby, won¡¯t you be your brother¡¯s first dance in the North?¡±¡±


    Cesare, who suddenly turned his words around, put some strength on the hand holding my wrist.


    As slow and calm music changed, cheerful waltz songs played.


    Deep blue eyes like thin ice had a reflection of my light blue eyes.


    ¡°What do you think, brother-in-law? You can yield your first dance at least for today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡±


    My husband, who had a grumpy expression, slightly pushed my hesitating shoulder.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching from here.¡±


    Why was my strict husband so polite?


    It was a pity that he gave in too soon.


    I turned around with a smile.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. But it¡¯s been so long that I might step on your foot.¡±


    ¡°You have stepped on my foot a lot since you first learned it.¡±


    That was not me.


    The shell may be the same, but the little girl at that time was a different soul than me.


    When I approached the dance floor holding his hand tightly, many men and women were already joining one after another and pairing up.


    We also joined the dance floor and began to waltz together.


    It was natural that when I and Cesare began to dance, all eyes from all over the place were drawn to this side.


    Aside from curiosity, Cesare was a man who was greatly followed anywhere. I had to admit it.


    Standing under the colorful lights of the dance floor, he looked like a southern prince boasting dizzying masculinity.


    Even so, he was a perverted psycho.


    ¡°There¡¯s an unexpectedly cute side to this.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your husband. He was anxious to have you to himself.¡±


    He stepped back and smiled affectionately while whispering.


    My heart pounded furiously.


    ¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s¨C¡°


    ¡°He dressed you up nicely.¡±


    * * *

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    The leopard-like gaze glided from the crown adorning my head down to the shoes that peeked under my dress.


    Then, he quickly raised his gaze again and stared at me closely.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t the type of person to browse through women¡¯s clothing, but you look unexpectedly satisfied. Is this the power of first love?


    His low voice combined with a sarcastic smile and playful atmosphere were able to send a cold sensation down onto my spine.


    His hands which enclosed my body couldn¡¯t be anymore terrifying, but I managed to smile nonchalantly as usual.


    I had to be careful, if he ever happened to discover even just a bit of my intention¡­¡­.


    ¡°Not as much as you, brother.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean I look good?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, like now for example. Who else would be worth comparing to you? I¡¯ve been waiting for this day to come for so long already, how¡¯s father doing? What about Enzo?¡±


    ¡°Father is busy hanging out with his new lover. Julia is currently pregnant.¡±


    He grabbed my waist, lifted me up, and put me down easily while still in tune to the beat.


    The beautiful chandelier was spinning above me.


    ¡°Enzo was beaten furiously by father because he got in trouble while joining the war in Rimini Camp.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s just like him.¡±


    ¡°He had been hiding in my mother¡¯s house lately. Such a man is in charge of the Pope¡¯s Army. I wonder when will father get himself together, hmph.¡±


    Dark and bitter emotions flashed through his sapphire-colored eyes.


    I recalled Cesare and Enzo¡¯s mother, who was from Cortizan.


    I¡¯d only met her very occasionally because she rarely appeared in public meetings and stayed quietly in her private house, but I remember the time I wasn¡¯t convinced of the fact that she was Cesare¡¯s biological mother.


    ¡°Honestly, Brother is more qualified for such a position than anyone else. However, I don¡¯t like it when you go to dangerous places.¡±


    The man¡¯s mouth loosened ever so slightly after putting on a smile, gaze sharp enough to cut through me.


    ¡°My beloved sister. Father¡¯s temper has been unpredictable lately. Enzo is just being Enzo, but you also caused an accident.¡±


    Yes, I knocked everything over really hard. Because I made the marriage invalidation became impossible.


    When I was about to open my mouth to utter a response, the song came to an end.


    Cesare added in a terrifying tone as he pulled me into his arms for the last time.


    ¡°The two of us will talk about that later, so let¡¯s finish watching this pigpen for now.¡±


    * * *


    The feast of the gladiator match was held four days in total.


    The first day was the day to welcome the special guests from the foreign countries as well as the players, and the match was held for two days.


    The last day was the wrap up of the festival.


    Because it was the first day of the banquet, it was a great place to gauge the skills and exchange interaction with high-ranking people of Romagna, delegations from the diplomatic countries, as well as talented people who became participants from different countries.


    The same with young men and women who dreamed of having a sweet affair with the opposite gender.


    As usual, the atmosphere on the first day was the most lively.


    The thrill and excitement that would¡¯ve subsided altogether after the festival came to an end, and all other desires shone in various ways, filling the splendid banquet hall.


    But Izek was not interested in those kinds of things.


    He stood and leaned against the golden pillar, smoking a leaf cigar while sipping from his glass, as he simply stared straight at the dance floor.


    Several people had come near to strike up a close conversation with him, but the man quickly withdrew himself, exuding a menacing aura that didn¡¯t allow them to approach him.


    He looked like a fantastic sculpture. A beautiful sculpture. One that was best appreciated just from afar.


    ¡°Compared to his bad reputation, he seems to be a surprisingly energetic person.¡±


    Ivan muttered with one arm draped around his shoulder after returning from a round of dance.


    Izek answered without turning his head.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know why you asked us to do that. Did anyone say anything weird to you?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­nevermind, why don¡¯t you loosen up instead of sulking around like this? Everyone would think you¡¯re the kind of guy to go after his wife, wouldn¡¯t they? If you¡¯re as mushy as always were, no matter how much you like him, you¡¯ll still be pissed off. Such a foolish b**t*rd.¡±


    Ivan seemed in a good mood today as he babbled continuously.


    Perhaps it was because he had danced with Ellenia earlier.


    Ignoring the uncommon thought, Izek focused his attention on the pair of siblings across the dance floor again.


    Rudbeckia looked very happy as she twirled around while holding her brother¡¯s hand.


    It was unexpected like what Ivan said. Not only Cardinal Valentino, but also Rudbekia¡¯s demeanor.


    From the moment they reunited until now, they unexpectedly seemed to be genuinely delighted in each other.


    The brother that sold her several times.


    Of course, the will of the Pope was far more absolute than anyone else in her marriage.


    Regardless of that, Izek could not see Cesare in a good light.


    It was only because of Rudbeckia that he showed his courtesy thoroughly, unlike usual.


    Because he didn¡¯t want her to be nervous while looking at him.


    He recalled what happened at the stable of the other day again when her head began to throb.


    Was Cesare the one who made her that way, the bystander, or was he no different than her, nothing but a scapegoat of this complicated and unrevealed story?


    He thought he could¡¯ve known it after watching it with his own eyes, but then he thought to wait and observe it a little longer.


    Until now, Cesare and Rudbeckia seemed just like a pair of affectionate siblings.


    She did not show any fear or being disturbed in particular.


    Izek would have noticed immediately if she had shown even just a little of those expressions.


    So, should he feel relieved?


    Shortly afterwards, the fact that Rudbeckia had been hiding her strange eating habit so well came to his mind.


    The habit in which Ellenia said she would¡¯ve never imagined if it wasn¡¯t because of his mother¡¯s doing.


    He presumed that she wasn¡¯t very good at hiding something.


    In some ways, she looked really careless, but in some ways she was like a shard of enclosed puzzle in a veil.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have the urge to hold her and question everything closely.


    He wanted to ask her who made her like this every time he saw her eyes which were as clear as the lake flickering. And whenever he soothed the scars engraved on her smooth body.


    What kind of hell did she go through before she finally came to him?


    But he couldn¡¯t do so. Whenever he intended to ask about her past, she would immediately avert the topic, and her sorrowful eyes were tainted with a somber look.


    There was nothing he could do about that.


    He didn¡¯t know what she was so anxious about nor what life she had been living in the past, but urging her to tell everything to him would be impossible as well.


    Moreover, she probably would not have told him even if he asked about it.¡­.


    No, he was convinced that she would¡¯ve never opened up to him.


    There  was a secret hidden closely behind her innocent smile, like a taboo box adorned so colorfully.


    And if he even forcibly tried to open the box, he would¡¯ve had no idea what was about to happen afterwards.


    He had to figure out a different way.


    Sipping from his glass, Izek turned his attention away.


    He knew about the fact that there was Duke Vishelier of Rembrandt here.


    And the fact that he had been looking at his surrounding like an adolescent boy full of curiosity since earlier.


    But to think rationally, where was the husband who wanted to talk to the man his wife¡¯s ex-fiance?


    ¡°Don¡¯t they look like close siblings?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What are you drinking on your own like this? Is this alcohol?¡±


    Was she trying to snatch and drink it again? Even though he had never given it to her.


    Izek glanced sideways and looked at Freya without saying anything in response.


    Her purple eyes gleamed playfully, along with a light smile formed on her mouth.


    It was a face that he had known from a long time ago.


    Since his sister was still a toddler, and before his mother passed away.


    Maybe that was why.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to snatch it from you today. Why are you doing this sort of thing alone? There are so many people who want to dance with you. Don¡¯t you feel bad for them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­where is your younger brother?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why do you ask about Lorenzo all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s irritating because I didn¡¯t catch sight of him lately.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    There was a hint of confusion in her laughter, as if she was baffled.


    Izek simply looked down at her without even changing his expression.


    ¡°If you suddenly want to meet my brother, you can greet him whenever you want. Anyway, I envy your wife so much, if only I had such a reliable brother. But they really don¡¯t resemble each other.¡±


    ¡°Are you attracted to him?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, he¡¯s handsome, but I don¡¯t prefer that type of man. Besides, a person who¡¯s close to his younger sister like that¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then, leave it.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you to leave it. Leave my wife¡¯s matters.¡±


    In a completely calm tone. A calm and quiet voice as if he was just talking about the weather.


    A subtle ripple was seen on Freya¡¯s face, which was as smooth as a porcelain.


    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden¡­ Perhaps it was because of the tea party, wasn¡¯t it? I was going to talk about it with you. I don¡¯t know what your wife has said to you but.¡­..¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people who kept on mumbling insults. I don¡¯t know why everyone can¡¯t understand what I¡¯m trying to say.¡±


    His red eyes glistened along with a flash of a suspicious cold smile.


    The situation was suffocating as his already cold features were stained with sarcasm.


    Freya gently bit her open lips while barely able to conceal her fear.


    ¡°I seemed to know the thing you had misunderstood, but first, I¡¯ll tell you that your wife¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Did you learn from your parents to hustle and know when you can butt in and when you can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What sort of authority do you think you have to be so concerned about my wife?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Even the authority to say whatever you want.¡±


    Authority.


    A strange word that pierced sharply through her ear.


    The feeling of humiliation which spread coldly from her nape also felt kind of strange to her.


    Freya glared at Izek with a completely stiffened face.


    He knew he had to be composed since the other person was out of control due to shock rather than fear.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking too much. Why did you change so much? There¡¯s no man who doesn¡¯t fall for their wives¡¯ private talk, is that right?¡±


    It was a shallow provocation.


    The side which had been blurting this out felt rather hurt instead.


    ¡°Then, did you think I was a woman all this time?¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect him to be like this.


    Freya managed to calm herself down and pull the corners of her mouth at his reaction that felt more aggressive. He had gotten so insensitive to the point that she got fed up with it.

 Chapter 87

    But no matter how shocking it may have been, she should not lose her composure.


    It wasn¡¯t her way to get influenced by the emotions in the heat of the moment and be irrational.


    Look away and behave. After all, he was just falling in love with a dancing doll.


    It could have been that his eyes were spellbound by the brief encounter. His amusement with a doll who was good at warming his bed, would not last long.


    As she strengthened her mind, Freya turned back swiftly.


    ¡°Yes, I must have been very mistaken. I¡¯m deeply ashamed of having insulted the Duchess.¡±


    Looking at Freya¡¯s swaying back, Izek suddenly recalled a day from about six years ago.


    The year he attended the gladiatorial match at the age of 17, the moment he decided to participate for no particular reason, the moment he took the championship wreath for no particular reason, the moment he handed it to his sister without any particular reason, and the moment he nodded his head when Freya asked if he would give it to her if he won again next time, for no reason.


    He thought something would change after winning the most prestigious competition on the continent.


    However, even after winning the title of the youngest champion ever, his boredom remained the same.


    The audience¡¯s thunderous shouts and the pride in the faces of his father and his sister.


    If he becomes the champion again this time¡­


    ¡°So you were here.¡±¡±


    Izek looked back at the cardinal, who placed his hand on his shoulder without hesitation.


    The more he saw him, the more different he looked from Rudbeckia.


    There was no law that stated siblings had to resemble each other, but here even the species themselves seemed to be of different flowers.  He was not sure if it was just a southern thing¡­


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡±


    ¡°She went to get some fresh air. She¡¯ll be back soon. Brother-in-law doesn¡¯t seem to like this kind of event very much, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it, but I can¡¯t enjoy it either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I was waiting to invite you to a southern banquet one day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious what a southern banquet is like.¡±


    ¡°Do you think my sister will like it? Come and see it one day.¡±


    Cesare, who smiled understandingly, tapped him lightly on the shoulder and took the lead toward the dinner table.


    It was quite close, so Izek silently followed along.


    Then something unexpected caught his eye.


    In addition to various types of meat, a table full of northern-style seafood dishes, and giant turtle dishes containing turtle meat dishes showed off their splendid appearance.


    He narrowed his eyes and beckoned to a nearby servant.


    ¡°Yes, Sire?¡±


    ¡°Put them all away and serve them on another table.¡±


    ¡°What? But¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I say it twice?¡±


    On hearing his cold voice, the servant quickly bowed his head.


    Even though it was a royal banquet, the opponent was Duke Omerta.


    As he was the king¡¯s favorite nephew, there would be no problem even if he followed his cranky complaints.


    Cesare, who was watching with a very interested gaze, opened his mouth by picking up a glass of wine.


    ¡°I should thank you Brother-in-law.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think you take good care of my sister with all your heart. I¡¯m saying this because it looks like you¡¯ve already noticed it.¡±


    The tone added quietly was quite meaningful.


    A mysterious way of speaking.


    Izek unconsciously asked back.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what to say. Should I mention that she¡¯s a sick child?¡±


    A bitter emotion flashed on his porcelain-like face.


    As Izek stared hard, Cesare slowly continued to talk, spinning the glass with a hesitant look.


    ¡°Do you know that she wasn¡¯t recognized by my father for a while when she was young?¡±


    Izek roughly knew that Romagna was chaotic about Rudbeckia¡¯s birth origins a long time ago.


    However, the fact that the Pope himself denied the existence of his daughter was salty news.


    A dark look appeared in the deep blue eyes staring at Izek¡¯s piercing red eyes.


    ¡°You look surprised. That¡¯s understandable, now she¡¯s pretty and strong, but she wasn¡¯t the same at the beginning. My sister couldn¡¯t put her name on the family register until she turned four. And for a while, she was treated as a military member.¡±


    ¡°¡­I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t know. This is something that only my family knows. The fact that I didn¡¯t have much strength as a child at that time is still a heavenly sorrow.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What did you do when you were 13?¡±


    Should he say he went crazy when he saw his mother¡¯s body hanging in the backyard?


    Izek did not answer.


    Cesare also did not seem to have asked the question in hopes of an answer.


    ¡°At that time, my father was just an ambitious cardinal, and I, the eldest son, had to follow him and learn everything since then. And my sister grew up like an orphan in the Borgian Monastery.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then one day, when I suddenly visited her, can you imagine what she was doing?¡±


    As he lowered his head, Cesare¡¯s eyes flashed wildly.


    His figure that looked like the misery of the day was still vivid and made Izek blinked slowly.


    A scar engraved on a skinny body lingered in his mind.


    ¡°¡­it seems to be beyond my imagination.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better not to imagine. The monks were cruel.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how I handled them. Anyway, I took Ruby to my mother¡¯s house that day. And I persuaded my father to take over her education¡­.. It took a long time for her to know how to smile while looking into someone else¡¯s eyes.¡±


    There was a gentle ripple in his red eyes. A commotion.


    Izek was agitated. He had no choice but to be so.


    Because it was the truth. Even if it was only a fraction of the truth, it was painful.


    Cesare now drank the strong wine in one gulp and smiled stiffly at his frozen brother-in-law.


    ¡°I thought she had been doing so well for a while that she might have completely forgotten what happened when she was young. But it was just an illusion.¡±


    ¡°Illusion¡­¡±


    ¡°Three years ago, she was seriously sick. She suffered from it for 15 days, but what she did as soon as she barely woke up was hide in the closet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Only God knows what memory came to her mind while she was sick. Isn¡¯t that cruel? She¡¯s still quite a lot better now, but I¡¯m worried that there¡¯s still some aftereffects left. It¡¯s a good thing that my brother-in-law is a good man, and they¡¯ve formed a true relationship.  Our holy father may not be pleased, but I am.¡±


    * * *


    I got away from my seat on the excuse of the bathroom and headed to the nearest balcony.


    I should calm down while getting some air.


    Perhaps because I was so nervous while dancing, I felt nauseous.


    Crap, I should¡¯ve just closed my eyes and stepped on him once.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I bumped into someone again.


    The ones who were having a friendly conversation on a quiet balcony were none other than Alfonso and a cardinal with brown hair.


    The two men smiled softly at me, hesitating.


    ¡°It was a great dance, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia. It¡¯s an honour to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, uh¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Cardinal Rocroa.¡±


    Cardinal Rocroa, who introduced himself with a smile, looked quite young.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t as young as Cesare, who was only 26, but at the best, he looked to be in his 30s.


    In addition, he seemed to resemble Alfonso. Relatives?


    ¡°Are you here to get some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°I think I interrupted your conversation.¡±


    ¡°No, I was just saying hello to my uncle.¡±


    As expected, they were related. That¡¯s true, otherwise Alfonso would not be affectionately attached to a cardinal of Romagna.


    Suddenly, an idea came and passed by.


    Alfonso was a member of the Allied Forces in the original work, and at that time, several traitors in the Vatican stole the Holy Grail and handed it over to the Allied Forces.


    It was crucial because our family collapsed helplessly after the Holy Grail was stolen.


    Was Cardinal Rocroa one of the traitors?


    It would be nice to know exactly who the informant was, but ironically, it seemed that the specific identity has not been described.


    Or was it just that I didn¡¯t remember?


    ¡°Oh my, his uncle?¡±


    ¡°Yes, unfortunately, I have a poor nephew who can¡¯t work well.¡±


    At the moment, I was a little surprised to see if he was being sarcastic, but the Cardinal smiled brightly, and Alfonso, who sighed, looked as if he were cheerful too.


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy. How long are you going to keep this up for?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you embarrassed? I¡¯m glad you are. It was a shame of the Vishelier family to miss such an angel.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    It was my father and brother who forced me to do that.


    Nevertheless, I was grateful for the attitude of the two who calmly exchanged jokes as if they didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Then Lady Rudbeckia, I¡¯ll pray your husband wins the championship.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled. My uncle¡¯s prayers are sinful. It¡¯s amazing that he hasn¡¯t been removed so far.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±


    After seeing the two returning to the banquet hall with a smile, I sat on a small bench next to a beautifully decorated flower bed and took a moment to catch my breath.


    Suddenly, I remembered the court banquet I attended when I just came here.


    Compared to that time, this was different.


    If it weren¡¯t for Cesare, I would have enjoyed this with ease.


    Anyway, I had to behave properly.


    I had to find out what he¡¯s up to by trying to please him as much as possible.


    He was so unpredictable that even if I made a slight mistake, the tower I¡¯d built up so far could collapse at once.


    It¡¯s so hard to survive.


    ¡°¡­ My Lady!¡±

 Chapter 88

    ¡°Princess Arien?¡±


    The little girl who walked in grabbed my hand and looked up.


    Her reddish brown hair tied in pigtails shook, blue-green eyes shining.


    ¡°My lady, you really look like a fairy today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. The princess looks very beautiful, too. Is this a new dress?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my father gave me a new present. You¡¯re wearing a crown like me too.¡±


    I smiled and looked at the little tiara that decorated Arien¡¯s head. You¡¯re cute, too.


    ¡°Are you wearing a crown because you¡¯re a princess?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha, no. This is just an ornament.¡±


    ¡°But Leah said that you are a princess¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, princess, don¡¯t make the Duchess uncomfortable.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t what I said.


    I bowed my head at the sight of a woman approaching behind Arien.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be polite to me. With how much the princess talked about you, I wanted to thank you sooner, but I¡¯m sorry to only have greeted you now.¡±


    Come to think of it, this was the second time I saw her.


    My first impression of her was just an exotic queen, but when I saw her this close, she was like an elegant cat.


    She was wearing a purple silk dress with half-bare shoulders, appearing more like a nymph in a tale than a queen of a country.


    Will the Princess be like that when she grows up? I think I knew how King Feanol became such a romanticist.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how grateful I am for you to play with the princess often.¡±


    ¡°No, rather, the princess is keeping me company.¡±


    When I answered a little awkwardly, the mother and daughter burst into laughter side by side.


    Their smiling faces were very similar.


    Ah, a mother and a daughter who look alike? It looked good, but I felt a bit jealous and unfamiliar at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to be adapting well. In fact, I tried to send invitations several times, but I hesitated because I thought I would cause trouble.¡±


    Considering the queen¡¯s position in Britannia¡¯s aristocratic society, it was not unreasonable.


    In a way, she was similar to me, but we were in different situations.


    ¡°No such thing. If Your Highness invites me, I¡¯ll be honored.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re as sweet as you are lovely.¡±


    Her lemon-colored eyes gave off a sharp glow and slightly curved.


    I felt strangely possessed and stared blankly without realizing it.


    ¡°I was wondering why you were so late.¡±¡±


    My whole body, which had been loosened for a while, became taut again.


    Oh, I¡¯m screwed.


    ¡°Cardinal Valentino.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Cesare responded briefly and coldly to the greeting queen.


    He didn¡¯t even give a glance at Arien, who was hiding behind her mother.


    This level of disrespect was different from others, but the queen didn¡¯t seem to care much.


    ¡°See you again, Duchess. Let¡¯s go, princess.¡±


    I felt Arien looking back on me, but it would not have been good to talk to her in front of Cesare.


    He was not the kind of person who refrained from being bad in front of a child.


    I smiled brightly.


    ¡°I was going to come in quickly, but you couldn¡¯t wait and came to find me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought your husband was sulking so I went to meet him. When I said I had to go, he reluctantly gave way. He¡¯s a cute guy.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what about the monster he found cute, but he was the one who¡¯d exterminate our family.


    He was slowly losing his luck.


    I¡¯m going to die at this rate. Are these two going to grow closer?


    Cesare carelessly touched my forehead and suddenly came close to the balcony railing.


    Did he suddenly want to see the scenery?


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to see here. I was looking forward to it because the Moon Tower of Angvan Palace was so famous, but it was just a rustic clock tower.¡±


    That¡¯s right. You arrogant b*stard.


    ¡°It¡¯s very different from the South. Is it not fun? I thought you were having a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s fun, I¡¯m very happy to see you. However, the banquet here is not that great. I think it¡¯s better to go around the city.¡±


    He used to do that often in Romagna.


    When the Easter or Christmas festival approached, Cesare always took me around the festival streets.


    Outdoor plays, processions, competitions, grand fireworks, and huge bonfires burning throughout the streets at Santa Maria Square¡­


    I didn¡¯t know how hard it was to pretend to be excited.


    Often, I wondered what he really wanted from me.


    In so many ways, he was similar to my older brother in my previous life.


    ¡°I want to look around the temple. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been around downtown Elendale, so I don¡¯t know if I can guide you properly.¡±


    ¡°Why would I ask you to take charge of the guidance? You don¡¯t seem to like going out much. Is it because of your husband?¡±


    His gentle smile and gaze at me was like that of a viper.


    The warning light blinked in my head, but I smiled calmly.


    ¡°Yes, surprisingly, he nags a lot.¡±


    ¡°Nagging or jealous?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, both? But if you say so, there¡¯s nothing he can do. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know your husband well yet.¡±


    The man who muttered this approached me again and put his hand on my back.


    He patted it a little bit. Chills ran down at his slightly pushing touch.


    ¡°Go and talk to him.¡±


    * * *


    Each passing person greeted me one by one.


    While walking quickly, Ellenia, who was surrounded by a group of people, and Freya, who was touching Lorenzo¡¯s cheek and talking about something, stood out.


    It had been a while since I saw him.


    I wondered how it would be if he sang that song in front of Cesare, but he was not doing anything at all.


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia¡­¡±


    ¡°Duchess, for a while¡­¡±


    ¡°My lady¡­¡±


    I was on my way, but I was distracted by people who kept trying to hold on and talk to me.


    Trying to move on while minding my manners and rushing to avoid conversations was almost reminiscent of a banquet in Romagna.


    Yes, yes, both my brother and husband are celebrities. So why don¡¯t you go and flirt with those scary guys in person?


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    As soon as I was worried that I might get stepped on without even realizing it like last time, someone approaching me through the crowd wrapped my arms around my shoulders and pulled me into my arms as if hitting a barrier.


    Oh, so strong. It was only then that I could breathe a little.


    ¡°Wow, you split the Red Sea.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    As expected, my sense of humour must have been rotten from the beginning.


    I pretended to drop my head out of embarrassment while my husband stared at me with a stark look, grasping my cheek with his large palm.


    ¡°You took quite the time. Where were you?¡±


    ¡°I met Princess Arien after getting some fresh. What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°I was looking for my cheating wife.¡±


    A confident answer.


    Why do you always make me have an affair?


    ¡°Then you cheated on me with my brother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Izek¡¯s eyes almost split wide open.


    I almost bit my tongue.


    What was I talking about?


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m so happy that you two seem to be close already.¡±


    ¡°Do my ears have water in them? Why does that sound sarcastic?¡±


    He soon smiled and pinched my cheek slightly. Would you look at this bipolar man?


    ¡°It¡¯s natural to be polite, he¡¯s your brother. Do you hate that?¡±


    Were you someone who cared about that? You¡¯re never polite to anyone.


    I shook my head and fiddled with his hand for no reason.


    I felt his gaze on my face.


    ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m just thankful.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to be thankful for. Come here. Why don¡¯t you eat first?¡±


    The area around the dinner table was still quiet.


    I sat on a chair covered with white deer leather, drank juice and had some seafood dishes.


    The small shrimp and grilled oysters sprinkled with lemon juice were quite delicious.


    ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t you eat?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much appetite.¡±


    You don¡¯t?


    It was an unreliable answer, but my husband just sipped a glass and watched me, as if he really had no appetite.


    What dessert should I have?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have an appetite, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to eat.¡±


    What was this?


    Shouldn¡¯t you have said that during lunchtime when you tortured me? Are you testing me?


    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself to eat. Ah, I had something to ask.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°My brother wants to go to a festival with me later. What do you think?¡±


    I pushed away the empty seafood dish and took a large bite of the cake sprinkled with chocolate powder.


    I wanted to check his expression, but I couldn¡¯t.


    I¡¯m not lying, but what is this dirty feeling as if I¡¯m lying?


    ¡°Looking around the festival streets? I didn¡¯t know he enjoyed such a simple hobby.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s surprisingly a little easygoing. He¡¯s been like that since I was young.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll leave the guidance to the temple. If you want to guide, you can.¡±


    Oh, my. I stopped and lifted my eyes.


    Izek was just sipping his drink with that indifferent look on his face.


    I was nervous, but I couldn¡¯t believe it was this easy.


    Did he fall for our brother-sister acting perfectly?


    That¡¯s a relief, but why do I feel so uncomfortable?


    ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to write it down?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡±


    ¡°Siblings seem to want to spend some time together, why would I not allow it?¡±


    That¡¯s common sense and an exemplary remark. Since when did you become such an understanding human being?


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily¡­ I just felt a little sorry to leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just making that up.¡±


    Sure enough, as soon as I made a guilty face, my husband, who was acting sneaky, spoke up as if he had waited.


    I¡¯d never seen such a jerk.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your first time having an affair, I¡¯m used to it now. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your brother. Where is he now?¡±


    (T/N: He¡¯s using the affair thing to tease her, from the dragon escapade time xD)


    * * *


    (T/N: Sorry for the late release people, I¡¯m having exams atm but will update more once it ends! So around November 1st. I hope to finish this novel in Nov xD)

 Chapter 89

    That¡¯s how it went.


    After my husband and brother were whispering something to each other on the balcony like a pair of good friends, mine and Cesare¡¯s visit to Elendale had been decided.


    My anger was slowly surging up as I saw their arrogant faces whispering and sticking to each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking your wife away from you, brother-in-law. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have time other than today. In return, I will especially pray for both of you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°Does that really work?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite miraculous. In a way.¡±


    This is great. Since he¡¯s joking around, it seems like they are really made for each other, right?


    Right? Aren¡¯t they really like each other? Why don¡¯t they just hold hands and marry each other?


    I would gladly take my leave.


    I was a little angry because I felt like I became a fool on my own, but then I decided to focus on the matter with Cesare for now.


    Because seeing the festival was just an excuse.


    After the match began, I wouldn¡¯t have enough time to spare, so before that, I assumed he would make up an excuse so that we could meet each other.


    I couldn¡¯t avoid it because I also needed to look for him.


    However, I felt complicated and somewhat sorry for Izek, who fell for Cesare¡¯s act.


    I didn¡¯t even know why I felt sorry.


    Wasn¡¯t he the real protagonist? Was it okay for the main character to be acting like this?


    ¡°I hope you have fun.¡±


    I really stood out in this dress, so we decided to drop by the temple to change first. We waited for a while before sneaking out of the banquet hall and getting into the carriage which had been prepared by Izek.


    The seemingly inconsiderate escort looked hesitant, but he did not ask any questions.


    When I started to feel hesitant as I looked around, the indifferent protagonist looked calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the monsters were cleared out. So, you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    The way he spoke was confident.


    The cleaning of monsters before the festival was also an important thing to do, and a lot of cardinals, the second highest below the sacred monks, were also gathered in the Elendale, so it was unlikely for crazy monsters to come out.


    Credits also go to the sacred shield that immediately enveloped Cesare. Was that why he looked so pleased?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Izek tilted his head when I just stared at him.


    I had to swallow my bitter tears at this unnecessarily pretty sight of him.


    Why did he have to dress up so nicely?


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯ll be back soon. Thank you.¡±


    It somehow felt sad that his hand broke away from mine, even though I held onto it tightly.


    I would be the one who has to endure the pain from now on, but why did I feel like I was doing something terrible?


    I guess if someone was showing me around the streets here for the first time, it should have been him.


    How could I tell that these kinds of things that meant nothing to him felt like a breath of life to me?


    * * *


    ¡°Very cute.¡±


    We stopped by the temple and he changed into a monk¡¯s attire with scapular before we arrived at the street festival.


    Our guide was a serious-looking monk with a huge hood pulled down to conceal his face.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if he was a real monk or not.


    I was wondering if that guy was one of Cesare¡¯s spies, but Cesare had not said anything strange so far as he scanned through the noisy streets.


    ¡°You mean me?¡±


    ¡°Your husband.¡±


    Cesare¡¯s palm gently wrapped around my wrist while pretending to be cheerful.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt me, but it was still tight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe an ignorant Paladin is spying on us, moreover they¡¯re surprisingly careless. Or did they do it even though they knew I would notice?¡±


    He mocked. My nape felt cold because of his mumbles.


    What did he mean by spy? Who was following us?


    I replied in a skeptical tone knowing it would¡¯ve been useless to look around.


    ¡°No way, no one can do that. For what reason would they follow us? Maybe it¡¯s just someone who came out to watch the festival like us?¡±


    ¡°All of them are enemies. Did you forget that?¡±


    The hand holding my wrist became more tight. It hurt a little this time.


    ¡°Huh? You can¡¯t trust anyone but me.¡±


    A low growl, which seemed to be a warning, pushed through the veins of my aching wrist and continued to pulse through my body.


    I¡¯m doomed. I¡¯m doomed.


    I spoke up again after agonizing for a while.


    ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t forget about it. I was just a little indignant because my brother seemed to enjoy his time with my husband.¡±


    After he released his grip on my wrist, his palm landed on top of my head.


    Then a laugh came out of his mouth simultaneously. Whew.


    ¡°You¡¯re impressive. Were you jealous?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen you looking so happy in a long time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fun to tease you. Looking at you like this, you must¡¯ve always been kept under guard.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like it¡¯s impossible, but I couldn¡¯t tell if the Paladin secretly following us had nothing to do with me.


    Did Izek ask him?


    Or it could have been a salty act by those who genuinely hated us.


    Either way, it wasn¡¯t a surprising and unexpected problem. It would have been better if it was a surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m always like this whenever I go out. I miss home.¡±


    ¡°I was going to take you back this time, but you made things difficult for me, my beloved sister.¡±


    What was he trying to do this time?


    I sweated again when Cesare took a hold of my hand, but he had a gentle expression when I looked up at him.


    His dark blue eyes gleamed with a spark of mischief.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of them first.¡±


    It seemed like there was a fun secret game between us.


    I wonder if he somehow suffered from bipolar disorder.


    * * *


    ¡°All of this is greasy and covered with sugar. I feel like I¡¯m about to die.¡±


    ¡°Something like that must¡¯ve existed since it¡¯s a relatively cold country. Do you want to drink some of this?¡±


    I was astonished to know a man like him, who grew up luxuriously from the day he was born, actually enjoyed exploring through this street.


    Regardless of whether I dissuaded him or not, Cesare still proceeded to peep casually at the street stalls and casually tasted foods there like as if he was back in Rome, but he eventually muttered while saying he didn¡¯t like it.


    At times like this, it seemed that there was no complex component of our birth.


    ¡°Thank you. By the way, it¡¯s surprising that you¡¯ve never looked around the capital before. Even if it was in the north, wouldn¡¯t there be monsters coming out of nowhere?¡±


    How good he was at talking about such matters even though he already knew clearly what difference it made while staying in the north.


    I felt sour, but I smiled and pretended to sigh.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the fate of the Princess of Romagna. Who else in the world would be able to show you around like this?¡±


    ¡°Is that so? It kind of reminds me of the past. Of that Christmas.¡±


    Our eyes, which shone meaningfully, collided against each other.


    It was obvious what he meant on ¡®that¡¯ Christmas.


    A year before, it was Christmas when Cesare took me to play at Santa Maria and we only returned early in the morning, and for some reason, we met Father, who had been waiting for us.


    Usually, the main target of the Pope was Enzo, the troublemaker, so I was really scared at that time.


    It was my first time witnessing such a sight.


    Regardless of whether I was watching them or not, Father just bombarded his beloved and perfect eldest son with all kinds of vulgar insults, saying that he had such an indecent hobby due to having the same blood as his lowly mother.


    Even though Father personally chose to register his mother in our family.


    The funny thing was that he didn¡¯t even bother to listen to the comment about his mother¡¯s blood.


    That was as far as I knew, at least.


    Why did he bring up such unpleasant memories at this moment?


    ¡°I was really scared back then, because I was afraid that he would hit you.¡±


    A chuckle came out of his mouth. It almost sounded like a cackle.


    ¡°Actually, I was a little scared, too. But Father will never hit me.¡±


    That was right. Because Father loved him but at the same time, he was afraid of his eldest son.


    That must be the reason he was tied with the holy orders which restrained him.


    The relationship between the father-son that seemed good from the surface was actually very complicated.


    We walked around for quite a while and exchanged words just like that.


    Elendale¡¯s street festival couldn¡¯t be compared to the one in Romagna, but it had its own style because of the unique culture that blended well with the cold weather.


    Especially the ice sculpture decoration showcased near the fountain which was so artistic that it caused people to widen their eyes in astonishment.


    If the person beside me wasn¡¯t Cesare, I would have been able to enjoy these scenery in ease.


    But I couldn¡¯t care less about the things which caught my eyes nor the stuff that seemed to be interesting.


    The tension between us was growing more and more as the time passed by.


    And when the beam of light falling over his head finally turned to red color which resembled twilight, Cesare, who had been constantly walking without letting go of my hands, finally glanced up at the sky and muttered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be having so much fun.¡±


    ¡°Me? You¡¯re not serious, right?¡±


    ¡°I think we should go back to the temple now.¡±


    His dark blue hair was tinged with the color of the sunset.


    There was even a hint of red in his blue eyes that looked down at me without saying a word.


    The time had come.


    Wasn¡¯t it a peculiar habit trying to make me let my guard down by dragging me out every time?


    The guide, who had been wandering around quietly, exchanged glances with Cesare.


    After a while, we turned back to the way we walked earlier and got into a carriage parked near the venue before heading back to the temple.


    * * *


    The temple felt more tranquil and creepy than usual, perhaps because most of the people were attending the royal banquet.


    It was just before I went to the room which had been prepared by the monks before to change back to the clothes I had left here earlier, and packed up the accessories.


    ¡°His Grace is waiting over there.¡±


    A huge man with a scapular hood pulled all the way down was waiting right in front of the door, said in a rough and unpleasant voice.


    It was the person who was in charge as the guide in the street festival for us a while ago.


    This was the first time he spoke, but even though I heard it just for once, I immediately knew he had a deep southern native accent.


    It was hard to conclude whether he was one of the Vatican spies in the Temple of Elendale.


    He didn¡¯t even look like a monk, instead he also looked like a person who had just come to the North.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    My heart began to beat nervously, but I smiled casually and followed him.


    The sound of footsteps stepping on rough marble stairs rang dimly.


    The temple always felt dull, but today it was ever so terrifying.


    The hallway stretched out as a long passage, looking gloomy, as if ghosts from hell would pop out any moment.


    I fiddled with the bracelet on my wrist without realizing it.


    I wore this when I changed earlier.


    When we¡¯d passed countless corridors and stairs without a word and finally entered the entrance of a large room with a wide open door, a heavy thumping sound rang from far away.


    The sound of closing one of the main gates of the temple.


    At the same time as I looked back in surprise, the door behind my back was also closed with a thud.


    I was speechless.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Welcome.¡±


    Cesare was sitting on a chair next to the fireplace, with only a thin shirt on.


    I didn¡¯t relax while he sipped a glass and put one leg comfortably on the table.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Archbishop¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°You care too much about everything. That impatient old man would be so happy that I stayed here.¡±


    The man who responded in a sneering manner turned to me.


    Suddenly, I regretted not changing my clothes.


    I felt like he wanted to tear my dress apart and throw it into the stove.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    His eyes glared at me, but the words were directed to the man behind me.


    The fake monk, who was standing like a statue after closing the door, strode past me and went to Cesare. Then, he pulled down the hood.


    ¡°He¡¯ll readily lick your soles.¡±


    The scar across his eyelid was blackened.


    However, I was not surprised by the harsh appearance of the fake monk. It was because of his familiar rough and stiff red hair.


    I saw this guy for the first time today. To be exact, it was my first time seeing him in person like this.


    Thanks to knowing the original book, I knew that Cesare had a very loyal and vicious henchman.


    Along with the fact that the monster-like henchman gave a harsh impression.


    And that voice¡­¡­ Earlier, I didn¡¯t know if it was because I was tired, but it seemed like a voice I had heard before.


    Right, from last time¡­


    ¡®That was so amazing, Lady Rudbeckia.¡¯


    Was it him who crushed my foot?


    Was he called Pietro? What were the author¡¯s words?


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard in a place like this pig cage.¡±


    ¡°Are you being serious? I almost cried because I was homesick. I¡¯ve been waiting for Master.¡±


    ¡°Should I give you a pat?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t answer that.¡±


    They are still staring at me while exchanging jokes with each other.


    It was obvious that he had to openly reveal the fact that he was monitoring me in this way.


    I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d noticed the fake monk before.


    Oh, of course, I was expecting surveillance, but it was unexpected that Pietro was here alone.


    As far as I knew, Cesare never kept Pietro away no matter what.


    But he sent him to the North? To keep an eye on me? Since when?


    Pretending to avoid the burning gaze, I glanced toward the monk.


    It seemed that he was just calmly exchanging talks with his master, but somehow that monster-like man seemed to be nervous.


    His huge shoulder like that of a bear¡¯s was stiff.


    ¡°You feel guilty to refuse, right? Since you didn¡¯t do anything properly.¡±


    ¡°I will receive a separate punishment for that part.¡±


    ¡°Well, what should I do? Ruby, you tell me.¡±


    I blinked blankly. To be exact, I pretended to do so.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    A cool smile spread all over the face of the expressionless Cesare.


    At the same time, he spun his glass round casually.


    ¡°What do you want me to do? To punish him.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about right now. He¡¯s been monitoring me because he told you to?¡±


    ¡°You keep making me worried, I can¡¯t help it. Why did my quiet sister run away from home?¡±


    Did he hear about my runaway commotion and send him?


    Then, did he still have no idea about me and the monsters?


    I tried to maintain my composure, but my breath kept trembling. Oh my god.


    Calm down, be careful¡­


    If you act wrong, you¡¯ll ruin it all.


    As I gathered my senses back, I gently closed my open mouth.


    ¡°It was my first experience having such a hard time. You know that I can¡¯t do anything bad. Why did they do that to me?¡±


    As if this was unexpected, the man who was smiling narrowed his forehead slightly.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°They all treated me like a murderer. They said that I tried to poison the archbishop¡¯s niece in the temple. Did Father do this? If you had at least told me¡­¡­.¡±


    I breathed slightly, blurring the end of my speech.


    While I pretended to be the victim, Cesare quietly looked at me, exchanging his gaze with his henchman, and soon opened his mouth.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she just a maiden? What¡¯s the benefit of getting rid of her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know. Neither father nor brother ever tells me anything.¡­.¡±


    ¡°It was the same for me. Pietro, spit out what you found out.¡±


    As expected, the identity of the fake monk was Pietro.


    More than that, my brother seemed to have nothing to do with the poison attempt incident, leaving me confused.


    Then suddenly, the bizarre encounter I had with Freya a while ago passed by a corner of my mind.


    At that time, Freya boldly spilled her ambition on me.


    She wanted to be the queen of the North.


    If not only Freya but the Archbishop, Freya¡¯s uncle were not aiming purely to enter the walls of Sistine¡­¡­.


    ¡°He seemed to want to have another bowl even though he was wagging his tail hard. He¡¯s a greedy old dog.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. To assassinate with Magic stone the temple would be the worst place. It¡¯s a place where the insides could be seen clearly.¡±


    There was no time to digest the information that I realized anew.


    Cesare, who filled the glass with ease, spat out again at me, rolling eyes at my confused self.


    ¡°Yes, it would have been scary. Poor thing. But that impulsive behavior, it¡¯s not like you.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I was out of my mind¡­ I didn¡¯t think much. I keep reflecting on myself¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Were you out of your mind when you were hugged by your husband?¡±


    I was very familiar with the sudden jump to the point.


    Unknowingly, my eyes turned toward the cross on the fireplace.


    Whether in the past or present, my cross must be my older brother¡¯s.


    ¡°Is Father really angry?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a valid question, but father is not here, so tell me honestly what happened. Seeing your husband doing it today, I don¡¯t think he forced you to do it.¡±


    Even the faint smile disappeared.


    In contrast to his calm and subdued voice, his eyes were burning like blue flames.


    Blood vessels wriggled like snakes on his copper forearms exposed under the sleeves of the shirt rolled up to the elbow.


    At the same time as the fear eating away my heart, a strange feeling captivated me.


    It wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t expect to pay in this way. I felt like the reason he was angry was not only because I ruined his plan.


    Whatever it was, he shouldn¡¯t have caught my true feelings. At least not yet.


    I stuttered and opened my mouth with my head down.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I thought I¡¯d die if I didn¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see what my husband was originally like. Now he¡¯s suddenly being sweet, but he was completely different from the people I¡¯ve met. He hated me a lot, but that lady, who almost died, happened to be his old friend, too.¡­.¡±


    ¡°I heard he had been searching Elendale for days to find you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it was because he was worried about me? I was really, really scared. If I died here being treated as an evil Borgian girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Did he hit you?¡±


    Inhaling deeply, he lifted his gaze.


    Cesare was staring at my eyes with a look that was hard to read.


    What would he see in my eyes?


    Wasn¡¯t this what he wanted? For my husband and I to hate each other.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I smiled a lot and tried to please him, so he suddenly didn¡¯t act rough. But I wasn¡¯t sure, so what else could I have done in that situation?¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t care what I had to do if I could go back home alive.¡±¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    Ironically, during the nervous and spooky silence, a somewhat guilty feeling arose in me for Izek, who was in the palace by now.


    Even though most of the lines I just said were based on facts.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t want to go back to Romagna.


    ¡°Yes, you must have had a hard time alone.¡±


    Finally, Cesare, who opened his mouth, spoke in a lighter tone than a while ago.


    He was pretending that he knew it.


    It was his attitude, but his relaxed smile was so scary that I prepared my heart.


    ¡°I was against it before, but this time, if father jumps up, I can¡¯t help but think it¡¯s for his own profit. In the first place, it was too much for you to handle alone.¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°But no matter how hard it is, Ruby. It¡¯s seriously disrespectful to use flesh desire to get what you want. I can¡¯t believe you, the angel of Sistine, did such a thing.¡±


    Sure enough.


    I was amazed that he was a fresh leaf in many ways.


    I expected that no matter what plausible excuse I made, he wouldn¡¯t just let go, but he actually went along with it.


    Was he really the same person I knew?


    He handed the glass to Pietro and raised himself. The form of a viper that slowly loosened its body and approached.


    As he neared me, I felt helpless.


    ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re the daughter of the Pope. Why did you change so much?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡±

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    T/W: Mentions of physical abuse ahead.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Of course I can¡¯t just blame you. No matter how much I look at it, the land like this den of monsters seems to have stained you.¡±


    From any country¡¯s point of view, the den of monsters was not Britannia, but Romagna.


    I was dumbfounded, but of course I didn¡¯t say it out loud.


    ¡°My lovely sister, how can you have such a bad habit when you haven¡¯t seen me for a while?¡±¡±


    The touch on my cheek was so sweet.


    I decided to think about something else as a means to not cringe.


    Were those rugs classified as combustible trash?


    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t think much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, at least you¡¯re reflecting. You¡¯re saying there¡¯s a possibility that it¡¯ll be fixed, right?¡±


    He took a step back with the hand still stuck to my cheek. .


    Then, he gave a light nod to Pietro. It meant to go out and guard the door.


    Pietro walked out of the room silently, the shadow of his heavy figure looming over.


    ¡°My husband will notice it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean it, but my voice came out in a begging tone.


    A smirk grew on his lips.


    In those dark blue eyes, something very distorted, like a strange flame that couldn¡¯t die down, faintly shone and disappeared.


    A strange emotion that was brief but different from anger.


    It was a ridiculous thought, but I suddenly felt like I saw the same expression in Izek¡¯s eyes one day.


    ¡°When he comes to me at night¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have much time to see each other for a while. Now, you have to be on your own.¡±


    From today to the end of the game, all participants and the supervisory committee will stay at Angvan¡¯s designated accommodation.


    I knew that, too. Even after that, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d push it if I made an excuse like this¡­ Not like he ever listened to me.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t know why those useless words came out.


    Is it scary to imagine how my husband, who fell for my psycho fox brother, would react if he saw a new wound on my body?


    I thought the strong grip on my wrist was loosening, but the next moment, I turned around.


    To be exact, I got thrown away.


    While twisting and holding my balance, my arms flapped to grip the table, with the alcohol bottles and other objects falling to the floor.


    I also eventually collapsed on the floor together.


    Ah, my whole body is tingling already.


    ¡°Put your legs on the table.¡±


    I sighed inside. I knew this would happen anyway, so it¡¯s okay. Just wait a minute, and it¡¯d be over.


    Let¡¯s focus on other thoughts.


    That belt isn¡¯t combustible, right? There¡¯s no such thing as recycling in this world, I guess.


    * * *


    The crowd filling the huge dome-shaped stadium seemed more enormous than last time.


    At this time of year, Elendale had always been crowded with foreigners, but this year it was especially more.


    Everyone seemed to be very curious about whether Britannia¡¯s Duke Izek van Omerta would win the match again.


    Or they hoped an interesting accident would break out between him and the Borgian brother-in-law who came from across the sea, meeting for the first time.


    Rumours. Words. Guesses.


    There were too many things like that. Ellenia began fanning lightly today, sending such thoughts into the blue sky.


    The climate was cool, but the air felt hot, perhaps because there were so many dense people.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound like I¡¯m nitpicking, but don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Freya, who was sitting next to her and pretending to be fanning, muttered in a cautious tone.


    Ellenia deliberately asked back slowly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, the arrangement of the seats is a bit¡­¡­.¡±


    It was obvious what she was talking about.


    Ellenia glanced and looked toward the spectators, with the cardinal squad¡¯s black clothed people.


    A balcony-shaped grandstand for the committee who stepped from Romagna.


    Cardinal Valentino was sitting in the front seat, and his sister was sitting next to it.


    Freya¡¯s point was correct.


    Rudbeckia had to sit with Ellenia on this side, not that side.


    Because she was Omerta¡¯s Duchess.


    However, the reason why no one had to point it out and mention it was simple.


    Of course, they would have thought it would be normal.


    Ellenia, who had been thinking this, suddenly frowned.


    This was because she herself just realized that the arrangement of this position was insignificant until just now.


    ¡°Ellen?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay? Your expression suddenly doesn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have brought up something that the Duke would have understood.¡±


    Convincing. Ellenia glanced to the side where the king and Duke Omerta were sitting this time.


    Her father looked mysterious these days, as usual.


    She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and what he understood.


    In recent years, those whom she thought she knew very well were gradually feeling unfamiliar. This included herself.


    ¡°Anyway, he seemed like a nice person, Cardinal Valentino. I saw him at yesterday¡¯s banquet and he was very polite to Iz.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even know why Freya¡¯s voice, which changes the subject cheerfully, felt so annoying.


    Instead of answering back, Ellenia thought of yesterday¡¯s banquet.


    Contrary to rumours, Cesare seemed far from the kind of people who looked down at the Northerners with his father¡¯s power supporting him. He was impeccably polite and elegant.


    However, when she went in for a closer look while taking a breather from dealing with other people, the siblings disappeared.


    The answer she heard when she asked Izek was a masterpiece. They went to see the festival streets.


    It was almost ridiculous.


    If he was going to allow it, why did he ask her to watch the Borgian siblings in the first place?


    The siblings in question appeared again before the dinner began.


    Cesare looked cheerful and satisfied all the time, and Rudbeckia seemed a little tired, but she was also fine.


    She quickly asked for their understanding and went back to the duke¡¯s quarters first, because she was very tired.


    It was a little strange. If Ellenia knew Rudbeckia, she would not have left with such an important day ahead.


    Furthermore, there would be no time for the couple to meet in the next few days.


    Of course, she must be tired. Aside from looking around the streets, it would have been quite exhausting because she had to pay attention not only to her brother but also her ex-fiances.


    Ellenia was also taking that into account. The same would have happened to Izek.


    Nevertheless, why couldn¡¯t she stop feeling so uncomfortable?


    She wanted to look more into it, but the recent disturbance made their relationship awkward.


    That referred to the situation between Rudbeckia and Freya.


    ¡°By the way, who are you going to give your handkerchief to?¡±


    Ellenia turned her head for a moment and stared at Freya¡¯s face.


    Why did the face that she had known since they were playing with dolls feel increasingly unfamiliar?


    Freya, whose purple eyes shone, tilted her head, as if she felt her gaze was strange.


    ¡°Ellen? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I didn¡¯t make it anyway. Ruby will give one instead.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I actually didn¡¯t make it either. There¡¯s no one to give it to. If it were a long time ago, I would only give it to Iz.¡±


    Freya smiled brightly.


    With a whisper saying, ¡°I see,¡± Ellenia decided to conclude the situation of Freya and Rudbeckia properly as soon as the festival was over.


    Meanwhile, at a point a little east of where Ellenia was seated, a small number of elite players from the proud Longinus Knights huddled together.


    The reason was purely because the people around them were too noisy to let them hear each other.


    Of all things, this was the place surrounded by the nation¡¯s top city knights.


    More than that, it was a scene that strangers would misunderstand, saying that men who see each other every day were stuck together even on these days, they must really love each other.


    ¡°No matter how much I look at it, I think we were wrong.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Does it make sense that only Izek is participating? It makes one think that we didn¡¯t bother putting in an effort since we¡¯re going to be pushed back by him anyway!¡±


    Whether it was because he was usually very proud of being a minority elite, or because he was just excited by the heat that filled the stadium, Camu grumbled with a strange look of shame.


    As soon as Ivan tried to respond, Galar, who was wiping the armrests of the stands with gloves, stepped out in a gloomy tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, Camu. When I suggested, you should have followed along quickly.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that, b*stard! Why are you idling there instead of joining us?¡±


    ¡°I was going to, but Izek gave me another job.¡±


    ¡°So, since when did he start ordering us around? And even if it¡¯s work, you¡¯re just a useless nanny! Oh, come to think of it, he must have done this on purpose. Didn¡¯t he plan this because he wanted to show off and make us all go crazy? Hey, Ivan. Don¡¯t you feel so?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    There was a moment of silence at Ivan¡¯s clear and simple answer.


    Uncaring of his colleagues looking at him with weird faces, Ivan changed the mood by taking out a leaf cigarette with an elegant gesture and biting it.


    ¡°More than that, tell me in detail what happened yesterday. How far did you follow?¡±


    ¡°Why did you suddenly pretend to be the leader?¡±


    Despite Camu¡¯s loss of speech, Ivan did not react to what he heard.


    Instead, Rube, who was quietly smiling as always and fiddling with an eye patch covering one eye, opened his mouth pleasantly.


    ¡°I saw them go back to the temple. The cardinal noticed right away so I stepped back.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get stuck in a situation where you get found out for following.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, there wasn¡¯t much. It was a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°I think so, too, but once the man pulls out a knife, he should cut the radish.¡±

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    T/W: mentions of bulimia


    ¡ª


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re worried about. Are you afraid the Cardinal might steal the princess and run away to Romagna? It doesn¡¯t make sense no matter how much you think about it.¡±


    He was right. Honestly, Ivan also had no idea exactly what Izek was worried about.


    If he wanted to ask his colleagues to act as a nanny, he had to at least explain the reason, so that they could follow, right?


    It was unreasonable to ask him without explaining.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, f*ck. You should ask yourself. Did anything else happen? Galar?¡±


    ¡°He was a bit suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the Valentino cardinal¡±?


    ¡°No, the one pretending to be a monk. I¡¯ve never seen a beast so powerful.¡±


    Everyone stopped what they were doing in unison and stared at the terrifying aspect of a beast to Galar himself.


    He scratched his hair.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°¡­I believe, I believe. Will you be able to recognize him if you see him again?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen his face, but I think I¡¯ll recognize him with my gut. Anyway, my lady looked quite happy¡­ wouldn¡¯t she be offended if she found out what we¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Izek to take care of that. Oh sh*t. It¡¯s so hot.¡±


    Perhaps because he was in the midst of an excited crowd, he felt like he was sweating profusely.


    As soon as Ivan habitually took out his handkerchief, Camu, who had been staring at him without saying a word, suddenly growled.


    ¡°What¡¯s that handkerchief?¡±


    ¡°¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°You got it from a girl. Who did you get that from when you didn¡¯t even participate?¡±


    Ivan quietly turned his eyes and glanced toward the auditorium where the audience was sitting.


    To be exact, he looked toward the lazily-fanning lady.


    The sight of her silver hair fluttering was also vivid from here.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s from Leah. That small thing is quite skilled¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell, you jerk! You got it from the princess!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? What are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you act so fickle looking at the princess?¡±


    ¡°When did I do that?¡±


    ¡°Wow, look at this b*stard, pretending to be blackhearted towards the princess. No wonder he was so obedient to Izek! You traitor!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, you crazy f*ckers!¡±


    * * *


    In contrast to my mood, it was a very clear day.


    Of course, it was fortunate for me to pray for my husband¡¯s good health, but I was grumpy for no reason in the useless bright sunlight.


    Why did it feel like the weather was teasing me?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    I glanced back at Cesare asking in a friendly manner.


    Sitting in black robes, holding the Bible in one hand and the rosary in the other, he looked reverent and attractive.


    The blue-eyed gaze at me was also perfectly friendly.


    My situation of having to sit next to him casually throughout the match made me feel endlessly sad.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable here, you can tell me right away.¡±


    I sat down laughing. And I was sure this was not the only reason I¡¯m uncomfortable. Anyway, back to trash.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be uncomfortable about? I¡¯m a little worried that someone will nitpick because it¡¯s against the rules.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to blame if my brother-in-law is in the audience. Rather, wouldn¡¯t this side seem to be cheering more enthusiastically?¡±


    It was quite ironic in that the way we were sitting side by side was exactly as it was in the original.


    Anyway, considering that even his father didn¡¯t say much about the arrangement, it wasn¡¯t a problem.


    However, regardless of whether my husband and I became one or not, I only smiled bitterly at the thought that everyone did not regard me as a member of Omerta.


    I didn¡¯t expect it from the beginning¡­


    ¡°Brother-in-law is coming out.¡±


    ¡°Graaaa!¡±


    There was a loud noise.


    It was such a tremendous roar that both ears rang in an instant.


    While the players in various armour drove their horses in an orderly manner and approached the stands, all kinds of cheers and jeers poured out.


    Yes, I remember this part, too. A short time before the supervisors blessing prayer began.


    This was the time when handkerchiefs were blessed by relatives and prayers for victory flew around.


    ¡°Based on the momentum, the final victor seems to have already been decided.¡±


    I swallowed dry saliva from the sound of Cesare¡¯s chatter and looked at Izek, who was approaching right in front of the balcony seat where we sat.


    I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d come straight to me like this.¡­.


    ¡°Thank you for the blessing.¡±


    My husband, who responded, caught my eye.


    Silver hair colored in the sun glistened like blonde, and red jade-like eyes sparkled brightly. He was dazzling.


    Even the black armour that I was familiar with now glittered so much that I couldn¡¯t even see.


    ¡°Iz, here.¡±


    I hurriedly searched the inside of the cape and took out my handkerchief.


    Handkerchief embroidered by me for today.


    I didn¡¯t know what to make this time, so I thought about it long.


    When I bowed forward to hand over a handkerchief, my thighs ached.


    My husband, who was watching me smiling with patience, quickly received the handkerchief.


    Then, he looked into it and grinned.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve given me this yesterday.¡±


    ¡°But everyone is giving now¡­¡±


    ¡°So it feels like you¡¯re reluctantly giving it because of them.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    When I shouted angrily, Izek made a cheeky laugh and did something incredible next.


    He stretched out his arms and grabbed my foot.


    To be exact, he held my heel slightly with his palm and kissed the top of my foot.


    It was not something that the world renown Duke Omerta would do.


    If someone was watching us, they would probably be so confused that something was wrong with his brain.


    However, unlike me, who had been frozen at the first touch, my husband spoke refreshingly with a shameless face.


    ¡°Thank you, wife.¡±


    Would I call this feeling relief? I was worried that he might have been offended because I quickly left after saying goodbye yesterday.


    I¡¯m glad you look cheerful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    I wanted to say something better, but these were the only words that came out at best.


    I knew he would win safely anyway.


    Instead of answering, Izek laughed one last time and turned his head around.


    Then, he ran straight to the king¡¯s side without giving a look to the audience.


    I smiled at his appearance.


    ¡°Does he do that often?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°Does he do what he did just now often?¡±


    At that moment, I didn¡¯t know what to answer, so I just stared at his side.


    Cesare was still looking forward with a pleasant smile.


    However, his eyes turned dark in the meantime, causing goosebumps.


    Why do you have so many complaints?


    The players left again after colourful handkerchiefs flew from all sides, along with enthusiastic cheers and ridicule.


    Soon after, Cesare and other members raised themselves from their seats. As soon as the fair pledge and blessing prayer began, a noisy area reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum quickly became a territory of solemnity.


    I stared at the scene of a transparent membrane with a very light blue color that surrounds the stadium like a glass dome.


    It was to prevent the monsters from rushing toward the auditorium.


    There was no reason why only cardinals were needed to maintain such a great sacred shield until the end of the game.


    I wonder what the standard of divinity in the world was.


    I would understand if it was magic, but it seemed to have nothing to do with the character or indulgence of priests.


    ¡°¡­amen.¡±


    ¡°Amen.¡±


    Whatever it was, I hoped this terrible festival ended quickly.


    I secretly prayed and chanted after others.


    Amen! Amen!


    Part 6: After the music box is broken.


    ¡°The North seems to dominate this year¡¯s final victory.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet, didn¡¯t Rembrandt take the honour of the last game?¡±


    ¡°At that time, Duke Omerta was missing. Looking at it today, his momentum was enormous. What will it be¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah him. But wasn¡¯t Dorias pretty good? I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it, but I was honestly surprised.¡±


    Passing by the people who were chatting happily, I carefully entered the bathroom.


    There happened to be no one in the luxurious bathroom, which was all black marble.


    A group of kids came out of there a while ago.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    I¡¯m so tired.


    It was not that hard to vomit secretly, but I felt glad to welcome the pain of vomiting, perhaps because the number of vomiting had become less recently.


    Crap, I felt even more weird because what I ate was cheese.


    After throwing up the wine and cheese patte I had earlier, I cleaned up and stood in front of the mirror.


    The sponge next to the mirror smelled of terrible perfume.


    As soon as I took a mint candy out of the pocket, put it in my mouth, and arranged my hair, someone pushed the bathroom door.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    I should say hello casually, but maybe because of our recent relationship or because I did something I was guilty of, my mouth was awkwardly stiff.


    It was the same with Ellenia.


    At first I thought she was going to go back.


    However, Ellenia seemed to hesitate for a while holding the doorknob. She soon closed the door and walked next to me to look in the mirror.


    There was an awkward silence as she opened the blue silk pouch and pulled out her rouge tin.


    Haa, I hate this atmosphere. It¡¯s so sad. Just when I thought we barely got to know each other.¡­.


    ¡°Was the match worth watching?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, yes¡­. Now I know why it¡¯s so famous. I was really nervous though.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    ¡ª


    I didn¡¯t know how to talk to her at first, so I answered as soon as I could and pretended to open my pouch.


    Then another awkward silence passed by. Oh gosh.


    Certainly, there was a huge difference between knowing the content in your head and actually saying it.


    If I didn¡¯t know the end of this game, I would probably run out of the audience early in the middle of the first half or get confused like a supporting role commonly described in each such scene.


    I didn¡¯t know that in the common games of my previous life, the things that used to be described were such scary creatures.


    ¡°¡­¡­Especially when the troll came out, I was so nervous that it was going to go wrong.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what was more surprising after spending a few days with monsters in the frost forest and meeting the dragon, the one at the top, but the monsters jumping around the stadium today were different from what I¡¯d encountered so far.


    Even though it was ferocious, it felt so different from those who were reminiscent of wild animals in many ways.


    Maybe that was why I was glad.


    ¡°I understand, but you don¡¯t have to worry too much. The year Izek won in the past was much scarier.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that it¡¯s getting easier.¡±


    I see. So this was what getting easier meant.


    It was doubtful whether half of the candidates who played today were alive.


    I was starting to get confused whether the humans here were weird or just me.


    Anyway, the situation still looked awkward, but I was grateful for the calmness.


    I could feel her glancing at me through the mirror while smiling and pretending to apply the rough alongside.


    She seemed to be hesitating.


    Was she doubting that I threw up again? I didn¡¯t know if she paid attention now, but¡­


    ¡°Is there anything else going on?¡±


    Sure enough.


    ¡°Ah¡­ nothing that big of a deal¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh, so it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Taking back her sudden question, Ellenia shook her head as if she were regretting right away, and no longer said anything or looked at me.


    So I, too, kept quiet until she left first with her pouch.


    * * *


    Dinner was hosted by Omerta Castle after the match.


    It was nothing new because this was just as I had remembered, but Cesare staying at the duke¡¯s quarters made me so annoyed.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt like I was being invaded.


    Would it have been a little different if Izek was here with me?


    Suddenly, I wanted him to be here, but the candidates, who had made it till the second half, would have been resting as if they were dead at Angvan by now.


    It was ironic that Cesare was here and Izek was in the palace.


    ¡°Oh, Ruby.¡±


    While returning to the dinner table with a smile, I almost paused while sitting down.


    Oh my god. What kind of funny combination is this?


    Let¡¯s say that the fact that Cesare is giving me a loving smile is absolutely abominable. I¡¯ve been sitting next to him for a while.


    But for what reason is Duke Omerta sitting right in front of him?


    To make matters worse, why is Alfonso here?


    What are my father-in-law, brother, and ex-fiance who has become an international joke doing together?


    Alfonso showed his embarrassment to me as if asking for understanding. I smiled. So that¡¯s what it means.


    ¡°Oh, my. You look surprised. I had something to say to the Duke, which somehow turned out to be this way.¡±


    Aha, is that so?


    He now happened to be sitting face to face with my brother and drinking with him.


    I was confused whether he had good luck or was just bright from the beginning.


    ¡°It must have been your first time watching this match. How do you feel?¡±


    I wondered what they really wanted.


    Not only Alfonso but also my father-in-law.


    Even if he¡¯s Cesare, was it just me who thought this combination was very bizarre?


    ¡°It¡¯s more amazing than I imagined. Everyone¡­ I just didn¡¯t know what to do because I was scared.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my son. If he were such a loser, where would your Holy Father have sent his precious daughter?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m not doubting my father¡¯s perspective, but honestly, I was a little worried about my brother-in-law.¡±


    Cesare responded well when my father-in-law said it was worth it.


    Then, Alfonso started laughing.


    Are you guys drunk enough to go crazy? I don¡¯t know what they are up to, but I don¡¯t want to be swept away.


    I should answer the least and not say unnecessary stuff.


    So I pretended to laugh awkwardly and picked up a warm butter roll in the bread basket.


    Then, as soon as Cesare talked to me, I took a big bite.


    ¡°By the way, Ruby, you must be nervous because you are the mistress of such a great castle.¡±


    ¡°¡­Uhn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big compliment, Your Grace. It is shabby compared to the grandeur of the southern nobility. Come to think of it, isn¡¯t Rembrandt¡¯s Vishelier Castle famous for its unique style?¡±


    My father-in-law intervened again on behalf of me, who couldn¡¯t answer properly because I was chewing.


    As a result, Alfonso humbly shook his head with a smiling face.


    ¡°What unique style? It¡¯s an ancient style that¡¯s already out of fashion, so there¡¯s no other hideous thing. Why is it that traditional style is so hard to cope with?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    While these nobles were chatting among themselves, I chewed and swallowed hard, picking up another butter roll and tearing  it in half.


    And after applying plenty of butter to the fragrant bread, I pushed it into my mouth.


    This is hard. Don¡¯t talk to me, don¡¯t talk to me.


    ¡°But I thought Enzo would accompany you on this journey, but unfortunately, he must have been busy.¡±


    Would Alfonso be able to guess how much Cesare is grinding his teeth at the fact that Enzo was sitting in the seat of the Pope of Romagna?


    Of course, Cesare responded leisurely as the world¡¯s strongest with his shamelessness.


    ¡°Unexpectedly, my brother and I got along well. It¡¯s not that he couldn¡¯t come. My father barely stopped him from making a fuss.¡±


    ¡°Huh, why?


    ¡°You know enough to understand, don¡¯t you? If he had been here, he would have messed around everywhere and gotten thrown into the middle of the stadium.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I guess he¡¯s still energetic.¡±


    They were happy with each other.


    I agreed with that argument to some extent, but at least Enzo was not a multi-personality psycho who conspired or played pretend all the time like Cesare.


    What kind of trick was this? I swallowed a silent swear word, chewed the other half of the butter roll, and this time I picked up white round bread.


    ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if he could¡¯ve come. Right, Ruby?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    At times like this, I felt very grateful for these large amounts of food.


    The soft and light bread was filled with sour yellow cream.


    As I took a few sips of wine and immediately took a bite of the new bread, the three pairs of eyes gradually focused on me.


    Even Cesare began to look at me as if seeing something very strange.


    ¡°Ruby, you¡­You must have been really hungry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she does seem so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I think I wasn¡¯t able to eat properly because I was nervous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just eat bread, eat something else. We won¡¯t touch it.¡±


    That¡¯s very sweet of you, father-in-law.


    I just don¡¯t want to talk to you guys, so I don¡¯t empty my mouth.


    While laughing again, I pretended to smile awkwardly and pulled up a plate of pie filled with crushed potatoes and ground meat.


    It was a northern pie that was eaten with only a spoon, without cutting it with a knife.


    It was a dish that I couldn¡¯t dare to cook until recently because of the huge size. Was it Shepherd¡¯s pie?


    My dejected father-in-law was about to ask me a question, but when he saw me scooping a big bite of the great pie containing the spirit of the North, he immediately turned the arrow to my brother.


    Whew.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried whether the northern food suits you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, eating is my hobby. Have you ever visited the South?


    ¡°A lot of times when I was young. Luckily, I visited during the Christmas season¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if I was crazy or if everyone else was crazy, but have fun with them as much as you want.


    Everyone was always doing that except for me.


    * * *


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    At the careful sound of the call, Ellenia turned her eyes back to the front.


    She felt tired from entertaining foreign ambassadors, what idiots.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please keep talking.¡±


    ¡°My my, there¡¯s nothing much. The princess is overflowing with dignity as I¡¯ves heard.¡±


    ¡°You must have heard a lot about me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t be offended. Princess Omerta¡¯s beauty is so well-known that even the royal family of Dorias wanted to see her in person someday.¡±


    Ellenia stared at the lines of Dorias ambassador, who smiled humbly for a moment.


    She wasn¡¯t particularly offended. She just thought if that was actually the case.


    She was at the age of getting married.


    If they didn¡¯t notice at all, that would rather be surprising.


    It had also been roughly known that Dorias¡¯ royalty had long been anxious to reach out to Britannia.


    However, it was a little surprising for them when the Omerta family and the Borgian family were so active in making an alliance.


    Would it be possible for them to make a move if the marriage got dissolved, or if they could have met before? It was an adventure for the royal family of Dorias, who was currently in a cold relationship with Romagna.


    Perhaps her father leaked some secrets to that side.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    ¡ª


    Anyway, this conversation is boring. Ellenia pretended to tilt her glass and glanced back toward the dinner table.


    A place where  Duke Omerta, Duke Vishelier of Rembrandt, and Cardinal Valentino sat together.


    No one would disagree that it was a truly bizarre combination.


    It was a picture that managed to be buried because everyone was excited and distracted by the heat of today¡¯s game.


    At other times, regardless of whether it was a foreigner or a native, they would have been mesmerized to watch those three with their mouth open all the way until the dinner was over.


    Nevertheless, the element that had been attracting Ellenia¡¯s nerves since earlier was not a picture of that unrealistic combination itself.


    The reason why she kept paying attention was because of Rudbeckia sitting next to the Cardinal Valentino.


    More like, what she was doing.


    ¡°Have you ever visited Dorias?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m shy. I¡¯ve never been out of Elendale yet.¡±


    Now, Rudbeckia was eating lemon tarts piled up on a large plate after quickly finishing Shepherd¡¯s pie.


    Aside from if she thought it was very delicious, there was no time to empty my mouth for a moment.


    No matter how Ellenia looked at it, something was strange. Even when they¡¯d been eating together, she¡¯d been¡­¡­ Should she say that she eat well? Ruby never seemed to have a strong appetite.


    As expected, was it because her brother¡¯s presence made her feel comfortable?


    No matter that, it would be quite inconvenient for her later.


    ¡°My lady, you were here.¡±


    ¡°Ivan.¡±


    It was nice to hear the cheerful voice that suddenly intervened.


    While Ellenia was looking back at Ivan, who was approaching with long strides, she felt everything slow down.


    ¡°Why did you leave alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Here, I was¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this person¡­? Let me see. Aren¡¯t you Dorias¡¯ ambassador?¡±


    Ellenia didn¡¯t know how the ambassador felt when Ivan smiled and threatened him silently with his girl-like beautiful face.


    Whatever it was, he coughed a little and stepped down, asking for understanding.


    ¡°Did I just intrude without realizing it?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m rather grateful. I was so bored.¡±


    Mumbling softly, Ellenia directed her gaze that way.


    Rudbeckia was still silently focusing on finishing all the dishes on the table.


    After eating several tarts in a row, she was now eating chocolate souffle and strawberry pudding.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little weird.¡±


    Ivan whispered in a low sinking tone.


    He seemed to be looking at the same place as Ellenia.


    She didn¡¯t know if the weird thing was about the combination of those three men or about Rudbeckia.


    ¡°It¡¯s very weird¡­ she¡¯s enjoying it. Did she always have a good appetite?¡±


    As expected, Ivan also felt something strange about Rudbeckia.


    In the mood of unexpected gossip, Ellenia whispered slowly.


    ¡°It suddenly feels like she¡¯s overdoing it.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just felt like that throughout the whole day.¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    Ellenia, who was staring at Rudbeckia, wondering what this intrusive anxiety was, soon raised her head.


    Then she realized that Ivan was staring at her face.


    When he made eye contact with her, he suddenly smiled.


    ¡°Why are you smiling all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°No, I just thought that the princess was a sweet person.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Just then, Rudbeckia drank a whole glass and seemed to get up from her seat.


    Was she going to throw up? Ellenia suddenly felt her heart throbbing.


    As expected, was it the opposite, and not the comfort of mind?


    She thought she should follow her for a moment, but soon realized that it was a silly idea.


    So, what should she do?


    ¡°Princess? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    She hoped this festival would end soon.


    Swallowing the feeling that even she could not understand, Ellenia returned to her friends¡¯ table with Ivan.


    Drinking games were in full swing at the table where several young people led by Freya were gathered.


    ¡°Welcome, Ellen. Why did you take so long?¡±


    As soon as Ellenia sat down, Freya suddenly crossed her arms and asked.


    She was a little tipsy.


    ¡°Because I ran into an ambassador from Dorias in the middle. Didn¡¯t you drink too much?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t drink much. Loren drank a lot, unfortunately.¡±


    Indeed, the trainee, whose face was red on one side, looked pitiful.


    Of all things, a trainee was a servant, so even if he tried to take an easy way out under the pretext of his age, Paladin seniors who had a bad temper could not have let it go.


    As expected, everyone giggled as if they had been waiting.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s so out of it after drinking a bit. What a baby..¡±


    ¡°God must be angry that a weak person like you becomes our colleague.¡±


    It was very childish, but a fun atmosphere in the same way.


    But what was this feeling that told her that the important people were missing?


    Ellenia slowly began to doubt her condition.


    Eventually, she thought it was all because of Izek.


    In other words, why did he offer such a request in the first place to make people feel uncomfortable?


    Didn¡¯t Ruby seem to get along well with Cardinal Valentino?


    Older brothers are  a problem everywhere. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong.


    Reflecting on such thoughts, Ellenia looked back at the table where her father was sitting, which she had been closely watching since earlier.


    She realized that the combination had already been reduced to two.


    * * *


    A sea of praise above me.


    Even though I had suffered for years because of food, I finally got through by having the strawberry pudding. It was a great defense.


    I was so mad to have finished so much food in such an instant.


    How do I know who¡¯s thinking about what and what¡¯s up to?


    Perhaps all three were simply drunk and joking.


    Cesare, I knew he could never do that, but I wasn¡¯t sure about the other two.


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t show even a little gap to all of them.


    Phew, I¡¯m dying. Still, if I endure it until tomorrow, this will be all over.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    It was the moment I came out pretending to wash my hands with a handkerchief after rinsing my mouth clean, fixing my makeup again.


    As if I was waiting there, I almost jumped up to the sight of my brother leaning against the wall of the hallway a little away from the entrance.


    I managed to catch my chest, heart pounding like a rabbit in front of the fox.


    It¡¯s okay, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of, he doesn¡¯t know anything about my anorexia.¡­.


    ¡°Yes, thank you. I just ate too many sweet things and my mouth became dry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. By the way, it¡¯s been a long time since I saw this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You eating this well.¡±


    At the moment, I wondered if he was being sarcastic after noticing something, but Cesare, who stared at the floor silently with blue eyes down, didn¡¯t seem to be sarcastic or joke.


    ¡°It was my first time seeing you like this since I was young.¡±


    The atmosphere was unfamiliar.


    It was just my misunderstanding that it sounded strangely bitter, right?


    Was he really drunk?


    It was said that he was not good at drinking, but monkeys sometimes fall off trees.


    I had already noticed that this psycho pervert sometimes makes a strange look almost unfamiliar when referring to my, that is, Rudbeckia¡¯s childhood.


    I thought he missed those days.


    But the Rudbeckia at that time wasn¡¯t me.


    I was not the girl who followed a guy like him without knowing anything.


    ¡°I always ate well¡­ I just tried to enjoy the new dishes. According to the trend.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I make another mistake?¡±


    When asked across the boundary between calmness and caution, he shook his head and loosened his arms.


    Then he reached out, grabbed my left hand, and glanced at the ring stuck on my finger.


    The ring I had worn since I had a marriage in Romagna was ordinary without any characteristics.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just saying.¡±


    What kind of nonsense was this?


    A short silence passed by.


    My older brother fiddled with my hand for a long time, and then stood up with a sigh.


    Finally, his face, looking into my eyes, had a grim smile.


    ¡°Can you show me around? There¡¯s a place I want to see in particular.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to see in particular?¡±¡­¡±


    ¡°The glass garden.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite famous.¡±


    ¡­That¡¯s right. It was strange from the time he took a break.


    As tension soared again, my armpits began to become damp.


    ¡°It¡¯s very famous¡­ But you¡¯ll be disappointed if you see it. It¡¯s just mimicking a little bit of Romagna¡¯s garden.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯ll know in person. You don¡¯t want to show me?¡±


    He said this naturally, but underneath it, there were signs of warning.


    You got that right.


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t want Cesare to step into the garden more than anything else.


    It was just a garden, but I didn¡¯t know why he wanted to see it.


    However, I hurriedly shook my head because I couldn¡¯t show my refusal.


    ¡°No, of course not. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    ¡®What am I doing right now?¡¯


    Looking at the back of the siblings heading to the courtyard with her arms folded together, Ellenia was briefly engulfed with a serious sense of shame.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯


    After turning five, she had stopped snooping around at her own house and spying on others.


    Contrary to how she decided to turn around and return to the dinner hall, Britannia¡¯s ice princess was already discovering herself secretly and quickly following them.


    She didn¡¯t even know what she was doing.


    Just because of Izek¡¯s request?


    Because Rudbeckia seemed weird before?


    Regardless of what she was possessed by, she wasn¡¯t thinking of letting her go, such a strange intrusive feeling that was scratching a corner of her nerves all day.


    It was a reason that wasn¡¯t even funny¡­¡­.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Elenia turned her head away in anger at the sound of a low cough from behind her back.


    Then she saw a flower-like paladin with meaningful glistening green eyes.


    There was a moment of silence.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know Sir Ivan well, I would have thought you were watching me.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know My Lady well, I might have thought she had a crush on the crown prince of the South.¡±


    Was he teasing her?


    Ellnia looked straight at Ivan¡¯s smiling face for a moment, but soon fixed her mind and let out a short sigh.


    ¡°I wonder if her brother¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, to the princess¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°If this is the case, I don¡¯t know why he attended the match in the first place. He should just have stuck to her.¡±


    Ellnia seemed genuinely annoyed. It was just that irritating.


    She didn¡¯t know why and swallowed the reason hovering in her mouth, as Ivan followed her quietly.


    ¡°I guess they went to look around the glass garden.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Princess?


    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. Ruby would be very displeased if she knew. It¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another person we¡¯re going to feel pathetic about. Isn¡¯t Iz the one who is evil here in the first place?¡±


    ¡°He told you to keep an eye on Romangnan envoys, but he didn¡¯t tell you to spy like this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? But there must be a reason, right? If you have something, it must be a good reason. Okay then.¡±


    Ivan, who added softly, suddenly stuck out one arm.


    Ellenia stared at the arm for a good moment, and finally opened her mouth.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re out for a walk in the garden.¡±


    * * *


    Was this how a child felt when he saw someone breaking into their precious secret place?


    This was not a precious secret place, and my brother didn¡¯t invade without my will, but if I had to compare my current feelings, it would probably be similar.


    Of course, Cesare, who didn¡¯t know how I felt, was just looking around with an interested face as if he were really curious about the appearance of the garden.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Ruby, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d play there.¡±


    That was the meaning of a doll house.


    Oh, my face is suddenly burning.


    ¡°Of course not. Princess Arien often came to play with her friend and brought it in.¡±


    ¡°Princess? Oh, that one. You seem to be quite close to her.¡±


    ¡°Rather than being close¡­. She likes this place. It¡¯s also her cousin¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows that the noble Omerta cannot recognize a half hybrid as a relative.¡±


    Somehow, it was a disregarding tone.


    He could have said something softer about a child, but he was not a human being who could have such common sense in the first place, so I just smiled vaguely.


    Besides, it was not only Cesare who thought like that.


    What Freya said to me the other day was in a similar context.


    Until she became close to me, Arien had never had a private relationship with Omertas.


    In the original work, there was no such thing at all, so I set everything. Phew. Poor Arien.


    ¡°Well, we would be in a similar situation if our father hadn¡¯t been in his current position. It would have been better than being treated as pagan blooded beings, but still.¡±


    Why was he pretending to look after himself?


    I stared back with my eyes wide open.


    Cesare stood with his arms folded and stared at the waterfall fountain where water poured out coolly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why father wants to hand it all over to me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I know that¡¯s a given¡­¡±


    While his voice subsided dimly, his fierce blue eyes also flickered.


    Oh, I didn¡¯t know why he suddenly became grumpy.


    Seriously, the people around me are all the same. I looked like a foal running among them, right?


    Was there not a single adult person who was mentally healthy, hard-willed, and strong?


    Whether it was the past or the present¡­¡­ Or was I the problem?


    No matter how normal he was when he was with me, there was a curse that caused serious mental problems?


    Crap, that sounds like something very possible.


    ¡°Even if Father wasn¡¯t the Pope¡­ Brother would have become something great. I know.¡±


    I was used to going back and forth in his conversations, but I couldn¡¯t get used to the strangely bitter atmosphere, so I said it cheerfully.


    Apart from my feelings, such an ambitious and capable jerk would have become something without his father¡¯s power.


    Cesare, who took his eyes off the water, slowly looked back at me.


    The face of the man he faced looked bitter and lonely, complicated feelings in him.


    He really looked like my older brother from my previous life. Not only the appearance, but also his behavior and this attitude.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Honestly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be much different than now.¡­ The same goes for you.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I think we might all be happier than we are now if our father had not been the Pope.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Especially you and I. Sometimes.. I just want to quit everything and run away to a small island far away with you. Where no one knows who we are and no one will interfere.¡±


    There was silence.


    I was speechless. I had to react appropriately, but strangely, it felt like my head was turning white.


    Why on earth are you saying such nonsense that doesn¡¯t even fit in? What are you up to?


    No, it wasn¡¯t something he was up to.


    The reason I was speechless was purely because I knew he was serious now.


    It¡¯s ridiculous and I was really curious about where he put his conscience¡­ It was not like I didn¡¯t know he was crazy, but what is this feeling of being beaten hard on the back of my head?


    While I was so frozen, Cesare turned from the fountain and looked around the glass dome wall where the sparkling sunlight poured out.


    When I saw it, I felt strange as if I was seeing a different person.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely a great catch, regardless of whether you¡¯re clumsy or not. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be swayed by this kind of thing.¡­. He¡¯s a formidable man.¡±


    What does this mean?


    I quickly came to my senses. Whatever it was, I just had to endure it safely until tomorrow.


    As I strengthened my mind, he held my hand again and slowly turned toward the entrance.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not that bad. The Romagna house garden is much more colorful.¡±


    ¡°Fancy isn¡¯t everything. You must be very happy here.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you happy here, Ruby?¡±


    Tell me the true meaning of happiness written in your dictionary.


    You could call it happiness, and even though I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to sleep, it¡¯s much better than when I was in Romagna with them. I was less worried about dying.


    It is not right to die soon or to get caught by him.


    I stopped and glanced at him sulkily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you ask me that.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean! I¡¯ve been saying that I want to be the Lord¡¯s bride since a long time ago. If that wasn¡¯t the case, I wouldn¡¯t have been sold so easily just to get separated from my brother.¡±


    He glanced into my eyes.


    I think he¡¯s trying to see if I¡¯m serious or not. Or¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened inside the walls of the monastery.¡±


    It¡¯s about when I was young again. The pulse is a little off. Do you want to bring up another story of saving your sister who was abused in a monastery as a hero?


    ¡°What do you mean I don¡¯t know? I was in the monastery when I was young.¡±¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different from that. Besides, I was young. After becoming a real nun, you probably won¡¯t even get to imagine how to live.¡±


    Oh, it¡¯s an unexpected reply. For a moment, I even misunderstood that you were seriously worried about me and stopped me. Ah, you¡¯re so kind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be a nun anyway, can I? I just said it because my brother asked a strange question.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°Then is what I said weird too?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I said I wanted to quit everything and run away to an island with you.¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with him?


    As soon as I tried to control my facial expression and chose the appropriate words, he said again. Just like this time.


    ¡°Father asked why not devour the North altogether while we¡¯re at it. You gave me an unexpected move.¡±


    I felt my body stiffening.


    My hands held together flinched, and my breath also became ragged.


    What did you just say¡­?


    Whether he expected my reaction or not, Cesare looked down at me with a calm look and continued in an extremely dry manner.


    ¡°If you go beyond being a princess and become the queen, the high-spirted north will no longer be able to help.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    ¡°That¡¯s so like Father. On the Omerta side, they can¡¯t show it openly because of the presence of the princess, but it¡¯s possible if we push her.¡±


    Ha, yes. It¡¯s really a Borgian idea.


    Unless the Pope admits it, no king of any country can sit on the throne at will.


    It was a powerful holy right that came down through a very long history.


    Of course, no matter how absolute the power was, it was surprisingly unlikely that it had a great impact on the succession rights of other royal families without a proper justification in the Vatican.


    For now, it was a common practice for the heir to the throne to pledge loyalty to the Pope, and for the Vatican to send greetings to attend the coronation ceremony in the sense of approval.


    But if it¡¯s the current situation in Britannia¡­¡­.


    If the Pope declared that there could be no king mixed with the blood of a pagan, there was no shortage of justification.


    It was rather unfair. There would be many people inside Britannia who¡¯d welcome it.


    No, there¡¯d be a lot. If Omerta agrees with that, the result was already set.


    Was that why they were talking earlier?


    Did King Feanol ever guess what would happen?


    ¡°Do you want to be a queen, Ruby?¡±


    There was actually someone else who wanted to hear that question.


    As the wave-like confusion receded, my mind worked quickly.


    If it really happened, wouldn¡¯t the ending of the original work, which I was so worried about, be a completely different world story?


    Ellenia¡¯s assassination was likely to have never happened.


    But what about Arien? What will happen to Arien? And should I say that this was right?


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never imagined it. I don¡¯t know if my husband will agree with it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your husband. All you have to do is say that you want to be a queen.¡±


    Cesare muttered with a snort.


    I wondered if he was serious, as his purple eyes became distorted.


    I carefully chose my words, swallowing my trembling breath.


    ¡°But then.. I have no chance of going back home. Is that okay with you?¡±


    Cesare did not answer immediately.


    Instead, he just stood holding my hand and stared at me silently for a long time.


    Emotions were completely gone in both eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Even if it¡¯s not Father, I¡¯m me.¡±


    Finally, the voice answering the question was low. It sounded almost hoarse.


    ¡°So you can¡¯t be a person who is satisfied with catching fish while living on an island.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be a queen, Ruby? Be honest. Are you happy here?¡±


    Fireworks quickly erupted in his eyes. As the blue fire blazed, my hand hurt.


    Aside from the sudden question, it was such a terrible situation that I was aghast.


    ¡°What¡¯s that all of a sudden?¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ll be happy to be a queen next to him. I don¡¯t think you want to come back home anymore.¡±


    My mouth fell open. This wasn¡¯t a question.


    If he could slaughter a person only with his eyes, I would have been fragmented and scattered.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true. I¡¯m only¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been thoroughly turning a blind eye to the temple¡¯s approach throughout your time here. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because people in the family always doubt it, so my husband hates it and¡­¡±


    ¡°No. If you still missed me, you would have found a way to communicate with the temple at all costs. You don¡¯t just write letters that are monitored every time. Seriously, what rights does he have to stop you? What right do you have to do whatever you want?


    The last word sounded like an explosion.


    Rather than just anger toward me, I felt the hatred of someone who was not here vividly.


    A doubt passed through my mind.


    Was he mad with jealousy?


    My husband who had everything he craved?


    Because he had to put all his strength against his father, didn¡¯t have a natural right from birth, a flawless noble lineage, knight¡¯s path, shining throne, not even the ability to go against his father?


    The sense of inferiority that the Pope¡¯s eldest son, Cesare de Borgia, secretly retains.


    Perhaps it was because of the inferiority complex that he was such an ambitious person.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t know it would be this bad.


    I didn¡¯t expect Izek¡¯s presence to be a reminder of an inferiority complex that bothered him.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m very confused right now. My husband is nice to me, but¡­¡­.¡±


    I guess I shouldn¡¯t have said that.


    I shouldn¡¯t have said ¡®nice¡¯.


    However, the decisive problem was that I had no idea what the source of Cesare¡¯s inferiority complex was or exactly what made him who he is today.


    The problem was that I was not the real Rudbeckia to know that, but an outsider who monopolized her body three years ago.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you go here.¡±


    He cut me off and growled graciously. Then he pulled me close.


    Like that of the viper who made the decision, it was suffocating to be near him.


    ¡°Nice to you? Yes, God forgive me if I didn¡¯t expect that even after seeing all those moments. Do you want to be a queen with him? Really?¡±


    ¡°I-I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a puppet for my father anymore. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Ruby. It¡¯s only a moment before he abandons you. If that happens, the queen will stay as the queen. In the end, it¡¯s always you and me. You¡¯ll realize it from now on.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Oh, I remember hurting my head while rolling here a long time ago. Was it when I was 9?¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? At that time, the princess was playing hide-and-seek over there.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was so young.¡±


    She hesitated, but she actually remembered.


    A dim afterimage of old memories. A time when the courtyard of Omerta¡¯s was full of young children running around.


    Pushing away a chapter of dimly rising memory, Ellenia stared at the sparkling glass building.


    The siblings seen over the transparent wall showed no signs of movement. Her long golden hair shook.


    ¡°Are they fighting?¡±


    ¡°I think so too¡­.¡±


    Ivan tilted his head and scratched his head. Likewise, he seemed to regret chasing them.


    ¡°At this point¡­¡±


    ¡°Ellen!¡±


    At this point, she was about to say let¡¯s just go back.


    Ellenia flinched at the sudden voice. At the same time, she wondered why she felt uncomfortable about her appearance.


    ¡°Frey? Why did you come all the way here¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to find you, to take a walk. I¡¯ve been sitting down for so long that I have a headache.¡±


    Next to Freya, who grumbled and pressed her temple, Sir Camu, a man with wet hair, escorted Freya with a feisty face as usual.


    Ellenia turned a blind eye to him and Ivan exchanging strange looks with each other.


    ¡°I was about to go back.¡±


    ¡°Really? Oh, wow. That¡¯s the cardinal Valentino. Is he here to see the greenhouse?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ellenia quickly held Freya¡¯s hand and urged her.


    The reason was still unknown, but she was confused whether it was right for Freya to be here. To be exact, watching them.


    ¡°¡­wait a minute.¡±


    But for some reason, Freya, who was about to turn around together, hesitated.


    And then she didn¡¯t move.


    Ellenia, who was slightly stiffening her face with a soaring feeling of irritation, soon realized that Freya was not the only one staring at one place frozen on the spot.


    Camu and Ivan also looked completely horrorstruck.


    So she also threw her gaze at the greenhouse again.


    * * *


    The shock I¡¯d felt so far had not been a shock.


    I had no idea exactly what was going on until his hand suddenly grabbed my one face.


    Funny enough, I just thought he¡¯d hit me. That was all I knew. Until then.


    There was only one person who put his hand on my face for another purpose.


    Was I ignorant? Was I a fool who didn¡¯t even guess?


    I didn¡¯t know. How much did I have to understand the hearts of others in order to survive?


    Did I have to grasp all the twisted feelings that even he tried to suppress?


    My mind was blank. It was all white. I didn¡¯t feel anything in my head.


    The short moment when Cesare retreated with a short kiss on my lips, dropping his hand seemed slow and unrealistic like a slow motion video.


    ¡°It¡¯ll always be you and me.¡±


    I thought he said something, but I couldn¡¯t understand.


    The hem of the black robe fluttered. I couldn¡¯t move on the spot until he turned away and disappeared completely.


    I was spaced out like I was possessed by something.


    As if something had jerked my shoulder, I even looked back.


    At that moment, I didn¡¯t know what made me look at the wall behind my back.


    Standing not too far beyond the glass wall, the moment I saw the blue faces of four people who were as shocked as I was, a roar that sounded out.


    A hallucination that only I could hear.


    There was no way I didn¡¯t know.


    There was no way that Cesare could not have recognized their existence. This was what he meant when he said I¡¯d realize from now on.


    Looking at Ellenia¡¯s red eyes, which were wide with indescribable astonishment, I suddenly wondered if Izek would have the same eyes.


    Furthermore, I wondered what emotions I should feel.


    Shame? Chagrin? Frustration? Horror? Or all of them.¡­?


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡ª


    T/N: Anddd that¡¯s all for today xD I almost cried at the part where Cesare hit her with a belt ngl,,, made me so damn angry ADJSKDJJDBS

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    ¡°Until the match ends tomorrow, stay quiet¡­ I won¡¯t let you go if you leak  even a word.¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s voice was as cold and calm as always.


    One wouldn¡¯t believe she was the one who saw a shocking incident a while ago.


    Freya, who seemed to be staring blankly at a distant mountain, slowly turned her face.


    ¡°Ellen, I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t know what the hell is going on.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Really¡­ Isn¡¯t this crazy? I didn¡¯t expect that, but that rumour was actually¡­.¡±


    Freya¡¯s reaction was not unreasonable. It was very natural.


    Nevertheless, Ellenia could not control herself.


    The anger rising in her exploded almost immediately.


    Furthermore, ironically, she felt that her anger was directed not only to the Borgian siblings but also to everyone else.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me tell you not to say anything? Do you take Omertas¡¯ words as a joke?¡±


    A chill cold enough to make her body shiver ran down her back.


    Freya, who was staring at her friend with her purple eyes wide open, soon closed her mouth and bowed her head.


    Somehow, Ellenia didn¡¯t feel like apologizing, so she let Freya move away on her own.


    Instead, she silently turned to the two shaken knights lighting the leaf cigarettes.


    ¡°Say something.¡±


    ¡°But the princess just said not to say anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I knew something troublesome would eventually happen, so it¡¯s just bad luck. She¡¯s a part of the Omertas after all.¡±


    It meant that this was the work of the Omertan family. And there was no need for a fellow Omerta to question her own family member.


    At the same time, however, Omertas were also a part of the Longinus Knights. Paladins who pledged allegiance to the Holy Grail and defenders of the North.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m thinking right now. I-I don¡¯t even know what I saw. Someone please tell me that a beast cub who had a crush on the Duchess crawled in and made us hallucinate.¡±


    Ivan muttered with an unfamiliar look because he couldn¡¯t get this incident out of his mind.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t even say any swear words, he seemed to be quite shocked.


    Camu, who released smoke from his mouth with a nearly similar look as Ivan, his unique feisty expression missing, hit Ivan¡¯s side.


    He didn¡¯t seem much like a Paladin at the moment. Ellenia stopped frowning.


    She also understood Ivan¡¯s mood, but was this the time to talk about hypotheses?


    ¡°I agree that we have to keep it a secret until Izek finishes the game tomorrow¡­¡±


    Camu¡¯s slow tone was dry and rough in contrast to his pale face.


    ¡°What are you going to do next?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The festival doesn¡¯t end tomorrow, as you know. Are you going to keep your mouth shut until then?¡±


    Whether or not to take into account the conflict with the Vatican.


    Ellenia felt a headache building up.


    It was not just that it was hard to tell, but if Izek heard what they just saw, they couldn¡¯t guarantee how it would turn out.


    In that situation, if Cardinal Valentino had not left Elendale, there would be no way to avoid the mess.


    Not only the Pope¡¯s people but also travellers from all over the world had gathered here.


    At some point, Omerta¡¯s loss of honour, as well as the international gathering on the continent, might create chaos.


    ¡°I know what the princess is thinking. There is no reason to bear the burden alone. But I can¡¯t be a foolish fellow to do a favour to the brazen Borgian, keeping Izek in the dark until it¡¯s all over. I¡¯ll never let that happen. ¡°


    Ellenia blinked and looked back toward Ivan.


    Ivan only smoked his leaf cigarette and said nothing. In short, Ivan also agreed with Camu.


    It wasn¡¯t too much. It was impossible to leave Izek ignorant in that way.


    That would be plain cruel. The problem was how to deal with the aftermath.


    Maybe it would be good. What should she do about this?


    Her red eyes gently closed due to a throbbing headache.


    The pale face of Rudbeckia she saw earlier seemed to hover in front of her eyes.


    She wanted to believe that there would be some circumstances, but she felt out of her mind with anger.


    As Ivan said, she would have rather hallucinated.


    Nevertheless, nevertheless¡­.


    ¡°¡­Do what you can do. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    * * *


    Should I say that it was rather fortunate that the dinner was held in Omerta Castle? It was funny.


    As soon as I returned from the garden, I escaped from the dinner party under the pretext of not feeling well and stayed in.


    Ronja and Lucille were also sent out.


    Despite facing the worst situation imaginable, I didn¡¯t feel anything because of it.


    Shame, fear, and all the emotions I deserved to feel were just words that lingered in my head.


    It felt like I was coming out of a wall and watching a person other than myself.


    I buried myself in the bed and fell asleep. I probably woke up. In my dream, I went back and forth between the memories of my previous life and the present life.


    A bunch of bad nightmares with creepy blue eyes chasing me everywhere.


    The look in those eyes held me captive.


    ¡°Wuuu¡­¡±


    When I opened my eyes again, it was dark all around, and I was stepping on the grass barefoot.


    I could hear the branches rustling in the wind. The white moon was floating in the black sky.


    Was this a dream or reality? How long had it been?


    ¡°Huuu¡­wuuu¡­¡±


    I stopped moving. An eerie cry was heard from far away along the gentle wind that gently brushed my ears.


    Was I hallucinating again? Or is it a banshee crying?


    A banshee crying would mean someone in the family died. Nothing had happened yet.


    Was I going to be the one to die? Were they doing a test to kill me? Or did they notice that I was already dead?


    I knew. I was already dead. A dead soul who borrowed someone else¡¯s body.


    In a way, I was similar to a Golem. That was why the monsters liked me.


    ¡°Where are you going at this time?¡±


    A subdued voice sounded. Almost a whisper.


    I glanced back. In the darkness of the night, a woman glowing under the white moonlight came into view.


    It was Ellenia.


    Of course, it was her. I couldn¡¯t read the expression on her pale and smooth face.


    ¡°Where are you going to run away again?¡±


    She spoke in a strangely calm voice.


    If I hadn¡¯t remembered the memory from earlier, I would have said it was soft.


    Maybe this was also a dream. That¡¯s right, if it were Ellenia in real life, I would have been slapped by her now.


    ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll tattle on you?¡±


    Those red eyes as dark as red jade shook strangely.


    As expected, the dream was too realistic. Laughter burst out.


    ¡°No one is asking me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°No one is asking me what happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter because it¡¯s always been like that, but sometimes I¡¯m even confused about what the truth is.¡±


    A strong wind blew in.


    The texture of the grass under the soles of the feet was gentle. I felt like walking with the wind and took another step.


    ¡°You can¡¯t walk around like this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Ellen grabbed my arm. How fascinating.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wow, frost mushrooms!¡±


    I shook off Ellenia¡¯s hand, ran and sat down in front of the sparkling mushroom.


    It was possible because it was a dream, but if I did whatever I wanted in my dream, would something happen?


    ¡°It¡¯s not a frost mushroom, it just looks similar¡­¡±


    Ellenia seemed to be saying something, but I couldn¡¯t hear it well.


    Wait. I¡¯d heard that sick monsters would recover with frost mushrooms. Would it work for me too?


    I was a Golem. Even if it wasn¡¯t painful, I was contaminated, maybe something like a purification effect will happen¡­


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ellenia¡¯s voice sounded like she was angry. Ah, now it was such an unrealistic dream.


    ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, I¡¯m cleaning now.¡±


    It felt quite good to rub my lips with fluorescent mushrooms.


    The scent was good too. We could make lip balm with this. What was I saying, frost mushroom lip balm? I was the only one who could use it.


    ¡°Ruby!¡±


    Oh, that scared me.


    After suffering from nightmares all day long, I thought I finally had a good dream, but suddenly, Ellenia, who was standing still, was disturbing me?


    She took my mushrooms and threw them away. What are you doing in my dream?


    ¡°Oh really? Ellen, you¡¯re lucky you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    ¡°Ah, let go of me. I need to purify with that. Otherwise, I can¡¯t go back to that crazy man Izek.¡±


    I turned my head around.


    To be exact, Ellenia grabbed my face with both hands and made me look up at her.


    I was annoyed, but her expression was so weird that I stopped without realizing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone, so, please¡­ You can stop.¡±


    (T/N: referring to whatever dirt that scum put on her lips.)


    Oh. She only picked out strange words with a strange expression.


    I raised my hand and touched Ellenia¡¯s eyes. Her pretty eyes kept wavering.


    ¡°Lies. I can tell just by looking at your face.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t fool my eyes. There¡¯s always emotion in the eyes, right?¡±


    The emotion in his blue eyes was longing.


    It was just like what I saw in those red eyes that day. Yes, that was how I knew.


    It would have been much better if it had just been acting for the people spying on me and him.


    How could he do that? It was so funny that I couldn¡¯t stop laughing. Both my past life and my current one are so funny¡­

 Chapter 98

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°Really, really?


    ¡°¡­Really, really.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to go meet him now.¡±


    As soon as I got up, she grabbed me by my shoulders this time.


    Even though this was a dream, she was too strong.


    ¡°Ellen, you¡¯re so powerful here. Let go of me. I need to go to him.¡±


    ¡°No, until tomorrow¡­ You have to endure it.¡±


    ¡°But I won¡¯t be here tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    How did I know what kind of dream I¡¯d have tomorrow?


    I stopped struggling and looked up at the sky.


    Wow, the moon here is really pretty. Since I¡¯m dreaming, should I fly up and touch it?


    But would that work? Some dreams were completely free, but others weren¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go there.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Go over there¡­ I¡¯m going to meet my sister. Ahhh, that would be really nice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll succeed. Ellen, can you help me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    This was not fun. What was fun in just being silent and staring at me?


    I was so bored that I already felt like I was going to fall asleep.


    ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, Ellen. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­Inside¡­¡±


    The afterimage of a dream that was slowly disappearing dimly lingered, faint noises in my ears.


    I closed my eyes, embracing Ellenia¡¯s increasingly blurred vision with my arms open.


    It¡¯s so warm. I hope I don¡¯t wake up from my dream forever like this.


    * * *


    Empty bottles were lined up on the desk with only a small candlestick on.


    Perhaps because he was older, it was sweet, so it suited his taste, but he showed no signs of drunkenness.


    It was a gift that didn¡¯t suit the taste of the North, but what should he do? There were no other drinkers, so he had no choice but to do it alone.


    Rationalizing himself in that way, Duke Omerta spoke with dignity.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep yet?¡±


    Ellenia, who was passing through the hallway clutching her navy gown, paused and looked back.


    Two pairs of indifferent red eyes collided in the dark night when the lights were turned off.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing alone until this time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know already? I¡¯m drinking.¡±


    ¡°Are you drunk?¡±


    ¡°Well, considering that I just saw a ridiculous scene, I think I¡¯m a little drunk.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, a ridiculous scene?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a scene where my daughter quietly passes by carrying my daughter-in-law on her back. Did you play house together?¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    Ellenia gently approached her father¡¯s desk without showing signs of being flustered. Then he immediately changed the subject.


    ¡°You seem to be worried about tomorrow¡¯s match. Are you worried about Izek?¡±


    ¡°Why would I worry about that little punk? I¡¯m a little worried about my daughter-in-law.¡±


    Because he said daughter-in-law, it was clear what he wanted to know.


    He was asking what was going on.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I think she drank a little too much today.¡±


    ¡°She stepped out early because she wasn¡¯t feeling well, right?¡±


    ¡°Since when did you pay so much attention?¡±


    Perhaps because he seemed to have nothing to say, the Duke drank silently again.


    Ellenia hesitated for a moment and slowly began to speak.


    ¡°Give me a drink too.¡±


    This was really unexpected. However, instead of reacting, saying, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± the Duke silently and gracefully took out the empty goblet, following her request in an unexpected manner.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste that good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the mood.¡±


    ¡°Duke Vishelier and the Cardinal must have been a pretty good match.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it looked like. Don¡¯t we have Borgias wine?¡±


    ¡°Seeing you being sarcastic openly, you must have something to say to me.¡±


    Something bitter was buried at the end of the calm tone.


    Was he thinking of her mother? Swallowing that thought, Ellenia shook her head.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing like that. Is there anything you want to say to me? For example, something related to Dorias.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of impression you got from the disgusting ambassador, but I hate Dorias.¡±


    ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they the only ones pretending to be stubborn? We¡¯re all on the same level anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s surprising that Father says that. Since when did you become so frank?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I think I¡¯m getting older these days. By the way, are you really not going to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    ¡°However, it¡¯s because it¡¯s been so long since you came to me with a tearful face.¡±


    What did he mean by ¡®tearful¡¯? Was he that drunk? It was simply absurd, but Ellenia decided to let it go.


    A day of commotion was enough. Anyway¡­


    ¡°You weren¡¯t interested in what kind of a person your daughter-in-law was like in the first place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unfair, but I¡¯ll just move on. Will you accept it if I make an excuse for it now?¡±


    ¡°How come you¡¯re interested now?¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that child, I would have made the mistake of sending you away one day to experience the same thing as that child. Above all, isn¡¯t your brother in love with the child?¡±


    He said in a sour tone as if saying such a natural thing.


    Ellenia managed to close her half-open jaw. Suddenly, her stomach felt upset. The reason was unknown.


    ¡°Does he really love Ruby? Then, no matter what happens¡­¡±


    The sudden question was out of the blue even to her own ears.


    She didn¡¯t know why her tongue turned rogue.


    Perhaps because she tried to desperately prevent other words from popping out unconsciously.


    The tip of the finger, which put the goblet down, trembled.


    ¡®Father, actually, I think she¡¯s going to die, but then I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever know who killed her¡­ It¡¯s funny, I thought she had suffered enough damage already.¡¯


    The Duke, who was staring at his daughter with an unknown look, soon leaned forward and poured alcohol into the empty goblet.


    The flowing light blue liquid reminded her of someone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You look very worried. You never tell me what kind of secret you found out, so I only say what I have to say.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Once a man makes up his mind, he doesn¡¯t care how much she is in trouble. Even if there is a problem, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll deal with them all in the end. Do you understand? It means that what you have to worry about is on her side.¡±


    ¡°On her side¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to her mind from then on. If she doesn¡¯t open the door forever, there¡¯s nothing more he can do no matter how determined he is.¡±


    Silence fell.


    The last time the duke slowly put down the bottle, he added.


    ¡°Just like me and your mother.¡±


    Part VII: The Flower of the End.


    The chilly blue sky was dotted with colored bits scattered around.


    The flags cheering for today¡¯s participants.


    Along with thunderous shouts, crowds filled the dome-shaped stadium.


    All of them were not much different from yesterday.


    I had a headache. Was it because I slept too much last night?


    I had a strange dream, but I don¡¯t remember well. I rubbed my throbbing eyes and tried to come to my senses.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Hang on. What was this?


    I was sure I was being escorted by an Omerta escort, but why was Ivan next to me?


    By now, I thought he would look at me as if he was looking at trash and would be reluctant to even approach me.


    I thought I should act in a guilty and intimidated manner, but honestly, I was too lazy to do so.


    Suddenly, there was some magic that took place, and I just felt insensitive.


    As if I were just watching a character in a tragedy, not me.


    And whether it¡¯s a psychological problem, a defense mechanism or something, I was rather happy with my current state.


    As I was just staring at him, wondering what he was up to, Sir Ivan scratched his head with a strange look as if he was about to say something more.


    If it weren¡¯t for yesterday¡¯s incident, I would have thought he looked restless.


    ¡°¡­Nevermind.¡±


    Is it ironic? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m tired of thinking about it. It doesn¡¯t matter either way.


    What¡¯s the point of trying to guess what others are thinking about me?


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t deny that it was a very weird day.


    It was like that from the start. No, everyone was weird. To the point where I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what they planned together.


    This morning I woke up by discovering myself asleep in Ellenia¡¯s place.


    The escorts around seemed determined to monitor me.


    I didn¡¯t really care, but it was strange that Ellenia kept snooping around me.


    I thought she wouldn¡¯t want to come near at all.


    Then, finally, the only thing that came to her mind was, how about sitting with them to watch today¡¯s match?


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t do that.


    With them and Freya? Just curse me to die, Ellen.


    That wasn¡¯t enough, so just now, it seemed clear that Ivan was going to escort me, talk to me, and test how shameless I was while monitoring me.


    It seemed like he had come since morning and flirted with Ellenia, was that why he was here?


    But why did I feel like everyone was restless?


    Of course, whatever they were up to, I didn¡¯t really blame them.


    This wasn¡¯t understandable for them.


    But I knew that they couldn¡¯t abandon me, nevertheless.


    Right, my dear minority elite? Because we¡¯ve shared secrets.


    Come to think of it, what Ivan was just trying to say may have been about it.


    After witnessing that yesterday, he found out I was unlike how I usually acted, and I would have been judged to be the worst. He probably thought I might have joined hands with my family to cooperate with the North, and suddenly became scared.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Maybe they were afraid I¡¯d do something about the upcoming match.


    Wow, hahaha. I¡¯m sick and tired of misunderstandings, but I think this misunderstanding is worth using. Can I be the embodiment of fear from now on?


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a hot day. Drink something.¡±


    You too¡­ Should I say chameleon skin or great acting? Is that what you¡¯re going to say as soon as you see me?


    I stared at Cesare sitting next to me for a moment in the same way as yesterday.


    Dark blue hair and deep blue eyes. A copper-toned face.


    He felt like a stranger, who I thought I knew so well that I was tired of.


    Moreover, it was even more so because he was looking straight ahead even though I was staring at him.


    Look at this. Are you avoiding my eyes? Since when did you start having such a good habit?


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time so I¡¯ve adapted to the climate here.¡±


    I threw it out to test waters, but surprisingly, Cesare still maintained an upright attitude.


    I thought he¡¯d stare at me.


    Ah, he¡¯s tempting me to do whatever I want. What do I need to do now? I always attract attention anyway.


    I jumped up. As soon as I did that, sure enough, he opened his mouth again.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡­¡±


    ¡°Washroom.¡±


    I answered briefly and turned around.


    As I strode through the door attached to the inside of the balcony, I felt a gaze on my back.


    This is so funny.


    * * *


    The public washroom was empty.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t have much to do, so I approached the sink, turned on the water, and began to wash my hands.


    Hmm¡­ Did I lose more weight? I think my fingers got thinner. Was the ring this loose?


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    Surprised. I looked back and just focused on washing my hands again.


    Ah. It¡¯s Freya. This is so obvious that it¡¯s neither fun nor a twist.


    ¡°It¡¯s admirable how you can be so brazen in that human mask.¡±


    I¡¯m more impressed with you. How can you find such a convenient chance to talk with me alone? With this kind of attitude, what queen, she should have established a kingdom earlier.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be true¡­ Are you ashamed?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Are you listening?


    ¡°Hmm? Did you just talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Ha. You¡¯re killing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, hiccups won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Freya didn¡¯t make any noise for a moment.


    I took the ring off my finger and looked carefully.


    I don¡¯t think it changed sizes. It¡¯s impossible for the ring to become big, so did I lose weight on my fingers?


    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re finally showing your true colors. Is this what your true self, Lovely Duchess?¡±


    ¡°Amazing, you knew my status? I thought you didn¡¯t even know that because you were so bad at understanding.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said you¡¯re amazing. Is there a problem with your hearing?¡±


    I glanced away as I put the ring back on.


    ¡°You talked about treason. It¡¯s shocking that there are people who do that openly.¡±


    ¡°Rebel? When did I¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you make a fuss about becoming a queen? You were very ambitious.¡±


    Freya¡¯s expression staring at me was a spectacle if I had to express it in a single word.


    The combination of a waxy pale face and cold frozen purple eyes was quite overwhelming.


    Soon after, she raised the corners of her mouth.


    ¡°Poor boy. I wonder what will happen to him after he finds out who you are.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you should be worried about. You still don¡¯t understand the subject.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t understand the subject. Are you aware that you insulted the entire north?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t say stuff without being able to distinguish between places. At best, you talk as if the North could live under the rule of a Marquis¡¯ daughter. I don¡¯t know if I should call it hopeful or simply pathetic.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Her pale face quickly turned red.


    It was a rare scene to appreciate, but the feeling was not good, so I shook my wet hands and focused on drying them with a handkerchief.


    Freya, who was shaking like a tree, was about to say something again.


    ¡°Frey, what are you doing here?¡±


    Ellenia, who suddenly appeared, said as soon as she entered the bathroom.


    The atmosphere was so unusual that I thought she was talking coldly.


    What is this? Did the two of them fight? Well, it¡¯s none of my business.


    ¡°Frey?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just using the washroom.¡±


    Oh, I thought she¡¯d tell her right away, but Freya quickly left the bathroom, mumbling as if she were making excuses.


    In the meantime, I folded my handkerchief well again, put it in my hand, turned around and passed by Ellania, who was quietly standing next to the door.


    ¡°Ruby, are you okay?¡±


    I wondered if she was being sarcastic. Indeed, it was an unexpected question that far exceeded my expectations, but I didn¡¯t want to know the significance.


    When I paused for a moment and looked back, those expressionless red eyes blinked quickly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t be okay with.¡±


    Ellenia didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Instead, she just pursed her lips.


    I almost knew what kind of conversation was going to go back and forth. Probably the second round from a while ago.


    In a way, it was natural for me to be criticized, but the opponent I had matched with was the noisy Freya.


    I didn¡¯t feel like doing that again with Ellenia, so I walked out of there.


    * * *


    ¡°Hey, Galar.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Ivan?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible for the Duchess to jump through the holy barrier?¡±


    At that moment, he thought he heard something wrong, so he didn¡¯t respond.


    Instead, he stared at his colleague¡¯s face, whose dark circles came down to his chin, with a look of displeasure.


    Therefore, Ivan, of course, was furious.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re not sober. I don¡¯t think you should be walking around. Do you want me to help you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you picking a fight, you useless b*stard?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you today?¡±


    No one answered Galar¡¯s calm question.


    Rub and Ezekiel just shook their heads puzzled.


    Except for Camu, who was staring into the air with a look similar to Ivan.


    Galar¡¯s splitting dark red eyebrows wriggled.


    ¡°Camu. Ivan. What are you hiding from us?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about, punk? What are we hiding all of a sudden? You said we¡¯re hiding, but I think you¡¯re the one hiding something!¡±


    Camu¡¯s reaction as if he had been waiting was beyond suspicious of his mental state.


    Speaking of Ivan, he was now staring at one place with a series of sighs that did not suit him.


    They followed the gaze and looked away.


    ¡°The gist of your question is, if Izek gets hurt during the game, you¡¯re worried that the Duchess will lose her composure, show unexpected behavior, or something like that¡­ ?¡±


    ¡°¡­crazy b*stard, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you worried about? She didn¡¯t look troubled today. I think she¡¯s calmer than yesterday.¡±


    That was the problem.


    Swallowing briefly, Ivan exchanged complex gazes with Camu.


    After holding their heads all night and contemplating in their own way, they planned to talk to Rudbeckia first before discussing with Galar and others.


    So they went there early in the morning, but they didn¡¯t know Ellenia would welcome them.


    For those who were worried, Ellenia confessed about last night¡¯s commotion in a calm tone that seemed to convey some objective information.


    The Omerta family had already suffered the tragic end of their Duchess once.


    Ivan couldn¡¯t even imagine what would happen to everyone if that struck again.


    As soon as his head was about to explode, his anger, which was close to living, soared.


    If he could, he wanted to run out like this and kill that Borgia, who was sitting there shamelessly.


    Rudbeckia seemed really strange.


    Should he say that it was not like her or that it seemed like she herself had suddenly changed?


    Considering the usual appearance of Rudbeckia they know and yesterday¡¯s mess, it felt unfamiliar.


    Ivan approached her earlier with the intention of talking to her even for a short time, but she looked at him with a look he had never seen before.


    To be honest, Ivan thought Rudbeckia would get blue or feel intimidated as soon as she saw him.


    But such an empty and dull face.


    Rather than being shaken, she seemed calm.


    A face that looked like it was about to go somewhere. She looked like she had no regrets or feelings.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯


    He was afraid of the worst happening, especially if Izek found out.


    Ivan just grabbed his head with both hands. Now they had no idea whether they should worry more about Izek or Rudbeckia. It was a complicated situation.


    Even if he wanted to take action right away, he couldn¡¯t do anything because the situation was sensitive.


    They had to let go of everything and wait anxiously until the end of the match.


    He wanted the creator of the matches, who had nothing to do with this situation, to rot in hell for a long time.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    The echo that came through the wooden wall of the player¡¯s waiting room somehow sounded similar to the sound of the gnomes groaning.


    But that didn¡¯t bother him much.


    Compared to the roars of the audience who were too excited every five minutes, this was close to whispering.


    ¡°Hah, can you hear that scream? I think it¡¯s louder than yesterday. Everyone must be really excited.¡±


    Izek was not interested in whether the crowd, sitting in the stands and howling like beasts, were excited or not.


    There was only one person he thought about. He just wanted to hurry up, finish everything and run and hug them.


    ¡°Andymion, stop chattering and wipe it clean.¡±


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±


    Since when did he stop listening to him like this?


    With such thoughts in his head, Izek moved his cleanly tied handkerchief back close to the sword handle.


    Meanwhile, Andymion chatted brightly without stopping as he wiped.


    ¡°I guarantee you that you will win today without any problems. And one day, after I become a paladin, I will definitely participate in this competition and take over the honour of respect.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°What? As your trainee, I have to support you until the end¡­ Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Suddenly, I thought your existence itself was wrong.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too much, sir. Please don¡¯t take it out on me like that because you¡¯re annoyed that you can¡¯t meet your wife.¡±


    It was a very cheeky response, but Izek fell into agony for a while instead of getting angry.


    Since when did he become so sly?


    ¡°Are you in puberty?¡±


    ¡°¡­no, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just jealous.¡±


    ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°So after you win today, my lady will smile brightly and be happy, right? But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to find someone to do so when I become like you. To be honest, it¡¯s hard for me to talk to young ladies.¡­ .¡±


    Andymion, sighed in a serious tone.


    Of course, Izek had no heart to listen to his trainee¡¯s love concerns.


    Fortunately, the knock rang just in time.


    ¡°Sir Izek, someone¡¯s here for you.¡±


    It was news that made his ears prick up.


    Visiting him with the match just around the corner, he couldn¡¯t believe she did such a cute thing¡­.?


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just her.¡±


    To make matters worse, Izek, who left the waiting room in an excited mood even though he didn¡¯t show it off because of his trainee, soon couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment.


    ¡°Iz.¡±


    She was sitting there nervously biting her lips. The reason his excitement died was that this wasn¡¯t the blonde beauty he¡¯d been expecting.


    ¡°Iz, wait a minute¡­!¡±


    He didn¡¯t think there would be a very pleasant conversation, but Freya hurriedly grabbed him, turning straight away.


    As she literally held his arm and hung on, Izek was even more annoyed.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re mad. But I have something very important to tell you right now¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about your wife! And Cardinal Valentino.¡±


    As if the mention of his wife was the only thing that could make him halt, Izek stopped and stared at Freya¡¯s face.


    Freya sighed and gulped.


    ¡°You may not believe it¡­ There is a very important fact you should know. You¡¯ve been fooled all this time.¡±


    ¡°Are you too bored of living all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Iz, I¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to live anymore?¡±


    His cold, bloody eyes fluctuated.


    Fear poured into her body, but Freya did not back down. She couldn¡¯t back down like this.


    ¡°I guess you think I¡¯m trying to drive a wedge, but I¡¯m not the only one. Your friends and your sister saw it clearly with their own eyes. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check with them! ¡°


    Izek wasn¡¯t as curious as to what they saw with their eyes usually.


    Except when it was about Rudbeckia.


    If anything had happened to Rudbeckia, they would have come and delivered it themselves. There was nothing to do after checking.


    ¡°They were kissing!¡±


    As he turned back, Freya¡¯s shrill cry rang.


    It was so desperate, he thought he heard it wrong for a moment.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°The two were kissing in the garden you made for her. It wasn¡¯t a kiss you¡¯d have with a family member.¡±18


    Tears formed in her purple eyes.


    On the other hand, his red eyes froze. They were glaring at her like a frozen flame, blasting cold air all around them.


    ¡°Speak again. What did you say?¡±


    The growl that finally rang was more of a warning than a push.


    He was about to twist her neck right away.


    It was unbelievable. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    Freya held her trembling hands tightly as if praying.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either. Same goes for Ellen¡­ But all the rumours were true, Iz.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You were being fooled. Not just you, but all of us¡­¡­ Oh, my. What should I do? What should I do with this?¡­.¡±


    Silence passed by.


    In the midst of a long and thin ice-like silence, Izek just stared at Freya without moving as if he had hardened on the spot.


    As soon as she tried to open her mouth again, the powerful bell rang loudly shattered the close silence.


    ¡°5 minutes left! Players, gather alone!¡±


    The sound of excited players running out into the hallway quickly made it noisy.


    Izek, who was about to turn around and join them, once again paused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°¡­Let go.¡±


    Freya, who hugged him from behind and hung on him, remained still.


    She shook her head hard and whispered in a tearful tone.


    ¡°Just give up, Iz. I beg you. I¡¯m so worried that you¡¯re going to be cheated. I don¡¯t know what kind of magic she used on you.¡­ .¡±


    It was an earnest plead that would make any cold-blooded heart melt.


    However, Izek shook off Freya¡¯s arms around his waist and took a big step without hesitation.


    Freya shouted one last time on his back, which was getting farther away.


    ¡°Please open your eyes, Iz! She¡¯s been playing with you from the beginning, she won¡¯t care if you die or not!¡±


    Izek didn¡¯t look back.


    * * *


    ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡±


    After returning from the bathroom, I was pressing on the hard seat cushion with my palm, and for some reason, my father-in-law came to the balcony seat.


    Oh my. What was wrong? I thought he got close to Cesare.


    ¡°Of course not. Will you join us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour, but I¡¯m sure my son will say something later.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡±


    As expected, they were in sync. Well, they were plotting together. I hope they would be happy.


    I sat down, picked up a small chocolate on a tray next to my armrest, and put it in my mouth.


    It didn¡¯t taste like anything. I hoped this would start soon.


    ¡°My lady? Are you comfortable in your seat?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    You don¡¯t have to talk to me, so you two can chat comfortably.


    I pushed the chocolate basket away and picked up a colorful candy.


    What did this taste like?


    ¡°¡­I heard that sudden news came from Romagna this morning. Any bad news¡­?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, but there¡¯s nothing special to do in a hurry. My immature brother just caused another accident.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think he¡¯ll maintain your reputation steadily there.¡±


    ¡°I had enough without him doing that. Well, this time, he had a fistfight with someone who might be my brother-in-law soon.¡±


    ¡°You mean Duke Seth? You must have a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you know, he¡¯s a formidable child. I have to reconcile as soon as possible, but my father seems to be holding him by the back of his neck as the Prince and my brother talk.¡±


    ¡°The Pope seems to be working hard, too. But if you persuade them well, won¡¯t it be solved smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m there, but my brother also has a habit of spilling words without a filter. Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to do either.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, wouldn¡¯t you still listen to the advice of your lovely and smart sister? What do you think, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, Ruby. Do you have a good idea.¡­ ?¡±


    No, you should play on your own, why do you keep talking to me?


    I felt annoyed but I was forced to open my mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem to worry about. If he keeps insisting, put him down.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°Or you can excommunicate. If you want to deal with it secretly, send your henchman to beat him up, put a dead horse on the bed, and threaten him, or if that¡¯s not enough, just assassinate him. It¡¯s a simple solution. As for Brother Enzo, if you take money from him for a few days and confine him in confession, he will quickly become obedient and kiss Father¡¯s feet in no time.¡±


    Nothing went back and forth for a moment.


    While I took off the yellow candy wrapper and put it in my mouth, the two handsome noblemen just stared at me with his mouth open like a baby bird.


    ¡°¡­..ahem, sir, did you maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Actually, I had an argument with her¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, as expected. This old man doesn¡¯t even know how his daughter-in-law feels¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one at fault¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what else they whispered about.


    Anyway, my father-in-law turned to me, awkwardly uttered words that were difficult to understand, mixed with a cough, and then left.


    There was a moment of peaceful stillness for a while. It was hard to say it was quiet because it was so noisy everywhere.


    That was until Cesare, who had been glancing at me while coughing, finally spoke again, maybe affected by my father-in-law or so.


    * * *

 Chapter 101

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°Who? Father-in-law? I guess he¡¯s going through a mid-life crisis. The same also happened to our father.¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, I¡¯m talking about you, Ruby.¡±


    Would you be in a good mood if you were me? Do you think I enjoy sitting next to you?


    This b*stard had no conscience.


    The audacity of him had me shaking my head and laughing to myself. This conversation was just so ridiculous. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that. Why wouldn¡¯t I be in a good mood? I¡¯m having so much fun right now. You don¡¯t have to glare at me like that. I¡¯m good at managing my facial expressions, you know.¡±


    My life must be one hell of a comedy to anyone watching.


    ¡°¡­ Am I glaring at you?¡± Cesare, surprisingly, didn¡¯t let much of anything show on his face. The faint look of confusion was gone within the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t you put a smile on your face?¡± I hoped my sneering wasn¡¯t that noticeable. ¡°Your brother-in-law, who will most likely become the King of the North in the future, will appear at any moment, so shouldn¡¯t you be showing your good side to him?¡±


    Cesare didn¡¯t say anything further. Instead, he just kept glancing at me while fiddling with the rosary in his hands.


    His constant peeking was especially annoying today, but I decided to just put up with it since I didn¡¯t want to hear him any longer.


    Before long, the loud trumpets signaling the start of the match reverberated throughout the arena, but the rambunctious shouts and cries from the spectators drowned it all out as the entire coliseum filled with the crowd¡¯s excitement.


    My eardrums were about to burst. They were definitely going to burst.


    Despite the fact that this was the moment I had been waiting for, I felt somewhat indifferent.


    I hadn¡¯t even thought about what would happen after this game was over.


    I had nothing to lose anyway. Whatever happens, happens, no matter if I worried about it or not.


    Everything is meaningless in the end, after all.


    The first batch of monsters unleashed on the battlefield were Behemoths. They were animal-like demons of tremendous size and power, whose special ability was bewitching humans into giving in to one of the seven deadly sins, the sin of wrath.


    They were ferocious and fearless creatures, unstoppable when angered, and they looked like a strange mix between a rhinoceros, a hippopotamus, and a dinosaur. The monsters rushed out into the stadium and the jeers of the audience became even louder. I think I understand now why the people of this kingdom had so many anger management issues.


    The crowd¡¯s hollering and cheering, the Behemoths¡¯ shrieking and screeching, all of it became too much.


    There were so many Behemoths down there, how on earth could these people contain their anger? Did the cries of these monsters not trigger their wrath?


    As if everything I knew about the monsters did not matter in the slightest, the players, who had been waiting for this moment, dauntlessly jumped into the fray with their holy swords drawn. The swords had been declared sacred by the priests during a holy ritual before the start of the game, and they clanged as the men boldly and confidently faced the beasts.


    The shouts of the audience crying for blood, the roars of the demons, the sounds of metal and flesh meeting each other and the blinding lights of divinity sealed in the swords releasing and bursting forth like lightning strikes¡ªeverything made me nauseous.


    ¡°Kill it! Kill it!¡±


    ¡°Where are you looking at, you stupid b*stard?! You¡¯re the disgrace of our family!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and cut it off! Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!¡±


    ¡°If you die here, don¡¯t even think about coming back to Rembrandt!¡±


    The hysteria was worse than yesterday.


    I felt sick to my stomach, but everyone else seemed to crave for violence, for blood to flow.


    Wasn¡¯t this just like the Olympics? Like other sports events? The human desire to see disaster happen was the same no matter what world I was in.


    Even though many of the Behemoths had been slaughtered already, there were still a few tenacious ones left that had withstood the bloodbath. And yet, when the last mana stone from the core of the monsters rolled across the floor, the roaring that incited the sin of wrath finally faded away.


    The player that had taken down the last monster standing was a knight from Dorias.


    The mockery and taunts aimed at the men who were getting dragged out of the arena because of their injuries was only expected.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯ll be impossible for them to recover. That¡¯s too bad,¡± Cesare said as he watched the helpers come out and clean up the mana stones scattered all over.


    Was this man actually capable of feeling pity?


    I was at a loss for words so I replied back cheerfully, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring Enzo, then? I¡¯m pretty sure he would have jumped at the chance to participate. I mean, wouldn¡¯t you enjoy seeing him get pulverized?¡±


    You would have danced with joy if Enzo crushed his arms while fighting here like those poor souls, wouldn¡¯t you?


    As I kept that stupid smile plastered on my face, Cesare only fixated his eyes on me, looking for something. After a moment that lasted for too long, when I started to wonder if the corners of my mouth would be stuck in this position forever, he finally started to move his jaw. He only spat out nonsense, though.


    ¡°He needs Father¡¯s permission to participate, and Father would never allow it even if that punk had already traveled all the way here. But who knows if it were me?¡±


    Are you trying to get sympathy from me? I know damn well you wouldn¡¯t have participated even with Father¡¯s permission.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ Maybe Father approved of you coming here so that you can take this opportunity to get a grip. He would¡¯ve preferred that much better, isn¡¯t that right? I think you¡¯re having too much of a victim complex. Shouldn¡¯t it be me out of the two of us to think like that?¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? You know how much our family loves you¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t lie to me. If you thought of me as your real family, you wouldn¡¯t have pimped me out five times.¡± All I could do was laugh at my harsh reality. ¡°Right, I¡¯m not even Father¡¯s real child.¡±


    Would it have been different if I was? Would Father have loved me then?


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m the daughter of a courtesan, after all, so Father and Brother have truly been merciful. I really have nothing to complain about.¡±


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡±


    His deep azure eyes trembled with something I couldn¡¯t make sense of and his copper-toned face was twisted into a look I¡¯d never seen on him before.


    This unfamiliar Cesare I was seeing would have been amusing to me if only I had the energy left to care. So I turned back to the battlefield.


    In no time, the dust in the air and the stones on the ground had disappeared and been cleaned up. I wondered what other types of monsters today¡¯s match had in store to outdo Behemoths, but the demons that followed next were all Undead types.


    Because of that, the atmosphere was quite different from yesterday.


    Yesterday, the monsters had been reckless and would charge at anything in their way without thought, but today¡¯s monsters made the players be on their guard in a way that the Behemoths had not made them be.


    The atmosphere turned solemn and the audience quieted down, the gloomy chill in the air making everyone¡¯s hair stand on end. If yesterday¡¯s match felt like an action movie, today felt like watching a horror show.


    ¡°Just go to Hell, you b*stard!¡±


    ¡°Your father is about to take you out of the family register!¡±


    But of course, the madness hadn¡¯t subsided in the slightest.


    The platform the players were standing on to battle the monsters was overrun with ghouls. Their gray, decayed skin looked awful and they were emitting a strange, dark purple smoke.


    Two men fell off the platform, but they didn¡¯t seem to be injured. Rather, they seemed to have been engulfed by the strange mist and become enthralled.


    It would have been nice to actually be able to see what was happening on the ground, but whenever a sword or horse accidentally flew towards the edges of the platform, towards the audience, the sacred shield protecting us all would light up, flashing brightly and blinding my eyes.


    To my dismay, the eyes of the Cardinals, including Cesare, unfortunately, and other high-ranking priests didn¡¯t seem to be affected at all.


    I always wondered why a committee was formed, because cheating just seemed impossible to do in this coliseum. The audience being seated so high up while all the players were down on the ground made it so that every single thing they did could be seen. But now I understood why. It seems like none but the clergy were able to see clearly.


    My eyes suffering didn¡¯t matter at all, though, because the monsters kept on continuing their rampage and the audience kept on shouting their lungs out. The ghouls had been steadily killing and tearing apart the players, but the crowd didn¡¯t seem to care whatsoever. The sight of humans dying only fueled their enthusiasm. None of these people batted an eyelid at the horror that was unfolding. No sympathy, no pity, no humanity.


    So what was the point of any of the men down there fighting so hard to live? What was the point of trying to live at all?


    As I reached over for the basket filled with candies, something made me halt. Someone had refilled it. I hadn¡¯t noticed it, because I had been stuffing my mouth full with them.


    The fact that someone had done that annoyed me for some reason, so I pushed the basket away and grabbed the glass next to it.


    ¡°That¡¯s rum,¡± Cesare said.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s strong.¡±


    ¡°A little bit of drinking won¡¯t get me drunk. Didn¡¯t you tell me to have some earlier anyway?¡±


    Cesare twirled his glass before taking a sip from it. His eyes were focused on something far away on the battlefield as I saw him purse his lips. Perhaps he realized he was being contradictory, so he said, ¡°I think the final victor has already been decided. Of course I¡¯ve heard about his reputation and skills, but seeing it with my own eyes, it¡¯s very impressive. Your husband, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Really? How so?¡±


    ¡°Should I say that his swordsmanship is intense? Forceful? It¡¯s quite savage yet still elegant. It¡¯s not easy to balance those two.¡±


    Absolutely. Who in this world did not know how magnificent Izek was?


    The fact that Cesare was so genuinely complimenting my husband was laughable. Did he find Izek admirable? Did he want some private lessons in swordsmanship? Did he like him? Why don¡¯t the both of them just hold hands and rush towards their happy ending?


    ¡°Sounds like you are falling in love.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, I think it should be you that should become the Queen of the North instead of me. Or you two can decide who becomes what by yourselves. There¡¯s already a rumor about Enzo going around that he prefers men, so how about one for you as well?¡±


    As the silence continued on, Cesare kept sipping on his glass of warm wine to avoid gritting his teeth too much. The incensed look on his face was truly something else.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that vermin, if you¡¯re curious about that. I despise having any kind of contact with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame, you guys seemed so close together.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ruby, why are you saying all of these things?¡±


    The audacity¡­ Did he ask because he really didn¡¯t know? Did it not once occur to him why? Oh gosh. All I could do was laugh. This was just too funny. Chuckling like a madwoman to myself, the crowd suddenly let out a loud roar as the shield in front flashed white.


    Oh, my eyes! My eyes! I¡¯m going to be blind, for sure!


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Cesare asked while I was trying to blink the blindness away.


    ¡°What would you do if I wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­¡±


    Why was he picking a fight about every single little thing? Why couldn¡¯t he mind his own business? Why couldn¡¯t he just shut up?


    I was so irritated with him and I wanted to lash out, to give him a piece of my mind, but when I turned to him, he wasn¡¯t even looking at me. Cesare was not focused on the players on the ground floor, he was staring at something straight across from him. And so I turned to look as well.


    I didn¡¯t know exactly what type of monster it was; whether it was a specter, a ghoul, or something entirely different.


    Through the thick smoke, I could only see the outlines of its disfigured body.


    That thing was floating right in front of me, many feet up in the sky. I wondered if the monster had been hit by something, a sword, or maybe thrown off the platform by one of the players, but instead of rushing back towards the ones that wanted to kill it, it was levitating in front of the balcony me and Cesare were seated at.


    Its eyes were looking right into mine.


    The fiery glare in its glowing verdant orbs reminded me of the green torches that were supposed to keep Northerners safe from monsters. Bright, brilliant green visible and crystal clear through the transparent shield wall rooted me to the spot. I couldn¡¯t look away. The fire in those greens had me aflame. I¡¯m in big trouble, aren¡¯t I?


    It happened in a flash.


    As soon as the commotion grew again, the gray-skinned demon moved and catapulted towards me, its grotesque mouth open and filled with razor-sharp teeth, and was then yanked down to the ground suddenly as if it had been caught by something.


    For a second, I saw a glimpse of silver-white hair.


    ¡°Kill them! Kill them!¡±


    ¡°Finish them off! Now!¡±


    ¡°How dare those demons threaten nobles!¡±


    Seems like the monster only succeeded in angering the crowd and the Cardinals.


    The outrage of the audience in the stands and the sound of the ongoing battle from beneath eventually all merged together until the only noise I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

 Chapter 102

    The ringing in my ears eventually exploded until my whole body vibrated with the sound of the ground shaking. Was this an earthquake? The nausea and lightheadedness became so much worse that for a moment, I could not see.


    ¡°Did you see him? Did you that b*stard just now? F*ck, did he fly all the way there or what?¡±


    ¡°Because his wife is sitting there! He sure wants to look good, that crazy b*stard, hahaha!¡±


    The unbothered chatter of the spectators had me shaking my head in confusion. Was that not an earthquake? Did none of them feel that? Was I going crazy?


    My head was spinning and I was seeing black spots. The churning in my stomach was unbearable and blinking my eyes didn¡¯t help at all, so I closed them instead, hoping the pain would lessen.


    The physical pain eased up, but the unpleasant feeling in my chest did not. I didn¡¯t want to open my eyes again. I wanted to keep them closed for a long time, but I was not sure as to why.


    I did not want to see what was happening on the battlefield.


    ¡°Ruby, are you all right?¡± Cesare asked, worry laced in his voice. ¡°You must be shocked, do you want to take a break?¡±


    He probably thought the ghoul had scared me, but I felt too nauseous from all of the candy and rum I had taken in to correct him. My throat had grown dry with all of the crap I¡¯d stuffed into it.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡±


    Without giving him the chance to say anything else, I got up and walked away. I didn¡¯t want to know if he was still following me with his eyes, or if someone else in the vicinity was keeping me under surveillance. The feeling of being watched made my skin crawl and I hurried to enter the empty hall.


    But why was it that I did not want to look back, not even once?


    ***


    When I stopped by the bathroom, rinsed my mouth, sat on the steps leading to the players¡¯ dressing rooms for a minute or two, went outside to breathe in some cold air, and went back to my seat, there were only two players left on the battlefield.


    This time, a draugr had appeared, dressed like a knight akin to the Dullahans I had met. Its skin looked even worse than a ghoul¡¯s, with bones sticking out of its flesh, so grotesque and decayed that it looked like both a revenant and a mummy at the same time.


    The last two players on the platform were standing side by side, one knight with silver-white hair and sword drawn, and another wearing armor bearing the rose crest that symbolized Rembrandt¡¯s Vishelier family. He tapped the silver-haired knight on the shoulder and ran ahead.


    The crowd seemed to enjoy the initiative taken, considering how loud it became again.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Cesare¡¯s voice filled my ears.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I felt miserable, for some reason. ¡°I wonder what will come out next. It¡¯s a lot more boring than I expected.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. Everyone is on the edge of their seats, betting on who will win and who will die.¡±


    ¡°Unexpected, you say? Nobody here cares who will die. So do I.¡±


    It¡¯s the same for me if I died, right? No one would care.


    The match was boring to me, however, because I already knew how it would end.


    Cesare eyed me suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re not being serious, are you?¡±


    A polite question. Wondering if his sister was not anxious for her husband to win. I hoped that the cardinals sitting a few ways down had heard him, for his sake.


    The match was still boring and it was annoying to hear him talk, so I thought it would be better to just lay back and shut it all out at this point.


    ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯m sleepy, so I¡¯ll close my eyes for a bit. Even though it¡¯s so noisy.¡±


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re sleepy?¡±


    Should I laugh in his stupid face? ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t sleep last night. You might know why.¡±


    I wondered if I replied too harshly¡ªhe¡¯d probably punish me after the game¡ªbut I didn¡¯t care and folded my arms, leaned back, and closed my eyes.


    I thought I heard him mumble something, but the shouts of the audience drowned his voice out.


    Of course, it was practically impossible to fall asleep here. Sleeping while a battle was raging down below? How absurd. I was just trying to protect my poor eyes from the constant torture of flashing lights. And also to block Cesare from talking to me. I wish he¡¯d stop trying to hold a conversation.


    At least, that¡¯s what I thought.


    I had actually managed to fall asleep despite the noisy crowd and ongoing battle. For the first time in a long time, I dreamed of nothing.


    A loud, very loud cry woke me up.


    A piercing scream echoed across the stadium. I was dazed and I couldn¡¯t recognize where I was or what I was doing as my eyes sprung open. I raised my head, trying to look for the source. Blinking rapidly, the sense of time that I had lost, slowly flowed back.


    Something in me made me turn and look to the side.


    Cesare was fixed on the battlefield, looking hard at something, his lips curled into a faint smirk.


    Seeing the other cardinals past him do the same, I naturally followed their eyes downwards, towards the ground.


    At first, I thought a cardinal had somehow fallen off the stands and into the arena. I realized soon, however, that that was not the case.


    The ground was split in half as if an earthquake had ripped open the earth, and pieces of rubble were rising into the sky. Giant piles of bones were coming up from the dirt, twisting and coiling and beginning to take shape.


    A man was standing in the midst of it all. The wide grin he wore on his demonic face stretched from ear to ear and looked more like a laceration wound than a mouth. He was clad in rags, robes rotten and torn, and was emitting an unnatural green light from his body.


    That was not just any cardinal. That was Cardinal Richie.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. All the color drained from my face as I tried to grasp the situation. How was this possible?


    Richie came out? Dead Cardinal Richie came out in this match? Did I miss the memo?


    Cardinal Richie had been one of the men closest to Father, but after finding out that he had been conspiring with the Most Serene Republic of Venice against the Pope, he had been imprisoned and set to be executed for high treason. But Cardinal Richie had decided to not sit through Cesare¡¯s interrogation and torture. He had done what no man of the cloth dared to do. He had committed the unforgivable sin of taking his own life.


    And so, Cardinal Richie had become a wandering soul, doomed for eternity. He had become a ghoul.


    However, in order to get him here, there had to be special approval from the Vatican. In other words, the Pope had approved of sending his once closest subordinate, now cursed and demonic entity, to fight to the death here in Britannia for entertainment. It also meant that not only all the cardinals, including Cesare, but also everyone else involved in the Gladiatorial Match knew.


    Oh my God, they approved of this? Really?


    Colossal black wings flashed in front of my wide eyes.


    It took a while for me to realize that it was a wyvern. Had they always been this big? The beasts were circling in the air, and piles upon piles of bones were swaying in front of Cardinal Richie. They were twisting into a skeleton of humongous size, taking the shape of what looked to be a dragon. Richie¡¯s unholy divinity allowed for its bare bones to grow flesh and come together, but strangely enough, in the place of where its eyes should have been, green jewels glowing between purple scales stood out.


    And then, the newly-formed dragon slammed its foot down on something on the ground.


    No¡­ Not something, but someone.


    Even from all the way up here, I could see that silver-white hair shining vividly.


    How strange. What are you doing down there? Where is your sword? You¡¯re not that overwhelmed, are you? Can¡¯t you escape from under it? Did you get hurt? Did that zombie cardinal get you? No way, you¡¯re the main character. Or are you scheming something?


    Ear-splitting and terrible screams erupted once again as the dragon opened its massive jaws wide and let out a deafening roar, the noise settling in my bones. It looked like it was preparing for the final strike.


    Izek¡¯s eyes found mine.


    While he was getting crushed underneath the dragon¡¯s foot, he shifted a little and turned this way.


    I didn¡¯t know what kind of expression I was making.


    I was numb and dumbstruck and paralyzed.


    The moment our eyes interlocked, a thousand questions ran through my head.


    Why¡­ Why are you looking this way?


    Why are you looking at me with such a sad face?


    You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s getting hurt.


    Our dreams will be shattered in less than an hour.


    Sometimes¡­ Sometimes, I thought that it wouldn¡¯t be the worst death if I were to die by your hands. Because you¡­


    ¡°No!¡±


    What did I care about Richie or the dragon? It was none of my business whether the monsters set to fight had been changed from what I knew or not.


    And yet, I still jumped up and yelled out loud. The robe covering my knees sank to the stone floor of the balcony. All the screaming and screeching stopped and silence fell over the entire coliseum.


    The dragon, with its terrifying jaws gaping open, raised its purple snout towards me.


    ¡°Izek!¡±


    I felt someone grabbing my shoulder, trying to hold me back.


    The sound of wyverns hovering in the air and shrieking nastily came rushing to my ears.


    I don¡¯t know what I did. Maybe I screamed.


    If it weren¡¯t for the hands that held me and shook me, I probably would have jumped over the balustrade and onto the battlefield.


    ¡°Ruby, wake up!¡±


    ¡°Lady Rudbeckia, everything is fine! It¡¯s really okay! Look!¡±


    What? Is he okay? Is everything fine? Did everyone play a prank on me?


    The cardinals sitting all around me had jumped up the moment I did and were anxiously trying to mollify me, this shaken countenance of mine something they had never witnessed before.


    My racing heart calmed down as I tried to regain my composure. My weak legs gave in and I fell back into my seat, swallowing the lump in my throat all the while. The cardinals let out relieved sighs and went back to doing whatever it was that they were doing.


    This can¡¯t be right. Why was I the only one that looked crazy? Didn¡¯t they just see that? Why were they not bewildered? They were the weird ones, not me.


    And why was there laughter echoing through the air in this type of situation?


    ¡°Ha-ha! What is that fool doing?¡±


    ¡°Why is good old Richie acting so strange? Hey, can¡¯t you move around properly?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re no fun!¡±


    The taunts of the cardinals, who went back to being insufferable once seated a distance away, left me puzzled, so I turned my trembling eyes towards the arena.


    For some reason, Cardinal Richie was swinging his arms around, looking ridiculous and flustered, completely different from when he was cackling diabolically earlier. Not to mention the dragon and wyverns tangled together on the ground, flailing around and snapping their jaws at each other.


    I couldn¡¯t find Izek anywhere.


    ¡°Stop acting so weak! It doesn¡¯t look good on you! Finish it quickly!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tarnish the name of the Knights of Longinus, you damn fool!¡±


    ¡°The commander is watching you! Get your sh*t together!¡±


    Izek¡¯s fellow knights joined in on mocking their colleague, like the cardinals had been doing. I felt unwell between all the sarcasm and scorn, but I just clenched my hands and bit my tongue.


    I held my breath, trying to push down on the queasy feeling in my stomach, and watched as the zombie cardinal, still swinging his arms around like a lunatic, annihilated all the other Undead monsters still left in the arena and began to hit the ground.


    The cracked soil and rubble from the earlier attack soared into the air and purple smoke rose through the gaps. Then, just as quickly as it had made its way up, the debris came pouring down again.


    Richie must have intended to bury Izek alive. I gasped in shock and almost got up again, but a bright blue light flashed just before the rocks hit the ground.


    Fragmented golden particles flickered and glowed visibly through the sacred shield wall right in front of me.


    Was this what happens when holy and unholy divinity clash? The whole stadium shook at the violent collision and the dazzling illumination blinded me to the point of nausea.


    I was so dizzy, so lightheaded, I wondered what would happen to ordinary people like me if they were to actually get caught up in it.


    Finally, when all the light that had blinded me faded away and I managed to barely raise my heavy eyelids, the dirt floor of the stadium was as perfectly fine and smooth as it was before, and no trace of the dragon or wyverns could be found anywhere.


    The same was true for poor Cardinal Richie.


    ¡°I guess he could indeed use purification in this situation. As expected of Young Lord Omerta,¡± one of the cardinals said to Cesare.


    And then, the whole coliseum burst out into cheers.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    The two-day long massacre ended so quickly that I wondered if it had ever started at all.


    Now, the loud and boisterous rejoicing of the crowd, growing in intensity, felt somewhat empty.


    Between all the flowers, handkerchiefs, confetti, crosses, flags, and other objects being thrown into the arena, one silver-haired knight, lying in the middle of the flat ground and breathing hard, slowly raised his body.


    His chest heaved as he plunged his sword into the dirt and leaned on it. The healers came out and hurried to reach him.


    ¡°Izek! Izek! Izek!¡±


    ¡°I love you! I love you, Sir knight!¡±


    ¡°The best knight in the North! The best knight in the North!¡±


    The crowd¡¯s excitement grew as mine withered. I fell back into my seat with a thud, sighing. The solemn and dull feeling in my chest came back.


    Even if things had changed from what I knew of the original novel, it still ended exactly the same as it had been written.


    The world¡¯s main character, Izek van Omerta, won the Gladiatorial Match once again.


    The cheers grew even louder. Yes, that¡¯s how it should be.


    ¡°Ruby, I thought you¡¯d be happier.¡±


    Are you telling me to control my expression? I clenched my jaw, trying my hardest not to say something damning, but when I turned my head and glared at the person sitting next to me, that shameless man looked so irritatingly calm, that I couldn¡¯t help but scoff.


    ¡°Should I be dancing with joy right now?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I just thought you¡¯d be in a hurry to meet him.¡±


    ¡°I never could have imagined what type of surprises would come out, but it¡¯s obvious that he would have won either way, right? I don¡¯t know who came up with the idea of bringing Cardinal Richie, but you certainly know how to make one enjoy the festival. Why didn¡¯t you bring more?¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many cardinals who killed themselves,¡± Cesare smirked and leaned closer. ¡°We were all worried about what type of entertainment would be appropriate to replace the Ice Dragon that mysteriously disappeared, since we were all expecting him.¡±


    I gazed at him for a long time after that dig, trying to figure out what he meant by that. How much did he know? What was he trying to tell me? Should I just laugh?


    He made me nervous, but I still gave him a soft smile. ¡°You must be really happy to see your gift to him be dealt with so swiftly. Everyone would think you¡¯re his wife, not me.¡±


    The staring competition between me and Cesare continued on for a while as the whistling and cheering grew more unruly.


    The Northerners¡¯ patriotism must be at an all-time high. I could feel their shouts reverberating in my bones and I turned away from Cesare, watching as Izek was surrounded by healers and kneeling in front of the balcony where the King of Britannia was seated.


    I was curious about what kind of faces they were all making. Izek, King Feanol, Duke Omerta and Ellenia too. They¡¯d be bursting with pride, wouldn¡¯t they? I should have been sitting right next to them.


    ¡°Ruby¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about a single thing.¡±


    My eyebrows twitched. What kind of random line was this? This jerk seemed to be very determined to capture my attention today.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your husband. He will¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let him do anything to you.¡±


    His deep and dark eyes, the color of shimmering sapphires, glistened with a strange light.


    I was so speechless that I almost lost all reasoning.


    Was he really insane? I had always known that he was a bit mentally shaken and unstable, but he seemed to be really losing it this time. How could he say such a thing? What was he thinking? I already knew that Cesare was a man with no common sense and was cruel and had no consideration for anyone but himself, but I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that he was mentioning what happened yesterday, that he was mentioning it right here with everyone from Romagna around us, that he was looking at me as if his heart was broken.


    Was he serious? Was I seeing things? Was he trying to reassure me? Was he trying to tell me he was going to protect me? Him?


    What was even more ridiculous was the fact that he did not seem to be joking at all. It was clear in his eyes, he was telling me the truth. He wanted to protect me from my husband¡¯s anger. The anger he¡¯d feel from finding out his wife cheated on him. With her brother.


    I really couldn¡¯t believe it. I couldn¡¯t believe that he was telling me this. That he was acting like he had done nothing wrong. As if it was me that had kissed him. As if it was me that was in the wrong. As if it was all my fault.


    Did he not care what we looked like to the public at all? Was he not aware of the gravity of the situation? Was he not aware of what he did yesterday, not at all?


    I must be dreaming. This must be a hallucination. Someone must have casted a spell. I was so overwhelmed with the feeling of panic, of dread and fear, that tears began to well up from frustration.


    This man, my brother, kissed me on his own, destroyed all of my dreams, my safe haven, crushed it into the dirt and stomped all over it, but he was telling me that he would protect me? And then looking at me with such wistful eyes?


    My hands trembled and I couldn¡¯t swallow back the tears that were about to fall. I wanted to look away, but I couldn¡¯t.


    Until I heard the sound of hoofbeats coming closer.


    The strongest knight in the North sat proudly on a pure white stallion, the picture-perfect symbol of victory.


    In one hand, he held the holy sword that had led him to his victory, and at the end of it was a wreath of flowers, woven with golden roses and dazzling gemstones. It was the Flower of Glory given to the champion of the Gladiatorial Match.


    In an instant, abruptly and suddenly, all of the cheering stopped and it became silent.


    I blinked and gazed at my husband, the champion, dressed in gold-plated and black-colored armor, sitting on his magnificent horse and I admired his blood-stained face, tears in my eyes.


    His familiar, beautifully red ones held an emotion I knew all too well.


    My heart hurt.


    Why are you making such a pained face?


    Why do you look so tired? What¡¯s so painful?


    Did you find out?


    You knew it for a while now, right? All day? Maybe since yesterday?


    I don¡¯t look so pretty anymore, do I?


    What is it like, seeing a witch in the place of someone you thought was a princess? Do you want to kill me? Do you just want to end it all, right here and right now?


    I won¡¯t hold it against you. I deserve it. So you have my blessing.


    I tried, I tried as hard as I could to give him one last true smile. Weak and trembling and with my heart bleeding for all to see, but I still gave him the sweetest smile I could give.


    I certainly thought that he would glare at me, that he would sneer at me and scoff and mock and reject me just like he had done during that first week that we met. I thought I was hallucinating, that I had finally lost my mind, because he did none of those things.


    Instead, Izek gave me a sweet smile of his own in return.


    I must have been deluding myself, I wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind after all, but the wreath he dropped at my feet was, without a doubt, no delusion.


    Feeling numb, I bent over and picked it up. The golden roses and sparkling jewels shone brightly.


    The sound of him sheathing his sword felt distant.


    A thousand questions ran through my head and I couldn¡¯t answer a single one of them.


    When I raised my head to look at him, confused and scared and wondering if this was a dream I¡¯d soon wake up from, the emotions in his beautiful eyes were so clear to me.


    Something small inside me broke to pieces. I realized it, then. I finally realized it.


    It had been right in front of me. The thing I had been too scared to even dream of, the thing I thought I would never experience in my entire life, my death, and my second life.


    The very thing that most people spend their whole lives searching for, the thing that they write songs about, they write stories and books and create fairytales and folklore, all in the hope of finding that miracle for themselves one day.


    I love him.


    It was so clich¨¦d.


    How could he still look at me like that, even when he knew what I did? How could he still see me as his perfect princess? How could he not hate me? How could he not be disgusted by me? How could he do that to me? How could he still make me feel like I was the only one in this entire coliseum, even when everything was falling apart around me?


    Because he loved me too.


    Why didn¡¯t I realize it before? And why was my vision blurring? How dare he make me cry in front of all these people.


    The crowd went wild again as the band began playing the victory fanfare. All of the noise and the music merged together and filled the stadium.


    The tears that I had been trying to hold back for a while now finally came pouring down my cheeks. I didn¡¯t know whether they were tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of misery or whether they were all of them.


    It was fine, though. I was known for having a lot of tears anyway.


    I saw him hesitate to turn his horse around, his eyes unsure yet hopeful. He needed to circle around the arena, to receive all of the crowd¡¯s praises.


    I wanted to get up and jump over the balustrade, right into his embrace. I wanted to reassure him and put my arms around his neck. I wanted to bury my nose in his hair and hang on to his wide shoulders.


    I wanted to hold on to the strong arms that had always protected me and saved me, from the very first moment that we first met. I wanted to be with the one that had given me something that no one else had ever given me before.


    But I couldn¡¯t do that. Not yet. There were still problems I had to deal with.


    Because I was a terrible and selfish woman. A wretched soul that had used him and his feelings as a way to guarantee her life but gained something precious and sacred instead.


    You know, Iz, I¡¯m a woman who deserves hatred and contempt. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll fall into Hell once it is my time to go, but if I can be by your side for a little while longer, just until my life ends, then it doesn¡¯t matter.


    For the first time in my life, I have something I want to hold on to.


    ***


    The end of the Gladiatorial Match was met with a grand banquet held in Angvan Palace.


    The proud Britannians were lively and cheerful, arrogant and energetic, and the atmosphere was generally pleasant.


    There were, however, people who were not cheerful or happy at all. The few of the minority elite of the Knights of Longinus immediately huddled together as soon as they entered the hall.


    ¡°I can¡¯t find either of them anywhere! They¡¯re both gone!¡± Camu exclaimed once he reached the small group of Paladins. He was nervous and his face didn¡¯t look so good. He was not only pale but also a little blue.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you meet them in the middle?¡±


    ¡°Me and Galar were in the escort team! When we arrived at the palace, both of us had to stay for the procession!¡±


    Ivan didn¡¯t look so good either. Sweat was dripping down his temples and he was biting his lips bloody. The rest of the knights, who were not aware of what had transpired yesterday, just looked on in confusion.


    ¡°Hey, what are you guys talking about? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°F*ck, this is crazy,¡± Ivan said. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going crazy. First off, where is that champion b*stard right now? Is he still not here yet?¡±


    ¡°Explain what¡¯s going on, you idiots!¡±


    The outburst of the ones left in the dark about yesterday would of course attract some attention from the party-goers standing close. The minority elite of the Knights of Longinus didn¡¯t tend to make a scene out in public.


    However, fortunately or unfortunately, most people enjoying the banquet were already boisterous and loud, a little bit drunk and filled with excitement, so not many paid them any attention. Maybe that was the problem.


    ¡°My Lady.¡±


    ¡°Ivan¡­¡±


    Ivan, quickly leaving Camu to deal with their angry colleagues, turned to Ellenia.


    She was in the same disheveled state as Ivan. Having been anxiously searching for a certain someone, her face had turned pale with distress once she could not find them.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen them either?¡±

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Giggles and whispers sounded from the back of the room. Perhaps, with this lively atmosphere, a couple had the confidence to indulge in one another out in the open.


    Neither Ellenia nor Ivan had the mind to care about such things, though.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ellenia¡¯s eyes shifted from side to side nervously. ¡°Why did the two of them leave at the same time? If Izek finds out¡­¡±


    ¡°My Lady, please, calm down for now. Do you know where Lady Furiana is right now?¡±


    She frowned at him, confused at the question. ¡°What? Why? What about Freya?¡±


    ¡°My Lady, you know her¡­ Maybe she was keeping an eye on those two, just like us, or maybe she saw something.¡±


    Ivan didn¡¯t want to imply too much, but he couldn¡¯t shake off the thought. They stared at each other for a moment before Ellenia¡¯s eyes grew wide.


    ¡°She said she was going to the bathroom.¡±


    And Freya van Furiana was indeed in the bathroom. However, she was not alone. She was also not inside the bathroom, but rather standing right in front of it, in a long and empty hallway.


    ¡°Can you do me a favor, Lorenzo?¡±


    She stood tall and proud. Her little brother, looking up at her with eager eyes, nodded wholeheartedly. She was taller than him by a few inches because of her high-heeled shoes.


    For his beloved sister, he would do anything. Even more so if it had something to do with that vile Witch of the South.


    Freya smiled happily and ruffled her brother¡¯s platinum blond hair. ¡°Iz will arrive soon. If he comes looking for his wife or Cardinal Valentino, then you¡­¡±


    She leaned closer and whispered the next words very carefully into his ears, making sure no one but him could hear her.


    Lorenzo most definitely understood what she wanted him to do.


    Lady Furiana smirked and turned around, giddy and elated, but soon jumped up in surprise as her best friend¡¯s voice rang out from behind.


    ¡°Frey?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ellen.¡± She quickly schooled her expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the delay. Any news?¡±


    Violet eyes that were wide open. An innocent face mixed with curiosity and worry. Taking in her best friend¡¯s familiar face, Ellenia hesitated.


    Therefore, Ivan, who stood behind her, stepped up instead. ¡°Lady Furiana, by any chance¡ª¡±


    ¡°Champion! Champion! Champion!¡±


    Ivan¡¯s voice got buried by the cries that filled the empty corridor. The sound came from the banquet hall. People were cheering.


    Ivan felt his blood run cold, and it was no different for Ellenia.


    He was here already?


    It was tradition for the champion of the Gladiatorial Match to enter the banquet hall last together with the king. That age-old practice had just been broken.


    The three of them turned around and ran as fast as they could.


    ***


    Camu, stuck with the duty of pacifying his livid colleagues, felt like dying.


    To make matters worse, the one person who should have arrived dead last, had arrived now. He hadn¡¯t even changed out of his blood-soaked armor or washed off his sweat. His sword was drawn, too.


    Izek really did look like Satan incarnate in moments like these. Camu, never having been this tense in his life, tried to come off as if nothing was wrong. Calm and controlled, like it was just any other day.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Iz, what are you doing here already? You should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡±


    Izek¡¯s voice was surprisingly low and mellow. His contrasting appearance made him sound much more menacing, however.


    Not only Camu, but also the other three elite knights stopped and gawked at the champion of the Match. The air had turned awkward.


    ¡°She¡¯s probably not here because of the tacky decor¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    Izek, pushing Camu¡¯s shoulder without a hint of mercy, began to march forward.


    ¡°Wait! Sir! Hold, haa, hold on!¡± Andymion, having been cruelly abandoned by his senior, came rushing into the hall, finally having caught up with Satan himself. He was out of breath, but no one had the time to pay any attention to him.


    Something was not right, and Galar, who had tried to slap the truth out of Camu a while ago, suddenly stepped out and blocked the man from advancing, a frown on his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but this is not right. If you¡¯re here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Iz!¡±


    Just in time, Ivan and Ellenia entered the hall again and hurried over. The Paladins, not really understanding what was wrong, breathed a sigh of relief.


    That feeling of relief didn¡¯t last long, considering the looks on the knight and the Lady¡¯s faces.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why are you here already? Looking like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I know you¡¯re an arrogant fellow, but this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡± Izek¡¯s strained voice echoed strangely.


    Ellenia froze on the spot, her mind turning blank. Ivan swallowed nervously and pushed her behind him. He passed Galar and grabbed Izek by the shoulder to look him in the eyes.


    ¡°Iz, calm down first and then listen. She¡¯s not here right now, but it¡¯s not like¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let go.¡±


    The Paladins surrounding the man were roughly pushed to the side. Even Galar, who was bigger than Izek, staggered back.


    Amidst his rampage, voices grew louder as the crowd recognized the champion that had won the Match. A murmur of excitement rippled through the banquet hall as they noticed the distinct silvery-white hair standing out.


    Even though today was a day of celebration, Izek¡¯s dark countenance slowly turned the mood sour.


    ¡°Iz! Stop! Stop, you jerk!¡± Ivan tried futilely to prevent him from going anywhere, but his voice fell on deaf ears.


    ¡°H-Hey¡­¡±


    Izek, who had been marching forward without any hesitation, stopped in his tracks.


    Turning his head in the direction of the end of the hall, there he saw a pale blond-headed boy, his shoulders slumped and curled, and looking like he had something to say.


    ¡°Ah, that¡­ S-Sir¡­¡±


    He grimaced at the cold look Izek threw at him.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re asking w-where¡­ your wife went?¡±


    ***


    I could see myself reflected everywhere.


    Except for the gold-coated marble floor and the ceiling covered with magnificent chandeliers, the entire room was filled with mirrors.


    Rather than admiring the sophistication and artistry of the design, I just thought that this was the perfect place to practice dancing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that there was a room here. Did a spy in the palace find out?¡±


    Cesare did not answer. He sat on a couch placed near the wall and sipped on his drink, acting like this was his house.


    I didn¡¯t expect an answer anyway, so I just shrugged and let out a sigh. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You didn¡¯t drag me all the way here just to dance, right?¡±


    ¡°If I told you to dance, would you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too creepy here with all of these mirrors. This must be the room of some narcissist.¡±


    ¡°This place is similar to your greenhouse garden,¡± he said as he smiled to himself.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Rumors say that King Feanol provided a room for his queen who would not abandon her pagan ways. It¡¯s a bit gaudy, but isn¡¯t it a touching act of love all the same?¡±


    He stretched his body like a panther and got up and off the sofa. Then, he slowly drew nearer, the clacking of his boots echoing in my ears.


    I smiled easily as I grazed my thumb over the golden roses of the wreath, still clutching it tightly in my hands. It was a precious gift, after all.


    He didn¡¯t scare me any longer. ¡°Do you believe it¡¯s possible to cast aside the daughter you conceived with the woman you love from the line of succession? What kind of man do you think King Feanol is?¡±


    ¡°King Feanol is a nobleman who would have been happier if he had been born a rich commoner rather than a monarch. If he had been a king who knew how to use his damned brain, he would not have made such a woman a queen in the first place. He knows what he did and he knows what he cannot do, so what is the point in her suffering from her husband¡¯s position more than she already has?¡±


    Yes, the pagan queen and her pagan daughter would never be accepted by the aristocracy in Britannia as the next monarchs. I knew that Princess Arien would never ascend the throne. The crown would go to Izek, without a doubt.


    But you know what?


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the King of Britannia is a flamboyant and ordinary man in love, and he is the exact opposite of Father and Brother. I know that already so why did you drag me here? To tell me this? Is that all you want to say to me? Is that all you can say to me?¡±


    The sound of the clock ticking was loud.


    My brother¡¯s face morphed into something I was not familiar with. I wondered if someone had cast a spell, or whether I was just seeing things.


    It was strange. It was really strange.


    Cesare, to me, used to be the villain. He used to be my biggest fear, my biggest tormentor. He was the subject of all of my nightmares, the viper around my neck, choking me and feeding me poison. I used to be so afraid of him, so terrified. So why did I feel nothing?


    Why did he look like an ordinary, foolish man? A fool who longed for something he could never have.


    ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t make you live as a queen in this gutter. Whether it¡¯s a greenhouse or a room filled with mirrors, it will never be the real thing.¡±


    His low and hoarse voice, seemingly confident but still trembling, pierced through my heart.


    ¡°Father won¡¯t live forever. If you become a queen, it will be in the kingdom that I¡¯m going to build, Ruby.¡±


    His deep blue eyes bore into me, willing me to understand. I almost burst into laughter. I clutched my stomach, trying to hold it back.


    Oh my God. You¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you?


    It wasn¡¯t just some shallow and fleeting desire, or lust, or twisted obsession. It was something that came from the very bottom of his heart.


    Hearing it come from his own mouth was very different from vaguely speculating on it.


    I¡¯ve been thinking about how to properly deal with you, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come up with a solution on your own.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a greenhouse garden, it¡¯s a water garden.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I straightened my shoulders, smiled brightly, and looked straight into his eyes. Soft and serene, like I¡¯d always been whenever I was with him.


    ¡°Did you think that I would do as you asked? I will have it my way, or I won¡¯t have it at all.¡±


    ¡°Ruby, I know you¡¯re confused right now¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s confused. You started looking at me differently just because you kissed me? Where are you with your head? Since when did you see me in that way?¡±

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Oh, poor Rudbeckia. Poor Angel of Sistine.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Put yourself in my shoes and think. Isn¡¯t it only natural for me to not know?¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! There¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t know!¡±


    This was hilarious. This was spectacular, actually.


    I stopped smiling and crinkled my nose, hoping the disgust was evident on my face.


    Cesare, grinding his teeth and roughly sweeping his hair back, clearly reeled in his feelings and grabbed my shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to sit idle and talk here. Let¡¯s continue this while on our way.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean where? Home. We¡¯re leaving and going back home.¡±


    What the hell was wrong with his head? What kind of nonsense was this?


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kidnap me and get on a ship that¡¯s been prepared in advance?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even blink as I correctly guessed all of his plans. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you drunk? This is not Romagna! Do you think that¡¯s possible? Everyone will catch you immediately¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, by the time we depart, everyone will be preoccupied with something else. Come on, we¡¯re running out of time.¡±


    He had slid his hand down my shoulder to my wrist, trying to drag me out of the room. So I dug my feet into the ground and shook off this madman¡¯s touch.


    He turned back around, perplexed and eyes wide, his hair fluttering in the wind.


    Although Cesare was insane, he was not such a fool for his plans to be sloppily made. No, Cesare¡¯s plans always showed results.


    In other words, he would definitely get me to the Port of Elmos and on that ship no matter how much I struggled, and he would definitely have the whole of Elendale distracted.


    What could it be? What would have the whole capital city of Britannia in such a state on this happy day?


    Hurry up and think! Think about everything that¡¯s happened!


    Pietro¡¯s beastly face flashed before my eyes.


    The disturbances that took place while I was staying in Elendale also flashed by.


    Two incidents that were completely unrelated intertwined and merged together in my mind, and then I came to the horrifying realization of what he would do.


    Because there was only one thing the entirety of the capital could be distracted by.


    It wasn¡¯t something any ordinary man could do.


    However, if it was Cesare¡­ Plus all of the powerful cardinals and Romagnian loyalists disguised as priests staying in the city right now¡­ Everyone hiding and waiting in the streets and around the palace¡­


    Judging by the looks of him, it had probably already begun.


    I tried to calm down my heaving chest.


    Calm down. Even if Elendale goes up in flames, you can¡¯t stop it anyway. You have to proceed as planned¡­


    I raised my eyes and faced him. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll go back there with you?¡±


    ¡°Ruby, you don¡¯t have time to be stubborn. I know that you¡¯re mad at me. I¡¯ll even let you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do such a thing. I like it here. I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    The silent moment that passed lasted for too long. The room was dimly lit, but I could see the veins in his neck throb as he moved his jaw. His cold eyes were fixated on the wreath in my hands.


    Then, he threw his head back and laughed.


    ¡°Is it because of him?¡±


    The silence was my answer.


    ¡°Is your heart wavering just because he¡¯s nice to you? Do you think he really loves you? Don¡¯t get me wrong, Ruby, all others see when they look at you is my father¡¯s crown and gold. Why do you keep forgetting that when I keep telling you so?¡±


    Time was running out for me as well.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the only one who truly loves me?¡±


    My question had the smile on his lips fade away, and something ruthless replaced it instead.


    ¡°Really? Is that even a question? Don¡¯t you know that no one in this world can love you as much as I do? Don¡¯t try to deny it, Ruby. We¡¯re the only ones in the world who can love each other.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t love me.¡± I thought of Izek.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t love me. You hit me and you whipped me and you tortured me and you sold me to other men. How is that love? What kind of love is that?¡±


    The cracks in my soul were growing bigger, they were on the verge of breaking.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ It may be hard for you to fully understand yet, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how you try to justify it, it¡¯s not love. You don¡¯t love me.¡±


    I thought of all the moments I shared with Izek.


    ¡°You stupid woman, what do you know about love?¡± He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me, but he didn¡¯t scare me. I wasn¡¯t afraid of him anymore.


    ¡°At least I know more than you do. My husband taught me properly.¡±


    I chuckled to myself. Looking down, I saw that I had crushed some of the flowers in the wreath Izek had gifted me, so I tried to be as gentle as I could, smoothing it out. The scent of roses filled the air.


    ¡°He¡¯s never hit me before. No matter what lie I tell him, he never hit me.¡±


    I thought of the day we both saved the frost wolf. The day he found me again after I had run away. The desperate and broken-hearted look in his eyes. How he never once thought of me as a witch.


    ¡°When I¡¯m sick or when I¡¯m crying, he¡¯s never once raised his voice.¡±


    I thought of the day when he first carried me in his arms, the day I was unwell. I thought of what he had wanted to ask me that night as he put me to bed. That time we spent on his balcony, him letting me drink from his rum. That was the first time I had ever tasted that foul drink.


    ¡°When I¡¯m having a hard time, and when I don¡¯t know what to do with myself, he¡¯d always be patient and try to help me.¡±


    I thought of that day in the stables. The confusion. The anxiety and the unease. The whip that he threw far away, to somewhere I couldn¡¯t see. How he had held me. He didn¡¯t know it, but he had saved me that day.


    ¡°He¡¯s never forced me to do things I didn¡¯t want to do.¡±


    I thought of all the nights we spent together. The kisses and the tears, the touches and heavy breaths. I thought of his soft eyes, the sweet way he¡¯d move his lips. How he¡¯d always hold my hand. How he¡¯d stroke my scars.


    ¡°When I don¡¯t listen, he doesn¡¯t punish me. He¡¯s never once insulted or mocked me.¡±


    He actually had, especially in the first week when I arrived here, but Cesare didn¡¯t need to know that. Those days were long gone now. Now, I thought of the way he¡¯d make fun of me for having demons as friends. How he¡¯d call my best friend a fat lizard. How he had tried his hardest to deter his fellow knights from capturing them to put them in the Match.


    ¡°From the first moment that I met him, he has always protected me. Always.¡±


    The tears welling up in my eyes were not tears of sadness.


    ¡°You asked me if I wanted to be a queen? When I¡¯m with him, I¡¯m not just a queen, I¡¯m a goddess. When he looks at me, I feel like I¡¯m the only girl in the world. When he looks at me, I don¡¯t have a single flaw. I¡¯m a goddess in his eyes. I¡¯m perfect. Who knew that being loved would feel like this?¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­ Stop it, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Do I still look like I don¡¯t understand? No matter what anyone says, I know for sure. I know what love is. Because I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m so happy to be with him. I¡¯ve never been so happy in my life.¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer the little girl my brother saved from that hell of a monastery. You¡¯re my brother. The brother that took me from one hell to another hell. So don¡¯t talk to me about love. No matter how much you deny it, you could never compare to a man like Izek. I will never let go of his hand and run to you!¡±


    The loud noise of a mirror shattering to pieces sounded throughout the room.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out where it had come from, and something was blocking my sight.


    My body, slowly taking note of the pain coursing through my veins, seemed to be too exhausted to realize what had just happened.


    Cesare was breathing hard as he slammed me down on the ground. He had his hands around my upper arms and his nails were digging into my skin.


    Even though my whole body was throbbing and screaming in pain, I kept on sneering. This was nothing. I was used to worse.


    ¡°You¡¯re so pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know what the difference is between you and him? When I¡¯m with you, I want to kill myself!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Another crack, another mirror shattered. The pain really struck me now. There were shards embedded in my flesh and blood was staining my hands, dripping on the floor.


    I let go of the Flower of Glory.


    Cesare brutally and violently pulled on the ends of my hair, like he was about to rip it all out of my skull. He loomed over me as I raised my head and saw his face.


    He looked like a young man sentenced to his death.


    His eyes held nothing but anger and despair, loathing and anguish.


    Oh my, what a face.


    I don¡¯t remember what exactly made him stop. Whether it was the unafraid curl on my lips or if it was the sound of the door opening. The important thing was that, fortunately, the timing was impeccable.


    Because I made sure that Freya saw me leave with Cesare.


    It was so obvious what she would do if she saw me go somewhere alone with him. Right, Lady Furiana?


    No one moved a muscle for a quiet moment. The whole place seemed to be frozen in time.


    You would have been able to hear a pin drop, with the way no one was breathing.


    I wondered if my forehead had mirror shards stuck in it. The area around my brows was itchy and blood kept getting in my eyes.


    Blinking rapidly to try and get my vision back, I looked to the side and at my dearly beloved Northerners.


    There were quite a few people standing, but I could only see one.


    Beneath his sweat-soaked and disheveled silver hair, his lovely eyes glistened and lost focus, taking this scene in, and then I couldn¡¯t see him anymore.


    My heart pounded with guilt, the pain of the shards stuck in my flesh couldn¡¯t even compare.


    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sorry for making you witness this¡­ I¡¯m so sorry for being like this.


    I licked my lips, wanting to call him. Blood was on my tongue but no sound came from my dry throat.


    And then¡ª


    ¡°Izek!¡±


    A loud bang shook the entire room as something collided and I fell back, realizing that the grip on my hair was no longer there.


    Curses rang out as the once silent room filled with the sounds of thunder.


    Why was everyone screaming?


    I rubbed my eyes and tried to blink away the blood stuck to my lashes. My vision slowly returned and only then did I see what was going on.


    My husband¡¯s sword was hacking into Cesare¡¯s divine shield.


    The holy sword and the divinity dazzling with a bright blue light clashed with each other, the sound of thunder following after the collision each time.


    The entire room was engulfed with the bright light of divinity at work. Izek¡¯s was purple and Cesare¡¯s was blue. The colors meshing together and the thunder booming was overwhelming.


    During the last match earlier in the day, I had wondered what would happen to ordinary people if they were to get caught up in the collision between two divinities.


    Ironically, that question was being answered right now.


    ¡°My Lady¡­ Lady¡­ Guys!¡±


    Ivan¡¯s cry sounded like it came from a distance, which was strange, because he was only a few steps away.


    He was holding on to the two young teens in the room and crouching down, his face contorted in a grimace of pain.


    The same was true for the familiar faces trying to approach Izek, shouting something I couldn¡¯t hear.


    Even the minority elite of the Paladins were grimacing, so I didn¡¯t know whether it was purely because of the collision of divinities or whether it was that strange holy sword Izek was swinging around.


    Not to mention the young boys who were still apprentices. Especially Lorenzo, he looked like he was going to pass out.


    But how come I didn¡¯t feel anything?


    My wrist burned, so I looked down at my bloodied arms, seeing the black bracelet I had been wearing throughout the entire festival. It was glowing red.


    The bracelet that Izek had given me the other day, made from the heart of a dragon that had died a long time ago.


    ¡°Iz¡­ Iz¡­ Izek!¡±


    T/N: I can die with no regrets now :¡±))))) Ruby finally realised she¡¯s in love, and they all found out abt the b*tch Cesare,,,,,,, WHAT MORE DO I NEED T_T


    Ah right, I¡¯ve mentioned it before too but I¡¯m still gonna say it again, in case readers missed it. I split the raws on my own since we bought the volumes from Ridibooks. They don¡¯t have any chapter segregation. I try my best to split them equally so it won¡¯t be the same as the kakaopage chapters but on par, more or less. Saying this cos I saw there are spoilers with the chapter numbers on NUF; they may not necessarily match with the ones I¡¯m translating. Sorry for the inconvenience >.> bear with me. I swear I don¡¯t cut short the chapters xD all are of a good 4.5k+ korean characters [1.6k+ english words-ish] length, which is average chapter length.

 Chapter 106

    Izek was being pushed back by Cesare¡¯s shield and I saw him lose his footing, stumbling a few steps back and switching the hold on his sword to go into defense.


    The bright blue luminescence lighting up the whole room was growing brighter, so it was impossible to see what kind of face Izek was making. Whether he was in pain or panicking from getting overpowered or if he was confident that he was going to win, I couldn¡¯t see it at all.


    I was sure of one thing, though. Cesare¡¯s divinity was no match for Izek¡¯s. He thrust his sword forward and snarled, and more and more cracks were appearing on my brother¡¯s cerulean-colored guard. The light of his divinity was fading. Cesare¡¯s shield was falling apart.


    I could see Izek getting the upper hand again as he cornered Cesare, and the entire room vibrated with their divinities clashing. Luminosity fading in and out like lightning strikes, the sound of thunder booming in my ears, the heavy pressure in the air because of divinity bursting forth and the room shaking while cries rang out from all directions¡ªI was scared. If this continued on, then Izek¡­ Izek would¡­


    ¡°No! Iz!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± An unexpected voice, loud and panicked, blared out just as mine did.


    The light of blue divinity waned as Izek¡¯s royal purple seeped through the cracks, another collision exploding and echoing through the room and shattering the mirrors around us.


    The blast not only blinded me, but also knocked me down to the ground. I tried to break the fall with my arms, but the sting from the shards still embedded in my flesh had me gasping for air.


    ¡°Stop it, you fool! He¡¯s the son of the Holy Father! Stop!¡± My father-in-law sounded desperate and frantic, and he raced past me and towards his son, getting between the two men destroying the room.


    I understood his desperation. I had been trying to do the same.


    Powerful people from powerful families from every corner of the continent were all gathered here. It didn¡¯t matter if Izek was the strongest knight in the North and the soon-to-be King of Britannia. If he killed the Holy Pope¡¯s firstborn son and the future governor of Romagna right here¡­


    The room lit up one last time, the light turning my vision white, and then it all ebbed away. Despite that, the area was still vibrating and the pressure in the air had barely diminished. I was thrown off balance and noise was still lingering in my ears. I tried to blink everything away and find Izek amidst all of this chaos, but Paladins were in front of me, blocking my sight.


    ¡°Ruby!¡±


    I almost fell back again while trying to get up, my hands slipping on the floor because of the blood, but someone rushed in from behind and pulled me into a hug.


    I was greeted with Ellenia¡¯s horror-struck face. Her fingers shook as she swept my bangs away from my face. Over her shoulder, I could see an entire wall stripped bare of mirrors, all of them shattered and broken on the ground.


    ¡°E-Ellen¡­ I-Iz, Izek¡­¡± I tried to find him, but I couldn¡¯t see him through the tears.


    I could barely hold my upper body up and I winced in pain, trying to sit upright. Ellenia sat behind me and I had to rely on her to help me up. She tried to cover my eyes, but I resisted.


    ¡°W-Where¡­ Izek¡­¡±


    The Paladins in the room were raising their voices, calling out to my husband and asking where the duke went.


    I looked around to try and figure out what was going on. I couldn¡¯t find the Duke of Omerta nor Cesare anywhere.


    Instead, I was able to locate my husband. He shoved his fellow knights to the side and staggered and swayed, his eyes feral and a snarl on his face. Then, all of a sudden, he rushed forward as his focus locked in on something.


    I blinked my eyes and then he was gone. A loud bang reverberated through the room, as if something had been slammed against the wall, so I turned to look to the opposite side. Izek was holding Lorenzo by the neck and was strangling him.


    I was still shaking. My whole body was vibrating.


    I didn¡¯t know whether it was me who was trembling or whether it was Ellenia at my back. I did know, however, that this wasn¡¯t just trembling from fear, but the pressure in the air pushing down on us because of divinity raging and getting out of control.


    I shrugged off Ellenia¡¯s arms still wrapped around me and mustered up all the strength I didn¡¯t really have. Just like Izek had done earlier, I shoved through all of the Paladins standing between us and desperately grabbed his hard shoulder, turning him around and off the young boy.


    The world seemed to slow down and everything else faded away. There was no one in the room but me and him. I hadn¡¯t been this close to him in two days, but it felt more like it had been two years.


    His eyes were quivering and his chest was heaving. Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face and his whole body was tense. He looked like a wild beast, ready to strike. But I wasn¡¯t afraid. I wasn¡¯t afraid of him.


    I had missed him.


    His eyes slowly regained focus and he took deep breaths before shuddering, reeling in his divinity, and the heavy air crushing us gradually eased up.


    He lifted a trembling hand to my cheek, his face filled with agony and grief, and he tenderly stroked the blood and tears away. His soft touch made more tears well up. He caressed me like I was made of glass.


    This quiet moment in time didn¡¯t last long, because chaos like none of us had ever seen before erupted from outside.


    A dragon¡¯s roar rang loud.


    Part VIII


    All Together


    The whole city of Elendale was in chaos because of that damned Cesare.


    The whole room shook as the roar of a dragon echoed through the air. It was much worse than the earlier clash of divinities.


    Before anyone could react, palace guards rushed through the door, all of them in a frenzy and their faces laced with panic.


    ¡°Knights of Longinus, there is an emergency!¡±


    ¡°Monsters have breached the city! Not only that, but the Frost Dragon has returned and is attacking the town!¡±


    ¡°The commander has ordered every knight to gather immediately!¡±


    Urgent footsteps, cries, screams, swears, and more sounds of chaos came from outside and the knights rushed out of the room straight away, not even giving me the time to blink.


    While everyone was in an uproar, hurrying out into the hall and shouting things I didn¡¯t understand, the hand that had been caressing me pushed me away and into someone else¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, Ellen, take care of her.¡± Izek¡¯s voice remained calm despite the unfolding disaster. ¡°Andymion, take them someplace safe and protect them.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even register the robe being draped around my shoulders as the young boy came close. His golden eyes were distraught and he looked particularly shaken.


    ¡°My Lady, I¡­ We¡­¡± I understood what he tried to say.


    ¡°We need to hurry.¡± Ellenia, quickly cutting in, put her arms around me and fastened the robe more securely. She was almost hugging me and urged me to start moving.


    Izek was already out of the door.


    He had been battling monsters all day and yesterday too, and then almost died fighting Cesare, and now he was off to battle monsters again? He hadn¡¯t even changed out of the armor he had been wearing since this morning!


    ¡°Iz, no! You aren¡¯t¡­!¡±


    He had to be exhausted. He wasn¡¯t in his usual state. Even if Cesare had been no match for Izek, he had to have drained him from his divinity all the same. The fight earlier with Cardinal Richie must have taken so much out of him as well¡­


    Regardless of the fact that he was the main character of this world, he wouldn¡¯t be fine.


    I ran after him, trying to call out, trying to stop him, but he was already so far away. He was at the end of the line of knights disappearing around the corner on the other side of the hall.


    Another dragon¡¯s roar echoed through the walls and the sounds of panic became worse. The distance between us grew wider.


    Just before he vanished from my sight, he turned around and we locked eyes.


    It only lasted for a moment before he moved again, and then he was gone.


    I felt Ellenia wrapping her arms around me, hastily pushing me in a different direction. Freya¡¯s face passed me by. She was stiff and she was pale, as if she had seen a ghost. She couldn¡¯t look me in the eyes.


    I understood why. Everyone else that had seen it had the same look.


    ¡°Angvan Palace is closed off! Everyone, follow us to safety!¡±


    The palace guards leading us down the hall were all rigid, their moves constrained and unnatural. Despite being Northerners, this situation of the heart of the capital being attacked by monsters and a dragon was something that was unprecedented. Tensions were running high, especially since it was happening during the middle of the festival of the Gladiatorial Match, with people from all over the continent attending.


    Because of that, foreigners not from northern countries, who had presumably never encountered a monster before, were hysterical and causing more mayhem, making the situation worse.


    In no time at all, the festival had turned into a complete disaster.


    Andymion and Ellenia were on both sides of me, their hands on my back and leading me to follow the guards. I thought that they were being too much, acting like I was a child that had to be carried, but my vision was fading in and out and my consciousness was going back and forth. I couldn¡¯t figure out for how long we had been walking already.


    The distant murmurs of havoc played in my ears like a lullaby, and I tried to hold on to my consciousness, but it kept slipping away from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruby,¡± Ellenia¡¯s brittle voice rang out. She sounded heartbroken. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known¡­¡± I saw her lips quiver as she bowed her head.


    What was she talking about? She had nothing to apologize for.


    I barely had the strength to hold on to her, but I was desperate. ¡°S-Stop, please stop.¡±


    Perhaps they sensed my distress, because our steps, trailing behind the group of people following the palace guards, immediately came to a halt.


    I drew in a long breath and clutched her hand. ¡°You have to let me go, I have to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, My Lady.¡±


    As if he knew what I was about to say, Andymion got in front of me and squared his shoulders. He looked like a knight in this moment, and not a boy.


    ¡°The situation is out of control. Traces of mana stones have been found all over the city. That means that the monsters have been possessed by the summoning magic of the stone, so they have an unquenchable thirst for blood now and they won¡¯t be easily stopped. Especially the Frost Dragon, so no matter what you do¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can do it! You know that!¡±


    ¡°But, My Lady!¡±


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Ellenia, having had enough of this vague dialogue, turned her sharp gaze towards Andymion.


    The boy faltered and swallowed nervously, shifting his eyes to me. ¡°That¡­ My Lady, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ellen, I will explain everything to you later,¡± I faced her and her hand fell away. I didn¡¯t have time. ¡°But I have to go somewhere, right now.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t happen. You can¡¯t go. What are you even planning on doing in this kind of situation?¡±


    She let out a harsh breath, her face contorted and was drained of all color. The sadness clouded in her eyes was something I had to figure out later. Right now, the clock was ticking and time was running out.


    I was the only one. I was the only one who could stop this catastrophe.


    ¡°My brother planned this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ellenia whispered.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably already boarded a ship and left Elendale by now, but regardless of that, it¡¯s still my brother who caused all of this. So I¡¯m also responsible for what he has done.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not responsible at all, Ruby, what are you even saying¡­¡±


    ¡°You apologized to me, so if you really mean it, then please take me to Izek. You¡¯ll understand once you see it for yourself. You¡¯ll understand everything, Ellen, please.¡±


    The night we became a real married couple, my husband asked me to tell him what I wished for. I told him back then that I wanted to stay alongside him together with my monster friends.


    Should I not have done that?


    Weeks before the start of the festival, all of the Paladins had been working day and night to capture monsters to put them in the Match. Izek had told me that he tried to prevent anyone from catching the Frost Dragon and Popo and Griffin and my other friends.


    He did that, a holy Paladin, knowing that conspiring with monsters was one of the greatest taboos he could ever commit, all for me. And now he had to fight them, while he had tried so hard to protect them. I couldn¡¯t stand the thought.


    Not only that, but he had also been fighting nonstop for the past two days. Never mind the fact that these last few weeks had been so hectic for my workaholic husband, the fight with Cesare had to have burned him out. There was no way that Izek could fight a bloodthirsty dragon right now and get out of it unscathed.


    So I had to go, for him.


    ¡°Please, Ellen, Andymion. If he dies¡­ If he dies, I won¡¯t be able to live any longer.¡±


    Sounds of the disaster unfolding outside filled and echoed through the empty corridor.


    A line appeared between Ellenia¡¯s brows and she squinted her eyes at me, pursing and biting her lips. She looked at Andymion for a second, then.


    The moment that passed felt like an eternity, even though it had only been a few seconds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    The Frost Dragon, who had been in hiding ever since its first appearance and had been possessed by the magic of a mana stone, soared high into the sky and immediately went for Angvan Palace.


    The monsters that had breached the city walls and were attacking the streets were just a bunch of sh*tty cannon fodder that went down easily. The biggest problem, however, was the appearance of the top predator, the king of all monsters, a dragon. Dragons had the ability to make their lessers go into delirium, and considering that the demons had already been possessed by the magic of a mana stone, their madness became even worse.


    In an emergency situation like this, no matter how superordinate the Paladins of the Knights of Longinus were, the orders of the Knight Commander always came first.


    However, the minority elite of the Knights of Longinus, the six men who had been committing many sins and had been hiding many secrets, were following the champion of the Gladiatorial Match without any objections. In other words, they were recklessly disobeying the orders of the commander.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the direction of the Moon Tower. Ivan, the team¡¯s with me, you lead the rest to block off the entire area and then come back. Don¡¯t let anyone in except our knights and the palace guards.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Hey, all of you! Follow me, we¡¯re going this way!¡± Ivan, running after Izek and cutting through the monsters coming up from all sides, yelled at the rest of the Paladins behind him. ¡°Where did that b*stard Galar go, huh? Where is he?¡±


    The Paladins of the Knights of Longinus, those that were not in the minority elite of the order, were baffled. Didn¡¯t the Knight Commander order the Paladins to regroup with the clergy and the other knights before heading to the town square? They had been obediently following behind their captain and the elites but these new orders didn¡¯t make any sense.


    No one wanted to say it, but not even with the combined efforts of the Knights of Longinus, the Knights of the Temple, the clergy and the palace and city guards could this situation be dealt with swiftly. They were all expecting the number of casualties to be in the hundreds, maybe even thousands.


    The captain¡¯s new instructions were so puzzling that the Paladins were wondering if Lord Izek had received separate orders from the Knight Commander or maybe even the king before they¡¯d all headed out into the city. But when would the captain have had the time to chat privately with the commander or the king when they had been all hurrying to depart and save Elendale?


    Camu, seeing the confusion on everyone¡¯s faces, roared out, ¡°The commander gave us this order!¡±


    The Knights of Longinus had no time to be bickering with each other, anyway. More demons than they had ever seen before were charging right at them.


    ***


    Ed./N: Okay for anyone that is confused (because I for sure was lol), I¡¯ll explain all of these knight orders, etc.


    The Knight Commander ¡ª Mr. Top Dog, the boss of all knights, you can compare the guy to a military general. We met him in chapter 42.


    Knights of Longinus ¡ª these guys are specifically called Paladins, because they are the ones that deal with monsters and the like and have divinity. The entire world has Paladins since monsters are everywhere (but they¡¯re mostly in northern countries, much less so in southern countries like Romagna), but the order of Paladins in the country of Britannia specifically is called Knights of Longinus. The terms ¡°Paladin¡± and ¡°knight¡± are used interchangeably for them.


    Minority elite of the Knights of Longinus ¡ª they are six guys who are, you guessed it, the top six of the order. The members are Izek, Ivan, Galar (Andymion¡¯s big bro and has red hair), Camu (has blue hair), Ruve (has an eyepatch, we met him in chapter 91), and an unnamed Paladin (I could literally SWEAR that his name was Ezekiel, but I backtracked on all the chapters and I couldn¡¯t find him anywhere wtf. Did I make him up? Am I deluding myself? Did I turn into Ruby and start hallucinating? Idk we¡¯ll see in the future chapters I guess, but right now I headcanon him as being named Ezekiel <3)


    Captain of the Knights of Longinus ¡ª Izek, Mr. Has-it-all


    Knights of the Temple ¡ª I was so tempted to call them the Knights Templar, but I backed down cuz it didn¡¯t make sense for them to be in a country that¡¯s supposed to be fantasy Britain lmao. They¡¯re priests that are also knights and belong to the Temple.


    Knights ¡ª just knights :3 They haven¡¯t been mentioned to possess divinity (which is used when fighting monsters).


    Palace/city guards ¡ª soldiers that are tasked to specifically guard one place, ergo the name.


    Andymion ¡ª a squire, which is an apprentice knight who trains under the guidance of a senior. He¡¯s not yet an official knight. Technically, he¡¯s Izek¡¯s kouhai :3


    Divinity ¡ª this world¡¯s ¡°magic¡±. It is used when exorcising and fighting monsters. A Paladin must have divinity, but having divinity doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that you are a Paladin (think of Cesare who has divinity, but is a cardinal instead of a Paladin. Dead Cardinal Richie too).


    P.S. Editing this chapter fried my brain fr fr I don¡¯t understand how I still have brain cells left tbh.

 Chapter 107

    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Ivan yelled, running behind Izek and taking the opportunity of having separated from the rest of the Paladins to berate his captain.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to beat up that big b*stard, why?¡±


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯re thinking about right now? Protecting your wife¡¯s boyfriend? F*ck, I¡¯m not even sure that b*stard will recognize us! And what if the rest heads this way after all? What if your wife does too?¡±


    ¡°I tried to divert them but it¡¯s impossible if no one ever f*cking listens to me!¡±


    Indeed, the reason Izek went against the Knight Commander¡¯s orders was to prevent anyone from coming near the Moon Tower.


    The secrets related to Rudbeckia could never be revealed to the public. If, while confronting the Frost Dragon, it did happen to get exposed, then the amount of witnesses had to be strictly limited to the Knights of Longinus and the King¡¯s Guard.


    In other words, only the greatest powers in Britannia, the Omertas, the Knights of Longinus, and the Royal Family, could know of Rudbeckia¡¯s ability and connection to the Frost Dragon.


    Ivan understood that very well. The only problem was that¡­


    ¡°The commander is going to kill us.¡±


    ¡°If he does that, he¡¯ll have no knights to lead.¡±


    ¡°Your father will too. And His Highness¡­¡±


    Before Ivan could finish the thought, a flash of lightning exploding right in front of his feet rendered him motionless. The loud bellow of a certain man that followed next had him cowering and regretting all of his decisions.


    ¡°Izek van Omerta! Stop right this instant!¡±


    Despite his father¡¯s livid declaration, Izek kept on pushing forward, not once turning his eyes towards the two men in charge whose orders he was blatantly disobeying.


    The Knight Commander and the Duke of Omerta shared a look, the same thought running through both of their minds.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Sir Ivan! Hurry up and stop him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to do that, Commander!¡±


    Lamenting on his sh*tty luck and his presumably ruined career, Ivan sent out a prayer begging for the commander and the duke to understand and chased after his goddamned friend.


    As the two Paladins vanished into the distance in half a second, the Duke of Omerta pinched his nose and looked like he was about to collapse at any moment.


    The events from earlier flashed before his eyes as a splitting headache had him angrily rubbing his temples. His daughter-in-law covered in blood, his son trying to kill the firstborn of the Pope¡­ He had barely managed to separate the two. He hadn¡¯t even had the time to catch his breath before Cardinal Valentino completely disappeared from under his nose and a damn dragon and its legion of murderous monsters attacked the city.


    To make matters worse, his blasted son had gone out of control, breaking protocol and going against direct orders from not only the commander but also the king. Not even the Duke of Omerta knew what to do right now.


    The Knight Commander didn¡¯t look any better, his blood pressure about to reach heights it had never reached before.


    Then, the man did something unexpected. He sighed and put his hand on the duke¡¯s shoulder. It had him unknowingly exhale his old comrade¡¯s name for the first time in a long while.


    ¡°Sir Barons.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, don¡¯t glare at me like that, and just avert your eyes.¡±


    Even though his manner of speech was rude, the duke understood what his old friend was trying to say and he rolled his aching shoulders, keeping his eyes locked on the alleyway his son had gone into.


    The thought of the surroundings gradually becoming more and more darker passed him by.


    ***


    The Moon Tower, Britannia¡¯s pride and joy and known for its long history, was currently being terrorized by the colossal frame of a black-and-blue-scaled dragon.


    The ominous sight of the winged creature spreading out its majestic wings against the backdrop of a burning red sky truly was something straight out of Hell. The Frost Dragon was indeed the incarnation of Satan.


    Golden eyes aflame with the thirst for blood looked down at the horrified people below, the horror of it all descending down on them like the cold snow the being had called forth fluttering in the wind.


    Two Paladins, definitely not surviving the punishment that was awaiting them if they managed to survive this, watched from the foot of the tower.


    The dragon, as if it had recognized the two knights, jerked its head to the side and did the same, its tail swishing from side to side and observing them silently.


    Perhaps it was because of what he had witnessed earlier, but Ivan found himself comparing the Cardinal Valentino from today to the devil blocking the light of the moon.


    For some reason, that crazy lizard felt far more benign than the Holy Pope¡¯s own son.


    Instead of being intimidated, anger welled up inside of him. Did this reptile know that the tower it was demolishing with its gigantic claws was considered a national treasure and the apple of Britannia¡¯s eye?


    Izek must have been of the same mind. The fire lighting up his eyes was no less bloodthirsty than the golden ones glowing between black scales.


    Having had enough of this bizarre staring contest with his wife¡¯s shameless boyfriend she had once run away with in the past, the strongest knight in the North finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Come on down, you a**hole.¡±


    The thunderous shriek of an enraged Frost Dragon rang loud.


    ***


    Andymion was carrying my worn out body on his back, navigating and twisting through the back streets of Elendale and avoiding the busiest parts of the city as they were overrun with gruesome monsters and hysterical crowds of people.


    The evening sky had turned a fiery red, the setting sun casting long and foreboding shadows and snowflakes glistened as they fell.


    I trembled with fear as another roar reverberated and echoed through the air. Ellenia next to us stopped moving and cowered, her steps faltering.


    ¡°Milady, don¡¯t stop! We have to hurry! All the members of Longinus are at the Moon Tower, so we can¡¯t stay here!¡±


    The trek to the heart of the city from Angvan Palace led us to pass through multiple roads and avenues drenched in blood and corpses of not only humans but mostly demons, piles and piles of mana stones rolling around our feet. It appeared to be that the knights and guards had already cleaned up these areas, thank the Lord.


    The main residence of the Royal Family of Britannia where the Moon Tower was located lay at the center of the capital. Reaching the town square where all the roads came together, we were met with the sight of Paladins and soldiers moving around in a rush.


    When we came to a standstill as the Frost Dragon let out another series of unending shrieks, someone spotted us and came closer.


    It was Sir Camu, fury clear on his face.


    ¡°My Ladies! What are you doing here? Andymion, have you lost your mind!¡±


    ¡°We have no time to explain, so just get out of the way,¡± Ellenia snapped at him, still dignified like she always was, and tried to take the lead to get past him.


    Of course, Sir Camu couldn¡¯t allow for that to happen.


    ¡°Stop, My Lady! It¡¯s too dangerous! Where are you going with¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is an order from Duchess Omerta, so none of you have the right to stop us.¡±


    All three of us stood motionless and dumbstruck at Ellenia¡¯s curt reply. The matter-of-fact way she had said it had my eyes almost popping out of my skull. Sir Camu looked even worse, his jaw almost having dropped to the ground. Andymion muttered something that sounded like a wow but then clamped his mouth shut as he received his superior¡¯s cold glare.


    ¡°Duchess¡­¡±


    With the muscles in his jaw twitching, Sir Camu looked at me on Andymion¡¯s back. His face held an expression I could not describe. His light blue eyes, so similar in color to his vibrant hair, had always been critical and aloof when pointed at me. Now, they were quivering with an emotion I could only recognize as desperation.


    ¡°If something were to¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading towards the Moon Tower, so it¡¯s fine, right?¡±


    Sir Camu did not answer. He didn¡¯t even blink as we walked past him, leaving him standing there like that.


    ¡°H-Huh? My Lady? Duchess? You¡­ You must go to¡­!¡±


    A string of outraged curses and cries reached my ears as we moved further along the street, and not long after that, Sir Camu¡¯s angry yell sounded for the very last time.


    ¡°Andy, you b*stard! Don¡¯t disobey orders and get to the designated safe area! Ah, f*ck it. He¡¯s going to kill you, you know! Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you! That f*cker won¡¯t spare you if something happens!¡±


    Should I have been thankful? I watched as Sir Camu hesitated for a while before he raked his hands through his hair and turned around, catching up to his colleagues. I didn¡¯t think that he would have let us pass if it hadn¡¯t been for Ellenia. I hadn¡¯t expected her to be so firm and resolute in helping me. I hadn¡¯t expected her to call me duchess either.


    I felt rather anxious because I was pulling her and Andymion into danger like this and had to explain what I had wanted to hide so badly to them and probably everyone else later on.


    I couldn¡¯t brood over the consequences too much, because a kobold jumped out and over the balustrade of the stairs we were running on.


    Its crazed eyes reminded me of what had happened back at the coliseum, when the ghoul had floated right in front of me, when its vacant orbs had chilled me to the bone. The verdant glow the little kobold was emanating flashed wildly and evoked the image of green flames blazing madly.


    Did this have to happen now?!


    I was too shocked to move, too caught up in surprise to say anything.


    Andymion quickly put me down and tried to block the monster from advancing when Ellenia mouthed a prayer under her breath, made the sign of the cross, stepped forward and held out her arms in front of her.


    A brilliant blue beam of light flared from her silk-covered palms and the loud sound of a thunderclap rumbled and pulsated through the skies.


    The kobold couldn¡¯t even scream before turning into dust and drifting away with the wind. Only the mana stone from its magical core remained as it fell to the ground, proving that the damn thing had, in fact, been there just a second ago.


    It all happened within the blink of an eye.


    All three of us stayed quiet for a silent moment.


    The Young Lady of Omerta turned around and shot us a glance over her shoulder, wiping the sweat from her brow. The only thing Andymion and I could do was to stare blankly at her.


    ¡°Well, My Lady is an Omerta after all¡­¡± the young boy said, trailing off and sounding very embarrassed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t use it much, really. I don¡¯t have the¡­¡±


    Her face was as white as a sheet, pallid and pale, and she staggered from side to side before almost falling down the stairs.


    I hurriedly grabbed her swaying body. ¡°Ellen!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just a little dizzy. I need to pledge to the archbishop if I want to use divinity without suffering from side effects, but I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    ¡°Side effects?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit of vertigo, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Should I say that this bloodline of theirs is exceptional or what?


    Regardless of how remarkable the Omertas and their divinity was, it couldn¡¯t be properly used unless one was duly trained in it and made an oath to the archbishop. Or get blessed by a priest every single time you used it, but that was out of the question right now.


    It wasn¡¯t necessarily set in stone to make a pledge in order to use divinity, but using it without one severely limited a person¡¯s full power.


    The aftermath meant that she couldn¡¯t cross that line again. The repercussions would be grave if she did so a second time, and even if she was blessed with the blood of Omerta, her inexperience could lead her body to ruin.


    I felt bad for poor Andymion, having to protect not one, but two injured ladies in the middle of a battlefield. We helped Ellenia get back on her unsteady feet and she took deep breaths, still swaying back and forth.


    To my astonishment, I saw, from the elevated walkway we were on, my father-in-law running along the lower roads in full armor, skillfully cutting all the monsters in his way in half. I did a double take at the sight, not once expecting this from my retired father at all.


    Well, as the Duke of Omerta, he had to have been a master Paladin once upon a time¡­


    Then, the entire earth shook as that b*stard of a dragon roared once again.


    ***


    ¡°S-Save me!¡±


    ¡°Holy Father! Holy Mother!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Saint Agnes! Saint Stephen! Saint Paul!¡±


    Hell had descended onto earth.


    In no time, the happy festival celebrating Britannia¡¯s grandest tournament had turned into chaos. The streets that had been filled with droves of citizens and foreigners enjoying the festivities were now flooded with demons of all sizes, the need for slaughter driving them forth.


    When the city guards, the priests of the Temple, and all knights situated in Elendale arrived at the scene, the situation in the city had already become indescribable. Too much blood had been shed.


    In other words, Pietro had succeeded in carrying out the orders of his beloved master.


    Ed./N: In this chapter, Ellenia and Camu suddenly call Ruby duchess, which is something she is not and something they have never once called her before. Since Izek has not yet inherited the title (he¡¯s the heir, but not the Duke of Omerta), Ruby is also not yet the Duchess of Omerta either. It is actually quite disrespectful to call someone by a title if someone else holds it. But, as we know, there is no Duchess Omerta currently (RIP), so calling Ruby that showcases the respect they hold for her now. It cements and consolidates her position in Britannia, which is important to her, because everyone has always believed that she would one day leave and go back home (so they treated her like dirt, those *****). Calling her by that title is akin to Ellenia and Camu saying that she¡¯s there to stay and that they recognize and venerate her as the future Duchess of Omerta (finally).

 Chapter 108

    In a strange and twisted way, it had actually been the merchants running the street stalls in Elendale that had actualized Cardinal Valentino¡¯s plans. The distribution of mana stones throughout the entire capital of Britannia would not have been possible if it hadn¡¯t been for the city¡¯s most popular souvenir. Elendaleians loved selling artificial mana stones to foreigners visiting, and foreigners visiting loved having the experience of owning the famed magical artifact from a monster core, albeit a fake one.


    Every shop in Elendale, whether it be a tailor shop, a mercer¡¯s shop, a bakery, a butchery, a millinery, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, carpenters, or even a bookstore¡ªall of them had small ceramic bowls filled with ersatz stones. It was an easy way to bring in copper coins for merchants, after all.


    Real mana stones were only illegally available to the common people on the black market, the price of one stone tantamount to a royal treasury. The only institutions allowed to lawfully own mana stones were Temples, since those magical artifacts were exclusively produced in the Vatican. Even then, it was only a limited amount they were permitted to have, barely enough to turn the capital city of Britannia into ashes.


    So it was no surprise that any native to Elendale seeing a small pebble rolling on cobblestone pavements would undoubtedly believe that it was just a fake trinket dropped by a tourist. Supplying the Elendaleian merchants with fake stones mixed with real ones had been too easy.


    The plan was foolproof.


    Pietro, having overseen the process of the distribution of the mana stones, architecting the chaos, and putting the plan into motion, was hiding near the Port of Elmos and waiting on his master.


    He was a man that had never failed to perform a single command. He was loyal to a fault and never questioned the orders he was given. He followed and executed them meticulously and carefully, always heeding his master¡¯s words and making sure to spare no effort.


    So what followed next was, on all counts, completely unforeseen.


    As soon as he had confirmed that the pandemonium had begun and arrived at the docks, a dragon with the color of the midnight sky blocked off the light of the moon as it flew past him, heading in the direction of the inner city.


    The man was a bloodthirsty assassin and a monster himself, but never before had he seen a dragon, let alone so many different kinds of demons engaging in the slaughter of humans and ripping them apart. The few that existed in the southern countries were kept as entertainment for the elusive elite that partook in the highly sinful act of associating and colliding with devils. The majority of Southerners, be it commoners or nobles, would never encounter a monster in their entire lifetime.


    Pietro¡¯s master was a cardinal but not once had he believed in the existence of angels and demons, in the existence of God and the Devil.


    All those he had fought during his time of living, had been human beings like himself.


    The sight of the devil known to be Satan¡¯s greatest servant soaring high through the heavens left him paralyzed, a strange shiver crawling up his spine and twisting around his neck like a noose. The vague realization of the existence of beings far superior, far greater than him had his blood run cold.


    It was only for a moment, but he was unable to move a single inch. Not until the dragon vanished into the distance and not until he was unable to see the beast anymore. The sound of his heart pounding in his ears diminished and when he managed to wake from his stupor, he became angry with himself.


    A dragon was a dragon, a mere beast that could die just like how any human could. What was there to be afraid of?


    Shaking his head and arriving at the place he was supposed to rendezvous, he saw neither Cardinal Valentino nor the ship he had prepared for him in advance.


    Did his master get caught? No, that was impossible.


    Then, what was wrong? Where was he? Where was his sister? There was no way they hadn¡¯t gotten out of the palace yet. It appeared to be that the dragon was also heading that way, so they had no time to dillydally.


    But then, where was the ship? Had they already left?


    Something ominous wormed up its way in his chest.


    It looked like he had some more work to do and would be stuck in this annoying backwater of a city for a while longer. He had no choice, since he had to wait for his master¡¯s orders in order to move.


    However, the current situation was not in his favor.


    There seemed to be no end to the monsters terrorizing Elendale and the Paladins running rampant looked too agitated to be confident. It didn¡¯t seem like there would be many survivors in the end.


    Pietro had received a rosary from his master imbued with protective divinity, but he wasn¡¯t quite convinced that it would be very effective right now.


    The southern spy was in quite the predicament.


    Fortunately, he had not yet taken off the scapular he was wearing. It would be best to escape with the crowd of monks and lower-ranked priests who were evacuating the citizens.


    Making up his mind to finally get a move on, he searched his surroundings one last time.


    ¡°Where did Master go?¡±


    Why couldn¡¯t he find him anywhere? He had to have arrived at the docks already, but there were no signs of him. Pietro was tasked with protecting and defending his master, but the mob of terrified people going ballistic in this chaos made it too difficult to focus on finding one person.


    Gritting his teeth in frustration, the assassin emerged from the shadows of the tree he had been hiding behind.


    Into his view came a Paladin¡¯s cloak.


    A behemoth of a man dressed in black armor, a face reminiscent of a crazed bear. Under short red hair, a set of stormy eyes fixed on him.


    Pietro had seen this man several times while monitoring Lady Rudbeckia.


    A man who seemed to be more suitable for the profession of executioner rather than a Paladin. Scanning him from head to toe, Pietro pondered on the thought of finally getting to warm up properly for the first time in a long while.


    Spreading out his knees and taking a deep breath to focus on the air around him, the assassin from the South pulled out a poisonous needle from under his robes and got to work.


    ***


    ¡°Ivan!¡±


    Ivan had no time to acknowledge his fellow knights as they arrived on the battlefield one by one.


    A colossal reptilian tail thwacked the stone floor before he could regain his feet.


    The age-old slabs of stone that had been placed centuries ago as pavement cracked and fractured, the previously smooth ground now in smithereens. Dust and rocks and condensed water from the Frost Dragon¡¯s icy breath rose up in the air and shrouded the knights who were coming up from all directions in the cold.


    However, Ivan was only concerned about one person. ¡°You f**king b*st*rd! Hey, Izek! Are you dead?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Apparently, he was not dead yet. The blond knight saw as Izek landed on a pile of crushed boulders and glanced his way for a second, murder clear in his blood-colored eyes.


    Come to think of it, the white-haired captain of the Knights of Longinus should not have been the only one that was in the zone.


    Ivan bit the inside of his cheek and tried to focus on the battle.


    Izek was struggling because he was fighting the dragon with the intent to not kill it, but to incapacitate it. But holding oneself back in a fight against a damn dragon was not something that was easily done, not to mention something actually quite idiotic to do.


    The only way to survive this battle was to fight to the death, but that was not what Izek was doing. The only way to subdue that big b*st*rd was to hit maximum levels and enter the zone, but it was not easy for Ivan to watch his friend, who had already exhausted all of his energy in the past few days, push himself to the absolute max in this state.


    If only Izek would stop being stubborn and give the permission to kill.


    Maybe if all of the Paladins present could enter the zone as well, they¡¯d be able to subjugate the beast, consequences of pushing the physical limit be damned. The Frost Dragon would stand no chance against a league of top-class Paladins all at their peak even if the aftermath meant standing at death¡¯s door.


    Ivan really, really did want to encourage it.


    But if everyone here lost their senses to the zone, there¡¯d be no one to pull the worst one of the bunch out of it. Izek fought like there was no tomorrow. His recklessness made Ivan nervous.


    The blond knight had half a mind to put an end to his friend¡¯s resolve with his own two hands. ¡°Idiot¡­ All that just for your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Ivan! We gotta regroup!¡±


    ¡°What the f**k are you talking about?! We don¡¯t know if reinforcements are coming, so go wild and just finish it already! Did you become a Paladin yesterday? Why do none of you know how to use a goddamn sword? Pay attention, you f**king idiots!¡±


    No one was able to truly take in the unexpected verbal abuse, purely because there was no time to do so.


    That wretched dragon was shrieking its lungs out, slamming into all the walls surrounding it and swinging at everyone and everything with its razor-sharp claws.


    The beast breathed ice and snow and the harsh winter wind razed through the air, knocking the knights back and slamming against Izek¡¯s divine shield. The light that burst forth from the collusion turned the entire area white.


    The terrain around the Moon Tower was wholly encased in heavy snow.


    Without a moment¡¯s rest, the silver-haired captain retracted the holy shield before jumping into the air and landing on the dragon¡¯s head.


    The sight was unbelievable. The man must¡¯ve lost his mind.


    ¡°My wife said she wanted to stay alongside you.¡±


    The Frost Dragon stayed still for a few seconds, maybe because of the man hammering its face with the pommel of his sword, shouting strange words that it didn¡¯t understand, or maybe because the landing on its forehead was just too unexpected.


    Growling ominously as the beast grew more and more annoyed with the irksome beating, the heavens and earth seemed to split into two as it let out an ear-splitting screech.


    While the dragon was distracted with trying to shake Izek off, Ivan and the rest of the knights rushed straight in to attack. Since they weren¡¯t meant to kill it, the assault was solely focused on the poor beast¡¯s legs.


    Paladins were flanking the dragon, poking holes and cutting through flesh and trying to stop it from spreading out its wings to fly away from the charge, but the lack of lethal intent from the warriors meant that there was no besting the servant of Satan.


    The Frost Dragon raised its forelimbs and stretched its wings out with a forceful burst, then jumped into the air, losing the knights still hanging on to its legs as it slammed its body against the walls still standing tall in its ascent.


    The Moon Tower, covered in white snow, slowly began to collapse.


    The dragon took to the sky, higher and higher as if it were releasing its anger, tearing the Tower apart and breathing frost, the battlefield encased in ice and snow.


    The hacking movements from holy swords sent out divine blasts of air from below and barreled into the biting wind the beast shot out, turning into frozen icicles that came down fast.


    ¡°Izek!¡±


    Dust, debris, blinding lights from flashing swords, the bitter winter wind blowing roughly and the snow falling hid everything from sight, but Ivan could still see Izek between it all.


    That madman was still hanging on to the Frost Dragon.


    To be precise, the madman was holding on to the sword he had plunged between the beast¡¯s scales whilst it was twisting and turning, doing everything it could to shake off the annoyance stuck to its back.


    The dragon floated in midair for a moment, suddenly stopping the flapping of its wings and then dived down, plummeting and rushing towards the ground. It happened before Ivan could finish blinking. He didn¡¯t even have the time to yell at his friend to let go.


    The terrible sound of the crash seemed to echo throughout the city and even the lands beyond. Then, all fell silent.


    ¡°Hey¡­ You punk¡­¡±


    The heavy weight on Ivan¡¯s chest had him heaving and gasping for air, until someone cleared away the piles of stones crushing him.


    It was Ruve who was standing over him, one dimly lit eye hidden behind a monocle, the other behind an eyepatch. His fellow minority elite helped him up and brush off the dust, coughing all the while. Ruve seemed unharmed, miraculously.


    Ivan turned around and took in his surroundings.


    The Frost Dragon, the embodiment of calamity and destroyer of Elendale¡¯s architecture, was no longer roaring or growling.


    Without making a single sound, it was staring at something under its foot, its ears and wings lowered and neck slightly bent forward. The image of a predator having caught its prey.


    It exhaled and steam blew from its blue snout, the loud noise sending shivers down Ivan¡¯s spine.


    Frost was growing slowly from the place where the prey was trapped, everything becoming shrouded in ice. There was no doubt. It was Izek that was trapped under there.


    Damn, this was already the second time in just one day.


    Once under the Undead Dragon and now under the Frost Dragon, the same f**king pain flattening him to the ground and breaking his ribs.


    Feverish fury turned the gold looking at him into burning fire, crazed bloodthirst lighting up reptilian eyes.


    The silver-haired knight, facing the demon head-on without a single hint of fear on his worn-out face, wheezed and hacked up blood.


    ¡°It hurts, you damn b*st*rd¡­¡±


    Ed./N: ¡°Being in the zone¡± is a term used in the athlete world and is a mental state that enables one to perform to the best of one¡¯s ability. You¡¯re fully immersed in the feeling of performing and focused only on that. It¡¯s a higher mental state of being once you enter it. In real life, it just means extreme focus on only the sport you¡¯re performing at the moment, usually during a competition. In here, it means that the balance between divinity and the performing of swordsmanship has completely taken over and overwritten one¡¯s senses.

 Chapter 109

    ¡°What did my wife¡ªargh! Annoying f**king b*st*rd¡­¡±


    The Frost Dragon, eyes still locked on Izek, slowly opened its massive jaws.


    Die, it almost seemed to tell him.


    Ivan tensed and jumped to his feet, trying to run over there, but Ruve held him back.


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking, but I can¡¯t let you go like this, Ivan.¡±


    ¡°No! Are you¡ª¡±


    The sound of a strange squeak coming from above had the two men jerking their heads upwards.


    An untimely and unexpected cry from a monster bird rang out again, but the Paladins didn¡¯t have the time to care about it.


    It was the Frost Dragon who had the knights all around stop dead in their tracks, the beast suddenly snapping its jaws shut and turning its gaze towards the newcomers.


    Looking up at the sky side by side, beast and man all stock-still, they were greeted with a scene that was both unbelievable and ridiculously absurd.


    The knights had already guessed that it would be a griffin monster judging from the cry, the sight of a lonely bird flying through the blizzard like the Holy Spirit descending on them like a dove not something worth their attention.


    However, the plump Popori hanging leisurely from the griffin¡¯s talons was what made this scene truly bizarre. In a way, this was infinitely more interesting than what the Frost Dragon had done to Elendale until now.


    ¡°What the hell kind of combo is that¡­?¡±


    The faint whisper softly echoing through the air perfectly encapsulated what everyone was thinking at the moment.


    Ivan, desperately trying not to show anything on his face, closed his open mouth and met Ruve¡¯s stunned eyes. Camu and Ezekiel were exactly the same.


    The memories of that day in the Frost Forest flashed before the minority elite¡¯s eyes.


    The dragon seemed to be just as fascinated as the humans, standing still and staring hard at the two monsters that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere as if it was possessed, its ears twitching and its head tilted to the side.


    A quiet second passed by before the silence was broken.


    The two monsters drew closer to the dragon and circled its head, the griffin chirping, the dragon growling and the Popori yapping.


    The men looked on as the three monsters seemingly argued with each other. Only the Lord would know what the hell was being said.


    This had to be the most outlandish sight in all of human history.


    It was strange to see the dragon growl and yelp instead of simply going in for the kill, but Ivan didn¡¯t question it and took the plunge, sneaking his way to Izek.


    Of course, luck was not on his side.


    As soon as Ivan neared his friend, the dragon growled menacingly, a sound very different from when it was conversing with the Popori, and turned its golden eyes towards the knight.


    It glared at him with a fire that had Ivan clam up and freeze over, an ice-cold chill running down his spine. Terror overtook him.


    Izek, breathing heavily and throwing up too much blood, was too pale.


    ¡°Let go of my friend, you damn lizard!¡±


    ¡°Po, po, po, po!¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    The thin cry was small and faint, but it still rang clear.


    At least it was loud enough to make the dragon falter and for everyone to whirl around.


    ***


    It was difficult to get to our destination because there were massive boulders and cracked-open streets blocking our path everywhere. The roads were wholly encased in ice and it was chaos all over.


    Because of the blood still staining my eyes, it was hard for me to see ahead. If it hadn¡¯t been for Popo and Griffin, we never would have gotten to where the Moon Tower should have been.


    The Tower was gone now.


    Climbing over icicles and rocks much taller than me, trying my hardest to not slip and fall, I saw the ruins of the battlefield stretched out before me.


    It was truly a sight to behold, the heart of winter coming out to greet me.


    Holding on to the last bit of strength I had left, I clambered up the piles of ice and snow, awkwardly scurrying along the steps of the frozen staircase on the outer wall of the building I was nervously clawing at, unsure on whether it was the Moon Tower itself or just a house nearby, and I finally arrived at the place I had been desperate to reach.


    That big dragon was standing there, and Izek was under its foot.


    The familiar sight had the breath catch in my throat, the same panic as back then coursing through my veins and tremors running up and down my back.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I shouted with everything in me.


    Fortunately, even though my voice was hoarse and too small, the dragon hesitated. Who knew whether it was God that was helping me or whether it was the main character¡¯s plot armor at work.


    ¡°You bad¡­¡±


    I was too out of breath, my chest heaving and eyelids itching.


    You bad guys. Bad, bad guys. You guys are so bad.


    ¡°Po, po, po!¡±


    Through my blurry view, I could see as Popo waggled up to me and flapped its short arms around. I didn¡¯t care how foolish I looked as I ran over to the little guy.


    Griffin flew above me after he put Popo down, circling around us and then turning towards the Frost Dragon.


    That bad guy was staring at me with its jaws hanging open, looking like a lost puppy somehow.


    As soon as I let go of Popo, that huge snout closed shut.


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Grrrr¡­¡±


    That big bad guy raised its body finally, disappointment and resentment burning in its golden eyes, but there were no other signs of hostility.


    ¡°Hurry up and get out of the way.¡±


    My hair fluttered back with the gust of wind the dragon spewed out, my face getting hit with something disgustingly wet.


    ¡°You¡¯re spitting on me, silly!¡± Rubbing my gross cheeks and trying not to gag, I rushed in recklessly. ¡°Iz!¡±


    He was lying in a pool of dark red blood, white snow covering him faintly. His eyes were closed and I couldn¡¯t see his chest rising or falling.


    He was ashen, the only color on him the red line running down his throat from his mouth.


    As soon as I put my trembling hand on his cheek, my heart sank to my stomach.


    He¡¯s so cold.


    ¡°Iz¡­ Iz! Please, please, honey¡­¡±


    The thought of him really dying here seemed absurd. He was the main character, it couldn¡¯t end like this. Not like this.


    I haven¡¯t even told him yet¡­


    I didn¡¯t want to think it, but he really was not moving. Maybe I couldn¡¯t see it through the tears, but his chest really was not rising. There were no puffs of air coming from his slightly open mouth. The blood around and on him was too much, almost like he was drowning in it.


    On my knees and shivering helplessly, my shoulders quaking and the tears falling down my cheeks and onto Izek¡¯s white and still face, I bent over him, holding him.


    It¡¯s not true, it¡¯s not true, it¡¯s not true.


    I pushed his head closer to my breast, hoping, praying for any miracle to come, begging God to not take him away like this. Crying silently and refusing to believe it, I didn¡¯t know what to do anymore.


    It was then that I felt something move, a few fingers twitching and small breaths blowing against my throat. I stiffened and froze, exhaling shakily and pulling away a little, my heart pounding in my ears as I dared to hope.


    Izek¡¯s beautiful scarlet eyes were looking right at me.


    ¡°H-Honey¡­ Are you¡­ all right?¡± My voice cracked as my chin trembled. I was barely holding it together. ¡°D-Don¡¯t stare at me like that. I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­ I was scared that¡­ that¡­¡±


    He was hardly breathing and I was shaking, but I couldn¡¯t stop vomiting words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, hic, don¡¯t get angry! If you get angry now, then, hic, your blood pressure will rise and¡­ and you might really die! Really! How can I live if you die? Tell me¡­ How¡­ How am I supposed to live without you¡­You¡¯re, hic, the first person that made me want to¡­ live! To be with you! I don¡¯t want to be without you¡­ I don¡¯t want to live without you! For the first time in my life, I wanted something! I really did! I want you! You¡¯re the only one!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even know what I was saying. Maybe I had finally gone insane.


    My husband, panting and spitting out the blood in his mouth, finally moved his lips. ¡°You foolish girl. What took you so long?¡±


    I was dumbstruck for a moment.


    Suddenly, out of the blue, a laugh burst out. It was me. I was laughing and crying at the same time, wrapping my arms around my husband and clutching him to me tightly.


    Then, the dragon, having no conscience obviously, growled low, interrupting this moment.


    Magic was in the air as pieces of debris floated upwards, the ground vibrating and trembling, as if this place didn¡¯t look like a shipwreck already.


    Popo hit the beast¡¯s legs and recoiled, jumping away before the dragon could sweep him away and Griffin quickly caught him in his talons, turning towards me and flying this way, triumph lighting up his little face.


    ¡°Stop it, silly!¡±


    The roaring, which had been terrorizing the people of Elendale enough already, stopped.


    The Frost Dragon now stared straight into my eyes, breathing out steam and looking like it wanted to slaughter everyone present.


    I wasn¡¯t so confident anymore, but with Izek in my arms, I held my ground and faced the monster head-on. ¡°I wanted to go see you guys, too.¡±


    Maybe I should not have spoken to a dragon whilst everyone was watching me.


    ¡°But if I went to see you and came to your hiding place, you could¡¯ve been in danger. It¡¯s not his fault. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t seek you out. I¡­ I was going to visit you after the festival. Really.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if it understood me or not, but I still spoke the truth.


    The Frost Dragon huffed a few times, stomping its feet and swishing its large tail to and fro, as if it was hard for it to accept. Then, it yelped while flapping one wing, trying to show me something.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re hurt? I apologize, I promise it won¡¯t happen next time. But you can¡¯t hurt these people anymore either, okay?¡±


    Grumbling and letting out a sound that suspiciously sounded like a purr, the dragon folded its wings again and slowly lowered its body, fully sitting on the floor. Then, it let out a last blast of air from its snout and jerked its head to the other side, like a disgruntled dog.


    For some strange reason, it looked like it was embarrassed.


    The silence that followed reverberated in my ears, strangely enough.


    Glancing in the direction of the Paladins I shared secrets with, I saw that they were tense, seemingly frozen on the spot.


    The same could be said for all the other knights gathered around us.


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of faces Ellenia and her father were making right now.


    Cold and rough hands clasped my arms, so I turned my head.


    My eyes met his.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    What are you even saying? You should be worrying about yourself, not me¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying,¡± I whispered, my voice lost to the wind.


    The weak grasp he had on me moved to my cheek and he gently brushed my face with his palm, his touch barely there.


    I let it all go, trusting him and leaning on his chest.


    His body was covered in blood and broken armor, but it didn¡¯t matter. I closed my eyes as he held me.


    I heard footsteps approaching from behind.


    Darkness came at the end of it.

 Chapter 110

    Part IX


    Growing Pains


    ¡°Hwuuu¡­¡±


    The distant sound of someone sobbing echoed familiarly.


    Was a banshee crying again?


    The voices that sounded were quite a bit different from one, though.


    ¡°Hwuuuuu¡­¡±


    ¡°You can stop.¡±


    Oh, was it just a dream?


    A dark room slowly became clearer. I¡¯d seen this room before.


    As the darkness surrounding me gradually ebbed away, I saw a woman crying, standing in front of a balcony and rubbing the heel of her palm against her chest. A man was moving closer to her.


    I couldn¡¯t see their faces, but a strange sense of familiarity washed over me. The thought of having met this couple somewhere else passed me by.


    Oh, that¡¯s right. I had had a dream like this once before.


    Yes, in another place, at another time, that woman had been smiling wickedly, and that man¡­


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it time you stopped with the bad acting?¡±


    The woman quit her wailing. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°As expected, it doesn¡¯t work on you,¡± I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could feel the woman sneering. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying, you know that, right?¡±


    The sadness ailing her vanished in an instant, something menacing gracing her features instead. I still couldn¡¯t see what she looked like, but I felt the aggression dripping from her echoing and settling in my bones.


    The man looming over her seemed to be very angry. ¡°You turned the court banquet into a damn circus show. Have you no shame?¡±


    ¡°That girl was asking for it. What did you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Did you fight with her just cause she asked you a question? Why don¡¯t you pick a fight with the entire world then?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even there, so what do you know? Right, it must¡¯ve been your little sister that told you. Of course, she must have chosen her side again. She always does.¡±


    The woman gave a bitter laugh, the air turning sullen.


    ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t deny it, you know it¡¯s true. And what if I don¡¯t watch my mouth? Will you hit me? Don¡¯t even joke around, because we both know you won¡¯t.¡±


    I was starting to worry a little for the woman.


    She was deliberately targeting her opponent¡¯s weak spots, his rage already reaching its breaking point. The harsh breaths he took was the only sound that could be heard in this dark and empty room.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a bad f**king girl.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re so handsome,¡± she swooned, ridicule but also honesty honeying her sweet voice.


    ¡°Consider it an honor then, if you¡¯re willing to admit it.¡±


    ¡°Hah! An honor? You?¡±


    ¡°Anything you¡¯re dissatisfied with? Tell me, since I¡¯m your so-called husband.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dissatisfied with your existence itself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also dissatisfied with your existence, you wicked woman!¡±


    The mood was strange.


    The two were seriously fighting, but they couldn¡¯t take their eyes off one another either.


    It was as if one of them would turn around any minute now, storming out of the door if not taking swings at each other before that. Instead, it was the distance between them that was dwindling, something I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on warming up the desolate room.


    They were almost chest to chest now.


    ¡°Then, it must be my appearance you¡¯re at least not dissatisfied with, my wife.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself. It just came out like that, it didn¡¯t mean anything. There are a hell of a lot more attractive men much better-looking than you in my hometown.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, then? Hurry up and go back home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a damn j*rk.¡±


    ¡°Couples resemble each other, right?¡± The man came closer, as if there was still space left between them. ¡°Visit her tomorrow and apologize.¡±


    ¡°Only if you don¡¯t participate in the stupid Match.¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t either!¡±


    Panting in frustration and moving swiftly, the woman raked her fingers through the man¡¯s hair and dug her nails into the back of his neck, pulling him close to her. There was nothing separating them anymore.


    The man was twice her size, but he went willingly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where I was, who these people were, and why I was here, as I took in the scene of the man and woman¡¯s passionate entanglement.


    The cold room had been heating up for a while now, and the sounds of heavy breaths and desperate kissing filled the dark chamber. The only source of light came from the moon raining down on the couple clutching each other tightly and hungrily devouring one another.


    It was romantic, yet macabre. Sad and hopeless and wretched all at the same time.


    The woman¡¯s eyes turned to me.


    She could not have seen me. I was only a ghost in this dream, after all. Someone from the outside looking in. I wasn¡¯t truly here.


    But somehow, that woman smiled at me¡ªa meaningless, sad smile.


    Something in my chest broke and smashed into pieces. The face I hadn¡¯t been able to see previously finally became clear.


    The woman was me.


    Rudbeckia de Borgia, that¡¯s you¡­ That¡¯s me.


    Then, that man is¡­


    I wanted to check, to see, to make sense of it, but it was as if someone had turned me to stone. I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t talk. I couldn¡¯t call out to him.


    The moonlight flickered and waned, and the room plunged into darkness. The man and the woman vanished and I lost myself to the shadows in this empty and desolate room.


    ***


    Bright white shining right into my eyes had me twitching, trying to blink it away.


    The first thing that came to me was the heavy feeling in my head. I tried to lift my hand, but it dropped down to the bed I was lying on like a ton of bricks.


    Where am I? Who got me here? What happened at the end¡­


    Fumbling through the broken fragments of my memories as I slowly woke up, I turned my eyes to my right, the feeling of someone else¡¯s arm underneath me jostling me fully awake.


    I wanted to cry.


    I was overjoyed to see him safe and lying next to me, looking like he hadn¡¯t just gone through hell and back, but there were no words coming from my dry throat.


    I just looked at him, taking him in, my eyes leaving no part of his face untouched. He did the same.


    He looked miserable, though.


    I tried to move my weak hand and run my fingers through his bangs, the movement taking everything out of me, but my want was greater than anything else at the moment.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± His voice was low and hoarse, almost a whisper in the soft breeze. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t really thinking of anything. It felt like it didn¡¯t really matter, none of it.


    Everything I had done in my previous life and everything I had done in this life, all of it flashed before my eyes, like a movie stuck on repeat in my head.


    I felt like a stranger in my own body thinking about it all.


    So, just like him, the voice I answered him with was low and hoarse as well, a whisper I breathed out. ¡°Because I thought you¡¯d change.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been broken for a long time. I¡¯ve never really been me. All I was, was an illusion. Once it broke, everyone changed. It¡¯s always been like that.¡±


    It was something I knew very well, something that had revealed itself to me time and time again.


    How disappointed my adoptive parents had been with me once they realized I wasn¡¯t what they had wanted me to be. When my brother had had enough of my sniveling and groveling and breaking down, when I wasn¡¯t the perfect sister, always composed and worthy of the family name like he had expected me to be.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been like that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Always.¡±


    A muscle twitched in his jaw and his lips curled into a mean snarl. I knew it wasn¡¯t me he was directing it at. ¡°Were all the people around you blind and stupid?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m already in a situation where I¡¯m hated without doing anything. I can¡¯t seem to win.¡±


    I traveled around his eye with my numb finger, gently at first until I pressed hard on the bone of his cheek, wondering if he hated it.


    Even after cracking such a silly joke, Izek still kept on gazing at me with that same brokenhearted look in his tired eyes.


    His other arm was free, he could embrace me fully, enveloping me in his warmth, but he did not move.


    So I moved instead, putting my own arm around his wide torso and burying my head in the juncture where his shoulder and neck met, breathing in his masculine scent.


    I didn¡¯t understand why my head felt so heavy.


    I had a dream, but I didn¡¯t remember it at all.


    ¡°Iz, don¡¯t look at me like that. Because it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s not always all about you, you know?¡±


    This suffering-from-main-character-disease arrogant man, I swear.


    I was trying to joke around to lighten up this solemn mood, but Izek wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°I¡¯m neither blind nor stupid. I knew. I knew it for a while.¡±


    I knew that he¡¯d know at least a little bit, but hearing it come from his own mouth still made me tremble with anxiety. Unwitting tears welled up, but I tried to blink them away.


    ¡°The night we became a couple?¡±


    ¡°No. Before that.¡±


    ¡°Really? Since when?¡±


    ¡°The stables.¡±


    His big hand fiddled with my messy hair, twirling little locks of it around his calloused fingers.


    Oh, I see¡­ ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You didn¡¯t realize?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°It was so obvious.¡±


    Slapping his hard chest, I huffed out, ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. If it was so obvious, why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d leave me.¡±


    I stopped breathing.


    Lifting my head to look at him properly, my eyes shaking and swimming with tears, Izek had already folded the other arm over his face.


    As if he were trying to hide.


    ¡°If I tried to dig into what you were so desperately trying to hide¡­¡± His voice broke, as did my heart. ¡°I thought you¡¯d stop pretending to like me and disappear somewhere.¡±


    I wanted to pull his arm away, I wanted to see him, but I couldn¡¯t breathe and I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I thought like that, so I just tried to find it all out by myself. There wasn¡¯t anything in particular, but I thought I¡¯d know for sure during this festival¡­ After meeting Cardinal Valentino.¡±


    Was his chin trembling or was it just my imagination?


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t see you as you while you were next to him anymore. You¡­ You were like a completely different person. A woman who was neither anxious nor trying to hide something. You were just smiling, like it was normal. You never smiled like that with me.¡±


    It was only natural that my acting skills shined the brightest when I was with Cesare! Because I¡¯d been dealing with an older brother like him my entire life! Because men like them were the ones I couldn¡¯t break down in front of, no matter what!


    But I had never been with a man like Izek before. When I was with him, I didn¡¯t need to act. Not anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Iz, you knew I was pretending to like you?¡±


    Sure, I used to pretend once upon a time, but that wasn¡¯t true anymore!


    He still hadn¡¯t removed his arm.


    He sighed as he pulled us both up eventually, the bitter sound of it sitting heavy in the air. ¡°You were afraid of me from the very beginning.¡±


    ¡°From the beginning? No, that¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°You were always looking at me as if I were the Grim Reaper himself, coming to take your soul. Your husband is a Paladin, you know. You can¡¯t be a Paladin and an idiot that can¡¯t distinguish between fear and love.¡±


    That was because you were definitely going to be the Grim Reaper taking my soul, you main character!


    The scariest part of this was that everyone I¡¯d ask would agree with me on this husband of mine being the Grim Reaper! Definitely everyone would agree, no doubt about it!


    Oh, I was going crazy. He had to be lying, no? I couldn¡¯t even explain all of this to him.


    ¡°So, you knew because you¡¯re not an idiot?¡±


    ¡°No, I was still an idiot.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    His big hand stretched over my cheek, holding me still for a while, and he grazed his thumb under my glossy eye in a way that I¡¯d become so familiar with.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to leave me, so I was foolish. Even if you tried to hide it, I still wanted to know everything.¡±


    T/N: We will post 4 chaps next week~ ALSO FINALLY SOME RUBEK FLUFF T_T (yes I just named the ship Rubek, suggest better ones if you have any xDDD)

 Chapter 111

    ¡°Because of him, you were able to smile, like it¡¯s normal¡­¡­ I even thought his appearance was a blessing for you. But I was wrong. I¡¯m so messed up. Even though you acted excited¡­ you weren¡¯t actually¡­¡­.¡±


    His voice cracked midway.


    The veins on the back of his hand protruded as he clenched his fist tightly.


    I barely gathered my senses back and gently put my hand on top of his hand.


    Ah, this fool¡­¡­.


    No, I am the fool.


    We were truly a match made in heaven.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You gave me the flower of glory. You knew about everything, and could have misunderstood me, especially when I lied to you.¡±


    Indeed.


    What I had wasn¡¯t just the flower of glory.


    The golden wreath held so much meaning to him, it was the reason why he decided to participate in the game, and a proof of all he had gone through.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ believed that no one ever wanted me. And if something good happens, there would be bad things that follow suit. Because I¡¯ve been living like that all my life¡­¡­ Would you believe it if I say that I have lived with a mask all this time?¡±


    While talking, I felt like my tongue was moving on its own.


    I wasn¡¯t even thinking of expressing my emotions in words, but it felt like the thoughts I¡¯d buried deep inside were overflowing out today.


    ¡°I¡¯m selfish because I always doubt everyone, and can¡¯t help but be full of prejudice. I don¡¯t have the will¨C misunderstandings never get cleared because I believe that no one would trust me. There¡¯s nothing more I¡¯m afraid of than being abandoned, but I¡¯m selfish enough to push that fear back, and try my best to survive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who is really messed up, Iz. Even if you did everything to prove yourself to me¡­ I couldn¡¯t trust you until the end. As a result, I hurt you.¡±


    Izek finally dropped the hand covering his face and looked at me again.


    Perhaps I was just imagining things, but it seemed that his glowing sharp eyes had gotten slightly wet.


    Tears also welled up in my eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ I really wanted to see you smile.¡±


    ¡°Iz¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to see you happy¡­¡­. I believed that one day, you wouldn¡¯t cry anymore and only have a smile on your face¡­ ¡±


    His rough palm gently stroked my cheek.


    As I leaned on him, clutching his arms tightly with both my hands, the sound of something cracking rang faintly.


    ¡°I was trapped in the walls that I built up. And I¡¯m the only one who is able to break it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve believed for a long time that the villain in the fairy tale who killed all of his wives could become a knight. There are two sides of a coin, their circumstances may change.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who made me realize that waiting won¡¯t lead me anywhere. I have to break my walls and get out now. You made me feel like I was reborn. And I sincerely want you, having said that. You¡¯ve been imprinted on me, so there¡¯s nothing you can do even if one day you get tired of me.¡±


    As his forehead touched mine, his arms slowly wrapped around my body.


    His movements were careful, almost hesitant, but I felt warm and safe.


    At that moment, I realized how afraid I was at the thought that I would not be able to hold this arm again.


    What should I do? I found myself acting like the stupid one here.


    I said to myself, ¡®I¡¯m stuck with him from now on.¡­¡¯


    No more words were exchanged between us.


    We just hugged each other closely and looked at each other.


    We remained like that until my eyelids felt heavy again and my body drooped down like wet cotton helplessly.


    * * *


    If there was only one person that the Longinus Knights, who could even battle the dead, were scared of, it would be none other than the Knight Commander whose whole body was screaming ¡®I¡¯m about to explode in anger!¡¯, his thick eyebrows tensed, arms crossed while gritting his teeth.


    The fear instilled in them was doubled as the Kingwatched with a quiet smile from his seat


    Moreover,with the addition of the retired senior knight, a former comrade, noble general, and the brother-in-law of the King, Izek¡¯s father, the fear was enough to break through the sky.


    ¡°So gentlemen, how long have you been hiding this fact?¡±


    In most cases, it was extremely rare for the Commander to refer to the knights under his command as ¡®gentleman¡¯.


    To make matters worse, he was raising his hands and rubbing the back of his head?


    It was that posture that brought goosebumps to everyone.


    If they gave the wrong answer, they would see something as scary as the frost dragon.


    They didn¡¯t know what kind of situation they were in, but for some reason, no one dared to answer.


    And of course, the atmosphere naturally grew even more chilly because none of the men, who had committed mistakes, answered.


    ¡°Sir Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander.¡±


    ¡°What do you think you are doing by pouting like that?¡±


    ¡°What? I never did that¡­¡±


    ¡°How dare you talk back in the presence of His Majesty without any proper manners! It¡¯s all about reflecting on your irrational deeds, gentlemen!¡±


    Ka-boom!


    In the end, the lightning struck down on them.


    As a result, the minority elite, who might not be entitled as minority elite anymore, were surprised and hurriedly straightened up.


    Everybody, starting from Ivan, who was holding back his tears like a sorrowful flower, to Galar who looked like a brown bear that resembled an angry bull, a seemingly haggard Camu, Ruve who was fixing his eye patch, and Ezekiel, who scratched hard on his mask.


    In such a serious situation, only one person, the shameless one, who was also the culprit of this entire situation, stood comfortably in his spot while appreciating the unseemly sights of his fellow knights.


    To make matters worse, he even looked like he was having fun in this situation.


    There was no person who had a brass neck like him.


    However, it was impossible for them to swear at the King¡¯s beloved nephew and son of a respectable noble.


    Ivan, who felt sad due to being unjustly scolded for nothing, sent thousands of swear words by just glaring resentfully at his unrepentant friend.


    His demeanor gave him away.


    At last, the respectable noble decided to step up as he couldn¡¯t stand seeing this disrespectful behaviour by his juniors.


    Duke Omerta spoke sternly to his son, taking an equivocal attitude toward the rest of the men with a ferocious gaze.


    ¡°We should plan a subjugation for the frost dragon.¡±


    ¡°Who says that?¡±


    Sure enough. Only then Izek opened his mouth, as if he had been waiting, all the people in the room had the same look on their faces.


    In short, they began to glare at the current troublemaker at once, who was probably already out of his mind.


    Even the King had a frown on his face, replacing the warm smile that he usually showed .


    It was understandable because this was a situation where his beloved nephew pulled out an attitude of challenging the throne¡¯s authority in his presence. He knew his beloved nephew had finally grown up a bit.


    ¡°It seems like Sir Izek wishes to take off his Paladin cape here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things that you don¡¯t really mean, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­..How certain are you by saying that I don¡¯t really mean the words that escape my mouth?¡±


    ¡°If you suddenly expel someone who had widely promoted the status of the country as a recent champion and remove his title as a Paladin, what would the commoners and the neighboring countries think of us? Just so you know, I¡¯m not going to help. I will do everything in my power to grieve and mourn.¡±


    Then, King Feanol started to rub his temple while muttering a lament that sounded like, ¡®I absolutely can¡¯t exchange any words with him¡¯.


    Under this kind of pressure, Duke Omerta and the Knight Commander exchanged grim looks to each other for a while, and proceeded to yell simultaneously.


    ¡°You idiot!¡±


    ¡°I believed in you, Sir Izek! How can you do this to me? How could you betray the trust that I offered to you?¡±


    ¡°I apologize greatly, but it was Sir Varons who told me to do this.¡±


    Now it was Sir Varons¡¯s turn to receive the harsh gaze from everyone who had gathered in the meeting hall.


    For a moment, he was surprised by this unexpected turn of events, but the Commander skillfully hid his bewilderment and shouted back.


    ¡°Call me ¡®Commander¡¯, Sir Izek! And when did I do that? Did you get a fatal blow from the frost dragon on your head?¡±


    ¡°You told me to find out what my sensitive and delicate wife wanted and that I should have listened to all of it. So what more can I say? After all, I was supposed to follow the advice of a senior who knew life better than me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Did your delicate wife ask you to hide such an important issue regarding the country? Or did she also ask you to be so brazen like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crossing the line a bit too much. Why would my wife ask me to do that? My wife is a mature person, she didn¡¯t cling or even nag me about anything. Don¡¯t speak carelessly if you don¡¯t know her that well. Would you also like it if I judged your wife the same way?¡±


    At this point, it was hard to tell whether he said and did this on purpose or it really came from the bottom of his heart.


    Camu, who was about to sneak quietly to cover the catastrophic mouth of his fellow, decided to back off as soon as he saw the stunned expression of the Knight Commander.


    This was because he felt like his senior nearly burst into laughter.


    The Knight Commander, who was well-respected by his Paladin subordinates, said nothing in return.


    Instead, he looked back at Duke Omerta while rubbing his beard grimly.


    The Duke let out a sigh as he looked upon the face of his former comrade who turned pale to the point that the traces of colors disappeared from his face.


    ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°From my perspective, I acknowledge the fact that all of these events happened because we couldn¡¯t handle the situation properly. We should be ashamed of ourselves. Isn¡¯t that right, Your Majesty?¡±


    The King, who was holding the back of his head, only ignored this statement by showing a courteous smile.

 Chapter 112

    The Duke, whose pride as a father was seriously damaged, calmly called for attention instead of throwing an ashtray at his son in rage.


    In other words, he changed the subject.


    ¡°Whatever the cause was, as soon as the Ice Dragon launched the attack, it became a national issue. Significant figures from all over the world were put at stake.¡±


    ¡°No one died. And all the saved foreigners would be talking in excitement, saying that it was an experience that would never happen again in their lives.¡±


    ¡°About a third of Angvan Palace was smashed. Not to mention the Moon Tower.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, but if I had died there, you would have been recruiting paladins dreaming about slaying dragons instead of reconstructors by now.¡±


    ¡°How dare you talk about how you could have died in front of your father? Do you think being cheeky will award you with four lives? You don¡¯t know that the life your parents gave you is precious, and dared to run in blindly, just whom can you protect?! I think you¡¯re acting like a pathetic wife!¡±


    There was a long silence, as if cold water was poured on them by the terrifying explosion of Duke Omerta, which reminded them of his old days.


    This was because it was an emotional outburst.


    An overwhelmingly passionate outburst that a stranger would misunderstand as a father frustrated with his personality wrecking son.


    However, those who gathered here had known each other for too long to have such a misunderstanding, so they just had an understanding look on their faces as they stared at the demonic father.


    The king leaned forward and asked a question.


    ¡°Have you gone mad, Duke?¡±


    ¡°¡­I apologize, Your Majesty. Forgive my disrespect.¡±


    ¡°Can I say something?¡±


    It was then that Galar, who had been standing very silently and quietly looking at the ceiling, suddenly opened his mouth.


    It was unexpected enough for Izek, who was staring at his father with no different eyes from others, to turn his eyes towards him.


    The Knight Commander, who had a bitter smile, welcomed the unexpected interruption with an indifferent look.


    ¡°Ah, our reliable Sir Galar. There was something I wanted to ask you separately. While I was scolding your friends at the palace, you quietly disappeared alone. Where did you go and what did you do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I also watched you all in my own way while you all were fighting, against my instructions¡­ and to my surprise, the guys who would usually fight whenever they met were getting along well. I was just moved to think that you all finally understood companionship.¡­ I¡¯m going off-topic. Anyway, I watched a little bit since only the lord knows why my most beloved knights were out there, but Sir Galar, who is considered as one of the most loyal knights, was missing. I couldn¡¯t believe it and thought Izek went berserk because the dragon ate you up.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±


    ¡°But how happy would I have been to see you return in a very peaceful manner? Come on, stop hiding with that bear-size of yours and report honestly where and what you¡¯ve been doing. His Majesty is watching, right?¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    In contrast to the commander smiling warmly like a benevolent father, Galar¡¯s gritted teeth with his already harsh face distorted even more. He gave off an aura asking to not be touched any more.


    He was about to charge at his leader.


    ¡°Hmm? Tell me, Sir Galar. You wouldn¡¯t have possibly secretly robbed the hive alone in that mess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? One might think that Longinus¡¯s Galar was embarrassed, huh?¡±


    It was an accurate point.


    Contrary to his appearance, Galar was very embarrassed in his own way and was in a state of helplessness.


    His anxious flashing pumpkin-colored eyes slowly turned toward the heart of all this.


    He had to fix it somehow.


    And Izek did that.


    ¡°Galar is not the problem right now, Commander. There¡¯s one more person who disappeared at that moment.


    ¡°Oh, is that so, Sir Izek? Then, why don¡¯t you remind us of that person with that smug mouth of yours?¡±


    ¡°You know him. Cardinal Valentino.¡±


    Izek, who spat this out, glanced sideways toward Duke Omerta.


    To be exact, it should be said he was glaring.


    The duke only wiggled his eyebrows like a caterpillar in response to his son¡¯s behavior towards him.


    It was the king who spoke.


    King Feanol was adamant, claiming that this was not worth mentioning.


    ¡°Even if the timing is strange, we cannot conclude that Cardinal Valentino is related to the incident. Isn¡¯t there no evidence? In Romagna¡­.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I knew Your Majesty would say that.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. It¡¯s surprising that Sir Izek is not taking their side. Isn¡¯t he the family member of your beloved wife? There is also something very contradictory about the current appearance of the dragon in this place, as good as its attitude had been throughout this time.¡±


    A very valid point.


    As soon as Cardinal Valentino¡¯s name rang, his stiff-faced colleagues watched him anxiously, and Izek soon smiled cynically.


    ¡°My wife is a family member of the Omertas, Your Majesty. I mean, she has nothing to do with this. I thought you would understand that better than anyone else. Your response is unexpected.¡±


    The king¡¯s expression hardened at once.


    The commander, who was carefully observing the changing complexion of the knights, also flinched at the same time.


    It was an implicit taboo to mention the Queen¡¯s origin in front of the king.


    There had been countless difficulties in the marriage process along with their daughter born and raised there.


    But this man couldn¡¯t kill the dragon, so he was showering bullets with his eyes burning with betrayal?


    It was as if the dragon himself was standing there- but it was just an illusion that King Feanol, who¡¯d brought up Rudbeckia, saw.


    Of course, that was only for a short time.


    King Feanol was a monarch who knew how to reflect on his words, unlike those arrogant knights who only knew how to show off.


    ¡°Stop. I¡¯ve made a mistake. Your wife is the Duchess Omerta.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Forgive me for being rude.¡±


    The king seemed to have a slight headache.


    Sir Barons, who was disapproving of Izek smiling politely as if he had never done anything bad, stepped out this time with great calmness.


    ¡°Sir Izek. There are important issues now. Stop going back and forth and answer me correctly. How are you sure that Romagna had no idea about the Duchess¡¯ secret?¡±


    (T/N: Referring to her communication ability.)


    ¡°If they knew, they wouldn¡¯t have acted so defenselessly. They had no idea at all. Do you want to imply that my wife may be part of some huge conspiracy?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go back and forth. Didn¡¯t I just tell you not to go back and forth? I understand that the frost dragon attack and the aftereffects took place, but we cannot be lenient. Her secret is something that can change the whole world. Therefore, it is appropriate to keep it strictly confidential for the time being, but if the Duchess helps the Britannia family¡­¡±


    ¡°Aha, so you want to make my wife a secret weapon. And you¡¯re not the enemy? I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing right now. What nonsense is this?¡±


    ¡°You rotten¡­ Why are you twisting my words however you want? You need to be more calm! Don¡¯t you think we¡¯ve been through the same things? If you¡¯re careless and emotional, it¡¯s a loss! Do you want to create a world full of ashes? Is that really what you want to show her!?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ .¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. I¡¯m not asking you to help me get rid of her. I understand everything that happened. What made you fight. Everyone here understands. These idiots, your friends, also understood, so they cooperated with you. Are you listening? You don¡¯t have any enemies here. So why treat us like one? You just have to help us out a bit¡­.¡±


    ¡°Commander. That¡¯s actually what you can¡¯t say right now.¡­¡±


    If your insane friend who has turned into steel suddenly shows dead eyes, you are bound to move.


    Ivan¡¯s sudden interruption was probably something similar.


    In fact, Ivan couldn¡¯t even understand what he was possessed by to step in.


    To make matters worse, as soon as he did that, he received the terrifying gaze of his friend who told him silently to shut up right away, and the incredulous look of his leader, questioning why he was being rude.

 Chapter 113

    Even if he immediately regretted his unexpected behaviour, it was already spilled water.


    Ivan stopped shrugging his shoulders.


    His sorrowful figure did look pitiful, but it did not affect those who were gathered in the room.


    ¡°What he¡¯s trying to say is¡­¡±


    At that very moment, it was none other than his stern senior, Duke Omerta who saved the poor Ivan in trouble.


    The Duke spoke up suddenly, like he had been doing all this time.


    ¡°Since the Ice Dragon¡¯s first appearance, civilian attacks by monsters have fallen below half. I should say it¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the duke.


    Duke Omerta gracefully continued his words with both hands clasped, relishing everyone¡¯s gaze on him.


    ¡°Although the palace was attacked thanks to someone¡¯s manipulation, the damage caused to other people who were enjoying the festival for the first time in a long time is much more serious than that. I couldn¡¯t believe the scene I saw from the Moon Tower that day. All of us, we still can¡¯t believe it. They¡¯ve never heard of or seen such a strange phenomenon¡­.. However, as a result of examining the circumstances, the Ice Dragon thought that we did not let my daughter-in-law meet it, and then it became chaotic.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s still a young dragon, but if it was a mature adult, it wouldn¡¯t have been easily tempted by magic stones. I think it ran out of patience because of the combination of various elements.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°This is what I was going to say a while ago. I understand that everyone is excited that they have dealt with the dragons, but Lord Barons and I have had experience dealing with two adult dragons together a long time ago. As such, the dragon¡¯s brilliance and specificity are one step ahead of you.¡±


    Everyone just listened to his tone full of pride with a blank face.


    In the meantime, only Lord Barons coughed a little and raised his chin with pride.


    ¡°Although the Ice Dragon is strong and incomparable to flame dragons and other dragons, it is the first time I¡¯ve seen it acting so hard against humans. But considering the fact that it has grown up alone without a mother dragon, and the peculiarity of its behaviour, it will benefit everyone for the time being.¡±


    Obviously, it felt like something was skipped in the middle.


    If this was the case, why had they been talking about subjugation so far?


    Izek only stared at the faces of the elders who watched him closely instead of immediately arguing and angering him.


    Then, he let out a sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with those faces? I was already going to do that, so please keep a straight face.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Sir Izek?¡±


    How did he let go that easily?


    ¡°My wife wants me to do this. How can I say no to her? In addition, these days, I think those affection-deficient monsters are more reliable than humans. Of course, I don¡¯t want to let the dragon meet my wife alone, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll hurt her no matter what. It became calm as soon as it saw her in the midst of being possessed by the magic stones.¡±


    ¡°By the way, if the Duchess wasn¡¯t sick, I would have discussed it with her earlier. From now on, whenever I want to ask you to do something, I can go talk to her.¡±


    In response to Izek¡¯s response, which felt unexpectedly innocent and sincere, the knight commander seemed to have regained his composure and even to the extent that he made a lame joke.


    Duke Omerta, who gave a heated speech, also took a breather and exchanged bitter smiles with the king.


    It was clear that Izek didn¡¯t like their ways.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Duke?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with Cardinal Valentino? Are you really going to let him get away like this?¡±


    Finally, the atmosphere, which had lightened up a bit, quickly became rigid.


    King Feanol looked like he was having a headache again, but he responded with dignity.


    ¡°You always had a knack at ruining the mood.¡±


    ¡°The people of the North who enjoyed the festival for the first time in a long time were swept away by hell-like chaos. Regardless of who the opponent is, isn¡¯t it a good thing to investigate suspicious people without excluding a single one?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very surprising to see you hold such compassion for others. If you plan to teach me how to rule, you should stop. In your eyes, do you think I¡¯m relaxed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I wish to investigate the background of this incident without holding back as well. However, the more serious the problem is, the more careful we are supposed to be. Especially if the opponent is from another country, and if it¡¯s Romagna, even more so! If we push recklessly without any evidence, it could eventually result in our side being driven back.¡±


    That made sense.


    But the minority elites were exchanging weird looks for some reason.


    The look in their eyes said that they thought it was obvious.


    ¡°What if Cardinal Valentino, who was born and raised in the south his entire life, had run away in fear after hearing the roar of the dragon? We don¡¯t know what happened on their side. Don¡¯t you all know that magic stones are available on the black market as well? Furthermore, his and the Duchess¡¯ bond seem to be very deep, and I personally don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason to put on such a show.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just as His Majesty said, Sir Izek. First of all, I think it¡¯s right to ask why you would suddenly doubt Cardinal Valentino and treat him as an enemy. Do you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°Duke? Why are you silent again?¡±


    It was said that the Borgian family was notorious and everyone knew it, but the Pope was in the palace when it happened. There were not only known nobles from their land, but also other Vatican nobles.


    The nobles of other countries were also a random mixture of Borgian alliances and foes.


    From a general point of view, it was natural to see that Cardinal Valentino, notorious for his thoroughness and slyness, could not commit such a foolish act without being careful.


    Even more so if his beloved sister was in danger.


    Izek exchanged his quick gaze with Galar for a while and spoke up again.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a personal feeling, Commander. Your Majesty, if we bring clear evidence of who the initiator is, you¡¯re willing to stop holding back. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking an obvious question. At this point, I doubt what Sir Izek thinks of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always grateful for His Majesty¡¯s grace. Anyway, I got it.¡±


    This finally seemed to put an end to the long discussion.


    The king waved his hand, and Duke Omerta pushed the pen, which had been rolling all the time, to one side without writing anything yet.


    The valiant Paladins, who had been prepared for some punishment, began to relax their shoulders.


    The king gave a cautious look to his old comrade once.


    And then at Izek, the son of his comrade and the woman he cared a lot about.


    While he was thinking about it, the Knight Commander, who had been looking at Izek as well, suddenly blurted out while thinking to himself.


    ¡°Oh, you all are on probation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°And this is my personal question. What was that Popori and Griffin doing?¡±


    * * *


    Pain was a familiar sensation.


    He was so used to it that he¡¯d become dull to pain.


    He was familiar with any physical pain, such as burning thirst, the sense of tearing and drilling raw flesh, the sensation of breaking bones, the sensation of toenails or teeth being pulled out, the sense of blood escaping his body and vision coming back and forth.


    It was something he¡¯d been through countless times since he was a boy.


    Therefore, Pietro was confident.


    Although he was currently tied to a chair after losing to the paladins, who looked somewhat unsatisfied due to his incompetency, Pietro was confident.


    This place, where he was tied to a chair, was a dark space without a single sight of light.


    The white-looking bars among the darkness, with his well-trained view, familiarised to this, informed him that this was some kind of dungeon.


    It was an obvious situation.


    He was sure they were going to torture him here.


    Try as much as you want, you will never get to hear Master¡¯s name from my mouth.


    Having thought that, Pietro waited leisurely.


    He couldn¡¯t guess how long time had passed.


    He fell asleep, woke up, and fell asleep again. He tried to keep his mind as clear as possible by waking up at the same intervals.


    Whenever they came, he had to take advantage of the opportunity to escape at any time.


    ¡°¡­But we¡¯re on probation.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Finally, a slowly approaching light from afar appeared through the long darkness.


    Pietro¡¯s agile five senses stood on edge.


    ¡°We¡¯re on probation, so doing this is a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a scaredy-cat. Are you that scared of the Knight Commander?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, you were the most intimidated. You even cried, didn¡¯t you?


    ¡°When the f*ck did I do that?¡±


    Several loud voices rang simultaneously, and rough footsteps hit his ears.


    There seemed to be quite a few people coming.


    Okay, the more the merrier.


    Pietro gave a gruesome smile.


    ¡°We are not working as Paladins right now.¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with this ignorant b*stard?¡­ And so, what are you doing right now?¡±

 Chapter 114

    Along with the sound of a thud, rusty bars creaked as they came through.


    ¡°A bunch of friends who came out to play in secret?¡±


    The blazing torches lit the space, which was the darkness itself.


    The moment he saw a silver-haired man at the center of the group, Pietro¡¯s back unknowingly stiffened.


    It was not that he thought he might not see him again, but when his gaze met the snake-like insensitive red eyes, some terribly strange sensation began to run up his spine.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear that? He just called us friends.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend we didn¡¯t hear that¡±.


    ¡°But Ivan, you told me to call you my friend¡­¡±


    ¡°When did I ever get an idiot as a friend?¡±


    There was also that stupid brown-bear-like man standing among them.


    For some reason, the atmosphere was not cheerful, and they all didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood to chat.


    None of them mattered except that one paladin, who stood far away with a torch and stared at him.


    The noble who he wanted to tear and kill, who had been terribly annoying from the moment he first saw him.


    However, in contrast to Pietro¡¯s stare, the arrogant Duke Omerta did not seem to show much interest in him.


    He was just casually looking at him, only to turn his insensitive gaze for a moment and talk to his friends.


    ¡°You did a good job, Galar. You caught him in time.¡±


    ¡°I know, I was laughing when I found out he left us all alone, but he did some surprisingly good work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. But¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    In the midst of focusing all their attention on one man, Pietro suddenly wondered what these men were doing.


    As expected, was it because they were all nobles?


    Indeed, even if they were popular knights, there was no way that the young masters who grew up nicely would be talented in that way.


    For some reason, thinking that it would be more interesting, Pietro gave a fishy smile.


    It would be pretty good to see them trying to torture him and accidentally letting go of the rope in the process.¡­.


    ¡°What do you mean, Ruve? You¡¯ll go first.¡±


    ¡°Why is it me?¡±


    ¡°These a**holes are surprisingly delicate.¡±


    ¡°Hey! We¡¯re not delicate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m delicate, too. In fact, I have so much compassion that I can¡¯t even kill a single bug.¡±


    ¡°I heard you used to be a torture officer.¡±


    ¡°That officer is not¡­You can just start, you dirty shameless jerk. Everyone knows that you are the least delicate among us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a married man, so I have to save myself the effort. I¡¯m so hungry. I¡¯m hungry because I¡¯ve been nagging all day.¡±


    ¡°What did you bring to eat?¡­ Oh, you brought a bottle of wine too!


    ¡°Cheer up, Ruve. We trust you! While you start, we¡¯ll hold the food for you!


    ¡°You b*stard.¡±


    What were they doing?


    Having seen their extremely cool mannerisms, Pietro lost his excitement while sitting idle.


    At the same time, a strange sense of humiliation arose.


    In this situation, that arrogant Duke¡¯s attitude was getting on his nerves and making him angry.


    He didn¡¯t even look at him properly, as if he were an opponent that wasn¡¯t worth paying attention to, and he was relaxed like on a picnic.¡­.


    How could he possibly provoke him?


    ¡°Your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, I think I¡¯ll buy more of these! Molasses wine is the best after nagging!¡±


    ¡°Who made this sandwich? It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°It was your trainee. He¡¯s also my younger brother.¡±


    ¡°I could marry him.¡±


    The provocation, which was barely loud enough, was buried in the shouts of those nobles.


    Pietro, who was trying to calm himself down and growl louder this time, was soon distracted by an untimely, tingling chestnut hitting him, that snapped his forehead to the other side.


    ¡°Oh, my. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a habit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit crowded here, but let¡¯s focus. I¡¯m hungry, too.¡±


    The man¡¯s eye was covered with an eyepatch, and the other glittered as he spoke cheerfully.


    Glaring at his face, Pietro gritted his molars, and soon smiled bitterly.


    * * *


    Since I came to Erendil, I have been sick from one thing or another, but this was the first time.


    No, it seems to be the first time in my entire life that I have rested comfortably without any anxiety or stress.


    Outside, it seemed to be known that I had not fully recovered yet, but in fact, I was no longer sick.


    Perhaps because I was exhausted during the eventful festival, it took some time to fully recover my energy, but there was no reason to refuse a long break.


    While I enjoyed pretending to be a patient, the Omerta family doctor Sergei visited me every day.


    I didn¡¯t have anything worth examining because I wasn¡¯t sick, but instead, I discussed my annual sickness.


    So, to this nobleman, whom Izek once called a quack, I seemed to have unintentionally shared my secret.


    He looked at me with sparkling eyes, but the words he voluntarily confessed were quite pleasing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, but in fact, your sacred core is very weak compared to others. It¡¯s practically nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost nothing¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even when compared to normal humans in the northern part of the country ¡­ Of course, having a weak core is not impossible, but considering your background, it was quite unexpected. It¡¯s just my opinion, but I think your special ability is related to the problem.¡±


    ¡°Then is there something magical involved instead of sacred?¡±


    ¡°It would have been a big deal, if so. However, having been in an environment full of powerful priests without a sacred core, you must have suffered from unknown physical pain due to the reaction. Is that right?¡±


    Oh, he got it right.


    He was definitely not a quack.


    While I was explaining my symptoms of the annual sickness so far, Sergei listened silently with a focused look.


    Then, a long time later, he opened his mouth in a serious tone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, since you suffered greatly at the age of 15, you¡¯ve been sick twice a year, but ever since you came to the North, you have  been sick more frequently. Is that right?


    ¡°Yes. Other than me, no one felt anything. My husband felt that I had a fever the other day, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of that or other reasons.¡±


    ¡°You mean the time when I first examined you, right? There was a real fever, but overall, I think it¡¯s all because of the changes in the environment.¡±


    ¡°Changes in the environment?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really understand. Romagna is a distinct sacred place, and your parents are the pinnacle of divinity. But even if you tried to hone and polish your abilities after staying with the divinity, the difference in innate quality cannot be helped. The amount and quality of the divinity that most people are born with are similar, but as usual, there are special lineages that stand out. Like the Omerta family.¡±


    I didn¡¯t disagree either.


    After all, I saw how Ellenia had been.


    In the original novel, I didn¡¯t pay much attention because I had never analysed or treated this divinity separately, but the more I knew, the more profound it was.


    ¡°So the environmental changes you mentioned earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would have been a greater burden than you¡¯ve ever experienced. It may be absurd to say this as a doctor, but the Omerta family has produced only the best paladins consistently since ancient times. There will be no family comparable in terms of purity and power, along with a unique power that is different from others.¡±


    I definitely did a good job at getting married.


    But why did he look so proud of me that I just couldn¡¯t stand it?


    Anyway, he seemed to be a sincere nobleman.


    ¡°So the closer I am to my husband, the worse it gets? Does my husband know about this?¡±


    When asked seriously, the loyal doctor shook his head quickly with a puzzled look.


    What?


    ¡°Never! As long as you¡¯re wearing it, you won¡¯t get sick in the future.¡±


    Wearing what?


    I blinked and looked down.


    To be exact, I looked at the bracelet that I was still wearing.


    The first gift Izek gave me, an heirloom that his ancestors made from the heart of a rock cave dragon.


    Wait, come to think of it¡­


    ¡°When I first examined you, I wasn¡¯t completely sure, so I couldn¡¯t give him much advice, but after you ran away from home and came back, I looked closely at your core and provided some advice to the Duke just in case. Fortunately, he found the right item.¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s made out of the heart of a dragon. What special role does this bracelet play?¡±


    ¡°It completely blocks the contact of the divine. That¡¯s why dragon hunting in the old days destroyed the hearts of dead dragons instead of making spoils. It¡¯s pretty, but there¡¯s nothing it can help with. It was struck by a holy sword when alive, but after death, it will not only seal the divinity of others but also the divinity of the wearer.¡­ Of course, it would be useful for you.¡±


    ¡ª


    T/N: Happy New Year y¡¯all!

 Chapter 115 - conversation between Ruby & Duke Omert

    Chapter 115 ¨C conversation between Ruby & Duke Omerta


    ¡°That¡¯s how you came to us. You were placed in a complicated situation from the very beginning. That would have been obvious even if I didn¡¯t explain it. Now, I will refrain from saying anything about my true feelings of this situation. It¡¯s a bad habit and it¡¯s not helpful. But what can I say? My wife had to always knock some sense into me.


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°I mean, this whole time, the situation had been unexpected. So at some point, somehow, for some reason¡­Damn it, I¡¯m starting to say nonsense again. I¡¯m afraid that some things slip past me as I¡¯m getting older. My eyes are not as sharp as they used to be.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I was confident that I could understand the true essence of anything but it was always just bad judgment on the part of an arrogant, old man. It¡¯s why the children brazenly doubted their noble father.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    She took a deep breath and called out.


    Duke Omerta, who had turned his head and coughed loudly, shrugged his sturdy shoulders and looked at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Father is one of the few people who can understand me better than anyone else.¡±


    Of course.


    I vividly remember a conversation we had the other day by the stables.


    The expression on the Duke¡¯s face who had been wondering whether there was any hope for his son.


    I see. Now I know.


    Unlike those ridiculous, suffocating days, everything feels clear to me now.


    At that time, it seemed that the Duke of Omerta was really worried, he had vague suspicions that I had more in common with the deceased Duchess other than an eating disorder.


    In a way, I have to thank Cesare.


    Without that fuss, I probably would have walked on eggshells forever.


    As time passed, I realized and regretted very late that the unconditional love present might have devolved into a disastrous relationship over time because I was already tired and overwhelmed by the steep cost of my facade.


    It would have been too late even if we held on and loved each other at the end, we would have only hurt each other. Though it seemed like our love would last forever, it would have never been able to recover. We would have been trapped into a state of madness as we were swept away by the turbulent feelings of love and hate.


    The Duchess¡¯s illness must have been similar to mine.


    If my anorexia originated from my desire to have control over life, maybe hers originated from wanting to turn back time.


    To when she was a smaller, weaker girl and her red eyes were filled with passion and adoration. She desperately desired to return to that time when she just met a paladin¡­


    Of course, this is all just my own speculation.


    Meanwhile, Izek and the Duke had also reached an understanding unexpectedly at the same location, the stables.


    Are the stables a good place for these conversations?


    ¡°Father, you said I looked like I was struggling with matters of life and death. You know now after you¡¯ve seen it properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Among the various disturbances of this festival, what Cardinal Valentino did to me at the mirror room was unimaginable, but it¡¯s true I was also desperately trying to avoid talking about my problems in the first place. So the guilt is mine. Because I didn¡¯t trust Iz every time and tried to deceive him instead. No, should I say that we understood each other much too late¡­? As a result it left him with a permanent scar.¡±


    ¡°Madam¡­¡±


    ¡°If anyone was in a situation like mine, they could try to make excuses, but rather than that, I want to tell you that I have misunderstood, father. I¡¯m really surprised that Izek is being so incredibly generous and friendly despite all of this.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s great.¡±


    He stood for a long time without moving, it made me wonder what he was thinking about.


    ¡°Father¡­.?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, we decided to keep Madam¡¯s hidden talents confidential from the northern and southern regions for the time being. You know that if you want to meet with the young dragon from now on, it will have to be under supervision. If anyone is stupid enough to talk about what happened to others, they will inevitably be charged with the crime of violating the royal command.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I forgot the most important thing. I was originally here to ask this question. This raid made Erendil, as well as the palace, extremely chaotic, and if Cardinal Valentino was behind it, there must have been someone who assisted him. God would laugh at us if he saw the current state of the Temple of Erendil. By the way, do you know what the heck the Cardinal is doing with that ignorant bastard (Pietro)?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s still in Erendil. He¡¯s been a loyal subject of his for a long time. As soon as the situation broke out, he must have returned to Romagna with the Cardinal.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think so, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I will inform my son since he wants to take care of everything on his own and don¡¯t think about anything for now, just focus on getting a good rest.¡±


    What in the world¡­?


    I gently closed my gaping mouth then smiled at the thought that suddenly flashed through my head.


    ¡°Father?¡±


    The duke, who finally arose from the delicate armchair and was about to walk away, stopped and looked back at me. A strange feeling of embarrassment spread across the solemn face that stared at my smiling face.


    ¡°Is there something else¡­?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I mean it in more ways than one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way father, can you just call me Ruby from now on? Please address me comfortably.¡±


    The Duke didn¡¯t say anything for a moment.


    Of course, it would have been strange if he immediately accepted it.


    However, as soon as I thought it would be better if I could just take it slowly and approach it step by step, the Duke, who was staring at me with a fierce look as if he suddenly remembered something upsetting suddenly said:


    ¡°Oh, by the way. I sent the chief maid somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°I sent her to my relative¡¯s house on a distant land.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either. My daughter suggested that I nip it in the bud before it¡¯s too late so I just said ok.¡±


    This is a bit of unexpected, shocking news.


    You sent the maid away?


    Elenia¡¯s fiercely loyal nanny?


    Elenia suggested that first?


    It¡¯s an unbelievable change, but did something happen?


    I thought he would ask me if I had any reason to question it, but the Duke just scratched his beard and added one last thing.


    ¡°Okay? You¡¯ll have a lot of work to do after I leave. The management of the household will also be under Ruby¡¯s jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°Well, father, just now¡­¡±


    ¡°So take a good rest. Hm!¡±


    After that, the Duke suddenly left.


    I laid flat on the bed for a while and collected my thoughts


    No, why is the maid¡­! How the hell¡­! This is so sad and pointless!


    I was planning a thrilling head to head confrontation with that wicked human being in my own way, but of course, I was relieved that she disappeared on her own.


    However, it was surprising and bewildering because this was unexpected.


    I can¡¯t even imagine what the hell happened.


    Was it because I thought Ellenia would never do that? Or did she want to distance herself from the people she was close to in the meantime because of the complicated situation?


    ¡°Madam, should I bring out a new cart? Is there anything you want to eat separately?¡±


    It¡¯s not surprising that Ronya was originally agreeable but it was strange that it felt like Lucille seemed to be warmer and friendlier.


    Is she happy that the former chief maid is gone?


    Even if she¡¯s gone, it¡¯s unlikely that Lucille, who is still young and has only been here for three years, will become the new chief maid, so why was she so happy?


    Has she not realized yet that she must give up her greedy plan of receiving more jewels from me?


    I didn¡¯t think she was that stupid.


    ¡°You know, Lucille.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam?¡±


    ¡°I will not be giving you anything anymore.¡±


    Lucille, who had been diligently cleaning out the cold teacup, looked astounded.


    Her wide-eyed face was very satisfying to look at.


    She looked shocked and dismayed, as if she had been stabbed in the heart.


    Seeing that expression, I giggled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you anything other than your fixed salary. So you can stop serving me.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤My, what do you mean?¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m not asking for such things, Madame!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    ¡°No, of course, it¡¯s great to receive additional awards but it will be fine even if I don¡¯t receive any more than my fixed salary.¡±


    Our greedy Lucille stuttered and blushed.


    For a moment, I was caught up in the question of why were they so devoted?


    Loyalty isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing though.


    ¡°Well, very occasionally, I can reward both of you when you and Ronya do especially well. Other than that, don¡¯t expect it to be a regular occurrence¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Lucille who smiled broadly and arranged her hair, as if she had never been embarrassed despite the fact that she had been exposed so openly.


    Oh my. She¡¯s always been straightforward.


    Should I say that I like her because she¡¯s blunt?


    She¡¯s a little too blunt, but she¡¯s also affectionate.


    After drinking the tea that Lucille brought me, I drifted off to sleep again.

 Chapter 116

    Ch 116


    There was no particular pain, but as I still had no energy, I fell asleep immediately when I closed my eyes. As my noble father in law said, I will have a lot of work to do after he vacates his position, so it would only be right to rest while I can. Thanks to the warm sunset that tickled my eyelids when I awoke from my nap, I could feel the presence of someone standing next to me.


    Assuming that it was Izek, I didn¡¯t check to see who it was. However, it was the presence of my beautiful sister-in-law who looked just like him, visiting me while I was alone.


    Throughout my time of pretending to be a patient, Elenia would often sneak up to the door and disappear after quietly observing the family doctor or maid tending to me.


    Even if she was wary of me, it couldn¡¯t be helped, but more than that, I just felt like I wasn¡¯t ready to face her.


    I didn¡¯t know how to prepare for it.


    Elenia stopped pacing and stared at me with a stoic expression while I was looking away from her.


    The sunset pouring in from the window with the curtains slightly drawn tinted our faces with a crimson dye.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤You¡¯ve already heard about it.¡±


    The voice that finally rang was calm and dry like her.


    The long hands exposed under the wide lace sleeves looked particularly lifeless today.


    ¡°I sent Marta to another place.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Ruby¡¯s fault, so I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. This was something I should have done earlier¡­ It seems that none of us knew what the people around us were really like.¡±


    It was a stupid question to ask ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Weren¡¯t there moments when you felt like you knew what the reason was even if it wasn¡¯t said out loud?


    So Elenia, who turned her attention to the scenery outside of the window, slowly caught her breath, avoiding my eyes just staring at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve tried to get close to anyone. I probably didn¡¯t try because I didn¡¯t care¡­ now that I see that, I¡¯ve found that I¡¯m worse than my brother.¡±


    I wondered if word had circulated that I was secretly hiding away beasts, but it seems that I was agonizing over a completely different issue.


    ¡°It sounds ridiculous to say this after the time we¡¯ve spent together, but I believed that it would be okay for anyone to leave anytime. Like my mother¡­It wouldn¡¯t matter if they suddenly left.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯ve been living like that¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine how Ruby has been living all this time¡­¡±


    The voice, which had been carrying on quietly, dropped dangerously like the calm before the storm.


    I was in the middle of it all.


    ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I really don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    She said something incomprehensible again.


    Saying she¡¯s sorry?


    I didn¡¯t think she had anything to feel sorry for in this case¡­


    ¡°I like the warm, pleasant atmosphere that hasn¡¯t been around in a long while, I like how the crazy disturbances always catch me off guard, and I envy you for always being sincere.¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Even though I felt unsettled and I knew something was wrong¡­ I wanted Ruby to feel comfortable here so I didn¡¯t try to figure out what was really going on. I didn¡¯t want you to leave so I didn¡¯t bring up the issue or try to acknowledge it.¡±


    Do you really mean that¡­?


    Even though she knew it, she closed her eyes and pretended not to know, saw what she wanted to see, turned around, and forgot about it, but it was not her fault.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one.


    In a way, we were all the same pebbles of different colors.


    We¡¯ve been struggling in our own way because we didn¡¯t want to experience anymore pain and wanted to avoid crumbling like a sandcastle in torrential rain.


    I thought it would be the end if I crumbled into sand.


    It would have been nice if I had realized sooner that that wasn¡¯t the end, that it could only completely coalesce together after it crumbled into sand and that it could become even stronger and withstand more powerful forces of nature afterwards.


    Then I wouldn¡¯t have to cry like this.


    I swallowed the dry saliva down my throat.


    Elenia now stood silently with her head down.


    Long silver hair dyed red by the sunset descended like a veil to cover her face.


    When I carefully raised my arm and held Elenia¡¯s slightly drooping hand, I felt her flinch.


    ¡°You know, Ellen.¡±


    Elenia, who slowly raised her head again, gazed at me with a puzzled expression.


    Now, I couldn¡¯t even get a sense of what kind of reaction would be the most appropriate and what kind of expression I should make in this situation, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    I raised the corners of my wilted mouth, smiled, and stuttered ¡°Ellen, I want a Shepherd¡¯s Pie.¡±


    That northern pie that you can scoop up and eat.


    Ruby-colored eyes, which had been vacant and hardened, gradually opened wide.


    Oops, I didn¡¯t expect to see this expression.


    She suddenly took on a remarkably, youthful appearance.


    Maybe it¡¯s because of the sunset.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me Ellen? I think I¡¯ll feel lonely by myself.¡±


    Right as I gained the courage to speak up, it seemed as if a star had risen in the red sky.


    The sparkling star-like iris appeared in her wide eyes while the corners of her lips twitched.


    It was Elenia¡¯s smile that I had never seen before, a small, faint, but extremely clear and beautiful smile.


    ¡°Yes. That will be fine.¡±


    * * *


    It snowed for a short time the other day after the dragon had just awoken and then sunny days uncharacteristic of the north appeared, but this time it seemed a little different.


    I don¡¯t know if the change in climate had something to do with the dragon or if this country had always been like this


    Even if it¡¯s still early winter, it¡¯s pleasant to see so much snow piling up all night.


    ¡°Madam¡­¡±


    I turned to the escort knights who were murmuring with a look of distress, putting a finger on my lips to signal silence.


    Then, clasping the brush on my shoulder, I set my feet on the snow-covered yard.


    The contrast between the dark, blue sky at dawn and the all white garden created an especially elegant scenery for a stroll.


    There were a series of footprints on the soft, fluffy snow.


    My legs were still a bit stiff because I¡¯ve been in bed for a long time, but it will recover soon.


    Physical strength is derived from both mental strength and endurance, but it seems my body is overall lacking in many ways.


    I¡¯ll try my best to keep my body healthy from now on because there are things that I have to take responsibility for¡­


    I was curious about what the garden in the greenhouse would look like at the moment so I started heading in the direction towards it, but suddenly, I stopped walking and instinctively squatted down.


    I wonder what it would look like if a cute snowman was showing off its appearance in the front yard of the rugged landscape of the Duchy, as if it was claiming, ¡°This is the spirit of the North!¡±


    Good thing I came out wearing indoor gloves.


    I don¡¯t have a lot of memories of properly making a snowman, but as I packed in the snowballs tightly, the cold air started to make me sweat. I was engrossed in the moment of making this winter masterpiece.


    ¡°¡­¡­.Ruby!¡±


    ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤No, who is this?


    Isn¡¯t it my haughty husband who¡¯s been difficult to meet with?


    I spread my arms over the fairly massive snowball and smiled broadly at the monster-like guy who hurriedly walked this way.


    Izek growled the whole time he was walking towards me, making it clear that he didn¡¯t like my carefree attitude.


    ¡°What are you doing? You came out alone in the cold¡­¡±


    ¡°I came out alone because you weren¡¯t there.¡±


    As I started grumbling, Izek, who had taken off his fur cloak and wrapped it around my body, stopped and looked at me.


    A look of embarrassment flashed in his sharp eyes.


    ¡°I was waiting for a long time to comfort you when I heard that you were on probation, why haven¡¯t you shown your face?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.about that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Tell me, where did you stay overnight?¡±


    A bit of gloomy silence passed.


    Izek scratched his head with an awkward, out of character expression for a second, but as soon as he found a comeback, he brazenly scowled and made a smug proclamation.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have any lizards I can flirt with.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±.


    ¡°I was also being cautious because you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. What should I be cautious of?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you should¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    There was hesitation in his red eyes as he met my long, stern gaze.


    What?


    ¡°So,¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Oh, no, I can¡¯t help being attracted to the dragon even if he is a beast. I don¡¯t think I can stop myself. What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±.


    ¡°I may be odd at times but I¡¯m not that eccentric of a person.¡±


    It¡®s rare to see his face fall so heavily.


    I closed my open mouth lightly.


    My mouth began to tremble.


    I tried to hold it in, but it was useless.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Hahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Why? Why are you laughing?¡±¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. Hahahaha.¡±


    For a moment, while I was holding my stomach and giggling, my expressionless husband stared blankly at me and immediately cried out,


    ¡°are you laughing at me for telling you to be careful? Don¡¯t laugh!¡±


    ¡°Fuhhh¡­¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Sometimes, when I see that amusing expression ¡­ ah ha ha ha ha!¡±


    ¡°Stop that. Don¡¯t laugh! It¡¯s all because of you!¡±


    ¡°Why? How is it because of me again?¡±


    ¡°Everytime I see you, you¡¯ll say something weird. Are you going to remember this? I told you not to laugh!


    ¡°What do I say?¡±


    Trying to hide the laughter, I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and asked, but it seems that Izek decided that saying anything past this point would be his own loss.


    He looked lonely after suddenly turning his back.


    ¡°Iz, what kind of things do I say?¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±.


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m used to straightforward northern speech, so you have to tell me the truth for me to understand.¡±¡±


    There¡¯s no answer.


    Truly, as the Duke said, he is a lonely guy.


    ¡°Honey, are you mad?¡±

 Chapter 117

    How to Make My Husband On My Side Episode 117


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not angry¡±.


    ¡°Then, are you upset?¡±¡±


    ¡°Am I a 10-year-old kid?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you ignoring me?¡±


    -Silence-


    During the awkward silence that followed, Izek barely moved and only showed his wide back.


    In any case, It seems like his personality doesn¡¯t match his large stature.


    With a crisp, popping sound, the snowballs struck his well built shoulders and scattered.


    The blood-red eyes looking back at the source of the projectiles were truly frightening.


    ¡°What are you doing right now¡­¡±


    puck (?) (sfx)


    Oh, my. What will I do? You got hit right on your head.


    White snowflakes coating his silver hair cascaded down.


    While I was making another snowball, it seemed that it took Izek a while to process what was happening.


    Then, despite being initially stunned, he immediately regained his composure.


    Oh, what a spine-chilling expression.


    ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡±


    Puck. (sfx)


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡­¡±


    Puck. (sfx)


    ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t do it¡­¡±


    puck. puck. puck. (sfx)


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re angry, throw one back.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­ Wait, wait! Self restraint is one of a paladin¡¯s virtues!¡±


    What is he talking about again? The more you get to know him, the more unusual he is.


    Though he was obedient and compliant in the face of the Holy Office*, Izek also had a strong sense of vengeance, yet for some reason, he showed no signs of fighting back.


    (*TL NOTE: ¡°Holy Office¡± is a real entity. The Palace of the Holy Office is a building in Rome that¡¯s property of the Vatican)


    He just rushed to block it with his arms.


    Aww, it¡¯s not enjoyable anymore if it¡¯s going to be like this¡­


    ¡°Looks like fun.¡±


    I, who had just picked up the snowballs, and Izek, who had just wiped his eyes that were covered by them, turned our heads together.


    On the receiving end of our gaze, a beautiful princess was standing there, wearing a thick shawl and showing a pleased expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know my brother could play around like that.¡±


    For a moment, our eyes met.


    Then Izek spoke up first.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible if it¡¯s something like this¡±


    ¡°Ellen, do you want to join?¡±


    It was only natural that the relaxed expression on Elenia¡¯s face vanished in an instant.


    ¡°¡­What? No, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Puck. (sfx)


    Before the words could even come out, a massive snowball he threw at her shoulder burst open.


    Izek groaned low.


    ¡°This is going to be fun.¡±


    ¡°What is this¡­! What are you doing brother? Are you crazy?¡±


    puck. puck puck puck. (?. ? ? ?. ) (sfx)


    The reserved attitude he had shown not long ago was nowhere to be seen, Izek was pelting snowballs mercilessly, at a pace that had long surpassed mine.


    I¡¯m getting a little worried about him.


    It was then that Elenia, who had been shielding her white hair and had gradually sunk to the ground, suddenly lowered her arms that had been protecting her head.


    Puck! (sfx)


    Another snowball burst open.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Can I hit your face too?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even dream about it.¡±


    puck. puck puck puck. (?. ? ? ?. ) (sfx)


    My head was quickly powdered white from the series of snowballs thrown by Elenia.


    All three of us were soon burning with the unprecedented spirit of victory and began to hurl a storm of snowballs at each other. Suddenly, I came to my senses and it seemed like Elenia and I were somehow aiming at Izek together.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute! Where is there a wife who abandons her husband? Since when were you two so close?¡±


    ¡°You ignored me first!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, you should get healthier!¡±


    ¡°Where is there a person as healthy and strong as me, pumpkin!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Laughter filled the area.


    I didn¡¯t know exactly whose laughter it was.


    And finally, after Elenia dealt a devastating blow, Izek collapsed to the floor and raised his arms.


    ¡°I lost, I lost. I was wrong for trying to win in the first place.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°You know that now?¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to look good to Ruby (by aiming at me) since you haven¡¯t had time to get close to her¡­¡± (Izek)


    ¡°What do you mean we haven¡¯t gotten close? We ate shepherd¡¯s pie together. One for each of us.¡± (Elenia)


    Izek, who had been roughly shaking his snow covered hair, paused and looked towards me.


    Isn¡¯t Elenia also looking back at me with a cautious expression as well?


    Oh, my. Since when¡­¡­.


    It¡¯s clear what was happening, but they were also being blatantly obvious about it.


    I stopped smiling.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, that¡¯s why it would¡¯ve been nice for you to come home earlier.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± (izek)


    ¡°This gentle attitude is unlike you.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m a very kind person. I¡¯m much gentler than that lizard.¡± (Izek)


    What is this family even saying?


    The guy who muttered those words confidently, smiled, pulled me by the waist, and hugged me.


    Eleania, whose eyes had dimmed like mine, shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting jealous of the lizard¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing this because you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    ¡°Did you know you¡¯re really childish?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, madam.. Take this!¡±


    ¡°Kak¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤! What a cowardly move!¡±


    ¡°Kheham!¡±


    A second round of another snowball fight had almost begun, but it was halted due to the intervention of an ill-timed cough.


    As we turned our heads together while panting for breath, the scenery of the mansion at the break of dawn came into view along with the witnesses who looked as if they were facing Judgment Day early in the morning.


    There was an eerie silence for a moment.


    With the Omerta Castle shrouded in deafening silence, the Duke, who had an incredulous expression, only said four words.


    ¡°Go in and eat.¡±¡±


    * **


    It¡¯s been almost half a year since I¡¯ve lived here and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a sight.


    Thus, it would have only been normal for me to feel agitated.


    But why were the servants, who must have spent a much longer time here, incomparable to the length of time I¡¯ve stayed, have such quivering eyes?


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you on probation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been released.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The benevolent leader said he can¡¯t live without me.¡±


    ¡°Damn b*stard, paying attention to someone else¡¯s son¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I told you not to be so high strung¡±.


    ¡°Oh, damn it. Don¡¯t talk about this in front of Ruby¡±


    ¡°Hmm, hmm!¡±


    The more I see this father and son duo, the more peculiar they get.


    Still, it is a much different atmosphere compared to the past when the release of dark energy could be felt even from a distance.


    As for Elenia, she looked at the two pathetic men with eyes full of pity, but she didn¡¯t seem to pay much attention.


    In the past, even if she pretended not to be aware of her surroundings, she seemed to be uneasy about something, but this is also an odd reaction.


    ¡°Father, stop eating. You said your hunger could never be satiated this morning.¡±


    ¡°Putting my hunger aside, were you the ones who¡¯ve been playing outside since dawn?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Was it fun? I didn¡¯t see any children around¡±


    Elenia¡¯s expressionless face flinched, and at the same time, the sound of Izek ruthlessly slicing a pig¡¯s leg echoed with a thud. I carefully opened my mouth on behalf of the speechless siblings, sticking a spoon into the fragrant, intoxicating soup.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us next time?¡±


    ¡°¡­My shoulders are perpetually sore. It especially aches when it snows.¡±


    ¡°I can give you a little massage after this.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Oh my, that¡¯s a surprise I was just saying this for a laugh, but why was no one talking at the same time? It¡¯s embarrassing.


    Elenia, who hastily set down her glass of water, covered her mouth with her hand and turned her head.


    Meanwhile, Izek barely coughed and stared at his father with burning eyes.


    ¡°Are you going to make her do that?¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough! Am I crazy?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Cough, hmm! Aren¡¯t you trying to give a deeper meaning to it? It¡¯s pointless to do something like that.¡±


    Well, I think everyone here feels extremely uncomfortable.


    Have we ever eaten together?


    It would make sense if I was the one at a loss of what to do now, but it seems that I¡¯m doing the best out of everyone here.


    I said nothing more and silently emptied the flavorful bowl of soup.


    At the sight of fresh bread stuffed with olives and topped with a copious amount of butter, my appetite came back and I took a sizable bite.


    Wow, it¡¯s so good.


    The shepherd pie I had with Elenia was also good, but I didn¡¯t know the butter here was impeccable.


    The North is amazing.


    ¡°¡­do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Huh? The butter is exceptionally savory.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yak butter.¡±


    Is that so? But why aren¡¯t you eating and just staring at me? Where did the usual beastly appetite go?


    I opened my eyes wide. Izek seemed to be thinking of something while he was watching me eat, and he soon took the meat stew from the other side and put it down in front of me right after I finished the piece of bread.


    ¡°It tastes better if you eat it like this.¡±


    ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Look, put it in here ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s going to taste weird.¡±


    ¡°No, try it first.¡±


    It was a little questionable but he¡¯s not the kind of guy who would play around with his food, so I just followed along.


    Then, he scooped up the mushy, buttery bread along with the stew and put it in my mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    I felt tickled seeing the triumphant smile.


    I¡¯m excited for some reason, but I also felt a little sorry.


    What kind of appearance did I just show to a person who likes me so much¡­¡­.


    ¡°You should hurry up and eat too. Don¡¯t just eat meat all the time now.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    When I handed him a plate of stir-fried vegetables mixed with sausages, he unexpectedly handled the fork with care.


    Well, he claimed to be gentler than anyone else just a little while ago, so he can¡¯t be criticized now.


    ¡°Hmm, hmm!¡±


    ¡°Did you cough again, father?¡±


    Instead of responding to his daughter in law¡¯s innocent question, the stern Duke started to attack his son¡¯s difficult-to-cut pork dishes.


    The bold action clearly bothered Izek, but for some reason, he kept silent.

 Chapter 118 - The Omerta family鈥檚 paranoid conspiracy theories about the ice dragon

    Chapter 118 ¨C The Omerta family¡¯s paranoid conspiracy theories about the ice dragon


    The relaxing atmosphere made breakfast time pass quickly and it was soon followed by dessert.


    Rich, sweet cocoa with floating marshmallows along with a snow-white cream cake were desserts perfect for a snowy morning.


    But it seemed that I was the only one who thought so.


    Even Elenia seemed to be distracted by something.


    ¡°Are these desserts father¡¯s taste?¡±


    ¡°What are you suddenly unhappy about? The daughter-in-law likes it.¡±


    ¡°Since when did you start liking them¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I like them back then as well?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about when you say ¡®back then¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I had the same taste back then but there are some desserts that I only recently started liking.¡±


    The Duke, who responded slowly, sipped a glass of wine and gracefully gestured towards the attendants.


    The pale faced attendants that had been actively moving about left their positions.


    I was a little worried that Izek, who was staring at my cup of hot cocoa as if it was poisoned, might overturn the table as it is, but fortunately that didn¡¯t happen.


    However, the veins bulging from his forehead were unsettling.


    ¡°Are you enjoying this¡­?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Am I the only one? Besides that, tell me why your superior has been making such a commotion since this morning.¡± (Duke)


    ¡°Do I need to report it to my father?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Who told you not to do it?¡± (Duke)


    What is this?


    My eyes widened at the sight of the pair of siblings¡¯ cold eyes and quietly took a bite of my cake.


    ¡°What happened?¡± (Duke)


    ¡°Rather than something happening¡­damn it. I was going to bring it up myself so why are you pestering me about this now?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be involved but you have to tell me in detail so that I can relay the information to his majesty¡±. (Duke)


    ¡°You can find out from Sir Barons (knight commander). Actually, you probably already know about it.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Your superior has a tendency to exaggerate since long ago so his words are unreliable. Fu¡­ Lately, I¡¯ve been hearing peculiar noises coming from the direction of Rom¡¯s cave since last night, Ruby.¡± (Duke)


    If it¡¯s Rom¡¯s cave, isn¡¯t that where our dragon cub¡¯s hiding place is?


    (T/N: ¡®Rom¡¯ is supposed to be a place but I am not sure what it is since I don¡¯t remember a location sounding similar to it when the novel talks about Erendil or the North and I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not referring to Romagna)


    Izek rubbed his temples in annoyance then glanced at me with an imperturbable expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been monitoring the area since the attack on the palace and I heard someone whining all of a sudden last night. Should I say that it sounds more like wailing? The commander is arguing that it clearly sounds more like wailing.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Could the dragon be in ill health?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°It could be the case but the timing of when they started wailing doesn¡¯t coincide with when they sustained injuries from the incident¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Anyway, the first thing to do is to figure out the next steps. I will first do a sweep of the area today and then escort you to the location. They¡¯ve been acting out and you¡¯re the only one who has entered their dwelling. (Izek)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a possibility that they¡¯re purposely pretending to be unwell? Maybe they¡¯re trying to make Ruby come to them.¡± (Elenia)


    (T/N: I don¡¯t think the novel has ever clearly specified the gender of the dragon since Korean just frivolously switches between he/she whenever it¡¯s MTL¡¯d, so I¡¯m using gender neutral pronouns from now on to refer to them)


    I gaped at Elenia for a moment.


    Elenia rolled her eyes in exasperation.


    ¡°Ruby, they¡¯re much smarter than they seem. Don¡¯t let this go so easily¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°I also share the same sentiment. No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s feigning, but Sir Barons is concerned¡­What are your thoughts about this father?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Your rationale makes sense. If you consider the circumstances, that bast*rd could just be putting on an act¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Duke)


    Should I feel comforted by the scene of a family simply nodding their heads together?


    Since when did they get along so well?


    What if that ill tempered rascal is genuinely sick?!


    Well, it¡¯s not unreasonable to be one of the few people concerned, after all, dragons are quite rare right?


    To make matters worse, my beautiful sister-in-law took it further.


    ¡°If the knights are struggling to watch over them and the dragon cub is indeed sick, why don¡¯t the knights just release them outside?¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°I want to do that too, but it¡¯s also difficult because they¡¯re rare. There are concerns that they will rampage again under the pretext of being sick.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. But what the hell was the commander complaining about?¡± (Duke)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing there, but two young, golden beasts from somewhere are guarding the entrance closely so it¡¯s impossible to get near the dragon. In other words, they are preventing other beasts from looting the dragon¡¯s vast pile of riches while they¡¯re still out of commission. It¡¯s suspicious and that¡¯s why I¡¯m questioning whether that dragon is actually sick or not.¡± (Izek)


    (T/N: the location of where the ¡°two young, golden beasts¡± came from is specified as ¡®somewhere¡¯ in the TL as the raws are unclear about the location)


    ¡°They were guarding the entrance? It didn¡¯t seem like that.¡± (Duke)


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, maybe the three of them are conspiring with one another. I was going to give them a chance to make contact on their own even if I wasn¡¯t monitoring the situation, but this is my plan now.¡­.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°You know.¡± (Ruby)


    They were strangely interested in the bizarre conversation, but when I openly sighed, it ended in an instant.


    Then, not only was my smug, arrogant husband smiling at me, but my poker-faced sister-in-law and stern father-in-law were also doing that as well.


    At least, it seemed like they were.


    ¡°¡­Oh, of course I¡¯m kidding. Wasn¡¯t I?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Of course it was just a joke. Wasn¡¯t it, father? (Elenia)


    ¡°Yea, I was just saying that because I was a bit troubled about the damage caused by the dragon.¡± (Duke)


    They didn¡¯t seem like they were being honest, but I pretended to not have noticed anything.


    Instead, I smiled at Izek, who appeared to have been somewhat clenching his cup.


    ¡°Then are we going there today? Are you going to Rom¡¯s cave with me?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Huh? Yeah, of course I am. It might be dangerous so I don¡¯t want you to meet them by yourself.¡± (Izek)


    (T/N: A reminder to myself that I¡¯m still using they/them pronouns to refer to the dragon or any beast/monsters)


    ¡°That¡¯s nice, it¡¯s like a married couple¡¯s joint operation. I was internally worried that you would be going alone. Isn¡¯t it likely that they¡¯re on high alert at the moment?¡± (Duke)


    Izek¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment and then he looked at me, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    I thought, ¡®Who cares about that?¡¯ Isn¡¯t it similar to a child moaning from having a high fever?


    But what¡¯s with this atmosphere?


    I was at a loss for words.


    My father-in-law clicked his tongue and shook his head while Izek, whose blood sugar had risen sharply, pounded his head on the table.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t said anything yet?¡± (Duke)


    ¡°¡­¡­ [Cough]! Oh, damn it¡­.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°So noisy, noisy, [cough]! Great¡­ It¡¯s just great¡­!¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Iz, are you okay?¡± (Ruby)


    Instead of answering my question, Izek¡¯s sullen figure suddenly jerked out of his seat.


    Then, covering his face with his large hands, he averted his eyes and groaned as he spat out.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to go and clean up first.¡­.¡± (Izek)


    ¡°I should go to the palace now. I hope that thoughtless, stupid bast*rd is faking their illness. If that¡¯s the case, approach with caution for the moment¡­¡± (Duke)


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d go now?¡± (Izek)


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving? Did you want to eat more food?¡± (Duke)


    Elenia and I stared at each other for a while and at the same time opened our mouths at the attractive, wide backs of the bickering father and son.


    ¡°Have a safe trip. See you later¡±.


    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±


    The father and son duo looked back at us for the last time with similar expressions, but right afterwards, in the process of leaving, they caused a disturbance and coughed up a storm, leaving us wondering what else was wrong with their heads.


    ¡°¡­Ruby, would you like to eat mine too?¡±


    ¡°What about you Ellen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him to bring me some other desserts.¡±


    Just like that, the first breakfast the family had gathered for ended peacefully.


    ***


    ¡°You need to get new winter clothes.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it gradually. By the way, does winter come this early for Erendil?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°This year it came particularly fast. Come to think of it, how is winter in Romagna?¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°It hardly snows, I guess. I lived in the northern part, so I thought it snowed too early compared to the rest of Romagna.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°It seems that we have to get used to donning cold weather attire soon. I don¡¯t know if the ice dragon has anything to do with the weather, but¡­¡± (Elenia)


    I really don¡¯t know either.


    Among the dragons that inhabit the North, weren¡¯t the ice dragons the most prominent and rarest of its kind?


    Ronya, dressed in her cold weather attire, had been holding on to me tightly before taking her leave at our request.


    I smiled at Elenia without looking in the mirror.


    ¡°Ellen, am I not strange?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m probably the first one who can interact with beasts without trouble. Admittedly, I am a little scared of being misunderstood even though I can¡¯t help it. It wouldn¡¯t be weird if I was mistaken as a witch.¡±


    Elenia bowed her head for a moment and looked at her hands that had been resting on her lap. She got up from the armchair she had been sitting in and came closer.


    ¡°Well, first of all, I¡¯m an Omerta and I can¡¯t help but accept it as is. If my father or brother can calmly accept it, then I¡¯m no different. Reality is too tiring for people to have time to believe in the superstition of witches.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    ¡°Of course, I was really surprised at the time, but oddly enough, I didn¡¯t find the situation to be all that ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Maybe it¡¯s because anything beyond common sense is possible in this domain.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, it seems that I felt that the impossible was somehow possible with Ruby. I¡¯ve felt like that all along.¡±


    ¡°Have the things I¡¯ve done been so absurd?¡°


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? If you looked at it this morning, you¡¯d realize it too.¡±


    My charming sister-in-law tied the laces of my hooded cloak into the shape of a ribbon.


    I silently smiled during this brief moment in time.


    Unexpectedly, the sound of someone knocking on the door could be heard.


    ¡°Madam, Lady, are you there?¡± (Madam ¨C Ruby, Lady ¨C Elenia)


    (T/N: Lady is used when referring to women who hold certain titles ¨C marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness; it can also be used for the wife of a lower ranking noble. Lady is also the courtesy title for daughters of higher ranking nobles ¨C duke, marquis, or earl.)


    Isn¡¯t this voice the butler? I wondered if something was urgent¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°My apologies, Miss. Actually, Lady Furiana has made a visit.¡±


    Somehow, he sounded hesitant.


    No, I think he¡¯s flustered. I don¡¯t know why he is.


    After a moment of silence, Elenia looked at me once and coolly announced.


    ¡°Tell her we¡¯re busy and send her back. I¡¯m sure I previously informed you of this.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. With all due respect, I have to report this since you didn¡¯t meet with her last time..¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Lady Furiana asked to see Madam (Ruby).¡±


    What does she want?


    Elenia and I stared at each other with vacant expressions.


    To be honest, I haven¡¯t thought of Freya at all as of recently.


    I didn¡¯t avoid it on purpose, my mind was just distracted with other things. If I thought about her, it would¡¯ve just made me feel upset.


    The problems with Freya and the Temple were topics I wanted to avoid making judgments on my own.


    But why did Freya suddenly visit me at this specific time of day?

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    ¡°It¡¯s bad timing. Let¡¯s just refuse her request and tell her to go home¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°No!¡± (Ruby)


    I hastily interrupted Elenia¡¯s words as she slowly opened her mouth.


    Her red eyes widened.


    ¡°Ruby, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to meet her. I will separately¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself. There¡¯s something else I want to talk to her about.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. Besides, you have to leave soon.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°We don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll have to leave yet, isn¡¯t there a bit of time to spare for some tea? (Ruby)


    ¡°But Ruby¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ellen. Really. After all, she¡¯s Ellen¡¯s old friend.¡± (Ruby)


    Whether it¡¯s for me or something else, Elenia had already sent out her nanny, who looked after her from an early age, and she shouldn¡¯t have to be involved in these matters anymore.


    Moreover, I was wondering why Freya wanted to see me.


    ¡°¡­Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± (Elenia)


    ¡°Of course, did you forget what kind of person I am?¡± (Ruby)


    ***


    On a snowy, winter afternoon, I unexpectedly sat down for tea at a table situated in the garden of the greenhouse, surrounded by a sumptuous spring landscape.


    I was also facing Freya.


    My last memory of Freya was of her appearance in the mirror room of Angvan Palace.


    She was frozen and solely staring at me while everyone else was distracted by the roar of the dragon.


    Indeed, Freya, who I haven¡¯t seen in a long time, was as neat and elegant as ever.


    She seemed to be at ease, yet a little less relaxed, but overall, nothing seemed to have changed much.


    However, after asking to see me, she seemed unwilling to open her mouth.


    Freya wasn¡¯t the only one, we also showed no signs of initiating a dialogue.


    The air in the greenhouse was warm, but it felt like a cold wind was blowing through.


    It wasn¡¯t because of me though, it was probably because of Elenia, who was sitting upright and staring at her childhood friend with a cold expression on her face.


    I don¡¯t know what happened between the two.


    However, considering Elenia¡¯s attitude, I can only guess that a decisive moment must have taken place.


    Freya was evidently neither talking to nor looking at Elenia.


    She just sat with rigid shoulders and her head bowed, looking at the teacup.


    The situation was like this, but it shouldn¡¯t be like this.


    ¡°Ellen, would it be okay if you left us alone for a while?¡±


    In fact, Elenia was scheduled to leave soon anyway, but I asked cautiously because she was anxious.


    Freya¡¯s hand, holding the glass, twitched slightly.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Call me if anything happens.¡±


    Elenia, who had directed her words toward me, turned her gaze to Freya and stood up coyly.


    Consequently, it was finally just the two of us in question that remained.


    The clear, winter sun shone through the glass ceiling and illuminated the table.


    Instead of conversing with the silent visitor, I sipped tea and savored the vibrant refreshments from the serving tray.


    There were fresh lemon tarts, crisp cookies, colorful cupcakes, and, of course, chocolate pudding.


    The huge white cake that I ate this morning was present as well.


    I could feel Freya, who was still giving off a scornful air, eventually lifting her eyes slowly and looking at me.


    Regardless of whether she was or was not looking at me, I still went about like normal and dipped the almond cookie into the creamy pudding, pushed it into my mouth, and sipped the plain, black tea.


    ¡°¡­Madam.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Lady?¡±


    ¡°¡­ First of all, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. The tea has a pleasant smell, so do and go try it.¡±


    Silence resumed once more.


    For whatever reason, Freya came to see me yet she was in no hurry to bring up the topic of discussion and instead, just stared at me as I ate.


    Are you going to pick a fight again?


    She looked a bit tired though.¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize to Madam.¡±


    ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤just as expected. At her convenience, she continued to spit out utter garbage.


    It¡¯s pretty much the same as before.


    ¡°So please don¡¯t expect an apology.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I just did what I thought was best according to my own beliefs. I still feel the same way now.¡±


    ¡°Even if mistakes were made, my actions are based on a set of values accumulated through various experiences from the time I was born. And after having lived with these values in mind ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. I just can¡¯t understand Madam at all.¡±


    I stood up with a cookie still in my mouth.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    As the scene unfolded, I strode across a diverse array of colorful flowers and bushes and headed towards the door.


    Then, after beckoning the escorts standing outside the entrance to retreat, they closed and locked the door.


    When I came back to the table, Freyja was frozen with a bewildered expression, assuming that I must have just left.


    I sat back in my seat and folded my arms while chewing whatever was left of the cookie.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    The sound of the vigorous stream of water circulating in the fountain could be heard.


    Freya stared at me as her face paled and continued to talk.


    ¡°If people don¡¯t try to help themselves, no one else will.¡±


    That¡¯s a wonderful thing to say. Which book is this from?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why a woman like Madam has been neglecting herself like that for so long, but it seems like an addiction. Because they said that misery and self-pity are addictive.¡±


    So that¡¯s what this was about¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.


    ¡°Of course, I feel sympathy and pity, but nonetheless, I can¡¯t help that my need to lament comes first. Why¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ why the hell did you live your life that way?¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°You can overcome any difficulty with strong will and good words alone. If you can put your mind to it and take action, heaven will surely be on your side. You could have asked for anyone¡¯s help at any time in your current position, but why didn¡¯t you do anything until things got so bad? Why did you not think about taking a more active approach on life and let not only yourself, but also everyone else to be so miserable¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡°


    Misery, self-compassion, alienation, solitude, rejection, death, pain, violence, fear, coercion and shame ¡­¡­.


    A sheltered woman who had never personally experienced any of this was now arguing with me.


    The issue wasn¡¯t about whether she knew or didn¡¯t know anything about my life.


    She was just more or less curious about the moment she witnessed at that time and wanted to argue with how I lived.


    Why did you ignore the values of nobility by living so pathetically and passively, making others needlessly worry? (T/N: This is still internal monologue, from the POV of what Ruby is thinking Freya is asking of her)


    Strangely enough, I felt amused rather than angry.


    It may just be a natural course of action for a person to react like her, when they were born and raised in an entirely different environment and never experienced what the other person went through.


    A verbal attack by someone who has never been or will never be abandoned.


    Nevertheless, there were also people who said it was not my fault when they looked at me, despite never having experienced my struggles, instead of blaming me or saying empty words of compassion.


    ¡°Are you listening? Fu¡­.¡±


    Something was burning inside me.


    It had already happened here once the other day.


    The elegantly combed platinum hair, the smooth white face, the front of the luxurious dress, and the fine accessories were soaked in tea water.


    Only, it was a different person this time around who had poured the teacup.


    I could guarantee that Freya¡¯s current expression was the same exact one I had last time when I was in her position.


    The look of someone cracking and completely losing their composure.


    It was astounding to see her face tinted in blue because of the color of the tea.


    ¡°What are you doing right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t it your hobby to douse yourself with tea? I¡¯m proud of my ability to be straightforward because I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a healthy and dignified way to live by childishly blaming others when things do not go my way, just like you have done so far.¡±


    ¡°You, do you think you¡¯ll still be safe after you do this? I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    I picked up a handful of assorted sweets and shoved them into her mouth, which had been extremely energetic in blathering on continuously.


    Suffer a diabetic shock, you rude ass b*tch.


    ¡°Wow! Whoa, whoa! What kind of vulgar behavior is this?¡±


    ¡±It¡¯s because I feel sorry for your shallow existence. Why? Like you said, let¡¯s say I have lived a pathetic life, but what does that make you, someone who finds it difficult to win against me in any case? You couldn¡¯t face me properly and ended up resorting to petty, underhanded schemes. What the hell does that make you?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡±Will the heavens help you if you act like that? Do you think it¡¯s okay to do childish things just because the heavens tell you to? Say you envy me if you envy me that much. You must have had a hard time pretending to be noble while burning to death with resentment. Do you know that you¡¯re so unsightly and pathetic? I feel bad for you for going crazy over a pathetic person such as myself!¡±


    The purple eyes had been shaking as if an earthquake had occurred and then burst into flames.


    I didn¡¯t know I would see such a brutal and poisonous expression on Freya¡¯s face, so I have to live and enjoy it for a long time.


    ¡±If you hadn¡¯t appeared, my position wouldn¡¯t have been taken away from me! How the hell is someone like you ruining my world? A dirty Borgian woman who¡¯s not even the Pope¡¯s biological child, but a tattered prostitute¡¯s daughter who¡¯s been sold off here and there.¡±


    puck. (?. ) (sfx)


    My hands gripped her head and plunged it into the pure white cake.


    Her beautiful face was instantly covered with cream, then she stretched out her floundering arms and grabbed my hair.


    Tears welled up from the pain of having my hair pulled by the roots.


    See what this woman is doing?


    ¡°The North would have remained the same if it wasn¡¯t for you! Why did everything change so much after you appeared¡­!¡±


    ¡°Go be a martyr for your burning loyalty to the North, you wicked woman!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you¡­! Why do I have to feel so inferior because of someone like you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Your feelings are not my problem.¡±


    ¡°Why should I be deprived of the things I deserve because of a woman of unclear bloodline, a woman who is not worth comparing to, merely a foolish doll who only knows how to smile and dance?¡±


    ¡±That¡¯s just life, you b*tch! Be mindful of the person you¡¯re picking a fight with!¡±

 Chapter 120 - A continuation of Freya鈥檚 frustration and Ruby鈥檚 wrath

    Chapter 120 ¨C A continuation of Freya¡¯s frustration and Ruby¡¯s wrath


    The contents of the table were swept away.


    The finely prepared teacups, plates, and trays with assorted refreshments were jumbled up together and haphazardly laid scattered on the grass.


    We behaved like lions in the jungle, fiercely holding onto each other¡¯s hair with a tight grip.


    ¡°What does your dissatisfaction with your mother¡¯s eyes have to do with me?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What¡­ what do you know about my mother! Don¡¯t slander her!¡± (Freya)


    You don¡¯t even know what my mother looks like yet you insulted her first! (Ruby)


    Then, a loud knocking sound simultaneously accompanied by the sound of several people shouting could be heard.


    ¡°Madam, Madam!¡±


    ¡°Ruby, what the hell is going on? Ruby!¡±


    The greenhouse was made of glass so everything could be seen from the outside even if the door could not open.


    Though the scene was partly obscured by an array of colorful, southern fountains and trees, it was still apparent that there was a commotion taking place.


    However, there was no time for neither Freya nor I to pay attention to the details.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve any of this! Everything you have now was mine! Iz, Ellen, and everyone else has been mine from the beginning! If only you hadn¡¯t appeared¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re like this and not because I showed up? Be honest with yourself!¡±


    ¡°Who are you to preach to me? I¡¯m of a different kind to you, my mother cannot be compared to your mother! We were born gifted.¡± (???? ¨C be born w/, be gifted w/, be endowed w/, be inborn). ****SEE T/N Note at the bottom about Freya¡¯s mentality


    ¡°So your perfect, flawless mother taught you it¡¯s acceptable to brazenly spout lies to your friends?¡±


    ¡°My! Don¡¯t insult my mother with that mouth!¡±


    ¡°You attacked my mother first! Moreover, you¡¯re the one that¡¯s insulting your own mother with the way you¡¯re acting! Don¡¯t you feel sorry? Sorry for your friends? Sorry for Ellen who has trusted you for so many years? You don¡¯t deserve them in the first place if you don¡¯t feel that way for Ellen, Iz, or anyone else!¡±


    The hands that were pulling at my hair from the roots fell off.


    My hands also released their grip on her hair at the same time.


    The area was strewn with my dark, knotted blonde hair clumped with Freya¡¯s pale, dull blonde hair like tumbleweeds.


    ¡°Ruby! Open this door! Ruby! Frey! Freya van Furiana! Can¡¯t you open this door right now?¡±


    Elenia¡¯s command was powerful and intimidating.


    Indeed, her terrifying words immediately froze the conversation.


    She¡¯s not an Omerta for no reason.


    Freya made eye contact with me and glared while everyone continued to yell.


    Her expression was distorted with tears unexpectedly welling up in her blurred, purple eyes.


    ¡°What are you crying about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying¡±.


    ¡°Then stop it! What despicable kind of acting are you going to show us now?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! What the hell would someone like you know? What do you know about me or how hard I work, what can those eyes even see?


    ¡°You have no conscience, you¡¯re the one who first preached without knowing anything about me! Whining and crying over things like this, what would you know about things you¡¯ve never been through that are far worse?¡±


    ¡°¡­I, ha, I¡­!¡±


    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t live like that! I don¡¯t know what turned a fortunate child like you into someone crooked and heartless, but at least I didn¡¯t commit atrocious, vile acts against anyone! I only did my best to survive every day, but unlike you, I didn¡¯t harass people to great lengths to get what I wanted!¡±


    ¡°Who enjoyed seeing what happened? I, too, was in pain when I saw what he did in the mirror room! Why the hell do you always disrupt things like that? It¡¯s beyond common sense¡­.why does everyone change only when it comes to you? What the hell are you to make me change too¡­.¡±


    (T/N: It¡¯s probably already pretty pretty obvious, but I¡¯ll write this anyway, when Freya says ¡°why the hell do you always disrupt things like that?¡± she¡¯s referring to how Ruby¡¯s hidden trauma shook whatever misconceptions she had against Ruby and made her question her understanding of the world)


    Tears streamed down her cream ladened, mangled face as her voice, which had bellowed with indefinite strength, fell low. It¡¯s a scene I couldn¡¯t even imagine.


    ¡°When we were at the temple, did you and your uncle plan for you to ingest the magic stone and pass out?¡±


    (T/N: Just to recap, Freya drank this in Ch 30 and the contents of the stone was explained in Ch 31 ¨C ¡°The Magic Stone was not just a stone, but an object that was used as a bait for summoning demons. One combined the Magic Stone, which was the core of a dead monster, with the Holy Spirit Stone.¡± Then it goes on to explain that it could only be used after putting human blood on it)


    .


    Freya, who was sniffling and wiping her face with her sleeve, shot me a look of surprise.


    The question was half impulsively thrown at her but I received a ridiculous reaction in return.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to pretend you don¡¯t know? Do whatever you want. We¡¯ll find out one way or another once we take a closer look at the Furianas-¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stop what was happening that time! Don¡¯t make assumptions without having all the facts! As for my uncle, what he did was entirely for me and my stubbornness¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing. I feel honored that you went so far as to endure the pain of vomiting blood just to get rid of me. Were you that ambitious to be a queen?¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°It seems your uncle shares the same goal as you but your parents are oblivious to both of your intentions.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­one achievement is more important than a hundred-word plan.¡±


    ¡­.? ??? ???? ? ?? ???? ? ?? ??? ??? ? ???.


    (T/N: I think the above means that an achievement takes priority over taking the time to explain your objectives as it could have been questioned and dampened before it could be executed. She probably thought it¡¯s better to just do it and let people see the results after since she didn¡¯t want to deal with any probing questions)


    ¡°So, do you think your plans will come to fruition? Does the marquis know that you¡¯re plotting treason?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound worse than it seems, are you threatening me right now?¡±


    ¡°What if I was?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be a queen or do you have lingering feelings for my husband? Or is it both?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, anyway, you¡¯d better give up and withdraw. I don¡¯t want you to feel sorry for me, but you should at least have the conscience to feel sorry for your friend for what you have done so far.¡±


    ¡°¡­I, I just want you¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for causing a disturbance that day? I feel sorry for your rude, younger brother for accusing me without knowing anything and being beaten by the marquis for it.¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t have any sympathy for stupid, pitiful Lorenzo, but I said so just to see if she would feel guilty.


    Freya couldn¡¯t say anything anymore.


    It looked like she was lowering her head and sniffling.


    It was then that the loud, thumping sound reverberated through the garden, which was in ruins at that point.


    It seemed that Elenia broke the door.


    After all, they (the Omertas) were wild northerners.


    ¡°How¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    In an instant, people poured in.


    The room grew rowdy but it wasn¡¯t long until my precious greenhouse became a silent haven once again.


    The silence was too much.


    I could only speculate how our childish actions, sitting on the floor all the while with clothes in disarray and scattered hair everywhere, must have looked like in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Golden tumbleweeds were gently carried along by the subtle wind coming in from outside of the greenhouse and dispersed itselves around the audience


    Growing fear flashed across the faces of the loyal escort knights.


    The elderly butler mumbled and signaled something while Andymion, who didn¡¯t even know why he was present, awkwardly rubbed his shoulders and gave an accidental squeak at the flying masses of hair.


    While the men were unexpectedly overwhelmed with fear, the Ice Princess looked much calmer in contrast. She wore an expression of shock herself but the bloody undercurrent made it seem closer to anger than fear.


    ¡°What the hell happened here¡­?¡±


    The eeriness of the question prompted the appearance of goosebumps on my forearm.


    Freya was surprisingly quiet for someone who had mastered the art of crying to her advantage. She seemed frightened.


    I carefully opened my mouth though I was a little scared.


    ¡°We had a bit of a fight¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s evident just from looking at the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry right now? Look at your face, Ruby! Frey, why haven¡¯t you responded?¡±


    Freya¡¯s shoulders shrank and she glared at me through her ugly, tangled mess of hair.


    I also tried to open my eyes.


    Elenia¡¯s murderous aura grew bit by bit at our childish behavior that lacked any sort of reflection, but nevertheless, she continued to speak with grace.


    ¡°To the main building right now.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You are indeed Sir Izek¡¯s wife!¡±


    These were the words Andymion came up with all of a sudden as we left the Duke¡¯s after I meticulously rearranged my appearance under Elenia¡¯s grim, menacing gaze.


    Admiration, that I couldn¡¯t comprehend, was present in his clear, dazzling amber eyes.


    The more I get to know him, the more fascinating he is, knowing that he¡¯s not Izek¡¯s son.


    He had been quiet so I was worried that he might have been shaken by the scene earlier, but it was a useless worry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing you such an ugly side of me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ugly? Sure, it was a little scary, but the more I think about it, the more impressive the scene was. I didn¡¯t know Madam had such a fiery personality¡­¡±


    Why do you keep thinking about it?


    My face was burning to the point of death.


    I didn¡¯t know that that would be the kind of impression I¡¯d leave on the opposite sex¡­.


    ¡°Uh, if my husband or anyone else asks about what just happened to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll gladly keep it a secret between the two of us.¡±


    ¡°¡­what is the situation right now exactly?¡±


    ***


    Similar to the last time I saw it, I visited the icy forest, which was painted all over with white now, for the second time.


    I didn¡¯t see a single gnome as Andymion and several other paladins escorted me to Rom¡¯s cave from the entrance to the forest.


    Were they hiding?


    A scenery of Paladins dressed in black armor and strictly monitoring the area unfolded once we entered the area of the border.


    The eyes of everyone coming from all over the place and following me around were a little embarrassing, but I decided not to mind it thinking that it was only natural they would react this way.


    More than that, I was bothered by a bizarre sound that grew increasingly louder as I got closer to Rom¡¯s cave.


    [Kao-O-O-O-K-O-O-O-]


    ¡°Woah, whoa, whoa, whoa!¡±


    Finally, as I climbed the hill leading to the entrance to Rom¡¯s cave, something solemnly crying tumbled down in front of my feet, and I almost screamed.


    Andymion made a grunt instead of me.


    ¡°¡­Kah, Sir Camu?¡±


    The feisty Sir Camu turned away and looked up at me.


    A terrible bite glimmered in his rough, water-colored eyes.


    An intense expression glimmered in his rough, water-colored eyes.


    **(About Freya¡¯s Mentality) T/N: I didn¡¯t mean for this to be long but my brain is fried and it¡¯s been an hour yet I don¡¯t know how to convey this concept in English. This weirdly long explanation, that¡¯s for some reason easier to write, includes historical perspective and will compensate for the gap¡­This is basically how Freya feels:


    I had a hard time with the above sentence, but basically, in the wake of the financial crisis of EAsia & SEAsia in the late 90s, SK being one of the most affected (including mine!¡­great times :¡¯)¡­oh how I miss the days of rioting and looting on a national scale to the point of military interference¡­..), the burgeoning, prosperous middle class within EA & SEA basically collapsed overnight and the fall consequently exaggerated the disparity in wealth between the affluent and the poor. Because the middle class ceased to exist, people were either incredibly wealthy or horrifyingly impoverished (RIP Hong Kong). For those who survived the fallout, their mindset was gradually ingrained with the belief they survived because they were intrinsically superior. To put it simply, the rationalization devolved into ¡°I am still wealthy because my family and I are fundamentally better¡± not ¡°I am still wealthy because I am lucky, had assistance, took hold of the window of opportunity, etc.¡± The idea that the essence or core of a person was either ¡°superior¡± or ¡°inferior¡± is an attitude still prevalent TO. THIS. DAY. In SK and generally EA & SEA countries, there¡¯s a heavy emphasis on people being strictly grouped into these two categories. Though this old age belief exists in all cultures & at any time period, there is a unique cultural attitude behind the power struggle present within the dichotomy of the rich and the poor of Korea due to 1) the Korean War and 2) the lingering effects of the 97-98 financial crisis (s/o to Parasite!!!). These are not the ¡°only¡± events that were impactful, they¡¯re just two of the biggest.


    In countries populated with groups of diverse ethnicities, it becomes a struggle about race, but in homogenous countries, it¡¯s about the uneven distribution of resources.


    What¡¯s really interesting about these royalty romance novels (or KR novels w/ foreign settings in general) is that the author is creating the ambiance of European nobility and yet when they¡¯re trying to portray a prideful, arrogant noble, the Korean verbiage used for their dialogue carries these strong, Korean sentiments born out of generational trauma w/ undertones of SK nationalism (aka the whole of Korean citizens working together to overcome distressing historical events while also dealing with the internal strife in social issues stemming from inequality within the citizens)¡­. Lastly, I¡¯m aware I sound like a koreaboo but I swear I just know a bit of EA & SEA history smh. -Le_Tired

 Chapter 121

    ¡°Oh, Princess¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°I want to give my apologies. We can¡¯t handle this situation amongst ourselves anymore¡­We can¡¯t¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shy! Hurry and rise! Welcome Madam, I¡¯m so relieved you came. Hurry and come this way.¡±


    ¡°Hey, thank god! The Princess has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Hey you bear, can¡¯t you hear me! You can quit now!¡±


    ¡°The Princess is here!¡±


    What is this incredibly welcoming atmosphere?


    Seeing this, I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    I was dragged around blindly by Sir Ivan while in a state of confusion, and before long, the paladins stationed themselves near the entrance to the cave, and a familiar figure hovering above their heads appeared as if it was an illusion.


    ¡°Pi-yo-o-o-o-o-o-o!¡±


    Griffin let out a long cry before I could even open my mouth.


    Immediately following their cry, something sprung itself out from within the dark cave.


    ¡°Po, po!¡±


    ¡°Popo! Hey guys!¡±


    ¡°Madam, be careful ¡­!¡±


    ¡°Po, po po po po!¡±


    Rolling, rolling. (????, ???.) (sfx)


    Popo, who was passionately bouncing and flapping their arms, rolled on the floor for a bit as they vigorously hugged me with their plump arms.


    (T/N: again, I¡¯ll be using gender neutral pronouns ¡°they/them¡± to refer to Popo, Griffin, or the baby dragon)


    Oh my goodness, it was a chaotic scene, but I was happy to see them again!


    ¡°Po, po, po, po!¡±


    ¡°Pureung, cu, cu, cu, ku!¡±


    Right above Popo¡¯s head, Griffin was happily snapping his beak away.


    I was touched to receive such a welcoming reaction from them.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Those bast*rds don¡¯t seem to be at all like beasts.¡±


    (T/N: I guess this is a way of saying they may have some ¡°humanlike¡± qualities at the most, or at the least, they behave differently compared to other beasts since they seem to be capable of showing action or reactions of a wider range compared to the average monster)


    ¡°Stay still, you idiot.¡±


    I won¡¯t go into detail on how the innocent, upright Paladins watched the little ones, who were rolling around together and basking in the joy of reunion.


    Eventually, I was freed from Popo and Griffin¡¯s intense hugs and sat gasping in the aftermath.


    [Khao oh oh oh-] (sfx)


    A groan emitting from the general area reverberated through the huge maze of a cave.


    ¡°Purreung, Purreung.¡±


    ¡°Po, po!¡±


    Griffin nodded their head and Popo, having just remembered what the objective was, simultaneously used the current situation¡¯s momentum to stand up and grab my hand.


    They then flapped their other arm in the direction towards the inside of the cave.


    ¡°Po, po, po, po.¡±


    ¡°Madam.¡±


    I blinked and turned my head in response.


    Leaving behind the quivering eyes of their comrades, a small group of elite paladins daringly came to me with beaming looks.


    ¡±Is Iz in the cave right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the commander (Sir Barons) is also accompanying him. I tried to stop them from going in but they were both too stubborn. The current dilemma is that they might be lost inside at the moment, because they haven¡¯t come out of the cave for nearly half a day, so I tried to go after them but they (Popo and Griffin) were blocking people from entry, and instead I¡¯ve been keeping watch over the cave¡¯s opening¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    This bast*rd husband, it hasn¡¯t even been close to half a day and yet he¡¯s attempting to solve the situation (of figuring out why the dragon is wailing) by himself after we¡¯ve made the agreement of figuring it out together as a married couple!


    No matter how strong he may be, I¡¯ll still be worried for his safety!


    It¡¯s become even more of a mess since he left with the commander!


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure nothing will happen, since the most that has happened so far has been the dragon whining. Izek is either lost or taking the time to search for something else. We just thought Madam should be informed of this, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°The commander also mentioned something about two dragons¡­.Madam, we will follow you if you decide to enter the cave too.¡±


    It was then that Sir Ivan, who had been conversing with Sir Galar, and Sir Camus, who was approaching with the support of Andymion, staggered in.


    ¡°Madam, that bast*rd. I don¡¯t think that Griffin punk is a Griffin.¡±


    The hard-headed Sir Camus seemed to be in a rather bad condition today.


    In order to discourage Sir Camus from insisting on taking action on Griffin, Sir Galar had to step forward and stop him from cutting his own nose.


    (T/N: I thought ¡°cut / slit his nose¡± is a Korean metaphor or idiom but apparently it is a reference dating back from the Middle Ages. According to wiki, ¡°cutting off one¡¯s nose (to spite one¡¯s face)¡± is an expression used to describe a needlessly self destructive over reaction to a problem. ¡°Don¡¯t cut off your nose to spite your face¡± is a warning against acting out of pique, or against pursuing revenge in a way that would damage oneself more than the object of one¡¯s anger. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to cut off someone¡¯s nose for punishment or any misc. Reason back then and the expression has since become a blanket term for, often unwise, self destructive actions motivated purely by anger or desire for revenge.)


    Sir Camus then fell unconscious from Sir Galar¡¯s ¡°intervention¡± and was then dragged out by Sir Ezekiel, who waved at us.


    [Khao oh oh oh-]


    ¡°Po, po, po!¡±


    Just like last time, Popo grabbed me and coasted forward while Griffin took the lead as they flew.


    Two men plus a boy (the paladins) began chasing us as if it was a life and death situation.


    For some reason, neither Popo nor Griffin seemed to care about the humans frantically scrambling after them even though the scene looked chaotic.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Wow!¡±


    A loud exclamation could be heard echoing from further back as the winding downhill road came into view.


    I was clinging onto Popo in an embrace while wildly sliding down the road so I didn¡¯t have time to check if everyone had safely and properly come down the road.


    As I glided around the curved slopes that stretched out into several maze-like branches, my eyes rolled round and round.


    Oh, I had forgotten this feeling.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Po¡±!


    Griffin then grabbed Popo¡¯s ear as Popo leaped through the air.


    Afterwards, the sound of someone being violently buried into a mountain of jewels rang magnificently from behind.


    ¡°Are you all okay?¡±


    There was no answer for a while.


    While Griffin gently set us down, I rubbed my head that was still recovering from motion sickness and tried to come to my senses.


    Where do you see¡­ Wait, but was this place always so bright?


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤My, my, Sir Izek and his wife boast the extraordinary talent of managing to make a dramatic appearance every time. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all right, Princess.¡±


    Jalak jalak. Jalakjalak jalak (sfx of Ruby sliding down the mountain)


    My body painfully slipped down the mountain of jewels.


    Popo, you traitor¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.


    ¡°Hello, honey?¡±


    Izek, who skillfully grabbed and hugged me as I slipped further down, wore an expression on his face that was quite a spectacle to see.


    Just in time, the owner of this jewelry warehouse groaned dramatically.


    ¡°Kao-o-o-o-o-o, kao-o-o-o-o, kao-o-o-o-o¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±.


    It was only then was I able to properly take in the surroundings.


    Illuminated by a glowing lantern which seemed to have been brought in by someone, a huge pile of indigo scales could be seen draping up and down over the stone floor where a pile of jewels were pushed back.


    A middle aged paladin, the knight commander of the Longinus Paladins, was smiling at me as he stood near the lifeless, drooping wings.


    Was it Sir Barons?


    ¡°It¡¯s growing pains.¡±


    ¡°Growing pains¡±?


    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t think it was the case because it wouldn¡¯t have matched the timing, but now I think that it is definitely growing pains after observing it with my own eyes. Even though it¡¯s a bit of a fuss, the pain is not too severe.¡±


    Izek gently put me down.


    I fumbled through the pile of scales and found the snout where the moans were flowing out.


    Which side is the head?


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±


    I thought I saw the long, closed eyelids flinching for a bit as I was speaking softly to the dragon, and then, a huge golden eyeball soon revealed itself.


    My breath instantly came to a stop.


    ¡°Kao¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Kao, Kao¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Kao, Oh, Kao¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    I think they want to say something, but I can¡¯t figure out what it¡¯s supposed to be.


    When I tenderly reached out to stroke the rigid nose bridge, a huge nostril snorted out.


    It¡¯s a relief that they¡¯re not injured or sick, but it seems a little off for them to act like this.


    Are you sure you¡¯re our dragon cub?


    ¡°But the timing doesn¡¯t fit¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really just growing pains. The only time growing pains feel like death is when it occurs while they¡¯re young. The cub is only transitioning into adolescence now, which means they may be much younger than we initially thought for their size.¡±


    Surprisingly, my husband, who kindly explained it to me, sat down on his knees next to me and placed his hand near the half-opened dragon¡¯s snout.


    The dragon cub didn¡¯t even budge.


    Though in the midst of their pain, their half-opened eyes gleamed as if in a blaze.


    Oh, were you really just a child?


    ¡°You¡¯re so tall. And you were still just a child?¡±


    ¡°A child¡­ That is my question as well, commander?¡±


    ¡°Madam, the last dragon to be seen in Erendil before the cub was the frost dragon of winter 19 years ago. We thought that they were the cub¡¯s brother, but looking at the current chain of events, it looks like the dragon last seen may have been their mother. And maybe, the reason why the mother died in vain during its capture was to hide the cub¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°The commander didn¡¯t kill the dragon that was last seen though. At any rate, I don¡¯t know what state the cub was in at that time, but it seems like they¡¯ve been locked up in this room since then, hoarding jewels and sleeping¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    I know. The cub was a lonely child who survived with all their might¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.


    But if you¡¯re still a child, how much bigger can you grow from here? You¡¯re already so big.


    ¡°What size do you think the mother was?¡±


    ¡°I remember her to maybe be half of the current size of the cub. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if this dim cub has an early onset of puberty or hyperplasia, but could it possibly be hyperplasia?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me that, whatever the commander says would be more accurate because he is more knowledgeable on this subject.¡±


    ¡°But Sir is the best paladin of the North, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s your take on the situation?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Princess, what do you think, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me now?¡±


    When I asked back because I was dumbfounded, both men immediately responded with pride.


    ¡°He likes you¡±.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just whining and pleading for mercy, saying something was wrong?¡±


    (T/N: Ruby is talking about how it¡¯s strange they¡¯re asking her for input on the dragon¡¯s condition and how they are also calmer about the situation now that they¡¯ve realized it¡¯s growing pains whereas before there was a bit more sense of urgency b/c the cause of the cub¡¯s distress was unknown. They believe that Ruby would be able to have better insight b/c the cub likes her and she is able to effectively communicate w/ them and other monsters in general)


    What kind of answers were these that came from the commander and the subordinate.


    ¡°When will these growing pains end?¡±


    ¡°No one can give an estimate on how long these growing pains will last. It varies from individual to individual, and roughly about seven out of ten fail to grow properly, eventually dying.¡±


    Tong, there was a dreary echo.


    The dragon cub, who was apparently very unhappy with the human¡¯s claim, shook its tail, growling and dispersing the jewels everywhere.


    The knight commander, who was staring at the sparkling gold coins scattered in the air as if entranced, soon saw my expression and came to his senses.


    ¡°Oh, of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that the cub will die. It¡¯s just that it was often the case in the past¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Why are you making my wife nervous with this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that, so please forget about the unverified information discussed. Although I have experience in caring for the young, their lineage has dried up over the years, and now that I¡¯ve had a chance to examine the cub, we don¡¯t need to be too concerned for them. It doesn¡¯t seem like worrying about it is necessary!¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Lord, can¡¯t you see (the cub is fine)? Save yourself from any worries and just trust me, isn¡¯t the Princess also at ease now?


    For a moment, we looked at the dragon cub that was growing way too quickly and suffering from growing pains.

 Chapter 122

    The little dragon, who was fiercely waving their huge tail and snorting their nose, glared at us.


    ¡°The cub doesn¡¯t seem very reassured.¡±


    ¡°Sir, please refrain from your tendency to be wary of anything you¡¯re unfamiliar with. Do you think I¡¯ve seen small dragons only once or twice?


    ¡°Besides that, how is that information relevant to the dragon growing up safely?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking me that because what I¡¯ve said was not for the purpose of addressing concerns over the cub¡¯s wellbeing. I merely said that emotional stability is key when young dragons are suffering from growing pains. P&G also helps take care of the cub by feeding them, but they¡¯re not always there to do so¡­..No, actually Princess, what is the connection between P&G and the dragon?¡±


    The subjects of the conversation, Popo and Griffin, were excitedly rolling around in a pile of jewels.


    Whether it was due to the amount of accumulated jewels in the vicinity or simply because they were distracted from playing around, P&G had not been paying attention to what was going on even though it seemed that they had originally dragged us down here because the cub was sick.


    Izek, who shot a look of disapproval towards my runaway friends, gave a bitter sigh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the cub is a dragon¡±.


    ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡±


    ¡°No matter how much I look at it, the cub must be putting up an act on purpose. The obese lizard cub just wants to live their life being petted and having someone catch their food for them. Geez, why do people these days commit the crime of coveting any man¡¯s wife?¡±


    After he came to a strange conclusion that I couldn¡¯t make sense of, the finest paladin of the North seemed to be in a state of mental confusion.


    I slowly raised my hand and patted his limp, drooping shoulders.


    ¡°No one told you that you had to take responsibility and take care of them¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it, but I don¡¯t want to do it! But if I don¡¯t do it, then who would? There are many that want to harm the cub! Damn, as one of the Holy Guardians of the North, I will summarily arrest any blasphemous bast*rds who dare to interfere with the cub¡¯s daily bread, even if they are priests!¡±


    (T/N: I wasn¡¯t sure if the ¡°daily bread¡± part is supposed to be a hidden pun as a reference to God since¡­.Izek¡­is a paladin¡­.so I just left it as is in the event that it¡¯s just a normal phrase that¡¯s used everyday in either SK or whatever time period setting HTGMHOMS is supposed to be in. After spending an hour stuck on this damn section, I give up and if anyone isn¡¯t clear, tsundere Izek is planning to start taking care of the dragon by feeding him and etc. like a foster parent)


    I¡¯m not sure how this logic came about, but it seems like he¡¯s genuinely worried.


    I liked the idea so much that I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the terrible reality of Izek being a nanny for a grumpy little dragon.


    ¡°I think the cub will be happy if we both take good care of them and give them the opportunity to grow up safe and sound. It will be like we¡¯re their parents.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Is that so?¡±


    I can¡¯t even begin to describe how the legendary Knight Commander of the Longinus Paladins, who was said to have encountered two young adult dragons, began to look at the other knights with an incredulous expression.


    Sir Barons immediately turned his trembling gaze away and opened his mouth in a solemn manner to address the knights standing on the other side.


    ¡°Are you here to fool around?¡±


    Oops, I had entirely forgotten the presence of the other three.


    I don¡¯t know why they¡¯ve been so quiet as if they¡¯re asleep this whole time.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it at all, Commander. Do you know how worried we were?¡±


    ¡±Stop with the shenanigans and pull out the jewels you¡¯ve taken. Are you happy about stealing toys from a baby with a stuffy nose? Can you still call yourself a paladin!¡±


    I could not believe that the Commander of the Northern High Order of the Holy Knights was referring to the devil of Satan as a little boy with a runny nose.


    It has become increasingly confusing to determine what kind of beliefs the aristocrats hold in this Kingdom.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to touch the jewels, it¡¯s just been rolling and falling all over the place¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤By the way, we were worried and thought we were going to die at one point. Was the cub going to go after that birdhead and raccoon pig even though they were protecting him? There¡¯s also no way for us to know if it¡¯s growing pains or something else. I don¡¯t even-¡±


    ¡°How dare you complain so much in the face of the Princess! The spirit and practice of chivalry are nowhere to be seen! The problem is that young people these days think that anyone can automatically be a knight just because they wield a sword!¡±


    ***


    Snow was spilling out of the window that was half-closed.


    There was an outpour of heavy snow at any given time as winter began in earnest because it was the North.


    My father-in-law opened his mouth.


    At the end of his words, Father-in-law spoke in a meaningful tone and left an odd, lasting impression.


    ¡°The Pope said he sent a Gonfaloniere (Enzo).¡±


    (T/N: After 122 Chapters, there is finally a bit of information on Enzo and what he does. Gonfaloniere has several definitions, one of them being a medieval term for an Italian official. According to Wiki, it is the holder of a highly prestigious communal office in medieval and Renaissance Italy, notably in Florence and the Papal States. Another definition specifies that it is the chief magistrate or other official of any of several republics in medieval Italy. The title seems to denote what kind of authority one has in an organization / government similar to titles like ¡®supervisor¡¯, ¡®team leader¡¯, ¡®ceo¡¯, ¡®cfo¡¯, ¡®president¡¯, etc.


    MTL T/N: the other definition is a papal official at Rome who bears the standard of the church)


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Officially, Enzo¡¯s visit to his sister is meant to convey the Holy Father¡¯s message of condolences to the people of Erendil, who have gone through a hard time, but unofficially, the purpose of the visit here will be to hold a negotiation on the issues at hand (Cesare¡¯s assault on Ruby, Southern delegation visit to the North, Pope¡¯s plans, etc.). In this situation, we won¡¯t know what to do with the Gonfaloniere until after we meet with him.¡±


    In other words, Enzo, the Pope¡¯s second son and the general commander of the Pope¡¯s army, would come to Erendil under the Pope¡¯s secret orders.


    It was only natural that he would feel it was necessary to send someone to salvage the political situation.


    ¡°Can you tell me what kind of person he is?¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like the objective of the question was to ask about Enzo¡¯s reputation.


    My father-in-law, standing by the window with arms folded and staring at me, looked somewhat cautious and serious. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable question.


    Let¡¯s see, how do I feel about Enzo¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ I don¡¯t have any particular feelings about him.


    ¡°He¡¯s just my brother.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just an older brother¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s just an ordinary, older brother. Even though he can be a wild troublemaker, he is different from his father and brother. Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s coming.¡±


    The Pope¡¯s message was clear.


    Enzo had fortunately never been in any accidents (¡®scandals¡¯) but he also wasn¡¯t talented in diplomatic negotiations, yet it remained true that the Pope still favored his son.


    There may be some hidden feelings of disdain or contempt behind the show of sincerity of sending Enzo over to fix the problems Cesare had caused, but above all, it was clear that he was using Enzo to persuade me to look over the mess.


    In other words, he¡¯s trying to appeal to me in order to appease the Omertas.


    The move aims to make a thorough negotiation of the situation possible by raising suspicions of the motive of Cesare¡¯s attack on Omerta¡¯s Princess.


    Aside from the question of Enzo¡¯s ability to persuade or coax anyone properly, he is the only one in my family who I have no resentment towards.


    In addition to everything else, I didn¡¯t know there would come a day when my father, who was Cesare¡¯s partner in crime, would try to hold a negotiation with me like this (strategically sending Enzo in because he feels threatened by the possibility of retaliation by the Omertas). As expected, you have to live for a long time before you can witness the unimaginable taking place.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I see. That¡¯s understandable. This time, then, could you tell me what his usual personality is like objectively?¡±


    Yes? Isn¡¯t objective information about his usual personality already well known?


    At my puzzled expression, my father scratched his beard in embarrassment.


    Why are you suddenly going back and forth again?


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Actually, the Southern delegation had already arrived at Erendil three days ago but the Gonfaloniere had disappeared off to somewhere else by themselves and there was no way to know where they¡¯ve gone.


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°The results of the report state that it was confirmed that the delegation had arrived together at the port of Elmos, but it seems that he must have left somewhere in the middle after arrival. The delegation is also in trouble because he can¡¯t stay still in one location for long, wanders around freely as if he¡¯s still in the South, and gets in trouble easily¡­.So, would you have any idea where the Gonfaloniere would have gone first and where & what he would be doing by now? He could be visiting an acquaintance in Erendil.¡±


    Now it was my turn to look embarrassed.


    What would you think if all factors were to be considered? It¡¯s obvious!


    No matter how innocent the visit may look on the outside, you would still wonder if he has been sent on an important mission, because if it is Enzo, it is more than possible.


    ¡°Ruby?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s probably around the entertainment area.¡±


    Oh, why am I suddenly feeling embarrassed?


    Regardless of how long you¡¯ve been away or how distant you may be from home, you can¡¯t completely escape your family¡¯s upbringing or consistently keep up the act of being different from them.


    (T/N: No lie, the MTL version of the sentence above took me 2 hours of spacing out before I could understand what the content was about. It¡¯s kind of a sad, nature vs. nurture comment regarding Enzo¡¯s lifestyle and how he was raised still affects him despite having a temperament completely different to Cesare or the Pope)


    For a moment there, my father-in-law did not respond. He didn¡¯t seem to have heard what I said.


    ¡°What ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡±


    ¡±Every time he visits a new place, he must experience the true face of the city by going to the gambling houses and bars¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    A sense of humiliation welled up and clouded my words.


    Oh my, you moron! My face is burning because of you! Isn¡¯t it actually cold in this weather?


    Father¡¯s face, which showed a bewildered expression, slowly began to distort.


    It was truly a terrifying sight.


    ¡±So now, the first place the Gonfaloniere of Romagna ran like an arrow to, as soon as he arrived at the city where his in-laws reside, was an area like that. Is this what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    (Nodding head)


    ¡°He¡¯s been playing around in such a seedy place during all three days? Are you really saying that even under these circumstances, he¡¯s the kind of person who would do that?¡±


    (Nodding head)


    What can we do? It¡¯s sadly true.


    Darn, I feel my tears coming up all of a sudden.


    I was fine when I talked about it just now.


    Father-in-law was rubbing his throbbing temples and growling after witnessing the sight of me holding back tears in my eyes and nodding helplessly, which must have made me look pitiful.


    ¡°Okay, I understand. We might as well ask the city guards for help too if we want to search through areas like this. Damn, the brothers take turns in making Erendil¡¯s guards chase after them in pairs.¡±


    To be specific, all three siblings are pretty troublesome.


    Though it was not my intention to cause any trouble, let¡¯s not think about the time I previously ran away and caused a disturbance.


    ¡°But the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable the situation becomes. To what extent is the North and the Omertas being underestimated?¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°No, father-in-law. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s looking down on you. He just doesn¡¯t understand the gravity of his actions. He¡¯s normally careless regardless of the place and time. During the Rimini march not that long ago, he almost even lost a long-fought battle because he thoughtlessly drank all night long.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Hearing that is not very comforting, but it¡¯s slightly better to know that it¡¯s from negligence rather than malintent. Despite that, I¡¯d rather not mention this to my son.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°If my son hears about the activities Enzo does for leisure, instead of running over and being concerned with making a good impression as soon as the brother-in-law arrives, he¡¯ll beat him up and try to put him to sleep. If it were my son, I would have broken his leg with a stick¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    The Pope had already broken his leg several times. (Yikes)


    The problem was that it yielded no results.


    On the other hand, it was confounding that Enzo was always weak to others who were perpetually in trouble and tried to help them.


    ***


    Anyways, that¡¯s pretty much what has happened so far.


    Under the supervision of his sister-in-law and the butler, Enzo was kept busy during his visit to Erendil, learning how to do new housekeeping tasks carefully and taking care of a dragon suffering from growing pains.


    -end of ch 122-

 Chapter 123

    ¡°Hey Ruby, I was worried about you but your face is glowing! Oh, you look great! How long has it been?!¡± (Enzo)


    As soon as he arrived with the pope¡¯s delegation, he tried to sneak out and roam around on his own, but he was prevented from doing so and dragged out by the city guards. He was a gonfaloniere lacking in humility or shame.


    He was smiling brightly as he hugged me and swung me round and round, almost giving me motion sickness.


    This guy hasn¡¯t changed at all.


    ¡°Welcome¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Are you cold?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What do you mean, am I cold? When I first arrived, I thought I would freeze to death! But wow, It was exciting to see the snow after a long time. Has it snowed a lot here? The place looks a lot more romantic than I initially thought.¡±


    Are you saying that you visited various locations, even though you were freezing to death, because you were intoxicated by the romantic atmosphere?


    I had to try and avoid seeing the look on my father-in-law¡¯s face.


    As for King Feranol, he simply had a blank expression.


    It seemed that he had given up on understanding whatever was happening around him these days.


    After exchanging greetings and going through some formal procedures, I had a moment alone with Enzo.


    It was a sunny afternoon and the snow had stopped just in time, so we came out to the courtyard of the palace and walked along the promenade. While Enzo admired the lonely appearance of the moon tower, where the restoration work was almost complete, I emptied my head as I observed the half-bloomed camellias.


    (T/N: As an English speaker, I still had to look up ¡®promenade¡¯ and the Oxford Language Dictionary cites it as ¡®a paved public walk, typically one along a waterfront at a resort¡¯.


    And as for camellia flowers, I wondered if there was any significance in including its presence, and it apparently symbolizes love, devotion, affection and admiration. The flowers can also symbolize refinement, perfection, and faithfulness, depending on the color and context of the bloom. In Japan, the camellia flower is often used in religious ceremonies, as it symbolizes divinity.)


    ¡°However, the citizens of this kingdom seem a bit scary. Is it because of the cold temperature?¡±


    ¡°Was that your first impression because you were dragged off to a weird place right when you had just arrived?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t dragged away though? And it wasn¡¯t a weird place, I want to take a tour of the pubs because the butter drinks here are so good¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you happened to find yourself locked up in a casino? It¡¯s just like you, brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just watching, just watching! As the gonfaloniere of Romagna, it is my duty to learn about the traditions and customs of the citizens of each kingdom¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    Enzo, who had been coming up with ridiculous excuses, suddenly looked at me with a serious expression on his face.


    The hint of mischief that had been present was now nowhere to be seen in his downcast eyes.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell happened with you and brother?¡±


    ¡°Well, what have you heard so far?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard much in particular, brother isn¡¯t the kind of person to confide in me when it comes to matters related to you. He said that he wanted to see you so he came in person to listen to you talk. And no, father and brother weren¡¯t exactly fighting but it seems that father was about to kill brother? Oh, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen father so angry at brother. It was hilarious, you should¡¯ve seen it¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°So, what did father say to you when he sent you here?¡±


    ¡°Huh? To me? ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I don¡¯t really remember. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not fully sober at the moment. I only remember the constant, annoying nagging, repeating dozens of times, damn it, and I¡¯m not even a kid anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was something about calming you down and asking you to forgive brother. I think it was something along the lines of that. We will all be in trouble if you accuse the family of mistreating you and condemn them for it.I don¡¯t know why he told me to do it, I¡¯m the one who would be the least capable of this task!¡±


    (T/N: I actually still don¡¯t know what the closest translation for ¡°??? ??? ??? ? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ? ?? ?? ??????¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤= We will all be in trouble if you accuse the family of mistreating you and condemn them for it.¡± should be. I went so far as to consult a Korean coworker about the sentence but 1) there was a language barrier and 2) she was hesitant to explain to me the content of the true meaning / implication of the sentence because it apparently contains ¡®bad words¡¯ lol. If someone has any idea of what this is supposed to be that would be great. I¡¯m super curious and it also drove me crazy)


    If the Pope were to see Enzo slurring right now, he would have clasped the back of his own neck and collapsed.


    Why am I about to laugh?


    ¡°Anyway, what the hell happened with you and brother? I think he must have done something wrong to you. Or did he pick a fight with your husband? ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Oh! That¡¯s right, he mentioned something about that too. Your husband did something to brother, but rather than trying to come to an understanding, they fought instead? Who won? Why did they fight? I should¡¯ve been there to see it too!¡±


    Father-in-law, the one who came to stop their fight, should I say that Izek won?


    This guy is a bit too excited. My ears are already hurting.


    ¡°That¡¯s why brother was in pain, he lost, right?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°He was in pain? When?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Would it make more sense to say he seemed unwell rather than he was in pain? He must be suffering from some psychological trauma as a result of being beaten up by your husband. Did you see them fighting? Can you tell me what happened in detail?¡± (Enzo)


    Cesare is someone who is not prone to illness or injury, and even if he was sick or injured, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person to let anyone know about it.


    I suddenly remembered the time I witnessed the moment of an intense collision between Izek and Cesare in the mirror room.


    Even in my eyes, that knew very little about the weapons of divinity, the carnage seemed to be a formidable sword after seeing the collision between the carnage and the shield.


    (T/N: The ???? ¡°carnage¡± is supposed to be the name of the sword but I¡¯m not entirely sure what a more suitable name would be in English.)


    The cardinal¡¯s shield was almost torn apart¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.


    I¡¯m certain he is suffering from an internal, physical injury, not a psychological one.


    It would have made for a good ending if Cesare were to fall ill and succumb to death from his injuries, but if his wounds had been fatal, the Pope would have already spoken on the issue.


    Or did Enzo forget to touch on the topic?


    It would be great if Cesare paid for the crimes he committed in the North with his death.


    When I failed to respond, Enzo quietly lowered his voice and gradually stopped talking once he realized an unusual atmosphere was present.


    ¡°Hey, why are you not saying anything? Did Cesare try to force you to divorce Izek? But just because you¡¯re angry with him doesn¡¯t mean you have to be angry with me too.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I just don¡¯t have much to say on this topic.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What? Why? Why? I have a lot to say and hear-¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust father (the Pope) or my eldest brother right. It applies to you as well. Whatever father (the Pope) wants is none of my business, so don¡¯t expect anything from me.¡± (Ruby)


    There was silence.


    While I was facing him with a smile, Enzo stared at me with a blank expression on his face, making it hard to discern whether he was just stunned or completely lost.


    Afterwards, the best reply he could come up with was this.


    ¡°You¡¯re really married!¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been unconsciously treating you like you were still my little sister from back then.


    Can¡¯t you overlook this? I¡¯m still not used to the fact that you¡¯ve married into someone else¡¯s family yet because we¡¯re carrying on like we always have in the past, with me acting as a mediator between you and father & brother just like I¡¯ve always done ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ .¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Though this is how I feel, it doesn¡¯t mean that I dislike you.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t like father or older brother?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°How would you feel if you were me?¡± (Ruby)


    For a moment, Enzo seemed to be contemplating something on his own while he scratched his frizzy, ginger-colored hair.


    What else was this single celled organism (aka simple minded person) going to say?


    (T/N: I was wondering if ????? aka ¡°single celled organism¡± was a euphemism for simple minded person and it really was according to https://lswtr.tumblr.com/post/176810542233/swear-words-and-insults-in-korean)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t as close to you as older brother was, and both of you have been close to each other since we were little. Would it be better to say I didn¡¯t have the time to join in? I think that¡¯s why I purposely ventured outside more often. I¡¯m not trying to say it¡¯s anyone¡¯s fault, it¡¯s just that we don¡¯t know each other well enough.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Even though older brother doesn¡¯t say it out loud, he always complains about father uselessly keeping an idiot like me around. I wasn¡¯t aware then but now I can clearly see how much he (Cesare) hates me just by looking at his eyes. My image as a scatterbrained, foolish character is rather strong. Anyways, in one way or another, it¡¯s only the good looking brother that¡¯s deemed as trustworthy, right? As it was with your marriage, I¡¯m in a position where I can¡¯t afford to have an opinion when it comes to matters on marriage, and I¡¯ll have to get married right away if father tells me I have to do it. It¡¯s useless to dwell on it and go into a rage.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°I knew the situation would be like that.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Giving up on saying anything? Well, hold on, what was I going to say¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Oh, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s why I only know what¡¯s going on from what I¡¯ve seen so far (Enzo knows little because information is also limited to him since he¡¯s a chess piece just like Ruby). You always looked like you were happy and free of any complaints. Especially since I was sick back then, things that I would have dealt with in the past were relatively simple compared to now¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ To be honest, sometimes, I was scared of you.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°You were scared of me? In the past?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°No, it was only after I was sick. It¡¯s funny when I think about it now, but sometimes you seem to be a person empty of emotions. You would laugh and cry the same way, but I have to say that it felt strangely empty¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Damn, I don¡¯t know, I wouldn¡¯t be too surprised if you actually resented us (the Borgias) after coming here. I may be an idiot you don¡¯t want to acknowledge as your brother, but I¡¯m fairly insightful.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t hate oldest brother.¡± (Ruby)


    When I said it jokingly, the dark blue eyes that had been awkwardly fluttering around stopped and looked right at me.


    I returned his gaze with a firm one of my own.


    ¡°So, what do you want to do now? Tell me your thoughts.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What I want to do, don¡¯t you know already?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What, you weren¡¯t aware? Oh, really¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. Ahem, I honestly am not sure what father said and I just want brother to tell you he¡¯s aware of what mistake he has made. It¡¯s not like I can do anything in this situation, but tell me, did brother go so far as to hit you during the argument?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°Did you not know? Did you not hear or did you really just forget about it?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°¡­Oh, really¡­?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be surprised about, it wasn¡¯t the first time. It¡¯s not just once or twice.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°What? What¡¯s that¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°Older brother used to complain that he was the only one who was beaten by father, but I was experiencing the same thing. I didn¡¯t even go out and play like you did.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re joking right? Let brother-¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe it or not. The same goes for eldest brother. In any case, you got it right, he did beat me, in fact, it seems like he was resentful.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a stranger to them and I bear the Omerta family name now. So I¡¯ll enter negotiations prioritizing the interests of the Omerta family. No matter how important the Holy Father may be, my family name is no longer ¡®Borgia¡¯.¡± (Ruby)


    Silence filled the air once again.


    A bird flew wildly from the tree overhead, scattering snow.


    Snowflakes fell and landed on ginger-colored hair.


    Even so, Enzo just looked at me without sparing a single thought to the state of his hair.


    It was a bit funny to see his mouth open as wide as his eyes.


    ¡°¡­ Do you hate them?¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°What?¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Do you hate father and brother?¡± (Enzo)


    What would you do if I did or didn¡¯t? In any case, the same question could be asked of you too.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel anything towards them. Just as you¡¯ve pointed out before.¡± (Ruby)


    I said those words because I really didn¡¯t feel anything anymore, but for some reason, the single celled organism closed its jaws and suddenly looked very sad.


    Anyone who sees this would think that I¡¯ve just said I hate him.


    Are you going to be a person occupying multiple character roles during the few days you¡¯re here?


    (T/N: Ruby is commenting on his quick transitions between his usual clown-ish characters to caring brother to serious person, etc. I¡¯m not sure if the wording would be ambiguous for non-native English speakers within various levels of fluency.)


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ it¡¯s only natural you would feel that way¡­¡± (Enzo)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Ruby)


    ¡°Then what about me? You don¡¯t feel anything about me either?¡± (Enzo)


    The tears that fell awkwardly from the sapphire-colored eyes, which were the same as those of Cesare¡¯s but entirely different, caused me to be utterly speechless for a moment.